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C51. You Shouldn't Blame Me
The Immortal Sword Demon, Shim Yanggak, felt a shock in his heart as he turned and shook his head vigorously.
"No, there isn't."
In the Evil Faction, age is just a number, so he addressed the young man as if he were his ancestor. It had been natural for him to speak informally with elders since he was young.
"Why are you here?"
"Just because..."
Shim Yanggak carefully observed Yeon Jeokha.
Strangely, when looking at Yeon Jeokha lately, he saw himself in the past. When he was that age, he also lived as if he were the master of the world, indifferent to others.
However, Yeon Jeokha's future would be incomparably different from his. The life he had lived with so much pride felt miserable.
"Why does an old man like you live?"
At Yeon Jeokha's sudden question, Shim Yanggak responded with malice.
"Jeje, I live to steal, beat, and kill. That's how it should be in Nokrim, right?"
"That's why they call you a Demon."
"Those who call the people of Nokrim heroes are all hypocrites."
Yeon Jeokha tilted his head.
Somehow, it seemed that Shim Yanggak was angry because people didn't insult him in his presence.
"You don't insult me in front of me either."
"That's because..."
Shim Yanggak was going to protest, but he closed his mouth feeling miserable.
At first, maybe, but not now.
However, he didn't feel the need to justify himself. Unlike before, he didn't care much anymore. He didn't know why he had become like this, but that's how it was.
Suddenly, Yeon Jeokha wondered why Shim Yanggak had stayed in the camp.
After the people he used to associate with moved to Jeokpoongchae, he was always alone. He didn't seem to be plotting anything behind the scenes. If he had been, people would be around him.
"Why didn't you go to Jeokpoongchae?"
"Because it wasn't worth it. Right now, those who moved must be regretting it. If they knew that here they pay three liang of silver a month."
"For someone who thinks like that, your face is full of dissatisfaction."
"I'm not dissatisfied. It's just that..."
"Just what?"
Yeon Jeokha stared at Shim Yanggak.
Shim Yanggak hesitated for a moment before letting out a long sigh.
"Ah! It's a silly reason, but do you want to know?"
"If you don't want to say it, forget it. I won't force you to listen to something you don't want to say. We don't have that kind of relationship."
When Yeon Jeokha set a boundary, Shim Yanggak spoke quickly.
"No, I'll tell you everything. Actually, since I realized that I had been living like a frog in a well, nothing excites me."
"Are you bored of stealing, beating, and killing?"
"A bit."
"I don't know if that's good or bad."
At Yeon Jeokha's mockery, Shim Yanggak pretended to be indifferent.
Shim Yanggak's attitude was different from usual, and Yeon Jeokha used a formal tone without realizing it.
"Hey, old man. Does an elder like you still have dreams?"
"The heart doesn't age."
"Then, is your heart still young?"
"Yes, my times like Yeon Jeokha's seem to have been yesterday. Although my body is old."
"Jeje! What's your dream then?"
"To surpass my own limits."
"Do you know how to do that?"
"Yes."
At the unexpected answer, Yeon Jeokha tilted his head.
What does this mean? Most people don't know how to do it, and that's what worries them.
"If you know, why don't you do it?"
"Because it's not something I can do alone."
"Do you need someone's help?"
"Yes."
Shim Yanggak stared at Yeon Jeokha.
"Could it be you?"
"Is it impossible?"
Shim Yanggak bit his lips.
While conversing with Yeon Jeokha, he realized what he truly wanted. Seeing the rapid growth of the Ten Heroes, he thought it was possible to challenge himself.
The Ten Heroes of the Five Peaks Mountain took only a year to become top-level experts.
Unlike them, he had a rich understanding and experience in martial arts. Even if he experienced energy dispersion, he would quickly recover his abilities.
If he overcame that obstacle, he could reach greater heights.
Of course, that would be possible if Yeon Jeokha allowed it.
"Hmmm!"
Yeon Jeokha examined Shim Yanggak from head to toe with an ambiguous expression.
It didn't bother him that the other was a famous demon. After all, the Ten Heroes weren't much better. You can't say that someone who has killed one person is better than someone who has killed ten.
In his old age, talking seriously about youth, made him want to help a little.
'Could Shim Yanggak master the True Classic of the Nine Heavens as One?'
The Ten Heroes accepted the technique well because it was their first internal art. However, Shim Yanggak was a demon who had practiced internal techniques of the Evil Faction for many years.
Just and evil internal techniques are like water and oil; they don't mix. In fact, they not only don't mix but can also destroy each other.
"The internal technique you've learned and the one I've learned won't mix."
"I'm prepared for energy dispersion. If I learn, my internal energy will disperse."
"If that's what you want, it's not difficult to teach you. But don't blame me if the results aren't good. I'm not forcing you to learn."
"It's a given. If you teach me, I'll never forget your grace."
"I don't trust what bandits say. Also, saying 'never' is a lot to say for someone who has already lived quite a bit."
"Even so..."
"Okay, there's one condition. If you agree, I'll teach you right now."
"Tell me, I'll do anything. As long as you don't ask me to die right now."
"It's not difficult. Just don't act behind my back."
"I'll never betray you. If I ever do something so low, you can kill me. Please, kill me."
"It seems you have a misunderstanding. Betrayal, of course, is a reason for death. Who would set that as a condition?"
"Then?"
“When I talk about 'behind,' I mean something different. For example, if you do something and, as a result, people blame me. In other words, if I haven't done anything, but people blame me for something you did, that would be ‘behind’.”
"Ah!"
Shim Yanggak finally understood what Yeon Jeokha meant.
In short, he was being told not to do anything that could cause him trouble.
It seemed like a minor thing, but for Shim Yanggak, it was the hardest thing in the world. Where in this vast world is there someone from Nokrim who isn't criticized?
Of course, he understood Yeon Jeokha's feelings.
It was like a master being criticized for what his disciple did.
If Yeon Jeokha were a demon like him, he would have nodded without hesitation. His master always praised him whenever he committed evil acts.
The problem was Yeon Jeokha's identity.
He was capricious, but he didn't act like a ruthless demon. He was extremely dominant, but as long as he wasn't provoked, he was docile.
Yeon Jeokha stared at Shim Yanggak, who was deep in thought.
"Are you worried about not being able to enjoy the three joys of life?"
The three joys of life he referred to were stealing, beating, and killing.
Shim Yanggak clenched his teeth and responded.
"No, I was thinking about what it means not to cause you trouble."
To be honest, even the three joys mentioned by Yeon Jeokha no longer excited him. He didn't know if it was because he had aged or because, since living with Yeon Jeokha, he felt powerless.
"Then, what's your answer?"
"I'll do it."
"If you betray me, I'll take away everything you've gained with the True Classic of the Nine Heavens as One."
It was a threat to seal his internal energy.
If an arm or a leg were taken, he could recover. But if he lost his internal energy, he was finished. For a demon with as many enemies as Shim Yanggak, that was a death sentence.
"Yes! Teach me!"
Shim Yanggak, feeling the pressure that the Ten Heroes might surpass him, made a decision. He didn't want to be a fool like Hwang Yomyung.
"Let's do it. Sit down."
At Yeon Jeokha's order, Shim Yanggak immediately sat in a lotus position.
"The name of this technique is the True Classic of the Nine Heavens as One. The Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens said: 'Place your heart in a warehouse, do nothing, attempt nothing [九天玄女 曰 置心一庫, 無事不翔]...'.”
Yeon Jeokha first recited the principles of the art.
Surprisingly, Shim Yanggak memorized the principles after hearing them three times.
Compared to the Ten Heroes, who spent half a day struggling to memorize them, Shim Yanggak, though old, was an extraordinary talent.
Curious, Yeon Jeokha recited more principles.
With his eyes closed, Shim Yanggak memorized them after half an hour.
Intrigued by how far he could go, Yeon Jeokha continued teaching him the principles of the True Classic of the Nine Heavens as One.
Until sunset, Shim Yanggak had memorized three hundred characters of the principles. However, he couldn't memorize another one. It was as if something invisible was blocking him.
After memorizing three hundred characters without issues, Shim Yanggak hit his own head in frustration. But it was useless. After memorizing three hundred characters, his mind went blank.
"Old man, it seems this is your limit. Now start practicing."
"Yes."
Shim Yanggak didn't insist on continuing.
He had climbed the mountain at noon and spent half a day memorizing. Now was the time to internalize it.
He closed his eyes and calmed his breathing.
The thought of learning the advanced technique excited him.
Shim Yanggak recited the three hundred characters as he slowly began his meditation.
Yeon Jeokha watched curiously.
He didn't know much about martial arts, so everything was new to him. The Ten Heroes didn't know breathing techniques, so he had to teach them in detail. But Shim Yanggak seemed to have reached a meditative state on his first attempt.
The Sage of Heaven and Earth said there were four stages in breathing: wind, sky, energy, and breath.
When the breath plays at the tip of the nose, it's wind; when the breath isn't heard, but inhalation and exhalation are continuous, it's sky; when there are no interruptions, but the breath isn't fine, it's energy; and when it can't be said if one is breathing or not, it's breath.
The Ten Heroes reached the stage of breath at the end of their long journey through Nokrim.
But Shim Yanggak had reached that stage on his first day learning the True Classic of the Nine Heavens as One. Maybe because he had already learned internal techniques, he was very different from the Ten Heroes.
It's curious that someone like this is a demon of the Evil Faction. Life is truly unpredictable.
Yeon Jeokha decided to watch over Shim Yanggak while he meditated. But it wasn't long before a problem arose.
Shim Yanggak's face contorted horribly, and his body began to tremble.
"Tsk! It seems your energy is dispersing."
It was expected, but he seemed to be suffering.
Yeon Jeokha thought it would be fine with time. Shim Yanggak, being knowledgeable in martial arts and having chosen this path, shouldn't have problems.
But it didn't end there.
Suddenly, dark blood began to flow from Shim Yanggak's eyes, nose, and mouth.
Bleeding during meditation was too extreme to be just a side effect of energy dispersion.
Yeon Jeokha was bewildered, but he couldn't do anything to help him.
"Gah! Cough! Cough!"
In the end, Shim Yanggak spat blood and collapsed to one side.
There's only one cause for spitting blood and collapsing during meditation.
"Could it be an internal demon?"
Yeon Jeokha quickly lifted Shim Yanggak and ran down the mountain.
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Haga Village.
Haga Clinic
Three men were sitting around the unconscious Shim Yanggak with serious faces. Doctor Ha Sunwoo of the clinic, Boss Pung Yeoncho, and Yeon Jeokha.
After taking Shim Yanggak's pulse for about fifteen minutes, Ha Sunwoo spoke cautiously.
"All his meridians are damaged. For a normal person, it would be an injury that would prevent movement. Due to his age, it seems difficult for him to recover."