Namgung Heavenly Demon - Chapter 43

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 43

 

“Please stop.”

 

At Jegal Seoyeon’s words, the carriage slowly came to a halt.

 

The place where the carriage stopped was at the entrance to a mountain path shrouded in thick fog.

 

Yungjoong Waryonggang.

 

It was the only entrance to the Jegal Clan and was called the most dangerous maze in the world.

 

“From here on, you can’t just enter.”

 

Jegal Seoyeon said as she got off the carriage.

 

“A formation is spread out that no one can set foot in without the Jegal Clan’s permission. I’ll go in first and speak to the Head of the Clan. You can only enter after the formation is temporarily lifted.”

 

Jegal Seoyeon added with an apologetic expression.

 

“Please wait just a moment. I’ll be back soon.”

 

She walked into the fog without hesitation.

 

Mysteriously, wherever she stepped, the fog parted to both sides, opening a path for her.

 

And before she had taken even a few steps, the white fog closed again, completely swallowing her figure.

 

“How fascinating.”

 

Mujin approached the fog with a curious expression, then immediately startled and stepped back.

 

He had instinctively sensed that if he took a few more steps, the formation would activate.

 

“Young Master, are you watching too?”

 

Namgung Cheon nodded silently.

 

He gazed quietly at the fog.

 

Then the reality within the fog gradually revealed itself.

 

Thousands of strands of energy, each with different properties, were tangled together like a ball of thread.

 

‘Still the same. This Hyeonggi-mihwan Daejin.’

 

Hyeonggi-mihwan Daejin.

 

In his past life, during the Great War between Orthodox and Demonic factions, it was an unprecedented absolute formation that had swallowed a thousand demons in an instant.

 

Its majesty remained unchanged even with the passage of time.

 

Namgung Cheon and his party remained by the carriage to wait.

 

After quite some time had passed.

 

“…Isn’t this taking too long?”

 

Mujin finally spoke up, unable to bear it any longer.

 

He grumbled while sitting perched on a rock.

 

“She said she’d be back soon, but it’s already been over half a hour.”

 

Thud.

 

Mujin jumped down from the rock and added.

 

“Don’t you think she forgot about us while catching up with her granddaughter after meeting her for the first time in a while?”

 

“That couldn’t be the case.”

 

Namgung Cheon answered calmly, but he too was feeling puzzled.

 

Then Baekheun opened his mouth cautiously with anxious eyes.

 

“Young Master, could something unexpected have happened?”

 

“Something unexpected…”

 

Namgung Cheon shook his head.

 

There was no way something unexpected could happen at the Jegal Clan’s main house.

 

Rather, as Mujin had said, it was more likely that they were delayed while catching up with his granddaughter who had come out of seclusion after three months and immediately went to the Yeongang Martial Arts Assembly.

 

But should they just keep waiting indefinitely?

 

Namgung Cheon’s gaze turned toward the fog-covered forest again.

 

Hyeonggi-mihwan Daejin.

 

That formation he had ultimately broken through in the past.

 

Even so, his current self was different from back then.

 

In terms of realm alone, he couldn’t compare to that time.

 

However.

 

‘My understanding of martial arts has actually deepened.’

 

Moreover, there was Taeheohosimgong.

 

He was curious. Would this protective technique truly display its effectiveness even within this formation?

 

‘Besides, just waiting around doesn’t suit my temperament.’

 

It didn’t matter if he failed.

 

Cheongi Myosan, the master of this formation, wouldn’t just watch his grandson wander lost within the formation.

 

Having something to rely on, there was no reason to hesitate further.

 

Namgung Cheon rose from his seat.

 

And then he began to stride forward with large steps.

 

“Young Master?”

 

“Young Master?”

 

Mujin and Baekheun tried to follow in panic, but Namgung Cheon raised his hand to stop them.

 

“Wait here.”

 

Without looking back, he added.

 

“I’ll be back soon.”

 

With those words, Namgung Cheon stepped into the fog without hesitation.

 

Swoosh.

 

The white fog closed as if swallowing him.

 

* * *

 

Namgung Cheon smiled at the scene that unfolded within the fog.

 

‘Yes, this is how it was.’

 

The floating sensation as if stepping on midair rather than ground, and endlessly stretching cliffs.

 

Along with all sorts of energies that shook his senses.

 

It was exactly the same formation he had experienced.

 

The only difference from his past life was that its intensity was slightly weaker.

 

Namgung Cheon slowly exhaled.

 

‘What you see with your eyes is false. What you hear with your ears and feel with your body is also false.’

 

The terror of Hyeonggi-mihwan Daejin doesn’t stop at simply making intruders lose their way.

 

It disrupts the intruder’s five senses to make them collapse on their own, and draws out the fear hidden deep in their hearts to devour even their soul.

 

That was the true nature of this formation.

 

It was then.

 

Hissssss―.

 

An eerie snake sound reached his ears.

 

At the same time, thousands of venomous snakes crawled up the cliff.

 

The hair-raising sound of snake scales scraping, the fishy smell penetrating his nostrils.

 

Everything was so vivid.

 

An ordinary martial artist would have screamed and swung their sword.

 

But Namgung Cheon instead closed his eyes.

 

‘Do not be deceived by what you see.’

 

He recited the incantation of Taeheohosimgong.

 

[If there is no mind , there is no enemy and no self .]

 

As he suppressed the waves in his heart, the false sensations lost their power one by one and disappeared.

 

The hissing sound of snakes turned into the sound of wind, and the cliff returned to an ordinary dirt path.

 

Namgung Cheon opened his eyes again.

 

The fog was still thick, but he could see the subtle flow of energy currents within that fog.

 

The energy meridians of the formation tangled like thousands of threads.

 

Among them, the single strand that alone continued endlessly.

 

‘The energy leading to Saengmun.’

 

Namgung Cheon stepped forward following that flow.

 

Thud.

 

As soon as he took his first step, the formation reacted.

 

Rumble!

 

Shing—.

 

Namgung Cheon drew his sword.

 

‘From now on, it’s not an illusion.’

 

Crash!

 

Sharp stone pillars suddenly shot up from beneath his feet.

 

A sight reminiscent of Geomsan Jiok, one of the hells.

 

Tap!

 

His foot stepped on the side of a rising stone pillar and leaped into midair.

 

This time, red flames rushed toward him as he floated in midair.

 

Whoosh—!

 

An attack from the formation imbued with fire energy.

 

Namgung Cheon raised his sword.

 

Cloud Sea Barrier Heaven.

 

Gentle energy spread from his sword and embraced the flames.

 

The fire energy lost its power and scattered in all directions.

 

In the meantime, Namgung Cheon descended back to the ground.

 

But he couldn’t let his guard down.

 

Swoosh!

 

Invisible blades poured down like rain from the fog in all directions.

 

Sharp energy invisible to the eye but capable of cutting through skin.

 

Thousands of such energies were rushing toward him.

 

The moment when all escape routes were blocked.

 

Namgung Cheon’s eyes flashed.

 

‘There.’

 

Among the pouring energies, he caught sight of one energy that alone remained motionless.

 

The blind spot of the formation, and the Saengmun leading to the next stage.

 

Without hesitation, he thrust his sword toward that spot.

 

Cheoncheon Ten Thousand Forms Style Thunder.

 

Blue lightning pierced through a single point in midair.

 

Crash!

 

With a sound like breaking glass, the invisible blades that had been closing in on him shattered all at once.

 

He had destroyed one core of the formation.

 

“Phew.”

 

It was too early to feel relieved.

 

‘It’s not over yet.’

 

As soon as Namgung Cheon took another step, the formation reacted fiercely.

 

Whoosh!

 

Crimson flames shot up from the front once again.

 

Scorching heat that seemed to burn his skin.

 

Namgung Cheon raised his sword.

 

Gentle energy burst forth from his sword and embraced the flames.

 

Like rough waves breaking against rocks, the fierce flames scattered in all directions, opening a path.

 

Taking advantage of that gap, Namgung Cheon threw himself forward.

 

Rumble!

 

This time, the sky above darkened.

 

Dozens of house-sized boulders poured down like rain.

 

At the same time, the ground beneath his feet cracked open, revealing an endless cliff.

 

A moment of absolute crisis with both above and below blocked.

 

‘Now!’

 

Tap!

 

He kicked off the surface of a falling boulder and shot up into midair.

 

Heavenly Movement Step.

 

Using the floating boulders as stepping stones, he gracefully crossed over the collapsing ground.

 

Thud.

 

Finally reaching solid ground.

 

At that moment, black shadows burst out from the fog.

 

Dozens of warriors wielding swords.

 

Swoosh!

 

Sword strikes rushed from all directions.

 

Namgung Cheon didn’t clash swords but maximized his senses to read their energy.

 

‘They’re illusions.’

 

Phantoms with form but no substance.

 

Namgung Cheon dove between the rushing sword strikes.

 

And struck down hard with his sword at precisely one point on the ground.

 

Bang!

 

With an explosive sound, the formation’s pattern carved into the ground shattered.

 

Then the attacking warriors scattered and disappeared like smoke.

 

“Phew.”

 

Namgung Cheon let out a short breath.

 

All attacks had stopped.

 

The flames, falling rocks, and warriors had all vanished.

 

Only thick fog remained.

 

‘The physical trials are over.’

 

What remained now was the final trial.

 

The battle against his inner demons.

 

And this was.

 

‘Something I’ve already overcome.’

 

Namgung Cheon’s eyes flashed like a blade.

 

* * *

 

Jegal Seoyeon stared at the old man sitting across from her, forgetting that her tea was growing cold.

 

A long beard like a Taoist sage, white hair full of years, wrinkles filled with traces of time contrasting with his peaceful eyes.

 

He looked like an ordinary old man.

 

But everyone who moved the Murim Alliance, or even the entire world, knew.

 

That those peaceful eyes read everything in the world, and within that white-haired head, the fate of the world was being decided.

 

The head of the Jegal Clan and the greatest strategist under heaven.

 

Heavenly Secrets and Wondrous Calculations, Jegal Myeong.

 

Jegal Myeong leisurely tilted his teacup and asked.

 

“Well, I’ve heard about your research results, so now tell me about the Yeongang Muhoe. There were many interesting events, weren’t there?”

 

Jegal Seoyeon sighed inwardly.

 

It had already been half a hour.

 

Her grandfather, who would normally ask only about essential matters and finish quickly, was unusually dragging out trivial stories today.

 

Even though he clearly knew that Namgung Cheon was waiting at the bottom of the mountain.

 

At that moment.

 

‘You’re pretending not to know when you clearly do?’

 

Jegal Seoyeon’s eyes narrowed.

 

The man called Cheongi-myosan would never waste time without reason.

 

If that was the case.

 

“Grandfather.”

 

Jegal Seoyeon carefully opened her mouth.

 

“Do you have a reason?”

 

Without answering her question, and though it was impolite, Jegal Myeong smiled instead.

 

“Waiting is also part of cultivation, is it not?”

 

Jegal Myeong tilted his teacup and continued quietly.

 

“And judging by his recent actions, he won’t just be waiting around.”

 

“Pardon?”

 

It was before Jegal Seoyeon could ask again.

 

Thud, thud.

 

Urgent footsteps could be heard from outside.

 

One of the elders who managed the clan’s formations rushed in with a pale face.

 

“Head of the Clan!”

 

“Speak.”

 

Jegal Myeong asked calmly without showing any sign of surprise.

 

The elder reported while gasping for breath.

 

“The formation… the Hyeonggi-mihwan Daejin has been breached!”

 

“…!”

 

Jegal Seoyeon’s eyes widened.

 

The formation had been breached.

 

But Jegal Myeong’s reaction was different.

 

He slowly set down his teacup and curled up the corners of his mouth.

 

“Faster than I expected.”

 

A reaction as if he had foreseen this entire situation.

 

Only then did Jegal Seoyeon realize.

 

The exact reason why her grandfather had stalled for time.

 

‘He was testing him.’

 

Jegal Myeong rose from his seat.

 

A strange anticipation gleamed in his eyes.

 

“Let’s go. Since he came knocking on our door himself, shouldn’t we at least go out to greet him?”

 

Jegal Myeong leisurely left the Gajujeon with his hands clasped behind his back.

 

Jegal Seoyeon also hurriedly followed behind him.

 

When the two arrived at the front of Sanmun, the mist that should have been surrounding the area near Sanmun had already cleared away as if by magic.

 

And standing where the mist had disappeared was Namgung Cheon.

 

Upon spotting Jegal Myeong, he slowly approached.

 

Then he cupped his fists respectfully and spoke.

 

“It’s been a long time. Maternal grandfather.”

 

At that calm greeting, Jegal Myeong’s deep eyes flashed.

 

He showed his grandson a deep smile.

 

“Yes, it has been a long time.”

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