Chapter 136

Chapter 136

Death.

For a martial artist, it was a concept that stood closest to them, yet at the same time existed in a place just as distant.

He was not merely speaking of conducting practical training as usual. The words that left Youngho’s mouth carried a warning—that they might truly die while training.

Yet Kang Hosan and Kang Chowon did not even blink. Rather, the two of them grinned as if they found it amusing.

“I will do it.”

“I’ll do it!”

It was Youngho who was instead surprised by their utterly unhesitating response.

“I told you—you might really die.”

“Then we’ll survive.”

Watching Kang Hosan speak as if it were nothing, Youngho narrowed his brows.

“It will be more dangerous than you think—.”

“Young Master.”

At that moment, Kang Hosan cut him off.

“Forgive me for interrupting, but we must grow stronger—even if it means risking death.”

The solemn expression Kang Hosan wore, so different from usual, startled even Kang Chowon who stood beside him.

“You once said, Young Master. That if there is something that must be seized, even if there is a possibility of failure, we should challenge it without hesitation—seize it without fail.”

“I did.”

“At first, perhaps because your words were somewhat vague, I did not understand them. But now I believe I do.”

Kang Hosan dropped to one knee and bowed his head.

“I wish to become a shield for my lord. I shall seize the position of my lord’s shield.”

At his resolute declaration, Youngho grinned.

“So you’ve made up your mind. But usually people say they’ll become a sword, don’t they?”

Kang Hosan lifted his head and met Youngho’s eyes with a smile.

“In front of a far sharper famed blade than myself, I would be too ashamed to claim I’ll become my lord’s sword.”

Youngho turned to Kang Chowon, who had been watching him intently from Hosan’s side.

“Are you going to become my sword?”

“If you desire a sword, I would like to say that I am the blade most suited to you, Young Master.”

At her boldness, Youngho found himself chuckling.

He had already known. That Kang Hosan and Kang Chowon held tremendous loyalty—and affection—for him.

He had expected they would accept the training one way or another, but…

‘Indeed, kind words beget kind replies.’

Their answers were far better than he had anticipated.

Still chuckling, Youngho handed them the Clear Sky Stone Milk he had prepared beforehand in teacups.

“Drink.”

“You prepared it in advance?”

“As much as you trust me, I trust you as well.”

After handing over the Clear Sky Stone Milk, Youngho opened the door and spoke.

“Horyeung, stand guard.”

“Yes.”

“As you know, these two will undergo Bone-Marrow Reforging if they only have a spirit elixir. They’re your disciples, so guard them with utmost devotion.”

“Even if you hadn’t said so, I intended to.”

Watching the siblings already seated in a Cross-Legged Meditation Posture and absorbing the energy of the Clear Sky Stone Milk, Youngho smirked faintly.

Soon, he made his way to his Private Training Ground.

Standing at the center of the training ground, Youngho slowly drew his sword.

“Come out, Black Shadow.”

For an instant, Youngho’s shadow flickered, and a heat haze rose in the air. Soon revealing himself, Black Shadow spoke in an emotionless voice.

“Young Master. You called for me?”

“Yes. I’ll be direct. From now on, I will teach you how to fight.”

It made no sense. Black Shadow had already surpassed even his master, Shadow.

And Youngho—who was not even an assassin—would teach him how to fight?

Though there were many things he could not understand, Black Shadow nodded first.

“Yes.”

“I will attack you with a sword at the level that someone who has reached exactly your realm can wield. Block it.”

“Understood.”

Black Shadow immediately tried to slip into the shadows. But before he could fully conceal himself, Youngho’s sword shot toward his abdomen as if to pierce straight through.

Clang—!

Youngho’s sword collided with Black Shadow’s blade. From the shock, Black Shadow staggered for an instant.

Not missing the opening, Youngho swiftly spun his body and kicked Black Shadow in the side.

“Ghk!”

With a pained groan, Black Shadow’s body crashed into the wall.

From Youngho’s perspective, he had not kicked that hard. In truth, he had meticulously controlled his strength with full focus.

It was the result of considering Black Shadow as much as possible.

Youngho let out a deep sigh.

“You weren’t like this before….”

He spoke toward the Black Shadow who had already vanished.

“Don’t dodge. Block. Show yourself.”

Though there was no sound, Youngho could sense Black Shadow’s fluster.

Soon, as Black Shadow revealed himself again, Youngho asked,

“Black Shadow. I thrust once and then kicked you. What went through your mind?”

What went through his mind? Only that it was terrifyingly fast and heavy—that was all.

Seeing that Black Shadow had noticed nothing, Youngho nodded.

‘As expected, he’s not yet the Killing King—just a mere brat.’

The Killing King he remembered had not been at this level.

“Black Shadow. Before you are a martial artist, you are an assassin. Once an assassin’s concealment is exposed, their combat power tends to drop by half. And that applies to you as well.”

“Yes.”

“Your speed and perceptive ability can certainly be said to be on par with the Transformation Realm. After all, you’ve undergone intensive training.”

“That is correct.”

“The attack I just showed you—those are attacks you can fully execute as well.”

“…Pardon?”

It was almost the first time he had spoken in such bewilderment. Naturally, he could not help but be flustered.

That heavy attack from moments ago was something a Transcendent Peak Master could perform?

“An assassin relies solely on a single strike to eliminate the opponent. They strike with the resolve that if the first attack misses, they themselves will die.”

What did that have to do with the previous attack? Before he could even voice his confusion, Youngho continued.

“To put it simply, because assassins depend entirely on that single strike, they lack the stamina for prolonged movement. They possess lethality, but cannot produce destructive force. That is what an assassin is.”

That was the nature of assassins. Most of them were expendable to begin with.

“Until now, you have only learned how to kill your opponent as an assassin.”

Black Shadow nodded as if entranced. An overwhelming presence was emanating from Youngho’s entire body.

A dignity so imposing that he could neither avert his gaze nor do anything but listen to his words.

Whether or not he understood Black Shadow’s thoughts, Youngho merely continued speaking.

“You will now learn how to fight not as an assassin, but as a martial artist. Victory is not achieved only by killing the opponent in a single strike—you must also win in prolonged battles where various strategies and techniques come into play.”

“I….”

“Let me say one thing. Even if you claim you do not wish to draw attention, I will raise you as a martial artist. If Shadow was your master as an assassin, then I shall be your master as a martial artist.”

“…….”

“And I tend to push forward those who possess talent. Black Shadow, you have more than enough aptitude—not as an assassin, but as a martial artist.”

It was a shocking statement. To receive such generous praise from Youngho’s own lips.

Youngho was not someone who offered praise lightly—he was far more inclined to point out shortcomings.

Knowing his temperament, Black Shadow could not hide his astonishment.

The mask he had worn for decades as an assassin was beginning to crack.

“For about one year, I will properly blend your talent as an assassin with your talent as a martial artist. After that, a different training method will be required.”

Black Shadow was truly stunned. And thus, he fell into even deeper thought.

Soon, having gathered his thoughts, he spoke.

“I am grateful that you regard me highly, Young Master, but I am satisfied as I am now. At this level, I am stronger than most top-tier assassins.”

“Yes. Under normal circumstances, I would have left you as you are. There is no point in teaching someone who lacks motivation—it drains my own as well.”

“Then why…?”

“Because war will soon break out.”

“…….”

“The battlefield offers fewer hiding places than you think. Even if you succeed in concealing yourself, it is difficult to attack recklessly. Unless a dedicated assassin unit has been prepared, it becomes impossible to distinguish ally from enemy.”

There was neither bluster nor falsehood in Youngho’s voice as he spoke—only plain truth, as if he had personally experienced war.

“You must fight as well. And with your potential, I believe you can become an Absolute Master.”

“Truly?”

Startled beyond measure, Black Shadow’s voice rose slightly.

“Yes. Originally, you would experience war, realize that the strength of an assassin alone is insufficient, and then choose the path of a martial artist yourself. But I believe it is far better for me to tell you in advance.”

“What do you mean?”

“It means that if you follow my words, you will become extraordinarily strong.”

He was truly an unfathomable man. How did he know such information? How could he discern another’s potential so precisely? It was all a mystery.

Youngho raised a single finger.

“One year. During that time, you must temper your body and deepen your understanding of your martial arts. If you achieve results that satisfy me, I will grant you Clear Sky Stone Milk.”

“Pardon? Then there will be only a single drop left to distribute among the Asura Squad Members.”

“No. I told you before, did I not? There are several individuals already chosen to receive Clear Sky Stone Milk. If you fail to meet expectations, the Asura Squad will be delighted. After all, their chances of obtaining it would increase.”

“Ah….”

He had never imagined that he himself was among those selected by Youngho.

“May I ask one thing?”

“Speak.”

“How do you intend to deal with the Heavenly Demon?”

It was a heavy topic. Yet he had to ask. If even Youngho could not stop that monster called the Heavenly Demon, then the war would inevitably end in defeat.

Reading the emotion in Black Shadow’s eyes, Youngho nodded.

“To answer simply—I cannot win right now.”

A shadow fell across Black Shadow’s face.

“Of course, that is under the assumption of ‘right now.’”

“…?”

“I have broken through the Wall of the Transformation Realm, but I have not yet fully consolidated my enlightenment. Once I completely refine that realization, I will be able to stand on equal footing with the Heavenly Demon.”

It was spoken with certainty. Hearing the confidence in Youngho’s tone, Black Shadow swallowed hard.

“Then why divide your precious time for our sake?”

“Because the Demonic Cult is strong.”

At those words alone, Black Shadow understood everything Youngho meant.

The Heavenly Demon was indeed the god of the Demonic Cult. Yet it would be excessive to say he was the Sun–Moon Divine Cult itself.

No matter how much the cultists proclaimed that the Heavenly Demon was the Sun–Moon Divine Cult, if he stood alone, he would not be a god—merely a human wielding great power.

Youngho understood better than anyone that the Heavenly Demon was not the entirety of the Demonic Cult’s strength.

Within the Demonic Cult, there were not only monsters like the Immovable Evil Ghost, who had slain Cheonung before the Regression.

There were countless Demonic Practitioners comparable to him—and even some who surpassed him.

And Youngho had but one body to face them all.

A thought suddenly arose in Black Shadow’s mind.

Was this not too harsh? Even creating a single master of the Transformation Realm was no easy task, yet Youngho sought to cultivate quite a number of them.

And on top of that, he claimed he would not neglect his own training…

Even three bodies might not suffice. Perhaps only by sleeping at dawn and rising at dawn could such a feat be possible.

Black Shadow pushed aside the words Youngho had spoken. If he did not, he felt they would somehow hinder his training.

“…Shall I begin tempering my body at once?”

“Yes. Train together with the Asura Squad. They are proper experts now.”

“Understood.”

Youngho gazed at the spot where Black Shadow had smoothly vanished.

“Now, I suppose I should go see Master.”

Humming softly, Youngho headed toward Cheonung’s Private Training Ground.