Chapter 225: Hidden Power

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‘NO WAY!’

Won Song, startled, stepped back.

The identity of the figure that had appeared nearby was a woman.

A middle-aged beauty, presumed to be in her late thirties or early forties, adorned in pitch-black veils and silk scarves.

A beautiful appearance.

Even the hair she’d coiled up like a flower bud with a lotus hairpin was alluring.

A figure evoking a pitch-black chrysanthemum, one might say.

Moreover.

The voluptuous and sensual curves wrapped in flowing clothes radiated such seductive charm that one’s breath caught and desires stirred.

Because she was adorned entirely in black from head to toe, her skin looked especially snow-white.

Perhaps because of that, she exuded a strange and eerie atmosphere quite different from Yeom Sang-ah’s beautiful form.

Having a long black palm-leaf fan in one hand added to that.

Yeom Sang-ah spoke with a gesture, quietly.

“It’s alright. She’s my direct attendant, so you can relax.”

The middle-aged beauty was precisely Lewd Cruel Demon Servant Yo Mong-ji.

An upper-tier master within the Sun Moon Demon Cult with a lewd and cruel nature, and the only trusted retainer that Yeom Sang-ah, who was essentially the Vice Cult Leader, absolutely trusted.

Only then did Won Song seem to relax, exhaling a long breath.

Yeom Sang-ah soon handed the scroll to Yo Mong-ji and then asked while looking at Won Song.

“Does Young Master Ximen know about this?”

“By now, our squad member should have gone to report to him. Though secluded training is still ongoing, he does receive urgent communications.”

“Good. Then convey this. That the Cult Leader has permitted the relationship.”

“AH, yes.”

“And that he will soon be given an important task separately. Of course, the incident related to Cheol Ryu-heun is a variable, but… He probably won’t rescind the decision. Because he already considers Young Master Ximen as the formal successor.”

“Understood. UM… But… Is that important task about obtaining the Divine Martial Sword?”

When Won Song asked cautiously, Yeom Sang-ah nodded slightly.

“Right. It’s no longer a secret to hide. Thanks to Cheol Ryu-heun’s public statement.”

“HMM… As I suspected. Then the mission to confirm the existence of the Divine Martial Sword is what you mentioned earlier…”

“Yes. That’s the mission the Cult Leader will give. We can’t take Cheol Ryu-heun’s words at face value. Anyway, what’s most important right now is when Young Master Ximen completes his secluded training.”

“The Young Master will surely shorten the time. We all believe so. Since he’s a person of such outstanding talent.”

“Yes. I believe it too. Also… He must do so. Since matters are pressing so.”

“Then I’ll hurry back.”

Won Song, having briefly shown courtesy, deployed lightness technique and disappeared.

Immediately after.

Yo Mong-ji, having read the scroll contents, wore a faint smile.

“HUHU. Things are turning quite interesting.”

“It’s Unexpected. For Cheol Ryu-heun to emerge as a variable…”

“Truly, the martial world’s potential is frightening.”

“If he hears this story… What will he do?”

She meant her adoptive father, Aryun-nan.

Yo Mong-ji answered while wearing a smile.

“He’s strong, isn’t he? So he’ll keep moving forward without stopping. Smashing everything that blocks his path.”

“Head-on confrontation… After all, it’s not surprising.”

But at that moment.

PEOLLEOK-

The sound of clothes fluttering was heard, and a black figure suddenly appeared to one side.

However, Yeom Sang-ah and Yo Mong-ji didn’t look startled.

Rather, they seemed to have been waiting for him to come.

“Did he say to follow?”

When Yeom Sang-ah asked in a low voice, the black figure respectfully bent at the waist.

“He only said to report on your route. But… It’s essentially ordering surveillance. Please don’t worry about it, as you well know, it’s just his habitual instruction.”

A middle-aged man with an imposing height that stood out, in a pitch-black long robe.

A man in his mid-forties with clear features carrying a long sword.

Within the Sun Moon Demon Cult, excluding the Absolute Cult Leader, there existed the highest rank position of the Eight Great Apostles.

The cultist was precisely the Third Apostle among them.

The sun-moon pattern and the character for “three” embroidered on his chest center proclaimed his rank.

Befitting his position, his martial arts level was also very high.

In truth, the Third Apostle including all Eight Great Apostles had mastered Suns Moon Great Displacement Technique, a superior demonic study, to peak level.

Yeom Sang-ah, having nodded, spoke coldly.

“That old man won’t trust others even until he dies. Well, not my concern.”

Then she looked meaningfully at the Third Apostle.

“I hope your loyalty remains unchanged.”

The Third Apostle immediately responded with a grave expression.

“My oath is firm. This body and heart belong to my Lady. Just like that Lewd Cruel Demon Servant…”

At those words, Yeom Sang-ah wore satisfied eyes.

“Good, you’re reliable. You’re a masterpiece I’ve cultivated.”

“YES. Thanks to my Lady, I’ve gained the strongest combat power among the Apostles. I’m always grateful.”

“By the way, have they moved?”

“I received word last night. They will respond before long.”

“HUHU. Good. Everything is going according to my plan.”

The Third Apostle added, flashing his eyes.

“Whatever happens, the final victor will be my Lady.”

“Of Course.”

The moment Yeom Sang-ah wore a faint smile, Yo Mong-ji casually threw out a question.

“The words I gave you… You haven’t forgotten, have you?”

Instantly, Yeom Sang-ah recalled the previous conversation.

-My Lady, I repeatedly beseech you… Give your body but not all your heart. Even Young Master Ximen is hard to guarantee how he might change later. He’s someone who resolved to even kill off his own father the Ximen Family Head and his own bloodkin to immerse himself in demonic accomplishment. Carelessness is absolutely forbidden.

-YES, I know. Anyway my heart belongs to no one.

-As expected of my mistress.

‘No one can climb above my head. Yue, you too are just a tool anyway.’

Soon, Yeom Sang-ah, having cleared her thoughts, answered with a head gesture.

“If I forget that, I’m finished.”

Following that, she issued an order to Yo Mong-ji.

“You go directly to find the First Seat. I’ll tell him separately that you’ve hurried off to inform him of the scroll’s contents.”

“Yes. My Lady.”

“AND IF The First Seat happens to be in a predicament…”

“HUHU. I understand what you mean. It’s just a matter I need to handle on my own.”

Yo Mong-ji, having finished those words, moved her form and disappeared like wind.

“Now, let’s get going too.”

Yeom Sang-ah, having tucked away the scroll, deployed brisk lightness technique, and the Third Apostle also swiftly followed behind.

HWIK, HWIHWIK, HWIK-

The sound of wind rapidly brushing past ears.

Yeom Sang-ah, advancing while her hair fluttered, murmured inwardly along the way.

‘Cheol Ryu-heun. You still don’t know. The power he’s hiding… If you two clash, I wonder how long you’ll last.’

* * *

Mount Zhongnan where the Zhongnan Sect was located, a Taoist power of the orthodox martial world.

But no longer.

This place had at some point been seized by the Sun Moon Demon Cult and had become a den for demonic persons.

Amid that, screams didn’t stop in the underground space of Zhongnan Sect.

“KKEUAH… AK…!”

It was a rectangular sealed room that had been used as a training location.

An old Taoist in his seventies, bound and fixed to one wall, continuously spat out screams with an agonized face.

“KKEUAH… KKEUAHAK…!”

At that, the figure standing before him sneered and spoke.

“HUHU. Yes. Finally, I can see the end.”

Darkish skin with a sharp-feeling face… And short hair with small stature as if not yet fully grown.

He was Aryun-nan, the current Cult Leader of the Sun Moon Demon Cult, with the appearance of a seventeen-year-old boy.

CHEUCHEUT, CHEUCHEUT…

An unpleasant energy sound echoed.

It was a sound the dark light was producing.

The radiance emitting from Aryun-nan’s eyes was connected to the old Taoist’s eyes.

A bizarre phenomenon.

Then.

FLASH!

The radiance vanished as if exploding.

Stillness.

Following that, the old Taoist’s expression changed.

The face bearing agony had disappeared, transformed to a face filled only with thick killing intent.

What is this?

At that moment, Aryun-nan standing before him asked with hands clasped behind his back.

“What is your Taoist name?”

“OK SU… it is.”

The old Taoist answered quietly thus, and murky light was visible in his pupils.

“State your position.”

“YES. I am the… Eighteenth Generation Sect Leader of the Zhongnan Sect.”

Indeed.

The old Taoist’s identity was the current Sect Leader of the Zhongnan Sect, Taoist Ok Su.

“Who am I?”

“You are… My Master”

“AND?”

“The Great… Demon Saint.”

Aryun-nan, having let out a smile, spoke in a chilling voice.

“Good. Finally your mind has collapsed and you’ve been perfectly brainwashed. You will now live forever as my slave.”

“YES… Great Demon Saint. It is an honor.”

The Zhongnan Sect disciples, having witnessed Taoist Ok Su’s such behavior, were greatly shocked.

Right at that moment.

PAPAT-

When Aryun-nan extended both arms, over ten disciples were simultaneously drawn toward him.

The power of void grasping.

Following that, when Aryun-nan operated internal power, semi-transparent gray energy waves emitted from his hands and circled powerfully.

SHISHISHISHI, SHISHISHISHI…

A whirlpool that seemed to be sucking everything in strongly.

Simultaneously, the disciples’ entire bodies shriveled in the blink of an eye, transforming to look like mummies.

That wasn’t all.

The heat haze spraying from their bodies moved quickly as if being sucked toward Aryun-nan’s body.

As if absorbing others’ internal power and vital energy.

Before long, Aryun-nan stopped operating internal power.

TEOLSEOK, TEOLSEOK, TEOLSEOK…

The corpses of the disciples, transformed like rotted trees, collapsed and lay on the ground.

Aryun-nan, having absorbed all the heat haze, raised the corners of his mouth.

“HUT. My internal power is virtually infinite. By means of this ancient skill… What do you think?”

At that, Taoist Ok Sufrom behind uttered in a toneless voice.

“It is wonderful. Henceforth, the Master will reign over the martial world.”

“HAHAHAHA!”

Aryun-nan, having burst into loud laughter, pivoted and spoke.

“YES… This body will in the future establish itself as the strongest Demon Saint in the lineage of the Heavenly Demon and Blood God.”

* * *

Around the same time.

Southwest of Baizhou, Zhongmen Mountain.

There, at the foot of the mountain, a man and horse appeared on a field and came to a stop.

It was Divine Wind and Cheol Ryu-heun.

“I wonder if everyone’s gathered.”

Cheol Ryu-heun, having murmured briefly, shook the reins.

“Let’s go and have some fun.”

At that, Divine Wind, having HWAK! exhaled breath and snorted, deployed Treading Snow Without Trace and crossed the field before turning onto the steep mountain path.