Chapter 35

Chapter 34. The Heavenly Demon Disciples (2)

A moment before Xue Hui's arrival.

"Look, I told you I'd be here, didn't I? Hahaha."

A man spoke as he saw Kunma sitting alone in the pavilion.

Second Senior Brother, Ma Hou.

Among the Heavenly Demon Disciples, he is known for being talkative and having a gentle personality.

"Junior Brother Kun, how have you been?"

Ma Hou approached Kunma, tapping his shoulder and starting a conversation.

"Have you been well these past days?"

"I've always been happy, haven't I? How about you, Junior Brother Kun?"

"Yes, Senior Brother."

Kunma greeted him with proper etiquette, but his heart was conflicted.

Second Senior Brother is known for his cheerful demeanor and for rarely getting angry, but that's only because people don't know him well.

Ma Hou is a venomous snake.

A snake that skillfully gauges its opponent and suffocates them to death.

Though he seems to be speaking without much thought, every action he takes is meticulously planned.

This can be seen from the fact that he commands the mysterious group known as the Qiqi A Team in the Demon Sect.

"Long time no see."

"Yes, Junior Sister. It's been a while."

A woman, dressed in a splendid outfit with intricate embroidery, made a brief gesture.

The third disciple, Ya Ling.

She appears to be a pure and innocent beauty, but in reality, she is a cunning and lustful woman.

She was the one who seduced the head of the Shaolin Xianjing Pavilion, bringing him to the sect and earning him the nickname "Blood Ascension."

She has a nature that remembers even the slightest remark and seeks retribution.

One might say she is skilled at manipulation.

Somehow, she managed to secure the cooperation of all the training institutions responsible for covert operations and discipline within the Demon Sect.

She even gained the support of the reclusive experts in the Yinma Yuan and the Council of Elders.

"Senior Brother, it's good to see you."

Kunma greeted the last of the seven zhanggu warriors with proper respect.

He exudes a killing aura so strong that it makes one feel suffocated just by looking at him.

Senior Brother Sha Ma.

The strongest among the Heavenly Demon Disciples.

And not just by a little, but overwhelmingly so.

According to legend, when he turned twenty, he beheaded the Wu Dang Sect's Grand Elder Huixian Zhenren, known as one of the hundred great experts, during his first killing mission.

And he did it at the entrance of Wu Dang Mountain, in front of his disciples.

When he turned thirty, he killed three elders, four law enforcers, and eight top disciples of the Dian Chang Sect.

He did not ambush them but faced them head-on, turning all of the Dian Chang Sect into ghosts.

The most famous incident in the martial world at the time was when he decapitated these people and stacked their heads in a five-tiered triangular tower to mock the righteous sects.

Now, at the age of forty, he has broken through the barrier of the Ultimate Demon.

He is on par with the most renowned experts in the world.

"Arrogant brat."

Sha Ma usually treats others with disdain, but today, his hostility is palpable.

Kunma knew the reason.

During the pursuit of the Tai Huang Pavilion's master, he encountered figures who were likely Senior Brother's subordinates, and it seems Senior Brother has realized that the experts he sent were involved.

Just as the awkward atmosphere was thickening, someone suddenly walked in.

A warrior guarding the Yu Yuan Palace.

"I have an urgent message."

"What is it?"

"A man named Xue Hui has come to see the Fourth Disciple."

"What?"

Kunma's expression darkened slightly. After a moment of contemplation, he nodded.

"Bring him in."

The palace warrior disappeared, and soon a scruffy man carrying something on his shoulder appeared.

"Why are you here?"

Kunma asked.

But the man did not answer.

"Why are you here, I asked you!"

Kunma raised his voice again, but the man, for some reason, stood there hesitantly without responding.

This drew the attention of the other senior brothers.

"Um, well..."

"Junior Brother, why? Who is he?"

Second Senior Brother asked with interest, and Kunma looked at the man.

The man, Xue Hui, changed his expression.

His eyes lit up as if he had found his target, and he shouted at Ma Hou.

"Who, me?"

"It's me, you bastard."

* * *

'G-got it out!'

Xue Hui's face turned bright red.

▶ It's me, you bastard.

Crazy. He really did it.

After a moment of hesitation, he decided to go all out.

But he wasn't completely crazy.

Xue Hui had learned a lesson from his life of repeated near-death experiences.

Isn't the worst move actually the best move?

That's why he chose this path.

In a situation where he could die and not come back to life.

'Ah, say something, anything.'

Xue Hui felt cold sweat trickling down his neck.

After his outburst, no one among the disciples dared to speak to him.

The lack of dialogue made the tension even more palpable, as if a sword might fly at any moment.

Swoosh.

In the silence, a change in Ma Hou's expression was noticeable.

His lips curved slightly, but his eyes remained fixed on Xue Hui.

"Um, well, you see... Huh!"

Xue Hui fell over, disoriented by a sudden flash of light.

The ringing in his ears and the confusion that followed revealed what had just happened.

Clang!

A sword appeared.

A deformed sword extending to his throat, and another sword blocking it.

"Hmph. I got cursed, but why did Junior Sister step in?"

The third disciple was the first to make a move.

And the one who blocked her attack was, surprisingly, Ma Hou, whom Xue Hui had just cursed.

"Senior Brother, step aside."

But Ya Ling didn't seem willing to back down.

Though the curse wasn't directed at her, she felt humiliated by being in the same place.

"I can't do that. How can I, as a senior brother, stand by and let our dear Fourth Junior Brother's subordinate die?"

Ma Hou glanced at Kunma, who had a stern expression, and then nodded at Ya Ling, pointing to a pavilion pillar.

"Look at Senior Brother. His capacity is so great that he doesn't even care about the curses."

As he said, Sha Ma was leaning against the pavilion, silently observing.

He didn't show any signs of panic like Kunma, anger like Ya Ling, or interest like Ma Hou.

He seemed to think it wasn't even worth his attention, standing with his arms crossed, looking elsewhere.

Zing.

Ma Hou and Ya Ling stared at each other.

Finally, Ya Ling slowly retracted her sword and took a step back.

Swish.

'Ah...'

Xue Hui couldn't help but gasp.

The sword, known as a self-sword, slithered like a living snake up Ya Ling's wrist and into her sleeve.

No wonder the blade seemed so curved.

'Can I... survive this?'

Xue Hui touched his neck, thinking.

Just now, Ya Ling's killing move.

He couldn't see anything, not even when the sword pierced his throat.

Ma Hou, who blocked it, was unimaginably strong.

"Hahaha! Junior Brother, your subordinate is quite amusing. He cursed me so boldly."

"I'm sorry, Second Senior Brother, and Third Junior Sister. I will handle it myself."

"Tsk. Didn't you hear me? Don't kill him."

'Maybe he's a good guy...'

At least, that's how Xue Hui felt at the moment.

If this guy hadn't stood up for him, he would have died several times already.

Though he's a bit eccentric, he doesn't seem to treat people like dogs like the Tai Huang Pavilion's master.

But then, he saw the text that appeared before him.

Ma Hou's good impression was instantly erased.

[By choosing the text, you receive '3 rewards'.]

<First Reward: You can learn the personality types of the Heavenly Demon Disciples.>

The number '+3' appeared.

The mystery was solved when this text appeared above the guy's head.

Ma Hou <Narcissistic Personality Disorder, Malignant 'Sociopath'>

△ He will stop at nothing to achieve his goals. Though he appears charming and sociable, these are calculated actions to exploit others.

△ He has a strong desire for stimulation and enjoys dangerous activities. He is adept at hiding his true intentions.

△ Lacking a sense of guilt, he has developed high cognitive abilities, making him skilled at manipulation.

‘What the...’

The explanation that appeared was unpleasant to read.

The term 'personality disorder' was particularly off-putting.

"So, you didn't come just to curse me. What's your reason for being here?"

Ma Hou knelt down and asked Xue Hui, who was sitting on the ground.

This gaze. I've seen it before.

A gaze filled with intense interest and pleasure. Didn't the Tai Huang Pavilion's master have such a gaze?

‘How should I respond...’

Xue Hui could sense the first disciple's attention.

But in this situation, he couldn't avoid answering.

He knew that