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Chapter 418: Erasing the Stars

Cold sweat was visible as I felt my trembling pupils and my hands clutching my lower dantian.

The figure that seemed to crumble down slowly was a clear indication that my plan was working as intended.

‘It really is effective.’

I had been worried about failure, but the versatility of demon energy felt broader than I expected.

As I surveyed the collapsed Tang Deok, I recalled why he was in such a state.

Now, it was the subordinate of Tang Deok whose name I could no longer remember. Was it Julbok or Jungbok?

I had set a specific goal upon corrupting his subordinate into a demon.

If that guy were to die at Tang Deok’s hands after returning…

The demon energy he possessed would spread around.

I was applying the theory that if a demon dies, its energy disperses into the surroundings.

I began to approach him gradually while checking my physical condition. Yet, despite my plan going well, there was one issue.

‘This is a bit tough.’

Utilizing the demon energy I embedded within Tang Deok was proving to be quite difficult.

I had felt this when dealing with the Black Dragon Sword; the opponent’s realm being higher seemed to pose a limitation on using demon energy to impose restrictions.

Of course, it was likely considerably better than the pressure Tang Deok was currently feeling.

I forced a nonchalant expression as I approached him.

“Nice to meet you.”

Tang Deok looked at me with trembling eyes.

The demon energy tightening around his body clearly flustered him.

“…What have you done to me…?”

“Do you like the gift?”

“You punk…!”

With a distorted expression, Tang Deok shouted at me.

“Did you poison me?!”

It seemed he had mistaken me for having poisoned him.

Well, I guess it could be considered poison in a manner of speaking.

‘He’s pretty angry.’

Feeling Tang Deok’s rage, I couldn’t help but smirk.

To him, poison was like a dagger.

He had no ability to develop resistance to it.

And it stemmed from his inherent insecurity linked to his surname.

I looked at him, grinning broadly as I said, “So, what are you going to do about it?”

“You bastard!”

Kuwoong—! Tang Deok unleashed his energy from his body.

Though bound by demon energy, it was still an immense force.

In terms of momentum, it might even rival the Black Dragon Sword.

As I took in this information about him, Tang Deok growled and questioned me.

“Have you allied with the Poison King…?!”

His somewhat unexpected remark made me tilt my head in confusion.

“Why do you think that?”

In response to my question, Tang Deok sneered at me.

“The only family capable of using such poison is that damn clan.”

“That’s harsh. ‘Damn clan,’ you say? Aren’t you of that same clan?”

“You bastard…! How dare you compare me with that place…!”

“Well… I suppose it’s not exactly the same. You’ve probably long forgotten about it since you were abandoned.”

“…!”

At my words, Tang Deok ground his teeth.

“Just how much do you know…?”

“I don’t really know much, but…”

If he pressed me on just how much I knew, I would say, “The Heavenly Martial Body Birth Plan.”

“…!”

“Just around that much.”

As soon as he heard my response, Tang Deok’s eyes widened in shock and started to tremble.

It seemed he had not expected me to know even this much.

‘I didn’t even want to find out about it, to be honest.’

The Heavenly Martial Body Birth Plan.

From its name alone, it sounded utterly bizarre.

Yet, diving deeper exposes a lot of filthy and ugly truths.

This was the title of an experiment planned by the head of the Tang Clan, known as the Poison King, who was a martial master of the previous generation.

Poison King Tang Biseong was someone who loved the Tang Clan more than anyone else.

He held the clan in high regard and desired more than anyone that it rise to prominence.

What was the fastest means of achieving that? This was a question Tang Biseong had long pondered.

The answer was quite simple.

In a way, it was an obvious solution.

For the Tang Clan to ascend to the highest position, the foremost requirement was to possess the strongest martial artist in the Central Plains.

While the clan had enough prestige and fame, they could never claim to be the First Clan among the Four Great Clans due to that very reason.

The absence of an absolute being.

Although the Three Eminent Beings had appeared and the Righteous Faction was starting its golden age, it was also an era devoid of someone that existed in every age.

The number one in the world.

Sword Sovereign, Pejon, and Heavenly Lord.

Discussions of who among these three was the strongest would persist endlessly.

Yet, no one could provide a definitive answer on who truly held the title of the number one in the world.

These were martial masters acting within their constructed domains, and there was no prevailing movement to establish this hierarchy.

Instead, they lived in an age referred to as the Era of Three Eminent Beings, enjoying relative peace.

It could be argued that this was the most balanced period ever.

However, the Poison King was certainly unhappy about this.

At that time, he probably thought that in such gaps of opportunity, the Tang Clan should seize the pinnacle of power.

He knew he couldn’t do it himself.

The Poison King had a clear understanding of his limitations and chose to hope for the future instead.

That was the starting point of the Heavenly Martial Body Birth Plan.

A Heavenly Martial Body refers to a being bestowed with heaven-given physical form and talent.

It possessed a body perfectly suited for learning martial arts.

Moreover, it had a brain ideal for comprehending martial arts and an expansive lower dantian suitable for accumulating energy.

The finest existence to become a martial artist.

That was the Heavenly Martial Body.

The Poison King wished to nurture such a being within the Tang Clan.

In doing so, he aimed to create someone who could become the world’s number one and thus elevate the Tang Clan to the First Clan status.

That was Tang Biseong’s ambition.

This plan, much like his lofty ambition, would evolve into a rather brutal form.

A Heavenly Martial Body cannot be gained merely by wishing for it.

It is only regarded as a talent that will be born once every thousand years.

Tang Biseong aimed to artificially create a Heavenly Martial Body, optimistic about such slim probabilities.

An artificial Heavenly Martial Body.

What a paradoxical phrase.

I initially thought that way.

Continuing to reflect, I realized the method of experimentation was so outrageous it made me want to scream.

First, Tang Biseong took orphans without names from all over the Central Plains, imprisoned them underground, and bestowed upon them the Tang surname.

After that…

‘He injected them with the blood of demon beasts.’

Though it sounds bizarre, this was indeed recorded as actual events.

The demons possessed muscles that were tough and resilient compared to ordinary humans.

Among them, he injected the blood of the primate demons that closely resembled humans.

What was the outcome, you ask?

What could it be? They all died.

It was only to be expected. A demon is a creature utterly different from a human.

Even the color of their blood varies.

If forced to inject large amounts into a human…

The human body could not withstand demon beast blood and would go into shock, leading to death.

This information was something I stumbled upon when I discovered the depths of the Four Great Clans’ underground in my previous life.

Thousands of journals containing such details were found.

Including the lost records, there might have been double that number.

How many souls were consumed by Tang Biseong’s ambition?

The records indicated the youngest victim was five years old, the oldest merely ten.

Could it be that such small children perished under Tang Biseong’s ambition?

That was something I couldn’t fully grasp.

And right in front of me was Tang Deok, a victim of such experiments.

Moreover, I recalled the conclusion written at the end of those thousands of journals.

In a situation where dying was a given, one entity had succeeded in mixing with demon beast blood.

It’s completely unfathomable by my standards.

How could a human survive after being injected with demon beast blood? It was hard to believe.

Yet, the records clearly stated.

Blood Fusion Success.

With increased skin strength and a considerable boost in physical power… It was written like that.

I had no idea what method was used, but Tang Biseong’s experiment succeeded, and if the records were accurate, he must have achieved a physique very close to what he desired for the Heavenly Martial Body.

However, it was concluded there that this test subject was a failure.

Despite conducting over thousands of experiments, how could he label this situation a failure?

The answer lay in the title.

‘The Absence of Poison Resistance.’

This was the essence of the experiment.

Since Tang Biseong wished for a number one in the world under the name of the Tang Clan…

What he valued most was not only the physique but also whether or not it could learn poison techniques.

Thus, in that aspect, this test subject was indeed a failure.

The conclusion was drawn that it could not develop a resistance to poison.

It seemed absurd that someone so physically outstanding would yield such results, but reality showed otherwise, and that’s why Tang Biseong recorded it as a failure.

Of course, the physique was excellent, and he repeatedly conducted multitudes of experiments to cultivate poison resistance, but all ended in failure.

The records indicated he eventually removed this test subject.

However, I was certain of it.

This experiment’s subject was none other than Tang Deok before me.

‘After all, the name recorded was Tang Deok.’

Not that there was only one Tang Deok, and I had not examined all the records, but the details alone were enough to identify him.

His name was Tang Deok.

A being with incredible physical might and a body closely resembling an indestructible fortress.

A body incapable of cultivating poison.

His rage towards the Tang Clan.

Simply observing this much made it all come together.

“You are the failed product who couldn’t become a Heavenly Martial Body. That’s you, isn’t it?”

“…You bastard… just who are you?”

“Who am I?”

Upon his question, I briefly mulled it over.

My identity… What should I say? It felt like a tough question.

Then, without meaning to, a word slipped out of my mouth.

“Heavenly Demon.”

“…What?”

“Oh, just ignore that. It was a random thought that crossed my mind.”

I wasn’t sure why the thought of the Heavenly Demon suddenly popped into my head.

It was an involuntary word I uttered, but for some reason, Tang Deok slightly nodded as if it made sense.

“Heavenly demon… such a fitting term.”

“You brat…?”

I had no idea why he was acting so brazenly like that after seeing me once.

Suddenly, irritation surged within me, but I had to suppress it for the time being.

Creeeek.

Tang Deok, clutching his spear, was rising to his feet.

“Moreover… I’ve realized you are related to the Poison King.”

“…”

Not that I was, but denying it felt pointless since he wouldn’t believe it anyway.

And…

‘Even if it doesn’t work, it doesn’t matter.’

What was crucial here was something else entirely.

Tang Deok rose, aiming the tip of his spear at me while declaring, “You will die by my hand here.”

Even while struggling with demon energy, his spirit remained unwavering.

In my previous life, when his eyeballs were gouged out by my hands, I also sensed such a feeling.

“The Poison King, that bastard’s daughter is supposed to be there, right?”

Upon hearing the name Tang Soyeol escape Tang Deok’s lips, I frowned.

“That girl will fall to my hands too…”

“Hey.”

As I called out to Tang Deok, he glanced at me with a peculiar look.

“Stop right there.”

“What?”

“I need you alive for future use…”

I forced myself to suppress the emotion boiling within me.

It was a strong urge to go up to him and snap his neck right then and there.

But, I had to hold back.

“If you say anything more, I’ll have to kill you. Keep your mouth shut and do what needs to be done. Will you fight or not?”

“…”

Sigh…

At my words, Tang Deok let out a short sigh before tightening his grip on the spear and gradually releasing his energy.

Considering he was infused with demon energy, this level of power was impressive…

Yet, it felt as if the demon energy I had imbued wasn’t manifesting sufficiently within him.

Could it be…

‘Does the demon beast blood within him play a role?’

That might just be the case. Demon energy is not just the force of the Heavenly Demon but also carries energy found within demon beast stones. So, there might be resistance to demon energy within that blood.

If so, would a fight against Tang Deok, who hadn’t been thoroughly consumed by the demon energy, be somewhat problematic?

I was silently observing him while reaching a conclusion in my mind.

‘I’ll know once I try it.’

If I don’t try, I won’t know.

That was my conclusion.

In this life, I haven’t had many battles against martial artists who have reached the Transformation Realm.

At most, it was against the Black Dragon Sword and Baek Cheon-gyeomju—or perhaps my father.

That was about it.

Compared to those encounters, fighting him felt rather comfortable.

Indeed, right after reaching the Transformation Realm, I wanted to test my mettle.

‘Killing him doesn’t matter.’

Just this thought alone provided significant relief.

Of course, I wouldn’t kill him since I needed him, but there was no pressure.

“This time, I won’t touch your eyes.”

“….?”

The puzzled expression on Tang Deok’s face said it all.

“I just thought your eyes looked tempting.”

“…You little punk.”

Considering it a provocation, Tang Deok lunged at me with a powerful charge. I smirked and raised my demon energy in response.

At that instant, my heart surged full of demon energy.

Thump thump—!

Feeling the surge of energy rampaging through my body, I released my aura.

I first thought of, ‘Black Heaven.’

I erased the stars above.

 

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