Chapter 113: Seeing Hope
Bang!
Amid the explosive roar, blazing Sword Energy flared up for an instant before vanishing.
Roll. Roll. Roll.
Heaven-Mixing Crushing Demon was hurled away rcilessly, bouncing back in a wretched state.
He had been prepared for death, so the fact that he was still alive left him flustered. But when his eyes confird the perfectly unhard figure of Yul Han, they bulged wide as if they would tear apart.
Tremble.
Rage, despair, and humiliation— even the corners of Heaven-Mixing Crushing Demon’s eyes quivered finely.
That had been his final strike, poured out with every ounce of his strength.
Yet Yul Han rely brushed himself off as if dust had settled on his clothes, and just like that, the traces left by the Sword Energy disappeared.
What was astonishing was that with that simple action, the marks of the Sword Energy he had unleashed vanished completely.
That ant Heaven-Mixing Crushing Demon’s Sword Energy had failed to inflict any proper wound—not even on Yul Han’s clothes, let alone his body.
To the Heaven-Mixing Crushing Demon, who was despairing over that fact, Yul Han spoke.
“Remarkable. To think you can use Sword Energy without being in the Transcendent Realm. Most would have dropped to their knees here. Of course, the caster would not have remained unscathed either.”
At Yul Han’s words, Heaven-Mixing Crushing Demon’s gaze swept over his own left shoulder.
It was a long, cleaved sword wound.
He rembered clearly.
The sword that had struck in roughly had only damaged his clothes and fabric before being abruptly withdrawn.
Considering the speed at the ti and the destructive force contained within it, pulling it back would have been even harder.
Controlling the Internal Energy that would have surged back inward would not have been easy either.
And yet the Vice Cult Leader had withdrawn his sword.
And now he stood there without the slightest wavering.
Regardless of the reason, the difference in their skill was absolute.
“Haah…… Why? Why did you withdraw your sword? No—why did you spare ?”
At Heaven-Mixing Crushing Demon’s question, his montum completely withdrawn as if he had given up on everything, Yul Han shrugged.
“If soone heard you, they would think I had intended to kill Heaven-Mixing Crushing Demon.”
“Then… you did not?”
“Of course not. Do I have any reason to kill Heaven-Mixing Crushing Demon?”
“Th-Then why……?”
Looking at Heaven-Mixing Crushing Demon’s eyes, shaken in utter confusion, Yul Han answered.
“I simply needed to conduct an experint. For the others, I roughly see the thod, but the martial arts training of the Crushing Faction must be accompanied by killing. So I had to confirm whether a re spar would not suffice.”
“That ans……?”
“That’s right. I think I have roughly found a way to replace the Red Army’s Unsealing Training. Of course, for the Crushing Faction, I still need to look a little further.”
At Yul Han’s answer, Heaven-Mixing Crushing Demon could not hide his astonishnt.
Inside Heaven-Mixing Crushing Demon’s residence, which was fairly well organized, the Vice Cult Leader sat in the seat of honor. In front of him, Heaven-Mixing Crushing Demon and about a dozen faction leaders belonging to the Red Army were lined up in a row.
They had gathered at Heaven-Mixing Crushing Demon’s summons.
These n, who held positions close to representatives of the Red Army, had co at his call only to find the Vice Cult Leader sitting there boldly, and they looked quite flustered.
Well, it had been after the Soul Faction and the Monster Faction—just like theirs—had attacked the Vice Cult Leader.
They knew.
After the incident involving the Monster Faction and the Soul Faction, the Cult Leader had slaughtered every last family mber and martial artist belonging to those two remaining factions.
The Blood Sword Unit, having received the Cult Leader’s command, had descended upon them and killed even the dogs and chickens they had raised, leaving nothing behind.
The Vice Cult Leader knew as well.
Most matters occurring within the Bright Cult eventually reached his ears.
Unlike before, those who followed the Vice Cult Leader were spread throughout the entire Bright Cult.
Of course, he had not known from the very beginning. If he had, Yul Han would have stopped it.
He had not been able to because it was after the matter had already occurred.
In accordance with the Cult Leader’s order—that they were not to trouble the Vice Cult Leader by letting the matter reach his ears and that once it was over, they were to quietly erase all traces—the Blood Sword Unit had moved diligently. Yet their efforts ended up in vain.
After all, the one who had delivered the news was none other than the Blood Sword Unit Commander.
He knew the Cult Leader’s heart, and he also knew the danger the Vice Cult Leader represented.
Thus, he could not help but worry about the Vice Cult Leader’s anxiety, displeasure, and anger should the matter have been carried out behind his back without him knowing.
He even feared that such emotions might develop into misunderstanding and be directed toward his Senior Brother, the Cult Leader.
To prevent that, he had sought out the Vice Cult Leader without even obtaining the Cult Leader’s permission and confessed everything truthfully.
In any case, knowing all the circumstances because of such events, Yul Han said nothing to the faction leaders, whose expressions were plainly troubled.
In that state, Heaven-Mixing Crushing Demon opened his mouth.
“You all rember the matter we discussed among ourselves before, for which no solution was found.”
“Are you referring to the Unsealing Training?”
At one leader’s question, Heaven-Mixing Crushing Demon nodded.
“That’s right. Regarding that, I petitioned the Vice Cult Leader half a month ago to find us a path.”
Startled expressions erupted here and there. So even let out gasps of shock.
Given the Vice Cult Leader’s notoriously foul temperant, known throughout the world, he might have taken it as provocation or defiance.
It could have been interpreted as aning that if he did not resolve it, they would not remain idle.
And not at any other ti, but after the incident with the Soul Faction and the Monster Faction, making such a misinterpretation even more likely.
As if sensing the leaders’ concerns, Heaven-Mixing Crushing Demon hurriedly continued.
“I, too, was not without worry. But Cold Blade Blood said this: ‘Our Vice Cult Leader is not such a narrow-minded man.’”
The leaders, their expressions even more shocked than before, hurriedly studied the Vice Cult Leader’s complexion.
If he were the Vice Cult Leader they knew, he was not soone who would ever tolerate such provocative words.
But.
A twisted sneer? No, a smile that rely looked like a sneer?
So indistinct smile hung crookedly at the corner of Yul Han’s lips.
At the very least, everyone realized that the emotion attached to that smile was not anger.
Because of that, the anxiety that had been racing toward an extre on the leaders’ faces began to subside.
Into the ears of those leaders, the voice of the Heaven-Mixing Crushing Demon continued.
“The Vice Cult Leader has co bearing an answer to the petition from that ti. I ask that you all listen carefully.”
Even if he had told them not to listen, all attention would have inevitably focused on him. After all, this was the answer to their petition asking for a path regarding Unsealing Training.
Thus, under the watchful gaze of the leaders of the Red Army–Affiliated Faction, Yul Han opened his mouth.
“For the Red Army, I have obtained the Cult Leader’s special permission to pass down one martial art.”
Murmurs imdiately broke out.
They had asked for a solution to Unsealing Training, yet he was suddenly speaking of granting them a martial art.
Looking at them, Yul Han continued.
“The martial art to be transmitted is the Heaven-and-Earth Great Shift Divine Art.”
“…….”
In an instant, the commotion vanished and silence descended.
They were too shocked to speak.
To them, Yul Han went on.
“Unfortunately, it is not the entirety. Only a portion—specifically, the First Form, which is the foundational technique, and the Third Form that connects to it.”
If one said it was not regrettable, that would be a lie.
But even if it was only the First Form and the Third Form, it was still astonishing.
The Heaven-and-Earth Great Shift Divine Art was known to consist of five forms in total. To teach two of them ant revealing nearly half.
However.
“Even if it is divided like that, can it still be used?”
“The Cult Leader and I researched it and even tested it ourselves. It functioned without issue. For about fifteen days, I circulated only the First Form and the Third Form, and there were no abnormalities.”
At Yul Han’s answer, the leaders’ faces once again filled with shock as they began murmuring.
Looking at them, Yul Han continued.
“Just now, through my spar with the Heaven-Mixing Crushing Demon, I confird its effectiveness as well.”
At those words, even the Heaven-Mixing Crushing Demon widened his eyes. It was sothing he was hearing for the first ti.
As if aware of his surprise, Yul Han elaborated.
“In my spar with him, I used the First Form as the foundation and operated the Third Form. As a result, it precisely absorbed the internal energy contained within his attacks. The efficiency was about eighty percent. Of course, it may differ sowhat for you. The Cult Leader estimated that it would likely be around half—approximately fifty percent.”
The murmuring grew louder from all directions.
Amid them, a question burst forth.
“We understand that granting us such a supre art as the Heaven-and-Earth Great Shift Divine Art is an imnse grace. However, what does that have to do with our Unsealing Training?”
I did not know who had asked the question.
If I were the real Yul Han, considering his status, I would probably have known. But I had no such mories.
That made it impossible for to ask who it was.
Yet, for so reason, that situation felt uncomfortable. I disliked being trapped in that discomfort.
So I bluntly threw out a question.
“You there, who are you?”
At my words, the face of the one who had asked the question turned pale.
“Fo-forgive . I, Chukjan of the Severing Faction, dared to pose a question to the Vice Cult Leader.”
He seed to have taken it as a rebuke for daring to question without introducing himself.
Nodding at him, I said,
“Ah! I have heard of you from the Fourth Elder. They say you wield the Crescent Blade exceptionally well.”
No one had the audacity to say, ‘We have t several tis before.’
Instead, they simply misunderstood it as, ‘Naturally, soone like him would not rember each of us individually.’
Whether I knew of their misunderstanding or not, I continued.
“The reason I am focusing on the Third Form of the Heaven-and-Earth Great Shift Divine Art as the solution lies in its effect. Borrowing the Great Atmosphere.”
I dropped the na of the Third Form as if tossing it casually, yet no one understood.
So I added further explanation.
“The Third Form, which has the effect of drawing out what one desires from natural energy, can also selectively receive only the necessary energy from an opponent’s attack.”
That very effect was the reason the Heaven-and-Earth Great Shift Divine Art was so extraordinary to begin with.
Seeing their expressions that seed to ask what difference that made, I gave a bitter smile and began explaining in more detail.
The longer the explanation went on, the wider their eyes beca.
Eventually, so even clapped and shouted in cheers.
At my command—that training in the First Form and the Third Form of the Heaven-and-Earth Great Shift Divine Art would begin tomorrow, and that after breakfast every martial artist belonging to the Red Army was to gather at the Grand Training Grounds without exception—they answered loudly before dispersing.
As they returned, their faces were filled with hope.
After the other leaders had left and only the Heaven-Mixing Crushing Demon remained, I spoke to him.
“The Crushing Faction will undergo a sowhat different process.”
“What kind of process?”
“It is not yet clear, but I am thinking of resolving it through sparring.”
“Forgive , Vice Cult Leader.”
“Yes. Speak.”
“The Crushing Faction’s Unsealing Training can never be replaced by sparring.”
“Because the killing intent is excessively high.”
“That is correct. The probability of injuring one’s sparring partner is far too high. It could even lead to death…”
“In the case of equals, yes.”
“Pardon?”
“When you sparred with just now, what did you feel?”
“If you an just now… despair?”
At his answer, I gave a bitter smile.
“I suppose it could be interpreted that way. What I had hoped you would feel was, ‘I can swing my blade at ease.’”
At my words, the Heaven-Mixing Crushing Demon’s eyes widened.
He had finally understood the true aning behind my sudden proposal of a Live-Blade Spar.
“Th-then…?”
“Yes. If it goes well, there may be a possibility. Of course, I will have to et those who are the targets of the Crushing Faction’s Unsealing Training to know for certain…”
“Sh-should I summon them at once?”
Understanding his urgency, I answered with a faint smile.
“That would be good.”
At my reply, the Heaven-Mixing Crushing Demon responded loudly and rushed out, believing that hope had appeared for them as well.
“P-please wait just a mont, Vice Cult Leader!”
The way he ran, in such haste, seed to reflect his heart.
As I quietly watched his retreating figure, my eyes softened.
‘Was it not because there was no other thod that they had no choice but to choose such a cruel way of transmission?’
The words the Strategist had suddenly spoken to the previous day were now being proven true.
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