On a mountain cliff, the sky was pitch black with no sign of light; it is as if gods themselves have painted it with black ink across the horizon, with earth which was dyed red and a little drizzle from across the sky.
It was surely not a beautiful sight, not at all.
The gathered warriors present didn't think much of it as they didn't have luxury of it anyway.
The battlefield was lit with words – "Demon," "Scum," and "Today, I will kill you.". It was all directed towards a single man who was also not faring much better.
All the warriors present wanted nothing more than to kill him as he was the one who killed many of their loved ones and dear friends, but the irony was none of them were capable of even touching him.
Their eyes have nothing but hatred for this man, if looks could kill he might have died even before the battle started.
He has single-handedly toppled many sects and pillars of this world and because of that he also became the enemy of all the present in power.
Currently, he was battered beyond repair, his left arm severed from shoulder, an eye gouged out from its socket, many wounds marked on his body showing clearly the battle he faced.
He has fought for two relentless days against many but alas! He is not an ascended master, even as a failed ascended he could kill every single one of them if not for those 7 brightest halos present in the sky. They were also the reason for his current situation.
These were the true ascended masters – the strongest of this current era, but not the highest attainment of the Master cultivation path.
"Namo Amitabha, Outer demon. Today shall be the day you be removed from this world and stop disturbing its order." proclaimed the Shaolin Temple Master. The Buddha Ascended Great Tathāgata Buddha.
"The dynasty usually doesn't interfere with the affairs of you people, but scum like this needs to be eradicated from this world." growled The Spirit Ascended Grand Northern General, Guan Yi.
"YOU DEMON, you killed my little brother. Today I will make sure to drown in the most terrifying poison 'the willows sorrow' to give you the most gruesome of pain" roared Poison Ascended Tang Ziqin, leader of the Tang Sect.
The battlefield was engulfed in hatred and vengeance against this man. He listened calmly to it all and looked into the sky. Suddenly, he started laughing and it immediately quited everybody down.
They couldn't help wonder, has his wounds finally caught up to him or is he planning to surrender?
Then he lowered his head, and as everyone met his gaze, those of weaker will trembled uncontrollably. Even the Ascended Masters felt a chill clutch their hearts and a shiver run down their spines.
Those pitch-black eyes reminded them all once again—
He was none other than THE OUTER DEMON — "JUN PAE HYEOK", the failed Darkness Ascended Master.
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With the mountain top quiet with his laughter. Everybody shivering like a quail, he amusedly and playfully spoke :
"Though broken and hurt and beyond saving I am , it doesn't give vermins like you the right to belittle me. All my life I have struggled and when I am close to success. You lot have thwarted me from ascending."
He continued "You lot are drunk in your power and stop others from following the path except those of your own. I created my own path and opened it for all. But when it threatens your interest you come and accuse me of harming the world."
Listening to it all everybody knew that he was right. If he wasn't they wouldn't have killed most of the people following darkness path.
"Sigh! You should stop now… Old friend, I am aware of your cunning. If you think you can escape. Do not attempt it. Space around you has been sealed by my array formations." – Said Formation Ascended Master Ma Luo Rong while sighing.
"Ah! I thought why I could not escape till now. So, it was you wretched bas**rd stopping me from leaving." – amusedly said Jae Pae Hyeok to Master Ma Luo Rong.
"Enough, we should already kill him. The more we delay, the more this unpredictable roach can be. If you can't just, give him to me. I can make sure that he will wish for death the moment he comes under my hands, - annoyed and angry, bellowed Tang Ziqin arrogantly.
The Ascended masters were thinking what to do with him. Killing Jun was a sure thing but the one who does it will also be the one whose path to further progress will be cut off.
This is a big dilemma and unfortunately for them – Jun Pae Hyuk knows it too.
He is sure of it that his path can't be advanced further as he has already failed. He could try again if situation was normal but now, he is not even sure if he can survive to see another day.
He can only bet on one chance and that is also his final trump card!
As all were fighting and thinking what to do. They stopped paying attention to him which was truly not a wise choice of actions.
He started chanting a mantra of the origins that he was not aware of. He is not even sure if it's going to work, but there is nothing he can do here anyway.
He can only use the last of his will, cultivation and strength to wish for a miracle.
He had prepared for every possible outcome and was certain of his success. Failing at the end and his life and death in the hands of others.
Truly! Life is unpredictable even for him who has destroyed many with his wisdom alone.
"STOP, are you all forgetting what we are here for? , We need to something about him down here. Someone must do it. The trash below can't touch him and all of us fighting here like this doesn't make sense to me." – roared The Dragon Ascended Master Tianlong.
At the mention of this all-Ascended master stopped fighting. Yes, they thought why were they fighting like this?
Suddenly as if realizing something they all looked in the sky and with all their might started resisting.
The world was interfering with their thinking process. Terrifying, They knew they will be backlashed but this is truly frightening.
As if this wasn't enough, they all looked at the light that suddenly emanated from the demon was standing. They were shocked! How could he float with his current state.
This should not be possible.
Now disregarding all reasons and without much thought, they all attacked him together. Even the warriors below attacked together with the masters.
A sight to behold, Space bent even with Formation ascended master deployed arrays. Everybody couldn't believe it none of their attacks could do this. How is this happening?
A maddening sight, A miracle indeed
"HA HA HA HA….., You lot you should have killed me when you had the chance" – Said Jun Pae Hyuk, while laughing wildly and looking at his fading right hand with his one eye remaining.