Scholar Demon Venerable

A man lay in the dark space. It was Cheongun.

He was naked, without a single thread on him.

A faint light flowed from his body, illuminating the surroundings.

[It's been five days, how much longer does he have to be like this?]

The Blood Emperor looked down at Cheongun with worried eyes.

There was nothing particularly wrong with Cheongun. He just hadn't regained consciousness.

Since he didn't know the exact cause, the Blood Emperor had no choice but to just watch.

[Phew, to undergo bone and marrow cleansing three times...]

The blue dragon and the blood dragon had fused and seeped in, and many changes had occurred in his body.

His height had grown even taller, his muscles and bones had become stronger, and his muscles had become as tough as the leg muscles of a Kun, which was said to be fine even if it fell into a volcano.

[This guy, won't he become a monster when he wakes up?]

He suddenly became curious.

Physically, he already had the best conditions.

Seeing that he had muttered the highest-level passage of the Heavenly Mandate Divine Art, it seemed he had also gained some deep enlightenment.

The Blood Emperor was curious about what kind of enlightenment Cheongun had gained.

Perhaps that monster-like guy had even established a new martial art while realizing the passage.

* * *

While Cheongun was unconscious for five days, there was a commotion outside.

For the first two or three days, even if Cheongun's figure was not seen, they thought he was late because he was reading a manual.

Scholars sometimes forgot to eat and drink when they were engrossed in books.

But when he didn't come out even after five days, they had no choice but to report it.

Da Yingban Feng Tianhu and an old eunuch came running.

"What happened?"

Xiaojian Jeong wiped his tears as he looked at the firmly closed stone gate. It was because something might have happened to Cheongun.

"Your Excellency. Sob sob sob."

He burst into tears at the surging sorrow. His appearance was haggard, his eunuch's hat had fallen to the floor and was rolling around, and his two eyes were swollen from crying so much.

"Who died?"

"Yes... sob sob. M-my benefactor... huh?"

Xiaojian Jeong was startled and turned his head to where the voice had come from.

Xiaojian Jeong's two eyes, which were shedding tears like chicken droppings, widened like a startled rabbit's.

He must have been so happy that he was out of his mind at that time.

"Your Excellency!"

Xiaojian Jeong ran and hugged Cheongun tightly.

Then he burst into tears again and cried sorrowfully.

"Oh, what's wrong? What happened?"

Cheongun, who felt pity at Xiaojian Jeong's appearance, gently wrapped his arms around Xiaojian Jeong's back and patted him.

At that moment, the sound of a breath of air was heard.

"Gasp."

"You bastard! What are you doing!"

"Samwon! How could you do such an outrageous thing..."

Cheongun knew they were there, but he didn't pay much attention.

But the old eunuch, whose face had turned red, stepped forward and got angry at Cheongun.

"Samwon. Won't you let go of that child right now!"

"Samwon. You shouldn't do that."

Feng Tianhu also stepped forward and said.

Cheongun released his arm that was wrapped around Xiaojian Jeong's shoulder and turned around.

"It's been a while."

Cheongun didn't know that they had come because of him. He also didn't know that several days had passed.

The Blood Emperor hadn't told him the time.

He had just barely regained consciousness, and he had heard crying from outside.

Cheongun had come out wondering what was going on. And he had only comforted Xiaojian Jeong because he was crying.

But why are they acting like that?

"...What do you mean?"

Cheongun made a puzzled expression at the momentum of Feng Tianhu and the eunuch.

"Won't you get rid of that hideous thing right now!"

"Ahem. Samwon, please put on some clothes."

Only then did Cheongun realize that he was not wearing a single thread.

"Gasp! Oh, I was training and..."

He made an awkward expression and put on the clothes on the stone table.

As Cheongun put on his clothes, the eunuch, who had been staring at him, gritted his teeth and pushed Cheongun.

"No matter how much of a Samwon you are, how dare you touch a eunuch? Do you think you'll be safe?"

"What are you talking about? Touch?"

"Hmph. Are you going to play dumb? There's a witness here!"

"What witness?"

At Cheongun's expression, which really didn't know what he was talking about, the old eunuch burst into anger.

"Hohoho. I thought you were a great genius because you were a Samwon, but you're wearing a human mask."

"Your words are excessive."

"Alright! No matter how much you receive the Emperor's favor, I won't end it like this! What are you doing! Xiaojian Jeong, come here."

Xiaojian Jeong hesitated and went to where the old eunuch was.

The old eunuch glared at Cheongun again and then turned around.

Feng Tianhu, who had been watching from the side, smiled awkwardly and said.

"Samwon, I'll take my leave for today. By the way, I didn't know you had such a taste. Hahaha."

Cheongun tilted his head as he looked at Feng Tianhu, who had turned around with a meaningful smile.

The old eunuch glared at Cheongun and then left with Xiaojian Jeong.

Xiaojian Jeong also glanced back and followed him.

Cheongun said a word out of pity.

"Don't worry. I'll take responsibility. So trust me and rest assured, Xiaojian Jeong."

The old eunuch's shoulders trembled, and he strode away.

"Eiiiing..."

* * *

Light flowed in from all directions, brightly illuminating the dark stone chamber.

The technique of bringing light down to the basement using mirrors was like a miracle rarely seen in the human world.

Two men sat opposite each other with a stone table between them.

One man was Cheongun, and the other man was Da Yingban Feng Tianhu.

They stared at each other heavily for a while.

The awkward silence was not very long. The person who was in a hurry was bound to speak first.

"Samwon. You must have met with a fortunate encounter."

"It's nothing to be called a fortunate encounter."

At Cheongun's words, Feng Tianhu narrowed his eyes and examined Cheongun.

His tall height and skin that shone like white jade were different from Cheongun's first appearance.

His hair had a black sheen. He glanced to see if he had applied any oil, but he hadn't applied anything.

His skin also had no blemishes. He had thought he was wearing makeup, but that wasn't it either.

His body had also changed beyond recognition.

There was only one reason for a sudden change in muscles and bones.

"By any chance... did you undergo bone and marrow cleansing?"

"No."

"Is that so? Strange. You've changed a lot from when I examined you before..."

Such a drastic change in the body can only be bone and marrow cleansing. It could also change like this if one received the Cleansing Grand Art and removed the waste from the body, but who would perform the Cleansing Grand Art on Cheongun here?

Still, he had to confirm.

Feng Tianhu asked Cheongun again.

"By any chance, has anyone else entered this place?"

"No."

"Really? By any chance, did the people from the Eastern Depot not come?"

"I have never seen anyone from the Eastern Depot. How could they enter this place?"

At Cheongun's words, Feng Tianhu smirked.

"Why, isn't there one? Xiaojian Jeong, I mean."

"What do you mean? Are you saying that Xiaojian Jeong is from the Eastern Depot?"

"Ah! I should tell you that story too. Xiaojian Jeong was transferred to the Eastern Depot this time. So he's from the Eastern Depot now. He looks so young, but he's ten years older. He's older than you, you know? Hehe."

Feng Tianhu stared at Cheongun and still examined something.

Cheongun felt bad at the sticky, strange energy. He wanted to shout at him right away, but he endured it because the opponent was the Da Yingban, the head of the Jinyiwei.

"That's something to congratulate."

"Is that so? I thought you would be disappointed?"

"What's there to be disappointed about when he's been promoted? It's a good thing when an acquaintance does well."

"Hahaha. Is that so? Even though you won't be able to see Xiaojian Jeong for a while?"

For a moment, Cheongun's brow furrowed.

A bad thought crossed his mind. It sounded like he was saying he would eliminate Xiaojian Jeong, who knew the secret.

"Da Yingban. I'm sure I said he was my person."

"Hehe. I know well. I'm well aware of it because of this incident."

Feng Tianhu reassured Cheongun.

Although the direction he was thinking was slightly, no, very different.

"Then why can't I see him?"

"Tsk tsk tsk. No matter how much you want to see him..."

Feng Tianhu clicked his tongue and looked at Cheongun as if he were pathetic. Then he solved Cheongun's curiosity.

"When you become a member of the Eastern Depot, you have to train. You have to train in a certain place. Usually, they are selected and taught from a young age, but it's an exceptional case that Xiaojian Jeong, who is older, was selected."

"So that's the reason. That's a relief. Since he seems to be doing well, I can see him later."

Cheongun also knew that the Eastern Depot was a secret organization that protected the imperial family. Since he knew that various special benefits were given, he thought it was a good thing for Xiaojian Jeong.

But Feng Tianhu brought up a strange story.

"Hahaha. I have nothing to say about your taste, but be careful because the rumors might get dirty. Ahem."

"I clearly said it was a misunderstanding."

"Hahaha. I know. I understand everything."

The situation that day was something that anyone would misunderstand.

'Haa, this is really...'

At that moment, Feng Tianhu erased the playful look from his face and opened his mouth.

"By the way, why haven't you given me the martial art I told you about?"

"I couldn't find it. I searched all the bookshelves in the place you told me, but there was no manual with that name."

"Really?"

"If you don't believe me, let's go in together and see."

At Cheongun's words, Feng Tianhu stood up as if he were about to rush in.

But he couldn't act on it.

No matter how much of a Jinyiwei Da Yingban he was, he could not enter the Imperial Palace Armory without the Emperor's permission.

"Don't tell me... you hid it?"

"I don't know how great a martial art it is, but what would I do by hiding a manual that says 'Demonic Mirror'? Can't you see that there are amazing manuals rolling around here?"

"Umm."

A look of bewilderment appeared on Feng Tianhu's face.

The Nine Dragon Demonic Mirror was of no value to those who didn't know it. It just had contents that were like a story that was grasping at clouds.

Cheongun, who was a scholar, would not know about it.

Then where on earth is the Nine Dragon Demonic Mirror?

At that moment, Cheongun slyly tested Feng Tianhu.

"What kind of manual is it that you're acting like this?"

"You don't need to know."

"I still have a few days left. I could give up everything else and look for it during the remaining time."

Feng Tianhu relaxed his heavily frowning face.

"Really?"

"There's nothing I can't do for you. Instead... please buy me a year's time."

"A year? Don't tell me you're going to stay here for another year?"

"How could that be? When I leave this place, His Majesty the Emperor will immediately order me to carry out his command. I'm asking you to postpone that for a year. I'm still inexperienced in martial arts, so I need time to train."

Feng Tianhu's startled expression relaxed.

"Ah! I know what you mean. Martial arts is not something where you become a master just by memorizing a manual."

Cheongun did not give Feng Tianhu time to think and pushed him.

"Da Yingban, what will you do?"

"Alright. But I will get permission on the condition that you find the Nine Dragon Demonic Mirror."

Feng Tianhu accepted Cheongun's proposal. The Nine Dragon Demonic Mirror was a necessary item for him.

"I understand. I will also do my best to find it."

After Feng Tianhu returned, the Blood Emperor said to Cheongun, who was left alone.

[Well done. In a year, you'll be able to learn a few of the martial arts you've memorized.]

"But what is the Nine Dragon Demonic Mirror that he's so greedy for?"