Heavenly Demon of the Huashan Sect - Chapter 321

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

321
Chapter
Cheon Hui’s gaze turned cold and crystalline.
Threads of blooming Internal Energy wove together like silk, wrapping finely around his eyes.
In an instant, his field of vision expanded.
Two eyes, transparent as ice, took in everything before him at a glance.
Ok Girin, standing in the midst of the vast Reed Field, moving his sword.
Cheon Hui fixed his mind with absolute intensity, refusing to let even the smallest movement escape him.
“The Taiguk Sword Technique—the absolute sword art of the Wudang Sect.”
Suddenly, Cheon Hui murmured to himself.
His voice was barely audible.
It scattered and dissolved on the barren wind that drifted past, as if about to vanish entirely.
Immediately after, Cheon Hui’s eyes grew deeper still.
His pupils, sunk like an abyss, swallowed even the moon and stars hanging in the night sky, reflecting only Ok Girin.
The slow arcing of his sword felt less like a Sword Dance and more like taking the night sky as paper and the blade as brush, drawing one long, endless stroke.
He seemed to exist alone in all of creation.
‘I’ve fallen deep into it.’
Cheon Hui’s consciousness analyzed the situation with clarity.
He was grasping Ok Girin on an ever-deeper level.
Right now, he had his eyes closed, lost in the Mushin State.
He had fully internalized the teachings and entrusted everything to his blade.
And as that recalled the Taiguk Sword Technique now etched throughout his body, Ok Girin was manifesting it from within his unconscious mind.
His Sect Robe sleeves billowed.
From the sword blade drawing one long stroke beneath the night sky, Internal Energy bloomed.
Black and white aura.
Yin and Yang.
Internal Energy of opposing natures rose in a pale luminescence, caressing the blade.
It was a remarkably wondrous sight.
Black and white, Yin and Yang, existed in harmony without invading each other.
Drawing a single circle.
The Taiguk itself.
“So Wudang remains true to itself.”
The martial arts of the Wudang Sect had always been this way.
The Taiguk, the harmony of Yin and Yang.
They trained to pursue and perfect this principle.
Had not Sambong Jinin, the founder of the Wudang Sect, been one who pursued the Taiguk from the beginning?
For the Wudang Sect that followed his teachings, it was only natural.
And what the Wudang Sect aspired to was now strongly resonating in the Taiguk Sword Technique that Ok Girin displayed.
Likely because this sword art was the Taiguk Sword Technique, which Sambong Jinin created in his later years.
In other words, the vast Taiguk martial wisdom of Sambong Jinin, known to have lived for centuries, was contained within that very sword art.
The corners of Cheon Hui’s mouth twitched slightly.
He could not hide his joy.
To encounter the Taiguk Sword Technique he had never witnessed even in his past life, by unexpected fortune.
How could he let such an opportunity slip away?
Whoosh!
The Baihui Acupoint opened, and the Three Dantian aligned.
‘I will miss nothing.’
The Internal Energy of the Plum Blossom Divine Art stirred.
It followed Cheon Hui’s consciousness.
‘Until the Taiguk Sword Technique becomes entirely mine…….’
In that instant, the supremely pure Internal Energy of the Plum Blossom Divine Art surged forth.
It was instantaneous.
The all-encompassing Internal Energy of the Plum Blossom Divine Art reached Cheon Hui’s upper dantian in a single breath.
Whoosh—
His consciousness suddenly expanded into vastness.
Countless martial techniques swam through Cheon Hui’s mind.
Their sheer number was beyond reckoning.
Heart Techniques, Sword Techniques, Blade Techniques, Water Techniques, and more…….
The martial teachings rippled and flowed rapidly through his consciousness.
Caught within that sudden acceleration of thought.
Flash!
Cyan streaks blazed from Cheon Hui’s eyes, spreading in all directions with a penetrating gaze.
It was as though lightning had struck.
In an instant, the boundaries between sight and consciousness blurred, and Cheon Hui—encompassing everything as one—fixed his stare upon Ok Girin.
It was a piercing insight.
The blue light faded, and his eyes now burned red, seeing through every layer of Ok Girin’s being.
Every element within his field of vision became crystalline and sharp.
Perhaps because of this.
Ok Girin’s movements, which had seemed slow before, now appeared as though frozen in place.
Even the pine-pattern markings unique to the Songmun Ancient Sword seemed alive and vividly clear.
“Blunt sword, later strike, formlessness.”
Cheon Hui murmured softly.
He was voicing what the Taiguk Sword Technique manifesting before his eyes was revealing to him.
“And harmony.”
A faint smile played at the corners of Cheon Hui’s mouth.
Even as he did, his eyes continued to gather vast amounts of information.
The irregular sequencing of forms, the subtle shifts of muscle, the yin and yang energies flowing from Ok Girin, even the sword’s intent striving toward the Taiguk itself.
All of it imprinted itself on Cheon Hui’s mind, building his martial knowledge layer upon layer.
Deep and profound martial understanding.
Throughout it all, time continued its relentless passage.
When roughly two hours had elapsed.
Whoosh.
Ok Girin lowered his sword and lifted his head.
He murmured quietly as he did.
“……Is it morning?”
The darkness that had enveloped the night sky receded as dawn’s light crept across the distant horizon.
He had spent the entire night without sleep.
Whiiiii―
The crisp wind of early morning brushed across his cheek.
Even in the cool breeze, he smiled.
His heart had grown lighter.
The sword dance he had performed without thought had soothed his restless mind.
It had been a long time since he felt this way.
Just as Ok Girin was savoring the refreshed state of body and spirit, something occurred to him and his eyes widened.
“Ah! The young master……”
The moment he turned his head to search urgently for Cheon Hui.
“How was that? Felt good, didn’t it?”
Cheon Hui stood before him.
Ok Girin, watching as Cheon Hui materialized like a mirage, bowed respectfully.
“Thank you, young master. I have gained enlightenment thanks to you.”
He bowed deeply.
The gratitude carried far more depth than his usual courtesy.
It was not merely the Taiguk Sword Technique.
Cheon Hui had also transformed his very spirit.
As Cheon Hui watched the crown of Ok Girin’s bowed head, he felt a twinge of regret inside.
‘I wish I could have seen just a little more.’
It was hardly without reason that it was called the Absolute Sword Art.
Despite maintaining extreme concentration to comprehend the Taiguk Sword Technique, his understanding remained fractionally incomplete.
‘Then……’
Cheon Hui twisted his lips into a smile.
A fine idea had come to him.
“You’re not going to let it end with just words of thanks, are you?”
At Cheon Hui’s question, Ok Girin flinched slightly in surprise before lifting his head.
“How could that be?”
Ok Girin spoke with gravity.
He was a Daoist of the Wudang Sect.
How could he repay a debt of gratitude carelessly?
Seeing the expression on Ok Girin’s face, Cheon Hui added his words as though he had been waiting for this very moment.
“Then would it be alright if, during our journey on this mission, I observed the martial arts of the Wudang Sect like this every night?”
Ok Girin’s eyes widened.
It wasn’t difficult at all.
In fact, it was a welcome offer.
From the brief glimpse of Cheon Hui’s guidance, she’d gained insight. And if he displayed his martial arts again, she might hear a new story.
“That would be agreeable, certainly… but is that sufficient? With just this….”
Ok Girin spoke with evident apology in his tone.
It was a deep debt—profoundly deep.
So it felt wrong to repay such a favor with merely displaying a few martial techniques.
“For now, that’s enough. If you feel there’s something lacking, we can discuss it later when there’s a real need for something.”
Only then did Ok Girin nod his head.
“Understood.”
“Then let’s leave it at that. The sun’s up now, so let’s head back.”
Cheon Hui ended the conversation with a light chuckle.
This much was sufficient.
There was no need to see more.
Two or three times.
That was all the observation required.
Cheon Hui watched Ok Girin sheathe the Songmun Ancient Sword, his lips curling upward slightly.
It was a smile tinged with satisfaction.
‘I’ll be gaining quite a bit from this.’
* * *
Myeoljol Dae and Cheon Jeong Dae reached the vicinity of Mool Hyeol, their destination, in six days.
At some point, Ok Girin halted, taking hold of his reins.
Then he looked at Cheon Hui and spoke.
“From here, we proceed separately.”
Cheon Hui nodded.
They had already established a plan through prior conversation.
“Then I’ll see you later, Lord.”
Ok Girin, speaking softly, smiled and met Cheon Hui’s eyes before turning his horse around.
“Cheon Jeong Dae, follow me!”
He shouted this and immediately galloped off in the direction they had previously arranged.
Clop-clop—clop-clop—
Cheon Jeong Dae followed in his wake, and both vanished from sight.
As they all disappeared like that.
“Every night you two went off somewhere together. Seems you’ve gotten quite close.”
Cheon Hyang, standing beside Cheon Hui, spoke as she watched Ok Girin fade into the distance.
“Not really.”
Cheon Hui cut her off sharply.
He had merely observed the Wudang Sect’s martial arts in exchange for providing the insight that led to her realization—he didn’t consider them close.
Cheon Hyang shook her head at Cheon Hui’s dismissive tone.
“Well, still, he seemed to think of you as close….”
Cheon Hyang murmured, reflecting on the six days of travel.
Ok Girin had always approached Cheon Hui whenever the chance arose, striking up conversation.
Of course, each time, Cheon Hui had given cursory replies and cut the exchange short.
‘…It’s one-sided affection, then.’
Cheon Hyang shrugged.
“Anyway, what now?”
Cheon Hyang dismissed the thought and hardened her expression, asking in a grave voice.
“Do we proceed according to plan?”
Her gaze turned forward.
Mool Hyeol lay directly ahead.
In other words, they would need to execute the task soon.
And as if answering her words.
“Yes.”
Cheon Hui nodded and replied.
“This won’t be easy either, I suspect.”
Upon hearing that response, Ho Gwang Gae drew close to Cheon Hui and drew a heavy breath.
It wasn’t just him.
All of Myeoljol Dae seemed to sharpen their focus upon hearing Cheon Hui’s words.
A moment passed like that.
“Lord, shall we move immediately then?”
Ho Gwang Gae’s eyes hardened as he posed his question.
He stood with his entire body wrapped in Internal Energy, poised for combat at any moment.
“No.”
Cheon Hui met his gaze and answered decisively, then added to his words.
“First, we need to gather information. We can’t even be certain he’s still in Mool Hyeol.”
Cheon Hui spoke while stroking his chin.
The fact that Feng Li and the Black Demon Sect were in Mool Hyeol had been known to them before they left on this mission, passed along through their network.
But since arriving in Mool Hyeol, they had instead vanished from sight and revealed nothing of their whereabouts.
That had been ten days ago already.
“If it’s information you need, the Gae Bang is your answer.”
Ho Gwang Gae spoke with confidence.
He prided himself that in all the Kangho, few organizations could rival the Gae Bang when it came to intelligence.
“I’ll contact our branch office right away—”
“No.”
Cheon Hui cut off Ho Gwang Gae’s words.
He knew well enough that the Gae Bang excelled at such work.
But what mattered in this mission above all else was moving in a way that kept them from noticing.
“Contacting the Gae Bang right now would be no different than announcing to Feng Li and the Black Demon Sect, ‘I’m here.'”
“…You’re right. I wasn’t thinking.”
Ho Gwang Gae scratched the back of his head, looking chagrined.
As a Taoist of the Gae Bang, which prioritized information above all, he had grasped Cheon Hui’s meaning at once.
“Then what do you propose?”
“We’ll need to commission someone else. The Gae Bang isn’t the only information guild in Kangho.”
“The Hao Moon.”
Ho Gwang Gae spoke with a knowing smile.
The Hao Moon had built an information network every bit as formidable as the Gae Bang’s.
“Exactly.”
Cheon Hui acknowledged it calmly.
The Hao Moon would have the information they needed.
“But how do you intend to commission them?”
Ho Gwang Gae asked carefully.
If word got out that they were entering Mool Hyeol, those two would certainly hide themselves and vanish.
To that question, Cheon Hui replied with a faint smile.
“Simple. We move quietly, discreetly. So they don’t notice us and run.”
Cheon Hui’s gaze swept across the figures before him.
The method itself was straightforward enough.
Cheon Hui’s eyes moved from the figures ahead, then he issued an order to the Myeoljol Dae.
“First things first—everyone change clothes.”

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