Chapter 12
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: Heart Demon (1)
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“Hehe, you really cherish your disciple, don't you, Master?”
The moment I asked Biwol who she was, she replied with an ecstatic smile. Her slightly twisted grin sent shivers down my spine.
There was no doubt about it—her body, her face, the information reflected in my eyes—all pointed to the person before me being none other than my most precious disciple, Biwol.
“...Answer me. Where is the real Biwol?”
But my soul rejected that truth.
“It's me, Master. Don't you recognize me?”
Biwol placed her hand on my chest and blinked. In that instant, her eyes gleamed with killing intent.
“I am your beloved disciple, Biwol, under Master Bing Yeon.”
If Biwol infused even a trace of demonic energy into her hand right now, a massive hole would rip through the center of my chest.
She caressed my chest ever so delicately, like plucking the string of a fine lute.
“...Verdandi, summon your holy sword right now. This is an emergency.”
“Pardon? But how am I supposed to summon it? I don't know the method!”
In that moment, I shouted at Verdandi to summon her holy sword—an artifact with absolute superiority against those aligned with evil. It was a secret weapon I'd originally saved for Azazel, the saintess of the outer gods, but if not now, there were few ways to safely subdue Biwol.
“Place your hand on your chest and shout toward your target, 'I shall execute justice!'”
I taught Verdandi the incantation to summon the holy sword. While Biwol was distracted touching me, I had to find some way to restrain her.
“Execute justice...”
That was when it happened.
A thunderous boom! echoed as Verdandi's body flew through the air and crashed into nearby trees. The force was so immense that one snapped in half with a crack.
“Biwol, you...!”
“Master, we're in the middle of such a tender moment with your beloved disciple. Why try to insert that vixen?”
This was unmistakably the Heavenly Demon Divine Art. Specifically, the fourth form: Heavenly Demon Divine Palm.
I'd written it into the original story, but here, I'd never seen her use it even once.
What on earth was going on?
It was bizarre that she could perform such a move without any enlightenment or training. Her current realm appeared to be at the very entrance of transcendent mastery, just like mine.
“Ha, haa... huuuh...”
Now Biwol buried her face in my chest, inhaling my scent. Her hot breath and tickling sensation crawled up my body.
“If you stay still, no one gets hurt, Master.”
Biwol intertwined her fingers with mine as I tried to push her away. Even with my vision obscured, she tracked my movements through her senses.
Her other hand slipped inside my robe, now groping the muscles beneath my clothes.
“But Verdandi...”
“I held back just enough. Even as her senior sister, I wouldn't kill my junior.”
As if to prove her words, Verdandi coughed repeatedly and began regaining her senses.
“I merely sealed her acupoints to render her powerless. It was a bit rough, though.”
“Master... are you... al...right...?”
Verdandi trembled, unable to muster strength in her limbs. It seemed Biwol had indeed sealed her acupoints in that brief moment.
I hadn't even taught her that much.
Acupoint strikes were techniques usable only against foes of vastly inferior skill. Botch it, and your wrist could be severed.
“Biwol, just how strong have you become?”
“Who knows. If I went all out, I'd say I'm on par with you, Master.”
Her words made me recall Biwol's settings in my mind.
The Heavenly Demon, Heavenly Killing Star, Heavenly Martial Body—she was sensitive to blood. What could drive her to act like this?
Han Do-hyun, think, think...
Why had Biwol become like someone else entirely?
“Bing Yeon! What do we do? Fight?”
“No, don't move rashly. I'll handle her.”
Even the Gold Tower Lord couldn't attack Biwol right now. She knew the gap in realms meant death if she acted.
“As expected of Master, such composure.”
Besides, with the Gold Tower Lord, Verdandi, her mother, and others present, subduing Biwol without casualties was impossible—Verdandi had just been sent flying effortlessly.
...I need to find the reason.
I could win by carving away at my body in battle, sure.
“Please don't even think of fighting me. I'd hate to see your noble form harmed even more.”
A little further ahead was Wonderhill Village. They could end up as bloody chunks under the Heavenly Killing Star's karma.
“Then stop this. Do you intend to humiliate your master?”
“But I'm merely acting spoiled toward you, Master—the one thing I never could. This is my greed, my true heart, my desire.”
For now, I'd pretend to go along while uncovering why she'd changed.
“You tempt me far too much, Master. The scent of blood and flesh when you saved me from that cult, enduring pain without a whimper.”
Biwol panted roughly, like she was lost in mania. Had I ever written such a detail in the novel?
“You pretended not to feel any agony through all those trials, all for me alone—to save only me.”
Biwol stroked each of my injuries one by one.
As we'd discussed in the carriage before, her traces now covered my shoulders, back, hands, and arms densely.
“Did the scent of blood drive you mad?”
“No. No other blood in the world could stimulate me like yours, Master.”
Biwol stopped burying her face in my chest and began nibbling my earlobe seductively.
“This is my true heart.”
The alluring sounds of licking and sucking filled my ear, ignoring all onlookers as she tempted me relentlessly.
Heart Demon.
The word "true heart" sparked a realization. A trial originally for Kim Huhl, protagonist of Diamond Fist King.
A device I'd created: battling one's other self in the inner world to mature mentally and ascend to new heights.
But Biwol experiencing it now?
It didn't add up in my head. She was the final boss, innately wired for slaughter since childhood...
...This is my fault.
Insight flashed through my mind.
I'd changed her past with my own hands.
I'd given her an environment where she didn't need to eat human flesh to stave off hunger.
For her poor sleep, I'd provided a quiet, sunlit spot.
Friends she grew close to today wouldn't turn into cold corpses tomorrow.
“You are my world, Master. Like a bird shattering its shell to emerge.”
“Biwol, snap out of it. You're being consumed by your Heart Demon...”
“Consumed or not, what does it matter? What matters is my aching love for you.”
Smack. Biwol planted that sound on my ear and grinned broadly. Her quickened breath and heated gaze were overwhelming.
A Heart Demon is the demon hidden within one's heart.
Like a chrysalis becoming a butterfly, one must overcome it to become a true martial artist.
But this doesn't match the Heavenly Killing Star's karma from the novel.
I swallowed hard. No murder or self-harm meant it wasn't her star's essence, but something deeper in Biwol's psyche.
“You must think I've fallen into qi deviation.”
“What do you want?”
“Ahaha! What I want? Isn't it obvious what your one and only disciple desires?”
As I bit my lip to endure her provocations, Biwol burst into laughter.
“Your love, Master—directed solely at me.”
She brushed my lips with the back of her hand, then brought it to her own lips.
“I want to be your principal wife, Master. Your first and last lover.”
Her indirect kiss, slow like melting candy, left me stunned.
Could the Heart Demon's emotion be love for me, suppressed until it twisted into this?
It was possible.
“So you felt jealousy toward your junior sister Verdandi? Didn't it occur to you that I'd hate this?”
I probed her with the question. Jealousy and love were inseparable, after all.
“No, as long as I don't kill and just subdue without harm, I know you won't scold me, Master.”
Biwol had promised, before this journey, to avoid killing per Ice Dragon Harmony Sect rules.
“...Why do you think that?”
“Because you cherish your disciple so much. That's why you hesitate to act.”
She loosened her robe slightly, exposing a bit of skin. I turned my head away,
but she puffed her cheeks and forced my face back.
“Look at me, Master. Your disciple is mustering her courage to confess.”
She seemed to delight in my reactions.
“...I yearn for you desperately, Master.”
“You're mistaking it for paternal love.”
“How could I confuse love? You taught me all these feelings, Master.”
My strained face, lips bitten to hide my uglier instincts before my disciple, reflected in her red eyes.
“For you, Master, I'd do anything. Throw myself into purgatory flames or brave the frozen wastes alone.”
As she spoke, Biwol wrapped her arms around my neck.
“I adore you this much—why won't you accept my heart?”
Her lips drew closer; she stood on tiptoes to kiss me.
“...Biwol. Then let me make you a proposal.”
“A proposal in this situation? You have a bold side too, Master!”
To dominate the Heart Demon controlling Biwol without sacrifice, this was the only way.
“If you win, I'll truly accept your love. It's my fault for not noticing until now.”
“You've devised a plan, I see... Mmph.”
I blocked her lips with my hand. Even that she licked lovingly with her tongue.
“So, what is your proposal?”
“Let's have a battle of words—a verbal sword duel. I'll yield the first three moves, so clash your full power against this master.”
This was the way to tame her Heart Demon, honor her feelings, and resolve everything.
“Very well! Love is true only when hearts connect, after all.”
“Don't get the wrong idea, Biwol.”
Biwol accepted confidently, and I smiled inwardly.
“...You're the challenger.”
“Heh, like a fish laid out perfectly on the cutting board—I'll end it quick and devour you.”
When it came to words, I feared no one.