Chapter 420: Imminent

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“Shin So-sul… That’s a name I haven’t heard in a long time.”

Wang-ryu’s quiet voice.

The two eyes visible through the silver mask emitted a peculiar light.

He, having stayed silent for a moment, asked while tearing off a piece of well-cooked, appetizing meat.

“Was he alone?”

Xianyu Ershan, slightly raising the brim of the round bamboo hat covering his head, answered.

“Yes, at least at first.”

“Did those bastard siblings set him free again?”

The bastard and bitch that Wang-ryu mentioned meant Snake-Robed Hwa-rang and Snake-Robed Hwa-nong, who had betrayed Shin So-sul in the past and seized the Cult Master position.

Xianyu Ershan shook his head and answered again.

“Hmm, I don’t know that much. I only observed from afar, in case my hiding spot might be discovered. Of course, as the Divine General says, there’s certainly a reasonable possibility, isn’t there? If a situation arose where Shin So-sul’s ability was needed, he might have been dramatically persuaded…”

“There’s also the possibility it’s the opposite.”

Those words from Wang-ryu meant Cheol Ryu-heun’s side.

That is, the possibility that he had joined the side where multiple warriors had allied….

Xianyu Ershan also nodded his head slightly as if in agreement.

“That’s right. Cheol Ryu-heun is also no ordinary fellow, so he’d be skilled at persuasion. Just looking at how he came here and assembled an allied force transcending Orthodox, Unorthodox, and Demonic…”

“At any rate, it’s certain he’s attached himself to one side. So, how was Shin So-sul behaving?”

“The time I saw him wasn’t very long. Yet… the signs somehow gave the feeling he was carrying out some kind of secret mission. His movements were very covert, so even I barely detected him.”

As soon as Xianyu Ershan’s words ended, Wang-ryu tossed aside the bone and cast his gaze into the air.

Darkness that had already covered more than half the sky.

Thus, the anomaly that defied natural order was captured in Wang-ryu’s pupils.

“In just a little while, the Shiwan Mountains will be soaked in pitch-black night.”

“Yes, and then the Darkness-Craving Blood Clan and Heretic Cult will spread their wings and run rampant.”

“Even so, they’re nothing more than puppies not knowing to fear the tiger… If they dare bare their sharp teeth, it would be proper to pull them all out.”

Below the mask, Wang-ryu’s lips drew an arc.

A smile.

What was visible was not the arrogance of the strong but the pride of a tyrant.

As if, save for the Heaven Emperor Society’s Society Lord, there was no one who could handle his martial power….

At that time.

SEUK, SEUSEUK…

Xianyu Ershan immediately set down the large bundle on his back and undid the knots.

Then a helm and armor, presumed to be of special material, were revealed.

Finely engraved on that silver surface was the pattern of Black Tortoise, corresponding to the north among the Four Directional Divine Beasts.

Right after, when Wang-ryu operated internal power, a black-red current arose outside his body.

UUNG… UUNG… UUNG… UUNG…

Along with a strange sound, the trembling armor was all at once drawn toward his body.

DDARARARARARAK… JJARARARARARAK… KARARARARARAK… !

Each piece floated up and clung to his body as if wrapping around him, rapidly assembling.

Was it a divine weapon that automatically armed its owner?

In that midst, Wang-ryu was recalling in his head the conversation with his master, the Heaven Emperor Society Lord.

-Wang-ryu, remember this. The shell is not important. It means it doesn’t matter where it’s contained. You just need to recover only that power completely intact and bring it.

-Yes, understood. Live or die, whoever it is, I’ll just finish my work well and return. If there are survivors remaining after the fighting, shall I clean them up thoroughly?

-Of course.

-That means not to distinguish friend from foe, correct?

-Of course. That personnel was fated from the beginning to be discarded as sacrificial lambs. Now go. The time for opening the dimensional gate connected to the otherworld is imminent.

-Yes. Ah, and…

-What is it?

-What if that thing completely merges with Heuk Ma-yung? Isn’t his aptitude also quite outstanding? As you know, having the most superior body within the Darkness-Craving Blood Clan, the otherworldly Demon God would also find him tempting.

-You mean there’s a chance he won’t be used only as an errand boy?

-That’s right. If it’s not just borrowing his body but making it entirely its own….

-No, he absolutely cannot withstand it. No matter how much of a body it is that exerts bizarre unique abilities. However, I shouldn’t neglect even a small possibility. Because variables tend to arrive without warning.

-Then…

-Kill him and then transfer it. No, it will transfer on its own.

-Pardon? What do you mean, it will transfer on its own…?

-Into your body, that is.

-…!

-Being the owner of a body stronger even than Heuk Ma-yung’s, the otherworldly Demon God would naturally be tempted.

-Hmm, I see.

-And there are more… candidates for transfer.

-Ah, I can guess. You mean those two?

-Yes. Gun Mu-ak and Cheol Ryu-heun.

-Gun Mu-ak I understand, but Cheol Ryu-heun is still somewhat…

-Yes, he hasn’t been completely figured out yet. But looking at his course of action, he’s extraordinary.

-Yes. He has grown at a rapid pace in a short period. Moreover, even this Society’s forces suffered losses… Of course, thanks to that fellow suddenly appearing and running wild, the plan for the Shiwan Mountains could be moved up.

-However, if he dies in battle before you complete your work, there’s no need to pay him particular attention.

-I have a feeling he’ll tenaciously survive. It’s a vague intuition.

-I’ll say it again. Whether it’s Heuk Ma-yung, Gun Mu-ak, or Cheol Ryu-heun… if they interfere with the work, annihilate them all.

-All of them…

-Surely you don’t find it burdensome?

-Huhut, what… No. How could I? Rather, it’s exactly what I wanted. Until now, there’s been no opponent who could even reasonably take on this power of mine, but if it’s those two, they might at least serve as playthings for amusement.

-Including you, I personally made the Four Divine Generals into masterpieces. So that there’s nothing fearsome under this sky. That is why using your body, I can readily bring it here. However…

-You mean to set aside my competitive spirit as a martial artist and focus on the mission. Is that what you’re trying to say?

-Correct. I mean to act proactively only when the cases I just mentioned arise.

-I understand clearly.

-Now, go. It would be good if I went myself, but I cannot carelessly leave my place. So do not take lightly the task you’ve been given.

-Yes, I will engrave it and engrave it again. My Sovereign.

-The walls have ears by day and mice by night. Refrain from that title. When the time comes, you’ll be able to call it to your heart’s content. No, at that time, I’ll be called by a different title as I tread upon the heavens.

-Ah… yes. My apologies, Society Lord. Then I shall try to move as quickly as possible.

At that moment, Xianyu Ershan’s voice broke Wang-ryu’s reverie.

“Shall I go scout the battle situation over there? If I go and assess the surviving personnel…”

That meant the battle between the side where martial artists had allied and the side of Detached Three Army Corps and Eastern Heaven Division.

Then Wang-ryu, fully equipped in silver armor, spoke decisively.

“No, forget it. Whatever appears before me is bound to appear anyway. If they interfere with the work then, I’ll just clean them out.”

“Yes. Then are you planning to depart now?”

“There’s no need to hurry. There’s still some time before the moment ripens. Rather…”

“Speak.”

“Find out about him.”

“Pardon?”

“Shin So-sul.”

“Ah.”

“Go and sound out his intentions. It won’t hurt to know in advance what he’s scheming.”

“After I find out… what should I do?”

“Handle it as you see fit. I entrust that much to you. If you can’t find him, don’t push too hard and come back. One more thing: if you come face to face with him, you must not let down your guard. I trust your ability, but he too is a formidable master.”

“Yes, there’s no question. He was once called Defying Heaven Evil Wind because he used unorthodox arts sorcery so great it said to defy even heaven’s will, a famous Unorthodox warrior… so even if his power is below mine, there will be no complacency. In truth, that he’s walking around perfectly healthy like that is proof that his remarkable skills of old haven’t rusted.”

“Huhut. I like it. That’s what I expect from my Vice General.”

“Considering the work, I will absolutely not overreach. Please trust and leave it to me. Even if things don’t go well, I’ll at least ascertain which side he’s on before returning.”

“Very well, once your work is done, come straight there. I too will be heading there from now…”

At Wang-ryu’s words, Xianyu Ershan bowed his head.

“I’ll see you later.”

Simultaneously, he disappeared with fleet movements.

Subsequently, Wang-ryu spun his body and advanced forward.

CHEOK, CHEOK, CHEOK…

The armor tightly fitted to his body made no sound at all.

Had even its joints been specially made?

Wang-ryu, thus stepping forward, wore a thin smile.

‘Foolish fools, not knowing that all this is happening within the Buddha’s palm…’

* * *

A secret gorge surrounded by layered death formations of sorcery.

This place, where the sunlight had vanished, was filled only with bluish light.

What was it… it felt as if will-o’-the-wisps had been lit here and there.

It was ghost fire created by the sorcery of the Heretic Cult side.

At the center of a space where artificial darkness and deformed cliffs harmonized.

There stood a tall, rectangular pavilion.

Three people could be seen at the very top.

They were the Snake-Robed Hwa-rang and Snake-Robed Hwa-nong siblings, and the leader of the Darkness-Craving Blood Clan, Heuk Ma-yung.

“Complete night will arrive very soon now. The start has been successful.”

A strange voice that felt like metallic sound squeezed out between Heuk Ma-yung’s lips.

Then Snake-Robed Hwa-rang, positioned beside him, quietly nodded his head.

“Bat Demon Great King, the moment to write new history is approaching.”

“Has the pitch-black night finally reached the battlefield as well?”

“Yes. I can sense the soul energy of those who died far away being absorbed.”

“And him…?”

“Naturally, he too is being sensed. A power of darkness on a different level from ours…”

“Is it formidable?”

“Huh, what a question. He’s Heavenly Demon Cult’s Great Prelate, after all. You know his power better than I do, don’t you?”

“But since he’s developed beyond before, existing information is meaningless, isn’t it? Still… he’ll be playing within the scope we predicted. Huhut.”

“A power like a barrier of demonic energy seems to have been erected. At any rate, if we can smash that, we must.”

At that time, Snake-Robed Hwa-nong’s gaze turned toward the ground.

“Brother, shall we now harvest all of those?”

The spot where her gaze lingered was the vast field of grass below the pavilion.

There, several hundred martial artists were bound.

Prisoners who would become sacrificial lambs.

Each had been brainwashed by supremely wicked curse technique and wore a dazed look.

Snake-Robed Hwa-rang soon exchanged gazes with Snake-Robed Hwa-nong and sent a signal with a nod.

Immediately after.

SEUK.

Snake-Robed Hwa-nong, having approached the railing, let out a loud Sound Transmission.

-Execute!

The personnel who had been on standby below cried out in unison.

“Yes!”

The eerie curse techniques of the Heretic Cult sorcerers, led by the Five Direction Chamber Masters, began.

Voices whose meaning was incomprehensible mixed together and rang out.

If one listened quietly, goosebumps rose all over.

Thus, as a little time passed.

SYUSYUSYUSYU, SYUSYUSYUSYUSYU…

Red clusters of light spread out like mist in the air.

And.

JJEOK… JJEOK… JJEOK…

A sound as if cracks were forming was heard.

The red clusters of light were spewing from the otherworldly dimensional gate that had been generated in the air.

That’s right.

It was the light emitted by the Demon God’s giant eye.

Suddenly, the expressions of the bound ones changed completely.

It was because severe pain was assaulting their entire bodies.

CHEUSEUCHEUSEUCHEU, CHEUSEUCHEUSEUCHEU…

Soon, they began to die one by one, emitting smoke from their heads.

The Demon God was in the midst of devouring their soul energies.

Before long, the crack high in the air grew larger.

-I shall now… descend upon that land! Soul energy… is still insufficient! More… more… bring more!

When the thunderous Sound Transmission presumed to be the Demon God’s rang out.

DEUDEUDEUDEUDEU, DEUDEUDEUDEUDEU…!

The entire gorge trembled loudly.

Even with voice alone, tremendous power had spread out.

In that midst, Heuk Ma-yung looked at one side of the air where the otherworldly dimensional gate had been generated.

One man floating in the air with his two eyes closed.

It was Zhuge Bi.

He was floating in midair, his entire body restrained by some strange sorcery.

Heuk Ma-yung, taking in his appearance in his field of vision, smirked.

‘KEUHEUHUT, before long, you will become the essential key to completely opening this gate.’