Chapter 367
There is such a thing as fighting spirit.
Even ordinary people sometimes feel each other's fighting spirit. Depending on who is more passionate and how much emotion and fervor they pour out, humans can pressure one another.
But when it comes to the world of martial artists, the story becomes a bit different.
While the fighting spirit battles of ordinary people don't stray far from simple pride contests of not wanting to lose, the fighting spirit of martial artists actually affects the physical body.
What martial arts one has learned, how much internal energy one has accumulated, and how great the gap in martial learning is—depending on these factors, victories and defeats can be determined by fighting spirit alone.
Jang-il knew this fact as well.
But at the same time, he didn't know it.
The difference between knowing something with your head and actually experiencing it was far greater than imagination.
Jang-il was now desperately realizing what it meant that fighting spirit alone could kill a person.
Stickiness.
It was different from the frontal assault that felt like being crushed by a massive stone.
Just from the Mad Blood Demon revealing his fighting spirit, Jang-il was suffering terrible pain, as if his heart were being squeezed. A stinging sensation as if thousands of needles were shallowly piercing his entire body, and a suffocating pressure choking his throat.
Just resisting that fighting spirit was causing his body to become drenched in sweat in an instant.
'I have to fight against such a monster?'
This was no joke.
He had heard enough about how terrifying the bishops of the Demonic Cult were that his ears were sick of it. Especially since he was from the Beggar's Sect, which had to handle information unlike ordinary sects that tended to downplay their opponents somewhat, he had to engrave into his bones just how strong they were objectively, how overwhelming their existence was.
But…
Jang-il was now realizing.
How sometimes futile information composed of language could be.
This couldn't be explained in words.
The pressure of having a bishop of the Demonic Cult right before his eyes couldn't be expressed even one-tenth, no matter how much he mobilized all the language and vocabulary he knew.
Moreover, the Mad Blood Demon Emperor wasn't even directing his fighting spirit at him right now.
It was just that his uncontrollable rage was materializing as fighting spirit. Just from the aftereffects of that emotion, Jang-il was feeling the urge to collapse right here and now.
"Hmm…"
Perhaps noticing Jang-il's state of mind, Wei Yan-ho raised his hand.
At the same time, the fighting spirit that had been pressuring them vanished completely.
Stumble.
Jang-il, who had been using all his strength to resist being pushed back, suddenly staggered forward due to the pressure that had disappeared in an instant. Sweat was profusely beaded on his hands, back, and forehead.
Jang-il turned his head to look at the others.
Peng Dao-ji and Mu San had pale faces as if they had received the same shock as him. But the reactions of the two Wei brothers were different.
Wei San-ho maintained his expressionless face as if nothing had happened, and Wei Yan-ho…
"What, why are you getting so angry out of nowhere?"
That human definitely had no sense of fear.
If a human had even a minimum sense of fear, they wouldn't be able to casually spout such words with such a face.
'Crazy bastard.'
It definitely wasn't something a sane person would say. Being able to act like that after seeing such power with his own eyes wasn't simply a matter of confidence. Something was naturally loose in his character.
But…
Watching that insane reaction, the tension that had been crushing his entire body seemed to ease a little. It was absurd that tension would ease from watching that crazy bastard's reaction, but that was the reality.
Besides, it wasn't like there was no substantial foundation to rely on.
Right now, Wei Yan-ho had dispelled the Mad Blood Demon Emperor's fighting spirit with a single gesture.
And the Mad Blood Demon Emperor seemed to have recognized that fact accurately as well.
"Did Gwang Mu-ryang give the wrong report? The level I heard about you wasn't like this."
"Well, if you're apart for three days… uh, what was it? New eyes? New eyes?"
"…You should look with new eyes."
"Wow, your learning is deep."
The Mad Blood Demon Emperor's shoulders seemed to droop slightly.
At this moment, even Jang-il sympathized with the Mad Blood Demon Emperor.
'Still, that gentleman isn't someone who should receive such treatment.'
Setting aside friend or foe, he was someone who deserved respect just for his martial prowess alone. It was only because that gentleman was on the Demonic Cult side, but if he had been a figure from the Orthodox Sect, Jang-il would be speaking with his head buried in the ground right now.
But to receive such treatment from a young brat…
He couldn't help but sympathize.
"Even your father never dared to treat me in such a manner."
"How strange your way of thinking is. Father is father, and I am me. But why do you think that if father couldn't do it, I can't either? Later when you have children, you'll obviously tell them 'you must be better than this father'…Ah, are you too old to have children? Or do you already have some?"
"I have children…"
The Mad Blood Demon Emperor, who was about to answer, closed his mouth.
Why should he answer such things?
The more he spoke, the more he felt like he was being drawn in somehow.
"You young brat, only your mouth is alive."
"Old man! If your mouth dies, you die too. I don't know if you have the amazing skill to kill only one part, but I'm an ordinary person…"
"Enough!"
The Mad Blood Demon Emperor, unable to endure any longer, shouted.
But if Wei Yan-ho would be intimidated by that, would he be Wei Yan-ho?
"You say whatever you want, but won't let others speak! You can't do that. My master said that a martial artist should always have open ears. If you think only your own path is right, you'll inevitably fall into stubbornness, and then you can't progress further."
"…"
It wasn't that he had nothing to say.
It should be described as being at a loss for words.
At this point, there was something truly strange.
Was this brat really that man's son?
"Let's end the jokes here."
At that moment, with a cracking sound, the Mad Blood Demon Emperor's body began to swell. Even the world's Wei Yan-ho couldn't endure this sight, as he stretched one arm out to the side and stepped back. When Wei Yan-ho retreated, the others had no choice but to follow Wei Yan-ho and step back as well.
"Beggar."
"Hmm?"
"How long do you think it will take?"
"What are you talking about?"
"If the Beggar's Sect, Hao Clan, and the Righteous Alliance aren't all just playing around, they couldn't be unaware that this old man has come this far. If they noticed this fact now and sent support, how long do you think it would take them to reach here?"
Jang-il's face hardened.
Wei Yan-ho was right. Just because he didn't know didn't mean the Righteous Alliance would have missed the fact that this person was coming here. Everyone in the world was the eyes of the Righteous Alliance, and everyone in the world was the ears of the Righteous Alliance.
'He came up using the main road.'
That meant there was definitely someone among those passing through the main road who would recognize this person.
But how could they specify that time?
"At minimum one gak, at maximum two days."
"…I guess we should think of them as not coming at all."
"Probably."
Normally Wei Yan-ho would pour out complaints, but at this moment he didn't. No, he couldn't either. The Mad Blood Demon Emperor was that threatening.
The Mad Blood Demon Emperor, who had instantly swelled from half of Wei Yan-ho's size to about twice Wei Yan-ho's size, tore off his clothes that had become rags and said:
"It's been a while since I've taken this form."
"…You're wearing very sturdy pants."
"Kekekekek."
The Mad Blood Demon Emperor laughed lowly and said:
"It seems I'm not the only one who has become senile with age. I simply can't understand it."
"What?"
It seemed curiosity never died no matter what.
"To give me such an order. That bastard must be getting old too. Maybe he thought I had become somewhat gentler. Whether it's the former or the latter, it's clear the calculation was wrong. Because…"
The Mad Blood Demon Emperor twisted his waist backward.
And at that moment, Wei Yan-ho's body moved like lightning.
"Huh?"
Jang-il cried out in surprise at the great force grasping the back of his neck. When he came to his senses, Wei Yan-ho had grabbed all his companions and was flying through the air.
And at that moment.
The Mad Blood Demon Emperor's upper body, bent back to its limit, rotated with terrifying elasticity and shot a tremendous fist force forward.
KWAAAAAAAAANG!
With a tremendous sound like an avalanche, everything blocking the fist force was crushed and broken.
The trees that had grown lushly on both sides of the main road were cut down like reeds meeting a sickle. The cleanly cut trees were shredded section by section in the whirlwind of fist force, scattering dust in all directions.
Thud!
Those who landed on the ground couldn't even open their mouths.
A huge path had been created in the direction where they had been standing. It was as if a new road larger than the main road had been created next to the main road.
"How… how can a person…"
A groan escaped from Peng Dao-ji's mouth.
That lush forest had disappeared in an instant. It was unbelievable even seeing it with one's own eyes that human fist force had created this.
"Amitabha, Amitabha."
Mu San, who used fists, seemed to have received an even greater shock than Peng Dao-ji. Mu San's pale face repeatedly chanted the Buddha's name.
Of course, they knew.
Simply having strong destructive power didn't mean martial prowess was strong. No matter how strong the Mad Blood Demon Emperor's fist force was, if there was a swordsman faster and more agile than the Mad Blood Demon Emperor, they would avoid his fist force and thrust their sword into his body. A martial artist's victory isn't determined by who can produce stronger force.
They knew that, but…
'Damn it, there should be some limit to that too.'
Could one have the calm thought of 'if I avoid that well and attack, I'll see an opening, and then I can win' after seeing power that changes the terrain with a single strike?
If that were possible, they would already be masters of the world.
He had heard that demonic arts followed a different path from orthodox arts, making possible things that orthodox arts couldn't even dream of. But wasn't this going too far even for that?
Looking at the new path created by the Mad Blood Demon Emperor's fist force, Jang-il realized.
Why the martial world had been pushed back so much by the Demonic Cult's invasion despite their small numbers.
The Demonic Cult they had seen when Gwang Mu-ryang appeared at Mount Hua wasn't the true Demonic Cult.
"By any chance…"
At that moment, Wei Yan-ho spoke.
Jang-il wanted to cover Wei Yan-ho's mouth due to the rising anxiety.
"Have you ever thought about getting a job in construction? If you change your faith now and come to our side, I could introduce you to His Majesty… I think His Majesty would be very pleased too. If you put your mind to it, it seems like you could repave all the roads in the Central Plains."
"…"
Jang-il finally realized.
If he were the type to joke around while considering time and place, he wouldn't have lived like this until now.
'I was wrong to stick with that bastard.'
Regret is always too late, no matter how quick.
The Mad Blood Demon Emperor, who didn't even blink an eye at Wei Yan-ho's provocation, flexed all the muscles in his body and began walking slowly toward Wei Yan-ho.
"Half a gak. I'll check if you're still maintaining that attitude after half a gak." [TL/N: Gak is a traditional Korean time unit equal to 15 minutes.]
With his declaration, the Mad Blood Demon Emperor charged toward Wei Yan-ho.