Chapter 95

When the apprentice launched one more pointless attack—his first and last.

Seizing the moment, the Sword Demon thrust his blade into the apprentice’s abdomen.

Simultaneously, the disciple injected the blood-seal technique into his left index and middle fingers, then stabbed the Sword Demon’s eyes.

Thud!

As the disciple’s fingers burned into the Sword Demon’s eyes…

“Kyaaah!”

The Sword Demon threw his head back, yanked out the fingers, and let go of his sword altogether. Clutching his eyes with both hands, he screamed.

Pitch-black darkness descended upon the world.

The Celestial Demon, witnessing the sudden calamity, immediately covered his own mouth with one hand.

He held back a laugh for a moment.

Then, glancing at Usa waiting in the darkness, he shrugged his shoulders slightly. It was a reaction saying he hadn’t expected things to turn out this way.

The apprentice drew the sword embedded in his abdomen and immediately sliced off the charging sword’s neck. Like exchanging swords, they drove blades into each other’s bodies.

Thud!

Thud!

It was the moment the apprentice finally slaughtered all five of the Swordless Ones.

As the apprentice knelt, spewing crimson blood from his mouth, Cheonma clapped as if in admiration.

“Truly worthy of your reputation. Master Doge, I am impressed. I offer my deepest respect.”

The apprentice knelt, grinning, then looked up at Cheonma.

“Did you receive the gift?”

Cheonma nodded.

“I have. Thank you for your trouble.”

The disciple gazed at Cheonma with a pitying expression before saying.

“I’ll give you one more.”

“No!”

Cheonma’s expression twisted, and he instantly closed the distance to the apprentice. In that instant, the apprentice lifted his sword, which had been planted in the ground, and stabbed it into his own dantian, dying instantly on the spot.

“Huh… This crazy old man. If this is how it ends…”

Cheonma was clutching the dead apprentice’s hair.

Cheonma stared at the apprentice’s lifeless face with a flushed expression, then chuckled softly.

“Well now, old man, you’ve managed to impress me right to the end. Excellent. Excellent. This must be what they call the White Path. Attain enlightenment.”

The disciple had realized the demons had mastered demonic arts that absorbed inner energy, and had taken his own life. Even the Demon King hadn’t imagined the disciple would end his life this way.

“Anyway, those White Path guys are no less insane, you know. Right, U-sa?”

Wrapped in black bandages inscribed with demonic markings across his entire body, Ussa finally emerged from the darkness and replied with utter brevity.

“That is correct.”

I thought it was a trick, but he was genuinely waiting.

Cheonma spoke to the Sword Demon, who sat with a despairing air, as if he had lost everything in the world, his eyes gone.

“My friend, the damage is immense. You’ve lost all your followers too.”

The Sword Demon sighed as if resigned.

“I should have killed you long ago. My mistake. Kill me quickly.”

Cheonma clicked his tongue and said.

“What the hell are you talking about, you bastard?”

Cheonma walked over, picked up the magic sword from the floor, and approached Geommma. He then placed the sword on Geommma’s knee and, kneeling on one knee, said.

“Why would I kill you?”

“Kill me. You madman.”

“You’re the only friend I have in this world.”

“I never considered you a friend to begin with.”

“Then start thinking differently from now on. Do you think I’d cast you aside just because you’re blind? Pick up your sword and rise again.”

The Sword Demon spoke as if he were truly exhausted.

“You crazy bastard. Just kill me already. Stop toying with people.”

Gemma knew full well that, blind as he was, he couldn’t escape Cheonma’s grasp.

Cheonma soothed Geomma with a pitiful expression.

“Heavenly Sword Master, my friend. Don’t embarrass yourself like this in front of your subordinates. I’ll help you up.”

Cheonma helped Gyeomma up and stood him on his feet.

As Cheonma’s hand touched his body, Geomma felt a chill run down his spine. In a way, this moment of closeness might be his only chance. Yet, judging by Cheonma’s usual disposition, he was likely already prepared.

Cheonma continued to speak as if trying to reassure him.

“Let’s get out of here first. My mistake was huge. I didn’t expect you to get caught there. Wasn’t he just a tired old man? Come on. Usa, you go and withdraw the troops. We’ll move first.”

“Understood.”

As if afraid of the Sword Demon, he pushed Cheonma aside and said.

“I can walk on my own.”

Cheonma said.

“You mad fool, how can you walk alone when you’re blind? Climb onto my back instead. Come on, climb on. If what happened earlier angers you so much, strangle me to death once you’re up there. Climb on. Just get on first. Let’s get out of here. We may kill each other, but we can’t die by the hands of the White Path, can we?”

As Cheonma approached and tapped him lightly as if urging him to mount, Geomma’s entire body trembled violently. He felt as if he were being tested continuously. Countless suspicions flashed through his mind—suspicions that perhaps, from childhood until now, he had been nothing but a plaything.

The Sword Demon spoke.

“Get on my back. I’ll strangle you to death, and then I’ll die too.”

As Cheonma hoisted the Sword Demon onto his back, he retorted.

“Do as you please. First, let’s get out of here.”

Cheonma truly performed lightness kung fu while carrying Geomma on his back. Geomma wanted to snap Cheonma’s neck and kill him, but he knew that if Cheonma died, he would lose his eyesight, and a truly bleak world would unfold.

Blood streaming from both eyes, the Sword Demon demanded,

“You orchestrated all of this. You killed the Twelve Demon Swords that vanished. Tell me the truth.”

The Heavenly Demon countered while performing his lightness skill.

How could I possibly have orchestrated all this? That I risked my life alone to enter the Namgung clan, summoned the Master, and then cut out your eyes? Does that even make sense? I don’t know what happened to the missing Twelve Demon Swords either. We both underestimated the Master’s strength. And it’s not just the Twelve Demon Swords. The man I took in as my left-hand man seems to be dead too. Yet I never suspected you. Did you kill him?”

“No way.”

How could we possibly plan for something like this? It’s the result of my lack of virtue, and my own foolishness in pretending to be clever. And I didn’t help you earlier only because I feared you. We’ve always feared each other. That’s what brought things to this point. If I’d truly intended to kill you, I would’ve joined forces with U-sa earlier. Will you make the mistake of losing both your men and your friend? Or are you content to collapse like this, merely losing your sight? Are there only one or two blind swordsmen in the martial world? Pull yourself together. I’ll devise a plan.”

“What method? How could there be any method when I’ve gone blind?”

“Let’s go to the Palace of Ten Thousand Demons. I’ll ask them to find some demonic art that can replace your eyes and pass it on to you. They must have something there. Isn’t it a place where demons, who like us aren’t treated as humans, gather? I’ll tear out the eyes of an evil spirit and give them to you. You’re still alive, aren’t you? I’ll find a way.”

“Just treat me first.”

“Alright. We’ll treat you first. Once your vitality is restored, we’ll go to the Palace of Ten Thousand Demons. I’ll handle everything there.”

The Sword Demon gave no reply. It was impossible to tell whether the liquid streaming from his eyes was blood or tears; he could no longer see.

As Cheonma increased his speed again, he spoke to the Sword Demon, who kept his lips tightly sealed.

“I will be your eyes. You need not worry.”

In that instant, the Sword Demon’s heart turned as black as pitch.

‘I just want to kill them all.’

As the Sword Demon remained silent, the Heavenly Demon smiled without a sound and unleashed his lightness skill. The two old friends raced through the night for a long while.

Amidst it all, the Black Mage’s heart, having lost his sight, was burning black as the darkness that revealed nothing.

.

.

.

While Cheonma and Geomma were discussing what they considered friendship.

Danwooseong was also standing night watch alone with Cheolmyeongho for the first time in a long while. There wasn’t much to do. They’d lit a bonfire near the carriage waiting by the inn, gazed at the flames, and then looked up at the night sky. Since Baekyak’s men weren’t Danwooseong’s subordinates, this was something Cheolmyeongho and Danwooseong had volunteered for. This too contrasted with Cheonma, who had absorbed Geomma’s followers.

Cheolmyeongho said.

“We need to bring in more firewood.”

Danwooseong replied.

“Go get it.”

Cheol Myeong-ho replied in a lowered voice.

“I already brought some twice earlier, you old fool.”

His Majesty sighed and went to fetch more firewood. As he brought it back, Dan Wooseong let out a hollow laugh. Even if he became the greatest under heaven, Cheol Myeongho would still be the sort to curse him to his face.

Of course, the opposite scenario was unlikely, but even if Cheol Myeong-ho did become the best under heaven, he’d still have to endure Dan Woo-seong’s daily insults.

As Dan Wooseong tossed dry firewood onto the bonfire, Cheol Myeongho spoke.

“Are all martial artists crazy?”

“Why the sudden question?”

“No, our master is cool, but he doesn’t seem quite right in the head. And Baek Sojeo… how should I put it? She’s too cheerful. She was eating her meal so happily while you were fighting outside. Of course, she probably thought you’d win, but still. It’s amazing she could swallow her food in that situation. Senior Sword Master is peculiar too.”

“They’re martial artists. They’re not all crazy. And you’re no less out of your mind yourself.”

“That’s true. But I’ve recently realized that my madness was all for the sake of one day stepping out into the martial world. Call it fate.”

“You idiot, bullshit.”

Cheolmyeongho asked.

“So these so-called ‘demon cultivators’ have appeared? I heard our master brother came back to the martial world because of them. Senior Sword Master too.”

“They’ve already appeared. I’ve killed a few of them. Some of them weren’t pierced by blades or spears.”

Cheol Myeong-ho’s eyes widened.

“Spears and swords couldn’t pierce them? How did you kill them?”

“I tore them apart.”

“Ah, like jerky?”

Dan Wooseong nodded, and Cheol Myeongho pulled out some jerky from his pocket and tossed it to him.

The two men chewed on the jerky for a moment.

Cheol Myeong-ho spoke while chewing the jerky.

“Still, it’s better than counting money at a gambling den. Right now. How high do you think I rank in the martial world? I’m asking seriously. No bullshit.”

Dan Woosung paused chewing the jerky and clasped his hands together as he spoke.

“Still…”

“Hmm.”

“Wouldn’t I be within the top ten thousand? Twenty thousand?”

“Can’t you hear the dogs barking in the wilderness? This is ridiculous. The Eight Dragon Sect Master himself said he’s among the top two hundred. Since I’m neck and neck with him, I must be that good too. He’s talking about ten thousand people. What rank are you?”

Cheol Myeong-ho’s question drew a sly smile from Dan Woo-seong.

Dan Woosung suddenly looked at the inn where Gwangshin was sleeping and replied.

“Looks like there aren’t many left now.”

“Stop showing off.”

“It’s not bragging. It’s the truth.”

Even combining the Three Sages, the Star of the North, the Overlord, the Sword Master, and the Sword Disciple, there are only seven. Adding the two called the strongest in the Black Path brings the total to nine. Even if the First Under Heaven appears, it still doesn’t reach ten. However, Dan Woo-sung had information about their strength from his previous life, so he expected to rank somewhere in the middle among these ten.

So, the truth was that only a few remained.

He excluded the Demon Path entirely.

Because he intended to kill them all, whether they were strong or weak.

Cheol Myeong-ho dusted off his buttocks and stood up, then demonstrated his spear technique once before Dan Woo-seong’s eyes.

As the Fang Tian Hua Jue moved, the wind stirred.

After completing the entire spear technique, Cheolmyeongho asked Danwooseong while still holding the Fang Tian Hua Jue spear.

“How was that? My skill.”

Danwooseong answered honestly.

“Pathetic.”

Suddenly, Cheol Myeong-ho looked at Dan Woo-seong and smiled. It was a strange smile. As if he intended to repeat the spear technique, Cheol Myeong-ho swung the Fang Heaven Spear and said.

“Someday, I’ll say this to you. Hey, friend. It seems there aren’t many left in the martial world who can match me. You better watch your back too.”

Dan Woo-sung sat back comfortably and retorted.

“That day will never come. You lunatic.”

Cheolmyeongho replied as if he had already become a martial artist.

“It could happen. Didn’t that scoundrel from the gambling den already master the spear technique? If that good-for-nothing heir of the Galaxy Trading Guild grew this strong, why couldn’t I? Our master’s elder brother was the senior of the Sword Master’s senior—it wouldn’t be strange at all.”

Cheol Myeong-ho said as he swung his Fang Heaven Flower Spear.

“Anyway, if that happens… it seems like it’ll be a splendid martial world.”

While the Heavenly Demon and Sword Demon roamed the pitch-black darkness, Danwooseong and Cheolmyeongho were spending a quiet, ordinary night.

ⓒ Yoo Jin-seong