Scholar Demon Venerable

Ten days had passed since he came to Kaifeng.

Despite strengthening the surveillance on the Hyeokryeon Manor, no special movements had been discovered yet.

'At this rate, I don't know how much longer it will take.'

When he thought about revenge, he wanted to attack right away.

But the fact that he didn't know who the most problematic guy was bothered him.

If he was not careful, things could go wrong because of that person.

'But I can't just kidnap and torture the people of the Hyeokryeon Manor.'

Moreover, the movements of the Hyeokryeon Manor were abnormal these days.

To thoroughly take revenge on them, it seemed he had to clarify that part for sure.

"I can't think of a good way."

[If it really doesn't work, we have no choice but to attack.]

"Perhaps that method is the best."

Cheongun was frustrated.

The Blood Emperor was also frustrated.

If he had his way, he would have twisted all their necks. He didn't know who the uncle Hyeokryeon Hui had mentioned was, but it seemed he could easily find out by twisting or threatening the Hyeokryeon Manor's master's neck.

But his thoughts and Cheongun's thoughts were a little different.

Cheongun was overly cautious.

But it wasn't that he lacked decisiveness either.

Once he made a decision, he handled things without any hesitation. That was why he had been trusting and waiting until now.

The Blood Emperor turned his gaze back to the pond and said.

[How much would you, who have only learned academics, know about stratagems? Don't blame yourself too much... Ah! Right.]

The Blood Emperor clapped his hands as if he had thought of something and said.

[Why don't you go and consult with your master? It's been a few days since you've seen him.]

The Wei Zhentian he had seen was a truly evil (?) person.

"That's a good idea. My master might have a good plan."

Cheongun also smiled brightly and replied.

He decided to visit his master, Wei Zhentian, at night.

* * *

A dark night when the moonlight was hidden by the clouds.

A light was on in the Xuexian Pavilion, located deep in the inner courtyard of the Tianxiang Academy.

It was the office of the owner of the Tianxiang Academy and Cheongun's master, Master Miaoqing, Wei Zhentian.

Inside, Cheongun, who had appeared at the beginning of the hour of hai, was talking with his master, Wei Zhentian.

Cheongun explained the current situation to his master, Wei Zhentian.

After hearing the whole story, Wei Zhentian first raised his teacup and moistened his throat.

Then he put down the teacup with a clack and looked at Cheongun and said.

"It's not a difficult matter."

"..."

"From ancient times, it has been said that using barbarians to control barbarians is the best of the best strategies."

Cheongun looked at his master.

Using barbarians to control barbarians.

It meant to control another enemy country by using the power of another country without using one's own power.

"Are you saying I should pressure the Hyeokryeon Manor by drawing in others?"

Cheongun felt his head clearing up.

"Since their power is growing rapidly, there will be many who are dissatisfied."

"Yes, according to the report, there are many voices concerned about the expansion of the Hyeokryeon Manor, and there are also several places whose scale has shrunk because they were pushed by them."

"If you use them, you will find a way."

"As expected of you, Master. If I pressure the Hyeokryeon Manor, their hidden power will be revealed."

The Blood Emperor also said with an expression that said, 'That's right!'

[That's right! In some form, those guys will reveal their power. The more you pressure them, the more certain it will be.]

Cheongun felt his frustrated chest clearing up.

It was his mistake.

He shouldn't have just watched all this time.

'I should have consulted with my master sooner.'

As expected of his master.

As Cheongun was feeling pleased, Wei Zhentian stood up from his seat and said.

"I have a place to go with you. Get up."

"Yes, Master."

Cheongun put on his bamboo hat and stood up from his seat.

Although it was late at night, someone might recognize him.

* * *

The official pavilion where the owner of the Tianxiang Academy worked was the Tianxiang Pavilion.

But since the current owner, Master Miaoqing, Wei Zhentian, was not using it, it was empty.

A light was on inside that Tianxiang Pavilion.

Although it had not been used for a long time, it was clean as if it had been cleaned regularly.

"In a week, I will move my residence here."

"I understand. I will come here next time I visit."

"Alright."

Wei Zhentian went to one wall where the bookshelves were lined up, and then slightly pulled a book on the top from the right end.

Click, geugeugeung,

'A mechanism?'

[Ho. There are all sorts of things.]

Cheongun and the Blood Emperor watched the mechanism move with curious eyes.

As Master Wei Zhentian pulled the book, one of the bookshelves next to it slid back.

Wei Zhentian went inside and gestured to Cheongun. It meant to follow him.

As Wei Zhentian and Cheongun entered, the bookshelf returned to its original state.

The passage was connected to the basement.

It seemed there was a secret facility in the basement of the building.

After going down the stairs for a while, a wide space appeared. Dozens of bookshelves were lined up in an orderly fashion.

Wei Zhentian strode over and sat at a table prepared in the center.

"Sit down."

"Yes, Master."

"Do you know what this place is for?"

"Is it a place to store secret documents or important books?"

"That's right. The books here are rare books, of which there are only a few left in the world."

Wei Zhentian said, looking around. His face was full of pride.

"What book is not precious, but there are rare books of which there are only a few. You can think of them as books that the Tianxiang Academy has purchased and collected over a long period of time."

The scale was by no means inferior to the Imperial Palace Armory. Of course, it was different from the Imperial Palace Armory, which was made up of martial arts books.

"But Master, why are we here...?"

Cheongun was curious. The reason why he had been brought here.

"Since this is a place where the books of the world gather, martial artists' manuals also come in from time to time."

"What?"

"Why are you surprised? Aren't martial arts books also books?"

That was true. To some, it would be a precious book that was one of a kind in the world, but to others, it was just a book.

"The reason I brought you here is to show you a book."

Wei Zhentian stood up from his seat, went to one place, and brought a box.

The box had a lock on it.

Wei Zhentian opened the lock with a key and pushed the box in front of Cheongun.

"Open it."

"Yes, Master."

Click.

Cheongun carefully opened the box.

Inside the box, there was a faded book.

Cheongun carefully picked up the book and looked at the cover.

"Gasp."

A breath of air came out on its own.

He raised his head and looked back at Wei Zhentian.

Wei Zhentian smiled brightly and said.

"Is it a book you know?"

"Yes, it is the book I was looking for."

"Really? That's great."

Cheongun looked down at the book in his hand.

'The Nine Dragon Demonic Mirror...'

Another volume of the Nine Dragon Demonic Mirror was in front of him.

The Blood Emperor also looked at the manual and his eyes lit up with an interested expression.

[It's the Blue Demonic Dragon.]

On the lower right of the cover, the words "Blue Demonic Dragon" were faintly written.

Cheongun looked at his master again and asked the part he was curious about.

"Master, but how is this book here?"

"It's a book that the Tianxiang Academy has kept for a long time. The time is not exact, but it's been a little less than three hundred years. One of the previous headmasters had saved a strange person. That person had given him the manual and asked him to burn it because it could stain the world with blood."

"But you didn't burn it."

"Isn't that obvious? If you entrust a scholar to burn a book, would he burn it? Hahaha."

Scholars are people who live with books their whole lives. It would not be an easy thing to burn a book that was a master, a family, and a friend.

"But since he knew that the book was not ordinary, he kept it separately. Since it was a monstrous thing that could stain the world with blood, he couldn't tell others about it."

The secret had been passed down only to the successive owners of the Tianxiang Academy. They had hidden it carefully because if it got into the ears of others, a bloody calamity could occur.

"Master. But why are you showing me this manual?"

"You are sometimes dense. Do you know that?"

"...I am sorry."

Although Cheongun had surpassed cleverness, he was not cunning.

To put it nicely, he was taciturn, and to put it badly, he was clueless.

"Since you've set foot in the martial world, shouldn't I, as your master, help you?"

"Thank you. But are you alright with a manual that could cause a bloody calamity?"

"A bloody calamity... Cheongun, there are many things that can harm people. What's the difference between the sword you are wearing and this manual? I think it's the same."

Wei Zhentian paused for a moment and then looked at Cheongun.

His two eyes were still overflowing with vitality. A smile appeared on his lips on its own.

"Both the manual and the sword are just tools. So depending on who uses those tools, a bloody calamity could occur, or people could be saved, couldn't they?"

"..."

Cheongun silently bowed his head.

Every word was correct.

The Blood Emperor, who was next to him, also nodded his head repeatedly.

Wei Zhentian gently held Cheongun's hand and continued to speak.

"I trust you."

"Yes, Master. I will never disappoint you."

"Hahaha. Then that's enough. If you say so, then it is so."

Cheongun looked down at the Blue Demonic Dragon.

He had obtained a fortunate encounter unexpectedly.

He still didn't know how outstanding a martial art the Blue Demonic Dragon of the Nine Dragon Demonic Mirror was. But wasn't it a manual he had been trying to find with the Blood Emperor?

The fact that three volumes of that manual, which was said to be able to shake the world, had come to him would by no means be a coincidence.

Cheongun thought there must be a reason for it.

Although he didn't know what the heavens wanted.

* * *

Two beggars stood in front of a mansion in the west gate wealthy village.

It was a mansion with a large plaque that said "Fengyun Manor."

There were no guards at the gate, and the gate was also firmly closed.

The beggar with shaggy hair said to the other beggar next to him.

"Is this it?"

"Yes, leader."

Those beggars were the king of the beggars of the world, the Beggars' Sect leader, the Mad Dog Divine Beggar, Yeom-ak, and the Drunken Beggar.

The Drunken Beggar was a disciple of Yeom-ak's master, the Nine-fingered Divine Beggar, and was also Yeom-ak's junior brother.

"Knock."

"But, are you really going to meet him?"

The Drunken Beggar said cautiously, looking at his expression.

He saw that Yeom-ak's two eyes were already full of irritation.

In the old days, he would have immediately broken down the door, gone in, beaten everyone like a dog, and then talked slowly. But after becoming the leader, his patience had grown. It was a very strange thing.

In addition, he still had his reason, so he answered his question.

"Uh. I can't stand it anymore."

"Uh... think again... alright! Alright!"

The Drunken Beggar had to nod his head vigorously without even finishing his words because of the leader who was glaring at him with his eyes flashing, about to eat him.

If he went one step further here, they would all die that day.

In the end, he went to the main gate and kicked the main gate with his foot.

"Hey! Is anyone there!"

After knocking for a long time, a young man came out.

It was Cheongun.

"Who is it?"

"Don't you know by looking? A beggar."

"I see. If it's for alms, please wait a moment. I will bring out something to eat from inside."

"Thank you."

The Drunken Beggar even bowed deeply.

He had hit the jackpot today.

Usually, when beggars begged in this wealthy village, they didn't do it at the main gate.

The rich always disliked beggars coming to the main gate, saying it was not good for the appearance. Because of that, if they went to the back gate and waited, the servants would give them something to eat on their own.

But today, he was very happy to receive alms at the main gate.

But the joy was brief,

Thwack!

A fire flashed on the Drunken Beggar's butt.