---

Episode 49: The Sword Demon (2)

“I will bring your grandson to his senses?”

“……”

The only grandson of the Sword Demon.

The sore finger of the Sword Demon. A treasure left behind by his son and daughter-in-law whom he will never see again.

“I’ll do it for you.”

“…What are you talking about?”

“You’re having a headache because of your grandson. I’ll take care of that for you.”

“How can the Young Master say this?”

The Sword Demon, who was about to go out, sat down in front of Jin Myeong again.

But he didn’t look like the kind grandfather he was a little while ago. He was glaring at Jin Myeong with a sharp look like a well-sharpened sword.

“I came to my senses, didn’t I?”

“Do you think the Young Master and that child are same?”

“That’s wrong. But it’s not like your grandson doesn’t have talent, right?”

Rather, the problem was that he was overflowing with talent. He is the grandson of the Great Elder, the Sword Demon, who has absolute power in the Heavenly Demon Sect, and he is also talented.

He was self-indulgent from a young age because he took it for granted that he would become the next Elder.

“He didn’t train properly in martial arts and just lived a life of drinking, so he ended up falling behind.”

It wasn’t just the Sword Demon’s grandson who was talented. Not only the disciples of the Heavenly Demon, but also the successors of the other Elders could be called talents bestowed by heaven. But the moment they neglected their martial arts training others would catch up with them.

“If he failed, he should have tried again, but his pride was hurt, so he couldn’t try properly and ended up drinking more, right?”

He doesn’t practice martial arts properly, but he’s addicted to alcohol and just gets on other people’s nerves. Because he was a treasure left behind by his dead son, the Sword Demon could not raise his grandson strictly.

“But that doesn’t mean the Elder can be strict with his grandson.” Just looking at that face makes the Sword Demon weak-hearted, and he ends up giving in to whatever his grandson wants.

“So, I’ll do it for you. Make your grandson come to his senses.”

“…There is no need.”

Jin Myeong could tell that, contrary to what the Sword Demon said, he was very interested in this conversation.

‘That was good information.’

The story about the Sword Demon’s grandson was information he had heard from Yang Jeon a while ago.

That information allowed him to steer the story in his favor.

“You know, Elder, what I was like.”

“Hmm.”

How could he not know? A story about the Youngest Disciple of the Sect Leader.

Even though the Sword Demon would get angry when he saw his grandson, he would hold it in while thinking of Jin Myeong.

But he thought his grandson was better than Jin Myeong.

“If things continue like this, your grandson will probably lose his life. The Elder cannot protect him forever.”

The reason he can act so brazenly now is because of the Elder, the Sword Demon.

But if the shield called the Sword Demon disappears, those who hold a grudge against him will kill his grandson.

“…If you are weak, you should die.”

“Just reveal your true feelings. If you keep doing that, the conversation won’t continue.”

Unlike a little while ago, this time Jin Myeong stood up from his seat.

“Or is it that Your Excellency has no intention of continuing the conversation?”

“…Do you think that the grandson of the old man can also change like Young Master Jin?”

“There is nothing I can’t do.”

The grandson of the Sword Demon was not without talent, nor did he have any physical problems like Jin Myeong. The problem was simply a rotten mind, and Jin Myeong believed that he could fix that.

‘If you just keep trying, it will get better.’

The Sword Demon was weak against his grandson, but Jin Myeong was not.

“Can Young Master Jin do it? Everyone else has given up.”

The other people that the Sword Demon is talking about are the other disciples of the Heavenly Demon. They also approached his grandson to attract the Sword Demon. It was a choice made because they couldn’t meet the Elder like Jin Myeong could.

“It is possible if the Elders permit it.”

The only difference between them was that they did not lay a hand on the Elder’s grandson. Since others couldn’t meet the Elder, he couldn’t get permission.

However, Jin Myeong was asking for permission directly from the Elder.

“Then, can I take a look at Young Master Jin’s skills first?”

After thinking for a moment, the Sword Demon asked Jin Myeong.

“We should check whether Young Master Jin really has the potential to become a Sect Leader. If Young Master Jin failed to become Sect Leader, wouldn’t it be difficult for the old man?”

“Even if I fail, you won’t be stepping down from your position as Great Elder anyway.”

Other Elders might not receive as much treatment, but that was not the case for the Sword Demon. There was a big difference in the status of the Sword Demon and the other Elders.

“I just wonder if you have the skills to take care of my grandson.”

“…Let’s say that’s true.”

As if he had no intention of hiding his true feelings any longer, the Sword Demon nodded in agreement.

“Would you like to do it?”

“Surely it’s not such a ridiculous thing as asking me to defeat the Elder?”

“How could that be? I just want to see for myself to what extent.”

Jin Myeong nodded, and the two headed straight to the Vice Sect Leader.

“That sounds fun.” And the Crazy Demon, feeling interested, took the two to his personal training ground.

“Okay, then let’s go.”

The Sword Demon smiled kindly at Jin Myeong. (Adding ‘the’.) Jin Myeong felt that smile was extremely fake. The Sword Demon seemed intent on tormenting Jin Myeong. Unlike the kind smile, isn’t there something similar to anticipation in the eyes?

“Phew.”

Jin Myeong, facing the Sword Demon, drew his sword.

“Hoo, is that the martial art that gave you the nickname Divine Demonic Fang?”

The Sword Demon looked at the five swords floating around Jin Myeong with an interested expression.

“It’s still not enough to say that it’s perfect swordsmanship.”

“Isn’t that amazing? Five swords?”

Despite being told that it wasn’t a perfect swordsmanship, the Sword Demon didn’t look down on Jin Myeong.

Rather, it was a very serious face.

“Try attacking.”

It’s not that the Sword Demon was ignoring Jin Myeong. He just wanted to experience his martial arts. Knowing that, Jin Myeong didn’t hesitate and manipulated his flying sword at the Sword Demon.

Whoosh!

Five swords burning with pure white flames shot through the wind toward the Sword Demon. The Sword Demon rolled his feet as he watched the swords being shot.

Swish!

Jin Myeong changed the direction of his sword while watching the Sword Demon moving sideways as if he was gliding.

“Good!”

The Sword Demon shouted in admiration as he saw the swords flying towards him, immediately changing direction, and swung his sword.

Clang!

He only swung it once, but Jin Myeong’s five swords were instantly thrown back.

‘Tremendous speed.’

Jin Myeong hadn’t seen many types of quick swords, but he thought this was probably the fastest sword he’d ever seen. It was so fast that Jin Myeong couldn’t even see the Sword Demon’s hands moving.

“Hmm.”

A smile appeared on the lips of the Sword Demon who had blocked Jin Myeong’s sword.

“That’s great.”

The Sword Demon was purely amazed.

The swords of Jin Myeong were flying monotonously. Since they are all flying and shooting quickly, it is not difficult to dodge them if you just watch the sword carefully.

However, the power of the attack exceeded the limits of what humans could achieve. So, even though it was a simple attack, even if Jin Myeong weren’t a master at his peak, a Master wouldn’t be able to react and his neck would get pierced.

“But as the Young Master Jin said, it is still not enough to be called a winning sword.”

Since he cannot perform swordsmanship with his sword, he cannot be called a true master of swordsmanship.

Whoosh!

The movement of the sword that was attacking the Sword Demon changed.

“A Sword Art?”

It wasn’t just a simple attack that was fired. At this moment, one of Jin Myeong’s swords was performing a sword technique.

The Purple Cloud Sword Art. A martial art that only the Sect Leader of the Mount Hua Sect can master.

Of course, it wasn’t a purple-colored sword technique because Jin Myeong hadn’t learned Purple Cloud Divine Art (Jaha Shinkong), but a fierce and sharp sword technique resembling the mountainous terrain of Mount Hua was being displayed.

“Haha. I’m surprised.”

The Sword Demon continued to clash their swords with Jin Myeong’s sword.

“The level of mastery on the Purple Cloud Sword is higher than I expected.”

“I guess I’ve seen it quite a lot.”

“Haven’t you personally experienced the Purple Cloud Sword’s strife by constantly clashing with it in the Central Plains?”

“Good!”

The Sword Demon facing Jin Myeong’s Purple Cloud Sword shouted loudly.

Now, perhaps because he was excited, the smile never left the mouth of the Sword Demon who was swinging his sword.

Swish!

Although he could only use one sword at a time, that did not mean he could not use other swords. Jin Myeong moved the remaining swords and aimed for the Sword Demon’s back.

“Hah!”

At that moment, the Sword Demon turned his body.

Clang!

Then the sound of a sword being struck pierced Jin Myeong’s ears.

‘What happened?’

Again, Jin Myeong didn’t see any movement from the Sword Demon.

The four swords that were aiming for the back of the Sword Demon were blown away far away, and the Sword Demon was quickly approaching Jin Myeong.

“Ugh!” As the Sword Demon stabbed his sword, a pure white light flashed and shot towards Jin Myeong.

Jin Myeong could see something gray. And he could tell that its target was his own neck.

‘Is it possible?’

Jin Myeong knew the goal, but the speed was so fast he didn’t know if he could stop it.

“Stop!”

The sword that seemed ready to pierce Jin Myeong’s neck at any moment suddenly stopped with that scream.

“If you had stopped just a little later, my neck would have been pierced.”

“Haha. Don’t you think so? I was just trying to stop it.”

“I don’t think it would have stopped if the Vice Sect Leader hadn’t shouted.”

At Jin Myeong’s words, the Sword Demon simply smiled and put away his sword.

‘I guess it was sincere.’

Jin Myeong threw it out as a joke, but seeing that he didn’t answer, he thought that if it weren’t for the Crazy Demon, he might really have died.

“How was it?”

“It wasn’t easy to respond. It was too fast.”

“Heh heh.”

The Sword Demon nodded with a kind smile.

“It was more difficult than when I faced Purple Cloud Sword God.”

“That’s because the Young Master is not yet accustomed to the quick sword.”

Besides, the Sword Demon was one of the Ten Great Kings.

No matter how much Purple Cloud Sword God, Mae Jin-pung, was evaluated as a master comparable to the Ten Great Kings, it was impossible for his skills to truly be comparable to the Sword Demon.

‘Would it be possible if my physical abilities improved further?’

It can be said that his ability to handle Internal Energy has almost reached the level of the perfection.

But his body was still intact.

It was a little better than before, and Jin Myeong was able to practice the Body Strengthening Method

“Are you able to use the sword?”

As the situation cleared up, the Crazy Demon approached and asked.

‘Haven’t I been unable to unleash my sword until now?’

“There is still only one.”

Jin Myeong was finally able to demonstrate what could be called the Sword Art.

‘Eventually, I should be able to perform different swordsmanship techniques with those swords.’

The swordsmen display their different sword techniques and decorate the sky. That was the ultimate goal of the Heavenly Demon Sword Control Art.

Jin Myeong felt like he had finally reached the starting line.

“How was it?”

“You definitely excelled. I can see why the Vice Sect Leader chose the Youngest Disciple of Heavenly Demon.”

The smile never left the corners of the Sword Demon’s mouth, as if he was satisfied with Jin Myeong’s martial art.

“I never thought that the old man would show even a little sincerity.”

When he was facing the sword that was unfolding the Purple Cloud Sword, he swung his sword with all his heart as he saw the sword aiming at his back.

With that bit of sincerity, he blocked all the attacks and even almost pierced Jin Myeong’s neck.

“If that child really changes, I will give you the strength you need.”

“Okay. I need to quickly start mental reformation in order to borrow the Elder’s power.”

The longer it takes for the grandson to change, the longer it takes for the Sword Demon to lend him his strength.

“Yes. I will tell my grandson about it.”

“When are you going to send him?”

“Today. As soon as I get back, I will send that child to the Young Master’s estate.”

It seems that he is looking forward to the fact that he can fix his grandson’s mind.

“That child must change just as the Young Master said.”

On the one hand, it seemed like he didn’t completely believe Jin Myeong’s words. He entrusts his grandson to Jin Myeong with the idea that he will get what he deserves if he loses.

It’s good to come to your senses, otherwise nothing will change.

“Let’s give it a try. I’ll make the Elder’s grandson become the next Elder.”

“I’ll be looking forward to it.”

After finishing his conversation with Jin Myeong, the Sword Demon paid his respects to the Crazy Demon and then turned around to leave.

“You seem confident.”

“That’s not the case.”

“What you want most is not the Elder’s support, is it?”

“……”

It’s true that Jin Myeong hopes for the Elder’s support. But as the Crazy Demon said, that wasn’t the top priority.

Rather, the person Jin Myeong thought of first was Gu Ja-hong, the grandson of the Great Elder, the Sword Demon.

Even if he were to win the Elder Sword Demon over to his side, how long would it last?

‘If only I could raise him to be the next Great Elder… … .’

He would also be the next Elder who is loyal to Jin Myeong.

“Then I will go back now. Thank you very much for today.”

Jin Myeong, who had achieved his goal with the help of the Crazy Demon, bowed deeply to him and moved to his residence.

---