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Chapter 207

Chapter 207: Demonic Arts (2)

Demonic Arts.

The power that the Heavenly Demon bestows along with Demonic Qi, considered a blessing for the Demonic Humans.

It’s also the fastest way to reach another world; a power that transcends realms, going beyond mere levels.

Demonic Qi enhances the body and martial arts, similar to Blood Qi, but depending on the user’s level, it could also lead to madness and insanity.

I’ve seen countless monsters turned as a result of being consumed by Demonic Qi.

But Demonic Arts are slightly different.

They can grant the recipient an entirely new power, or evolve their existing strength into something greater.

The Demonic Absorption Technique I received was, as I mentioned before, a completely new power bestowed by the Heavenly Demon.

The ability to absorb Demonic Qi from Demonic Stones.

Thanks to that, I was able to resolve issues related to Qi depletion while using Fire Arts and, at the same time, the Demonic Qi boosted my internal energy, strengthening my flames.

What I gained from this was the Black Flame mixed with Demonic Qi.

Because of that, I’ve had to endure a ridiculous nickname for what felt like an eternity…

“If I ever find the bastard who came up with that nickname, I’m seriously going to kill him.”

Anyway, Demonic Arts were meant to complement the issues and flaws a martial artist has, allowing them to travel faster on the path they desire.

That’s the power granted by the Heavenly Demon.

It’s a force that paves the way for the blind ambition of martial artists, so how could anyone striving for greater heights resist such temptation?

Apart from the overwhelming strength of the Heavenly Demon, many fell into the path of Demonic Humans because so many couldn’t push through their limitations.

They yearned for power and couldn’t shake off the lure of temptation.

Knowing the process and the outcomes as I do, it was impossible for me to ignore the power and aura the Palace Lord was emanating.

“Demonic Arts.”

That was undoubtedly Demonic Arts.

A nauseating energy that made it hard to breathe.

The thick black fog rising from the Palace Lord was definitely made of Demonic Qi.

In the past, I had encountered martial artists from the Black Palace multiple times, and I knew they possessed Demonic Qi. Even if the essence felt murkier, there was something deficient about them that made it hard to call them true Demonic Humans.

They were still in a state where Demonic Qi hadn’t fully blended with their bodies.

But the Palace Lord was different.

“That guy is a real Demonic Human.”

The Palace Lord was indeed a genuine Demonic Human.

Not only did he use a higher proportion of Demonic Qi than normal while executing martial arts, but only a Demonic Human could expel such dense Demonic Qi.

“I’ve heard whispers that the Palace Lord’s martial arts resembled black fog, but—”

All I had were hearsay.

This was the first time I was witnessing it firsthand.

“I’m certain.”

There was no way I could mistake Demonic Qi.

That guy was undoubtedly a Demonic Human.

The fact that the Palace Lord was already a Demonic Human suggested that the Black Palace was linked to the Demonic Cult or perhaps even to the Heavenly Demon.

“…Which means the Heavenly Demon is somewhere in this world already.”

I had half expected it.

Even if the Heavenly Demon’s first appearance was through tearing the fabric of space via the Demonic Realm, I had been considering the possibility that he was already out there somewhere in the world.

“Could the Heavenly Demon be hiding within this Palace?”

I sincerely hoped that wasn’t the case.

If the Heavenly Demon I was familiar with was truly somewhere in this vicinity, it meant everyone was in danger.

At least, that’s who the Heavenly Demon was to me.

With the secrets of the Black Palace and an encounter with the Blood Demon behind me, I thought it was valid to suspect something like this.

“Fuck.”

Given that my predictions about bad situations were never wrong, I felt unbearably anxious.

How could life be so utterly terrible?

“But, now that the Palace Lord has appeared, Gu Huibi must be alright.”

I had purposely broken a wall and caused a ruckus to catch the Palace Lord’s attention.

It was because the Celestial Captivation Marble had activated suddenly.

At some point, it began showing me visions all on its own.

What I saw was Gu Huibi speaking with the Palace Lord inside a prison cell.

Yet, it seemed the situation had taken a turn for the worse.

“If I had been just a tad late…”

The Palace Lord would undoubtedly have killed Gu Huibi.

The hesitation evident in the Palace Lord’s gaze and the subtle tremor of his fingertips hinted at his intentions.

“Crap.”

There was no time to contemplate other solutions, so I simply created a commotion, which caused their vigilance to soar even higher.

“But I didn’t have any other options anyway.”

Had I not done this, it would have been the end for her.

I squeezed Namgung Bi-ah’s arm tighter.

She must have understood the intent behind my grip, as she immediately diminished her Qi presence.

With a sudden exhale of relief, I thought, “Lowering one’s presence is not something easily done.”

Honestly, it was absurd.

I was prepared to place a Qi Barrier on her if she struggled, but she managed to accomplish it at once!

Anyway, for the time being, we managed to avoid detection.

However, this was where the real issues began.

“This is way too complicated.”

With all the noise, they must be at peak alert.

On top of that, I couldn’t guarantee that the Palace Lord wouldn’t try to harm Gu Huibi again.

“If his intention was to kill her, why would he abduct her in the first place?”

I needed to uncover the reason for his abduction of Gu Huibi. Yet, no matter how much I racked my brains, I couldn’t figure it out.

This didn’t occur in my previous life, and I still didn’t possess a clear understanding of Black Palace’s objectives.

“Infiltration at this stage is too risky.”

Even in this instance, even the famous Dark King of the Seven Night Assassins would be reluctant to sneak in.

The inside of the formation was entirely different than the outside.

To begin with, there was no fog that had been surrounding us at all.

Because of this, if we moved carelessly, they would definitely catch onto us much faster.

Moreover, the terrain was different.

“How the hell did they do this?”

Not only did they manage to obscure their location from the outside, but they transformed the space within into a completely different realm.

I had never seen anything quite like—

“No, I have! I’ve definitely seen something like this!”

As I spoke, I recalled a similar, outlandish formation.

Back in Sichuan, when I discovered the secret vault of the Golden Sky Yeon Clan.

This felt so much like the formation I had witnessed back then.

“Is it merely coincidence?”

It felt odd to dismiss it as a coincidence, yet it also felt silly to insist it wasn’t.

“This is likely the Great Oni’s work.”

The old man covered in age spots who managed the Demonic Cult’s mechanisms.

Only someone like him could achieve something so remarkable.

Right, the mechanism I had to confront at the Black Palace branch in Mount Hua was also a product of the Great Oni. So I was reasonably sure that the old man was currently within the Black Palace.

“I can’t just jump into this without a plan.”

Even if I had advanced to a higher realm, recalling how even the First Elder, who was like a walking corpse, had been a challenge, it would be impossible for me to overcome the Palace Lord in one-on-one combat.

“That’s why I’m hiding here.”

It wasn’t only the Palace Lord; I didn’t know how many martial artists were currently in the Black Palace either.

In my previous life, I could have ripped through the front door and burned everything in sight, but I didn’t possess that kind of strength now.

Realizing this fact, I knew I had to bide my time.

Waiting for that perfect moment to slip into that narrow opening.

And that moment was drawing near.

“Just a little longer.”

I believed it wouldn’t be long now.

*

Time moved on.

Night and day flipped, and in the prison where Gu Huibi was, silence reigned.

It was because the Palace Lord had vanished after a short commotion and hadn’t returned since.

Should this be considered good luck for her?

With wide-open eyes, Gu Huibi gazed outside the cell.

Snore—

Elder Mook’s snoring echoed endlessly in her ears, but at this point, it didn’t even bother her.

More importantly than the old man’s snores, Gu Huibi focused on assessing her current situation.

The Palace Lord evidently brought her into the battlefield because he wanted her for some reason.

“But what about earlier?”

Gu Huibi was aware that she had almost met her end just moments ago.

The Palace Lord had undoubtedly aimed to kill her.

There was no doubt about it.

“His plans must have gone awry somehow.”

It all changed when he caught sight of the child in her lap.

That moment marked a shift in the Palace Lord’s aura.

The child. Yes, it seemed that the child was the issue.

“Was I too close to the child?”

Perhaps it was her mocking demeanor that provoked the Palace Lord’s ire.

Or maybe it was merely the fact that she had conversed with the child—for less than a day.

“But why would that be an issue?”

She couldn’t quite grasp it, yet Gu Huibi suspected that the Palace Lord attempted to kill her due to something similar.

“Is it some twisted paternal instinct? Hm, that doesn’t seem likely.”

There didn’t appear to be such a relationship between them.

Now, should one ponder why she treated the child that way, it was that for Gu Huibi, the child was simply just a child.

She could recognize the emotions reflected in the child’s eyes.

It stemmed from her past experiences caring for Gu Yangcheon, Gu Yeonseo, and Gu Ryunghwa during their younger days.

Moreover, she recalled the gaze that mirrored in Gu Yangcheon’s mother’s eyes.

That is why she understood.

The child’s eyes were indeed searching for affection.

What the Palace Lord ultimately desired was unknown to her, but Gu Huibi couldn’t just overlook this.

Even if she hadn’t had a proper chance to converse with the child in such a fleeting moment.

“What even is that child?”

From the first moment she laid eyes upon them, she sensed that the child was extraordinary.

A gaze that seemed to dominantly look down on everyone and an enigmatic aura emanated from the child.

Moreover, Gu Huibi knew another individual who held a similar aura.

Even their faces bore some resemblance.

Could this be a coincidence?

“No.”

Gu Huibi shook her head.

No matter how you looked at it, such a thing couldn’t occur by mere chance.

—Snore—

Gu Huibi grimaced at the old man’s snores behind her.

Ugh.

She had intended to inquire about something, but based on the past few hours’ events, Elder Mook had shown no intention of waking up.

She had attempted everything, even plugging his nose or giving him a light smack, yet it seemed her weakened strength had only made him feel ticklish.

Of course, being Elder Mook didn’t mean he knew everything.

And for some reason, Gu Huibi felt he probably did know.

Tsk.

Feeling frustrated, she clicked her tongue.

She was lost in thought as to what to do.

Powerless, combined with the overwhelming sense of ignorance regarding the situation, was suffocating her.

But still,

“Get a grip.”

Gu Huibi shook off her rising despair.

She needed to find a way to escape instead of succumbing to hopelessness.

So first,

“Elder Mook, could you please wake up?”

She needed to rouse that snoring old man, who might have the crucial information.

But regardless of how much she shook him, Elder Mook wouldn’t wake up.

At that point, she wondered if hitting him would indeed be necessary to wake him.

How could someone sleep so soundly and snore away all day?

After contemplating, Gu Huibi finally decided that she would hit him until he stirred.

But just as she was about to raise her arm—

“Is it daytime?”

Elder Mook’s voice broke through.

“…!”

Gu Huibi was startled. Elder Mook’s clear tone left her awe-struck and doubting whether he’d truly been asleep.

“Daytime?”

“Yes, what time is it right now?”

As Gu Huibi restrained her surprise, she peeked through the tiny window of the jail.

It was indeed daytime; the sun was shining brightly… hm?

Her voice trailed off in confusion.

Even though it was bright outside, something felt amiss.

Where there should have been a blue sky,

A shade of red had painted the heavens instead.

“…What is that?”

At first glance, it looked like a sunset, but that seemed impossible.

It wasn’t even noon yet.

“Ah, I see!”

Elder Mook nodded knowingly as she watched the bizarre scene unfold.

Finally rising, he spoke.

“It seems he’s finally here.”

Gu Huibi’s eyes widened slightly.

Now she could sense the meaning behind the red sky.

The Palace Lord, resting in his place, opened his eyes.

The faint violet hue still gleamed in his gaze.

Slowly getting to his feet,

“Huff…”

He could feel it.

The air was dense with Qi; how could he miss that?

“I thought you’d show a little change, but it looks like you’re still the same.”

With that, the Palace Lord made his way toward the balcony.

Upon reaching the railing, he beheld the bright sky stretching far beyond the formation’s barrier.

It was brilliant—too bright, almost red.

As the Palace Lord took in this display, a cold sweat began to bead down his back.

“Hah, here I was thinking you were just a toothless old tiger.”

One that had been waiting for death, its teeth long gone, barely surviving in its cave.

“Yet time may pass, but a great tiger is always a great tiger.”

He recognized it as he observed the crimson sky.

That was an illusion created with an immense amount of Inner Qi.

A flame born from sheer determination, ascending skyward as a manifestation of will.

It was a view far too terrifying for a mere human to conjure.

In other words, it was crafted entirely through the strength of one person.

“Blaze!”

The fog outside the formation erupted in flames.

The very fog that Gu Yangcheon couldn’t budge even with his Qi was incinerated, disappearing into nothingness.

The flames roared redder than any hue, cascading forth as if to envelop the entire world.

What lay before him was reminiscent of a tsunami.

A colossal wave made of flames.

Witnessing this scene, the Palace Lord couldn’t help but think of a certain individual.

A monstrous man whose flaming red hair had shifted to crimson hues from his overpowering Fire Qi.

A specter who burned people alive, displaying no emotion whatsoever.

“Flaming Demon.”

Those flames without a doubt belonged to the Flaming Demon.

Which meant that

The Flaming Demon, Gu Cheolun, had appeared on this land.

Just that grand entrance alone, clearly showcasing his presence to his foes without hesitation, exemplified what kind of martial artist Gu Cheolun truly was.

“But if that’s the case…”

How had Gu Cheolun discovered the location of the Palace?

Such a question caused the Palace Lord to frown.

Beyond that, a larger mystery loomed.

The Palace Lord leaped off the balcony, soaring into the air, deep in contemplation.

“Who was responsible for breaching the wall?”

The earlier commotion.

If the Flaming Demon had materialized outside the barrier, then who was accountable for the disturbance earlier?

“Something feels off.”

The Palace Lord had a hunch that something strange was unfolding.


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