Chapter 272. The Decisive Battle of the Great War of Good and Demonic (2)

Zhou Xuchuan was sick of the fact that the bastard's hands wouldn't stop even as he laughed.

He's so strong it's disgusting.

While the Sound God had been terrifying in their own right, the Heavenly Demon was on an entirely different level.

While brute force and his vast qi reserves had been enough to deal with the Sound God's techniques, the Heavenly Demon was a different story. He was exceptional in every way. His physical prowess was unmatched, and his offense and defense were both flawless.

As expected of Warped Valor.

It wasn't for nothing that he was in charge of the Dark Heavens Association's strength.

"Heup!"

After nearly a thousand blows exchanged between them, Zhou Xuchuan finally spotted a slight opening. Without hesitation, he retracted his sword with the Hundred Divine Transformations and closed the distance between them in one fluid motion.

This time, his attack wasn’t with his sword—it was a kick.

He strengthened his thighs with pure force, imbuing weight into them before swinging with all his might, aiming directly for the Heavenly Demon’s ribs.

Thrum!

The added weight made it feel like he was swinging a club. His leg, filled with both the physical strength of his muscles and the internal strength of his qi, barreled into the Heavenly Demon.

Realizing that it would be impossible to dodge, the Heavenly Demon almost reflexively raised his arms vertically and tucked them close to his ribs.

BANG!

It wasn’t the usual dull thud of flesh colliding with flesh. Instead, it was a deafening

crack,

as if a wall had been struck by a massive hammer.

The impact was too much for even the Heavenly Demon to fully absorb. His body jolted from the force, and he was sent hurtling through the air, propelled by the sheer momentum of the blow.

Without pausing to catch his breath, Zhou Xuchuan immediately pursued him with Flicking Bow Moving Shadows, closing the gap in an instant.

Violet Haze Finger!

Zhou Xuchuan stretched out his left hand, flicking his fingers as a ray of purple light sliced through the air. The beam curved sharply, creating a right angle before plunging toward the Heavenly Demon’s falling figure.

The Heavenly Demon spun in mid-air, attempting to stabilize himself as he approached the ground. But the Violet Haze Finger was unrelenting, closing in on him like it wouldn’t tolerate even a moment of recovery.

Bang, bang, bang!

The moment his figure dropped, a beam of light descended upon him. The sheer force contained within the strike was far from ordinary—it overturned the earth upon impact.

The bolt of Violet Haze Finger left a hemispherical crater spanning a radius of about one zhang. A dozen more craters followed the Heavenly Demon's path.

Most of them missed, but one managed to track the Heavenly Demon's movements and aimed for his chest.

"Ha!"

The Heavenly Demon wasn’t about to let it hit. Planting one foot firmly on the ground as he landed, he spun sharply and struck out with his palm.

Zhou Xuchuan grumbled as if he was fed up with the Heavenly Demon's defense and quickly swung out with a Violet Haze Dawnbreaker while facing the Heavenly Demon directly.

Whirrr!

The Heavenly Demon responded by channeling his demonic qi into his chipped sword as the air around it boiled and roared.

Is that the same move he used before?

Zhou Xuchuan followed up Violet Haze Dawnbreaker with Arc Flower Rain, aiming to block the first form of the Heavenly Demon's Three Sword Forms, Heavenly Demon Manifestation: Flash.

However, his judgment had been too hasty.

The Heavenly Demon smiled as if he had been waiting for this moment and twisted his sword.

Shing.

Suddenly, all sound and light disappeared.

Zhou Xuchuan had been certain the Heavenly Demon’s overwhelming demonic qi had formed a hardened, overlapping aura. Yet, in an instant, all the qi surrounding his sword vanished, as though it had never existed.

As if nothing had ever happened, even the surrounding atmosphere returned to its original state, and the dark haze disappeared.

A sudden transformation had occurred in the moment when the Heavenly Demon's sword was about to shine. This was the second form of the Heavenly Demon's Three Sword Forms.

Heavenly Demon Manifestation: Transformation.[1]

"...!"

Zhou Xuchuan’s eyes widened.

Although nothing seemed different about the sword on the outside, things were completely different on the inside. It was so horrifyingly different that it left goosebumps cascading across Zhou Xuchuan's skin.

If Heavenly Demon Manifestation: Flash was a manifestation of a completely uncontrollable amount of aura, Heavenly Demon Manifestation: Transformation was the opposite, organizing, refining, and sublimating the aura.

This was a manifestation of Formless Aura.

It was obvious that Arc Flower Rain wouldn't be able to block it.

Zhou Xuchuan quickly stepped back and tried to use the Hundred Divine Transformations to try another method.

No, it's too late!

Compared to ordinary martial arts, demonic arts were stronger in all aspects except for safety, balance, and mental fortitude.

Speed was also one of its advantages. It went without saying that this fact stayed true even within the Coruscant Realm.

No matter how amazing the Hundred Divine Transformations was at allowing one to transition their qi pathways during an attack, it still couldn't keep up with the speed of the Heavenly Demon's attack.

I have to dodge it!

Formless Aura's special characteristics weren't only in its lack of form. Its density was also thicker, meaning that there was a limit to how quickly one could build it up.

Thus, Zhou Xuchuan gave up on defense and chose to evade.

Move! Move!

He pushed his body beyond its limits.

Phantom Steps!

He had to focus on lightness, not heaviness.

He threw his body forward with the thought of throwing away his soul if he had to.

His feet moved before he could even think. He was moving so quickly that he didn't bother erecting a defensive qi barrier, deciding instead to focus all his qi on evasion.

In this critical moment, even a fraction of a second’s delay would have been fatal.

The Heavenly Demon’s sword swept past him.

Squelch!

Zhou Xuchuan’s outer robe was cleaved cleanly in two, the blade narrowly grazing his skin. A crimson line stretched from the top of his left chest to his right side, blood spurting out in its wake.

Fortunately, the strike hadn’t gone deep enough to rupture his organs. The Formless Aura had just barely missed, its presence slicing shallowly through his flesh.

His body fell backward as if collapsing. Forgetting to breathe, he flipped over, planted his hands on the ground, spun several times, and landed in a graceful arc.

"Ha... ha..."

Even Zhou Xuchuan, one of the strongest masters under the heavens, seemed mentally exhausted now, breathing heavily as he adjusted his posture.

"You truly are amazing, Zhou Xuchuan."

The Heavenly Demon was impressed.

"That level of movement isn’t something that can be attributed to reflexes alone. From your judgment and movements, you seem like a veteran who has been through the vicissitudes of life."

The first form of the Heavenly Demon’s Three Swords was somewhat well-known.

However, only a few of the previous cult leaders reached the point where they could completely transition from the first form to the second. Moreover, anyone who had reached that level had lived so long ago that no one remembered it.

Considering this sudden transforming form wasn't well known, it was only natural to assume that any opponent expecting Flash would never be able to expect that the Manifestation would shift into Transformation. In other words, if one faced such a change directly, they shouldn't have been able to anticipate it and wouldn't be able to respond accordingly, leaving them no choice but to suffer.

However, Zhou Xuchuan, while not dodging as if it was a breeze, still managed to avoid the Heavenly Demon's slash. That alone made the Heavenly Demon admire him.

Aside from that, what Zhou Xuchuan had displayed thus far in the fierce battle was more than he could have ever imagined. While the boy's cultivation was impressive in itself, the Heavenly Demon could feel the breadth of his experience.

“Are you really a human?” the Heavenly Demon asked incredulously. It wasn’t meant to be sarcastic. He was asking out of pure curiosity.

It was ridiculous for someone who hadn't reached thirty to achieve the Manifestation of One’s Path and reach the Coruscant Realm.[2]

It was completely out of the ordinary. Even if one considers the various forbidden demonic arts or even the Six Great Prohibited Arts, reaching this level this quickly was impossible.

"I'm a person, you demon," Zhou Xuchuan answered while pressing his acupoints to stop the bleeding.

His brows were furrowed.

He's strong.

In the case of the Blood Demon, the former Sect Master, You Riwen, had weakened his strength. As for the Sound God, that matchup had been favorable for him.

As Zhou Xuchuan faced the Heavenly Demon now, it was his first true battle against an Absolute Master at the level of the Empyrean Overlords.

Starting with the ignorantly powerful strength of demonic arts, everything down to the Heavenly Demon's overall ability and experience was terrifying.

I can't even begin to imagine how much of a monster the Association Lord must be to defeat the Heavenly Demon without having to cut off his limbs. Ha...

Thinking of the Dark Heavens Association Lord made his head hurt, making him sigh.

Well, in his previous life, the Association Lord had taken on multiple Ten Empyrean Overlords at the same time.

Thinking about their future battle made him feel irritated and worried.

“I think I finally understand why Blessed Existence was so concerned and wary of you.”

The Heavenly Demon snickered and carelessly threw down the iron sword that was chipped beyond repair.

"I don't easily believe in one's reputation unless I physically see their strength. But, honestly, I never expected you to be this strong."

The hero of the Righteous Faction, the Plum Blossom Order Sword.

He was the brat who had incinerated the Blood Muscle and Tendon Classic. That was all there was to him.

He slowly became interested in the brat as his fame grew and only became truly curious about his abilities after becoming Warped Valor of the Dark Heavens Association.

Now that they were meeting face to face, a slight thrill ran through his body.

"To think merely warming up could be this exciting."

If anyone else had heard the Heavenly Demon’s words, they would have frozen in disbelief.

Everything he had displayed so far made him feel completely inhuman. Just the aftereffects of his techniques were enough to terrify everyone.

And yet, that was merely warming up to him.

Fortunately, because of the chaos he had caused, the others had kept their distance and couldn't hear him. If they had, their shock would have left them paralyzed.

"Now, let's prove our paths like Coruscant Realm Masters should."

The demonic qi that was so dense that one couldn't even think of controlling it was sucked into the Heavenly Demon's body, disappearing.

Zhou Xuchuan’s body tensed as he prepared to counter the Heavenly Demon’s next move.

“Come."

Zhou Xuchuan taunted the Heavenly Demon.

“Heavenly Demon.”

“Hahahahaha!”

The Heavenly Demon laughed loudly at Zhou Xuchuan’s provocation.

"Good! This King, no!"[3]

He stomped his foot with all his might.

BOOM!

The earth shattered and sank beneath his feet, the resulting shockwave spreading like a tidal wave, causing the air to explode with crushing pressure.

“I! I will show you everything I have!”

Crack!

Thunder roared through the clear sky. The ominous clouds above his head turned even darker.

“Zhou. Xu. Chuan!”

The Heavenly Demon’s voice reverberated throughout the world. It was loud enough to make one feel as if the heavens and the earth were shaking.

The sheer force of the sound reminded Zhou Xuchuan of the Sound God. While it didn’t carry any tangible power, its overwhelming presence made every living being nearby shrink back in instinctive fear.

BOOM!

The moment the Heavenly Demon’s feet hit the ground, his body shot forward like a meteor. This wasn’t a mere ‘thud’, but an impressive 'boom.'

A brilliant radiance, tinged with gray and black hues exploded out, and distorting the very space around him with the sheer amount of qi it contained.

Heavenly Demon Body!

The Heavenly Demon Divine Art was divided into several types.

Starting with the qi cultivation method, it encompassed everything from sword, fist, and leg techniques to spear and saber forms. If one truly mastered every form and its base, one's body would undergo a complete transformation and acquire the Heavenly Demon Body.

By fully mastering the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, one would obtain a body more suited for demonic arts than any in existence, and this would allow them to not only control the side effects of demonic arts but also minimize the burden it places on their body. In addition, it not only broke through the limitations of being 'human,' but it also helped one reach a realm that transcended mortals.

"RAH!"

The Heavenly Demon's first shout still hadn't ended.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Every time his feet touched the ground, the ground shook violently.

Breaking Heaven Asura Palm Second Form: Condense!

Like the Heavenly Demon’s Three Swords, the Breaking Heaven Asura Palm was also divided into three parts.

The first form was Strike, and the second was Condense.

In preparation for the third strike, the Heavenly Demon gathered all of his demonic qi into his palm in an instant.

Zhou Xuchuan also gripped his sword and countered with everything he had.

Violet Haze Dawnbreaker, Arc Flower Rain!

The sword in his grasp emitted a rotating aura, crackling with thunder as it shot forward. It immediately spread out like a fan and shot out all at once.

Plum Blossoms Hide in a Crimson Haze!

The fan-like aura narrowed, gathering into a single ray of energy that bent sharply at a right angle before pouring down like a waterfall.

Breaking Heaven Asura Palm Third Form: Absence!

Even as violet energy poured down above the Heavenly Demon’s head, he didn’t seem to care and simply stretched out his arm, releasing a palm strike.

The Violet Haze Sword Sutra and the strongest form of the Breaking Heaven Asura Palm clashed directly without even attempting to avoid one another.

Shing!

What?

Something unexpected happened.

After using Plum Blossoms Hide in a Crimson Haze, he had surrounded his sword with Formless Sword Aura in preparation for any unforeseen circumstances and collided with the Breaking Heaven Asura Palm Third Form: Absence.

However, what just happened?!

Not only did the violet sword aura he unleashed shatter, but even the Formless Aura enveloping his sword was destroyed.

What was most surprising was that it had been easily crushed without any resistance, like a thin porcelain bowl that had been dropped.

Ah!

Countless questions and possibilities flashed through his mind. Zhou Xuchuan found the most plausible one, understanding the answer.

Manifestation of One's Path!

Originally, when two attacks with the same forces collided, the two would cancel each other. Even Formless Aura reacted in this same manner.

There was only one thing that could break this absolute law.

The Manifestation of One's Path, which could change the law with just one's will.

1. The author keeps going back and forth on how he wants to name the Heavenly Demon's Three Sword Forms, so I've just written them all the same way for consistency. Plus, it looks cooler this way. ☜

2. Another amazing little idiom, 이립, or 而立, means to establish oneself and comes from a poem that reads, 'When I was fifteen, I set myself to learning, and at thirty, I established myself.' The idea is that by thirty, one matures and finds oneself and, therefore, is established as a person. ☜

3. The Korean Department isn't very fond of characters speaking in the third person, but because of the following line, I kept it here. Essentially, he's been calling himself this throne this entire time. ☜