Dark Heaven Village
Lee Kwang immediately began to deploy the Eight Trigrams Seal on the Captain of Golden Eagle Guards, who was captured. The Vision Torture Technique of the Thunder God Sect, known as the Eight Trigrams Seal, inflicted incredibly brutal pain, making it unbearable for anyone who wasn’t made of steel.
Bam!
“Ahhh! Please, save me… I’ll tell you everything!”
The pain was so intense that three blood vessels in the Captain’s temples burst simultaneously, glowing ominously. Lee Kwang paused the torment of the Eight Trigrams Seal and said with a hint of pity,
“You should have just talked earlier. But then again, it’s the Golden Eagle Guards, so I suppose it makes sense.”
“Ugh…”
As I observed that scene, I couldn’t help but click my tongue. I had experienced the Eight Trigrams Seal before, but the one undergoing it now seemed to be suffering in the depths of hell. It was no wonder that an elite member of the Golden Eagle Guards, trained to endure all forms of torture, couldn’t hold back and opened up his mouth.
“Where is General Hwang Yeon?”
“Ugh… He’s in Asan Hong…”
Crack!
Lee Kwang didn’t hesitate to pluck the Captain’s right eyeball out. The lens flowed out transparently as the Captain screamed.
“Ahhh!”
“He must think he can just toss out some fake information. Do you think I haven’t dealt with intelligence departments before?”
“I’m— I’m sorry… please… don’t kill me…”
Smash!
Lee Kwang crushed the eyeball underfoot. Then, he stated emotionlessly,
“Listen well. I can read your body’s reactions, the involuntary movements of your muscles, and even the tremors of your heart to determine what’s a lie and what’s not. Whatever you say, I’ll know immediately if it’s a lie or not.”
“Ugh… ugh…”
“Don’t think you’re safe from dying. I’ve kept one more of your comrades alive over there.”
The Captain’s face twisted with despair. At that very moment, he was truly broken. After hesitating, he finally spoke,
“Will you really spare me…?”
“It depends on the information you provide.”
For almost a full period of the incense burning, the Captain divulged the information. Occasionally, Lee Kwang would ask questions, and he answered eagerly. It was as if he believed that with Lee Kwang able to read his heartbeat, he couldn’t lie, which lent credibility to his information.
“Now for the second interrogation.”
After listening thoroughly, Lee Kwang stopped the bleeding and, after another period of incense’s burning, carefully extracted more information. It was almost a process of reaffirmation. As the Captain‘s strength waned and he was on the verge of passing out, Lee Kwang quietly pointed to his death point.
Thunk!
As the Captain‘s neck bent forward, Lee Kwang murmured,
“There won’t be any more pain.”
“Master, what do you plan to do now?”
Without a moment’s hesitation, Lee Kwang replied,
“I’m going back to the Imperial Palace.”
“What?!”
“If General Hwang Yeon is imprisoned in Luoyang’s Great Jail, it’s impossible to rescue him by force. Continuing this way would lead to treason.”
I couldn’t help but interject incredulously,
“Killing off the Golden Eagle Guards like this is already treason, isn’t it?”
“That would be the case for most. But not for me.”
“……?”
“There’s no time to explain in detail. Let’s burn all traces and leave.”
The three of us worked together to gather the corpses and remnants for half an incense’s duration. We piled them up, poured oil over them, and set them ablaze.
Whoosh!
The Golden Eagle Guards would likely handle it anyway, but it felt easier to take care of it ourselves. After all, there was a chance they might manipulate any martial markings left on the corpses to frame us.
‘This seems quite brutal, but I’ve grown pretty numb to it.’
The act of massacre and burning the bodies was indeed savage, but none of us in the present care about that. As the smell of burning flesh wafted pleasantly through the air, Lee Kwang remarked,
“There’s a girl lurking over there. Do you know her?”
“Pardon?”
“I’ve been debating whether to let her in or not since earlier.”
I concentrated my senses in the direction Lee Kwang was pointing. Sure enough, a girl peeked out from the bushes. I could easily guess that it was Miho, so I hurriedly called out,
“Miho! You followed us here?”
“Eep…”
Miho walked up to me with teary eyes, burying her head in my chest, looking as innocent and naïve as any girl could.
“I was scared…”
“Yeah, I understand…”
There was no way she could’ve been scared. She was probably watching like a fox, giggling from somewhere nearby. After assessing the situation, she acted as if she was joining us. While I pretended to soothe her, I couldn’t shake the fear that Lee Kwang might suddenly attack.
“I can hear your heart racing.”
Miho‘s face flushed slightly.
I was tense not because of Miho but due to the imminent life-or-death threat, yet I felt no need to explain this. I then introduced Miho to Lee Kwang,
“This is Miho, my companion. A Sorceress.”
“Hooh… a Sorceress.”
“She isn’t a suspicious child.”
“I’ll trust you.”
Lee Kwang accepted that without issue. I sighed inwardly in relief but broke into a sweat. I hadn’t exactly lied. After learning that Lee Kwang had a sharp ability to sense falsehoods, I realized I must be more cautious while interacting with him in the future.
Clatter, clatter!
Then, I followed Lee Kwang and returned to the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School alongside Jin So-cheong. The crowd was peaceful like the massacre from a few days ago was just a lie.
Once back at the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School, I had to settle my belongings and sort out Miho’s status. Lee Kwang looked at Miho and asked,
“Do you want to join the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School?”
“Yes! I do!”
Miho’s disguise theme this time seemed to be that of a ‘naïve Sorceress.’ Her acting was so seamless that even Lee Kwang didn’t seem to notice her true nature. Nodding, Lee Kwang said,
“Then you may enter as a trainee.”
“Got it!”
“The training fees will be waived.”
And so, the Great Demon Miho began her martial arts training at the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School.
“……”
I watched this process and was dumbfounded.
That night, I received a visit from Miho. It seemed she had sneakily entered using her transformation technique. This time she appeared as a breathtaking beauty with a voluptuous figure and gently stroked my jawline, saying,
“Why were you so tense during the day?”
“Don’t joke around. You’re a demon, right? What were you thinking, revealing yourself in front of Lee Kwang? What if you got caught?”
I protested vehemently. Until now, I had refrained from speaking up as I noticed Lee Kwang’s sentiments, but I genuinely felt anxious when Miho showed herself. The thought of risking my life to fight Lee Kwang for the sake of Miho made me dizzy.
At that moment, Miho feigned deep thought and then suddenly smiled.
“Don’t worry. Demons learn martial arts well too. After all, Qi flows are merely energy currents, and if I draw on the power of my Inner Dan, it won’t be much different.”
“That’s not what I mean…”
“Haha, I know, I know.”
Suddenly, Miho embraced me tightly. The unexpected hug sent my heart racing. Miho lightly nibbled on my earlobe.
“Ugh.”
A jolt of electricity coursed through me.
As she nibbled my earlobe, chills ran down my spine, and I felt a sudden firmness down below. Such is the effect of the Miho’s seduction—it strongly stimulated my body. It felt like my lower half would burst at any moment. Miho chuckled softly.
“Oh, is something happening?”
I quickly channeled spiritual energy to suppress my sexual excitement and replied,
“Ugh, stop messing around.”
Miho wrapped her silver tail gently around my wrist and said,
“It’s my duty to protect you for ten years. If I’m not close, it’s going to be tough, right? I’ll continue to live as the human girl, ‘Miho’, by your side for the next ten years.”
I couldn’t help but be exasperated,
“Then just stay quiet.”
“Hmm~ what about if I don’t?”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Well, of course, you have to buy me food!”
I was left speechless.
“The Great Demon Miho has a voracious appetite…”
Miho pouted,
“Hmph, it’s only natural to want something delicious after returning to the center of the world after hundreds of years. I couldn’t find much variety in food on the Dongyeong land.”
“Fine.”
I sighed and pulled out a box of treasures I had secretly stored beside me. It contained a considerable amount of gold and silver I had acquired from the pirate chief’s hidden lair. I picked out the most valuable-looking jewelry and said,
“Use this for your meals for the next ten years.”
Miho narrowed her eyes.
“Hmph~ are you settling with this?”
“Ugh… what more do you want?”
“Well, love?”
“What…?”
Thud!
Miho suddenly lunged at me, knocking me down. She panted softly, looking at me with eager eyes. The sight was as if she was about to pounce on me. Though I could easily escape with my skills, I found it astonishing and stated,
“What are you doing?”
An enchanting fragrance wafted from her. Miho’s eyes locked onto mine.
“Baek Woong. I’m curious. No one has acted for me in centuries after descending from the heavenly realm. You’re the first one to ask for something on my behalf and try to help; it makes me jealous.”
“……”
“And I envy the memories of my past self that you regret.”
Miho’s delicate fingers brushed through my hair. There was an unmistakable longing in her eyes.
“You find it so pitiful, don’t you?”
Miho liked me. But not in the romantic sense—more like an obsession or curiosity.
Though I had never been in a romantic relationship, I could still tell that it was fundamentally different.
I wanted to understand Miho‘s feelings. However, such obsession didn’t resonate with me well, likely because I hadn’t considered the thought of someone loving me. So while staring at Miho, I said,
“I’ve experienced a situation similar to this before.”
“What?”
“It was when I passed through a village. Even then, you tempted me, but I rejected you.”
“Why?”
“Because I have my goals.”
“To defeat the Demon Lords?”
“Right.”
“Don’t you think that’s unrealistic?”
“Back then, you said the same thing. My answer hasn’t changed.”
I continued on my back, replying slowly,
“I can’t do anything until I achieve that.”
“……”
“Even if you say you desire me through seduction, I don’t think it changes anything.”
“Baek Woong, aren’t you living too rigidly?”
Miho slid off me, turning her back and walking away while saying,
“What you found painful was just a memory. What you’re living in now is the present. Since it’s all in the past, why don’t you enjoy the present?”
“If I live like that, I’ll definitely regret it.”
“Regret?”
I half-raised myself and continued,
“I’ve regretted enough times already. I no longer want to regret.”
“Hmm…”
Suddenly, Miho used teleportation magic to appear right in front of me.
“Oh!”
She then gazed deeply into my eyes, suddenly wrapping her arms around my head, and kissed me passionately. A warm sensation tangled in my mouth, and a pleasant fragrance tickled my nose. I wanted to touch Miho’s luscious body due to her seductive ability but forced myself to control my desires.
After a long, lingering kiss, Miho smiled alluringly and said,
“My pride has been wounded.”
“What do you mean?”
Miho laughed heartily.
“Now that this has happened, I’ll make sure you chase after me for the next ten years, hoho!”
Whoosh!
Miho vanished like lightning before my eyes. I sat there in a daze, as if the previous events had been a dream. I had narrowly refrained from acting on my desires, yet before I knew it, my lower half was thoroughly drenched in excitement. I tried my best to exert self-control, but the sheer allure of a Miho’s captivating charm had involuntarily stirred my body.
“Aam… that girl.”
I lamented, stripped off my clothes, and had to change during the late night. It was too embarrassing to ask anyone for help.
Thump, thump, thump!
As I thrashed about in the night, hammering my clothes, I was utterly astonished.
‘This damn…’
And my rancor towards the Demon Lords only intensified.
The following day, I began training in martial arts with Lee Kwang. Lee Kwang was already fully aware of my level, so he spoke plainly without lengthy details.
“You should follow the path of the sword. Focus on studying the Ten Thousand Victories Sword Technique.”
“Yes.”
“That suits your aptitude.”
It seemed that the ultimate technique I had previously demonstrated had made a firm impression on him. As I sensed Lee Kwang’s regard, I asked,
“By the way, I have a question…”
“What is it?”
“My master said that our Thunder God Sect has a deep-rooted archenemy relationship with the Wind God Sect.”
“That’s correct.”
“But at the same time, he mentioned that the martial arts of our Thunder God Sect have a 70% success rate against the Wind God Sect’s martial arts. If so, why was the Thunder God Sect chased away by the Wind God Sect?”
“……”
Lee Kwang looked caught off guard before shaking his head.
“There’s an incredibly complex history behind this. But I can assure you that it’s not because we were outdone in martial arts compared to the Wind God Sect.”
“Alright…”
It seemed it was a secret that couldn’t be shared just yet. Lee Kwang looked at me seriously for a moment and then said,
“You seem to carry a burden over your talents, so I won’t press you too hard. But I will do my utmost to teach you about the areas I can guide you. I, Lee Kwang, am very pleased to have a new disciple in the Thunder God Sect.”
“Thank you.”
I unfolded the Thunder Shadow Sword Technique and the Ten Thousand Victories Sword Technique.
Sure enough, having broken through ultimate boundaries, my sword techniques flowed without interruption, sharp and distinct. Especially in merging two or more tactics into one, I succeeded effortlessly, and my swordsmanship had genuinely increased in power by more than double.
Lee Kwang, watching my demonstration, scrutinized me curiously.
“You’re not just using the techniques native to the Thunder God Sect, but mixing them with others too. What are those techniques?”
“You saw through it.”
I scratched my head shyly and replied. It was pointless to pretend otherwise.
“You’re using the True Energy technique of the Heavenly Ascension, controlling complex flows, and using Thunder Penetration from the Hwa Shih Bai Baek to induce automatic attachment. When facing tricky sword techniques, this method helps significantly.”
“Heavenly Ascension and Thunder Penetration…!! You’ve learned excellent first-class martial arts!”
“I had some luck.”
Lee Kwang was genuinely surprised. I proceeded to explain how Heavenly Ascension and Thunder Penetration acted. After listening for a moment, Lee Kwang contemplated before saying,
“This indeed is an unexpected application. However, in proportion to the effect, there are inefficiencies in the expenditure of your internal energy.”
“Oh, really?”
“It’s probably a shortcoming you weren’t aware of because you possess the Celestial Origin Dan level of internal energy.”
Lee Kwang commented,
“Teach me those techniques. I want to study them a bit.”
“Yes.”
Just a few days after I taught Lee Kwang about the principles of Heavenly Ascension and Thunder Penetration, it was on the third day that Lee Kwang said to me,
“Try doing it like this.”
He then taught me a new move that seemed to have evolved from Heavenly Ascension and Thunder Penetration. I skeptically followed what Lee Kwang had taught.
Swish, swish, swish!
“……!!”
I was struck by surprise at how much stronger and more natural the power of my internal energy flowing through the Ten Thousand Victories Sword Technique became. The previous somewhat awkward aid from Heavenly Ascension and Thunder Penetration had achieved balance within my body, forming a completely new martial art as a result.
The ease of improvement flabbergasted me.
As I stood frozen with astonishment, Lee Kwang looked at me with satisfaction and said,
“This should be the new secret art of the Thunder God Sect. What do you think of naming it Baek Woong’s Technique?”
How ridiculous!
Just from listening, Lee Kwang had completed a new secret art in just three days.
Although the idea was mine, Lee Kwang had brought it to fruition.
Before my very eyes was a genuine talent of martial arts.
I felt somewhat frustrated and replied in a sarcastic tone,
“It’s a terrible name…”
“……”
But ultimately, Lee Kwang’s insistence led to the new technique being named Baek Woong’s Technique. He intended to pass it on to Jin So-cheong, and he sought my permission first. I readily agreed and then practiced Baek Woong’s Technique in my own way.
My skill was rapidly advancing. By incorporating Baek Woong’s Technique, the movement of my internal energy became much smoother, and I could utilize techniques that I had previously been unable to employ. This ease of growth felt like an explosive force breaking through a wall.
A month passed, and then a notable event occurred.
I had no choice but to call it an extraordinary event.
“It’s been a while.”
Standing in front of the entrance of the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School, an unmistakable figure slowly walked in—one I would never forget, even in my dreams. The mask and impression, the attire of the Grand Commander of the Golden Eagle Guards—as far as I could recall, there was only one such person.
Grand Commander of the Golden Eagle Guards!
“……!!”
Seeing him caused blood to rush to my head. I felt an overwhelming urge to charge at him, but I forcibly held myself back. The Grand Commander of the Golden Eagle Guards came to a pause in front of Waryong Hall, greeted by Lee Kwang and Jin So-cheong.
“Hey! Get in there now!!”
Disciples, monitoring the scene, shouted at onlookers, and soon only four of us remained in that space, including the Grand Commander. We faced each other, maintaining three paces distance in the arena.
Whoosh!
A cold breeze swept through.
The Grand Commander smiled broadly and greeted Lee Kwang,
“It’s been a while, friend. Has it been fifteen years?”
Lee Kwang replied dryly,
“Indeed.”
“I apologize for the events at Su Byeong Gok. I didn’t think you would come out yourself.”
“I didn’t exactly intend to. I’m aware that the Golden Eagle Guards were acting in the name of patriotism. However, it was your fault for breaching my Taboos.”
The Grand Commander looked astonished while observing Lee Kwang, seemingly unable to believe that he was being spoken to so boldly by an old friend.
Then, after a moment, he burst into laughter.
“Hahaha!! Taboos! If it weren’t for you, no one would dare say that to the Golden Eagle Guards.”
“Were you really under the impression that five petty squads could stop me?”
The Grand Commander shook his head.
“Not at all. Just to reiterate, we never expected you to arrive here. We assumed that someone like Jang Gyeong-ik would request aid only from one or two righteous sects. We never imagined that bumbling fool would take the risk to seek your help.”
“Isn’t that too much of an exaggeration?”
“Whew, you really seem to believe that your past notoriety as the Azure Dragon means nothing now. Jang Gyeong-ik would wet his pants upon hearing you shout out loud.”
“……”
I was finally able to piece together the whole picture of the situation by eavesdropping on their conversation.
In short, the Golden Eagle Guards had never anticipated Lee Kwang would come at all. Instead, they had likely set a fake General Hwang Yeon as bait to deal with the multi-colored, so-called righteous sects hiding beneath the surface. But with Lee Kwang arriving and smashing through their plans, it seemed their operation had completely fallen apart.
The Grand Commander’s glare briefly flickered toward me.
“Seems like you’ve acquired a new disciple.”
“That’s right.”
“Your disciple’s name has been resounding across the world. Congratulations on acquiring a good disciple.”
“You should get a disciple too, right?”
“Unfortunately, my duties are too secretive to have a disciple.”
After exchanging trivial pleasantries, the Grand Commander stated,
“As we both know, we can’t touch you. The powers granted by the late emperor still stand strong. But remember, if you step out more than self-defense, you’ll be crushed under the label of treason.”
“You’ve become quite foolish. Is that all you can do—threaten me?”
When Lee Kwang tossed that remark, the Grand Commander visibly flinched. It was evident he hadn’t expected to hear such words from an old friend. However, he quickly regained his composure and said,
“Then what else can I do? But I assure you, if it weren’t you, someone else would’ve mobilized a hundred thousand troops to eradicate you! Let’s leave it be and walk our separate paths.”
“Looks like you’re utterly bored and looking for some excitement.”
“What…?”
With a sly smile, Lee Kwang continued provoking the Grand Commander.
“If you’re that bored, why not impart some guidance to my disciples?”
“Guidance?”
“Nothing much, just out of curiosity. I wonder if staying in the Imperial Palace has dulled your skills. Please assist my disciple with some training.”
“……”
The Grand Commander narrowed his eyes at Lee Kwang.
“Fine.”
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