The Max Level Hero Has Returned!-Novel

The woman known in the world of martial arts as the Peach Blossom Fairy for her unparalleled beauty and power maintained a stoic silence. Beside her, Kwak Joon-Seong mirrored her perplexity.

Their attention was fixed on the unconscious figure of Cheon Ji-Hee.

Indeed, whatever Davey said, Ja-Seong hadn’t displayed any extraordinary power for them to see. However, the incredible prowess exhibited by Cheon Ji-Hee was truly bewildering. They knew very well that she had no martial training whatsoever, and yet she had just flawlessly executed the ultimate technique of the Heavenrend Divine Art. This defied all logic.

"Big sister…"

"Mhm, Joon-Seong."

"What on earth did I just witness?"

"Shut up, you’re only making me more confused."

Mi-Young had already witnessed a shocking display of power not long before this. Perserque had confronted the elder of the Ak Rim Sect—the Savage Asura—and two Heavenly Jiangshi, and her ethereal aura and unique grace were forever imprinted in Mi-Young’s mind.

The Savage Asura, a formidable fighter, stood alongside the two Heavenly Jiangshi, monstrous entities crafted from a melding of a thousand physical bodies and a thousand wandering spirits. Their bodies were so tough that not even a martial artist’s qi could penetrate them, and their strength allowed them to crush everything that stood in their way.ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ ɴoᴠel Fɪre.nᴇt

For the Peach Blossom Fairy Kwak Mi-Young, any one of these adversaries posed a formidable challenge. There were moments when she questioned the wisdom of following Perserque, fearing it might lead to her demise.

“Hehehehe, to have two lively lasses come to me willingly…. Hehehe, my palms are itching now. Kneel down like dogs, and I’ll spare your lives.”

The Savage Asura’s words made Mi-Young’s expression change.This man was notorious for his lustful tendencies, which had brought dishonor to many maidens and death to many heroes. He enjoyed taking women by force and killing them in the midst of satisfying his desires.

An overwhelming sense of revulsion enveloped Mi-Young, and she gripped the hilt of her sword, but the sudden snap of a voice stopped her.

"How dare you look at me like that?"

With that statement, the tide turned.

Dark energy surged from Perserque, and black beams of light shot up from the ground, binding the Savage Asura and the Heavenly Jiangshi. What unfolded next was gruesome—Perserque summoned a giant white flame that instantly incinerated the Heavenly Jiangshi, and within a few moments, she reduced the Savage Asura to a bloody pulp.

"Arrogant fool. The only one who can touch me is Davey."

Usually elegant and noble, Perserque now exuded raw intensity. Before the Savage Asura could even make a move, she subdued him and gave him a violent thrashing, not forgetting to cripple his third leg under the eyes of the stunned Mi-Young. Then, she produced a length of rope seemingly out of nowhere, tied him up, and dragged him behind her as she returned to the campfire.

She and Mi-Young got back just in time to witness Davey emanating that vast qi, shaking the heavens and earth.

"What on earth… How do I even make sense of what I've seen…"

Mi-Young could only wonder about who these two people really were.

Davey raised his head and shared a faint smile with Perserque.

It was a sight that defied belief, but it was undeniable. Cheon Ji-Hee had indeed used the Heavenrend sect's secret technique, the Scattering Blossom Flash. And even that formidable technique fell far short when compared to Davey’s own execution. It was not that Ji-Hee lacked skill; rather, Davey’s technique was on a fundamentally different level.

Not long after, Davey returned, having chased down the fleeing Ji Woo.

"Hey, what’s everyone doing?"In the meantime, Kwak Joon-Seong was still sitting on the ground, speechless.

"Sister… Is my head…still on my shoulders?"

"Oddly enough, it is. I didn’t really believe it when he said he caught an Evil Beast, but given what I’ve seen here…catching an evil beast is not even the weirdest thing."

Considering Davey’s display of power right now, she found it actually reasonable that he was able to catch an Evil Beast. The actual miracle was how Joon-Seong’s head was still attached with how much he liked to run his mouth around Davey.

***

Davey offered no response to the lingering curiosity about his identity. The onlookers pondered if he had truly attained the theoretical realm of Extreme Polarity, fascinated by the enigma surrounding both Davey and Perserque. Unfortunately, even though they wanted to know more, they lacked both the reason and the ability to question the duo, so they could only stay silent and observe what was going on.

When Han Ja-Seong woke up, it had started to rain and they had sought shelter in a cave.

"Ugh… Where am I…?"

Ja-Seong's pained voice prompted Ji-Hee's to rush to his side with a worried expression on her face.

"Big brother!"

As Ji-Hee slowly recovered, she felt her senses heightened, a residue of the Scattering Blossom Flash. It was testament to the potency of the Heavenly Destroyer Divine Art. Even though the Heavenrend Divine Art was a mere offshoot, its effects were not to be taken lightly.

"Ugh… Ji-Hee…"

"Oh, brother! Are you really okay?!" Sobbing, the girl clung to Ja-Seong.

Davey coughed to draw their attention.

"Excuse me!"

"Ah!"

All eyes turned to Davey as he casually tossed a book to Ja-Seong. "Catch."

"Who are you, really?" Ja-Seong's question hung in the air, prompting Joon-Seong and Mi-Young to subtly glance at Davey.

"Even if I tell you, what are you going to do with that knowledge?"

"You used the Scattering Blossom Flash, the ultimate art of the Heavenrend Divine Art that my master once showed me. Yet, even my master couldn't produce such incredible dark sword energy."

Davey nodded thoughtfully at Ja-Seong's observations.

"And besides—"

"You seem to be curious about a lot of things, so let me make it simple. That traitor, Ji Woo or whatever, is dead, so forget about him. As for the old man Perserque dragged back, I took care of him, so no worries about him either."

"…"

The perplexity in the air was palpable. The notorious Savage Asura had been dealt with just like that?

"And if you're curious about the things you saw me do…" Davey paused for a moment, then smiled. "I'm just a traveler, here on a honeymoon."

Ja-Seong could not say anything in reply.

"Anyway, rather than my identity, shouldn’t you be more concerned about your own problems?"

Ja-Seong's eyes widened in realization—his dantian, the life core of a martial artist, had been shattered. "I…"

"Am I…unable to use martial arts now?" he murmured bitterly.

Davey shook his head. He asked, "Do you have a good memory?"

"Huh? Uh… Yes, my memory is quite good."

"Then memorize this book."

Perplexed, Ja-Seong looked down at the book, his eyes widening as he opened it.

"Memorize every word."

Following the instruction, Ja-Seong immersed himself in the book.

Curious, Ji-Hee attempted to approach, but Davey stopped her. "It's of no use to you. It may even harm you. Sometimes, ignorance is the best medicine."

After a four-hour silence, Ja-Seong finally closed the book. The Han family was famous for their exceptional memory, and Ja-Seong was no exception: he had memorized the entire book after reading it a few times.

"This is…"

"Yes. The original text of the Heavenly Destroyer Divine Art."

Everyone gasped.

"The… The original Heavenly Destroyer Divine Art?!"

"The original martial art of the Heavenly Destroyer?!"

The revelation of the original text of the Heavenly Destroyer's martial art carried profound implications, as the Heavenly Destroyer himself had once shaken the entire martial world with that very art.

Ignoring the stupefied crowd, Davey continued, "You are the grandson of Heavenly Destroyer Dokgo Jun. I told you already, no?"

"…"

"For that reason, you are the only person in the world capable of mastering the Heavenly Destroyer Divine Art without blasting yourself apart."

Initially, Davey had been perplexed by the designation of the Heavenly Destroyer Martial Art as an evil art. The explanation, however, proved straightforward—anyone not hailing from the Han bloodline attempting to use it would simply explode.

"You just need to practice it now. I'll lay the groundwork, but after that, the responsibility lies with you."

Upon hearing Davey's words, Ja-Seong gazed at him, his expression tinged with confusion. "How do you have this?"

"I read the original and copied it. It should be easier to understand, I wrote down a lot of notes and removed all the cryptic language. As for why I’m giving it to you, it’s to repay a debt. That’s all there is to it."

Ja-Seong responded bitterly, "But my dantian is shattered."

"It’s not destroyed, just reset. A shattered dantian isn't the end for the Heavenly Spirit Physique. In fact, your original dantian was built using the Heavenrend Divine Art, so it was actually more of an impediment than something helping you. Anyway, if that’s all, sit down. I’ll help you with some of my qi."

Following Davey's command, Ja-Seong obediently assumed a meditative posture. Davey then placed his hand on Ja-Seong’s back, cautioning, "You better keep your mouth shut now, unless you want your meridians to be torn to shreds."

As Davey transferred an immense amount of qi, Ja-Seong began twitching violently. The Kwak siblings and Ji-Hee shivered in amazement at the substantial qi emanating from Davey.

"Incredible… Witnessing it again is still beyond belief."

"Can a person truly contain such an amount of qi?"

Gritting his teeth and drenched in cold sweat, Ja-Seong absorbed the energy. Mastery of the Heavenly Destroyer Divine Art was not an overnight feat; it required extensive training to grasp even its basics, and only relentless practice could unlock its power. Davey understood this from personal experience. However, Ja-Seong was the real deal, a person from the Han family bearing the Heavenly Spirit Physique. Moreover…

"Your physique surpasses even your grandfather's. It’s an extraordinary body, you can even call it a force of nature. Your rate of growth will likely defy imagination."

As Davey purified Ja-Seong's body, a new dantian began to take shape.

"Incredible… A new dantian…"

"Congratulations. You are now the only person in this world to rediscover the true essence of the Heavenly Destroyer Divine Art."

"…"

"The Heavenly Destroyer Divine Art isn't the evil thing people think it is. It’s actually a supreme divine art that harmonizes both the demonic and the righteous."

That was Davey’s advice to those walking the path of martial arts.

"Could he be the Heavenly Destroyer himself? How else can you explain that monstrous qi?" Joon-Seong muttered in astonishment, prompting his sister to instinctively slap the back of his head.

"You're such a loose cannon. Shut up."

Looking at the disconcerted Joon-Seong, Davey nonchalantly tossed the precious book into the air. Then, he flicked his fingers.

A brilliant azure flame erupted, consuming the book entirely.

"The Heavenly Destroyer Divine Art is also a direct transmission. The Heavenly Destroyer Sect likely attempted to master it at all costs, but, in reality, it's not a skill one can acquire on a mere whim."

Now, the only explanation of this martial art resided in Ja-Seong’s memory.

"I would appreciate it if you two could serve as witnesses."

Upon Davey's request, Mi-Young flashed a broad smile and nodded, while Joon-Seong responded differently.

"…"

"Joon-Seong!"

Alarmed, Mi-Young tried to intervene, but Davey simply asked with a smile, "What do you want?"

"You are powerful. Incredibly powerful."

"So what if I am?"

"How did you become so strong?"

Both Ja-Seong and Mi-Young rolled their eyes, but the truth was that both of them were curious. Obviously, this was also important for them.

"Live for nearly a thousand years and see what hard work gets you."

Davey's smile left the siblings at a loss for words. It sounded like a joke, but they couldn’t think of anything to say in response.

"Alright, if you’ve gotten yourself together, let’s start with the fundamentals. You two, since we’re at it anyway, you might as well join us."

“Umm… right now? It’s pouring outside.”

Davey shook his head and placed his hand on the ground.

[8th Circle]

[Space Magic]

[Custom Space]

Under Davey’s space manipulation magic, the small cave expanded abruptly.

“Wha… What?! What's happening?”

They looked around, almost unable to believe their eyes, as the cave expanded.

“Hmm, I guess two days will do?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll guide all of you, so come closer. Persreque, you manage the time, please. Now, just for your information, my training regimen is a little on the spicy side. Also, you’ll feel the time flowing a little slower. You said you wanted to learn from me with your own mouths, so when you regret it later, remember that nobody forced you.”

Not long after that, screams echoed from the cave.

***

As the saying goes, words can travel a thousand miles without legs. Unbeknownst to Davey, there had been some witnesses to their performance earlier, and through these people, stories of Davey and Persephone began to spread.