Chapter 123: The Fist King Strikes with Lightning
The Fist King Strikes with Lightning
Chapter 123: The Fist King Strikes with Lightning
The combined forces of Dan Woo-sung, the Sword Demon, the Heavenly Demon, and Mad Demon—how could Ten Thousand Demon Palace's troops possibly withstand them? Even if they had faced all the martial clans and major sects of Murim, the outcome would have been the same.
It was annihilation.
Just as the Dragon Horse Sect Leader, who had resisted to the end, was about to be absorbed by the Heavenly Demon after being captured, Dan Woo-sung—who had been fighting at a considerable distance—released a surge of energy, instantly killing the sect leader before pausing to catch his breath.
The Heavenly Demon tossed the corpse he had been holding to the ground and glared at Dan Woo-sung.
"Tch."
Though the Sword Demon no longer had his Demon Sword, he effortlessly slaughtered his opponents using his Blade-Immune body.
Mad Demon, having beaten Ten Thousand Demon Palace to death, had mostly recovered from the wounds White Cat had inflicted on him.
Once Ten Thousand Demon Palace's forces were completely wiped out...
The Heavenly Demon turned to Mad Demon with a stiff expression.
"Mad Demon, shouldn't we join forces to kill this bastard first?"
Mad Demon scratched his ear with his finger as if annoyed by the suggestion and retorted.
"Who's the dog barking now? I'll do the exact opposite of whatever you want. So consider that a refusal."
Meanwhile, the Sword Demon slowly approached White Cat to reclaim his stolen Demon Sword.
"You crazy cat. That's mine."
Dan Woo-sung had no intention of scheming—whether to manipulate Mad Demon or steer the situation to his advantage. He simply spoke his mind.
"Let's finish this here. All three of you."
At that moment, as the Sword Demon moved to snatch back the Demon Sword White Cat was playing with, the white cat swatted him with its paw, sending him flying. With a loud crack, the Sword Demon crashed through a thick tree before rising again and sighing at White Cat.
'Damn it...'
This time, the Heavenly Demon made a suggestion to the Sword Demon.
"Sword Demon, let's kill him together first."
The Sword Demon suddenly turned to look at him.
"Is that a proposal or a request? Be clear."
The Heavenly Demon responded with a bitter expression.
"What kind of question is that?"
For once, even the Heavenly Demon wasn't smiling.
The Sword Demon had once thought their personalities and ideals aligned while fighting alongside him. But realizing he shared thoughts with someone he secretly despised now disgusted him.
In a firm tone, the Sword Demon rejected the Heavenly Demon outright.
"I refuse. If this man wants to kill me, I'll face him one-on-one. You don't need to interfere. If he decides to kill you first, I won't intervene then either. The same goes for Mad Demon. Today's conclusion will be settled man-to-man."
The Heavenly Demon scoffed.
"What kind of nonsense is this?"
Mad Demon, as if agreeing with the Sword Demon, chimed in.
"Good. The Sword Demon bastard finally said something right for once. No joint attacks here. If anyone runs, I'll kill them myself. You three have only two choices here—die with me or kill me. There are no other options."
At the moment the Sword Demon and Mad Demon transformed from demons into men...
Dan Woo-sung fixed his gaze on the Heavenly Demon, the only one still clinging to the demonic path.
"Good. I'll decide the order of your deaths. Heavenly Demon, you first."
The Sword Demon wandered off before sitting cross-legged to the north, while Mad Demon moved south and did the same.
Their intent was clear—to block any escape routes.
As if declaring he would witness this life-or-death duel, Mad Demon addressed Dan Woo-sung and the Heavenly Demon.
"Begin. If anyone runs, I'll chase them down and kill them."
The Sword Demon added, speaking to the Heavenly Demon.
"Wi Ji-cheon, have you ever fought seriously even once without scheming? If you retreat now, you're no longer the Heavenly Demon. I won't acknowledge that title."
Meanwhile, White Cat—who had been quietly observing Mad Demon and the Sword Demon—settled to the east, sitting down as if meditating, watching the four humans with keen interest.
The Heavenly Demon gazed at the distant sky and muttered.
"Ah, this is ridiculous. Grown men acting like this. What kind of farce is this?"
Of course, the Heavenly Demon had no intention of dying here. That was never his way. Promises, men's duels—such things held no interest for him. The real problem was whether he could kill the man before him—the Fist Demon.
Having watched Dan Woo-sung slaughter Ten Thousand Demon Palace's forces intermittently, the Heavenly Demon had glimpsed his fighting style. But gauging his true strength remained impossible.
Dan Woo-sung spoke.
"The title of Heavenly Demon... Even in the martial world, that name carried dignity and majesty, despite its demonic connotations. But you—you seem less like a Heavenly Demon and more like a common swindler. Your expression, your words, your attitude—where is the dignity befitting a Heavenly Demon? You pathetic trash. The past Heavenly Demons must be laughing at you from somewhere."
The Sword Demon crossed his arms and chuckled, while Mad Demon snorted in agreement.
"Well said. A swindler—that's an accurate description. Wi Ji-cheon is exactly that."
Mad Demon, unable to contain his temper, suddenly roared at the Heavenly Demon.
"You worthless con artist! Are you still thinking of running? Or are you scheming with that thick skull of yours right now?"
As Mad Demon bellowed, White Cat let out a sharp cry—strangely, it sounded like the cat was joining in the scolding.
The Heavenly Demon, who had been staring at the ground, grinned.
"Ah, checkmate. How familiar."
Mad Demon, the Sword Demon, and White Cat occupied the south, north, and east, while Dan Woo-sung approached from the west.
As Dan Woo-sung advanced, signaling the start, the Heavenly Demon raised his head. His eyes had already shifted—one glowing blue, the other crimson.
Only when cornered did his true nature emerge.
This sight made the Heavenly Demon appear monstrous not just to Dan Woo-sung, but even to Mad Demon and the Sword Demon, who watched from the depths of the Abyss.
Mad Demon muttered.
"Just a damn lunatic."
The Heavenly Demon glanced at the sky before vanishing—only to reappear right before Dan Woo-sung's face, unleashing a surge of energy.
Dan Woo-sung dodged with a tilt of his head and countered with his own energy, forcing the Heavenly Demon to jerk back in evasion.
Two opposing streams of energy shot past each other, erasing several large trees without a trace as they tore through the air. Then, palm techniques clashed with fist techniques—a probing skirmish to gauge each other's level. Testing the depth of their internal energy, their techniques, whether deception would work—before the two separated again.
The preliminary exchange ended in an instant...
The two circled each other, calculating how to distribute their strength for the real battle, how to combine their martial arts, all while studying each other's expressions.
Even Mad Demon and the Sword Demon found their horizons broadening.
The Heavenly Demon's martial arts, despite all the criticism and insults he endured, displayed astonishing prowess. And the Fist Demon's response to him was as smooth as a seasoned veteran's.
Mad Demon began smiling faintly, as if entertained.
The Sword Demon, instead of using his Abyssal Eyes, listened to the fight with just his ears. The sounds alone told him everything—both were formidable opponents.
All four had grown serious...
The Heavenly Demon and Dan Woo-sung clashed again.
The Heavenly Demon had already revealed his ultimate counter—the Heaven-Reversing Mirror. This made it difficult to catch Dan Woo-sung off-guard to use it. But the Heavenly Demon was adept at creating opportunities. He maintained steady palm techniques, patiently waiting for Dan Woo-sung to make a mistake.
Dan Woo-sung, however, had to account for the possibility that Mad Demon and the Sword Demon might suddenly join the fray—making his offense and defense even trickier. He had to be ready to counter any third-party interference at any moment.
Thus, the situation was actually more disadvantageous for Dan Woo-sung.
After twenty exchanges, even the astute Heavenly Demon realized this. Amidst the flow of battle, he grasped the clue.
'So he's wary of the Sword Demon and Mad Demon.'
Even when the Heavenly Demon subtly exposed openings, Dan Woo-sung refused to take the bait. Combat wasn't just about internal energy or strength—it always involved psychological warfare and situational awareness.
Yet Dan Woo-sung remained composed.
From the start, he had intended to kill all three, even if they ganged up on him.
He ruled out explosively releasing his energy to kill the Heavenly Demon in one strike—that moment would be the most dangerous.
Dan Woo-sung's attacks against the Heavenly Demon grew increasingly monotonous. Even the Heavenly Demon found it strange, and the observing Sword Demon and Mad Demon were equally baffled.
It was as if his technique had regressed to the level of Cheol Myung-ho's Three Misfortunes Swordplay.
But the raw power behind his fists remained devastating, forcing the Heavenly Demon to stay alert.
As Dan Woo-sung's attacks simplified to the level of a novice martial artist, it was the Heavenly Demon who grew flustered.
There were too many openings.
He could have grabbed the striking arm, exploited gaps in the upper body, or targeted the completely undefended lower body.
But the ever-suspicious Heavenly Demon assumed each was a trap and remained cautious.
The Heavenly Demon first deduced that Dan Woo-sung's offense was constrained by the presence of Mad Demon and the Sword Demon. But Dan Woo-sung had already countered with psychological warfare—recognizing that the Heavenly Demon's overthinking would be his downfall.
Thus, he kept his attacks simple and relied on evasion for defense.
Dan Woo-sung planned to punish his opponent's response with the most complex technique after baiting him with the simplest attack.
How could one describe the level of this battle?
Even Mad Demon stared intently, as if scrutinizing an intricate game of Go. The outcome was impossible to predict.
At that moment, the Sword Demon unknowingly asked Mad Demon a question.
"Is the Fist King smiling?"
Mad Demon, acting as the Sword Demon's eyes, checked before replying.
"Not the Fist King—the Fist Demon. And yes, the Fist Demon is smiling now."
The Sword Demon nodded.
"I thought so... That explains why the Heavenly Demon looks so stiff."
Mad Demon asked incredulously.
"You can see his expression?"
"That bastard was always smiling. But not now. Much is revealed through sound when sight is lost. The rustle of clothing betrays anxiety, the sound of footsteps against earth carries emotion. This is the world of listening."
Mad Demon burst into laughter.
"Seems you've grown a level. Congratulations."
The Sword Demon smiled bitterly.
"Only after losing my sight do I mature."
"That's because you were a blind man with eyes before."
Their conversation ceased abruptly—the Heavenly Demon, growing agitated, began unleashing a furious assault on Dan Woo-sung. Now, his right palm glowed crimson while his left emanated a chilling blue aura.
As scorching and frigid energies mingled in the air...
An ominous, dangerous atmosphere took hold.
Even White Cat's gaze sharpened.
Both the spectators and Dan Woo-sung anticipated the Heavenly Demon was about to unleash a supreme technique.
Dan Woo-sung threw a punch, locking eyes with the Heavenly Demon.
'Use your technique.'
Dan Woo-sung knew full well the Heavenly Demon's supreme technique could devastate the entire area. But to unleash it here, the Heavenly Demon would have to leap into the air.
Given the circumstances and psychological factors...
Dan Woo-sung predicted the Heavenly Demon would use an earth-shattering technique to obliterate the terrain and then flee in the aftermath.
Whether he killed Dan Woo-sung or failed, he would run.
Wi Ji-cheon always made calculated choices.
Knowing this, Dan Woo-sung prepared for a split-second counterattack. His entire fight—pretending he couldn't wield lightning—was part of this psychological warfare.
When Dan Woo-sung threw another punch, the Heavenly Demon boldly countered with Forbidden Hand Combat, deliberately exposing his lower body.
As Dan Woo-sung withdrew his right hand and kicked out with his left foot, the Heavenly Demon—waiting for this—leapt into the air.
This was his plan.
Expecting Dan Woo-sung to counter with a supreme technique the moment he jumped, the Heavenly Demon prepared to activate the Heaven-Reversing Mirror in advance.
Dan Woo-sung did intend to unleash a technique.
But at the last second, he changed his mind—instead, he reached out toward the Heavenly Demon with a fierce, wild motion.
Whoosh!
Simultaneously, the Heavenly Demon's twin palms unleashed the Heaven-Reversing Mirror.
A supreme technique that reflected the opponent's attack.
But nothing shot forth from Dan Woo-sung's hand—only the Void-Snatching Art of the Ihwashin Gong, a pulling force. It wasn't a technique that could be reflected.
Because it had no tangible form.
Trapped mid-motion in the Heaven-Reversing Mirror stance, the Heavenly Demon was dragged downward as if caught in a whirlwind before desperately releasing energy from his palms. Fear and panic forced this honest reaction.
Having nullified the Heaven-Reversing Mirror, Dan Woo-sung now leapt into the air himself.
The Heavenly Demon's unleashed energy crashed into the ground.
BOOOOOOM!
But before that, Dan Woo-sung—having already soared upward—dodged the blast by a hair's breadth and seized the Heavenly Demon's face with his right hand. The same move the Heavenly Demon always used when draining his opponents' vitality.
Had the Heavenly Demon been composed, Dan Woo-sung would never have gotten this close.
Grabbing his face like this meant the Heavenly Demon had utterly lost the psychological battle.
This wasn't just about martial prowess—it was proof of who was the better fighter.
From the beginning, the Fist King was stronger and fought better.
And so, the Fist King planted lightning directly into Wi Ji-cheon's face.
CRACKLE-BOOM!