During the succession ceremony held at the Heavenly Demon Sect’s temple, all the senior members of the sect participated.
Although there were several accepted formations and array teams in the Heavenly Demon Sect, only six of them were capable of representing the sect, similar to the illustrious Baekpal Nahwan formation of the Shaolin Temple.
Among those six array teams, Yeom Sang-jin, the hall master of the Hell Flame Team, looked on with arms crossed as the succession began.
Brain Knife Outcast Ho Cheon-an.
How do martial artists in the Central Plains usually grow?
Most martial artists formally join a sect or clan and steadily train in that sect’s martial arts. This is the conventional method.
To those in the Demon Sect, who often took on various tasks and used the rewards to freely select their martial arts to grow, Central Plains martial artists were seen as simply pampered flowers, growing comfortably under the sect’s support.
And what about the Outcast Faction?
Many of them didn’t know shame and preyed upon ordinary people.
Thus, it was rare for a martial artist from the Central Plains to gain recognition from the Demon Sect.
However, Ho Cheon-an was one of those exceedingly rare Central Plains martial artists acknowledged by the Demon Sect.
Ho Cheon-an’s biography fit perfectly into the tastes of the Demon Sect’s martial artists.
Typically, stories of Central Plains heroes lacked engaging elements for the Demon Sect’s martial artists.
Because their upbringing was just too different.
However, as a Sacheon Outcast, Ho Cheon-an’s background was much closer to that of a Demon Sect martial artist.
Having solved all sorts of problems, earned money, and bought spiritual medicine and martial arts, the Sacheon Outcasts were ample grounds for feeling kinship with the Heavenly Demon Sect’s martial artists, who tirelessly suffered to earn military currency.
Ho Cheon-an proudly declared a challenge to Hwa-gyeong Expert Jeong Cheol after announcing he would become a Brain Kungfu Master, creating a heroic myth precisely the Demon Sect martial artists dreamed of.
Among the spectators, some raised suspicions that Ho Cheon-an had done some underhanded tricks to deal with Jeong Cheol, arguing that Ho Cheon-an was not a true hero, but within the Demon Sect’s eyes, even such doubts served as favorable factors for Ho Cheon-an.
The Heavenly Demon Sect’s martial artists rated those who could be merciless and devolve against enemies above those who acted with mercy towards them.
Yeom Sang-jin too regarded Ho Cheon-an positively.
When he learned of Ho Cheon-an being the blood descendant of a Blood Ancestor, and later when Ho Cheon-an confidently visited Black Dragon Castle to present his intentions, it even aroused a feeling of favor.
He was setting up an array team against the immensely powerful Blood Sect and seeking trade with the Heavenly Demon Sect, the one deemed the most dangerous force in the world.
Was there such a martial artist in the Central Plains?
Seeing Ho Cheon-an’s stance before Black Dragon Castle, Yeom Sang-jin was genuinely amazed.
However, he couldn’t help but feel anger at Ho Cheon-an’s subsequent declaration.
Ho Cheon-an announced his intent to challenge the Heavenly Demon Arts.
An outsider challenging the Heavenly Demon Arts wasn’t inherently problematic, but the fact that Jeong Cheol had also recently undergone the succession ceremony was the issue.
When Jeong Cheol challenged the succession of the Heavenly Demon Arts, the Demon Sect members were greatly displeased by the mere situation of Jeong Cheol challenging the Heavenly Demon Arts.
How could the sect’s most sacred ceremony be reduced to the means of escape for someone as lowly as Jeong Cheol?
It was not something one could feel good about.
And yet, seeing someone who knew well what Jeong Cheol had done, boldly uttering a challenge to the succession of the Heavenly Demon Arts, felt to Yeom Sang-jin as if Ho Cheon-an was insulting the Heavenly Demon Sect.
Still, since the Heavenly Demon Wi Ji-cheon permitted it, Yeom Sang-jin suppressed his emotions.
Since the Heavenly Demon had allowed Ho Cheon-an’s challenge without a hint of hesitation, there was no need for someone as trivial as him to harbor resentment.
He calmed himself that way.
But today.
Yeom Sang-jin was once again gritting his teeth at Ho Cheon-an.
Was it acceptable to be late on the day of the most sacred ceremony of the sect, the transfer of the Heavenly Demon Arts?
Showing up hours late with a dazed expression, serving up incoherent words, and exchanging unknown gestures with his group!
Was he overwhelmed by pressure, or was he belittling the transfer of the Heavenly Demon Arts?
Either way, it was unbearably unpleasant.
There was no way someone like that could succeed in the succession of the Heavenly Demon Arts.
As Yeom Sang-jin stared at Wi Ji-cheon, who was exiting the temple with that thought—
Boom!!
Before Wi Ji-cheon could even take three steps, the Black Dragon Qi exploded, shattering the wooden walls of the temple.
Having served long as a senior member of the sect, Yeom Sang-jin recalled the succession ceremony of Wi Seoryeon.
That violent Black Dragon Qi had quietly converged into Wi Seoryeon’s body.
Even during the transfer failure of Jeong Cheol, it had exploded with such noise.
So, did that mean Ho Cheon-an had also failed?
Yeom Sang-jin felt a bit disheartened. After all, he had expected him to endure a little longer since he had achieved something in the Central Plains, yet he couldn’t hold out just while the Heavenly Demon took three steps?
Had that arrogance led him to be devoured by the Black Dragon in an instant?
Now there seemed to be a corpse to deal with.
With that thought, Yeom Sang-jin’s eyes widened.
In the swirling dust, the Black Dragon Qi writhed.
However, the movement of the Black Dragon Qi felt somewhat odd.
It looked like it was desperately fighting back, cornered.
Yeom Sang-jin’s gaze instinctively turned to the center of the temple.
In the temple, where walls and floors were shattered and even sturdy pillars were damaged, only Ho Cheon-an sat firmly in a meditation posture.
There was an unwavering momentum that could not be attributed to someone about to be devoured by the Black Dragon.
With Yeom Sang-jin unable to grasp what was happening, his sight automatically returned to Wi Ji-cheon.
If anyone could understand what was happening now, it would surely be the Heavenly Demon Wi Ji-cheon.
What Yeom Sang-jin witnessed was the shocked expression on Wi Ji-cheon’s face.
Wasn’t Wi Ji-cheon someone who never hinted at any profound meaning?
Yet to see him visibly astounded was truly extraordinary.
Yeom Sang-jin’s gaze turned back to Ho Cheon-an and the Black Dragon Qi.
The thought passed through Yeom Sang-jin’s mind.
Perhaps today, the history of the Heavenly Demon Sect would be rewritten.
It wasn’t just Yeom Sang-jin who held this thought.
Unlike earlier, the senior members present at the temple watched the struggle between Ho Cheon-an and the Black Dragon with fiery eyes.
Boom!
The heavy crossbow continued to spew flames.
Kyaaaaah!!
The Black Dragon flipped in the air to dodge the massive arrows.
The movements of the flying Black Dragon were unnatural.
One hit on a wing.
One hit on a front leg.
One hit on a side.
And one hit on its head.
After a long exchange, it sustained four hits.
A creature flying in the sky can’t keep soaring forever, so its injuries accumulated every time it landed or fell.
However, the situation was not all good.
In the process of hitting the Black Dragon, two of the six heavy crossbows were destroyed, and the arrows from the heavy crossbows continued to diminish steadily.
But that wasn’t all.
Despite the reduction in the heavy crossbows, their hit rate gradually dropped.
The Black Dragon was becoming accustomed to the mechanical shooting of the crossbows.
I licked my lips internally.
This semi-spherical space was my mental realm, and the heavy crossbows, along with various weaponry shooting at the Black Dragon, were all reflections of my mind.
So, if I focused, couldn’t I replenish the arrows or repair the broken heavy crossbows and traps?
Thinking that way and trying to exert my will proved futile.
No matter what I thought, the crossbows only moved like the ones in the game of Wulin.
It was frustrating to be stuck in a situation where it was my mind but not under my control.
Yet no matter how exasperated, the situation didn’t change.
Was it a mistake to try to approximate the monster-hunting field from the game of Wulin?
I shook my head.
If I hadn’t implemented the monster-hunting field, there would have been no heavy crossbows, and I wouldn’t have been able to gain the advantage I have now.
There’s nothing more mentally damaging than dwelling on the irreversible.
What I needed to focus on now was how to bring that Black Dragon down from the sky.
Swoosh!!
At that moment, an arrow flew towards the Black Dragon with a completely different trajectory from others.
It perfectly pierced the wing that the Black Dragon had already been injured.
Kyaaaah!
The Black Dragon staggered from the impact. As it struggled to regain balance, the crossbows unleashed volley after volley of arrows.
But instead of watching that scene, I redirected my gaze towards the crossbow that had directly targeted the injured wing.
There stood a familiar figure pulling the string of the crossbow and loading a massive arrow.
Like my companions who made up the Six Star Chen, the figure was distinguishable, but their face was obscured, yet recognizing them wasn’t difficult.
Despite not being able to see their face, they were firmly holding a pipe.
That arrow that struck the Black Dragon’s wing belonged to Tang So-yeol.
And as soon as I confirmed that, a chill swept through me.
No!
This absolutely cannot happen.
The moment I thought that, the heavy crossbow Tang So-yeol was on disappeared without a trace.
No, all the heavy crossbows vanished.
Kyaaaah?
The Black Dragon, which had been on the verge of being shot down by a hail of heavy crossbows, looked perplexed at the sudden absence of the crossbows.
Kyaaaah!
But soon, the creature caught on to the situation and roared, ramping up its momentum.
Watching that unfold, I bit my lip.
If that creature was really about to fall, it would have aimed for Tang So-yeol first, who had shown such sharp shooting.
And since Tang So-yeol wouldn’t have been able to dodge such an attack from the Black Dragon… she would have ended up in a gruesome state.
I realized that this place was merely my mental realm and that Tang So-yeol, who had just been on the heavy crossbow, was only a manifestation conjured due to my frustration with the mechanical movements of the crossbows.
Even so.
When that situation unfolded right before my eyes, I felt unprepared to handle the shock.
Terrified of what might happen to Tang So-yeol, I hastily erased her from my mind, and in the process, wiped out all the heavy crossbows too.
Kyaaaaaah!!
As I dismissed the Black Dragon’s jeers out of one ear, I steadied my mind to restore the heavy crossbows in some way.
But there were no significant results.
Every time I tried to envision the heavy crossbows, the shadow of Tang So-yeol would flicker before my mind.
Noticing my state, the Black Dragon changed its motions. I instinctively felt that it wasn’t looking at me but at my companions forming the Six Star Chen.
The Black Dragon dove towards them without hesitation.
I could clearly sense the Black Dragon’s intent.
It was determined to take out one of my companions, regardless of the danger to itself. Once one companion was gone, it was sure that I would crumble as an opponent.
The Black Dragon was convinced of that.
And I could not entirely refute the Black Dragon’s confidence.
How ridiculous this all was.
The companions behind me were merely manifestations of my mind. They weren’t real.
The evidence that they weren’t real lay scattered everywhere.
The companions’ forms were vivid yet faceless, which was the first proof.
And even though they were composed of the forms of my companions from the Six Star Chen, I could only project the Brain Qi.
As I saw and felt those proofs with my own eyes, I calmed myself.
The five people behind me were in the figures of my companions, but they were nothing more than phantoms born from my mind.
Ho Cheon-an, you foolish brat.
Where did you sell the determination to hunt that Black Dragon, risking everything to acquire the original Heavenly Demon Arts?
How could such a pitiful wretch, unable even to overcome this one situation, achieve the Heavenly Demon Arts?
I called forth all the Qi of the Brain Technique and sidestepped.
Taking aim at the opening of the descending Black Dragon.
I scolded myself like that and moved.
I gathered all the power of the Brain Technique, not to move sideways but to stretch my foot forward and raise my sword.
To protect my companions, I chose to confront the falling Black Dragon head-on.
I was such a fool.
I certainly envisioned companions from the Six Star Chen who could move freely within my mind.
But the mirage I conjured was a faceless shadow.
I could unfold my Six Star Chen, but I could only manifest the Brain Qi.
Half-measure shadows that could not fully live up to my expectations.
But.
Even if they lacked the abilities I desired and their forms differed from reality, these were still my companions in my heart.
Black Cat, Miss Yeo Il-ye, Hyeok Gi-rin, Dokgo I-seol, Moyong Yeon-hwa.
They were unmistakably not real, yet within my mind, they were genuine.
A bitter smile naturally crept onto my lips.
To think that those who weren’t genuinely real in my mind were real enough for me, I couldn’t help but wonder what that meant.
Had I truly gone mad?
Yet, amidst the chaos in my heart, one thing was certain.
I absolutely did not want the Black Dragon to harm my companions.
At that moment, when I was about to take a step forward to face the diving Black Dragon.
Someone stepped out in front of me first.
It was Black Cat.
Not just a figure, but the real Black Cat.
Through her flowing hair, her eyes glimmered with joy, reminiscent of the day she caught a multitude of carp in Hwari Cave.
The smile on her lips was the same as when she hurled bombs in the God-given Cave.
Black Cat’s hand reached towards the Black Dragon, which was now just before her.
Simultaneously, the flow of the array transformed.
How was this possible?
Before I could ponder that, I hastily joined in on the change.
Cza ca ca ca!
Guided by Moyong Yeon-hwa, the extreme transformation rapidly turned the Brain Qi into Ice Brain Qi. The hand of Black Cat, which grasped the flow of the formation, flowed like water.
At the same time, the new techniques of the Minor Divine Skill, which had been practiced alongside the Six Star Chen, unfolded.
Kyeong-wol (倾月).
Black Cat’s two hands caught the teeth of the Black Dragon. The attack’s flow, filled with the immense power generated by its size, was overturned.
Thanks to Kyeong-wol, which contained the mysteries of Hwa-gyeong, the Black Dragon’s head slightly turned.
Compared to its giant form, it was only a trivial movement, yet that movement began to twist the Black Dragon’s body like a swelling tide.
With the principle of the Minor Divine Skill combined with the strength of six people, the Black Dragon’s power was twisted.
Boom!!
The massive body of the Black Dragon crashed into the ground. And with one collision, the immense inertia that could not be dispelled rolled the Black Dragon again.
Unable to even scream, the Black Dragon was unable to regain its senses.
The formation transformed once more.
Black Star.
Dueling with dual swords for two strikes, an attack specialized for thrusting. Only the explosive power of my Brain Qi remained in this transformation, while the Black Star aimed to find its own color.
There wasn’t any martial art from the Dark Dragon Sect that this had to do with.
And the technique that Dokgo I-seol focused on was the Heavy Sword.
Heavenly Collapsing Waves (天衆萬波).
Boom!!
Unable to withstand the pressure of the heavy sword, the Black Dragon’s head jerked backward. Its neck, once tensed, elongated dramatically.
At that moment, the energy of the formation trembled once more.
All the companions pulled back, leaving me standing at the center of the formation.
I inadvertently turned around.
Five faces shimmering with certainty stood before me. Each of my companions wore light smiles, their eyes brimming with resolute will more than ever before.
It was time to put an end to this long fight.
Receiving that gaze, I naturally turned my head back.
Rumble!
I felt the Brain Qi spread through my body, sharpened with a clarity I hadn’t experienced before. The Black Dragon, now completely vulnerable and exposed, felt particularly large at this moment.
Boom!!
With a Brain Qi more perfect than ever, I stepped down onto the ground. Bracing against the impact with the Black Dragon, I kicked off the firm ground of my mental realm and surged toward the Black Dragon.
Towards the Black Dragon’s neck, I unleashed the Single Cut Blade Technique’s first strike, the Lightning Strike.
As time slowed more than ever before, the great sword infused with every ounce of power from the Six Star Chen stretched out toward the Black Dragon.
Swoosh.
As my great sword connected with the Black Dragon’s scales, I felt the resistance deep within those thick, tough hides.
The flow of Qi that formed the Brain Qi cascaded as if it were waiting for this moment, sweeping through the Black Dragon’s neck.
Thud.
Perhaps because of that.
The resilient hide struggling to withstand the blade finally cracked. The moment that crack appeared, the flesh of the Black Dragon tore, and black blood began to spout forth.
Cutting through flesh.
Slicing through bone.
Ultimately severing the tendons, my great sword managed to push through the Black Dragon’s body.
As I witnessed the entire process unfold in slow motion, I aimed my gaze at the Black Dragon’s head.
Its eyes were wide open, unable to comprehend the situation.
I stared into those eyes and murmured.
“I won.”
In that moment, all the time that had felt so slow regained its original flow as black blood erupted forth.
Kiyaaaah!
The Black Dragon, spewing black blood from its throat, staggered with a shriek, finally crashing its head to the ground.
It was my victory.
My site has received a lot of DMCA notices, lol. From now on, I will update the MTL on https://darkmtl.com/.
The site is fast and lightweight because there are no ads yet. However, the theme is different from Cybor-TL, so take some time to familiarize yourself.
Support me by donating at least $10, and you'll have the right to request any novel from Novelpia (excluding 19+ content) using a newly developed tool.