Chapter 136

Demonic religion 

Most of the people gathered around the platform could not raise objections, crushed beneath the oppressive aura of the Great Protector.

But this was Heavenly Mountain. A place where the spines, knees, and necks of men were unusually stiff.

Runaways, outcasts, and those who refused to bend lived together in this land.

Which meant—there were always those who would not back down, even if it meant death.

“What are you doing?!”

A middle-aged martial artist unsheathed his sword and leapt onto the platform.

The Left Protector handled the sudden assault with ease. With a foot brimming with inner power, he kicked the man square in the chest.

Thud. Crack. A dull yet sharp sound, like bones snapping.

The man was sent flying five full jang through the air, crashing below the platform, dead without so much as a scream.

His chest was caved in, as though it had been hammered by an iron mallet.

“Show respect before the Cult Leader.”

Until then, Three-Eyed Buddha had been gasping heavily as he stared at the Cult Leader’s corpse—or rather, the former Cult Leader’s corpse.

His already savage face contorted even further.

“You filthy dogs!”

He lunged at the Great Protector, but the man did not move.

Instead, the Left Protector and Right Protector intercepted him. Both were peak grandmasters in their own right, and together they could hold Three-Eyed Buddha at bay.

Three-Eyed Buddha shouted:

“If it was a martial art hidden beneath the Cult Leader’s chamber, then surely it was meant for the protection of the cult! To kill the Cult Leader with a martial art meant to defend the cult—filthy scum!”

The Left Protector sneered.

“The old man is dead. Has Magyo itself died with him?”

“Don’t spout nonsense!”

“And why not? With a strong leader, Magyo will flourish with even greater prestige. Is that not the true purpose of a protective art?”

“Twisted sophistry!”

Three-Eyed Buddha turned on the Right Protector.

“Right Protector! It was the Cult Leader who took you in, bloodied and fleeing! Eight cultists died fending off the pursuers who hunted you down. Do you feel no shame before them?!”

The Right Protector shrugged.

“Time passes, situations change, and so too do thoughts. To cling to sentiment when you know a better path—that is not the way of a true man.”

Three-Eyed Buddha spoke in disbelief.

“When did you… become like this…?”

“Who knows? Perhaps last autumn. The more I thought about it, the more right this way seemed.”

Both Protectors raised their swords toward him. Three-Eyed Buddha, panting heavily, stared back.

Unlike other martial artists, he knew when to flee. He had stolen martial arts without a teacher, never bound by honor or pride.

Proof? He had already fled twice this year alone. Just last night, when facing the Great Protector, and earlier when he ran into the Sword Demon, Namgung Jincheon, and Geolseon.

Some called him shameful, a disgrace. But it was because he fled that he had survived, scars covering his body but life intact.

Practicality over pride. Squalid survival over honorable death. That was his way.

But now, Three-Eyed Buddha did not flee.

For two reasons—loyalty and gratitude to the former Cult Leader, and because he had someone to protect.

“UAAAAAH!”

He charged at the Left and Right Protectors.

The clash of three peak grandmasters shook the stage. Each exchange of strikes unleashed explosive waves of energy, splintering the platform beneath their feet.

Sharp shards flew into the crowd, injuring many, but no one retreated. Fights like these were once-in-a-lifetime to witness.

Even as he fought, Three-Eyed Buddha’s eyes flicked about the crowd, as though searching for someone.

At last, his gaze found a young man—Tang Mujin.

He whispered through sound transmission:

—What are you standing there for?! Run! I don’t know how long I can hold them!

Tang Mujin snapped back to reality. Any martial artist would be dumbstruck by such a fight, but he could not afford to be. Three-Eyed Buddha spoke again:

—Even if you’re caught, don’t give up! I’ll find a way to get you out no matter what!

At last, Tang Mujin began to move. Seeing this, Three-Eyed Buddha allowed himself the faintest curl of his lip.

At that moment, the Great Protector stepped in.

“Stand down.”

The Left and Right Protectors immediately sheathed their swords and stepped aside. The Great Protector approached Three-Eyed Buddha at a leisurely pace, yet his steps pressed down upon the crowd like a heavy weight.

It was no illusion. To resist, Three-Eyed Buddha had to put far more strength than usual into his knees just to stay upright.

“What movement art is that?”

“It was written as The Sovereign’s Step. A fitting translation would be Dominion Stride.”

“So arrogant a name—and your tongue has grown just as arrogant!”

Three-Eyed Buddha gathered his muscles taut and lunged, shaking off the oppressive aura.

But the situation was hopeless. Not only was the gap in strength too great, but the Left and Right Protectors circled, ready to strike at any moment.

Fighting a master while fearing ambush from the side or rear was near impossible.

It wasn’t long before he was subdued.

The Great Protector pinned him, stomping his back and driving a sword into his left shoulder, nailing him to the ground.

“Kill me!”

“Don’t speak words you don’t mean. Few men value life as much as you—I know that well.”

“I won’t beg for my life like a dog that bites its master!”

“I won’t waste such a valuable piece. Cool your head—we’ll talk again later.”

Knocking out a man like Three-Eyed Buddha, with immense inner power and a body like iron, was no easy feat.

Instead, the Great Protector kicked the back of his head. A strike strong enough to snap the neck of an ordinary man, but just enough to knock him unconscious.

Even as Three-Eyed Buddha collapsed, Tang Mujin still hadn’t made it fully out of the crowd.

The fight had ended sooner than expected, and his careful escape through the masses was slow.

I can’t get caught.

He clenched his knees tight, heart pounding at his temples. Over fifty first-rate and grandmaster-level martial artists surrounded the platform. If he drew attention, they’d pounce in an instant.

Just as he was almost through, he bumped into someone near the platform. Their eyes met. A stranger’s face, but his aura told Mujin this man was stronger than him. His heart nearly stopped.

Is this the end?

He wasn’t going to surrender. His hand went to his sword, prepared for one last struggle.

But the man only frowned slightly.

“Watch where you’re going, kid. Eyes forward.”

“Uh… y-yes, sir.”

It wasn’t what he expected. The man turned back to the stage, uninterested. Mujin slipped away into the crowd.

That was close…

Just as he made it out, he noticed the sudden silence. The fight was over.

The outcome was obvious without looking—but he had to see.

Indeed, Three-Eyed Buddha lay defeated. The Left Protector hoisted him over his shoulder to carry him off.

Then, their eyes met—Left Protector and Tang Mujin.

This time I’m finished.

But the Protector’s gaze passed over him, indifferent.

…?

Only later did Mujin understand.

Since arriving at Magyo, he had spent most of his time locked away in the Poison-Blood Chamber. Few knew his face, and those who did thought of him only as “the young physician Three-Eyed Buddha dragged in from outside.” Which wasn’t entirely wrong.

And today, he had done nothing to draw attention. He had intended to testify for Three-Eyed Buddha, but the Great Protector had moved too quickly.

So… they have no reason to come after me, do they?

Then why had Three-Eyed Buddha been so desperate to make him run?

Simple. Their situations were entirely different.

Three-Eyed Buddha had long been a famed master, his monstrous gray skin and presence drawing eyes wherever he went. Trouble followed him.

Tang Mujin was not. He wasn’t a giant with gray skin, nor a man of overwhelming martial might.

Yes, first-rate level skill was respectable. But here, surrounded by countless grandmasters, it wasn’t enough to stand out.

…For once, being “just first-rate” has its benefits.

Mujin exhaled in relief.

Yet a faint sense of defeat nagged at the back of his head.

Tang Mujin trudged back toward the Poison Cavern. Countless people had belatedly gathered around the platform, curious about what had happened there. But not a single one of them paid him any attention.

When Tang Mujin returned to the cavern, Mok Wana quickly rushed over to him.

“Did it go well?”

“No… not really. I don’t know…”

As Tang Mujin explained what had happened in the village, Mok Wana’s eyes widened in surprise.

The fact that the former Cult Leader had died and the Great Protector had usurped the position was indeed shocking. But Mok Wana had never even seen the former leader’s face. She wasn’t acquainted with Three-Eyed Buddha either.

“Things just got complicated.”

“Yeah.”

Tang Mujin began gathering his belongings.

He didn’t have much to begin with, so there wasn’t even a need to pack bundles. Watching him, Mok Wana asked:

“Are you going somewhere?”

“It’s about time I got ready to leave. Before things get even messier, I should leave the Demon Cult.”

“When will you leave?”

“Even today, if I have to.”

Mok Wana clasped her hands together, her fingers fidgeting nervously as though she had something to say. But Tang Mujin was too busy packing to notice.

A moment later, the sound of footsteps came from outside the cave.

Mok Wana quietly slipped deeper into the cavern while Tang Mujin stiffened.

There was no one he’d welcome as a visitor here.

‘Could it be the Great Protector?’

The one who entered, however, was not the Great Protector. It was the man who had stood guard when Tang Mujin had fainted and later regained consciousness.

But that hardly made the situation better. Given that the man had left just before the Great Protector entered the cavern last time, he was clearly one of the Great Protector’s direct subordinates.

The man got straight to the point as soon as he entered.

“I came with a message from the Cult Leader.”

“Uh… what is it?”

“You’re to stay in the Cult for the time being. If you need anything for your research, say so.”

It was not welcome news.

Plenty of people harbored resentment toward the new Cult Leader. All the more so for the cultists who lived outside.

Remaining in the Demon Cult, which was bound to descend into chaos soon, was not a wise choice. Even if those outside caused no trouble, the new leader himself was bound to stir something up—unlike his more moderate predecessor.

And even without disasters, staying too long in the Demon Cult was dangerous in itself.

‘What would happen if rumors spread that the son of the Tang family physician had been a spy for the Cult, or that Tang Mujin had spent years in Tian Shan consorting with cultists?’

Tang Mujin cautiously asked:

“By any chance… how long am I to stay?”

The man only smirked.

The meaning was obvious: until the Cult Leader said otherwise.

His vision dimmed.

Tian Shan was lacking in physicians, and people skilled in the Venom Arts were rare even across the central plains.

In other words, the Cult Leader had no reason to let him go. Even just keeping him confined was more useful than letting him leave.

The man then added in a half-joking, half-serious tone:

“You two are about the same age and look good together. Why not just get married and settle here in Tian Shan? It’s not such a bad place. Plenty of poisonous creatures around too—you’d have all sorts of material for your research.”

Though spoken as a jest, there was sincerity behind it. Tang Mujin’s expression grew more severe.

Meanwhile, Mok Wana, listening in, fidgeted twice as nervously as before. Only she knew what she was doing.

Tang Mujin thought to himself:

‘Instead of coming back to the cavern, should I have dropped everything and fled? …No. Even if I had tried to run back there, the odds of making it out would have been slim.’

And there was also Three-Eyed Buddha weighing on his mind.

Three-Eyed Buddha had the ability to escape, but he had fought in order to give Tang Mujin a chance to flee. And as a result, he was captured.

Who knew what fate awaited him? Nothing good, that much was certain.

‘If only Three-Eyed Buddha… and I… could both get out of the Cult.’

But rescuing another when he couldn’t even save himself was absurd. Tang Mujin stole a glance at the subordinate before him.

‘If escape is impossible for now, I might as well research the Venom Bird’s poison while keeping an eye out for an opening.’

With the new Cult Leader in power, there was no longer any reason to feed the Venom Bird. Soon it would be driven away from the cult grounds.

That meant his time to study its poison was short.

‘Fine. Since things have come to this, I’ll at least do what I can and look for an opportunity…’

It was at that moment that a thought flashed across his mind.

Tang Mujin sighed and said as though resigned:

“Well, all right then.”

Mok Wana froze for a second, then began fidgeting three times faster.

The subordinate, surprised at his easy compliance, raised an eyebrow.

“Hm? What was that?”

“Since I can’t leave Tian Shan for the time being, I may as well stay with peace of mind. It’s fortunate, at least, that I have work to occupy myself.”

Hearing his ready acceptance, the man’s expression softened.

“Good. That’s the right attitude. A young fellow ought to stay positive.”

“In that case, as you said, could you provide what I need for my research?”

“What do you need?”

“If you could gather as many poisonous creatures and medicinal herbs from the Tian Shan region as possible, that would help.”

“That won’t be hard. I’ve already got a stockpile. I’ll bring it soon.”

Tang Mujin listed a few more modest requests, and the subordinate soon departed.

Sweat had dampened his palms.

He wiped them on his trousers and let out a quiet sigh.

With some luck, perhaps not only he—but also Three-Eyed Buddha—might escape the Demon Cult alive.