Chapter 162. Nice to Meet You

Although the detour was narrow enough that only one person could barely pass, and also very steep so that just a slight misstep would be good for falling down a thousand-fathom precipice.

However, for a martial artist above a certain level, it was a sufficiently surmountable level, so there seemed to be no particular difficulty in infiltrating.

This meant that the martial artists of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult could infiltrate the stronghold of the Demonic Devil Cult without passing through the narrow gorge, so it was truly a great discovery.

Thanks to this one detour, they would reduce enormous casualties…….

“You established a great merit.”

“No, I didn’t.”

Dang Cheon-wi shook his head.

“What merit is there in helping Big brother? I am just glad I could be of help. Haha.”

“Rascal.”

Jin Cheon grinned seeing Dang Cheon-wi laughing awkwardly.

I knew he would be helpful…….

“No. It is a great discovery. If we had to break through the gorge to attack them, we would have had to pay a great sacrifice.”

“Haha.”

“I will report this matter directly to the Cult Leader so that sufficient rewards go to you and the Tang Clan, so you can look forward to it.”

“Ay, what reward. What need is there for such things between Big brother and me.”

“There must be.”

Jin Cheon spoke decisively.

“Our Cult does not ignore those who establish merit. Nor do we take it for granted. If you established some merit, you are bound to receive a reward corresponding to it.”

“Yes……?”

“It means the rewards and punishments are certain. That is the act of setting our Cult’s law straight.”

“Ah……!”

“So don’t say anything and just accept it gratefully when the reward comes down. It’s not like you can establish merit anytime.”

“I, I understand.”

Hearing Jin Cheon’s words, Dang Cheon-wi thought that the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult might be a different group from what he had thought.

Indeed, the appearance of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult he had seen, heard, and felt directly while staying at Jin Cheon’s house was completely different from what he had only heard in words.

Although he grew up hearing that the Demonic Cult was a devil’s den swarming with wicked devils, experiencing it firsthand was not like that.

As Dang Cheon-wi felt it, the Demonic Cult was also a place where people lived.

Of course, the fact that a massive reform took place after the current Cult Leader, the Iron-Blooded Demonic God, took power played a big part, though.

“Anyway, you stay here. I will go alone and take a look.”

“It is too dangerous, Big brother. Let’s go together.”

“You aren’t a demonic practitioner.”

“That is…….”

“Down there, without possessing demonic qi, you won’t last even a moment.”

“Ah.”

“Stay here for now. I will go down, take a look, and come back.”

“Yes, Big brother.”

Dang Cheon-wi did not insist.

He was worried about sending Jin Cheon alone, but in fact, for a martial artist who learned righteous arts to go down below that gorge was not an easy task.

Even now, due to the demonic qi creeping up from below the gorge, his breath was blocked and his qi and blood were unstable…….

“I’ll be back.”

“Please go safely.”

Jin Cheon began to carefully descend the gorge while receiving Dang Cheon-wi’s send-off.

***

‘Truly terrible.’

Jin Cheon shuddered at the demonic qi even while descending the gorge.

The demonic qi was so strong that even Jin Cheon was clicking his tongue.

If it were an ordinary person who learned no martial arts, without a handful of internal energy, the moment they set foot here, they would have died instantly while bleeding from the seven orifices.

Of course, that was merely the perspective of ordinary people or ordinary martial artists.

For Jin Cheon, who had the Heavenly Demon’s Physique, the thickness of the demonic qi was not a problem at all.

Rather, it was good.

‘Power is overflowing.’

Jin Cheon instinctively sensed that his body became more powerful by absorbing the surrounding demonic qi.

To the Heavenly Demon’s Physique, powerful demonic qi was good nourishment, never something harmful.

Perhaps because of that, the further Jin Cheon went down the gorge, the more comfort he felt instead.

It was cozy like a baby in a cradle, to the point where he even thought that the Heavenly Demon’s Physique wasn’t called the Heavenly Demon’s Physique for nothing.

‘Let’s assimilate.’

As soon as Jin Cheon came down the gorge, he circulated the Heavenly Demon Divine Qi to synchronize the surrounding demonic qi with his own demonic qi.

It was to melt into the space itself so as not to have his presence detected by the demonic practitioners of the Demonic Devil Cult swarming inside the gorge.

If it were another place, he wouldn’t know, but if the demonic qi was dense like this, it was fully possible.

Step step!

Just in time, demonic practitioners wearing dark red martial arts uniforms and masks passed nearby, but they seemed not to notice the concealed Jin Cheon at all.

‘Let’s slowly look around.’

Jin Cheon roamed the inside of the gorge with very careful steps, deciding to find out what was happening here.

The security inside the gorge was looser than he thought, but that didn’t seem particularly strange.

Since the stronghold of the Demonic Devil Cult located in the narrow gorge was a natural fortress in itself, the internal vigilance wouldn’t need to be strict.

‘Many. It looks to be over two hundred at least.’

Jin Cheon deduced the approximate number of people residing in here by looking at the straw huts built here and there.

Also, even without looking at the scale, it was a piece of cake for Jin Cheon to figure out the personnel inside the gorge.

‘Let’s see.’

Jin Cheon could gauge the number of demonic practitioners inside the gorge and the amount of demonic qi they possessed through the Qi Sense of the Heavenly Demon’s Physique.

And the result was…….

‘Crazy.’

Jin Cheon clicked his tongue after finding out how many demonic practitioners were inside the gorge and how strong the demonic qi they possessed was.

The number was just as he guessed, but the problem was the amount of demonic qi they possessed.

The crowd of the Demonic Devil Cult were masters who possessed demonic qi comparable to the martial artists belonging to the top martial power organizations of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult individually.

Was that all?

‘Strong bastards.’

There were over seven demonic practitioners of Elder level or higher, but the problem was that wasn’t all.

From the cave located deep inside the gorge over there, unspeakably intense demonic qi was spewing out incessantly, and there were as many as five existences there that made even Jin Cheon tense.

‘This seems like Senior Sister…….’

The problem was that the strongest demonic qi was spewing out from the existence presumed to be Cheol Yu-ra.

Since this was something not felt from the usual Cheol Yu-ra, Jin Cheon was quite flustered.

‘Did those bastards do something to Senior Sister?’

Jin Cheon wanted to go directly into the cave to find out a bit more, but even that didn’t look easy.

Because four martial artists of the Demonic Devil Cult were guarding the cave entrance, it was impossible to enter without even a mouse or bird knowing.

‘This can’t be helped.’

Jin Cheon had no choice but to withdraw and go back up the gorge.

This was enough reconnaissance.

Since he found out what level the enemies’ combat power was and what the internal terrain was like, there would be no need to overdo it anymore.

Because if he caused a useless disturbance, let alone rescuing Cheol Yu-ra, he would lose even the tactical advantage of having found out the detour.

***

Jin Cheon, who went back up the gorge, joined Dang Cheon-wi and immediately returned to the place where the group was waiting.

“……So it seems the bastards are conducting some kind of grand art targeting Senior Sister.”

At Jin Cheon’s words, the Blood Qilin and Yeom Bi were tremendously furious.

“These dog-like bastards dare to play tricks with Senior Sister?”

“We must smash all their heads right away.”

The Blood Qilin and Yeom Bi’s rage was truly terrifying, to the point where demonic qi spewed out incessantly and encroached on the surroundings.

“Kuek!”

It was so bad that Dang Cheon-wi clutched his chest and suffered.

“Calm down for now.”

Jin Cheon soothed the Blood Qilin and Yeom Bi.

“Right now, it is absolutely impossible. We definitely need the Cult’s support, so please restrain yourselves.”

Jin Cheon was also worried about Cheol Yu-ra just the same, but for now, there was no choice but to wait until support arrived.

No matter how strong Jin Cheon’s group was, attacking the lair of the Demonic Devil Cult was a suicidal act, so patience was not a choice but a necessity even if it was frustrating.

“Captain Dan.”

“Yes, Liege.”

“Send a letter to the Cult. Do not forget to say to come as quickly and secretly as possible.”

“I understand.”

“And.”

Jin Cheon added.

“The necessary combat power is…… convey that it would be good if the Asura Blood Sword Unit came if possible.”

“Yeees?!”

Danmok Cheong’s face turned pale blue.

It wasn’t just Danmok Cheong.

“To that extent?”

“What on earth is over there?”

Even the Blood Qilin and Yeom Bi were quite surprised and looked back at the Qilian Mountains visible in the distance.

What kind of group was the Asura Blood Sword Unit?

Weren’t they those who lived only for the sword, demonic arts, and loyalty to the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult?

It was to the point where the moment they became members of the Asura Blood Sword Unit, they wore the mask of Asura, erased even their own selves, and devoted their entire lives only to training demonic arts and missions.

Requesting the deployment of such the strongest and worst martial power group of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult was because of the judgment that the crowd of the Demonic Devil Cult swarming inside the gorge was that dangerous.

“It is beyond what I imagined. It doesn’t seem to be the headquarters, but it is extremely dangerous so shouldn’t we be fully prepared? Moreover, since Senior Sister’s life is in danger, deploying the Asura Blood Sword Unit is the most certain way. And to stop the formation set at the gorge entrance and the grand art proceeding inside the internal cave, an excellent sorcerer is also needed.”

Jin Cheon said so and explained in detail to Danmok Cheong about the necessary combat power.

“As you command.”

Danmok Cheong wrote down Jin Cheon’s order without getting a single letter wrong and sent the letter.

“Still, thanks to you, we found a way to safely rescue Senior Sister. Friendly casualties will also be reduced. You did well. I thought the Orthodox Faction bastards were all trash.”

“Haha.”

At the Blood Qilin’s praise, Dang Cheon-wi scratched the back of his head as if embarrassed.

“I think it is fortunate that I could be of help to your Cult.”

“Flattery.”

“Flattery, that is absurd. I only wish to be of help to Brother Jin. Besides, aren’t the Main Family and your Cult scheduled to cooperate through a smooth relationship in the future?”

“Well, that is also true.”

“I am glad I could be of help, however small.”

“Hmph.”

The Blood Qilin snorted.

“Saying that, how do we know when you’ll turn? Don’t you think I know that Orthodox Faction bastards are all different on the outside and inside and insidious?”

“Haha…….”

He spoke like that, but the Blood Qilin didn’t seem to dislike Dang Cheon-wi that much.

Perhaps he was gradually opening his heart to Dang Cheon-wi’s unique amiability and affinity.

“Then what do we do now?”

“As I told you just now, we just have to wait quietly.”

Jin Cheon answered Yeom Bi’s question.

“Right now, we have no choice but to watch the bastards until the main unit arrives.”

“Right.”

Yeom Bi nodded, but he looked anxious to attack the Demonic Devil Cult’s lair right away.

“Please wait a little. Until the Cult’s reinforcement troops arrive.”

Jin Cheon calmed Yeom Bi down while not taking his eyes off the map and the Heaven and Earth Treasure Box.

Because he didn’t know if the Demonic Devil Cult might move Cheol Yu-ra somewhere else, it was to confirm her location in real-time.

Ten days later.

The elite martial artists of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult arrived at the place where Jin Cheon’s group was concealed.

And Jin Cheon faced a person he had never met before.

“Nice to meet you.”

Cheon U-jin.

The first disciple of the Iron-Blooded Demonic God, the First Young Master of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, and the person who was the Eldest Senior Brother to Jin Cheon had come directly to the Qilian Mountains.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep