Chapter 369
Chapter 369
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 97
>Chapter Title: The Seventh Heaven (1)
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“Then swear your loyalty to me, Clan Head, along with Spirit Sword Manor.”
‘!!!!!’
At Mok Kyung-un’s unexpected demand, Clan Head Gu Cheon-mu’s face twisted into a grimace far more terrifying than before.
Until now, no matter how shocked he had been, he had tried his utmost to maintain his composure.
But this time, it was impossible to hold onto it.
He had said with his own mouth that he would grant any request, but he never imagined the demand would be to swear loyalty.
“This insolent bastard!”
“Clan Head!”
“No, you can’t!”
At Mok Kyung-un’s demand, the swordsmen and guests of Spirit Sword Manor leapt to their feet.
Even if they were disappointed by the Clan Head’s submission, this was an entirely different matter.
They didn’t know his exact identity, but everyone knew this man was from the White Lotus Cult.
The White Lotus Cult was an organization suppressed by the nation for the crime of deluding the masses.
For Spirit Sword Manor to join such a group was no different from picking a fight with the nation and the people of the Central Plains.
“Clan Head, this won’t do. Joining the White Lotus Cult means, in the end...”
-Shwak!
One guest shouting at the Clan Head had to cut off mid-sentence in shock as a sword hilt stopped just an inch from his brow.
Though halted, the sword still brimmed with enough force to pierce his forehead. The guest rolled his eyes in panic, unsure what to do.
Then Mok Kyung-un’s voice reached his ears.
“You’ve been misunderstanding from the start—who said anything about the White Lotus Cult?”
“What?”
“I can’t say I have no ties to them, but I’m not a member of the White Lotus Cult.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m just me. And...”
-Swish!
As Mok Kyung-un raised his hand, the remaining seven swords floating in the air flew about like living creatures, displaying a menacing presence.
Sensing the danger, the swordsmen and guests assumed defensive stances.
-Swoosh! Swoosh!
The swords flew at incredible speeds.
Tension filled their eyes.
With seven swords darting in all directions, they could only inwardly think of him as a monster.
Even controlling one or two swords would scatter their focus greatly, but to manipulate this many simultaneously with Imperial Sword Flight surpassed anything they could handle.
“You keep saying the Clan Head can’t do this or that—why don’t you step up yourselves?”
“......”
No one could open their mouths at Mok Kyung-un’s provocative words.
Not even the boldest dared to move.
They might look like they were simply flying around, but the seven swords interlocked with exquisite precision like a formation, trapping them all.
A wrong move, and they’d be the first to fall.
Mok Kyung-un sneered at their hesitation.
“Are you really the ones who’d lay down your lives for the Clan Head? Do you lack the courage to fight unless he leads the way?”
Would they let such provocation slide?
A middle-aged swordsman among the guests, unable to contain his rage, yelled and launched himself at Mok Kyung-un.
“Who says we lack courage! I, Master of the Floating Cloud Sword, Woo Soong...”
-Puuk!
“Gahk!”
One of the Imperial Swords pierced right through his right shoulder and protruded out.
With a dying scream, the swordsman who called himself Woo Soong collapsed forward, clutching his shoulder.
“Brother Woo!”
A fellow swordsman close to him tried to step forward.
But a sword grazed past his face.
“Hup!”
-Thud!
His severed left earlobe fell to the floor where the blade had passed.
The swordsman froze in place, clutching his cut ear, unable to move.
The others were the same.
They feared ending up the same if they acted rashly.
Then someone shouted.
“We need to move together!”
“He’s right. No matter how impressive Imperial Sword Flight is, it’s just seven swords. If we all attack at once, how could he possibly block us?”
That was the moment.
Mok Kyung-un casually flicked his hand.
-Shoooosh shoooosh shoooosh!
‘No way?’
‘It’s... it’s even faster?’
Not only did the seven swords fly at speeds incomparable to before, they also weaved between them, threatening to slice anyone who so much as twitched.
Just moments ago, they thought they’d found a solution, but they were now overwhelmed by the swords’ ferocious momentum and at a loss.
To the bewildered group, Mok Kyung-un said,
“Shall we test how long it would take me to kill you all?”
-Flinch!
Everyone’s faces stiffened at his words.
Clan Head Gu Cheon-mu could slaughter everyone here within a single incense stick’s time if he so chose.
But if this monster—who had made even the Clan Head abandon the fight—decided to seriously kill them, how long would it take?
A single incense stick? No, half?
“A-Are you threatening us right now?”
“It’s not a threat—I’m just telling you what’s about to happen.”
“W-What?”
As they panicked, Mok Kyung-un glanced at Clan Head Gu Cheon-mu and said,
“If loyalty is too burdensome, let’s change the terms, Clan Head.”
“What do you mean?”
“From now on, stay out of whatever happens. In return, I’ll guarantee your life and your sons’.”
‘!?’
At Mok Kyung-un’s words, the eyes of the trapped swordsmen and guests shook wildly.
Until just now, this had been a conflict between the Clan Head’s family and him.
But somehow, the fire had spread to them, and now the blade was at their throats.
Human hearts were truly cunning.
With the threat to their lives now upon them, their gazes unanimously turned to the Clan Head.
“......”
Under their stares, Clan Head Gu Cheon-mu let out a sigh.
Their looks seemed ready to blame him if he didn’t help them.
‘This is beyond what I can handle.’
Gu Cheon-mu inwardly clicked his tongue.
This man was a master at driving situations to extremes.
Because of the promise to grant any demand, if he just watched them die, all the resentment would fall on him and Spirit Sword Manor.
‘Aaaah.’
How had he ended up clashing with a devil like this?
It was truly lamentable.
-Swish swish swish!
“Huh?”
“The swords?”
The paths of the flying Imperial Swords began to narrow.
He truly seemed intent on killing them all.
Gu Cheon-mu shouted,
“Do you really intend to kill them?”
Mok Kyung-un replied without halting the Imperial Swords.
“I told you.”
“It’s excessive. They merely tried to help this old man.”
“Since they tried to help, isn’t it natural they prepare for this much?”
“That’s...”
“When you interfere without the ability to handle the consequences, it’s called meddling. They’re just paying the price for that.”
Faced with Mok Kyung-un’s firm words, Clan Head Gu Cheon-mu finally had to choose.
He bowed his head to the ground and cried out,
“I swear my loyalty to you!”
His shout echoed thunderously off the surrounding cliffs.
‘Father...’
At Gu Cheon-mu’s choice to finally swear loyalty, his eldest son, Young Clan Head Gu Ung-hwang, couldn’t hide his bitterness.
Even if there had been no choice, as a son, he couldn’t be pleased to see his father forced to submit to someone.
But spilled water couldn’t be gathered back.
He had to accept it.
-Swish!
At that moment, Mok Kyung-un made a motion as if lowering his hand.
Then,
-Clang! Clang!
The swords that had been flying through the air lost their power and fell to the ground.
Relieved of the Imperial Sword threat, the swordsmen and guests of Spirit Sword Manor looked at the Clan Head with apologetic expressions, at a loss for words.
It was because the Clan Head had sworn loyalty to save them.
How could they not feel sorry?
-Swish!
Clan Head Gu Cheon-mu raised his head to confirm that the threat had stopped—and a glint entered his eyes.
It was because of the gazes directed at him.
Just moments ago, they had looked at him as if unable to understand his choice.
But now, it was the opposite.
‘...Did he intend even this?’
Gu Cheon-mu looked at Mok Kyung-un.
Seeing him smirk back sent chills down his spine.
What in the world was this man?
He had thought it was simply pushing the situation to the brink to get what he wanted.
But that wasn’t all.
‘He created a justification for it?’
The swordsmen and guests now saw his oath of loyalty as what saved their lives—no one seemed disappointed or resentful of the choice.
As if it were the natural and inevitable thing to do.
‘Ha...’
This might be the man’s true terror.
The power to manipulate others’ hearts at will was frightening.
Just as Clan Head Gu Cheon-mu, having sworn loyalty, deeply feared Mok Kyung-un in his heart, there was another person taking this situation gravely.
She was Jeong Myeong Sa-tae of Hang Mountain Sect, dispatched as an investigator from the Justice Alliance.
‘For Clan Head Gu to swear loyalty to someone?’
This was no small matter.
Clan Head Gu Cheon-mu was one of the Six Heavens, the pinnacle of the current martial world.
Even if his lack of real combat experience had led him to lose his will to fight and admit defeat, he was still a transcendent master who had surpassed the walls of walls.
Moreover, as a swordsmith and appraiser revered by all swordsmen of the Central Plains, Clan Head Gu wielded immense influence.
‘This is big trouble.’
That man possessed martial prowess worthy of being called the newly arisen Seventh Heaven.
For such a person to take Clan Head Gu under his wing would shatter the power balance that had been maintained until now.
‘I need to inform the Alliance headquarters immediately.’
This was an agenda that warranted convening the entire Justice Alliance elder assembly.
Though he declared himself not of the White Lotus Cult, his ruthless actions proved he was no orthodox martial artist.
If he turned out to be of the unorthodox path, this incident would be a catastrophe worse than the annihilation of the Nangong family head and his elites.
‘But I need to find out who he is—how?’
If she acted rashly and clashed with him, it would spell trouble.
As she pondered this, by a stroke of coincidence, Clan Head Gu Cheon-mu asked Mok Kyung-un,
“I’ve sworn loyalty, but I still don’t know your esteemed name. How should this subordinate address you?”
Mok Kyung-un answered curtly,
“Heavenly Demon. Call me the Heavenly Demon.”
‘!!!!!’
Jeong Myeong Sa-tae’s eyes widened at his words.
On her way here, she had heard a peculiar rumor.
It was the tale of how the One Hundred Eight Arhats Formation of Shaolin—known as the origin of orthodox martial arts—had been shattered by a single step from one man.
She had dismissed it as absurd nonsense.
But she remembered exactly what they had called it.
‘Heavenly Demon Supremacy Step.’
That’s what they had said.