Chapter 94

Chapter 94

As in the previous Dragon–Phoenix Gathering, before the finals the Referee granted Namgung Cheon and Cheon Muback a Quarter-Hour of rest.

Though he had recovered as much as possible during that time, Namgung Cheon’s body was far from fully restored.

Left with no choice, he stood before Cheon Muback in an incomplete state—while Cheon Muback appeared perfectly recovered.

Cheon Muback looked at Namgung Cheon for a moment and spoke.

“What a pity.”

At the tone that already presumed victory, the veins on Namgung Cheon’s forehead bulged.

“You never know until you try.”

“I doubt that.”

With that, the two widened the distance between them. The spectators, already brimming with anticipation, could not conceal their excitement for the impending duel.

As all eyes fixed upon Cheon Muback and Namgung Cheon—

“Begin!”

With the Referee’s declaration, both figures vanished in an instant.

Clang!

Ordinary common people could not follow their high-speed movements with their eyes.

Yet perhaps because the battle itself was so swift, the common people felt an uncontrollable thrill.

‘This is the battle of Martial Artists!’

‘It seems much faster than last time?’

To the untrained eye, their clash appeared evenly matched.

Youngho chewed on a piece of taffy and said,

“Namgung Cheon’s going to lose.”

Horyeung nodded.

They were seeing something beyond what others could perceive. Curious what they saw, Jongpal deliberately prompted them.

“I think Namgung Cheon will win.”

Despite the obvious bait, Youngho answered calmly.

“Look at their faces.”

Jongpal strained to glimpse their rapidly moving expressions.

“……He’s cornered?”

“Exactly. That bastard Cheon Muback’s personality is rotten. He could end it right now, but he’s dragging it out.”

“The gap’s that big?”

“If they were both fully rested, maybe not. But Chowon drained too much of Namgung Cheon’s stamina. That’s why it looks so overwhelming.”

Jongpal had known Kang Chowon was strong, yet he looked at her anew with surprise.

As if flaunting her own greatness, Kang Chowon placed her hands on her hips and puffed out her stomach.

“Ahem!”

“…….”

For some reason irritated, Jongpal said nothing and turned his gaze back to the Sparring Stage.

“Still, something’s strange.”

Horyeung spoke with puzzlement.

“You mean Cheon Muback?”

Horyeung nodded at Youngho’s question.

“Yes. It feels like he’s being extremely careful with each strike.”

“Now that you mention it… Why?”

“It’s as though he’s deliberately conserving his strength.”

“What for?”

“I cannot say.”

“Hmm.”

Half a Quarter-Hour later, Namgung Cheon finally collapsed.

His chest rose and fell repeatedly as he struggled for breath.

Cheon Muback wiped the beads of sweat from his brow and said,

“My victory.”

As if that declaration were the trigger, a thunderous cheer erupted from a corner of the audience.

The Demonic Cult had won. More precisely, the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult had claimed victory at the Dragon–Phoenix Gathering.

Normally, such cheers would not resound.

Because of the Murim Alliance’s scrutiny. For such open celebration when a member of the Demonic Cult won meant either they sought to humiliate the Murim Alliance—or…

“Waaaaaah! Divine Cult Unconquered, Ten Thousand Demons Bow in Submission!”

They were genuinely rejoicing.

The Demon Spirit Unit brought by Cheon Sangmu cheered wholeheartedly.

Of course, they had never doubted Cheon Muback’s victory. They knew well how he had honed his skills over the past four years.

Thus, though they had considered his victory natural, witnessing his triumph firsthand was an entirely different matter.

Once the noisy commotion gradually settled, Han Yonghu rose from his seat and slowly walked toward Cheon Muback.

With every step Han Yonghu took, the expressions of the common people shifted moment by moment.

Some thought he was restraining his anger, while others believed he was already enraged.

Soon arriving before Cheon Muback, Han Yonghu opened his mouth.

“Will you receive the champion’s prize?”

“Yes.”

At the unexpected informal tone, Killing Intent briefly flowed from where the Orthodox Sect members were gathered.

-Enough.

However, Han Yonghu was not one to simply overlook such matters. Immediately sending a Voice Transmission to the Murim Alliance members, he turned his gaze back to Cheon Muback.

“Then prepare yourself.”

“No. The person I wish to fight is not you.”

Even Han Yonghu’s eyebrow twitched at that. Still, something of this level could not shake the mind he had tempered over decades.

Like a gentle breeze—quiet yet carrying great weight—Han Yonghu spoke.

“The prize for this Dragon–Phoenix Gathering is instruction from me, the Murim Alliance Leader. Do you refuse this?”

“I am not so weak that I need your instruction to grow stronger.”

It was a remark that could not simply be ignored. The Strategist of the Murim Alliance wanted to shout immediately, yet endured because Han Yonghu wished it so.

“……Then whose instruction do you seek?”

“I need no instruction.”

With blazing eyes, Cheon Muback looked toward where Youngho stood.

“Come out, Flame Dragon. I request a sparring match with you.”

Not even the sound of breathing could be heard. The Dragon–Phoenix Gathering Grounds had become silence itself.

That silence was broken by a single voice.

“……Are you insane?”

As though beholding an utter madman, Youngho looked at Cheon Muback.

The disbelief in Youngho’s eyes alone was enough to irritate Cheon Muback.

But soon Cheon Muback spoke with a sneer.

“What’s wrong? Afraid? Personally, I never understood why you didn’t participate in the Dragon–Phoenix Gathering.”

“Fine. Let’s have a bout.”

Youngho accepted the obvious provocation. And there was someone watching with an anxious expression.

‘No!’

She had never imagined such a situation would unfold.

‘No matter how strong the Young Cult Leader is, that man is an even greater monster!’

It was a reasonable thought. Youngho was the one who had killed Ho Jagae, the Right Guardian.

Sohae unconsciously turned to look at Cheon Sangmu. But Cheon Sangmu merely observed the situation with indifferent eyes.

She knew. That their god held little interest in the Sun–Moon Divine Cult, and could discard it at any time.

That was why they had always prepared thoroughly and served with utmost devotion.

He need not act. Simply by existing, Cheon Sangmu was their god—and whatever he did, he remained their god.

‘But at least this time!’

Just as Sohae was about to speak to Cheon Sangmu—

“I can no longer tolerate this.”

At the same instant, Cheon Sangmu’s figure shot forward like a cannonball. So fast that even Cheonung nearly failed to track him.

By the time Cheonung attempted to respond by opening the Flame Venerable Opening Technique, Cheon Sangmu had already reached Youngho.

Boom!

Crack—!

Upon landing on the Sparring Stage, spiderweb-like fractures spread across the solid Blue Steel Stone centered around Cheon Sangmu.

At the sudden appearance of Cheon Sangmu, Cheon Muback hurriedly prostrated himself.

“Divine Cult Unconquered, Ten Thousand Demons Bow in Submission!”

In this peculiar turn of events, people momentarily failed to comprehend what had happened.

When silence, as perfect as before, fell again, Zhuge Lianhua swallowed and spoke.

“The… Heavenly Demon?”

“What?”

“The Heavenly Demon?”

At Zhuge Lianhua’s single utterance, the surroundings erupted once more.

“The Heavenly Demon came here?”

“Since when was he present?”

“But the Heavenly Demon would never attend such an event…?”

As the crowd murmured in agitation, Youngho stared at Cheon Sangmu, who had appeared before him so suddenly, and cold sweat trickled down his back.

‘If I had reacted, it would have led straight into battle.’

Youngho had seen Cheon Sangmu charging toward him. Yet he had not reacted, purely by instinct.

If he moved, battle would erupt immediately.

Youngho clasped his fists in salute and said,

“I greet the Cult Leader of the Sun–Moon Divine Cult.”

In his eyes flickered chilling Killing Intent.

So subtle that even Cheon Sangmu did not detect it, and none present noticed.

Cheon Sangmu stared at Youngho for a moment.

A breath of time stretched as though an entire Shijin had passed.

Youngho could see Cheon Sangmu’s pupils moving slowly. Soon, Cheon Sangmu formed a satisfied smile.

Standing at his side, Sohae could not conceal her shock.

He was smiling? Smiling?

Since becoming the Left Guardian, she had never once seen that expression. And now a mere youth had drawn it from him.

Just how extraordinary was this brat before her?

Sohae forced her trembling hands to still.

Fortunately, all eyes were fixed upon Cheon Sangmu; not a single person noticed her shaking.

“……Is there some matter with me?”

He wanted to kill him. Right now, he wanted to press a blade to that man’s throat.

That man was the root of all evil. He had killed his disciple.

Suppressing the Killing Intent surging within him, Youngho spoke in a trembling voice.

“……Is there some matter with me?”

“…….”

A second time. He had asked twice now, yet no answer came from Cheon Sangmu.

Just as Youngho was about to speak again—

“As I thought, it was you.”

At last, Cheon Sangmu’s voice emerged.

At that instant, Youngho’s teeth ground together.

He still remembered Cheon Sangmu’s words before killing him in the past.

The indifferent tone when he killed his disciple. The indifferent gaze when he tore out Namgung Cheon’s heart.

It was no different now. Yet Youngho soon sensed something amiss.

“So you are the one who survived me.”

Thump.

He felt his heart pound.

Thump.

He felt the blood coursing through his body.

Barely grasping the reason that threatened to slip away, Youngho unconsciously spoke with Killing Intent in his tone.

“……What do you mean?”

“You appeared in my dream.”

“…….”

Though he did not respond, information continued to spill from Cheon Sangmu’s lips.

“I remember your face, standing atop corpses amidst a sea of blood.”

“……An interesting dream.”

“Yes. It was so vivid that at first I thought someone had cast Heretical Arts upon me.”

Cheon Sangmu looked at Youngho with madness flickering in his eyes.

“But then I realized. This is reality. If this is not reality, then what is?”

Cheon Sangmu extended his hand toward Youngho’s face.

“Speak. Who are you? And what was that situation from my dream?”

His hand was just about to touch Youngho’s face—

Thud.

“You seem worse than a beast. You do not know even a speck of manners.”

With Killing Intent sharp as a blade, Cheonung glared at Cheon Sangmu.

“If you commit further rudeness toward my disciple, I will not forgive it.”