Chapter 82 : Blessing in Disguise (2)

Chapter 82: Blessing in Disguise (2)

Jihyeon grinned.

Since he got to pocket the bounty and increase his merit, it was a great gain for him.

His expression relaxed as he spoke.

“Seeing how much thought you’ve given for this humble official, I cannot just sit idly by. If you have a request, state it.”

Even to the end, Jihyeon made sure to take credit for it.

“It’s nothing much. I simply ask that those people over there be released.”

“Hmm, that might be a problem...”

‘That bastard definitely received something from the village chief of Moga Village.’

Yong Hwarin, knowing Jihyeon’s greed, prodded him.

“If you refuse, I suppose I’ll have no choice but to go to the Provincial Administration Office to claim the bounty.”

That would mean Jihyeon couldn’t take a single coin for himself, which would be a problem.

‘No, how the hell does he know the bounty comes from the Provincial Administration Office?’

The common folk wouldn’t know that. But Yong Hwarin, who once ran a merchant union, knew all too well how the government funds flowed.

At this point, Jihyeon had no choice but to give up the small gain.

“Release them.”

At Jihyeon’s order, the government soldiers stepped back.

“I have something to tell you in private. May I approach?”

Yong Hwarin seemed to be quite familiar with official etiquette, so Jihyeon allowed it.

“Come closer.”

As Yong Hwarin drew near, he quietly said,

“I’ll leave everything in your hands, Jihyeon, and we’ll take our leave. As a final suggestion, if you were to display the head of the Great Demon outside the office gates, the Provincial Administration Office or the Inspector’s Office would surely take notice and commend your achievement. If you say you severed it yourself, it will be even better.”

Jihyeon narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

“Why are you being so generous with me?”

“My family frequents this district. Think of this as a gift, asking you to show us some leniency if trouble arises in the future.”

It was a plausible excuse, and Jihyeon stroked his beard.

“Hmm, in that case. Take them and leave the main office.”

He waved his hand as if shooing them away, a satisfied smile on his face.

Yong Hwarin smirked as he watched him.

When Yong Hwarin returned, Namwook spoke with a disapproving look.

“Master Yong, why did you hand everything over to that greedy official?”

From a martial artist’s perspective, Yong Hwarin’s submissive act made no sense.

But there was no need to explain, so he spoke calmly.

“You’ll understand in time.”

The Three Chivalrous Sisters approached and addressed him.

“I heard you’re the one who killed the Self-Revolving Blood Demon. Is it true?”

The second sister, Jeong Suji, sounded accusatory.

The eldest, Jeong Minji, stopped her and clasped her fists respectfully.

“I’m Jeong Minji of the Jeong Clan. Thank you for your help.”

“Think nothing of it.”

Although Yong Hwarin was displeased with the impolite Jeong Suji, he didn’t show it.

“May I ask your esteemed name?”

If they had slain the Self-Revolving Blood Demon, they must have been highly skilled post-generation elites.

“I am Yong Hwarin of the Heavenly Central Sect.”

At his words, the third, Daji, let out a gasp.

“Oh, the Sword Hero of the Heavenly Central Sect!”

“Oh! So you’re Master Yong of the Heavenly Central Sect, whose name has recently been rising in fame. No wonder! We’d been wondering who killed the Self-Revolving Blood Demon.”

The Three Chivalrous Sisters had heard during their arrest that the one who killed the demon was surely a high-ranking elder of a major sect. They were surprised to find someone so young.

“I didn’t do it alone. I killed him together with my companions.”

“I see. Either way, we are deeply indebted to you, Master Yong.”

Jeong Minji bowed her head as she spoke.

But Jeong Suji remained stiff, glaring at Yong Hwarin with an unhappy expression. Yong Hwarin already knew of her temperament from rumors in his previous life. So he just smiled and left the office.

However, the Twin Dragons of Fury weren’t so tolerant and cursed under their breath.

“Kids these days have no manners. Even after Master Yong gave up the bounty to help them, she’s still that arrogant. Just because the Three Chivalrous Sisters beat up some lowly thieves, they think they’re top experts.”

Namwook grumbled.

On the way back to the inn, Jong Munhye approached Yong Hwarin.

“Brother.”

“What is it?”

“You gave everything to Jihyeon and even told him to display the Self-Revolving Blood Demon’s head. Was it all to take revenge on him?”

“Hahaha, as expected, I can’t fool you, Hyemae.”

“What are you two talking about?”

Jungwook asked Jong Munhye.

Others tilted their heads as they watched Yong Hwarin and Jong Munhye smiling.

“Can I tell them?”

“I wasn’t planning to, but since it’s come up, I suppose I should.”

Yong Hwarin hadn’t said anything earlier, worried the others might be disappointed in him.

But since Jong Munhye had already figured it out—and it would come to light eventually—he decided it was better to reveal it, even if it meant criticism.

“Brother Hwarin handed over the Self-Revolving Blood Demon and suggested the head be displayed because he wanted the high-ranking warriors from Blood Demon Castle to take revenge on Jihyeon. Jihyeon thinks the demon was just a big-time criminal, not a top expert from Blood Demon Castle. But once that head goes on display at the office, do you think the warriors of Blood Demon Castle will sit quietly?”

“So Master Yong gave Jihyeon all the credit just for that?”

“That’s a bit different. One way or another, the Blood Demon Castle will come looking for whoever killed the Self-Revolving Blood Demon. Since Jihyeon took the bounty and the credit, they’ll likely torture him until he gives them names. Even if they find out we did it, at the very least, Jihyeon will lose a limb or two. Since he displayed the demon’s head, they won’t let him go unpunished. Brother Hwarin got rid of the reward and gave the credit to Jihyeon to take revenge on that corrupt official.”

Hearing this, the others realized it was quite the devious revenge.

Wasn’t this the classic “strategy of killing with a borrowed knife”?

“Hyemae exaggerated a bit. Just think of it as a petty act of revenge from someone powerless. I’m not that calculating.”

But no one believed that.

Back at the inn, Yong Hwarin sat alone in his room, using rest as an excuse.

Other than the lingering pain in his abdomen from the hit by the Self-Revolving Palm, he was mostly fine.

Normally, a blow like that should have ruptured his stomach, but the Demonic Master’s power, equivalent to three Jiazi (sixty-year cycles), had pushed back against the palm technique, keeping him unharmed.

But the Self-Revolving Qi had seeped into his abdomen and was a force that slowly damaged his internal organs. Even if he seemed fine now, it would become dangerous over time.

Yong Hwarin picked up his sword and stepped into the rear garden to examine his body.

He slowly began to unfold the Soaring Dragon Emperor Sword technique, but halfway through, a sudden surge of pain from his abdomen forced him to sheath his sword and hurry back into his room.

“Ugh!”

It felt as if his intestines were being shredded strand by strand.

‘So Hyemae endured this? For all that time?’

Even in the midst of pain, Yong Hwarin pitied Jong Munhye. Then, amidst the agony, a murderous impulse rose within him.

The desire to smash and kill something surged violently.

It was because the Self-Revolving Qi was originally formed from a wicked type of qi-gong.

Moreover, because it carried a dark yin nature, his body began to grow cold.

‘I should take the medicine Little Brother gave me.’

Jong Munhye had given him the same medicine she’d taken.

It was a pill made primarily from strong yang-based ginseng.

By taking this pill and circulating qi, he could suppress the overwhelmingly yin Self-Revolving Qi.

Yong Hwarin began circulating his qi to locate exactly where the Self-Revolving Qi was residing in his body.

Even in that state, an oddly strong destructive instinct surged, making it hard to endure. But even in that condition, Yong Hwarin pushed himself to continue circulating qi and searching for the Self-Revolving Qi.

However, the pain made it hard to concentrate, and the circulation couldn’t proceed properly.

‘Ah, I could ask the Demonic Master to look for it.’

Yong Hwarin stimulated his Upper Dantian to awaken the Demonic Master.

‘Still alive somehow, huh. You idiot.’

The Demonic Master cursed him, then suddenly screamed.

‘What the hell is this! What’s inside your body!?’

During the fight, the Upper Dantian had been open, so the Demonic Master had seen the entire battle with the Self-Revolving Blood Demon. But after Yong Hwarin lost consciousness and the Upper Dantian closed, the Demonic Master was unaware of what happened afterward.

That’s why he hadn’t known the Self-Revolving Qi had invaded Yong Hwarin’s body.

Once he found the Self-Revolving Qi, he shouted in shock.

‘When did such wicked qi enter your body!’

Even the Demonic Master, a spirit himself, was saying that—it made Yong Hwarin chuckle.

After all, spirits themselves were inherently a type of wicked force.

‘Don’t tell me… it entered during the fight with the Self-Revolving Blood Demon?’

‘It did.’

‘Damn it, this is bad. Self-Revolving Qi is incredibly wicked. Once it settles in your body, the yin energy grows strong, and it will dry up all the yang energy inside you. Do you know why that bastard became impotent?’

‘Can you dispel this energy, Elder Demonic Master?’

‘Hmph. Now I’m “Elder,” huh. Regrettably, I can only stay in your Upper Dantian. I can’t access the area where that qi is. If it had lodged in the Upper Dantian, I might’ve been able to do something—but it’s coiled up beside your Lower Dantian. I can’t touch it.’

‘To think the famous Demonic Master can’t even handle something like this...’

When Yong Hwarin muttered in annoyance, the Demonic Master snapped back.

‘You fool! How many times must I tell you? I’m just a spirit! What strength do you think I have? This is a problem you must resolve yourself.’

After a brief moment of muttering to himself, the Demonic Master added,

‘From what I can feel, you were trying to divide your energy into two types not long ago. Can’t you use that?’

Even trapped in the Upper Dantian, the Demonic Master had sensed Yong Hwarin attempting to create the Tai Chi Dantian by using the Dual-Mind Inner Art.

At his words, Yong Hwarin felt as if cold water had been poured over his head—his mind instantly cleared.

‘You idiot! Why didn’t you think of that sooner!’

Yong Hwarin hurriedly retracted the internal energy stimulating his Upper Dantian.

‘Damn bastard, only comes to me when he needs something...’

The Demonic Master cursed as he fell back asleep.

Yong Hwarin hadn’t revealed the Tai Chi Dantian to the Demonic Master yet, which is why he’d put him to sleep.

He intended to trap the Demonic Master’s soul within the Tai Chi Dantian and challenge the powerful qi technique created by the Heaven and Earth Unshakable Gwae Wolbaek.

If the Demonic Master knew of this, he would certainly try to interfere.

He believed he would eventually possess another person’s body. But if Yong Hwarin tried to trap him in the Lower Dantian, the Demonic Master would do everything in his power to obstruct him, which would be dangerous.

To form the Tai Chi Dantian, Yong Hwarin had obtained the Dual-Mind Inner Art from Chouhui, but that alone was not enough.

If he didn’t mind taking a few years, he could gradually use the Dual-Mind Inner Art to separate yin and yang, good and evil, and eventually form the Tai Chi Dantian.

Based on when Ha Cheolryeong made his appearance in the martial world in his previous life, it seemed even he had spent over five years resolving this issue.

Five years was endurable for Yong Hwarin. But he didn’t have the luxury to wait.

He needed power immediately. His family and clan were on the brink of crisis.

The reason forming the Tai Chi Dantian took time was that there wasn’t enough wicked qi in his body.

The Tai Chi Dantian didn’t just contain the principles of yin and yang, but also good and evil. So simply possessing yin energy was not enough to form it.

To create another Dantian, he needed one based on wicked qi.

Only then could it contain the energy of yin.

But now, with the wicked nature of the Self-Revolving Qi, the foundation for forming the Tai Chi Dantian had been established.

Yong Hwarin began to operate the Dual-Mind Inner Art and started converting the Dantian where the Self-Revolving Qi resided into a Yin Dantian.

This was an unexpected success—truly a blessing in disguise.

There was a reason why Self-Revolving Qi couldn’t be dispelled through normal cultivation or medicine.

Once it invaded the human body, it intertwined with innate qi. Unless the innate qi was destroyed, the Self-Revolving Qi could not be removed.

‘It’s as if the heavens themselves arranged this, just so I could create the Tai Chi Dantian.’