Heavenly Demon of the Huashan Sect - Chapter 145

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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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Episode 145
Jeok Un, who stood guard at the Mountain Gate of Huashan Sect, widened his eyes as he watched the passengers descend from the carriage.
“Senior martial brother? Senior martial sister?”
Jeok Geom and Seol Ran staggered.
“You’ve completed your mission!”
He was rushing forward in greeting when he abruptly stopped short.
Their expressions were far from normal.
Their faces had turned a sickly yellow, and for some reason they were covering their mouths with their hands and swaying unsteadily.
“Are you… are you alright?”
Jeok Un was growing concerned as he watched them.
“Just leave them be.”
A familiar voice called down from above.
Jeok Un turned to see Cheon Hui descending from the carriage and straightened his posture at once.
“Welcome, Master!”
A bead of cold sweat traced down his forehead as memories of his training days at Bi Poong Trading Company came flooding back.
At the same time, his gaze shifted toward the two.
‘I see… the Master must have put them through quite an ordeal.’
Just then, Shin Ui descended from the carriage.
“Tsk, I said we should rest along the way.”
“But you wanted to reach Huashan Sect quickly, didn’t you?”
“Ahem.”
Shin Ui let out a dry cough at the sound of Cheon Hui’s voice from beside him.
Since they had already consumed the Spirit Medicine once, the proper course would have been to travel slowly while practicing Qi Regulation and Breathing, but increasing their speed left no other choice.
And Shin Ui had chosen the latter.
“Well, well. Though that may be true…”
Shin Ui turned his head slightly to the side.
With that, he addressed the Carriage Driver.
“Will you be heading back now?”
“My duties here are complete.”
“Then go safely on your way.”
“Until we meet again.”
The smiling Carriage Driver bowed in farewell and led the carriage back down the mountain path.
Cheon Hui turned to Jeok Un and asked, “Is the Sect Master inside?”
“Is the Sect Master inside?”
“Y-yes! He is.”
“Good.”
Cheon Hui lightly tapped the ground beneath his feet.
He surged forward in a single stride spanning five zhang and soon arrived at Ja Ha Pavilion.
“I have returned.”
At that moment, the door swung open.
The Sect Master, who stepped through the doorway, broke into a bright smile upon seeing him.
“You’ve made it back safely.”
“Well, yes, I have.”
Cheon Hui replied with casual indifference.
“Heh heh, come inside.”
The Sect Master ushered him within.
After the two had taken seats at the table and faced each other for a moment, the Sect Master spoke quietly.
“So then. How did it turn out?”
“Everything resolved smoothly. The Qinghai Lord has made a full recovery, and everyone arrived safely.”
Cheon Hui answered based on Shin Ui’s animated chatter from inside the carriage.
“That is fortunate indeed.”
“Oh, the Qinghai Lord said he would make an offering later, so be sure to accept it graciously.”
The corners of the Sect Master’s mouth relaxed into a smile.
Though he had taken up this task only because the Prince had sought him out and left him with little choice, such a favorable resolution was a blessing beyond measure.
“Has anything of note occurred in the meantime?”
The Sect Master’s eyes widened sharply.
“…What did you just say?”
“I asked whether anything unusual has happened.”
“Hah hah hah.”
The Sect Master burst into laughter.
“What’s so funny?”
“It’s just that you’re asking me something like that for the first time—it moves me.”
“Hmm, is that so?”
Cheon Hui stroked his chin thoughtfully.
Now that he thought about it, the Sect Master was right.
“Well, I was just curious, that’s all.”
“I see.”
The Sect Master, who had been smiling brightly, composed his expression and spoke again.
“Nothing of great urgency, but I’m pushing forward with a few matters.”
The Sect Master began cautiously.
“Thanks to the Hidden Fragrance Pills you gave us, our disciples’ martial prowess has improved considerably, hasn’t it?”
“Well, yes, that’s true.”
“So I’m thinking of gathering the third-generation disciples and forming a separate unit.”
“That sounds like a good idea.”
Cheon Hui nodded in agreement.
A Military Force Corps was one of the things the Huashan Sect had badly lacked.
“You could make several units, with the Maehwa Sword Masters as unit commanders.”
“In fact, the Wulian Pavilion Master said something similar just the other day.”
Cheon Hui nodded with satisfaction.
‘The Wulian Pavilion Master really is the best choice.’
Most of the Daoists on Huashan were dissatisfied with the Sect Master’s pursuit of change, but the Wulian Pavilion Master was different.
He actively embraced transformation.
And that wasn’t all.
He even asked about how a fourth-generation disciple like himself trained in martial arts.
A person who truly understood.
“Who will be the Supreme Commander?”
……
The Sect Master stared at Cheon Hui.
Under that gaze, Cheon Hui’s brows furrowed.
“……Me?”
“I would ask it of you.”
“I refuse.”
Cheon Hui declined flatly.
A unit commander—what nonsense.
He had already served as the Cult Leader of the Tianma Divine Sect, and he knew better than anyone how tedious managing people could be.
“There is no one else suited for it.”
“Of course there is. There’s Hyeon Yang as well.”
“As you know, the Wulian Pavilion Master oversees the Maehwa Sword Masters.”
“Exactly—so he’s suited for it. If you divide the Maehwa Sword Masters into units and appoint unit commanders, wouldn’t Hyeon Yang naturally be the one to do it, having managed them all along?”
“That’s true, but……”
The Sect Master wore an expression of regret.
Though he understood it, his heart wished to entrust it to Cheon Hui.
Cheon Hui’s martial prowess was not yet known throughout Kangho, but he wanted to give him a position in case of unexpected need.
Once someone held the rank of unit commander in the Huashan Sect, no one would dare lay hands on them carelessly.
But for him to refuse so stubbornly—
The Sect Master shook his head.
“Ah, and Lord Je Gal asked that you visit him as soon as you arrive.”
Cheon Hui’s eyes lit up.
There was only one reason that he, who devoted himself daily to the Maehwa Seven Pavilions, would summon him.
‘It must be nearly complete.’
Cheon Hui hastily finished his tea.
The thought of seeing how the Maehwa Seven Pavilions had been completed set his heart racing.
Cheon Hui rose from his seat at once.
“Then I’ll take my leave.”
He immediately left Ja Ha Pavilion.
“Already going……”
Behind him, the Sect Master said something, but Cheon Hui paid it no mind.
The scenery flew past him in a blur.
Soon after arriving at Geonwon Cave, Cheon Hui’s eyes widened at the sight before him.
“One! Two! Lift!”
Bandits had taken up residence around Geonwon Cave.
The bandits—bronze-skinned men with unkempt, scraggly beards—moved about busily, hauling stones and timber this way and that.
“Where have I seen them before?”
As Cheon Hui observed these strangely familiar figures,
“Ah!”
one of the bandits spotted him and bellowed with a thunderous voice.
“Young Master Cheon Hui!”
The shout was loud enough to split the ears, and Cheon Hui watched as the bandit came pounding toward him.
The bandit was striking for his beard, which splayed outward in all directions, and his wild, tangled hair nearly obscured his face.
Yet Cheon Hui recognized him at once.
‘Je Gal Seong Hyeon?’
Je Gal Seong Hyeon—not a bandit at all—came rushing forward.
He’d sensed something shifting in him before, but now his appearance had transformed drastically.
‘Perhaps he has more aptitude for martial arts than for array formations after all.’
The pale, almost luminous skin was now deeply tanned, and the once-scrawny arms and legs rippled with muscle.
The figure Cheon Hui had known when he first visited Huashan Sect was barely recognizable now.
“Young Master! You’ve returned!”
Je Gal Seong Hyeon greeted him warmly.
“I heard the Maehwa Seven Pavilions is finished?”
“Indeed, it is.”
Je Gal Seong Hyeon laughed heartily.
“Would you care to see it?”
“That’s precisely why I’m here.”
“Ah, is that so?”
Je Gal Seong Hyeon, whose hands had grown thick with callus, scratched his head bashfully and grinned.
“Then please, follow me.”
The two of them moved toward the entrance of Geonwon Cave.
[Maehwa Seven Pavilions]
As Cheon Hui studied the inscription carved upon the massive stone, Je Gal Seong Hyeon began to speak hesitantly.
“Ah, there’s one thing—the design has changed somewhat from what we originally planned…….”
“In what way?”
“I’ve adjusted it so that only five people can enter at a time. Beyond that, the array formation cannot sustain the load…….”
Cheon Hui stroked his chin thoughtfully.
The original purpose of the Maehwa Seven Pavilions had been to produce many masters.
But only five could enter at once?
Sensing Cheon Hui’s disappointment, Je Gal Seong Hyeon pressed on.
“In exchange, I’ve raised the difficulty considerably.”
His gaze flashed keenly between strands of hair.
“If someone can pass through all the Maehwa Seven Pavilions, they will become a true master—counted among the finest in all of Kangho.”
Cheon Hui’s interest deepened.
Je Gal Seong Hyeon was the sort of man who scrutinized array formations with exacting precision.
For him to make such a bold claim……?
It was proof that it had been done remarkably well.
“Have you tested it?”
“Of course. All the tests are complete.”
Je Gal Seong Hyeon replied with vigor.
The moment the Maehwa Seven Pavilions was finished, what he’d done first was verify that it functioned properly.
After all, he’d blundered once before, so this was precaution against any mishap.
“Hmm, is that so?”
Cheon Hui walked toward the entrance.
“Young Master? Where are you going…….”
“I need to verify it myself, don’t I?”
“Wait, just a moment. Young Master! At least let me explain the details…….”
Je Gal Seong Hyeon tried to stop him.
But Cheon Hui was already gone in a blur of motion.
By the time Je Gal Seong Hyeon finished speaking, he had disappeared.
“There are other things that changed too…….”
Je Gal Seong Hyeon shook his head.
Who was worrying about whom now?
“……But if it’s the Young Master, he’ll manage somehow.”
Je Gal Seong Hyeon was scratching his head at the sight of the entrance, where only a dark corridor was visible.
“They’ve done well with this.”
Cheon Hui arrived at the Plum Blossom Gateway Trial, the first gateway of the Maehwa Seven Pavilions, and twisted his lips into a slight smile.
It was a gateway of the eye, modeled after the Body Demon Pavilion—the first pavilion one entered in the old Tianma Ten Pavilions.
See, and avoid.
In the original Body Demon Pavilion, arrows and concealed weapons were hurled endlessly from the darkness.
But the Plum Blossom Gateway Trial was different.
“They put some thought into this.”
Cheon Hui unclenched his fist.
The small Iron Spheres resting in his palm clattered to the ground and bounced.
The Iron Spheres, each the size of a thumbnail, mixed with the flickering light and became far harder to evade.
That wasn’t all.
Wooden arrows were prone to breaking if one was unlucky, but Iron Spheres had the advantage of being reusable at any time.
Rumble-rumble—
The Iron Spheres rolled down the inclined surface.
There was a large hole there, and the Iron Spheres vanished cleanly into it.
The next instant, the Night-Illuminating Pearl flashed.
Screech!
The Iron Spheres shot forth again.
“They thought to do this.”
Cheon Hui let out an exclamation of admiration.
It was a method that didn’t stop after one pass, but kept reusing the Iron Spheres.
The flickering light.
And Iron Spheres shooting out continuously at that.
If even the designer of the Tianma Ten Pavilions had seen this, they would have had to applaud.
‘Of course, that person would have added sharp spikes to these Iron Spheres and hurled them.’
He recalled the cruelty of the Tianma Ten Pavilions.
Even now, it didn’t seem like a gateway meant to forge masters of the Demonic Way—it seemed like a gateway designed purely to kill.
More than eighty percent of those who entered died.
‘Though if you passed, you’d emerge as a master in a single breath.’
“I can leave this one as it is.”
Cheon Hui deployed the Golden Thread Hand and caught all the shooting Iron Spheres in one sweep, then lightly pushed off the ground to reach the far end.
Then he pressed his palm against the closed door.
Creak—
The door opened and the next chamber appeared.
“Has the Maehwa Second Pavilion changed a bit too?”
Perhaps because he’d seen how well the Plum Blossom Gateway Trial had turned out, Cheon Hui entered the Maehwa Second Pavilion with anticipation and surveyed the surroundings.
There was nothing inside the chamber.
There was only an Iron Gate blocking the way ahead, with intricate patterns drawn upon it.
Yet that very thing was the entirety and essence of this Maehwa Second Pavilion.
A gateway that governs Internal Energy Control!
Cheon Hui felt a nostalgic sentiment rise within him, similar to what he’d witnessed in the old Tianma Ten Pavilions.
“It’s mostly similar, though…”
He approached the Iron Gate slowly.
These intricate patterns appeared to have been drawn without any relation to one another, but they traced a single path.
The natural order and flow.
The Path of Life within this gateway.
Cheon Hui’s hand followed the line drawn at the far left, and slowly circulated his Internal Force.
In that instant, the line began to glow.
Cheon Hui circulated his Internal Force.
The light surged forward like lightning and instantly suffused the lines carved into the Iron Gate.
And soon the light spread.
Creak—
The Iron Gate opened and a passage appeared.
“That’s a bit disappointing.”
Cheon Hui clicked his tongue.
Though it claimed to follow the model of the Tianma Ten Pavilions, because it was made in the Orthodox Sect fashion, its cruelty didn’t come close to what he’d known.
‘If this had been the Small Demon Pavilion, one misstep would have meant falling into Qi Deviation…’
The original Small Demon Pavilion.
It was the pavilion in the Tianma Ten Pavilions where the most died.
The reason was simple.
He had been given only one chance. Fail, and he would either fall into Qi Deviation or lose his life in that instant.
“This way, the entire purpose of the Maehwa Second Pavilion dissolves.”
Cheon Hui voiced his concern.
Why had the Small Demon Pavilion been created?
To make Internal Energy Control second nature?
That was part of it, but more than that, it was to instill in martial artists just how vital Internal Energy Control truly was.
For those who possessed Internal Force, it was more precious than anything else in the world.
Think about it.
If an opponent launched a surprise attack and your control was slow enough that you couldn’t deflect it?
Then you died on the spot.
And wasn’t the Kangho a place where such incidents unfolded constantly?
That wasn’t all.
Master Internal Energy Control well, and you gained tremendous advantage in prolonged combat.
For any martial artist, it was non-negotiable.
“They’d understand how crucial it is if their lives hung in the balance. Tsk. But I can’t let it come to that.”
Cheon Hui shook his head firmly.
“To instill at least some sense of urgency…….”
After a moment’s thought, he arrived at a solution.
“Perhaps failure should be accompanied by considerable pain and internal injury as well.”
Cheon Hui spoke these words that would have alarmed anyone else with perfect composure, withdrawing his hand from the wall and stepping forward.
* * *
Je Gal Seong Hyeon entered a small cave in a remote corner of Geonwon Cave.
The entrance was quite narrow, allowing him to reach the inner chamber quickly.
“It was arduous, but I’ve done well to construct it.”
Je Gal Seong Hyeon surveyed the interior of the chamber with satisfaction, his gaze moving methodically across the space.
A single chair sat in the center, and seven oil lamps were arranged along the wall.
This place had been artificially created under Je Gal Seong Hyeon’s direction, from the cave itself.
“Though I’ll need to show this place to someone eventually…….”
Je Gal Seong Hyeon settled into the chair.
When Jeok Geom and Seol Ran had become trapped in the trials before, Je Gal Seong Hyeon, sensing the danger, had immediately created this separate space.
A place where one could enter the Maehwa Seven Pavilions trials whenever and wherever one wished.
In other words, it was a mechanism array chamber designed to monitor progress through the trials and, should someone fall into danger, to provide aid.
“I’ll discuss that with her later.”
Setting aside the troublesome matter, he turned his attention to the seven oil lamps on the wall.
These lamps were the heart of the chamber.
A way to determine how far someone inside had progressed through the Maehwa Seven Pavilions.
With each trial completed, a light would ignite from left to right in sequence.
Moreover, if something went wrong, all the lamps would ignite at once.
“Let’s see how long this takes…….”
Whoosh—
In that instant, the leftmost lamp ignited.
“Wh-already?”
He could not hide his shock.
The Maehwa Seven Pavilions were so difficult that even he and the masters of the Je Gal Clan who had tested them directly couldn’t pass.
And yet here it was.
Just while he had walked a few dozen paces to this point, the Plum Blossom Gateway Trial had been cleared.
As Je Gal Seong Hyeon stared in disbelief—
“Wh-what is…….”
He flicked his tongue at the absurdity of it.
And well he might.
Whoosh—
The second lamp had just ignited.
“……Is this even possible?”

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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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