Chapter 9
**
Seongja Myung spoke.
“Third Brother is thorough in the basics.”
“Having nothing, I try to at least accumulate that.”
“Excellent. Many who stray later do so because they lack a solid foundation. Of course, I’m not saying I’m a good teacher…”
Seongja Myung reached out into the darkness.
“The first form of the Nine Heavens Blood Demon Technique is Ilma. As you know, it’s a fist technique designed to strike the enemy. But Third Brother, among those applications, there is also the use of angles.”
“Are you referring to the Ma-gak (magical angle)?”
“That’s correct, Third Brother. Ilma, the first form of the Nine Heavens Blood Demon Technique, has four variations that can be derived from the fundamental Ilma, doesn’t it?”
Seongja Myung grasped at the air.
“White Snake, to seize the enemy.”
He twisted his body and struck at an invisible foe’s side.
“To pierce with an elbow, Ya-chan.”
His arm, infused with internal energy, vanished for a moment in mid-air.
“A trick to deceive the enemy, Jin-hyeol.”
His extended leg kicked at the abdomen of the unseen opponent.
“The final blow with strong force, Ma-gak. That concludes it.”
…
His posture was impeccable. I may not know much, but one thing is clear:
He’s stronger than me. He must have trained in martial arts for a long time.
“Impressive.”
“I’m embarrassed. It’s hardly a skill worthy of showing off. Even with my training, I’m just mimicking what I’ve seen.”
Seongja Myung wiped his nose.
“But fortunately, I can offer some assistance to you, Third Brother. Now, let’s take it slow.”
“Is it alright for you to help me? I wouldn’t want to take away your personal time…”
“Third Brother, if we’re speaking like that, weren’t you the one who helped me first?”
Seongja Myung smiled.
“More than anything, consider it a favor just for the sake of it. Third Brother.”
“Huh?”
“This is an investment. I believe you will rise higher than me.”
He winked.
“Don’t forget that my contribution will help you when the day comes that you look down upon the world.”
“…What does that mean?”
“Good question. What on earth am I even saying?”
Seongja Myung laughed.
I laughed along.
“Now, let’s practice, Third Brother.”
I followed his movements, extending my hands and adjusting my body posture.
I thrust forward.
To the front…
I thrust.
…
KWAANG!!!
My body slammed into a tree. A terrible pain shot through me, but I stood up right away.
I dodged a flying sword. My ear was more than half cut off, but I still charged out. After crashing into Lee Ho, we both rolled on the ground.
“You crazy bastard!”
I must jump shorter than the gap in the sword.
I can’t give the enemy any advantageous space.
Think. Don’t stop thinking. Jeok-un.
Move.
If I don’t move, then I’ll truly die.
Nine Heavens Blood Demon Technique
First Form.
Ilma.
I swung my hand. Lee Ho turned his head.
My fist hit the void. But I still wouldn’t lose track of him.
I caught my falling body.
“White Snake, to seize the enemy.”
Following my memory, I brought my hand down hard. I grabbed his wrist as he tried to escape and twisted it around.
I threw him.
“Kuack?!”
I chased after Lee Ho as he fell. The Nine Heavens Blood Demon Sword I forged pierced my shoulder.
Pain radiated through my body. For a moment, my vision faded. When I regained my senses, my left arm was floating in the air.
It got cut off. But immediately, I snatched it back. Forcing it into place, I howled.
Don’t stop.
Jeok-un.
Once I’ve run…
—never stop!
“You lunatic?!”
Lee Ho twisted the sword. I felt an unfamiliar technique coming at me. I didn’t even consider the thought of dodging.
Just a bit. Just a little. I focused on the expression of surprise that showed on his face.
Instability. A shattered expression filled with panic and tension.
If he’s shaken, I can do it. I can follow what’s right in front of me.
Turning my body. Ignoring how deep the sword is stuck in my waist.
Bleeding. Desperately.
“To pierce with an elbow, Ya-chan.”
—I’m going to hit hard!
“Kuack?!”
For the first time, I struck perfectly. I galloped forward, writhing in pain.
The following Ilma brushed past the edge of his chin. Too shallow. I need to close in further.
But he knows my gaps. There’s a limit to blindly pushing forward.
So…
“So…”
“A trick to deceive the enemy, Jin-hyeol.”
Deceive.
“Ugh!”
I assumed the stance of Ilma. I bent down. In an instant, I collected all my strength to explode forward.
I unleashed my intent to kill.
My body froze in that moment.
Lee Ho reflexively swung his sword. He predicted the trajectory I would fly toward and swung his sword ahead of time.
His aim…
He aimed for my neck.
But I didn’t move. I gathered all my strength and sought out the opening.
For the enemy’s stance to crumble. For my feigned weakness to provoke their gaps.
“What?!”
He faltered.
And now…
“With strong force, Ma-gak. That concludes it.”
I spun and kicked out.
With all my might.
“KUAAH?!”
I chased after Lee Ho as he lost his grip on the sword and was sent flying back. Reflexively, his Ilma grazed my cheek.
Blood splattered. He also seemed unwilling to accept this situation and twisted his hand.
Ilma’s White Snake.
My captured shoulder felt like it was about to shatter at any moment.
“Kuuh?!”
The bone snapped. Obviously. It started to crack from my shoulder.
He was squeezing all his internal energy against my shoulder.
He was trying to destroy me from the inside with his internal hand technique.
“You damn bastard!!! You think you can!!! You think you can that easily!!!!”
My whole body trembled. I was gasping for air.
The pain of healing was worse than the pain itself. It constricted my throat, as if wringing out a rag.
My vision blinked. I entered complete darkness, only to see his figure again.
My knees buckled. The slowly kneeling position had shifted.
He was looking down at me.
And I was looking up at him…
It’s…
It’s…
“This is an investment. I believe you will rise higher than me.”
…That kind of…
That story is…
so tiresome.
“Ughhhhh…!”
I squeezed my internal energy. Blood burst from my body with the pain of Cheongeop. My eyes turned red, and something continued to pour from my nose.
My vision was blurry. Death stood before me. Yet I couldn’t possibly fall.
Don’t stop.
Jeok-un. Please.
If there’s nothing, twist it out.
“If there’s ever a world where Third Brother looks down upon, don’t forget that I contributed to it.”
If you begin, then see it through to the end.
“What…what…no, what…what the hell…?! What is this…?”
If I have nothing, then pull out whatever I have.
“With that state of yours… damn it… with that pathetic internal energy…?!”
Don’t wait for the right moment.
If it’s needed, it’s now.
It’s always now.
So…
“Just a lousy character like you…?!”
Surpass it.
Now.
I straightened my bent knees. I clenched my fists.
Stronger than ever.
The beginning and the end.
The end and the beginning.
I spat out blood within that cycle. I cried out.
Nine Heavens Blood Demon Technique
First Form.
Ilma.
My flying fist was swallowed by crimson afterimages. Lee Ho’s face twisted in agony, and the hand gripping his shoulder released.
Something touched the tip of my fist. Flesh. Then bone.
A grotesque dance of a broken nose and protruding teeth.
I turned my body. A red shadow followed my movements.
A furious strike aimed at the crumbling enemy’s stance.
A red flower bloomed in the muck.
“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Ilma.
My roar intertwined with the techniques.
…
“Ilma.”
“Yes, Master.”
Crack.
The bamboo made a sound in the garden. The Heavenly Demon, who had tilted a cup while listening to the flowing water, chuckled.
“Do you think our little puppy is dead, or alive?”
Ilma answered decisively.
“Alive.”
“Have you confirmed it?”
“I haven’t. I don’t use shortcuts.”
“Then why are you so certain? Did you not say with your own mouth that he is just an ordinary human?”
“I did say that.”
“Did you secretly prepare a spirit pill for him or something?”
“As I said before, I don’t use shortcuts.”
“Hmm. Is that so? I felt that you wanted him to die.”
“…”
“You aren’t denying it. So, has there been a change in feelings? What triggered it?”
“My feelings haven’t changed. I still see him as a bothersome and useless talent.”
“Then why are you so sure he’s alive?”
Why indeed.
Ilma stared at the teacup before him. The surface filled with green tea was at the brink of overflowing without a single sip taken.
If he brought his lips to it, it might be distilled. But he wouldn’t do it.
Sometimes, just watching can be enough to release something.
That guy is like that.
“The Nine Heavens Blood Demon Technique was created by you, wasn’t it, Master?”
“Indeed. I put a lot of thought into creating that technique. I even included some funny elements.”
“I also learned that technique, so I know. I may not have reached its peak, but I have a grasp on it.”
“That’s an unfinished technique. The Nine Heavens Blood Demon Technique has no set endpoint from the beginning. Although one could escape from its demonic nature after reaching a certain level…”
The Heavenly Demon rested her hand on her cheek and chuckled.
“Few manage to reach that peak with just the Nine Heavens Blood Demon Technique. It’s difficult. It’s a technique only a crazy person can master. I even abandoned it midway through when creating it. The number of people who’ve perfected the seventh form is scarce, and you’re among the few along with me who have mastered the eighth form, aren’t you?”
“Your words are correct, Master.”
“What’s the reason you bring this up?”
“As I mentioned before, I haven’t perfected that technique. There are various factors, but in the end, it’s due to my lack of patience.”
The Heavenly Demon yawned.
“What is patience? That’s self-destructive behavior. As I said, it’s a technique designed to truly use one’s life to hold onto the ankles of those powerful…”
She stopped speaking suddenly.
After a moment of thought, she asked again.
“Did you teach him one of the methods to use Cheongeop?”
“Yes, Master.”
“Did you confirm it?”
“I confirmed it.”
“Is he still walking about normally?”
“He was howling, but he was walking.”
“…Puhahaha! What nonsense is this! That guy is truly one of a kind!”
As the Heavenly Demon laughed heartily, Ilma extended his hand. He placed his hand on the teacup and lightly sipped the flowing tea.
“That guy is pathetic, yet he meets conditions that others can’t.”
“That’s right. The Nine Heavens Blood Demon Technique speeds up achievements the more one crosses into danger… Cheongeop inflicts pain, yet extends one’s life. As long as the neck is attached, any wound will heal. If conditions are satisfied, one might continuously cross those thresholds, right? It’s a battle of whether insanity comes first or mastery comes first… I was right to take him in.”
“Mastery will come first, I believe.”
“Why are you so sure?”
“That guy genuinely admires your power.”
He simply spoke what he had observed.
That guy is crazy. In a different sense.
“Master, I cannot even imagine surpassing you.”
“Everyone thinks that.”
“But he’s different.”
“…Hmm.”
The Heavenly Demon placed her hand on her cheek.
“What a talentless sword built on pain.”
Her fingertips brushed her lips. Her smiling face was so enchanting that even Ilma momentarily lost focus.
“What a truly ordinary sword. What a funny guy.”
