Chapter 86

“Keuk!”

“Heok!”

Many martial artists staggered from Daoist Master Mujeong’s lion’s roar.

The lion’s roar had burst their eardrums.

Blood trickled from their ears and down their cheeks. The number of martial artists bleeding like this was in the hundreds.

Normally, Daoist Master Mujeong would not have unleashed a lion’s roar so ruthlessly. No matter how arrogant he was, or how he tended to look down on everything around him, he was still an Elder of the prestigious Qingcheng Sect.

But now, Daoist Master Mujeong was clearly not in a normal state.

Ghost Fire flickered in his eyes, and an ominous aura emanated from him.

It was an alien sight that sent shivers down one’s spine just by looking.

Even the Qingcheng Seven Swords looked surprised at this different side of Daoist Master Mujeong.

Pyo Wol narrowed his eyes and stared at Daoist Master Mujeong.

The chest that Elder Nun Guhwa had struck was still deeply caved in. No matter how great one’s Martial Arts were, it was impossible to move in such a state.

That was common sense. But Daoist Master Mujeong was defying everyone’s common sense.

“What?”

“How can Daoist Master Mujeong’s aura be so sinister?”

An aura so turbid and ominous was felt, it was hard to believe it was being emitted by an Elder of the Qingcheng Sect, a prestigious sect of the Orthodox Faction.

For some time now, Daoist Master Mujeong had felt his personality changing.

He, who had been colder and more rational than anyone, had become hot-tempered. He couldn’t control his anger at even the slightest displeasure.

This change had occurred after he read a book he had accidentally found in an underground cavern seven years ago.

Nine Demon Style.

It was one of the thirteen branches of the Demonic Cult that had once plunged the Jianghu into terror.

The book he had obtained contained the insights of the Nine Demon Style.

Reading it out of curiosity had planted the seed of an Inner Demon in him.

As time passed, the seed of the Inner Demon blossomed, and by the time Daoist Master Mujeong realized it, it was already too late.

The only way to escape the curse of the Nine Demon Style was to cripple his own Martial Arts. But it was not an easy thing to abandon the Martial Arts he had painstakingly trained for decades.

Moreover, Daoist Master Mujeong held the reputation of being the top Expert of the Qingcheng Sect. He didn’t have the confidence to abandon such a reputation by crippling his own Martial Arts.

He slowly fell deeper into the Nine Demon Style.

For him, who had only ever learned the Martial Arts of the Orthodox Faction, the Martial Arts of the Nine Demon Style opened up a new world.

Perhaps because he was purer, he was more easily tainted by the Demonic art.

Elder Nun Guhwa’s attack had left Daoist Master Mujeong on the verge of death. With his control gone, the Internal Energy of the Nine Demon Style, which he had suppressed until now, began to activate.

The Internal Energy of the Nine Demon Style was a Demonic art that followed a different path from the Martial Arts of the Orthodox Faction.

It was thanks to the Internal Energy of the Nine Demon Style that Daoist Master Mujeong could move with his chest caved in.

A black qi, looking sinister just by sight, was swirling around Daoist Master Mujeong.

“Don’t tell me Daoist Master Mujeong has learned a Demonic art?”

“How can an Elder of the Qingcheng Sect learn a Demonic art?”

The heroes murmured with horrified expressions.

Although they were inferior to Daoist Master Mujeong, they too were people of the Jianghu who had been through thick and thin. They had the eye to recognize a Demonic art.

As the situation unfolded, the most bewildered were the Qingcheng Seven Swords.

“Master, please calm…”

“Stop, Master!”

They pleaded with Daoist Master Mujeong to stop his actions. But Daoist Master Mujeong did not even turn his head and walked straight toward Pyo Wol.

Pyo Wol thought that the aura Daoist Master Mujeong was emitting was somehow similar to his own.

Perhaps it was because of the connection of the snake.

Pyo Wol had fallen into a snake pit and naturally adopted the habits of snakes, while the Nine Demon Style had gathered snakes to research Demonic art.

The Demonic qi of the Nine Demon Style had invaded Daoist Master Mujeong’s brain and stolen his reason. Now, Daoist Master Mujeong’s eyes could only see Pyo Wol.

He picked up a sword rolling on the ground.

“I’ll… kill… you.”

Phat!

Daoist Master Mujeong kicked off the ground.

His figure seemed to stretch out like taffy, and in an instant, he was in front of Pyo Wol.

Shwaak!

Daoist Master Mujeong’s sword slashed at Pyo Wol with a stormy force.

Pyo Wol executed the Serpentine Steps and retreated. Daoist Master Mujeong chased after him.

One retreating, one charging forward.

The difference in their speeds was clear.

Daoist Master Mujeong was much faster. Yet, he could not catch up to Pyo Wol.

It was because of the Serpentine Steps that slithered away like a snake.

Sshhh!

Pyo Wol spread his hands wide. The Ghostly Rain attached to the Soul Restraining Thread shot out, aiming for Daoist Master Mujeong’s neck.

But Daoist Master Mujeong was by no means an easy opponent.

He deflected the Ghostly Rain with a light swing of his sword.

Though consumed by madness, Daoist Master Mujeong’s movements were much faster and more flawless than when he was normal.

Perhaps it was because he had already experienced the Ghostly Rain and Soul Restraining Thread once before.

Daoist Master Mujeong unleashed the Sword Art of the Qingcheng Sect and attacked Pyo Wol. In response, Pyo Wol brandished the Ghostly Rain.

Kiiing!

The Ghostly Rain, attached to the Soul Restraining Thread, attacked Daoist Master Mujeong like two dragons swimming through the sky.

Kakakakang!

Daoist Master Mujeong’s sword and the Ghostly Rain clashed countless times.

People could not dare to take their eyes off the back-and-forth battle.

“Is that really the Martial prowess of a mere Assassin?”

“An Assassin is as strong as the best Swordsman of Qingcheng.”

The heroes were at a loss for words at Pyo Wol’s formidable Martial prowess.

Pyo Wol thought that this very moment was a turning point.

It had only been a few years since he established the Hungry Ghost Path.

He had created the Hungry Ghost Path by mixing the enlightenment he gained from living with snakes and various other miscellaneous Martial Arts, but he did not know its true limits.

The Hungry Ghost Path was not yet a complete martial art.

It was a martial art that had just reached the starting line.

He needed to find out the limits of what he could do with such a martial art against the top expert of the Qingcheng Sect.

That was why Pyo Wol was clashing head-on with Daoist Master Mujeong.

It was a challenge to his limits.

A fight to gauge the limits of his own existence, to leap over the boundaries that blocked him, and to move further forward.

The fight with Daoist Master Mujeong held that meaning for Pyo Wol.

He had already clashed head-on with Daoist Master Mujeong dozens of times.

Only then could Pyo Wol be certain.

‘My fourteen years were by no means in vain.’

He had spent half his life in deep darkness. By investing that long time, Pyo Wol was reborn.

He would never go back to those miserable days again.

The red glint in Pyo Wol’s eyes deepened.

Daoist Master Mujeong, under the influence of the Nine Demon Style, had become stronger and more difficult to deal with. In that case, the way he responded also had to change.

Pyo Wol’s thinking speed accelerated.

He had entered the world of Heart Speed.

In that state, he unleashed Black Lightning.

The qi of the area seemed to fluctuate, and Pyo Wol’s figure disappeared as if sucked into a single point.

“Not a chance.”

Daoist Master Mujeong swung his sword to the left.

He had already witnessed Black Lightning. So even in his state of lost reason, he could roughly deduce the direction from the change in qi.

Chwahahak!

The formidable qi of the Nine Demon Style was imbued in his sword.

The black, turbid qi was emitted for more than a Zhang.

“S-Sword Gang?”

“My god!”

The heroes were horrified.

Although it was turbid, what Daoist Master Mujeong had unleashed was clearly Sword Gang.

Among the martial artists of Sichuan Province, Daoist Master Mujeong was the first to display Sword Gang in front of the heroes.

People were horrified and thrilled.

They believed without a doubt that Daoist Master Mujeong would cut down Pyo Wol in a single blow. That was how absolute the power of Sword Gang was.

The problem was what came after.

No one present here dared to handle Daoist Master Mujeong.

If Daoist Master Mujeong, who had fallen into a demonic state and was unleashing Sword Gang, went on a rampage, the damage would clearly snowball.

Even so, people did not think of escaping.

They knew their lives could be in danger if things went wrong. But they were more curious about how the fight between Pyo Wol and Daoist Master Mujeong would conclude.

Martial artists were a breed of people who tended to be reckless enough to risk their lives for even a little curiosity. But this time, it was going too far.

Hwoooong!

Daoist Master Mujeong’s Sword Gang cut through the space where Pyo Wol was expected to appear.

Everything was sliced apart by the formidable power of the Sword Gang.

But Pyo Wol was not there.

It was the moment a look of doubt crossed Daoist Master Mujeong’s face.

Pyo Wol popped out from a completely unexpected place. He had changed the trajectory of Black Lightning.

An unimaginable speed makes many things possible, but conversely, it puts an enormous strain on the body.

For that reason, Pyo Wol too could only unleash Black Lightning in a straight line. But to experts who had reached the level of Daoist Master Mujeong or Elder Nun Guhwa, a linear movement was quickly read.

So Pyo Wol added a curved movement.

He modified it so that the opponent could not predict it at all. In return, an even greater strain was placed on his body. But Pyo Wol believed in his own flesh. And in the end, he endured it.

The reward for the gamble was sweet.

Puk!

A Ghostly Rain lodged deep in Daoist Master Mujeong’s side.

Daoist Master Mujeong’s face contorted in pain.

No matter how much he was dominated by madness, he was not unable to feel pain.

“Hwaaaah!”

Daoist Master Mujeong let out a monstrous scream and swung his sword at Pyo Wol. But Pyo Wol was no longer there.

He had already unleashed Black Lightning and moved to another place.

Just as moving too fast can leave an afterimage, making it seem as if one is not moving, Pyo Wol also left afterimages around Daoist Master Mujeong.

It was as if Pyo Wol had multiplied into several people in an instant.

Pupupuk!

A series of sharp sounds echoed. And a moment later, Pyo Wol’s movements stopped.

He was already watching Daoist Master Mujeong from a distance.

“Ah!”

“H-How?”

Despairing gasps erupted from the mouths of those who saw Daoist Master Mujeong.

A dozen Ghostly Rain daggers were stuck in Daoist Master Mujeong’s vital points all over his body, like a porcupine.

Gurgle!

A sound of choking came from Daoist Master Mujeong’s mouth.

No matter how much explosive power Daoist Master Mujeong had gained from the Nine Demon Style, he could not survive with daggers stuck in a dozen vital points.

The daggers Pyo Wol had planted were fundamentally blocking the Demonic qi of the Nine Demon Style from boosting his life force.

The vitality in Daoist Master Mujeong’s face rapidly faded.

As his vitality disappeared, the madness that had dominated him also subsided.

Daoist Master Mujeong looked at Pyo Wol with a disbelieving expression.

“I, I was defeated by a mere Assassin…”

It was then.

“Mujeong Senior Martial Brother!”

With an aged voice, someone flew toward Daoist Master Mujeong.

It was an old Taoist priest wearing clothes similar to Daoist Master Mujeong’s.

He was Daoist Master Mujeong’s Junior Martial Brother, Daoist Master Muhwa.

Daoist Master Muhwa caught the collapsing Daoist Master Mujeong.

Daoist Master Mujeong’s breathing was on the verge of stopping.

Daoist Master Muhwa looked at Daoist Master Mujeong in his arms with sorrowful eyes.

“Why on earth did you learn a Demonic art?”

Only then were all the questions answered.

Why Daoist Master Mujeong had become so violent.

Daoist Master Mujeong weakly grabbed Daoist Master Muhwa’s hand and said.

“Everything was… for the sake of Qing…cheng.”

Those were Daoist Master Mujeong’s last words.

“Foolish…”

Daoist Master Muhwa could not continue.

Daoist Master Mujeong did not regret his decision until his death. But because of his foolish decision, the Qingcheng Sect was now in great trouble.

The way the heroes looked at the martial artists of the Qingcheng Sect was unusual.

They had all watched Daoist Master Mujeong fall into a demonic state. It was impossible to silence all of their mouths.

With this, the honor of the Qingcheng Sect had fallen to the ground.

It was the same for the Emei Sect.

Elder Nun Guhwa had ambushed Daoist Master Mujeong in front of everyone.

The Sect Master of the prestigious Orthodox Faction’s Emei Sect had committed a cowardly act that only martial artists of the Unorthodox Faction would do.

It was an act for which she could not even make an excuse, even if she were to be criticized.

If she had become the victor by doing so, it would have been a different story, but in the end, she even lost her life to Pyo Wol.

Dealing with the aftermath was the responsibility of the Emei Sect’s martial artists.

The Emei Sect martial artists glared at Pyo Wol as if they wanted to eat him alive. But no one dared to move rashly.

Pyo Wol was an Expert.

And an absurd monster who had single-handedly taken down the top experts of both the Emei Sect and the Qingcheng Sect.

If it were just that, the experts of the Emei Sect and the Qingcheng Sect would have gritted their teeth and charged.

Pyo Wol had killed not only Elder Nun Guhwa and Daoist Master Mujeong but also numerous other martial artists. The mysterious Martial Arts Pyo Wol had shown in the process had instilled great fear in the martial artists.

Pyo Wol was not a pitiful prey caught in a net.

Rather, it was the heroes who were caught in the Celestial Net.

The heroes watched Pyo Wol, unable to even breathe loudly.

Pyo Wol was a supreme powerhouse who dominated the atmosphere of the battlefield.

At least, that was how he appeared in the eyes of the heroes.

Daoist Master Muhwa let out a low sigh.

He had no idea how to handle the situation.

The Qingcheng Sect still had the Qingcheng Seven Swords and the experts of the Enforcement Hall. If he mobilized all of them, he might be able to kill Pyo Wol, but it was clear that they would have to pay a huge price.

As Daoist Master Muhwa was conflicted between revenge and practicality, Yong Seol Lan from the Emei Sect stepped forward.

Yong Seol Lan said to Pyo Wol.

“If Pyo… Great Hero permits, the Emei Sect would like to take our Sect Master’s remains back to Mount Emei.”

Instantly, the martial artists of the Emei Sect protested.

“How can you ask for permission from the one who killed our Sect Master?”

“We must take revenge.”

But Yong Seol Lan’s gaze as she looked at them was cold.

“How? What are you going to do against someone that our Sect Master and Daoist Master Mujeong couldn’t handle even when they attacked together?”

“That is…”

“Now is not the time to demand revenge, but to worry about survival.”

Yong Seol Lan’s voice awakened the Emei Sect to their reality.