Chapter 194: Home Visit (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 194: Home Visit (1)
“I finally meet you. The sprout of the Lord of Ten Thousand Demons.”
Despite the distance, the voice whispered directly into his ear. Seo-jun narrowed his eyes.
“What nonsense are you talking about?”
Having lived as Baek Seo-jun and Cheon Seo-jun, his acting skills were at their absolute peak. He adopted an expression of pure, unadulterated confusion—enough to convince anyone he hadn't the faintest idea what she was talking about.
The Divine Priestess faltered for a moment. But soon, a hollow laugh escaped her lips. Did this man not realize what he looked like right now?
“Your Demonic Qi is perfectly stable despite having reached the realm of an Extreme Demon. Your aura is strangely different, yet undeniably similar to one. Furthermore, you achieved such a realm without a single rumor ever surfacing about you in the martial world. And what of that horn sprouting from your head? There is far too much evidence pointing to you being the sprout of the Lord of Ten Thousand Demons for you to feign ignorance now.”
Though she didn't say it aloud, the sheer purity of the Demonic Qi he had wielded in the heat of battle was reminiscent of the Heavenly Demon himself. It would be stranger if someone capable of commanding such Qi wasn't the sprout of the Lord of Ten Thousand Demons.
His Qi had turned slightly turbid now, as if he were muddying it on purpose, but… the Divine Priestess was no fool.
Seo-jun clicked his tongue at her unwavering gaze. Deceiving her was out of the question. Even if he kept playing dumb, she looked ready to drag him away by the collar just to be sure.
“Fine. I am the Future Heavenly Demon, Cheon Seo-jun.”
“Pardon?”
“Forget it. How did you find me so quickly? I thought the distance from here to the Demonic Cult was quite significant.”
“The eyes of the Cult are everywhere in Tianshan. It would be more surprising if we couldn't find you after you caused such a loud commotion. As for the slower-moving Demonic Humans under my command, I simply summoned them from the surrounding areas.”
Ah. Come to think of it, she was right.
As Seo-jun scratched his chin awkwardly, the Divine Priestess began walking slowly toward him.
“Please come with us to the Cult peacefully. We have prepared much for you.”
“And if I refuse?”
“Then we will have no choice but to take you by force.”
The two Demonic Humans beside the Priestess unleashed their pressure. They were seasoned Extreme Demons. No matter how deeply Seo-jun had progressed into the Fire Demon Realm, the gap in cultivation was still vast.
The higher the realm, the greater the disparity within that same stage. Between entering the Transcendent Realm and mastering it, there existed a wall far higher than the one separating the Super Peak and Transcendent Realms.
Of course, since they were Demonic Humans, Seo-jun might hold some elemental advantage over them, but…
Seeing Seo-jun’s peculiar expression, the Priestess gestured to their surroundings.
“You are already surrounded. No matter how capable you are, it is impossible to break through two of the Seven Demons and a Heavenly Net to escape.”
“…….”
“Besides, can you not feel it? This is where you belong. Do not try to defy your instincts. Unless you achieve a true sense of Heaven-Defying, you will eventually have no choice but to return to the Cult.”
“Instincts?”
Seo-jun furrowed his brow. What nonsense was she spouting now? He didn't feel any particular urge to join the Cult.
Seeing his skeptical expression, the Priestess explained kindly, clearly wanting to persuade him with words if possible.
“The reason we caused friction with Kunlun was also because of your instincts. If the news reached your ears, you would eventually take an interest in the Cult. When you finally faced the Demonic path directly, your instincts would inevitably lead you to set foot in Tianshan.”
“So… you started a war just for me?”
“Yes. It was only natural, as it was what Mara desired.”
Seo-jun snorted at her words. He reached out his right hand and clenched the empty air.
“Then you wasted your breath. I have already grasped Heaven-Defying in my hands.”
He was, of course, referring to Chun-bong’s squishy cheeks. He had always wondered why they felt so extraordinary; it seemed the very principle of Heaven-Defying was imbued within those cheeks.
“…I do not wish to take you by force.”
“Don’t worry. You won’t be able to anyway.”
“Sigh… I suppose it can’t be helped.”
At the Priestess’s nod, the two Demonic Humans stepped forward. They were the Sword Demon and the Greed Demon.
Drool dripping from his mouth, the Greed Demon asked, “Priestess, as long as he’s alive, it’s fine, right?”
“Try to capture him without injury if possible.”
“Hehe, well. I’ll think about it.”
In that instant, Seo-jun moved. The five rings hovering behind his back shifted to his front, aligning in a perfect row. The hundreds of eyeballs on the three flowers flashed with eerie light.
Heaven-Defying Sun-Moon Art.
Sssssss—!
Hundreds of streaks of the Heaven-Defying Sun-Moon Art shot out from the hundreds of eyeballs. The beams fired in unison, passing through the rings of the Five Energies Returning to the Origin one by one, eventually merging into a single, massive pillar of destructive light.
He had used the rings of the Five Energies Returning to the Origin to amplify the Heaven-Defying Sun-Moon Art, compounding the process five times over. Its sheer power and scale far surpassed the original technique.
Rumble—!
Watching the pillar descend, the Divine Priestess stepped forward. Sacred Fire flickered in her eyes.
“I pray. May a single flame remain unshaken even amidst the violent storm.”
Whoosh! A small flame bloomed in the air, standing in the path of the descending pillar. It seemed as though the tiny spark would be helplessly swallowed and extinguished, but—
Fwaaaaah—!!
In an instant, it flared up from the inside, consuming the massive pillar of the Heaven-Defying Sun-Moon Art until absolutely nothing remained.
However, the Priestess frowned after blocking the strike. In that brief interval, the sprout of the Lord of Ten Thousand Demons was already fleeing.
“Pursue him.”
“By your command.”
The Sword Demon lunged forward immediately, with the Greed Demon following close behind.
Seo-jun sprinted away, eyeing the Demonic Humans blocking his path. He could have just taken to the air, but these grunts would only get in the way if they interfered while he fought the Extreme Demons.
“Ssshp…”
Taking a deep breath, Seo-jun planted his feet firmly in the empty air. Earth is Essence. He poured the immense physical load placed on his body straight into his sword and swung.
Heavenly Demon Divine Sword 2nd Form: Sweeping a Thousand Armies.
The horizontal swing of his sword cleaved through the very fabric of space.
Craaaack—!
The entire landscape before him was bisected. True to its name, it was a strike meant to wipe out an army of a thousand.
Since the Demonic Humans were spread out, he didn't quite kill a thousand. Instead, the hundreds of Demonic Humans were simply doubled in number by a single sword strike.
Meaning, they had become ‘Demo/nic humans’—literally split in two.
“Haha…!”
Laughing brightly, Seo-jun immediately spun around and swung his sword.
Clang! The Sword Demon, who had caught up in the blink of an eye, parried Seo-jun’s blade. He looked at Seo-jun with calm, dead eyes and spoke.
“Futile resistance.”
Swish-swish-swish! Sword strikes of extreme speed were etched into his vision. Seo-jun surrendered his body to the sensation tickling his mind.
‘The harmony of Heaven, Earth, and Man.’
Ultimately, it was the harmony of the vertical cut, the horizontal cut, and the thrust. These three were the essence of swordsmanship. When Heaven, Earth, and Man achieved harmony, the foundation of all sword arts was complete.
Then, let’s reverse it. Since swordsmanship was achieved through Heaven, Earth, and Man, this time, he would achieve Heaven, Earth, and Man through swordsmanship.
Heaven, Earth, and Man meant harmony with nature.
Space twisted and exploded around the sword Seo-jun swung.
BOOM—!!
The Sword Demon was forced back two steps after blocking the strike. Seo-jun once again poured this new realization into his Heavenly Demon Divine Art.
Heaven, Earth, and Man represented the harmony between nature and man. Essence, Qi, and Spirit represented the harmony within man.
Rejecting that harmony to achieve Heaven-Defying—to place all of creation beneath his feet.
Heavenly Demon Ruling Step.
THUD—!!
Crushed under the massive pressure, the Sword Demon’s body momentarily froze.
“Ugh….”
His Demonic Qi fluctuated wildly. Suppressed by Seo-jun’s will, the Sword Demon’s Qi had momentarily slipped from his own control.
‘Is this roughly how it feels?’
New realizations flooded him with every passing second. Under the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, the martial principles of the Heavenly Demon Divine Sword and the Heavenly Demon Ruling Step were being firmly established. As his martial arts approached completion, Seo-jun’s soul soared toward a higher plane.
However, it was still too early for him to face the Seven Demons head-on.
Ignoring the pressure, the Greed Demon lunged forward. His mouth split into a grotesque, wide grin as he reached out with both hands.
“Got you…!”
Grabbing Seo-jun’s arm, the Greed Demon opened his maw wide.
Crunch!
He brutally tore off and ate Seo-jun’s left arm.
Despite the stinging pain, Seo-jun’s lips curled into a smirk as he mocked him.
“You shouldn't just eat anything you find on the ground.”
Bang!
Seo-jun’s severed arm exploded inside the Greed Demon’s mouth. It was a Blood Art. The Greed Demon’s eyes bulged.
“Mmph…!?”
Gulp.
Swallowing the explosive blood as if it were nothing, the Greed Demon’s eyes flashed.
“How do you know Blood Ar—”
Vroom! A ball of Demonic Qi the size of a fist rapidly formed between Seo-jun’s horns. It was a highly concentrated Heaven-Defying Sun-Moon Art.
“Eat this too.”
Sssss—!
The Greed Demon clicked his tongue and thrust his hands forward. Grotesque mouths opened wide in the palms of both his hands.
Munch!
While blocking the Heaven-Defying Sun-Moon Art with his palms, the mouths on his hands devoured the destructive energy entirely.
The Greed Demon’s body trembled violently.
“This Demonic Qi is of an impossibly high grade!”
His face flushed a deep red, and his eyes rolled back in pure ecstasy. His bulging crotch became damp and soaked.
“Give me more!”
The Greed Demon charged. Already busy dealing with the incoming Sword Demon, Seo-jun clicked his tongue and let go of his sword.
Hum—!
The Demonic Sword hummed with joy as it danced through the air on its own. While the Sword Control Art kept the Sword Demon occupied, Seo-jun condensed the surrounding Qi in the air and grasped it. The Qi stretched into a long shape, forming a sword of its own.
Mount Tai Pressure Peak.
Boom! As the Qi sword descended toward his head, the Greed Demon reached out with both hands.
“Hup…!”
Hands shaped like the maws of ravenous beasts caught Seo-jun’s Qi sword. Seo-jun smiled.
“Scatter.”
At the command of the Lord of Ten Thousand Demons, the Astral Qi imbued in the Greed Demon’s hands faltered for a fraction of a second.
Slash!
Seizing the opening, Seo-jun’s sword sliced clean through the Greed Demon’s palms.
“Haaah…!”
Even then, the Greed Demon reached a state of twisted ecstasy just from managing to nibble on a bit of Seo-jun’s Qi sword.
“Crazy bastard.”
While Seo-jun was recoiling in disgust, the Sword Demon broke through the Sword Control Art. His eyes flashed as he closed the distance.
“This will sting.”
Swish-swish!
The Sword Demon’s blade became a deadly blur of light, grazing Seo-jun’s limbs.
Having lost his arms and legs in an instant, Seo-jun burst into laughter.
“Too soft!”
Squelch.
Streaks of blood reconnected his severed limbs to his torso. Pure Demonic Qi replaced the left arm the Greed Demon had eaten.
Taking a deep breath, Seo-jun’s eyes blazed with power.
“If this fight drags on, you won't be able to handle me.”
Having rapidly grown accustomed to the Fire Demon Realm and the Extreme Demon level through this intense battle, Seo-jun brought the surrounding Demonic Qi entirely under his control.
Primordial Unity Sun-Moon Astral Qi.
Dozens of Qi swords manifested in the air. Every single one of them was densely imbued with the Primordial Unity Sun-Moon Astral Qi.
The Sword Demon fell silent, letting out a heavy sigh.
“You are becoming a nuisance.”
Rumble!
Veins bulged hideously across the Sword Demon’s entire body. The Reverse Blood Asura Demonic Art he practiced was a forbidden technique from the Reverse Blood lineage.
As the Sword Demon drew upon his internal power, his blood began to circulate in reverse, flooding his entire body with explosive strength.
Zzt—
Sword strikes moving at near-light speed sliced through all of Seo-jun’s Qi swords.
The moment he perceived the attacks, his Qi swords were already cut down and scattered. Even Seo-jun couldn't help but be surprised.
‘This is insane.’
Seo-jun sensed he was in deep trouble. These guys were a lot stronger than he’d expected. Then again, it would be strange if any of the seven strongest people in the Demonic Cult were weak.
In the midst of dilated time, Seo-jun watched the Sword Demon’s blade flying toward him. He wasn't particularly afraid. If anything, he felt excited.
His consciousness burned white. Seo-jun reached out. The reversal of Yin and Yang. The substitution of Demonic and Pure.
He centered himself by balancing Essence, Qi, and Spirit, and communed with nature by achieving the harmony of Heaven, Earth, and Man.
‘I think I can do it.’
He grasped the sensation, relying purely on his instincts. Heaven, Earth, and Man. Himself, standing at the center.
Man is Qi. The Qi Spirit Scripture that connects Essence and Spirit.
Just as he swapped Yin and Yang, Demonic and Pure, he would now invert Heaven and Earth.
Universe Reversal.
Slash—!
The Sword Demon’s incoming strike was perfectly reflected back. The sword swung toward the Sword Demon’s own face. Eyes widening in shock, the Sword Demon quickly spun his body and retreated.
“What…!”
The Sword Demon pointed his sword at Seo-jun warily, his eyes narrowing. A thin trail of blood trickled down his cheek.
Seo-jun took a deep breath, calming his churning stomach.
‘That was a close one.’
Universe Reversal. The inversion of Heaven and Earth. Along with it, his very Essence and Spirit had been inverted.
It was a good thing he had already dyed his Essence, Qi, and Spirit with Demonic energy. If they had been in their original state, his body would have scattered to the winds and he would have died instantly.
If Essence-Qi-Spirit became Spirit-Qi-Essence, it would be a disaster. But since "Demon-Demon-Demon" was still "Demon-Demon-Demon" even when flipped upside down, he was perfectly fine.
Seo-jun swallowed the bile rising in his throat.
“More, give me more!”
The Greed Demon was charging again, seemingly tireless. Just as Seo-jun bared his teeth, preparing to unleash the Heavenly Demon Divine Sword—
BOOOOOOOM—!!!
A massive concentration of Demonic Qi, fired from a vast distance, slammed brutally into the Greed Demon’s body.
“Guh…! What is this?”
The Greed Demon, having barely blocked the impact, widened his eyes. Even before seeing the source, his body trembled from its mere presence. When he finally looked up, a groan escaped his constricted throat.
“Ugh….”
In the far distance, a mountain was approaching. The Greed Demon’s lips quivered at the colossal pressure that seemed heavy enough to crush the world.
“The Beast…!”
Rumble—
The sky turned shadowy. Above the clouds, a pair of giant eyes flashed.
A single remaining horn cast a massive shadow over the earth. A deer poked its head out from the heavens, reducing the vast distance to nothing with its sheer spirit.
That simple movement brought forth a howling gale. The sun was obscured, and all light vanished from the area. Two eyes, shining like full moons, looked down upon the earth through the rolling clouds.
[Little insects, what are you doing?]
The deer that brought the night asked.