Episode 371

Silence descended.

The canyon, which had been ceaselessly shaking, grew still, and the thick cloud of dust settled, revealing its interior.

It was a spectacle created by a single strike.

The earth had burst open and become grotesquely transformed, with crushed corpses scattered throughout.

Those who had been in the center of the formation were unrecognizable.

The ones killed by Jinmu, and those slain by Neung Seo-hyeon and her subordinates as they rushed in to save him.

Within the corpse-filled canyon, the surviving members of the Shadow Swords barely numbered around twenty.

Even they were cowering, nervously darting their eyes, resembling beggars trembling in fear under a bridge after being beaten for three days and nights.

It was no wonder, for Sama Do, who had been like an idol to them, was collapsed at Jinmu’s feet, struggling to cough up blood.

With the fight clearly over, the warriors of the Shadow Swords, having lost their will, dropped their swords one by one and knelt.

What are you guys doing?

Trying to beg for your lives by surrendering?

Jinmu impassively watched their actions before turning his head back towards Sama Do.

“I wanted to ask a few things, but you look like you’re about to die after barely getting hit.”

“…Ugh.”

Unable to even express his anger, Sama Do continued to vomit blood in response to Jinmu, who crouched in front of him, clutching his hair.

“Just tell me one thing before you die.”

“……”

“Who’s your leader? Not that bastard who mastered the Demonic Absorption Arts. There’s someone above him, right?”

Even in this situation, with an endlessly playful tone, Sama Do faintly smiled.

“Do you…think I would tell?”

“Right? I figured. Damn, there’s nothing to gain from beating a guy who’s already dying.”

Jinmu let out a deep sigh, released his hair, and stood up.

Sama Do would die even if left alone.

Not only were his internal injuries severe, but his vomited blood was full of shredded internal organs, leaving no hope for survival.

“It can’t be helped. I’ll have to grab one of those other bastards heading to Third Grotto-heaven and beat the truth out of them.”

“Yes, with your skills, that might be possible.”

“…?”

Like a dying man’s final spark, focus returned to Sama Do’s once blurry eyes.

“But will you be alright now?”

“What?”

“The martial arts you used must be from Wudang.”

“……”

“It seems you haven’t revealed your identity to them yet. They only know you as someone from Central Plains. Now that they’ve seen your martial arts, will they remain silent?”

Sama Do’s words hit the mark.

“Heh, heh, with your Spiritual qi, which is practically the nemesis of Demonic qi, I can’t help but wonder how those prideful followers of the Demonic Cult under your command will react…”

“……”

“They might scatter or attack you. Are you planning to stop the approaching Young Palace Lord? Alone?”

Damn it. I hadn’t thought of that.

Except for Il-hwan, I haven’t revealed my true identity to the warriors of the Grotto-heavens.

By now, everyone must have sensed the Spiritual qi of the Taoist that opposes Demonic qi, and with Sama Do muttering, they surely must have realized he was the Sword of Wudang.

Damn, what should I do?

If they react with resistance, claiming they’ve been deceived in this situation…

“Alliance Leader.”

“……”

As Jinmu fell into deep contemplation without answering, Neung Seo-hyun approached him from the side.

“What should we do with those who surrendered?”

“…What?”

She’s not asking?

With the Spiritual qi cultivated in his body, she was perhaps the quickest to notice Wudang’s martial arts.

“If you command, we will take care of it.”

“Ah, that…hmm.”

Jinmu hesitated for a moment, then sighed and asked.

“Does it not bother you at all?”

“…Pardon?”

“That… Wudang… Evil Conquers…”

“…?”

Neung Seo-hyun chuckled, finding Jinmu’s uncharacteristic stammering amusing.

“Alliance Leader.”

“Huh?”

“I already knew.”

“What?”

“Did you think I wouldn’t recognize the martial arts of Hyeok Ryun Mugang, the Evil Conquers Heaven Lord?”

“…Ah, you knew?”

“It’s obvious. I didn’t ask because you didn’t mention it.”

“……”

“Not just me, the Puppet probably knew as well.”

Damn, everyone knows. Everyone knows.

I thought it was a secret only I kept.

Jinmu, with a face of resignation, asked again.

“Is that so? But is it alright?”

“What could be the problem?”

“……”

“The Alliance Leader is someone who stood tall in the Demonic Cult without anyone’s help. He is truly a person who embodies the law of survival of the strongest more than anyone else.”

“Even so, the Taoist’s…and Demonic qi are opposites…”

“That also is not a problem. There have been several instances in history where outsiders challenged the Demonic Cult’s throne. Both the Puppet, and I, and the warriors of the Demonic Cult have already turned their backs on Cult Leader Bokri and the Mountains of Heaven to pledge loyalty to the Alliance Leader.”

“……”

“Moreover, from Evil Conquers Heaven, the Central Plains’ Justice Murim, to the Demonic Cult… We merely wish to follow in the footsteps of the Alliance Leader as he walks towards the pinnacle of Justice, Evil, and Demon.”

Jinmu, feeling embarrassed by Neung Seohyeon’s respectful bow, awkwardly smiled.

Neung Seohyeon, what a wonderful fellow you are.

I’m sorry for back then.

I tried to dismiss you just because I found it bothersome, not knowing your sincerity.

From now on, you are my loyal subordinate, number ten… Is that right? The order is…

“Alliance Leader.”

“Hm?”

Neung Seohyeon asked Jinmu again, who was counting on his fingers, worried he might have gotten it wrong.

“What should we do with the ones who surrendered?”

“Well, we should kill them.”

The indifferent remark, as if it was nothing to worry about, made the kneeling warriors of the Shadow Swords look up in unison.

“P-please spare us! We have surrendered.”

“……”

A desperate cry burst forth.

Jinmu, who was counting again, turned his head and looked intently at the Shadow Swords warrior who spoke, then walked over slowly.

Grab!

Jinmu, grabbing his collar, smiled coldly.

“This bastard is ridiculously funny. Surrender? Who said we’d accept it?”

“Ah, no, that…”

“What’s the difference between a beast’s dog and a beast?”

“……”

“You knew it too. That commoners you kidnapped, and the innocent children, would become the beast’s food.”

“Th-that…”

“None of you were ever meant to be spared. This place wasn’t a trap, it was your burial ground.”

Jinmu released his grip on the man’s collar as if throwing him away and stood up.

“Kill them. All of them.”

With those two cold phrases uttered as he turned his body, their fate was sealed, and over their stunned expressions, Neung Seo-hyun’s Spectral Shadow Demon Hand loomed heavily.

The first battle of the beast hunt was over.

What remained was the retribution for the beasts that would come seeking their own place to die.

“Hwang Shin!”

“Yes, Heavenly Lord.”

“What about the remaining warriors?”

“They will arrive in a day.”

“One day… Fine. Throw the dead on the path they will come on. We will go to the main fortress of Third Grotto-heaven and join everyone to wait for the enemy.”

“Yes!”

The warriors of the canyon hurried to collect the bodies.

To leave them as a gift and a warning to the enemy…

Caw, caw.

Awooo!

Flocks of crows and hungry wolves, filling the field, let out cries full of wariness towards those who invaded their territory.

The horse at the front stopped, and the old man on horseback, Sang Gwan-pyeong, raised his hand to halt the procession.

“Check it out.”

At the displeased command, the warriors leapt forward as if they had been waiting, causing the flock of crows to soar up into the sky and the pack of wolves to scatter across the field.

Some at the forefront, witnessing the scene obscured by the flock of crows, frowned.

Numerous corpses laid in rows across the field.

It was the Shadow Swords.

The entire Shadow Swords had turned into corpses to greet him.

Someone rummaging through them picked up a corpse and hurriedly ran toward Sang Gwan-pyeong.

As he got closer, his figure became clearer, and Sang Gwan-pyeong’s pupils trembled slightly.

Shadow Sword Sama Do.

The strongest warrior under Second Palace Lord Noh Guk-tae had died.

Just who was it?

Could there have been a force capable of annihilating the Shadow Swords in Third Grotto-heaven?

It would be difficult without the Mountains of Heaven taking action…

Suddenly, Sang Gwan-pyeong had a question.

What happened to Noh Guk-tae, who had been chasing the dregs of Central Plains?

“The Second Palace Lord? Is there no body of the Second Palace Lord?”

“No!”

“……”

Without a body, life or death becomes uncertain.

Is this an unnecessary worry?

Indeed, in the current Demonic Cult, only Bokri Do-cheon could kill the Second Palace Lord, who ranks higher than the name of the Six Demonic Emperors.

As there was no way he would have stepped forward, Noh Guk-tae cannot be dead.

Who in this Demonic Cult could match his sweeping palm techniques?

However, a deep sense of unease crept over him.

Noh Guk-tae is a close friend of Sang Gwan-pyeong, along with Song Yeo-bang.

Although their paths differed, he never wished for his death.

“How unexpected. For Sama Do to be dead.”

“……”

The calm voice approaching him was Han Seung.

The Demonic qi that seeped through his absorption technique had now reached his very marrow, turning his eyes completely black with no whites visible, and he couldn’t even control the Demonic qi that constantly emanated from him.

“What are you pondering, Sang Gwan-pyeong?”

“……”

“Weren’t they all tools to make me the ruler of Central Plains anyway? Are you going to mourn their deaths now?”

Sang Gwan-pyeong’s face hardened at Han Seung’s words, indifferent to the death of his subordinates.

“I am rather looking forward to it. A warrior strong enough to kill Sama Do… I’m excited already.”

“……”

Han Seung licked his lips with his tongue, his black eyes gleaming.

“Let’s hurry. Isn’t it Third Grotto-heaven soon?”

“Yes.”

Indeed, there’s no choice but to go.

Whoever it may be that killed Sama Do, beasts will be released there.

Everyone will become food for the beasts.

Leaving behind the current frustration of not even being able to recover the bodies, let alone mourn, Sang Gwan-pyeong raised his hand toward the ranks.

“Move out!”

At his thunderous shout, the halted ranks simultaneously stepped forward, shaking the ground.

And once again, flocks of crows and packs of wolves rushed to claim the flesh of the corpses.

“Heavenly Lord!”

Hwang Shin ran in as if flying and flung open the door of the hall.

Jinmu, who had been listening with interest to his two sajils’ stories of Wudang after a long time, turned his head and scolded.

“Why are you making such a fuss? Can’t you see we’re having a conversation?”

‘What conversation, in this urgent situation where a war might break out at any moment, and you’re indulging in nostalgia.’

But Hwang Shin, who didn’t want to unnecessarily provoke Jinmu, spoke cautiously.

“A messenger pigeon has arrived from the sentinels at the outpost.”

“…?”

“The enemy’s size is two thousand, and they are moving straight toward the main fortress of Third Grotto-heaven, past the path where the corpses were laid.”

“So they’ve finally come. What’s their estimated time of arrival?”

“Judging by their speed, we estimate about half a day.”

“Half a day…”

The place where they laid the bodies of the Shadow Swords was about 25 km away from the main fortress.

Even a lower-tier martial artist who has trained in light footwork could arrive within an hour.

But coming at the pace of half a day?

It means they are leisurely surveying the surroundings as if wandering.

“Crazy bastards. What makes those bastards so relaxed when coming for war?”

Even a tiger gives its best when hunting a rabbit.

Anyway, it’s good that the enemy is coming late. It means we have plenty of time to prepare.

“In any case, this is not the time for conversation. Tell all the leaders of each Grotto-heaven to gather.”

“Yes!”

At Jinmu’s command, Hwang Shin quickly rushed outside.

“They’re coming.”

“Yeah.”

Chung Sang, who had pursued him for a long time until reaching the Demonic Cult, hardened his expression.

“Let’s finish the story of the Five Dragon Palace after the fight is over.”

“Yes, Sasuk.”

As Jinmu stood up, Chung Sang and Chung Woo followed.

The bastard is coming within close range.

The worthless beast that dared to infuriate me upon my return to the world.

Yes, come.

Those teeth that devoured the children, I’ll chew them all up.