— Chapter 3 —
The Heavenly Demon Vault.
Accessible only to the Heavenly Demon or those who had performed extraordinary feats, the vault was a repository of unparalleled treasures. Rumored to contain the world’s finest weapons, elixirs, and divine techniques, the Heavenly Demon Vault was a legendary realm, not only for members of the Heavenly Demon Cult but also for the martial artists of the Jianghu.
Located deep within Snowmelt Peak, the vault was divided into four sections.
The first floor: the Armory.
The second basement floor: the Elixir Repository.
The third basement floor: the Scripture Hall.
And the lowest level: the Heavenly Demon Chamber.
Gaining entry to the Armory, Elixir Repository, or Scripture Hall required considerable contributions to the cult. They were filled with priceless artifacts, miraculous elixirs, and powerful martial arts manuals that would make any Jianghu warrior’s eyes gleam with avarice.
However, none of these could compare to the Heavenly Demon Chamber on the lowest level. The very criteria for entry were different.
The Heavenly Demon Chamber.
Located at the bottom of the Heavenly Demon Vault, this chamber was accessible only to the leader of the Heavenly Demon Cult, the Heavenly Demon himself. Within this vast chamber, nineteen martial arts manuals were displayed in a single row. These were the signature techniques of past Heavenly Demons, each one meticulously recorded before their deaths.
Those who first witnessed this sight would be overwhelmed with excitement, eagerly reaching for the manuals. But more often than not, they would quickly close them with a shake of their head.
The reason for their surrender was simple.
Too abstruse.
The title of Heavenly Demon was typically reserved for individuals of exceptional martial prowess, geniuses of their time. Their understanding of martial arts was unmatched, and they often possessed a certain arrogance. Even if one earnestly requested them to record their techniques for posterity, they were unlikely to do so with any clarity.
Illustrated guides were unthinkable.
Instead, they scribbled cryptic notes in illegible handwriting, offering explanations only they could understand, rendering the manuals nearly impossible to decipher. Even those who managed to decode the text rarely grasped the profound depths of each technique.
“Well, all of that was irrelevant to me.”
Hyuk Murin of the past had no other choice. His only advantage was unrestricted access to the Heavenly Demon Vault. He had spent countless hours within the Heavenly Demon Chamber, striving to master the techniques of the former Heavenly Demons.
While he never achieved complete mastery, he’d attained a considerable understanding of many.
“And among them, the one I need most right now is…”
Hyuk Murin’s gaze fell upon the manual in his grasp.
[Soul Purifying Demonic Art]
The manual was covered in a thick layer of dust, as if untouched for centuries.
“I, too, ignored it at first.”
Its age aside, it was remarkably thin—less than half the size of the other manuals. Could such a slender volume truly contain the secrets of a powerful martial art? Skepticism was natural.
Furthermore, it was the only manual among the nineteen that documented a simgong (inner cultivation technique). Simgong formed the core of one’s martial arts, and unless there were extraordinary circumstances, a martial artist cultivated a single simgong throughout their life. The consequences of cultivating multiple simgong were unknown, and it seemed unlikely that a Heavenly Demon, already at the pinnacle of martial arts, would risk such an endeavor.
And crucially, the identity of the Heavenly Demon who created this simgong was unclear.
This was the only manual containing a simgong, so he had investigated its origins. He’d searched through the Secret Chronicles of the Heavenly Demon and the cult’s annals, but to no avail. There was no information about how this Heavenly Demon had risen to power, which of the Seven Demonic Houses they belonged to, or what kind of martial arts they practiced.
The only details recorded were that they were the Eleventh Heavenly Demon and that their reign lasted a mere three days before the position passed to the next.
Whether they committed suicide, were assassinated, abdicated, or went into seclusion remained a mystery.
After confirming all this, I also lost interest.
Why risk learning a simgong created by someone so enigmatic? Doubt lingered, but sensing his impending death, Hyuk Murin had opened the manual in desperation. The moment he comprehended the first passage, he fell into a trance.
The Three-Day Heavenly Demon.
He was a genius. Not just in the casual sense of the word, but a true prodigy, one of the rarest in history.
The Soul Purifying Demonic Art.
Its essence was simple:
Purge the demonic energy.
Then, refine the body to contain extreme demonic energy.
“This must be a simgong that only I can master in this cult.”
According to the Soul Purifying Demonic Art, one had to purge all demonic energy from their body—not simply expend it, but completely discard it. Once expelled from the dantian, the demonic energy could never be reclaimed.
Discard a lifetime’s worth of cultivated demonic energy.
The instruction was straightforward, but could any Demonic Cultist truly follow it? No sane individual would willingly discard their hard-earned power, unless faced with imminent death like Hyuk Murin had been.
But on the verge of death, having finally grasped the simgong, Hyuk Murin understood.
Extreme Demonic Energy.
It was worth the sacrifice. Worth discarding a lifetime of cultivation.
“…”
Hyuk Murin silently reread the manual. Having already grasped its essence, it didn’t take long. He returned the manual to its place and turned to leave.
Finding a spacious area, he sat down and crossed his legs. Closing his eyes, he focused his mind on his lower dantian. He inhaled deeply and then slowly exhaled, the breath laced with demonic energy.
“Huu…”
This wasn’t simply expending demonic energy, but purging it. Like opening a floodgate, he breathed slowly and methodically, emptying his dantian within an hour. His body, now devoid of even a sliver of internal energy, felt incredibly heavy.
But he couldn’t stop there.
Gathering the dispersed demonic energy, Hyuk Murin purified it, leaving only pure demonic essence, which he condensed into a grain-sized bead. The preparations complete, he focused on his meridians, opening the three vital acupoints: Gihae, Danjung, and Baehoe. He divided his focus, attempting to pierce the blocked pathways.
Sweat dripped down his face as he recited the verses of the Soul Purifying Demonic Art. The meridians twitched, teasing him with the promise of opening. For a fleeting moment, it felt like all three would break open at once. But that was a deception, a feint.
From the start, Hyuk Murin had targeted a single acupoint: Baehoe. He channeled all his energy, forcing the condensed demonic energy into it.
A searing pain ripped through his head. The agony descended, burning through his internal organs. But despite the excruciating pain, Hyuk Murin remained resolute. This was it. Failure meant oblivion. All he could do was trust himself.
Please… just this once, open!
Gritting his teeth, Hyuk Murin unleashed his remaining strength.
And then, as black blood trickled from his nose…
KWA-GANG!
A thunderous boom echoed as lightning struck.
Penetration.
A minuscule opening, smaller than the eye of a needle. But it was open.
A transcendent, heaven-defying energy pierced the Heavenly Spirit Aperture, defying natural order as it descended, bypassing his upper dantian and flowing directly into his middle dantian. It settled there, then melted into his core. A flash of pure black illuminated Hyuk Murin’s body as a dark miasma emanated from him.
“Huu…”
He exhaled softly and slowly opened his eyes.
He could feel it.
The activation of the Soul Purifying Demonic Art. The transformation of his body into an Extreme Demonic Physique.
Hyuk Murin surveyed himself, a satisfied smirk playing on his lips.
Leaving Snowmelt Peak, Hyuk Murin headed straight for the Heavenly Demon Palace. As he neared, an old man came into view.
Jang Wi, the Bloodhand Demonic Elder.
The head of the Sinwon Jang Clan, who had served the Heavenly Demon for generations, and the current Left Guardian of the Heavenly Demon Cult, stood motionless at the palace entrance. Judging by the snow accumulated on his clothes, he had been waiting for a considerable time.
“…”
Hyuk Murin observed him for a moment before continuing his approach.
“How long has it been?”
He asked as he drew near. Jang Wi bowed his head.
“Fifteen days have passed since your command.”
Before going to the Heavenly Demon Vault, Hyuk Murin had instructed Jang Wi to visit the Jeongcheon Pavilion once a day and report any important matters.
His presence here now meant…
“The Cheon Clan sent word, I presume.”
“Yes. I attempted to contact you four days ago, My Lord.”
Jang Wi carefully retrieved a letter and presented it with both hands. Hyuk Murin took the letter, untied the string, and read its contents.
It was precisely what he’d expected, eliciting no reaction. As he scanned the message, he felt Jang Wi’s gaze upon him.
“Curious about the contents?”
Hyuk Murin asked directly. After a moment of hesitation, Jang Wi cautiously replied,
“Would it be permissible for me to know?”
“It’s nothing special. They simply want to meet at their estate.”
“Elder Cheon’s request?”
“Yes.”
Jang Wi nodded.
“I shall begin preparations immediately. Four days have already passed since the letter arrived, and delaying further might displease the Elder…”
“There’s no need.”
Hyuk Murin abruptly cut him off. He ignited the letter with Sammae Jin-Hwa, reducing it to ashes in an instant.
“…!”
Jang Wi’s eyes widened in disbelief.
Hyuk Murin brushed the remaining ashes from his hand and turned.
“If they have business with me, they can come themselves.”
Without a backward glance, he walked past the entrance and into the Heavenly Demon Palace. There wasn’t a trace of hesitation in his steps.
Left speechless, Jang Wi could only stare blankly at the Heavenly Demon’s receding figure.
——
Translated by Sato
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