A man who has survived in the demonic path, which is called the hell of this world, until he became an old man.
If one were to weigh honor against life, he would undoubtedly choose life.
However, it was a story that was difficult for anyone to accept at face value.
The voice of the Pure Demon Alliance's Leader, which had always rung thunderously, imbued with terrifying internal energy, now lacked the resonance of something like the Six Harmonies Voice Transmission.
It was a very long distance.
To recognize a human voice at such a range, one would need to enhance their hearing through sensory refinement or observe the speaker's lip movements.
As the crowd on the mountainside murmured, even among the Nine Great Sects, martial artists of great skill doubted their own ears and eyes.
Notably, it was the Taoists of Qingcheng rather than those of Emei.
"What did that monstrous entity of the demonic faction just say?"
"If my Sight Arts aren't failing me, he clearly admitted his defeat…"
"Did they already clash in a battle of internal energy?"
"The current Pure Demon Alliance's Leader is said to have realized the Realm of Transcendence. There's no way he would be intimidated by an opposing energy, no matter how incompatible their forces may seem."
Into their discussion, the gentle voice of the Little Sword Queen of Dianqing interjected.
"It was the power of Dharma. And the techniques of the Ten Perfection Sect as well… The Radiant Demon Squad's leader created the perfect conditions. I don't know how this was possible, but…"
It was a statement confirming what many had already suspected. The monks of Emei let out another low chant of disapproval, while the masters of Qingcheng grew restless.
"Dharma…? I've heard rumors of a divine force being wielded, but…"
"We should have seen it up close. Are you telling me that the Radiant Demon Squad's leader wields an energy comparable to the Three Pure Forces?"
Their voices carried a subtle tremor of excitement.
The Three Pure Taoist Forces s were said to be the most auspicious energy in the world.
Even among all the Taoist sects within the Nine Great Sects, it was believed that only the sect leader of Wudang had truly mastered it.
"Silence."
At the far end of the cave entrance, the Qingcheng Sect's leader spoke.
His back was rigid, ears sharply attuned. The brief surge of movement from his Lightness Skill had lifted the white robe of his taoist attire high into the air.
"What do you think, Emei Sect's leader?"
He asked quietly, his unwavering gaze fixed upon Jung Yeonshin, who was surrounded by the radiance of the Eighteen Weapons of War.
His eyes remained locked, not budging an inch.
From a seated position, Baek Yak slowly rose and opened her mouth.
"That old master over there has lived the longest in the demonic faction. Anything is possible, whether it be the genuine pursuit of personal safety or some deeper scheme at work."
"So you believe the Radiant Demon Squad's leader has fully mastered the Eighteen Weapons Techniques?"
"Did you not witness it yourself?"
Baek Yak's rhetorical question was met with a quiet silence. The expression on the Qingcheng Sect's leader's face was peculiar.
He was staring intently at Jung Yeonshin, lost in deep contemplation.
"…A man who challenges the laws of nature. He is extremely dangerous. A being who dismantles barriers as naturally as breathing. How many sects could truly tolerate such a person…?"
The Qingcheng Sect's leader trailed off. Baek Yak shook her head as she observed the confrontation between the Pure Demon Alliance's leader and Jung Yeonshin.
"Emei and Shaolin will have no choice but to welcome him."
"The more the Radiant Demon Squad's leader stands out, the greater the chaos will be among the orthodox sects. He will amass more enemies than even the Divine Sword Order's leader of this generation."
"That is certainly concerning, but it is not something to worry about at this moment. Look at that old master of the demonic sect. There is something off about him."
The moment Baek Yak finished speaking, a nun clad in the robes of Emei suddenly shot up from the cliff below.
"Leader! The Thirteen Celestial Demons have erupted into chaos!"
"Calm yourself and report properly."
"The sects in the surrounding area… all seem to have been annihilated while left undefended. The factions caught between the righteous and the unorthodox have vanished entirely, including even the martial arts halls… Our own lines of communication have been severed as well."
"Amitabha."
"We have received no word from Gold Zen Martial Sister. A hunter with internal energy claims that a group, led by a short woman, has been stirring up a calamity… Judging by the message, it seems that the Golden Wings Sect's leader is heading this way."
At that moment.
On the hill where the eyes of the Nine Great Sects were fixed, a similar discussion unfolded between the Pure Demon Alliance's leader and Jung Yeonshin.
"Are you truly not going to intervene?"
"The child of Desolate Fortress… Your provocation is certainly extraordinary. But it does not yet match the weight of my years."
The Pure Demon Alliance's leader chuckled softly. The demonic energy that had once darkened the entire sky had long since disappeared.
It had been concealed within the old man's black robe for quite some time.
The surroundings were now bright.
As the luminous flashes flickered between the weapons surrounding them, Jung Yeonshin quietly stared at the Pure Demon Alliance's leader before parting his lips.
"It's fascinating how shameless you are at your age. They say you have reached the Realm of Transcendence, yet perhaps your demonic energy has simply corroded your Baihui Acupoint?"
"..."
"You called it punishment, not a duel. Did you believe you could simply curl your tail like an old dog and escape?"
As he voiced his questions, Jung Yeonshin was also observing his own body.
A life-and-death battle against the Ten Perfections Sect's leader.
The external wounds were not the issue, he was far too accustomed to pain.
The problem was the internal energy waves of the Primordial Art of Ten Thousand Sects that had accumulated throughout his body.
It felt as if long, thin needles were piercing his blood vessels.
The residual force left by a battle-hardened supreme master, interfering with the natural flow of his internal energy like a diamond lodged in his meridians.
In this state, he could not fight at full strength.
It was the price of defeating the pinnacle of the demonic faction. He needed a brief moment to regulate his energy circulation.
'If I properly activate the Jung Clan Movement Arts, I'll recover in no time, but…'
Whoosh—
Jung Yeonshin suddenly felt a gaze emerging from the abyss.
Dark, unfathomable pupils swept over his body. It was the gaze of the Pure Demon Alliance's leader.
Defeating this old man would not be difficult. Even in his current state, he saw a victory rate exceeding ninety percent.
The real problem was facing the Golden Wings Sect's leader immediately afterward.
'Mother.'
Jung Yeonshin, standing still, activated the Jung Clan Movement Arts.
Sarak—
The moment the core mnemonic surfaced in his mind, his body began to gradually restore itself.
A supple sensation.
The torn meridians were being stitched together with internal energy, and the elasticity of his acupoints was being restored.
However, the speed was significantly slower than when he cultivated in solitude.
It was due to the supreme master standing before him.
Watching him intently, the Pure Demon Alliance's leader grinned.
"Punishment, you say? I have barely been the leader of the Pure Demon Alliance for a month. I have never personally interfered with Desolate Fortress, merely found it amusing to see my subordinates struggle amongst themselves. More importantly…"
The old man, lips wrinkled with age, slowly continued speaking.
"You're curious about my cultivation. Have you truly mastered all of the Ten Perfections Sect's leader's techniques?"
The aged voice carried deep interest. It was as though he was inquiring about something of utmost importance.
"Do you know the whereabouts of the Golden Wings Sect's leader?"
Jung Yeonshin, however, responded with a question of his own, as if the old man's inquiry held no value to him.
The Pure Demon Alliance's leader's eyebrow twitched.
For the first time in his long life, he was met with such disregard.
It would have been only natural to turn the youth's head into pulp with a strike from the Dark Heaven Demon God Stance, yet the radiance surrounding the Eighteen Weapons of War was of an unprecedented, almost divine nature.
"…The Golden Wings Sect's leader has always been consistent in her movements."
"Stop speaking in circles and explain properly."
"She is exterminating the sects that stand in her way of obtaining the Dharma Treasure. To open the hiding place of a divine creature, one must possess an equally mystical artifact."
"That old hag has no shame either. She must have seen the inscription I left behind."
"You need not be concerned. From the moment you disrupted the Flood Dragon's formation, she was destined to come for you."
The old man spoke in an archaic tone.
It was a conversation between supreme martial artists.
Regardless of whether they could hear it or not, the surrounding crowd held their breath, while Jung Yeonshin spoke without concern for the gazes upon him.
"Spit out where you've hidden your lackeys. The Ten Perfection Sect, the Pure Demon Alliance, the Golden Wings Sect, and every last one of them."
"…You speak as brashly as one would expect from the blood of a Tyrant Hero."
"I called you here to display your martial arts, yet you resort to petty scheming instead."
A faint trace of disappointment crossed Jung Yeonshin's face.
Since he had maintained an expressionless demeanor thus far, the change in his countenance stood out all the more.
The Pure Demon Alliance's leader furrowed his brow.
Even the expressions of the masters lining the mountainside shifted.
Martial artists were creatures who closely observed the movements of the prodigies of the world.
And if that prodigy was the young man who had just slain the Ten Perfection Sect's leader alone, it was only natural for them to be unconsciously drawn to him, regardless of their sect affiliations.
Even the slightest shift in his mood warranted a reaction.
Just like some of the women in the crowd, now staring at the Radiant Demon Squad's leader as if spellbound.
A young supreme martial artist could win over the people merely through his sheer ability.
Today marked the beginning.
"Young one of Desolate Fortress, this is merely your ignorance of the ways of the demonic faction."
"Do not use the term 'demonic faction' anymore. They are nothing more than honorless brutes."
The Pure Demon Alliance's leader closed his mouth.
The air and sunlight wavered. Time began to move forward again.
* * *
Some among the crowd watching from the peak rubbed their eyes. Others failed to conceal their shock.
The scene unfolding on the hill was beyond their imagination.
An elderly nun and an elegant Taoist master of noble lineage stood guard, silently watching over the Radiant Demon Squad's leader as he sat in meditation.
The Unmoving Buddha, Thunderous Avalokiteshvara Baek Yak. The long-time sect leader of Emei.
The Twin-Wall Sword Lord. The newly appointed sect leader of Qingcheng.
"..."
The air was heavy.
Saaa—
The wind, which had been sweeping up the cliffside and rushing toward the hill, reversed course on its own.
Only faint dust scattered before vanishing into the distance.
The dazzling sunlight did not so much as touch the face of the Radiant Demon Squad's leader.
It was an unprecedented sight.
"…Thunderous Avalokiteshvara and the Twin-Walls Sword Lord, is it?"
"Send word to the main house. From this moment forth, all rumors regarding the Radiant Demon Squad's leader are to be classified under Desolate Fortress' purple-ranked intelligence. This is not merely about martial prowess, but hierarchy."
"Truly, living long enough lets you see everything. Who would have thought we'd witness the absolute figures of the Nine Great Sects standing guard over a single man…"
The sect leaders of the Nine Great Sects.
Their saffron robes and pristine white taoist garments swayed gently.
The overwhelming presence of countless powerful auras converged in one place.
Had the names of the Qingcheng and Emei sect leaders not been omitted from the invitations to the tournament, the Pure Demon Alliance's leader would have already made her exit.
That was her own belief.
To invite a guest, then overwhelm them with combined forces?
Unless they had resigned themselves to being ostracized from the orthodox world, no sect of the righteous path would ever commit such an act.
Thus, the old man spoke brazenly, his brows furrowed.
"Are these the so-called leaders of the Nine Great Sects? Where is your dignity?"
This was after the Ten Perfection Sect's leader had been defeated.
Everyone could assume that the Radiant Demon Squad's leader was not in perfect condition.
And yet, he still appeared fully capable of dealing with the Pure Demon Alliance's leader.
That alone was shocking enough.
Yet now, he was calmly meditating to recover his energy.
No one could interfere.
There were very few in the world who could break through the protection of two sect leaders of the Nine Great Sects.
"..."
The two did not respond.
They merely fixed their weighted gazes upon the Pure Demon Alliance's leader.
'Is he truly going to recover to full strength here…?'
The old man hesitated.
Was it time to use the Demon Weasel?
Sssk—
A strange presence stirred within the Pure Demon Alliance's leader's wrinkled grasp.
Though he seemed to be clutching at empty air, there was an unseen force rippling soundlessly within it.
A spirit beast. A type of demon.
An invisible weasel.
Just as the monks of Shaolin and Emei reared brown-furred flying squirrels as messengers and trackers, the supreme figures of the demonic faction wielded demons composed of spiritual energy and demonic energy.
Typically, it was used to issue commands to subordinates while in seclusion.
Those who practiced orthodox martial arts could not perceive its presence.
It was a relic passed down from the Pure Demon Alliance's leader's lineage, which had split from the Ming Cult.
Even for a supreme martial artist, it was no different.
The power of the Demon Weasel was so weak that it posed no real threat.
It was also restricted from moving too far from its master. But this was different.
The Radiant Demon Squad's leader was right before him. Caught in deep meditation. It was worth a try.
Even the slightest cut to his meridians would be enough. He could not simply do nothing.
The Pure Demon Alliance's leader slowly sent his intent toward his hand. Go.
Kiik—
The sound resonated through the spiritual energy. The invisible weasel glided noiselessly through the air.
It slipped between the two sect leaders, heading straight for the shadow cast by the leaning form of the Radiant Demon Squad's leader.
'Foolish boy. You do not understand the demonic path.'
As the Pure Demon Alliance's leader's wrinkled lips curled slightly.
Swish.
A head silently emerged from the shadow.
Long, obsidian-black hair swept through the air in a slow, undulating motion.
Pale skin, smooth as white porcelain, shimmered with an eerie luster. A realm where everything moved as if in slow ascent.
"...!"
A woman's face rose from the darkness, her crimson lips parting wide, and she bit down, devouring the weasel whole.