episode_0364

*** ***

smart.

“Senior, are you ready?”

“Okay.”

I looked around the room one last time, answering the question of the black cat outside the room. Perhaps because it was a guest room, even though I lived there for 6 months, I didn’t really feel like I had lived there.

The view of the room seemed to say that it didn’t matter when I left, so I shook off my feelings and moved on.

Heukmyo and I headed straight to Wei Seo-ryeon’s room.

“Do you want to leave?”

“Yes.”

Wei Seolyeon nodded with a calm expression.

I don’t know if it was just a feeling, but an expression that seemed to be trying to hide regret seemed to pass over Wei Seo-ryeon’s face for a moment.

Wei Seo-ryeon got up from her seat, came towards me, and squeezed my shoulder with one hand.

Ouch!

…It seemed like he was going to crush his shoulder just to appease his regret.

“Don’t forget that I postponed the game out of consideration for you.”

“….Yes.”

“Do you understand? The game has been postponed, not over.”

I shook my head as I looked at Wei Seo-ryeon, who was glaring at me with the eyes of a hawk hunting for prey. Wei Seo-ryeon, who was seeing me like that, relaxed and smiled lightly.

“You can do it well, but don’t make me wait too long.”

“Yes.”

This time, Wei Seo-ryeon lightly tapped my shoulder twice, perhaps intending to encourage me, and her gaze returned to the black cat.

“You are probably thinking of leaving too.”

Black Cat nodded silently, and Wei Seo-ryeon looked as if she was heartbroken.

“Did that happen in the end? You treated me so well…”

“Well, until you treat me that well…”

“Heh, I see.”

Wei Seo-ryeon walked forward, stood in front of the black cat, and suddenly hugged the black cat.

The black cat seemed startled, then moved awkwardly and carefully placed its hand on Wei Seolian’s back.

“I will give you a visitor’s card, so you can return to Magyo at any time.”

“…Thank you.”

After Wei Seo-ryeon finished hugging the black cat, she opened the drawer under her desk and took out a book of secrets. Judging by the stiffness of the paper and cover, it seemed to be a copy and not the original.

Heukmyo’s eyes opened wide as he read the title written on the copy that Wei Seo-ryeon held out.

I was quite surprised too.

Because it said on the cover that it was a small number of new skills.

To receive “.”

“This…really…?”

The black cat stuttered and looked at Wei Shulian with confused eyes. It was certainly possible for a black cat to react this way.

That Sosu Shingong, known in the central plains as Sosu Demon Gong, was truly one of the martial arts that represented Martial Arts.

“Not that surprising.”

Wei Seo-ryeon looked at the frozen black cat and cast her gaze at me.

“If you take the essence from the ten levels you have learned and combine them well, you might have been able to create a martial art like this minor magic.”

…did you get caught?

“….to?”

“Why is it called Cheonma Bigo even though it is not hidden at all? That’s because it was a place to keep martial arts created by past Heavenly Demons.”

“Yes?”

“The only martial skill that a Cheonma can pass on to the next Cheonma is the Cheonma Divine Skill. That’s why past Heavenly Demons compiled what they realized into martial arts books and then posted them in the Heavenly Demon’s archive. Even if it is not a martial art that one has mastered, there are many cases where one is inspired by Vigo’s other martial arts and creates a martial art.”

Black Cat’s mouth dropped open at the information that could be said to be the secret history of the Demonic Cult.

“As you may have guessed, Sosu Shingong is a martial art created by a certain Heavenly Demon of all time. Well, since Cheonma himself couldn’t have learned the martial arts that made Seomseom Oksu, he naturally fell asleep in Cheonma Vigo. Even the creator of martial arts, Cheonma Nim, could not have predicted that a female expert who mastered the minor martial arts would become great at the minor martial arts and cause bloodshed in the martial arts world.”

The ten martial arts that I ordered Black Cat to obtain.

A certain Heavenly Demon mixed the ten martial arts and created a small number of martial arts.

“Well, since you are also a skilled person, if you gradually combined your martial arts with the help of Ho Cheon-an, you would have been able to create martial arts that are the same or similar to this minor magic someday.”

Wi Seo-ryeon pointed out exactly what I was aiming for.

Such Wei Seo-ryeon gave Heukmyo the secret title of Sosu Shingong.

“There is no need to feel too burdened. I wonder how the author Ho Cheon-an knows the secret of Soso Shin Gong, but there is no way he can tell me.”

I quickly started examining the wood grain on the floor. Differences in growth that occur due to differences in season and temperature are directly reflected in the shape of the wood grain.

What a great mystery of nature!

…Wiseo-ryeon, who must have seen me avoiding eye contact while applying such self-hypnosis, snorted coldly and turned her gaze back towards the black cat.

“So it is not an excessive farewell gift as you might think.”

“Still…”

“If that is truly the case, then you too should visit the Demonic Church once again.”

Wei Seo-ryeon said, twisting the corner of her mouth.

“Learn the small skills properly and make me happy too.”

The black cat, which was looking at Wei Xiorian with trembling eyes, took a step closer and hugged Wei Shulian.

“….I will.”

“Heh.”

Wei Seo-ryeon’s expression, receiving the black cat’s embrace, was unusually gentle for So Cheon-ma.

But I guess it’s not just my mood that makes me think that expression isn’t that bad.

“The night in Xinjiang is fast and the mountain roads are rough, so be careful.”

Would a master of flower scenery and a master of transcendence really have a hard time with the night and rough mountain paths?

This is a paraphrase of the saying that there are various dangers on the way from Xinjiang to the central plains.

Perhaps he was referring to the threat of Jeongcheol that he might encounter as soon as he leaves Black Dragon Castle.

“I will be careful.”

“I look forward to meeting you again.”

Me and the black cat bowed deeply towards Wei Seo-ryeon and gave him a hug. Wei Seo-ryeon silently nodded, becoming a Little Heavenly Demon who was as ominous as ever and at the same time exuding overwhelming power.

After seeing that scene for the last time, Black Cat and I left Socheonma’s residence and crossed the gate of Black Dragon Castle.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes. Senior.”

Black Cat and I, pressing down on new, stiff bamboo sticks, joined the crowd of people leaving Black Dragon Castle and started moving toward the central plain.

*** ***

‘Did he go?’

Wei Seo-ryeon closed her eyes to soothe her empty and sad feelings. Wei Seo-ryeon, who had been controlling her agitated mind for a while, stood up.

It was to chase away distracting thoughts by sweating a lot.

Wei Seo-ryeon, who had been practicing until the sun set, moved her body without any effort, lightly washed her body, and walked naturally before stopping.

This was because he was planning to head to the room where he received reports of Ho Cheon-an’s activities from his subordinates every day, and where he used to gamble with Black Cat.

“Tsk.”

Wi Seo-ryeon clicked her tongue and returned to her room and ordered Si-bi to bring tea.

Wei Seo-ryeon, who was slowly drinking moderately hot tea, smiled bitterly.

The time I spent with Hocheonan and Black Cat was only a short time, and drinking a cup of tea after training to soothe my physical and mental fatigue was a habit I had been doing my whole life, but I couldn’t figure out how I could feel so lonely.

At that time, Wei Seo-ryeon felt that there was a commotion outside.

There wasn’t a loud noise, but it felt like the servants were making a fuss.

After the commotion had passed for a while, Wei Seo-ryeon’s visit was held.

“Are you here?”

“Um.”

It was the visit of Cheonma Wijicheon.

“Have they left?”

“Yes.”

Wi Ji-cheon looked at Wei Seo-ryeon, who couldn’t hide her lonely expression, for a moment and then sat down in front of her.

“Let’s have a game of gambling.”

Wei Shulian stared at Wei Jichen for a moment.

Why bother to come to Wei Seo-ryeon’s residence and encourage him to gamble?

Is this just Wijicheon’s own crude consolation?

“…I guess so.”

Wei Seo-ryeon thought about that and nodded. Sibi hurriedly brought home appliances, dice cups, and goal cards.

Wi Ji-cheon offered a golpae and Wi Seo-ryeon nodded.

widely. widely. widely. widely.

The light noise of bones mixing together filled the space between the two for a moment.

“I’ll bet you one.”

“I will accept it.”

A gamble that is carried out quietly, saying only what is absolutely necessary. Wi Seo-ryeon concentrated on the goal in such a quiet atmosphere.

How many rounds came and went like that?

“You rested too long.”

Wi Seo-ryeon, who paused for a moment at Wi Ji-cheon’s sudden words, soon grasped the context of the conversation.

6 months after receiving an injury that penetrated the cerebral cortex. Cheonma chose to remain in seclusion to keep his promise to Unmyeong.

After that, the gambling match with Hocheonan continued for six months.

“You took a year off for some reason.”

“Yes.”

Wi Ji-cheon said as he picked up the tablet.

“It’s not easy to handle all the accumulated work at once.”

The result was Wi Seo-ryeon’s win.

Wi Seo-ryeon lightly ignored Wi Ji-cheon’s words and shuffled his cards again.

“Would you please help me?”

Wei Seo-ryeon’s hand, which was shuffling the cards, stopped. One of the goal cards fell down, but Wei Seo-ryeon looked at Wei Ji-cheon.

Wi Ji-cheon’s proposal seemed like nothing special, but in reality, it was a truly unconventional proposal.

In the history of the Heavenly Demon Church, the Heavenly Demon and the Little Heavenly Demon have never collaborated.

“I’m Socheonma, aren’t I.”

“Isn’t that why you’re asking?”

Wi Ji-cheon said with a slight smile.

“Is there anyone other than Socheonma who can share what only Cheonma can do?”

“Ha.”

Is this also Wijicheon’s own consolation?

Wi Seo-ryeon laughed involuntarily at the cruel treatment of Wi Ji-cheon, who was able to handle everything on her own no matter how much she took a year off.

Although Hu Tian-an and Black Cat left, there was also something that Hu Tian-an left behind.

What remains is the joy of climbing the mountain called gambling and Wijicheon, who walked side by side, feeling the same joy.

Wei Seo-ryeon felt the loneliness that had filled her heart begin to subside little by little.

“Since the father is so busy, it is the child’s duty to help.”

“It’s a good thing. In that case, please join us at Cheonmajeon starting tomorrow.”

Wi Ji-cheon drew a line and spoke elegantly.

“I will be quite busy starting tomorrow.”

“Hehe, we’ll still have time to roll the dice together after work, right?”

Wi Ji-cheon calmly nodded in response to Wei Seo-ryeon’s playful question.

“Of course.”

“Hahahaha!”

Wei Seo-ryeon burst out laughing and pulled out the trophies.

“I’m looking forward to that.”

The day Hocheonan and Heukmyo left the Demonic Cult to find their own path.

Wi Seo-ryeon and Wi Ji-cheon also began to walk a new path.