ISS 31

Chapter 31 …

Amplification Demon Arts

The rumor that a demon had appeared was no longer mere gossip. Once the Martial Alliance officially acknowledged it, the rumor became fact—truth.

People believed that the appearance of a demon would bring another bloody storm upon the martial world.

“How foolish.”

Sword Spirit muttered this as he traveled with an unexpected group—Naeng Yeoseol, Jeok Hwamyeong, and Jin Asol—leaving Guangzhou and heading toward Guangxi Province. They were currently climbing Dinghu Mountain.

Dinghu Mountain wasn’t particularly high, but it was covered in dense forest and home to many wild animals. As such, slash-and-burn farming villages and hunter villages were scattered throughout the area.

“What do you mean, foolish?”

“Instead of keeping the search for demons quiet, they’re openly talking about it. Do you really think demons will roam around outside if they know people are after them?”

“You don’t understand. By letting people know demons exist and preparing for them, the damage can be reduced. And also…”

Jeok Hwamyeong pointed out that Sword Spirit’s thinking was off.

Sword Spirit understood what he meant, but he still believed the method was wrong.

For instance, Cheonmyeong Mountain Manor’s second son, Hyeon Jinmyeong, and Myeonghwa Merchant Group’s second son, Gon Honggi, hadn’t been demons from the start.

Whether by coincidence or by conspiracy, demonic arts fell into their hands, and after cultivating them, they became demons.

It wasn’t impossible that others who had learned demonic arts had done so through similar circumstances.

If martial artists from either the righteous or unorthodox sects had secretly started practicing demonic arts, they wouldn’t openly reveal it—they would carefully hide it for the time being.

‘They don’t even think those two learned demonic arts…’

People believed those men had been attacked by demonic arts, not that they had practiced them themselves.

Why would the sons of such powerful families have any reason to learn demonic arts? That assumption led to their exclusion from suspicion right from the start.

Those who have are the ones who become more greedy.

Sword Spirit recalled something Ghost Demon Lord Gu Yeongcheol had once said.

The greed of those who have nothing is limited. But those who already have… they always want more—something greater. That’s why the wealthy and powerful were often far more frightening than the desperate.

“Even if they’re demons, if you know how to deal with them, it’s not that difficult.”

“How to deal with them?”

Naeng Yeoseol asked.

“Like I said before, demonic arts are imperfect. They all have vital points.”

Naeng Yeoseol had never heard this before.

“For example, the vital point of the Asura Exploding Heaven Art is the Gi Gate Acupoint (氣門穴), located along the ribs.

And for the Fiery Demon Jade Shape Art, it’s a bit cheap, but its vital point is the Changqiang Acupoint (長强穴)—located at the tailbone.”

“Uncle, where exactly are those?”

Jin Asol asked.

Sword Spirit pointed to the locations on his own body.

“So if I hit those spots when I meet a demon, I can win?”

“Not exactly. You’d have to strike with enough force to truly damage them. You don’t have that kind of strength yet, Asol. It’d be hard for you to win.”

Jin Asol looked disappointed for a moment, then turned to Naeng Yeoseol.

“Master, you’ll teach me martial arts strong enough to beat them, right?”

Naeng Yeoseol gently patted her head.

“Of course. I’ll make sure no one dares to look down on you.”

Hearing that, Asol broke into a bright smile.

“But how do you know all this?”

Naeng Yeoseol asked Sword Spirit.

“Because I’ve experienced it.”

Jeok Hwamyeong narrowed his eyes slightly.

“Is that so? You survived an encounter with demons?”

“Of course. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be standing here.”

Neither Jeok Hwamyeong nor Naeng Yeoseol believed him.

“I see. Well, thank you for sharing that information.”

“It’s nothing.”

Sword Spirit knew they didn’t believe him, but he didn’t show it. He’d grown used to such reactions after going through this several times.

After roughly estimating Sword Spirit’s character, Naeng Yeoseol and Jeok Hwamyeong didn’t pay much heed to his words.

Eventually, the group reached the mid-slope of Dinghu Mountain, where they found a small slash-and-burn village. It consisted of only nine households.

“Let’s rest there for a while,” Naeng Yeoseol suggested.

Sword Spirit tilted his head as he looked at the village.

‘Is everyone out working?’

Normally, villages should give off a sense of liveliness, but this place felt utterly lifeless.

Jeok Hwamyeong led the way, with Sword Spirit following behind.

As they entered the village, Jeok Hwamyeong suddenly stopped and stared straight ahead, sensing something strange.

“Something feels off.”

Naeng Yeoseol also seemed tense as she scanned their surroundings.

“They’re all dead.”

Sword Spirit whispered. The others didn’t seem to hear him.

He stepped forward.

“Sword Spirit! It’s dangerous.”

“It’s fine.”

Ignoring Jeok Hwamyeong’s warning, Sword Spirit walked into one of the houses.

When he opened the door, the stench of decaying flesh assaulted him. Inside were two bodies, long dead and rotting to the point where maggots squirmed on them.

Sword Spirit examined the corpses.

“The hearts are missing.”

He confirmed that both corpses lacked hearts, then dashed to another house. Inside were three more bodies—one of them a child.

“Just as I thought.”

“Aaaah!”

Jin Asol’s scream rang out from outside.

“It’s alright. Don’t be afraid,” Naeng Yeoseol reassured her, likely because she’d been startled by the sight of the rotting corpses.

“Their hearts were taken… to be eaten?”

Some demonic arts required the consumption of human hearts—it wouldn’t be surprising if this was one of those.

As Sword Spirit exited, Jeok Hwamyeong came out of another house.

“Two bodies in there also have missing hearts. While it’s true internal organs rot first, there are no traces where the hearts should be. The killer must have taken them.”

Naeng Yeoseol nodded at Jeok Hwamyeong’s deduction.

“The hearts are gone over there, too. Could it be… a demonic art that involves hearts?”

She thought for a moment and nodded.

“Yes. Amplification Demon Arts.”

Amplification Demon Arts (增爆魔功).

It was a demonic art that could boost one’s martial power by two entire levels.

If a third-rate martial artist learned it, they could fight on par with—or even defeat—a first-rate martial artist.

The cultivation of this art required one crucial thing: human hearts.

The number of hearts consumed determined the level of mastery. Practitioners likely attacked isolated slash-and-burn villages like this to harvest the hearts they needed.

“Then the people in these mountain villages may all be in danger. Or they might already be dead…”

Sword Spirit’s words made both Naeng Yeoseol and Jeok Hwamyeong tense.

“Why did all these demonic arts suddenly surface now, after so long?”

Jeok Hwamyeong grumbled.

“It’s likely a matter of mastery. At first, they practiced in hiding, so their progress was slow and went unnoticed. But once their cultivation reached a certain level, they’d lose control over their demonic energy, revealing themselves all at once.”

Even the skeptical Naeng Yeoseol and Jeok Hwamyeong found themselves nodding at this explanation.

“They must have trained for at least five to ten years,” Sword Spirit continued.

“Demonic arts give quick power,” Jeok Hwamyeong added.

“True, but unlike regular martial arts, they must practice in secret, which slows things down.”

Naeng Yeoseol observed Sword Spirit closely.

‘He’s quick to assess situations. He’s sharp.’

“Then that means the demons crossed the Gobi Desert into the Central Plains at least ten years ago.”

“We can’t be certain. But I believe their plot started over fifteen years ago.”

“Fifteen years?”

They looked at Sword Spirit quizzically.

“It takes time to transcribe and spread demonic manuals throughout the Central Plains.”

“Wait—did you say they transcribed and spread demonic arts?” Jeok Hwamyeong asked in disbelief.

“I’ve heard that once a practitioner reaches a certain level, they gain the ability to think and plan.”

Naeng Yeoseol recalled something from thirty years ago.

“Yes… back then, the demons schemed, and we fell into their trap. We suffered greatly.”

“The levels of demonic arts are said to be: Entering Demon (入魔), Able Demon (能魔), Transcendent Demon (超魔), Escaped Demon (脫魔), and Divine Demon (神魔).”

This was the first time the two had heard of such classifications.

“Is that true?”

“Yes.”

They couldn’t tell if he was making it up or not, but it was interesting enough to listen.

“At the Transcendent Demon stage, they gain intelligence.”

“How strong is that level?”

“Hmm… about the level of a peak master.”

Peak masters were extremely rare, aside from the Hundred Masters of the martial world.

“Then Escaped Demon must be above peak, and Divine Demon at the Flame Realm.”

“No. Escaped Demon equals Flame Realm masters, and Divine Demons can create Original Spirits (原靈神). Each stage of demonic arts is like two stages of regular martial arts.”

“Original Spirit? I’ve never heard of that,” Naeng Yeoseol said.

“It’s the stage beyond breaking through the Xuanjing barrier. Only three people in martial history have reached it, as far as I know.”

“Who are they?” Jin Asol asked.

“One is the Heavenly Demon—though I don’t agree with people calling him the greatest of all time. Another is the great master Cheon Namyeon, the greatest under heaven fifty years ago. And the last one is… me.”

The three blinked.

“Ahem…” Jeok Hwamyeong coughed awkwardly.

They clearly expected that answer.

“Then show us what Original Spirit looks like.”

Sword Spirit patted Jin Asol’s head and said,

“Martial arts aren’t for show. You learn them to protect yourself, to uphold justice, and act with chivalry.”

“Tch, Uncle, you’re such a liar.”

She’d been fooled by him enough times to just smile at this point.

“Instead of lingering here, we should descend and inform the Beggar’s Sect.”

“Is it necessary for everyone to go? I can go alone,” Jeok Hwamyeong suggested.

“No. It’s not that I doubt your skills, but if you run into demons alone, it could end badly. And it’s burdensome for me to fight while protecting the children.”

Jeok Hwamyeong knew Naeng Yeoseol was more than capable of defeating demons alone, so he understood the concern.