Chapter 161. Hell Gate

Come to think of it.

It was quite plausible for the Demonic Devil Cult to be situated in the Qilian Mountains.

The Qilian Mountains were located in the territory of the Kongtong Sect, and the Imperial Family’s army was scattered everywhere, making it a location quite free from the eyes and ears of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.

Moreover, it was easy to advance into the Central Plains when launching any operation, and conversely, it was also good for carrying out operations against the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult located in the west.

Of course, it would only be possible if they deceived the eyes and ears of the Kongtong Sect and the Imperial Family, but it went without saying that they were at least safe from the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.

‘This is going to be a big issue.’

Jin Cheon thought that this disappearance of Cheol Yu-ra might be a more serious incident than he had thought.

The Demonic Devil Cult were those who followed and worshipped the First Heavenly Demon Dokgo Seong and plotted his resurrection.

They missed the times before the current Cult Leader, the Iron-Blooded Demonic God, took power, and wanted the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult to dominate the world with evil demonic arts and overwhelming martial power.

And the ultimate goal of the Demonic Devil Cult was for the First Heavenly Demon Dokgo Seong to become a Demonic God in the true sense and reign supreme.

Since they were such people, it went without saying that they were extremely dangerous, and if they were gathered in a group, that place itself would be no different from a Den of Demons.

‘If we attack rashly, tremendous damage will occur.’

Thinking so, Jin Cheon called the group together.

“For now, Captain Dan and the Seventh Divine Demon Squad will wait here.”

“As you command.”

“And Senior Brother Yeom and Senior Brother Sa, please wait here as well.”

At Jin Cheon’s words, Yeom Bi and the Blood Qilin tilted their heads.

“What’s the matter?”

“We came all this way together, so why are you telling us to wait?”

Jin Cheon answered.

“It seems there are a large number of the Demonic Devil Cult’s crowd in the Qilian Mountains.”

“How do you know that?”

“The distance from here to the Qilian Mountains is quite far, so why are you saying that?”

Yeom Bi and the Blood Qilin could not understand at all why Jin Cheon was saying such things.

Indeed, it was natural for anyone not to believe that he sensed demonic qi from a distance that must be at least several ‘li’.

“Senior Brothers may not understand well, but I am more sensitive to demonic qi than ordinary people. Enough to clearly sense demonic qi even from a very long distance.”

“Ah?”

The Blood Qilin’s eyes shone as if he suddenly remembered.

“Is that perhaps the Heavenly Demon Command? The one you used when calling the Yama Fortress?”

“That is correct.”

“That, that’s amazing.”

The Blood Qilin clicked his tongue, recalling the Diancang Sect incident.

At that time, wasn’t not only the Blood Qilin but also the Fifth Young Master So U-bin surprised by the ability of the Heavenly Demon Command that Jin Cheon showed?

“Heavenly Demon Command? You learned that?”

Yeom Bi looked back at Jin Cheon as if he couldn’t believe it at all.

It was understandable, as it was known that none of the Iron-Blooded Demonic God’s seven disciples had learned the Heavenly Demon Command.

Since there was no story that even the First Young Master Cheon U-jin used the Heavenly Demon Command, it was no exaggeration to say that Jin Cheon was virtually the only one.

“Yes, well. It happened that way.”

“…….”

As Jin Cheon answered awkwardly, it was evident that Yeom Bi was quite shocked.

Learning the Heavenly Demon Command meant that he had seen the Heavenly Demon Scripture, and that meant Jin Cheon had the potential to become the next Heavenly Demon.

It would not be strange at all if Jin Cheon pushed aside the First Young Master Cheon U-jin, the strongest candidate for Young Cult Leader, and was selected as the Young Cult Leader.

“You, surely…….”

Yeom Bi spoke cautiously.

“No, I am not.”

Jin Cheon shook his head firmly.

“I have absolutely no thoughts of taking the position of Eldest Senior Brother.”

“Really……?”

“Yes, I have not even a speck of interest in the Young Cult Leader position, so you can put your mind at ease. If I coveted the Young Cult Leader position, would I be doing this here?”

“Hmm.”

Yeom Bi thought for a moment and then spoke.

“True. If you coveted the Young Cult Leader position, you would have been frantically training in martial arts to the death or trying to expand your power.”

“That is correct.”

“Still, if you really want to become the Young Cult Leader, it doesn’t matter to me if you do. It’s not like the Young Cult Leader position is decided to be the Eldest Senior Brother’s.”

“I tell you again, I have no such thoughts.”

“We’ll see about that. The Young Cult Leader position isn’t something you can just take if you want to, or not do if you hate it.”

“……That is.”

“Ultimately, it must be the Cult Leader’s will. Thinking about it, I said something pointless. No matter what we think or how we act, everything depends on him in the end.”

Yeom Bi came to a conclusion through his own foolish question and wise answer, and withdrew his surprise and concern about Jin Cheon.

“Anyway, Cheon-wi and I will go and take a look. Please stay here.”

Jin Cheon said that to Yeom Bi and the Blood Qilin, then looked back at Danmok Cheong.

“From now on, do not encounter anyone. Wait while staying thoroughly concealed and in cover. If you encounter anyone…….”

Jin Cheon paused for a moment and then said.

“Kill them, no matter who the opponent is.”

“……!”

Danmok Cheong was surprised by Jin Cheon’s order.

Because he knew very well that he did not give such orders easily…….

“If you think you really can’t kill them, then subdue them and hold them captive. In this surrounding area, no one can be trusted.”

“Ah.”

Only then did Danmok Cheong understand the meaning of Jin Cheon’s words.

Right now, Jin Cheon thought that the people wandering around the surrounding area, or the people living there, were likely lackeys of the Demonic Devil Cult.

It was understandable, as if many people lived in deep mountains and secluded valleys like the Qilian Mountains, they would surely need outside assistance.

In other words, it was no exaggeration to say that there was a very high probability that the people around the Qilian Mountains were connected to the Demonic Devil Cult in some way, even if they were ordinary slash-and-burn farmers.

“As you command.”

Danmok Cheong knelt on one knee toward Jin Cheon and received the order.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes, Big brother.”

Jin Cheon moved his steps toward the direction where the Qilian Mountains were located together with Dang Cheon-wi.

***

The reason Jin Cheon bothered to bring Dang Cheon-wi was that he was a fairly useful talent.

As a direct lineage of the Sichuan Tang Clan, Dang Cheon-wi possessed various useful poisons, was bright in geography because he had roamed the rugged mountains of Sichuan collecting various poisonous creatures and herbs, and used to show prominence in concealment and infiltration during his time studying at the Heavenly Martial Academy.

Since the martial artists of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, who radiated demonic qi, were fundamentally disadvantaged in concealment and infiltration, and were bound to be unskilled, Dang Cheon-wi was indeed the suitable person.

The Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief would be the most optimized person for this task, but Jin Cheon did not bring her on this journey.

‘I can’t let her get swept up in the Cult’s affairs.’

The Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief was merely a guest, not an official cultist, so he could not mobilize her for such dangerous work.

A promise is a promise.

Since Jin Cheon had promised her absolute safety and a comfortable life, he did not intend to make difficult requests.

Of course, if it was a situation where she was really needed, he would pay a fair price and ask for help, but…….

“This way.”

“Yes, Big brother.”

Jin Cheon took Dang Cheon-wi and moved along the direction where he felt the demonic qi.

How many hours had they moved?

Sssss!

When they reached the foot of the Qilian Mountains, thick fog and moisture-filled cold air welcomed Jin Cheon and Dang Cheon-wi.

“It is truly terrible Yin energy. How can it be so gloomy…….”

Dang Cheon-wi clicked his tongue.

If even Dang Cheon-wi, who had poked around the deep mountains and secluded valleys of Sichuan and visited every shaded land, showed this kind of reaction, the bleakness of the Qilian Mountains was certainly at a level beyond the ordinary.

“It’s probably reacting to the demonic qi.”

“Yes……?”

“Because powerful demonic qi encroaches on the surroundings and changes the environment.”

“But the Divine Land is…….”

There was logic in Dang Cheon-wi’s question.

No matter how many demonic practitioners swarmed in the Qilian Mountains, there wouldn’t be more than in the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.

“That is probably due to the Cult Leader’s influence.”

“Yes……?”

“The title of Heavenly Demon is not something just anyone can possess. The Heavenly Demon is an existence that leads ten thousand demons. The Heavenly Demon’s will directly influences the demonic practitioners.”

Jin Cheon’s words were true.

It was something he learned later, but the fact that the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult could transform into such a stable group now was solely thanks to the presence of the Iron-Blooded Demonic God.

Because the Iron-Blooded Demonic God’s Heavenly Demon Command encompassed the entire Divine Land, it was suppressing not only the demonic qi possessed by the demonic practitioners but also their demonic nature and madness.

‘That is why he cannot move.’

That was also one of the reasons why the Iron-Blooded Demonic God could not intervene in the human world.

“It is a story I cannot even imagine.”

Dang Cheon-wi was amazed as if he couldn’t even guess at Jin Cheon’s words.

He knew what kind of existence the Heavenly Demon was from rumors, but it was the first time he heard it directly from Jin Cheon.

“He is truly the Number One Under Heaven and a true Demonic God. Do not try to understand him within the realm of humans. Because he is a person even greater than the previous generation’s Heavenly Demon.”

“Haha…….”

“Stick close and move. Don’t get far from my side. If you get far, you might be encroached upon by the demonic qi.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

“This way.”

Jin Cheon moved deeper with Dang Cheon-wi, approaching the source of the felt demonic qi.

About one more hour after moving from there.

“……It’s a Hell Gate.”

Jin Cheon frowned, pointing at the gorge faintly visible beyond the fog.

The gorge, which looked to be at least twenty zhang high, was very narrow, enough for only about four or five people to move through.

And from within, truly terrifying demonic qi was spewing out incessantly.

The concentration of that demonic qi was so thick that even Jin Cheon, who had the Heavenly Demon’s Physique, expressed it as a Hell Gate.

“B-big brother.”

Dang Cheon-wi also seemed to feel it, as he looked back at Jin Cheon with a trembling voice.

“What on earth is that place…….”

“It’s undoubtedly the lair of the Demonic Devil Cult.”

Jin Cheon spoke while emitting demonic qi to protect Dang Cheon-wi.

Because the concentration of demonic qi was so thick, the pressure Dang Cheon-wi must be feeling was easily predictable.

“Are you going in?”

“No.”

Jin Cheon shook his head.

“Even for me, entering there is dangerous. It’s a suicidal act.”

“I think so too.”

He didn’t bother saying it to Dang Cheon-wi, but since something like a formation made of demonic qi was spread at the entrance of the gorge, approaching rashly would certainly not end well.

Moreover, the presence of demonic practitioners with demonic qi was also detected nearby, so the probability of being noticed by the Demonic Devil Cult was very high.

“How about going around and looking?”

“Go around and look?”

“Such terrain isn’t common, but there is still something like a set form.”

“……?”

“Usually, this kind of gorge terrain…….”

A story about geography flowed from Dang Cheon-wi’s mouth.

To summarize, his opinion was that if they wanted to breakthrough such a gorge, it would be better to move to a detour and look down from above rather than entering directly.

Since it was the words of Dang Cheon-wi, who had collected poisonous creatures and dug up herbs while roaming the deep mountains and secluded valleys of Sichuan, it was quite reliable advice.

After all, the Sichuan Tang Clan was a sect that essentially taught various studies regarding geography.

“Is there a detour?”

“There probably is.”

Dang Cheon-wi spoke in a confident tone.

“Looking at the mountain range, if we go this way, a terrain where we can descend from above will appear.”

Dang Cheon-wi said, pointing to the right.

“Alright, let’s go.”

Jin Cheon decided to trust Dang Cheon-wi.

At least when it came to terrain, Dang Cheon-wi would have been several times better than Jin Cheon.

***

Jin Cheon went around to the back of the gorge along the dark mountain path all night with Dang Cheon-wi.

It was a very arduous and hard task.

If the two were not martial arts experts, or if they were people unaccustomed to mountain terrain, it would not have been strange at all if they had fallen off the thousand-fathom cliff and died.

As the sun was slowly rising like that.

“It’s this way. Look over there.”

“……!”

Jin Cheon was finally able to arrive at a place where the inside of the gorge was clearly visible.

As Dang Cheon-wi said, they had succeeded in discovering a detour that did not require passing through the narrow gorge.

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