CHAPTER 389: INFILTRATING THE DEMON CULT (1)

“Dong-tak, you guard this place.”

“Understood.”

“Tie that guy up well, and if it seems like he’s going to wake up, seal his acupoints again. Don’t let anyone in.”

Gal Dong-tak nodded at Yi-gang’s order.

The dullness caused by the side effects of the Green Blood Demonic Skill was gradually improving.

The mission to wait for the group and guard this place was entrusted to Gal Dong-tak.

“We will go in.”

Yi-gang said so and plunged into the pitch-black darkness.

Dam Hyun and Go Yo-ja also followed behind.

The passage led up to Ten Thousand Demon Hall on the mountain.

The True Demon Palace, located on the east side of the Ten Thousand Demon Hall.

It is a historically deep-rooted organization that existed since the time when the Heavenly Demon was active long ago.

Though it was a Demon Cult that revered the strong, the position of True Demon Palace Master has been held by the Yo family for generations.

There was no particular reason.

Because the Yo family was always the strongest in the True Demon Palace faction.

The Great Blood Demonic Art, created directly by the Heavenly Demon, had been passed down to the Yo family.

The current palace master, Yo Dae-soon, succeeded in reaching the Unrestrained Demon Realm with the Great Blood Demonic Art.

Being still in his middle age, he was more vigorous than the old cult leader.

He was considered the most likely candidate for the next cult leader along with the Four Palaces Masters.

In other words, he is one of the ones who hold tremendous power within the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, which could be counted on one hand.

However, Yo Dae-soon was humbly kneeling at this very moment.

But no one was standing before him.

In the center of True Demon Palace was a high-ceilinged space, heavily imbued with a religious atmosphere.

The windows open to the outside were covered with stained glass brought from the Western Regions.

The multicolored light passing through the stained glass shone down on Yo Dae-soon and his surroundings.

Yo Dae-soon knelt on one knee, clutching his right hand to his forehead.

He was praying.

Praying is the act of reverently conveying one’s heart to something greater than oneself.

And there were few beings that True Demon Palace Master Yo Dae-soon revered.

In front of Yo Dae-soon was a statue.

It depicted a man standing on an amorphous black monster.

‘Oh the Heavenly Demon.’

The object of Yo Dae-soon’s prayer was the Heavenly Demon.

‘Maitreya, your followers have failed to fulfill their mission.’

Yo Dae-soon always offered solemn prayers like this.

The White Lotus Cult, the root of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, worships the creator as the Unborn Old Mother.

They believe that the Unborn Old Mother sent Maitreya to this world to save it.

And as the White Lotus cult became the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, Maitreya became the Heavenly Demon.

The Heavenly Demon will one day resurrect, save humanity, and bring about the true heavenly fragrance.

That was the faith of the devout, and Yo Dae-soon was a very devout person.

“I was blinded and wrongly selected the disciples.”

He dreamed of the Heavenly Demon’s resurrection.

It was Yo Dae-soon who selected the Seven Great Immortals and sent them to the imperial court.

Everything was for the resurrection of the Heavenly Demon.

Within the Demon Cult, there were those who sincerely pursued the Heavenly Demon’s resurrection and those who did not.

Despite many conflicts, Yo Dae-soon was able to start the grand plan.

“The sin of failure must be washed away by death…”

The problem was that it failed.

All Seven Great Immortals died.

Although they obtained information that the Heavenly Demon descended for a moment, the resurrection could not be sustained.

The fragments of the Heavenly Demon’s soul, which were like sacred relics of the sect, completely disappeared.

It was clear that the righteous sect took them.

“Simply dying would be avoiding responsibility.”

That great failure caused a tremendous storm.

Yo Dae-soon’s influence within the sect sharply declined.

Other palace masters and even the cult leader criticized Yo Dae-soon’s mistake.

And the fact that several fragments of the Heavenly Demon’s soul were lost strengthened the pro-war faction within the sect.

“There are those within the cult colluding with evil spirits.”

They eventually launched an invasion of the Central Plains.

Yo Dae-soon also knew that the leaders were in contact with the remnants of the old Evil Cult.

But there was nothing he could do.

His greatest suspicion was the Twin-Headed Demon Brain.

The master of High Spirit Palace and the chief military commander of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. Such a cunning man could devise many schemes.

“I offer my soul… I know you exist somewhere in this world.”

Yo Dae-soon finished his prayer like that.

He was informed that the Heavenly Demon’s resurrection had failed.

In fact, Yo Dae-soon did not believe it.

He felt that the Heavenly Demon existed somewhere in this world.

He did not tell anyone but thought so himself.

There was some basis for it.

Ssssss—

The hair on his entire body stood on end as he felt that familiar “sense.”

His earnest prayer.

It felt as if the burning emotion lodged in his heart was flowing out of his body.

Masters who have reached the Unrestrained Demon Realm like himself can transcend the laws of the world with their will.

The prayer Yo Dae-soon made with all his heart did not scatter in vain.

It had been a month. That mass of will was disappearing somewhere.

The prayer, made with the hope it would reach the Heavenly Demon, was moving in some direction on its own.

It was something he had never experienced in decades.

Therefore, Yo Dae-soon believed.

That the Heavenly Demon would resurrect in some form and accept his prayer.

Though he never received a response, that faith filled Yo Dae-soon.

“Surely…”

He would meet the Heavenly Demon.

With that resolve, Yo Dae-soon stood up.

A warrior from the Heaven Sealing Blood Wolf Squad waiting behind helped Yo Dae-soon put on his long robe.

“Has that brat Yeon-bi still not come back?”

Most people in Sky Shattering Island think the True Demon Palace Master treats his son like an abandoned child.

But that was not true.

Yo Yeon-bi was a loafer and an unfilial son, but Yo Dae-soon did not hate his child.

He rather pitied him.

That was why he still cared about his son who frequented gambling dens.

“Is he at the gambling den again?”

“He seems to always be where he usually goes.”

“Pathetic guy…”

“Shall we punish those who run that place?”

“Leave them be. I’ve warned them personally, so they must be cautious.”

Yo Dae-soon adjusted his robe and left.

He intended to visit the cult leader.

He planned to ask for permission to search for the Heavenly Demon again.

Several weeks had passed since Ha-jun was captured and brought to Sky Shattering Island.

After he was assigned Special Grade, he could not meet the civilians who were kidnapped together.

Not only that, he could not even meet Noh Shik and was confined alone in a solitary cell.

This was a desolate underground prison.

He heard this was the underground brain prison of High Spirit Palace.

The guards were people who could not speak.

They were probably deaf. Even though Ha-jun tried speaking several times, there was no response.

The only relief was that his shackles had loosened somewhat.

He could move his limbs freely.

Therefore, Ha-jun steadily exercised and moved.

However, the seal placed on his dantian still remained.

He tried to break it and with his excellent Qi sense, and made some progress.

But there was a problem: every three days, someone came to inspect the seal.

The man in white who graded Ha-jun, who was called the High Spirit Palace’s Protector, also appeared often.

“You’ve tampered with the seal. Don’t do foolish things, it’s not a seal you can break alone.”

The Protector said so.

Ha-jun did not get angry or upset, and the Protector sneered, thinking he was acting pompous.

“Yes, I wonder how long you can keep that calm expression. Will you have an icy face even when you receive the Grand Ritual? That beggar who came with you was whining to be spared.”

Still, Ha-jun remained silent.

The Protector showed a displeased expression.

‘You have no heart. Orthodox martial artists are said to be so righteous. Are you unmoved even though your comrade died a cruel death?’

‘It must be a lie that Noh Shik begged like that.’

The Protector smiled faintly and said.

“Well, it could be true that he died, couldn’t it?”

Then he left.

After a while, Ha-jun frowned.

He did not know what happened to Noh Shik as he had not seen him.

The place where Ha-jun was seemed to be the innermost part of the brain prison.

Therefore, he had never seen other prisoners coming or going.

In a place where it was hard to grasp the passage of time, Ha-jun contemplated himself.

He did not give up.

Though he had no answer on how to escape, Ha-jun pondered the seal and sought ways to regain his martial arts.

Then one day.

“Come out.”

The guards came with a group of martial artists.

“The good times are over now.”

Someone sneered like that.

Ha-jun, who had been staying at the brain prison for a long time, also had his turn.

Ha-jun was shackled on both hands and surrounded by martial artists as he was moved.

Unfortunately, there was no chance to escape.

He had no intention of escaping alone to survive, but…

“Go in.”

The place Ha-jun arrived at was an enclosed space.

Inside, there were already about ten people.

And Ha-jun’s eyes widened.

The person who recognized Ha-jun also stood up abruptly.

“You! You’re alive!”

Short in stature but with a more confident voice than anyone.

Peng Mu-ah, who fought alongside him in Kunlun Sect, was there.

Peng Mu-ah ran over and hugged Ha-jun tightly.

Her weight was very light. Ha-jun was surprised by that even at that moment.

“I thought you were dead.”

“Peng Mu-ah… you were here too.”

Ha-jun was equally glad.

Peng Mu-ah looked terrible. She, who liked to dress up, was wearing a dirty cloth outfit.

Her face was grimy and her hair was tangled.

In contrast, Ha-jun’s condition was much better.

Peng Mu-ah noticed his gaze and crossed her arms.

“I beat up some guys, so they locked me in a pigsty like this. I had no choice.”

“I see.”

That was typical Peng Mu-ah.

Beside her were young men in familiar attire.

They were disciples of the Kunlun Sect, younger than Ha-jun and still boyish.

Among them, one was sobbing.

“Sniff, we’re all going to die…”

“Shut up, stop whining!”

Peng Mu-ah snapped, but the Kunlun disciple kept whining.

“Master said he would definitely save us… sniff.”

“Yes, just believe in your master and wait. Didn’t you hear? The Murim Alliance sent a rescue team.”

“But they can’t come all the way here. Sniff, sob…!”

Peng Mu-ah finally grimaced and kicked the Kunlun disciple’s butt.

Ha-jun burst out laughing.

Then he snapped to attention and shouted.

“Noh Shik, have you seen Noh Shik?”

Peng Mu-ah nodded.

He was alive. Ha-jun’s expression brightened.

However, what Peng Mu-ah said next was not so pleasant.

“He was taken away before us. It seems it was our turn after him.”

When she arrived here, Noh Shik had gone beyond the black door inside this space.

“Do you know what the Demon Cult bastards are plotting?”

Peng Mu-ah had noticed more than Ha-jun.

“It seems they are experimenting on people. They call it ‘Grand Ritual’…”

The grades assigned to those kidnapped from the Central Plains were their experimental subject grades.

What this Grand Ritual was…

“They inject the Heavenly Demon’s demonic energy into the body.”

It was an unprecedented matter.

The screams heard from beyond the door were…

“Aaaah, aaaah!”

They were definitely Noh Shik’s screams.