Chapter 611
Chapter 611
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 611
Chapter Title: Radiant Ascension Path
-----------------------------------------------------------------
I unleashed the Heavenly Demon Divine Art.
I converted my internal energy into Heavenly Demon Qi. Normally, it should be done gradually over time to attune it to my body, but with no time for that, I forced the conversion. As a result, I suffered internal injuries. They weren't fatal, but they meant I couldn't drag out the fight for long.
'But it worked.'
I channeled Heavenly Demon Qi into both hands and gripped Seong Godan's sword. His sword qi couldn't pierce the Heavenly Demon Qi.
"What is that ominous technique you're using?!"
Was it instinctual awareness of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art's danger? Seong Godan shouted in panic.
"I'll tell you as a gift on your way to the afterlife. It's the Heavenly Demon Divine Art."
"You insolent, unfilial wretch!"
Seong Godan retreated while unleashing the Meteor Sword. A massive sword infused with red energy plummeted from the sky toward me.
With the Heavenly Demon Divine Art active, for some reason, that Meteor Sword didn't feel threatening at all.
I thrust my fist toward the massive sword tip. The compressed Heavenly Demon Qi shot straight ahead. The Dragon Fist pierced the heart of the Meteor Sword. Cracks spiderwebbed across the blade before it shattered into pieces, falling to the ground and vanishing.
"I-Impossible! What kind of sorcery is this?!"
"Extras always call it sorcery whenever something doesn't fit their common sense."
Honestly, even I didn't fully understand the situation. The Heavenly Demon Divine Art's power exceeded my expectations.
I had three guesses. The elixirs I'd consumed so far. Or this world being specialized for martial arts. Lastly, the influence of the Cheon-gang-seong system.
'Becoming a VIP 1 in the Cheon-gang-seong system boosted martial art power by 50%. The Heavenly Demon Divine Art is a martial art too, after all.'
Cough.
Black blood welled up in my mouth. My internal injuries were worsening. I gritted my teeth. To stick to my plan, I couldn't use Complete Recovery just yet.
I unleashed Dragon Fist at Seong Godan as he tried to widen the distance. It pierced his side as he fled. I'd aimed for his chest, but the bastard twisted away, avoiding a fatal wound.
I closed in, grabbed him by the collar. He swung his sword in resistance, but it lacked its earlier power. I knocked it away with my fist. Ridiculously easy—Seong Godan's sword flew far off, the exhaustion from fighting Ahyeon Divine Clan warriors catching up to him.
"Y-Yu-jin. Calm down. I'm your father! There must be some misunderstanding between us! Let's talk it out calmly…!"
"I knew you were like this from the original story… but seeing it in person makes you even more pathetic. Just die."
"Yu-jin… Ack!"
I snapped his neck to the side and punched his solar plexus. No reason for mercy. Him staying alive would only complicate things for me.
After killing Seong Godan, I took the Meteor Sword from his arm. A bracelet-shaped magic treasure. Precisely, the silver sword embedded in the bracelet was the Meteor Sword's true form.
Cough. Cough.
I coughed. Blood poured from my mouth as expected.
'An error?'
My eyes widened.
A portion of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art's incantation I knew changed. Operating it according to the updated incantation eased my internal injuries somewhat, making me feel better.
'What is this? It's more efficient, but calling it an error…'
It felt more like hidden aspects of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art had been revealed and evolved.
'Or maybe I just hadn't realized it. Or it could be related to the demonic nature of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art.'
With Absolute Mind, I wasn't affected by its demonic influence. Perhaps the Cheon-gang-seong system fixed the error and resolved the demonic issue in the process.
'Anyway, no time to dwell on this.'
The situation wasn't resolved yet. The Namji Sect surrounding Meteor Sword Sect remained.
"Quite the entertaining sideshow."
One of Namji Sect's representatives spoke to me. Unlike the other sorcerers, he wore ornate robes and held a staff embedded with jewels—an elder.
It was none other than Namji Sect's sect leader, Gal Ma-sik.
"I wouldn't know where to put myself with the Namji Sect leader deigning to speak to me."
"Hmph. Enough chatter. Hand over the Meteor Sword."
"The Meteor Sword is Meteor Sword Sect's magic treasure. Do I look crazy enough to give it to you?"
"The unfilial brat who killed his father lectures on propriety? I'll take it by force if I must."
I slipped on the bracelet. Channeling Heavenly Demon Qi into it summoned the Meteor Sword. The consumption was more intense than expected. Instinctively, I knew it needed a cooldown after each use.
A massive black sword appeared in the sky. The Meteor Sword was pitch-black due to the Heavenly Demon Divine Art's influence. It plummeted toward Namji Sect leader Gal Ma-sik.
"Pathetic."
The jewels on Gal Ma-sik's staff glowed. A massive diamond materialized above his head, blocking the Meteor Sword. Unable to pierce it, the sword crashed to the ground and was forcibly recalled.
Not sorcery. It was the staff's effect. That staff was a magic treasure too.
"Seize him! He's far weaker than the Meteor Sword Sect leader! Don't attack recklessly or you might destroy the treasure. We must avoid that at all costs!"
"Yes, Sect Leader!"
The sorcerers encircled me, closing in slowly. I retrieved the fallen Fire Lotus Dagger and stood tall.
I couldn't just leave them and teleport away. They'd pursue me relentlessly afterward. I had to clean them up here.
I pulled the bomb switch from my pocket.
'I knew from the original story that Ahyeon Divine Clan and Namji Sect would come. Normally, Jikga Escort Agency should've brought forces for revenge too, but the story diverged slightly, so they didn't.'
No way I'd face obvious enemies without preparation.
I'd already planted bombs throughout Meteor Sword Sect. Enough to blow the entire sect sky-high.
'Easy to set up. This world's people don't even know what modern bombs are.'
Underground, under roofs, inside walls, wooden crates—everywhere.
I stored the Meteor Sword and Fire Lotus Dagger in my inventory. Then I raised the bomb switch high.
"The Heavenly Demon is great!"
I pressed it.
Explosions erupted. Thunderous roars louder than lightning shook everywhere. Meteor Sword Sect itself was obliterated, flames surging up the mountain.
The shocked enemies were caught in the blasts, their bodies torn apart and flung. Of course, I wasn't exempt.
'This is a suicide bomb…!!'
As I died, I glared at Gal Ma-sik.
Unlike the other sorcerers, he protected himself from the explosion using sorcery and his magic treasure. Reaching the Five Qi realm wasn't for show.
'As expected, killing someone beyond Five Qi with modern weapons is tough.'
Still, Gal Ma-sik couldn't fully block the blast's aftermath.
He transformed into a crane with sorcery, flapping vigorously to flee the rising flames.
'Originally, I'd ambush and kill the dazed bastard… but at least I achieved minimal success.'
Gal Ma-sik witnessed my death firsthand. He'd assume I was gone, so no pursuit later.
'Should've stolen his treasure too… regrettable.'
With my body restored, I pulled out my smartphone. Untouched even in the explosion and flames.
I took a spatial movement scroll from my inventory and tore it.
???
Gal Ma-sik, transformed into a crane, fled in haste.
'That mad bastard! Using explosives to blow up the entire Meteor Sword Sect and himself! I moved personally because of him, but got nothing! The losses are immense!'
The more he thought, the angrier he got. Destroying Meteor Sword Sect was baseline; crippling Ahyeon Divine Clan and seizing their treasure were the goals. Instead, he lost only Namji Sect sorcerers, no treasure.
'Recovering from today's damage will take at least 30 years…!'
Flying through the sky, lost in thoughts of compensation, he belatedly noticed the sword flying at him.
'Gasp!'
He twisted, but it pierced one wing. Unable to fly, he plummeted.
'If I release the transformation now, I might die! Drop light as possible, then revert!'
Luckily, dense trees below cushioned the fall. Scratches everywhere, but no major injuries.
Crashing down, he released the transformation, returning to human form. His body wasn't normal—right shoulder pierced by the sword, scratches all over. Injuries from crane form carried over.
'Who threw that sword…! I'll find them and pierce their body with dozens of blades…!'
No need to search. Rustling announced the thrower's arrival.
"Long time no see, Namji Sect leader. Almost 10 years? Same greedy, repulsive face as ever."
A beauty with long black hair in a braid.
"Y-You… Jik Seong-mi…?!"
Jikga Escort Agency's eldest daughter, Jik Seong-mi.
"No long questions. What happened to him?"
"…Him? Shin Gong-se? Meteor Sword Sect leader?"
"Neither. Someone greater than them."
"There was. Sung Yu-jin, was it? Shin Gong-se and Meteor Sword Sect leader died by that kid's hand. If you're looking for him, too late. He rigged explosives and suicided. First lunatic like that in my life."
"…He's dead?"
"What, you have feelings? Tough break. Saw his body shredded in the blast with my own eyes."
"Pity. Had questions for him…"
Jik Seong-mi swung her sword. Gal Ma-sik's right arm thudded to the ground.
"Arrrgh!"
"Think I wouldn't notice you forming hand seals?"
"You damned bitch…! If I were in top shape, a wench like you…!"
"Even at full strength, you'd be dead."
Warriors appeared around Jik Seong-mi. Over dozens. Alone, maybe, but in his state, no escaping that many. Gal Ma-sik swallowed hard.
"You won't kill me here, will you?"
"Can't pass up this golden chance to eliminate Namji Sect leader."
"Foolish! Think Namji Sect will sit idle if I die?! You'll make them your enemy?!"
"You died fighting at Meteor Sword Sect. They took near-annihilation damage… Ahyeon Divine Clan becomes the revenge target. Even if Namji Sect seeks vengeance. I know your reputation in the sect is the worst. No one will mourn you."
Jik Seong-mi raised her sword. Blue sword qi blazed like flames.
Panicking, Gal Ma-sik blurted.
"Spare me! If you do, Namji Sect allies with Jikga Escort Agency to destroy Ahyeon Divine Clan! Don't you hate them too? No loss for you! Think rationally!"
"…"
Jik Seong-mi paused.
Gal Ma-sik sighed in relief. But his eyes bulged. Her sword slashed his shoulder and abdomen.
"W-Why…?!"
"Namji Sect is less trustworthy than Ahyeon Divine Clan. Especially you—I'd trust Shin Gong-se over Namji Sect leader."
"Fool…!"
Jik Seong-mi retrieved his jeweled staff.
"The fool is you. Namji Sect's Jewel Radiance Staff will serve Jikga Escort Agency well."
She turned away. In the distance, the burning mountain and smoke-blackened sky.
"Miss. Return to Jikga Escort Agency?"
"Something to check at Meteor Sword Sect. Extinguishing the fire while indebting Hudan City isn't bad. With Meteor Sword Sect gone, we can become Hudan City's masters."
After the fire died, they inspected Meteor Sword Sect, but Jik Seong-mi found nothing. Corpses charred beyond recognition.