Chapter 193 : Demon Lord

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍surveillance network of the Bright Cult was sturdier than expected.

Since ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍they had many enemies targeting them, if not elsewhere, they had laid countless eyes around the Main Fortress.

Naturally, ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the approach of the Tibetan lama monks rushing in was detected in advance.

Determining ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍their intent came second.

Because ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the method of the Institute of Reason was to first recognize any large-scale approach of outsiders as a hostile act.

An ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍alarm was immediately issued throughout the Bright Cult.

Following the established procedure, people were sent to the Mountain Foot Village to urge evacuation into the Main Fortress.

Just like in past precedents, the plan was to take them in and make a last stand together.

However, a problem arose here.

Unlike before, a large village under the jurisdiction of the Bright Cult had formed outside the Mountain Foot Village.

It was the Military Farm Village.

There had been no plan prepared to evacuate them into the Main Fortress.

As a result, confusion broke out, and everything turned into a chaotic mess.

Fortunately, the Strategist who belatedly grasped the situation stepped in, suppressed the confusion, and sent people.

But the Military Farm Village residents, who had no preparation at all, panicked and delayed their escape.

At this rate, it was obvious they would be attacked by the Tibetan monks during their evacuation.

In the end, the one who stepped forward with resolve was the Ice Heaven Blade King.

He gathered the remaining forces of the Ice Palace and declared that he would block the rear.

“We will no longer turn our backs to the enemy and flee!”

At his cry, the surviving members of the Ice Palace steeled their fighting spirit.

A group of village men who had been watching them with worried expressions decided to remain behind as well.

They were the Military Farm Village people who had become martial artists of the Ice Palace after it settled there.

Since they were now part of the Ice Palace, if the Palace Lord decided, they would follow.

They had not trained for long. They would not be much help in battle, so the Ice Heaven Blade King ordered them to evacuate.

But instead of fleeing, they picked up their swords and stood beside him.

Gu Tae, the Stronghold Lord of Cheonja Stronghold, who had been running around to evacuate the villagers, stopped when he saw that sight.

After watching the Ice Palace members for a long while, he shouted.

“If the Ice Palace is holding the rear, does it make sense for the tigers of Cheonja Stronghold to run away?!”

At his shout, the bandits of Cheonja Stronghold, who had been fleeing in confusion along with the villagers, all turned back.

In their sight was Gu Tae, standing alone beside the Ice Palace, holding his broad blade.

A moment of hesitation.

Then a considerable number of men picked up their weapons and lined up beside him.

Some still turned their eyes away and continued fleeing with their families, but many stood with Gu Tae.

Soon, the bandits of Yangsan Stronghold and Namgon Stronghold joined them as well.

Naturally, their leaders, Dok Yang and Dan Yang, also joined.

Those three stronghold leaders, who were said to be already dead even while alive, looked at each other and grinned.

Looks like this really is where we die.

At Dok Yang’s Mental Voice Transmission, Gu Tae replied.

If we’re dying anyway, let’s make it meaningful.

No need to say more.

Dan Yang nodded, and the three steeled their resolve.

As the bandits stepped forward, many of the village men who had trained under those three strongholds also remained behind.

Unlike the Ice Palace, which urged the villagers to evacuate, the three stronghold leaders gave them a thumbs-up.

Because they knew these men weren’t staying behind out of shallow loyalty.

They were staying to buy time with their lives to protect their fleeing families.

Thus, around a thousand men prepared for battle, ready to die.

The Main Fortress of the Bright Cult learned of the situation through the report of a martial artist sent to deliver the evacuation order.

Profound Demon and Ghost Demon, who looked at each other after hearing the report, frowned deeply.

“Damn it!”

Just as Ghost Demon cursed, the situation truly was damned.

The battle began like a sudden storm sweeping in.

Almost simultaneously with the Ice Heaven Blade King’s shout of “They’re coming!”, a wave of red kasaya surged forward, starting with hundreds of lama monks.

Against such a fierce and overwhelming tide, it was far too much for merely five hundred martial artists and another five hundred men who had only trained for about a year to withstand.

Just as they seemed about to be swallowed whole—

“Waaaah!”

With a thunderous roar, a large force of martial artists burst forth.

At the front were Profound Demon and Ghost Demon, their sword light vivid, followed by ten thousand members of the Ten Thousand Swords Unit.

While the thousand Military Farm Village men and the Ten Thousand Swords Unit led by Profound Demon and Ghost Demon held the line, another group of Bright Cult martial artists led the evacuating villagers.

They carried the elderly and children on their backs, took on their bundles, and began to run.

Dragged along by their hands, the villagers ran for their lives.

Unnecessary belongings and clothes were finally abandoned.

Now, speed was what mattered.

Everyone finally realized what they had to do.

To buy that time, the thousand villagers and the Ten Thousand Swords Unit warriors led by Profound Demon and Ghost Demon held back the Tibetan monks with their lives.

Until their very last breath, they did not let go of the enemy.

Gu Tae, who collapsed with six spears piercing his chest and two swords embedded in his side, was one of them.

Dok Yang, who clung to the enemy even as his neck was severed, was another.

Dan Yang, who bit into the enemy with his teeth after losing his arm, only to be killed, was the same.

No—everyone who entered the battle was like that.

A man of the Military Farm Village, who had only just learned how to wield a sword, bled and bought time against a Tibetan martial monk trained for over twenty years.

Because he knew that the longer he held on, the greater the chance his child, his wife, and his parents would survive.

The bandits of the three strongholds were no different.

To protect the families they had formed in their bandit days, or the families they gained after settling in the Military Farm Village, they threw away their lives to hold back the enemy.

If the villagers held back the enemy with their lives, then the warriors of the Ten Thousand Swords Unit made it clear why they were the main force of the Bright Cult.

If it meant killing the enemy, they did not hesitate to drive blades into their own bodies.

Many Ten Thousand Swords Unit members stabbed through their own abdomens to kill enemies behind them before collapsing.

It was a final strike taken when they were overpowered and caught from behind.

They did not hesitate to cut down both ally and enemy together if a comrade was grappling an enemy they could not defeat.

Their battle was that desperate.

Amidst all that, Profound Demon, Ghost Demon, and the Ice Heaven Blade King were trapped by a single man and pushed into danger.

Palmi Venerable was flying wildly.

It was completely different from when he had fled from Yul Han.

Ghost Demon’s Black Cloud Phantasm that could freeze even the air, Profound Demon’s Black Demon Art that bewildered the eyes, and even the Ice Heaven Blade King’s sharpened ultimate technique—none of them worked.

Before the torrential secret techniques of the Potala Palace pouring down like a waterfall, the three were being helplessly pushed back.

In the midst of their frantic exchange—

“Keugh!”

Ghost Demon stared blankly at the arm of Palmi Venerable that had pierced through his abdomen.

But only for a moment.

His eyes hardened, and he grabbed Palmi Venerable tightly.

Palmi Venerable’s lightning-like movements slowed for an instant.

Profound Demon and the Ice Heaven Blade King did not miss that meaning.

Immediately, Profound Demon’s Force Energy-filled fists flew in, and the Ice Heaven Blade King’s blade followed.

Thud!

With a chilling sound, a head flew into the air—just one.

In the next instant, their vision caught Ghost Demon’s body being torn apart.

Palmi Venerable had detonated a Great Hand Seal inside Ghost Demon’s body to free himself.

That brief difference in timing allowed him to evade their attacks by a hair’s breadth.

Realizing they had only killed their own comrade, Profound Demon exploded in fury.

“I’ll kill you!”

He unleashed the Blood Energy he had been saving for the day he would kill the Cult Leader.

The Blood Energy, a secret of the Blood Cult, once unleashed would not extinguish until it burned through all the True Energy in the body.

The aftermath would leave him so debilitated he would need a month of rest, but there was no other choice now.

As Palmi Venerable focused on defending against Profound Demon’s sudden surge in power, the Ice Heaven Blade King seized the opening.

Slash.

Blood sprayed as Palmi Venerable’s body was cut.

Seizing that moment, Profound Demon charged in.

But—

“Ugh!”

Palmi Venerable’s hand blade suddenly flashed, and Profound Demon’s arms were cleanly severed.

Then, in the next instant, his neck was cut.

Whoosh—

A sharp slicing sound of air.

But nothing was there.

It had only cut empty air.

When Palmi Venerable glared forward, he saw the Ice Heaven Blade King pulling Profound Demon away and fleeing.

Only a few dozen survivors escaped the battlefield with them.

As Palmi Venerable watched them retreat like the wind, his gaze took in the surroundings.

Most of the Ten Thousand Swords Unit lay dead, but even more red-robed monks lay fallen across the ground.

At that sight, sparks flew in Palmi Venerable’s eyes.

“Do not let them escape!”

At his command, the lama monks who had paused surged forward with a roar.

The Ice Heaven Blade King, running like the wind while carrying the unconscious Profound Demon, had tears streaming down his face.

He had not chosen to flee to save himself alone.

At the last moment, he had received a Mental Voice Transmission.

Evacuation complete! We must plan for the future. A message has been sent to the Vice Cult Leader—do not throw away your life meaninglessly.

Because of that voice, clearly from a Bright Cult martial artist from the Main Fortress, he had grabbed Profound Demon and fled.

It broke his vow to never show his back to the enemy again.

But he accepted that alone, he could only add a meaningless death.

Behind the fleeing Ice Heaven Blade King and survivors, the lama monks pursued in groups.

As they ran with all their might, the Main Fortress finally came into view ahead.

The gates were open.

They had been left open to receive them.

In front stood Gu Yangma and the Death-Scorching Demon Lord, leading two thousand Red Army martial artists, waiting.

They were ready to intervene if the enemy caught them before they entered.

Fortunately, they did not need to.

The moment the escapees entered the gates, the pursuing monks halted.

They were overwhelmed by the sight of tens of thousands of Bright Cult martial artists lined up along the walls, raising their banners and weapons.

Soon after Gu Yangma and the Death-Scorching Demon Lord also entered, the gates of the Main Fortress shut tightly.

Palmi Venerable, who arrived shortly after tending to his wounds, burned with fury at the sight.

His anger was so great that he beheaded the lama monk leading the pursuit on the spot.

This was a battle that had to be fought anyway.

They should have attacked while the gates were open.

Opening them again would require far more blood.

Before Palmi Venerable, who raged like a madman, none of the lama monks dared step forward.

The one who calmed him was not a lama monk.

“What’s already passed won’t change just because you rage over it—you know that.”

“Grr…!”

Palmi Venerable glared with bloodshot eyes, then slowly calmed.

Because it was the man who had helped him in his crisis and allowed him to complete his incomplete body.

“I will endure… since it is the words of the Demon Lord.”

Demon Lord.

One of the Three Dukes who formed the highest echelon of the Assembly of the Beyond-Heavens.

In the Jianghu, he was once known as the Three Venerable Demon King.

Though not a martial artist of the Bright Cult, he was an ancient master of the Demonic Path who had reached the Manifestation Realm.

His ultimate technique was the Three Venerable Slaughter Method.

His footwork, Three Venerable Manifestation, created the illusion of three bodies attacking at once, earning him the title of Three Venerables.

He was the one who had helped Palmi Venerable.

Palmi Venerable asked him.

“Then what should we do now?”

At that, the Demon Lord smiled faintly and replied.

“That would be……”