Chapter 228: Character Education (1)

Chapter 228: Character Education (1)

Demon’s Horn Disease.

This ominous name was related to the Demon Cult.

According to Zhang Sanfeng, the Black Horned Demons led by the Heavenly Demon showed such symptoms.

However, could it be reasonable for the Emperor of the Great Ming Empire to have traces of demonic arts?

Anyone sensible would naturally have doubts about this situation.

「It’s true. Just because horns grow on the head, the skin hardens, and a blue aura appears around the eyes, we cannot suspect Demon’s Horn Disease alone. Of course, the horns appearing first at the temples is an unusual symptom, but let’s consider the likelihood—it’s extremely slim.」

‘...’

「Yes, the possibility isn’t high. Rather, it’s very low. Very low indeed.」

Zhang Sanfeng spoke as if affirming to himself.

To Yi-gang, it rather seemed strange.

Following the requests of King Gye-yeong and Queen Yuye, Yi-gang became the teacher and guard for the Crown Prince and the Honorable County Princess.

It was truly a sudden royal appointment, so sudden that even the Senior Grand Secretary had not anticipated it.

Around Yi-gang’s waist was a thin bamboo rod gilded with gold.

This was a cane that the teachers of the Crown Prince could wield. In reality, punishing royalty was prohibited, but receiving this golden bamboo cane meant that King Gye-yeong was sincere.

He had been in this strange status for just three days.

During that time, Zhang Sanfeng exhibited an utterly suspicious attitude.

‘There’s a saying that a strong denial is a strong affirmation.’

「Where is that phrase from... Which scripture?」

‘It’s not in the scriptures, but it’s a thought-provoking statement. If the Sage keeps avoiding the question and keeps his mouth shut, don’t you think there might be something you ought to tell me?’

It was early morning now. Yi-gang was walking on his way to meet the Honorable County Princess and the Crown Prince.

「...」

‘I’ll change the question. Are you, the Sage, remaining on this earth because of something related to the Heavenly Demon?’

「Umm...」

Zhang Sanfeng, as always, kept his lips tightly sealed.

However, Yi-gang had been with him long enough now to realize that it wasn’t unrelated.

Zhang Sanfeng also seemed to want to reveal something.

‘If the Sage truly does not wish to speak, I won’t ask any further. But was it not you, the Sage, who directed me to head towards Beijing?’

「...」

‘I never imagined I would hear the names Heavenly Demon and Demon Cult in the imperial palace. The Heavenly Demon once invaded Beijing, didn’t he?’

That was true.

During the Yuan dynasty, the Khan who conquered the Central Plains named the new capital in Beijing as the Grand Capital.

The Demon Cult had invaded that Grand Capital.

Thousands of cultists attacked the Yuan Empire alongside the Heavenly Demon.

The massive army of the Yuan dynasty confronted the Heavenly Demon, leading to a war that resulted in tens of thousands of casualties.

Ultimately, it was a defeat for the Demon Cult.

The Heavenly Demon was killed, his head severed. It was said that his head was salted and displayed.

And now, hundreds of years later, at the place where the Heavenly Demon died, the Emperor was becoming poisoned by demonic arts.

‘Did he really die here?’

Yi-gang was skeptical of that first.

The Sword Emperor whom Yi-gang had met possessed superhuman strength.

Zhang Sanfeng was even stronger than that Sword Emperor, and the Heavenly Demon was likely stronger than Zhang Sanfeng.

It seems unlikely that such a strong individual could be captured by soldiers and have his head cut off.

「...That’s not it.」

Zhang Sanfeng finally spoke up.

He wasn’t planning to hide everything forever.

「The Heavenly Demon did not die. Just as humans cannot kill an immortal, the soldiers could not kill him.」

‘Then, are you suggesting that the Heavenly Demon is still alive?’

Yi-gang was shocked. Even the Immortal Divine Sword, who had mastered the Immortal Divine Art, could not overcome the limits of lifespan.

If the Heavenly Demon was still alive, perhaps he had achieved the eternal life that the Master of the Ghost Valley so desired.

「...It can’t be said that he is alive. But it cannot be said that he is dead either.」

‘Has he become a Jiangshi? Or perhaps a vampire...?’

「Haha.」

Zhang Sanfeng grimaced as he laughed.

「People can’t conceive of the way he has remained in this world. And he will return again.」

‘What kind of method is it?’

「I cannot speak of that method, as it is a taboo of the heavenly realm.」

‘Then, the Sage staying on earth rather than in the heavenly realm is...’

「Waiting. When the time comes, the unfinished third duel must be completed.」

One unexpected day, he disclosed the truth he had been withholding.

Yi-gang studied Zhang Sanfeng’s expression.

A person’s face could reveal many emotions.

It seemed this was true even for immortals.

‘Do you wish to settle a score?’

Initially, Yi-gang thought it was for a reason unbecoming of a martial artist. Even masters had their desires to compete.

But his expression didn’t seem to fit that at all.

It was neither stiff nor rigid, nor were his lips tightly shut with wrinkles furrowed between his eyebrows.

With eyes that seemed a bit sad, he gently closed his mouth, as if to affirm his resolution.

It was a sense of mission.

A sense of responsibility known by those who must act, whether they wanted to or not, whether it was hard or easy.

「...Because that is the heavenly mandate given to me.」

Zhang Sanfeng spoke as if he had said enough and remained silent.

Yi-gang did not bother him any further.

Instead, he pondered the new fact that the Heavenly Demon was still on earth.

The sudden uprising of the Demon Cult. The strange winds blowing through the imperial court.

“Stay quiet, Sister. I’ll take all the blame.”

“It’s not about that...”

“Enough!”

The Crown Prince’s expression became even more stubborn.

In this state, he wouldn’t listen to anything.

Moreover, as Yi-gang’s face emerged from below the stairs, the Honorable County Princess instinctively hid behind the Crown Prince.

“Your Highness, Your Majesty.”

Yi-gang had fully ascended.

The carp he was holding continued to thrash about violently.

The Crown Prince tried to maintain a nonchalant expression.

But his heart sank again.

Yi-gang had stopped in front of the spot where the needles were scattered.

He had noticed the barely visible trap on the floor.

Yi-gang smirked as if it were ridiculous.

Before the Crown Prince could react, he continued walking.

“Ah!”

The Honorable County Princess let out a small scream.

She instinctively thought that Yi-gang’s foot would be injured. The needles could easily pierce through leather shoes.

But something surprising happened.

Yi-gang walked lightly over the needles without any issue.

He didn’t have metal plates on the soles of his shoes, yet he remained calm.

Moreover, the needle bundle was neither crushed nor displaced, retaining its original form. It was like a supernatural phenomenon.

They couldn’t understand that Yi-gang had skillfully employed the secret art of light footwork.

Yi-gang stood straight in front of the Crown Prince.

“As servant Baek Yi-gang, I am exceedingly pleased.”

“W-What are you pleased about?”

As his teacher, the Crown Prince couldn’t maintain his previous arrogant tone.

“To faithfully follow the orders of His Majesty King Gye-yeong and assist Your Highness in your training.”

“I don’t need... Eek!”

The Crown Prince let out an undignified scream.

Yi-gang had placed the carp into his hands.

The carp flapped and jumped, hitting the Crown Prince’s face before leaping away.

Yi-gang caught it again.

“How dare you! This is outrageous!”

The Crown Prince, clutching his face, was furious.

But Yi-gang remained calm.

“Well, should we punish this carp for causing such a commotion?”

“What did you say!”

“However, as a creature of the water, it merely failed to adapt to being outside, so it would be right for Your Highness to understand.”

“...Ugh!”

“Please return this poor carp to its original home.”

Leaving the fuming Crown Prince, Yi-gang handed the carp to a maid.

Unlike the Crown Prince, who screamed in surprise, the maid quickly bowed and descended the pavilion.

Yi-gang spoke quietly, “Your Highness, this is clearly improper conduct.”

The Crown Prince flinched in surprise.

“Throwing pond water at the Crown Prince’s Master appointed by His Majesty. Scattering metal objects with the intent to injure the teacher.”

When Yi-gang was appointed as the teacher of the royal siblings, he considered it a bothersome task.

But spending time with them, he realized it wasn’t entirely so.

Had he just served as a guard, he wouldn’t have had the means to discipline these troublesome pranksters.

“W-what nonsense! I didn’t do anything.”

“Is that so.”

He already knew the Crown Prince would feign innocence.

Yi-gang looked at the young eunuch.

“Eunuch. Is what His Highness says true?”

“...”

“It seems it is not. Trying to lie to escape blame is also improper conduct, Your Highness.”

For the eunuch, it was better to remain loyal to King Gye-yeong, who appointed Yi-gang, rather than the troublesome Crown Prince.

Yi-gang rolled up his muddy sleeve.

“Eunuch, it is your duty to ensure that the behavior of His Highness and the Honorable County Princess is proper.”

“Yes, that is correct.”

“We must administer flogging.”

The eunuch rolled up his pant leg, as if he had been expecting this.

He was not a high-ranking eunuch of the Eastern Depot, but a young eunuch who often followed the Crown Prince around.

“This is all the responsibility of His Highness. The eunuch is being punished as well. Do you understand?”

“Ugh!”

The Crown Prince could not contain his anger.

“The Grand Secretary is already my teacher in academics, and I have an exceptional master for martial arts, so what exactly are you!”

He couldn’t stand the fact that the young Yi-gang, who suddenly appeared, had become his tutor.

Moreover, what his father had entrusted to Yi-gang was...

“You know this.”

Yi-gang had to acknowledge that he was an expert in the field assigned by King Gye-yeong.

“It’s character education.”

He had already reformed Dam Hyun, who had deviated even further than them.