Sajunhwan was gazing at Dokgo Seong with a triumphant smile. Behind him stood an innumerable number of masters from the Heresy Sect, waiting to witness the end of the man who had once been their cult leader.
Perhaps he had already abandoned all hope of life, for Dokgo Seong remained utterly still with his eyes tightly closed.
Sajunhwan already knew all too well that not the slightest trace of inner power remained in Dokgo Seong’s body.
After briefly staring at Dokgo Seong’s bloodless face, Sajunhwan looked around. A flicker of surprise passed through his eyes.
“Impressive. To butcher more than thirty masters of the main branch, together with the Twin-Handed Demon Venerable, an elder of the Demon Cult…”
Of course, Sajunhwan himself had leaked Dokgo Seong’s escape route to Wi Cheong. Though Dokgo Seong was someone who had to be killed regardless, it was clear that the Heresy Sect would not welcome the former supreme being being slain by masters of the orthodox sects. That was why Sajunhwan had fed false information to the orthodox pursuit party. He had revealed Dokgo Seong’s exact escape route only to the Demon Cult’s pursuit party, including Wi Cheong. Sajunhwan’s intention had been to use the Demon Cult’s hands to dispose of him in secret. But he had never once imagined that they would be annihilated by Dokgo Seong.
Wi Cheong, sixth in the Demon Cult’s official hierarchy, was by no means an easy opponent. In a one-on-one battle, he was a master whom even Sajunhwan could not confidently claim to defeat easily. Yet Dokgo Seong had slaughtered such an unrivaled master, despite his own body being in poor condition, and had done so together with all of Wi Cheong’s elite subordinates.
Sajunhwan could not help but feel an involuntary awe toward Dokgo Seong. But in the present circumstances, he could not spare his opponent. Dokgo Seong was the greatest obstacle in Sajunhwan’s plan to seize control of the Heresy Sect. Taking one step forward, Sajunhwan spoke quietly to him.
“Your abilities are truly remarkable. What a pity. If the cult leader had been even a little more foolish, I would have let you live.”
At the sound of Sajunhwan’s voice, Dokgo Seong’s small body flinched for a moment. But that was all. He remained motionless with his eyes firmly shut.
“I intend to behead you now. I’ll have your head hung from the gates of the main altar and use it as nourishment for completely taking control of the Heresy Sect.”
Sajunhwan glanced back and gave a subtle signal. Two warriors wearing armor drew their swords and quietly approached Dokgo Seong. They meant to cut off the neck of an opponent who had no intention of resisting.
That was when the unexpected happened.
“Urgh.”
The approaching warriors suddenly cried out in pain and dropped their swords. Blood streamed between the fingers clutching their shoulders. At the same time, a heavy voice rang out from behind them.
“So it really was a stratagem to lure the tiger from the mountain. Did you think you could deceive me, Yeongho Myeong, with such a clumsy scheme?”
A group of figures emerged as they parted the bushes. They were masters of the Iron Blood Sect, each with a sword engraved across his chest. At their front stood Yeongho Myeong, glaring at Dokgo Seong with eyes burning fiercely.
“This is troublesome.”
At the sight of Yeongho Myeong’s arrival, Sajunhwan’s expression turned bitter. An unwelcome opponent had interfered at the final moment. After glaring at Dokgo Seong for a while, Yeongho Myeong turned his head toward Sajunhwan.
“I have already declared that his life belongs to me. I am informing you that I cannot yield it under any circumstances.”
The blazing intensity in his eyes revealed a determination not to retreat even an inch. But Sajunhwan could not simply back down. His expression hardened as he stepped forward.
“I know very well how great your grudge is. But he was once our supreme being. We have a duty to preserve his honor.”
In truth, it made no difference to Sajunhwan who killed Dokgo Seong. The issue was the morale of the low-ranking disciples, who made up the overwhelming majority of the Heresy Sect. If the former cult leader were beheaded by a member of the orthodox sects, their morale would undoubtedly sink to rock bottom. That was why Sajunhwan, who dreamed of taking control of the Heresy Sect, could not easily hand Dokgo Seong over.
A sardonic smile appeared at the corner of Yeongho Myeong’s mouth.
“Honor? What an amusing thing to say. What frozen-over honor could there be for a man who lost a struggle for power?”
With a cold snort, Yeongho Myeong drew the sword at his waist. The blade slowly emerged, radiating a sharp killing aura.
“Anyone who blocks my path will be cut down.”
His bearing plainly radiated the resolve to relinquish nothing, even at the cost of his life. Sajunhwan clicked his tongue at the sight.
‘What a nuisance. There’s no way he’ll back down easily.’
The Iron Blood Sect masters Yeongho Myeong had brought with him were all experts in swift swordsmanship. Although Sajunhwan had brought the Heresy Sect’s elite with him, this could hardly become an easy fight. Moreover, needlessly losing his subordinates—and for no meaningful purpose at that—was not to Sajunhwan’s liking. In the end, he decided to yield one step. But refusing to retreat without setting a condition was an old habit ingrained in him.
“Fine. Then I’ll entrust the execution of the former cult leader, Dokgo Seong, to you. However, you must hand his head over to us.”
Yeongho Myeong shook his head.
“That is impossible as well. I have already sworn to offer his head before the spirits of my master and my father. I can give up the body, so long as it is headless, but I will never yield his head under any circumstances.”
“I cannot permit that either. Entrusting the execution of the cult leader to you is already a major concession on our part.”
Sajunhwan and Yeongho Myeong engaged in a fierce verbal battle over Dokgo Seong’s head. They were arguing over a man who was still breathing. Listening to the conversation with his eyes closed, Dokgo Seong could only be dumbfounded. They already regarded him as a corpse and were making such a commotion over who would claim him… as if he were nothing more than a rotten fish laid out on a market stall.
“Damn it.”
His anger surging, Dokgo Seong opened his eyes and summoned every last ounce of strength to rise. Perhaps because he had been allowed a brief rest, he was barely able to get his body upright. One of the Iron Blood Sect masters shouted when he saw him.
“He’s getting up!”
At the cry, everyone’s gazes focused on Dokgo Seong. They were all masters who had reached a certain level. With their keen senses, they grasped Dokgo Seong’s condition at a glance. They did not become particularly wary, but several masters of the Heresy Sect moved to block his escape route in case he attempted to flee.
Even so, Dokgo Seong’s sharp eyes managed to find a cliff some distance away. It was the very precipice he had been aiming for—the Cheonjang Precipice.
“Heh heh heh. Do you think I’ll obediently follow your intentions?”
Dokgo Seong forced his body toward the cliff with all the strength he could muster. His legs had long since ceased to obey his commands, so he crawled with both hands, straining as though his life depended on it.
At the sight, the fierce argument between Sajunhwan and Yeongho Myeong was temporarily suspended. Since it had already been agreed that Yeongho Myeong would sever Dokgo Seong’s lifeline, they tacitly decided to deal with him first and resume their discussion afterward.
“Get him.”
At the command from both men, the masters present launched themselves toward Dokgo Seong all at once. As they were all skilled in advanced movement techniques, they reached him in only a few leaps. One Iron Blood Sect master swiftly reached for the back of Dokgo Seong’s neck. Knowing his opponent’s condition, he had no reason to remain wary.
“Huh?”
The Iron Blood Sect master who reached out his hand was terrified. The target, who had seemed to be merely crawling along with all his might, suddenly twisted around and hurled something radiating a sharp aura. The master hurriedly drew his sword and knocked the incoming object aside.
Clang.
Dodging and immediately counterattacking was a movement completely ingrained in masters of their level. Spinning his body around, he kicked Dokgo Seong squarely in the lower jaw.
Thud.
Dokgo Seong’s small body flew through the air like a kite with its string cut. He had been flung away so limply that it seemed as though he had used the recoil to propel himself.
“Damn!”
The object that had been struck by the sword and split in two was nothing more than an ordinary ring. Realizing his mistake at last, the Iron Blood Sect master launched himself forward with gritted teeth. He faintly sensed the masters pursuing from behind firing various hidden weapons.
“Urgh.”
Perhaps by heaven’s blessing, Dokgo Seong’s body crashed down not far from the cliff. Without even having the chance to feel the pain that seemed to pierce his spine, he reflexively rolled. Hidden weapons thudded into the ground as though they had sprung from it. Several struck Dokgo Seong’s body, but his flesh had long since lost the ability to feel pain. Without thinking of anything, Dokgo Seong did nothing but roll and roll, devoting every last bit of his strength to it.
Then a loud voice rang out from behind.
“Do you think you can take your own life so easily?”
Before he even had the chance to realize that it was Yeongho Myeong shouting, a hollow sensation suddenly spread throughout his body. At last, after exhausting all his strength, he had reached the cliff. Dokgo Seong’s body drifted into empty space and began its free fall. A faint smile appeared on his bloodless face.
“Live well. I’ll decide my own life…”
Unfortunately, he could not finish the rest of his sentence. Along with the sensation of his entire head being yanked upward, his descent suddenly came to a halt. Dangling in midair, Dokgo Seong raised his blurred gaze. He looked at the face of the man gripping his hair tightly.
As expected, the person who had caught him was Yeongho Myeong. Upon confirming this, Dokgo Seong’s face twisted. His parched lips parted, and a dry voice escaped them.
“Do you want to cut off my head that badly?”
“You don’t have to ask.”
Having succeeded in catching Dokgo Seong by a hair’s breadth, Yeongho Myeong began hauling his body upward with all his strength. His other hand had burrowed into the cliffside rock as though it were tofu.
If Yeongho Myeong had not improvised in that moment of extreme peril, he too would have fallen from the Cheonjang Precipice. Soon, the Iron Blood Sect masters seized his arm and began pulling him up.
Then an unpleasant sound, as though something were tearing apart, rang out.
Crack-crack-crack.
Yeongho Myeong’s expression twisted sharply.
“Damn, hurry and pull me up!”
As though reflecting his impatience, the Iron Blood Sect masters quickened their movements slightly. But through Yeongho Myeong’s hand, he continued to feel something tearing loose. Realizing what it meant, Yeongho Myeong suddenly tightened his grip on Dokgo Seong.
“Damn it!”
He intended to throw Dokgo Seong’s body onto the cliff before all his hair was pulled out. But unfortunately, his hand suddenly felt empty.
“This can’t be.”
Clutching a handful of torn-out hair, Yeongho Myeong stared blankly. Dokgo Seong’s hair had been unable to withstand the force of his own grip and had all been pulled free. Naturally, Dokgo Seong’s battered body began falling into the endless depths beneath the Cheonjang Precipice.
Yeongho Myeong’s blazing gaze locked onto Dokgo Seong’s falling face. When he saw a faint smile emerge on it, he roared.
“You bastard! You must not die. You must die by my hand!”
Perhaps he heard those words, for the smile on Dokgo Seong’s face deepened slightly. Yeongho Myeong, overcome with emotion, instinctively tried to leap from the Cheonjang Precipice.
“My lord, you mustn’t!”
But the Iron Blood Sect masters held him back, preventing him from carrying out his intention. If he fell from a cliff like this, even a peerless master such as himself would surely be unable to leave anything behind to bury. Overcome by the emptiness of being unable to avenge his master personally, he slumped to the ground.
But that lasted only a moment. His eyes soon began to blaze once more.
“I will pursue him to the very ends of hell. I don’t care even if he’s already dead. I will tear off that bastard’s head and place it before the spirits of my master and my father.”
After declaring this resolutely, Yeongho Myeong issued an order to the masters under his command.
“I intend to descend below the cliff and recover his head. The rest of the sect disciples are to return to the sect under the command of their hall leaders. Only the Dragon-Tiger Unit, those skilled in martial arts, will follow me.”
“Yes, my lord.”
At Yeongho Myeong’s fierce command, the Iron Blood Sect disciples soon began moving in perfect order. Watching them, Sajunhwan clicked his tongue.
“Was his grudge really that deep?”
His work here was finished. Approaching the Cheonjang Precipice, Sajunhwan looked down below and shook his head repeatedly.
“At this height, even if he had been in perfect condition, that bastard could never have survived unscathed.”
It was a cliff so high that its height could not even be estimated, shrouded as it was in clouds. Having completely set aside his concern for Dokgo Seong, Sajunhwan turned and looked at the masters of the Heresy Sect waiting for his command.
“We’re withdrawing.”
As he watched his subordinates prepare to withdraw, a broad smile spread across Sajunhwan’s face.
Soon it began to transform into a hearty laugh that rose from the depths of his chest.
“Now my world will begin. My grand ambition of unifying the entire martial world will begin with the Heresy Sect as my stepping stone.”
The rugged peaks of Cheonryeongsan began to tremble beneath the wild laughter that Sajunhwan unleashed.