The Divine And Demonic Doctor [EN]: Chapter 430

The origin of the bizarre demonic energy that saturated the basin was now clear.

If the Heavenly Demon was indeed lurking within, this was the opportune moment to strike, before it fully revealed itself.

In an instant, Dan Akseon’s figure blurred, stretching forward like pulled taffy.

His Black Dragon Sword, instantly piercing through the ranks of demons, moved with dazzling speed and precision.

Pabababak!

Explosions echoed like a string of firecrackers, each strike sending demons flying.

But their numbers were relentless.

Dan Akseon, who had been charging forward without pause, began to falter.

Even in their frenzied, mindless state, the demons desperately tried to prevent him from reaching the central building, throwing themselves at him with unwavering determination.

The speed of Dan Akseon’s advance noticeably slowed.

Simultaneously, a sense of urgency gnawed at Dan Akseon’s heart.

The number of demons swarming him only continued to increase.

Then, in a coordinated surge, the demons before him unleashed their palm strikes.

A blood-red aura, radiating palpable dread, emanated from their hands.

It was their ultimate technique: the Blood Jade Hand.

Kwarururu.

“……!”

Dan Akseon’s gaze darkened.

The demons’ martial arts prowess was already considerable.

And the combined force of dozens of them unleashing their power simultaneously was a force to be reckoned with.

Like a monstrous tsunami, it threatened to crush everything in its path.

“Evade!”

“Be careful!”

Shouts erupted as the Central Plains elites scattered to either side, seeking to avoid the brunt of the attack.

However, Dan Akseon couldn’t afford to retreat.

A powerful, inexplicable sense of impending doom urged him to press forward.

“Ah!”

Someone gasped in astonishment.

They had belatedly noticed Dan Akseon, standing alone against the onslaught.

The air around Dan Akseon shimmered and distorted.

The sheer force of the demons’ palm energy warped the very atmosphere.

Without hesitation, Dan Akseon plunged directly into the blood-red vortex.

Taking a deep breath, he unleashed the Black Dragon Sword towards the oncoming attack.

Flash.

A streak of dark light erupted within the vortex of formidable energy.

Jjeoeong!

A deafening, ear-splitting screech tore through the air as the disrupted blood-red energy billowed outwards.

Stone fragments and dust exploded in all directions.

A dark shadow pierced through the dissipating blood-red haze, still thick with dust.

And…

For a fleeting moment, a path opened, a narrow corridor between Dan Akseon and the central building in the basin.

Seizing the opportunity, Dan Akseon shot forward.

“Hukhuk.”

Reaching the building, Dan Akseon gasped for breath.

He had poured every ounce of his strength into seizing this single chance.

He stared at the writhing black fog that enveloped the area.

Then, without pause, Dan Akseon plunged into the darkness.

‘Ah!’

The moment the pitch-black darkness extinguished his vision, Dan Akseon knew something was terribly wrong.

He had experienced similar phenomena before.

But the sense of danger prickling his skin was far more intense than anything he had encountered previously.

Not only was the overwhelming demonic energy suffocating, but an unfamiliar, alien power triggered an instinctive fear deep within his core.

Then, without warning.

“……!”

Goosebumps erupted across Dan Akseon’s skin.

The swirling demonic energy, which had been surrounding him, suddenly penetrated his body, rapidly encroaching from all sides.

At the same time, his true energy [internal energy cultivated through martial arts] began to drain away like a receding tide.

It felt as if he were facing the Demonic Cult’s dreaded and long-lost Essence Absorption Art (吸精功) [a technique to steal the vital essence of others].

The demonic energy, clinging stubbornly and relentlessly digging in as if possessing its own will, felt like a predatory life force seeking to devour its prey.

‘I anticipated something like this, but this is……’

Dan Akseon gritted his teeth.

He was momentarily stunned by the sheer power, but this was a situation he had prepared for.

Fortunately, he had spoken with Zhuge Shan earlier.

Without that conversation, he would have been caught completely off guard and utterly helpless.

Dan Akseon recalled the incantation of the Anti-Demonic Art that Zhuge Shan had taught him.

As he circulated his true energy according to the incantation, he felt the demonic energy that had penetrated his body and set his blood aflame begin to falter.

But…

‘It’s not enough!’

Dan Akseon’s eyes flickered with doubt.

Zhuge Shan’s warning echoed in his mind: even the Anti-Demonic Art might be ineffective against the Heavenly Demon’s power. His words were proving true.

The situation had improved slightly, but it was only a temporary reprieve, not a lasting solution.

Even if the process was slowed, the demonic energy that had already invaded his body was steadily consuming the true energy of the Mighty Divine Art.

There was no escape from this.

Even if he stalled for time, the outcome remained inevitable.

As these thoughts crystallized, a resolute will ignited in Dan Akseon’s eyes.

‘This formation is designed solely for the Heavenly Demon.’

Dan Akseon sat cross-legged on the ground and closed his eyes.

He ceased the circulation of the Mighty Divine Art in accordance with the Anti-Demonic Art’s incantation.

He decided to stop resisting the demonic energy he had been fighting so hard to repel.

As if anticipating this, he began to welcome the rapidly encroaching demonic energy into his body without resistance.

And this time, reversing his previous actions, he began to circulate his energy according to a demonic art incantation.

Then…

The demonic energies that had been swirling around the area began to be rapidly absorbed into Dan Akseon.

If the Divine Demonic Three Venerables or other masters had witnessed this, they would have been shocked beyond words.

But there was no other option at this moment.

Fortunately, his gamble paid off.

Dan Akseon had prior experience treating Qi Deviation [a dangerous imbalance of internal energy] caused by a flawed, imitation demonic art manual.

That treatment required a proper demonic art incantation above all else.

However, lacking access to such an incantation, Dan Akseon had chosen to compensate for the deficiencies himself.

Drawing upon his medical knowledge and martial principles, he began to fill in the gaps and correct the incomplete aspects of the flawed demonic art.

This was only possible because of the memories of his childhood.

Although forbidden from practicing them for fear of Qi Deviation, Dan Akseon knew all of Cho Akryang, Han Seolhwa, and Beom Gyewi’s internal energy cultivation methods.

These mental cultivation methods were all exceptional techniques, rare even in the human world, and demanded a high level of comprehension.

Dan Akseon had fully internalized their essence.

“Keuek.”

A painful groan escaped Dan Akseon’s lips.

His face was pale as paper, and cold sweat poured down his face like rain.

The process of accepting unfamiliar demonic energy and practicing demonic art was an immense burden.

Despite his preparations, the process was far from smooth.

Regardless of his will, the Mighty Divine Art, which had been sustaining his body, rejected the alien energy at a subconscious level.

Dan Akseon had reached his physical and mental limits.

He had nearly lost consciousness several times already.

The repulsive force generated by the conflicting energies colliding within him caused his meridians [energy channels in the body] to swell as if they would burst, and flashes of lightning danced before his eyes.

He was on the verge of Qi Deviation.

Yet, Dan Akseon refused to give up.

He couldn’t.

Then, suddenly.

Tuk.

His nose began to bleed.

“……!”

Dan Akseon flinched.

But this was only the beginning.

Suddenly, a burning sensation rose in his throat.

Jureuk.

The blood trickling from Dan Akseon’s lips gathered at his chin and dripped down.

‘No!’

Dan Akseon’s heart pounded with dread.

The composure he had struggled to maintain shattered, and the true energy he had been trying to control surged uncontrollably through his meridians.

His muscles convulsed against his will.

A profound sense of despair washed over him.

The ominous feeling of impending doom grew stronger.

It was Qi Deviation.

Despite all his efforts, he had failed to overcome the crisis.

At first, he felt only injustice.

Then, uncontrollable anger filled his chest.

But in the end…

One emotion eclipsed all others.

Sadness.

As he faced his end, images of the people he would never see again flashed before his eyes.

As he experienced the legendary panorama of life, Dan Akseon longed to cry out in sorrow.

‘I’m sorry.’

Uncle Cho, Uncle Beom, and Aunt Han…

Dan Akseon’s heart ached with the knowledge that his passing would bring them grief.

But reality was cold and unforgiving.

As his consciousness flickered and faded, Dan Akseon’s cross-legged posture collapsed.

And at that very moment.

Time ceased, and a profound tranquility enveloped Dan Akseon.

A sense of complete isolation from the world.

Then, a voice echoed through the abyss of his consciousness.

“I don’t know when it will be, but such a time will surely come for you too.”

“……!”

Dan Akseon looked around in surprise.

The voice was a welcome sound.

He found himself standing in an unfamiliar place.

‘No.’

Looking closer, it wasn’t unfamiliar at all.

It was a place more familiar to Dan Akseon than any other.

The waterfall inside the Divine Demonic Valley.

The pond below.

Quiet darkness surrounded the area, and the moonlight shimmering in the pond warmly illuminated the surroundings.

The unique scenery of the Divine Demonic Valley, where the sky and water merged, creating a dreamlike atmosphere where it was impossible to distinguish whether the moon had fallen into the pond or was rising from it.

Then, the voice spoke again.

“If you encounter a situation where you are blocked and cannot move forward…”

Someone stood before him.

Dan Akseon, facing a person he missed beyond words, choked with emotion.

“Father?”

Shin Eui, meeting Dan Akseon’s gaze, smiled gently and said,

“Then stand still and put down the heaviest things first.”

“……!”

“If you empty it, and empty it again, a new path will open.”

A soft and gentle voice.

Though few words were spoken, Dan Akseon felt his heavy heart lighten.

‘Why did I forget?’

Childhood.

It was a story his father had told him.

It was then that he faced the burden he had unknowingly carried.

The weight of karma, previously unrecognized, became apparent.

Since when had it started?

No one had told him to do it.

He had been piling up that heavy burden himself.

The determination to become stronger had become a shackle, obscuring his true path.

‘Empty and discard… and put it down.’

When there was no space left to insert a needle.

The world of true freedom would open.

He felt a sense of relief.

The world of consciousness, buried deep within his heart.

The shackles of obsession shattered, and he cast off the restraints binding his mind and body.

No more anxiety, no more pain.

Dan Akseon turned his head.

His mother, standing shoulder to shoulder with his father, smiled brightly.

“Thank you.”

With a smile and a nod, Dan Akseon slowly opened his eyes, the image of his parents the last thing he saw.

“…….”

The first thing he saw was the pillar of the building, engraved with complex letters and pictures.

He had entered the interior.

Looking around, the black fog, still filled with terrible demonic energy, howled and swirled outside the building.

And…

‘Heavenly Demon!’

A fierce fighting spirit ignited in Dan Akseon’s eyes as he spotted a man standing blankly in the center of the building.

Perhaps sensing his presence.

Jong Geukjin, who had been closing his eyes, slowly opened them.