Myst, Might, Mayhem Chapter 498.6
Previously on Myst, Might, Mayhem...
Chapter 498.6 – Side Story 8 Part 1
Heavenly Demonic Sword (1)
Exactly two months prior.
A white-robed Taoist was meticulously examining a pulse to evaluate a patient's health.
The man under inspection was Grand Guardian Ma Ra-hyeon, who had discarded his mask to show his distinct, exotic facial features.
The Taoist shifted his focus to various acupoints on Ma Ra-hyeon’s head before shaking his head in disappointment.
[“This will be a difficult task indeed.”]
Hearing this, the Heavenly Demon, who had been observing the scene nearby, knit his brows in a frown.
The elderly man was a Taoist who had arrived alongside the Diviner Yeo Surin. He was reputed to be a long-time acquaintance of the Crimson-Eyed Old Immortal, the Leader of the Harmonious Immortal Pavilion.
The Heavenly Demon had requested this examination of Ma Ra-hyeon, hoping that the Taoist’s expertise in artifacts and deep understanding of magical healing might offer a solution.
However, the verdict was far from what he had hoped for.
[“If these memories had merely been suppressed or replaced, Taoist techniques could restore them. But this situation is fundamentally different.”]
[“What is the meaning of this?”]
[“To put it plainly, Divine Cult Leader, is it possible to restore something that has been reduced to ashes?”]
[“…”]
[“The principle is identical. The Samadhi True Fire of the Kunlun Mirror is known as the flames of oblivion because it incinerates memories entirely. Regrettably, even my power cannot intervene here.”]
[“…So, it is truly impossible.”]
A total erasure of the past.
Grand Guardian Ma Ra-hyeon’s memories were gone.
During the aftermath of the conflict with the great spirit beast Hong Hae-a, the Heavenly Demon had commanded Ma Ra-hyeon to retreat from the Celestial Mountain out of concern for his safety.
Ma Ra-hyeon had obeyed immediately, putting nearly 30 li of distance between himself and the mountain.
But the unthinkable occurred.
The Kunlun Mirror detonated.
They had assumed the sacrifice of the Hundred-Faced King, the Golden Nine-Tailed Fox, had fully contained the blast, but that was a grave error.
In the brief window when the Heavenly Demon was imprisoned within the killing stone, the flames of oblivion unleashed by the mirror's destruction surged across nearly 70% of the Central Plains.
The memory wipe spared only the eastern regions of Guangxi, Guangdong, Fujian, Zhejiang, and Hainan Island. Everywhere else, inhabitants lost approximately two years of their lives.
By chance, the point of erasure occurred just before the Four Great Sects Battle took place.
This realization only dawned on them ten days after they had returned to the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
Fortunately, the main Sect of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult within the Ten Thousand Great Mountains was situated between Guangxi and Guangdong. Because of this location, it remained untouched by the explosion's reach, leaving the Cult members' memories intact.
However, complications arose.
[“This has become quite a headache.”]
[“To think their behavior would shift so drastically just because of some forgotten history…”]
Since memories of the Four Great Sects Battle were gone, the majority of the Central Plains forgot about the Three Eyes and the Imaemangyangs who had sought to bring about a great calamity. They even forgot the terrifying prestige of the Heavenly Demon, the Cult Leader who held the title of the World’s Strongest.
Perhaps as a direct consequence, many righteous sects—including the Righteous Alliance, which had been thoroughly cowed—began to stir with ill intent.
Their actions were laced with clear hostility and renewed suspicion.
While the Elders and high-ranking officials found this shift infuriating, the Heavenly Demon took solace in the fact that his followers remained unharmed.
Yet, the preservation of memory was not universal.
Grand Guardian Ma Ra-hyeon had been caught within the blast radius.
The Heavenly Demon placed a heavy, supportive hand on Ma Ra-hyeon’s shoulder. The Grand Guardian responded by clasping his hands in a respectful salute.
[“Do not worry, my lord. Even if my memories of that era are lost, my ability to serve you remains unhindered.”]
Initially, the void in his mind had caused him great distress.
But as companions recounted his missing years, his internal turmoil subsided.
He learned of the founding of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult and the long years spent preparing to avenge his father, Priest Mayera.
Upon discovering that he had finally achieved his vengeance at the Celestial Mountains of Xinjiang with the aid of the Heavenly Demon, the lingering shadows of regret finally vanished.
‘He has mentally moved past the loss.’
The Taoist observed them with a faint smile.
He cleared his throat softly and called out,
[“Ahem. Surin.”]
At his prompt, Diviner Yeo Surin clapped her hands and addressed the Heavenly Demon.
[“Divine Cult Leader. Where is the item?”]
The Heavenly Demon, still standing by Ma Ra-hyeon, shifted his gaze toward a round table in the back of the room.
A bundle wrapped in heavy cloth rested there. With a simple wave of the Heavenly Demon’s hand, the object levitated and drifted toward the Taoist.
Dung dung!
“My goodness.”
A soft gasp escaped the Taoist.
Initially, he had felt nothing from the Heavenly Demon, whose Qi was perfectly masked.
But the moment the Heavenly Demon exerted his will, the Taoist was shaken to his core.
The power displayed through the Void Seizing Technique was a mere pittance, yet it hinted at a staggering reserve of energy.
Gooooooo!
The Taoist could perceive the truth through that tiny display of power.
‘So that is why my old friend spoke of him in such a way.’
He recalled his meeting with the Crimson-Eyed Old Immortal, the Leader of the Harmonious Immortal Pavilion, before his arrival here.
[“It has been a long time, Crimson-Eyed Old Immortal.”]
[“You… it has indeed. Have you finally settled your karma in Kunlun to visit me here?”]
Karma.
The Taoist had spent many years atoning for his past deeds.
He gave a somber smile in response.
[“I wish it were so, but such karma is not easily cleansed.”]
[“That is the price for defying the heavenly secrets—no, for violating the natural order. You introduced something to this world that was never meant to be.”]
[“Hehehe. Let us move past that. I am here on a mission from the Immortal Realm.”]
[“The Immortal Realm? Surely you don't mean…”]
[“I have been tasked with recovering the treasures stolen by the Demon Immortal Hong Hae-a. The Kunlun Mirror, specifically, is a relic that must not remain in the mortal world. I must return it.”]
The Crimson-Eyed Old Immortal clicked his tongue, having already surmised as much.
He shrugged nonchalantly.
[“As you can see, it is not in my possession.”]
[“Did you not reclaim them?”]
[“I intended to, given their danger, but I was unable to do so.”]
[“Unable?”]
The Crimson-Eyed Old Immortal’s next words were startling.
[“A mortal has taken them.”]
[“A mortal? How could you allow such perilous items to fall into human hands?”]
[“They are no longer a threat. My disciples informed me that every treasure, the Kunlun Mirror included, was shattered and rendered useless.”]
The Taoist’s eyes widened in shock.
Destroyed the immortal treasures?
Such feats were beyond the scope of human strength.
Since these artifacts were forged from immortal power, only a handful of ancient immortals at the peak of their Cultivation or other artifacts of equal rank could damage them.
Yet, the Crimson-Eyed Old Immortal seemed entirely unfazed.
Confused, the Taoist pressed further.
[“Who is this person capable of destroying such treasures?”]
The Crimson-Eyed Old Immortal replied with a gravity that carried deep meaning.
[“My disciples have a specific name for him.”]
[“And what is that?”]
[“The World’s Strongest.”]
The Taoist was skeptical at first.
However, his doubt turned to amazement as he heard the full account: this man had toppled the Great Strength King of the Six Demons and even executed a god-like entity from another realm that threatened the very fabric of existence.
A divine-rank being was a transcendent entity by definition.
To be defeated by a mere human was unheard of.
‘The stories were accurate.’
Standing before him now, the man lived up to the legend.
There was a clear reason why the Crimson-Eyed Old Immortal—who had never even met the man face-to-face—hailed him as a peerless figure.
This individual was a true anomaly.
Even the suppressed sliver of Qi he radiated was breathtaking.
‘…Incredible. I believed no one could ever surpass that child born from the gathered essences of heaven and earth.’
This was the first time since that child that he had felt such a sensation.
Furthermore, this man was actively defying the natural order by forcefully containing his own immense power.
It was staggering to find such a being in the human world.
In the meantime, the Heavenly Demon opened the cloth to reveal the shards of the shattered Kunlun Mirror.
[“Is this what you seek?”]
[“It is.”]
[“Then take it. It serves no purpose here.”]
[“…”]
The Taoist stared at the fragments with a sense of hollow defeat.
He had held onto a shred of hope, but the mirror was indeed devoid of any immortal essence.
‘How strange.’
The Immortal Realm’s fears were unfounded; the Kunlun Mirror could no longer impact the mortal world.
Its destruction had only created a burden for the original owner.
He had assumed the mirror was still tied to its soul-spirit.
Regardless, he had to fulfill his duty.
Suk!
The Taoist bowed respectfully to show his gratitude to the Heavenly Demon.
As he secured the shards and prepared to depart, the Taoist paused. He looked at the Heavenly Demon’s face, his expression turning puzzled.
[“How peculiar.”]
[“What is it?”]
[“It is truly odd. How can such a thing be?”]
[“…Speak your mind.”]
The Heavenly Demon raised an inquisitive eyebrow. The Taoist hesitated for a moment before answering.
[“As a token of thanks for the return of the treasure, I shall leave you with this. A transformation of heaven and earth is approaching.”]
[“An event that will change the world?”]
[“Indeed. Yet, I am baffled. How can a destiny that will reshape heaven and earth exist without disturbing the flow of heavenly secrets? It defies all logic.”]
Fates capable of altering the world are rare.
Typically, such a destiny is woven into the heavenly secrets and must not be tampered with.
But the fate surrounding this man seemed to ignore those cosmic laws entirely.
It felt like a natural, inevitable progression.
It was beyond understanding.
However, if it did not disrupt the heavenly flow, then—
[“When the world changes, the knots of a dark and twisted karma that have long plagued the Divine Cult Leader will finally be undone.”]
[“A thread of terrible karma?”]
Kwadeuk!
The wine cup in the Heavenly Demon’s grip shattered as his control slipped for a split second.
He felt it—a sharp, undeniable sensation.
A gateway to that distant place had been forced open high in the firmament.
Simultaneously, a massive, foul energy that felt hauntingly familiar began to press against his spiritual senses.
‘So, it was you.’
The entity that had breached the human realm through the gate attempted to use its power to scan for any remaining demonic signatures.
Finding a location was simple if even a shadow of demonic power remained.
‘By casting a net of demonic waves from this height, I will find them.’
Ssssssss!
The entity ascended further into the sky, weaving a web of demonic energy that stretched across the horizon.
A nearly limitless supply of dark power radiated outward.
‘Where are you hiding?’
Neither he nor the Golden Heavenly King could evade this search once he took a direct hand in it.
But his search had barely begun when he froze.
Hmchit!
A figure had manifested right before him.
It was a striking human man he did not recognize.
“A human?”
The entity was momentarily confused as to how a lowly mortal could soar through the heavens.
“I warned you to stay away from this world.”
‘!?’
Startled, the being tried to withdraw his energy and strike back, but—
Chok!
The space around them warped violently. The human was pulled into the rift, and a black point of light lanced through the entity's chest.
Pussung!
It was over in a heartbeat.
“Kuaaaaaaak!”
With a gaping hole through his torso, the entity was sent hurtling back over a hundred jang.