Chapter 112: Fiery Bridge to the Afterlife (2)
Power-Shattering Kick!
Jin Yeowoon’s kick struck down like lightning, landing squarely on the floor of the martial arts arena.
Jjeojeojeojeok!
A powerful crack split across the floor in a straight line from the force of that one blow.
“Kkadeudeuk!”
But Jin Yeowoon couldn't smile.
Not a single strike, including that one, had landed a solid hit so far.
“Huff, huff!”
He paused his offensive and glared at as he caught his breath.
I simply smiled, looking at my younger brother without making any move.
At this point, I thought he’d yell at not to dodge like a rat anymore, but surprisingly, Jin Yeowoon didn’t say anything and just steadied his fighting spirit.
‘He’s really grown.’
He had realized that complaining here would only sound like the whining of soone clueless and unskilled.
“You’ve definitely gotten much stronger than back then, Brother.”
“You too.”
“So you didn’t bury yourself out in this remote place out of sheer stubbornness, huh?”
Maybe due to the overuse of Qi, white steam began rising all over Jin Yeowoon’s body.
“In that case, I guess it’s okay to go all out.”
“……!”
Before I knew it, the color of the steam swirling around Jin Yeowoon had changed—from white to a dark, crimson-black.
As soone from the Demonic Heaven’s Jin Clan, I imdiately understood what that transformation ant.
“The Asura Body?”
“Hehe, of course you recognized it.”
“But I heard you can only form the Asura Body after reaching the Seventh Star of the Demonic Heaven’s Asura Divine Art?”
The Demonic Heaven’s Asura Divine Art, the supre martial art of the Demonic Heaven’s Jin Clan.
The real reason this art was so highly regarded even within the Heavenly Demon Cult was because it allowed the user to create a special body—the Asura Body.
It was a secret technique that surpassed even the boundaries of cultivation realms, sothing the Six Great Demonic Clans would possess at most a couple of.
And among them, the Asura Body was the symbol that represented the Jin Clan.
“That’s true.”
“But there’s no way you’ve reached the Transcendent Master level yet…”
Generally, the Seventh Star of the Demonic Heaven’s Asura Divine Art was considered a “minor achievent,” a threshold for entering the Transcendent Master level.
“The Seventh Star is rely a control threshold for managing the power of the Asura Body. Unless one reaches that level, it’s normally impossible to control it.”
I understood what he ant and was montarily stunned.
“W-Wait. Are you saying…?”
“The Clan Head said that my current physique could handle the Asura Body even without reaching the Transcendent Master level.”
‘What a freakishly talented monster!’
Even if I wasted away my previous life doing nothing, there was a reason why the position of Young Master went to him.
His talent was of a different nature, but it was no less extraordinary than Baek Sang-ah’s. He was born a demonic prodigy!
Sssaaaaaa!
“…It’s hot.”
Perhaps due to the steam pouring from his entire body, Jin Yeowoon roughly tore off his top.
And beneath it—thick, rugged muscles, tinged with a faint reddish hue, revealed themselves nacingly.
“Oh wow.”
Am I too much a product of the Demonic Heaven’s Jin Clan?
Those firm, massive muscles… they’re insanely enviable.
If I had those, I’d have stood proudly before Cheon Yura, no hesitation.
“With the physical power of the Asura Body, I should be able to match your perception speed, Brother.”
“You noticed?”
“To so extent. Even without using much internal energy, you keep dodging my attacks. That just ans your ‘Sight’ is absurdly advanced.”
“…If you know your perception’s falling behind, you should enhance your mind, not beef up your body to catch up.”
Typical Jin Clan mindset.
‘Still, if it really is the Asura Body, I can’t afford to be careless.’
The Asura Body ca with multiple special traits, but four were particularly iconic.
- Impervious to Fla
- Impervious to Poison
- Indestructible Body
- Demonic Spirit Body
Among them, the Indestructible Body wasn’t quite true “indestructibility,” but it significantly hardened the body and granted ridiculous regeneration.
At the highest level, the Asura Body could even deflect Qi Projection. At this level, he could probably block Sword Qi bare-handed.
And Demonic Spirit Body ensured that until the Asura Body ended, the Qi flowing through all major ridians would never be severed.
In other words: Indomitable. Invincible.
The abilities of the Asura Body were one of the greatest reasons why the Demonic Heaven’s Jin Clan could retain their seat among the Six Great Demonic Clans.
I adjusted my stance, curious to see how far Jin Yeowoon could push himself.
“Here I co, Brother!”
However—
“Please wait a mont, Second Son.”
Our duel couldn’t continue.
Sseuseuseuk!
Suddenly, a figure clad entirely in black appeared between us.
I was startled.
‘The Ten Demons of the Demonic Heaven?! Has he been guarding Yeowoon all along?’
The Ten Demons of the Demonic Heaven—elite guards personally assigned to the Clan Head.
And the number etched on his back was “One (一).”
He was the leader of the Ten Demons, an unregistered secret warrior in the Heavenly Demon Cult: Demonic Heaven First Demon.
“Even for you, interrupting a sacred duel is unacceptable!”
Jin Yeowoon growled at him, but the First Demon responded calmly.
“There is still an outsider present. Revealing the clan’s secret technique—the Asura Body—in front of him would be too risky.”
“…That man?”
The First Demon’s gaze shifted toward—
“Oh my.”
With a shrug and a vague smile, Yama Blade stood there.
“What a sha. I was expecting a better show.”
“……!”
---
Yama Blade.
He was actually a na I had heard before—when I had once asked Grand Elder Cheon Yeongha to instruct in swordsmanship.
“You wish for to teach you saber techniques?”
“That’s right.”
There was a reason I had asked the Grand Elder, a master of hand-based techniques, to teach .
“I’ve heard that in your pri, you mastered all types of weapons.”
“That’s true.”
There was a hint of admiration in Cheon Yeongha’s eyes.
“You’re well-inford. Not many even from my generation still rember that.”
“I heard you experinted with many weapons to apply them to the Lesser Demonic Art.”
Though the Lesser Demonic Art was categorized as a palm technique, due to its ice-based nature, it gained significantly more power when combined with weapon arts.
Cheon Yeongha had studied all types of weapons and hidden weapons, including the eighteen classical weapons, from a young age for that very reason.
And I’d heard the ones that gave the best results were saber techniques and claw techniques.
“I see what you’re aiming for. You want the know-how I gained while learning saber techniques as a secondary discipline.”
“Exactly.”
“You’re planning to earn the recognition of the Pa Clan, aren’t you?”
As expected, Cheon Yeongha instantly grasped my intent.
My first target was the Pa Clan. To persuade them, I had to show my sincerity.
“But I’m afraid I can’t help you.”
“W-Why not?”
“Because re techniques won’t be enough to et the Pa Clan’s standards.”
Even if I modified sword techniques into saber techniques, the Pa Clan would never acknowledge it.
Sword techniques were sword techniques. Saber techniques were saber techniques.
“A poorly done modification will only provoke the Pa Clan. Knowing them, they might take it as an insult and turn from neutral to hostile.”
“…Then what should I do?”
“You’ll have to learn from soone proper. A true master who can teach you what saber techniques are from the ground up.”
The real problem was, aside from the Pa Clan themselves, it was incredibly hard to find soone truly accomplished in saber techniques.
Cheon Yeongha smiled aningfully.
“You’re in luck. There’s a master who ets those conditions.”
“Seriously?”
I blinked in disbelief.
Even if such a master existed, the chances of them willingly teaching were slim to none.
A martial artist of that caliber might not even respond to the Jin Clan’s influence.
“There’s soone who committed a minor offense. Having him teach you would be an appropriate form of repaynt.”
A minor offense? Who?
If Cheon Yeongha was ntioning it, it definitely wasn’t sothing minor.
“I’ll send him to you in a few days. He’s soone even the Pa Clan Head acknowledged when it cos to saber techniques, so make sure to learn well from him.”
* * *
And then, a few days later…
‘That guy was really Yama Blade?!’
Cheon Yeongha never did tell who exactly it would be.
I’d narrowed down so possible candidates, but I thought he was the least likely.
“Hehehe, she really is a mischievous old hag, making teach a monster.”
Yama Blade leapt inside and stood in front of .
“Honestly, I wanted to see what ca next, but the guardian spirit of your clan was too quick on the uptake.”
“……”
I accepted Yama Blade’s gaze without backing down.
Of course. He was a hidden master of the peak demonic level himself. He wouldn’t be easily intimidated by Yama Blade.
“So? Shall we continue?”
I didn’t mind going on.
After all, Yama Blade wasn’t the type to blabber about what he saw.
But Jin Yeowoon, who was in a different position from , made the wiser decision.
“Let’s end it here. Now that an elder has intervened, there’s nothing more we can do.”
“Oh? Showing restraint? I thought you’d charge like a boar in heat.”
Despite Yama Blade’s insulting word choice, I silently agreed with him.
If this were the early-life Jin Yeowoon from my past life, he’d have lost his temper and co at without thinking.
“Hmph, you’re not my target, Elder.”
Watching him look at rather than Yama Blade gave a strange feeling.
“Hoho, is that so?”
Even Yama Blade let out a small, bewildered laugh.
“Well, I’ll let this pass as a glimpse of your potential. Next ti, I’ll expect a real duel.”
Jin Yeowoon threw on the coat handed to him by his subordinate and turned to leave.
“I gave Gu Chil a way to contact . If you ever need help, reach out through him.”
Leaving those words behind, Jin Yeowoon walked off without once looking back.
“Whew… the turbulent storm of youth, huh.”
Yama Blade scratched his head, not caring about Jin Yeowoon’s rudeness, and turned his gaze to .
“Your brother’s certainly a prodigy. The Asura Body at that age… remarkable.”
Yama Blade seed well aware of the Asura Body too.
“I agree. He’s more than qualified to beco a pillar of the Heavenly Demon Cult.”
“Which just makes more curious.”
At so point, Yama Blade’s hand naturally moved to the saber strapped to his back.
Kwaak!
The mont he gripped the hilt, a sense of dread surged in , and I instinctively fell into a stance.
“That kind of talent aiming for his older brother rather than , a fellow elder… how intriguing.”
I swallowed hard.
“…Are you perhaps… offended?”
“Not at all! I simply want to see your potential for myself.”
Sure… Not believable at all when you're radiating killing intent like that!
Regardless, my body instinctively prepared for defense.
‘Incredible. As expected of a peak-level demonic master.’
Even though I’d managed to overpower the Yin-Yang Fist Demon, that had only been possible due to a mix of favorable conditions.
Going head-to-head with a peak-level master at full power? That was a different matter.
Sreung!
I slowly moved my hand to grasp my sword.
Maintaining as natural a stance as possible so I could draw at a mont’s notice.
‘He’s coming!’
Flash!
The slash Yama Blade drew from his back wasn’t vertical—it flew horizontally.
I couldn’t understand how he managed to swing the saber sideways from that posture, but before I could question it, my body reacted.
I instinctively drew my sword to counter.
Kwa-gwa-gwa-gwang!
A shock several tis greater than what Jin Yeowoon caused earlier struck the martial arena.
“Guh!”
Papapapap!
The sheer aftermath of the clash was enough to leave the arena in a completely ruined, unrecoverable state.
Maybe it really was too early for to clash head-on with a peak-level demonic master.
Unable to withstand Yama Blade’s blow, I was flung all the way to the opposite end of the arena.
Tremble!
My grip felt like it would give out at any mont.
“Impressive.”
With a sly smile, Yama Blade, now holding a gourd-shaped liquor bottle in his mouth, chuckled.
“More impressive is the fact that you didn’t go all out against .”
Damn.
He noticed?
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