Chapter 206
Chapter 206
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 206
Chapter Title: The Weight of the Heavenly Demon
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Dawn couldn't bear it any longer. He clamped his mouth shut and glared at the Black Demon King. It was because he simply couldn't bring himself to glare at Master Jincheon.
What sin did that ignorant fool have, anyway? But naturally, Master Jincheon couldn't accept Dawn's silence. He strode forward, his eyes flashing fiercely.
"Please, Lord Dawn. If you truly are an immortal, then you must know how utterly wronged we—I, no, all of us—feel. So why won't you say anything...!"
Master Jincheon spat out the words in a boiling voice. Dawn didn't even spare him a glance anymore. He closed his eyes and completely turned his body away. At that sight, Master Jincheon's eyes rolled back in fury. He ground his teeth and tried to step even closer to Dawn, but—
"Must this seat respect Kunlun's circumstances?"
The Black Demon King blocked Master Jincheon's path. He wore a gentle smile, but the pressure he exerted on Master Jincheon with his mere presence was utterly uncompromising. As Master Jincheon's face drained of color, the Tai Chi Sword Lord could stand it no longer and stepped forward.
"Dawn is so enigmatic that I share your desire to ask him many things."
"You seem to be under a grave misunderstanding. This isn't a place to interrogate True Chung."
"Black Demon King."
"You, no, all you righteous folk—whatever you may think, this seat has been old friends with True Chung for a very long time. Even though this seat belongs to the unorthodox paths, I know the bonds of righteousness and camaraderie. Thus, I cannot stand idly by while my old friend is harassed for petty reasons."
"Petty reasons?"
"Indeed. This is a conference to discuss the future of the martial world—no, the very world itself. Yet what comes out of your mouths is so trivial and pointless. Do you truly believe that immortals, who have ignored the world for centuries, will protect us in our stead and exterminate the demons?"
The Black Demon King burst into laughter midway through his words.
"Oh, if you're really thinking that... how utterly, utterly ridiculous. Immortals who turned a blind eye to the world for hundreds of years?"
At those words, Dawn whipped around indignantly to glare at the Black Demon King, but the Black Demon King ignored his gaze. Instead, the Tai Chi Sword Lord let out a long sigh and shook his head. He simply couldn't bring himself to argue against the Black Demon King's words.
His own sect, Wudang, had Zhang Sanfeng the Daoist as its founding patriarch. As a disciple of Wudang, the Tai Chi Sword Lord had no doubts that Zhang Sanfeng had ascended to immortality. But... he couldn't claim he had never once resented his forebear.
"It's not the immortals we should worry about or prepare against. It's us. If you understand that, then please... step back."
The Tai Chi Sword Lord no longer blocked the Black Demon King's path. He let out another long sigh and retreated, while Master Jincheon wore a complicated expression before hanging his head low. Indeed, as the Black Demon King said, this wasn't the place to interrogate Dawn.
"True Chung, go stand back there."
"...Huh?"
"You don't seem like you'll contribute much to the meeting from here on out."
At those words, Dawn quickly backed away.
The meeting truly began in earnest. The younger experts, including Wei Seongcheon, quietly listened to the proceedings. They weren't sure if they should interject in the debates, and in any case, none of the younger generation dared to speak up rashly.
They had heard stories about the Demonic Cult from Dawn, but most of the younger experts couldn't accept those tales as reality. The Demonic Cult was like that—something that undoubtedly existed, yet felt so distant it was unreal.
But what about now? The stories of the Demonic Cult that Dawn had shared had dragged that far-off menace right to their doorstep. That alone left most of the younger experts in turmoil.
Not everyone was like that.
Woo Heera of the Silver Spirit School. Throughout the talk of the 'Demonic Cult,' her eyes had sparkled, and even now, she leaned forward intently, hanging on every word. Not a trace remained of her usual shy, timid demeanor.
Yuk Jinil listened closely while glaring at Dawn. It wasn't just Yuk Jinil—Master Jincheon was doing the same.
Apotheosis Platform... Dang Heeran recalled the story Yuk Jinil had started to tell. She had searched through the Heavenly Death's secret archives afterward, but no matter how much she looked, there was nothing about the Apotheosis Platform.
'He's behaving surprisingly well.'
Wei Seongcheon glanced at Muyon Jun. He sat right beside the Alliance Leader but had barely participated in the debates.
"There's no guarantee that the Demon King slain by the Heavenly Demon is on the same level as the one from the Divine Demon War, is there? The Demon King of the Divine Demon War is confirmed dead, so the one the Heavenly Demon killed is a different entity from the one a millennium ago. Perhaps this Demon King was unusually weak..."
"That's an awfully optimistic view. It's more realistic to think that human power has grown since the Divine Demon War, rather than downplaying the Demon King's stature."
"That's true as well. Martial arts have been passed down and evolved through the generations. Over a millennium, we have refined our arts and developed them in better directions."
"Better directions... Isn't that too arrogant to claim outright? In the process of transmission, the profound essences of the origins may have faded. We might have pursued ease of understanding and learning... at the cost of their depth."
"That's why tradition is vital. Our prestigious righteous sects maintain dedicated institutions within our schools to study martial arts, endlessly recalling their primal sources while striving to advance them..."
"The creator of the Tai Chi Swordsmanship was Zhang Sanfeng."
The Black Demon King interjected abruptly.
"But let me ask you this. In the hundreds of years since Zhang Sanfeng, has Wudang produced even a single swordsman who surpassed him—no, even matched him in understanding the martial way and immersing himself in Daoist philosophy?"
The Wudang sect leader unconsciously looked toward the Tai Chi Sword Lord. But the Tai Chi Sword Lord smiled bitterly and shook his head.
"I'll state it plainly. Black Demon King, Wudang hasn't produced anyone who even reaches the founder's heels, let alone surpasses him."
"Patriarch...!"
"It's an undeniable fact. Even I haven't fully comprehended the Tai Chi Swordsmanship created by the founder. In truth, complete comprehension is impossible."
The Tai Chi Sword Lord stared at the Black Demon King.
"Because I'm not the founder. I can never understand the enlightenment he achieved centuries ago to create the Tai Chi Swordsmanship. I'm a descendant, not Zhang Sanfeng—merely Yi Yangzi."
"Then let me rephrase the question. Do you... does your Infinite Swordsmanship surpass Zhang Sanfeng's Tai Chi Swordsmanship?"
"I wouldn't dare claim to surpass the founder's sword, but I do believe it surpasses the Tai Chi Swordsmanship passed down in Wudang today."
The Tai Chi Sword Lord spoke with a gentle smile. At his words, the martial world's elders buzzed with murmurs, while the Black Demon King chuckled and nodded. Tae Hui-myeong, disciple of the Tai Chi Sword Lord, gazed up at his master with pride.
"That's what 'peerless through the ages' means."
The Black Demon King spoke up.
"The foremost across past and present. Comparing Demon Kings different from the one in the Divine Demon War is pointless. Our enemy isn't the Demon King—it's the Heavenly Demon, Hyeok Wolun. And... that Hyeok Wolun is undoubtedly a peerless monster through the ages."
No one objected to those words. The Heavenly Demon Hyeok Wolun of this era—who else could claim the title of peerless through the ages?
"It's truly strange. Why does that peerless monster of the ages hole up quietly in the Demon Realm... Regrettably, True Chung apparently never asked him about it."
Dawn, slumped against the railing, made no sound. He merely gazed down below with a melancholic expression.
"Until now, we thought the Heavenly Demon and Demonic Cult were fully focused on preparations to summon a Demon King. But that wasn't the case. The Demon King that descended in secret was slain by the Heavenly Demon."
"...That's a massive problem in itself. What in the world was the Dawn Divine Maiden doing? How could she let a Demon King descend...!"
"The Demonic Cult learned from repeated failures. Or perhaps the Dawn Divine Maiden was negligent."
The Black Demon King sneered.
"Or maybe she wasn't all that interested to begin with? This seat hoped the Eternal Divine Maiden would attend this conference... but she didn't. Did the message reach her for sure?"
"...The Divine Maiden is devising her own countermeasures for this matter."
"Besides foretelling the Demon King's descent and the birth of a Heavenly Person, does she have any other talents?"
The Alliance Leader did not reply.
"Fine. Let's discuss something more realistic among those gathered here."
"Like what?"
"Whether to wait with bated breath until the Heavenly Demon's patience runs out... or to sincerely conquer the Demon Realm and go for the Heavenly Demon's head."
Everyone swallowed their shock at those words. In the stunned silence, only the Black Demon King continued speaking.
"The wall dividing the righteous and unorthodox paths can never be torn down. Even if it were, time would rebuild it—stronger and taller than before. History proves it."
Right after the Divine Demon War, the martial world had been united. But as time passed, it split once more into righteous and unorthodox factions.
"There's no need to tear down the wall. It's merely joining hands out of necessity and shared purpose. Not so difficult, as long as both sides accept it."
The Black Demon King glanced at the younger experts as he spoke.
"Of course, righteous and unorthodox alone aren't enough. If needed, we must pull in the imperial court as well."
"You think the imperial soldiers will serve as real combat power?"
"The generals and soldiers guarding the front lines can at least act as meat shields."
"You're underestimating the imperial court too much."
The Eccentric Hero burst into laughter.
"The Gold-ranked Guards who never leave the palace are a tremendous force. Especially the Heavenly Generals—their true forms remain hidden masters."
"No."
It was Muyon Jun who spoke up abruptly.
"Advancing on the Demon Realm is too hasty."
"Does the Heavenly Person have another view?"
"We aren't prepared."
Muyon Jun turned his head to meet the Black Demon King's gaze.
"If we lead a great army across the Demon Realm, we'll suffer massive losses before even reaching the Demonic Cult. To begin with, we don't even know the Demonic Cult's exact location."
The elders turned to look at Dawn. Dawn cleared his throat awkwardly and shook his head.
"...Do you think those idiots would lead me straight to the Demonic Cult with my eyes and ears wide open?"
"See? Marching a great army through the Demon Realm would waste ages just finding the Demonic Cult. That time would only weaken us and breed pointless deaths."
"Speak plainly, Heavenly Person. When you say we're unprepared, do you mean 'us'? Or just yourself?"
"Both."
Muyon Jun answered the Black Demon King's question without hesitation.
"Black Demon King, time is something everyone needs. Of course, as you said, if we resolve on war, preparing for it would take years at minimum. But in those years, do you think I—we all—can make sufficient preparations?"
"Continue."
The Black Demon King nodded and said.
"We lack both resolve and preparation. What we need is resolve and preparation—not an advance. I... don't see the need to provoke the Heavenly Demon unnecessarily."
"You're shocked that he killed the Demon King, I take it."
"Of course."
Muyon Jun didn't deny it.
"The Demon King was one that I, a Heavenly Person, should have slain. But the Heavenly Demon killed it instead. To be honest, I'm afraid."
Muyon Jun let out a long sigh.
"If we advance on the Demon Realm... I fear there might not be an 'after.' This could very well be the end of the world. That's all the more reason we must steel our preparations and resolve."
"You don't oppose preparations for war?"
"There's no reason to. If anything, I think such preparations should have begun long before I was even born."
At those words, the Eccentric Hero burst into laughter.
"Thanks to us drawing lines among ourselves and building grudges."
"Very well. Then we'll shelve the advance."
The Black Demon King cleanly accepted Muyon Jun's opinion.
"In that case, as the Heavenly Person says, we'll focus on preparations. Resolve is something each must forge alone. Now, True Chung. Come here."
"Huh? Why me...?"
"You saw the Ten Demons in the Demonic Cult, didn't you?"
At those words, Woo Heera shot to her feet. Everyone stared at her in surprise at the sudden movement. Woo Heera shrank back momentarily under their gazes, then clenched her fists tightly.
"P-Please... tell us about the Ghost Valley Demon first...!"
It was an adorable sight, but no one laughed.
Ghost Valley Demon.
A woman once called the Demon-Exterminating Immortal just decades ago.
Most of the elders remembered her well.