Chapter 55
Chapter 55
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: Escort Caravan - Escort Journey, Fate (5)
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Demons.
Monstrous beings who practiced martial arts that defied the natural order, gradually losing their sanity.
That was the dictionary definition, but to Mok Ri-won, the term "demons" carried a far different connotation.
Perhaps it was the corrupted version of himself that he might have become.
Born with the Heavenly Slaughter Star and an extreme demonic constitution, it was only natural for such thoughts to cross his mind.
There was no doubt that the man before him was a demon.
Beyond mere intuition, the man had confessed it himself.
“I am the Fist Demon!”
After exchanging a few moves, the man threw back his shoulders and shouted. The entire caravan froze in place.
The man who called himself the Fist Demon grinned as if delighted by their reaction, then continued.
“And I want to become the Fist Dragon!”
The man’s index finger extended toward Mok Ri-won.
“Like you!”
Mok Ri-won’s expression hardened.
He couldn’t grasp the meaning behind the Fist Demon’s words.
So he asked.
“…Why is a demon here?”
“I came to find you.”
Mok Ri-won’s brow furrowed.
The Fist Demon Pae Ung-chu said no more and simply flashed a sly smile.
Then he unleashed his Demonic Qi.
It was unlike ordinary qi auras.
The auras from orthodox martial arts resembled dispersing mist, but the aura formed from Demonic Qi evoked the image of roaring flames.
Pae Ung-chu clenched his fist.
And stomped his foot.
Boom-.
In an instant, Pae Ung-chu closed the distance to Mok Ri-won’s nose and thrust out his fist.
Aiming precisely for Mok Ri-won’s brow.
Mok Ri-won twisted his head slightly and extended his sword.
It was a shallow probe for a check, and it was duly blocked.
With a ‘bang,’ their auras collided.
The impact forced the two apart slightly.
Mok Ri-won’s condition was poor.
Even without physical impact, the proximity made the Demonic Qi clearly felt, clouding his mind.
An extreme demonic constitution instinctively craved Demonic Qi.
Moreover, the Heavenly Slaughter Star grew stronger by absorbing it.
But there were other issues as well.
A lack of real combat experience that couldn’t be helped.
Mok Ri-won didn’t know life-or-death battles.
Even his spar with Pyo San, the closest he’d come to one, had been overwhelmed by sheer skill difference, failing to push him.
But this situation was different.
‘Pinnacle’s end.’
The Fist Demon’s internal energy was at least at that level, if not beyond.
And with the thick killing intent he’d never felt before, Mok Ri-won had to endure not only the attacks but the impulses rising from that killing intent.
“Hup!”
Mok Ri-won widened his eyes and steadied his breathing.
Cold sweat trickled down his jaw, but he had no time to notice.
Pae Ung-chu wouldn’t allow it.
“Why are you so spineless!”
A crimson-black aura shot forth.
Against the strike extending qi into the air, Mok Ri-won countered in kind.
A technique he’d realized upon reaching mid-Pinnacle Realm.
In midair, blood-red and inky-black auras clashed.
Followed by the two men shooting forward.
Their collision rang out with impact.
Amid this ongoing exchange, trouble brewed elsewhere as well.
The Fist Demon Pae Ung-chu hadn’t come alone.
“Argh!”
A sword pierced an escort’s solar plexus.
It slashed downward, ending the man’s life.
Dang Hwa-seo clicked her tongue and dispersed her aura.
Love Heart.
The poison she’d mastered upon reaching Pinnacle Realm.
Unlike at the Dragon-Phoenix Tournament, she didn’t waste it recklessly.
She infused poison qi into a dagger from her sleeve, spreading it only within a one-zhang radius from where it stabbed the ground.
An exquisitely precise control of internal energy, but as always, it was just basic skill for Dang Hwa-seo.
“Sister!”
Jegal San cried out urgently.
Turning her head, Dang Hwa-seo saw him barely dodging attacks from five demons surrounding him.
She threw a dagger there, easing his pressure, then continued her thoughts.
‘This isn’t good.’
The demons were of high caliber.
The Fist Demon alone outclassed her by far, and the twenty or so following him were each first-rate level.
In contrast, what of the caravan?
The five strongest first-rate warriors could barely protect themselves.
The rest—second- and third-rate—were swept away like fallen leaves.
Dang Hwa-seo judged swiftly.
‘Must conserve strength.’
In other words, draw all their attention to reduce the burden on others.
Dang Hwa-seo took a deep breath and thickened her aura.
A dark green wave flowed around her, creating an eerie atmosphere.
Thud-!
Dang Hwa-seo stomped forward.
Toward the spot where third-rate warriors guarding the cargo were being slaughtered.
She plunged into the center and began fighting the demons.
*
Gwak Chil felt terror shaking his entire body.
‘W-what is this….’
No chaos like this chaos.
The screams echoing everywhere came from comrades he’d shared drinks with just yesterday.
The stench of blood wafting through the air originated from their bodies.
Third-rate as he was, his instincts were sharp. Gwak Chil, who’d instinctively sought safety, felt deep self-loathing but couldn’t move.
After all, the thirst for life was the common desire of all creatures.
“Aaagh-!”
An escort split in half at the waist sprawled on the ground.
Hiding under a wagon, Gwak Chil met the man’s eyes.
The lifeless gaze was utterly vacant, deepening Gwak Chil’s terror.
Gwak Chil forced his eyes away.
His gaze landed on Mok Ri-won.
The face of the wild-haired monster who’d introduced himself as the Fist Demon showed no trace of the innocence he’d seen before.
‘H-how….’
Exchanges too fast to follow with the eyes.
Moves so swift and bizarre, and the clashing auras too thick and dark to even distinguish silhouettes.
He could only glimpse expressions because they’d separated briefly, halting for a moment.
Gwak Chil’s body trembled.
Comparing his cowering self to Mok Ri-won facing the ferocious demon, self-disgust surged again.
They’d discussed righteousness together, pondered what true heroism meant—yet at the critical moment, such disparity. It was inevitable, really.
Tears streamed from Gwak Chil’s eyes.
Tears mingled with various emotions, but chief among them was fury at his own cowardice.
‘I-I…!’
He’d wanted to be a hero.
Despite his pathetic skills, he yearned to act heroically.
That’s why he’d read *Tales of the Jianghu Heroes*, and why he stayed in the martial world even after losing it.
There was hesitation.
And at its end, fury once more.
Gwak Chil scolded himself.
Replaying in his mind why he’d admired martial artists.
Finally, Gwak Chil crawled out from under the wagon, panting heavily.
He didn’t want to run anymore.
*
Pae Ung-chu burst into laughter.
“More! Show me more!”
How long had it been since he’d fought like this?
Not mere killing, but a duel staking lives—it had been years for him.
The Divine Cult was that cautious.
To reclaim the stolen star, they’d suppressed even their fervor with patience.
Boom!
Pae Ung-chu stomped forcefully.
For the first time, not a fist technique but a kick.
Twisting only his waist from his stance, his leg targeted Mok Ri-won’s knee. Mok Ri-won raised his blade to block.
Blade met shin, but unfortunately for Mok Ri-won, the shin didn’t shatter.
Boom-!
With that sound, Mok Ri-won’s body flew far back.
Pae Ung-chu pursued.
Already far from the caravan amid the ongoing fight.
Mok Ri-won felt urgency, but this was Pae Ung-chu’s intent.
“Why hesitate!”
The Divine Cult sought the stolen star.
To reclaim the Heavenly Slaughter Star dwelling in this Ink Dragon.
But Pae Ung-chu cared not for that.
He simply wanted to know how great the Killing Ghost Star truly was.
So he provoked Mok Ri-won.
“Isn’t it the Heavenly Slaughter Star!”
A jolt.
For a moment, Mok Ri-won froze.
Pae Ung-chu held back his assault and grinned.
“Isn’t it the Killing Ghost Star! So why just whimper like that!”
“How do you….”
How did he know?
As Mok Ri-won trailed off in disbelief, Pae Ung-chu laughed heartily and replied.
“Want to know? Then fight harder!”
Then he stomped again.
Once more, an even match.
*
Mok Ri-won felt profound confusion.
His secret spilling from the mouth of a demon he’d never even heard of—it was inevitable.
Questions about how he knew dragged on, but answers were nowhere to be found.
Mok Ri-won simply bit his lip and blocked the incoming fist strike.
But the longer he endured, the worse it got for him.
Mok Ri-won fell into a defensive posture.
Pae Ung-chu’s killing intent was so thick, and the erupting Demonic Qi ceaselessly stirred his mind.
He couldn’t even use that killing intent like at the Dragon-Phoenix Tournament.
Instinct warned him.
This was a sensation not to exploit.
Shhh-.
The inky aura wavered.
Pae Ung-chu seized the gap for a solid hit.
Crack!
Pae Ung-chu’s fist buried into Mok Ri-won’s side.
Mok Ri-won groaned “Guhk!” and flew off pathetically.
Dissatisfaction crossed Pae Ung-chu’s face.
“Is that all?”
His Demonic Qi shifted from flame to molten lava.
A scene perfectly illustrating how Demonic Qi reflected emotions.
“Ink Dragon! Is that all you’ve got bearing the Heavenly Slaughter Star!”
Anger laced Pae Ung-chu’s tone.
Blood vessels in his whites burst one by one, unable to contain the emotion.
“The thicker the killing intent, the stronger you get! The denser the Demonic Qi, the stronger! That’s your body, isn’t it! So why resort to such worm-like moves!”
Mok Ri-won panted heavily.
Then bit his lip hard and rose again.
He’d allowed just one strike, but the backlash was horrific.
“I didn’t come here just to see that-!”
To the emotionally charged shout, Mok Ri-won replied.
“…I didn’t pick up the sword to become a killing ghost.”
Mok Ri-won regripped his sword.
He willed his staggering body straight.
He didn’t know who the Fist Demon was.
Nor why he knew his secret, or why he provoked him so.
But amid it all, one intent was clear.
He wanted Mok Ri-won to become the killing ghost.
Thus, Mok Ri-won’s response to those words was unequivocal.
“I picked up the sword to become a hero. I won’t swing it to be devoured by killing intent.”
“Nonsense! You think that’s possible!”
“Even if impossible, my will won’t change.”
Mok Ri-won’s aura slowly regained its form.
It overlaid his sword clearly.
Mok Ri-won had no intention of dancing to his tune.
“I will become a hero. My sword is for slaying evil spirits.”
Mok Ri-won glared at Pae Ung-chu and assumed a stance.
The Qi Convergence Stance.
“A true hero treads the hardest path.”
Mok Ri-won shot forward.
Toward the center of erupting killing intent and Demonic Qi, ignoring the sensations that formed his instincts.
He swung his sword, embodying all he’d learned in life.