Chapter 492

Chapter 492 : Everything Converges to One (2)

"Hoo!"

Gi Ye-hwa let out a low sigh. Her face clearly showed exhaustion.

Around her, a group of martial artists was deployed.

They were the Life-Severing Squad, which could be called Hao Sect's elite. The Life-Severing Squad was dyed completely red as if they'd bathed in blood.

Red steam rose from the shoulders of the Life-Severing Squad gasping for breath. The heat they emitted was evaporating the blood they were covered in.

On the way here, they'd killed countless people. If others had seen that sight, they would have called them murderers and criticized them. But fortunately, the world's gaze was focused not on this place but on Shaanxi Province. Because the great war between Blue Sky Alliance and the Demon Cult was happening there.

It was self-evident that whoever won in Shaanxi Province would soon dominate the world. That's why everyone was concentrating their gaze on Shaanxi Province.

Thanks to that, Gi Ye-hwa and the Life-Severing Squad could escape others' gazes and move freely.

On the way here, the number who'd died at their hands exceeded several hundred. A considerable number of them had been those flying significant prestige even in the martial world.

They'd been renowned heroes of the martial world or respected figures, and regional influential people. They were such people who had no connection to Hao Sect.

If Hao Sect had killed such people normally, a tremendous aftermath would have blown in. But now, no one was paying even a glance to Hao Sect's movements. They were pouring all their attention into the great war in Shaanxi Province.

Because of that, no one could restrain Hao Sect's movements. Thanks to that, Gi Ye-hwa and Hao Sect could achieve the desired goal they wanted.

Those Hao Sect had hunted down until now were precisely those who'd been cooperating with Heavenly Evil Cult while disguised as renowned heroes. They'd cooperated with Heavenly Evil Cult while thoroughly hiding their identities. They'd been disguising so thoroughly that even their families didn't know they were connected to Heavenly Evil Cult.

Those Gi Ye-hwa and the Life-Severing Squad killed were precisely such people. Those who'd been eating away at the world's shadows while thoroughly hiding their identities.

At the last moment before death, their reactions were all alike. Precisely asking that their identities be kept secret from their families.

They feared having their honor damaged more than death. If that was so, she couldn't understand why they'd cooperated with Heavenly Evil Cult at all.

'Did they really think such facts would never be revealed?'

One thing Gi Ye-hwa newly realized after becoming Hao Sect's Vice Sect Leader was precisely that eternal secrets don't exist in the world.

Though they might somehow get past it right now, being revealed in time was the world's principle. Such people who didn't even know such simple principles were hiding in the shadows mocking the world. And Gi Ye-hwa now had the last martial artist hiding in the shadows right before her eyes.

A signboard reading Hong Family Manor came into view.

It was quite an influential family in this region. At least in this area, they'd accumulated so much virtue that there was no one who didn't respect Hong Family Manor. Because of that, normally at Hong Family Manor, people lined up to come see the manor lord Hong Hwa-gyeong. But now Hong Family Manor was quiet to the point the expression desolate came out.

Not even one of those many people was visible, and even the martial artists who'd been guarding the main gate weren't at their posts.

Gi Ye-hwa and the Life-Severing Squad frowned slightly but entered Hong Family Manor without hesitation.

Hong Family Manor's interior was as quiet as the exterior. All those many household members were nowhere to be seen, and in the training ground, one old martial artist was sitting alone in meditation.

The moment she saw the old martial artist, Gi Ye-hwa's eyes flashed. Because she recognized his identity at once. Because he was precisely Hong Hwa-gyeong, Hong Family Manor's manor lord and spiritual pillar.

Flash!

When Hong Hwa-gyeong, who'd sensed a presence, opened his eyes, sharp light burst forth. It was eyes so intense the Life-Severing Squad flinched.

Hong Hwa-gyeong opened his mouth.

"You came!"

"Seems you were waiting."

"I have eyes and ears too, so how could I not know you were heading here?"

"So is that why you sent away all your household members?"

Gi Ye-hwa's voice as she spoke while looking around Hong Family Manor's interior was cold as could be. Then Hong Hwa-gyeong smiled bitterly.

"That's right. There's no need for my family to know my disgrace."

"Do you know it's shameful?"

"Regarding my actions, there's not a speck of shame. But I didn't think my family could understand my conduct. No need for them to know either. That's why I sent them away. No need to know facts they don't need to know."

At Hong Hwa-gyeong's composed answer, Gi Ye-hwa felt rage boiling up inside. Because among the martial artists who'd been cooperating with Heavenly Evil Cult until now, Hong Hwa-gyeong was the most shameless.

How he could speak so composedly without his expression changing even once was something Gi Ye-hwa's common sense couldn't easily understand.

Seureurk!

Then Hong Hwa-gyeong drew his sword.

"The talk has become needlessly long. I already know what happened to the others. If you came for my life, settle it quickly."

"Right now in Shaanxi Province, a great war is happening staking Central Plains' fate. Already a tremendous number of people have died, and more will die going forward. Don't you have any thoughts of apologizing to them?"

"None!"

Hong Hwa-gyeong answered decisively. At that, Gi Ye-hwa bit her lip hard.

"How can a person…"

"Everyone has their own position. You won't be able to understand, but I did my best for my fate. And obtained the result I wanted. Though it's frustrating I can't see the result with my own eyes before I go, I don't regret it."

Hong Hwa-gyeong's gaze turned to a distant place.

His eyes were looking at a place that absolutely couldn't be seen from here. His master was there.

He'd lived his whole life for him.

He'd discarded the prestige he'd painfully built in the martial world, discarded even his name and followed him. It was all for his lord's dream.

Others might curse him as a fool, but Hong Hwa-gyeong absolutely didn't regret it. Because it was a life saved by him anyway, so he thought living for him was natural.

Hong Hwa-gyeong raised his sword and aimed at Gi Ye-hwa.

Chwachachak!

At that moment, the Life-Severing Squad drew their weapons all at once.

The momentum the hundreds of Life-Severing Squad members emitted was truly frightening. Enough for even Hong Hwa-gyeong, who'd been a master of the previous generation, to flinch.

"Chyaaat!"

He kicked off the training ground floor and charged at the Life-Severing Squad.

Normally if it were him, he would have yielded the first strike to juniors. But right now, he wasn't leisurely sparring, nor was this a fair duel.

It was his last life-or-death fight.

He wanted to burn his last moment more brilliantly than anyone.

'Though I've fought for you my whole life, this fight now is solely for myself. My lord, please achieve your dream.'

Hong Hwa-gyeong truly fought the Life-Severing Squad with all his might.

At his terrifying martial prowess, dozens of Life-Severing Squad members lost their lives. It was tremendous martial power not shameful for a master of the previous generation. But the Life-Severing Squad too were masters selected and selected by Hao Sect.

Moreover, they'd experienced countless real battles while tracking and hunting down Heavenly Evil Cult's martial artists, and their poison had risen to the peak.

Grief over lost comrades became rage, and they poured out the rage rising from deep in their hearts on Hong Hwa-gyeong.

Eventually, Hong Hwa-gyeong collapsed on the floor with his entire body cut to pieces.

"Kuleok!"

The blood he vomited dyed his chest red.

Death was before his eyes. Yet his eyes and expression somehow looked peaceful.

"Heuheuk! My… lord."

Until the last moment, he called out to Ho Cheon-myeong before his breath ceased.

Gi Ye-hwa looked at such Hong Hwa-gyeong with disgusted eyes. Most of the Heavenly Evil Cult members she and the Life-Severing Squad had killed until now had been like Hong Hwa-gyeong.

Gi Ye-hwa couldn't understand the blind loyalty they showed.

'What on earth is the Heavenly Evil Cult Leader, what is his dream, that these people throw away their own lives so unhesitatingly?'

Suddenly she felt chills on her body. Her whole body trembled to the point standing was difficult.

An ominous premonition struck her.

A premonition that something tremendous beyond her imagination would happen.

Gi Ye-hwa unknowingly embraced her shoulders with both arms.

***

The huge altar was completed.

The altar rising high as if to pierce the sky rather brought to mind a huge tower. It seemed to directly represent human will challenging Heaven.

"It's complete, Cult Leader."

Gwi-sa approached Ho Cheon-myeong and bowed his head.

"You've worked hard."

"I only did what I should."

At Ho Cheon-myeong's indifferent word, Gwi-sa showed an even more apologetic expression. Ho Cheon-myeong's gaze turned to the altar.

The altar was splendid to the point it was hard to believe it was hastily made. It was an altar built with Zhongnan Sect's foundation stones. The large pillars that had supported Zhongnan Sect's halls became the altar's pillars, and the blue stones laid in the training ground were reborn as the altar's stairs.

Like that, everything of Zhongnan Sect became part of the altar and was reborn. It was truly perfect recycling.

Around the altar, about a hundred soul technique masters were deployed waiting for Ho Cheon-myeong's command.

Originally, over two hundred soul technique masters should have been in this place. But a hundred had exhausted all their power imprisoning Dam Ho in the Avici Hell. Because of that, they had to conduct the great ritual with the remaining hundred. But Gwi-sa was confident.

Because though the personnel had halved, the overall conditions had improved.

Woooong!

As if mourning the deaths of many people, Heaven was crying.

Ordinary people couldn't hear Heaven's crying, but it rang too clearly in Ho Cheon-myeong and Gwi-sa's ears.

Heaven seems indifferent but never turns away from the world.

When the world is engulfed in blood chaos, Heaven also grieves, and heavenly energy naturally shakes. The blood and tears countless people shed stimulate Heaven, and because of that, the law of cause and effect dominating this world loosens. Precisely like right now.

Due to the great battle between Blue Sky Alliance and the Demon Cult at Xunyang Plains, cause and effect had temporarily collapsed, and heavenly energy was shaking unprecedentedly.

The moment they'd so longed for was arriving. If they just waited a bit longer, perfect conditions would be established.

A faint arc hung on Ho Cheon-myeong's lips as he looked at the altar. He was smiling.

It was a smile even Gwi-sa, who'd watched by his side for decades, was seeing for the first time.

"Cult Leader."

"Isn't it truly pleasing to see?"

Ho Cheon-myeong stretched his hand toward the altar. It seemed like he'd grasp it right away if he closed his hand. But Ho Cheon-myeong soon withdrew his hand.

Because it wasn't time yet.

The most important thing was missing.

To hold a ritual required a sacrifice, but the sacrifice hadn't arrived yet.

Ho Cheon-myeong's gaze turned toward the mountain's base. The smile on his lips deepened.

"He's coming. He'll arrive soon."

"Is that… so?"

"It's like the principle of salmon that went to sea returning to streams again. To him, I'm like a home stream. He just hadn't recognized it."

Though the meaning was unclear, Gwi-sa oddly understood his words. It was possible because he'd assisted by his side for so long.

That's when it happened. One subordinate approached and reported.

"Urgent report from the mountain's base. Fist Demon has arrived right near Mount Zhongnan."

At his report, Gwi-sa's complexion completely changed.

Because he'd arrived faster than Gwi-sa expected.

'We mustn't be disturbed yet. If we're disturbed now, it will cause tremendous setbacks to the great undertaking.'

His gaze turned toward Ho Cheon-myeong.

Ho Cheon-myeong was clicking his tongue.

"He arrived earlier than expected. It would have been good if he'd been just a bit late. As expected, nothing in worldly affairs goes as wished."

"I will handle it, Cult Leader."

"Will it be possible? Even Oh Geuk lost his life to him."

"If I stake my life, it's possible."

"Without even you, what fun would I have living in this world?"

"It seems this is the extent of my role."

"Gwi-sa!"

Ho Cheon-myeong's expression hardened for the first time. Then Gwi-sa smiled.

"Aren't those children here? Please open a new world with those children."

Those Gwi-sa was looking at were precisely the soul technique masters.

About a hundred soul technique masters.

Unlike the soul technique masters consumed when imprisoning Dam Ho in the Avici Hell, they were ones Gwi-sa particularly cherished.

They were more talented and had stronger loyalty.

They could precisely be called Heavenly Evil Cult's true future.

"Are you sincere?"

"That's right."

"Don't you regret it? The result of the effort we've poured in for decades is right there."

"It seems it's not my fate."

"Do you truly think so?"

At Ho Cheon-myeong's question, Gwi-sa bit his lips tightly for a moment.

Why wouldn't he want to complete the great undertaking following Ho Cheon-myeong? He'd run looking only at that one goal his whole life. But sometimes one had to give up what one desperately wanted.

Gwi-sa thought now was precisely that time.

"Please establish Heavenly Evil Cult there too. That alone is enough for me."

"Understood! I'll definitely keep my promise."

"Thank you. Then…"

Gwi-sa bowed deeply to Ho Cheon-myeong.

It was the last greeting a subordinate gave his lord.

Gwi-sa, who'd raised his head, looked at the man standing with the soul technique masters. It was Illusion Demon Envoy who'd returned injured from the fight with Dam Ho. Having heard the news Dam Ho was coming up, his complexion was deathly pale.

'That demon is coming? Heavenly Soldier King couldn't stop him either.'

Even Illusion Demon Envoy who feared nothing in the world was different with Dam Ho. Just the mention of his name made him feel extreme terror.

Then Gwi-sa called Illusion Demon Envoy.

"Illusion Demon Envoy."

"Yes? Yes!"

"You will preside over the ritual."

"But…"

"You can do it, right?"

"Yes!"

"There's no time. Start right away. I'll block him."

"Understood."

Illusion Demon Envoy answered hastily.