Heavenly Demon Divine Saint - Chapter 114

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 114
Cheon So-hyun moved swiftly along the mountain path.
Where there is meeting, there must be parting—such was the way of things.
Knowing that my connection to Shaolin would not end here, I resolved not to linger in regret.
Rather, it was time to move with urgency so that we might reunite all the sooner.
‘First, I should meet with Jin Gong-han before I depart.’
As I contemplated my martial arts, numerous questions arose. When the matters I needed to clarify came to mind, I quickened my pace.
Shortly after, I stood before Shaolin’s Mountain Gate, looking about.
“Where might you be?”
The temple now stood empty, for Shaolin’s disciples had relocated their base to the Abandoned Temple.
“I was about to depart and wished to pay my respects—show yourself, won’t you!”
Perhaps because this was someone who had followed me about since childhood, my words came out rather ungraciously.
Soon, a figure emerged from the dense undergrowth.
“What nonsense is this? You’ve only just awakened—and already you’re leaving?”
It was Jin Gong-han, the elder of Wudang.
“That is how it stands. The road ahead is long and my tasks are mountainous, so I must make haste.”
At my reply, Jin Gong-han studied me intently, his gaze sharp as though piercing through a shell to glimpse the kernel within.
And what he perceived was something entirely unexpected.
“The ominous aura from before has transformed into something quite different. I hear that a portion of the Arahan’s Sari essence has seeped into you—is this your Master’s dharmic power?”
Cheon So-hyun nodded. I had deliberately loosened my control over the dharmic power.
“Indeed. It is a force my Master himself cultivated, so it will surely become a power second to none in the Realm. You might call it an unexpected gift.”
“That is only true if you polish and refine it with utmost sincerity.”
Jin Gong-han added his words as a caution against arrogance.
“From now on, you must cultivate with even greater ferocity. Even if you devoted your entire life to unwavering refinement, reaching your Master’s feet would be a formidable task.”
Whether he meant to frighten or encourage me, I laughed softly.
“Not merely his feet—I have resolved to cultivate until I stand shoulder to shoulder with him. Why would I not set such a goal when it is his power I have received?”
Jin Gong-han smiled lightly and approached me.
“Then what is your true purpose? You said we should meet again before you left, but you seem rather urgent—this doesn’t look like a simple farewell.”
Cheon So-hyun paused briefly before broaching the matter directly. There was no time to waste.
“Do you know the technique for handling opposing forces?”
“…Technique?”
“As you can see, I have newly acquired dharmic power. I was overjoyed, thinking it a priceless gift, but when I attempted to wield it, I encountered no small difficulties.”
“Is it a matter of harmonizing the forces?”
“Precisely. The dharmic power is so pure that my existing forces feel turbid by comparison, making it impossible to control as I wish. They devour one another, so I must first find a way to harmonize them.”
“…”
“Could you offer me some guidance?”
If I could establish the proper foundation, the Arahan’s Radiant Body would become a tremendous asset to my martial arts. There was no doubt, for it was an absolute technique that Arahan had agonized over and devised until the very end of his life to overcome Cheonsin.
The problem was that, like an incomplete technique, it possessed many unstable aspects at first glance.
‘If I attempt to establish it alone, I won’t even be able to begin, let alone complete it.’
It was to grasp this crucial clue that I had sought out Jin Gong-han.
“I understand your desire to master it skillfully, but why ask me? Wouldn’t it be faster to inquire with the Abbot or the Arhat Hall Master about dharmic methods?”
“My Master mentioned that the elders of Wudang have traditionally cultivated the Dual Aspect Heart Method. Is that correct?”
Jin Gong-han swallowed a hollow laugh, as if finding the question absurd.
“So you’re asking me to reveal the secret techniques of the Main Sect?”
The Dual Aspect Heart Method.
A divine technique that pushed the subtlety of dividing one’s consciousness into two uses to its absolute limit, allowing one to simultaneously deploy two entirely different martial disciplines.
It was the supreme essence of Wudang, comparable to Shaolin’s Prajna Great Power, and a martial art renowned throughout the Realm.
“Come now, I’m no brigand demanding you hand over the whole thing. I’m simply lost about which direction to take, so I’d like some guidance to take that first step. Surely that’s not too much to ask?”
Jin Gong-han fell silent for a moment.
It was a difficult request.
To ask for the insights of the Dual Aspect Heart Method—even if merely fragments of advice, it could appear disrespectful.
Yet Jin Gong-han felt no displeasure.
‘The Dual Aspect Heart Method, then….’
Rather, he was gauging the appropriate extent to reveal without causing future complications.
After hearing how the miracle that unfolded in that chamber had sprung from this man’s resolve and will, and given that he’d drawn his sword with lethal intent before, and his brother’s request had weighed on him all this while, he wanted to help in whatever way he could.
With his resolve solidified, Jin Gong-han spoke.
“First… let me correct a misconception you hold.”
Cheon So-hyun’s eyes brightened.
“A misconception?”
“The essence of the Dual Aspect Heart Method lies in the Divided Mind technique—splitting one’s thoughts into multiple streams. A Wudang elder can simultaneously deploy contradictory disciplines like sword, palm, foot, and finger techniques while wielding the blade.”
Jin Gong-han continued in an even tone.
“And that’s not because they can handle disparate energies. Taoist heart methods, which emulate nature, generally carry a serene quality, so the intent behind them is largely harmonious. In other words, they’re not fundamentally opposing energies to begin with.”
Cheon So-hyun nodded in understanding.
“I’m aware my path differs from yours. Still, ultimately these are different martial arts, so there will be differences between your school and mine, and the intents they embody will inevitably have minor points of conflict, won’t they?”
“….”
“I wish to learn the technique for suppressing that resonance.”
After a brief pause, he spoke with determination.
“…Very well. I’ll explain it simply, so listen carefully. First….”
From Jin Gong-han’s lips flowed the profound insights of Wudang’s heart method.
The sight of this man—who used to follow him around calling “brother, brother”—now carrying such weight was still strange to him, but since the content would serve as guidance for future cultivation, he listened intently.
Jin Gong-han explained while confirming whether his disciple had memorized the principles well. Fortunately, his comprehension was swift, and he asked pointed questions about difficult passages, proving quite sharp—there was no need to repeat himself.
Yet Jin Gong-han still explained every detail thoroughly.
He was the one who had received much consolation from Hye Gwang.
Thinking of it as returning the enlightenment he’d gained through that kindness to his disciple, he felt neither reluctance nor reservation.
After imparting the insights, Jin Gong-han left him with a final admonition.
“Remember this well. Even if it’s only a fragment, it will take years of cultivation before you can truly internalize these martial principles. Understanding the theory doesn’t mean you’ll achieve it overnight, so don’t be impatient.”
“I’ll keep it in mind. The frustration I felt seems to have eased somewhat. Thank you for such precious instruction.”
“Good, now go. When time permits, I’ll see you again at Wudang. Then I’ll apologize for what happened before and treat you to a grand celebration.”
Cheon So-hyun smiled faintly.
“I’d best hurry then. Until we meet again. I’ll certainly visit once my business is concluded.”
“Very well.”
Cheon So-hyun promptly departed through the Mountain Gate, intending to retrace the Namgung route he had traversed before and make his return.
‘I must hurry.’
Shaolin’s gates would soon be unsealed.
While I could claim relief at having achieved my long-awaited objective, I could not afford to grow complacent.
I needed to return in time to receive my escort. Yet that was far from the end of it—I still carried the commission Sa Ma-ryang had entrusted to me before my departure.
A task set by the Medicine Hall Master as payment for a century-old fleece flower root seedling. Given its connection to the Black Path Bandits, there was no time to waste.
Cheon So-hyun unfurled the One Finger Piercing the Void technique, accelerating his pace further.
* * *
The heart chamber of the Heavenly Demon Cult’s main stronghold in Baek Myun Valley.
Dozens of cultivators were entangled in training within a vast training ground reeking of blood.
Though called training, the scene resembled nothing less than a portrait of hell itself.
Boom! Crash!
“Argh!”
“Hold him! Hold him! That one’s exhausted. Drive him to one side and take him down!”
Endless roars, the murderous aura that made skin crawl, and sparks erupting as weapons clashed.
The training ground was suffused with scorching heat.
“You’re still far from ready, you bastards!”
In the center of it all, Kang Hyun—his entire body caked with sweat and dust—moved with explosive speed. Grasping the chains dangling from his paired blades, he wielded them with desperate ferocity, and the power was formidable. Each time he unleashed a chilling wind, the surrounding warriors were swept away like autumn leaves.
“Is that all? Did you skip your meals? Why are you so weak?”
“Shut your mouth, you brat!”
“Such insolent fools.”
Kang Hyun laughed sharply and hurled himself back into the fray.
“Disrespecting your senior like that? Have you no shame!”
Crash!
The cultivators bled yet refused to release their weapons. Even when they fell, they rose again and charged forward with frenzied determination.
‘I must pass. I must pass and surely…!’
They gripped their weapons with burning resolve.
This brutal trial would soon end. Passing the test guaranteed advancement. A different life awaited them—one unlike anything before.
One cultivator’s eyes blazed crimson as he lunged at Kang Hyun.
“Don’t block my path to glory! You demon!”
Endless real combat. This was the selection method of the Demon Army.
“How many do you think will survive today?”
“Who knows.”
From one side of the training ground, upon an elevated platform, two figures observed from above: Do Je and his adjutant, Hong Yi-gyeom.
Hong Yi-gyeom asked with concern.
“At this rate, they’ll all be eliminated. Are you certain that’s acceptable?”
“What’s not acceptable about it? This is nothing new—it happens every day. Why feign surprise now?”
Do Je exhaled a long plume of mugwort smoke. At his composed demeanor, Hong Yi-gyeom sighed inwardly.
‘All the talented prospects are being weeded out.’
The current selection process had emerged from the disposition of the Two Demon Lords, who now led Ma Gun in place of the Third Prince.
The Blade Emperor Sect valued only innate talent regardless of origin or intention, while Yi Ma-je desired an unbreakable spirit of will even if talent fell short.
As a result, one had to satisfy both conditions—talent and spirit—to become a member of Ma Gun.
Hong Yi-gyeom gazed at the Blade Emperor Sect, whose face bore the marks of exhaustion.
“You seem to have increased your training considerably. Don’t you think you should rest a bit?”
“This is my rest. Since I’ve stopped visiting the gambling house, even this much stimulation sets my heart racing. This change isn’t so bad.”
“Still, it seems like you’re pushing yourself too hard.”
“Too hard? Me?”
“Yes, you’re spending time as if someone is chasing you. Between Ma Gun and Baek Myun Valley, you’re so absorbed in training that it’s not a scale you can manage, is it?”
The Blade Emperor Sect let out a soft laugh.
“This is the time to do it. The Cheon Family Young Master is probably rushing about outside the Sect as well, so it would be ridiculous for me to be lazy. Besides, if not now, there won’t be another opportunity to surge ahead.”
One must prepare for everything. The moment he was most wary of was precisely when he felt safest.
That was when one was most exposed to danger. The smoother things went, the more the Blade Emperor Sect tended to heighten his vigilance.
“Yes, then I’ll instruct them to strengthen their defenses.”
“Good. Any word from Kirin?”
“The same as always. It seems he’s been going on inspection tours recently and earning merit. The Inner Fortress is quite bustling. There are even rumors circulating that the Sa Ma Family is looking into a marriage arrangement for him—he’s being widely recognized both inside and outside.”
The Blade Emperor Sect let out a scoff.
“As it should be. After all, he’s playing the role of strategist.”
Kirin was the new epithet of Sa Ma-ryang, once called Kirin Child. Having earned recognition as a rising talent by eliminating human traffickers and their ilk, his fame had grown day by day, much like Ma Gun, especially after it was revealed that he had once served as the Third Prince’s personal physician.
It was a result born from the combination of Sa Ma-ryang’s abilities and Baek Myun Valley’s information network.
At that moment, a giant in blue martial robes ascended the dais, unusually wearing a sword at his waist.
Hong Yi-gyeom bowed her head respectfully.
“Welcome, Elder.”
Yi Ma-je acknowledged her greeting with a glance and crossed the dais. The Blade Emperor Sect, watching him settle beside him, spoke softly.
“It’s been difficult to see your face. I thought I’d see you constantly while you were at Baek Myun Valley, but you haven’t shown even a hint of yourself.”
“You’re putting effort into training too, so I can’t very well be idle.”
“So? Since you’ve already exerted yourself, why not push harder? Have you come to see your disciples?”
“No. You’re teaching them well enough.”
Yi Ma-je looked down at the training ground with his arms crossed.
Kang Hyun was in the midst of training, sparring with the newly recruited Ma In under the Blade Emperor Sect’s orders. Since he would directly point out deficiencies after each match, it was proving greatly beneficial to his progress.
Yi Ma-je withdrew a letter from his robes and handed it over. The Blade Emperor Sect, examining its contents, burst into laughter.
“…The Azure Yaksha.”
It was the news he had been waiting for. The Third Prince had eluded his guards and headed toward the Namgung Family, and was now making a name for himself by defeating the Namgung Eldest Son.
“It seems he’s made quite a spectacle of himself.”
“Indeed.”
At that unconventional display, the smiles of the Two Demon Lords deepened.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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