The Celestial Dance of the Demon God (1)
I found myself suspended in the highest sky I could reach.
Below, the clouds drifted slowly.
The mastery of the Demon God’s ultimate technique had elevated my martial arts to new heights. My body moved as my heart desired, becoming one with nature itself.
The speed of my Demon God Flight had increased dramatically. Now, I could traverse an entire province in less than an hour.
I could reach the distant mountain peaks, which appeared as mere dots, in the blink of an eye. Although the energy expenditure was significant, this technique surpassed the limits of human martial arts.
With a soft hum, the Suramyeongwang Sword unsheathed itself and floated in the air, ready to unleash its first form, the Illusory Sword Storm.
The sword began to split, creating sword auras in the shape of the Suramyeongwang Sword. Previously, these sword auras appeared one by one, but now, eight appeared simultaneously.
Eight sword auras formed a circle around the original, and they began to spin and launch.
The speed at which they flew was incomparable to before. The eight sword auras shot out almost simultaneously, and the speed of their creation matched their flight.
In an instant, dozens of sword auras exploded at my target. If this had been on the ground instead of the sky, nothing would have remained where they struck.
The change wasn’t just in speed and power. The sword auras exploded precisely where I intended. I had mastered the Demon God’s ultimate technique perfectly.
The second form, Thunder Sword Lightning, erupted in all directions.
Flashes of lightning crisscrossed the sky, creating a web of electricity. The thunderstorm continued relentlessly.
It was as if the end of the world had been crafted by lightning.
Moreover, all warriors’ weapons were made of metal. Trapped in this forest of lightning, regardless of their martial prowess, they would be struck down.
As the terror of the lightning subsided, the third form, the Singular Sword Prison, targeted a single opponent.
Its power and speed were unmatched. Unlike before, where the sword aura merely passed by the target, it now sliced precisely from all directions.
It felt as if I had multiplied, each clone executing a perfect strike from every angle.
The fourth form, True Sword Dance, extended its range to extreme distances, cutting down targets that appeared as tiny as ants.
To an observer, it would seem as if someone was walking alone and suddenly fell dead. True Sword Dance possessed a quiet dignity.
The fifth form, Light Speed Flying Sword, could be summed up in one word: perfection.
It reclaimed the inherent essence and authority of the technique, “No one can stop it.” Even I couldn’t stop the Light Speed Flying Sword I unleashed.
The sixth form, Demon Sword Blood Rain, was so destructive that I couldn’t even practice it without ruining the land below.
A massive, transparent, intangible energy formed around me, creating a large circular barrier.
When the Demon Sword Blood Rain was unleashed, the surroundings darkened. Astonishingly, only the inside of the barrier darkened.
Within the barrier, a rain of sword auras poured down.
The power of Demon Sword Blood Rain was incomparable to before.
The sword auras that struck the transparent barrier were absorbed into it. Without this barrier I created, nothing could withstand the rain of sword auras.
After unleashing these six forms, it was time for the final technique, the Demon God’s Sword.
What would my heart’s sword look like?
I had always been curious.
But the Demon God’s Sword did not manifest. There was no issue with the technique or my achievement.
I understood naturally. It wasn’t something taught; it was knowledge gained upon reaching mastery.
The Demon God’s Sword wasn’t a technique to be practiced alone.
An opponent was necessary.
And I realized that the heart’s sword would change depending on the opponent.
Just as my heart changes with the heart of my opponent.
I sat alone in deep thought in the main hall of the League.
The Demon God.
Could a human become a god?
This question no longer held meaning. There was already an old man who traversed time and space freely.
If a human could become a god, it would be an extraordinary feat. Honestly, I felt tempted to try. Who wouldn’t be intrigued by the possibility of becoming a god?
But there were problems.
The old man had once said that I would have to undergo a trial to become a Demon God. It was so dangerous that I might die. Even with my level of martial arts, if I had to risk death, the trial would be truly challenging.
Was it worth risking death to become a Demon God? Did I desire it that much?
There was another issue.
Becoming a Demon God meant becoming an immortal, ageless being.
While everyone around me aged and died, I would continue to live on.
Would that truly be happiness?
Immortality, invincibility… these are values that would make any warrior’s heart race. But could they remain the same for one person forever?
I couldn’t decide.
At that moment, two people entered the main hall. It was Galsaryang and Baekpyo.
“Congratulations.”
Galsaryang and Baekpyo offered their congratulations. They were the only ones who knew the Heavenly Demon resided within me.
“To be honest, I was initially concerned about the Heavenly Demon’s spirit being in your body,” Galsaryang admitted.
Baekpyo nodded in agreement.
“I felt the same. The Heavenly Demon, of all spirits?”
They had experienced the war against the Demon Cult with me. Their concerns were understandable.
Galsaryang asked cautiously, “What happened with the Heavenly Demon?”
“I received a lot of help from him.”
Many had helped me reach this point, and the Heavenly Demon was one of the most significant.
“We grew close over time.”
Galsaryang nodded.
“It seems you and the Heavenly Demon are connected by fate.”
“Perhaps.”
Baekpyo asked cautiously, “I’m sure you’ve thought it through, but what about the Heavenly Demon?”
“You needn’t worry. He’s not the same Heavenly Demon we once knew.”
“That’s a relief.”
I didn’t mention the trial to become a Demon God. I hadn’t made up my mind yet.
“He will live on as Macheolgun.”
“If you officially release Macheolgun, there’s one person to deal with.”
“Who?”
“Maryeongin. He has a complicated relationship with Macheolgun. He’ll be a problem later.”
I nodded. Aside from his connection to Macheolgun, he was inherently evil. Having dealt with him before, I knew he would cause trouble eventually.
“Understood. I’ll handle it personally soon.”
When I met the Heavenly Demon again, he was fully recovered.
“How does it feel to be young again?”
“Feels good. You were enjoying this alone.”
“I’m better off than you.”
I was much younger than Macheolgun. Even when I teased him, he didn’t take the bait.
“This is more than enough. It’s almost excessive.”
“And your martial arts?”
“Not bad. It will take some time to fully recover my original skills, but it’s not impossible.”
“That’s good to hear. Here, take this.”
I handed him a small box from my pocket.
Inside was the Celestial Elixir, the ultimate medicine that could increase one’s internal energy by a full cycle.
“A gift to commemorate your rebirth.”
Unlike my eleven cycles, Macheolgun’s internal energy was only a few cycles, so the Celestial Elixir would be highly effective.
“It will not only increase your internal energy but also help change its nature during absorption.”
He needed to change the nature of his energy to practice demonic arts.
“It’s fine. Just enough to protect myself is sufficient.”
“No, you never know what might happen in the martial world.”
I didn’t want the Heavenly Demon to get beaten up somewhere. Besides, he wouldn’t be able to stand it. No matter how much his personality had changed, he was still the Heavenly Demon.
“This must be expensive.”
“Not for me. You know I’m wealthy, right? Now, sit down. Take it first.”
I forced him to sit and made him take the elixir despite his reluctance.
“You brat! I said I wouldn’t take it.”
“Just absorb the effects. It’s expensive.”
“You said it was cheap for you!”
He wouldn’t take it unless I forced him.
I infused my energy into his back, helping him manage his internal energy. It was something only possible with mutual trust.
After circulating energy a few times, the Heavenly Demon stood up.
“Thanks. Damn it!”
His use of “damn it” made me laugh.
“Hahaha.”
I was still getting used to Macheolgun’s face. But soon, it would become familiar. Human adaptability is truly remarkable. Eventually, it would be strange and awkward to think of anyone else as the Heavenly Demon.
I told him about achieving mastery of the Demon God’s ultimate technique.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“You should have received the congratulations.”
“Let’s say we exchanged them. Oh, and during the process of the Great Separation Technique, I met the old man in the Demon God’s castle.”
“You met the Demon God?”
The Heavenly Demon still believed he was a demonic god. But from what I could see, the old man might have overseen the demonic trials, but he wasn’t a demonic god. He was something that belonged to a higher realm of existence.
“So, what have you decided to do?”
“I’ve decided to think it over.”
“What’s there to hesitate about?”
“You’re suggesting I take the test to become a demonic god?”
“Naturally.”
“If you were given the chance, you would have done it without a second thought, right?”
But the answer I got was unexpected.
“No.”
“No?”
“I’m no longer interested in the affairs of the martial world. As I said before, I just want to live a peaceful life.”
“And yet, you want me to walk that path?”
“You’re different. Destiny has chosen you.”
“Destiny, huh.”
Is it truly my destiny? Or am I just a piece needed for someone else’s fate?
It was still a mystery.
Cheon So-sun sat alone in the main hall.
The aura of intense bloodlust was so overwhelming that Yang Sa-hwi couldn’t even step inside.
Cheon So-sun had stopped eating food, sustaining herself solely on blood.
She had already killed hundreds. Thanks to Yang Sa-hwi’s diligent efforts, all the bodies were disposed of, and the victims were reported as missing. They kept moving locations to avoid being discovered by the authorities.
But at this rate, it wouldn’t be long before the martial alliance caught wind of their activities. The amount of blood she required was increasing.
Fortunately, due to his dedicated efforts, the Blood Demon Art had reached a new level, and only the final breakthrough remained.
The rapid progress was so astonishing that even Yang Sa-hwi felt a twinge of fear.
Cheon So-sun was deep in meditation.
When she finally opened her eyes, the oppressive bloodlust that had filled the room gradually dissipated. Only then could Yang Sa-hwi enter the hall.
What frightened Yang Sa-hwi was how much she had changed, yet outwardly, she seemed the same. Once the bloodlust was retracted, she reverted to her original demeanor.
But Yang Sa-hwi could sense it. The Cheon So-sun who had left the underground chamber of the alliance leader’s residence was a completely different person from the one standing before him now. Yet, she acted as if nothing had changed.
What thoughts were swirling inside that small head of hers?
Normally, she would have casually suggested they go eat because she was hungry, but today was different.
Cheon So-sun’s face was flushed with excitement.
Noticing the change immediately, Yang Sa-hwi quickly asked, “What’s going on?”
“I… I saw it.”
“Saw what? What did you see?”
When Cheon So-sun remained silent, Yang Sa-hwi pressed her again.
“What did you see?”
Finally, Cheon So-sun looked at Yang Sa-hwi, her voice trembling.
“I saw… the Blood God.”