Radiant Ascension Path
Cheon Yu-un whipped his head around and fixed his gaze on me. A sly grin spread across his face.
"Enjoy the show? Or are you thinking of learning the Ghost Step yourself?"
"…I wasn't trying to spy. I just happened to catch it while passing by."
"I know."
Cheon Yu-un answered lightly and stepped closer.
"Found a martial art that suits you yet?"
"Hard to say. I haven't finished looking around, so I can't really comment."
"There's one that fits you perfectly. Mind if I recommend it?"
I pretended to deliberate for a moment, then nodded.
"I'll hear it out, at least."
"The Star-Absorbing Great Method."
Cheon Yu-un spoke without the slightest hesitation. Exactly as in the original story.
I froze and feigned surprise.
"The Star-Absorbing Great Method. You mean the one I'm thinking of?"
"Number 123, what you lack is internal energy. If you had enough of it… you could become far stronger than you are now."
"I know the Star-Absorbing Great Method lets you amass a massive amount of internal energy in a short time… or rather, that it's a demonic art. And I know the side effects too."
The Star-Absorbing Great Method was a famous demonic art—one that stole an opponent's qi and made it your own. On the surface it sounded like a free ride through life, but like every other demonic art, its tremendous power came with severe drawbacks. In this case, the stolen qi itself was the problem.
Energy taken through the Star-Absorbing Great Method bulked up in quantity, yet its purity turned turbid. And martial arts, as a rule, prized purity over sheer volume the higher one climbed. You might surge ahead at first, only to choke later on the muddied energy clogging your meridians.
"Don't worry about the side effects. Once you rise to a key post in the cult someday… those drawbacks will mean nothing."
"…And how exactly do you guarantee that?"
"I stake my name on it."
"I don't know your name."
Cheon Yu-un smiled quietly and stepped back.
A low hum filled the air as his internal energy made the atmosphere tremble. His lips moved, sending a sound transmission straight into my mind.
—I am Cheon Yu-un.
He revealed his identity and vanished with cool composure. A masterstroke.
No member of the Heavenly Demon Cult was ignorant of that name. The Young Heavenly Demon, Cheon Yu-un. By disclosing it, he was telling me to grab hold of his coattails.
I stood there blankly for a long while before leaving the Ipmaso library. On my way out I spotted Cheon Yu-un again—he was deep in conversation with Number 366.
Number 366.
His name was Jegal Mo-sun, a collateral branch member of the Jegal Clan who had been cast out for researching jiangshi. In the future he would be known as the Demon Brain and become Cheon Yu-un's right hand.
Busy working every angle, just like a transmigrator should.
I approached the instructor and announced that I had chosen the Star-Absorbing Great Method.
"Number 123. Follow me."
I trailed after the instructor into a dim underground chamber. At the far end, a naked man sat on the floor, bound in iron chains.
"A bandit we captured recently. Sixth stage of Ipsik. Begin the Star-Absorbing Great Method."
As a specialized demonic art, the Star-Absorbing Great Method could only be practiced with a living target. The Ipmaso staff had brought a condemned criminal for me to use as practice. Cheon Yu-un's influence had almost certainly been involved.
I gripped the prisoner's shoulders. He glared up at me with eyes full of terror.
"Get your hands off me!"
He thrashed. I raised my fist and smashed it into his skull. Teeth cracked. I seized his shoulders again and activated the Star-Absorbing Great Method.
I began drawing his qi into myself. It was filthy, impure energy.
The Heavenly Demon Divine Art has a technique similar to this.
It was the Heavenly Demon Divine Art I had stolen from the Heavenly Demon of another world—specifically the Dark Abyss Acupoint, a method for snatching the energy of anyone weaker than yourself. Extremely close to the Star-Absorbing Great Method, yet different in one crucial respect: it never stored the stolen energy inside the body. You took it and immediately spent it on another technique. The Dark Abyss Acupoint carried none of the Star-Absorbing Great Method's side effects.
While my mind wandered, the prisoner's body began to wither. The Star-Absorbing Great Method had started draining his very life force.
"S-stop…"
He begged. As if that would make me stop. I pushed the technique to its absolute limit, whether he lived or died.
"Excellent."
The instructor said as much, then hauled the corpse outside.
Alone now, I sat cross-legged on the floor.
My stomach felt greasy and bloated, as if I had forced down a heavy, indigestible meal. Noecheonryu and the Heavenly Demon Divine Art stirred restlessly, as though urging me to purge the impure qi at once.
Right now my power is sealed by the restriction… if I use Noecheonryu or the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, the seal will break.
I began regulating the absorbed energy with the Entry Demonic Qi Art—the basic cultivation method taught here at Ipmaso.
Damn it. I don't feel stronger at all.
A few days later I passed the examination and remained in Group One.
More than three hundred failed. Half of them were demoted; the other half were expelled from Ipmaso entirely.
Four months into life at Ipmaso.
I was sexually frustrated. I still snuck back to Nakwol Mountain during sleep hours to enjoy a taste of freedom, but even that was reaching its limit. I needed new stimulation.
Fuck it. I can't take this anymore.
I sat bolt upright in bed. Even with my eyes closed, sleep refused to come.
Only one face filled my mind.
Yeon Ye-ha.
The First Beauty of the Demonic Cult.
I wanted to fuck her right now.
If I break the seal and force her… no. I don't necessarily have to break the seal.
I decided to make use of the items I already possessed.
First I activated the Illusiter. My body turned transparent. I slipped outside. An instructor was standing guard near the dormitory, but I used Yeongcheonryu to erase every trace of my presence. They never noticed me.
I successfully entered the women's dormitory and held my breath as I moved deeper inside. Finding Yeon Ye-ha's room was simple—just like the men's side, each door bore a number.
Yeon Ye-ha is Number 567. All I have to do is find room 567.
There it was.
Room 567, tucked away on the third floor.
I reached for the handle in delight, then stopped. The door would certainly be locked. Forcing it open would get me caught for sure. Yeon Ye-ha was already gazing toward the realm of Ogi.
I fell into thought. Was there a way to pick the lock without alerting her senses?
Climb in through the window? It was a third-floor window—more trouble than the front door, and no guarantee it would even be open. Odds were high it was locked too.
I checked the time on my smartphone.
Midnight was almost here. Roughly six hours until wake-up.
Six hours… plenty of time.
I licked my lips and deactivated the Illusiter. My body returned to normal. As a precaution I pulled on a mask.
Pick the lock without Yeon Ye-ha noticing… which means making sure she can't feel me doing it.
I grinned.
A brilliant idea had struck me.
I took out the Soul-Dispelling Potion—the sleeping drug I had obtained long ago at the Odong Inn. Even I, who had already reached Ogi at the time, had nearly fallen victim to it.
First I'll enhance the Soul-Dispelling Potion with the Radiant Ascension Path. The enhancement… I can do that in another world. That way time won't be an issue.
I enhanced the potion in reality.
The Soul-Dispelling Potion was a liquid sleeping agent meant to be mixed into water or food. The problem was that I couldn't feed Yeon Ye-ha anything—the locked door kept me out.
Vaporize it. The effect might weaken, but there's still a chance it works. And if it fails, I can always call on Mi-ryeong.
I poured the enhanced Soul-Dispelling Potion into a small humidifier, slid the nozzle into the gap beneath the door, and switched it on. Vaporized drug began filling Yeon Ye-ha's room.
I waited with a satisfied smile as everything went according to plan.
No sound of movement inside. If she'd sensed anything wrong she would have gotten up, opened a window, or come out. This is a success.
Still, I kept the vapor flowing for a full thirty minutes just to be safe. The Soul-Dispelling Potion normally kept someone under for two shichen—four hours. Enhanced by the Radiant Ascension Path, the effect could last even longer. Four hours was more than enough time to thoroughly wreck her.
And I fully intended to wreck her.
I drew Hwaryeonbido and slipped the blade into the door crack, slicing through the latch. A sharp metallic snap, then a soft thud as the broken latch hit the floor. The locked door swung open. Before the hazy smoke could escape I slipped inside and shut it behind me.
Yeon Ye-ha lay on the bed, looking for all the world like Snow White.
The prince who wakes Snow White—that's me! Heh.
I stripped off my lower clothes and climbed onto the bed. A sword leaned against the side, but I paid it no attention as I pulled back the blanket.
Even in sleep she wore her training robes.
Very Yeon Ye-ha of her… looks damn uncomfortable. I'll make her more comfortable. Heh.
I stripped every piece of clothing from her body until she was completely naked. Like Namgung Rin, she had bound her chest tightly with bandages.
I get it. Big tits get in the way when you're swinging a sword. Still, looking at this size… easily G-cups. Bigger than Namgung Rin's.
I swallowed hard and cupped her breasts. Yeon Ye-ha's areolae and nipples were a clean, delicate pink. The nipples sat so flush against the areolae they almost looked inverted, but after a moment of handling they began to stiffen.
Fully erect, each nipple was a full finger-joint long, and thick as well—easily three centimeters across.
These fucking sexy nipples…! I can't hold back!
I latched onto her breast, taking the thick nipple into my mouth and suckling like an infant. No milk came, of course, but the act alone was deeply satisfying.
"Mmm…"
Yeon Ye-ha, still under the potion, let out a soft moan and furrowed her brow. Startled, I pulled away. Her erect pink nipples glistened with my saliva.
She twisted her body, flinging both arms wide and grabbing the pillow. The movement put her large, beautifully shaped breasts on full display. Her completely toned waist only made them stand out more.
Phew. Thought she woke up.
She hadn't. Her breathing remained steady; there was no other movement. Just a sleeping habit. Relieved, I kneaded her breasts again.
…I'll take my time with the tits later. First, let's check her pussy.
I moved lower and spread her long, pale legs wide.
"Whoa…"
An involuntary gasp escaped me.
I had already known she was hairy while undressing her, but seeing it up close was something else entirely.
So much pubic hair the pussy itself is hidden… and shit, even her asshole is covered in it.
The First Beauty of the Demonic Cult had a thick bush of ass hair!
A secret known to only two people in the world. Possibly even Yeon Ye-ha herself didn't know—most people never inspect their own asshole.
I made sure to set up a camera. Her first time would be recorded.
Staring at the dense forest of hair, I pulled a pair of beauty scissors and a razor from my inventory.
"Yeon Ye-ha… a bare pussy is going to suit you perfectly."
Snip, snip.
I began the work of turning the forest into a smooth, bare mountain.