Chapter 12: Heart Demon (1)

"Huhu, you really do care for your disciples, Master."

As soon as I asked who she was, Bi Wol answered with an ecstatic smile. Her slightly twisted smile felt chilling.

Certainly, the body, face, and all information visible to my eyes confirmed this was my precious disciple Bi Wol.

"...Answer me. Where is the real Bi Wol?"

However, my soul was denying it.

"I am myself, Master. Don't you recognize me?"

Bi Wol placed her hand on my chest while blinking. In that moment, her eyes held killing intent.

"I am Bi Wol, Master Bing Yeon's favorite disciple."

If she were to put even a little demonic energy into her hand now, a large hole would appear in the center of my chest.

She was caressing my chest very carefully, as if plucking a delicate string.

"...Verdandi, summon the holy sword immediately. This is an emergency."

"What? But how am I supposed to summon it! I don't know how!"

In this situation, I shouted at Verdandi to summon the holy sword. An artifact that held absolute advantage against those with evil tendencies.

Originally, it was a secret weapon I had saved to use against Azazel, the Holy Maiden of the Outer God, but without using it now, there weren't many ways to safely subdue Bi Wol.

"Place your hand on your chest and shout 'I shall execute justice!' toward your target!"

I told Verdandi the incantation to summon the holy sword. While Bi Wol was distracted touching me, I had to somehow subdue her.

"I shall execute just-"

That's when it happened.

KWANG─! With a thunderous sound, Verdandi's body flew and crashed into a nearby tree. The force was so strong that the tree's trunk snapped with a crack.

"Bi Wol, you...!"

"Master, we're having an intimate moment between you and your favorite disciple, why are you trying to bring in that jackal?"

This was definitely the Heavenly Demon Divine Technique. Specifically, the Fourth Form, Heavenly Demon Divine Palm.

Though I had written about it in the original work, I had never seen her use this form here.

What was going on?

It was strange that she could show such movements without any enlightenment or training. Bi Wol's current level seemed to be at the entrance of the pinnacle realm I had achieved.

"Ha, haa... huuup..."

Now Bi Wol buried her face in my chest, smelling me. Hot breath and ticklish sensations were traveling up my body.

"If you stay still, no one will get hurt, Master."

Bi Wol spoke while interlocking her fingers with my hand that was trying to push her away. Even with her vision blocked, she was reading my movements through qi sense.

Her other hand was now inside my robe, feeling the muscles beneath my clothes.

"But Verdandi..."

"I controlled my strength that much. No matter what, I'm her senior sister disciple, how could I kill my junior sister?"

As if proving her words, Verdandi showed signs of regaining consciousness while coughing repeatedly.

"I just pressed her meridians to prevent her from using strength. Though I did it a bit roughly."

"Master... are you... alright..."

Seeing how she couldn't put strength into her arms and legs, trembling and unable to move, it seemed Bi Wol had really pressed her meridians in that brief moment.

I hadn't taught her this much.

Originally, pressure point techniques were only possible when there was a large gap in skill levels. One wrong move and your wrist could be cut off.

"Bi Wol, just how strong have you become?"

"Well... If I were to use my full power, I suppose I might be at the same level as you, Master."

I recalled Bi Wol's settings in my mind.

Heavenly Demon, Heaven-Killing Star, Heavenly Martial Body, sensitive to blood - why was someone with these characteristics acting this way?

'Han Do-hyeon, think, think...'

Why had Bi Wol changed to seem like a different person?

"Bing Yeon! What should we do? Fight?"

"No, don't move rashly. I'll handle her."

Even the Gold Tower Master couldn't attack Bi Wol now. She knew she would die if she moved due to the difference in power.

"As expected of Master's experience."

Moreover, there were people here including the Gold Tower Master, Verdandi, and her mother. To say we could subdue Bi Wol without any sacrifices seemed unlikely, given how easily Verdandi had been thrown away.

'...I need to find the reason.'

Though I could win if I fought while completely destroying my body.

"Please don't think about fighting me. This girl hates seeing Master's precious body harmed."

Just a little further ahead was Wonder Hill village, and under the karma of the Heaven-Killing Star, they could all be turned into blood and flesh.

"Then stop this now. Do you mean to disrespect your master?"

"However, this girl is merely showing the childish affection she couldn't before. This is my greed, my true heart, my desire."

For now, I had to pretend to go along with Bi Wol's words while figuring out why she had changed like this.

"Master is too stimulating for this girl. The smell of blood and flesh when you saved me from that cult, and the small groans as you endured pain."

Breathing heavily, Bi Wol seemed to have fallen into madness. Had I written such settings in the novel?

"Just for me alone, to save only me, you pretended not to feel any pain despite all hardships."

Bi Wol was caressing each place where I had been injured.

As she had mentioned in the carriage earlier, she was leaving her traces all over my injuries - shoulders, back, hands, and arms.

"Have you gone mad from smelling blood?"

"No. How could any blood in this world be more stimulating than Master's scent?"

Bi Wol stopped burying her face in my chest and began nibbling my earlobe seductively.

"This is my true heart."

Sensual sounds of licking and sucking echoed around my ear. Seemingly unconcerned about the gazes around us, Bi Wol kept trying to seduce me.

'Heart Demon.'

The word "true heart" sparked a realization in me. It was originally a trial that Kim Hyul, the protagonist of "The King of the Vajra Fist," was meant to face.

It was a device I had created for fighting another self in the inner world, growing mentally mature, and reaching a new realm.

'But now Bi Wol is experiencing it.'

It didn't make sense in my head. She was the final boss, created to commit only slaughter from a young age...

'...This is because of me.'

Suddenly, understanding dawned in my mind.

I had changed her past with my own hands.

I had created an environment where she didn't need to eat human blood and flesh to satisfy her hunger.

For her who couldn't sleep well, I had provided a quiet, sunny place as her bedroom.

I had ensured that friends she was close to today wouldn't become cold corpses tomorrow.

"Master is my world. Like a bird breaking out of its shell."

"Bi Wol, come to your senses. You're being consumed by the Heart Demon..."

"What does it matter if I'm consumed by a Heart Demon? Isn't what's important my desperate feelings for Master?"

Chu. Bi Wol made that sound against my ear and smiled broadly. Her slightly excited breathing and heated gaze were almost overwhelming.

'A Heart Demon is originally a demon hidden in the heart.'

Like a chrysalis transforming into a butterfly, one only becomes a complete martial artist by overcoming the Heart Demon.

'This seems different from the karma of the Heaven-Killing Star that appeared in the novel.'

I thought while swallowing hard. Given that she wasn't committing murder or self-harm, the essence wasn't in the Heaven-Killing Star but in Bi Wol's hidden inner self.

"Master surely thinks I've fallen into demonic possession."

"What exactly do you want?"

"Ahaha! You ask what I want? Isn't it obvious what your one and only beloved disciple desires?"

As I bit my lip, barely enduring her provocative actions, Bi Wol burst into loud laughter.

"Master's love, and to have you look only at me."

She pressed her hand against my lips, then brought it to her own lips as she spoke.

"I want to become Master's wife. I want to be Master's first and last lover."

I could only be shocked as she slowly performed an indirect kiss, as if savoring candy.

Could it be that the emotion created by the Heart Demon was love for me? Had she suppressed and held it in, causing it to manifest in this twisted form?

It was possible.

"So you were jealous of your sister disciple Verdandi? Didn't you think I would dislike such behavior?"

I asked this question to test Bi Wol. After all, jealousy and love were inseparable emotions.

"No, as long as I don't kill people, as long as I only subdue them without harm, I know very well that Master won't scold me."

Bi Wol was keeping her promise made before this journey to not violate Ice Dragon Flower Banquet's rule against taking life.

"...Why do you think that?"

"Because Master cherishes me as your disciple. That's why you're trying not to touch me."

Bi Wol slightly loosened her front garment, revealing some skin. I turned my head away to avoid looking, but,

"Master, please look at me. Isn't your disciple bravely conveying her feelings right now?"

Her hand stopped me, turning my head back as she puffed her cheeks. She seemed to enjoy seeing my reactions.

"...I desperately love you, Master."

"You're confusing that emotion with paternal love."

"How could this girl confuse the emotion of love? When I learned everything from Master."

My face reflected in Bi Wol's red eyes. It was a face straining with effort, biting my lips, not wanting to show an ugly nature before my disciple.

"Master, I can do anything for you. I can throw myself into a purgatorial fire pit, or remain alone on winter ice."

Bi Wol said this while wrapping her arms around my neck.

"When I love you this much, why won't you accept my feelings?"

Her lips drew closer as she stood on tiptoe, trying to kiss me.

"...Bi Wol. Then I'll make you one proposal."

"A proposal in this situation? Master has such a bold side!"

To overcome the Heart Demon controlling Bi Wol without any sacrifices, this was the only way.

"If you win, I'll truly accept your love. It's partly my fault for not noticing until things got this far."

"So you've thought of a strategy... haup."

I blocked Bi Wol's lips with my hand. She licked my palm with her tongue as if even that was lovely.

"So, what's your proposal?"

"Let's have a sword debate with words. I'll give you three moves' advantage, so clash with your master at full strength."

This was the way to handle Bi Wol's Heart Demon while resolving everything without betraying her feelings.

"Excellent! Let's do that. After all, love becomes true only when hearts connect."

"Let me tell you something before you misunderstand, Bi Wol."

Bi Wol confidently accepted my proposal, and I smiled inwardly watching her.

"...You are the challenger."

"Heh, though you look like a fish well-placed on a cutting board, I'll quickly finish and devour you."

When it came to words, I was confident I wouldn't lose to anyone.