Chapter 14
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Demon Seal
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Peak masters generally find it hard to receive advice from others.
Ten martial artists, ten different styles, each with their own unique path in martial arts.
Those who reach the peak naturally walk their own martial path.
Even within the same sect, by the time they hit that level, they start forging their own independent path.
Moon Shadow's Floating Dragon Sword was also quite different from the original form taught by her master after she reached the peak.
"See? The sword feels as light as a feather now, so there's no need to stick to the old swordsmanship, right? You can boldly twist the sword's path and still handle it just fine."
That's why the advice coming from So-hyang's mouth was worth its weight in gold.
Not about channeling qi or profound techniques, but fundamental insights into the principles of body movement.
Not about raising martial achievements, but about fully utilizing the martial foundation already built.
"Inhale, exhale, like binding your facial muscles—that sensation. Yes, exactly."
This wasn't limited to swordsmanship alone.
Tips on managing expressions, breathing methods to calm emotions, concentration techniques to widen vision.
The reason she gave such advice so freely was...
So-hyang had never been stingy about sharing her martial knowledge to begin with, she felt fondness for the Imperial Princess who brought her along as a guard—
and the sight of Moon Shadow's skills being clumsy compared to her stacked achievements ignited So-hyang's impulse to coach.
"Being able to throw in a feint means you can also choose not to. See? That adds one more option. Don't get discouraged if your hidden move gets exposed—use it for psychological warfare instead."
Open-minded thinking about combat, high-level advice on swordsmanship...
To Moon Shadow, this was undoubtedly a fateful encounter.
An invaluable opportunity that demanded full concentration—
"Nngh..."
It hurt too much. Really, really too much.
Even quite some time after being beaten, the pain wasn't subsiding—in fact, it was getting worse.
A sensation like the spiciness of the Sichuan dish the Princess had playfully fed her, numbing her entire body.
The intense pain made it impossible to focus on the words.
"...Sigh."
Noticing this, So-hyang let out a deep sigh and lowered Moon Shadow's raised arm.
"Can't concentrate because it hurts? I wanted to teach you how to adapt to pain too..."
She took Moon Shadow's limply drooping hand and pressed acupoints firmly, giving a massage.
Starting from the right hand to the left, shoulders, waist, back of the neck, calves—gently kneading her whole body, and somehow, the pain miraculously began to subside.
Her neck stretched out as blood circulated, the tingling nerve clusters loosening.
"Haaaah..., whoa!"
Moon Shadow couldn't help but let out a melted voice.
"There, now you can focus, right? Let's start from the beginning again—"
"Y-yes?"
And so, So-hyang's advice continued until the moon set in the night sky and dawn broke.
"—So, when you allow the opponent inside your sword's range, joint locks are generally more useful than strikes."
"Nngh, yes."
So-hyang's body didn't tire from just one night, and Moon Shadow, being a peak master herself, wasn't physically exhausted either.
"Use joint techniques? Learn it first. As I keep saying, more options are never a bad thing."
What was exhausted was the mind.
The advice wasn't nonsense—it was truly precious, turning into flesh and blood, so she couldn't let it pass, and focusing on it drained her mental energy excessively.
"Ugh, uugh..."
Moon Shadow's eyelids hollowed out, her pupils losing focus.
The physical pain would have been better; this felt like mental torture.
"My lady, the sun is rising soon."
The Princess had been watching, knowing So-hyang was giving helpful advice to her guard.
But even so, talking non-stop through half a day and all night was a bit much.
"Oh, you're right."
The red sunrise was rising, and birdsong chirped from outside.
"...Was I too harsh?"
"Quite harsh."
So-hyang smiled awkwardly as she looked at Moon Shadow.
Even at the same peak realm, Namgung Su and Moon Shadow felt different.
Namgung Su walked the righteous path.
The righteous path was the king's way—not just his trained martial arts, but his inherent character.
What he lacked couldn't be fixed with a few words of advice; it was a task to build through his own contemplation over time.
Moon Shadow walked the righteous path too.
Yet, despite her excellent achievements, she was somehow just a hair short.
Her swift sword had depth but was extreme, making flaws easy to spot, and her personal character felt somewhat lacking.
A few more words of advice, and she could become an even greater martial artist...!
Unable to suppress that thought, So-hyang gave in to her impulse to teach.
Her attitude of learning so earnestly, even to the point of mental exhaustion, made her a rare student worth teaching.
"Tsk, leaving this lady outside all night, keeping her awake— the commoners' attitude toward an Imperial Scion is terribly misguided."
Though she said that, her imperial bloodline showed—no fatigue from a sleepless night marred her face.
Moon Shadow was the problem.
"Uugh."
With spinning eyes, having truly hit her mental limit, Moon Shadow lost consciousness on the spot and collapsed.
The Princess looked at So-hyang in disbelief.
"...You went too far."
"Ahahaha..."
-----
With things turning out this way, the Princess gathered the group again for breakfast.
Like the previous evening, the Princess, So-hyang, and the group sat around once more.
"How long do you plan to stay here?"
"We must return to the Martial Alliance, so we'll eat breakfast and head out right away."
"Right, you're on alliance duty."
The Princess's eyes turned to Namgung Su's backpack.
"A demon weapon recovery mission, I presume? Indeed, it's an item that requires caution."
The group flinched momentarily, but recalling her imperial blood, they nodded in understanding.
Most seals or barriers paled into insignificance before the Dragon Eye.
"I'll stay here a bit longer, so we'll part ways like this."
Regretfully wagging her finger, she turned her gaze to So-hyang.
"You, So-hyang."
Their eyes met, reading each other's hearts.
"Yes, my lady. I'm listening."
The Princess with her innate bloodline power.
So-hyang with her insight honed over long years.
"You overlooked the rudeness of my guard and even gave precious advice—thank you."
"No need for thanks. I just said what I wanted."
In the end, words weren't needed—their hearts communicated perfectly, a true mind-to-mind bond.
To the Princess, someone who truly understood her was priceless in the world—
"May I consider you a friend?"
"...!?"
Not just the two of them, but calling So-hyang a friend in front of Murim figures.
This could be seen as an official declaration, meaning the Third Imperial Princess would back So-hyang.
"...With your exalted position, is that alright?"
"True authority isn't bound by such pretenses. What do you take imperial blood for?"
Of course, it wasn't just because their minds aligned and she felt fondness.
She highly valued So-hyang's anomalous martial prowess, beating a peak master like scolding a child.
But her goodwill toward So-hyang wasn't false—
"Then, I'll consider you a friend too, my lady."
So-hyang gladly accepted.
"Ahaha, what a fine day this is!"
The Princess burst into laughter and, in high spirits, called the server for alcohol.
Thus, from early morning, another drinking session began, and the group stayed at Wind and Cloud Inn until the sun reached midday.
-----
"Regrettably, now we part."
"We'll meet again next time, my lady."
"Indeed, friend."
The regret shadowing the Princess's face dispersed, replaced by a refreshing smile.
"Take this. It'll be useful."
She reached into her bosom and handed So-hyang a palm-sized golden plaque.
"—Gasp! Imperial Dragon Token!?"
A material token guaranteeing the holder's status on behalf of an Imperial Scion, granting authority to move the imperial house itself.
"Wha-wha—"
Wind Path Beggar was so shocked he lost his words.
The Imperial Dragon Token had long since devolved from its original purpose into merely proving an Imperial Scion's identity.
Granting it to an outsider to vouch for their status was like something out of fairy tales from the empire's founding era.
"Hmm, must be something incredibly valuable?"
So-hyang smiled slightly at Wind Path Beggar's expression and teasingly glanced at the Princess.
"No matter how valuable an item, if it's gathering dust in storage, it's no better than trash. Giving it to my friend is the most precious use, no?"
"I see. I'll treasure it, my lady."
"Don't treasure it—use it! Flash it at imperial armies if you need urgent funds, shove it at officials if you need power."
That was the meaning of an Imperial Scion personally vouching for someone with their name.
"In most places, you'll receive treatment equal to mine. Understand?"
"Hmm, isn't this a bit too much?"
"For such things, better to overdo it. Remember that."
The conversation paused, and without anyone leading, they silently embraced tightly.
"I'll miss you, friend."
"I'll visit sometime, my lady."
A farewell from the heart, unbound by etiquette or formality.
Though only one night's bond, friendship doesn't always scale with time.
-----
Thus, the group left Wind and Cloud Inn in Yunju County.
And arrived at Yungang County, the heart of Huguk and home to the Martial Alliance headquarters.
"Please verify your identity."
As So-hyang was about to present the Imperial Dragon Token instead of her ID plaque to the gatekeeper, the group panicked and stopped her.
"—This one is Six Knot Beggar of the Beggars' Sect, Wind Path Beggar! I vouch for our identities! Let us in!"
"Namgung Clan vouches too!"
"T-Tang Clan as well...!"
Thus, without much fuss, the group entered the Martial Alliance.
"The Martial Alliance is like a whole metropolis?"
The Central Plains were vast beyond imagination, and the Martial Alliance gathered all martial artists from that vast land.
"Even so, not all martial artists—just those calling themselves the White Path."
Within the expansive Martial Alliance headquarters, their destination was set.
The department suppressing, exterminating, and isolating demon weapons, demonic arts, demon people, and all things demonic.
"Welcome to the Demon Seal Cave."
Surprisingly, there was a massive rock mountain inside the Martial Alliance, and the Demon Seal Cave used the entire mountain as its grounds.
A bizarre place carved into solid granite, forming stone caves and sculpted facilities.
Someone was there to greet the group.
"Oh, it's you, Lee. Been waiting?"
Wind Path Beggar called him "Lee" with evident delight.
Slightly long, unkempt dark gray hair.
Pale skin as if rarely seeing sunlight.
Hollow black-rimmed eyes, weary pupils hidden behind round glasses.
Wearing loose black scholar's robes, a plain folding fan tucked at his waist.
"Demon Seal Cave Master, Lee Se-min."
He raised his unhealthily thin arm in greeting salute to welcome the group.
"Wind Path Beggar senior, Sword Dragon, Dark Flower—you've recovered the stolen Blood Curse?"
"Yeah, you punk. You won't believe what happened. I've got an awesome story."
Ignoring Wind Path Beggar's chatter, Lee Se-min turned his gaze to So-hyang at the back.
"Did you capture that one at the scene?"
"...Huh?"
"You don't know."
The atmosphere turned icy in an instant. Lee Se-min trudged forward to stand before So-hyang.
His dead-fish eyes cooled chillingly, spewing bluish flames fittingly described as ghostly qi.
"Blood Curse. Lured these fools here nicely, didn't you?"
"Hey, Lee! Wait, that's not it!"
Glancing at Wind Path Beggar and the group urgently trying to explain, Lee Se-min drew his fan and lightly fanned toward them.
"Even my Ghost Eye can barely see the connection, so it's no wonder you didn't notice."
With the wind, azure ink-like internal energy burst from the fan.
The group had no time to speak before being swept away by the gust.
"Cave members, take them and keep distance. It doesn't seem like deep illusionary bewitchment, but there's still risk of rampage."
The Demon Seal Cave handled extreme dangers even within the Martial Alliance, dealing with all things demonic.
Even the regular members were peak masters.
"No, hey! Se-min!! What the—"
Cave members appearing at the master's call instantly struck Wind Path Beggar and Tang Hwaryeon's pressure points.
Namgung Su, at the same peak realm, dodged their hands.
"Don't resist."
"...Damn it!!"
The members unhesitatingly pressed daggers to Tang Hwaryeon's throat.
Clans like Namgung or Sichuan Tang meant nothing to them; they lived solely for eradicating demons.
With his lover held hostage, Namgung Su could neither advance nor retreat, turning his eyes to So-hyang facing off against Lee Se-min.
It's. Fine.
So-hyang mouthed reassurance with a smile, and Namgung Su surrendered his acupoints to the members in trust.
-----
"I get the misunderstanding, but how about talking it out first?"
"Truly a Blood Sect divine object. Stolen briefly and out in the world, it turns into such a dangerous thing."
No communion with demons—that was the Demon Seal Cave's principle.
Ignoring So-hyang's words, the Cave Master murmured lowly to himself.
"All sorts of demons gathered here—you saw it as a chance to feed and grow stronger. Grave mistake."
If members were peak realm, the master was naturally beyond that.
Peak of the peak.
Human limit.
Threshold of entering divinity.
The highest realm among all martial artists So-hyang had encountered.
Demon Seal Cave Master Lee Se-min was a super-peak master.
"Oh? Looking forward to it."
A bright smile bloomed on So-hyang's face, sword already in hand as if drawing was skipped.
From afar, Wind Path Beggar—barely able to move eyes and mouth with acupoints sealed—grew dizzy at the sight.
"Heh, we're screwed."