Chapter 103

The sight of the Heavenly Demon constantly advancing backward while drawing circles was a scene that remained fascinating no matter how many times I witnessed it.

Moreover, the circles he drew were flawless, without any distortion; every movement was perfectly identical, lacking even the slightest hint of humanity.

However, in stark contrast, my curiosity about what on earth was happening grew stronger with each passing moment.

How could the Demon Cultists possibly comprehend the inner workings of this? They were all in a trance-like state, merely repeating the command to “dance” without a shred of awareness.

The unholy gaze from Ji Seung-ju that occasionally assaulted me made me feel quite awkward; it was a disloyal gaze, turned away from the Supreme Heavenly Demon.

Especially since, as a master, he was oblivious to all of this.

It felt impossible to ignore the pricking stares urging me to say something, as if I were a mere puppet.

—-

The Heavenly Demon had already switched bodies dozens of times, overpowering the same number of spirits.

This meant he was the unrivaled authority over the entire world, encompassing even the borders outside the Central Plain.

(To those in the Central Plain, everything outside was foreign territory.)

In comparison, Qing’s skill was akin to preparing fried chicken in a tiny studio apartment.

It was extraordinarily ordinary, just plain standard. Even the previous masters of body arts could do this much.

Once hijacked, a person would rely on instinctual defensive tactics, visualizing their most familiar environment for protection.

Thus, the Heavenly Demon couldn’t understand it.

He couldn’t fathom where Qing’s spirit’s strange immortality originated from.

All he could assume was that the scenery conjured by Qing’s spirit was something unfamiliar even in the lengthy lifespan of the Heavenly Demon, possibly from some foreign barbarian’s arts who did not develop the skills to handle spirits.

“When a person talks, they pretend to listen.”

Thud. Plop.

“Lady. Let me speak a bit too.”

Thud. Plop.

“Aren’t you getting tired of this? At this point, it’s futile.”

“What in the world is learning ability?”

“Woe is you, loser.”

“If your head is empty, your body suffers.”

Plop, plop, plop.

A myriad of headless corpses lay scattered across the ground.

“Geez. If this doesn’t work, isn’t it time to change tactics? Didn’t I already tell you? Like this.”

This time, Qing’s presence was gone.

The Heavenly Demon, with a nervous glare, kept looking around for the ruler of hell.

“If you think about it, isn’t Blood Poison Body just your children being passed down? So, what does that make you? You’re both daddy and child, right? Then isn’t your wife also your mom? Do you ever bring her out to reminisce while preparing for war?”

“Where are you talking from!”

“What thoughts do you entertain while watching your children? Thinking, ‘I need to treat this body, which will belong to me later, with care?’ Then you don’t need to worry about moral education, right? If the child who’s set to die in my hands gets annoying, I don’t have to give them nurturing, right?”

Qing, hiding among the bodies, was engaging in this despicable banter.

Covered in blood, pretending to be dead, how ironic that his mouth was in perfect shape!

However, countless bodies, identical in clothing and shape, formed a layer upon the ground.

Amidst them, one head was hiding, turning it into a hell-level version of a troublesome “find the difference” game.

Not to mention, the Heavenly Demon had never even played a simple children’s game before.

In the end, the Heavenly Demon erupted with frustration.

“You, you know nothing! You detestable Central Plain folk! Look at their descendants! Don’t you see that everything they enjoy is built upon their ancestors’ evils?”

“Are you asking me to pay the sins of your forefathers? That’s a bit much.”

“Isn’t it obvious? While you inherit wealth and connections from your parents, you want to leave all the ugly sins and exploitation behind!”

“Um…?”

Qing faltered.

That made some sense…?

“Look at the prestigious orthodox sects! Born knowing how to open the energy channels and gobbling elixirs, even the dullest will achieve Supreme Martial Artist before death! It’s the wealth and glory gained through exploitation that’s created the rulers of the Central Plain! And yet, they claim there’s no sin!”

“There’s… a sin, isn’t there?”

Qing couldn’t bring himself to deny that.

Many islands and pirates came to mind, and the same could be found across any continent next door.

Of course, that didn’t mean he had no counterarguments.

“That aside, you’re not exactly in a position to punish anyone.”

“No! If there’s only one person in the world who has the right! That’s me! Who has closely witnessed the past crimes and lost everything to those atrocities!”

“Weird, though? Are you the kind of monster who steals the bodies of others, losing repeatedly like a failure? Are you seriously asking that?”

“What human can transcend death! It’s the will of the celestial deities, Ahura Mazda, who has tasked me to correct this wrong world! This is the will of heaven!”

Qing snorted.

So heaven’s will is to create someone who executes evil men, huh? Whatever, as if that god just comes down to deliver the message directly.

“Huh? Heaven dictated that you should be the one to execute judgment? Not directly? No, seriously, this is absurd—”

-I can’t listen anymore.

Qing’s voice suddenly resonated from above.

It was a thunderous sound that filled the world.

The Heavenly Demon looked up.

High above, a massive square frame appeared.

A window reflecting a higher realm hanging in the sky.

Beyond it, a colossal face, with Qing’s gaze unmistakably filled with disdain, looked down upon the earth.

“What… is this?”

-What else? It’s just Buddha’s palm.

The world shattered into sharp fragments, splattering everywhere.

The countless corpses and the gooey blood were gone, revealing an earth made up merely of a finely dressed palm.

Qing looked down at the Heavenly Demon on his palm.

The Heavenly Demon screamed in anger.

“This is nonsense! How could your consciousness be greater than mine?! You’re only in the meager realm of Supreme Martial Artist!”

-I don’t know. I just became this way after dying once.

Qing smiled like a godly figure.

-So go on, make your claim again. What is heaven?

The Heavenly Demon clenched his teeth.

“If it isn’t heaven, then who can resurrect the dead?! It’s me! I received the heavenly mandate!”

Qing answered with a chuckle.

-Well, if you say so, then it must be true, right? So, what do you think of heaven’s will? But do you know where that will is right now?

“That will is with me! I am heaven’s will!”

And that will of heaven lay within Qing’s grasp.

As the Heavenly Demon stood over the earth, a pillar of flesh arose, mountains forming and rising.

This is because Qing clenched his fist.

In the palm of a hand, just a single bug.

It was easily crushed, leaving only a few drops of blood; utterly inconsequential.

Finally, Qing remained alone, chuckling.

“What a pity. Heaven’s will ends here. Heaven isn’t anything special, huh?”

At the same time, Qing noticed the transparent window.

It was the prompt that had been persistently flashing before him since absorbing the Heavenly Demon Soul.

[Currently in Heavenly Demon form, automatic progression in effect.]

[Heavenly Demon form can be released.]

[Would you like to release it? Yes/No]

[*If you select No, your journey will end, leading to the Heavenly Demon Sect’s conclusion.]

Soon, the word ‘Yes’ shimmered a few times before the status window smoothly vanished.

Qing thought.

It seems the game was set up to provide a hidden ending based on being hijacked?

I didn’t know why it was possible to release me.

Perhaps they didn’t want to anger those who might be struck with sudden game overs, hence allowing for a choice.

Or I might have already met certain conditions that would allow for immediate release.

Maybe a move like Heaven’s Kill, or being recognized as Blood Poison Body could allow this, or possibly because of martial arts I had learned.

Or maybe the mighty great light force of the ultimate dharma was at play here. The art of Nine Thousand restraining the boundaries above and below.

But in any case, Qing was uncertain.

He didn’t particularly care to know.

If it had been Seomun Sulin, she might have had different thoughts.

The Worship of Fire sect revered fire, and the holy fire meant Ahura Mazda, the sun god.

The god of destruction, Angra Mainyu, symbolized the darkness, representing the night which humanity originally feared.

The sun lights up the night; therefore, Angra Mainyu was merely a lesser deity crawling away from the sun god.

The Zhu Yang’s Mindfulness Sutra was the thought of the Flame Emperor.

The Flame Emperor was the sun god worshiped by the Chinese ethnic group.

So it was predetermined from the beginning, wasn’t it?

Qing didn’t have that level of knowledge.

But knowing that it was possible was more important than actually being able to do it.

“Give me my body back, you jerk.”

—-

The Heavenly Demon, displaying movements beyond the times, finally came to a stop.

And he walked steadily, positioning himself before Choi Riyong, the elder.

Choi Riyong’s dazed eyes spun around at the feet.

At that moment.

Suddenly, as the Heavenly Demon’s foot moved, it aimed at the elder’s lower abdomen, which he had pinned down.

Thwack!!!

“Ahhh!”

The pain of a shattered dantian jolted the elder’s senses. This was the essence of healing that could revive even dead spirits—physical therapy.

“You little brat! I told you I wouldn’t let this go, didn’t I? Huh? Or was that never voiced?”

Qing continued with a sly grin.

“What? How does it feel to not just be a natural practitioner now that your dantian is broken? How does it feel to be a natural human, you piece of trash?”

Then Choi Riyong too regained his senses.

Physical therapy was not only effective for the one treated but also had tremendous benefits for prospective patients watching.

“Hey, Qing, is that really you?”

“Huh? Grandpa? You got your wits back? Stop getting confused about whether I’m your daughter. Why are you meddling in somebody else’s family tree? Hmm. I want to eat pig’s feet with rice wrapping.”

He wished he had ordered it while imagining it earlier. Why did he always forget about such things?

Qing was a bit regretful, but it was only a light disappointment.

After all, he shouldn’t be hung up on hometown food—pork feet with rice wrapping was also available in the Central Plain.

Though the cultural blend of enjoying the original Dongpo Pork and the original Bibim Guksu wasn’t prevalent.

Well, it’s up to the person ordering, right?

Plus, he could just have a cup of Qing wine, then truly be gone.

“You!”

While Qing was suddenly soaring through the wings of culinary fantasy, a childish voice rang out.

Qing turned his head.

With a proud grin.

“Ah, kiddo. Right. You were here too?”

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