417 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

**Chapter 418: Erasing a Star** Beads of cold sweat are visible. His trembling pupils and the hand clutching his danjeon showed signs of distress. The sight of his massive figure ostensibly crumbling told me my strategy was working perfectly. 'Well, it's effective.' I was worried it might not work. Seems like the versatility of dark energy is broader than I expected. I reflected on the fallen Tang Deok and recalled why he ended up like this. There was a subordinate of his whose name I've long forgotten. Was it Julbok or Joongbok? I had corrupted his subordinate into a demon and set a specific goal. In the event that he died at the hands of Tang Deok when he returned... The dark energy he carried would spread around him. I had intended to use the dispersion of dark energy upon a demon’s death to my advantage. As I edged closer to him, I assessed my condition. Despite the success of my plan, there was one problem. 'This is tougher than I thought.' Utilizing the dark energy imbued in Tang Deok was proving quite difficult. I felt the same way during the Black Dragon Sword incident; the higher the opponent’s skill level, the tougher it was to impose limits using dark energy. Of course, the pressure Tang Deok was feeling was likely far greater. I composed myself, feigning indifference, as I approached him. "Nice to see you." Tang Deok looked at me with trembling eyes. The encroaching grip of the dark energy seemed to greatly unsettle him. "...What have you done to me...?" "Do you like the present?" "You bastard...!" Tang Deok's already contorted face cried out. "Have you poisoned me?" It seemed he mistook the sensation for poison. Though, in a sense, it was a kind of poison. 'He seems really angry.' Sensing Tang Deok's anger, I chuckled lightly. To him, poison was akin to a dagger. He had never been able to build immunity to poison, which was a source of inferiority bred from his own family name. Grinning broadly, I looked at him and said, "What will you do about it?" "You brat!" Boom! A surge of energy erupted from Tang Deok’s body. Despite being restrained by dark energy, the force was still considerable. His presence was not far off from that of the Black Dragon Sword at least in sheer intensity. Based on that, I could deduce he was a warrior at the Flower realm. As I continued to analyze him, an unexpected question came from him, growling as he spoke. "Have you allied with the Poison King...?" The sudden question made me tilt my head curiously. "Why would you think that?" At my question, Tang Deok smirked spitefully and replied, "The only family capable of this kind of poison is that cursed clan." "That's harsh. 'Cursed clan?' Aren't you from there too?" "You bastard...! How dare you lump me in with them..." "Well, perhaps not. They've probably disowned you long enough that you've forgotten." "....!" Tang Deok clenched his teeth, my words evidently striking a nerve. "How much do you know...?" "I don't know much, to be honest..." If he were to ask how much, I’d say... "The Creation Plan of the Heavenly Martial Body." "...!" Upon hearing my words, Tang Deok's eyes widened and began to tremble violently. He hadn’t expected I knew this much. 'I didn’t particularly want to know either, but...' The Creation Plan of the Heavenly Martial Body. The name itself might sound enigmatic, but in truth, it was a vile and despicable experiment. This was the title of the plan orchestrated by the former master of the Tang Clan, known as Dokgun, the Poison Sovereign. Tang Bisong, the Poison Sovereign, dearly loved the Tang Clan. He regarded the clan’s reputation with high esteem and wished for it to rise to the highest echelons above all others. What was the quickest way to achieve this? A question that had perpetually troubled Tang Bisong. The answer was deceptively simple. In essence, it was straightforward. The fastest path for the Tang Clan to reach the pinnacle was to possess the strongest martial artist in the realm. Despite the Tang Clan's prominence and fame, none of the four great families could claim the title of the greatest clan because of this very reason. The absence of an unrivaled master. The current epoch was marked by the emergence of the Three Lords heralding the peak of righteous sects. It was also an era following the disappearance of the person who existed in every era—The One Supreme Warrior. A continued debate raged over who amongst the Sword Lord, the Overlord, and the Heaven Lord was the mightiest. Yet no one could provide a definitive answer as to who was truly the unrivaled supreme warrior. Each was a master acting within their own domain, and there had never been a concerted effort to crown one above the others. Thus, it was simply called the age of the Three Lords, maintaining peace. From one perspective, it was the most balanced era, but the Poison Sovereign wasn’t content with that. He likely believed back then that someone from the Tang Clan should seize this opportunity and claim the peak. He had realized that he himself couldn’t achieve this. Having clearly assessed his limits, he vowed to hedge his bets on the future. That was the inception of the Creation Plan for the Heavenly Martial Body. The Heavenly Martial Body referred to individuals blessed with unparalleled physique and talent. Possessing a perfect body for learning martial arts, coupled with an exquisitely adept mind for understanding martial knowledge, and a large danjeon ideal for cultivating inner energy. The supreme entity to become the ultimate martial artist. That was the Heavenly Martial Body. Dokgun desired to cultivate such an individual within the Tang Clan. His ambition was to groom such an individual into the supreme martial artist of the realm, thus elevating the Tang Clan to the status of the greatest family. The plan, like its lofty ambitions, took on a somewhat cruel form. The Heavenly Martial Body was not something one could simply wish for and obtain. Not for nothing was it said to appear once in a millennium. Rather than pinning his hopes on such astronomical odds, Tang Bisong sought to artificially create the Heavenly Martial Body. An artificial Heavenly Martial Body. What contradictory words. That was my initial thought. As if to confirm my thoughts were not mistaken, the method of experimentation was shocking enough to leave me speechless. Firstly, Tang Bisong gathered nameless orphans from across the central plains and imprisoned them underground, bestowing upon them the Tang surname. Then, he did something unimaginable: he infused them with **the blood of demonic beasts**. It might seem bizarre, but the records indeed documented this. Demons, with their sinewy, robust muscles incomparable to those of humans, were his choice for the experiment, infusing the blood of primate-like demonic creatures—those most similar to humans. And the result? They all died. A predictable outcome, of course. Demonic beasts are distinctly different creatures, even having different-colored blood. Injected with large quantities, humans couldn’t withstand demonic blood, succumbing to seizures and death. This information was something I could verify from the deep, dark recesses of the underground dungeons found during my previous life’s exploration of the Tang Sect. Thousands of journal entries covered such facts were discovered—only a fraction, perhaps, as many more might have vanished over time. So, how many fell victim to Tang Bisong's ambitions? The records indicated the youngest were five, while the oldest reached no more than ten. Was it possible that children this young perished for Tang Bisong’s dream? It’s a part I couldn't comprehend fully, but the man before me, Tang Deok, was a victim of these experiments. Moreover, I recalled the segment recorded at the end of those thousands of journals. In a situation where death was an assured outcome, there was one individual who succeeded in blending with the demon’s blood. By any sane measure, it was a nonsensical feat. How could a human survive an infusion of demonic blood? It seemed implausible, yet the records were clear. **Successful Hemobonding.** An increase in skin toughness and a significant boost in muscle strength were briefly noted. Though uncertain of the method employed, Tang Bisong’s experiment was a success. According to the journal, they had indeed produced a body close to the Heavenly Martial Body he desired. Nonetheless, the entry still branded the subject as a failure. Despite thousands of experiments, why label this as failure? The reason was simply: **Lack of Poison Resistance.** This was the essence of the experiment. Tang Bisong wished for the supreme warrior under the banner of the Tang Sect. Therefore, beyond physical prowess, the ability to cultivate poisonous arts was paramount. In this regard, the specimen was a failure— he couldn't develop resistance to poisons. It puzzled many that such an extraordinary body couldn't achieve this result. That was the reality, and hence, Tang Bisong recorded it as a failure. Despite the remarkable body, countless experiments to cultivate poison resistance continued to fail. Though Tang Bisong’s records concluded with the elimination of this specimen, I was convinced otherwise. The protagonist of said experiment was none other than Tang Deok standing before me. ‘Because the name recorded was indeed Tang Deok.’ Though I hadn’t examined all the records and there were many with the name Tang Deok, the characteristics were telling. Name: Tang Deok. Possessor of monstrous strength and a body akin to unbreakable steel. An inability to develop poison resistance. Wrath towards the Tang Sect. With these, it wasn't hard to deduce. "A failed attempt at becoming the Heavenly Martial Body; that’s what you are, right?" "...Who the hell… are you?" "My identity?" I pondered for a moment at Tang Deok’s question. Who am I… What should I say? It puzzled me. Then, almost unconsciously, a word slipped out. **"Heavenly Demon."** "...What?" "Oh, just disregard that. It just popped into my head." I wasn't sure why thoughts of the Heavenly Demon crossed my mind. I, too, was unsure why I uttered it. Yet somehow, Tang Deok slightly nodded in response. "A demon under heaven's decree... fitting words indeed." "This brat...?" I'm not sure how he could disparage me like that when he barely knew me. Despite the sudden surge of annoyance, I had to quash my emotions for the moment. Crunch. Tang Deok was gradually rising, gripping his spear. "Furthermore... I now understand you have connections with the Poison King." "..." Not that it was true, but there was no use denying it. Trying to deny it here wouldn’t likely change his perception. And besides, 'It won’t matter even if it doesn’t.' That wasn’t the critical point here anyway. As Tang Deok rose, pointing his spear at me, he declared, "You will die by my hand here." Despite the struggle against the dark energy, his spirit was undiminished. Even in my past life, as I plucked his eyeballs, he retained that kind of determination. "I will kill the descendants of that accursed old Poison King with my own hands." His hatred for the Tang Sect ran deep. Understandably so; had I endured such torment, perhaps I, too, would live for vengeance. The bandits that gathered under his command… 'Were they all driven by anger towards the Tang Sect?' Though they masked themselves as bandits, they were fundamentally avengers united by a common cause. I didn’t know if they were also victims of the experiments. I wasn’t interested enough to find out. Not that I thought the Tang Sect’s actions were justified. It was vile, possibly punishable, and deserving of vengeance. 'I don't care.’ Regrettably, I have little interest in such matters. Tang Deok's displayed rage might be understandable. Even vengefulness, though comprehensible, wasn’t my matter of concern. What mattered more was something significantly different. It might seem brutal, selfish, and perhaps even vile, but... It doesn’t matter. I was determined. As long as I protected what I needed to. Tang Deok was merely a pawn for that purpose. Just as I held this thought, Tang Deok continued to speak. "And, Poison King... did you say his daughter is also there?" At the mention of Tang Soryeol from Tang Deok's mouth, I grimaced. "She’ll meet the same fate at my hand...” “Hey.” When I called out to Tang Deok, he momentarily looked at me with a peculiar gaze. "That's enough." "What?" "I need to keep you alive to make use of you...." I stifled the emotions boiling within me. Despite the urge to close in and snap his neck immediately, I had to restrain myself. "If you say any more, I'll have to kill you. So shut your mouth and decide if you'll attack or not." "..." Tang Deok let out a short sigh at my words, gripping his spear tighter as his qi gradually spread out. Despite having dark energy infused in him, he could still exhibit such a level of qi... Why is it, I wondered, that the dark energy I placed within him didn't seem to manifest fully? Could it be? 'Is the demonic blood in him causing this issue?' That could very well be the case. Dark energy, before being the aura of a Heavenly Demon, is also present in the demonic essence found in monsters. His blood might carry a resistance to this energy. Would a fight with Tang Deok, who isn’t fully consumed by the dark energy, be impractical? Observing him closely, I came to a conclusion. 'I'll just have to find out.' Without trying, there's no way of knowing. That was my conclusion. In this lifetime, I hadn't fought many warriors who reached the Flower realm. At most, the Black Dragon Sword, the White Heavenly Sword Lord, or my father. Compared to those encounters, a fight with him felt somewhat comfortable. Moreover, after reaching the Flower realm myself, I had an itch to test my skills properly. 'I can kill him if necessary.' Just having that thought was a considerable reassurance. Though I did plan to let him live to use him, the lack of burden was clear. "This time, I won't go for your eyes." "...?" Tang Deok's face twisted with confusion at my words. "It's just... your eyes looked rather tempting." "This damn bastard." Thinking it as a provocation, Tang Deok lunged his massive body towards me. Watching him, I raised the corners of my mouth and summoned my dark energy to its peak. Immediately, the dark energy surged to fill one chamber of my heart. Crackling tension surged through my entire body as I released my aura. First, I aimed to erase the stars scattered across the sky with **'Dark Heaven'**.