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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: Heavenly Demon vs North Sea Ice Palace (4)
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'...!!'
Ice White Single Fist Seol Tae-chong stared at the massive sword aura pouring down over his head and those of the White Heaven Ice Guard like a natural disaster. A certain memory suddenly resurfaced.
It was a story his great-grandfather had told him when he was not even ten years old.
—My child.
If, just if.
Though it may never happen, should the Heavenly Demon—the First Heavenly Demon—ever revive... you must prostrate yourself and submit without fail.
His great-grandfather, who always carried himself with dignity and proclaimed the North Sea Ice Palace as the strongest, had looked utterly cowed in a way that was uncharacteristic of him.
Even after decades, the memory remained vivid.
—You must never even think of resisting.
Even Loyal Ghost Sword Yang U-ryang pales in comparison. The First Heavenly Demon is an omnipotent being beyond comparison to the Heavenly Demons of this era.
His great-grandfather, trembling in fear, had repeated the warning over and over.
The young Seol Tae-chong back then had thought it was just a scary joke. As he grew up and lived peaceful days in North Sea Star City, he buried the story deep in his heart.
But today!
Kwarung! Kwarururung!
The pure white sky of North Sea Star City turned blood-red, as if delivering judgment's thunderbolts upon a deceiver of heaven. Massive sword auras rained down like a downpour.
"You truly are..."
Seol Tae-chong lost even the will to defend himself and stood dumbfounded.
Another person was equally stunned, watching the First Heavenly Demon who had unified sword and spirit, altering even the sky and weather.
"Now I understand why the First Heavenly Demon surpasses even Dharma Patriarch and Zhang Sanfeng True Person as the greatest martial artist."
Sogang felt an intense shiver from head to toe.
After the First Heavenly Demon was sealed, murim's orthodox faction warriors—especially those of the righteous sects—had exalted Dharma and Zhang Sanfeng.
They believed hiding the truth and burying history was the only way to preserve their noble pride.
That was why modern righteous warriors, blindly faithful to their sects, hailed them as the strongest in history.
But that wasn't the truth.
Even the dullest third-rate warrior could sense it at a glance.
The First Heavenly Demon before their eyes was the supreme under heaven, the unparalleled through past and present, a one-of-a-kind existence with no predecessor or successor.
The real deal commands recognition the moment it's seen.
'I was right to admire you.'
Sogang's heart trembled with emotion.
He might be a lowly third-rate warrior who staggered under attacks from mere North Sword Sect swordsmen, but being with the First Heavenly Demon made his heart race and filled him with the thrill of living in the vast murim world.
Kurururung!
The Heavenly Demon gripping his sword was incomparable to his past self, who wielded fist techniques and earth-shaking arts.
It was like wearing the perfect outfit tailored just for him.
Soon, the ground quaked from the upheaval, and no one could stand steady.
Just one step away from total annihilation.
"First Heavenly Demon!"
Yet another astonishing event unfolded.
Seol Tae-chong, who had until now only cared about the North Sea Ice Palace's prestige, fully prostrated himself before the Heavenly Demon unleashing his outrageous might with Yama King Sword Method.
"Palace Lord!"
"Ice Palace Lord! What is this?!"
The young warriors of the White Heaven Ice Palace Guard rebelled at the sight of their leader surrendering, but the elders and high-ranking officials followed Seol Tae-chong without a word, flattening themselves in submission.
"All of you, drop your weapons and beg mercy from the unparalleled through past and present."
Seol Tae-chong squeezed his eyes shut.
It wasn't easy to fully submit without the pride of the Demonic Cult's Central Plains conquest era, but gazing at the Heavenly Demon's terrifying prowess—wielding the Heavenly Lord Demon Dragon Sword and turning North Sea Star City into doomsday—he thought:
'No matter how great a human or warrior, how can one overcome lightning, storms, or landslides?'
His thoughts were spot on.
The First Heavenly Demon's martial arts were equivalent to natural disasters in his time and even now.
Do natural calamities distinguish between good and evil?
The Heavenly Demon's arts were a natural disaster, rendering righteous and evil sects meaningless before it. Such were Seol Tae-chong's thoughts.
Thud!
As Seol Tae-chong prostrated himself with utter sincerity, his subordinates soon followed, tossing aside their weapons in complete surrender.
One by one, they bowed, until everyone in the North Sea Ice Palace submitted to the Heavenly Demon.
'This is All Demons Prostrating!'
Sogang witnessed the reality of All Demons Prostrating—known only from books—with his own eyes and felt awe once more.
Though the North Sea Ice Palace weren't demons, in this era of the First Heavenly Demon's revival, they were the first to comprehend, acknowledge, and submit to him. It was worthy of the title All Demons Prostrating.
Shruk!
Was it because he approved of the North Sea Ice Palace, led by Seol Tae-chong, surrendering and pledging allegiance?
Surprisingly, the Heavenly Demon showed mercy.
Not only did he retract the Yama King Sword Method's strokes that had unleashed destructive energy to raze the palace, but he also dispelled the ferocious killing intent and inner power shaking all of North Sea Star City.
"That's right."
The Heavenly Demon smiled, deeply satisfied.
The reason he was so pleased stemmed from a memory of the past.
'It reminds me of when my cult and I first set out to conquer the Central Plains.'
Back then, the North Sea Ice Palace had been the first to fall and cooperate. Now, 200 years later, upon revival, making them submit again lifted a long-held grudge.
Wuuung!
The Heavenly Lord Demon Dragon Sword, humming joyfully and resonating powerfully, was also sheathed, putting him in high spirits.
"Palace Lord of this era."
"I am Seol Tae-chong."
No longer did a Seol Tae-chong exist who denied or belittled the Heavenly Demon.
Having witnessed that absurd prowess firsthand, doubt was impossible.
"Do you remember the old pact?"
"Of course. After Your Excellency vanished, our palace had no choice but to act that way to survive."
Seol Tae-chong knelt on one knee, pledging obedience respectfully.
Acceptance was hard at first, but once done, it was easy.
Above all, confirming the Heavenly Demon's outrageous might filled his heart with awe.
"From now on, the North Sea Ice Palace shall stand with Your Excellency."
It was the moment the glory of the past—the dawn of Central Plains conquest—revived once more.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
The North Sea Ice Palace, having accepted the First Heavenly Demon.
They focused on repairing the massive damage while attending to the Heavenly Demon and Sogang with utmost hospitality.
Providing them with ample gold and food, despite being nearly bankrupt themselves.
"We have prepared new martial robes for you. Fortunately, our palace has a bath heated with warm water from the icy North Sea Lake. Please bathe, and everything will be ready upon your return."
The palace folk felt a sense of dissonance seeing Palace Lord Seol Tae-chong serve the Heavenly Demon like a servant, but Seol Tae-chong himself was unfazed.
"Very well."
The Heavenly Demon's current clothes were tattered, and after 200 years without a proper wash, he was filthy.
Thus, he and Sogang went to the bath for a thorough cleansing.
Upon finishing, North Sea Ice Palace's signature white martial robes awaited—not just for the Heavenly Demon, but for Sogang as well. They donned them.
"How do I look? Decent?"
As the Heavenly Demon, usually clad in black martial robes, stepped forward awkwardly,
Wooooh!
Amazed exclamations echoed through the North Sea Ice Palace.
And rightly so—historical texts and records never described the First Heavenly Demon's appearance as so refined and alluring.
On the contrary, folk tales portrayed the lord of all demons as a hideous asura or rakshasa.
But reality?
"We knew Your Excellency's visage was handsome, but dressed like this... you're a peerless beauty unmatched."
Sogang spoke with voice full of envy and admiration.
"Hmph, a man should look like a man."
Uninterested in his looks, the Heavenly Demon brushed it off and got down to business with Seol Tae-chong.
"Have you looked into what I asked?"
"Yes, of course. The Demonic Cult was officially exterminated a dozen years ago, and its lineage ended with the Four Great Heavenly Demons."
The Heavenly Demon had ordered an investigation into the Demonic Cult's current status.
"Hmm, as expected."
Having heard a briefing from Sogang already, the shock was minimal.
"Indeed. With the Demonic Cult gone, the righteous murim is enjoying an unprecedented golden age, with the Murim Alliance's influence piercing the heavens. Which means..."
Seol Tae-chong hesitated, worried it might displease the Heavenly Demon, before continuing.
"The moment the Murim Alliance learns of the First Heavenly Demon's revival, a massive subjugation force will assemble."
That was his concern.
No matter how strong the First Heavenly Demon, he couldn't face all of Central Plains murim alone.
Moreover, his body wasn't at its peak yet—his power was slowly returning.
In other words, he needed at least some forces and troops, like in the past.
"Then?"
"If I may be so bold... for the time being, hide your identity as the First Heavenly Demon—or rather, don't proclaim it—and build up forces first."
Seol Tae-chong's judgment was sound.
Though the Heavenly Demon had proclaimed himself while crushing the North Sword Sect and North Sea Ice Palace, this was North Sea Star City.
An isolated frontier far from the Central Plains, practically another world.
Many in the Central Plains didn't even consider North Sea Star City part of their land, viewing it as a foreign country.
Thus, rumors of the First Heavenly Demon would likely sink into the vast icy lakes of North Sea Star City.
At most, they'd reach the distant eastern fringes like Liaoning Province.
"I agree with the Palace Lord's view. Not that it's impossible for Your Excellency, but since you're not yet fully familiar with the current murim, isn't it said that knowing both enemy and self ensures victory in a hundred battles? Rebuilding past forces while learning about modern Central Plains murim is crucial, I believe."
"Hmm."
Always proud and unyielding, the Heavenly Demon was reluctant but couldn't ignore the repeated counsel.
The First Heavenly Demon's strength lay not just in his martial prowess, but in compensating for his simple-minded naivety by heeding the advice of talented subordinates.
"Fine. Perhaps because it's been 200 years since my revival, not all my power has awakened yet."
With trust established?
The Heavenly Demon revealed a fact known only to himself.
Astonishingly, his current martial arts weren't at full capacity.
He had reached the divine realm of heaven-god, unprecedented in history—but that was before the seal.
'Right now, somewhere between deity and martial god realms?'
If his peak was 100%, now it was around 60 or 70%.
"Y-Yes?! Is that true?"
"Really?"
Seol Tae-chong and Sogang, having witnessed his absurd feats, couldn't close their gaping mouths in disbelief.
'He almost destroyed our palace without even being fully revived?'
Especially for the North Sea Ice Palace Lord, who had fought with all his might until moments ago, it was infuriating and nose-pinching.
"Yeah. My current strength is about... 70% of my peak?"
The Demon Sealing Sword Array unleashed by White Dragon Sword God Baek Un-hwi had been vicious.
Eternal Ice had melted away, but remnants of the seal still bound his body.
"Time will sort it out gradually."
"Or finding a skilled sorcerer or formation master could help."
The Heavenly Demon nodded at their words.
No major worries.
He could feel his original power returning more each day.
"Anyway, no concern about full recovery. To revive the cult properly and gather followers, we should trace my old subordinates' footsteps."
Even after 200 years, if the subordinates were dead, their descendants or legacies surely remained.
The Heavenly Demon started with the one he was most curious about.
"What happened to Loyal Ghost Sword Yang U-ryang?"
The Heavenly Demon, having reclaimed the Heavenly Lord Demon Dragon Sword.
He wondered about the fate of Yang U-ryang, his comrade and right-hand man after the sealing.