Chapter 20 (Abandoned Disciple of Heavenly Demon)

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Episode 20: To the Central Plains (1)

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Hurrruk!

Every time the sword cuts the air, pure white flames dance. Jin Myeong continued to swing his sword without stopping.

‘As expected, the consumption of internal energy is too severe.’

Every time he swings his sword, the sword energy ripples.

The Ashura Sword Art seemed like a martial art that naturally allowed sword energy to be emitted.

‘It must have been uncomfortable for other people because it drained too much of their energy.’

Strangely enough, the internal energy consumed by the sword energy released when unfolding the Ashura Sword Art was more than usual.

So other people might have tried to reduce the consumption of internal energy.

‘Since it reduces the consumption of internal energy, of course the power wouldn’t be displayed properly.’

If Jin Myeong didn’t reduce the consumption of internal energy, he wouldn’t have been able to unfold it several times.

‘If you reduce the consumption of internal energy by half, its power will be reduced by a third, not half.’

It is only natural that people do not learn this kind of martial arts. Because there were many martial arts that consumed little internal energy and had strong power.

There was no need to learn the Ashura Sword Art.

‘Hmm. But what is this…’

Jin Myeong, who had been swinging his sword for a while, opened his secret weapon again.

‘Is this really swordsmanship?’

Jin Myeong kept wondering this question. Rather, the more he spread his sword, the stronger his doubts became.

‘The consumption of internal energy, but the movements are also too strange.’

The movements that Jin Myeong spoke of included not only swordsmanship movements, but also movements of internal energy.

‘Although it’s basic, the movements that are occasionally seen are…’

At first, he looks at the movements which were basic movements, but sometimes they take on strange postures.

‘It’s like a dance performed during a ceremony….’

Jin Myeong felt that way a lot. This is because, contrary to its name, it doesn’t feel like actual swordsmanship.

‘I think it’s because of this darkness.’

When infusing a sword with internal energy, it usually increases sharpness. To cut down your opponent more easily. As well as to cut down the opponent’s sword.

But the sword energy of the Ashura Sword was different from that.

‘Hmm.’

Jin Myeong unfolded martial art manual again. He quietly studied the movements depicted on the scroll.

‘What if this isn’t black?’

The picture was enveloped in something black. Jin Myeong thought it was simply a black form of internal energy.

‘I thought that if I moved my internal energy, the black energy would be released naturally… … .’

If this isn’t black magic, then what is it?

Jin Myeong seemed to know what it was.

Hurrruk!

Soon the sword he was holding was engulfed in pure white flames.

‘What if this is also a martial art of Pyro Sect (Fire Worshipping Sect)?’

Pyro Sect is a religion that worships fire.

Then Jin Myeong thought that what he saw in the picture was not black air but flame.

‘I wish there was something written… … .’

Jin Myeong wanted to be certain that the first Heavenly Horse had left behind this martial art. In the end, everything he was thinking about now could only be Jin Myeong’s speculation.

‘Anyway, it’s not an ordinary martial art.’

Jin Myeong had the impression that this martial art was neither born in the Central Plains nor in the Heavenly Demon Sect.

‘It’s highly likely that it’s really a martial art of Pyro Sect.’

So, Jin Myeong thought that he had no burden in learning this martial art.

‘Or there is a possibility that the first Heavenly Demon created this by referencing the martial arts of Pyro Sect.’

Just like the internal energy techniques he learned, the Heavenly Demon Divine Art.

‘If it was really the first Heavenly Demon who created this martial art, why did he create it?’

This martial art is completely useless if someone hadn’t learned the Heavenly Demon Divine Art or the Pyro Sect’s internal energy cultivation method.

‘Did he want to make it with basic swordsmanship?’

‘Isn’t that what was considered the basic martial arts of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art’?

‘It’s not his intentions that matter.’

Jin Myeong don’t know if it was really the First Heavenly Demon who created this martial art, but Jin Myeong didn’t think it was necessary to know that.

‘It’s important to note that this isn’t as weak a swordsmanship as others have assessed.’

It would be a problem for someone who has not learned the martial arts of Pyro Sect, but didn’t Jin Myeong learn a martial art called Heavenly Demon Divine Art?

‘Was I just lucky?’

It is impossible to know how great the martial art called Ashura Sword Art is. However, it was certain that it was related to the first Heavenly Demon, or Pyro Sect.

Just like all the martial arts he had learned so far.

‘I think I had to practice harder.’

Of course, it is true that Jin Myeong had worked hard before, but on the other hand, he couldn’t help but feel regretful that he wasn’t able to learn stronger swordsmanship.

But now that Jin Myeong know that the Ashura Sword Art is not just a martial art with a fancy name, he didn’t planned to end it here.

‘Of course, I don’t know if this is really true.’

It wasn’t that someone told Jin Myeong so, nor was it written by the person who left the Ashura Sword.

He could only guess because the handwriting of this martial art manual is same as martial arts manual within cave was similar to that of the first Heavenly Demon.

In the end, if Jin Myeong’s thoughts were correct, it could have been a huge deal, but it could also all have been a vain delusion.

‘I can only hope that it is some great martial arts skill.’

It is already difficult to learn other martial arts.

The body rejects them.

Jin Myeong, having gathered his thoughts, picked up his sword and began swinging it madly again.

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‘How long has it been since I received the Ashura Sword Art from Mad Demon and started practicing it?’

‘Has it been about ten days?’

It seemed like a long time had passed, but it definitely hadn’t. Rather, not even a month had passed.

Still, Jin Myeong couldn’t shake the thought that he had been practicing the Ashura Sword Art for a very long time.

‘Is it because the movements are too simple?’

It wasn’t a martial art with many movements. Rather, it’s all about cutting and stabbing in various directions.

He was repeating that small movement every day for over ten hours.

“Young Master.”

And today, too, Yang Jeon approached Jin Myeong, who was busy swinging his sword.

“Are you doing this again? Aren’t you tired of it?”

Yang Jeon stuck out his tongue as he watched Jin Myeong only practice basic swordsmanship every day.

If it were him, he probably wouldn’t have done that. That’s because the training that Jin Myeong did was so boring.

“Because it has to continue.”

‘I had to become accustomed to it enough to be able to use it in real life.’

Jin Myeong was thinking like that, so he continued this tedious training.

‘There’s nothing more to do.’

To be honest, this reason may not be clear.

If there were enough entertainment here like in modern times, Jin Myeong might not have practiced martial arts as he does now.

It must have been a bit leisurely.

‘But there’s really nothing to enjoy.’

No computer, no TV, no smartphone. Although there was alcohol, Jin Myeong was not the type to enjoy it.

In the end, the only thing Jin Myeong could do was train in martial arts.

“Whew. I couldn’t have done it.”

“Really? So, you’re not going to learn the martial arts I taught you?”

“No, that’s…….”

Yang Jeon looked embarrassed.

“If you don’t want to learn it, you don’t have to learn it.”

“That’s not true, but I have a lot of work to do.”

Yang Jeon is also not uninterested in martial arts. Rather, he was also learning martial arts.

It wasn’t all that great, though.

Jin Myeong taught him a martial art.

The sword technique that the first Heavenly Demon created, but was discarded because it was not very powerful.

“The Thunder Light Sword Technique is a pretty excellent quick sword technique.”

“I know. As I said before, it’s because I have a lot of work to do.”

It is not a weak swordsmanship method that the first Heavenly Demon destroyed. Rather, his eyes were just too high.

The Thunder Sword Technique was also a great martial art that would cause chaos if thrown into the world of martial arts.

“I’m not someone who can just train in martial arts like everyone else.”

And Yang Jeon was also clearly aware of the internal energy it was accumulating. He was just really busy so he couldn’t practice it.

Recently, as rumours began to spread in the Shin Ho-ryang that Mad Demon was supporting Jin Myeong, his workload increased.

The real reason was that he was just practicing leisurely.

“Rather than that, something like this came.”

“Hmm.”

Jin Myeong accepted the letter handed over by Yang Jeon.

“I came down from the Bunma Hall (Heavenly Demon’s Office).”

The Bunma Hall is a place in Heavenly Demon God Castle where Heavenly Demon’s orders are conveyed.

When a mission was given, their role was to find the right person for the job and pass it on. No one could refuse a mission that came down through the Heavenly Demon Office.

“Is this your mission?”

“Okay.”

Jin Myeong began to read the letter.

‘Departure is in five days.’

There is still room.

Jin Myeong had already heard that he had to go to the Central Plains, and he had been preparing continuously, so there was no problem no matter when I left.

‘The purpose is…’

Jin Myeong continued reading the letter.

‘Bring me back the lost treasure?’

The mission was simple.

It is said that the treasure stolen from the Heavenly Demon Sect a long time ago has resurfaced in the world.

‘It’s funny that he suddenly appeared in this situation, but the most absurd thing is who on earth could have stolen the treasure from here?’

It is none other than Heavenly Demon Sect.

Jin Myeong wondered if it was possible to steal the treasure while avoiding the eyes of the master, Heavenly Demon.

‘Hmm. Keep it a secret?’

At the end of the letter there was a request to keep it a secret.

‘Then I can’t ask Yang Jeon.’

Jin Myeong wondered how they stole the treasure and what it was. But it seemed like Heavenly Demon had no intention of kindly answering Jin Myeong’s questions.

It only said to bring back previously lost treasure, and it only said when he would depart.

‘But you don’t even tell me the destination?’

There is no destination. That is to say, Jin Myeong does not move alone.

‘This isn’t in the novel.’

That’s a given.

The novel begins after the protagonist has appeared in the martial arts world. To be exact, it starts by knocking on the door of the Murim Alliance.

And now the protagonist is in the midst of training under the master.

‘So, in the end, I have to start without knowing anything.’

Even if it is not related to the main character, it may be mentioned in the novel because it is something that happened in the past.

But Jin Myeong don’t remember those details in detail.

‘I guess it was not that important.’

In other words, this is not a very important thing.

‘I’ll just go and have a nice time.’

Yang Jeon approached Jin Myeong, who was organizing his thoughts.

“What is your mission?”

“I don’t think I should say anything. Are you sure you can handle it?”

“No! Then please don’t tell me!”

When Jin Myeong asked with a sly smile, Yang Jeon hurriedly shook his head. He heard that story for no reason and then may his head be going to fly off without a sound.

“Anyway, we’ll be leaving in five days.”

“I see. Then shall I go too?”

“I think I’ll go alone. If I can bring anyone with me, so there would be no need to keep it a secret.”

Yang Jeon nodded at Jin Myeong’s words and smiled.

“Then I’m free for a while.”

“Stop talking nonsense. Are you looking for the person I told you to look for?”

“I’ve been looking into it, but is there really such a person?”

The people Jin Myeong told Yang Jeon to look for, were the ones Mad Demon had promised him. People who can use sorcery such as witchcraft or magic.

“That’s why I’m asking you to look for it.”

But things like witchcraft aren’t common.

Rather, since it had been quite some time since anyone who had learned sorcery had disappeared from view, Yang Jeon had difficulty believing in sorcery.

‘That’s true. If I hadn’t heard it from the Vice-Sect Leader, I wouldn’t have been able to know that.’

Of course, Jin Myeong did see something unusual in the cave where he had stolen protagonist’s lucky encounter.

But Jin Myeong was hesitant until he heard it from the Vice-Sect Leader.

“I’ll try my best, but don’t expect too much.”

“I know.”

Mad Demon also said that he hasn’t seen any sorcerers lately.

‘I don’t expect it, but I hope I find it.’

When he returned from his mission, Yang Jeon would have been so happy to know that he had found the person he was looking for.

“Anyway, keep looking.”

“Yes, let’s do that.”

Jin Myeong ignored Yang Jeon’s sigh and started swinging his sword again. He planned to continue practicing the Ashura Sword Art until departure.

And as soon as the conversation ended, Yang Jeon shook his head as he watched Jin Myeong swing his sword again without getting tired.

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