10 - Heavenly Demon of the Huashan Sect

Chapter 10 One hour after Hyun Do's departure. As the sun began its gradual descent, Cheon Hui climbed atop the large rock beside the secluded house and assumed a meditative posture. "I should cultivate my qi." He entered a session of internal energy cultivation. Breathing deeply, he methodically observed his internal state with each exhalation. Gradually, he initiated the Grand Circuit of Qi. His fingernail-sized inner power flowed through the Eight Extraordinary Meridians, merging with the energy drawn through his mouth and nose, accumulating steadily. An hour later, he completed the Grand Circuit. "How much has accumulated?" He introspected his lower dantian with his mind's eye. Within the pristine lower dantian, a speck of inner power had firmly settled. However, compared to before his cultivation, the increase was minimal—so much so that it would have been imperceptible without careful scrutiny. "Even after completing the Grand Circuit, it's only this much. To reach the minimal amount of inner power I have in mind, it would take several decades." His brows furrowed at the slow pace of accumulation. Perhaps it was because Plum Blossom Qi Art was a foundational technique learned before mastering the advanced methods of rising qi. Although it allowed him to cultivate stably and accumulate pure inner power, its limitations were evident. Fortunately, it wasn't the Six Harmonies Art practiced by the ordinary disciples, but the Plum Blossom Qi Art exclusive to True Mountain Disciples, which offered slightly better prospects. "If it were Heavenly Demon Divine Art, I would've accumulated ten times this amount by now." Recalling the prowess of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art he once mastered, Cheon Hui shook his head. No qi cultivation method under heaven exceeded the Heavenly Demon Divine Art in terms of inner power development. It was absurd to even compare it with the basic Plum Blossom Qi Art. "Maybe I should tweak the incantation a bit?" The thought seemed promising. Considering the basic nature of Plum Blossom Qi Art, it should be easier to alter compared to other advanced techniques. If anyone knew his thoughts, they would have been shocked to the core. Redefining martial arts was a daunting task even for the great masters, yet Cheon Hui spoke of it as if it were a casual outing. Confidence brimmed within him—it would not be difficult for him. Gently, he began examining the Plum Blossom Qi Art. At the same time, he sank into deep contemplation. For how long did he swim through the sea of martial scriptures in his mind? Cheon Hui prioritized orthodox martial arts. "Let's focus on the Nine Schools." The Pan-Ya Great Power of the Shaolin Temple. The Ying-Yang Supreme Art and the Mysterious Void Seven Stars Skill of the Wudang Sect. The Jade Heart Returning Art of the Kunlun Sect. Then, the Pointed Palm Sect, Zhongnan Sect, and Qingcheng Sect, amongst others. Countless techniques from the Nine Schools surfaced in his mind repeatedly and disappeared. Hmm? Seeing them like this, they seem quite similar. An odd realization struck him. While the techniques appeared vastly different on the surface, a closer look revealed numerous commonalities. The Taiji, the Duality, the Nine Palaces, the Primordial Chaos—each originated from the same root. Not only the orthodox methods of the Nine Schools, but even the magical arts of the Heavenly Demon Sect shared the same foundation. "So that means…" To give form to his sudden insight, Cheon Hui gathered all the inner power of the Plum Blossom Qi Art. He then established it as the central technique and began infusing it with various incantations that continuously emerged in his mind. Thus, the principles from every corner of the world melded into one. Swish! Eventually, the boundaries between the magical arts and orthodox arts blurred and merged into unity. "All streams return to their origin," as the saying goes. In this convergence of magical and orthodox arts at the ultimate level, it all pointed to one path. The Path of Returning to the Beginning. A fierce energy surged from Cheon Hui's seated form, enveloping the surroundings with its might. It possessed a keen intensity that couldn't be entirely classified as orthodox qi, yet was pure and unmistakable, not aligning strictly with any magical arts. The energy bore resemblance to the renowned technique of the Mount Hua Sect, the Purple Mist Divine Art. This was to be expected since Plum Blossom Qi Art was the root origin of the Purple Mist Divine Art. Tracing back, their paths converged. However, it differed slightly from the Purple Mist Divine Art. While the Purple Mist Divine Art emitted its characteristic purple energy and was bound by several constraints, the energy radiating from Cheon Hui was transparent and uninhibited. It was a primordial form of martial art surpassing the Purple Mist Divine Art. Thus, a world-class supreme technique was born in the annals of the Mount Hua Sect's history. Cheon Hui slowly opened his eyes. "This is quite good." He was thoroughly satisfied with the new technique. Its cultivation capacity was exceptional, and the power contained within promised to be immensely pure and effective. "I only intended to tweak the incantations a bit, yet I ended up creating a new technique." He slowly explored his lower dantian. Traces of Plum Blossom Qi Art remained, but the contents had completely transformed. Had he been his former self, he wouldn’t have been able to create such a technique. Or rather, he wouldn’t have deemed it necessary, given his mastery of the Absolute Monarch Art and the Heavenly Demon Divine Art. A new technique, huh? Should I name it? He had always believed that martial arts should have a proper name. Folding his arms, he pondered momentarily. "Since it's fundamentally based on Plum Blossom Qi Art, it should include 'Plum Blossom' in the name. What else should it be? Heavenly (天)? Present (現)? Or perhaps…" As he continued to deliberate, a fitting name came to mind. "… Divine Art, yes, Plum Blossom Divine Art. It was none other than myself who created it, so it should at least include 'Divine (神),' right?" Filled with considerable pride, Cheon Hui smiled contently. "Now that I've decided on a name, how about completing the Grand Circuit properly this time?" He closed his eyes again. Recollecting the incantation of the Plum Blossom Divine Art. Swish! The Grand Circuit formed instantaneously, and incomparably more energy flowed in, rapidly filling his lower dantian. "Now this is what you call a technique." Lost in the Plum Blossom Divine Art. A watch later, he slowly reopened his eyes. His field of vision seemed vast, and even the landscape appeared different. A martial artist was said to need the four elements: vision, agility, courage, and strength. First, the ability to perceive. Second, skillful footwork. Third, the capacity to maintain an unshakable heart in the face of any threat. The fourth principle was executing techniques decisively in any situation. These four processes had to be mastered for one to be deemed a true martial artist. And perhaps due to the Plum Blossom Divine Art, Cheon Hui's vision, regarded as the most crucial among the four, was now open. "Good." He sprang to his feet. His movements were as light as a feather. He began loosening his stiff body, which had been rooted in meditation for so long, by gently rotating his neck. In doing so, his gaze fell upon his scrawny arms and emaciated figure. "I need to take care of this too, eventually." With future plans in mind, he glanced down. There lay the wooden sword he had set aside before entering meditation. "But first…" He kicked the wooden sword into the air. Whoosh— It completed a full arc in the air before he caught it effortlessly, his eyes gleaming with intent. "Let's see what I'm capable of." Summoning the energy from the Plum Blossom Divine Art, he felt its nascent power coursing through him. Though outward changes were imperceptible, Cheon Hui could sense it. "The power contained in my inner strength is markedly different." Perhaps it was because this was closer to primordial martial arts. Or because the martial art itself had attained its primeval form. Or, perhaps, due to its purity. Its power was such that it could counter an opponent with only half the inner strength typically required. Snap! His eyes slowly opened. He stepped forward with his left foot. Then, his hand moved in a sweeping motion from top to bottom with the wooden sword. Whoosh! The wooden sword sliced through the air effortlessly, leaving a trail of energy. "With this level of inner power, I should be able to execute the Plum Blossom Sword Technique properly this time." Cheon Hui's lips curled into a smirk. Previously, he lacked the inner strength to manifest it, but now it was definitely possible. He infused the sword with energy. Though he couldn't unleash sword energy yet, the inherent sharpness and force added considerable power to the blade. "What was the sequence again?" He recalled the martial texts he had read at the Myriad Perspectives Pavilion. The Plum Blossom Sword Technique, specifically the "Twenty-Four Stances of the Plum Blossom Sword," was the martial art he had first picked from the sword technique archives. This made sense, as it was the quintessential sword art associated with the Mount Hua Sect and one that the Malco Master had wielded before. "The swordplay was known for emitting scents of plum blossoms or conjuring floral illusions, but it was still a formidable technique." A brilliant technique designed to confuse and mesmerize. He had thought so while confronting it. "What was the sequence?" He spread his feet apart at shoulder width, lifting the wooden sword to trace a circle gently. He began with the First Stance, Plum Blossom by the Roadside, and moved through each form one by one. Second stance, third stance, fourth stance… As Cheon Hui flowed through the sword forms of the Plum Blossom Sword Technique, surprise gradually filled his expression. "Among the countless sword techniques I've encountered, this ranks among the best." He recalled the sword techniques filling the Heavenly Demon Library and Myriad Perspectives Pavilion. There were hundreds, at least. The Plum Blossom Sword Technique he practiced now could easily rank among the top ten, and in terms of illusory swords, it was arguably the first choice. "Of course, there are still some imperfections, but those can be resolved later." As he drew upon his inner power, his eyes narrowed halfway. Shhh— Natural energy flowed into the wooden sword. Following the incantations, a faint scent of plum blossoms wafted, tickling his nostrils. "That scent…" He was momentarily reminded of the Malco Master. Shhh— The paths of the Plum Blossom Sword Technique that Malco Master had displayed appeared as lingering visions before his eyes. Slick— His hand intuitively followed those paths. How many repetitions of the sword paths had he performed? The boundary between his hand and the sword became indistinguishable. "Is this…" A familiar situation he had experienced several times in the past emerged, and a smile stretched across his face. He was entering a state of enlightenment, a condition where one could gain sudden insights or rapidly advance in martial arts. "Quicker than I expected." He quickly focused intently on the Plum Blossom Sword Technique. The state of enlightenment was elusive; once missed, it might not surface again for a long time. Thus, as Cheon Hui delved deeper into the Plum Blossom Sword Technique and sank further into enlightenment… Thud. Two individuals arrived. They were Hyun Sang, the sect leader, and Hyun Do. "……!" "……!" To verify Hyun Do's recent claims, the sect leader had come to see Cheon Hui at his secluded lodging, and he was the first to be astonished, followed by Hyun Do, who stood agape. Cheon Hui was performing a sword dance. It was a beautiful sword dance exuding a dense scent of plum blossoms that seemed to envelop the entire Mount Hua.