Chapter 45
— — —
Wi Jagang asked the Old Fiend’s identity.
“Who are you to flaunt your martial prowess before me?”
“I am searching for one who will swallow the world whole. I see that potential in you, kekeke. Do you not wish to become like me, no, stronger than me?”
“How can I become as strong as you?”
The Old Fiend handed Wi Jagang a martial arts manual.
“Master this. Then you will be able to place the world beneath you.”
“This is…”
“It can be given to anyone, but not just anyone can master it. However, it seems you have what it takes to achieve greatness.”
The Old Fiend vanished before he could be stopped.
The sudden encounter sobered Wi Jagang in an instant. He examined the manual.
To his surprise, it was a manual of demonic arts. The martial arts of the Demonic Cult, which he had never intended to learn.
The Demonic Cult was known to have been annihilated a hundred years ago.
But in his quest to defeat Cheon Yujin, Wi Jagang had once read documents related to the Demonic Cult’s martial arts while studying various texts.
Seeing a Demonic Cult manual in person, he was hesitant to learn it. The arts were excessively tyrannical, created solely for the purpose of slaughter.
No matter how much he wanted to defeat Cheon Yujin, he felt it was wrong to learn the arts of the Demonic Cult.
But the moment Cheon Yujin became the great disciple of the Jongnam Sect, the moment everyone spoke only of Cheon Yujin’s greatness, the moment Cheon Yujin looked down on him with arrogant eyes…
“Jagang, you still have a long way to go. Haha!”
The moment those playful words sounded like the absolute truth.
Wi Jagang finally laid his hands on the Demonic Cult’s martial arts.
Wi Jagang wanted to place Cheon Yujin, his fellow disciples who had looked down on him, and the entire world beneath his feet.
He wanted to make everyone look up to him, so that no one would ever dare to ignore him again.
The martial art Wi Jagang learned at that time was the Asura's Blood Heavenly Sword.
“…But it wasn't long before Cheon Yujin discovered the truth. He tried to kill Wi Jagang, but Wi Jagang managed to escape with a fatal wound, leaving behind the words, ‘I will kill you with my own two hands’…”
Ten years later, Wi Jagang reappeared in the world, having perfectly mastered the Heavenly Demon’s arts.
Along with countless Demonic Cultists.
“The Wi Jagang who appeared then is considered the strongest of all the Heavenly Demons in the history of the Murim. He was a natural-born warrior, and his intense desire to defeat Cheon Yujin made him the perfect Heavenly Demon.”
“…”
“Wi Jagang turned the entire Murim into a sea of blood. The Murim Alliance, along with various sects and clans, joined forces to fight him, but it was not enough. The bloody battle continued for about three years. Countless people died, and conversely, heroes were born.”
That hero was none other than Cheon Yujin.
He had grown enough to earn the title of Soul-Chasing Sword and was making a name for himself in the Murim.
Cheon Yujin stepped forward to kill Wi Jagang himself.
He considered it his fault that Wi Jagang had become the Heavenly Demon.
“Cheon Yujin was often injured while confronting Wi Jagang. He fought numerous life-or-death battles. But he never died, and the reason for that is connected to the Golden Divine Healer.”
The Golden Divine Healer.
The name she had been so curious about had finally come up.
Soso’s eyes sparkled like stars.
“It was because he was treated by the Golden Divine Healer.”
“…!”
“According to the warriors who were close to Cheon Yujin, a golden energy flowed from the woman’s hands and healed his wounds.”
My goodness. Someone like me really existed.
Soso couldn’t stop her lips from parting in astonishment.
“The reason the Namgung Clan knows the Golden Divine Healer so well and reveres her is that Cheon Yujin met her in Anhui, and my grandfather, who fought the Heavenly Demon alongside Cheon Yujin, also had his life saved by her.”
Her curiosity piqued, Soso asked again impatiently.
“What happened to this Golden Divine Healer? What was her identity? Is she still alive now?”
At that, Namgung Jin’s expression darkened considerably.
“Her identity was never known. The Golden Divine Healer always covered her face with a veil and never spoke of her origins or family.”
“Ah…”
“Perhaps Cheon Yujin and my grandfather knew her identity. But both of them have passed away.”
Soso let out a sigh of disappointment.
“And the Golden Divine Healer is also said to have died in the final battle against the Heavenly Demon.”
“Ah, I see.”
She thought she might learn more about the golden energy.
To think the death of a woman whose identity was unknown could feel so regrettable.
“…Wait, Young Master Namgung. Forgive my interruption, but from what I hear, she seems to have done many good deeds. Why does no one acknowledge her existence?”
Jegal Haesu cut in sharply.
Namgung Jin, surprised by Jegal Haesu’s insight, looked at him with a questioning gaze.
“That’s a foul look to be giving your elder brother.”
“…Was it that obvious?”
“Haha.”
“The reason is that the Golden Divine Healer treated everyone—the Orthodox Factions, the Unorthodox Factions, and even the Demonic Cultists. That is why some call her an evil person.”
Namgung Jin added that this was also related to why the Jongnam Sect had not recovered its influence to this day.
The Jongnam Sect was the sect that produced Cheon Yujin, who killed the Heavenly Demon, but it was also the sect that produced the Heavenly Demon himself.
Thus, some referred to the Jongnam Sect as ‘the main source that produced evil.’
That was why the Jongnam Sect, which had fought more fiercely against the Heavenly Demon than any other sect fifty years ago, remained in Seclusion to this day, not showing itself to the world.
“The Golden Divine Healer was more of a physician than a righteous hero.”
“No, it could have been her own form of justice. Of course, it was not understood by many.”
Namgung Jin looked at Soso again and continued his story.
“She even treated Wi Jagang. There are stories that she also cured the Madness one suffers from when learning the Heavenly Demon’s arts.”
Madness!
Soso was immediately reminded of the madmen who had attacked the Namgung Clan.
“Wait a moment, Young Master. The madmen who appeared at the Namgung Clan…”
“Yes, it seems they either went mad from the Madness while learning the Heavenly Demon’s arts, or they became that way after improperly consuming the Demonic Cult’s Spiritual Elixirs.”
How many more of the Demonic Cult’s madmen were out there?
If the Golden Divine Healer cured Wi Jagang’s Madness, couldn’t I also return those madmen to their former selves?
Could my energy perhaps cure them?
Seeing the worried look on Soso’s face, Namgung Jin spoke as if he had read her thoughts.
“You might be able to treat sporadic cases of Madness, but even you, Young Lady, will be helpless against those who are completely mad. The Golden Divine Healer also failed to turn the madmen back into people.”
“I see.”
“To continue, Wi Jagang fell in love with her after she cured his Madness. While it’s not officially confirmed, there are stories that Wi Jagang took exceptional care of the Golden Divine Healer while she stayed with the Demonic Cult.”
“…Ah.”
“That’s why some say the reason Wi Jagang narrowly lost his final life-or-death battle with Cheon Yujin was because of the Golden Divine Healer.”
“Do you mean he died protecting her?”
For the first time, Namgung Jin tilted his head.
“My apologies, but I do not know that much. Most of those who remember the final battle have passed away. And though Wi Jagang died first, Cheon Yujin, who had sustained a fatal wound, also died soon after.”
“…”
“And the Golden Divine Healer must have died along with them in that battle.”
What happened in that final battle to the death?
0 Comments