Chronicles of the Demonic Cult Conversion Chapter 59
“Why do you think so?”
“These martial arts have too great an influence on the flow of true qi, that is, the demonic qi on the upper dantian. The brain is continuously exposed to demonic qi, so isn't it strange to hope that no side effects will occur?”
“That's true.”
“That's why I saw it as intentional. Since these martial arts were designed that way, it would be rather natural for side effects to occur.”
“Then, what do you think should be done with these martial arts, Seventh Young Master?”
“The method itself is simple.”
Jin Cheon replied.
“It seems we just need to reset the flow of true qi based on the Post-Heaven Extreme Demonic True Qi instead of the Reverse Heaven Heart Art.”
“Based on the Post-Heaven Extreme Demonic True Qi instead of the Reverse Heaven Heart Art?”
“Yes.”
Jin Cheon nodded.
“Most side effects of demonic arts occur when the demonic qi affects the upper dantian, that is, the brain power, before it has sufficiently developed.”
“That's right.”
“Of course, such a disadvantage can also be an advantage that awakens one's insight and speeds up achievement…… but in the case of the martial arts you've shown me, it's too excessive.”
“You're right.”
Yi Seol nodded.
“All of these martial arts allow for incredibly fast achievement and reaching the pinnacle of skill in a short period. As such, side effects are bound to follow inevitably.”
“That's why I suggested the method of creating new martial arts based on the Post-Heaven Extreme Demonic True Qi. The Post-Heaven Extreme Demonic True Qi is a heart art that prioritizes training the upper dantian before awakening it, so it is relatively safe from side effects.”
“Ah!”
A gasp of understanding escaped Yi Seol's lips.
As a genius who had devoted herself to martial arts research as the Head of the Demonic Scripture Pavilion despite her young age, she understood Jin Cheon's meaning perfectly.
“If we're not trying to create a demon that loses its reason and runs rampant in a short period, then it's right to create new martial arts based on the Post-Heaven Extreme Demonic True Qi.”
“At least, that's how I see it.”
“By the way, how do you know that, Seventh Young Master?”
“Hmm. That's.”
At Yi Seol's sharp question, Jin Cheon could not easily give an answer.
He had confessed to the Iron-Blooded Demonic God that he was a Heavenly Demon’s Physique, but he hesitated whether he should reveal that fact to Yi Seol as well.
“……You can just understand it as the realm of talent.”
“Are you saying it's simply talent?”
“If not for that, how could someone of my age create the Post-Heaven Extreme Demonic True Qi and analyze such advanced demonic arts?”
“That…… is true.”
Yi Seol seemed to have a hard time being convinced, but she didn't press the matter.
She knew that talent, or aptitude, was not something that could be understood through reason and logic.
“I am truly grateful for your teachings, Seventh Young Master. Thanks to you, I've found a clue.”
“Don't mention it……”
“Could I perhaps ask for your advice from time to time? Your talent, Seventh Young Master, will be of great help to our cult.”
“Of course.”
Jin Cheon readily accepted Yi Seol's request.
“It's something that will help our cult, so how could I refuse? However, I need time to practice my own martial arts, so I will help you whenever I have a spare moment.”
“Thank you for your consideration, Seventh Young Master.”
“Then, may I look around the Demonic Scripture Pavilion for a while?”
“Of course.”
Yi Seol nodded.
“You may freely browse all the manuals except for the seventh floor, where entry is restricted. Though you probably won't need to learn them.”
“Pardon……?”
“The Seventh Young Master is now the Cult Leader's disciple, so is there a need to learn the martial arts stored in the Demonic Scripture Pavilion?”
“Ah.”
A master and disciple is a relationship of giving and receiving teachings.
It was a given that the Iron-Blooded Demonic God would impart teachings to Jin Cheon.
Though what martial art she would teach was still unknown…….
“Perhaps…… the Seventh Young Master might learn that martial art.”
“That martial art……?”
“The Heavenly Demon Divine Art.”
“……!”
“With you, Seventh Young Master, I see a possibility.”
Yi Seol looked at Jin Cheon with eyes full of expectation.
***
The Heavenly Demon Divine Art.
The strongest and worst martial art of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, evaluated as being overwhelmingly superior among all the divine arts and ultimate techniques in the world.
Its reputation was infamous even in the Central Plains, but it was no exaggeration to say that no one knew its true nature.
Some said that the Heavenly Demon Divine Art could shatter the heavens and overturn the earth, some said it was a martial art of extreme yang that burned everything, and yet others said it was close to flight through the void, soaring through the sky.
The reason for such vague rumors about the Heavenly Demon Divine Art was likely because there were almost no survivors among those who had faced it directly.
And the few who did survive were mostly legendary top masters, so they were tight-lipped and would not go around carelessly blabbering about the Heavenly Demon Divine Art.
“As far as I know, none of the Cult Leader's disciples have learned the Heavenly Demon Divine Art.”
“Pardon?”
“I know that the Heavenly Demon Divine Art is not something that can be learned simply by having outstanding aptitude.”
“Hmm.”
“Of course, neither the Cult Leader nor the disciples speak about whether the Heavenly Demon Divine Art has been passed down, so I don't know for sure, but the general consensus is that no one has received it.”
Jin Cheon thought that what Yi Seol said might be true.
If the Heavenly Demon Divine Art was a martial art that only the successive Cult Leaders could learn, then perhaps it was impossible to learn unless one was a Heavenly Demon’s Physique.
If that was the case, it was quite understandable that his senior brothers had not been taught the Heavenly Demon Divine Art.
Of course, it might not be the case…….
“I understand for now. I will go look around the manuals then.”
“Understood.”
Jin Cheon left Yi Seol behind and looked around the sixth floor of the Demonic Scripture Pavilion.
On the sixth floor, several dozen types of martial arts manuals were stored.
Also, for each manual, there were anywhere from dozens to over a hundred volumes of interpretation books stored together.
‘Yes, this is how it should be.’
Seeing that the martial arts manuals were very well managed, Jin Cheon nodded.
And for good reason; martial arts were not something that could be learned with just a single manual.
In fact, a manual was merely a summary that recorded only the core formulas and the flow of true qi.
If one truly wanted to master a certain martial art, the existence of a master who had polished that art for a long time was indispensable.
However, if interpretation books were created and stored like this, it would be possible to learn the martial art even without a master.
‘Let's see.’
Jin Cheon looked around the entire sixth floor, reading the martial arts manuals one by one.
The martial arts stored on the sixth floor were real, proper demonic arts, incomparable to the ones Jin Cheon had learned and researched in the Demonic Prison.
Since it was not easy for the Righteous Heavenly Alliance to obtain demonic art manuals, Jin Cheon had not actually encountered many advanced demonic arts.
But here in the Demonic Scripture Pavilion, freely encountering real advanced demonic arts, it felt as if his eyes were being opened.
His existing knowledge of demonic arts felt like it had become several times richer by reading the advanced demonic art manuals.
‘As expected, the advanced martial arts of our cult are different.’
Jin Cheon was so engrossed in reading the various manuals stored on the sixth floor that he lost track of time.
***
For a while, Jin Cheon spent his days visiting the Demonic Scripture Pavilion daily and reading various martial arts manuals.
He disliked reading books, but reading martial arts manuals was not boring at all.
As a result, he would often spend hours sitting in one spot reading the manuals.
Of course, he didn't just read the manuals.
Jin Cheon selected a few useful martial arts and modified and improved them to suit himself, a Heavenly Demon’s Physique.
For example, the Star-Sucking Great Art was one such case.
“Are you perhaps looking at the Star-Sucking Great Art?”
Yi Seol, who was passing by, asked after glancing at the manual Jin Cheon was reading.
“The Star-Sucking Great Art…… a martial art with truly severe side effects.”
“I've heard it's tremendous.”
“You're not thinking of learning it, are you?”
“I'm thinking of modifying it to suit me.”
“Modifying it……?”
“I've found a few martial arts to reference.”
Jin Cheon showed Yi Seol the manuals of other martial arts he was looking at along with the Star-Sucking Great Art.
“I plan to reduce the destructive power as much as possible and focus only on the functional aspects.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, I'm going to focus solely on absorption.”
“But absorbing another person's true qi will eventually lead to qi deviation.”
“That's why I'm thinking of using the absorbed true qi in a different way rather than accumulating it.”
“I can't even imagine.”
Yi Seol clicked her tongue.
What kind of martial art was he trying to create from the Star-Sucking Great Art…….
“I will show you first when it's complete.”
“I'll look forward to it. Be careful of qi deviation.”
“Of course.”
Jin Cheon said as if it went without saying.
‘Yes, I have to be careful.’
If one were to name the biggest obstacle in creating a martial art, everyone would rank qi deviation as number one.
Internal martial arts were such that their effects varied greatly depending on where and how one circulated their true qi.
However, the human body is an extremely sensitive and mysterious thing, so circulating true qi arbitrarily would surely lead to irreversible consequences.
In other words, a person creating a martial art is taking a risk, using their own body as both collateral and a test subject.
‘But it's a different story with demonic arts.’
However, Jin Cheon was in a position quite free from the dangers of qi deviation, thanks to his Heavenly Demon’s Physique and the martial arts knowledge he had accumulated in the Demonic Prison.
It wasn't for nothing that he had readily laid his hands on a fearsome demonic art like the Star-Sucking Great Art.
That evening.
“Young Master, a message has arrived from the Cult Leader's Hall.”
“……!”
Upon hearing the news from Danmok Cheong, Jin Cheon shot up from his seat.
After almost a month of no word, he had finally been summoned by the Iron-Blooded Demonic God.
“I understand, I'll go right away.”
“I will escort you.”
Jin Cheon put everything aside and immediately headed for the Cult Leader's Hall.
***
“Long live, long live, ten thousand years to the Heavenly Demon's reign over the demonic world. I pay my respects to the Cult Leader.”
“Yes, how have you been?”
“I have been spending my time at the Demonic Scripture Pavilion, looking at various martial arts.”
“Is that so.”
The Iron-Blooded Demonic God nodded slightly, then asked Jin Cheon again.
“Have you read the History of the Divine Cult?”
“Yes, Your Holiness, the Cult Leader.”
“Your thoughts.”
“I learned that the Ancestral Master Heavenly Demon was not a demon from the beginning.”
When Jin Cheon honestly shared his thoughts, a smile appeared on the Iron-Blooded Demonic God's lips.
“You have seen correctly. Until his third reincarnation, he was a wise king and a hero, no matter what anyone said. It was only as he repeated his reincarnations that his soul wore down, and he eventually became unable to control his madness.”
“I think so as well.”
“Have you not learned anything from his early deeds?”
“I have learned that being born with the Heavenly Demon’s Physique does not mean one is destined to become a demon.”
“Excellent.”
The Iron-Blooded Demonic God looked at Jin Cheon proudly, as if satisfied.
“If you have learned that, it is enough. Your body is entirely your own. Not being swayed by your body and losing yourself, that is what is most important.”
“I will keep that in mind.”
“Then it is settled. Now I may impart my teachings to you.”
“……!”
“There are no martial arts in the Demonic Scripture Pavilion for you to learn.”
The Iron-Blooded Demonic God said flatly.
“The martial art you are to learn can only be taught by me.”
With a gesture of psychokinesis, the Iron-Blooded Demonic God handed him a truly thick manual.
“This is……”
Seeing the manual the Iron-Blooded Demonic God handed him, Jin Cheon was startled.
The manual, titled 'Heavenly Demon Scripture', was made of some kind of leather, its texture was eerie to the touch, and it was even emitting a faint demonic qi.
He could instinctively feel that it was a dangerous object that should not exist in the human world.
“It was created by the successive Heavenly Demons, starting from the First, using their own human skin.”
“……!”
“The martial art known to the world as the Heavenly Demon Divine Art is contained within this manual. From today, I intend to teach you the Heavenly Demon Scripture.”