Chapter 346: Fire Demon (6)
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Cheong-ui looked at Ma Cheon-wi standing before him. Even just until yesterday, Cheong-ui had not known Ma Cheon-wi. Nor that there were branches within the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, nor that a breed called the Nine Demons existed.
However, he could sense it. The strength emanating from those natural movements.
Although he appeared to be a handsome young man, these were by no means movements that could be displayed at that age.
Of course, his cherished disciple Muk Hui-yeong also displayed martial prowess unfitting for his age, but it was somewhat different from that. If Muk Hui-yeong displayed flashing genius, Ma Cheon-wi showed a solidity accumulated through long years and experience.
First, they clashed blades to probe one another. Cheong-ui’s expression hardened at the tingling force vibrating through his grip. As expected, he was an immense expert.
“So this is one of the Five Great Sword Masters Under Heaven.”
Having received Cheong-ui’s single strike, Ma Cheon-wi’s eyes also grew tense.
The opponent before him right now was a person ranked among the highest experts in the Central Plains. He could never lower his tension.
Neither the people of the Wudang Sect nor the black-robed men dared to think of intervening in the battle between Cheong-ui and Ma Cheon-wi. Because it seemed that stepping even slightly within their radius would make it impossible to endure the blades of force radiating like shockwaves.
Cheong-ui and Ma Cheon-wi engaged not only on the ground, but in midair as well. Their leaps were higher than other martial artists, and their aerial suspension was prolonged. Consequently, enough time was created to clash swords five times even in the air.
“It is a sinister sword art.”
Cheong-ui spoke. The energy currently emanating from Ma Cheon-wi’s sword was clearly grounded in Defying Heaven.
“Wielding such a sword art, it seems one would suffer in frail health and die before even reaching fifty years of age.”
“The vast majority of people do. But when Defying Heaven reaches its extreme, it ultimately becomes Ascending to Heaven.”
“Preposterous nonsense!”
Every time Cheong-ui and Ma Cheon-wi’s blades collided, tilted spiral shockwaves erupted violently.
As if by mutual agreement, the two pulled far apart. It was the very spot where they had begun the battle. Being high experts, both knew. Just now had merely been a probing exchange.
Watching Cheong-ui and Ma Cheon-wi without a single drop of sweat on them, the onlookers realized only then that the two had been engaging in a probing battle, marveling in awe.
“I have a proposal to make.”
Cheong-ui opened his mouth first.
“What is it?”
“There seems no need to involve our disciples or subordinates. Would it not suffice for us to settle the outcome among ourselves?”
At Cheong-ui’s words, Ma Cheon-wi curled the corners of his mouth. Soon, Ma Cheon-wi threw back his head and laughed loudly.
“For the great Taiji Sword Emperor of all under heaven to utter such frail words. Thinking you might lose, do you intend to save at least your disciples?”
“Protecting disciples is the duty of a Sect Leader. Are you not also the head of your subordinates, with a duty to protect them?”
“I am sorry, but we are a religious group. They are not subordinates but common believers, and the Nine Demons are priests. Common believers have an obligation to dedicate themselves for the priests. Conversely, the priests have no obligation to do anything for the common believers.”
At Ma Cheon-wi’s words, Cheong-ui’s expression hardened. Because those words were no different from declaring negotiations broken.
“Therefore, my answer is a refusal. Even if I die, I intend to kill even a single additional disciple of the Wudang Sect.”
“A demonic head is indeed different.”
Yet in the first place, Cheong-ui had not expected Ma Cheon-wi to accept his proposal either. He had merely tested the waters just in case.
In any case, their promises could not be trusted. Because he was clearly a bastard who, after agreeing not to harm subordinates, would unhesitatingly feign ignorance and harm them once he himself perished. In that regard, he was consistent.
“Then I shall kill every last one of you and look after my disciples.”
Cheong-ui closed his eyes and opened them. A blue luminescence shone from his eyes, and a luminous, gentle azure energy gleamed like a halo from his body.
“Hehe. That is how it should be.”
Ma Cheon-wi also infused demonic qi into his sword. A turbid energy mixed with multiple dark colors erupted from Ma Cheon-wi’s sword and body.
“Demonic head. Be grateful. This is a realm that can never be reached through your crude martial arts made solely for power.”
Cheong-ui drew a circle in the air with his sword. There was not a shred of disarray. As if the sword tip were a brush, drawing across the air created an azure energy.
Into the center of that circular azure energy, Cheong-ui dipped his sword. As if sinking into a lake, the Ancient Pine-Pattern Sword was drawn in, leaving behind tranquil ripples.
“It is the Taiji Wisdom Sword.”
Ma Cheon-wi’s eyes curved into an arc.
Soon, the space surrounding Cheong-ui and Ma Cheon-wi was dyed in azure. A Daoist utopia with neither earth nor sky, simply luminous and clear. That was the world of the Taiji Wisdom Sword unfolded by Cheong-ui.
Yet Ma Cheon-wi was not entirely trapped within that world either. Because in that monochromatic space, the only one exuding a deeply foreign energy was Ma Cheon-wi himself.
The two no longer spoke. Because they knew that no matter what words they exchanged, they were running on parallel lines.
The world unfolded by Cheong-ui.
The world unfolded by Ma Cheon-wi.
As those two collided, they produced a sound like thunder.
* * *
The ripple echoing faintly from the direction of Jun County belonged to Cheong-ui. Did they not say that one recognizes a beloved person from afar just by looking at their back? Similarly, the energy each person possessed had its own unique wavelength. Through that, Muk Hui-yeong felt Cheong-ui’s resonance.
There was a martial artist in the Blood Cult capable of making the Taiji Sword Emperor, one of the Five Great Sword Masters Under Heaven of the current era, roar like that. Yet Muk Hui-yeong did not grow anxious. He simply trusted the underlying strength of Cheong-ui and the Wudang Sect disciples.
There was no need to worry about other people’s situations. Because Muk Hui-yeong’s current situation was crisis enough.
The attacks and sword strikes of blood continuously surging from the Illusion Demon’s formation. Because they differed from the usual manner of fighting orthodox practitioners, they were all the more troublesome.
On top of that, the Illusion Demon had sharply noticed that I was trying to leave this place quickly and altered his tactics.
Whenever I tried to create an opening and escape the Illusion Demon’s formation, the moment I moved toward the outer edge of the formation, a wall of blood sprang up to block me.
With things turning out like this, I had to change my thinking as well. But I had to change it without being noticed as much as possible.
“Heavenly Demon. You are strong, but lack experience. Where does one reveal their inner thoughts so openly?”
The Illusion Demon chuckled heartily. He spoke because I kept hovering around the outer perimeter. Ignoring the Illusion Demon’s words, I continued to approach the perimeter to draw the Illusion Demon’s attention.
Even while doing so, I continuously repeated the oral formulas of the Taiji Wisdom Sword internally. Not much time had passed since I had comprehended the Taiji Wisdom Sword.
To be precise, however, I had not comprehended it entirely. I had merely entered the gate of the martial art called the Taiji Wisdom Sword. Because formulas and forms are always the basic template. Only when one unfolds them in one’s own manner can one truly be said to have comprehended the martial art.
In other words, to comprehend the Taiji Wisdom Sword in my own way, I was continuously reciting the formulas and pondering how to unfold them. Because that was the only clue to shaking off the Illusion Demon right now.
My mind operated rapidly. All the talents I had purchased until now were functioning together.
The Goblin enhanced my speed.
Awakening bolstered my internal energy.
Unity of Sword and Body elevated my sword art.
The Wind God sharpened my sensory perception.
The Martial King’s Body strengthened my physical form.
Those were among the few absolute constants in a world filled with uncertainty. Because the Martial Talent Shop itself was an arrangement of a god, or a being equivalent to one.
I decided to trust in the Martial Talent and the person named myself. As long as those talents existed, there were many things I could attempt.
Since the Ren and Du meridians had been opened through Awakening, there was almost no danger of internal energy flowing backward into martial deviation, and since my physical body was reinforced by the Martial King’s Body, it would withstand a fair amount of strain.
Preparations were already complete. The final remaining piece was merely my own cognition. Trusting in the person that was me.
Biting my lip, I began to recite the formulas of the Taiji Wisdom Sword in a blended manner. Forcibly entangling and reciting the formulas of the Taiji Wisdom Sword, which were perfectly constructed in themselves, caused the internal energy that had been circulating in a single direction to clash erratically, placing severe strain on my body.
Ordinary people would have stopped out of fear from that alone. But I was different. I trusted in my talents and myself.
“Doing something strange……”
The Illusion Demon also seemed to have felt the radical shift in my energy.
In the eyes of onlookers, it was an exceedingly reckless act. Because people do not know well what talents they possess.
However, I knew what talents I had. Simply knowing that meant this was not a reckless action.
The space and energy of the Taiji Wisdom Sword I had unfolded began to compress gradually. And that compressed energy was drawn into my sword. The sword vibrated. Even though Bright Elegance was a fine sword comparable to the Eighteen Famous Swords of the murim, it seemed hardly able to endure.
Normally, as the Taiji Wisdom Sword unfolded, it blanketed and embraced all things. But I had condensed that gentle energy capable of blanketing the world into a single point.
Concentration of power. Giving up the domain control and inclusiveness of the Taiji Wisdom Sword, I elevated its power to the absolute maximum.
Having sensed the power contained in my sword, the Illusion Demon urgently turned around and shouted.
“All of you, commit suicide!”
Hearing those words, I could not suppress my disgust. It meant they should enter the formation deployed by the Illusion Demon and become part of his power.
In truth, the Illusion Demon was controlling their minds, and the Blood Cult members were formidable lunatics, so there were those who slit their own throats without hesitation.
However, the majority flinched for a moment. The Illusion Demon manipulated human subconsciousness. Yet the very last thing existing within human subconsciousness was the desire for life.
Denying that itself was an act that could not be easily achieved, no matter how much the Illusion Demon controlled their minds. Their potential, their subconsciousness rejected it.
I did not miss the opening as the Blood Cult members hesitated. Suicide is the sole action that contradicts both instinct and reason. Defying both takes time.
However, if they took time but eventually committed suicide to become the Illusion Demon’s strength, it would become even more of a headache for me. Before the people became the Illusion Demon’s power, I had to execute the Illusion Demon.
I swiftly penetrated into the Illusion Demon’s opening. Blood walls constantly surged upward to block my way, but stabbing and slashing through them, I continued my relentless advance.
“……!”
And finally, drawing close enough to the Illusion Demon to discern his facial expression with the naked eye, I could see the Illusion Demon’s widely opened eyes.
The Illusion Demon had also sensed the essence and destructive power of the Taiji Wisdom Sword contained within my Bright Elegance. Overwhelmed by it, the Illusion Demon could not even think of swinging the sword crafted from his own blood.
Coming to his senses belatedly, he tried to block my blade with his sword of blood, but my Taiji Wisdom Sword was not that slow.
Unleashing the compressed Taiji Wisdom Sword, I cleaved through the Illusion Demon from shoulder to waist. There was even an optical illusion of space distorting as if torn apart.
And along with that space, the Illusion Demon was mercilessly cleaved in two. I did not even spare a glance at the Illusion Demon who had been cut into two pieces. With the Illusion Demon dead, the formation on the ground glowing in blood-red color also instantly lost its power.
I immediately leaped out of the formation and headed toward Jun County. My martial brothers of the Wudang Sect would be waiting for me.