NOVEL WEB Chapter 7 - Demonic Arts (2)
Chapter 7: Demonic Arts (2)
At this point, it wasn’t like I could suddenly confess, “Actually, I’m a bad person!”
Clinging to my last hope, I asked my Master, “Then can I know what martial arts are available and their respective side effects?”
“That’s a good question. I was just about to explain that. First, there’s the Explosive Demon Sword Arts (爆裂魔羅劍法). When mastered, its destructive power can even demolish mountain peaks.”
“What are the side effects?”
“The higher your mastery, the more yang energy builds up in your body. Often, you’ll lose your rationality to uncontrollable rage.”
I nodded at my Master’s words.
‘So it causes anger management disorder.’
It was likely to be a real anger management disorder, not the selective kind we often encounter in our daily lives.
‘This is definitely something I shouldn’t learn.’
Unlike selective anger, genuine rage is indiscriminate.
You’d ignore stronger opponents and dangerous, trap-like situations, charging in blindly and practically courting death.
“What other martial arts are there?”
“Hmm. How about the White Hand Demonic Art (素手魔功)? When mastered, it’s a formidable ice art capable of instantly freezing an entire area.”
“And its side effects?”
“Unfortunately for a man to learn this art, he must accumulate yin energy by maintaining his virginity. Moreover, as the yin energy builds up, sexual desire grows increasingly intense.”
“What happens if one can’t overcome that desire…?”
“If you succumb even once, you’ll become a sex demon, relentlessly ravishing women until all your yang energy is depleted. And then, you die from exhaustion.”
“…”
While I was speechless, my Master kindly continued explaining other arts.
“Come to think of it, this art might suit you. It’s called the Mad Soul Sword Arts (狂魂劍法). Its unpredictable movements surpass even the Central Plains’ Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique.”
“…What are the side effects?”
With no expectation left, I watched my Master calmly stroke his beard and replied, “It’s said that as one’s skill deepens, one begins to experience auditory and visual hallucinations.”
“…”
This time, it was schizophrenia.
***
After that, various other Demonic Arts were introduced: Thunder Emperor Demonic Fist (雷黃魔拳), Demonic Wind Shura Blade Art (風魔修羅刀法), Demonic Spirit Legs (魔靈脚), and more.
And the accompanying aftereffects were equally diverse: depression, mania, anorexia, multiple personality disorder, and so on.
‘I have to choose from these options?’
It was unclear whether I was choosing a martial art or a mental illness.
Amidst this, a question arose.
“Master, I have a question.”
“Speak.”
“Have you mastered all these Demonic Arts yourself?”
Over ten arts had been listed. If he mastered them all, my Master should be suffering from more than ten mental illnesses. A walking mental ward, a powder keg ready to explode at any moment considering his high level of mastery.
Catching my implied concern, my Master stroked his beard and laughed.
“Hahaha. Don’t worry. The arts this old man has mastered are the Heavenly Demon Divine Arts (天魔神功) and the Blood Shadow Eighteen Swords (血影十八劍). The others were learned after mastering the Heavenly Demon Divine Arts solely to teach others.”
“Do the side effects of other Demonic Arts disappear if one masters the Heavenly Demon Divine Arts?”
“The Heavenly Demon Divine Arts is the most difficult and dangerous of all Demonic Arts. Once you master it and achieve Transcendence (脫魔), you can overcome the side effects of any Demonic Art. However, it’s exclusively for the cult leader. You cannot learn it unless you become the leader.”
“Then, did you master the Blood Shadow Eighteen Swords before mastering the Heavenly Demon Divine Arts?”
“Indeed. However, I cannot pass down the Blood Shadow Eighteen Swords to you either.”
Seeing my puzzled expression, my Master elaborated, “It’s a secret technique of the Hyeokryeon Sword Clan, my family. Even though I’ve become the Heavenly Demon, I could not arbitrarily teach a family art meant only for direct descendants to an outsider.”
Ultimately, the two arts my Master had most deeply mastered were unavailable to me.
I felt a slight disappointment, but there was a more important issue, so I asked another question.
“But must one master the Heavenly Demon Divine Arts to overcome the side effects of Demonic Arts?”
If one couldn’t become a Heaven Demon, they’d have to live with mental illness forever. What could be more terrifying than that?
Fortunately, my Master shook his head.
“Broadly speaking, there are three stages of mastery in the Demonic Arts. The first stage, known as Tainted (入魔), is the state when one begins learning Demonic Arts. Then came the second one, Extremity (極魔). In that state, the side effects of the arts reached its peak. Finally, when one is able to overcome the demonic influence and break free from it, they achieve Transcendence (脫魔). Starting from the first stage, the side effects worsen as your mastery increases. However, like all things in the world, what fills must empty. After reaching the stage of Extremity, you will become more free from the side effects of the Demonic Art as your mastery becomes increasingly perfect.”
My Master spoke as if overcoming the side effects was easy, but I wasn’t easily fooled.
With years of experience in dealing with people, how could such wordplay deceive me?
“What happens if, at the Extremity stage, one fails to gain further enlightenment and becomes consumed by the side effects?”
The transition from Extremity to Transcendence wasn’t achieved through mere breathing exercises. There was a clear stipulation to that: “When one reaches a higher state of mastery.”
This meant that, at the height of mental illness, you had to reach a higher level through training and enlightenment.
Easier said than done. It seemed likely that most would succumb and become mentally ill.
But to my question, my Master merely stroked his beard and uttered nonsense.
“Hahaha. That’s why I chose you, with your exceptional talent and upright character. You will undoubtedly achieve Transcendence.”
“…”
At my Master’s irresponsible words, I made a dumbfounded expression. Perhaps embarrassed, he changed the subject.
“Ahem. I’ve explained enough. Choose. Which Demonic Art will you learn?”
It sounded more like “shut up and choose.”
And sadly, rejection wasn’t an option.
So, which mental illness should I choose?
After pondering briefly, I carefully opened my mouth.
***
While listening to Master’s explanation, I realized several things.
The most peculiar aspect was the concept of mastery in Demonic Arts.
‘It doesn’t seem to refer to the usual stages of cultivation.’
It wasn’t a concept in which reaching the Extreme stage meant freely controlling energy or achieving Transcendence meant reaching a level similar to the Enlightened Being of orthodox sects.
Tainted, Extremity, and Transcendence referred solely to the mastery level of the specific Demonic Art being practiced, similar to how Mount Hua’s Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique had stages like Three Stars, Seven Stars, Ten Stars, and Grand Completion.
Ultimately, it meant one could become stronger by mastering a more potent Demonic Art and achieving Transcendence. The problem was that the more powerful the art, the more severe its side effects, making Transcendence harder.
Judging by how my Master mastered the Blood Shadow Eighteen Swords before the Heavenly Demon Divine Arts, it seemed possible to master a weaker art, achieve Transcendence, and then move on to a stronger one.
Thus, I carefully asked, “Among the Demonic Arts you mentioned, could you identify the more difficult and powerful ones and the easier but weaker ones?”
Stroking his beard, my Master replied, “The power and difficulty of the arts I mentioned are similar. Excluding the Heavenly Demon Divine Arts, they are all among the best in our sect.”
“…”
Why do I have to start with the most difficult ones from the beginning?!
That outcry echoed in my mind, but I calmed myself and asked again, “Since I’m starting Demonic Arts at a late age, wouldn’t it be better to begin with something safer?”
“Why waste time? If you have the talent to learn superior demonic arts, learning lower-level ones would be nothing but a waste of time. You are certainly capable of mastering them, so trust this old man and make your choice.”
Damn. It’s a checkmate.
Pressing for easier arts would imply distrusting my Master.
As if confirming my fear, my Master’s and Jin Hayeon’s gazes grew colder.
Cornered by my own words, my mind raced.
Survival and a peaceful life were paramount.
Naturally, the first art that came to mind was the White Hand Demonic Arts, dubbed as the Virgin Boy Art.
There were quite a few negative preconceptions about the Virgin Boy Art, but in my opinion, it wasn’t such a bad martial art.
That is if the Virgin Boy Art also had the effect of reducing sexual desire.
You wouldn’t have to try to look good for the opposite sex, nor would you have to give up anything for romance or marriage. Perhaps there was no better martial art than the Virgin Boy Art for a peaceful life.
Unfortunately, the White Hand Demonic Art’s side effect was the opposite, requiring celibacy yet increasing desire—torture, essentially.
The other options were equally undesirable: rage issues, schizophrenia, depression, and mania—all recipes for a shortened lifespan in the dangerous world of martial arts.
After careful consideration, I made my choice.
“Master, I wish to learn the Soul-Stealing Heartless Sword (奪魂無情劍).”
The heartless sword that steals souls.
Judging by the name alone, one might expect its side effect to be becoming an emotionless psychopath, but its side effect was different.
“The Soul-Stealing Heartless Sword. As I explained, it’s side effect is obsessive-compulsive disorder, an inability to overlook even trivial matters. Are you certain you wish to learn it?”
The side effect: obsessive-compulsive personality disorder.
An inability to tolerate ambiguity, experiencing excessive stress until even the smallest flaw is rectified.
Such individuals were often called perfectionists.
‘As a martial artist, this art seems to offer the highest survival rate.’
Constantly calculating risks and striving for perfection seemed far safer than the alternatives.
“Yes, I will learn the Soul-Stealing Heartless Sword.”
As I gave my firm answer, Master stroked his beard while looking at me strangely.
“Well then, today we’ll start by learning the forms of several basic movements of the Soul-Stealing Heartless Sword, followed by the internal energy cultivation method. Once you’ve mastered the forms and accumulated sufficient internal energy, we’ll learn how to incorporate that energy into the movements.”
“Understood.”
“Then, I shall fetch a sword, Lord Heavenly Demon.”
“Hahaha. This old man has his own sword, just bring one for Il-mok to use.”
“As you command.”
Jin Hayeon bowed deeply and left before returning shortly with a sword.
Receiving it, I felt its unexpected weight.
Shing!
As I grasped the sword hilt with my left hand and drew the sword from the sheath, I involuntarily froze.
‘Holy fuck.’
The blade that emerged was obviously honed to a terrifying sharpness.
“A-are we starting with a real sword from the beginning?”
Both Jin Hayeon and Master looked at me as if I’d said something absurd.
“You are learning an art used to kill others, what else would one use aside from a real sword?”
“But… shouldn’t we start with a wooden sword? I’m not used to swords yet. I might accidentally cut myself or something else.”
“I’m aware that the Orthodox hypocrites give wooden swords to their young disciples with such excuses. However, since you’ll ultimately be wielding a sword to kill others, worrying about injuring yourself is also hypocrisy. Being resolved to kill others means acknowledging that you too might die. How can you learn martial arts without even that level of determination?”
It was as if they were asking if I was also the same as those cowardly hypocrites from the orthodox sects.
“Hahaha. Y-you’re right. I-I was mistaken due to rumors I heard in the Central Plains.”
“Hahaha. Pay no mind to the nonsense of the unbelievers in the Central Plains.”
“I shall do as you say.”
I had a foreboding feeling that something terrible would happen if I didn’t.