Chapter 63
Chapter 63
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 63
Chapter Title: Black Valiant Demon Slayer
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Cheonyu glanced back at Cheonhwi following behind before quietly asking Hyeonjin.
"Is it alright to bring Junior Brother along?"
"Cheonhwi is now a Taoist of the Mount Hua Sect as well. It’s something he’ll have to experience eventually, so isn’t it better for him to get a taste of such a mission sooner rather than later?"
"But the place we’re heading to right now is..."
"It’s fine."
Hyeonjin said firmly.
"We’re here with him, aren’t we?"
Meanwhile, a Plum Blossom Sword Guard approached Cheonhwi’s side.
The man with a bear-like, affable face was Gu Gyeomwi, who had joined at a later age than most but earned recognition for his exceptional skills and become a Plum Blossom Sword Guard.
"Stick right by my side."
His voice, directed at Cheonhwi, brimmed with affection and worry.
His appearance has improved on the outside.
He glanced at Cheonhwi.
The handsome young man’s tall figure was far removed from the image he remembered.
The Cheonhwi he knew was a frail, emaciated child who looked like he might collapse at any moment—that image had been frozen in his mind.
So he was happy.
He’s finally better.
But perhaps because of that.
Gu Gyeomwi was even less pleased that Cheonhwi was joining this mission.
He had barely recovered and become healthy, and he didn’t want to drag him into such a dangerous task.
And most of the Plum Blossom Sword Guards felt the same as Gu Gyeomwi.
To them, Cheonhwi was a source of comfort and their beloved little junior brother who had always cherished them.
"Does Junior Brother know about this mission?"
"He doesn’t."
"...He doesn’t? And he still decided to come along?"
"Yes."
"H-He still came?"
Gu Gyeomwi scratched his cheek in bewilderment.
Then he glanced to the side.
The Plum Blossom Sword Guards, who had been sneaking peeks, flinched at his gaze and let out fake coughs.
"Ahem. Why don’t you explain it to him, Senior Brother?"
"Gu Senior Brother explains it so perfectly, so he’d be the best for it."
Embarrassed at being caught staring, they quickly turned their heads away.
"Haa."
Gu Gyeomwi let out a deep sigh.
"Junior Brother, listen carefully then."
Cheonhwi perked up his ears.
All he had heard from Cheonyu last night was the simplest of information.
Dealing with a demon inhabiting the mountains.
I left to prepare before hearing more details.
Gu Gyeomwi bent his knees slightly to meet the eyes of Cheonhwi, who was a handspan shorter.
"The target we’ve been ordered to kill this time was discovered by the Beggars’ Sect while investigating rumors of villagers going missing. He’s a demon who practices a vicious demonic art that absorbs the death qi of the slain to cultivate..."
Gu Gyeomwi recited the gathered information.
About an hour later, as the explanation continued, Hyeonjin stopped walking.
"We’ve arrived."
The place they had reached was Tongshan, located not far from Hubei Province.
"...He’s probably inside there."
A strange tension hung in the air as Hyeonjin’s low voice finished.
"Everyone, move out."
The Plum Blossom Sword Guards scattered in all directions.
"Cheonhwi, follow me."
Hyeonjin spoke up.
He had already drawn his sword and was vigilantly emanating faint internal energy.
With those words, Hyeonjin advanced.
Straightforward.
Their intentions were obvious.
Encircling and gradually closing in.
A simple but efficient method.
But is this really the power of the Plum Blossom Sword Guards?
Cheonhwi recalled their movements as they departed.
Their footwork, kicking off the ground and vanishing in an instant, was quite fast.
To think this is the Plum Blossom Sword Guards.
Compared to the former ones, it was laughably weak.
Still, it’s something to be grateful for, I suppose.
He shook his head.
The current Mount Hua Sect was different from the past one.
Each one is far superior to Jeokgeom or Seollan.
Step— Step—
After advancing a short while, stepping on fallen leaves.
"...!"
Hyeonjin halted and turned his head.
We’ve encountered him.
Cheonhwi also turned his head.
He could sense the clash of energies from the direction he was looking.
"Do you know the way back?"
Hyeonjin asked urgently.
"Yes."
"Then head back first."
With that, Hyeonjin moved.
Thud!
In an instant, he stomped the ground, sending scattered leaves flying into the sky, and his figure shot through them.
"He should handle it himself at that level."
Cheonhwi lost interest and turned around.
The demon’s energy was weaker than expected.
Not even proper demonic qi... Where have I felt this energy before?
As Cheonhwi tilted his head and began retracing his steps, the Plum Blossom Sword Guards had surrounded an old man and were on guard.
"What brings the Taoists of Mount Hua all the way into these mountains?"
The white-haired, white-bearded old man chuckled casually, stroking his beard.
"You know that full well, don’t you?"
He appeared detached from worldly affairs, but the Plum Blossom Sword Guards weren’t fooled.
"What do you mean?"
"Did you think you could massacre villagers and get away with it easily?"
The old man’s eyebrows twitched convulsively.
His face twisted viciously, and a sinister killing intent rose.
"How did you find out?"
The Plum Blossom Sword Guards didn’t answer.
No, they couldn’t.
The old man’s killing intent was crushing them intensely.
At that moment.
Flash!
A single streak of light cleaved through his killing intent.
"...!"
The old man whipped his head around. There stood Hyeonjin, sword in hand.
"How about paying for your crimes quietly instead of spouting nonsense?"
"Crimes?"
The old man sneered.
"This lord has no crimes to pay for."
"Even after massacring villagers?"
"Hmph, they became sustenance for my Qi-Blood Art, so they should be grateful instead."
"Qi-Blood Art?!"
Hyeonjin’s pupils trembled for a moment.
"...Black Valiant Demon Slayer."
The old man’s lips twisted grotesquely.
"Kekeke. You know this lord."
The startled Hyeonjin glanced back and said,
"Everyone, fall back."
The Plum Blossom Sword Guards flinched.
Hyeonjin saying that meant the opponent was no pushover.
"Hmph, you think I’ll let you live just because of that?"
The Black Valiant Demon Slayer snorted and revealed his true colors.
A chilling killing intent poured from his entire body, pervading the surroundings and seizing their senses.
"...!"
The Plum Blossom Sword Guards retreated in panic.
And he didn’t miss that brief opening—the Black Valiant Demon Slayer lunged.
Closing the distance in one breath, he swung his hand toward the abdomen of Cheonyu, who stood farthest to the left.
Thud!
A dull sound echoed, and Cheonyu’s knees buckled weakly.
But it didn’t end there; the Black Valiant Demon Slayer raised his hand again.
Flash!
At that moment, sword light surged from below.
"You bastard!"
The Black Valiant Demon Slayer dodged to the side and flew into a rage.
"...Guh."
Cheonyu, clutching his stomach, had somehow drawn his sword with his right hand, pointing it skyward.
Locking eyes with Cheonyu, whose eyes were bloodshot with rage, the Black Valiant Demon Slayer felt a chill and circulated his internal energy.
"You’re one I can’t let live!"
A vivid red energy gathered in his right hand.
It was the signature hand qi of the Blood Qi Hand he cultivated.
"Die!"
The enraged Black Valiant Demon Slayer’s Blood Qi Hand stormed forth like a gale, shredding the space.
Red tendrils shot out in all directions, as if ready to tear Cheonyu apart immediately.
But he had forgotten one thing.
His opponent wasn’t alone.
Clang!
A faint sound rang out.
The Black Valiant Demon Slayer looked in bewilderment at Hyeonjin, who had suddenly appeared and swung his sword.
The next instant, an explosion roared.
Boom!
The Black Valiant Demon Slayer and Hyeonjin were blown apart.
Skreech—
Blasted back by the impact, the two hurriedly straightened using Thousand Catties Anchor.
At that moment, the Plum Blossom Sword Guards moved as well.
Unfurling Drifting Clouds Step in unison, they encircled the still-unbalanced Black Valiant Demon Slayer and swung their swords.
"Joint attack?"
The startled Black Valiant Demon Slayer shouted.
But the Plum Blossom Sword Guards swung regardless of his words.
Crunch!
The Black Valiant Demon Slayer swung both hands.
His seemingly random swings scattered sharp red hand qi.
Clang! Clang!
They briefly altered their sword paths to block the incoming hand qi.
And he didn’t miss that gap—the Black Valiant Demon Slayer struck.
Crack!
A gruesome sound rang out, followed by the belated scream of the Plum Blossom Sword Guard, Unhyeon.
"Gaaah!"
The Black Valiant Demon Slayer grabbed Unhyeon, whose arm was shattered, and hurled him at the Plum Blossom Sword Guards.
"Junior Brother!"
"Senior Brother!"
As they moved to catch Unhyeon.
Thud!
The Black Valiant Demon Slayer fled.
"Everyone, stop for now!"
Hyeonjin shouted, clutching his chest.
His internal energy shaken from the clash, a trickle of blood ran from his mouth as he forcibly circulated his qi.
"Gu Gyeomwi, stay and treat the two fallen."
"I’ll move with you too..."
"No, stay here. He might circle back and take hostages. With your footwork, you can escape even with internal injuries, so I trust you with this."
"Ah!"
Gu Gyeomwi exclaimed in admiration.
Hyeonjin had considered even the worst-case scenario.
"Understood."
Hyeonjin bit his lip hard.
"The rest, follow me."
As Hyeonjin steadied himself and the pursuit resumed.
"Damn...!"
The Black Valiant Demon Slayer gritted his teeth while fleeing desperately, clutching his shoulder.
"Just a few more years and I would have achieved great completion!"
Rage surged.
His goal was great completion in the Blood Qi Art.
Greedily massacring a village had been his downfall.
"Damn, I lost all the internal energy I’d built up this time."
His voice was laced with fury.
He had risked danger to kidnap and kill several people to accumulate this energy.
Then his senses reacted.
"That guy..."
The Black Valiant Demon Slayer’s eyes sharpened.
On the descending mountain path stood a young Taoist in Mount Hua Sect robes.
"Keke. They left their disciple behind."
His eyes gleamed viciously.
With his grudge against Mount Hua Sect, perfect prey had walked right in.
Moreover, though the energy was weaker than expected, it was far more nutritious than commoners.
He accelerated.
"Be a good meal for me...!"
The moment he spread both hands wide to shred the Taoist with Blood Qi Hand.
Whoosh—
He locked eyes with the turning Taoist.
"...!"
In that instant, the Black Valiant Demon Slayer froze.
Cold, impassive eyes.
Seeing them, he recalled a long-forgotten emotion.
Fear.
And in that moment.
Splat!
His head exploded.
"No wonder it felt familiar—it was blood qi."
Cheonhwi looked down at the Black Valiant Demon Slayer, who had collapsed headless.
The energy he’d sensed moments ago was the same as that of the Blood Sect he had crushed after they caused a commotion making jiangshi in the past.
But remnants of the Blood Sect still linger?
Cheonhwi gazed at him.
"Judging by how openly he roamed, it’s not like the Blood Sect is rising again. He must have just stumbled upon their martial arts by chance."
He lost interest in the corpse.
The Blood Sect was long destroyed.
No need to pay attention.
"Better not stick around here; it’ll be a hassle."
Glancing at the approaching Hyeonjin in the distance, Cheonhwi left the scene. A short while later.
"...!"
Hyeonjin and the Plum Blossom Sword Guards arrived late and gasped at the corpse.
"Who killed the Black Valiant Demon Slayer?"
Hyeonjin was especially shocked.
Who was the Black Valiant Demon Slayer?
A demon even the Nangong family, who once dominated Anhui Province, couldn’t capture.
Yet here he lay, coldly dead.
His head smashed to pieces.
Hyeonjin scanned the surroundings.
But there were no traces.
As if someone had unilaterally slaughtered the Black Valiant Demon Slayer.
"Just who..."