Chapter 110
Chapter 110
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 110
Chapter Title: Did You Come to See Me?
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It's the dead of night.
Do Cheon was deep in slumber as well. But unlike ordinary people, his consciousness rested peacefully while every surrounding situation filtered through his senses without fail. There was no need to wake unless something changed. If a change occurred, he would snap awake reflexively.
Do Cheon opened his eyes.
One person was approaching the door to his room. They weren't hiding their presence, so it didn't seem like they had any ill intent. Do Cheon rose from the bed.
"You asleep?"
The voice from outside the door belonged to none other than Blood Phantom Ghost.
"Come in."
As Do Cheon replied while stepping down from the bed, the door opened, and Blood Phantom Ghost entered. Without preamble, he said,
"The Thunder Dragon brat's gone missing. We searched every inch around the inn, but he's nowhere to be found."
"First time something like this has happened?"
"Yeah. He's always been unpredictable, but he's never vanished beyond a hundred paces before."
"It'll keep happening more often. Like kids who start playing around adults and then venture farther out once they find it fun."
"...!"
"Let's go."
"You gonna help look?"
"Why else would you come to me?"
"I came to ask if you had any guesses. Did he say anything to you during the day?"
"Nothing like that, so we'll just have to search on foot."
Do Cheon stepped out of the room. Blood Phantom Ghost followed.
"If I find him, I'll send a signal."
"What kind?"
"You'll know it when you see it."
Do Cheon exited the inn, said that, then kicked off the ground and shot into the air, vanishing in an instant.
Half a mark later.
Kaboom!
A bolt of lightning struck the starlit night sky. A brilliant blue flash surged from the ground toward the heavens, accompanied by a deafening roar.
The Seven Star Old Monsters raced toward the origin at full speed. After crossing two mountains and stopping along a high ridgeline, they spotted Do Cheon and Thunder Dragon.
"You brat! What the hell are you doing out here!"
Luk Kwang shouted.
But unlike his usual smirking deflections, Thunder Dragon actually shouted back.
"Your masters were really wrong?"
"Wrong about what!"
"Look! They're all dead! But this one's not. Just this one!"
Thunder Dragon pointed around, then at Do Cheon as he yelled. Around them lay over a dozen wolves, charred black and dead.
"That guy's just stronger than you."
"I said I'm the strongest! They said kill the Heavenly Demon and eat him, but he's a person, right? You can't eat people! Why were they wrong? Why? Being wrong isn't a crime or anything. But they can't be wrong! Your masters can't be wrong!"
Thunder Dragon spat the words out rapidly. He clearly looked dejected. Yet even that was different from normal people. It wasn't a crestfallen expression—just pure confusion.
Luk Kwang fell silent and glanced at Blood Phantom Ghost. But he had nothing to say either. The other old monsters just sighed.
"You! You've still got a long way to go!"
Do Cheon, who had been watching quietly, spoke sternly. Thunder Dragon turned to him.
"Do you even know that I'm stronger than you?"
"Yeah. That's why you don't die."
"Then do you know what being strong means?"
"Killing everyone."
"Have you ever seen me kill people or beasts indiscriminately?"
"...!"
"That's what being strong means. Not killing anyone. Why? Because they know they're strong, they don't need to. That's why your masters didn't realize how strong I am—just like other people don't. But I am strong. I know it myself. That's enough. Things that kill recklessly like you can never be strong. They kill because they're weak. 'Look at me, see how strong I am!' That's what they're saying. Because they're weak. They keep doing it."
"No!"
"You stronger than me?"
"No."
"You keep killing. Have you ever seen me kill?"
"No."
"Get it now? Strong people don't kill recklessly. They don't care if others look down on them. No matter what they say, they're strong—that fact doesn't change. On the flip side, things that kill people or beasts indiscriminately are weak and pathetic. They slaughter just to get recognition from others. Just like you right now."
"I'm weak and pathetic?"
"Yes. Right now, you are. You're not the absolute best!"
"...!"
Thunder Dragon grew sullen.
Do Cheon let him stew in silence for a while before speaking.
"You need to get stronger. If you want to be strong, stop killing recklessly. That's the only way you can become like me."
At Do Cheon's words, Thunder Dragon's head snapped up.
"For real?"
"For real. But it'll be really hard. You'll have to hold back, hold back, and hold back some more. Only by enduring like that can you become as strong as me."
"I can endure."
"You won't kill people or beasts recklessly?"
"I won't!"
"Really?"
"Really!"
"Good. I'll be watching from now on."
"Watch me. I won't kill anyone anymore and I'll get strong. Really strong, strong enough to kill you. Heh heh!"
"Sigh... yeah, yeah."
He didn't know when or how he'd gotten attached to this kid. He felt worry and pity, but more than that, he thought the boy had potential to be a fine Iron Lion... Though it seemed like it'd just bring headaches. In the end, Do Cheon shook his head with a sigh and turned away.
The next morning.
The Strong Corpse Hall Leader extracted silver needles from Neng Sa-un's body. It was the Returning Origin Technique from the Returning Origin Inner Canon. He'd been utterly captivated by tales of corpse puppets from the Generation's Heavenly Demon era wielding martial arts, so he'd set off for the Iron Lion Sect alongside them. And every morning and evening, he administered acupuncture twice like this. Before each session, Do Cheon infused his own energy to invigorate Neng Sa-un's body.
"But does it really not hurt?"
Thunder Dragon, who had been watching curiously, asked.
"Yes, the Hall Leader places them so skillfully that it doesn't hurt at all."
Neng Sa-un smiled as he answered. Thunder Dragon tilted his head, looking baffled. The first time he'd seen acupuncture, he'd been so fascinated that he'd yanked out a needle and jabbed it into himself, startling at the sharp sting.
"Try moving."
At the Strong Corpse Hall Leader's words, Neng Sa-un stepped down from the bed and walked slowly. His face soon lit up.
"It's so much better. Thank you."
Neng Sa-un walked with a broad smile, expressing his gratitude. He definitely looked more vigorous than before.
"He really does look improved."
Do Cheon grinned, pleased as well.
That's when Thunder Dragon stared intently at Do Cheon's smiling face, then turned to the Strong Corpse Hall Leader, who wore a satisfied smile too.
"You smile? Why?"
"Because I feel like smiling."
The Strong Corpse Hall Leader answered Thunder Dragon's question.
"Am I an idiot? Of course I smile when I feel like it. Why do you think I feel like smiling?"
He knew from Do Cheon's explanation that Thunder Dragon wasn't right in the head. So he responded without minding the boy's odd behavior.
"This guy's getting better, so it makes me happy."
"He gets better and you smile? Why?"
"When a sick person recovers, anyone watching feels good. Especially since I'm the one helping. Makes me feel even better."
"...!"
Thunder Dragon's face filled with utter confusion. Nodding at the sight, the Strong Corpse Hall Leader continued.
"When others are happy because of you, it makes you happy too. You don't feel that? Only villains don't."
"Villains are bad?"
"Yeah, bad. Really bad. They torment others, that's why. And the ones who laugh and flirt after? Even worse."
Thunder Dragon's face twisted in complication—part dejection, part frustrated bafflement.
"Don't overthink it. It's better when we all laugh together than me laughing alone."
"All laughing together is better?"
"Yeah. You laugh, this guy laughs, all of us laugh— that's good."
"Really? Then I'll laugh too. Heh heh!"
It was clearly a forced laugh. The sight was so funny that the Strong Corpse Hall Leader's smile widened, and Thunder Dragon laughed louder in response.
"Heh heh heh!"
Two days before arriving at the Iron Lion Sect.
"We'll head back here."
Blood Phantom Ghost said. Thunder Dragon didn't protest, so it seemed the days of persuasion had worked. Do Cheon had questions and words he wanted to say, but he kept his mouth shut.
'All of it's a hassle!'
Iron Lion this, Iron Lion that—it was all a hassle. His current brothers seemed plenty.
'Me and Young Ki make seven, so whatever.'
Do Cheon just nodded silently, and Blood Phantom Ghost turned away without another word.
"We're heading to the Four Evils Forest."
Nam Myeong stood before Do Cheon and said.
"Why?"
"Seems our junior sister is pretty uncomfortable."
White Rakshasa must have said the Four Evils Forest felt more comfortable than the Iron Lion Sect. He understood. They were all unorthodox folk there. And they'd clashed with him before.
"Go. But next time we meet, pay up for smashing the main gate."
"Sure."
Nam Myeong smirked. He stared at Do Cheon for a moment, then turned away.
And so they parted ways with the Seven Star Old Monsters, Thunder Dragon, Nam Myeong, and White Rakshasa. Whatever persuasion they'd used, Thunder Dragon's farewell was just a single wave.
As they departed, Do Cheon boarded the carriage. Neng Sa-un and the Strong Corpse Hall Leader waited inside.
"Disciple of Heaven-Rending Legion and now the Four Evils Forest too. You're really stirring things up big time."
The Strong Corpse Hall Leader remarked.
He didn't know much about the Iron Divine Dragon yet. The Strong Corpse Hall dabbled half in the martial world and half in the merchant world, and he'd never cared much for the former.
"The main sect has the Wise King too."
"Oh! Come to think of it, you've got ties to the Demonic Cult as well. Gotta be careful. You might vanish one morning."
"We'll have to watch out for that. Elder Ong's teaching the disciples day and night, so we can handle any unorthodox or demonic foes."
"Why'd you take that guy in? He only brings harm to those around him."
The Strong Corpse Hall Leader's face darkened with anger instantly. That sparked Do Cheon's curiosity about how the twin brothers had fallen out.
"Mind if I ask what happened between you two?"
"He hasn't told you?"
"No."
"Hmph! Guess he knows to be ashamed of his own deeds."
"...!"
"That damn fool snuck into my Strong Corpse Hall back when he was a green chick, trying to steal something. Got caught. He bolted, but I got dragged before the Hall Leader as the thief since I knew nothing. We eventually proved it was him, and nothing was stolen, so that was a relief. But because of it, my dream of becoming a physician got derailed into becoming Strong Corpse Hall Leader instead."
He huffed angrily even recounting it. Do Cheon could see why he'd be mad—his whole life had changed. Do Cheon nodded in understanding, and the Strong Corpse Hall Leader's expression softened a bit.
"Anyway, I won't even acknowledge that guy if I see him. But per our deal, I'll do my utmost to heal this one if you let me check on the Wise King."
He pointed at Neng Sa-un.
Neng Sa-un just smiled gratefully, and Do Cheon nodded in kind. Meanwhile, the carriage sped toward the Iron Lion Sect.
True to his word, the Strong Corpse Hall Leader gave his all to Neng Sa-un's acupuncture treatments daily, while Do Cheon supplemented with energy circulation to boost his vitality. Neng Sa-un's condition improved noticeably.
Two days later, as the carriage arrived before the Iron Lion Sect.
"Stop here a moment."
Do Cheon said to the coachman.
Once stopped, he turned to the Strong Corpse Hall Leader.
"Go on ahead. Looks like a guest is here, so I need to get off. Take the Hall Leader to pay respects to Master. The steward should've prepared quarters for your stay—ask him and escort the Hall Leader there. Hall Leader, see you later."
"Got it."
"Alright."
Do Cheon disembarked and told the coachman to proceed. The carriage entered through the wide-open main gate into the Iron Lion Sect.
Watching it go, Do Cheon turned. Man Gwa-hae was approaching from the construction site. Do Cheon raised a hand to halt him and faced one side.
Man Gwa-hae, sensing something, stopped. Black robes fluttering, an elderly man with a wrinkled face appeared before Do Cheon.
Dull attire, dull aura.
Do Cheon already knew where the old man was from.
"Did you come to see me?"
"Yes."
"What for?"
"If we can't recover the Heavenly Demon Ancestor's ultimate techniques, we must take you with us, young master."
The Heavenly Demon Church's Northern Bright Right Messenger, Yeo Nam-cheon, bowed respectfully.