Chapter 107
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 107
Chapter Title: In the Midst of Relationships (2)
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Brother?
‘Let’s see.’
My age is fifty-nine… no, that’s not right.
‘I’m about twenty-five, but that kid looks like she’s barely over ten.’
The age gap is more than ten years.
Of course, that's possible. In families with many children, it's common for the age difference between the eldest and the youngest to be over ten years.
The problem is, this body of Seo Ryang has no blood relatives in the Divine Cult. That means this girl isn't a blood relative either.
But she called me 'brother'? Am I in a position to be called 'brother' by anyone?
Huh?
“The Fifth?”
“...”
“...No, not her. Ah, the Seventh! So... you're the youngest?”
“Yes.”
The girl bowed her head deeply again.
Seo Ryang flinched without realizing it. His hand unconsciously went to his chest. It felt like a direct hit to the heart.
‘This is completely…’
At this level, isn't her very existence a myth?
It was as if a beautiful child attendant of a heavenly god had descended. I felt so overwhelmed with gratitude just receiving her greeting that I didn't know what to do.
‘Dangerous!’
Dangerous… I don't know why, but this is really dangerous...
It wasn't that the girl was dangerous, but that I was. No, anyone who saw this girl would think themselves dangerous.
Why?
‘Isn't she just too cute?’
When I first saw Geumho, I thought he was pretty cute, but this child was on another level.
Even the grimy kids in the back alleys sometimes made me want to pinch their cheeks, but she was in a different league.
She could be called a celestial creature. Seeing her staring at me while chewing on her index finger made my heart pound.
“Wh-what are you doing here?”
He found himself asking without thinking.
The girl, Chae Yeomin, spoke in a small voice.
“I'm... looking at martial arts books.”
Of course. What else would you do in the Martial Archives but look at martial arts books?
“Ah, the Ten Great Demonic Arts?”
“Yes.”
“So the Cult Leader gave you permission.”
“Yes.”
“…”
“…”
“...Mm, right. You'd be here if you had permission.”
But she's already at a level to read the Ten Great Demonic Arts? Even the Fifth only got permission a short while ago.
‘What do I know!’
Seo Ryang's eyes darted around. His palms had become sweaty, and he wiped them on his thighs.
“…”
“…”
Hmm, she's not much of a talker, is she? Well, that's not so bad.
She may be young, but it seems she's already mastered the wisdom of life. That's right, kid. It's good for a person to be composed.
“…”
“…”
Hmm, but in this dreary life, one should at least have the fun of conversation.
Right, should I try to let this fairy—no, this youngest one—experience the joy of chatting?
‘But how?’
...When have I ever had a proper conversation with a child!
*Drip.*
A bead of cold sweat formed on his forehead, rolled past his eyebrow and cheek, and dangled from the tip of his chin.
What is this?! Good heavens, I've barely ever broken a sweat, even when fighting renowned masters!
Just as Seo Ryang was agonizing over this...
“Um…”
“Huh? Oh, yes! Go on, speak.”
After a moment's hesitation, Chae Yeomin bowed her head deeply.
“I'll be leaving first, Brother.”
“Huh? Oh, you are?! Okay! I understand!”
“…”
“G-go safely, okay?”
“Yes.”
*Whoosh.*
Chae Yeomin disappeared from her polite standing position. It was an astonishing movement technique for someone her age.
But there was no time to be impressed.
Letting out a huge sigh, Seo Ryang squatted down without realizing it.
“…Kids are tough.”
* * *
Ma Dongpil stared down at the manual with trembling eyes.
Seo Ryang scratched his head.
“It's not easy to abandon the demonic art you've practiced your whole life. But it's not right to cling to the original when you know it has flaws.”
“...Young Master.”
“Switch. It's the right thing to do.”
Seeing Ma Dongpil look at him with turbulent eyes, Seo Ryang waved his hand.
“Don't look at me with such sentimental eyes.”
“Thank you.”
“You're my personal guard. I have to do everything I can for you so you can protect me properly, right?”
Seo Ryang scanned the manual.
“At your level, you should be able to circulate your energy within a day. Of course, the process of converting the demonic energy you've cultivated into that of the Diamond Yaksha will take some time.”
“...Yes.”
“You've taken a lot of beatings, haven't you?”
That was true.
In the Solitary Bamboo Forest alone, Seo Ryang had benefited greatly from Ma Dongpil. Without him, he wouldn't have lasted even three months.
But since then, Ma Dongpil had been on the receiving end of beatings. Of course, it was more that his matchups were unlucky than that he was weak.
But what if that bad luck with matchups lasted a lifetime? He couldn't rely on heavenly fortune to survive forever.
He had to change. He needed to learn how to properly utilize the power he possessed.
“They say the best defense is a good offense. Don't just try to protect; you have to move proactively. To do that, you must also be willing to discard what you've learned so far.”
“I will take it to heart.”
“If you understand, start right now. Get stronger as quickly as possible and clean up my messes for me.”
The last part was strange, but Ma Dongpil expressed his resolve by bowing his head.
And so, Ma Dongpil began reading the manual in the middle of the training ground.
A bad environment? That meant nothing to Ma Dongpil now. He could have focused and read it even on a battlefield showered with arrows, let alone a training ground.
Ma Dongpil was soon fiercely concentrated.
Watching Ma Dongpil with satisfaction, Seo Ryang suddenly felt a gaze and turned his head.
Wi Hongryeon was glaring at him with narrowed eyes.
“What?”
“…”
“What is it, you brat!”
“...Unfair.”
“Watch your mouth, you little punk.”
“It's unfair. I'm saying it's unfair.”
“What's so unfair?”
“Why do you only take care of Mr. Ma like that? You gave him immense internal energy, and now one of the Ten Great Demonic Arts? I thought that sword was just a decent treasure sword, but it turned out to be the Ink King Sword.”
“So what.”
“Give me something too.”
“Give you what!”
“Give me a treasure sword too! And give me one of the Ten Great Demonic Arts!”
“Let me ask you a favor! Don't come here unless it's important! Aren't you embarrassed in front of your squad members!”
Wi Hongryeon took a step forward with a terrifying expression. Then, she pointed to her own forehead with her index finger.
“I have a lump.”
“So what!”
“It's an injury from the rock you threw, Young Master. If things had gone slightly wrong, I could have departed this world.”
“But you lived in the end, you wench.”
Wi Hongryeon, who had been looking at Seo Ryang sullenly, screamed.
“You unfair bastard!”
With those words, Wi Hongryeon stormed out the gate.
“That wench, one day I'm going to spank her... Argh! I should have done it just now!”
Suppressing his anger after sending Wi Hongryeon off, Seo Ryang sat in a corner of the training ground and caught his breath.
“The weather is really nice.”
Seo Ryang smiled as he looked up at the sky.
Geumho had approached his side. Wagging its tail, it rubbed its face against his thigh and purred.
“Are you a cat or a fox? Oh? Look at those claws. You're a little tiger, aren't you?”
Feeling restless for no reason, he playfully squished Geumho's face. Geumho yelped, "Yip! Yip!" and struggled wildly.
He chuckled and played with Geumho for a while.
‘Hm?’
Laughing at Geumho, who was panting with its belly exposed, Seo Ryang suddenly felt a gaze poking him in the back.
He glanced over and saw fine strands of hair swaying in the gap of the half-open gate.
“Uh…”
What is this presence, so familiar yet giving me goosebumps for no reason?
Anyway, that's amazing. I'm usually sensitive enough to detect a martial artist's presence from dozens of yards away, but I didn't notice her until she reached the gate?
‘Come to think of it, it was the same in the Martial Archives.’
Her ability to conceal her presence is outstanding. Though I wonder why she felt the need to hide it.
That kid... a talent worthy of the Cult Leader's attention, indeed...
‘...No, that's not it!’
Seo Ryang shot to his feet.
What? Why is she here again? How did she know where to find me? Ah, do they all know where each other live? I only know where the Fourth's place is.
All sorts of thoughts raced through his mind. He was so flustered that he found himself panicking.
Just then, Chae Yeomin peeked her head through the large gate.
His fists clenched on their own. He felt a tightness in his chest from her fatal cuteness, which seemed to intensify every time he saw her.
Realizing Seo Ryang had spotted her, Chae Yeomin hesitated for a moment before trotting over.
Then, she bowed deeply, folding at the waist.
“Hello, Brother.”
“...Hi.”
Chae Yeomin gave an awkward smile.
“I just... came to say hello.”
*Gasp!*
* * *
“You summoned me, Cult Leader?”
“Come here.”
Ho Yoseong smiled and approached Lee Cheonsang.
“Hmm? What's the occasion for you to be painting an orchid today?”
Unlike usual, Lee Cheonsang was in the pavilion holding a brush instead of a wine cup.
The sight of him shaping the tip of his brush on a luxurious inkstone and then vigorously painting the orchid surprisingly suited the surrounding scenery.
“It's been a long time since I've seen you paint an orchid.”
His words and actions were remarkably informal. He was the only one in the Divine Cult who would act so freely around Lee Cheonsang.
After silently painting the orchid, Lee Cheonsang waved his sleeve to dry the ink.
“Are the preparations complete?”
“Yes, all we have to do is devour them.”
“When a tiger hunts its prey, jackals that wish to feed on the scraps are bound to follow.”
“Of course.”
“What do you intend to do about those jackals?”
“I plan to just leave them be.”
The corner of Lee Cheonsang's mouth lifted slightly.
There were few in the world who could discern the intentions of a man who had reached the level of a Half-Immortal.
In that regard, Ho Yoseong was a truly convenient and brilliant marshal.
“They are no ordinary jackals.”
“I am aware. They are jackals with poisoned fangs. And there are more than just one or two.”
“You could even be counterattacked.”
“Then we just need to send a tiger capable of hunting down all those jackals.”
“Who would be suitable?”
After a moment of thought, Ho Yoseong smiled and answered.
“To be certain, it would be best if the Council of Elders were to move.”
“That is not possible.”
“Yes, I thought as much. In that case, how about sending three or four of the One Hundred and Eight Demonic Generals? From among the top ten.”
“That is also not possible.”
“I think they are quite capable tigers.”
“They have much to do. I plan to select a few and send them to the North Sea soon.”
Ho Yoseong's eyes widened.
“You intend to provoke them? Those ones?”
“That is correct.”
“Hmm... I hadn't anticipated that.”
After a moment's thought, Ho Yoseong snapped his fingers.
“In that case, there is one person who is a perfect fit.”
“Who?”
“I believe it is the answer you were hoping for, Cult Leader.”
Lee Cheonsang looked up at Ho Yoseong.
Ho Yoseong smiled and said.
“Hasn't there been a master who, despite causing quite a bit of trouble recently, has clearly demonstrated his abilities?”
Lee Cheonsang nodded.
He wrote a character on the dried paper with a fine brush and handed it to Ho Yoseong.
“Deliver this to the Third.”
“You will not summon him directly?”
Lee Cheonsang did not answer. He simply began to paint a new orchid.
Ho Yoseong bowed his head.
“I will entrust this matter to the Third Young Master.”