CHAPTER 382: DEATH BLADE, RECTIFICATION GANG (3)

“Y-You bastard! Were you hiding your true strength?”

Someone among the Rectification Gang warriors who knew Death Blade shouted like that.

Yi-gang hesitated for a moment.

“Yeah, I was hiding it.”

“You sneaky bastard…!”

The Rectification Gang warriors looked extremely aggrieved.

From their perspective, they must have felt mocked.

The wandering swordsman who hid his strength, Death Blade, had defeated their leader in a single strike.

“You two as well!”

It wasn’t only Death Blade who had hidden his strength.

Even the unheard-of Ghost Sword and Wolf-fang Axe were all stronger than Jo Geuk-yeong.

The warriors forgot that they had been merciless killers and felt deeply ashamed to be defeated by wandering martial artists like Death Blade and his group.

For Yi-gang and his companions, this reaction was incomprehensible.

The only survivor among them trembled in fear but shouted angrily.

“The gang… High Spirit Palace will not let you go! As long as you are in Sky Shattering Island, you have made the entire cult your enemy!”

“Do you find my words amusing?”

Yi-gang was already at odds with the entire Demon Cult.

However, there was no need for explanations.

Since he was a life, soon to end.

Snap!

Dam Hyun pressed the warrior’s mute point and paralyzing point.

Surprisingly, he demonstrated the skill of pressing acupoints with his toes.

The fallen warrior rolled his eyes, unable to understand what had happened.

“You said the Rectification Gang is under High Spirit Palace, right?”

“Do you know why they are kidnapping people?”

The warrior’s eyes widened.

He realized from Dam Hyun’s words that they were not wandering martial artists.

“I don’t want to hurt you unnecessarily. If you tell me, I’ll let you live.”

Both the paralyzing point and mute acupoints were pressed simultaneously.

The warrior could only move his eyes or blink.

Had he forgotten that?

Dam Hyun showed an expression of admiration and said.

“You’re stubborn and spirited. Still, I’ll give you one last warning. How about talking?”

The warrior desperately opened his eyes wide and moved his pupils left and right.

Dam Hyun let out a loud exclamation.

“You don’t even blink. Fine! I respect that.”

Dam Hyun hoisted the warrior onto his shoulder.

“I’m going to go somewhere quiet and have a talk with this guy.”

He said that to Yi-gang and Go Yo-jaand entered the bushes.

Meanwhile, Yi-gang freed Gal Dong-tak’s restraints.

“Let’s clean up a bit.”

“Ugh.”

Gal Dong-tak stretched as if his body was stiff and then stood up abruptly.

Yi-gang’s group buried the bodies and woke the commoners who had been pressed with the knock-out point.

Though the kidnapped were very weak, they repeatedly bowed in gratitude.

“Here, take some silver coins for your travel expenses. Sorry we couldn’t rescue you sooner.”

“No, thanks to your kindness, our lives are saved.”

The young men accepted the silver coins, tears streaming down their faces.

They couldn’t accompany them to Sky Shattering Island, so they would have to survive on their own.

But it was a hundred times better to survive like this than be dragged to the Demon Cult for unknown reasons.

“We will never forget your kindness.”

They bowed deeply.

The Rectification Gang warriors had enough supplies for them to leave for the Central Plains.

They packed up and left.

The road was rough. They might not cross the Great Desert or could be caught and killed by Demon Cult warriors.

But if lucky, they might survive.

Right now, they looked happiest to have escaped.

Watching them leave, Yi-gang felt a strange emotion.

They were saved by Yi-gang, but his younger brother was not yet.

And Ha-jun was now probably somewhere within Sky Shattering Island.

Yi-gang shook his head to clear his mind.

“Hmm…”

Gal Dong-tak groaned.

He looked like he had lost a lot of weight from the hardships of the journey.

“Ah, no.”

Yi-gang asked, but Gal Dong-tak got up as if he was fine.

Yi-gang looked at Gal Dong-tak for a moment and then began preparing again.

And Sky Shattering Island.

It is well known that the name Sky Shattering Island originates from the Heavenly Demon’s nickname from when he was young, The Sky Shattering Divine Demon (破天神魔).

The Demon Cult itself calls their sect the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult (天魔神敎).

Here, the Heavenly Demon’s status was like that of a god.

It was a unique matter.

Martial artists originally refine their own mind and body.

In fact, once they become top-tier masters, they differ from ordinary humans, and few have religious faith.

Nevertheless, in the main hall of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, the Ten Thousand Demon Hall, there are huge portraits and statues of the Heavenly Demon.

Even the palace masters pay respects before those statues.

The True Demon Palace Master even clung to the dream of the Heavenly Demon’s resurrection.

It was no different from other reasons.

This was because even Absolute masters who have transcended humanity could not reach the Heavenly Demon’s level.

An extraordinary strongman.

An unparalleled Martial God.

That was the status of the Heavenly Demon Zhao Guang.

In the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, where records about the Heavenly Demon are more detailed than anywhere else, the Heavenly Demon was truly like a god.

And the Leader’s Hall.

The successor of the Heavenly Demon and current leader, the Sun Moon Divine Demon Cheon Mu-do, resided inside the Ten Thousand Demon Hall.

In the Demon Cult that venerates the strong, the weak could never become leader.

Only Absolute masters at the top of the hundred thousand Demon Cult members could become leader.

Among leaders after the Heavenly Demon, none failed to reach the Unrestrained Demon realm.

Naturally, the Sun Moon Divine Demon, Cheon Mu-do, was also a demon who had reached the Unrestrained Demon realm.

Once, the Sun Moon Divine Demon ruled the world and reigned above all demons.

Is he still the strongest in the Demon Cult?

That could not be confirmed.

The Sun Moon Divine Demon was old.

It is common knowledge that an older master’s accumulated experience and internal power make him dangerous, but the Sun Moon Divine Demon was too old.

Wheeze- Hiss-

In the Leader’s Hall, a suffocating breath echoed.

Though it was not the breath of a master in the Unrestrained Demon realm, it was clearly the breath of the Sun Moon Divine Demon leaning on the throne.

Sun Moon Divine Demon’s physique was tall and large.

Rather than looking imposing, it was better described as fat.

His body about twice that of an average person was draped in a splendid robe fit for an emperor.

The purple silk was embroidered with golden thread.

The sun and moon were depicted on his clothes, and he wore a magnificent crown.

The strings of beads on the crown are called tassels.

Kings wear crowns with nine tassels, emperors with twelve.

The cult leader’s crown had as many as thirteen tassels hanging.

It showed the status of Sun Moon Divine Demon.

But the wrinkled face of Sun Moon Divine Demon, who wished to reign above emperors, was contorted in pain.

“Huff.”

He let out a strange breath.

At that moment, a young acupuncturist beside the Sun Moon Divine Demon skillfully inserted a needle into his arm.

The needle was cylindrical with tiny holes allowing liquid to pass.

And the needle was connected to a dried deer’s vein.

The deer’s vein led to a transparent crystal container.

It was a drip treatment method to slowly inject the red liquid in the container into the body.

As the red liquid entered his veins, the Sun Moon Divine Demon’s expression softened.

“The pain is definitely easing. The effect is good.”

“That’s a relief.”

Someone was bowing deeply before Sun Moon Divine Demon.

“You’ve worked hard. Send a reward to Royal Physician Heuk-su.”

Royal Physician Heuk-su, was one of the Four Great Divine Physicians of the world, along with Heavenly Master Physician, and Golden Needle Phantom.

The Sun Moon Divine Demon needed the Four Great Divine Physicians.

“The gathered lump has moved into the bone marrow. He said treatment is impossible unless the entire marrow is cleansed.”

“I believe you can overcome it.”

“Hu hu… No, it can’t go on like this.”

The gathered lump here means cancer.

Masters of the orthodox faction who have mastered righteous martial arts live long and healthy lives.

But demons who have mastered Demon arts cannot avoid aging and disease.

“Only three months left. That’s what Heuk-su said… that quack!”

The Sun Moon Divine Demon’s mind wavered between pain and the medicine’s effects.

The man bowing before him remained silent.

The Sun Moon Divine Demon had just ordered a reward for Heuk-su but couldn’t do so.

In fact, Heuk-su was already dead.

The Sun Moon Divine Demon himself had killed him in a rage.

It was a tragic waste that one of the Four Great Divine Physicians died so senselessly.

The Sun Moon Divine Demon coughed violently and then spoke.

“There is only one way, right…?”

“There’s no other way but to complete the restored Heavenly Demon Divine Scripture…”

The legendary Martial God the Heavenly Demon’s martial arts were not fully passed down.

Important techniques were lost, and the core internal method was half torn away in the latter part.

What the leader had mastered was only the first half of the the Heavenly Demon Divine Scripture.

“If completed, the leader will gain a perfect body.”

Those who master the Heavenly Demon Divine Scripture can be reborn anew.

The legend did not end there.

It is said that mastering the scripture allows one to manipulate souls.

Later generations speculated that the Heavenly Demon tore his soul to seal himself.

All past leaders, including the Sun Moon Divine Demon, tried to restore the scripture.

It’s been analyzed that about 90% had been restored.

However, the problem was that all who tried to master it coughed blood and died.

Hundreds were sacrificed to verify the scripture.

“Is the preparation going well?”

“We have gathered test subjects. Three special grade, about twenty first grade.”

The Demon Cult’s top strategist joined forces with the Sun Moon Divine Demon to assist the experiment.

Though failures repeated for centuries, this time was different.

Because they would use the Heavenly Demon’s soul fragments and kidnapped external materials.

“Indeed, you’re the only one for me, Demon Brain.”

Demon Brain (魔腦).

His exact nickname was the Twin-Headed Demon Brain (雙頭魔腦).

The bowed, hunched old man was the Demon Cult’s chief strategist and the High Spirit Palace master, the Twin-Headed Demon Brain Yeom Gong.

“Leader, you are truly the sun and moon of the sect.”

On the right shoulder of the respectfully bowing Twin-Headed Demon Brain was a large swollen tumor.

Looking closely, surprisingly, the tumor had a human-like face attached.

He was actually born a deformity.

That was why he earned the nickname Twin-Headed Demon Brain.

“Yes, yes. I await the results, cough.”

Sun Moon Divine Demon drooled blood-tinged phlegm at his mouth.

“I must live… no matter what.”

Clinging to the the Heavenly Demon Divine Scripture to preserve his life.

He showed no concern for the sect members’ mission to resurrect the Heavenly Demon.

The wrinkled face of Sun Moon Divine Demon was utterly ugly.

Twin-Headed Demon Brain withdrew from the Leader’s Hall.

His previously polite and servile demeanor vanished as if washed away once outside.

His mind was filled only with how to proceed with the upcoming “experiment.”

In truth, the palace master of High Spirit Palace had no need to be so polite to the dying leader.

Just as the cult leader used Twin-Headed Demon Brain, he too used the cult leader.

Because the Sun Moon Divine Demon was the one who had tightly hidden the fragments of the Heavenly Demon’s soul…

Now that they had it, all that remained was to conduct the experiment.

They would use the soul fragments on the bodies of the captured test subjects to circulate the Heavenly Demon Divine Scripture.

Most would die, but it didn’t matter.

What they would gain from the process was Demon Brain’s goal.

Twin-Headed Demon Brain grinned.

“Demon Brain.”

A deep voice echoed.

Someone blocked the outer corridor of the Ten Thousand Demon Hall overlooking Sky Shattering Island.

A muscular body, especially large forearms.

That middle-aged man was the True Demon Palace Master Yo Dae-soon, another demon at the Unrestrained Demon realm.

He was one of the people who disliked Demon Brain the most.

“What cunning words have you used to coax the leader this time?”

The accusing voice was filled with hostility.

Demon Brain responded calmly.

“Heh, coaxing?”

“Don’t forget your duty. Cheon Mu-do is a madman driven by greed. It’s his fault the Heavenly Demon hasn’t been resurrected.”

Demon Brain’s eyes narrowed sharply.

He also disliked the True Demon Palace Master.

Because the True Demon Palace Master was a madman, rampaging to resurrect the Heavenly Demon.

So he sharply rebuked him.

“Isn’t it your fault, True Demon Palace Master, for failing to control your subordinates?”

“…Ugh.”

The True Demon Palace Master’s face twisted in anger.

The failure of the Seven Great Immortals was his greatest pain.

Just as he was about to speak again.

“If you won’t move, I’ll leave.”

Demon Brain jumped onto the railing without hesitation.

Below was a steep cliff, but it was no problem for Demon Brain.

Looking down, Demon Brain lightly climbed down the cliff.

The True Demon Palace Master could not hide his bitterness.

“…Damn it.”

The clear day allowed a full view of Sky Shattering Island.

The Demon Cult’s invasion of the Central Plains and the failure to resurrect the Heavenly Demon both felt deeply unsettling.