AR Chapter 59

As far as I know, there are two ways to avoid being detected for putting the Blood Eye Essence in my eyes.

The first method is Complete Body Transformation^[1]. When the body completely changes, it becomes impossible to tell that the Blood Eye Essence was put in. This method is as difficult as achieving grand mastery of the Nine Calamities Demonic Arts, so it’s not worth considering right now.

The second method is to change only my eyes, not my entire body.

Can eyes be changed, you ask?

Yes, they can. There is exactly one person in this era who can change my eyes. What’s more, he’s right here in our cult. The question is whether he will grant my request.

The person in question greeted me, giving off a strong scent of blood.

“Second Young Master, welcome.”

“Have you been well, Elder Demonic Physician?”

The person was none other than the Demonic Physician. The blood on his clothes was from patients.

“I’m always the same.”

“Please work in moderation. You look tired.”

“Thank you for your concern.”

Although I hadn’t had much interaction with the Demonic Physician, I was able to build a rapport with him through several work-related encounters after becoming the Underworld Pavilion Master.

“I came to give you some medicinal herbs that I happened to come across.”

I gave him the gift I had prepared. It wasn’t the typical herbs that come into the medical ward, but something I had specially purchased from outside at a high price.

“Oh, such precious herbs. Thank you.”

“It’s nothing.”

“Here, have a cup of tea.”

“Yes.”

I drank tea with the Demonic Physician. After exchanging a few words of small talk, the Demonic Physician casually asked:

“It seems you’ve come to see me because you have some business?”

“That’s right. Actually, I came because I have a favor to ask.”

“Please speak.”

“Since you’re a busy person, I won’t beat around the bush. Please perform the New Eye Technique on me.”

The Demonic Physician was startled for a moment.

The New Eye Technique^[2].

It’s a procedure that enhances a martial artist’s eyes. After undergoing the New Eye Technique, not only general vision but also dynamic vision improves dramatically. Moreover, the eyes become less susceptible to external influences. They are unaffected by light or darkness, underwater or in smoke – all external environments.

As the name suggests, it’s like being reborn with new eyes. The effect is so remarkable that it’s sometimes called the Divine Eye Technique^[3].

If I undergo this New Eye Technique, even if the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader examines my eyes, he won’t be able to detect that I’ve put in the Blood Eye Essence. Unfortunately, the New Eye Technique was known to be a lost secret technique from long ago.

The Demonic Physician’s expression became completely serious.

“How did you know that I can perform the New Eye Technique?”

Since this wasn’t something that could come up by chance, the Demonic Physician didn’t deny it. What he was curious about was how I knew.

I learned that the Demonic Physician had mastered the New Eye Technique in the distant future from now.

When I returned to the cult again to obtain materials for the Great Regression Technique, the Demonic Physician had already passed away. His top disciple, Ho Baek^[4], was in the position of Divine Demonic Physician, and I learned all the facts through him.

Ho Baek had offered the New Eye Technique to Ju Baek-do, who was the cult leader at the time.

This incident revealed that the Demonic Physician had passed on the New Eye Technique and the necessary medicines to his disciple Ho Baek.

I didn’t say who I heard it from. Rather, by not saying, there would be one person the Demonic Physician would think of.

“Ah!”

His expression became cautious. He would think that Father had told me. There was a reason he had to think that way.

According to his top disciple Ho Baek’s recollection, Father had refused when the Demonic Physician offered to perform the New Eye Technique. Thanks to that, the materials for the New Eye Technique were passed on to him, allowing him to perform it on the sect leader at the time. He recalled that everything was thanks to his master.

That’s why the Demonic Physician will grant my request.

Although Father refused the New Eye Technique, the fact that he told me about it can be interpreted as his intention for the Demonic Physician to perform it on me.

“Do you know that the Extreme Bliss Guanyin Herb^[5] fruit, one of the ingredients needed for the New Eye Technique, is extremely difficult to obtain, so the New Eye Technique can only be performed once in a generation?”

“Yes, I know.”

“You want the New Eye Technique even knowing that?”

“Yes.”

The Demonic Physician fell into contemplation. I gave him time to think. I quietly drank tea and waited, and eventually, the Demonic Physician spoke.

“If I perform the New Eye Technique for you, what will you do for me in return?”

“I have nothing to give you right now. Instead…”

I looked at the Demonic Physician and said with confident eyes:

“I will become the Cult Leader.”

“!”

“When I become the Cult Leader, I’ll be able to grant whatever you wish.”

The Demonic Physician’s eyes wavered. I know what the Demonic Physician wants.

The Demonic Physician wanted it until his death, but Father never allowed it. That’s also why Father refused the New Eye Technique. Because if he received the New Eye Technique, he would have to grant the Demonic Physician’s request.

But unlike Father, I have no intention of refusing. I plan to grant the Demonic Physician’s request.

“Will you grant it no matter what it is?”

“Yes. But just one thing.”

“One request is enough.”

“I promise.”

Now there was one last thing left for the Demonic Physician to judge.

“Are you confident you can become the successor?”

“Yes.”

This time, I asked:

“How do you see it, Elder? Do you think I will become the successor?”

Given my recent actions, the Demonic Physician must have been paying attention.

“I think your abilities are sufficient. They might even be more than enough. But… you’re too clear. I’m not sure if you’re suited for the position of Cult Leader.”

“That’s even better.”

“What do you mean?”

“Please hide these clear eyes with the New Eye Technique. Make them into new eyes.”

Though I said it jokingly, the Demonic Physician didn’t laugh. He was facing a once-in-a-lifetime choice, and he knew that choice would determine his fate.

“It’s an important decision, so please think it over and let me know.”

I stood up from my seat.

“Second Young Master, let me ask one last thing.”

“Yes.”

“If you become the Cult Leader, how do you plan to deal with the Righteous Alliance?”

“It will depend on the situation at that time. But one thing is certain. Whether it’s the righteous path or the demonic path, an individual or an organization, man or woman, if I judge them to be absolute evil, I will definitely punish them.”

I knew this was the model answer for him, so I left the place with ease of mind.

***

Three days later, Blood Heavens Saber Demon visited the medical ward.

The Demonic Physician was sitting blankly in the treatment room, with days of contemplation showing as fatigue on his face.

As he entered the room, Blood Heavens Saber Demon said:

“Is it time for you to die? Why are you doing something you’ve never done before?”

The Demonic Physician had secretly sent someone to ask to meet. That’s why he quietly came here at this late hour.

“Our time to die isn’t far off.”

“Cut out that unlucky talk. Or cut out the ‘our’.”

“Why do you have so much attachment to this world?”

“Those who say they have no attachment to the world often have hearts that are even more hellish.”

Not many people knew that these two were such close friends.

“What’s the matter? Seeing as you called me, are you tired of saving people now? Shall we go kill some people together?”

The Demonic Physician smiled faintly. He got along surprisingly well with Blood Heavens Saber Demon, who spoke his mind without holding back. The saying that opposites attract becomes understandable when looking at their relationship.

There were times when he thought he’d like to live speaking his mind freely like Blood Heavens Saber Demon.

“I called you because I wanted to ask something.”

“What is it?”

“Why did you choose Second Young Master?”

For a moment, Blood Heavens Saber Demon stared at the Demonic Physician. Then he burst into laughter.

“That guy really doesn’t leave anything untouched. To think he’s even dragging a bookworm like you from the medical ward into the battlefield. Why are you asking that anyway?”

The Demonic Physician answered after a brief pause.

“As you said, I seem to be tired of saving people.”

Blood Heavens Saber Demon laughed heartily, but the Demonic Physician remained serious.

“Why Second Young Master?”

“Why? Because I think he’ll become the Cult Leader, that’s why I chose him.”

The Demonic Physician nodded. He was under the misunderstanding that the Cult Leader had told Second Young Master about his New Eye Technique.

Given that fact, there was a high possibility that Second Young Master would become the successor.

But the Demonic Physician needed more than that. He was at a crossroads of whether to use the one chance he had in his lifetime or not. His lifelong wish also depended on it.

“So what’s the reason for that?”

Blood Heavens Saber Demon’s honest answer was this:

Somehow I got caught up with the guy. When I came to my senses, I found myself putting the Heaven-Defying Divine Pill in his mouth.

Of course, he couldn’t say that, so:

“Second Young Master told me. That in his martial path, he doesn’t break tavern tables. That’s why I chose him.”

The Demonic Physician stared blankly at Blood Heavens Saber Demon for a moment. He didn’t expect such an absurd answer, but strangely, he felt like he understood what it meant. Both Second Young Master’s feelings and Blood Heavens Saber Demon’s feelings.

“Well, it is about time you stopped breaking them.”

The Demonic Physician stood up.

“Where are you going after calling someone over? We should have a drink.”

“Next time. I’ll buy then.”

“Where is there a next time for old folks like us? Buy today!”

But the Demonic Physician had already left.

Looking at his retreating back, Blood Heavens Saber Demon chuckled.

“He won’t die easily because he’s so diligent.”

Of course, he was talking about Second Young Master, not the Demonic Physician.

***

I woke up from sleep.

The Heavenly Demonic Defense Art alerted me to the presence of a visitor.

I got up from the bed, put on my sword, and went outside to find the Demonic Physician standing in the yard.

“Elder, you’ve come?”

“I didn’t emit any demonic energy at all, how did you know I came?”

“I just opened my eyes while sleeping. As if by fate.”

The reason I added the cliché word ‘fate’ was because it works so well on older people. It was an age where many things are hard to make sense of unless you think it must have been fate.

“I’ve spent my whole life saving people.”

“That’s admirable.”

The Demonic Physician shook his head.

“I’m not a sacrificial person. I saved people because I wanted to kill one person.”

“What do you mean?”

I pretended not to know, but I already knew. This was also the reason why the Demonic Physician had joined our cult.

“For a doctor to kill someone is to go against heaven’s will. That’s why. To atone for that sin even a little, I tried to save even one more person.”

After letting out a long sigh, the Demonic Physician asked me:

“If you become the Cult Leader, will you kill that person for me?”

“Yes.”

“Why don’t you ask who it is?”

“If it’s someone you want to kill, they must surely be an evil person. I trust you, Elder.”

“How do you know what’s inside me?”

“I think sometimes the shell is more important than what’s inside. The shell of being the Demonic Physician is not an easy shell to obtain. I trust the effort that went into creating the name ‘Demonic Physician’.”

Of course, my trust in him is not just because of that. I trust him because I know everything about his life and death, and even the person he wants to kill. If not for that, I would never entrust my eyes to him.

“It won’t be easy to kill him. If done wrong, many people could get involved and die. So my wish is to kill only that person without any other sacrifices. Can you promise to do that?”

This must be the reason why Father refused. To grant his request, Father would have to move personally, but the position of Heavenly Demon was too heavy to move for the grudge of one individual.

“I will become stronger and kill only that person without unnecessary sacrifices.”

“Will you promise?”

“Yes.”

“Even if I die first, will you keep this promise?”

“I promise. When I thrust my sword into his heart, I will whisper to him. That this is the sword sent by the Demonic Physician.”

The Demonic Physician smiled, seemingly pleased just thinking about it.

Finally, the Demonic Physician made up his mind.

“Alright, I’ll perform the New Eye Technique on you.”

“Thank you so much.”

I bowed deeply to him in gratitude.

“Thank me after the New Eye Technique is done. Come, let’s go.”

“Are you going to do it now?”

“Once I’ve made up my mind, I should do it right away. Who knows how my mind will be tomorrow? Why? Don’t you want to?”

“Of course not. Let’s go.”

I followed the Demonic Physician as he strode off.

As I did so, I looked around carefully. This is the last world I’ll see with these eyes.

1. 환골탈태(換骨奪胎)[↩]
2. 신안술(新眼術)[↩]
3. 신안술(神眼術)[↩]
4. 호백(湖伯)[↩]
5. 극락관음초(極樂觀音草)[↩]