Chapter 246: The Root of Evil Lies in the Heart (1)
The commanders of the coalition forces who had entered Mount Evil Dragon were highly displeased. This was because mystical formations were deployed at every mountain pass.
While they posed no real threat, it was incredibly tedious and annoying.
Before long, they hit another dead end. A massive cliff blocked the way ahead, and no path could be seen no matter where they looked. However, everyone knew this was merely an illusion.
Removing one of the artifacts creating the illusion would dissolve it, but they had no time to search for it. It was far quicker to simply destroy everything around them.
“Step back for a moment!”
Il-gwang strode to the front and took a deep breath.
Immediately after, his fists, glowing red, punched the air repeatedly. Fist energy erupted, striking everything in the vicinity.
Boom! Bam! Crash!
Wherever the fist energy landed, trees snapped like twigs and boulders shattered into dust. Indentations of fists were left clearly on the cliff face.
The Mountain-Bursting Fist. It was a martial art he had created by combining his signature techniques, the Mountain-Cleaving Fist and the Annihilating Exploding Fist.
Soon after, a nearby decaying tree shattered, and a strange phenomenon occurred.
Shhh—!
The cliff blocking their path began to dissolve like smoke, revealing a path that had been hidden until now.
Brushing his hands, Il-gwang took the lead. Curser that he was, he could not stop muttering complaints.
“Of course. These lunatics have prepared so many traps.”
So-mu and Yeon Seo-hwa walked shoulder-to-shoulder behind him, while Yue Fei, Sama Cheol, and General Jin Gwang brought up the rear.
Yeon Seo-hwa murmured as if it were obvious, “These are people who have hidden here for hundreds of years, preparing to overturn the world. This much is nothing.”
“There’s more?”
Just as Il-gwang sighed in disbelief, Yeon Seo-hwa’s left hand darted like lightning toward his cheek.
Surprised by the sudden attack, Il-gwang flinched.
Thwack!
The sound did not come from Il-gwang’s cheek.
About ten zhang behind him, a masked figure with a large needle embedded in his forehead collapsed backward.
Thump!
Her movement as a Demon Transcendence master was truly legendary.
Il-gwang could not hide his admiration at her incredible reaction speed.
“You are truly amazing, Sister-in-law. To detect an ambush so easily.”
Yeon Seo-hwa shrugged with her arms crossed.
“An ambush with those kinds of small fry to stop us? He was just a scout. He likely came to see how far we’ve advanced.”
“Ah… I see. Your sharp analysis makes me feel as if I am looking at Master Zhuge Liang.”
Il-gwang continued to shower her with flattery.
Once this mission was over, he planned to discuss marriage with her younger sister, Cho-hee. Since she was the only family member of his future wife, it was only natural that he wanted to leave a good impression.
And So-mu was well aware of this.
“Flattery in this situation? Save your internal energy. The real battle hasn’t even begun yet.”
At So-mu’s scolding, Il-gwang shut his mouth.
The group advanced in silence. After walking for about ten minutes, So-mu felt a prickling sensation on his face and looked to his right.
His wife was glaring at him with a sharp, venomous look. Immediately after, her voice reached him via internal transmission.
– Flattery?
He had made the mistake of not considering her feelings. By calling Il-gwang’s praise “flattery,” she had taken offense. A panicked So-mu stammered in reply.
– No, I mean, what Il-gwang said is true, but…
– But?
It was a moment where his mind went completely blank. In this crisis, So-mu barely found a way out.
Putting on a serious expression, he gave a warning signal to everyone.
“I think we have arrived.”
Coincidentally, they had reached their destination at the perfect moment.
Although the target was not yet in sight, he could be certain through his senses.
Yeon Seo-hwa also seemed to have felt something, turning her head in the same direction.
The other four commanders only sensed it after another breath.
Sama Cheol murmured with a grim expression, “It seems certain. But aren’t there too many enemies?”
There were far too many. They could feel a dense, unpleasant demonic qi, almost as if they were stepping into a den of devils.
“There must be thousands. Well, since they have something to rely on, they must have tried their best to lure us here.”
Yeon Seo-hwa looked at So-mu, as if asking what they should do.
The answer was decided from the start. They had no time to go back and gather more troops.
“If we lose the Emperor here today, this war will continue for a very long time.”
“So if we catch the Emperor, it’s all over?”
So-mu nodded without hesitation. From the moment he joined this war, his role was defined up to that point. The grand plan to establish a peaceful world afterward had already been prepared by Min-gong and Military Strategist Jin Yoo-so.
The final battle lay before them. However, since they had to risk their lives, he had to obtain the agreement of the others.
“What will you all do?”
Looking around, Yue Fei was the first to raise his spear, hardening his resolve.
“If we can end this war, I am ready to sacrifice my life at any moment.”
Sama Cheol, the fierce commander of the volunteer army, also nodded without hesitation.
“As the saying goes, a commander worth ten thousand men can face an army of ten thousand. With you all, I do not fear even an army of a million.”
General Jin Gwang of the Po State already seemed to be burning with fighting spirit. Although his light had been obscured by the legendary masters, he was also a famous fighter in his own country.
“When this war is over, I will consider you all my brothers, not just comrades.”
Having united their wills, the six masters marched toward the headquarters of the Divine Demon Cult.
Running at the front, So-mu heard someone grumbling behind him before long.
“Why didn’t you ask me, Captain?”
It was his adjutant, Il-gwang. Since So-mu knew Il-gwang would never choose to turn back, he had not bothered to ask. However, the man seemed to have something he wanted to say.
“What do you want to do?”
“Watch me. From now on, I will blow off the heads of every single bastard who blocks my path.”
So-mu chuckled as he ran.
In his own way, Il-gwang wanted to imitate the other generals. But that was the coolest phrase Il-gwang could think of.
As they braced themselves, a wall blocking the narrow canyon appeared before them.
A tall stone wall and a massive gate over two zhang high. It was grand enough to be called a fortress wall.
“They built such a thing deep in these rugged mountains.”
They could have leaped over it, but there was no need to go to the trouble.
Infused with internal energy, So-mu’s foot kicked the gate.
BOOM—!!!
The massive gate shattered instantly, revealing the scene inside.
The faces of the six masters darkened at the sight.
In a large artificial basin of about three thousand pyeong, cultists filled the space. There were easily over a thousand of them.
Looking closely, their condition was unusual. Their eyes were vacant, and saliva drooled from their jaws. They had likely ingested forbidden drugs like stimulants. Even so, they had deployed a martial formation, gesturing for them to enter.
Yeon Seo-hwa stepped forward with a sneer.
“Well, they couldn’t possibly face us sober.”
Dozens of needles slipped from her sleeves, beginning to circle around her.
Her technique had evolved further. It was the stance for the True Demonic Flower Flying Lightning.
Although it was the best martial art for mass slaughter, So-mu hastily sent her an internal transmission to stop her.
– Yeon-mae, you shouldn’t reveal your full strength yet.
Neither the Emperor nor his closest aides had shown themselves yet. In this situation, there was no need for them to reveal all their cards.
As she closed her hands, the needles were drawn back into her sleeves.
“Then I guess we just need to take on two hundred each.”
Hearing her murmur without a change in expression, the generals behind her were tongue-tied.
Although they knew So-mu’s wife was an absolute master from the martial world, they had not imagined she would be so full of spirit.
Il-gwang also stretched his limbs, determined not to be outdone.
Yue Fei spoke with a worried look, “Do not overexert yourselves, everyone. They are using these people as sacrifices to drain our internal energy.”
Sama Cheol agreed, looking incredulous.
“Whether he is the Emperor or the Cult Leader, that bastard seems to have staked everything on this battle. To sacrifice so many of his own people.”
“If we fall, there will be no one left to stop his tyranny. This is a battle for the fate of the world, so we must be cautious.”
“Still, if we have to defeat all of them, we will be exhausted. Is there a good way?”
No matter how many cultists there were, they did not believe they would lose.
However, once the battle began, they would not be given time to circulate their qi. Their worries deepened.
Hearing their conversation, Yeon Seo-hwa sighed and gently extended both hands. The seven-string zither she carried on her back floated up, moving in front of her chest.
Seeing this, So-mu asked in surprise, “Will a sonic technique work on those guys?”
“In the past, it wouldn’t have. But now it’s different. I will clear this place and follow you, so go ahead.”
So-mu had only seen her perform sonic techniques once or twice when she was in the Extreme Demonic Realm. He had never seen what kind of power a Demon Transcendence master’s sonic technique could unleash.
Although sonic techniques were ineffective against those with high internal energy, they were undeniably the ultimate wide-area martial arts. If it was effective, it would be perfect for this situation.
Meeting her gaze, So-mu nodded. Then, he led the generals to the side. Once she began her performance, they intended to break through at once and move to the next area.
General Jin Gwang looked at So-mu with a worried face.
“…Is it really possible to stop them with a sonic technique?”
Since he had never experienced sonic techniques, it was only natural for him to have doubts.
As a branch of demonic arts, sonic techniques were not common. Few trained in them, and reaching a high realm was extremely difficult.
Everyone watched her with tense expressions.
Her hands were placed gently on the seven-string zither floating in the air. As she walked forward step-by-step, she looked like an immortal playing a tune.
Pluck—! Tring—!
As soon as she began to play, Jin Gwang felt his qi and blood churn. Simultaneously, his worries vanished.
‘Unbelievable. To have such an effect on me…’
If a Flower Realm master experienced this level of discomfort, he was certain that ordinary cultists would not be able to withstand it.
Yet, this was merely a preparatory action before she unleashed the true sonic technique.
Suddenly, an unpleasant melody, like tearing iron, rippled out.
Shriek—!!!
In that instant, over a thousand cultists stumbled simultaneously.
“Agh!”
“Aaagh…”
As the performance began in earnest, the cultists who had been waiting in formation began to spray blood from their pores.
Even the other generals, including Il-gwang, frowned deeply as their minds were disturbed.
Only one person remained completely unaffected. Watching in silence, So-mu took the lead with a expressionless face.
“Let us go quickly.”
Even without being told, everyone was eager to leave. The four generals quickly followed So-mu with grimaces on their faces.