"...That's everything I know about the Lonely Bamboo Forest."
"Tsk tsk, so that's how it is."
"Y-yes, that's right."
"Huh? What are you doing? Mr. Ma, you should eat too. There are plenty of legs, so it's good."
"I'm fine. Please, Young Master Seo, eat as much as you like."
"Come on, just try one. Even one leg will fill you up. The meat is tender, and there's no gamey smell. It's a delicacy, a real delicacy."
Ma Dong-pil's face was completely stiff.
The sight of Seo Ryang chewing on the meat, his hands and mouth covered in grease, was nothing short of shocking.
For the past few years, he had been managing the bamboo forest, coming and going from the Lonely Bamboo Forest. To him, the demonic creatures were targets to be wary of and killed, not something to be eaten.
'To think he would actually consider boiling and eating it.'
And not just any creature, but the very demonic beast that had tried to kill him.
Seo Ryang looked incredibly happy as he chewed and swallowed the finely shredded meat. Well, he hadn't eaten properly for the past few days, so it made sense...
'Ugh!'
The wound on his waist from being scratched by the demonic beast's claws while trying to escape was still there. Just thinking about it made the smell of the boiled meat nauseating.
Seo Ryang frowned.
"What's with that face? Does it disgust you?"
"N-no, not at all!"
"Don't you guys eat it like this?"
If anything, I want to ask you. How could you even think of boiling and eating such a ferocious demonic beast?
"We don't usually..."
"Well, after finishing your mission and going back, you'd have plenty of delicious food to eat, so there's no need to go through the trouble of preparing it yourself."
"Y-yes, that's right."
"Tsk tsk, but it's perfect for nourishing your body. You should at least try it. You're not a fool, are you?"
Ma Dong-pil screamed internally.
A fool? There are plenty of other things to nourish your body with besides demonic beasts! No, leaving that aside, how could a demonic beast possibly be nourishing?!
He barely managed to swallow the words that were about to burst out of his throat. Thoughts should remain thoughts. If this blasphemous thought ever came out of his mouth, he would never forgive himself.
But Seo Ryang wasn't treating them like fools just because of the taste.
"You said the bamboo turned into spirit bamboo because of the concentrated spiritual energy? That it's a valuable medicinal ingredient?"
"That's correct."
"Then wouldn't these creatures be similar?"
"...?"
"Look at this thing's body. It's far from normal. Why do you think it transformed like this? Isn't it because of the concentrated spiritual energy, just like the bamboo here?"
"...?!"
"In other words, doesn't that mean these creatures are also filled with spiritual energy? Who knows, eating them might help improve your internal energy. Even if it doesn't, it might at least restore some vitality."
Ma Dong-pil's pupils shook violently.
'I've never thought of it that way.'
But as he listened, it didn't seem entirely unreasonable.
"There's one more thing I'm curious about."
"..."
"Mr. Ma?"
"Yes? Ah, yes! Young Master Seo, please ask."
"Why is this chicken-headed thing called a 'Changbu'?"
Ma Dong-pil scratched his head. It was an uncharacteristic gesture for someone who usually seemed like a stoic soldier.
"The seniors called it that, so I just followed..."
"Really? Well, I guess that's how it is."
Seo Ryang wiped his hands on his clothes. Ma Dong-pil's expression darkened as he saw the front of the robe, now shiny with grease.
I'll have to wash that robe.
It was already covered in blood, and now it's stained with grease. He seriously considered requesting new clothes from the Hwanhui Garden.
'I'll need to repair Young Master's room and set up the forest's defensive formations again. Just in case more Changbu appear, I should also sprinkle some vinegar scent around...'
As he sighed deeply, lost in thought, Ma Dong-pil suddenly realized that Seo Ryang had disappeared.
"Yo... no, Young Master Seo?!"
At that moment, a voice came from the courtyard.
"I'm here. I came out to drink some water."
"Ah, yes."
As he crouched down awkwardly, Ma Dong-pil's eyes fell on the pot.
'...'
There's a lot of it.
'Improving internal energy?'
The enticing possibility made Ma Dong-pil sniff the air.
Why was it that the strong smell of boiled meat didn't seem as repulsive as before?
After hesitating for a moment, he tore off a piece of the breast meat. The creature was so large that even a thin piece was as long as a noodle.
Ma Dong-pil put the meat in his mouth and chewed.
'Huh?'
It's better than I expected.
I thought it would be tough, but it's surprisingly tender. There's no fat, but it's chewy and light, making it quite edible.
Ma Dong-pil tore off and ate a few more pieces of the breast meat. The more he ate, the more it seemed to stick to his tongue.
'If you just get past the prejudice, it's actually quite tasty...'
As he tore off another long piece of meat, Ma Dong-pil suddenly felt a dark shadow and flinched.
He turned his head.
Seo Ryang had entered the kitchen and was chuckling.
"How does it taste?"
Ma Dong-pil awkwardly replied.
"...It's excellent."
"See? I told you to eat it, you fool."
"My apologies."
"Stop apologizing and start chewing properly. Tear off a leg."
"I'm fine now..."
"Tear it off, man."
"Yes."
And so, the two of them crouched in the kitchen and devoured the enormous pot of boiled meat as if they were hiding it from the world.
Even the Heavenly Demon Lord would never have imagined that his disciple would be living in the Lonely Bamboo Forest, catching and eating demonic beasts.
"Ugh, I'm so full."
"Slurp."
"Are you drinking the broth too?"
"..."
"Eat up."
"Slurp."
The two of them entered the bamboo forest near their residence.
"You set this up around here?"
"Yes. It's a basic formation covering eight directions. If you're familiar with the terrain, you can even set it up with just tree branches..."
"An Octagonal Formation."
"Ah, have you studied formations too?"
"Just picked it up here and there. By the way, you did a good job setting it up. Even with the modifications, it's still functioning well."
"You noticed."
"Noticed? It's obvious just by looking."
Ma Dong-pil's eyes filled with admiration.
Formations are a study separate from martial arts. It's not something you can just glance at and understand, even if you have some knowledge.
'He's amazing.'
Seeing this, it's clear that the Heavenly Demon Lord's disciple isn't just anyone. It seems you need to be skilled in many areas, not just martial arts.
Moreover...
'That gaze.'
Seo Ryang was carefully surveying the bamboo forest.
As Ma Dong-pil watched him, his face was filled with confusion.
'Just what kind of person is the Third Young Master?'
He seemed endlessly carefree, but when he became serious, he exuded an aura that was hard to approach.
Just by his gaze, you could believe he had already reached the pinnacle of the martial world. Even though he had lost his martial arts due to demonic possession, he showed no signs of despair. If it were me, I would have been so depressed that I couldn't even dream of living a normal life.
Moreover, his knowledge of formations, which even ordinary people take two or three years just to get started, is astonishing. He had lost many memories of the Divine Sect, but he retained the memories necessary for the treacherous martial world.
The more you know, the more mysterious he becomes.
"Mr. Ma."
"Yes, Young Master Seo."
"I'll eat dinner alone tonight."
"Do you not have any appetite, Young Master?"
"I don't have an appetite for dinner, but I have too many other thoughts. I need to sort them out. Just do some basic repairs and take a rest."
"Ah, understood."
Seo Ryang shuffled into his bedroom.
Sitting on the bed, he picked up the secret manual of the True Demon Art that he had placed by his bedside and began to read it seriously once more.
'No matter how I think about it, this is the way.'
To start learning demonic arts now?
Yes, it's possible. Even though he had practiced the Life-Stealing Art, he had participated in the creation of the Shadowless Art. His insight into martial arts was a cut above even other top martial artists.
But even with that insight, it would be difficult to master high-level demonic arts in a short time. It's unfamiliar.
He would be several times faster than others, but that still wouldn't be enough.
The fastest, strongest, and most far-sighted martial art.
"I still can't give up on the Shadowless Art. I must stick with the Shadowless Art."
So, does that mean he won't learn demonic arts?
No.
Seo Ryang shook the manual.
"After considering everything, this is the best option."
The True Demon Art.
One of the two foundational arts of the Divine Sect, along with the Demon Transformation Art.
It's not that their level is high. In fact, compared to the Ten Great Demon Arts, these two are like fireflies before the full moon.
But the True Demon Art and the Demon Transformation Art have one advantage that the Ten Great Demon Arts can't match.
"It's certain. I don't know about the Demon Transformation Art, but some of the Ten Great Demon Arts were created based on the True Demon Art."
Of the three Ten Great Demon Arts that the Heavenly Demon Lord had mastered, two of them had over eighty percent of the True Demon Art's principles embedded within them.
They were twisted beyond recognition, but they couldn't fool his eyes. It was clear that the Blood Calamity Demon Art and the Heaven-Seizing Forbidden Demon Art were modified versions of the True Demon Art.
Especially the Heaven-Seizing Forbidden Demon Art, which was a combination of several other demonic arts from the fourteen secret manuals.
In terms of subtlety, the Blood Calamity Demon Art was superior, but in terms of power, the Heaven-Seizing Forbidden Demon Art was ahead. It was a high-level demonic art created by dismantling and reassembling lower-level demonic arts.
And the Shadowless Art was similar.
'The Shadowless Art is different from the perfected arts of the orthodox sects, which have been refined over generations. It's a young martial art that hasn't even passed a single generation.'
It's an excellent martial art in itself, but it's incomplete. Depending on how it's modified, its nature, character, and level can all change.
And with that piece, Seo Ryang chose the True Demon Art.
So what would happen?
"...It would become a demonic art."
Just like a drop of ink pollutes a clean bowl of water.
Demonic arts are exactly like that. Especially the True Demon Art, which is far ahead of the Ten Great Demon Arts in the fundamental use of demonic energy. It's literally the parent of the numerous demonic studies possessed by the Heavenly Demon Sect.
Seo Ryang hesitated.
Was it because he was worried about problems arising from the modification? Not at all.
In fact, the problem was that the combination was too easy. The Shadowless Art itself was a martial art with room for improvement, and the True Demon Art was a perfect fit as a piece.
They say opposites attract.
Although they were martial arts at opposite extremes, if he put his mind to it, he could fully integrate their principles within ten days.
The newly born martial art would likely be at least as destructive as the Shadowless Art and more stable than the True Demon Art.
Seo Ryang bit his lip.
'Damn it! There's no other way. I've already made up my mind, haven't I? If I hesitate here, I'll never escape.'
It's not just about not escaping. He might live as a powerless Third Young Master and get caught up in political strife, dying by some random person's sword.
Crucially, this place, the Lonely Bamboo Forest.
It's extremely dangerous, but it's also an opportunity. If he plays his cards right, he could extract a massive amount of medicinal herbs here.
Spirit bamboo could be poisonous? Nonsense!
With the Purification Art, he could even purify the turbid energy in the air. It might take some time, but turning it into a complete medicinal herb isn't a problem.
"All circumstances are pushing me toward this one choice."
A look of determination appeared in Seo Ryang's eyes.
"Then I'll just do it. There's no other way."
There might be another way, but wasting more time with complicated thoughts is a greater loss.
"Let's begin."
Seo Ryang began to seriously refine his Shadowless Art and the True Demon Art, along with a few other demonic arts that would serve as the foundation.
As expected, refining the martial art wasn't difficult. It felt as if bringing the Shadowless Art into the Heavenly Demon Sect was fate itself.
After ten days and two more, he created a new martial art.
The new martial art was so high-level that it even dispelled a hint of bitterness. Even after establishing its system, he wondered if he could ever master it, given how advanced it was.
As he practiced the new martial art, he slowly adapted to the Lonely Bamboo Forest.
Half a month after creating the new martial art.
He was attacked by demonic beasts and easily achieved victory.
Another month later.
He ventured deeper into the Lonely Bamboo Forest for exploration and encountered other demonic beasts. In that battle, he nearly died but managed to survive.
Three months later, with the momentum of his martial art, he ventured even deeper into the forest.
And there, he found a spirit bamboo that hadn't fully matured yet.
After a bloody battle with the demonic beast guarding the area, he finally obtained the spirit bamboo. Fortunately, he was able to remove its poison using the Purification Art.
Adventures into deeper regions, martial arts that quickly became second nature, and countless life-and-death experiences.
Month after month.
Eight months had passed since Seo Ryang entered the Lonely Bamboo Forest.