Chapter 190: It's Right Here

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The pained cries of Yeop Hwon and Hyeop Mu-geuk, tearing through the darkness, grew louder as time passed, and the intervals between them became faster.

Listening quietly, one might even get the feeling that both of them might die at this rate.

But Cheol Ryu-heun remained expressionless as ever.

That wasn’t callousness.

Certainty.

That’s right.

It was confidence.

The extreme pain tormenting Yeop Hwon and Hyeop Mu-geuk was a natural process of the martial achievement he had arranged.

There was no way it would fail.

And

He knew better than anyone.

Those two, who had stayed at this sect that had long scraped the bottom and guarded it to the end without leaving, would demonstrate indomitable mental strength and overcome it triumphantly no matter how terrible the pain that assailed them.

Well, it could be expressed as trust in those two.

Anyway, there was only one predetermined result.

The rise and development of enlightenment, and thereby the advancement and change of martial prowess.

‘Ha, grit your teeth and endure. Once everything is finished overnight, the distortions on your faces will disappear and smiles will dwell there.’

Suddenly.

CLICK.

The office door opened and a figure appeared.

It was Gal Jung-heon.

Just as he approached the desk and was about to say something.

“You must have heard and come.”

At the words Cheol Ryu-heun suddenly tossed out, Gal Jung-heon paused, then nodded.

“Ah… Yes. That’s right. Everyone seems shocked.”

That meant the story related to Seop Pyo and Cui Lan.

More precisely, the foreign demonic force Cheol Ryu-heun had pointed to – the Sun Moon Demon Cult.

Gal Jung-heon remembered what Cheol Ryu-heun had said when he first came here.

-We will soon become entangled with two forces. When that matter is concluded, everyone under heaven will hear. The name of this sect as it newly takes flight.

At that time, Cheol Ryu-heun had said one place was the Sword Seal Sect and the other he would learn about later, and today he had finally learned it was the Sun Moon Demon Cult.

“Only now do I realize why you asked me about the Sun Moon Demon Cult Master some time ago.”

“You can guess what comes after?”

“A fight… Is it?”

“Naturally. Since that side touched me first.”

“Pardon?”

“The masked person who suddenly appeared when I killed Jeo Gyeom.”

“AH! Then he was…”

“A member of the Sun Moon Demon Cult. The demonic energy lurking in his body was the same.”

Gal Jung-heon heard those words and raised a question.

“Isn’t it hasty to make a conclusion based on that alone?”

“What do you mean – I know it well too.”

“…?”

“The attributes of the supreme demonic art, that is the secret transmission of the successive Sun Moon Demon Cult Leaders.”

“…!”

“The demonic energy the guy was hiding in his body was intertwined like countless hooks. If the energy sense I read at that time wasn’t wrong, that is.”

Simultaneously, Gal Jung-heon’s expression changed.

“It’s the Sun Moon Demon Arrival Technique!”

“Yes.”

When Cheol Ryu-heun nodded, Gal Jung-heon clicked his tongue.

It was incredible.

Wasn’t this an ability to marvel at anew?

From what he had heard about that incident after coming here, even Head-Severing Yama Seop Pyo couldn’t easily read that power…

Then soon he changed his gaze and opened his mouth.

“Hmm… But something doesn’t readily make sense. That he harbored two kinds of energy in one body. Fundamentally, the essence and wondrous function of martial world cultivation techniques and demonic techniques are meant to be in conflict…”

“There is exactly one method.”

“Pardon? What is it?”

“Two Hearts Divine Art Technique.”

“…!”

Gal Jung-heon’s expression wavered once again.

Two Hearts Divine Art Technique.

A supreme mental technique said to make it possible to divide the spirit and mental state and operate internal energy cultivations of different attributes.

‘But I understood that it had been lost in the distant past!’

Over four hundred years had passed.

The gap of time since the Two Hearts Divine Art Technique had been lost, with the era when the Martial Immortal Dongbang Ya was active being the last.

Cheol Ryu-heun spoke as if seeing through his thoughts.

“He must have obtained a fortuitous encounter left by someone of old.”

In the past, the last person to use the Two Hearts Divine Art Technique had been the Jade Ruler Elegant Scholar, a wandering eccentric between the orthodox and unorthodox.

“Hmm… Could it be that the Sun Moon Demon Cult obtained the fortuitous encounter of the Two Hearts Divine Art Technique arranged by the Jade Ruler Elegant Scholar long ago?”

At that moment, Cheol Ryu-heun spoke meaningfully.

“Who knows? In any case, the identity of the one who inherited the Sun Moon Demon Arrival Technique through the Two Hearts Divine Art Technique is definitely someone from the orthodox or unorthodox faction.”

“Why is that?”

“Because the Two Hearts Divine Art Technique was created based on the essence of martial world internal energy cultivation.”

“Ah yes… What you’re saying is that a martial artist who entered through demonic arts cannot learn the Two Hearts Divine Art Technique.”

“Well, there is a way, but they’d die from side effects. Before achieving great success.”

“Then it seems certain the masked person is someone who learned Central Plains internal energy cultivation.”

“Moreover, he’s a genius type.”

“That’s right. Since he seemed to be about the same age as the Sect Leader…”

“I’ve already made plans. Now only execution remains.”

Immediately after, Gal Jung-heon spoke with a determined expression.

“It will be quite a big fight. I too will be of help.”

Cheol Ryu-heun rose quietly and walked toward the window on the wall.

CLICK-

Having flung open the window, he soon gazed at the night sky.

“Being the end of autumn, the wind is quite cold.”

Gal Jung-heon approached his side and responded.

“Winter will be here soon.”

“That’s exactly it.”

“…?”

“I will approach like winter. So that the bodies of enemies who have snuck in like rats shrink greatly.”

“Yes… Like the harsh wind of a biting winter.”

Cheol Ryu-heun soon withdrew his gaze from the night sky and spoke quietly.

“I’ll explain to you first. The series of plans.”

Meanwhile, he sneered inwardly.

Ha.

Stupid fools, are you looking for the Divine Martial Sword?

Well, it’s right here.

Just as a person rather than a sword, though.

If you can take it, come and try to take it.

* * *

The dormitory was shared by the personnel of bandit origin including Tae Sa-ja and the four workers from the Qidiao Sword Family including Qidiao Gon.

-UWAAK… UWAAK…!

-GUHAAAK… GUHAAHAK…!

As sharp screams continuously echoed, several of those lying on their beds frowned.

“Ah… There goes tonight’s sleep.”

“But is it really okay? At this rate…”

“Hey, Sect Leader did it. There’s no way anything could go wrong.”

“That’s true, but…”

At that moment, Tae Sa-ja, who occupied the largest bed, sat his upper body bolt upright and gestured.

“Youngest head.”

He was referring to Qidiao Gon, the representative of the new workers.

“Yes?”

When Qidiao Gon quickly threw off his covers and came close, Tae Sa-ja opened his mouth with an embarrassed face.

“Um… If it’s alright, could you teach me a bit?”

“What do you mean…?”

“The basics.”

“Ah.”

“Anyway, I can’t sleep because of those sounds, and it feels like a waste to just pass the time like this.”

Earlier, Cheol Ryu-heun had said.

-Starting tomorrow, learn sword basics through the executives.

But waiting until dawn was difficult.

An ambition that had grown even greater at some point.

Because the enlightenment he had gained today had filled his heart with longing for martial achievement.

Qidiao Gon immediately understood that feeling.

He was a martial artist too, wasn’t he?

There was no way he wouldn’t know the heart of a beginner who had just taken their first steps.

‘Sect Leader Cheol, truly a miraculous and remarkable person the more I see. Changing a person’s mindset is no easy thing. And he was even a low-class bandit.’

Soon he nodded.

“Yes. Let’s do that.”

“Right, thanks. Qidiao One.”

One? What One – it’s Qidiao Gon, Qidiao Gon!

Don’t number me like an object when there’s a perfectly good name!

At that moment, Tae Sa-ja shouted.

“Two, Three, Four!”

Those who had become Qidiao Two, Three, Four flinched.

“Yes?”

“Let’s borrow your hands too! Let’s all do overnight training while we’re at it!”

At that, the group of bandit origin who had been stimulated all rose at once.

“Yes! Captain! We’ll participate!”

“We need to become proper swordsmen quickly too!”

“What good is sleep! We’ll sleep forever when we die anyway!”

“Indeed!”

Thus they all grabbed training swords and rushed outside.

Qidiao gon, having gotten dressed at some point, also walked out along with the Qidiao Sword Family members.

‘Perhaps I too, no, we too…’

Suddenly such a thought crossed Qidiao Gon’s mind.

Though they had come to apologize for past matters and suddenly became workers, might that rather be a great fortuitous encounter that would change their lives…

Why?

Because Cheol Ryu-heun was here.

If they faithfully carried out their assigned duties going forward and showed a truly repentant attitude, they too might seize the opportunity to achieve a new level of martial arts.

‘This is… Tantamount to a turning point in life. Yes! I will give my best at whatever task!’

Thus Qidiao Gon firmed his resolve and wore a faint smile.

Though his steps were heavy from working until nightfall, his heart was incomparably light.

* * *

An ordinary tavern.

Three people sat gathered at a small round table.

They were Moon Gleam Sword Wu Yong of Bright Moon Sword Sect, Iron Brush Young Master Wan Ryeom of the Six Righteousness Gate, and Jade Robe Swallow Lady Mae Yak-bang of the Soaring Swallow Sword Sect – who had previously suffered humiliation from Cheol Ryu-heun’s transcendent martial prowess.

The three with hardened faces silently raised their glasses for a while.

At some moment, Wu Yong broke the silence.

“We must acknowledge it. Now…”

At that, Wan Ryeom sitting beside him nodded slightly.

“Whew… Yes. There’s no choice. Cheol Ryu-heun… He’s playing in completely different waters.”

They too had heard it.

The rumors that had set the world abuzz.

Mae Yak-bang drained her drink and placed the glass down with a TAK.

“Let’s go! Us!”

At the sudden words, Wu Yong and Wan Ryeom spoke in unison.

“Pardon?”

“To watch the duel!”

Wu Yong and Wan Ryeom each showed reluctance.

“No… You’re saying we should go to Wanju? But…”

“Hmm… Vulgarly speaking, isn’t it embarrassing? Everyone knows about our matter…”

“Oh come on! What’s a little loss of face! Setting aside other things, winning and losing is common! What’s truly shameful is…”

Mae Yak-bang trailed off.

Suddenly, one person’s words had come to mind.

-It doesn’t seem like a good choice to borrow our elders’ power for our matter.

Azure Mark Sword Seol Pan-gyo.

He had been the one leading this assembly all along.

However,

He wasn’t here.

Had he made up his mind to walk a different path now?

She hadn’t known then.

The meaning hidden in Seol Pan-gyo’s words.

She had realized belatedly.

Rather than fearfully backing away after hearing a lecture from his father Seol Hu-yong, one of the Five Supreme Martial Experts of Hunan Province, he had begun a journey to be reborn as a true orthodox martial artist…

-What an incompetent daughter! I didn’t raise you like this! You can’t even follow the example of Young Master Seol, who I hear left everything behind and set out on a path of reflection and repentance some time ago!

That was news she had learned through her father Mae Pung, the Sect Leader of the Soaring Swallow Sword Sect.

That day, Mae Yak-bang had also become just like Seol Pan-gyo who had suddenly left home.

Because the angry Mae Pung had stripped her of all authority and thrown her out, telling her to go learn about the bigger, wider world.

They say you only realize how precious something is after losing it.

Mae Yak-bang had keenly felt it over the past few days.

Just how enormous a privilege the things she had enjoyed as a matter of course had been.

Having drunk again, she continued.

“What’s truly shameful is that we tried to get revenge by borrowing our elders’ power. And also our cowardly attitude in still not having conveyed a heartfelt apology to Sect Leader Cheol… Let’s go meet Sect Leader Cheol and formally apologize for our past wrongdoings.”

At that moment, Wu Yong asked meaningfully.

“Miss Mae, are you sincere?”

“Yes. Having become a body with nothing more to lose like this, I’ve finally come to realize something.”

At Mae Yak-bang’s firm tone, Wu Yong responded in a quiet voice.

“Very well. Let’s go together.”

Wan Ryeom beside him also nodded in agreement.

At that, Mae Yak-bang sprang to her feet and spoke as she left the room.

“Let’s depart immediately.”

Just as she disappeared outside, Wu Yong twitched his eyebrow upward and smirked.

“Ha, that brazen wench… Now that she’s become a beggar, her mindset follows suit, I see.”

“Apologize, she says… She seems to have no pride.”

“Brother, let’s just go for now. Honestly, I am curious about the duel itself. After that… Let’s teach that half-wit wench a lesson.”

“Pardon? But…”

“She’s got nothing like a rat anymore, unlike us. So even if we secretly mess with her, what is there to fear?”

“Hmm… Well, that’s true. Hoho. Understood.”

“We watch the duel and we watch the female body – killing two birds with one stone.”

* * *

Before they knew it, time had flowed quickly and it became the morning before the duel.

Having finished a simple meal, Cheol Ryu-heun climbed Divine wind’s back together with Gal Jung-heon and departed for the Hubei region.

KWANG- DUDUDUDUDU-!