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SERIES: Return of the Divine Thief
CHAPTER 7: Return of the Divine Thief
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Return of the Divine Thief - Chapter 7
The faction members grabbed the bodies of the Lodge Leader and the Elders and finished cleaning up.
*Kuuung.*
When Muryang reactivated the memory formation, the massive door closed automatically.
“The money problem is solved for now. I’ve secured a force, albeit a small one, and a figurehead leader. Now it’s time to build up my strength…”
Muryang's first steps toward a new path: money, power, and strength.
He had secured a semblance of money and power by merging with the Red Bridge Faction. Now, if he could just properly absorb the Poison Flower Lotus, he would have taken the first step correctly.
Muryang sat in a cross-legged position and looked down at the Poison Flower Lotus in his hand.
A thing that held as much energy as its beautiful lotus shape suggested.
But within it was a spiritual elixir where poison and fiery demons were intertwined.
Moreover, thanks to the Demonic Cult's meddling, this one contained even more fiery demons than a typical Poison Flower Lotus.
“How on earth did those Demonic Cult bastards get their hands on something like this and tamper with it?”
Of course, even the Demonic Cult couldn't procure an infinite supply of Poison Flower Lotuses.
Recalling his past life, there were only about ten of these modified Poison Flower Lotuses released by the Demonic Cult.
Nevertheless, the reason the Red Bridge Faction's Lodge Leader received one was that he was a considerable villain, even according to the Demonic Cult.
His skills would be supplemented by the Poison Flower Lotus, and they wanted him to go mad from the fiery demons, kill more people, and bring chaos to the world.
However, their expectations would not be met.
He planned to either steal the Poison Flower Lotuses given to villains or deal with those who had already consumed them.
Besides, he was lucky. Hadn't an energy that could absorb even poisonous qi settled in his dantian?
“Well then, I shall humbly accept it, Cult Leader.”
He placed the Poison Flower Lotus in his mouth and slowly closed his eyes.
The Poison Flower Lotus unleashed intense fiery demons and poison, as if telling him to spit it out.
Muryang paid it no mind and swallowed the Poison Flower Lotus.
*Thump!*
Immediately, heat erupted in his chest like an explosion, and a wave of pain washed over him, as if his internal organs were being hacked to pieces.
Despite the immense pain, Muryang circulated the Heavenly Flow Divine Art with a serene expression.
The ‘Heavenly Flow Divine Art’ was a cultivation method passed down through generations of Divine Thieves.
He had heard from his master that the first Divine Thief received it from a renowned Taoist sage.
While it was excellent for increasing internal energy, its true brilliance lay in purifying turbid internal energy.
‘Heavenly Flow Divine Art, First Heavenly Cycle.’
As Muryang circulated the Heavenly Flow Divine Art, a clear, pure energy surged up from his dantian.
The pure energy traveled up his meridians, enveloping all of Muryang's organs, starting with his heart and lungs.
Simultaneously, the pure internal energy he had received from the old man in the scroll began to move.
*Kuuung!*
The poisonous qi from the Poison Flower Lotus and the pure internal energy collided, and a deafening roar echoed within Muryang's body.
The poisonous qi resisted the pure internal energy for a moment.
The pure internal energy began to purify the poisonous qi.
Then, it was absorbed as it was, becoming fuel for the Heavenly Flow Divine Art.
‘Just as I thought. The purified poisonous qi is accumulating directly as internal energy.’
This was a result beyond his expectations.
Without the help of that energy, he would have been lucky to digest even thirty percent of it.
But, if he could absorb it so completely, without any waste…….
‘With this much, the next stage might be possible.’
Muryang had no time to think deeply.
For although the energy in his dantian had absorbed the poisonous qi, it had not dealt with the fiery demons.
‘Heavenly Flow Divine Art, Second Heavenly Cycle.’
Once again, a pure energy erupted from his dantian.
Its force was incomparably more powerful than during the First Heavenly Cycle.
However, he controlled the internal energy created from the purified poison, preventing his meridians from tearing.
He had always been confident in his ability to control internal energy, even in his past life.
‘At this rate, I can absorb even all the fire energy.’
The pure energy filling his meridians held onto the internal energy enveloped by the fiery demons, expelling only the heat from his body.
In the process, the impurities accumulated in his meridians were burned away and expelled from his body along with the heat.
Normally, his meridians should have burned, but the energy of the Heavenly Flow Divine Art was protecting them.
All the fiery demons could burn were the impurities within the meridians that were not protected by internal energy.
*Sizzle.*
Even after leaving his body, the fiery demons’ heat lingered.
With that heat, it began to burn the expelled impurities and Muryang's clothes.
But Muryang was unaware of the situation.
He had fallen into a state of selflessness.
* * *
How much time had passed since he consumed the Poison Flower Lotus?
Opening his eyes, Muryang felt that his body had become much lighter.
And his dantian was filled far more substantially than he had expected.
“Eighty percent, no, ninety percent? It would be greedy to ask for more.”
The internal energy absorbed from the purified poison played a large role.
Thanks to it, he was able to circulate the ‘Heavenly Flow Divine Art, Second Heavenly Cycle,’ which allowed him to absorb the energy of the fiery demons without discarding it.
“Still, I guess achieving a complete metamorphosis was too much to ask. The next stage will be difficult until my meridians become tougher.”
The next stage, ‘Heavenly Flow Divine Art, Third Heavenly Revolution,’ would unleash internal energy with immense rotational force.
Without undergoing a complete metamorphosis to make his meridians more flexible and durable, they would surely be torn apart.
Still, he was satisfied with having achieved more than he had anticipated.
“Anyway, my body certainly feels lighter. Is it because I expelled the turbid qi?”
His body felt lighter due to the increase in his internal energy, but he also felt a strange sense of emptiness.
As Muryang looked around, he noticed ashes scattered on the floor.
“Ah… so that’s why.”
He realized all his clothes had been burned away by the fiery demons unleashed by the Poison Flower Lotus.
Well, clothes can just be bought anew.
Muryang opened the door to the training hall and shouted.
“I’ll count to exactly five. Three, two……”
A hurried reply came in response to Muryang's words.
“Yes, yes! Great Hero!”
“A-Are you alright?!”
One-Eye and Lop-Ear, unaware that the memory formation had been deactivated, shouted from a distance.
“One……”
“Aick, you said five!”
At Muryang's word, One-Eye entered the training hall, only to stop dead in his tracks at the sight of the naked Muryang.
“…Should I call for a courtesan?”
“If you don’t want another lesson in Chinese characters, bring me some clothes first.”
“S-Sorry! I’ll bring them right away!”
One-Eye went to get the clothes, and Muryang asked Lop-Ear, who remained.
“How long has it been since I went inside?”
“F-Five and a half days have passed. Hyung-nim Yangtae, no, the Lodge Leader was also worried something might have happened.”
“No wonder I’m so hungry.”
“I’ll get some food ready! B-But… it might take a while. The Lodge Leader has summoned all the members of the Red Bridge Faction and the Red Pavilion….”
It seemed that while Muryang was growing stronger, Jo Yangtae hadn't been idle either.
“Let him work. When One-Eye brings the clothes, let’s go to the village inn.”
“Yes, yes!”
The dumplings at the Red Pavilion were delicious, but the noodles at the village inn were even better.
He had already tried the dumplings, so now he wanted to taste the noodles.
* * *
Late in the evening, Muryang took the brothers to an inn run by an old man.
Perhaps because the dinner rush was over, the inn was quiet.
Instead, he was able to meet the old man's daughter-in-law, whom he hadn't seen before.
“Welcome. I haven't seen you for a few days. Were you away on business?”
“It's been a while, sister-in-law. By the way, is my brother around?”
The innkeeper's wife was about to answer Muryang's question when she saw the Red Bridge Faction warriors following him and was struck speechless.
So it was the old man who answered.
“That boy of mine hurt his back and has been laid up for nearly half a month now. You asked last time, too. I'm the one getting old, so why is your memory so bad?”
“Ah, is that right? My mind has been elsewhere lately. Anyway, please bring us some noodles and any leftover dishes you have.”
“Got it.”
Muryang sat at an empty table, looked around the shabby interior of the inn, and said.
“You two, sit down.”
“Ye-yes.”
The two brothers cautiously sat down, stealing glances at Muryang.
A short while later, the old man brought three bowls of noodles and a chicken dish.
“We'll eat well. By the way, old man, it looks like this inn could use some repairs.”
“I've bought the materials, but with my son laid up, there's no one to do the work.”
*Slurp.*
“Mmm. These are definitely the best noodles around. One-Eye, Lop-Ear.”
At Muryang's call, the two brothers quickly put down their chopsticks and answered.
“Ye-yes!”
“Yes, Great Warrior!”
Muryang ate another mouthful of noodles before continuing.
“This inn, think you can fix it up a bit?”
One-Eye answered Muryang's question.
“I-I think I can. My father was a carpenter, so I learned a little when I was young.”
“Oh? Then finish your noodles and give it a try.”
“Ah, I will!”
The old man and the innkeeper's wife looked on, bewildered, as Muryang treated the Red Bridge Faction warrior like his own subordinate.
But not wanting to get involved with a Red Bridge Faction warrior, they just watched in silence.
One-Eye quickly finished his noodles, got the materials from the old man, and began to repair the damaged interior.
“Oh, he's clearly got the knack for it. Lop-Ear.”
“Ye-yes!”
“Is there anything you're good at?”
“Good at... what kind of thing do you mean...?”
“Being a good talker, being a good sleeper, anything.”
Lop-Ear thought for a moment, then answered cautiously.
“I can... draw a little.”
“Really? Draw my face for me sometime.”
“Ye-yes. I'll be sure to do that.”
While Muryang was tearing into a chicken leg, One-Eye finished repairing the inn.
“Oh my! You're much more skilled than my husband!”
It wasn't just empty praise.
Even to Muryang's eyes, One-Eye's workmanship was quite impressive.
The old man also added a word of praise.
To the old man and the innkeeper's wife, it was just ordinary praise.
But for some reason, One-Eye couldn't stop a smile from escaping.
But since Muryang was there, he tried to force it back, and his face twisted into a bizarre expression.
Muryang observed One-Eye's reaction carefully.
‘One-Eye has potential.’
It seemed he could be recycled, after all.
In response to the praise from the old man and his daughter-in-law, One-Eye replied with an embarrassed expression.
“Ah, no. It wasn't anything special.”
His entire life had been a routine of throwing punches.
When would he have ever heard such sincere praise?
“Don't charge this friend for his noodles.”
“Of course. Just noodles isn't enough. I'll bring out a chicken dish and some wine, just wait a bit.”
While the old man and his daughter-in-law went into the kitchen to prepare the food, a customer arrived at the inn.
“So this is where you were.”
“Well, if it isn't the new Lodge Leader.”
It was Jo Yangtae.
“You were gone for five days. I thought something might have happened to you. But... it looks like you had some success.”
Muryang was stronger than him, so an exact examination was difficult, but he could sense that Jo Yangtae's aura had changed.
“I got lucky.”
He had digested almost all the the Poison Flower Lotuses, when he thought he would only be able to absorb about thirty percent of it.
For the current Muryang, this was an enormous difference.
“Luck is a part of skill.”
“True. How's the work coming along?”
“It's not as easy as I thought.”
The task Muryang had given him was to completely reform the Red Bridge Faction and the Red Pavilion.
Of course, it wouldn't be easy.
“Just quickly cut out the former Lodge Leader's faction. The rest can be done slowly. Rushing things will only make them fail.”
“I've already eliminated all of them. The problem is the courtesans... I gave them a choice, but since so many of them were brought here as children, the majority don't even know what they want.”
To the courtesans, the Red Pavilion was their entire world.
Leaving the Red Pavilion might not mean freedom, but the collapse of their world.
“Then start by educating them.”
“They've spent their whole lives only doing what others told them to. They don't even know what they want to learn.”
“Have them try everything until they find their aptitude. It's their money they earned anyway, so what does it matter if they spend a lot?”
It wasn't that Jo Yangtae hadn't thought of this.
But it was obvious that if he reformed the Red Pavilion, their income would be poor for a while.
And since they'd decided not to collect protection money, their funds would gradually dry up.
The Red Bridge Faction members could, to put it bluntly, be put to work doing odd jobs, but it wasn't easy for the courtesans to find employment.
That's why he was thinking of saving as much money as possible.
“It's not that we're short on money right now, but if we spend lavishly and the money runs out, there'll be no education or anything else. So, we have to move as methodically as possible.”
“The guy who knows so much was the one who tried to burn down the Red Pavilion?”
Seeing the man who, in his past life, had burned the Red Pavilion to the ground without a second thought about money now worrying about it, Muryang couldn't help but laugh.
It certainly seemed that the position makes the man.
“…My foolishness aside, we have to save as much money as we can...”
“Don't worry about money. If you run short, I'll cover it.”
Certainly, with Muryang's skills, earning money wouldn't be difficult.
Jo Yangtae had wanted him to step in, but having already received his grace, he was in a difficult position to ask.
But now that Muryang had offered, a weight was lifted from his mind.
As his mind eased, his eyes fell on One-Eye, who was suppressing a smile, looking pleased about something.
“Wang Gon.”
“Yes! Big Brother! No, Lodge Leader!”
Only then did Muryang remember that One-Eye's name was Wang Gon.
“What are you so happy about?”
This was the same guy who, for the past five days, would have a fit at the mere mention of Muryang's name.
But now, sharing a table with Muryang, the smile wouldn't leave his face.
“W-well, it's just...”
Wang Gon was at a loss as to how to explain his current feelings.
The one who had saved him was Muryang.
“Jo Yangtae. Have you ever helped a stranger and been thanked for it?”
“Of course not. I may not have been as ruthless as the former Lodge Leader, but I'm still part of the underworld.”
“You bastard.”
“Why the sudden cursing...?”
“You're not even as good as One-Eye yet.”
Still, you have the aptitude.
Muryang muttered quietly and continued.
“Humans inherently crave recognition and praise.”
“Isn't that... something only children do?”
“It's an instinct. We just learn to hide it as we get older.”
To this instinct, Muryang had given a name: ‘Chivalry Syndrome’.
This strange disease is contagious; the seeds of the illness are spread just by seeing or hearing rumors of so-called ‘righteous heroes’.
Its symptoms are also quite peculiar, with ‘inability to tolerate injustice,’ ‘failure to know one's place,’ and ‘weakness to compassion’ being the most common.
And most patients whose condition worsens—
‘—die. At the hands of the strong and wicked, who are immune to this strange disease.’
Shaking off the stray thoughts in his head, Muryang spoke.
“Jo Yangtae.”
“What is it?”
“Don't die.”
“……?”
“You bastard.”
“I mean, why do you keep cursing at me...?”
He didn't think everyone would become a righteous hero.
Some might contract the disease, only to have a change of heart and wield their wickedness once more.
Someone might appear who seeks to root out and burn all those afflicted with this strange disease.
But, this time would be different.
A host, stronger than anyone, with a powerful ability to transmit the disease.
The leader of the afflicted, who would cultivate countless righteous heroes.
‘The God of Sickness, Cho Muryang. Isn't it the perfect title for a half-wit like me?’
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