Chapter 44
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: Chapter 44
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: Must Be Nice Having Three Masters
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Clearly, just moments ago, he had been a madman hell-bent on corrupting me with demonic arts, but the instant he laid eyes on Luri, the Sword Demon flipped a complete 180.
Thud.
My body rolled across the ground.
"Nieceeeeeee!"
The Sword Demon charged toward Luri, tears streaming down his face unchecked.
But when Luri thrust out her palm, he froze on the spot, as if turned to stone.
It was quite the surreal sight.
A Peak realm girl subduing a Fusion realm master with a single gesture?
Was that the young cult leader's dignity?
"Shave."
"Hmm, come to think of it, I forgot about that."
The Sword Demon made a wry face and stroked the beard sprouting from his chin.
"So what do you mean 'mine'? Don't tell me... with that punk..."
The Sword Demon whipped his head around, his gaze flooding me with thick, viscous killing intent.
"──!"
That crazy old fart thinks I'm the pedo!
Luri tilted her head slightly, not quite catching the trailing implication.
But soon enough, exclamation points popped up over her head as she started pummeling the Sword Demon with her tiny fists.
"Hahaha! Your niece's massages always feel great, no matter when I get them!"
The Sword Demon laughed heartily, not batting an eye even as her fists sank into his solar plexus.
Family reunion or whatever, fine.
But wasn't it rude to just leave a guy sprawled out on the street like this?
"──, ──."
My silent screams echoed pitifully on the pavement, but the two ignored me completely.
"So, niece. What exactly did you mean by 'mine'?"
"Tang..."
"You still love that Tang stuff, huh? Heh heh, but I don't have any on me right now."
"Go."
"How can you be so heartless after all this time apart? When you were little, you toddled after me going 'Uncle, Uncle'..."
"No!"
I gave up and dazedly listened to their nonsensical banter.
Then the Sword Demon's gaze shifted back to me.
"Hmm... Even if I pumped him full of demonic arts, he wouldn't turn into a demon anyway. Too much talent to waste rotting here."
"──."
Luckily.
Luri's renewed arrr nyaarr nyaaak! saved me from getting kidnapped.
"Well then, see you soon."
The Sword Demon smacked his lips and vanished.
Only Luri and I remained on the now-quiet street.
Luri approached and poked at my body.
"──, ──!"
The true energy the Sword Demon had forced into me was still blocking my meridians everywhere.
It was slowly melting into my body, but I still couldn't twitch a finger or make a sound.
Luri's face drew closer.
And then.
Poke, poke.
Poke, poke.
"──!"
Like a sneaky thief, Luri fished my smartphone out of my pocket.
And tried to unlock the pattern as if it were hers.
"──."
No chance.
I'd already switched it to PIN.
A nightmare PIN no criminal could guess.
One brimming with respect for my master: '46zzgyomizz'.
Luri's brow furrowed.
Thwack!
"──!"
No idea what offended her, but.
The personal info raider flicked my forehead.
It was so shameless it nearly brought tears to my eyes.
But escaping this pinch came first.
I shot her my best desperate plea-for-rescue look.
Luri peered deep into my eyes.
Then, keeping her gaze locked, she started prodding all over my body with her finger.
"──?"
It didn't feel like she was pressing acupoints to release the blocks.
Poke the chest.
Poke the abs.
Poke the cheek.
...She was poking around like a cat batting at a toy, staring straight into my eyes.
As if trying to read my emotional reactions.
No way.
At that point, I let go mentally.
The academy grounds were patrolled regularly by guards anyway—someone would find me soon.
I, Geum Sihyeon, man of steel.
Would never yield to a Demonic Cult fiend!
"...Boring."
She really was just messing with me for fun.
Luri gripped my hand with her tiny palm—half the size of mine—and channeled true energy through her palm heart.
Calling demonic energy "pure" felt paradoxical, but.
This was on a whole other level from the Sword Demon's—pristine demonic energy wriggled smoothly through my meridians.
Whenever it passed the acupoints jammed with his demonic energy, it gobbled them up like Pac-Man, circling once around.
Seemed demonic energies had hierarchies too, like lava over flames.
Made sense why she could control him with a gesture earlier.
"Ugh..."
As the energy blocking my mute acupoint vanished, a groan finally escaped my lips.
I savored the sensation of control slowly returning to my body.
At first, I'd planned to grill her—uncle or subordinate, whatever—about her massive lapse in oversight.
"Thanks."
But thinking how I'd have been snatched by the Sword Demon without her timely arrival, gratitude came first.
A flicker of surprise crossed Luri's face, which hadn't left mine until then.
"...You know you messed up, right?"
She shook her head vigorously.
Demonic Cultists must not have consciences by default.
For petty revenge, I ruffled her hair wildly and bid farewell.
I messaged Master about yesterday's incident on Murim Talk, and she flew in same-day, clashing with the Sword Demon so fiercely she half-demolished the Seo Family Head's residence.
It was so rowdy.
The Seo residence was half-blown away, and even the academy head had to intervene, unleashing Thousand-Handed Avalokitesvara Palm into the air before it stopped.
"...Layman Wijiryang. No more disturbances will be tolerated. You too, Dohee."
"Hmph."
"...This is so unfair..."
The Sword Demon was 'officially' booted from the academy.
But the Sword Demon's nightmare didn't end there.
"Indeed, the sword suits you. My eye for talent never fails."
"Gah, shit, you scared me. What the hell?"
He'd drop from a rooftop between buildings, toss a casual sales pitch, and whirl away.
"Hmm, diligent in your training. Good form."
"...Training is important, after all."
After sweating it out in the training hall, he'd pop up again, spot Luri glaring from afar with axe eyes, and bolt.
: : You'll become my disciple : :
Luk Hap Jeon Seong? What the hell was that.
Fusion realm, and he's stalking like some creep.
Even when I was tipsy with friends, staggering to the outhouse.
"The moment of relieving oneself is the most vulnerable for any warrior. But if you learn the sword from me, you could effortlessly slice down anyone who approaches."
Now he was in black garb and mask, looking straight-up suspicious.
"...Seriously, how long do you plan to skulk around like a thief?"
"Thief? That's too harsh."
"Then what is it? Hiding to sleep, stealing food to eat? You shouldn't even be here in the first place. Seo Master said she'd grab and interrogate you on sight— she's grinding her teeth over it."
"Ha, with her skills, catch me?"
The Sword Demon played dumb.
The unease that he'd stalk me forever if I refused, plus the gut feeling he'd sneak into my bedroom next and chant sword songs, had me sighing deeply.
"Fine, what exactly do you want to teach me? No demonic arts."
"Why would I teach demonic arts? Your internal art looks solid enough already. I'll teach you the sword."
"I'm already learning swordplay."
"From that Moyong girl? Hah, dual swords? Dual swords symbolize defeat. You can't achieve greatness with gimmicks."
Hmm.
Couldn't argue with that.
Even Barrian melted into matcha latte.
The big-eared guy was a dual-wield owner too, couldn't unify.
...But saying that aloud would irk the quick-tempered old dual lady, so I held back.
"And an axe? Come on. Axes are for lumberjacks."
Hard to refute that logic either.
Swords all the way, best weapons.
"But I'm walking the sword path already. Do I really need extra lessons?"
"No! I'll teach you! I, the Sword Demon! I, Wijiryang! Will teach you the sword!"
Ah.
Scratched the itch.
In the end, Wijiryang exploded past his limits.
But I calmly held up my smartphone, showing a pre-typed message.
[To: Luri]
[Sword Demon's harassing me again.]
"...Snitching your weaknesses to a girl? You call yourself a man?"
I added one more line.
[Sword Demon's harassing me again. Says you're a girl.]
"No! Don't! Anything but that!"
One man—warrior second, uncle first—wretchedly begged.
Anyway, from our chats so far.
This guy was just sword-obsessed.
He'd be the Sword Demon even in orthodox sects.
All he knew was swords and Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
"...One condition."
"Oho! Finally! Speak. I'm all ears."
Business basics: haggle.
My value was at peak now.
Time to buy Sword Demon coin at the bottom.
Seo Master was iffy at first, but had no objections to securing a card against Azure Heaven Society.
She didn't care about one master or two anyway.
Sister Seol was bummed but encouraged it, saying I'd learn more from him than dual swords.
Might as well learn properly now.
"No demonic arts foundations. And you got nowhere to stay anyway. My main family's guest quarters are empty—crash there. I'll visit weekends for lessons."
The Sword Demon stared blankly at me.
After a brief silence.
"That's it? No 'cut off Mount Hua's head' or 'break Mount Zhongnan's sword'?"
"...What? Ha..."
This nutjob was one of a kind.
I second-guessed myself a bit.
But it was a decision I'd mulled since the stalking started.
With him glued to the main house, at least it wouldn't get attacked.
No guarantee those targeting me wouldn't hit family.
Better to load asymmetric firepower. Ready to fire anytime.
"But no causing trouble. One whiff of knife fights in Xi'an city, and I'm ditching swordplay to chant sutras with Master Wolsong. Stay out of the academy from now on too."
"Naturally. Long as you take my teachings."
In the end.
I became a guy with three masters.
Felt like I heard an echo: "Must be nice having three masters."
Sword Mistress, Chicken Mistress, and... hmm.
Frame Mistress? Snap Mistress? Frame Mistress it is.
I bowed roughly in disciple fashion.
Since we're here.
I asked what I'd always wondered.
"Why're you so obsessed with me?"
His answer was surprisingly serious.
"After seeing nothing but posers, I can forge a sword greater than mine with my own hands. How could I give that up easily?"
The Sword Demon gazed wistfully at his own sword.
"Dying to a swordsman stronger than me is my lifelong wish. You could fulfill it in a decade."
"...Wait, you're teaching me sword so I can kill you?"
I asked incredulously.
"Isn't it romantic? Getting your throat torn out by the dog you raised. Like the grudge between Zhao and Sima clans. Hahaha!"
Definitely twisted as hell.
Better not talk to him much.
The night I was chosen as the Sword Demon's disciple and accepted it.
Word spread that Moyong Taek had reached Peak realm.
Apparently, enlightenment hit mid-mahjong, flipping the National Rare Hand Club upside down.
....
How the hell do you breakthrough gambling?
My poor imagination couldn't fathom it.
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