In a world blanketed in eternal snow, where the unyielding white of Daecheon Mountain cloaked everything in a frozen embrace, the blade of Jeok-Myung Jin, once indistinguishable from the surrounding rocks, now stirred with life.

"Of course, it was worth it. We've removed the most significant obstacle and the only real threat. Now, nothing can hinder our plans," the Cheongeum Demon Lord declared with unwavering conviction.

"…It had better be." The words, spoken with a chilling finality by the elder in black, resonated in the cold air as he turned away, disappearing into the snowy expanse.

Left alone, the Cheongeum Demon Lord lingered, his gaze fixed on Jeok-Myung Jin's sword, now freed from the icy grip of the mountain. "With this, the Heavenly Demon Cult meets its end," he murmured, a note of finality in his voice before vanishing into the unknown.

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On the peak of Daecheon Mountain, the snow never melts. The landscape, seemingly unchanging, now witnessed a subtle but significant shift. Without warning, the stillness shattered.

Tremble –

The rock – no, Jeok-Myung Jin's sword – began to vibrate, breaking the silence.

Suddenly,

Crack, crackle!

After ten years, the thick ice shattered, and the sword burst forth into the world once again.

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Rumble!

Accompanied by an avalanche, a figure emerged from the ground – it was Jeok-Myung Jin.

Swoosh, click!

The sword swiftly returned to its sheath at his back.

"Hoo-"

Taking a long breath, Jeok-Myung Jin sheathed his sword, scanning his surroundings sharply.

"Gone…"

Realizing he was alone, Jeok-Myung Jin's expression turned bitter as he gazed at the ground where he had emerged. The power of the sorcery that had consumed him was beyond his wildest imagination, the sensation of his body freezing in an instant still vivid in his memory.

'Who were they? I've never heard of such powerful sorcery.'

It was certain; this was not a technique of the Demon Cult.

'That man…'

The image of the elder with blood-red eyes flashed in his mind, but no matter how hard he tried, Jeok-Myung Jin couldn't place him. It was inconceivable that such a formidable figure had escaped the Demon Cult's intelligence network.

Focusing, Jeok-Myung Jin circulated his Qi, assessing his condition.

'A mess.'

Trapped in the sorcery, it felt as if his body had completely shut down. He had no idea how long he had been frozen beneath the ground.

'But now…'

Without another thought, Jeok-Myung Jin leaped into action.

Swoosh!

He disappeared in an instant, leaving behind only a trail in the snow.

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"This… This can't be."

Jeok-Myung Jin stood, motionless, as an unbelievable sight unfolded before him.

Ruins.

The once-majestic main palace of the Heavenly Demon Cult, rivaling even the grandeur of the Imperial Palace, lay in complete ruin. The grounds that once teemed with nearly ten thousand followers were now a desolate wasteland.

'Even if he betrayed us…'

The sight was incomprehensible.

Jeok-Myung Jin had thought he'd been trapped for just a few hours, a blink of an eye in his perception.

But the scene before him suggested a catastrophic error. Not even the Cheongeum Demon Lord or any force in the world could reduce the Heavenly Demon Cult to ruins in mere hours.

'What on earth happened while I was trapped in that sorcery?'