Chapter 397: He's Here

Read more at Nineheavens.org

A mountain ridge where strangely-shaped rocks stood like a folding screen.

There, a group quietly revealed themselves.

One among them ground his teeth while emitting a rage-filled gaze.

“Kkeuk… Damn it…!”

It was Great Sword Tyrant Lord Danmok Cheon, leadership of the Detached Three Army Corps.

Currently, his chest was entirely soaked with blood.

The effect of the wound from being stabbed by Gun Mu-ak’s Demon God Sword.

It was quite deep.

He had urgently stopped the bleeding with pressure point acupuncture during the escape, but bleeding continued due to the violent movement on the way here.

It was fortunate that it had missed the heart.

He ground his teeth PPADEUDEUK! again and trembled his cheeks.

“Cheol Ryu-heun, Gun Mu-ak… these detestable bastards… to repeatedly burden me with such humiliation…! I have no face to see the Master!”

The pain in his stabbed chest grew, and so did his resentment.

It was as he said, a humiliating matter.

Earlier, he had clearly felt it.

The fact that Gun Mu-ak had shown mercy in his techniques…

That’s right.

He had deliberately inflicted the penetrating wound to miss the heart.

But what was more painful than the stab wound was the wound to his pride.

Hadn’t Gun Mu-ak said this just before stabbing him?

-You are weak.

The extremely arrogant and indifferent manner of the opponent… also, that gaze as if looking at a worthless beast…

Recalling that, Danmok Cheon felt his blood and energy turning upside down from intense anger and shame.

What greater humiliation could there be for one nominally a Division Commander?

“It would have been better to die fighting…”

At Danmok Cheon’s angry muttering, one figure immediately shook his head.

“No. Please don’t say such things. Is Division Commander Danmok not a precious fighting force of the Detached Three Army Corps, and furthermore, the Heaven Emperor Society? I should have moved the gu poison earlier…”

It was Eastern Heaven Division’s Fourth Great General.

Danmok Cheon shook his head in return and answered.

“You are likewise. I take back what I just said. When the all-out war begins soon, there will be a chance to make amends.”

He said it that way, but his face showed he was struggling to suppress his inner rage.

At that time, Phantom Spirit Demon Emperor Hap-hwa, standing to one side, spoke up.

“They’re obstacles beyond our expectations. The alliance of Cheol Ryu-heun and Gun Mu-ak is… a tremendously threatening variable. It seems a trump card is needed.”

Simultaneously, Danmok Cheon’s expression completely changed.

He then received the words in a meaningful tone.

“You mean we must… stake our lives to increase our power?”

“We swore to our great Master… the Society Lord, didn’t we? That even if we die, there will be no mission failure. I ask, do you fear death?”

“Keuk! What do you mean? This life isn’t mine. I’ve already given it to the Master. That’s the same for everyone belonging to our organization.”

A faint smile formed on Hap-hwa’s lips.

“Hut. I too suffered injury at that Gun Mu-ak’s hands… since then, my resolve has been set. Rather than bear the humiliation of defeat, I’ll choose mutual destruction.”

“Right, I’ll consume the gu poison.”

Danmok Cheon, with those words, gazed intently at the Fourth Great General.

“Did you bring it?”

“Yes, I left it at the main base over there. I prepared extras in case of emergency.”

“Good, I’ll have to eat it as soon as we return.”

“However, without Master Bung’s approval…”

When the Fourth Great General hesitated, Danmok Cheon laughed.

“Our Special Forces are free from him from the start. Also… we won’t die just from the gu poison explosion.”

“Ah… do you have some solution?”

At the Fourth Great General’s quiet question, Danmok Cheon nodded his head.

“Of course. If we receive help from the Darkness-Craving Blood Clan and Heretic Cult in addition to the power of Nature Assimilation Realm… a minimum safety measure will be established.”

Then he shifted his gaze toward Earth Direction Master.

“Isn’t that right? Earth Direction Master.”

To that, Earth Direction Master asked with a grave expression.

“Hmm… will you be alright?”

“Of course. We’ll become a new type of Forbidden Soul Ghost Thing for you.”

“Yes. I’ll report to the Cult Master and Vice Cult Master immediately upon return.”

At that time, the Fourth Great General spoke with a worried expression.

“But what should we report to the Three Armies Great General…?”

The Three Armies Great General meant Nine Springs Demon Dragon Sang-jan.

Danmok Cheon immediately spoke firmly.

“I intend to skip reports entirely.”

“Pardon?”

“If we choose that method… we’ll surpass even the Great General’s power. Positions can change at any time. It’s the nature and characteristic of the Special Forces. The Society Lord permitted competition for positions based on martial power from the start. Do you understand what that means?”

At that moment, a jet-black figure suddenly appeared.

SEUK.

Without sound or Aura.

An old man in black robes standing nine cheok tall.

It was precisely Blood-Robbing Deep Ghost Gin-gyun, foremost of the Three Spirits of the Darkness-Craving Blood Clan.

“Yes, I understand fully.”

Gin-gyun quietly answered while wearing a faint smile.

Then Danmok Cheon also smiled along.

“Even if we drink your blood, brainwashing will be quite difficult. Don’t underestimate my cultivation.”

“Hu, I don’t mind. In any case, if you consume the gu poison, a neutralizing power against brainwashing is created. I know that well too.”

“Is that so? It’s good that you’re being straightforward.”

“It’s a very good thing for us too. If we have you, the leadership of Detached Three Army Corps, as allies…”

“I promise one thing: we’ll be different from the existing Great General. We’ll think of the Darkness-Craving Blood Clan as true allies. Without any wariness.”

“Very much to my liking. I’ll lend power to everyone who follows you two. Are you satisfied?”

“Victory in this battle will be ours. Huhut.”

Along with Danmok Cheon, Hap-hwa also let out a quiet laugh.

Meanwhile, Gin-gyun conversed with Earth Direction Master through Secret Sound Transmission Mind-to-Mind.

Gin-gyun, having so answered, spoke nonchalantly.

“Now, everyone hurry back. I’ll go after finishing my business…”

“You’re going to secure prey?”

At Danmok Cheon’s question, Gin-gyun gave a brief answer.

“Of course.”

Immediately after, Gin-gyun vanished using wondrous Lightness technique.

Danmok Cheon, Hap-hwa and others, having quietly exchanged glances, soon departed the area.

* * *

A figure who had been lying face-down on the ground suddenly snapped open his closed eyes.

He then swiftly raised his body.

It was Snake Eye Sword Demon Mo Dok-jae.

He soon examined his surroundings and wore a puzzled expression.

‘What happened?’

The end of his memory was inexplicable.

The matter of suddenly losing consciousness while fleeing from Cheol Ryu-heun.

At that moment, one destroyed tree came into view.

A dead tree that had been destroyed by Cheol Ryu-heun’s swift sword strike.

‘I’m… still here?’

At that time, along with the sound of garments fluttering, a person revealed himself nearby.

It was Unorthodox Saber Master Yu Ma-jong, a warrior of the previous Jianghu era’s Unorthodox who had been one of the Jianghu Thirteen Seats, now a Division Commander of the Detached Three Army Corps.

“What, you were here? I looked quite a while.”

Then Mo Dok-jae cried out as if shouting.

“Cheol Ryu-heun is…!”

“Cheol Ryu-heun? Did you exchange techniques with him?”

“So about that…”

Mo Dok-jae explained the situation while harboring doubt.

Yu Ma-jong, having heard the story, likewise tilted his head.

“You suddenly lost consciousness? Hmm… that’s strange.”

“A peculiar phenomenon. Could it have been some kind of illusion formation?”

“Yes, it seems so. Surely Cheol Ryu-heun wouldn’t have just left you alone. They say the former Heretic Cult Master has also joined his side. Probably got help from him to deploy something here and there.”

“It’s suspicious. To lose consciousness and sustain internal injuries from a mere illusion formation… So where is the Great General…?”

“He went earlier to hunt big game. He ordered us to return for now.”

“Big game, meaning…?”

“A current Orthodox grandee, the Peng Family Lord.”

“Literally a very big one has been caught in the trap.”

“Come, let’s go. In about a shichen, it’ll be evening. Then the Darkness-Craving Blood Clan will take over the mission again.”

“Understood.”

Mo Dok-jae quickly steadied himself and then vanished swiftly like the wind along with Yu Ma-jong.

* * *

Cheol Ryu-heun, riding on Divine Wind’s back, thought again about what he had seen earlier.

‘Heaven Emperor Society… even I’m hearing that name for the first time.’

Recalling the conversation between the wanderer, the Heaven Emperor Society Lord, and Mo Dok-jae.

-Our march has already begun. Recently, our organization destroyed the Namgung Family.

-What? The Namgung Family…!

-It was merely a test of force. If you follow me, you will experience even more surprising things hereafter.

-I am honored to serve the Heaven Emperor Society Lord! Please guide me well!

-Of course. From now on, I will seek the Divine Martial Sword. Then… I will cruelly destroy it. So that no one can dream empty dreams.

‘He was a fellow who had been preparing some plan for a long time.’

Cheol Ryu-heun, having muttered inwardly, shifted his thoughts to the Four Divine Generals, presumed to be the core subordinates of the Heaven Emperor Society Lord, the wanderer.

-Is my subordinate’s spirit impressive?

-Th-that is so.

-He is one of the Four Divine Generals.

-Four Divine Generals? Then…

-Under me, there are three more martial artists like him.

‘Those four haven’t surfaced yet. If so…’

If the Four Divine Generals began their activities in the future, it would mean the Heaven Emperor Society’s full-scale emergence.

When exactly would that time be?

Anyway, he had finally obtained important clues.

Now, tomorrow, he would secure additional information about the secret organization called the Heaven Emperor Society.

It wasn’t difficult.

He just needed to advance into the enemy base within the Shiwan Mountains, subdue all the core cadres, and then ascertain.

Using the divine power that had been fully recovered.

However, before that, he intended to establish perfect victory conditions.

He had made several arrangements, but that wasn’t enough.

That’s why he was currently moving elegantly and covertly.

Seeking the Aura that was a sort of secret weapon that would neutralize that wicked enemy’s sinister plan.

There was one.

Here.

He had already sensed that Aura during his martial achievement.

It had definitely briefly connected with the Ten Directions Ghost Road Lost Soul Formation.

There was no doubt it was here, so he just needed to search the mountains and meet it.

For that reason, he was continuously operating ascending Internal energy and sharpening his entire body’s energy sense acutely.

How much more did he move from that point?

Suddenly, a distinctive light circled in Cheol Ryu-heun’s pupils.

‘As expected.’

He found it at last.

The existence that was a secret weapon.

It wasn’t far away.

The Aura of someone over there, the sense of being transmitted through his extremely enhanced energy sense, told him so.

Divine Wind, having read its master’s thoughts, kicked the ground.

KWANG!

Divine Wind, having leaped across the sky by dozens of zhang, rapidly descended to the ground.

KKUGUGUGUGUNG…!

Simultaneously with a heavy vibration sound, the gazes of about three hundred martial artists all focused at once.

Startled looks at the suddenly arrived person and horse.

At that moment, Cheol Ryu-heun spoke with an indifferent expression.

“You two there. Let’s work on something together with me.”