Chapter 542. Condensing (2)

“...Mister Jin-Ho, I'm beginning to think that foreigners have a thing for you,” said Lee Hyeon-Su while barely holding back his laughter.

Kang Jin-Ho frowned slightly but didn't stop walking toward the training area. “Don’t say that. It's just that this particular situation worked out strangely, that's all.”

“Even so, I think you do have some luck with people. To think those folks willingly want to remain here...!”

“...Luck with people, huh?” Kang Jin-Ho helplessly shook his head. 'Anyone daring to say that back in Zhongyuan would've gotten their tongue ripped out of their mouth.'

Of course, Kang Jin-Ho wouldn't do something like that. No, such barbaric acts would've been perpetrated by those who hated Kang Jin-Ho's guts.

Saying Heavenly Crimson Demon Emperor was lucky with people was like arguing that oil and water easily mixed. After all, he remorselessly destroyed and beheaded anyone trying to attack him. So, to say he had good luck with people?

'I don't feel like I've changed a lot since those days, though...?'

Fundamentally, Kang Jin-Ho's behavioral pattern hadn't changed much since his Zhongyuan days. In that case, why were other people acting like this? Kang Jin-Ho couldn't help but mull what the difference could be.

In the meantime, Lee Hyeon-Su continued to speak. “If I'm being honest, though... Having extra people wanting to stay behind will always be a huge plus for us.”

“Yes, I think so, too.”

“Although, the idea of paying those guys full salaries is not sitting well with me. We used to make them work with only a few pieces of baguettes before, after all.”

Kang Jin-Ho silently chuckled at that. Even he did feel a bit—just a tiny bit—unhappy about paying the Chevaliers their full monthly wages. However, he didn't mind swallowing this bitterness as long as they could acquire a powerful collaborator like Knight Wiggins in return for their investment!

“Assembly Master Bang didn't seem all that enthused about this idea, though?” Kang Jin-Ho casually asked.

“He probably is having a hard time accepting this development. He's still one of the inheritors of Korea's traditional martial art techniques, after all.”

“Mm...”

“However, he won't have a choice but to accept it. Unwilling to accept something superior to yours in the name of upholding tradition is no different from refusing to use smartphones because you've been using landlines all your life.”

Kang Jin-Ho slowly nodded. In the end... Things like tradition and stuff were bound to change sooner or later. That was because humanity always found a way to advance and evolve. Unwilling to accept this change meant you'd only be eliminated and forgotten from the pages of history.

“Other unhappy noises coming from various groups of people will try to harass us,” said Lee Hyeon-Su. “However, significant changes are always accompanied by teething pain, Mister Jin-Ho. Whether we're talking about people or organizations, that won't change.”

“Yes, you're right.”

“As long as we can benefit from the Westerners' combat arts... The overall power of the Martial Assembly will surely rise. That's all we need to focus on. Even if we have to ruthlessly squash any hindrances.”

“Mm...” Kang Jin-Ho contemplatively nodded. For sure, having someone capable of setting a clear goal was convenient. If Kang Jin-Ho had been alone, he still wouldn't have concisely summarized what needed to be done. He glanced back at Lee Hyeon-Su. “Even though you also look deeply dissatisfied?”

“Yes, I'm still dissatisfied. However, I'm not dissatisfied with our goal but with the process of reaching said goal, Mister Jin-Ho. Please discuss with me first before doing something crazy like this again. You know I won't oppose you when you want something to happen. There should be a less painful way of reaching the same goal that also comes with fewer side effects. And I'm here to help you find such ways, you know?”

“My bad. I'll do my best to keep you informed next time.”

“...Well, at least you're willing to consider it. That's all I can ask for,” Lee Hyeon-Su brightly smiled. Of course he knew. He knew that the situation this time had progressed far too quickly for Kang Jin-Ho to discuss it with other people.

From Kang Jin-Ho's perspective, he didn't have enough time to consider other options but to get the ball rolling this way. And now that it had been discussed... Someone had to say it couldn't be helped, while someone else's job was to say he should be more careful next time.

'It's a relief that Mister Jin-Ho is the latter...'

A subordinate should thank their lucky stars for working under a boss who was willing to listen and consider other people's viewpoints. Something like that would've never happened with a boss like Kim Seok-Il, though!

Kim Seok-Il was the type of man who firmly believed everything he did was the right way, that only he could see the truth in this world. In their attitudes alone, Kang Jin-Ho and Kim Seok-Il weren't even in the same realm of existence.

'I shouldn't forget that Mister Jin-Ho can be brainy, too...'

Even though Kang Jin-Ho frequently looked confused and asked other people for clarification, he was definitely not an idiot. Actually, he'd often shock Lee Hyeon-Su and others with how sharp his mind could be.

Kang Jin-Ho quietly muttered as he stopped before a doorway. “The Martial Assembly will have to accept the incoming change.”

“Yes, I agree.”

“In that case... What about the folks behind this door?” Kang Jin-Ho reached out and opened the door, then fearlessly stepped inside. '...Now that's a familiar sensation.'

He was immediately greeted by the thick, dense demonic qi wafting freely in the air.

Demonic qi was quite a unique type of energy. Despite not containing any hostility, people would still get unnerved or bothered by demonic qi. It was as if... As if condensed bloodlust sneakily permeating this qi acted like needles pricking one's skin.

Kang Jin-Ho used to feel this all the time back in Zhongyuan. However, this would be the first time since his return to modern Korea. Only Chang Min back in China was capable of utilizing 'proper' demonic qi in the current era, after all. As for the rest Kang Jin-Ho ran into... Well, calling them 'demonic cultivators' would be an affront to demonic cultivation itself.

Even the aura they emitted was shabby and unstable, so Kang Jin-Ho loathed the idea of calling that demonic qi.

Kang Jin-Ho deeply sucked in a lungful of air. The demonic qi he didn't think he'd sense again in the modern era densely filled this training area. For a brief moment there, he thought he had returned to the ancient past in the demon cult's practice halls.

It wasn't surprising considering that the demon cult's disciples always bathed themselves in this kind of aura while training.

“Mister Jin-Ho, this place... feels weird,” said Lee Hyeon-Su while frowning deeply.

Kang Jin-Ho smirked softly. He wasn't at all surprised that a person unfamiliar with demonic qi like Lee Hyeon-Su would get this unpleasant feeling.

Kang Jin-Ho glanced back at Lee Hyeon-Su. “Haven't you sensed it many times before?”

“From you?”

“Yeah.”

Lee Hyeon-Su's frown deepened. “...This and that are different, Mister Jin-Ho. A person used to seeing oceans wouldn't feel familiar with small springs, you know?”

“That's a weird way of comparing things..”

However, it also sounded like a sensible comparison. A flame would still be called 'flame' whether it was burning on the tip of a match or burning down the entire mountain, after all. In that sense, it made sense for demonic qi to give off a different feeling depending on how refined and strong it was.

“Attention!” Lee Hyeon-Su loudly called out, prompting the trainees to stop what they were doing and turn their attention to him. Lee Hyeon-Su reflexively clamped his mouth shut and stepped back.

But he didn't do that to make way for Kang Jin-Ho. All the gazes and emitted aura suddenly focusing on him instinctively forced Lee Hyeon-Su to stumble back!The debut release of this chapter happened at N0v3l_B1n.

'It's to this extent?!'

Lee Hyeon-Su thought he had a good understanding of how speedy and effective the demonic cultivation methods could be. But...! To think the younger generation of the Assembly would advance to such a degree that their mere aura alone was enough to frighten him!

Lee Hyeon-Su's face reddened instantly from shame... and anticipation! Getting scared was humiliating, yes, but he was more excited about a group of men who couldn't affect him before advancing so rapidly in power.

“You're finally here, sir!” Yi Myeong-Hwan eagerly approached Kang Jin-Ho and Lee Hyeon-Su. By now, he had become something of the younger generation's representative despite not being the strongest among them solely because he was 'acquainted' with Kang Jin-Ho.

“Any problems?” Kang Jin-Ho asked while scanning the training area.

“...Plenty, unfortunately. Accepting a different cultivation method and making it ours is no cakewalk, you know?”

“I'm sure that's the case,” Kang Jin-Ho nodded in understanding. It might be easy for someone like him, but other people would have a tougher time accepting something so drastically different from the cultivation method they were already familiar with.

“Even so, we're seeing tangible results, Mister Jin-Ho!”

“Yes, I can see that as well.”

“In our current state, I'm confident about not getting our butts handed to you so easily like the last time.”

“Ohh, really?” Kang Jin-Ho smirked suspiciously at that confident boasting.

However, Yi Hyeon-Hwan hurriedly waved his hands. “I, I'm not saying I'm gonna do it, you know!”

Lee Hyeon-Su wryly grinned at the clear panic written on Yi Myeong-Hwan's face and came to his rescue. “If a kid comes home with full marks on a dictation test, you're supposed to congratulate him, Mister Jin-Ho. Not try to confirm if it's true or not.”

“Really?” Kang Jin-Ho cocked an eyebrow. “However, what's bad about humoring his request?”

“It's not a request!” Yi Myeong-Hwan urgently cried out. “...Well, at least not right now.”

“I see. That's too bad,” Kang Jin-Ho casually shrugged, then turned his attention toward the martial artists inside the training area. The demonic qi emitted from their figures sharply stung his skin. 'Good.'

Kang Jin-Ho wasn't satisfied simply by the level of demonic qi these people emitted. No, it was because this group of small fries was rapidly morphing into a dependable combat force.

Kang Jin-Ho nodded in satisfaction, then muttered quietly. “It's time to switch up the training, then.”

Yi Myeong-Hwan blinked his eyes. “Sorry?”

“Demonic cultivation methods were always meant to be practical in nature. The original intention probably wasn't, but... Demonic cultivation is fundamentally a tyrannical training method.”

“Yes, I agree.”

“So, you will need a way to release your accumulated stress somehow. If you keep cultivating like this, you will eventually fail to control yourself and cause a scene.”

Yi Myeong-Hwan slowly nodded in agreement. Truth be told, even he had been vaguely sensing it. It felt like he had subtly changed from his previous self.

He'd suddenly lose his temper on minor things like a trivial nuisance during his training, which was something he had never done before. In fact, he had no idea he could even get that angry in the first place! He never saw himself as a short-fused hot-head in the past, yet...

However, he wasn't the only person with this problem. Everyone else going through this training was displaying similar symptoms. They were growing more violent and temperamental, just like Yi Myeong-Hwan. Maybe that was why?

Not just Yi Myeong-Hwan, but everyone else was focused on Kang Jin-Ho's words. They were all scared of losing their humanity and becoming one of those crazed demons out to hurt people. Maybe Kang Jin-Ho had a solution to that?

Kang Jin-Ho addressed the attentive crowd as if he understood their concerns. “What you've experienced is inevitable as you accumulate more demonic qi. Yes, you will become more violent than before. Unfortunately, you don't have a choice but to get used to it.”

“...Won't we, you know, get worse?”

Kang Jin-Ho glanced at Lee Hyeon-Su. “Do I look like a mindless killer to you?”

“Yes.” Lee Hyeon-Su replied without hesitation.

“...Eh?” Kang Jin-Ho looked a little taken aback just then.

“W-was I supposed to say no?” Lee Hyeon-Su panicked when Kang Jin-Ho looked dispirited and hurriedly shot a sharp glare at Yi Myeong-Hwan.

“O-of course, you're not like that all the time, Mister Jin-Ho!” Yi Myeong-Hwan hurriedly spat out whatever came to his mind. “L-like you, I'm sure we won't have any problems most of the time. And we're supposed to be violent during a battle, anyway!”

Kang Jin-Ho slowly turned his head and stared at Lee Hyeon-Su again. “Looks like we'll need a medical team soon.”

Lee Hyeon-Su panicked even more. “Who are you planning to beat up this time?! You mustn't hit people for saying something as mild as that, Mister Jin-Ho!”

“What? Hang on, that's not what I..” Kang Jin-Ho loudly groaned. Just what did these people think of him as? “I'm not gonna hit anybody. It's just that lots of people will get hurt during the training I have in mind.”

“Oh, the training!” Lee Hyeon-Su hurriedly nodded in understanding. “How many medics should I call for?”

“About half... No, more than half will get injured, so I guess lots of medics?”

“...I see. I'll try to find as many as possible. But, uh, what kind of training do you have in mind? Is it really so... dangerous?”

“Yes, it is,” Kang Jin-Ho smirked suspiciously. “How can it not be dangerous when angry beasts are clashing against each other?”

“...N-no way?”

Kang Jin-Ho firmly nodded away. “The best way for a bunch of animals to vent some steam is to fight each other. Gentlemen, your boring cultivation training is over. From this moment on... You will fight each other. It's about time we establish the pecking order, anyway."

Lee Hyeon-Su's expression crumpled as he alternated his gaze between Kang Jin-Ho and the younger-generation martial artists.

Since it was difficult to fully suppress and control a martial artist's violent streak and burning passion, the concept of fighting each other to release some of the accumulated stress seemed almost sensible. Even so, suggesting a solution like that was crazy. Utterly insane!

However, what flustered Lee Hyeon-Su even more than Kang Jin-Ho's 'suggestion' was the younger-generation martial artists and their reactions. Despite being hit with such a nonsensical order... None of them were complaining about it. No signs of resistance whatsoever! Actually, they were busy searching for their opponents in the crowd as if... As if they had been itching to fight for a while now!

'Holy sh*t... None of them is sane!'

Lee Hyeon-Su finally realized these martial artists were demonic cultivators now. Even if the demonic cultivation method they learned was the genuine article, a demonic cultivator was still that, a demonic cultivator! They should never be thought of as 'normal' people under any circumstances!

Goosebumps broke out on Lee Hyeon-Su's skin when he suddenly gained a new epiphany. Soon, these men would bare their fangs not at their colleagues but at their future enemies...!

'This is... This is poison.'

A power beyond one's control was no better than poison. It couldn't be anything else. Because it'd eventually destroy the one hoping to wield it.

Kang Jin-Ho suddenly smirked as if he saw through Lee Hyeon-Su's concerns. “No need to worry.”

“I'm sorry?”

“I've never been bitten by unruly animals before, you see.”

“...!” Lee Hyeon-Su's widening eyes took in the sight of Kang Jin-Ho's imposing back. 'Right, that... doesn't sound surprising.'

Kang Jin-Ho was the king of these beasts, after all!

'Mister Jin-Ho alone is already this scary, so... What would it be like when he's in charge of subordinates that meet his standards?'

Lee Hyeon-Su began shuddering. Maybe...

Maybe the demon sect of the legends could be seeing a revival in this place. With Kang Jin-Ho as the center of the storm!