The Heavenly Demon's Copy Awakens
The ground trembled violently.
Earth and dust exploded in chaotic bursts.
As the Su-shinwi of Jeomchang and I tumbled together in a savage brawl, the battlefield had long since dragged us beyond the village and into the nearby rocky hills.
Behind me, the massive dam that spanned Inhyeon Gorge cast a long shadow over the sunset sky.
Across the vast field beneath the dam, the fighting raged on without pause.
Frozen mud cracked and gave way, then thawed and churned, flinging chunks into the air.
I pushed myself up with desperate strength, staggering toward a massive fallen tree trunk and slumping behind it.
Gasping for breath, I felt Mumyeong's voice cut through the haze.
[Host! Take this opportunity now!]
With my limbs still quivering, I frantically rummaged through my robes.
[I will devote myself fully to your body's reconstruction, Host. I will enter a brief sleep state soon.]
From my inner pocket I pulled out the fourth of the four Bandara I had received as a reward from Cheonsubaekryeonsa. An internal-energy stimulant pill.
I crammed it into my mouth and swallowed.
-Kwaaaaang!
-Kwadududuk!
Another explosion rocked the ground, and mud rained down over my head.
I peered around the tree trunk.
“Kaaaaah!”
The Su-shinwi of Jeomchang, Gang Chisang, let out a furious roar.
He was no ordinary man.
I could not imagine what kind of demonic arts had bound such a monster, nor why he had turned his hatred for the Blood Cult against everything else.
His body was rotting, infested with parasites, yet he still swung that giant executioner's blade with destructive fury.
His hands were no longer restrained.
He poured every ounce of his Guardian power into the assault.
-Jejejeong!
Seven ghostly white blades darted through the air, slicing at Gang Chisang in a frenzy.
-Kwaduduk!
“Kuek!”
The moment I left an opening, they struck like steel rain, reducing his body to nothing.
I panted, forcing my breath.
Time was short.
Patcheon Hyeolma Mugukgong.
The ultimate internal cultivation art I had received from Asura, the Baekryeon Demonic Sect's supreme manual.
Of course, I had no time to relieve myself.
I had already thrown away the final stage of Sura-dae-myeol-geop-jin.
Mumyeong had cut it off before I could reach the irreversible death state.
But I could still heal the damage I had caused.
If there was even the slightest chance of recovery, I had to take it.
This manual, born in the ancient Jianghu where death was constant, did not demand the rigid lotus posture that ordinary internal cultivation required.
It allowed any seated position—cross-legged, single-leg, or double-leg—to work.
Natural posture was enough.
“Patcheon Hyeolma Mugukgong has two primary applications,” I recalled Asura's words.
“The first is the traditional form that promotes steady internal-energy flow for long-term growth.
“The second is to abandon fixed posture entirely and focus on high-speed circulation for rapid recovery and stability right in the heat of battle.
“This time I'm using the second.
“Hic… hic!”
I spread my thumbs.
“Before activating this manual, I must stimulate the corresponding acupoints.
“I pressed my thumbs against the Tongziliao points at the outer corners of my eyes—
-Pa-bat! Pot!
“Then the Futu points at the base of my neck and the Dan Tian center.
My whole body stiffened, qi and blood churning unnaturally.
I clenched my right fist with my left hand over the thumb and closed my eyes.
-Kwong!
The empty Dan Tian twisted and drained as I circulated every meridian Asura had ever taught me—Baihui, Yintang, Chunyang, Lianquan, Danzhong, Zhongwan, Xia Dan Tian—until my body repaired itself.
Sweat and blood poured from every pore.
“In the Jianghu, every manual first completes the small heavenly circulation before the great. This one does the opposite.
“As someone who is completely ignorant of internal cultivation, I was shocked by how fundamentally reversed Patcheon Hyeolma Mugukgong is from the start.
“…Even I, with my total lack of knowledge about cultivation manuals, can feel how wrong this is.”
Anticipating my reaction, Asura gave a slight smile and patted his protruding belly.
“All true innovation begins with the destruction of the belief that nothing will ever change. Is there any phenomenon in this reality to which the phrase ‘of course this must be’ can apply?”
-Kwaaang!
Even with my Heavenly Martial Body pierced by every vein, the legendary Patcheon Hyeolma Mugukgong had only been applied three full cycles before the earth itself split apart.
“Damn it, this is still enough,” I muttered, satisfied.
I pulled out a water bottle and spat out the stopper.
My trembling hands poured the last of Eun Seollyeong's blood into my mouth.
A foul, rancid stench filled my nose.
-Ching.
I hurled the Chiljongheukjusa-gap away.
“Kuek…”
The crushed flesh still clinging to the gauntlet tore off, sending lightning-like pain racing through my entire body.
My right hand was in even worse shape, reduced to almost exposing the bone despite the gauntlet.
I pulled my sleeve over my mouth and bit down hard.
The remaining blood that dribbled onto the shredded palm burned like fire.
-Chiik!
“Uuuuuuugh!!!”
Shivers wracked my whole body.
-Kugukuguk.
My body, built on the Heavenly Demon's flesh, reacted violently to the Demonic Blood.
Skin bubbled and knit together before my eyes.
-Jik!
I tore my clothes further and wrapped the torn rags tightly around both hands and the wounds.
Even an ordinary person's body recovered somewhat, but the Heavenly Demon's flesh and the Demonic Blood were perfectly matched.
If only Mumyeong's emergency repair function remained, but it had been spent healing my body after the first clash with the Su-shinwi of Jeomchang.
“Mumyeong, how is my physical condition?”
[Movement is possible. However—.]
A faint voice, already slipping into sleep, answered.
“Good enough. If that's all, then we're set.”
I cut Mumyeong off and shoved the Chiljongheukjusa-gap back onto my left hand, then stood up.
“Kuek…!”
Blood sprayed from my mouth as I staggered.
I leaned against the tree trunk and forced my breathing to steady.
I wiped the sweat from my face with trembling hands.
Before me, two Guardians fought desperately beneath the blood-red sunset.
“The shame of being a Su-shinwi! Do you even know what shame is, you bastard!”
Eun Seollyeong was furious.
The rectangular silver earrings dangling from her ears were soaked black with blood.
She had always maintained perfect composure.
Her hatred for the Heavenly Demon Cult ran deeper than anything Gang Chisang felt for the Blood Cult.
“As a Guardian!”
Seven white blades hovered above Gang Chisang's head.
“Attacking a village full of ordinary people, not warriors!”
-Kwadududuk!
Gang Chisang lay the giant blade on its side to block.
It was like wearing armor in a hurricane.
His entire body was shredded by the sword storm.
“Kaaaa!”
Heaven and earth shattered.
Flesh pulped and tore.
It was one-sided slaughter.
He had no chance of fighting back.
“Damn it! If it wasn't for the injuries I got from that damn warrior, I wouldn't be like this!”
Gang Chisang screamed in rage.
In the Jianghu, the difference between two masters—especially two Guardians—was said to be no more than a sheet of paper.
Yet Gang Chisang wore the cold-fragrance stone shackles of a Su-shinwi like hers.
Before he could unleash his full power, my concentrated attack had already shattered half his body.
That single blow had created a chasm larger than the difference between two equal Guardians fighting at full strength.
-Kaaang!
He shook off the blade that crashed toward his face and panted.
He gasped.
“I never thought I'd meet you again like this.”
Gang Chisang licked thick blood from his lips and muttered.
“It's over. Su-shinwi of Jeomchang.”
In Eun Seollyeong's blood-soaked palm lay a wet bead.
“Damn… damn it.”
Gang Chisang's navel was gone; his Dan Tian had been blown open into a gaping hole.
Half-crushed and hazy, the bead still spat out massive qi.
“You still have the treasure in you. Even if you move now, it won't last long.”
Eun Seollyeong slipped the bead into her robes and flicked her wrist.
The seven scattered blades reorganized behind her.
She snatched two.
“I've waited a long time for this. Our enmity ends here.”
Her silver hair whipped in the wind.
At first she had gripped the two blades with a double-hand technique.
-Cheong!
The ends of the blades locked together and formed a single enormous spear.
“That is…”
Memories flooded me of a scene I had once seen.
When she fought the Surayeomrang Squad of the Heavenly Demon Cult, she had swept through them with weapons of any kind—sword, axe, fist, spear—whichever suited the moment.
I watched the blades floating behind her.
This was her martial art.
Everything that had once seemed to move with metallic precision was actually those blades, and she freely combined and extended them to control the range of her attacks.
“Kuh… kuhk. You say you're going to kill a Guardian? Do you even understand what kind of chaos that would bring to the Jianghu, woman?”
Gang Chisang, now little more than a rag, laughed through his hole-riddled stomach.
“As I expected, no matter how strong you act, your true nature is still that of a woman.”
“You still have the strength to talk, huh?”
Eun Seollyeong's brows furrowed, and invisible killing intent exploded from her.
Gang Chisang panted.
“I should have taken you by force back then. Still as sharp-tongued as ever.”
He reached for the iron gag covering his mouth.
-Dulk!
The rusty gag fell to the ground.
The veil that had hidden half his face dropped away, revealing Gang Chisang's true visage.
“Even after all this time, your hatred for the Heavenly Demon Cult burns like hell. Guardian of Hwasan. No, Eun Seollyeong.”
“Is that an insult?”
Eun Seollyeong asked in a voice as sharp as a blade.
“If my memory serves me correctly.”
Black killing intent began to surge from Gang Chisang's eyes.
[Something… feels wrong.]
[The bead in his Dan Tian is missing. This sensation is—.]
Eun Seollyeong's eyes narrowed, sensing the same unease.
Gang Chisang's mouth twisted into a grin as his body began to dissolve into black mist.
“The treasure was only a trigger. Why would a mere Guardian like me run to the Cult?”
Flies buzzed.
Grubs poured out.
It was as if a plague itself had taken human form.
“You are still my woman. I have not given up. I never sealed a formal engagement. So why avoid words spoken to a fiancée?”
-Pul-fluck.
The rotting flesh scraps on Gang Chisang began to flap like torn rags.
-Saruureuk…
If my eyes were not playing tricks, the tips of the flesh were dissolving into black mist.
[This… this is—.]
The nightmare of the Heavenly Demon Cult—something Mumyeong recognized instantly.
[Impossible. This is a practiced demonic art. How can someone who is not even a warrior—
Mumyeong's voice faded.
He had been overused too long and forced into sleep.
Eun Seollyeong's silver eyes narrowed to slits.
Looking at her, Gang Chisang said, “Just like the first time I met you.”
“This time as well… I am protecting a certain idiot behind me. So this time it's the Blood Cult's man, huh? Because you hate the Blood Cult?”
His gaze toward me burned like a blazing flame.
Jealousy and hatred that would devour me alive if he could.
Eun Seollyeong countered calmly.
“Do not misunderstand, Demon. That man has nothing to do with you. And I already know more than enough after the brutal fight.
“Her feet spread wide.
“That man is not from the Blood Cult. Everything you say is nothing but a cowardly excuse, just like before.”
-Dal-kang, dal-kang.
Two of the four stone shackles binding her limbs fell to the ground.
Her robes fluttered.
Her suppressed Yeoncheon-dongji power erupted.
-Kuguguguk…
Her qi began to concentrate into the spear.
She moved exactly like me when I prepared to unleash Blood Demon Wheel Lock Spear.
But the difference was vast.
“Good. Whether that man is a Blood Cultist or not no longer matters. From the moment he stands in our way.”
Gang Chisang did not stop smiling, as if he already knew what she would do.
“As expected, the final clash always ends with a Guardian as the disaster—the pinnacle of powerlessness. The decisive ultimate technique?”
“…”
Eun Seollyeong had clearly decided not to waste words on the Demon.
Without answering, her internal energy soared higher and higher.
-Kwa-kwa-kwa…!
Her qi compressed into a sphere ready to explode.
“No, not yet. There's still a little left. I never dreamed you would connect like this. An even victory was never what I wanted.
“Even with that momentum, the Su-shinwi of Jeomchang showed no hesitation.
“If that kind of victory is all, I wouldn't have defected to the Cult. I need an overwhelming victory. To rip your clothes off and completely own you.
“Bullshit.”
“Still the only woman I have ever coveted in the Jianghu…! That poisonous, pure gaze…! Today I will retreat, but next time I will never let you go.
“Foolish. Do you think you can escape?”
“No, you've already escaped. Do you not even know what my decisive ultimate technique is before you arrogantly claim victory?”
“…!”
Eun Seollyeong stiffened.
Gang Chisang laughed.
“It has been a long time. I will give you two gifts.”
He held up two fingers.
“First, through the battle as you said, I learned many things about the man you protect. You use Blood Cult techniques, yet you are not a Blood Cultist. And you still do not know what I know. So I guess you feel safe hiding him behind you with that perfect face.
“What?”
His glittering eyes swept over me and Eun Seollyeong.
-Ossik.
A cold trickle of fear ran down my spine.
The fact Eun Seollyeong must never learn about me.
In context, there was only one thing he could be pointing at.
“Second, even if you run, you cannot run away forever. Especially you.”
Gang Chisang looked at me.
“I saw how desperately you tried to drive me out of the village. This is my little gift to you.
-Puf.
The massive executioner's blade in his disappearing hand was hurled toward me.
“What?”
It was not aimed at me, nor at Eun Seollyeong.
Somehow it flew behind me.
“No way—”
Behind me was the dam.
On one side, a section that had collapsed in last year's flood and been hastily patched with iron hides and chains.
-Peobak!
The blade sliced through the iron chains like paper.
“Slightly off target. But it doesn't matter.
“Enjoy it well…!”
With those words, Gang Chisang vanished into black mist.
-Tuk.
One by one the iron chains and ropes snapped.
“No—”
I muttered stupidly.
-Tung!
The dam began to collapse.
Water began to pour.
-Tung! Toodooong! Toodooong!
The iron hides exploded in rapid succession.
Water streams gushed forth.
Below the rushing torrent lay the village.
Its roof had turned white.
I sprang to my feet.
“No!!!”