Chapter 301. A Wickedly Mad Old Man.
The Sword Demon versus the foremost of the Evil Dao.
Only now was it one-on-one.
It had only come about after we killed all of the Evil Dao’s underlings. We stood far back and formed an encirclement.
After all, whether in terms of face or the peculiar nature of the Sword Demon’s martial arts, interfering in his fight was not appropriate.
But we could surround him.
For the moment, surprisingly enough, they were evenly matched, so I watched for a while with my arms crossed. Since the foremost of the Evil Dao had not revealed his martial prowess before, I found this fight bewildering. It was because it felt like a whole chunk of ferocity had been cut out of it.
‘What are the two of them doing?’
When I suddenly looked at the Ghost Demon and the Lust Demon, the two of them looked back at me and either shrugged or tilted their heads.
Just then, the foremost of the Evil Dao, struck by the Sword Demon’s Radiance Sword, let out a loud scream and tumbled to the ground.
“Aaaagh!”
How could even his scream sound so much like some pathetic old man from the neighborhood? An “aiiigo” followed, and the foremost of the Evil Dao, fallen on the ground, began muttering groans of pain.
I looked at the Sword Demon, who did not launch a follow-up attack.
“…….”
The Sword Demon stared with displeasure at the foremost of the Evil Dao, who was groaning on the ground, then said to us,
“……Put more distance between you.”
“Mm.”
We moved as our eldest brother told us and retreated farther back. The Sword Demon said to the foremost of the Evil Dao, who had collapsed in an unsightly heap,
“Sado, enough of this.”
“Enough of what? What are you telling me to do in moderation?”
The foremost of the Evil Dao lifted his head, looked at the Sword Demon, and rose. He had clearly been struck by the Radiance Sword and sent tumbling, yet he appeared to have no wounds at all.
The Sword Demon asked with a stiff expression,
“Do I look like a joke to you?”
The foremost of the Evil Dao nodded.
“Somewhat. Still, you seem the best of the four, so I am fighting you one-on-one. Come at me.”
Even though he was told to come at him, the Sword Demon remained motionless for a moment.
Only then did I narrow my brow and look at the foremost of the Evil Dao.
In other words, even though he had been fighting the Sword Demon one-on-one since earlier, only the gray monk’s robe he wore was torn here and there; he had not suffered any major damage.
If the foremost of the Evil Dao truly possessed the level of skill to fear only the Three Calamities.
Then this was not an incomprehensible situation.
But why did he keep looking like such an idiot?
The foremost of the Evil Dao, who had been looking around here and there, turned his gaze to me.
“……You brat of a Haomun Sect Leader. I rather like you. If you have any thought of becoming my disciple, I intend to let you live with all four limbs intact.”
I answered Sado’s words in an indifferent tone.
“Are you serious?”
“Of course I am. It is not simply a matter of whose martial arts are higher or lower. You are a promising material. You are a vessel capable of growing and facing the Three Calamities. But right now, you are lacking. I shall transmit to you, in its entirety, all of the Evil Dao I possess. How about it?”
I nodded.
“But why do I hate the thought of learning it so much? No matter how strong and impressive you are, I don’t think I’ll ever become your disciple. What do you think?”
The foremost of the Evil Dao laughed.
“Once a little time passes, you will understand.”
The Sword Demon, who had driven the Radiance Sword into the ground, murmured in a low voice,
“Demonic Sword Soul Battlefield (魔劍魂戰場).”
A Demonic Sword Soul Battlefield of an entirely different level from the one he had used against the elders of the Demonic Cult before unfolded.
The foremost of the Evil Dao looked bewildered as he watched the black waves spreading across the ground.
“Well now?”
In that instant, I saw the eyes of the foremost of the Evil Dao turn a deep gray. I carefully watched the expression of the foremost of the Evil Dao as he stared at the black spirits writhing and spreading outward. His mouth worked as he muttered something difficult to make out.
I was watching with both eyes wide open when I fell into the illusion that the foremost of the Evil Dao’s figure was scattering into several forms.
In the blink of an eye, the undulating waves of the Demonic Sword Soul Battlefield spread in a circle, surged up from the ground, and became a vast orb like an overturned bowl, swallowing not only the Sword Demon but also the foremost of the Evil Dao.
When silence flowed for a moment……
The foremost of the Evil Dao appeared atop the black orb made by the Demonic Sword Soul Battlefield like a wavering afterimage, then took on a perfect form.
“……!”
For a moment, even I was at a loss for words.
The foremost of the Evil Dao looked at us.
“Look at this. The Sword Demon is quick on the uptake. Since he thinks he can never defeat me as a swordsman, he brings out the methods of the Sword Demon. But I had been waiting all along for the Sword Demon to emerge. This is why one must not look down on the Sword Demon. However, I have known about the Demonic Sword Soul Battlefield for a long time. Are you not curious why?”
I answered immediately.
“I am curious. I’m the sort who can’t stand being curious, you know.”
The Lust Demon said with a stiff expression,
“How did you get out?”
The foremost of the Evil Dao chuckled.
“If the Demonic Sword Soul Battlefield does not touch you, you are not trapped. Demonic arts, too, cannot escape even such an extremely simple principle. And I have been crossing hands with your master all this time, so what manner of speech is that?”
When the foremost of the Evil Dao swung his hand, the Lust Demon crossed both palms and blocked the beam of light.
KWA-A-A-A-A-A-A-ANG!
The Lust Demon’s form, flying low to the ground, receded in an instant. I watched as the flying Lust Demon rolled repeatedly across the ground and then fainted. It was the first time I had seen the Lust Demon beaten in such a pathetic manner.
I opened my mouth toward the Ghost Demon.
“Careful…….”
With the exact same move, the foremost of the Evil Dao sent the Ghost Demon flying in a single exchange. Even amid that, the Ghost Demon did not let go of his sword as he flew far away, and as soon as his feet touched the ground, he staggered and then fell flat on his backside. His face had turned deathly pale.
The foremost of the Evil Dao then looked at me.
“When you are given a chance to live, you need to seize it.”
“…….”
“Isn’t that right, Sect Leader?”
I looked at the foremost of the Evil Dao, whose smile had vanished, and answered,
“Indeed. But how did you know about the Demonic Sword Soul Battlefield? This junior is terribly curious. Would you enlighten me?”
The foremost of the Evil Dao smiled.
“The Demonic Sword Soul Battlefield is, in truth, a place where two people enter and it ends only when one dies.”
“Mm.”
“In the Evil Dao Alliance, there was once an expert who returned alive from the Demonic Sword Soul Battlefield.”
“Aha.”
“Then who exactly is the Sword Demon fighting right now? Listen closely. Is the Sword Demon confronting the illusion I created within the Demonic Sword Soul Battlefield he made?”
“Who knows.”
“The more cautious one’s nature, the longer one will wander in the darkness. Once he eliminates the illusion, he will have to fight the spirits he imprisoned within the demonic sword. Spirits, to begin with, are those who have been oppressed. Slaves are always bound to dream of rebellion against their master.”
I gave the foremost of the Evil Dao a perfunctory fist-and-palm salute.
“I’ve learned a thing or two. There was a reason the Demonic Cult massacred the Evil Dao Alliance first.”
The Foremost of the Evil Dao lightly leapt down from the top of the Demon Sword Soul Battlefield and approached me as he spoke.
“Junior, I heard your ultimate art explode rather noisily from inside the ship. Boom! Quite loud, it was.”
“Hmm.”
The Foremost of the Evil Dao wore a sneer.
“What did my face look like when I came rushing out of the ship? Was I pale with fright? Or did I look like someone who had come out because his nap had been disturbed?”
I answered with a smile.
“Ah, right. You didn’t look surprised at all.”
“Then should you not have watched your words and actions from that moment until now? Did you think we were on the same level just because I played along with you?”
By now, the smile had vanished from the Foremost of the Evil Dao’s face.
His voice and tone had changed completely as well. From a snake-like, wicked bastard, he had become a rather solemn bastard.
I showed courtesy to this rare, solemn bastard.
“……You are right. I apologize, Senior.”
“Do you mean that?”
“Yes. You looked so shoddy that I failed to recognize a true expert. Though our ideals differ and we are fighting like this, observing proper manners is the way of the jianghu. I, too, will someday become a senior to the people of the jianghu.”
“That is only possible if you remain alive.”
“I intend to live until I’m smearing shit on walls like murals, just like you, Senior, so don’t worry too much.”
“That damned mouth of yours.”
The Foremost of the Evil Dao clasped his hands behind his back, then jerked his chin toward the unconscious Lecherous Demon and the Ghost Demon sitting cross-legged.
“If I spare even those things, can you make use of them? As subordinates, of course.”
“Of course.”
“How very strange. You are not such an unprincipled fellow. Those men will pay the price for your deceit in your stead. Each time you deceive me, I shall cut off one of those fools’ arms.”
“I say it because that is how it seems. To think you had hidden your strength so thoroughly. As expected of the king of Dongho, the supreme lord of the Evil Dao, and the commander-in-chief of a bunch of bastardly water bandits.”
The Foremost of the Evil Dao looked at me as though I were beneath contempt.
“Your bottom is showing already. Well, a person should have a bit of cowardice in him. That is how one can grow further. Like me. When I was young, you were much like me.”
“Oh, fuck……”
“What?”
“Ah, nothing. I have never been all that deep to begin with. I used to be a waiter. I’m vulgar. Maybe that’s why I’m not popular.”
“So that rumor was true?”
“Yes.”
“Now that is a rather interesting story.”
“I’m glad you find it interesting.”
“I was once a messenger, and you were once a waiter. I am not speaking idly. I want to know whether you have any mind to learn the Evil Dao from me and face the Three Calamities.”
“If I learn it, can I face the Three Calamities?”
“Of course. The Evil Dao is a martial art that adds onto what you already have. You will simply become stronger than you are now.”
“For example……”
The Foremost of the Evil Dao looked at me and grinned.
“For example, we would first have to make your body impervious to blades. Think about it. If blade-imperviousness were added to your current ability, how strong would you become?”
I was a man with a rich imagination to begin with, so for some reason, it occurred to me that if blade-imperviousness were completed, the Foremost of the Evil Dao might take my body from me.
“Ah… you mean like the Dragon Scale Armor Bigaek wore?”
“Clever. How exactly did you kill Bigaek?”
“His neck……”
I made a gesture of slicing my throat with my hand.
The Foremost of the Evil Dao nodded.
“True, it was not a completed experiment. To be honest, I have not fully discovered the Sword Demon’s weakness either. It seems he has formed a bond with the demon sword and achieved blade-imperviousness to some degree, but if he and I fight honestly, the contest will drag on. I have been waiting for the Demon Sword Soul Battlefield from the beginning. Just how should I kill him? Have any good ideas? Once time passes, that devil will come leaping out.”
The Foremost of the Evil Dao was asking me how to kill the Sword Demon.
After pondering for a moment, I answered.
“No matter how blade-impervious he is, wouldn’t he still need to breathe?”
“Indeed.”
“Then could we not block all his breathing holes? The water is deep in front of Baeksado as well, so we can push him in.”
In truth, it was not an easy method. I merely recited whatever came to mind.
The Foremost of the Evil Dao pointed at me with his finger.
“You are quite the strategist. Excellent.”
From the finger he had been wagging, a sudden streak of light burst forth and shot toward my forehead. It was the same streak of light that had sent the Lecherous Demon and the Ghost Demon flying.
I barely dodged the light with a tilt of my head, then felt my cheek grow hot. Had it struck me head-on, my skull would have been shattered.
The Foremost of the Evil Dao laughed.
“Your reactions are quick.”
“I nearly died. Use your words, Senior.”
“I was testing whether you possessed the ability to become my disciple.”
“If you test me any further, you’ll lose your chief disciple.”
The Foremost of the Evil Dao sighed.
“You are right. Where else would I find such young experimental material as you? Tsk.”
With his hands clasped behind his back, the Foremost of the Evil Dao turned his back to me and looked around the Demon Sword Soul Battlefield.
“See here, Sword Demon. When exactly will you suppress that rebellion? It is about time you came out. Come out at once. I intend to give you a proper thrashing.”
Because the bastard’s back was exposed, I reflexively raised both hands to prepare the Sun-Moon Radiant Heaven.
The Foremost of the Evil Dao, still showing me his back, spoke to me.
“Are you preparing extreme yang in one hand and extreme yin in the other, dreaming of a reversal?”
“Ah, would that be difficult?”
The Foremost of the Evil Dao’s head seemed to twist like a snake as he glared at me.
“Who knows? Do you think it will work? Try it.”
With the two hands I had been using to combine the Sun-Moon Radiant Heaven, I swept my hair back, then looked at the Foremost of the Evil Dao.
“That’s a bit… ambiguous, isn’t it? I feel like I might die to a beam of light while making it. It’s not something I can throw right away, either. It does need a bit of cooking time.”
“That is its weakness.”
The Foremost of the Evil Dao grinned, then approached the Demon Sword Soul Battlefield and struck it fiercely with a motion like the Finger Flicking Art.
Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!
“See here. Sword Demon, stop wasting time and come out. Ha ha ha.”
He looked like a drunkard pounding on a bathroom door, but it also seemed as if he were deliberately causing pain to the Sword Demon trapped inside the Demon Sword Soul Battlefield.
The Foremost of the Evil Dao continued pounding as he spoke.
“……Do you intend to come out only after I kill the rest of the Four Great Fools? Shall I do that for you?”
A yawn suddenly came over me, and I covered my mouth with my hand. Now that I thought about it, I had stood night watch, then stayed up all night and continued fighting, so sleep was pouring over me.
When I kept yawning, the Foremost of the Evil Dao turned around.
“You can yawn in the middle of all this?”
“I spent the whole night counting the stars. I wonder if you understand such sentiment. What would you know about the subtleties of life, Senior? I’m the fool for asking.”
Suddenly, the foremost of the Evil Path spoke while gazing at the rippling waters of Donghu.
“You’re waiting for Im Sobaek, aren’t you? Why hasn’t he come? Is it so hard to find a boat? He’ll have to come even in a skiff before you can feel at ease. I’m curious myself how much of my attacks he could block from a little skiff.”
“My, you even look down on the Alliance Leader? As expected of the supreme ruler of the Evil Path.”
The foremost of the Evil Path laughed as he rubbed his thumb and index finger together.
“I’ll tell you how to torment a man like the Alliance Leader. Heroes, you see, must not be given great trials. You torment them continuously with petty things. Kill one subordinate, trouble them with bandits, let river pirates run rampant. Burn down common homes, stage hostage crises, operate Black Incense—then even a hero like the Alliance Leader will lose sleep day after day and go mad. Because the number of things weighing on his mind increases. That is how you torment Im Sobaek. Do you understand?”
“…….”
I glared at the foremost of the Evil Path, then spoke to the unconscious Lecherous Demon.
“Get up already. He’s quick to catch on.”
The Lecherous Demon, who had been unconscious, slowly raised his upper body and answered.
“When did he notice?”
“He probably wasn’t even paying attention.”
“Fussy old bastard.”
The Lecherous Demon, who had been pretending to be unconscious while preparing a surprise attack, stood up. With a troubled expression, he said,
“Listening to him, he’s no ordinary mad old man. He was probably behind the Southern Peak Green Forest Alliance too.”
The Ghost Demon, who had been sitting cross-legged, also rose with an expressionless face.
The Lecherous Demon looked at the Demonic Sword Soul Battlefield with a seriousness he had never shown before.
“……It seems the souls aren’t being retrieved easily. This is what he was always wary of.”
The foremost of the Evil Path looked down at the ground, then raised his head and said,
“Three of you—do you truly wish to die to the bitter end? You’re young men I find it a little wasteful to kill. For now, I’d like to see you kneel and beg me to spare your lives.”
I replied in a dry tone.
“You can confirm that dreamlike nonsense in your dreams.”
The foremost of the Evil Path looked at me.
“Jaha, do you think you have a chance of winning? I don’t mind a one-armed disciple, but a one-eyed disciple isn’t bad either. I promise you, you will surely lose something.”
Time passed urgently, as though I were facing a master of Go and pondering the next move. I had also used far too much polite speech I didn’t mean, so my temper was gradually beginning to flare.
Unable to reach a conclusion easily, I looked at the foremost of the Evil Path.
“……People need to sleep a lot. I’m drowsy, so my head isn’t working well.”
“In other words, you have no method.”
With my hands clasped behind my back, I said to the Ghost Demon and the Lecherous Demon,
“You two, fall well back. Like the old man said, there’s no method, so I’ll take him one-on-one. Don’t interfere. You’ll be in the way.”
They weren’t the sort to withdraw easily, so I spoke to the Lecherous Demon and the Ghost Demon in a serious tone.
“I mean it. Fall back for now.”
The Ghost Demon answered first.
“Understood.”
The two of them retreated while keeping the foremost of the Evil Path in check. The foremost of the Evil Path said with a laugh,
“This is an island. Where do you think you’re going to run?”
The Lecherous Demon answered with a smile.
“Do we look like we’re going to run? Shut your mouth and fight one-on-one. After Third Brother, it’s me. The match won’t end until all of us are dead.”
When the foremost of the Evil Path moved a single step, he instantly occupied the place where I had been standing.
I retreated one step with the Cloud-Ladder Step and met the foremost of the Evil Path’s eyes.
“…….”
Both of us confirmed that our speed was more or less similar. Perhaps because I was sleepy, I thought my eyes were getting a little dry. In other words, it felt as though my eyeballs were becoming somewhat bloodshot.
I said to the Evil Path master,
“I heard your story about tormenting Im Sobaek well.”
“…….”
“Why do you keep driving people mad like that? Why on earth do you do it?”