Chapter 53
Chapter 53
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: Demon Dragon Waterfall
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Kwaaang!
A thunderous roar of water battered his ears, and fierce winds whipped through Hyeok Mulin's hair.
Standing at the crest of the waterfall, Hyeok Mulin peered down into the dizzying abyss below.
It was a drop that could surpass any minor hill or peak, plunging straight down like a sheer cliff carved by nature itself.
The torrent was so ferocious that scarcely any fish could be seen braving its flow.
This was the most treacherous waterfall along the Divine River, a place on Heavenly Mountain accessible only to Hyeok Mulin—the Demon Dragon Waterfall.
"What a sight."
Hyeok Mulin naturally let out a sigh of admiration at the raging waves of water.
He had known of the Demon Dragon Waterfall even in his previous life, but back then, he had no reason to seek it out.
Today, however, his purpose here was clear.
It was that final step he had showcased against the Shoulder Emperor before.
To elevate his mastery of the Extreme Swift Step to the next level.
'The Seven Stars are within reach.'
To break through the Five Stars of the Extreme Swift Step, Hyeok Mulin had scaled the cliff.
And to surpass the Six Stars, he had trained by descending it.
Most would think running upward from below is harder, but in truth, it was the opposite.
Controlling the acceleration while harnessing gravity was far more demanding than merely defying it, so he had first mastered ascending the cliff with the Extreme Swift Step before refining it on the descent.
Having slain the Shoulder Emperor, Hyeok Mulin was now certain the Seven Stars were at hand, leading him to the Demon Dragon Waterfall.
Descending a waterfall was on an entirely different level of difficulty from a bare cliff.
Not only was there raw acceleration, but the water's relentless push against his feet demanded extraordinary control over his internal energy flow.
Moreover, Hyeok Mulin wasn't simply dropping down—he had to execute the supreme movement technique, Extreme Swift Step, pushing the challenge to extremes.
Hoo—
With a deep breath, Hyeok Mulin positioned himself at the cliff's edge.
The moment he turned his body downward, he stepped forward without hesitation.
Thudududu!
The world around him blurred.
Extreme Swift Step, gravity, and the waterfall's currents.
Harnessing all three, his form blurred past at a speed where most warriors wouldn't even notice his presence.
He had to maintain blistering velocity while fully controlling his speed.
Facing this dual ordeal head-on, Hyeok Mulin proceeded.
Unlike his usual staccato bursts of Extreme Swift Step, he unleashed it continuously from the waterfall's start to finish without pause.
Entrusting his upper body to the sky and his lower to the falls, he relentlessly observed to seize control.
And as his focus peaked, the waterfall's end came into view.
'I will stop—completely!'
Hyeok Mulin slammed on the brakes.
His waist bent, his thighs trembled.
Yet at the very end, his movement came to a perfect halt.
Despite the immense acceleration, Hyeok Mulin stopped utterly still.
Not a drop of water clung to his clothes after hurtling down the falls.
Having reached the Seven Stars of Extreme Swift Step, Hyeok Mulin clenched his fist tight.
Returning to Pure Heaven Pavilion, Hyeok Mulin spotted Sima Jin on duty.
Buried in paperwork, his face was pallid, like a leopard sleepless for days.
"You're back."
"You look exhausted."
"All thanks to Your Excellency's grace."
At Hyeok Mulin's behest, Sima Jin had served as the Hyeok Clan's chief steward until yesterday, and his lip jutted out in complaint.
He must have been truly drained.
Sima Jin never showed fatigue outwardly, so Hyeok Mulin could gauge just how grueling the negotiations had been.
Yet he had no choice but to send him.
Hyeok Mulin wanted an equal pact, not one where the Yagul Clan gained all the advantages.
"Investigating the Hyeok Clan inside out must have saved you time, no?"
"Know thyself and thy enemy, and you need fear no battle. I dismantled and analyzed not just the Hyeok Clan but the Yagul Clan and their businesses too. I pulled three all-nighters straight."
Grousing like that, yet he got the job done flawlessly.
How could he not assign him such tasks?
Hyeok Mulin trusted that whatever he handed off, even amid disasters, there'd be no losses.
"Heh. Your sharp tongue tells me the talks went well."
"Yes. The Hyeok Clan will dispatch warriors to the Yagul Clan's Music District businesses and invest for a stake. We'll also exchange personnel to cover each other's weaknesses, forging direct ties between our houses."
"Investment, huh. The Yagul Clan accepted that?"
"Their goal in allying isn't mere coin—it's solid bonds. They figured conceding this much was fine."
Yagul Hyeon.
Truly a cool-headed, astute man.
As a businessman who saw beyond profits, he demanded vigilance to the end.
Without the Hyeok Clan's seizure of the Blade Sword Sect's hidden wealth as leverage, even Sima Jin might not have secured such favorable terms against him.
"Good work."
"It was grueling."
"How was it, playing chief steward of the Seven Great Demon Clans?"
"Never again. I'll bury my bones at Your Excellency's side."
Good. Don't you dare leave.
I'll make the other stewards envy that post.
As Hyeok Mulin's lips curved faintly, Sima Jin recalled something and reported.
"Oh, right—about half a shichen ago, a delegation from the Southern Iron Gate arrived. I had them wait at Heavenly Grace Pavilion."
Southern Iron Gate?
One of the Demonic Frontier Sects sending envoys all the way to Heavenly Demon Palace—what could this mean?
'...Ah.'
Has the time come already?
Recalling his past life briefly, Hyeok Mulin slowly spoke.
"They've come to present a sword."
"Exactly. How did you know?"
Three hundred years ago, right after the Upright-Demonic Great War erupted, a massive iron mine was discovered in Aksu, southern Divine River.
Every master smith in the region flocked there to forge weapons, and from their exchange of techniques, the Southern Iron Gate Sect was born.
Claiming proudly among the Demonic Frontier Sects that no weapon forge shall idle, they formed the world's largest assembly of smiths.
"Their purpose is obvious. They couldn't present a sword at the enthronement, so they're delivering it belatedly."
The Southern Iron Gate, based in Divine River, had always been loyal to the Divine Cult.
Whenever a new Heavenly Demon ascended, their sect leader personally forged and offered a famed blade.
But at Hyeok Mulin's enthronement, the leader's illness prevented it, so the tribute was postponed.
A year later, here they were with a delegation and swords.
"To the Heavenly Demon Hall."
The Heavenly Demon Hall was the Heavenly Demon's pavilion for official duties—issuing vital commands or receiving dignitaries and envoys.
Hyeok Mulin rarely visited; all he did there was lounge boringly on the dais, gesturing with a finger.
His days were packed with training, work, and sleep as it was.
Thud.
Arriving at Heavenly Demon Hall, Hyeok Mulin mounted the spotless dais and reclined languidly. Sima Jin spoke.
"Bring them in."
The doors opened, and about five or six men filed in.
Entering the hall, they glanced around.
Flanking the sides were the captain and vice-captain of the Divine Demon Blood Death Squad, with Left Protector Jang Wi and Deputy Strategist Mo Seol at the fore.
At the end loomed Hyeok Mulin, chin propped, half-lidded eyes fixed ahead, exuding majestic presence.
The delegation's leader bowed deeply.
"It is our utmost honor to meet the exalted Cult Leader. I am Wi Taegon, third elder of Southern Iron Gate and disciple to our sect leader."
"I regretted not seeing you at the enthronement. Welcome."
"My apologies. We should have come sooner, but circumstances prevented it. Please forgive us with your boundless magnanimity."
Forgiveness, no—understanding.
Amusing.
"How fares the sect leader's health?"
"He's not fully recovered, but improving. He now spends about a shichen daily in the forge."
"Glad to hear it. I'll gift him White Flower Snow Ginseng—take it when you return."
"We are deeply grateful for Your Excellency's grace."
"Now, what brings your delegation here?"
Straight to business, Wi Taegon answered promptly.
"The work our sect leader postponed is complete."
With a glance back, three long wooden boxes were brought forward.
Lids opened, revealing three radiant swords that captivated all eyes.
"Our sect leader offers these swords. As atonement for the delay, he forged three."
"Ooh…!"
"Famed blades worthy of the name."
Sima Jin and Jang Wi admired the extraordinary swords.
Each box held sheath and blade side by side.
The leftmost bore a Blood Rain Myth Sword, its blade etched with blood-drop patterns that seemed to writhe alive.
The right featured an Azure Wind River Qi Sword, blue waves rippling smoothly as if ready to surge.
Center was the Sun Heaven Protector Sword, gleaming sun motifs flowing unbroken from tip to guard.
Even Danri Hyang, who lived simply with no sword lust, swallowed hard.
"All three as tribute?"
Sima Jin asked, and Wi Taegon smiled ambiguously.
"Forged for Your Excellency, yes. But only one suits you. Choose your blade, and the rest are to be destroyed."
"Destroyed?!"
"Such a waste!"
Murmurs of regret rippled through.
But Hyeok Mulin just smirked.
"Quite the stunt."
Rising, he approached the left box with the Blood Rain Myth Sword.
Gazing at it, he trailed a finger along the blade.
Jet-black aura rose from his fingertip.
Crack!
A fracture spiderwebbed from the touch, shattering the blade.
The delegation's eyes bulged in shock.
"Not this one."
He turned to the right.
Tapping the Azure Wind River Qi Sword's center, it snapped like a twig.
"Not this either."
As two famed blades crumbled before their eyes, Wi Taegon gaped in horror.
How? These were forged to withstand even Harmony Realm masters unscathed—yet a mere touch from the Cult Leader's energy reduced them to ruin.
As a smith, he knew best how impossible, how masterful that was.
His instincts screamed, chills racing down his spine as he stammered.
"C-Cult Leader, a word…"
Hyeok Mulin ignored him, moving to the center.
He eyed the Sun Heaven Protector Sword, then infused it with energy.
Dark sword qi flickered, then—clang!—it shattered spectacularly.
The blade couldn't contain his power.
Ting, ting, tiddly-ting.
Fragments scattered across the floor.
Hyeok Mulin set down the hilt-only remnant.
With an impassive face, he spoke coolly.
"They sent trash."
The delegation paled deathly white.