Chapter 103
Chapter 103
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 103
Chapter Title: Where Do I Need to Go?
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“Are you trying to infuse the Poison Dragon Heart Technique with the essence of the Heavenly Demon Guardian Heart Method?”
“Yeah, that’s right. That was the reason I chose the Poison Dragon Heart Technique as my foundational technique to begin with.”
“It does seem the most excellent for concealing demonic energy, my lord.”
“However, its efficiency is questionable—”
“The Heavenly Demon Guardian Heart Method is originally more of a mental cultivation technique. We’ll just have to try it. Me too.”
The Heavenly Demon Guardian Heart Method was an absolute divine art that encompassed the three dantians.
It was impossible to easily predict what reaction it would have with the three martial arts I had already mastered.
With my sparring match against the Lion Sword King just one day away.
It was time to begin initiation.
First, I sat in the lotus position.
Then, sinking deeply into a meditative trance, I circulated the Poison Dragon Heart Technique.
My lower dantian writhed.
Next, I moved the Black Dragon Energy.
The middle dantian connected directly to the lower one, and the two energies mingled and amplified each other.
An endlessly cold energy.
Not only my meridians but my entire body felt chillingly cool.
Then, I opened the upper dantian and circulated the Ghost King Scripture to its maximum.
My spirit power flowed down through the meridians and joined the two energies.
Though they originated from different sources, the three types of true energy began moving as one body, surging through my meridians in an instant and merging into unity.
I gradually accelerated the speed.
Immense pressure built up in the three energies.
It kept circulating, and circulating, and circulating again….
Even as my meridians screamed in pain from overload, even as they frayed to the brink of tearing, I relentlessly repeated the energy circulation without rest.
My body trembled with agony, but the extreme training methods I had honed proved effective, allowing me to endure somehow.
At some point, the boundaries that had separated the three energies—even as they flowed together like water and oil—vanished, and they truly became one.
As a result, the total volume shrank by about thirty percent.
In exchange, the density became extraordinarily high, and the continuous circulation had removed nearly all impurities, purifying it as well.
In that process, many elements blended into one.
The poisonous nature, yin energy, ghostly energy, and all the characteristic elements that had defined each of the three true energies.
Instead, only one essential essence remained.
Demonic (魔).
Pure demonic essence.
“This is the Heavenly Demon Guardian Heart Method I’ve only heard of in legends…!”
“Seeing it with my own eyes, it’s truly awe-inspiring.”
“The legend says it was created to produce pure demonic essence—”
The Heavenly Demon Guardian Heart Method accepts everything.
All demonic arts and alchemy existing in the Demonic Cult, the bizarre techniques of the Seventy-Two Demon Gates, and even the orthodox anti-demon arts of the righteous sects.
But it also rejects everything.
Those who do not follow the pure demonic essence.
It seeks to crush all who do not worship, submit, or pledge loyalty.
It accepts those who enter its ‘us,’ but treats those who don’t as absolute enemies.
There is no process of persuasion or taming here.
Thus, the Heavenly Demon Guardian Heart Method always claims to be the vanguard and root of all demonic arts.
The reason I could integrate the disparate true energies of my three dantians into the Heavenly Demon Guardian Heart Method was all because of this.
Simply awakening the pure demonic essence transcends each individual trait, elevating them to a more essential power.
It went without saying that the efficiency of the energy—now without boundaries and heightened in both purity and density—spoke for itself.
Fortunately, my passion for pure demonic essence remained unchanged from past to present, so the Heavenly Demon Guardian Heart Method settled into my body without difficulty.
The greatest benefit was that, as long as I concealed the pure demonic essence, it appeared to the outside world largely unchanged from before.
I could hide my demonic art.
.
Time continued to pass.
.
.
How much time had passed?
When I opened my eyes again.
Creeeak!
“What are you doing, Young Master? The Lion Gate Leader is waiting. Things are chaotic outside right—”
The door burst open with a bang, and Tang Gon rushed in urgently.
But the moment our eyes met, he froze mid-sentence.
The ghostly flames flickering around my eyes must have been shining more luminously than ever.
The intense aura that filled the room in that instant made his heart quake.
That was the majesty of pure demonic essence, the Heavenly Demon.
I couldn’t help but smile.
“Where do I need to go?”
* * *
Sichuan’s Foremost Junior Prodigy.
Next Generation’s Greatest Swordsman Under Heaven.
Azure Clouds and Crimson Skies, Azure Saint Sword.
All were aliases and titles referring to Yi Cheolsan, who had received honors.
But Yi Cheolsan himself found such grandiose titles burdensome rather than pleasing.
‘Why are they all so pompous?’
He hadn’t particularly craved great fame to begin with.
He simply loved the sword and diligently trained it, and he devoted himself to the role of head disciple because he enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere of his sect.
Yet when he came to his senses, he was being called such things, so it would be strange if he didn’t feel embarrassed.
Of course, he didn’t hate it.
No matter how much a Taoist of a secular sect might detach from the world, it was hard for a young man to completely escape praise and expectations.
Still, he made an effort not to be swayed by public opinion.
Fretting over every little thing could harm his fundamentals.
With that in mind, he repeatedly vowed not to attach undue significance to this trip down the mountain.
He was merely visiting his martial sister’s clan as a guest under his sect’s orders—nothing more.
‘Even so… to meet the Dark Venerable in person—’
Yi Cheolsan recalled the encounter he’d had with the Dark Venerable when he had briefly descended Azure Saint Mountain some time ago.
“You’re the brat who arrogantly claimed the title of Sichuan’s Foremost Junior Prodigy over my clan’s talents, huh? You do seem like someone special.”
“Elder… exactly—”
“Me, you say?”
“Yes… sir.”
“Do you see something?”
“…….”
“What do you see?”
“…Tai Sui.”
“Huh?”
“That’s how you appear in my eyes, Elder. What in the world is your true identity?”
“Hahaha! What an odd kid. You can actually see that?”
Tai Sui was one of the monsters revered in Taoism, a bloodthirsty divine beast and holy king said to slumber deep underground, emerging in rage when humans recklessly disturbed the earth to harm them.
Classified as a malevolent spirit due to its horrific form—a red mass of flesh with thousands of eyes—it was also deemed benevolent for enriching the soil and fostering lush forests.
Thus, many Taoist sects avoided places brimming with Tai Sui’s energy or, if unavoidable, held devout rituals.
It was a being that could not be overcome.
Yet in Yi Cheolsan’s eyes, the Dark Venerable appeared exactly like that Tai Sui.
The problem was the Dark Venerable’s incomprehensible response.
“You can actually see that?”
Didn’t that mean he was hiding something?
Yi Cheolsan wanted to ask.
But he couldn’t.
The Dark Venerable had suddenly reached out toward him.
“If you pass this trial safely, you’ll enjoy the luxury of wiping out ten years of accumulated merits in one go.”
He didn’t clearly remember what the Dark Venerable’s trial had been.
He had been solely focused on struggling to survive.
But when all the trials ended, Yi Cheolsan realized the Dark Venerable hadn’t spoken idly.
Not only had his internal energy advanced, but his realm had leaped two stages higher.
Extreme concentration had shattered the walls that had blocked him in one stroke.
Before he could even offer thanks, the Dark Venerable had vanished like a ghost.
He’d only later learned his identity by describing him to his sect elders.
‘What in the world did you want to confirm from me, Elder?’
No matter how much he pondered, he couldn’t reach a satisfying conclusion.
From that moment, the shadow of the Dark Venerable took root in the center of Yi Cheolsan’s heart.
Perhaps even deeper than his master, the sect leader….
Though he told no one, it was as good as having another teacher.
And now, he would finally meet him.
He planned to ask directly.
Why had he granted him such a fateful opportunity?
If it was to lure away the head disciple of Azure Saint to defect to the Tang Clan, he would refuse.
But.
‘…If he desperately needs me and persuades me, could I really refuse?’
Yi Cheolsan’s thoughts reached that point, and he shook his head vigorously.
‘Don’t get arrogant, Cheolsan. Maybe the Dark Venerable simply gave casual guidance out of boredom, and I’m overthinking it. If I’m going to refuse, I can do so after meeting him.’
As he steadied his resolve, Yi Cheolsan finally arrived at the Nine Dragons Branch Family.
And unwittingly, he completely forgot his worries about the Dark Venerable.
“Long… journey… you must be… tired, Senior Brother….”
“Martial Sister, what’s wrong with your face?”
“Haha… I look pretty exhausted, don’t I…?”
This was more than just exhausted?
Yi Cheolsan swallowed the words rising to his throat.
Tang Gyujin, who had come to greet him, looked utterly dreadful.
She seemed to have tried covering it with makeup and dressed in fine robes, but with hollowed eyes and sunken cheeks, she resembled a walking jiangshi.
“Follow… me….”
“…….”
Stumble, stumble….
Watching Tang Gyujin walk feebly ahead filled him with dread that something terrible had happened at the branch family.
But he soon realized it wasn’t due to branch affairs.
“Wow… Cheolsan… big brother… is here….”
“Come… in….”
Yu Sumin and Sama Seonui, waiting in the Cyan Hall, looked no different from Tang Gyujin.
They had all become close through the Mt. Touch Blossom Alliance gathering.
“…What on earth happened to all of you?”
“Happen? Oh, it did. Eek!”
“A very enjoyable one, too….”
“…….”
Tang Gyujin and Yu Sumin exchanged creepy grins.
For some reason, their smiles sent chills down his spine.
Even Tang Gyujin, whose smiles had once been charming, and Yu Sumin, always full of playfulness, now looked weathered by the world.
Unconsciously, Yi Cheolsan glanced at Sama Seonui.
She seemed slightly better off than the other two.
Exhausted, yes, but with a hint of pride?
“We had training.”
Training?
“We were just about to start, actually. Perfect timing. Want to join?”
Join? Where?
Sama Seonui’s blunt, context-skipping speech style was as ever.
But Yi Cheolsan couldn’t even ask the location.
The three women shot up from their seats.
“If you lose without any results, I swear….”
“Then how about we bury you all in the back mountain together, Sister?”
“Oh my. What a brilliant idea. How are you so clever, Sumin….”
“They must’ve prepared themselves for at least that much after tormenting us so.”
“You’ll join in too, right, Seonui?”
“Huh? Y-Yes….”
“You’re dead meat, for real.”
Watching the three women whisper and conspire mysteriously, Yi Cheolsan thought.
Whatever it was, he’d better not provoke these women for a while if he knew what was good for him.