Chronicles of the Mad Demon - Chapter 187
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 187. Broken Chain (2)
“I believe this is the first time we’re meeting like this.”
From Heo Do Jin In’s words, Neung Hyeong could tell that Moyong Bi had revealed the truth.
A bitter smile appeared on Neung Hyeong’s face.
That forced-looking smile seemed like a struggle not to lose his sense of identity.
“That’s right. We must have caused you quite a bit of trouble, I suppose?”
“If your side hadn’t drawn swords first, we wouldn’t have ended up in such an unpleasant relationship.”
Neung Hyeong twitched his cheek.
“So, what will you do now? From the looks of you, it seems like a few punches would be enough to turn you into minced meat?”
“Though my internal energy has almost completely dissipated, the principles of Wudang martial arts still remain with me. I can send mere punches without enlightenment flying far into the sky along with their owner.”
“Oh, is that so? Shall we test whether my fists are just ordinary fists, or painful ones?”
“The only thing that will be in pain is my hand.”
Not only Neung Hyeong, but Heo Do Jin In also showed no sign of backing down.
Though it was already a thing of the past and Neung Hyeong had also waged war unintentionally, so they could just forget everything and live in reality, both sides had lost too much for that.
Wasn’t it because of the war that the Wudang Sect had ended up in this state? Thanks to that, they learned that Taoist priests couldn’t just live soaked in mountain energy alone, but there was no need to be grateful to Neung Hyeong for such a reason.
Heo Joong Jin In and Ja Dam were flustered by the two men growling at each other.
Moyong Bi raised his hand to stop both of them.
“Let’s consider this sufficient for greetings.”
Even at his old comrade’s words, Heo Do Jin In continued to stare intently at Neung Hyeong.
It was Neung Hyeong who turned his head away first.
“Hmph, this is what happens when you live on a mountain that previous generations couldn’t manage properly.”
At those words, Heo Do Jin In’s eyes deepened.
“You knew?”
“I heard about it.”
“But it seemed like you were feeling Mu Dang Mountain’s energy even before you heard about it?”
“Isn’t that natural? If I couldn’t feel that, I’d have to die.”
Ja Dam, who had suddenly become someone who should die, was even more flustered.
Heo Do Jin In pondered.
“Let me ask you. How do you perceive the mountain’s configuration of Mu Dang Mountain?”
“Why should I answer that question?”
Moyong Bi kicked Neung Hyeong’s shin.
Neung Hyeong made dying sounds as he hopped around.
“Stop picking fights and answer the questions properly, you bastard.”
“You crazy bastard! Don’t you respect your elders?!”
“Do I need to repeat what we’ve been talking about until now?”
“Go ahead, do it! I’ve got dementia so tell me every time I forget!”
Moyong Bi chuckled briefly, then hardened his expression.
“How is it? What do you feel?”
His shin hurt too much to ignore even those words.
Neung Hyeong grumbled as he spoke.
“How is what? In all my life, I’ve never seen such deformed spiritual energy.”
Heo Joong Jin In and Ja Dam were shocked.
They didn’t know how long he could have lived to use such an expression, but at least the word ‘deformed’ was enough to surprise both of them.
“Deformed? What does that mean?”
At Heo Joong Jin In’s words, Neung Hyeong also became much calmer.
“I haven’t traveled to all the mountains north of the Yangtze River, but there are many places in the south called famous mountains or sacred mountains. Usually, a mountain’s energy matches the characteristics of its terrain, and there are places where the energy is particularly strong due to nature’s blessing.”
Just as people do, each mountain has its own unique characteristics of energy.
“Among them, there are places where the air is incredibly clear and the qi is abundantly rich to excess. You’d think ordinary people would be healthy living in such places, but that’s not the case. Rather, excessive qi saturates the body and eventually creates illness.”
“Illness?”
“The body swells up from its most basic constituent units.”
“What do you mean?”
“The human body always tries to maintain the same state based on a certain standard. If I had to put it into words, it could be expressed as homeostasis.”
“Homeostasis…”
“But if you live in a place with excessive qi, the body’s homeostasis breaks down in as little as a few years or as long as over ten years.”
“…!”
“Those who have learned internal energy cultivation methods won’t have their bodies deteriorate, but ordinary people do. At first, they gain great benefits like improved health and clearer minds, but as time passes, homeostasis collapses and eventually even causes physical deformities.”
Suddenly, Ja Dam let out an exclamation.
“The Golden-Horned Twin-Headed Snake…!”
Heo Joong Jin In tilted his head.
“Golden-Horned Twin-Headed Snake? What is that?”
Heo Do Jin In answered for him.
“It’s a spiritual creature living at the western end of the slopes of Mu Dang Mountain. It’s a snake with two heads and a golden horn on its forehead. It’s a spiritual creature with poison so powerful that it cannot be eliminated even with considerable internal energy.”
“There was such a spiritual creature?”
Neung Hyeong nodded and answered.
“That’s why there are many ghosts and spirits and spiritual creatures swarming in mountains with strong qi. Human bodies cannot accept spiritual energy, but beasts instinctively handle it in ways that enhance their physical forms. In a sense, you could say they naturally learn internal energy cultivation methods.”
“Amazing!”
Moyong Bi spoke in a grave voice.
“To summarize, humans can accept a mountain’s spiritual energy and be fine through internal energy cultivation methods or Taoist training methods.”
“Well observed. Frankly speaking, if one only dreams of the Way of Immortals, it could rather be called a blessing.”
“If you excessively absorb a mountain’s spiritual energy, even a handful of filth would contaminate all the clean energy?”
“That’s right, more or less.”
Heo Joong Jin In interjected with an urgent expression.
“But if that logic is correct, then all the Taoist priests practicing on famous mountains and sacred mountains would…!”
As he spoke, he realized it. That he had returned to facts he already knew.
Neung Hyeong frowned and waved his hands.
“This Mu Dang Mountain has excessive spiritual energy, far too excessive. It’s explosive, I tell you. The density is several times higher than what you vaguely imagine.”
“My…”
“Before I heard about it, even I didn’t know it was this excessive. After hearing everything and quietly resonating with the qi, this was beyond imagination.”
Heo Joong Jin In didn’t understand what it meant to resonate with the mountain’s configuration and qi.
But Heo Do Jin In knew.
So he was inwardly amazed. They say he was the best under heaven, and Neung Hyeong’s ability to do such things as naturally as breathing was truly remarkable.
“So.”
Neung Hyeong glanced at Moyong Bi.
“You want me to destroy it?”
As expected, he understood without being told.
“That’s right.”
“Why should I?”
“Do you really have dementia? Don’t you feel like responsibilities are floating around everywhere yet?”
“Damn, do I have to take responsibility for this place too?”
“These people are those who can help you bear the responsibility you must carry.”
“…Damn it.”
Moyong Bi said to Heo Do Jin In.
“Are you ready?”
“I’ve been preparing every day for over twenty years.”
“Let’s not waste time and start right away.”
Heo Do Jin In said to Heo Joong Jin In.
“Junior brother.”
“Yes?”
“Remove the Bong Ma Jin.”
Heo Joong Jin In was startled.
“Is that really alright?”
“I trust these people.”
He couldn’t understand what relationship there was between trusting these people and dismantling the Bongmajin.
But he didn’t express any more doubts.
“I’ll remove the formation pillars. Please wait a moment.”
“Ja Dam, you should go with Uncle as well.”
As a master, there must be aspects he didn’t want to show.
Ja Dam bowed her head and went down below the hermitage with Heo Joong Jin In.
Neung Hyeong let out a deep sigh and rolled his shoulders.
“I wonder if the Demon Absorption Command will work properly.”
“It’s a technique for absorbing demonic energy, right?”
“Isn’t that why you asked me to do it since you know that?”
“If it really doesn’t work, I can do it instead.”
Neung Hyeong unconsciously flinched.
“You know techniques like the Demon Absorption Command?”
“No.”
“Then what gives you such confidence?”
“I know a method to draw it into my already corrupted body. Ah, is it the same technique in the end?”
“You crazy bastard. Do you think you can handle the essence of demonic energy accumulated for over twenty years?”
Moyong Bi laughed and tapped his head with his finger.
“I’m learning martial arts you can’t even imagine.”
Neung Hyeong didn’t even want to find out what that was.
“Forget it, I’ll do it. Maybe it’ll work even better than when I learned demonic arts.”
The Demon Absorption Command was a study that absorbed others’ demonic energy to make it one’s own power, a dangerous technique even when mastered.
However, Neung Hyeong was well-versed in all demonic arts, and having learned the Heavenly Dragon Demon Subduing Technique, he had no reason to absorb demonic energy.
A moment later.
Whoooong.
He felt something transparent surrounding them disappear.
At that moment, Heo Do Jin In’s eyes gradually turned red.
He could endure for two or three days, but he was deliberately drawing out his demonic nature.
Ziiiiing!
The Brain Gate Heart Technique immediately raised its head.
Moyong Bi’s eyes deepened.
‘Yes, it really was genuine.’
Though he wasn’t someone who would lie about such things, actually witnessing the existence of the demon removed any lingering doubts from his heart.
Neung Hyeong’s face became serious.
“It’s been a really long time since I’ve seen demonic energy condensed to this degree.”
Heo Do Jin In’s breathing instantly became disturbed.
Though he didn’t let the demonic energy flow outside his body, his destructive urges seemed to be rising. Rather, since he had used most of his internal energy to treat his disciples, it seemed the demonic energy sealed in his chest hadn’t created the worst situation.
Neung Hyeong placed his hand on Heo Do Jin In’s chest.
Crack!
Heo Do Jin In’s right hand shot up like lightning and grabbed Neung Hyeong’s wrist.
It was the demon’s instinct. To destroy all dangerous elements around to protect itself.
Neung Hyeong said calmly.
“Endure it.”
“…Don’t worry.”
Heo Do Jin In’s voice, gritting his teeth, trembled with twenty years of accumulated resentment.
Neung Hyeong closed his eyes.
Woooooong!
The Heavenly Dragon Demon Subduing Technique moved according to the Demon Absorption Command’s incantation, emitting a gentle suction force.
“Cough!”
Blood burst from Heo Do Jin In’s nose and mouth. The demonic energy was screaming against the terrifying anti-demonic energy.
As if such things didn’t matter, Neung Hyeong gradually increased the suction force.
Woooooong!
The demonic energy, struggling not to be sucked in, tried to spread throughout Heo Do Jin In’s entire body.
At that moment, Moyong Bi placed his hand on Heo Do Jin In’s life gate acupoint and infused Infinite True Qi.
He sealed the demonic energy’s movement without colliding with the internal forces.
One was a master who had been discussed as the world’s greatest, and the other was an absolute master who had defeated a master discussed as the world’s greatest with inferior skills.
As the two masters unleashed their mutual prowess to control Heo Do Jin In’s body, the demonic energy that had lost its way screamed and was sucked into Neung Hyeong.
“Kugh!”
“Just endure a little more, Jin In.”
Heo Do Jin In’s body began to tremble and cold sweat appeared on Neung Hyeong’s forehead as well.
A moment later.
Whoop!
The mass of demonic energy was sucked into Neung Hyeong’s hand.
Chiiiiik!
Simultaneously, the Heavenly Dragon Demon Subduing True Energy burned the entire mass of demonic energy.
Moyong Bi caught Heo Do Jin In as he collapsed unconscious.
Moyong Bi tried stimulating the Brain Gate Heart Technique.
The Brain Gate Heart Technique that had been sounding alarms became quiet as if it were a lie.
“Phew.”
Neung Hyeong, who had collapsed in place, let out a sigh.
“Wow, this isn’t easy to execute with Bul Moon’s martial arts.”
“You completely burned it?”
“Why are you asking when you already know?”
“Well done.”
At that sincere voice, Neung Hyeong scratched his arms vigorously. He seemed to have gotten goosebumps.
“Stop talking nonsense and bring me some water. Damn, this isn’t ordinarily difficult.”
“There’s still one more left.”
“What?”
Moyong Bi pointed with his chin toward the distance.
The surprised Heo Joong Jin In and Ja Dam were running over.
Neung Hyeong’s face became miserable.
“Do I really have to do this much free volunteer work? I’m Neung Hyeong, Neung Hyeong!”
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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