"Ugh! That was delicious."
"There's still a lot left. Should we make jerky out of it?"
"Yeah."
"Let's rest for now. I'll clean up."
"Alright, sure. Thanks."
Ma Dong-pil, holding a pot, glanced at Seo Ryang. Seo Ryang, who had already gotten up, was walking toward the edge of the courtyard.
'He's grown even bigger.'
Seo Ryang had always been tall, but the aftermath of the Ju Hwa-ip Ma incident had made him appear somewhat frail. That Seo Ryang from the past was no more. His broad shoulders, well-toned body, and steady gait were the very image of a martial artist.
In fact, he had even grown a bit taller. During the early days in Gojuk Forest, he had been about the same height as Ma Dong-pil, but now Ma Dong-pil had to tilt his head slightly to look at him.
Some people grow later than others, but the drastic change in his physique was still surprising.
"Young Master, how's your wound...?"
"It's fine. This much can be handled with internal energy."
"Understood."
Ma Dong-pil wanted to say more, but he decided to clean up the surroundings first.
Seo Ryang, who had reached the edge of the courtyard, opened the gate and stepped outside.
He took a deep breath.
"The air here is truly amazing!"
Even though it's an incredibly dangerous place.
The air is fresh, and my stomach is full. And most importantly, I managed to take down that Green Claw bastard who had given me a hard time before.
It's been a fulfilling day.
"My arm is a bit sore, though."
Seo Ryang frowned as he looked at his left arm. The arm that had blocked the Green Claw's kick was swollen.
'But this much is manageable.'
Smiling as he examined his arm, Seo Ryang suddenly scanned his body.
'Not bad at all.'
After eight months, his body was nearly perfect.
His well-developed chest muscles, rock-solid abs, and lean limbs looked incredibly impressive. It was hard to believe that he had once been so emaciated that his ribs were visible.
'This place is truly miraculous.'
The overly concentrated spiritual energy not only created spirit bamboo and rare treasures but also transformed the bodies of those who lived here.
Of course, it was only possible because of the immense effort he had put in. Since entering Gojuk Forest, he had never slept more than two hours a day.
Even so, the body he had achieved in just eight months was beyond ordinary.
"That's why it's dangerous."
As the saying goes, too much of anything is bad. The bamboo and rare treasures here had perfectly adapted to the environment, but humans couldn't do the same.
If this continues, his body will start to break down within three months.
'I need to get everything I can before that happens.'
Seo Ryang sat cross-legged.
Closing his eyes and focusing inward, he could feel the pulsating energy in his dantian.
This was a power he couldn't have even imagined eight months ago. The surging internal energy felt like it was about to burst out into the world.
'Come.'
The call of the master.
The dantian responded to the powerful will infused in the soul's cry.
Whoosh!
The swelling dantian let out a loud bang, sending energy coursing through his meridians.
Sssss...
The aftermath of the hot energy flowed out like smoke.
It wasn't evil, but it was fierce. It wasn't unsettling, but it was ominous. The energy was so potent that even a fragment of it could send everyone in the vicinity into a panic.
Demonic energy.
The demonic energy he had once been so wary of was now rising from his entire body.
Sssss...
A faint heat haze shimmered around his shoulders and back. The internal injuries from his battle with the Green Claw were healing.
Even considering the high concentration of spiritual energy, the speed was excessively fast.
A smile appeared on Seo Ryang's lips. It was a smile that seemed both bitter and satisfied.
'It's getting deeper.'
The quality of the demonic energy had deepened.
This had nothing to do with spiritual energy. It was purely due to his enlightenment, which was on a different level from other experts.
From now on, the demonic energy would continue to improve in quality day by day.
'So what if it's demonic arts? I couldn't learn martial arts like this anywhere else in the world. I should consider myself lucky.'
Shadow True Demon Art.
It was a martial art he had created by combining Shadow Qi and True Demon Art.
The Shadow Qi, heavily influenced by Shaolin martial arts, surprisingly retained its Buddhist elements even when combined with demonic arts. At the same time, it surpassed the Ten Great Demonic Arts in terms of demonic studies.
The fusion of the seemingly incompatible Anti-Demonic Qi and Pro-Demonic Qi.
The result was beyond imagination.
Crack! Crack!
His muscles rippled, and the sound of his bones shifting eerily echoed.
His muscles and bones were slowly being reassembled. Every time he circulated his energy, his body subtly changed to better align with his martial arts. He was moving toward a divine body capable of wielding both the grandeur of Buddhist martial arts and the explosive power of demonic arts.
Flash!
Seo Ryang opened his eyes.
"Haah."
A breath he didn't even realize he was holding escaped, carrying a sense of euphoria.
At that moment, Ma Dong-pil's voice came from the side.
"Are you done?"
"Yeah."
In the meantime, Ma Dong-pil had cleaned up the courtyard and stood guard. Even though Seo Ryang could stop immediately if he sensed any killing intent during his energy circulation, Ma Dong-pil still seemed uneasy.
Ma Dong-pil quietly called out to Seo Ryang.
"Young Master."
"Are you setting the mood for another lecture?"
"Didn't you promise not to enter dangerous areas alone?"
Seo Ryang scratched his head.
"What can I do? Time is short."
"Time?"
"Ah, didn't you know?"
"What...?"
"This place is dangerous now. To be precise, it will become dangerous soon."
"What do you mean?"
When Seo Ryang explained what he had sensed, Ma Dong-pil's expression immediately hardened.
"At most, three months, you mean?"
"Yeah."
"How is that possible?"
"It's natural for a place where the balance is broken."
Balance? What does that mean?
Seo Ryang pointed to his left arm.
"Look. The arm that was injured by the Green Claw has already healed this much. It'll probably be completely healed by tomorrow morning."
"That's a relief..."
"Do you think that's normal?"
"Ah... it's definitely not normal."
"If your skin is torn, your body heals the wound. But what happens if the healing speed becomes extremely fast? What happens if it keeps healing even after it's fully healed?"
"..."
Seo Ryang spread his fingers.
"It bursts."
"...!"
"That's the environment of Gojuk Forest. It's good for growth up to a certain point, but once you hit a plateau, it immediately becomes poison."
"So then..."
"Right. Within three months, or even two if we're being conservative, we need to enter the deeper parts of Gojuk Forest."
"I see."
"Once I take down a few more, the path to the deeper parts, which I've never been to before, will open. The best spirit bamboo that even the sect's leaders go to collect is there."
Seo Ryang grinned.
"I need to get that."
Ma Dong-pil sighed.
"Young Master, I'll go and request an audience with the sect leader."
"Suddenly?"
"You said that if we don't leave this place within three months, something terrible will happen."
"Right."
"But if the sect leader doesn't give the order, you'll have to stay here..."
Seo Ryang tilted his head.
"Have you ever met the sect leader without me?"
"...Yes?"
"When did the sect leader ever say that?"
Ma Dong-pil looked confused.
"Isn't it... natural? Since the sect leader sent you here, you can't return without his permission..."
"Pfft! Did you really think I've been stuck here for eight months because of the sect leader?"
"Ah, wasn't that the case?"
Smoothly.
Seo Ryang stood up.
His tall frame and sturdy build. Just looking at his well-trained body, he was no less than any top-tier expert.
"The sect leader only told me to go to Gojuk Forest. He never set a time for me to return."
"...!"
"It's something I realized after mastering my martial arts. The sect leader granted my request. It's just that the place wasn't the outskirts but Gojuk Forest."
"That... interpretation..."
"Not a good place to get some fresh air? Well, that's true. But thanks to that, I've become stronger, haven't I?"
Seo Ryang smiled.
It was a sense of ease that had come after gaining strength, or rather, after accepting reality.
"I plan to take everything I can get. That's why I've endured until now. It's helpful to me."
"...I see."
Ma Dong-pil answered, but he still seemed confused. He couldn't even begin to fathom the intentions of the absolute ruler of the demonic sect, let alone most of the sect's members.
"By the way, how's the thing I asked for?"
"Ah, just a moment."
Ma Dong-pil brought out five packets of herbs, some tea leaves, and a long weapon wrapped in black cloth from the room.
Seo Ryang's eyes sparkled.
"You brought five packets of Je Tak Cho?"
"Yes. I heard they were distributed for personal experiments."
Seo Ryang murmured in admiration.
"Impressive. How much money do they have to distribute Je Tak Cho to even a single physician?"
"The Yunnan branch sends herbs every month. They say there are many such herbs on Mount Aenoe in Yunnan. Some herbs have even been successfully cultivated, so the supply is plentiful."
"Ah!"
He had never been to Mount Aenoe, but he had heard that its terrain was among the most treacherous on the continent, teeming with all sorts of poisons, beasts, and rare plants.
"But how did you get Je Tak Cho...?"
"There's a way. Is this the Gulsong tea?"
"Yes."
"Good job. Thanks."
Seo Ryang tucked the herb packets and tea leaves into his arms. His delighted expression was evident.
"Just in case, can you get more Je Tak Cho?"
"If it's through secret channels, I can't guarantee anything."
"Tsk. Really?"
"Yes. This month, they're studying the formulation of a medicinal soup called Jeon Gang Tang using this herb. Since it's the main ingredient, it would take a couple of months to get more..."
"Wait."
Seo Ryang tilted his head.
"What did you just say? Jeon Gang Tang?"
"Ah, yes. That's what I heard."
"Je Tak Cho is used in Jeon Gang Tang?"
"That's right."
Seo Ryang frowned.
Jeon Gang Tang? Wasn't that the medicinal soup he had been drinking relentlessly for three months after waking up?
"Je Tak Cho is the main ingredient of Jeon Gang Tang? Are you sure?"
"That's what I heard, but..."
That doesn't make sense.
Je Tak Cho is an herb that removes impurities, as its name suggests. However, it also suppresses yang energy, so if taken recklessly or in excess, even a master of internal energy could suffer.
No matter how much it's processed, the essence of the herb's power doesn't change.
They fed that herb to a patient who was nearly dead from the aftermath of Ju Hwa-ip Ma? And not just as a supplementary ingredient, but as the main ingredient?
Considering that his body was still covered in demonic energy traces, it's even more bizarre.
Je Tak Cho's power is so strong that it attacks demonic energy. It might be fine if the demonic energy is strong, but it's fatal to a weakened body.
"That can't be right? Anyone with even a little knowledge of medicine wouldn't prescribe that?"
As his doubts grew, Seo Ryang lowered his gaze and fell into thought, suddenly recalling another prescription.
"Dong-pil."
"Yes, Young Master."
"Do you know about Geumjeong Chim?"
He asked just in case, but to his surprise, Ma Dong-pil nodded.
"Of course."
"You know? What is it?"
"To be precise, it's more of an acupuncture technique than a needle. It's a technique that slightly tenses overly relaxed muscles to balance the body."
"How do you know that?"
"Before going on missions, I performed it a few times on bodies loosened by energy circulation. It's not a difficult technique, and from what I remember, it was quite effective..."
Suddenly, Ma Dong-pil stopped speaking.
The Young Master's expressionless face was now filled with a cold, murderous aura.
'Feeding Jeon Gang Tang to an extremely weakened body and inserting Geumjeong Chim into a body that's already stiff?'
And to the sect leader's disciple, no less?
'It's unlikely that the physician acted alone.'
At the very least, it would have to be someone from the highest echelons or a disciple of similar rank...
'Disciple?'
Suddenly, the memory of Hong Yeo-rin flashed through his mind.
And the fact that she was the younger sister of a disciple like himself.
"...Those bastards."