Chapter 326: It's Because You Don't Know Him

TL: FoodieMonster007

Jo Baekta turned to the Illusion King, the man who had toyed with his heart. He was about to speak.

Won't you get lost? You bastard!

Sensing Jo Baekta's intent, the Illusion King spoke first.

"I've already heard it, so don't bother."

The Illusion King was not tense despite the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader's appearance, but he was not careless either. He used Jo Baekta as a shield and spoke from behind him.

"Welcome, Cult Leader. Please understand, even if the situation looks like this."

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader could feel the Illusion King's true power, despite his cowardly act of taking a disciple hostage. The man was not just skilled. He was the type to do anything to achieve his goals.

"It's fine. Isn't acting so scared a way of showing me respect?"

They were fated to kill each other, yet they treated one another with courtesy. Perhaps they could be courteous precisely because they were fated to kill each other.

Unlike with Geom Mugeuk or the Demonic Buddha, nothing had blocked the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader's path here. The Illusion King had indeed invited only the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader to this place.

"The reason masters always die is because of their pride. It would've been difficult to handle if the Young Cult Leader or the Demonic Buddha had come with you."

"Having too many people just makes a fight chaotic. You don't know the Young Cult Leader because you've never dealt with him. You'd get so fired up before the fight even started that you'd smash your own head against that wall."

As he spoke, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader clasped his hands behind his back and leisurely looked around. "So this was the Blood Cult's throne room. Oh, was this the original appearance of the blood demon?"

The blood demon painted on the wall was quite different from the version passed down in the Heavenly Wind Cult.

"This is where the real members of the Blood Cult lived."

"How would you know without having lived here? I'd think it was more of a mess than it is now. Wouldn't this grand hall have been swarming with things rampaging, starved for blood?"

The corner of the Illusion King's eye twitched slightly.

Seeing his reaction, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader casually asked, "You're one of them, aren't you? The secret society trying to revive the Blood Cult?"

"Calling it a secret society is too grandiose. It was true at first."

"But not anymore?"

"Reviving the Blood Cult isn't my ideal."

At that, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader finally turned his gaze to his disciple. "That's how you should be. Doesn't even a man like that try to find his own dream? You should let go of the advance into the Central Plains you've heard about since you were young, just like that."

Jo Baekta still stared at his master, wrapped in intense emotion. His only worry was that his master might die because of him.

"Are you okay, Baekta?"

Hearing his name and the question of his well-being, Jo Baekta felt a surge of emotion. He wanted to say so many things, but he did not know what. The only words that came to mind were these.

"Please don't surrender to this man because of me. I'm not worthy of it."

The Illusion King watched with an intrigued expression, curious how the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader would respond.

"Do you know what the Young Cult Leader said when I told him I was going alone into this painting because it was dangerous?" The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader brought up the story of Geom Mugeuk.

"The Young Cult Leader said it was just my way of begging him to come with me. So if you're worried about me, you should say the opposite. 'Please save me. If you're my Master, you have to save me. Save me! Even if you die, save me!' Like that. Then wouldn't I be so annoyed that I wouldn't care if you lived or died?"

Though said in jest, the words struck a chord in Jo Baekta's heart.

That's right. The more composed I act, the greater the pressure on him to save me will be.

After reaching that thought, Jo Baekta repeated the words his master had said.

"Please save me. Even if you die, Master, you must save me."

At those shameless words, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader nodded as if he had been waiting.

"Alright, I'll save you."

That was not the response Jo Baekta hoped for, so he was flustered.

This isn't right, is it? Master.

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader's eyes seemed to say, It's okay. Leave it to me now, my disciple.

Because of that, Jo Baekta could not just stand by. He quickly spun around and tried to slap the Illusion King's cheek. The Illusion King, however, caught his hand and stopped him.

Jo Baekta glared at the Illusion King and made one last effort.

"You bastard, you don't have to get lost. Instead, kill me and have a proper fight with my Master. You won't be able to fight to your full potential while worrying about me. I'm also a hostage holding you back. So kill me and pour out everything you've got."

The Illusion King stared silently at Jo Baekta, then spoke to the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader beyond him. "This must be why you're concerned."

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader nodded. He did not bother hiding his true feelings from the Illusion King, who had surely been through thick and thin.

"Nothing happened when I was so close with my disciple, but now that we're apart, a catalyst like this appears."

That is why catalysts are so frightening.

Meeting Geom Mugeuk was the catalyst that changed his life entirely. His relationship with Go Wol changed, and eventually, his own life changed. Coming to the Outer Regions this time had also greatly changed his relationship with his disciple.

Thus, a catalyst can sometimes take precedence over effort when changing relationships between people. Just like how he had become enemies with this Illusion King.

"I understand that you killed my Noona."

"I did."

"How did she die?"

"She died when the Soul-Controlling Mark left her."

The Illusion King nodded silently, as if he understood. "Originally, I was supposed to go to the Demonic Cult, and Noona was supposed to come here, but she was stubborn. The Demonic Cult mission must have seemed bigger to her. She was like that since she was young. She always wanted to beat me somehow. Though she never once succeeded."

No sadness or mourning could be felt from the Illusion King. The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader could tell. This man was someone who lived only for himself.

"Killing your disciple would make things fair, then."

"It's useless to try and shake my composure like that. I've already sensed that you're not foolish enough for that."

He had retorted with words implying the Illusion King could not beat him in a straight fight, but the Illusion King remained unfazed.

"He is a disciple who would throw away his life for his master like a piece of straw, so you must save him."

"I'll try."

In that moment, Jo Baekta did not let go of the thread of hope. He was just looking for an opportunity. For his master's sake, he would grab the bastard's pant leg and not let go.

If he could save his master by doing so, he would gladly die, and if by some miracle he survived, he would live the rest of his life for his master.

It was at that very moment.

SWOOOSH!

STAB!

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader thrust his hand into the empty air to his left. Blood dripped from the empty space where there had been nothing.

A corpse, bleeding from the neck, fell with a thud. It was a subordinate of the Illusion King who had been approaching stealthily to launch a surprise attack while they were talking.

Wiping the blood from his hand on the man's clothes, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader asked.

"By the way, why did you put the idea of unifying the Outer Regions into my disciple's head?"

"Well, that was for your disciple's dream."

Jo Baekta flinched for a moment, but the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader spoke calmly, as if showing him how to handle such a situation. "Thanks to you, my disciple has found his true dream. I should be grateful, really."

His past self would not have been able to handle this so flexibly. Meeting Geom Mugeuk and seeing a new side of Go Wol had changed him. They bickered and fought, and through it all, he had grown as well.

In a flash, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader disappeared and then reappeared.

STAB!

A blood-stained hand emerged from thin air. He had caught another enemy approaching stealthily. Instead of condemning the surprise attack, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader bragged about his weight loss to the Illusion King.

"I've lost some weight recently, so my movements have gotten faster."

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader looked around for other hidden enemies, then walked toward the Illusion King to start the fight in earnest. Before that, he asked about Geom Mugeuk.

"What about the Young Cult Leader?"

"He will be fine."

"No, I mean, did you lock him up properly?"

"He is trapped in a place he cannot escape. Even if he breaks through that place, there are three more gates that are absolutely impenetrable."

"Only three?"

"What do you mean, only?"

"I'm telling you, it's because you don't know him."

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader unleashed his qi.

SWOOOOOOOSH.

A powerful demonic energy, unlike any he had ever experienced, spread in all directions. Blue flames began to burn in both of the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader's hands.

"Then I'd better hurry. If I want to show off when the Young Cult Leader arrives."

"Ah! This isn't right."

I had opened the door with great momentum, only to close it again.

After defeating all the evil spirits in the banquet hall, I found the solution and the next door.

The solution was hidden under the guqin the musician was playing. My experience finding hidden solutions helped. A first-timer would have found it truly difficult.

The next room was the problem. When I opened the door a moment ago, a giant snake was coiled in a room as large as a plaza.

It was the Blood Poison Python, king of venomous snakes. Thousands of other venomous snakes slithered around the Blood Poison Python.

Just opening the door for a moment released incredible poisonous energy and a foul, fishy smell. The poison was so potent an ordinary master would have had to circulate their qi just from opening the door. Besides, I can't stand snakes.

"Cult Leader, fight well. I'll trust you and head back."

Of course, I could not do that. I could trust the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader to take down the Illusion King, but Jo Baekta was now a variable. The affection for his disciple could create any number of dangerous situations.

I had to get there as quickly as possible and create the variable known as 'Geom Mugeuk'.

I suddenly recalled when the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader rescued me from an illusion. I remembered the hellscape beyond the open door. He was the one who broke through that path to save me.

Right, even if all the snakes in the Central Plains were here, I would break through.

I drew the Black Demon Sword, opened the door again, and went inside. The nearby venomous snakes rushed toward me.

SHHHK! SHHHHHK!

I swung the Black Demon Sword and cut them down. Poisonous energy spewed out as the snakes burst.

The other snakes moved in unison. They were no ordinary snakes. They shot into the air and lunged toward me.

The next moment, I unleashed a single technique. The Nine Calamities Demonic Art, Third Form, the Impenetrable Demonic Wall. A massive wall of enhanced qi erupted in front of me.

THWACK! THWACK! THWACK! THWACK!

The snakes that crashed into the wall of enhanced qi exploded, spreading poisonous energy thickly. The poison stimulated all the venomous snakes in the room.

The Blood Poison Python raised its massive body and charged toward me.

BOOM!

The Impenetrable Demonic Wall shook with a loud explosion. Wounded by the enhanced qi, the Blood Poison Python began to thrash about, crushing smaller snakes to death in the chaos.

The Blood Poison Python spat out a stream of venom.

TSSSSSSSSSS!

The extremely evil poison would melt anything it touched. It was incredibly toxic. A thick poisonous fog rose. I would never have withstood it without my Myriad Poison Immunity.

The venom began to melt the Impenetrable Demonic Wall. Maintaining the wall consumed a tremendous amount of my inner arts.

For the first time in this fight, I tried something new. I unleashed another technique while maintaining the Impenetrable Demonic Wall.

A demonic spirit appeared in front of the Impenetrable Demonic Wall. I had just unleashed the Second Technique, the Great Annihilation Stance.

SSSSSSSSSS.

The demonic spirit split into six. My martial arts achievements had grown, so I could now create six clones instead of four.

"Go!"

KWAKWAKWAKWAKWAKWAKWA!

The six demonic spirits swept through the snakes, pushing forward.

PAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAK!

All the snakes in their path were sliced to pieces.

The target was the Blood Poison Python in front of me. Could I really catch it?

The Blood Poison Python, which had been melting the Impenetrable Demonic Wall, sprayed its venom at the demonic spirits. Drenched in venom, the demonic spirits pushed forward regardless.

KWAKWAKWAKWAKWA!

FWAAAAAAAK!

I saw it. The six demonic spirits severed the Blood Poison Python's body.

The severed head and tail sections began to writhe in agony. The creature thrashed, crushing the surrounding venomous snakes to death.

The writhing Blood Poison Python charged at the Impenetrable Demonic Wall with its severed body.

KWAAAAANG!

The Impenetrable Demonic Wall shook violently, but the severed body could not break it.

THUD!

The Blood Poison Python collapsed to the floor, twitched one last time, and vanished with a BANG! It released a burst of noxious poison. Then, all the other venomous snakes also began to disappear.

PAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAK!

Normally, I would not have been able to pass through this room filled with poisonous fog, even after defeating them.

But I crossed the space, opened the door behind where the Blood Poison Python had been, and stepped inside.

Surprisingly, the Cult Leader's throne room was beyond the door.

The moment I saw the scene unfolding there, I froze. The place was shattered in all directions, filled with traces of a bloody battle and strewn with corpses.

My gaze was drawn to the grandmaster's chair in the distance. Someone familiar sat there.

To my astonishment, it was the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader. He was covered in blood, his head hanging low.

The corpse lying before the grandmaster's chair was none other than Jo Baekta. In the end, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader had failed to protect his disciple.

My heart began to pound like crazy at the thought that the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader might be dead.

I launched myself toward him. Had I ever been this shocked in recent memory?

After landing before the grandmaster's chair, I called out to him.

"Cult Leader."

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader did not move.

"Cult Leader."

Then, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader struggled to open his eyes and looked at me.

"…I couldn't kill him."

"Cult Leader."

"…I'm sorry."

The life faded from his eyes, and he was about to lower his head again.

"Cult Leader!"

Just as I was about to support him.

SHHHHHHK!

STAB!

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader's hand reached out to subdue my demonic pressure points, but I stopped it before my chest. Conversely, my ten-thousand-year cold iron throwing knife was embedded in his heart.

A black energy swirled in his two eyes, and a dark demonic qi flowed out.

"…How did you know?"

He was a fake Heavenly Wind Cult Leader.

"Because the Cult Leader I know wouldn't have said 'I'm sorry' as his last words. He would've said something like, 'I'm dying because of you. Give me back my sacred object, Young Cult Leader! Try living well without Go Wol and me!' That's the kind of person the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader is."

The moment I conveyed my belief, the fake Heavenly Wind Cult Leader's body burst into black smoke and scattered. The corpse of Jo Baekta on the floor also disappeared into a puff of smoke.

I believe.

"That man might die from getting stabbed while drinking in the Demon Village, but he won't die in an illusion here. Because this is his world."

I strode confidently toward the door behind the grandmaster's chair.

A moment ago, I had felt what it would be like if the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader died. Even though a part of me suspected a trap, my heart had pounded as if it would burst. I absolutely could not let the scene I saw here become reality.

I drew the Black Demon Sword, forcefully opened the door, and leaped inside. It did not matter what awaited me beyond the door. Just as you came to save me.

This time, I'm coming for you!