Chapter 11: The Disciple of the Ghost Soul Hand (1)
One week later.
The day of the first-stage examination finally dawned, and all the students of the Demonic Path Academy gathered in the vast testing grounds.
As if to prove the skills they had honed over the past week, a sharp, piercing energy overflowed from their eyes. Amidst them, Hajin scanned his surroundings with a worried gaze.
‘Cheon Ha-rin, I hope I don’t run into that crazy woman right from the start.’
He had not yet fully recovered his magical power. At best, he could only manage a few intermediate-level spells.
Not wanting to get caught up in any unnecessary trouble by standing out, he searched his surroundings thoroughly, just in case. Fortunately, her madness-filled eyes were nowhere to be seen.
Breathing a small sigh of relief, Hajin approached the back of the line of students.
‘Should I stand here?’
Just then, the Martial Arts Instructor, Chae Un-ryang, appeared in the distance. He wore an expression that clearly showed he was in a difficult position. He approached the rows of students, cleared his throat once, and spoke cautiously.
"I am informing all students that the content of today’s first-stage examination has been changed."
No sooner had he spoken than a low murmur spread among the students. Each of them had surely been training themselves to the bone in preparation for the previously announced exam.
Of course, this was actually good news for Hajin. He hadn’t known what the exam was going to be anyway. At the very least, everyone would now be starting from a similar position.
Regardless, such a sudden change was bound to be a source of clear dissatisfaction.
However, no one dared to voice their complaints openly. They merely glanced at one another, murmuring in silence, while a tense atmosphere filled the testing grounds as they waited for the instructor’s next words.
The one who broke the silence was Yun-geom of the Sword Demon Sect. Without a moment’s hesitation, he raised his hand high and shouted.
"Instructor, does it make sense to change the exam overnight? Whose order is this, and who will take responsibility for it?"
Starting with Yun-geom’s shout, which was far too arrogant for a mere student, the suppressed dissatisfaction of the others began to erupt.
"That’s right! How can you change the exam content on the very day of the test?"
"Isn't this a sign of disrespect toward us?"
The murmuring gradually turned into blatant protest, and Instructor Chae Un-ryang’s troubled expression deepened. It was at that very moment.
From the distance, a woman began to walk slowly toward the noisy students. As she drew closer, her unique, overwhelming presence began to silence the commotion.
Jet-black hair contrasting with snow-white skin, and mysterious purple eyes.
It was the moment the Sect Leader of the Mad Demon Sect, one of the Five Great Demonic Sovereigns of the Heavenly Demonic Cult, the Mad Demon herself, appeared.
"It’s the Mad Demon!"
Whispers of astonishment erupted from the lips of the few students who recognized her.
"No, why is she here? And at the Demonic Path Academy, where there are only students?"
To be a Demonic Sovereign meant to be one of the greatest experts in the Heavenly Demonic Cult. They were effectively the ones right below the Cult Leader. Why would someone like that be here?
"Th-that person is...?"
"Why is the Mad Demon here?"
The startled students lost all their previous bravado and froze like mice before a snake.
Even Yun-geom, who had been loudly voicing his complaints, clamped his mouth shut and stared at her with an expression of disbelief.
‘Why is she here? I heard she wasn't the type to go outside often...?’
The Mad Demon was someone comparable even to his own father, the Sword Demon. Furthermore, she was known as an eccentric whose personality was entirely unpredictable. It would do no good to provoke her.
Meanwhile, as if enjoying all the attention, the Mad Demon approached the students with a seductive smile on her lips. Questions filled the students' minds.
As if to resolve their confusion, the Mad Demon spoke in a voice that resonated throughout the entire training hall. It was the Six-Harmonies Voice Transmission.
"Greetings, everyone. I assume I don't need to introduce myself, do I?"
It was an introduction entirely fitting for the Mad Demon, devoid of any formality. Of course, that was fine. Aside from Hajin, there was no one here who didn't know the reputation of the Mad Demon.
Just as the students were left dumbfounded by her appearance, one student spoke up.
"May I ask one question?"
"Speak."
"I heard the exam content has been changed. Does that mean you will be personally evaluating the exam?"
"Evaluation? Similar, but different."
"Pardon? Then...?"
"I heard there were quite a few interesting rumors going around. So, I personally went to the Cult Leader and changed the exam."
"Pardon?"
It was a clear overstepping of authority. But the opponent was the unpredictable Mad Demon. This was on the milder side for her.
Eventually, someone asked, trembling. Although the Mad Demon was the least authoritarian among the Demonic Sovereigns, she still held the position of a Sovereign.
"We have been preparing for the first-stage exam for the past week. I feel that changing it overnight is an unreasonable measure."
"So, you lack the confidence to pass?"
"What...?"
"I asked if you lacked confidence. If you cannot pass the exam due to a variable of this magnitude, doesn't that mean you didn't have the aptitude to pass from the beginning?"
"..."
"If you are full of complaints, then come at me. If you can force me to submit, I will accept it quietly."
Translation: If you don't like it, fight me.
Of course, for one of the five Demonic Sovereigns of the Heavenly Demonic Cult to tell a mere student, "If you don't like it, compete with me through strength," was a very base act. It was something most martial artists would not do.
But the Mad Demon did not belong to the category of ordinary martial artists. To try to group the Mad Demon of the Heavenly Demonic Cult into an ordinary category? Was that not an act of arrogance in itself?
There were no bad Mad Demons in the world. There were only crazy Mad Demons.
Regardless, what more could anyone here say after hearing those words? They had no power, so they could only follow.
"Still, I have prepared a simple exam, so do not worry."
There was only one thing the students could do. They could only hope that the exam would be normal. And as if to betray those expectations at once, the Mad Demon’s words continued.
"The exam is simple. You just need to land a single attack on me."
In an instant, every student let out a silent scream.
* * *
The Mad Demon had spoken simply. But there was a reason why the students were horrified.
The Mad Demon was one of the five Demonic Sovereigns; it was rumored that her realm was close to the Transformation Realm, while the students were, at best, Second-Rate or First-Rate.
Land an attack on such a person, or block her? It was practically a declaration that she had no intention of letting them pass. A few of the top-ranking students were the first to summon their courage and speak up.
"Isn't this too harsh! How can we possibly oppose a Demonic Sovereign!"
The Mad Demon’s martial prowess was on a different level even among the Sovereigns. Although a Sovereign was supposed to be the leader of a massive sect, the Mad Demon had little in the way of a power base under her.
In fact, it was no exaggeration to say that the Mad Demon Sect was maintained solely by the Mad Demon’s personal strength. And they were being asked to face someone who could maintain a sect all by herself?
What student could accept this?
Naturally, the mood among the students turned gloomy. As if she knew how they felt, the Mad Demon ignored the student’s words and spoke nonchalantly.
"Now, let us proceed with the exam as I said. Does any student have a complaint?"
"..."
Everyone swallowed their bitter words. They couldn't bring themselves to say, "It’s not like you’d listen even if we did."
And so, the exam began. The Mad Demon climbed onto the sparring arena, grinned, and looked down at them. Then, with a sneer, she said:
"Is there any student who wants to challenge me first? If so, I will evaluate your courage highly and give you bonus points."
The Mad Demon scanned the lined-up students like a cat watching mice. Wherever her purple eyes turned, the students instinctively averted their gazes.
Just as everyone was holding their breath and watching each other, one hand shot up without hesitation. At the same time, everyone’s gaze turned toward that spot.
It was the number one student, the Cult Leader’s daughter, Cheon Ha-rin. She stepped forward, her blood-red eyes flashing. Even in the face of the Mad Demon’s overwhelming presence, she did not look the least bit intimidated.
Cheon Ha-rin stopped in front of the Mad Demon, looked directly into her madness-filled eyes, and shouted.
"I will challenge you."
There was no agitation in her voice. Only pure ecstasy at being able to face a strong opponent. Seeing this, a deep smile spread across the Mad Demon’s lips. She slowly licked her lips with her red tongue and whispered in a satisfied voice.
"Oh my? A precious guest has come forward from the start?"
"It has been a long time."
Cheon Ha-rin performed a light salute and bowed to the Mad Demon. Soon, her red eyes, with her sword held vertically, captured only the Mad Demon.
"Please, attack first."
The Mad Demon scoffed at the sight.
"Attack first? You dare tell me to attack first? How amusing. Naturally, you should be the one crawling toward me."
A blatant sneer appeared in the Mad Demon’s eyes. At this mockery, Cheon Ha-rin’s red eyes shone eerily. Further conversation was meaningless.
"In that case, I will come."
No sooner had she spoken than her body shot forward. Her sword thrust out with a sharp whistling sound as it cut through the air. The first technique of the Ghostly Moon Profound Sword that Cheon Ha-rin had mastered rushed toward the Mad Demon, drawing a distorted trajectory.
It was a gloomy and sharp sword art that sent chills down the spines of those watching.
The students instinctively recoiled, holding their breath at the overwhelming sword aura.
However, the Mad Demon did not move an inch before the murderous sword. She simply extended two fingers with ease.
*Clang—!*
With a sharp sound like metal clashing against metal, Cheon Ha-rin’s fiercely rushing blade was stopped, precisely blocked by the tips of the Mad Demon’s two fingers.
The Mad Demon looked at the stopped blade as if bored and whispered lowly.
"Is this really all you have?"
At those languidly echoing words, Cheon Ha-rin bit her lower lip hard. Her red eyes shook violently with anger and bewilderment.
The gazes of the students watching this scene were already stained with shock.
‘This is impossible…’
‘He blocked Cheon Ha-rin’s sword that easily?’
Setting aside the fact that she was the Cult Leader’s daughter, Cheon Ha-rin was one of the most peerless figures among the students. Yet, her technique had been parried as lightly as if it were a child’s play.
In that moment, everyone in the testing hall realized that no one would be able to pass this test.
It was a moment that proved with his entire being that the Mad Demon existed in a realm far beyond their reach, unlike students such as them. He was a being they dared not even covet to surpass.
Meanwhile, watching all of this from a distance, the Blade Demon’s face had hardened. Uncharacteristically, he spat out a harsh curse.
“That crazy woman. Is she really…!”
When the Mad Demon had first sprawled out in front of the Cult Leader’s palace and insisted on changing the test, he had thought the woman had finally lost her mind. And when the Cult Leader had actually granted permission, he had clutched his forehead in despair.
Yes. She was the Mad Demon, but she was also a Demonic Sovereign.
He had assumed there was some reason for it, perhaps to evaluate the students of the Demonic Path Academy in her own way. But the Mad Demon reflected in his eyes now was not an instructor testing the students’ skills.
She was merely a predator, flaunting her own overwhelming power and ruthlessly trampling the young sprouts that were just beginning to bloom.
“This place was not prepared for you to unleash your madness to your heart’s content!”
The Blade Demon’s insides were burning black. If things continued like this, the students would be completely broken, let alone passing the test. What on earth was she doing to the children who would carry the future of the Heavenly Demonic Cult?
No, could the students even pass this test to begin with?
‘How on earth am I supposed to clean this up?’
The Blade Demon clutched his forehead. This was no longer a matter he could just watch. He immediately drew the blade from his back and stomped the ground, charging toward the Mad Demon.
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