Chapter 195 : Blood Waterfall

Half ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍of the Demon-Slaying Formation collapsed.

Goyangma ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍had his waist severed and fell in two pieces beneath the fortress wall, while Death-Scorching Demon Lord was dragged back by his subordinates, his entire body reduced to a wreck.

At ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍first, it hadn’t been this bad.

Though ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍they were somewhat at a disadvantage, the Bright Cult martial artists, with the Demon-Slaying Formation at the forefront, had been holding off the Tibetan martial monks fairly well.

But ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍everything changed after Monk Eightfold Confusion leapt onto the fortress wall.

Starting ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍with Goyangma’s waist being severed in just two exchanges, he rampaged across the wall with overwhelming momentum.

At that point, more people died after Monk Eightfold Confusion began his rampage than those who had been killed by the Tibetan martial monks before.

The problem wasn’t just Monk Eightfold Confusion’s absolute martial power—

it was also the massive casualties caused by the Tibetan martial monks who dug into the openings he created as he swept through.

They had to restrain Monk Eightfold Confusion as he tore through the battlefield, but after the fall of Goyangma and Death-Scorching Demon Lord—the strongest remaining experts—the Bright Cult had no viable countermeasure.

From time to time, Supreme Peak experts charged in, prepared to die, but their heads were severed in a single move.

Thus, no one could stop Monk Eightfold Confusion as he broke through unimpeded.

Eventually, the Demon-Slaying Formations poured down like a flood, but they were crushed as easily as beans ground beneath a millstone.

As a result, the Bright Cult martial artists who had held out on the fortress wall for over Two Shijin were reduced by nearly half in an instant.

Those observing from the second line discussed sending reinforcements, but the defenders of the first line refused.

This wasn’t a battle between ordinary soldiers.

Increasing numbers wouldn’t help.

Even First Rate experts were being cut down like falling leaves—if weaker martial artists mixed into the chaos, it would only worsen confusion and increase casualties.

It was better to have more room to maneuver—that was the judgment of those defending the first line.

Because of that, the martial artists gathered in the second line could only grit their teeth and watch helplessly as their comrades were slaughtered.

The Bright Cult paid the price for losing its main force with the blood of its ordinary martial artists.

In the end, the solid defensive barrier atop the wall shattered.

Some Tibetan martial monks of the first line crossed the wall and descended below.

At last, the battle began between the Discipline Court and Behind-the-Curtain Faction experts guarding the gate and the Tibetan martial monks.

Blood began to flow like a river in front of the gate as well.

At this rate, not only would the wall be breached, but even the gate itself would likely be opened.

If the gate opened, the Tibetan martial monks waiting outside would pour in en masse.

And if that happened, even the Bright Cult wouldn’t be able to hold out.

At that very moment—when the opinion that reinforcements must be sent spread among the second-line commanders despite the objections of the first line—

“Waaaah!”

With a thunderous roar, the rear of the Tibetan monks waiting outside the fortress began to collapse.

Startled, everyone’s gaze turned outward at once.

“Kunlun?”

At the two words that slipped from someone’s mouth, everyone’s eyes widened.

It was true.

Under the banner of Kunlun Sect, a group of martial artists was striking hard at the rear of the Tibetan monks.

Realizing that it was Kunlun’s reinforcement, one commander shouted:

“Kunlun has come! Kunlun has come to support us. Hold on!”

That shout became the trigger.

Some of the second-line commanders, having made their decision, rushed down to the first line.

Following them, the second-line martial artists poured down in waves.

With the Tibetan monks in between, the Bright Cult martial artists attacked from both front and rear.

At first, caught off guard, the Tibetan monks suffered heavy losses.

But the moment they realized that the martial artists pouring down from the second line weren’t particularly skilled, indiscriminate slaughter only intensified.

Just as the first-line commanders had predicted, in the chaotic melee, the blades of experts became deadly.

Kunlun, which had struck the Tibetan monks outside the fortress, also began to struggle unlike before.

Because the Three Venerable Demon King, known as Demon Lord, emerged with the experts of the Assembly of the Beyond-Heavens under his command.

The Taiqing Pavilion Lord, who clashed head-on with him, was rendered combat-incapable in an instant, and hundreds of Kunlun martial artists were slain.

Shocked by power beyond expectation, Kunlun hastily retreated.

The existence of the Three Venerable Demon King and his Assembly of the Beyond-Heavens experts was fatal to Kunlun, who had assumed that the Tibetan monks’ main force had been concentrated on attacking the Bright Cult’s main fortress.

Even though they retreated quickly, Kunlun lost more than half of the martial artists they had deployed.

In particular, the severe injury of the Transcendent Realm Taiqing Pavilion Lord—whom they had trusted without doubt—and the loss of many of the Taiqing Pavilion swordsmen, Kunlun’s core force, dealt a heavy blow.

It was a battle of killing and being killed.

It wasn’t that no one had expected deaths.

Yet Kunlun was shaken because the battle that had just occurred felt like a fight between adults and children.

It hadn’t even taken long.

This catastrophe had unfolded in merely one Gak.

Even Venerable Miru, who had advanced together with them, was left speechless at the scale of the damage, so there was no need to elaborate further.

The only fortunate thing was that neither the Tibetan monks nor the Three Venerable Demon King and the Assembly of the Beyond-Heavens experts pursued the retreating Kunlun.

As the Kunlun martial artists fled, their eyes caught sight of the Bright Cult’s fortress wall, where blood cascaded down like a waterfall.

If a hell of chaos truly existed, the wall above was exactly that place.

Filled with fear and groans, the Kunlun martial artists could only stare blankly at the scene.

At last, a messenger of the Bright Cult arrived at the Ghost Lotus Sect of Yanqi.

For a mere First Rate martial artist to travel from one end of Xinjiang to the other in less than a day—it was nothing short of accomplishing the impossible.

As if proving it, the messenger delivered the news and immediately died.

He had burned even the last of his Innate True Energy sustaining his life to make the journey.

The moment I saw the dispatch he handed over, my figure vanished.

I left behind a Mental Voice Transmission to Pageuk, Mahwa, and the Thirteen Bloods, telling them to remain in the Ghost Lotus Sect.

Mahwa and Pageuk, wearing troubled expressions at the Vice Cult Leader’s command, and the Thirteen Bloods beside them, looked toward the spot where the twelve Possessed Martial Artists had already disappeared.

I had returned to the Bright Cult, bringing only the Possessed Martial Artists with me.

“Is it really okay for us to stay like this?”

At Mahwa’s anxious voice, Pageuk spoke firmly.

“The Lord told us to guard this place. Then we guard it.”

Pageuk, who would usually fawn over beautiful women, treated Mahwa coldly for one reason alone.

Because she was a woman the Lord disliked.

For that simple reason, Mahwa, who had incurred Pageuk’s dislike, shut her mouth.

Both in the Elder Council hierarchy and in strength, Pageuk stood above her.

The Bright Cult was still a place where Might Makes Right prevailed.

Since Mahwa fell silent, so did the Thirteen Bloods. Moreover, they understood what Pageuk meant.

Right after extracting them, I had judged that the Assembly of the Beyond-Heavens might target the Ghost Lotus Sect.

Leaving the Ghost Lotus Sect, I abandoned coordination with the Possessed Martial Artists and pushed my speed to the absolute limit.

That incomprehensible speed carried me above the Bright Cult’s main fortress in just one Gak.

From the sky, I saw that the fortress wall of the first line had almost been swept clean, and the defensive formation at the gate was on the verge of collapse.

Because the martial artists who should have been holding the second line had descended and become entangled in the first line, the second-line defense force was nearly annihilated as well.

It wasn’t hard for me to find the cause of the Bright Cult’s overwhelming defeat.

I spotted Monk Eightfold Confusion rampaging freely at the center of the battlefield.

Gooooo—

A Force Bullet, packed with monstrous power, left my hand and struck Monk Eightfold Confusion.

Boom!

A tremendous explosion and shockwave shook the Bright Cult’s fortress.

A section of the fortress wall—said to have never been broken—collapsed halfway from that single blow.

Having barely avoided the attack by throwing himself aside, Monk Eightfold Confusion found me landing before him.

His expression showed clear dismay as he glared at me with tense eyes.

“You came faster than expected.”

His words confirmed it.

The movements of the Assembly of the Beyond-Heavens toward the Ghost Lotus Sect and the Eighteen Demon Sects had been a strategy to scatter us.

Which meant they had joined hands with Monk Eightfold Confusion.

Realizing this, my gaze turned cold.

“That gives me one more reason to eliminate you.”

Muttering words he couldn’t understand, I slowly drew my sword and the Lightning Cloud Blade.

Clatter—

As soon as it was drawn, the Lightning Cloud Blade released lightning energy under my internal power.

Perhaps intrigued by it, the Three Venerable Demon King—who had been watching from outside—moved in.

Already sensing the presence of another Profound Realm expert, I looked indifferently at him as he descended beside Monk Eightfold Confusion.

The Three Venerable Demon King sneered at me.

“So it’s you—the Bright Cult’s mad dog.”

I wordlessly extended my sword toward him.

“No need for words!”

At the end of my sentence, my sword shot forward and engulfed him.

It was a surprise attack without any preparatory motion or flow of internal energy.

Even the Three Venerable Demon King had to abandon all dignity and roll across the ground to barely evade it.

But he wasn’t the only one pressed.

As if two people were attacking separately, the Lightning Cloud Blade in my left hand drove Monk Eightfold Confusion back.

Lightning energy—the natural bane of things that should not exist in this world.

Monk Eightfold Confusion, harboring something not of this world within him, panicked and leapt about frantically to avoid it.

This was a completely different display from when we had clashed before.

Back then, the lightning energy spread only within one Jang—now it completely covered five Jang.

It was impossible for him to even approach me as I fought the Three Venerable Demon King.

With his approach blocked, Monk Eightfold Confusion sought another method.

He abandoned me entirely and returned to slaughtering the Bright Cult martial artists as before.

He intended to shake my resolve.

But—

Boom.

With a single Energy-Infused Stomp, the ground shook.

And in the next instant, I appeared before him as if I had teleported.

One-Flash Form.

Monk Eightfold Confusion, who had been about to strike down the stunned Bright Cult martial artists, hastily blocked with his remaining arm wrapped in Fist Energy.

Crack.

That last arm bent limply.

My sword easily shattered his completed body.

At that moment, the Demon Lord moved in front of him.

“You wretch!”

With a furious roar, his figure split into three.

The Three Venerable Slaughter Method unfolded—

the greatest hand-to-hand combat technique of the Central Plains.

Bang bang bang!

With a series of loud impacts, all of it was blocked.

It wasn’t a dazzling sword technique nor a powerful blade art.

Just a few simple hand strikes of mine sealed his technique entirely.

“W-What is that?”

At his shocked question—his pride and signature technique effortlessly neutralized—I answered indifferently.

“Shattering.”

The moment I finished speaking, my kick shot forward.

It looked ordinary—not particularly strong or special.

He blocked it easily with the Three Venerable Slaughter Method.

But—

Tap.

As if space had shifted, my kick dropped midair and exploded downward at a lowered angle.

Thud!

With a sound like a drum bursting, his eyes widened.

The impact had pierced through his Protective Energy Barrier and broken his ribs instantly.

The shock and pain made him flinch for a split second.

That moment was fatal.

Without missing it, my sword cut deeply across his chest.

As I turned away as if I were done, my figure shot toward Monk Eightfold Confusion, who still looked bewildered.

Behind me, the Demon Lord stared blankly as his chest slowly split open and blood poured out like a waterfall.

And then…

Thud.

One of the Three Dukes— the Three Venerable Demon King, who had dominated an era— met his end just like that.