Chapter 191

The first thing that struck Seo-jun was curiosity.

Nok So-pyeong was seeing Seo-jun for the first time today. That meant she had no way of knowing his abilities.

Of course, having reached the realm of Extreme Demonic Mastery, she might have gleaned some information through qi perception, but it wasn’t enough to warrant suddenly bringing him to the Purification Tree.

Because of this, Seo-jun stared at Nok So-pyeong instead of paying attention to the tree.

“So, what exactly do you want from me by bringing me here?”

“You seemed interested in the Purification Tree, so I brought you.”

“Didn’t you call it a sacred relic?”

“It used to be. Now, it’s just a slightly larger tree.”

When Seo-jun’s suspicious gaze didn’t waver, Nok So-pyeong gave him a peculiar smile.

“And…”

Her green eyes pierced through him.

“I’m just curious. I feel something strange. Should I call it familiarity…? An inexplicable sense of kinship.”

Kinship? Two words surfaced in Seo-jun’s mind.

Inner Core and Demonic Seed of Ten Thousand Calamities.

Aside from that, there was no reason for Nok So-pyeong to feel kinship with him.

While Seo-jun continued to stare at Nok So-pyeong, Nokyo approached the Purification Tree in small steps and tapped its surface.

“It’s making weird sounds, you know?”

Nok So-pyeong tilted her head.

“Weird sounds?”

“A whining sound, you know? The tree is in pain.”

Nokyo pressed her ear against the tree and then furrowed her brows, placing her fingers on her temples.

“Hmm…?”

Then suddenly—snap! A small twig sprouted on Nokyo’s head, right next to her tiny antlers.

In an instant, Nokyo’s horns doubled. Her mouth hung open in shock.

“Nokyo turned more deer-like, you know…?”

“This is…?”

Nok So-pyeong looked up at the Purification Tree. Her gentle eyes gleamed fiercely.

“How insolent. To dare pull such a trick right in front of me….”

“What’s going on?”@@novelbin@@

Seo-jun’s question was met with Nok So-pyeong’s explanation.

“The Purification Tree has a will of its own. It seems that plant decided to choose Nokyo and grant her divine abilities.”

“Divine abilities? Isn’t that a good thing?”

“No. This means there’s now a connection between Nokyo and the Purification Tree. If the tree rots away, it won’t end well for Nokyo either.”

Woooooooooooooooo—

A chilling vibration, like the cry of a whale, echoed through the space. It was the influence of the demonic energy surging from Nok So-pyeong’s body.

“This is unpleasant. I could overlook it elsewhere, but to dare do this right in front of me.”

Her demonic energy flared like flames, spreading and consuming everything like a massive fire igniting a forest. A black, smoky aura took the shape of a stag larger than a mountain.

“Wait. What happens to Nokyo if you destroy the Purification Tree now?”

“Now’s actually the perfect time. If I destroy the tree before the connection strengthens, Nokyo will just be bedridden for a few days.”

Between Nok So-pyeong’s elegant antlers, demonic energy gathered—a sphere the size of a fist.

But that sphere was also the condensed embodiment of an overwhelming force, powerful enough to flatten several mountains without exaggeration.

Kwooooooooooosh—!!

The terrifying energy shot toward the Purification Tree.

For a fleeting moment, Seo-jun hesitated.

‘Should I stop this?’

He tried to weigh the pros and cons but quickly dismissed the thought. There was no one here he needed to protect. He just had to act as he pleased.

Boom—!

A small explosion erupted beneath Seo-jun’s feet. It was a minor burst of Mixed Origin Energy.

Seo-jun’s body shot forward like a streak of light, positioning himself between Nok So-pyeong and the Purification Tree.

“What the…!?”

Nok So-pyeong’s eyes widened in surprise as she instinctively tried to retract her attack. However, it was impossible to fully withdraw the force she had released without consideration for the aftermath.

Especially for Nok So-pyeong, who preferred overwhelming her opponents with raw power rather than delicate techniques.

‘No way…!’

Her pupils dilated. If Seo-jun were to die here, it would put her in a very difficult position.

Not even Nok So-pyeong could withstand the wrath of the Demonic Cult.

This was an attack that was nearly impossible to block without reaching the absolute pinnacle. In a combat scenario, it could be evaded or deflected, but judging by his stance, Seo-jun intended to block it outright….

If he ended up severely injured, she might be able to heal him, but even that would invite significant scrutiny and pressure.

Just as Nok So-pyeong’s expression turned aghast, Seo-jun drew his sword.

‘My mind feels calm.’

Even for him, this was a threatening strike. He wouldn’t be gravely injured if he took the hit, but the sheer pressure of it made his entire body tingle.

And yet, the corners of Seo-jun’s lips curled upward.

The more his safety was threatened, the more his life was in danger, the stronger the opponent he faced—the calmer he felt.

It was a peculiar preference Seo-jun had developed after falling into the martial world. He couldn’t suppress the corners of his lips from curling upward in excitement.

Comfort and thrill—was this what it felt like to bask in the familiar warmth of a wife’s skin?

With a strange smile lingering on his face, Seo-jun pointed his sword forward.

He focused on Human, one of Heaven, Earth, and Man. Man represents humanity and corresponds to Qi when aligned with Essence, Energy, and Spirit.

His senses lifted as if ascending to great heights. With a light step into the Realm of Qi and Spirit, Seo-jun drew a slow breath.

‘The path walked by immortals—or perhaps, the path toward becoming one?’

Before a calamity as colossal as a mountain, a mere human was nothing more than a speck of dust—powerless. That was why humans could never abandon their yearning to climb higher.

With a frail body no bigger than a mote of dust, humans raised their swords and tread the path of transcendence to face disasters beyond reckoning.

His mind emptied, leaving only brilliant light bursting forth in clarity.

Seo-jun exhaled softly and thrust his sword forward.

Breaking through twisting, winding paths, his blade carved the Path of Dominance—straight and unyielding.

‘This is my path.’

Heavenly Demon Divine Sword—Third Form: The Path of Immortals.

The blade extended with an electrifying sensation surging through his entire body, illuminating the way.

Hwaaaaak—!!

“Oh my….”

Nok So-pyeong swallowed dryly.

Although the sword was thrust from afar, she could feel something stop right in front of her face.

A strange glimmer danced in her eyes as she captured Seo-jun’s form. His blade didn’t just shatter her attack—it absorbed even the aftershocks using the mysteries of the Absorption Technique.

Seo-jun placed his hand on the Purification Tree while facing Nok So-pyeong, who now wore a peculiar, blossoming smile.

“I’ll take care of this. But in return—”

His sharp gaze bore down on Nok So-pyeong, pressing her like an unyielding force.

“You’ll have to come clean about everything you’ve been hiding.”

***

The first thing Seo-jun felt when he placed his hand on the Purification Tree was an unimaginable concentration of demonic energy.

Since the tree acted as a filter, it naturally accumulated a large amount of impurities, but even accounting for that, the sheer volume of demonic energy stored within it was absurd.

It was several times greater than Nok So-pyeong’s immense demonic energy—there was no need for further explanation.

‘If this had exploded….’

There might have been countermeasures, but if the demonic energy within the Purification Tree had erupted, it could have significantly altered the density of demonic energy in Tian Shan.

At the very least, Nokyo, who lived nearby, would have been severely affected.

No matter how extraordinary her mother was as a spiritual beast at the Extreme Demonic Mastery level, prolonged exposure to thick demonic energy from a young age was far from beneficial.

Even a snake can be poisoned by its own venom. This was no different.

Seo-jun couldn’t deny that demonic energy had a naturally violent and intrusive nature.

Of course, Nokyo was just a brat he’d only recently met. In fact, she was a little irritating. There was no logical reason to go out of his way to care for her.

‘And yet….’

Something about her reminded him of his childhood memories with Geum Chun-bong, leaving him unable to dismiss her completely.

“Tsk.”

Clicking his tongue, Seo-jun focused on the demonic energy within the Purification Tree.

The ever-familiar demonic energy obediently responded, perking up as if eager to follow his will.

The only potential obstacle was the tree’s own consciousness. However, even the Purification Tree seemed to desire purification, yielding without resistance to Seo-jun’s intent.

‘It’s not much different from the Reversal Yin-Yang Explosion.’

All he had to do was convert the demonic energy into pure qi. In fact, this process was simpler than reversing it into an opposing attribute like the Yin-Yang technique.

The real problem, however, was the sheer volume.

Starting from the point where his hand made contact, Seo-jun slowly began transforming the demonic energy within the tree into pure qi.

Saaaah—

The rustling of leaves in the wind accompanied the rapid purification of the demonic energy.

The amount of energy was staggering, but Seo-jun’s talent for qi manipulation made it possible.

‘At this rate, it’ll take about half a day.’

Just as Seo-jun immersed himself deeper into his focus—

Rumble—!

A massive wave of demonic energy began to seep into his body.

The enormous energy within the Purification Tree, now connected to Seo-jun, passed through him as it transformed into pure qi, staining his body with its residual demonic energy.

‘This is….’

It wasn’t intentional. But it wasn’t harmful either.

Seo-jun quietly absorbed the deluge of demonic energy while continuing the purification process.

Crack—!

His body, now steeped in demonic energy, began to transform. Even without shattering his Inner Core, horns sprouted from his head.

However, no extra pairs of arms grew from his sides. Those six pairs of arms had resulted from imbalances between his Essence, Energy, and Spirit. Now that he maintained balance, there was no reason for such mutations.

Seo-jun opened his eyes, observing himself as though from a lofty vantage point.

The Purification Tree rapidly regained its vibrant green hue, while Seo-jun, in stark contrast, became more deeply immersed in demonic energy.

As the realization struck him, the demonic cultivation technique that had been stirring within him—Reversal Heaven Art—finally blossomed.

‘Ah…!’

A surge of ecstasy overwhelmed him.

The foundation of his Mixed Origin Energy Art—merely reversing the flow of energy—began to twist and evolve.

Rooted in Reversal Heaven, it grew into a tree with an unshakable trunk. Countless branches spread outward, bearing blossoms stained with corruption.

Ssssh—

Seo-jun withdrew his hand from the Purification Tree.

What he had initially estimated would take half a day was completed in mere moments.

His soul reveled in the overwhelming sense of omnipotence. With overflowing demonic energy coiling around him, he raised his finger toward the sky.

And as enlightenment took shape, words poured out of his mouth:

“In all the heavens and earth, I alone am supreme. The three realms are filled with suffering, and I shall reign above them.”

The heavens trembled at his proclamation.

The demonic energy of Tian Shan, echoing the will of the Demonic Lord of Ten Thousand Calamities, darkened the skies.

Standing atop it all, Seo-jun gazed upward with a faint smile.

“All demons bow beneath my feet.”

He hadn’t crossed the threshold into Extreme Demonic Mastery.

No—he had deliberately chosen not to step into that realm.

He saw no need to corrupt his Essence, Energy, and Spirit by fully uniting them through demonic energy.

Instead, he transformed his very being into demonic energy itself—naming this state Demon Transformation Realm.

And with this new realm, Seo-jun naturally bestowed a name upon the technique he had shaped.

Thus, it became the Heavenly Demon Divine Art.

The Seed of the Demonic Lord of Ten Thousand Calamities had finally bloomed.