When Namgung Jin opened his eyes.
The sun was gradually setting.
Recalling that it was morning when we first arrived, I could feel how much time had passed.
Because this crazy bastard had devoured all the time, spacing out all day, even I ended up having to sacrifice my time.
Ah, I really should have just left him behind.
'Why did he have to come now of all times?'
Namgung Bi-a was crouching beside him, looking at Namgung Jin.
Because she appeared just when I was thinking of leaving him behind.
I ended up unable to go anywhere.
To be exact, it wouldn't have been a problem if I hadn't spouted nonsense about standing guard.
It's always this damn mouth of mine that's the problem.
As the sunset gradually deepened around that time.
Ah....
Namgung Jin, who had been immersed in enlightenment, came to his senses.
The energy faintly felt in his eyes was subtle yet clear.
'It's deepened.'
For a martial artist who had reached the Realm of Transformation, the time when a single enlightenment could shatter everything and elevate them had long passed.
The emotion Namgung Jin must be feeling right now.
Wouldn't it be close to simply feeling at ease?
Though I didn't know how great of an emotion that might be for him.
Looking at Namgung Jin, who had a quietly dazed expression.
He soon closed his eyes and bowed his head to me.
"...Thank you...."
It was a remark containing considerable sincerity.
Did he not even care that Namgung Bi-a was beside him?
Otherwise, he must be so soaked in enlightenment that he couldn't pay attention.
"...Yes, well. Congratulations."
That was all I could say.
Honestly, I just got lucky.
I merely used the words I had heard from the Demon Sword Emppress in my past life.
As a result, he achieved what he wanted.
And thanks to that, I gained the justification to leave.
'Is this enough?'
I knew it wasn't completely resolved.
The Namgung family's sword, which was said to have been lost and reduced to a half-baked state.
It wouldn't simply return just because Namgung Jin achieved enlightenment through a few words from me or Elder Shin.
Because it made no sense to so easily regain the truth of swordsmanship that had been lost over centuries.
'Formless...'
Glancing.
Looking at Namgung Bi-a next to me, it wasn't something entirely impossible.
I didn't know what method or event had occurred.
Because the Demon Sword Empress's sword that I saw seemed to reach the truth Namgung Jin was seeking.
Looking at her, I said to Namgung Jin.
"...Please don't forget your promise."
Namgung Jin, who heard this.
Seemed to notice Namgung Bi-a's presence only then, his eyes widening slightly in surprise.
But he soon nodded.
The promise.
To convey your realization to Namgung Bi-a at the very least.
That was one of the conditions I had placed on Namgung Jin.
"I understand."
Only after hearing Namgung Jin's reply did I turn around.
Whatever the case, it was a relief that things seemed to have worked out well.
Throb.
Feeling the excruciating pain coming from my dantian moment by moment, I clicked my tongue inwardly.
It seemed like it would take longer than expected for the depleted energy to refill.
'To be exact.'
Would it be better to call it lost energy?
This was because I had used too much to turn Namgung Cheon-jun into a demonic human.
I looked back and asked Namgung Jin.
"Patriarch, you intend to swing your sword more, right?"
"...Naturally."
Namgung Jin affirmed my question.
Of course.
He had just managed to sort out his enlightenment.
He would want to swing his sword right away to see the difference.
"Then I will take my leave first."
I stepped outside just like that.
Sure enough, the sun was already setting in the sky.
Meaning it had taken up an enormous amount of time.
'Ah, right.'
Come to think of it, before I was dragged out by Namgung Jin.
I belatedly realized I had told Namgung Cheon-jun something.
'Does it matter?'
It's not important, so it shouldn't matter.
I took my steps.
In the meantime, Namgung Bi-a seemed to have come out of the training grounds and was following me.
But her gaze was still directed behind.
Seeing that, I asked.
"What's wrong?"
Perhaps she was concerned because it was her father's enlightenment.
'Come to think of it, she didn't ask anything.'
Given the circumstances, she should know that Namgung Jin reached enlightenment with my help.
Yet Namgung Bi-a didn't ask how things turned out this way.
As if it wasn't particularly important.
To my question, Namgung Bi-a shook her head.
"No... It's nothing..."
With those words, Namgung Bi-a started walking after me again.
But her gaze was still checking the direction where Namgung Jin was.
After that, I returned to my quarters.
I told Namgung Bi-a to go back midway, and she returned to her quarters.
Originally, I should have at least trained.
But since my energy hadn't yet refilled, training was somewhat overwhelming.
'How long will it take?'
It didn't seem like it would take too long to recover my energy.
But even if it were just a few days, the depletion of energy was quite a big deal for a martial artist.
Because if something happened, it meant I wouldn't be able to move properly.
Since I was in the Namgung family, it didn't seem like a major incident would occur.
[...Grr... rumble.]
The guy whining inside me since earlier was the problem.
It seemed to be murmuring that it was hungry.
'It's already complicated enough, so stop rushing me.'
Even so, there was no immediate solution.
Not only could I not get magic stones anywhere.
But I couldn't just sneak out and hunt demonic beasts out of nowhere.
Especially with the prestigious Namgung family guarding this place.
Even if it was rotting away, it was still a prestigious family; the number and quality of the deployed martial artists were extremely high, giving Anhui considerable safety.
At the very least, I wouldn't even be able to see a hair of a demonic beast nearby, so I would have to go quite far to hunt them.
'So just bear with it for a few days. Once I leave, I'll feed you soon.'
[Grrr...]
Ignoring the guy whining as if it were difficult.
I entered my quarters.
As soon as I entered, Hongwa approached and asked if I would have a meal.
I said I'd eat later.
"You didn't go into the room, right?"
"Ah, yes. I didn't enter, as you ordered."
"Good."
After finishing the confirmation, I sent Hongwa away and entered the room.
Wooooong.
As soon as I stepped foot inside, I cast a qi barrier around the room.
As I gathered and used what little qi I had left, my dantian screamed in protest again.
But it couldn't be helped.
"Ugh... urgh."
The bizarre guy visible as soon as I entered the room was groaning.
He was in a posture as if receiving punishment, head buried in the ground and sweating profusely.
The identity of that weirdo was none other than Namgung Cheon-jun.
Seeing that, I smiled awkwardly.
"Sorry, I forgot about you."
"...Ugh... Y-you damn..."
Clap.
When I lightly clapped my hands, Namgung Cheon-jun finally relaxed his posture and flopped down.
I approached the guy who was sprawled on the floor, groaning in exhaustion.
"Did I know your father would suddenly appear and drag me away?"
"Hah... hah."
Because Namgung Jin appeared in the morning, Namgung Cheon-jun was kicked out of the quarters.
But right before he left, I had given him one command.
'Don't go anywhere and go to my room and keep your head buried.'
Because I said that, Namgung Cheon-jun was actually doing this in my room.
'It feels somewhat unpleasant, doesn't it?'
I made him do it, but thinking that he was sweating profusely with his head buried in someone else's room.
It unknowingly put me in a bad mood.
Smack-!
I lashed Namgung Cheon-jun's calf with my foot.
"Argh!"
"Sorry, I was in a slightly bad mood."
"Y-you... bastard..."
"Your tone isn't dead yet. Want me to make you keep your head buried again?"
At my words, Namgung Cheon-jun's mouth snapped shut.
Seeing that, I let out a chuckle.
"If you've rested, slowly get up."
"...Ah, not even half an incense stick has passed. Urgh!"
Even as he said that, Namgung Cheon-jun's exhausted body was bound to get up. Seeing that, I smiled deeply and said.
"Let's do some experiments while we're at it."
At my words, spat out as if slightly excited.
Namgung Cheon-jun's face crumpled.
Though I called it an experiment, I didn't do much.
Whether Namgung Cheon-jun truly became a demonic human.
What kind of things exactly occurred as a result.
How much control I possessed, etc.
I had lightly tested it out.
'His physical abilities have increased.'
It was slightly higher than the physical abilities Namgung Cheon-jun originally possessed.
It could be because his body was originally soaked in blood energy.
For now, it was correct to see it as the effect of demonic qi.
'I also need to see the side effects of the energy.'
The side effect of demonic qi is madness.
In exchange for gaining authority and martial power beyond one's original level.
One gradually becomes soaked in madness.
Of course, if one exceeds a certain level, they can escape it.
But that's at least a level where one must surpass the Realm of Transformation.
Then what about blood energy?
What is the side effect of blood energy?
All abilities have a trade-off.
The rise of internal qi and realm requires effort and time, while demonic qi demands sanity.
Then what does blood energy demand?
'The crushing fatigue and severe pain that rushes in after use.'
Seeing the recoil as if cracks were forming in the dantian and body.
The side effect of blood energy is.
'The consumption of Innate Qi.'
In my view, it was likely that.
If it wasn't a mental issue, it would have taken something more fundamental.
Innate Qi, the source energy for humans.
This is an energy whose quantity cannot be increased through typical effort.
'It's not an energy that permanently decreases just by using it...'
Since it is also an energy, it recovers if used moderately.
But as it is the root of human life, it cannot be used recklessly.
Let alone a martial artist with a crude realm, who wouldn't even be able to use it in the first place.
'If blood energy uses this as its side effect.'
Then it truly makes sense to say it's used with one's life as collateral.
Therefore, blood energy is said to possess even higher power.
"So this crazy bastard contained that in his body."
I nudged the guy who had fainted on the floor with the tip of my foot.
It was Namgung Cheon-jun.
"Tsk."
I rolled him around for a few experiments, and he eventually fainted and collapsed.
Thanks to that, I was able to figure out quite a bit.
First, Namgung Cheon-jun became able to use demonic qi.
'It directly affects the demonic qi.'
I could tell that his demonic qi had changed to faintly swirl with light.
The intensity became thicker and the range widened. However, the color stood out.
No one could look at it and see a normal energy.
The fortunate thing was that it was also possible not to use it.
Which meant.
'That he can control it himself.'
Namgung Cheon-jun looked at the demonic qi he used following my words.
And made an expression soaked in admiration.
He seemed to know himself how much stronger the demonic qi he was using had become.
Of course.
I had driven a nail in his head not to use it, so he wouldn't be able to use it in the future.
It wasn't a power he could just use anywhere.
This immature bastard didn't seem to know that.
'The coercive power...'
The fact that he listens to and follows orders.
Or wants to do them.
I wondered how much of this he could do.
I gave Namgung Cheon-jun an order to die, and upon hearing the order, he tried to end his own life without hesitation.
Of course, judging by his expression, it didn't seem to be his own will.
'He does listen.'
Knowing this was enough.
If I hadn't stopped him in that moment, he probably would have really died.
The coercive power was definite.
And what made all of this possible was clearly.
The consumption of Demonic Qi.
It was the consumption of my Demonic Qi that was held within Namgung Cheon-jun's body.
Making him listen to orders.
And enhancing Namgung Cheon-jun's power.
All of this was because my power was taken as collateral.
'Seeing the demonic qi drain rapidly the moment I ordered him to die, the cost varies depending on the intensity.'
The moment an order is fulfilled, demonic qi is consumed.
It was the same for the moment Namgung Cheon-jun tried to use demonic qi on his own.
"This is shit."
The thought that crossed my mind as I confirmed these various things.
It truly was shitty.
I didn't want to know these things.
And I never thought I would.
I had to keep clicking my tongue while looking at the unconscious Namgung Cheon-jun.
Even if he looked like an idiot, Namgung Cheon-jun was also a supreme master.
I used a considerable amount of energy to pierce through his fairly solid dantian and inject demonic qi to corrupt him into a demonic human.
Seeing this, I thought it might be impossible to corrupt someone with a higher realm than me.
Would the side effect of becoming engulfed in madness that I saw in my past life be the same?
I couldn't know that yet.
The important thing is.
In the end, whatever it was, Namgung Cheon-jun became a demonic human. And was still becoming one.
And I had become able to create such a situation.
So I was curious.
Whether the Heavenly Demon of my past life was no different from this.
And.
What he hoped for from me.
To hand me such powers.
I wanted to ask someone, anyone.
'To find out.'
If I asked the beastly bastard, he'd just growl and be unable to answer.
And if I tried to find the Heavenly Demon, how would I know where to look?
Therefore.
I had to go to someone I could immediately ask.
Fortunately.
A guy came to mind.
Someone I thought would know at least a fragment about such a situation.
Someone I faced in my past life.
A man who, because of him, I maintained my life, but also ruined my life to near destruction.
The giant ancient tree who called himself the World Tree.
I had to find the tree who was probably still trapped in a false demonic realm, waiting for someone.
Because he seemed like he would know.
'For that.'
I first had to head to that place.
I needed to find a way to open the demonic realm leading there within a short period of time.
Fortunately.
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I knew a guy who could do this.
'I don't know where he is right now, though.'
I would meet him.
If my prediction wasn't wrong, he would enter the Divine Dragon Pavilion.
If I went there, I would be able to meet him.
Which meant.
Another reason had been added for why I had to enter the Divine Dragon Pavilion.