Chapter 121 – Samadhi True Fire

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Translated by Nine Heavens!

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***

“Uncle. Did you stop the bleeding properly?”

For the first time, Jeong Yeon-shin called Ma Jin “uncle” instead of Squad Leader. Ma Jin, who was standing behind him, widened his eyes.

He had always known his nephew’s talent, but he had never imagined seeing him like this so soon.

Even as the Leader of Radiant Demon Wing, who had experienced much of the murim, he had never anticipated such a thing.

“That arm, though.”

Jeong Yeon-shin continued. He had completely sealed off the enemy, Pure Demon Divine Hand’s hand.

Even while facing a supreme master, he was still concerned about his uncle behind him.

Ma Jin’s lips trembled slightly. Emotions swelled like clouds.

The achievements of his nephew, now revealed before his eyes, the realization that their uncle-nephew relationship had finally progressed, and the subordinates who had died around them.

All of this touched the heart of the supreme master of Radiant Demon Wing.

“…How have you come here?”

That was all he could say. As an uncle who had sinned, he wanted to approach his nephew. But his actions were different.

Due to his innate nature as a martial artist, he couldn’t utter warm words. Ma Jin blamed himself in that brief moment.

Jeong Yeon-shin’s voice echoed calmly.

“I formed a martial force of which I temporarily became the commander. If your voice is still fine, please take over as commander for the moment.”

He spoke to him like a nephew would to their uncle. He also spoke more than he would have before.

The words he spoke, though, were heavy. He had told the black-rank supreme master to retreat. This should show how serious the situation was.

It was as if he was speaking while cloaked in a black robe of his own.

‘What on earth…?’

Even though Ma Jin knew Jeong Yeon-shin’s talent, it was still astonishing. No one would believe it.

Could someone with unparalleled martial talent live one year as if it were ten?

He couldn’t even tell if his current emotions were pride or shock.

But there was no more time to waste. Ma Jin turned his body.

“I wish you martial fortune in battle.”

The Lord of Radiant Demon Wing fully trusted him to take over as the supreme master of the battlefield. As he finished speaking, he used his light footwork to distance himself.

With each step, the ground was deeply gouged.

Even though his arm was severed and his meridian system was not normal, his presence surpassed the blue-rank.

Even at that moment.

Pure Demon Divine Hand remained still. The unprecedented power of the Luminous Wheel that Transcends Law Technique weighed on him uncomfortably.

No, it wasn’t just uncomfortable. It was overwhelming.

“…”

The moment he realized the truth, Pure Demon Divine Hand Ha Yul-geuk was at a loss for words.

The Leader of Radiant Demon Wing, whom he had targeted, was moving away, but he couldn’t bring himself to chase.

The hand holding his own sword was motionless, but that wasn’t important right now.

The scene unfolding over the boy’s shoulder strongly drew his gaze.

Through the gradually fading dust, the corpse of Du Gu-gwang, with only the lower half of his body remaining, could be seen.

The hem of the dark blue battle robe fluttered emptily.

Similarly, two young masters from Desolate Fortress, who seemed equally shocked, stood on either side.

‘He killed him in just two moves?’

The eyes of Pure Demon Divine Hand sank deeply. The battles of supreme masters vary as much as the types of martial arts.

From one-move duels to seven-day battles, the variety is vast.

There are many variables. Terrain, weather, martial compatibility, physical condition, and the combination of techniques on that day.

Even among masters of the same level, the nature of the battle can cause hundreds or even thousands of different outcomes.

‘This guy… is immeasurable. His senses are incredible.’

He felt it with the intuition of a supreme master. It was a thoroughly calculated combination of techniques.

The two moves from the Desolate Fortress boy were like that. The final palm technique had an unprecedented power, but it was also a move with many flaws.

Any supreme master from a major sect would have noticed. That’s why it was even more surprising.

‘That palm technique is definitely a divine technique. But it has clear strengths and weaknesses.’

That’s why he had preemptively executed the palm technique and intervened, succeeding in an extraordinary combination.

The result was Du Gu-gwang’s death. The great sword of the Ten Perfections Sect was broken. The impact of that feat was impressive even considering the boy’s preparations.

It was an event that would shake the vast Sichuan murim.

‘If it had been a proper one-on-one duel… no.’

It was a futile thought. Where in the murim does such a thing exist?

Unless it’s a friendly sparring match, battles in the murim are never fought at full strength. The one who survives is the master.

There’s something more important.

With the level of the boy blocking his hand, he was worthy of discussing martial arts in the realm of supreme masters. 

His martial prowess was astonishingly high. It was almost on par with his own. It was hard to believe. It wasn’t like he had reversed aging.

This was a serious problem.

“Is it dharma power?”

Pure Demon Divine Hand asked. He was still holding hands with Jeong Yeon-shin. The boy calmly opened his mouth.

“You’re weaker than I’d thought.”

It was a provocation brushed against his hand. He didn’t give the desired answer, but his demeanor was natural.

It was a demeanor and aura that proved the boy’s level. The demeanor of a seasoned master.

Even when addressing a supreme master of high status, it didn’t feel awkward.

‘Martial arts that reach the heavens.’

Pure Demon Divine Hand thought unconsciously. At the same time, he parted his lips.

“Dharma power, huh. Unbelievable. Are you a direct disciple of Shaolin’s Green Jade?”

The blue eyes of the supreme master from the Western Regions flickered. He was discerning the martial arts of his nemesis.

Green Jade refers to the Green Jade Buddha Staff of the Shaolin Temple’s abbot.

He was asking if he was a direct disciple of the sect leader.

Pure Demon Divine Hand didn’t wait for an answer. He muttered to himself.

“No. The lineage of dharma power martial arts has been severed. How on earth…”

“You’re talking about the lost lineage of dharma arts, when you should be focusing on a more important issue.”

Jeong Yeon-shin’s grip tightened. It was the right hand holding Pure Demon Divine Hand’s palm technique.

The power of Bodhidharma, which remained even after creating the divine technique, momentarily amplified the power of the Luminous Wheel that Transcends Law Technique.

It wasn’t the kind of power to be used immediately after creating a martial art. It was like the boy’s lifeline. A time limit.

Whoosh—

A faint white light flowed along Jeong Yeon-shin’s breath. It rose auspiciously and scattered repeatedly.

To others, it looked truly mystical. But the boy knew. This meant it was incomplete.

‘The Luminous Wheel is a newly born organ. It’s the heart of internal energy that has just been born.’

It was maintained by the residual spiritual energy of Bodhidharma. But only for a moment. He needed to stabilize it through breathing techniques.

‘The power of the divine spiritual energy will soon scatter.’

Jeong Yeon-shin had observed his own body during the brief confrontation.

The power granted by Bodhidharma’s spiritual energy wouldn’t last long.

It was said to be a fragment of the true energy of the monk, refined by a master.

But he was fine with that. He had already created the Luminous Wheel. He was past the stage of worrying about energy depletion.

He could build up his training after escaping the City of Renowned Craftsmen.

It was enough to kill the enemy’s supreme master. With a spirit like a flame of determination.

“Hey, what did you say?”

Pure Demon Divine Hand asked. He was the one who had proclaimed his own power the moment he severed Ma Jin’s left arm.

Despite the unfavorable situation, he didn’t hesitate to speak.

With the unexpected birth of a supreme master, he seemed to be buying time to prepare by speaking.

“They say a corpse’s tongue is long.”

The boy answered briefly. Those were his last words.

A gust of wind brushed the cheeks of the two masters.

It continuously swept down from the high cave ceiling.

A gust that swept through everything on the battlefield ruffled the clothes of the two. It felt dry.

Crack!

Suddenly, Pure Demon Divine Hand’s knee shot out. A swift leg technique.

Even though it was an instantaneous attack, it felt as if it had been prepared in advance, and the energy concentrated on the knee was tremendous.

From the moment his foot left the ground, a circular shockwave erupted violently.

Jeong Yeon-shin didn’t dodge. He reacted before the energy wave could spread.

The true energy of the Luminous Wheel, filling his entire body, followed his innate senses. He lifted his foot while still holding the enemy’s hand.

From lifting his feet to stomping it down, it happened in an instant.

Thud!

The ground shook. Pure Demon Divine Hand’s knee stopped mid-air.

Jeong Yeon-shin’s foot was pressing down on his ankle. He had blocked and suppressed the leg technique itself.

A complete counter in a master’s duel.

Pure Demon Divine Hand’s eyes widened. The blue eyes characteristic of the Western Regions were fully revealed.

“Hmm.”

A deep hum flowed. Even when he tried to generate energy, his leg seemed frozen and wouldn’t rise.

It was because of the divine power he had initially considered a problem. A direct counter. At this moment, Jeong Yeon-shin’s energy was something overwhelmingly powerful.

***

Read only at nineheavens.org

Translated by Nine Heavens!

https://discord.gg/XC9DTsTQ9Z

***

The boy thought, even without Bodhidharma’s spirit, he would still have the advantage. The Luminous Wheel that Transcends Law Technique was the reason.

The quality of his internal energy had changed. He no longer fell behind in strength.

Since the enemy in front of him had cultivated the internal energy of the Western Regions, he even had the advantage in compatibility.

Then.

There was no more need for exploration. Unconsciously, he adopted the posture of a lower hand, welcoming the opponent with a blue-rank mindset.

He tried to explore the energy waves and find the weak points in the techniques.

It was meaningless.

Whoosh!

The energy wave surged as he activated the Luminous Wheel that Transcends Law Technique. At this moment, he pulled it up with full force. The response came immediately.

From under his foot. The foot pressing down on Pure Demon Divine Hand’s knee suddenly dropped.

He pulled the enemy’s leg down to the ground and stepped on the top of his foot.

Crunch!

A horrifying sound erupted. It felt like the pressed ankle bone was being crushed.

The demonic energy, which felt like an abyss, rose up through Pure Demon Divine Hand’s foot and shattered.

It was like watching the night air shatter into pieces.

It wasn’t even a counter. It was like the Bone-Melting Poison Powder, crushing the demonic energy.

“…!”

The eyes of the enemy who had taken his uncle’s arm widened as if they would tear. He didn’t scream.

As expected of a supreme master from the demonic faction. Jeong Yeon-shin didn’t care and tightened his grip.

After the foot, it was the hand. The hand that had severed Ma Jin’s arm was crushed to the bone.

The power was beyond imagination, even Jeong Yeon-shin was surprised by his own strength. It felt as if the true energy had shed its shell and transformed.

“Haaa!”

Finally,

He saw the supreme master, equal to a black-robe, let out a battle cry right in front of him.

Pure Demon Divine Hand stretched out his other hand, forming it into a fist. The energy surrounding the fist distorted the atmosphere.

He threw a punch, trying to blow off Jeong Yeon-shin’s head, which caused a massive shockwave.

In that instant.

Jeong Yeon-shin’s eyes sank. He had anticipated the enemy’s response.

Now that he couldn’t step forward and had lost one hand, his next move was clear.

There was no need for a counter. It was time to fully display his own martial arts.

Whoosh!

At the gap of a close-range fist strike, he let go of the Iphwang Sword.

The verse of the Eternal Blossom Fist was already guiding the Luminous Wheel that Transcends Law Technique within his body. With the Advancing Thunder technique, he struck the side of the enemy’s fist.

Thud!

It hit directly. A straight shockwave pierced through the enemy’s fist and shot out.

The enemy’s hand ended up striking his own chin, and he felt the feeling of breaking bones through Pure Demon Divine Hand’s fist.

Jeong Yeon-shin’s attack didn’t stop. He pushed the enemy’s face back while stretching out his other hand.

The energy wave of the Luminous Wheel that Transcends Law Technique was in full bloom. Like flower buds blooming together, the energy blossomed.

Strength struck strength, creating another explosion of force.

‘Third Move, Blossoming Fist.’

He piled it onto the enemy’s upper body. It was a fist technique he had created after seeing the Mount Hua’s Falling Petals Palm Technique when he was white-rank.

Now, it shattered Pure Demon Divine Hand’s energy shield and even struck his internal organs.

The inherent dharma power unraveled the enemy’s true energy, allowing the fist strike to penetrate the bone.

Crack! Thud!

Eighteen strikes landed in one move. It was as if colorless petals were blooming from the enemy’s upper body.

It shattered the internal energy, struck the skin, and smashed the ribs into pieces.

The changing sensation of the strikes became increasingly clear. He could feel his rising level of martial prowess.

‘Ugh.’

While throwing fist strikes, he swallowed a groan.

It was because of the internal injuries he had sustained from Du Gu-gwang earlier. The pain resonating in his stomach was severe.

The Luminous Wheel That Transcends Law had no regenerative abilities. It was a technique that could only be used when absorbing qi through blood points.

Jeong Yeon-shin’s internal organs were still damaged. The pain in his stomach grew increasingly intense.

One martial art couldn’t contain everything. But he didn’t care.

The divine energy loop emitted light. The swirling Luminous Wheel circulated true energy throughout his body.

The energy of the Luminous Wheel that Transcends Law Technique was immense, and its strength grew even as it was used.

‘Time to end it.’

The boy thought. He was going to cross another wall. He stretched out a final fist strike to the enemy’s solar plexus.

His fist met the already broken ribs, and though it felt like a light touch,

It wasn’t.

Boom!

A monstrous shockwave erupted. It was a strike that completely shattered the rebound force of the demonic energy.

Pure Demon Divine Hand’s body collapsed on the spot. It was a miserable sight.

“Huuu…”

It sounded like wind escaping from his lungs. Pure Demon Divine Hand Ha Yul-geuk gasped for breath.

He lay sprawled at Jeong Yeon-shin’s feet. A deathly silence flowed through the City of Renowned Craftsmen.

From Shu Road to Sichuan, the supreme master who had commanded respect in the vast murim had been utterly defeated.

“…”

The battle on the battlefield had already ended. It had ended almost simultaneously.

It was because the Tang Clan Leader and Ma Jin hadn’t taken on supreme masters. Sword Scorpion Demon Du Gu-gwang was dead, and Pure Demon Divine Hand Ha Yul-geok was bound by Lightning Genius.

The support of the Return Wing Corps was also there.

Among the fallen warriors of the Pure Demon Aliance, who had lost their leaders, the scattered masters within the hall were staring at Lightning Genius and Pure Demon Divine Hand.

They had fully witnessed the unbelievable outcome of the battle.

Ha Yul-geuk’s lips trembled. It seemed like a final reflection.

“Your martial arts… what is their foundation…?”

Those were his dying words. Pure Demon Divine Hand originally had its roots in the demonic sect originating from Xinjiang.

It didn’t follow the laws of the Central Plains. They focused solely on the pursuit of power, and there were no restrictions on methods to obtain that power.

Jeong Yeon-shin suddenly thought of the Azure Qilin. He wasn’t just the young master, but also a martial artist who met his end as a warrior.

Ha Yul-geuk was the same. In the face of death, one’s true nature is revealed.

At this moment, he didn’t seem like a demon.

The boy looked down at the martial artist of Pure Demon Divine Hand.

“It’s the Luminous Wheel that Transcends Law.”

It was a short answer, but that seemed to be enough.

“Transcends Law… How arrogant.”

Ha Yul-geuk’s lips faintly curved upward.

“But you are worthy to have called it that. Boy. If you had grown up among us, you might have… rebuilt our sect…”

His breath ceased. He couldn’t finish his words.

Jeong Yeon-shin, who had been silently watching, closed his eyes. After recognizing the situation on the battlefield.

Since the battle had concluded, he needed to fully stabilize the newly born Luminous Wheel.

At the same time.

Whoosh!

The Return Wing Corps and Radiant Demon Wing. The masters of Desolate Fortress leaped from all directions.

The moment they stopped at a distance, the reverse wind from their light footwork swept through the surroundings.

In an instant, they formed a large circle, surrounding the boy in the center.

Jeong Yeon-shin began to consolidate his divine energy in the middle of the battlefield. It was the process of fully settling the Luminous Wheel he had created today within his body.

Whoosh!

The blue robe of the boy, who stood with his eyes closed, fluttered slightly.

The light emitted by the new heart technique seeped out from his entire body. It was like a faint Milky Way flowing through his body.

It was a mystical sight.

The masters of Desolate Fortress surrounded the boy with their backs to him in a formation to protect Lightning Genius.

They would not allow any interferences as they guarded him.

“…”

The martial artists outside stared blankly. The faces of the Tang Clan and the Beggar Sect masters showed various emotions.

***

Read only at nineheavens.org

Translated by Nine Heavens!

https://discord.gg/XC9DTsTQ9Z

***

Edited by Mgt