Chapter 72. Before the sky gets too dark

After washing and changing my clothes, I sat at the large table and looked at Chae Seong-tae and Ho Yeon-cheong again.

"Seong-tae, go to the back and bring some alcohol. Three cups."

"Yes."

When Chae Seong-tae placed the alcohol and put the cups in front of each of us, I looked at Ho Yeon-cheong.

"Ho Yeon-cheong, listen carefully."

"Yes."

"I don't care if you're Yusa-cheong or Ho Yeon-cheong. I don't care if you're a true warrior of the Ho Yeon Sword Family or a warrior from another force plotting in the江湖. You're just an unlucky prisoner who fell into my hands. From now on, you do as I say. Got it?"

Ho Yeon-cheong replied briefly.

"Understood."

I took out the lightning dagger I had brought and stuck it in the middle of the three of us.

Thud!

Chae Seong-tae and Ho Yeon-cheong looked at me, wondering what my intention was.

I pointed at the lightning dagger.

"This is our local life-or-death duel method. From now on, if we can't communicate, we'll stab each other to death with this."

Chae Seong-tae was about to say something with a smile but closed his mouth immediately after seeing my expression.

I stated my intention.

"From now on, I'll give you 108 days. Ho Yeon-cheong, you will teach Chae Seong-tae all the martial arts you know, except for your sword technique, footwork, and internal cultivation method."

Ho Yeon-cheong's eyes widened, and Chae Seong-tae looked at me urgently.

"..."

Of course, Ho Yeon-cheong had a lot to say. Probably something about how it's forbidden to teach outsiders. But after seeing the lightning dagger on the table, he couldn't easily speak.

Instead, Chae Seong-tae replied with a puzzled look.

"Master, how can I learn all his martial arts in 108 days?"

"Seong-tae."

"Yes."

I stared at Chae Seong-tae intently.

"Do you want to die? I said it's a life-or-death duel."

"Ah..."

"Ah?"

"No."

I explained the daily routine to Ho Yeon-cheong, who was silent.

"This is the Black Cat Sect, so both of you will wake up at 5 AM. After breakfast, you'll practice, then lunch, then more practice, then dinner, and then rest. During rest time, you have free time, but if you try to go out, escape, or run away, the life-or-death duel will apply, and I'll kill you myself. If you're not satisfied, pull out the lightning dagger and stab me now."

"..."

"Since Ho Yeon-cheong has had his internal energy taken away, you can either use the rest time to recover your internal energy or just rest, as you wish. I'm giving you 108 days. It can be long or short. I'm not saying you have to master everything, but after 108 days, Chae Seong-tae should be 108 days stronger."

"How do you measure being 108 days stronger?"

In response to Chae Seong-tae's question, I replied.

"If you're not satisfied, pull out the dagger and stab me."

"It was just a question."

Ho Yeon-cheong finally asked.

"108 days isn't enough to teach even one sword technique."

"It's not my problem. Chae Seong-tae isn't just a good-for-nothing, but he's not stupid. Whether you teach him in broad strokes or focus on making him proficient in one area, it's entirely up to you. You figure it out."

Ho Yeon-cheong replied involuntarily.

"Our Ho Yeon Sword Family..."

"I don't care about your family. If you don't like it, pull out the dagger and kill yourself."

Only then did Ho Yeon-cheong close his mouth and briefly close his eyes.

I said to the two of them.

"There are many things better than death in life. If you don't want to teach, die here. Seong-tae, if you don't want to learn, die here. Don't just waste food. If you don't like this and that, pull out the dagger and attack me. I'll kill you."

This time, Chae Seong-tae also tilted his head and closed his eyes.

I said to the two of them, who were creating a dog-like atmosphere.

"If you don't like it, say one word. I'll pull out the dagger first."

Chae Seong-tae raised his hand.

"I'm fine with it."

I looked at Ho Yeon-cheong. Ho Yeon-cheong moved his lips and finally replied.

"I'll teach everything."

I glared at the two of them and nodded.

"Finally, we can communicate."

I pulled out the lightning dagger, cut my finger, and dropped the blood into the alcohol bottle. Then I handed the lightning dagger to Chae Seong-tae.

Chae Seong-tae also dropped his blood into the bottle.

Then Ho Yeon-cheong did the same.

I filled three cups with the mixed blood and alcohol.

"This alcohol contains the blood of three men who have pledged a life-or-death duel. For 108 days, Master Ho Yeon-cheong will teach Disciple Chae Seong-tae with sincerity, dedication, and effort. For 108 days, Disciple Chae Seong-tae will learn from Master Ho Yeon-cheong with enthusiasm and dedication. I, Yi Ja-ha, as the initiator of this pledge, swear to the heavens and the earth that if either of them takes the life-or-death duel lightly or shows an insincere attitude, I will end their remaining lives with the lightning dagger."

Chae Seong-tae's face turned pale as he listened to my pledge.

Ho Yeon-cheong kept swallowing his saliva.

I looked at the two of them and raised my cup.

"Do you both swear to keep this pledge?"

"We swear."

"I also swear."

I nodded vigorously.

"Let's drink."

The three of us drank the blood-mixed alcohol. I put down my cup and said with a satisfied look.

"Good. Starting tomorrow, intense training will begin, so let's have a final feast today."

Chae Seong-tae replied.

"There's no one to cook now."

"That's true."

The disciples had left for Ilyang, and most of the subordinates were still at the Yunu Assembly. I pondered for a moment, resting my chin.

I had killed Shu Xiansheng and Li Longnu, but the immediate problem was how to solve dinner.

'What a useless guy...'

Chae Seong-tae said.

"Should I go out and buy something?"

"Why? To run away?"

At that moment, the door to the hall burst open, and Hong Shin appeared. However, I didn't look at Hong Shin's face but focused on what she was holding in her hand.

Hong Shin, with a calm expression, slightly raised what she was holding and said.

"Big Brother, have some dumplings. I bought them on the way."

I made a "tsu..." sound and clapped for Hong Shin. As I clapped seriously, Chae Seong-tae also nodded and clapped.

Hong Shin looked around and replied.

"Why are you all like this?"

I extended my hand to Hong Shin.

"Excellent. Come and sit down."

"Yes."

When Hong Shin unfolded the cloth on the table, white dumplings appeared.

Hong Shin said.

"I didn't know what you liked, so I bought half meat dumplings and half vegetable dumplings. I also bought some pickled radish on the side as a side dish for the alcohol."

I wiped away a tear with one hand and replied.

"Excellent. From now on, the Four Divine Generals will be Baek In, Cheong Jin, Baek Yu, and Hong Shin."

"Out of the blue?"

"Let's eat."

I chewed a dumpling and said to Ho Yeon-cheong, who was sitting quietly.

"Eat, too."

"Yes."

Ho Yeon-cheong carefully replied and reached for a dumpling.

I ate the dumplings and said naturally.

"If the results are unsatisfactory after 108 days, both of you will die by my hand."

Chae Seong-tae, while eating a dumpling, replied.

"Yes, I understand."

Ho Yeon-cheong also replied.

"Understood."

I ate the dumplings like a beggar's child and said to Hong Shin.

"Can't you make noodles? The ingredients should be in the kitchen."

Hong Shin, with the ease of Guan Yu, who promised to return after beheading the enemy general, replied.

"Sure. I'll eat this and make it."

I nodded several times, fearing that Hong Shin's mind might change.

"Thanks."

"Got it."

Chae Seong-tae bowed slightly to Hong Shin and said.

"Can you make some for me, too?"

"Since I'm doing it, I might as well make a lot. Including the Chief's."

Suddenly, Hong Shin, Chae Seong-tae, and I looked at Ho Yeon-cheong. As a prisoner, Ho Yeon-cheong couldn't ask Hong Shin for anything. Despite knowing this, the three of us waited for Ho Yeon-cheong to speak, as if applying silent pressure to say that he wouldn't get any if he didn't speak.

Ho Yeon-cheong finally replied in a calm tone.

"I'm fine."

I clicked my tongue.

"What a stubborn guy. Sister Hong, make enough for everyone."

Hong Shin, holding the dumplings, smiled and stood up.

"Got it."

I raised my thumb as I watched Hong Shin go to the kitchen. I realized once again that the world of martial arts, filled only with men, is no different from hell.

Suddenly, I looked at Ho Yeon-cheong, who seemed to have choked on a dumpling and was drinking alcohol hastily, suddenly shedding tears like a madman.

I shook my head and looked at Chae Seong-tae.

"What a drama. Is it because the dumplings are too delicious?"

"Um."

Chae Seong-tae, who was about to tease Ho Yeon-cheong with me, closed his mouth with a bitter expression. It seemed strange to tease someone he would now call Master.

Ho Yeon-cheong said.

"That's not it. I'll do my best to teach well."

I continued to torment Chae Seong-tae and Ho Yeon-cheong while waiting for the noodles, wondering if there was a demon inside me. If I had been a good person in my previous life, I would have been called a Sword Immortal. But my nickname was Demon.

"Seong-tae."

"Yes."

"You're done with the good times, right? What are you going to do? Hahaha."

A little later, the four of us ate the noodles. After filling our stomachs with dumplings and noodles, drowsiness crept in. I drank the broth cleanly and stood up.

"I'm going to sleep."

"Yes."

As I headed outside the hall, Chae Seong-tae asked.

"Where are you going?"

"To sleep."

"Outside? Why?"

"It's my choice."

I went to the inner courtyard and lay down under a plum tree with falling petals, using my arm as a pillow.

The sun was setting, and night had not yet arrived.

Purple霞 filled the sky for a moment.

A sky that was neither bright nor dark.

The time to see the sky color that matched my name and meaning passed quietly. I closed my eyes before the sky got too dark.

I sent greetings to the people I wanted to see in advance.

Because meeting them in a dream would make my heart ache.

Everyone else is fine.

The people I wanted to beat to death, the people I wanted to torment, Guang Sheng, Guang Ming Zuo Shi, the leader, the experts of the Three Disasters, the mediocre people who beat me in martial arts gambling... I thought it was fine for these people to appear in my dreams.

I fell asleep thinking that the people I really wanted to see should not appear in my dreams. Vague thoughts, like the setting sun, briefly passed through my mind.

...

...

"Take this."

"Why?"

"It's something I no longer need."

I looked at the Zen staff Guang Sheng was offering.

"I'm not a monk. How can I use this?"

The head of the Zen staff used by Guang Sheng had a crescent moon-shaped blade. Guang Sheng turned the blade with his hand and detached the metal from the body.

"If you're going to give it, why are you taking it off?"

"You have too much killing intent, so a bladed weapon is not suitable for you. The body itself is an excellent weapon. It's a weapon like unbroken belief."

"Is it really unbreakable?"

"If your belief breaks, you'll die, so there's no need to worry."

"What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said."

I took the metal rod Guang Sheng was offering, feeling puzzled. The rod, weighing over 120 catties, was a weapon that only a martial artist could handle freely.

I looked at Guang Sheng's expression and asked.

"Where are you going?"

"I have to go back."

"Going back all of a sudden?"

"Having a place to return to is what makes it a journey. I've filled it up, so now it's time to empty it out."

"What if you don't have a place to return to? Like me."

"Why don't you have a place to return to? If you come to find me, I'll shave your annoying head. You don't want that, right? If you feel suffocated, come to find me. You good-for-nothing, I'm going."

Guang Sheng disappeared, stirring up a dust storm.

His unpredictable nature made his sudden departure unsurprising.

The sudden disappearance of the person I had been dragging around left a profound sense of emptiness.

Looking around, the only thing left with me was the metal rod, nicknamed "unbreakable belief."

I carried the heavy metal rod on my shoulder and stood alone in the wilderness, looking around for a while, but there was no place to return to.

My heart was no different from the wilderness, so I headed back to the world of martial arts. There was no place to return to, but there were still people I wanted to beat to death in the world of martial arts.

The sky was getting darker and darker.