Chapter 422 : You Like The West

Chapter 422: You Like The West?

Had there ever been a moment before a life-or-death duel when someone asked a question like that?

Which of the four directions do you prefer—east, west, south, or north?

‘This is psychological warfare.’

Naturally, Ha Gyeol believed that Geom Mugeuk’s question was just a ploy to throw him off. If that was the case, then he would respond with calm confidence.

“I like the west.”

Then, another incomprehensible remark came out of Geom Mugeuk’s mouth.

“Oh dear. Why the west of all places? There are handsome ones, clever ones, even mysterious ones.”

Ha Gyeol had no idea what he was talking about.

He simply scoffed, unable to make any sense of it.

“Young Cult Leader, enough with the nonsense. That won’t work on me.”

Outwardly he acted composed, but inwardly, he was tightly wound with tension. After all, the seven subordinates who had died earlier hadn't fallen to mere words. If he let himself be distracted by that mouth, Geom Mugeuk’s sword would pierce straight through his heart.

‘What on earth is he trying to pull?’

Geom Mugeuk was about to attempt something he had never tried before.

While activating the Human Annihilation Form of the Nine Calamities Demon Art, he intended to summon only the west’s demonic ghost. Without slashing—just a summon. He wasn’t planning to kill Ha Gyeol right away. He needed to keep him alive to find out where the Blood King was hiding.

‘Can I pull it off?’

His mastery of the Nine Calamities Demon Art had progressed enough that he could now manipulate the demonic ghosts with some freedom, so he had wanted to try. But soon after, he withdrew his sword.

“My mind has changed.”

His martial instinct dissuaded him. While summoning a single demonic ghost was possible, not killing the opponent went against what the ghost desired.

Yes, summoning a ghost of the Nine Calamities Demon Art without intending to kill was a discourtesy.

At that moment, Geom Mugeuk felt it clearly.

‘I’m beginning to feel a bond with them.’

Back when he had summoned them during training in the Wind Valley, the ghosts had not vanished immediately. Instead, they had turned to look at one another. In that instant, he sensed that they held emotions.

One of them, who had seemed intelligent, had even shown a trace of regret before disappearing.

“I was rash. I’m sorry.”

Ha Gyeol thought the words were meant for him, but in truth, they were Geom Mugeuk’s apology to the demonic ghosts.

No matter what Geom Mugeuk said, Ha Gyeol drew out the nature buried deep within his heart—something he had kept hidden while serving as escort to Yang Seok of the Northern Blood Gate.

He was a violent and ruthless man. He had implanted Self-Destruction Arts in his subordinates and, during training, had blown up anyone who lacked ability without hesitation, indoctrinating the survivors through fear. When he had a goal, he achieved it by any means necessary. That was the kind of person he was.

“You should’ve killed me when you had the chance!”

With a furious leap, Ha Gyeol charged at Geom Mugeuk. He intended to make him pay for looking down on him.

Their swords clashed in midair.

Beyond the crossed swords, there was no emotion in Geom Mugeuk’s eyes. Though he had spoken in riddles and played the clown as the Young Cult Leader, the moment the fight began, his gaze had changed.

The demonic energy pouring out from the clashing Black Demon Sword was suffocating. Resisting it, a fiercer surge of blood energy burst from Ha Gyeol’s sword.

As the two swords clashed repeatedly, sparks flew.

He was fast and strong. His martial art combined swordsmanship and Blood Arts, but even without the Blood Arts, his swordsmanship alone was excellent.

“Die! You damned cultist!”

His eyes narrowed sharply, releasing murderous intent. The demonic energy provoked his emotions into fury. A tremendous amount of blood energy poured toward Geom Mugeuk.

But unfortunately for him, the endlessly surging blood energy was shielded by the Heavenly Demon Body Protection Technique, which had reached great mastery. Geom Mugeuk’s swordsmanship also far surpassed his.

He increased the speed of his attacks. But no matter how quickly he slashed, every strike was getting blocked.

Each move contained potent internal energy, and with every collision of blades, pain shot through his arms as if to torn them off. The more they clashed, the more he realized he was being overwhelmed in internal energy.

Unable to endure any longer, he leapt backward. But instead of quickly pursuing, Geom Mugeuk calmly asked,

“I told you—let me meet the person you serve. If you die here, who will protect them?”

At those words, Geom Mugeuk caught the faint twitch in his eyes.

‘He’s not just a leader and subordinate.’

A blood relative or a master, perhaps.

The blood energy radiating from his body grew even fiercer. As the fight went on, his blood boiled with rage.

Sssshhhk!

Blood energy burst forth from his sword.

Geom Mugeuk didn’t dodge. Instead, he countered by releasing his own sword energy.

Boom!

The collision of sword energy and blood energy stirred up a cloud of dust.

He unleashed his blood energy madly.

Clashing again and again.

“Die!”

He roared, pouring out everything he had in blood energy.

The ground trembled, the surface cracked and threatened to flip—but Geom Mugeuk stood firm, blocking every attack.

Eventually, he stopped attacking and gasped heavily, panting in exhaustion. Meanwhile, Geom Mugeuk, calm as ever, slowly walked toward him.

There was a reason he had allowed Geom Mugeuk to get so close. Then, like wings unfurling silently behind him, a crimson aura spread wide—

Fwoooosh.

That crimson aura swooped in like a predator seizing its prey and engulfed Geom Mugeuk in an instant.

It was the secret technique Binding Blood Veil of his forbidden martial art, Ten Thousand Evils Blood Arts.

‘Got him!’

If he succeeded in trapping the opponent within the Binding Blood Veil, they would suffocate to death inside. No matter what technique they used, it was impossible to tear through the veil.

Just like someone trapped in an egg, Geom Mugeuk writhed inside the Binding Blood Veil.

“Die in there! Young Cult Leader!”

Ha Gyeol was half-consumed by his blood energy. His desire to kill the opponent had overtaken his purpose of finding the Extreme Cold Constitution or concerns about the aftermath of killing the Young Cult Leader of the demonic cult.

He glared at Yang Seok with eyes hungry for blood.

“Please spare me! I was wrong!”

It was no time for pride. Ha Gyeol looked ready to rush over and kill him at any second.

It was then—

A blue light shimmered from within the Blood Veil.

Puk.

The blue light pierced through the veil. It was the Black Demon Sword, infused with sword energy.

The moment the veil was torn, Ha Gyeol let out a scream.

“Uaaaagh!”

The Black Demon Sword, carrying that blue sword energy, sliced sideways through the Blood Veil.

Ssshhhhk.

Ha Gyeol screamed, and the veil quivered as though it were alive.

Through the torn slit in the veil, Geom Mugeuk thrust his head out.

“I hate feeling suffocated.”

With that, he roughly grabbed the torn edges of the veil with both hands and ripped it apart. Once torn, the Blood Veil yielded even to Geom Mugeuk’s hands.

Just as Ha Gyeol’s screams reached their peak—

Thud, and the Binding Blood Veil vanished. Gasping in agony, Ha Gyeol asked,

“How? Even sword energy can’t tear through that.”

“Next time you pass down that martial art, make sure to mention— it doesn’t work on the Young Cult Leader of the demonic cult.”

At those words, the scent of blood thickened from Ha Gyeol’s body, and blood began to pool in both of his eyes. It wasn’t red energy—actual blood.

The blood energy was consuming him now. He had realized that unless he became a complete Blood Human, he could never defeat Geom Mugeuk.

Blood beads started to rise from the palm of his hand. Dozens of them floated into the air, transforming into the shape of small daggers.

Shwik shwik shwik shwik shwik shwik shwik shwik!

It was another one of his secret techniques—

Blood Rain of Flying Daggers.

Dozens of bloody daggers rained toward Geom Mugeuk. Geom Mugeuk began to move.

Papapapapapapapak!

Through the pouring storm of blood-colored daggers, Geom Mugeuk displayed astonishing lightness technique.

Yang Seok, watching, widened his eyes.

‘How is he dodging that?’ The thought came only after Geom Mugeuk had already evaded.

His movements as he dodged the barrage of bloody daggers were almost beautiful.

And just as he had evaded them all and landed—

Another secret technique awaited. The previous Blood Rain of Flying Daggers had been just the bait for this move.

Schaak! Chak! Schaaaak! Schaaaak.

Scarlet lines emerged all around Geom Mugeuk. The blood threads surrounded him, forming a web, enclosing him like a prison cell.

Fragmented Blood Net.

“Don’t move. Touch the blood threads and you’ll die.”

“Can I still move my mouth?”

Yang Seok, who had been watching, nearly let out a hollow laugh. A joke, even in a situation like this?

In contrast, the blood pooling in Ha Gyeol’s eyes turned an even deeper red.

Ssssssskt!

The blood threads began tightening around Geom Mugeuk.

“I’ll cut you into so many pieces they won’t even be able to find your corpse!”

The blood threads from every direction surged in with the force to shred him apart.

Even in the face of imminent danger, Geom Mugeuk remained calm. As he channeled internal energy into the Black Demon Sword, a blue glow of sword energy shimmered along its blade.

“I don’t believe your martial art can overcome my internal energy and the Black Demon Sword.”

It was a statement born from absolute faith in himself.

Papapapapapak!

The Black Demon Sword slashed in all directions.

Chichichik! Ttuk! Ttuuk!

The blood threads surrounding him began to sever one after another.

In that unbelievable moment, Ha Gyeol unleashed his final secret technique. The last move of the Ten Thousand Evils Blood Arts, which required sacrificing half of his innate qi.

Blood rose from his hand, transforming into a butterfly that fluttered away.

Just as Geom Mugeuk was emerging through the shredded blood threads—

Puk.

The butterfly exploded.

Blood Poison Butterfly.

His master had said: Blood Poison Butterfly possessed destructive power equal to formless poisons. That no one could resist it. But in return, it consumed half of one’s innate qi.

As the blood butterfly burst, Geom Mugeuk was instantly swallowed by a thick red cloud.

Ha Gyeol was now convinced the Young Cult Leader could no longer endure. Only then did his gaze shift to Yang Seok.

“You killed the Young Cult Leader of the demonic cult.”

Yang Seok was bewildered. You're the one who killed him—why are you blaming me? But he couldn’t say a word. Ha Gyeol’s eyes were still filled with blood.

“Now the Demon Supremes will swarm in and wipe out the Northern Blood Gate.”

At that moment, Yang Seok’s eyes widened in shock.

“Did you act without even anticipating that?”

But Yang Seok wasn’t shocked by Ha Gyeol’s words.

From behind Ha Gyeol, through the red smoke, Geom Mugeuk was walking out.

When Ha Gyeol finally turned and saw him, his expression twisted in horror.

‘He walked out of that blood poison alive? How?’

Every absolute truth he had learned from his master crumbled in that moment.

He had never felt so helpless in his life.

He was ashamed of having worried, even for a moment, about what might happen after Geom Mugeuk’s death. The man standing before him now felt like a colossal wall.

And then, a sudden thought occurred to him.

“You knew I wouldn’t talk, didn’t you?”

“Yeah.”

“You could’ve killed me a long time ago, couldn’t you?”

“Yeah.”

“Then why take the risk?”

He felt it wasn't simply to ask where the master was hiding. There was clearly a reason why Geom Mugeuk had prolonged the fight.

“To get used to the Blood Arts. Whoever’s backing you must use the same martial technique.”

“!”

In that instant, Ha Gyeol’s expression completely froze. The joking, the cryptic talk—he had forgotten just how calculating and terrifying this man truly was.

“I’ve lost.”

Ha Gyeol lowered his head, as if all hope was gone. Even his tone had turned polite.

“If you spare me, I’ll tell you who’s behind me and where they are right now.”

“You should’ve done that from the start.”

Geom Mugeuk slowly walked toward him.

When Geom Mugeuk had come within five steps, Ha Gyeol’s expression changed.

“You fool! Did you really think I’d tell you?”

A satisfied smirk spread across Ha Gyeol’s face.

“At this distance, there’s no way you can dodge my Self-Destruction Art.”

He was convinced he could kill Geom Mugeuk.

Yet Geom Mugeuk didn’t seem particularly surprised. He wore the kind of expression that suggested he had expected this all along.

“Then did you think I’d really believe your words?”

“What? Then why come closer?”

“Why else? I’m still practicing. Whoever your backer is, they’ll probably pull something like this too, right?”

“You bastard! Let’s see if you can still talk big as you die!”

Ha Gyeol’s face instantly flushed red, and he activated the Self-Destruction Art. He was faster than any of his subordinates had been. The destructive force would no doubt be far stronger as well.

At that very moment—

Geom Mugeuk vanished from right before his eyes.

Shocked, Ha Gyeol aborted the Self-Destruction Art. Forcing the technique to a stop twisted his energy flow and made him cough up blood.

Then Geom Mugeuk reappeared. He had vanished by opening the Temporal and Spatial Transference Technique.

In terms of martial compatibility, their techniques stood at completely opposite extremes.

“No matter how fast you activate your Self-Destruction Art, you won’t be faster than me.”

Ha Gyeol’s face flushed again. This time, he tried to trigger the Self-Destruction Art even faster than before.

But by the time he finished chanting the incantation, Geom Mugeuk had already vanished again.

“You… what are you—”

Unable to finish his sentence, Ha Gyeol coughed up more blood. This time, it was far more than before, the result of again forcibly halting the Self-Destruction Art.

Still, he couldn’t die like this, for nothing. In the end, the martial art that inflicted the greatest injury on him was his own Self-Destruction Art.

“Aaaaaargh!”

Ha Gyeol screamed with raw rage.

Before he even noticed, Geom Mugeuk had appeared once more, right in front of him.

“When a martial artist loses, he should just die. How foul and disgraceful is this behavior?”

Geom Mugeuk stared straight into Ha Gyeol’s eyes. His own reflection wavered in the blood-filled pupils. Gazing into that abyss, Geom Mugeuk spoke calmly.

“Do you know why I’m so intent on finding your backer? It’s because I can’t stand your kind. The kind that can’t admit defeat, that tries to drag others down like drowning rats—I despise you.”

Who in the martial world could stop people who used Self-Destruction Arts without hesitation? Everyone avoided them—filthy, disgraceful, terrifying. Who would dare to pursue and block such people so relentlessly?

Those who instill terror in others to secure their own gain—such people were evil. Evil that had to be crushed and judged under the name of the demonic cult.

“...You need me alive to find out who’s behind me.”

Ha Gyeol tried to keep talking, desperate to seize any chance. But his opponent was Geom Mugeuk.

“You weren’t planning to tell me anyway, right? I’ll find out myself.”

Geom Mugeuk no longer bothered speaking to him.

“You said you liked the west?”

The moment those words left his mouth—

Ha Gyeol felt a chilling bloodlust beside him.

And then he saw it. The most terrifying thing he had ever witnessed since the day he was born. That horrifying figure swung a single sword without even the slightest hesitation.

Sshhhhk!

Slice!

Ha Gyeol’s severed head flew into the air.

In the blood pooled in his eyes, many reflections surfaced. The sky, the cold gaze of Geom Mugeuk staring down without mercy, the stunned face of Yang Seok, and the vanishing form of a fearsome demonic ghost.

Then, the ground, grass, and sky blurred past and slowed—until darkness came.