77 - Heavenly Demon of the Huashan Sect

Chapter 77 The boat carrying the pirates of Surong Chae docked at a cave carved into the cliffside. As the vessel entered the cave, it was gradually swallowed by the darkness. "The woman should have been killed by now." His brows furrowing deeply, Heuk Yano's face gradually succumbed to the encroaching darkness. Following the orders of the leader to spare those he could easily kill, he had done so multiple times. All the while, the two of them had grown stronger. The woman, in particular, had seen such rapid growth that it instilled fear in him. "When I first saw her, she couldn't last a second, and now she's beyond a hundred." It was hard to believe even as he witnessed it. At first, she had struggled to merely defend against Heukya Palm, but now she was not only defending, she was counterattacking. 'I should nip this in the bud immediately.' He shook his head with a sigh. But he couldn't do anything about it. Defying the Surong Chae leader’s command to stay within appropriate bounds was out of the question. "Why does the leader give such pointless orders...?" No matter how much he thought about it, he found no answer. And that wasn't the end of it. The repeated pointless skirmishes were breeding dissatisfaction within Surong Chae itself. 'Haa, I can't fathom the leader's intentions.' Heuk Yano pressed his fingertips to his temple, as if relieving a headache. Thud— Just then, the boat came to a stop. Simultaneously, radiant lights began to illuminate one by one from the ceiling and around the cave. The cause? Noctilucent pearls. They had apparently plundered enough of them, as there were more than just a few. "Good grief, this is such a hassle." "What can we do? It's the leader's orders. Just gotta bow our heads and get on with it." Amidst their grumbling, the pirates began disembarking from the boat en masse. "…Is all we can do wait in the end?" Heuk Yano was about to take a step forward, watching his subordinates marching out like a parade of ants. Creak— The door to the pilot house opened. "Great job today as…" He turned his head, and his face slowly hardened like a stone. The person who appeared through the door was not a subordinate, but an unfamiliar young man. "You are…" For a brief moment, their eyes met. The pitch-black pupils slowly captured Heuk Yano’s gaze, dragging him into their darkness. Whoosh— whoosh— Heuk Yano shook his head vigorously. He regained his senses, grabbed his weapon, and opened his mouth. "Wow, your mental fortitude is impressive." The young man smirked. A feather-light smile. Yet looking at that smile, Heuk Yano felt a chill sweep through his insides. "…Who are you?" Whoosh— Suddenly, the young man’s figure blurred. And just like that, Heuk Yano's face turned white. The young man was right before him. "…When did you!" "Knowing who I am isn't necessary." As soon as the sentence ended. Flash! A gleam of a sword engulfed Heuk Yano’s vision. 'How can there be such a skilled warrior…!' And with that, it was the last thought Heuk Yano ever had. Splatter— In the blink of an eye, blood erupted from Heuk Yano's neck, swiftly painting the wooden planks crimson. "What kind of hideout is this, honestly?" Cheon Hui clicked his tongue. The path to reach here alone had been complex. And to think the hideout was in a cave? It was no wonder it had taken some time to find. Who would have imagined that one of the top strongholds of Jin River's pirate clans, Surong Chae, would have its base in a cave atop a cliff? "There are still quite a few remaining inside." Cheon Hui murmured as he brushed the blood off his sword before turning around. "Gosh, my body aches." "Why do we have to do this..." The pirates emerging from the boat, grumbling, caught sight of Cheon Hui and froze. "Huh? Who are you?" "Was there someone like that?" "Gasp!" At that moment, they swallowed hard. Before the young man was a corpse. None other than Heuk Yano's! "E, Elder?!" "Enemy... ugh!" Just as they were about to shout. Flash! A sharp gleam from the sword flickered again, and soon, cold bodies began to pile up. "Taken care of the inside." Cheon Hui took leisurely steps forward. "Now, let's clean up?" * * * "Arghhh!" "Please, spare me!" Alarmed by the sudden screams erupting from inside the ship, those outdoors hastily grabbed their weapons. "Wh-what's going on?" "Screams are coming from the ship where Elder Heuk Yano was!" "From the ship? Could it be an enemy?" "I don't know." As they gulped nervously and stared at the ship. "…It went quiet." The screams abruptly stopped. And at that same moment. Creak— creak— The sound of footsteps on wooden planks filled the air. Soon, the once-closed door of the ship opened, revealing a young man. Dressed in inky black, the striking youth’s cheek was streaked with a line of blood. Just then, the young man lifted his head. "Let’s see. By a rough estimate, over a hundred." His low whisper drifted through the air. Smirk— At the same time, his crimson lips stretched into a wide grin, baring his pearly whites. "It'll take a bit of time." Without a moment's delay, Cheon Hui kicked off the ground. Using hidden footwork, he swiftly descended from the ship to the cave floor, striking down someone still unaware of his presence. Slash! The cold sound startled someone nearby, who then started to turn their head. But— Slash! The sword was faster, and the person fell lifelessly, unable to even scream. "An enemy!" "Enemy sighted!" Finally, the pirates cried out in terror. "What? An enemy? How many?" "Where!" Pirates emerged from all directions. Cheon Hui calmly watched the approaching pirates, thoughtfully stroking his chin. "Disgusting." Their numbers seemed endless, like cockroaches, as they emerged one by one. "There are so many of them." The pirates, searching for the intruder, spotted Cheon Hui outside and gasped. "One?" Their expressions deflated, they looked almost disappointed as they glanced at the pirate who had sounded the alarm. "Y-you shouldn't underestimate him! Look at the bodies over there!" Following the pointing finger, the pirates behind Cheon Hui glimpsed the bloodied scene filled with bodies, their faces freezing in place. At once, they gripped their weapons. Meanwhile, Cheon Hui eyed the overwhelming number of pirates. Or rather, he studied their unique weapons with a keen interest. ‘Interesting weapons.’ There were curved scimitars and whips studded with sharp spikes. Each was a ruthless instrument with no hint of mercy. Thud! A man wielding a whip sprang forward, swinging his weapon with a rough flourish. The whip sliced through the air, aiming for Cheon Hui’s side. Tap. Cheon Hui deftly sidestepped the attack and snatched the spiked whip in mid-air. “Quite an intriguing weapon.” “I’ll make it even more entertaining for you.” The man smirked, yanking the whip towards him. But... “Hah!” The whip didn’t budge an inch. Yank! Instead, it was the man who was pulled forward. “When do you plan to make it more fun?” “Uh!” Panicking, he let go of the whip, but it was too late. “Want me to show you instead? Here, watch.” Before he realized it, Cheon Hui had adjusted his grip on the whip and swung it with force. Crack! A crisp sound echoed. The man’s clothes shredded under the spikes, and blood splattered in all directions. “Aaaargh!” The scream erupted from deep within his core. Yet, the assault didn’t relent. Crack! Crack! After a few swings, Cheon Hui wrapped the man with the whip and brutally snapped it tight. “Next.” Cheon Hui swept his eyes over the pirates frozen in fear. Despite their terror-stricken gaze, he paid them no mind. “If you aren’t coming at me…” Cheon Hui stepped forward. “I’ll come to you first.” Some attempted to drop their weapons and flee, but before they could, a gleam of the sword flashed. “Don’t think you’ll survive. Unlike last time, I’m here to cut out the roots.” His voice was cold and uncompromising. From the moment he received his mission, he had only one thought: the complete annihilation of Surong Chae. Leave no one standing. * * * Inside the chamber where the Surong Chae leader resided, the room was filled with various precious items. A robust-looking middle-aged man and a senior wearing a bamboo hat sat facing each other. The man in the bamboo hat moved his lips slightly, noticing the commotion outside. “It's noisy outside.” “No need to worry.” Contrary to his companion's unease, the Surong Chae leader was composed. Despite past instances of Surong Chae being ambushed, he was confident they had never been breached. “Are you aware if the Chief has moved?” The senior’s gaze turned icy. “You believe the Chief has already acted?” “Haha, underestimating the Chief, are you?” The Surong Chae leader scoffed. Jin River’s Chief, known throughout the martial world as a brute relying solely on strength, was, according to the Surong Chae leader, more than he seemed—a serpent of a man. “He's far more formidable than you give him credit for.” “You trust him?” “It’s not trust; it’s fact.” The senior lifted the brim of his hat slightly, revealing earnest eyes as he spoke quietly. “But don’t think of betrayal.” “What? Betrayal?” Suddenly, the Surong Chae leader snarled, not out of surprise but anger. “For someone who uses me, you sure use fancy words.” “Haha. Use, you say? Isn’t it a fair trade?” The flippant tone of the senior was the last straw, prompting the Surong Chae leader to slam the table with his fist. “Speak with your mouth full of honey, why don’t you?” Words spat with venom, he glared intently at the deeply shaded eyes under the bamboo hat. “Playing with me using my own weakness.” “But in the end, it’s you who complied.” Struck to the core, the Surong Chae leader found himself at a loss for words, clenching his jaw in frustration. Locked in a stare-off for a tense moment. “……” Eventually, the Surong Chae leader slumped back into his seat, adopting a serene expression. “What is the purpose of Shi Raya Mun (Ten Night Sect) for inciting a clash between Jin River and the Martial Alliance?” The senior’s identity was astonishing. A member of Shi Raya Mun, a mystical sect often shrouded in secrecy, and a part of the formidable Tianxia Sewang (Five Sovereigns) clan. “I’m not one to speak lightly.” The disciple of Shi Raya Mun smirked. Noticing the meaning behind the smile, the Surong Chae leader frowned. “Then why have you come today?” “Isn’t it for the next command?” “How long must this go on?” “Well…” The Shi Raya Mun disciple lifted the brim of his hat slightly. In his black pupils, the Surong Chae leader's reflection was trapped as if imprisoned within an inescapable cell. “For a lifetime, I suppose.” The Surong Chae leader tightly shut his eyes. The weakness he’d hidden all his life—unfortunately, it had been exposed to these ruthless men. ‘I should have fought back then.’ But it was too late for regrets. He was already knee-deep in the treacherous mire they had created. Resigned, he let his shoulders droop, muttering in a tone tinged with loathing. “So, what is this time’s order? Are you suggesting I kill all the dispatched envoys?” It was a careless utterance. To strike at the envoys was akin to declaring war on the Martial Alliance—a move that could trigger a full-scale conflict between the righteous and demonic sects. Surprisingly. “You seem to know already.” “......!” The Surong Chae leader’s eyes wavered. “Are you seriously contemplating war now?” Rather than answering, the senior offered a faint smile. And that cold smile, as sharp as a thorn, pierced deeply into the startled leader's heart. “Insane. Truly insane.” While the Surong Chae leader was still reeling in shock. Bang! The door shattered with a cloud of dust. Through the thick haze, Cheon Hui emerged. “Is the conversation over?”