Chapter 94
Chapter 94
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 94
Chapter Title: The Extreme Summit Peak
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Exiting the waterfall through the cave, they spotted Yi Bija and Mok Yangil locked in fierce combat with enemies outside.
Clang clang clang!
The two stood back-to-back, relentlessly fending off dozens of foes without a moment's rest.
Hyeok Mulin nodded upon seeing this and remarked,
"Busy, aren't they."
Mok Yangil, spotting Hyeok Mulin, let out a triumphant shout.
"We're saved!"
Unlike Mok Yangil, who swung his fists wildly in delight, Yi Bija immediately launched into an explanation.
"The moment you went inside, they attacked us right away!"
With Hyeok Mulin gone, the underlings of the Spirit Guide Tyrant King Association had judged the remaining pair manageable and pounced.
And now, as Hyeok Mulin emerged alone from within the waterfall, all eyes turned to him.
Yi Bija gazed at Hyeok Mulin, his voice tinged with tension as he asked,
"How did it go?"
"What do you think?"
Hyeok Mulin smirked in response, and their lips slowly curled upward.
Mok Yangil and Yi Bija exchanged glances and clenched their fists tightly.
"N-No way... Did the Chairman lose?"
"This can't be happening...!"
Word of Hyeok Mulin's victory spread, and murmurs rippled through the enemy ranks.
With that, the battle naturally drew to a close.
The Spirit Guide Tyrant King Association's warriors lowered their weapons, their faces blank as they parted to clear a path. Hyeok Mulin strode through their midst, with Mok Yangil and Yi Bija trailing behind.
Reaching the end, Hyeok Mulin paused briefly before speaking calmly.
"The Spirit Guide Tyrant King Association is hereby disbanded."
At his declaration, those who had been glancing around furtively began slipping away one by one.
Once all the association's warriors had vanished, leaving only the trio, Yi Bija expressed his gratitude.
"Thank you for avenging us. You've done us a great favor."
"Don't mention it. Our goals just aligned, that's all."
Mok Yangil watched the exchange contentedly from the side.
Suddenly recalling something, he asked,
"So, did you find any trace of the physician?"
"Unfortunately, even he knew nothing."
"Sigh. We've scoured every corner of the island, and still nothing. What are we supposed to do now?"
Mok Yangil scratched his goatee and sighed.
But Hyeok Mulin provided a simple answer.
"There's still one last place left, isn't there?"
Hyeok Mulin slowly turned his head.
Mok Yangil's pupils trembled violently as he followed his gaze.
"N-No way...?"
The Extreme Summit Peak.
Their eyes converged on the island's sole forbidden zone, the Millennium Prison's taboo.
"Eek!"
Caught in Hyeok Mulin's stare, Mok Yangil recoiled in horror.
Anywhere else would be fine.
But why there, of all places?
While Mok Yangil shuddered at the mere sight, Hyeok Mulin fixed the peak with eyes full of conviction.
'It was suspicious from the start.'
A figure like that physician was akin to a needle in a bag—impossible to fully hide, their true nature inevitably shining through.
Yet despite searching the entire island, no trace of him had surfaced. The reason was simple.
'He's concealed his identity and gone into seclusion.'
At first, when Mok Yangil mentioned a demon living up there, Hyeok Mulin had wondered if some demonic cultivator dwelled there.
But the explanation that followed revealed "demon" was merely a name born of fear.
The Spirit Guide Tyrant King Association, the Heavenly Net Escape-from-Death Society, and unaffiliated groups—all places where his unmistakable presence leaked out despite efforts to hide.
Yes.
On this island, only the Extreme Summit Peak fit that description.
"Think about it again. We haven't searched every nook and cranny of the island. There are still plenty of places worth checking."
Mok Yangil spoke urgently, but Hyeok Mulin's gaze remained locked on the Extreme Summit Peak, unwavering.
As Hyeok Mulin silently conveyed his intent, Mok Yangil's shoulders began to quiver.
'He wants to climb that?'
Was he serious?
That forbidden zone where not a single soul had ever descended alive?
This wouldn't do.
No, absolutely not.
Mok Yangil's eyes shook as if an earthquake had struck, and he quickly shifted his persuasion target.
"Brother Yi, say something to him. Climbing that is basically suicide, isn't it?"
"Certainly..."
Yi Bija nodded slowly and replied,
"It would be wise to visit the Extreme Summit Peak."
"W-What?!"
"We're looking for the physician, aren't we? From what I know, there's no one in the western or eastern regions capable of meeting your expectations."
"I suspected as much."
"If there's someone who can heal your dantian, we can't rule out the Extreme Summit Peak."
"Good point. Thanks."
"No trouble at all."
As Hyeok Mulin and Yi Bija synced up perfectly, Mok Yangil's jaw dropped to the ground.
The thunderbolt-like exchange left his vision whitening.
"Then let's head out."
"Sounds good."
Hyeok Mulin and Yi Bija moved first, leaving Mok Yangil alone in the spot.
After agonizing, he finally squeezed his eyes shut and hurried after them.
"Wait for me...!"
Today, his steps seemed especially forlorn.
The trio traveled for several days toward the distant Extreme Summit Peak.
Leaving the southern region behind, they soon faced sheer, cliff-like rock walls, rugged and precipitously steep.
Yi Bija spoke upon seeing them.
"We've already reached the Central Cliff. From here, it should take just one or two days to the Extreme Summit Peak."
They had arrived at the island's central landmark, the Central Cliff.
As the sun set and an eerie night fell, they naturally halted.
"It's late, so let's camp here and move tomorrow."
Yi Bija hunted a rabbit, while Mok Yangil gathered greens and edible mushrooms.
Mok Yangil then boiled a simple soup, crafting a surprisingly fine dinner.
He ladled some into a clean wooden bowl and brought it to Hyeok Mulin.
But Hyeok Mulin was fixated on something, oblivious even to his approach.
Mok Yangil tilted his head.
"Brother Mu?"
Only then did Hyeok Mulin, who had been staring at the Central Cliff, accept the soup.
Mok Yangil glanced between Hyeok Mulin and the cliff, asking quizzically,
"I've never seen you so focused. Is there something there?"
"...Not sure."
If it was there, say it was; if not, say no. What did "not sure" even mean?
It was an incomprehensible reply, but Mok Yangil shrugged it off and returned to eat.
They passed the night, and the next morning...
"Let's stay here one more day."
At Hyeok Mulin's words, Mok Yangil and Yi Bija exchanged looks.
Unsure of the details, but it was the first time he'd made such a request, so they nodded.
Yi Bija intended to help whatever Hyeok Mulin was doing anyway, and Mok Yangil was glad the ascent to Extreme Summit Peak was delayed.
They foraged and hunted lightly around the area.
But Hyeok Mulin simply sat in a spot with a clear view of the Central Cliff, staring intently.
And so time passed.
One more day.
Two more days.
Four more days.
Hyeok Mulin's requests grew longer, and they built a temporary camp nearby.
They occasionally watched what he was doing, but he always gazed at the Central Cliff with an enigmatic look.
Others might not notice, but Hyeok Mulin's pupils grew sharper with each passing day as he observed.
'I didn't realize at first.'
Passing by this place twice before, he'd felt an odd incongruity.
And after close observation these past few days...
He was certain the cliff's surface bore traces of martial arts.
Not battle scars.
Clearly left to teach his swordsmanship to posterity.
Like embedding a summarized manual directly into the cliff face.
But the level was so profound that even Hyeok Mulin, who had self-studied countless arts, struggled to comprehend it easily.
'Who on earth left this behind?'
Undoubtedly someone of extraordinary realm, and judging solely by the sword traces, neither orthodox nor demonic paths.
Pinning down who was difficult.
The marks suggested centuries old.
Someone like that captured by the Murim Alliance and thrown into the Millennium Prison?
Hyeok Mulin tilted his head at the implausibility.
"This won't do."
Hyeok Mulin rose, propping himself on his knee, after staring at the Central Cliff.
Without drawing his sword, he tentatively mimicked the cliff's swordsmanship with bare hands.
Difficult and arcane.
Not even sure if the movements were right.
But enjoyable.
It reminded him of his past life, researching arts in the Heavenly Demon Secret Vault.
One more thing: attempting the art let him feel his own body—every muscle—more acutely than ever.
Thus, he repeated it ceaselessly: ten times, fifty, a hundred, three hundred, nine hundred ninety times right there.
On the nine hundred ninety-ninth attempt, something instinctively flashed in his mind, and he instantly drew the Heaven-Splitting Demon Sword.
Shing!
Infusing it with dense sword aura, he executed the thousandth movement.
Kaboom!
A tremendous roar echoed as the Central Cliff was ravaged from his grasp.
In an instant, the cliff was damaged beyond recognition.
Yet Hyeok Mulin no longer looked at it.
He focused solely on his own motions.
As he completed the final movement...
"...!"
Hyeok Mulin's pupils dilated sharply. He sheathed his sword and sat cross-legged on the spot.
Yi Bija and Mok Yangil rushed back at the sudden boom and found him like that.
"Brother Mu?"
"...!"
Exchanging glances, they hurried over and stood guard beside him.
Time flowed on.
One day.
Two days.
Four days.
And on the morning after seven days and nights...
"......"
Hyeok Mulin, lost in a trance, slowly opened his eyes.
Noticing, Mok Yangil and Yi Bija asked with concern,
"Brother Mu?"
"Are you alright?"
But the moment he opened his eyes, Hyeok Mulin couldn't help but recognize his change.
The bodies of the two staring worriedly at him appeared dissected—their muscles vividly exposed, as if skinned.
'This is...'
After briefly examining his own body, Hyeok Mulin's eyes widened in shock.
Pure Soul Divine Demon Art.
He had reached the Fifth Star.
Merely imitating the swordsmanship had led to enlightenment that propelled his core art forward.
"Are you okay?"
Seeing Hyeok Mulin immersed in emotion from the breakthrough, sitting silently, Mok Yangil cautiously asked.
"Nothing went wrong, I hope?"
As Mok Yangil leaned in with a worried face,
Hyeok Mulin could see right through his internal muscles, blood vessels, and meridians.
Confirming it, Hyeok Mulin's lips curved into a smile.
As Hyeok Mulin rose slowly, Yi Bija smiled and said,
"I don't know the details, but it looks like you got what you wanted."
"Indeed."
Hyeok Mulin nodded with conviction.
He had infiltrated the Millennium Prison solely to find the physician, never dreaming he'd ascend to the Fifth Star of Pure Soul Divine Demon Art here.
Moreover, gaining eyes that pierced the essence of others' bodies.
'This...'
Like a dissected human form, he saw muscle fibers, flows, movements—and weaknesses where deficiencies lay.
When opponents moved, their bodily flows were fully penetrated.
'Truly worthy of the name Divine Demon Eyes.'
Naming his awakened eyes, Hyeok Mulin gently closed them.
Opening again, vision returned to normal, showing their clothing as before.
A day of bountiful harvest.
Fifth Star of Pure Soul Divine Demon Art, Divine Demon Eyes—and that wasn't all.
He'd learned that nameless swordsmanship too.
Though not fully comprehended yet, just a vague sense.
Like grasping merely the tip of the iceberg, fragments of the sword art.
'It's fine. I've memorized it all in my mind.'
With endless training and rising realm, he'd unlock it gradually—he had no doubt.
Still...
"You could have at least left the name of the art."
Hyeok Mulin murmured softly toward the nameless master.
Then I'll name the swordsmanship as I see fit.
A sword art unexpectedly gained in the Millennium Prison.
Its ocean-deep profundity and divine might.
"...Millennium Divine Sword."
I'll call it the Millennium Divine Sword.
No one answered Hyeok Mulin's words, but his whisper lingered in the air, carried on a pleasant breeze.