Chapter 50
Chapter 50
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: An Overturned Reputation
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It wasn’t just those with prejudice who were stunned by Mu-heun’s menacing aura. The members of the Heavenly Dance Family, the Azure Dragon Unit, the Moon Spirit Unit, and even Pavilion Lord Bul-wi of the Dream Mist Pavilion.
Even those who had previously recognized Mu-heun's extraordinary nature couldn't help but be astonished.
‘He was… that powerful?’
Pavilion Lord Bul-wi asked Commander Geum-ryeong of the Moon Spirit Unit.
“Didn’t you say he only started learning martial arts a short while ago? You never said he was this strong, did you?”
“I-I had no idea he was this skilled either.”
The Red Demon Pavilion Lord’s eyes went wide, and the other elders questioned the Twelfth Elder, Baek Gun-hak.
“Twelfth Elder? Was the Fourth Young Master’s martial prowess always this great?”
However, the Heavenly Dance Family Head, Baek Gun-hak, was just as surprised.
“This… this is the first time I’m seeing it as well.”
“Even you, the Family Head, didn't notice? How is that possible?”
But it was the truth.
“It seems it was darkest under the lamp.”
“Ha, hahaha.”
The family heads let out hollow laughs.
Normally, a master of a higher realm can see through the abilities of someone weaker, no matter how well they conceal them.
But the Heavenly Dance Family Head had not recognized Mu-heun’s true power.
In truth, it was only natural.
For Mu-heun, who had once mastered the Divine Arts of the Heavenly Demon, hiding his strength from elder-level figures was as easy as breathing. Moreover, he had constantly suppressed his energy with the Sealing Demon Paper given to him by the Family Head.
So, while everyone knew he had learned martial arts and possessed some skill, they would have assumed he was at the Peak level at best.
Only three people knew otherwise: the Azure Dragon Unit Commander Cheon Ga-rak and Seo-bong, who had experienced my power firsthand, and finally, the Cult Leader.
Amidst the collective shock, only the Cult Leader, Cheon Mu-jin, remained completely unfazed.
He was simply gauging the level of the Divine Arts of the Heavenly Demon I had achieved.
On the other hand, the Sun and Moon Divine Maiden of the Sacred Fire Palace was aghast, doubting her own eyes.
“To become this strong in such a short time….”
‘On the day of the Heavenly Dance Festival, the Sacred Fire chose the Fourth Young Master. I had vaguely thought he would become an important figure in the cult, but….’
The fact that he met the Ancestor of the Heavenly Demon in a dream.
That he learned the Divine Arts of the Heavenly Demon.
That he was growing stronger at an incomprehensible speed.
That the Cult Leader had declared him his sixth disciple.
All the circumstances spoke for themselves.
‘Perhaps the Fourth Young Master, even in the contest for the next Cult Leader….’
Was it a coincidence that the Fourth Young Master appeared now, with the succession contest scheduled within three years? Mi-wol, the Sacred Fire Palace Lord and Sun and Moon Divine Maiden, did not think so.
Mu-heun’s smokescreen, a feint of borrowed power, was a grand success.
Since returning to the cult from Blade Leaf Valley, he had kept his true strength hidden. He had lived as neither a fox nor a tiger, but now, at the Heavenly Lake atop the Heavenly Mountains, he revealed his presence to everyone in the cult without reservation.
Standing in the Divine Dragon Assembly’s dueling arena at this moment was not the delinquent Fourth Young Master, but a lofty black dragon.
Mu-heun was satisfied.
He had orchestrated even the sparring match with the Azure Dragon Unit as a deception for this very moment. More importantly, he wouldn't stop at just leaving a strong impression on everyone here. By the end of this duel, he would firmly implant the existence of ‘me’ into their minds.
Because the overwhelming power he would display throughout the match would leave them all gaping in awe.
“A-Are… are you b-both ready for the duel?”
“Yes.”
Gu-yeom, the moderator, was so flustered that he stuttered.
‘This is…! Transcendent Peak? No, is it the Transcendent Demon realm?! No, no, no. His energy is just extremely menacing and condensed, making it seem that way. Judging by the sheer size of his energy, he is still at the Transcendent Peak. But….’
‘Even so, to have completely mastered the Transcendent Peak at his age is an absurd talent. He’s even on the verge of the Transcendent Demon realm.’
Fear flickered in Gu-yeom’s eyes.
He, the head of a family, didn’t think he could win against someone who wasn’t even thirty.
And this was his state after learning martial arts for only a short time?
It was simply dumbfounding.
Even if his was a martial talent bestowed by the heavens, this was too much.
But what he saw before him was undeniable, which only added to his confusion.
Gu-yeom barely managed to compose himself before shouting.
“Let the duel begin!”
*Thump!*
The sound of a drum echoed.
At that moment, one person was more startled than anyone, hastily gathering his wits.
‘Damn it.’
The one experiencing Mu-heun’s strength most closely.
Mu-heun’s opponent, Ak Jin-sam.
Ak Jin-sam’s heart sank as he looked at Mu-heun.
‘There’s no normal way to beat him.’
In that case…
He would risk his Innate True Qi.
With that thought, he unleashed the Red-Faced Blood Heaven Demonic Arts.
Transcendent Peak. The internal energy he had forcibly drawn out had certainly reached his opponent’s level. Or rather, it had.
He would surpass the man in experience, so if he did well, yes, if he did well! He could win. He definitely could have!
‘Damn it! He’s stronger than me even when I’m using the Red-Faced Blood Heaven Demonic Arts. This isn't a simple Transcendent Peak.’
The extremely condensed, menacing demonic energy made one suspect he was not at the Transcendent Peak, but in the Transcendent Demon realm.
A Transcendent Peak on the verge of the Transcendent Demon realm.
What kind of bullshit was this!
‘At this rate, there’s no chance of victory.’
If he lost this duel, he, Kang-in, and Wi Gun-seong were all dead men.
For everyone representing the Red Demon Pavilion to be defeated by the Heavenly Dance Family in the first round? That was tantamount to begging the Red Demon Pavilion Lord to rip their heads off.
But what if he won?
He would be spared, somehow. Because he would have saved the Red Demon Pavilion Lord’s honor, which had been tarnished by the Blade Leaf Valley incident.
The Red Demon Pavilion Lord, Hwang Cheol-ung, was that kind of man.
In that case…
‘I’ll risk my life.’
He didn't care if he was caught using a forbidden demonic art. The Cult Leader never cared much for anything other than strength anyway!
That was why he had even spared the Red Demon Pavilion Lord, who had been colluding with the Sichuan Tang Clan. Of course, most of his interests were seized by the Dream Mist Pavilion, but still, the Cult Leader had not killed him.
Ak Jin-sam reached into his robes.
He dipped his thumb in the Red-Faced Blood Heaven Powder, opened his mouth, and brought it to his tongue.
An effect incomparable to applying it to the eyes.
‘Red-Faced Blood Heaven Demonic Arts: Berserk State.’
But Mu-heun read every one of Ak Jin-sam’s emotions.
And he simply…
Found it pathetic.
“Let the duel begin.”
With Gu-yeom’s shout, the duel commenced, and Ak Jin-sam and Mu-heun shot forward, kicking off the ground simultaneously.
*Kwaang!*
They collided head-on, and from the point of impact, cracks began to form and spread across the dueling stage, which had been processed with formation diagrams to prevent it from shattering.
*Crack, crackle.*
Mu-heun’s energy was a deep violet, and the powerful purple aura began to ravage the stage.
Ak Jin-sam’s energy was crimson, and red waves flooded the arena like a great river overflowing its banks.
Sword energy and blade qi began to rain down, extending beyond the massive stage and even into the Heavenly Lake.
*Splash!*
The martial art Ak Jin-sam employed was the Red Demon Twelve Blade Style, a step above the Red Demon Nine Blade Style used by Kang-in and Wi Gun-seong.
Even when using the same Red Waves, the scale was as different as a mountain stream and a great river. The blade and sword energies spreading across the vast arena threatened even Gu-yeom.
Eventually, Gu-yeom, the moderator, had to evacuate past the lake and outside the dueling grounds.
*Kwaang! Kwaang!*
The duel, fought with tremendous outpourings of internal energy, was less a match and more a magnificent battle, or even a war.
In an atmosphere where only life and death existed.
Ak Jin-sam pushed his demonic art to its limit and used a technique.
“Red Demon Twelve Blade Style. Tenth Form. Waterfall of Blood River!”
Ak Jin-sam leaped into the air and unleashed a waterfall of blood infused with his internal energy.
Watching the bloody cascade, Mu-heun was reminded of the Golden Fang Poison Claw’s Myriad Blossoms Rain, and he recalled the technique the Blade Leaf Demon had used to pierce through it.
Having researched martial arts with the Blade Leaf Demon in Blade Leaf Valley to create a suitable technique for Pa-sun, Mu-heun had completely mastered several of his techniques. He brought one of them forth now.
‘First Wind.’
A storm of menacing demonic energy swirled at the tip of his sword.
‘Ascension.’
Mu-heun swung the sword, held in both hands, from his toes up toward the sky. A violent storm of qi ascended like a black waterspout.
*KWAGAGAGAGAGWANG!*
The black dragon, climbing along the waterfall of blood, tore the crimson cascade to shreds and opened its maw to swallow Ak Jin-sam.
“Kuaargh! B-Blood Explosion Art!”
*Boom!*
Ak Jin-sam detonated a burst of red energy at the tip of his blade. The blood-like energy exploded in mid-air, and he used the recoil to narrowly escape the black dragon’s jaws.
However, he was slammed into the floor of the stage, rolling and coughing up blood. As Ak Jin-sam lay sprawled on the ground, Mu-heun did not miss his chance.
He instantly closed the distance without a trace using the Heavenly Demon Shadow Stealth Technique.
‘Heavenly Demon Sword Arts: Heavenly Demon Slash.’
He unleashed a diagonal violet slash. The Sun and Moon Sword, held in his right hand, swept up mercilessly from the lower right to the upper left.
*Kaaang!!*
Ak Jin-sam’s blade was sent flying by Mu-heun’s powerful sword energy.
‘Is it useless even if I risk my life? This son of a….’
Reflected in Ak Jin-sam’s eyes was a Yaksha. He had pushed his demonic art to its limit, even drawing on his Innate True Qi to avoid defeat, but he was still no match.
This man was supposed to be the delinquent Fourth Young Master of the Heavenly Dance Family…
His deeds in Blade Leaf Valley must have been exaggerated…
How did it come to this…
Something like a panorama of his life flashed through Ak Jin-sam’s mind.
Ak Jin-sam’s blade clattered onto the stage, and Mu-heun, instead of using his right hand that still held the sword, struck Ak Jin-sam with his left, saying.
“Eight Demons Explosive Art.”
The eight strands of energy swimming in Mu-heun’s dantian flowed from his core, through his heart, down his left arm, and collided at a single point at the tip of his left fist. The explosive internal energy erupted from his fingertips.
*Jjeo-eong!*
Ak Jin-sam was sent flying, tumbling across the stage dozens of times before finally plunging into the lake.
*Splash!*
Looking down at Ak Jin-sam, Mu-heun said curtly.
“I spared you because this is a duel.”
Mu-heun immediately turned to Gu-yeom, who was staring in shock from outside the arena. Meeting Mu-heun’s gaze, Gu-yeom quickly understood his intent and shouted loudly.
“Ah, th-the… the seventh duel is won by the Heavenly Dance Family’s Fourth Young Master, Baek Mu-heun!”
The result was Mu-heun’s overwhelming victory.
*Clap, clap, clap.*
A few sparse claps…
*Clapclapclapclapclapclapclap!*
…grew into a thunderous ovation that filled the Heavenly Lake.
“Waaaaaaaaaaaaah!”
An enormous round of applause was accompanied by a roar like thunder, and the spectators continuously let out cries of amazement.
“Incredible! Is that really the delinquent Fourth Young Master?”
“No way! It must be a false rumor! I’ve never seen such a powerful young warrior!”
“That was a truly amazing duel!”
“Waaaaaaaaah!”
At that moment, the Azure Dragon Unit Commander, Cheon Ga-rak, who had been watching the duel, exclaimed in shock.
“He’s become even stronger than when he fought me.”
Did he go easy on me back then?
Just how powerful is the Fourth Young Master, really?
Ak Jin-sam’s power, with his Red-Faced Blood Heaven Demonic Arts pushed to its absolute limit, surpassed that of the Azure Dragon Unit Commander, Cheon Ga-rak.
But Mu-heun had overwhelmed even him.
The thunderous cheers and applause from the audience for the incredible duel, the likes of which had never been seen, seemed endless, and the thrill spread throughout the Heavenly Lake.
The waiting room of the Divine Dragon Assembly.
The moderator, Gu-yeom, head of the Sky-Breaking Fortress Family.
The twelve elders, the five pavilion lords, the three great palaces.
The Bright Heavenly Demon Unit and the Hall of Guardians.
Not a single person could hide their astonishment.
Admiration, awe, shock, wariness. Such emotions flowed from all over the dueling grounds.
Pa-sun and Un-pyo burst into hearty laughter.
“Khahahaha! As expected of our lord.”
“Our lord always surpasses our imagination.”
All the members of the Azure Dragon Unit, including Ho-ryang, Jin-guk, and Seo-bong, were also utterly shocked.
“W-We sparred with someone like him?”
The Vice-Commander, Cheon Gi-seom, was also stunned.
“Commander, why didn’t you tell us beforehand…?”
“I had no idea he was this strong either.”
Seo-bong simply shook his head from side to side.
Meanwhile.
The Cult Leader’s five disciples, who were watching this, had a peculiar glint in their eyes.