Dokma Jeghal-hwi – 4

As soon as the Chief Manager finished speaking, Maehwa grabbed Hana and Yeonhwa by their sides and soared into the sky.

“Eek!”

“Kyaa!”

Hana and Yeonhwa screamed at the sudden ascent.

“I apologize, Young Cult Leader. I had to touch your body for safety reasons.”

Maehwa said, cutting through the cold wind.

“What’s going on?”

The fierce wind brushed past my ears, making my voice sound faint.

“It seems someone has infiltrated the Cult.”

Maehwa glanced back and said to me.

“Is there anyone who would attack the Black Heaven Cult?”

“I don’t know. The Heavenly Demon would have crushed most of the Martial Arts Alliance forces. It could be elites from the orthodox sects.”

-Why is the Chief Manager’s Mystic Formation, which has never been breached, being…

Maehwa muttered, perhaps thinking I would be flustered, but her flustered emotions were clearly conveyed to me.

“Why isn’t the Chief Manager following?”

“The Chief Manager will follow soon. He is buying time to stop the enemies from invading.”

I hope he’s safe. Can someone with a weak body really stop people?

Worry precedes everything else.

Maehwa flew like that and returned to the Black Heaven Cult.

Crossing the walls of the Black Heaven Cult, Maehwa shouted, and all the people remaining in the Black Heaven Cult came with their respective weapons and formed ranks.

I thought they were just Cult’s People performing miscellaneous tasks, but it seemed they each had their own skills.

Passing them, who were in groups and guarding their assigned positions, Maehwa led me to the Disciple’s Palace.

“You can stay here.”

Passing my bedroom and reaching the end of the hallway, Maehwa removed the cloth on the floor and opened the door.

-Creak

A secret door leading downwards.

Maehwa handed the lamp to Yeonhwa and said.

“You must protect the Young Cult Leader. Do you understand?”

“Yes! I will protect the Young Cult Leader no matter what!”

In the face of the sudden situation, Yeonhwa trembled but repeated as if vowing to herself.

I was ashamed of this situation where I was being protected by a child.

“Young Cult Leader, no matter what happens, you must never come out.”

The door closed, and we lit up the surroundings with the lamp and slowly moved forward.

After passing through a short passage, a moderately sized cavity appeared.

In modern terms, it felt like a small basement.

It had some furniture, so it had the basics, but the first impression I had upon entering the room was this.

“It’s a shelter.”

“Pardon?”

“It’s nothing.”

A shelter to evacuate important people. I guess I’ll have to stay here until the situation is resolved.

“Young Cult Leader, don’t worry too much. The Cult’s People of the Black Heaven Cult are all very strong.”

Yeonhwa was saying that to reassure me in her own way.

Her legs were shaking, and she must have been very scared herself, but I was grateful that she was thinking of me.

“Yes, I’m relieved.”

Stroking Yeonhwa’s head, I sat down on a chair.

Hoping that no one would get hurt and that it would end.

After Maehwa left with the Young Cult Leader and Yeonhwa, Chief Manager Jegal Hwi stood blankly in place, listening to the sounds coming from the mountain.

–

Clang

–

Clang

The sound of a bell ringing was heard in the distance.

The sound of the bell gradually grew louder. The Chief Manager sensed the subtle difference.

He wished it was just a herb gatherer who had lost his way. But it was a vain hope.

“There have been many attacks, but this is the first time they’ve broken through this far.”

The Chief Manager took out a dagger from his pocket and placed the blade on his palm.

-Press

Along with a chilling sensation, a deep cut was made in his palm, and blood gushed out.

As he faced his palm downwards, blood dripped onto the ground.

Each time a drop of blood fell, the surrounding vegetation withered, and a purple mist arose.

“The Mystic Formation have all been breached.”

When the sound of the bell stopped, the Chief Manager drew up the Inner Force in his dantian.

Someone pushed through the bushes and brought a sword down on the Chief Manager’s head.

The Chief Manager deflected it with a soft movement and grabbed the attacker’s neck with his hand.

“Cough!”

The intruder struggled, kicking his feet at the shock of his neck being constricted, but the Chief Manager’s fingernails dug in faster.

In an instant, the intruder’s face, caught in his hand, turned blue, and he foamed at the mouth and died.

“Now… nineteen. No, twenty people.”

There were 21 intruders.

Nineteen who seemed to be at the early stages of Transcendent Realm.

And.

“Is that one not coming?”

One whose skills he couldn’t dare to fathom.

The Chief Manager swallowed.

“It’s fortunate that he’s not coming right away, but…”

The Chief Manager, who deflected another surprise attack and plunged his arm into his stomach, said with concern.

The Chief Manager carefully examined the clothes of the person he had knocked down.

“Azure Dragon Unit… Are they ignoring the Cult, or do they have other intentions…”

A military organization of the Martial Arts Alliance. It is a little lower in rank than the White Tiger Unit, but its power is recognized to some extent.

At least, if they were going to strike the Black Heaven Cult, they would have to bring in not only the White Tiger Unit but also the heads of the remaining prestigious families to make a dent, so how could they launch such a reckless attack?

“Could it be… that they noticed the Heavenly Demon’s absence?”

If so, it makes sense that they attacked, seeing this side as weak.

However, unfortunately, even without the Heavenly Demon, the Black Heaven Cult is not weak enough to be easily breached.

The Chief Manager turned around and ran towards the Black Heaven Cult.

He had already poisoned two people. The pursuers would be tied up in the poisonous fog created by the poison reacting with the blood of the corpses.

It would buy him some time, and if he joined the prepared forces and defended, he could stop them sufficiently.

However, the only thing that bothered him was one person who led the twenty Azure Dragon Unit.

‘Whatever it is, I will stop the enemy. That is my duty.’

Erasing the creeping sense of defeat, the Chief Manager returned to the Black Heaven Cult.

The Cult’s People, who had already gathered with their weapons, greeted him.

“Have you arrived?”

The security manager bowed.

“Yes, is everything ready?”

“Yes. Each group is blocking all the gates. The Mystic Formation that you prepared is also activated.”

“Originally, we would have intercepted the enemy by trusting in the effects of the Mystic Formation, but this time, think of it as if there are no Mystic Formation. Since they have already broken through the Mystic Formation in the mountains, the ones here will be no different.”

“Yes, I understand.”

“There are eighteen people at the early stages of Transcendent Realm. And one person leading them.”

“I will relay that to each group. May I ask what the level of that one person is?”

“…It was an unfathomable level. Perhaps he is a hidden master that the Martial Arts Alliance has been secretly hiding.”

“Is that so.”

“To be precise, I don’t know, but…”

The Chief Manager frowned as if he didn’t want to admit it.

“That level is similar to the Heavenly Demon.”