Chapter 149

Chapter 149

Youngho quietly stared at Wolharin, who was smiling radiantly at him.

As if the old crone from just moments ago had never existed, a woman who appeared barely past her coming-of-age spoke to Youngho.

“Is this your first time seeing a soul?”

“Sounds like you’ve seen plenty?”

When Youngho sneered, Wolharin let out a low chuckle.

“I’ve lived far too long. I’ve seen every kind of soul there is.”

“So you’re the Demonic Cult’s shamaness?”

“To call the Divine Cult the Demonic Cult before a follower of the Sun–Moon Divine Cult is a grave insult, child.”

“It’s the same as you lot calling us unbelievers over your pathetic faith. So shut up and answer. Are you the Demonic Cult’s shamaness?”

“Yes, I am the Divine Cult’s shamaness. Though in a month’s time I will step down from that position. In other words, you could say that the Demonic Cult will soon have no shamaness at all.”

Youngho did not forget to remain wary of the Jiangshi around him as he pondered briefly.

‘A shamaness?’

He had never even heard of such a thing. Even before his Regression, he had never once known that someone called a shamaness existed within the Demonic Cult.

‘Interesting.’

It seemed that while he had spent his days training within the Unorthodox Alliance before his Regression, something far from ordinary had been taking place inside the Demonic Cult.

“Young Master!”

Having carved a path through the Jiangshi, Kang Chowon and Kang Hosan approached Youngho, their clothes drenched in blood as they wiped the sweat from their brows.

The moment Kang Hosan saw the translucent woman before them, he could not suppress his shock.

“What on earth is going on?!”

Leaving aside the woman smiling right in front of Youngho, Youngho’s current condition looked grave enough that even Kang Hosan—no physician—could tell.

This was bad. Kang Hosan immediately shouted over his shoulder.

“Brother Hyeon-gang! Forget those octopus bastards and get over here! The Young Master is on the verge of death!”

“What? The Young Master?!”

At Kang Hosan’s call, Hyeon-gang rushed swiftly to Youngho’s side.

“You got yourself messed up like this again!”

Though horrified, instead of panicking, Hyeon-gang immediately moved his hands, shouting as he worked.

“Fine, let’s say the fractured bones are one thing! But what chewed you up like this?! Your body looks like a torn rag!”

Hyeon-gang quickly pulled out bandages and medical thread.

“Hyeon-gang, wait a moment.”

“Take a look at your own body before saying that!”

“The fight isn’t over yet.”

At those words, not only Kang Hosan but everyone nearby who heard Youngho’s voice froze as stiff as stone.

Ignoring his labored breathing, Youngho spoke.

“So what exactly is a shamaness of the Demonic Cult? What kind of position lets you control this many Jiangshi alone?”

“……!”

The shock was so overwhelming that no one could even speak. Though their numbers had been greatly reduced, there were still thousands of Jiangshi silently waiting before them.

Kang Hosan’s gaze slowly shifted toward the woman with the faint, hazy body.

‘Don’t tell me she’s controlling all the Jiangshi here?’

It made no sense. According to Youngho, the Demonic Cult had experts capable of controlling hundreds of Jiangshi.

‘But this is clearly in the thousands at a glance?!’

Youngho neither exaggerated nor understated anything.

Seeing that Youngho’s words had proven incomplete, Kang Hosan realized that even someone as knowledgeable as Youngho had not yet fully grasped the Demonic Cult.

Wolharin slowly swept her gaze across the people around her before speaking.

“I wished to speak with you at length. Your soul appears as though something veils it. But for the sake of the Divine Cult, I must kill you here and now.”

“And why tell me that?”

“You are an opponent worthy of acknowledgment by Him. Thus, I can at least deliver your last words to Him. I too must soon ascend.”

Before Youngho could open his mouth, Hyeonbi dragged his battered body forward and spat venomous words at Wolharin.

“How dare you spout such nonsense! Do you truly believe a Demonic Practitioner can achieve ascension?!”

“Oh my, one who should pursue the Dao for a lifetime instead surrenders to anger and tramples the will of his ancestors with such words.”

There was not a single person present who failed to understand Wolharin’s words.

For a Taoist elder of the Wudang Sect—not even a mere Junior Disciple—to utter something so absurd was unbelievable.

Yet Hyeonbi was too enraged to retain his reason.

“Do not speak of my ancestors with that filthy mouth of yours.”

At the cold Killing Intent in his voice, Wolharin turned her gaze away from Hyeonbi and back to Youngho.

“So? Your last words?”

“First, one question.”

“Is that your last wish?”

“You may take it as such.”

“Speak.”

“Your subordinate took the sacred relic of the Wudang Sect. What happens to this space then?”

“You are a dead man anyway, but since you call it a last wish, I shall answer. In one Shijin, this space will disappear, and you will be able to leave.”

“I see.”

“Well, whether corpse or not, leaving is leaving.”

Wolharin was certain that Youngho would die here. Judging by his condition, he would not last a Quarter-Hour, let alone one Shijin.

Youngho nodded as though every doubt had been resolved.

“You answered my question, so I should naturally repay the courtesy.”

“Mm?”

Just as she was about to ask what he meant—

Slash!

Wolharin’s arm was not merely severed—it was erased. The horrific agony that followed caused her vision to flicker as she repeatedly fainted and regained consciousness in an instant.

“Gaaaahhh!!”

Her scream of agony echoed across the entire mountain.

It was a pain akin to throwing herself into boiling magma.

Even as she experienced a torment that felt like despair itself, Wolharin glared at Youngho, confusion devouring her mind.

She was currently in a state where only her soul had emerged. There should have been no means for Youngho to attack her.

Yet he had clearly struck her spiritual form. And to injure a soul was something that should have been impossible.

“You dare, unbeliever!!”

Slash!

Youngho’s sword cleanly sliced through her once more—this time taking one of her legs.

The strike was flawless, without the slightest waste of motion, yet Youngho clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction.

“Tsk.”

Had he suffered less Internal Injury, he would have severed her neck instead of merely an arm or leg.

Youngho let out a faint snort of laughter, finding the sight of Wolharin screaming in tearful agony rather amusing.

At some point, Wolharin had fallen to her knees before him. Youngho drew his sword from right to left to sever her neck.

“Kraaagh!!”

At that moment, Wolharin’s roar, laden with resentment, shook the entire mountain. The sound was so powerful that Youngho’s body was pushed back slightly.

Wolharin glared at Youngho with an expression utterly different from before. No—“glared” was not accurate.

It was a gaze that struggled merely to look at him. Her eyes had already learned fear of Youngho.

‘How in the world did he cut a soul? Could it be that he’s like me…!?’

Before she could finish the thought, Wolharin instantly rendered her body completely transparent and vanished from Youngho’s sight.

“Kill him! Kill him no matter what it takes!”

At the sharp, piercing voice that made his ears ring, Youngho frowned.

The Jiangshi, having received Wolharin’s command, began to move once more. However, since she was no longer directly controlling them as before, their movements were distinctly different.

In particular, the Blood Demon Jiangshi who had retained the ability to use the Martial Arts from their lives now seemed unable to exert even half of their original prowess.

Youngho let out a deep sigh heavy with exhaustion as the battle resumed.

“I’m really overexerting myself today.”

“Young Master, please stop moving. Just cutting down that ghost woman earlier already put a huge strain on your body.”

When Hyeon-gang spoke sharply, Youngho smirked.

“Then I’ll just overdo it one last time.”

“What are you talking about?”

“The sacred relic of the Wudang Sect is no longer in this space. Simply put, this place is now hollow inside. At this level…”

“You’re saying it can be destroyed, right?”

At that moment, Kang Chowon swung her sword fiercely.

Paaang—!

The strike was so powerful that merely the Sword Qi cleaved through dozens of Jiangshi.

Seeing the Hardened Force wrapped around Kang Chowon’s blade, Youngho spoke.

“Stop. It’s impossible for you as you are now. You’re heavily injured.”

“If we’re saying that, you’re worse off, Young Master.”

Kang Hosan also displayed his crimson Sword Force as he spoke.

“Young Master, please rest a bit. The four of us will handle the rest.”

Black Shadow and Horyeung likewise infused their blades with Hardened Force and stood beside Kang Hosan and Kang Chowon.

Horyeung habitually reached to stroke his beard, only to realize his entire body was drenched in blood, and cleared his throat awkwardly.

“We can now feel the energy of this space ourselves, so please do not worry.”

Black Shadow nodded as well.

It truly delighted Youngho to see the children he had watched since youth grow so much, yet he could not hide his dubious expression.

“No, I was planning to erase both the Jiangshi and this space at the same time.”

“Pardon?”

“No, think about it.”

Despite his injuries, Youngho swung his sword toward the Jiangshi and continued speaking while watching the Asura Squad Members fight.

“If we break this space, the Jiangshi will inevitably burst out into the outside world. Then whether we destroy it or not, isn’t it the same? We’ll just end up dying to those Jiangshi anyway.”

“Uh….”

Kang Hosan blinked, evidently having never considered that.

“I can open a path.”

At those words, Kang Hosan recoiled.

“That’s not allowed. You’ll definitely wreck your body again.”

“Then leave the path-opening to Hwangbo Nyeong. She should be good at that.”

“Y-Yes. The Hwangbo Clan has always… fought on the front lines….”

At that moment, a cracked, pitiful voice came from behind Youngho.

Youngho turned and saw Hwangbo Nyeong staring with terrifyingly hollow eyes.

“What’s wrong with her now?”

“She pushed herself too hard as well. She isn’t used to this kind of chaotic melee to begin with, so she’s fainted several times already.”

“She does look exhausted.”

Seeing the shadows pooled beneath Hwangbo Nyeong’s chin, Youngho felt a twinge of pity without realizing it.

“Elder!”

“Elder Hyeonu!”

At that moment, voices from the Wudang Sect loudly called out to Hyeonu.

Watching the Wudang disciples weeping openly, Youngho spoke with mild curiosity.

“Is he dead? Or alive?”

“Of course he’s alive. I treated him myself.”

No sooner had Hyeon-gang spoken with pride than Hyeonu’s voice was heard.

“Where… is this place?”

“You have awakened?”

Before anyone realized, Youngho had approached Hyeonu. Taking in Youngho’s figure with blurred vision, Hyeonu spoke brightly.

“Sword Exalted has arrived.”

“Taoist, there is not much time to explain. Whether by your will or not, we are currently within a space created by the sacred relic of the Wudang Sect.”

The explanation was brief, yet Hyeonu quickly grasped the situation.

In a voice that continued to crack, he said,

“The bead… we need the bead.”

“Argh!”

Not far away, one of the Shaolin disciples suffered a severe injury.

“Disciples, do not panic!”

The Shaolin elder continued to display Fist Techniques without pause as he reassured them.

Even hearing only the voice, the entire situation seemed to reconstruct itself in the mind.

Hyeonu suddenly thrust his hand into his own side.

Thud!

The action was so sudden that no one had time to stop him.

“What are you doing?!”

At Hyeonbi’s cry of shock, Hyeonu merely gave a faint smile as if to say it was fine, rummaging inside his side with his hand.

When he withdrew it, a round bead rested in his palm.

The eyes of those who recognized its identity began to shine.

“Everyone… please gather within Two Zhang around me….”

Youngho immediately called in the Asura Squad Members, and Hyeonbi summoned the Wudang disciples and Shaolin as well.

Once Hyeonu sensed that the people had gathered near him, he immediately infused the bead with his Internal Energy.

For an instant, everyone’s vision flashed white. When they opened their eyes again, the Jiangshi that had surrounded them were nowhere to be seen. Instead, members of the Murim Alliance dressed in their official attire stared at Youngho’s group in shock.

At that moment, a man with a green spear strapped to his back spoke to Youngho.

“Sword Exalted…?”

At the call, Youngho looked at the man’s face and replied,

“It has been a while, Flowing Wind Spear.”

Gojeong, Hall Master of the Murim Alliance’s Hojeong Hall, met Youngho’s gaze with wide, round eyes.