Chapter 652: You People Were Here Too

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Cheon Mugyeol had watched much unfold from the sidelines.

He had watched Baek Suryong embrace the Heaven-Defying Divine Art of his own volition and drag the Blood Demon into his mindscape. He did nothing when Namgung Su pursued them into the mindscape, resolve evident on his face. He watched indifferently as Baek Muheun and the Five Young Azure Dragons achieved an impossible breakthrough against their enemies. He held his ground even when the Apostles returned, having dispelled the Blood Demon’s sorcery, and carved a path forward with divine might.

There were, however, two reasons why Cheon Mugyeol finally stepped in after patiently watching the situation.

The Dark Heaven Goddess grunted with strain. [The sorcerous energy...]

RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE!

First, Jin Ryang had mastered the Heaven-Defying Divine Art in an instant by absorbing the heaven-defying energy everywhere. Because of that, the heavens reacted violently, threatening to open the gate prematurely.

Because of that, the heavens reacted violently, threatening to open the gate prematurely.

VWOOOM!

Second, he realized that even if he attacked the shimmering trace in the air, he could not enter Baek Suryong’s mindscape.

“The only ones who can enter a mindscape are those with a deep bond to its creator. Even that doesn’t look easy, but I think you can handle that much on your own.”

“Who are you?” The First Apostle glared warily at Cheon Mugyeol, pointing his sword at the man’s back.

Cheon Mugyeol did not turn around. Still glaring at Jin Ryang, he shrugged casually. “Shouldn’t you start by thanking the person who helped you?”

“Do you expect us to believe that someone exuding such intense killing intent is an ally?”

Namgung Su shook his head in disdain. The ones who are seeing this have disappointed him.

The worm-like scar on Cheon Mugyeol’s lip twitched. He snorted, but still refused to look at the First Apostle. He knew that if he turned around, he wouldn’t be able to control his killing intent.

“...I was dragged to the Blood Cult at an early age as a guinea pig. You people forced me to learn martial arts and watch my friends die before my eyes. After planning for a long time, I escaped the Blood Cult, only to wander the world, unable to find any purpose in life other than revenge. Is that answer enough for you?”

“......”

“Apostles. I despise you for ruining my life. Ever since I escaped that cave, I have lived with the single goal of killing the Blood Demon and every last one of you. So unless you want to test my patience, you had better shut your mouths.”

Namgung Su shook his head in disdain. The ones who are seeing this have disappointed him.

All four Apostles were left speechless, and not because Cheon Mugyeol’s sudden killing intent frightened them. Even though the Blood Demon’s sorcery was gone, the atrocities they had committed over the past decades were not.

The countless horrific sins they had committed while leading the Blood Cult came to mind. The man standing with his back to them was merely one of their innumerable victims.

The Apostles and the Five Young Azure Dragons were sucked inside.

The First Apostle asked in a cracked voice, “...Did you come for revenge?”

“At first, yes. I planned to kill the Blood Demon, kill you all, and burn everything belonging to the Blood Cult until there was no trace left. I didn’t care what happened to anything else as long as I got revenge. This is the moment I have been waiting for.”

Jin Ryang, who had been coughing up blood, staggered to his feet again. He absorbed more heaven-defying energy to heal his wounds, cloaking himself in a horrifying aura. Finally, he threw his head back in thunderous laughter. “Kuhahahahaha! Astonishing! To deal me such a blow in my current state... Mr. Cheon Mugyeol. You are a far stronger martial artist than I thought, aren’t you?”

Cheon Mugyeol fixed his gaze on the newly sprouted seed of heaven-defying power, but continued speaking to the First Apostle in a self-mocking tone. “But after watching you all for so long, I see your fate is just as pitiful as mine. No, it seems you don’t even have names yet, so maybe I’m a little better off.”

The reason he was telling his story in such detail was because of one man—a man born with a similar fate as he, but who had made vastly different choices in life.

What you are reading is obtained via automation.

Baek Suryong.

The many lives that man had changed and the people now trying to change his fate stirred a strange feeling in Cheon Mugyeol. For so long, he had longed for nothing but vengeance.

One might call it a mere whim, but...

He walked toward Jin Ryang, who was turning into another Blood Demon.

The Dark Heaven Goddess grunted with strain. [The sorcerous energy...]

“Go and stop the Blood Demon. If you succeed, my revenge ends here.”

“...What?”

Sensing the Apostles’ bewilderment behind him, Cheon Mugyeol looked up at the sky for a moment.

RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE!

All of the world’s natural energy was being transformed into heaven-defying energy.

He did nothing when Namgung Su pursued them into the mindscape, resolve evident on his face.

BOOM! BOOM!

Unlike thunder, the interval between those sounds grew shorter and shorter.

CRACK, CRRRRACK...

Cracks formed in the dark red, swirling sky. Cheon Mugyeol sensed the presence of beings in some distant place beyond the countless beams of starlight pouring down.

“If you can’t do it, I’ll have no choice but to kill him with my own hands. All of this will only end once the Blood Demon is dead.”

“But after watching you all for so long, I see your fate is just as pitiful as mine.

Having said his piece, he strode toward Jin Ryang without waiting for an answer. His expression looked a little more relaxed than before.

“Mr. Cheon Mugyeol, could you tell me what martial art you just used? No matter how I think about it, it’s something I’ve never seen before. Such power, and an energy so close to demonic qi yet so pure. Nothing in particular comes to mind...” Jin Ryang muttered to himself as he looked down at his wounds, which were not healing easily, even with the power of the Heaven-Defying Divine Art.

Suddenly, as though he had remembered something, his face filled with shock.

“Could it be? Could it be...!”

“...I was dragged to the Blood Cult at an early age as a guinea pig. You people forced me to learn martial arts and watch my friends die before my eyes. After planning for a long time, I escaped the Blood Cult, only to wander the world, unable to find any purpose in life other than revenge. Is that answer enough for you?”

He was so stunned that his whole body began to tremble. Rather than fear or dread, however, it was a result of pure joy and ecstasy.

“Did I tell you before? That there are two martial arts I am most curious about? One is the Heaven-Defying Divine Art, and the other is...”

Cheon Mugyeol snorted and channeled his power throughout his body. The surrounding space warped as though seized and twisted, and an ink-black haze flowed majestically over his body. Its intensity was no weaker than that of the Heaven-Defying Divine Art, known as the most tyrannical martial art in the world.

The Apostles and the Five Young Azure Dragons were sucked inside.