Late at night, past the Hour of the Rat and approaching the Hour of the Ox.

After sending off the drunk Ma Dong-pil and putting Aenghwa to bed, Seo Ryang sat alone in the courtyard sipping wine.

Staring blankly at the moonlight, Seo Ryang tilted his head.

“Strange. Why do I keep sobering up just when I’m about to get drunk?”

Was this body’s original owner such a heavy drinker?

Closing his eyes briefly to observe his internal state, Seo Ryang tilted his head.

The energy circulating in my liver is particularly active… but maybe all internal martial arts masters are like this…

Though not quite a complete transformation, his body was practically new. But unless one actively drives out alcohol energy with inner force, it’s impossible not to get drunk.

“Damn it, you drink to get drunk.”

This isn’t any fun…

He blew out sharply through his nose. For a moment his insides burned and his head buzzed, but after blinking a few times he was clear-headed again.

“…Shit.”

Just then, something soft rubbed against his thigh.

“Ah, it’s you.”

The baby fox purred and flopped down. It seemed to think it was a cat.

As he absently scratched its belly, it happily flared its nostrils. Its tail swayed side to side and its eyes were barely open, clearly enjoying the attention.

Seo Ryang chuckled.

You’re lucky to live without worries.

“But aren’t you hungry? You’ve just been sleeping and haven’t eaten anything.”

There was no response from the fox. Well, how could a four-legged beast speak?

“Let’s see.”

When he dangled some boiled pork meant as drinking snacks in front of its nose, it just opened its mouth while lying down with closed eyes.

When he slipped it in, the fox made odd chomping sounds as it chewed well.

When the fox finished, Seo Ryang offered more meat. The fox continued eating while lying down.

“You’ll get indigestion like that.”

Seo Ryang propped his chin up and looked at the fox with strange eyes.

“By the way, it’s fascinating. How did you end up sleeping in such a horrible place?”

Nom nom.

“Was there really a mother? If so, that’s kind of sad.”

Chomp chomp.

It chewed frantically. A gentle smile spread across Seo Ryang’s face.

“This thing is so cute. Good thing it seems weaned… though it did bite my hand, the little devil.”

It was absurd that he’d been bloodied by a baby fox smaller than his forearm rather than some huge spiritual beast. That immediately erased any guilty feelings.

“Stop eating, brat. Your body’s barely bigger than a mouse turd.”

“Yap!”

“Fine. Have it all.”

He grumbled while emptying his cup. Unable to get drunk no matter how much he drank, he felt irritated like sitting on cold ground even with a fire lit.

As this lonely feast between one person and one beast was nearing its end.

A sharp light flickered in Seo Ryang’s eyes.

So Yeon-shim, was it?

The Joyous Pavilion.

Though they say there’s no powerless organization in the inner court, the importance of the Joyous Pavilion that handles the cult’s internal affairs was beyond description.

They say even the Internal Military Advisory Department sometimes needs approval from the Joyous Pavilion. Though the General Strategist outranked them in the cult’s hierarchy, it meant the Joyous Pavilion Master’s power was not to be underestimated.

He recalled Ma Dong-pil’s words:

• To get accurate organizational charts and relationship diagrams of the cult, you’d need to go to the Internal Military Advisory Department. However, besides the Cult Leader, it’s difficult for anyone to summon or meet the General Strategist. Especially lately, they say he’s very busy.
• The Law Enforcement Court is also good with organizational charts, but relationship diagrams are harder to know. Surface-level relationship diagrams are fine, but I believe what Young Master wants is something more detailed.
• Then meeting the Joyous Pavilion Master would be the fastest and surest way.
• However, Young Master, whether the General Strategist or Joyous Pavilion Master… they probably won’t share easily.

Seo Ryang agreed on that point. While organizational charts might be one thing, detailed relationship diagrams would inevitably include personal views.

And if those views leaked externally, while it might not be a political blow, it would likely cause significant headaches.

“No choice. Still have to try.”

Seo Ryang clicked his tongue.

I can’t wait forever.

I’ll walk out of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult proudly on my own feet. No matter how many years it takes, I’ll move forward without watching anyone’s face.

That determination didn’t waver. He was actually prepared to rot here for years.

He thought he needed to get stronger quickly, both for the future and for immediate survival. So he trained ruthlessly with gritted teeth.

But so what? Is getting stronger the end?

Absolutely not.

Though he could be patient for years, he wouldn’t miss an opportunity if he saw one.

But he couldn’t live like a fox waiting with an open mouth for fruit to fall. After all, isn’t opportunity something people create?

If he wanted to leave this place, he first needed detailed information about the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. In his current ambiguous state, he’d easily be swept along by circumstances.

Decisively, he needed a secure position.

He needed to become someone with enough power or influence to freely come and go outside the cult, not just a simple disciple of the Cult Leader.

Sneaking out is impossible, and trying to subtly get a foot in would just raise unnecessary suspicion.

Still…

No matter how he analyzed it and examined it from all angles, he needed to build his presence.

So I need to run around until my feet sweat trying to grab power too?

It feels unsavory.

Just looking at the Righteous Heavens Alliance Leader shows how power struggles devastate people. Didn’t that old man destroy hundreds, thousands of families to sit in the Alliance Leader’s seat?

Even if it’s for my freedom, I don’t want to become such a bastard.

The fortunate thing is my high position.

Most things can be resolved with status. Since I’ve already eaten bucketfuls of curses anyway, it probably doesn’t matter if I stand out a bit.

To create a situation where I must leave, I need to be involved in any situation. But that’s not something I can ask others for.

Seo Ryang’s eyes sparkled.

Should I cause some trouble?

Woong.

As he made up his mind, his heart pounded, his blood flow intensified, and stimulated his demonic qi. The demonic qi surging through his entire body manifested in visible form as reddish smoke.

The baby fox that had been lying down chomping meat suddenly straightened up.

The baby fox looked up at Seo Ryang.

Five-colored light flowed from its eyes.

Zing! Ziiiing!

Without Seo Ryang noticing, the demonic qi grew denser.

The red smoke that seemed to dissipate as it flowed out gathered here and there, eventually forming a shape.

A shape hard to distinguish whether human or beast. Though not specific, it somehow looked ferocious.

“Huh?”

Suddenly sensing the strange atmosphere, he looked down.

The baby fox was staring up at him. The five-colored light that had filled its eyes moments ago had vanished.

“Done chewing?”

“Yap!”

“Oh ho, even answering.”

“Yap!”

“…You really don’t understand what I’m saying, right?”

“Yap!”

“Nice how consistent you are.”

When he gently stroked its nose bridge, it rubbed its face against Seo Ryang’s hand as if pleased.

“You look similar to a dog but act just like a cat.”

Seo Ryang looked up at the sky.

The moonlight is nice but the starlight is irritating. The falling starlight was so clear it seemed impossible to tell which direction was which.

Somehow that sea of starlight seemed similar to his situation.

It seemed to mock this old lost child dropped alone in this vast world.

It’s unseemly to just stand around not knowing which way to go.

Crunch.

Strong will filled his tightly clenched fist.

“Since it’s come to this, let’s rampage in my own way.”

***

Bang bang bang!

Aenghwa, who had been sweeping, glanced at the training ground. There, Seo Ryang had stripped to the waist and was throwing punches in all directions.

Boom!

Gasp.

Aenghwa unconsciously held her breath.

Even from quite a distance, without any inner force behind them, the wind pressure was incredible. And even more remarkable than the wind pressure was the overwhelming presence that shook the air.

Rustle!

Heavy drops of sweat moistened the ground.

Though it wasn’t training with inner force, sweat poured down. This meant the mental exertion was significant.

After drinking so much yesterday…

Aenghwa inwardly marveled.

She’d heard masters could expel alcohol with inner force. But that was only when clear-headed.

Yet he could train like this after drinking an amount that would be hard for over ten grown men to consume. His strong will seemed newly impressive.

Indeed, not just anyone can be the Cult Leader’s disciple.

After quickly finishing her sweeping, Aenghwa tiptoed inside. Though it was morning, she planned to prepare a quite filling meal.

“Whew.”

Seo Ryang stopped moving after training for a while.

His entire skin was flushed red. His whole body ached with muscle pain.

Still tough indeed.

The Heaven-Raising Technique[1] was his main killing art that encompassed all barehand strikes including fists, palms, fingers and feet.

Naturally, its forms’ vastness was on a different dimension from other martial arts.

From killing techniques that could pierce the body with a single finger strike to forms focusing on overwhelming consecutive hits. It was a martial art that took at least half a double-hour just to perform from start to finish.

He performed these delicate martial arts while compressing his body with the Thousand-Jin Weight[2].

Though it was a training method that could damage not just muscles but joints if careless, its effectiveness matched its danger. It excelled at building an assassin’s muscles for one-hit kills, and with proper energy circulation and nutrition, could change one’s physical foundation from the roots.

“I can increase the time more.”

His body, tempered by the spiritual energy of the Solitary Bamboo Forest, was extremely tough and strong. Though the training was dangerous, with a good vessel, he could maximize efficiency.

Seo Ryang looked down at the training ground floor.

“…Still insufficient though.”

Footprints two inches deep were marked all over the training ground. If the training had been perfect, such marks wouldn’t have appeared.

Just then, Aenghwa appeared in the distance.

“Young Master, have you finished training?”

“No way. Still far to go.”

“You’re, you’re doing more?”

“That was just warming up. There’s a mountain of work to do.”

A stricken look appeared on Aenghwa’s face. Looking at his sweat-drenched body and labored breathing, it wouldn’t be strange if he collapsed right now, yet he said there was still far to go.

“Then what about meals…”

“Huh? Ah, now that you mention it, time has passed.”

Seo Ryang rubbed his belly.

“A person should eat before working. Let’s eat.”

“Yes!”

After the storm-like meal ended, Seo Ryang plunged back into training.

Since his body was completely different from his past assassin days, it wasn’t easy to adapt his original killing techniques to his current body.

Seo Ryang thought.

I was an assassin. But even then, I was far from what others thought of as an assassin.

No assassin would break down the front gate in broad daylight. Seo Ryang had done such crazy things quite often.

Except when absolutely necessary, he didn’t use concealment techniques, and he found carrying hidden weapons too bothersome. Since he could kill people barehanded without any problem anyway, why carry such things?

In other words, he was an assassin in name only, no different from any other martial artist in the martial world.

Though it might be awkward, it won’t take long.

At least regarding martial arts, he never drew lines or set limits. That was his strength.

Thus another half day passed.

Bang!

Powerful demonic qi filled his extended fist. Though unintentional, demonic qi radiated as he concentrated on the movement.

A smile spread across Seo Ryang’s face.

“Good.”

Though not perfect, the Heaven-Raising Technique was starting to fit his body. Once it started rolling, reaching the target level was just a matter of time.

Just then, as if on cue, a voice came from outside the gate.

“Young Master.”

“Ah, Dong-pil?”

The gate opened and Ma Dong-pil entered. In his hand was a curved blade (환도(還刀)]].

“As you requested. It’s similar to what you used before.”

“Thanks.”

“Not at all.”

After roughly wiping off his sweat, he tied the blade at his waist.

“Shall we get moving then.”

The baby fox quickly jumped onto his shoulder. Seo Ryang scratched under its chin.

Puzzlement showed on Ma Dong-pil’s face.

“Where are you going?”

“To plan for the future.”

As he walked casually toward the gate, he suddenly turned around.

Ma Dong-pil stared at him blankly.

Seo Ryang winked.

“Wanna come along if you’ve got nothing else to do?”