Heaven-Defying Hero - Chapter 1

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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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#001

A toddling baby stood before the Central Meadow of the Island.

“Gangcheon. Try to grab what you want.”

“Son. Do you see something good over there?”

“Lady. Didn’t we agree to leave it to Gangcheon’s choice?”

“And yet you’re subtly guiding him toward the Moon Bright Sword?”

“Ahem!”

The baby called Gangcheon tilted his head, then burst into giggles.

Sunlight briefly emerged from behind the clouds and sparkled on the ground.

In front of the baby.

In that sunlit spot, 108 different weapons were arranged at regular intervals.

They were currently holding a doljabi ceremony to commemorate their son’s first birthday.

“Gangcheon. That’s dangerous. Dear! Why did you bring weapons from the Evil Sect?”

Divine weapons left behind by the hundred great masters who died on this land.

Added to them were the beloved weapons of Evil Sect masters.

But to Gangcheon’s eyes, they were just sparkling toys.

“Yes. Gangcheon. That’s the Three Meditation Sword used by Jeong Myeongjin, the Greatest Sword of Kunlun. It’s a divine weapon that helps with qi circulation just by holding it.”

“Son. That’s dangerous. If you grab that, you’ll become a stubborn old man. The soft sword next to it is much better. It’s called the Soul-Taking Sword, and when you hold and wave it, it bends freely? Plus, when you wave it in sunlight, letters appear on the ground. That’s a martial art called the Lotus Sword Technique, perfect for assassination.”

“Lady! Is that something to say to our son!”

“I’m just saying! As if I’d actually raise our son to be an assassin? And absolutely no Taoist either! I can’t raise our son to be such a musty hypocrite!”

“A hypocrite! Then will you raise him as a beast who only worships power and profit?”

“What did you say?”

“Papa! Mama!”

At the child’s call, both their expressions softened like magic.

“Yes. Son. Mommy and Daddy aren’t fighting.”

“Right. We’re just discussing what would be good for our son to grab.”

The couple even held hands, showing their affectionate side.

“Hehe.”

The child laughed again, then touched each weapon on the ground one by one and tried to drag them with grunting sounds.

“As expected! Our son! A man should handle a blade! The Meteor Breaking Extreme Blade would be an excellent choice!”

“Son. Must it be that…”

Just as So-cheong-bi showed a disappointed expression, the baby put down the Meteor Breaking Extreme Blade and grabbed a fan beside it.

The Soul-Lost Old Mother, Yeo Dansim.

It was the Soul Demon Fan used by the notorious female demon of the Demonic Sect.

It got its name because when waved with internal energy, the screams of vengeful spirits could be heard. In reality, it became sound attacks that tormented opponents.

It was once a divine weapon that stirred up the entire martial world, and the fighting only stopped after Yeo Dansim claimed it.

“Huh?”

“Hmm?”

The child touched every weapon one by one, then put them down.

“Mine.”

One of the few words he could say.

The couple let out helpless laughter.

“Yes. They’re all yours anyway.”

“Our son can have them all.”

This time the couple laughed genuinely. But the brighter their laughter, the more bitter reality followed like a shadow.

“We can’t let our son live here forever.”

“I think the same.”

The couple’s gaze turned toward the bizarrely raging sea.

“It’s already been 5 years since we came here.”

They recalled 5 years ago.

***

5 years ago,

It was a night when dim moonlight shattered against high waves.

Though one might retreat before the Dragon King’s rough temperament.

A single ship persistently overcame the rolling waves.

Swoosh!

On the deck where wave fragments that rose with screams fell like a downpour.

A full hundred people stood in formation on that spot that seemed ready to capsize at any moment.

Though they all differed in age and attire, they shared one thing – they all held weapons.

“Gwigokdo is visible!”

Amidst the chaotic mix of clamorous sounds, someone’s shout barely pierced people’s ears.

Not because it was loud. It was because the listeners’ hearing was exceptionally sharp.

“Let us prepare.”

An old man with neat white hair reaching his solar plexus stepped forward.

Infinite Dao Master Cheongheo Jinrin.

An elder of Hwasan Sect and current leader of the Martial Arts Alliance gripped his beloved weapon, the Infinite Sword.

“We have long been ready.”

A giant with hedgehog-like black beard and lion’s mane hair stood alongside Cheongheo Jinrin.

Demon Extreme Heavenly Lord Ma Byeokseong.

He was an absolute master of the Demonic Sect, said to have opened new realms through external cultivation.

Behind the two supreme masters representing Jeong and Sa, two groups stood in formation as if drawing a line.

Fifty each.

Personnel selected by agreement between the Martial Arts Alliance and Evil Sect.

They were faces worthy of being called the hundred great masters of the martial world.

“We will punish the ancient evil that has persistently clung to life. On behalf of all the good and righteous who have suffered, we will gladly become the sword that punishes them.”

“The evil spirits of Tianshan have hidden on a deserted island, so we’re spared the trouble of burning the dead! I’ll give the Moon Bright Pearl that the Evil Sect so treasures to whoever kills the most!”

Wahhh!

Cheongheo Jinrin and Ma Byeokseong each raised morale in their own way.

Though the cheers were divided, their desired goal was the same.

Evil Sect subjugation.

3 years ago, in the great battle with the Evil Sect in the Central Plains, the martial world – including not only Jeong and Sa but even hermit masters – finally stopped the Evil Sect.

The defeated Evil Sect lost most of its power through persistent pursuit, but key figures vanished without a trace.

After thoroughly searching the Central Plains, the last place they found was right here.

An island called Gwigokdo because its waterways were treacherous and wave sounds resembled ghostly screams.

Boom!

As they entered the fog surrounding the island, the ship rocked as if it would break apart.

Thud! Thud!

The ship that endured several fierce impacts finally reached a shore covered with black pebbles.

Screech!

From the ship that reached shore scraping the bottom, a hundred martial artists leaped down in unison.

Crunch.

The ominous black pebbles made sharp grinding sounds.

Then, red mist rushed toward those who had landed on the shore.

“Blood Demon Strong Energy!”

“It’s Cheonma!”

The eyes of the crowd wavered.

‘Why is Cheonma here?’

Cheonma had definitely died three years ago.

So today’s fight was thought to be not a battle, but a subjugation.

Because there was an overwhelming difference in power.

Yet the reason a hundred people came was?

‘We can’t let the righteous faction monopolize the Evil Sect’s treasures.’

‘The Evil Sect’s power must not fall into the Demonic Sect’s hands.’

Greed and restraint.

These two factors combined to form today’s expedition.

Since much greater force than necessary had gathered, no one doubted victory.

But a variable arose.

Cheonma, who was known to be dead.

He appeared with a much younger face and eyes stained with madness.

“Was there a successor?”

Cheongheo Jinrin frowned at the appearance of a blood successor.

That wasn’t all.

Beyond the rising crimson blood energy, strange beings appeared, breathing roughly with emotionless expressions.

The strange beings all had blue skin and were exhaling purple breath.

“Bae, Baekhonsa!”

The Evil Sect’s Baekhonsa, known to have disappeared.

Known as Cheonma’s hundred-member personal guard who carried a drug called Baekhondan.

It was a deadly poison that allowed one to display supreme martial arts by burning even innate energy for one hour, but inevitably led to death.

But now their numbers reached three hundred.

“You’ve restored the Baekhondan.”

The real Baekhonsa had already been annihilated in the Central Plains. Those before their eyes now were Evil Sect warriors who had taken Baekhondan.

“Damn Evil Sect bastards! I’ll tear them all apart with my own hands!”

Ma Byeokseong burst his fist through the head of a nearby strange being and charged forward.

That was the beginning.

A fierce bloody wind raged from the center of the storm that overturned the sea.

“Aaaah!”

“Kill them!”

Shouts and screams, the sharp sounds of weapons echoed everywhere.

It was a fight that couldn’t stop until one side died.

A night when twelve full hours had passed.

The place where the complex tangle of sounds had disappeared was truly a scene of hell unfolded.

Corpses with surprise, anger, and resentment still remaining.

Pools made from the blood of dozens.

Overturned earth.

Body parts fallen without their owners.

The sea, excited by such carnage, was raging even more fiercely.

But.

Clang!

Surprisingly, the fight was not yet over.

“Kugh. Kugh.”

Rough breath leaked between clenched teeth.

“You’ve truly become a monster.”

Cheongheo Jinrin was supporting his collapsing body with a single sword. The reason he had to stand despite being covered in blood was because of one person before his eyes.

A new Cheonma whose name was unknown.

One who still bared his teeth like a beast with an expression stained by madness.

At most thirty years old.

This Evil Sect monster, who had abandoned humanity for demonic arts and added madness with drugs, had withstood all the ultimate techniques of the Greatest Sword Under Heaven who had commanded the martial world.

And now,

‘I’ve lost.’

Cheongheo Jinrin had no choice but to admit it.

That with his own power, he could not defeat this monster.

‘However, I cannot let him live like this.’

Being unable to win didn’t mean being unable to kill.

“I entrust the rest to you both.”

Behind Cheonma stood two men and women with pale faces.

Blue Cloud Sword Ja-un-hak.

Demonic Arts Woman So-cheong-bi.

Both in their late thirties, they were figures representing Jeong and Sa respectively.

The reason Cheongheo Jinrin had held out until now was because they had provided combined attacks.

But they too had reached their limits just the same.

‘Just once.’

Cheongheo Jinrin moved for that one time.

The final move staking everything.

The ultimate technique that represented Hwa-san and was pursued by the Greatest Sword Under Heaven unfolded.

Five Elements Plum Blossom Sword, Blue Wind Circulation

What seemed like a gentle, soft wind blowing circled around Cheongheo Jinrin’s body once, then changed into typhoon-like pressure and struck the front.

The center of the swirling fierce wind.

A single sword rode the wind and extended toward Cheonma’s heart.

Screech!

A bizarre sound was heard.

The sword that pierced Cheonma’s palm stopped, unable to penetrate his chest bone.

The price for the failed decisive strike was great.

He became defenseless in that state with his sword fully extended.

Cheonma was not one to miss this.

Crack!

Cheonma’s hand filled with red energy dug into Cheongheo Jinrin’s solar plexus.

The moment death was confirmed,

Swoosh!

The belt that tied Cheongheo Jinrin’s robe wrapped around Cheonma’s body. Cheonma’s body flinched and swayed as he reflexively tried to cut the belt.

Because he didn’t know the belt was made of heavenly silkworm thread.

That brief gap was enough.

Cheongheo Jinrin pulled the belt with his last remaining strength and embraced Cheonma.

‘I ask of you. Please become one in this moment.’

Fortunately, the two who received his gaze simultaneously moved toward Cheonma’s back.

Thud!

Ja-un-hak’s Blue Cloud Sword pierced Cheonma’s heart,

And So-cheong-bi’s blood-colored nails dug into Cheonma’s nape.

Time seemed to stop for a moment like that.

Thump!

The two absolute masters who had fought so fiercely fell while embracing each other.

Thud!

And the two survivors also collapsed on the spot.

Was everything over now?

Ja-un-hak, catching his breath, moved his staggering body to separate the corpses of Cheonma and Cheongheo Jinrin.

Because he couldn’t leave Cheongheo Jinrin’s corpse in such a state.

That’s when it happened.

Rumble!

Suddenly, the earth began to shake.

Whoosh!

Fierce wind and rain lashed out.

“What is this…?”

The two wore expressions of shock at nature’s whims that made it hard to even maintain their balance.

But something was strange.

‘The flow of energy is abnormal.’

It wasn’t just rampaging wildly. It was a force extending outward based on some center.

It was natural for them, sensitive to energy, to feel something alien.

And simultaneously, they reached the same conclusion.

“Formation technique!”

Someone was manipulating a formation technique.

“This way!”

So-cheong-bi ran toward the Center of the Island, cutting through the fierce wind, with Ja-un-hak following behind.

The place they arrived at was the Vast Greenery in the Center of the Island.

In the middle of it stood a massive boulder the size of two adults.

But a man with a blood-stained beard was holding a heavy hammer, about to strike down on the boulder.

“I offer a mountain sacrifice to our sect leader wandering the nine heavens! Kekeke!”

The Evil Sect’s strategist who hadn’t been seen in this battle.

The genius of the ages who single-handedly faced the Zhuge Family in the fight between the Evil Sect and the Central Plains appeared at the final moment.

Moyongcheon, the Earth Dragon of the Evil Sect.

He was also the head of the Moyong Family, which had long been in league with the Evil Sect.

“Stop!”

“Don’t do it!”

The hammer ignored the desperate cries of Ja-un-hak and So-cheong-bi and struck the boulder.

Crack!

Though Moyongcheon was known to possess mediocre martial arts, he had enough internal energy to shatter a boulder.

Crackle!

The boulder, which had begun to crack from the internal vibrations, suddenly exploded, scattering fragments in all directions as it collapsed.

At the same time, the sea that had been raging around the Island began to roar.

“What is this…?”

The already rough waves now surged up as if to swallow the Island whole, and the fog that had surrounded the Island turned gray.

“Keke! You too will become ghosts of this Island!”

Moyongcheon, forcing a laugh, lay on the ground spewing curses, seemingly without strength to stand.

“Keke. Cough!”

Before there was time to punish his wicked heart, he who had been forcing out laughter violently coughed up blood and moved no more.

Whooosh!

Hundreds of winds resembling ghostly wails screamed out.

Two people had survived, but like the dead, they could do nothing.

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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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