Chapter 6 - Demonic Valley (3)

Jeok Un channeled the Nine Heavenly Demon Arts, gathering his meager Qi into his hand.

Nine Heavenly Demon Arts.

First Form.

Demonic Claw.

— Paang!

A falling leaf split in two. I was extremely satisfied with the feat, something impossible with bare hands.

The pain wracking my body also subsided slightly. Before, it had been an unbearable throbbing that kept me awake, but now it felt like a constant dull ache all over.

My situation had changed. Previously, I had to be content with moss, but now, I could eat something more substantial.

My target was a snake slithering between strangely shaped trees. I had tried to catch one before, but failed.

I waited for my meager Qi to replenish. When the time was right, I lashed out with lightning speed.

— Swoosh!

My first strike missed. The startled snake bit my neck. I immediately grabbed it and flung it to the ground, but the poison had already begun to spread.

This had happened before. The agonizing pain after the bite was excruciating. It wouldn't kill me. But the lingering effects of the poison would dredge up dreadful memories until it wore off.

＂Son.＂

I looked back. My father, crouched in the darkness, beckoned me.

I approached him. I pushed through the wavering apparition and answered the voices echoing from all directions.

＂Shut up.＂

I'm not who I used to be. I’m not Jeok Un anymore…

You're a ghost. Even if you're alive, I'll consider you a ghost.

＂Didn't you say you were going to eat?＂

A new voice. I saw the Heavenly Demon's phantom peeking from behind a tree.

＂If you keep this up, you'll be back to eating moss, won't you?＂

The world swayed. Unable to keep my balance, I steadied myself against a tree.

Where did the snake go? Which way did it slither off to?

I strained my ears, but I couldn't hear it clearly. The sound of a snake slithering was incredibly faint.

But I focused.

＂Yes. That's it.＂

＂.......＂

＂Focus, and focus again. You need to climb up, don't you?＂

The phantom didn't just inflict poison on me.

Sometimes, there were moments like this, where she spurred me on.

＂This lady is waiting. From an unreachable height you can’t even look upon.＂

Would she actually say that? I didn’t know.

But there was only one thing I needed to do.

Claw my way up, no matter the cost.

The grass rustled. I used the last of my Qi to unleash the Demonic Claw.

Something landed in my grasp. This time, I snapped its neck before it could bite.

The captured snake went limp. The Heavenly Demon’s phantom chuckled softly.

＂You wouldn't be bad as a hunter.＂

＂...The only thing I hunt is the sword.＂

I searched for her form again, but she was gone.

Had the poison worn off? I saw the Thousand Veils stirring, drawing the poison from my body and expelling it through my skin.

I put the snake’s head in my mouth. The taste of meat after two months.

It wasn’t particularly delicious.

But it was better than moss.

＂...Just wait, Cheon Soso.＂

I muttered to Cheon Soso, who was no longer visible.

＂I’m coming for you. I’ve always been.＂

. . .

After the snake, I caught another nameless beast. It resembled a squirrel but was vicious, leaving me with several scratches.

Poison seeped into the claw marks. But the Thousand Veils took care of it, quickly healing the wounds.

A strange substance, almost omnipotent if it weren't for the pain.

Every night, I felt my bones subtly shifting. The Thousand Veils, rooted within me, seemed to be reshaping my body to its liking.

Suitable for martial arts.

Capable of learning anything.

But instinctively, I knew. Even if the Thousand Veils altered my skeleton, it wouldn’t grant me talent.

The naturally gifted martial artists were known for their sharp minds. They possessed exceptional senses or could see what others couldn't.

Compared to them, what was I? I held a sword, but only felt it with my hands. I had Qi, but only a meager amount.

Reshaping my bones wouldn't be enough.

I needed to strive harder.

I reduced my sleep, dedicating every spare moment to mastering the Nine Heavenly Demon Arts.

My Qi gradually increased. Surprisingly, the life I consumed in this Demonic Valley was akin to small Spirit Pills.

Blood, flesh, bone.

Each part contained potent Demonic Qi. Of course, absorbing it meant enduring the agony of the poison, but that didn’t apply to me.

The Thousand Veils filtered the poison for me. All I had to do was devour and accumulate Demonic Qi. Of course, not all of it was pure Qi.

It was a turbid Demonic Qi. Its quality was far inferior to the Qi of the Orthodox Sects, giving the impression that it could only overwhelm through sheer quantity.

Its pure output was likely lower than the Qi of the Orthodox Sects. Even at its peak, I would have to avoid direct confrontations with Sword Qi of the same realm.

However, the longer a fight dragged on, the more likely it was that my opponent’s Qi would deplete first.

＂29th. 30th. Confirmation of survival.＂

The 29th didn’t speak to me. It made things easier for me, so I didn't bother initiating conversation either.

We were a pair, yet like strangers. After roll call, we would part ways, only to reconvene at the next designated time.

I graduated from the four-legged squirrels to a larger, two-legged bird. It was harder to catch and more ferocious, but worth the effort.

Everything edible in this place possessed both poison and Qi. And their potency was proportional to the creature’s size.

The more toxic, the more power it granted. A simple principle.

I liked this place. I couldn't enjoy warm meals or comfortable sleep, but…

Those were things I never had to begin with.

This place felt more familiar than my position as a Gatekeeper. Enduring hardship was something I had always done.

＂...Excuse me.＂

Someone spoke to me during my training. The man in a black hood with "17th" written on his chest asked in a trembling voice,

＂What…what do you eat here?＂

Ah.

A newcomer.

Which meant the previous occupant had died. I stared at him.

How did I manage on my first day? I remember everyone being hostile.

…But.

I wasn't particularly inclined to be the same.

I didn't want to become like them, so I kindly explained. I didn't hunt for him, but I told him he could eat moss and drink the water.

He bowed his head in gratitude and I encountered him again three days later. He was groaning and writhing in pain, and his face paled when he saw me.

＂How…how did you eat that moss…?!＂

I had mentioned the poison in the moss. But judging by his reaction, the pain seemed to be far worse than he had anticipated.

I couldn’t quite understand it, but I kindly advised him to endure it, assuring him it would get better.

I met him again a week later, just before entering the deeper forest. He hesitated, then offered me something.

＂Thank you for your help before.＂

In his hand was a snake. Its head was missing, and it was still slightly warm, indicating it had been freshly killed.

The first offering of warmth I had received.

I accepted it without a word. He smiled brightly and introduced himself.

＂I’m Seong Ja-Myeong.＂

＂I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you my name.＂

＂It’s alright. I just wanted to let you know mine.＂

Seong Ja-Myeong was a man who didn't seem to belong in the Demonic Cult. He knew how to reciprocate kindness and readily extended a hand to newcomers.

＂Kindness is often rewarded. And more than anything…I don’t want to become a beast.＂

He had a strong character. Gentle yet resolute. I rather liked him. He was a rare type, even among the Orthodox Sects, and I found myself drawn to him.

He’s a good man. I often hunted with him. We had moved on from birds to small, four-legged horned creatures. We could only target the young, not the adults, but it was enough for the two of us.

＂Third Brother, why did you join this place?＂

＂To reach greater heights.＂

＂To see the pinnacle of the sword…ha. A common aspiration among martial artists.＂

He had a bold personality, shortening my designation, 30th, to "Third Brother".

But he was an affable man with a charming smile. There was a certain boldness to the way he removed his hood and stuffed meat into his mouth.

＂Half of what I eat still comes out as waste.＂

＂What kind of talk is that during a meal?＂

＂Haha. What does it matter? Eating and defecating are the joys of life.＂

Despite our growing familiarity, he maintained a respectful tone. Sometimes, he wore a sorrowful expression.

＂I have siblings to provide for, Third Brother.＂

＂One?＂

＂Three.＂

＂One body might not be enough.＂

＂That’s right. One body isn't enough, so I came here to grind myself down. How far have you progressed with the Nine Heavenly Demon Arts, Third Brother?＂

＂I haven’t mastered the first part yet.＂

＂Same here. It seems like Third Brother and I are quite…＂

Seong Ja-Myeong grinned.

＂Similar in many ways. I wonder if our paths would have crossed even if we had met outside.＂

＂...Pfft.＂

I liked his honesty. I wiped my mouth with my sleeve.

＂Why couldn't they have?＂

＂Hehehe. Perhaps joining the Demonic Valley wasn’t entirely bad.＂

Seong Ja-Myeong was an amusing fellow. He knew how to maintain a respectful distance while also being approachable.

＂Third Brother, you don’t use a sword?＂

＂I haven’t learned.＂

＂My, my. I can teach you if you wish.＂

＂My body isn’t fully developed yet, so wielding a sword is a little…＂

＂Ah. So you’re self-teaching the Nine Heavenly Demon Arts? Which forms have you learned?＂

＂I’m still learning the first form.＂

＂Demonic Claw. I see. A simple yet complex technique. My knowledge is limited, but you might gain something from it…would you like to see?＂

＂...Gladly.＂

He had no reservations about helping others. Through the Demonic Claw he taught me, I was able to advance further.

The framework of the first form solidified. I gave him a snake as thanks.

He chuckled.

＂You’re truly consistent, Third Brother.＂

He was a good man.

That's why I was speechless when I found him half-dead.

＂...Haha.＂

Lying in the grass, a clear sword wound gaped across his abdomen. His spilled entrails were beyond repair, and he was barely breathing, leaning against a tree.

＂Third Brother.＂

He spoke.

＂I’ve shown you an unsightly side of myself.＂

＂.......＂

I knelt before him.