< Chapter 192: The Art of Slacking Off >
The next day, after finishing my Black Fists training, I followed the Fist Demon King.
“Would you like to have a meal with me today?”
Dan Woo-gang always ate alone. It wasn’t unusual; the other Demon Supremes were the same. However, the Fist Demon King even refused to eat with his subordinates.
“No, thank you.”
“Why not?”
“It’s uncomfortable.”
“How could you be uncomfortable? If anyone’s uncomfortable, it should be me. Who would believe that?”
“I’m uncomfortable with you.” 1
The Fist Demon King strode off first. Even though his subordinates were nearby, he expressed his discomfort without hesitation. I, on the other hand, kept following him, asking him to share a meal. The Iron Fists looked at us with astonished faces. 2Of course, I didn’t give up. I followed him again the next day.
“Then how about a cup of tea today?”
“I don’t like tea.”
“They say drinking tea is good for your health.”
The Fist Demon King stopped in his tracks.
“What are you trying to pull? Are you planning to poison the tea or something?”
“Why would I do that? If I poisoned you, I wouldn’t be able to learn the next technique.”
“Right. You’d need to learn them all before you try poisoning.”
“That’s a misunderstanding.”
Despite my protests, Dan Woo-gang strode off again.
The next day, after training, I followed him once more.
“Do you happen to know how to play Go?”
“No. What business does a man have holding those tiny stones? It’s not like some girls’ game of house.”
“That ‘game of house’ has my father completely obsessed these days.”
“……”
The Fist Demon King walked off without even looking back. Maybe it was because I mentioned my father, but he walked even faster than the previous day.
Day after day, he remained unyielding.
It wasn’t going to be easy like this.
I had succeeded in getting the Fist Demon King into a boiling pot, but this big and sturdy opponent didn’t show any signs of softening. Even if I wanted to eat him boiled, he refused to be cooked. ℞ἈŊố฿Ёṩ
Whenever I felt stuck like this, one person always came to mind.
I headed straight to the Southern Heavens Blade Family, where the Blood Heaven Blade Demon was.
* * *
Gu Cheonpa was patiently passing on martial arts to Seo Daeryong.
Now an official disciple, Seo Daeryong was learning the exclusive martial art “Heaven-Extinguishing Saber” from the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.
To avoid disrupting their training, I quietly went to the backyard, closed my eyes, sat in the lotus position, and began practicing the Heavenly Demon Body Protection Technique.
My mastery of the Soaring Sword Art had reached the level of Twelve Star Greatness, as had my Wind God’s Four Steps. Among all the martial arts I had learned, the one that absolutely needed to reach Greatness was the Heavenly Demon Body Protection Technique.
While I was deep in practice, I heard Seo Daeryong’s cautious voice from afar.
“Training is over.”
He had quietly informed me, careful not to disturb my practice.
When I opened my eyes, Seo Daeryong sat down beside me, drenched in sweat.
“Is it tough?”
“It’s killing me.”
Seo Daeryong had just started his intensive training, and it seemed like he was going through a series of hellish sessions.
“I should say something. Our investigator Seo is struggling too much. Could you go a bit easier on him?”
“Of course. There are many ways to kill a man, after all.”
I silently stared at the side of Seo Daeryong’s face.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“You’ve changed. The feeling is different.”
“How so?”
“You look strong.”
At those words, Seo Daeryong’s mood instantly lifted. He clenched his fists tightly.
“Just you wait!”
“Are you speaking to villains? Or to women?”
“You could tell?”
“Hang in there, my right arm! If you don’t grind yourself down now, you’ll die at the hands of villains or be rejected by women.”
“What if I still get rejected after grinding myself down?”
Seo Daeryong’s doe-like eyes seemed to hope for a “That won’t happen.”
“In that case, let’s catch a few more villains. Oh! The world might run out of bad guys at this rate.” 3
“What? Seriously?”
I laughed out loud, and Seo Daeryong laughed along with me.
He stood up and bid me farewell.
“Then, see you tomorrow. Ah, and please tell me I look strong again next time! Especially when I’m struggling.”
“Alright.”
After sending him off, I went to the front yard, where the Blood Heaven Blade Demon was leaning against the Heaven-Extinguishing Saber, wiping off his sweat.
“You’re busy punching away, so why are you here? Already tired of it?”
“Yes, I’m tired of it. I regret learning martial arts. I should’ve just gone around playing with you, elder.”
“Who said I’d play with you?”
I sat down beside old man Blade.
“No matter how much I stoke the fire, it shows no sign of cooking.”
“You’re trying to cook a boulder. Do you think it’ll ever cook?”
“That’s why I came to see you, elder.”
“Thinking of adding old ginger to the boiling water?”
“That’s why I like you, elder. You get it right away.”
“What is it you want from the Fist Demon King? His martial arts? Or his heart?”
“At first, it was his martial arts.”
“And now, you want his heart too?” 4
“He wants to tear down a cliff. At first, I thought it was impressive and wanted to tear it down myself. But now, I’m curious why the Fist Demon King wants so badly to tear that cliff down.”
“If you get to know, it’ll probably be for some trivial reason.”
“Isn’t that the case for everyone? Myself included.”
The Blade Demon looked at me like he was observing an old soul.
“I feel bad to say this after you’ve come all this way, but I don’t know much about Dan Woo-gang.”
“It’s fine. I just felt suffocated, so I came to see you, elder.”
Spicy ginger was used not just in cooking, but also for healing.
“Hey, Young Master.”
“Yes, elder.”
“Are you okay?”
“!”
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon suddenly asked me.
If someone else had asked, I would have said I was fine, but I didn’t want to say that to Gu Cheonpa.
“I’m not sure.”
“Saying ‘I don’t know’ is more dangerous than saying you’re not okay. Rest when you’re tired.”
In that moment, I once again felt that the Blade Demon genuinely cared for me. Lately, in front of him, I’ve been letting my guard down. I had tried so hard to open his door, but maybe mine was the one that swung wide open first.
“Then, can I lean on your saber for a bit too, elder?”
“No. You’re talking nonsense, so you must be perfectly fine.”
“Just once. I’ve really wanted to lean on it just once, ever since before.”
As I begged, Gu Cheonpa reluctantly agreed.
“Alright, but just this once.”
I leaned on the Heaven-Extinguishing Saber.
“Ah! Now I understand why you like leaning here.”
“It feels reassuring, like it’s protecting you, doesn’t it?”
“No, it’s incredibly cool.”
The Heaven-Extinguishing Saber radiated a primal chill.
“You’ve been keeping cool all by yourself on those hot summer days!”
Apparently not expecting such a response, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon bursted out laughing and playfully scolded me.
Joking around with Seo Daeryong and laughing like this with the Blood Heaven Blade Demon relieved much of my frustration. And I found a great way to heal myself.
“I’ll take breaks when I’m exhausted.”
“Come whenever you’re struggling.”
The word “whenever” pierced my heart.
“What will I do if you’re not around, elder?”
“You’ll get by just fine, throwing punches with the Fist Demon King. Enough with the nonsense and head back. Don’t you have some Midnight Training or whatever?”
“Wow. Is there no secret in this Demon Cult anymore?”
Gu Cheonpa, lifting his saber, headed inside the house.
“Who did you learn to have such a loose tongue from?”
* * *
I took the Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s advice.
The next day, I skipped Black Fists training. During the time when practice would normally be in full swing, I found myself in the world of the Temporal and Spatial Transference Technique.
The blue sky and sea resembled my sword’s energy, the sun blazed down on the sandy beach, and there was shade under broad-leaved trees. Even the mat was cool. I lay there in total comfort.
Today was a day for slacking off.
Since returning from the Martial Alliance, I hadn’t had a proper rest due to my entanglements with the Fist Demon King.
So today, I planned to spend some time alone. I decided not to think about anyone else.
I had drinks, snacks, and even a book to read—truly the perfect setup for a lazy day.
I looked up at the sky, then at the sea, and then watched a crab lazily crawling across the sand. I read, dozed off, woke up, and then stared blankly at the sea again.
“Ah! This is great!” 5
It was beyond just good—it was amazing.
I spent the entire day lounging around like that.
That afternoon, someone came to my residence. It was Cheon So-hee.
“Senior Brother, Senior Brother.”
She called me “Young Master” in front of the Fist Demon King, but when it was just the two of us, she called me “Senior Brother.” I found it endearing.
“Where did he go?”
I saw her peering through the window of my room. I suppose she was worried since I suddenly skipped the Black Fists training that I never missed a single day.
After wandering around the yard for a bit, she left.
It wasn’t surprising that she came looking for me. What was surprising, though, was who came next. To be precise, someone who didn’t visit but passed by my place.
Amazingly, it was the Fist Demon King. He passed by my residence, seemingly on other business. As he walked by, his gaze briefly flicked toward my house. He raised his energy to sense if I was home as he walked past.
The way he pretended not to notice was hilarious, and at the same time, I felt touched.
Honestly, I wanted to break out of the Temporal and Spatial Transference Technique and run out there. I wanted to ask if he had come to check on me and see his startled reaction. But I didn’t.
Come on, you guys, learn to appreciate me a little!
I spent the rest of the day lounging around, recharging my internal energy with my breathing technique, and lazing about some more. It might have seemed like an uneventful day, but for me, it was a precious time of recharging.
Eventually, it was time for the Midnight Training.
All three of us arrived on time, and as soon as we got there, Cheon So-hee asked me,
“Why didn’t you come to Black Fists training today?”
At the mention that I hadn’t gone to training, Lee Ahn looked startled.
“Young Master! Are you hurt? How badly are you injured?” 6
“Why the fuss?”
“It’s just… it’s not like you to skip training, Young Master. What’s going on? What’s wrong?”
“I’m human too, you know. Sometimes I just want to slack off or take a break.”
Saying that, I looked at the Fist Demon King.
“Isn’t that right?”
He glanced at me briefly, then shook his head.
“Never have I felt that way.”
“Really?”
“If I had lived such a lazy life, someone else would be in my position as the Fist Demon King now.”
“Isn’t it hard for you?”
“Not at all.”
I understood. The hardest part isn’t the difficulty of the task itself; it’s when no one acknowledges your struggle, or when they do notice but pass over it without a second thought.
“If you’re feeling stressed, how about hanging out with me? I’m always available!”
Of course, Dan Woo-gang pretended not to hear me.
Later, as training was nearing its end that day—
Whiiing!
A strange wind sound came from my punch. It wasn’t quite the sound of thunder, but it was different from the punch sounds I’d made before.
“What is this sound?”
When I asked, the Fist Demon King looked at me with a surprised expression.
“It’s the sound of an approaching storm.”
It meant that the time for thunder was near.
Astonished by my rapid progress, a fierce energy rose from Dan Woo-gang’s entire body. He looked like he wanted to charge at me right then and there.
Instinctively, he took a step forward, and I stepped back. The tension in the air made it feel like a battle could erupt at any moment, causing both Lee Ahn and Cheon So-hee to tense up.
I quickly spoke to him.
“How about we make a bet?”
“A bet?”
“Instead of fighting, how about a competition of movement techniques? If I win, you’ll teach me the second technique of the Thunderous Asura Fist.” 7
“And if I win?”
“I’ll challenge you to a duel.”
A satisfied smile crept onto the Fist Demon King’s face.
“You think I’m slow because I’m so big, don’t you?”
The highest masters of martial arts have extraordinary footwork, and footwork is closely tied to movement techniques.
“Alright. I’ll accept that bet.”
The Fist Demon King was confident. He was sure enough in his abilities to confidently wager the second technique of his exclusive martial art.
“How about we race to the entrance of Maga Village?”
“That’s not suitable for a match. If you go about ten more li past the entrance, there’s a bamboo grove. Let’s go there.”
In his mind, the Fist Demon King had already won the bet.
Lee Ahn drew a line on the ground, and we stood side by side at the starting line.
“Ready, go!”
The two of us shot off like arrows at the same time. I could imagine how shocked the two women must have been as we disappeared from their view in an instant.
The Fist Demon King was indeed fast. I’m certain he was the fastest among the Demon Supremes. That’s probably why he accepted the bet, but even he couldn’t outrun my Star Light Step.
I carefully matched his speed, running alongside him with a razor-thin margin. I could feel his surprise in his labored breathing.
I reached the bamboo grove a few steps ahead of him. I panted heavily, pretending I barely managed to win. The Fist Demon King arrived shortly after, staring at me in shock. He clearly hadn’t expected me to be faster than him. 8
“First, teach me the second technique. If you’re still upset, we can bet again for the third technique.”
When his fierce face turned even more menacing, it was genuinely frightening. But fear aside, he was a man of his word.
“Fine. I’ll teach you the second technique right here.”
I was inwardly surprised by his unwavering decision. He truly was a man among men.
The martial art he was offering was too valuable to be given up in a mere movement technique bet. What was going through his mind right now? Had he never really considered the possibility of losing from the start? I was curious about his intentions.
“Are you sure about this?”
“Are you asking if I’m okay after leading me into a trap?”
Did you, perhaps, knowingly fall into this trap?
The Second Technique: Myriad Winds Asura
While the First Fist, Black Cloud Asura, focused all its strength into a single, targeted strike over a distance, the Myriad Winds Asura was a technique that delivered punches at such speed they became almost invisible. It prioritized speed over raw power, similar to the Azure Sky Form of the Soaring Sword Art, which emphasized swift sword strikes.
The Fist Demon King taught me the sequence and stance.
I poured all my energy into making his teachings my own, leaving nothing behind.
With that, the second punch of the Fist Demon King became mine.
“Thank you so much. I promise this technique will never be used in vain.”
I bowed deeply to him. Though we hadn’t formally established a master-disciple relationship, I had now received two of his techniques.
“Well, since we’re already out here, why don’t we take a walk and enjoy the breeze?”
Dan Woo-gang looked at me with a puzzled expression.
“It’s been a while since you’ve been out of the Cult, hasn’t it? I skipped training yesterday, and it felt amazing. How about slacking off a bit with me, Fist Demon King?”
He scoffed dismissively and turned his steps back toward the training grounds. As I watched his broad and solid back, I spoke up.
“You go out every day, and yet they still don’t appreciate how valuable you are.”
The Fist Demon King came to an abrupt stop.
“Your goodwill toward the Cult has gone on for far too long.”
I didn’t frame it as goodwill toward his subordinates. I didn’t want to downplay the natural fear they had of the Fist Demon King or his care for them.
He turned to face me.
Our gazes locked in the air. For a long moment, neither of us said a word. He was a smart man and understood the deeper meaning behind what I had said.
“You look tired.”
It was the second time I said this to him. Perhaps this time, it finally hit home.
After a brief pause, Dan Woo-gang asked,
“Do you have anywhere to go?”
I smiled brightly and replied,
“The beauty of slacking off is having no plans. Let’s go.”
Before he could change his mind, I started running, and the Fist Demon King ran with me.
We matched our pace, running side by side. Glancing at his face, I caught a fleeting glimpse of something I had never seen before—a sense of exhilaration.
In an instant, we had left the Cult behind. We had distanced ourselves from our daily lives. 9
1 : The pain !!! Medic !!! He’s hit in the feels !!!!
2 : Like a duck following his mom XDXDXD
3 : Ouch, brutal honesty XDXDXD
4 : He’s very greedy sometimes ^^
5 : Frankly, I’m getting jealous.
6 : He have such a reputation XDXDXD
7 : You scammer, you made the same bet with Soma XDXDXD
8 : You’re pretty nice with him ^^
9 : They’re eloping together XDXDXD
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