The Heavenly Demon Who Reigns

"Hmm..."

Cheon Myeong silently watched his reflection in the mirror.

It wasn't at a satisfactory level yet, but it was a considerably different appearance compared to before.

Lean muscles had already taken root in his gaunt physique.

"..."

A person's physique doesn't change quickly.

Moreover, since there is a physique that a person is born with, it seemed difficult for his physique to grow larger than it was now, even if he continued to train.

"Is this all for now..."

This was the result of desperately training for about two months.

Not that his current state was completely unwatchable.

But from his own standards, it was still full of disappointing parts.

'Well, it will get better gradually.'

Trying to match everything to his own standards at once was greedy.

Cheon Myeong decided to stop building his body at this point for now.

Of course, that didn't mean he was quitting his external training.

He thought so in the sense that it was okay to move on to the next stage soon.

Swish-.

Cheon Myeong put on the shirt he had taken off.

And he went to a corner of the room and took out a long wooden box.

Clank-.

The wooden box opened at once when he lifted it lightly.

There was a sword inside.

Cheon Myeong immediately took out the sword inside and drew it in front of his eyes.

"..."

As if appraising a precious jewel, Cheon Myeong checked the condition of the sword up close.

A smooth blade without any rusty parts.

The sword was so well-maintained that it could be used right away.

'...It's fine.'

Thinking so, Cheon Myeong completely drew the sword from its scabbard.

Clang-.

The sword revealed itself with a clear sound.

Didn't they say that a famous sword sounds different from the moment it is drawn from its scabbard?

The sword Cheon Myeong was holding also made a smooth sound as if plucking a string.

"..."

This was Cheon Myeong's beloved weapon.

To be precise, it was the sword used by the previous owner.

As expected of the son of the leader, the sword he had was quite excellent.

'Still, the fact that he brought it without throwing it away seems to mean that he couldn't completely give up his attachment to martial arts.'

Moreover, while he had left his own body in a shabby state, he had consistently maintained the sword.

For a swordsman, a sword is like his own alter ego.

The fact that he had consistently maintained such a sword meant that he had not completely detached martial arts from his body.

"Hmm..."

Cheon Myeong looked at the sword in his hand and pondered something deeply.

Fist techniques and sword techniques.

Between these two, what Cheon Myeong used when he was Jang Cheon were fist and palm techniques.

It wasn't that he had never held a sword in his life, but he didn't use it as his main weapon.

But the original Cheon Myeong had used the sword as his basic weapon, and he had learned the Heavenly Demon Divine Art to match it.

"..."

So Cheon Myeong had no choice but to be troubled.

Whether to follow the new application method he had learned.

Or to stick to the familiar method he already knew.

Depending on which of the two he chose, the direction of Cheon Myeong's future training would be decided.

'Sword or fist...'

After all, when you reach the extreme, it's the same no matter what you choose.

Just as the streams of a valley gather to form a river, and that gathers to become the sea.

Martial arts also eventually converge into one at the end.

Of course, he also wondered if there had ever been anyone who had reached such a level.

But Cheon Myeong knew that fact because he had already reached a similar level when he was Jangcheon.

However, it would be a foolish thought for the current Cheon Myeong to look that far ahead.

For now, he had to choose and focus.

"..."

The time for long deliberation grew longer.

Since this choice would determine Cheon Myeong's future martial path, it was natural to think carefully.

In the end, Cheon Myeong made a decision after a long deliberation.

'I choose the sword.'

Generally, it is true that a swordsman is more advantageous when a swordsman and a fist user of the same level fight.

The lower the level, the more severe the difference will be.

But that wasn't why Cheon Myeong chose the sword.

'A realm I don't know... if I can reach that realm, I can become stronger than before.'

As a fist user, he had already reached a realm close to the extreme.

Cheon Myeong suddenly thought that it would be a waste of time to follow that path again.

A realm he didn't know.

If he could master that realm, wouldn't it help him break through the wall that had blocked him when he was Jangcheon?

Cheon Myeong thought that the reason he had come to this era was surely for that.

'This time, I will become a true Heavenly Demon.'

That path would be the way to save the Demonic Cult in the future.

Cheon Myeong thought so and put the sword he had drawn back into its scabbard.

Thump-.

Cheon Myeong put the sword away and got up from his seat.

And he took a stance and drew his sword.

Clang-.

The sword was drawn from its scabbard in an instant with a clear sound.

It had been a long time since Cheon Myeong had drawn a sword, but the drawing just now was a very smooth and stable stance, as if his body remembered it.

'...Not bad.'

Cheon Myeong himself, who had swung the sword, also had a very good feeling.

Thud-.

But at that moment, something fell to the floor.

When he looked in the direction of the sound, a severed candlestick was lying there pathetically.

"..."

No matter how he looked at it, it was definitely his own doing.

It seemed he hadn't realized that there was a candlestick standing next to him when he drew his sword.

Cheon Myeong quietly put the sword away, looking embarrassed.

"...The sword is sharp."

He had swung it carelessly, but the candlestick was cut so cleanly.

Unintentionally, Cheon Myeong was able to confirm once again that this sword was a famous sword.

* * *

Whoosh-.

After blowing away a perfectly good candlestick, Cheon Myeong came out to the yard and was swinging his sword.

The yard was wide, so there was no chance of breaking things like before.

Perhaps because of that, Cheon Myeong was swinging his sword to his heart's content, like a fish in water.

"..."

Soyeon Sang was watching the scene from a suitable place.

Soyeon Sang had recently become very interested in Cheon Myeong, so he was not missing a single minor change that occurred in Cheon Myeong.

But today, for the first time, Cheon Myeong drew his sword.

Didn't that mean that he was now going to start his martial arts training in earnest?

Since this was the real beginning, Soyeon Sang was watching Cheon Myeong with particular attention today.

'How on earth will the Young Master catch up with the children of the Five Great Demonic Families...'

Recalling what he had said and his appearance at that time, it seemed clear that Cheon Myeong had something in mind.

Wasn't that why he had been watching silently until now?

But frankly, from what he had seen of Cheon Myeong for two months, it didn't seem like he had shown as much as he had expected.

It couldn't be helped since he had only been training to build his body.

However.

Soyeon Sang thought that he might show a different side from now on.

'Whether what I felt at that time was true or a delusion will be revealed soon.'

In fact, he didn't expect much.

What could a person who had lost all his internal energy due to Qi Deviation, had just started training, and was holding a sword for the first time show?

Of course, since he had done things before, he would be able to show a certain level.

But that alone was not enough.

If that was all, he would never be able to close the gap that had opened up.

"..."

Thinking so, Soyeon Sang watched Cheon Myeong without blinking.

But Cheon Myeong had only been repeating simple motions since he took out his sword, and he hadn't shown any particular appearance.

After about half an hour.

By this time, Soyeon Sang was starting to have doubts.

'Why is he only performing simple motions?'

He understood that it would take time to get used to the sword since it had been a long time since he had held one.

But didn't half an hour feel too long?

The period Cheon Myeong hadn't held a sword was a little over two years.

It would be enough to regain the lost sense during that gap in about fifteen or thirty minutes.

If he was really doing that for half an hour just to regain his sense, Soyeon Sang had no choice but to be disappointed in Cheon Myeong.

Swish-.

And at that moment.

Cheon Myeong, who had been swinging his sword without rest for half an hour, finally stopped moving.

'Is he going to perform a proper sword technique now?'

At the same time, Soyeon Sang's gaze also changed.

It was still too early to be disappointed.

There was still a good chance that he would see a satisfactory level of hope in the sword technique he would show from now on.

"..."

Thinking so, Soyeon Sang watched Cheon Myeong with concentration.

However, Cheon Myeong immediately dashed Soyeon Sang's expectations.

"Hoo... should I rest a bit?"

Muttering so, Cheon Myeong sheathed his sword.

"Young Master, have this."

"Thank you."

And he calmly drank the water that Mihwa brought him.

Soyeon Sang sighed inwardly as he watched Cheon Myeong.

'Of course.'

Was what he had felt at that time just a delusion?

At that time, he had thought that perhaps Cheon Myeong could completely turn the situation of the Demonic Cult around.

However.

Seeing him simply swing his sword for half an hour, rest calmly, and drink water, the expectation he had at that time seemed to disappear in an instant.

"..."

The greater the expectation, the greater the sense of loss.

In the end, Soyeon Sang couldn't stand still and approached Cheon Myeong.

"Young Master."

"...?"

For the first time, Soyeon Sang spoke to Cheon Myeong during his training.

Then, Cheon Myeong looked at Soyeon Sang with a puzzled look.

"Are you resting after swinging your sword with simple motions for half an hour?"

"Well, yes. It's been a long time since I swung a sword, so it's hard just to get used to it."

"..."

As expected.

That action for half an hour was for the same reason Soyeon Sang had thought.

"I tried to build my body, but I guess two months was too short. It's a bit overwhelming just to swing a sword."

"Young Master, please don't overdo it. What if you hurt your body?"

At that moment, Mihwa said to Cheon Myeong with a worried face.

"That's why I'm resting like this. There's nothing more foolish than ruining your body by overdoing it."

"You absolutely must not overdo it, okay?"

"Okay. So stop nagging."

When Cheon Myeong said that, Mihwa puffed out her cheeks slightly.

And Soyeon Sang watched the conversation between the two silently.

At the same time, his disappointment in Cheon Myeong could only grow.

'There's no need to watch any longer.'

At this time, it was too much to expect something from Cheon Myeong.

But the battle Cheon Myeong had to endure in the future was one he could never survive if he was so mediocre.

Soyeon Sang thought that he had to show something comparable to the shock he had felt from Cheon Myeong at that time in order to survive the future battle.

"..."

But instead of his expectations growing, only his disappointment increased.

If he continued to watch that appearance, it seemed that his disappointment would show on his face, so Soyeon Sang was about to leave.

"Soyeon Sang."

But at that moment, Cheon Myeong called out to Soyeon Sang, who was about to leave.

Then, Soyeon Sang had no choice but to stop in his tracks and turn his head towards Cheon Myeong again.

"What is it?"

"It's nothing much, I just wanted you to help me with my training."

"..."

Was he asking him to teach him a sword technique?

If he really said that, it seemed that even a glimmer of expectation would disappear.

"How can I help you?"

"It's simple."

"..."

"Fight me."

Cheon Myeong was saying that with a calm face.

On the other hand, Soyeon Sang's face was not so.

(End of Chapter)