Episode 425

I Won’t Fall Because I’m Not Alone (4)

 

The night in the Celestial Demon Troupe was dazzling.

 

Countless lanterns lit the city so brightly that the phrase ‘a city that never sleeps’ seemed perfectly suited to it. Torches were placed everywhere, and numerous martial artists maintained an impenetrable security net, vigilantly guarding the perimeter.

 

The night was long and tedious, not a single guard was found slacking off or distracted.

 

A young scholar walked alone through the city’s nighttime streets.

 

He walked briskly, clearly headed somewhere with purpose.

 

At that moment, a voice stopped him.

 

“You there. Stop right there.”

 

The scholar stopped and looked toward the source of the voice. A group of martial artists on patrol was approaching him.

 

The scholar slightly bowed and asked,

 

“What is the matter?”

 

“Haven’t seen you before. State your identity and destination.”

 

The martial artists scrutinized the scholar with sharp eyes.

 

As they held out torches and demanded proof of identity, a fierce aura emanated from them.

 

Not long ago, Celestial Demon Troupe had undergone a massive internal purge starting with the slums. Incompetent or corrupt individuals were removed and replaced with fresh blood.

 

The guards patrolling now were all newly appointed during that time. Perhaps because they had recently taken on important roles, their bodies brimmed with discipline and alertness.

 

If the scholar had shown even a hint of suspicion, they would have arrested him on the spot. However, the scholar showed no fear as he pulled an identification plaque from his robe.

 

“My name is Hwang Pyo-hak, sent from the Western Heaven Pavilion.”

 

“Hwang Pyo-hak?”

 

The martial artists frowned as they took the identification token.

 

The token contained detailed records of Hwang Pyo-hak’s background. They alternated their gaze between the token and the scholar’s face.

 

Western Heaven Pavilion was one of the Five Pavilions of Celestial Demon Troupe.

 

Northern Heaven Pavilion, Eastern Heaven Pavilion, Western Heaven Pavilion, Southern Heaven Pavilion, and the Central Heaven Pavilion.

 

These five pavilions were responsible for guarding the Celestial Demon Troupe’s outer perimeter.

 

Hwang Pyo-hak belonged to the Western Heaven Pavilion, which oversaw the western defenses.

 

“What business does the Western Heaven Pavilion have at this hour?”

“The Pavilion Lord ordered me to deliver a letter to the Divine Demon Temple.”

“Divine Demon Temple?”

The guards exchanged glances.

Divine Demon Temple was one of the most restricted zones in the Celestial Demon Temple and the residence of the Ten Blood Demons.

The Ten Blood Demons were the top martial masters in Celestial Demon Temple—so much so that even the Alliance Lord, Go Geom-wol, dared not treat them lightly. It was only natural that most people were reluctant even to utter their names.

The guards’ demeanor immediately became cautious.

“Who in the Divine Demon Temple is the letter addressed to?”

“The Pavilion Lord ordered me to deliver it directly to the Palace Lord.”

 

“Mm! You mean Elder Yang Guang-baek?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Yang Guang-baek, head of the Ten Blood Demons and , was the second most powerful figure in the Celestial Demon Troupe after Go Geom-wol. Delivering a letter to him was beyond the authority of a mere patrol guard.

 

One of the guards asked respectfully.

 

“May we at least inspect the seal?”

 

“I’m afraid not. The Pavilion Lord ordered it be handed directly to the Palace Lord. Such an important letter…”

 

He didn’t finish his sentence, but the guards understood.

 

They had no right to demand to see a letter meant solely for the Palace Lord.

 

“We don’t intend to read its contents, only to verify the seal of the Pavilion Lord.”

 

“In that case…”

 

Hwang Pyo-hak finally understood and pulled out the letter.

 

Moments later, they handed the letter back.

 

“The seal is authentic. Our apologies. You may proceed.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

“We’ll give you a token. If other guards stop you, show them the token and they’ll let you pass.”

 

They handed him a small bronze token.

 

“Make sure to return it on your way out.”

 

“I will.”

 

“Hurry along. The Palace Lord will be waiting for you.”

 

“Yes, sir.”

 

Hwang Pyo-hak passed through the guards.

 

Once he turned a corner and was out of sight, Hwang Pyo-hak unclenched his fist.

 

His palm was drenched in cold sweat.

 

“As expected of the Celestial Demon Troupe. They don’t tolerate even a moment of carelessness. Whew…”

 

Hwang Pyo-hak touched his neck, checking if his disguise had come loose.

 

He was not Hwang Pyo-hak. His real name was Ki Jin-hwi.

 

He had killed Hwang Pyo-hak and stolen his identity.

 

Ki Jin-hwi was terrified by the Celestial Demon Troupe’s tight security.

 

If he had impersonated a fictional identity instead of a real one, he was certain he would have been caught.

 

Even the letter he carried was authentic, issued by the Western Heaven Pavilion Lord Geol Sang-sang. Had it been forged, he would have been exposed.

 

‘So this is where you’re hiding?’

 

He was sure that Gyeong Chu-wol was hiding somewhere in the Celestial Demon Troupe.

 

He had already searched every possible place. Only a few remained, and among them was the Divine Demon Temple.

 

Hoping to find Gyeong Chu-wol in the Divine Demon Temple, Ki Jin-hwi pressed onward.

 

As he neared the Temple, tension grew on his face. The Divine Demon Temple was one of Celestial Demon Troupe’s most sacred sites.

 

Aside from the Ten Blood Demons, countless other elite warriors gathered there. Walking into such a place was like stepping into hell.

 

Part of him wanted to turn back and leave the Celestial Demon Troupe immediately. But he couldn’t give up on capturing Gyeong Chu-wol.

 

If he remained hidden in the Celestial Demon Troupe, the repercussions would be endless. That’s why Ki Jin-hwi had risked infiltrating the Celestial Demon Troupe.

 

‘Damn it! I miss the squad leader.’

 

The tension reminded him of Lee Gwak.

 

Since tracking Gyeong Chu-wol and entering Celestial Demon Troupe, he had received no news about Lee Gwak.

 

Because of that, he had no idea how Jianghu was faring or what Lee Gwak was up to.

 

Ki Jin-hwi shook his head, forcing the thoughts away, and continued walking.

 

He encountered several more patrols, but showing the pass allowed him to pass without issue.

 

‘Is this the Divine Demon Temple?’

 

Finally entering the Divine Demon Temple, Ki Jin-hwi cautiously surveyed his surroundings.

 

The Divine Demon Temple was even larger and more magnificent than it appeared from the outside.

 

As befitting the gathering place of Celestial Demon Troupe’s strongest martial artists, an overwhelming sense of power filled the air.

 

Upon his arrival, the chief steward of Divine Demon Temple greeted him.

 

“You’ve brought a letter from the Western Heaven Pavilion master?”

 

“Yes. Here…”

 

Ki Jin-hwi handed the letter to the chief steward.

 

After verifying the seal, the steward carefully stored the letter and said,

 

“I’ll deliver the Western Heaven Pavilion master’s letter directly to the Palace Lord. You may wait in the guest quarters.”

 

“Understood.”

 

Ki Jin-hwi bowed deeply.

 

The steward studied him briefly before heading inside.

 

Left alone, Ki Jin-hwi was guided by a martial artist from the Divine Demon Temple.

 

“Follow me.”

 

He led Ki Jin-hwi to a sizable guesthouse.

 

The Divine Demon Temple wasn’t inhabited solely by the Ten Blood Demons. Lower-ranking martial artists, servants, and guards all resided there as well.

 

The guesthouse was where these individuals stayed.

 

“You may use this room.”

 

The martial artist assigned Ki Jin-hwi an empty room.

 

“Thank you.”

 

“And a warning—don’t wander around at night.”

 

“Understood.”

 

“Then rest well.”

 

The martial artist gave Ki Jin-hwi one last look before leaving.

 

Alone, Ki Jin-hwi breathed a sigh of relief.

 

“I’ve managed to get inside, but…”

 

Celestial Demon Troupe was a fortress.

 

Many had tried to infiltrate it; few succeeded. Even if they did, escaping was even harder.

 

Fortunately, Ki Jin-hwi had visited the troupe once before as part of a diplomatic envoy, so he knew the terrain and possible escape routes. However, that was long ago, and much could have changed since then.

 

Still, he couldn’t just sit and wait.

 

Quietly, Ki Jin-hwi left the guesthouse.

 

Luckily, no one paid him any attention.

 

Feigning the appearance of a regular palace member, he calmly roamed the palace.

 

The interior of Divine Demon Temple was surprisingly free.

 

It was extremely difficult to get in, but once inside, a degree of freedom was allowed.

 

Perhaps it was a display of confidence—who would dare intrude into the heart of Celestial Demon Troupe?

 

Thanks to that, Ki Jin-hwi was able to explore the palace with relative ease.

 

‘Not here, not here either…’

 

Ki Jin-hwi scanned his surroundings as naturally as possible.

 

Then, his eyes caught a crowd gathered in one spot.

 

Curious, he moved closer.

 

Boom!

 

“Ugh!”

 

A violent impact and a stifled groan rang out.

 

Ki Jin-hwi bit his lip instinctively.

 

‘Madness!’

 

A boy, no older than ten, rolled on the ground, covered in blood.

 

He had been beaten so severely he was barely conscious. Standing over him was an old man with blue hair, blue eyebrows, and a blue beard.

 

In all of Celestial Demon Troupe, only one person matched that description.

 

Severing Moon Demon Sword, Yang Guang-baek

 

The lord of Divine Demon Temple and leader of the Ten Blood Demons, Yang Guang-baek, coldly stared at the boy writhing on the ground.

 

“Get up. Humans don’t die from something like this.”

 

Whether he heard or not, the boy twitched like a worm. His pitiable state made even the onlookers grimace..

 

“The Palace Lord is truly ruthless.”

 

“I heard he’s the Alliance Lord’s disciple. Since the Lord can’t train him, the Palace Lord must push him hard…”

 

Yang Guang-baek was pushing the boy to his absolute limits.

 

It was unbearably cruel for a child with no martial foundation. None present had ever experienced such brutality at that age.

 

Everyone assumed the boy would collapse. But then, he struggled to his feet.

 

His body was bruised and bleeding, yet his eyes blazed brightly.

 

‘What…!’

 

The moment he saw those eyes, Ki Jin-hwi felt his breath catch.

 

The boy’s gaze wasn’t human—it was that of a starving beast.

 

A starved predator, eyes gleaming with poisonous fury.

 

Ki Jin-hwi had never seen such eyes before.

 

The boy’s name was Jang Cheon-hwa.

 

A child Go Geom-wol had rescued from the slums’ fighting pits.

 

Now under Yang Guang-baek’s care, he was enduring brutal training.

 

Yang Guang-baek pushed him beyond what could be called harsh—it was outright cruel for a boy who knew nothing of martial arts.

 

But Jang Cheon-hwa never once complained, rising to glare at Yang Guang-baek.

 

Yang Guang-baek smirked coldly at him.

 

‘What are you doing? Glaring like that won’t kill your enemy. You look no different from a frightened dog with its tail between its legs.”

 

Crack!

 

In an instant, Jang Cheon-hwa kicked off the ground and lunged at Yang Guang-baek.

 

The boy’s tightly clenched fist shot straight for Yang Guang-baek’s solar plexus. It was a sharp, ruthless strike—unnaturally fierce for a child. But it wasn’t nearly enough to touch Yang Guang-baek.

 

Boom!

 

With a casual flick of his wrist, Yang Guang-baek struck Jang Cheon-hwa in the abdomen, sending him flying backward.

 

It was the Resonance Palm technique.

 

A brutal method that sent countless vibrations through the palm to shatter the opponent’s insides. And he had just used it on a child whose bones and muscles were still underdeveloped.

 

“GAAAH!”

 

This time, Jang Cheon-hwa couldn’t hold back his scream. Blood gushed from his mouth as if his entire body was being torn apart. The shock was unbearable, forcing him to his knees. Yet even in that state, he glared at Yang Guang-baek with terrifying eyes.

 

“I’ll… kill you!”

 

His voice dripped with a bone-chilling killing intent.

 

The murderous aura radiating from the boy was so intense that even the hardened warriors of Jinma Palace shuddered.

 

Ki Jin-hwi was no exception.

 

‘Madness… What kind of killing intent is this?!’

 

His flesh crawled just from the boy’s aura.

 

In all his life, Ki Jin-hwi had never seen a child with such overwhelming bloodlust.

 

Yang Guang-baek smirked at Jang Cheon-hwa.

 

“You’re still far from ready. And truly strong warriors don’t leak killing intent like you, unable to control themselves. If you want to become truly strong, you must learn to conceal your bloodlust.”

 

“I—”

 

Thud!

 

The boy collapsed like a rotten log.

 

Only then did Yang Guang-baek’s expression soften slightly and he turned to the nearby warriors.

 

“Take Master Jang to the Demon Physician for treatment.”

 

“Yes, sir!”

 

The Demon Physician was Celestial Demon Troupe’s greatest healer. As long as the patient wasn’t already dead, he could heal any injury, no matter how severe.

 

Yang Guang-baek’s Resonance Palm destroyed the body from the inside. Normally, anyone hit by it would suffer a slow, agonizing death. But those who endured and survived the technique would gain an unparalleled physique.

 

Depending on how it was used, the technique could produce effects similar to the orthodox sects’ Bone Cleansing method.

 

Yang Guang-baek stared at his own hand.

 

He had pushed Jang Cheon-hwa to his limits, yet the boy held on for a long time before finally passing out.

 

His hand trembled slightly with excitement.

 

He had trained many prodigies in his lifetime, but Jang Cheon-hwa was the first to send such a thrill down his spine.

 

It wasn’t just talent—his temperament was monstrously fierce. No one else had ever possessed such a destructive, overwhelming nature.

 

Yang Guang-baek muttered under his breath.

 

“I’m almost afraid of what he’ll become.”

 

His words resonated with everyone present.

 

Ki Jin-hwi swallowed dryly.

 

‘A monster is being raised in the Celestial Demon Troupe…’

 

For a moment, he forgot about his mission to find Gyeong Chu-wol, his gaze fixed on Jang Cheon-hwa as he was carried away.