novelraw Chapter 216 : Chapter 216
Chapter 216 : Chapter 216
Chapter 216. Even ten thousand lives would not be enough
The fight between the Heavenly Demon Dokgo Seong versus Yi Cheong-ha and Jang Guk-pyeong devastated the Lotus Peak of Mount Hua.
The pavilions and Taoist temples of the Mount Hua Sect that had guarded the Lotus Peak for hundreds of years were completely destroyed, the cliffs and mountain peaks collapsed, and the surrounding vegetation was also turned into a wasteland.
And the result was…….
Pu-uk!
Jang Guk-pyeong’s sword pierced the exact center of Dokgo Seong’s heart.
“Keo-heok!”
Teol-sseok!
Dokgo Seong, wal-kak, vomited blood and collapsed.
“……!”
The heroes watching this spectacle from afar could easily believe that Dokgo Seong had collapsed.
In that earth-shaking and heaven-shattering fight that continued for nearly three sijin, Dokgo Seong displayed truly invincible divine might.
Indeed, like a Heavenly Demon, he overwhelmed them consistently even while receiving the joint attack of Yi Cheong-ha and Jang Guk-pyeong.
Also, Dokgo Seong was like an immortal.
Something like an arm falling off was nothing to him.
Thanks to the function of regeneration, he recovered even minor wounds in the blink of an eye.
The Number One Treasured Object Under Heaven Nine-headed Dragon Robe and the Number One Demonic Sword Under Heaven Heavenly Demon Sword he possessed also performed miracles that ordinary people couldn't even imagine as if eating a meal, adding strength to his majesty.
However, even that had a limit.
Yi Cheong-ha and Jang Guk-pyeong’s attacks were persistent, and in the end, even that Dokgo Seong ran out of strength…….
Jeol-ttuk-jeol-ttuk!
Yi Cheong-ha, who had become covered in wounds, approached Dokgo Seong.
“……How.”
Dokgo Seong looked at Yi Cheong-ha with an expression full of disbelief as if he couldn't believe it at all.
It was understandable, as the single move Yi Cheong-ha displayed just a moment ago was something even Dokgo Seong could not understand.
It was a move that was far beyond Dokgo Seong’s current realm, perfectly surpassing human limits.
To the point where even Dokgo Seong could not understand or dare to guess Yi Cheong-ha’s single strike at all.
That meant Yi Cheong-ha had leaped to a realm one dimension higher.
She had reached the realm of Ascending to Immortality that Dokgo Seong desired so much and had been obsessed with for hundreds of years.
“Did you really…… really obtain the realization of a God?”
Dokgo Seong asked Yi Cheong-ha.
“How……?”
Yi Cheong-ha did not answer.
Because she knew too well that not telling the answer was even more painful for Dokgo Seong.
“You bastard will never know the answer.”
In Yi Cheong-ha’s words saying so, anger and hatred whose end could not be known were carried.
Perhaps that was because the seed of life she harbored had perished due to the aftermath of this fight.
“How could a bitch like you…… a realization reaching the heavens…….”
“Die.”
Yi Cheong-ha raised her sword with all her might.
“Be grateful that you have one life. Considering the evil deeds of the past, even ten thousand lives would not be enough for you bastard. I will pray that you fall into the Avici Hell.”
Chwa-aaaaaa!
Yi Cheong-ha’s sword slit Dokgo Seong’s throat.
Pu-hwa-aaaaak!
Jet-black blood burst out like a fountain.
Tuk, de-gu-reu-reu…….
Dokgo Seong’s severed head rolled on the ground.
The purple demonic eyes remained wide open.
As if saying it was resentful for not knowing the answer to the realization…….
Yi Cheong-ha did not stop there.
Sseuk, Yi Cheong-ha raised her hand and raised the last remaining demonic qi.
Hwa-aaaaak!
The flames of the Extinction Kalpa Flame burned Dokgo Seong’s corpse.
The body that lost the corrupted soul became a handful of ash in the blink of an eye, and crumbled in the blowing wind.
That was the end.
Heavenly Demon.
It was the final moment of the demonic practitioner who reigned as the Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult for the past hundreds of years and drove the world into fear.
Teol-sseok!
Just when Yi Cheong-ha, who used up her strength, collapsed where she stood.
“N, now!”
“What are you doing! Drag that evil woman out immediately!”
Simultaneously with someone’s shout, the Righteous Heavenly Alliance side’s experts rushed towards Yi Cheong-ha.
That was a mean act beyond compare, but for the Righteous Heavenly Alliance, it might be a judgment that was natural if it was natural.
If Yi Cheong-ha returned alive like this, a new Heavenly Demon would be born, and if that happened, it would be no different from the worst situation occurring from the Righteous Heavenly Alliance’s position.
Considering the single move Yi Cheong-ha showed when taking down Dokgo Seong at the end, wasn't the birth of a Heavenly Demon stronger than Dokgo Seong as clear as seeing fire?
“These trash-like bastards.”
Jang Guk-pyeong growled towards the Righteous Heavenly Alliance experts.
“When you were just watching with hands behind your backs from behind…… do you bastards call yourselves humans even after doing that!”
Enraged Jang Guk-pyeong steadied his posture.
Although he too was covered in wounds, it wasn't as bad as Yi Cheong-ha, so he was still worthy of wielding the sword more.
Even that wouldn't last long, though…….
“Shut up! Aren't you bastard also a traitor who colluded with that evil witch in the end!”
“Traitor……?”
“For a person called Azure Heaven Divine Warrior in name to share affection with a woman of the Demonic Cult! The fact that you hindered Our Alliance’s events every time from before must be all in that context!”
“These less than human…… bastards worse than beasts…… bastards claiming to be righteous…… to do such a mean act in the end…… how great a sacrifice we paid…… do you bastards even know!!!”
The Master’s Lion’s Roar contained full anger and shook Mount Hua.
It was an appearance truly unbecoming of the Azure Heaven Divine Warrior.
He was someone who always laughed nonchalantly and showed a good-natured appearance even while receiving all sorts of humiliation and persecution until now, but this time he couldn't bear it at all.
Because the sacrifice he and Yi Cheong-ha paid for the world was too great.
“Come! Whoever touches her! Their head will fly by my sword!”
Jang Guk-pyeong left the fallen Yi Cheong-ha behind and shouted at the Righteous Heavenly Alliance side’s experts.
“Only you…… must live…….”
Yi Cheong-ha tried to get up somehow, but her body had already been out of her control for a long time.
Amidst her consciousness becoming faint, the last scene she saw was the broad back of Azure Heaven Divine Warrior Jang Guk-pyeong.
The long scar revealed between the shredded martial uniform was something she had carved long ago.
* * *
“So…… how did it turn out.”
Jin Cheon’s voice trembled pa-reu-reu.
In such a voice of Jin Cheon, regret for the sad narrative of the Iron-Blooded Demonic God and the Azure Heaven Divine Warrior, and strong anger towards the Righteous Heavenly Alliance lingered.
“If Our Cult’s experts hadn't arrived in a timely manner, This King and he would have ended our lives at Mount Hua that day.”
“Ah!”
“It was thanks to This King being able to use the Heavenly Demon Command. Since Dokgo Seong disappeared, Our Cult’s experts would have had no choice but to follow This King.”
“It is fortunate.”
“If it is fortunate, it is fortunate. I lost everything, but saved only my life.”
“…….”
Jin Cheon felt his mind going faint at the bitterness contained in the Iron-Blooded Demonic God’s words.
What kind of feeling would it be to lose a child in the womb for the sake of the world…….
“After that…….”
“When This King opened eyes, Guk-pyeong had already left.”
“Ah……!”
“This King would have also made such a choice. Since I didn't have the face to see him, we couldn't continue the relationship any longer. Although the heart of loving each other was the same, what could be done about the wounds already received.”
“…….”
Jin Cheon seemed to understand the Iron-Blooded Demonic God’s feelings.
Even if they overcame the wounds of the heart and reconnected, it was as if the Iron-Blooded Demonic God and the Azure Heaven Divine Warrior had already crossed a river of no return.
The Iron-Blooded Demonic God had the duty to rebuild the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult which had virtually half-ruined after Dokgo Seong’s death, and protect the people of the Divine Land from the threat of the Central Plains Imperial Family and the Righteous Heavenly Alliance.
At the point of executing Dokgo Seong, responsibility as the Supreme Ruler of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult would have been forced upon the Iron-Blooded Demonic God.
Conversely, the Azure Heaven Divine Warrior, as a born hero, was in a position where he could not convert to the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult even if he was at odds with the Righteous Heavenly Alliance.
For a man whose life goal was wandering the world performing heroic deeds and polishing the martial arts he possessed, converting to the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult was something he dared not even dream of.
Eventually, the connection between the Iron-Blooded Demonic God and the Azure Heaven Divine Warrior ended with that.
“After that day, I never met him even once.”
“Didn't you want to meet him again?”
“Of course.”
The Iron-Blooded Demonic God nodded meekly and admitted the fact.
“But I didn't want to shake him. Since I knew it was a connection that wouldn't be connected anyway, I tried and tried intentionally not to pay attention to him. Then one day. A report came up that he took in a disciple.”
“……!”
“Thanks to that, This King had to threaten the Righteous Heavenly Alliance once again. I put pressure saying if they touch him and his disciple, I wouldn't hesitate even a Righteous-Demonic War.”
“Is, is that so?”
“What do you think was the reason he could stride through the Jianghu openly after that day? Although the war merits or achievements at the time of the Righteous-Demonic War were erased and there was persecution and contempt from the Righteous Heavenly Alliance, there was a reason no one could touch him openly.”
“Ah.”
Only then did Jin Cheon realize what had happened in the past and shuddered.
To think the sagas the Azure Heaven Divine Warrior chattered about whenever he opened his mouth were by no means bluffs, but rather reduced from the facts…….
“Do you know why This King regards you specially?”
“That is…….”
“You are his disciple. Given his personality, he must have regarded you like a son.”
“That is correct.”
Jin Cheon also agreed that the Azure Heaven Divine Warrior regarded his disciple like a son.
Wasn't the affection between master and disciple so deep that it wouldn't be lacking even to call it a father-son relationship.
“This King is also not different from him.”
“……!”
“You are his disciple, his son, and also This King’s disciple. So you have no choice but to be special.”
“M, Master…….”
“Since you are his son, wouldn't you also be This King’s son.”
“……!”
“You indeed are the link connecting him and This King, and the only existence allowing This King to have lingering attachment to remain in the human world. If it weren't for you, This King would have ascended early and left the human world.”
“I, I do not know…… what to do with myself.”
Jin Cheon’s heart swelled.
Just as the Azure Heaven Divine Warrior did, the Iron-Blooded Demonic God also thinks of him as a child, so how could he be nonchalant.
And that was the same for Jin Cheon.
Just as Jin Cheon thought of Master Azure Heaven Divine Warrior as a father, the Iron-Blooded Demonic God was also an existence no different from a mother to him.
Wasn't the Iron-Blooded Demonic God the only person he confessed the secret of having returned from the past to?
“However…… may I ask why you tell me such a secret history?”
Jin Cheon was curious about that.
For an existence with a nature like the Iron-Blooded Demonic God to talk about her past was by no means a light matter.
She must be confessing the story of the past because there is a sufficient reason…….
“You must be curious about the reason.”
“To speak honestly…… yes.”
“Why would I not tell you something not so big.”
The Iron-Blooded Demonic God smiled whitely.
“The reason This King tells you the past with him is…… because I hoped at least someone would remember this story. And I hoped that someone would be you. Aren't you his and This King’s disciple, and also son.”
“Master…….”
“You must be victorious.”
The Iron-Blooded Demonic God requested of Jin Cheon.
“Since the big fight to come will be the last adversity and hardship given to you. As a teacher, as a mother. It is just regrettable that I cannot take the place of you, the disciple and son. So you must be victorious, execute him, and stand tall. Since that will be This King’s last lingering attachment and also wish in this world.”
The eyes of the Iron-Blooded Demonic God saying so were truly benevolent beyond compare.