Chapter 5: First Young Master Jin Yeomyung (3)

Among the Ten Thousand Mountains, eight peaks boasted the largest territories—these were the Eight Demon Peaks.

Nested within one of those peaks was the main residence of the Demonic Heaven’s Jin Clan. But to call it a mere residence would be an understatement—it was so vast and majestic that it was more fitting to call it a fortress.

“Welcome, First Young Master!”

“Welcome, First Young Master!”

As Gu Chil and I reached the entrance of the main residence, a massive gate, towering over five jang tall, opened wide, and hundreds of martial artists and servants greeted us.

“Mm.”

I waved them off casually and passed through the entrance of the fortress.

Then a middle-aged man, with an impressive goatee, rushed toward me.

“Welcome back, First Young Master. I hope your outing with your friends went well?”

“Chief Administrator Byeok.”

Chief Administrator Byeok Jisang.

He was the one to whom Father, Jin Gun-ak, had entrusted full authority—a central figure who managed the clan’s internal affairs.

I purposely gave him a half-hearted smile.

“Went well? You jest, Chief Byeok.”

As if anything could’ve gone well when Father came all the way to Macheonru in Miyo Fortress—ten li away—to catch me himself?

“I was only worried for you, First Young Master…”

“Forget it.”

I cut him off.

“Just get me a training chamber.”

“Pardon? A training chamber!?”

His eyes widened like saucers.

What, was he pretending not to hear me? Did I say something I shouldn’t have?

But Chief Byeok blinked in genuine confusion, as if I truly had said something outrageous.

“Th-the Master’s private training chamber is currently being used by the Second Young Master for closed-door training…”

“Even a regular one is fine. Oh, and bring me a few martial arts scrolls from the clan’s martial arts repository. I’ll tell you which ones.”

“W-what!? You intend to train in martial arts!?”

It wasn’t just Chief Byeok who reacted in shock—many around us who had been watching were equally startled.

What the hell?

“Do I look like I’d ask for a training chamber for fun? Quit provoking me before I really lose my temper.”

“M-my apologies, First Young Master.”

Chief Byeok quickly bowed his head.

No matter how much power he wielded in the clan, I was still the First Young Master.

Especially since the heir to the clan hadn’t been officially chosen yet, he couldn’t afford to antagonize me carelessly.

Sure, I had lived a lazy life, but I wasn’t a total delinquent, so my relationships within the clan were still manageable.

I relayed a list of martial arts I wanted to learn to Chief Byeok through a sound transmission technique.

“Hmm, these are…”

“What? Is it not possible?”

“Of course not. Unless they are ones the Clan Leader has marked as forbidden, there is nothing in the Demonic Heaven’s Jin Clan that the First Young Master isn’t allowed to learn. It’s just…”

Chief Byeok tilted his head with an uncertain expression.

“They might be too weak, perhaps? Even if mastered, those stored in the Jin Martial Repository won’t emit a destructive demonic aura.”

Weak? Is that what he really thought?

I barely managed to hold back the urge to lash out.

“No, this level is just right.”

“If that’s the case, I’ll have them delivered immediately.”

“Good.”

With that, Chief Byeok hurried away with quick steps.

Gu Chil, who had been looking uneasy this whole time, finally spoke up.

“Y-young Master. What are you planning to do?”

“What do you mean, what am I planning to do? Weren’t you listening?”

“You’re seventeen years old, Young Master… starting martial arts training now won’t really change—”

“You little—!”

I smacked the back of Gu Chil’s head, channeling my irritation into the blow.

Smack!

“Ugh!”

I glared at him as he bent forward from the impact.

“Me training in martial arts doesn’t mean I’m going to toss you off to the Ghost-Slaying Unit, so shut your mouth.”

“L-loyalty!”

Even though the strike must’ve hurt, Gu Chil’s eyes sparkled as he stood at attention with a salute.

“The fact that you’re saying crap like that even after watching me deal with Ma Chulsoo proves you really are Chief Byeok’s son.”

Like father, like son—two-faced through and through.

Gu Chil gave a sheepish laugh.

“Hehehe, I only ever think of serving you with utmost devotion, Young Master.”

I scoffed.

“Whatever. Just stand guard outside the training chamber.”

With that, I turned to head toward the chamber.

“Um, Young Master.”

“What now?”

“Why… are you really trying to train in martial arts again?”

“……”

Unlike before, Gu Chil now looked quite serious.

We’d known each other since I was ten. Honestly, he was more like an older brother than a servant.

So when possible, I tried to tell him the truth—whether it was about the future, or the present.

With my hands clasped behind my back, I looked up at the sky and spoke.

“If I want to pretend I’m barely holding on, I figure I need to put in some effort.”

“Excuse me?”

“And to be honest… I’m not too confident in seduction, so I want to do everything else I can instead.”

What did I even know about dating?

“……??”

Gu Chil tilted his head slightly. That expression clearly said, ‘What the hell are you talking about?’

“Heh.”

Well, that’s all he needed to know.

It’s not like I expected him to understand anyway.

I said no more and turned fully toward the training chamber.

***

The martial arts of the Demonic Heaven’s Jin Clan focused on fist and palm techniques, and the body techniques derived from them.

They were destructive and domineering. The clan’s martial arts perfectly represented the classic traits of demonic martial arts—overwhelming output to crush opponents with sheer force.

‘The problem is, none of it really suits me.’

Even in my previous life, when I barely reached First-rate level, I chose to wield a sword rather than follow the clan’s martial arts.

That hadn’t changed now.

– Flying Heaven Infinite Divine Art

– Ten Heavenly Record Demonic Swords

The rest of the martial arts included a few supplementary techniques for light movement and support, but the two main ones I had to master were right in front of me.

I stared at the secret manuals laid before me, sinking into thought.

‘Will these really be enough?’

These two martial arts were none other than the ones I had trained in during my past life.

‘Master swore that if I could master these properly, I’d become invincible under the heavens.’

The master who had taught me these arts had once said so.

The Ten Heavenly Record Demonic Swords was one of the greatest sword techniques of the Cult, rivaling even the Heaven-Slaying Demonic Sword of the Cheon Clan.

And the Flying Heaven Infinite Divine Art allowed me to accumulate Qi faster than most demonic arts, yet its stability was comparable to the internal cultivation techniques of orthodox sects.

The reason these arts never saw the light of day was, according to my master, because they fell into the hands of the ignorant and backwards Jin Clan of the Demonic Heaven.

Well, I had to admit, the “ignorant” part was kind of true. That was roughly the way the other clans of the Six Great Demonic Clans viewed the Jin Clan anyway.

The reason I specifically sought out the secret manuals of the martial arts I had already learned in my past life was simple.

‘Master said the originals were lost, and he could only pass on fragments to me.’

In other words, the versions I had learned in my past life were incomplete.

And now, right before my eyes, were the original, unabridged versions of those techniques.

‘Was it about four years from now? The time when the clan’s archives burned down?’

If I remembered correctly, that incident happened not long after I came of age.

There had been a massive fire at the main estate.

Caused, supposedly, by the negligence of a servant, the fire wasn’t extinguished in time and ended up consuming nearly a third of the estate.

Eventually, it even reached the martial arts repository where these manuals had been kept, burning everything to ashes.

In the end, Father Jin Gun-ak, enraged, had the servant and his entire family executed, and replaced everyone involved in the incident.

‘There was no concrete evidence, but many suspected it was no accident.’

Still, that wasn’t relevant right now. The incident hadn’t happened yet.

What mattered now was that the original manuals—those same ones my master had grieved over—were now in my hands.

‘With these, I can grow far stronger than I ever was in my past life.’

Thanks to being born into a great clan, I had excellent talent, perception, and ample internal energy.

But the clan’s martial arts didn’t suit me, and my utter lack of motivation meant I missed the critical window to achieve true mastery.

‘That was what always pained Master the most.’

I hadn’t thought much of it in my past life, but now, in hindsight, I felt a twinge of guilt.

I looked up at the ceiling of the training chamber.

‘Master, I don’t know whether we’ll meet again in this life, but I’ll become the Grandmaster you always dreamed of.’

Five years.

I was planning to bury myself in this place and train in martial arts for at least five years.

Sure, you might wonder how I intended to do that when the exchange ceremony with Cheon Yura was still on the horizon.

But it was doable.

Because I was planning to sabotage the exchange ceremony from the start.

‘The day I failed the exchange ceremony, Father locked me up for a year.’

When that confinement ended, I was stripped of my position as First Young Master, and the title of Young Clan Leader passed to my younger brother, Jin Yeoun.

It wasn’t exactly a pleasant memory, but I planned to make the most of that future.

‘This time, I’ll make sure they lock me up for five years instead.’

Even if I were confined, it wasn’t like I’d lose access to food, shelter, or freedom within the premises. So I was thinking of dragging out the sentence on purpose.

The title of First Young Master or Young Clan Leader? My little brother could have them for all I cared.

The Heaven-Defying Society? Even if they were currently clinging to the main sect like parasites, if I lacked personal strength, I’d hit a wall no matter how many tricks I pulled.

Even if it cost me a little now, the right answer was to increase my strength.

‘Apologies, Cult Leader, but I don’t think I’ll be able to keep that promise to seduce you.’

As a fellow human being, I couldn’t deny that I had been drawn to Cheon Yura in the past.

But love was another matter entirely.

I simply didn’t have the confidence to pierce through her temperament and the current situation to win her over.

‘It’s far easier to train and fulfill the purpose of my reincarnation.’

My goal in this second life was simple.

I would dedicate myself to martial arts for five years until I reached a superhuman realm.

Then, I would head to the Central Plains and seize all the achievements Han Mubaek—the Demonic Faction Lord—had brought back to the main sect.

Along the way, I’d uncover and annihilate the true identity of the Heaven-Defying Society, the very force that had driven the cult to ruin.

‘If I wipe out all the hidden threats to the Heavenly Demon Cult, then even if she becomes the Cult Leader, her rule won’t be shaken.’

That was when it happened.

– I’m glad.

Flinch!

For some reason, her final words and expression from that day resurfaced in my mind.

But—

I shook my head forcefully.

‘I can’t do anything about that. Unless she turns her back on the cult entirely, she’ll never escape the fate of being the Young Cult Leader.’

In the end, this was the best I could do.

Comforting myself with that thought, I slowly opened the first page of the martial arts manual.

For some reason, my chest felt a little tight.

***

Half a month passed.

“Graaaagh!”

A young man holding a small sword rolled disgracefully across the floor.

Watching him, a woman with sharp features coldly rebuked him.

“The sword technique from the Pa Clan in the last round was better than this. At least that one had some bite to it.”

The young man, who had been overwhelmed in less than ten seconds, cried out in disbelief.

“H-how can this be?! How did you break through the Biheon Stealth Technique of the main clan so easily?!”

“Isn’t it obvious? Your skill was just that pathetic.”

Whack!

A lightning-fast kick flew toward him.

The last thing So Jeongbang, a direct descendant of the Hidden Shadow So Clan, saw that day was that woman’s foot coming at him.

Thud!

With a single blow, she knocked So Jeongbang unconscious. Then, turning to her attendant standing nearby, she asked,

“Biyeon, who’s next?”

The attendant respectfully bowed and replied,

“Next is Master Ma Jinyoon of the Blood Dragon Demonic Clan.”

“Looks like we’re almost done. Is he the last one?”

“No, there’s still Master Jin Yeomyung of the Demonic Heaven’s Jin Clan.”

“Oh, the one who supposedly defeated the second son of the Ma Clan?”

The woman—Cheon Yura—clicked her tongue slightly.

“Just as I expected. These guys all have big family names but no substance. I wonder if this Jin Yeomyung will be any different?”

“Hard to say.”

The expression on the attendant, Biyeon’s, face subtly changed.

That was because among the ‘nobodies’ Cheon Yura had just insulted, one of them happened to be her cousin.

“Well, I’ll be meeting him soon anyway, so whatever. Let the next one in. I want to finish this quickly and get back to training.”

“Yes, Young Cult Leader.”

Biyeon bowed deeply.

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