CHAPTER 374: BAEK HA-JUN, SKY SHATTERING ISLAND (2)

Xinjiang region.

The Hundred Thousand Great Mountains.

It may be an exaggeration, but the place said to have a hundred thousand peaks was none other than the headquarters of the Demon Cult.

After passing through the cold and arid climate, a vast desert appears.

Crossing through that desert and arriving at the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains, the climate changes drastically.

The mountains are lush with greenery.

The massive mountain range is filled with forests, like the Sichuan and Guangdong regions.

Inside, there are abundant rivers and lakes.

It is an environment where rice farming is possible.

A sufficient environment has been formed for the commoners of Xinjiang and the hundred thousand members of the Demon Cult to live in.

It’s a mysterious thing.

Known in the past as the White Lotus Cult, now called the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, all the residents here were believers, and they considered this climate a blessing from their god.

Whether that was true or not, at the very least, the faith of the people here was sincere.

Ha-jun and Noh Shik felt that deeply upon arriving at a place called Sky Shattering Island.

Sky Shattering Island was an island located in a massive river in the center of the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains.

Although it wasn’t in the sea, but an inland river, Sky Shattering Island was by no means small in size.

It was large enough that a whole city could be established on it.

‘So that is the main stronghold of the Demon Cult.’

The Demon Cult’s headquarters, which had never once been invaded.

The city located on Sky Shattering Island itself was that very headquarters.

And the bridge built along the river here was the only connection between the outside and Sky Shattering Island.

At the entrance, the name Divine Demon Bridge was written.

To be precise, it was written beneath the statue of the Heavenly Demon, which stood in a grand pose at the beginning of the bridge.

Those crossing the bridge bowed their heads and prayed before the statue.

“Are you curious to why it’s called the Divine Demon Cult?”

The man in white.

The one who had previously ranked Ha-jun and Noh Shik as Special Grade and First Grade respectively, spoke to Ha-jun.

“I am curious,”

Ha-jun wasn’t really, but Noh Shik answered cheerfully in his stead.

That kind of sociability with people they had just fought against was not something Ha-jun possessed.

“How do you think this bridge was built? The river’s depth isn’t shallow. The distance to Sky Shattering Island isn’t short either. But look at the width of the Divine Demon Bridge.”

“Oh, I’d say it’s wide enough for three carriages to run side by side.”

“Are you from the Beggars’ Union? What a keen eye. You’re right. Even in the Central Plains, there are barely any bridges of this size.”

“Seems that way.”

Noh Shik’s eyes also became half-lidded.

Indeed, it was true. The Divine Demon Bridge that led to Sky Shattering Island was no ordinary construction.

No matter where you went in the Central Plains, it was rare to find a bridge of this scale.

The man in white spoke proudly.

“It was built personally by the Heavenly Demon three hundred years ago.”

“So I guess he was good at construction?”

Noh Shik’s smiling reply carried a hint of sarcasm.

The man in white’s expression stiffened slightly, but then he gave a faint chuckle.

“But it’s the truth. He personally moved hundreds of boulders and erected them in the river. That’s why it hasn’t collapsed in three hundred years.”

Noh Shik’s face stiffened as he looked at the spot the man pointed to.

It was just as he said. Beneath the bridge, stone pillars had been neatly carved and placed in regular intervals.

It was hard to believe such things were moved by human hands, and done three hundred years ago, no less.

“Heh.”

The man in white smiled triumphantly.

As he began to stroll ahead, the martial artists who had been surrounding Ha-jun and Noh Shik began walking as well.

With their hands bound, Noh Shik and Ha-jun had no choice but to follow along the Divine Demon Bridge.

Ha-jun stole a glance at the statue of the Heavenly Demon.

Even in the Central Plains, and even within the Demon Cult itself, the Heavenly Demon was a figure regarded with fear.

However, in this place, he seemed to be respected as well.

There were commoners bowing respectfully before the statue as if it were the Jade Emperor himself.

Ha-jun thought.

What would his brother, Yi-Union, have done in a situation like this?

He probably wouldn’t have just followed orders helplessly.

He would have assessed the surroundings and gathered information for an escape.

So Ha-jun did the same.

‘…The only way out is this bridge.’

Otherwise, the only choice would be to escape using a ferryboat.

Even if he recovered his martial arts, it would be difficult to run across a river this wide.

Unless one were someone like the legendary Dharma who was said to cross rivers on a single reed leaf, even an apex master would have limitations.

And then Ha-jun looked at the people.

How have the villages of Xinjiang been like up to this point?

The people seemed to live even better than the villagers of the Qinghai Province.

Though their bodies were thin, their faces carried traces of smiles.

Contrary to the Central Plains’ belief that only demons lived in the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains, normal people lived here.

‘No, I guess it’s more accurate to say that even normal people live here.’

Just then, someone passed by, carrying a severed human head.

He was clearly a demon.

The commoners heading toward Sky Shattering Island were frightened, but they neither screamed nor ran away.

‘Even though war has begun, it seems many martial artists still remain.’

A full-scale war with the Orthodox Alliance was about to start.

Yet there was no sense of crisis among the commoners, and several martial artists affiliated with the main cult were visible.

That wasn’t good news for Ha-jun.

It meant that if he tried to escape, there would still be many powerful foes blocking his path.

No matter how much information he gathered about his surroundings, it wouldn’t lead to any breakthrough.

Ha-jun kept walking.

The man in white took Ha-jun and Noh Shik to High Spirit Palace, even within the main stronghold of Sky Shattering Island.

The place they eventually arrived at resembled an underground prison cell.

As he pushed them into the pitch-black darkness, the man in white spoke.

“Try to survive. Heh.”

And with a creak, the door closed.

Complete darkness fell.

When a person stays in the dark for a long time, they begin to undergo dark adaptation1.

They begin to see faint outlines of their surroundings.

It’s the same as when someone wakes up and can vaguely make out the room around them.

But even that requires at least a little light.

In this completely sealed room, there was nothing but darkness.

“This is driving me nuts…”

Noh Shik muttered.

Ha-jun silently agreed. With his internal energy sealed, not even his trained eyesight could see anything.

However, while there was no light, there was plenty of other stuff.

“Sniff… hic…”

“Let me out! Let me out of here!”

A woman’s sobbing voice, a man screaming and begging to be released.

The aura of fear they exuded filled the entire space.

“…Guess I’ll speak up.”

Noh Shik, who had been speaking quietly, suddenly raised his voice.

“I am the Wise Spring Beggar, Noh Shik of the Beggars’ Union!”

For a moment, silence lingered.

“It seems everyone here has been kidnapped by members of the Demon Cult. Does anyone happen to know their purpose?”

Still, there was no reply.

It seemed these people had also been dragged here without knowing why.

Noh Shik clicked his tongue once, then raised his voice to reassure the people.

“I know everyone is shocked and afraid, but don’t worry! I,the Wise Spring Beggar of the Beggars’ Union, will help you all!”

“The Beggars’ Union? Then aren’t you just a filthy beggar?!”

At that moment, a young man suddenly shouted harshly.

Noh Shik’s face twisted in disbelief.

“H-How does being a beggar matter here?!”

“How the hell is a guy who begs for food supposed to rescue me and send me back to the Central Plains?!”

The man’s shrill screaming revealed a nasty temper.

A vein bulged on Noh Shik’s forehead.

“You bastard! I might help the others, but I’m not saving you!”

“Do whatever you want, you damn beggar!”

Anyone truly familiar with Murim would never dismiss the Beggars’ Union as mere beggars.

Especially since Noh Shik, who was gaining quite a bit of attention in Murim, even had a nickname.

Sure enough, there were people who recognized him.

“W-Wait, are you really the Wise Spring Beggar, Young Master Noh Shik?!”

“Yes! Are there any other martial artists here too?”

Several people suddenly began to speak at once.

So while he didn’t fully understand, it seemed there was a mix of martial artists and commoners here.

“I’m not the only one here, the Iron-Blood Sword Dragon is here as well!”

“Ooooooh!”

They were all captured together anyway, so it was unclear how that could be comforting, but still, there were those who rejoiced.

“Heheheh!”

Noh Shik ended up laughing.

It was obvious that the man who had just called him a beggar earlier must be flustered now.

Clack—

It was at that moment. The room suddenly lit up.

A hidden window on the wall had opened.

Noh Shik reflexively lowered his head against the sudden burst of light.

When he lifted his head again, Ha-jun’s face came into view.

Though the sudden brightness should’ve hurt his eyes, Ha-jun kept his head held high and was staring sharply to one side.

Noh Shik also turned his head in that direction.

Beyond the people with their hands tied, a number of black-clad figures were standing in line.

“…Did you know?”

The question was if Ha-jun had sensed their approach?

Ha-jun answered quietly, without turning his head.

“A little.”

And then one of them spoke.

“You are here for the great cause of our cult.”

The black-clad figures all radiated a cold and disciplined aura.

They were clearly elite martial artists of the Demon Cult’s main stronghold.

“If you are lucky, you will live. If unlucky, you will die.”

Their leader was a short man with a snub nose.

“Do not feel wronged for being brought here. You will be used for a noble purpose, and if you die, you will be reborn in the Vacant Homeland, where you will enjoy eternal peace.”

The Vacant Homeland is the White Lotus Cult’s equivalent of paradise..

It seemed the core doctrine of the Demon Cult was still rooted in the White Lotus Cult’s beliefs.

“P-please spare me! I’ve done nothing wrong!”

“Huaaaang!”

Some begged for their lives, while a woman broke into sobs.

The snub-nosed man smiled and gave a small nod as he watched.

Chae-chae-chae-chaeng—

The other martial artists drew their swords all at once.

In an instant, silence blanketed the space.

“From this moment on, if anyone speaks without permission. You will be immediately executed.”

Not even the sound of breathing could be heard. The snub-nosed man smiled in satisfaction.

“Remember the ranks the guardian assigned to you. Move in that order.”

So that was what had happened.

Though trembling with fear, the people moved as instructed.

Just as Noh Shik and Ha-jun were about to move.

“Uh, um, excuse me.”

One young man stepped forward toward the snub-nosed man.

A martial artist of the Demon Cult stepped forward with a sword, but the snub-nosed man stopped him.

“I-I believe there’s been some kind of mistake.”

Judging from his voice, he was the one who had earlier called Noh Shik a beggar.

His clothes were dirty but rather ornate.

The character ’Three“ was written in red.

“A mistake, you say?”

When the snub-nosed man asked gently, the youth spoke in a slightly relieved tone.

“M-My father is the Magistrate of Jian County… and my uncle is the Sub-Commander of Taiyuan Prefecture.”

“Oh? So you’re of quite noble lineage.”

“Yes, N—no, I mean, that is…”

“And so?”

“If you let me go, I’m sure my uncle will reward you handsomely. This is all a misunderstanding. If you hold me as a prisoner…”

Though trembling, he still spoke each word clearly.

He certainly did look like a young master from a noble family.

Noh Shik grimaced, a sense of foreboding tightening his face.

But it was already too late.

The snub-nosed man spoke in a gentle voice.

“Our Divine Cult does not take prisoners.”

“You were brought here simply because you were needed.”

The snub-nosed man glanced at the “Three” character marked on the young man’s chest.

“And didn’t I say not to speak without permission?”

Still smiling, the snub-nosed man extended his hand.

His hand drove into the youth’s abdomen. The young man screamed.

“Kuaaaaagh!”

And then the snub-nosed man clenched and crushed something inside.

“Gah!”

Blood gushed from the youth’s mouth—and just like that, he died.

The snub-nosed man withdrew his hand, still smiling.

Wiping the blood and bits of entrails on his sleeve, he spoke.

“Clean it up.”

“You bastard!”

It was Noh Shik who shouted in rage.

Among the Nine Sects One Union, the one most famed for its righteousness was indeed the Beggars’ Union.

The snub-nosed man laughed with interest.

“Looks like we’ve got the second one to kill.”

He boldly strode toward Noh Shik himself.

As Noh Shik glared back at him with fierce eyes, someone stepped forward to block him.

“Stop.”

It was Ha-jun.

The snub-nosed man frowned.

“A third one?”

“Ha-jun! Don’t—!”

Noh Shik tried to stop him in alarm, but Ha-jun didn’t back down.

He stared straight at the snub-nosed man.

Due to the height difference, the snub-nosed man ended up looking up at Ha-jun.

“I said that’s enough.”

“What was that? Hahaha!”

The snub-nosed man chuckled round and round.

When the young man had come forward earlier, name-dropping his father and uncle, he had actually been pleased.

Starting things off by killing one person to assert dominance made things easier.

So expending one or two more lives meant nothing to him.

“Let’s see just how inflated your liver is^ [TL/N: Korean idiom meaning “let’s see how fearless you are”].”

He figured a tall, glossy-looking brat like this would scream if he squeezed his liver.

But as he moved to kill Ha-jun, the snub-nosed man flinched.

Ha-jun’s internal energy should have been sealed.

Yet the look in his eyes, as he stared down at the man, was not ordinary.

“Now…”

His indifferent gaze showed not the slightest ripple of emotion at the recent killing.

It was like he was staring into a deep well at night.

“…I said that’s enough.”

And a viper might leap out from those depths at any moment.

1. TL/N:Dark adaptation is the process by which your eyes adjust to low light conditions after being in bright light. ️