Chapter 493

Chapter 493 – Everything Converges to One (3)

Dam Ho raised his head and looked at Mount Zhongnan visible in the distance.

It was the place where Zhongnan Sect, one of the Nine Great Sects, was located. Though it didn't contain the same mystique as Mount Hua, it was still a divine mountain boasting a vast embrace large enough to comfortably hold one of the Nine Great Sects. But Mount Zhongnan reflected in Dam Ho's eyes no longer looked divine nor mysterious.

A massive darkness had settled on Mount Zhongnan. To ordinary people it would just look the same, but to the eyes of a master who'd reached Dam Ho's level, the endless deep darkness hanging over Mount Zhongnan was clearly visible.

He hadn't really needed to confirm it with Oh Geuk. He hadn't needed to follow Gi San-wol's traces. If it was such clear darkness, he could have seen it from anywhere in Shaanxi Province.

Dam Ho's eyes sank deeply.

He could know without anyone telling him.

That his battlefield was there. Ho Cheon-myeong was waiting for him there while looking down on the world.

Dam Ho moved his steps toward Mount Zhongnan.

One step, then another step.

Slowly like that, but never stopping, he walked like that. But before long, he had to stop walking. It wasn't his own will. It was because of one man blocking his way.

It was a face Dam Ho knew.

He was precisely Gwi-sa who'd come down the mountain.

"It's been a while."

He spoke.

Dam Ho looked at such Gwi-sa wordlessly.

The very fact Gwi-sa appeared was proof he'd come to the right place. From Gwi-sa's entire body flowed terrible killing energy.

The effort he and Heavenly Evil Cult had put in to kill Dam Ho until now was beyond words.

They'd tried using others to commit murder, and deployed absolute masters. After trying everything, they'd even imprisoned him in the Avici Hell by sacrificing about a hundred soul technique masters. But no method could kill Dam Ho.

Like a nine-tailed fox with nine lives, Dam Ho tenaciously came back to life. Dam Ho's appearance was beyond tiresome to the point of being terrifying.

Though Gwi-sa had experienced countless martial artists following Ho Cheon-myeong, an opponent like Dam Ho was a first. He couldn't think of any more methods for how to surely take Dam Ho's life.

Now just seeing Dam Ho's face made him feel like nausea would come up from inside. So he had no choice but to step forward directly.

The subordinates and colleagues he'd painstakingly cultivated until now had all been cut down by Dam Ho and Hao Sect. As for Heavenly Evil Cult's remaining forces, those on Mount Zhongnan were all there were.

Intense light burst forth from the part where Gwi-sa's eyes were assumed to be.

"You should never have come here. Fist Demon."

His voice echoed eerily.

Dam Ho stared at Gwi-sa intently.

Gwi-sa's chilling voice wasn't threatening to Dam Ho. That appearance stoked Gwi-sa's anger even more.

"You will die here today. Without fail!"

"Move aside!"

"…"

Dam Ho's indifferent single sentence made Gwi-sa's chest surge. The fact that no words or actions could make cracks in Dam Ho's indifferent expression made him even angrier.

"You will definitely die. Do you know why?"

"…"

"Because I've given up on living."

Tssss!

An eerie energy rose from his body like billowing clouds.

***

Gwi-sa's original name was So Ryu-gwan.

His hometown village was near Deadly Cliff by Snowy Mountain. His village was far from where ordinary people lived. Because it was where the descendants of Heavenly Evil Cult that had once disturbed Central Plains lived.

It was Heavenly Evil Cult that had once driven Central Plains into a crucible of chaos. Like the name Heavenly Evil Cult suggested, it was the headquarters of all kinds of evil techniques. Even evil techniques lost in the martial world could easily be learned at Heavenly Evil Cult. Heavenly Evil Cult trusted in evil techniques and tried to dominate Central Plains. But facing Central Plains' fierce resistance, they had no choice but to retreat with tears.

In the retreating process, they suffered great damage. Central Plains' martial artists didn't leave the retreating Heavenly Evil Cult alone. They persistently pursued to dry up Heavenly Evil Cult's seeds. Because of that, countless martial artists of Heavenly Evil Cult lost their lives, and many secret techniques' lineages were cut off.

Heavenly Evil Cult that lost secret techniques also lost hope. Having lost hope, they made a village near Deadly Cliff by Snowy Mountain and went into seclusion. Like that, long years passed.

As time passed, people lost their past ambitions. They lived satisfied with present life. Like wolves that lost wildness, they became tamed like that.

So Ryu-gwan couldn't understand the village people who sealed even the barely preserved secret techniques and led ordinary lives.

So Ryu-gwan had heard since childhood he was exceptionally clever. After accidentally discovering the village's secret everyone hushed up, he found and learned the evil techniques adults had hidden one by one.

He learned many evil techniques, but only one he couldn't learn. Precisely the evil technique designated as forbidden text.

The forbidden text was sealed deep in the village. Because countless mechanical formations blocked it, even So Ryu-gwan who'd learned evil techniques couldn't dare approach.

At first he tried to just give up. But the desire seated deep in his heart grew day by day. He wanted to somehow learn the forbidden text. He wanted to learn the forbidden text and make the world a Heavenly Evil Cult world again. But the village elders didn't understand So Ryu-gwan's such desire and rather criticized him.

Eventually So Ryu-gwan was ostracized from the village and always had to stay alone. But So Ryu-gwan never abandoned his desire to learn the forbidden text and only waited for opportunity.

For a full ten years.

The opportunity came from an unexpected place. Precisely when he obtained information that the Four Divine Emperors were passing nearby. He secretly sought out and observed the Four Divine Emperors.

He excluded Wind Moon Emperor Dan Gong-wol and Western Queen Mother Yong Hwa-seol from targets. Because nowhere in their eyes did the light of desire exist.

What remained were Iron Blood Martial God Lee Gwan and Blood Light Death God Ho Cheon-myeong. After pretending coincidence and having a few words of conversation with Lee Gwan, he too was excluded from the list. Because his upright way of thinking and ambition didn't match So Ryu-gwan at all.

Only Ho Cheon-myeong remained. When he was pondering how to approach him, an unexpected thing happened. Precisely that Ho Cheon-myeong first recognized his existence and approached.

So Ryu-gwan read hungry ghost-like greed and fire-like ambition in Ho Cheon-myeong's eyes. It was the same for Ho Cheon-myeong too. Ho Cheon-myeong saw the desire hidden deep in So Ryu-gwan's heart. Dark desire that resembled his own amazingly.

So Ryu-gwan gladly became Ho Cheon-myeong's subordinate and led him and the Four Divine Emperors to his village. The Four Divine Emperors burning with justice exterminated So Ryu-gwan's village just for being Heavenly Evil Cult's descendants. In that time, Ho Cheon-myeong and So Ryu-gwan could steal the forbidden text from prohibition. The one who learned the forbidden text first was Ho Cheon-myeong. He understood most of the principles just by looking at the forbidden text once. It was truly fearsome insight and comprehension. But to him, Heavenly Evil Cult's forbidden text was just an object of curiosity, not the ultimate goal.

Though he gained much from reading the forbidden text, his essence was a martial artist to the end. Heavenly Evil Cult's evil techniques were enough to just learn as side branches.

Conversely, to So Ryu-gwan, the forbidden text was more precious than anything. He read the forbidden text that had been his long-cherished wish and learned the evil techniques within. And abandoning the name So Ryu-gwan, he was reborn with the name Gwi-sa.

The name of the evil technique obtained even while massacring village people who could be called same bloodline was called Evil Spirit Blood Mist Illusion Technique.

It was a fearsome evil technique the Heavenly Evil Cult Leader had learned that turned the entire body into mist while confusing opponents to exhaust their essence and die.

Tssss!

Though clearly human flesh made of skin, Gwi-sa's body became mist and rippled ominously.

The red mist spread wide and swallowed Dam Ho's body. The red mist in its entirety was no different from Gwi-sa's body. The space within the red mist was no different from another space isolated from the world.

Though not comparable to the Avici Hell Dam Ho had been trapped in before, it was still sufficient space to confine and eternally isolate one life. One weakness was that Evil Spirit Blood Mist Illusion Soul Technique was deployed with the caster's life as collateral.

Because it was a method that could only be used by burning up one's entire life, Gwi-sa had refrained from deploying Evil Spirit Blood Mist Illusion Soul Technique until now. But not anymore.

Though Heavenly Evil Cult would disappear from here, it would revive splendidly in Six Paths together with his lord. Just that one fact alone let Gwi-sa die smiling. With Dam Ho as companion on the road to the afterlife.

"We go together, Fist Demon!"

Gwi-sa's voice echoed ominously within the red mist.

Dam Ho wordlessly watched all that scene.

The world dyed red and the giant two eyes watching him from there.

It was a sight that would make ordinary people fall into terror just by seeing, but Dam Ho's expression had no change.

The red mist tried to dig into Dam Ho's pores. Once it dug into pores and even one thread connected, he could completely dominate the mind. Even if he couldn't move the body, he could make the spirit wretched and confine him here forever.

That's when it happened.

Kwaang!

Dam Ho suddenly stomped his foot hard.

The powerful foot stomp shaking the earth, precisely Earthquake Step.

Instantly the red space Gwi-sa created shook entirely.

Kukukuku!

That vibration rang through the whole body and the red mist swayed madly. Dam Ho watched that scene in silence.

At that, Gwi-sa became enraged.

"This bastard!"

His voice echoed within the red space.

Fury and hostility piercing the sky were contained in his voice. But Dam Ho was reading the real emotion secretly hidden within.

"Are you afraid?"

"What? What nonsense…"

"You're afraid!"

Dam Ho's eyes sank even deeper.

Though Gwi-sa himself didn't know, his voice contained the emotion of fear he couldn't hide. The unique breath exhaled by one eroded by fear was infused.

Kwaang!

Dam Ho deployed Earthquake Step once again. Then the red space swayed as if an earthquake really occurred. Instantly Gwi-sa received great damage.

No matter how he'd turned his body to mist, the substance hadn't disappeared. The damage the red mist received accumulated layer upon layer on Gwi-sa as is.

"Krrgh!"

Gwi-sa let out a groan without realizing.

Dam Ho smelled the scent of fear infused in his groan.

Gwi-sa had mocked while hiding his form in the martial world's shadows. The one he respected and feared was only Ho Cheon-myeong alone. No one else could exist who could stand on equal footing with him. He looked down on all the world's people beneath his feet. And mocked freely. But not once had he personally stepped forward to fight anyone.

Even when encountering Dam Ho previously, he'd just conversed from far away using Different Form Soul Transfer Technique. He'd sent subordinates to deal with Dam Ho, while he himself stayed far away and secured safety.

Those who've eaten meat eat well, and those who've killed people kill better.

The world's principle was so.

For one who'd never once stained his own hands with blood to directly kill others was never an easy thing. No matter how much poison the heart possessed.

Gwi-sa was an existence who'd learned the world's most fearsome evil technique, but that was just all. The evil technique was fearsome, not his existence.

At least Gwi-sa reflected in Dam Ho's eyes was so.

Thud!

Dam Ho moved his steps.

It was his characteristic off-beat gait. It was a natural phenomenon that unavoidably appeared because one leg was inconvenient.

Though having a fatal flaw as a martial artist, Dam Ho was never weak. Even with an inconvenient body, he'd fought countless fierce battles and crossed innumerable lines of death.

He had conviction about himself. He believed in the martial art he created, and believed in his own will.

Such belief was never achieved overnight. The tracks he'd walked made the earth solid, and on such foundation Solitary Path Style was created. Because he believed in the path he'd walked, Dam Ho had conviction about himself.

That was the difference between Gwi-sa and him.

Kwaang!

His fist exploded.

It was Shattering Star Punch.

With that one strike, the entire space shook again.

"How?"

Light of disbelief rose in Gwi-sa's eyes.

By his common sense, it was incomprehensible. Physical strikes being transmitted to the space created by Evil Spirit Blood Mist Illusion Soul Technique was impossible. At least as far as he knew.

Then one thought briefly crossed Gwi-sa's mind.

'Mount Hua Sect!'

Dam Ho was from Mount Hua Sect.

Though his martial art was too domineering and heterogeneous to suit Mount Hua Sect, his master was clearly Mount Hua Sect's Taoist Hyeon-so. Then it was right to see that Mount Hua Sect's essence as orthodox sect was passed to him.

Daoist martial arts were as everyone knew virtually the bane of evil techniques. Because they contained the principles of Dispersing Evil and Establishing Righteousness.

Dam Ho raised his fist again. And struck down on space.

Zzzeong!

"Kheok!"

Cracks went through the red space. Blue sky was visible through the cracks.

If Dam Ho wanted, he could escape anytime. But Dam Ho didn't. Because staying inside was easier to deal with Gwi-sa. Gwi-sa's mistake was deploying a method like the Avici Hell. To Dam Ho who'd already experienced the Avici Hell, the red space Gwi-sa created wasn't much threat.

Gwi-sa should rather have faced Dam Ho with martial arts. Then there might have been a slim possibility. From the moment he deployed evil technique, no chance of victory existed for him.

Kukkwakwakwa!

A storm raged.

It was a storm Dam Ho's fist created.

The red space was torn away and mist evaporated.

Nine-fold Cannon, a technique created assuming one-against-many combat. It was also the technique Dam Ho had devoted the most effort to refining during the past year hiding in Lesser Mount Hua.

When he swung his fist, wind like thinly condensed blades swept through. The blade wind sliced Mount Zhongnan's red space created by Gwi-sa into shreds.

"Kraaak!"

Eventually Gwi-sa couldn't endure the pain and let out a desperate scream. Instantly the red space surrounding Dam Ho vanished without trace and Gwi-sa revealed himself.

Gwi-sa's appearance kneeling was truly miserable. Throughout his entire body, cuts were deeply carved to the point bone showed. They were wounds hard to believe came from fists.

Dam Ho's Nine-fold Cannon had severed all of Gwi-sa's muscle channels, heart channels, and even bones. Because of that, Gwi-sa couldn't even stand by his own will.

His appearance swaying while kneeling looked emptily like a scarecrow erected in an empty field.

Even if an unparalleled physician in the world came, they were wounds that couldn't save him. Gwi-sa had already halfway entered the road to the afterlife.

Thud!

Dam Ho moved his steps. It was when he passed by Gwi-sa kneeling.

"Don't… go."

Gwi-sa's voice full of venom echoed in his ears. Though there was no way he hadn't heard Gwi-sa's voice, Dam Ho didn't stop walking.

"Don't go, I said, Fist Demon!"

It was a cry vomiting blood. But even such Gwi-sa's cry couldn't grab Dam Ho's feet.

"Don't… go, I said, you devil-like bastard!"

Gwi-sa looked at Dam Ho's receding back with bloodshot red eyes. He tried to grab Dam Ho while vomiting blood but it was useless. Dam Ho didn't stop and headed toward Mount Zhongnan.

It was where his lord was.

It was that place where a new world would open.

For this one day, he'd poured decades of years, and induced countless people to spill blood.

It was precisely a perfect day.

If only Dam Ho's existence didn't exist.

Drip drip!

Gwi-sa's eye area tore and blood water burst out. The red blood water mixed with tears and wet his cheeks.

Until now he'd made blood tears come from countless people's eyes, but he really hadn't known he himself would shed blood tears.

Gwi-sa tried to pour curses on Dam Ho. Curses poured by an evil technique master like Gwi-sa don't simply end as verbal abuse. Resentment mixed with heavenly energy could torment for a lifetime. That was the best revenge Gwi-sa could currently do.

Kwaang!

But Gwi-sa couldn't spit out the words that rose to his throat. Because Dam Ho's single strike launched without even looking back blew away his head entirely.

Gwi-sa's body having lost its head flailed then powerlessly sat down like a sand castle.

Dam Ho didn't spare a glance for Gwi-sa collapsing behind him. His gaze was fixed on Mount Zhongnan visible in the distance.

The darkness descended on Mount Zhongnan was growing thicker.

The darkness reflected in Dam Ho's eyes also deepened.

"Ho Cheon-myeong!"

Ho Cheon-myeong, the beginning and end of this entire situation, was there.

An eerie wind was blowing from Mount Zhongnan. Dam Ho advanced receiving the wind with his entire body.