Chapter 51
Chapter 51
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 51
>Chapter Title: Foundation (1)
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“!?”
Whether Il-mok and Guyangmun were startled or not, Jin Ha-yeon crossed her legs into a meditative posture and immediately began Qi Circulation and Breath Adjustment.
To tame the Bare Hand Demon Art’s yin qi that had begun to boil due to the sudden emotional shift.
The abrupt emotional change that triggered the Demonic Deviation was rage.
To think she had been treated this way over something as trivial as love. It felt like all her efforts had been buried under nothing more than her appearance. She was even filled with contempt.
And in the midst of that, to say he could even betray his clan for her sake?
As a member of one of the five great clans leading the cult, she found his lack of intent to save the pitiful mortals utterly pathetic.
That was why the shards of emotion she had frozen deep within had risen up.
Since her Bare Hand Demon Art had not yet reached Extreme Demon, she couldn’t completely eliminate her emotions. She had merely buried them deep and frozen them with the Bare Hand Demon Art’s chill.
But with those emotions surging violently, it was no longer easy to bury and freeze them again.
Jin Ha-yeon, who had been trying to control her yin qi and emotions, realized this and made a decision.
Instead of burying and freezing them, she would drag them out.
She gathered the boiling shards of emotion together.
From her days at the Demonic Path Academy, the envy and jealousy toward Guyangmun she had accumulated. Even the tiny shard called camaraderie born from their time together this past year.
To that, she added her current contempt and disgust toward Guyangmun.
She wrapped all the emotions together in the Bare Hand Demon Art’s chill.
But the mass was too enormous to expel through her meridians.
So she pushed that massive lump in a different direction—not her meridians.
“Cough.”
She spat out a handful of black blood from her mouth, then examined her internals once more.
Perhaps because the emotions toward Guyangmun that had raged the most were gone. Her internals had regained some stability.
Among them, the one that particularly caught her eye was the emotion toward Il-mok.
‘When did it grow this much…?’
Compared to her faith in the Heavenly Demon and the Divine Cult, which were the greatest pillars supporting her, or the emotions toward Guyangmun she had just expelled, it was insignificant in size. Yet it had grown to rival her feelings for her parents.
Considering they had only been together for half a year, it was quite large.
She wanted to examine exactly what that emotion was, but she had to hurriedly gather her inner power.
The Demonic Deviation was not over yet.
As Jin Ha-yeon’s eyes snapped open after finally taming her rampaging inner power, pure white chill swirled in her gaze—but it was reined in in an instant.
Thanks to expelling the massive emotional lump with the black blood, she escaped the Demonic Deviation and successfully broke through the wall blocking her Bare Hand Demon Art.
The first thing that entered the eyes of she, whose realm had risen steeply, was the manor’s landscape turned into a mess of water and ice.
It was the result of the yin qi flowing from her body during the Demonic Deviation.
And amid that chaos, Guyangmun and Il-mok stood enduring, acting as her protectors.
“Ha-yeon!”
“Miss Jin! Are you alright?!”
Her gaze toward Guyangmun, who looked at her with worry, held not a single emotion.
She untied her legs and stood, speaking to Guyangmun.
“Thank you. Thanks to you, I now feel absolutely nothing toward you.”
With those words, she turned and entered her quarters, shutting the door behind her.
At her utterly icy attitude, like a cold wind howling, Guyangmun stood awkwardly and turned to look behind him.
“…What should I do now, Young Master?”
“…She said thanks, didn’t she? For now, isn’t that enough?”
“I-is that how it is?”
Of course it wasn’t, but Il-mok couldn’t bring himself to say the truth.
He didn’t want to witness another Demonic Deviation in a single day.
* * *
The next morning.
Jin Ha-yeon conducted her lessons with her usual emotionless demeanor, as if nothing had happened last night.
Because of that, I felt unbearably uncomfortable.
Unable to hold back any longer, I spoke first.
“Ahem. I’m sorry about last night.”
“I’m not bothered at all, so it’s fine.”
Her response, devoid of any emotion, somehow felt scarier than a scolding.
“Ahem. Since we live together, I thought I’d try to smooth things over a bit between you two, so I told Young Hero Guyang that. Like, don’t try to help Miss Jin unnecessarily—just watch.”
I worked my mouth furiously to clear up her misunderstanding.
Honestly, I felt a bit wronged.
I had clearly told Guyangmun that Jin Ha-yeon’s feelings toward him were bad, so keep his distance and don’t pester her for a while.
I never imagined that crazy bastard would misinterpret it and launch a confession attack.
“No matter the circumstances, I’m truly fine, Young Master.”
Maintaining her cold attitude, Jin Ha-yeon added.
“I feel absolutely nothing toward Guyangmun now. Thanks to that, my realm has advanced too. Why would I be angry?”
“I, I see.”
I couldn’t tell if she had grown colder because her realm had risen or because she was suppressing her anger.
But one thing was certain.
‘Yangmun, you really screwed up.’
In romance, indifference was scarier than ill will.
Still, I felt no sympathy for Guyangmun.
Even if the beginning was a misunderstanding, it was Guyangmun himself who nailed the coffin shut at the end.
* * *
That afternoon.
Master arrived as usual to give guidance, glanced once at Jin Ha-yeon, and said.
“Ho. You’ve grown to the point where ‘leaps and bounds’ doesn’t do it justice overnight.”
As expected of Master, whose realm was immense, he recognized Jin Ha-yeon’s achievement at a glance.
And to Master’s praise, Jin Ha-yeon showed utmost respect and humbly replied.
“It’s all thanks to ‘Young Master Il-mok’ and ‘Guyangmun,’ Heavenly Demon.”
The moment she called my name, I couldn’t help but flinch.
‘She definitely looks angry no matter how I look at it…’
What she said in the morning seemed like a lie.
Guyangmun, who had been particularly downcast today unlike usual, flinched just the same.
Master, unaware of the details, muttered “Ho” and looked at me.
“Hahaha. First Jin-hak and Wan-pyeong, now Ha-yeon too. Everyone around you, Il-mok, seems to be advancing rapidly.”
“H-haha. It’s j-just coincidence.”
It wasn’t humility.
Jin Ha-yeon’s glare was so intimidating I couldn’t even boast about it.
Fortunately, the congratulations for Jin Ha-yeon didn’t drag on.
“No time to waste, so let’s begin training.”
With those words, Master drew his sword without mercy, unleashing tremendous pressure toward me.
After that, it was the usual—getting beaten like a dog.
“Huff. Huff.”
Exposed to intense demonic qi and killing intent that made every hair on my body stand on end, for a good long while.
A thought occurred to me.
‘…Is he venting the stress of being Cult Leader on me?’
“What are you thinking so deeply about?”
“Nothing at all, Master!”
The old man’s perceptiveness was uncanny.
The sparring that lasted nearly an hour, close to real combat, ended at last. I collapsed on the ground, gasping for breath.
“Huff. Huff.”
Master, pristine without a drop of sweat unlike me, looked down at me sprawled on the floor and said.
“Cleanse yourself with a bath and come to the Heavenly Demon Hall. I have something to discuss.”
“Y-yes. Huff. Understood.”
After Master left, Jin Ha-yeon immediately assisted with my bath and Pushing Palaces and Passing Meridians.
“Miss Jin? You seem colder than usual…?”
“Sorry. My realm rose suddenly, so I’m having a bit of trouble controlling my strength.”
“I, I see.”
It didn’t seem like that, but I couldn’t press her.
After finishing Pushing Palaces and Passing Meridians, I donned my attire and headed to the Heavenly Demon Hall.
Escorted by Jin Ha-yeon and Guyangmun.
“…….”
“…….”
It was a horrific walk filled only with silence.
Jin Ha-yeon coldly scanned the surroundings, while the usually talkative Guyangmun kept glancing at her, opening his mouth only to close it again.
He looked just like a puppy abandoned by its owner on a rainy day.
‘Come to think of it, Guyangmun is canine-like. Loyal and energetic, but a bit dumb? Hmm. Then Jin Ha-yeon is feline? Tsundere and aloof cat?’
Lost in such trivial thoughts, we soon arrived at the Heavenly Demon Hall.
After entering under the guard of the warriors at the entrance—who doubled as escorts—and reaching Master’s now-familiar quarters.
“Come in. You must not have eaten dinner rushing here, so I’ve prepared a meal. Let’s talk while eating.”
At Master’s welcoming words, I sighed inwardly.
‘He’s going to talk business over dinner again.’
The kind of meal where my stomach churned so much I couldn’t tell if food went in my nose or mouth.
Looks like I’d need to grab a night snack from the kitchen today.
“Sit.”
“Yes, Master.”
The moment I sat, Master got to the point.
“I called you about that new medical ward you mentioned a few days ago. Until you enter the Demonic Path Academy, take charge of setting up its system.”
This crazy old man was trying to dump the whole thing on me.
“…The Demonic Path Academy entrance exam is less than half a year away, Master. I worry it might interfere.”
But to my objection, Master replied confidently.
“No need to worry.”
Was he planning to use his Cult Leader authority to just shove me into the Academy?
Such hopes arose, but no such luck.
“Your realm exploded from that recent raid, didn’t it? You fainted afterward and your enlightenment blurred, but if you solidify it in the remaining time, passing is a given.”
“W-well, what if preparing the new ward distracts me from training and I fail to solidify it?”
“Hahaha. With this old man here, what’s there to worry? I’ll teach you with all I have until you make that enlightenment fully yours.”
Meaning he’d train me like today—or worse if needed—until I improved.
If my skills didn’t grow?
He’d pressure with even fiercer demonic qi and killing intent, and if that failed, he’d poke me with a real sword. No doubt.
And in the cult that reveres martial prowess, that was considered a great favor.
‘Damn cult.’
Cursing inwardly, I replied with a moved expression.
“I don’t know how to repay Master’s grace.”
“Hahaha. It’s what a master should do, so think nothing of it. Ah, I’ve talked too long. Eat comfortably.”
As Master smiled warmly and urged food, I picked up a piece of meat with chopsticks and shoved it in my mouth.
And the moment I started chewing, Master spoke.
“First, collecting and investigating medical texts and folk remedies—I’ve instructed the cult members, but it’ll take time. So start with preparing for consultations.”
Let me eat!!!
I hurriedly chewed and swallowed the meat in my mouth before replying.
“Then, as I mentioned before, should I relay the conversations I had with First Senior Brother and Third-Fourth Senior Brothers to the physicians?”
“On top of that, share Ha-yeon’s story with them too. The physicians for the new ward have been selected, so I’ll introduce them tomorrow.”
After that, for a good while, I barely ate while discussing the mental health ward.
The thought crossed my mind that I needed digestive aids, not snacks.
* * *
After finishing the near-hour-long meal-meeting and Il-mok departing.
“Silver Guard First Squad Leader pays respects to the Master of Ten Thousand Demons.”
A woman in black night clothes emerged from the shadows.
“Any unusual signs?”
“None so far.”
Il-mok, Guyangmun, and Jin Ha-yeon hadn’t noticed at all, but in truth, she had followed from Wind Rock Hall all the way here.
Thinking about it, it was strange.
For Il-mok, who had been ambushed twice, to have only Jin Ha-yeon and Guyangmun as escorts.
In reality, those two were just the visible ones. The Heavenly Demon had secretly assigned several from the Silver Guard as hidden protectors.
In other words, the Heavenly Demon was using Il-mok as bait.
He wasn’t so careless as to let his guard down after such events, with even a Protection Yard Master committing suicide. The Heavenly Demon.