The Heavenly Demon Wants a Quiet Life - Chapter 54
Chapter 54 Regret Hearing It
Throughout the night, groans of agony continuously emerged from Byeok Taesan’s room. Occasionally, screams would erupt, but compared to usual, it was relatively quiet.
Meanwhile, the Heavenly Divine Healer and the Needle Master anxiously paced in front of Byeok Taesan’s door.
Soon, the result of their bet would be revealed.
“Thinking about it, this is such a loss.”
“What do you mean?”
“Just the idea of betting my acupuncture secrets to uncover your identity is absurd.”
“If I win, it naturally proves it’s not absurd.”
“What are you, some hidden son of the Black Lotus Lord? No, even if you were, that wouldn’t compare to the value of my acupuncture techniques.”
“You’re making such a fuss over teaching me a few basics of acupuncture?”
“A few basics? Did you just call them ‘basics’? Do you know how many people would lick the soles of my feet just to learn those techniques?”
“Do you have to use such disgusting language? That’s probably why other physicians avoid you. People are more likely to steer clear because you’re dirty, not because they’re scared.”
“Are you calling me filthy?”
“There you go again, using foul language.”
The Needle Master barely suppressed his boiling frustration.
“Let’s stop this. No, wait. How about we add something to the bet?”
“Add something? What do you want to add?”
“If I win, I’ll hit you just once. If you win, you can hit me.”
“Seriously? What kind of physician resorts to violence like that?”
“Well, are you in or not?”
The Heavenly Divine Healer smirked.
“No, I’m not. I don’t like hitting or being hit.”
“Ugh, if I could just smack that smug face once, I’d die happy.”
As the two bickered back and forth, the groaning sounds from the room suddenly stopped.
The door opened, and Byeok Taesan stepped out.
Inside the room, the two physicians lay sprawled, unconscious.
“Clean it up.”
At his words, the Heavenly Divine Healer and the Needle Master quickly dragged the physicians out and tossed them into a nearby empty room.
They then nervously turned to Byeok Taesan.
“So… how was it?”
Byeok Taesan nodded.
“The effect was subpar, but it was decent enough.”
Hearing that the effect was “subpar,” both the Heavenly Divine Healer and the Needle Master’s faces darkened slightly.
But it couldn’t be helped. All the competent physicians in the area had long vanished.
Byeok Taesan, however, was quite satisfied.
This time, he had successfully extracted and burned the soul essence of two physicians simultaneously.
His mastery of the Soul Augmenting Demonic Art had improved slightly.
If this trend continued, he might even be able to extract the soul of essence of multiple individuals at once in the future.
Of course, to achieve that, he needed to fully cure his Severed Meridians Syndrome and significantly advance his Soul Augmenting Demonic Art. But with time, it seemed achievable.
The physicians brought by the Heavenly Divine Healer and the Needle Master had been clean and straightforward individuals. They had no history of seriously harming or killing others.
Perhaps because of this, their souls were also ordinary, imbued with a basic amount of soul essence.
Though their skills as physicians provided some therapeutic effects, they were nowhere near as valuable as those of the Heavenly Divine Healer or the Needle Master.
Still, it had been a meaningful experiment for Byeok Taesan.
He resolved to burn the soul essence of a wider variety of people in the future.
Through this process, he might gain new insights or further refine his mastery of the Soul Augmenting Demonic Art.
For now, though, it was time to address the two people staring at him intently.
Byeok Taesan flashed a grin as he looked at the Heavenly Divine Healer and the Needle Master.
“It’s a draw.”
“What?”
“How can that be?”
Ignoring their protests, Byeok Taesan continued.
“If I were to evaluate strictly, you’re both subpar, so you’ve both lost.”
“What?”
“How is that even…!”
This judgment made no sense, but neither dared argue further. Only Byeok Taesan could make such a ruling.
He was unparalleled in having his own way.
Although the two tried to accept it, Byeok Taesan wasn’t done yet.
“Therefore, you’ll both fulfill the conditions of the bet.”
“What?”
“That’s absurd!”
“Really?”
Byeok Taesan’s eyes glided over the two, and they fell silent.
Nothing was truly impossible in this world. You simply had to do it.
A low, eerie voice came from Byeok Taesan, chilling their ears.
“I’ll make sure to check personally. And… if you dare bet on me again, you’d best look forward to the consequences. So, only take risks you can handle.”
Leaving those words, Byeok Taesan returned to his room.
Clack.
The door shut, and the Heavenly Divine Healer and the Needle Master stood frozen in place, unable to move.
It was terrifyingly unnerving.
The Heavenly Divine Healer and the Needle Master slumped into a corner of the inn, crouching like conspirators.
It was as if they were secretly plotting something.
“What the hell is he?”
“What do you mean?”
“His identity. Damn it, I’ve never been so terrified in my life. He doesn’t even have to raise his voice, yet it’s so terrifying. Damn.”
“It’s the atmosphere.”
The Heavenly Divine Healer nodded at the Needle Master’s words.
“That’s probably it. No inner energy, no overt intimidation, and yet…”
The Heavenly Divine Healer chuckled softly.
“Why are you laughing? Do you think this is funny? Weren’t you scared?”
“Of course I was. But I’ve experienced something similar before.”
“Similar? So he scared you like this the first time you met him, too?”
The Heavenly Divine Healer frowned.
“Ugh, well… yes, but I wasn’t talking about him.”
“If not him, are you suggesting there’s someone else just as terrifying?”
The Heavenly Divine Healer suddenly fell silent.
“Why are you getting all serious now? What are you about to say?”
“What about our bet?”
“What about it? If he says it’s a draw, then it’s a draw.”
“No, I mean the acupuncture techniques. What are we going to do about that?”
The Needle Master grinned and stared at the Heavenly Divine Healer.
“Are you thinking of defying the Young Master’s orders?”
“Of course not. Naturally, I must follow the Young Master’s words.”
“Then you start. What the hell is your identity?”
“Can you ensure that no sound escapes this area?”
It was a request to set up a sound barrier. Needle Master’s expression twisted into a grimace.
“Hey, do you think just anyone can do that? Wait a moment.”
Needle Master frowned and focused intensely. Beads of sweat began forming on his forehead.
“Huff. Done. It won’t completely block out sound, but it will distort it enough so that no coherent noise escapes.”
“Impressive.”
“Enough talk, hurry up and tell me. What’s your identity?”
“The Demonic Cult.”
“Damn.”
He regretted asking.
•••
Baek Liyeop subtly avoided making eye contact as the General secretary unexpectedly entered his office.
The workload from the previous day had been substantial, but less than half of it was completed.
The reason? Young Master Byeok Taesan, who had roped him into attending the martial arts gathering the day before.
What made it even more frustrating was that while he was left dealing with the aftermath, Byeok Taesan had disappeared without a trace. He had gained nothing from the ordeal, been strung along, left his work unfinished, and now had someone breathing down his neck about it.
“Alliance Leader.”
“My apologies.”
“Pardon? Why are you apologizing so suddenly?”
“Oh? No, forget it. But why do you look like that? Is something urgent?”
“There’s a problem.”
“A problem?”
“The Black Iron Workshop has disappeared.”
“The Black Iron Workshop? Disappeared? What do you mean? Explain it in detail.”
The Black Iron Workshop was one of the factions located in Yichang. It wasn’t exactly a martial sect but lived up to its name as a workshop.
It was known for producing high-quality weapons and had been supplying the Hubei Martial Alliance with various goods, including weapons.
“Just as I said. Everything has vanished. Only the building and the hall remain, but everything inside is gone—people and items alike.”
Baek Liyeop’s expression turned grave.
“Everything is gone? Have you asked around to see if anyone saw them moving?”
“Yes. But no one saw anything.”
“When was the last time they were confirmed to be there?”
“Four days ago.”
“Four days ago…”
If they were present four days ago, they must have vanished three, two, or even just one day ago.
Three days ago aligned perfectly with the start of the martial arts gathering.
“Did they take advantage of the chaos caused by the gathering? But why? Weren’t they here to collect money?”
Given their long-standing relationship, Hubei Martial Alliance regularly received supplies first and paid on a set date once a month.
And this month’s payment date was still several days away.
“It doesn’t seem like an act of their own volition.”
Baek Liyeop nodded in agreement. It was entirely plausible.
“Have you started an investigation?”
“It’s underway.”
“Is there any danger?”
“There shouldn’t be any danger during the investigation. The real trouble would begin after it concludes.”
“Indeed.”
Bake Liyeop stroked his chin, deep in thought. The General Secretary observed him curiously, awaiting further instructions.
“Was there anything else unusual?”
“Come to think of it, I heard that the people of the Black Iron Workshop had been feeling unwell recently.”
“Unwell?”
“Yes, but it wasn’t anything serious like an illness. They just complained of more fatigue than usual.”
“So, they probably dismissed it as nothing serious.”
“Exactly.”
Baek Liyeop fell into contemplation, his fingers rhythmically tapping the desk.
After some thought, his eyes sharpened, and he looked at the General Secretary.
“Investigate the surrounding area of the Black Iron Workshop. Check if anyone nearby is experiencing similar symptoms.”
“Understood. I’ll take action immediately.”
“And while you’re at it, request help from the two physicians who are visiting.”
“You mean the Heavenly Divine Healer and Needle Master?”
“Since illness has been mentioned, their expertise could be of great help.”
“I’ll make the request right away.”
Baek Liyeop nodded in conclusion.
“Oh, and while asking for their assistance, include Byeok Taesan in the investigative team.”
The General Secretary’s eyes widened.
“You mean the second Young Master of the Golden Wall Merchants?”
“Yes, that Byeok Taesan. Accommodate his requests within reason.”
The General Secretary’s gaze sparkled with intrigue, but he didn’t press for more details. He simply bowed and left.
As the General Secretary left, Baek Liyeop found himself alone, deep in thought.
His mind drifted to Byeok Taesan, and he couldn’t help but recall Seomun-deok’s words: “He carries the aura of a true master.”
When he first heard those words, Baek Liyeop had dismissed them as absurd. If anyone other than Seomun-deok had said that, he would have mocked them outright.
But after meeting Byeok Taesan, he began to understand why Seomun-deok had said such a thing.
“What is he, really?”
There was an undeniable air of mystery about him, despite the complete lack of any detectable internal energy.
••••
Byeok Taesan leisurely walked toward the Black Iron Workshop.
Everyone who had accompanied him to the Hubei Martial Alliance Pavillion moved with him, escorted by warriors from the alliance who formed a protective formation.
Next to Byeok Taesan walked Yeon Harin.
In truth, Yeon Harin was slightly excited. Receiving an official request from Hubei Martial Alliance felt like a significant accomplishment.
Her gaze naturally drifted to Byeok Taesan.
Lately, every time she looked at him, something surprising would happen. Just a short while ago, she had been astonished to see him openly express his annoyance toward the Leader of Hubei Martial Alliance.
Thinking back to that moment made her heart race uncontrollably.
‘Is that why this request came about?’
Technically, the request had been officially made to the Heavenly Divine Healer and Needle Master.
Byeok Taesan was simply an additional participant.
Yet, observing how things were unfolding, it was clear that the Hubei Martial Alliance was going out of its way to accommodate him.
Yeon Harin glanced back over her shoulder.
‘Even though he’s bringing all of them along, they haven’t said a word. That proves it.’
While the Heavenly Divine Healer and Needle Master were officially requested, Cheon Kyungwan and Yoo Seoyeon had joined under the guise of bodyguards. But what explanation was there for Soso, Dan Yeong, and Chae Wol trailing along?
Of course, Byeok Taesan had simply informed them of this without offering any explanation or excuse.
And the Hubei Martial Alliance had accepted it without question.
As these thoughts spiraled, they soon arrived at the Black Iron Workshop.
“This is the Black Iron Workshop,” the escorting warrior said politely.
Byeok Taesan nodded and entered.
“Let’s take a look around, shall we?”
A faint smile played on his lips.