Chapter 256: What Death Left Behind
Read more at Nineheavens.org
A swift motion splitting through a moment’s gap and fearfully cutting through the air.
Amid that, he boasted extreme secrecy.
He killed any sound.
He eliminated even the smallest hint of presence.
Excellent stealth lightness skill.
One could tell just from looking at that why he was called the Hidden Shadow.
Thus, in the blink of an eye, Cheol Ryu-heun’s back loomed large and embedded itself in Moon Right Envoy’s pupils.
SHYUKAAK-!
The sword tip he thrust out was filled with certainty.
Got Him!
He’s still unguarded!
Suddenly.
KIHIIING!
Along with a strange metallic sound, the sword tip stopped.
Precisely, it was neutralized.
It was blocked by something invisible to the eye.
The distance between the blade tip and his back was only about an inch.
‘KEUK!’
Moon Right Envoy strained with all his might, as if exerting every ounce of strength, gripping the sword hilt.
JIIING-
The blade emitted vibrations.
Due to the influence of massive internal power being injected.
Along with that, the strange metallic sound grew even louder.
KIHING, KIHIING-!
As if some transparent iron wall was causing friction sounds.
A force spreading out like a great current of water was pushing not only the sword tip but even his body fiercely backward.
Powerful repelling force.
He couldn’t narrow the gap any further.
Cheol Ryu-heun’s back was visible right in front of him.
KKUDEUK, KKUDUDEUK…!
As Moon Right Envoy moved as if slowly stepping backward, the ground in contact with his two feet was deeply gouged.
This was because the repelling force intensified the more he thrust his sword in.
Was it an intangible force?
No.
It was a distinctly different power.
Difficult to explain in words.
But Moon Right Envoy didn’t give up.
It was a golden opportunity.
Therefore, he couldn’t let it go.
he had already realized upon arriving here.
The fact that Cheol Ryu-heun was an unprecedented Absolute being.
His own martial power would have difficulty handling him.
Look.
At the opponent’s bizarre and unfathomable ability.
It was already amazing that he was simultaneously wielding mysterious eye technique and sword energy while suppressing Aryun-nan, but on top of that, he was displaying some kind of ability to defend against rear surprise attacks as well.
That was no different from divine authority.
Using three powers at once.
‘A one-on-one match is impossible! Therefore, I must…!’
Yes, he must accomplish something.
Cheol Ryu-heun was in an unmoving state as if fallen into meditation.
So he had to target this opening.
If he failed here, there would be no follow-up opportunity.
At that moment.
HWAAAK-!
A large dark circular current of energy was massively expelled from behind Cheol Ryu-heun’s back.
It resembled a human face.
Like a demon god of the dark world.
Moon Right Envoy, who saw it, instantly felt chills run down his spine.
‘HEOP…!’
He was suffocated by the large, round, face-shaped demonic energy.
A dark force constricting his entire body.
It was a fierce energy.
Moreover, he even felt a domineering aura and majesty surpassing the Sun Moon Demon Arrival Technique.
TINGLING, TINGLING.
Due to the contact with demonic energy, the vital points throughout his body ran rampant.
Amid that, light of astonishment filled his two eyes.
Can this be possible?
Presently, the white smoke that Cheol Ryu-heun was injecting into Aryun-nan’s body through his sword was undoubtedly an essence of orthodox martial learning attributes.
He guessed it was a sword energy similar to a type of Celestial school cultivation.
Yet behind his back, he was massively expelling demonic energy that was completely opposing.
It was a divine ability that defied the laws of martial arts.
‘KEUK…! Is that… truly possible?’
Thick veins bulged out on Moon Right Envoy’s forehead.
It was proof that he was enduring with all his might.
Despite that, the gap widened further.
All of that happened in an extremely brief moment.
‘This won’t do as is!’
In the instant the Moon Right Envoy judged and tried to retrieve his sword.
PEOHEOHEONG!
The black demonic energy shaped like a human face exploded.
“UUK!”
Moon Right Envoy, who had uttered a single groan, flew backward.
Heavenly Demon Steel Soul Barrier.
It was a lofty art within the Heavenly Demon Divine Art that was of the same lineage as Protective Force Qi Technique, which protects the body through the released technique of repelling force.
JIIIIIK, JIIIIIK-!
Moon Right Envoy, who had retreated far away while scraping the floor with both feet, barely stopped his body when…
TUHAK, TUHAAK-!
Aryun-nan’s fully swollen body burst apart wretchedly.
Simultaneously.
KKWAGWAGWAGWANG- HWAAAAAAAK-!
Green flames arose vastly while ringing out a heavy explosive sound.
The blue-green fire instantly swallowed Cheol Ryu-heun whole.
HWAREUREUREUREUK, HWAREUREUREUREUK, HWAREUREUREUREUK…!
A great pillar of fire spiraled high into the sky.
Greatly startled, Moon Right Envoy swiftly retreated one zhang back to avoid the terrifying heat and wind pressure.
If swept up in that, it seemed not even ashes would remain.
‘What is this…!’
It was an incomprehensible phenomenon.
For Aryun-nan to suddenly cause an explosion…
Over half of the wide rear garden was covered in green flames.
When did he learn that?
It was an art that even he, the Cult Leader’s shadow, hadn’t known about.
Could it perhaps be an explosive technique that the secret helper had arranged as a last resort?
As a hidden trump card for mutual destruction…?
His head felt jumbled by questions that kept leading to more questions.
Suddenly.
SSWAESSWANG!
A chilling sharp energy rapidly approached.
It was someone’s sword strike targeting his back.
‘Oh no!’
Moon Right Envoy reflexively moved to the side.
CHYUHAAK!
A long blood line was carved from his left shoulder to his lower back.
“KKEUK!”
A burning pain that stimulated his nerves.
The expression of Moon Right Envoy, who had evaded to the side, contorted.
The person who had launched the surprise attack was none other than Head-Severing Yama Seop Pyo.
“Narrowly missed. Am I also a bit tired?”
Appearing where Moon Right Envoy had been standing, he mumbled softly while pointing his sword tip at him.
As if quite regretful that he couldn’t finish it in one stroke.
Moon Right Envoy’s complexion hardened as he looked at him.
‘Damn it!’
Meanwhile, Seop Pyo’s gaze turned toward the space where the green flames were greatly rotating.
‘KEUM! Is he alright?’
He was slightly worried about the safety of Cheol Ryu-heun who was trapped in the flames.
At that moment.
HUHUHUHUUHUNG!
A tremendous wind sound echoed.
SHYUSHYUSHYUSHYU, SHYUSHYUSHYUSHYUSHYU-!
The flames that didn’t seem like they would die out began to subside.
Soon after, a person’s figure flickered beyond them.
It was Cheol Ryu-heun.
He was in the process of extinguishing the green flames by creating a powerful gale with intangible energy.
‘Ah! He’s unharmed!’
Seop Pyo simultaneously cast Hidden Movement Stealth Technique along with the thought.
SEUSUT.
His form vanished like a ghost.
‘Let’s escape!’
Meanwhile, Moon Right Envoy, having lost his master, kicked off the ground repeatedly.
PAK!
Indeed.
There was no longer any reason to be here.
Because the object of his blind worship had perished.
The only remaining task was to return to the Sun Moon Demon Cult headquarters and plot a comeback.
However,
SHYUKAAK!
Seop Pyo, having approached from the left before he knew it, swung out a sword.
JJEOHEONG!
Moon Right Envoy’s body wobbled greatly as he barely blocked the sword strike.
Seop Pyo’s ghostly assassination sword rushed continuously, harmonized with Hidden Movement Stealth Technique.
JJEONG- KAKANG- KKANG!
Along with metallic sounds, Moon Right Envoy staggered backward in precarious posture.
“KEUK…!”
He finally exposed an opening.
Against the former martial world’s greatest assassin in name and reality.
That was the quickest path to death.
Sure enough.
PUPUK!
Seop Pyo’s swiftly rushing sword tip pierced through her death point.
It was a vital point of the middle dantian.
“KKEO…!”
Moon Right Envoy looked at the sword embedded in his chest and blood flowed down in streams.
‘So I too follow my master like this.’
Having muttered that inwardly, Seop Pyo, bringing his face close, let out a cold voice:
“You’re the Cult Leader’s shadow, they say?”
“KEU… KKEUK…”
“Now go to the afterlife and become that bastard’s shade. Because your work here is finished.”
No sooner had Seop Pyo finished those words than he sharply twisted the sword hilt he was gripping.
UDEUDEUK-!
Thus Moon Right Envoy ended his life and became a departed soul.
Before long, the storm of green flames had completely disappeared.
A space wrapped in silence.
Having sheathed his sword, Seop Pyo swiftly moved his body.
HWIHWIK.
Standing beside Cheol Ryu-heun, his expression suggested he was somewhat surprised.
“Oh? Sect Leader…!”
It was because not only was there a nosebleed, but small burns were also visible here and there.
“It was quite hot.”
Cheol Ryu-heun spoke as if it was no big deal.
Immediately after.
SEUSEUSEUSEU…
As his two eyes emitted red light, the series of burns vanished and new flesh grew.
It was the divine power of healing.
Seop Pyo saw that and inwardly clicked his tongue in amazement.
‘What a truly mysterious power. Will he grow to become an immortal existence in the future? Perhaps he might…’
At that moment, having caught his breath, Cheol Ryu-heun pointed at the ground with his finger.
“That is the cause of the explosion.”
At that, Seop Pyo stared at the ground and was surprised.
“Oh…!”
A blue insect of unknown name that looked like a leech was lying in the spot where Aryun-nan had collapsed.
It was a gu poison.
In an instant.
CHICHIK, CHICHIK… BUGEUL BUGEUL, BUGEUL BUGEUL…
The slowly wriggling insect generated countless bubbles, then melted away like water.
Having withdrawn his gaze, Cheol Ryu-heun spoke softly:
“The group that uses that gu poison is the true mastermind.”
“Then…”
“That’s right. It’s the force that exterminated the Namgung Family in the past.”
“Hmm… you’re saying it’s the same gu poison as before.”
“The form is the same, but it’s an improved type.”
“…!”
“The explosion’s power increased compared to the previous gu poison. It was enough to inflict burns on me.”
“Ah…”
“Anyway, things are turning quite interesting.”
“Hm, it seems to herald the beginning of true chaotic times.”
“It has already begun, in a sense. We’ll have to investigate one by one, centering on the clues obtained today.”
“Clues? Did you discover some important facts?”
“Well, there are some.”
Having deflected like that, Cheol Ryu-heun slightly narrowed his brow.
“Tsk. How many times did you have to strike just to kill one measly shadow?”
At that, Seop Pyo made an embarrassed expression.
“No, well, that’s… my internal power and stamina were a bit depleted…”
“You’ve aged, truly aged. No strength either.”
“…”
“And it seems like you have less manners as you get older too.”
“Pardon?”
“You’re standing there conspicuously stepping on my shadow. The old saying goes you shouldn’t even step on your master’s shadow. But I suppose I should let it slide since you killed and eliminated that Cult Leader’s shadow?”
At those words, Seop Pyo flared up internally.
KEUK, don’t make such unreasonable complaints! Why are you lecturing against someone who went through the trouble of coming to help! You want to nag me, don’t you? It seems like you’re just irritated from getting burned and taking it out on me! Huh?
Cheol Ryu-heun cast his gaze beyond the collapsed pavilion.
“How’s the battle situation?”
“We’ve already seized the tide of victory.”
Simultaneously with Seop Pyo’s report, terrifying demonic energy was detected from the far distance.
A dense and heavy force that transmitted even to this distant place.
Presumably it was the Guest Retainer Gal Jung-heon, the former Nine Demon Alliance Leader, executing a supreme art of the Demonic path through the Demon-Devouring Sword.
That meant the end of the fight was not far away.
“Let’s now wrap things up. Follow me.”
Cheol Ryu-heun’s form, having muttered briefly, moved like a ray of light.
KWAKWAKWAKWAKWA-
A great shockwave blew in.
Due to his extreme-speed movement.
Seop Pyo, whose body swayed from the wind pressure, hurriedly followed behind while admiring.
‘Huh! He still has power overflowing. No, it doesn’t seem to be depleted at all.’