Chapter 517: If You Intended to Touch the Demonic Cult Leader

TL: FoodieMonster007

Geom Mugeuk and Geom Woojin stared at one another without saying a word.

Watching that silent exchange, where they seemed to understand each other completely, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon felt a pang of envy for the Cult Leader. He had never been envious of the Cult Leader for any other reason. The envy he felt now was because the man was a 'father'.

What martial artist wouldn't be willing to show his son his skills if the boy asked to see him fight?

Geom Woojin's gaze returned to the enemies. He said nothing, but the cold look in his eyes, fixed on his opponents, served as his answer.

Geom Mugeuk also turned his attention to the enemies.

Two of them were dead, but ten still remained, and Gyo Cheon was among them.

They were not opponents to be taken lightly. There were more masters from the previous generation than the current one. Moreover, they were men who had committed all sorts of slaughter and evil deeds, possessing more combat experience than anyone. And then there was Gyo Cheon, who had harbored a lifelong grudge. However, he wasn't worried about such things.

What if his father was in danger?

His father was said to be the most martially talented of all the Heavenly Demons in history.

And recently, his father's martial arts realm had risen again. This meant the power of the Nine Calamities Demonic Art would also be different from before his regression. He could tell just by seeing the Darkness Flash earlier.

You bastards, this won't be easy for you.

Geom Mugeuk relayed a piece of news to his father.

"By the way, I've resolved the issue with the orthodox sects. Since we've cleared up the misunderstanding, they won't think we're responsible for whatever happens in Chongqing."

He spoke loudly on purpose so Gyo Cheon could hear, just in case he tried to pull any useless tricks if this fight turned against him.

Gyo Cheon's expression hardened. In contrast, his father nodded slightly with a satisfied look.

The one who was even happier than his father was the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.

"Well done."

This whole affair had started because of his master. Geom Mugeuk had resolved it well before an extreme situation like the battle against Ma Janghu could occur.

The news Geom Mugeuk delivered caused the atmosphere among Gyo Cheon and the other masters to grow even heavier. Now, no one dared to run their mouth recklessly like the Vajra Sex Fiend or the Star Reading Sage.

Gyo Cheon tried to boost their morale.

"What happened to the two of them earlier was due to a surprise attack, so don't be shaken!"

However, everyone present knew the truth. Even Gyo Cheon, who had shouted the words, knew it.

It was a move that had nothing to do with a surprise attack.

Even if the Demonic Cult Leader had announced, 'I will attack now,' could they really have blocked that attack?

Having seen the bodies of the Star Reading Sage and the Vajra Sex Fiend sliced apart without them even getting a chance to lift a hand, no one could confidently say they could block it.

However, just as Gyo Cheon had said when they died, using such a tremendous move must consume an immense amount of inner arts.

We have to make him consume his inner arts.

A new variable had also appeared in this fight. The arrival of the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult.

Was it a boon or a bane?

Viewed negatively, it meant one more master to kill. Viewed positively, it meant someone they could take hostage. A reliable hostage at that, the blood relative of the Demonic Cult Leader.

They had heard the rumors that the Young Cult Leader was no ordinary talent, but that couldn't compare to facing Geom Woojin.

Everyone's gazes turned to the Qilian Demoness and the Black Emperor, who had originally intended to step forward first. The original number one and number two had now become number three and number four.

"Let's all attack together!"

No one moved at the Qilian Demoness's words.

In truth, she had made the suggestion but didn't expect anything. She wouldn't have stepped forward herself either.

The Black Emperor and the Qilian Demoness faced each other, exchanging glances. Even without using telepathy, the two of them knew how they had to lead this fight.

They had to go all out from the very beginning.

If Geom Woojin unleashed the Nine Calamities Demonic Art again, they would die a dog's death without even lifting a hand. The plan was to attack together before that could happen.

The Qilian Demoness used a claw art, and the Black Emperor used swordsmanship.

The first to move was the Black Emperor. He kicked off the air and soared up, immediately unleashing sword qi toward Geom Woojin. He unleashed the Dark Heaven Strike, one of the techniques he was most confident in from his unique martial arts, the Black Heaven Sword Technique.

SHWAAAEK!

A sword qi struck like a bolt of lightning.

Geom Woojin dodged the descending sword qi by lifting his body.

PANG!

The sword qi struck down, leaving a deep mark on the floor right next to his foot.

SHWAAAEK! KWANG! SHWAAAAEK! KWAANG!

The Dark Heaven Strike fell in succession, but Geom Woojin didn't block with his sword. Instead, he used his movement arts to evade, a move to minimize the consumption of his inner arts.

The Qilian Demoness attacked at the same time.

Her fingernails had suddenly grown long, as if they hadn't been trimmed in years. The sharp, hideous things were emitting a red light.

CHWAAAAAAK!

What shot out from both her hands looked like red threads. However, they were an enhanced qi called blood threads, capable of slicing through steel. She had unleashed the Bloody Spiderweb, the strongest technique of her unique martial arts, the Blood Thread Divine Art.

Her blood threads were special. They could shoot out straight like a spear, then undulate like cloth. That made them both powerful and unpredictable.

The red lines spread out like a spiderweb, flying toward Geom Woojin.

The Black Emperor's sword qi and the Qilian Demoness's blood threads. It was a moment where he should have raised his protective enhanced qi to block or unleashed his own sword qi to neutralize the opponent's attack!

However, Geom Woojin still used his movement arts to evade. Like a predator waiting for the perfect moment, he conserved his inner arts and watched for an opportunity.

Geom Mugeuk didn't take his eyes off his father's fight for a single moment. His father didn't fight with an awareness of others. One might think he would consider, 'My son is watching, so should I finish this stylishly?' But his father fought a thoroughly calculated battle. This, from a man who had every right to be as flashy or boastful as he wanted.

How can I kill all the enemies with the inner arts I have?

What if a father like this were his enemy? Just imagining it made his chest feel tight.

Deep marks left by the blood threads and sword qi scarred the floor and walls.

At first, the two had been delighted, thinking they had seized the upper hand. If they both poured it on like mad, he would eventually be hit squarely at least once.

However, as the attacks continued, they grew more and more anxious.

Geom Woojin found gaps to slip through amidst attacks that seemed absolutely unavoidable. The attacks were dazzling, but his evasive steps were calm.

It was unknown how many times the Black Emperor, the Qilian Demoness, and the onlookers had shouted or thought these words. That's it! It hit! We did it!

However, it was an illusion. The attacks narrowly missed.

Not a single attack managed to touch Geom Woojin's body.

Watching the fight, Geom Mugeuk imagined. How would he evade, and how would he counter? Because of this, he saw two figures in his eyes. His own form was superimposed over his father's.

He moved identically to his father at times, and subtly differently at others. At certain moments, he moved in the opposite direction before merging back into one.

This one is unavoidable!

His imaginary self, overlapping with his father, drew his sword and struck away the incoming enhanced qi.

But his father's movement was different. He evaded the attack by unleashing an unexpected movement art.

Ah!

Every time his father found a path he couldn't, a thrill ran through Geom Mugeuk's body. The learning that came from this difference wasn't just about discovering something he didn't know. Seeing an unknown method made him think of yet another method.

If it weren't for this situation, he would have wanted to ask his father. What about this method? He would have shared a deep martial discussion with his father.

They had tried to make Geom Woojin consume his inner arts, but instead, their own inner arts consumption was severe.

At the peak of that anxiety, the Black Emperor unleashed a move he had been saving. The Black Heaven Domain.

The blue sword qi that erupted from the tip of the Black Emperor's sword split into eight streams and flew toward Geom Woojin.

SHWAAAAAAAAEK.

The sword qi poured down, even cutting through the Qilian Demoness's blood threads.

This was the very moment Geom Woojin had been waiting for. The moment the Black Emperor's major attack sliced through the blood threads!

Geom Woojin launched himself forward as if exploding.

He surged through the severed blood threads. His target was the Qilian Demoness. The Black Heaven Domain should have struck Geom Woojin, but instead, it missed by the widest margin.

SHWIIIIK!

Having surged forward in an instant, Geom Woojin slashed the Qilian Demoness.

So fast!

The Qilian Demoness pushed her energy to its limit and desperately swung both her hands.

PAAAAK!

However, her fingernails were sliced off.

Next, without giving her time to dodge, Geom Woojin slashed her shoulder deeply enough to draw a lot of blood.

In her moment of crisis, the Black Emperor didn't help her.

Why isn't he helping me?

He must know that if I die, he's next. Don't tell me… did he get scared and run away?

Coward!

She couldn't block the third attack.

PUAAK!

Slashed halfway through her waist, she could no longer stand and collapsed on the spot.

Only then could she see. The Black Emperor hadn't run away. He was unable to come help her.

SAAAAK.

The Black Emperor was surrounded on all sides and being slaughtered by someone. What surrounded him were demonic spirits.

It was the Nine Calamities Demonic Art, the First Technique, the Human Destroying Stance. It was after Geom Woojin had unleashed the Human Destroying Stance.

When the demonic spirits first appeared, the Black Emperor thought his heart would stop.

They weren't just masses of enhanced qi with a frightening appearance. An immense demonic qi constricted him from all sides, disrupting the flow of his inner qi.

He deployed his protective enhanced qi and unleashed all of his ultimate techniques, but it was useless.

Geom Mugeuk saw it.

They definitely felt larger and more solid than his own demonic spirits. The four demonic spirits with their terrifying faces were hacking the Black Emperor to pieces.

SEOGEOK! SEOGEOK! SEOGEOK! SEOGEOK!

It wasn't a single strike and done. They kept striking down as if they were alive. This meant that if an opponent withstood the first attack, they could be hacked a second and third time. It was clearly different from the Human Destroying Stance he unleashed.

However, that wasn't the real change.

Originally, Geom Woojin's demonic spirits were expressionless. It was Geom Mugeuk's demonic spirits that were special for having different appearances and emotions.

But today's demonic spirits were different. He could feel some kind of emotion in the gaze of the demonic spirits as they looked at his father.

It's different from before!

His father's gaze as he looked at them had also deepened.

The Human Destroying Stance in actual combat. Perhaps this was a change and a communion that his father was also feeling for the first time.

Soon after, the four demonic spirits completely vanished.

In the silence that fell, only the thick scent of blood filled the air.

The surroundings were a mess. Countless marks remained on the floor and walls. The marks left by the blood threads, the marks left by the Black Emperor's sword qi. Marks left as dense as a spiderweb, no, even denser than a Go board.

How in the world did he dodge all that?

To them, they were marks of failure. To Geom Woojin, they were marks of success.

Geom Woojin didn't even have a single tear on his clothes.

The single moment their weakness was exposed, he never missed that chance.

Geom Woojin glanced at Geom Mugeuk.

His father's gaze seemed to ask, 'The fight you wanted to see, are you watching it well?'

Geom Mugeuk answered with his eyes. 'Yes, I have seen it clearly.'

Geom Mugeuk looked at the enemies.

Now that two more were dead, eight remained.

Then Geom Mugeuk realized. There were seven enemies, when there should have been eight.

Where did one go?

At that very moment, someone suddenly appeared right in front of him and thrust a sword.

SHWAAAAEK!

It was none other than the Red Faced Gentleman, whose face was entirely red.

This technique of moving through space in an instant was his hidden trump card, the Hometown Extreme Steps.

A user of fast swordsmanship, he possessed phenomenal movement arts. He was confident. As long as he attacked first, his opponent would never be able to block.

To kill the Demonic Cult Leader, I must take his son hostage!

Since killing was not the objective, his sword flew toward Geom Mugeuk's shoulder.

He had heard rumors that the Young Cult Leader was formidable, but to him, he was still just the Young Cult Leader.

CHAAAENG!

However, his sword was blocked.

Surprisingly, the one who had struck away the incoming sword was Geom Woojin.

Faster than the Hometown Extreme Steps, the movement art that arrived in a flash was the Heavenly Demon Flight Step.

"As expected! I knew you would save me, Father."

At Geom Mugeuk's relaxed reaction, the Red Faced Gentleman momentarily had a question.

No way… did he know he'd be saved and deliberately not dodge?

That's an even more astonishing level than simply dodging, isn't it?

However, now was not the time for such thoughts.

The Red Faced Gentleman swiftly swung his sword, launching a surprise attack on Geom Woojin.

SHWAAAAEK!

He had struck first again.

CHAENG!

However, it was blocked again. Geom Woojin's swordsmanship was just as fast as his quick sword.

"Thanks to you, I get to watch my father's fight right up close."

The moment Geom Mugeuk's words ended, the swords of Geom Woojin and the Red Faced Gentleman clashed.

Geom Mugeuk didn't retreat, watching the two fight like a pillar rooted to the spot. He wasn't worried about a stray sword flying his way. With swords moving that fast, if either of them paid attention to anything else, their throat would be pierced by their opponent's blade.

The two men's swords were so fast it created the illusion that dozens of blades were being swung at once. However, they each had only one.

The Black Demon Sword appeared superimposed over the Heavenly Demon Sword. The two swords moved identically, then differently, then together again.

Even in that moment of a sword exchange so fast it was almost invisible, Geom Mugeuk could see both his father's sword and his own in his mind. He instinctively felt and learned the difference between the two swords. It was a speed his mind couldn't follow.

Father, we'll have to set aside a day and talk all night about today's fight.

That's how much he was learning from his father's fight. And he had a feeling that if they talked all night that day, his father would surely gain an achievement as well. Today's enlightenment was that kind of enlightenment.

As fast as the two men's swords were, the outcome of the fight came just as quickly.

SEOGEOK!

With the sound of a bone splitting, the fight was over.

An unsurprising result.

The Red Faced Gentleman clutched his chest and staggered back. Blood was seeping from between his fingers.

He staggered toward Geom Mugeuk, who was standing beside him. Because he was about to die after trying to take him hostage for no reason, his eyes were filled with resentment.

He grabbed the hem of Geom Mugeuk's clothes. Geom Mugeuk let him do as he pleased.

"…You bastard! I should have killed you."

He sank to his knees but didn't let go of the clothes he clutched.

Geom Mugeuk looked down at his eyes, which were losing their vitality. He wiped the blood from the man's face with his hand and smeared it across his own, painting it red.

"From now on, I'm the Red Faced Gentleman. What's this Young Lord nonsense when I'm all grown up?"

Glaring with a furious face, the Red Faced Gentleman died just like that.

Geom Mugeuk looked at Gyo Cheon and grinned, his face stained with blood.

"I'm your Red Faced Gentleman now, so don't even think about taking me hostage."

A look of both anger and bewilderment crossed Gyo Cheon's face.

"Crazy bastard."

At that, Geom Mugeuk's gaze toward him turned cold.

"If you intended to touch the Demonic Cult Leader, you should have come here crazier than me."