Chapter 349: Heavenly Demon (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 349: Heavenly Demon (3)
Swoosh.
An endless torrent of black energy poured from the figure ahead.
Wi Seol-Ah trembled before its overwhelming presence.
Why did it feel so unnerving?
And what was this power pushing back against that ominous force?
She wondered about the white aura radiating from her own body.
Even though she was the one using it, she didn't understand what it was. Because Wi Seol-Ah wasn't the one in control.
[What are you doing right now?]
In a way, it was her, but the current Wi Seol-Ah was merely a spectator. From the moment that mysterious presence arrived, control of her body had been handed over to someone else.
Swish! Swish!
Flashes of light erupted around her. Each swing of her sword, imbued with the white aura, left dense trails in the air, its power so immense it seemed to distort the very space around it.
She could feel every movement of her body. Even without control, Wi Seol-Ah perceived every shift of her legs, every direction of her gaze. She felt the flow of her Qi, the arc of her sword—each motion vivid and clear.
This was not the sword technique her grandfather had taught her.
It's similar, yet different…
It was undoubtedly the Moonlight Dance. The Qi flow and swordplay aligned perfectly with what her grandfather had imparted, yet the movements felt subtly altered.
Where could she have learned such a variation?
…This is.
Then, she remembered. The peculiar forms she had begun to learn on Mount Hua. It felt similar to the strange sword movements she had learned from her back then.
But what of this aura? It felt akin to her own golden energy, yet distinctly different. The Qi flow was the same, but it was far denser, warmer.
-Focus. Try to feel it.
A voice echoed in Wi Seol-Ah’s ears. Only then did she grasp what was truly happening. For a moment, she had been so entranced by the elegant swordplay that she forgot her surroundings.
[Sis…!]
-I didn’t want to teach it to you like this.
Her sword never wavered as she spoke. It swung relentlessly, sheathed in white aura. At first, she seemed to overwhelm her opponent, but the enemy fought back with an endless supply of energy that brought despair to Wi Seol-Ah. Yet the girl did not stop.
-Are you scared?
Light. A brilliant flash accompanied every swing of her sword. The aura paused briefly, and in that instant, the girl advanced another step.
-Do you remember when I told you to find the essence of the Moonlight Dance?
Wi Seol-Ah remembered. The essence was not in the moon. Did that mean the power she was witnessing now was the true essence?
-No.
The girl answered.
-Don’t be misled by this power and stray from your path. You must uncover the essence in your own way.
The white aura protecting her almost resembled a pair of wings. Wi Seol-Ah knew she wasn't nearly strong enough to wield such power herself.
She turned her gaze to the figure before her, spewing a torrent of black energy. It had the exact same face as her. How was that possible? Confusion swelled within her.
Its face was expressionless, but its violet eyes burned with intensity. With a single gesture, an immense wave of aura flooded the area. Her sword slashed through, blocking the attack, but she couldn't deflect it all. Some of the energy slipped past her defenses.
Had she reached her limit? With that thought, Wi Seol-Ah spoke.
[Sis… give control back to me now.]
She had promised not to take control of Wi Seol-Ah's body without permission again. Yet here she was, breaking that promise once more. Wi Seol-Ah may have been impressed by her sword and aura, but that was a separate matter.
-Sorry.
The girl apologized.
-I know you are not happy with me taking control… but now…
She believed it was for him. This time, she felt she had no other choice.
[That’s not it.]
But Wi Seol-Ah responded.
[You said… it would be the last time. That if you took over again, you’d disappear.]
-…!
[We can’t let that happen.]*
The girl was taken aback. Wi Seol-Ah's answer was unexpected.
-…Are you worried about me?
[Should I not be?]
One day, she had told her this: she didn't have much strength left, so there was a limit to how many times she could take control. She said she had just one more chance, and that time was now.
But this was what the girl wanted. If it was for him, she would do anything without hesitation. Even if it meant perishing and facing unimaginable punishment for her sins, she didn't care. She could never repay what he had done for her, nor could she reveal herself to him now. It was enough if she could save her and buy him more time.
She never expected Wi Seol-Ah to worry for her.
[If you keep going like this… you’ll disappear. Are you really okay with that?]*
Wi Seol-Ah was asking if she was willing to never see him again.
The girl smiled as she swung her sword.
-You are quite different compared to me.
Wi Seol-Ah was different from her. And she preferred it that way.
-That much is enough.
It meant that, if her first meeting with him had been just a little different, she might have turned out the same.
-I pray for your happiness.
Though she’d never found that happiness herself, she truly wished for Wi Seol-Ah to live the life she could not.
[Sis…?]
-I have a request.
The girl spoke carefully.
-Please, don’t hate your grandfather too much. He has his reasons. So… please don’t hate him.
[What did you say?]*
Wi Seol-Ah asked, confused, but the fight intensified.
Then, Wi Seol-Ah noticed something. The aura pouring from the girl’s body wasn’t just coming from her Dantian. It originated from somewhere much deeper—a place Wi Seol-Ah knew she couldn't hope to reach in her current state.
Where was it coming from? What would happen to her once she used all of this energy?
Her sword surged with even greater power. The increase was flawless, a perfect demonstration of Qi control. Her opponent seemed to sense this too, tilting its head. Instead of appearing threatened, it seemed almost amused. Was it curious about what would happen next?
[Sis…! Wait…!]*
The girl wondered what would become of her after using this power. She knew she would be punished for her sins, but she didn't know what form it would take. More importantly, she wondered if this power could kill the presence before her.
It’s impossible.
It was impossible. The girl understood that, with only this much power, she could do nothing against the presence. After all, she was just like her.
However,
As long as I can damage it a little…
She tried to buy time. She believed she could secure a decent amount of time for him.
It wasn't just her Qi that now infused the sword. Unable to draw from this body's life force, she poured her own presence, her very soul, into the blade. This would be her ultimate strike.
Woong-
"...!"
The girl froze, compelled to glance behind her. She looked toward the place where he was seated.
The Heavenly Demon did the same. It widened its eyes and turned in the same direction.
Then,
"...Huff… Ugh."
A groan broke the silence. To her surprise, the sound came from the Heavenly Demon.
The Demonic Qi twisting my insides felt different this time. Unlike its usual effect of blocking Qi flow and decaying the body, this was a different kind of pain.
Resonance, perhaps?
Sensing the presence of the ruler of ten thousand demons before me, the Demonic Qi within me began to respond. More than that, it went wild, as if trying to tear free from my body and return to the Heavenly Demon. It felt like it was trying to explode from within.
Despite having reached the Fusion Realm, I was powerless before the Heavenly Demon, all because of the Demonic Qi inside me.
So, what was the solution?
Wi Seol-Ah was fighting the Heavenly Demon in front of me. The Dishonored Venerable behind me wasn't in a state to fight, and it would be dangerous once the Palace Lord recovered his energy. Wi Seol-Ah could very well be killed.
I wasn't concerned about who would stop the Heavenly Demon if she died. I simply couldn't bear the thought of her dying. The fear of her death outweighed my fear of my own.
So, I had to find a way out. What, then, was the solution?
It was simple. If the Demonic Qi within me was trying to return to the Heavenly Demon, all I had to do was make it mine, so it would lose its pull toward its original master.
Instead of confining the Demonic Qi in a corner of my Dantian, I needed to fully merge it with my body. This meant turning myself into a Demonic Human.
Since absorbing Demonic Qi in this life, I’d hesitated to use it, doing everything possible to avoid it. Yet now, I was willing to step into that abyss.
I released the Demonic Qi I’d been holding back.
Rumble.
The energy surged wildly within me. The pain was excruciating, like knives stabbing me from the inside. Through the agony, I channeled more power into the Demonic Qi.
Roaaaar!
A bestial roar echoed inside my body. The Demonic Qi was making its presence known. It surged through my veins, not toward my Dantian, but toward my heart.
[Grrr!]*
A low growl echoed in my ears. The beast that had stayed silent until now finally stirred. I expected frustration at its late appearance, but surprisingly, I felt none.
It’s you, right?
I asked the beast.
You were the one holding back the Demonic Qi, weren’t you?
[Grrrr…]*
Even with Demonic Qi inside me, I had felt no pain, nor had I transformed into a Demonic Human.
You’ve been blocking it all this time, haven’t you?
I’d credited the Gu Flame Wheel Art with purifying it, but reflecting on my past life, I began to reconsider. When I was turned into a Demonic Human by the Heavenly Demon in my past life, I hadn’t descended into madness. I had thought I was a special case, but considering how the World Tree said the beast had been inside me all along, perhaps it was the beast that had stopped me from losing my mind.
The beast hadn't just awakened after my regression; I’d simply never realized it had always been within me. As I grew stronger in this life, the beast appeared less frequently. Perhaps as my Demonic Qi grew denser, the beast was working harder to keep it from raging out of control.
That was my theory. I wondered if the beast might also be purifying the energy, but I couldn't be sure. However, I was certain about one thing.
You don’t want me to turn into a Demonic Human.
[Grrr…]*
Right?
The beast didn’t want this for me. I couldn't be certain, but I believed it was true.
However,
Sorry, but I don’t think I can fulfill your wish.
Even though the beast didn’t want this, I believed it was inevitable. Perhaps I’d been delaying the unavoidable all along. I’d vowed to achieve my goal by any means necessary, yet I’d put this off, haunted by memories of the hell that was my past life. I believed that if I went through with this, any hope of a normal life would vanish. That's why I had hesitated.
Cggck-
The Demonic Qi surged through my body, growing wilder. Now unleashed, it thrashed as if it had a life of its own. I directed all of it toward my heart. It converged there instantly. Not all of it obeyed, but most did.
Veins bulged across my body. The pain was incomparable to anything I’d felt in my past life. Was it because back then, the Heavenly Demon had forced the transformation upon me, whereas now I was doing it to myself? I wasn't sure. I just endured.
I forced my bloodshot eyes open and fixed them on the Heavenly Demon. Turning into a Demonic Human would let me stall against it for a while, but in the end, I’d fall under its command.
Then it would just be the same as before.
If that happened, I’d just be repeating history. So, I decided to try a different approach.
I’d been thinking about this endlessly. Since discovering that the Demonic Absorption Art remained with me after my regression, and that I could turn others into Demonic Humans, I’d realized something. As I climbed to higher levels, I found myself replicating what the Heavenly Demon had done in my past life. It was as if something was pushing me toward becoming the Heavenly Demon myself.
How sickening.
It felt like all my experiences had been orchestrated by another's will, even with the real Heavenly Demon standing right before me.
Was that really incorrect, though?
I couldn't answer. With everything I’d been through, it felt like I was fully capable of walking the same path.
Did Demonic Qi truly belong to the Heavenly Demon? How could it, when its power was drawn from other demons? Was it simply because it ruled over ten thousand demons? But there were barely any Demonic Humans left now.
Roaaaar!
My Demonic Qi continued its wild surge near my heart. It kept trying to return to the Heavenly Demon.
No, let me rephrase that.
I changed my thoughts. It wasn't that the energy was trying to return to the Heavenly Demon; it was trying to move toward a better, stronger vessel.
I let you live in me rent free, how dare you bastards.
Thinking of it that way was infuriating.
The Heavenly Demon once told me that this power belonged to it. No, that's not how this works. It's mine, because it's in my possession now. If you shoved something into my hands that I never asked for, then you should let me keep it. I had no intention of giving it back. Return it? Not a chance. This is mine now, and I won't let go of what's mine.
Roar…!
The Demonic Qi continued its rampage. It grew even wilder as I blocked its path to the Heavenly Demon. I pulled it toward me instead. The pain intensified, as if my body was ready to explode, but I didn't care.
Shut up and obey me.
I’d been patient, willing to hear out every demand from the world.
Do I look like a joke to you because I held back until now?
It took up residence in my body of its own accord, and now it wanted to leave just because its former master had shown up? No, I will not allow that.
Squeeze.
I seized all my Demonic Qi and forced it toward my heart. It grew more violent under my grip. My heart would explode if I lost control for even a second, but it was too late to turn back.
I carefully channeled the Demonic Qi into my heart. My body wouldn't have been able to endure this before, but reaching the Fusion Realm had barely made it possible. It almost felt like I’d attained that realm just for this moment. This situation seemed like more than a coincidence. If someone had set this up, what did they want from me?
Could it be pushing me to become the Heavenly Demon?
How foolish. The Heavenly Demon was standing right there. How could I become it? The very thought was terrifying. It was an absurd impossibility.
Just then, I sensed something faintly. As Demonic Qi filled my heart, I noticed a clear, thin line connected to something beyond me. It was connected to the Heavenly Demon.
What was this line? I’d barely encountered the Heavenly Demon in this life. Was it a symbol of my Demonic Qi being linked to it? I didn't ponder long. Whether it was an illusion, why it was connected, or how it related—I dismissed it all. I reached out and snapped the line.
Snap.
It broke effortlessly.
"...!"
The Heavenly Demon’s gaze immediately snapped toward me. Could it feel the connection sever?
Rumble!
The instant the line broke, I felt the Demonic Qi in my heart shift. The energy I’d barely contained began flooding my body once more. But there was one difference: instead of pain, the Demonic Qi now radiated warmth. It began flowing into my Dantian, mixing slowly with the Qi already there. Rather than devouring my Qi, it fused with it.
Once merged, the energy surged up to my middle Dantian. There was no blockage. It flowed smoothly, naturally. With my middle Dantian filled, there was only one destination left: my upper Dantian, which I had only unlocked upon reaching the Fusion Realm.
The energy moved like a tsunami, almost too fast, yet I could feel every detail of its path. How could I not, with its presence so unmistakable? My upper Dantian began to fill with Demonic Qi. Then, heat built behind my eyes.
"Haah…"
The pain faded momentarily, and I exhaled, overwhelmed by an unfamiliar sense of joy. There was no time to waste. I rose to my feet.
The Heavenly Demon was staring at me. Its glowing violet eyes bore into me, yet I felt no fear—only a strange sense of kinship.
Blaze.
I conjured flames in my hand as I faced it. It wasn't a flame made of Qi, but of Demonic Qi. As a result, the flame burned black with a violet glow.
"Oh, for fuck's sake."
I cursed aloud at the sight. I’d avoided becoming a Demonic Human precisely to avoid seeing this very thing. In the end, I had wrapped myself in this shitty-colored flame. How could I not curse?
Setting aside the fact that I was now a Demonic Human facing the Heavenly Demon, I made myself one promise as I stared at the flames. I vowed not to end up with the ridiculous title I’d borne in my past life, assuming I didn't die here.
Ironically, that was the first thought that crossed my mind.