Chapter 29: The Burden of Blood and Views

“The way of the sword lies in conforming to the flow. ”

“One who raises their sword within the flow will never be swept away but instead will become one with it.”

Cheon Yeoul recalled the S-rank 19th position holder, the Thunder Dragon Clan Leader.

A decorated figure who had swept through countless accolades in the Korean Kendo Federation,

he was regarded as the best swordsman in the nation.

During the Great Cataclysm, he awakened and slowly analyzed his skill,

Thunder Dragon Swordsmanship over a long period.

His pursuit led to the founding of his martial clan, Thunder Dragon Gate.

The foundation of his teachings revolved around a unique martial art that manipulated the energy of thunder and lightning,

the Azure Thunder Dragon Qi Technique.

However, Cheon Yeoul had never learned it.

Rather, she couldn’t.

Her body already carried a different essence,

a vastly divergent path Cheonmasingong, the infamous and unparalleled demonic art.

Her time at Thunder Dragon Gate was limited to occasional visits where she received swordsmanship guidance from its master,

a true swordsman of unmatched caliber.

‘I understand now. ‘

‘Blood Demon is on a whole other level compared to the Thunder Dragon Clan Leader.’

Even so, the Blood Demon poured everything into teaching her,

leaving no knowledge spared, as though daring her to master it all.

“Magical Qi is your darkness and destruction an evil force that devours the world.

While the human body resembles a small universe, it is the magi that twists and manipulates this universe.

When humans fall into despair and agony, their inner essence slowly collapses.

That is the work of magi, corrupting the truth essence (jingi).

If jingi flows with the order of the universe, a demon overturns and exploits that order.

Thus, the path of magi is one that defies natural law, embracing darkness.

The practitioner of demonic arts manipulates this darkness and deepens it further.

The essence of Cheonma Singong lies in drawing strength from pain, despair, and the darkness condensed within blood.

It is not about raising your spirit but submerging it in the abyss. The deeper the darkness, the stronger the magi.

When the magi flows, it embodies both rigidity (gang) and softness (yu).

Form becomes irrelevant, replaced by destruction and transformation.

For one who has mastered demonic arts, formlessness emerges naturally from chaos.

Even without shape, the power will flow infinitely.

Everything connects through the flow of destruction.

Do not resist the flow. Accept corruption, embrace the darkness in your heart, and progress further.

The path ahead is no longer the path of the Dao but the path of the Demon.

Let the Blood Heaven Magi dominate your body and soul.

Perfect yourself within the blood and magi.

This is the way of Cheonmasingong.”

So many words.

Even as she listened to the Blood Demon’s long-winded explanation,

Cheon Yeoul quickly boiled it down in her head:

‘Why is he making it sound so complicated? It’s just that magi is born from pain, despair, and blood.’

‘You just reverse the flow of jingi. In the end, it’s all about the flow anyway.’

Simple.

Magi is a power gained by defying natural laws through destruction and transformation.

Even demonic arts followed their own intrinsic flow.

Without hesitation, Cheon Yeoul regulated her breathing.

She didn’t merely listen to the Blood Demon’s teachings as theoretical knowledge but sought to internalize and embody them immediately.

“Humans do not merely accumulate and use energy.”

” The blood and flesh move together from the deepest instincts. ”

“Nerves, muscles, and joints they are mere pathways.”

Those pathways were now being replaced with a better resource.

Since swallowing the Bloodheart Parasite,

a limitless flow of Blood Heaven Magi surged within her body.

Now, she would construct her body anew with Blood Heaven Magi.

The Realm of the Demonic Body (Mashin Jigyung).

She drew upon the darkness from the deepest recesses of her mind.

A state where her will and magi were completely unified.

And thus, she advanced further into the path of the Demon.

As if breathing itself, the flow of energy and consciousness in Cheon Yeoul’s body became seamlessly unified.

There was no need for deliberate energy circulation; the energy moved on its own, naturally and effortlessly.

Much like how nerves govern the body, in the moment her consciousness fully dominated everything,

it was no longer her body that moved by will it was the energy itself that propelled her movements.

Thin streams of black and crimson energy radiated from her body, tracing faint trajectories through the air.

The aura thickened, seeping into her skin, coursing through her veins like blood.

Slowly, crimson-black Blood Heaven Magi began to emerge from within her body.

Starting from her forehead, the dark crimson energy gradually coalesced, radiating from the Baihui acupoint.

It spiraled upward, forming a massive vortex.

Crimson and black lights intertwined, wrapping around her, and soared toward the sky.

The spectacle resembled two serpents coiling around one another in an endless dance.

Though she could not see it, Cheon Yeoul felt an undeniable shift she had just pioneered a new state of being.

And yet, despite this newfound realization, the ma-in before her remained an insurmountable existence, still towering above the heavens.

His strength was immeasurable.

‘The higher I climb, the more I realize it. The Blood Demon is absurdly powerful.’

It wasn’t an exaggeration for him to proclaim himself the greatest under the heavens, unmatched across time.

Facing him directly seemed utterly impossible.

“Hahaha! What remarkable progress! Even though demonic arts inherently yield faster achievements than orthodox martial arts,

for you to reach the mid-stage of Mashin-gyeong within a week of starting your journey in the demonic path truly,

heaven has blessed you with unparalleled talent.”

“Mashin-gyeong?”

“It is a term for the stages of mastery in demonic arts. They are as follows:

• The Entering Demon Realm (Ipma-gyeong)
• The Heart Demon Realm (Simma-gyeong)
• The Demonic Body Realm (Mashin-gyeong)
• The Extreme Demon Realm (Geukma-gyeong)
• The Transcending Demon Realm (Talma-gyeong)
• The Surpassing Demon Realm (Choma-gyeong)

You are currently in the mid-stage of Mashin-gyeong.

When you reach the peak of Mashin-gyeong,

your body will undergo a complete transformation in preparation for advancing to the Extreme Demon Realm.”

The Blood Demon’s satisfaction was evident.

He admired his disciple’s swift accomplishments with an almost fatherly affection.

‘Then… this man must be at least at the Transcending Demon Realm. ‘

‘No, perhaps even the Surpassing Demon Realm.’

The difference between them felt immeasurable.

Undeterred, the Blood Demon began imparting a cascade of martial techniques to Cheon Yeoul.

She absorbed them with astonishing ease.

Like a sponge soaking up water, every teaching etched itself deep into her being.

Techniques such as:

• Reverse Blood Great Spiral Technique (Yeokhyeol Daera Simbeop,)
• Blood Hell Execution Technique (Hyeolla Jiok Hyeolgong)
• Blood King’s Soul-Quelling Fist (Hyeolwang Jinhon Gwon)
• Blood Dragon Swordsmanship (Hyeollyong Geombeop)
• Blood Shattering Finger (Pahyeolji)
• Asura Twin Extreme Domination (Sura Ssanggeukpa)
• Blood Soul Demonic Palm (Hyeolhon Majang)
• Blood Sea Wandering Dragon Step (Hyeolhae Yurongbo)
• Reverse Blood Demonic Grand Technique (Yeokhyeol Honmadaebeop)
• Blood Demon Deity Technique (Hyeolma Singong)

…and dozens more.

As Cheon Yeoul unraveled the depths of each technique,

the Blood Demon’s gaze grew warmer.

He couldn’t help but adore his disciple.

For every single lesson he taught, she learned tenfold.

How could he not cherish her?

Had she not lost her vision,

Cheon Yeoul might have been unnerved by the grotesque expression on his face a dreadful combination of pride and affection.

With a voice laden with approval, he finally spoke.

“The Blood Sect thrives on the principle of the strong reigning supreme.”

” The victor takes everything,” the Blood Demon declared.

“…Yes,” Cheon Yeoul responded quietly.

“Your progress is nothing short of blinding brilliance. ”

“Now, it is time for you to solidify your position as the heir to BloodTube. ”

“Create the most diabolical content imaginable as the future leader of the Blood Sect. ”

“Spread blood and despair across the world,

and let them witness that you are worthy of inheriting BloodTube.”

Cheon Yeoul returned to her room, her expression dark and heavy.

She undressed silently.

The opulence of the bathroom, a testament to the immense wealth generated by the Blood Sect through BloodTube, was lost on her blind eyes.

Plop.

She lowered herself into the bathtub, letting the warm water envelop her body like a soft embrace.

The gentle waves caressed her skin, flowing along her curves like silky threads.

Her chest rose above the waterline, bobbing subtly with the rhythm of the ripples,

while her waist and hips absorbed the warmth beneath the surface,

moving gracefully like a fish swimming in serene waters.

Even without sight, her enhanced sense of gi allowed her to perceive everything around her.

Each ripple of water brushed against her heightened senses, sharpening her awareness of her own body in vivid detail.

Since ascending to her current realm, the absence of vision had become a non-issue.

If anything, the world seemed to approach her more intimately.

She could feel the water’s temperature, its gentle texture against her skin,

and even the faint vibrations carried within it.

“What should I do?” she murmured, her voice heavy with exhaustion.

The weight of her situation pressed down on her like a suffocating blanket.

To personally create content for BloodTube…

“Do they expect me to commit murder, arson, or violence?”

BloodTube was not a platform where simple videos could thrive.

Only the most shocking, gruesome, and horrifying scenes could garner views.

And for her to satisfy the Blood Demon,

her content needed to outperform every other channel by a wide margin.

“Without provocative content, the Blood Demon might harm Soul Yi…”

The expectation, combined with a veiled sense of ruthless testing, made her uneasy.

[Disciple, your achievements are dazzling by the day.]

[But to truly ascend as the heir to the Blood Sect, you must outshine other demonic channels.]

[ Is this the extent of your capability? Show me something more provocative, more powerful. ]

[Never forget the victor takes everything.]

The nature of demonic martial arts was inherently different from orthodox techniques.

Where orthodox arts required steady cultivation and enlightenment to progress step by step,

demonic arts tore through those processes.

By drawing upon blood and suffering, a practitioner of demonic arts forcibly absorbed magi from others,

exponentially increasing their power.

The greater the agony and despair inflicted upon others, the more magi the practitioner could devour.

To them, pain was nourishment, and blood was the elixir of life.

Each act of trampling on others’ despair infused their bodies with magi,

making their aura denser and their cultivation rise without the need for profound enlightenment.

Swish.

Just then, the door opened quietly.

Tap. Tap.

Familiar footsteps approached, accompanied by a soft, familiar voice.

“Sunbae, are you alright? Since you can’t see, let me help you.”

“Soul Yi? It’s okay. I can manage on my own,” Cheon Yeoul replied.

“Still, I’ll help. It must be inconvenient for you to do everything alone.”

Ignoring her protests, Baek Soul Yi moved closer to the bathtub and stepped in without hesitation.

Cheon Yeoul hesitated briefly before nodding in resignation, accepting her presence.

“Alright, I’ll leave it to you,” Cheon Yeoul said softly.

Soul Yi’s hands moved deftly, squeezing shampoo into her palms before gently massaging it into Yeoul’s hair.

The once-white strands, now dyed crimson due to the effects of the Blood Demon’s techniques, glistened under the forming suds.

As the foam spread over her head, Yeoul couldn’t shake off the unease stirring in her chest.

“I don’t know how to handle this…”

“What do you mean? Are you talking about BloodTube?” Soul Yi asked,

her voice steady as she continued rinsing the hair.

“Creating sensational content for BloodTube… It’s not just about making videos.”

” It’s about truly causing pain and despair to people. It feels… so heavy for me.”

Soul Yi paused for a moment, her hands still.

This was Cheon Yeoul the senior she had admired for so long.

The one who rescued those in peril, faced monstrous foes alone,

and found miraculous solutions in hopeless situations.

Just as Yeoul had once dreamed of becoming a Hunter while watching others tackle the impossible,

Soul Yi had grown up idolizing Cheon Yeoul, wanting to follow her path.

But now, her hero seemed burdened and trapped.

‘Even in this situation, she refuses to lose her sense of justice… Sunbae is truly remarkable,’ Soul Yi thought, her admiration deepening.

She wanted to help.

As she finished rinsing Yeoul’s hair, Soul Yi’s thoughts swirled around the problem.

‘Content… something sensational…’

Then, a small smile crept onto her lips.

This was her expertise.

“Don’t worry, Sunbae. I’ve already got a great idea.”

“A great idea?” Yeoul asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Isn’t the goal to boost views? There are plenty of ways to do that.”

“Ways to boost views…? What are you talking about?”

“We’re going to crush the other BloodTube channels!” Soul Yi said, her tone suddenly mischievous.

“Crush… the other channels?”

“Exactly! We’ll target the other channels on BloodTube and systematically destroy their content. ”

“We’ll create videos of us taking down these villains punishing the bad guys!”

Yeoul fell into thought. The idea was outrageous, yet undeniably effective.

If they focused on eliminating rival channels,

it could secure the views they needed while aligning with the sect’s survival-of-the-fittest ethos.

BloodTube’s policies rewarded dominance.

The Blood Demon wouldn’t object to her dismantling competing channels; in fact,

he’d probably praise her for it as a true demonic successor.

However, there was one problem.

“But how would we handle the filming and editing?”

” I don’t have a clue where to start,” Yeoul admitted.

At this, Soul Yi grinned, confidence radiating from her.

“Leave that to me, Sunbae. ”

“Filming and editing are my specialties! I run a fan account called ‘Heavenly Demon Tube.’ It’s got millions of subscribers.”

“You’re the one running Heavenly Demon Tube?” Yeoul asked, surprised.

“Hehe, guilty as charged. I’m your biggest fan, after all,” Soul Yi said, scratching her head sheepishly.

A-class Hunter and avid supporter, [CheonmaLove], was finally stepping into the spotlight.