Little Demon Reversion to Youth

Chapter 162

It's not just that his body is heavy. His mind also becomes drowsy. Nangong Zhao barely managed to get through the day, fighting off the urge to doze off.

From the next day, his whole body started to itch.

An itch as if insects were crawling all over his body arose. If it weren't for the words to not move and to circulate his energy, there would have been red scratch marks here and there already.

Then, on the third day.

After the itch passed, this time, a pain as if his entire body's pores were being pricked with needles struck.

"Keuk!"

A scream erupted on its own. Later, it felt as if his entire body's blood vessels were burning.

It was a terrible pain.

Nangong Zhao, even in the midst of that, was worried about Tang Yunseol, who would be suffering the same pain in the next room.

'What kind of miraculous medicine is this!'

He ground his teeth and finally fainted.

How much time had passed? Nangong Zhao opened his eyes and frowned at the sour smell. He soon realized that the smell was coming from his own body.

When he touched his forearm with his hand, the skin, peeled off like a snake's shed skin.

"―!"

When he circulated his energy, the energy that had been flowing through his meridians spread to his fine meridians. The energy that had circulated for one heavenly cycle in an instant gathered in his 'dantian'.

Nangong Zhao, intoxicated by the energy, continued to circulate his energy. How much time had passed?

He felt a lump of energy the size of an egg in his 'lower dantian', and it began to rotate fiercely. A stream of cool energy rose from the center of the swirling energy, pierced his spine, and rushed to his 'middle dantian'.

The cool energy reached the 'Jade Hall' of the 'middle dantian', lingered for a moment, and then disappeared. It was as if water had been poured on a sandy field, leaving no trace.

Nangong Zhao realized that he had reached the end of the 'true realm'. As his entire body's fine meridians were opened and a 'bone and flesh transformation' had occurred, he had broken through the 'true realm' in an instant.

It was an amazing thing. Most people who had formed an inner core and had entered the 'true realm' would spend the rest of their lives training.

Most martial artists would reach the end of their lives while looking at the 'flower realm' in their later years, but Nangong Zhao, thanks to Baekji's miraculous medicine, had broken through the 'true realm' in one breath and had reached the brink of the 'flower realm'.

If this medicine were to be known in the martial world, a great upheaval would truly occur.

'Where on earth... did he get a medicine like this...'

Nangong Zhao was bewildered, and then, when Tang Yunseol came to mind, he stood up.

Had she really overcome the extreme pain?

Then he held his nose at the stench coming from his own body.

'First, I have to take a bath.'

When Nangong Zhao opened the door, Senior Oh, who was standing there, held his nose and pointed to the bathroom next to him. Only then did he remember that Senior Oh had stood guard for him.

"Thank you."

Nangong Zhao hurriedly went into the bathroom, took a bath, and changed into new clothes.

Nangong Zhao, who was neatly dressed, was about to go to the training room where Tang Yunseol had entered, but Senior Oh gestured.

"Miss Tang has already come out."

"She's already out? Are you saying she failed?"

"That can't be... Master's miraculous medicine is so marvelous, why would she fail? She went to her residence, so go there."

Nangong Zhao went to Tang Yunseol's residence.

"I'm surprised you came out faster than me."

"Since my realm is lower, isn't that natural?"

Tang Yunseol had come out half a day earlier than Nangong Zhao, and that was because of the difference in their realms. Yunseol's fine meridians had also been opened, and she had surpassed the superlative realm from the peak and had entered the 'true realm', where an inner core is formed.

"It's a truly amazing medicine. They say the Shaolin 'Great Reincarnation Pill' gives one 'jiazi' of internal energy, but this seems to be a medicine comparable to that."

Although Tang Yunseol had a knack for not only poisons but also medicine, Baekji's medicine was beyond the scope of her imagination.

"Why would Honored One give us a medicine like this? Anyway, we can't just stay like this. We have to at least convey our thanks."

Nangong Zhao and Tang Yunseol went to the building below Songhwa Hall to find Baekji.

As the two turned a corner, they heard a murmuring sound from the other side.

"Big brother, can't you not go? You almost died last time, right? You were captured by the Blood Demon this time and barely came back alive. It seems it's a bad time for you."

Following the young woman's voice, a pleasant, low voice flowed out.

"Ah-gwa, what are you talking about? It is my destiny to escort the Alliance Leader and to jump into a forest of swords and a mountain of blades!"

"..."

"Even if death is waiting, I will gladly... ugh! Ah-gwa, what are you doing?"

"What did you say? Yes! If you want to die so much, then die! I'll chase you and cut you into pieces."

Nangong Zhao and Tang Yunseol, wondering what was going on with the sudden scream, turned the corner.

Ah-gwa of the Songhwa Hall's Seven Plums was grabbing Senior Oh's collar and shaking him.

When Ah-gwa saw Nangong Zhao and Tang Yunseol, she hurriedly let go of her hands.

"Kek, kek. Ah-gwa, why is your hand so strong?"

At Senior Oh's words, Ah-gwa's face turned as red as a ripe persimmon, and she ran away.

Although Nangong Zhao and Tang Yunseol were embarrassed because they knew what had happened, Senior Oh himself did not care.

"Seeing the two of you come together, I think I know what the words 'a handsome man and a beautiful woman' mean. Hahaha. The Alliance Leader will be returning to the Alliance soon, and I will be with Chief Investigator Nangong and the great young lady of the Tang family. Please take good care of me."

"Ah, is that so? Please take good care of me. I have something to do, so I'll be going..."

Nangong Zhao knew well that if he got caught by Senior Oh, half a day would pass in a flash. He was about to pass by, but Senior Oh, blocked his way and said, "Master is out right now."

"Huh? Out? Where did he go?"

"That's..."

Senior Oh gestured for him to come closer and then whispered in his ear, "No one knows."

* * *

Dagadak, dagadak!

The carriage ran without rest.

It seemed to have been running for three or four days already... where on earth was this? It seemed to have run for a thousand 'li'...

Hyuk-ryeonhu was blindfolded and was being dragged somewhere. In fact, he was just going around Joga-hyeon in circles, but Hyuk-ryeonhu, who was tied up and rolling around in the carriage, thought he had run for over a thousand 'li'.

"Ugh... water... water!"

Although he looked for water with his parched lips, the carriage door never opened once.

His arms and legs were tied, and he was being taken like a piece of luggage, and he was not given any food or water.

Hyuk-ryeonhu thought he was going to his death. Since they were going to kill him anyway, they were not feeding him.

If he had not had a deep internal energy, he would have already died of thirst.

"You, brat...s... give me some water..."

As Hyuk-ryeonhu was struggling in his final throes and rolling around, his blood points were suddenly released.

"...!"

A faint amount of energy gathered in his 'dantian'.

At that moment, the carriage stopped.

"We'll have to camp here for the night. There's information that there's a Demonic Cult branch in Joga-hyeon. We have to be careful."

"Let's tie the carriage here. That brat must have wet himself, the smell is terrible."

"Let's do that."

The coachman and the guards stopped the carriage and disappeared somewhere.

It was a golden opportunity.

'Joga-hyeon? Was there a branch in Joga-hyeon?'

Hyuk-ryeonhu thought his last chance had come.

When he circulated his 'dantian' internal energy and twisted, the rope that had been tied became loose. Although there were red rope marks on his wrists, he did not care.

Hyuk-ryeonhu desperately untied the rope, took off his blindfold, and checked for any signs outside.

Normally, he could have killed any ordinary brat in one 'zhang', but now he was too weak because he had not eaten or drunk. The best plan was to escape, avoiding their eyes.

Fortunately, it was quiet outside.

Bbi-geok―.

The sound of the carriage door opening was so loud. Hyuk-ryeonhu's heart sank. When he carefully came out of the carriage, he saw a bonfire in the distance.

Hyuk-ryeonhu, without thinking any further, ran in the opposite direction of the bonfire.

As he was running like crazy, he saw lights in front of him.

Seeing the countless lights, it was a rather large county-level city.

'That must be Joga-hyeon.'

Hyuk-ryeonhu ran towards Joga-hyeon without looking back. Since there was a Demonic Cult branch, if he found it and revealed his identity, all this hardship would be resolved.

Hyuk-ryeonhu, riding the darkness and the darkness, entered the outskirts of Joga-hyeon and then headed towards the street along an alley. Whenever a person passed by, he would hide his body in the darkness of the alley.

If the fact that he had escaped had been found out, there might be pursuers.

Hyuk-ryeonhu became anxious.

'He definitely said there was a branch...'

Although he didn't know where the Joga-hyeon Demonic Cult branch was, there would surely be a sign.

Chwa-ak∼!

The second-floor window suddenly opened, and a splash of water poured out.

"Ugh!"

"Oh my!"

As if they knew there was a person below, the window was hastily closed.

'Ugh...'

Only then did Hyuk-ryeonhu look at his own appearance. He was in tattered clothes and was barefoot. His heels were scraped and sore from running away in a hurry.

And on top of that, he had been doused with dirty water.

It was the first time in his life that he had been in such a situation. A red, venomous energy filled Hyuk-ryeonhu's eyes.

Baekji's face appeared before his eyes.

'I will tear you to pieces and kill you.'

Hyuk-ryeonhu, grinding his teeth, wandered the streets and finally found the Hongmeng Brothel. A small flag drawn on the doorframe told him that it was a Demonic Cult branch.

As befitting a brothel, it was noisy and boisterous until late at night. Bright lights poured out of every window.

'I can't go in looking like this.'

Hyuk-ryeonhu quietly withdrew, and as he was following the street, he saw a candy store with a living quarters attached and jumped over the wall.

As soon as he jumped over the wall, the door of the building opposite opened, and someone came out. Hyuk-ryeonhu hastily hid between the darkness of the wall and a tree.

A girl of about thirteen or fourteen came out, holding a tray with a medicinal soup on it, and a coughing sound was heard from inside.

As the child was going towards the kitchen, a senile voice was heard.

"Zhang Hua, is your mother getting any better?"

The girl, instead of answering, nodded her head.

"Old man, what's the use of asking a child who can't even speak?"

Heuk-bo, carrying a large bundle of wood, came in and chided the old man Ma. Then he also spoke to Zhang Hua.

"Zhang Hua... there's plenty of wood, so you have to take good care of your mother. Got it?"

Zhang Hua nodded her head again and then went into the kitchen.

Heuk-bo, who was stacking the bundle of wood next to the building where Zhang Hua had come out, looked at the place where Hyuk-ryeonhu was hiding.

"Who's there!"

Hyuk-ryeonhu's heart sank.

He quickly used the darkness behind the tree to jump over the wall and ran away.

"Is someone there?"

"No, it seems I mistook a stray cat. Old man, go inside. I'll take a look around."

Hyuk-ryeonhu, who had suddenly become a stray cat, barely managed to steal and put on a man's clothes and shoes from the third house.

Although it was nothing compared to the clothes he usually wore, since he could passably pass himself off, he immediately went to the Hongmeng Brothel.

"Oh my, Young Master..."

The courtesans who had been rushing at him suddenly turned their faces and covered their noses.

'What is this smell?'

Hyuk-ryeonhu said with an embarrassed face, "I haven't been able to wash because I've been on a long journey. I'll have to take a bath first."

"This is not an inn... there is a bathroom, but... it costs quite a bit of money."

An old courtesan who was greeting the guests looked at Hyuk-ryeonhu up and down with suspicious eyes.

They were courtesans who could smell money from a mile away. No matter how she looked, she felt that Hyuk-ryeonhu was penniless, so she looked at him with a dumbfounded look.

'Oops, I should have stolen some money too.'

Hyuk-ryeonhu, who had never been short of money, had not thought of it.

"Ahem. I would like to meet the master of this place..."

"The master is not here right now..."

"Then I will wait inside."

The courtesan took Hyuk-ryeonhu to a back room.

"Please wait here."

The back room, which smelled strongly of mold, seemed to be a warehouse.

'This wench?'

It was clear that she was looking down on him because he had no money.

If he met the master and revealed his identity as the great young master of the Hyuk-ryeon family, his situation would change immediately.

Then he would repay all this humiliation.

Hyuk-ryeonhu, ground his teeth and sat on a chair. As his tension eased, he was overcome with drowsiness. He had not been able to sleep properly for several days.

A moment later, Hyuk-ryeonhu was dozing off.

(End of Chapter)