The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign

At that moment, it felt like a cold wave swept across the training ground.

“Survive.”

In the end, wasn’t it about selecting just one person from among all these talented individuals?

“What kind of rule is this?”

A young girl wearing a robe shouted in a sharp voice.

“All the talented individuals here are from the demonic path. Are you saying we should fight against each other?”

“Whether you fight or kill, that’s up to you. Just become the winner and survive.”

“So that’s what you’re saying?”

“If you don’t like it, leave.”

Hyukryeon Eung said calmly.

“No one is forcing you. Quitting or participating is entirely your choice.”

— If you don’t like it, leave.

The young girl was at a loss for words. She closed her mouth. 

With no one else voicing complaints, Hyeok Ryeon-eung nodded and spoke in a low voice.

“Then, begin.”

Jiiing.

Once again, the bell installed on the training ground rang.

At that moment.

“Aaah!”

A scream erupted from the center of the training ground.

A boy had drawn a spear like lightning and attacked the person standing next to him.

“Jeok Ryong. Today, I will finally kill you.”

“Wi Yuncheong! You…!”

Wi Yuncheong and Jeok Ryong.

The two were mortal enemies and possessed deep-seated grudges which stemmed from both their families and sects. 

Wi Yuncheong seized this opportunity to ambush Jeok Ryong and settle their feud.

— Uwaah!

As Jeok Ryong collapsed, bleeding, dozens of participants screamed.

Hyeok Ryeon-eung watched this and instead nodded with satisfaction.

“Anyone who wants to leave, leave now. Once the fight starts, there will be no more opportunities to get out.”

But no one moved.

If one was selected as a Ten Demon Successor and learned the exceptional martial arts, it would no longer be a dream to become the greatest in the demonic path.

How could anyone pass up such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?

Screeches, clangs, and clashes rang out as some participants on the stage drew their weapons and began to fight.

However, most participants remained confused and kept looking around.

They had not expected this scenario. In the effort to select the best talents, such a brutal plan would be executed without hesitation.

— So, the waiver was not just to intimidate us!

They realized the significance of the bodily waiver now. 

Some participants turned and ran out of the training ground.

Yet, most of the participants swung their weapons wildly as if they had gone mad.

‘Foolish people.’

Fu Eunseol stood firmly at the edge of the training ground with a cold expression. 

Despite his conspicuous robe and the bamboo basket he carried, no one attacked him.

‘They’ve lost their reason due to their fear of death.’

Everyone on the training ground blindly attacked only those near them.

The fear of death had paralyzed their rationality.

— Fight. And survive.

Those words did not necessarily mean to kill the participants here.

It meant to endure till the bitter end. To survive with sheer will.

‘If they had listened calmly, this wouldn’t have happened.’

Unfortunately, most of the participants were young. They had just started to learn their sect’s martial arts.

In contrast, Fu Eunseol had spent a year performing funeral rites on corpses without missing a single day.

Having contemplated the meaning of death daily, he no longer felt fear or terror about dying.

“Ugh!”

“Keuk!”

“Aaah!”

Gradually, the sharp sounds of screams echoed from all directions.

Even those who had first faced their opponents barehanded, or those who had cheered each other on to persevere, had now drawn their weapons and begun to kill.

‘Not everyone here is a fool.’

In the distance, a boy with a black sword on his back and a headband tied around his forehead stood at the edge of the training ground much like Fu Eunseol. He calmly watched the unfolding battles.

“Hah!”

At that moment, a boy who had been swinging a meteor hammer like lightning and knocking down participants left and right made eye contact with Fu Eunseol.

“…?”

Seeing Fu Eunseol in his black robe and with a bamboo box on his back, the boy flinched slightly. 

But then, seeing how Fu Eunseol stood, he sneered.

“What a pitiful guy!”

Martial artists always ensured that their lower body was firmly anchored to the ground regardless of their stance.

The boy noticed Fu Eunseol’s bloodstained feet was limply placed. He immediately deduced that Fu Eunseol had not learned any martial arts.

“Take this!”

With a shout, the silver meteor hammer flew toward Fu Eunseol’s face like a flash of lightning.

As Fu Eunseol reflexively leaned back,

Whoosh.

The meteor hammer drew a half-circle in the air and struck Fu Eunseol’s back.

Crack!

The bamboo box shattered and fell to the ground.

As Fu Eunseol hurried to pick up the box, the meteor hammer swung around again in the air, heading toward the box.

Crash!

Inside the shattered box, a black robe was visible.

It was the funeral robe that Zhanyang had worn during his lifetime.

“Are you a robe seller or something?”

Even though the boy with the meteor hammer was sneering while twirling his weapon, Fu Eunseol’s eyes remained steady and unwavering.

“You will die.”

“Hahaha. That’s hilarious. Are you saying you’ll kill me with that sword?”

Just as the boy scoffed.

Thud.

With a dull sound, a sharp spear tip suddenly protruded from the center of the boy’s chest.

“Ugh.”

Turning around, he saw a boy holding a spear. He pushed the spearhead in with all his might. It was Wi Yuncheong, who had earlier ambushed and killed Jeok Ryong.

“You bastard…”

As the boy with the meteor hammer tried to move, Wi Yuncheong quickly twisted and withdrew the spear.

Splurt.

The boy, who had been pierced through the middle of his chest, spat out a mouthful of blood and died instantly.

Thud.

Looking down at the fallen boy, Fu Eunseol murmured softly.

“The boy with the spear had been waiting for a chance to attack you from the start.”

Fu Eunseol had noticed Wi Yuncheong lurking around, waiting for the right moment to strike while the boy with the meteor hammer was wildly swinging his weapon.

Fu Eunseol had deliberately moved in front of the boy wielding the meteor hammer to assist Wi Yuncheong.

“Hmph.”

Wi Yuncheong seemed to realize this as well and snorted at Fu Eunseol.

“Why did you help me?”

“I figured I’d end up facing him anyway.”

“Looks like you haven’t learned martial arts.”

Wi Yuncheong sneered.

“A piece of trash like you can be killed anytime.”

Wi Yuncheong, who had benefited from his ambush, was moving around the training ground, assassinating the strong ones. 

He thought he could easily kill someone as weak as Fu Eunseol at any time, so he turned away without hesitation.

But Wi Yuncheong didn’t know that Fu Eunseol had anticipated his every move. 

And that this would be a big mistake.

* * *

“I still haven’t seen anyone stand out.”

On the platform, Hyeok Ryeon-eung frowned while observing the scene.

In reality, he was the one who had suggested this second test. 

As someone who valued real combat experience, Hyeok Ryeon-eung opposed selecting the Ten Demon Successors based solely on bone structure.

— It is true that having a good bone structure is essential for mastering advanced martial arts. But we cannot judge the potential to reach the pinnacle of demonic martial arts based on bone structure alone.

In the end, respecting the opinion of Hyeok Ryeon-eung, the Chief Instructor, a second test was created to select more candidates for the Ten Demon Successors.

“To think there would be no promising individuals just because we removed those with good bone structure.”

Diiing!

At that moment, a clear metallic sound resonated from the training ground.

A boy with a headband tied around his forehead drew a sword from his waist.

“A Vitality Paring Knife?”

Hyeok Ryeon-eung narrowed his eyes.

The boy with the headband had drawn the Vitality Paring Sword, once called the “Number One Sword of the Wanderer,” and the cherished sword of Mukhon. 

The Vitality Paring Sword, one of the Four Great Swords of the world, had been missing since Mukhon’s death. 

And now, the boy with the headband was wielding it?

“Mukhon’s disciple?”

Then, the refined middle-aged man who stood behind stepped forward.

He was Baek Jeoncheon, the leader of the Sect of Infinite Wisdoms.

“His name is Neung Ungang. He claims to have discovered Mukhon’s secret martial arts manual and sword in a secluded mountain valley.”

Infinite Wisdoms Sect was a place where exceptional talents gathered; it was like the brain of the Demon Palace. 

Baek Jeoncheon had already memorized the personal details of numerous participants from the guest book before the competition started.

“In any case, since he has inherited Mukhon’s legacy, he could be considered his disciple.”

“In that case, he will likely be the last one standing.”

“But because he learned the sword techniques from a manual, his movements are not very smooth.”

Baek Jeoncheon pointed to Wi Yuncheong, who was fiercely fighting among the participants.

“In my opinion, that boy seems the most outstanding.”

Wi Yuncheong had quickly grasped the martial arts skills of the other participants in the training ground, and most importantly, he showed no hesitation in delivering fatal blows. His temperament was highly suited for mastering the demonic martial arts.

“That boy won’t last much longer.”

“What?”

“Even though everyone is the enemy here and must be killed, moving around and ambushing others will inevitably draw attention.”

Hyeok Ryeon-eung shook his head.

“If you don’t have the skill to take on all your opponents in the training ground at once, it’s better not to act like that. Eventually, he becomes the target of everyone’s vigilance.”

As if to support Hyeok Ryeon-eung’s words, Wi Yuncheong’s ambushes began to fail more frequently. 

Moreover, the participants around him started to unite in attacking him.

‘He’ll be dead soon.’

Baek Jeoncheon clicked his tongue in amazement at Hyeok Ryeon-eung’s sharp insight.

“But is it really necessary to select the candidates so brutally? Even without fighting like this, some talents could quickly develop if taught martial arts properly.”

“The elders initially said it would be sufficient to select the supreme talents with the best bone structure. But do you know why I planned this second test?”

“Hmm… Isn’t it to find those who might have slightly inferior bone structure but excel in actual combat?”

“Not at all.”

Hyeok Ryeon-eung chuckled.

“To achieve the pinnacle of demonic martial arts, it takes not only a good bone structure but also innate instincts and a murderous aura that can overwhelm the heavens.”

Hyeok Ryeon-eung watched the boy with the headband and spoke with a confident expression.

“And that can only be seen in extreme combat situations. For example, that boy.”

“Are you talking about Neung Ungang…?”

“Yes. With his beast-like instincts and murderous aura, he’s likely to be the last one standing.”

Baek Jeoncheon smiled faintly at Hyeok Ryeon-eung’s confident declaration.

“I suppose the words of the Chief Instructor, who has been in countless fights all his life, must be right.”

But Hyeok Ryeon-eung’s prediction was only half correct. 

When the battle finally reached its climax, two people remained standing in the training ground.

* * *

The training ground was once filled with a sea of participants. 

Only silence reigned there now. 

Many were either dead or dying from mortal wounds.

No matter how skilled they were in martial arts, the participants were boys and girls under eighteen. 

At such a young age, they didn’t even know the meaning of death. To survive in a chaotic battle with enemies all around was nearly impossible.

Even Wi Yuncheong, who had roamed the training ground targeting and ambushing the strong, ultimately became a cold corpse.

Swish.

At that moment, Neung Ungang, who stood tall in the training ground, wiped the blood off his Vitality Paring Sword.

“Unexpected.”

Neung Ungang smiled as he looked at Fu Eunseol, who was standing opposite him.

“To think you’d be the one to survive until the end.”

Neung Ungang already knew. He knew that Fu Eunseol, who stood before him, was the weakest and most insignificant among all the participants who had once stood on the training ground.

“If I just kill you now… Then I’ll become a candidate for the Ten Demon Successors, won’t I?”

Despite Neung Ungang’s provocation, Fu Eunseol stared at him silently.

“Heh.”

Neung Ungang let out a low chuckle and beckoned Fu Eunseol with his finger.

“Come at me.”

Step by step.

Fu Eunseol, who had been avoiding fights so far, slowly approached Neung Ungang. 

This fight could not be avoided.

Without defeating Neung Ungang, he couldn’t become a candidate for the Ten Demon Successors.

Click.

Fu Eunseol set down the broken bamboo box and drew the sword that was hanging from it. 

Watching him, Neung Ungang bared his teeth in a grin.

“Crazy bastard.”

Despite the insulting provocation, Fu Eunseol did not respond and instead calmed his mind. 

As he quietly moved around the training ground, Fu Eunseol had already guessed that Neung Ungang would be the one to survive until the end.

‘He’s the strongest.’

Though it seemed like he was swinging his sword wildly, each move contained a subtle, profound logic. 

He struggled to defeat his opponents, but his skills were steadily improving. 

Fu Eunseol instinctively knew that Neung Ungang was the strongest among the participants in the training ground. 

He carefully observed the wounds of the participants defeated by Neung Ungang and studied them over and over.

‘I can definitely win.’

Fu Eunseol had already identified weaknesses in Neung Ungang’s sword techniques. 

Moreover, Neung Ungang underestimated him. 

In real combat, even the slightest carelessness could mean the difference between life and death. 

Especially since Neung Ungang had determined that Fu Eunseol hadn’t properly learned martial arts, he would attack leisurely, intending to end it with a fatal blow.

“Such lofty dreams you have.”

Seeing the determination in Fu Eunseol’s eyes, Neung Ungang sneered.

“Do you really think you can beat me?”

Flash!

The darkened Vitality Paring Sword gleamed brightly in midair.

Slice.

With the sound of flesh being cut, blood flowed from Fu Eunseol’s shoulder and right thigh.

“You’ve got guts, but that’s not enough.”

Neung Ungang had anticipated that Fu Eunseol would leap away to dodge, and had planned his attack accordingly. 

However, Fu Eunseol merely stared at him and didn’t move an inch as if he were a statue.

“Or were you unable to dodge? Hahaha.”

Neung Ungang let out a low laugh and swung the Vitality Paring Sword again.

Swish.

This time, a chunk of flesh flew off near Fu Eunseol’s shoulder. 

Instead of simply slashing or stabbing to kill, Neung Ungang had deliberately targeted the shoulder muscles to inflict pain.

Drip. Drip.

Shower of red blood fell heavily from where the flesh had been sliced off. 

However, Fu Eunseol stood calmly, as if he felt no pain at all.

“Hahaha! Are you too scared to move?”

Like a cat playing with a mouse, every time Neung Ungang swung his sword, Fu Eunseol’s robe became drenched in red. 

Sluuurp.

Even though Fu Eunseol was wearing a black robe, the red blood soaked through the fabric. His appearance was now akin to a snowman painted with black and red ink.

“What a worthless sword.”

Fu Eunseol spoke in a low voice, his body covered in blood everywhere except for his eyes.

“Judging by how it only cuts away small bits of flesh.”

“What did you say?”

Suddenly, a cold gleam appeared in Neung Ungang’s eyes.

“Are you asking me to kill you quickly?”

A dark murderous aura emanated from Neung Ungang’s eyes as he gripped the Vitality Paring Sword. He had decided to use his most ruthless and sharp technique to finish off Fu Eunseol.

‘Here it comes!’

Fu Eunseol noticed that Neung Ungang had twisted his grip on the Vitality Paring Sword and raised it to a middle stance.

‘There’s only one chance!’

Fu Eunseol had been studying the wounds of those who had fallen to Neung Ungang. He discovered a fatal flaw in Neung Ungang’s frequently used killing move.

‘Below the knees.’

It looked like he was closing in on his opponent without leaving any gaps, but in reality, he only attacked above the knees.

‘He assumes no martial arts master would ever lower themselves to avoid an attack.’

“Die!”

At that moment, Neung Ungang charged forward, unleashing his killing move.

Flash!

As a brilliant light burst forth, Fu Eunseol lay flat to the ground in a lightning motion.

Whoosh.

The sharp strike swept over his head, slicing off his disheveled hair.

‘Now!’

Fu Eunseol sprang up like a freshly caught fish and thrust his sword at Neung Ungang’s Celestial Prominence (a vital acupuncture point at the base of the throat).

— The Celestial Prominence is a spot even experts from external martial arts sect find hard to strengthen.

— But isn’t it where street performers place their blades?

— Hahaha. That’s because they place the blade slowly against the neck. If a child strikes with all their might, it’s a pressure point that can make an adult faint.

Thud.

With a dull sound, a stifled groan echoed.

“Ugh.”

Neung Ungang opened his mouth wide, his eyes bulging. Somehow, an old sword had been thrust beneath his throat, lodged deep in his Celestial Prominence.

“Ggh. Gghh…”

Even though the sword was crafted for exorcizing evil spirits, its edge was sharp.

Drip.

As a red line of blood flowed from the sword embedded below his throat, Neung Ungang, who had been groaning in agony, collapsed and died instantly.

Thud.

Simultaneously, a loud bell rang out. 

The second test had come to an end.

“…”

However, the unexpected result brought only deathly silence to the platform.

“Is it over?”

Fu Eunseol looked up at Hyeok Ryeon-eung and Baek Jeoncheon and spoke up.

“Or is there another test?”

With the eyes that burned with aggression and a body bathed in blood, Fu Eunseol looked like a demon that had crawled up from hell.

 ———

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