Heavenly Demon Cultivation Simulation
chapter-360

Becoming an absolute warrior took a short time.

To face the Demon God, known as the strongest, Seol-Hwi gradually formulated a plan.

First, he secured all the pills he could find to build his body and create internal energy. The next step he considered was joining the Taoist sect.

Raising the limit through direct and clear learning.

It was not simply a matter of increasing his endurance. Seol-Hwi already possessed everything that could be considered the essence of martial arts from the Demonic Sect.

For him to advance further, it was essential to understand the ideology and thoughts of the first man.

Additionally, due to the unique nature of the Justice faction, if one grasped the fundamental idea of the senses, they could aim to develop an ability which could counteract the demons.

Of course, Seol-Hwi, the long-time wanderer in Kangho, revived all the teachings of the sects which had been lost.

He even perused the old records of the Five Great Families, but they all related to bloodshed, so he did not continue it.

Seol-Hwi made this decision after considering all the major factors.

“I need to head to the Qingcheng sect.”

Qingcheng was one of the four divine swords sects. In some ways, it was a decision even he found surprising.

Qingcheng was a prestigious Taoist sect of swordsmen which should have been in the Nine Great Sects. But even among these sects, there were already two Taoist sects superior to them.

This was because Mount Hua and Wudang were among them.

It was even more evident when considering their martial arts training process.

Seol-Hwi had already laid the foundations for the Wudang Sect in his body with the Taiji arts, and for Mount Hua with the Purple Cloud Divine Arts. So no matter which of the two sects he chose, he would definitely obtain the teachings of both sects.

And if there was a reason he chose Qingcheng over the others, it was because—

“It is different yet similar. The strongest and most poisonous blade.”

This was because the sword techniques of Qingcheng were surprisingly sharp. So sharp that they were not inferior to the initial techniques of the Demonic Sect, which Seol-Hwi had learned.

This was also related to the basic ideology of the Qingcheng sect.

Most Taoist sects had a direction, perhaps a symbol or teaching they pursued throughout their lives. For example, Wudang pursued harmony and softness through Taiji, while Mount Hua sought a noble spirit with plum blossoms.

Like this, it was the ultimate goal of any sect to create warriors to achieve their desires.

And so, the Taoists of Wudang in Kangho were usually relaxed, and those of Mount Hua held much righteousness, but they did not lack in fighting spirit.

And what about the Qingcheng Sect? It was clearly a sword sect.

-Without a Sword, there is no person.

If Wudang aimed for harmony and Mount Hua for plum blossoms, then Qingcheng was a sword sect with an edge. With its sharp blade, it was their mission to eradicate anything harmful to the world.

Due to this extreme nature, there was a saying which combined the Emei Sect, Tang Clan, and Qingcheng and referred to them as the Four Heavens and Three Poisons.

Emei was a place where women’s resentment was released, and the Sichuan Tang Clan was a place where poison was made.

And the people of Qingcheng were known to be nothing without their swords. They considered its loss an extreme shame and would sacrifice their lives on the spot, showing the unique, poison-like nature of the sect.

Also, among the numerous books he read at the library, there was one about the martial arts of the Justice sects, but it felt strange as he continued.

Blue Wind Sword and Illusion Ring Mist Step.

These were the representative sword and footwork techniques of the sect. Strangely enough, there were numerous demonic arts books which had been reviewed with the insight of Seol-Hwi, as well as the martial arts of Taoism and Buddhism which were learned through the AI.

Compared to that, this was inferior. But was this the mindset of a warrior?

The fierceness of Qingcheng resembled the Demonic Sect’s arts more than the Justice sects.

At that time, the Blue Wind Sword, unlike the initial arts, possessed the nature of a strong sword, which held sharpness and strength. This strength greatly amplified as the level rose in accordance with martial arts enlightenment.

Furthermore, Qingcheng’s method of Illusion Ring Mist Step bore many similarities to what he knew, including the ability to create illusions like the Heavenly Demon’s Reign Step. When perfected, it wasn’t just an illusion but a real form.

‘However, the focus was clearly not on demonic arts but on honest martial arts.’

This was what sparked Seol-Hwi’s interest. The two martial arts were so different, yet the same.

What were the origin and process that led these two to diverge at some point?

Seol-Hwi aimed to escape from the ties of one energy source and transcend the Profound Master Level.

Qingcheng was the first step he took with the 479 lives he had remaining.

“Are you there?”

“…”

“Elder, are you in there?”

This lone house overlooked the beautiful green land.

A Taoist hurriedly approached the building and called out for someone.

“Hmm.”

Soon, a presence inside could be heard, and after some time, the old man slowly opened the door and asked,

“What happened?”

“Yes. Taoist Seok-Hwi has arrived. Please hurry up.”

“Seok-Hwi…?”

“Already here?”

He was a bit flustered at first. But the old man slowly smiled. Elder Chung-heo, he was none other than the Master of Seok-Hwi, or rather Seol-Hwi, under a fake name.

Limp

It was a bit sad to see him walk out the door with a cane.

As the Taoist monk next to him helped, Elder Chung-heo spoke with a slightly flustered expression,

“Phew, I am sorry for being a burden like this to my colleagues.”

“Ugh. Don’t say that. How helpful were the teachings you taught us when we were young… why would we ever consider you a burden?”

“Hehe, thank you for saying it like that.”

The elder’s cheeky laugh caused the sajil to stop smiling and shake his head.

“How can this be? The sect leader always has something to say. If only 50,000 disciples fully understood the teachings of Elder Chung-seo, then the Qingcheng sect would have risen to the top of the world.”

The young man’s words were not an exaggeration.

In his youth, Elder Chung-heo became the direct disciple of the sect at a young age and worked hard throughout his life. He restored the sect’s lost martial arts.

He even received praise for creating a new art established solely through theory.

Thanks to this, Qingcheng, previously regarded as weak by the entire Central Plains, gained the strength to influence many.

Although this man now limped and did not appear strong, it was none other than Seok-Hwi, who was chosen as his disciple and had now returned to the sect.

Limp. Limp.

Did he walk a little slow while being supported by the sajil? When he arrived at the palace, the surrounding area was crowded with disciples.

Whisper

It was noisy and chaotic, as if everyone from training had come over.

“Hmmm…”

Well, it had to be like this.

This was because the inspection to join the sect was quite difficult to pass, and it was taking place now.

However, the reason why Elder Chung-heo stopped by this place was because of his disciple Seok-Hwi. This was because he, who earned the name of the “Great Qingcheng Swordsman” in Kangho, had returned after wandering around.

“Is he there? Master Chung-heo, this way!”

A voice so familiar, and yet it had not been heard for a long time.

“Oho… who are you? It feels like I am going blind with age…”

“It’s me, Seok-un. It’s been over two years, remember?”

“Ah, Taoist Seok-un. It’s nice to meet you.”

Qingcheng’s Swordsman, Seok-un.

He was also a person who accompanied Warrior Seok-Hwi on the trip with Kangho. So, even though he held the same disciple rank, Elder Chung-heo was treated with respect.

“Calling me a Taoist is too much. How have you been, master?”

“Haha. This old man lived comfortably in a warm place with a heated floor and ate just enough food. I heard from others that you built up a great reputation?”

Cloudy eyes made it tough to see ahead. But despite all this, Elder Chung-heo smiled brightly.

“Ughh… all I can do is assist Seok-Hwi. Then I might enjoy the glory of being in the top ten warriors.”

“This one, shows humility.”

Chung-heo’s face brightened further. Surprisingly, it seemed that what he had only heard about was true.

Kangho’s top ten warriors.

A title which referred to the ten best warriors in Kangho. It might seem a bit odd to say that he was one of the ten, but the other nine were the accepted ones, the truly strong ones.

Shaolin’s abbot, the sect leader of Wudang, Mount Hua, Sword Saint, Beggars Union’s, and many more. These were the people who, when one heard their names, ended up nodding, thinking “of course it has to be them.”

There were already ten of the best warriors from the Nine Great Sects, and if one added the Five Great Families, the Tang family, Namgung, and Moyong, the number surely exceeded 20.

And so, among such fighters, there would be one best. The fact that the strongest warrior could come out from their sect, which was not even in the Nine Great Sects, made pride flow for all.

And the fact that they could talk about it meant there was some amount of proof for it?

“Where is Seok-Hwi?”

“In the training ground, at the back. The elders couldn’t stand it and asked him for a demonstration… it looks like he couldn’t shake off their demands.”

“Looks like it. Aren’t they all the same people who have a passion for martial arts?”

To put it in a good way, it was eagerness, but in a bad way, it was a rash rush.

Chung-heo burst out laughing as he recalled the once reckless sahyungs.

“Right. I understand. I was heading there too. Were you?”

“No. I planned to handle it with the disciples, meet those I hadn’t met in a while, and guide the elders who arrived late.”

“Yes, do so.”

After a brief greeting, Elder Chung-heo entered the internal gates of the sect, with the help of another Taoist.

Then, he took the road again.

Swish—

A strong wind blew.

“Hmm.”

They drew closer to the training ground. Even though he was blind due to old age, he could feel the heat within.

Sahyung… he arrived. Even the sajaes too.

Most of the elders in the place seemed to have already taken their places. How did those heavy-set people even run here?

Just the thought of it made him smile.

“You are here, Elder Chung-heo?”

The Taoist leading inside the training hall saw him and greeted him.

Elder Chung-heo also looked around at the elders and greeted them.

“It seems the sect leader is here too.”

“Right.”

“Ah, don’t mind me… just continue doing what you are doing.”

Chung-heo waved his hand and went to a corner. Although it was a remote location, a bit far from the usual side, he was happy. It was because he didn’t have to see anything now.

My disciple Seok-Hwi. He is a genius….

He thought as he looked at warrior Seok-Hwi, who was quietly gathering his energy.

Around 20 years ago—

When a young man came to ask to become his disciple, and a disciple of the Qingcheng sect, all he could do was laugh.

Without any connection or relations. This was one of the very few cases where people came out of their passion for martial arts.

But no matter what he had learned, his basics were solid, and he could attract the attention of people. So, there was this discussion among the elders about whether they could take the child in or not.

They were afraid of teaching.

The result of the opinions passed through the general meeting was the opposite, though.

The reason was intriguing; it pertained more to a lack of background and connections than to his skills.

Qingcheng was one of the old sects in the Nine Great Sects, and it was reputed that it would not accept people of uncertain status.

There was no one more suitable than him to be taken in by the sect.

Chung-heo found himself struggling in the teaching process, driven more by passion than talent.

To reach a level where he could teach, he had secured permission from all the elders. Chung-heo had faced numerous difficult situations since then.

Despite his prowess in martial arts, he lived a life marred by an illness that impaired his ability to walk and see.

When such a person stepped forward, there was no cause for objection.

All the martial arts of Qingcheng are…

But once he selected a child and began teaching, he realized that the child possessed an extraordinary talent.

And now—

The disciple enjoyed the honor of being recognized as the swordsman who represented Qingcheng, and he was among the top ten.

“Then let us begin.”

With all the elders and the sect leader ready, Seol-Hwi composed himself.

The moment he had waited for so long had arrived.

The essence of Qingcheng, which he had learned through thoughtful contemplation and the teachings of many warriors, could finally be demonstrated in front of everyone.

It had been exactly 22 years since he had stood proud as a disciple of Qingcheng.