The Max Level Hero Has Returned!-Novel

A sword embodying the heavens themselves; a sword that struck like lightning; a sword that bridged heaven and earth. To wield such a sword, one had to merge with it—a fundamental requirement for a swordsman and the cornerstone of a warrior. It was a realm every warrior aspired to attain, and yet its essence lay dormant within them from the beginning. The realm of Heaven, Earth, and Man encapsulated this very essence.

Attempting to reach this state with an inadequate physique and without proper instruction would lead to the collapse of the user’s body.

Davey tossed the two swords he held in each hand into the air, and as if waiting for this precise moment, the scabbards flew up and sheathed the blades.

Kwak Mi-Young was astounded. "What on earth is this..."

As Davey turned his head, he noticed Perserque and Kwak Mi-Young looking strangely dissatisfied. He didn’t know when they had arrived. Behind them, an old man draped in robes lay unconscious.

"Davey... What exactly was that just now?"

Apart from Perserque and the unconscious Cheon Ji-Hee, everyone was astonished. Ja-Seong and Joon-Seong, watched in bewilderment as they sat on the ground, and so did Ji Woo and Kwak Mi-Young, who observed the scene from a distance.

After a momentary hush, a gleam of light flashed, and the Heavenly Jiangshi gracefully descended to the ground, where it collapsed. Eight blades of sword energy had expertly sliced it through. Although they were fewer than Cheon Ji-Hee’s, they were undeniably more formidable.

"Did you mention the Heavenrend Divine Art? That thing is nothing but a mere fraction of the Heavenly Destroyer Divine Art, and it’s extremely dangerous. Only those with a special constitution can use it. Indeed, from what I can tell, there are only two people here with that capability."

Those two individuals were the unconscious Cheon Ji-Hee and the fallen Han Ja-Seong.

"I…can use it?" Han Ja-Seong had simply dreadful talent when it came to qi. Whatever little he could collect scattered right away, so he was naturally doubtful.

After a moment of silence, Davey called out to him.

"Han Ja-Seong. Before that guy attacked, I told you a story."

Ja-Seong remained silent.

"Why do you think I told you that story?" Davey questioned him.

Ja-Seong did not reply.

"At first, I was skeptical of you myself." Saying this, Davey threw Ja-Seong the necklace with a flask-shaped pendant that he had been holding onto.He then asked, "Where do you think I got this?"

Ja-Seong frowned at Davey’s question. "Umm..."

Davey continued to speak without healing the dying man. "Lee Jun didn’t have the slightest idea who his parents were. So how was he able to find them?"

Kwak Mi-Young frowned. "Sir, that sounds as if…"

Davey smirked. "That's right. It's the only trace. Also, as long as he is not awakened somehow, Han Ja-Seong’s physique is simply dreadful."

Even though Dokgo Jun had given up drinking due to a promise made to Dokgo Yeon, Davey seemed to have a rough understanding of why he had once been a heavy drinker. It was likely driven by guilt and grief for his descendants who had returned to the secular world.

Dokgo Jun had left behind a child before his passing.

If the Heavenly Spirit Physique wasn’t unlocked using a special method, the individual would appear weak. In Davey's case, he managed to reproduce it by altering a part of his body. Before doing that, even Davey himself could not use the martial arts developed by Dokgo Jun.

"You're not a simpleton. You have a one-of-a-kind physique that reveals its true nature only after awakening properly. So, what should I address you as? Dokgo Ja-Seong or Lee Ja-Seong?"

Confusion painted Ja-Seong's face as he tried to make sense of Davey's enigmatic smile.

***

Initially, Davey dismissed it as a mere coincidence when he noticed that Han Ja-Seong possessed the necklace that allowed Dokgo Jun to discover his parents' existence. Since Han Ja-Seong wasn't exactly an orphan, Davey didn't consider him a likely candidate.

However, upon confirming the nature of Ja-Seong's body, observing Cheon Geum's choices as the leader of the Heavenrend Sect, and recognizing the martial arts he had been learning, Davey began to sense the connection.

Cheon Geum, the leader of the Heavenrend Sect, had realized that his daughter was the only one capable of mastering the incomplete martial arts he had created. Simultaneously, he recognized Han Ja-Seong as the sole descendant of the Heavenly Destroyer, the one with the potential to master the original Heavenly Destroyer Divine Art. This explained why Ja-Seong could imitate the Heavenrend Divine Art to some extent.

However, Cheon Geum hadn't provided proper instruction on the Heavenrend Divine Art to Ja-Seong, leaving room for him to pursue the true version rather than the incomplete one. Well, perhaps there were also other reasons for this decision.

Overwhelmed by the immense amount of qi emanating from Davey, Kwak Mi-Young trembled. Kwak Joon-Seong, whose cultivation was even lower, found it hard to breathe..

"Davey, maybe it would be best to rein in your power."

"Oh, I forgot."

The pressure instantly disappeared, and Kwak Mi-Young gasped for breath and fell to her knees, while Ji Woo, who had been trembling, curled up.

"What on earth... What is it? What are you?!!"

"I understand you're confused, but just shut up for a while." Davey approached Ja-Seong. "How does it feel to have a shattered dantian?"

"Ah... no..."

"What do you mean, no? You're better off without it."

Davey’s tone was calm, and he bent down to press on Ja-Seong’s acupoint to staunch the bleeding. However, Ja-Seong clasped his arm tightly.

"Who exactly... are you..."

Kwak Mi-Young, who had just witnessed Perserque’s abilities, as well as Kwak Joon-Seong and Ji Woo, who had just witnessed the genuine Scattering Blossom Flash, were all left wondering about this enigmatic figure.Tʜe sourcᴇ of thɪs content ɪs N(o)vᴇl(F)ire.nᴇt

"Who am I?" Davey lightly twisted Ja-Seong’s arm before pressing on his acupoint and said, "A traveler who has a bit of a history with Dokgo Jun."

Han Ja-Seong's battered body lay in ruins. The inadequate vessel had been shattered. Now, he needed to awaken his body and reconstruct his cultivation base. While the Heavenly Spirit Physique didn't necessarily prevent him from learning other martial arts, the critical factor was ensuring a process devoid of impurities.

His body could endure the Heavenly Destroyer Divine Arts, a feat beyond the reach of an ordinary warrior. However, there was a condition—he needed to master the Heavenly Destroyer Divine Arts before attempting to learn anything else. While learning additional martial arts after mastering the Heavenly Destroyer Divine Arts was doable, the reverse was impossible.

"Miss Kwak, please take care of him for a moment."

Kwak Mi-Young looked at Davey with a startled expression. "Sir, where are you going…?"

"To track down the one who fled."

Someone had attacked them and now he thought he could escape just like that? Laughable. Gazing in the direction Ji Woo had fled in, Davey smiled faintly.

***

While frantically navigating through the forest, his face reflected nothing but fear.

"I must run... I must escape!"

He appeared as a young man. And since he didn’t seem to have any qi to speak of, Ji Woo had dismissed him without a second thought. However, the reality differed drastically from everyone's expectations; he was a monstrously formidable figure.

Ji Woo sprinted madly, activating his lightness art with all he had. The three Heavenly Jiangshi he had brought had been effortlessly disposed of, and the elder who was assisting Ji Woo was incapacitated.

The worst part was that Davey was not even the only problem. The Peach Blossom Lady alone couldn't have neutralized the elder. So, what had brought him to such a state? The answer was apparent—the silver-haired lady! Both of them were monsters, far surpassing Ji Woo's expectations. Also, Davey had radiated qi right now, which made it clear that he had it. This could only mean one thing: his qi was so vast that Ji Woo simply couldn’t perceive it.

"Aaaaaaaaah!!!"

Fleeing in desperation, Ji Woo finally reached the edge of a cliff—and a massive canyon.

The gap between the cliffs spanned kilometers, an obstacle insurmountable without proper equipment. Not even the Ak Rim Sect elders could cross it.

Luckily, he had prepared something precisely for that contingency. Wheezing, he activated the device that pulled him to the other side of the canyon at breakneck speed. And just as he got there…he saw it.

On the opposite side of the cliff, where Ji Woo had been just moments before, that monstrous young man had appeared.

He was unarmed, but all the more terrifying.

"Ahahahaha! If you think you can cross the gap, then just try it! No matter what skill you have, it’s useless! Not even the Heavenly Destroyer could leap over it!"

Gasping for air, he sat down and watched Davey take a step or two back.

Davey lightly tapped his foot on the ground—Ji Woo couldn’t recall seeing any lightness art like this, but that was not important right now.

As if he wanted to jump to his death, Davey sprinted toward the precipice with light footsteps and…leaped.

Ji Woo clenched his teeth, left speechless for a moment. Then, he shouted, "Cra... Crazy! No matter what lightness art you use, this cliff can't be—"

He fell silent.

Davey was soaring through the sky, coming straight for him with his fist clenched.

At that moment, Ji Woo forgot to breathe.

The world around him fell silent. Even the chirping of crickets vanished.

He saw the chilling killing intent in Davey's eyes as the young man descended upon him. At that moment, the sounds that had disappeared returned all at once. It was as if time had momentarily stopped, then resumed its flow.

As if noticing that thought, Davey's mouth moved slightly. His words were simple.

“Oh… yes.”

Davey’s figure, initially smaller than a palm, instantly expanded in Ji Woo’s sight as Davey flew at him.

A tremendous explosion resounded, and the edge of the cliff Ji Woo had been perched on collapsed as if struck by a colossal meteorite.