One week later.
The morning was calm, and the sky was brilliant.
Jin had finally made a full recovery. He strolled through the palace, realizing that much had truly changed.
The High Demons no longer watched his every move, and the Council of Elders held no more grudges; the Sect Leader's orders were absolute, after all. But most importantly...
Jin shouted: "Why is my name now the Demonic Dragon?!"
The Right Guardian replied: "Did you not see what you did in that fight? Hey... I'm telling you, there was a dragon behind you. A real dragon. It's a phenomenon called Manifestation. You've reached the first stage of it—even I cannot do that."
Jin muttered: "So that's how it is... Anyway, what happened to Yuan?"
"Huh? You don't know?" the Guardian asked. "He has become an External Heir."
Jin shouted in shock: "What? Did the Sect Leader adopt him??"
"Yes. And he might become the leader of the unit formerly led by the Blade Demon—that is, if you don't become the leader yourself."
"You mean... the Blood Sword Squad?" Jin thought to himself. Damn, so much has truly happened during this month.
The Guardian added: "Yes. Now, go and prepare yourself to meet the Leader."
A few hours later, at the highest peak of the Ten Thousand Mountains.
The Great Guardian spoke in a tense tone: "Are you truly ready? This will not be easy."
"Yes, I have recovered," Jin replied. "But... why is the test here and not in the Court?"
The Guardian looked away for a moment, remembering...
Flashback
The Great Guardian asked: "Why will you not test him in the Court of Illusions?"
Chun Ma replied with a hint of gravity:
"This person's mental world must not be opened by any means."
Present Moment
"I do not know," the Guardian said. "He certainly wants to do something different."
The two reached a point where a stone was engraved with: [The Path of the Grand Peak].
"Be careful," the Guardian warned. "Try your best."
"Understood," Jin said.
Jin began to walk, climbing the stairs toward the summit while thinking:
Why is everyone so terrified? Granted, he is one of the Sword Thrones, but I am not weak. I am at the Seventh Star, a Sword Master. Yet, they all make me feel so nervous.
Jin walked for a while. Everything seemed normal until he reached the Sect Leader.
The Heavenly Demon stood upon a rock, his back turned to Jin. His long black hair was loose, flowing in the wind, and his clothes were exceptionally luxurious despite their simple design.
Jin knelt on one knee and joined his hands in respect.
Jin: "I offer my respects to Lord Chun Ma, the Supreme Master of the Heavenly Demon Sect."
Chun Ma spoke coldly: "So, it seems you are ready."
Jin: "Yes, my Lord... May I ask the reason for my summons here?"
Chun Ma raised his head toward the sky and spoke:
"You ask?"
Then, suddenly... the pressure of the Heavenly Demon erupted. Jin was forced onto his knees against the ground.
Chun Ma: "So, you wish to ask?"
Jin tried to stand, but with every passing second, the pressure intensified.
Jin felt an incomprehensible sensation. It wasn't just fear, nor was it bloodlust. It was the feeling that he was already dead!
Jin looked at Chun Ma in bewilderment.
Chun Ma spoke with extreme coldness. His voice was strange—it carried no physical energy, yet it was enough to make Jin tremble just by hearing it!
Chun Ma: "Did you think you move by your own will?"
"Did you think you understand the rules of the game?"
The pressure increased further, crushing Jin into the earth. The ground cracked, and his face was pressed into the dirt.
Jin struggled to rise, his mind racing.
What is this? How does he have such pressure? I am resisting with all my strength and I cannot even stand?
This was the first time Jin felt true, paralyzing fear.
Chun Ma turned his head slightly toward Jin and spoke:
"Trying to stand? It would be better for you if you didn't."
Jin ignored the warning and tried to rise again.
Chun Ma swung his body around with lightning speed and made a single wave of his hand.
Jin felt a wave of energy pass directly over his head. He looked behind him.
His eyes widened; his body shook with pure horror.
It was a single wave of the hand, but... more than eight peaks behind them... had been completely severed!
Jin looked back at Chun Ma, but this time, the environment suddenly changed as if they had been severed from reality!
A sea of blood as far as the eye could see!
Swords, blades, and spears were thrust into the ground everywhere—thousands of them!
The rock Chun Ma had been standing on turned into a mountain of corpses!
Everywhere Jin's eyes fell, there were endless piles of mutilated bodies!
The pressure on Jin intensified... his face was pinned to the ground!
Jin was truly terrified for the first time!
His mind was on fire.
Jin's mind: What is this place, for heaven's sake? This isn't an illusion... it's an entire space separated from the world!
Then, suddenly... the Tower's System Window appeared!
Jin grew even more tense and bewildered as he was being crushed.
Jin's mind: How is the system window working here??
The system window shook violently.
[Attribute 'Rational' has been forcibly deactivated]
[You are being subjected to the Special Skill: 'Domain Expansion']
Chun Ma spoke in a terrifying, threatening tone:
"Did you think things go as you wish?"
"Did you think you truly move as you think?"
"You are a mere lowly insect."
"You are but a trivial ant in this world..."
Jin was completely crushed amidst the blood in this domain.
He tried to rise. Blood dripped from his mouth; blood seeped from his eyes and nose.
He quickly activated the Analysis Skill.
System Window - Analysis Skill
Name: Cheon Moon-Woo
Age: 93 years
Level: Unmeasurable
[Skills cannot be analyzed due to the overwhelming difference in level]
[Skills cannot be analyzed due to the overwhelming difference in level]
The system window screamed in red:
[Error!]
[Error!]
[Error!]
[Analysis Skill has been forcibly deactivated. You will be deprived of this skill for a period of time.]
The Heavenly Demon's voice grew sharper.
Chun Ma: "Are you trying to evaluate me with that lowly skill, you pathetic creature?"
Chun Ma finally turned around.
His face did not match his age at all; he looked as if he were in his thirties.
He looked Jin in the eye.
They were entirely blood-red. The killing intent from his gaze alone was enough to kill fifth-star warriors!
Jin was crushed further.
He bled from his eyes, mouth, nose, and ears.
Even his body began to crack, leaking blood.
Then, another window appeared before him.
He tried to lift his head in despair and... his eyes dilated. His terror doubled because of what was written in the window!
The Constellation [Monarch of the Demonic Sect] is looking at you.
Jin raised his eyes in absolute horror toward this being before him.
Chun Ma spoke in a cold, threatening tone, but the pressure of the voice alone was enough to kill!
Chun Ma: "You are just an insect in this world."
"You are a mere nobody in this world."
"Do not even think that you control the events around you."
His face alone was enough to kill!
Jin screamed in his mind:
This! This! He is definitely not human!
Is this what it means to be one of the Sword Thrones?
A Constellation? What does Constellation even mean?
Chun Ma: "You are just a chess piece. Do not attempt to rebel or even act as you wish."
"Jin Fa*&@#..."
"I will grant you the same rights as the Heirs, and I will appoint you as a member of the Council of Elders and the leader of the Blood Sword Squad."
"Until your role here is finished, do not seek an explanation for anything."
"Do not ask about what you see now."
"Do not even ask yourself about yourself."
Jin's mind was burning as he thought:
What is Jin Fa@#&@**... for heaven's sake!*
And what is this being in front of me? This is not a human at all!!
Chun Ma continued: "When your qualification in the Murim is complete, only then will you have the right to ask and act freely."
"Do not try to challenge the impossible again."
Jin could not rise from the ground or even look at Chun Ma.
His entire face was bleeding.
His body was cracked, and blood flowed from him.
And finally...
System Window
The Constellation [Monarch of the Demonic Sect] is looking at your soul.
And Jin lost consciousness.
End of Chapter