Bodies formed a mountain.
This was not a figure of speech.
The bodies of evil spirits truly filled the space, and at the very top, Demon Buddha sat with his eyes closed, chanting a sutra.
Thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack!
The evil spirits began to vanish into black smoke one after another.
Since they were all defeated at almost the same time, they disappeared together.
When all the evil spirits were gone, a door appeared beyond them.
Demon Buddha hurried toward the door.
He never thought he would feel such concern, but he was truly worried about the Wind Heaven Sect Leader.
Aren't we friends? In the past, when they had only been close in word, laughing heartily, he would never have taken such a risk to save him.
But lately, he had come to understand him.
When he first heard that he had quit being the Wind Heaven Sect Leader, he had thought, "What kind of foolishness is this?" But now, he understood.
Was that why?
He did not want the Wind Heaven Sect Leader to die in a place like this.
Opening the door, he stepped into a wasteland.
Whoooosh!
A sandstorm blew in, engulfing Demon Buddha.
“Damn it.”
This wretched illusion art, this wretched sandstorm, it was all so tiresome.
How in the world was he supposed to escape this seemingly endless wasteland?
Just then, something caught Demon Buddha's eye.
It was a flower blooming in a crevice between the rocks.
Demon Buddha stood before it for a long while, looking down at the flower.
Whoooooosh.
An unusual sound came from behind, and suddenly, the surroundings darkened as a shadow fell over him.
Demon Buddha turned to see an enormous evil spirit of immense stature looking down at him.
It was an evil spirit formed from clumps of sand.
Radiant Killing Seal!
A golden bolt of force erupted from Demon Buddha's twin palms.
Shwaaa! Thwump!
The force struck the evil spirit squarely in the chest.
The next moment.
Swiiiirl.
The surrounding sand swirled up and quickly filled the hole.
Shwaaa! Thwump!
The second bolt of force blew a hole in the evil spirit's face, but it was the same.
The sand instantly filled the hole.
Shwiiiing!
The evil spirit extended its hand, and sand poured out with a cascade.
It was not ordinary sand.
A sharp force, capable of tearing a body to shreds on contact, swirled around the sand.
Demon Buddha threw himself aside to dodge the attack.
Krakoom!
The ground where Demon Buddha had been standing was deeply gouged, and dust rose.
As Demon Buddha retreated, the giant evil spirit slowly advanced as if to crush him underfoot.
Demon Buddha quickly formed a hand seal with both hands.
Demon Palm Annihilation Seal!
The next moment!
This time, a shadow formed around the evil spirit.
The evil spirit turned its head back.
And there, above its head, the palm of a giant Buddha statue, far larger than the evil spirit itself, was striking down at it.
A golden radiance emanated from the hand.
Kra-koooooom!
“Kuaaaaaaaagh!”
With an ear-splitting scream, the evil spirit disintegrated into sand.
As Demon Buddha clasped his hands in prayer, the golden hand turned into a halo of light and vanished into the sandstorm.
Only a deep, giant palm print remained on the ground where the evil spirit had been.
A door appeared where the giant evil spirit had vanished.
As he started walking toward the door, Demon Buddha's eyes caught sight of the flower he had seen earlier, now lying on the ground.
Demon Buddha picked up the flower, looked at it for a moment, then tucked it into his belt.
Then, he strode confidently through the next door.
*
As the Wind Heaven Sect Leader gathered a blue energy in both hands, the Illusion King hid behind So Baek-ta and said.
“I am not your opponent.”
Clank, clank.
The iron doors to the left and right of where the Wind Heaven Sect Leader stood opened, and an illusion master emerged from each.
The Illusion King introduced them.
“They are the Blood Guardians who protect the Blood Sect.”
The Wind Heaven Sect Leader then said.
“Imitations made to mimic the Blood Guardians. Look here, don't forget. The Blood Sect is an organization that has already vanished.”
Finishing his words, the Wind Heaven Sect Leader extended his hand.
Whoooooosh!
With the sound of a harsh wind, one of the Blood Guardians was sucked into the Wind Heaven Sect Leader's grasp.
It was the same technique the Illusion King had used to pull So Baek-ta earlier.
The two's methods were similar yet different.
In the Wind Heaven Sect Leader's grip, the man's body began to twist without a hint of resistance.
“Keeeeuhk.”
Ghostly energy flowed from the Blood Guardian's eyes.
It was not the energy of a human.
Craaaack.
His whole body twisted like laundry being wrung out, and he died.
“How long did it take to create this place?”
The Wind Heaven Sect Leader could tell.
This space within the painting was not created by the power of the Illusion King alone.
It was a setup prepared over hundreds of years, dreaming of the Blood Sect's revival, a culmination of the Blood Sect's illusion arts.
“It has been here since I first joined this organization.”
“So you cast aside that long history to dream your own dream.”
“You know it too, don't you? That sometimes in life, the wind blows in unexpected directions.”
As the Wind Heaven Sect Leader nodded and was about to reply, the other Blood Guardian suddenly rushed toward him in a surprise attack.
The moment he charged, aiming for the Wind Heaven Sect Leader's vital points.
Shwiiik! Thwack!
With a sharp sound of wind, something invisible pierced through his torso.
The charging Blood Guardian collapsed on the spot.
The Wind Heaven Sect Leader made a motion as if pulling something from his body.
It was invisible, but from his actions, it felt like a long spear.
“How about it? I'd like to test it against your Formless Energy.”
Using invisible force as a weapon existed in both the Blood Sect and the Wind Heaven Sect.
Naturally, the Illusion King refused.
If he were the type to accept such a proposal, he wouldn't have taken So Baek-ta hostage in the first place.
“That would be discourteous to those waiting for you.”
Clank, clank.
The iron doors on both sides opened again, and this time, two Blood Guardians emerged from each.
“How many Blood Guardians did you have? I read about it long ago, but I don't recall.”
Just from the Illusion King's relaxed smile, it was clear there were many more prepared.
Their staggered appearance was a tactic to drain as much of his inner energy as possible.
“Isn't it a waste to throw them away like this?”
“They are an organization created for that very purpose.”
The cold-hearted Illusion King would hardly worry about the Blood Guardians being consumed.
The Blood Guardians, too, charged forward without fear.
Shwaaaang!
The invisible Formless Energy flew from the Wind Heaven Sect Leader's hand.
Thwack!
The Blood Guardian charging at the front was slammed into the wall.
Since the spear was invisible, he looked as if he had died suspended in mid-air.
The remaining three Blood Guardians rushed forward, unleashing palm strikes simultaneously.
Palm strikes filled with ghostly energy flew toward the Wind Heaven Sect Leader.
The spot where the Wind Heaven Sect Leader had stood was shattered, but he was no longer there.
The Blood Guardian in front had his back broken, the one on the left took a palm strike to the chest, and the last one had his neck pierced.
The iron doors opened again, and this time, four Blood Guardians walked out from each side.
They knew no fear.
Within this illusion, the Blood Guardians were killing machines that only followed orders.
“I take back what I said earlier. I take back that the old Blood Sect was more bloodthirsty than you are now. You're worse.”
At the Wind Heaven Sect Leader's mockery, only a cold sneer formed on the Illusion King's lips.
The eight Blood Guardians who appeared this time had a different attack style from the previous ones.
They scattered in all directions and began chanting a formula in unison.
Then, red lines extended from their fingertips, forming a red spiderweb in all directions.
Like an inescapable net, they closed in, pressing down on the Wind Heaven Sect Leader.
“It's dangerous, Master!”
The startled So Baek-ta shouted, but there was nowhere to escape.
Slice.
The moment the Wind Heaven Sect Leader split into a dozen pieces, he vanished from that spot.
He reappeared behind the Blood Guardian attacking from the east.
Swish.
Slice.
The blue energy in the Wind Heaven Sect Leader's hands became a long thread and severed the Blood Guardian's neck.
Before he could fall, the Wind Heaven Sect Leader's blue thread cut through the air again.
Thwack!
The Blood Guardian in front collapsed as his forehead was pierced.
Swiiiiiirl.
The red and blue threads intertwined in the air.
But the red threads could not catch the blue one.
The blue thread slipped through the intricately weaving lines.
Each time the blue thread tensed, a Blood Guardian's body was sliced.
The Wind Heaven Sect Leader's movements, using threads of force, were truly demonstrating the ultimate state of illusionary martial arts.
Expecting him to withstand this level of attack, the Illusion King remained composed even as the Blood Guardians died.
He knew better than anyone how much inner energy each of the techniques the Wind Heaven Sect Leader was using consumed.
No matter how profound his inner energy, he could not face all the Blood Guardians.
The iron doors opened again, and this time, eight men walked out from each side.
*
Flutter, flutter.
The moment a blue butterfly landed on a Blood Guardian's shoulder.
Sss...
The Blood Guardian slowly collapsed and died.
The butterfly that defeated the last Blood Guardian vanished from the air with a pop.
It was the moment the last of the thirty-two Blood Guardians who had come from both doors was defeated.
The Wind Heaven Sect Leader still stood with his hands behind his back, looking relaxed and noble.
But So Baek-ta could hear it.
The sound of his Master's breathing, which had been inaudible before.
His Master was tired.
His Master was indeed fighting a difficult battle.
The Blood Guardians were threatening, but the real problem was the Illusion King.
He would launch surprise attacks and harass his Master while the Blood Guardians fought, threatening him.
Whenever he tried to sweep them away at once with a grand illusion, the Illusion King would invariably interfere.
‘... Master.’
If it weren't for him, his Master would have tried to kill the Illusion King first, no matter what.
Now, thirty-two Blood Guardians emerged from each side.
A total of sixty-four.
A fierce battle erupted between the Wind Heaven Sect Leader and them.
They swarmed him like bees, and he used every martial art and illusion technique he possessed to face them.
The Blood Guardians were sent flying, beaten to a pulp by the Wind Heaven Sect Leader's palm strikes.
The Wind Heaven Sect Leader dodged their attacks with illusion arts.
Each time he used his martial arts, Blood Guardians fell as corpses, but his inner energy was continuously consumed as well.
Bang! K-bang!
Pushed back while blocking the flood of palm techniques with his protective energy, the Wind Heaven Sect Leader was showered with attacks from the Blood Guardians.
Added to that were the cowardly attacks of the Illusion King.
Enduring the impact, the Wind Heaven Sect Leader swung his twin palms.
Blue force swept through the space, shattering several more Blood Guardians.
Amidst the urgent battle, the Wind Heaven Sect Leader's telepathic message reached So Baek-ta.
—Three, two...
He only counted numbers, without another word.
But even without words, he knew what his Master wanted.
—One.
So Baek-ta tried to mercilessly strike the Illusion King standing behind him with the back of his head.
Because the Illusion King was fully focused on the fight with the Wind Heaven Sect Leader, the headbutt almost struck him in the face.
The moment he stepped back to dodge it.
Shwaaaaaaaaaa!
So Baek-ta ducked, and the force unleashed by the Wind Heaven Sect Leader swept through that space.
Kra-koooooom!
The Wind Heaven Sect Leader charged toward that spot.
It was a reckless attack, and he allowed a series of blows from the Blood Guardians.
But the Wind Heaven Sect Leader endured with his protective energy and flew toward So Baek-ta.
Just as the Wind Heaven Sect Leader was about to escape with So Baek-ta using the Space-Time Displacement Art.
Swiiiiiirl.
An invisible thread pulled So Baek-ta back a step ahead.
The Illusion King, who had retreated, had snatched him first.
The surprise attempt to rescue So Baek-ta had failed, and the Blood Guardians' attacks rained down on the Wind Heaven Sect Leader.
Bang! K-bang! Boom!
The Wind Heaven Sect Leader focused on the fight with them once again.
And when he had finished off all the remaining Blood Guardians, the Wind Heaven Sect Leader's breathing was ragged, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
He had suffered internal injuries from overexerting his inner energy.
The Wind Heaven Sect Leader had a premonition that he might die here.
In front of Geom Mugeuk, he had boasted, "This is my world," but everyone has their limits.
Wiping the blood from his mouth, the Wind Heaven Sect Leader looked at So Baek-ta.
He remembered when the boy was a child.
The kid who used to look up at him with bright eyes.
“Strangely, I took a liking to you. Among all my disciples, you stood out. Baek-ta. Even if I could go back, I would still make you my successor.”
Tears that he had held back throughout the fight streamed from So Baek-ta's eyes.
An unknown sorrow welled up inside him.
He could do well now.
If only he could live, he could really do well now.
Just then, the Illusion King whispered to So Baek-ta.
“You were right. It is now time to focus on the fight.”
The Illusion King felt that the time had come for him to get serious.
When the last door opened, sixty-four Blood Guardians would emerge from each room.
If he joined them in a combined attack, the Wind Heaven Sect Leader would be finished.
“Watch closely. Watch how your master dies. Then I will destroy your energy core, sever the meridians in your limbs, cut out your tongue, and throw you into the Thunder Prison. I will make you live the rest of your life remembering this day.”
So Baek-ta despaired.
It was fine if he suffered.
What was not fine was his Master dying because of him.
I'm sorry, Master.
I'm so sorry.
The Wind Heaven Sect Leader said to his disciple.
“Where is the Wind Heaven Sect Leader who sheds tears inside an illusion? Wipe your tears.”
So Baek-ta wiped his tears.
“And what did I tell you to say when you meet a guy like that?”
So Baek-ta turned to the Illusion King and said.
“You cowardly bastard! Why don't you get lost?”
So Baek-ta saw the apology in his Master's eyes.
His Master was sorry for not being able to save him.
How could he ever repay this immense grace?
“Master, you have already saved me.”
Because he saved his soul, which was more precious than life itself.
The Wind Heaven Sect Leader beckoned to the Illusion King to come forward.
The Illusion King slowly walked a few steps forward and stopped.
“Still, he's waited the longest. Shouldn't we let him get some air?”
He was not one to take risks.
With sixty-four Blood Guardians waiting behind each iron door, there was no need for him to step forward first.
Just as he was looking at the iron doors with a satisfied smile!
A faint sound came from beyond the iron door.
It was the sound of something colliding and vibrating.
The sound grew louder.
Thump! K-thump! Thump! Crack! Crunch!
The sound of wind mixed with screams, then faded again.
And then, silence.
Clank.
The door opened, and light poured out.
The person who walked out, emitting a golden radiance, was Demon Buddha.
Behind him lay the scattered corpses of the Blood Guardians who had been waiting there.
At his appearance, the faces of the Wind Heaven Sect Leader and So Baek-ta brightened.
In contrast, the Illusion King's expression turned cold and hard.
The Wind Heaven Sect Leader's gaze fell on the flower tucked into Demon Buddha's belt.
Yes, saying thank you was not enough.
No, no amount of gratitude would be enough.
So he grumbled.
“You had time to pick a flower? While your friend was going through hell.”
The word "friend" came out naturally, and it was accepted naturally.
“Still, I think I got here earlier than the Young Cult Master, right?”
“The Young Cult Master is always late. He only comes running like the wind when he needs something, demanding this and that, making a person's blood boil.”
Just as Demon Buddha was nodding in agreement.
K-k-k-k-k-k-krakoom!
With the sound of something being swept away.
K-booooom!
The door opposite the one Demon Buddha had come through was shattered, and something burst out.
They were the six evil spirits of the Great Annihilation Form.
In the corridor from which the six evil spirits emerged, not even a corpse remained.
Everyone held their breath at the sight of the evil spirits.
Since they were a split version of the most terrifying-looking of the four evil spirits of East, West, South, and North, the sight of these six evil spirits standing side by side was truly overwhelming.
Demon Buddha clasped his hands and bowed his head toward them.
It was a sign of respect for the Nine Calamities Demon Art.
As the six evil spirits slowly faded, Geom Mugeuk walked out, his Black Demon Sword dangling and dripping with blood.
He was covered in blood, his clothes torn, and riddled with wounds.
One could guess how difficult the gate had been before he arrived here.
One could tell how desperately he had broken through.
The intense gazes of Geom Mugeuk and the Wind Heaven Sect Leader met in mid-air.
What words were needed?
“Anyway, it seems our Cult Leader badmouths me whenever I'm not around.”