What Exactly is Demonic Energy?
What exactly is monster cultivation, and what is demonic energy? The existence of these mysterious forces—demonic energy, dharmic power, spiritual energy—had come as a fresh shock to a former citizen of Earth like me. I mean, mana actually existed? Why the hell didn't Earth have something so awesome? Was it a difference in environment? Or a difference in the races capable of harboring it? For that matter, was this land I was standing on, this world, even a planet drifting somewhere in the universe? If it was a power that didn't exist on Earth, why did forces like demonic energy and dharmic power only exist in this world? Back when I was a clueless kid—meaning, when I was a tiny little dokkaebi, a far cry from what I am now—I used to hide under my blanket to escape my drunk, raging excuse of a father and wonder. Maybe demonic energy isn't some mystical spiritual power, but just a substance secreted by an internal organ. Maybe the inner core, or whatever it was, was just a biological equivalent of a venom sac, storing a pheromone-like substance that dokkaebi secreted once they reached adulthood. If I looked at it that way, it wasn't entirely incomprehensible. We were just a race that secreted and stored a highly unique substance. Back then, by Hayun's standards, that hypothesis was the only 'common sense' explanation. But now, I think I finally understand. Demonic energy is not some mere secretion produced by a monster's body. It might feel similar, but I instinctively realized that such a thing could never naturally form inside a living creature.
Demonic energy is... turbid qi. It is the act of absorbing the clean, pre-existing essence of the world and dyeing it in one's own color. Processing the wild, drifting essences of the world into usable energy is the essence of the Yeondan (Core Condensation) realm. The inner core nestled inside my body served as a storage tank for this processed energy, as well as a second heart that supplied demonic energy to my system. It pumped demonic energy instead of blood, circulating it through my veins. At the same time, it meant growing that tiny inner core to its absolute limit, allowing it to hold a greater quantity of higher-quality demonic energy. That was precisely why the Core Condensation realm was called what it was.
And if the inner core was the storage tank and processing machine, then the Great Mountain Demonic Wisdom Art was the recipe—the secret method for refining that demonic energy. Whether to breathe fire, manipulate gravity, generate water, or focus entirely on physical reinforcement using that refined, pure energy. To put it simply, it was like having a pen called 'demonic energy' and using a cultivation manual as a textbook to write with. Whether you chose to study a math textbook or a literature textbook was entirely up to you. At the same time, I could keenly feel why everyone was so desperately obsessed with high-quality cultivation manuals.
"Man, I almost feel sorry for the bastards stuck with mediocre manuals." By mastering the Great Mountain Demonic Wisdom Art, I had just grasped the concepts of multiplication and division. Meanwhile, those losers fumbling through low-grade manuals were probably acting smug because they had finally figured out basic addition. It was like an elementary schooler who only knew how to add trying to challenge someone who knew multiplication to a math duel. The difference in efficiency wasn't just massive; they were operating on completely different levels. It was knowledge that compressed ten of another's steps into a single stride. The ultimate cheat code, the pinnacle of the wealth gap that showed exactly what it meant to be born with a silver spoon. That was what a high-grade cultivation manual was. At the same time, it was the moment I realized, with absolute clarity, that following Gang Baek-jin was the single best decision of my life.
Seriously, what would I have done if I hadn't followed him? I'd probably be acting all high and mighty right now just because I figured out addition. Having skimmed the manual my previous father used, I could see the staggering difference between the two. And maybe... I was just another idiot getting excited over multiplication. Just as I looked down on those rejoicing over a mere plus sign, there were bound to be people who would tell me not to make a fuss over simple multiplication. If they exist, I'll just catch up and pass them. Catching up to and overtaking those better than me was what I did best. "First, let's cultivate." Sssssssss— With a cool, vacuum-like sound, demonic energy steadily accumulated within Hayun's inner core. I didn't feel any grand, world-shattering enlightenment. But I could be sure of one thing: my mana pool was growing. Slowly, but surely. For now, that was enough. Feeling the demonic energy swell like flesh clinging to a skeleton, I began to refine it into a force worthy of the Great Mountain Demonic Wisdom Art. This wasn't necessarily hard, but it was definitely going to be a long-term battle.
"Young Master."
"...What is it?"
"I feared that any further meditation would be too much for your body, so I took the liberty of calling out to you. Was my intrusion unwelcome?"
"No. You did well."
How much time had passed? An hour? Six hours? Half a day? A full day? I couldn't tell. If I had to describe my current condition, it felt like I had been pulling an all-night gaming marathon until sunrise. Of course, there was a massive, absolute difference between this and a video game. A game character could take a few hits and be fine, but I couldn't. A game was just a game, so you could play it half-heartedly, but running the Great Mountain Demonic Wisdom Art was not something to be done carelessly. The manual had emphasized multiple times that a half-assed attempt would completely shatter my pathways and inner core. Honestly, a wicked curiosity had almost tempted me to see what it felt like, but the manual had kindly illustrated the results of such carelessness with graphic diagrams, so I quickly abandoned that stupid idea.
"Is this what they call... deviation, or something?"
"Qi deviation... What a poetic term. It seems you have a talent for literature as well, Young Master."
I felt like she had left out the words 'unlike how you look' at the end of that sentence, but I didn't press her on it. More importantly, fondling So-wol's tits to soothe my exhausted body and mind was a much higher priority.
"Ah... How is it that you still have the energy to tease this low one's breasts..."
"There, there. Your tits are big, pretty, and great to look at, So-wol."
"No! I did not ask for a compliment... Ah, forgive me. I raised my voice without realizing."
"It's fine. Honestly, you look better when you show your real self like that."
So-wol bowed her head in apology. Naturally, I didn't care. Even if I took some emotional damage, if it came from So-wol's tits, I was willing to forgive almost anything. Well, enough playing around. After flicking her nipple with my index finger, I immediately slumped onto her back.
"What... is the meaning of this?"
"Piggyback ride."
"...If that is your wish."
So-wol hoisted me up effortlessly. I was actually surprised by how easily she did it.
"What the. Are you strong?"
"Physical strength is a necessity for a personal maid. We must at least be able to run errands for the dokkaebi lords, so we have a specific martial art tailored for servants."
"What about spells?"
"I have not learned any, but I have heard they exist. However, servants who learn spells are usually subjected to intense oppression and restraint, so I have no desire to learn them."
I guess having high-level skills meant they kept a tighter leash on you. Even if monsters were dumb, they were surprisingly thorough about stuff like this. Ah, wait, I'm a monster too, so I guess I'm spitting in my own face.
"Take me to my room first."
"As you command... But could you please remove your hands for a moment?"
"Why? What's wrong with this?"
"Wait! That is my neck... Mnh, ah..."
"Damn, that moan just now was incredibly hot."
Inhale, exhale. I buried my nose into the nape of So-wol's neck, which was thick with her feminine scent. I had been meaning to try this, but touching her tits had completely distracted me earlier. I was going to enjoy this to my heart's content before I forgot again. Her body odor wafted richly from her neck, and I clung to her, rubbing my nose against her skin as if trying to engrave the scent into my memory.
"If you do this, it will be difficult to carry you to your room, Master."
"It's fine."
"It is not fine for me... No, never mind. Since you seem exhausted, I shall take you there quickly."
Realizing that persuasion would never work on me, and that her only escape was to dump me in my room and run, So-wol began moving her pale legs briskly. Regardless of what she did, I kept my face buried in her neck while my hands busily fondled her breasts and earlobes. So-wol's skin really was incredibly soft. It smelled like rich milk. No, rather than milk, maybe a rich, buttery scent. Anyway, burying my nose in her neck while squeezing her tits made my happiness shoot up tenfold. Slurp—
"Young Master, we are almost... hngh... here."
"I'm licking your neck right now. Shh."
Schlick.
"Ah..."
So-wol let out a strange sound and tilted her head away in protest, but clinging tightly to her back as I was, there was no way she could escape. Thanks to her turning her head, my tongue invaded the deeper parts of her neck that had been out of reach. Slurp, lick, suck. Sucking greedily on her incredibly erotic neck, a thought crossed my mind. Have I ever focused this hard on sucking something before? Even when I was a kid with a piece of candy in my mouth, I don't think I had ever sucked on it this ravenously. I slurped along So-wol's slender, pale neckline. It didn't really... taste like anything. I don't mean it tasted terrible, but literally, there was no distinct flavor. Was it because she bathed and took good care of herself? If I had to describe it, it tasted like a woman's flesh. The scent I had been sniffing so happily just moments ago—it felt like I was holding that very fragrance in my mouth and rolling it around. In other words, it tasted fucking erotic. Suck, pop!
This is getting hot. The atmosphere was incredibly lewd. If I just kept fondling her breasts like this and pushed her onto the bed, it would definitely be amazing. Maybe So-wol, caught up in the mood, would even act coy and open her legs on her own.
"M-Master..."
Or maybe not. I had to admit, that fantasy was a bit too unrealistic and pathetic. Meeting her gaze, which silently reproached me for not getting down even though we had arrived, I gave her neck one last deep, wet suck before reluctantly sliding off her back. Stepping away from her flushed body, the front of my torso suddenly felt freezing cold without her warmth.
"Then... I shall take my leave."
Her cheeks were flushed, and her neck was dyed an even deeper red. Perhaps embarrassed by the hickey, So-wol pulled up her collar to cover her neck. Not that a skimpy, revealing cheongsam could cover much anyway, but the sight was cute enough that I didn't stop her. Bowing to me, So-wol quietly slipped out of the room. She tried to act calm, but her footsteps were noticeably hurried.
"Mmm."
Honestly, I had been tempted to blow a load just now. As she had confessed herself, even if actual sex was off the table, she could still use other parts of her body to serve me. The 'once a day' restriction was a bit of a pain, but if I wanted to, I could have called her back right now. However, I quietly shook my head and decided to just sleep.
Too much happened today. For So-wol, today was the day she had barely escaped with her life. It was also the day she was thoroughly teased by the dark-hearted bastard who now held her leash. If I tightened the leash too much, there was no telling what might happen due to the stress. What if her beautiful skin got ruined from all that stress? I didn't want to leave any blemishes on a canvas as clean as hers. More than anything, I was completely drained of energy myself. What little strength I had left had been entirely spent on enjoying So-wol's body.
Focus. I need to focus. Achieving a feat worthy of the elders' attention within ten years was, at least by my common sense, impossible for someone in the Yeondan (Core Condensation) realm. I needed to reach at least the Ungi (Qi Circulation) realm to accomplish something that would satisfy them. Above all, the Qi Circulation realm was the bare minimum required to earn their respect. Even if a military dog achieved a great feat, would it receive the proper credit? No, only the dog's trainer or the handling soldier would get the reward. First, I needed them to perceive me as a person, not a dog. If a mere Core Condensation cultivator achieved something, it would just be dismissed as luck or credited to their superiors. Only when I made them realize that messing with me would make them regret it—or at least make their lives incredibly annoying—would true, beautiful respect finally blossom.
The only problem was that many dokkaebi died of old age in the Core Condensation realm without ever reaching Qi Circulation. A wall that some could never cross in their entire lives. And I had been given the absurd order to cross it within ten years. In other words, this was a time for choice and focus. I had no time to waste, yet So-wol was a highly attractive female. But I couldn't have my cake and eat it too. If I kept getting handjobs from her or ejaculating while rubbing my cock between her tits, I would definitely drown in that pleasure.
"Let's make it a reward. A reward."
The Core Condensation realm basically had three stages. My current stage was the Early stage. That was what they called monsters who had just begun condensing their cores. Once the inner core grew to the size of one's fist, it was the Middle stage. And when the core became so bloated that it stopped growing, it was the Late stage. Stepping beyond that meant finally reaching the Qi Circulation realm, where one could properly manipulate energy. And the biggest obstacle lay at the Late stage of Core Condensation. Accumulating enough demonic energy to halt the core's growth was an amount that would take an ordinary dokkaebi decades to gather. It was the primary reason why so many died of old age without ever seeing the next realm. It wasn't a matter of grand enlightenment; it was a pure issue of energy volume.
"Since my current realm is the Early stage of Core Condensation..."
I'll reach the Middle stage. Once I reach the Middle stage, I'll proudly get a handjob from So-wol. Some might criticize me for being arrogant, treating breakthroughs as if they were as easy as calling a dog, but it was actually the opposite. I had to at least hit the Middle stage to rank among the upper tier of all those dokkaebi. It was an effective way to boost both my motivation and my achievements at the same time. As expected, I'm a genius.