Chapter 325: This Is What You Say in Times Like These

TL: FoodieMonster007

Two people were inside a painting. The painting depicted them identically to their real selves, and their movements were vivid.

While the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader looked at Jo Baekta, I saw the Illusion King. It was the same Illusion King I had seen before my regression.

Illusion King, so you were here during this time.

Inside the painting, the Illusion King took Jo Baekta and disappeared through a door.

My gaze and the Demonic Buddha's naturally gathered on the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader. His gaze deepened as he looked at the painting. He must have sensed the ominous energy beyond that door.

"Quite impressive."

The statement acknowledged the Illusion King. That was to be expected. This world was the Illusion King's creation. The Illusion King was a more skilled master than Hwan Yeo, which was why he ultimately made a name for himself.

"It's dangerous. I'll go alone."

At those words, I smiled.

"I was wondering who your disciple took after."

"What do you mean?"

"If you truly wanted to go alone, you wouldn't have mentioned that it was dangerous, would you?"

It was just like when Jo Baekta shouted not to come as he was dragged away. His words were more burdensome than simply asking for help, just like saying he would go alone because it was dangerous.

"Even if I said I'd leave you behind, you're not the type to listen to me, are you?"

"We came together, so we should finish it together."

There was no way I would let the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader enter that painting alone.

"Are you ready?"

"I am."

The Demonic Buddha also nodded.

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader chanted an incantation before the painting.

HUUUUUUUUUNG.

A deep resonance sounded, and suddenly we stood before that very door. In an instant, we had entered the painting.

The feast of illusions, unfolded by a master who had reached the pinnacle, was truly a work of art.

Large beasts gathered from all directions, baring their teeth. They seemed frightened by the aura emanating from the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader, however, and did not dare to attack. They acted as if they would pounce on me and the Demonic Buddha at any moment.

The Demonic Buddha strode toward them. The beasts bared their teeth and growled, but they could not bring themselves to attack the Demonic Buddha either. He reached out and stroked a beast's head. Surprisingly, the creatures remained still.

I witnessed firsthand just how strong the Demonic Buddha was against illusions.

Meanwhile, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader stood before the door. He closed his eyes for a moment to calm his mind, then placed his palm on the door. As the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader recited an incantation and pushed slowly, the door began to open with a loud noise.

We entered side by side.

Beyond the door, a long corridor awaited us. It stretched on with no visible end, as if we could never return once we passed through.

"When I saw his face, he looked so much like that woman from the garden. They must be twins or siblings."

As we walked, I told the two of them that the Illusion King and Hwan Yeo were related by blood.

"Then this place must be even more dangerous," the Demonic Buddha said.

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader nodded. He must have sensed it too. Since he was the one who killed Hwan Yeo, one of them would not leave this place alive.

"You don't seem nervous at all," I said.

"With the two of you here, why would I be nervous?"

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader then asked the Demonic Buddha, "Why aren't you nervous?"

"With the two of you here, I'm sure you'll handle it."

This time, I asked, "What about you, Cult Leader?"

"Me… because I'm here. Damn it! I feel like I'm the only one at a disadvantage!"

I laughed at the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader's joke. I could feel it, though. The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader was definitely more tense than when he had faced Hwan Yeo. It seemed there was a certain energy that only masters of illusion could sense.

We continued walking down the long corridor.

"This illusion art was also lost from the Blood Cult."

"I've felt it before, but you seem to have a deep knowledge of the Blood Cult martial arts, Cult Leader."

"Because we are the Blood Cult."

The predecessor of the Heavenly Wind Cult was the Blood Cult.

"A long time ago, after being defeated in the war against the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, all the leaders of the Blood Cult died. The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult knew they couldn't completely eradicate the Blood Cult. It would have required too great a sacrifice to kill all of them spread throughout the Outer Regions. So, the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult wished for a new Blood Cult to be born."

"And that is the Heavenly Wind Cult."

"Yes. In the early days, I heard the faction that wanted to preserve the Blood Cult as it was and the faction that wanted to discard the name 'Blood Cult' were fiercely opposed. However, since the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult supported the side that wanted to establish the Heavenly Wind Cult, it was eventually reborn as the Heavenly Wind Cult. For a while, a pro-Demonic Cult version of the Heavenly Wind Cult was passed down, but at some point, it broke away from that influence."

Throughout that long history, the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult also underwent many changes.

"This man is one who has properly inherited the Blood Cult demonic art. There must be a faction trying to re-establish the Blood Cult."

"Are you talking about a secret society?"

"It's probably not a secret anymore. They kidnapped the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader and even dragged in the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult Young Cult Leader."

We reached the end of the corridor. Three doors awaited us. Exuding a mysterious aura, they seemed to say, 'Your life and death will be decided by which door you choose.'

"Which one should we enter?"

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader's gaze deepened as he looked at the three doors.

"It's a trap. If we go through one together, we'll be separated. We have to enter separately to meet."

"Then let's each go separately."

"I'll take the middle one."

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader chose the middle door. The Demonic Buddha and I entered the left and right doors, respectively.

When I opened the door and entered, another corridor appeared. As I walked, I looked back, but the door I had entered through was gone. There was no turning back now.

When I emerged from the door at the end of that corridor, neither the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader nor the Demonic Buddha was in sight.

In that moment, I realized the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader had deceived us. He intended to face the Illusion King alone. Those three doors were a message from the Illusion King for the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader.

Get rid of the other two and come alone.

This fight was between the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader and the Illusion King. The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader must have wanted to protect me and the Demonic Buddha.

The place I entered was a banquet hall. Dancers danced, and musicians played a cheerful tune. Young women holding bottles of liquor gestured for me to come closer.

The atmosphere of this place lent weight to my speculation.

You rest here.

I looked around, searching for an exit, but the bluish light was not easily visible. Since this space was also created by illusion, there had to be a way to break it somewhere.

Just then, a man from the banquet hall walked over to me.

"Please rest comfortably. If there is anything you desire, just tell me."

"Where is the way out?"

"The door will only open when the time is right. It will not open before then."

SHWIIIIK! SEOGEOK!

I cut the man down in a single strike.

The fallen man vanished into black smoke with a PUH sound.

Because of that, the music stopped. Everyone froze and stared at me. Of course, they were not human. They were malevolent spirits formed from ghostly energy.

I looked around at them and asked, "Anyone who knows how to get out of here, raise your hand!"

Instead of raising their hands, they rushed at me from all directions.

In contrast to the banquet hall Geom Mugeuk entered, the place the Demonic Buddha entered had a murderous atmosphere. It was a pitch-black darkness where one could not see an inch ahead. Even the usual radiance of his shining body could not illuminate his surroundings.

The Demonic Buddha could feel it. There was something here. He quickly formed a hand seal with his fingers.

The Turning Scripture Light Stamp!

A golden radiance burst from the Demonic Buddha's body. In that instant, the place became visible. Dozens of monsters shielded their eyes from the light. Reacting to the light, they all roared in unison. The great, piercing cry felt like it would burst his eardrums.

A new hand seal formed in the Demonic Buddha's hands.

The Slaughter Scripture Regret Stamp!

The next moment, a storm of golden enhanced qi erupted from the Demonic Buddha's palms.

SHWAAAAAAAAAAAAK!

The tremendous enhanced qi surged like a wave, sweeping away all the monsters.

PUK! PEOEOK! PUK! PUK! PUK!

The monsters vanished into black smoke.

The Demonic Buddha strode forward and opened the door to the next room. It was a plaza-like space, ten times larger than the previous room.

The malevolent spirits filling the place all turned to look at the Demonic Buddha at once. Their blood-red eyes and torn mouths were a sight that made him want to close the door again.

However, the Demonic Buddha raised one corner of his mouth and entered. He even slammed the door shut, as if to ensure none could escape.

The malevolent spirits shrieked and rushed toward the Demonic Buddha from all directions, trampling over each other in their haste.

In the midst of that pandemonium, a new golden hand seal was being formed.

The Illusion King and Jo Baekta entered a wide hall. It had stone statues and murals on all sides, and a large grand chair. The place, filled with unknown patterns, was clearly somewhere Jo Baekta had never been before, yet it felt familiar.

"Where is this place?" Jo Baekta asked calmly. Cursing and acting hostile was not a wise choice. He had to find an opportunity.

"Isn't it the place you're in every day?"

"Don't tell me. The Cult Leader's hall?"

It was different from the current Cult Leader's hall and also different from the hall during his master's time.

"It's the Blood Cult's Cult Leader hall."

"Yes. This is the true Cult Leader's hall."

A look of deep emotion filled the Illusion King's eyes as he looked around. He truly respected and loved this place.

"This is where the true demons of the Outer Regions lived. Not pathetic brats like you."

The word 'brat' stabbed him in the chest. Now, however, was not the time to act like one.

"Why did you bring me here?"

"To use you as a hostage."

Jo Baekta's heart sank, but he spoke as if it were nothing.

"That's a really tasteless thing to say."

"Because your Master is not someone you can afford to be stylish with."

Jo Baekta could tell. The Illusion King genuinely acknowledged his master. He had cursed him so much when they were together. Thinking back, those curses were ultimately directed at himself.

"My Master won't come."

"He will."

"He doesn't care for me that much."

"If that were true, he wouldn't have rushed all the way to the Outer Regions. The Young Cult Leader came to kill me, but your Master came to save you."

After staring blankly for a moment, Jo Baekta suddenly changed his demeanor.

"Come to think of it, I think my life is better than yours."

The Illusion King stared silently at the sudden shift.

"You're a coward, you have no pride, and you're even despicable, aren't you? You're probably just a faithful son of a bitch who follows someone else's orders."

Jo Baekta charged forward fearlessly.

"You always groveled before me. 'Cult Leader, you've arrived?' 'Did something good happen today?' 'You, Cult Leader, are the one who will lead the new murim.' 'Cult Leader, Cult Leader.' Licking yesterday, licking today. If I had told you to lick, you probably would have licked the soles of my feet."

The Illusion King extended his hand, and Jo Baekta went flying. His inner arts were already suppressed, leaving Jo Baekta helpless in his grasp. The only weapon he had left was his mouth.

"What are you so scared of that you suppressed my inner arts? You said this was your hell, didn't you? You cowardly bastard! Lick my asshole!"

Despite the barrage of taunts, the Illusion King did not get angry. Instead, he smiled.

"How unexpected. To think you care for your Master this much."

The Illusion King saw right through Jo Baekta's intentions. He realized Jo Baekta was trying to provoke him into killing him.

"If you want to die so badly, go ram your head on that statue's horn and kill yourself. I wonder if you have the courage for that."

The Illusion King threw Jo Baekta in front of the statue.

Jo Baekta stared at the statue with trembling eyes. The horn on the beast's forehead was as sharp as a spear. As he stared at the sharp horn, he felt death approaching.

Memories of his childhood with his master flashed through his mind like a revolving lantern.

Come to think of it, his master had cherished him exceptionally. He acknowledged his talent and even praised him to his peers, telling them to learn from Baekta. On the days his master praised him, he was too happy to sleep. On the day of the Blood God Festival, he would call him to strike the Echoing Thunder Bell together.

While doing so, his master would stroke his head and say, 'You will inherit my position.'

I resented and denied my Master just because he failed me once after doing well ten times. You stupid, foolish bastard! If someone does well ten times and fails once, they should be remembered as someone who did well nine times.

Reproaching himself, Jo Baekta squeezed his eyes shut.

I cannot be a burden to Master any longer.

He ruthlessly threw his face toward the horn.

PUH-EOK!

He thought he would die, but the statue's horn crumbled like soft clay.

From a distance, the Illusion King laughed and clapped. He had changed the horn with his illusion art.

"This is why I can't kill you. How could I kill such a precious hostage who thinks of his master this much?"

Jo Baekta threw himself toward the wall. Before he could hit his head, however, he flew into the Illusion King's grasp.

Gripping Jo Baekta, the Illusion King looked down at him.

"If your Master dies, it will be because of you."

It was a horrifying thought. He tried to bite his tongue, but his jaw would not clench.

"…Please, just kill me."

Just then, someone entered the hall.

"In times like these, instead of asking to be killed, this is what you say," a clear, ringing voice said.

The person who strode in was the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader.

"'If Master dies, it's because of you.' 'If Master dies, it's because our Master's martial arts are weak.' 'Master's death has nothing to do with me.' And to bastards like that who try to play with people's hearts, you say this. 'Get the hell out of my sight, you son of a bitch!'"

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader spoke calmly to Jo Baekta, who stared at him with impassioned eyes.

"From now on, I will teach you again, one by one."