Chapter 214: Cheon Yura, Jin Yeomyung (3)

A faint sense of admiration flickered in the eyes of the Venerable Buddha.

“‘Asura God Body’, is it?”

It was a rare internal technique, one of the ultimate secrets of the Demonic Heaven’s Jin Clan, and could only be accessed after mastering both the Demonic Heaven Asura Divine Art and the Indestructible Asura Demon Art to an advanced level.

“The Demonic Cult truly possesses unimaginable martial arts. I never imagined a technique existed that could withstand this monk’s Hundred-Step Divine Fist….”

Though the words were filled with pride, Venerable Buddha had every right to say them.

“Still, no matter how I look at it, benefactor appears to be wearing ill-fitting clothes. That blow just now—Cheon benefactor’s failure to sever this monk’s neck—was clearly a mistake.”

He was right.

The Asura God Body was never something I should’ve been able to wield.

It was a miracle forced into being by pushing my body to its extreme, relying on the physique of the Demonic Heaven’s Jin Clan and operating two internal arts I barely understood through mantras.

“Are you… alright, Jin Yeomyung?”

“I can barely manage.”

I barely managed to lift my upper body with her support.

Cheon Yura, uncharacteristically downcast, said with a sigh,

“I’m sorry. You staked your life to create that opening. If I’d known this would happen, I would’ve gone all out from the start…”

“What are you apologizing for?”

I gave a wry smile and lightly patted her head.

“We’ve already proven we can inflict damage without using Willpower. That alone means we’ve secured a chance at victory.”

At those words, Venerable Buddha’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“What? You say you didn’t use Willpower?”

“That’s correct, Venerable.”

Cheon Yura confirmed it herself.

“What I used was the Heaven-Slaying Qi. Of course, I did focus my power much more than before.”

“But… even if it’s the Heavenly Demon’s martial art, without the Mind Blade, there’s no way a scratch could be left on this monk’s body.”

“There are two reasons for that.”

Cheon Yura smiled meaningfully.

“The first is that Heaven-Slaying Qi possesses greater offensive potential than any martial art in this world.”

“…And the second?”

“It’s because of the fragment of the Heavenly Demon Founder you obtained from somewhere.”

“…!!”

I picked up the explanation in her stead.

“The fact that Buddhist power contains demonic energy—this is something that should never happen. Venerable, you spoke of the vast sea of cosmic law, but there’s no way those two forces could have truly fused in harmony.”

Even if all things were said to be one, Buddhist power, by its nature, could never accept the demonic.

After all, wasn’t one of the most representative tales of Shakyamuni—the founder of Buddhist cultivation—his rejection of Mara’s temptations?

“I can guess why you accepted a fragment of the Heavenly Demon Founder. It must’ve been to counter the awakened forms of the Ten Heavenly Lords.”

The Heavenly Demonic Divine Art’s unique ability to nullify mystical powers—

It was indeed a natural nemesis to the Heaven-Defying Society.

Venerable Buddha nodded solemnly.

“…I won’t deny it.”

“By accepting the Founder’s fragment, your martial arts have approached the realm beyond heaven, while also gaining overwhelming advantage against the Ten Heavenly Lords. But…”

When power fails to harmonize, it inevitably leaves a flaw.

“Your martial art, which should have been flawless, now instead exposes a weakness to the Heavenly Demonic Divine Art.”

“I see. So that’s how it is.”

Venerable Buddha nodded, as if in understanding.

“I understand now. All the more reason to defeat you here and now.”

Flash!

Radiance surged across Venerable Buddha’s entire body once again.

“Though I admit Cheon benefactor’s martial arts are my natural nemesis, that only holds true when the difference in absolute strength has been narrowed.”

The killing aura pressing down from him was so overwhelming, it could rob one of the will to fight just by facing it.

“With my full power, I shall destroy you both.”

“…Would’ve been better if we had a little more time.”

Cheon Yura clicked her tongue lightly.

The reason she’d talked so much during battle—something quite unlike her—was to buy time to recover from the recoil of forcibly activating the Asura God Body.

“Can you still fight?”

“Of course, no problem.”

My breathing had nearly returned to normal.

The raging qi inside me had also calmed significantly.

As I summoned my fighting spirit again—

I decided to voice the minor grievance I’d been holding in my heart.

“Hey, Lady Cheon Yura?”

“What is it?”

She looked at me quizzically, and I slightly pouted my lips before saying,

“I know it’s not the best time, but I’d really like to get something off my chest.”

“Hm?”

“Could you stop speaking so stiffly when we’re alone?”

“…?!”

I grumbled toward her wide-eyed expression.

“It just doesn’t fit the mood, you know? We’re lovers, but when you still talk like a Young Cult Leader all the time, it kind of kills the atmosphere.”

“U-uhhh!!”

Cheon Yura’s face flushed red.

“Wh-why would you bring that up now of all times…!”

“Well, we’re facing a life-or-death opponent here. If I’ve got even a speck of unresolved emotion inside me, I won’t be able to concentrate properly, right?”

“……”

“Answer me.”

I stared her down with an intense gaze.

“…Ugh.”

After a brief silence, she avoided my eyes.

Eventually, she hung her head and turned her back, surrendering in defeat.

“F-fine… no—”

After hesitating and biting her lip, she whispered in a barely audible voice,

“…Alright.”

“Fufufu, excellent.”

Watching her like that, I gave her a mental thumbs-up.

I couldn’t understand why she was so embarrassed about speaking normally.

But since she had lived her whole life as the Young Cult Leader, speaking like an ordinary woman must feel unfamiliar.

‘Well, I’m not that different. Still, if I don’t keep pointing it out, she’ll just fall back into her old habits in no time.’

We’d take it slow and work on it over time.

I didn’t expect her to act differently during public affairs anyway.

Nor did I want her using that tone with others.

I just wanted her to show that raw, unguarded side of herself—only when she was with me.

“Hohoho, what a heartwarming sight.”

Venerable Buddha, who had been watching us, suddenly let out a hearty laugh.

“It was a transparent attempt to buy time, but as a humble monk, I couldn’t help but allow it.”

“Oh dear, you noticed?”

“The way you two look reminds me of my own past.”

The ruthless glint in Venerable Buddha’s eyes briefly softened and returned to its original gentleness.

“May your love and bond last a hundred years.”

“A hundred years won’t be enough, don’t you think?”

I grinned.

“A thousand years might still feel too short.”

“Wahahahaha!!”

Venerable Buddha burst into a fit of laughter, as if truly delighted.

The tremor in the air made me wonder if this was what they called a lion’s roar.

And then, just as suddenly, he stopped laughing.

“In respect of your bond, I shall spare your lives.”

“……”

“However, I will take away your martial arts. Leave the martial world and live in peace for a thousand years.”

It was, undoubtedly, the greatest mercy someone like Venerable Buddha could offer.

But—

“Peace for a thousand years is a given, but I cannot accept that, Venerable.”

I rejected that mercy.

“What kind of man would I be if I were powerless? Naturally, I want to let the one I love enjoy everything she desires, and do everything she wants.”

The Supreme One of Compassion.

The path she had wanted.

The path she still wanted.

I would use all my strength to make it happen.

“A man without power cannot bring prosperity to his wife.”

“Is that so?”

Venerable Buddha, smiling with crescent-shaped eyes, held out his palm.

“Then prove that power to me.”

Once again, Venerable Buddha’s divine palm came flying at me.

Boom!

Part of the mountain range exploded as our battle with Venerable Buddha resumed.

As the aftershock of the Tathagata Divine Palm left us suspended in the sky, Venerable Buddha’s divine form shot toward us.

No—he was targeting Cheon Yura specifically.

‘Just as expected. He’s going for Yura.’

If Cheon Yura could infuse her Heaven-Slaying Qi with Willpower, not even Venerable Buddha would emerge unscathed.

And because he knew that, he was aiming to eliminate Cheon Yura first instead of me.

But the true trump card we had prepared lay elsewhere.

‘He thinks only Cheon Yura’s Heaven-Slaying Qi can wound her?’

In the face of this life-or-death battle, the power of the Second Heavenly Demon slumbering in my Dantian began to rise.

In the past, I could barely draw a speck of it. But now, having reached the state of Ultimate Demon, I could summon enough to wield it properly.

“Amitabha!”

Venerable Buddha rushed in on Cheon Yura, and swords and fists began to clash wildly.

If she was pouring in all her power, she could hold him off for about ten seconds.

During that brief exchange, I condensed the power of the Heavenly Demonic Divine Art into my sword.

‘Condensing it alone won’t be enough.’

I forged it.

Recalling the strike I once experienced from the Sword Demon.

Upon the blade imbued with Qi, I layered a blade of Willpower.

A strike that previously would have cost me my life just to attempt—now, the strongest strike I could deliver.

“Get clear!”

As soon as she heard my shout, Cheon Yura hastily pulled away from Venerable Buddha, even at the cost of exposing herself.

“What?”

And the moment Venerable Buddha looked at me in confusion—my sword, swung with every ounce of strength I had,sliced through space itself.

Ten Heavenly Record Demonic Sword

Final Record

Heaven-Piercing, Demon-Annihilating Slash

“……!!”

Mind Blade—Heaven-Piercing, Demon-Annihilating Slash.

The strongest strike I could perform at this point.

The moment I saw the emotion of betrayal flicker across Venerable Buddha’s eyes—

Splurt!

His right arm was severed cleanly.

“Ghh!”

Even someone like Venerable Buddha couldn’t maintain his composure after losing an arm.

But the opening that created was brief—barely a flash.

“Graaahhh!!”

Venerable Buddha quickly regained his focus and began firing off waves of Tathagata Divine Palms with his remaining left hand.

Boom!

Boom-boom!

In an instant, the mountain range we had occupied turned into a wasteland under the barrage of divine palms.

But the indiscriminate barrage didn’t deal much damage to us.

“Haa…! Hah!”

Not long after—

Venerable Buddha and we landed, as if by mutual agreement, with about twenty paces of distance between us.

Still short of breath, Venerable Buddha said,

“Impressive. Even though I was focusing on Cheon benefactor, I didn’t let my guard down… and yet…”

Not even his Diamond Indestructible Body and Supreme Ability could stop it.

Heaven-Piercing, Demon-Annihilating Slash had torn through it all and taken his right arm.

“Was this your plan all along?”

“To some extent, yes.”

“A pity. If you’d aimed for the neck like with Cheon benefactor’s attack earlier, the victory would’ve been yours.”

I had aimed for the neck.

But due to the overwhelming power of the slash, my accuracy had dropped.

“The current me… has already partially shed the form of a human.”

“…!”

“Hrrgh!”

As Venerable Buddha let out a forceful breath—his severed arm regenerated in an instant.

“……”

“……”

Both Cheon Yura and I stood speechless.

‘No, come on, that’s just ridiculous!’

He wasn’t even an awakened form of the Ten Heavenly Lords—how could that be possible?!

Cheon Yura, too, looked horrified as if thinking, ‘This is just too much…’

“He’s no different from a monster.”

I was the first to recover and spoke.

“But I can feel it—his momentum is noticeably diminished. We still have a chance.”

“True. The problem is that we can’t expect any more big moves to work on him now.”

We had used every tool at our disposal—except our final card.

From now on, Venerable Buddha would take us seriously and slowly grind us down.

“After obtaining the fragment of the Supreme One, this monk’s body began to change… becoming more like theirs.”

Venerable Buddha, who had regenerated his right arm, let out a bitter sigh.

“For someone who once walked the path of the martial, to resort to such heretical means… it’s a bit shameful.”

Once walked the path of the martial.

In other words, Venerable Buddha was declaring that he was no longer a martial artist, but a vengeful ghost.

“That strike you just used—it seemed like your final card. Do you have anything else left?”

“……”

Cheon Yura and I readied ourselves once more.

Seeing our resolve, Venerable Buddha gave us a look of pity.

‘Can we create an opening?’

We still had one final card left.

The problem was—it required a bit of prep time.

‘We must find an opening. If not, then we’ll have no choice but to flee.’

Everything so far had been for Cheon Yura’s sake.

There was no need to risk our lives in a final confrontation with Venerable Buddha.

And then, at that moment—

“Kuhahaha! Looks like you’re having fun!”

“How shameful of you, Senior Venerable Buddha, to act like this toward your juniors.”

“…!”

I widened my eyes in shock as I recognized the two elderly figures who had suddenly entered the battlefield.

The Sword King and the Saber King.

The very ones who had reportedly been injured in their previous fight with Venerable Buddha—had returned, standing before us, once again blocking his path.

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