Chapter 14
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Heart Demon (3)
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Originally, any martial artist who had reached a certain realm could visualize the flow of combat in their mind just from a verbal description of techniques and arts.
Right now, this verbal spar wasn't merely words—it was infused with knowledge of each other's martial prowess, internal energy distribution, and respect for the realms they had achieved.
It was a clash of what they had seen, heard, comprehended, and mastered. The crystallization of effort and perseverance in martial arts.
I closed my eyes. Then, Biwol's energy became even more vividly felt.
In the pitch-black darkness where I couldn't see an inch ahead, an image arose of a black-haired girl glaring at me with wide eyes.
'She closed the distance with Heavenly Demon Supremacy Step, aimed for a weak point like my eyes, and tried to slash with Heavenly Demon Blood Tribulation Slash. It was nothing like the girl who usually acted spoiled around me.'
She was like a finely honed sword. Her murderous aura enveloped me so sharply that I could vividly recall the moment her blade's tip targeted my throat.
"These are the final three exchanges, Master."
Biwol's heart demon spoke slowly, in a heavy voice. Perhaps thinking I'd barely defended successfully by a hair's breadth, her tone carried a faint hint of laughter.
Biwol's heart demon had fallen into qi deviation and reached the entry of the transcendent realm, and I had similarly attained that realm.
'Not a wrong judgment. But...'
In the end, what mattered in this verbal spar was filling in the gaps and how well one could read the opponent's moves.
Breakthroughs like new insights or shattering realms only applied beyond the fire realm.
Transcending the limits of the transcendent realm required grueling effort and solid foundations. Everything basic had to be in place.
"I will use the third form of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, Heavenly Demon Soul Attack, to shatter Master's mind. Now, how will you respond?"
A technique like deadly poison that created illusions with demonic qi to bewilder the foe. Like black stones tightening from all sides on a go board, it left no escape.
The move her heart demon played was meticulously sharp.
Seal escape with Heavenly Demon Supremacy Step, force defense with Heavenly Demon Blood Tribulation Slash, then strike the mental gap.
However, I resolved to reverse this flow.
"I'll use the Sakcheon Tang Clan’s Silent Dragon Blood Step to evade behind you, using your poison as footing."
Like placing a pristine white go stone, I moved one step ahead of Biwol.
In a time shorter than a single cup of tea, I blocked every attack her heart demon described.
Considering I'd countered all the divine arts unleashed by the Heavenly Demon—the strongest in my original novel, Diamond Fist King—a hot thrill stirred in my chest.
How long had it been since I'd felt this sensation?
Elation, or perhaps the thrill of battle. The complete opposite of what I'd felt living on borrowed time.
"Impossible! For a demonic master like you to use orthodox arts!"
Biwol's heart demon cried out in a mix of shock and fury. But I lightly laughed and replied.
"Why not? Verbal spars have no formalities or limits. Transcending righteous-demonic divides, we're discussing the essence of martial arts."
I tossed out words her heart demon hadn't anticipated. The true nature of this spar went beyond technical exchanges of arts—it delved into profound emulation.
Verbal spars by nature weren't bound by form or convention.
Biwol, cultivator of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, could use the Wudang Clan's pure orthodox arts; I, with an Extreme Yin Body, could wield arts of extreme yang nature.
Demonic sects could use righteous arts, and third-rate arts could become first-rate through their subtleties.
"But surely you can only use techniques you actually know...!"
Her heart demon scolded me, unprepared for this. If I'd stuck to Ice White Divine Art, I truly couldn't have won.
"In the vast martial world, gauging an opponent's possible arts is only natural."
This was Biwol's first real verbal spar. So she assumed it mimicked actual duels, conserving qi and limiting to known techniques.
"I am the Ice Dragon. A demonic figure whose name endured the Righteous-Demonic Great War, the one who saved children from a cult claiming to be the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult."
"......"
"Did you think I grew strong without effort? Like some thunderbolt brat relying on heaven-given physique, believing the world in my palm?"
I added with a smile. To me, this spar wasn't mere technical comparison—it was probing martial essence and reading her heart demon's mind.
"I'll seize a fragment of Ice Shadow Wall, tear it into a sharp sword, and target your central acupoint with Three Talents Sword Technique."
"Isn't that just a third-rate art?"
"Yet in this world, someone elevated that third-rate art to first-rate. Horizontal slashes, vertical cuts, simple thrusts—the man called the world's greatest."
The sword god from Diamond Fist King. A character I'd wanted to ascend to immortality by the novel's end.
I'd sought teachings from the Infinite Sword Emperor of the Nangong Family, the Poison Dragon of the Sakcheon Tang Clan, the Beggar Clan’s leader, the Hao Clan head—regardless of faction.
Orthodox, demonic, or even outsider martial artists—I sought any path to strength.
"Block it, or your right arm's unusable. Satisfied?"
My yin energy was so potent I couldn't learn many arts, but that didn't mean I'd failed in martial pursuit.
"Ahaha! I see now, girl. This is the breakthrough that shatters convention! Master still teaches me even now!"
"Wrong..."
In that instant, I delved deeper into her mindscape. Not her usual white training robes, but black ones—Biwol's image formed in my head.
In her mindscape, she was no longer a mere girl. She was the Heavenly Demon, ready to stand equal to me.
"Then I'll use swordsmanship too! Finishing with Nangong Family’s Lightning Thirteen Sword Thunder!"
As her heart demon drew her sword in imagination, I countered her momentum.
"I'll block that sword strike with Jeomchang Sect’s Fire Dragon Sword."
Clang—!
The clash of metal rang out, our swords sparking like fireworks as they flew toward each other. Her heart demon shouted triumphantly.
"Surprised? I forced Master back a step!"
As she said, I'd unintentionally retreated one step. Doubt crept up within me.
'...How?'
I couldn't hide my shock at Biwol's display. How did she know the Nangong Family’s heavy swords, famed for weight?
"I wanted to sever your right arm, but this'll do."
The unblocked sword path had slightly gouged my right shoulder.
"Next, feint with Je Gal Family’s Iron String Sword Technique, then target Master's ribs with Murong Family’s Flash Cloud-Dispelling Sword."
The Biwol I knew couldn't wield such swords. Yet now, she flawlessly executed the Five Great Families' arts.
'Nangong's sword holds the subtlety of heaviness, Murong's the subtlety of speed. How does she know and use them?'
Biwol's heart demon was no longer the Biwol I knew. She'd become the Heavenly Demon as depicted in the novel.
A powerhouse devouring all life under heaven, unmatched by any martial artist.
"Then I'll use the Nine Great Sects' arts."
Matching her Five Great Families' arts would risk defeat. Better to vary and overturn the board.
"Deflect the attack with Mount Hua Sect’s sword of variation subtlety, widen the gap by striking your abdomen with Qingcheng Sect’s Clear Wind Kick."
"I'll widen the distance three steps with Heavenly Wanderer Divine Step."
A novel sensation arose. Our spar had shifted into an endless psychological war.
We overturned each other's boards with arts never before used.
To claim victory, I needed to precisely grasp her heart demon.
"...Biwol."
"Yes, Master. Ask away."
I had to confirm this. The demon lurking in her heart might be her original future I couldn't erase.
"Are you truly not Biwol, but her heart demon?"
"As expected, you see through it. Impressive."
The Heavenly Killing Star's karma demanded slaughter.
"Truthfully, I'm not sure myself. One day I awoke with love for Master and the karma of slaughter knotted together."
"A wondrous thing. How is that possible?"
Conversing with her heart demon, I felt she resembled Biwol more than expected.
Like light casting shadow, the inner heart inseparable from the self.
"That's the love you taught me, Master. The strength of emotion embracing all things."
In Diamond Fist King, protagonist Kim Huhl fully eradicated his heart demon to reach new heights.
"If burning this body conveys the good girl's heart to Master, this wicked specter can vanish anytime."
"Heart demon, why divide the heart into good and evil?"
"...Pardon?"
I realized I couldn't rashly destroy her heart demon. Gritting my teeth, I scolded her.
"Human frailty is precious. It's what allows compassion for others."
This deviated from the original novel. Her awareness of human emotion caused her wandering, birthing the heart demon.
"Master..."
"...You call me Master too. All I did was extend a hand when you fell."
Even Biwol's heart demon, burdened by the Heavenly Killing Star's karma and driven to kill, called me Master and suppressed its urges—eerily familiar.
"Heart demon, remember my first words when we met?"
Her feet chained, black-haired girl curled on icy ground.
When I first saw Biwol in the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, her eyes were as vacant as now.
I'd protected her, earning countless wounds.
"You said, 'Pine and Cypress in Snow.'"
Gazing at her body now scarred hideously, her heart demon's face saddened.
"Yes. Do you now grasp its meaning?"
"Pines and cypresses retain color in snow, denoting steadfast integrity. Like Master..."
I shook my head at her answer. In our mindscape, the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult I'd destroyed reappeared.
Finally, I'd stepped into Biwol's mindscape world.
"No, Biwol. The Pine and Cypress in Snow I spoke of meant you."
"...? I don't understand."
"I knew you strove to keep your humanity amid that hell."
I took in the mindscape fully and spoke. Before the cult in pouring rain, the black-haired girl I knew lay collapsed.
"I'm not such a steadfast person...!"
Her heart demon shook her head fiercely beside her, screaming at me. Tears from one eye mixed with rain.
"To save friends, you endured cult leaders' lashes without a cry, starved rather than eat flesh and blood, slurping mud and filth."
To persuade the heart demon and awaken Biwol's true self, I recited her known backstory.
"How is that not Pine and Cypress in Snow?"
Pre-Heavenly Demon Biwol was as pure and kind as now, following me.
"Cult leaders force-fed fainted me flesh and blood; silencing to protect friends meant clearing more corpses...! What do you know to spout such nonsense?!"
Gripping her sword tightly, the heart demon lunged to kill, face indistinguishable through tear-mingled rain.
"Heavenly Demon Divine Art, sixth form Nine Heavens Demon Sword—to sever Master's neck!"
The verbal spar reignited.
Another exchange.
"I'll roll away with Lazy Donkey Roll, smash the ground with Ice Shattering Fist. Follow with its variant, soaring Ice Descending Fist crashing down!"
Seeing her slash with sword, I rolled. The mindscape felt real—even mud staining clothes was illusory yet tangible.
"A transcendent realm master using Lazy Donkey Roll?! The world will mock you!"
"Mockery be damned. To save my sole disciple, what need for decorum or honor?"
"I'll unleash Asura Demon Sword, a frenzy targeting Master's falling Stream Valley, Short Artery, and Middle Cuff acupoints."
"Flanks below ribs, chest center, abdomen center—fine. Use Ice White Divine Art's tenth form Ice Stream Kick to flow past your sword flurry, infuse foot with chill to strike abdomen again, then smash fist into temple."
"I'll defend with Heavenly Demon Divine Palm!"
"Too late. How dare you claim one palm blocks this assault?"
Boom—!
"...I can't lose! This is my mindscape world, steeped in all my nightmares from birth!"
The ground quaked, thick dust rose, a massive crater formed. Amid it, her heart demon coughed, struggling to rise.
"Heart demon, pitiful inner heart of my disciple. Why call this hell your mindscape world?"
"What... do you mean...?"
"Earlier, you called it a world. Like a chick hatching from an egg."
I clicked my tongue at her. Still far from the insight I desired. She hadn't grasped her true self.
"But a world? It's the footprint of one life's journey."
At my words, silence fell—drip. The pouring rain stopped, snow began falling.
"...Your world isn't this gloomy mire, but pristine snowscape untouched by footprints."
One step, another.
I approached the fallen true Biwol, identical to our first meeting.
"You could've abandoned all, fled. Embraced Heavenly Killing Star karma, killed to live."
Crunch, crunch—cold snow yielded underfoot; I brushed snowflakes from her hair.
"But you didn't. Amid darkness, you clung to hope, striving to save everyone."
"Master...? Why are you here...?"
The true Biwol I knew slowly opened her eyes, regaining senses. I smiled softly.
"How easy is a flower blooming in snow? Who wouldn't call such life enduring bitter cold beautiful?"
I formed an ice sword and placed it in her hand.
"You are Pine and Cypress in Snow. Verdant unchanging amid trials. So pursue what you believe right."
Victory over one's heart demon must come from within.
"This master will stand by your side to aid you."