Chapter 195
There is no trigger for the awakening of the Heaven-Slaughter Star.
However, once it awakens, anyone—even from far away—can sense that bizarre and horrific murderous aura.
Just like now.
Kuwoooong!
Like ripples spreading from a stone dropped on still water, a powerful murderous aura surged through the air.
Anyone who trained in martial arts… no, even ordinary people without qi-sensing ability would freeze at this chilling sensation, halting whatever they were doing.
Those with lower martial strength turned pale and began to tremble. Those who could endure it all turned toward one direction in unison.
Tang Sowol, who had been enjoying a relaxed post-meal chat with Seol Lihyang just moments before, spoke with a hardened expression.
“Young Master Cheon. This is…”
“It’s Lady Heo’s Heaven-Slaughter Star. Though I’m not sure if we can even call this a mere outburst.” Previously, when I’d seen Heo Soye’s murderous aura in the training hall, I could tell right away she was the Heaven-Slaughter Star. But that was all.
As for the intensity of her aura—it was, at best, comparable to that of a notorious demonic path cultivator. It never reached me.
That’s why it had been possible to contain it through various Peak Stage martial artists' energy seals.
But now, it was different. Even at a fair distance, the sensation was like a thin blade scraping across the skin—startling and chilling.
Heo Soye’s murderous aura was now vastly more intense, incomparable to before. No energy seal could contain this, and even if one tried, the resulting internal backlash would injure the person casting it.
“The last I saw of Lady Heo, she was heading off for a walk with Brother Jang.”
“Yes, they definitely went toward the courtyard. But don’t worry—Sister Hwarin went along too, didn’t she?”
“Then at least the worst-case scenario won’t happen.”
The worst case, of course, would be Heo Soye going mad and indiscriminately massacring those around her.
But if Seo Mun-Hwarin was there, that outcome could likely be prevented.
“We should go immediately. What will you do, Tang Sowol?”
“I’ll follow. I’ve trained this hard so I could support Young Master Cheon by your side.”
“Understood. But it’s dangerous—do not step ahead of me unless absolutely necessary.”
“I will keep that in mind.”
With a nod from Tang Sowol, we took to the air with light movement techniques.
***
The place we arrived at, following the murderous aura, was a small courtyard—normally used for brief rest by disciples, adorned with a few seasonal flowers. A small but well-maintained place.
But now, it had become a space where such serenity could no longer be found.
The overwhelming murderous aura made even breathing difficult. Plants that had curled up awaiting spring simply withered and died.
As if too much sunlight had scorched the world to death, like some ancient myth, the entire space was slowly dying.
Jang Inam, who had accompanied Heo Soye, was collapsed on the ground, clutching at his throat and barely able to breathe.
Seo Mun-Hwarin stood in front of Heo Soye, having clearly stepped up immediately once the situation broke out.
But for some reason, she wasn’t striking with her fists nor sealing pressure points—she was simply standing there, silently, guarding Heo Soye.
Looking closer, Heo Soye was trembling, but barely holding on.
It seemed she was trying to suppress her aura of her own volition, and Seo Mun-Hwarin was merely watching over her attempt.
That much, I could understand.
“To emit this level of murderous aura... and still maintain rationality?”
“Perhaps the methods Monk Gak-jeong prepared are proving effective.”
Nodding, I made my way toward the collapsed Jang Inam.
Despite not being able to withstand the aura, he kept his eyes wide open as if unwilling to let Heo Soye out of sight even for a second.
His resolve and burning will were admirable—but that alone wouldn’t solve anything.
I drew my sword and infused it with internal energy. Immediately, a white Qi Blade surged forth.
What I needed to do now was simple.
Murderous aura is essentially internal energy mixed with killing intent. Its intensity depends on the depth of that intent, and its breadth on the richness of the internal energy.
Meaning—if you can interfere with either factor, you can do something about it.
With a slow exhale, I swung my sword toward Jang Inam.
Ssskuk.
A sensation like cutting through something reached my fingertips.
Just like slicing through the combined energy seal that the Jeomchang Sect elders had once conjured—I had cut through a portion of Heo Soye’s aura and disrupted its flow.
Thanks to that, Jang Inam, now freed from the pressure of the aura, gasped for breath and turned his head.
“What the… Ah.”
Seeing our faces and understanding why we were there, Jang Inam’s expression turned pale.
“Brother Jang, we’re just as curious as you. What happened between you two while you were away?”
“You know that Soye and I promised ourselves to each other, right?”
“Of course.”
“It took a long time before the Sect Leader and elders finally approved of our marriage. I suppose it’s no surprise—even when I was first taken in as a disciple, they debated for a while since I’d lost an arm. To accept me as a son-in-law would have taken even longer. Though now, it seems to have faded into obscurity.”
Jang Inam gave a bitter smile and staggered to his feet before continuing.
“Yes… it took too long. Long enough for Soye’s true nature to finally reveal itself.”
“Mm. Brother Jang, I understand something big must have happened. But now’s not the time. Please just tell us the result.”
“We said that before her full awakening as Heaven-Slaughter Star, we should marry and maybe even have a child if possible.”
“I proposed again—and she was happy. But then, suddenly... she started rampaging like this.”
Jang Inam said this with a pained expression.
It was unexpected, yes—but I understood what had happened.
What had thrown me off when I first sensed Heo Soye’s murderous aura was simple:
There was still some time before the Jeomchang Sect's downfall, as I remembered from before the regression—so why had her awakening come so soon?
But now I knew: she’d been overjoyed by Jang Inam’s words—only to awaken violently.
More likely, the Esoteric Buddhist method Monk Gak-jeong used had a side effect that accelerated the process.
As I thought—there is no specific trigger for the awakening of the Heaven-Slaughter Star...
“Wait.”
Something tickled at the edge of my mind—a sensation just out of reach.
Is it really true that the Heaven-Slaughter Star has no trigger?
I can say with confidence—there’s no one in the Central Plains who understands murderous aura better than I do. Among those who are not Heaven-Slaughter Stars, I am the closest to one.
I could not ignore this faint insight.
As Monk Gak-jeong, Abbot Jeong Hyeon, and the Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal arrived, Tang Sowol began explaining the current situation.
Meanwhile, I organized my thoughts and then asked Monk Gak-jeong, who was holding on with Abbot Jeong Hyeon’s support, despite having no internal energy left:
“Monk Gak-jeong. Is it possible for someone who has awakened as Heaven-Slaughter Star to endure it without going berserk?”
“Yes. My disciple was like that… just before they died.”
“Regarding the Esoteric Ritual you recently used on Lady Heo—I know it suppresses murderous aura, but could you explain its principle in more detail?”
“Young Benefactor Cheon. Why would such a thing matter at a time like this—"
Maybe because the past overlapped too closely—the emotional Monk Gak-jeong choked on his words, paused, then met my gaze.
“Do you remember the story I told you before? About Angulimala?”
“The former Heaven-Slaughter Star who took refuge in Buddha and broke free from the cycle of slaughter, yes?”
“Correct. The mantra is the teaching the Buddha gave Angulimala. By reenacting that moment, it contains the power to pull those tormented by murder out of their torment.”
“By reenacting, you mean…?”
“He was blinded by a false awakening and used the evil teachings of his former master to justify his slaughter. The Buddha corrected that error.”
“More specifically, what did he say?”
After a brief pause, Monk Gak-jeong recited solemnly:
“Angulimala, I have stopped, and I have forever laid down the sword for all beings. But you—having no restraint toward life—have not stopped, though I have.”
“As I thought… thank you.”
“Did you realize something?”
“Before cutting down Lady Heo, I have one thing I must try.”
It has always been said: There is no trigger for the Heaven-Slaughter Star’s awakening.
Because people killed for ridiculous, meaningless reasons—out of nowhere.
But having experienced that murderous aura up close, I think differently.
It’s not that there is no trigger—everything is a trigger.
Whatever one sees, feels, or thinks, it all culminates in a compulsion to kill. Because no clear origin of the aura can be discerned, it seems as though there is no trigger.
The alien quality of the Heaven-Slaughter Star’s aura—stripped of emotion or intention—is likely a byproduct of this truth.
If everything can be a trigger, then no single feeling or intent can dominate.
And the mantra Monk Gak-jeong shared—it offers a new kind of trigger.
By confronting someone who bears no killing intent, perhaps the raging murderous instinct can be subdued once more.
“Of course, this is all conjecture. I know little of Esoteric Buddhism and have never closely observed a Heaven-Slaughter Star. I’m simply piecing together what I’ve felt from Lady Heo and what I’ve heard.”
“It’s fine. At this point, our remaining options are only whether to cut off the head or the limbs.”
Monk Gak-jeong shook his head at my words. The others didn’t say anything, but their silence meant they were thinking similarly.
Breaking that silence, Abbot Jeong Hyeon spoke.
“I understand your reasoning. But is it even possible? Any martial artist, when faced with murderous aura, instinctively responds with hostility.”
“True. The only ones who might suppress Lady Heo’s murderous aura would be her father, the Sect Leader, or Brother Jang. But the Sect Leader is too strong—he’s lived too long as a warrior.”
“Ah…”
The Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal nodded grimly.
As Abbot Jeong Hyeon said, martial artists instinctively respond to murderous aura with aggression. And the Sect Leader was far too used to it.
Which left only one option.
All eyes turned toward Jang Inam, who was still gazing anxiously at Heo Soye.
“M-me??”
“Yes. It has to be you, Brother Jang.”
Among everyone here, he alone fits the term pure-hearted martial man. And he's the only one who, even in this situation, could ask her to bear his child—blinded by love.
Assessing Jang Inam’s cultivation quietly, Tang Sowol cautiously asked:
“Um… just in case, should I give you a strong anesthetic poison beforehand, so you don’t feel pain?”
No. He’s not going in to die.
...Though if this goes wrong, he might just die after all.