Heavenly Demon Divine Saint - Chapter 16

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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 16
“Third brother, what did you just say? A brat? Teaching yourself etiquette?”
“Yes, that’s right. You understood perfectly well, so why are you asking again?”
Cheon Mu-tan found himself at a loss for words. His initial reaction to the unexpected insult wasn’t anger, but bewilderment.
“What’s happened to your mind from the backlash of entering demonic obsession? Have you fallen into madness? You seem completely unhinged.”
Cheon So-hyun chuckled softly.
“Backlash? Didn’t I tell you? Demonic obsession changes people. I’ve decided to live by speaking freely what’s inside without hesitation. If I keep suppressing myself, I’ll only develop heart disease from the stress.”
He was accepting the current situation with amusement rather than displeasure. What madman in all the Realm would dare provoke a Shaolin Temple monk with such audacity?
Since everything seemed twisted anyway, he decided to first understand what thoughts the Cheon Family’s precious brat harbored.
After all, learning about the Demonic Sect was what mattered most.
“What are you suddenly saying…?”
“Rather than wasting away with illness, I’ll live as I please. And you should stop calling me brother if it doesn’t suit you. It makes listeners uncomfortable too.”
“…Are you serious?”
“Completely serious.”
After a brief silence, Cheon Mu-tan’s lips curved into a long smile.
“They say people change after brushing with death.”
He continued speaking with blatant mockery.
“What a pleasant thing to hear from you. No, wait—if that’s your way of thinking, there’s no need to maintain courtesy either. You might develop an illness from forcing it, right?”
“Well, that’s true?”
Cheon Mu-tan laughed quietly.
“Seems discomfort was mutual. Then let’s abandon all pretense and be honest. Calling you brother was forced from the start anyway.”
“Forced?”
Cheon Mu-tan let out a chuckling laugh at the questioning gaze.
“Why do you pretend not to know? It’s almost pitiful. Obviously it’s because of your lowly origins, isn’t it?”
“What’s wrong with my origins?”
“You really are foolish. Fine, since you seem to have forgotten, let me make it clear. An isolated lizard with no support—that’s your true nature.”
Cheon Mu-tan pointed at Cheon So-hyun with his finger.
“You think you’re some great serpent, twisting your body this way and that in desperation, but it’s hopeless. You have no foundation. Clearly, your fate is to end your life pathetically severing your own tail and fleeing.”
“My, our younger brother’s way with words is remarkable. A lizard, you say…?”
Cheon So-hyun nodded as if impressed, then smiled, baring his white teeth.
“That suits me perfectly. It’s enough to crush an impertinent ant underfoot. If it’s too one-sided, it becomes an eyesore. But what’s the difference between a lizard, a serpent, or an ant as opponents?”
Whoosh.
Dense demonic energy flowed through Cheon Mu-tan’s breath.
“What have you been relying on to act like a moth drawn to flame this whole time? Did your attachment to life disappear while lying on a sickbed? Or do you believe the Chief Military Commander will return and help you?”
“I’ve only ever trusted this body of mine. But what exactly do you mean by lowly origins? No matter how much you insult me, you’re not insulting our father.”
Cheon Mu-tan’s expression twisted.
“…Father?”
“Yes, father.”
In that instant, his complexion flushed crimson, and his breathing became rough as if he’d swallowed poison.
“You don’t mean the Cult Leader, do you?”
Simultaneously, sinister demonic energy surged forth like a tempest, saturating the surroundings.
It was an achievement difficult to believe given his age, but having just faced the Chief Military Commander, I felt no particular excitement.
“That’s right, you unfilial wretch. We share the same Cheon surname—what difference does nobility or lowliness make? Have you lost your mind?”
A crimson glint flickered across Cheon Mu-tan’s pupils. His inflamed emotions drew forth the movements of demonic energy.
“…When exactly did you start calling me father?”
He showed more agitation than anticipated.
Through this, I also came to understand that the original disciples did not readily call the Cult Leader father.
If so, I had made a fatal mistake, but since the Cult Leader himself paid it no mind, it would not become a problem.
Cheon So-hyun casually spoke the truth.
“Since the moment I became known as the Third Prince.”
“So it’s true… you really do favor only him.”
“Favor?”
“Are you denying it now? From the Chief Military Commander visiting this shabby hall to see you, to that Physician staying by your side—if it’s all the Cult Leader’s arrangement, there’s nothing strange about it. What exactly makes you so special….”
Sa Ma-ryang, who had been silent, opened his mouth.
“Fourth Prince, forgive my presumption, but my presence beside the Third Prince is not the Cult Leader’s will—I went directly to the Medical Authority Director….”
“Silence.”
Cheon Mu-tan’s voice grew heavy. He glared at Sa Ma-ryang with murderous intent.
“When did I permit you to join this conversation?”
“….”
“Your clan maintains a portion of the Divine Sect’s affairs, which is the only reason you’re allowed a seat. Before I crush your skull and make you kneel, keep your mouth shut.”
At such arrogant and oppressive words, Cheon So-hyun let out a hollow laugh.
“You’re always the same, aren’t you? Why search outside for an obvious answer? You already know it yourself, don’t you?”
Cheon Mu-tan glared at him with fury.
“What nonsense is that?”
“Treating differently comes down to confirming what the other disciples lack. For instance, the Five Luminaries….”
Crash! Crash! Boom!
“That damned Five Luminaries! Five Luminaries! Five Luminaries!!”
Cheon Mu-tan, unable to contain his rage, brought the table down repeatedly.
“Stop spouting such idiotic nonsense. Just because those around you praise you a bit, do you think you’ve truly become the Divine Sect’s finest?”
Cheon Mu-tan’s eyes flashed with sinister light.
“The reason you’ve surpassed me all this time is simply because you were born before me—it has nothing whatsoever to do with the Five Luminaries, martial talent, or any other trivial matters. Knowing this, you’ve confined yourself to your chamber….”
“Are you saying you could catch up if given enough time?”
“Of course. Someone insignificant like you should have already….”
“I see. It’s a commendable mindset, certainly.”
Cheon So-hyun stroked his chin while studying Cheon Mu-tan’s body.
“Whether that’s possible without immortality, though.”
Boom!
“You bastard!”
Cheon Mu-tan split the table in half as he rose from his seat.
Crack!
Cheon So-hyun immediately thrust his right palm forward, striking the split table.
He was certain that a different form of conversation was about to begin.
Crack!
A sharp aura coalesced in Cheon Mu-tan’s hand, cleaving the incoming table in half.
“Let’s give it a try then…”
Thud!
Before he could finish speaking, Cheon So-hyun drove his shoulder through the exposed opening. It was a technique commonly taught among Shaolin’s martial monks—a body tackle, to put it simply.
The movement was as straightforward as its name suggested, yet the power was undeniable when channeled through one’s entire frame.
It should have been devastating.
“What are you doing?”
The figure who should have been sent flying backward merely retreated a few steps.
‘Damn it.’
Cheon Mu-tan spat out a curse and drove his knee upward.
“You pathetic bastard!”
‘Tch!’
Cheon So-hyun immediately crossed both palms to block.
The dizzying vibration transmitted through his hands sent him staggering backward.
Today he was learning much. Among those revelations: Cheon Mu-tan’s martial prowess exceeded his expectations.
“M-Master!”
Sa Ma-ryang stared at him with trembling eyes.
Even with a rapid elevation of martial skill, a body fresh from sickbed was fragile. Seeking victory against the Third Prince was nearly impossible.
Cheon Mu-tan smiled with cruel satisfaction.
“A worthless insect who doesn’t know his place. Is this pathetic display what you crawled out of your sickbed to show?”
“…”
Cheon So-hyun shook out his trembling hands.
From that brief exchange, both had discerned the truth. Despite all his efforts to temper his body, he remained in a weakened state.
That explained the concern in Sa Ma-ryang’s voice, and Cheon Mu-tan’s arrogant demeanor.
It was a situation infuriating enough to burst with rage, yet he remained composed.
Martial arts, after all, did not spring solely from strength.
Whoooosh.
Cheon So-hyun exhaled deeply, spreading his palms wide and settling into stance.
His right arm extended straight forward while his left hand remained at chest height, knees bent to lower his center of gravity.
“What is that pathetic posture?”
The rigid muscles made it appear awkward, yet it was genuinely ideal for deploying palm techniques.
Cheon Mu-tan let out a derisive snort.
“It seems you’ve abandoned all pride. Why not beg instead?”
“Fight with your mouth?”
“…You wretch who can’t even control your own body!”
Cheon Mu-tan unleashed a vicious punch.
Whoosh!
Cheon So-hyun did not evade the incoming fist, instead striking from the side with a sweeping motion.
Crack—
As his first strike was blocked, Cheon Mu-tan erupted in fury, deploying a fist technique as swift as lightning.
Whoosh!
I parried the successive onslaught with upward strikes, occasionally pushing back with a gentle circular motion.
The palm technique that unfolded from my fingertips cut gracefully through the void.
Though the unfamiliar flow of demonic energy still felt awkward, the power contained within was no different from what I had cultivated my entire life.
A martial art infused with the Buddha’s compassion—one that taught even vicious villains rather than slaying them. It was the Prajna Palm.
Cheon Mu-tan roared and thrust both fists forward.
“This abominable technique…!”
I responded to the fierce barrage of attacks with the flexibility of reeds swaying in the wind.
I unleashed elegant dual palms to block the assault, and though my upper body swayed precariously, my legs remained firmly planted, maintaining my center.
Boom! Bang! Bang!
“So you’ve mastered techniques I’ve never heard of. Very well—let’s see how long you can hold out.”
Cheon Mu-tan’s movements, which had been tracing a steady pattern, grew increasingly fierce, and soon the sound of splitting air erupted.
He had begun weaving false strikes between his fist techniques.
He would feint a strike from above, then extend his hand toward my ribs, occasionally deploying leg techniques to create chaos.
Yet my Prajna Palm blocked him every time.
“I could do this for seven days and nights, I suppose?”
Every movement of mine embodied the principle of softness overcoming hardness—the subtle mystery of yielding to control strength.
“Silence!!”

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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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