Chapter 15: Nightmare (2)

Do you know why demonic arts (magong) are terrifying?

They are terrifying because they can be mixed with any core art (sim-gong).

It’s true even when compared to the Nine Flame Wheel Arts (Guyeom Hwa-ryeongong) that I learned.

The internal energy (naegi) of the Nine Flame Wheel Arts is a violent core method (sim-beop) that courses through the entire body.

By wrapping the body in this internal energy, one gains explosive physical abilities and destructive power, but the human body is ultimately consumable.

In the end, it’s a martial art that accelerates the body’s decay to achieve explosive power.

Of course, it can change as one’s understanding of martial arts deepens and proficiency increases, but at the very least, it remains a violent and destructive martial art.

If one were to learn something like the Wudang’s (Mudang) Tai Chi or Mount Hua’s (Hwasan) Plum Blossom Core Arts (Maehwa Simbeop) alongside it, the core arts of the Nine Flame Wheel Arts and Taoism would clash, damaging the acupoints (hyeoldo).

This ultimately leads to martial arts deviation (juhwaimma).

In the extreme, it means becoming half-crippled.

But demonic arts (magong) don’t have that problem.

This is why, after the Demonic Cult (Magyo) appeared in the Central Plains (Jungwon), traitors emerged one after another, regardless of whether they were from orthodox or unorthodox sects.

Wudang’s Heaven-Defying Arts (Uicheongong) gain sharpness added to their serene, wave-like internal energy.

Mount Hua’s Plum Blossoms become dyed black yet shine even brighter.

Shaolin’s (Sorim) One Step Divine Fist (Ilbo Sin-gwon) gains destructive power added to its hardness and might.

Demonic arts can fill the gaps in martial arts that one inevitably had to abandon, far too easily.

This was all the power of the Heavenly Demon (Cheonma). Demonic arts don’t need to be learned or practiced.

It’s something obtained naturally upon becoming a Demonic Cult disciple.

It was a blessing and a curse bestowed by the Heavenly Demon.

“Fuck… What the hell happened?”

The only demonic art I obtained from the Heavenly Demon was just one.

It was the Demonic Path Spring Absorption Arts (Mado Cheonhup-gong).

A demonic art obtained through my own base desire to simply become stronger.

It was a demonic art that absorbed demonic stones (maseok) with internal energy, much like absorbing the core of a spirit beast or an elixir.

This demonic art was the reason I, with talent below that of an average person, could survive amongst the strong.

However, that was strictly a story from my past life.

In this life, I hadn’t even gone near the ‘Ma’ (demonic) character of the Demonic Cult, and currently, it wasn’t even before a demon (main) appeared in the Central Plains, let alone the Heavenly Demon.

‘So what is this current situation…?’

When I applied a little force to the now-transparent demonic stone, it crumbled easily.

It was a characteristic of demonic stones whose power had been completely drained by the Demonic Path Spring Absorption Arts.

Even the internal energy accumulated within it was like that.

It was a very small amount, but my internal energy had clearly increased slightly.

Leaving aside the connection to the Demonic Cult, wouldn’t increasing internal energy be a good thing?

The reason demons are called demon people (main-in) isn’t because they learned demonic arts.

It’s because they possess demonic energy (magi).

This was also the reason why the martial arts of pure energy (seongi), whether Wudang’s Tai Chi or Mount Hua’s Plum Blossoms, became tainted black.

The problem was the effect demonic energy had on the body.

Because I knew better than anyone what happened to humans consumed by demonic energy.

“But how on earth….”

The energy contained within the demonic stone was demonic energy.

The Demonic Path Spring Absorption Arts absorbs that and brings it into the body.

It meant that demonic energy was circulating within my body right now.

I immediately circulated the Nine Flame Wheel Arts to check my internal energy.

I hastily checked every nook and cranny to find the demonic energy.

“…Why isn’t it here?”

Surprisingly, I couldn’t feel any demonic energy.

Demonic energy settled within the body inevitably leaves a trace.

I couldn’t possibly miss such a foreign energy.

Yet, I couldn’t feel the trace of what I absorbed from the demonic stone.

Even after checking again, I couldn’t feel any demonic energy inside me.

‘Is it because the demonic energy is too faint?’

At best, it was a green demonic stone (nokmaseok), an amount that wouldn’t even amount to half a year’s worth of internal energy, let alone a quarter year.

As I stood there with a blank expression, Mu-yeon urgently approached me.

“Young Master, are you alright? Are you injured!?”

“I’m fine, not hurt at all.”

“I told you to stay in the carriage, why did you just rush out like that? What would you do if you got hurt?”

“Sorry, I’ll be careful next time.”

It was an action that must have put Mu-yeon, who was supposed to be my guard, in quite a difficult position.

Since I had half-forced the situation myself, I offered an apology.

I approached the other dead Green Antler Dog (nokgakgyeon).

Its horn was cleanly severed, indicating it was the one Mu-yeon dealt with initially.

“Young Master?”

Just like before, I wrapped my arm in the Nine Flame Wheel Arts again and stabbed the creature’s body to extract the demonic stone.

‘Even if it sucks, I have to check.’

I wanted to dismiss it as luck, saying the demonic stone had no demonic energy, but…

Once demonic energy enters the body, no matter how small the amount, it will eventually slowly consume it.

If demonic energy had already entered my body, it meant it was too late.

A tingling sensation spread through my hand.

It was the same sensation as before.

The green demonic stone in my hand faded in color until it eventually turned transparent.

The amount of internal energy that filled my body was also the same as before.

Up to this point, it was fine.

Up to this point, it was good, but…

This time, unlike before, I felt a foreign sensation.

The energy I never wanted to feel again was there.

“Shit…”

This was definitely demonic energy.

There was no way I could be mistaken.

The minuscule demonic energy gradually expanded, moving to devour the internal energy within my body.

However, an anomaly occurred with the demonic energy that was greedily swallowing my internal energy.

-Hwaleuk.

The Nine Flame Wheel Arts held within my dantian instead devoured the demonic energy.

“What is this…?”

This explained why I couldn’t feel the demonic energy from the first demonic stone I consumed.

‘Did it purify the demonic energy?’

Is ‘purify’ even the right word?

What I felt was the sensation of the Nine Flame Wheel Arts voraciously swallowing the demonic energy.

This definitely didn’t happen in my past life.

I’d never seen demonic energy be devoured, only devour others.

Even the core arts of Taoism and Shaolin are often crushed and devoured by demonic energy, so why?

“I have no idea what’s going on.”

I don’t know why things keep happening differently than expected.

Is it because things got tangled up from the very beginning?

Firstly, the fact that there’s no demonic energy in my body must be a good thing.

Perhaps it might be possible to purify the demonic energy within the demonic stone and take only the internal energy.

The problem is…

‘Why can I still use the Heavenly Demon’s demonic arts.’

It’s the most incomprehensible thing.

If it was bound to me even across death, this was surely a curse.

I couldn’t get entangled in such a shitty situation again right after thinking I had finally escaped.

‘….For now, let’s be content that there’s no demonic energy in my body.’

I’ll have to investigate the important stuff later.

For now, I need to sort out the situation.

“Young Master…!”

She flung open the carriage door, and Wi Seol-ah suddenly rushed over and grabbed my hand.

“Oh no… It’s all messed up….”

The hand Wi Seol-ah had painstakingly bandaged yesterday was now undone and ruined due to the violent movements.

“Young Master, are you okay…? Are you hurt…?”

“As you can see.”

“Then that means you’re terribly injured!”

“…No, it means I’m fine. Where do you see any injuries?”

“Your face…!”

“What, punk?”

Is she dissing me based on my face right now?

She’s pretty, so she’s mocking me, right?

Wi Seol-ah gently touched my cheek.

“Young Master, you look really tired, just like my grandpa.”

“Am I that old-looking?”

“Young Master, you look scary, but you’re not old-looking!”

“Just be honest… You’re just mocking me, right?”

A servant who came out of the carriage belatedly saw Wi Seol-ah and me and was startled, pulling Wi Seol-ah away.

“Seol-ah! You shouldn’t touch the Young Master’s face so carelessly!”

Wi Seol-ah fell away with a sound of ‘eugyak’.

If she pulls away that startled, it kinda hurts my feelings.

“Young Master.”

After Wi Seol-ah was grabbed by another servant and led away, Mu-yeon called me shortly after.

Looking behind me, I saw the corpses of the Green Antler Dogs piled up.

Since the hides and bones of demonic beasts fetch a decent price, it was customary to take the beast’s corpses if possible after closing the demonic gate (magyeongmun).

“The Gu family’s Sword Brigade (geomdae) has arrived, they say.”

“What? They’re already here?”

Not even half a day had passed since the incident occurred.

No matter how fast they were, could they really arrive this quickly?

Checking the new presence, I saw familiar faces.

They were none other than the Sword Brigade members who appeared at the Nine Dragons Gathering (Guryonghoe).

“I am Hyuk Ju-yeom, the Deputy Commander of the Fourth Sword Brigade.”

“Greetings, Young Master Gu.”

He was the man who participated as the acting captain of the Fourth Sword Brigade at the Nine Dragons Gathering.

“Elder Yi (I Jangro) sent us.”

“We rushed here as fast as we could, but we’re late… My apologies.”

“It is my oversight.”

“Elder Yi?”

A completely unexpected person popped up.

I thought I heard he departed long ago, what is this nonsense?

When I expressed my confusion, Hyuk Ju-yeom seemed taken aback instead.

“Did you not hear? Elder Yi clearly said he was departing with you, Young Master…”

“What are you talking about? Elder Yi didn’t come with me…?”

What did this old man do to make the situation turn out like this again?

‘Did he secretly follow us? Why, exactly?’

If he was going to do that, why didn’t he help when the demonic gate opened? Why go through such a troublesome method?

One of the Sword Brigade members approached from a distance.

“Deputy Commander, the Green Antler Dogs are all in clean condition.”

“It seems there’s nothing to discard, what should we do?”

“All eleven of them are clean?”

“Ah, two of them had their sides pierced, but it doesn’t seem like severe damage.”

…That must refer to what I did, so I shut my mouth tight.

“We can’t take them all, so we’ll just skin them and take the hides and bones.”

“Understood.”

“And the rest….”

Hyuk Ju-yeom stopped mid-sentence.

It was because he made eye contact with Mu-yeon, who was behind me.

Mu-yeon slightly bowed his head towards Hyuk Ju-yeom in greeting.

Hyuk Ju-yeom let out a short sigh and continued speaking.

“I thought you’d be holed up at home sleeping since you were resting, but is it just sword-swinging work in the end?”

Are they acquainted?

Mu-yeon didn’t reply to Hyuk Ju-yeom’s words.

Hyuk Ju-yeom didn’t seem particularly bothered either.

“Come back after you’ve had enough. The Commander also said it wasn’t your fault.”

“…Yes.”

Having said only what was necessary, Hyuk Ju-yeom turned back to me and spoke.

“We will handle the remaining matters now.”

“Young Master Gu, please rest.”

After Hyuk Ju-yeom left, I looked at Mu-yeon.

Seeing Mu-yeon’s troubled expression, I ignored it and returned to the carriage.

Although I was a bit curious, I figured if it was something he needed to say, he would have said it himself.

As soon as I entered the carriage, Wi Seol-ah tried to rush at me again with the cloth, so I ordered the servant to hold her firmly before leaning back in the chair.

It felt like even bigger problems had intruded upon my already complex and difficult thoughts.

“Trying to live properly is damn hard.”

Perhaps it was because of the nightmare I just had, but I felt like I wouldn’t be able to sleep properly for days.

---

Gu Yangcheon’s quarters.

Inside the quarters were Geomjon (Sword Master) and Elder Yi (I Jangro). Geomjon held the now-familiar broom in his hand.

Geomjon, slowly sweeping the yard, spoke to Elder Yi.

“Thank you, Gu-ryun.”

“Ahem….”

At Geomjon’s words, Elder Yi cleared his throat.

He looked quite embarrassed.

“I didn’t really do anything.”

“Regardless, you acted for my child, didn’t you?”

Usually, elders don’t get involved with the family’s affairs.

Moreover, there was no need for an elder to get involved in something like the Nine Dragons Gathering.

The reason Elder Yi got involved was because Geomjon had asked him to.

“I just went for a stroll, partly to see my kids too,” Elder Yi replied, looking embarrassed.

Geomjon’s granddaughter, Wi Seol-ah.

The reason Elder Yi went out of his way to attend the Nine Dragons Gathering was because of Wi Seol-ah.

Since he was curious about Geomjon’s granddaughter anyway, he partly volunteered to see her.

“I owe you a debt of gratitude, Senior, so this much is fine.”

It was surprising enough that Geomjon was even at the Gu family’s residence.

When the Family Head and Geomjon first asked him to ensure Wi Seol-ah’s safety.

Elder Yi had suggested that Geomjon could go himself, or perhaps not send Wi Seol-ah to the Nine Dragons Gathering at all.

However, the reason he immediately changed his mind was Geomjon’s expression at the time.

His expression, endlessly weary as if burdened by something heavy, was a face unseen even during Geomjon’s prime, when he strode through the Central Plains bearing the honor of the orthodox sects.

‘Even the world’s Sword Master is falling into inner demons (simma).’

Having been active in the same era as Geomjon, it was truly regrettable to see him like this.

‘It wasn’t entirely an unwelcome task, though.’

Elder Yi left Geomjon behind and thought of Gu Yangcheon.

Speaking of Gu Yangcheon, he was the Family Head’s sore spot and, in many ways, a regrettable child.

He inherited the Gu family name but possessed a lazy and indolent nature, always running away whenever he saw Elder Yi, and his talent in martial arts was, in Elder Yi’s view, sorely lacking.

He was a boy Elder Yi would have given up on long ago if he weren’t the only male heir of the Gu family.

It was around the time Elder Yi felt he should probably let go of him too.

But the Gu Yangcheon he saw again was somehow different.

It wasn’t unusual for the Nine Flame Wheel Arts to reach the second stage (iseong).

Gu Yeonseo herself was already at the third stage (seong).

‘But the concentration of the core method was different.’

Gu Yeonseo’s internal core method was still jumbled.

The Nine Flame Wheel Arts must constantly circulate within the body, even without being manifested externally.

Gu Yeonseo’s circulation was clumsy.

Her speed wasn’t constant; sometimes it was rough, sometimes weak.

Moreover, in an immature state, one is bound to be swayed by emotions.

This wasn’t to say Gu Yeonseo was lacking.

She was undeniably superior to others her age.

The issue was Gu Yangcheon, the one being compared.

The energy contained within his body was exceedingly shallow.

However, the level at which he handled that shallow energy was distinctly different from Gu Yeonseo.

How surprised he had been internally when they met again after so long at the Nine Dragons Gathering.

The ring of the Nine Flame Wheel Arts held in Gu Yangcheon’s dantian always maintained a constant speed.

Even when Gu Yangcheon became enraged by remarks that crossed the line during the Nine Dragons Tournament sparring, the ring within his body still maintained its constant speed and shape.

This signified a clear understanding and proficiency.

It was an enlightenment that not only he, an elder, but even the Family Head could only achieve after passing thirty years of age (ilirip).

Subsequently, Elder Yi gained certainty from sparring between Gu Yangcheon and Gu Yeonseo.

‘That child is hiding something.’

Elder Yi was certain, though he didn’t know why.

As Elder Yi was organizing his thoughts, Geomjon spoke.

“By the way, Gu-ryun.”

“Hm?”

“I heard you half-killed the Peng family’s child and made your children a spectacle. Is that alright?”

“It seems the rumors have been greatly exaggerated, I didn’t quite half-kill him.”

“…So the latter part is true. Will it be alright?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Senior?”

“It seems the Family Head has been looking for you continuously.”

“….”

Elder Yi quickly made his escape.

He planned to avoid the Family Head for the next few days.