novelraw Chapter 124 : Ash Rekindled (4)
Chapter 124 : Ash Rekindled (4)
Chapter 124: Ash Rekindled (4)
Everyone was out of breath.
They had been climbing the steep mountain path for three hours straight. Pebbles rolled down from underfoot and vanished over the edge of the dizzying cliff. The spear strapped to their backs weighed heavily on their shoulders.
Shiiing!
A cold wind blew through the crevice between rocks.
Their collars fluttered as the breeze brushed against their skin.
Gugwi steadied himself with a hand against the rock. The rough texture of the stone dug into his palm.
Yeon Sohye panted behind him.
"How much further do we have to go?"
Fatigue laced her voice.
Even those known for their strong spiritual energy were worn out by the harsh terrain. They couldn’t climb with their feet alone—only with both hands could they barely ascend. It was more akin to scaling a vertical cliff.
Jang Unhyeok wiped the sweat off his forehead.
"Look there."
He pointed ahead.
Sasaha, leading the group, raised her hand.
The group came to a stop.
Sasaha turned, her black martial arts uniform fluttering in the wind. Her sharp gaze fixed on Gugwi.
"There."
Everyone turned their heads in the direction she pointed.
The view from the mountaintop… revealed a black-tiled roof halfway up the opposite mountain. It was the Eumhyeolsa.
Gugwi crouched and hid behind a boulder.
The cold stone pressed against his back.
The others also crouched. From the shade of the rocks, they closely examined the temple.
Its location was peculiar.
Steep cliffs surrounded it on all sides.
Three of the surrounding slopes looked as sharp as blades. A single misstep would mean tumbling down.
The remaining side was an endless cliff.
A gaping abyss exhaled mist like a giant maw. Whenever the wind blew, the mist swirled like a dance. It truly resembled the open jaws of a colossal beast.
The temple stood with its back to that cliff.
It was obviously ancient. The black tiles and worn stone walls seemed to sway in the wind, as if about to collapse. The nameplate had faded under the elements, leaving only the faint traces of the words ‘Eumhyeolsa’.
“What’s that smell?”
Gugwi wrinkled his nose.
Even from a distance, the stench of blood wafted through. A chilling aura of Soul-Summoning brushed against their skin. His heart began to pound. The Spirit Flow Core in his chest trembled faintly.
Yeon Sohye shuddered violently.
"This… is horrifying. So it’s true they’re still offering sacrifices."
Jang Unhyeok furrowed his brow.
“To think such lunatics… exist here. To drag sacrifices all the way to this place… Hah! You’d have to be insane.”
Sasaha scanned the surroundings.
They could see cultists stationed at the temple’s entrance. Men in black robes stood guard.
They carried strange weapons in their hands.
"Those cultists are strong."
Sasaha’s voice dropped.
"They, true to the nature of the Dark Spirit Sect, have no attachment to life. They believe the Manifest Demon Emperor will reap their souls upon death. Dying for the sect earns his favor. Aren’t those the scariest kind of people?"
Her gaze darkened.
“Ha! Truly madmen. Don’t worry. I’ve dealt with lunatics like them before. No wonder… even when they stood no chance, they charged like they wanted to die. They smiled even as they died from sword wounds. Phew!”
Jang Unhyeok gave a visible shiver.
"It’s not just their conviction… Their Soul-Summoning Arts and martial arts aren’t ordinary either. Some of them even broke off and formed the Heavenly Sound Cult. The balance has reversed now, but still."
Whooooosh!
The wind blew harder.
Sasaha’s hair covered her face. A warning gleamed through her eyes.
"If we’re wrong, this entire mountain could become our grave."
Yeon Sohye gripped the hilt of her dagger.
A faint metallic sound echoed. Her face stiffened with tension.
“Unnie, isn’t there another way?”
“There isn’t.”
Sasaha shook her head firmly.
Gugwi examined the temple again.
He tried to assess the movements of the cultists. The timing of their guard changes, patrol routes, blind spots—he aimed to capture everything.
Jang Unhyeok fidgeted with his twin swords as he observed the surroundings.
His eyes swept over the terrain around the temple. Between rocks, within bushes… He searched for any possible places to hide.
Jin Geommudo lowered the spear from his shoulder.
Its weight pressed into his wrist. The spearhead gleamed as it caught the sunlight.
Before standing up, Gugwi checked the Spirit Flow Core.
A soft blue glow pulsed in his chest. He read the flow of nearby Soul-Summoning energy. Minor spirits dissipated silently. But the dark energy emanating from the altar was truly overwhelming.
“The altar’s power is really strong.”
He murmured.
Sasaha nodded.
"That’s what makes it more dangerous. They’ve always killed without remorse. Human life means nothing to them."
The group exchanged looks.
A silent consensus was reached. Each of them resolved firmly. No matter what, they had to destroy that altar. Even if it had nothing to do with the growth of the Manifest Demon Emperor, this place had to be stopped.
Gugwi stepped forward.
“Let’s go.”
The mountain path grew rougher.
The rocks became larger and sharper. Finding footing was more difficult. Each step had to be taken with care.
They moved while crouched low.
Sasaha led the way, clearing the path. Her footsteps were ghost-like. Those following behind tried their best to stay silent.
They moved from rock to rock.
Hands and feet were both necessary. The coarse stone scraped their palms. Their knees ached from striking against the rocks.
Yeon Sohye misstepped, sending small stones tumbling down.
Tak tak tak, the rolling stones echoed against the cliff. At once, the group froze and held their breath.
Fortunately, the cultists did not notice.
They still stood in place, keeping watch. But one of them did raise his head and scan the surroundings.
Jang Unhyeok reached out and pulled Yeon Sohye back.
"Careful."
He whispered.
There was no need to worry about the rear. Jin Geommudo held firm, vigilantly guarding. He kept his spear low and surveyed the area. Just in case of a surprise attack from another direction.
“Come out!”
Sasaha summoned all four Spirit Union spirits. However, the Spirit Union warriors vanished as soon as they appeared, sinking into the ground. It was a Geo-Evasion Formation, allowing them to move while hidden underground.
Black energy rose even at Gugwi's feet. A sorcery that erased traces and concealed presence. Sasaha's concealment veiled the movements of those following her as well.
Sssut! Ssht!
They used the shadows of rocks to their fullest. They only moved through areas untouched by sunlight. From shadow to shadow, they hid their bodies. Silently and stealthily, like ghosts.
The closer they drew to the mountain’s midsection, the more the atmosphere changed. The air sank heavily… as if an invisible hand was squeezing their throats. The stench of blood at the tip of their noses grew thicker.
Pahng! Pang!
Gugwi’s heart pounded violently. The Spirit Flow Core reacted more intensely. It wasn’t just the smell of blood—this was the scent of the altar, meant for him.
A tightening sensation gripped his chest. The darkness of the altar and his Spirit Flow Core seemed to be pulling each other.
The entrance of the temple became more distinct.
They were now close enough to make out the faces of the cultists. Madness glistened in their eyes. Strange weapons engraved with bizarre patterns were held in their hands.
The group hid behind the last boulder.
They were now only a few dozen steps from the temple. From here, it was a fully exposed area—no place to hide.
Gugwi glanced back at his comrades.
Strangely enough… the people who had been tense while climbing the mountain didn’t look nervous now that the enemy was right before them. There was even a trace of a smile on their faces—an air of composure.
Yet their eyes were steadfast. Today, they would dye this place in blood. Each of them gripped their weapons tightly.
Sasaha signaled with her hand. It meant: Prepare.
But what preparation was left? Their minds were already made, their weapons already in hand… Yet there was a reason they hadn’t rushed in and were proceeding cautiously.
Because the altar might still be hidden.
In the cave they attacked earlier, there had been multiple altars. Some in plain sight, others in secret chambers.
The strongest altar had been the plaza altar, but many spirits were still bound to the hidden ones. Most bore resentment yet never thought of leaving the altars.
If the infiltration was discovered, the hidden altars might be concealed again.
They had to penetrate deep without making noise. Who knew how far they might have to go?
Yeon Sohye twisted her dagger slightly.
She was being careful not to let its blade reflect the sunlight. The cold touch of metal was felt in her hand.
It was at that moment.
One of the cultists must have sensed something—he turned his head toward the boulder where they were hiding. His fierce gaze scanned the surroundings. As if he had detected something.
“There’s someone there…”
The cultist murmured.
His voice rode the wind to their ears.
Suddenly, the cultist looked straight at the boulder where the group was hiding.
Their eyes met. Their gazes clashed in midair. Time seemed to freeze.
The cultist’s face twisted.
“Intruders!”
He shouted and rang the bell at his waist.
Dang dang dang dang!
The ringing of the bronze bell shook the entire mountain. Its sound echoed off the cliffs. Birds scattered into the sky in fright.
Footsteps echoed from within the temple, and more cultists poured out. Black shadows filled the entrance. The weapons in their hands gleamed under the sunlight.
Sasaha rose to her feet.
“See? I told you their senses were sharp.”
Her voice sliced through the mountain winds with sharp clarity.
Shweeeek!
Her form launched forward in an instant. A black whip sliced through the air like a serpent, the serrated tip flashing under the moonlight.
Gugwi leapt out from behind the rock. He gripped his spear tightly and scanned the enemies with his eyes. Yeon Sohye, Jang Unhyeok, and Jin Geommudo moved in unison. The sound of their footsteps on gravel echoed through the mountain slope.
Beneath the black tiles of Eumhyeolsa, three guard warriors stood with long spears. Their robes fluttered in the wind. Even as five people rushed at them, they showed no fear. No—they faced them with the confidence of having the upper hand.
Their eyes… shimmered with madness.
Sshhraaaak!
Sasaha’s whip struck first.
The serrated tip coiled around one guard’s spear and shattered it, the sound of tearing metal echoing across the mountain.
The guard clenched his teeth and tried to counterattack, but the whip grazed his neck, tearing skin. Blood spurted like a fountain, and terror shrank his pupils.
Gugwi didn’t miss the opening. The spear tip shot forward like lightning and pierced the guard’s chest. Blood soaked the ground, and the guard's body went limp. The acrid scent of blood pricked his nose.
Yeon Sohye charged in with a burst of silver mist.
Her dagger caught the moonlight and flashed as it came within an inch of the second guard’s eyes.
He swung his spear to block, but Yeon Sohye twisted her body using Flowing Willow Storm, and her dagger stabbed into his side. Sharp pain halted his breath, and he collapsed to his knees.
Jang Unhyeok’s twin swords struck like a blaze upon the third guard.
His blades carried the wind, leaving lava-like trails. The guard’s spear clashed, metal clanging, but under the barrage of twin strikes, his arm was severed. Blood splattered and stained the ground red.
Jin Geommudo also swung his red spear. Its tip shattered the last of the guard’s resistance and pierced through his chest, silencing his breath.
The three fell instantly without even a proper resistance.
Noise erupted from within the temple as about twenty cultists burst out through the gates.
They were all in a state of Spirit Contact.
Their original forms were gone—only spirits swarmed. Soul-Summoning energy poured from their weapons, and the mad howls of spirits echoed across the mountain.
Sasaha deployed her Earth-Summoning Technique.
The ground trembled as black shadows sprang forth. Baek Hyeokgang of the Black Wind Technique, Kang Sojin of the Poison Cloud Technique, Wi Unseo of the Silver Spirit Technique, and Jin Mukgyeol of the Dark Blood Point Technique turned into spirits and attacked the cultists.