Chapter 02

Namgung Cheon focused his consciousness and began carefully examining his new body.

He inspected everything—every layer of skin, every strand of muscle, every joint and bone.

‘The skeletal structure isn’t bad. It looks frail, but its foundation is solid.’

But that was as far as the praise went.

As if it had never been properly trained, the flow of qi and blood was weak, and there was barely any internal energy worth mentioning.

‘But… what is this sensation?’

It was too unusual to dismiss as mere lack of training.

Deep within the body, he could sense something extraordinary.

The organic coordination between bones and muscles.

An instinctive sense of balance that naturally understood the body’s center of gravity.

‘Despite being untrained, this level of martial talent…’

He immediately searched through the memories.

Brief flashes from young Namgung Cheon’s childhood surfaced.

The moments when he first held a sword.

How he had instantly copied his master’s teachings.

How he grasped the principles of swordsmanship far faster than others.

‘This is more than ordinary talent.’

A faint smile appeared on the Heavenly Demon’s lips.

‘A Hundred Weapons Body . A physique capable of instinctively understanding the principles of all weapons and drawing out their power.’

It could not compare to the Heavenly Martial Body , a physique regarded as a gift from the heavens.

But they belonged to different domains, and this body was more than adequate.

If the Heavenly Martial Body possessed unparalleled depth, allowing overwhelming achievements in a specific field, then the Hundred Weapons Body possessed limitless breadth, encompassing the potential of every martial art.

‘To possess such talent and yet hide it beneath the shell of mediocrity…’

The Heavenly Demon clicked his tongue.

Perhaps the narrow-mindedness of the Namgung Clan, a prestigious sword family, had failed to recognize this gift.

Or perhaps their stubborn insistence on mastering only a single path had suppressed its potential.

It was also possible that Namgung Cheon himself had feared the upheaval such talent would bring and chosen to ignore it.

But things were different now.

The new owner of this body was the Heavenly Demon—the former pinnacle of the Demonic Path.

‘I’ve obtained the extraordinary talent known as the Hundred Weapons Body, but for now it’s nothing more than a painting of rice cakes.’

His gaze slowly swept across the interior of the Myriad Sword Tomb.

Hundreds of swords emitted unique auras.

An ordinary martial artist would lose consciousness merely from the oppressive pressure of the sword qi filling the place.

Even if the Hundred Weapons Body allowed him to vaguely sense each sword’s characteristics and value, his body was not yet prepared to endure them or claim them as his own.

‘My soul may be that of the Heavenly Demon, but Namgung Cheon’s body is utterly inadequate.’

He assessed the situation coldly.

At his current level, properly exploring the Myriad Sword Tomb was impossible.

One wrong move and the sword qi permeating this place could crush him, ending the hard-earned second life he had just gained.

No matter how magnificent the feast laid before him, it was meaningless if the bowl meant to hold it was cracked.

For the unprepared, fortune was often little different from disaster.

‘First, I need to make this body usable. Which means…’

His eyes narrowed.

‘I need to fix the cultivation method.’

Recovering his lost power.

And creating a solid foundation capable of fully drawing out the Hundred Weapons Body’s potential.

Those were his highest priorities.

But a problem immediately presented itself.

‘Which cultivation method should I use?’

The demonic arts he had practiced in his previous life were all destructive and overflowing with demonic energy.

‘And they’d spread demonic qi everywhere… unacceptable.’

Only one option remained.

The cultivation method originally practiced by Namgung Cheon.

He recalled the sole internal cultivation art stored within Namgung Cheon’s memories.

Azure Firmament Great Evolution Heart Method 

A cultivation technique learned by every member of the Namgung bloodline.

The foundation and essence of all Namgung martial arts.

In terms of quality alone, it ranked among the finest techniques in the world.

But it was not a method that produced rapid progress.

The Namgung Clan belonged to the Orthodox Path.

Unlike demonic arts that forcibly extracted power, orthodox martial arts required time and patience to elevate one’s realm.

‘…That’s the part I dislike.’

Leaving the Myriad Sword Tomb, Namgung Cheon found a spacious clearing and sat down cross-legged.

‘I’ll make a few modifications.’

The speed and explosiveness of demonic cultivation.

The stability and inclusiveness of the Namgung Clan’s martial arts.

Could they not be combined?

Of course, he couldn’t reveal too many traces of demonic techniques.

‘Otherwise, people will become suspicious.’

Just enough alteration to avoid raising doubts.

Slowly, Namgung Cheon closed his eyes.

With a deep breath, his consciousness sank into his dantian.

The first verse of the Azure Firmament Great Evolution Heart Method surfaced in his mind.

“Heaven and I are one.
All things and I are one.”

The Namgung Clan interpreted this as harmony with heaven and earth.

A doctrine of coexistence and unity.

‘In other words, wait until everything naturally comes together.’

But Namgung Cheon had no intention of waiting.

‘I will stand shoulder to shoulder with heaven itself.’

The energy within his dantian began to pulse.

At first, it was a small ripple.

Then it rapidly expanded, as if it had discovered a clear purpose.

The internal energy surged through his meridians.

A scorching current climbed his spine and spread throughout his body.

As he exhaled, the next verse followed naturally.

“Ride upon the righteousness of heaven and earth,
command the transformations of the six energies,
and wander freely without end.”

This was the central principle of the cultivation method.

But Namgung Cheon rejected it as well.

‘Following the current is merely riding in another’s wake.’

Instead, he envisioned himself standing atop the great flow of heaven and earth, seizing control of its turbulent changes.

His body responded immediately.

The gentle energy gathered within his dantian became increasingly fierce.

It swirled like a storm through his meridians before condensing into a far denser form.

“Urgh…”

His body trembled from the sudden transformation.

Pain erupted from his dantian, but he ignored it.

His lips moved slightly.

‘The final verse.’

“Respond without sound,
accomplish without form.”

The ultimate principle of nature.

Yet Namgung Cheon altered it without hesitation.

“I respond with my voice,
I accomplish with my form.”

When he spoke, the world would answer.

When he acted, all things would move according to his will.

A declaration rejecting patience and submission.

He would not wait for the world to respond.

He would shape the world himself.

At that moment—

A violent heat erupted from within his body.

The internal energy blazing from the depths of his dantian spread throughout every meridian.

Each blood vessel tightened as the energy compressed itself further and further.

Namgung Cheon’s presence had completely changed.

His muscles and meridians vibrated as they adapted to the transformed energy.

Thin wisps of steam rose from his heated skin.

His breathing deepened.

There would be no more submission to the flow.

From now on, he would become its center.

Namgung Cheon drew another long breath.

His path was now clear.

‘My will shall become the truth. My actions shall become the law of heaven and earth.’

For that was the path of the Heavenly Demon.

* * *

The results of modifying the cultivation method were astonishing.

Compared to before, incomparably greater internal energy had settled firmly within his dantian.

His meridians brimmed with vitality like parched earth finally receiving rain after a drought.

Most importantly, the oppressive pressure of the sword qi filling the Myriad Sword Tomb had become noticeably lighter.

‘This should be enough preparation.’

Slowly rising to his feet, he returned to the entrance of the tomb.

Now it was time to uncover the secrets hidden within this graveyard of swords.

Even Namgung Cheon’s memories contained no information about what swords rested inside.

‘At the very least, swords hidden in the depths of the Myriad Sword Tomb should be superior to those elsewhere in the Sword Soul Cave.’

His gaze swept across the interior.

The tomb was more orderly than he had expected.

Each sword rested upon its own pedestal.

In front of every pedestal stood a small plaque recording the sword’s name and the rank of its former owner.

‘They’re maintaining it quite well. Then again, this place is the history of the Namgung Clan itself.’

After taking in the sight, he stepped deeper inside.

Then—

His footsteps suddenly stopped.

A single sword had caught his attention.

Though still sheathed, a powerful aura leaked from within.

‘…Impressive.’

The plaque read:

Azure Heaven 
13th Clan Head, Namgung Cheong

‘Namgung Cheong…’

The former clan head and once acknowledged as the foremost expert of the Orthodox Path.

Shing—

The blade slid smoothly from its scabbard.

‘As expected. A flawless divine sword.’

In an instant, Namgung Cheon understood the sword’s aura and balance.

Powerful.

Righteous.

A sword any practitioner of Namgung swordsmanship would covet.

‘But if I am choosing a sword for myself, it is far too aligned with the Orthodox Path.’

Returning the blade to its place, he continued onward.

The next sword possessed an unusual scabbard.

Crafted from black ebony, it bore the engraved image of a sinister serpent.

Snake Soul 
Captured from the Blood Demon Corps Leader, Namgung Ak

‘Hmm. The Blood Demon Corps Leader. A fellow who once enjoyed some fame among the unorthodox factions.’

The killing intent and yin energy contained within the blade were considerable.

‘But it isn’t to my taste. Too many tricks and too little substance.’

He moved on without hesitation.

Whether they were treasured swords of the Namgung Clan or blades seized from defeated demonic practitioners, none captured his interest.

Deeper and deeper he ventured.

Swords wielded by generations of clan heads.

Blades used by geniuses who perfected legendary techniques.

Even ceremonial swords received through exchanges with other sects.

Any one of them would have dominated an era.

Yet his feet never stopped.

‘Not enough. More importantly, they don’t suit me.’

When he finally entered the deepest region of the Myriad Sword Tomb—

A suffocating pressure descended upon him.

The sight before him was difficult even for someone with his experience to comprehend.

‘…How strange.’

Dozens of nearby swords were blackened with corrosion.

Others had rusted and snapped in half.

‘Is it devouring the energy of all the other swords…?’

Carefully stepping past the ruined blades, he reached the apparent source of all the energy.

And then—

An astonishing sight greeted him.

At the deepest point of the tomb lay a circular chamber.

In its center, thick chains descended from the ceiling and wrapped around a single suspended sword.

A pitch-black scabbard darker than the night itself.

And beneath it, carved into a stone altar in crimson ink, was a single character:

天
Heaven

The moment he saw it, a faint smile appeared on Namgung Cheon’s lips.

He immediately understood why Namgung Mugang had placed the sword here.

‘So you acknowledged it. The sword’s worth… and mine.’

Unlike the other swords, it had not been left upon a pedestal.

It had been sealed away so that no unworthy hand could touch it until its rightful master appeared.

Respect for a rival.

And respect for a promise.

“The stubborn fool hasn’t changed, Namgung Mugang.”

Namgung Cheon softly spoke the name of his old adversary.

His tone carried the quiet emotion of meeting a long-lost friend.

“I’ve come to fulfill our promise.”

Toward the proof of that promise—

He reached out his hand.