Chapter 185 - They Still Don’t Know to Fear a Sword

The next day, I went to the Black Fists’ training ground.

Naturally, I had assumed that the Black Fists, being the most skilled, would have the fewest members. But when I arrived, I found that they had the most. This was the fruit of the Fist Demon’s efforts. By building them up from the fundamentals, he had continually discovered people capable of reaching the Black Fists’ level.

These were the true Iron Fists. Everywhere I looked, I saw martial artists who could easily serve as team leaders or squad leaders in the Cult’s elite units.

The looks directed at me varied, ranging from curiosity to hostility. The reason for the hostility was simple. These people had trained for at least seven or eight years, and some for well over a decade, to become Black Fists.

Yet I had passed through all three preceding groups and joined them in a little over ten days. How could they be pleased? Some of them were probably wondering whether the Second Young Master intended to become the Fist Demon.

One person among them caught my eye: a woman with her hair tightly tied back and bandages wrapped around her hands and wrists. Her fierce-looking eyes were striking.

I knew who she was.

Cheon Sohui.

She was the next Fist Demon. With that slender frame and those small fists, she would prevail over every Black Fist here and inherit the position.

After Hwa Mugi forced the Cult to seal its gates, the Fist Demon would pass his position as a Demon Supreme to her and retire into seclusion.

In the end, he never brought down the cliff. He devoted his entire life to martial training, but never reached the level where he could collapse it with a single punch.

It occurred to me that, had he reached that level, he might have sought out Hwa Mugi for revenge. I hadn’t understood that back then, but now I could see it.

My regression was changing everyone’s fate and relationships.

That meant I couldn’t judge these people by the standards of the past. I needed to look at them with fresh eyes and new criteria.

The Blood Heaven Saber Demon and the Wicked Laughing Demon were immediate examples. If Hwa Mugi killed me, would those two simply stand by? I had a feeling they wouldn’t.

“I heard that you passed through the Red Fists with ease, Second Young Master.”

The man who approached and addressed me was Do Gang. Just as I knew Cheon Sohui, I knew him too.

Do Gang had competed with Cheon Sohui for the succession right up until the end, then left the Cult when he lost out.

“May I ask you a question on behalf of the Black Fists?”

“Ask whatever you like.”

“Why did you come to the Eastern Fist School? Why do you want to learn fist arts?”

“If you’re worried that I might take the position you’re devoting your lives to attaining, you needn’t be. I didn’t come here to become the Fist Demon.”

I told them calmly,

“I am the man who will become your Heavenly Demon.”

Given everything I had done since my regression, no one showed any sign of dismissing me. Considering the possibility that I might become the Heavenly Demon, they would find it difficult to speak carelessly.

But no one went out of their way to curry favor with me, either. The Eastern Fist School was still closer to the First Young Master’s side.

“By the time I become the Heavenly Demon, one of you will be the Fist Demon. I look forward to working with you.”

Do Gang asked again,

“If you’re going to become the Heavenly Demon, why come here?”

“To become stronger. I want to learn fist arts to grow stronger.”

That would bolster the Iron Fists’ pride as well. After all, I was saying I wanted to become stronger by learning the fist arts they practiced.

Cheon Sohui was among those watching me intently. Her exceptional qi presence was impressive, but I especially liked the look in her eyes. They held a determination that seemed incapable of abandoning a goal once she had set it, much like the Fist Demon’s.

‘I look forward to working with you, future Fist Demon!’

Just then, the Fist Demon appeared. As in our earlier training sessions, he gave me no special attention.

“Let’s begin.”

At his command, training began.

The Black Fists also focused their training on practicing forms. The Fist Demon valued fundamentals, and placed the greatest importance on executing each form precisely.

I studied their movements closely.

On the first day, I only observed. I could have demonstrated the forms if I absolutely had to, but I didn’t think that would be a particularly good choice for either the Black Fists or myself.

And so the first day passed with me doing nothing but watching.

The following day, I still only watched.

The Black Fists looked triumphant, their pride all but saying, ‘See? We’re different from the Red Fists, aren’t we?’

The Fist Demon sent me a sound transmission.

—“You must have learned everything already. Why aren’t you following along?”

—“The earlier groups are one thing, but I should preserve the Black Fists’ dignity and morale.”

—“You barely know them. Why look out for them?”

—“They’ll be my subordinates someday. Of course I should look out for them.”

I saw the Fist Demon snort in the distance.

* * *

On the third day, after training had ended and everyone dispersed, Cheon Sohui approached Geom Mugeuk.

On the first day, when he had said he would become their Heavenly Demon, something had surged within her chest.

She had staked her life on martial arts and abandoned romance altogether, so it wasn’t an attraction between a man and a woman. There was some other pull, something that felt like destiny. She had come to see him because she wanted to discover what it was.

“I’m Cheon Sohui.”

“A pleasure to meet you.”

“I heard you learned the forms through the Red Fists’ level simply by watching their training.”

“I did.”

“You won’t be able to learn the Black Fists’ forms just by watching.”

“They’re certainly incomparably more difficult.”

“Then why don’t you ask someone to teach you?”

Geom Mugeuk gave an answer she hadn’t expected.

“I’ve already learned them all.”

He might not have said so to anyone else, but he was honest with Cheon Sohui. He wanted to establish a different kind of connection with her.

She started in surprise, then a faint, derisive smile crossed her lips. She was certain there was no way to learn them by sight alone.

She almost blurted out that pointless pride only made a person look pathetic, but instead said,

“I’m curious whether you really have such a keen eye, or whether you’re just bluffing.”

She put it kindly. If he was bluffing, her earlier advice would be wasted on him anyway. And in the unlikely event that she was wrong, she would be making a mistake.

“Well, I’ll be going.”

She had taken a few steps when Geom Mugeuk called after her.

“If I’m telling the truth, grant me one favor.”

She turned and asked,

“And if you’re bluffing?”

“I’ll grant you a favor.”

“Agreed.”

The lack of hesitation in her answer showed how certain she was that he was bluffing.

Cheon Sohui left, pondering what favor to ask of him. At the same time, she felt disappointed: that pull hadn’t been destiny after all.

* * *

Her disappointment lasted only a day.

The following day, I demonstrated the forms the Black Fists practiced in front of everyone. When I executed them precisely, they were all astonished. Cheon Sohui was the most surprised of all.

—“You really learned them just by watching?”

Her incredulous sound transmission reached me.

—“Didn’t I tell you I had?”

Her eyes trembled. How could she know that I had passed through Lesser Heaven Cave in a single day, when it took an average of three years—and even Father had needed two months? These weren’t the Fist Demon’s exclusive martial arts. Fist arts at the level taught to the Black Fists were something I could perform simply by watching.

—“Don’t forget that you owe me a favor.”

—“Of course. I always keep my promises.”

The Fist Demon called me forward.

“Come up here.”

For the first time, he had me stand before the Iron Fists.

“Do you know why I allowed you to train?”

“Why was it?”

His gaze shifted to the Black Fists.

“These youngsters have never fought a true master. Will you show them what Murim is like?”

To my surprise, he was asking me to give them experience in real combat.

Of course, anyone who had reached the Black Fists’ level would have a variety of experiences. Like the other Demon Supremes, the Fist Demon would have duties to perform for the Cult, and these Black Fists would mostly have handled them out in the Central Plains. They would have experienced actual combat several times in the process.

But they probably hadn’t encountered a true master.

My eyes met the Fist Demon’s. He genuinely cared for his subordinates. What people said about him was true. He was smarter than he looked. He was a man whose sole obsession was martial arts.

“They still don’t know to fear a sword.”

Those were unlikely words to hear from the Invincible Fist Demon, but he said them for his subordinates, who were riding high on arrogance. If he was willing to show that much concern...

“Then we should teach them.”

His expression brightened when I readily agreed.

“Could you do it for about twenty of them? Or ten?”

Even the Fist Demon seemed to feel bad about asking me to give all these dozens of people that experience. It certainly wasn’t an easy favor to ask, and it would take a great deal of mental effort from the person accepting it.

“No. Since I’m doing it, I’ll face every one of them.”

Joy and gratitude crossed his frightening face. Those emotions looked truly out of place and awkward on him, and it was a sight one rarely saw. Seeing that precious expression was payment enough for the lesson.

By the time I turned toward the Black Fists, my qi presence had grown cold.

“There are several kinds of masters. Moderately skilled masters, powerful masters, and true masters. Let’s begin with what happens when you encounter a moderately skilled master. Come forward one at a time.”

The Black Fists stepped forward in turn. Their faces brimmed with confidence. They were determined that, even if they couldn’t beat me, they wouldn’t lose easily.

I sent the Fist Demon a sound transmission.

—“These are people you’ve taught. Are you sure about this?”

—“Make them look like a rabble. That’s why I arranged this today.”

I faced them one by one.

“Your opponent now is skilled enough to defeat you in thirty moves.”

The Black Fist facing me looked determined to prove that things wouldn’t go as I pleased. Perhaps he wanted to teach me a lesson. He probably wanted to give this unexpected, uninvited guest a proper taste of his fists—especially here, with the Fist Demon watching.

I understood that feeling well, so I fought him without crushing his pride. Even in victory, I tried not to trample his dignity.

The first Black Fist rushed in swiftly, throwing a punch. His fundamentals were solid, and he was confident. His foot movements were particularly good. Martial artists trained in fist arts were generally adept at footwork.

After thirty moves, blood seeped from his side. The cut wasn’t deep; it was only enough to draw a little blood.

“Thank you for the lesson.”

He respectfully saluted with his fist cupped in his palm and withdrew. Though he had shed blood, he looked satisfied with his first real combat in a long while. Given who his opponent was, how could the sparring match not have felt worthwhile?

The second Black Fist was likewise cut on the side in exactly thirty moves. So was the third.

The waiting Black Fists began murmuring uneasily.

They resolved to hold out somehow, but none could last beyond thirty moves or evade the sword coming at their side.

Having watched what happened to their comrades, they should have been prepared. Yet they couldn’t manage it.

It wasn’t that I suddenly raised my level on the thirtieth move to cut them by whatever means necessary. I fought at the same speed and with the same strength as at the beginning, but invariably, on the thirtieth move, they left their side open. That was why they were all so shocked.

A single feeling gripped them all.

How was this possible?

Only one person, Cheon Sohui, who came out last, barely evaded the strike. On the thirty-first move, she was cut on the thigh rather than the side. Just as expected, her skill stood out most among them.

The way they looked at me had already changed. It was no longer, Let’s see what you’ve got, but, What will you show us next?

“Until now, you’ve faced a master who can defeat you in thirty moves. Next is a master who can kill you in ten.”

With even greater resolve, the Black Fists came forward in turn. This time, I fought them far faster than before.

“This is what it feels like to face a master who can defeat you in ten moves.”

I drove them back swiftly and fiercely. Thirty moves and ten might not sound very different, but to those on the receiving end, the experience would be worlds apart.

They were all shocked and bewildered.

They had been confident that, with their skills, they could beat anyone to a pulp.

But after ten frantic moves, a sword was already aimed at their throat. In a flash, its tip was prodding their heart. The razor-sharp blade was tapping their arm. Had I not held back, their heads would have been severed, their hearts pierced, and their arms cut off.

Their initial confidence and arrogance were nowhere to be found now. This must have been what the Fist Demon wanted his subordinates to feel. Don’t get cocky just because you’re Black Fists. There are masters who can tear those black martial uniforms you worked so hard to earn to shreds in an instant.

And so I gave every one of them the shock of facing a master who could defeat them in ten moves.

It wasn’t only my swordsmanship that astonished them. I was facing all these people in succession, yet my breathing hadn’t grown the slightest bit labored.

It was time to bring this session to a close.

“Now, a master who can defeat you in one move. You may not encounter them easily, but such people most certainly exist in the martial world.”

At the mention of one move, everyone tensed.

They tried to come forward one at a time again, but this time I changed how I faced them.

I unleashed my qi presence in full. It dominated the space, plunging the Black Fists into the depths of an ocean. Even the Black Fist who had been stepping forward felt his breath catch and unconsciously retreated several steps.

SHING.

The Black Demon Sword drew itself from its sheath.

SHRRRRRING.

Then it began to divide before my chest.

The Black Fists were aghast as the sword qi split into twenty projections in an instant. They had never seen a sword divide into sword-shaped projections of qi before.

WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH!

The sword qi shot in every direction as swiftly as light.

Screams erupted all around.

The sword-shaped qi had stopped before the faces of the Black Fists standing at the front. It had flown so fast that they hadn’t had time to dodge. None of them could block my Shadowed Heaven, executed at twelfth-level complete mastery.

They all stared in horror at the sword-shaped qi hovering before their eyes.

They wouldn’t know that stopping all the projections before their faces like this was a far more difficult, higher-level feat than piercing them all at once. At this moment, the Fist Demon was probably the only person thinking that far.

SHHHHH.

A brilliant haze of light scattered, and all the sword qi vanished before their eyes.

The real Black Demon Sword hovered before Cheon Sohui. I had sent the real sword at her, the strongest of the Black Fists. It was a gesture of consideration and respect. And I had imbued the blade with my feelings.

What you see now is reality. The swords that come at you from now on will never vanish before your eyes. Please, never forget this moment.

The Black Demon Sword hovering before her crossed the air and returned to me. It slid into its sheath on its own.

As the clear metallic click rang out, I told the Black Fists calmly,

“You all just died.”