"Fighting Demon, Fighting Demon..."
A middle-aged man with a cold impression muttered.
Even though he was sitting comfortably leaning back in his chair, he was exuding a chilling aura that made the people sitting opposite him hold their breath.
He was a figure between the Orthodox and Demonic factions, who had not set foot in either, and he was called the Battle Ghost, Zuo Gu'e.
"How much do you know about the Fighting Demon?"
Zuo Gu'e asked.
"I know as much as what is rumored in the world."
The leader of the Ghost Blade Sect answered.
"I heard he was great in the past, but now he's just a sick tiger with all his claws and teeth pulled out."
That was Yang Gatae's answer.
But the corners of Zuo Gu'e's mouth, who was listening to the two's answers, curled up slightly.
"Have you heard of the Flowing Cloud Sword?"
"Are you talking about Liu Yantuo of Yeqing, Guizhou?"
When the leader of the Ghost Blade Sect asked back, Zuo Gu'e nodded.
"That's right. If you compare him and the Qi Heaven Sword Guest, who is stronger?"
"I know it's the Qi Heaven Sword Guest. The Flowing Cloud Sword is at the beginning of the ultimate realm, so he can barely exert gang qi, and I heard that the Qi Heaven Sword Guest is quite free."
"That's right. It's probably something like that. But, do you know that the Fighting Demon, who defeated the Qi Heaven Sword Guest, was once covered in blood against the Flowing Cloud Sword?"
"What?"
The leader of the Ghost Blade Sect widened his eyes.
"He had faced the Flowing Cloud Sword a few days before facing the Qi Heaven Sword Guest. At that time, the Fighting Demon was driven to the brink of death. But when he faced the stronger Qi Heaven Sword Guest, it was completely different. Why was that?"
"......!"
"......?"
"I once saw the Fighting Demon facing the Fire Demon Lord. He was very skilled in application and irregularity. It means that the experience of facing the Flowing Cloud Sword became a great stepping stone for facing the Qi Heaven Sword Guest. In just one fight, he had found a way to face an ultimate master to his heart's content. In other words, as you said, even if all his claws and teeth are pulled out, he will find another way. Now, let me ask. Who was defeated before you came to me?"
At Zuo Gu'e's sharp question, Yang Gatae cringed, and the answer was from the leader of the Ghost Blade Sect.
"It was the Ghost Blade of Emei Mountain."
"You made a foolish choice. You rushed in thinking he was a tiger with all his claws and teeth pulled out, and you were defeated in one blow, right?"
"......Yes."
When Zuo Gu'e spoke as if he had watched the fight of that day right in front of them, the two could not hide their surprise.
"Tsk, tsk! You pathetic fools. The martial arts world is a place where your neck can be cut even by a blind sword, and even if only the skin is left, a tiger is a tiger. You should have prepared thoroughly."
Zuo Gu'e, who had clicked his tongue and rebuked them sharply, got up from his chair.
"To catch the Fighting Demon, you need preparation. Since he is skilled in irregularity, you must prepare even more irregularity."
A deep confidence appeared on the corners of Zuo Gu'e's mouth as he looked down at the two.
'That's it! This person can kill that old man. After that, well... uhuhuhu!'
It was when Yang Gatae was smiling slyly.
"By any chance, the Fighting Demon isn't raising a disciple, is he?"
Zuo Gu'e asked.
"He is."
"He is?"
At Yang Gatae's answer, Zuo Gu'e's face was distorted.
But Yang Gatae smiled.
"He's just a kid who's about five or six."
"Really?"
"Yes. He's the only one, so you don't have to worry."
"Good. Very good! It seems all the situations are telling the Fighting Demon to die."
Zuo Gu'e smiled, revealing his white teeth.
***
"This is from your master."
"This is a gift from your grandfather."
After finishing breakfast, when he was about to go to Hua Sochen, Old Man Ban and Jeok Yorap called him and took out two sets of clothes in order.
"Are these my clothes?"
A look of "no way" was full on Cho Myung's face as he asked.
"You rascal, do this grandfather and your master have anyone else besides you?"
When Jeok Yorap said with a bright smile, Cho Myung carefully held the two sets of clothes, hugged them, and then teared up.
He hadn't been like this when Hua Sochen had given him clothes.
It seemed that he had a special affection for his grandfather and master, and when the two had bought him new clothes like his real parents, the thought of his parents had come to mind.
"Thank you."
"You're a big boy, why are you crying? Stop it and try them on quickly."
"Okay."
Cho Myung tried on the gorgeous-looking clothes first.
He took off the clothes he was wearing.
At this time, a look of surprise appeared on the faces of Old Man Ban and Jeok Yorap, who were watching the scene.
Cho Myung's face and height looked like a thirteen or fourteen-year-old child at a glance.
Nevertheless, the muscles that had settled all over his body were surprisingly well-developed.
It was probably because he had gone through the bone and marrow cleansing repeatedly, but that was not all. It was evidence that showed how hard Cho Myung had been training.
Cho Myung, who had taken off all his clothes without knowing that the two were surprised, first put on the clothes that Old Man Ban had bought.
It was a set of clothes where the blue color of the sea and the red color of the sunset were well harmonized.
"It's wonderful. Seeing that it suits you well, Myung, it seems your master has an excellent eye."
Jeok Yorap smiled with satisfaction.
Cho Myung looked around and smiled brightly.
"Do you like it?"
"Yes."
"Then you should greet your master."
"Yes. Thank you very much, master."
When Cho Myung bowed, Old Man Ban smiled with satisfaction.
"It's a gift for Myung's hard training."
"I'll work harder. Hehehe."
"Okay."
"You rascal, try on your grandfather's gift quickly too."
"Okay."
When Jeok Yorap spoke like a nagging child, Cho Myung took off the clothes he was wearing, placed them neatly on the bed, and then changed into the clothes that Jeok Yorap had bought.
They fit well enough, but they were ordinary clothes that could often be seen on children playing in the market.
"I just picked them out because I don't have an eye for these things, but since it's the first gift from your grandfather, wear them well."
"Yes. Thank you."
Cho Myung bowed.
The clothes that his master had bought were good, but the clothes that his grandfather had bought were also really good. So the smile did not leave Cho Myung's face as he turned his body here and there.
"Hehehe!"
"You rascal, do you like it that much?"
"Yes, I like it. I like it very much."
It was clearly revealed on his face that he really liked it.
Jeok Yorap and Old Man Ban were satisfied with that sight.
"You can go now."
"Yes. I'll be back."
Cho Myung ran off as if he were flying, with an excited look.
He ran to Hua Sochen's office in one go, flung open the door, and went inside, and Hua Sochen turned around in surprise.
"You scared me, you surprised me."
"Ah, I'm sorry."
"Weren't you not coming from today?"
"My master said so. He said that you have to repeat whatever you learn. I'm going to read the medical book again. I'll read it again from the beginning, and again, and again, and again."
Hua Sochen smiled brightly.
"You're admirable. Come and sit here."
"Okay."
Cho Myung approached with a bright smile.
But he did not sit down right away and just stood there, staring.
"Why, do you have something else to say?"
"Ah, no."
A look of disappointment appeared on Cho Myung's face.
"Then sit down quickly, the books are all here on the table."
"Okay."
Cho Myung answered without energy, like a dejected person, and sat down in the chair. And it was the moment he reached for the book.
A full smile was drawn on Hua Sochen's lips.
"It suits you well."
"......?"
"Myung is lucky. To have a grandfather and a master who buy you new clothes."
Only then did Cho Myung, who had a broad smile on his lips, begin to talk excitedly.
"Hehe, I like it. My grandfather bought this for me. I have another set in Longevity Hall, and my master bought that for me."
"They bought you two sets?"
"Yes."
"You must be really happy."
"Heehee, I'm really, really happy."
Cho Myung, who was excited as if he had never been disappointed.
Hua Sochen thought of her younger brother Hua Yunhui as she looked at such a Cho Myung.
Unlike her, her younger brother had been very excited about even a small gift like the one in front of her now. He would literally jump for joy and run around the clinic, boasting to everyone he met.
She didn't know it then, but she knew it now.
That time was happy.
No, that living like that was happiness.
That just having parents and a grandfather to whom she could complain that studying medicine was difficult and hard was a happiness that could not be exchanged for anything.
"Myung."
"Yes?"
"Be good to your grandfather and master."
"Okay."
"Do you know what it means to be good to them?"
"To listen to them well and to work hard at everything."
"That's right. That's it. It doesn't matter if you're not good at it. You just have to work hard. Then the two of them will be very happy."
"Okay."
"Since Myung is a good and brave boy, you'll do well at everything."
"Hehe."
When Hua Sochen stroked his head, he let out a happy laugh.
An hour later.
Cho Myung took his basket and headed to the mountains.
Cho Myung, who had put his basket in his bosom, began to cross the mountains at a high speed.
He had trained his footwork by running at full speed.
Although the martial arts manual that Old Man Ban had written had said to train by running down the mountain slope at full speed, Cho Myung trained by running at full speed regardless of whether he was going down, up, or on flat ground.
When he passed through a place where the trees were dense, every single tree branch that got in his way felt like an attack from an enemy.
He would avoid them by lowering his posture or by making a sharp turn.
Of course, his speed slowed down.
But as time passed, he was getting faster and faster.
He still did not have the leisure to train his dynamic visual acuity.
But as long as he did not stop, it was clear that such a leisure would come someday.
After running around three or four mountains for an hour.
Cho Myung, who had passed through the forest, saw a rock the size of a house and did not slow down, but kicked the ground with all his might and leaped powerfully.
A sharp wind hit his ears.
The moment he was about to get closer to the sun, he began to fall.
And soon his two feet touched the ground.
Thud!
A heavy echo.
Cho Myung looked back.
The rock the size of a house was still there.
"I finally jumped over it..."
A look of pride appeared on Cho Myung's face.
He had even jumped over a rock the size of a house.
Courage!
He might be able to defeat the red-eyed demon today.
Cho Myung ran to the valley.
Cho Myung, who had run in one go, smelling the sweet scent that was wafting from the entrance of the valley, ran straight into the cave where the demon lived as soon as it appeared.
"I'm here!"
As he shouted confidently and rushed in, the demon attacked by striking down as usual.
Cho Myung, who had quickly avoided it to the side, went straight for the demon's body.
Thud! Thud, thud, thud, thud!
The demon's striking attacks quickened.
Cho Myung, who was running at full speed, avoided the demon's attacks with the same body movements he had used to avoid the tree branches and approached quickly.
Thud, thud, thud, thud! Thud, thud, thud, thud!
The demon's attacks to stop Cho Myung became more and more fierce and violent.
Cho Myung, who was moving as if he were going crazy, approached step by step.
And at some point, he had almost reached the pitch-black body that was presumed to be the demon's body.
Cho Myung, who had clenched his fist and was about to strike with all his might, was drawn by some unknown instinct and flinched.
At that moment, the demon with a white face and red eyes spat something from its mouth.
Cho Myung reflexively raised his arm to block it.
Something sticky touched his arm.
"Ugh! What's this?"
He swung his arm to shake it off.
But the sticky thread that was stuck to his arm did not come off and became taut.
The surprised Cho Myung stepped back and pulled with all his might. But the sticky thread just became more taut and did not break. Rather, in that gap, the demon's striking attack fell.
"Ugh?"
The startled Cho Myung ran with all his might.
As his heart sank without him realizing it and he ran with all his might, the Immortal Demonic Aura in his body reacted twice as fast as usual.
Screech! Screech!
The demon, which was supported by the hard rock, was dragged along.
"Kyaaaak!"
The demon, which was struggling even more not to be dragged.
Cho Myung, who was even more surprised by the demon's scream, ran towards the outside in a fit. At that moment, the sticky thread that was connecting the two snapped. Cho Myung, who had suddenly become free, was thrown forward as if he were about to fall and ran out of the cave even faster.
"You bastard! What is this!"
Cho Myung, who had come outside, was wary of the cave and at the same time examined the thread-like thing that was stuck to his arm.
Surprisingly, as soon as it touched the sunlight, it quickly dried up and came off easily.
Cho Myung, who had brushed his arm as if it were dirty, glared at the cave and then turned his steps.
"But do I have to just avoid it? I want to hit too."
Cho Myung muttered as he ate four fist-sized dumplings for lunch.
The point was whether he had to just avoid it while approaching the demon's body.
Cho Myung kept thinking.
There was no point in just avoiding it like now. To defeat the evil people who were trying to interfere with his happiness, he also had to throw a strong punch and knock them down.
It seemed he could throw a punch while avoiding the demon's attacks.
The important thing here was not just to throw a punch. He had to throw a punch with the energy in his body.
"Let's train again!"
Cho Myung suddenly shot up.
From now on, it seemed he had to change the way he trained a little.
To run at full speed and throw a strong punch while avoiding the tree branches.
The punch that had broken the log in one blow.
If the people of the Hua Family Clinic had known that Cho Myung was thinking this, it would have been a great surprise.
Because to have such a question and to think about it, and to go one step further, was beyond the scope of an ordinary five-year-old child.
This meant that Cho Myung was not only growing physically but also mentally.
"Let's go, let's do it again!"
Cho Myung ran excitedly.
It was to train again.
(End of Chapter)