Chapter 395: She’s Only Nice in Front of Us
Chapter 395: She’s Only Nice in Front of Us
The next morning, I headed to my private training ground.
I had slept deeply for the first time in a long while. I woke feeling so refreshed that I wondered if I had ever greeted a morning with such clarity in recent memory. With the lightheartedness of someone who had just completed a monumental task, I decided to attempt something I had been putting off.
In the center of the training ground, where no one could enter without my express permission, I activated the Space-Time Displacement Technique and the Time Heaven Secret Technique in rapid succession.
Immediately, time within the displaced space began to slow.
With the Time Heaven Secret Technique, I could now utilize three times as much time as in reality. Being able to move three times faster than others was an incredible advantage, but it was still insufficient for my goal of reaching the Twelve-Star Great Achievement of the Nine Calamities Demonic Art. I needed to secure even more time.
Nevertheless, I spent half of my training session practicing the Nine Calamities Demonic Art. I didn't devote all my time solely to the Time Heaven Secret Technique because I never knew what might happen or when I might be interrupted.
Within the world of the Space-Time Displacement, I unleashed the Nine Calamities Demonic Art.
First Form: Annihilation Form.
Saaaaaa!
The horrifying illusions of four evil ghosts, terrifying to behold, appeared simultaneously in the four cardinal directions and swung their blades.
Slash! Slash! Slash! Slash!
The terrifying one, the elegant one, the enigmatic one, and the scholarly one. These reliable figures, whom I saw so often they now felt like old friends, stood their ground.
There had been progress in the interim. The four ghosts of the north, south, east, and west had become faster and stronger than before. From their manifestation points to their attack trajectories and even the timing of their disappearance—I could now control them with absolute freedom.
If I could reach the Great Achievement of the Nine Calamities Demonic Art and manifest the Heavenly Demon Soul, would I be able to share an emotional connection with them? Perhaps the Heavenly Demon Soul and the lesser ghosts would stand before me in a relationship similar to mine with the Demon Lords. I felt a flicker of idle anticipation.
Next, I unleashed the Second Form: Great Annihilation Form.
Ssssssss.
Originally, the terrifying ghost among the four would split into six, but now the number had increased by two, splitting into eight.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
The eight ghosts swept forward, crushing everything in their path. No matter how many times I used it, the Great Annihilation Form always felt incredibly cathartic.
Third Form: Great Demonic Wall.
A massive wall of Gang Qi rose before my eyes. Just as my father had said—that the size would decrease as one's realm rose—the Great Demonic Wall was smaller than when I had first manifested it. Once I reached the final realm, it would shrink to the size of a shield, protecting only a single person's body.
However, I had a grand plan for this technique. My goal was to manifest that perfected, shield-sized wall at its current massive scale while maintaining its full density and power. This was something that couldn't be done even with the Ten-Star Great Achievement. But if I could reach the Twelve-Star Great Achievement, then perhaps?
Until now, I had repeatedly practiced up to the Third Form. Today, I intended to unleash the Fourth Form for the first time. Having faced the Twelve Zodiac recently, my perspective on martial arts had shifted, and my realm had risen. I felt that the time had finally come to begin training the Fourth Form in earnest.
Nine Calamities Demonic Art, Fourth Form: Dark Flash.
The moment I unleashed the technique, my surroundings flickered. It felt as if I had blinked. Though I failed, it wasn't a bad start for a first attempt. I recited the oral formula again and attempted the Fourth Form once more.
Again, the world darkened and then brightened. The duration of the darkness was longer than before. It was as if someone had covered a lamp with their hand and then suddenly revealed it.
I repeated the process over and over.
As with most high-level martial arts, the Nine Calamities Demonic Art required a greater amount of internal energy as it progressed into the later forms. This Fourth Form required a massive amount of Qi, making it a technique that couldn't be used recklessly. Because of this, even I, with my vast internal energy, had to stop periodically to replenish it through Qi Circulation.
The attempts continued. And finally...
Whoosh!
Complete darkness descended upon the area.
The world went black, as if the very light of the sun had been snuffed out. It was darkness itself, where not even an inch ahead could be seen, as if light had never existed in the first place. It was a pitch-black void that even the New Eye Technique could not pierce.
Swish.
A single streak of light cut through the darkness. A line of light capable of severing anything in existence. After the light passed, the surroundings brightened again.
I had been facing an imaginary enemy, but if I had unleashed this against a real person, they would be lying on the ground before me, their body severed before they even realized the lights had gone out.
I did it!
I unleashed the Dark Flash once more. Darkness fell in all directions.
Sssswish.
This time, the light cut diagonally. I could determine the direction of the flash according to my will. Filled with the sense of achievement from successfully manifesting the Fourth Form, I stood alone in the space of the Space-Time Displacement and laughed out loud.
If things went well, a breakthrough could happen in a single day, but if the heavens were difficult, an extreme ascension martial art like the Nine Calamities Demonic Art could take months or even years to master.
Of course, just as the other forms continued to evolve, this wasn't the end for the Fourth Form. The more I practiced, the deeper the darkness would become and the more powerful its strike. It was said that a perfected Dark Flash could not be blocked by any Body Protection Qi.
When the darkness falls, the opponent must die.
This was the Fourth Form of the Nine Calamities Demonic Art: Dark Flash.
*
When I finished my training and stepped outside, a welcome visitor was waiting for me.
“Young Cult Leader!”
With a great blade at his waist that suited him perfectly and the natural dignity of the Huangquan Pavilion Master, it was Seo Dae-ryong.
“Have you eaten?” I asked.
“No, sir.”
“I’m hungry. Let’s talk over lunch.”
I had a maidservant bring lunch for both of us. Since I had trained for a much longer time than had passed in reality, I was starving.
“Congratulations on successfully concluding the summit yesterday,” Seo Dae-ryong said.
“Thanks.”
“That’s all anyone in the Cult is talking about right now.”
“They’re probably only talking about the dancing, aren't they?”
Since he couldn't deny it, Seo Dae-ryong gave an awkward laugh. The fact that the Young Alliance Leader of the Unorthodox Path Alliance had danced, and then the Young Cult Leader of the Divine Cult and the granddaughter of the Murim Alliance Leader had joined in, was a monumental event. The rumors would soon spread not just through the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, but across the entire Central Plains.
“I should have been there,” he lamented.
Indeed, if it were Seo Dae-ryong, he would have danced along. He would have made a fuss about how embarrassing it was, but he would have jumped in even before Jin Ha-ryeong.
“I considered sneaking a peek, but I couldn't.”
Since only the Unit Leaders were mobilized for perimeter security, he, as a Pavilion Master, could not attend.
“I wanted to see Miss Jin again, if no one else.”
“Why didn't you come? You could have kicked the tavern door open and shouted, ‘I am the winner who defeated Miss Jin in the finals of the Young Dragon Tournament!’”
“If I did that, I would have been beaten up by the Orthodox masters. No, wait—I probably would have been thrashed by my Master first.”
I laughed at Seo Dae-ryong’s banter.
“How did the summit go? Was it successful?”
“The Orthodox, Unorthodox, and Demonic factions have agreed to prioritize joining forces to take those bastards down.”
“You have achieved something truly incredible.”
At Seo Dae-ryong’s admiration, I spoke humbly. “It’s something my father achieved.”
Seo Dae-ryong stared silently at my face.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“I just thought you could afford to be a little arrogant at a time like this. You’ve accomplished a great feat that the world may never see again.”
The reason he came today was to say these words. It was what I had always done for him—noticing even the smallest things and offering praise after praise. It was thanks to that encouragement that a once gloomy and pessimistic investigator had made it this far.
“This humility is actually a calculated form of showing off,” I joked.
“Well, it worked. Even when you’re humble, you look impressive.”
Seo Dae-ryong asked all sorts of questions about the summit. What was the Murim Alliance Leader like? What about the Unorthodox Path Alliance Leader? Which masters came along? Was Jo Chun-bae nervous? He was full of curiosity.
“Are you upset? Because you couldn't be there?”
“A little.”
“You should have asked. I would have granted your request.”
If it were Seo Dae-ryong, I could have specially placed him right next to Jang Ho.
“Everyone already knows I’m close to you, Young Cult Leader.”
He didn't want to be the subject of gossip about private favors. It was more about not wanting to cause harm to my reputation than about his own.
“So what? This is the time to make it obvious. I cherish our Pavilion Master Seo this much, so nobody but me better mess with him!”
“Nobody but you? That’s not a compliment!”
Even though it was a joke, Seo Dae-ryong felt good. The two of us finished our meal and walked out into the yard.
“Don’t skip meals just because you live alone. Make sure you eat well,” I said.
“I will.” Seo Dae-ryong, who was about to leave after saying his goodbyes, stopped in his tracks. “Oh, by the way, have you heard any news about her?”
“No.”
“Do you even know where she is?”
“I’m sure she’s fine.”
At my nonchalant answer, Seo Dae-ryong shook his head with a look that said, How can you be so indifferent!
“You might not remember, but among your subordinates, there is a person named Lee An. She was the woman called the Beautiful Heart.”
I played along with his teasing. “I think I might recall her.”
“You’re too much! You should at least know where she is and what she’s doing!”
“Do you know?”
“Of course I do. She’s currently in the North Sea. Her heart is freezing over in that cold place!”
“In the North Sea? Why there?”
“Well, I don’t know that part.”
Lee An’s purpose for leaving the Cult was to recruit Seo Jin, Gwi Ryeongja’s younger sister, as the leader of the Ghost Shadow 2nd Team. Since it was her first solo journey into the Murim, I had told her not to rush and to see the sights, but it seemed she had gone all the way to the North Sea.
“Aren't you worried?”
“What’s there to worry about? This is a chance for her to travel and experience the Jianghu. She’ll meet villains and perverts.”
Kid, who are you worrying about?
Lee An has nine tails, so to speak. Her Flying Heaven Sword Technique is at the Nine-Star stage. She’s only nice in front of us. If anyone needs to worry, it’s the enemies standing in front of her.
I trusted Lee An. I trusted her skill and her intelligence, but there was something I trusted even more. She was the one who had kept me alive and allowed me to return like this. I trusted our bond, and I trusted her fate.
But Seo Dae-ryong didn't seem to feel the same way.
“Ah, I’m worried our Lee An is so innocent that she might be getting tricked somewhere.”
“Like you were during the martial arts tournament?” I reminded him. Back then, Seo Dae-ryong had almost fallen head over heels for a woman’s trap.
“How long are you going to keep bringing that up? I won’t fall for that anymore. I’m like aged ginger—the older, the sharper.”
“To me, you still look like a crisp green apple.”
Seo Dae-ryong ignored me and steered the conversation back to Lee An. “She needs to make sure to check her food with a silver needle every time she eats. I wonder if she took enough hidden weapons with her. If she goes around without a veil, all sorts of bastards will swarm her.”
“But how did you know Lee An was in the North Sea?”
“I went and asked the Ghost Shadow 1st Team Leader. He said the last place they received contact from was the North Sea.”
It seemed he had gone to ask Blue Face.
“Have you ever been to the North Sea?” I asked.
“Of course.”
“I’ve never been. Then, have you been to the Ice Palace too?”
“Naturally.”
“Don’t tell me you’ve even met the Ice Palace Master?”
I nodded. Of course, this was from before my regression. I had a connection with the Ice Palace back then.
“If you go to the entrance of the Ice Palace, they have people frozen and on display,” I said.
“No way, really?”
“It’s true. They froze everyone who opposed the Ice Palace and put them on display. It’s a powerful warning: ‘This is what happens if you stand against us!’”
“Then all those people must be dead?”
“Who knows? Maybe they’ll move like Jiangshi when the ice melts.”
Seo Dae-ryong flinched as if the mere thought was terrifying.
“That’s not all. If you go to the snowy mountains behind the Ice Palace, Yetis live there. Those Yetis grow a spiritual herb called the Ice Snow Herb, and if you consume its fruit, you can gain an incredible amount of internal energy.”
“Really? You shouldn't lie to me just because I haven't been there.”
“Don’t believe me if you don’t want to.”
Seo Dae-ryong was already hooked. You brat, you’re the one who gets tricked so easily, yet you’re worrying about someone else?
The stories about people being frozen alive or the Yetis and Ice Snow Herbs were mostly legends passed down through the years.
“If you’re that worried about Lee An, go find her,” I suggested.
“What about the Huangquan Pavilion?”
“Take a vacation. I’ll make sure you can step away.”
“What about my monthly salary?”
“You won’t get it, obviously. It’s a personal matter. You should be willing to sacrifice that much for Lee An.”
Seo Dae-ryong blinked and pondered for a moment before taking a step back. “Well, we aren't that close. And I’m quite sensitive to the cold.”
I laughed at his antics.
“Well then, I’ll be going.”
After Seo Dae-ryong left, I looked up at the sky. I realized that despite waking up in such a good mood, I had started my day without even looking up once.
Lee An, what is the sky like in the North Sea?
*
After seeing Seo Dae-ryong off, I headed toward the Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s residence. I was about to enter energetically while calling out for the elder, but I stopped in my tracks.
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon was in the flower garden set up in a corner of the yard. It was the very same garden where he used to prune flower branches with the Heaven Extermination Great Blade. There, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon was planting flowers alongside Fairy Hwa-myeong.
The man who had stood so proudly before the Orthodox and Unorthodox masters yesterday felt like a completely different person from the man planting flowers now.
Just then, someone whispered beside me. “They say there’s no fool like an old fool.”
I turned to see it was the Drunken Demon. It wasn't exactly something he should be saying, considering he had been in a very good atmosphere with Yeo-bin lately.
“They’ve been like that all morning,” he added.
“What are you doing here, Brother?”
“I have something to say to the Sword Venerable.”
“Then just go and say it.”
The Drunken Demon’s gaze shifted toward the two. “Why would I ruin such a rare good mood?”
It was understandable why he hesitated. The Blood Heaven Blade Demon probably didn't even realize how wide he was smiling as he planted flowers with Fairy Hwa-myeong. It seemed spring had arrived in the Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s heart as well.
Just then, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon shouted from the garden. “What are you two whispering about like a couple of rats?”
I shouted back. “Don’t mind us! We’re just passersby! Just two passing rats!”
I walked away from the spot with the Drunken Demon.
“Why did you want to see the Sword Venerable?” I asked.
“I wanted to consult her about something that’s been bothering me a bit.”
“What is it?”
“Forget it. It’s nothing major.”
But I didn't let it slide. “Brother, many problems that arise later happen because people brushed them off as ‘nothing major’ now, right? What is it? Tell me!”
When I pushed that far, the Drunken Demon revealed what was on his mind.
“There’s a place that sends me liquor every year. Every year without fail, when March comes, they send it. But this year, the liquor didn't arrive.”
If it were an ordinary sect, he wouldn't have brought it up like this.
“Where is it?”
An unexpected name flowed from the Drunken Demon’s lips.
“The North Sea Ice Palace.”