Heavenly Demon of the Huashan Sect - Chapter 72

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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 72
“……!”
Tae Sang Ga Ju felt a dull shock, as though struck on the back of his head.
It was exactly as he had said.
The Absolute Sword—a technique meant to decide victory in a single strike.
It was the very Sword Technique he had been trying to create.
“There’s no other reason why it would be the One-Strike Form.”
At Cheon Hui’s words, Tae Sang Ga Ju slowly raised his sword.
Immediately after, Inner Power flowed from his entire being.
It was a soft, fluid energy—the opposite of the violent lightning he had radiated moments before.
It seemed as though a single gust would scatter it away, weightless as mist.
Yet that very quality made it lethal.
The Inner Power he emanated slowly consumed everything around him like fine rain soaking cloth.
Quietly, without anyone noticing.
As though drawing one into addiction.
“I’m grateful. Thanks to you, I’ve reclaimed something I’d forgotten—my original purpose.”
“……Hm.”
Cheon Hui clicked his tongue.
‘I’ve done it again—made someone else look good.’
He’d been speaking so naturally, thoughts flowing into words without restraint.
And now it had become a kind of enlightenment.
‘Still, that’s impressive.’
For a Master of such caliber to abandon what he possessed was no small thing.
Yet he had cast it aside cleanly.
Trusting Cheon Hui’s words.
‘I’m genuinely eager to see a proper life-or-death duel now.’
The moment his eyes kindled with that fire.
Whoosh—
Tae Sang Ga Ju raised his sword high.
The blade’s point stabbed straight at the heavens, and unlike the solid Qi Form from moments before, gaps appeared in his stance.
Hum, hum, hum—
At that same instant, the Inner Power that had seeped into the surroundings grew suddenly heavy and oppressive.
When the weight of presence became so overwhelming that even the thought of exploiting an opening was wiped from his mind, Tae Sang Ga Ju’s eyes snapped wide.
Then the thin, ordinary-looking blade swallowed the sun above the heavens.
Slash—
In a single breath, the world was erased.
It seemed as though only the sword existed alone in a white expanse, empty of all else.
The true incarnation of a Tyrant King.
“This blade is truly…….”
Tae Sang Ga Ju, having manifested the very scene he’d dreamed of, murmured without thinking.
“The Sword of an Emperor.”
As the world returned, Cheon Hui saw the lake split in two.
Crack—
Looking down at the lake with its bottom now exposed, the corner of Cheon Hui’s mouth twisted.
“……A sword technique that never retreats—or rather, cannot retreat.”
It was an interesting technique.
While it was a technique born from his own counsel, this was something completely mad.
A sword technique with no retreat—a pure straight line.
He had poured all his Inner Strength into a single strike, and the trajectory itself was far too simple.
To be honest, it had many gaps and was riddled with shortcomings.
Other Masters who saw it could easily dismiss it as unremarkable Martial Art.
Yet.
‘That’s what makes it strong.’
A Master of such stature had wielded a single stroke carrying nothing but the will to exclude all else and overwhelm his opponent.
‘There are still parts that need refinement, but if he polishes it gradually and completes it properly, it will become truly fearsome.’
Tae Sang Ga Ju, savoring the lingering resonance of the technique he’d unleashed, sheathed his sword.
“Have I finally touched the blade I’d dreamed of?”
Though exhaustion painted his face from having poured out so much Inner Strength, his expression was serene.
Watching the lake’s surface split and rapidly restore itself to its former state, he approached Cheon Hui and bowed deeply.
“I have received profound teaching from you.”
Cheon Hui’s eyes widened slightly in surprise.
‘I didn’t think he’d bow his head.’
Generally, as men aged and grew into their strength, their conviction in their own righteousness only hardened.
Yet Tae Sang Ga Ju had admitted it.
That he had received instruction.
“I find myself at a loss for how to repay such a debt of kindness.”
Tae Sang Ga Ju stepped forward and extended his hand.
“I won’t forget this grace.”
Cheon Hui clasped his hand firmly, but found the weight of his gaze unsettling.
“Did you mean to forget it, then?”
“Hah, hardly likely.”
Tae Sang Ga Ju laughed heartily.
He was a man worth liking.
Had he not been a Sect Token holder of Huashan, Cheon Hui would have been willing to bind him to his family through blood relation.
‘Being friends with Jin Gyeong would be enough.’
His laughter faded, and his expression grew serious.
“Is there something you desire?”
The same question as before.
But the weight behind it had changed.
“Martial Arts.”
“Martial Arts, you say? Hah, and just now you pretended it was a sparring match to observe techniques.”
So he was indeed the true master of this clan.
He had seen through the entire purpose of the match.
“You’re quite fascinated with the martial arts.”
“Wouldn’t any martial artist be?”
“Even so, few cling to martial arts with such hunger. Most are too occupied simply cultivating what they’ve already learned.”
Tae Sang Ga Ju paused, then asked directly.
“Why do you hunger so for martial arts?”
Cheon Hui scratched his chin.
Why did he hunger for martial arts?
Why indeed.
Since when had it been?
He traced the memory backward through time.
Reaching back to his past life as the Absolute Heavenly Demon, he paused only briefly before his mind settled on the moment when he had first discovered the Absolute Supremacy Art, and his eyes grew cold and still.
‘To survive.’
His voice had been so low and quiet that Tae Sang Ga Ju didn’t hear and asked again.
“What did you just say?”
“I simply wish to know all the martial arts that exist under Heaven.”
“……I see.”
Tae Sang Ga Ju tilted his head, finding the answer somewhat suspicious, but seeing the shift in Cheon Hui’s demeanor, he chose not to press further.
“Unfortunately, I cannot simply reveal this clan’s martial arts to you.”
“Of course not.”
Cheon Hui understood.
It would be unthinkable for any martial sect to carelessly divulge its secrets.
“Instead, what of this?”
Tae Sang Ga Ju drew a token from his robe.
It was a very old Wooden Token, so ancient that its patterns had worn away entirely.
As he handed it over, Tae Sang Ga Ju added his words.
“Should you meet old men like myself in Kangho in the future, this will prove useful to you.”
* * *
Two days later, when the party set out from the Nangong Clan, they emerged through the main gate on their departure day.
“Tsk. This is rather harsh.”
Cheon Yu, who had stepped through the gate first and surveyed the surroundings, let out a click of his tongue in disbelief.
Usually, when visiting guests departed from a martial sect, the sect members would come to see them off.
But now?
At the main gate stood only the same gate guard from the first day, and the desolation was complete—not a soul had come to bid them farewell.
“It’s quite unusual indeed.”
Gu Gyeom Wi agreed.
His eyes drifted toward the gate guard, but found his appearance far from reassuring.
He stood with his back against the door, still and indifferent, as though utterly unconcerned whether they left or stayed.
“However divided we may have become, we remain the same Orthodox Sect, and you were our guests.”
Even Hyeon Jin, who would normally have said nothing, spoke as though thoroughly exasperated.
After all the disappointment he had endured during his stay at the Nangong Clan, his manner was a complete reversal of his usual gentleness and benevolence.
“I never knew the Nangong Clan possessed such a petty spirit.”
“I have long heard that the pride of the Nangong Clan reaches to the heavens, yet it seems all of that was a lie.”
One by one, they began to voice their discontent in hushed, measured tones.
“There is no point troubling ourselves over such matters. Let us depart at once.”
Hyeon Jin led them forward.
Just as the Plum Blossom Sword Masters, with Hyeon Jin at their head, were about to board the carriage that had been waiting with their preparations complete.
Creak—
The gates of the Nangong Clan suddenly opened, and two familiar figures emerged.
“Master Cheon Hui!”
“Are you truly leaving without so much as a farewell?”
It was none other than Nangong Jin Gyeong and Tae Sang Ga Ju.
Their appearances were in striking contrast: Nangong Jin Gyeong carried a bulging bundle on his back, while Tae Sang Ga Ju came empty-handed.
“That elder was the one who helped us gain entry on the first day…….”
“But why does the second son of the Nangong Clan appear now?”
“Could it be he means to exact revenge for his defeat at the master’s hands?”
As the party, unaware of what had passed between Cheon Hui and Nangong Jin Gyeong over the past four days, watched warily.
“The masters of Huashan are leaving, and not a soul comes to see them off.”
“However much we may now stand opposed to Huashan, surely this is too harsh an affront.”
“Tsk. This is precisely why I cannot abide it.”
The two men, observing the desolate courtyard, knitted their brows sharply as they approached.
“This is our second meeting, then.”
Tae Sang Ga Ju surveyed the group, then approached the one who appeared oldest—Hyeon Jin—and offered a respectful fist salute.
“I am Nangong Han Sang. My apologies for the belated greeting.”
Hyeon Jin was momentarily taken aback by the formality, but he returned the courtesy with a natural bow.
“I am Hyeon Jin.”
“Hyeon Jin, you say? A name with a pleasant ring—a worthy Sect Token.”
“No, that is not the case.”
Hyeon Jin waved his hand modestly and added further explanation.
“Thank you for your assistance that day. Thanks to you, we were able to enter the clan at ease.”
“Not at all. It was only natural, was it not?”
Tae Sang Ga Ju paused mid-sentence, glancing awkwardly at the gatekeeper.
“I regret, moreover, that our clan’s hospitality has fallen short. In times past, I would have seen you off properly, but how it has come to this…….”
Tae Sang Ga Ju exhaled a deep sigh.
Even when he had served as the clan head, he had taken special care to honor the departure of guests.
But to see it now like this.
“Alas.”
The plaque hanging above the gate—proclaiming “Spirit Piercing Heaven”—seemed shameful by comparison.
“I am truly sorry.”
He bowed his head toward Hyeon Jin.
“No, please.”
Watching Tae Sang Ga Ju shudder with shame as he bowed, Hyeon Jin’s expression grew visibly more at ease than before.
Though he did not know the old man’s identity, the gatekeeper’s reaction suggested he held a position of considerable standing within the clan.
And when such a person apologized while bowing, it was only natural that the hardness in one’s heart should soften.
‘It seems the Nangong Clan may yet have some vitality remaining. But Nangong Han Sang…… I feel as though I have heard that name somewhere before.’
Meanwhile, Nangong Jin Gyeong, ignoring the others entirely, rushed toward Cheon Hui but came to an abrupt halt.
The Plum Blossom Sword Masters had positioned themselves squarely between him and Cheon Hui.
“……Why are you approaching the master?”
“Do you come to exact your revenge?”
Nangong Jin Gyeong, confronted by the piercing glares of the Plum Blossom Sword Masters, looked flustered and quickly turned his gaze to Cheon Hui.
“I have come only to see off my friend Master Cheon Hui on his departure.”
“Your friend……?”
“Yes, that is so.”
At the word “friend,” the Plum Blossom Sword Masters grew even more suspicious, their eyes narrowing.
“Master Cheon Hui. Explain yourself.”
Nangong Jin Gyeong turned to Cheon Hui with a troubled expression, imploring him to clarify.
“……I said we were not friends.”
“Why would you say such a thing?”
Nangong Jin Gyeong’s face fell.
“I’d prepared a gift for you too.”
As he spoke, he immediately began untying his bundle.
Whoosh—
It was packed full of items, some of which were famous medicinal herbs that the group recognized at once.
“Polygonum Root?”
“And this is Ginseng…”
“Wait—is that a Shou Dou Jia? That form only comes from the western regions…”
He examined all the items spilling from the loosened bundle before speaking again.
“There’s quite a lot here.”
Nangong Jin Gyeong scratched the back of his head.
“I wasn’t sure what you’d need, so I just packed whatever I could find…”
“I told him to bring everything.”
The Tae Sang Ga Ju, having finished his conversation with Hyeon Jin, stepped closer and spoke.
“Some of these may be useless, but that’s the way of the world—we never know what we’ll need, do we?”
“That’s true.”
“Still, if you don’t need something, throw it away. I brought it all for you anyway.”
The Tae Sang Ga Ju smiled warmly.
The others fell into slight confusion watching the two of them converse as if grandfather and grandson.
“Did the Master have connections with this man?”
“While we stayed at the Nangong Clan, he went out one day and must have met him then.”
“Not only well-connected with the young master, but also with someone of such age. The Master turns out to be surprisingly well-connected.”
As they whispered and tried to piece together what was happening, the Tae Sang Ga Ju leaned close to Cheon Hui and spoke low.
“When you venture into Kangho, hide at least seven-tenths of your true strength—no, at minimum seven-tenths.”
“The Sect Leader said the same thing.”
“Ha. So the Sect Leader knows about you too, it seems. Or perhaps he knows you better than I do.”
The Tae Sang Ga Ju laughed heartily, and Nangong Jin Gyeong stepped forward as well.
“I’ve learned much thanks to the Young Master’s teaching.”
He was utterly changed from the first day.
The anxiety that had clung to him then was gone, replaced by calm composure and quiet confidence.
“Would you be able to visit our clan again in the future? I’d like to show you how much I’ve grown by then.”
“In the future?”
“Why wouldn’t it be possible?”
Hmm—could he really visit again later?
No matter how he turned it over in his mind, there was no likelihood of returning.
“I don’t think it will be possible.”
“Do you dislike seeing me again?”
Nangong Jin Gyeong’s shoulders sagged.
“The head of the house dislikes me.”
“The head of the house?”
For a moment, Nangong Jin Gyeong didn’t understand.
Head of the house—what did that mean?
“Ah!”
Then it dawned on him.
The head of the house meant his own father, the patriarch of the Nangong Clan.
“Haha.”
A hollow laugh escaped him.
Relief flooded through him at the same time.
“Then what if I were to visit the Huashan Sect? Would that be alright?”
“I can’t stop you from doing that.”
If he was coming anyway, what could he say?
He couldn’t very well tell him not to come.
As if waiting for those words, delight bloomed across Nangong Jin Gyeong’s face.
“Then I’ll visit you someday.”
“Very well.”
As Nangong Jin Gyeong basked in satisfaction, the Tae Sang Ga Ju, who had been watching quietly, added a word.
“When that day comes, be sure to look forward to it.”
He gazed fondly at Nangong Jin Gyeong, whose fists were clenched with determination.
His expression was as if he were entrusting this young man with everything he possessed.
“By then, this boy will show you a truly perfected Sword Technique.”
“That’s something to look forward to.”

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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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