Chapter 608: What Can You Do with Those Dainty Hands!
Chapter 608: What Can You Do with Those Dainty Hands!
The carriage sped toward the headquarters of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
Except for brief stops to eat, rest the horses, or stay at an inn for the night, the carriage traveled without pause. Today was no different; the vehicle hurtled down the road at a breakneck pace.
As it passed, kicking up clouds of dust, a flock of sparrows perched on a scarecrow took flight all at once.
"They’re just like me."
At Lee An’s words, Geom Mu-geuk looked up. "What is?"
Just a moment ago, beyond the sparrows that had caught the wind, a single crane had been standing in a rice paddy. Its noble appearance reminded her of Geom Mu-geuk, while she felt like one of the sparrows that had just fluttered away. That thought had prompted her remark.
By the time Geom Mu-geuk looked out the window, the scenery had already shifted, as if to prove that everything was but a fleeting moment.
"Oh, it’s nothing. Just the way they chirp and all."
"How trivial."
"But what are you thinking about so deeply?" Lee An asked.
Geom Mu-geuk had been lost in thought throughout the entire journey.
"I wonder... will it cut, or will it not?"
"Pardon?"
Lee An’s eyes widened in confusion. Seo Jin, who was traveling with them, also wore a puzzled expression.
Suddenly, Geom Mu-geuk leaned his head out the window and shouted to the carriage ahead. "Stop for a moment!"
The two carriages leading the way came to a halt. Geom Mu-geuk stepped down and walked over to the carriage carrying the Fist Demon and the One Flower Sword Venerable.
"There are only three or four days left until we reach headquarters. Let’s travel together from here."
Knowing there must be a reason for him to stop them when they were making such good time, the Fist Demon and the One Flower Sword Venerable readily stepped out. Geom Mu-geuk sent back the two leading carriages and all three drivers.
"I will drive the carriage from now on."
Indeed, Geom Mu-geuk had a reason for this. After unhitching the horses to let them graze in a nearby field, he gathered the two Demon Lords, Lee An, and Seo Jin in one spot.
"Please, come here for a moment!"
The four of them gathered around him, wondering what he was up to.
"Lee An, draw your sword."
Startled by the sudden command, Lee An drew her weapon. The sharp energy of the Sun and Moon Sword flowed along its blade. Is he planning to spar with me? she wondered.
However, her guess was completely off the mark. Geom Mu-geuk rolled up his sleeve and thrust his bare arm forward.
"Strike my arm with that sword."
A heavy silence followed.
"Are you testing your Body Protection Qi?"
"No. I’m going to try blocking it without Body Protection Qi."
At those words, not only Lee An but the other three were shocked. Everyone’s eyes fixed on Geom Mu-geuk’s arm and the Sun and Moon Sword.
"This is the Sun and Moon Sword, Young Cult Leader. The very one you gave me as a gift. Isn't the blade far too sharp just to test if it's genuine?"
"I’m not trying to test if the sword is genuine. I’m testing if something else is."
They had no idea what he was talking about.
"My arm is getting tired. Hurry up and strike."
"If I strike, that tired arm is going to disappear!"
"Hurry!"
Lee An looked at the Fist Demon and the One Flower Sword Venerable. How could they possibly know what was on Geom Mu-geuk’s mind? Eventually, the Fist Demon nodded to his daughter. It was a sign to do as she was told.
"I’m really doing it."
"Strike hard!"
Fine. If it were anyone else, I’d worry, but the Young Cult Leader must have a plan. Oh, whatever!
The Sun and Moon Sword sliced through the air. Since he said he wouldn't use Body Protection Qi, she didn't infuse the sword with internal energy either. Even so, it wasn't a blade that could be blocked with a bare body.
Swish—!
Thwack!
Silence fell over the clearing. Everyone’s movements froze as if time had stopped.
The Sun and Moon Sword rested directly against Geom Mu-geuk’s forearm. Amazingly, despite the powerful strike, the sword had failed to cut his skin.
"Are you alright?"
"No! It hurts like hell! Were you actually trying to cut off your Young Cult Leader’s arm?"
"You told me to strike hard!"
"I didn't mean that hard. I think the bone is bruised."
Of course, contrary to his exaggeration, Geom Mu-geuk’s arm was perfectly fine.
"You used Body Protection Qi just now, didn't you?" the Fist Demon asked, his eyes narrowing.
"No." Geom Mu-geuk shook his head.
A strange light flickered in the Fist Demon’s eyes as he stepped closer. "It wasn't Body Protection Qi."
Geom Mu-geuk broke into a faint smile. "As expected. You recognized it, Master."
Everyone was stunned. Lee An, in particular, was reeling. "Even for you, Young Cult Leader... you withstood the Sun and Moon Sword without Body Protection Qi?"
"It’s because I used this instead."
Geom Mu-geuk pulled a martial arts manual from his robes.
[Heavenly Dipper Body]
A demonic body protection art. It was the very manual he had taken from the treasury where the secret casket had been kept.
The Fist Demon was familiar with the name. "The Heavenly Dipper Body is a demonic art that was lost long ago. Where did you find this?"
"I found it in the underground treasury of the Yellow Dragon Martial Arts Hall."
Geom Mu-geuk explained what he had learned about the technique.
"The great thing about the Heavenly Dipper Body is that it can be used in conjunction with other protection arts. Using it alongside Body Protection Qi in a moment of crisis will be a huge help. Since I obtained it while handling the business at the Yellow Dragon Martial Arts Hall, let’s all learn this technique together."
The Fist Demon declined. "A martial art of such extreme ascension usually has its destined owner. Since fate brought it to you, you should be the only one to learn it."
"Actually, I was planning to keep it to myself anyway."
It wasn't because of fate or greed.
"To manifest this Heavenly Dipper Body while simultaneously maintaining Body Protection Qi requires a massive amount of internal energy. If used clumsily, you might just waste energy and end up worse off than if you had just used Body Protection Qi alone. Even if you succeed, it can put a strain on the body."
That was why he had intended to use it alone.
"However, while practicing this, I found a way to use it alongside existing protection arts while minimizing the internal energy required."
At that, the Fist Demon and the One Flower Sword Venerable looked at each other in shock. They knew all too well how difficult it was to modify a high-level demonic art like the Heavenly Dipper Body. He had even fixed its greatest weakness.
"You figured that out on the way here?"
"Well, I am something of a genius when it comes to martial arts, aren't I?"
Of course, whenever they stayed at an inn, he had used the Time Heaven Secret Technique within the Space-Time Displacement Technique to contemplate and train for much longer periods. Even so, refining and adapting a technique like the Heavenly Dipper Body was a truly remarkable feat.
"Please, allow this disciple to show off a little and accept this. And only if you two accept it can Lee An and Seo Jin receive it as well."
They couldn't very well learn a demonic art that the Demon Lords had turned down. Since he put it that way, the Fist Demon no longer refused.
"I will recite the oral formula now."
Lee An and Seo Jin were deeply humbled.
"Are you truly passing such a precious demonic art to us as well?" Lee An was genuinely moved. First the Flying Heaven Sword Technique, then the Sun and Moon Sword, and now the Heavenly Dipper Body. The Cult Leader had even given her Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng. Just how hard are you planning to work me?
Seeing her trembling eyes, Geom Mu-geuk shattered the sentimental moment. "It’s not for your sake."
"Then why?"
Geom Mu-geuk drew the Black Demonic Sword and smirked. "It’s so I can strike you back. See this bruise? It’s your turn. Get ready!"
Lee An flinched and backed away at the sight of the ominous blade. "I’ll offer my arm once I’ve reached great achievement. Please wait about thirty years."
Knowing full well it was a joke, Geom Mu-geuk played along. "I won't forget to test it then."
His words made Lee An feel a warmth in her chest. It was his way of saying they would still be together thirty years from now.
The one most overwhelmed with gratitude was Seo Jin. She even waved her hands in refusal, stepping back. "I am fine. I don't deserve this."
Lee An was Geom Mu-geuk’s direct captain and was often called his 'heart,' but Seo Jin was just a team leader. She felt she couldn't possibly learn such an incredible demonic art alongside the Demon Lords.
"No, you need this technique the most," Mu-geuk insisted. "You have to stay alive until you can save us with your ghost arts, don't you?"
Seo Jin truly wanted that. She hoped the day would come when she could save these people with her arts.
"A martial artist should be cautious when using a technique, not when learning it. For now, just say 'thank you.'"
Seo Jin felt it again—the Young Cult Leader’s overwhelming consideration. "Thank you."
How could Geom Mu-geuk not show them such favor? Lee An and Seo Jin were the two people who had made his regression possible. There was nothing he wouldn't give them.
And so, Geom Mu-geuk taught the four of them the new oral formula for the Heavenly Dipper Body. He repeated it several times until everyone had it memorized.
Over the next few days of the journey back to headquarters, everyone practiced the Heavenly Dipper Body. The Fist Demon, who had initially refused so adamantly, practiced the hardest.
"Honestly, what would have happened if I hadn't taught it to you?" Geom Mu-geuk teased whenever he saw the massive man practicing late into the night. The Fist Demon remained silently focused on his training.
It made sense. A protection art like the Heavenly Dipper Body was most beneficial to a brawler who fought with his bare body.
Perhaps his passion was contagious. The One Flower Sword Venerable also practiced the Heavenly Dipper Body diligently. Since it was a protection art that harmonized well with demonic arts, she also felt its necessity.
Naturally, Geom Mu-geuk and the two Demon Lords shared many discussions about the technique. The Fist Demon noticed certain weaknesses, and the One Flower Sword Venerable had her own insights. Since they had never discussed a single martial art so candidly before, the two Demon Lords found these conversations fascinating.
All three had recently made great strides in their martial achievements. Thus, their dialogue went beyond the principles of protection arts, reaching deep into the implications and realizations of martial arts as a whole.
Lee An and Seo Jin simply listened. Though much of it was incomprehensible, they tried their best to remember everything. One day, they would understand the meaning behind the words they heard today.
As a result of their discussions, they were able to make the flow of the oral formula even smoother.
"Thanks to you two, it’s no longer the 'New' Heavenly Dipper Body, but the 'New-New' Heavenly Dipper Body! The martial art is finally complete."
However, the Fist Demon and the One Flower Sword Venerable knew that their suggestions were only possible because of the forms Geom Mu-geuk had already refined. If they had seen the original Heavenly Dipper Body, they wouldn't have even thought about improving it. They would have just accepted it as it was. That difference was immense.
"Now, draw your sword," the Fist Demon commanded. He thrust his massive fist and forearm forward. "Strike me."
"You know this is the Black Demonic Sword, right? It’s the second-ranked demonic sword. And the person swinging it is no amateur. It’ll get cut, I’m telling you."
"Enough talk. Just strike."
"Here I come, then!"
Swish—!
Thwaaaack!
The Black Demonic Sword failed to cut through the Fist Demon’s thick forearm.
"Excellent," the Demon Lord grunted.
Of course, Geom Mu-geuk hadn't infused the sword with internal energy either. But considering he had only just learned it a few days ago, the fact that he blocked the sharp edge of the Black Demonic Sword proved just how incredible the Heavenly Dipper Body was.
"Now, let’s do a striking test," the Fist Demon said.
"Fine. Where should I hit? Just say the word."
"I’ll be the one doing the striking this time. What can you do with those dainty hands of yours?"
Seeing the Fist Demon curl his massive hand into a fist, Geom Mu-geuk scrambled backward. "I’ll take that punch in thirty years, on the day I cut Lee An’s arm!"
The three women watching them laughed together.
Then, Seo Jin suddenly spoke to Lee An. "Did I ever tell you?"
"Tell me what?"
"Thank you for choosing me." Seo Jin looked at Lee An and spoke formally. "Thank you for being my captain."
It was a sudden remark, but it was a sincere expression of gratitude. She felt she had learned and realized more during this trip than in her entire life combined. She was grateful to have gained so easily what others might struggle a lifetime to achieve.
"I’ve learned a lot thanks to you too, Team Leader Seo." It wasn't just empty flattery. Lee An had also gained much insight during this excursion.
Lee An’s gaze naturally drifted toward the One Flower Sword Venerable standing nearby. Elegant and beautiful, yet stronger than anyone else. In the One Flower Sword Venerable, Lee An saw the person she wanted to become.
She knew how important this was. Direction is always what matters most. No matter how hard a person works, if the direction of that effort is wrong, they won't achieve the results they deserve. In fact, that effort can turn into poison.
Only when effort meets the right direction does it become destiny.
Lee An’s gaze turned toward the man who had taught her all of this. As if they had never been joking, Geom Mu-geuk and the Fist Demon were now engaged in a serious discussion about martial arts.
Lee An echoed Seo Jin’s words in her heart, directing them toward Geom Mu-geuk.
Thank you. For being my Young Cult Leader.
*
Geom Mu-geuk and the two Demon Lords entered the Heavenly Demon Hall.
Geom Mu-geuk walked in the center, with the Fist Demon and the One Flower Sword Venerable following behind him. It was customary for the Young Cult Leader and the Demon Lords to pay their respects to the Heavenly Demon upon returning from an excursion.
Entering the hall, Geom Mu-geuk shouted as loudly as ever. "Father, I’m back!"
But at the end of the path of blood, his father’s grand throne was empty. Instead of his father, Chief Strategist Sama Myeong was waiting for them.
"You have returned, Young Cult Leader."
"Chief Strategist."
The Demon Lords and Sama Myeong also exchanged greetings. Once the formalities were over, Geom Mu-geuk quickly asked, "Where is my father?"
Sama Myeong delivered unexpected news. "The Cult Leader has entered closed-door training."