novelraw Chapter 9 : The Blood Demon's Visit (3)
Chapter 9 : The Blood Demon's Visit (3)
The next day, following the instructors' orders, we headed to the training ground. At the entrance, instructors were handing out one pill each.
When all the students had gathered, the instructor spoke.
"Eat what you have just been given!"
Perhaps because it looked like a poison pill, no one readily ate it. But I knew this was a spiritual pill.
While everyone was hesitating, I popped the spiritual pill into my mouth. A dry yet pungent aroma filled my mouth, and then it melted and went down my throat.
Seeing me eat it, the Sword Demoness, the Mad Demon, and the Demonic Brain ate the spiritual pills in succession, and seeing that, the Fifth Elder's grandson followed suit.
After confirming that nothing was wrong with us after we ate, the other children soon began to eat as well.
To think they wouldn't eat this good thing. I want to eat another one.
The name of the pill we had just eaten was the Little Demon Pill.
It was provided only once to the students entering the Little Demon Academy, and it was modeled after the Shaolin Temple's Small Rejuvenation Pill.
As expected of the Heavenly Demon Cult's best educational institution, the level of welfare from the first day was no joke. I thought I would have regretted it if I had been eliminated from the nursery.
The instructor, seeing that we had all eaten, opened his mouth.
"What you have just eaten is the Little Demon Pill."
The moment they heard those words, murmurs began to spread everywhere.
"Quiet! Don't make a fuss!"
The murmuring sound stopped at once. As expected, when given a carrot instead of a stick, the children listened exceptionally well.
Everyone was looking at the instructor with sparkling eyes, resembling baby birds with their mouths open, expecting something more to fall from their mother bird.
"Right now, the heat from the Little Demon Pill will be circulating in your bodies. The maximum amount of internal energy that can be increased with the Little Demon Pill is half a cycle! I will give you an assignment now! Make the power of the Little Demon Pill your own, according to your abilities!"
The moment his words ended, everyone sat down in the lotus position.
Because the fastest way to make the power of a spiritual pill one's own was through qi circulation.
The instructor walked around to help the students who were immersed in qi circulation and stopped in front of me.
"Why aren't you circulating your qi? You should know that the energy of the spiritual pill dissipates over time, right?"
Uh... what should I say to this?
I already turned the energy of the spiritual pill into internal energy as soon as I ate it.
"Oh dear! This is the first time in my life I've had such an amazing spiritual pill, so I forgot!"
"Tsk tsk. Don't you know that time is life! Even at this very moment, the energy of the spiritual pill is escaping from your body!"
The instructor shouted at me again.
"You don't seem to know how precious this spiritual pill is! Now! Immediately! Circulate your qi!"
"Yes, sir!"
I immediately replied and sat in the lotus position.
The half-cycle of internal energy that had already settled in my dantian welcomed me.
Since I had nothing else to do, I took the opportunity and instantly achieved the 10th star of the Demonic True Heart Method.
* * *
The Sword Demon opened his eyes.
He could tell that the energy he felt in his body had doubled compared to before. Overwhelmed by the uncontrollable power, he immediately went outside and swung his sword.
The sword moved slowly, as if a grub were crawling.
The time it took to draw a single horizontal line in the air was a full hour.
The Sword Demon's body was drenched in sweat.
The Sword Demon sheathed his sword again, looked up at the empty air, and laughed like a madman.
"Hehe. Hehehe. Hehehehe."
The people around him, seeing the Sword Demon, passed by without any emotion, as it was his usual self.
The Sword Demon, who had stopped laughing, said briefly.
"Is one sword still the limit?"
It was an enlightenment obtained from a completely unexpected place.
Once he realized it, the struggles of the past ten years seemed so futile, and now it was so clear.
He had been unable to think of it at all.
The most important thing in swinging a sword is not the sword, but the person swinging it.
The Sword Demon returned to his office and looked at the answer sheet with heaven and earth reversed.
Now he could see exactly what this answer sheet was saying.
"It was irrelevant from the beginning. The sword intent resides where I am, the sword intent is in what I intend to swing, and the sword intent was imbued in all my actions!"
The sword path drawn on the answer sheet.
Slow but fast, fast but slow.
Strong but weak, weak but strong.
Complex but simple, simple but complex.
What this was saying was that nothing is fixed.
Therefore, it could become anything.
Whether heaven and earth are upright or reversed, the important thing is myself, the one performing the sword.
And the will and realization imbued in it.
The Sword Demon was sure that he had moved beyond the entrance and had risen to the middle stage of the Demonic Zenith.
The Sword Demon looked at the name written at the end of the answer sheet and muttered in a voice that had not yet calmed down from excitement.
"Hah! So there really was one. Someone like the Lord."
A person who sees the world from a perspective that ordinary people cannot see.
A being beyond a genius, a being of the Heaven Beyond Heavens.
The Sword Demon took the answer sheet and headed to the Lord's hall.
* * *
The main gate of the Heavenly Demon Cult.
The Heavenly Demon Cult, which occupied the lands north of the Yangtze, had countless people coming and going every day.
Therefore, the main gate was always crowded with an innumerable number of people. It was the same today.
"You say you've brought food from the Shaanxi Merchant Guild?"
"Yes, yes! That's right!"
"Hmm... so you're the ones who used to clean up after the Huashan Sect bastards. You haven't poisoned the food out of resentment, have you?"
"W-w-what are you saying! Our Shaanxi Merchant Guild would never do anything to harm the Great Heavenly Demon Cult!"
"I was just joking, why are you trembling so much. We trust you too. Well then, go on in."
"Th-thank you! My lord!"
"Yes. Good work. Next!"
The gatekeeper on duty today was Jang-pal of the 10th unit, 10th seat.
In front of Jang-pal stood a shabby old man and ten children next to him.
Jang-pal glanced at the old man and the children and then looked at the visitor's log with the names of the waiting visitors.
'Next is the Pyeongha Merchant Guild?'
Jang-pal had inspected the Pyeongha Merchant Guild several times, so he knew almost all of their faces.
Among the faces of the Pyeongha Merchant Guild that Jang-pal knew, the old man in front of him was not one of them.
"State your identity and name!"
Jang-pal, unlike before, spoke with a genuine and heightened aura, not a joke.
The people lining up here had been waiting since dawn after writing their names in the visitor's log.
The order was strictly set, and cutting in line was absolutely unforgivable.
"Heh heh. To think you don't even recognize this old man, the Heavenly Demon Cult has gone downhill."
Hearing the old man's words, Jang-pal had a rough idea of who the old man in front of him was.
There were occasionally eccentric masters who came to challenge the lofty prestige of the Heavenly Demon Cult. The children seemed to be the old man's disciples. And all such people returned as cold corpses.
Jang-pal raised his aura. Then, a heavy energy befitting the 10th seat of the 10th unit of the Heavenly Demon Cult began to fill the area.
"Oh-ho! I thought you were a fledgling, but you're a young'un with some downy feathers! Boy, I won't say it twice. I'll tolerate you acting up in front of this old man just this once."
Jang-pal seriously suspected that this old man, who still showed no change in his behavior even after feeling his aura, had gone senile.
'He doesn't seem to be afraid of the Heavenly Demon Cult. I have no choice.'
"Old man! Since you refuse the cup of persuasion and wish to drink the cup of punishment, I have no choice. Don't regret dying at my hands."
"Heh heh. The words of a young brat are truly bitter. This is why kids these days are so interesting. Boy, you should consider it an honor to die at the hands of this old man."
At that moment, a thick and sticky killing intent emanated from the old man.
In an instant, the killing intent that dominated the entire space made everyone at the main gate unable to breathe, unable to blink, and frozen in place.
And Jang-pal, too, was like a mouse in front of a giant snake, unable to do anything. In the face of a fear he had never felt before, Jang-pal's head naturally turned towards the ground.
'If I raise my head, I'll die.'
The old man, frozen in place, was slowly extending his hand towards Jang-pal, who was just trembling all over.
Just as the old man's hand was about to touch Jang-pal, a single scabbard blocked the old man's hand.
Only then could Jang-pal breathe, and he collapsed on the spot and raised his head.
"G-Grand Commander?"
The 10th unit's grand commander, Yaksha Sword, Wi Mak-ya.
Wi Mak-ya ignored Jang-pal's words and immediately cupped his fists towards the old man.
"I greet the master of the Blood Cult."
"Heh heh. A proper child has finally come out. But who said you could block my path?"
Jang-pal, hearing the conversation between the grand commander and the old man, was shocked to learn that the old man was the master of the Blood Cult, the Blood Demon.
"He's a newcomer who just joined. So please, old master, look upon him generously."
"The last time I saw you, you were a snot-nosed kid, but now that time has passed, you dare to bargain with me. Do you want to die too?"
"How could I dare to stand against the Blood Demon. However, this is the Heavenly Demon Cult, where I have dedicated my life. If I had committed a discourtesy to the Blood Demon elsewhere, I could have offered my life, but if the Blood Demon takes the life of a disciple of the Heavenly Demon Cult within the territory of the Heavenly Demon Cult, it may cause some inconvenience for the Blood Demon, so I dare to ask."
"Heh heh. The young brat has grown up and has honey on his tongue. A silver tongue! Good. I'll let it slide just this once for your sake! But there won't be a second time. Do you understand?"
"I will keep that in mind. I will guide you myself, so please follow me."
"Hmph!"
Jang-pal, watching the Blood Demon pass by him, collapsed flat on the ground. He had no strength to support his body.
'I-I'm alive.'
The grand commander Wi Mak-ya's telepathic message reached Jang-pal's ears.
-Finish your work today, write a report, and put it on my desk.
Jang-pal, forgetting that he had almost died just a moment ago, got up again at the thought of having to write a report and grumbled.
"Ugh! If I have to write a report, I'm definitely pulling an all-nighter today!"
A short while later, an untimely summons was issued in the Heavenly Demon Cult.
The place was the Lord's hall.
The targets of the summons were all the elders.
The reason for the summons was the visit of the Blood Demon.
* * *
Suddenly, the instructors started talking seriously among themselves, and then, leaving only a minimum number of personnel, they hurriedly went somewhere.
Watching them, I tried to recall my pre-regression memories to see if anything had happened today, but nothing came to mind. Then, I barely managed to recall one incident.
'Come to think of it, around this time, the Blood Demon made a sudden visit.'
He hadn't visited for any particularly special reason.
From long ago, the Blood Cult had a kind of inferiority complex towards the Heavenly Demon Cult.
That was maintained even in the Great Demonic Era, and the Blood Cult also cultivated disciples during this period.
'It was almost at the level of copying the Heavenly Demon Cult's methods.'
The Blood Cult followed everything the Heavenly Demon Cult did.
I remember that the purpose of the Blood Demon's visit to the Heavenly Demon Cult was purely to show off his disciples.
We've brought in so many excellent disciples this time. You don't have such brilliant disciples, do you? Well, a childish reason like that.
From the perspective of the Blood Cult, which was always in second place, it was a very important issue, but unfortunately, from the perspective of the Heavenly Demon Cult, which was always in first place, it was a matter of no interest.
Still, since the Blood Demon, the leader of the Blood Cult, had visited in person, the Heavenly Demon Cult had to treat him with respect.
If they didn't, they would have to deal with the rampage of the Blood Demon, who had reached the Soul Detachment Realm, and that was a bit of a burden even for the Heavenly Demon Cult.
Anyway, before my regression, this incident passed without any trouble. The Blood Demon did show off his disciples, but the Heavenly Demon Cult just ignored it.
Because the number one was the Heavenly Demon Cult anyway.
In fact, when I was wandering the streets with my dantian pierced, I heard a rumor that the Young Lord of the Heavenly Demon Cult and the Young Lord of the Blood Cult had fought for some reason. The result was, of course, the victory of the Young Lord of the Heavenly Demon Cult.
Who can beat my junior sister?
And this must have been an exaggerated rumor among the gossip-loving storytellers.
'They said he fought almost on par with my junior sister.'
With my junior sister, who had already reached the Demonic Zenith at that time.
This was impossible unless he was a being with the same Heaven Beyond Heavens talent as my junior sister.
Could there be two such beings under the heavens?
Honestly, if I hadn't experienced my junior sister myself, I would never have believed that a being like her existed.
I couldn't believe that someone reached the Transcendent Realm at the age of twenty, so who would believe that someone reached the Demonic Zenith at the age of twenty!
I had no doubt that after today, the Blood Demon would return to the Blood Cult, and a peaceful tomorrow would be waiting.
* * *
The Lord's hall.
The Blood Demon was laughing heartily and chattering, spitting saliva from his mouth.
"We, you see! We recently took in a disciple, and look at this!"
The Blood Demon proudly presented a child in front of the Heavenly Demon and the elders.
"You can all tell at a glance, right!"
The Sword Demon, who was returning after handing the answer sheet to the Heavenly Demon, had to return to the Lord's hall due to the sudden summons.
And he could tell the reason by looking at the red-haired old man who was chattering non-stop.
The Blood Demon.
An absolute master who had reached the Soul Detachment Realm, just like the Heavenly Demon.
And seeing the child the Blood Demon had brought, he could also tell why the Blood Demon had come to the Heavenly Demon Cult so excitedly.
The Sword Demon, having risen to the middle stage of the Demonic Zenith, had gained a sharper sense.
In the Sword Demon's eyes, the infinite potential and innate talent of that child were clearly visible.
"I guarantee it! The next generation will surely be led by this child!"
The Sword Demon glanced at the Heavenly Demon. The Heavenly Demon seemed to be listening to the Blood Demon's words with one ear and letting them out the other, as usual.
"I saw on my way here, but the disciples of the Heavenly Demon Cult are quite disappointing! There are no talents! Hehehe."
Normally, the Sword Demon would have just ignored the Blood Demon's words.
The child the Blood Demon had brought was outstanding, but he had no doubt that the Heavenly Demon Cult would be the one to hold hegemony over the Central Plains in the end.
But from a while ago, every time the Heavenly Demon heard the Blood Demon's words, an unexplainable anger kept boiling up inside him.
"Yes! 20 years! No, in exactly 10 years, the best among the rising stars will come from our Blood Cult! Isn't that right?"
"Hmph!"
At the sudden sound of a snort, the Blood Demon's head turned as if it had broken, towards the source of the sound. There, the Sword Demon was standing with his arms crossed, puffing out his chest.
"What did you say?"
"We have one too!"
"You're saying there's a talent in the Heavenly Demon Cult who is superior to this child?"
"That's right! We have a talent in our Heavenly Demon Cult who is faaaaar superior to that child! Of course, the number one rising star in the future will also come from our Heavenly Demon Cult!"
"Hah! Sword Demon! Just because you've risen from the entrance to the middle stage of the Demonic Zenith in the short time I haven't seen you, you dare to try to match me!"
The elders here all looked at the Sword Demon in surprise at the Blood Demon's words. Only the Heavenly Demon was as calm as he was at the beginning.
"I haven't lied, so did I say something I shouldn't have!"
"Heh heh. Alright! If you haven't lied, you should be able to bring that child before me right now!"
"There's no reason I can't!"
"Then, to prove that you haven't lied, say that child's name right here and now!"
The Sword Demon loudly said the three characters of the name written on one side of the answer sheet with heaven and earth reversed, which had come to his mind.
"Yoo Jae-ha! Our kid is ten times! No! A hundred times more outstanding than your kid!”
(End of Chapter)