Chapter 034. To the North (4)
Murong Gang does not believe in the so-called Reincarnation spoken of in Buddhism.
Because while being part of the Yin God Cult, he realized the fact that the human soul, like the body, suffers and breaks down too easily.
They performed tricks that were too horrific to be merely dismissed as 'sorcery' as naturally as breathing.
Murong Gang, who was once a descendant of a prestigious Orthodox faction, considered it horrific.
However, he himself followed their methods without hesitation.
Chattering the disgusting excuse that there was no choice.
Pushing forward the absurd pretext that it was for revenge.
Murong Gang made a Cultist into a puppet and consumed him to surveil Namgung Yeon.
Perhaps his soul will wander the world of the living while corrupted, crushed by demonic energy, and then disappear futilely.
Just like the family members of the Murong Clan did.
The screams of his blood relatives dying while shrieking come to mind.
His youngest sibling, who knew nothing about the clan's sins, was cut in half by the sword of a Murim Alliance member.
That unjust expression, not knowing why they were dying, was not erased from his mind.
You were always good and bright.
Over that redness, the image of his father emitting black demonic energy and fighting against the absolute masters of the Central Plains Murim overlaps.
That power he coveted even while driving the clan to ruin was indeed worthy of being called world-shaking.
Even though the two men his father had harbored an inferiority complex towards and envied all his life, the Namgung Family Head and the Peng Family Head—the masters of two of the Five Great Families—attacked simultaneously, Murong Gang's father, spewing demonic energy, rather overwhelmed them.
But that was all.
After the previous Lord of the Martial Sovereign Castle, who was called the Number One Under Heaven at the time, appeared, the entire situation changed completely.
He made the Namgung Family Head and the Peng Family Head step back and killed Murong Gang's father alone.
Just ten moves. The power of the monster accepted even while leading the clan to ruin was destroyed in just ten moves.
When he recalled that time, his body still trembled with fear, shudder, and a sense of futility.
Murong Gang knows.
The fact that even though 30 years have passed since that day, he still hasn't reached even his father's toes.
Therefore, revenge is ultimately nothing but an illusion. No matter how much Murong Gang struggles, he won't be able to face even one Lord of the Martial Sovereign Castle.
The reason he clings to an illusion, destroying himself and trampling others is simply.......
'Because only then can I live.'
Murong Gang clearly recognized how ugly a monster he was.
So he couldn't stop.
If he has fallen so ugly, shouldn't he at least die in the very middle of revenge?
Tearing apart the flesh and blood of the enemy, and drenched in that blood.
When he kills and kills until there is nothing left to kill.
Shouldn't he die then?
Was it because he harbored such thoughts deep in his heart? Murong Gang felt euphoria even at the sudden unforeseen event. Especially, the face that passed by briefly at the last moment doubled that emotion, whether it was joy or despair.
Coolly sunken eyes, a jawline sharp like a treasured sword, and eyes subtly arrogant as if looking down on everything.
It was a face even Murong Gang, who had only wandered the frontier of the Central Plains for a long time, knew.
"Sword Dragon......!"
The third disciple of the Lord of the Martial Sovereign Castle.
An eternal genius who reached the Peak Realm only 5 years after holding a sword.
How high his prestige was, that audacious stories like being the next of the Eight Sovereigns of Murim and whatnot were exchanged about a brat barely over the coming-of-age age.
'There was a lot of talk inside the Cult at the time.'
There were those who argued that he must be eliminated before he becomes another disaster.
And there were those who said he should rather be induced to self-destruct by pitting him against the Eldest Young Master.
However, since touching the disciple of the Lord of the Martial Sovereign Castle entailed immense danger.
The consensus of the Cardinals gathered towards observing.
And some time later.
Rumors spread throughout the Central Plains that Dam Jeok-san suffered qi deviation and lost his dantian.
Until then, Murong Gang had no particular feelings about the human called Dam Jeok-san.
The Central Plains Murim is a place where geniuses as numerous as stars appear and disappear repeatedly.
Those who fail to survive are bound to be forgotten quickly. He thought Dam Jeok-san was also just one of them.
Right now,
Until just before facing Dam Jeok-san again.
'It was so fast that I couldn't see anything.'
He couldn't guess at all what kind of technique he used to kill the Yin God Cultist.
Likewise, he couldn't know if the living thunderbolt bomb exploded properly.
However, the most bizarre thing is that all of that is the work of Dam Jeok-san, who is known to have lost his dantian due to qi deviation.
How on earth?
As far as Murong Gang knows, there is only one way to restore a damaged dantian within a short time.
'Accepting monsterification will do.'
If one deviates from the path of humans and walks the heretical path, one can regain not only the dantian but even severed limbs.
However, there is no way the disciple of the Lord of the Martial Sovereign Castle, of all people, made such a choice.
"Well, I will know when I meet him in person."
A grotesque expression mixed with anger and pleasure appeared on his face.
The Namgung Family Head and the Lord of the Martial Sovereign Castle who led the killing of his father and the annihilation of his clan.
They are Namgung Yeon's grandfather and Dam Jeok-san's Grandmaster respectively. If he tears them apart and kills them, can he comfort the souls of his blood relatives who left first?
He knows there will be no such thing.
Because his blood relatives would have already fallen into the Avici Hell and their souls would have lost their forms.
'If there is no more salvation for me.......'
I will willingly become your ruin.
A gloomy light hovered in Murong Gang's vermilion eyes.
WHOOSH......!
Red flames, crimson like blood, wrapped around his whole body.
Genuine qi burning like hellfire is not something that can be created simply by the power of a monster. A scenery reproduced because the Murong Clan's family martial art, the Blue Void Divine Art, reached the extremity of the Peak Realm despite being twisted and contaminated by demonic energy.
Murong Gang's Blue Void Divine Art was no longer blue nor void, but it still harbored formidable destructive power.
Like his life, which lost its way and pursues only misguided revenge.
Dam Jeok-san and Namgung Yeon.
Descendants of enemies.
Before today passes,
"I will kill you."
Murong Gang's low vow scattered in the empty air.
His figure, engulfed in red flames, accelerated explosively.
Because he had to hurry to kill them before they passed through the Northern gateway.
* * *
"Oho, it is the Birch Sun Glory Herb."
Dam Jeok-san let out a low exclamation while opening the chest.
It is not a spiritual herb at the level of being called top-grade.
Furthermore, the effect of increasing internal energy is also minimal compared to spiritual herbs of the same rank.
However, the Birch Sun Glory Herb, harboring a subtle warmth, possessed excellent efficacy above all else in replenishing vitality and treating internal injuries. More than any healing medicine made by an alchemist.
"If you had something like this, why didn't you eat it sooner?"
Dam Jeok-san said while looking at the Birch Sun Glory Herb.
"I intended to eat it if it didn't work, but Young Master Dam healed my internal injuries cleanly, didn't you?"
Namgung Yeon shrugged her shoulders and said.
Really, Dam Jeok-san's genuine qi guidance was an experience one might have once in a lifetime or not.
How can genuine qi extending from a person's fingertips possess such a nature?
It seemed she could know just by looking at that.
How much bone-carving effort Dam Jeok-san made to regain his dantian.
"That doesn't become a reason to give me this spiritual herb."
"That is true, but this is a rational judgment."
She shook her head at Dam Jeok-san's words and said.
What Namgung Yeon considers most important right now is her own survival.
For herself, of course, and also for the Namgung Clan. Also considering the future of the Central Plains Murim. She had to survive.
And the premise for her survival was the presence or absence of Dam Jeok-san.
"......Understood. But it is an item I do not need."
Dam Jeok-san, realizing Namgung Yeon's true intention, sighed and said.
From his perspective, the monsters rampant in the world were practically walking lumps of spiritual medicine. Therefore, there was no need to take something like the Birch Sun Glory Herb received from Namgung Yeon. Contrary to her misconception, Dam Jeok-san hadn't suffered internal injuries either.
"......Is that true?"
Namgung Yeon looked straight into his eyes as if trying to grasp the true meaning of what he said.
His deep and black eyes were calm like a frozen lake.
Unless one is a Peak Realm expert, one cannot not suffer internal injuries after withstanding an explosion of that much demonic energy.
'......But this is my common sense.'
Had her own common sense ever applied to that man?
She asked herself and shook her head from side to side.
From the first time they met, he was a person who destroyed common sense.
Because he overwhelmed her as if playing with her, despite having learned martial arts for only a little over 5 years.
From that time, he was fundamentally different from ordinary figures.
"Fine. If the Young Master says so, then it must be so. Still, please accept it. I cannot take back what I gave."
Namgung Yeon readily acknowledged that fact and complied with Dam Jeok-san's words.
"......Thank you for trusting me. Alright, I will use this usefully."
"For thanks, I should be the one thanking you."
The conversation between the two ended.
Dam Jeok-san tucked the chest containing the spiritual herb into his bosom.
The group he led crossed the plain again.
Before long, a crimson twilight settles on their lengthened shadows.
At a point leaving not much distance to the gateway heading to a place that could be called completely 'North' outside the territory of the Central Plains.
CAW— CAW—
Crows that had eaten their fill of human blood and flesh cry out, and the density of demonic energy gradually thickening awakens Dam Jeok-san's five senses.
The time for the decisive battle that could no longer be postponed was approaching.
'Although I have set up countermeasures.......'
He cannot rely only on that.
Northern Heaven Sword Venerable Un Wol-hyang. Even Dam Jeok-san cannot be certain if she will really come to help him.
He analyzed Murong Gang's aura coolly.
Although he only glanced at it, for Dam Jeok-san who possesses the Predator's Eye, that was enough.
'Murong Gang's aura seemed capable of being compared to a Peak Realm expert.'
On top of that, he must have handled demonic energy for decades.
His ability as a Half-Demon would also be far more powerful compared to the Butcher.
Just to deal with a mature Peak Realm expert, there must be at least double-digit first-rate experts. If he is a Half-Demon of the Yin God Cult who possesses regenerative power and even wields mysterious sorcery.......
'Even if first-rate experts swarm him, it would be difficult to deal with him.'
That is the common idea and common sense of Murim.
Going against common ideas and common sense to survive.
'It is already too familiar a task.'
When regaining his dantian, and when killing Woo Seo-gwang.
No, even before that, from the time he was taken in as the Martial Sovereign's disciple.
He had always done things others said were impossible.
The avenger approaching dyed in red flames, the person who noticed Murong Gang's approach first was none other than Dam Jeok-san.
The predator's senses rang the alarm madly.
A danger signal unprecedented in degree.
Until now, he was confident that he could win somehow if he poured out everything he had—
Now it was different.
Instinct and intuition whisper constantly.
That if he clashes with that thing, he will definitely die.
"He is coming. Everyone to your positions. Prepare for battle."
Naturally, the voice coming from Dam Jeok-san was also cold and low.
His heart pounded madly.
The sensation of certain death shook his mind constantly.
It felt as if he could hear someone constantly urging him to run away in his ear.
However, only one thing.
Only the instinct of his past life, which reached the peak of the world after countless battles, gave a different answer.
—Fight, fight with the resolve to die. Then the one surviving at the end will be you.
Dam Jeok-san raised his sword.
Because he knew that was ultimately his own voice.
At the same time, Dam Jeok-san shot a telepathic message into the three people's minds.
[Now, detonate them.]
Heaven-Shaking Thunderbolt.
Fire bombs with world-shaking destructive power, capable of stopping even a Peak Realm expert for a moment, exploded towards Murong Gang.