Chapter 192: The Beauty of Slacking Off Is

TL: FoodieMonster007

The next day, after Black Fists training ended, I followed the Fist Demon.

"Please have a meal with me today."

The Fist Demon always ate alone. The other Demon Supremes were no different, but the Fist Demon never ate with his subordinates, not even on rare occasions.

"No, thank you."

"Why not?"

"It's uncomfortable."

"If I'm uncomfortable, that's one thing, but for you, the Fist Demon, to be uncomfortable? Who in the world would believe that?"

"You make me uncomfortable."

The Fist Demon strode away. The Iron Fists stared at us with surprised faces. They watched the Fist Demon, who claimed discomfort even around his own subordinates, and me, who pestered such a man for a meal.

Of course, I didn't give up. I followed the Fist Demon again the next day.

"Then how about a cup of tea today?"

"I don't like tea."

"They say drinking a lot of tea is good for your health."

The Fist Demon stopped walking.

"Just why are you doing this? Do you want to poison the tea or something?"

"Of course not! If I poisoned you, I wouldn't be able to learn the next mnemonic, would I?"

"That's right. You'd have to learn everything before you poison me."

"It's a misunderstanding," I shouted, but the Fist Demon strode away.

The next day, when training ended, I followed him again.

"By any chance, do you know how to play Go?"

"I do not. Why would a great man hold such tiny stones? It's not like little girls playing house."

"Though, that 'playing house' is what Father's completely absorbed in these days."

"……"

The Fist Demon walked away with long strides, not looking back. His pace was even faster than the day before, perhaps because I mentioned Father.

The next day, and the day after that, the Fist Demon remained an iron wall.

At this rate, it won't be easy.

I had put the Fist Demon in a boiling pot, but this big, sturdy opponent showed no signs of softening. He simply wouldn't cook, no matter how much I wanted to boil him tender.

When I feel this frustrated, one person comes to mind.

I immediately headed for the Southern Blade Sect, where the Blood Heaven Blade Demon was.

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon was teaching martial arts to Seo Daeryong.

Seo Daeryong, now a formal disciple, was learning the unique Heaven Destroying Demonic Blade Technique from the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.

I went to the backyard so I wouldn't disturb their training. I quietly closed my eyes, sat in the lotus position, and circulated the Heavenly Demon Defense Art.

I had completely mastered the Soaring Sky Sword Art, the Twelfth Star, and the Four Strides of the Wind God. Of all the martial arts I had learned, I absolutely had to master the Heavenly Demon Defense Art.

After I had been training for a while, Seo Daeryong's careful voice came from a distance.

"Training is over."

He had informed me quietly, careful not to disturb my own training.

When I opened my eyes, Seo Daeryong collapsed next to me, drenched in sweat.

"Is it tough?"

"I'm dying."

It seemed that for Seo Daeryong, who had begun training in earnest, it was a continuous series of hellish sessions.

"I'll have a word with him. Our Detective Seo is having too hard a time. Please go a little easier on him."

"Of course. There are many ways to kill a person."

I quietly looked at Seo Daeryong's side profile.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You've changed. Your aura."

"How so?"

"You look stronger."

That one phrase immediately lifted Seo Daeryong's spirits. Seo Daeryong clenched his fists tightly.

"Just you wait!"

"'Villains!' No, you mean 'Ladies!', right?"

"Was it that obvious?"

"Cheer up, my right-hand man! Without this time spent grinding, you'll be killed by villains and rejected by women."

"What if I grind and still get rejected?"

Seo Daeryong's deer-like eyes hoped for a 'that won't happen'.

"Then let's catch at least one more villain. Ah! The world's villains might just go extinct."

"Hey! How can you say that?"

I laughed out loud, and Seo Daeryong laughed along.

He stood up from his spot and said his farewell.

"I'll see you tomorrow then. Oh, and that thing you said about me looking stronger, please say it again next time! Whenever I'm having a hard time."

"You got it."

After sending him off, I went to the front yard. The Blood Heaven Blade Demon was wiping away sweat, leaning against the Heaven Destroying Dao.

"You must be busy throwing punches. Why did you come? Are you already sick of it?"

"Yes. I'm sick of it. I deeply regret saying I'd learn fist techniques when I could've just been hanging out with you, Elder."

"Who said I'd hang out with you?"

I went and sat down next to the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.

"No matter how much I stoke the fire, he shows no signs of cooking."

"You're trying to cook a boulder. Do you think it'll cook?"

"That's why I came to see you, Elder."

"So you're going to try adding some old ginger to the boiling water?"

"This is why I like you, Elder. You get it instantly."

"What do you want from the Fist Demon? His martial arts? Or his heart?"

"At first, it was his martial arts."

"Now you want his heart too?"

"He seems to want to break down a cliff. At first, I thought that was cool, so I wanted to break it down too, but now, I've become curious about why the Fist Demon wants to break down that cliff so badly."

"It's probably for a trivial reason, if you look into it."

"Isn't everyone like that? I am too."

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon looked at me as if I were a wise old child.

"I'm sorry to tell you this after you've come all this way, but I don't know much about the Fist Demon."

"It's alright. I just came to see you, Elder, because I was feeling frustrated."

The spicy ginger was for healing, not cooking.

"Hey, Second Young Lord."

"Yes, Elder."

"Are you okay?"

"!"

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon was asking me if I was okay.

If someone else had asked, I would have said I was fine, but I didn't want to do that with the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.

"I don't really know."

"Saying 'I don't know' is more dangerous than saying 'I'm not okay'. When you're tired, take a rest."

In that moment, I felt again that the Blood Heaven Blade Demon was genuinely worried about me. I find myself disarmed in front of him these days. I tried so hard to open his door, but perhaps my own door has swung wide open first.

"Then, may I also lean on your dao, Elder?"

"No. Seeing you spout such nonsense, you must be perfectly fine."

"Just once. I've always wanted to lean on it, just once."

When I pleaded, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon reluctantly gave permission.

"Then just this once."

I leaned against the Heaven Destroying Dao.

"Ah! Now I know why you always lean on this."

"Doesn't it feel sturdy, like it's protecting you?"

"No. It's incredibly cool."

The Heaven Destroying Dao had a primordial chill.

"So you were the only one staying cool on those hot summer days!"

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon must not have expected me to challenge him like this. He just laughed and called me a rascal.

Joking with Seo Daeryong and laughing with the Blood Heaven Blade Demon relieved a lot of my frustration. I also found a great method of healing.

"When I'm tired, I'll take a rest."

"Come anytime you're having a hard time."

The single phrase 'anytime' pierced my heart.

"How would I live without you, Elder?"

"You'd live just fine, trading punches with the Fist Demon. Stop with the silly talk and go back. You have that late-night training or whatever to do."

"Hey. How is it that there are no secrets in the Demonic Cult?"

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon picked up his dao and spoke as he went inside.

"Who do you think they take after, with such loose lips?"

I accepted the Blood Heaven Blade Demon's advice.

The next day, I didn't go to the Black Fists training. While training would have been in full swing, I was in the world within the Spacetime Manipulation Technique.

A blue sky and sea resembled my enhanced sword qi. A sun-drenched sandy beach, the shade of a broad-leafed tree, and even a cool straw mat. I was lying down in the most comfortable way possible.

Today was a day for slacking off.

After returning from the Murim Alliance and getting entangled with the Fist Demon, I hadn't rested properly for even a moment.

So today, I planned to spend time alone. I decided not to think about other people.

It was truly perfect slacking, prepared with drinks, snacks, and even a book.

I looked at the sky, then the sea, then a crab crawling on the sand. I read a book, dozed off, and upon waking, stared blankly at the sea again.

"Ah! This is great!"

It was more than great.

I lazed around like that all day long.

That afternoon, Cheon Sohwi came to my residence.

"Senior Brother, Senior Brother."

It's cute how she calls me Second Young Lord in front of the Fist Demon, but Senior Brother when it's just the two of us.

"Where did he go?"

I could see her peeking into my room through the window. She must have been worried since I, who had never missed a day of Black Fists training, suddenly didn't show up.

After lingering in the yard for a moment, she left.

I had fully expected her visit. A little later, however, a completely unexpected person visited. To be precise, he passed by rather than visited.

Surprisingly, it was the Fist Demon. He walked past my residence as if on some other business, his eyes flickering toward my home. He even raised his qi as he passed to check if I was there.

The way he pretended not to notice was so funny and, at the same time, touching.

I really wanted to release the Spacetime Manipulation Technique and run out. I wanted to ask if he came because he was worried and see his flustered expression, but I didn't.

Hey people, you should know how precious I am!

I lazed around like that until late, filled my inner arts with meditation, and then lazed around some more. It might have seemed like an insignificant day, but for me, it was a valuable time of recharging.

Then, the time for late-night training arrived.

The three of them arrived on time. As soon as she came, Cheon Sohwi asked me.

"Why didn't you come to the Black Fists training today?"

Lee Ahn was startled to hear that I hadn't gone.

"Young Master! Are you sick? How badly are you hurt!"

"Why are you making such a fuss?"

"There's no way the Young Master would skip training! What is it? What happened?"

"I'm human too. There are times I want to slack off and times I want to rest."

As I said that, I looked at the Fist Demon.

"Isn't that right?"

The Fist Demon looked at me for a moment, then shook his head.

"I have never done such a thing."

"Really?"

"If I had lived such a lazy life, someone else would be in the Fist Demon's position now."

"Isn't it hard for you?"

"Not at all."

I know. What truly makes things hard for a person isn't the difficulty of the task itself. It's that no one acknowledges that hardship, or they know and just pass by indifferently.

"If you're tired, let's hang out! I'm on standby anytime."

Of course, the Fist Demon didn't even pretend to listen.

As training was ending that day, an unfamiliar sound came from my fist.

WHOOOOSH!

It wasn't the sound of thunder, but it wasn't the sound my fists had made until now either.

"What is this sound?" I asked.

The Fist Demon looked at me with a surprised face.

"It is the sound of a coming storm."

It meant the time for thunder was not far off.

At my unbelievably fast achievement, fighting spirit flared from the Fist Demon's entire body. He looked like he wanted to charge at me right away.

He instinctively took a step forward, and I stepped back. Lee Ahn and Cheon Sohwi grew tense in the touch-and-go situation where a fierce battle could break out at any moment.

I quickly said to him, "Shall we make a bet?"

"What kind of bet."

"I don't like trading blows, so how about a bet on movement arts? If I win, please teach me the second form of the Thunder Arhat Fist."

"And if I win?"

"I will have a match with you, Fist Demon."

A triumphant smile appeared on the Fist Demon's lips.

"You must have thought I'd be slow because my body is so big."

The greatest masters of fist techniques always have incredible movement arts, and movement arts are intrinsically linked to fist techniques.

"Fine. I accept that bet."

The Fist Demon was full of confidence. He was so confident in his movement arts that he was willing to bet a unique martial art's second form.

"To the entrance of the Demon Village. How about it?"

"That place isn't suitable for a duel. About five kilometers from the entrance, there's a bamboo forest. Let's make that the finish line."

In the Fist Demon's mind, he had already won the bet.

Lee Ahn drew a line on the ground, and we stood side-by-side on it.

"Ready, go!"

We shot forward like arrows from a bow. I could only imagine how surprised the two women were when we vanished in an instant.

The Fist Demon was truly fast. I'm certain he's the fastest among the Demon Supremes. That must be why he accepted the bet, but he couldn't be faster than my Swift Step.

I matched his speed and ran neck and neck with him. The Fist Demon's surprise was transmitted through his rough breaths.

I arrived at the bamboo forest a few steps ahead of him. I panted for breath, acting as if I had barely won.

The Fist Demon arrived shortly after and looked at me with a shocked face. He seemed to have never imagined I could be faster than him.

"First, please teach me the second form. If you feel it's unfair, let's bet the third form and go again."

When his scary face made a scary expression, it was truly frightening, but scary is scary. He was not a man who would break a promise.

"Fine. I will teach you the second form right here."

I was inwardly surprised by his unhesitating decision. He was truly a man among men.

It was too precious a martial art to give away over a bet on movement arts. What was the Fist Demon thinking right now? Did he really not consider the possibility of losing from the start? I was curious about his intentions.

"Will you be alright?"

"Are you asking if I'm okay after luring me into a trap?"

That trap, could it be that you knowingly fell into it?

The second form was the Thunder Asura.

If the first form, the Black Cloud Asura, was about concentrating all one's power to strike a single opponent, the Thunder Asura was a technique of throwing punches so fast they were invisible. It emphasized speed over power, similar to the Soaring Sky Sword Art's fast sword style, the Blue Sky Strike.

The Fist Demon passed down the mnemonic and stances to me.

I exhausted all my mental energy to make every single one of his teachings my own.

And so, the Fist Demon's second fist also became mine.

"Thank you very much. I will never allow this fist to be used for the wrong reasons."

I bowed to him. Although we hadn't become master and disciple, I had now received up to the second form.

"Well, since we've come this far, let's get some fresh air before we go back."

The Fist Demon looked at me with an expression that asked what I meant.

"It's been a long time since you left the Cult, hasn't it? I skipped training and played yesterday, and it was great. You should slack off with me too, Fist Demon."

The Fist Demon snorted as if to say 'not a chance' and turned to walk back toward our Cult. Looking at his large, thick back, I said, "You're always there every day, so people don't realize how precious you are."

The Fist Demon stopped dead in his tracks.

"Your goodwill toward our Cult has continued for too long."

I didn't express it as goodwill toward his subordinates. This was because I didn't want to disparage the subordinates' natural fear of the Fist Demon, nor the Fist Demon's affection for them.

The Fist Demon turned back toward me.

Our gazes locked in mid-air. For a long while, we said nothing. He was a smart man, and he understood the hidden meaning in my words.

"You look tired."

This was the second time I had said that to him. Did the words finally reach him?

After a brief pause, the Fist Demon asked, "Do you have anywhere to go?"

I smiled brightly and said, "The beauty of slacking off is in having no plan. Let's go."

Before he could change his mind, I started running, and the Fist Demon ran with me.

We ran at a similar pace, matching our speeds. From his face as he ran beside me, I caught a glimpse of a kind of joy I had never seen before.

Just like that, we instantly grew distant from the Cult. We grew distant from our daily lives.