The Divine And Demonic Doctor [EN]: Chapter 426

Kwaang!

A roar, unlike anything heard before, erupted from the tip of the Dark Dragon.

The Warrior Scripture, imparted by Cho Ak-ryang.

The essence contained within that supreme art revealed its true divine might through the twisting, piercing Dark Dragon.

Even Dan Ak-seon, who launched the attack, was astonished by the sudden disappearance of his opponent’s energy.

He had merely acted on Zhuge Shan’s advice, yet he had precisely struck the weakness.

“Press the attack!”

The moment Zhuge Shan’s voice was heard again, Jo Eum-seo’s face turned ashen.

The dark staff spun fiercely.

Its terrifying power, sucking in all the surrounding air and creating a vacuum, was enough to chill even the most formidable warrior to the bone.

‘That damn brat!’

By the time he regained his senses, the dark staff was already before his chest.

‘I have no choice.’

It was then that a chilling glint flashed in Jo Eum-seo’s eyes.

Jo Eum-seo channeled his inner energy to its limit.

If he couldn’t defeat his opponent with the Soul-Reaping Melody, he would simply change his approach.

Even at the cost of his own life, he would destroy the Thunder Prison itself, burying everyone present.

‘If I can take down the Divine Demon Physician and Zhuge Shan with me….’

For the sake of the Heavenly Demon and the cult, it would be a worthwhile exchange.

Dan Ak-seon immediately recognized Jo Eum-seo’s intent.

It was evident from his opponent’s determined gaze and the sudden shift in atmosphere.

And Dan Ak-seon had no intention of letting it happen.

For a moment, Jo Eum-seo felt Dan Ak-seon’s figure stretch out.

The divine might displayed by the terrifyingly advanced Body Swap Technique.

In the moment he witnessed and was horrified by this, the Dark Dragon struck him with chilling force.

Kwang!

A sound like dozens of thunderclaps echoed, and a fierce gale swept through the Thunder Prison.

Simultaneously, dust and dirt rained down from the ceiling, obscuring vision.

A heavy silence descended.

“Huk, huk.”

All that could be heard were ragged breaths, as if on the verge of collapse, and…

“Kkeureuk.”

A strange, phlegm-filled sound.

How much time passed?

The dust settled, and the light of the night-shining pearls embedded in the Thunder Prison’s ceiling gradually revealed the scene.

Dan Ak-seon still stood tall in his place.

Though his complexion was pale, his presence, which seemed to press down on the surroundings, remained unchanged.

Jo Eum-seo, on the other hand, staggered back like a drunken man.

The Evil Sound Blood Dagger in his hand was shattered, leaving only the handle with the demon head.

But that was nothing compared to his condition.

His chest, crushed and mangled by the Dark Dragon, was sunken in, and he continuously spewed hot blood from his mouth like a waterfall.

Yet, Jo Eum-seo himself felt no pain.

He could only tremble, his eyes fixed on Dan Ak-seon with shock and fear.

‘How….’

Jo Eum-seo couldn’t believe it.

None of the subordinates lined up behind him were standing.

Only he had survived beneath the dark staff in Dan Ak-seon’s hand.

Who could have survived after being caught in such a terrifying vortex of power?

His own survival was purely a matter of luck.

Jo Eum-seo’s eyes darted around, shaking with shock.

Puddles of blood and countless pieces of flesh scattered like mud.

He might have been among them.

Jo Eum-seo, his face black with death, shuddered and froze in place as he continuously vomited blood.

It was because he met Dan Ak-seon’s gaze as he slowly raised his head.

Dan Ak-seon’s eyes had already regained their composure.

“……”

Jo Eum-seo’s breath caught in his throat at the overwhelming, aloof gaze and the stern aura within.

Dan Ak-seon was staring at him, the Dark Dragon hanging loosely.

That alone was enough to dominate the surrounding space with an unimaginable pressure.

It was the overwhelming presence only one who had the Sword Forest of Mount Do beneath his feet could possess.

‘Where did such a monster come from….’

Before he knew it, Jo Eum-seo let out a groan.

Dan Ak-seon, who had been staring at Jo Eum-seo with an indifferent expression, turned his gaze to Zhuge Shan, who was sitting in the back.

“Let’s go.”

“Y-yes……”

Zhuge Shan nodded, his face pale.

How could this be the martial prowess of a boy who wasn’t even twenty?

He was speechless for a long time in the face of a result that far exceeded common sense.

Dan Ak-seon approached Zhuge Shan, helped him up, and swung the Dark Dragon with an indifferent gaze.

Thwack!

With a gruesome sound of tearing flesh, Jo Eum-seo’s head shattered like a watermelon.

There was no need to see more.

It was instant death.

No matter how skilled, no one could survive with their head completely blown off.

Zhuge Shan still couldn’t believe what had just happened before his eyes.

The Jo Eum-seo he knew was not someone who would fall so helplessly.

He was one of the strongest in the Demonic Cult, second only to the Heavenly Demon.

He was a master who proudly held his name among the Six Demonic Venerables.

Zhuge Shan could only be astonished.

He swallowed hard, his eyes wide with shock as he looked at Dan Ak-seon and Jo Eum-seo’s corpse, which had become a spirit without even a scream.

At that moment, Dan Ak-seon, carrying Zhuge Shan, flew away, leaving behind the Thunder Prison filled only with the stench of death.

* * *

“Heh….”

Myeong-gi, who led the central army among the Demonic Cult’s special forces, let out a hollow sigh with a dumbfounded expression.

The report that the Small Thunder Sound Temple and the Mansu Manor, which had been deployed to strike Jeomchang, had been annihilated was so absurd and preposterous.

But the detailed report that followed left a bitter taste in his mouth.

“The Ewha Palace intervened?”

With the addition of the Six Gates Sect’s masters, including cannons [archaic term for a type of powerful weapon or fighting technique], and the Hainan Sword Sect, it was no wonder they had been annihilated.

But the disappointment was another matter.

The picture of them crushing Jeomchang and then shaking the Sichuan region had been distorted from the start.

However, compared to another piece of news that followed, this was nothing.

Clang.

Myeong-gi dropped the teacup he was drinking from at the news urgently delivered from the main base.

The teacup he had always cherished shattered before his eyes, but Myeong-gi, unconcerned, pressed the subordinate kneeling before him.

“What did you just say?”

The subordinate who was reporting lowered his head even further.

“Zhuge Shan has escaped from the Thunder Prison.”

“No, the words before that! Who died?”

“The Sound Venerable, who was trying to stop him, unfortunately….”

“……!”

Myeong-gi couldn’t close his gaping mouth.

It was then.

“Hmph! Nonsense!”

With a cold snort, Gwonma Cheok Dae-gwang glared fiercely.

“Who dares to harm him?”

At those words, Doma Hyeon-ryungho nodded.

“The masters of the Central Plains, including the Five Greats, should be tied up near the Divine Land [the Demonic Cult’s main base].”

“T-that is….”

Myeong-gi, who belatedly came to his senses, urged the subordinate who was hesitating to speak.

“Tell me what you know.”

“According to witnesses, there were only two intruders.”

“Who are they?”

“A brat called the Divine Demon Physician and Gwigyeong Maja Ga Du-dal.”

Myeong-gi’s eyes wavered.

There was no way a mere thief could have defeated Jo Eum-seo.

Then there was only one person left.

Only the Divine Demon Physician.

‘Was it not just a coincidence?’

He couldn’t believe it.

Thus, along with the Dark Venerable, two of the Six Demonic Venerables had already lost their lives at his hands.

The problem was that the brat called the Divine Demon Physician was still under their surveillance.

“How? Wasn’t he still traveling with the Three Divine Demons?”

Myeong-gi groaned at Hyeon-ryungho’s question.

“It seems we were deceived.”

“Ha!”

Unlike Hyeon-ryungho, who was speechless with disbelief, Cheok Dae-gwang gnashed his teeth, emitting a thick killing intent.

Whatever the situation, they had been neatly outwitted.

The fact that their surveillance network had been neutralized was secondary; the death of a comrade who had overcome life-and-death crises together and shared his life’s purpose was a great shock.

And this was the same for Hyeon-ryungho as well.

The initial bewilderment soon turned into endless rage, paralyzing his reason.

“How dare these bastards play such dirty tricks!”

“I will write a memorial with their blood and soothe his spirit by burning their bones!”

Myeong-gi hurriedly stopped the two who were about to rush out.

“Something is terribly wrong.”

Myeong-gi hurriedly looked around.

‘What if he intended all of this from the beginning?’

They themselves might be caught in a trap from the start.

That was because the person who first proposed this operation was none other than Zhuge Shan.

“I can’t shake the feeling that we are being played in his hands.”

The other two Demonic Venerables couldn’t help but be dumbfounded at Myeong-gi’s words that followed.

“We must go to the Divine Land.”

“Now?”

“Are you saying that now?”

From Cheok Dae-gwang and Hyeon-ryungho’s point of view, it was absurd.

Sichuan, where the Emei Sect and Qingcheng Sect were located, was now just around the corner.

But to turn back here.

However, they closed their mouths in silence at Myeong-gi’s words that followed.

“The Demonic Cult’s main base has been breached! Do you really not understand what that means?”

“…….”

“…….”

It wasn’t that they didn’t have thoughts.

If the fact that the bastards who killed Jo Eum-seo had broken through the formation protecting the main base was not a mere coincidence….

The reason they could operate special forces was only one.

It was because they trusted the formation installed in the Divine Land.

But if they had the ability to break through it, the story would be different.

If the Divine Land collapsed, unlike the main base, everything would be over.

The deliberation was short, and the decision was even faster.

“Head to the Divine Land!”

As Myeong-gi’s order fell, the three hundred Guardian Demons carried out the instructions in an orderly manner.

Starting with Myeong-gi’s central army at the forefront, Cheok Dae-gwang and Hyeon-ryungho each led the left and right armies and set off for the Divine Land.

It was originally a distance that took more than fifteen days.

But they covered the distance in just three days, even forgetting to eat.

But they faced a crisis just before reaching the Divine Land.

“It really happened as you said.”

At Dan Ak-seon’s words, Zhuge Shan slyly curled up the corners of his lips.

“Didn’t I say I would come this way?”

The faces of the Three Demonic Venerables, including Myeong-gi, were distorted as if they had chewed on rotten persimmons.

It was none other than the elites of the Central Plains who were blocking them.

Moreover, they seemed to be in very good condition, unlike themselves, who were exhausted from running without rest.

“That bastard…!”

Myeong-gi gnashed his teeth as he confirmed Zhuge Shan’s face.

Dan Ak-seon, who had escaped Zhuge Shan, had joined the group early on.

“Damn it!”

“How could the situation be so twisted?”

Sighs leaked from Hyeon-ryungho and Cheok Dae-gwang’s mouths.

The elites of the Central Plains were lined up before their eyes.

The number was a whopping two thousand.

There was an unbridgeable gap in power from the start, compared to their mere three hundred.

And most importantly….

‘The Five Greats!’

A deep despair hung over Myeong-gi’s face as he confirmed the faces of the masters at the forefront.

Four of the Five Greats were present in this place.

Moreover, the presence of Mangsan Choja and Bingok Seonja, who were closely attached to the Divine Demon Physician, also made his heart heavier.

He had already crossed hands with Han Seol-hwa in the North Sea Ice Palace.

He knew better than anyone that her martial arts were comparable to the Five Greats.

‘No.’

It was more than that.

If he excluded the cult leader, the Heavenly Demon, she was definitely the best master of the present day.

‘I have no choice.’

Even if the situation had become like this, there was no other way.

They had no choice but to fight, even with a certain degree of disadvantage.

They had to reduce their numbers somehow and minimize the number of people entering the Divine Land.

‘At the very least….’

The two who would be a constant headache for the cult had to be killed.

That was Dan Ak-seon and Zhuge Shan.