Chapter 196: Combined Assault
“Remnant...”
A voice filled with rage leaked through the great evil's lips.
“You dare... call me...”
WHOOOOOOSH!
Before it could finish, a torrent of dark-red energy erupted from beneath its feet.
Origin Demonic Qi raced across the ground, coiling around the floor and walls as it rapidly expanded its territory.
“That again?!”
Jin Gwangung's roar shook the underground chamber.
His left foot slammed into the ground.
Thump!
Cracks spread through the stone floor.
At the same time, Jin Gwangung thrust both palms forward.
BOOOOOOM!
Heavy palm force swept over the ground and crushed the leading edge of the Origin Demonic Qi.
But the suppressed energy did not retreat.
It immediately split in two.
The stream flowing left climbed between the bars of the underground cells.
The one moving right crawled along the collapsed wall and curved around toward our rear.
At that moment, Sect Leader Cheon Gwangcheon's sword moved.
SWOOOSH!
A straight line of sword qi descended from above and sliced through the Origin Demonic Qi climbing the cages.
The dark-red energy wrapped around the bars fell to the ground like a severed snake.
On the opposite side, Sect Leader Wonmyeong's sword flashed.
Mount Hua's brilliant sword light cut diagonally through the Origin Demonic Qi spreading along the collapsed wall.
SWAAASH!
The dark-red energy lost its direction and scattered.
But Origin Demonic Qi was disgustingly persistent.
The remnants lying across the floor began writhing again.
The severed strands tangled together and crawled toward us.
Master Gonghyeon's eyes sharpened.
“Everyone, step back!”
He thrust both palms forward.
BOOOOOOM!
Palm force infused with orthodox energy spread out like a wall and crushed the re-forming Origin Demonic Qi.
The dark-red energy crawling across the floor was pinned in place.
“Move!”
A rough shout erupted from the Demonic Cult side.
Muk Jincheol.
He was already stepping forward with his saber raised high over his head.
“If you don't want to die, get the hell out of the way!”
The moment he finished speaking, his saber came down.
BOOOOOOM!
Tyrannical saber qi exploded across the ground.
The pinned Origin Demonic Qi was caught in the blast and ripped apart in every direction.
For a brief moment...
the space in front of us was completely clear.
But the relief didn't last.
Hssssssss.
Between cracks in the floor.
Beneath twisted iron bars.
Inside the shadows of collapsed walls.
The scattered dark-red energy began reconnecting again.
Master Gonghyeon's expression hardened.
“To think such a vicious power could exist in this world....”
Before he could even finish speaking...
the Origin Demonic Qi swelled once more.
Wider.
More violent.
Until it became a massive tidal wave crashing toward us.
I tightened my grip around the Heavenly Law Sword and stared at it.
I can see it.
Countless lines connecting the dark-red wave.
The advancing Origin Demonic Qi kept regenerating by following those lines.
I tightened my grip.
Blue flames surged over the Heavenly Law Sword.
“Flowing Flower Kunlun Sword, Third Form.”
I swung wide.
“Snowstorm Spiral Shatter.”
WHOOOOOOSH!
A powerful sword wind formed around the Heavenly Law Sword.
Each circular movement layered more wind upon the last, now carrying blue flames within it.
Soon, a massive vortex swept through the underground chamber.
BOOOOOOM!
The advancing Origin Demonic Qi was caught in the storm and tangled into one massive knot.
And at that instant—
the thick lines hidden inside the dark-red energy became clearly visible.
I moved the Heavenly Law Sword without hesitation.
SWAAASH!
Blue fire cut across the vortex.
One line.
Then another.
Every time my sword path passed through...
another connection within the Origin Demonic Qi was severed.
BOOOOOOM!
The disconnected dark-red energy was torn apart inside the vortex.
FWOOSH!
At the same time, the Heavenly Law Sword's blue flames consumed the remnants.
HISSSSSSS!
Black smoke rose as the Origin Demonic Qi rapidly disappeared.
Only a little remained.
I raised the Heavenly Law Sword high and slashed down toward the final thick strand.
BOOOOOOM!
Blue sword wind exploded outward.
The last dark-red remnants were engulfed in blue flames.
Then, a moment later...
the Origin Demonic Qi that had filled the underground chamber vanished without leaving a trace.
"..."
Jin Gwangung stared at me in disbelief.
Sect Leader Cheon Gwangcheon and Master Gonghyeon also looked back and forth between the vanished Origin Demonic Qi and the Heavenly Law Sword in my hand.
Even the great evil's eyes widened as though it couldn't believe what it had just seen.
“You....”
Rage filled its distorted face.
Then it shouted at the black-masked figures behind it.
“What are you doing?!”
Its voice thundered through the chamber.
“Kill them all!”
The black-masked Shadow Corps members immediately moved.
Shing!
Weapons were drawn one after another.
The righteous and demonic martial artists rushed forward to meet them.
“Hey, you demon with the saber!”
Jin Gwangung shouted.
Muk Jincheol turned with an incredulous expression.
“I saw you fighting earlier. You're decent enough. Take the left side!”
Muk Jincheol's face twisted.
“You ugly Taoist bastard! Who the hell do you think you're ordering around?!”
His saber smashed into an approaching Shadow Corps warrior.
BOOM!
“You worry about holding the right side properly!”
Jin Gwangung snorted.
“Your mouth moves faster than your blade!”
“And yours is sharper than your palm arts!”
They were snarling insults at each other...
but their movements fit together perfectly.
Whenever Jin Gwangung's palm force drove the masked fighters back...
Muk Jincheol's saber immediately cut through the opening.
Cheon Gwangcheon, Wonmyeong, Gonghyeon, and Yeom Yuhwa also led their respective fighters against the advancing Shadow Corps members.
“Mujin!”
Jin Gwangung shouted while blasting one of the masked men away.
“Don't worry about us!”
I gave him a short nod and turned back toward the great evil.
Everyone had moved to hold off the Shadow Corps.
But one person still remained where he was.
Dokgo Jinak.
The internal injuries from his earlier battle with the great evil had clearly not faded.
Dried blood still clung to his mouth and chin.
“Cult Leader.”
Dokgo Jinak glanced sideways at me.
“Are your injuries all right?”
“Hmph.”
He wiped the corner of his mouth with his sleeve.
“Do I look like someone who would fall from something this minor?”
Exactly the answer I'd expect from Dokgo Jinak.
Still...
he had taken an internal injury from the great evil's attack.
There was no way he was fine.
And yet there wasn't even the slightest hint of retreat in his eyes as he stared at it.
“My battle with that fake is not over.”
Of course.
He wasn't someone I could stop even if I tried.
Besides, Dokgo Jinak was one of the absolute masters at the very peak of the martial world.
Having him beside me alone made me feel far more secure.
“Fine.”
I adjusted my grip on the Heavenly Law Sword.
“Your Heavenly Demon's Kindred Spirit will stay beside you, so let's see this through.”
Dokgo Jinak snorted.
“Since when did you start acting as though you were my bodyguard?”
Despite his words...
there was a faint smile at the corner of his lips.
I gave a small grin.
“Then shall we deal with that ancient ghost?”
Both of us turned toward the great evil.
Dokgo Jinak gathered the power of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art into both hands first.
“Demonic Heaven Collapse!”
BOOOOOOM!
A massive wave of palm force surged forward.
The great evil immediately drew up Origin Demonic Qi.
Dark-red energy condensed thickly and blocked the attack.
BOOOOOOM!
The collision made the entire underground facility tremble as though it might collapse.
Stone fragments and dust rained from the ceiling.
Dokgo Jinak's full-powered Demonic Heaven Collapse forced the Origin Demonic Qi backward for an instant.
He didn't miss the opening.
BANG!
He kicked off the ground and closed the distance in one burst.
At that moment—
black strands shot outward from around the great evil's body.
As though they had been waiting for Dokgo Jinak to approach...
multiple strands attacked his limbs from both sides.
The same power that had caught him before.
A moment of mortal danger.
