The Fruits of Cultivation
Although Baek Yeon had trained as hard as he could in his own way, the truth was that it fell far short in the eyes of the Sect Leader.
He had been a mentally immature child, and his psychologically withered state had severely limited his potential.
Compared to the strict standards held by Sect Leader Baek Mumyeong, he was nowhere near qualified to be the Young Sect Leader.
There was no reason to fully accept him based solely on his behavior during those few days before he entered wall-facing meditation.
The past month of wall-facing meditation had been the final opportunity the Sect Leader granted to Young Sect Leader Baek Yeon.
If he had failed to produce any significant results during this period, continuing on his previous path...
...the Sect Leader was fully prepared to destroy the Young Sect Leader's dantian once again and cast him out on the spot.
"I pay my respects to Father."
The Sect Leader sat upon the grand armchair positioned at the exact center of the hall.
He gazed down at the Young Sect Leader with an expressionless stare.
Unaware of the Sect Leader's inner thoughts, the Young Sect Leader knelt and offered his salutations.
"What have you done with the one surnamed Yeongho?"
"I have made him a slave. He is currently chopping firewood in the mountains, drawing water, and heating my bathwater."
"Does the Red Moon Palace not use coal for heating? And should the well water and bathwater not already flow through the pipes?"
"That is correct. I have instructed the servants to ensure he only chops the firewood used to cook my meals and warm my chambers. He also draws the water I drink separately."
Watching the Young Sect Leader speak without a single change in his expression, the Sect Leader nodded.
Yes, the Young Sect Leader of the Sun and Moon Sect must possess at least that level of tyranny and cruelty.
As expected, he passes in terms of character.
"Do you not think it excessive?"
"This is to verify whether his vow of absolute loyalty to me was genuine. However, allowing his martial talents to rot away in mere slave labor would ultimately be a loss for our sect. Once his loyalty is proven, I intend to assign him other duties."
"Do as you wish. Since you spared his life, his disposition is entirely in your hands."
Though he spoke mildly, the Sect Leader was still coldly evaluating the Young Sect Leader at this very moment.
A practical and rational way of thinking. Not bad.
But the real test began now.
Baek Mumyeong assumed a cold expression once more and shifted the topic.
"You cultivated the Scripture of the Dark Demon during your wall-facing meditation. Did you achieve any results?"
"I have made some progress."
The Young Sect Leader's expression seemed to brighten slightly at the mention of the Scripture of the Dark Demon.
In contrast, the Sect Leader knit his brows, displaying a hint of displeasure.
How much could an eleven-year-old child possibly achieve through a mere month of wall-facing meditation?
Yet he claimed to have 'made progress'?
Internal energy cultivation was something even martial artists who dedicated years of their lives struggled to confidently claim progress in.
To the Sect Leader, those words sounded like nothing but Baek Yeon's typical frivolity.
He hasn't changed at all... even after I personally warned him.
At this point, the Sect Leader had already given up almost all expectations for Baek Yeon.
The Sect Leader made no effort to hide his disappointment in his subsequent tone.
"That is for me to judge. Circulate the Scripture of the Dark Demon."
"Yes, Father."
He expected nothing.
Even if an eleven-year-old child had put in blood-sweating effort for a month, could he have even sensed the true Qi flowing through his meridians for a single second?
As far as the Sect Leader knew, even among the most exceptionally talented Sect Leaders of the past—including himself—those who had successfully manifested true Qi within a month could be counted on one hand.
It would be a miracle if the boy hadn't just held the scripture, taken a few deep breaths, and given up.
He was almost curious to see what kind of pathetic display his son would put on before him.
Unaware of the Sect Leader's thoughts, the Young Sect Leader slowly began to breathe, maintaining his cross-legged posture.
But then...
"Hmm?"
As the Young Sect Leader regulated his breathing in his seated posture, a change occurred.
Riding upon his inhalation, a faint, subtle energy began to flow through his body.
Astoundingly, he had already mastered the basics of the internal cultivation method.
Following the meridians of that small body, his internal energy began its first full circulation.
His acupoints were completely clear, allowing the energy to flow without a single obstruction.
This is actually quite...
Even at this stage, the Sect Leader was merely slightly surprised.
Did surviving a near-death experience teach him how to apply effort?
If he had achieved this much during a single month of wall-facing meditation, he was indeed justified in claiming he had 'made progress.'
But then.
W-What is happening now?
It happened immediately after the Young Sect Leader completed a standard circulation of his internal energy.
A sudden, striking variation began to ripple through the flow of his internal energy.
Rumble...
A faint vibration, starting from nothing, traveled along the path of his internal energy, weaving a profound and mysterious transformation.
The irregular amplitude gradually settled into a steady, rhythmic interval, before expanding with explosive force.
Resonance of internal energy!
Like a tiny ripple born in the middle of the ocean that overlaps and merges, building into a colossal wave until it finally becomes a tsunami that swallows everything in its path.
The flow of internal energy originating from that tiny body was already forming a wave too massive to control.
It was, without a doubt, a rampage of demonic energy!
This is dangerous. I must stop him immediately!
No matter how gifted the Sect Leader's bloodline was in controlling demonic energy, and no matter how exceptional his innate talent, this phenomenon was extremely perilous.
Beyond dangerous, it was utterly incomprehensible.
Although the Scripture of the Dark Demon contained basic methods for amplifying and controlling demonic energy, those were strictly theoretical.
Forget an eleven-year-old child—even an experienced cultivator well-versed in manipulating demonic energy would find it impossible to generate such a vibrant, resonant wave of internal force.
No, how he had achieved this was not the pressing issue.
There was no way the Young Sect Leader's vessel, which had not even properly sprouted in body or mind, could withstand such a violent rampage of demonic energy.
He wanted to scream at him to stop this instant, but he couldn't.
Now that the wave of demonic energy had reached its peak, even the slightest external interference would accelerate the rampage, inevitably plunging him into Qi deviation.
It was like walking barefoot on a razor-sharp straw cutter suspended over a pit of fire.
Yet.
My God. He is... controlling the wave of internal energy? He is suppressing the eruption of demonic energy?
The tsunami that was about to crash against the shore was receding.
No, he was absorbing the rampaging demonic energy flowing through his meridians, embracing it with his entire body.
Just as the amplitude had rapidly expanded, it now decreased in perfect reverse order. The resonance of the Young Sect Leader's internal energy subsided, returning to a state of tranquil stability.
The Young Sect Leader was manipulating demonic energy.
He was perfectly controlling the wild, unpredictable current of demonic energy.
The proof lay right there, on the Young Sect Leader's serene face!
The legendary physical constitution perfectly suited for demonic martial arts, allowing the user to cultivate at an explosive rate without suffering internal damage.
Looking at the phenomenon unfolding before his eyes, the Sect Leader could only think of that legendary term.
In the Jianghu, those born with a heavenly gift for martial arts—capable of mastering any technique at a single glance and destined to become supreme masters of the world—were said to possess the Heavenly Martial Body.
But within the Sun and Moon Sect, it was slightly different.
The martial artists of the Sun and Moon Sect cultivated demonic arts, which defied the natural order of heaven and challenged the limits of humanity.
Because demonic arts inherently inverted and rebelled against human nature, they yielded far swifter and more powerful results than the orthodox sects' internal cultivation methods, but they ultimately ravaged the practitioner's body.
The Heavenly Demon Body, however, was a physical constitution born naturally askew from the laws of nature, allowing its possessor to master demonic arts as easily as breathing.
Even if one cultivated demonic arts to the absolute limit, their body would suffer no harm. Instead, it was a divine talent that allowed them to perfect the path of defying heaven and challenge the heavens themselves.
Throughout the vast history of the Jianghu, that name had existed as nothing more than a legend, even within the Sun and Moon Sect.
As he recalled that term, the heart of Baek Mumyeong—a man rarely swayed by any emotion—began to tremble violently.
His previous disappointment in the Young Sect Leader and his plans to strip him of his title vanished without a trace.
He questioned the Young Sect Leader, who had finished his circulation and calmly opened his eyes with a satisfied expression.
"Young Sect Leader, how did you achieve this?"
"Pardon?"
The Sect Leader already anticipated what the answer would be.
"I merely... reversed the flow of my internal energy exactly as described in the Scripture of the Dark Demon."
"Heh... Hahaha!"
The Sect Leader burst into laughter.
It was astonishing.
He had thought the boy possessed some degree of talent, but this far surpassed his wildest expectations and predictions.
This was the path of a genius who had transcended the realm of human understanding and was already peering into the domain of the heavens.
It is the Heavenly Demon Body. The Young Sect Leader was born with the Heavenly Demon Body!
No matter how much he pondered, that was the only term capable of describing this talent.
A violent, overwhelming talent that exceeded even the Sect Leader's own comprehension, completely escaping any boundaries that could be measured by human standards!
The Young Sect Leader was indeed born with the legendary Heavenly Demon Body!
Did this old man eat something bad? What's wrong with him? He's creeping me out.
Leaving the bewildered Young Sect Leader standing before him, the Sect Leader finally ceased his laughter after a long moment and spoke.
"Originally, I intended to have you formally begin your study of the Scripture of the Dark Demon once this wall-facing meditation concluded. I planned to select the finest instructor within our sect to guide you. However, that will not be necessary."
"......?"
"You have no need for anyone's guidance. In fact, I fear that unnecessary interference might only derail your path of study. Cultivate as your heart desires, in whatever direction you deem correct."
"I understand, Father."
The Young Sect Leader didn't quite understand what he meant, but...
...it sounded like he was being allowed to train alone without anyone nagging him, so he quickly gave his assent.
Early in the morning, the sect's training ground was completely empty, save for a robust man in his thirties wearing martial robes who stood before me.
Today was the day for external martial arts and physical conditioning with the training instructor assigned by the Sect Leader.
I was so happy when he gave me permission to train alone, but I guess that only applied to internal cultivation like the Scripture of the Dark Demon.
"Your body must be stiff after a month of wall-facing meditation. We will begin with just twenty laps, as usual."
The man speaking was Do Yul, the most skilled instructor belonging to the Blood Cloud Palace.
Perhaps because of his exceptional skill, he had been in charge of the Young Sect Leader's physical training since childhood.
Of course, this is my first time training with Instructor Do.
I'm really not good at running, though...
The Demonic Cult's grand training ground was incredibly vast; a single lap had to be at least five hundred meters.
The cool morning breeze brushing against my cheeks didn't feel too bad.
As I completed the first lap, then the second, and the third in succession, I didn't feel particularly tired.
"Young Sect Leader, are you alright? Your pace is much faster than usual."
"I believe I am fine."
But the brief glimpse I caught of Do Yul's expression was rather strange.
And by the time I reached the fifteenth lap...
"Y-Young Sect Leader...!"
He looked as if he were witnessing something that shouldn't exist in this world.
I'm just running the twenty laps he told me to run, so what's his problem?