ATPnovel Chapter 265 : The Demon Soul, Threatens
Chapter 265 : The Demon Soul, Threatens
“Master the Nine Divine Demonic Arts.”No matter how clever Lee Jaseung was, he truly did not expect the Heavenly Demon Soul to say such a thing.
One more sentence was added to that.
“To the limit.”
In other words, it meant to master it so that he could manifest the Heavenly Demon Soul.
Silence flowed.
Eventually, Lee Jaseung opened his mouth. Once again, he had no choice but to ask a question beginning with "why."
“Why me?”
“Because if it is not you, the Nine Divine Demonic Arts cannot be mastered to the limit.”
In other words, it meant he believed that Lee Jaseung could achieve the limit of the Nine Divine Demonic Arts.
Suddenly, Lee Jaseung recalled the question he had posed earlier.
Why now?
Could the answer given by the Heavenly Demon Soul just now be that solution?
He thought that the Heavenly Demon Soul might have been waiting for him to reach the first stage of the Transcendent Peak Realm.
Of course, Lee Jaseung did not obediently accept his proposal. A submissive attitude never helps in discovering the opponent's exact intentions.
“Did you not say you have watched me for a long time? Did you think I would listen obediently just because you ordered me?”
Then the Heavenly Demon Soul laughed unpleasantly.
Soon, words a hundred times more unpleasant than that expression began to flow out.
“Of course I know. I know well what kind of person you are. I know that threatening you with your life is useless.”
The Heavenly Demon Soul glanced down at the corpse of Yao Hong.
“Unlike this trash, you are...”
The words to follow felt uneasy for some reason.
“Are you not one who surely protects his own people?”
“Wait, are you—?”
The next moment.
Sssssssss.
The surrounding space disappeared and became transparent. The membrane surrounding that space had become clear.
Several people were standing in the vicinity.
And in the spot where the Heavenly Demon Soul looked, Baek Seolyoung was standing.
Naturally, Lee Jaseung’s expression changed terrifyingly.
“So you will kill her if I don't listen?”
He sent a gaze saying he would carve out the other's heart if that happened, but the Heavenly Demon Soul went a step further.
“And quite miserably at that. You will probably regret being born into this world.”
“Hah.”
Lee Jaseung let out a short sigh.
“Why is everyone like this?”
It was his honest feeling. Cheon Yeombaek, who was the former Black Way Alliance Leader. Jang Wonso, who was the Murim Alliance Leader. Yao Hong, the Demonic Cult Leader. And even this newly appeared Heavenly Demon Soul, who was not even human.
Soon, Lee Jaseung governed his heart. This was not the time to be angry, but the time to overcome this crisis.
It was time to ask a new question instead of asking why.
“Fine, let us say I do as you wish. The Nine Divine Demonic Arts are demonic arts passed down only to the Cult Leaders of the Heavenly Demon Sect, so how shall I master them? Will you teach me personally?”
Then the Heavenly Demon Soul shook his head.
“There is a way to find out.”
Lee Jaseung thought of Ho Yeonshin. Because the only successor of the Heavenly Demon Sect who had mastered the Nine Divine Demonic Arts existed.
One thing here, at least the Heavenly Demon Soul did not know what the oral formulas for the Nine Divine Demonic Arts were.
Since the existence of the Heavenly Demon Soul itself came from the Nine Divine Demonic Arts, some device must have been prepared to prevent it from betraying its master. He thought that not knowing the oral formulas might be a kind of that device.
“What about inner Qi? My inner Qi will not match, so how shall I master a demonic art?”
“It does not matter because your inner Qi is not that of a Orthodox Faction. Furthermore, because the attribute of your inner Qi is non-attributed, you will be able to master it more easily.”
The Heavenly Demon Soul even knew the attribute of Lee Jaseung’s inner Qi accurately. He could see once again that the approach toward him was not a coincidence or an accidental event.
“You have one year.”
“One year? You are giving only one year for a martial art that a successor could not reach the limit of even after a lifetime of polishing?”
“If you cannot reach it in a year, you will not reach it in a lifetime anyway.”
One year. It was an absurdly short time. Furthermore, there was no way Ho Yeonshin would pass down the Nine Divine Demonic Arts. Even if his life was threatened, he would never tell.
Why did he need a person who had mastered the Nine Divine Demonic Arts to the limit?
Most likely, it was certain that he could not exert his full power unless it was such a physical body.
Swish...
The form of Cheon Myeongin began to disappear.
“If you don't reach the limit within one year, she dies. It is no use no matter where you hide her. As long as she is alive, I will surely be able to find her.”
He disappeared completely.
Lee Jaseung’s gaze grew intense. Rage filled his two eyes.
At this moment, Lee Jaseung resolved.
That he would surely annihilate the Heavenly Demon Soul.
To threaten me with her life.
You made a mistake.
Only then did the space created by Yao Hong also disappear.
Lee Jaseung stood alone in that place where corpses were strewn.
Baek Seolyoung, Mujin, and Ma Young-gi stood a short distance away. Behind them, the warriors of the Divine Sword Regiment and the Iron Cavalry Regiment were guarding the place, surrounding it in a circle.
“Are you okay?”
Baek Seolyoung asked worriedly. Truly, this time while Lee Jaseung stood without moving felt as long as a thousand or ten thousand years.
“I am fine.”
At Lee Jaseung’s answer, Baek Seolyoung let out a sigh of relief.
She ran straight to him and hugged Lee Jaseung. Lee Jaseung was drenched in sweat.
“What happened to Yao Hong?”
At Mujin’s question, Lee Jaseung looked to one side. Yao Hong’s corpse lay in a corner of the ruined place.
The nearby warriors who confirmed his death let out cheers.
“Waaaaaaa!”
“Yao Hong is dead!”
“The Alliance Leader has executed the Demonic Cult Leader!”
Everyone was sincerely joyful. Now that the war with the Demonic Cult had begun, they knew better than anyone how great a matter it was to kill the opponent's leader, the Cult Leader. By killing one Yao Hong, they would obtain the effect of saving the lives of thousands and tens of thousands of their own allies.
Lee Jaseung used a movement technique with Baek Seolyoung and left the place.
“First, let us all return.”
Following the two, everyone began to run while unfolding light body techniques.
In that place where everyone had left, someone revealed themselves.
It was a man in black martial robes. He was none other than the man of the voice, Yao Hong’s limb. No matter how trashy his character was said to be, he was his only master.
The man looked down at Yao Hong’s corpse with a sorrowful expression.
“...Cult Leader.”
* * *
Even while sharing love, Lee Jaseung could not concentrate.
The fact that the Heavenly Demon Soul took her life as a hostage weighed on his mind.
The opponent was not a person.
A Demon? A Demon God? Or a fragment of a demonic art?
He did not know what to call it, but at least the bastard would keep his word.
If he could not find a way within a year, Baek Seolyoung would die.
Yet he did not want to listen to the Heavenly Demon Soul obediently. The moment he reached the limit by mastering the Nine Divine Demonic Arts, he would fall under the bastard's control just as Cheon Myeongin had suffered.
Baek Seolyoung grabbed both of Lee Jaseung’s shoulders and frowned slightly.
“It hurts a bit.”
“Ah, sorry.”
His movements had been too rough because of the thoughts about the Heavenly Demon Soul.
Lee Jaseung pulled away from Baek Seolyoung for a moment.
She asked worriedly.
“Is something wrong?”
“No.”
He intended to keep it a secret from her. Because it would only give her a burden for no reason.
One year from now.
Thinking conversely, it also meant she was safe for the next year. Because until then, the Heavenly Demon Soul would protect her.
“The Demonic Cult Leader has finally died too huh.”
She spoke, admiring anew. Lee Jaseung had killed the Black Way Alliance Leader, killed the Murim Alliance Leader, and now even killed the Demonic Cult Leader. He had truly achieved the feat of killing all the leaders of the Orthodox, Unorthodox, and Demonic factions.
All three were people who deserved to die.
Perhaps the fact that Lee Jaseung dreamed of world unification was a fateful thing. To overturn the corrupt world and create a new one.
“The world you will create, I look forward to it.”
“You must not look down on the potential of the Demonic Cult. This war is still ongoing.”
“You will pull through well.”
“I’m going to need your help.”
“Please call me anytime you need, my Lord.”
At Baek Seolyoung’s banter, Lee Jaseung spoke while pulling her into his arms.
“Right now!”
* * *
“You are truly amazing. You have really done well!”
Dan Woobin was highly elated at Yao Hong’s death. He had not been able to sleep properly since Lee Jaseung departed. Furthermore, his worry had been even greater when even Baek Seolyoung led the subordinates and followed after.
He had hoped that even if he could not kill Yao Hong, he would please return safely.
But the result was completely satisfying.
He had killed Yao Hong, of course, and everyone who was guarding him.
Dan Woobin could not hide his emotion.
“I have no regrets even if I die right now.”
“It is all thanks to you that we have come this far.”
“Thank you even just for those words.”
“I am serious.”
Lee Jaseung patted his shoulder powerfully.
Mujin and Ma Young-gi stood behind him, smiling. Of course those two, and Mook Young who did not show himself now, and all other subordinates as well. It was because of them that he could come this far.
It seemed like he had done everything himself, but if they had not been there, all these things would not have happened. Because nothing could have started in the first place.
“And I have something to say to you all. Clear the surroundings completely and call Mook Young.”
“Yes, understood.”
After a while, Mook Young, who was escorting Baek Seolyoung, arrived at the spot.
The four people stood side by side.
Lee Jaseung told them the story about the Heavenly Demon Soul.
Everyone was startled upon hearing what had happened with Yao Hong. Especially the part where he made Lee Jaseung master the Nine Divine Demonic Arts was truly a shocking matter.
He did not call Baek Seolyoung intentionally.
The Heavenly Demon Soul had taken her life as collateral. He did not want to give her a burden.
“I considered handling it alone, but I judged that at least you four should know.”
Dan Woobin opened his mouth first.
“You made the right choice. We should know.”
All four people were of the same mind.
“First, we strike the Demonic Cult as planned. Once the fact that Yao Hong is dead becomes known, there will be great confusion inside the Demonic Cult. We must never miss this opportunity.”
Dan Woobin spoke powerfully, his eyes sparkling.
“I will initiate the general attack.”