Devouring Evil Martial Arts, Eliminating Demons from All Heavens

Chapter 179 Assassination
The Demonic Cult is said to have a history of hundreds of years. In the minds of people in the martial arts world, it represents mystery, cruelty, and immense power.

But anyone who truly understands the Demonic Cult knows that the Demonic Cult of three hundred years ago is completely different from the Demonic Cult of today.

Their territory changed, their doctrines changed, and the people in charge changed countless times.

The original symbol of power for the Demonic Cult was a green jade wand, and successive leaders were known for their internal strength and poison skills.

Those who become religious leaders often wear masks that symbolize deities.

Their rule often carries the dual colors of divine will and human will, causing their followers to risk their lives, pay a bloody price for their ambitions, and regard this as an honor.

The ultimate symbol of the demonic cult that has existed for the last hundred years is a knife.

Although the experts recruited by their sect still have different schools and their weapons are mostly different, the grassroots members are basically all equipped with knives and know a little about knives.

Under the new atmosphere, apart from some grand celebrations, the Demonic Cult rarely uses the name of God to fool its followers anymore.

They hone the ferocity of their followers, selecting them layer by layer, and inspiring their ambition to achieve their goals.

Although in terms of total numbers, the current number of members of the Demonic Cult may not be comparable to the peak of its former glory.

However, the current strength of the Demonic Cult is definitely more terrifying than that of the Demonic Cult that wields a staff and serves the gods.

On a clear, bright day, snow piled up on the mountains on both sides of the river, and the great river was frozen solid.

Three hundred cavalrymen rode their horses across the ice.

The formation resembled a dark, pointed cone, gliding across the vast glacier.

The convoy of wagons they were escorting was mostly loaded with supplies and provisions, which were what the group needed to rest each night during their long journey.

Only one large carriage, made with the most solid materials, was available for people to ride in.

This carriage was pulled by four fine horses, and even the man driving it was the tallest person in the entire Demonic Cult.

The rider at the front of the procession suddenly grabbed the reins, dismounted, took off his helmet, and skillfully pressed his ear to the ice.

The entire team slowed down as a result.

The rider quickly mounted his horse, turned around, and rushed to the carriage to report.

"Reporting to the Master! Your subordinate heard the sound of water flowing under the ice."

"Two or three miles ahead, the ice will thin and will not be able to support our carriages and horses."

A voice came from inside the car.

"Then let's go ashore."

The road conditions outside the pass were not good. When the ice was frozen solid, the cavalry preferred to walk on the ice. Even though their horses' hooves were prone to slipping, they had ways to deal with it, and it was actually more comfortable than walking on the shore.

Unfortunately, it's already close to the month when the ice will thaw.

Fortunately, they are heading towards the interior of the pass, and the road conditions will improve soon.

"The leader has ordered us to turn towards the shore!"

The rider shouted repeatedly, leading the group toward the shore.

The carriage was indeed very spacious.

The leader of the demonic sect and his golden protector sat on either side, with a distance of eight feet between them.

At the deepest part of the carriage, three slaves knelt with their heads bowed, surrounded by copper basins, handkerchiefs, incense burners, teapots, and many other items, ready to be at your beck and call.

The Golden Protector, dressed in a yellow robe and jade belt, with a refined and long beard, sensed the annoyance and anxiety in his voice when he heard the shouts of the cavalry outside.

“Traveling long distances in such weather is most troublesome. Once we reach the interior, we will see prosperous places, but the people are weak and frail, which will surely cause many troubles.”

Protector Jin asked, "Should the leader give them a warning?"

The leader of the cult seemed to be very afraid of the cold. He was still wrapped in a thick fox fur coat in the carriage, flipping through an old book to pass the time, and answering casually.

"No need! Liuyun Prefecture's warm invitation was expected. Even if trouble arises, they have people to help cover it up."

Protector Jin asked with a smile, "Will Liuyun Manor really be so tolerant this time?"

Cult Leader Qiu raised his eyes: "I want to see how much patience they can put in this time, so I can know just how much trouble that person in the south really is."

The Golden Protector understood this clearly.

It was far more troublesome for them to gather information about the martial arts world in the south, especially since they were in a remote area beyond the Great Wall.

When the news of Chen Zuqi's murder first arrived, the cult leader immediately sent people to thoroughly investigate Chu Tianshu's background.

The result was that they only uncovered something that was already common knowledge in the martial arts world.

It wasn't until Lord Liuyun sent a letter a few days ago that they learned that Chu Tianshu might possess a strange sword similar to the sect's treasured sword.

Even though the leader knew that Liuyun Mansion intended to use them, he still decided to go along with it.

It was for the sword, and also to personally observe the situation within the pass.

However, when it comes to that enemy whom even the Lord of Liuyun Palace is not confident enough to defeat, we must still be extremely cautious.

It's best to investigate thoroughly from all angles before meeting them in person.

Although Protector Jin smiled outwardly, he became even more vigilant inwardly.

The Demonic Cult has four guardians and four heavenly kings.

The Four Heavenly Kings are stationed in various places year-round to oversee local affairs, while the Four Protectors are always by the leader's side.

They are only sent out by the cult leader when there is an emergency to deal with.

Of the four guardians, the Bronze Demoness has been sent to Japan, while Iron Cry serves as an envoy in the Central Plains, overseeing the curved sword trade.

Only Jin and Yin remained, staying by the cult leader's side.

The cult leader would certainly not easily give up such rare and highly skilled confidants.

But if things really get dangerous, I'm afraid that even this Golden Protector will become a significant stepping stone to test the waters.

Whether one can find refuge on the questioning stone ultimately depends on oneself.

Jin Shi, the Dharma Protector, stroked his beard, pondering in his heart.

Once we get inside the Great Wall, the leader will inevitably become the target of everyone's hatred. The closer we get to the leader, the more likely we are to fall into danger.

I should make plans early and start subtly distancing myself from the cult leader now, so as not to arouse his suspicion and to avoid the center of the storm.

"We need to observe the responses of the people inside the pass to understand the situation on all sides and the attitude of Liuyun Prefecture. We certainly cannot make a detailed observation based on these cavalry alone."

Jin Hufa said, "Why don't I go and travel with the cavalry now? Then we can test and observe, and things will fall into place naturally."

Cult Leader Qiu turned a page and said, "Very well, go ahead."

Protector Jin rose and bowed, took a few steps, and lifted the carriage curtain.

A cold wind briefly swept into the carriage.

A hint of blue seemed to emanate from the waist of the Demonic Cult Leader, and even the thick fox fur could not conceal the brilliance of that object.

The blue light gradually faded as the carriage curtain was lowered.

Although the leader of the cult was staring at the newly opened pages of the book, it seemed that not a single word caught his eye.

He wasn't afraid of the cold; however, the cold made him easily recall the feel of that knife.

Once he starts thinking too much, the knife will begin to wreak havoc.

"Humans are the most intelligent of all beings, and even so many people have to be my slaves, let alone a knife."

The leader of the demonic sect thought to himself, "I will surely make you submit."

The cavalry had their own horses prepared for changing mounts.

After disembarking from the carriage, Protector Jin had just mounted his horse.

The entire cavalry unit turned to the right and crossed onto the shore.

The snow on the hills along the shore had not yet melted, and icicles hung from the branches, making the tree trunks and branches appear completely black.

A white mountain, a black forest.

The sound of horses' hooves made the nearby branches tremble slightly.

The Golden Protector's gaze swept across the area unintentionally, and he saw a short tree that had turned white.

Do not!
There was a white shadow that flashed past the low tree just now.

"An assassin!!" Protector Jin's heart tightened, and he drew his sword with a shout.

The white shadows that swept down the hillside almost melted into the snow.

A white cloak covered his black hair, and the scabbard and hilt of his sword were also wrapped in snow-white.

But the moment his presence was exposed, he raised his face, revealing two delicate eyebrows and two dark pupils, with a white cloth covering the lower half of his face.

This face suddenly appeared among the cavalry.

One of the cavalrymen on the very edge felt a red line light up and pass vertically through him.

Bang! ! !
The man was torn in two, and the horse was blown to pieces.

The assassin, protected by sword energy, remained unstained in his white robes as he charged towards Protector Jin.

Golden Guardian flew diagonally off the horse's back.

The assassin stepped onto the saddle, ready to charge forward.

Jin Hufa, having already used the shoulder of a cavalryman for leverage, charged back, his long, wide iron sword, plated with a golden luster, slashing out.

Among the four protectors of the Demonic Sect, Master Jin was originally from a prestigious family in the Central Plains. However, due to a disgraceful act he committed in his youth, he was meddlesome by several hateful heroes who chased him all the way to the borderlands.

The leader of the cult took him in, valuing his familiarity with military strategy and tactics and his ability to train soldiers. He put him in charge of training new followers and later had him assist in managing the leader's personal guards and even train the elite guards.

It was also because of the personal guidance of the leader of the Qiu Cult, who taught him the sect's extraordinary skills and secret manuals, that his martial arts skills improved greatly through practice and medicine, and he gradually began to understand the wonders of divine will.

His swordsmanship was imbued with the dignified and authoritative air of a master reprimanding his disciple.

Even unruly figures like the Demonic Cult's elite cavalrymen were disciplined by his sword, allowing his divine will to flourish.

He could tell that the assassin was young, and although his swordsmanship was excellent, his internal strength was inferior to his own.

This is exactly the type of person he's best at dealing with.

The golden sword and the red sword clashed and crossed paths more than ten times in the blink of an eye.

The assassin's figure was thwarted, and he retreated to the rump of his horse.

"You rude brat, surrender now!"

The Golden Protector, imposing and awe-inspiring, swung his longsword once more. The force of his strike blocked all escape routes, causing people to feel a tightness in their chest, shortness of breath, and a sudden cessation of breathing.

The assassin sensed the essence of the sword and flew into a rage.

"I want to beat even my own father, and you still want to be my adopted father?!"

The assassin slashed with his sword, unleashing his sword intent to its fullest extent.

The white cloak exploded with a bang, its contents stained red by the sword energy, shooting out in all directions like fallen red leaves.

These Imperial Guard cavalrymen were truly skilled; many of them immediately drew their swords to parry.

The scattered sword energy shattered the cloth, failing to kill them, but it made the scimitars clang loudly and slam back onto the armor.

It knocked them off their horses, sending them tumbling two or three zhang away.

The other cavalrymen instinctively steered their horses to avoid their fallen comrades, causing chaos in their formation.

The two swordsmen stood on the same horse, still exchanging blows.

The horse, terrified, galloped wildly through the chaotic scene.

Everywhere there were shouts from people and neighing from horses.

Many cavalrymen who had just landed were forced to run back onto the ice.

The ice here is already thin; it can hardly withstand the trampling of horses' hooves.

In a short while, the ice began to crack, and the cavalrymen fell into the water.

The four horses pulling the cart, spurred on by their kind, galloped wildly along the shore.

Some astute cavalrymen even slowed down as much as possible to protect the carriage.

Suddenly, a sword flashed out from the cracked ice.

This sword strike broke through the water, not only shattering the surface but also seemingly forcing away all the river water from his body.

The burst of water vapor spread on both sides of his body, and because he was rushing forward, it was stretched into an acute angle.

The driver suddenly stood up and flipped to the side.

The carriage was like a small, square house. When the burly man driving the carriage stood up, his hands and back pressed tightly against the front of the house.

His movements as he rolled over were stiff and rigid, yet incredibly swift.

It was like a giant pancake that suddenly flipped from the front of the house to the side.

With a surge of internal energy, he arrived instantly, blocking the swordsman's path.

The burly man's long leg ripped through the air as he kicked towards the swordsman.

One of his legs was longer than the swordsman's arm and sword combined.

But the sword's edge hadn't arrived yet; the spirit had already reached them.

The big man's clothes were torn open at the chest, his skin was sunken and sagging, and a white spot appeared.

It's dented, but not broken!

The Four Guardians, Silver Zombie.

His body appears normal, but it is actually covered in fine scales, all forged using the secret methods of the Demonic Sect, the result of three generations of painstaking effort.

These tiny scales are so light they are almost weightless and do not affect any movement under normal circumstances. Only when one is practicing martial arts will they show a pale silver luster in the sunlight.

Its defensive capabilities are comparable to a one-inch-thick layer of heavy iron armor.

The swordsman used only the first thirteen sword strikes. The sword energy did not penetrate his chest, but the blade swept across his leg. Although blood was drawn, his leg was not severed.

But just after those two sword strikes, blood suddenly gushed from the silver zombie's mouth and nose, and its face turned ashen.

The deadly sword intent invaded his brain.

click!
Suddenly, a small hole appeared in the carriage, and a left hand reached out, placed on the silver zombie's back, and then pushed upwards.

The walls of the carriage posed no obstacle to this hand.

As you lift your wrist, a vertical gap appears in the board.

The sword intent in the silver zombie's mind had been neutralized, and its entire body, like a stone, was suddenly thrown into the air, six or seven zhang high.

The deadly swordsman came face to face with the people in the carriage.

The man raised his left hand, while his right hand gripped the hilt of the knife on his left hip.

Lu Shuangyan's pupils contracted, and her sword intent surged wildly to the fourteenth strike, showing signs of continuing to rise.

The leader of the Demonic Cult had encountered countless assassins in his life, but he never expected that the one he met this time would have such strength, easily defeating the Silver Zombie.

His expression was icy cold, and the speed at which his sword intent rose surpassed that of Lu Shuangyan.

I don't know why this swordsman restrained his sword.

But since you're going to restrain yourself, then die.

As the sword was about to be drawn, another feeling suddenly descended upon me.

Many of the cavalrymen around felt their vision go black, their pupils contract, and they were instinctively filled with fear.

The pupils of the horses they rode also changed, and they even seemed to have a similar feeling to humans, or even more vivid.

From the very beginning of the assassination attempt, all the chaos they had painstakingly created seemed to be a prelude to this moment of silence.

The carriage was on the shore, and all four horses were eager to gallop.

One side of the carriage is the river, and the other side is the swordsman.

On the other side of the car was a mountain road and hills.

The snow piled up under the big trees on the hillside scattered in the silence.

Hidden in the ice and snow, Chu Tianshu seems to be slowly rising, like spring returning to the earth, sprouting branches and blossoming flowers.

In reality, he was already close to his limit when he unleashed a palm strike.

(End of this chapter)