Chapter 164: Chapter 164
“Do you know the mnemonic?”
The highly agitated Cheon-yang-gong shouted, spitting saliva.
Disgusting.
Cheon-hwi turned his body to the side to avoid the spit and opened his mouth.
“I am saying it because I know it. You are asking the obvious.”
Cheon-yang-gong’s eyes were engulfed in confusion.
The Nine Underworlds Demonic Fire Art was the fundamental divine art and supreme demonic martial art existing in the Cheon Clan.
Therefore, there were only two people in the Cheon Clan who knew the latter half of the mnemonic.
“Only the Patriarch and the Young Patriarch know the latter half of the mnemonic, so how…”
“Someone at my level would know.”
“What are you…”
“Hmm, feeling it directly might be faster to understand than me telling you the mnemonic.”
Cheon-hwi’s hand moved.
Startled by the hand gesture, Cheon-yang-gong instinctively reached out to block it, but…
Smack!
Cheon-hwi mercilessly swatted away his hand as if chasing away a fly.
“Don’t do anything useless and just remember the spots I poke from now on.”
As soon as those words ended.
Tap, tap, tap…
Cheon-hwi poked Cheon-yang-gong’s acupoints.
Starting from the Baihui acupoint at the upper dantian, he poked a total of forty-six spots all over his body.
The speed was so fast that Cheon-yang-gong was struggling just to memorize them.
“Did you remember?”
To Cheon-hwi’s question, Cheon-yang-gong answered by arousing his internal energy instead.
Fwooosh!
Demonic flowers bloomed from his body.
At the same time, Cheon-yang-gong was inwardly surprised.
‘This is impossible…’
He had no intention of blooming the demonic flowers.
He had merely circulated his internal energy following the acupoints that were poked earlier, but…
The Nine Underworlds Demonic Fire Art moved on its own.
Very naturally, as if water was flowing from top to bottom.
‘Has there ever been a case like this…!’
While flustered, Cheon-yang-gong hurriedly observed the flow of the internal energy.
And he focused his mind.
‘If it flows like this…’
The internal energy that flowed according to the mnemonic of the Nine Underworlds Demonic Fire Art naturally followed the acupoints that were poked just before, and soon became a single path.
It was the Great Heavenly Circulation.
Flash!
Cheon-yang-gong’s eyes flashed open, and a terrible demonic energy emanated in all directions.
“Ha, haha!”
Cheon-yang-gong tilted his head back and burst into laughter laden with internal energy towards the sky.
“To think my rationality does not snap even after drawing out this much internal energy of the Nine Underworlds Demonic Fire Art!”
A sense of elation rose from within.
Ever since leaving the Heavenly Demon Cult, he had thought there was no way to master the Nine Underworlds Demonic Fire Art.
But how was it now.
‘A fortuitous encounter has come to me too!’
But at that moment.
His heart sank.
‘Why is it not ending?’
He had reached the last poked acupoint, but the Great Heavenly Circulation had not yet ended.
That meant only one thing.
“Did you deliberately tell me less of the mnemonic?”
At his question, Cheon-hwi smirked.
“Am I crazy enough to tell you everything? If I did, you would just run away.”
The moment those words ended.
“Keuk!”
It was because the internal energy that was vigorously circulating the acupoints suddenly lost its way, snapped off, and was rapidly losing its strength.
At the same time, his head throbbed.
At the omen that came before a rampage, he quickly collected his internal energy.
“How is it? The mnemonic is correct, right?”
“…”
Cheon-yang-gong, who was shaking his head holding it in pain, frowned and said.
“When will the rest of the mnemonic…”
“That depends on how you do.”
Cheon-yang-gong’s eyebrows twitched.
Following that, he asked carefully.
“…What do I have to do?”
“It’s nothing much.”
Cheon-hwi smirked.
“You just have to work for me.”
* * *
A short while later, Cheon-yang-gong, who followed Cheon-hwi and arrived at the Plum Blossom Inn, narrowed his brow.
“Why are there so many people…”
The Plum Blossom Inn was overflowing with people, and a long line stretched out at the entrance.
The business was doing surprisingly well, better than any place he had seen recently.
Was it because of that.
Curiosity settled in a corner of his mind.
‘Why are they lining up like this?’
However, he forced it away.
What was important now was not that, but the words spat out by the person walking in front of him right now.
Cheon-yang-gong looked back and forth between the inn and Cheon-hwi and asked.
“Are you telling me to work at this inn?”
“Why? Do you hate it?”
Cheon-yang-gong’s eyebrows frowned.
“What exactly are you telling me to do at the inn? Are you telling me to receive guests, or cook?”
“What you have to do is…”
When Cheon-hwi was about to speak.
“Kyaaak!”
“It’s a sword fight! Everyone run away!”
A crashing sound was heard from inside the inn, and the customers rushed out.
“This is perfect timing. Follow me.”
Cheon-hwi walked into the inn, contrary to the customers rushing out.
“I will cut off your neck!”
“Alright, try to cut it! Your neck will be cut off before that!”
Two men were confronting each other with weapons over a table.
Cheon-hwi pointed at the two and said.
“Do you see those guys? If there are guys acting wildly like them in the inn, beat them up.”
As he spoke, he made eye contact.
“That is what you have to do here.”
“…Does that mean you are telling me to guard the inn?”
“Right. How is it, it’s easy, right?”
Cheon-yang-gong was speechless.
It was easy, but to teach the mnemonic of the Nine Underworlds Demonic Fire Art just to guard an inn… Was it not hard to understand?
At that time, Cheon-hwi urged him.
“Then start from now.”
“Now?”
Cheon-hwi pointed at the two with his index finger.
“There are two guys destroying the inn over there. What are you doing not going quickly? Don’t you want to learn the remaining mnemonic?”
At those words, Cheon-yang-gong showed an expression of having no choice and moved his steps.
At that time, Cheon-hwi transmitted a sound message.
[Absolutely do not kill them. And naturally, do not use demonic energy.]
“Tsk, how picky.”
Cheon-yang-gong took a step forward.
Step…
At that moment, his figure disappeared.
And then he appeared in the middle of the two confronting each other and stretched out his hands to the left and right.
Grab!
Cheon-yang-gong blocked both of their mouths with his palms and lifted them up.
“Eup! Eup!”
“Uuuugh!”
As they struggled, Cheon-yang-gong stared at the two, exuding terrible murderous intent.
The eyes of the two were dyed in fear.
Drip. Drip.
Drops of water fell on the floor.
“Such dirty things.”
Looking at the two who wet themselves from being overwhelmed by the murderous intent, Cheon-yang-gong let go of their faces.
“Get lost quickly.”
Having fallen on their butts on the floor puddled with urine, they trembled at Cheon-yang-gong’s scolding and jumped up.
Tatadatatak!
And then they ran away without looking back.
“You’re doing well.”
When Cheon-hwi smiled in satisfaction.
“…Who is that person?”
Chief Steward Oh came closer and asked with a terrified expression.
“He is the person who will guard the inn from today.”
“The inn…?”
Chief Steward Oh gulped his saliva.
The murderous intent exuded just before was on a different level from what he had felt until now.
It was to the extent of being scary to approach.
It was as if a demonic head of the Jianghu he had only heard of in rumors had come.
However…
‘It’s a different story if he is an ally!’
The fear that lingered in Chief Steward Oh’s eyes disappeared as if washed away.
“I will go greet him.”
He hurriedly approached Cheon-yang-gong.
“Nice to meet you, Great Hero. I am Chief Steward Oh, the owner of this Plum Blossom Inn.”
Cheon-yang-gong’s brows furrowed.
“That guy is not the owner?”
When he asked while pointing at Cheon-hwi with his index finger, Chief Steward Oh sweated coldly and smiled awkwardly.
“Ha, haha. The Young Hero is the one who invested…”
Just as he was explaining his relationship with Cheon-hwi, the waiter who had hidden in the corner waiting for the fight to end came out.
“Is, is it over?”
Glancing at the inside of the inn, he discovered Cheon-hwi and flashed a bright smile.
“Daoist!”
Cheon-yang-gong, who was listening to Chief Steward Oh’s words, dug his ear with his finger at the word ‘Daoist’ from the waiter that suddenly came in.
It was a ridiculous title.
To call someone with such intense energy and cruel methods a Daoist.
‘It seems I am hearing auditory hallucinations because I used the Nine Underworlds Demonic Fire Art after a long time.’
He smiled and approached Cheon-hwi.
“Daoist, should I send it up to your room this time as well?”
But it was strange.
The auditory hallucinations continued to be heard.
“Daoist, what kind of tea should I prepare for you?”
“Give me Longjing tea.”
Only then did he realize it was not an auditory hallucination, and he pointed his finger at Cheon-hwi and shouted.
“That guy is a Daoist?!”
* * *
Time flowed quickly.
Before they knew it, the snow had stopped, and the tightly frozen valley water was melting.
Croak…
In time with that, a frog that woke up from long hibernation jumped out through the broken ice.
And the slightly warmer weather was also having a great impact on the Plum Blossom Inn.
‘This is great!’
The smile on Chief Steward Oh’s lips, who was counting the slips, showed no intention of leaving.
Dozens of days had passed since opening the Plum Blossom Inn.
During that time, he sold countless tassels and was securing regular customers one by one.
‘At this rate, I will repay all of the Young Hero’s money in less than a year.’
He expected it to do well, but as he raked in even more money than that, he naturally hummed.
‘Should I hurry up with making clothes as well.’
Just as he was thinking to push forward the second plan faster.
Crash!
“Who are you picking a fight with!?”
A fight broke out in the corner of the inn.
“Haa, again.”
Chief Steward Oh wrinkled his brow.
No matter how much the inn had quieted down thanks to Cheon-hwi, it was not true for everyone.
Some of the people who visited the inn for the first time repeatedly acted wildly like that when drunk.
Chief Steward Oh, who let out a sigh, approached Cheon-yang-gong, who was gulping down alcohol in a corner seat, and requested.
“Elder.”
“I know, I know. How does the fighting continue in an inn almost every day.”
Cheon-yang-gong stood up while putting down the liquor bottle he had been drinking straight from, complaining.
“If you are going to interfere with the business, get out immediately.”
The man, who was drunk and kicking the table, looked at Yang-gong with unglazed eyes.
“What? Leave? Has this old man gone senil…”
The voice of the man shouting loudly gradually became smaller.
It was because Cheon-yang-gong was glaring at him with a murderous look in his eyes, as if about to kill him.
“Hiccup… “
When the man overwhelmed by the gaze hiccuped, Cheon-yang-gong grabbed him by the collar.
“Hmph, a guy with no guts.”
Cheon-yang-gong lifted him up, then immediately threw him out the door.
Flying to the door without touching the floor even once, he hit the back of his head on the beaded curtain and let out a light sound.
Roll…
He rolled on the dirt ground.
“You should have left when I told you with words.”
When Cheon-yang-gong, who expertly kicked him out now, dusted off his hands and spoke.
“Kik.”
“Pfft.”
Laughter burst out from here and there.
“To act wildly when the Great Hero is inside.”
“Tsk tsk. He must not have heard the rumors of the Plum Blossom Inn.”
They whispered while looking at him who had fallen.
The current Plum Blossom Inn was doing business better than any other place right now.
Selling a unique item called tassels played a big part, but there was one policy that matched it.
No fighting allowed.
Inside the Plum Blossom Inn, any master had to hold their breath without making a peep.
Because all the prominent masters in this vicinity had rolled on the floor like that young man.
The man, who was rolling covered in dirt on the ground, jumped up and shouted.
“You dare touch me? Do you even know who I am…”
At that time, something flew from the window.
Crack!
The man who was hit by it fell backward and lay spread-eagle on the floor.
“So noisy.”
Cheon-hwi, who threw a liquor cup out the window, looked at the man with a bump and turned his eyes away.
‘Huh?’
There was someone approaching from afar.
“Martial Uncle!”
Jeok-geom came running breathlessly and shouted.
“The Sect Leader is calling you!”
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