Chapter 537: Chapter 537

Demon Lord slammed the table and shouted. Blood flowed from his fist, but he did not stop.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Kwaddeudeuk—

The table shattered to pieces. Shards flew everywhere, and some subordinates dodged.

His eyes rolled wildly.

The corners of his mouth twitched like a spasm, and veins bulged on his forehead.

It was a dangerous expression mixed with madness.

The six subordinates in the room held their breath.

A sign that appears just before someone dies or something is destroyed.

Demon Lord suddenly spoke in a gentle voice. The abrupt change made it even more chilling.

“So, when did he go?”

“About half a day ago.”

“……” Thɪs chapter is updated by novel-fire.ɴet

When there was no answer, Demon Lord chuckled.

“So no one knew after all. Well, who would have thought that Yu Pae, my right hand, would betray me? And take the entire Blood Killing Squad with him.”

His flashing gaze contained anger and sorrow.

And creeping up slowly were strange excitement and glee.

Tap. Tap. Footsteps. Footsteps.

The subordinates’ expressions hardened at the sound of footsteps.

Someone was coming to Demon Lord’s room at such a critical time.

Demon Lord’s gaze turned belatedly toward the door.

A figure with their face covered in white cloth and a brown cloak over a tattered robe. The air grew cold.

He was Demon Lord’s shadow, the Supreme Demon Warrior Heuk-gyeong, known to only a few.

“I’ve heard the news.”

The deep voice echoed through the room.

“What do you intend to do?”

Demon Lord looked up at the ceiling instead of answering. He mumbled as he traced something in the air with his finger.

“Without the token… we’ll obviously lose to great sahyung… and be overwhelmed by Fang Spirit and the Earth Demon alliance…”

Then he looked at Heuk-gyeong and spoke.

“Should we just give up?”

“It seems hopeless anyway. We’ll be outmatched by Great sahyung, and can’t stand against Fang Spirit and the Earth Demon alliance. Isn’t it better to give up easily?”

Demon Lord’s voice grew languid. He looked like he had let everything go.

But Heuk-gyeong knew. He could see the calculation flashing in that gaze.

“Then I’ll go kill Yu Pae and come back.”

“Even if I die in the attempt, a traitor must be eliminated.”

Demon Lord waved his hand.

Heuk-gyeong’s eyes sharpened at that remark.

At the same time, the coiled killing intent began to unfurl.

“Well, in a way it’s similar… but right now the Earth Demon is backing him. You’ve heard the rumors, right?”

Hyang-gae and Shi Ah-young.

And the Shadowless Twelve Guards and numerous warriors from Jade Women Hall.

Demon Lord reminded them once more that the Earth Demon had subdued them all alone.

When Heuk-gyeong gave no response, Demon Lord stood up and said.

“You, come with me somewhere.”

“And the two palace heads behind you. You three follow as well.”

He referred to the people of Strange Being Troops. One of the people heads tentatively spoke.

Demon Lord paused briefly, then turned and continued.

“I should meet Great sahyung after all.”

Lingering Garden Palace inner pavilion.

Early morning. Red light slanted through the eastern window.

It was originally a resting place where the Cult Leader’s disciples gathered, but today only two sat facing each other.

End Demon stared out the window with a stern face. The morning sun stained the side of his face red.

Demon Lord was quiet.

He was peeling an apple with a small dagger in his hand. Sssk— sssk— the thin skin spiraled off.

“How on earth did the situation get …”

Demon Lord spoke first. The blade paused for a moment, then moved again.

“Great sahyung—he planned to deceive us from the start.”

When the apple peel broke and fell to the floor, Demon Lord continued.

End Demon remained silent.

“If not, how else could it have happened on that battlefield…?”

Hyang-gae and Shi Ah-young, and the deaths of the two Supreme Demon Warrior.

Demon Lord’s hand tightened.

The blade sank deep into the apple.

“How on earth did he deceive us? Even great sahyung’s eyes… even if mine were fooled…”

End Demon turned his head, the sound of his neck moving audible.

“Are you saying the Cult Leader saw it all wrong?”

The morning air froze cold.

“It’s already in the past.”

End Demon’s voice was like frost.

“I don’t have the luxury to dwell on such things.”

Then Demon Lord’s dagger moved slowly. He cut the apple into eight pieces and handed four pieces to End Demon.

“But why did you ask to see me?”

In response to End Demon’s question, he set down the dagger and said.

End Demon’s eyelids moved slowly. For the first time, he looked Demon Lord squarely in the face.

His voice grew quite serious.

“Isn’t this the only way now? Yu Pae betrayed us, and Fang Spirit and the Earth Demon have allied. Rather than being picked off one by one…”

End Demon’s fist struck the table. Apple pieces scattered from the impact.

“If there are two leaders, the organization will split. Do you suggest this knowing that?”

Demon Lord politely rose. He picked up a scattered apple piece and placed it back in the bowl, then answered.

“I know exactly what I’m saying.”

He then took a bite of the apple and continued.

“Why don’t I enter under great sahyung’s command?”

End Demon’s fingertip tapped the table. A fine crack appeared in the marble.

Contempt laced End Demon’s voice.

Demon Lord gave a bitter smile. The apple’s sweetness turned bitter in his mouth.

“Does pride feed you? Surviving comes first.”

End Demon leaned forward. A huge shadow covered the table. The morning light was blocked.

A wave of pressure hit. The apple would not go down Demon Lord’s throat.

“I’ll prove anything. Shall I kneel here?”

He stood beside the chair, then immediately knelt and bowed his head.

“The Cult Leader’s second disciple, Demon Lord. From today, I will faithfully serve great sahyung as my lord.”

At that, End Demon finally reacted. For one thing, disciples did not utter the word ‘lord’ lightly.

Especially doing such an act in front of subordinates showed that his words were sincere.

One could not easily dismiss the bowing of the head.

Demon Lord slightly lifted his head and continued.

“There’s just one thing I’d ask.”

“Tell me where the Demonic Cult’s Cave is.”

End Demon reflexively furrowed his brow.

The Demon Cult’s Cave is a place only the Cult Leader may enter.

It housed various wondrous arts and peerless manuals.

In short, no one but the Cult Leader should enter.

“I know. Among the disciples, only the great sahyung knows its location.”

“Why do you want to go there?”

“I want to find my final path. Can I, with my skills, even brush great sahyung’s sleeve? I want to let go of everything and master martial arts there. Wouldn’t that help?”

“Even though you know that once inside, you cannot leave without surpassing Supreme Demon?”

‘This guy, is he going to use some sorcery?’

End Demon roughly guessed Demon Lord’s intent. He himself had lost the power and support to turn the situation around.

By ordinary means there was no path left.

Strange Being troops used ancient manuals and secret texts; possessing that power, he likely intended to use them.

“There’s an easier way.”

In an instant, End Demon’s sword pointed toward Demon Lord’s nape.

“Kill you and it’s over.”

Despite the sudden threat, Demon Lord did not blink.

“Then great sahyung is finished too.”

He looked even more at ease than before.

“Who would be more disadvantaged: me without the token, or great sahyung without me?”

End Demon’s sword tip pressed against Demon Lord’s skin.

A drop of blood traced down the blade.

Then it slowly fell onto the table.

After a brief silence, End Demon stepped up to the table.

He smeared something with the wet blood and then turned away.

And with that, he turned away.

Left alone, Demon Lord sat down, dazed.

He picked up an apple that had fallen to the floor.

He touched the wound on his neck. Sticky blood smeared his fingers. Mixed with apple juice, it gave a strange smell.

He bit into the crushed apple and muttered.

“The Demonic Cult’s cave… this will be really interesting. Ha ha ha.”

His eyes flashed again. All other emotions vanished, leaving only madness and excitement.

Sunlight leaking through dense ancient trees barely filtered through leaves, casting a bluish hue.

Moss-covered rocks lay scattered like a guide along the path.

The sound of a waterfall grew nearer. Mist rose from the water, blurring the view.

Demon Lord halted, feeling the humid air fill his lungs.

A waterfall a hundred steps high. The spray it created drew a rainbow. A dark shadow loomed behind it.

“Behind the waterfall…”

The leader of Strange Being troops, his voice, was drowned by the sound of water.

Demon Lord stepped forward.

Cold droplets hit his face. His clothes were soaked in an instant.

He pushed his body through the curtain of water.

The pressure of the water pressed down on his shoulders. And—

The pressure vanished.

Behind the waterfall was complete darkness.

Even the sound of water sounded distant. It felt as if they had crossed into another world.

A red light lit the cave.

The ceiling soared high, and the walls were smooth like black obsidian.

Strange symbols were carved into the floor. Ancient—easily a thousand years old.

First of all, the air was different.

Cold and heavy. It brushed the skin like something alive.

The second sub troops leader who came with Strange Being Troop’s lead, Wei-seom, pointed to one side.

Deep within the cave.

There was a massive stone gate.

No—rather than a gate, it was a rock itself.

Yet there was clearly space beyond it. A faint breeze leaked from the cracks.

Symbols surrounded the stone gate.

Red. It looked like blood.

“This is the entrance to the Secret Cave…”

Demon Lord approached.

Suddenly the cave hummed. A low vibration, as if a warning.

Old man said in a tense voice.

“Are you really going in? According to rumor…”

“I know. The guardians.”

“They’re called Three Hidden. Their level is Supreme Demon, and you must kill them to enter. Even if you kill them, if you don’t surpass Supreme Demon, there’s no one to open it for you and you can’t leave.”

He turned and grinned.

“But if I fail here, there’s no reason to live anyway, right?”

Only the sound of torches burning could be heard.

The sound of water was heard alongside it.

“You mean you’ll force your way in?”

Demon Lord stood before the stone gate.

“Anyway, there’s no turning back. I can’t live as a dog under great sahyung forever.”

He gave a bitter laugh and looked back at Heuk-gyeong.

Heuk-gyeong stepped forward.

He lowered his stance and took a deep breath in front of the stone gate.

Qi began to condense.

At first it was faint. The aura shimmering around the sword grew stronger.

As the bluish force lengthened, dust and rock particles around it scattered under the pressure.

At the moment the force formed, the surrounding air burst outward.

A three feet massive sword qi manifested like a solid blade. It shimmered like blue flames, tearing the space.

With a shout, he brought the sword down.

The three feet force struck the stone gate directly.

A thunderous roar like lightning striking. The entire cave shook. Chunks of rock rained from the ceiling.

As the dust settled, a pierced hole was revealed.

Nothing could be seen beyond. It felt like peering into an abyss.

At Demon Lord’s words, the Supreme Demon Warrior Heuk-gyeong and the two troops leaders stepped into the darkness.