The Drunken Demon accepted her without resistance.
He could guess why she had used the Soul-Capturing Art on him. Because right now, in this place, she was probably the only one who could overcome this dizziness.
The Soul-Capturing Art that the Soul-Capturing Demon Venerable used on the Drunken Demon was different from what she had attempted on the Dark Palace Lord earlier.
If the previous Soul-Capturing Art had been one that dominated and controlled the opponent, this one shared consciousness with the other and moved as one body.
Two Souls, One Body Art (二魂一體術).
The Soul-Capturing Demon Venerable settled into the Drunken Demon’s mind.
‘So this is Lord Drunken Demon’s mind.’
There, she saw it. The thing at the center of the Drunken Demon’s heart.
Emitting a sacred aura, it was the vessel containing the wine essence that lay deep within the forbidden grounds of the Great Drunken Forest.
The actual wine essence of the Great Drunken Forest had been tainted, but the wine essence within his heart had not. It was utterly pure. She could tell that the wish for the wine essence to remain untainted was the very core of the man known as the Drunken Demon.
When the Soul-Capturing Demon Venerable closed her eyes and recited the incantation, unknown characters formed around her and the wine essence.
At the very moment the Soul-Capturing Demon Venerable settled into his mind, the Drunken Demon experienced something astonishing.
The world, which had been so dizzying that it was hard even to stand, suddenly became calm. His head cleared, and his heart grew peaceful. It felt like lying in Chwimong Pavilion on some leisurely day when he had nothing at all to do, gazing up at drifting clouds.
With the power of the Wine God’s Total Intoxication unleashed through Blood Tears, and now the energy conveyed by the Soul-Capturing Demon Venerable added on top of it, the Drunken Demon felt a mighty strength he had never felt before.
“You bastard, where are you! Where are you?”
The Drunken Demon staggered toward the Dark Palace Lord, then toppled over again. It was an act meant to bring him as close to the Dark Palace Lord as possible.
The Soul-Capturing Demon Venerable, who had become one with him, was impressed by the Drunken Demon’s response.
Even at this moment, when powerful dark astral energy was gathering in the Dark Palace Lord’s hand, the Drunken Demon did not hurry.
By now, the stars revolving around them were spinning so quickly they could barely be seen.
The Drunken Demon charged at the Dark Palace Lord again, only to fall forward.
“This crazy world must be drunker than I am.”
At those words, the Dark Palace Lord laughed and let his guard down—for that single fleeting instant.
Through the spinning world, the Drunken Demon became a streak of light and cut across it.
Shiiiiiiiii.
In the blink of an eye, he rushed right up before the Dark Palace Lord, and the dagger in his hand flashed.
The Dark Palace Lord had previously used a dark demonic art to switch places with the Soul-Capturing Demon Venerable, but the Drunken Demon did not hesitate. He was certain the man could never block such a swift attack, and on top of that, the Dark Palace Lord was in the midst of gathering dark energy in his hand.
Thud!
The Drunken Demon’s dagger drove into his chest, and blood burst out.
‘It missed the heart!’
As the Drunken Demon had expected, he had failed to use the Dark Heaven Transposition Art that switched positions with an opponent. Facing the Drunken Demon, who had rushed right up to his nose, the astral energy gathered in his hand only became a burden.
Shaaaaaak.
The astral energy he flung away as if discarding it missed.
Shiiiiik.
The Drunken Demon’s second attack lodged itself in the Dark Palace Lord’s body once more.
The Drunken Demon intended to end it with this strike.
Thuk.
Unfortunately, though this one was accurate, it was shallow.
Shuuuuuk.
The Dark Palace Lord instantly stretched the space and vanished far into the distance.
Frowning, the Dark Palace Lord staunched the wound in his chest. Both attacks had been truly dangerous. Had he failed to respond even slightly, his heart would have been pierced.
With those attacks, the rapidly spinning stars stopped. The Dark Heaven Revolving Stars had been interrupted by the Dark Palace Lord’s injury.
The Dark Palace Lord looked at the Drunken Demon in astonishment.
“How on earth?”
Soon, the Dark Palace Lord’s gaze turned to the Soul-Capturing Demon Venerable, who still stood silently behind him. Seeing her, he realized that the Soul-Capturing Demon Venerable had entered the Drunken Demon’s body.
“So you used the Soul-Capturing Art.”
Meanwhile, the Drunken Demon did not chase after him as he fled. It was impossible to pursue someone who moved by freely folding and unfolding space with mere footwork.
Instead, he drew up his internal energy and rushed toward the nearest wall of darkness.
“Let’s see if you can afford not to come here.”
The Drunken Demon thrust his dagger into the wall.
The Demon Venerables believed they had no chance of winning within this dark space of the night sky. They had to break through this space somehow.
The Drunken Demon drew up all his internal energy and concentrated it into his dagger.
But the wall of darkness was not easily pierced.
At that moment, light flew toward the spot where he was stabbing with his dagger.
Hwaaaaak.
The Demon Buddha, freed from the dizziness, had emitted light from his hand. Under the Demon Buddha’s golden radiance, the energy of darkness weakened.
Just then, the Soul-Capturing Demon Venerable came over before anyone noticed, grasped the dagger together with him, and pushed.
She had stopped the Soul-Capturing Art and left the Drunken Demon’s body. Since they had escaped the dizzying Dark Heaven Revolving Stars, there was no longer any need for her to remain inside him.
Riiiip.
When the three Demon Venerables joined forces, the dagger began to pierce through the wall of darkness.
“Just a little, just a little more!”
It was right then.
Shiiiiik.
A star fell toward the Drunken Demon with light-like speed.
Boom!
The Demon Buddha, who had been shining light for him, struck out with his other hand and destroyed the astral energy attacking the Drunken Demon.
And just as the Drunken Demon’s dagger was about to break through the wall of darkness—
Shak, shak.
The constellations around them changed.
“Damn it.”
An exclamation slipped from the Drunken Demon’s mouth.
They had almost pierced through, but the place where they were standing had changed. The wall before them now was a new wall.
In the meantime, the Dark Palace Lord had approached nearby.
Ordinarily, no matter how profound the Dark Palace Lord’s internal energy was, he could not have used such tremendous dark demonic arts in succession. Each and every move he unleashed required truly enormous internal energy.
As Gaye had said, the Great Annihilation Art of Greed was granting him endless internal energy.
The Drunken Demon did not give up.
“Let’s see how long you can keep changing it!”
The Soul-Capturing Demon Venerable sent a voice transmission to the Drunken Demon.
—I will enter once more.
The Drunken Demon said to her,
—Today, this body belongs to you, Soul-Capturing Demon Venerable.
This time, a Soul-Capturing Art that drew out the target’s potential to its extreme was unleashed.
Heart-Soul Awakening (心魂覺醒).
It was a Soul-Capturing Art that could strain both her body and the Drunken Demon’s, but there was no choice.
New patterns began to form around the Drunken Demon’s body, and an even stronger, mad drunkenness flowed from his eyes.
“Drunkards are the sort who break and tear everything apart. I’ll tear it open no matter what!”
At that tremendous momentum, the Dark Palace Lord tried to attack the Drunken Demon. If left alone like that, he would surely break through.
At that moment, the Demon Buddha rushed toward the Dark Palace Lord.
“Your opponent is me!”
Emitting a golden radiance, he charged at the Dark Palace Lord. In terms of martial arts compatibility, the Demon Buddha was someone strong against the Dark Palace Lord.
He had to protect the Mistress of Cheonhwa Pavilion, but he realized that if he stayed out of this fight, they would have no chance of victory. He had to press the man so fiercely that he could touch neither the Drunken Demon nor the Mistress of Cheonhwa Pavilion.
Shaaaaaak!
Boom!
The Dark Palace Lord’s and the Demon Buddha’s palm strikes collided.
The two were pushed back to either side by the shock of the impact. The one pushed back farther was the Demon Buddha, who was inferior in internal energy.
As he was forced backward, the Demon Buddha’s hands were forming mudras.
Golden Great Arhat Demonic Art!
Killing Dharma Seal!
Golden astral energy surged toward the Dark Palace Lord.
Shaaaaaaaaaak!
Before the Dark Palace Lord, the energy of darkness rose like a fortress wall.
Suuuuuuuk!
It was an extremely long wall that stretched all the way into the distance. Since it was far longer than the astral energy flying toward him, it had seemed pointless for him to raise such an unnecessarily long wall.
Kwaang!
The golden astral energy that struck the wall spread left and right along the fortress wall.
Ripple!
It was not a solid wall, but a fortress wall that absorbed impact. The shock rippled like waves and dispersed, flowing all the way to the far ends of the wall.
The golden astral energy that reached the very end vanished.
The Dark Palace Lord’s counterattack began. Judging that he must not drag things out, he unleashed a powerful move capable of killing the Demon Buddha in one blow.
The stars in the sky poured down upon the Demon Buddha.
Dark Heaven Meteor (暗天流星).
The meteors pouring toward him were not attacks that could be blocked by ordinary methods.
Golden Great Arhat Demonic Art.
Lotus in Full Bloom.
Golden radiance burst from the Demon Buddha’s body, and a lotus blossomed.
Boom! Kwaang! Kwaaang! Boom!
Stars fell one after another onto the lotus. The impact made it seem as if the night sky itself were overturning.
Ssssss.
When the attack ended, the lotus had also disappeared. Blood was flowing from the corner of the Demon Buddha’s mouth. Even though he had blocked it with Lotus in Full Bloom, he had suffered internal injuries. He was clearly being pushed back in terms of internal energy.
But the Demon Buddha did not stop attacking. He thrust out both palms in succession and clashed with him. It looked as though he was attacking wildly in excitement, but that was not the case. Those fierce palm techniques were feints meant to conceal this one move.
Hwaaaaak.
Golden radiance burst from the Demon Buddha’s hand, and astral energy in the shape of a palm began to grow.
Whoooooooaaaang!
Together with a golden wave, the palm flew straight forward.
It was the Demon Buddha’s newly created technique, the Demonic Palm of the Lesser Mudra.
As the golden palm flew toward him, the Dark Palace Lord retreated in an instant as if teleporting.
But the Demon Buddha’s enormous palm did not stop and continued flying toward him.
Suuuuuk.
The same fortress wall as before blocked his path.
But only against the attack of the Demonic Palm of the Lesser Mudra could it not disperse the impact. Before it could disperse it, the Demonic Palm of the Lesser Mudra shattered the wall and drove forward.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwang!
The might of the Demonic Palm of the Lesser Mudra was tremendous.
The Dark Palace Lord fled endlessly into the distance, and the Demon Buddha’s palm continued to push forward.
But it could not press on until the very last moment.
The Demonic Palm of the Lesser Mudra, unable to reach with sufficient power, stopped at the end.
Standing right before it, the Dark Palace Lord watched as that golden palm disappeared, then instantly closed the distance and rushed at the Demon Buddha.
The Demon Buddha’s face had turned completely pale. He had forced himself to use the Demonic Palm of the Lesser Mudra while already suffering internal injuries.
The moment the Dark Palace Lord’s eyes flashed sharply, a pitch-black spear appeared in his hand.
Whoooong!
The Dark Palace Lord hurled that spear at the Demon Buddha.
It was the Dark Heaven Ghost Spear (暗天鬼槍), which had been waiting for this very moment.
Just as the Demon Buddha was about to throw himself aside to dodge, the energy of darkness seized him from beneath his feet. It was the dark energy that had been circling around the Dark Palace Lord. That energy even seized both of the Demon Buddha’s arms so he could not form mudras.
The technique was not merely the spear flying at him. It was an attack that momentarily immobilized the body before piercing it with the spear. The spear flew so quickly that he had no time to shake off the dark energy holding him.
The Demon Buddha raised his protective astral energy to its limit. He instinctively knew that even if he did not die instantly, he would suffer a fatal wound.
Just as the Dark Heaven Ghost Spear was about to pierce the Demon Buddha’s face—
Kwaaang!
The flying spear grazed past the Demon Buddha and vanished into the darkness behind him.
The Drunken Demon was standing before the Demon Buddha. He had given up on the wall he had nearly pierced through and thrown himself over to save the Demon Buddha.
The hand holding his dagger hung limply. The Demon Buddha could tell. In forcibly striking away the spear, the Drunken Demon’s arm had broken.
“Why did you save me? You should have kept breaking through that.”
Still with his back turned, the Drunken Demon answered.
“Didn’t you say you would buy me a drink? I intend to have that drink from you.”
For a moment, the Demon Buddha’s chest tightened.
But even if he died, the two of them should have broken through that place. Only then would the Drunken Demon and the Soul-Capturing Demon Venerable have had any chance of surviving.
“You should have gone out anyway!”
When the Demon Buddha shouted, the Drunken Demon answered in a cowed tone.
“Drunkards are known for poor judgment.”
The Dark Palace Lord’s gaze turned toward the Drunken Demon’s arm.
“Your arm is broken.”
The Drunken Demon took the dagger in his other hand.
“I’ll have to refrain from drinking until it heals. Now that I’m older, injuries don’t heal quickly anymore.”
Even as he remained relaxed, there was one thing the Drunken Demon regretted.
‘If only I could use Blood Tears just one more time!’
The energy of Blood Tears had already vanished. His chance to unleash his greatest power was gone. To use Blood Tears again, he needed time to recover.
That was not all. The Soul-Capturing Demon Venerable was also in poor condition. The great shock the Drunken Demon had received had been transmitted to her as well while she was maintaining the Soul-Capturing Art.
All three of them were still standing, but none of them were in a normal state.
Looking at them, a cold smile formed on the Dark Palace Lord’s face.
“Who, I wonder, would the Young Cult Leader grieve for most?”
The one who answered was the Soul-Capturing Demon Venerable.
“Your death, no doubt. He would lament, asking why we killed you when he should have done it himself.”
The Drunken Demon took up her words.
“Only lament? He’ll nag endlessly too, so prepare earplugs in advance.”
The Drunken Demon and the Soul-Capturing Demon Venerable looked at each other and smiled faintly.
The more bravado they showed, the more the Demon Buddha behind them sensed death approaching. Their opponent was too strong to overcome with momentum alone.
The Demon Buddha looked back at the Mistress of Cheonhwa Pavilion.
‘I am sorry I could not protect you.’
Apology filled the Demon Buddha’s eyes.
The Mistress of Cheonhwa Pavilion lowered her head with a calm expression. Her eyes held this emotion:
‘No. I will not forget this kindness today.’
The Demon Buddha was also sorry to the Extreme Evil Lesser Demon. The man had entrusted her to him, believing in the Young Cult Leader and in them. In his heart, he conveyed his apology to the Extreme Evil Lesser Demon.
‘I’m sorry.’
The Demon Buddha drew up all of his internal energy.
Even if he was going to die, he could not simply die obediently.
“The Blood Buddha tells me not to show mercy any longer.”
The Demon Buddha joined the momentum of the other two.
And just as they were about to begin their final battle—
Pat, pat, pat, paat.
The stars illuminating their surroundings began to lose their light one by one.
Gradually, the speed increased, and the countless shining stars almost all disappeared.
Now only several dozen stars remained there.
The Dark Palace Lord’s expression hardened, and the one who realized what had happened was Gaye.
“The Great Annihilation Art of Greed has been broken!”
That meant the gamblers aboard the boat had all gotten off.
It meant he could no longer wield unlimited internal energy, nor power greater than his original strength.
The three Demon Venerables could tell.
‘The Extreme Evil Lesser Demon moved!’
He must have taken care of the outside and entered the boat.
But it could not have been easy for him to break through the barrier outside and the dark haze surrounding the boat on his own.
The three Demon Venerables looked at one another and exchanged glances. Their hearts were one.
—Let’s give it a try.
Reading their thoughts, the Dark Palace Lord sneered coldly.
“That does not mean your fate will change!”
He had every reason to be confident. His internal energy still remained intact, while the three Demon Venerables were injured and had nearly exhausted their internal energy as well.
The Dark Palace Lord looked up at the dozens of stars floating around them.
“As you can see, there are still many stars.”
The Drunken Demon looked up at the stars with him. There was still no sign of surrender in his eyes.
“I’ll make all those stars fall. Drunkards drink until morning comes.”