Chapter 497.6
Chapter 497.6 – Side Story 2 Part 1
Master of Flying Killing Sect (1)
The Flying Killing Sect, one of the four major assassination groups in the Central Plains.
The current leader of this Flying Killing Sect, the Flying Killing Assassin, was a person who had reached sixty years of age.
Although older compared to active members, his skills were truly unparalleled, allowing him to firmly hold the position of one of the four great assassins for over twenty years.
However, even he couldn't maintain his former level of skill as he aged, and the time for retirement was approaching.
The most likely candidates mentioned were the Vice Sect Leader and Special Grade Assassin Number One, and Special Grade Assassin Number Two, who had completed the most successful assassinations in the Flying Killing Sect.
Judging by their past assassinations and skills alone, both were more than qualified to inherit the position of Sect Leader and its prestige.
Everyone thought that one of these two would become the next Sect Leader.
However, contrary to these expectations, the Vice Sect Leader and Special Grade Assassin Number One voluntarily gave up his claim to succession.
Because of this, it seemed Special Grade Assassin Number Two would smoothly inherit the position of Sect Leader, but the current Flying Killing Assassin also put forward his granddaughter, Ha Chaerin, as a candidate for his successor.
'His granddaughter?'
'Does he mean that hooligan of a girl?'
All the assassins of the Flying Killing Sect thought there was no way the Flying Killing Assassin would pass on his position as Sect Leader to his only granddaughter.
Her temperament was fundamentally far from that of an assassin.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that the basis of an assassin lies in cold rationality.
But she was the opposite.
Despite her young age, she had a foul mouth that never stopped cursing, an obsessive-compulsive disorder that made her extremely averse to anything dirty, and a hot temper that couldn't hold back anger even a little.
Nothing about her matched an assassin.
Because of this, the executives of the Flying Killing Sect strongly opposed this, advising the Flying Killing Assassin against it.
'Sigh.'
The current Sect Leader, Flying Killing Assassin Ha Gong-woo, also thought their opinions were reasonable.
His granddaughter truly did not fit the temperament of an assassin.
However, human hearts are not always rational.
No matter how much of a hooligan she was called or how unsuited she was for being an assassin, it was human nature to want to pass on one's position to a blood relative, as the arm bends inward.
'There's no solution except to persuade them.'
After much deliberation, Sect Leader Ha Gong-woo accepted the protests of the Flying Killing Sect executives and all the assassins 6 years ago, and forcibly confined his granddaughter Ha Chaerin in the Assassin's Pavilion.
As he confined her, Ha Gong-woo sternly warned his granddaughter:
[This is your last chance. If you want to inherit this old man's position, get your act together. If not, you'll lose everything you should rightfully have.]
[Grandfather. But…]
[Have you already forgotten your vow to inherit this old man's position and avenge your parents?]
[…I understand.]
[Good. If you've understood, show me that you've changed. I'll try to hold onto this position for a few years somehow.]
Ha Chaerin entered confinement like that.
As she entered, Sect Leader Ha Gong-woo secretly passed on all his secret techniques to her and even provided spirit medicines, without the knowledge of the sect members.
After 4 years, Ha Chaerin emerged from confinement and, living up to expectations, had reached the Peak Realm.
In fact, given that level of all-out support, it wouldn't be unreasonable to achieve at least this much, but reaching the Peak Realm in assassin martial arts in just 4 years was impossible without talent.
Thanks to this, he was able to create a justification.
[If assassin Ha Chaerin had remained stagnant despite her confinement, it would be one thing, but as publicly stated, she has reached the Peak Realm. Shouldn't we give that child a chance now?]
[Sect Leader. But there is still one rite of passage remaining.]
[Rite of passage…]
What they were referring to was the Hundred Kills.
The Hundred Kills is achieved by successfully completing a hundred designated assassination requests, and upon accomplishing this, one is called one of the Four Great Assassins.
Since one cannot fail even once, only a very small number of assassins have achieved this, and he too had passed this to inherit the title of Flying Killing Assassin, one of the Four Great Assassins.
During her confinement, Special Grade Assassin Number Two had attempted the Hundred Kills and achieved 62 successful assassinations without failure.
[This time, you must accomplish it entirely on your own strength, without this old man's help. Can you do it?]
[Of course.]
She showed strong confidence.
And she turned that confidence into reality.
In less than a year, she successfully completed 60 assassination requests.
This changed her standing within the sect.
But at this time, an incident occurred.
[Miss… the Sect Leader has passed away.]
The Sect Leader Ha Gong-woo had lost his life at a point when the successor had not yet been determined.
Apart from his tireless efforts to pass on his legacy to his granddaughter, he had spent many years trying to find the culprit who killed his son and daughter-in-law.
However, just as he had finally found a clue to the culprit, the price was nothing short of tragic.
The place he had come to, guided by the Vice Sect Leader and Special Grade Assassin Number One.
That place was dyed in blood.
Ha Chaerin embraced Sect Leader Ha Gong-woo's body and wailed.
[Grandpa? You can't be dead, right? Grandpa, you're one of the Four Great Assassins of the Central Plains, the Flying Killing Assassin. Get up. You can't die. I said get up!]
She couldn't stop crying for over half a day at that place.
The Vice Sect Leader and Special Grade Assassin Number One said to her:
[Are you going to keep crying like that?]
[Hic… hic. Then what do you want me to do? My only family… My only family has died, and you're telling me not to be sad?]
[An assassin is not one who answers with tears.]
[What?]
[If you truly want to do right by the Sect Leader, claim that position rightfully and avenge him.]
[You want me to complete the Hundred Kills when the Sect Leader position is vacant? What kind of bullshit is that?]
[Then will you not honor the Sect Leader's wishes?]
At the Vice Sect Leader and Special Grade Assassin Number One's sharp rebuke, she was at a loss for words.
Then, as if she had come to her senses, she shouted:
[I'll do it! I will! Grandpa… I'll definitely inherit your position and avenge you. No matter who it is.]
As she tried to personally take care of her grandfather's body, she accidentally discovered something.
It was a wound engraved near her grandfather's thigh.
'What's this?'
It was a mark as if punctured by a needle, not an old wound but one that had been made recently.
It looked like a mark left with all his remaining strength, but it only appeared as:
[目三] – Three Eyes
She couldn't understand what this meant at all.
What was certain was that this was the only clue about the culprit that her grandfather had left before dying.
So she started the Hundred Kills again to fully inherit her grandfather's position.
She smoothly completed 99 assassinations and was left with just the last one.
Special Grade Assassin Number Two, who was competing with her for the Sect Leader position, had also completed 98 requests.
The Vice Sect Leader, who was serving as acting Sect Leader, thought that unless there was a special variable, Ha Chaerin would succeed in the last request.
'Not bad.'
Ha Chaerin's final high-grade request was to kill Mok Gyeong-un, the third son of the Yeon Mok Sword Manor, a prestigious righteous martial arts family.
According to the information, Mok Gyeong-un, the third son of the Yeon Mok Sword Manor, did not have very high martial arts skills.
In fact, he was rather poor for a scion of a prestigious martial arts family.
Just considering the act of killing him, it wasn't a very difficult task.
The only challenge was to handle it quietly.
However, the result was,
[Vice Sect Leader… It seems the young miss has failed the final request.]
[…The cause?]
[It seems to be related to the sudden seclusion of the Yeon Mok Sword Manor.]
Seclusion.
It literally meant sealing off martial arts activities.
Usually, seclusion occurs when a sect is defeated in a war between sects or when the sect collapses.
Does that mean a war had broken out at the Yeon Mok Sword Manor?
The Vice Sect Leader Number One, who found Ha Chaerin's failure in the Hundred Kills less incomprehensible than her disappearance, mobilized all the sect's connections and informants to find out the reason.
'Heaven and Earth Society.'
For some unknown reason, the Heaven and Earth Society had attacked the Yeon Mok Sword Manor.
The Sect Leader candidate Ha Chaerin had not only failed her final request after getting caught up in it but seemed to have disappeared.
Most of the sect members, including the executives, asserted that if she had definitely been involved with the Heaven and Earth Society, granddaughter Ha Chaerin must be dead.
However, he didn't think so.
No one from the Yeon Mok Sword Manor knew about Ha Chaerin, and not even her body had been found.
Therefore, he argued that they shouldn't give up on her return until the very end.
The executives expressed their dissatisfaction with this, but,
[The third young master of the Yeon Mok Sword Manor, Mok Gyeong-un, who was the target of the final request, has disappeared. By your logic, shouldn't we consider him dead as well?]
[Acting Sect Leader… Isn't that separate from the young miss's matter? Haven't you received information that the third and youngest young masters of the Yeon Mok Sword Manor might have been taken hostage by the Heaven and Earth Society?]
[If that information is correct, have you not considered that the young miss might have infiltrated the Heaven and Earth Society to complete her request to the end?]
[…Do you really think so?]
Everyone ignored his opinion.
This was because it was the Heaven and Earth Society.
The Heaven and Earth Society, one of the top forces dividing the martial arts world into three, was a place where even the Four Great Assassins refused requests.
To follow them in and carry out a request?
That was absolutely impossible.
Several months passed like that.
The Vice Sect Leader and Special Grade Assassin Number One, who had somehow maintained his position out of loyalty to the Sect Leader's family, was confronted by a group of armed executives led by Special Grade Assassin Number Two.
[Will you really come out like this?]
[Acting Sect Leader. Stop being stubborn. Isn't it time to accept it? The young miss lost her life back then.]
[…]
In the end, he had to step down from the position of Acting Sect Leader.
He had tried to maintain his position somehow out of loyalty to the previous Sect Leader and his family, but now even he had to accept the death of Ha Chaerin, the last bloodline of the Ha family.
Half a year and another year passed from then.
The Flying Killing Sect's request system is divided into three.
Low-grade, mid-grade, and high-grade requests.
While they accepted requests up to mid-grade in the usual way, high-grade requests were only accepted in a special guest area of the pleasure house they operated.
A guest visited that place after a long time.
After the great war between the righteous and unorthodox sects, the balance of the three major forces was broken, and with the golden age of the demonic path arriving, they had been unable to avoid losses for several months due to unexpectedly few assassination requests.
Therefore, they were hoping for a breakthrough with this high-grade request after a long time.
But then,
"What?"
The Special Grade Assassin Number Three, who was serving as the madam of the pleasure house, doubted her ears for a moment at the words of the bamboo hat-wearing man in front of her.
"Customer, what are you saying…"
"I said, the master of the Flying Killing Sect has returned, so now return that position."
"…Haa. I thought we were finally getting some relief, but troublesome guests have arrived."
-Swish!
Special Grade Assassin Number Three slightly raised her hand.
At that, the high-grade assassins hiding in the room revealed themselves, drawing their weapons.
They surrounded the bamboo hat-wearing man and the veiled woman clinging to his arm.
-Shing!
The madam of the pleasure house also drew the soft sword at her waist and spoke.
"Who are you? If you don't reveal your identity and state your purpose immediately, I'll take your life right here…"
Before she could finish her words,
"Number Three. It's been a while."
Special Grade Assassin Number Three's eyes trembled at the voice coming from behind the veil.
A year and a half had passed, and she had almost forgotten, but there was no way she could forget that voice.
"No way… Could you be?"
The veiled woman rolled up her sleeve and showed the bracelet on her wrist.
Seeing this, the madam's face turned to shock as she denied reality.
"It can't be. You should have died…"
"I'm alive. Like this."
-Swoosh!
A needle hidden weapon shot out from the bracelet, grazing past her hair.
Seeing this, Special Grade Assassin Number Three could no longer deny it.
That was the bracelet containing the Spirit Shadow Needle, which could be called the symbol of the Flying Killing Sect.
***
The backyard of the Flying Killing Sect headquarters.
Oh Yeosoo, who had become Special Grade Assassin Number Two and taken the name upon becoming Sect Leader, was dumbfounded to see Special Grade Assassin Number Three suddenly bringing outsiders to the headquarters.
"This place cannot be entered with outsiders. What are you doing, reporting nothing? Number Three."
"I apologize. But these people have the qualification."
"Qualification? Ha! That qualification is for you to judge…"
Before his words could finish,
"You've become quite arrogant since sitting in the Sect Leader's seat. Number Two."
'!?'
Sect Leader Oh Yeosoo's expression hardened for a moment.
At the all too familiar voice, he glared at the veiled woman, thinking 'it can't be'.
Then the woman removed her veil as if it was cumbersome. Oh Yeosoo couldn't hide his surprise at the face revealed.
"Ha Chaerin?"
"Hey. You don't even call me 'young miss' anymore?"
The veiled woman was none other than Ha Chaerin, the successor to the previous Sect Leader who was thought to be dead.
The assassins around stirred at her appearance.
There were some new assassins, but most of those present naturally knew her.
To think that she, who they thought was dead, had returned to the Flying Killing Sect.
Sect Leader Oh Yeosoo, who had been surprised, spoke in a voice full of wariness:
"…You were alive, so why didn't you return?"
"Shouldn't you be happy if I've returned alive? Why are you so wary? Number Two."
"Don't call me that. This Sect Leader is now the master of the Flying Killing Sect."
"Master? Who made you the master?"
At Ha Chaerin's displeased tone, Sect Leader Oh Yeosoo snorted.
He didn't know how she was still alive, but was this the reason she came back?
To reclaim the position of Sect Leader?
But it's too late.
He had already inherited the position of Sect Leader and the prestige of being one of the Four Great Assassins, the Flying Killing Assassin.
In the year and a half, he had also cleared out all those who were loyal to the Ha family, so now the Flying Killing Sect was entirely his.
"How dare you talk about being the master when you disappeared without even achieving the Hundred Kills? If you came back because you want to die…"
"How petty."
A voice interrupted before he could finish speaking.
At this, Sect Leader Oh Yeosoo threw a flying dagger towards the owner of that voice to make an example.
-Swoosh!
Having become Sect Leader, he had reached the Transcendent Realm by cultivating assassination techniques.
He had reached the highest realm possible for an assassin.
But then,
The bamboo hat-wearing man next to Ha Chaerin caught it with his index and middle fingers.
"Hey. You try to kill someone just for cutting off your words? Things have become a mess since I've been away."
"What?"
Since he's been away?
Who is this guy to say such things?
As he wondered, Ha Chaerin clung to his arm and said with a triumphant face:
"Did you go crazy wanting to die, throwing a flying dagger at my husband?"
"Husband?"
Did that girl get married in the meantime?
No, that wasn't the important thing.
Who is this guy?
He thought the man hadn't trained in martial arts since he couldn't feel any energy, but could he have been concealing it?
"Who are you?"
"Who am I? Hahahahaha. Right. I should answer that, it's only proper."
As soon as he finished speaking, the man took off his bamboo hat.
As the face hidden by the bamboo hat was revealed, Sect Leader Oh Yeosoo and the Flying Killing Sect assassins couldn't hide their bewilderment.
It was a face they'd never seen before, and they had no idea who he was.
But then,
"I'm Go Chan."
"Go… Chan?"
'!'
At the name Go Chan, everyone froze for a moment before erupting in shock and chaos.
"Go Chan, the Great Commander of the Guards of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult!"
"The right-hand man of the Greatest Under Heaven!"
As if enjoying their reaction, Go Chan crossed his arms and put on airs.
It was the glorious return of an orphan and former low-grade assassin of the Flying Killing Sect.
'This is it.'
Chapter 497.7
Chapter 497.7 – Side Story 2 Part 2
Master of Flying Killing Sect (2)
"T-the Great Commander of the Guards of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, Go Chan?"
"The right-hand man of the Greatest Under Heaven?"
The assassins stirred.
At their reaction, the current Sect Leader of the Flying Killing Sect, Oh Yeosoo, couldn't hide his bewilderment with a hardened expression.
What kind of nonsensical situation is this?
Ha Chaerin, who they thought had died after failing the final assassination of the Hundred Kills, not only got married, but her husband is the Great Commander of the Guards of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, called the right-hand man of the Greatest Under Heaven? Does this make any sense?
Momentarily flustered, he soon denied it.
"Nonsense! Why would the Great Commander of the Guards of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's leader come here? Do you think we'll believe that?"
No matter how he thought about it, it couldn't be true.
Why would the Great Commander of the Guards, who should be protecting the Sect Leader, come here?
And married to a girl from an assassin background, no less.
-Swish!
Flying Killing Sect assassins, surround them.
Raising his hand to signal, at Sect Leader Oh Yeosoo's command, the assassins hesitated for a moment before drawing their weapons and surrounding Go Chan and Ha Chaerin.
At first, they had some doubts, but they too found this strange.
"How very amusing."
Go Chan snorted and then whistled.
"Phweee!"
As soon as the sound echoed around,
-Swoosh swoosh swoosh swoosh!
As if they had been waiting, dozens of warriors revealed themselves on the walls surrounding the Flying Killing Sect.
'!'
The expressions of the assassins, including Sect Leader Oh Yeosoo, hardened at their appearance.
This was because each of the warriors was a master who had reached the Peak Realm.
Moreover,
-Zing zing zing zing zing!
Those who had been surrounding Go Chan and Ha Chaerin were suddenly trapped by extremely sharp silver threads, unable to move.
The identity of the woman who had instantly subdued them with silver threads was Mo Ha-rang.
She was the Vice Commander of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's Guard.
However, what surprised the assassins even more was the silver thread she was using.
"T-the Demon Fire Hall?"
It was undoubtedly the Silver Thread Net, called the treasure of the Demon Fire Hall, one of the Four Great Assassin groups.
The Demon Fire Hall, known to have inherited the secret techniques of the Flying Killing King, who was called the pinnacle of the assassin world in the ancient martial arts era, was also famous for becoming part of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
With this, the assassins and executives of the Flying Killing Sect, including Sect Leader Oh Yeosoo, could recognize the reality.
These people were not impostors.
They were the real Guard of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's leader.
"W-why is the Great Commander of the Guards of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult in a place like this?"
Although they were one of the Four Great Assassin groups, there was no way they could compare to the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, called the greatest power in the current martial arts world.
If the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult decided, they could annihilate them within an hour.
That's why the assassins couldn't help but be terrified.
At that moment, Sect Leader Oh Yeosoo spoke with a distorted face.
"Why does the Great Commander of the Guards of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult interfere in another sect's affairs?"
"It's not another sect."
"What?"
"What's wrong with me being involved in my wife's sect? And strictly speaking, I was originally from here in my past life."
'Past life?'
What on earth is he talking about?
As they were trying to understand, Go Chan spoke with his hands behind his back.
"Well, to cut to the chase. The rightful owner of the Flying Killing Sect is my wife. So step down from that position."
-Grind!
Rightful owner, what nonsense?
Sect Leader Oh Yeosoo felt a surge of anger for a moment, but since he couldn't fight against the Guard of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's leader, he had to endure it with extreme patience.
Then Oh Yeosoo finally managed to speak.
"It seems the Great Commander of the Guards of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult has heard something that might cause a misunderstanding about your wife, so let me explain. To become the Sect Leader of our sect, one must achieve the Hundred Kills. However, your wife…"
"She achieved it."
"What?"
"No, it was achieved from the beginning. Because the real Mok Gyeong-un died before that."
'!?'
At Go Chan's words, the surroundings stirred.
She achieved the Hundred Kills?
If so, it meant that Ha Chaerin had also fulfilled the qualification to be Sect Leader.
"And decisively, my wife can be said to be the legitimate successor of the Flying Killing Sect."
At Go Chan's words, Ha Chaerin showed the bracelet on her wrist.
The bracelet containing the Spirit Shadow Needle, it was a treasure that was like the symbol of the Flying Killing Sect.
Seeing this, the assassins of the Flying Killing Sect were shaken even more.
-Murmur murmur!
Go Chan urged them.
"Do you still not know who the true master is?"
-Thud! Thud! Thud!
Then, the assassins of the Flying Killing Sect knelt and paid respects to Ha Chaerin.
Seeing this, Sect Leader Oh Yeosoo closed his eyes with a distorted face as if in anguish.
In just a year and a half, his era had come to an end.
Unable to overcome the disappointment, he moved his hand to his neck to take his own life,
Thud
At that moment, a needle hidden weapon pierced the back of his hand.
It was the Spirit Shadow Needle.
The back of his hand hit by the Spirit Shadow Needle began to rapidly paralyze.
Sect Leader Oh Yeosoo looked at Ha Chaerin with incomprehensible eyes.
He was going to take his own life because he had to step down anyway now that she had reclaimed her position, so why did she stop him?
Then she spoke.
"I'll step down from the Sect Leader position and pass it on to Special Grade Assassin Number Two, who achieved the Hundred Kills after me."
'!?'
At these words, the eyes of Sect Leader Oh Yeosoo and the assassins widened.
What on earth is she saying?
Is she saying she'll step down right after reclaiming her position?
Oh Yeosoo, who had already been prepared to take his life, revealed his true feelings out of sheer bewilderment.
"Are you toying with us now?"
"I'm not toying with you."
"Then what exactly are you doing?"
At his angry outcry, Ha Chaerin spoke with a rather serious face:
"I'm just trying to fulfill my grandfather's last wish."
"…The previous Sect Leader's last wish?"
"Grandfather wanted me to become the Sect Leader of the Flying Killing Sect and avenge his son, my father."
"Then why?"
"I've avenged him. No, they avenged him for me. My husband and his lord."
'!?'
By husband and lord, does she mean the Great Commander of the Guards Go Chan and the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's leader?
What on earth is going on here?
As they wondered, Ha Chaerin said:
"Three-Eyes (目三)… The true culprit my grandfather wanted to point out was Mok Gan (Third-Eyed), the one who truly had a third eye."
That was her family's true enemy.
That enemy had such absolute power that neither her grandfather nor she could have the ability to repay it.
However, coincidentally, it was the current Greatest Under Heaven, the Heavenly Demon, who avenged this, and his right-hand man Go Chan played a decisive role.
-Cling!
Ha Chaerin clung to Go Chan's arm and said:
"So I've inherited the Sect Leader position as per my grandfather's last wish, and now I plan to retire and spend my life supporting my husband."
'I also have a debt to my husband that I can't repay even in a lifetime…'
She couldn't bring herself to say that out loud.
[Hey. Let's live together for the rest of our lives.]
A completely unexpected, blunt proposal.
At first, Ha Chaerin found it difficult to accept.
[But I made you like this.]
[Well, what can we do? It's already in the past. And thanks to that, it turned into a blessing in disguise, so I'm going to keep you by my side and torment you for the rest of our lives.]
"…Lord Go Chan."
She was grateful to Go Chan for that.
Although Go Chan said he had forgiven her, she considered it a lifelong task to repay him.
"Haa…"
Sect Leader Oh Yeosoo's mind became complicated at her conclusion.
He had desperately wanted to become Sect Leader all his life and had worked hard to seize that position, but he was about to take his own life out of the sense of loss from losing it in an instant.
But when she tried to brush it off so casually, his feelings became mixed.
However, thinking about it, Ha Chaerin's position wasn't incomprehensible.
Although being the Sect Leader of the Flying Killing Sect was his dream and for her, it was the last wish of her grandfather, the previous Sect Leader, now she was the wife of the Great Commander of the Guards of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
It might be natural for this position not to appeal to her eyes.
'Somehow, it feels even more empty…'
Why does it feel like she's more successful?
Once they had competed for the Sect Leader position, but now all of that seemed futile.
-Swirl!
'!?'
Suddenly, crimson smoke began to flow out where they were, forming a circle and creating an entrance.
The assassins who were unfamiliar with this sudden strange phenomenon couldn't hide their surprise.
Meanwhile, a short-haired woman with a cute appearance dressed as a diviner emerged from the smoke entrance.
"Diviner Yeo Surin?"
Go Chan recognized her.
Then Diviner Yeo Surin urgently said to him:
"Guard Go Chan. Please ask the Cult Leader where he is through your mental connection right away."
***
Cheong-ryeong smiled and shook her head as Go Chan scratched his head sheepishly.
She thought that something felt odd, and in the end, it turned out like this.
Then the Heavenly Demon asked Diviner Yeo Surin:
"What do you mean someone took the Killing Stone statue of Great Strength King?"
"It's exactly as I said. They burned all the diviners and… Ah!"
Yeo Surin sighed as she noticed the traces of melted cliffs around them.
Although there was no heat left, she realized that a similar aftermath had swept through this place as well.
"What is this place?"
"The demonic beast Alyu was attacked."
"Alyu? Isn't that the Cult Leader's familiar?"
"Look at that."
The Heavenly Demon pointed to the words engraved on the cliff. Her expression hardened when she saw it.
"It seems the purpose of whoever did this is quite clear."
"They're trying to awaken the sealed Great Strength King, I suppose."
Before they knew about the disappearance of Great Strength King's statue, they couldn't understand why someone was looking for the White-Faced King, the Golden Nine-Tailed Fox.
However, since only she could restore the Killing Stone statue of Great Strength King back to its original form, the purpose was now clear.
Cheong-ryeong asked curiously:
"Could it be the work of those related to Three-Eyes?"
"Three-Eyes…"
During the great war between the righteous and unorthodox sects, most of the Imaemangyang in the Central Plains had gathered at the Ten Thousand Great Mountains due to the great calamity caused by Three-Eyes.
Even four of the Six Demons, known as the pinnacle of Imaemangyang, had gathered.
Among them, Lion-Grasping King and White Phoenix Demon King were annihilated in the war, and Great Strength King was sealed in the Killing Stone.
Each of the Six Demons was like a natural disaster that could destroy a country, and it was impossible for ordinary humans to dare to touch or try to awaken them.
That's why both Cheong-ryeong and the Heavenly Demon couldn't help but associate this with Three-Eyes.
But then,
"It might not be related to Three-Eyes."
"Isn't it too early to be certain?"
"…Although it had almost disappeared even in ancient records, so I thought it couldn't be, but seeing those words 'Lava Cave' engraved on the cliff, I think it might be that being after all."
"That being?"
What on earth is this being she's talking about?
As he wondered, Yeo Surin looked at the wheel marks on the ground and spoke:
"There are records remaining in some ancient books predating the Classic of Mountains and Seas. About a being that once rivaled the Six Demons."
"Rivaled the Six Demons?"
"Yes. They say there was an Imaemangyang called the worst and strongest without dispute, before the current Six Demons."
"This Imaemangyang is said to have been born from a stone where all the energy of heaven and earth converged."
"Are you saying that being did this to this place?"
"No. That being was so strong that even the Great Strength King, known to have no equal in strength, couldn't do anything against it, but I heard there was an Imaemangyang that managed to trouble that being for a moment."
"…So what exactly is this being you're talking about?"
To this question from the Heavenly Demon, Diviner Yeo Surin answered in a meaningful voice:
"The Red Boy[1]."
Chapter 497.8
Chapter 497.8 – Side Story 3 Part 1
The Flame Mountain
Meihekou, Jilin Province.
There was a hole about twenty jang in size on one of its cliffs.
The hole was so deep that it was called a bottomless pit from which one could never climb back up if they fell in, and it was said that no one had ever reached its bottom.
Although it seemed there would be nothing at the bottom of Meihekou where not even a speck of light reached, there was something snoring there.
-Snore… Snore… Snore…
Its snoring was so loud that it shook the surroundings.
The regular snoring sound that had been continuing for a while suddenly stopped.
Then white glowing eyes opened.
The chilling white glowing eyes scanned the surroundings, searching for something.
Then,
-Whoosh!
Flames erupted, brightening the surroundings.
The flames revealed the form of the being with the white glowing eyes.
It was a huge, grotesque monkey with a purple face covered in white fur.
However, this giant monkey's arms and legs were bound by rusted iron chains, making it look difficult to move properly.
-It was here.
At that moment, along with the voice, someone appeared from within the flames.
Seeing that being, the giant monkey with white eyes prostrated itself on the ground.
-Boom!
Though it merely struck its head on the ground, the surroundings shook as if an earthquake had occurred.
Seeing this, the red-haired beautiful boy who appeared from the flames raised the corner of his mouth and spoke.
-White Ghost King[1]. So you were still here?
As soon as those words ended, the giant monkey with white eyes called the White Ghost King suddenly wailed as if in sorrow.
-Waaaaaaah!
The surroundings echoed.
To this,
-Stop wailing.
-Waaah. I've been waiting only for this day. Is He forgiving me now?
-The one you served can't forgive you or do anything else.
-What do you mean?
-The White-Faced King, no, that fox bitch turned Him into stone.
-How dare youuuuu!!!!!
-Boom!
At the red-haired beautiful boy's words, the White Ghost King with white eyes struck the ground with both fists, his face terribly distorted.
The ground split and tremendous winds swept in all directions.
Even the surrounding walls crumbled from the storm-like winds.
-Boom! Boom!
He continued striking the ground, showing no signs of stopping.
-Enough.
At the red-haired beautiful boy's shout, the White Ghost King stopped with an enraged face.
-Grrrr. Where the hell is that damn fox bitch?
Looking at the White Ghost King who couldn't calm his excitement, the red-haired beautiful boy smirked and answered.
-She'll come looking for me on her own soon.
-Then should I tear that fox bitch apart for His sake?
-No. You have something else to do.
-Give me any order. I'm willing to do anything for the Great Sage Equaling Heaven. The Red Boy!
***
"Red Boy."
"Red Boy?"
"Yes."
Hong Hae-a[2].
As the name suggests, it means "red child".
Even the Heavenly Demon, who had read all the divination technique ancient books possessed by Jo Taecheong, another Three-Eyes, was hearing this name for the first time.
To this, Diviner Yeo Surin said:
"Just as there are heroes forgotten as time passes, there were beings among the Imaemangyang who were infamous in ancient times. This Red Boy can be considered one of those Imaemangyang."
"Why is an Imaemangyang that had disappeared even from records suddenly appearing to try and break Great Strength King's seal?"
"I'm not certain, but there's something like this in an ancient book."
"It's said there is one Imaemangyang who inherited Great Strength King's bloodline, and that…"
"Is that Red Boy?"
"Yes."
This is written in one of the ancient books, the Unbroken Summary[3].
Near the Flame Mountain, in Mount Cuiyun, there is a spirit beast called the Iron Fan Immortal, and the Imaemangyang born from her passionate union with Great Strength King, turning the surroundings into a wasteland, is none other than Red Boy.
This Imaemangyang, born in the Flame Mountain which could be called flames all year round, is said to be the very incarnation of fire.
The Heavenly Demon, who had been listening to Yeo Surin's story, interrupted to ask:
"Is he strong?"
"Didn't I just tell you? He even managed to trouble for a moment the Imaemangyang born from a stone where all the energy of heaven and earth converged."
"How strong is that Imaemangyang born from the converged energy of heaven and earth? Is it at a similar level to Great Strength King?"
"Don't you know the legend of Mount Wuzhi on Hainan Island?"
"Mount Wuzhi?"
There is a large mountain on Hainan Island said to be in the shape of five fingers.
The people living there call that mountain Mount Wuzhi (Five Finger Mountain).
The Heavenly Demon knew most of the well-known place names in the Central Plains, having wandered around to avenge his grandfather.
However, knowing the place names doesn't necessarily mean knowing the legends related to those regions.
"What's the legend of Mount Wuzhi?"
"The people living on Mount Wuzhi believe that mountain is the hand of the Tathagata."
"Tathagata? Shakyamuni Buddha?"
"Yes."
Shakyamuni Buddha is the founder of Buddhism and the Buddha himself.
Although there are many venerable ones and tathagatas in Buddhism, Shakyamuni Buddha was the first and pioneer.
"Why do they believe it's Shakyamuni Buddha's hand?"
"In the local legend of Mount Wuzhi, it's said that an Imaemangyang born from the convergence of heaven and earth's energy was trapped under that mountain."
"Although it's not known exactly what that Imaemangyang was called, ancient books referred to it as the Stone Monkey or the Railing Monkey King[4]."
"Railing Monkey King…? Was it sealed in Mount Wuzhi?"
"Yes. That Railing Monkey King was born in a stone where heaven and earth's energy converged and was so strong that it was called a calamity even the heavens feared at the time. Everywhere it moved brought destruction, so all the immortals who couldn't bear to watch tried everything to seal that Imaemangyang but couldn't do anything about it."
"Then why is Shakyamuni Buddha related to the legend of Mount Wuzhi?"
"When the immortals couldn't do anything with their own power, they asked for help from Buddha Shakyamuni, who was known to have understood all the principles. That's why in the legend, it's said that Shakyamuni Buddha descended as a spirit god, breaking the natural order, and sealed that Imaemangyang."
As she said this, she made a gesture of pressing down on the ground with her palm.
It seemed she was indicating that Mount Wuzhi was in that shape.
"So that's Mount Wuzhi."
"That's right. Ancient books say that Imaemangyang had such invincible strength that it was called the worst and strongest among the Imaemangyang that had existed since the time of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. There are even stories that say even Great Strength King was no match for it."
"So you're saying this Red Boy, who is said to be of Great Strength King's bloodline, is strong enough to have troubled even that Railing Monkey King?"
At the Heavenly Demon's question, Yeo Surin nodded worriedly.
"If the ancient books are correct."
"So it's not just comparable to the Six Demons, but could be even beyond that."
"That's what worries me."
Even without Great Strength King, said to have the greatest strength among the Six Demons, the other Six Demons were great calamities that could cause the downfall of a country.
She too remembered, having fought against White Phoenix Demon King during the great war between the righteous and unorthodox sects.
It was truly a horrible nightmare.
The only fortunate thing was that there was a greater countermeasure right in front of them.
She had already witnessed his tremendous might with her own eyes.
He surpasses even those Six Demons.
However,
"The danger scale of Imaemangyang can't be simply calculated based on transmitted records. I know how strong you are, Cult Leader, but if this being really is Red Boy, it would be best to be careful."
"I have no intention of being careless."
The opponent was an Imaemangyang with enough intelligence to try to move the Heavenly Demon to get what it wanted.
At that level, regardless of strength, if he was careless, the damage to the surroundings could be great.
Now that he had many precious things, the Heavenly Demon was more wary of them getting hurt than himself.
That's why he wanted to resolve this as quickly as possible, but,
"The problem is the Golden Nine-Tailed Fox."
She had disappeared without a trace a few months ago.
He had forgotten about her, thinking it was good riddance since he was annoyed by her constant advances, but now he couldn't even sense a trace of her demonic power, wondering where on earth she had disappeared to.
So the Heavenly Demon asked, just in case:
"Do you know where the Lava Cave is?"
At this question, Diviner Yeo Surin shook her head.
She too didn't know where the Lava Cave was.
"I don't know. Ancient books mention that it ate humans at Gusonggan[5] in Six Hundred Ri Diamond Head Mountain[6], but…"
"Six Hundred Ri Diamond Head Mountain. Hmm."
It was a mountain he had never heard of before.
The fact that even the Heavenly Demon, who knew almost all place names, had never heard of it meant it must be an ancient name that was no longer known.
At that moment, Cheong-ryeong said:
"Why don't we have Miss Yeo find out what that place name is called now? My husband and I will look for the Golden Nine-Tailed Fox."
"If we find the Golden Nine-Tailed Fox, we might end up breaking Great Strength King's seal as well."
Diviner Yeo Surin was concerned about this.
If they were led around as the opponent wanted, it could lead to the worst outcome.
To this, the Heavenly Demon looked at the cliff wall and said:
"I can't leave Alyu to die."
"…But Cult Leader. That's an Imaemangyang."
"What difference does it make whether it's an Imaemangyang or a human?"
At these words from the Heavenly Demon, Yeo Surin pressed her lips shut.
She understood that he wasn't saying there was no difference between humans and Imaemangyang, but that it belonged to him.
"Sigh. I understand. Then I'll return to the Harmonious Immortal Pavilion to check if my master has returned and find out what the current name of Six Hundred Ri Diamond Head Mountain is. Please take this with you."
Yeo Surin took something out from her bosom.
It was a magical tool that could be worn on a finger.
"This is?"
The Heavenly Demon had received a similar magical tool from Diviner Yeo Surin before as a result of a bet.
It was a magical tool that could create a gateway to cross space.
"You remember the one I gave you before, right? This is one I made following my master's method of creating magical tools. It can only be used once, but in exchange, there's no distance limit."
"No distance limit?"
"Yes, but the destination is predetermined."
"Where is the destination?"
"The headquarters of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. I connected it there when I visited."
At her words, the Heavenly Demon nodded in satisfaction and put the magical tool in his bosom.
No matter how quickly he could fly using the Ability to Travel Through the Void, nothing was as useful as this.
It could save that much time, after all.
"Then I'll head to the Harmonious Immortal Pavilion."
She took out the large brush she was carrying on her back and was about to draw a circle in the air.
At that moment, the Great Commander of the Guards Go Chan, who had been quietly listening to their conversation, hurriedly said:
"Diviner Yeo, please wait a moment. What should I do about my master? I followed Diviner Yeo here somehow, but…"
After listening to their conversation, it seemed this wasn't a problem he could solve by following along and assisting this time.
Rather, it felt like he might become a burden.
At Go Chan's words, the Heavenly Demon shrugged and then asked Yeo Surin:
"Can you take them back to where they were originally?"
"Alright."
After sending Go Chan and Ha Chaerin back to the Flying Killing Sect where they were originally, Diviner Yeo Surin opened another gateway and returned to the Harmonious Immortal Pavilion.
After she left, Cheong-ryeong asked:
"Dear, but how do we find the Golden Nine-Tailed Fox?"
"Well…"
If she had deliberately hidden herself, there was no way to find her.
They couldn't search the entire Central Plains one by one, so they had to think of a method, but suddenly the Heavenly Demon thought of a certain place.
"The Flame Mountain."
"The Flame Mountain? Isn't that the place Miss Yeo mentioned earlier?"
The Flame Mountain[7].
Certainly, it was said that Great Strength King and a spirit beast called the Iron Fan Immortal had a passionate union near there on Mount Cuiyun, and Red Boy was born.
Then there might be a clue there.
Fortunately, there was a place called the Flame Mountain in Xinjiang.
"We should go there first."
If there was a place called Six Hundred Ri Diamond Head Mountain near the Flame Mountain, they might be able to find it with his expanded sense of energy.
Chapter 497.9
Chapter 497.9 – Side Story 3 Part 2
The Flame Mountain (2)
In the southern desert region of Tibet.
In a place full of sand where the view was blurred by heat haze, a golden-haired woman of unparalleled beauty with nine golden tails was glaring at something with a sweat-soaked face.
Around her, about thirty giant spirit soldiers with pure white forms lacking facial features surrounded her.
Of course, if you counted the spirit soldiers lying on the ground, there would be close to a hundred.
However, except for the thirty, none of the spirit soldiers were in their complete form.
"Damn it."
A harsh sound erupted from the mouth of the golden-haired beauty, or rather, the White-Faced King, the Golden Nine-Tailed Fox.
She was genuinely annoyed.
She had been fighting these things for over half a month now, but as soon as she knocked them down, they would return to their original state within half an incense stick's time, resulting in an endless battle.
Two spirit soldiers rushed towards her simultaneously.
In response, light orbs formed on two of her nine tails, which then transformed into beams of light that pierced through the chests and heads of the two spirit soldiers.
Boom! Boom!
As the two spirit soldiers fell, the others rushed in as if they had been waiting.
Seeing this, the Golden Nine-Tailed Fox spun her body and scattered her tail hairs imbued with demonic power towards the spirit soldiers.
-Papapapapapapak!
As if familiar with her attack, the spirit soldiers in the front line raised shields to block this while charging forward, and the other spirit soldiers behind them rotated their spears to create sharp whirlwinds and attacked her.
'Tch.'
The Golden Nine-Tailed Fox hurriedly struck the ground with her palm.
The surrounding sand surged like waves, blocking the whirling spears of the spirit soldiers.
Their spears were no ordinary force; when they collided with the wave-like sand, sparks flew everywhere due to the friction.
Eventually, their spears tried to pierce through the sand.
At this, the Golden Nine-Tailed Fox, thinking this wouldn't do, attempted to manifest her true form.
But then,
-Woooong!
The light that had been coloring her body golden suddenly disappeared, and her demonic power was rapidly depleted.
At this strange phenomenon, she abandoned manifesting her true form and used her nine tails to wrap around the spears thrusting towards her, then slammed them down.
-Kwakwakwakwakwakwakwakwakwang!
The bodies of the spirit soldiers, slammed to the ground multiple times along with their spears, went limp.
However, she couldn't be happy at all about their state.
'This is getting ridiculous.'
This was because she could see other spirit soldiers who had been lying down behind them getting up, completely fine.
The problem was their infinite recovery.
She wanted to turn them to dust and completely annihilate them, but whenever she tried to do something that required a lot of demonic power or tried to change into her true form, her demonic power would be rapidly depleted.
The reason for this was due to this unknown thing imprisoning her.
Walls so transparent that even her Demon Eye couldn't perceive them.
This seemed to be a strange formation created by the general-like figure with a strong build who had appeared before her half a month ago.
He held a huge sword in his right hand and a small pagoda in his left, and as soon as he saw her, he immediately said,
[So you're the Golden Nine-Tailed Fox.]
'What?'
She had disguised herself using transformation techniques and was even concealing her demonic power, but this unknown person who recognized her at once made her feel strongly wary, and she tried to subdue him in one breath.
However, not only did he block her attack, but when he raised his hand holding the pagoda, that small thing suddenly grew larger, then disassembled and trapped her like building walls around her.
And at some point, the walls trapping her became transparent, and these giant spirit soldiers appeared.
'If only my demonic power wasn't being absorbed, I could return to my true form.'
The problem was that she couldn't do that.
She had managed to hold out somehow because she had mastered methods to recover her demonic power on her own, besides through terror and fear, but it was a vicious cycle.
The spirit soldiers were endlessly recovering and didn't tire, while she was gradually becoming exhausted.
She needed to find some way out.
Meanwhile, unseen by her, there were two figures watching this from about thirty jang away.
One was the general-like figure with a strong build who had trapped her here, and the other was someone wrapped in black clothes, their face barely visible.
The general-like figure spoke to the black-clothed being beside him.
"As you can see, she's no ordinary being."
"It seems so."
"She's been fighting with the giant spirit soldiers for over half a month while trapped in the pagoda, and her spirit still hasn't died. I was planning to drag her away after depleting her demonic power to some extent, but it looks like it will take more time."
"Didn't you intervene directly?"
"Do you think I didn't?"
As he said this, the general-like figure showed his left arm.
The armor on his left arm was broken, and his clothes were stained with blood, with even a splint applied.
"My arm was broken after just a few exchanges. I didn't know there was still an Imaemangyang with this level of power left in the mortal world."
"Even in the world before heroes and immortals departed, she was a being who caused as much uproar as that stone monkey. It couldn't be easy."
"Still, she couldn't be as bad as that stone monkey. That was… haa… the worst."
The general-like figure clicked his tongue and shook his head as if he didn't even want to recall it.
To him, the black-clothed being smirked and said:
"Does it still make your teeth chatter?"
"You think only my teeth would chatter? How could I forget the ordeal from back then? Anyway, what's important isn't the past. If we don't retrieve it quickly, an even greater calamity will occur."
"How could I not know? Keep tracking it and somehow subdue that fox inside. She'll be very useful."
***
The Flame Mountain in Xinjiang.
Vast ridges that looked as if they were made of hardened piles of sand stretched out.
This place was called the Flame Mountain because in ancient times, a spark that fell from the sky caused a forest fire that wouldn't extinguish.
The flames that wouldn't go out even when it rained were finally consumed by a sudden gale one day.
After that, the Flame Mountain became a bare mountain where not even a blade of grass would grow.
Not far from this Flame Mountain, there exists a place called Mount Cuiyun[1].
Unlike the Flame Mountain, which was a barren rocky mountain due to the aftermath of the flames, Mount Cuiyun was full of vegetation and animals, and looked as if people could pass through, but in reality, it was rarely visited by humans.
This was due to the strange rumors that there had been Imaemangyang that ate people on Mount Cuiyun since ancient times.
In fact, it was hard to consider these just strange rumors.
This was because countless people who had entered Mount Cuiyun in the past had gone missing.
As a result, Mount Cuiyun became a forbidden mountain where people couldn't enter, and it grew more gloomy and desolate as days passed.
In the deepest part of this Mount Cuiyun.
Deep within that incredibly dark place, there was a cave.
Near the entrance wall of the cave, it was engraved:
Plaintain Leaf Cave
It seemed to be the name given to the cave, and from the darkness where it seemed there wouldn't be a single human presence, boisterous sounds suddenly began to be heard.
It was incredibly noisy, as if a feast was taking place, and as one went further inside, a huge cavern appeared, and within it stood a massive structure reminiscent of a fortress.
Thud thud!
And around it, large green monsters that looked like they were guarding it were walking around here and there, carrying huge wooden clubs.
Inside the structure.
Red curtains were hanging here and there, and pillars were supporting the ceiling, revealing a wide hall.
-Kekekekekeke!
-Kwaaaaaaa!
-Crackle!
Surprisingly, inside were grotesque Imaemangyang, numbering over three hundred individuals.
And each one of them had an extraordinary aura, seeming to be Imaemangyang of considerable rank.
Among the Imaemangyang, there were also those in human form, and they were excitedly chattering about something that seemed to please them greatly.
-Kuhahahahaha. Our young master has returned, what a joyous occasion this is.
-Damn, the days of hiding from human eyes are finally over.
-Once our young master breaks Great Strength King's seal, the era of humans will end, and our world will come again.
-Let's bring humans and brew wine with their fresh blood, and hold a feast for three days and nights!
-Kekekekeke. That's a great idea.
Thud
At the sound that strongly shook the floor, the gazes of the noisily chattering Imaemangyang all turned towards the highest seat in the hall.
On the highest seat sat a beautiful noble lady wearing a green skirt and a lavish purple top.
Despite her appearance that captivated attention and her fairy-like adornments, the woman with somewhat fierce eyes had the spirit of a female warrior.
Strangely, the Imaemangyang who had been so excited and noisy were now watching her carefully.
The woman's voice echoed through the now quiet hall.
-Is this all that have gathered?
At her question, an Imaemangyang in human form with owl-like whiskers and wings, who was below the highest seat's platform, approached, paid his respects, and said:
-Please forgive us, Iron Fan Immortal.
-Forgive? Ha! It's laughable that you find this situation amusing.
-When He was ruling the world, thousands and tens of thousands gathered to follow Him, but how pathetic is this?
The atmosphere became not just solemn, but frigid.
The woman called the Iron Fan Immortal was not satisfied with this situation.
Despite announcing that her beloved child had returned and her husband's revival was not far off, she was rather angry that only this many had gathered.
No matter how much things had changed from the past, where on earth were all those numerous subordinates of His, not gathering?
'They've lost their fear because He was sealed.'
At this point, she thought that when her husband was freed from the seal, he should discipline them.
At that moment, an Imaemangyang in human form with long gray hair and narrow eyes carefully spoke up.
-Iron Fan Immortal. The kindred gathered here are all those in Xinjiang.
-So you're saying no one outside of Xinjiang responded to my call?
-That's not it.
-If that's not it, what are you trying to say?
-I had never left Xinjiang before, so I didn't know, but I recently visited Qinghai Province and found that our kindred have almost disappeared.
-Our kindred have almost disappeared?
-Yes. So I inquired about it, and it seems there was a great war near the southern part of the Central Plains a year ago. It's said that many of our kindred were annihilated then.
-…Are you talking about when He briefly awakened?
-It seems so.
-How massive a war could it have been for so many of our kindred to be annihilated in a battle with mere humans?
-I don't know the details. What's certain is that He, who had just been freed from the seal, participated in that war, and as you know, the White-Faced King…
-Kwaaaang!
-That damn fox bitch!
With a shrill voice, at just one gesture from her, a large hole appeared in the floor of the hall.
She too knew this from what she had heard from that child.
That fox bitch had turned her husband into a Killing Stone.
She could never forgive this.
-When my Red Child awakens Him and brings Him back, I will personally peel off that fox bitch's flesh bit by bit and gnaw even her bones.
She was firmly determined for that day.
But it was at that moment.
-Crackle!
The pillars supporting the hall shook, and from above, dust fell along with cracks forming in the ceiling, and stone fragments rained down.
At this, the Imaemangyang looked at her with eyes full of fear.
'!?'
One of the Iron Fan Immortal's eyebrows raised.
Although she had expressed great anger, she hadn't released any demonic power just now.
So what on earth was happening?
At that moment,
-Papapapapapak!
An Imaemangyang in the form of a horned wolf walking on all fours rushed into the hall and hurriedly reported to her.
-Iron Fan Immortal! Right now, an unidentified human has appeared outside the Banana Leaf Cave and is indiscriminately killing our kindred.
-What? Have humans brought an army?
-N-no. There's only one human.
-One?
What nonsense is this now?
Is he saying that just one human has appeared, entered Mount Cuiyun, and is causing havoc?
Even if the kindred outside were somewhat inferior in rank, they weren't weak enough to be defeated by a mere human.
Could it be that not an ordinary human, but an ancient immortal has appeared?
No. That can't be.
The immortals left the world long ago and should no longer be able to intervene in mortal affairs.
It was at that moment.
-Kwaaaang!
With a huge boom from the entrance of the hall, one of the large green monsters flew in and was embedded into the floor.
At this sight, the wolf-formed Imaemangyang muttered with a bewildered expression.
-…Huh? He's already come this far?
It was too fast, even for being fast.
There were dozens of green monsters guarding just the entrance of the Banana Leaf Cave.
-Thud thud!
Then, they saw someone walking in from the entrance.
It was a beautiful human with an extraordinary aura.
A huge bear-formed Imaemangyang at the entrance, with power reaching that of a demonic beast, roared and charged towards that being.
-Kwoooooor! How dare a mere human enter here so brazenly!
-Kukukukukukung!
But at that very moment.
The being walking forward casually waved his hand to the side as if annoyed.
Then, surprisingly, the charging bear-formed Imaemangyang, as if it had hit something invisible,
-Pang! Kwaaang!
Was flung sideways and smashed into the hall wall.
'!'
At this sight, silence fell over the hall for a moment.
What on earth just happened?
As they were surprised, the beautiful human who had sent the demonic beast-level Imaemangyang flying with just a wave of his hand spoke in a dry voice.
"Who is Red Boy?"
The beautiful human was none other than the Heavenly Demon.
Chapter 497.10
Chapter 497.10 – Side Story 3 Part 3
The Flame Mountain (3)
The Heavenly Demon suddenly appeared in the great hall of the Plantain Leaf Cave.
For a moment, silence fell due to his incomprehensible strength that was hard to believe was human.
However, it didn't last long.
"Who is Red Boy?"
Boom
As soon as that question ended, the Iron Fan Immortal, who had been sitting on the stone throne at the highest seat, stood up abruptly and shouted.
-Who are you?
She had already been wary of the Heavenly Demon who appeared suddenly.
But when the first words out of his mouth were asking about her child, she began to suspect he might be an immortal.
"I asked first."
Still in a dry voice.
But the content was so arrogant that the Iron Fan Immortal felt anger surging up in an instant.
At this, she gave an order.
-Make that insolent fool kneel before me immediately.
As soon as her order fell, the hall that had been filled with silence became noisy with roars.
-Kwoooooor!
-Crackle!
-Kwaaaaaaa!
The Imaemangyang who roared as if to raise their morale all charged towards the Heavenly Demon at once, exuding sharp claws and energy imbued with demonic power.
Each was a huge demonic beast over 10 chi (尺) tall, and their momentum was so fierce that ordinary people would be frozen in fear or wet themselves, but the Heavenly Demon's expression remained utterly calm.
-Kukukukukukung!
The Heavenly Demon, watching them charge fiercely, slightly lifted his foot and then stepped down towards the ground.
At that moment, a wave-like ripple spread out from where he stepped.
What happened next was astonishing.
The Imaemangyang who had been charging up to close range suddenly stopped as if they had hit something.
'What?'
But that wasn't the end of it.
The stopped Imaemangyang started convulsing on the spot, then foamed at the mouth and collapsed.
Thud thud! Thud!
Seeing dozens of Imaemangyang of at least demonic beast rank or higher fall without being able to do anything, the Iron Fan Immortal who was watching this felt her eye corners tremble.
What on earth did he do?
Why did they collapse like that when he didn't do anything?
As she wondered,
-You seem to have learned some strange technique. But such things don't work on me.
At that moment, a huge Imaemangyang with the face of a hippopotamus about twenty jang tall and four arms leaped over the fallen Imaemangyang towards the Heavenly Demon, swinging the spiked clubs in all its hands simultaneously.
Its momentum was so fierce that the sound of air being torn could be heard along with pressure waves that shook the surroundings.
However,
-Swish!
As the Heavenly Demon casually waved his hand,
-Waaagh!
The body of the hippopotamus-headed Imaemangyang shot upwards and pierced through the ceiling of the great hall.
-Kwakwakwakwang!
The Imaemangyang, with its upper body stuck, kicked its legs a few times before going limp.
'How can this be?'
'What on earth did he do?'
At this sight, the other Imaemangyang of demonic beast rank who were about to charge at the Heavenly Demon stopped and hesitated.
At that moment, an Imaemangyang in human form with owl-like whiskers and wings stepped forward and spoke.
-You're no ordinary human. It's been a long time since the ancient immortals that someone could handle our kindred so easily with just overwhelming energy.
Shing!
With those words, the owl-whiskered Imaemangyang folded its wings and drew a large hunting knife from its waist.
As he stepped forward, the Imaemangyang cheered with raised morale.
-Waaaaaaaa!
–Lord Hyochi[1] has stepped forward.
-To think we'd get to see one of the Iron Fan Immortal's Three Heroes take action!
Spirit Beast Hyochi.
There are ranks even among Imaemangyang.
Starting from the lowest Fierce Beast, there are Monstrous Beast, Demonic Beast, and Diabolic Beast.
And though few in number, there are Spirit Beasts whose power is said to be a disaster itself.
Spirit Beast Hyochi was an owl Imaemangyang that had lived for over thousands of years.
It was a being on a completely different level from ordinary Imaemangyang.
The corners of the Iron Fan Immortal's mouth rose at the tremendous demonic power rising from Hyochi's body.
'It's been a while since I'll get to see Hyochi's Demonic Blade Technique[2]. I don't know what he is, but the Three Heroes have faced even the ancient immortals.'
Though not reaching the Six Demons who are said to be infinitely close to divine beasts, the power of upper-ranked Spirit Beasts among Imaemangyang is enough to blow away an entire mountain.
Now that Spirit Beast Hyochi has stepped forward, even that guy will have to be tense.
-Thud thud!
The Heavenly Demon, watching Spirit Beast Hyochi approach, opened his mouth.
"If you're in human form, we should be able to communicate at least."
-Do you think communication is possible after what you've done?
Then let this be a warning.
-Warning? Ha!
"Even if you're Imaemangyang, to me, there's no difference in weight between you and humans or animals. So if you don't want unnecessary sacrifices, just hand over Red Boy."
-Papapapak!
It was at that moment.
As soon as the Heavenly Demon's words ended, another Imaemangyang in human form near the stone throne leaped over twenty jang in one step and shouted.
-How dare an arrogant human demand we hand someone over? I'll make you pay for casually mentioning our young master's name!
-Ooh! Lord Hwanghae has also stepped forward! That guy has dug his own grave.
Spirit Beast Hwanghae[3].
It had layered large eyes and a split jaw in the hideous form of pincers.
Born in a swamp where millions of locusts died, it was one of the Iron Fan Immortal's Three Heroes and an Imaemangyang known as second only to Great Strength King in pure strength, with tremendous kicking power.
Of course, the difference was quite large, but it was said to be able to split a small flowing river in an instant with just one kick.
-Gooooooo!
Two Spirit Beasts approaching while exuding suffocating demonic power.
Despite their tremendous pressure, the Heavenly Demon, still showing no change in expression, opened his mouth.
"That previous offer was quite merciful."
-What are you babb…
Snap!
Kugh!
'!?'
Spirit Beast Hwanghae's layered eyes trembled.
This was because the Heavenly Demon, who had been about fifteen steps away until just now, had suddenly approached and was gripping its neck.
'This bastard!'
-Bulge!
After a moment of surprise, Spirit Beast Hwanghae's thigh muscles swelled greatly in anger.
The power bursting from its thighs and calves, which had thickened like tree trunks, was enough to split a river, and it flew towards the Heavenly Demon's head.
-Paaaang!
-Kwakwakwakwakwakwang!
The moment the kick connected, the ground on the opposite side of where the head was was destroyed in a fan shape due to the force of the impact.
Naturally, they thought his head would have been blown away, but,
'This crazy…'
His calf was caught in the Heavenly Demon's left hand.
The gripping strength was so strong that his hand was digging into the calf that he prided as being harder than steel.
-Crunch!
-Kuuugh!
The Heavenly Demon spoke indifferently to him as he writhed in pain.
"I didn't bring my wife here. Do you know what that means?"
-Kuuu. What on earth are you…
"It means I don't care if this place is dyed entirely in blood."
-Flinch!
For a moment, Spirit Beast Hwanghae felt chills all over his body at the tremendous killing intent flowing from the Heavenly Demon's voice.
Is this really killing intent that can be felt from a human?
But at that very moment,
-Let go of that hand!
-Swoosh!
Spirit Beast Hyochi, appearing from the right side, swung his large hunting knife to cut off the Heavenly Demon's right arm that was gripping Spirit Beast Hwanghae's neck.
However, before that could happen,
The Heavenly Demon twisted Spirit Beast Hwanghae's body to the right, and,
-Chop!
-Kaaak!
The hunting knife ended up digging into Spirit Beast Hwanghae's shoulder instead.
'Oh no!'
Spirit Beast Hyochi hurriedly tried to control his demonic power and pull the hunting knife out of Spirit Beast Hwanghae's shoulder, but before he could do so, something struck his face.
-Paaaang! Kwang!
This caused Spirit Beast Hyochi's body to be flung backwards.
The force was so strong that Spirit Beast Hyochi rolled over twenty jang, smashing the floor, and couldn't stop.
-Kuuugh!
-Hup!
What stopped him was the narrow-eyed, long gray-haired Imaemangyang in human form who was near the stone throne.
The gray-haired Imaemangyang who stepped forward to prevent him from flying to the throne caught Spirit Beast Hyochi's body, but,
-Pak! Swish!
He was pushed back, splitting the floor due to the force of the impact.
"Quite sturdy."
The Heavenly Demon threw down something he was holding onto the floor.
Thud chop!
-Kukakakakak!
Green blood splattered.
The thing that had hit Spirit Beast Hyochi's face was none other than Spirit Beast Hwanghae's torn-off thigh.
Spirit Beast Hwanghae, whose thigh had been torn off, screamed unable to bear the pain.
-Kukakakakak!
"Noisy."
-Kaaaa! You bastaaaaard!
Spirit Beast Hwanghae finally tried to manifest his true form in anger.
Just as his body was about to be dyed in green light,
-Crunch!
The Heavenly Demon casually tore off his neck.
The Imaemangyang watching this were left speechless at what happened in an instant.
The head of Spirit Beast Hwanghae, who met his death with his neck torn off in human form without even being able to manifest his true form.
That head was in the Heavenly Demon's palm.
'How… How could Lord Hwanghae fall so easily?'
'…Is this guy really human?'
The humans they knew were beings with clear limitations.
But to easily kill a Spirit Beast, considered the highest rank even among Imaemangyang, this completely transcended the category of humans.
No, could he really be an ancient immortal?
-Crack!
At that moment, the sound of something breaking was heard.
The gazes of the Imaemangyang all turned towards that place.
-Tremble!
They saw the Iron Fan Immortal trembling while gripping the broken armrest of the stone throne.
With a reddened face and heat emanating even from her eyes, she stood up from her seat.
'How dare he!'
Who would have thought that one of her Three Heroes, who were like her limbs and among the few who survived the war with the ancient immortals, would die so easily?
Seeing her angry appearance, the faces of the nearby Imaemangyang turned pale.
Though called the Iron Fan Immortal, her true name was Rakshasi or Nachalyeo[4], a Great Spirit Beast[5] comparable to those with the title of Six Demons.
After the Great Strength King was sealed, she had quietly gone into seclusion, but if she moved, she too was an Imaemangyang that could be called a great calamity for the Central Plains.
It would be difficult to handle if someone like her became angry.
-Iron Fan Immortal, p-please calm down!
The narrow-eyed, long gray-haired Imaemangyang in human form tried to stop her.
This was because if she lost her reason and went berserk in anger, even the surrounding Imaemangyang could be swept up and endangered.
-Are you telling me to calm down now…
It was at that moment.
A blurry shadow deepened, and suddenly the Heavenly Demon had approached in front of her.
-You bastard
The Iron Fan Immortal, who had been barely suppressing her anger knowing better than anyone the repercussions her fury would cause, finally couldn't hold back and reached out her heated hand towards the Heavenly Demon.
However, before that hand could reach him, her wrist was caught by the Heavenly Demon.
'!'
The Iron Fan Immortal's eyes trembled.
The heat emanating from her in her anger was comparable to the heat of lava.
-Chiiiiik!
In fact, the heat coming from her hand was rapidly heating up the surroundings.
Yet this man before her was grasping it without any problem.
The only ones capable of such a feat were her husband Great Strength King and her child Red Boy.