Chapter 46
Right, ominous premonitions are never wrong.
Under the guise of needing to gauge my level before special training, I stepped into the sparring match without any preparation.
The opponent in my first-ever sparring match, which will be remembered for ages, was Seo Ryeon.
How could they do this without conscience?
How could they pair a beginner like me with the Divine Wind Witch?
I wanted to hurl a torrent of curses at Jeok I-geon, but as always, it only stayed in my thoughts.
Even before it began, my spirit was already crushed.
This was a fight I could never win.
How could I possibly defeat the ace of the King of Hell Corps?
The only thing I had over Seo Ryeon was my vast internal energy.
I couldn’t even think of attacking and was wholly preoccupied with dodging her sword.
Thankfully, I had at least properly learned Demonic Life Steps and Demonic Phoenix Sky Art.
While it was hard to predict which direction Seo Ryeon’s sword would come from, I managed to dodge just before it touched my body.
Surely, this wasn’t just meant to teach me how to run away.
I also had to keep an eye on Jeok I-geon’s reactions while dodging Seo Ryeon’s sword, fearing he might scold me harshly.
This older sister is terrifying!
Even so, how could she go all out against someone she serves as her superior?
Thanks to my innate reflexes, I barely survived several moments that could have sent me to my grave.
Even though the sword wasn’t real, Seo Ryeon’s attacks felt so lethal they sent chills down my spine. Truly, her title as the Divine Wind Witch was no exaggeration.
“Enough!”
At Jeok I-geon’s shout, Seo Ryeon immediately withdrew her sword.
How many laps did we run around the sparring ground?
The dirt floor was filled with footprints from Seo Ryeon and me.
I had been too busy running to even realize where I moved.
It was a pitiful defeat.
And utterly humiliating.
“You’re not as bad as I expected.”
…What?
“At this rate, you won’t sustain serious injuries against most opponents. Isn’t that right?”
“Yes. Seo Ryeon’s Five Element Demonic Sword is one of the fastest techniques in the academy. There were a few close moments, but it’s not something to be overly concerned about.”
“Seo Ryeon, what do you think?”
“I agree with Cheon Gang. Honestly, I thought I’d land several hits, but I was surprised by the strange movements used to dodge each time.”
“That’s the Demonic Phoenix Sky Art. It seems teachings in Sichuan were valuable to Seol-ha. Quite impressive.”
Wait, am I being praised right now?
Did they just say I did well?
All I did was dodge like a madman, so I was genuinely dumbfounded.
“By convention, Lady Shin Seol-ha will start competing as a disciple of the Heavenly Demon at the level of the Eight Extremities. Among this year’s candidates, no one wields a faster sword than Seo Ryeon.”
“In that case, your next opponent will be Cheon Gang.”
“I’ll go heavy.”
After finishing his conversation with Jeok I-geon, Cheon Gang approached me with a wooden sword.
“Lady Shin Seol-ha, this time you must block instead of dodging. Think of it as training to receive an attack.”
“What if I can’t block it?”
Why do they think I’ve been running around the sparring ground this whole time?
I would’ve blocked if I could!
“Trust me. You won’t get hurt.”
“…Really?”
“Yes.”
Alright, if I can’t trust my favorite person, who can I trust?
‘Jeok I-geon, on the other hand, is a different story.’
Cheon Gang wasn’t the type to say careless things.
If it were him, he would attack with a force I could manage.
Dodging wasn’t always the solution.
Ultimately, to win, I’d have to push the opponent to their limit and force their surrender.
Lacking confidence, I adjusted my grip on my sword and waited for Cheon Gang.
“Haah!”
He leaped high into the air.
Neither too fast nor too slow—his movement was the epitome of textbook precision.
Clang!
Our swords collided.
Ugh!
Why is it so heavy?
I nearly lost grip of my sword.
“Ha!”
A sharp pain traveled from my wrist to my arm and shoulder.
If I hadn’t protected myself with internal energy, my bones might’ve broken.
This after he said he’d go easy on me!
I wanted to yell at him in betrayal, but I didn’t have the time.
Clang!
Ignoring the shock I had just received, Cheon Gang continued to swing his sword.
The pressure was overwhelming.
I focused more and more of my energy into my right arm gripping the sword.
Thankfully, Cheon Gang focused on the weight of his attacks rather than complicated techniques.
This made it increasingly easier for me to deflect his strikes.
Smash!
And then, it happened.
Whether it was because I infused too much energy or couldn’t withstand his weight, my wooden sword suddenly shattered into pieces.
Sharp splinters scattered in all directions.
Flustered, I froze, while Cheon Gang spun rapidly to generate wind and deflect the fragments.
Whoosh!
The strong gust brushed past me.
Once. Then again.
Even without looking, I knew this was Jeok I-geon’s doing.
By now, it wasn’t even surprising that he’d step in to save me.
He was an odd presence—terrifying to be around, yet oddly reassuring.
But why does he look like that?
Jeok I-geon wore an incredibly irritated expression as he glared somewhere.
What an impossible personality.
As my gaze naturally followed Jeok I-geon’s, I saw something unexpected—the Heavenly Demon.
The damn man who decided my fate last night had finally come to see me.
“I greet the Heavenly Demon!”
While grumbling inwardly, my pathetic body instinctively knelt and bowed to him.
Cheon Gang and Seo Ryeon did the same.
Only Jeok I-geon casually offered a slight nod in greeting.
“Am I still the Heavenly Demon to you?”
The Heavenly Demon approached me with a feigned angry voice.
I immediately understood what he wanted.
“…Master, no, I greet you as my teacher.”
“I prefer the term ‘Master.’ It has a better ring to it.”
“…Yes, Master.”
If it’s not difficult, I should comply.
“I hear you’ll be participating in the sparring tournament?”
“It seems that way.”
The Heavenly Demon’s gaze swept over me, Cheon Gang, and Seo Ryeon, finally stopping on his son, Jeok I-geon.
“What is your goal?”
“Of course, to win.”
“Are you confident?”
“With Seol-ha, it’s possible.”
How many times must I say no, as the person involved?!
If I enter, humiliation is guaranteed. Can’t I withdraw even now?
I looked at the Heavenly Demon with desperate eyes, hoping he would cancel it.
But my attempt to divert his attention failed spectacularly.
“Do-wi is entering the tournament as well.”
“…!”
At the Heavenly Demon’s statement, not only Jeok I-geon but also Cheon Gang and Seo Ryeon looked visibly surprised.
Do-wi, Do-wi…
I’ve heard the name before, but who was it again?
If I can’t remember immediately, it means he isn’t a major character. Still, the name isn’t unfamiliar.
Do-wi.
I repeated the name in my head.
Oh, that guy!
Like a lightning bolt, a scene from the novel came to mind.
Do-wi, the deputy leader of the Killing Ghost Corps, primarily tasked with assassinations.
He was originally a notorious marauder from Shaanxi who joined the Demonic Cult after being hunted for his heinous crimes.
He had a history of assaulting numerous women and murdering civilians, which led to his label as a public enemy in the martial arts world.
True to form, his misdeeds continued within the Demonic Cult.
Initially, he escaped detection, but as the saying goes, a long tail is easily caught.
Eventually, Do-wi’s crimes were exposed, leading to a manhunt that caused the deaths of many cult members.
Knowing he faced destruction of his martial core and imprisonment if captured, Do-wi desperately went into hiding.
He managed to evade capture for over twenty days.
Of course, he was eventually found dead.
Strangely, his body was discovered completely naked, with his private parts brutally crushed.
Furthermore, no one stepped forward to claim responsibility for killing him, so the cult couldn’t even issue a reward.
Later, when Jeok I-geon became the cult leader, a similar incident revealed to readers that he was the one who executed Do-wi.
But that lunatic is entering the tournament?!
Though he isn’t yet the deputy leader of the Killing Ghost Corps, his skills must be comparable.
Do-wi was the epitome of how ability and character often oppose each other.
Can I possibly defeat him?
“My lovely disciple, your eyes are filled with worry.”
The Heavenly Demon’s sudden affectionate tone startled me.
Lovely disciple?
Was it my imagination, or did his gaze and tone seem overly sentimental?
“Do you know why I’ve come to see you today?”
“No, I don’t.”
“From now on, I intend to teach you all the martial arts of the Demon Empress. Are you ready to become the second Demon Empress?”
“…Me?”
Why do they all have such high expectations of me?
What if they’re disappointed later?
“In the future, you will be praised as the strongest woman in the history of the Demonic Cult. Just trust your Master and follow my guidance. Understand?”
“…Yes.”
I give up.
I’ll just do as I’m told and see where it takes me.
At least I won’t lose anything, so I decided to wholeheartedly dedicate myself to learning as the Heavenly Demon’s disciple.
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