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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: Demonic Arts (1)
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Master's words had been true.
The moment I got entangled with her, it seemed my fate was to be hunted by the Martial Alliance, tortured to death, or chased by the imperial court and tortured to death.
The only option left was to survive as Master's disciple, but even that wasn't entirely comfortable. I could still die in a year, after all.
Feeling keenly alert once more, I focused on the lesson.
The doctrines of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult were completely new to me, but I quickly grasped her explanations.
It wasn't because my head was particularly sharp.
It was because I was used to studying.
'Listening while thinking of Donghak makes it pretty easy to understand.'
One of the best ways to learn something new is to associate it with what you already know.
That's why teachers, professors, and instructors often use analogies in class.
The human brain is far better at grasping connected concepts than entirely unrelated ones.
Of course, the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's doctrines weren't exactly the same as Donghak's. And I hadn't memorized every single one of Donghak's teachings either.
What I'd studied was national history, not Donghak.
But that didn't matter much. The differences from Donghak actually helped me understand them better by comparing: 'Ah, this part's different.'
For topics completely unrelated to Donghak, I linked them to other analogies or concepts.
* * *
After finishing morning studies, I ate lunch and moved on to external martial arts training as per the schedule.
"We'll start with the lower body. It's a cliché saying, but the lower body is the foundation of all martial arts. It's only commonplace because it's so vitally important. This is an undeniable truth."
With an expressionless face, Jin Ha-yeon assumed a horse stance and demonstrated first.
I might know studying or exam prep, but when it came to exercise or martial arts, she was far more of an expert than me.
So I happily began mimicking her movements.
'Easier than I thought?'
I'd occasionally gone to the gym in modern times for health reasons.
I'd skipped plenty due to overtime exhaustion or battles with unreasonable complainers, though.
Either way, assuming the horse stance felt perfectly natural.
Squatting down steadily, I had no trouble balancing, no knee pain, no muscle strain.
As I comfortably held the horse stance, Jin Ha-yeon, who had been watching, suddenly picked up a sandbag and placed it on my shoulders.
'Hmm?'
It got a bit harder with the sandbag, but still not overwhelmingly so.
External training continued after that.
"Please stand, Young Master. From now on, hold the horse stance while I count to ten, then stand and rest briefly. Repeat."
Repeating squat-like movements.
"Now, circle the courtyard once. I'll demonstrate first."
Doing duck-walking penalties from my school days.
'If I had to name it, this is like lunges?'
How long had I been crushing my lower body with sandbags strapped on?
"Huff. Huff."
It seemed like nothing at first, but as reps and sandbags piled up, my breathing grew ragged.
Watching me, Jin Ha-yeon suddenly asked an unexpected question.
"Truly, have you never cultivated martial arts in your life until now?"
"That's right."
"Indeed, I can see why the Heavenly Demon chose you, Young Master. I've felt it since attending your bath last night, but your body is truly exceptional."
As expected, she'd been analyzing my physique while attending my bath last night.
A cold sweat trickled down my back unbidden as she spoke again.
"At the very least, for external arts, there shouldn't be any issue entering the Demonic Path Academy in a year."
At her words, a sigh of relief escaped me.
It felt like my life had been extended.
After that, she taught me various external training methods.
"Such strength—it's hard to believe you've never trained external arts."
Her praises kept coming.
"A body truly bestowed by the heavens, Young Master."
But for some reason.
"As expected, the Heavenly Demon had a plan."
The more her praises continued.
"The Heavenly Demon must have anticipated you'd be fully capable of entering the Demonic Path Academy."
I couldn't tell if she was praising my body or glorifying the Heavenly Demon who found me.
"The Heavenly Demon has come to rescue you, Young Master, from wasting your talents."
It seemed like the latter.
'No wonder this emotionless woman is pouring out praise...'
* * *
After finishing the two-hour external training session.
I simply rinsed the sweat from my face with water and ate the snacks Jin Ha-yeon had prepared.
'Hmm. They might not know the concept of protein, but as a military group, they get this right?'
Surprisingly, the snacks weren't sweets but fruits and meat.
Evidently, experience had taught them meat helps before and after training.
After consuming that rather heavy snack for a light bite, I opened my personal doctrine notes from morning and began reviewing.
There was still about an hour before Master arrived.
It might be better to combine external training with Master's lesson and extend morning study by an hour, but four straight hours of exercise without rest sounded grueling.
Doing external training early morning and studying until Master's lesson afterward?
'I'd be too exhausted to focus.'
Studying while fatigued was inefficient anyway.
So, with my body tired from external training, I used this time for review instead of new material.
'Once I adapt to external and internal training, I'll adjust the schedule then.'
Giving my body rest while refreshing my brain with morning's lessons. Just then.
Jin's voice came from outside the door.
"I pay respects to the Lord of Ten Thousand Demons."
I rose and opened the door. There stood Master in the garden with a relaxed expression, and Jin Ha-yeon prostrating herself fully on the ground in utmost reverence.
"I pay respects to Master."
I hurriedly bowed to Master as well.
"Hahaha. Enough. I hope this old man hasn't interrupted your studies."
"No, Heavenly Demon. The Young Master's intellect is exceptional; he has fully grasped today's quota."
"Oh ho?"
Master showed interest at her extremely deferential reply, forehead to the ground.
"Hahaha. I had high hopes from the moment I arrived here, and indeed, your intellect is quite impressive."
Chuckling merrily, Master instructed me and Jin Ha-yeon to rise.
Catching on, I stood, and Master addressed me.
"With such intellect, your grasp of martial arts should be equally sharp. Today's training will be most anticipated. Hahaha."
It was a strangely exciting moment.
From the moment I realized this world had a real martial arts realm, I'd vowed never to set foot in it.
No matter how I thought about it, it was a perilous world where ten lives wouldn't suffice.
Yet hypocritically, I wanted to try cultivating martial arts.
Shooting palm winds, slicing rocks with a sword, running across water.
Realizing with my own body what was impossible in modern times—it was bound to spark curiosity. It was just that survival came first.
But now, with no choices left, I had to learn martial arts. Deciding it was inevitable suddenly made it intriguing.
Perhaps sensing my gleaming eyes, Master chuckled heartily.
"Hahaha. Before teaching martial arts, there's something you must know."
"Disciple Il-mok will listen attentively."
"Then I ask you. Il-mok, do you know what the Central Plains' unbelievers call our Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's martial arts?"
Pondering the sudden question, I replied with a hunch.
"They call it demonic arts, don't they?"
"Correct. Then, do you know why they call our martial arts demonic arts?"
"Hmm. Probably just a derogatory label to vilify us unbelievers."
"Hahaha."
I'd reasoned it out, but Master stroked his beard, laughed, and shook his head.
"Half right. They do seek to tarnish us, but the main reason they call it demonic arts is something else."
"What is it?"
"It's because of the high risk of demonic deviation. The achievements come swiftly, but the dangerous side effects lead them to name it demonic arts."
Having explained, Master gazed at me with a serene expression. Jin Ha-yeon beside me wore her usual blank face.
I alone was dumbfounded.
"M-Master? Are you saying the demonic arts I'll learn from now on have dangerous side effects?"
"Indeed."
Master nodded peacefully, as did the impassive Jin Ha-yeon.
Struggling to hide my bewilderment, I asked them.
"Wh-Why must I learn such dangerous martial arts?"
"Hahaha. A most fundamental question I haven't heard in ages."
"My apologies, Lord of Ten Thousand Demons. This lowly one has failed to properly educate the Young Master."
No sooner had Master spoken than Jin Ha-yeon suddenly prostrated and slammed her head toward the ground in atonement.
But at that instant, a fierce aura burst from Master, forcibly halting her.
"I'm not blaming you. Pay it no mind."
After that terrifying burst of presence, Master helped her up and turned to me with a gentle look.
'This is scary as hell.'
What good is a gentle face now?
One word, and the maidservant tries smashing her head on the floor; to stop her, he unleashes a horrifying aura.
Swallowing hard amid the mounting tension, Master asked me.
"Have you heard why our Heavenly Demon Divine Cult was founded?"
Racking my brain desperately as his question ended, I recalled the review material from moments ago.
The ominous feeling that a wrong answer could spell disaster made my fatigued mind spin sharply.
"I heard it was to save the common folk from villains like corrupt officials."
"Hahaha. Well-known. Then consider this: with the people suffering right now, how can we leisurely cultivate martial arts? Isn't it right to choose the path of rapid strengthening, even at the risk of side effects?"
"...."
"Thus, those self-proclaimed righteous factions are hypocrites. They claim to protect the people yet cultivate arts that take decades to master. They're nothing but self-preserving hypocrites."
Listening made my head spin.
'It kinda sounds convincing?'
Startled by the sudden thought, I shook my head vigorously.
My diligent review must have deepened the indoctrination.
But I had no time for such thoughts. Master asked again.
"Do you remember how this old man tested you at first, Il-mok?"
"I remember."
How could I forget nearly dying?
"Then know this: I tested your character. The reason is precisely this. To overcome the side effects of these arts and gain swift achievements, only upright children of character can do so."
"Ah…."
I was doomed, the thought hit me.
'My character is upright?'