Descent of the Demon Master

Chapter 506: Face to Face (1)

Kang Jin-Ho's demonic arts secret manual was passed on to Lee Hyeon-Su. Despite his packed schedule, Lee Hyeon-Su translated the entire secret manual into Korean and distributed it to those younger-generation martial artists who wanted to take up Kang Jin-Ho's 'teachings'.

Of course, Lee Hyeon-Su had to submit the translated text to Kang Jin-Ho first to check for any potential errors. And the conclusion reached after this series of events was...

“Mister Jin-Ho, you must supervise us!”

A secret manual was not dissimilar to catching drifting clouds. If aspiring martial artists could learn techniques and cultivation methods perfectly through books, the current crisis wouldn't have happened.

Kang Jin-Ho's death didn't automatically mean the demon cult's techniques and cultivation methods had been cut off, as well. After all, every piece of knowledge accumulated over centuries had been neatly organized into many, many secret manuals. Unfortunately, learning martial arts through books posed a clear limitation.

The collapse at the top eventually led to the crumbling at the bottom. This process repeated itself until the demon cult's cultivation techniques were either lost to time or mutated beyond recognition.

Without a competent tutor to provide accurate interpretation of the secret manuals and guide prospective learners to the correct path, no cultivation could be complete. The knowledge learned would be faulty.

Kang Jin-Ho fully understood this. After all, he didn't become strong by himself. Without a wonderful teacher to instill the philosophy of martial arts and the necessary basics in him, Kang Jin-Ho would've never reached the sky-high position of Heavenly Crimson Demon Emperor. Even if he possessed a heaven-rivaling talent, he would've been no better than a pebble on the road!

So, Kang Jin-Ho resolved himself to become that tutor in this era, but...

“...Mister Jin-Ho, we can't understand any of this stuff.”

Kang Jin-Ho could only sigh weakly when one of the younger-generation martial artists started complaining.

'I had no idea it'd be this bad...!'

Every person present inside the auditorium today was making a face that screamed, 'Really? What am I supposed to do with this sh*t?' Kang Jin-Ho glanced at Yi Myeong-Hwan by the front of the crowd and asked while frowning a little. “What is the problem, exactly?”

“...What is the problem, you ask? I think it's better to ask what isn't the problem in this situation, Mister Jin-Ho. Let's put aside everything for the time being and talk about the first problem. None of us can figure out how we're supposed to learn from this manual. Even the beginning part is indecipherable, you see?”

“Why do you say that?”

“Well, the first chapter talks about how to circulate our qi, yes?”

Kang Jin-Ho's frown deepened. "That's right. So what about it?"

“The first thing we can't understand is... We're supposed to transfer the external qi we absorb to the 'baihui' point rather than our dantian.” [1]

“Mm...?”

“How are we supposed to do this, though?”

“Huh?” Kang Jin-Ho blinked his eyes in surprise.

“...None of us has ever circulated qi like that before, you see? No matter how hard we try, all the external qi we accept automatically heads to our dantian like clockwork.”

“...Huh.” Kang Jin-Ho grimaced a little when an unexpected hurdle presented itself. This was the same as him teaching these toddlers how to sprint like an Olympic medalist, but his pupils wanted to know how to walk first! Kang Jin-Ho slowly facepalmed without even realizing it. 'This... Where do I even start?'

Still, Kang Jin-Ho could more or less understand how this situation came about. The demonic arts could be split into two categories in terms of application. The first category was reserved for those who started their cultivation path with the demonic arts, the 'orthodox methods.' And the second one was the so-called irregular method, prepared solely for those who switched to demonic arts midway through their cultivation journey.

If one pursued the purity of martial arts and inalienable creed, the right way was to cultivate the orthodox method. However, the demon cult had to actively accept immigrants from foreign lands and converts from other sects as a means to counter the constant oppression from its rivals. And to quickly teach these newcomers, the cult needed a demonic cultivation method that was easy enough to master. That was why the irregular method had to be invented.

This method was designed to be easy to learn even for experts neck-deep in orthodox sects' cultivation techniques. Unfortunately, that meant its depth would always be found lacking, and concerning side effects invariably plagued the martial artists using this demonic cultivation method. Even so, the demon cult still implemented the irregular method as it was deemed a necessary evil.

The 'demonic arts' secret manuals that got leaked to gangho

Through a stroke of weird fortune, the younger generation of the Martial Assembly, the brave ones hoping to learn from Kang Jin-Ho, were pathetically weak. Weak enough to start mastering the orthodox methods, in fact! That was why Kang Jin-Ho tossed a secret manual containing a suitable orthodox demonic cultivation method in their way, but now...!

'Even if the concept is too obtuse, Zhongyuan's martial artists wouldn't experience such a hard time comprehending it...'

Kang Jin-Ho groaned softly. The world might have advanced over the years, but it seemed martial arts theory had regressed instead! If that wasn't it, maybe South Korea's martial society was a hopeless mess, to begin with?

“Okay, so... The first problem you all have is circulating qi to your baihui point?”

“Yes, sir!”

Kang Jin-Ho slowly nodded. 'I guess it is tough for them.'

Since Kang Jin-Ho took this theory for granted, like breathing air, he didn't see what could be a problem here. However, when he thought about it... It became apparent to him now that these youngsters would've run into a big problem without guidance. Demonic arts were quite different from the orthodox cultivation methods, after all.

Martial artists cultivating in orthodox cultivation methods said the demonic arts were meant to turn people into demons. That was their explanation for why the demonic arts pursued a different path than the orthodox methods. The truth was much more innocuous, though. It was merely the difference in 'ideas.'

Regular orthodox cultivation taught martial artists to store the absorbed qi in their dantian. The demonic arts also asked the cultivators to do the same, but the difference separating them was the 'route'. Instead of one's abdomen, one was supposed to accept the qi through their baihui point.

The baihui point, of course, referred to the crown of one's skull. The external qi, absorbed throughout one's body, was supposed to be driven up to one's head first before sending it down one's spine and straight into their dantian.

This method was only possible because the demon cult was a religious organization. In Zhongyuan, all martial arts cultivation methods were based on Buddhist philosophy. The roots of all Zhongyan's cultivation methods could be traced back to India, while India's methods were derived from Buddhist teachings. That was why the orthodox cultivation method's goal had always been about gaining profound epiphany eventually as one cultivated their physical body.

Harsh training was a part of self-mortification. One improved one's realm by continuous self-mortification until one could transcend past their limits or even reach nirvana. That was the end goal of the orthodox cultivation, so the relative stability in the cultivators' state had always been prioritized above all else. However, the story was different with the demon cult.

Unlike Buddhism, where the final aim was to become a Buddha, the demon cult's goal was to become one with the Sacred Flame.

The demon cult, or a perfectly acceptable alternate religion to its followers, believed that Sacred Flame permeated every object found in the world. And to truly understand and completely accept this Sacred Flame, they believed the energy of all living beings, qi, had to be sent to their baihui acupuncture point first.

Some argued that this method was unnatural and inefficient than immediately sending all the absorbed qi to one's dantian. However, the demon cult's followers weren't looking for the most efficient way to cultivate but to get closer to that Sacred Flame, so this method was still chosen in the end.

...And this was where the unexpected variable reared its head. As it turned out, widening one's baihui and accepting external qi directly into one's Conception and Governor vessels before storing it in one's dantian was several times more efficient than simply absorbing qi through countless many minor meridians found throughout the human body. This overturned everyone's accepted common sense.

Thanks to this discovery, the demonic cultivation method could now display shockingly faster advancements and improvements when compared to the widely accepted orthodox methods. Eventually, those who witnessed this rapid advancement started accusing the demonic arts as the 'Art of Death'.

Of course, that wasn't the whole story. The baihui point was right at the crown of a person's skull. That was where the human brain was. Accepting qi through one's baihui might be extremely efficient, but it'd also unsurprisingly affect one's brain during the process.

The originators of the demonic arts desired to grow closer to the Sacred Flame by opening their baihui point, but the unrefined, unfiltered qi burrowing past one's brain led to some serious side effects instead.

People with violent streaks and inhuman natures were produced in droves. Turbid qi accumulating in one's abdomen might end up corrupting and damaging one's body. However, what if such turbid qi accumulated in one's head? Obviously, it'd paralyze and alter the person's humanity.

This was the core explanation for why so many mass murderers and insane killers were students of demonic arts. The demon cult eventually completed the demonic cultivation methods that produced the least amount of side effects by constantly altering and supplementing it, but it was too late by then. The image of the demon cult already rivaled that of man-eating devils of Hell!

'Well, that's the story from the ancient past now.' Kang Jin-Ho shook his head and got rid of useless thoughts. 'Fine. If I show them how to circulate qi using this method, they...'

Before Kang Jin-Ho could finish his thoughts, Lee Hyeon-Hwan began complaining again. “Excuse me, sir. From what I heard, other folks seemed to have zero problems mastering demonic arts. They receive a secret manual or two and practice it by themselves with no external help, then become overnight experts, so why... Why did you give us a cultivation manual this obtuse?”

Flabbergast quickly dyed Kang Jin-Ho's expression as he stared agog at Yi Myeong-Hwan.

“I would've thought that the only idiot in this room was me if everyone else got it, but look around, sir. No one can understand this stuff. It makes no sense that so many people can't master this thing. Maybe you're pulling a fast one on us?”

“Myeong-Hwan is right, you know!”

“Yes, I agree! Please hand over the real demonic arts, Mister Kang Jin-Ho!”

A vein popped up on Kang Jin-Ho's forehead. He had memorized hundreds of demonic cultivation methods, and none of them was inferior to the irregular methods found floating around on the backstreets, the ones these idiots so casually talked about just now.

To think he'd get insulted in such a backdoor kind of way! Even though Kang Jin-Ho had to think real long and hard to pick a cultivation method that these idiots could master in a relatively short time while sufficiently enhancing their strength...!

The cultivation technique Kang Jin-Ho oh-so graciously imparted upon these ungrateful brats was called the Spirit of Fire Soul Divine Art. If it was released in Zhongyuan of the ancient past, countless sects would've fought tooth and nail to acquire it, turning the land into a sea of blood in the process! But, to think such a mighty cultivation technique was being treated like a piece of trash...!

And the wise old 'they' once said not to cast pearls before swine...! What was the point of divine treasures if you lacked the discernment to recognize them?!

The 'Kang Jin-Ho' of the past would've solved this situation with a disinterested 'Then, forget about it' and walked away. That was impossible for the current him, though. After all, he was no longer Heavenly Crimson Demon Emperor.

Kang Jin-Ho was no longer a tyrant who believed his strength alone could overcome the incompetency of his subordinates and resolve every problem under the sun. If some people were falling behind, Kang Jin-Ho now had to soothe and pacify them before leading them back to the pack. That was his new role.

Kang Jin-Ho quietly sucked in a deep breath before staring straight at Yi Myeong-Hwan. “...So, that part is troubling you. Is that right?”

“Yes, sir.”

“In that case, let me help you.”

Yi Myeong-Hwan tilted his head. “I'm sorry?”

“Get up. I'm going to demonstrate how you can circulate qi as noted in the manual.”

“...Oh!” Yi Myeong-Hwan jumped up from his seat. “...W-wait a minute. You aren't going to, uh, use that pretext to bully me?”

“I'm just a guide in this situation. All I'll be doing is demonstrating to you how qi should circulate once inside your body. Everything else is up to you.”

“I-I see!”

“Hurry up and get over here. Stand with your back facing me.”

“Yes, sir!” Yi Myeong-Hwang gleefully rushed toward Kang Jin-Ho before presenting his back. Naturally, this meant he was now standing in front of everyone's full view.

'H-hey, I'm kinda getting a bit embarrassed...?'

Still, Yi Myeong-Hwan was fully prepared to endure this level of awkwardness if he could be the first person here to receive Kang Jin-Ho's guidance!

Kang Jin-Ho quietly regulated his breathing, then pressed his palm on Yi Myeong-Hwan's back. He inwardly told himself that... There was no emotion involved here. Yes, absolutely no emotions!

He wasn't doing this out of spite and anger because a famous demonic cultivation method had been laughed at by these idiots! Definitely not. This was a necessary step in guiding these idiots on the correct path of martial arts. That was it!

An unreadable smirk suddenly formed on Kang Jin-Ho's lips.

Craaaaaack!

Kang Jin-Ho's qi dug into Yi Myeong-Hwan's back, causing a chillingly vivid noise of every bone in the latter's body shattering into bits to echo in the auditorium.

Everyone inside freaked out and hurriedly stared at Yi Myeong-Hwan.

“...?!?!” Yi Myeong-Hwan was standing there, unable to even squeeze out a scream. However, everyone could see how much pain he was under from his wide-open mouth, squeezed-shut eyes, and curled-up hands and feet!

Kang Jin-Ho muttered casually, “So, after receiving qi... You circulate it toward your baihui point...”

Rumble, whiiiirrr...

Yi Myeong-Hwan's entire body began shivering as a low hum resounded out from his inside. Drool began dripping down from his mouth as if the crippling pain he was under had gone up several notches in severity!

“...Then, you shove all the qi in your baihui into your dantian!”

BOOOOOM!

The sound of something exploding resounded out from a person's body. Kang Jin-Ho pulled his hand away from Yi Myeong-Hwan. And the poor man collapsed on the floor, his whole body quaking and trembling like a patient having a seizure!

“Yi Myeong-Hwan, do not forget this sensation. Although the process will be painful at the beginning as too much turbid qi has accumulated in your meridians, repeating this process will gradually improve your condition. Okay, so…” Kang Jin-Ho turned his head from Yi Myeong-Hwan, then scanned the rest. “...Who is next?”

A deathly still silence quickly enveloped the auditorium.

The people inside quickly realized that today... They had touched the reverse scale of someone they shouldn't!

1. 'Baihui' point is one of the acupuncture points of the Governor vessel located at the top-most location in a person's skull. ????