Chapter 11
Smack!
A palm came flying at me again at rapid speed.
Does this sister have a hobby of slapping people?
I pursed my lips, bent my knees, and leaned my body backward.
Though I wasn’t lying flat on the ground horizontally like a martial arts master, it was still an acrobatic move that would make an average person gasp in admiration.
“How long do you think you can keep dodging!”
Her hand, which had been shooting toward my face, suddenly bent into a hook shape.
Since my body was already leaning back, I’d have to roll on the ground to avoid her attack. But if I did that, it was certain I’d be subjected to the obnoxious giggles of those annoying maids.
Grandmother always told me never to reveal my martial arts, even when I became old. However, this was practically a battlefield for me.
At this point, it wouldn’t hurt to teach her another lesson.
Hoping this commotion wouldn’t reach Jeok I-geon’s ears, I stretched out my left foot while lying down and nudged Senior Ji-ae’s hip joint.
The reaction caused her waist to jolt, her nails narrowly grazing over my chest.
I used that moment to quickly raise my upper body.
“You can use martial arts too, huh?”
Enraged by the failure of her attack, Senior Ji-ae glared at me fiercely.
Though she seemed slightly startled by my counter, her condescending attitude remained unchanged.
“So, you’ve learned some cheap tricks somewhere, haven’t you? Today, I’ll make sure to fix that nasty behavior of yours!”
She shouted arrogantly and resumed stepping into her stance. Her movements carried some strength, surprisingly.
But something about it felt… clumsy?
I’m no expert, but I don’t think she’s doing it right.
Our master, Shin Geum, once said that footwork isn’t just about stepping forcefully.
The art of stepping involves transferring energy into your movements, alternating between strong and soft as needed, and channeling inner power.
But here she was, charging recklessly like an angry calf.
There were so many gaps in her technique that it felt like I had to choose which one to exploit first.
Should I provoke her a little?
I took a half-step sideways and subtly moved my foot.
“Ahhh!”
With a loud scream, Senior Ji-ae tumbled to the ground.
“You… you’ve learned some wicked sorcery, haven’t you?!”
All I did was trip her, and now it’s sorcery?
Her face turned bright red with embarrassment as she glanced nervously at her friends and juniors.
Why bother provoking someone like me in the first place?
My life motto has always been to endure in silence.
“You’ll pay for this!”
Despite her big talk, Senior Ji-ae couldn’t even leave a scratch on me afterward.
The difference in skill was evident from the start, yet she kept coming at me furiously, refusing to back down because of her pride.
Even Senior Do-ae, who had been watching her, started to realize something was wrong, her face growing tense.
Senior Gaye, too, looked visibly shaken, like someone betrayed by a trusted friend.
I suppose this is a good time to wrap things up.
Hopefully, Jeok I-geon hasn’t come looking for me in the meantime.
“Haah!”
Once I made up my mind, I moved swiftly.
In a blink, I closed the distance between us, driving my palm upward to strike her chin.
Bang!
With a heavy thud, Senior Ji-ae’s body flew into the air before crashing onto the ground.
I had used this attack earlier during the day, but this time the force was stronger.
“Sister!”
“Ji-ae!”
Though it must’ve hurt, it was merely a simple knockout without any life-threatening injuries.
Despite that, Senior Do-ae and Senior Gaye turned pale, screaming as they rushed toward her.
Swoosh— Swoosh—
That’s when warriors suddenly swarmed over the walls.
Dozens of martial artists appeared out of nowhere, surrounding the seniors.
Each one held a sharp weapon, their entire bodies radiating an intense murderous aura.
What… what’s going on?
Startled, I took a step back and held my breath.
Even though I’ve been stuck in this martial arts novel for five years, this was the first time I faced such a situation.
Experiencing firsthand what I had only read as a tense scene in the story turned out to be terrifying enough to make my knees weak.
Yet, the real threat wasn’t the warriors.
“Make way! Or I’ll kill this girl!”
A chilling sensation suddenly touched my neck.
Even without looking, I could tell it was a blade.
In other words, I was now a hostage held by someone I didn’t even know.
The warriors surrounding me weren’t after me but rather the man who had taken me hostage.
Is this guy an idiot?
What does he plan to achieve by holding a maid hostage?
A hostage is meant to be valuable, a bargaining chip to achieve one’s goals.
Clearly, if he wanted to succeed, he should’ve grabbed someone of higher status than a mere maid like me.
Who would step forward to save me?
Ugh!
Look at this. The warriors kept closing the distance, as if I didn’t even matter to them.
As if to prove that his threat wasn’t an empty one, the blade nicked my skin.
It wasn’t deep—just a sting—but the sharpness in his intent made it clear he wouldn’t hesitate to pierce my throat.
A faint scent of blood lingered at the tip of my nose.
Only then did I fully realize the perilous reality of my situation.
I considered taking the chance to escape, but my captor was a skilled master whose presence I hadn’t even detected earlier.
If I tried to slip away recklessly, I might only hasten my death.
Grandmother, what should I do?
Terror caused my whole body to tremble uncontrollably.
Feeling utterly helpless, I unconsciously prayed for a savior to appear.
Perhaps my desperate plea reached the heavens.
Bang!
“Ugh!”
Suddenly, a small explosion echoed, followed by my captor’s groan.
His body staggered, and the grip on my neck and shoulders naturally loosened.
“Huff!”
Seizing the moment, I quickly slipped out of his grasp.
And then I saw him.
Jeok I-geon leaped from the wall, snapping his fingers mid-air.
Bang! Bang!
It was like watching bullets being fired.
The transparent, bead-like energy forming at Jeok I-geon’s fingertips shot toward the man like projectiles.
“Agh!”
One pierced the wrist holding the dagger, and another struck the ankle barely keeping him standing.
Though I hadn’t seen it, Jeok I-geon’s first shot must have targeted the man’s ear.
Blood poured out from one of his ears as he collapsed on the ground, gasping.
His hands and feet were in a similar state, covered in bright red blood.
“Ah!”
The Pa-ok Danja Technique.
I finally remembered.
It was the technique Jeok I-geon often used against enemies, almost like a game.
A supreme martial art that only the most advanced masters could wield, it involved gathering inner energy and releasing it outward to attack the opponent.
It was one of Jeok I-geon’s specialties, so I wasn’t entirely surprised.
What shocked me was the timing.
He was only nineteen years old.
If he could already master the Pa-ok Danja Technique at this age, his other martial arts were likely at a similar level.
Throughout the novel, I knew he was a monster, but this exceeded my expectations.
Perhaps Jeok I-geon was far stronger than I had imagined.
“Are you alright?”
Lost in my realization, I froze in shock as Jeok I-geon approached me.
What did he just say?
Did I hear that right?
Jeok I-geon, of all people, asking if a mere maid was alright?
I must have misheard.
Unaware of my internal turmoil, Jeok I-geon stared at me briefly before striding toward the man writhing on the ground.
Raising one hand above his head, he summoned a powerful storm of energy into his palm.
If that hit, the man’s body would be shredded like a piece of paper.
Was I about to witness Jeok I-geon commit murder on my first day as his maid?
Unable to bear the sight, I began to turn my head away.
But just then, a solemn voice rang out across the area.
“Stop!”
Despite Jeok I-geon’s presence, the surrounding warriors, who had maintained their formation, all lowered their weapons simultaneously.
In unison, they fell to their knees, bowing deeply.
“We greet the Heavenly Demon!”
“We greet the Heavenly Demon!”
I was as shocked as I had been when I first met Jeok I-geon.
Why was the Heavenly Demon here?
Despite my confusion, my forehead instinctively touched the ground.
The absolute ruler of the Demonic Cult.
One of the Ten Masters of Martial Arts, and the most revered among them—hailed as the greatest master in the world.
My heart pounded wildly as I realized I was face-to-face with the Heavenly Demon, the very figure Grandmother had always warned me to be cautious of.
—
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