Chapter 7

Before dawn, Yuk Ja-heung was already preparing to head out.

To be precise, his attendant was rubbing sleep from his eyes while straightening Yuk Ja-heung’s attire.

“Bring my robe.”

“Yes, Young Lord.”

The attendant bowed and brought a purple long-robe.

As deft hands draped it over him, Yuk Ja-heung eyed his reflection.

He liked this robe.

The Violet Lightning Yuk Family.
One of the Seven Demonic Houses, his clan.

When he invoked the clan’s unique art, Violet Lightning Enhanced Qi, a purple aura surged from him.

Proud of that, members of the Violet Lightning Yuk Family favored purple garb, that included Yuk Ja-heung as well.

Yuk Ja-heung cherished this robe greatly as his father had it tailored for him.

“Arrogant little shit.”

A curse slipped out.

Baek Su-gyeong, was it?

The face of that stray brat who’d rolled in as a ‘disciple’ floated before his eyes.

He knew nothing beyond the name, and the more he thought about it, the hotter his anger burned.

When the Heavenly Demon named that brat his new disciple, whispered transmissions flew among the assembled powers of the Divine Cult.

In a very short time, a plan was set.

To arrange a gathering and find out the type of person Baek Su-gyeong is.

But the kid ran off crying “Master!”—of all things.

And when he went in person to Hidden Cloud Pavilion—what? “Asleep”?

If not for the claim it was by the Heavenly Demon’s order, the brat would’ve been eating dirt for hours.

‘Just why did he pick up trash like that!’

He simply could not understand the Heavenly Demon.

To him, the Heavenly Demon was an object of longing.

He wanted to be like him and had worked hard to become his disciple.

He’d benefited from his clan’s prestige, but without proving outstanding aptitude, he’d never have qualified.

Yet with six disciples already, he went and picked up some beggar from who-knows-where.

It wasn’t as if he doted on his current disciples either.

And to top it off, he’d even bestowed the flask he used himself to him.

A favor Yuk Ja-heung had never received once, that beggar got the moment he entered.

It was something that was enough to turn Yuk Ja-heung’s stomach.

“Just you wait, you bastard.”

Ready at last, he left without escorts.

He ran without pause, eager to crumple the brat.

The plan was simple.

He’ll kick down the door, boot the sleeping brat, toss him out the window, and carve proper conduct into his bones.

Arriving at his destination, Yuk Ja-heung jumped over the wall at once.

Kkwa-dang!

He kicked in the bedchamber door he’d noted yesterday.

A bulky shape lay under the covers.

“Get up, you little shit!”

Pak!

In a single bound he swung his leg and kicked the bedding.

But something was off.

The impact felt far too light.

What flew wasn’t a person.

It was just a rolled-up quilt and pillow.

“?!”

A lazy yawn wafted into his ears as he froze.

“Yaaawn…”

He whipped around like lightning.

There he was, the very person he was looking for.

Baek Su-gyeong was sitting on a chair in the corner,

I rose from the chair, stretching.

There he was, right on cue, just as expected.

I’d figured he’d storm in at the crack of dawn, and here we were.

“Why are you drop-kicking other people’s blankets and pillows? Good thing I sometimes sleep in a chair, otherwise I might’ve been hurt.”

I said it with a crooked smile.

Color rushed into Yuk Ja-heung’s face.

He must be feeling quite embarrassed.

He’d never imagined I’d predict his ambush.

“So, what brings you to my room?”

Yuk Ja-heung’s eyes rolled.

He was probably thinking of how to respond.

Then something came to him, and his eyes bulged.

“What’s with that attitude, you little shit?”

“What about it?”

“Do you not know who I am?”

“How would I? It’s not like you introduced yourself.”

Yuk Ja-heung jabbed a thumb at his chest.

“I am the young master of the Violet Lightning Yuk Family and the Heavenly Demon’s fifth disciple, Lord Yuk Ja-heung!”

“Oh? Is that so?”

“Is that so?’ I’m your sahyung. Show proper respect!”

He barked, voice rising.

“What kind of sahyung ambushes a sleeping sajae¹?”

“That wasn’t an ambush, it was teachings! It was to teach you the Cult’s order. Listen up, brat. You’ve committed three grave offenses. First—”

“Save it. Spare me the rambling and get to the point. You can’t stand me, right?”

I cut him off flatly.

His face crumpled as if I’d struck a nerve.

But the crumple twisted into a grin.

“Sharp little shit, aren’t you. Yeah, you’re on my list. I hate punks with no prospects.”

“Then you must hate yourself most.”

“Shut it! It’s time to carve a lesson into your body. Be ready to lie in bed for days.”

Yuk Ja-heung cracked his knuckles menacingly, making popping noises.

I snorted.

He wanted to scare me, but I wasn’t scared at all.

If anything, I was amused.

Since he’d shown up yesterday, I’d been waiting for this.

He was the type who would act strong to the weak, and weak to the strong.

Let him think me easy once and he’d be a constant nuisance.

So I had to make him understand from the start.

The fact that I am not someone he can look down on.

‘Everything starts there.’

It’s only once he grasps that, would we be able to talk a bit.

And then I’d put that flask from the Heavenly Demon to use.

‘Come on, then.’

I stood, waiting.

But he stopped short mid-advance.

“Hey. What makes you so cocky? You’re not trained, and you don’t have much internal energy.”

The more he thought about it, the more absurd it must’ve seemed.

He snorted and went on:

“Relying on Master, are you? It seems that you’re not aware, but he never steps into fights between disciples. Not even for a new one!”

“You talk a lot. Come on, Sajae.”

“You little—! I’m the sahyung!”

Yuk Ja-heung let out a snort through his nose.

Anger had reached the top of his head.

Bzzzt—

Tiny lightning-like sparks crackled around his body. He was drawing up his Violet Lightning Enhanced Qi.

‘Impressive.’

I couldn’t help admiring it.

His character was trash, but the skill was real.

As the name Violet Lightning Enhanced Qi implies, it’s a martial art which uses enhanced qi.

Enhanced qi could be manifested only near Transcendence, which means Yuk Ja-heung was already there.

And he was only seventeen.

Among his age group across Murim, he likely had no equal.

‘Maybe a couple contenders at most.’

Knowing that, I studied his movements carefully.

If I fought him straight up, I wouldn’t last a second.

There’s no way someone who’s walked a silk-covered path since birth and I—who’ve only just begun cultivating internal energy—could fight on equal terms.

So I needled him further.

He reacted as expected.

“Have a taste of Violet Lightning Enhanced Qi, you damn son of a bitch!”

He swung wildly.

Being worked up as he was, openings gaped everywhere.

I’ll use those openings and his weakness to land a single blow.

‘Just one blow is enough.’

I couldn’t manage more anyway.

He wouldn’t fall for the same trick twice.

Swish!

As his strike came, I twisted just out of line.

His fist passed my cheek.

Even though his attack didn’t touch me, I felt a prickling sting. It was the effect of his Violet Lightning Enhanced Qi.

In the instant our bodies brushed, I reached out.

My fingers snagged the hem of his robe.

Without hesitation, I flicked my wrist upward.

Swish—

The hem flipped up.

Right into the path of his second punch.

“—Heuk.”

Instinctively, Yuk Ja-heung tried to halt.

Everyone knew how much he prized that robe.

What would happen if he struck it with the Violet Lightning Enhanced Qi?

It wouldn’t tear, it would disintegrate.

But reeling back released internal energy was like scooping spilled water off the floor.

Absolute masters might manage it, but Yuk Ja-heung wasn’t there yet.

His motion bucked against itself.

Cutting off the internal energy flow froze his body for a moment.

I took that moment and swung my palm with everything I had.

Smaaack!

A crisp slap rang through the room.

“Ghk— cough!”

He staggered, coughing raggedly.

Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

He’d saved the robe, but at the cost of internal injury.

“You—you little…!”

His voice shook—

But it was not just from rage.

It was also because his whole body trembled from the injury.

“How pitiful. Is that all you got?”

I planted my fists on my hip.

And laughed loud, savoring the victor’s ease.

“Hahaha! So this is the Violet Lightning Yuk Family’s young master? What a disappointment!”

“S-Shut up.”

“No, you shut up. I don’t call anyone weaker than me ‘sahyung.’ From now on, you call me, sahyung.”

“I said shut up!”

Ignoring him, I glanced aside.

Servants of Hidden Cloud Pavilion were hopping anxiously outside the window.

His bellowing had woken everyone.

This wasn’t bad for me.

They’d spread the word: the Seventh Young Lord defeated the Fifth Young Lord in a single blow.

That rumor would pay off nicely.

And by payoff, I mean ‘money’.

I’d need a lot to make life in the Demon Cult go smoothly.

“You’re the one who needs to shut up.”

I squatted in front of him.

When I raised my hand, a subtle fear bled into his eyes.

“W-what are you doing?”

“Two won’t do. It’s got to be three.”

“What?”

I summoned a memory from around this time in my past life.

—“Just because we’re fellow disciples doesn’t make us equals, you little shit. Crawl and know your place!”

Slap! Slap! Slap!

I slapped him exactly three times.

Smack!

“Ack!”

Smack!

“Argh!”

One earlier, and two now.

That paid back the original debt.

‘But ending it there feels cheap.’

It’s been ten years. Shouldn’t there be some interest added in?

Smack!

I gave him one more, refreshingly.

Yuk Ja-heung glared at me, eyes wet.

“Why the hell did you hit me another time! You said three!”

“Cause old memories kept coming back.”

“Since when did you even know me to have memories!?”

“…A day or so ago.”

“What kind of bullshit is that! I’ll kill you!”

Clutching his reddened cheek, he moved to rise.

“Hey—hold it.”

I stopped him for the moment.

If he charged in heedless of further injury, I might take a hit too.

That’d be a loss for me. It was time for the next move.

“Hey. Know what this is?”

I whipped out the flask tied at my waist.

Yuk Ja-heung shouted:

“You telling me to drink, you fuck?”

“Not that, this is something rare.”

“Don’t tell me… the one Master bestowed…?”

He knew I’d been given the flask.

Good. This would go smoothly.

Otherwise, he’d yap back and forth again.

“You want it, don’t you?”

I gave it a shake.

The root of his hostility was none other than the Heavenly Demon.

He craved the Master’s attention.

He hadn’t gotten it, so it curdled into animosity toward me.

“What… are you getting at?”

“A deal of course.”

Puzzlement spread over his face.

Wiping the blood from his lip with the back of his hand, he asked:

“A deal?”

“Yeah. I’ll sell it for a hundred taels of silver.”

Yuk Ja-heung blinked, as if doubting his ears.