Jin Cheon-hee hadn’t just performed emergency treatment. He had opened the Heavenly Demon’s abdomen, extracted the Gu, and killed it.
“When you first told me to eat the Ice Toxin to put the Gu into a state of suspended animation, I thought you were insane.”
It was a case of ‘using poison to control poison.’
The Blood Gu was weak to cold energy. But that was all. Even if it was forced to sleep by the cold, that was merely a way to induce a near-death state; it was not a solution.
Jin Cheon-hee said calmly, “I promised I would treat you when we met again.”
“I can treat it. That’s the only way to get rid of the Blood Gu.”
It was a method of physically extracting the Blood Gu after it had been put into a state of suspended animation. In the original novel, the Heavenly Demon only learned of this method after nearly dying countless times. By then, the precious followers he’d had were dead, and he himself, his energy depleted, was at a crossroads: destroy his danjeon, be locked in the Inner Prison, or become another’s puppet.
When he stumbled upon the method by chance, he beat his chest in lament. It was a method that could only have been used if he had known about it early on.
I won’t let it happen this time.
Jin Cheon-hee had been resolved. But it had been uncertain whether Yeo Haryoon would accept it. To put the Blood Gu into a near-death state, and then simply wait for their next meeting to treat it.
Yeo Haryoon had accepted that insane proposal.
The promise between the two boys was finally fulfilled.
And so, without anyone the wiser, Jin Cheon-hee had treated Yeo Haryoon and removed the Blood Gu.
“You must keep it a secret that the Blood Gu is gone from your body.”
“Even from my comrades?”
“You must not tell your master, either. Absolutely not.”
Yeo Haryoon sank into thought before replying, “This is a truly strange feeling.”
“What is?”
“Listening to you, hyung, feels less like talking to a strategist and more like talking to a diviner.”
He’s sharp.
Jin Cheon-hee maintained a nonchalant expression. “Don’t they say an outstanding advisor is indistinguishable from a great fortune-teller?”
“That’s true.” Yeo Haryoon nodded.
Whew. His intuition is sharp, probably because he’s the protagonist.
Sometimes he seemed like a kid, but when facets of the Heavenly Demon occasionally emerged like this, it made his heart clench.
Yeo Haryoon half-closed his eyes, lost in thought. “Hyung, you were the first person to ever buy me something delicious to eat.”
“Shouldn’t ‘you saved my life’ come before that?”
“Right. And you saved me again this time. I still haven’t been able to repay you for anything.”
His hair, black as ink and utterly without luster, flowed like water. Befitting a protagonist, his skin was flawless, and though he was still a boy, the lines of his face were already sharp. As he was a patient, his hair, uncombed, was left to hang loose. For an instant, his long bangs covered one eye, making his expression difficult to read.
At last, Yeo Haryoon finished his thoughts.
“Hyung.”
“Yeah?”
“Do you have any intention of coming with me to the Main Cult? You’ll be fine. Physicians are already given the best treatment in the Cult, and you’ll have my protection.”
“What exactly is your role in the Demonic Cult? It’s not even time for the battle to choose the Junior Cult Leader.”
“It’s fine. I will become the Junior Cult Leader, and I will eventually become the Cult Leader.”
“How do you know that?”
“I’ve decided. I’m going to be the Cult Leader.”
The young, dark-eyed boy spoke as calmly as if he were deciding on dinner.
Jin Cheon-hee was, for a moment, speechless. The Heavenly Demon’s ink-black eyes seemed to be testing him, and the reply hovered on the tip of his tongue.
“…I’m not going.”
“Is it because of that White Qilin bastard?”
“Don’t call my master that.”
“Hmm…” Yeo Haryoon let out a low hum and sank into thought again. Finally, he answered. “If White Qilin dies, will you come to me?”
“If my master dies, I’ll die too.”
For one, Yoo Ho will probably physically come to kill me. After being worked to the bone like that, there’s no way that guy’s personality would let me live.
“Then what if I die? If I die, what will you do, hyung?”
That question left him speechless. A few answers came to mind, but all of them were unsatisfying. Any answer he gave felt like he was being dragged onto his opponent’s playing field.
Jin Cheon-hee decided to flip the board.
“What will you do if I die?”
“I’ll kill them.”
“Kill what?”
“If the one who killed you is a person, I’ll kill them. If it’s a ghost, I’ll kill them. I’ll make them regret being alive, kill them so painfully down to their very bones. And then I’ll do whatever it takes to bring you back, hyung.”
Jin Cheon-hee replied, “Then I’ll do the same for you. Deal?”
“Tsk.”
He was clearly dissatisfied with the answer.
Jin Cheon-hee ruffled Yeo Haryoon’s hair.
Yeo Haryoon said, “Hyung.”
“What?”
“If I die, the culprit is White Qilin. Just know that.”
“My master is only wary of you because you’re a Star of Heavenly Slaughter. Just because you’ve tasted the Demonic Cult’s ways, your head has started to spin in their direction too, huh?”
“White Qilin must be happy. Having a disciple who’s so naive.” He said this, then answered, “Actually, I don’t think your opinion matters that much, hyung.”
“What?”
“You will come to the Main Cult.”
“What kind of bullshit…”
“I’ve decided it.”
Let’s not talk anymore. Jin Cheon-hee sighed. “Forget it. You’re discharged. Go back tonight. I’ll tell the people upstairs.”
“…”
Yeo Haryoon did not reply.
Jin Cheon-hee stood up. As he was about to leave, Yeo Haryoon spoke. “Hyung. Make sure you keep the bracelet on. Never take it off.”
“Alright. Ah, right. Hey!”
Something had just occurred to him.
“If your path is ever blocked, punching your way through is also an option.”
“What does that…”
“Just keep it in mind. It’s some life advice from your hyung.”
It’s the fastest way to break through a trial that’s coming in your future, you idiot. That’s your hint!
Yeo Haryoon, unaware of Jin Cheon-hee’s true meaning, just stared at him blankly, but finally replied, “Alright. I’ll remember that.”
He nodded once, then began circulating his energy again.
A normal person would have let the words go in one ear and out the other, but this was Yeo Haryoon. Jin Cheon-hee knew his words would have an impact.
He listens well to his hyung. Such a good little brother.
***
And so, Jin Cheon-hee sent Yeo Haryoon off. Seeing his behavior, it looked like he might just laze about for a thousand years, so he’d had him discharged. He seemed inwardly disappointed, but he had no choice if Jin Cheon-hee was telling him to leave.
After sending him off, Jin Cheon-hee was ready to enjoy his long-awaited freedom. Or rather, he had planned to.
His master, who had been smiling brightly as he saw him off, grabbed the back of his neck on his way back.
“Hahaha, Hee-ya.”
“Y-yes… Master?”
It was his usual, affectionate tone, but for some reason, it sent a chill down his spine.
“So you sent that Star of Heavenly Slaughter on his way. Hahaha.”
“Y-yes! Master. Yeo Haryoon may seem like that, but he’s a really good kid.”
“A good Star of Heavenly Slaughter, you say. I’ve never seen such a thing, even in the old texts. But thanks to my disciple, perhaps I’ll have the chance.”
“R-right.”
Because he’s the protagonist.
His master’s smile grew even more radiant.
“Hee-ya. In truth, it doesn’t matter to me whether that thing is a good Star of Heavenly Slaughter or a bad one. The fact that it’s hovering around you… it just bothers me. But what can I do? Hoo… A master must know how to endure for his disciple’s sake.”
This was strange. His master, just like that, lifted Jin Cheon-hee and tucked him under his arm as he walked. He was such a large man that his eye level was suddenly incredibly high.
“Master…?”
“So, let’s train. You need to become strong enough to survive, even if that thing does something crazy, don’t you think?”
“My younger brother would never do such a thing.”
“He’s not your real younger brother, is he? He’s a sworn brother.”
“Yes… a sworn brother.”
“Hee-ya. In the Gangho, that’s what we call ‘no relationship at all.'”
“That’s not true, Master! What about the Oath of the Peach Garden, with Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei? Why is that ‘no relationship’?”
“And did they die on the same day, in the same hour?”
“…No.”
“That’s just how it is.”
That’s weird. Even among blood-brothers, where in the world do you find siblings who die at the same day and hour? Did they even pledge to die at the same time in the Oath of the Peach Garden? Ah, I think I remember reading that in a book, a long time ago.
He suspected it wasn’t from the official histories. Still, it was a very well-known story.
“In the Gangho, all relationships are falsehoods, except for that of master and disciple, Hee-ya. It is a terrifying world where children kill their parents and siblings stick blades in each other. That is why.”
His master, just like that, sat Jin Cheon-hee on a horse. It was a massive black stallion, bigger than any he had ever seen in his life.
“It seems my Hee-ya needs some ‘hell training.’ This is all out of your master’s… good intentions.”
Jin Cheon-hee thought, Right. The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
The hell training was about to begin.
***
Arc 13: Ten-Pace Divine Spear
After being captured by his master, the days of hell training truly began.
Now that Zhuge Rin knew his disciple’s sworn brother was that Star of Heavenly Slaughter bastard, he seemed to have no intention of holding back. All his time, except for eating and sleeping, was focused on training. And behind it all was Zhuge Rin.
Zhuge Rin pushed Jin Cheon-hee to the absolute limit, just short of death. He was always an affectionate master, but when it came to training his disciple, he was a devil that even other devils would call “hyung.” And Jin Cheon-hee, without a single word of complaint, absorbed it all, polishing himself.
The disciple and master were both relentless.
“Hee-ya, do you know what my only regret is?”
Jin Cheon-hee, punching the air, answered, “Regret?”
Isn’t ‘regret’ a soft emotion that only normal humans feel? Is my master even human enough to feel that?
Pang!
His high-punch flowed cleanly into a middle-punch, then a low-strike. Basic movements. Three Powers Fist Technique.
He had practiced it thousands, tens of thousands of times, to the point where he could do it with his eyes closed. But he was still polishing it. Having experienced real combat, he now understood the importance of the fundamentals even better. He was already obsessed with the basics, and now he was engraving them into his subconscious.
“It’s that back then, I didn’t just take only my disciple and leave.”
By now, Jin Cheon-hee knew. Zhuge Rin had a habit of hiding words within words. One might think he only said what was necessary, but it was different from that.
The hidden meaning in Zhuge Rin’s words was this: ‘I should have left that Star of Heavenly Slaughter bastard behind back then.’
Gulp.
If Yeo Haryoon had heard that, he probably would have found fault, saying, “Hyung, the correct expression isn’t ‘left behind,’ it’s ‘killed.'” But his master was a physician. He wouldn’t go so far as to kill a patient… would he? Jin Cheon-hee pondered.
In any case, if you peeled back the layers of what Zhuge Rin said, there was always another hidden sentence, though it didn’t matter if you only took his words at face value. The gist was that he wanted to take only Cheon-hee and leave.
But to know how he really felt about that Star of Heavenly Slaughter bastard, you had to think about it one more time.