The Heavenly Demon Wants a Quiet Life - Chapter 59
Chapter 59: The Higher the Mountain, the More Daunting Part 1
Byeok Taesan sat cross-legged on the bed, immersed in meditation.
This time, burning the soul essence of the Heavenly Divine Healer and the Needle Master had given him a slight epiphany.
He also obtained high-quality soul essence in the process.
As expected, even though both were physicians, the quality of the soul essence belonging to the Needle Master and the Heavenly Divine Healer was on an entirely different level.
Just a few days ago, their spirits had deteriorated to the point where burning them again seemed inefficient.
However, yesterday was different.
Their spirits were coated with an abundance of high-quality soul essence.
He speculated it was because they had poured their hearts and souls into treating numerous patients. But for a more precise understanding, he would need more time to confirm.
In any case, the quality and quantity of the soul essence obtained this time significantly advanced the treatment of his Qi Pathways.
Thanks to that, he could finish the treatment earlier than he initially anticipated.
Of course, it would still take a considerable amount of time.
“To think I’m alive in this state—it’s a miracle.”
Byeok Taesan murmured quietly as he concluded his meditation.
When he first awoke in this body, had he not gone straight to the Fragrant Flower House, he would likely have died the next day.
No, there was no doubt about it.
At that time, the only reason Byeok Taesan managed to move as far as the Fragrant Flower House and carry out anything at all was solely due to the lingering remnants of the Soul Augmenting Demonic Art left in the Heavenly Demon’s spirit.
That energy, however, did not align with his body and quickly dissipated.
In other words, if the Heavenly Demon had not taken over this body, it would have perished instantly.
‘Perhaps the only reason I could enter this body was because it was already dead.’
That explanation seemed plausible.
Of course, some questions still lingered.
In any case, this useless body was finally beginning to function properly.
And a significant part of that success was thanks to Soso.
The soul essence he obtained through Soso’s spirit provided a solid foundation.
“Is there anyone else like Soso? Just one more would do…”
He didn’t need many. Just one person.
If he had that, the treatment process would accelerate substantially.
Byeok Taesan stood up.
He had handled most of the pressing tasks. The rest would unfold on their own.
The Heavenly Divine Healer and the Needle Master would dedicate themselves to treating patients with all their might, and the Hubei Alliance would fully mobilize to investigate the problem.
The information gathered would be subtly leaked to the Hubei Martial Alliance, and things would naturally settle down.
Once everything was resolved, the Owner of White Flower would personally visit to report the results.
“It lacks the satisfaction of smashing things to pieces.”
That was the difference compared to his days as the Heavenly Demon.
Back then, everything ended with an explosive finish. But this time, that wasn’t possible.
By the time Byeok Taesan stepped in, most of the work would already be done, and he also couldn’t afford to use excessive power yet.
If he overexerted himself and delayed his recovery, it would only hurt him in the end.
“Well then… shall I check on the kids’ training?”
He smiled faintly and left the room.
Today, five people were training in the Small Training Hall.
First were Soso, Dan Yeong, and Chae Wol. A bit further away were Cheon Kyungwan and Yoo Seoyeon.
There was no need to give advice to Soso, Dan Yeong, or Chae Wol. They were progressing steadily along the correct path.
Having refined their spirits, they now possessed excellent potential, allowing them to grow rapidly with each bit of training.
If anyone heard that they had only started learning martial arts just over a month ago, they would be astonished to the point of fainting.
Their growth was exceptional.
The problem was their Inner Power.
While their remarkable talent enabled rapid growth in Inner Power as well, Inner Power had inherent limitations that talent alone could not overcome.
The most crucial factor in cultivating Inner Power was time, and they simply didn’t have enough of it.
As for the other two, Cheon Kyungwan and Yoo Seoyeon, their situation was slightly different.
Both were hitting a massive wall.
They had originally been stuck in stagnation but managed to grow stronger through the life-or-death training they underwent with the Heavenly Divine Healer.
However, that was only a temporary fix.
Though they had grown stronger, they hadn’t escaped the root cause of their stagnation.
Once they had squeezed out all they could gain from the intense practical training, they fell back into stagnation.
Byeok Taesan observed the two for a while before suddenly speaking up.
“Are you going to keep doing that?”
The only ones who responded were Cheon Kyungwan and Yoo Seoyeon.
Soso, Dan Yeong, and Chae Wol were so absorbed in their training that they didn’t even hear him.
Cheon Kyungwan and Yoo Seoyeon stopped their training and looked at Byeok Taesan. Their faces turned bright red.
They were embarrassed. Just one remark had thrown off their focus. No, they hadn’t been focused at all to begin with.
“If you’re just killing time, go find something else to do. The Hubei Alliance has plenty of work if you look.”
Both lowered their heads in shame.
They had no excuses. Training required persistence and dedication.
The rapid growth they experienced from the practical training had become their poison.
Byeok Taesan stroked his chin as he looked at the two.
“Hmm. I know a pretty decent Movement Art.”
At those words, Cheon Kyungwan and Yoo Seoyeon’s heads snapped up, their eyes gleaming with desire.
They had seen what kind of martial arts Byeok Taesan had taught his attendants.
At first, they thought it was just ordinary martial arts. But as they watched the attendants train, there were moments so profound they couldn’t believe their eyes.
And that was likely only scratching the surface of those martial arts, as the attendants were still just beginning.
Recently, after hearing from the Needle Master about the true nature of those martial arts, they were utterly shocked.
The Phantom Divine Art!
A supreme martial art that could only be obtained through extraordinary fate.
And yet, Byeok Taesan had handed it to his attendants as casually as giving candy to a child. It was unbelievable.
With such a precedent, the movement art he mentioned couldn’t possibly be ordinary.
Their desire, no, their greed, burned brightly.
“This movement art is excellent for training. The problem is, it’s quite challenging and exhausting.”
“I’ll do it!” Cheon Kyungwan replied without hesitation, not even waiting for the details.
“Me too! I’ll do it!” Yoo Seoyeon quickly added.
Byeok Taesan pondered briefly before nodding.
“Well, it’s nothing special, so I don’t mind. Alright, I’ll teach you. But once you start, you must see it through to the end.”
“I swear to do so.”
“Me too, I swear.”
“Good. Memorize the key formula first. I’ll kindly and thoroughly explain it. Since we’ll get through the basics today, prepare yourselves.”
“Thank you!”
They spoke in unison, bowing with respect.
Their eyes were filled with gratitude.
Byeok Taesan, however, smirked meaningfully. Would they still look at him like that after learning it?
•••
In a large manor, the Heavenly Divine Healer and the Needle Master were busy treating patients.
The manor housed many victims of poison, and since it was spacious, patients from the surrounding areas were brought in to be treated together.
As a result, the manor was teeming with people.
The two physicians worked tirelessly, diagnosing and treating patients without rest.
To support them, the Hubei Alliance Alliance had urgently recruited ten additional physicians.
Though they weren’t particularly skilled, they were competent enough.
While they couldn’t handle the poison of the Poison Demon on their own, they could follow the treatments prescribed by the two doctors.
Even that was a significant help, as many physicians couldn’t manage even that much.
The Hubei Martial Alliance had also assigned twenty skilled warriors to guard the doctors.
Although not a large number, these warriors were among the finest in the Hubei Martial Alliance.
Their priority was to ensure the safety of the two physicians.
After all, the two of them posed the greatest obstacle to the plans of the manipulator.
The warriors kept their sharp gazes fixed on their surroundings, not relaxing their vigilance for even a moment.
As if swept away by a storm, time passed in a blur.
The Heavenly Divine Healer and the Needle Master, having treated every patient within the manor and those brought in from the surrounding areas, finally found a moment to catch their breath.
“There sure are a lot of them,” muttered the Needle Master.
“Still, it feels a bit easier today compared to yesterday, don’t you think?” responded the Heavenly Divine Healer.
“Indeed. Being prepared versus being caught off guard makes a huge difference.”
Yesterday, the two had to run from place to place to treat patients. Today, however, they could focus on treating people as they arrived, which was far more efficient and quicker.
The sun had already set, but their work was far from over.
Ten physicians from the Hubei Martial Alliance had gone to retrieve new patients, meaning they would have to work another one or two hours before the day truly ended.
Still, until those physicians returned, they could rest briefly.
“It seems they have no intention of letting us rest quietly,” said the Needle Master, his tone filled with resignation.
The Heavenly Divine Healer immediately caught the meaning behind his words. Letting out a sigh, he turned to the Needle Master.
“Are you confident?” he asked.
The Needle Master’s lips twisted into a smirk.
“I’m the Needle Master. There’s only one thing that concerns me.”
“And what’s that?”
“You.”
“Me?”
“Protecting you while fighting might not be as easy as I’d like.”
“Just focus on taking care of the intruders. I’ll ensure my own survival.”
“Alright, I’ll trust you on that.”
Before their exchange ended, figures dressed in black clothing and masks swarmed over the manor walls.
Nearly a hundred masked attackers surrounded the estate, their numbers alone overwhelming. As if that weren’t enough, more figures appeared atop the walls—a smaller group, around fifty strong. They were likely there to prevent anyone from escaping.
Tension blanketed the manor like a sheet of ice.
The Hubei Martial Alliance warriors stepped forward. Though there were only twenty of them, their razor-sharp presence swept over the black-masked attackers, showing no sign of intimidation despite being outnumbered.
Without a word, the warriors unsheathed their swords and pointed them at their foes.
Among the attackers, one figure stepped forward leisurely.
“How about putting those scary weapons away? I didn’t come here to fight but to have a conversation,” said the masked man, his voice calm yet tinged with mockery.
He directed his gaze straight past the Hubei Martial Alliance, toward the Needle Master and the Heavenly Divine Healer.
“I’m here to speak with the esteemed physicians in the back. How about stepping forward for a chat instead of cowering behind others?”
The Heavenly Divine Healer replied sharply, “If it’s a conversation you want, your voice can carry just fine from there. And shouldn’t you put away those dangerous toys behind you first?”
A flicker of amusement crossed the masked man’s eyes.
“I don’t recall bringing any dangerous toys with me… but if you insist, let’s raise our voices and talk from here.”
His thinly veiled provocation made the Needle Master’s expression twitch, but the Heavenly Divine Healer grabbed his arm tightly, preventing him from acting rashly.
“The men behind him aren’t ordinary,” said the Heavenly Divine Healer.
The Needle Master’s eyes widened slightly at the revelation.
Focusing his attention, he carefully examined the masked attackers standing along the walls. A peculiar sense of incongruity struck him.
The flow of energy surrounding them was… strange.
“What are they? They remind me of… sick chickens,” the Needle Master muttered.
“More like half-dead ones, don’t you think?” replied the Heavenly Divine Healer.
The Needle Master nodded. The phrase “half-dead” was far more fitting; the unstable flow of energy radiating from them made it clear.
“If we’re to face them, we’ll need to target their weak points. Typically, it’s where two streams of energy intersect. Unfortunately, I don’t have the ability to pinpoint those spots. Can you manage?”
The Needle Master nodded again.
“Are you sure about their weak points?” he asked.
“Positive.”
“Then I’ll trust you.”
With that, the Needle Master pulled out a handful of needles.
“Let’s buy some time. Hold on for a moment,” he said.
Before the Needle Master could act, the Heavenly Divine Healer stepped forward and shouted at the attackers.
“If you have something to say, say it now! Where’s the one who wanted to talk?”
The masked man responded nonchalantly, “I was merely waiting while the two of you conferred. If you wish to surrender, we’ll welcome you with open arms.”
“Why would I trust you? Only an idiot would entrust themselves to unknown scoundrels,” retorted the Heavenly Divine Healer.
The masked man flinched, his expression twisting momentarily, as if struck by a nerve.
“What’s this? Could it be that you were an idiot?” taunted the Heavenly Divine Healer.
The masked man ground his teeth in anger.
“Quite skilled at provocation, aren’t you? But you’re out of options. Either die here or come quietly.”
“Why did you kill the people of the Black Iron Workshop?” demanded the Heavenly Divine Healer.
“Nothing personal. It’s just the natural order—those who can’t protect their treasures don’t deserve them,” replied the masked man.
The Heavenly Divine Healer chuckled coldly.
“‘Natural order,’ you say. Is that what you call turning living people into reanimated corpses?”
A flash of murderous intent lit up the masked man’s eyes.
“It seems we won’t end this peacefully. Let’s clean up the nuisances first,” he declared.
At his signal, the attackers surged forward.
The Needle Master responded by scattering his needles in all directions.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
More than ten needles flew precisely toward the intersections of energy within the attackers’ bodies.
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
Several needles struck their marks, causing their targets to collapse instantly. It was a display of skill bordering on the supernatural.
However, not all the needles hit.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Some attackers deflected the needles with their weapons, while others succumbed to their strikes.
“It seems you were right about their weak points,” said the Needle Master, his voice grim.
Despite his success, his expression darkened. The attackers were numerous—and stronger than expected.
The Hubei Martial Alliance warriors clashed with the advancing attackers, their swords slicing through the air.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Shockwaves of energy rippled with each collision.
The masked attackers were shockingly skilled, holding their own against the elite warriors of the Hubei Martial Alliance. Though the warriors had the edge in technique, they were outmatched in sheer strength and speed.
To make matters worse, more masked figures poured over the walls, numbering in the dozens.
The Needle Master and the Heavenly Divine Healer’s expressions soured further.
“Out of the frying pan and into the fire,” muttered the Needle Master.