Chapter 190 : Proof That the Vice Cult Leader Was Right

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Blade Emperor, who had once been the head of the Hebei Peng Clan in the generation before last and was once called the Number One of the Hundred Paths.

The ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Dark War Emperor, revered as the true successor of the Unorthodox Factions.

And ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the Corpse Demon, who had been called the pride of the Bright Cult.

The ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍three stepped out from the pine trees and began to walk slowly.

Their ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍movements appeared endlessly relaxed, but the moment they took a step, their figures were already dozens of zhang ahead.

In ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the blink of an eye, the three absolute masters moved farther away, heading toward a battlefield where Cheonghajin had split into two sides to kill and be killed.

From the beginning, the experts of the Assembly of the Beyond-Heavens who had stood on the Lord’s side and stirred the battlefield were immediately suppressed as the Bright Cult’s martial artists joined in.

Despite their grand name, “Beyond the Heavens,” they were merely Peak and Super-Peak masters.

There was no need for the Poison Demon or Demon Flower to rampage, nor any reason for the Blood Sword Unit—the personal guard—to leave the Cult Leader’s side.

Because the Red Blade Unit showed, without any restraint, why they were called the blood-red wolves of the Demonic Cult.

The combat power of the Red Blade Unit Commander, who stood on the verge of the Transcendent Realm, was just as ferocious as rumored.

Following that commander like a ghost and guarding his back was Squad Leader Wang Sam.

Ever since the operation to return the children—an assignment given by the Vice Cult Leader—Wang Sam had stuck right beside the commander.

To the point that his new nickname had become “the commander’s wife.”

But it seemed that sticking close like that wasn’t merely for flattery or to get a free drink, as the others mocked.

Not a single enemy managed to break through Wang Sam and reach the commander’s back.

Even as he became drenched in blood, he perfectly protected the commander’s rear.

The commander was the same.

Even if it increased his own risk, he would instantly snatch away any enemy too difficult for Wang Sam to handle and deal with them himself.

Thanks to that, he shed no small amount of blood, but Wang Sam remained intact.

Only his clothes were damaged.

While the coordination of the two shone brilliantly, on the other side, a perfect killing blade cut down everyone it caught.

It was the battle of Gilju, the Seventh Unit Commander, who had lost an arm in a heinous ambush by the Kongtong Sect and had barely been saved by Yul Han.

The Secret Manual of the Left-Hand Killing Sword, specially bestowed upon him by the Cult Leader, allowed him to wield the blade as though it were a sword.

In exchange, by losing one arm, Gilju regained the balance he had lost.

More precisely, he obtained a Martial Art optimized for his broken sense of balance.

With that new Martial Art, Gilju became sharper than ever before.

It was astonishing that such a crude Broad Blade could be wielded like that.

As all the Red Blade Unit members unleashed their abilities without restraint, the forces on Cheonghajin Lord’s side pushed back the Cheonghajin martial artists and the Assembly of the Beyond-Heavens experts supporting them.

Just as it felt like things were being cleaned up smoothly—

The situation suddenly changed.

Eighteen streams of Force Energy erupted from the battlefield.

In an instant, blood flowed like a river.

Around the Force Energy, the corpses of Cheonghajin cavalry fighting for the Young Lord piled up alongside the bodies of their horses.

Several Red Blade Unit members fighting nearby were also swept up and killed.

The moment the severity of the situation became clear, the Twenty-Seven Ghosts—who had been silently observing—rushed forward, and both the Poison Demon and Demon Flower also drew out their Force Energy and leapt into the battlefield.

No matter that the Twenty-Seven Ghosts were the third-ranked combat group of the Demonic Cult, all of them were merely Super-Peak.

Though they would inspire fear anywhere in the Martial World, compared to eighteen Transcendent Realm masters, they were clearly lacking.

Because the gap in strength was so vast, even the Poison Demon and Demon Flower, who charged in with their Force Energy unleashed, could not make a difference.

In the end, the Manifestation Realm expert, Iron Demon, stepped forward.

The Force Energy that surged into the air—

Swoooosh!

Left Iron Demon’s Broad Blade and flew through the sky.

And then—

Bang!

Another Transcendent Realm expert of the Assembly of the Beyond-Heavens, who had been quietly approaching from behind the Poison Demon as he fought desperately, was violently thrown away.

He barely managed to block Iron Demon’s Force Bullet, but his blade was snapped in half, and his upper body was drenched in blood.

Even though he had blocked Force Energy with Force Energy, the damage was severe—once again due to the difference in realm.

As the Beyond-Heavens expert stood there in shock, Iron Demon charged at him.

Two other Transcendent Realm experts from the Assembly of the Beyond-Heavens joined in after noticing their comrade’s danger.

In an instant, they became three.

Iron Demon pounced on them.

Thud. Slash. Boom!

Different sounds rang out in succession.

Iron Demon’s exclusive Martial Art, the Iron Crushing Mad Blade’s final ultimate technique, completely crushed one man’s head.

The Asura Sword Form he had tenaciously learned at Yul Han’s side flew like a ghost and severed another man’s neck.

And the Slaughtering Demon Art he had learned while fawning over the Cult Leader smashed the face of the last one.

Thud.

The three Transcendent Realm experts of the Assembly of the Beyond-Heavens collapsed almost simultaneously, never to rise again.

Iron Demon glanced at them once before shifting his gaze to search for new prey.

But then—

Step. Step.

His startled eyes fixed on someone approaching leisurely with firm steps.

“Si—Senior Corpse Demon!”

At Iron Demon’s shock, Corpse Demon gave a faint smile.

“So the disciple of Iron Demon has grown as old as his master.”

The title “Iron Demon” is inherited.

Just as Iron Demon’s master in the past had been called Iron Demon.

While the master lived, the successor had been called Juncheol.

It was the same for all successors of the Five Demons.

Junhyeon, Jungwi, Jundok, Junhwa.

Back in his days as Juncheol, Iron Demon clearly remembered Corpse Demon, who had been one of the cult’s strong figures and the pride of ordinary warriors.

After leaping across thirty years, the Corpse Demon he now faced looked exactly the same as before.

As if he alone had stepped outside of time.

Iron Demon was not foolish enough to stand there in shock wasting time.

The longer he was tied up, the more room the Transcendent Realm experts of the Assembly of the Beyond-Heavens would have to rampage—and the more danger the Bright Cult’s masters would face.

“Hah, you should’ve died long ago—how are you still so lively? Still, since I once respected you, I’ve given my greeting, so let’s try dying!”

Without even expecting a reply, Iron Demon threw those words out as a greeting and shot forward like lightning.

Corpse Demon had already been in the Manifestation Realm thirty years ago.

Compared to Iron Demon, who had barely entered that realm less than a year ago, the gap between them was immense.

Knowing that better than anyone, Iron Demon poured everything he had into his very first move.

A probing attack?

He had abandoned such nonsense after sparring in battles that felt like real combat against the Vice Cult Leader.

Because the Vice Cult Leader had always attacked with full force from the very first move.

Saving strength in a life-and-death battle could be done after surviving, he had said.

Having that ingrained in him, Iron Demon attacked with full force from the start.

Boom!

Blood spurted from Corpse Demon’s arm, which had been dyed pitch-black like iron.

Having trained in the Chaos Corpse Demon Art—the Bright Cult’s version of the Indestructible Vajra—and infused with Force Energy, his arm was harder than steel.

Yet it still bled.

Because Iron Demon had unleashed the final ultimate technique of the Asura Sword Form from the very first strike.

That was how he seized the initiative against a seasoned Manifestation Realm expert despite being only at its beginning stage.

Not letting go of that momentum, Iron Demon’s Broad Blade pressed forward violently and ferociously.

His blade techniques—a chaotic mixture of the Mad Crushing Blade and the Asura Sword Form—confused even Corpse Demon, who had spent his life in the Bright Cult.

On top of that, the sudden bursts of close-combat techniques from the Slaughtering Demon Art caused Corpse Demon significant trouble.

Even though Iron Demon’s skill was clearly inferior, Corpse Demon could not find any opening to counterattack.

It was because Iron Demon’s chain attacks flowed almost perfectly, like someone who stood on the battlefield every single day.

This was not movement forged through training.

His Broad Blade pierced through gaps that could not be perceived unless one had experienced countless real battles, striking at angles impossible to defend.

Despite such abnormal movements, Iron Demon’s actions flowed as naturally as water.

Meaning—it was not his first time performing them.

‘That bastard has definitely gone through countless real battles!’

There was no way to know where he had experienced so many.

No—this was not the time for such idle thoughts.

At that very moment he barely avoided a blade aimed at the blind spot under his arm and shifted his footing—

Iron Demon’s foot shot up and viciously struck toward his groin.

In a position where movement was impossible, Corpse Demon tried to block it by bringing his knees together.

In that brief instant when his attention shifted downward—

Iron Demon’s Broad Blade, which had missed and brushed through empty air, changed direction as if it had always intended to, and fell like lightning.

A light change in direction that should have been impossible given his previous movement.

It was enough to make one think the earlier attack had been a feint.

From Corpse Demon’s perspective, perhaps.

But not from Iron Demon’s.

A light change of direction?

Nonsense.

If he used his blade carelessly like that, the Vice Cult Leader would smash the back of his head in disdain.

<Stake your life on every move. Give it your all! The next move? Who can guarantee you’ll even get the chance?>

The Vice Cult Leader’s words—sharp as a blade—weren’t entirely correct.

Even so, his way had seeped into Iron Demon’s body.

After all, during their sparring, one could never survive while harboring comfortable thoughts like saving strength for the next move.

So the previous strike had been full power.

And this redirected strike was also full power.

Then how did he change direction so lightly?

“Graaah! Die!”

That was why his shoulder muscles burst, spraying blood.

For a brief moment, Corpse Demon’s vision was stolen by the blood bursting from Iron Demon’s shoulder—despite him not even having been attacked.

The attack had already been fast enough that he wasn’t sure he could block it.

And now he had lost sight of it.

The result was obvious.

Slash!

In Corpse Demon’s widened eyes, the ground and sky alternated as they spun.

Then—

Thud.

His severed head tumbled helplessly to the ground.

Iron Demon, who had overturned a battle he would have been lucky just to survive, let out a faint smile.

“The Vice Cult Leader was right. Damn it… I bet ten nyang.”

Even as he grumbled, he couldn’t stop the smile spreading across his lips.

Of course, he wasn’t foolish enough to revel in victory while ignoring his comrades’ danger.

In an instant, Iron Demon disappeared.

He charged toward a Transcendent Realm expert of the Assembly of the Beyond-Heavens who was relentlessly pressuring the Red Blade Unit Commander and Wang Sam.

Despite deploying eighteen Transcendent Realm experts, the Assembly of the Beyond-Heavens failed to achieve their goal after losing even a single Manifestation Realm master.

At this point, one of the remaining two Manifestation Realm experts should have turned to target Iron Demon again—

But they couldn’t.

Because they were already facing the Cult Leader.

Sensing the opponent’s strength, the Blood Sword Unit tightly gathered around the Cult Leader.

But their formation was strange.

They had not simply clustered together.

Blood Token Sword Formation.

That was right.

The Bright Cult’s greatest defensive formation, designed to protect a single person, had been formed with the Cult Leader at its center.

It was an absolute formation that could never be broken unless every single member of the Blood Sword Unit was killed.

Meanwhile, the Cult Leader’s attacks—far above their level—would pour down upon them.

Recognizing this, the Blade Emperor and the Dark War Emperor could not recklessly charge in.

And then—

The Cult Leader spoke in a displeased voice, saying something unexpected.