Chapter 161: Solitude in Snow Clothing – Volume 6 End

The moment Mahon Jongju appeared, the once-chaotic area instantly fell silent. Those who had risen, those who had fallen, those who had been looking around with flushed expressions???each time Mahon Jongju’s gaze landed on them, they tensed and sat back down.

Baek Moo-jin sent Jin So-hye behind him as the Demon Lord ascended the stage. Jin So-hye then stroked Baek Moo-jin’s forearm with her hand, briefly holding his hand as she spoke.

“Be careful.”

Baek Moo-jin nodded.

Upon facing Baek Moo-jin, the Demon Lord mentioned the Sun-Moon Divine Palace from moments before.

“This is no ordinary passing. It felt like witnessing the rebirth of the Sun-Moon Sect.”

Baek Moo-jin replied.

“How could the passing of Yang and Yin exist only within the Sun-Moon Sect?”

The Demon Lord nodded.

“Of course, it exists in the White Path too. But after creating such a calamity in a place like this, weren’t you just about to send it to the Demon Sect? It would have been annihilated. That makes it demonic magic.”

“Demon Cult Leader, why do you keep emphasizing that I’m a demon cultivator? Is that such an important point?”

The Demon Cult Leader nodded.

“If you weren’t a demon cultivator, I wouldn’t have arranged this meeting.”

While the Demon Lord and Baek Moo-jin conversed, the stage was being cleared. People sat back in their original seats, watching the two men poised for their final battle.

The Demon Lord took a deep breath, as if savoring the air and atmosphere of the place. Then, in a calm tone, he said.

“Let swords come first. Bring forth the Great Black Sword.”

Though Mahong Jongju possessed many weapons, he deliberately ordered the black long sword to be brought. One of his subordinates carried the Taeheuk Sword up onto the stage, holding it with both hands, and presented it to Mahong Jongju. Without touching the scabbard, Mahong Jongju drew the sword.

Swish.

The Demon Lord of Chaos held the Great Black Sword low and glared at Bai Wuzhen.

Baek Moo-jin nodded and drew the White Cloud Sword. Black and white stood facing each other on the shattered stage, gazing at one another. Then, as if by mutual agreement, they drew upon their inner energy, and waves of qi surged forth from both their bodies.

2.

Before the clash, both were composed.

They observed each other’s strength, naturally comparing it to their own.

Without words, they understood an unreal amount.

In Mahongjongju’s eyes, he could sense that Baek Mujin’s power was the continuation of the ‘history’ of the Baekhwa Magga.

Elixirs accumulated over dozens of generations.

It seemed those elixirs weren’t something one could obtain through ordinary effort.

They had built their power using the elixirs most suited to the White Flower Demon Arts.

The Demon Lord, watching, shook his head.

‘No. How could one become that strong through elixirs alone?’

It seemed he had prepared forbidden techniques, slept and ate in bedding like a thousand-year-old ice jade, and absorbed the very Yin energy of the forbidden techniques formed by the array.

The Demon Lord’s imagination was examining Baek Moo-jin’s world. Despite Baek Moo-jin saying not a word, the Demon Lord had almost perfectly guessed the background behind his growth.

Meanwhile, how did Baek Moo-jin view the Demon Soul Cultivator?

Baek Moo-jin thought it a miracle that the Demon Cult Leader was standing upright in his right mind. An ominous aura overflowed from his entire body. The nature of the energy waves emanating from him resembled the demonic energy he had sensed before at the Hong Rakjang. Those who used demonic arts that consumed human blood. But while the ominousness was similar… the caliber was entirely different.

If the Hong Rakjang group were considered top-tier martial artists in the world… the Demon Lord seemed to have continuously absorbed the bodies of such top-tier martial artists. He felt like the very root and origin of evil.

And so… Baek Moo-jin and the Demon Lord stared at each other for a long while, seemingly without any desire to fight, until they realized something.

They were both lost in their own worlds, simultaneously imagining all sorts of things.

Their meeting itself was a miracle.

And their mutual realization of each other’s worlds was a rare occurrence in martial arts history.

The Demon Lord spoke his thoughts.

“Somehow, whenever it was, we were destined to meet.”

Baek Moo-jin’s thoughts aligned with his.

The two were the sharpest blades in the martial world.

Baek Moo-jin replied.

“One is enough.”

Mahon Jongju smiled broadly.

It was precisely the answer he wanted to hear. The Demon Lord spoke his true feelings.

“I wanted you as my subordinate. To dream of ruling this martial world together.”

It was the Demon Lord’s pure wish.

Bae Moo-jin acknowledged that pure heart alone.

But his response remained cold.

“I have no intention of taking you under my wing. Not before we met, nor now that we have…”

“Ha… Ha… Ha…”

Their eyes locked, and in the instant a killing intent flickered, their swords were already locked together. No opening move. No follow-up attack considered. Thus, the Demon Lord and Baek Moo-jin, who had inherited his fate, clashed, each staking their entire life on a single sword strike.

To erase an entire world…

They thrust their swords, imbued with primal desire.

The leader of the Demon Clan, the head of the Snow Mountain White Clan, the heir to the Demon Path, the Heavenly Demon Lord… With a mindset that spat on such titles, the two men clashed.

Demon Eyes erupted from the Demon Clan Leader’s eyes. His entire body was drenched in demonic energy, his eyes shrouded in gray.

The Demon Lord squeezed out the words.

“Die!”

Flames formed from sword energy surged from their blades clashing head-on.

Energy waves erupted from each of their bodies, clashing violently.

With a thunderous crash, the stage where the two stood shattered into a circular pattern, its destruction spreading outward. Spectators rose as one, retreating as if fleeing. Another burst of energy erupted, carving a circular gash into the surrounding area.

Baek Moo-jin had already transcended the Eight Stars of the White Flower Divine Art, transforming his body into a state where he could unleash the Four Greats and Five Mysteries at any moment. He poured out his internal energy like a burst dam.

No one could intervene in this battle.

Anyone who charged in would be reduced to dust and scattered.

The two energies collided violently. Baek Moo-jin rolled his left foot and swung his sword. In that instant, the sword’s afterimage flashed, followed by a series of metallic clangs: Kagagagang! At the instant both men simultaneously unleashed their sword energies, a deafening roar erupted between them… The Demon King, seeking to secure his vision, unleashed the palm strike he had sent flying with the Sun-Moon Divine Palm. The motion itself was extremely concise.

Baek Moo-jin blocked the palm strike with his ice barrier, sweeping through the air as if cutting through nothing.

However, the palm strike that shattered the ice barrier and reached its target sent Baek Moo-jin’s body flying at an incredible speed. Yet, Baek Moo-jin flew in a curve, then dropped vertically. He pushed off the ground, spun his body, and unleashed a sword energy with the force to split the area in two. A white light stretched out like the horizon.

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Its speed was fast enough to bind the Demon-Devouring Sect Leader’s movements.

With no choice but to counter with his sword, this time, with a clang! sound, Mahon Jongju’s body flew backward. Gripping the trembling sword blade, Mahon Jongju took a step forward before glancing at his own hair. His long, flowing hair, which had been wildly fluttering, was now being torn apart by the sword wind, scattering wildly.

As Mahonjongju snapped his neck left and right, a crunching sound echoed.

Baek Moo-jin, as if nothing had happened, gripped his sword and walked toward the Demon Lord.

The two met with slow, deliberate steps, as if merely passing each other, then clashed swords again, sparks flying. A series of fierce attacks followed, so powerful that few in the entire martial world could block a single strike.

How could the swords endure?

The attacks, exceeding the sword’s strength, seemed destined to continue forever.

Even now, Baek Moo-jin watched Mahon Jongju’s movements with cold eyes, while Mahon Jongju studied the flow of energy coursing through Baek Moo-jin’s entire body, waiting for an opening. Swords moving faster than any known technique struck each other, yet no gap appeared, like striking an iron wall.

Tired of the stalemate, Mahonjongju caught the incoming sword barehanded and thrust the Taiheuk Sword toward Baek Mujin’s throat.

In response, Baek Moo-jin instantly wrapped the White Flower Armor around the Taeheuk Sword’s blade and injected it with cold energy.

With a sharp crackling sound, the spreading cold reached the blade’s edge.

The Demon Lord dropped his own long sword and unleashed a torrent of energy toward Baek Moo-jin’s face. In that instant, Baek Moo-jin also dropped his long sword from his hand, spun his body, and struck the Demon Lord’s forehead, shoulder, and chest in quick succession with the Cold Moon Technique.

Thud!

Simultaneously, the Demon Sect Master’s Demon Sect Defensive Strength Technique deflected each striking technique, then immediately countered with a double-sword strike.

Faced with the choice of engaging in an internal energy duel or parrying the double blades to create distance, Baek Moo-jin chose to create distance.

CRASH!

In an instant, Baek Moo-jin, who had been anchored to the ground by Seol-i’s cunning, retreated backward as a pile of rocks flew up from beneath his feet. At that moment, Baek Moo-jin looked at the spot where his Cold Moon Finger Technique had struck. The Demon Sect Master’s skin had turned ashen gray before returning to its original color.

‘Bodyguard Technique…’

This was the first time the Cold Moon Technique had failed to take effect, but Baek Moo-jin remained unflustered. He had intended to settle the contest with the Four Great Arts from the start. Before that, he needed to select the appropriate Four Great Arts, gauge the power to channel into his energy, and calculate the timing and speed.

But after sparring to this extent… Baek Moo-jin realized that a single Four Great Arts technique alone would not inflict significant damage on the Demon Lord.

Both men’s long swords lay on the ground, yet neither had any intention of picking them up again. Their respective protective arts made it no easy task to kill with swords or sword energy.

3.

When Baek Moo-jin looked at him with a peculiar gaze, the Demon King laughed.

“Let’s see. You must have hidden techniques you’ve kept concealed until now… Unleash them all here today.”

Baek Moo-jin nodded.

He merely confirmed that the Demon Lord’s expectations and his own thoughts were not significantly different.

The Demon Lord likely hadn’t used the techniques he possessed yet either…

Before unleashing the Four Great Arts, Baek Moo-jin unconsciously scanned his surroundings to confirm Jin So-hye’s position. In a brief exchange of glances, Jin So-hye was leading people further away. She had witnessed Baek Moo-jin unleash the One Against a Hundred Night technique. She was a lover possessing martial arts prowess capable of facing the Demon Clan alone without it being strange.

‘This is hell on ice…’

The moment Baek Moo-jin turned his head, the Demon Cult Leader appeared right before him, extending a hand. Clenching his right hand, he intended to melt Baek Moo-jin’s face. The instant the Demon Cult Leader grasped at thin air, Baek Moo-jin’s ordinary White Flower Powder poured over the Demon Cult Leader’s entire body.

As the Demon Lord unleashed his Demon Clan’s Half-Strength Attack, the cold energy melted the moment it touched him, accompanied by a hissing sound.

In that instant, Baek Moo-jin, who had thrust himself off the ground, drove a fist into the Demon Lord’s chest.

CRASH!

This was Baek Moo-jin’s fist strike, having made the Fist King’s technique his own.

It contained power capable of shattering anything it touched into pieces.

But with a hollow thud, the Demon Lord caught the blow to his chest, seized Baek Moo-jin’s arm, and twisted it with immense force. At that instant, the two men’s internal energy exploded at close range. The energy of the one trying to twist and the one resisting clashed.

Baek Moo-jin added another hand.

Then even the Demon King added his hand, and with four hands interlocked, they held each other fast. Words flowed from the Demon King’s mouth.

“Show me your technique.”

Baek Moo-jin smiled.

The One-Against-Hundred Night seemed useless.

This too was a feeling he had never experienced before, yet Baek Moo-jin was not flustered.

He was worthy of it.

The cold energy of the White Flower Divine Art erupted only from their clasped hands, and instantly, it melted away within Mahon Jongju’s internal energy.

Baek Moo-jin looked into the Demon Soul Cultivator’s eyes and thought.

‘Impressive.’

His opponent was a Grand Patriarch.

It didn’t matter how he had grown strong.

He felt a desire to show respect to a true powerhouse.

It was the first emotion he felt since being captivated by the Iron Blood Sect Leader’s manliness.

As Mahon Jongju saw Baek Moo-jin’s expression soften into satisfaction, his own heart filled with pure joy.

It was a pity to kill him, but there was no other choice.

The Demon Lord intended to release the restraints imposed on his own body and push Baek Moo-jin until his strength was completely depleted.

The Demon Lord gazed at Baek Moo-jin.

‘Baek Moo-jin, I’ll send you to your end. Return to your ancestors.’

As immense power surged toward him, Baek Moo-jin activated both the White Flower Divine Art and the power of the Flame Emperor within his clasped hands. The Demon Lord, pouring out his power, looked at Baek Moo-jin.

The Demon Lord felt coldness emanating from his right hand… and extreme yang energy surging from his left. He blinked. Of course, it was a level he could erase with his Demon Lord’s Half-Strength Attack. But Baek Moo-jin was bringing his crossed hands together at the center.

At that moment, before the Demon Lord could exhaust Bai Muzhen’s internal energy…

…realized the Sun-Moon Demon Technique was about to erupt from Baek Moo-jin’s hands.

For the first time, the Demon Lord’s gaze wavered.

‘He could unleash it alone…’

Could there be a more infuriating deception?

He could have used the Sun-Moon Demon Art alone, yet deliberately caused that chaos with his lover, Jin Sohye, to face the Left and Right Lions?

‘He’s a madman…’

The moment the Demon Lord realized Baek Moo-jin’s true nature was that of a madman, he retreated first, pouring out his own energy to avoid the explosion of the Sun-Moon Demon Art.

But with that explosion, the reverse-Taiji form of the Sun-Moon Demon Art, forged from the clash between the Flame Emperor and the White Flower Divine Art, was pushed back by Baek Moo-jin’s inner energy and engulfed the Demon Lord’s entire body.

Kwaaaaaaaaaaaang!

The Demon King crossed his twin blades to block, only to be flung back. He had even withstood the explosive force of the Sun-Moon Divine Blade. But it wasn’t just the Demon King who flew.

Baek Moo-jin, his entire body enveloped in cold air from the immense blast, was also flying at the same speed. But Baek Moo-jin possessed a truly ghostly quality. While flying, he assessed the Demon Lord’s shifting form, then, lying diagonally, channeled his energy downward into the ground, propelling himself skyward.

POW!

Baek Moo-jin soared up with a lightness, drawing a curve as he flew toward the Demon Lord. The Demon Lord raised one arm, pointing in Baek Moo-jin’s direction.

What on earth was he trying to do?

The Demon Sect’s Second Coming, said to have annihilated the Demon Sect.

The legend of the Demon Clan’s master, who pierced through every defensive barrier in the martial world and even penetrated the Demon God’s Limbs deployed by the Demon Sect’s leader, was the Demon Clan’s Return. Its form was a beam of light smaller than a finger. It could be called the essence of demonic arts, where malice was concentrated into a single point.

The moment Baek Moo-jin saw the Demon Lord’s hand enveloped in crimson energy…

…detonated a blinding flash in midair.

The instant the Demon Lord’s body was enveloped in a white, frigid aura, the Demon Lord’s Return shot forth in a split second.

The beam of light, imbued with demonic energy, pierced through Baek Moo-jin’s body.

However, a combination of divine fortune and Baek Moo-jin’s skill caused the beam of the Demon Lord’s Return to merely graze the side of his waist.

The Demon Lord watched until Baek Moo-jin twisted his body, then instantly melted the coldness of the Great White Night. Amidst this, Baek Moo-jin spun in midair, wrapping the coldness of the White Flower Formation around both arms. Baek Moo-jin instinctively intended to unleash the Four Great Arts he had most hesitated to use. Suddenly, Jin So-hye’s face flashed before his eyes.

‘Sohye…’

The Demon King struck Baek Moo-jin’s chest with his twin blades as he flew toward him at tremendous speed. At that instant, a sound like shattering bones echoed from Baek Moo-jin’s body, and Baek Moo-jin countered the Demon King’s blade force with his own ordinary twin blades.

A dull thud echoed.

Thud-thud-thud-thud!

Baek Moo-jin grimaced in pain as his body began to transform, clashing his internal energy with the Demon Lord.

The Demon King spoke in an ominous tone.

“The White Flower Demon Art won’t work.”

How could a master like Baek Moo-jin simply parry his double-sword strike? The Demon Lord had yet to realize Baek Moo-jin’s body was already transforming due to a specific Four Great Elements technique.

The Demon Lord gazed at Baek Moo-jin.

‘It’s over.’

In that instant, the Demon Lord, who had been pouring out his energy, looked down at his own arms. The coldness of the White Flower Palm was surging up his arms. The body of the Demon Lord, who had even repelled the Great White Night Demon, was being covered in white.

“Why…?”

The moment the Demon Lord uttered the words, he realized white breath was escaping his mouth. He could only swallow the rest of his words.

‘Why on earth…’

Was he freezing?

Then suddenly, the Demon Lord’s thoughts froze the instant he saw Bai Muzhen’s body. Bai Muzhen was frozen solid too.

The Snow-Clad Solitude of the Four Greats.

It implied the solitude of the Snow Robe Peak.