Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1116

“I don’t know?” Lee Hyun-joo replied with a nonchalant expression.

At the same time, Wiggins glared at Lee Hyun-soo with a face that looked like he could chew up a tiger.

“W-wait a minute.”

Cold sweat trickled down Lee Hyun-soo’s forehead.

“You, you, you received almost all of your grandfather’s martial arts, right?”

“That’s right.”

Lee Hyun-joo answered indifferently.

“And your grandfather knew the Yin-Yang Mind Technique.”

“That’s also correct.”

“Th-then why don’t you know it?”

“What are you talking about? The Yin-Yang Mind Technique isn’t a unique martial art of my grandfather or the Lee family. It’s just a miscellaneous technique.”

“Do you think your grandfather only knew one or two martial arts? He was the one who compiled all the martial arts that spread throughout Korea. He must have mastered over a hundred martial arts. How could he have mastered every single miscellaneous technique? He said that mastering many is worse than mastering a few, so he didn’t even pass down the sloppy ones. What I learned were my grandfather’s unique martial arts and the martial arts he acknowledged.”

In another situation, one would have applauded Lee Joong-geol.

Isn’t it human nature to want to give more to one’s descendants and pass down more?

But to deliberately not pass down what he knew, he was indeed a very righteous teacher.

However, at this moment, the fact that Lee Joong-geol was such an excellent teacher was frustrating.

Thud.

Wiggins’ hand gripped the back of Lee Hyun-soo’s neck.

“…Now, think carefully. Maybe you learned it?”

‘Your boyfriend is going to die, you woman!’

“I didn’t learn it. But I do know someone who did…”

“Wh-who?”

“Lee Sung-hwi.”

‘Exclude him.’

‘What does it mean that he learned it! Even if we bring him, he’ll never tell us! He’d rather bite his tongue!’

‘And we don’t even know if he’s alive or dead!’

“But, well, Lee Sung-hwi probably doesn’t mean anything.”

“Wh-what about the armory?”

“Huh?”

“The main armory! There should be secret manuals gathered there, right?”

“Ah, that? When my grandfather was organizing the armory, he got rid of all the useless things that didn’t need to be passed down to future generations. He probably burned the Yin-Yang Mind Technique at that time too.”

“B-burned it?”

‘Answer well, answer!’

‘Your boyfriend could get burned too.’

“It was such an old martial art, and it came from China, so the original was severely damaged. So, he was learning a modified version, but after making so many changes, it became quite messy. Even if there was a manual, it would have been difficult to learn.”

All hope was lost.

“If it’s from China, we might be able to find it?”

“…Say something that makes sense.”

China is a land ruled by the Three Kings. If rumors spread that the General Assembly was trying to obtain a secret manual from China, the Red King’s faction would foam at the mouth and interfere.

China is a place where you can buy anything with money, guns, bombs, even people, but even in China, there isn’t anyone bold enough to deceive the Red King’s faction and smuggle a secret manual to Korea.

They might not be afraid of death, but they would be afraid of the Red King and Chai Ke-chang.

“Then…”

Wiggins sighed.

“Is there no way to obtain it?”

“It’s such an obsolete martial art. You won’t be able to get it through normal means. The former directors…”

“Forget about the dead people!”

“Then there’s no other way. Go to a living director.”

“A living director?”

“Yes.”

Lee Hyun-joo replied with a calm look.

“Director Bang.”

“Ah… Director Bang was there, wasn’t he?”

Wiggins’ face became subtle.

Wiggins stared at Bang Jin-hoon with a slightly dazed look.

‘How did the situation turn out like this?’

Lee Hyun-soo was desperately explaining. But Wiggins’ feelings were very complex and subtle.

It would be disappointing if Bang Jin-hoon didn’t know the Yin-Yang Mind Technique, and even if he did, the situation wouldn’t be pleasant.

He didn’t want to admit it, but wasn’t Bang Jin-hoon the reason why Wiggins started to obsess over becoming stronger?

But what if Bang Jin-hoon knew the Yin-Yang Mind Technique?

‘D-do I have to learn martial arts from Bang Jin-hoon?’

This is subtle.

It’s subtly humiliating.

No, of course, there’s no royal road in martial arts.

If you have a true desire to become stronger, you must not hesitate to chew on bitter herbs, and you must consider rolling on a pile of manure as natural.

If Bang Jin-hoon knew the Yin-Yang Mind Technique, he would naturally ask him to teach him and follow his instructions. He would follow them, but…

‘But why does it feel so uncomfortable?’ It’s subtle. Very subtle.

Bang Jin-hoon, having heard the situation, glanced at Wiggins.

Wiggins tried hard to relax his stiff face.

“To summarize…”

Wiggins’ jaw tightened.

His whole body tensed up.

“I don’t know it.”

“Hoo…”

Tension was released for a moment, and a breath was exhaled.

‘It’s misfortune, but…

It was the better of the misfortunes.’

“Th-then, is there anyone who knows it?”

Bang Jin-hoon shook his head.

“I don’t recommend it.”

“Why?”

“The Yin-Yang Mind Technique that spread in Korea isn’t worth learning. It’s a martial art that came from China, so it has been quite modified, and it has almost lost its original efficacy. Does that make sense?”

“I was also tempted to look into it, but it’s really a worthless martial art. Even if you find someone who has mastered it and receive a transfer, you won’t be able to achieve the desired effect…”

“Ah…”

Wiggins’ face contorted.

The situation that he thought was resolved was starting to unravel again. Then, unless he gets his hands on the original version of the Yin-Yang Mind Technique, it’s meaningless.

But the original can only be found in China, and China is a land they cannot go to.

“Why is everything like this…”

Wiggins sighed with a miserable face. Then, with a hopeful heart, he turned his head and looked at Bator.

“Surely I…”

“…Probably.”

He could tell Bator’s answer without even hearing it.

Given Bator’s personality, he wouldn’t have even glanced at something like the Yin-Yang Mind Technique. Rather than learning such a miscellaneous technique, he would have spent that time training his body even more.

All hope was lost.

Lee Hyun-soo scratched his head.

Seeing Wiggins, who was so excited about the Yin-Yang Mind Technique, now with his shoulders slumped, he felt uneasy. Moreover, he had unintentionally given him false hope.

“There will be a way to find it somehow.”

Lee Hyun-soo comforted Wiggins.

Then, Wiggins turned his head sharply and glared at Lee Hyun-soo.

“How?”

Normally, Wiggins would have acknowledged the comfort and nodded, but Wiggins’ reaction now was completely different from usual. His eyes were rolling, and there was a murderous aura.

“…No, well, somehow. Let’s try to get some information in China. To see if we can get the original.”

“As if China would give it to us.”

That’s true.

In fact, the situation was a bit twisted.

The time when a person really goes crazy isn’t when they’re thirsty and there’s no water. It’s when they’re dying of thirst and they see an oasis in the distance.

Even knowing that the oasis is a mirage, they can’t give up. Because there’s still a one in a thousand, one in ten thousand chance that the oasis actually exists.

That’s why they waste their energy chasing the oasis and eventually die of thirst.

Wiggins was in exactly that situation now.

If he hadn’t known that the Yin-Yang Mind Technique existed, he would have been able to maintain his composure. But he had found a way to overcome the wall that had frustrated him for over ten years and ultimately made him give up on becoming stronger, and now he had to give up again due to practical problems?

That’s enough to drive a person crazy.

Even Bator, who would normally have chuckled, and Bang Jin-hoon, who would have poked fun, couldn’t open their mouths at this moment. As fellow martial artists, they could guess how desperate Wiggins was feeling right now.

Unable to hide his pity, Bang Jin-hoon cautiously asked.

“…Should we try to get a modified version of the Yin-Yang Mind Technique?”

“Is it possible to get it?”

“If we search thoroughly, there might be someone who has it. Or, we could contact some so-called prestigious families and tell them to search their armories.”

“What do you think?”

“Huh?”

“Would learning it be helpful?”

Bang Jin-hoon sighed.

“As I said, honestly, I don’t think it will be helpful. You would have to trace back the modified parts and restore the original, but at that point, it’s almost like creating a new martial art…”

“Ugh…”

“Even for a Grandmaster level, it’s not an easy task. Only someone like the Clan Lord could even attempt it, but as you know, the Clan Lord’s understanding of orthodox martial arts is terrible.”

“Ugh.”

Wiggins groaned.

In other words, realistically, there was no way to learn the Yin-Yang Mind Technique.

‘Do I have to give up?’

It hurt.

It hurt so much.

It would have been better if he hadn’t known, but having the clue he thought he had grasped cut off was like cutting his intestines.

But rationally…

“Thank you for your concern. But what can’t be done can’t be done. It seems better to look for another way.”

“Ah…”

Everyone couldn’t help but feel sorry.

At that moment.

Thud!

The door opened violently, and a man walked in.

“Um, Elder?”

The uninvited guest looked around and then fixed his gaze on Wiggins.

“Is it you?”

“…Yes?”

“Are you the one who needs the Yin-Yang Mind Technique?”

“Th-that’s right, but?”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk.”

Jang Min said with a displeased look.

“A weakling is trying to dabble in evil arts again. Hey, you! You’ve eaten too much. You can’t even digest what you’ve eaten, and you’re trying to eat something else?”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk, there’s a reason why the Demon Lord told me to look into it. So, you’re going to learn the Yin-Yang Mind Technique and organize it?”

“Well, the plan is…”

Jang Min, who was staring intently at Wiggins, sighed.

“Okay. What will you offer?”

“Huh?”

Jang Min walked in without hesitation and sat on the sofa. Then, he crossed his legs and leaned back.

“If you want to get something, you have to give something in return. If I give you the Yin-Yang Mind Technique, what will you give me, that’s what I’m saying.”

“Gasp!”

A gasp escaped from Wiggins’ mouth.

“N-no way?”

“That’s right.”

Jang Min chuckled.

“I know the key formulas of the Yin-Yang Mind Technique you’re looking for.”

Wiggins’ eyes widened.

‘No, why does Jang Min have it? Jang Min is an elder of the Demonic Cult, so why does he know a martial art of the orthodox faction?’

“I-is that true?”

“When the Wudang Sect fell, I went into their armory and swiped it.”

“Knowing yourself and your enemy is the way to win every battle. You have to know the enemy’s martial arts to fight them. Maybe there are more orthodox martial arts in the Demonic Cult’s armory than in most orthodox factions’ armories. So, anyway, what will you offer?”

“Wh-what should I give you?”

“Huh, look at this guy? You’re asking the obvious. The Yin-Yang Mind Technique isn’t just any martial art. To buy such a martial art, you have to pay a huge price. I don’t need anything else. Give me what’s most important to you.”

What’s most important?

What was most important to me?

Wiggins desperately racked his brain.

“N-no way, my daughter?”

“You crazy bastard.”

Jang Min stretched out one hand forward.

“Hand it over.”

“Wh-what?”

“Money.”

Jang Min’s eyes gleamed.

“Hand over every single penny you have.”

For a moment, Wiggins considered giving up on the martial art.