Chapter 315: We Meet Again

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Not only Beop-yeol but even Gwi Je-shin’s expression completely changed.

‘Heavenly Demon Cult Grand Prelate…!’

That title once again brought silence to the hall.

Since they had been conversing quietly, the people seated at surrounding tables also wore surprised faces.

Everyone knew.

The fact that the Heavenly Demon Cult Grand Prelate had appeared during the Sun Moon Demon Cult battle.

And that at that time, he had met with some of the Orthodox-Unorthodox camp’s masters, including Azure Heaven Sword Sect Master Seol Hu-yong.

Along with rumors about Cheol Ryu-heun’s martial prowess and the Divine Martial Sword’s location, the appearance of the current Heavenly Demon Cult Grand Prelate was also the talk of the capital.

Wherever one went, talk of the Jianghu’s greatest rival never ceased.

He had reportedly ascended to the Grand Prelate position at the youngest age in Heavenly Demon Cult history.

His name was apparently Gun Mu-ak.

In the outside demonic Jianghu, he was called by the epithet Extreme Heaven Demon Emperor.

He was said to have the bearing of an absolute being reminiscent of the first Cult Leader, the Heavenly Demon’s, second coming.

Especially.

Rumors were rife that Gun Mu-ak’s very presence was unprecedented terror.

That wasn’t all.

The Heavenly Demon Cult high-ranking officials he brought with him, the so-called Left Attendant of Little-Face Bell Demoness Eun Yi-bi and Right Attendant of Delusional Seductive Demoness Ya Baek-ji, were also constantly on people’s lips.

Seol Hu-yong soon broke the silence he had brought about.

“As you know, I personally faced him. Though we didn’t actually exchange techniques…”

Someone’s heavy voice cut off his trailing words.

“Are you saying there is no master in this place who surpasses Grand Prelate Gun Mu-ak’s formidable aura?”

It was Gwi Je-shin.

Hearing Seol Hu-yong’s words, the competitive spirit in his heart seemed to burn even hotter.

“Hmm, honestly… that’s how I judge it. Like with Sect Master Cheol, the talk about the Grand Prelate is not exaggerated either.”

At that, Beop-yeol spoke with a murderous expression.

“Sect Master Seol, definitive statements are unwise. One never knows until we’ve actually fought. If you said that to deliberately provoke us… I’ll request a spar right here and prove my martial arts. What do you say?”

Simultaneously, the hall stirred.

When Beop-yeol declared his challenge to one of the Five Martial Absolutes without restraining his combative temperament, their eyes seemed to boil with excitement.

But Seol Hu-yong himself shook his head with a calm attitude.

“Well… I don’t want to decline either, but I have other things to do today, so it would be better to postpone. I say again, I have not the slightest intention of belittling Castle Lord Beop and Alliance Leader Goe’s martial prowess and reputation.”

But at that moment.

DUNGSHIL.

The wine cup placed in front of Wei Ji-am floated up lightly.

Void Grasping..

Thus the cup was moved to the adjacent table.

Right in front of Beop-yeol.

Following that, Wei Ji-am let out a solemn voice.

“Here, have a drink and calm your mood.”

Beop-yeol glanced at the cup, then turned his head and issued a cold voice.

“That somehow sounds like a warning.”

“It is.”

At Wei Ji-am’s resolute voice, Beop-yeol’s expression hardened.

“…!”

Then soon a ferocious smile spread across his entire face.

“A warning from Thunder Cloud Sword Duke… hmph, this raises my expectations.”

Once again, heavy tension circled through the hall.

But Wei Ji-am didn’t care.

Intangible fighting spirit, fighting will, and fierce energy like thunder rumbling were being released majestically.

Befitting one of the Two Lords at the top tier among the Five Martial Absolutes of Hunan.

Wei Ji-am, meeting Beop-yeol’s blazing gaze, spoke.

“Did you forget this Rongsa is our sect’s territory?”

At those words, Beop-yeol’s brow twitched.

‘He’s putting up that justification?’

Just as Wei Ji-am said, this place was Thunder Lightning Sect’s territory.

Was Rongsa all?

No.

Half of the waterfront cities of the vast, ocean-like Dongting Lake were included in Thunder Lightning Sect’s territory.

The meaning of Wei Ji-am’s words was crystal clear.

It meant that within Thunder Lightning Sect’s territory, not even the smallest dispute would ever be tolerated.

Also.

It implied that Azure Heaven Sword Sect Master Seol Hu-yong was Thunder Lightning Sect’s guest, so he should keep that in mind and conduct himself accordingly.

That’s right.

It was a warning based on legitimate justification.

However, even for Wei Ji-am who maintained such a resolute stance, there wasn’t zero burden.

His opponent was a warrior who represented the entire Northern Unorthodox Jianghu.

Since the status of Beop-yeol, owner of the epithet Solar Sword Saint Castle Lord, was at minimum equal to or above the Two Lords among the Five Martial Absolutes of Hunan.

His reputation was higher if anything, never below.

Besides, Solar Sword Castle that Beop-yeol led was the same way.

In terms of pure scale alone, it was a massive Unorthodox faction at the upper tier within the Northern Jianghu.

Its substance was also excellent.

The majority of core fighting strength members, led by the leadership, were at the first-rate tier.

Furthermore, Fire Wheel Squad, their famous elite unit, was praised for all fifty-some members being martial artists possessing exceptional swordsmanship.

So it would be strange to have no burden.

However, Beop-yeol’s position was the same.

Because Wei Ji-am’s martial fame for emitting sword energy as fearsome as lightning was not limited to the Hunan region.

And his sect, Thunder Lightning Sect, also had a reputation for having built formidable fighting strength in the current era.

An opponent he was confident of victory against but somewhat burdensome nonetheless.

Thus, in the explosive atmosphere rapidly expanding.

It was Gwi Je-shin’s Sound Transmission.

At that, Beop-yeol’s murderous expression changed.

Following that, he showed a smile toward Wei Ji-am at the adjacent table.

“Hoot. Fine, in consideration of that justification, I’ll preserve Sect Master Wi’s face. If there’s an opportunity next time… I hope we can cross swords.”

It seemed like he was letting it pass, but the words had thorns.

However, Wei Ji-am didn’t care.

“I welcome it anytime.”

No sooner had he nodded and answered than Gwi Je-shin casually spoke.

“I’m curious about your impression meeting him. Sect Master Seol.”

That meant the time he had encountered Gun Mu-ak.

Seol Hu-yong, having emptied his cup, spoke in a grave tone.

“It was intense. It was the first time I felt such a thrill.”

Though brief words, they felt like they contained much.

Seol Hu-yong soon explained the series of circumstances starting from the moment he faced Gun Mu-ak, then added.

“The Grand Prelate was a demon person we couldn’t approach easily. Sect Master Cheol faced such a terrifying being, revealed his hidden power, and even left words of warning.”

“Hmm…”

Beop-yeol let out a low sound and his eyes sank deeply.

When Cheol Ryu-heun’s martial prowess reference point was set to the Heavenly Demon Cult Grand Prelate, that tremendous weight seemed to strike deeply into his heart.

Right at that moment.

KKIIIK.

The inn door opened and figures quietly appeared.

At the sound of the door breaking the quiet atmosphere, everyone’s gazes were drawn in that direction.

Three in total.

One young man and two women.

The man in his early twenties at the front was plainly dressed.

Gray clothes commonly seen anywhere.

However.

Such attire couldn’t completely conceal his innate extraordinary and heroic bearing.

It was truly an absolute aura.

Even his features were refined.

It was a face that brought ecstasy just from looking.

Like a masterpiece completed by a supreme craftsman.

Seol Hu-yong, who had also looked that way, suddenly bolted to his feet.

“G-Grand Prelate…!”

At that sound, the startled Wei Ji-am, Gwi Je-shin, and Beop-yeol all simultaneously turned their gazes toward the entrance and quickly rose.

Everyone intuited from Seol Hu-yong’s shocked reaction.

That the young man at the front of the three who had entered the inn was none other than Ultimate Heaven Demon Emperor Gun Mu-ak, who had risen to the position of this era’s Heavenly Demon Cult Grand Prelate…

Wei Ji-am finally understood.

What the thrill Seol Hu-yong had said he felt back then was like.

Of course, Gwi Je-shin and Beop-yeol too.

Look.

Though he was just standing still, the flow of air inside the inn seemed to sink heavily.

Even compared to the auras of other Orthodox-Unorthodox warriors, the dimension was different.

Genius, prodigy, heaven-sent talent… this was not that level.

A dignity that simply suppressed all under heaven through presence alone was flowing out.

Even his leisurely posture with hands clasped behind his back exuded pressure that was suffocating.

A deathly silence descended heavily.

BULKEUN.

The gazes of Gwi Je-shin and Beop-yeol, their entire bodies tensed, wavered quietly.

They finally realized.

The realm of martial arts Gun Mu-ak had achieved was at an unfathomable level.

This was their first time experiencing such formidable intangible aura.

How to describe it.

It was like a strange feeling of dark waves rising up to their necks.

He was someone who held a black sky within his body.

Gazes tangling across the distance.

Gun Mu-ak, having surveyed the interior, fixed his eyes.

Seol Hu-yong was there.

KUNGKWANG!

The moment their gazes met, Seol Hu-yong’s heart pounded greatly.

Following that, a low, clear voice reached his ears.

“A familiar face.”

Gun Mu-ak, having spotted Seol Hu-yong, muttered with an indifferent expression.

He had remembered him.

It was just a calm voice.

But.

It suddenly seemed to transform into magnificent thunder and reverberate resoundingly in the quiet space.

An auditory hallucination and illusion created by that fearsome presence.

Wei Ji-am, Gwi Je-shin, and Beop-yeol nearby felt the same.

Meanwhile, the crowd was each stealing glances while marveling.

Expressions that seemed wondrous yet also held fear.

It was a natural reaction.

After all, this was just an ordinary inn on the outskirts.

For ultra-first-rate warriors of Orthodox, Unorthodox, and Demonic factions to gather in such a place…

Gun Mu-ak, having withdrawn his gaze, soon moved his steps.

At that moment, everyone saw.

The void’s darkness spreading like fierce waves in all directions along with his movements.

An illusion created by his presence.

He soon took a seat at an empty table, and Small Darkness Demon Lady Eun Yi-bi and Delusion Flame Demon Lady Ya Baek-ji stood behind his chair with their shoulders aligned.

It was a posture of standing guard like a screen to protect their master.

“That’s enough. Both of you, sit down.”

At Gun Mu-ak’s command accompanied by a light gesture, the two women only then relaxed their posture and attached their bottoms to chairs.

Meanwhile, Gwi Je-shin and Beop-yeol exchanged Sound Transmission.

At this point, their questions about Cheol Ryu-heun grew even larger.

Only someone like that could handle him?

Meanwhile.

Wei Ji-am too showed signs of receiving a strong impression upon first witnessing Gun Mu-ak, whom he had only heard about.

Suddenly.

-Kkugoong…!

A heavy sound rang from outside the inn.

The crowd who heard that sound each tilted their heads.

‘Hm?’

It was a sound like some massive object rapidly falling from the sky.

Not long after the tremor subsided.

BEOLKEOK!

The door opened and a young swordsman barely twenty, wearing black martial attire embroidered with magnificent white patterns, stepped into the inn.

Again, everyone’s gazes were drawn toward the entrance.

At that moment, Wei Ji-am and Seol Hu-yong exclaimed with brightened expressions.

“Sect Master Cheol!”

“Ah, you’ve arrived!”

Simultaneously, Gwi Je-shin and Beop-yeol instantly reacted.

‘Cheol Ryu-heun…!’

Cheol Ryu-heun’s indifferent gaze fixed on Gun Mu-ak’s party.

Following that, an apathetic voice slipped out between his lips.

“What, we meet again here.”