Chapter 44

Yama Dao Venerable (1)

The state of enlightenment he had sought his entire life.

The third elder's long-cherished wish was fulfilled.

And in the worst possible way.

Pu-uk!

Cheongwang pierced straight through the third elder's dantian.

Demonic energy still churned throughout his entire body, but the internal energy the third elder had accumulated over a lifetime poured out like grains of sand.

"Ah...."

Though he had reached it for a fleeting instant, the realm of enlightenment slipped past like a dream.

For the third elder, who had sold even his soul to ascend to the realm of enlightenment he had long desired, it was far too brief a moment.

Cheon Muyang wished to grant the third elder despair greater than death.

"How does it feel? To have reached the realm you wanted so desperately."

This was the price of his choice.

The cursed demonic art instantly replaced the internal energy spilling from the third elder's dantian.

This meant the third elder would never again reach the realm of enlightenment.

Because the demonic energy ruling him would never allow it.

Sseu-ik.

Cheon Muyang sneered.

In the end, the third elder's choice was wrong.

He must have realized that even with the Cheon family's sword, one could sufficiently reach the realm of enlightenment.

"I... I...."

The third elder was utterly dazed.

The demonic energy that had filled him to the brim just moments ago now felt strangely trivial.

The stench of blood pricking his own nose suddenly felt nauseating.

"What in the world...."

As doubt reached its peak.

The third elder's self-loathing surged to its limit.

"They say no matter how fast regret comes, it is always too late. Old sayings are never wrong."

Was it not said that ignorance, too, is a sin.

The third elder had been trapped within his own narrow obstinacy, never seeing the true essence of the sword.

"You are already finished."

With impure demonic arts, he would never again ascend to the realm of enlightenment.

The third elder's life had been completely negated.

That would remain as despair greater than death.

"...."

The emptiness in the third elder's eyes showed he had completely lost the will to live.

"Ahh...."

Perhaps because of that.

The third elder's hair visibly began to turn white.

"Tsseut."

The light vanished from his eyes.

Despair was more terrifying than death.

To the third elder who had lost all motivation, Cheon Muyang asked.

"Where is the supreme elder?"

The third elder was nothing more than a pawn.

The true culprit behind everything was the supreme elder, and he had to be confronted.

However, the third elder stared at Cheon Muyang with a face as though his soul had already left him.

"It's too late. No matter how much you struggle, nothing can be changed."

That was reality.

The Cheon family would never escape this trap.

Before the demonic cult, the Cheon family was nothing more than a tiny, insignificant firefly.

"The Cheon family will fall to the very bottom of hell."

"Is that all?"

"I was not wrong."

Though he had realized his own ignorance, the third elder refused to acknowledge it to the very end.

"The Cheon family. The Cheon family. The Cheon family!"

And so, the third elder ultimately abandoned himself.

Whether because the internal energy that had restrained his demonic energy was gone, or because he had completely discarded his will to live, the third elder went mad with demonic energy.

"Keuheuheuheuh!"

The focus vanished from his eyes.

Only a madman consumed by insanity remained.

What difference was there between him and a beast.

However, Cheon Muyang did not pity the third elder's miserable end.

"Tsseut. This is not a sword meant for cutting down beasts."

He had wanted to rot him away for life in the lightning prison, but regrettably, that seemed impossible.

The reason befitting the title of third elder had already died.

Even if the great immortal came, he would not be able to return the third elder to normal.

"Uncle, what about the children?"

"Fortunately, they are alive."

They were on the brink of death, but as long as they lived, was there not at least hope to cling to.

Cheon Muyang did not wish for these children to die.

"Please protect these children."

"I will do so."

Cheon Seonhak was Cheon Muyang's sword and shield.

At this moment, as the shield, Cheon Seonhak's spirit would ensure that no one could lay a hand on the children.

"I thought you were different from my brother, but in this regard, you seem similar."

"...."

Cheon Seonhak was one of the few true martial artists of this era who understood the value of chivalry.

Because of that, he too did not wish for innocent children to die in such a way.

"Muyang, you can feel it, can't you. We need to finish this quickly."

"Yeah. Or should I do it?"

"That one is mine."

"Then hurry and end it. It seems... our guest is waiting."

The corners of the Wolf King's mouth lifted.

Zziiit!

It was felt through the skin.

An immense presence pressing down on the two who had reached the realm of enlightenment—and even Cheon Muyang.

"The martial world really is vast."

The Wolf King was right.

The martial world was wide, and the strong were many.

Once again, it became clear that the realm of enlightenment was not the end.

'To the point that the third elder's demonic energy feels like a joke....'

He could not even begin to imagine what kind of being it was.

Even so, that presence stood behind the Demonic Cult—a place even the former Nameless One had failed to reach.

'If anything, I'm looking forward to it.'

Thus, Cheon Muyang moved to cut down the third elder as he was.

The demonic energy of the third elder that had been pressing down on this entire area now felt laughable.

Huuuung!

Cheongwang as well.

It did not fear the third elder, whom it had already cut down, in the slightest.

'I must sever the source.'

The source from which demonic energy surged forth.

To Cheon Muyang, the path of the sword leading to that source was clearly visible.

Huuung!

At that moment, Cheongwang cried out.

A cry that seemed to hunger.

Cheongwang's will was conveyed.

'Devour the demonic energy, Cheongwang.'

The moment permission was granted.

Cheongwang began to absorb the demonic energy.

Huuuung!

Cheongwang roared turbulently.

For an instant, it seemed as though Cheongwang's blade had been dyed black.

'It seems Cheongwang also senses that it will often face the Demonic Cult.'

To become the greatest sword under heaven, it too must be able to cut even demonic energy—Cheongwang seemed to realize this.

'Good.'

The trembling stopped.

Cheongwang's blade, subtly changed, quietly aimed toward the third elder.

"Grrrraaah!"

As if his instincts were warning him.

The howling third elder suddenly turned and tried to flee.

However, there was nowhere left for him to escape.

'The heart, then.'

Kicking off the ground, Cheon Muyang charged forward, and his single strike was impeccably clean.

After undergoing rebirth through bone and flesh, the imbalance in his body had been perfectly restructured.

Thus, he could pour out all the power he possessed without restraint.

"This is the end, Third Elder."

With those words finished.

Cheon Muyang swung Cheongwang toward the source of the demonic energy.

Shiiik!

Cheongwang surged forward like lightning, advancing in a straight line and piercing straight through the third elder's heart.

"Kiaaaaaaak!"

With only instinct remaining, the third elder writhed in pain, but Cheongwang lodged in his heart showed no sign of being pulled free.

The wound began to heal and tear open repeatedly.

However, that too was brief.

Cheongwang, embedded in his heart, began to fully absorb the source of the demonic energy.

"Keoooough!"

Perhaps because of Cheongwang, now imbued with demonic energy.

Just before death, the third elder regained his reason one last time.

"Cheon… Cheon Muyang...."

"...."

"In the end... was I wrong?"

"Yes. You were wrong."

"I only wanted to become strong."

"But you should not have given up being human."

No matter what.

Nothing could cover up the third elder's sins.

"R-really... I was wrong?"

Kadeuk, kwadeudeuk!

The end of one consumed by demonic energy was predetermined.

The third elder was no exception, as his body slowly began to contract.

"...."

Not wishing to witness it, Cheon Muyang moved to sever the third elder's neck.

However, something flew in from somewhere and coiled around the third elder's neck.

Tuk!

The third elder's head fell.

Hwarureuk!

From the point where the neck had been severed, flames arose that purified everything in the world.

Even the demonic energy that endlessly rejected death and sought regeneration was burned away as is, and the flames slowly turned the third elder's body to ash.

"...."

"He's here."

"Muyang, behind you."

Hwak!

Cheon Muyang's head snapped around.

There lay the path leading to the summit of Mount Putuo.

Grrk.

Grrrreuk.

The sound of a blade dragging along the ground echoed ominously.

Not only Cheon Muyang, but even the Wolf King and Cheon Seonhak tensed simultaneously.

The tension of the two who had reached the realm of enlightenment completely pressed down the air of the Mount Putuo region.

And so, an old man dragging a single saber along the ground appeared.

"Have you been waiting?"

Though he was an old man of small stature, an oppressive presence that seemed to dominate space itself could be felt.

The ground where he stood glowed red-hot.

The lingering flames remaining on the saber touching the ground made even the innocent earth boil.

That heat proved that he was the one who had turned the third elder, soaked in demonic energy, to ashes with a single strike.

"Y-you are...."

"It has been a while."

"Dao Venerable...."

"Was it the Wolf King?"

"I never thought we would meet again here on Mount Putuo."

It seemed the Wolf King had recognized the old man's identity.

Moreover, his tone was extraordinarily respectful—uncharacteristic of him.

'Dao Venerable?'

The orthodox martial world had deliberately concealed information about the Demonic Cult.

For their true enemy was not the Demonic Cult, but the Unorthodox Alliance.

For that reason, information regarding the Demonic Cult was inevitably sparse.

'Could it be....'

Even so, the supreme masters of the Demonic Cult were known to the world.

"The Seven Great Demon Venerables...?"

The Seven Great Demon Venerables.

Excluding the Heavenly Demon, the sovereign of a hundred thousand demons, each had reached the pinnacle of demonic martial arts.

The Dao Venerable, who had been conversing with the Wolf King, shifted his gaze toward Cheon Muyang.

"This old man does not particularly like that title... but the one called Dao Venerable is indeed me."

Chilling!

Just from being looked at, Cheon Muyang felt every sense in his body stand on edge.

"Were you the mastermind behind all of this?"

"The mastermind, you say.... Rather than that, let us say I am the one who will settle this affair."

"This one and that one... does the Cheon family look like some kind of punching bag?"

"...."

"Uncle, it seems our family is being taken lightly. What should we do about this?"

"We merely need to show them the price of making an enemy of the Cheon family."

Sseu-ik.

Cheon Muyang smiled.

It was a clear and satisfying answer.

"Yes. I suppose we should. That there is a sky even the Demonic Cult's pawns dare not touch."

It did not matter if the opponent was a Dao Venerable.

No matter who it was, the sky of the Cheon family had to remain lofty.

"An admirable spirit."

The Dao Venerable spoke with genuine admiration.

"A fine sword you wield. I have never seen one of your age reach such a blade...."

This was not a matter of strength or weakness.

The Dao Venerable had clearly seen it.

That Cheon Muyang's sword, advancing unhurriedly through a storm of demonic energy, was a blade that pierced the essence itself.

"Indeed, one must acknowledge the Cheon family."

He wondered if there had ever been a sword whose future inspired such anticipation.

And yet, because of that, it was regrettable.

"That it will not be allowed to bloom...."

A sinister, oppressive ghostly aura far denser than that of the third elder emanated from his entire body.

"I offer my sincere condolences."

Though he spoke words of regret, no emotion could be found in his eyes.

Goooooooh!

The Dao Venerable merely stood there.

Yet Cheon Muyang felt the surrounding air gradually grow hotter.

The Wolf King warned him.

"Evade."

"I refuse."

"You'll die."

"No. That is not so."

Cheon Muyang stepped forward instead.

The hem of his clothes was scorched.

Another two characters used to describe the Dao Venerable—Yama.

The saber of the Yama Dao Venerable burned as it contained the fires of hell.

Before it, Cheon Muyang appeared small and frail.

Yet Cheon Muyang stood facing it head-on, without retreating even a single step.

"If I were going to die here, I wouldn't have started in the first place."

"...!"

The Wolf King marveled at Cheon Muyang's mirror-like calm.

"And shouldn't I keep my word, if only to preserve my dignity?"

He intended to show it.

The untouchable sky of the Cheon family.

And he intended to warn him as well.

As if making a vow, Cheon Muyang declared his resolve toward the Yama Dao Venerable, the wielder of that overwhelming hellfire saber.

"No one may lay a hand on the Cheon family."