The night had already passed the hour of Zi (子時) and was approaching the hour of Chou (丑時). After sending off the heavily drunk Ma Dongpil and putting Anghwa to sleep, Seoryang stepped out into the courtyard and sipped wine alone. Staring blankly at the moonlight, he tilted his head in confusion.
“This is strange. Every time I feel like I’m about to get drunk, I suddenly sober up. Then it happens again and again. Is this body’s original owner a heavy drinker or something?”
He closed his eyes for a moment and observed his internal state, then tilted his head again.
‘The energy circulating in my liver is unusually active… but if I were an internal martial arts expert, this level would be normal…’
Though it wasn’t a complete transformation, his body was almost like a new one. However, unless he used his internal energy to expel the alcohol, it was impossible not to get drunk.
“Damn it, you drink to get drunk. This is no fun.”
He clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction. For a moment, his stomach felt hot, and his head buzzed, but after blinking a few times, he was back to normal.
“...Damn it.”
Just then, something soft brushed against his thigh.
“Ah, it’s you.”
A little fox purred and flopped down beside him, acting as if it were a cat. Seoryang absentmindedly scratched its belly, and the fox seemed to enjoy it, snorting happily. Its tail wagged lazily, and its eyes half-opened, clearly reveling in the attention.
Seoryang chuckled softly.
“You’re lucky to live without a care in the world.”
“But aren’t you hungry? You’ve been sleeping all this time and haven’t eaten anything.”
There was no response from the fox. Of course, a four-legged beast couldn’t talk.
“Let’s see.”
He waved a piece of boiled pork in front of the fox’s nose, and it opened its mouth while still lying down. Seoryang gently fed it, and the fox chewed noisily, clearly enjoying the meal.
When the fox finished eating, Seoryang handed it another piece. The fox continued to lie down and eat.
“You’re going to get indigestion if you keep eating like that.”
Seoryang propped his chin on his hand and looked at the fox with a strange expression.
“By the way, it’s strange. How did you end up sleeping in that dangerous place?”
Munch munch.
“Did you have a mother or something? If so, I feel a bit sorry.”
Chomp chomp.
The fox chewed away without a care. A soft smile appeared on Seoryang’s face.
“You’re really cute. At least you’ve stopped biting… though you did bite my hand before, you little rascal.”
It was absurd that he had been bitten by a little fox smaller than his forearm. The momentary guilt he felt had completely vanished.
“Stop eating, you little thing. Your body’s as small as a bean.”
Yip!
“Fine, go ahead and finish it.”
He grumbled and emptied his wine cup. No matter how much he drank, he couldn’t get drunk, which annoyed him. Even though he had lit a fire, he still felt as if he were sitting on the cold ground.
As the lonely dinner between one man and one beast was nearing its end, a sharp glint appeared in Seoryang’s eyes.
‘So Yeon-sim, was it?’
Hwanhuiwon.
Among the internal organizations of the sect, none were insignificant, but the importance of Hwanhuiwon, which managed the sect’s internal affairs, was beyond description.
In some cases, even the Military Affairs Department had to seek approval from Hwanhuiwon. While the Chief Military Officer held a higher position in the sect’s hierarchy, the power of the Hwanhuiwon’s leader was not to be underestimated.
He recalled Ma Dongpil’s words.
- “If you want a clear understanding of the sect’s organizational structure and interpersonal relationships, you’ll need to visit the Military Affairs Department. However, aside from the Sect Leader, it’s difficult for anyone to summon or meet the Chief Military Officer. Especially recently, as he’s been extremely busy.”
- “The Enforcement Department is skilled in organizational matters, but it’s hard to get detailed information on interpersonal relationships. They can provide surface-level relationships, but what you’re looking for is something more intricate.”
- “In that case, meeting the leader of Hwanhuiwon would be the fastest and most reliable option.”
- “However, Young Master, whether it’s the Chief Military Officer or the leader of Hwanhuiwon… they likely won’t be willing to share such information easily.”
Seoryang agreed with that part. While organizational charts might be shared, detailed interpersonal relationships inevitably involved personal opinions. And if those opinions were leaked, it could cause significant political damage, even if not outright destruction.
“There’s no other way. I’ll just have to confront them directly.”
Seoryang clicked his tongue.
‘I can’t wait forever.’
He would walk out of the Heavenly Demon Sect with his own two feet. No matter how many years it took, he would move forward without worrying about others’ opinions.
His resolve was unwavering. He was even prepared to rot here for a few years if necessary.
For the sake of his future and immediate survival, he needed to grow stronger quickly. That’s why he had been training so fiercely.
But what then? Was becoming stronger the end goal?
‘Absolutely not.’
He could endure for a few years, but if an opportunity arose, he wouldn’t let it slip away.
However, he couldn’t live like a fox waiting for fruit to fall. Opportunities were ultimately created by people.
If he wanted to leave this place, he needed detailed information about the Heavenly Demon Sect. In his current state, he was likely to be swept along by circumstances.
Most importantly, he needed a solid position.
Not just as the Sect Leader’s disciple, but someone with enough power and influence to come and go as he pleased.
‘Sneaking out is impossible, and trying to subtly insert myself would only raise suspicions.’
After careful consideration, he realized he needed to increase his presence.
‘In other words, I’ll have to run around until my feet sweat to gain power.’
It was uncomfortable.
He knew how power struggles could exhaust a person. Just look at the former leader of the Righteous Alliance. That old man had destroyed hundreds, if not thousands, of families to secure his position.
Even if it was for his own freedom, he didn’t want to become that kind of scoundrel.
‘At least my current position is high.’
Most issues could be resolved with his status. Besides, he was already someone who had been thoroughly insulted, so standing out a bit wouldn’t matter.
‘To create a situation where I have no choice but to leave, I need to be involved in everything. But that’s not something I can ask someone else to do.’
Seoryang’s eyes sparkled.
‘Maybe I should cause some trouble.’
Whoosh.
As he made up his mind, his heart raced, and his blood surged, stimulating his demonic energy. The demonic energy that filled his entire body manifested as a reddish mist.
The little fox, which had been lying down and chewing on meat, suddenly sat up.
The fox looked up at Seoryang.
A multicolored light flowed from the fox’s eyes.
Zing! Zing!
Without Seoryang realizing it, the demonic energy grew thicker.
The reddish mist, which had been flowing and dissipating, began to coalesce into a vague shape.
A shape that was hard to distinguish as human or beast. Though not concrete, it had a ferocious appearance.
“Huh?”
Suddenly sensing something strange, Seoryang looked down.
The little fox was staring intently at him. The multicolored light that had been flickering in its eyes had disappeared.
“Did you finish chewing?”
Yip!
“Oh, you’re answering now.”
Yip!
“...You’re not actually understanding me, are you?”
Yip!
“You’re so consistent, it’s endearing.”
He gently stroked the fox’s nose, and it seemed to enjoy it, rubbing its face against his hand.
“You look like a dog, but you act like a cat.”
Seoryang looked up at the sky.
The moonlight was beautiful, but the starlight was distracting. The stars were so clear that it was hard to tell which direction was which.
Somehow, the sea of starlight seemed to mirror his own situation.
It felt as if the vast world was mocking him, an old man lost and wandering alone.
‘It’s pathetic to wander aimlessly, not knowing which path to take.’
Clench.
His fist tightened with strong determination.
“Since it’s come to this, I’ll act like myself and make some noise.”
Thud thud thud!
Anghwa, who had been sweeping, glanced toward the training ground. There, Seoryang had stripped to the waist and was throwing punches in all directions.
Whoosh!
Anghwa unconsciously held her breath.
Even from a distance, without any internal energy, the pressure from his punches was immense. And more impressive than the pressure was the overwhelming aura that shook the air.
Splash!
Thick beads of sweat soaked the ground.
Even though it wasn’t a training session using internal energy, he was sweating profusely, indicating the immense mental strain.
‘He drank so much last night…’
Anghwa was inwardly amazed.
She had heard that experts could expel alcohol using their internal energy, but that was only when their minds were clear. To drink enough to knock out a dozen men and still train like this… His strong will was truly admirable.
‘As expected, the Sect Leader’s disciple is no ordinary person.’
Anghwa quickly finished sweeping and scurried inside. Though it was morning, she planned to prepare a hearty meal for him.
Huff.
After a while, Seoryang stopped his movements.
His entire body was flushed red, and his muscles ached all over.
‘It’s tough, as expected.’
The Heavenly Lifting Technique (提天技) was his primary martial art, encompassing all forms of unarmed combat—fists, palms, fingers, and feet.
Naturally, the complexity of its forms far surpassed that of other martial arts.
From techniques that could pierce the body with a finger strike to rapid, overwhelming combos—it took at least half an hour just to perform the entire sequence.
He had executed these intricate techniques while under the pressure of a thousand-pound weight.
It was a dangerous training method that could damage muscles and joints, but its effectiveness was equally remarkable. It was perfect for forging the muscles of an assassin who sought to end fights in a single strike. With proper energy circulation and nutrition, it could even transform one’s bones.
“I can afford to extend the training time.”
His body, tempered by the spiritual energy of Gojuk Forest, was incredibly tough and resilient. Though the training was dangerous, his natural talent allowed him to maximize its efficiency.
Seoryang looked down at the training ground floor.
“...It’s still not enough.”
Footprints about two inches deep were imprinted all over the training ground. If his training had been perfect, such marks wouldn’t have been left.
Just then, Anghwa appeared in the distance.
“Young Master, have you finished your training?”
“Not yet. There’s still a long way to go.”
“You’re going to do more?”
“I’ve just warmed up. There’s a mountain of work to do.”
Anghwa’s face showed a hint of exhaustion. Seeing his sweat-drenched body and heavy breathing, it wouldn’t be surprising if he collapsed at any moment.
“What about breakfast…?”
“Huh? Oh, right. It’s already late.”
Seoryang patted his stomach.
“A man needs to fill his stomach before he works. Let’s eat.”
“Yes!”
After a storm-like meal, Seoryang returned to his training.
Since his current body was completely different from his past assassin’s body, adapting his original techniques to this new form was no easy task.
Seoryang thought to himself.
‘I was an assassin. But even then, I was far from what people imagine an assassin to be.’
There’s no assassin who boldly breaks through the front gate in broad daylight. Yet, Seoryang had done such crazy things quite often.
Unless absolutely necessary, he didn’t use stealth techniques, and he found carrying hidden weapons bothersome. After all, he could take down people barehanded without any issues, so why bother with such things?
In other words, he was only an assassin in name—no different from any other martial artist in the martial world.
‘It might feel a bit awkward, but it won’t take long.’
At least when it came to martial arts, he never set limits or boundaries. That was his strength.
Another half-day passed.
Whoosh!
His punch carried a powerful surge of demonic energy. Though unintentional, the energy manifested as he focused on his movements.
A smile spread across Seoryang’s face.
“It’s done.”
Though not perfect, the Heavenly Lifting Technique was beginning to harmonize with his body. Once it started flowing smoothly, reaching his goal was only a matter of time.
Just then, as if waiting for this moment, a voice came from outside the gate.
“Young Master.”
“Ah, Dongpil.”
The gate opened, and Ma Dongpil entered. In his hand was a sheathed sword.
“As you requested, it’s similar to the one you used before.”
“Thank you.”
“It’s nothing.”
After roughly wiping off his sweat, Seoryang fastened the sword to his waist.
“Shall we get moving, then?”
The little fox quickly jumped onto his shoulder. Seoryang scratched its chin.
Ma Dongpil looked puzzled.
“Where are you going?”
“To plan my future.”
As he walked toward the gate, he suddenly turned back.
Ma Dongpil stared at him blankly.
Seoryang winked.
“If you’ve got nothing to do, want to come along?”