The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult (8)
I pushed myself up and began checking my body, only to feel a strange sense of bewilderment. It's light. I'd definitely been spun around dozens of times before slamming straight into the ground, yet my body felt far more refreshed than before. It was like I'd received a high-end massage.
No way that's possible. My durability must have increased, so I probably recovered while lying there. That was the only explanation Kim Mugong could come up with.
"Master, I'm completely fine now."
I made an exaggerated gesture toward Cheon Wigang.
"Don't act so frivolous."
"Yes, sir."
"Tsk. We'll begin the transmission immediately, so come here. I'll recite the incantation first."
Cheon Wigang recited the formula in a low voice. I closed my eyes and focused entirely on the incantation. After the lengthy transmission, Cheon Wigang waited for a moment. Even he hadn't expected me to memorize the complex verses of Geongon Daena-i in a single go.
"I've memorized it all."
But I immediately shattered his expectations.
"Your memory is impressive."
"My brain's a bit weird. My memory is only exceptionally good when it comes to martial arts."
In truth, even I hadn't anticipated this. When Cheon Wigang kept reciting the formula without pause, I'd been ready to give up on memorizing it. Yet somehow, the words sank into my mind as if they belonged there. Whenever I tried to recall the incantation, it surfaced instantly, like pulling up stored data from somewhere.
"Recite it for me."
The verses of Geongon Daena-i flowed smoothly from my mouth. With each line, Cheon Wigang's eyes grew wider.
A genius.
He didn't look particularly clever at first glance, but when it came to martial arts, Kim Mugong was a true genius. A genius who fell short of Cheon Hayeon by no means. Cheon Wigang felt genuine pleasure at that fact.
At least the name carries weight. So this is what they meant by martial talent.
A small chuckle slipped between his lips. It seemed he had gained quite the unexpected blessing in a disciple.
Having finished reciting the formula, I tilted my head.
"Master?"
"Perfect. It seems I can pass on everything about Geongon Daena-i right away."
"Thank you for the praise."
"You must not become arrogant. The path of martial arts has no end."
"Yes. I understand. When I look at Cheon Hayeon... all the arrogance I might have had disappears."
Not that I was actually lacking compared to her. Cheon Wigang swallowed the thought that suddenly occurred to him. Sometimes, the truth needed to be hidden.
"You instinctively used Ihwa Jeommok earlier."
"I learned it while fighting the Blood Sect warriors."
There were those who could break through martial realms in an instant through extreme focus in real combat. Usually it was only a temporary boost, but to have embodied it to this degree...
So he's the type who grows stronger through actual battle.
Cheon Wigang began to get a vague sense of my tendencies. He slowly started adjusting the direction of my training.
"To put it simply, Geongon Daena-i is a martial art that encompasses all the principles of Saryang Bal Cheon Geun and Ihwa Jeommok. You could say it's specialized in defense rather than offense."
"Understood."
I nodded silently. Saryang Bal Cheon Geun—using a small force to overcome a greater one. Ihwa Jeommok—redirecting the flow of power. It was similar to Tai Chi, yet far more profound.
"Good. Execution requires enormous internal energy and physical potential, but you seem to possess both. Watch carefully and follow along from now on. Simply repeat the incantation endlessly in your mind."
As Cheon Wigang demonstrated Geongon Daena-i, I meticulously copied his movements.
...This is...
Though he didn't show it, Cheon Wigang glanced at me and felt shock. Geongon Daena-i was considered quite advanced even among the Divine Cult's martial arts. Yet I was already replicating it, however clumsily. The subtlety in my hand movements grew increasingly refined. I absorbed it as quickly as a sponge soaking up water.
He had only taken me as a disciple because of the Heavenly Mountain Goddess Art, but this result far exceeded even his highest expectations.
Perhaps...
Profound Realm masters often experienced flashes of intuition close to precognition. This was one such moment. It might actually be possible for Kim Mugong to overcome his limited lifespan. That sudden premonition brushed across Cheon Wigang's mind.
Watching me train Geongon Daena-i in a state of no-self, Cheon Wigang quietly left the area. He didn't want his presence to become a distraction.
And so, completely unaware that Cheon Wigang had disappeared, I continued training Geongon Daena-i for a long while.
Eventually, my half-closed eyes slowly opened wider as my consciousness rose back to reality.
"Master?"
I had no idea how long I'd been training. When I came to my senses, I was the only one left inside the Heavenly Demon Cave. Even though I'd pushed my body and internal energy to their limits, my balance actually felt even better than before.
So this is why he taught me Geongon Daena-i.
Just as Tai Chi was famous for its health-preserving effects, Geongon Daena-i seemed to have similar benefits. It was the perfect martial art for someone like me with a limited lifespan.
I leisurely looked around at the surrounding scenery before heading toward the Ancestral Hall. It was a place where the memorial tablets of past Heavenly Demons were enshrined, but the cool touch of the wooden floor beneath my feet and the comforting scent of incense made it the ideal spot to calm a mind and body exhausted from training.
Starting from the First Heavenly Demon, I observed each of the past Heavenly Demons' tablets one by one until my gaze suddenly locked onto one spot.
...No way.
One of the tablets bore the name of a person I had never expected to see.
12th Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult
Surama Emperor Cheon Woojin
It was the name of the person who had created the Heavenly Demon Divine Art.
Heavenly Fire Hall.
Built on a low hill, the Heavenly Fire Hall boasted an exterior quite different from most other pavilions. Inside its beautifully landscaped spacious garden stood a magnificent mansion. Reminiscent of an old European noble's estate, this place had been prepared as the residence of the Young Cult Leader of the Divine Cult.
Not only the main mansion where the Young Cult Leader stayed, but also several auxiliary buildings for servants and storage scattered across the grounds. Moreover, on the outer perimeter was a dedicated living area for the Young Cult Leader's personal guard unit, the Demon Shadow Asura Squad. Just this alone made it feel like an entire martial faction.
Inside the grand mansion that symbolized the Divine Cult's prestige, people were rarely seen. This was partly out of consideration for Cheon Hayeon's dislike of noise, but it was also the Heavenly Demon's will to prevent others from witnessing her living as a woman.
Tap, tap.
The sound of Cheon Hayeon's footsteps echoed down the long corridor cutting through the center of the mansion. She wore nothing but a pure white gown. Soon she arrived before a massive door engraved with two dragons and spoke.
"Clear the area."
After confirming that the presence of the women from the Red Flower Pavilion who managed the Heavenly Fire Hall had vanished into the shadows, Cheon Hayeon stepped inside.
A space filled with ivory and jade tones dominated her vision. Inside the unnecessarily spacious and luxurious bathhouse, hot steam rose in thick curls. After lightly rinsing her body, Cheon Hayeon slowly lowered herself into the central bath, starting from her toes.
Splash.
The warm water temperature naturally relaxed her body. The enormous tub, large enough to comfortably fit dozens of people, carried a fragrant aroma.
"Haa...."
Feeling languid, Cheon Hayeon let out a heated breath. Golden waves rippled between the red flower petals floating on the water's surface. Staring blankly at her own hair drifting on the water, she recalled once more what she had heard from the Demon Doctor.
A limited lifespan.
And it was Kim Mugong's. She knew she shouldn't think this way, yet she couldn't stop the dark thoughts from creeping in. The more she tried to stop, the more the vivid scenes she'd witnessed on the uninhabited island dominated her mind.
Cheon Hayeon gazed down at herself. Between the rippling waves, her firm naked body was reflected.
....
Her hand unconsciously moved between her legs. She slowly traced the smooth, hairless area with her fingers. Just like Kim Mugong had done when caressing Han Yeoreum. Starting from the soft pink outer folds, she moved her hand gently.
Whether because it was underwater or because she'd never done it before, she wasn't as skilled as she'd hoped. Instinctively, she grabbed her breast and gently rubbed the pink nipple. Recalling their lovemaking, Cheon Hayeon's nipples had become slightly more erect than usual from arousal.
"Mmph...!"
Perhaps she'd gripped too hard. A mixture of pain and pleasure surged from her swaying breasts.
"Haa...."
Unknowingly, heated moans kept slipping from between her lips. She hastily erected a sound barrier to block out any noise from escaping. Even while thinking she shouldn't be doing this, Cheon Hayeon imagined Kim Mugong's touch and moved her hand toward her labia.
Due to her intense arousal, she could tell that love juices were flowing even underwater. As she gradually rubbed her clit and moved her finger inward, her senses detected an incredibly narrow opening. It was such a tiny hole that even a single finger seemed unlikely to fit.
How could something like that possibly fit in a place like this...
It was unimaginable that something as massive as Kim Mugong's could enter such a narrow passage. As a pure virgin, Cheon Hayeon hesitated to even insert a finger. Moreover, since she had never masturbated before, simply rubbing her clit with her finger was already an intensely stimulating experience.
Her flushed face, reddened from masturbation, rippled on the water's surface, which only heightened her excitement further.
"Hngh...!"
She kept her hand between her thighs, touching herself until the steam grew so thick it completely obscured her vision. Finally, she let out a sharp moan and clenched her thighs and toes tightly together. The intense pleasure of reaching climax overwhelmed her mind.
For a while, Cheon Hayeon stared blankly downward before letting out a long sigh and coming back to her senses.
...I've gone mad.
What came rushing in after the prolonged pleasure was a storm of self-loathing. To have masturbated while imagining Kim Mugong's touch.
What vulgar...
Suddenly struck by a bout of saintly remorse, Cheon Hayeon curled up like a fetus, hugging her legs, and quietly submerged herself. So that her face wouldn't be visible.
Bubble, bubble, bubble—
Soon, only streams of bubbles rose continuously to the surface alongside her long golden hair.