The Heavenly Demon of the Blue Sky - Chapter 35

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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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Azure Heaven Demon 035
“The Lightness Skill of the Namgung clan lord is truly exquisite!”
“Thread emerging from the wrist—I’ve never seen such equipment in all my days.”
The rising generation who had crowded forward in a flash all clamored to speak with me.
Though not all who gathered were favorably inclined.
“What’s so remarkable about it? A true martial artist shouldn’t need to rely on tools and tricks.”
A few, seized by envy, crossed their arms and spoke in a flat, uninterested tone.
Yet despite their turned heads, their ears betrayed them—pointed and rigid with attention.
They were curious. About me.
“If you don’t care for my attention, step back.”
I waved my hand dismissively, irritated.
The faces of those who had been sneering immediately twisted.
“Ha! Solved a handful of riddles and now you strut about with such arrogance!”
That’s when Yu Hwa, standing nearby, raised her voice.
“Speak with more care. My brother’s body is gravely weak and infirm—he cannot exert himself as roughly as ordinary martial artists do. What you all accomplish with ease is desperately difficult for him.”
Her reddened eyes and trembling voice rang out across the garden.
“How dare you mock his reliance on tools when you know nothing of the blood and sweat it has cost him!”
The atmosphere in the hall abruptly grew solemn.
“Ah……”
Someone let slip a short sigh.
“So that’s why his complexion is so pale!”
“Striving to overcome such hardship—truly a talent worthy of emulation!”
The eyes of those who had been sympathetic began to glimmer with deep admiration.
“Wait, then that curt behavior just moments ago……”
One man clapped his hands as if struck by sudden realization.
“He was showing consideration for those who spoke out of jealousy!”
“Exactly! Not wishing to embarrass them, he took the misunderstanding upon himself and let it pass quietly!”
“Incredible…… To possess such a generous heart!”
What in the world was happening.
“No, I was just genuinely annoyed……”
I tried to explain despite the absurdity, but they were already hopelessly won over.
“Lord Namgung! We were indeed narrow-minded. Ignorant of your deeper purpose, we overstepped—please forgive us!”
Several of the rising generation who had been acting difficult approached with flushed faces to apologize.
“Ahem! I said no such thing!”
Those stubborn, prideful ones seemed desperate to sink into a mouse hole; they merely coughed repeatedly, then abruptly turned their heads and fled the gathering in panic.
Without doing anything whatsoever, I had somehow become a living monument to human triumph over adversity—a distinguished Great Hero graced with the magnanimity to embrace even those who persecuted him.
‘This is maddening.’
I couldn’t fathom why it always unfolded this way.
The way these orthodox sect types loved to reinterpret things to suit themselves.
Sighing deeply, I turned my gaze aside.
‘What’s wrong with him now?’
My eyes met Jegal Un’s, who was staring at me intently with half his face obscured by a feather fan.
Just moments before, he’d worn that cunning expression of trying to weigh me in the palm of his hand.
But the eyes fixed on me now—what was that?
I had lived as the Demon of Rending Heaven and faced countless bloodlusts and hostilities across the realm, but this was entirely different in texture.
There was no malice to be found—no vigilance, no jealousy, no wariness.
Yet neither was it pure goodwill or admiration……it felt oddly sticky.
Like a cat starved for days who had spotted someone with food.
An intensely covetous gaze, eagerly searching for something.
‘Revolting.’
Without thinking, I furrowed my brow sharply and rubbed my forearm. Goosebumps had erupted across my skin.
“Hey, Jegal. You seem to have the answer—why don’t you tell me?”
Jegal Un, catching my look of displeasure, started slightly, then composed himself and closed his feather fan with a soft cough.
“Ha. To ask for the answer twice—the Jegal Clan’s pride seems rather diminished, doesn’t it?”
With a graceful gesture, his attendant stepped forward carrying an ornate box.
“I offer my deep admiration for Young Master Namgung’s wisdom and flawless skill. Truly excellent. Here is your reward for answering correctly.”
As the box opened, a pair of elegant shoes gleamed with a soft, ancient blue light.
“The Step Cloud Shoes, woven from thread of the Tianshan Snow Silkworm and reinforced with hide from a light Spirit Beast. Simply by wearing them, one’s footfalls become as weightless as clouds, alleviating fatigue—a treasure indeed.”
“Shoes, then. Quite practical.”
“We prepared a pair each for men and women, uncertain who would triumph in this gathering. But since both the Namgung have attended together, it seems only fitting to present both pairs to you both.”
“Good heavens!”
Yu Hwa, who had been quietly observing until then, covered her mouth with both hands at those words.
“My goodness, Lord Jegal! To think you’d share such a precious treasure with me!”
Unable to contain her joy, she tugged gently at my sleeve.
“Hyuk, thanks to you I’ve come by such a rare gift. I was cross with you before, but now I’m so very proud of you!”
Her innocent face glowed warmly, lit by the crimson sunset.
Seeing her delight like that, I felt certain I’d done the right thing.
“I’ll treasure it.”
I asked a servant to send it out along with the brush I’d received earlier.
Namgung Gyeong, who was waiting outside, would receive it and keep it safe.
“Well then, we’ve finished all the riddles and treasure hunts we’d prepared. There’s just one thing left, but let’s rest for a moment first.”
Still more? I arched an eyebrow, dissatisfied.
“Wonderful! This gathering is so rich with surprises! I do wish our younger brother could participate more!”
Yu Hwa’s delight and the hopeful gazes of the rising generation around her.
‘Well, time passes more quickly when you’re doing something rather than sitting idle.’
I sighed quietly and moved to a secluded spot to sit.
Soon the pavilion was laid with an elaborate feast, and clusters of younger members gathered to share stories and laughter.
Yu Hwa too reveled in it all, exchanging pleasantries and enjoying the banquet.
Meanwhile, the space around where I sat felt distinctly cold.
With my brow furrowed in displeasure at being avoided, the other rising generation members who did venture over to speak with me rarely stayed long before quietly retreating.
Thump, thump. That’s when it happened.
Two large men appeared and cautiously perched themselves across from me.
It was Hwangbo Gang and Ak Jin, the two I’d exchanged names with moments earlier.
“Would it be all right if we sat here?”
“You’re already sitting. Why ask now?”
“Ha, quite right.”
Hwangbo Gang studied my expression, then parted his thick lips.
“Lord Namgung, truth be told, we visited the Chwiseonru a few days ago. We saw quite clearly that a garden stone had been reduced to dust.”
Ak Jin nodded seriously in agreement.
“After witnessing the remarkable Lightness Skill you just displayed, we’re certain now. You were the one who shattered that rock in a single blow, weren’t you?”
Looking at their rough faces, I felt an odd urge to tease. I propped my chin on my hand and let out a small laugh.
“It wasn’t me.”
“Pardon?”
My casual reply drew a startled sound from them.
“I suffer from chronic illness—where would I find the strength to break a rock? That was my sister’s doing.”
I gestured toward Yu Hwa, who was laughing cheerfully and chatting amiably with the women of other families.
“Though she looks frail on the surface, she’s terrifyingly strong beneath. She’s a capable woman with no mercy in her hands, so I’d advise you both to be careful not to displease her.”
“Gulp……!”
Hwangbo Gang and Ak Jin’s heads swiveled stiffly toward Yu Hwa.
Just then, my sister, in high spirits, brought her hand down lightly on the table with a bright laugh, and the teacups on the wooden surface bounced violently up and down.
It was nothing unusual, but their reactions were priceless—they seemed to take my words as gospel truth.
Gulp. Both men’s thick necks bobbed heavily.
“Indeed, most impressive. We’ll remember that, Lord Namgung.”
Watching them pale and break into cold sweat, I stifled an amused snicker.
After that, we passed the time with ordinary chatter. Then.
“Ugh, my spine! My neck’s been tingling ever since—don’t you feel it?”
Hwangbo Gang, who had been drinking, shuddered and glanced nervously behind a wooden pillar.
Dang Soyeon was peering around the corner, her eyes fixed on me with dark intensity.
“I won’t forgive you…… I won’t forgive you, Namgung Hyuk……!”
Alarmed by her sinister murmur, Ak Jin leaned toward me and whispered urgently.
“Lord Namgung, what grievance do you have with that woman from the Sichuan Dang Clan? Her eyes look ready to devour a person whole.”
“I have no idea. Why she’s so fixated on me is beyond me.”
Has she wound herself up so tightly? What if she actually grows attached to me? I shrugged indifferently and replied bluntly.
“It’s no concern of mine. She’ll exhaust herself with her tantrum and get tired eventually.”
As trivial conversation continued back and forth, thick dark clouds had gathered in the sky, obscuring the full moon.
The once-dazzling garden of the Jegal Clan Estate fell into pitch-black darkness.
Sensing the moment, Jegal Un stepped forward to the center of the pavilion.
“Thank you for your patience. Now we shall begin the final entertainment—the grand finale of today’s gathering.”
He then summoned a servant and hung a large map on the wall.
“For those of you who will lead the future of each family and sect, there is a virtue as important as wisdom and martial prowess: unwavering courage in any circumstance.”
Her smooth voice carried an uncanny tension.
“And so, for our final entertainment, we shall hold a test of courage.”
She approached a large map hanging on the wall and pointed to a spot with the tip of a white feather fan.
“Your destination is the shrine at the summit of the Rear Mountain behind the main estate. There you will find several statues on the altar. Among them, locate the rabbit-shaped sculpture. A talisman will be affixed to its forehead. If you successfully retrieve it and bring it back, you pass.”
It was precisely the sort of test befitting a trial of courage.
“Of course, since the night grows deep and danger may lurk, I shall not send you alone. You will go in pairs.”
Pairs. The moment I heard that word, my head turned naturally toward Yu Hwa. We could simply take a walk in the night air and return together.
But as though Jegal Un had read my mind, he smiled like a cunning fox and continued.
“However, the true purpose of the Yong Pung Gathering is exchange and harmony. There would be little meaning in going with someone from your own clan, would there?”
At Jegal Un’s signal, an attendant produced a wooden box with a round opening cut into its side.
“Therefore, you will each draw a tile from this box to determine your partner. Those who draw matching numbers will be companions sharing life and death together this night.”
The pavilion erupted in anticipation and sighs.
Some sighed with worry at the prospect of walking through dark mountain paths with a stranger, while others flushed with excitement at the promise of a new connection.
“Well then, Miss Namgung, would you care to draw?”
“Of course! Let’s see what we have…”
Yu Hwa plunged her hand eagerly into the box. She withdrew a small wooden tile, checked the number, and called out in a clear, bright voice.
“I have seven! Is there someone who drew the same number?”
“What? Yes!”
Just then, Hwangbo Gang, who had been drinking across the room, started with surprise.
He checked the number in his hand again and rose abruptly to his feet.
“That’s me! I drew seven, Miss Namgung!”
His manner was tense, belying his appearance.
Small wonder—had I not just painted Yu Hwa as a formidable Amazon and thoroughly frightened him?
Still, a known face was better than a stranger.
I tapped Hwangbo Gang’s broad shoulders lightly and spoke with deliberate seriousness.
“Make sure she doesn’t lose her way in the dark.”
“Rest assured. Even if this body were shattered to pieces, I would never offend the lady—that is to say, I shall protect her without the slightest harm coming to even a single hair.”
I let out a quiet laugh at his suddenly rigid bearing.
The paired companions drew their order and departed at once.
“Go safely.”
“Right!”
After Yu Hwa left, the others drew their tiles one by one and departed as well.
The once-crowded pavilion grew noticeably quiet.
I too rose reluctantly and thrust my hand into the box.
I grasped a smooth tile and withdrew it.
“What number did you draw, Young Master Namgung?”
I answered Jegal Un’s question without interest.
“Thirteen.”
As my reply fell, Jegal Un turned his gaze toward the hall.
“Is there anyone who drew thirteen?”
A strange silence abruptly descended over the pavilion, which had been filled with chatter.
The remaining members of the rising generation merely glanced back and forth between each other’s faces and tiles, but no one stepped forward to claim the matching number.
‘What is this? All the tiles were distributed.’
I was raising an eyebrow when it happened.
“Ah, ah, aaahhh… No! This can’t be…!”
A scream—or was it a wail?—erupted from behind a pillar in the darkest corner.
“Aaahhh! Why do I keep getting tangled up with that unlucky wretch?!”
Staggering out of the darkness came Dang Soyeon, the youngest daughter of the Sichuan Dang Clan, her face drained of color as she trembled, clutching the tile marked thirteen.

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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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