The Heavenly Demon Cult’s Strongest Maid - Chapter 53
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 53
Having cleanly passed through the round of eight, I watched the remaining matches.
I was curious about who I would face in the semifinals.
“It seems that man is the most likely candidate to be Lady Seolha’s next opponent.”
“I think so too.”
Nodding at Seo-ryeon’s words, I focused on the movements of a man on the martial arts stage.
‘Eok I-geon could really lay out a mat and relax…’
He had set his own criteria for not only the round of eight but also the semifinal candidates, and the matches were truly flowing that way.
I was grateful since it helped me greatly, but suddenly recalling the recent training made resentment surge up.
‘Still, that’s going too far!’
“The opponent you’ll study this time is Jin Ga-sam, known as Poison Hand Swift Kill.”
“Jin Ga-sam. His name is quite ordinary.”
“What you need to pay attention to isn’t his name, but his alias.”
Right.
In novels, aliases usually contain a lot of information.
“Then since he’s called Swift Kill, he must use swift swordsmanship?”
“No.”
Huh? No?
“Swift sword is correct, but what you should focus on is the ‘Poison Hand’ part.”
“Poison Hand? Gasp! Don’t tell me he uses poison?”
“He doesn’t use poison.”
“Then his techniques are vicious…?”
“There are rumors that his methods are cruel. From what I’ve learned, he’s skilled at handling hidden weapons.”
“Ah, hidden weapons? But this is a martial arts tournament?”
“What does a tournament have to do with hidden weapons?”
“Still…”
“Anything is allowed as long as you don’t directly aim for someone’s life.”
Right, this was the Demonic Sect.
If this were the orthodox sects, it wouldn’t even be considered.
Throwing hidden weapons in a martial arts tournament – it really hit me what kind of world I belonged to.
Huh?
It’s Sister Seo-ryeon!
I was listening to Eok I-geon’s additional explanation about Jin Ga-sam.
Seo-ryeon, who had said she had business with the Yeom-wang Unit, entered the training grounds.
Hehe.
I waved my hand in delight to greet her.
Hm?
But Seo-ryeon glanced at Eok I-geon, then passed by coldly, barely acknowledging my greeting.
What’s this?
I’m her direct superior, so why is she looking at Eok I-geon?
‘Don’t tell me he disciplined her while I was away?’
That would be just like Eok I-geon. Whatever she did wrong, it’s impressive she survived.
But how harshly did he scold her that she can’t even make eye contact with me as she passes by?
‘Having a rigid superior in a martial arts novel is too much, isn’t it?’
I should hurry up and finish this martial arts tournament, because I can’t put up with this for long.
“Are you not concentrating?”
“…Yes.”
At Eok I-geon’s stern voice, I withdrew my attention from Seo-ryeon and listened to his words again.
It was then that I suddenly felt an ominous presence.
Seo-ryeon, who had coldly passed by me, hadn’t walked more than a few steps when she suddenly turned around and threw something at me.
Swooosh!
“Wh-what!”
Without even knowing what it was, I quickly deployed the Mabong Flying Willow Step to dodge.
Eok I-geon, who had been beside me, was already far away.
So he’s just going to save himself?
Thud thud thud thud thud!
More than ten daggers flew and embedded where I had been standing just moments before.
“Seo-ryeon, what are you…!”
I didn’t even have time to protest.
Swooosh!
Because her attacks came one after another.
Wow, so this is what a surprise attack is like?
Barely dodging the daggers with my movement technique, I frantically racked my brain for how to counter.
“What are you doing? Are you going to save Mahu’s White Jade Sleeve Hand Demonic Art to make chicken noodle soup?”
Ah, right!
I had the White Jade Sleeve Hand Demonic Art!
At Eok I-geon’s telepathic message, I finally remembered a way to fight back.
I immediately leaped far backward and deployed the defensive technique of the White Jade Sleeve Hand Demonic Art, White Jade Hanging Curtain.
Whoooosh—
As I crossed my arms in a circle, my wide sleeves fluttered accordingly, revealing a broad surface.
Snap!
As my internal energy flowed into the sleeves, the fluttering fabric suddenly became as hard as a shield.
“Seo-ryeon!”
Like a butterfly folding its wings, I overlapped both sleeves to block the frontal attack.
Clang clang clang clang!
A sound like hail falling echoed from my sleeves.
“Lady Seolha, I’m sorry!”
After attempting several more attacks, Seo-ryeon ran to me and apologized as if she had committed a mortal sin.
“Prince Lee ordered me to do this…”
I should have known when she avoided greeting me.
Seo-ryeon wouldn’t do such a thing to me.
“It’s fine. I’m getting proper training out of this, after all.”
Seo-ryeon was only guilty of following orders.
The one I should resent isn’t her, but Eok I-geon.
‘Just wait and see, you psychopath!’
Even so, isn’t this too much for a beginner like me?
Not just one or two, but having dozens of daggers thrown at me out of nowhere.
What if I had gotten hurt!
I had to make a great effort to hide my desire to grab Eok I-geon by the collar and shake him.
Whether he knew this or not, Eok I-geon added an explanation about Mahu’s martial arts.
“To win your match against Poison Hand Swift Kill Jin Ga-sam, you need to be able to deploy the White Jade Sleeve Hand Demonic Art skillfully.”
‘Of course. I have to do it since you’re telling me to, without any complaints.’
Though I answered with complete sarcasm inside, in reality I was more polite than ever.
“Faster than just now, you mean?”
“Do you know why Mahu is a legend?”
“I heard that Mahu saved the headquarters in the past.”
“Of course that’s true. But that’s not all.”
“Are there other reasons?”
Eok I-geon stared intently at my face, then spoke with utmost gravity.
“That’s right. All of Mahu’s unique demonic arts that you’ve learned were created by her.”
“Pardon?”
This was the first time I’d heard this history, and I was completely alert.
“The Mahu Hwan-hon Shin-gong was created inspired by the Cheonma Hwan-hon from the Cheonma Divine Arts, the Mahu Gunrim Sword was based on the Cheonma Gunrim Step, the White Jade Sleeve Demonic Art combined the hand technique’s ultimate skill Sosu Demonic Art and the sleeve technique’s White Jade Sleeve, and the footwork you learned, Mabong Flying Stream Step, and the movement technique Mabang Bicheongang were said to be created by imagining a phoenix.”
As an avid reader of martial arts novels, I knew well how difficult and amazing it was to create martial arts.
Senior Mahu wasn’t just exceptionally talented, but was completely capable in many areas.
“She had the bearing of a grandmaster. Founding her own sect would have been natural, and if she had been ambitious, even as a woman, it would have been possible for her to sit on the throne. But she didn’t.”
Wow!
The more I learned, the more amazing she was.
‘Living life once, she really lived it magnificently!’
To think I would inherit the legacy of such an incredible person.
I naturally felt determined to keep my wits about me even more from now on.
A brief rest period was given.
Eok I-geon said he would step away for a moment.
‘Ugh, there’s not a single place that doesn’t ache – my back, chest, stomach…’
As I was soothing my heated mind and body with cool green tea, a sharp sound of cutting air pierced my ears.
Swish!
Crack!
Veins bulged on my forehead.
Bang!
I kicked the table up with all my might.
Thud thud thud thud thud!
Five daggers embedded in a line into the overturning table.
Whoosh!
At the subtle sound that followed, I urgently rolled to the side and escaped the pavilion.
Clatter clatter! Thud!
In my field of vision, I caught sight of Seo-ryeon leaping onto the roof with daggers clutched in both hands.
‘Damn!’
The blade was sharpened more lethally than before.
Four daggers per hand, eight total.
Seo-ryeon increasingly aimed for vital points with her daggers, and I busily fluttered my sleeves to block them all.
Clang clang clang!
I was exhausted from dodging hidden weapons in a tense state all day.
“It’s meal time!”
Only when it was finally time to eat did the strength leave my entire body.
I limply managed to climb up to the pavilion.
“Lady Seolha, please enjoy your meal.”
At Seo-ryeon’s greeting, I unconsciously widened my eyes.
Even if Eok I-geon ordered it, still.
There’s such a thing as human affection, but she was really going at it with determination?
“Hmph!”
I’m really sulking!
I started eating while clearly showing my hurt feelings. Meanwhile, I kept a close watch on Seo-ryeon.
Because if it was Eok I-geon, he definitely wouldn’t leave me alone even during this time.
Did he think I would just take it quietly?
“You look very tired.”
Cheon-gang, who hadn’t been visible during my entire training with Seo-ryeon, appeared at the training grounds for some reason.
Seeing him genuinely worry about me, it felt like the day’s fatigue was completely washed away.
‘My favorite is worrying about me!’
Yes, this is what a reward should be like.
“Honestly, it’s a bit tough.”
I deliberately exaggerated my suffering, wanting to receive more comfort from Cheon-gang.
“Still, you must do it.”
“I know. What I have to handle is…!”
At that moment, I felt an inexplicable sharpness from Cheon-gang.
No way.
My suspicion soon became reality.
Cheon-gang threw hidden weapons at me.
Whoosh— Swish!
“Even dogs aren’t bothered when they’re eating!”
In my sense of betrayal, I screamed and charged at Cheon-gang.
“Really, you’re all too much!”
The White Jade Sleeve technique naturally unfolded from my hands.
Going one step further, I caught the flying hidden weapons with my bare hands.
It was the White Hand Bewilderment technique containing the essence of the Absorption technique from the White Jade Sleeve Demonic Art.
Through Eok I-geon’s surprise attack training that spared no time, my skills improved ridiculously fast.
On the other hand, my personality was getting worse and worse.
So come forth.
My preliminary opponent, Poison Hand Swift Kill Jin Ga-sam!
I’ll vent this anger on you!
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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