Chapter 97

At Dan Woo-sung’s words, Yoo Jung-hong spoke in a troubled tone.

“It would be better if the one I got along with died—but even that would be unbearable. You know, Senior. How much that apprentice hated me. I probably hated him even more. What’s so great about being the leader that I…?”

Both Dan Woo-sung and Gwang-shin saw the bitter expression on Yoo Jeong-hong’s face.

Gwang-shin spoke.

“The so-called leader of the martial arts world just sits here lamenting? It’s utterly ridiculous.”

“Exactly.”

Kwang-shin, still respecting him as a senior, tried to console the leader.

“Jeong-hong.”

“Yes.”

If you didn’t die from an ambush while sleeping, that’s the fortune of a martial artist. To have killed five of the Swordless Ones—you must have fought without regret. I myself witnessed a junior here tear two of the Swordless Ones to pieces near my dwelling. They were formidable foes. They are those who inherited the Sword Demon’s demonic ways. To have killed five such men means the disciple was no man who lived carelessly. You know well enough what the Sword Demon’s martial arts are like.”

“Yes.”

“Instead of lamenting, mobilize every last man—intelligence units and special operations teams alike—to find their base. And inform the Sword Saint and that quack physician that I’ve arrived at the Martial Alliance. I wonder if those two old fools are still alive.”

“They’re doing well.”

“Even if the Demon Path hadn’t appeared, they’re all at the age where they should ascend to heaven. They’re the sort who could slip and die while bathing. These so-called Three Immortals of ours.”

As Kwang-shin chattered on, Yoo Jeong-hong’s expression finally relaxed.

But Yoo Jeong-hong’s true feelings were far from good. That’s how regret works. A foolish regret was coming too late—wondering if he should have had an open and honest drink with his apprentice at least once.

Yoo Jeong-hong said.

“My apprentice’s death is largely my fault. I’m sorry to say this to the members of the Myeongwon, but let’s assume this is an emergency and endure some hardship together.”

“What hardship? This is just how we live. Find the Three Deities before they ascend. At least that’s how I feel. I’d rather die fighting monsters like the Sun, Moon, and Heavenly Demon, my body shattered, than die lying in a back room.”

When Yoo Jeong-hong couldn’t answer, Dan Woo-sung replied.

“Senior, I’m sorry to say this, but I won’t be the one to create such a situation.”

Yoo Jeong-hong and Gwang-shin looked at Dan Woo-sung.

Dan Woosung thought as he looked at the two seniors.

‘I didn’t reincarnate to witness this kind of spectacle.’

He swallowed the words he couldn’t bring himself to say, then reassured his two seniors.

“This time, I’ll crush the demon under the name of the Sword King.”

The elders felt they had fought long enough.

After all, they had plunged into the martial world at a younger age than Dan Woo-sung and fought until their hair turned white.

Danwooseong’s innermost conviction and resolve was that this was a problem he must solve now that he had been given a second chance at life.

Only then did Yoo Jeong-hong blink, suddenly grasping Dan Woo-sung’s prayer anew.

“Junior, you’ve changed since the Yongbong Grand Assembly.”

Dan Woo-sung smiled.

“Yes, it is different.”

The unspoken addition was: Even compared to my past life, it’s different.

Leader Yoo Jeong-hong spoke.

“Senior, may I have a drink with you today after finishing my duties?”

Kwang-shin nodded.

“Let’s do it.”

“Might my members also join you for a drink?”

Kwang-shin suddenly narrowed his eyes.

“Are you referring to the entire Myeongwon?”

Mangju Yoo Jeong-hong spoke.

“Yes. Senior, do you know how old the youngest member is?”

“Hmm.”

“Twenty. The children born while we were shedding blood in the Five Tombs War are now joining as members. These children also know the rumors about the Three Gods. It might be troublesome for you, Senior, but it will be an unforgettable day for the members. Wouldn’t a drink or two suffice? If you’re resting, I’ll prepare it by tomorrow.”

Though he would never have permitted such fanaticism under normal circumstances, today was different.

Especially seeing how Yoo Jeong-hong couldn’t even share a drink with his apprentice, and how he kept it bottled up inside, filled with regret like this, made it even more so.

Kwang-shin said.

“Let’s do it. What’s stopping us? Especially those twenty-year-old kids—they’re the last ones who’d refuse.”

Yoo Jeong-hong said.

“Then this incompetent junior will continue handling the duties.”

Gwang-shin and Dan-woo-seong stood up. It struck him anew that the leader was indeed the leader. As the two left, Leader Yu Jeong-hong called out to them outside.

“I must have a drink with the generals. Tell them to gather without reservation—I have someone to introduce. And tell the commander-in-chief to come in and report.”

“Understood.”

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The Ten Thousand Demons Library.

It was a vast library divided into levels, densely packed with countless books. What made it unique was the space in the library’s center designated for martial arts duels or teaching martial arts. Beyond that, the entire perimeter was filled with bookshelves. It wasn’t just demonic arts books; practical white-path, black-path, and heretical sect martial arts manuals were also densely packed on the shelves.

Two men entered the Ten Thousand Horses Pavilion.

Chunma bowed respectfully in various directions throughout the Manma Seo-ok, revealing his true name for the first time in recent memory.

“Wei Zhitian greets the senior masters and the Grand Master.”

Even the Heavenly Demon observed strict etiquette here. He had no choice. These men were his masters. Dry replies came from various corners.

“Welcome.”

“Master Wei, it’s been a long time.”

The Sword Demon also observed proper etiquette.

“Yan Zixin greets the masters.”

The sound of pages turning ceased here and there, and from somewhere on the third floor, an aged voice replied.

“Yeonjahun, are you blind?”

Sword Demon Yeon Jahun retorted.

“Yes.”

An old man fell from the third floor, landing in the center of the first floor. He stood there, staring blankly at the two. Dressed like a scholar, he wore a gentle expression. He was an ordinary old man, from whom not a trace of killing intent could be sensed in his aura or demeanor.

The Heavenly Demon and the Sword Demon bowed their heads simultaneously.

“Grandmaster.”

The Grand Master of the Ten Thousand Demons Library was, in a way, similar to the head of the Sutra Hall at Shaolin Temple. He managed the books, cultivated and refined his own martial arts, and was also the chief custodian responsible for researching demonic martial arts to ensure their lineage never died out.

The Grandmaster asked.

“Has the Lord of Wei also come to train in martial arts?”

Cheonma replied.

“No. I have brought the blind Lord Yeon.”

“Well done.”

It was a dismissal.

Cheonma bowed his head and walked straight out of the Ten Thousand Demons’ Prison.

The Grand Master addressed the Sword Demon.

“Lord Yeon, take a seat.”

“Yes.”

As the Sword Master assumed the lotus position, the Grand Master said.

“You will need martial arts to compensate for your eyes.”

“Indeed.”

There is a martial art called the Abyssal Technique. It expands the five senses to detect ki. It’s a martial art only those who have become blind like you can master. It’s an exceptional martial art. Your senses will become so acute you won’t even feel the inconvenience of lacking eyes.

The Sword Demon replied with a flushed expression.

“Yes, Grandmaster. May I learn it?”

The Grand Master spoke.

It’s your choice. The Abyssal Art is a martial art that easily entangles one with inner demons, leading to spiritual corruption. Especially when surrounded by those stronger than you, the risk of falling into corruption is even greater. After sensing qi with your five senses, your perception will naturally form an image. If someone stronger is nearby, that image might appear demonic. It could become some monster conjured by your imagination. While it depends on your resolve, many who practiced the Abyss Technique went mad and were imprisoned, or became madmen themselves. If you are close to being the strongest under heaven, then practicing it is acceptable. Or, if your cultivation of the mind is profound, then you may practice it. In any other case, you will suffer endlessly from inner demons, fear, and endless illusions until you die.”

The Grand Master smiled as if he were pleased, but the Sword Demon could not see his expression.

The Sword Demon replied.

“I will learn. It won’t be more despairing than it is now.”

“Jae-heun, did you hear me clearly? The Abyss Eye is, in a way, a virtual eye born from your imagination. It may not reflect reality. That is, the one you fear may appear even more terrifying…”

“I will learn. Unconditionally.”

The Grand Master looked at the Sword Demon.

“It might unfold like hell itself. For everything will be a form born from your own mind.”

The Sword Demon retorted.

“It already is hell.”

The Grandmaster gazed at the Sword Demon who had lost both eyes. What could this young fool possibly know? The Grandmaster himself knew well that the hell the Sword Demon envisioned had yet to unfold. Yet those foolish souls who chose to walk this path were also demons.

The Grandmaster nodded.

“I shall teach you the Abyssal Art.”

The Sword Demon cautiously asked what had been on his mind.

“Grandmaster, this Sword Immunity seems imperfect. Even my subordinates have been sliced like tofu by the swords of apprentices. How can this be overcome?”

“The sword’s invulnerability you wield borrows the hardness of a demon sword. It’s not the invulnerability you gained by tempering your body like the Shaolin’s Diamond Body, is it?”

“That is correct.”

“That is sufficient. If you proceed further, you might lose your self to the Demon Sword Soul. It is better to focus more on your sword technique, like the White Sword.”

A Demon Sword Soul refers to the souls of others bound within a demon sword, where souls intertwine to form a single consciousness. Naturally, being the spirits of the dead, the martial arts of a sword demon always carried the precarious risk of succumbing to demonic possession.

“It’s insufficient. Since I’ve already resolved to enter hell, why would I fear the Demon Sword Soul? If there’s another way, please tell me.”

The Grand Master asked.

“Have you given up being human?”

“Were we ever human?”

The Grandmaster clicked his tongue in response.

“Why do you ask me that? It depends on your own heart. No matter how others treat you, if you yourself do not lose your humanity, you are human.”

“Are your actions not far removed from human decency?”

“That was your choice. It is not the fault of those who taught you martial arts.”

The Sword Demon bellowed so loudly the Ten Thousand Demon Prison echoed with his roar.

“Then why did you raise monsters like the Heavenly Demon and me?!”

As the Sword Demon roared, the masters within the Ten Thousand Demons Library burst into laughter simultaneously. Countless books trembled in their places.

The Grand Master chuckled heartily and said.

You entered here harboring hatred since childhood, seeking our teachings. We are old men obsessed with martial arts. We still practice them, occasionally teaching them. We refuse to set limits on that realm. If the greatest martial arts of all time, synthesizing every martial discipline, were born here, that would fulfill our purpose. Wei Zhichuan’s father was a promising talent, a rare genius. He ignored our warnings and ventured into the martial world, never to be found again—not even his body. A young disciple must know his place. Both Wei Zhichuan and you still have a long way to go. Seeing how you lash out at your masters, I can clearly see how Wei Zhichuan must have raised you. If Wei Zhitian’s eyes remain clear while yours vanish, you have been defeated. This concerns not merely martial prowess, but also one’s nature, character, and cunning. Poor disciple, you always clamor only for martial arts training. You should first examine yourself…

They were truly bizarre villains.

In a way, these masters might have been pure evil itself.

If attaining enlightenment meant becoming an immortal, then those who reached the realm of transcending evil might look like this, one might think.

As if suddenly sensing something, the Sword Demon instantly grew quiet and replied.

“This disciple understands.”

The Grand Master said.

“If a young disciple becomes the Grand Master of the Demon Path, it would bring a small joy to our tedious daily lives. So, you must first strive to look within yourself. Meditate only in that spot for three days. The Abyssal Art will be taught afterward.”

“Understood.”

He spoke as if the Grand Master, even holed up in the Manma Library, knew everything happening outside.

“Sword Demon Yeon Jahun.”

“Yes.”

“With that temperament, you’ll only ever be a plaything for the Heavenly Demon, Wizhichun. The path of the demon is always one of defiance. If you are devoured by the Heavenly Demon, we will consider it a natural outcome. But if you ever manage to devour Wizhichun, we will rejoice amidst our astonishment. The reason is simple: it would be unexpected. Is that not the very essence of the demonic path? Strive diligently…

As this conversation among madmen drew to a close.

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Outside the Ten Thousand Demons’ Hall, the Heavenly Demon Wei Zhichuan, who had been listening in on the Grand Master and the Sword Demon’s conversation while keeping his presence completely hidden, brushed himself off and stood up. He then assumed a martial stance, like a martial artist of the White Path, facing the Ten Thousand Demons’ Hall.

That attitude was as if…

…as if he were learning another lesson today. The Celestial Demon, hands clasped behind his back, moved like a ghost and nodded.

“Truly, you speak wisely.”

ⓒ Yoo Jin-seong