Chapter 61
Chapter 61
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 61
Chapter Title: Shijiazhuang's Youngest Daughter (5)
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Cheon Il-hyang, also known as Cheon Il-chwi.
It was undoubtedly the epitome of alcohol, and from the perspective of bringing down martial artists, it was more than worthy of being called alcohol poison.
Regardless of one's realm, let one's guard down and even peak experts at the Entry to Divinity realm could be made drunk, and expelling that massive amount of alcohol with internal energy took a long time.
But it was a problem that didn't apply to the Heavenly Demon at all.
"Puhahaha! Even facing death, you put on airs. This alcohol takes at least half a shichen for even superhumans at the Transcendent realm, let alone Entry to Divinity, to dispel..."
Geum Ja-chu scoffed mockingly at the Heavenly Demon's bold declaration, but that mockery didn't last long.
"Oh, really?"
With the Heavenly Demon's sarcastic retort, finally!
Boom!
The Heavenly Demon's fist slammed into Geum Ja-chu's abdomen.
Even with a light swing, it sank in so deeply.
"Keuaaagh!"
Geum Ja-chu, whose build was several times superior to an ordinary man's, bent like a bow at the waist and pitched forward.
With an enormous sound, Geum Ja-chu fainted on the spot.
It was obvious that some part of his internals had been severely damaged.
"Ja-chu!"
"Brother Geum Ja-chu!"
The Shijiazhuang guards, who had eyes full of disbelief at the sight of Blood King Twin Fists Geum Ja-chu—their finest martial artist and boldest after Ha Jin—spewing blood and saliva as he fainted.
It was unbelievable because the Heavenly Demon, far from being drunk, moved with the same cheerfulness as always.
"This can't be happening!"
"We clearly saw him drink a whole jar of Cheon Il-hyang!"
The guards stared piercingly at Gunryong, the Heavenly Demon.
They had already experienced his prowess once, and their vigilance was at its peak, so Geum Ja-chu had kept a close watch until the Heavenly Demon drank at least half a jar of Cheon Il-hyang.
Yet even after surpassing a jar and reaching two, the Heavenly Demon showed no change.
'No poison in this world can poison me, no matter how vicious.'
The Heavenly Demon was unscathed even if he drank poison like alcohol.
Cheon Il-hyang, made from mere potent alcohol, was nothing more than fine liquor to the Heavenly Demon.
"Geum-yeong, come behind me. Hui-gun, once you pull yourself together, bring Sogang and come behind me too."
The Heavenly Demon was the only one among the group who appeared completely fine.
"Urgh!"
Yang Hui-gun couldn't even look at the Heavenly Demon.
'That's how you grow.'
The Heavenly Demon didn't scold Yang Hui-gun further.
Hadn't he himself wandered and made mistakes plenty at Yang Hui-gun's age?
"You dare try to kill your master? You worthless beasts worse than dogs or cats!"
The Heavenly Demon's rage turned not toward Hui-gun, but to the Shijiazhuang guards.
As he said, even dogs or cats don't bite the hand that feeds them.
How much more so for humans, who prided themselves as lords of all creation?
"......"
Especially for Ha Jin, who had received special affection from Seok Geum-yeong, those words stabbed like daggers.
The Heavenly Demon, who had nearly killed Geum Ja-chu in the blink of an eye, stood up and prepared to launch a full assault.
"Uwaaaah!"
"R-run away!"
"That young monster is up!"
The moment the Heavenly Demon stepped forward, the guards except Ha Jin and Geum Ja-chu all scrambled over the side of the ship without hesitation.
Splash!
They believed the only way to survive was to flee the ship and hide in the river, but they were gravely mistaken.
Dark Cloud Thunder Strike
(Part of Dark Heaven Thunderclap Sword Technique)
The furious Heavenly Demon didn't hesitate to swing the Heavenly Lord Demon Dragon Sword toward the guards trying to escape through the water.
Not with an ordinary sword technique, but the Dark Heaven Thunderclap Sword Technique, which summoned lightning and carried intense thunder attributes.
It was common knowledge that lightning flowed exceptionally well through water.
Krzzzzzzt!
The Heavenly Demon's sword aura of lightning assaulted the area around the luxurious ship, and no matter how fast the guards' water techniques or swimming were, they couldn't outpace the current flowing through the water.
The result!
"Gurgle, glug glug!"
"Kaaaaah!"
Not a single one who jumped into the river escaped electrocution from the Dark Cloud Thunder Strike; all met tragic ends.
Those who screamed or foamed at the mouth while convulsing all over were the lucky ones.
The truly unfortunate turned pitch-black from head to toe, instantly scattering as ash in the river.
"A fitting end for traitors."
The Heavenly Demon looked down at the dead or dying with not a shred of pity, but eyes full of satisfaction.
He too had indirectly experienced betrayal.
After his sealing, he'd seen many switch sides or play innocent.
Thus, betrayal was something he could never forgive.
"Oh ho~ You're still here."
Swoosh!
The Heavenly Demon turned his head to the one guard among many who hadn't fled.
Invincible Golden Saber Ha Jin.
Ha Jin hadn't run nor jumped into the river.
Instead,
He trembled violently like an aspen leaf, as if struck by great shock or inner turmoil.
"Why did you stay? Want to give it a try?"
An Entry to Divinity expert could easily rule or dominate a province.
Even in the Five Great Clans or Nine Great Sects, such masters were exceedingly rare.
Just as he thought this rare expert chose proper combat over a meaningless death,
"Miss Geum-yeong. I'm truly sorry. The Second Young Master Seok Ho-gwi promised a legendary elixir and the finest physician to cure my incurably ill daughter... I was blinded..."
Ha Jin explained the circumstances that left him no choice but to betray.
Seok Ho-gwi's maternal family was a renowned medical house in the martial world, and his grandfather, the famed physician Gong Hyo-wol of medicinal arts, made the temptation irresistible.
Swoosh!
Surprisingly, Ha Jin didn't charge at the Heavenly Demon; instead, he abandoned all resistance and deeply bowed to Seok Geum-yeong.
"Hmph! Trying to earn pity for forgiveness?"
The Heavenly Demon, who had never trusted Ha Jin from the start, scoffed, but Ha Jin's conclusion was different.
"I'm not shamelessly asking for your forgiveness. But... please, let my lone daughter, Seol-ah, at least enjoy her short life in peace."
Ha Jin didn't care about his own death.
But he couldn't bear his only daughter, Ha Yeon-seol, afflicted with an incurable disease and left to die miserably alone.
"For betraying you, Miss... I'll atone like this myself..."
Shing!
Ha Jin suddenly raised his golden saber and swung it at his own neck.
He wanted to atone this way and inwardly hoped for release.
"N-no!"
Seok Geum-yeong cried out in horror at the suicide attempt.
It would be a lie to say she wasn't hurt watching Ha Jin, whom she'd tacitly approved, betray her.
But hearing for the first time that he had a suffering daughter and had abandoned his warrior's dreams and human duty for her changed things.
She wanted to hear more of Ha Jin's story first.
Unfortunately, Seok Geum-yeong lacked the ability to stop him.
Thud!
Instead, the Heavenly Demon stepped in, effortlessly catching the Invincible Golden Saber's blade between two fingers.
"Look at that determination."
Feeling the golden saber vibrate fiercely between his fingers, the Heavenly Demon realized Ha Jin truly meant to end his life.
It wasn't some ploy for sympathy.
"Leave me be. I'm unworthy."
Ha Jin, already despondent and lowering his head,
"Uncle Ha Jin who tried to betray me... I really hate you."
Seok Geum-yeong approached Ha Jin with tears welling up.
"M-Miss!"
Ha Jin couldn't face her and kept his head down, full of remorse.
"But... what father in the world wouldn't want to save his child?"
"Miss Geum-yeong."
Ha Jin could no longer hold back tears, breaking into silent sobs.
In truth, several offers had come before.
But Ha Jin couldn't bring himself to kill Seok Geum-yeong with his own hands and refused multiple times, until...
"Seol-ah won't last even a month without treatment now. So, so... ugh!"
Ha Yeon-seol's condition had rapidly worsened, leaving Ha Jin with no other choice, like fire at his feet.
He vowed to pay the price eventually.
'Even if I fall to hell, if it saves Seol-ah, I'd gladly go.'
With that resolve, he steeled himself for betrayal, but every time he left Seok Geum-yeong alone, she weighed on his mind.
Moreover, reliant on Shijiazhuang due to massive medical costs to sustain Ha Yeon-seol's life, he began projecting his daughter onto the girl he served.
From a father's perspective with a sick child, Seok Geum-yeong felt not just a master, but another daughter.
Cooperate in killing Seok Geum-yeong, or Ha Yeon-seol dies.
In that terrifying dilemma, he chose his flesh and blood, but Ha Jin suffered agonizingly throughout.
Perhaps Ha Jin welcomed the Heavenly Demon—who could stop him—more than anyone.
"I'm sorry I didn't understand your situation sooner, Uncle. If I'd known... even if it meant yielding the succession directly to Brother Ho-gwi, I'd have begged him."
"No. I've realized too late. Young Master Seok Ho-gwi is vicious and cold-hearted. He only meant to use me; he never intended real treatment."
Ha Jin was right.
Seok Ho-gwi would either not treat Ha Yeon-seol or only prolong her life enough to manipulate the Entry to Divinity expert Ha Jin.
Ha Jin vaguely knew this but chose betrayal as a last straw.
"So it's better if I atone and die with Seol-ah."
Ha Jin couldn't face the horrific reality of his daughter dying of illness and facing the betrayed Seok Geum-yeong.
Just as he resolved to abandon everything,
"Just cure her."
The Heavenly Demon stepped forward with his usual carefree smile.
"Pardon? Young Hero Gunryong? Do you know medicine?"
Ha Jin sprang up and stared at the Heavenly Demon.
This handsome youth of mysterious power and unknown origins might hold a way to save his daughter, filling him with hope.
"I don't know medicine."
"Ah!"
Disappointment doubled at the empty response, a sigh escaping naturally.
"But among my followers is the Merciless Physician... You know who that is, right?"
The Heavenly Demon was a master of push and pull.
He delighted in watching Ha Jin's face shift from repeated despair to shock in real time.
'How could I not know the Merciless Physician?'
Purely in medical skill, superior even to the aforementioned Gong Hyo-wol of medicinal arts, was none other than Merciless Physician Yu Cheon-baek.
No matter what incurable disease Ha Jin's daughter suffered, if Yu Cheon-baek stepped in, a full cure was guaranteed.