He had never thought about it, nor even imagined it.
The Cult—known as the Demonic Cult in the Central Plains—regarded the people living there as nothing more than filthy unbelievers and insignificant beings. To them, these people were merely lucky to have their lives prolonged when they should have already been cut off.
Because the time had not yet come, because the time promised by the Heavenly Demon had not arrived, these lowly creatures were miserably granted worthless lives.
Therefore, he had never once thought that a day would come when he would feel fear from those lowly and insignificant beings.
Paaaaaat!
Chung Myung, his eyes dyed with madness and murderous intent, charged straight at Jeok-Il.
The only emotion allowed to those who faced such tremendous speed and momentum head-on was one.
Bang!
Jeok-Il's foot slammed into the ground with excessive force. There was no time to think. He leapt backward and waved both hands like a madman. Fierce demonic qi poured out in streams.
It was somewhat different from before. It was not to annihilate the Cult's enemy, but rather a desperate struggle to push back the approaching one.
Naturally, it was nothing more than a struggle to desperately protect a life believed to exist solely to be offered to the Cult.
The demonic qi was as dense as black smoke rising above fierce flames. But unlike smoke that disperses when waved away, this demonic qi was a crystallization of evil that tore flesh and shattered bones upon contact with a human body. That dreadful demonic qi began to envelop Chung Myung.
However, Chung Myung did not slow down even as he saw the demonic qi trying to cover him. Instead, he stretched the sword held in his right hand straight toward the lower left, then fiercely slashed toward the upper right.
A deafening roar that seemed to tear eardrums arose.
Paaaaaaang!
A powerful single sword strike that seemed to tear apart the very space itself.
A red line blossomed in the air, clearly etched diagonally through the center of the demonic qi. The demonic qi that Jeok-Il had emitted with all his strength was split by a single sword strike. Chung Myung threw his body through the gap and surged forward. A chilling smile brightly appeared on his face as he advanced.
Before Jeok-Il could even be surprised, a chilling sensation spread across his ankle. The Dark Fragrant Plum Blossom Sword had sliced horizontally across his ankle.
Shreek!
The sword that cleanly cut his front ankle flew again like a sharp spear, aiming at Jeok-Il's entire body.
Shreek! Shreek! Shreek!
Jeok-Il, who was repeatedly cut on his thigh and abdomen, soon widened his eyes as he saw the sword flying toward his neck.
"Stop!"
At that moment, another of the Enforcing Guard descended at tremendous speed toward Chung Myung's head, as if intending to split it in one blow, holding demonic qi like the claws of a monstrous bird in both hands.
Everyone thought Chung Myung had to first block the attack falling toward his head. But Chung Myung instead surged forward at twice the speed than before.
"What?"
Swaaaash!
As the Dark Fragrant Plum Blossom Sword sliced through the air and flew toward his neck without stopping, Jeok-Il panicked and blocked it with his hand.
Kakak! Kagagak!
The sword blade, colder than the biting wind of the Frozen Hell, pierced the palm filled with demonic qi, which had become several times harder than eternal steel.
'Ugh…'
Jeok-Il's senses were extremely sharp in the face of mortal danger. That was the problem. The heightened senses transmitted the pain fully to Jeok-Il. The sword tearing through his skin, ripping flesh, and finally embedding into his wrist bone was vivid in every detail.
The sword, imbued with spiritual qi, struggled and unraveled the resisting demonic qi bit by bit. A terrible pain like flesh being slowly sawed by a saw arose, and the sword steadily advanced toward Jeok-Il's neck.
"Gyaaaah!"
Jeok-Il screamed in pain and pushed the sword embedded in his hand away. But the sword pierced in exactly as much as he pushed it out.
Soon, the Ammae Sword sliced through his wrist and up to his forearm.
"Kuhat!"
Jeok-Il threw away the three swords he was holding and grabbed Chung Myung's sword embedded in his left arm with his bare hand.
Kwaddeudeuk!
His left arm was already useless. But the Dark Fragrant Plum Blossom Sword seemed insufficient and shook as if to cut off Jeok-Il's right hand as well. Though his right hand was also in danger, Jeok-Il desperately clung to the sword.
Because in his eyes, the demonic hand of the Enforcing Guard falling toward Chung Myung's head was clearly visible.
'This stupid fool! You made a mistake…'
But at that moment, Jeok-Il flinched. Though he could not be unaware of the tremendous demonic power flying above his head, there was not a trace of confusion or fear on Chung Myung's face.
He was just staring coldly and piercingly at Jeok-Il alone.
"Dieeee!"
Just as the Enforcing Guard's hand was about to fall on Chung Myung's crown.
Chaeaaaang!
A huge metallic sound rang out, and the falling Enforcing Guard's hand stopped just above Chung Myung's head.
Between the hand filled with boiling demonic qi and the defenseless head, a white sword suddenly appeared.
"Huh, when?"
The color drained from Jeok-Il's face right then.
A young man wielding the Hero's Sword, who had been staying behind to guard Chung Myung, suddenly flew like an arrow and blocked the attacks pouring down on Chung Myung. As if he had known this would happen from the start.
His distorted face and flushed complexion clearly showed how much qi he had consumed to close the distance in an instant.
"Kahat!"
Of course, the Enforcing Guard would not easily give up just because one attack was blocked. But just as he tried to swing his hand again in the air, another shadow rose above Baek Cheon.
The Enforcing Guard hurriedly raised his head.
At that moment, what he saw was a female swordsman flying with her back to the night sky. Her expression was terrifyingly cold.
"Samae!"
"Yes."
Swaaaash!
Yu Yiseol's sword sliced through the dark air, transforming into dozens of sword shadows that pierced the Enforcing Guard's entire body.
"Kuaaaak!"
Normally, he wouldn't have allowed such an easy attack, but the Enforcing Guard's attention was so focused on Chung Myung and Baek Cheon. There was no way to counter Yu Yiseol who appeared from the corner at that moment.
The Enforcing Guard soon collapsed, bleeding from his entire body. Red blood spurted from the long sword-shaped wound on his face.
'Damn bastard!'
Baek Cheon cursed inwardly and gritted his teeth.
No need for orders or discussion. The moment this madman pushed off the ground and leapt forward, it was obvious what he was aiming for. So Baek Cheon just had to do what he always did.
But… isn't there a limit to that? If he had been just a little slower, Chung Myung's head would have burst like a ripe watermelon.
He didn't know whether to call it trust or recklessness, but there was no time to debate it. What he had to do now was very clear.
"Haaap!"
Baek Cheon swiftly retrieved his sword and spun on the spot, slashing. His sword aimed at the end of the Dark Fragrant Plum Blossom Sword's hilt held by Chung Myung.
Kagaang!
The moment his sword struck the Dark Fragrant Plum Blossom Sword, Jeok-Il fell, splattering blood. Then Chung Myung naturally began to charge forward again.
Before Baek Cheon could even push off the ground, Yoon Jong and Jo Gul brushed past him and followed right behind Chung Myung.
Any disciple of Mount Hua knows this.
When the enemy outnumbers them and the situation is unfavorable, what Chung Myung does. Everyone knows without being told.
"Gul!"
"Yes, sahyung!"
Jo Gul's spear-like swift sword poured forward. The Demonic Cult members who charged at Chung Myung with faces mixed with confusion and hatred were swept away and pushed back in an instant.
At the same time, Yoon Jong's sword, swung with utmost smoothness, blocked all attacks pouring from all directions toward Chung Myung.
A sword that attacks to open a path.
A sword that blocks to protect.
These two contrasting swords open Chung Myung's path and protect him.
Baek Cheon, who quickly followed, shouted loudly.
"Open the way! We're heading to the High priest!"
In the past, when facing the Demonic Cult, Chung Myung leapt over the enemy and cut down the Enforcing Guard. Then he cut the High priest's neck and saved everyone's lives.
But this time it is different. The enemy is stronger than before, and the High priest is incomparably stronger than before.
Then Chung Myung should not protect them now; they must protect Chung Myung.
The blade called Chung Myung must be sent intact to the High priest's neck without damage. Even if it means risking everything!
"Hae Yeon, mo…"
"Excuse me."
At that moment, a man jumped over Baek Cheon's head. Seeing the blood-red long robe fluttering above, Baek Cheon shouted reflexively.
"Jang Ilso!"
"I roughly understand the situation."
From Jang Ilso's gently spoken words, bright blue flames burst from both hands. Like fireballs, they engulfed the Demonic Cult members in front of Chung Myung.
As the Demonic Cult members screamed horribly, Jang Ilso kicked off the air and lightly landed right beside Chung Myung.
"Well then…"
He smiled, baring his teeth with a sinister expression.
"Shall we go?"
Paaaaat!
Chung Myung and Jang Ilso dashed forward simultaneously.
At the same time, Baek Cheon, Yu Yiseol, Yoon Jong, and Jo Gul followed them as if escorting.
Their appearance was like an arrow fiercely shot from a tightly drawn bowstring.
An arrow loses its meaning the moment it stops. Once they decide to break through the enemy's center, if they fail, only one fate awaits them.
But neither Chung Myung, Jang Ilso, nor anyone following them feared or dreaded that fate that was to come. They just broke and cut down those blocking their way and charged forward again and again.
"Ooooooh!"
Hae Yeon and Namgung Do-Wei flew over Chung Myung and Jang Ilso's heads and opened the path, each radiating authority and sword qi. The massive qi poured like shells, violently sweeping away the unprepared Demonic Cult members.
With the front blocked, the Demonic Cult members trying to infiltrate from the sides were blocked by the sword qi of Tang Soso and the Evil qi unleashed by Im So-Byeong.
"Ugh!"
"These unbeliever bastards!"
The united group of Mount Hua deeply penetrated through the dense Demonic Cult members.
The fangs of those trying to attack from behind were blocked by the calm sword strikes of Un Geom, and the Demonic Cult members persistently following had to face the red hunting dog biting and clinging like a hound.
An unstoppable momentum. Once the Mount Hua group gained momentum, they swiftly advanced, cutting through the sea of Demonic Cult members.
"Stop themmmm!"
Jeok-Il, who was flung away in a miserable state barely clinging to life, shouted with a tearing voice. It was too urgent and desperate to be called a shout from an Enforcing Guard of the Cult.
But now, he didn't even have the slightest margin left.
'That guy, I must never let him reach the High priest!'
He knew well this was a blasphemous thought. No matter how great that Central Plains Taoist was, his power was nothing but a worm before the High priest who reached the heavens. To fear the man's sword reaching the High priest was a terrible blasphemy against the High priest.
But despite knowing all this, Jeok-Il could do nothing about the fear overwhelming his chest.
No. That man must not be allowed to reach the High priest!
"Stop them! Even if you risk your life, stop them at all costs!"
The dark night sky and the dark earth. A single red arrow split the world dyed entirely in black.
An incredibly sharp arrow that would pierce the heart of the descended demon.