Chapter 4 - Demonic Valley (1)

For over half a day, I swung a sword at a straw dummy. Do you know what happens?

Blisters form on your hands.

"... Hmph."

I wrapped bandages around my hands. It stung when I moved, but that level of pain was nothing.

Just taking a step made my whole body ache as if it were breaking apart. That kind of pain was constant, so what did mere blisters matter?

I moved my feet. My True Stance was atrocious. But were my outstretched hands any smoother?

Not at all. Even striking empty air produced only a pathetic whimper. The crippling agony was a bonus.

But for some reason, I laughed.

I was improving. The first Sword Technique had been excruciating, but the next was slightly more bearable.

The sound of tearing air, which had been as faint as a mosquito's buzz, had now risen to the level of a gentle breeze. Every night I groaned in agony, but I could feel myself getting better.

One difficult step at a time.

I stepped back from the straw dummy I had been striking. I caught my breath and closed my eyes.

Thousand Veils.

It was still embedded within me. It wouldn't allow me to draw even a single wisp of Qi, offering only pain instead of assistance.

But it was alright. The pain hadn't dulled, but I could endure it. Rather, I was grateful for the changed life that Thousand Veils had brought me.

Before, I had swung my sword despite seeing no improvement.

What about now?

It was minuscule, but I could see the change. I could lift slightly heavier things than yesterday.

In my life, which had been filled with only despair, an opportunity had arisen.

A proper Master. A proper path. A sliver of light, dimly visible in the suffocating darkness.

"... Hmph."

My daily life was a continuous string of events I couldn’t bear without laughing.

I was truly grateful. To the Heavenly Demon, and to my fate.

...This much.

When had I ever felt this sense of liberation?

Let it accumulate. If I keep accumulating, I'll reach it someday.

Even if that day comes when I'm old and dying, it doesn't matter. This is the first ambition I've ever held. The first mindset I’ve ever possessed.

I will become a Martial Artist like the Heavenly Demon.

Even if it's an impossible dream...

My struggles will be etched into my soul.

"Jeok Un."

I turned my head at the call. A Black-Clad Figure had appeared silently and was looking at me.

I had never seen the face within. But judging by the cold voice that always called me, she must have despised me to a chilling degree.

But even so, I could willingly bow my head to her. What wouldn't I do to gain power?

I had already become the Heavenly Demon's dog.

I was confident I could play along until I became like her.

"Yes."

"I told you to discard the sword."

"I apologize."

"... Tsk."

The Black-Clad Figure, the 1st Demon, stood before me.

"You are not ready to wield a sword. You must first properly train that body of yours before you earn the right to wield a sword. If you place a heavy wooden staff on a weed, it will break. You are a weed. The sword is nothing more than a wooden staff that you cannot lift in your current state."

She tapped the straw dummy. A red energy surged and bloomed over it.

"Currently, you cannot use Qi. All you can train is External Qi. That condition will persist until Thousand Veils fully takes root. Until then, your task is to build a foundation. Until that pathetic body of yours becomes somewhat presentable, don't even dream of a sword. It will only become poison."

"I will keep that in mind."

"You're not listening at all. Stop looking at my fingertips, you pervert. Even if you say years of repression have burst forth, does it make sense that you've turned into a crazed training fanatic? It's a matter of your nature. You were a mad fool from the beginning. You were just suppressing it with reason. But regardless of your nature, when I speak, focus on my mouth, not my fingertips. Focus on the end of my words, not on watching me wield Martial Arts. I don’t like repeating myself. If you look away again, I'll snap your neck."

"I apologize, Sir 1st Demon. I will concentrate on your words."

"...Why do I dislike you so much?"

The straw dummy's neck snapped. It happened in the instant I thought the 1st Demon had moved her hand.

"You cannot even imitate this right now. So, do you think I'm showing you this just to mock you—?"

"...Wasn't it to mock me?"

I was kicked in the shin. The 1st Demon growled.

"Don't get cocky just because you've seen a little bit. It's only been a little over two months since we sent you here, you idiot. Do you think you've become my disciple? If it weren't for the Sect Leader's orders, I would have ground you up and fed you to the dogs."

"Do dogs eat dog meat? I don't think I would if I were a dog..."

"......"

I couldn't see the face beneath the talisman that fell straight down. But I could feel the intensity of her glare, as if she wanted to devour me.

However, I wasn't particularly inclined to change my tone. She couldn't kill me, and she had to teach me.

Besides...

I was free. When was the last time I felt this liberated? I was experiencing my true self in real-time.

The nature I had hidden deep inside to protect my family.

The rebellious feelings from the days when I had to work constantly without changing my expression.

Even the moment I uttered a joke, I felt joy. Since even learning Martial Arts made me happy, how could anything feel unfortunate?

She was a sharp person. But at the same time, she grumbled while meticulously taking care of me, one step at a time.

A good person.

Of course, the fact that she was dangerous remained unchanged.

"Jeok Un. Focus on my words. If you look away one more time, I will break your bones. You are entering the Blood Demon Corps in a month. And that place is crawling with those who can do this."

"What does the Blood Demon Corps do?"

"It's a suitable place to break you in. In peacetime, you’ll train, and when there’s work, you'll leave Demonic Valley to do it. It's not an easy place. The food is ridiculously scarce, and you'll be constantly scrambling to fill your belly."

"About the spy work..."

"We found a replacement. Someone will take over your role. Or what? Are you still clinging to sentiments for the Murim Alliance?"

I felt a sharp gaze. I shook my head.

There was no reason to lie. I could confidently say that during my time with the Orthodox Sect, there wasn't a single good memory I could take with me.

This side was better.

This place, which bestowed teachings that nourished and strengthened me.

"I am the Cult Leader's dog."

"...Since you know your place, I suppose I can spare your life. Jeok Un. Step up your training. In the Blood Demon Corps, you'll operate in pairs. The moment someone falls, they are immediately replaced. The Blood Demon Corps always maintains thirty members. And every month, more than ten die."

"What do they die from?"

"Usually, they die during missions. The second most common cause of death is..."

The 1st Demon kicked the severed head of the straw dummy.

"They die at the hands of their comrades who hate incompetent allies. You are currently less than Third-Rate. So, at least work diligently until you reach Second-Rate so you can earn your keep. That’s how you'll survive."

. . .

Nine Heavenly Demon Arts was comprised of nine forms.

Nine heavens. Demonic Arts that pierce through them.

There was a reason why the 1st Demon called Nine Heavenly Demon Arts a Beast's Martial Arts. This Martial Arts focused mostly on wearing down the opponent.

A style that throws itself at the enemy, prioritizing killing them before being cut down.

It incorporated the idea of "flesh cut, bone broken," making it incredibly dangerous for the user as well.

Even just looking at the first form, one had to execute movements without a thought for the consequences. Therefore, a sturdy physique was all the more necessary.

To withstand a single attack, even if it’s weakened.

Even if struck by a sword and more than half of your flesh is sliced, the bones must not be severed.

Pain. Mastering this Martial Arts inevitably required bone-shattering pain.

But ironically, the sum of all that pain was less than the pain inflicted by Thousand Veils.

"... Haha!"

I could willingly laugh and run through hell. I pushed my entire body to its limits and focused on bulking up by eating the food the 1st Demon brought.

Every day was like hell. But I could endure it.

Becoming accustomed to pain didn't mean it became pleasant. But I could brainwash myself into liking it.

My achievements grew. They continued to grow. The days the 1st Demon clicked her tongue at me decreased.

I mastered the first form of Nine Heavenly Demon Arts. Demonic Claw. I put in bone-breaking effort to perform the applied techniques of that Form or Stance.

Except for mealtimes, I constantly moved my hands. I kicked and swung at the empty air.

I woke up in a handstand and sat under a waterfall for hours to relieve the blood rushing to my head.

Before sleeping, I always meditated. I constantly checked on the rooted Thousand Veils. But it didn't budge, so gathering or manipulating Qi still seemed impossible.

One month.

Three months if I counted all the days I had been here.

That time, long as it might seem, felt incredibly short to me. Of course, the times when the 1st Demon brought a club, saying I needed to strengthen my bones, felt long.

"This is the fastest way. Don't worry. It won't leave scars. You’re a tough one anyway, so you can handle it, right?"

I slightly revised my assessment of the 1st Demon as a good person.

She was a crazy woman.

My mangled body repeated a cycle of regeneration and destruction. Within that, I felt Thousand Veils gradually taking root.

What would happen when all of this was complete?

My body started feeling a bit refreshed when I woke up in the morning. The excruciating pain now felt like routine, and I could endure it without biting my tongue or tearing at my thigh.

My senses hadn't been dulled. Rather, they had become sharper. With each passing day, as Thousand Veils took root, I felt myself growing stronger.

Second-Rate Warrior.

On the last day, when I performed Nine Heavenly Demon Arts, I confirmed that I had surpassed the Realm I hadn't been able to overcome even after a decade of effort.

"You barely met the target."

The 1st Demon's voice softened for the first time.

"Is it the influence of Thousand Veils? That's fortunate. Your body's frame settled faster than I thought. But don’t get your hopes up. If you intend to walk a long path, Nine Heavenly Demon Arts will become poison. Initial progress will be swift. But it slows down the further you go. The characteristic of Demonic Arts is that it’s easy to begin but difficult to master. If you don’t reach the required Realm within the given time, demonic nature will consume you."

"Are you worried about me?"

"Shut your mouth. I'm telling you to struggle instead of flapping your lips. I don’t want to bury the dog I painstakingly raised."

The 1st Demon took me to a place called Demonic Valley. Looking down at the bottom of the sheer cliff, I looked back at her one last time.

"Am I a member of the Blood Demon Corps now?"

"If you survive."

"Is this what the Cult Leader's dog does?"

"The Blood Demon Corps are the Cult Leader's dogs? Tsk. If anything, they're closer to ants. Putting you here means they intend to train you before you become a dog. The Blood Demon Corps are nothing more than a lower-level group within the Main Sect that can be replaced at any time. I personally trained you, but you’re still just an expendable unit."

The 1st Demon gestured with her chin.

"You are number thirty. Forget the name Jeok Un for now. You will leave this place and become the Cult Leader's dog on the day she calls you, and if she doesn't call, you must remember that you will be a member of the Blood Demon Corps for life."

"...Understood."

I looked down at the bottom of the cliff, so far below that it couldn't be seen. I took a deep breath.

I turned to the 1st Demon.

"Sir 1st Demon."

"What?"

"May I ask your name?"

"What are you scheming?"

"You are the first person I've formed a proper connection with since coming here."

The Divine Sun Cult's 8th Demon.

Unlike their notoriety, their names weren't fully known. They were only referred to by numbers, and only a very few within the Divine Sun Cult knew their true names.

That’s why I wanted to know.

"I want to know, as Jeok Un, not Sim Sap-Ho."

The 1st Demon scoffed. She placed her foot on my back.

"The 1st Demon is the 1st Demon. There is no other name. I am the Heavenly Demon's sword. I am not your Master, nor your acquaintance, nor your lover with whom you have a special relationship."

It was the same sharp tone as always. But the end of her words was slightly gentler.

"However, if the day comes when you become the Cult Leader's dog, as your caretaker, there is nothing I won't teach you."

"I will work hard."

"Get lost. Whatever you do down there, I won’t help you. Don’t get any false hopes and disappear quickly."

Thud.

The 1st Demon's foot left my back. I stumbled forward and stepped into Demonic Valley.

Endless stone stairs. While walking down, I pulled the black hood the 1st Demon had given me over my head.

The same as hers. The talisman hanging in front of the hood strangely seemed to obstruct my vision, yet it allowed me to see clearly ahead.

Is this the 'ritual' that the Divine Sun Cult boasts about?

The hood itself felt slightly stuffy, but I soon adjusted. My somewhat darkened vision slowly became accustomed to the light.

My feet touched the ground. At the end of the descent, which took over an hour, a single torch flickered.

"Number thirty."

The voice was small. The figure wasn't very large either.

A woman's voice. But I couldn't tell what was beyond it.

Underneath the torchlight, she wore the same black hood as I did. I could only sense that she was small and cute, and yet...

"Follow me."

—terrifyingly strong.

I couldn't even begin to gauge the 1st Demon's strength. The same was true for the woman in front of me.

A calmness that couldn't be sensed unless one surpassed a certain Realm. To me, she was both a sword and not a sword.

Second-Rate.

Was this a Realm that couldn't be read at all at my level?

I quietly followed behind her.

Beyond the torchlight, the landscape of Demonic Valley came into view. Between the suffocatingly narrow crevices of the cliff face, a unique form of nature thrived.

The problem was that every single plant and animal was something I had never seen before.