Chapter 373: Hot, Cold, and Lonely

TL: FoodieMonster007

The Invincible divine armor had lived up to its name, remaining uncut until now.

But could the Brawling King guarantee the Evil Alliance Chairman's sword would not cut it?

The Brawling King tried to erase the doubt that briefly surfaced in his mind.

"The Invincible is the Invincible for a reason, isn't it?"

Baek Jagang retorted.

"Do you believe anything in this world is invincible? There is only the human desire for something to be invincible."

Love, dreams, hope.

Baek Jagang never believed in such things. He was a thorough realist.

"If you're so cynical, why do you believe in the Young Cult Leader?"

Baek Jagang could tell the Brawling King was trying to plant seeds of doubt in his mind to shake his resolve. In a fight between him and the Brawling King, not even a speck of concentration could be lost.

"I don't believe in the Young Cult Leader. My disciple is the one who believes in the Young Cult Leader."

"Your disciple is being deceived by the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult."

The Brawling King's gaze turned to Geom Mugeuk. Like everyone else, Geom Mugeuk appeared in black and white, but his eyes alone glowed red. With a black and white body and red eyes, Geom Mugeuk looked like a malevolent demon.

"Look at that young Young Cult Leader's eyes. Do you see the ambition and desire dwelling within them?"

He would have ignored any other words, but since the Brawling King mentioned Geom Mugeuk, Baek Jagang answered his question.

"It seems you see a scorching heat in his eyes. To my eyes, I only feel the chill of a frozen snowfield."

The Brawling King saw heat, and the Evil Alliance Chairman saw cold.

Geom Mugeuk joked with them.

"You've both seen correctly. My left eye is hot, and my right eye is cold."

He then looked at Bi Sayin standing beside him and smiled. This composure amidst the tension was possible only because of his absolute faith in the Evil Alliance Chairman.

Honestly, Bi Sayin felt neither heat nor cold from Geom Mugeuk. All he saw was that mischievous glint in his eyes, as if Geom Mugeuk was always thinking of what nonsense to say next.

However, looking into those mischievous eyes, one could read a single emotion.

Geom Mugeuk asked Bi Sayin, "Don't tell me you see something in my eyes too?"

Bi Sayin nodded and answered honestly. It was something he could not have said if not for an opportunity like this.

"You look lonely."

He had not felt it at first, but he felt it now. That Geom Mugeuk was a lonely person. It was probably because he, too, knew well what loneliness was.

"A friend sees best, after all. How lonely must the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult be to come to the Evil Alliance Young Alliance Chairman and ask to be friends?"

"I hope your loneliness doesn't lead to a strange end."

"Our end will be cackling, laughing, and playing until we die of old age."

The Brawling King cut into their conversation, his voice cold.

"Whether it's hot or cold, I see greed in your eyes. Can you be confident that your greed is smaller than mine?"

"At least it's not a greed that seeks to take what belongs to others, like yours. Let's just say I have some personal business."

However, I won't let that business consume my life. The reason I live both hotly and coldly is not solely to kill Hwa Mugi.

It's for my own life.

It's because I want to live with the people I care about.

When this fight is over, I will completely forget the Brawling King and go back to meet my people. I won't be restless, worrying and fretting about what might come next or who might appear.

Someday, even after I kill Hwa Mugi, I will continue to live the life of the Young Cult Leader and ascend to the position of the Heavenly Demon. I don't know what other events will occur in that process, or what kind of life will await me even after becoming the Heavenly Demon.

Only one thing is certain. A life spent pouring everything into one villain is enough with the one I had before my regression.

While eating a meal with the Demon Supreme, I'll say I'm stepping out for a moment, then go kill Hwa Mugi. While hunting with Father, I'll briefly go kill him instead of a tiger.

If they ask where I've been, I'll smile and reply that I just went to take care of some business.

I hope that becomes my life this time around. I will work to the point of death to create such a life.

The people here could never know Geom Mugeuk's heart. His feelings were only conveyed as a sense of heat, cold, and loneliness.

"What if that personal business is to bewitch your disciple?"

Until the very end, the Brawling King tried to provoke Baek Jagang.

The very moment Baek Jagang glanced at Bi Sayin.

SHWAAAAAAK!

A surprise palm technique flew from the Brawling King's hand.

However, Baek Jagang twisted his body and dodged the attack. The palm technique grazed past his face, but Baek Jagang did not even blink.

Baek Jagang said in a calm tone, "The only certain thing here is your greed beneath that treasured armor."

Baek Jagang aimed his sword, flowing with enhanced sword qi, at the Brawling King.

"You don't have to show me. I'll tear that treasured armor myself and see what's inside."

The moment he finished speaking, a verdant enhanced sword qi scattered into the air and flew toward the Brawling King.

A red enhanced qi gathered on both of the Brawling King's fists as he countered. A tremendous enhanced qi also unleashed from the Brawling King's fists.

With the explosive sound of enhanced qi colliding with enhanced qi, the two different colors mixed. The red and blue enhanced qi spread brilliantly, embroidering the air like a work of art from a painter's brush.

PWAAAAANG!

Dozens of strands of blue light split from the initial clash and shot out. They were not being destroyed and scattered. They all turned at once and flew toward the Brawling King.

It was an unexpected attack, so the Brawling King had no time to dodge. He raised his protective enhanced qi to its limit.

I have the Invincible, so I can withstand this!

The enhanced qi, which had split into dozens of strands, merged into one in front of the Brawling King and formed a new shape. The blue enhanced qi created a wolf.

In that moment, Geom Mugeuk knew. The wolf's form was identical to the wolf in the Evil Alliance's the Chairman's Hall. It was the lonely wolf that guarded the evil path, the Blue Wolf.

the Tyrannical King Annihilation Sword Technique Fourth Technique the Blue Wolf Stance.

With an ear-splitting howl, the giant wolf swallowed the Brawling King whole.

The moment the enhanced qi struck the Brawling King, the Evil Alliance martial artists gasped collectively. The aura that spread with the Blue Wolf's howl sent shivers down their spines. The hair on their bodies stood on end, and they felt an urge to shout. It was the first time they had seen the Chairman's powerful morale-boosting technique in a real battle.

PAPAPAPAPAK!

A sound like something bursting came from the Brawling King.

Soon, the Brawling King's figure became visible beyond the settling dust.

Blood trickled from the mouth of the Brawling King, who had blocked the enhanced qi with his hands crossed in front of him.

TUDUDUDUK.

The Invincible divine armor was cut, and blood flowed from the Brawling King's body. A single move from Baek Jagang had pierced through both the Invincible divine armor and the Brawling King's protective enhanced qi.

The Brawling King looked down at the severed Invincible divine armor with shocked eyes. The Evil Alliance Chairman's words echoed in his ears.

Do you believe anything in this world is invincible?

If the Invincible divine armor was in this state, the Twin Souls that protected his wrists and shins were completely tattered and torn.

Of course, it was only because of them that the Brawling King could still stand.

The Brawling King gritted his teeth.

He had thought he was behind by about one move, but he was wrong. It was clearly two moves. Considering the hidden techniques he had yet to reveal, he could be behind by three or even four moves.

He's even stronger than I thought.

Geom Mugeuk was thinking the same thing.

This was also the reason why the Evil Alliance Chairman dreamed of unifying the murim.

His father, the Evil Alliance Chairman, and Jin Paecheon, said to be the most tyrannical of all the past Murim Alliance Chairmen.

The great heroes of an era had all gathered by coincidence. He thought that perhaps Hwa Mugi's birth was an inevitability brought about by these three men.

Baek Jagang looked at the blood flowing from behind the Invincible divine armor and said softly, "Your greed is shedding tears."

Faced with the aura from those small eyes that seemed to ask if it was regret or fear, the Brawling King clenched his fists.

Baek Jagang began to press the Brawling King.

As their enhanced qi collided, a series of explosions erupted.

With his protective armors damaged, the Brawling King took even greater impact.

However, the Brawling King did not back down.

A red energy flowed from his eyes as he pushed his inner arts to their limit.

The Brawling King surged forward and threw his fists.

PAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAK!

the Revolving Wind Cloud Fist Third Technique the Chaos Lightning Dance.

Dozens of fists, as fast as light, embroidered the air.

Baek Jagang dodged all of those fists. They were so fast that the onlookers could not tell which fist he dodged or how.

Only Geom Mugeuk saw the movements of the two men clearly.

"Ah!"

Admiration escaped him automatically. The Brawling King's move was truly incredible. If he were not an enemy, it was a move worthy of praise.

And for the Evil Alliance Chairman, who dodged all of those praiseworthy attacks, he felt a sense of awe.

The Brawling King's attack did not end there. A follow-up technique connected to the flurry of fists was unleashed.

the Revolving Wind Cloud Fist Fourth Technique the Forbidden Scarlet Lock.

The final fist of the Chaos Lightning Dance opened wide. A chain-shaped red enhanced qi unleashed from the Brawling King's palm.

CHWARRRRRRK!

The chains instantly wrapped around Baek Jagang.

It worked!

No matter how strong the Evil Alliance Chairman was, once caught by the Forbidden Scarlet Lock, he would not be able to move until his next attack landed.

the Revolving Wind Cloud Fist Fifth Technique the Cloud Wind Door!

SHWIIIIK.

The Brawling King's strike, filled with killing intent, flew toward Baek Jagang's face. If the Cloud Wind Door were to strike his face, where his protective enhanced qi was relatively weak!

It's over.

Just then, the Brawling King saw it. The sword was not in the hand of the chained Baek Jagang.

"!"

The next moment!

PUUK!

Baek Jagang's sword descended silently from the air, piercing through his shoulder from above.

The Tyrannical King Annihilation Sword Technique Sixth Technique the Shadowless Stance had been unleashed.

The sword pierced the Brawling King's bone and flesh.

"Uwaaaack!"

As the Brawling King's true qi was severed.

PAPAPAPANG!

With a series of loud bangs, the Forbidden Scarlet Lock that had bound Baek Jagang shattered into pieces and vanished.

PWAAAAK!

The sword embedded in his shoulder pulled itself out and flew into Baek Jagang's hand.

Blood gushed from the Brawling King's shoulder.

The Brawling King hurriedly pressed his blood dao to stop the bleeding, but the wound was deep. He could not face him even with an uninjured body, and now he was in a state where he could no longer hold on.

The Brawling King's choice was to flee.

He began to run for his life. Despite his severe injury, he ran at a frightening speed.

Baek Jagang pursued him even faster.

"……"

Baek Jagang slammed the desperately fleeing Brawling King to the ground.

"……"

He rolled on the ground from the heavy impact, but the Brawling King shot back up and started running again. The spectators also moved, following the two. They covered dozens of meters in an instant.

Bi Sayin subdued Hyeok Sagun's demonic acupoints, roughly tucked him under his arm, and moved along with them.

His master was fleeing, and he was being miserably dragged along.

However, hope had not yet vanished from his eyes, which should have been full of resentment.

Again, the enhanced qi launched by Baek Jagang struck the Brawling King's back.

"……"

The Brawling King collapsed face-first onto the ground.

Having given up on fleeing, the Brawling King sat up, panting for breath.

"I made a promise not to harm a single hair on his head. Let's end this fight here."

In that desperate moment, as Baek Jagang prepared the final blow!

The Brawling King, on the contrary, smiled.

"In that case…… you have lost."

Just as the Brawling King gave a meaningful smile.

About a hundred enemies appeared from all directions. This was the reason he had fled this far. For the final move he had hidden here.

The person at the forefront was Sahon, the Brawling King's right-hand man.

Those who appeared with him were not adults, but children.

There were children not yet ten, and some over thirteen or fourteen. The oldest looked to be about seventeen or eighteen.

Geom Mugeuk knew.

They were the children who had been kidnapped earlier.

The children's eyes were lifeless. They had been brainwashed by some special method.

Strange bags were strapped to the children's chests.

They leaped into the air in all directions at once. Simultaneously, the bags on the children's chests burst, scattering a white powder everywhere.

PWEOK! PWEOK! PWEOK! PWEOK!

The amount of powder that burst from a single bag was extraordinary. Since over a hundred bags burst simultaneously, the surroundings were instantly covered in the powder.

"It's Hwangcheon."

Hwangcheon was a poison for mass destruction, the most strictly forbidden poison in the murim. The bags that spewed this poison were created by the late Poison Tyrant.

The Brawling King had made the children wear them. It was a plan to frame the Demonic Cult's the Poison King for everything.

When they first appeared, he used the children to prevent them from being wiped out in a single blow. The Brawling King was a man who would use not just children, but even babies, if it meant he could win.

The Evil Alliance martial artists all took out their Antitoxin Beads and put them in their mouths.

"The Antitoxin Bead can't block this."

Previously, Geom Mugeuk had created a whirlwind to burn away the Poison Tyrant's poison, but this time it was impossible. Such a large amount had spread in all directions in an instant that even Geom Mugeuk could not do anything about this immense poison.

Bi Sayin threw himself forward to protect the Chairman first.

"Hurry and get away."

However, the Evil Alliance Chairman was already exposed to the poison.

"It will be the Demonic Cult's the Poison King who killed you!"

The only three people here who had taken the antidote beforehand were the Brawling King, Hyeok Sagun, and Sahon. Hyeok Sagun was a person the Brawling King absolutely needed in order to become the Evil Alliance Chairman.

The Brawling King smiled triumphantly. He would be able to withstand the poisoned Evil Alliance Chairman's attacks while fleeing. Time was on his side.

Winning like this was all that mattered. To win by any means necessary, this was the moment he would seize the greatest victory of his life.

Just then, the smile vanished from the Brawling King's lips.

His eyes caught sight of Sahon looking around with a bewildered expression. The Brawling King also looked around.

Nothing was happening.

The children were still standing, and the Evil Alliance martial artists exposed to the poison had not collapsed. They should have all been dead by now.

Belatedly, the martial artists of the Thirteen Evil Wolves and the Extreme Army subdued the demonic acupoints of the dazed children.

The Brawling King had never properly shown his emotions before, but this time was different. He was shocked and bewildered.

"……"

Why was not anyone collapsing?

Baek Jagang and all the other Evil Alliance martial artists present were just as surprised. They all knew how potent a poison Hwangcheon was. Geom Mugeuk was also at a loss.

Could it be?

Geom Mugeuk's gaze, which had been scanning the area, turned to the sky. As his eyes fixed on a spot, everyone else's gaze naturally followed his.

A person stood on the branch of a giant tree, looking down at them with his arms crossed. He was a young, handsome boy. At his waist, he wore twelve pouches, each painted with an animal of the zodiac.

"Poison King!"

At Geom Mugeuk's surprised cry, a faint smile formed on the man's lips.

It really was the Poison King. The story about the Demonic Physician and the Poison King coming was a lie, but somehow, the real Poison King had appeared here.

His robes fluttering in the blowing wind, the Poison King began to slowly descend from the air as if a heavenly god was descending.