100 - Heavenly Demon of the Huashan Sect

Episode 100 Swish! The air was pierced with a sharp sound. “Damn it!” Jeokgeom swore as he twisted his body to avoid the arrows. Thud! Thud! As the arrows lodged into the ground, a bead of sweat trickled down Jeokgeom's forehead. "Is this ever going to end?!" He shouted, visibly flustered. Whoosh! Out of nowhere, dozens of arrows rained down like a storm. “I’ll cover the front!” Seollan quickly stood beside him. Thunk! Thunk! Holding her sword firmly, Seollan deflected the arrows from various directions with unwavering eyes. Avoiding arrows of this magnitude was not at all difficult for the two of them. They had become accustomed to ambushes while hunting wolves. However... ‘I feel like this isn’t my body!’ Seollan bit her upper lip. Her grip on the sword was unfamiliar, her feet felt heavy like they were soaked. ‘I sensed something was off when Master said he was building a gate!’ Sharing the same uneasy feeling, Jeokgeom narrowed his eyes and surveyed the surroundings. At that moment, "......!" "What now!" They flinched in shock. The glowing gems on the ceiling of the gate started flickering. Zing! Zing! Simultaneously, arrows shot through the air. “Damn!” As if the space between them was cut out, Jeokgeom swung his sword swiftly at the incoming arrows. Slash! Slash! Arrows sliced by the sword scattered in the air, making it harder to see. “Tsk!” A groan reached from beside him. “Sa-mae!” He quickly turned his head in surprise. Thud! He felt a jolt in his shoulder. “Ugh!” An arrow pierced through his shoulder, its tip protruding and oozing blood. “Are you okay, Sa-hyeong?” “Not at all. What about you, Sa-mae?” “I’m the same.” They glanced at each other. Then, both let out a wry smile. With a shared resolve, they gripped their swords. “It’s a test our lives depend on.” “Still, compared to Master’s previous training, this is easy, isn’t it?” “That’s true.” Seollan nodded. Despite the persistent pain in their abdomen and shoulder, the fire in her eyes hadn’t extinguished. “If we fail to pass this, we’ll face Master’s wrath.” Having endured Master Cheonhui’s rigorous training, neither was fazed by a life-threatening test. “So we really have to make it through.” With light banter, they raised their swords and summoned their inner strength. “Ready then!” “I’ll cover the rear!” As more arrows poured down. Thunk! Thunk! Their sharp sword light pierced through the arrows filling the cave. Clang! Clang! Following the presence of Jeokgeom and Seollan, Cheonhui caught the falling arrows mid-air. “This is better than before.” He was more pleased than he expected. Arrows rained down from every direction. Additionally, the 변역환영진법 (Changing Illusion Formation) created an illusion that even arrows without tips seemed to have them, heightening the tension. “That feature is particularly nice.” Cheonhui tossed the arrow in his hand and glanced at the luminous gems attached to the wall. Originally, they should have quietly turned dark here; yet they kept flickering for some unknown reason. “It makes it impossible to trust one’s sight.” In that moment, another arrow storm descended. Like a torrential downpour, arrows showered down, but Cheonhui didn’t even glance at them. He merely walked forward. It looked like he was walking into the arrows unguardedly. But the result was astonishing. Swish! The arrows passed right through him. As if they were passing through water. “Is it over there?” Avoiding the arrows with subtle movements, Cheonhui continued to walk forward. “Cough, are you…. okay?” “Ah… no.” Finally, he reached where the two of them were. "How did they end up like this so quickly?" Jeokgeom and Seollan stood, leaning heavily on their swords like canes. ‘What did they do to end up like that?’ Thud! Thud! More arrows rained down. “Huff, can you hold them off any longer?” “Ah…. no. I can’t even move a finger now.” The two, barely standing, awaited their grim fate. Crunch! A dull sound struck their ears. Seeing the imposing figure before them, they opened their eyes wide in surprise. “Huh, huh? Master……?” “Master?” Jeokgeom and Seollan struggled. But the accumulated pain left them unable to even twitch a finger. “What are you doing?” Cheonhui tossed aside the handful of arrows and spoke. “We’re... out of strength….” “Haha.” Cheonhui clicked his tongue at their embarrassed expressions. “If you can’t even pass this, I must’ve made the training too easy.” Their faces turned pale. “No, not at all.” “It’s our lack... of capability….” “Enough.” With that, he grabbed their necks. “Urgh!” “Oof!” He then leaped off the ground. Quickly whisking them through the dungeon, Cheonhui threw the two at the feet of Shinui. Thud! Thud! “What’s this mess?” “They’re patients.” “Ugh.” “Ow.” “Sigh... I understand.” Shinui looked down at the two groaning in pain and took out a needle from his pocket. “Umm, Sa-hyup Sir.” Jeongal Seonghyeon cautiously approached, fidgeting nervously, and bowed. “I apologize…….” “I quite like this approach.” Seonghyeon was startled, interrupting his apology. “Wh-what?” “Let's modify the mechanism so it adds one more element each time, rather than changing the entire formation.” “Addition…?” Cheonhui immediately pulled out a blueprint. Pointing at certain areas, he started discussing adjustments to the formation’s direction. “When we reach here at the end of the gate, an additional mechanism should be triggered...” Initially bewildered, Seonghyeon soon got engrossed in the explanation, listening intently. Eventually, he even chimed in with suggestions. “Then it’d be more natural to install a different mechanism and formation instead of the Changing Illusion Formation.” “Do you have a substitute formation in mind?” "There is a formation within our house known as the Gu-In Manjin (歸仁萬陣). While it can't conjure detailed illusions like the Byeonyuk Hwanyong Jinbeop, it should be sufficient to deceive the senses." "Really?" Cheonhui stroked his chin thoughtfully. Deceiving senses without illusions, huh? ‘That might work well.’ There was no particular need for illusions. Deceiving the senses alone would sufficiently serve the purpose of the formation. "If that's convenient, let's do it." Cheonhui’s words seemed to excite Jegal Seonghyeon, prompting him to voice ideas he had been holding back. "And what about here? Instead of using the mechanism this way, how about directing it like this...?" It seemed he had restrained himself for a while; Jegal Seonghyeon let his suggestions tumble out like a waterfall. ‘Seems we've got quite a promising fellow.’ Jegal Seonghyeon’s proposals were surprisingly efficient and innovative. ‘With this, I could step back.’ Watching Seonghyeon, who was explaining with a gleam in his eyes, Cheonhui nodded. "Alright, let's try it that way." At these words, Jegal Seonghyeon flinched, suddenly apprehensive. His excitement had led him to push his suggestions, but on reflection, he realized the gate’s difficulty might become even more intense. "Ah, no. Maybe it’s best to keep it as it is." "Why?" Seonghyeon swallowed hard. "With these alterations, the gate could become even more hazardous than it is now…." "What? Someone might die?" "No, no!" Seonghyeon waved his hands frantically in denial. "Not that, but... they might sustain more severe injuries." Cheonhui glanced at Jeokgeom and Seollan, groaning from their wounds, and smiled wryly. "As long as no one dies, it's fine. Let's proceed with it." * * * Spring had fully embraced the Mount Hua Sect. As buds sprouted and tiny plum blossoms began to bloom, the disciples were also growing. The second-generation disciples had absorbed about half of the life-boosting 'amhyangdan' and were rapidly accumulating inner strength, while the first-generation disciples at the martial training hall held incomparable martial prowess to their past selves. Sip, sip. Cheonhui, who had been behind these advancements in Mount Hua, found himself summoned by the head master to the Jaheogak. Sipping his tea, Cheonhui listened as the head master spoke in a low voice. "I hear you've been taking it easy lately." "That's right," Cheonhui replied, currently enjoying a relaxed state. With Hyeoncheong handling the training of the second-generation disciples and having almost entirely stepped back from overseeing the Plum Blossom Formation, he had some leisure. "You seem to have some free time." "A bit, yes." On hearing Cheonhui’s response, the head master’s eyes briefly narrowed. "The reason I've called you today is to ask a favor." "A favor?" What's this about? Cheonhui wondered. The head master typically didn’t refer to things as favors. What could warrant such a request? "What is it?" "As you know, we are planning to open the gates of Mount Hua to the world soon." Cheonhui nodded. The opening had been a long-prepared plan, delayed numerous times due to financial issues and overlapping circumstances. Recently, as the pavilions of Mount Hua had been restored and financial stability achieved, Hyeonrye had informed him of the opportunity to finally open the gates. ‘She even whined about it numerous times because we hadn’t met lately.’ Recalling her clinginess each time he saw her, the head master continued. "Could you help identify the talents and aptitudes of the newcomers when they arrive?" Cheonhui’s brow furrowed. Identifying talent was a critical aspect when accepting disciples in any martial sect. And the head master seemed intent on entrusting that significant responsibility to Cheonhui. ‘How bothersome.’ Seeing Cheonhui's disinterested expression, the head master added in a knowing tone. "Of course, it's not just a simple favor." "What are you offering?" Cheonhui remained indifferent. He didn’t desire anything in particular. Ordinary offerings would hardly pique his interest. However, the head master’s next words immediately captured his attention. "Have you ever seen the Jaha Sword Technique?" "The Jaha Sword Technique?" Like a fish biting the bait, Cheonhui couldn’t help but respond. ‘Hehe. Just as Hyeoncheong advised.’ The head master had sought Hyeoncheong’s counsel on how to persuade Cheonhui, knowing of his obsession with new martial arts. "If you accept this proposal, I will grant you access to the Jaha Sword Technique." "Alright." Cheonhui agreed without a moment’s hesitation. ‘I’ve been meaning to see the real Jaha Sword Technique, not just what Hyunyu showcased.’ The Jaha Sword Technique, an ultimate sword technique of Mount Hua, was something he had only witnessed twice in the past, leaving him curious about how its forms might have evolved. The head master rose from his seat. "Follow me then." In his hand, he held the treasured Jaha Sword, which had accompanied him throughout his life. The two of them headed to Sang-gung (Upper Palace), and what transpired there that day would be talked about for generations. It was a day when purple and transparent plum blossoms blanketed the world in an extraordinary display. And twenty days later, rumors spread that the gates of Mount Hua, which had been closed for so long, would finally open.