Descent of the Demon Master

“Sir! What should we do? Chief administrator!”

“...”

The chief administrator, Cai Kechang, remained silent, but his expression was distorted beyond the level of hideous.

'Who the hell is that man?!'

Cai Kechang had already anticipated Vator's strength.

The big Mongolian was an expert strong enough to dare challenge the Crimson King to a duel. Obviously, dealing with someone on his level would never be easy. There were other experts affiliated with the faction besides the Crimson King who could deal with Vator, but Cai Kechang wasn't in a position to command and mobilize such people at will.

So, the difficulty in handling Vator was to be expected. However... Just who was that old man?!

'There was a high-ranking expert like that among the demonic cultivators?!'

Cai Kechang could have never imagined it. Without Kang Jin-Ho, the demon cult should be nothing more than a trash pile. Even if hidden talents were scraped from the bottom of the heap, they would be no better than recyclable trash.

'A pearl hidden within the mud?'

What an insultingly stupid notion that was! If Cai Kechang really had to be poetic about it, this situation would be like a treasure mistakenly thrown inside a trash heap!

Either way, Cai Kechang's displeasure at this development knew no bounds. He tightly bit his lower lip.

The longer the battle dragged on, and the more he learned about his opposition, the more Cai Kechang realized he had no bloody idea about who he was dealing with.

Why did his predecessors and the Crimson King remain so wary of the demon cult? Cai Kechang got his answer as the proof was laid before his eyes.

That old man was a monster that roused terror in all those who witnessed his figure! And then, the demonic cultivators could not be described in any other term than blindly loyal. If such people came together and formed a properly functioning organization...!

Cai Kechang could imagine what might happen if that became a reality.

For now, each of those demonic cultivators was a weakling, so calling them riff-raffs was not an exaggeration. However, if they somehow could become stronger? What then?

'It will be horrifying!'

Cai Kechang suddenly realized why older-generation orthodox martial artists always displayed near-neurotic reactions to all demonic cultivators. That was because they had a good idea of how... How terrifying the real demonic cultivators could get!

Something he understood with his head but never felt in his heart had finally sunk in like a ton of bricks.

'However, that hasn't happened yet!'

Those demonic cultivators needed to be dealt with in the future. But that future wasn't right now. Cai Kechang's target of extermination this time was Kang Jin-Ho!

Vator and Chang Min attracted attention. Meanwhile, the demon cult's elders stood on either side of the demonic cultivators fleeing through the wide-open barricades and defended them. Anyone with functioning eyes would be drawn to what was happening there.

Even to those with no knowledge of the situation, this spectacle would've made them scream and clamor to stop the fleeing demonic cultivators.

However, Cai Kechang rapidly regained his cool as the situation seemingly worsened all around him. And now, he knew what he had to do.

Cai Kechang chewed his words out quietly. “Where is the Vermilion Blood Squad?”

“They are on the move, sir.”

“You better deliver my new commands properly. Every single fighter not involved in the skirmish over there... Tell them to target Kang Jin-Ho!”

“Yes, sir!”

And then... Pure-white streaks of meteors began charging toward Kang Jin-Ho still standing on the roof of the black van.

***

Click...

Kang Jin-Ho mouthed a fresh cigarette and lit it up with his lighter.

“Fuu-woo...”

The cigarette smoke slowly got sucked into his lungs before escaping his body to disperse into the night sky.

'Now there's an amusing sight...'

The smell of a battlefield remained familiar to his senses. The acrid stench of spilled blood stabbing his nose was a constant companion during Kang Jin-Ho's second go at life, after all! This disgusting metallic stench of blood he was so sick of...!

Ba-dump!

Kang Jin-Ho subtly placed his hand on his left chest. To think he'd get excited by the stench of blood... Now that was something no sane human should be doing.

Kang Jin-Ho wryly smirked. He was no longer Heavenly Crimson Demon Emperor of the past. Unfortunately, he still hadn't fully exorcised that persona from his psyche. And the proof was how sensitively he responded to the stench of blood despite possessing a completely different physical body.

“Fuu-woo...”

More unhealthy cigarette smoke drifted away from Kang Jin-Ho's mouth, his eyes still taking in the unfolding sight.

This situation felt a little... out of place. But why was that?

Maybe that was because the ultimate goal of this battle was different from all the others he had fought until now. Whenever he led an army to wage war, it had always been to completely annihilate and slaughter his enemies.

Kill everyone his eyes could see—he only needed to fulfill this mission. That used to be his life.

However, that alone couldn't explain this feeling. After all, fleeing was one of Kang Jin-Ho's specialties, wasn't it?

Before he threw his lot with the demon cult, Kang Jin-Ho had to flee from the rest of the world. He kept running and continued to run some more. Simply put, Kang Jin-Ho could write an encyclopedia on fleeing. So, why would he feel out of place in this situation? Just why?

Kang Jin-Ho's expression grew a little puzzled. He noticed several people emitting rather special auras among the enemy camps up ahead... and to his sides. And their unmistakable auras were all pointing at Kang Jin-Ho.

“Hmm...”

The corners of Kang Jin-Ho's lips slowly curled up. This was... provocation! Indeed, they were provoking him.

Kang Jin-Ho flicked the cigarette away toward the ground.

“They don't know their place, huh.”

In that case, he should teach them!

Just as the cigarette landed, white meteor streaks reached Kang Jin-Ho's position. And he bared his fangs in a fierce grin while welcoming these streaks of light illuminating the dark night.

Wuuoong!

Demonic qi gushed out of Kang Jin-Ho's fists. And then, the demonic qi rapidly enveloped him like burning flames and billowed into a tornado!

“Heot?!”

The orthodox martial artist right at the front of the charging group sucked in a deep breath at this sight. However, what he should pay attention to wasn't Kang Jin-Ho's outer appearance!

Crunch!

Kang Jin-Ho reached out and grabbed the face of the unfortunate martial artist. Not even a hint of scream left the victim's mouth.

No, the poor sucker could only shudder. Shudder... at the crushing gripping force similar to a massive machine tightening on his face!

No living person could withstand such force with a sane mind. And this poor man's entire body trembled pitifully.

After the body went out of the brain's control, all kinds of liquids began escaping from every orifice. His pants became soaked in the blink of an eye.

However, what the victim found the most difficult to endure was... the eyes. More specifically, Kang Jin-Ho's eyes visible through the gaps between Kang Jin-Ho's fingers gripping the poor man's face!

Those eyes were dry, cold, and utterly emotionless. And they were getting redder and redder.

Anybody seeing the sheer crimson lights burning in those eyes would immediately realize something important. And that would be that something had gone terribly wrong.

“Kuwuuh... Kkuh-huuh...!”

“Hmm. Did I look like an easy prey to you?”

“Kkuh-euh...!”

“I heard enough.”

Crunch!

A corpse without a head collapsed to the ground below the van.

Plop!

That noise wasn't all that loud. And it should've gotten buried in this area filled with all sorts of commotions and chilling noises. Even then, this not-loud noise still momentarily ruled over this area. Even those who grew stupefied from Vator's display of his godly might, even those who grew terrified by Chang Min's monstrous display... They all stopped moving and looked behind them.

Click...

Kang Jin-Ho mouthed yet another cigarette and lit it up with a lighter.

“Fuu-woo...”

After leisurely exhaling the smoke, he scanned his surroundings. The white meteor streaks... No, the martial artists in white attire that managed to grab Kang Jin-Ho's attention earlier had finished encircling Kang Jin-Ho. They didn't move an inch and glared murderously at Kang Jin-Ho. It seemed the fate of their comrade, who was turned into a headless corpse in an instant, wasn't enough to discourage them.

“Kek...” Kang Jin-Ho cackled softly.

It certainly had been a while since he last felt the barrage of such glares.

After returning to the modern era, Kang Jin-Ho had to fight countless enemies. None of them managed to maintain their cool like these white attired men, though. Most of them were busy trying to flee after Kang Jin-Ho displayed his horrific, merciless nature. As for those who kept their fighting spirit burning till the last moments... Well, Vator seemed to be the only person.

However, Vator was also different from everyone else. If his intention was to be described in a simpler term, it would be... desire. Desire to fight against someone strong.

But the eyes of these people were...

'Right, they resemble those folks back in Zhongyuan.'

These people reminded Kang Jin-Ho of the orthodox faction martial artists who swore to kill Heavenly Crimson Demon Emperor even at the cost of throwing their lives away. Their eyes belonged to moths who convinced themselves their own deaths were noble sacrifices.

Those eyes even used to pressure Kang Jin-Ho sometimes back in the day.

“How nostalgic...” Kang Jin-Ho quietly muttered.

Indeed, didn't he use to fight people while withstanding such glares back then? Those people didn't doubt for once that they were on the side of righteousness. They used to cry about justice and chivalry. Of course, there were a few hypocrites among them, but more than a handful of those who fought Kang Jin-Ho truly deserved to be called ambassadors of chivalry and moral code.

People who were willing to sacrifice their lives for others! Yes, all those people were...

Kang Jin-Ho leisurely sucked in another lungful of cigarette smoke, then smirked deeply.

What happened to those people? Of course he killed them all. Every single one.

Who the opponent was and what their ideals were didn't matter one jot. What Kang Jin-Ho cared about was if they were blocking his path or not, and whether they dared to antagonize him or not!

What he grew nostalgic about was the sight of eyes filled with belief and determination gradually morphing into eyes filled with terror at their impending demise.

“Chang Min.”

“Yes, my liege!” Chang Min roared out his reply. Even though primal savagery had taken over his mind, Kang Jin-Ho's voice helped him regain his rationality in an instant.

“Lead them from the front.”

“I shall obey!” Chang Min bowed his waist ninety degrees, then dashed forward. His direction? Where the fleeing demonic cultivators were heading to.

“Vator.”

“Yes, master!”

“Block them.”

“Understood!”

Even Vator obeyed Kang Jin-Ho's commands without a question. He threw his huge body to take a stand behind the mass of fleeing demonic cultivators. His determination to stop anyone daring to chase after them could be seen bursting forth from his rippling muscles.

After issuing those orders, Kang Jin-Ho leisurely scanned his surroundings once more. His eyes accurately read the movements of his enemies.

Those unfamiliar with combat would easily miss such things, but not Kang Jin-Ho. He saw right through the subtle shifts and changes in the flow of action.

The martial artists targeting the fleeing demonic cultivators were subtly pulling back.

Kang Jin-Ho casually asked, “So, your name is Cai Kechang?”

“...!” Cai Kechang's glare met Kang Jin-Ho's gaze mid-air, causing the Chinese man to shudder grandly. “K-Kang Jin-Ho!”

“Not bad,” Kang Jin-Ho nodded. Of course he saw through Cai Kechang's intentions. The martial artists were no longer interested in stopping the demonic cultivators. Their sole aim was now... Kang Jin-Ho and no one else! Unfortunately for them, though...

They were being rather stupid.

It seemed Cai Kechang didn't know how familiar Kang Jin-Ho was with situations like this one.

Every enemy of the demon cult thought about targeting just one thing. Whether it was now or back then, it seemed everyone held the same evaluation of the demon cult.

They saw Heavenly Crimson Demon Emperor as not just another leader of the demon cult but its absolutely everything, too. So, killing him would naturally lead to the crumbling of the demon cult itself.

All the strategies employed during the great war between the orthodox faction and the demon cult were structured around that idea. Those idiots sacrificed thousands, nay, tens of thousands of people just to kill Kang Jin-Ho.

...And they all failed.

“Let me show you, then.”

Show you why they all failed in the end!

Small sparks of flames bloomed at the tip of Kang Jin-Ho's foot. And these flames were pitch-black.

Demonic qi resembling thick, sticky tar instantly expanded its volume before enveloping Kang Jin-Ho's entire figure.

Guoh-ooooooh!

Demonic qi billowed like black smoke, and among the eerily-dancing black strands were a pair of crimson lights burning in Kang Jin-Ho's eyes.

Everyone stood still in their spots and dazedly stared at this scene.

This was... absolutely overwhelming!

This space no longer felt real just by Kang Jin-Ho finally revealing his true form. What they were witnessing could not be something of this world. No, it must be from somewhere existing on the boundary between the world of living and Hell!

Kang Jin-Ho's entrance alone was enough to bring the world one step closer to Hell itself.

Demonic qi expanded even more to soar through the skies. After enveloping Kang Jin-Ho's figure, the eerie black strands billowed higher and higher with seemingly no let-up in sight. It felt like black flames were about to blanket the world from how they squirmed and writhed ominously.

“You better try everything you can.”

Kang Jin-Ho's voice sounded turbid and goosebumps-inducing, like nails scraping against coarse metal. This demonic voice mercilessly dug into everyone's hearing.

“Only then will you... feel less unfair about your death!”

For a brief moment there, demonic qi strands seemed to stop moving. However, they suddenly exploded forth in every direction!

This was like watching a black wave. Like black liquid quickly getting absorbed into a sponge, demonic qi engulfed the world and flicked its devilish tongue in the direction of the stumbling martial artists.

The world gradually transformed into Hell.