172. The Heavenly Sword Demon – Ambition in Silence

The Heavenly Sword Demon sat in quiet meditation within her secluded chamber. A dense stillness hung in the air around her. Eyes closed, she attuned herself to the flow of energy. The Murim's qi—once ravaged by war and chaos—now pulsed in a soft, restrained rhythm.

"How curious."

She muttered to herself.

"The imperial court, the Murim Alliance, even the Demonic Cult—though the storm raged so fiercely, Lee Dohyun still managed to rise to the center of it all... His potential runs deeper than I expected."

She recalled the choices she had once made. In order to keep Murim from falling completely into the imperial grip, she had taken calculated steps. One of those was to watch Lee Dohyun. A mere outsider at first, he had now become a new axis around which Murim's balance revolved.

"It seems I was right to keep an eye on him. And yet... this current state is far from ideal."

She opened her inner senses and murmured:

"Murim has always evolved through chaos and upheaval. I rose to the peak during one such storm. But peace—peace breeds decay. Murim now is far too quiet."

She allowed herself to imagine unsettling the current balance, reshaping the world, and standing once more at its center. Yet, part of her acknowledged that this peace wasn't meaningless.

"Dohyun… he's not simply a man with strong martial arts. The power he wields is fundamentally different from traditional inner energy. Where did that force come from? Could he be the key to Murim's next evolution?"

She recalled their last encounter. The energy he exuded had clearly surpassed the boundaries of conventional martial cultivation. It was reminiscent—eerily so—of the energy she had once glimpsed during her research into Elysium.

"Even I couldn't fully comprehend it... And that makes me want to know more. How far does his strength extend? Could I ever reach that realm myself?"

She rose from her seat and took her massive sword in hand.

"Murim's tale is far from over. You may have stabilized it, Lee Dohyun… but how long will that last?"

Gazing out the window into the horizon, she spoke softly.

"To stand at Murim's peak isn't just about strength. It means becoming the pivot around which the entire world moves. You and I, Dohyun—we'll soon see who truly deserves to claim that center."

Yet she made no move—for now. She watched. She waited. The tides of Murim still flowed, and she found herself hoping for them to rise again.

"Now is the time to observe. But the day I test him… that day will come."

With a subtle smile, she set her sword down. Her eyes glinted with quiet resolve.

**

Chapter : Forbidden Rites and the Road Ahead

Late at night, beneath a shroud of darkness, the Heavenly Sword Demon spread ancient scrolls across her table—records of forbidden rites and esoteric rituals collected over a lifetime. Most were weathered by time, but certain passages still burned vividly in her memory.

Her gaze stopped at one phrase:

"A summoned power shall open the gate to a new world. That gate opens only to the chosen."

She traced the words with her finger, whispering to herself:

"A summoned power... The force Lee Dohyun displayed—it was no mere martial or inner energy. It resonates with the forbidden rites spoken of here."

She sifted through the scrolls, searching for further clues.

"The chosen shall walk one of two paths. One leads into a new world. The other, to dominion over the one left behind."

The words made her brow furrow.

"Enter a new world… or rule this one. Which are you after, Dohyun? Do you seek to open a door… or claim the throne?"

She rose and looked out into the night sky.

"Where did that power originate? Could Dohyun hold the answer I've been chasing all these years?"

She remembered the time she herself had tried to enact the forbidden ritual, only to fail. She hadn't met all the conditions. In the end, she had contented herself with reigning at the summit of Murim.

But Dohyun's arrival had reopened old questions—and new hope.

"That power… it wasn't granted by luck. It's stronger than anything I've encountered. If he's the key to this puzzle…"

She made a decision. She would test him. Only by uncovering his true nature and resolve could she know how to face him.

She summoned her followers and gave quiet orders.

"Monitor Lee Dohyun and the Cheonuhoe. But do not act with hostility. I will confront him myself."

Once they departed, she returned to the scrolls.

"This test isn't just to measure your strength, Dohyun. I need to know the true nature of the power within you."

She reviewed the ingredients and conditions required for the ritual. Some were already in her possession.

Lifting her sword slowly, she whispered:

"If you intend to open the door to another world, then I'll follow you there. But if you seek to rule this one… I will be the wall that stops you."

Her eyes burned with fierce determination. This test would not only reveal Dohyun's nature—it would challenge her own limits.

In the silence of her sanctuary, she began her preparations. Her voice fell to a whisper, meant only for herself.

"You've become the center of Murim, Dohyun. Don't disappoint me. If your power truly holds the key to reshaping this world, then I will stand by your side… when the time comes to open that gate."

And so, in the depths of night, she began planning the trials to come—toward a realm not yet touched by any blade.

**

Chapter : Fates Intertwined

Lee Do-hyeon was lost in deep thought, searching for a way to return to the real world. As the leader of the Murim Alliance, he bore great responsibility—and he had made a new family here. His life in this world was undeniably precious. Yet the reason he had come here in the first place, and the lingering longing for his home, were things he could never quite erase.

Recalling a past conversation with the Heavenly Sword Demon Queen, he murmured,"The forbidden rite she spoke of... the summoned power... Can I really open that gate? Or am I doomed to live the rest of my life, trapped in this world?"

Meanwhile, the Heavenly Sword Demon Queen continued her pursuit of the truth behind the strange power. Her ambition extended beyond simply reshaping the order of Murim. She had become convinced that the energy surrounding Do-hyeon was not of this world—it was linked to something far greater, perhaps even to a higher dimension.

In her secluded chamber, she pored over ancient scrolls, organizing everything she knew about Do-hyeon."His power doesn't stem from inner energy or martial arts. It's unlike anything I've ever seen, and yet... it feels familiar. Where does it originate?"

Rather than confronting him directly, she began to test him—sending cryptic hints and fragments of forbidden knowledge through her agents, subtly observing his reactions.

One day, Do-hyeon received a secret letter from one of her envoys. Inside, a clue related to the forbidden ritual was written:"Every gate opens with a key. That key lies in the hands of the chosen one. The passage between two worlds cannot be moved without it."

Do-hyeon stared at the message, bewildered."A key… the chosen one… What is she trying to tell me? Why send this to me now?"

Still, he took it as a sign. A clue—perhaps the first real lead in his quest to return home.

Unbeknownst to each other, he and the Heavenly Sword Demon Queen were walking separate paths toward the same destination.He sought the path back to his world.She sought the source of power that defied this one.

From her stronghold, the Demon Queen spoke to herself,"You wish to return. I seek to know. Our desires differ—but we are bound to meet at the same gate."

Do-hyeon, too, felt their destinies pulling them together."In the end, I'll have to face her. She holds answers I need. But what's her real intention?"

As he delved deeper into the clues she left behind, Do-hyeon began to realize that their relationship wasn't defined solely by hostility. Something more complex was unfolding.

"A confrontation may be inevitable. But whether it becomes a clash—or a collaboration—is something only time will reveal."

The Demon Queen, watching from afar, wrote another message."The gate must be opened by the chosen. But it demands not only will—but a price."

Reading her words, Do-hyeon clenched his fist."Whatever the price, I will open that gate. And no matter what answer she seeks—she won't stop me."

Though their goals differed, they were destined to meet at the same threshold.