Chapter 4: Chapter 4

In the past, his body had been exceptional.

Demonic Spirit Body.

The body, born with demonic qi from birth, could easily and quickly learn any supreme demonic martial art.

To the extent that if he had not been born with the Demonic Spirit Body, he would not have become the Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Cult without learning the Heavenly Demon Divine Art along with the reputation of the Absolute Heavenly Demon.

That was how special the Demonic Spirit Body was. But as he observed his body now, this body naturally brought the Demonic Spirit Body to mind.

‘To be exact, it is at the complete opposite extreme of the Demonic Spirit Body.’

The Twelve Standard Meridians that had been tightly blocked were refreshingly wide open, and the Eight Extraordinary Meridians that had been a mess were as solid as a cow’s sinews.

Furthermore, the qi of Mother Nature mixed with the qi of the Purple Perilla Pill was rapidly circulating through the blood vessels, firmly solidifying his acupoints.

If it had ended here, there would have been no reason to think of the Demonic Spirit Body.

However.

‘It starts from here.’

The Mind’s Eye that had been observing went down endlessly. Arriving at the abdomen, the Mind’s Eye examined the Lower Dantian deep inside.

The Lower Dantian, which had been stiffly hardened due to the blocked Twelve Standard Meridians, had expanded like a vast ocean and showed a spotless appearance thanks to absorbing all the qi.

Like a newborn child.

Even if one achieved the state of Shedding Mortality and Reconstructing the Bones, it could not be this clean.

This feeling was a first.

‘With this level of cleanliness, no matter what qi existing in the world is accumulated, it would show rapid achievement.’

This was the greatest advantage of this currently unidentifiable body.

Accepting all qi.

The Demonic Spirit Body, which harbored demonic qi from birth but possessed opposing qi.

The current body, which was completely empty but could accept all qi and was free.

Existence and Nonexistence, Demonic and Emptiness.

The two bodies started from completely opposite extremes, but their outstanding points were the same.

‘Furthermore, this is better right now.’

If it were in the past when he was Dokgo Gu Yeon, the Demonic Spirit Body would have been good, but for his current self, this very body was optimal.

Was that all.

Not only did this current head contain countless immeasurable martial arts, but it also held the experiences of learning peerless martial arts and facing them.

But to obtain such an outstanding body on top of that?

It was like giving wings to a tiger.

The corners of his eyes curved.

‘I merely tried to cure the Yin-Yang Supreme Spirit Severed Meridians because my life was in danger, but luck followed me. I hit the jackpot properly too.’

Every situation that had unfolded in just a single day was smiling at him.

With this level of a physical body, I could regain my former martial prowess faster than I thought.

After observing his body thoroughly several times with a face full of satisfaction.

‘This much is enough for now.’

After thoroughly grasping his body’s condition, he slowly opened his closed eyes.

Afterwards, he gently scanned the surroundings.

The pitch-black darkness that had settled down was swallowing the interior of the thatched cottage like a bottomless pit.

‘Time sure flowed quickly.’

When he opened the window, the time outside had passed considerably more than what he had thought in his head.

The full moon, which had faintly shown its face from within the clouds in the sky as if embarrassed, was floating roundly, and the pouring blue moonlight was gradually dyeing the Mount Hua Sect, which had been red just during the day, in blue.

He was captivated by the profound scenery that made him focus his gaze.

‘Moonlight, huh…….’

Was it because he had only seen the luminous pearl of the cave for ten years, the blue moonlight he saw after a long time was welcoming and slightly melted his hardened heart.

Thud…

He immediately lay down spread-eagle.

‘Now what is left is martial arts……. Which one should I touch. The Heavenly Demon Divine Art as expected? No, rather than that, the Nine Heavens Demonic Art that shows the fastest achievement? First, if I lay the foundation of the Lower Dantian with the Nine Heavens Demonic Art and then focus on the Returning Heaven Demonic Binding, up to the Heavenly Demon Divine Art…….’

While thinking like that, he paused.

‘……Does it necessarily have to be a demonic art?’

He had handled most of the supreme demonic arts present in the Heavenly Demon Cult.

But to regurgitate the same thing?

It did not satisfy his heart at all.

Furthermore, right now I am not Dokgo Gu Yeon but Cheon-hwi, a disciple of the Mount Hua Sect?

If by any chance someone were to notice the demonic qi, it was obvious that troublesome matters like being called a spy or a public enemy of the murim would occur?

Weighing the future, he organized his thoughts.

There was no absolute need to learn a demonic art.

Since things are like this, wouldn’t it be much more fun to learn the martial arts of the Orthodox Faction?

Upon thinking of getting to learn new martial arts, a beaming smile formed on his face.

In the past, there had been many martial arts manuals of the Orthodox Faction that had been stolen a long time ago in the Heavenly Demon Library, but he could only read them and could not learn them.

Because orthodox supreme martial arts were at odds with demonic qi.

But now an opportunity had arisen.

Then now the demonic arts would be naturally pushed aside.

He calmly recalled the martial arts of the Mount Hua Sect.

Their martial arts had been truly flashy.

Every time they swung their swords, flowers bloomed, and a thick scent of plum blossoms scattered…….

Pfft, a laugh leaked out.

Thinking about it, it was a funny sight.

It was as if they were bragging in all directions to the enemy that they were here.

‘Still, there was a taste to seeing it.’

It was much better to look at than the fisticuffs of the bald monks, the cudgeling of the beggar bastards, or the bizarre act of drawing circles with a sword by the horse-nosed Daoist bastards of the Wudang Sect.

‘Now all I have to do is learn that?’

Along with that thought, he recalled one by one the supreme techniques of the Mount Hua Sect that had been stuck in the corner of the Heavenly Demon Library covered in dust.

While recalling the Heaven’s Origin Clear Heart Method, the Nine Palaces Anti-Heaven Sword, the Immortal Cloud Resting Lone Peak, the Nine Palaces Footwork, and the Jade Ring Wondrous Step he had personally witnessed, he suddenly flinched for a moment.

‘Come to think of it, the Jade Ring Wondrous Step is…….’

The footwork that Hyeon-ryeo had shown this morning suddenly came to mind.

‘That was the Jade Ring Wondrous Step, right?’

The Jade Ring Wondrous Step that he knew was, just like its name, a footwork that was steep as if carved from jade while also invoking illusions.

But the Jade Ring Wondrous Step she had shown merely moved quickly, and the phantom steps that should have been smeared here and there were absent.

‘Maybe it wasn’t? It was similar though.’

As he fell into thoughts about the Jade Ring Wondrous Step like that, along with his deepening worries, the night sky also grew deeper and deeper.

* * *

The next morning.

He slowly stretched and got up.

What had been slightly stiff until just yesterday had completely healed and felt light.

“Then…….”

I whispered and got out of the old bed.

“Shall I go.”

If I had gathered information by listening with my ears for three days, now it was time to run around with my feet.

I put on the Daoist robe that mingled red and black colors, which I had confirmed upon arriving yesterday.

And I looked at the sword placed to one side.

It was probably the item of the one called master.

A longsword with a length of three cheok and three chon.

It was not a sword for a young Daoist to wield.

I whipped my body around.

As I opened the door of the small thatched cottage, the cold air unique to early dawn wrapped around my lungs.

“Huu……. It’s refreshing.”

The place where the thatched cottage was located was one of the peaks of Mount Hua, the Falling Goose Peak.

Was it because it was a high place even in Mount Hua.

The surrounding scenery could be seen at a glance.

First of all, steep peaks that looked as if they had been carved with a knife were visible, and beautiful plum blossom trees were blooming in the surroundings.

‘Unlike the dull Tianshan, it is nice to look at.’

Tianshan was higher and more massive than Mount Hua.

However, it did not overflow with a pleasant vitality just from looking at it like this.

It was because of the eternal snow and the beasts.

Still, thanks to those beasts, I had eaten well and lived well even in that barren environment.

Was it because I recalled the chewy wolf and tiger meat that I occasionally hunted and ate before going into closed-door training for ten years, saliva pooled in my mouth.

I should eat some meat later too.

Thus, recalling an extension of this plan, I hurriedly stepped forward.

Step… Step…

Thus, while going down along the narrow mountain path, I slowly took in the surrounding scenery.

The scent of plum blossoms in full bloom all around tickled the tip of my nose, and the gigantic pavilions seen sparsely captivated my vision.

How long did I go down like that.

The steep mountain path gradually became flat.

Along with that, large pavilions stood in a row.

From the Pearl Plum Hall where the second-generation disciples stayed, the Flowerless Hall where the third-generation disciples stayed, to the Martial Training Pavilion where the first-generation disciples stayed.

However, contrary to the information, the pavilions where they stayed were all quiet.

At that moment, a small sound was heard.

“Hap! Hap!”

As I focused my mind and pricked up my ears, a shout of concentration was heard from a distance.

Then that place must be either the Peach Grove Field, the training ground of the second-generation disciples, or the Sedge Dream Field, the training ground of the first-generation disciples.

I racked my brain based on the shouts of concentration.

After a while, an internal map of the Mount Hua Sect was briefly drawn, albeit roughly.

Then if I go this way…….

I abruptly turned my footsteps.

After continuously walking like that for about fifteen minutes, I stopped at a slightly old pavilion.

I finally found it!

I looked at the signboard prominently written at the entrance, the Ten Thousand Scenery Pavilion.

The library, where all the martial arts manuals possessed by the Mount Hua Sect were gathered and organized in one place, was composed of a total of three floors and had a considerable height.

‘Then shall I skim through the martial arts of the Mount Hua Sect now.’

I approached the Ten Thousand Scenery Pavilion enveloped in a sense of desolation and grabbed the closed door handle.

Creeeak…

As soon as the door opened, what welcomed me was neither books nor bookshelves, but a middle-aged Daoist.

“Oh-ho, isn’t this Hwi?”

The middle-aged Daoist with a wrinkled impression ran over in one breath and stroked my head.

‘Is stroking heads some sort of greeting here? It’s going to wear out and disappear.’

By the time I looked at the middle-aged Daoist, the Pavilion Master of the Ten Thousand Scenery Pavilion, Hyeon-cheong, who stroked my head following the Sect Leader, his mouth opened.

“Just as Sect Leader Senior Brother said today, you safely passed a great crisis. Yes, what business brings you to the Ten Thousand Scenery Pavilion?”

“I want to read……. some martial arts manuals.”

Perhaps because polite speech had not yet stuck perfectly to my mouth, my words cut off abruptly. However, Hyeon-cheong widened his eyes at the content contained in the words rather than that sense of disparity.

“You mean martial arts manuals?”

“Yes.”

“Hahaha, alright. Since your body has healed, you are taking an interest in martial arts now.”

Hyeon-cheong laughed loudly, finding something good. Soon, he stepped aside and opened his mouth.

“Since this is your first visit, I shall explain it to you.”

Presently, the interior of the Ten Thousand Scenery Pavilion became visible.

‘Oho?’

The corners of my mouth twitched.

Although smaller compared to the Heavenly Demon Library, the Ten Thousand Scenery Pavilion was much larger than a normal pavilion.

And the inside was completely filled with books, filling it with the unique smell of paper.

“On the first floor are all sorts of miscellaneous books and martial arts manuals widely known in the Central Plains, on the second floor are martial arts manuals that registered disciples can learn, and on the very top third floor are martial arts manuals containing the supreme martial arts that the core disciples of our sect can learn. If it were a registered disciple who has not yet received a Daoist title, it would be up to the second floor, but for you, who is a core disciple and a direct disciple, you can freely view anywhere in this pavilion.”

The corners of my mouth twitched.

‘Just how many volumes is this in total?’

Upon thinking of the countless martial arts manuals I was about to see soon, a pleasant laugh leaked out.

When I was satisfied for the first time with the results of the Eternal Immortality Reigning Great Art, which I had continuously been dissatisfied with.

“Hoho.”

Hyeon-cheong let out a laugh.

Looking at Cheon-hwi whose two eyes were sparkling, he stroked with his hand the beard that had grown sparsely because it hadn’t been trimmed for a long time.

‘I thought you had no interest in martial arts, but it turns out you had been hiding your true feelings all this time, afraid that you would cause worry because of your poor physical condition.’

A feeling of pity arose.

The child brought by the youngest Junior Brother.

At first, everyone thought he was a child who would inherit the true legacy of the Junior Brother who was the next First Sword of Mount Hua, but the moment they personally witnessed him, everyone had realized without needing anyone to say it first.

That this child’s body was a mess.

‘Hoho, but to think it was resolved like this by the Purple Perilla Pill and the martial nephew’s medical skills, it would have been good if the youngest Junior Brother had seen it…….’

Tears obscured his vision.

The youngest Junior Brother was a treasure of Mount Hua.

Because they thought he would reach the Heavenly Martial Realm at a considerably early age, possessing an innate talent capable of restoring the reputation of the Mount Hua Sect which had recently become nominal.

However, that became a mere dream.

Eight years ago, he passed away in the battle against Baek Gwi-seong, and due to that, Cheon-hwi became even more passive.

‘It is a relief that his body has healed.’

Should it be said that misunderstanding breeds misunderstanding.

Hyeon-cheong’s gaze became even warmer.

However, Cheon-hwi, whose everything was already captivated by the Ten Thousand Scenery Pavilion, went straight inside without noticing.

‘Sseup, it’s a shame but first starting from the third floor.’

Cheon-hwi forcefully moved his reluctant feet and strode up the stairs.

Thus he went up to the third floor, and shone the light in his eyes at the bookshelves filling his sight.

Mental methods, sword arts, fist arts, palm arts, finger arts…….

Cheon-hwi, who was scanning the plaques written on each bookshelf, stopped at one place.

He looked at the sign written as ‘Lightfoot Arts’ on the side of the bookshelf.

Turning to the side immediately, he skimmed through the titles densely written on the bookshelf.

The Dark Cloud Spitting Thunder, the Heavenly Dragon Escaping Clouds, the Butcher Hand Single Step, the Nine Palaces Footwork, and so on.

The footworks exactly known when thinking of the Mount Hua Sect were all gathered there.

Sseup.

His eyes naturally went to several footworks, but he held back with effort and rolled his eyes.

“Jade Ring Wondrous Step, Jade Ring Wondrous Step…….”

Not long after searching for the Jade Ring Wondrous Step while murmuring softly.

“Here it is!”

He immediately reached out his hand and took out the book.

Seeing the martial arts manual with ‘Jade Ring Wondrous Step’ clearly written on it, his body became excited.

A new martial arts manual after a long time.

His eyes started to become bloodshot with excitement, and a twisted smile was held on his mouth.

It was a scene that brought to mind what his close aides at that time called him, the Martial Mad Ghost.

Flip!

The moment he immediately turned the page of the martial arts manual.

“Huh? This is the Jade Ring Wondrous Step?”

A voice full of bewilderment slipped out.

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