Chapter 210
Chapter 210
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 210
Chapter Title: Overwhelming Power 3
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Mu-heun was tasked with helping Hang-po generate intense heat in the furnace. The fire energy from his Divine Arts of the Heavenly Demon, having reached the state of Demonic Transcendence. That violet fire energy was more than enough to melt the thousand-year-old cold steel that made up the fragments of the Hellscape of Scorching Heat.
*Fwoooosh.*
It wasn't the Hellscape imbued with the Flame Demon's powerful energy; it was just thousand-year-old cold steel passively absorbing the heat. It couldn't withstand the constant infusion of Mu-heun's fire energy.
However.
Hang-po was a different story.
The work was so arduous that despite having endured high temperatures and worked with iron his entire life, Hang-po nearly collapsed several times.
To endure the intense heat, Hang-po consumed cooling herbs to control the fire energy and used ice brought by his fellow blacksmiths to cool his body.
He hammered the steel like that for seven days and nights. The result of his dedicated labor for seven days and nights, without sleep or rest. A long spear and a greatsword boasting a miraculous hardness were born.
"Lord Dragon Demon, it is finally complete."
"Thank you. I may not know much about it, but your skill is truly worthy of being called the best in the Cult."
"Hahahaha, thank you for the praise."
"What blacksmith could focus on their work for seven days and nights without rest? Now that I have received the items, please go inside and rest."
"Haha, thank you. Haha... I will place the long spear and the greatsword in these wooden boxes here."
"Thank you. Ah, and as promised, I will only use this place for three months."
"Of course. I probably won't be able to move for about three months myself."
Unlike when they first met, Hang-po was drained and weak. He gave Mu-heun a faint smile, as if he had just created the greatest masterpiece of his life. Contained within that smile was, above all, a sense of pride.
Mu-heun glimpsed the heart of a master devoted to a single craft, and he came to truly respect him.
"Then... I shall..."
*Thud.*
Hang-po was so exhausted that he collapsed mid-sentence, and Mu-heun caught him as he fell.
"He's fainted."
Out of consideration for him, Mu-heun had already summoned Pa-sun and Un-pyo.
"Take this craftsman to the Cult's forge."
"Yes, my lord."
Since that day, Pa-sun and Un-pyo had not only fully recovered but had also been training day and night. However, it was also true that they had lost their weapons. They hesitated, wanting to ask Mu-heun for something.
Having lost their beloved weapons, coming to the forge made them feel restless. But Mu-heun simply hadn't told them. He had already finished making Un-pyo's greatsword, Black Cloud, and Pa-sun's long spear, the Pa-sun Spear.
Pa-sun and Un-pyo were anxious because it hadn't occurred to them that Mu-heun had already made weapons for them.
The two of them thought Mu-heun had come to the forge to make another weapon for himself.
And now, it was time to deliver the completed weapons to their owners.
"Pa-sun, Un-pyo."
"Yes, my lord."
"Open those wooden boxes over there."
Mu-heun pointed a finger at a long wooden box and a wide wooden box next to it.
Pa-sun and Un-pyo's eyes widened.
"M-my lord... are these..."
"They are yours. Open them."
This was a forge with a furnace. And inside those boxes were weapons that the best blacksmith in the Cult's forge had just spent three days and nights creating.
Moreover, their lord had also invested three days and nights just to melt the fragments of thousand-year-old cold steel.
Could it be...?
With trembling hearts, Pa-sun and Un-pyo opened the wooden boxes.
"B-Black Cloud..."
"P-Pa-sun Spear..."
The long spear and greatsword given to them as gifts by the Blade Leaf Demon when they left Blade Leaf Valley. There were the weapons, in the exact same form—no, they were forged to be even sharper and heavier.
Pa-sun and Un-pyo hugged their beloved weapons, reunited at last, and wept. It wasn't just joy from seeing their shattered weapons restored.
'Our lord knew what we needed even before we did. He acted faster than anyone and dedicated so much effort for us.'
Their lord was undoubtedly a master at the pinnacle of the Cult. So, who were they that he would invest three days and nights for their weapons?
"M-my lord."
"Say no more. Take them. And from today, I will enter closed-door training here for three months. You are to let no one enter this place."
"Yes, my lord!"
After sending Hang-po back with Pa-sun and Un-pyo, Mu-heun sealed the cave. The Heavenly Demonic Corpse, Hyeok, stood guard in front of the cave, while Cheon-hyang watched over the gorge leading to it.
Here, Mu-heun would make another leap forward.
And the Cult Leader knew this as well.
***
The Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, Cheon Mu-jin, summoned his other disciples, excluding Mu-heun.
The first disciple. Sword Demon, Cheon Jeong-mun.
The second disciple. Mad Demon, Wi Ryeon-gwang.
The third disciple. Blood Demon, Cheon Se-geuk.
The Mad Demon and the Blood Demon were masters said to have recently neared the state of Demonic Transcendence, while the Sword Demon had already reached it and was looking beyond.
The Cult Leader had prepared a banquet to welcome his three disciples, and upon seeing Cheon Mu-jin, they immediately paid their respects.
"""We greet the Cult Leader, the sky of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult."""
The Cult Leader responded with an indifferent gaze.
"Yes. It seems you have all been training diligently. Especially... you, my first."
"Yes, Cult Leader! I am training so that I will not be lacking in leading the Cult."
"The second and third also show signs of effort. You will soon break through the wall."
"Yes, Cult Leader! I will strive to overcome the wall soon and reach the state of Demonic Transcendence."
"I, too, will ascend to the state of Demonic Transcendence."
The Cult Leader observed each of his disciples as they answered forcefully.
'Blood Demon, Cheon Se-geuk. This child shows exceptional talent in the Blood Heaven Arts. The Blood Heaven Demonic Emperor of the Divine Arts of the Heavenly Demon. A martial art that uses an explosion of ki to reverse blood flow, pushing physical abilities to their absolute limit.
'It is similar to the Flame Demon's Crimson Flame Demonic Arts, but it can be considered a higher form of power.'
'Mad Demon, Wi Ryeon-gwang. This child is a Lightning Demon God. He mixes lightning arts with the Divine Arts of the Heavenly Demon, wielding a martial art faster and more destructive than any other. It's difficult to use against multiple opponents, but in a one-on-one fight, his power might be unmatched.'
'Sword Demon, Cheon Jeong-mun. This child is a natural talent when it comes to the sword. He has achieved the Unity of Sword and Self more precisely than anyone, and his realm has also reached Demonic Transcendence. The initial stage of Transcendence... he will likely ascend to the middle stage soon. If that happens, besides myself, there will be no martial artist in the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult who can match him.'
Yes, each of them is talented enough to leave a mark on history. These children are strong.
But...
Still, the sixth said three months, so it must be so.
Cult Leader Cheon Mu-jin lowered his gaze for a moment and spoke.
"I am aware that rumors about the sixth have been rampant lately, and that there is considerable discontent among the factions that support you."
"..."
The disciples all remained silent.
For a martial artist, the existence of someone who would clearly surpass them given enough time was both a severe blow to their pride and a source of fear.
They knew that no schemes or surprise attacks would work on Mu-heun. That was why they had held their tongues and focused solely on honing their martial arts. However, there had to be a reason for the Cult Leader to bring this up.
The Mad Demon, Wi Ryeon-gwang, spoke up.
"Has there, by any chance, been a change in the succession contest?"
"No. I merely wanted to ask what you think of the deaths of the fourth and fifth."
At that, the Sword Demon, Cheon Jeong-mun, answered.
"They died simply because they were weaker than the sixth... That is what this disciple believes."
"What do the second and third think?"
"We think the same."
"My thoughts are the same."
"Does that mean. I can take it that the sixth's martial prowess is above those who competed with you."
"Of course. The sixth's martial prowess is at least at the peak of Demonic Culmination, if not the state of Demonic Transcendence."
"This disciple thinks the same."
The Cult Leader listened to his disciples, took a sip of tea, and then spoke.
"If the sixth's martial prowess is at that level, then there is no longer any reason to delay, is there?"
"...!?"
The disciples were so surprised by the Cult Leader's statement that they were momentarily speechless.
"The time has come for me to step down from this seat. As your growth has nearly reached its peak, the remaining two years seem far too long."
The Cult Leader, who had never once gone back on his word. At his shocking declaration, the Sword Demon stammered.
"...D-does that mean. You plan to move up the date?"
"That's right. Not long ago, the sixth came to me and said he wished to enter closed-door training."
"...!"
"I told the sixth that I didn't mind him entering seclusion, but that he should keep it short. Three months at most. Therefore, he will emerge from his training before three months have passed. I would like to hold the succession contest then. What are your thoughts?"
Hearing the proposal to move the succession contest from two years to three months from now, the Sword Demon, Cheon Jeong-mun, answered quickly.
"I will follow the Cult Leader's word."
For him, it was the obvious choice. Although his martial prowess was currently the strongest, he didn't know when his younger brothers might catch up.
However, the other two hesitated. Crossing the wall of Demonic Transcendence in three months? It was possible. But the problem wasn't the Dragon Demon, Baek Mu-heun; they weren't confident they could defeat the Sword Demon, Cheon Jeong-mun.
After a moment of deliberation, the Mad Demon and the Blood Demon replied.
"We will follow the Cult Leader's word."
No matter how they thought about it, two years was too long. They would soon reach the state of Demonic Transcendence, but it was uncertain what realm their elder brother, the Sword Demon, and their younger brother, the Dragon Demon, would have reached by then.
In a way, it was the natural choice.
The Cult Leader read his disciples' thoughts and couldn't hide his disappointment.
'The difference is too great... Baek Mu-heun, he is one who will embrace the entire Cult and move beyond. His caliber is different from these children...'
"Good. Then, three months from now, the succession contest will be held. The location will be upon the Heavenly Lake at the summit of the Celestial Mountains, where the Divine Dragon Assembly took place."
"""We obey the Cult Leader's command!"""
And so, the date for the succession contest was set.
The Sword Demon, the Mad Demon, and the Blood Demon would bring their martial arts to their final completion and polish their killing techniques.
And all those ultimate techniques would be displayed upon the Heavenly Lake where the Divine Dragon Assembly was held.
***
Mu-heun entered the cave's furnace. He sat in a cross-legged position and took out the four red pearls he had obtained from the Flame Demon.
Red pearls containing all of the Flame Demon's fire energy, including his innate true qi. Absorbing these would allow him to absorb an even greater amount of energy than what he had gained above the Salt Lake in the Sidalmok Basin.
"I will accept this final gift. Elder Brother."
Mu-heun placed the four red pearls in his palm and crushed them.
At that moment.
*FWOOOOSH!*
An immense amount of fire energy surged into Mu-heun through his hand. A tremendous quantity of fire energy. Mu-heun desperately tried to absorb it all, but the accumulated amount was so vast that he couldn't contain it, and it began to leak out.
*Fwoooosh.*
However, all that energy remained within the furnace. No, rather, as oxygen was sucked into the furnace, the fire energy was amplified even further.
To draw in oxygen while retaining the heat. That was the reason Mu-heun had chosen the furnace.
Mu-heun detonated all the ki swimming in his dantian, then created and sent out a violet-black dragon. It was to have the black dragon absorb the fire energy.
*FWOOOOSH!*
The fire energy absorbed by the black dragon soon entered Mu-heun's dantian. It unified his lower, middle, and upper dantians, and the melody of ki absorbed the fire energy, swelling viciously in size.
The swollen energy was then finely divided, reabsorbed to increase its volume, and then finely divided again, repeating the process.
Furthermore, once it reached a certain level of stability, he clashed the lines of ki against each other to amplify them, and the ki that expanded unstably from the explosion was placed back on the melody of ki to be stabilized.
It was a constant repetition of explosion and stabilization.
The pain of growth.
The day Hang-po finished making Pa-sun and Un-pyo's weapons and left. From that day on, Mu-heun entered seclusion and repeated this endless struggle.
He had finally arrived.
At the supreme realm of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.