Chapter 191 : The Cult Leader’s Battle

“Go ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍and assist the Red Blade Unit.”

“C-Cult ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Leader!”

“Even ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍if you don’t shout like that, everyone here already knows I’m the Cult Leader.”

“Cult ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Leader!”

Despite ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the desperate call of the Blood Sword Unit Commander, the Cult Leader remained firm.

“Iron ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Demon is doing well, but he’ll struggle alone. Make sure those who don’t need to die don’t die.”

“But…….”

“They won’t die! I’ll be fine until you finish everything there and come back. So go.”

“Cult Leader…….”

“If you had moved instead of wasting time like this, that one over there who’s dying would have lived.”

At the Cult Leader’s gesture, they turned their heads and saw a Red Blade Unit member collapsing while fighting a Transcendent Realm master deployed by the Assembly of the Beyond-Heavens.

He had fought with all his might despite knowing he was lacking.

At that sight, the Blood Sword Unit Commander and his men clenched their teeth.

“Go. Finish it as quickly as possible and return.”

At the repeated command, the Blood Sword Unit Commander turned his head to look at him.

Confirming the Cult Leader’s calm yet rock-solid gaze, he bowed his head.

“We will return as quickly as possible.”

“Good.”

Leaving behind the nodding Cult Leader, the Blood Sword Unit Commander turned and shouted,

“Hurry!”

Following their commander who dashed forward, the Blood Sword Unit members glanced back at the Cult Leader with lingering reluctance before one by one chasing after him toward the battlefield.

Watching them silently, the Blade Emperor spoke.

“Why did you turn an advantageous situation into a disadvantage?”

“Who said it’s a disadvantage?”

The Cult Leader answered casually, and the Blade Emperor looked at him as if he couldn’t understand.

The Cult Leader had once belonged to the Assembly of the Beyond-Heavens.

Through that connection, they knew each other better than anyone—personality, habits, and even skill.

In a one-on-one fight, the Cult Leader held the advantage.

But in a two-on-one, his chances of winning were nonexistent.

One could talk about his growth, but the Assembly of the Beyond-Heavens wasn’t a group that idled around either.

The Cult Leader knew that well.

He himself had once called them a ‘gathering of training addicts’ rivaling the Bright Cult.

And yet, the Blade Emperor could not understand why he had withdrawn the Blood Sword Unit.

Glancing at him, the Cult Leader shrugged.

“What’s there to be so curious about? I just tried copying my junior brother.”

“What do you mean?”

“My junior brother really hates it when those who don’t have to die end up dying. Especially if they’re close to him.”

“Then……?”

“Yeah. As long as that ugly old man is there, a lot of blood will be spilled.”

The one he indicated with his gaze was the Dark War Emperor.

The Dark War Emperor’s specialty was chaotic melee. His true value showed in one-against-many combat.

Keeping the Blood Sword Unit—far inferior compared to the Blade Emperor or the Dark War Emperor—by his side in such a place would be no different from surviving at the cost of their blood.

In other words, the Cult Leader had withdrawn them because he was worried they would die in vain at the hands of the Dark War Emperor.

Realizing this, the Blade Emperor’s eyes widened.

“Are you saying you withdrew them out of concern for your subordinates’ sacrifice?”

“Why, hard to believe?”

“You would trade your own safety for your subordinates’ lives? You weren’t that kind of person.”

“I’m not.”

“Then why?”

“Because I won’t die.”

“What?”

“I still don’t value the people around me as much as my junior brother does. If I were truly about to die, I wouldn’t have sent them away, even if it meant earning his resentment.”

The contradiction made the Blade Emperor tilt his head.

Then the Dark War Emperor, who had been silently listening, stepped forward and spoke.

“You’re saying you can defeat the two of us.”

At those words, the Blade Emperor’s eyes widened again as the Cult Leader’s voice followed.

“That’s why I sent them.”

With that, the Cult Leader slowly drew a sword and a blade, one in each hand.

“Dual swords? No, dual sword and blade? You didn’t use two weapons before, did you?”

At the Blade Emperor’s question, the Cult Leader replied with a grin.

“What do you think I’ve been holed up doing? You know me—I can’t stay cooped up that long unless I find the martial arts interesting.”

“So you learned something new?”

“Something like that. We call it the Demon Wall Five Absolutes. It’ll be fun.”

With a twist of his hands, the sword and blade pointed in different directions.

It was the initiating stance of the Sun-Moon Sword, allowing attacks in separate directions with each hand.

Originally, the Sun-Moon Sword was a dual-sword technique.

Yet both Yul Han and the Cult Leader used a sword and a blade.

Yul Han had no choice because of the Lightning Cloud Blade, but the Cult Leader simply copied his junior brother because he used a blade.

And then he would chuckle to himself, saying they were exactly alike.

Knowing his senior brother’s heart, Yul Han had searched far and wide to obtain a fine blade for him.

He even engraved words upon it.

<Bound Affection Across Ten Thousand Li>

Even separated by ten thousand li, their bond remained connected.

It was remarkable enough for Yul Han to engrave such a phrase—one fit for lovers—on a blade for his senior brother, but even more so that the Cult Leader had stroked the blade all night in delight after receiving it.

Truly an extraordinary pair of brothers.

Drawing that blade along with his beloved sword, a demonic energy that seemed ready to explode burst forth from the Cult Leader’s entire body.

Though he had trained everything according to the Demon Wall Five Absolutes, there was one thing he had not changed.

The Heaven-and-Earth Great Shift Divine Art, symbolizing his orthodoxy, remained intact.

Considering the immense True Energy consumption of the Sun-Moon Sword, it wasn’t the most suitable Heart Method.

The Unified Heart Method within the Demon Wall Five Absolutes was far more efficient.

And yet, he could not abandon the Heaven-and-Earth Great Shift Divine Art because—

Fwoosh!

Behind the Cult Leader, demonic energy spread as if wings had unfurled, overwhelming the surroundings.

At that sight, the expressions of the Blade Emperor and the Dark War Emperor hardened.

This was it.

Seeing fear in the opponent’s eyes—the exhilaration of that moment.

The Cult Leader had no intention of giving that up.

Clang!

The Blade Emperor barely blocked the sudden attack and was pushed back five zhang.

“W-When!”

He saw it, yet still missed it.

If not for instinct, his neck would have been severed. The Cult Leader’s attack was that fast.

Clicking his tongue in disappointment that the strike using the One-Flash Form—faster than lightning—had failed, the Cult Leader vanished.

Boom!

In that very spot, the Dark War Emperor’s blade struck deeply.

“Too slow!”

At some point, the Cult Leader had already moved behind him, unleashing a flurry of sword strikes that the Dark War Emperor hastily blocked.

But he lost sight of the Cult Leader’s left-hand blade, which slipped cleverly into his blind spot.

At that moment of danger—

Clang!

The Blade Emperor’s blade intercepted it.

With a regretful, twisted smile, the Cult Leader stepped back, and only then did the two catch their breath.

“Hah…… you’ve grown stronger.”

At the Blade Emperor’s remark, the Cult Leader glared.

“How dare a novice evaluate a master? You must have a death wish.”

The word ‘novice’ pierced like a dagger.

As the Blade Emperor gritted his teeth and tried to step forward, the Dark War Emperor blocked him.

“It’s a provocation. If you get angry, you’ll only fall into the Cult Leader’s trap.”

At those words, the Blade Emperor withdrew his step, and the Cult Leader clicked his tongue.

“Tsk. A man should follow through once he steps forward, not take it back. That’s why you two are no good!”

By the time he finished speaking, he had already disappeared.

Startled at losing sight of him, the Blade Emperor heard the Dark War Emperor shout,

“Above!”

He reflexively raised his arm.

If he hadn’t, his head would have been shattered.

Clang!

Barely blocking the strike, the Cult Leader’s sword swept across his waist the moment it descended.

“Ugh!”

With a short groan, the Blade Emperor retreated.

The Cult Leader rested his blade on his shoulder and playfully shook the sword soaked in the Blade Emperor’s blood, looking infuriatingly smug.

Then he sneered,

“This lacks excitement compared to sparring with our Vice Cult Leader. How am I supposed to enjoy this?”

It was a provocation—but also the truth.

Sparring with Yul Han had been far more dangerous and intense.

Every exchange had been like walking on thin ice.

Even the slightest delay would have resulted in Yul Han’s blade striking his side.

Compared to that, the movements of the Blade Emperor and the Dark War Emperor felt too slow.

Not just their reactions, but their movements themselves were slow, and they missed his movements far too often.

If anything, it was unfair to them.

After all, the Cult Leader’s recent sparring partner had been the Vice Cult Leader.

The one who wielded the fastest One-Flash Form and the hardest-to-detect Hidden Flash better than anyone.

As if inspired by Iron Demon’s fragmented use of techniques, Yul Han mixed the Asura Sword Form, Sun-Moon Sword, and even the Half-Moon Asura Slash together.

At times, he even threw in the Slaughtering Demon Art and Ten Thousand Calamity Hands.

And then there was that hand-to-hand combat technique from the Eastern Lands.

When all of that was combined, even the Cult Leader couldn’t help but break into a sweat.

<Fighting isn’t done with just the sword and blade in your hands.>

It was a principle he had taught his young junior brother—but now, he was the one learning from Yul Han, who had mastered it completely.

For Yul Han, his entire body was a weapon.

Even stones and dirt scattered around could become deadly projectiles.

Using a simple kick from that hand-to-hand technique, he would flick up stones or dirt—far more terrifying than any hidden weapon.

Even the Cult Leader’s Protective Energy Barrier could be pierced by those stones.

Compared to them, even the Feather-Hair Needles of the Zhuge Clan seemed less threatening than grains of sand kicked from the ground.

Now, that close-combat technique erupted brilliantly from the Cult Leader’s body.

As he charged again, the Blade Emperor and the Dark War Emperor were filled with shock.

This was not the Cult Leader they knew.

His entire body became a weapon, relentlessly pressing them without giving them time to breathe.

Even the stones flying in at every moment could not be ignored.

Rattle—

Like rain pouring down, grains of sand struck the Dark War Emperor.

He had already abandoned the thought that they were ‘just grains of sand.’

After all, he had already suffered a significant injury to his wrist from carelessly deflecting a stone earlier.

Even so, some grains penetrated his protective energy and embedded themselves into his body.

As he glared in fury, the Cult Leader suddenly clenched and opened his hand, making a “pop” sound with his mouth.

At that strange action—

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The grains embedded in his body exploded, tearing through his flesh.

“Guh!”

Staggering with a groan, the Dark War Emperor heard the Cult Leader’s mocking voice.

“Fun, right? It’s a martial art my junior brother and I created. You pack internal energy into each grain of sand. Once it burrows inside—bang! We call it Explosive Scatter. Spreading explosions. Sounds cool, right? I came up with the name. Heh heh.”

The Cult Leader looked genuinely delighted.

And yet, no one could dismiss him as frivolous or boastful.

The Dark War Emperor’s injuries from Explosive Scatter were far more severe than expected.

After all, it was the internal energy of someone at the peak of the Profound Realm exploding inside the body.

It was like dozens of Thunderclap Bombs detonating within him.

As the Blade Emperor tried to support him and retreat, the Cult Leader spoke,

“If you’re leaving, I’ll let you go. Of course, you’ll have to leave one behind.”

At the end of those words, the Cult Leader rushed forward again.

His sword and blade clearly targeted one thing—

The Blade Emperor’s neck.

The Blade Emperor withdrew the hand supporting the Dark War Emperor and raised his defense with all his might.

Then—

The Cult Leader’s sword and blade vanished.

No, as if someone had pulled him sideways, his figure slid—

And suddenly, he attacked the Dark War Emperor instead.

Clang, slice.

The left blade was barely blocked, but the right sword that followed could not be stopped.

Thud.

Beside the collapsing body of the Dark War Emperor, his severed head—eyes wide with shock and horror—fell and rolled.