178 - The Heaven-Slaying Sword

### EP.178 Chapter Eighteen - Yunnan, Blood Demon Battle (1) --- Southwest from Wuchang, Mok Liwon embarked on a journey to Yunnan alongside Ma Ilsuk. Being a journey with his foster parent, one might expect a certain sentimentality or an appreciation for the process. Yet, unfortunately, neither of them had the luxury for such things. Their mission was to trace the remnants of the Blood Heaven Sect. For Mok Liwon, it was a path to uncovering the origins of his star and the secrets of his birth. Engulfed in solemnity, there was little room for levity. "We've arrived." At Ma Ilsuk's words, Mok Liwon halted his steps. What caught his gaze was none other than a massive building, scorched black by fire. This was where the Blood Heaven Sect once made its nest. "This place is..." "Yes, it's the Blood Demon Battle site." Mok Liwon's expression turned ambiguous. The building, unable to withstand the ravages of time, appeared on the verge of collapse. It had been 18 years since this place fell, so this deterioration was only natural. "Let's move on." Ma Ilsuk led the way. As Mok Liwon followed, he listened to Ma Ilsuk's recounting. With each step deeper into the building, Ma Ilsuk spoke in a voice tinged with reflection as he retraced memories of a distant past. "That was the day the frontline was pierced in one swift blow. We devised a plan to strike against the Blood Demon to ensure the war didn't drag on any longer. Many distracted the eyes, while about fifty elite warriors took the opportunity to enter the Blood Demon Battle site." The entrance bore signs of battles past, with hardened blackened blood smeared about. Time had even sapped the blood of its scent. "The first things we faced were jiangshi, and not just any, but incredibly fierce ones. That day, Fist Dragon stayed behind here to hold off the jiangshi." Could this hardened black substance have once been the blood of those jiangshi? Mok Liwon continued to walk. They entered a narrow corridor with rooms trailing along each side. "This was where assassins from the Blood Heaven Sect thrust in their swords from everywhere. Of the fifty warriors, forty-nine remained, and thirty among them faced the assassins here, guided by True King Zhuge Byeok, Heavenly Slaughter Star Yeom Soso, and Venom King Tang Mwakyung." After passing through the hallway, they emerged into another vast space. "Blood Demon's closest aides were all here. Excluding my lord, the rest of the team tied down their movements to capture the Blood Demon. In the end, my lord stepped into the main hall alone." They traversed yet another space to reach the main hall. "There, my lord severed the head of the Blood Demon, Dan Chunhwa." Mok Liwon silently gazed upon the main hall. The spaces he had seen so far were scattered with remnants, each bearing the scars of a gruesome past. These were traces of history that time hadn't fully erased. Yet, even these remnants paled in comparison to the evidence of battle that lay here. "Did so much blood really spill?" "That was the nature of the Blood Demon’s martial arts. He wielded a martial art that honed blood into a form of qi, unleashing it with precision. At the final moment, he extracted every last bit of innate truth, surpassing the limits of what a human body could exert." The entire ground of the space was blackened. These weren’t mere burn marks—everything was hardened, darkened blood. Perhaps the problem wasn't the enclosed space of the main hall, but rather, the Blood Demon's unique blood. Here, the scent of blood that could still make even the Heavenly Slaughter Star growl lingered. Mok Liwon scanned the entire room. Through the patterns of hardened blood, dense pools, and the faint footprints atop solidified blood, he tried to infer the battle that took place here. 'My master must have struggled.' The Blood Demon seemed to have made little movement. Given the nature of his martial art, he’d likely have attempted to hold a position. By contrast, Mok Seon-oh must have kept moving incessantly, fervently battling on. Thus, he eventually prevailed, marking the end of the bloody carnage. The level of the battle must have been astounding. Though mere traces survived, they still revealed a profound truth. 'It’s dauntingly distant.' Even after 18 years, Mok Seon-oh's level was far beyond Mok Liwon’s. The martial arts and techniques may be the same in name, yet they felt like entirely different arts. It was a marvel unto itself. Furthermore, it served as a hazy signpost, showing the path the mystic Sacred Lotus True Arts needed to tread. In that moment, Mok Liwon forgot everything else and focused solely on following Mok Seon-oh’s traces. It was an act akin to enlightenment. The remnants of hardened blood, the destroyed interior, the sword marks—all were invaluable textbooks, leading him into a trance-like focus. Sword path, footwork, all merging together, progressively more vivid, illustrating Mok Seon-oh's sword dance. The indented ground would undoubtedly be due to the Blood Demon's blood qi technique. Very well. He could now begin to see the form of the Blood Demon's attacks. 'One step forward, three steps back; the fifth form of the Seven Shooting Star Swords manifested here. Next was the third form? Yes, then again followed by the fourth.' Mok Seon-oh used techniques that aggressively depleted inner force merely to evade attacks. Yet not for a moment did his momentum seem to wane. If anything, it only seemed to increase. "...Ah!" Mok Liwon exclaimed. 'He didn’t deplete his inner strength!' All the preceding moves served as a foundation for a particular technique. Those seemingly wasted movements in the air were preparatory steps for crafting a flow. In that moment, Mok Liwon could faintly grasp how to wield the sixth and seventh forms of the Seven Shooting Star Swords. "King of Beggars! Please, just a moment...." Time was too precious. Mok Liwon seized the insight rushing at him and urgently wanted to settle into meditation. Ma Ilsuk let out a light laugh, saying: "Go ahead, do it." "Thank you!" Without hesitation, Mok Liwon sat cross-legged and closed his eyes. Soon, he entered a state of deep concentration. Just before sinking into this state, the last thing he heard was Ma Ilsuk's amazed voice muttering, "What a monster..." --- Currently, Mok Liwon’s Sacred Lotus True Arts had reached the six-star level. Despite consistent advancement bringing him to this realm, Mok Liwon now faced, for the first time in his life, what could truly be considered a "wall." Of course, even that wall wasn't particularly high for Mok Liwon. Given a bit more time, he could easily break through it. Hence, he had initially intended to take his time. However, Mok Liwon decided to revise his plan. 'I can break through.' The traces of Mok Seon-oh, glimpses of what the transcendent Sacred Lotus True Arts and Seven Shooting Star Swords could achieve, laid ahead like an open path. With that in sight, there was no reason to delay his achievement. The inner strength uncoiled from Mok Liwon's dantian. The inner strength, full and boundless, surged through his channels with fervor, following the reversed flow of his meridians. The awakening of the Supreme Demonic Physique accompanied by the roar of the Heavenly Slaughter Star. His passionate inner strength eagerly welcomed the opportunity for growth. Mok Liwon grasped the reins of this power. 'This isn't your time to take over.' The path of the Sacred Lotus was far removed from savagery. 'Sacred Lotus signifies harmony, circulation, birth, and annihilation.' Just like observing the timeless rise and set of the stars. In wielding the Sacred Lotus, savagery should never be a consideration. 'What is needed, instead, is...' Perseverance, serenity, and understanding. The persistent majesty of the stars' movement, independent of human intent, was central to perfecting the Sacred Lotus. Mok Liwon managed the inner strength coursing through his meridians with more firmness, focusing on the visualization. There were now six stars twinkling above. A faint light was stretching from the seventh star, preparing to awaken. 'There, that’s the spot.' Let’s pave the way to that place, complete the star, and add new rules to this flow. Mok Liwon’s concentration deepened to indescribable depths. Within the dark night-like mental landscape, the trail towards the new star gradually emerged. Since the martial art linked stars to illuminate the world, it was called the Sacred Lotus True Arts(星聯神功). As the pathway between the stars opened, Mok Liwon felt his reservoir of inner strength expanding. 'Let it roll.' As I add this expanded inner strength to the star path, I should reach the seventh star. Mok Liwon's intention soon bore fruit. 'I’ve reached it.' Flash, Mok Liwon opened his eyes. For a fleeting moment, a radiant starlight shimmered within his widened eyes before disappearing. Meanwhile, the black aura swirling around him saturated the environment. "Oh, would you look at this kid?" Ma Ilsuk laughed quietly in surprise. Only then did Mok Liwon, startled, gather up the aura. "Oh! I’m sorry...." "It’s fine. If it brought you achievement, then that's what matters." "It did!" Mok Liwon said excitedly. "Sacred Lotus has reached seven stars! Just one more step and...!" "Hey." Ma Ilsuk tapped Mok Liwon on the forehead with a flick. Mok Liwon involuntarily let out a shout. "Ouch!" "Transcendence cannot be reached in haste. You rascal, you got here quickly, so now you should know how to relax." Clicking his tongue in reproach, Mok Liwon scratched his head in embarrassment. With a deep sigh, Ma Ilsuk clicked his tongue again before resolutely changing his expression. "Then, shall we proceed now?" "Proceed to where...?" "I told you, did I not? Did you forget your purpose here while you drowned in achievement?" Mok Liwon suddenly halted. Only then did he recall the purpose he'd forgotten. 'Right, the reason I came here was...' To uncover the roots of the Heavenly Slaughter Star. Mok Liwon's gaze shifted to the end of the main hall, where a partially collapsed side door lay. As Ma Ilsuk had explained, that was where the infamous altar resided. Mok Liwon swallowed dryly. "Then, let’s go in." Ma Ilsuk said. With an attempt to calm his excitement, Mok Liwon slapped his cheeks a couple of times before following Ma Ilsuk inside. And then he was hit by a powerful, thick scent of blood, causing him to cover his nose. His eyes flew wide open in shock. "What on earth is this...?" "Yes, I suspected as much." Ma Ilsuk's expression twisted angrily like a demon statue. "Because nobody knew what that cursed altar really was, we left this place untouched. I thought it best not to meddle recklessly." The breath of Mok Liwon grew a bit erratic. The blood scent intensified, causing the Heavenly Slaughter Star within to stir more vigorously. "We should have discovered the truth regardless. Had we done so, this wouldn't have happened." Grinding his teeth, Ma Ilsuk clenched his fists. Until then, Mok Liwon was blankly staring at the altar. Red. The blood pooled around the altar was red. Despite how 18 years had passed since that day without anyone visiting, the blood here sat fresh and unchanged, as if from that very day. What on earth is going on? That was the moment Mok Liwon pondered. "Step aside." "Are you sure it's alright to touch?" "Can’t you feel it?" Mok Liwon's eyes narrowed. Ma Ilsuk sighed deeply before speaking. "This blood can't be from that day." As Ma Ilsuk said that, he swiftly exited past Mok Liwon. And then. Boom, a thundering explosion echoed. Startled, Mok Liwon hurried outside. And he saw. "What’s this demonic being trying to scheme here?" "Beggar. Transcendent. So, you are the King of Beggars." It was an old man. An aged man, appearing even older than Ma Ilsuk, facing him with his fists. His long robe was entirely black, his frame was solid, and his face grotesque— covered in scars as if brutally slashed. On his back, he carried the corpse of some man. Only then did Mok Liwon realize. 'The altar's blood...' It was the blood that the old man had collected. **Author's Note** I’ll be posting another chapter soon. See the next chapter --- ### New Translations and Explanations 1. **Supreme Demonic Physique(극마지체)** - Translated directly. Suggests a highly potent demonic physical constitution. - Alternative: "Ultimate Demonic Body." 2. **Sacred Lotus True Arts(성련신공(星聯神功))** - The translation captures both the meaning and harmonized imagery of "connection among stars." - Alternate translation could be "Divine Star-Lotus Technique," but "True Arts" is more fitting contextually. 3. **Jiangshi(강시)** - Traditional Chinese "hopping" vampires or zombies known for their stiffness and rigor mortis. 4. **Visualization of night and stars** reveals the metaphorical path in building Mok Liwon’s martial strength through imagery of constellations. 5. **Transcendence Wall** is a metaphorical boundary that Mok Liwon is attempting to surpass through concentrated effort.