Return of the Mount Hua Sect

The blizzard started again, obstructing his view, but he could make out a dark spot.

‘See that?’

Closing the distance wasn’t easy. Despite using his internal qi to move quickly, the speed difference wasn’t significant. In other words, the one running away was skilled.

‘Rat….’

In Chung Myung’s eyes, life was colder than the winters of the North Sea.

Thud!

As he hit the ground, snow flew out around him. He pushed himself forward with all his might, not caring about the snow blocking his vision, and soon the distance between them had narrowed.

The man in black, who was running ahead, turned upon sensing the qi. He could see Chung Myung running towards him with his sword drawn.

“….”

Emotionless eyes flickered on the man’s face.

Just as he was about to pick up his pace.

Paat!

An eerie roar echoed in his ears. A crescent-shaped sword qi entered the man’s field of vision.

Even with just a glance, it was clear that the sword qi possessed an unusual force capable of splitting him in half.

“Kuak!”

Unable to control his speed, the man rolled on the ground to avoid the sword qi. After several tumbles in the snow, he lifted his head and found himself face-to-face with his opponent’s foot.

“….”

“Get up.”

Hearing the cold voice, the man slowly raised his head and looked at a frigid face covered in a layer of ice.

“….”

“Now explain why you were eavesdropping. No, before that…”

Chung Myung had icy eyes.

“You… a member of the Demonic Sect?”

“Kuk.”

Hearing the words Demonic Sect, the man laughed. He then stood up and faced Chung Myung.

An eerie feeling emanated from the man’s eyes, which were visible through the mask.

“You must be from the Central Plains.”

“….”

“If you hadn’t pursued me, you could have lived.”

Clench.

Something dark flowed out from under the man’s sleeve, producing a strange noise.

Seeing tbat hand, Chung Myung’s eyes grew darker, and he mumbled.

“Black Slaying Palm.”

The man in black flinched for a second. This was an obvious reaction considering how calm he had been until then.

“How…?”

His lips curled.

“You are from the Demonic Sect.”

It was the moment when doubt turned into confirmation. The man in black frowned.

“Do not say that name with that filthy mouth.”

He rushed forward and swung his black hand toward Chung Myung’s face.

Kang!

However, it was neatly blocked by Chung Myung’s Dark Fragrance Sword.

“You!”

Kakaka!

A hand that had become harder than metal scratched against the blade. Chung Myung smiled as he infused internal qi into the sword. The sword, now red, soared high and cut the man’s hand.

As though the thought of his hand being cut hadn’t even crossed his mind, the man hastily stepped back, and blood trickled down from his hand.

The man in black saw his opponent as a young warrior.

Chung Myung inquired with a cold tone.

“What do the people of the Demonic Sect intend to do by coming all the way here?”

“…”

“Well… fine. I never expected a proper answer from your mouth anyway. You’ve always been like this.”

Those with strong convictions didn’t falter in the face of pain. If their belief was firm, there was nothing more to be said. And the man furrowed his brows.

“Do you speak as though you know the Demonic Sect very well?”

“… I do.”

Chung Myung smiled.

Despite trying not to, a burst of sinister laughter escaped from him. He was startled by the emotions he had suppressed for so long.

He smiled wide enough for his teeth to be visible, and Chung Myung stated.

“I know all of you so well that it sickens me. I will cleanly cut you as a show of pleasure.”

This man in black.

No, this member of the Demonic Sect had a murderous gaze in their eyes.

“A foul heathen dares to speak such nonsense. Let’s see if you can still talk after your head is severed!”

The Demonic Sect member charged Chung Myung with the same speed and intensity as when he tried to escape earlier.

It was supposed to be a swift and covert attack, as though a beast lurking underwater had suddenly leaped out.

Srrng!

Chung Myung, who had drawn his sword, gently lowered it, and the sunlight reflected off its gleaming blade.

Meanwhile, the other person’s hand cast a dark shadow. The shadows multiplied in an instant, covering the sky like a pack of black wolves cornering their prey.

Chung Myung’s strategy for dealing with the numerous shadows was simple - he would eliminate them one by one.

The sword sliced through the shadows with lightning speed, shattering them like fallen leaves.

“What…”

The man was in complete shock.

This couldn’t possibly be real.

How skilled must one be to wield a sword with such speed? But there was no time to be astonished or admire the skill.

Chung Myung, the one who was destroying the shadows, now turned his attention toward him.

“Argh!”

Gritting his teeth, the man swung his hand. The hand, ink-black and filled with terrifying energy, charged toward Chung Myung.

Clang!

The clash of metal filled the air as the sword and hand collided.

Clang! Clang!

The sound repeated as the sword and hand clashed in mid-air. However, while Chung Myung’s sword remained flawless, the man’s hand showed cuts with each clash.

“Ow!”

Realizing the value of the sword, the Demonic Sect member gritted his teeth and attempted to retreat, but it was already too late.

“AAAAHHHH!”

The man screamed and waved his hand in Chung Myung’s face. The tension in his hand, Black Slayer Palm, caused excruciating pain and a terrifying energy that sent shivers down people’s spines.

It was a terrifying attack that caused flesh to rot upon contact.

But…

Chung Myung effortlessly blocked the hand with his sword.

Slash! Slash!

Chung Myung’s sword moved up the man’s arm like a snake climbing a tree.

Slash!

His forearm, unprotected by energy, was split open.

“Kuak!”

Blood gushed from the deep cut. Instead of backing down, the Demonic Sect member stepped forward and tried to hit Chung Myung with his other hand. Just as the hand was about to touch his face, however…

Chung Myung spun his body and moved into the path of that demonic energy.

And,

Puaak!

The tip of the sword neatly lodged itself into the man’s chin, causing blood to pour into his mouth.

Thud.

“Ugh….”

The man trembled as he collapsed and struggled to get up. Seeing this, Chung Myung simply spoke emotionlessly.

“Weak.”

“….”

“You can’t compare to what you were before.”

“Before?”

Chung Myung didn’t bother answering.

“It’s a shame. You all are just followers and servants without your Heavenly Demon. Without them, you have no gods and no kings.”

The man glared at Chung Myung, who smiled.

“Why do you, who have lost the god that you worship, still remain like ghosts in the world?”

“Kuak….”

A groan, a sigh, or perhaps even a laugh, it was difficult to discern.

“I don’t know where you learned, but… you know nothing.”

“….”

“He is coming back. No…”

The man’s eyes gleamed with madness and confidence.

“We will bring him back to the world.”

“Insane bastard.”

“The second coming of the Heavenly Demon, blessed by tens of thousands of demons!”

And he rushed towards Chung Myung once again.

“Die!”

He swung his blackened hand towards Chung Myung. It was an attack so obvious that it made him frown.

“Stupid.”

Chung Myung’s sword struck the hand. However, the moment their weapons made contact, a surge of demonic energy emanated from the hand of the Demonic Sect member, and he grabbed the blade unknowingly.

Gaggak!

The sword sliced through the hand. Yet, the man didn’t even flinch or show any signs of pain. Instead, he continued to press forward, closing the distance with Chung Myung.

It was a moment fueled by despair.

However, there wasn’t even a hint of fear in Chung Myung’s eyes. If anything, he seemed even colder now.

His red sword cleanly cut through the hand. The severed limb swelled up, and black blood splattered onto the snowy field.

Yet, the Demonic Sect member charged forward still like an angry bull, seemingly unaffected by his severed hand.

The demonic qi contained in the left hand was still fine. The force cutting through the air resembled a black beam of light.

Tak!

Chung Myung, stepping on the ground, swung his sword in the air.

Chak!

With the sound of something being cut, the Demonic Sect member’s left arm was severed from the shoulder.

“Die!”

However, despite losing a hand and an arm, the man showed no signs of standing down. On the contrary, it only made him more ferocious, like an animal. There was no such thing as stepping back.

His remaining hand moved, showing the extent to which a person unafraid of death can go.

But…

Paaat!

A beam of light pierced the gap between the shadows that covered the palm.

“Kuak!”

The sword pierced right through the center of the chest, and then stabbed the demon in the chest again and again.

Slash! Slash! Slash!

Even in the midst of all this, the sword slithered like a snake through the cracks in the shadowy palms.

Although dozens of holes were pierced in his chest, the demon showed no signs of slowing down.

Rather…

Puak!

The moment Chung Myung’s sword pierced the stomach, he rushed ahead with shining eyes. It was his intention to embed the sword into the body so that it could no longer move.

No sane person would think or do such a thing. But this one wasn’t a normal person; he had experienced this several times.

Chung Myung stepped on the shin of the rushing man.

Crack!

The upper part of the demon’s ankle was broken, and he stumbled.

“Kuak…”

Slash.

As the sword that was pulled out from the stomach cut through the thigh, the demon could no longer stand.

Thud.

The man knelt on the ground, his face swollen and visible through the mask. One hand was cut in half, and the other was served at the shoulder. More than a dozen stab marks littered his chest, blood leaking out with every breath.

Each was a wound that should have killed him, but the man was still breathing. His entire body was weak and limp, and his head was low on his body, but he still mumbled.

“Coming. Ten thousand blessings….”

Chung Myung’s face twisted.

“Second…coming…Heavenly Demon….”

Clench.

Chung Myung grabbed the sword tight enough to turn his hand white as he slowly looked at the demon. He would have slit that throat in the past in one move, but his hand was trembling now.

“Second Coming….”

Finally, his head fell completely.

As the demon collapsed to the ground, his breathing stopped, and snow began to cover his body. After looking at the corpse for a moment, Chung Myung cleaned the blood from his sword and resheathed it.

“Damn it.”

A loud voice then came from behind.

“Chung Myung!”

He turned back and saw them.

Baek Cheon and his other companions were running towards him.

“Are you fine? You…”

As soon as they got closer, Baek Cheon went silent. He was at a loss for words at the corpse in front of Chung Myung.

“…that person is?”

“Demonic Sect.”

“…”

Baek Cheon understood the scene immediately and knew this wasn’t cruelty against an opponent. The enemy had fought to that extent.

“He really was…”

Everyone’s faces became tense.

Chung Myung turned to look at the demon.

“Nothing has changed.”

Here they were, still obsessed with the Heavenly Demon, even though he had died a hundred years ago.

“Second coming….”

Chung Myung clenched his teeth and spat while staring at the lifeless body.

“Take a good look.”

“You’ll be sick of seeing this from now on.”

A chilling coldness, colder than the wind from the North Sea, struck fear into the disciples of Mount Hua.