The Second Son of the Dancheon Sword Clan Prepared for Regression-Chapter 69 : Chapter 69

Chapter 69: Heavenly Mandate, A Narrow Escape from Death (1)
In the chilly silence.
Crack.
A bizarre sound echoed repeatedly.
Thwack!
It was the sound of bones being crushed.
Crack!
"……Ugh."
In the end, a groan I couldn't hold back escaped my mouth. It must have been because my will couldn't overcome the pain.
"Hmm."
The Heavenly Demon was gauging me, attacking me step by step.
"Interesting."
First, my left arm was shattered.
Then my left shoulder.
My right ankle.
And my right knee.
As if to test me, the Heavenly Demon was gradually gnawing away at my body from the extremities.
"And it's strange."
In fact, I didn't even know if it should be called an attack.
It was because the Heavenly Demon had not once swung his sword or thrown a punch or kick at me.
Nevertheless, everyone holding their breath in the hall knew.
They knew that the Heavenly Demon and I were in the midst of a life-and-death battle.
Although the Heavenly Demon didn't attack, he was constantly beating my body, and although I couldn't thrust my sword, I was looking for his opening with a flashing blade.
As one polishes martial arts, one is bound to become somewhat detached from pain.
Stab-
I stabbed the Dancheon Sword into the ground and leaned on it.
It meant that I was able to stand by using the Dancheon Sword as a staff.
"Not yet. Come at me."
Unlike my will, the end of my words trembled slightly. I didn't know myself if it was because of pain or fear.
Although it could be said to be a somewhat shabby appearance, what the Heavenly Demon showed me was not disappointment, but curiosity.
"Strange. Why doesn't it explode?"
The Heavenly Demon said so.
It seemed that his original purpose was not to shatter my bones, but to make my body explode.
If I were to guess, it would be that the power of the Healing Sage’s Mind Cultivation Art, which had reached the Golden Body, was protecting me.
It was a fact that there was no need to reveal to the Heavenly Demon.
"Why?"
The Heavenly Demon observed me with an interested gaze. The fact that he seemed to have no malice at first glance approached me as the pinnacle of malice.
"I need to look into it a little more."
Slice.
"Ugh."
Thud.
The Heavenly Demon's intention, which had cut my right hamstring, finally brought me to my knees.
It wasn't good, but it wasn't the worst.
It was because I still hadn't reached death.
In fact, it would be right to say that I hadn't survived, but that the Heavenly Demon had still left me alive.
But the important thing was, wasn't it the fact that I was still resisting an irresistible death?
And more importantly…….
"……Come at me."
Although my body might have been kept alive by the Heavenly Demon, it was a fact that my will was alive with its own strength.
Creak.
I forced my rattling bones back into place and circulated my internal energy to straighten my body.
And I raised the Dancheon Sword.
I too was a body that had reached a certain realm.
Despite my injuries, a flawless starting stance emerged from my body.
"Hoo-"
I calmed my breathing and looked around.
The three masters of the State of Harmony who had ambushed the Heavenly Demon were still unconscious.
My father Dancheon Gang was standing firm, gritting his teeth without even blinking.
I knew that the reason he was standing firm like that was because of his conviction and determination that he should be next after me.
The Heavenly Demon, who had given me a moment of respite, finally came to a conclusion.
"You're not ripe yet."
He said so.
-You're not ripe yet.
It resembled what Emperor Breaker Yeom Gi-ha had once said to me.
But it would be a completely different statement.
It was because the Emperor Breaker's words were to guide me to growth, and the Heavenly Demon's words were scheduled to guide me to death.
"Wisu was right."
Mashintong Wisu.
I knew that name too.
During my time as Myeong-gae, I had come across information that he could foresee the heavens with the art of Going Against the Heavens.
The information broker's characteristic curiosity was triggered, wondering if this situation was a flow guided by the heavens, or a result of twisting the heavens.
Even now, my thoughts had not stopped collecting and inferring information, so perhaps I was still living the life of Myeong-gae.
"It's a pity we met now, but I should say it's a relief."
Although the Heavenly Demon seemed to have evaluated me highly, I was not happy.
"Now, just die. I will send everyone with you so you won't be lonely."
It was because I had expected this conclusion.
There was something called a precursor.
In order to execute a powerful martial art, one needed to gather energy or have a grand starting stance. There were also cases where the manifestation of a strong intention was a prerequisite.
But when one reached the level of the Heavenly Demon, perhaps even that was no longer necessary.
Float.
Without any presence, dozens of Energy Orbs floated up next to the Heavenly Demon and circled around him.
Energy Orbs.
It referred to the Condensed Qi Pressure Pill.
Since the absolute power of Sword Flux was even compressed with intention, what more could be said about its destructive power?
The supreme art that could not be cut even with Sword Flux would be the Energy Orbs. Of course, if it were Sword Flux, it would be possible to change its course and deflect it.
Moreover, the fact that they were 'circling around' was also an important fact.
To name it, since he had applied the transcendent art of Reversal Sword Technique, which was beyond the Unseen Sword, it would be appropriate to name it Counterflow Energy Orbs.
It wasn't completely unfamiliar.
It was because I had once seen the Peerless Tyrant handle several Unseen Swords in the air, and I had witnessed the Thousand-Hand Guan Yin in the Emperor Breaker's martial arts.
But even they had not used it with the addition of Energy Orbs.
It meant that I now had to face a supreme art that I had never seen before against a lifelong adversary.
It meant that I had to face an enemy that I couldn't even dream of imitating.
In fact, I still found it a bit difficult to even create an Unseen Sword. It was the same as being still unskilled in the Void-Stepping Gait.
It was because fully wielding intention required steady training through time.
Naturally, I had not reached the point of floating an Unseen Sword in the air and wielding it with Reversal Technique.
It meant that I was far lacking compared to the Heavenly Demon.
But if I gave up just because I was lacking, how could that be a struggle?
I have always lived a life with a purpose.
In other words, it could also be said that I have always been struggling.
Against an irresistible death, I will struggle.
Since my death will not end as a problem of just one person, I will have to use more power than I have.
Goooo-
The Healing Sage’s Mind Cultivation Art responded to my will and stirred the great power I had accumulated so far.
"Die."
With the Heavenly Demon's farewell…….
Flash-!
The world flickered.
***
A revolving lantern.
It is a mysterious phenomenon known to be experienced at the moment of death.
A revolving lantern is as short as a fleeting moment, but it is known to be long enough to look back on one's entire life.
In fact, I don't know if a revolving lantern actually exists.
The reason is that although I have already experienced death once, I have never experienced a revolving lantern.
But now I can't deny the existence of a revolving lantern.
Flash-!
At the same time as the Heavenly Demon unleashed his great power, the world slowed down.
In the slowed time, my expanded five senses and Spirit were taking in everything around me.
Leaving the Heavenly Demon's emotionless expression behind, I could see dozens of Energy Orbs rushing in like meteors, leaving afterimages.
My father Dancheon Gang had turned his back.
It wasn't the appearance of running away.
The place his gaze and footsteps were heading towards was where the household members were, so he was performing his movement technique so intensely to fulfill his duty as the Clan Head.
When the Energy Orbs floated up next to the Heavenly Demon.
I had felt a hesitation from Clan Head Dancheon Gang, wondering whether he should come to help me or go to save the household members.
His choice to go towards the household members was absolutely right.
The reason was that I too was the second son of the family, with the duty to protect the household members.
My gaze moved to the side.
I don't know when he regained consciousness, but Uncle Yeo Baek was holding his sword and raising a resplendent Sword Flux.
Perhaps my uncle had been pretending to be unconscious and looking for an opening.
It wasn't an action that a master of the Righteous Faction would take, but since the opponent was the Heavenly Demon, it would be right to see the blame as being nullified.
In any case, Ma Sok was standing next to my uncle who was holding his sword.
Although Brother Chun-baek was still lying down, since my uncle and Ma Sok were blocking the front, he would not reach death right away.
They would at least be able to save their lives against the Energy Orbs.
"Re-e-tre-e-a-at-!"
The owner of the shout, which was drawn out as much as the slowed flow of time, was Dancheon Hak.
He had come forward to the front to protect the household members against the Heavenly Demon's attack, so I would say that he was a figure who was not lacking as the future Clan Head of the Dancheon Clan.
The peculiar thing was that a star cluster was beginning to form on the blade of the famous sword that Dancheon Hak was holding.
What more could be said?
‘Brother, you've reached the State of Harmony.’
It was an undeniable proof of the State of Harmony.
In order to protect the household members, Dancheon Hak had finally blossomed his Spirit, so he had finally crossed the wall.
Perhaps the essence of Dancheon Hak was in protection.
The regrettable fact would be that it would be difficult for Dancheon Hak's Sword Flux, who had just entered, to block the Heavenly Demon's Energy Orbs.
Finally, my gaze turned to the front.
It would be right to describe the mind of the Heavenly Demon, with his eyes like a bottomless pit, as emotionless.
Perhaps the tragic hell that was about to unfold was just a predetermined future for him.
I had several choices.
To quickly move to protect the household members like my father Dancheon Gang.
Or, to focus on defense for my own safety and look for an opportunity to counterattack.
But the two above were not the right answers.
Since the Heavenly Demon was still alive, it was nothing more than postponing a scheduled death.
In fact, there was only one choice left for me.
It was to kill the Heavenly Demon. To be precise, to aim for his life.
To kill the Heavenly Demon.
I knew because I had experienced him directly with my own body.
I knew that now, when he had an opening after using a transcendent art, might be the only chance.
I must kill him to live.
I must kill him for the family to survive.
I must kill him for peace to come to the Jianghu Murim.
No, I might die.
The family's power might also decline greatly with this attack.
But…….
I might be able to prevent the return of that hellish Great War of Righteousness and Evil.
So I must kill the Heavenly Demon now.
The many paths of choice converged into one.
What was the most powerful attack I could unleash right now?
I can't do it like the Heavenly Demon.
It was because let alone Reversal Technique, even the materialization of intention was still not easy for me.
Since my whole body was a wreck, it would be difficult to rush in directly.
Both were not impossible, but they were not the best.
My brilliant insight instantly derived a solution.
The sensation of the sword hilt in my hand was particularly cool.
Dancheon Sword.
The legacy of the master craftsman Heavenly Artisan.
A supreme treasured sword that could even cut through Sword Qi.
If I put all my intention into the Dancheon Sword and shot it at the Heavenly Demon, it would be possible to tear through his protective aura and inflict a wound.
I would be able to kill the Heavenly Demon.
Rumble-
The Energy Orbs, filled with great power, rushed straight at me.
If I were to take that head-on, it would be difficult to survive.
Fortunately, since I had achieved the Golden Body, it might be possible to leave a corpse.
I will probably die.
So I must block that attack.
But I can't block it.
It was because I had to use strength and time to block it.
If I used strength and time to block the Energy Orbs, my Dancheon Sword would never reach the Heavenly Demon.
The only chance I had ever had would disappear.
‘Hoo-’
I gave up on defending.
I gathered all the energy I had accumulated so far in the palm of my hand.
I put all my intention into the Dancheon Sword.
And…….
Swoosh!
I shot the Dancheon Sword.
Like a ray of light that had broken through the dark clouds, the Dancheon Sword flew like light.
Swish-
Had the revolving lantern reached its end?
Time regained its speed.
I could see the Dancheon Sword rushing towards the Heavenly Demon, but unfortunately, it would be faster for the Energy Orbs to reach me.
Squeeze.
As I prepared for the impact, my eyes naturally closed.
Closing one's eyes during a life-and-death battle was a taboo of taboos, but it wouldn't be so in the current situation.
Boom!
Clang-! Boom!
Boom-!
The sound of the Energy Orbs exploding echoed through the space in succession.
The world, unable to withstand the shockwave, screamed.
Am I dead?
……No.
The fact that the sound of the Energy Orbs exploding echoed in my ears meant that I had survived in that explosion.
"Disciple, are you alive?"
A welcome voice echoing in my ears proved that I was still alive.