Chapter 92 -----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 92
Chapter Title: Heavenly Demon Fills One Jiazi of Internal Energy
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Just before dawn broke.
The Heavenly Demon, who had been sitting primly on the rooftop pallet meditating and circulating his qi, slowly opened his eyes.
Unlike usual, a divine light flickered in his crimson pupils, and a faint mist seemed to rise from his body.
"Internal energy gained from Divine Requests... 55 years."
It was the internal energy he had accumulated by tirelessly fulfilling Divine Requests at Bokbok Interiors.
"From working in the territory and meditating diligently morning and night, I've gained just over a year."
His current internal energy level stood at 56 years.
All he needed now was four more years of refined true qi to reach one jiazi (60 years) of internal energy.
"Good."
As the Heavenly Demon slowly rose to his feet, a red gleam flashed in his eyes.
Something good was bound to happen today.
His premonition proved correct.
No sooner had he arrived at work than a Divine Request came in.
It was none other than a referral from Dongwon, a civil servant with the Divine Territory Management Team: repairing the eaves brackets of a pavilion built beneath the Divine Realm Administrative Office.
Of course, since the Divine Realm Administrative Office was constructed entirely in traditional hanok style, Kim Chanwon—who was proficient in not just tiles but all aspects of construction—was assigned alongside him.
Passing civil servants gaped at the sight of the Heavenly Demon carrying a thick divine spirit tree trunk in one arm.
"Is that guy really human? He's holding that divine spirit tree like chopsticks."
They gasped again upon seeing Kim Chanwon up on the roof, removing the tiles.
"The guy next to him looks like an upper-grade yokai... doing manual labor."
"Aw, I don't usually take on Divine Requests like this."
Ignoring the murmurs and piercing stares, Kim Chanwon swept the tiles and dirt from the roof.
Once the work was done and he climbed back down, he gave the Heavenly Demon a troubled look.
"I'm only doing this as a special favor since you asked, Heavenly Demon. No way I'm doing it twice."
"I'll keep that in mind."
"Alright, now we're gonna start the repairs, so pay close attention."
Kim Chanwon pointed to the damaged eaves brackets of the hanok pavilion.
"Over time, the tiles wear out and get pushed downward. Then rainwater seeps in through the gaps, rotting the end brackets and the flat purlins connecting the eaves."
Various carpentry tools lay before Kim Chanwon, who snapped an ink line across the divine spirit wood.
They were ordinary tools available at any hardware store, but infused with the temporary grace of the divine realm, they could process the heaviest metal on Earth: divine spirit wood.
"Carpentry's all about precision first and foremost. Watch closely."
Seemingly enjoying his rare turn as a carpenter, Kim Chanwon looked thrilled.
Whirr. Clack clack.
He began cutting out the damaged brackets and shaping the divine spirit wood.
Even as he worked, Kim Chanwon explained nonstop to the Heavenly Demon, who listened intently while assisting.
"There we go, all done!"
The dark divine spirit wood, once attached to the roof, transformed into an ancient, patinaed blue hue.
With the repairs complete, Kim Chanwon beamed at the restored roof.
"No need for paint since it's not regular wood."
"Good work."
"You too, Heavenly Demon."
Patting his hands clean, Kim Chanwon grinned at the setting sun.
"Come on, let's pack up quick. We'll grab a drink after. Manager Jang said to head out as soon as we're done."
"Not today."
"Huh? Why, something come up?"
Gazing up at the clock tower atop the tall hanok-style building, the Heavenly Demon spoke with utmost seriousness.
"It's the finale of [My Inspector General], which I enjoy watching."
The next day.
The Heavenly Demon rode his Ramas to Bokbok Interiors for work.
But as he parked in the lot and walked toward the shop, his expression was extremely sour.
He looked deeply uncomfortable somewhere, and a chill spread through his eyes like mist.
[Heavenly Demon.]
Nameless, perched on his shoulder and gauging his mood, sighed.
[It's just a drama. Not a true story.]
"I know that."
The Heavenly Demon spat curtly, clenching his fists.
"But that vile corrupt magistrate is utterly unforgivable. Soon I'll track him down and make him taste the full range of my Demonic Roar Hell Imprisonment Tortures."
[Y-Yes, sure.]
In the drama, the corrupt magistrate had suffered severe burns in a fire as a child.
That's why the actor playing him appeared with burn makeup on his face from episode one. Even if the Heavenly Demon went looking, he'd have a hard time recognizing him.
[Oh, or... maybe you would recognize him, Heavenly Demon.]
"What are you saying?"
[Nothing at all.]
The Heavenly Demon continued grumbling as he walked. But upon entering the shop, he saw a young man in a neat haircut and crisp suit standing beside Jang Chaewon. It was Dongwon.
"Greetings, Heavenly Demon."
"What brings you here so early?"
At the Heavenly Demon's question, Dongwon smiled brightly and reached into his suit pocket.
"Came to pay you for yesterday's work. Had business nearby anyway. Haha."
Jang Chaewon, standing beside him, chuckled.
"Government offices usually pay at month's end. But Dongwon knew you'd be waiting with bated breath, so he brought it early."
"Is that so. Well done."
The Heavenly Demon took the envelope from Dongwon impassively.
But unlike the usual red ones Jang Chaewon received, this envelope was black.
Apparently, the envelopes varied by client.
"Hm?"
Opening it, the Heavenly Demon saw a single golden flower bloom like a hologram, illuminating the interior.
"What's this? Not silver."
"Oh, you didn't know? Grace flowers come in silver, gold, and iridescent. One silver, five gold, ten iridescent..."
Before Dongwon could finish, the golden flower vanished, and divine power flowed into the Heavenly Demon's body.
It amounted to five years.
Intense Blood Flame Radiance burst from the Heavenly Demon's eyes.
"Finally... one jiazi."
Yes. With 56 years plus five more, he had accumulated over one jiazi (60 years) of internal energy.
Rumble rumble rumble.
The ground shook, and a fierce wind began swirling around the Heavenly Demon's body.
"Grraaah."
Crack crack.
Veins bulged, skin split.
Boom!
Suddenly, blinding white light erupted from the Heavenly Demon's body as his eyes rolled back.
His lion-mane hair shot toward the sky, and the spilling light coalesced like lightning, whipping around the surroundings.
"What the hell is this?"
Jang Chaewon startled and rushed toward him, but Dongwon quickly held her back.
"Sis, wait!"
"Why?"
"Doesn't look bad. See that?"
Crackle crackle!
Unlike the Heavenly Demon's signature ability, the crackling light was yellow, its energy exceedingly gentle.
It was light born of pure true qi.
[Heavenly Demon Signature Ability... no, not quite.]
Nameless shook its head as it watched.
The light pouring from the Heavenly Demon's body wasn't blazing red but a soft yellow, like incandescent bulbs.
"Raaargh!"
Letting out a mighty lion's roar, the Heavenly Demon's body floated a chi (about 30 centimeters) into the air.
With one jiazi of power filled, a mysteriously severed meridian had been restored.
Hum hum hum.
As he descended back to the ground, serene light flowed from the Heavenly Demon's body.
It was the sacred glow emanating only from the gods of the upper realm.
"That's..."
Dongwon's eyes narrowed as he watched.
No matter how great one's abilities, how could such energy pour from a human body?
'Hmm.'
Dongwon's expression toward the Heavenly Demon had turned icy cold.
But with Jang Chaewon and Nameless's gazes fixed on him, no one noticed.
"Hoo."
Finally opening his eyes, the Heavenly Demon wore a satisfied smile.
"I've finally achieved one jiazi."
One jiazi.
The internal energy level achievable only by accumulating true qi ceaselessly for 60 years—the level at which one could make a name in the martial world.
"Really? So you can go back now?"
Jang Chaewon exclaimed, but the Heavenly Demon shook his head wryly.
"As if. I've merely taken one-tenth of the steps to return."
His original power had exceeded 1,000 years.
But reaching just ten jiazi (600 years) would allow him to perform the Heaven-Earth Infinite Return Palm to go back to the martial world, so one-tenth wasn't wrong.
"Aw, what? You're still far off."
Jang Chaewon smacked her lips in disappointment.
Though she never showed it, she wasn't entirely uninterested in the 10 billion won gold bars he promised.
"But there are benefits."
"Huh? Like what?"
Checking his meridians, the Heavenly Demon smiled in satisfaction.
"I can now access and use one more technique I couldn't before."
"Huh? Technique?"
"So far, I've only used arts unaffected by my severed meridians, like Fist Demon Seven Styles or Demonic Flower Extreme Finger—external or yin-yang arts, that is. Excluding miscellaneous arts learned for cultivation or mind control techniques, of course."
"No idea what you mean."
"My Reverse Extreme Divine Art allows simultaneous use of yin-yang dual qi—a peerless martial art. In short, with that one severed meridian now solidly reconnected, I can channel proper orthodox demonic arts through it that I couldn't use before."
The Heavenly Demon spoke excitedly, but Jang Chaewon's face remained blank.
"Ah, yeah. Got it."
No, her eyes even narrowed like a flounder's.
From her perspective, his current Fist Demon Seven Styles were plenty ferocious and powerful.
"Better to stick with familiar techniques than add some weird new one."
Wearing a worried expression, Jang Chaewon said,
"How about just keeping up the Wa-dta-dta-tu-gen?"
"What's that?"
"It's a set with the Eoryu-gen and A-do-gen you use a lot. You don't know?"
"No."
"Oh well, then forget it."
As Jang Chaewon sat down with a disinterested look, Dongwon smiled and said,
"Congratulations anyway, Heavenly Demon."
"Thanks to you. Keep the good jobs coming."
"Hahaha, sure thing. See you next time, Heavenly Demon. Sis, I'm off."
Dongwon waved smilingly at the Heavenly Demon and Jang Chaewon before turning and vanishing like mist. But no one noticed his eyes had hardened just before he left.
[Congratulations, Heavenly Demon.]
"Hm."
[I'll head to the storage room then.]
"Do as you like."
Ignoring Nameless as it rolled away, the Heavenly Demon gazed at his hands, a smile playing on his lips.
Which art to channel through this newly opened meridian?
The Divine Demon Severing Finger, powerful even at range? Or the Demon Spirit Sect Master Great Law of the Ghostly Gates, enabling various Supreme Spirit Subduing Rituals?
"What're you doing?"
Jang Chaewon chuckled at the smiling Heavenly Demon.
"Still doing your victory dance?"
"Contemplating which technique to adapt to the opened meridian."
"Yeah? How about picking one while cleaning the shop? Doesn't have to be right now, right?"
At Jang Chaewon's nonchalant tone, the momentarily excited Heavenly Demon regained his composure.
'No need to decide hastily.'
It had taken just over six months to gather one jiazi. A short time if short, long if long.
Who knew when he'd gather another jiazi's worth? He needed to choose the technique to unlock carefully.
"Very well."
Answering flatly, the Heavenly Demon slowly picked up the mop. Then he began his usual routine as if nothing had changed.
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