novelraw Chapter 174 : Chapter 174
Chapter 174 : Chapter 174
Chapter 174. Die, Die, Dieee!
A grassland splendid beyond compare... It was a separate world made of all kinds of wildflowers.
Xinjiang, where Sky Mountain was located, and the mountain range of the Ten Thousand Great Mountains were very barren, dry, and cold regions.
However, the spectacle unfolded before his eyes was far removed from common sense.
It was simply surprising how vegetation could be so dense and wildflowers could bloom so brilliantly.
‘Is it because of the heat of the Scorching Hell?’
Jin Cheon thought that might be the case.
It seemed the warmth and fresh water flowing from the hot lava zone located halfway up Sky Mountain seen in the distance had cultivated this place into this beautiful grassland.
“It's beautiful.”
Thinking this, Jin Cheon walked through this beautiful grassland unfolded before his eyes.
The wildflowers bloomed so prettily that even the nameless weeds were so full of vitality that he felt sorry to step on them and pass by.
‘If Yang is strong, it destroys everything, and if it is gentle, life overflows like this.’
Jin Cheon gained a certain enlightenment while heading to the Scorching Hell.
It was an enlightenment regarding the Middle Way.
Walking through the grassland while heading to the Scorching Hell, which was said to be a living hell filled with terrifying heat, such a thought suddenly occurred to him.
‘Is that why it is Union?’
That thought was connected to the topic of inquiry, the Union of Heavenly Demon and Oppression, thrown by his Master, the Iron-Blooded Demonic God.
‘Union, Union...’
It was definitely not an easy task, but he felt like he knew the reason why the Iron-Blooded Demonic God had proposed such a seemingly impossible story.
The thought occurred that being biased to one side might achieve extreme strength, but eventually, one was bound to hit a limit.
— Do not think it is impossible.
— Wasn't it impossible?
— Possible. The Union of Heavenly Demon and Oppression is definitely not impossible.
However, the current Jin Cheon could not accurately understand the meaning.
He only vaguely felt why he shouldn't be biased to one side and should achieve the balance of the Middle Way, and that its ultimate form was the Union of Heavenly Demon and Oppression.
‘It's getting hot.’
Sweat tried to pour down like rain from around the time he had almost passed through the grassland.
Normally, the Heavenly Demon’s Physique which had reached the realm of Extreme Demon was generally not affected by the surrounding temperature, even if not impervious to water and fire.
But he even sweated?
This meant the current surrounding temperature was beyond imagination.
It was indeed so.
From the point where the grassland ended, there was no living vegetation, and black rocks and white mist mixed with the smell of sulfur were thick everywhere.
Without needing to guess, it was clearly hot enough to be no different from a steamer already.
When he had walked about another half a shijin like that, hell unfolded before his eyes.
“...It really is a fiery hell.”
Jin Cheon, having reached the entrance of the Scorching Hell before he knew it, clicked his tongue as if appalled.
Scorching Hell.
One of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult’s Five Great Forbidden Lands.
Its dignity was overwhelmingly majestic and threatening, hard to describe in words.
Bubble bubble!
Red lava was boiling in puddles everywhere.
Whoosh!
The flames were so fierce that their surging appearance looked as if fire ghosts were dancing.
And the heat.
It was so hot that his skin was stinging.
It was fortunate that Jin Cheon was a master who had reached the realm of Extreme Demon and was born with the Heavenly Demon’s Physique; otherwise, he would have surely suffered major burns and retreated already.
In the first place, unless one was a master of Jin Cheon’s level, they wouldn't have been able to withstand the spiritual energy of Sky Mountain, so they wouldn't have been able to come to the entrance of this Scorching Hell.
“Phew.”
Jin Cheon took a deep breath and moved his steps with long strides toward the Scorching Hell.
Roar—!!!
The flames of the Scorching Hell surged as if to swallow such Jin Cheon.
Having come this far, there was no reason to hesitate.
Cheol Yu-ra’s life depended on it, and it was a problem directly connected to Jin Cheon’s personal achievement.
* * *
The Scorching Hell boasted immense heat from the entrance.
If it were an ordinary person, it was a terrifying heat that would have burned them to death as soon as they entered.
Nevertheless, the reason Jin Cheon could be fine was not simply because his level of martial arts was high or because he was born with the Heavenly Demon’s Physique.
First, the Nine-headed Dragon Robe was protecting Jin Cheon from the heat of the Scorching Hell.
If not for that, his hair would have burned up completely.
Also, the Ten Thousand Year Cold Iron he was carrying on his back also played the role of a helper allowing him to withstand this terrifying heat.
However, the Nine-headed Dragon Robe and the Ten Thousand Year Cold Iron alone were not enough.
The deeper he went inside the Scorching Hell, the hotter the heat tried to burn Jin Cheon.
‘This won't do.’
Jin Cheon infused internal energy into the Northern Yin Wind Way Talisman given by Wi Mu-rin.
Fwoosh!
Sssss!
As the Northern Yin Wind Way Talisman turned to ash and disappeared with a blue flame, soon a cool sensation wrapped around Jin Cheon.
‘This is better.’
It was cool as if he were in a forest where a cool breeze blew.
Before using the Northern Yin Wind Way Talisman, he felt like he was inside a cauldron, but now he felt freshness beyond just coolness.
But that was brief.
Once a moment passed, the effect of the talisman disappeared and heat was felt again.
It seemed that even the Northern Yin Wind Way Talisman could not keep him withstanding the heat inside the Scorching Hell continuously, and the effect only lasted for about a moment per sheet.
Since it seemed the duration would get shorter the deeper he went, Jin Cheon decided to save the Northern Yin Wind Way Talismans as much as possible.
The intention was to save the Northern Yin Wind Way Talismans by using just one when the heat became truly hard to bear.
‘They wouldn't have called it a Forbidden Land just because it's hot.’
It was when Jin Cheon was looking around while thinking that.
Slither, slither!
‘W-what is that.’
Jin Cheon flinched in surprise seeing something as big, thick, and long as the pillar root of a large pavilion gliding past.
It was the body of a giant snake as big as a house.
Yellow eyes, a horn sprouting on its head, and even red scales emitting luster.
Although it was not a dragon, it was clearly an Imugi, a spiritual creature comparable to one.
‘Ah.’
Jin Cheon realized the identity of the Imugi blocking his path only then.
He had heard of it.
That the Blaze Fire Red Scale Divine Python, an Imugi harboring Fire Qi, lived here in the Scorching Hell.
It was a spiritual creature among spiritual creatures that hundreds of demonic practitioners had tried to catch since the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult settled on Sky Mountain, but no one had succeeded.
‘Dammit.’
Jin Cheon sweated seeing the eyes of the Blaze Fire Red Scale Divine Python shining yellow like amber embedded in them.
There was no goodwill in that gaze, only hostility.
To be precise, the gaze of a beast seeing prey met after a long time was felt.
“Hiss, hisss.”
The Blaze Fire Red Scale Divine Python flicked its tongue and smacked its lips.
“...We can't just pass by nicely, can we?”
“Hissss!”
“Haa.”
Jin Cheon let out a deep sigh from his mouth.
He wanted to pass by as quietly as possible since fighting a spiritual creature like that was an extremely difficult task...
“Fine, come.”
Jin Cheon gritted his teeth and drew his sword.
The Blaze Fire Red Scale Divine Python did not rush at Jin Cheon immediately.
Instead, it just opened its huge maw wide...
However, what happened after that was truly surprising and terrifying.
“Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaak!”
With the roar of the Imugi, deep red flames shot out in a fan shape and covered the spot where Jin Cheon was.
Instead of poison, it breathed fire, displaying a Divine Skill.
‘Damn it!’
Jin Cheon tried to dodge the flames, but he didn't have the spare capacity.
The distance was a bit far, and the speed of the flames was so fast that it didn't seem possible to pull his body away.
But he couldn't just become roasted meat in the flames spewed by the Blaze Fire Red Scale Divine Python either...
‘Block it.’
Jin Cheon’s hand moved like lightning and pulled out the Dark Heaven Black Tortoise Armor he was carrying on his back.
Thanks to the judgment that in a situation like this, the only thing that could block the flames spewed by the Blaze Fire Red Scale Divine Python was the Dark Heaven Black Tortoise Armor, which possessed immense Cold Qi in itself.
Roooooaaaaaaar—!!!
“Kuegh!”
A groan burst out from Jin Cheon’s mouth.
Blocking the flames, simply immense pressure was felt.
It wasn't fire, but felt like blocking a waterfall falling from hundreds of yards high head-on.
‘If I get pushed back, I die.’
Jin Cheon gritted his teeth and held on, knowing that the moment he lost hold of the Dark Heaven Black Tortoise Armor or fell backward, the flames would cover him.
Although he was pushed back several yards and footprints were carved long into the ground, Jin Cheon held on and held on again with the Heavenly Demon Divine Qi raised to the limit.
He even planted his two legs into the ground with the Thousand Pound Weight technique.
Like that, after a short but agonizing time passed.
“...Are you done?”
Jin Cheon slightly moved the Dark Heaven Black Tortoise Armor aside and glared at the Blaze Fire Red Scale Divine Python.
Sizzle!
The surface of the Dark Heaven Black Tortoise Armor was heated red before he knew it.
The heat contained in the flames spewed by the Blaze Fire Red Scale Divine Python was so powerful that even the Dark Heaven Black Tortoise Armor, called the number one shield under the heavens, had no choice but to heat up.
“Hiss, hiss?!”
The Blaze Fire Red Scale Divine Python looked visibly flustered, seemingly quite surprised to see Jin Cheon unharmed.
Though no one had withstood its flames for the past hundreds of years since it settled here...
“Now then, it’s my turn.”
Jin Cheon rushed toward the Blaze Fire Red Scale Divine Python clutching the Dark Heaven Black Tortoise Armor.
Since things had come to this, he couldn't obtain the essence of Fire located deep in the Scorching Hell without defeating the Blaze Fire Red Scale Divine Python...
* * *
The fight between Jin Cheon and the Blaze Fire Red Scale Divine Python unfolded in the form of a chase, literally chasing and being chased.
“Rooooooaaaaaar!”
Whoosh!
The Blaze Fire Red Scale Divine Python constantly spewed flames, trying to turn Jin Cheon into a lump of charcoal.
Jin Cheon tried not to burn to death by exerting his movement arts to the maximum to dodge the flames, or defending with the Dark Heaven Black Tortoise Armor.
So did Jin Cheon only dodge or run away? That wasn't it either.
‘Now!’
Jin Cheon kicked off the ground and jumped with all his might.
Jin Cheon, who had jumped up to where the head of the Blaze Fire Red Scale Divine Python was, did not miss that opportunity.
Woosh!
Jin Cheon swung the Dark Heaven Black Tortoise Armor held in his hand with all his might.
Claaaaang!
A heavy metallic sound of metal clashing with metal rang out, and the head of the Blaze Fire Red Scale Divine Python snapped back!
Since Jin Cheon swung that heavy Dark Heaven Black Tortoise Armor and struck the head, the impact was something even the Blaze Fire Red Scale Divine Python, a spiritual creature among spiritual creatures, had no way to withstand.
Jin Cheon did not stop there.
“Hiss, hisss...”
While the Blaze Fire Red Scale Divine Python couldn't come to its senses for a moment.
Clang, claaaaang, clang!
Seizing the opportunity, Jin Cheon repeatedly struck, struck, and struck the Blaze Fire Red Scale Divine Python’s head with the Dark Heaven Black Tortoise Armor.
“Die, die, dieee! You bastard!”
“Kyaaaaaak!”
Jin Cheon’s movement striking the Blaze Fire Red Scale Divine Python’s head was truly madness itself.
Like a shaman performing an exorcism, it was an appearance no different from being possessed.
“Kyak, kyaaaaaak!”
Thump thump!
The Blaze Fire Red Scale Divine Python even rolled around on the ground twisting its whole body to shake Jin Cheon off.
But Jin Cheon was truly tenacious and absolutely did not fall off the Blaze Fire Red Scale Divine Python’s head.
Sticking close like a leech craving blood, he gritted his teeth and struck the Blaze Fire Red Scale Divine Python’s head again and again.
As if he would smash the Blaze Fire Red Scale Divine Python’s head without fail...
Then, at a certain moment.
Tilt!
Thud!
Eventually, the massive body of the Blaze Fire Red Scale Divine Python fell over like an old tree falling.
The Blaze Fire Red Scale Divine Python, which had reigned as the predator of this place while staying in the Scorching Hell for the past hundreds of years, finally had its head smashed by the Dark Heaven Black Tortoise Armor swung by Jin Cheon.