The Return of the Crazy Demon-Chapter 263: A Technique Born from Solitude

I tore my sleeve and tied it around my forearm to stop the bleeding. Even when I briefly clashed with Cheonak in a power struggle, I didn’t suffer a wound like this.

What does that mean?

It means this is what happens when words don’t work.

Even the Drunk looked pale. He wasn’t injured, but his breathing was unstable, likely from drawing too heavily on his internal energy. Probably because the old man guiding us was stronger than expected, and he had trouble.

The Lecher was fine.

We sat down on the dirt for a moment and waited while the Drunk practiced energy circulation.

The Lecher muttered.

“If Master were here, we wouldn’t have struggled this much.”

“No kidding.”

Scholar Chu Myeong got lucky today. If the Sword Demon had been with us, he wouldn’t have made it out alive.

The Lecher looked at me, arms crossed.

“This is pissing me off again. Let’s go back to the Wi Clan and treat your arm first.”

“Let’s not show up looking pathetic. It’s a burden.”

“It’s not like I’m dragging you back to see Lady Wi. The Law School bastards might chase us again.”

I shook my head.

“That Chu Myeong bastard got a hole through his palm. He won’t show himself until it heals. What’s worse for a swordsman than injuring their hand?”

The Lecher nodded, then after thinking for a moment, spoke.

“I figured. But something felt strange when I was fighting earlier.”

“What?”

“Their internal energy’s way too deep. I was shocked when I first clashed with them. Why the hell is their inner strength so strong? But you know what surprised me even more?”

I had a good idea where this was going.

“Their actual fighting skills fell short of their internal energy, didn’t they?”

“Exactly.”

“They’re the type who learned martial arts through books.”

“What?”

“Just a metaphor. They’re closed off. Unlike the masters from the Martial Alliance or the demonic path, they haven’t had much real fighting experience. Maybe that’s just a Law School thing. They were frustratingly difficult to communicate with. The only exception was that Dokhaeng guy—he seemed to have real battle experience. Probably from killing people until it became public knowledge.”

The Lecher nodded.

“So I wasn’t the only one who felt that.”

“Anyway, seems you overate at the Wi Clan. You fought worse than usual.”

In truth, he fought incredibly well—it was just my excuse for being injured.

The Lecher said, “Same for me. Seeing Lady Wi made me fight way below normal.”

“Idiot.”

“You hillbilly. You should’ve eaten better meals in daily life.”

After exchanging some random insults, we both went quiet.

From the Drunk’s closed lips, a deep sigh escaped. Soon, heat began to rise like steam from the top of his head, as if from a warm bowl of rice, and his pale complexion gradually returned to normal.

The Drunk opened his eyes and spoke.

“Did you two really have to argue next to me while I was meditating?”

I replied, “We were just fighting to assure you that things were under control. So you could focus.”

“What kind of bullshit is that?”

I looked at the bodies lying around.

“Let’s go. Leave the corpses. If the Law School really believes in their justice, they’ll come retrieve the dead.”

“Go where?”

I helped the Drunk to his feet.

“Let’s head into a busier area and hide. If Chu Myeong tattles to his fellow scholars, stronger enemies might show up sooner than expected. We need to be ready for anything.”

***

We rented three rooms at a place called the Nambong Inn and got some rest. Before changing into the clothes we bought earlier, I cleaned the wound from the blade and wrapped it in cloth. It was the kind of wound that needed Gold-Thread Ointment, but I had no choice for now. After washing the blood off and changing into clean clothes, I checked the condition of my wooden sword.

The blade was intact, but I couldn’t help but feel it was too light.

If I get used to the Dokgo Heavy Sword, I might eventually be able to take on masters with just this wooden sword. But right now, it drains too much internal energy.

There was a knock from the next room, followed by the Drunk’s voice.

“You sleeping?”

“About to meditate.”

“What about food?”

“Let’s eat a little later. One hour.”

“Got it.”

“If you’re hungry, eat without me.”

“No money.”

“Noted.”

From the other room, the Lecher’s voice came.

“I’m not meditating, so keep that in mind.”

He meant he’d stand watch, even from the neighboring room. I looked out the window. After absentmindedly watching passersby for a while, I got onto the bed and sat cross-legged. If I didn’t meditate soon, I risked falling asleep.

I don’t know why.

Touching the Heavenly Pearl always brings aftereffects.

If the side effect is just drowsiness instead of unbearable pain, then I’ll take it.

Honestly, has anyone in Jianghu gotten stronger as fast as me?

No one.

So I should be grateful for this kind of backlash. I chose the Golden Nine Free-Wandering Manual and entered meditation. The moment I closed my eyes and focused, flames flickered in the dark space around me. I calmly settled my mind.

“......”

Upon approaching, I saw debris from the guest house around the flames. So this was the remnant fire from when my Zaha Guest House burned down. Without much thought, I raised my foot and stepped on the flames.

“Just go out already.”

It seemed like they’d go out after a few stomps. But instead, the fire wrapped around my foot, engulfing my entire left leg in flames.

“Ah, shit... I apologize.”

The fire surged higher. My lower body was completely engulfed, so I quickly sat cross-legged. In other words, I sat cross-legged and closed my eyes, and now in the dream, I sat cross-legged again.

There are times when you dream within a dream—and this was one of those.

Is it just me, or does this feel serious?

The flame I’d tried to extinguish now engulfed my entire body. Even though I felt no heat, a sense of dread came crashing down like a wave.

Trapped in one beautifully blazing flame, I checked my breathing.

Now my entire body was engulfed.

Has there ever been a martial artist who turned to ashes while meditating?

I hoped I wouldn’t be the first.

Suddenly, the surrounding darkness transformed into a sea of flames, and before I knew it, I was standing in the middle of a fiery hell.

Good god...

Have I committed that many sins?

How did I fall into a fiery hell without even saying goodbye to my body? Pushed to the edge, my mouth opened on its own.

“...Let’s talk. If you want something, let’s start with a conversation.”

There was no one to talk to—it was all inside me. Was this a form of internal deviation? Or a consequence of touching the Heavenly Pearl?

Whatever it was, I would escape.

Since I was on fire, I abandoned the Golden Nine Free-Wandering Manual and immediately started meditating with Moonlight Cold Heart Technique.

A simple logic—since I was burning, I needed to train ice arts.

Previously, I’d reached the edge of the Crescent Moon realm in Moonlight Cold Heart Technique. As I meditated, cold energy spread from my dantian through my body. At that moment, a stark white crescent moon rose like a blade in front of the burning red hell.

It was a ruthless moon, cold in its very existence.

As I stared at the merciless crescent moon, I used the cold energy of Moonlight Cold Heart Technique to push back the flames consuming my body.

Maybe it’s because I’m a twisted bastard.

The crescent moon seemed to mock me. There’s something uniquely miserable about being mocked by the moon while you’re on fire.

“...So lonely.”

I drove away the fire with cold energy. Since Golden Nine Free-Wandering Manual’s realm was higher, it wasn’t easy. But maybe it was the price of holding both yin and yang energy due to the Heavenly Pearl. If I didn’t balance them, I’d burn to death.

So then, I was...

The guardian of balance.

Mediator of sun and moon.

Expert in internal deviation.

Ever since owning a shabby inn, betrayed by fire...

Mocked by the moonlight at dawn while I stood alone.

That’s who I am.

When I wake up from this dream, I’ll stomp that flame again and slap the moon across the face.

I’m a survival expert.

I focused, broke through the Crescent Moon stage, and stepped into the dazzling Full Moon stage of Moonlight Cold Heart Technique.

The crescent moon I had been glaring at began to swell, and soon the blazing red hell was overtaken by a blizzard of white cold as the moon became full.

I blankly stared at the full moon radiating white light from the sky.

In that instant, my entire body was covered in cold.

It felt like I was wrapped in a robe made of snow. The flames that had been entwining my body scattered, and the ominous red earth turned into a snowy field.

As soon as I felt the chill, I jabbed into the boundary of deviation with the Dokgo Heavy Sword, forcing my eyes wide open.

“Haa...”

Like I had pierced through the heart of madness and escaped.

White breath escaped my mouth.

“Fucking hell...”

The first thing I saw when I opened my eyes were the Lecher and the Drunk, arms crossed, staring down at me.

The Drunk spoke with a dumbfounded look.

“Third, you okay?”

The Lecher answered beside him.

“I told you he’d be fine. Damn, you meditate like a madman. That was insane. Look at your bed.”

I looked down at the bed. It had frozen over due to the aftereffects of Moonlight Cold Heart Technique.

Just in case, I asked cautiously.

“...Did I freeze my piss?”

“Thankfully, no.”

“Confirmed.”

My mind was still foggy, caught between dream and reality.

The Drunk asked, “You really okay?”

I checked my body and answered.

“I’m fine. I was crushingly lonely, but now I feel alright.”

The Drunk explained.

“We called you to eat, but you didn’t come, so we kept watch. It’s been two hours. Near the end, your bed literally froze.”

“I see.”

That’s when I fully came to. It was like the Golden Nine Free-Wandering Manual rebelled and got overpowered by Moonlight Cold Heart Technique. Still, I had reached the Full Moon stage—my ice arts had grown stronger.

It had been a messy dream within a dream, but I’d gotten stronger, so it was fine.

I got up and said,

“Let’s eat. And drink. Let’s rest. I seriously can’t take it anymore. We need a break. No more fighting today.”

Even I sounded crazy. The Drunk clicked his tongue and patted my back.

“Hard life for the leader. Let’s go. Time to drink.”

I felt dampness in my pants. I touched it—probably wet myself due to the cold technique. The Lecher checked my pants and clicked his tongue.

“This bastard always calls me a pants-shitter, and now he pissed himself meditating.”

The Drunk sighed.

“A couple of piss-and-shit little brothers. Wait here. Change into the pants I bought earlier.”

I defended myself to the Lecher.

“It’s damp, yes. But I didn’t piss myself.”

After changing into the Drunk’s spare pants, I stepped out of the room. Who knew dinner would be this hard to get? I realized the most difficult thing was ordinary life. When we finally reached the first floor of the inn, the Lecher ordered a feast from the inn boy.

We stared blankly at people walking by on the street.

“......”

Normal people either looked away or quickly stepped aside when they met our eyes.

Have we officially become lunatics just by appearance?

No idea.

I glanced at the darkening night sky. The round full moon I saw in my dream was staring down at me.

“Wow, so it’s a full moon tonight.”

“Yeah.”

“The moon is bright. Good night for a fight.”

“An assassin’s least favorite kind of night.”

“True.”

After a moment, the Lecher grabbed the bottle brought by the inn boy and poured for us. Watching the wine pour brought my senses fully back. Maybe this is why martial artists never give up drinking.

I held my cup and asked the Lecher,

“Did you order Dugangju?”

“Of course I ordered Dugangju.”

Before drinking, I injected ice energy. The Dugangju in my cup instantly froze. As I stared at it, the Drunk asked,

“What are you doing? Let’s drink.”

I melted the frozen wine and looked at the second and fourth. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

“Let’s drink.”

We tossed back the Dugangju. As the liquor slid down our throats, my mind snapped to clarity.

The Lecher, looking at the moon, said,

“Man... it would’ve been perfect drinking this with Lady Wi. You two seriously have no women in your fate. You planning to become hermits?”

The Drunk replied.

“Don’t jinx it. I hate hermits.”

I spoke my true feelings.

“I don’t think I’m capable of meeting a decent woman.”

Both nodded in agreement.

“Even I can tell.”

“Yeah.”

Forget women—suddenly I remembered the insight I gained in the dream. Dreams fade if you don’t hold onto them. So I gave that insight a name so I wouldn’t forget it.

“While meditating, I came up with a new technique.”

“What is it?”

“Solitude in Snow Robes. That’s what I felt. It was insanely lonely.”

“What kind of bullshit is that?”

“Sounds like you’re still half asleep.”

I poured drinks for the two and said,

“Anyway, it’s something like that.”

After pouring them drinks, I laughed to myself.

I was glad I didn’t lose the dream.