Heavenly Demon Divine Saint - Chapter 96

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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 96
‘No, this isn’t it. There’s no way I can achieve it in this form….’
Namgung Seon-wi exhaled a long sigh and lowered his sword. Once again, he had failed to embody the form.
To wield the sword form as he envisioned, he needed to master the heavy sword while simultaneously blending the subtleties of both the dominating and flowing sword techniques.
‘So far away. Still so far.’
It felt impossibly distant—a realm so remote that he questioned whether it was even achievable by human effort.
Namgung Seon-wi gripped his sword tightly and resumed his stance.
‘But that’s precisely what makes it worthwhile.’
Such a goal was worthy of burning his will for. The achievement would be that much sweeter, and he could dispel the family’s darkness in one fell swoop.
As he continued refining his swordplay, a disapproving click of the tongue reached his ears.
“Tsk.”
Elder Myeong was watching him with a displeased expression.
“The banquet is in full swing. What are you doing out here?”
“As you can see, I’m training.”
“That’s exactly what I’m asking—why are you still clinging to this grueling ordeal that hardly qualifies as training?”
“Why ask something so obvious? Training doesn’t discriminate by time or place.”
“….”
“Besides, the protagonist always arrives late. When the atmosphere reaches its peak, that’s when I make my entrance and seize control—then everyone thinks, ‘Ah, so that’s the Crown Prince of Namgung.'”
Even as he answered with a glib tongue, Namgung Seon-wi didn’t stop his sword dance.
His entire body was already drenched in sweat. His limbs trembled and his breathing came in ragged gasps—signs that his body was approaching its limits.
Yet the lines traced by his sword remained flawless and precise. In the blink of an eye, dozens, hundreds of sword paths bloomed and filled the empty air.
With willpower pushed to its extreme, he was suppressing his body’s screams of agony.
‘What a remarkable fellow.’
Many connoisseurs praised the Crown Prince’s talents as worthy of being called the greatest under heaven, but the family’s senior members knew the truth.
His true strength lay not in his five spiritual roots or constitution, but in that ruthless resolve. It was the poisoned heart that demanded he achieve whatever he set as his goal.
“If you exhaust yourself like that, what will you do for the martial competition? Setting aside the other Later-Stage Martial Artists, Cheon Gang is not an opponent to underestimate. You saw the previous match, didn’t you?”
“I saw it. I saw every detail, which is precisely why I’m doing this.”
Elder Myeong fell silent at the clear response.
‘So he wasn’t underestimating him after all.’
It was the opposite. He was training to awaken his senses and sharpen them even further.
‘That’s right…. You would have grasped it long ago.’
Throughout the entire match, Cheon Gang had never revealed his full strength. It was humbling to admit, but that was the reality. It was abundantly clear that he was holding back at least two or three techniques.
Drawing out his full power would benefit both the Crown Prince and the family.
Namgung Myeong was about to mention that the Family Head might attend, but shook his head instead.
“Stubborn fellow… Tsk. Finish up before it gets too late.”
Unnecessary commentary would only hinder a warrior whose resolve was already set.
* * *
Meanwhile, the Namgung Family Banquet Hall was already brimming with energy.
‘As the Sect Leader said, this might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.’
Each connection forged in this place could reshape the sect’s future.
Since the banquet was prepared in such haste, the descendants of the other Five Great Families and Nine Sects and One Faction couldn’t attend—but paradoxically, this only inflamed the ambitions of the Later-Stage Martial Artists gathered here.
There was no better stage to imprint one’s presence upon.
The Later-Stage Martial Artists busied themselves subtly revealing who they were and how remarkable they could be, while simultaneously attempting to approach the Namgung bloodline.
“Greetings, Miss Namgung Seon-ah. I introduced myself the last time we met—I wonder if you remember me?”
Namgung Seon-ah smiled radiantly.
“Of course. You’re Jin Dam-ho, the promising young talent from the Jin Family. I still remember the impressive tales you shared with us before.”
Jin Dam-ho’s face flushed with color.
“Is that so!”
To forge a connection with her—the daughter of the Namgung Family Head and renowned as the most beautiful woman in Anhui—was the unspoken desire of nearly every man gathered here.
Countless were those who admired her, coveting her beauty, martial prowess, and distinguished background as a potential spouse.
“I hope you have a pleasant evening.”
Yet Namgung Seon-ah merely responded with gentleness for the sake of the banquet’s atmosphere, never allowing anyone to linger at her side.
“Wait, just a moment—!”
The Later-Stage Martial Artists watched this unfold, muttering amongst themselves.
“How many is that now?”
“I lost count after five. Why do they keep harboring such futile hopes?”
You never know—they might as well try. If they could gain the Namgung Family as in-laws, what would they have to fear in this world? But where is he, anyway?”
“Who?”
“Cheon Gang.”
In truth, their attention had been captured by the rising prodigy who had defeated a Namgung Elder days prior—Cheon Gang.
Just then, Jin Dam-ho returned with an animated expression, having mustered courage through drink only to suffer embarrassment.
“Ah, So Hyup, your timing is perfect. I heard you witnessed the martial contest firsthand days ago—is this Cheon Gang truly as formidable a master as the rumors suggest?”
Jin Dam-ho’s brow furrowed.
‘That cursed Cheon Gang, Cheon Gang. Will they never tire of it?’
He couldn’t fathom why they kept invoking that name at such a prestigious banquet.
Just as he was about to respond curtly, he noticed all eyes upon him and instead let out a dry cough.
For some reason, Namgung Seon-ah was also looking his way.
Had he merely imagined her glance?
‘She’s rather charming, after all.’
Jin Dam-ho stroked his chin contentedly and opened his mouth to speak.
“Formidable, you say? Hmm. Honestly, I’m not entirely certain.”
“You’re not certain?”
Rumors require a degree of discernment. Those who witnessed the contest firsthand likely share my perspective.”
“What do you mean by that?”
Jin Dam-ho leaned forward and continued.
“As you all know, sects have various positions. Some have stepped back from the front lines to receive guests or manage finances. While I harbor no contempt for such necessary roles in sect operations, it remains an undeniable fact that these individuals have abandoned martial cultivation.”
“Well, that’s true enough.”
“If this person had truly earned renown through martial prowess, we would have heard some impressive tales by now. But does anyone here know of any?”
The Later-Stage Martial Artists exchanged glances before shaking their heads. Indeed, they had heard nothing of note regarding Elder Myeong.
“I simply cannot fathom why defeating an elderly man warrants such acclaim. If I’m being honest, it borders on shameful—something a person of propriety should feel mortified by.”
Watching him raise his voice with conceited pride, Namgung Seon-ah felt nothing but disgust.
‘What is wrong with him.’
Did he truly believe that was impressive?
The sight of him diminishing an acclaimed warrior to elevate his own worth drew an involuntary sigh from her lips.
What was even more disheartening was that his supporters were growing in number.
“Exactly. Truth be told, he hardly deserves to be called a descendant of a prestigious lineage.”
“That’s the point. His appearance was so dull and unkempt that he looked like some rustic from the borderlands. From the very start of the match itself….”
The family elders had excused themselves under the pretense of allowing the Later-Stage Martial Artists to converse freely. Perhaps because of this, the disparaging remarks grew increasingly harsh.
Just as Namgung Seon-ah finally could no longer restrain herself and moved to intervene.
The banquet hall doors swung open!
A young man stepped through the threshold.
As the young man glanced about and took his steps, those who recognized him let out gasps of astonishment one by one.
“What?!”
“What is it?”
“That person right there!”
“Who?”
“Cheon Gang, it’s Cheon Gang!”
The hall erupted into commotion in an instant.
“Somehow… he looks different from what we heard?”
The rustic from the rumors was nowhere to be found.
Gone were the dull countenance and shabby appearance—instead, finely sculpted features as sharp and refined as a well-honed blade captivated every gaze in the hall.
“…Ah.”
As exclamations of wonder erupted from all corners at the appearance of a rare beauty, Jin Dam-ho’s expression twisted into something sinister.
Namgung Seon-ah, whom he had been watching intently all along, could not tear her eyes away from him either.
‘Quite the crowd has gathered.’
Cheon So-hyun, for his part, paid no mind to any of it and simply took an empty seat.
‘I thought my stomach would stick to my spine.’
My vital energy had been depleted from days of intensive training.
Fortunately, the dining table was laden with delicacies. I reached for the meat without hesitation, focusing on replenishing my nutrition with protein.
When my throat grew parched, I had no choice but to empty my cup, and in doing so, I continued to dwell on the lingering concern I could not quite shake.
‘I simply cannot grasp the sensation.’
Over the past four days, I had devoted myself to meditation while exploring the realm of the Third Wall.
The time spent drawing vital energy into my core and anchoring it to my meridians had increased, yet I had not yet broken through the barrier.
‘It feels as though just one more step would do it.’
Yet that single step felt like a thousand-league journey, leaving me frustrated.
The one consolation was the unexpected gift I had received.
-You have finally arrived. Please accept this first. It is a spirit pill that Elder Myeong has prepared as an apology.
I had not realized the effect of the guidance pill would be this remarkable.
‘Heh heh. Excellent, truly excellent.’
While it could not compare to the Demon Ring Altar or the Transmutation Pill, it was a spirit pill potent enough to aid me in taking that final step.
So it seemed that my good karma had returned to me immediately.
“Hello there.”
At the clear voice, Cheon So-hyun turned his head. A woman had approached and was now standing before him.
“And who might you be?”
“Ah, I’m Namgung Seon-ah. I watched the martial competition from four days ago with great admiration.”
“I see. I’m Cheon Gang of the Cheonghwa Sect. A pleasure to meet you.”
She was a beautiful woman with refined features and a radiant smile, yet Cheon So-hyun immediately sensed this would become tiresome. The moment Namgung Seon-ah spoke to him, the gazes of those around them sharpened considerably.
“Would it be alright if I sat for a moment?”
“Please, do.”
“Well, forgive my asking, but….”
Namgung Seon-ah hesitated before asking carefully.
“How long have you been training in martial arts?”
“Well, quite some time now. I haven’t bothered counting, so I couldn’t say precisely. Why do you ask?”
“Elder Myeong earned great renown in his youth as a wandering warrior and was called the Iron-Sharp Sword. Even though his prime as a martial artist has passed, he was known for honing his blade techniques relentlessly. I never expected him to be defeated so decisively.”
Curiosity flickered in Namgung Seon-ah’s eyes.
In truth, what was more shocking than Namgung Myeong’s defeat was the attitude he displayed. The fact that such a proud man would concede so readily and even promise compensation sparked her curiosity.
She had a vague sense of the reason, but she wanted confirmation.
“You appear to be around my age, yet how did you become so strong?”
“There’s nothing special about why a warrior is strong. The one with greater desperation simply becomes stronger.”
Namgung Seon-ah’s eyes widened.
“How is it… you’re saying the exact same thing as my older brother?”
Cheon So-hyun let out a soft laugh.
“Is that how people phrase ‘I want to punch you in the face’?”
“…Pardon?”
“You seem to regard it with some displeasure. Well, anyone would probably answer the same about why a warrior grows strong….”
Then.
“Ha.”
A blatant sneer echoed out. When Cheon So-hyun turned his head, he saw a man with a flushed face approaching with heavy strides.
The man brushed aside restraining hands roughly and assumed a fist salute.
“I didn’t mean to mock you, so forgive me. It’s just amusing to see someone your age dispensing advice like an elder of a sect. The conversation seems interesting—would it be alright if I joined you?”
Namgung Seon-ah showed clear displeasure, but Jin Dam-ho obtained her silent consent with a glance before taking a seat.
“I’m Jin Dam-ho of the Jin Family.”
Where did this fool crawl out from? At his tone suggesting he expected recognition, Cheon So-hyun suppressed a smile and refilled his cup without responding.
At this, Jin Dam-ho’s expression twisted.
The humiliation of being ignored in front of Namgung Seon-ah, combined with the rising intoxication, made his emotions boil over.
“I hear you’re from a sect called the Cheonghwa Sect. Did they fail to teach you proper etiquette in Jianghu? From the last competition onward, it seems you have a hobby of creating unnecessary disturbances.”
Cheon So-hyun drained his cup and met his gaze.
“I would have shown courtesy if the other party deserved it. Before rebuking others, shouldn’t you examine yourself? Is that the language of proper etiquette?”
“Intoxicated by hollow fame, looking down on people. This is why those without breeding….”
The moment Jin Dam-ho reached out with his shoulder, Cheon So-hyun, still seated, flicked his finger.
The wine cup he had just emptied flew directly toward Jin Dam-ho’s face.
“Where did you learn such underhanded tricks…!”
Jin Dam-ho immediately tried to swat the cup away, but the whirlwind spiraling around it twisted his hand instead.
Crack!
With a dull shattering sound, the cup smashed into Jin Dam-ho’s philtrum. He couldn’t even cry out before falling backward.
Cheon So-hyun refilled his cup and glanced at Namgung Seon-ah.
“So, when is this older brother of yours arriving? I’ve been waiting so long my neck is about to snap off.”

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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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