The Heavenly Demon Wants a Quiet Life

Chapter 120 Things That Can’t Even Be Used as Medicine

It seemed that not every pavilion stored these kinds of men.

"Five of them."

Explosions had occurred in five locations.

Judging by the one Byeok Taesan had just killed, there was no one else among those currently at the manor who could handle those enemies except for Byeok Taesan.

"You go that way. Save the people."

Leaving those words behind, Byeok Taesan disappeared.

Though he vanished suddenly before their eyes, the three people standing there had experienced enough chaos by now that they weren't easily startled.

"Let’s go."

The Heavenly Divine Healer moved first, followed closely by Needle Master and Cho Seoran.

"Too strong for us to handle, aren’t they?"

At Cho Seoran’s question, Needle Master nodded with a heavy expression.

"It’ll be difficult to hold out."

The atmosphere grew somber.

"Let’s hurry. We need to gather everyone."

If everyone gathered together, the enemies would group up as well.

That would make it much easier for Byeok Taesan to handle them.

"Let’s head for the pavilion where the Young Master is staying."

Cho Seoran suggested, then altered her direction.

The Heavenly Divine Healer and Needle Master nodded at her words and split off to either side.

"Head to the central pavilion! Everyone, to the central pavilion!"

The central pavilion was where Byeok Taesan was staying. Saying that would make it clear to everyone.

The Heavenly Divine Healer and Needle Master shouted first, and those who heard them repeated the cry as they ran toward the central pavilion.

Byeok Taesan charged toward the nearest enemy.

The man wore black clothes and bore an unsettling resemblance to the one from before.

While his face wasn’t identical, his physique and constitution were strikingly similar.

What differed was the aura he exuded.

The previous man burned with fiery intensity, while this one was as dark as a moonless night.

The man lunged at Byeok Taesan first.

"That makes it easier for me."

The man’s fist flew toward Byeok Taesan’s nose.

Byeok Taesan avoided it with a mere tilt of his head, then raised his hand to grasp the man’s forearm tightly.

Twisting his body, Byeok Taesan brought his elbow down sharply on the man’s neck.

With that single strike, the man’s life ended.

A dark spirit escaped, only to be caught in Byeok Taesan’s hand.

As he burned the spirit, Byeok Taesan moved again.

He extended his senses in all directions. While dismantling the array had dulled his perception earlier, it had since sharpened slightly, much to his relief.

Byeok Taesan headed toward the most urgent location.

Even then, he didn’t forget to keep an eye on the other enemies.

It had been a long time since he’d been this busy.

Still, it wasn’t a bad feeling.

"If no one dies, that is."

Muttering to himself, Byeok Taesan closed in on his second target.

Dan Yeong, Soso, and Chae Wol had grown closer since accompanying Byeok Taesan to the Hubei Martial Alliance.

The ten attendants of Byeok Taesan shared a deep bond, but naturally, some formed closer relationships. These three were prime examples.

Thus, even here, the trio stuck together.

The three women were running as fast as they could toward the central pavilion.

Far behind them, a man in black stood and slowly turned his head in their direction.

Whoosh!

A fierce gust seemed to push the three women forward.

They knew exactly what that meant. It signified the rapid approach of the black-clad man.

His speed was terrifying, and in the blink of an eye, he was right behind them.

The man moved his hand. To him, these three were as insignificant as insects, their lives easy to extinguish with a single gesture.

And so, he made that gesture.

Swish!

A sharp aura emanated from his hand, sweeping toward the three women.

Their necks should have been severed instantly.

"Hmm?"

But nothing happened.

The three women continued running as if nothing had occurred, while the man stopped in place, confused.

He alternated his gaze between the energy condensed in his hand and the fleeing women.

The energy stretched into a sharp sword of Qi.

The man sent the Qi blade flying.

Swish!

The blade, aimed precisely at the women’s necks, cut through the air, brushing past them.

The man’s eyes widened in shock.

"Hah! What nonsense is this? Have I grown too old?"

Outwardly, the man appeared to be in his early twenties, but in truth, he was nearly a century old.

"I guess I'll have to tear them apart myself."

The women before him were stunningly beautiful—so much so that, had he still harbored any lust, he might have spared their lives. But the man no longer possessed such desires.

Only an insatiable craving for slaughter remained.

The man launched himself forward again. In just a few steps, he had closed the distance, appearing behind the three women.

His hand reached for the throat of the woman in the center, Soso, gripping tightly.

Crack!

Or so he intended.

A hand appeared out of nowhere, grabbing his wrist before he could complete his act.

"You... what are you?"

The man turned his head, glaring at the one who had stopped him.

Byeok Taesan met his gaze with a faint smile.

"I have some free time now."

The man tilted his head slightly, as if failing to comprehend the remark.

"You all have such unique personalities."

Indeed, they all varied widely in character.

One of them had been unable to control his base urges and had overpowered women to satisfy his vile desires. Another had revealed in inflicting pain, capturing victims and tormenting them meticulously, piece by piece.

And this one—the one who cared for nothing but killing.

That was why Byeok Taesan had to act swiftly.

He killed such people instantly.

"For now... let's start with three strikes," Byeok Taesan said calmly.

The man sneered, sweeping his leg sharply toward Byeok Taesan's lower body.

Thunk.

Byeok Taesan blocked the kick with his foot.

Then, pulling on the wrist he held, he swung his opposite palm in a fluid motion.

Smack!

The man's eyes rolled back as the force rattled his brain. The combined pulling and striking strength delivered a devastating impact.

Byeok Taesan grabbed the man's collar and lifted him with ease. Releasing his wrist, he noticed it was shattered, making further movement unlikely.

With a touch of cold energy, Byeok Taesan tapped the man's cheek a couple of times. Gradually, the man's unfocused eyes began to regain clarity.

The man stared at Byeok Taesan in shock.

"Two strikes left," Byeok Taesan said evenly.

He released the man's collar.

As the man started to collapse, Byeok Taesan's palms struck both of his cheeks with fiery precision.

Snap!

The man's eyes rolled back again, and he lost consciousness.

Byeok Taesan turned with a satisfied expression.

From a distance, Dan Yeong, Chae Wol, and Soso huddled together, watching fearfully.

"You seem frightened. It's fine now—I punished him on your behalf," Byeok Taesan said reassuringly.

Grabbing the man's waistband, he hoisted him onto his shoulder and headed toward his residence.

"Gather all the ones I’ve defeated and bring them here," he instructed.

The three women nodded hastily and scurried off to obey.

Byeok Taesan walked with a pleased smile.

On the first floor of Byeok Taesan's residence, five corpses were laid out in a row.

The still-living man, tightly bound, sat a little apart from the rest.

The spacious hall allowed everyone present to observe freely.

At a flick of Byeok Taesan’s finger, Cheon Kyungwan and Yoo Seoyeon stepped forward, dragging the bound man before him.

The man avoided Byeok Taesan’s gaze, his fear palpable.

"Look at me properly. How dare you avert your gaze when speaking with an elder?" Byeok Taesan commanded.

The man hurriedly lifted his head, meeting Byeok Taesan’s eyes, which brimmed with an oppressive authority.

A casual observer might have laughed at the idea of someone reacting like this to a mere slap, but Byeok Taesan’s strikes weren’t ordinary.

He had infused them with the power of the Soul Augmenting Demonic Art.

The subtle touch had shaken the man's very soul, plunging him into existential dread.

"Your name."

The man stammered as he answered, "Jam Geuk Cheon!"

"Jam Geuk Cheon?"

Byeok Taesan turned his head, glancing at Hwaryeong. Conveniently, the Heavenly Divine Healer stood nearby.

The two were well-versed in such matters, so he sought their input.

"There’s no notable figure with that name currently active. However... I recall someone from about fifty years ago—he was called the Bloodthirsty Mad Demon. I believe his name was Jam Geuk Cheon," Hwaryeong said after a moment of thought.

Byeok Taesan turned back to Jam Geuk Cheon, scrutinizing him anew.

Jam Geuk Cheon nodded frantically.

"Yes, that Bloodthirsty Mad Demon is indeed me."

In truth, the Bloodthirsty Mad Demon had been a notorious demonic cultivator fifty years ago.

He was infamous for tearing people apart and scattering their remains everywhere, relishing the terror it instilled in those who saw it.

"Back then, it was known that he fell just short of the Ten Great Masters."

At the mention of the Ten Great Masters, Jam Geuk Cheon’s expression stiffened slightly. It was a statement he couldn’t refute.

"Is this one dead too?"

At Byeok Taesan’s question, Hwaryeong answered.

"From what is known, yes. I heard he was beheaded by the Sword King of that era."

"Don’t make me laugh! Why would I be dead? I’m standing here, alive and well!"

Jam Geuk Cheon erupted in anger. But when Byeok Taesan gazed at him silently, he shrank back, curling up timidly.

"Do you remember anything?"

At Byeok Taesan’s question, Jam Geuk Cheon seemed about to answer confidently but then fell silent, his expression clouding with confusion. His eyes trembled violently.

"T-this can’t be happening."

"Think of anything at all that you remember."

His mind was blank. He remembered that he was Jam Geuk Cheon and the Bloodthirsty Mad Demon, but beyond that, his memories were as if shrouded in thick fog.

"Ah! Jang Bada! I remember Jang Bada!"

"Jang Bada?"

"Yes, I obtained an elixir from Jang Bada, but…"

Jam Geuk Cheon clutched his head again, his face twisted in confusion.

"If we wait to hear the whole story, we’ll be here forever. Leave him to the Hao Clan and have them dig everything out of him."

When Hwaryeong bowed her head in acknowledgment, Cheon Kyungwan and Yoo Seoyeon took Jam Geuk Cheon and retreated with him.

This time, Byeok Taesan turned his gaze to the Heavenly Divine Healer, who was naturally accompanied by Needle Master and Cho Seoran.

"Inspect that corpse."

"What?"

"Check its physique, constitution, qi pathways, everything. All the ones we’ve encountered so far have been similar. You might find something."

"O-okay, understood."

The Heavenly Divine Healer replied immediately, though he wasn’t optimistic. They had learned almost nothing from the other corpses so far—why would these be any different?

Still, orders were orders.

Byeok Taesan shifted his gaze to Seung Doheung.

"What about the array?"

Seung Doheung straightened up nervously before replying.

"I’m in the process of dismantling it! It’ll take about three days!"

"Three days?"

Byeok Taesan frowned, and Seung Doheung’s heart sank as he scrambled to explain.

"The array is massive. It’s spread not only throughout the manor but beyond its boundaries as well."

Byeok Taesan stroked his chin thoughtfully at that.

"And the analysis?"

Seung Doheung’s expression darkened.

"It would take at least fifteen days to complete an analysis. It’s too complex for a quick solution."

Byeok Taesan nodded.

"Then focus on the analysis."

"Excuse me?"

Seung Doheung looked up sharply at Byeok Taesan in surprise.

"Won’t analyzing it improve your skills? If not, we can just destroy it."

At the mention of destruction, Seung Doheung shook his head violently in horror.

"No! You can’t destroy it! Analyzing it will definitely enhance my abilities. I’ve rarely encountered an array of this level!"

"Good. I’m counting on you."

With that, Byeok Taesan stood up.

He glanced around with a cold, piercing gaze and spoke.

"Get stronger. When something like today happens again, you should be able to survive on your own."

Leaving those words, Byeok Taesan leaped upward and disappeared.

The people left behind stared blankly at his retreating figure.

To survive a day like today on their own—how much stronger would they need to become?

All eyes turned to Jam Geuk Cheon.

His strength had been just slightly below that of the Ten Great Masters.

Today, six men of that caliber had appeared and wreaked havoc.

To survive such a situation alone, how much stronger would they need to be?

Everyone shuddered.

For some reason, the future didn’t seem all that promising.