The Heavenly Demon Wants a Quiet Life - Chapter 94

Chapter 94: That’s How Training Is Done

The unorthodox path members were responsible for cleaning up the area around the inn.

As soon as the White Tiger Bureau Leader gave his orders, they worked tirelessly to clear away the corpses and erase all traces of the fight. Once the task was completed, they entered the inn, stood against the walls as if forming a perimeter, and politely clasped their hands below their waists.

Their gazes were fixed on Byeok Taesan, who was seated midway up the stairs leading to the second floor. Their eyes brimmed with awe and respect.

It was no wonder. They had witnessed everything that had happened here, from start to finish.

The first person they encountered was Ma Chungsam, a martial artist so skilled that they couldn’t even meet his eyes. Following him, others of similar caliber appeared.

Though they were unorthodox path members with only rudimentary knowledge of martial arts, their years of experience on the battlefield had honed their instincts. To their eyes, Ma Chungsam was far stronger than most elite warriors from noble families, comparable to a captain of a prestigious martial squad.

Then, the leader of Ma Chungsam’s group appeared—the White Tiger Bureau Leader. To them, the Bureau Leader was beyond comprehension, a warrior of unparalleled skill.

But even such a figure and Ma Chungsam’s entire group had been powerless before Seo Daegun.

And Byeok Taesan? He had utterly destroyed Seo Daegun with a single slap. Witnessing such a feat, their reverence was only natural.

Before Byeok Taesan lay Seo Daegun, bound tightly and completely subdued.

Moments later, Yuk Taegu arrived, carrying another man, Eung Jayeop, who was in the same pitiful state as Seo Daegun. Yuk Taegu casually threw Eung Jayeop beside Seo Daegun and bowed respectfully to Byeok Taesan.

“The Young Master’s command has been fulfilled.”

Byeok Taesan nodded and glanced at his subordinates before speaking.

“Well done, everyone.”

Their expressions visibly changed. Just a single word of praise was enough to fill them with joy, leaving Byeok Taesan with a peculiar feeling.

‘Come to think of it… have I ever been like this before?’

During his time as the Heavenly Demon, he couldn’t recall ever praising anyone. To him, everything had been a given.

Shaking off his thoughts, Byeok Taesan looked down at the two writhing figures on the floor.

“First, extract everything they know.”

His gaze shifted to Yuk Taegu. When it came to such tasks, Yuk Taegu was the expert.

As soon as Yuk Taegu caught Byeok Taesan’s eye, he stepped forward and bowed slightly.

“I’ll extract every memory, even from the moment they were born.”

Byeok Taesan briefly considered using the Soul Augmenting Demonic Art to burn their spirits, but such a method could potentially erase parts of their memories. Deciding against it, he left the task to Yuk Taegu.

“Don’t kill them. I’ll need them later for something else.”

He intended to extract more information using the Soul Augmenting Demonic Art afterward, just in case.

“I understand.”

Yuk Taegu picked up one man in each hand and strode out of the inn.

A silence settled over the room. Byeok Taesan turned to the White Tiger Bureau Leader, Jang Gakwoo.

Jang Gakwoo stiffened slightly, tension creeping into his body. He could already guess what Byeok Taesan was about to say, and it made his chest tighten.

“You’re quite injured.”

“It’s nothing! Just a few scratches. I’m completely fine.”

Byeok Taesan chuckled.

If those were mere scratches, what would he consider a real injury? It seemed Jang Gakwoo wouldn’t acknowledge being hurt unless he’d lost a limb.

“I can tell your body, energy, and mind haven’t achieved balance yet.”

At Byeok Taesan’s words, not only Jang Gakwoo but also the Heaven Guard Squad members, who were under his command, began trembling and sweating profusely. What came after that statement was all too predictable.

“For now, focus solely on training with the Spirit Wing Divine Art. I’ve found a decent training method, so it shouldn’t take too long.”

At this, Cheon Kyungwan and Yoo Seoyeon’s faces paled. They had just endured that training before coming here.

It was true that the results were impressive. Their bodies had changed, and the flow of their internal energy was vastly improved.

But the process was unbearably painful.

Jang Gakwoo and the Heaven Guard Squad, who were well-acquainted with the Spirit Wing Divine Art, had similarly grim expressions.

Seeing this, Byeok Taesan tilted his head slightly.

“You seem dissatisfied.”

At his words, they all flailed their arms and shook their heads vehemently.

“N-not at all! Absolutely not!”

“The Spirit Wing Divine Art is our favorite training! Or rather, it will be!”

Byeok Taesan nodded.

“Good attitude. Then, this is a perfect opportunity… Everyone should refine their bodies with the Spirit Wing Divine Art.”

His gaze landed on the Heavenly Divine Healer and the Needle Master.

Startled, the two took a step back.

“Excuse me? Y-you mean us, Young Master?”

“We’re far too old for such training…”

Byeok Taesan replied nonchalantly.

“That’s exactly why it’s more essential for you. Age makes the body, energy, and mind fall out of harmony.”

Their faces turned ashen.

“Uh, um, actually, we need to prepare the Heavenly Divine Pill!”

“Exactly! Without it, we can’t distribute it to the men standing around here, watching us like hawks!”

“That’s right. And as our numbers grow, we’ll need more pills ready in advance.”

“Not to mention, it’s not just the Heavenly Divine Pill we need.”

“The orbs we used on those who recently broke through… we need to produce more of those.”

“Plus, there will be more battles ahead, so we’ll need Golden Wound Medicine and remedies for internal injuries.”

The two alternated, speaking as if they were one.

“So, you’re saying you’re too busy?” Byeok Taesan asked, narrowing his eyes.

The two immediately responded in unison.

“Not exactly that, but…”

“It’s just that time is a bit tight…”

“That’s what we mean.”

Byeok Taesan smirked.

“Fine. Do as you like. I can’t force someone to grow stronger if they don’t want to.”

“Thank you, Young Master!”

“We’ll repay your generosity with our utmost efforts, Young Master!”

Byeok Taesan waved them off dismissively. Then, after scanning the room again, he spoke.

“For the time being, I’ll oversee everyone’s training each day.”

At his unexpected announcement, everyone swallowed nervously and stared at him.

They had already seen his strength and his profound understanding of martial arts. No one could predict what kind of impact his direct guidance might have.

Seeing their changing expressions and eager eyes, Byeok Taesan smirked.

“It would be better to die, probably.”

Everyone’s faces turned pale.

“Training is supposed to be done like that.”

With those words, Byeok Taesan stood up and left the inn.

The entire journey back to the Golden Wall Merchants was silent. No one spoke a word.

Byeok Taesan was deep in thought.

He was reflecting on every word and action he had taken today.

‘Something is definitely changing…’

Whether it was because his body had changed, or because he had died and come back to life, he wasn’t sure.

What was clear, however, was that he was changing.

The idea of personally overseeing each person’s training was something he would have never considered back when he was the Heavenly Demon.

Of course, even then, he had overseen the training of his subordinates. But that was only when he happened to pass by and, in a moment of feeling, decided to intervene.

Or, he would help with the collective training of the Heaven Guard Corps.

But the fact that it didn’t bother him was what was different now.

When he had said earlier that he would personally teach each of them martial arts, that had been a sincere statement.

And even now, his mind was working in many directions, planning how he should guide each person’s martial arts.

‘Anyway, it’s fun.’

All of this was interesting, and fun.

As his thoughts continued, the enemies he had captured earlier came to mind.

‘These guys… they make me uncomfortable.’

Just like with the Four Monsters of Great East, the Mad Trio Demons, Budu Cheol, and Geok Yangdu, there had been an undercurrent of discomfort.

But the real reason why it was so uncomfortable was because he still couldn’t pinpoint exactly why it bothered him.

“I guess… I’ll have to crush them all.”

The people following Byeok Taesan flinched at his muttering.

Everyone just quietly followed, carefully watching Byeok Taesan’s demeanor and not daring to speak.

However, as the atmosphere grew heavier and more intimidating, even the slightest slip of attention would have made them tremble in fear.

Then, Byeok Taesan suddenly stopped walking.

Everyone was startled and stopped as well.

Byeok Taesan slowly turned around to face his companions.

He saw Cheon Kyungwan, Yeon Seoyeon, and Heavenly Divine Healer.

These were the people who had been with him the longest since his rebirth. Though, to be fair, it hadn’t even been a full year yet.

“Why? What is it, Young Master?”

The one with the most courage, or rather, the one who spoke without much thought, Heavenly Divine Healer, cautiously asked.

“I’m thinking about how you guys can grow stronger.”

Their faces paled.

They were already on the verge of dying, so what more could he want to do?

“Well… let’s finish the Spirit Wing Divine Art training first, and then we’ll talk.”

Byeok Taesan turned, pondering what kind of training to give Cheon Kyungwan and Yeon Seoyeon, who had just finished their Spirit Wing Divine Art.

No one spoke another word as they walked until they reached the Golden Wall Merchants.

••••

Byeok Taesan was seated across from Hwaryeong.

Hwaryeong looked at Byeok Taesan with a mix of nervousness and fear in her eyes, before briefly lowering her gaze to the thin booklet on the desk.

The cover of the booklet was completely blank.

But the contents within were anything but ordinary.

“You’ve worked hard. The heart and spirit have settled in well. Well… there’s still more to be done, though.”

Hwaryeong lowered her head in polite acknowledgment.

“Thank you for your guidance, Young Master.”

Since beginning the Spirit Wing Divine Art training, Hwaryeong had felt a clear change in her body. As a result, her proficiency in the Shadow step Art had increased dramatically.

Her gaze again shifted to the booklet on the desk.

“It’s the Moonlight Demon Art.”

Hwaryeong swallowed hard.

It was the Demon Art. She had been shocked when Byeok Taesan had once asked her if she wanted to learn it, but she never imagined he would actually possess it.

“Moonlight Demon Art…”

“It should complement the Shadow Step Art well.”

The implication was that it was a powerful Demon Art that worked well with the Shadow Arts.

“It’s a Demon Art, but in some ways, it’s not quite the same as others. It doesn’t require blood drinking or burying yourself in a pile of corpses.”

Hwaryeong’s face paled slightly.

Hearing about blood drinking and being buried in corpses made the reality of Demon Arts hit her.

Byeok Taesan smiled at her reaction.

“Most Demon Arts don’t require that kind of intense training. And only a truly crazy person would even think about learning them.”

“Ah…!”

Hwaryeong looked up at Byeok Taesan with surprised eyes. It was the first time she’d ever heard him make a joke like that.

“The Moonlight Demon Art is a bit tricky in that it must be practiced under moonlight.”

Hwaryeong quickly regained her composure and nodded. It was common knowledge that certain energies, like yin and yang, could only be harnessed at specific times, so precise timing during training was essential.

“And your senses are also very important. Though, the ones who’ve learned it until now don’t seem to have understood that part.”

Hwaryeong tilted her head, unsure of what Byeok Taesan meant by ‘senses.’

Byeok Taesan looked her directly in the eyes.

“You can do it.”

She could reach the highest level achieved by any previous leader of the Moonlight Sect.

That was Byeok Taesan’s judgment.

••••

Several days had passed since the incident with Seo Daegun’s schemes.

During that time, Wuhan had been quite noisy.

Even though Byeok Taesan had effectively blocked Seo Daegun’s moves, it was an ongoing conflict that involved both sides, and it was impossible to keep it entirely under wraps.

Moreover, the actions taken by Go Jun-kwang’s subordinates to divert the attention of the Martial Alliance and the Black Lotus Sect had surfaced, causing the movements of the major factions to intensify.

While Wuhan continued to stir, Byeok Taesan’s people were becoming exhausted from training.

And then, Yuk Taegu entered the Golden Wall Merchants.

He rushed straight to Byeok Taesan’s residence and knelt before him.

“Young Master, I have found half-Jiangshi.”

Yuk Taegu had discovered the location of the half-Jiangshi, which Seo Daegun had prepared for later use.

A slight smile formed at the corner of Byeok Taesan’s lips.

It was elixir searching time.