"The successor of the Martial Alliance trusts the Young Cult Master of the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect the most?"
Gwak Ju burst into laughter.
Then, his expression suddenly returned to normal.
This time, Hwa Song, who had been standing elsewhere, suddenly broke into laughter.
The laughter was infectious.
One by one, the warriors of the Demon Slaying Branch standing next to him, who had already fallen to the Soul-Devouring Art, began to laugh.
The opponent was moving freely from body to body.
Then, it returned to Gwak Ju's body, standing next to Jin Ha-gun, and asked with a grin.
"Do you really trust him?"
Did he really trust Geom Mugeuk?
Of course, Jin Ha-gun trusted Geom Mugeuk.
Geom Mugeuk would easily evade a fate like being killed by his grandfather.
He was the kind of person who would save a friend in a corner and then make a big deal out of it, even while pretending to dislike making a fuss.
"He's my friend, so I have to trust him."
At Jin Ha-gun's unwavering answer, Gwak Ju sneered openly.
"The Righteous Path martial world will fall on its own."
Then, he shouted as if scolding him.
"As the Demon Slaying Branch Master, aren't you ashamed in front of your subordinates?"
However, none of the Demon Slaying Branch warriors felt ashamed of Jin Ha-gun.
They knew better than anyone what kind of person Jin Ha-gun was, and they had watched more closely than anyone how he had met and built a relationship with Geom Mugeuk.
Perhaps sensing the loyalty in their expressions, Gwak Ju's eyes turned cold.
"You will die here today."
He was plotting a most cruel death.
"After you watch your subordinates kill each other, I will kill you last."
If I cut down this Gwak Ju before me, will the opponent also die?
I think not.
If that were the case, he wouldn't expose himself so defenselessly before me.
Jin Ha-gun stared intently into Gwak Ju's eyes.
He had much to say to the master of the Soul-Devouring Art hiding beyond them.
A cowardly craven who can't even show his face!
He wanted to provoke and mock him.
But he didn't think doing so would make the fiend reveal himself.
If he were that kind of person, he would have shown himself from the start.
A clumsy provocation would only put his subordinates' lives in greater danger.
Yes, what was needed now was not to fall for the opponent's provocation, but to hold out until Geom Mugeuk arrived to help.
In the past, just having such a thought would have wounded his pride, but not anymore.
Saving his subordinates was more important than his pride.
Jin Ha-gun stepped back and aimed his sword.
His subordinates lined up on either side of him.
Honestly, he was at a loss as to how to deal with this person.
How could he break this Soul-Devouring Art?
Then, his grandfather's words came to mind.
Do you know why we did not crumble before their cruel and relentless desires?
Jin Ha-gun spoke confidently to his subordinates.
"The path we walk is the righteous path!"
Yes, no matter how much we hurry, we are always one or two steps behind this fiend's evil, but this belief remains unchanged.
"We are the Demon Slaying Branch. We fear no enemy!"
Clank, clank, clank, clank!
At Jin Ha-gun's words, his subordinates aimed their swords in unison.
They were pointed at the comrades they had been with just moments ago.
Swoosh!
The fight, which had momentarily stopped, resumed as the warrior right next to Jin Ha-gun swung his sword at him.
Clang!
Jin Ha-gun lightly blocked the sword coming from his side.
He showed no surprise or alarm.
This was the mindset Jin Ha-gun had devised.
"From now on, we begin live combat training with our comrades!"
He was telling them to treat their comrades affected by the Soul-Devouring Art as if they were in training.
For those affected, it was real combat; for us, it was training.
Clang, clang, clang!
A fight broke out among the warriors of the Demon Slaying Branch.
For now, the number of those unaffected by the Soul-Devouring Art was greater, so they had some leeway.
But even so, Jin Ha-gun poured all his mental energy into it.
There was no telling when someone might turn and what tragic result it might bring.
‘No matter how strong the fiend has become with the Blood Heaven Soul-Strengthening Art, he must have his limits.’
The opponent must also be using an immense amount of inner energy to fight.
However, the opponent's Soul-Devouring Art, empowered by the Blood Heaven Soul-Strengthening Art, was beyond imagination.
He continued to use the Soul-Devouring Art tirelessly.
One by one, the number of warriors falling to the Soul-Devouring Art increased.
Jin Ha-gun could tell.
A master of this level could kill them in other ways.
But the fiend was toying with him.
He wanted to see him suffer as he watched his subordinates stab each other to death.
"Hold on! Hold on until the end!"
Someone will surely come to help us!
Clang, clang, clang, clang!
The warriors affected by the Soul-Devouring Art attacked as if to kill, and since their side could not kill them, the fight was incredibly difficult despite their numerical advantage.
Moreover, the number of those falling to the Soul-Devouring Art was steadily increasing.
"Be careful!"
He leaped over a subordinate rolling on the floor to block another subordinate who was attacking him.
Clang, clang, clang!
Sparks flew, and in that moment, the fallen warrior got back up.
He had just been saved, yet that subordinate stabbed Jin Ha-gun in the back.
Clang!
Jin Ha-gun spun around and deflected the sword.
He didn't get angry.
Instead, he felt sorry for his subordinate.
'I'm sorry.
I'm sorry that I couldn't save you.’
He had faced many crises in his life, but he had never felt so sorry for his subordinates as he did at this moment.
And never before had his desire for strength been so intense.
'If I survive today, I will become strong enough to never let this happen again.'
Jin Ha-gun threw himself toward a subordinate being slammed into a wall.
He had moved recklessly, and blood spurted from his arm.
But there was no time to check the wound.
He pushed back the subordinate attacking the fallen one and scanned the other situations.
Both the attackers and the attacked were all his subordinates.
That was why he alone had to keep his wits.
He must not let his subordinates die here.
Especially not by a comrade's sword.
'Not a single one will die!'
Jin Ha-gun swung his sword like a madman.
The warriors who had not yet fallen to the Soul-Devouring Art had never seen him like this.
They knew better than anyone why he was so desperate, so they too fought like madmen.
Then, they too became enemies.
It was not enough.
Jin Ha-gun and the remaining Demon Slaying Branch warriors were pushed back to the wall where the rear door was.
The opponent brought the fight to a temporary standstill.
Clap, clap, clap!
This time, Hwa Song clapped as he walked forward.
The one who was supposed to break through this space had become the fiend's puppet.
"Amazing! To fight like this and not kill a single subordinate."
Jin Ha-gun couldn't answer right away.
"Hah, hah, hah."
Only his ragged breaths echoed in the space.
The Demon Slaying Branch warriors at his side examined Jin Ha-gun's body.
Blood flowing from his arms, legs, and back had already soaked his entire body.
"Are you alright?"
At his subordinate's question, Jin Ha-gun nodded.
At that very moment.
Swoosh!
The subordinate who had asked if he was alright lunged at Jin Ha-gun with his sword.
Dodging the incoming sword, Jin Ha-gun grabbed his wrist tightly and spoke again.
Though his eyes had already lost their reason, Jin Ha-gun looked into his subordinate's eyes and said.
"I am alright."
He flung the subordinate, who was about to attack again, toward the group of those affected by the Soul-Devouring Art.
The subordinate landed on the floor and did not attack again.
"The hypocrisy of these Righteous Path fools is always amusing to watch."
Despite Hwa Song's mockery, Jin Ha-gun stared at him and spoke calmly.
"Isn't I your target anyway? You've had your fun, now let my subordinates go."
Hwa Song snorted.
"You'll keep up the pretense to the end?"
Hwa Song slowly walked toward Jin Ha-gun.
He came right up to Jin Ha-gun's face and said coldly.
"Stop your hypocrisy!"
Jin Ha-gun absolutely did not let his emotions explode.
But the opponent wanted to provoke Jin Ha-gun in any way possible to see his true nature.
Hwa Song glanced at the door behind Jin Ha-gun and said.
"This is a door that can never be opened unless I open it."
Hwa Song grinned and said suggestively.
"How about it? Shall I open it just for you? If you stop the hypocrisy and escape alone, I'll open it."
The subordinates beside him nodded.
It meant that if he could, he should escape first.
Of course, they knew.
Jin Ha-gun was not the type of person to leave them behind and escape alone, just as they were not.
"Why can't you all be honest?"
Hwa Song knocked on the door behind Jin Ha-gun.
"Please open the door, I want to live! To hell with righteousness, I have to live first! I'll do many good deeds later. Alright, I'll save the first five to volunteer!"
Just as his mockery continued.
Crack!
A hand burst through the door, shattering it.
The hand grabbed Hwa Song, who was standing in front of the door, by the throat.
It happened so quickly that Hwa Song had no time to dodge.
The moment a strangled cry of "Gack!" escaped him.
Pooof.
At that moment, Jin Ha-gun and the Demon Slaying Branch warriors saw it.
Something pure white shot out of Hwa Song's body.
They could see it now, something they couldn't see before.
It flew like an arrow and entered Gwak Ju's body.
Then, the hand that had broken through the door released Hwa Song's neck.
Hwa Song stepped back with a bewildered expression.
As soon as he was released.
Creeeak.
The door that was said to never open unless it was opened for them swung open.
Beyond the door was nothing but pitch-black darkness.
A hand.
A drawing was on the hand that protruded from the darkness.
A long black chain was drawn from the back of the hand up the arm.
From within the darkness, the owner of the hand walked forward.
The person who entered was a young woman.
The woman was the Soul-Devouring Demon Sovereign, Cheong Seon.
Jin Ha-gun was truly surprised by her appearance.
He had seen her at the last three-party meeting, but he never thought she would appear here.
Soon, a thrilling chill ran through Jin Ha-gun's entire body.
It was the joy of a moment when his faith was confirmed.
If not for Geom Mugeuk, who else would have sent her?
Yes, this is the kind of person Geom Mugeuk is.
If he weren't, how could the successor of the Demon Sect and I have become friends?
Her atmosphere had changed so much since he had last seen her.
He almost didn't recognize her.
Her cold eyes were endlessly calm and deep.
Her aura was completely different from when she first became a Demon Sovereign.
Strange patterns were drawn on her face and arms.
The most striking was the drawing on her forehead.
A closed eye.
A closed eye was drawn in purple.
It looked like a third eye.
A red swirl pattern was drawn on her left cheek, and on her right hand was the chained drawing he had seen earlier.
On the back of her opposite left hand, a blue flame was drawn.
Even at a glance, these were no ordinary drawings; they were Soul Paintings.
Soul Paintings were special drawings that strengthened the martial arts of those who had learned the Soul-Devouring Art.
Drawing these Soul Paintings allowed one to exhibit an even more powerful Soul-Devouring Art.
It served the same role as the opponent's Blood Heaven Soul-Strengthening Art, which was currently being used to unleash a more powerful Soul-Devouring Art.
For the Soul-Devouring Demon Sovereign to appear with Soul Paintings drawn meant she acknowledged her opponent and intended to fight seriously.
Jin Ha-gun respectfully bowed.
Although she was young, she held the position of a Demon Sovereign.
"I greet the Demon Sovereign."
The Soul-Devouring Demon Sovereign also returned a respectful cupped-fist salute.
"I was meeting a precious person, so I am a little late."
A precious person? Who could she be talking about? Geom Mugeuk? If she had met Geom Mugeuk, they would have come together.
Then who could it be?
Gwak Ju opened his mouth to speak to her.
"I've heard about the Demon Sect's new Soul-Devouring Demon Sovereign. You're much younger than I thought. You crazy bitch, you scared the hell out of me earlier."
Despite knowing who she was, he showed no fear.
Instead, his eyes were filled with curiosity at her appearance.
"The previous Soul-Devouring Demon Sovereign dabbled in the Dark Demonic Arts."
He was very interested in the Soul-Devouring Demon Sovereign.
"There's a rumor that the Young Cult Master killed him. Is that true?"
The Soul-Devouring Demon Sovereign gave no reply.
"Are you the quiet type?"
Then, the Soul-Devouring Demon Sovereign replied with an indifferent gaze.
"I do not exchange words with cowards."
It was a mockery of him hiding in others' bodies without revealing his own form.
Jin Ha-gun felt a sense of relief.
He had wanted to say those words so many times.
Gwak Ju's eyes turned cold.
"Now, shall we see the skills of our young Demon Sovereign?"
The moment his words ended, the sound of ghostly wails began to fill the surroundings.
Heeheeheeheeheehee.
It was a cry that burrowed into one's heart.
The Demon Slaying Branch warriors raised their inner energy to counter the wail.
But like Sound Arts, the cry pierced through the warriors' ears.
The Soul-Devouring Demon Sovereign slowly brought a finger to her lips.
Shhh!
The moment she did, the ghostly wails echoing from all around ceased abruptly.
Now, the surroundings became quiet enough for a real ghost to appear.