Myst, Might, Mayhem

Chapter 497.20 – Side Story 6 Part 3

Flame of the Abyss (3)

“Heavenly Demon!”

The being slowly descending into the center of the lava cave with his hands behind his back.

It was Heavenly Demon, the first-generation Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.

The Golden Nine-Tailed Fox, momentarily unable to control her emotions at seeing his face after a long time, seemed to regret it and turned her head to hide her flushed face.

‘I made a mistake.’

She had left for the Western Regions because she didn’t want to see his face for a while.

Just a few months ago,

‘Ah…’

She had been caught in a strange bitterness watching Heavenly Demon gently caress Cheong-ryeong’s pregnant belly with a bright smile.

Believing him to be the King of Demons spoken of in an ancient prophecy, she had thought he was her eternal partner she had been waiting for.

That’s why she had tried to imprint herself on him, pouncing on him several times.

It was her own way of trying to show that only she was a suitable partner for him, as she had truly come to like this man.

However,

‘You’re so consistent.’

In his heart, there was only one being.

A mortal who wouldn’t even live a hundred years.

He truly loved and cherished such a being.

For the first time in her life, the Golden Nine-Tailed Fox felt jealousy so intense it made her heart ache.

The happier he seemed, the stronger her wish to be the only one by his side grew, until she couldn’t bear it.

‘Let’s leave.’

If she stayed here any longer, she might not be able to control herself and kill the woman he cherished.

So she left, and for a while, she tried everything to forget him, but the heart is truly fickle – she couldn’t even last a full year.

The moment she saw Heavenly Demon’s face, her heart pounded and she couldn’t contain her joy.

It was then.

“So it was you?” Hong Hae-a spoke with a cold face.

This was because he, having learned immortal arts, had opened the Immortal Eye and could see many things invisible to ordinary eyes.

When Heavenly Demon appeared, he detected several connections stretching out around him.

‘Can he see the connections?’

At these words, Heavenly Demon’s eyes gleamed.

Connections originated from Taoism, or the Immortal Way, so the more one reached the extreme of immortal arts, the more intuitively one could perceive them.

“I thought you weren’t an ordinary guy since you knew how to make demon beasts into spirit servants, but you’re even more annoying than I expected.”

Whoosh!

As soon as Hong Hae-a finished speaking, the wheels of the Heaven and Earth Wheel began to rotate fiercely again.

Having noticed with his Immortal Eye that connections linked to his mother Iron Fan Immortal and the White Ghost King, a Great Spirit Beast on par with the Six Demons, he was at the height of vigilance at this point.

Then Iron Fan Immortal shouted towards Hong Hae-a:

“Child. Stop. This person is the one this mother serves.”

Grr!

At her cry, Hong Hae-a’s expression twisted even more fiercely.

Knowing that his mother’s thoughts were being controlled by the connection, he was now greatly enraged.

“You dare make my mother your spirit servant?”

To these words, Heavenly Demon replied nonchalantly:

“There happened to be a vacant position.”

“A vacant position?”

“More importantly, where is Alyu?”

“Alyu? Ah, you mean that pig-sounding lesser demon? Didn’t I already tell you? I said I’d spare its life if you brought the Golden Nine-Tailed Fox with your own hands.”

“Ah, is that so?”

With those words, Heavenly Demon smirked.

Then, running his hand through his hair, he spoke in a cold voice:

“That was when I didn’t know your location.”

It was very strange.

He hadn’t particularly revealed his energy or done anything special.

However, Hong Hae-a was subtly unsettled by Heavenly Demon’s words.

Unlike his father or other lesser demons, he had even learned immortal arts from immortals, so he prided himself that no one in the mortal world could match him.

But the being before him now somehow made him feel wary.

‘He’s clearly human, but…’

Seen through the Immortal Eye, he was undoubtedly human, that is, a mortal.

Yet why was his instinct, which hadn’t stirred even against the worst of the ‘pursuers’, suddenly awakening with caution?

Then the Golden Nine-Tailed Fox, who had been turning her head away, folded her arms and shouted:

“Red-haired kid. You’re really unlucky.”

“What?”

“Of all people, why did you have to mess with that man?”

“What nonsense are you spouting, fox?”

“What nonsense? The man in front of you now is someone you can’t beat even if you die and come back to life.”

“Huh?”

Hong Hae-a snorted at the Golden Nine-Tailed Fox’s words, which were close to provocation.

Though he felt cautious, a being of the mortal world ultimately had set limits.

There were only a handful among the ancient immortals who could face his current self, yet this woman who seemed to know him somewhat was spouting such nonsense?

Then the Golden Nine-Tailed Fox raised the corners of her mouth slightly and said meaningfully:

“You shouldn’t ignore this big sister’s words. That man’s hands cut off your father’s horns.”

‘!?’

At these words, one of Hong Hae-a’s eyebrows rose.

He had been wondering about something when he got hold of his father’s statue sealed as a killing stone.

It was his father’s broken horn.

Even the ancient immortals couldn’t break his father’s horns.

Yet this guy cut off the Great Strength King’s horns?

‘Has he transcended humanity?’

If he could cut the horns of the Great Strength King, who was considered the strongest in terms of power even among the Six Demons, it means he has already surpassed human limits.

“Not an immortal, not a lesser demon, and not a variant born from the convergence of heaven and earth’s energies defeated my father?”

“I’ll say it one last time. Hand over Alyu.”

Heavenly Demon warned then.

At these words, Hong Hae-a’s eyes sharpened.

“You’re quite arrogant.”

Whoosh!

As Hong Hae-a raised his hand, one of the fiercely rotating Heaven and Earth Wheels changed direction from the Golden Nine-Tailed Fox and tried to fly towards Heavenly Demon.

Then,

“Iron Fan Immortal, block it.”

Snap!

As soon as Heavenly Demon’s order fell, Iron Fan Immortal, who had been guarding in front, flew to block it.

But at that very moment,

Crackle!

Green flames erupted from Hong Hae-a’s hand.

In that state, Hong Hae-a struck the green flame with his opposite hand as if clapping.

Zap! Whoosh!

Simultaneously, the green flames caused a shockwave that spread like waves in all directions of the lava cave.

Heavenly Demon made a slashing motion with his sword qi towards the spreading green waves, and the Golden Nine-Tailed Fox also rotated one of her tails, causing it to disappear before reaching them.

Whoosh!

‘What’s this?’

The Golden Nine-Tailed Fox tilted her head.

Thinking it was an attack, she had blocked it with demonic power, but it was resolved too easily.

As she was wondering what it was, something unexpected happened as the green wave’s shockwave spread throughout the entire lava cave.

Heavenly Demon’s eyes narrowed for a moment.

This was because,

“Roar!”

The White Ghost King beat his chest and roared, then immediately knelt towards Hong Hae-a.

This change wasn’t limited to him alone.

Iron Fan Immortal, who had been trying to block the Heaven and Earth Wheel, deviated and kicked off the ground, flying to Hong Hae-a’s side.

“Mother!”

“My son!”

Hong Hae-a and Iron Fan Immortal embraced each other.

Seeing this, the Golden Nine-Tailed Fox looked at Heavenly Demon and said:

“Don’t tell me the connections were severed?”

Heavenly Demon didn’t deny her question.

The moment the green wave’s shockwave touched the White Ghost King and Iron Fan Immortal, the spirit servant connections linked to them were severed.

‘So this was the method?’

Heavenly Demon had found it strange when the connection with the demon beast Alyu was forcibly severed.

But now, seeing the method before his eyes, that question was resolved.

The moment he cut through the green wave’s shockwave emitted from the green flames, Heavenly Demon felt a strong aura of the Immortal Way.

Being deeply versed in methods as well, he realized this was a type of immortal technique.

And it was a high-level immortal technique capable of severing connections.

“My son. Thanks to you, this mother was able to prevent herself from doing something terrible.”

“How could I let that bastard dishonor you, Mother?”

“That guy is no ordinary person.”

Though her blood boiled with the desire for immediate revenge upon regaining her senses and realizing she had been made a spirit servant, having directly experienced his power, she was worried.

To these concerns of Iron Fan Immortal, Hong Hae-a smiled gently and said:

“Don’t worry, Mother. No matter how strong he is, he can’t do anything to your son.”

“But even your father…”

“I have reached a new realm called the Flame of the Abyss, surpassing the extreme of Samadhi True Fire. I dare say I now easily surpass Father in his prime.”

“Ah, my child.”

Hong Hae-a showed strong self-confidence.

Seeing her son like this, Iron Fan Immortal felt reassured but also worried.

That human’s capabilities were so difficult to fathom.

It was right then.

The White Ghost King, kneeling on the ground, shouted:

“Young Master! Because the Mistress was caught as a spirit servant, I couldn’t exert my full power. This lowly one will transform into my true form and strike down that bastard!”

Thump! Thump! Thump!

With those words, the White Ghost King stood up and beat his chest vigorously.

Then his armor decorated with snake patterns began to cover his entire body, and his physique started to grow even larger.

Along with this, his demonic power also began to increase greatly.

Seeing this, the Golden Nine-Tailed Fox said:

“That White Ghost King. It’s been a while since I’ve seen that guy too. I’ll handle that bastard, so can you take care of the red-haired kid?”

“There’s no need for that.”

“Huh?”

Whoosh!

Then Heavenly Demon slowly stepped forward with his hands still behind his back.

The White Ghost King, who had fully transformed into his true form and become enormous, let out a roar.

“Roar! You bastard! This time I’ll face you properly. You’ll pay for toying with the Mistress and me.”

Slash!

In that moment, a single black line crossed the air.

Heavenly Demon had suddenly appeared behind the White Ghost King.

The White Ghost King’s eyes, emitting white light, widened as if about to tear.

Soon, a deep blue line appeared on the neck of the astonished White Ghost King, and,

Thud!

The White Ghost King’s head fell to the ground.

Blue blood gushed like a fountain from the severed surface of his neck.

Whoosh!

Due to the heat of the lava cave, the spurting blood evaporated immediately, filling the ceiling with blue steam.

It happened so suddenly that even Iron Fan Immortal couldn’t hide her bewilderment, she was so shocked.

When transformed into the true form, one could exert several times more power than in human form.

Yet he had cut off his head the moment he transformed into his true form.

Just what is the limit of this guy?

Step step!

As fear began to arise, Heavenly Demon walked forward, still with his hands behind his back, and spoke:

“I’ve given enough warnings. From now on, you’ll be begging me to kill you.”