Jin Cheon-hee didn’t just provide emergency treatment.
He opened Cheonma’s stomach, pulled out the Gu, and killed it.
“When I first told you to eat the ice poison to put the Gu into a comatose state, you probably thought it was ridiculous, right?”
This was the method of using poison to counteract poison.
The Blood Gu was weak to cold.
But that was it.
Even if it fell asleep due to the cold, it was only a way to induce a comatose state, not a solution.
Jin Cheon-hee spoke calmly.
“We made a promise to treat you when we met again.”
-That’s something I can treat.
It’s the only way to solve the Blood Gu.
It was a method of physically extracting the Blood Gu that had fallen into a comatose state.
In the original story, Cheonma only learned this method after narrowly escaping death countless times.
Back then, he had to choose between letting his precious followers die, exhausting his energy and destroying his dantian, being imprisoned in a dungeon, or becoming someone else’s puppet.
When he finally stumbled upon the method, he lamented and beat his chest in regret.
Because it was a method that could only be used if he had known it earlier.
‘This time, I won’t let that happen.’
Jin Cheon-hee thought.
But whether Yeo Ha-ryun would accept it was another matter.
After putting the Blood Gu into a comatose state, they agreed to treat it the next time they met.
Yeo Ha-ryun accepted such a crazy proposal.
The promise between the two boys was ultimately fulfilled.
And so, Jin Cheon-hee secretly treated Yeo Ha-ryun and removed the Blood Gu without anyone noticing.
“You have to keep it a secret that there’s no Blood Gu in your body.”
“Even from my comrades?”
“You must not tell even your master. Absolutely not.”
Yeo Ha-ryun fell into thought and then said,
“It feels strange.”
“What does?”
“Listening to you talk, it feels like I’m talking to a fortune teller, not a strategist.”
Jin Cheon-hee flinched but kept his expression calm.
“A great advisor and a great fortune teller are indistinguishable, aren’t they?”
“I guess so.”
Yeo Ha-ryun nodded.
‘Ugh, is it because he’s the protagonist? His intuition is sharp.’
Sometimes he seemed like a boy, but at times like this, when traces of Cheonma surfaced, it made Jin Cheon-hee’s heart skip a beat.
Yeo Ha-ryun half-closed his eyes and fell into thought again.
“You’re the first person to buy me something delicious.”
“Isn’t saving your life more important than that?”
“True. And this time, you saved me again. I still haven’t repaid you for anything.”
His jet-black hair flowed down like water.
His flawless skin, befitting a protagonist, and his sharp facial features despite his young age.
As a patient, his hair wasn’t combed up but left loose and messy.
For a moment, his long bangs covered one of his eyes.
With his expression hidden, it was hard to read his emotions.
After a while, Yeo Ha-ryun finished his thoughts.
“Hyung.”
“Yeah?”
“Do you want to come to the main sect with me? You’ll be fine. The sect treats physicians well, and I’ll protect you.”
“What exactly is your role in the demonic sect? You haven’t even competed for the position of young sect leader yet.”
“It’s fine. I’ll become the young sect leader, and eventually, the sect leader.”
“How do you know that?”
“I’ve decided it. I’ll become the sect leader.”
As calmly as if he were deciding what to eat for dinner, the black-haired boy said this.
Jin Cheon-hee was momentarily speechless.
Cheonma’s dark eyes seemed to be testing him, making his answer linger on the tip of his tongue.
“……I won’t go.”
“Is it because of Baek Rin, that guy?”
“Don’t call my master like that.”
“Hmm……”
Yeo Ha-ryun let out a low hum and fell into thought again.
After a while, he replied.
“If Baek Rin dies, will you come to me?”
“If my master dies, I’ll die too.”
After all, Yuho would come to kill him physically.
With how much he’s been used, there’s no way that guy would let Jin Cheon-hee live.
“Then if I die, if I die, what will you do, hyung?”
That question left him speechless.
He thought of several answers, but none of them felt satisfying.
No matter what he said, it felt like he was being dragged into the kid’s pace.
Jin Cheon-hee decided to flip the script.
“What will you do if I die?”
“I’ll kill them.”
“Kill what?”
“If the one who killed you is a person, I’ll kill them. If it’s a ghost, I’ll kill them too. I’ll make them regret being alive, tormenting them to the bone. And then, no matter what it takes, I’ll bring you back to life.”
Jin Cheon-hee replied.
“Then I’ll do the same for you. Deal?”
“Tsk.”
It seemed the answer didn’t satisfy him.
Jin Cheon-hee ruffled Yeo Ha-ryun’s hair.
Yeo Ha-ryun said,
“Hyung.”
“What?”
“If I die, the culprit is Baek Rin. Just remember that.”
“My master is wary of you because you’re the Heavenly Slaughter Star. You’ve been influenced by the demonic sect a bit too much, and now your way of thinking is a bit demonic too.”
“Baek Rin must be happy. To have such a naive disciple.”
After saying that, he added,
“Actually, your opinion doesn’t seem that important.”
“What?”
“You’ll definitely come to the main sect.”
“What nonsense……”
“I’ve decided it.”
Let’s not talk anymore.
Jin Cheon-hee sighed.
“That’s enough. You’re discharged. Go back tonight. I’ll let the higher-ups know.”
“…….”
Yeo Ha-ryun didn’t respond.
Jin Cheon-hee got up.
As he was about to leave, Yeo Ha-ryun said,
“Hyung, make sure to wear the bracelet. Never take it off.”
“Alright. Oh, hey!”
Something suddenly came to mind.
“If the path is blocked, punching through it is also a way.”
“What does that……”
“Just remember it. It’s life advice from your hyung.”
‘It’s the fastest way to break through future trials, you brat.
This is a hint!’
Yeo Ha-ryun, not understanding Jin Cheon-hee’s intentions, just stared blankly before finally replying.
“Got it. I’ll keep it in mind.”
Yeo Ha-ryun nodded once and began his breathing exercises again.
An ordinary person might dismiss this kid’s words, but this was Yeo Ha-ryun.
Jin Cheon-hee knew his words would have an impact.
‘He listens well and is such a good younger brother.’
Jin Cheon-hee sent Yeo Ha-ryun off like that.
Seeing how things were going, it seemed like he would drag it out forever, so he discharged him.
Though he seemed reluctant, there was no way to stop Jin Cheon-hee from sending him off.
After sending Yeo Ha-ryun away, Jin Cheon-hee finally enjoyed some long-awaited freedom.
Or at least, he thought he would.
His master, with a bright smile, saw him off and grabbed the back of his neck as he returned.
“Hahaha, Hee-ya.”
“Yes, yes…… Master?”
His usual affectionate tone felt strangely chilling today.
“You sent off the Heavenly Slaughter Star like that, huh. Hahaha.”
“Yes, yes! Master. Yeo Ha-ryun is really kind, despite how he looks.”
“A kind Heavenly Slaughter Star. I’ve never seen such a thing in my old texts, but thanks to my disciple, I might get to see it.”
“Y-yes, that’s right.”
‘Because he’s the protagonist.’
His master’s smile grew even brighter.
“Hee-ya. Honestly, I don’t care if he’s a kind or evil Heavenly Slaughter Star. It just bothers me that he’s lingering around you. But what can I do, sigh……. A master must endure for their disciple.”
Something was off.
His master picked him up and tucked him under his arm as he walked.
Given his master’s large build, Jin Cheon-hee’s eye level rose significantly.
“Master……?”
“So let’s train. You need to be strong enough to survive even if that guy goes crazy.”
“He wouldn’t do something like that.”
“He’s not your real brother. He’s just a sworn brother.”
“Yes…… a sworn brother.”
“Hee-ya. In the martial world, that’s considered no relationship at all.”
“That’s not true, Master! There’s the Oath of the Peach Garden between Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei. How can you say it’s no relationship?”
“And did those three die on the same day?”
“……No.”
“Exactly.”
It was strange.
Even real brothers don’t die on the same day in this world.
Did Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei swear to die on the same day in the Oath of the Peach Garden?
‘Ah, I think I read something like that in a book once.’
He guessed it probably wasn’t historical fact.
But it was a widely known story.
“In the martial world, aside from the master-disciple relationship, everything else is fiction, Hee-ya. It’s a terrifying world where children kill their parents and brothers stab each other. So, you see.”
His master placed him on a horse.
It was a large, pitch-black horse.
Jin Cheon-hee had never seen such a horse in his life.
“Our Hee needs hellish training. This is all out of my goodwill.”
Jin Cheon-hee thought.
‘That’s right.
The road to hell is paved with good intentions.’
The hellish training had begun.
013. Ten-Step Divine Spear
After being caught by his master, Jin Cheon-hee spent his days in hellish training.
Je Gal-lin, who had learned that Jin Cheon-hee’s sworn brother was the Heavenly Slaughter Star, showed no mercy.
Every moment except for eating and sleeping was devoted to training.
And behind it all was Je Gal-lin.
Je Gal-lin pushed Jin Cheon-hee just enough not to kill him.
Though usually kind, when it came to training his disciple, his master was a demon to the point of being called ‘hyung.’ And Jin Cheon-hee endured it without a single complaint, honing himself.
Both disciple and master were stubborn.
“Hee-ya, do you know what my only regret is?”
Jin Cheon-hee swung his fist in the air and replied.
“Regret?”
Regret was a soft emotion that only normal humans would feel.
Was his master the type to feel such a thing?
Pang!
A clean uppercut followed.
Then a mid-level strike, and a low-level strike.
Basic movements.
The Three Talents Fist Technique.
By now, he could do it with his eyes closed, having practiced it thousands, tens of thousands of times.
But Jin Cheon-hee continued to practice.
Having experienced real combat, he understood the importance of basics even more.
He was now drilling the basics into his subconscious, something he had always valued.
“Why didn’t I just take our disciple and leave back then?”
Now, Jin Cheon-hee knew.
Je Gal-lin had a habit of hiding words within words.
At first glance, it seemed like he only said what was necessary, but it was different.
The hidden meaning in Je Gal-lin’s words was this:
‘I should have left that Heavenly Slaughter Star behind and taken you with me.’
Gulp.
If Yeo Ha-ryun had heard, he might have retorted, ‘Hyung, it’s not about leaving him behind, it’s about killing him.’ But his master was a physician.
No matter what, he wouldn’t go as far as killing a patient…… Jin Cheon-hee thought.
In any case, if you carefully dissected Je Gal-lin’s words, there was always a hidden sentence, but it was fine to take them at face value.
The main point was that he wanted to take Jin Cheon-hee and leave.
But his feelings toward the Heavenly Slaughter Star required further thought.