Chapter 03 - The Invincible Porter (1)
The Blood Demon, Hong Gong.
The principle of the demonic arts he taught, ‘Art of the Unrestrained Demon’, was truly simple.
It was a fundamental method of absorbing the ‘lingering resentment of the slain’ to elevate the very rank of one’s soul.
When one commits slaughter, something called karma steadily accumulates in the soul.
In Buddhism, this is seen as something that must be shed.
It is treated as an impurity, like fatty gristle clinging between the links of the wheel of reincarnation, obstructing its smooth flow.
But Hong Gong interpreted it differently.
‘What is mere dung to one may be medicine, fertilizer, firewood, or building material to another.’
It was a truly simple, yet terrifying method: to burn one’s karma as firewood and convert it into internal energy.
In some ways, it was similar to the Star-Sucking Great Art, but the depth of its underlying logic was on an entirely different plane.
And Hong Gong himself despised having his demonic arts, ‘Art of the Unrestrained Demon’, compared to the Star-Sucking Great Art on the same level.
‘Trifling arts like the Essence-Sucking Art merely drain an opponent’s vital energy, but this Art of the Unrestrained Demon devours a person’s entire being—their joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure; their five desires and seven emotions; the Four Noble Truths. All of it. Thus, to compare the Essence-Sucking Art to my martial art is like placing a single drop of rain on the same level as the waves of the vast ocean.’
Chui remembered all of Hong Gong’s teachings.
He remembered with perfect clarity those hellish days when his blood vessels felt as if they were ablaze, his body forcibly transformed.
Hong Gong had said.
‘There are beings called the Unrestrained Demon. It is what a person becomes after being devoured by a tiger. It attaches itself to the tiger, elevating its spiritual rank and aiding it in the hunt.’
The demonic arts Hong Gong created, ‘Art of the Unrestrained Demon’, was also said to have been inspired by this.
‘One who first learns this art is called a ‘Compression Stage’. At this stage, one can, at best, emit a steam-like form of demonic energy from the body. It is divided into ten levels, from the first to the tenth.’
In the past, while Hong Gong was still alive, Chui had ascended all ten levels of the Compression Stage.
Even for a demonic art that advanced rapidly according to the scale and frequency of slaughter, his speed had been astonishing enough to surprise even Hong Gong.
‘One who has mastered this art is called a ‘Tempering Stage’.Your blood transforms into deadly poison to most martial artists. It has the property of burning and drying up the internal energy of others, which is not one’s own. Furthermore, upon reaching this stage, the color of one’s internal energy turns red, and when expelled from the body, it takes a liquid form. It is, quite literally, like spewing blood. This, too, is divided into ten levels, just like the Compression Stage.’
Just before Hong Gong’s death, Chui had surpassed the tenth level of Compression Stage and entered the first level of Tempering Stage.
This had been a fortunate thing for Chui.
For even if one mastered Compression Stage to the tenth level, one could not advance to the next stage of Tempering Stage unless a master with profound internal energy opened one’s Ren and Du meridians.
‘Once you have mastered the Compression Stage and the Tempering Stage, the next stage is the ‘Transcendence Stage’. By merely setting one foot in this stage, I looked down upon the world. After ascending four levels, I could disdain all things of the Orthodox, Unorthodox, and Demonic Factions.’
Once one reached the Tempering Stage stage, reaching the Transcendence Stage stage was merely a matter of time.
That was why Hong Gong had intended to keep Chui only at the Compression Stage stage, but for some reason, he changed his plans and ultimately met a miserable end.
“My current stage is… the first level of the Compression Stage, I suppose.”
Chui murmured softly.
He looked at his reflection in the blood-stained spearhead.
The powerful body that had reached the Transcendence Stage was nowhere to be seen; there was only the body of a weak boy soldier—no, the body of a porter who had not even become a boy soldier.
But Chui was not the least bit impatient.
He had all the incantations of the martial art in his head, and he now remembered the breathing techniques to suppress its side effects as well.
From now on, things will only get better, little by little.
…Now, then, it was time to deeply contemplate what twist of fate had brought him back to the past.
Just as Chui was about to lose himself in thought.
“What are you thinking so deeply about, young warrior?”
Someone spoke to him from the side.
Head Escort Ju Yehwa.
She was a first-class escort of the Howling Tiger Escort Agency and the one in charge of this entire escort mission.
Including her, a dozen or so escorts were all aboard their carriages, looking at Chui.
“He looks like he’s not even of age yet, but his martial skill is truly tremendous.”
“Did you see what kind of martial art he used? I couldn’t, he was too fast.”
“It was too dark for me to see clearly either. But I definitely heard the screams of the Green Forest bandits around that young warrior.”
“I wonder which hidden master he’s a disciple of. I’m so envious.”
“But why was someone with skills like that working as a porter for our agency?”
“Hey, now. The martial world has always been full of eccentrics and strange masters.”
The escorts were busy chattering quietly amongst themselves.
But Chui simply sat silently in his saddle.
Ju Yehwa was trying to find an opening, any way to strike up a conversation with him.
‘I don’t know where a master like this came from… but since he saved us, he doesn’t seem to be an enemy. It would be wonderful if he would help with this mission.’
Having lost many escorts in the recent attack by the Green Forest Bandits, Ju Yehwa felt a sense of urgency.
“Young warrior. You handle a horse very well. It is as if you have been riding for decades.”
“……”
Chui glanced down at the horse he was riding.
*Tremble, tremble, tremble…*
The horse was urinating as it walked.
It was a clear sign of extreme fear.
Every time Chui pulled the reins, the horse would start as if seared by a hot iron and obey his command.
Ju Yehwa spoke, looking amazed.
“That horse was famous for being so ill-tempered that it wouldn’t listen to anyone. We brought it along just to pull things since it’s strong, but I never thought it would let someone ride on its back.”
It was only natural.
In his past life, Chui had accumulated a mountain of slaughter across countless battlefields.
Among his victims were humans, but of course, there were also horses.
Riding warhorses, killing them, eating them, then riding more, killing more, and eating more.
The blood that had soaked into Chui’s soul, second only to human blood, was likely that of horses.
They say even the fiercest dog will tuck its tail and urinate before a dog butcher; it seemed a horse, being more intelligent than a dog, reacted even more strongly.
Just then.
“It’s a fork in the road.”
One of the escorts who had been riding ahead returned.
Ju Yehwa seemed to ponder something for a moment, then looked at Chui.
“Young warrior. It is truly shameless of me to ask this of you, having just met. But would it be possible for you to continue to accompany our escort mission as you have been? Of course, the payment will be more than satisfactory…”
“No.”
“I see.”
As if she had expected Chui’s answer, Ju Yehwa lowered her head with a crestfallen expression.
There had to be a reason why a person of such power had volunteered to be a porter and join the escort mission.
He probably did not wish to reveal his strength.
‘…It is a stroke of heavenly luck that someone like this was on our side.’
Ju Yehwa steadfastly continued.
“I am truly sorry, young warrior. The debt we owe you for your help is one that could not be repaid even with a feast lasting three days and nights, but our escort mission is on a very tight schedule. And if we were to try and reward you here and now, we do not have much wealth on our persons.”
The goods the escort agency was transporting belonged to the client, not the agency, so they could not do as they pleased with them.
It was also unlikely that escorts on a mission would be carrying personal funds or valuables.
So, Ju Yehwa gave Chui something else.
“It is a humble token, but I hope you will accept this.”
It was a square plaque made of gold.
‘Hojung Gate - 1st Class Escort’
Ju Yehwa said.
“As you may know, the Howling Tiger Escort Agency is an agency run separately by the Hojung Gate. The Hojung Gate is a historic sect in the Anhui region.”
Chui nodded.
Hojung Gate.
Naturally, Chui, who had worked as a porter, knew the sect well.
‘…A tragic sect that will fall into ruin and vanish without a trace within a few years.’
This sect, which had been run in a rather upright and just manner, would suddenly be ruined overnight one day.
It seemed they were currently suffering from financial difficulties.
That must be why Ju Yehwa was so concerned with this escort mission.
“This plaque symbolizes my identity. If you go to the Hojung Gate with this, you will likely be treated as an honored guest, on par with a first-class escort. Please, I hope you will accept this token of my sincerity.”
“……”
Chui stared silently at the gold plaque Ju Yehwa offered.
Then, he reached out and took it.
Ju Yehwa’s expression brightened immensely.
Around that time, the fork in the road appeared before them.
Ju Yehwa once again clasped her fist in salute.
“We will take this road to deliver the goods immediately. As soon as the job is done, we will return to the agency—no, to the Gate—like the wind and properly express our gratitude to you, young warrior. Please, feel free to stay at our Gate as comfortably and for as long as you wish.”
These people were both escorts of the Howling Tiger Escort Agency and martial artists of the Hojung Gate.
They saluted Chui repeatedly as they rode away.
Presently, Chui quietly turned his horse and headed toward Anhui, where the Howling Tiger Escort Agency was located.
“……”
Meanwhile, Ju Yehwa was still watching Chui disappear over the ridge.
The one-eyed escort next to her grinned.
“Have you fallen for him? That young warrior was so pretty, I thought he was a girl at first. Delicate and fair, just your type, Head Escort.”
“Are you insane? Do you want me to draw my sword again?”
“Whoa, why the sharp words? Did I hit a nerve?”
Ju Yehwa turned her head away sharply, as if he wasn't even worth acknowledging.
And she continued quietly.
“……You all may not have seen it, but I did.”
“What did you see?”
“That man’s spearmanship.”
Ju Yehwa broke out in a cold sweat.
“I have no idea of the origin or identity of his martial arts, but the spearmanship itself was familiar.”
“Which sects or families are famous for their spearmanship? The Shandong Yue Clan? Or perhaps the Ma Family Spear, the Yang Family Spear, the Pear Blossom Spear, hmm. The Sha Family Staff and the Li Family Short Spear are also famous.”
“No, it is not part of the martial world.”
At Ju Yehwa’s next words, the talkative subordinate fell silent.
“It was military spearmanship.”
“……”
After a long silence, the subordinate asked with a dazed expression.
“Are you saying that the young hero from before is the scion of a military family?”
“I am certain of it. What I saw were only a few basic forms, but his level of proficiency was beyond belief. It is a state of mastery impossible for someone his age. He must be a talent sent out by a general’s family to gain real combat experience after being systematically trained. He must be of a noble station.”
At her words, the escorts also nodded.
Ju Yehwa’s explanation was plausible.
“He is likely the child of a powerful military family. There is absolutely no harm in fostering a good relationship with him.”
“The Gate’s situation is precarious. If we could host even one master like him as a guest retainer, it would surely be a great help.”
“Exactly. It is difficult to turn one’s back on those who have treated you to food and drink… Moreover, that young hero is a righteous man, to the point of risking his life to help us when we were being overwhelmed by the Green Forest. The chances are high that he will not stand idly by and watch our Gate’s crisis.”
Ju Yehwa looked back at the escorted goods, her expression hardening.
“Currently, the Gate’s finances are in a poor state, so all our martial artists have been assigned as escorts. We must finish this escort mission quickly and return to fill the power vacuum at our main headquarters. Let us hurry.”
“That’s right. I hope the young hero we invited earlier stays until we return. It would be helpful if he happens to get into a conflict with those bastards from the Black Way Guild in the meantime.”
“We are in a situation where we are desperate for every single master we can invite from the outside. Is that not why I gave him the gold plaque that symbolizes me? With that, the Gate will surely treat him with the utmost respect.”
The escorts of the Howling Tiger Escort Agency began to quicken their pace.
To transport these goods as quickly as possible and then return to their sect.
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