Chapter 1059
Under the successive impacts, not only the cultists but also the disciples of Mount Hua were flung away and pushed back. Considering the distance between them and the place where the fierce battle was taking place, it was absurd.
“Chu- Chung Myung….”
Baek Cheon’s hands were trembling uncontrollably.
No matter how strong Chung Myung is, can he take on such an attack head-on and survive? If so….
Baek Cheon’s reason was lost in the face of a conclusion he didn’t want to even imagine.
“Sasuk! Over there!”
At that moment, a voice called out, and Baek Cheon’s head snapped around.
It was Jo-Gol who stretched out his hand. And what he points to… was Chung Myung, half-collapsed, one hand supporting himself on the ground.
“Ah….”
At that moment, it felt as if all strength had drained from his body in an instant.
But it was not yet time to be relieved.
“What kind of internal strength….”
Cold sweat poured down from Baek Cheon’s forehead like rain.
There are usually two factors discussed when talking about the strength of a martial artist. One is how perfectly they have mastered martial arts skills. The other is how strong their internal energy is.
According to Chung Myung’s theory, factors like adaptability, quick thinking, and mental strength would be added, but fundamentally, these two are the measures of a martial artist’s strength.
It’s not a good thing for one of the two to be noticeably superior to the other. The most important thing is the harmony between martial arts and internal strength. At least Baek Cheon believed so.
But after seeing this scene, such words fail to come out.
The destructive power emanating from an internal strength that could not even be described as overwhelming shattered Baek Cheon’s common sense about martial arts.
‘This is why….’
The cultist knew. How strong the bishop is. What kind of internal strength he was hiding.
Therefore, they could remain unwavering even in a situation where their bishop was unilaterally cornered.
“Sa- Sasuk….”
Tang Soso’s pale voice could be heard.
“Can we really win? That monster?”
Baek Cheon couldn’t bring himself to respond. He couldn’t just blurt out that he believed in Chung Myung without any countermeasures. That would not be faith, but just self-indulgence.
Instead, Baek Cheon clenched his teeth and said.
“…Listen carefully, Soso.”
“….”
“That man must not be allowed to live, not ever.”
“Sa- Sasuk.”
“If… If it seems that neither Chung Myung nor Jang Ilso can handle him… then everyone here must rush in and make sure that he dies by any means necessary.”
These are truly cruel words. But if you think about it, there is nothing wrong with it at all. Anyway, the moment those two are defeated, there will be no one left behind here. There’s no way these cultists will let them go easily.
If so, they must at least find the value in their death.
But…
‘When will that time come?’
Baek Cheon clenched his fists and pondered.
Is it really the right choice to delay any further here? Are they putting too much burden on Chung Myung now? Maybe it would be better to join in now…
The moment Baek Cheon unconsciously took a step forward out of impatience, someone grabbed his sleeve tightly.
“…Samae?”
Yoo Iseol was shaking her head with a stern expression.
“Wait, Sahyung.”
“….”
“Sajil is still fighting.”
At those words, Baek Cheon’s gaze turned to Chung Myung again.
It was clearly visible even from this distance. The fierce light flowing from Chung Myung’s eyes, now crouched low.
“…Right.”
Baek Cheon eventually nodded heavily.
“But we can’t wait for long. I have no intention of seeking revenge after he dies.”
“I’ll be the first to rush in.”
Yoo Iseol’s voice was firm. Baek Cheon nodded his head with difficulty and stared at Chung Myung with bloodshot eyes.
‘Chung Myung….’
“Huuk… Huuk….”
Sweat mixed with blood flowed down Chung Myung’s chin. His whole body felt like it was going to be crushed, and it was extremely heavy. It was as if all the remaining moisture in his body had been drained away.
Chung Myung glanced down at his feet. His right foot was half-crushed.
The moment the demonic energy flew, he threw his sword into the air and succeeded in escaping with the recoil. However, his right foot was swept away by demonic energy by a paper-thin margin.
‘…Lucky it’s the right.’
For a left-handed swordsman, the left foot is crucial for delivering weight into sword strikes. If the left foot is damaged, his sword cannot exert its full power. That’s not to say that losing the right foot isn’t without consequence, but at least it’s better than the left.
However… The important thing wasn’t the power to wield the sword. Being hit in the foot means that he has a problem with mobility now. He had lost one of his biggest weapons that had allowed him to push Dan Jagang so far.
Why? Why did this outcome occur?
Kwadeuk!
He stuck his sword in the ground and struggled to get up, and spoke as if he was spitting at Dan Jagang, who was approaching with arrogant steps.
“…You, have you also mastered the Absorption Essence Demonic Art (????(吸精魔功))?”
Dan Jagang’s eyes brightened at those words.
“It seems like you are quite knowledgeable about the cult.”
“…It looks like the cult is over. I can’t believe they even gave Absorption Essence Demonic Art to a greenhorn like you.”
Chung Myung bit his lips.
It wasn’t a mistake. It was just unforeseen.
The current Magyo is different from the past. If it were Magyo of the past, they would not have given Absorption Essence Demonic Art to a young bishop who was no different from a greenhorn.
The most imperfect and dangerous of all demonic arts, Absorption Essence Demonic Art increases one’s own internal strength by absorbing the internal strength of others, but it drives the user’s mind into chaos.
Those affected by Absorption Essence Demonic Art become not just zealots driven by doctrine and faith, but literally madmen, indiscriminate beasts rampaging against both friend and foe.
Therefore, even Magyo who pursues only power and fanaticism, does not easily permit the practice of this demonic art. But…
‘That was stupid.’
He should have thought about it. The fact that the current Magyo is different from the past.
A hundred years ago, wars were constant, and as a result, those who indiscriminately absorbed energy and could not withstand Absorption Essence Demonic Art appeared.
However, in the current Magyo, where cultists only live amongst themselves, there is only one possible target for absorption.
“…These viper-like bastard have now even eaten their followers.”
If the target of absorption was a cultist who had learned the same demonic arts, the side effects would have been minimized. Of course, it would not be possible to be completely free from the side effects of Absorption Essence Demonic Art, but it would have been possible to minimize them.
Because he missed that, even Chung Myung failed to notice that the bishop’s internal strength was far beyond anyone’s imagination.
All predictions are based on one’s own common sense and experience. Therefore, one does not anticipate anything beyond their own common sense. The same mistake those facing Chung Myung often make is now being committed by Chung Myung himself against the bishop.
“It looks like the crazy people in the cult are in good shape. Even in the past, they wouldn’t touch fellow demonic cultists. What? Were you guys afraid to just rot and crumble after Heavenly Demon bastard died?”
“….”
“Answer me. How did it feel to eat your fellow believers? Did you even look at their faces as you drained their energy while they screamed?”
Dan Jagang quietly closed his eyes.
‘How was it, you say?’
That guy has no idea. He doesn’t understand at all. Although he appears to have knowledge of the cult, he has no understanding of it at all.
‘You’ll never know.’
The faces of those who died happily offered their strength to him. Those who died in joy, believing that they could become nourishment when Heavenly Demon descends.
The ones who couldn’t endure were…
Dan Jagang’s eyes darkened.
“How pitiful, you people of Jungwon.”
“…What?”
“A beast does not show weakness even at the brink of death. No matter how painful, it endures until it can no longer.”
“….”
“Because if they don’t, they will be abandoned and become a target again. What on earth have you gone through and become of that even in such a state, you don’t show weakness even for a moment?”
Eudeudeuk.
Chung Myung ground his teeth.
“Talk nonsense as you please.”
Chung Myung’s voice sounded almost like the groan of someone who had been stabbed in the gut.
After taking a few breaths to compose himself, Chung Myung walked towards Dan Jagang again. The wounded foot was dragged.
“This is why the little ones can do nothing.”
“….”
“Why, do you think you won already?”
Chung Myung let out a sinister smile.
“Let me tell you something, you idiot. There’s no such thing as victory or defeat on the battlefield. There’s only kill or be killed.”
Such wounds are nothing. Even when he received wounds several times worse than this, he fought and crawled to kill his opponent. Now it’s not even new. There is no reason to make a weak noise just because one of his feet was crushed.
But Dan Jagang just looked at Chung Myung with calm eyes.
“We have been waiting for His descent.”
“….”
“For those long years. Just waiting… and waiting again. We just waited, unable to give up a ray of hope that one day He would answer our devotion.”
Dan Jagang paused briefly and looked up at the sky.
“The wait is not difficult. What is truly difficult is the lives of those dying without even hearing a single answer. It’s the weight of that.”
“Kuk….”
Chung Myung’s shoulders, who had been quietly listening, suddenly shook.
Dan Jagang’s eyes flashed darkly for a moment. This is because he intuitively felt that that laugh was not made up to provoke him.
“What’s so funny?”
He asked, but Chung Myung seemed unable to calm down at all and laughed for a while longer before giggling and covering his mouth.
“Ah, sorry.”
The laugh still didn’t subside, and his blood-soaked teeth were clearly exposed.
“It’s like watching a human trying to fish from above the clouds.”
“…What do you mean?”
“It means everything is wrong.”
Chung Myung gripped his sword.
“You’ll never be rewarded.”
“….”
“Even if Heavenly Demon descends. Nothing like your voice can reach Him. At least, not to Him.”
Dan Jagang’s face distorted.
Chung Myung returned Dan Jagang’s words exactly as they were.
“How pitiful.”
“…You….”
“A foolish man who doesn’t even know what he believes in, what he worships. Your god does not care for you. Your cries mean nothing to your god.”
Eudeudeuk!
Along with this grinding sound, Dan Jagang’s face twisted like a demon’s.
He knew. He didn’t need to listen to this guy’s words. There’s no reason to be shaken by the ramblings of someone who knows nothing about the cult or Heavenly Demon.
Nevertheless, there is only one reason why he cannot hold back his anger.
The words Chung Myung just uttered were the very ones he least wanted to hear.
The energy within him surged uncontrollably like a rampaging dragon after its reverse scale had been touched.
“This… This! This filthy non-believer….”
“Right. In your eyes, I am nothing more than an unbeliever. Filthy and ugly. But, you should know one thing too.”
Chung Myung giggled and laughed.
“The non-believers you consider so ugly, and you who risk your lives to lick the soles of the Heavenly Demon’s feet… in the eyes of that bastard Heavenly Demon, there’s absolutely no difference.”
“You….”
Dan Jagang’s eyes burst into a blaze.
“Good! Good! Such words! Good!”
“Now I’m curious too?”
Chung Myung shook his shoulders and even wiped away tears as he laughed.
“What expression will you make when you, who don’t even know what Heavenly Demon is, actually see him with your own eyes? You’re just an idiot who doesn’t even know what you believe in.”
“You puuuuuunk!”
Demonic energy surged explosively in response to Dan Jagang’s anger. It was like a huge waterfall shooting into the sky. Dan Jagang, overcome with uncontrollable anger, overturned his eyes and went on a rampage.
“Die! I will kill you! After crushing that damned mouth, I will crush all of you without leaving a single piece of flesh behind! I will never leave even your soul behind for daring to insult the cult and desecrate Heavenly Demon!”
“Go ahead, try it, you id…!”
The moment Chung Myung also shouted and was about to rush forward, someone blocked his path.
A man in a tattered red robe, Jang Ilso, intervened.
“I’m sorry for intruding on this messy social gathering, but you still need some more rest.”
“…What?”
“I’m tired of listening to that nonsense. It will create a gap for just one moment, so don’t miss it, yes?”
Jang Ilso smiled slightly and clenched his fists. Then, with the sound of clinking rings, he jumped towards the rushing Dan Jagang who was radiating a tremendous murderous intent.