Chapter 464: Ancient Covenant (4)
The Heavenly Demon Founder’s words struck me like a reprimand.
"Injecting a third force to blur the boundaries of essence is a good attempt. However, if something goes wrong, instead of separating, the personalities could merge in an entirely different direction."
"……."
"Judging from the recent events, that’s very likely."
If it's about the recent events...
‘Yura definitely came to find Master. And she fought.’
And merging in a different direction...
That meant she could become something else entirely, neither Yura nor the Grand Heavenly Lord?
"If that happens, it's not a matter of mere complete awakening."
I understood what the Heavenly Demon Founder meant.
"Something even more dangerous than the true form of Heavenly Evil might descend upon this world."
A malevolent god possessing both the power of Heavenly Evil and Earth Sage could be born—the worst in history.
"You wouldn’t have done it without knowing that, would you?"
"I trust Yura."
"This isn’t something to be justified with mere trust."
Rumble!
A chilling killing intent surged from the Heavenly Demon Founder’s entire body.
"Can you truly bear the aftermath, the calamity that might befall the world because of it?"
"……."
In that figure, I felt a glimpse of madness that sought to save the world even while losing his mind.
Placing one hand over my chest, I replied.
"I will save her."
I would save her no matter what.
I wouldn’t let the world fall into ruin.
Unlike the Heavenly Demon Founder, I had long lost any sense of duty. But this land was where Yura, I, and our descendants would live.
"I take pride in having made all the necessary preparations."
The Heavenly Demon Founder, who had been observing me for a while, nodded his head.
"So it seems. But isn't the most crucial part missing?"
The most crucial part?
"Please grant me your teaching."
"Her innate danger."
"……!"
"Do you know that she harbors complex emotions toward you?"
Though the question came out of nowhere, I nodded heavily.
"To some extent, I know."
"Put nicely, one might call it ambition or rivalry… put harshly, it could be envy and jealousy."
"Yura… toward me?"
Envy and jealousy.
I unconsciously stroked my chin and muttered.
"Hm, that’s oddly not a bad feeling."
"……."
For a moment, I caught a faint trace of disdain in Master’s eyes.
It seemed like a look that said, ‘What kind of idiot…’
The Heavenly Demon Founder let out a small sigh.
"It’s not something to be pleased about. Because of that, the will that should have remained steadfast almost tilted in one direction, threatening everything."
I reacted positively to that remark.
‘Almost’ meant it didn’t actually happen, right?
But the following words made my pleased expression freeze.
"To halt that progress, I had to give up Heavenly Evil’s corpse."
I hastily expanded my sense of qi.
‘Gone.’
The colossal corpse of Heavenly Evil, which seemed like it could reach the sky, had vanished without a trace.
"But even that was merely a way to buy time. If she perfectly assimilates even Heavenly Evil’s body, then even the ‘thing’ you so firmly believe in will no longer work."
"……!"
"Even so, can you save the world, and save her?"
This was not just a question.
I could instinctively tell.
If I showed even a hint of weakness here, the Heavenly Demon Founder would never leave me alone.
Perhaps, he might seize my body himself and step out to fight in the final battle.
I slowly bowed my head to him.
"First, thank you for your help, Master."
That was sincere.
"You say otherwise, but I believe it was because you trusted me that you didn’t bring the fight to a conclusion with her when she came here."
The Heavenly Demon Founder gave no reply.
"To prove that trust, I shall dare to show you through martial arts."
I drew the Heavenly Demon Divine Sword and the Ten Heavenly Record Immortal Sword simultaneously.
Then, with telekinesis, I sent the Heavenly Demon Divine Sword toward Master and spoke.
"Will you examine your disciple’s proof?"
"……."
The Heavenly Demon Founder slowly caught the Heavenly Demon Divine Sword flying toward him.
His expression turned to disbelief.
"Confidence bordering on arrogance… it could even be called sheer hubris."
…A chill ran down my spine!
From the outside, it felt like the two were one from the very beginning—an unreal sense of unity.
"Handing this sword over to me—that implies that you believe you have surpassed me in my prime, doesn't it?"
"If I couldn't even manage that, how could I hope to save my beloved or the world?"
"Heh, not wrong. However—"
The Heavenly Demon Founder lightly extended the sword.
"Proving that will be immensely difficult, disciple."
With that, he swung the sword horizontally.
In that moment—
Rumble!
A colossal black wave surged forth.
Like an avalanche descending from a ten-thousand-year-old snow mountain, it blanketed everything.
The single strike he casually unleashed devoured all of Heaven of Sacred Spirits as it advanced.
'That’s not a technique!'
That was simply a ‘greeting’—nothing more.
'I won’t evade it.'
I’ll deflect it!
I immediately unleashed Ascension and split the Founder’s strike.
Flash!
The massive black wave that had covered the heavens and earth split in two and dispersed.
But only briefly.
"You, and many descendants after you, must have thought of this at least once."
The Heavenly Demon Founder, suddenly before my very eyes, swung his sword toward my neck.
So fast that even my accelerated thoughts couldn’t keep up!
But it wasn’t to the extent that I couldn’t react.
Clang-clang-clang-clang!
A close-range duel with longswords erupted instantly between me and the Heavenly Demon Founder.
Even as we frantically exchanged strikes and dodges, his mouth never paused.
"The three treasures Hwan Pyeong acquired by passing the trials of the Ten Kings of Hells, and the three sacred relics I left to my descendants—if you compare the two, one might think the latter are significantly inferior."
"……."
I couldn’t deny it.
Among the three sacred relics, the only one whose true function I had confirmed was the Heavenly Demon Seal.
Even that wasn’t particularly useful to me now.
"You even brought the Black Dragon Robe properly."
The Heavenly Demon Founder didn’t miss the Black Dragon Robe I wore over my outer garments.
"I am the Cult Leader of this era, after all."
Unlike the other two relics, the Black Dragon Robe was usually used in ceremonies and stored in the Demonic Pavilion, but even after becoming the Heavenly Demon, I continued to wear it like a cloak.
"Disciple. Let me tell you a truth."
Even as his sword moved with supersonic speed aiming at my head—
"The three treasures Hwan Pyeong brought back from Hell were in fact modeled after these three sacred relics."
"……!"
It was the first I had heard of it.
‘Come to think of it… they are similar.’
The True Star Sword and the Heavenly Demon Divine Sword both take the form of a sword.
The Six Paths Veil takes the name of a veil, but Dao Zun Jin Ryeong always draped it over her shoulder.
Even though the Heavenly Demon Seal and the Mirror of Karma differ as a seal and a mirror…
‘Is it that their abilities are similar in essence, not form?’
Perhaps reading my confusion, the Heavenly Demon Founder smirked.
"Judging by your reaction, you don’t place much value on the three sacred relics."
"……."
"Then allow me to give you a sample."
Chill!
Once again, something from the Heavenly Demon Divine Sword stirred my instincts.
Bang!
I unleashed a powerful palm technique to use the recoil to widen the distance urgently.
Of course, considering the level between us, this couldn’t truly be called creating distance, but at least I would have a sliver of time to respond.
...Or so I thought.
"The Heavenly Demon Divine Sword—or as some call it, the Heavenly Demon Sacred Sword—is, in the truest sense, another me. A God-Slaying Sword."
‘……What?’
I couldn’t see it with my eyes.
I couldn’t perceive it even with my spiritual sight.
But, having mastered the Heavenly Demonic Divine Art to the realm of the Supreme Demon, there was something I could instinctively sense.
The Heavenly Demon Founder, in a single instant, released the ‘something’ that had been binding the Heavenly Demon Divine Sword.
And the moment that something was released—
Puk!
Ignoring all cause and effect, the lower dantian was pierced straight through.
That wasn’t all.
Cough!
All my Protective Energy, defenses, and blessings shattered at once, and blood flowed from my mouth.
"The True Star Sword is certainly a splendid sacred relic. As long as it has a power source, it’s highly versatile and can be wielded by anyone. However… the limitations of the True Star Sword are clear. It can wound Heavenly Evil, but it cannot inflict a fatal blow."
I knew this because I had experienced both.
There was definitely a difference in ceiling.
If he had slashed with full strength, I would have suffered a fatal blow, unable even to rise.
Swiik!
The Heavenly Demon Founder lightly waved his hand.
And just like that, the internal injuries to my ruptured lower and middle dantian were restored as if it were a lie.
I wiped the blood from my lips and stood up.
"What do you mean by saying it is 'another me'?"
"Exactly what it sounds like."
The Heavenly Demon Founder wrapped something around the sword and continued.
"Now it’s Yorang… is that what she’s called? The sorcerers of the Sun and Moon Divine Cult used fragments of the soul of the Demon Lineage to forge me. However, I was not the only one they made from the Demon Immortal’s soul."
"……!"
That meant this Heavenly Demon Divine Sword was also another Yorang, and at the same time, another Heavenly Demon Founder.
I had thought Cheon Taejong handed the Heavenly Demon Divine Sword to Cheon Yura simply because he had become strong enough not to need it.
That was only half true.
Cheon Taejong had no enemies left to challenge him, even while wielding the Heavenly Demon Divine Sword, so he simply handed it over to Cheon Yura.
"Of course, the potential within your First Slash was quite impressive. Had we fought with all variables eliminated, perhaps the result would’ve been different."
Even without dissecting my techniques, the Heavenly Demon Founder had already assessed my abilities in detail.
"But it's not enough. At this rate, you will lose to her."
"……!"
Even knowing all my techniques and strategies, that’s the conclusion?
But there was no time to question it.
"Please, supplement the shortcomings of your foolish disciple."
Even if I had reached the realm of the Supreme Demon, even if I had become what they call a half-god.
If there’s a shortfall, I’ll kneel and beg to fill it.
If I can save Yura, there's nothing I wouldn’t do.
"……."
The Heavenly Demon Founder gave no reply and instead slowly approached me.
Then he picked up the Ten Heavenly Record Immortal Sword lying on the ground and spoke.
"Come forth."
Uuuuuung!
A mighty resonance rang out from the Ten Heavenly Record Immortal Sword, and something like smoke began to pour out from the blade.
And the moment that smoke took the shape of a human—
I widened my eyes and whispered a name.
"...First Senior Brother?"
Though he now looked like a wrinkled middle-aged man, not the young figure I once knew—
There was no way I could forget that face.
First Senior Brother Yoo Jeon.
Standing before my eyes—there was no mistaking it—was him.