[Chapter 20]
When receiving a new sword, the first impression of the wielder is crucial.
A sword communicates with its wielder, and a supreme sword like the Black Demon Sword carries a depth incomparable to other swords.
While a sword never rejects a wielder, a poor connection can prevent the sword from reaching its full potential.
The same applies when the sword's nature is not properly understood. For instance, a person with extreme yang energy wielding a weapon with extreme yin energy, or someone using a Buddhist weapon with a heretical technique.
Moreover, the manner in which a sword is handled is also important. Handling a rough-natured sword like the Black Demon Sword gently, or wielding a gentle sword like the White Flower Sword roughly, can prevent the sword from displaying its full power.
In my past life, I had seen a sword become so synchronized with its master that it would cry out loud on its own. It was a magnificent sight, and I thought to myself that I wanted a sword like that.
"Could I reach such synchronization with this sword?"
After calming my mind with meditation, I drew the Black Demon Sword properly.
Even without infusing it with energy, the sword's sharp aura cooled the surrounding areas down.
―Nice to meet you, I will be your master from now on.
I slowly infused my energy into the Black Demon Sword. It was the first moment my internal energy met the Black Demon Sword.
Then, the sword aura began to take shape immediately.
A blue wave, reminiscent of the sky, rippled along the blade.
"It's definitely different!"
The color of the sword aura was different from any I had seen before. I expected it to be darker and gloomier because it was the Black Demon Sword, but instead, it was a bright, radLee Ahnt blue. Just like how small things can bring great joy, the change in the sword aura's color pleased me immensely.
'I like you.'
I hoped my feelings were conveyed to the Black Demon Sword.
After retracting the sword aura, I executed a move from the Soaring Sword Art.
The Black Demon Sword was not a gentle sword. To match its nature, I had to incorporate as much strength and intensity into my techniques as possible.
The Soaring Sword Art performed with the Black Demon Sword felt different from before.
After completing a cycle of movements, I spoke to the sword in my mind.
―For now, we'll survive using this technique. Later, I'll show you an amazing martial art. Until then, hang in there. Got it?
I strove to communicate with the Black Demon Sword.
Since conveying my feelings alone wouldn't be enough, even as a joke, I trained and trained until the Black Demon Sword felt familiar in my hands.
I ate and trained, woke up and trained. Sometimes, I even skipped meals to train. I took it in the bathroom with me. I held it in my hands while I slept. I trained even in my dreams. (EN: To the bathroom too ? Such pure love ^^)
For a while, I devoted myself entirely to training.
Today, as I was leaving the house to go to the training grounds, I was startled by the scene that unfolded before my eyes.
Hundreds of demons were filling the large empty space in front of the house.
They were the underlings of the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, called Blade Ghosts. Whether they were sent by the Blood Heaven Blade Demon or came voluntarily, I couldn't tell, but their hostile intent towards me was clear.
Their cold gazes and the demonic energy they exuded poured over me.
Unconsciously, I gritted my teeth. Even in my long life before the regression, I had never felt the energy of so many people at once. It would have been overwhelming even if it was energy filled with good intent, but this deluge was clearly murderous intent.
If I endured any longer, I would suffer internal injuries!
Despite this, I didn't retreat, and their demonic energy grew even stronger. It truly felt like the demonic energy was pounding into my body like a torrential downpour. Just as my whole body felt like it was going to be torn apart, one particular secret technique suddenly came to mind.
While accepting the demonic energy entirely, I began to perform a specific incantation.
The Heavenly MeridLee Ahn Strengthening Technique.
It was one of the few secret techniques I had learned in my life before regression, a technique that could strengthen the blood vessels.
The blood vessels, which were the pathways for qi, were the most crucial part for a martial artist, but also the hardest part to strengthen in the body.
The Heavenly MeridLee Ahn Strengthening Technique involved multiple martial artists emitting their energy simultaneously to beat and strengthen the blood vessels of the target, with more participants resulting in a better effect overall.
Opportunities to receive this much demonic energy at once were rare, so I risked using the Heavenly MeridLee Ahn Strengthening Technique.
I had hoped I could use it someday, but I never expected that day to be today.
As I closed my eyes and pretended to be in pain, the demons, thinking they had the upper hand, unleashed even stronger demonic energy.
'More, more, more!'
I frowned as much as I was pleased.
The demons must have hoped I would retreat. They must have wanted me to hide inside the house to escape the demonic energy. They intended to pressure me here for days, making me unable to step outside and turning me into a coward.
I slowly advanced step by step while deploying the Heavenly MeridLee Ahn Strengthening Technique.
In response, the demonic energy poured down even more intensely.
My entire blood vessels convulsed, and tremendous qi swirled through my body at a terrifying speed, following the incantation of the Strengthening Technique.
The level of the Heavenly MeridLee Ahn Strengthening Technique was now progressing from the second stage to the third stage.
'More, more, more!'
With each step I took forward, the demons' energy surged even more violently. It was a battle of momentum and pride.
How many steps had I taken forward like that?
The Heavenly MeridLee Ahn Strengthening Technique had already passed the fourth stage and was approaching the final stage, the fifth.
Originally, such a rapid achievement should have been impossible. The most difficult part of the Heavenly MeridLee Ahn Strengthening Technique was aligning the caster's mind to creating a unified energy.
The emotions carried by the demonic energy now flying towards me were singular: hostility.
The demonic energy that seemed like it would endlessly pour out began to gradually subside. Even the Blade Ghosts had a limit to their internal energy for releasing demonic energy.
When the demonic energy completely disappeared, I opened my eyes. I had completed the final stage of the Heavenly MeridLee Ahn Strengthening Technique. As a result, my blood vessels had become incomparably stronger than before.
I could see the Blade Ghosts staring at me. Their faces were filled with shock and terror. They never expected I would withstand the demonic energy to the very end.
Although their swarming and dumping demonic energy like a pack of dogs was despicable and disgraceful, I decided to forgive them just for today since I obtained such a gain.
I slowly started walking towards them.
Despite the hundreds gathered, the only sound was that of my footsteps.
There was a palpable tension, as if the command to "kill!" could instantly turn the place into a sea of blood.
And the victor of this confrontation was me. By enduring the assault of demonic energy, I had already broken the Blade Ghosts' morale.
The Blade Ghost at the forefront stepped aside to make way, and like bamboo before a sharp sword, those behind him also moved aside. I walked through the path they created.
Their expressions varied. Some were surprised, some were terrified, some were in awe, and some were furious.
But no one whose eyes met mine dared provoke me.
I said nothing. Even though I had won the mental battle, I knew that provoking their pride might drive the Blade Ghosts into a frenzy.
Quietly, I walked out of that place.
As I took my final steps, I sensed a change in the Blade Ghosts' emotions. They respected me for enduring the demonic energy and for having the courage to walk through them.
Demons are simple. They trample on the weak and revere the strong. It's more accurate to see it as their nature rather than a cowardly trait.
When I had completely left that place, I finally let out a sigh.
"Phew."
Although not a single word was exchanged with them, it felt like I had fought a great war.
I went to meet someone along that path.
Walking on the red carpet, I approached the empty Celestial Zenith's Throne.
I dared not climb up and sit there, but I was curious about what it would feel like to sit there and look down on this place.
Just then, a deep voice spoke from behind.
"Do you want to sit?"
The owner of the voice was my father.
Without turning around, I answered.
"No, I don't want to be confined to that chair."
"You're starting with your sophistry again."
I turned around with a smile and bowed politely to my father.
He walked past me and ascended towards the Celestial Zenith's Throne.
"Come up here."
My father called me from beside the Celestial Zenith's Throne.
I slowly climbed the steps and stood next to him.
"Sit."
It was a perfect moment to make a pointless comment, but I quietly sat down. It was a seat I had wanted to try sitting in at least once.
"How is it?"
I looked down at the scene from the Celestial Zenith's Throne. The first thing that caught my eye were the evil spirits engraved on the pillars and walls to the left and right, centered around the red carpet. The decorations were splendid and grand, but the view of the hall from here felt strangely desolate.
"I thought it would be extremely exciting, but I feel nothing."
To this, my father said something unexpected.
"I felt the same way."
I turned my head to look up at my father. His stoic eyes might have held a glimpse of regret from the past years, but as always, he remained unchanged.
"Earlier, the Blade Ghosts swarmed in. I don't know if it was under the orders of the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, or if they just banded together on their own…."
My father interrupted me.
"They came on their own."
"You knew."
As expected, my father knew everything. Me, the Eight Demon Supremes, we were all under his watchful eye.
"They showed me blatant hostility. I endured it, trying not to be overwhelmed by their momentum. At the moment, it was nothing, but once I left that place, I trembled."
"Were you afraid of them?"
"No, not afraid of the Blade Ghosts. I was afraid my judgment might be wrong. If someone had gotten excited and attacked, a fight could have broken out, and I might have died there. Even if I survived, I could never become the successor if I massacred the Blade Ghosts. That's why I was afraid. The thought that such a moment might come again when I would have to make a choice with everything on the line…"
I conveyed my honest feelings.
I wanted to share this with someone, and it wasn't Lee Ahn but my father. Why was that? Emotionally, Lee Ahn was closer to me.
"When I had those thoughts, I wanted to see you, Father."
My father casually remarked.
"A demon doesn't look back. They only look forward."
A life of never looking back and only moving forward… I knew better than anyone what kind of life that was.
'As Father said, I won't look back, but I won't just look forward either.'
We stood there for a long time, gazing at the view from the Celestial Zenith's Throne.
"The scenery from here is so desolate. Is it really necessary to erect those evil spirit statues?"
"We must not forget that we are demons."
Feeling a sense of alienation from his words, I wondered if I was destined not to live as a demon.
"How about statues of beautiful women instead? The famous Four Beauties of the Central Plains, one at each corner."
I glanced sideways and saw my father looking down at me as if I were pathetic.
"Since I'm talking nonsense, it must be time for me to get up. Please sit down, Father."
I rose from the Celestial Zenith's Throne and slowly walked the steps.
Turning around at the bottom of the steps, I found my father still standing beside the Celestial Zenith's Throne.
Meeting his gaze as he looked down at me, I calmly asked.
"Is it fine if I kill the Blood Heaven Blade Demon?"