Chapter 53. I Was Thinking of Building a Bridge.

They were being dragged like beasts with shackles on their wrists and ankles, resisting fiercely and letting out monstrous cries.

“Krrrrrrrrr!”

“Kyaaaaaaah!”

With their bluish, festering skin, black eyes, sharp fangs, and the horns sprouting from their heads, they had a bizarre and repulsive appearance that no one would call human.

Demonification.

A curse, like a destiny, that those who learn demonic arts cannot escape.

A skilled martial artist had a very high probability of returning to normal even if they underwent Demonification.

However, it was a different story when one was not yet accustomed to demonic qi.

Especially, the most dangerous time was when achieving the first Small Heavenly Cycle.

It was no exaggeration to say that if one underwent Demonification as soon as they were initiated into the Reverse Heaven Heart Art, the possibility of returning to normal was almost nil.

“Ah. You must be seeing this for the first time.”

“It is not the first time.”

Jin Yeong-in shook his head at Yi Gyu’s words.

“I saw the martial artists belonging to the escort unit undergo Demonification when we fought the Righteous Heavenly Alliance bastards on the Yangtze River.”

“Now that you mention it, that’s right. Yes, that is Demonification. It is like an original sin that we who learn demonic arts cannot escape.”

“What will happen to them now?”

“They will be sent to the Demonic Ghost Cave.”

“The Demonic Ghost Cave……”

Jin Yeong-in searched his memory, recalling that the Blood Qilin and Yeom Bi had mentioned the Demonic Ghost Cave.

Hadn’t they said that being thrown into the Demonic Ghost Cave was as good as a death sentence?

“It is a place where those who have undergone Demonification are confined. It is one of the six forbidden zones of our cult. In a way, it is also the most dangerous place.”

“Ah.”

“It is truly a pity, but what can be done? They are still members of our cult, so we cannot mercilessly kill them. Of course, looking at that state, I have thought more than once that it would be better to just kill them.”

“Have there been efforts to save them?”

“Not in the past. On the contrary, we used them as a military force.”

“Ah.”

Jin Yeong-in nodded, understanding the meaning of Yi Gyu’s words.

He had heard that during the First Righteous-Demonic War, the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult had used demons to launch human-wave tactics, and it seemed the source of those demons were the demonified cult members.

“Now, by order of the Cult Leader, the Life Demonic Institute and the Demonic Scripture Pavilion are researching ways to normalize them.”

“Has there been any progress?”

Yi Gyu shook his head with a bitter expression.

“As far as I know, the situation is sluggish. I heard it has been almost thirty years already.”

Jin Yeong-in thought he understood why they had not been able to devise a way to normalize those who had undergone Demonification.

‘Yes, there was nothing they could do. Even I can’t get a feel for it.’

Even Jin Yeong-in, who had a Heavenly Demon’s Physique, was not confident that he could return those who had undergone Demonification to their original state.

In the Demonic Prison, he had only researched ways to counter demonic arts, so he was a layman when it came to Demonification.

‘There might be a way.’

Jin Yeong-in thought that when he had time, he should visit the Life Demonic Institute and the Demonic Scripture Pavilion to find out about ways to normalize those who had undergone Demonification.

After all, Jin Yeong-in, with his Heavenly Demon’s Physique, was more likely to find a method than ordinary people, and if he could, he would be able to save the countless cult members trapped in the Demonic Ghost Cave.

* * *

That night.

A grand banquet was held at the Blood Wolf Corps.

As if to compensate for their hard work over the past hundred days, the Blood Wolves were provided with clean martial uniforms and all sorts of delicacies from the mountains and seas.

As the final process of the Blood Wolf Corps, the initiation into the heart art, was over, the instructors also did not take a coercive attitude towards the Blood Wolves.

On the contrary, the atmosphere was one of acknowledging the Blood Wolves as individual martial artists and mingling with them.

Jin Yeong-in spent a pleasant time eating, drinking, and enjoying himself with the Blood Wolves in such a setting.

There, the main interest of the Blood Wolves was concerning Jin Yeong-in’s future course of action.

“They will surely come to recruit you, Brother. You’re a once-in-a-millennium genius, aren’t you! Hahaha!”

“That’s right! Everyone will be desperate to recruit you, Brother!”

The Blood Wolves who completed the Blood Wolf Corps training were usually assigned to organizations that suited their individual qualities.

However, in the case of those who ranked in the top ten in their graduation results, they were not arbitrarily assigned, but the heads of each organization would personally visit the Blood Wolf Corps to take the Blood Wolves they liked.

Sometimes, high-ranking officials or retired great demons from the Senate would appear and take them as disciples, so for the Blood Wolves who had shown distinction in the Blood Wolf Corps, the path to success was open.

Not only did Jin Yeong-in achieve the most outstanding results in this cohort, but he also made a mark in the history of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult by creating the Post-Heaven Extreme Demonic True Qi, so it went without saying that a smooth path lay ahead of him.

“Where do you want to go, Brother?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t really thought about it.”

Jin Yeong-in replied to Namgung Sin’s question.

“Then are you aiming to become someone’s disciple?”

“That’s not it either.”

“Then?”

“If I had to pick…… the Demonic Scripture Pavilion?”

“Pardon……?”

Hearing Jin Yeong-in’s answer, Namgung Sin reacted as if asking what that meant.

“The Demonic Scripture Pavilion…… isn’t that a martial arts research institute?”

“Right?”

“Why would someone like you want to go there, Brother? I can understand not being able to go to a high-level military organization as a fresh graduate, but why the Demonic Scripture Pavilion of all places……?”

The top-tier military organizations like the Asura Blood Sword Unit, the Rakshasa Troupe, and the Iron-Armored Ghostly Demon Squad would not accept a martial artist who had just completed the Blood Wolf Corps, nor did they even pay any attention to them in the first place.

To enter such a military organization, one needed at least a first-rate level of martial arts and a corresponding military merit, which was impossible.

But even so, the Demonic Scripture Pavilion was a place that specialized in researching demonic arts, so it was a non-combat organization that had nothing to do with fighting.

It was not a place for a talent like Jin Yeong-in to go.

“I just want to try researching demonic arts.”

“Ah.”

Only then did Namgung Sin recall that Jin Yeong-in was the creator of the Post-Heaven Extreme Demonic True Qi and nodded as if it made sense.

“Indeed. It makes sense for you to make such a choice, Brother.”

“What about you?”

“If possible, the Sword Demon Squad would be good.”

The Sword Demon Squad was a group composed solely of swordsmen and was the highest-level military organization that a martial artist who had just completed the Blood Wolf Corps could go to.

Since Namgung Sin’s graduation results from the Blood Wolf Corps were in the top ten, it would not be very difficult for him to enter the Sword Demon Squad.

‘Ah, right. I asked a pointless question.’

As far as Jin Yeong-in knew, Namgung Sin was scheduled to become the disciple of the Demonic Sword Revered One, an old master belonging to the Senate.

The Demonic Sword Revered One was a figure who had been a worthy rival of the Sword King, the head of the Namgung Clan during the First Righteous-Demonic War, and had clashed with him numerous times, so he would have a rather special connection with Namgung Sin.

‘They say the Demonic Sword Revered One’s temper is no joke, his future looks bleak.’

The Demonic Sword Revered One was said to have driven his rival’s grandson, Namgung Sin, like a dog.

This was also a story he had heard directly from Namgung Sin, so it was an undeniable fact that a rough road lay ahead for him.

As he was talking with Namgung Sin about this and that, the Blood Wolf Corps Leader Yi Mu-baek approached and spoke.

“Well, were you enjoying the last day?”

“It is thanks to your consideration.”

“Then I am glad. Well, I need to see you for a moment.”

“Ah, yes.”

“Follow me.”

Jin Yeong-in was slightly flustered by Yi Mu-baek’s sudden visit, but he soon followed after him.

* * *

After moving to another place.

“Was the Blood Wolf Corps bearable?”

“Yes, it was bearable.”

“Was it?”

Yi Mu-baek slightly furrowed his brow.

“Hmm. It shouldn’t have been bearable. I should have driven you more like dogs, it seems I have become too soft. Well, I am getting old too……”

“…….”

Jin Yeong-in was so dumbfounded that he shut his mouth.

Although he said it was bearable, in fact, it was no exaggeration to say that the Blood Wolf Corps training process was like hell.

It was a clear fact that it had become more lenient compared to before the Iron-Blooded Demonic God’s reign, but that by no means meant that the Blood Wolf Corps training process was easy.

It was just that Jin Yeong-in’s ability to endure physical and mental pain was abnormally high, so he could say that.

“Heh heh. It was just a joke, so don’t take it seriously.”

Yi Mu-baek said, looking at Jin Yeong-in’s expression.

“Since you have already completed it, it doesn’t matter if the training process gets harder. Your junior cohorts will have a hard time, though.”

“I quite like the sound of that. Haha.”

“Hmm?”

“Please drive them even more relentlessly in the future. Ho ho.”

“…….”

This time, Yi Mu-baek wore a dumbfounded expression.

If he were to drive the Blood Wolves any more harshly than this, only a single-digit number of them would graduate per cohort.

“Well, I will take your opinion into consideration.”

“Thank you.”

“That aside, I called you because I have something to say to you.”

“What is it you wish to say……”

“Thank you.”

“……!”

“Thanks to you, a long-held wish of our Blood Wolf Corps has been fulfilled, so as the Blood Wolf Corps Leader, how can I not say thank you?”

The face of Yi Mu-baek as he said that was not the harsh and ruthless appearance he had seen so far.

“It has been thirty-seven years since I joined the Blood Wolf Corps. I was in a low-level military organization for a while after completing the Blood Wolf Corps, but I soon returned here and became an instructor. Now, as you can see, I have become the leader in charge of the Blood Wolf Corps.”

“You must have gone through a lot of trouble. You, Leader, are the teacher of all the martial artists of our cult.”

“If you think so, I am just grateful. Anyway, do you know when the hardest day for me is while I’m in the Blood Wolf Corps?”

“I do not know.”

“It is a day like today.”

“A day like today, you mean……”

“The end of the Blood Wolf Corps training process. The day of challenging the first Small Heavenly Cycle of the Reverse Heaven Heart Art is the most difficult to endure.”

“……Ah.”

Jin Yeong-in, who understood the meaning of Yi Mu-baek’s words, let out a short sigh.

“I have taught countless Blood Wolves over the years, but I still cannot get used to the last day. Losing nearly half of the Blood Wolves in every cohort helplessly has been a difficult thing for me to bear.”

“…….”

“You may curse me for being weak. How can a man who is responsible for the cultivation of martial artists in our cult be so soft-hearted?”

“Not at all.”

Jin Yeong-in shook his head.

“How could it be because you are soft-hearted, Leader? Even though you are the Blood Wolf Corps Leader, you are still a human being. You must have lost countless Blood Wolves due to the side effects of the Reverse Heaven Heart Art, so how great must your sense of loss be.”

“Do you really think so?”

“Yes.”

“I see. Thanks to you, I feel a little comforted.”

“Leader……”

“Anyway. The Post-Heaven Extreme Demonic True Qi…… really is a remarkable heart art. Thanks to it, the number of cases suffering from side effects will be drastically reduced. For me, it is a truly joyous occasion.”

“I am also endlessly happy to be able to contribute to the cult.”

As Jin Yeong-in smiled, Yi Mu-baek also responded with a gentle smile.

“You have truly come to the right place.”

“……!”

“Why did you defect so late? If you had defected a day sooner instead of hanging out with those trashy Righteous Faction bastards, you would not have suffered such a harsh fate.”

Those words from Yi Mu-baek sounded to Jin Yeong-in’s ears as the most joyous, the highest praise.

“For you to say that, it is an unparalleled honor for me.”

“Hmm?”

“Since I am a defector, I think my heart becomes a little more at ease when you treat me like a family member.”

“The expression ‘a defector’ is a bit much. You are now a person of our cult. At least, I, Yi Mu-baek, think so.”

“Thank you.”

“So, I was thinking of building a bridge.”

“What kind of bridge are you referring to……”

“By any chance……”

Yi Mu-baek opened his mouth.

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