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chapter-179

Chapter 179: The Successor of ‘Amhwang’, the Fist Master of Heaven (1)

The calamity of the martial world that was said to dye everything under the sky with blood…

People called it ‘Cheonma’ (Heavenly Demon).

And there were two pillars that supported the foundation of the Cheonma Cult.

One of them was the right guardian of the Cheonma Cult, known by the nickname ‘Kwoncheonjiryong’ (Fist Master of Heaven), ‘Amhwang.’

It was a fact known only to a select few within the Heukpung Association, but…

The Heukpung Association was originally a group rooted in Amhwang.

The trembling of Yang Ho-myeong’s chin was perhaps an understandable reaction.

“The lineage… hasn’t been shattered?”

More bewildering than the fact that the person who wore the strange helmet was Jinhyuk, was that the technique used by the man was the very martial art once wielded by Amhwang.

A player outside of the tower had inherited the martial art of Amhwang, a feat that even martial artists could hardly hope to witness in a lifetime.

Despite watching it unfold before their eyes, it was almost impossible to believe.

Therefore…

“Attack.”

Yang Ho-myeong had to confirm for himself if this was reality or a mere illusion.

“On your marks!”

At the command of Yang Ho-myeong, the members of the Heukpung Association kicked off the ground in unison.

Or rather, they tried to.

Boom!

With a thunderous sound, the distance between Jinhyuk and Yang Ho-myeong closed in a flash.

Just one step.

Close enough for each to cut off the other’s breath.

“Huff!”

Taking in a deep breath, Yang Ho-myeong rallied his internal energy.

Instantaneously, a black aura gathered on both of his fists.

Despite being the leader of the association, he was not entirely panicked.

Of course.

No matter how desperately Yang Ho-myeong struggled, it is impossible for a river to flow upstream.

Ripples can never overcome the waves of a great sea.

[‘Black Heavenly Demon Emperor Technique’]

Indescribable energy fluctuated from Jinhyuk’s fists.

In an instant, Yang Ho-myeong’s black energy seemed to lose its light and severely trembled.

[First Form…!]

It was being sucked in.

The weaker energy.

Toward that immense power.

And at that moment.

[‘Black Orbit Crushing Fist’!]

The light condensed in the fist was released all at once.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

What swept through was a massive storm.

The punch grazed Yang Ho-myeong’s head and struck the wall of the cave.

Crack! Crack! Boom!

The boulders crumbled and fell, creating an unreal spectacle.

One punch.

A single punch had penetrated the Sea Cloud Caves, which had existed for thousands of years.

Through the punched hole, the brilliant night sky was revealed.

“It would be nice if you stopped trying to test me so clumsily…”

Jinhyuk slowly opened his mouth.

He added casually a statement that those present couldn’t possibly ignore.

“Amhwang said such an event would occur, but let’s keep things light. I wouldn’t like to hurt the members of the same faction before my master emerges from his seclusion.”

At Jinhyuk’s words, everyone froze in place.

Some were so surprised that they did not even notice their masks were half removed.

“Ah, Amhwang has… said such things… or rather, how could something so absurd…”

Yang Ho-myeong’s tone of voice changed in an instant.

The oppressive attitude he had before vanished.

In its place was a mix of awe and curiosity towards Jinhyuk.

Of course, there were still several points of contention, so he didn’t let his guard down entirely.

However…

This made it considerably easier to proceed with matters.

It was an advantage to be able to construct the situation favorably, given that no one here knew about the tower’s system.

*cough* hmm!

Yang Ho-myeong cleared his throat and composed his expression.

Let’s remember.

The character I must play, and the speech that such a person would naturally use.

“On the first day the tower appeared, I was chosen by her. Since then, I have been acting not as a player, but as a member of the Cheonma Cult. In other words… you and I are not enemies. Rather, it’s more correct to say we’re fellow disciples belonging to the cult.”

The fact that residents of the martial world had left the tower on the first day it appeared was an open secret.

Indeed, including Korea’s Yoo Cheon-young, they had actively been recruiting the notable individuals emerging worldwide.

Yang Ho-myeong’s mind raced.

‘Hard to believe that Amhwang took on an outsider as a direct disciple, but considering this insane talent, it doesn’t seem wholly far-fetched.’

Where other places might value bloodline over talent, the Cheonma Cult was strictly based on the logic of survival of the fittest.

Even a child begging on the streets, if their talent was deemed as heavenly, would immediately be entitled to join the cult.

‘The level of attainment of the martial arts I’ve just seen is, at the very least, beyond a three-star level.’

For Amhwang’s secret martial arts to be mastered to this extent in such a short period of time…

Jinhyuk undoubtedly possessed talent beyond imagination.

Even if he gathered the Nine Factions, One Chamber, the Five Great Families, and all the upcoming warriors, they wouldn’t be able to catch up to the achievements Jinhyuk had made now.

There was no doubt about it.

The decision didn’t take long.

*Thump*

Yang Ho-myeong prostrated himself right then and there.

“I greet Amhwang’s successor!”

His voice was deep and respectful as he gave the maximum courtesy he could manage.

Then, the rest of the Heukpung Association members also kneeled and saluted in their own way.

“We greet Amhwang’s successor!”

“Cheonma’s arrival, blood rules the world!”

“Ten thousand demons bow down, darkness over the celestial realm!”

Their voices resonated in unison, echoing deeply.

＊＊＊

‘Things have turned out better than expected.’

Jinhyuk swallowed the rising cheer inside him.

From the moment he first saw Yang Ho-myeong, he had wanted to create such a scenario.

To use the name of an absolute master unknown to outsiders and completely hook the faction that follows him—a grand masterpiece.

While it required meeting many conditions, Jinhyuk had perfectly fitted all the precarious pieces of this puzzle once again.

And this was the result.

Hundreds of martial artists prostrated, awaiting his command.

Damn. This pleasure from power is the reason a battalion commander patrols each unit whenever they get bored.

The primal pleasure derived from power was incomparable to anything else.

“Do you believe me now?”

“That I do. However, may I ask why you chose such a difficult path? Had you confided in me, we could have avoided all this troublesome affair.”

“If I had just spoken, would you really have believed me?”

“That is…”

Yang Ho-myeong’s voice trailed off.

It would have been ridiculous.

If someone had brought up such talk out of the blue, he wouldn’t have even pretended to listen.

As doubts cleared, Yang Ho-myeong brought up another question.

“Was it also part of Jinhyuk’s plan to use Unknown to spread bait regarding the Pursuing Soul Sword?”

As expected. He was asking about that as well.

But Jinhyuk already had all the settings for Unknown in place.

Jinhyuk casually released another shocking story as if it were an everyday tale.

“That guy is a disciple of the Pursuing Soul Shadow. To be precise, he obtained an artifact imbued with the soul of the Pursuing Soul Shadow. Since he learned directly from the sword sage who created the Pursuing Soul Sword, wouldn’t he naturally know the final resolution of the Pursuing Soul Sword?”

“…”

Now completely at a loss for words, Yang Ho-myeong’s face turned pale.

Man, close your mouth.

You might swallow a fly.

“As expected… Everything was indeed planned. Then, what does Amhwang wish for?”

How would I know that?

Whether it’s the Heavenly Demon or Amhwang, they must be holed up somewhere in the vast mountains now.

To be honest, no one knows what schemes those guys have.

Well, thanks to that, I can freely fabricate stories like this.

“Soon, the Heavenly Demon will emerge from his retreat. When that day comes, the balance of the middle strata will completely collapse.”

“Of course, that is natural. No matter how formidable the forces of the Empire or the Spirit Realm are. They can’t stand against the Heavenly Demon who has mastered the Heavenly Demon Divine Technique.”

“That’s right. So, all we have to do is gather strength until that day comes. Precisely, follow my orders, which I received from Amhwang.”

“Just tell me. I will follow any order.”

It’s reassuring to hear you say that.

“Well then, first, take over the ‘Heavenly Essence Strengthening Pill’ until it’s absorbed. You know well enough that no one should disturb you during qi circulation, right?”

“Don’t worry and take your time absorbing the elixir.”

Yang Ho-myeong bowed again.

With arrangements in place,

Jinhyuk tossed the pill into his mouth amidst ironclad protection.

Gulp!

The pill, small as a fingernail, slid down his throat.

Wooong!

An enormous amount of yang energy surged up at that moment.

‘Now!’

Jinhyuk absorbed the ‘Frozen Tear’ he held in his other hand.

This crystal of magic with an extreme cold could only have its coldness mitigated through special methods.

And the ‘Heavenly Essence Strengthening Pill’ was one of the many methods for doing so.

“Kuhk!”

A thick vein bulged on his forehead.

Indeed, the coldness emitted from the Frozen Tear was no ordinary matter as it advanced in stages.

Add to that the absorption of the yang energy from the elixir, and the strain on his body only increased.

Pzzzt! Pzzzt! Pzzzt!

His veins felt like they were burning up, but if he lost consciousness here, he would be succumbing to a personal calamity.

Calmly.

At the same time, coolly, he began to regulate the dispersing yin and yang energies throughout his system to overcome this crisis.

“Hoo.”

Taking controlled breaths, Jinhyuk concentrated his whole mind.

An act that would normally be beyond the daring of an average person, requiring extremely fine control, but Jinhyuk began to navigate this formidable obstacle with remarkable momentum.

Centralizing his inner energy on the energy acupuncture points, he circulated magic from the hundred convergences point to the ascending point in the back, and then returned to the dantian energy acupuncture point to complete a heavenly cycle.

＊＊＊

‘Indeed… a monster.’

Yang Ho-myeong swallowed his dry saliva as he watched.

Absorbing the notorious ‘Heavenly Essence Strengthening Pill’ without difficulty was astonishing enough.

And to manage a spirit pill with such lethal coldness on top of that…

‘Is it like a thousand-year-old ginseng?’

No, even if it were a thousand-year-old ginseng, it wouldn’t possess an aura so dense.

At least two grades higher.

Yes. Without a doubt, it was that level of divine object.

‘It’s no wonder Amhwang took an interest. If such a prodigy misused the cult, they would play a tremendous role in establishing a new history.’

After some hours had passed?

Tsss… Tsss… Tsss…

The wildly rampaging aura began to subside.

Simultaneously, Jinhyuk stopped manipulating his magic.

He had successfully absorbed both energies.

[Your magic power has increased by 60 points.]

‘…I did it!’

This was why he went through such an ordeal – for this very reason.

A hidden benefit that could only be acquired when absorbing conflicting energies simultaneously.

He had now gained enough magic power that would normally require leveling up about 20 levels all at once.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

Jinhyuk’s heart thundered uncontrollably.

Until now, the magic power he had painstakingly built up was 121, but this single occasion gave him half as much.

“Congratulations on enhancing your inner power.”

“Thanks. So, what’s the plan going forward?”

Jinhyuk responded immediately to Yang Ho-myeong’s question.

The important thing here was to issue a command, not to request.

If there was a virtue to have as Amhwang’s successor, it was arrogance.

“I’ll borrow the Heukpung Association.”

“The, the Heukpung Association for what…”

“Now, we’ll start sorting out all the smaller forces on the lower floors.”

The Heukpung Association, being on floors around the 20s, would be able to handle the 8th and 9th floors with ease.

Of course.

Reason was needed.

“And then, we’ll re-establish the name of the Heavenly Demon there.”

The complete revival of the Cheonma Cult was the pretext.

In other words, with just the right reason attached, he could transform everyone present into obedient puppies.