Descent of the Demon Master

The topography had been altered. That was a succinct summary of what just happened.

Although it sounded improbable and funny, that was what went down here. The land quite literally was altered. The massive beam of bright light fired by the Crimson King completely obliterated the road leading to the pier.

Zhu Gang nervously swallowed his saliva while staring at the ground, now gouged out deeply enough for grown adults to enter without a problem.

'How... How can a human being pull off something like this?!'

Not even a powerful bomb going off should be able to create a trail of destruction like this!

This situation was completely unbelievable, but Zhu Gang had no choice but to believe it. How could he not when his eyes were looking at the irrefutable evidence?! At this utterly nonsensical proof!

Yes, that must be the one and only Crimson King! Only he could have exuded the overbearing aura of a king like this. And, and... Who else could have created a spectacle this unbelievable?!

“The Crimson King!” Vator froze up as if he had encountered a specter.

That was indeed the Crimson King standing there in the distance and blocking everyone's advance. Vator blinked his eyes several times and even bit his tongue, but what his eyes could see still didn't change. That man in the red robe was the Crimson King!

A king was not an existence that could carelessly make a move. Especially a king like the Crimson King, who was not known for doing something recklessly! Yet, he actually showed up in this place.

“But, how...!”

Vator's jaw began clattering. Sweat instantly soaked his entire body. As if buckets of cold water were poured on top of him, every garment hanging on his considerable frame got soaked in cold sweat. His eyes stung sharply from all the sweat trickling down from his forehead.

The inside of his head went totally blank. He couldn't think of anything. Which wasn't surprising in the slightest. This plan hinged on the Crimson King not showing up, after all.

Was it because they believed that the Crimson King would never show up? No, that wasn't it.

Because... the Crimson King's presence would negate any and all plans. He wasn't a being that strategies and planning could overcome. The best way to refer to him would be a living, breathing natural disaster!

Out of all the demonic cultivators here, none knew this better than Vator. And terror had completely taken over him merely with the Crimson King standing before him as an enemy. Such was the grip this terror had on him that Vator almost lost his mind just now.

'But, why am I so terrified?'

Things weren't this bad back then, back when Vator challenged the Crimson King to a duel. Although Vator was beaten up so one-sidedly that it might as well not even count as a fight, the big man never lost his fighting spirit. But now?

Just looking at the Crimson King was enough for Vator to become paralyzed with fear!

'Is this how it means to be the Crimson King's enemy?'

The Crimson King's burning glare swept across everyone present, and then his expression crumpled a little. “You bunch of rat bastards...!”

His voice clearly contained his anger. Merely listening to it was enough for the demonic cultivators to instinctively shrink back. They behaved like little kids being scolded by their angry parents.

The Crimson King slowly scanned the demonic cultivators before fixing his gaze on Vator.

He quietly called out to the big man. “Vator.”

“...”

“I trusted you, so how dare... Hmm?” The Crimson King stopped mid-sentence and furrowed his brow. “The soul enslavement technique? I see. So that's what it was…”

The Crimson King only needed to take one look to figure out Vator's state. He weightily nodded away in understanding.

“Even if you were defeated... Vator, you are the proud Warrior of the Wild Plains. You would never forsake your pride and beg your enemy to spare your life. However, to see you under the soul enslavement...! As expected of the Demon King! To think he'd perform such a debasing and villainous act on you.”

Vator couldn't say anything. The Crimson King's presence was still crushing heavily down on him.

“Hmm...” The Crimson King slowly scanned the distance before raising his head slightly and fixing his gaze in one direction.

***

“B-but how! How did my liege...!”

Cai Kechang's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. That person in the distance... That was definitely the Crimson King!

Cai Kechang hurriedly kowtowed after realizing that fact and loudly cried out. “M-my liege! This sinner pays his respect to the Crimson King!”

Due to the distance, his voice should not reach the Crimson King, no matter how loudly he yelled. Even then, Cai Kechang didn't doubt for a second.

He never doubted that the Crimson King would hear him. After all, the Crimson King was an existence that could hear the voices of all things, a noble being deserving of worship from all of mankind!

Sure enough...! The Crimson King's gaze landed on Cai Kechang next. The considerable distance meant Cai Kechang must be nothing more than a dot on the horizon, yet the Crimson King's gaze was undoubtedly locked on him.

That was when a whisper-like voice registered in Cai Kechang's hearing. “Cai Kechang...!”

“Yes! My liege!”

“You have disappointed me.”

“My apologies, my liege! This servant's naivety and foolishness have brought this disaster upon us!”

Bang, bang!

Cai Kechang repeatedly rammed his head on the ground.

“My foolish servant... Even though I repeatedly warned you to be on guard!”

As he listened, Cai Kechang's hands became clammy with cold sweat.

'Just how vast is my liege's wisdom?'

It seemed the Crimson King had guessed things would devolve into this state the moment Cai Kechang was given this task. Without that explanation, the Crimson King's mighty presence in this place made no sense.

Even if the Crimson King decided to explain how much he had predicted already, Cai Kechang would not have the mental capacity to fully comprehend. And now, here he was, hiding his presence and biding his time before appearing like a sudden bolt of lightning!

Since Cai Kechang had not discovered the Crimson King's activity, there was simply no way that other Kings and their factions could have noticed it.

Restricting the enemy's choices as much as possible while achieving what he wanted... Only the Crimson King could realize such a strategy. Such a covert activity was only possible because the one doing it... was the Crimson King!

“Recall our men, Cai Kechang.”

“M-my liege?”

“I said, recall our men.”

“Yes, sir!” Cai Kechang loudly roared to display his obedience. And even before the soundwaves from his reply could dissipate, he shot up to his feet and turned his head around to survey the situation on the battlefield.

Everyone had stopped moving like a paused movie. The previous 'liveliness' was completely gone after the appearance of the Crimson King had overwhelmed everyone and everything.

The martial artists immediately forgot about their terror at the sudden entrance of their master and began paying their earnest respect to the Crimson King. Meanwhile, the demonic cultivators going on a rampage stopped moving and held their breaths.

“All of you, retreat!” Cai Kechang loudly roared, prompting the martial artists to untangle themselves from the demonic cultivators and carefully back away to a distance.

The battlefield, surrounded in confusion, quickly regained its calm. And what swiftly followed was the descent of eerie silence.

***

Chang Min grimly asked, “...Is that man the Crimson King?”

Vator slowly nodded. “...Yes.”

After getting that confirmation, Chang Min's grimace deepened as he glared at the Crimson King. He was left utterly speechless.

'How can someone like that exist in this world?!'

Chang Min could sense it. That man in the distance might look like a human on the surface, but what was on the inside was a mass of power so gigantic that it couldn't have belonged to a mere mortal!

As a matter of fact, Chang Min's trained eyes could see the distortion surrounding the Crimson King. The natural qi flowing all around in the air distorted immediately after nearing the Crimson King's figure!

It was as if Mother Nature itself couldn't handle the massive qi reserve hiding within the Crimson King.

As a result, it looked like the Crimson King was resisting the world with his physical body. That seemed the only apt description of what Chang Min could see!

'And we're supposed to fight against someone like that?'

Chang Min had never seen the Crimson King before. Since he had lived a long life, they could have run into each other at least once, but... Whether it was a coincidence or a trick of fate, Chang Min had never met any of the Three Kings until today.

Right now, at this very moment... Chang Min realized how lucky he had been. Because, if he met them earlier in his life... His will would've been broken.

If he had run into, say, the Crimson King, Chang Min would have immediately given up on the revival of the demon cult. Defeating someone like the Crimson King and restoring the demon cult as the ruler of all things under the heavens once more sounded like a hopelessly futile ambition.

The demon emperor's presence meant Chang Min hadn't discarded that dream yet, but he knew the past him who didn't know of Kang Jin-Ho's existence wouldn't have carried on.

'No, wait...'

Was Chang Min being honest with himself here? Could he keep dreaming of that future because the demon emperor was here? Did that mean he believed the demon emperor could fight against such a monster?

A monster that resembled a divine god who had finally descended to Earth?

The Crimson King was, figuratively speaking, gigantic. So gigantic that looking at him left Chang Min breathless and blinded. After being completely overwhelmed, Chang Min could only tightly clench his fist.

What an unsightly showing this was from him. To think a demon cult elder like him got overwhelmed by an orthodox faction martial artist and even felt awestruck!

“I'm not interested in small fries!” The Crimson King's booming voice reverberated in the area. After a bout of silence, he roared again. “Where is your Demon King!”

At this point, there was no mistaking who the Crimson King was searching for.

“Kang Jin-Ho!” The Crimson King's voice thunderously rocked heaven and earth. “Where are you, Kang Jin-Ho!”

Everyone held their breath. Unsurprisingly, no one wanted to raise their head in the presence of such a titan. The sane thing to do in this situation was to shrink back as much as possible and pray that the Crimson King's anger didn't fall on them.

However, on this battlefield... One man was not of sane mind!

That was when a noticeable movement occurred on the battlefield. A part of the tightly packed crowd of demonic cultivators that resembled a huge snake began rumbling and moving away. It was as if subtle yet noticeable ripples were breaking on the surface of black water.

The demonic cultivators looked behind them. And then, half of the crowd moved back toward the left while the rest went to the right. And on this newly-created path... A lone figure leisurely walked out of the crowd as the attention of the demonic cultivators focused on him.

As the gazes of respect, belief and sheer, unbridled desperation showered him, this man slowly, oh-so-slowly, made his way forward.

This man's appearance was hair-raising in the worst way imaginable. Every step he took left behind footprints of blood. In fact, the unmistakable crimson liquid continued to stream down his body as a testament to how much blood had been spilled on him.

His appearance was as horrifying as it could get. Even then... Something about it oddly suited him.

Creaaaaak...

His swords, lazily hanging by his side, scraped against the ground. This man carrying a sword in each of his hands... The man who was now referred to as the Demon King...! Kang Jin-Ho leisurely walked along the path. Through the soaked hair strands covering his face, he pointedly and unwaveringly stared at the Crimson King.

“Kang Jin-Ho…” The Crimson King sighed, which didn't seem appropriate for his majestic stature. 'I am looking at a bloodthirsty devil!'

How disharmonious this scene was. So disharmonious!

This land was filled with chaos and confusion. In this place, righteousness, villainy, and even demonic ways had lost their original paths and became a jumbled mess. However, even in this chaotic land, Kang Jin-Ho... He remained such an enigmatic and disharmonious entity.

Even the mighty Crimson King had to flinch at how chilling Kang Jin-Ho appeared. Just how much bloodshed did a person need to witness before becoming someone like Kang Jin-Ho? Just how evil and malicious one's heart must be to slaughter fellow human beings until he ended up looking like that!

The Crimson King had lived a long time and seen many things. He personally experienced the ravages of war and had to watch the heartless slaughter. Even then, Kang Jin-Ho's current appearance made him grit his teeth. That was how horrifying it was!

Evil. Pure malice! Yes, that... thing covered in blood was evil given form!

Kang Jin-Ho finally walked through the path of demonic cultivators and stood before the Crimson King. He raised his head to look at the imposing figure in the face.

On one side, it was the embodiment of martial might representing righteousness. On the other side stood the demon emperor of the blood-soaked heaven representing the demonic path.

These two individuals, seemingly crossing eons of time to confront each other, stood silently and began a staring contest. Even though there were over ten thousand people present, these two men stared only at each other as if no one else existed in this place.

The first one to break this weighty silence was the Crimson King.

“...So, you're Kang Jin-Ho?”

That question was ultimately unnecessary since the Crimson King knew who he was talking to. There was no doubt that this blood-covered man was Kang Jin-Ho. No one beside him here was qualified to call himself the demon emperor, after all!

“The... Crimson King,” Kang Jin-Ho muttered lazily, his voice harsh and grating. “Are you the Crimson King?”

An unnecessary question was replied to with another unnecessary question.

The Crimson King slowly nodded in acceptance. “It seems I've asked a foolish question.”

“As long as you get it,” Kang Jin-Ho flatly muttered.

A strange smile spread on the Crimson King's lips. “Kang Jin-Ho... Yes, Kang Jin-Ho. We finally meet face to face, Kang Jin-Ho. I've been so anxious to meet you like this.”

All the streams of qi flowing around the Crimson King began writhing ominously.

“Today, in this place! I shall kill you and finish off the demonic path once and for all! Hear me, oh the Demon King!”

As if Heaven itself was opening up...!

All the overwhelming qi gushing out of the Crimson King roared mightily and billowed straight into the skies. As if he was ripping the Heaven's Gates wide open!