Chapter 56 – Mad Demonic King (6)

“Tell the second and third units to pin down the Mad Demonic King. Have the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth units, who should be nearby, surround the area. The ninth and tenth units are to intercept the Mad Demonic King if he somehow manages to break through, though it’s unlikely.”

“Yes, sir!”

The warrior quickly nodded and moved swiftly to relay the orders. A smile, reminiscent of a predator chasing its prey, formed on Cheong Song-ja’s lips. He soon shouted to the subordinates gathered in perfect order behind him.

“Let us capture this heinous demon and show everyone the spirit of the Righteous Path!”

As if in response to his cry, a unified roar erupted.

“Uwaaaaaah!”

Cheong Song-ja nodded in satisfaction at the warriors’ shouts. He then led the warriors of the first unit forward.

But who was the hunter and who was the prey would only be revealed by the outcome.

* * *

Yu-jin left the Diancang Sect with Na Ye-jin again. He had accepted their offer to join the Skynet Formation.

It was more convenient to belong to the Skynet Formation to chase the Mad Demonic King. Currently, Na Ye-jin and Yu-jin were assigned to the tenth unit.

However, given their status, they were free to act independently at any time.

“Yu-jin, they say they’ve found the Mad Demonic King.”

“Let’s go quickly.”

At Na Ye-jin’s words, Yu-jin moved swiftly. Na Ye-jin followed suit. They knew the warriors here couldn’t capture the Mad Demonic King, so they had to move fast.

Arriving at the scene after moving so quickly, Yu-jin and Na Ye-jin witnessed what could only be described as a massacre.

“Kuaaaack!”

Black demonic energy formed dozens of whips, instantly piercing through scores of warriors. Among them were masters capable of deploying sword barriers, but the whips tore through them with ease, claiming the warriors’ lives.

Then, something astonishing happened. The bodies of the warriors struck by the whips were charred black before turning into a handful of ash and vanishing.

Startled, Yu-jin looked at the other bodies, only to find they too had disappeared without a trace. Witnessing the scene, Yu-jin’s face contorted into a deep frown.

“Damn that Heavenly Demon!”

As if he were the god of death himself, the Heavenly Demon was one who brought death to all living things. And now, the Mad Demonic King was showing a similar side.

Having completely absorbed the Heavenly Demon’s energy, he had become a being that could be called a veritable clone of the Heavenly Demon.

“Please, let this work!”

One warrior poured all his internal energy into his sword, unleashing a wave of sword energy, but the black whip easily destroyed both the energy and the sword before striking the warrior’s body.

“Kuaaaack!”

The warrior fell with a desperate scream. And just like the other bodies, he too turned into a handful of ash and vanished completely.

However, three warriors seized the opening created before the whip could be withdrawn and thrust their swords at the Mad Demonic King.

“Grrrrr!”

The Mad Demonic King roared like a wild beast and swung his hand. A massive explosion followed, shattering the warriors’ swords, and they too turned to ash and disappeared.

The Mad Demonic King walked into the center of the formation the warriors had created and began his slaughter. Every time he swung his hand, numerous bodies exploded, and every time the whip lashed out, people turned to ash and vanished.

The warriors of the second and third units, who were supposed to pin down the Mad Demonic King, had lost their lives.

“Kuaaaaaang!”

But the Mad Demonic King’s massacre did not end there. He charged at the warriors from other units who had come to aid the second and third.

What unfolded next was a slaughter no different from before. The warriors were too weak to withstand the Mad Demonic King’s overwhelming demonic power. Unable to watch any longer, Yu-jin prepared to step in with Ye-jin.

“I will not allow any more killing!”

Just then, Cheong Song-ja and the disciples of the Diancang Sect came into Yu-jin’s view. Undaunted by the Mad Demonic King’s overwhelming might, Cheong Song-ja shouted loudly and swung his sword.

*Chwaaaak!*

Cheong Song-ja’s sword moved so fast that an ordinary warrior couldn’t even perceive it. Having mastered the Four Suns Sword Art to near perfection, his blade was truly swift.

Not only was it fast, but he was also wielding sword aura, and unlike the other warriors, he was clearly cutting through the Mad Demonic King’s demonic energy.

“Grrrrrr!”

The Mad Demonic King, displeased, unleashed even more whips, but Cheong Song-ja continued to slash through the black tendrils of demonic energy sent by the demonic being.

‘Keuk!’

But the more he cut through the demon’s attacks, the darker Cheong Song-ja’s expression became.

The demonic whips had multiplied to a countless number, and with each slash, lethal demonic energy seeped into his body, causing him agony. Moreover, his famed sword was corroding every time it cut through the energy.

*Kwaaaang!*

In the end, unable to withstand the demonic energy, Cheong Song-ja’s sword shattered, and its fragments struck his body.

“Kuaaaack!”

Cheong Song-ja fell with a desperate scream. The Mad Demonic King sent the whips out again to finish him off. But Yu-jin, unable to watch anyone else die, unleashed the palm force of the Black Heaven Divine Palm.

The last time, the Mad Demonic King had been knocked out cold by this palm force, and Yu-jin believed it would be the same this time. But the Mad Demonic King of now was not the same as before.

*Shwiiiik!*

Dozens of strands of darkness began to coalesce, forming a shield around the Mad Demonic King that blocked Yu-jin’s ink-black palm force. The way he wielded demonic energy was just like watching the Heavenly Demon himself.

Just then, Na Ye-jin swung the Sword of Moonlight. A pure white light struck the jet-black darkness. The intense light caused the darkness to waver, revealing what was inside.

Na Ye-jin swung her sword once more, sending a beam of moonlight toward the Mad Demonic King. Seeing her, the onlookers gasped and turned their eyes to the Mad Demonic King.

*Kwaaaang!*

“Grrrrrr!”

“Ah!”

The crowd cried out in despair. The Mad Demonic King had protected his hand with demonic energy and caught the moonlight beam Na Ye-jin had fired, crushing it.

Watching this, Yu-jin clearly realized that the Mad Demonic King had grown even stronger than before, and he drew his sword.

It was not the Ink Dragon Sword, but one given to him by his clan. He wanted to use the Profound Heaven Ink Phosphorus Sword, but doing so would cause the Golden Wheel Heavenly Vigor and the Absorption Arts he was currently suppressing to run rampant, and his body would instantly explode on the spot.

“Ye-jin, rescue Elder Cheong Song-ja. I’ll handle this one.”

“Understood. Yu-jin, please be careful.”

Even though Yu-jin had embraced both Jo Hye-jin and Lee Hwi-yeon, he knew it was only a temporary measure. The Yin-Yang Lust Arts were not truly a power meant for suppression.

Na Ye-jin didn’t know the details, but she knew something was wrong with Yu-jin, so she spoke while looking at him with worried eyes.

“Don’t worry. Here I go!”

Yu-jin swung his sword, and ten small meteors formed in the sky. Boasting power greater than sword aura and comparable to Sword Control, the Vigor Orbs manifested at his command.

“Get back!”

Instinctively sensing the danger in Yu-jin’s words, the warriors hastily moved away from the Mad Demonic King.

Confirming that there was no one else around, Yu-jin quickly swung his sword down. The ten Vigor Orbs streaked through the air, leaving long tails as they fell toward the Mad Demonic King, who was protecting himself with demonic energy.

*Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwang!*

A massive explosion erupted, tearing up the ground and snapping trees. The sheer power of the attack left the watching warriors speechless.

And they were certain. Faced with such a tremendous attack, the Mad Demonic King could not possibly be unscathed.

But reality betrayed their expectations. The Mad Demonic King emerged from the demonic energy, completely unharmed.

‘That bastard… he’s evolving as time passes.’

The attack Yu-jin had just launched was stronger than Na Ye-jin’s Sword of Moonlight. But unlike before, when he had shown a weakness against the Sword of Moonlight, he had now blocked it completely.

“Then how about this.”

Yu-jin released the power he had been suppressing. A brilliant golden light erupted from his entire body, soon transforming into one hundred and eight golden wheels that adorned the sky.

At the magnificent sight, all the watching warriors were left speechless.

However, despite presenting such a spectacle, Yu-jin’s face was contorted in agony.

If he were to use the Profound Heaven Ink Phosphorus Sword in his current state, he would die instantly.

Instead, by carefully using the Golden Wheel Heavenly Vigor, there was no risk of him exploding on the spot. Of course, if he lost control even for a moment, he would still lose his life instantly.

‘Damn it… I unleashed it because it’s the strongest art after the Profound Heaven Ink Phosphorus Sword, but the pain is immense.’

Yu-jin gritted his teeth, endured the pain, and continued to channel the Golden Wheel Heavenly Vigor.

The one hundred and eight golden wheels began to spin, soon transforming one by one into spears that flew toward the Mad Demonic King.

The Mad Demonic King also sensed that this attack was no ordinary one. He drew upon all his demonic energy, spreading it out to block Yu-jin’s assault.

*Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwang!*

Golden spears adorning the sky. A curtain of darkness consuming the heavens. Two attacks, polar opposites, clashed in mid-air.

The two energies collided relentlessly, each trying to push the other back. And with every clash, Yu-jin felt a pain as if his entire body were shattering.

‘I was too hasty. If only I had mastered the Primordial Chaos Divine Arts…’

Was it a mistake to come after the Mad Demonic King first? Or was it a mistake to suggest deploying the Skynet Formation, which ended up shackling him due to the number of warriors present?

If only he had accepted the sacrifices and mastered the Primordial Chaos Divine Arts first before trying to capture the Mad Demonic King…

But there was no point in regretting the past.

‘Since it’s come to this, I will definitely take you down.’

Prepared to die, Yu-jin unleashed the Absorption Arts, the other power he had been suppressing along with the Golden Wheel Heavenly Vigor. Of course, he didn’t forget to control it meticulously.

“Keo-heo-heok!”

Yu-jin involuntarily coughed up dark red blood. But even as he felt his consciousness fading, he focused intently on controlling the Golden Wheel Heavenly Vigor.

And in that state, Yu-jin executed the Repulsion Art of the Absorption Arts. The very technique that repels all attacks.

“Grrrrrrrr.”

Though the Mad Demonic King had completely lost his reason, he couldn’t hide his bewilderment as he saw his attack being completely pushed back.

He had been blocking Yu-jin’s attack with one of equal power, but suddenly the darkness was being pushed back with absurd ease.

And in the place of the retreating darkness, a brilliant golden light filled the void. The golden light engulfed the Mad Demonic King.

*Kwaaaaaaaaaang!*

An explosion of incomparable scale erupted. It was a tremendous attack, so powerful it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say it destroyed everything on the surface of the land.

The Mad Demonic King’s body, struck by the attack, was completely shattered, leaving him unable to move.

He tried to regenerate with his demonic energy, but with none left in his body, regeneration was impossible.