Heavenly Demon of the Huashan Sect - Chapter 152

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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 152
“Grrgh…….”
Cheon Hui looked down at So Heung Bo Ju sprawled on the floor in a spread-eagle position, foam flecking his lips, and brushed his hands clean before speaking.
“Get up.”
The words had barely left his mouth when—
“Up, sir!”
So Heung Bo Ju scrambled to his feet.
Action overtook thought; he rose, but his legs trembled violently beneath him.
“You come to your senses now?”
At the question, he nodded his head up and down as though his neck might break.
“Yes, sir!”
His face was a wreck.
A swollen lump rose from his forehead, and one eye was darkened to a sickly blue.
‘What sins did I commit in a past life for this?’
In the fraction of a moment too brief to blink, he swallowed his tears.
“Now clean this up.”
Cheon Hui gathered in his Internal Force.
The formidable barrier of energy he’d thrown up before the beating dissipated at once.
“Ahhhhh!”
“Kyagh!”
Screams tore through the air.
“Ah. I shouldn’t have let them die.”
Cheon Hui, who had been so absorbed in educating So Heung Bo Ju that he’d forgotten the situation outside, moved.
Whoosh—
His figure vanished like a phantom.
“……He’s gone, I’d wager.”
So Heung Bo Ju, who had glimpsed Cheon Hui disappear in an instant, stepped outside as well.
And froze where he stood.
“……Damn it all.”
A curse escaped unbidden.
Dozens of his subordinates lay unconscious in the corridor outside the chamber.
“No wonder no one came…….”
Meanwhile, outside, Cheon Hui surveyed So Heung Bo’s Estate Grounds with half-lidded eyes.
“At least I didn’t kill them.”
Perhaps because he retained some awareness of being a Maehwa Sword Master, there were many wounded, but mercifully no corpses.
“My Internal Force has grown stronger. That changes things, doesn’t it.”
Cheon Hui’s gaze turned toward the epicenter of the fighting.
Clang! Clang! Whoosh—
Jeok Geom and Seol Ran were completely overwhelming So Heung Bo’s fighters.
True, So Heung Bo’s men were no match for them in skill either, but the pair subdued them with effortless grace.
What that meant was that since consuming the Baek Geum Dan, they had grown capable of wielding their increased Internal Force with perfect freedom.
‘And having faced real combat several times now, they’ve even gained composure in it.’
Against So Heung Bo’s bizarre arsenal, the two responded with steady calm, and in harmony with that, they were executing their Martial Arts properly.
Where before they had been frantic merely dealing with the enemy before their eyes, now they watched their opponents’ attacks through to the end and counterattacked with measured precision.
Perhaps because of that.
Remarkably, neither of them strayed far from their own center of gravity.
‘Now they’re starting to look like true Maehwa Sword Masters.’
A smile played at Cheon Hui’s lips.
Compared to their earlier confusion against the Heuk Ho Bang’s singular killing techniques, they had improved beyond recognition.
‘Those two really do sharpen only when you drive them to the brink of the cliff.’
Had they known what he was thinking, they would have been horrified. Instead, Cheon Hui sent them a silent transmission.
『Don’t wound them. Subdue only.』
Jeok Geom and Seol Ran stiffened at once.
Though they understood nothing of the reason, they gathered in their Internal Force to obey the command.
As the sharpness of their assault dulled—
“Finally, they’re tiring!”
“Now’s our chance!”
So Heung Bo’s momentum surged forward with renewed vigor.
“Everyone, attack!”
Believing this was an opportunity that would not come twice, they launched their assault.
But.
Whoosh—
Their robes never even brushed.
Instead, their attacks began to unravel against the blades of Jeok Geom and Seol Ran.
Strike After Being Struck!
A martial art that could scarcely be deployed without overwhelming superiority in force unfolded before them.
Ju Go Ryul, hidden behind the gate and stealing a glance, could not contain his amazement.
“So that’s how it’s meant to be deployed!”
He watched Jeok Geom and Seol Ran, evading and deflecting dozens of attacks with nothing but footwork, unable to tear his eyes away.
No—he couldn’t even think of looking away.
‘I have to remember this!’
This very moment, he realized, was what men called an opportunity.
“To neutralize them all with a single step, and then the Hyeon Cheon Sword Technique on top of it…….”
Moments later, not a soul stood upright before Jeok Geom and Seol Ran.
“Ugh—”
“I… I surrender.”
“Spare us, please!”
Only those groaning and sprawled upon the ground, or kneeling in submission, remained.
Cheon Hui approached them at last.
“Well done, you two!”
“We did as you instructed.”
At their words, Cheon Hui gave a nod of approval.
“Good work. Your skill has improved.”
“Is that so?”
“Truly?”
Their faces brightened at Cheon Hui’s rare praise—the kind he gave so seldom it could be counted on one hand.
But it lasted only a moment.
“Still, there is much left to master.”
“There’s still so much to improve.”
Jeok Geom and Seol Ran burned with renewed determination.
Their opponents were merely second- and third-rate—was there really cause for celebration in subduing such opponents?
“Hmm, good.”
The faintest smile lifted the corner of Cheon Hui’s mouth, pleased by their spirit.
He turned his body.
“Then let’s go.”
“Sir?”
“What about them, though…….”
“Leave them. They’ll sort themselves out.”
Cheon Hui and the two departed So Heung Bo.
Ju Go Ryul, standing at the gate, watched as Jeok Geom and Seol Ran tidied everything in mere moments, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
“Truly extraordinary skill, both of you!”
As Jeok Geom and Seol Ran offered awkward smiles, Cheon Hui approached and asked.
“Which faction lies nearest from here?”
Ju Go Ryul’s expression brightened.
“Heuk Ho Bang!”
* * *
Shortly after arriving at Heuk Ho Bang under Ju Go Ryul’s guidance, Cheon Hui’s eyes gleamed.
‘Well, well. Look at that fellow.’
A man stood at the gate.
The neat, scholarly figure—too refined to be called a mere gateman—smiled as he beheld Cheon Hui and his company.
“I have been awaiting your arrival.”
Ju Go Ryul reacted before anyone else.
“All this time you’ve offered nothing but contempt, and now that sages of Huashan Sect grace your humble threshold, suddenly you grow timid?”
“How could one not fear Huashan Sect?”
Ju Go Ryul’s provocation fell flat; the man showed no sign of wavering whatsoever.
He acknowledged calmly, his gaze meeting Ju Go Ryul’s sharpened eyes.
“And the words spoken earlier seem somewhat distorted. Has Ilwol Moon not refrained from disrespecting this establishment all along?”
“That’s…….”
Ju Go Ryul fell silent.
After all, Ilwol Moon itself had treated Heuk Ho Bang with disdain, saying that Orthodox Sect and Sapa could never mix, like oil and water.
“Then let me speak again.”
He spoke those final words, glanced briefly at Jeok Geom and Seol Ran, then offered a formal fist salute.
“I am Jang Gir, Chief Administrator of Heuk Ho Bang.”
Jang Gir maintained his smile as he spoke.
“The Master has ordered us to bring the Maehwa Sword Masters here.”
As he turned his gaze toward Jeok Geom and Seol Ran.
Thump—
Cheon Hui stepped forward.
“So you mean to hold a conversation?”
Surprise flickered across Jang Gir’s eyes.
He had not expected that instead of the confirmed Maehwa Sword Masters—Jeok Geom and Seol Ran—it would be another Daoist of the Huashan Sect who would step forward to answer.
“That is correct.”
“Very well.”
Cheon Hui nodded.
“It could be a trap.”
Ju Go Ryul protested urgently,
“It doesn’t matter.”
Cheon Hui spoke as though unconcerned, then addressed Jang Gir.
“Show us the way.”
“Please follow me.”
Jang Gir smiled and opened the door.
He disappeared inside at once, and Cheon Hui followed after him.
“Should we not stop him?” Ju Go Ryul asked urgently of Jeok Geom and Seol Ran, who were moving to follow.
“Stop our teacher?”
“Stop him, you say?”
The two of them laughed.
Who was to stop whom, after all.
“Let us follow as well.”
“Yes, let’s go in.”
The two entered, and Ju Go Ryul stood for a moment, uncertain what to do.
Gulp—
He swallowed hard and hurried after them.
Following directly behind Jang Gir, Cheon Hui observed the empty surroundings and parted his lips.
“There are no people about.”
“They have been sent inside to receive our guest.”
After walking down the quiet corridor for some time, they arrived at a large chamber.
“Master. Your guests have arrived.”
“Show them in.”
A deep voice rang out, and Jang Gir opened the chamber doors wide with a smile.
“Please enter.”
Cheon Hui and his companions stepped inside.
A large circular table stood in the middle of the room, and across from it an elderly man with a gentle countenance was rising from his chair.
He offered a fist salute to Cheon Hui.
“Welcome, I am Jo Dae Ung, Master of Heuk Ho Bang.”
In that instant, Cheon Hui’s lips twisted.
He had caught the brief exchange of looks between Jang Gir and the Master of Heuk Ho Bang.
“Why have you summoned us?”
The Master’s eyebrows twitched.
He had offered a courteous greeting, but instead of accepting it, this man was ignoring him entirely.
Yet he had to suppress his anger.
His opponent was of the Maehwa Sword Masters of the Huashan Sect.
“I summoned you to make a proposal.”
“Hmm, a proposal, you say…”
Cheon Hui gave a light laugh and took a seat.
“Do tell.”
As Cheon Hui spoke with confidence, crossing his legs, the Master of Heuk Ho Bang also sat down.
“Very well.”
Then he addressed Jeok Geom and Seol Ran, who still stood, as well as Ju Go Ryul.
“Will you not all be seated?”

He made the proposal, but the three showed no sign of budging.
That was when Cheon Hui’s mouth fell open.
“Sit.”
At the command, Jeok Geom and Seol Ran sat, and Ju Go Ryul followed suit after reading the mood.
Then.
Thump—thump—
Jang Gir stepped to the side of the Heuk Ho Bang master.
The Heuk Ho Bang master glanced up at Jang Gir, then fixed his gaze on Cheon Hui and opened his mouth.
“Would you not join hands with us?”
At the sudden proposal, all three save Cheon Hui widened their eyes.
“How could we possibly join hands with a heterodox sect…….”
“How dare you even suggest that our school would…….”
“Mad!”
Just as the three were about to protest.
“Stay quiet.”
Cheon Hui spoke in a cold tone.
After that, he turned to the Heuk Ho Bang master.
“Why join hands?”
“Of course, I don’t mean for us to remain allied indefinitely—only to cooperate very briefly.”
The Heuk Ho Bang master, seeing the fierce reactions of the three, quickly continued his explanation.
“Surely you must eventually return to Huashan Sect, yes?”
“That’s true enough.”
Cheon Hui agreed.
Indeed, he could not remain in Yanan indefinitely.
“Rather than continue fighting and shedding blood between us, why not join hands with us and seize control of Yanan?”
“In other words, unite our strength solely to bring down So Heung Bo and Gwi Yu Moon?”
“Precisely. And afterward, we divide Yanan in half.”
Cheon Hui let out a soft laugh.
The proposal seemed reasonable on the surface, but much was left unsaid.
“You’re hoping I’ll gloss over the fact that you attacked Ilwol Moon first?”
Cheon Hui’s eyes narrowed.
“Several of Ilwol Moon’s disciples suffered mortal wounds from your assault.”
“……I will repay that debt.”
The Heuk Ho Bang master offered the proposal cautiously.
“Would money suffice? Or perhaps we could yield some territory as compensation…….”
“No, spare me that.”
Cheon Hui cut off his words sharply.
“There is only one thing I want.”
“And what might that be?”
“Your head.”
The Heuk Ho Bang master’s killing intent flared.
“So you never intended to listen from the start?”
“Of course not.”
Cheon Hui’s eyes curved slightly.
“What proper conversation could I have with a puppet?”
The Heuk Ho Bang master’s eyes narrowed.
“A puppet? What do you mean by——”
Cheon Hui’s gaze fixed on Jang Gir.
“How much longer will you pretend not to know?”
Jang Gir, suddenly questioned by Cheon Hui, asked with a feigned look of surprise.
“I’m not certain what you mean, sir…….”
“You’re controlling him through Jeon Eum transmissions.”
In an instant, Jang Gir’s demeanor shifted completely.
“When did you find out?”
“When did I?”
Cheon Hui uncrossed his legs.
“From the very beginning, naturally.”
Jang Gir’s expression hardened.
“You can read Jeon Eum transmissions?”
“Something like that.”
Cheon Hui smiled faintly.
More precisely, it wasn’t that he could read Jeon Eum, but when he sent it, there was a distinctive energy that gave him away.
“Nonsense.”
Jang Gir narrowed his eyes as he spoke.
“Master of Heuk Ho Bang.”
At the call, the Heuk Ho Bang master flinched and shot to his feet, crying out loudly.
“Attack them all!”
In that instant.
Crack!
The ceiling came crashing down.
At the same time, martial artists poured down from above, launching their assault.
“Gasp!”
As Ju Go Ryul caught his breath—
“Get beside me quickly!”
Seol Ran, who had already drawn her sword, shielded him while raising her Internal Force.
“I’ll focus on protecting Master Ju. I’ll handle the rest!”
While the two of them engaged their enemies,
Whoosh—
Cheon Hui rose from his chair, his gaze fixed on the frozen Heuk Ho Bang master and Jang Gir.
Then, watching Jang Gir closely, he spoke.
“A clumsy ambush.”
“So you knew?”
“It would be strange not to.”
Jang Gir’s expression hardened subtly.
“You’re digging your own grave. If you’d accepted the offer, I would have let this pass…….”
“Did you really think I’d accept something like that?”
Cheon Hui’s voice carried a contemptuous edge.
“Your head’s full of flowers.”
Jang Gir glanced at the Heuk Ho Bang master.
“What are you doing? Attack him at once!”
“Yes, understood!”
Just as the Heuk Ho Bang master reached for his sword—
Swish—
Cheon Hui’s figure vanished.
“Ugh!”
Having closed the distance with the Am Hyang Pyo, Cheon Hui seized the Heuk Ho Bang master by the throat.
‘When did he close that gap……!’
Jang Gir’s pupils trembled.
He hadn’t seen the distance close at all.
Then.
Crack!
A sickening sound echoed.
Cheon Hui hurled the Heuk Ho Bang master—his neck broken—to the ground and met Jang Gir’s eyes.
“Your turn next.”
Jang Gir felt a profound chill radiating from Cheon Hui’s gaze and voice.
‘This isn’t an ordinary fighter! Was there such a person in the Huashan Sect?’
Biting his lip, he drew a small orb from his robes and hurled it to the ground.
Boom!
White powder scattered in all directions.
“Cough! Cough!”
Taking advantage of his obscured vision, Jang Gir darted swiftly through the window.
His movement technique grew even faster.
‘I need to report this and request reinforcements!’
Rather than engage in a battle with uncertain odds, he judged it wiser to retreat and plan for the future. But just as he was about to flee—
‘What’s this?’
His vision began to tilt.
‘Why is the ground suddenly coming up…….’
With that question, Jang Gir’s consciousness cut out.
Thud.
Watching the lifeless body of Jang Gir, Cheon Hui sheathed his sword after severing the head.
“Hmm, I should have asked who was behind this.”
He turned his gaze away.
“If he’s dead like this, someone will come later to investigate the situation.”
Meanwhile, as the window burst open and white powder scattered through the air, the members of Heuk Ho Bang had discarded their weapons and raised both hands in surrender.
“……We, we surrender.”
“We yield!”
The moment Jeok Geom and Seol Ran caught sight of the corpse of the Heuk Ho Bang master and saw his men surrendering, they smirked and began sheathing their blades.
Bang!
The door suddenly flew open.
“M-Master! The Gwi Yu Moon is attacking the Ilwol Moon right now…….”
The Heuk Ho Bang member who had thrown the door open gasped for breath, then faltered mid-sentence, swallowing hard.
The scene before him was that shocking.
The Heuk Ho Bang master who should have been inside the room lay cold and lifeless, while his other members stood with hands raised, looking up at the Daoists of the Huashan Sect.
“What on…….”
As he stood bewildered.
“What about the Ilwol Moon?”
A voice came from beside him.
Startled, he whirled around, and there stood a handsome young man watching him intently.
“W-who are…….”
“Never mind that. Finish what you were saying.”
At Cheon Hui’s cold words, the Heuk Ho Bang member’s eyes darted about in panic for a moment.
Reading the urgent gazes of the others around him, he cried out loudly.
“R-right now, the Gwi Yu Moon is invading the Ilwol Moon!”

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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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