Chapter 26
Chapter 26
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: Heavenly Martial Hall Spars
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The Heavenly Martial Hall was a place where only one person under the heavens could enter and exit at will.
Yet today, an unfamiliar man appeared there.
"Hoo."
He wandered the training chamber, peering curiously into every corner.
At that moment.
"You've arrived."
As Hyeok Mulin revealed himself, Man Hyobom quickly bowed his head.
"Thank you for inviting me."
"I'm simply keeping my promise."
Hyeok Mulin gazed at the man before him.
Even in this sacred place, Man Hyobom displayed his usual bold demeanor without reservation.
Hyeok Mulin cut straight to the point, inquiring about the reward for his victory in the spar.
"What guidance do you seek?"
In truth, he already knew what the man would say.
And his prediction hit the mark precisely.
"I..."
He didn't hesitate long before speaking.
"I request a spar with you, Cult Leader."
Man Hyobom's eyes gleamed sharply beneath his resolute expression.
This time, he seemed to carry a hint of tension.
Requesting a match against the Heavenly Demon was no ordinary matter, after all.
"......"
Hyeok Mulin met his gaze in silence.
Then, after briefly lowering his eyes,
srrk—
he drew his sword.
Man Hyobom swallowed hard at the sight.
Was this permission, or punishment for his impudence?
As he nervously awaited the verdict,
"Begin."
Hyeok Mulin's clear command made Man Hyobom's lips curl skyward.
"Then, I'll go first."
Man Hyobom immediately drew his saber.
A dark demonic energy began to seep from the blade.
Without hesitation, he charged forward aggressively.
His massive strides covered great distances silently with the wondrous footwork of Full Moon Step—no thunderous footsteps echoed.
He swung the saber full force as if to cleave the shoulder, then fluidly shifted to a piercing thrust at the ribs in an instant.
This was the sole technique passed down directly from his father, Man Ho, among his children—the first form of the Tyrant Force Demon-Cleaving Saber, Shifting Saber, which had made his genius known across the world.
It was an abrupt motion that glimpsed both his unpredictable irregularity and physical prowess; no one would expect a saber thrust as an opener.
Whoosh!
But his thrust pierced only empty air.
Hyeok Mulin tilted his body like grass in the wind, effortlessly evading the attack.
The moment the thrust failed, Man Hyobom seamlessly chained into the next move, as if he had anticipated it.
Man Hyobom shoved the saber at his waist with full power.
As if to bisect the waist.
This time, however, Hyeok Mulin did not dodge; he crossed swords to parry.
He redirected the force, smoothly deflecting the blade upward over his head.
A clear failure of the assault.
Yet Man Hyobom paid it no mind and pressed on with relentless ferocity.
Hyeok Mulin evaded what he could with minimal movement and blocked the rest, flowing the onslaught away.
'Aggressive one.'
It was a thought from last time as well—his instinctive movements and unpredictable attacks interspersed like a beast's.
Even now.
Gripping the saber with both hands, Man Hyobom swept it upward diagonally from low left.
As Hyeok Mulin tilted his shoulder to dodge, he reversed, slashing down fiercely from high right diagonally.
But Hyeok Mulin withdrew his body, evading once more.
Still, Man Hyobom's eyes sharpened like a wolf spotting prey.
Moving to Hyeok Mulin's blind lower spot in an instant, he unleashed an explosive upward horizontal slash from below, finishing the second form of Tyrant Force Demon-Cleaving Saber: Severing Saber.
This time, with no room to dodge, Hyeok Mulin angled his sword to block the blade.
Hoo.
'I thought he was at most peak-entry level.'
Perhaps there had been no worthy opponents to draw out his full power until now.
To Hyeok Mulin's eyes, Man Hyobom's current realm had reached at least mid-peak.
Hoo— hoo—
Man Hyobom, breathing heavily now, fell back momentarily.
Not having landed a single effective hit, he gripped his saber anew, as if resolved, locking eyes with Hyeok Mulin.
"This time, I'll put everything into it."
He must have realized dragging it out like this was futile.
Quick situational awareness—impressive.
"Very well. Come at me."
Man Hyobom closed his eyes, grasping the saber at his chest center.
Demonic energy billowed thickly from the blade.
The next instant, he opened his eyes and slammed the saber deep into the floor.
Kuuung!
A roar echoed as the saber fixed into the ground.
Man Hyobom seized it with both hands and lunged forward.
His body leaned extremely forward, the saber gouging the earth a beat later in this bizarre formation.
Kwarung!
Man Hyobom pulverized the bluestone floor entirely as he charged.
The moment he entered range, he yanked the saber free with every ounce of strength nursed from infancy, swinging wildly with the rebound from the ground.
Then, from the saber's tip poured a fierce, bluish-black demonic energy surging toward Hyeok Mulin.
This was the fifth form of Tyrant Force Demon-Cleaving Saber: Extraction Saber—Man Hyobom's maximum output at present.
'Hoo.'
Not perfect yet, but attempting sword aura already.
Hyeok Mulin's lips curved in satisfaction at Man Hyobom's true skill.
'Then I should respond in kind.'
The instant Hyeok Mulin widened his eyes, a bluish round barrier formed around him.
When sword aura met sword veil, Man Hyobom's energy was casually flung skyward.
His all-out attack dissolving so futilely left Man Hyobom's pupils dazed.
"This should suffice."
"Thank you for indulging my excessive request."
At those words, Man Hyobom slowly withdrew his saber.
He glanced at Hyeok Mulin's feet, then shook his head.
'Total defeat.'
Setting aside no effective hits, the Cult Leader's position was unchanged from the start.
In other words, he hadn't taken a single step, receiving all attacks in place.
In battle, forgoing footwork was tantamount to forfeiting inner power—a massive loss.
'A guidance spar, indeed.'
He'd heard the man was Hyeok Clan Patriarch before ascending as Cult Leader.
He knew he was strong, but far beyond expectations.
The greater gap than anticipated left him slightly downcast when,
"Impressive strength. The Divine Demon Blood Death Squad feels secure with you in it."
"Thank you."
Man Hyobom nodded weakly at the seemingly perfunctory praise.
"However, you have vulnerabilities in defense more than offense."
Man Hyobom was innately an aggressive warrior.
Taking a defensive stance clashed with his nature.
"So when blocking, go all-in on offense instead. For you, the best defense is attack."
"......!"
Ditch half-hearted defense; counter enemy strikes while pressing the assault—that suited him best.
His eyes widened at Hyeok Mulin's advice as he bowed.
"Thank you for the invaluable guidance!"
It was a vague issue he'd sensed himself; he could only express gratitude for the clear direction.
"Good. Now go."
"Yes!"
Man Hyobom turned with renewed vigor.
As he moved to leave the Heavenly Martial Hall, Hyeok Mulin's voice rang in his ears.
"Oh, right. I'll bill the Man Clan for the damaged bluestone."
"Haha, even you enjoy jokes, Cult Leader."
The head of the Great Heavenly Demon Divine Cult wouldn't bother billing a single clan for training floor repairs.
Man Hyobom chuckled briefly, as if at a amusing quip.
But with no reply even after time passed, he swallowed hard.
Finally, he creakily turned back.
"A j-joke, right...?"
"......"
Hyeok Mulin met his eyes wordlessly.
Then glanced at the shredded bluestone before fixing his gaze steadily on him.
Under that piercing stare, Man Hyobom squeezed his eyes shut.
"Understood..."
Shoulders slumped, he trudged out of the Heavenly Martial Hall.
"Man Ho will have a fit."
Hyeok Mulin chuckled, imagining the Third Elder frothing at the invoice.
Soon after, Danri Hyang cautiously entered.
"Greetings to Your esteemed Cult Leader."
Without glancing around, he stood ramrod straight and bowed rigidly to Hyeok Mulin.
"Good. Have you eaten?"
"Pardon? Yes, I ate an hour ago."
"Glad to hear. How's work lately? Manageable?"
"Yes. Thanks to Your concern, it's been smooth..."
Hyeok Mulin strolled the chamber slowly, chatting casually to ease the mood.
Danri Hyang's tension melted, his face relaxing fully, mannerisms natural, when Hyeok Mulin got to the point.
"Danri Hyang."
"Yes."
"Why did you hesitate mid-spar?"
"......!"
Danri Hyang's heart seemed to sink.
His pupils wandered lost.
"If you don't want to say, stay silent."
"...No, I'll tell you."
Exhaling sharply, Danri Hyang spoke in resignation.
"To be honest, I wasn't sure if I should keep using Danri Clan techniques."
I figured as much.
Hyeok Mulin had already noticed without being told.
Should he continue displaying Danri Clan arts?
This was the Demonic Cult—shouldn't he learn demonic arts? Such doubts must have lingered deep within.
Endless discrimination in Shin-gang for being from the Central Plains would only amplify them.
'He confirmed it in the spar.'
He clearly held the superior skill.
Yet he instinctively braked his strikes, prolonging the bout unnecessarily.
It meant he hadn't found his core yet.
"Then don't use them."
"......Pardon?"
"Is there any need to cling to those arts?"
"That's..."
Honestly, no reason.
Cast out young, he hadn't mastered anything profound.
Just lingering attachment in his blood and no suitable sword replacement yet.
"Danri Hyang. Where is your hometown?"
"The Central Plains."
"Then where is your heart now?"
"Here, in Shin-gang."
"That's enough."
Hyeok Mulin handed him a martial arts manual.
Danri Hyang took it blankly, eyes lowering—then widening round.
There's a saying: the Danri can never best the Danhyang.
Though now extinct from Demonic Cult power struggles, during past Righteous-Demonic Wars, Shin-gang's Danhyang Clan bizarrely clashed repeatedly with Central Plains' Danri Clan.
Moreover, their refined sword paths and similar styles fueled the hype.
And in those wars, Danri Clan never once overcame Danhyang Clan.
Danri Hyang's eyes wandered wildly, now holding the sword arts of a clan like blood enemies to the one that abandoned him.
Hyeok Mulin placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I trust you. Not just as Divine Demon Blood Death Squad Vice Captain, but as Danri Hyang the man."
"......!"
"So hesitate no more. You'll be the squad's pillar going forward."
At Hyeok Mulin's assurance, memories of past insults and scorn flashed through Danri Hyang's mind.
His eyes reddened abruptly with surging emotion.
But unwilling to shame himself before the Cult Leader with tears, he bit his lower lip hard, barely holding back.
Shoulders trembling, he poured out thanks.
"Th-thank you. Thank you. Truly, thank you..."
Hyeok Mulin waited for him to calm, then sent him off gently.
As he exited the Heavenly Martial Hall, Jang Wi appeared at his side.
"Winning over two heroes with mere words. Remarkable skill."
"Just simple advice anyone could give. And one isn't won over yet."
'...Doesn't look simple at all.'
Swallowing words nearly blurted, Jang Wi got to business.
"Cult Leader, a message from the Deputy Military Strategist."
"Sima Jin?"
Hyeok Mulin turned; Jang Wi nodded.
"Yes."
The Secret Affairs Hall's launch.
Was finally at hand.