Chapter 788: What About Under the Light?

TL: FoodieMonster007

The Saintess Ga Ye shot out from the pitch-black hole.

"Huff, huff…" She gasped for breath with a furrowed brow. The sensation of being transported was the most unpleasant experience of her life.

The Darkness Palace Lord sat before her, in the very center of the space, surrounded by the Five Top Scholars of the Dark Palace, who were also sitting with their hands extended.

SHWAA…

Their outstretched hands formed various hand seals. Each time they moved, a thin wisp of smoke rose from their fingertips. The smoke formed bizarre patterns and unknown characters in the air before vanishing.

Whenever these patterns and characters appeared, a character would light up on the floor where the Darkness Palace Lord sat.

Ga Ye could not tell what kind of incantation they were weaving, but she could guess its tremendous power once completed.

She looked around. They were not the only ones in this space. Two old men sat side by side in a corner, so alike they could have been twins.

They were the Dark Elder and the Black Elder, and together they formed the Dark Black Duo. Both absolute masters were over a hundred years old, and were trump cards the Darkness Palace Lord had saved for the final battle.

Even Ga Ye, who had served the Darkness Palace Lord for a long time, was seeing them in person for the first time.

One might think she would observe them more closely, but her gaze was fixed on the opposite wall, where a painting of a standing man was hung.

Her gaze remained fixed there because this being was even more peculiar than the two old men.

Sensing her stare, the man on the wall turned to look at Ga Ye and grinned. The image was so vivid that her heart sank, even though she had expected it.

The painting was known as the Dark Black Painted Spirit. Same as the Dark Black Duo, this artifact was the Dark Palace's secret weapon, which she had only ever heard about.

The man in the painting began to move slowly. He took a step as if the world within the wall was his own, walking inside it. When the man passed by the place where the Darkness Palace Lord was, he tiptoed carefully.

He went all the way to the opposite wall, then moved behind the Dark Black Duo and playfully waved his hand.

The Black Elder of the Dark Black Duo swung his hand without looking back.

THWACK!

His palm technique struck the wall, but the man there had already vanished.

Ga Ye lost sight of him as he disappeared in an instant.

Where did he go?

Just then, he popped out from the corner line between the walls.

He looked somehow full of mischief, but Ga Ye knew better. Along with the Dark Black Duo, the being the Darkness Palace Lord cherished most was the Dark Black Painted Spirit. That meant he was just as fearsome and powerful as they.

Moreover, those two were not the only ones. Today, all the masters of the Dark Palace had been mobilized on this ship and around Dongting Lake. The Darkness Palace Lord had unleashed all the power he had accumulated over three hundred years, staking his life on this battle against the Demonic Cult.

Finally, the Darkness Palace Lord, who had his eyes closed, slowly opened them.

"I didn't give the signal, so why did you summon me?" Ga Ye asked. Her tone was polite and calm, but it held strong dissatisfaction.

She had been unilaterally overwhelmed by Geom Mugeuk's words, unable to say a single word in rebuttal before the Darkness Palace Lord pulled her out, even though he could see and hear the entire conversation in the VIP room.

However, the Darkness Palace Lord did not ask, 'What were you going to say to the Young Cult Leader if you stayed longer?' Instead, he read her emotions. "Why were you so angry?"

The moment Ga Ye was caught in Geom Mugeuk's psychological warfare and became enraged, she had already lost.

"If you had stayed there any longer, you might not have been able to return. Didn't you see how quickly the Young Cult Leader found you? Didn't you experience how he turned your heart upside down as soon as he arrived?"

He meant that if Ga Ye had dragged it out any longer, she could have truly died at Geom Mugeuk's hands.

Just as with Geom Mugeuk, Ga Ye could not refute the Darkness Palace Lord, because she had truly lost her temper when Geom Mugeuk asked if she wanted to kill the Thousand Flower Chairwoman. After that, the moment he suggested that the reason was because of she couldn't truly receive prophecies, she felt as if she had been stripped naked.

"Do you know what's regrettable about you?"

"What is it?"

"It would have been better if you weren't a Saintess."

"!" Ga Ye was taken aback. This was the first time the Darkness Palace Lord had ever said such a thing.

"That shell of being a Saintess is making you not be yourself."

Ga Ye's barely calmed emotions surged once again, for the exact same reason as before. Still, she couldn't easily refute the Darkness Palace Lord's words. "That shell is everything I am."

"Is that really so?" The Darkness Palace Lord regarded her with eyes that seemed to pierce right through her heart.

"Are you trying to say that if I weren't a Saintess, I would have become a truly evil woman? I'm sorry, but from the very beginning until now, I have been helping you as a Saintess. Following not my own will, but the will of heaven."

Honestly, she wanted to add this as well.

I am a person connected to the heavens.

She should have been able to say it confidently… but she couldn't.

Because even at such a critical moment, the heavens had not shown her their will.

The Darkness Palace Lord, who was looking at her with an unreadable expression, nodded. "I was rash. Don't mind it and calm your heart."

Ga Ye sighed. How could she easily compose herself, when the reason for her very existence had been denied?

SSSSSH…

Suddenly, Hoe, a subordinate of the Darkness Palace Lord, rose up from the floor. "We have completed our preparations."

A dark energy began to rise around the Darkness Palace Lord, incomparably thicker than usual. "Today's battle is the most important one that will decide our fate. Don't let a single one of those Demonic Cult bastards leave alive!"

The rising dark energy completely enveloped the Darkness Palace Lord's body.

"From this moment, the Dark Black Holy War begins!"

When one reached Geom Mugeuk's level in martial arts, there were things one could tell at a glance. For example, he could judged the skill of the person who spirited away the Saintess so flawlessly, as well as the level of the demonic art now unfolding.

"It seems the Darkness Palace Lord is here," he concluded.

The expressions of the Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme and the Thousand Flower Chairwoman hardened. It was not that they had not expected it at all, but the final mastermind behind this incident had truly appeared.

The Thousand Flower Chairwoman's heart sank once again at the fact that she had considered coming to a place like this alone.

WHOOSH!

The black energy spread across the corridor floor began to creep into the room like a fog. The Greedy Annihilation Art, personally unleashed by the Darkness Palace Lord, instilled fear just by looking at it.

"What will happen if we're exposed to that energy?" the Thousand Flower Chairwoman asked.

Geom Mugeuk shrugged. "I don't know. At the very least, you must not forget that this demonic art is the Pitch Black Demonic Art, which uses human desire."

He meant they had to steel their hearts.

"Since we know it's a trap, shouldn't we escape from here?" the Thousand Flower Chairwoman suggested.

She did not want the Young Cult Leader to fall into danger because of her. After all, this meeting had happened because of her.

Geom Mugeuk shook his head. "Too late. This dark energy is probably already spreading throughout the entire ship."

"Can't we smash through the cabin wall and get out?" the Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme suggested. Her thought was that even if they had to fight, they should do it after leaving the ship.

Unfortunately, that was impossible.

"We can't escape from here unless we break the Greedy Annihilation Art."

As if to demonstrate it himself, Geom Mugeuk lightly threw a punch toward the cabin wall.

KR-KR-KR-KRAKOOM!

Although his fist made no sound, a hole formed in the wall and continued to pierce through beyond it.

THUD!

An unusual impact sound echoed at the end.

The Thousand Flower Chairwoman and the Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme stared at the gaping hole. Black smoke billowed at the end of the hole, but even that incredible punch hadn't broken through it.

The dark smoke of the Greedy Annihilation Art had completely surrounded the ship.

"I could break through that with a more powerful force, but…" Geom Mugeuk hesitated.

The Nine Calamities Demonic Art at complete mastery could easily destroy the formation. If he unleashed the Heavenly Demon Destroys the World toward a wall with no people, everything would vanish without a trace. Naturally, the Greedy Annihilation Art would be broken as well.

However, he couldn't do that.

"…If we forcibly destroy the Greedy Annihilation Art, everyone on this ship will die."

The Greedy Annihilation Art was already connected to the people on the ship, manifesting itself based on their desires.

"The reason the Saintess was waiting in the last room was probably because of us."

The Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme immediately understood Geom Mugeuk's words. "So it was to connect that Pitch Black Demonic Art to us as well."

Geom Mugeuk nodded. "That's right. That's why she was sitting so nonchalantly in the hardest place to find, to buy time. Originally, she probably expected it would take us longer to arrive and reach this place. Thanks to that, we haven't become deeply entangled with the Greedy Annihilation Art."

Fortunately, he had found the Captain right away and came here, then immediately chased out the gamblers and got to the point.

The Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme was inwardly very impressed. If it were up to me, I would still be searching for the Saintess in the lower-level gambling den, moving exactly as the enemy intended.

"So if we force our way out, we can survive, but the rest of the people on this ship will all die."

Even though they were gambling addicts, Geom Mugeuk could not just let innocents die such a horrible death. Besides, among them were Water Dragon Gang martial artists as well as sailors who did not know martial arts.

Furthermore, the Water Dragon Gang was an unorthodox sect. Considering his relationship with the Evil Alliance, he could not let them die.

"If we don't dispel the demonic art quickly, everyone here will become fuel for it. They'll die from their qi depletion without knowing what's happening to them."

The Greedy Annihilation Art was terrifying because it sucked away all human desires.

"Also, the longer we drag this out, the more we'll be affected too. The formation will try to draw out our desires as well."

The Thousand Flower Chairwoman could not readily think of what her greatest desires were. She had thoughts about how she wanted to live, but that did not seem to fit the expression 'desire'.

On the other hand, the Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme knew her own desire precisely.

I want to become the most skilled Demon Supreme among the Young Cult Leader's Demon Supremes. I want to become the Demon Supreme he cherishes the most.

"Now, let's get out of this room first."

The black energy had already crept in, filling half the room.

Geom Mugeuk examined the back wall.

KR-KR-KR-KRAKOOM!

He punched a large hole, big enough for a person to pass through, in the direction where there was space. Beyond that wall was another corridor.

Geom Mugeuk instructed the Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme. "To break the Greedy Annihilation Art, we need to find the Darkness Palace Lord. I'll look for him, so please protect the Chairwoman in the meantime. Avoid that black fog as much as possible."

The Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme nodded reliably. "Don't worry, Young Cult Leader."

Geom Mugeuk prepared to enter the area where the black fog was rolling in.

"Will you be okay?" the Thousand Flower Chairwoman asked worriedly.

Geom Mugeuk replied with a smile, "To find him, I'll have to go to the source of that darkness."

Because the Darkness Palace Lord would be at the source of that black energy.

After raising the Heavenly Demon Defense Art to its limit, Geom Mugeuk walked into the black fog.

In an instant, the darkness swallowed him.

The Demonic Buddha stared at the Drunken Demon, dumbfounded. After chugging alcohol, he had slumped to the side and fallen asleep, snoring loudly.

Getting drunk and sleeping at such an important moment? Is this guy crazy?

The Demonic Buddha looked at the Drunken Demon with a judging gaze before letting out a faint smile.

This is all the Young Cult Leader's doing. Spending time with the Young Cult Leader changed the Drunken Demon like this, and even made me look at this changed Drunken Demon with a smile. Well, since the person on that ship over there is the Young Cult Leader, I'm not worried…

The moment he casually glanced at the Ship of Fortune, his expression hardened.

"Hey, wake up!" he shouted urgently.

The Drunken Demon opened his eyes dazedly.

"Look over there!"

Still half-asleep, the Drunken Demon looked where the Demonic Buddha was pointing. His eyes flew open as he shot to his feet.

A massive dark energy could be felt from the Ship of Fortune, and billowing black smoke began to envelop the vessel.

The two men met each other's gaze and nodded simultaneously.

SWOOOOSH!

Their figures shot toward the Ship of Fortune. The evil energy was far too immense to simply think, 'Geom Mugeuk will handle it.'

The two dashed across the water's surface toward the Ship of Fortune using the movement arts technique, Flying Over Water.

THUD!

Suddenly, they crashed into something and were thrown backward. There was an invisible barrier in front of them, even though they were still a long way from reaching the ship.

"It's a barrier formation!" the Drunken Demon roared.

The Demonic Buddha examined the barrier spread out before his eyes. "It's the Heavenly Night Domain!"

This was one of the Dark Palace's impenetrable barrier formations, and was known to increase in strength significantly when cast at night.

SPLASH!

The Drunken Demon dived into the water and swam downward. However, the barrier extended below the water's surface as well.

The Ship of Fortune was inside a massive, transparent, spherical barrier. Worse, both the dark energy felt from the ship earlier and this barrier were the strongest techniques of the Pitch Black Demonic Art.

Considering they had not noticed the barrier being cast despite being nearby with a blood lotus deployed, today's meeting was a thoroughly prepared trap.

The Demonic Buddha said, "We have to break through the barrier and get to that ship somehow."

The Drunken Demon first launched a palm strike at the barrier.

SWIIISH! BOOM!

The barrier's membrane seemed to dent inward before bouncing back.

"Let's do it together."

This time, the Demonic Buddha and the Drunken Demon launched a palm strike simultaneously.

BOOOOOOM!

However, even with both of their attacks, the barrier did not break.

"We'll have to find a way to break it to get through."

However, finding a way was not easy, as the barrier was spread out in a vast, large sphere centered on the Ship of Fortune. Moreover, what if the method to break it was underwater? Finding it in these dark waters was nearly impossible.

The Drunken Demon took out a dagger and infused it with inner qi.

SHWIIING! THUD!

However, his dagger failed to pierce the barrier and bounced off. It was truly being maintained with immense power.

Then, the Demonic Buddha thought of another way to break it. "The Heavenly Night Domain gets stronger in the dark, right?"

"That's what I've heard."

"Then what about under the light?"

The Demonic Buddha's eyes seemed to sharpen, and soon, a golden light began to emanate from his body.

FLAAASH!

Not only the people on the other boats nearby, but also the people on the lakeshore, all saw that light.

The Demonic Buddha gathered the light emanating from his body into his palm and focused on one spot on the barrier.

At the same time, the Drunken Demon threw his dagger toward the part illuminated by the light.

SHWIIING! CRASH!

This time, the throwing knife embedded itself in the barrier.

However, it was only embedded and did not tear through, so the Drunken Demon pushed his inner arts to the limit.

FLAAAAAAAAASH!

The light emitted by the Demonic Buddha also became so bright that one could not open their eyes.

RIIIIIP!

The Drunken Demon's dagger began to tear through the barrier.