Chapter 556: Return to the Demon Sect
Neung Un-pa stared at Sabi Kang, who had appeared before him, and twisted his lips into a sneer.
“Well, well, who do we have here? The one everyone reveres…”
Swoosh!
Boom!
Without warning, Sabi Kang lunged forward, thrusting his sword, Veritas, straight at Neung Un-pa’s face.
Neung Un-pa barely managed to block the attack, retreating swiftly with a furrowed brow.
“How rude. I was in the middle of speaking…”
Swoosh, clang!
Once again, Sabi Kang ignored Neung Un-pa’s words and launched another attack.
It was clear—there would be no conversation.
Sabi Kang’s relentless assault left no room for words.
Neung Un-pa, realizing this, hardened his expression and focused on defending himself, occasionally counterattacking.
Clang! Boom!
The heavens and earth seemed to tremble.
Each clash of their swords lit up the sky like lightning, and the ground shook as if an earthquake had struck.
It was a battle between beings who had transcended humanity.
“Hahaha! Sabi Kang! You truly are no ordinary human!”
Sabi Kang continued his fierce onslaught without a word.
Clang! Clang!
Finally, Sabi Kang’s Veritas sliced across Neung Un-pa’s chest, leaving a long gash.
Sssshhh!
A diagonal slash appeared, and black smoke billowed from Neung Un-pa’s chest.
Yet, the wound quickly healed, leaving only a faint scar.
Neung Un-pa’s eyes glinted with intrigue.
“Impressive. No wonder everyone looks up to you…”
Swoosh!
Sabi Kang attacked once more.
“Enough!”
Neung Un-pa gritted his teeth and raised his sword to block.
Clang!
A deafening noise erupted, sending shockwaves in all directions.
Neung Un-pa twisted his lips into a smirk.
“Pathetic… You think you can keep climbing just because I let you? Have you lost your tongue?”
Sabi Kang, with a calm expression, muttered to himself.
“Conversations are for people.”
“Haha, your arrogance never fails to amuse me…!”
Thud!
Sabi Kang spun around and kicked Neung Un-pa in the chest.
Neung Un-pa spread his wings wide to brace himself, but Sabi Kang brought Veritas down from above.
Clang!
Whoosh, boom!
Neung Un-pa crashed to the ground like a comet, creating a massive crater.
The impact sent the soldiers below flying like autumn leaves, scattering them in disarray.
As Sabi Kang descended slowly to the ground,
“Kill him!”
“Filthy human!”
“Know your place! Kill him!”
The soldiers, who had been thrown aside, rushed at Sabi Kang in a frenzy.
But Sabi Kang didn’t even glance at them as he drew Veritas from its sheath.
Swoosh!
Boom!
The soldiers who were hit by Sabi Kang’s sword energy exploded and died.
What Sabi Kang had just used was the Meteor Sword Technique of the Ilseong Sword Sect.
When Sabi Kang had protected the sect during his exile, Dan Li-chu had taught him this secret technique as a token of gratitude.
Normally, such a thing would be unthinkable, but in a time when humanity’s survival was at stake, clinging to a secret technique seemed foolish.
Remarkably, Sabi Kang had grasped the essence of the Meteor Sword Technique at a glance.
Moreover, he had infused it with mana to create a variant called the ‘Meteor Explosive Sword.’
The soldiers, having been decimated by Sabi Kang’s strike, hesitated to attack again.
Meanwhile, Neung Un-pa slowly rose from the rubble.
He dusted off the dirt and cracked his neck.
“You’re certainly no ordinary human.”
“No, I’m just a human. It’s you who’s no longer human.”
“Fascinating!”
With that, Neung Un-pa shot forward like an arrow.
Boom!
The battle resumed once more.
**
On a distant cliff overlooking the basin of Daewoon Mountain.
Adler and Jacock stood side by side, observing the fierce battle unfolding below.
“That’s him. Sabi Kang…”
“A regressor, how intriguing.”
Jacock’s words prompted Adler to murmur with interest.
Jacock nodded in agreement.
“I was surprised too when I received the revelation. Who would have thought there’d be a regressor among humans?”
“So, he knows about the future?”
“Most likely.”
“How interesting. He’ll make a fine prey for me.”
“Be careful, though. You never know.”
“Unnecessary worry.”
Adler grinned wickedly, licking his lips.
Jacock watched the battle between Sabi Kang and Neung Un-pa with half-closed eyes.
Their clash was nothing short of awe-inspiring.
Jacock clicked his tongue.
“Neung Un-pa is beyond Helmut.”
“He’s exceeded my expectations too.”
“But at this rate, Sabi Kang will win.”
“It can’t be helped. He hasn’t fully adapted to his enhanced body yet. He needs a bit more time, don’t you think?”
Jacock glanced at Adler.
“Will you intervene?”
“I must. Besides…”
Adler’s gaze lingered on Sabi Kang.
“I’m curious about his future. And what I might become there. Ideally, I’d like to take him under my wing.”
“Don’t ruin him. He seems like a promising talent.”
“Leave it to me.”
“Then I’ll return to the Black Star first.”
With that, Jacock’s form vanished like smoke.
Adler remained, unable to tear his eyes away from the scene.
He looked at Neung Un-pa with a gaze full of affection.
“A masterpiece indeed. But still incomplete. You’ll need to return to the Black Star to further hone your abilities. You’ve shown enough potential.”
His lips curled into a slow smile.
**
“Huff, huff, huff…!”
Neung Un-pa panted heavily.
He couldn’t understand.
‘Why…? He’s still human, isn’t he?’
Frustration boiled within him.
He had given up everything to become a demon, yet he couldn’t defeat Sabi Kang.
While he was out of breath, Sabi Kang remained calm.
Sabi Kang’s expression was unshaken, devoid of anger, sadness, or despair.
It was astonishing how a human could maintain such a perfect poker face.
“Damn it…!”
Neung Un-pa gritted his teeth and summoned his demonic power.
At that moment,
Crack…! Snap!
”…!”
Neung Un-pa paused, looking at his arm.
His skin was splitting, and black smoke seeped out.
His demonic power was leaking.
His body couldn’t withstand the sudden surge of power.
Sabi Kang narrowed his eyes and asked.
“What’s happening? Is your body breaking down? It seems you’ve gained power beyond your means. That’s how it is with people. When you chase after immediate desires, you end up destroying yourself.”
“Sabi Kang…”
“I used to like you. I even felt sorry for you. But emotions like that arise when something deep within a person is stirred. In the end, you weren’t as pure as you thought.”
“Shut up! Sabi Kang!”
Neung Un-pa shouted, launching himself off the ground.
Sabi Kang steeled his expression and adjusted his grip on Veritas.
This would be the final blow.
It wasn’t a fight to be drawn out.
Sabi Kang knew.
With time, Neung Un-pa would grow stronger.
But for now, his body couldn’t handle the sudden power.
If given time, he would fully adapt to it.
That’s how evil works, isn’t it?
At first, committing a crime makes your heart race.
Because the vessel for evil is weak.
But after committing evil acts two or three times, your conscience stops reacting.
The vessel for evil has become stronger.
The same goes for becoming a demon.
Initially, the body can’t handle the overflowing demonic power, but over time, it adapts.
So, he had to end it before Neung Un-pa’s body adapted to that demonic power.
With a swift movement, Sabi Kang launched himself off the ground.
In an instant,
A shadow appeared between them.
It was Adler.
Boom!
Adler extended his hand and struck Neung Un-pa, sending him flying.
“Ugh!”
Neung Un-pa let out a dying scream as he was flung away.
Simultaneously, dozens of tendrils sprouted from Adler’s face.
Sssshhh!
The tendrils latched onto Sabi Kang’s body, as if they had suction cups, and began channeling energy.
At the same time, a thick black mist spread around Adler and Sabi Kang.
Adler was connecting to Sabi Kang’s consciousness.
Meanwhile, Neung Un-pa, who had been thrown aside, got up and prepared to charge again but hesitated, observing the situation.
Instinctively, he knew it wasn’t the time to intervene.
After what seemed like a single deep breath,
The dense mist enveloping Adler and Sabi Kang suddenly vanished.
“Is it over already?”
Neung Un-pa frowned deeply as he watched.
In the realm of consciousness, what might take years can pass in mere moments in reality.
Yet something seemed off about Adler, who had just emerged from that mental world.
His expression was ashen, and he was trembling slightly.
Meanwhile, Sabi-gang looked at Adler with a smile that seemed almost sinister.
“Adler. Seeing you like this brings back memories.”
“Eek…!”
Adler recoiled in shock, stumbling backward and landing on his rear.
His eyes were filled with unmistakable fear as he looked at Sabi-gang.
Neung Un-pa tilted his head in confusion and started to approach, but—
“Haaah!”
Adler quickly planted his hands on the ground, letting out a sharp cry.
He muttered something in the language of the demon realm, and—
Rumble! Crack!
The basin darkened once more, filling with a sticky, tar-like liquid.
Sabi-gang swiftly leaped into the air, soaring above.
Adler stretched his hands toward the sky, behaving like a child who had seen a terrifying ghost.
Whoosh!
A translucent black barrier formed a dome, isolating Sabi-gang.
Moments later, the basin within the barrier seemed to fill with black smoke, and then—
Poof!
As if by magic, the demon soldiers that had filled the area vanished.
Adler and Neung Un-pa also disappeared without a trace.
Simultaneously, the divine beast that had been holding its ground around Daewoon Mountain dissipated into black smoke, scattering like dust.
Sabi-gang chuckled softly.
“Adler, looks like you got quite the scare.”
Muttering to himself, Sabi-gang slowly flew toward Gu-yun and Ak-cheon-gwe, who were still in a daze.