Chapter 15: Tradition (3)
Late at night, while Heavenly Demon was having a private audience with the head of the Hyeokryeon Family, Il-mok was in his room after finishing his daily routine, doing sothing while leaning against the lamplight.
However, he wasn't writing in his diary.
Engrossed in his work, Il-mok furrowed his brows.
“Soone must be talking shit about .”
He grumbled irritably while picking his ear.
Though he cleaned it thoroughly, it didn't quite clear up his unease.
"Haa… It's been a while, so I'm a bit rusty.” He looked down at the half-finished thing in his hands and sighed again.
'Well, the final deadline is before entering the Hall of the Demonic Way anyway.'
With that thought, he pushed aside his impatience.
After all, he had made one of these before.
The problem was that it had been quite so ti ago, and he'd only done it once as Seo Ji-hoon.
Gazing at the bizarre, nearly unrecognizable object, Il-mok resolved himself.
'Okay, let's just call this a practice run.'
* * *
Despite the stifling aura of Lady Cheonghwa's unwelco visit, nothing out of the ordinary occurred at Windrock Palace. As usual, I endured Jin Hayeon's relentless tutelage and diligently prepared for the entrance examination.
If there was one change, it would be...
"Big Brother~!"
That little one who visits every day when I finish my martial arts training.
Since I couldn't let her co at random tis, we made a promise that she would only visit at this specific hour.
Also, unlike the first day, she now ca with a stern-looking man who appeared to be a martial artist― perhaps a sign of tacit permission from the Hyeokryeon Family.
Due to that cursed tradition, the bodyguard did not say a word to Seon-ah and simply waited at the entrance of Windrock Palace.
"Hehehe."
Seon-ah also showed no interest in the guard. She would just run over and beam brightly beside .
Despite the pungent sll of sweat from my body after being rolled around by Jin Hayeon under the guise of martial arts training, this child approached without minding the sll at all.
Seeing the little one's smile makes feel more at ease.
'I made the right decision by pushing forward.'
It wasn't just for Seon-ah's sake. In this prison-like environnt, conversing with a little one who shared my predicant was like sweet rain to .
People need to relieve stress to live. Without leaving at least a minimal breathing space, one is bound to go mad.
Though in this place full of lunatics, it probably wouldn't be noticeable if I went crazy.
'Which makes it even more dangerous.’
Since everyone here is crazy, they might just think soone like is fine and let it slide.
Anyway, it was a peaceful daily routine.
"What were you doing at ho today?"
I listened to the little one's daily stories as she chattered beside .
"Today I learned how to apply the tenth form of Blood Fox Crimson Claw Art. Hehe. They said if I put my fingernails like this and stretch them like this, I can easily put a hole in a bad guy's heart."
She demonstrated with a little flourish, and I managed to plaster on an awkward smile.
'What the hell are these lunatics teaching a little child?'
Anyway, it was peaceful. By the standards of the Demonic Cult, that is.
* * *
Just as I was enjoying this peaceful afternoon and blowing off stress.
"I greet the Lord of Ten Thousand Demons," the bodyguard's voice bood from beyond the gates of Windrock Palace.
It seed that training ti with Master had arrived.
"Rise."
Master's voice echoed from beyond the gate. Soon, the doors opened, revealing his figure.
"We pay our respects to the Lord of Ten Thousand Demons."
Jin Hayeon and Seon-ah, along with , promptly bowed before Master, performing the most respectful bow.
"Hahaha. Rise. Now that the ti has co, let the child of the Hyeokryeon Family return to her ho."
"I... I shall obey your command."
She got up and scurried toward the gate, but she glanced back over her shoulder one last ti.
Having been allowed to rise, I gave the child a small wave. Seon-ah, who had been nervous since Master's appearance, brightened up and left with a smile as she waved back at .
My Master who was watching from the side, suddenly brought up an odd topic.
"You seem to be getting along well with the Hyeokryeon Family's daughter."
"It just happened that way."
"Hahaha. It just happened that way… Very well. You must have your reasons. Do your best."
"???"
I couldn't comprehend what he ant by doing my best.
'Surely, he doesn't an that way, does he?'
Although our physical ages were only three years apart, that was simply out of the question. My feelings were akin to what one feels towards a cute puppy or kitten, or the fondness one has for a young niece’s silly antics.
'Perhaps the old man's preferences lean that way....'
As the saying goes, one sees what one wants to see.
After briefly looking at Master with a sowhat contemptuous gaze, I quickly turned my head away when his eyes suddenly t mine. If he caught with such an expression, my head would surely roll.
"Well then, let's begin our training."
"Yes, Master."
* * *
The Soul-Stealing Heartless Sword consists of twenty-two forms in total, divided into fourteen main forms and eight secret techniques.
Nearly a fortnight had passed since I began learning the sword art, and I had successfully mastered all fourteen main forms.
After teaching all fourteen, the perverted old… No, Master explained the true essence of the Soul-Stealing Heartless Sword.
“The reason it's called the Soul-Stealing Heartless Sword is because, as the na suggests, it's a sword art that snatches away the opponent's soul. The significance lies in making the opponent lose their wits through a continuous and natural flow of movents.”
"While it resembles the Mad Soul Sword Art in its emphasis on linking and transforming martial art moves, its essence is completely different. The Mad Soul Sword Art aims to take the opponent's head by surprise with unpredictable and bizarre movents. The Soul-Stealing Heartless Sword, on the other hand, corners the opponent little by little, then takes their head when they've given up everything. That expression of utter despair, as if their soul has departed, is why it's called the Soul-Stealing Heartless Sword (奪魂無情劍).”
Master didn't just explain the physical movents but also elucidated the underlying aning of the entire sword art. His explanation allowed to grasp the crucial elent of the fourteen forms I had learned.
'The lower body and waist are key. It’s about maintaining balance while performing demanding movents and steadily pressuring the opponent.’
Upon reflection, I realized that all the movents of the Soul-Stealing Heartless Sword could seamlessly connect with each other regardless of their order, as long as balance was maintained.
Having organized my thoughts, I sheathed my sword then drew it according to the principles of the Soul-Stealing Heartless Sword and perford the stances I had learned so far in various ways.
I moved slowly at first, focusing on finding the right rhythm for the unfamiliar sequences. Then, I gradually increased the speed and power in my arms and legs. Sure enough, once I got to a certain speed, I started to feel myself wobble.
'Is this the best I can do for now?'
As I continued to link the movents at a speed and force that allowed to maintain balance, Master's satisfied chuckle reached my ears.
"Hahaha. It seems you have grasped the core of the Soul-Stealing Heartless Sword with just my brief explanation. You were right, Hayeon, the boy’s intuition is top-notch.”
"How could that be attributed to this lowly one's discernnt? It is solely thanks to the Lord of Ten Thousand Demons who found Young Master Il-mok and brought him to the Divine Cult," Jin Hayeon responded.
Though I was the one rolling around swinging the sword back and forth, sohow the two of them were creating a warm atmosphere while patting each other on the back.
I felt like a child performing in front of the elders on a holiday, so I put the sword back into its sheath and regulated my breath.
Observing my actions, Master spoke.
"The latter forms can only be learned after reaching the realm where one can generate Sword Qi. For now, focus on refining the main forms."
He then approached and placed his palm on my abdon.
"Hmm. It seems you've been consistently practicing your breathing techniques."
After gauging the amount of internal energy gathered in my dantian, Master suddenly threw a question at Jin Hayeon.
"How is Il-mok's doctrinal studies progressing?"
"He is learning very quickly. It's hard to believe he just joined the cult. He's progressing so fast that one might think he had already studied the doctrines to so extent before."
She praised with her signature business-like tone and a cold expression.
Well, it would be hard for her to criticize .
Although only a fortnight had passed, I had already studied nearly thirty percent of the Secret Record of the Heavenly Demon.
"At this rate, he should be able to master all the scriptures, historical texts, and law books within half a year at the latest, after which just simple reviews would be sufficient."
"Hahaha. Good understanding of studies, and quick progress with the Soul-Stealing Heartless Sword as well. That ans he has plenty of ti."
"That's how it has been so far."
“Hahaha."
Master's gentle laughter turned into a pointed gaze directed at . A sense of déjà vu washed over .
'This is… that, isn't it?'
That uniquely Korean custom of piling on more work when you finish early, instead of letting you leave on ti.
The so-called 'filling up spare ti.'
Rembering what happened at a company dinner, I hastily opened my mouth.
"Ah, it's still too early, Master. I'm only able to progress quickly with the scriptures because I just started studying. As the material to study piles up, there will inevitably be less ti for review."
Master had clearly said at the banquet that he would 'assign a mission later.'
And now, he was undoubtedly creating justification to give additional work.
In a way that was all too familiar to .
―Hahaha. Our Ji-hoon is such a hard worker. Since you seem to have so free ti, how about you also handle this? Since it's related work, you should be able to process it quickly.
I could still hear my old boss’s voice in my head, dumping a pile of work on after I’d busted my ass all day trying to earn the right to go ho on ti.
I absolutely could not suffer the sa fate as back then.
"The sa applies to the Soul-Stealing Heartless Sword. I may have quickly learned the forms, but my internal energy is still lacking. Therefore, I believe it would be beneficial to dedicate the remaining ti to cultivating my internal energy through breathing exercises."
I won't go down easily.
"Hmmm. You make a valid point," Master conceded.
And so it began: the psychological chess match between a boss trying to assign overti and an employee trying to escape it.
"Then, to supplent your lacking internal energy, I shall instruct the dical wing to prepare the Explosive Demon Pill for you."
"...What is the Explosive Demon Pill?"
“It’s one of the elixirs crafted by our Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, renowned for explosively increasing one's internal energy. A truly remarkable elixir."
And with that, my defeat was sealed.
"Besides, since you'll be accompanied by Hayeon, it won't greatly interfere with your studies."
Master swiftly blocked even my last escape route.
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