Chapter 110
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 110
Chapter Title: Within Relationships and Connections (5)
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Wooooong!!
A beautiful golden wave rippled around the training grounds.
It was breathtakingly beautiful, but only on the surface.
Lurking within that wave was the fury of a demon king who had become a fiend himself while hunting down evil spirits.
The Diamond Yaksha is another name for Vaisravana, one of the Four Heavenly Kings of Buddhism.
Also known as Vaisravana, he guards the northern sky of Mount Sumeru.
No one knows why the Divine Cult of the Heavenly Demon, which worships Papiyas, the antithesis of Buddha, possesses a demonic art named after the Diamond Yaksha.
However, it was clear that the Diamond Yaksha Demonic Art was one of the most renowned demonic arts in the Cult.
Rumble!
As Ma Dongpil stood up, planting his feet on the ground, his eyes were remarkably serene, a stark contrast to the fierce energy radiating from him.
‘So this is it.’
Within his calm gaze dwelled a pleasure that had reached its peak.
‘To use one's power to its fullest...!’
Ma Dongpil's hand touched the Ink King Sword.
Flash!
A brilliant sword energy soared high into the sky.
It was on a completely different level from the sword energy he had displayed before. This was a highly condensed sword energy, a unification of his achieved realm, internal energy, martial arts, and will.
Clap, clap, clap.
Startled by the sound of applause from the side, Ma Dongpil lowered his head.
Leaning against the wall, Seo Ryang was clapping.
“You've properly devoured it. Congratulations.”
“Young Master...”
“Make good use of that power. Though I'm sure you will.”
Sheathing his sword, Ma Dongpil bowed his head respectfully.
“This power of mine will be used solely for the sake of your life, Young Master.”
“My life...”
For some reason, Seo Ryang's voice sounded bitter.
Staring blankly at Ma Dongpil, he beckoned with his index finger.
“To my room.”
Seo Ryang tossed an order directive to Ma Dongpil, who had followed him into the room.
Ma Dongpil looked down at the document with a puzzled expression, and his eyes widened.
“A Special Inspector...?”
“Yes, something's come up that requires us to leave.”
“An order issued directly by the Cult Leader.”
“That's right.”
Ma Dongpil was genuinely impressed.
“This is incredible. I understand the Cult Leader doesn't easily grant positions to the successors.”
“Is that so? I heard the First Young Master has done it a couple of times.”
“Ah, is that right? I was unaware.”
“Well, that's not important.”
Sitting on the bed, Seo Ryang spoke seriously.
“We leave at the beginning of the Hour of the Rabbit tomorrow morning. They say a guard unit will be accompanying us, but I don't know the details.”
“Understood.”
“Our first stop is the Red Snake House.”
“Yes.”
Ma Dongpil showed no particular sign of surprise.
It wasn't that he was ignoring Seo Ryang's words. As his martial arts had grown stronger, he had come to understand his position precisely, and he now knew what he truly had to do.
Regardless of the circumstances, there is no reason to waver when one has a clear conviction and a definite goal. Ma Dongpil's composure was that of the strong.
Seeing such a Ma Dongpil, Seo Ryang's expression darkened.
“Dongpil.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
“...”
“...”
“...”
“If it's difficult to say, you can tell me later...”
“You said it just a moment ago, didn't you? That you'd use that power only for me.”
“Of course.”
“Don't.”
“Pardon?”
“Don't do that. That power is yours and yours alone. You must value your own life more than mine.”
Ma Dongpil lowered his head.
“If I may be so bold, that is one order I cannot follow.”
“Hey, you punk.”
“I am your escort warrior, Young Master. No blade will ever reach you unless it passes over my dead body.”
Seo Ryang swallowed a deep sigh.
This was why he had been hesitant when Ma Dongpil was assigned as his personal guard. Because he knew he wouldn't be able to push him away in a moment like this.
At first, he'd had another thought. Knowing Ma Dongpil's loyalty to him, he had wanted to suggest they abandon the Cult and leave together.
But he realized in an instant that he couldn't do that.
To Ma Dongpil, the Divine Cult of the Heavenly Demon was his home, his workplace, his religion, and his life.
To tell him to abandon his home, his life, just because they had been together for a little over a year, would be excessively cruel.
‘No, that's not all.’
He hoped it wouldn't come to that, but.
What if Ma Dongpil tried to stop him when he announced he was leaving? Considering Ma Dongpil's upright character, it was entirely possible he would act that way.
And at that moment, Seo Ryang couldn't be certain he wouldn't cut Ma Dongpil down.
To him, Ma Dongpil was a precious person. How many times had his life been saved thanks to Ma Dongpil? Even thinking back to his past life, there had been no one who had done as much for him as Ma Dongpil.
He didn't want to cut down such a person. No, he didn't want to disappoint such a person.
He didn't want to make him feel betrayed.
‘...As long as I don't give up on my dream, he is bound to feel betrayed.’
On the other hand, he also had this thought.
‘A warrior cannot be ruled by sentiment. To truly obtain what you desire, you must give up many things.’
You can't achieve your dream if you feel sorry for every acquaintance. If you truly want to achieve your dream, there are times you must be cold.
‘Right, I have to be cold.’
Even if, in the future, after achieving my dream, I come to regret the entire process that led me there.
‘I'm sorry. I won't ask for your understanding, so you, in turn, must not forgive me.’
He knew it was a cowardly thought. But even if it was cowardly, he no longer wanted his life to be swayed by someone else's hands.
“Alright. Get some rest for today. Make sure you're well-prepared.”
“Understood.”
After sending Ma Dongpil away, Seo Ryang rested his chin on his hand and turned his gaze to the window.
In the distance, he could see Aeng-hwa sweeping in front of the main gate.
“Damn it, since when have I been swayed by sentiment?”
Still... he had been meaning to properly teach Aeng-hwa some martial arts.
Now that the day he had been waiting for had arrived, he regretted the things he had only intended to do but never acted upon.
Grrr.
Hearing a sudden sound, Seo Ryang lowered his head.
Geumho, having woken up, was rubbing its head against his leg.
“You little rascal.”
Seo Ryang picked up Geumho and tickled its neck. Seemingly pleased, Geumho closed its eyes and purred. It really was like a cat.
“At least I won't have to sever all my fond connections.”
Purrrr.
“You too, punk. If you change your mind later, come back here. Life with me won't be fun.”
Purrrr.
“...You're a funny one, anyway. But are you female or male? You're male, right?”
As Seo Ryang chuckled and played with Geumho, his face didn't look particularly happy.
* * *
“Hah!”
After working up a good sweat, Wi Hongryeon flung off her top.
Her spirit could put most men to shame. Though she wore an undergarment, her curvaceous figure, revealed through the sweat-soaked fabric, was incredibly alluring.
The problem was that the people who might have appreciated her fine figure were all sprawled out on the ground.
“You bastards! Can't you grit your teeth and come at me?! Are you just going to lie there like cripples because a few limbs are broken?!”
Around fifty members of the Berserk Demon Unit lay scattered around Wi Hongryeon.
Just as she said, without a single exception, every one of them had a couple of broken limbs. Fortunately, no joints were shattered, but they were clearly seriously injured.
“Kngh!”
“Grrrk!”
The fallen unit members, drenched in cold sweat, struggled to their feet.
Wi Hongryeon flashed a murderous smile.
“That's more like it.”
The saying, "To encounter a Berserk Demon is certain death," didn't come from nowhere. If their arms were broken, they fought with their legs; if their legs were also broken, they would bite their enemies to death. That was the Berserk Demon Unit.
This was no exaggeration; it was the truth. Madness blazed in the eyes of the unit members glaring at Wi Hongryeon.
They trained as if it were a real battle, putting their lives on the line. Armed with explosive killing intent and soaring madness, they were worthy of being called demons.
“What are you doing? Attack!”
Fwoooosh!
The members of the Berserk Demon Unit leaped forward at once.
Wi Hongryeon plunged into their midst like a furious lion.
Slice! Thwack!
In an instant, a dozen unit members were sent flying.
Some suffered large sword wounds from her Fo'a Sword, while others had their bones broken yet again. But not a single one of them lost their will to fight.
Thwack!
Struck in the back by a unit member's kick, Wi Hongryeon faltered.
Seizing the opportunity, the members charged in haphazardly. They instinctively knew that in such situations, a chaotic rush was better than maintaining formation.
Wi Hongryeon ducked and shielded her head with both arms.
Thud-thud-thud!
Amidst the merciless beating, she coughed up blood.
But that was all. Lurking within her fiery gaze was a venom several times more potent than the combined madness of her unit members.
“Uwaaaaaah!”
Crack! Thwack! Pow!
They showed each other no mercy. The unit members were sent flying, spitting blood from the merciless counterattack of swordsmanship, fist techniques, and kicking arts that raged against them.
“Pant, pant! You bastards! Now you're finally getting somewhere.”
Catching her breath, she looked around.
Any more sparring was impossible. While she was still full of vigor, her unit members were truly on the verge of collapsing.
Even in that state, the venom in the eyes of the Berserk Demon Unit members, who stared at Wi Hongryeon to the very end, was truly demonic.
“Alright! That's enough for today!”
As soon as she finished speaking, the venom drained from the unit members' eyes.
“Aigoo!”
“Ugh, I'm really going to die like this.”
“Gasp! Gasp! My... my ribs...”
“...Is that my intestines leaking out of my side?”
They managed to make such grisly conversations sound cheerful.
The healers from the Blood Soul Pavilion, who had been waiting and watching, quickly rushed to the unit members. Their intention was to provide first aid before moving them to the infirmary.
The training of the Berserk Demon Unit was like this. A single sparring session was so brutal that it would leave them bedridden for at least half a month.
It wasn't enough time for refinement, but it was the perfect environment for injecting venom into them. That was why the Berserk Demon Unit was called the worst, even if they couldn't be the strongest.
“The rest of you, train on your own! In three days, I'll be picking from the second group!”
“Yes, Commander!”
It was a spirited response befitting the thunderous command.
A middle-aged healer cautiously approached Wi Hongryeon.
“Commander. Your wounds...”
“I'm fine, just take care of the men.”
“But your internal and external injuries are quite severe.”
“A little spit will fix it. Ah! If you have a clean cloth, give me that.”
Taking the white cloth the healer handed her, she wrapped it around her abdomen. She was constricting the torn wound with her internal energy, expelling the foul energy, and then sealing the injury.
The healer watching from the side was astounded. Her hand movements were faster and more precise than most healers. It was clearly not the first or second time she had done this.
Wi Hongryeon plopped down on the ground, panting.
‘Hoo, I can't stand this anymore.’
The problem wasn't a lack of stamina, but boredom.
Every moment was supposed to be a learning experience, but fighting only those weaker than herself didn't feel like it was improving her martial arts.
Occasionally, she needed to exchange blows with masters she could barely handle, but how often did such opportunities arise?
What's more, if you picked the wrong opponent, your life could be over in an instant.
‘It's not that I'm afraid of dying.’
It's just a bit of a shame, isn't it? To end here without progressing any further.
‘Like that crazy bastard from the Demonic Sword House...’
The kid monster who devoured the difference in enlightenment with his immense internal energy.
‘Or...’
The Third Young Master, who was even crazier than she was—and she was infamous for being a madwoman—and was strong to boot.
Wi Hongryeon spat on the ground.
“That damn bastard. Would it kill him to look out for me a little?”
She had pestered him for a divine weapon and one of the Ten Great Demonic Arts, but honestly, she hadn't thought it was possible.
No matter how close they became, her position made it difficult to get as close to the Third Young Master as Ma Dongpil was.
‘He could at least give me a good, satisfying fight.’
Then again, if she asked for a fight, he was the type to knock her out in one blow and run off without a care.
“Agh! I'd rather die than suffer like this!”
Grumbling, Wi Hongryeon got up and walked to her office.
The Vice-Commander, Cha Gwang, sidled up to her.
“Commander. Maybe you should put on some clothes...”
Crack!
“...My apologies.”
Snorting, she entered her office and immediately slumped into a chair.
“Ugh, I'm so bored. Aren't there any missions?”
Just then.
“In that case, would you be interested in taking on a mission?”
Startled, she turned her head.
“Wha-what? Who... eh?”
The man standing stiffly in front of the window was none other than Go Gu.
“Head of the Hall of Punishments? ...Sir?”
“...”
“What are you doing here?”
Go Gu took a letter from his robes.
“This is the certificate for the temporary inspection unit that will accompany the External Inspection Deputy.”
“...Pardon?”
“Normally, either the Hall of Protectors or my own Hall would handle this, but with things being so suspicious within the Cult lately, neither can afford to be absent.”
“What do you mean...”
“Therefore, you will take charge.”
Thump.
Before Wi Hongryeon could even grasp the situation, Go Gu tossed the letter to her and turned away.
“Departure is at dawn tomorrow. Be prepared.”
Wondering what this was all about, Wi Hongryeon looked down at the certificate.
A moment later, her eyes went wide.
“...Well now, this looks like it'll be fun.”