I Am the Youngest Disciple of the Martial Arts World’s Mastermind
Chapter 45
Chapter 45
I’m the Youngest Disciple of the Murim’s Hidden Mastermind
Chapter 45
I pouted, my lips jutting out.
“…I need to get stronger too, so I’m going to practice my lightness techniques at the training grounds before I head back.”
“Huh? I told you to go sleep.”
“No. I don’t have any natural talent for the martial arts, you know!”
Hmph.
It wasn’t in my nature to hear something like that and not feel a surge of competitiveness.
I deliberately acted stubborn, spinning around and heading toward the training grounds, when I heard Danhwi let out a sharp exhale behind me.
“I can’t let you do that.”
“Whoa?!”
Suddenly, a hand reached out from behind.
Danhwi scooped me up effortlessly and tucked me under his arm.
“I’ll just have to carry you to your room myself.”
“Ugh, put me down~!!”
Regardless of how much I flailed, Danhwi kept walking.
“…….”
In the end, I was carried back to my quarters, dangling comfortably under Danhwi’s arm like a sack of grain.
I think I’ve actually gotten used to this position by now.
As I swayed rhythmically with his footsteps, I fell into thought.
Why did Ryang act like that so suddenly?
[Become stronger.]
“…….”
Ryang focused on his cultivation meditation, struggling to shake off the voice echoing in his head.
Whenever Soso helped him circulate his internal force, the demonic energy that had been hiding somewhere deep within his body would surge out, thrashing as if refusing to disappear.
And at that exact moment, the mysterious voice would begin to whisper in his mind.
[You must become strong. So strong that no one can oppose you. You must stand above the heavens. You are the vessel capable of becoming the supreme master of the land, the one who is unrivaled under heaven.]
“…….”
Was this a symptom of Qi Deviation?
Ryang had never heard the title ‘the one who is unrivaled under heaven’ used for anyone other than the Heavenly Demon by the Side Mara or the Left Envoy of Light.
But there was no way he, who was escaping the Demonic Cult with Soso’s help, could have anything to do with the Heavenly Demon.
“Phew.”
To avoid being swept away by Qi Deviation, he had to maintain his composure.
Ryang took a deep breath and began to slowly circulate his internal force again.
After completing a full cycle, the voice gradually began to fade.
The voice was clearest when he was receiving Soso’s internal energy and grew fainter the further he was from her.
Once his mind had calmed, he gathered his energy and slowly opened his eyes to find the room empty.
It was silent.
“…….”
However, there was something that wouldn’t leave Ryang’s mind.
Earlier, while Soso was helping him with his cultivation, he had reflexively spoken to the voice in his head.
‘Why do I have to become that strong?’
The voice had never once answered his questions, so he expected no response this time either.
But then.
[Because you must repay the kindness you received from Soyoung and atone for your sins.]
The answer had come.
Recalling that voice, Ryang quietly clenched his fists.
“…….”
The ‘Soyoung’ the voice spoke of was Soso. He had overheard that Soso’s real name was Soyoung.
He knew well what kind of kindness he had received from Soso.
A slave of the Demonic Cult being able to find refuge on Cheongsan Peak.
Getting the chance to be trained by masters who were impossibly strong.
Beyond that, he had received more comfort from Soso than he could even count.
‘But… atonement?’
At least so far, Ryang had committed no sin against Soso.
Unless they had met in the past.
So, just in case he had met her and wronged her in a past he couldn’t remember, he had asked her about it.
‘No?’
Soso’s answer had been short and clear.
“…Haa.”
Ryang blinked slowly.
Ryang grew noticeably even in a short amount of time.
Just a few weeks ago, he was taller than me, but I could still lightly wrap my arms around him.
But now, his frame had grown so much that even with my arms wide open, it was a struggle to embrace him all at once.
‘Part of it is because my arms are short, but still…….’
Seeing Ryang shoot up while I stayed the same made me feel a sudden wave of anxiety.
Is it just that Ryang has better development and is growing faster…?
When I grow up, I’ll surely become a tall, long-limbed, and cool martial artist too, right…?
“…Hmph.”
I shook my head to dispel the useless worry and focused on the scene before me.
Ryang was feeding the carp in the pond.
That used to be my job, but Ryang had taken it over, saying he would do it instead.
Every time Ryang scattered feed over the pond, the carp—I couldn’t tell if they were the Thousand-Year Fire Carp or the Ten-Thousand-Year ones—swarmed over, mouths bobbing as they ate.
I watched the ripples on the water’s surface before abruptly asking.
“Ryang, do you… have growing pains lately?”
“Growing pains?”
“Yeah. You seem to be growing so fast. I wondered if your body hurt.”
“I don’t really feel anything. …Do I look like I’m growing fast?”
“A little?”
“Then do you dislike it?”
Huh. How did the conversation turn that way?
Seeing Ryang stop feeding the carp to look at me, I quickly shook my head.
“No? The stronger and healthier the body, the better! Bulging muscles are the best!”
“I see.”
Nodding, Ryang suddenly pulled his shirt back and said.
“Do you want to see?”
“Eek…!”
I reflexively covered my eyes.
T-Thank goodness. I barely saw anything…!
“What are you doing?!”
“I’m telling you to see for yourself.”
“No! Who said they wanted to see?! And why would you just take your clothes off like that?!”
Ryang replied calmly, as if he didn’t see the problem.
“You’ve seen it before anyway.”
“W-When?”
“When I was being treated for the Gu poison at the Medical Hall.”
Ah, right. Back then, Ryang didn’t know I was coming in and had his clothes off.
But…….
“That was different!!”
I made a distressed face.
And you covered up back then!
Why have you become so shameless? Danhwi always strips his top off when he’s training—did he catch it from him?
“Are you going to just strip like this in front of other people too?”
He shook his head at that.
“Of course not.”
“Then you shouldn’t do it to me either!!”
I don’t care how young he is. If he picks up bad habits now, he’ll become someone who just strips his clothes off even when he’s an adult. Like Danhwi…….
“Your body is precious. You shouldn’t just show it to anyone.”
“…….”
When I glared at him with furrowed brows like I was lecturing a child, Ryang remained silent for a moment before shuffling his clothes back into place and muttering in a small voice.
“…So you’re saying bulging muscles are more your type?”
“……?”
What is he talking about?
“What is he talking about?”
“Whoa.”
Someone voiced my thoughts exactly.
“Gwang-eum Sasuk. Hello.”
Ryang recognized Gwang-eum first and bowed his head politely.
“Hellooo.”
I was drained from shouting at Ryang, so I just sat there and gave a lazy nod.
The prickly Gwang-eum, true to form, immediately started picking a fight.
“Why are you two together?”
“We just happened to run into each other…?”
“Are you done studying your mechanisms and formations?”
“Yessir.”
Gwang-eum looked at me with disapproval and spoke curtly.
“The formation six paces behind the large rock near Master’s quarters.”
“The water purification device.”
“Then the weight threshold that triggers the mechanical trap installed at the base of Cheongsan Peak?”
“One catty and a half. It gets heavier as you move up the mountain.”
How’s that? I know it all, don’t I?
“…….”
“Aren’t you going to ask anything else?”
When I asked boastfully, Gwang-eum, who had been silent for a while, twitched an eyebrow.
“…I suppose it’s not that you haven’t studied at all.”
I smirked slightly at Gwang-eum’s characteristically sarcastic tone.
“Hmph.”
He could at least give me one word of praise if I memorized it well.
But that’s probably impossible for someone as personality-deficient as Gwang-eum.
“What are you smiling at?”
Just as I thought. When I grinned while resting my chin on my hand, Gwang-eum said something mean.
“Just because…….”
At that moment, an unexpected sentence fell into my ear.
“But Soso-sabu looks beautiful when she smiles.”
“……?”
I whipped my head around and, naturally, saw Ryang.
He met my gaze directly and shrugged his shoulders with confidence.
‘Wow… what guts.’
Admiration surged inside me.
Where on earth does that kind of boldness come from? He really is the Heavenly Demon.
And it’s a bit… embarrassing. Even if he’s just taking my side, I felt my face heating up for some reason.
“…….”
Gwang-eum was also momentarily taken aback.
He looked at Ryang for a very brief second, but soon fixed his gaze back on me and said in a dry voice.
“Master is calling for you. He called for that kid too, so take him and go.”
“Yessir.”
I stood up, dusting off my knees, and called for Ryang.
“Ryang. Let’s go.”
“Yes.”
Ryang, who always used formal speech in front of others, followed quietly behind me.
“…….”
Then, the moment we stepped into a corner of the manor where Gwang-eum’s gaze couldn’t reach, I spoke cautiously.
“…I told you not to pay too much mind to Gwang-eum Sasuk acting like that, right…?”
