Chapter 388

Chapter 388

The secondary objective of Il-mok’s visit to Wi Jin-hak.

“Leader, would you mind sharing a general overview of the forces you plan to deploy for this upcoming campaign?”

His intention was to deliberate on the tactical framework of their army.

Hearing Il-mok’s inquiry, Wi Jin-hak smirked before offering his reply.

“The Martial Alliance is mobilizing their entire strength to hunt you down, so it is only fitting that we prepare for a total, decisive conflict.”

“…In that case, does it mean you have summoned every single fighter from branches like the Demon Cult Pavilion, the Demonic Path Academy, and the Missionary Hall?”

“Ha ha ha! Naturally. The sixth elder is currently occupied within the territories of the Huihui Church and has not arrived yet, but I have dispatched an official notice directing him to rendezvous here the moment he sets foot back at our central headquarters.”

Il-mok suppressed a heavy sigh within his chest upon witnessing Wi Jin-hak’s utter certainty.

Having never commanded a grand-scale military engagement himself, Il-mok did not possess the deep expertise required for strategic war planning.

Nevertheless, the reason he chose to interject regarding their structural organization was precisely because he had anticipated this exact blunder.

‘Even during the period when Master achieved ascension, the thought crossed my mind, but these lunatics of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult truly possess zero concept of moderation.’

From Il-mok’s perspective, the combatants of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult were individuals completely incapable of visualizing a strategy beyond throwing everything into a single clash without maintaining any strategic reserves.

“Leader, the conflict ahead against the Imperial Court will almost certainly turn into a protracted war of attrition. Consequently, for the sake of maintaining our supply lines, it would be far more advantageous to have the Six Priests and the Heavenly Command Merchant Group secure our trade networks instead of dragging them to the front lines.”

“Hmm… You speak of logistics. We have already gathered a massive reserve of coin and food stores within our vaults, yet you believe it falls short of our needs?”

“No one can foresee the true duration of this campaign. Granted, a temporary lack of rations would never waver the absolute loyalty of our Divine Cult fighters. Even so, the most fanatical zealot cannot wage war on an empty stomach or pull off victories without functional weapons.”

“Hmm. Your reasoning is sound. I shall dispatch an express rider to our central base instructing the Six Priests to stay focused on their commerce. That means we must begin purchasing immense quantities of tactical hardware and grain from the Western Regions and…”

“An incredibly wise path to take, Leader. However, a moment ago you spoke of emptying out the Demonic Path Academy and the Demon Cult Pavilion. Tell me, have you also swept up the young disciples currently undergoing their training in those institutions?”

“Ha ha ha! Do you take me for a madman? I possess absolutely no desire to throw young children who have barely mastered the basics of martial arts into the meat grinder as mere shield fodder.”

Il-mok let out a quiet breath of relief following Wi Jin-hak’s reassurance.

Deploying immature children into the fires of combat was sheer insanity.

Leaving aside any moral or humane arguments, it was fundamentally sacrificing the organization’s future viability for a momentary advantage.

Barring a cataclysmic scenario where their entire society faced immediate annihilation, the conscription of underage trainees was an act that could never be justified.

“So you have only ordered the deployment of the senior masters responsible for their education?”

“Precisely.”

“In that case, while your rider is journeying back to the central base, it would be highly prudent to command a portion of those masters and instructors to return to their posts to continue educating the youth.”

This was not merely due to the fact that the cultivation of the younger generation represented their future.

To view it through a colder lens, this was also a matter of long-term resource management.

If they depleted even the trainers stationed at the rear camps meant for cultivating fresh reinforcement pools, it meant they would have zero operational depth.

Following that point, Il-mok persisted in reviewing the logistics of which personnel to station in the rear sectors and which assets to call up for active duty.

Only after concluding the extensive debate regarding their military framework did Il-mok finally introduce his tertiary motive.

“Leader. I respectfully petition you to impart to me the secrets of the Explosive Demon Net Sword Art.”

Wi Jin-hak’s initial bewilderment closely mirrored the expression Jin Ha-yeon had shown previously.

“You have already broken through to the realm of Transcending Demon utilizing the Soul-Stealing Heartless Sword. What reason could you possibly have to seek out the martial secrets of this old man?”

“This humble priest has caught a glimpse of a completely unmapped technique, and in order to bring it to fruition, I must learn to generate a highly concentrated, scorching internal energy.”

“Ha ha ha! Our legendary young prodigy is attempting to forge a brand-new style of his own. I shall watch your progress with great anticipation.”

Wi Jin-hak let out a booming laugh and generously explained the foundational concepts and internal channels of the Explosive Demon Net Sword Art to Il-mok.

The moment Il-mok managed to successfully construct his middle dantian and parted his eyelids, Wi Jin-hak questioned him.

“Have you completely comprehended the underlying mechanics?”

“I have, Leader.”

“Splendid. Then this elder brother of yours must depart to oversee the organizational adjustments you outlined earlier.”

Having spoken, Wi Jin-hak tossed a handwritten text to Il-mok, which he had rapidly compiled while Il-mok was focused on his Qi Circulation and Breath Adjustment.

The manuscript detailed the fundamental truths and movements of the Explosive Demon Net Sword Art.

Il-mok caught the text, executed a deep bow, and brought his hands together in a sign of profound gratitude.

“I am deeply grateful to the Leader for validating the thoughts of this ignorant subordinate.”

With those words, Il-mok exited the grand chamber and made his way back to his private quarters.

After meticulously reviewing the specific forms of the Explosive Demon Net Sword Art within the pages Wi Jin-hak had provided, he began brainstorming methods to channel this discipline directly from his middle dantian rather than his lower reservoir.

‘Hmm. Given that it is fundamentally a blade technique, navigating its flow is vastly simpler than dealing with the Bare Hand Demon Art.’

Once he had systematized his internal theories, Il-mok rose to his feet and unsheathed his Ascension Sword.

Executing a strategy diametrically opposed to his efforts from the previous day, he insulated his upper dantian using the specific essence of the Soul-Stealing Heartless Sword. He then began performing the katas of the Explosive Demon Net Sword Art, practicing with extreme vigilance to ensure the blazing internal force did not collide destructively with the chilling yin energy of the Bare Hand Demon Art.

When the searing energy within his middle core had achieved a fluid circulation, he guided the ambient vitality lingering in his pathways to replenish the middle dantian, steadily widening its capacity.

After sustaining this exhausting regimen for several consecutive hours, Il-mok managed to establish a middle dantian that roughly matched the volume of his upper core.

Each reservoir held an equivalent of approximately fifteen years of dedicated cultivation—a modest sum when measured against the massive pools of primeval vitality and chilling yin energy that inherently occupied Il-mok’s physical form.

He had burned through a significant amount of stamina during this experimentation, but he managed to restore his reserves by engaging in Qi Circulation and Breath Adjustment, drawing in the ambient natural qi permeating the surrounding air.

The primary motivation behind keeping these reservoirs relatively compact was simple self-preservation.

Because these particular energy centers were situated in close proximity to his vital organs and brain, Il-mok deliberately avoided any reckless attempts at rapid expansion.

“Huu.”

Il-mok safely locked away the burning energy inside his middle dantian and opened his eyes, exhaling a long, concentrated breath.

‘It creates a sensation as though I have converted my own ribcage into an unstable powder keg.’

With vastly conflicting variants of power simultaneously occupying his upper, middle, and lower dantians, the alien pressure caused a shiver to ripple across Il-mok’s flesh.

Il-mok uncrossed his legs, rose to his feet, and walked out of his chamber, with Jin Ha-yeon and Jeong-hyeon falling into step directly behind him.

The surrounding settlement of Seo-nyeong was a whirlwind of frantic, disorganized movement.

It appeared the populace and soldiers were scrambling to enact the structural realignments that Il-mok had suggested to Wi Jin-hak.

After pausing briefly to observe the commotion, Il-mok turned away from Seo-nyeong and directed his steps toward an isolated, empty terrain.

“Y-Young Master, w-where exactly are we traveling to?”

Faced with Jeong-hyeon’s nervous inquiry, Il-mok offered a soft, reassuring smile before answering.

“I have successfully conceptualized a novel combat application, so I am seeking out an abandoned area to evaluate its performance.”

Il-mok seamlessly activated his lightness skill, and within moments, he reached the crest of a barren ridge where the sprawling buildings of Seo-nyeong appeared as nothing more than tiny specks on the horizon.

“Kindly grant me some space and retreat a short distance, if you will.”

Only after Jeong-hyeon and Jin Ha-yeon had dutifully stepped away to stand well behind his position did Il-mok close his eyes and begin a series of deep, rhythmic breaths.

“Huu.”

He was about to execute an untested martial concept where even the slightest lapse in focus could result in catastrophic internal hemorrhaging, if not outright vaporization.

‘To begin, the Soul-Stealing Heartless Sword.’

As Il-mok’s awareness descended into absolute stillness, the dark, commanding demonic energy stored within his lower dantian surged upward, racing toward his middle and upper energy centers.

‘Direct the chilling yin energy of the Bare Hand Demon Art into the right palm, and guide the searing force of the Explosive Demon Net Sword Art into the left.’

The negative frost-energy and the burning heat-energy resting in his upper and middle dantians spilled out into his pathways. The enveloping demonic energy that hovered near those centers immediately seized the two contrary forces, steering them cleanly down his arms into his right and left hands.

Wiiiiing.

In short order, accompanied by an eerie, high-pitched vibration, condensed spheres of concentrated qi materialized over Il-mok’s palms.

They were terrifying, unnatural phenomena. The orb floating above his right palm consisted of a freezing blue core wrapped in a shroud of ash-gray qi, whereas the sphere hovering over his left hand featured a blazing crimson core encased within an identical gray qi shell.

Each sphere represented roughly fifteen years’ worth of elemental yin and yang forces drawn from his upper and middle reservoirs.

An additional fifteen years of raw demonic energy had been assigned to each side merely to serve as containment fields.

Because nearly sixty years—a full jiazi—of condensed inner power had been violently extracted from his body simultaneously, a crushing wave of mental exhaustion threatened to overwhelm Il-mok’s focus.

Il-mok swallowed hard against a dry throat, anchored his wavering mind, snapped his eyes open, and slowly brought his left and right palms closer together.

The dark demonic energy holding the freezing and burning elements in check was incredibly volatile, ready to react explosively at the slightest contact with the core powers inside.

The absolute second his mental grip slipped even a fraction, a devastating chain reaction would inevitably consume him.

Every single time the opposing spheres trembled from the micro-movements of his hands, a layer of icy sweat broke out along Il-mok’s spine.

The exact millisecond the two spheres made physical contact, acting in perfect alignment with his mental command, the gray outer qi shells melted into one another, coalescing into a single, massive sphere of power.

Within that singular, bloated orb, the azure frost and the crimson flame continued to swirl alongside each other without mixing, perfectly mimicking the shape of a cosmic taiji emblem.

‘If this containment breaks while it remains in my hands, I am a dead man.’

Utilizing a methodology akin to projecting an invisible Energy Sword Technique through a bare hand strike, Il-mok lunged forward with both palms, using the sheer force of his will to launch the sphere away from his body.

Obeisant to his mental push, the dual-element orb glided silently across the open air ahead of him.

The further the projectile traveled from his position, the more agonizing it became to sustain cohesion, and once it crossed a distance of twenty zhang, a blinding migraine slammed into his skull.

“Kuh.”

Letting out a choked grunt, his absolute mental focus fractured. A tiny rupture split the demonic energy that had been forcefully keeping the conflicting yin and yang forces apart.

Pajijijik.

Immediately following that sound, an noise resembling the panicked screeching of a thousand birds taking flight tore through the sky.

The entire landscape was instantly swallowed by a blinding, transcendent flash of white light.

Confronted by the vision-destroying radiance, Il-mok desperately unholstered his Ascension Sword and forced a massive wave of inner power out from his lower dantian.

The sheer volume of the ensuing detonation instantly numbed his eardrums, leaving nothing but a high-pitched, agonizing ringing in his head.

Deprived entirely of both his sight and hearing, Il-mok blindly slashed his blade through the air, painting it with thick qi to construct an emergency defensive barrier.

Clang!!

The protective qi shield groaned and vibrated violently under an immense external shockwave.

As the spots in his eyes slowly faded and his vision began to patch itself back together, an apocalyptic landscape manifested before Il-mok’s eyes.

The dense shrubbery, thickets, and boulders that had previously populated the ridge had vanished, ground down into microscopic particles of dust.

A circular zone stretching across dozens of zhang was completely flattened and scorched, and at the dead center where the dual orb had suffered its breach, an enormous chasm yawned in the earth—looking precisely as though a titanic beast from legend had violently scooped out the mountain with its talons.

“Ha… ha ha…”

Il-mok couldn’t stop a breathless, disbelieving chuckle from escaping his lips.

‘That cataclysmic damage was triggered by combining a mere fifteen years of each element…’

Granted, fusing the two distinct components yielded an active force of thirty years, and when factoring in the massive demonic catalyst used to direct the blast, it represented a truly terrifying sum of cultivation.

‘…What would happen if my upper and middle dantians were expanded to contain more than a century of power each?’

And what if he chose to manifest this identical phenomenon utilizing that supreme tier of power?

Simply contemplating the sheer scale of such a detonation caused a freezing dread to creep down his back—he had given form to an absolute abomination.

Naturally, enlarging his physical dantians to accommodate such a vast ocean of power would require years of patient, dangerous cultivation.

‘Even so, the foundation has been laid, meaning that one day this tree will grow to its full height.’

A foundational technique destined to rain absolute ruin down upon any adversary foolish enough to stand in his way.

Right at that moment, a pair of distinct, intrusive thoughts erupted inside his consciousness.

• Brilliant! Use that foundation to incinerate every single insect that dares to look down upon your majesty! Let your righteous fury consume them all!

• The old fool speaks nonsense! Listen to me instead. Do not restrain yourself. Use that magnificent, overwhelming strength to plant your own seed inside countless beautiful women.

• I was hardly suggesting such degenerate filth when I told him to unleash his true nature! I was telling him to stop bottlenecking his wrath!

• Degenerate? It is the fundamental law of the natural world!

  Il-mok let out a weary, long-suffering sigh as the two separate cognitive entities yelled over one another inside his skull.

  “Merciful heavens. Both of these voices have completely lost their minds.”