CHAPTER 393: INFILTRATING THE DEMON CULT (5)

Peng Mu-ah gulped.

To be honest… it felt like tears could burst out at any moment.

However, no one could blame Peng Mu-ah for that.

No one could remain unmoved in such a situation.

It wasn’t out of fear.

It was out of frustration. Out of worry.

When the Kunlun Sect disciples were being dragged away, Peng Mu-ah intended to step forward herself.

She thought, “Don’t torment the kids, do it to me first.”

She was the proud daughter of the Peng family, and especially inherited the strong bloodline of the Peng clan.

Her father, the family head, also said so.

He said that Peng Mu-ah was braver than Peng Gu-in and Peng Gu-hwi, known as the Peng Twin Tigers.

At that moment, Ha-jun blocked Peng Mu-ah’s path.

If Ha-jun had tried to stop her or insisted on going first, Peng Mu-ah probably wouldn’t have listened.

But Ha-jun did not do that.

He sent hand signals from behind, visible only to Peng Mu-ah.

Using the hand signals used by the Martial Alliance, he conveyed two messages.

The first was “Wait.”

The second was “I’ll handle it somehow.”

Because of that, she unconsciously stopped.

Ha-jun only sent such signals when he could handle the situation alone.

And every time, Ha-jun overcame adversity.

So Peng Mu-ah quietly stepped back.

“It was a lie…”

But what actually happened?

Was there a hidden contingency plan as confident as his stepping forward?

“You said you could handle it somehow.”

No.

Ha-jun’s body was trembling.

Blood continuously dripped from his mouth and nose, and veins bulged all over his body.

An unknown liquid was being injected through stakes embedded in his back.

Around that, black stains spread over Ha-jun’s body like a spiderweb.

He looked no different from a corpse.

Ha-jun, who told others to trust only him, was dying helplessly.

Peng Mu-ah clenched her fists so tightly that her hands turned white.

Bright red drops of blood fell through the gaps of her fingers.

It was painful, but not as painful as Ha-jun’s.

“Good…”

Unlike Peng Mu-ah, someone was rejoicing.

It was Demon Brain.

At his signal, men who appeared to be doctors checked Ha-jun’s pulse and observed his condition.

“His pulse has quickened but remains within the normal range.”

“No arrhythmia detected. The original energy seems undamaged.”

Demon Brain laughed heartily.

“We can slowly increase the output.”

He glanced and turned his head to look at the hourglass.

It was a device to measure about an hour.

With half the sand fallen, the first hour had just begun.

“Good, good…”

The situation was going extremely smoothly.

Then, a sound shattered Demon Brain’s peace.

Knock knock—

Someone was knocking on the door.

He had told them never to disturb during the grand ritual.

If it wasn’t an important moment, Demon Brain would have personally punished the foolish person.

Knock knock!

Unable to dare open the door, they kept knocking outside.

“I-It’s an important matter!”

Demon Brain gave a annoyed glance to Protector Il.

Protector Il quickly opened the door and went out to check what was going on.

Protector Il returned with a flustered expression and explained.

“Palace Master, it seems there is a fire in the palace.”

“What…?”

What kind of fire suddenly at such a critical moment?

In this absurd situation, Demon Brain shouted.

“Go! Just put it out!”

Protector Il used lightness skill and quickly left.

He soon returned with the same expression as before.

“The thing is… even pouring water doesn’t seem to put out the fire.”

“What nonsense…”

Demon Brain, who was about to smash Protector Il’s head, suddenly froze.

“The fire won’t go out?”

He urged Protector Il to explain the situation in more detail.

A fire that won’t extinguish. Something immediately came to mind.

“Karmic fire… why?”

Karmic fire was stored even in Demon Brain’s office.

But why would it suddenly cause a fire?

“Could it be…”

He had a bad feeling.

The soul fragment of the Heavenly Demon, would it be alright?

The place extracting the demonic energy was Demon Brain’s own office.

The flow of demonic energy being injected into Ha-jun was still maintained.

But that didn’t reveal the state of the soul fragment; enough demonic energy had already been extracted and stored.

If someone tampered with it, the installed mechanism would surely have sounded an alarm…

But it was still quiet.

Demon Brain’s face twisted in anger.

His intuition as an absolute master was triggered.

‘I need to check it.’

But now?

Right before the grand ritual succeeds!

But he couldn’t send someone else.

Demon Brain slapped the cheek of the standing Protector Il.

The innocent Protector Il rolled on the floor.

“Get up.”

Protector Il spat blood onto the floor, possibly from a burst mouth.

“You finish the grand ritual. I’ll be back soon.”

Demon Brain clicked his tongue and left the room.

His lightness skill was incredibly fast.

A warrior cautiously approached Protector Il.

“A-Are you alright?”

Protector Il did not answer.

Instead, he glared at Ha-jun with a face flushed with anger.

Then he spoke.

“Increase the output more.”

Someone adjusted the mechanism.

Ha-jun’s body twitched once more.

A deathly heavy tension settled in the hall.

But at this moment, the most tense person was Peng Mu-ah.

‘It wasn’t a mistake.’

When everyone’s focus was distracted by the fire news, she saw.

‘He was conscious.’

Ha-jun’s eyes regained focus.

He looked at Peng Mu-ah.

And with his bound hands, he sent a hand signal.

It was not a mistake.

The meaning of the signal was clear…

“Give me my sword.”

Peng Mu-ah did not have Ha-jun’s sword.

Was Ha-jun’s mind wavering?

She did not think so. He was clearly asking for the sharply honed iron bars.

She glanced at Protector Il.

Protector Il was clearly a Transcendent master, the most threatening opponent.

Even if he got hold of the iron bar, could Ha-jun really handle him?

But Peng Mu-ah could not miss this moment.

Now that the Absolute master, the head of Goryeong Palace, was absent, this was the only chance.

She took out the iron bar she had hidden in her sleeve.

And handed them to the most composed Kunlun Sect disciple.

Fortunately, the young man, said to be Go Yo-ja’s senior disciple, showed no sign of reaction.

However, the problem was what came next.

How should they pass it to Ha-jun?

First, they had to divert Protector Il’s attention.

“Increase the output more.”

At that moment, Protector Il said so.

At the order to inject more demonic energy, one warrior was flustered.

“Seems a bit fast… Ah, understood.”

Peng Mu-ah sighed deeply.

There seemed to be no other way but a direct attack.

She took a deep breath and let out a fierce shout.

“You damn bastard!”

Then she recklessly charged at Protector Il.

A warrior hurriedly blocked her, but Peng Mu-ah was clearly a strong fighter.

She was also a master who had surpassed the ultimate wall.

Though lacking internal power, she skillfully pierced through the warrior’s grasp.

Then, using Peng family’s joint techniques, she infiltrated Protector Il’s embrace.

Of course, Protector Il…

“This wildcat-like thing.”

He handled Peng Mu-ah’s surprise attack without any hesitation.

It was a miracle that Peng Mu-ah twisted her shoulder to evade the first move.

But she couldn’t avoid her collarbone being struck by a knee filled with internal power.

With pain like her sternum was breaking, Peng Mu-ah rolled on the floor.

Her body wouldn’t move.

But before checking her own safety, she turned her head toward Ha-jun.

The senior disciple of Kunlun Sect fulfilled her duty well.

Despite his hands being bound behind him, he threw the iron bar to Ha-jun.

The iron bar spun through the air.

Protector Il saw it, but it was already too late.

The iron bar headed toward Ha-jun’s right hand.

But the direction was a bit off.

At this rate, the iron bar would miss.

Just as the iron bar was about to pass Ha-jun’s fingertips by a hand’s breadth.

Ha-jun’s hand broke the chains and snatched the iron bar.

What kind of power surged forth?

Because of that monstrous strength, Ha-jun’s wrist was crushed by the chains, tearing his skin.

But astonishingly, the wound healed instantly.

But the shock was yet to come.

An even more amazing event occurred from the iron bars in Ha-jun’s hand.

Tsu-tsu-tsu!

A vivid sword aura erupted.

Sword aura on an iron skewer?

Dealing with the remaining restraints was even easier.

Ha-jun only needed to slash once with the sword aura-infused iron bars.

Ka-ga-ga-gak—

The restraints were cut, freeing his entire body.

He pulled out the stakes embedded in his back with sheer force.

An unknown black liquid splattered onto the floor.

Protector Il shouted.

“What are you doing! Capture him!”

The warriors reflexively charged at Ha-jun.

It was Protector Il’s clear mistake.

Seeing the sword aura generated from Ha-jun’s hand, he should have acted himself instead of sending the subordinates.

Or at least have taken Peng Mu-ah and others hostage.

The price for the wrong choice was paid immediately.

Pa-pa-pa-pak—

It was in an instant.

Holes were pierced in the warriors’ backs, their chests split open, and limbs severed.

Blood spurted everywhere, and the piercing screams were dizzying.

Protector Il ran late toward Ha-jun’s location.

He was a Supreme Demon realm master.

He intended to subdue Ha-jun with a single strike.

He was the first example to survive the grand ritual.

If Ha-jun failed, Demon Brain would kill Protector Il without hesitation.

Not giving his all because of such thoughts was arrogance.

“You bastard!”

But Ha-jun was different.

He risked his life to attack, while Protector Il was confident in subduing him.

That difference in mindset decided the outcome.

Ha-jun’s iron bar pierced Protector Il’s lungs.

Protector Il glared at Ha-jun, spitting a fountain of blood.

Just as something was about to come out of his mouth, Ha-jun’s sword aura slashed past Protector Il’s neck.

His previously smug face twisted as he rolled on the floor.

“Hoo, hoo.”

Ha-jun caught his breath, letting the blood-stained iron bar hang loosely.

Black stains still spread over his body.

Other wounds had healed, but the stake wounds remained unhealed.

A gruesome wound exposing his spine.

Though he looked ready to collapse, Ha-jun did not.

He staggered and walked toward Peng Mu-ah and the Kunlun Sect disciples.

His appearance was terrifying.

His once refined face was flushed dark red, veins bulging on his forehead and neck.

What was felt along with the intense killing intent was definitely… demonic energy.

The Kunlun disciples involuntarily felt their knees weaken.

They were afraid of Ha-jun.

Moreover, Ha-jun still fiercely burned the crimson sword aura.

Ha-jun stood before Peng Mu-ah.

Peng Mu-ah broke into a cold sweat but forced a smile.

To her, Ha-jun struck down with sword aura.

What he cut was Peng Mu-ah’s restraints.

Ha-jun freed all the Kunlun Sect disciples’ restraints.

Peng Mu-ah staggered and got up.

“Are you alright?”

Ha-jun nodded instead of answering.

Peng Mu-ah hesitated.

She wanted to ask, ‘Are you really okay?’

But now was not the time.

“Let’s get out of here.”

Ha-jun carried the corpse.

They began running toward the door.