Chapter 39
Chapter 39
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 39
>Chapter Title: Assassination (1)
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Noisy break time passed, and after everyone had left.
Master came to visit Wind Rock Hall.
“Last night, I saw your attainment in the Soul-Stealing Heartless Sword rising quickly, Il-mok.”
“It’s all thanks to you, Master.”
A response laced with treacherous emotions slipped out.
Of course, on the surface, I was pretending to be polite and grateful.
‘Damn demonic art.’
My obsession was getting severe, leaving me deeply troubled in every way.
“Did you devote yourself to the sword again today?”
“Well...”
After pondering Master’s question for a moment, I answered with some honesty.
“My realm rose so suddenly that the side effects intensified just as fast, so I’ve been holding back for a bit.”
It was basically the same as cursing without the curses.
“Hoh.”
But for some reason.
I expected disappointment, yet Master stroked his beard and his eyes gleamed.
“I was just about to bring it up myself, but to think you’re being cautious on your own. Most impressive.”
“???”
“Unlike the arts heretics practice, demonic arts boast rapid progress. On a level that defies comparison. Do you know how long it takes for heretics to open their Conception and Governing Vessels and freely wield sword qi or fist qi to reach the peak realm?”
The conversation shifted abruptly, so after a moment’s thought, I answered.
“...I have no idea.”
“It varies wildly by talent or spirit pills from fortunate encounters, but those with decent talent generally reach the peak realm in middle age. Even in this vast Central Plains, only a tiny fraction called ‘geniuses’ who’ve consumed spirit pills enter the peak realm in their twenties. So, what about demonic arts?”
“Hmm... If orthodox arts take that long, demonic arts probably take around ten years?”
“Hahaha. Close enough. Depending on talent, it usually takes five to ten years to reach what heretics call the peak realm.”
“Five... five years?”
“Haha. And that’s just the average. Your eldest senior brother Jin-hak did it in a mere three. When he entered the Demonic Path Academy, he could already wield sword qi freely.”
Master spoke with pride in his voice, then suddenly turned serious mid-laugh.
“But these demonic arts have one major flaw. You’ve felt it too, haven’t you, Il-mok?”
“The side effect of losing your mind?”
“Exactly. That’s why becoming obsessed with gaining power is extremely dangerous. You advance quickly, but when the side effects feel overwhelming, you must pause. Until you’ve steadied your mind, that is.”
Hearing the explanation, I got a rough idea of how the cult’s warriors trained in demonic arts.
They pushed rapid progress to leverage the arts’ strength, then stopped when mental instability crossed the line.
They waited it out, and when it felt manageable again—‘I can handle it now?’—they dove back in, raising their realm.
They repeated this: stop when insanity peaked again.
And when it hit ‘Oh no, this is really bad now?’, they broke through completely.
In other words, the branch warriors and Branch Leader I’d seen on my trip had stopped at a certain point. That’s why, despite practicing fast-growing demonic arts and reaching middle age, their realms were lower than the much younger Ha-yeon.
They built strength through this tightrope walk, failing which led to Demonic Deviation or rampage.
And in rampages, nearby cult members stepped in to subdue them. Like with Eldest Senior Brother last time.
That line of thought naturally led to another.
Maybe demonic arts were for those without talent but with iron wills.
Even without martial gift, ten years of training got you to the peak—a cheat-level growth speed.
Anyone could become an expert with effort alone. What could suit stubborn types without talent better?
Conversely, for the talented but mentally weak—like a flounder—it was a recipe for disaster.
From that angle.
‘Damn. Worst match for me.’
A body with absurd martial talent that even Master coveted.
Plus, Master had combed my meridians, making it perfect for training.
Add fast-growing demonic arts, and my realm might skyrocket with every session.
The problem was my mentality.
‘Am I... mentally strong?’
Me, who aimed for a Work-Life Balance life of moderate work and play?
As my mind endlessly flashed “I’m screwed,” Master’s voice pierced my ears.
“But you needn’t fear the side effects too much. Once you surpass Extreme Demon and enter Transcending Demon, all problems vanish. Besides, avoiding training out of fear defeats the purpose of a fast-attaining demonic art.”
It’s not like I chose to learn this demonic art?
The retort stuck in my throat, itching, but I held it back with my last shred of patience.
“...Understood.”
A sigh nearly escaped unbidden. I’d have to start training again now.
If my realm rose more here, how bad would the side effects get?
While I agonized, Master didn’t jump into training but brought up something else.
“And today, there’s one more thing I must tell you, Il-mok.”
“I wash my ears and listen intently.”
“The day this old man first met you. We’ve uncovered those who ordered my pursuit and the innkeeper’s assassination.”
“!!!”
As I stared in shock, Master listed the culprits.
“First, the Beggar Clan’s Eighth Great Elder, Not-Drunk Beggar, who tracked me and reported to the Martial Alliance. Second, Chief Strategist Gongsun Hyun of the Martial Alliance, who ordered my pursuit, dispatched warriors, and requested aid from nearby sects. Finally, Flying Dragon Pavilion Leader Jeong Yeong, who ordered the innkeeper killed on-site and poison in this old man’s tea and food.”
Just their positions screamed heavyweights. The least intimidating was the last: Flying Dragon Pavilion Leader.
But the cult’s intelligence was even more shocking.
“To pinpoint them so precisely. The Divine Cult’s intelligence is astounding, Master.”
“Hahaha. Our Divine Cult’s network is strong, but we learned this thanks to the Martial Alliance.”
“???”
“Didn’t I tell you that day? The Martial Alliance would pin it all on me. And they did. The Beggar Clan caught my trail, and the Chief Strategist ordered my capture.”
“......”
I nearly blurted, “Are they insane?”
Why admit it themselves?
But Master’s follow-up explained their motive.
“They spread rumors that this old man, trapped in their encirclement, took hostages—the innkeeper and errand boy, common folk—at a nearby inn, blackmailing his way out. They claimed they let me go to save the hostages, but the innkeeper and boy were brutally torn apart by me as I escaped.”
They’d pinned the inn incident on Master with those rumors.
“So the Divine Cult traced the culprits from their own rumors. Who in the Beggar Clan tracked me. Who the Martial Alliance sent as on-site commander that day. Pinpointing Not-Drunk Beggar and Flying Dragon Pavilion Leader as masterminds wasn’t hard for us.”
Master finished, then asked gravely.
“Now, you decide. Will you take revenge with your own hands? Or leave it to this old man?”
“......”
I pondered.
Honestly, I wanted to dump all three on Master.
But.
‘Something feels off.’
Why ask me specifically? It felt like a test.
Maybe overthinking from Soul-Stealing Heartless Sword side effects, but the unease lingered.
Plus.
‘No matter what, Tae-hyeon’s revenge should be by my hand.’
He’d cared for the soul of a fourteen-year-old orphan suddenly awakened in this body. I couldn’t repay the grace, so at least vengeance.
“I’ll handle my own revenge.”
“Hoh. All three by your hand?”
I shook my head at Master’s question.
“I meant Flying Dragon Pavilion Leader, directly involved in Tae-hyeon’s death. Not-Drunk Beggar and the Chief Strategist influenced it somewhat, but to me, only Jeong Yeong was directly responsible.”
Direct involvement aside, practicality mattered.
How do you kill the Martial Alliance’s Chief Strategist?
Short of all-out war wiping them out, impossible.
But saying I’d skip him because it’s hard might enrage Master, so I tossed in Not-Drunk Beggar too: ‘Only those directly complicit in the murder.’
“Hmm. Revenge only on those directly involved in the killing. A wise judgment.”
Pleased, Master stroked his beard and nodded.
“Then, the Flying Dragon Pavilion Leader is yours. But your skill doesn’t match his yet. A gentleman’s revenge takes ten years at minimum, so devote yourself to martial arts for it.”
“I will.”
I clasped my fists in reply, though I thought.
‘Somehow, my to-do list just grew again.’
I planned to slack after Demonic Path Academy, but now Flying Dragon Pavilion Leader was a target.
‘Really, this is the last one.’
Kill him, avenge Tae-hyeon, then truly slack off.
* * *
That night.
In Heavenly Demon Hall, handling duties, the Heavenly Demon set down his letter and turned to the moon outside.
Toward the east, where the Martial Alliance lay.
‘Hmm. He’ll avenge himself on the Flying Dragon Pavilion Leader personally.’
He recalled his bold youngest disciple’s vow.
The youngest’s talent was exceptional.
Even after chatting away time, a session under an hour raised his attainment again.
‘Grieving the innkeeper, his face stayed dark despite progress.’
The Heavenly Demon’s misconception, blind to Il-mok’s true feelings.
Whatever Il-mok felt, the Heavenly Demon recalled the vow for another reason.
‘Will he succeed before this old man dies?’
The Heavenly Demon knew his allotted lifespan was under a decade, though no exact number.
And Flying Dragon Pavilion Leader Jeong Yeong wasn’t his eldest, Wi Jin-hak, but outstripped third disciple Seo Wan-pyeong.
To kill him, Il-mok needed at minimum to breach Extreme Demon and advance several more steps.
If Jeong Yeong grew in that time, Il-mok needed even more.
A bigger issue loomed.
Jeong Yeong was Chief Strategist Gongsun Hyun’s right-hand man.
Fourth or fifth in Martial Alliance hierarchy.
High realm, never alone, always at headquarters unless critical missions.
Of the three, easiest to assassinate was Beggar Clan’s Eighth Great Elder Not-Drunk Beggar.
Either way, for Il-mok to kill him, one condition:
Pierce guards and slay regardless—master Soul-Stealing Heartless Sword to Transcending Demon at least.
Or surpass Extreme Demon several steps, dig a trap to lure even the Chief Strategist, and kill.
Knowing this, the Heavenly Demon hadn’t planned to entrust revenge to Il-mok.
He’d merely informed the involved party out of courtesy and asked his thoughts.
Il-mok’s hyper-vigilant overreading.
Unaware, the Heavenly Demon gazed at the moon and smiled softly.
‘Hahaha. Yes. What does it matter after I’m gone? A gentleman’s revenge takes ten years at minimum.’
The Heavenly Demon simply found his youngest disciple—who vowed to kill such a heavyweight—admirable.