Chapter 025. Half-Demon
Starting from the appearance of monsters, the Central Plains Murim faced an unprecedented cataclysm in various fields.
If one were to pick the field that underwent the biggest change among them, it would be the transport industry.
Escort bureaus equipped with decent martial power dared not enter the mountains swarming with monsters. Likewise, the Green Forest Alliance, which once dominated every mountain in the Central Plains, completely disbanded and disappeared into the back alleys of history. Now was an era where the Five Great Families, asserting their power under the heavens, had to personally step up for long-distance transport.
It was for that reason that the Young Family Head of the Namgung Clan, based in Hefei, led the Azure Palace Sword Squad and came all the way to this distant Shanxi.
They were heading toward the Northern Demonic Realm, accompanied by several large wagons filled with supplies.
“We have now completely left the territory of the Martial Sovereign Castle. We do not know what might pop out from where, so do not let your guard down.”
Namgung Yeon, the Young Family Head of the Namgung Clan, said in a stern voice, looking at the Azure Palace Sword Squad members.
“Yes!”
The Azure Palace Sword Squad members answered simultaneously in one voice.
Their faces were overly tense for people passing through a mountain filled with lush greenery. However, ever since monsters began to roam the land of the Central Plains, the unknown nature became an object of fear like an abyss. Moreover, this northern part of Shanxi Province was also an area adjacent to the Demonic Realm.
As the Young Family Head said, it would not be strange if anything happened.
Seeing alertness sharply rising in the eyes of the Azure Palace Sword Squad members, Namgung Yeon nodded satisfactorily.
Once they leave here, it is now the territory of the North, not the Central Plains.
Although there is quite a distance to the Demonic Realm, the north is equally chaotic. To properly deliver the goods to the Northern Branch of the Righteous Heaven Alliance, they must not relax their tension.
But perhaps because a shred of leisure remained, a man came to Namgung Yeon's mind.
The third disciple of the Lord of the Martial Sovereign Castle, Sword Dragon Dam Jeok-san.
She met him at an exchange meeting between rising stars held in Wuhan several years ago.
It was a fairly large-scale exchange meeting where not only the Orthodox and Unorthodox factions but also the Martial Sovereign Castle, to which Dam Jeok-san belonged, and some forces from outside the pass participated. Namgung Yeon requested a spar from Dam Jeok-san, who was openly called by the alias Sword Dragon there.
Because she was the successor of the Number One Sword Family under Heaven.
The result was a miserable defeat.
It wasn't simply about how the sword techniques she learned were or how the difference in internal energy was. Dam Jeok-san's perspective on martial arts itself was completely different from the rising stars of her age.
A genius who might appear once in an era. She evaluated Dam Jeok-san as such.
Although it seemed like he intentionally induced her to request a spar from the beginning, Namgung Yeon was not of a nature to dwell on her defeat.
The only problem was that Namgung Yeon's personal defeat was not hers alone. Her defeat symbolized the defeat of the Great Namgung Clan. Personally, she had a desire to interact with Dam Jeok-san, but she couldn't get any closer.
Because what the successor of the Namgung Clan had to do was to focus on the sword through repeated seclusion training to turn defeat into victory and avenge herself. Thus, after being defeated by Dam Jeok-san, Namgung Yeon repeated closed-door training and focused on the sword.
‘It was definitely like that…….’
When she came out of seclusion, news came that Dam Jeok-san had fallen into qi deviation and become a cripple.
It wasn't very pleasant news.
Even if she were defeated again, she wanted to meet him again at least once as a swordsman.
Now, it wasn't that important a matter.
Namgung Yeon shook off her thoughts and moved forward.
POURRRRR!!
At some moment, heavy rain began to pour in the mountains.
However, the swordsmen of the Namgung Clan did not stop and moved forward.
Because wind and rain do not become big obstacles to those who have mastered high-level martial arts.
However―
There was no one who noticed the fact that someone was hiding their presence in the fiercely driving rain.
It was after contact with the scout was cut off that the procession of the Namgung Clan noticed the anomaly.
“Young Family Head! It's an emergency, contact with the Sword Squad members in the scout team has been lost.”
“……!”
At those words, a cold look settled on Namgung Yeon's expression.
Just as she tried to extend her senses to detect the anomaly.
As if it were already too late, suffocatingly dense demonic energy hung in the surroundings.
“Everyone, guard the left!”
The moment a scream-like shout burst from Namgung Yeon's mouth―
There stood a human figure with bloodshot pupils shining red.
No, could he be called a human?
Starting from the eyes, all the capillaries on the face had burst, making the skin glisten purple. On the forehead, strange lumps whose original form could not be guessed were protruding like horns. In the grasp of the bastard, which was two or three times larger than that of an average human, a straight saber likely used for butchering was held.
An existence that was once human but degenerated into a monster…… a Half-Demon.
Fortunately or unfortunately, Namgung Yeon could deduce the identity of that Half-Demon at once.
“The Butcher……!”
The bastard was a peak master who already had a vicious reputation when he was human. Although he was in the Unorthodox faction, his methods were so cruel that even the Unorthodox Alliance washed their hands of him and issued a kill order.
But the bastard's true terror was revealed rather after he became a monster.
……Did they say he emits terrible demonic energy that weakens the opponent's strength?
The clan's intelligence department judged it as a kind of ability that interferes with the mind.
‘……They said he massacred an elder of the Peng Clan in the Hebei area and was on the run.’
A dangerous opponent.
Can we handle him with our current combat power?
Namgung Yeon's expression turned pale ashen.
SLASH――!
But seeing one of the Azure Palace Sword Squad members being brutally slaughtered by the bastard's straight saber, something snapped in her head.
“Everyone! Form up.”
She shouted with a voice filled with internal energy.
The thunderous command of the young successor.
Light returned to the eyes of the Azure Palace Sword Squad members who had fallen into confusion due to the Butcher's demonic energy.
But that was only for a moment; pitch-black demonic energy surged intensely from the bastard's straight saber.
The Butcher's figure, wrapped in enormous demonic energy, transformed into a streak of storm, and that storm ruthlessly slaughtered the swordsmen of the Number One Sword Family under Heaven.
Fear spreads on their faces again.
But Namgung Yeon was observing the Butcher with sharply shining eyes even in the midst of that.
Through the fiercely pouring rain, crimson fresh blood seeped in.
* * *
There are moments when one feels a strange premonition that cannot be described in words.
People call this the sixth sense.
The sixth sense of masters who have reached a transcendent realm is truly comparable to precognition. This was also the reason why the vague remarks of the Lord of the Martial Sovereign Castle sometimes penetrated the truth of the world.
Even though Dam Jeok-san had not reached such a realm, he often felt that his intuition touched upon precognition. Because he was born with exceptional talent. A constitution where the Upper Dantian is naturally open, albeit faintly. The abnormal ability to acquire martial arts also stems from there.
After gaining the Predation ability, such aspects became more severe.
Immediately inventing the Monkey-Destroying One Flash is a prime example. Although his ability to acquire martial arts was excellent, he did not possess the aptitude of a Grandmaster to that extent.
‘It means the Upper Dantian is being activated.’
It is not just a good thing. In a situation where the accumulated qi is still far insufficient, if only the Upper Dantian grows, the balance might be disrupted. But Dam Jeok-san didn't mind much. This level of imbalance is something he can sufficiently endure. If he can handle the functions of the Upper Dantian.
The reason he was lost in thought to this extent was simple.
Because he was drawing out and using the functions of the Upper Dantian to the best possible extent right now.
As befitting a high-class inn, Mirihyang had a training hall prepared for staying martial artists.
“Both of you, attack at the same time.”
In that training hall, Dam Jeok-san declared, looking at Gyeong-won and Black Panther Spear.
It was an absurd demand, but the two burned with determination without bothering to decline.
Right now, it is a situation where the use of internal energy is strictly limited. Dam Jeok-san's skill in handling the sword alone is truly comparable to a peak master. He is an opponent whose odds of winning are hard to gauge even if they attack together.
“Then here I go!”
“I too shall learn a move.”
Gyeong-won and Black Panther Spear each uttered a word and rushed toward Dam Jeok-san.
Dam Jeok-san accelerated his consciousness to the limit while watching the starting stances the two took. His head throbs with pain, and blood vessels start to stand out in his eyes.
Dam Jeok-san observed them without minding at all.
He can see it. No, accurately, he can feel it.
Where they will move, what trajectory they will rush in with. Also, how they will react to Dam Jeok-san's actions.
This is not solely relying on the functions of the Upper Dantian.
The martial arts Black Panther Spear and Gyeong-won unfold, as well as their usual habits, personalities, and even values. It is possible because he knows a lot.
Dam Jeok-san twisted his body lightly to dodge Gyeong-won's sword, and immediately set up the flat of his sword to block Black Panther Spear's spear.
Movements as natural as flowing water.
“……What the!”
Gyeong-won shouted in a startled voice.
This is impossible without predicting what moves he and Black Panther Spear would attack with.
No, that alone is not enough. He predicted not only the moves but also the exact posture and timing, and prepared a counterattack.
Of course, if they used internal energy and moved several times faster than now, the result would be different, but…….
‘It is the same for the Young Master that he didn't use internal energy.’
Perhaps feeling a similar emotion, Black Panther Spear, whose eyes met his, had his eyes wide open.
They only exchanged a single bout, but they could know that Dam Jeok-san had entered a completely different realm from before.
It is a fact everyone knows that the dantian and internal energy are not everything in martial arts. But one cannot discuss martial arts leaving them out. Even in a state where he lost his dantian and internal energy, Dam Jeok-san constantly polished himself without forgetting the path forward.
It is clear that such effort made the current Dam Jeok-san.
“You are amazing.”
Black Panther Spear, realizing that fact anew, bowed his head and politely expressed his respect.
However, Dam Jeok-san, the person who accomplished such a feat, was staring into the void in a half-dazed state.
“…….”
An indescribably serious emotion dwelt in his eyes.
Overloading the Upper Dantian to predict the Fighting Paths of Gyeong-won and Black Panther Spear was the start.
Even after blocking the attacks of the two, the Upper Dantian continued to immerse itself in its role― and as a result, a certain strange premonition covered Dam Jeok-san's eyes.
No, can this be called a premonition?
Before Dam Jeok-san's eyes, a scene was visible where a monstrous figure wrapped in pitch-black demonic energy was tangled in a fight with the swordsmen of the Namgung Clan.
It is a hallucination.
But it could not be dismissed simply as a hallucination.
Didn't he hear the story that the Young Family Head of the Namgung Clan and her party passed through this village? Moreover, the hallucination was reflecting a situation related to monsters, nothing else.
His Upper Dantian is currently in an activated state due to the Predation ability. And Predation is originally an ability to hunt and devour monsters. At this level, it wouldn't be a huge leap to say that the illusion Dam Jeok-san saw stemmed from the precognition of the Upper Dantian.
“We must leave this place immediately.”
Having concluded so, Dam Jeok-san said firmly, looking at Gyeong-won and Black Panther Spear.
“What does that……?”
“Pardon?”
Both seemed completely unable to understand, but Dam Jeok-san didn't mind.
According to the scene seen in the illusion, the existence that attacked the Namgung Clan procession seemed to be a Half-Demon.
Because it was unfolding human martial arts while continuously emitting demonic energy.
It is the type Dam Jeok-san was aiming for.
But that was not all.
Namgung Yeon, the Young Family Head of the Namgung Clan. Although they did not meet on good terms, she was an outstanding swordswoman. She is too valuable a person to die in a place like this. Gain what is to be gained. Save those who are to be saved. For that, he must move as soon as possible.
If there is one problem, would it be that the Half-Demon looked powerful even at a glance? But Dam Jeok-san had already made up his mind. Not to hesitate for such a trivial reason. From the start, victory or defeat is not determined by something like the absolute difference in cultivation level. If it were, it should have been him, not Woo Seo-gwang, buried underground right now.
He can do it. If he believes so.
A flame flickered deep within Dam Jeok-san's eyes.
“Let's go.”
Dam Jeok-san ordered his subordinates without hiding that flame.
Noticing that spirit, Gyeong-won and Black Panther Spear did not object anymore and hurriedly followed behind him.
POURRRRRRR!!
As their footsteps headed toward the foot of the mountain.
Dark clouds gathered in the sky of Shanxi, and heavy rain began to pour.