Chapter 422: Omen
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Cheol Ryu-heun soon withdrew his gaze and surveyed the surroundings.
A quiet space filled only with the breathing sounds of his party, as if proving the fight was completely over.
Yet one person alone still stood holding his sword in a combative posture.
One who displayed a dignified bearing and overwhelming presence like the sole god reigning over the demonic Jianghu.
That’s right.
It was Extreme Heaven Demon Emperor Gun Mu-ak.
Also.
Before him, the last survivor of the enemy camp sat powerlessly collapsed.
Great Sword Tyrant Lord Danmok Cheon, the Division Commander of Detached Three Army Corps, his entire body restrained……
Soon, the party assembled beside Cheol Ryu-heun.
Only Eun Yi-bi and Ya Baek-ji remained separate, guarding Gun Mu-ak’s left and right.
Among the gathered party, there were no seriously injured.
Some bore light wounds here and there on their bodies, but.
From that alone, one could tell.
That they had achieved a crushing victory.
Hegemon of Poison Paramount Meng Wang, the South Embrace Poison Palace Master, shrugged his mighty shoulders and let out a small cry.
“KAHAHAT! I feel like my body is just getting warmed up now. I want to quickly go and wipe them all out.”
His rippling muscles twitched as if representing his fighting spirit.
At that time, Iron Blood Martial Alliance Leader Sword Wheel Crown Prince Gwi Je-shin, positioned at his side, smiled faintly and spoke.
“Hut. As expected, your martial power lived up to its reputation. Actually, I learned a lot from it.”
At those words, everyone was inwardly surprised.
That he would go so far as to say such things.
It made them newly acknowledge Meng Wang’s lofty martial prowess.
Receiving praise from someone who was none other than the warrior representing the northern Unorthodox Jianghu of this era was a rare thing, after all.
But Meng Wang instead extolled Gwi Je-shin.
“What are you saying? You were plenty strong yourself. Honestly, I was admiring you inwardly.”
No sooner had those words ended than Solar Sun Great Lord Beop-yeol, the Bright Sun Sword Sect Master, deliberately furrowed his brow.
“KUHUM, I feel somewhat slighted.”
As if asking why he was left out when he was famous as Gwi Je-shin’s rival.
“KEOLKEOLKEOL. Ah, of course, you, the rival of the Iron Blood Martial Alliance Leader, were the same.”
At the fishing-for-compliments style praise, Beop-yeol smiled back.
“HAHAHA. I was joking. But I do feel good.”
“Actually……”
After Meng Wang’s gaze quietly made one circuit.
“……Everyone here in this place truly displayed outstanding skill. I keenly felt anew the potential of the Jianghu, of Orthodox Path and Unorthodox Path. Especially those young talents.”
With those words, he swept his gaze over the martial talents one by one and opened his mouth again.
“In this land, regardless of the era, countless prodigies seem to be born who will bear responsibility for the future, which I envy. Of course……”
Meng Wang’s gaze, having omitted the rest of his words, lingered on Cheol Ryu-heun.
Everyone’s eyes showed they understood without hearing to the end.
What he was trying to say.
A youth at the Martial God level who had transcended the level of a prodigy and ascended to a distant place.
Cheol Ryu-heun.
It surely meant his singularly outstanding martial prowess was the most impressive.
As for Cheol Ryu-heun himself, he felt no emotion whatsoever.
As always, he merely showed a disinterested appearance.
“The time has come now.”
Cheol Ryu-heun’s finger pointed to the air.
The speed at which dense darkness was approaching had become faster.
The moment when it would transform into a space of complete darkness was imminent.
Having withdrawn his hand, Cheol Ryu-heun opened his mouth again.
“Everyone, replenish the internal power you’ve consumed through seated cultivation. I believe half a shichen will suffice, as I previously announced.”
“Yes!”
An answer uttered in unison.
Soon, the entire party, including the guest retainers, moved in an orderly manner.
Thus, everyone sat cross-legged on the ground.
Cheol Ryu-heun then moved to where Gun Mu-ak’s party was and instructed disinterestedly.
“You two as well. Begin seated cultivation.”
He was referring to Eun Yi-bi and Ya Baek-ji.
When the two women hesitated briefly, Gun Mu-ak commanded with a look.
“What are you worrying about? I am fine. Hurry and replenish the power in your bodies.”
Eun Yi-bi and Ya Baek-ji only then moved aside and sat down, entering into seated cultivation.
At that time, Gun Mu-ak spoke.
“Let’s finish it.”
Cheol Ryu-heun, positioned at his side, nodded his head.
“Good.”
Simultaneously, the Demon God Sword vibrated and.
UUNG…
Eerie sounds burst out in succession.
KKUDEUK, KKUDEUDUK, KKUDEUK…… PUHAK, PUHAAK, PUHAK……!
That was the sound of Danmok Cheon’s entire body being mercilessly ruptured.
Pain so tremendous he couldn’t even let out a scream.
Gun Mu-ak, looking at the convulsing Danmok Cheon, let out a cold voice.
“I’ll test the power of that darkness using you.”
As soon as those words ended, Danmok Cheon’s flesh rapidly lost vitality as if aging.
And.
SEUT……
A feeling that something invisible was being drawn upward toward the dark sky.
It was Danmok Cheon’s soul energy.
Gun Mu-ak immediately detected it without missing it.
Of course, so did Cheol Ryu-heun.
In a flash.
KKWAK!
When Gun Mu-ak gripped the hilt of the Demon God Sword with force and operated greater power.
Then.
KUKUKUKUKU…… KUKUKUKUKU……
The Heavenly Demon Black Soul Coffin surrounding all sides greatly vibrated once and surged upward.
A demonic barrier rapidly growing higher by another level.
Following that, Danmok Cheon’s soul energy, which had been ascending, transformed into a vivid dark-green current.
Seeing that, Cheol Ryu-heun murmured with disinterested eyes.
“Is it alright to carry it out like this?”
“It’s fine. Didn’t I already agree to this?”
“Well, that’s true.”
“You do your thing, and I do mine. From now on, I’ll hold onto that soul energy to the maximum extent.”
The plan was to use Danmok Cheon’s soul energy as bait to draw in and test the mysterious power of the dark sky.
For him, it would be a preliminary skirmish with Heuk Ma-yung.
Upon hearing Gun Mu-ak’s words, Cheol Ryu-heun folded his arms.
“I’m also quite curious. Shall we see?”
“If possible…… I shall shatter it.”
Having said that, Gun Mu-ak’s pupils flashed.
SYUSYUSYUSYU, SYUSYUSYUSYUSYU…
From the Heavenly Demon Black Soul Coffin on all sides, demonic currents like ropes extended out and tightly bound Danmok Cheon’s soul energy.
Like a trap that captures or cages beasts.
Thereby, the soul energy’s ascension abruptly stopped with a DEOLKEOK!
At that time.
DEUDEUDEUDEU, DEUDEUDEUDEUDEU, DEUDEUDEU……
The entire Heavenly Demon Black Soul Coffin changed shape, bending slightly.
A gleam of interest passed through Gun Mu-ak’s two eyes.
‘Considerable.’
It was more powerful than expected.
The might of the artificial night sky that was drawing in soul energy.
DEUDEUDEUDEU, DEUDEUDEUDEUDEU……
With a series of sounds, the Heavenly Demon Black Soul Coffin bent even more noticeably.
Soon, the entire space was completely shrouded in darkness.
Within it, Cheol Ryu-heun’s dry voice flowed out quietly.
“If you feel like you can’t endure, just let it go. After all, this isn’t even a real match right now.”
But Gun Mu-ak had no intention of yielding.
“Rather than do that, it would be better if I absorbed and used it.”
“Well, that works too.”
But suddenly, a strange phenomenon occurred in the Heavenly Demon Black Soul Coffin.
SEUSSEUK…… SEUSSEUK…… SEUSSEUK……
Multiple dark-green clusters of light split off and began ascending.
The soul energy of some enemies absorbed earlier had escaped.
The power lurking in the night sky was drawing it away.
Seeing that, Gun Mu-ak was inwardly surprised.
‘I didn’t expect it to be this severe!’
He hated to admit it, but the power of the night sky was formidable.
The magnitude exceeded his initial expectations.
Trying to hold onto everything would seem to strain his body.
So he just left them alone and clung only to Danmok Cheon’s bound soul energy until the end.
DEUDEUDEUDEU, DEUDEUDEUDEUDEU……
The Heavenly Demon Black Soul Coffin was bent to the maximum degree.
At that time.
Gun Mu-ak felt an inexplicable discomfort.
It was the same as before.
No, somehow it felt more intense.
What could be the reason.
Anyway, it was certain that it was related to that night sky.
‘Then……!’
Gun Mu-ak, whose competitive spirit was triggered, immediately converted the Demon God Sword’s unique demonic power in order to absorb Danmok Cheon’s soul energy.
At that moment, a heavy sound rang out from the air.
KKUNG… KKUKKUNG… !
The power of darkness had suppressed the Heavenly Demon Black Soul Coffin on all sides.
As a result, the binding on the soul energy was released.
PANG, PAPANG, PANG……!
Rope-like demonic currents all burst apart at once.
SYUK… !
Danmok Cheon’s soul energy was absorbed into that high night sky in the blink of an eye.
All of a sudden.
-Finally…… I can sense you. Is it…… you?
Gun Mu-ak’s expression changed completely.
‘……!’
It was a voice no one could hear.
A sound transmitted only to Gun Mu-ak.
-I am…… pleased.
A strange voice that couldn’t be told whether it was an auditory hallucination or Sound Transmission.
It was a voice that seemed to reach directly into his mind rather than his ears.
He couldn’t tell.
Whether it was an esoteric form of Sound Transmission or spiritual mind-speech……
Gun Mu-ak’s heart pounded violently for a moment.
His body reacted on its own to the voice of unknown origin.
PPADEUK.
Gun Mu-ak, having bitten down on his molars, completely gathered in his energy sense.
Then that strange voice was no longer heard.
Instead, Cheol Ryu-heun’s voice reached his ears.
“Are you alright?”
“Yes. At any rate, it’s more powerful than expected. Perhaps it’s the influence of the Heretic Cult’s superb sorcery being harmonized……”
Immediately after, the Heavenly Demon Black Soul Coffin vibrated even more precariously.
Following that.
CHEUSEUCHEUSEUCHEU, CHEUSEUCHEUSEUCHEU……
The upper portion of the Heavenly Demon Black Soul Coffin began to crumble like powder and be absorbed into the night sky.
It was too dark to see, but one could feel it.
Gun Mu-ak was inwardly surprised once again.
‘That fellow has made thorough preparations!’
The Heavenly Demon Black Soul Coffin was a technique executed using demonic soul energy.
If the soul of one side was absorbed or annihilated, it would break and disappear.
That meant the caster also bore risk.
This moment was exactly that.
The power of the night sky was strongly drawing in the Heavenly Demon Black Soul Coffin as if perceiving it as a large clump of soul energy.
At this rate, Gun Mu-ak would come to harm.
Right at that moment.
“That’s enough.”
Cheol Ryu-heun extended the Gan Jiang straight upward along with his indifferent voice.
Simultaneously.
FLASH!
From the blade’s tip, a brilliant and massive energy was emitted.
In the shape of a swastika (?).
The dark space instantly brightened.
As if a great sun had newly appeared.
Following that.
PAAAAAAAAAAAAA… !
A swastika current, large enough to cover a ten-jang radius, rapidly shot up into the air.
“The invisible sorcery chains just need to be severed. Once the light spreads, gather in the Heavenly Demon Black Soul Coffin accordingly.”
Gun Mu-ak murmured while looking at the swastika light that had risen into the pitch-black sky.
“ManCheon Great Evil Skill……”
The terrifying secret technique of the existence who was the sole god of Unorthodox martial history.
That’s right.
ManCheon Great Evil Skill was the ultimate technique of the four schools of martial arts symbolizing the martial achievements of Evil Emperor Yul-Cheon, the absolute supremacist from six hundred years ago.
That which he had become able to wield having recovered the divine energy of the Divine Martial Sword……
The energy of all Unorthodox schools was derived from ManCheon Great Evil Skill.
That was no exception for the superb sorcery of the Heretic Cult.
Gun Mu-ak was inwardly impressed.
‘I didn’t expect it to be that large…….’
That was because Cheol Ryu-heun had released it using an extreme essence.
ManCheon Great Evil Skill rotated and then dispersed in four directions.
CHWAAAAA… CHWAAAAAA…
It was a spectacle as if four great suns had risen in the sky.
At last, the chains of sorcery were completely severed.
With that, Gun Mu-ak immediately withdrew the Heavenly Demon Black Soul Coffin.
“Huuu……”
A sigh that escaped without his awareness.
Then Cheol Ryu-heun tossed out a disinterested voice.
“Sighing over such a trivial matter.”
“I showed an unsightly appearance.”
“What matters is that you weren’t hurt. The sun to illuminate the darkness has been raised…… Now we just need to wait for the party to finish their seated cultivation.”
“As long as that is floating, we can move freely while ignoring the various formations?”
“Of course.”
“I see…… I should rest for a bit too. After all, the decisive battle with Heuk Ma-yung is right around the corner.”
Having said that, Gun Mu-ak spun his body and walked away.
CHEOK, CHEOK, CHEOK……
At that time, for the first time, Cheol Ryu-heun’s eyes, watching his retreating figure, held a meaningful light.
‘That voice wasn’t heard by you alone. Let’s see what happens going forward. Well, it’s all within my expected range anyway.’