ShadowVane

Once feared as the Crimson Storm, Jin Mu-won was the strongest martial artist of his era—until betrayal shattered his path and death consumed him atop a mountain of corpses. But fate had other plans.

Reborn as a boy in a peaceful village at the edge of the Murim world, Mu-won awakens in a new era—one of hidden sects, decaying traditions, and rising darkness. With his memories intact and a mysterious pendant bound to his soul, he uncovers a sealed legacy: forbidden arts, long-lost realms, and a power that should not exist.

Smart, handsome, brutal, and cunning, Jin Mu-won is no hero. He's a predator in a world of prey. As ancient seals break and enemies rise from the shadows, Mu-won begins a ruthless ascent—shattering bones, defying fate, and dragging the martial world into an era of chaos it cannot escape.

Because this time, the demon won’t stop at domination.

He wants everything.

Heavenly Demon Reborn: Chronicles of the One- in-Millennium Genius

The air was dense—soaked in ancient resentment.

Mu-won stepped over a broken totem, its base cracked and bleeding dark mist. Each symbol etched into the stone whispered in a forgotten tongue, clawing at the edge of his mind.

Seo Yura walked behind him, her steps careful, her breathing shallow. Even with her Inner Court experience, this place unnerved her.

"This formation…" she said softly, "it's not just sealing something… it's feeding it."

Mu-won didn't reply immediately. He crouched beside a spiraling root covered in talismans long turned black with age. He brushed one gently, and it disintegrated into ash.

"The seal's weakening," he murmured.

They had reached the heart of the corrupted forest. The mist had turned blood-red, swirling in ghostly spirals. A giant obsidian monolith stood at the center of a sunken pit, chained down by dozens of rotting spiritual chains. Faint thumping could be heard from within—as if something massive and furious breathed beneath.

Yura shivered. "This wasn't meant to be part of the trial. The Elders wouldn't risk it."

Mu-won smirked. "You still think they control everything?"

A sudden roar split the air. Not physical. Not vocal. A soul-roar.

Dozens of disciples, scattered across the forest, screamed and collapsed. Some bled from their ears. Some curled into fetal positions. Some simply vanished into the red mist, their minds shattered.

Yura staggered but steadied herself.

"Your mental defenses…" she whispered. "They're unreal."

Mu-won's voice dropped low. "I've seen demons wear the skin of gods. This is nothing."

From within, a hand emerged—jet black, skeletal, clawed. Bound with ancient runes that hissed as they burned. The soul-pressure doubled, pressing the air like a mountain. Birds fell from the sky. Trees wept black sap.

Yura drew her blade, but her hand trembled.

"Wait!" she cried. "That's a cursed spirit from the Warring Era! We need backup—"

"No," Mu-won interrupted. "We need to kill it before it draws strength."

He clenched his fist, and the air around him changed. His body radiated a battle-hardened energy—not flashy, but heavy. Ruthless. It was a killer's aura, the kind found only on warfields.

The demon screamed again. Its face—half-formed and skeletal—glared at him with void-filled eyes.

"Reborn one... you should not exist," it hissed.

Mu-won responded with a savage grin.

"Get in line. You're not the first mistake trying to erase me."

Not with brute force—but with precise, devastating attacks, each one targeting the demon's soul core. His martial energy wasn't just cultivated—it was evolved, forged through battle and death. Every blow suppressed the demon's screams, forcing it back into the seal.

Yura watched, stunned. Even the elite of the Inner Court would have struggled. But this boy…

He moved like he was born for this.

Ten minutes later, the demon let out one final shriek before the chains tightened again, dragging it back. The seal reformed—cracked, but holding.

Mu-won stood over it, chest rising slowly, not from exhaustion—but from anticipation.

"That wasn't the real threat," he said aloud.

Yura descended into the pit. "What do you mean?"

He pointed to the edge of the formation.

Etched into the stone was a symbol neither of them had noticed before—an eye, crowned with seven blades.

"The Seven Shadows," he said. "They were behind this."

Yura's eyes widened. "But they're a myth… They vanished over a century ago."

"They're back," Mu-won said darkly. "And they're watching."

As the mist began to retreat, Mu-won picked up the last trial token from a fallen disciple.

But the real game had only just begun.

Chapter 29 – The Demon’s Seal