Chapter 354
Chapter 354
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 354
Chapter Title: Ghost Soul Demonic Scripture
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"It's been a while since I've seen the Soul Subjugation and Spirit Control Art crumble so feebly."
The Evil-Black Alliance Leader said calmly.
Even though the Soul Subjugation and Spirit Control Art, unleashed alongside the Soul Spirit Eye, had been shattered in an instant, he remained utterly composed, showing no reaction beyond a slight twitch of his eyebrow.
He seemed to have anticipated it being broken.
Cheonhwi shrugged indifferently at his response.
"Wasn't anything special."
It was a tone close to provocation.
But.
"Is that so."
The Evil-Black Alliance Leader remained impassive.
He then withdrew his aura.
As the Soul Spirit Eye dispersed in a breath, the purple glow revealed by the Soul Subjugation and Spirit Control Art sank back into darkness.
Sarahk―
At the same time, the long robe fluttering under the power of the Ghost Soul Demonic Scripture settled calmly.
The result happened in the blink of an eye.
In other words, the force that had just shaken the Ilyeong Mountains so greatly wasn't even his full power.
'This much without demonic energy...'
Cheonhwi's eyes deepened gravely.
From the fragments seeping out as he spread and gathered his internal energy, he could roughly gauge the man's martial prowess.
'Higher than the head of the Cheonbong Hyang Clan from my previous life, the Shura Demon Venerable?'
Suddenly, Cheonhwi's eyes narrowed slightly.
It was quite intriguing.
The Ghost Soul Demonic Scripture was a supreme demonic art inseparable from demonic energy.
Yet no demonic energy could be felt from him now.
No distinctive demonic aura or atmosphere.
Only the fragrance of the Ghost Soul Demonic Scripture lingered.
And yet he possessed prowess surpassing the Shura Demon Venerable.
'Whoever modified the Ghost Soul Demonic Scripture like this is no small fry.'
His lips twitched momentarily.
Just thinking about it lifted his mood.
To create a martial art required profound martial theory as vast and deep as the sea.
Only such vast knowledge made innovation possible, but modifying an already perfected art was, in some ways, even harder.
When creating a new martial art, one could infuse only their own insights and realizations, but altering a completed one meant preserving the original grandmaster's theory and insights while blending in one's own.
Thus, the risk of failure was high.
But if successful, it could evolve the original supreme art further.
No need to look far—Cheonhwi's own Seven Ultimate Plum Blossom Sword, newly established from the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Art, was proof.
'The pinnacle of the transformed Ghost Soul Demonic Scripture without demonic energy... I want to see it firsthand.'
As fighting spirit welled in Cheonhwi's eyes.
"But thanks to you, I've gained much."
A blunt voice cut in.
The speaker, the Evil-Black Alliance Leader, finished and stepped forward.
Passing Cheonhwi with light steps, he naturally approached the chair used for the negotiation and sat.
"Sit."
He mouthed after seating himself.
"We have much to discuss."
"Oh ho."
Cheonhwi's eyes gleamed as he stepped forward, crossing the space in one breath.
The moment he leaned back in the chair where the Murim Alliance Leader had sat earlier that day.
"You seem to know the Ghost Soul Demonic Scripture well."
The Evil-Black Alliance Leader murmured lowly.
Cheonhwi chuckled inwardly at that.
'Know it well?'
What a ridiculous question.
'I personally smashed the entire Cheonbong Hyang Clan to pieces and exterminated them. How could I not know?'
Cheonhwi shrugged and replied.
"To some extent."
"An intriguing answer."
The Evil-Black Alliance Leader's eyes flashed momentarily.
"My clan's Ghost Soul Demonic Scripture is a demonic supreme art barely known by name even in the Central Plains. Even after I became leader of the Evil-Black Alliance, no one has recognized it until now."
His gaze sharpened chillingly.
"Yet you spotted it at a glance. Quite the mystery, isn't it."
The Evil-Black Alliance Leader's voice lowered.
"I heard you entered the mountains at a very young age. A Daoist who resided solely in the Mount Hua Sect, descending to the jianghu just over two years ago, building astonishing fame insufficiently, and now recognizing the Ghost Soul Demonic Scripture that no one else could."
Cheonhwi scratched his chin at the sharp observation.
'Tch, forgot about that.'
He was right.
Catching the familiar scent after so long, he'd momentarily forgotten. The Cheonbong Hyang Clan had been one of the five great families thriving within the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult back then—three hundred years ago.
Ancient history.
Spotting it immediately was undoubtedly suspicious.
Cheonhwi, who had listened silently, shrugged lightly.
"That can happen."
A bold tone, as if to say, "What of it?" Born of confidence.
'What can you do about it?'
Even if the Evil-Black Alliance Leader suspected, he couldn't uncover how Cheonhwi had recognized the Ghost Soul Demonic Scripture.
Who could imagine?
That someone from three hundred years ago had reincarnated.
At that moment, the Evil-Black Alliance Leader's expression turned icy, a cold voice leaking through his teeth.
"As you say, it could happen. But I wonder if others would think the same."
'Look at this guy?'
Cheonhwi's eyes narrowed.
The implication in that one sentence was heavy.
Currently, his and the Mount Hua Sect's prestige soared endlessly toward the heavens.
Admirers had increased, but so had the envious.
"Why? Planning to brand me as Demonic Cult?"
Cheonhwi lifted his chin and said.
"But that would be shooting yourself in the foot."
The Evil-Black Alliance Leader nodded at the added remark with half-closed eyes.
"If it comes to that."
Then, with meaningful demeanor, he continued.
"In the hypothetical case where you reveal that I am the head of the Cheonbong Hyang Clan."
"Can't kill me alone, huh."
Cheonhwi smirked.
Those words were close to a warning, a deal.
A warning that exposing his Cheonbong Hyang Clan ties meant neither would escape unscathed—a proposal for mutual silence.
"Whatever, don't worry about it. I had no intention of saying anything anyway. If I planned to expose you as Cheonbong Hyang, would I have come here alone?"
Cheonhwi's smile faded as he spoke.
"You already know that."
"……."
The Evil-Black Alliance Leader affirmed with silence.
"Anyway, let's move past that."
Cheonhwi waved his hand as if to end the topic and changed the subject.
"Just one question. How did the Cheonbong Hyang Clan not only preserve its lineage but also establish itself in the Central Plains?"
"……."
"Weren't they exterminated before?"
The Evil-Black Alliance Leader's eyebrow twitched.
The sharpest reaction yet.
"You know old tales well."
"That's why I recognized you'd cultivated the Ghost Soul Demonic Scripture and hailed from the Cheonbong Hyang Clan, isn't it?"
At the casual remark, the Evil-Black Alliance Leader stared at Cheonhwi before parting his lips.
"Fair point."
He spoke calmly and asked right away.
"But are you that curious?"
"Very."
Cheonhwi replied, eyes glinting.
"The Cheonbong Hyang Clan, exterminated centuries ago, exists in the Central Plains. And you're its head, leading the unorthodox alliance Evil-Black. How could I not be curious?"
"Strange."
The Evil-Black Alliance Leader smiled coldly for a moment.
Then retorted mockingly.
"If curious, dig it up yourself."
Cheonhwi's eyes narrowed to slits.
He was throwing back Cheonhwi's earlier words.
The Evil-Black Alliance Leader's sneer deepened.
"Won't find this one easily, will you?"
"……You're fun."
"First time hearing that."
Cheonhwi shifted from leaning back, detaching from the chair and leaning forward.
He glared and spoke.
"Not planning to tell me easily, huh?"
"Same as you."
The Evil-Black Alliance Leader said indifferently.
"Hm, alright?"
Cheonhwi's eyes narrowed.
"Then, if I answer your earlier question, will you tell me?"
"If it's a negotiation."
The Evil-Black Alliance Leader's cold gaze flashed.
"Fine. I'll go first."
Cheonhwi nodded.
'Hm, revealing details of the Ghost Soul Demonic Scripture is tricky.'
He knew the Ghost Soul Demonic Scripture's hallmark was swollen veins and meridians, but mentioning it here was unwise.
This obscure demonic art was barely known in the Central Plains; detailing it would only heighten suspicion on how he knew.
'What excuse to make convincing.'
After brief thought, Cheonhwi found a good pretext and spoke.
"Simple reason I recognized the Ghost Soul Demonic Scripture."
With that, he raised his index finger and tapped his nose bridge.
"It has a very distinct fragrance."
"Fragrance...?"
"Yeah, fragrance. Those who cultivate the Ghost Soul Demonic Scripture emit a unique scent from the supreme demonic art."
Clearly unexpected, the man who stared silently spoke.
"What kind of fragrance?"
"Hard to describe... Ah!"
Scratching his chin and mumbling, Cheonhwi continued as something clicked.
"Just carefully compare it with your disciple and others. You'll understand immediately."
"……."
The Evil-Black Alliance Leader fell silent.
Deep in thought.
"Your turn now."
Cheonhwi spoke right away, unwilling to let him ponder.
"How did the Cheonbong Hyang Clan preserve its lineage and root itself in the Central Plains?"
"First, what do you know of our clan?"
The Evil-Black Alliance Leader countered.
Cheonhwi's mind accelerated instantly.
The depth of his answer would depend on what Cheonhwi revealed.
'Can't reveal everything. Tricky.'
Cheonhwi's eyes narrowed.
The Cheonbong Hyang Clan's affair was something even hushed within the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult back then.
'Better skip details. Then...'
Having decided, Cheonhwi said.
"That they rebelled against the Absolute Heavenly Demon's leadership and got exterminated instead?"
His thoughts had raced deep and many in that brief instant, but accelerating his mind made it seem like an immediate reply.
"You know far more about our clan than expected. Most only know the era of our extermination."
The Evil-Black Alliance Leader's gaze deepened.
'Said a bit too much?'
Cheonhwi smacked his lips briefly but shook his head inwardly. This much was necessary.
To get a detailed answer.
"As you say, our clan fell to the Absolute Heavenly Demon, the Demonic Cult Leader of that era, three hundred years ago. Servants and blood kin all perished by his hand, but by fortune, one on a mission in the Central Plains survived."
"What?"
Cheonhwi's eyes widened.
Nonsense.
Before setting out to exterminate the Cheonbong Hyang Clan, they'd confirmed every single member was gathered without exception.
'A mission?'
Cheonhwi's brow furrowed at the unforeseen tale.
'Definitely all gathered...'
For a moment, Cheonhwi's thoughts halted.
Suddenly, a realization flashed through his mind like lightning.
The extermination of the Cheonbong Hyang Clan was right after ascending as Heavenly Demon Divine Cult Leader.
A time of chaos.
Annoyed by everything, he'd delegated all Heavenly Demon Divine Cult missions to a trusted subordinate from long ago.
And it was he—the Absolute Heavenly Demon, Dokgo Goyeun—who'd suggested making an example of the Cheonbong Hyang Clan opposing the leadership, and tipped off the day all members would gather.
'......Demon Brain.'