Inside the Heavenly Demon Sect’s Internal Level 2 Library.
Black Cat picked up a secret text and muttered.
“I found it.”
The secret text that Black Cat held prominently displayed the words “Ki Won Cheol Jo.”
“Are you going to use that secret text?”
Black Cat nodded at the overly formal guide who was trying to impress him.
Black Cat was soon guided to a study room.
The study room was a place where one could learn or memorize the selected secret text.
Utilizing the Brain Crystal technique recommended by Ho Cheon-an, Black Cat filled his mind with the contents of Ki Won Cheol Jo.
After three hours of intense focus, Black Cat managed to embed the first half of Ki Won Cheol Jo in his brain. However, due to the extreme concentration, he had to press his temples to alleviate the headache that was coming on.
“I’ve collected seven martial arts texts out of the ten my senior asked for.”
Recalling the contents of Ki Won Cheol Jo he’d just memorized, Black Cat thought,
“It’s ambiguously aggressive martial arts. While the method focuses on binding a person’s arms or body, Ki Won Cheol Jo is excessively offensive.”
Starting from the Peak Stage, martial artists could harness their Qi in their hands. Although those unarmed were not afraid to reach out with their limbs, even with harnessed Qi, their bodies would still take damage.
Black Cat considered the six martial arts he had learned so far.
“While it pairs well with the Moon Shadow Throwing Technique my senior recommended, managing the Qi might be too complicated.”
Shaking off those thoughts, Black Cat said, “Well, there must be a reason why my senior recommended it.”
When it came to opportunities, Black Cat didn’t doubt Ho Cheon-an. After all, he knew about hidden caves at the bottom of rivers and mystical places like Hyeon Cheon-ja’s cave, and he knew exactly what martial arts were buried in which mountains.
He had shown so much that doubting him would be foolish.
Of course, he couldn’t help but be curious about the source of such information.
Recalling the incident at Yeong Hwi Mountain, Black Cat thought,
“It seems like my senior regained some memory there…”
Ho Cheon-an’s actions were undoubtedly those of someone who had regained their memory. However, Black Cat wasn’t curious enough to dig into Ho Cheon-an’s past.
Just seeing the scenery revealed in the hidden formation depicted the tragic childhood of Ho Cheon-an.
“I guess he’ll tell me someday.”
Life in the Demon Sect continued without significant crises, but that didn’t mean it was easy.
Ho Cheon-an was engaging in gambling duels with Wi Ji-cheon every day, and on top of that, he had sparring sessions with Wi Seoryeon once a week.
Not to mention, to keep up for the sparring with Wi Seoryeon, he needed to continuously get stronger.
Although he complained about stagnation in his progress, he was only grumbling, diligently entering and exiting the training ground repeatedly.
While Ho Cheon-an was managing well, life in the Demon Sect was by no means easy.
“What will happen if he reaches the Hwa-gyeong Stage with Brain Crystals?”
As Black Cat envisioned Ho Cheon-an reaching the Hwa-gyeong Stage, he was swept up in an odd excitement.
They had promised each other to reach the Hwa-gyeong Stage through hard work, but back then, he never truly believed the promise would turn into reality…
In about five months, that promise would become reality.
“I need to work hard not to fall behind.”
Muttering that to himself, Black Cat focused his eyes and began embedding the second half of Ki Won Cheol Jo into his mind.
And while Black Cat was improving himself like this.
“Is this the place?”
Ho Cheon-an was visiting an underground gambling house.
Martial World experts find it tough to enjoy gambling.
There’s no law against a martial artist standing at the gambling table, yet a high-level martial artist can only ever enjoy a brief thrill through gambling.
I, Ho Cheon-an, the Peak Expert.
I once raided the gamblers in the Video Tower to fulfill a request from the Sacheon Outcasts.
At that time, the justification for my actions was that I was moving to drive out the outcasts from the underworld of Sacheon City, but looking at it solely, it seemed like a Peak Expert was throwing a tantrum at a gambling table.
In the end, the fate of martial artists is to either receive a small amount of entertainment gambling or be excluded from serious gambling tables altogether.
That’s why none of the characters in the Martial World became true gambling masters.
As martial artists, they often found themselves excluded from gambling tables, making it hard for anyone to emerge as a great gambler.
With that in mind, I was skillfully outsmarted by Wi Ji-cheon.
Martial arts shouldn’t be part of the gambling scene, but when martial arts appeared, they were caught off guard.
Since Wi Ji-cheon’s gambling technique was simple, I won, but I hadn’t countered the Martial Arts Gambling Technique at all, so I needed to devise a countermeasure.
I went to ask Wi Seoryeon.
“Where did you learn that gambling technique?”
“Ah, do you mean the technique my father taught? I learned it from the Demon Sect’s gambler.”
Are there such gamblers in the Demon Sect?
Even I, as a veteran of the Martial World, had never heard such a story before.
“If you plan to go, please send a guide with me.”
“I’ll be counting on you.”
The guide Wi Seoryeon sent was not a hidden bodyguard, but a gambler.
“I’m Jeon-ip.”
“Nice to meet you.”
This guy seems to be the gambler who taught Wi Seoryeon and Wi Ji-cheon. He looked a bit gaunt, perhaps because he had been suffering from Wi Ji-cheon and Wi Seoryeon for the past weeks.
“Do you have an interest in mixing martial arts into your gambling?”
I silently nodded my head.
However, Jeon-ip, perhaps thinking his circle was growing, flashed a friendly smile.
“Haha, for those like you, it must be a heaven. You can freely indulge in gambling without any restrictions on yourself.”
Guided by Jeon-ip, I arrived at the underground gambling house.
Jeon-ip looked triumphant as he said to me.
“Welcome to the Eye of Luck and the Master Game.”
As I surveyed the gambling house, my jaw dropped.
“Huha! Take this! My Wind God Technique!”
“Shushushushuh!”
“Will you really be able to penetrate my technique?”
Watching the martial artists excluded from the gambling tables gathering for their own martial arts gambling, I couldn’t help but think.
These people, just how serious are they about gambling?
The skills traded back and forth weren’t something that could be mastered in just a day or two.
They were genuinely dedicated to honing their own gambling techniques used only in the underground gambling house. Sweat-drenched, these people didn’t hesitate to brainstorm just for the thrill they could only enjoy here.
I couldn’t help but admire their passion.
However.
“Eh! Take it!”
Clatter!
Just when I was admiring them, I was left speechless upon seeing the currency they exchanged.
Military Currency!
Seeing them exchange military currency, I realized what kind of place this was.
A place where gambling is done with military currency instead of money.
*Underground Gambling House!*
The moment I realized I was standing in the Underground Gambling House, even I, Ho Cheon-an, couldn’t contain my shock.
Where is this place?
It’s the Heavenly Demon Sect.
Not the Heavenly Demon Letter, nor Heaven’s Demon Alliance, nor Heavenly Demon Alliance, but the Heavenly Demon Sect.
In such a sect, the martial philosophy was a single doctrine.
This means that the martial way (武) was sacred in the Demon Sect.
So, gambling with military currency here?
It was irreverent, yet it was something that could happen. Everyone has the right to dream of an instant fortune. People want to gain a lot of military currency through one gamble rather than steady work.
In this sect, a Martial Arts Gambling Technique combining martial arts and gambling?
It was irreverent but could happen. Martial artists who loved gambling might create and enjoy gambling techniques used among themselves.
However.
If they simultaneously committed those two irreverent acts, what kind of people would they be?
In this underground gambling house, both taboos were being violated at the same time.
These fools were not only gambling with military currency in a sect where the martial philosophy prevails but were also executing techniques mixed with martial arts and gambling that involves military currency.
Realizing this, those who just moments ago appeared as passionate gamblers began to look different.
Are these people completely crazy!
“Fufu, how’s it? You seem so moved you can’t talk!”
For some reason, Jeon-ip approached me, rubbing his finger under his nose bashfully.
Thinking back, this guy is the most dangerous one.
Having violated every taboo and teaching the Heavenly Demon and the Heavenly Demon (小) while being the lord of the Heavenly Demon Sect.
I should have realized when his name was “All-in”!
I unintentionally took a step back, increasing the distance from Jeon-ip.
“Why do you look like that?”
“Oh, it’s nothing…”
I desperately wanted to flee from this crazy lair, but thinking about my original mission, I forced myself not to run.
After looking at me with a puzzled expression, Jeon-ip didn’t seem to care much and guided me further into the underground gambling house.
“As you can see, no one here will say a word if you exhibit the martial arts you’ve honed. However, using martial arts is only within the game. Directly applying Qi or martial arts toward an opponent is strictly prohibited.”
This was so reasonable that I nodded without resistance.
If someone could directly attack an opponent with Qi, what was happening in this underground gambling house would have been a fight, not gambling.
“I apologize for asking, but could I inquire about your level? Due to the nature of this underground gambling house where martial arts can be used, matches must be between those of similar levels, so please don’t take it the wrong way.”
“I’m a Peak Expert.”
“Oh, as expected… your Qi is impressive.”
I noticed now that each table had people of similar levels mingling. The most abundant were definitely First-rate Experts. Peak Experts appeared to be about the same number as First-rate Experts.
As I moved deeper into the gambling house, the aura around me thickened.
“Mm.”
I instinctively sensed the presence of five martial artists of Peak level in front of me. The three watching the gambling between the two seemed to notice my Qi and turned to look at me.
“Jeon-ip, who is this?”
“Hehe, he’s here for the first time today.”
“…Oh.”
The three looked at me with curious expressions.
“We have another peculiar one now.”
Being a Peak Expert in this Demon Sect is quite rare. If exposure to the underground gambling house came to light, the strike to their reputations would be substantial.
Yet, still, here they were, cowering in this dangerous underground gambling house; how else could they be termed but peculiar?
“This person has come to witness the Martial Arts Gambling Technique. Is there someone who could join with him?”
The three exchanged glances, and one stepped forward.
“Sure, newcomers are always welcome. Ready to go?”
“Of course.”
“Haha, by the way, don’t be too upset if you lose too much. Learning often comes at a cost.”
My opponent provoked me, but I sat calmly at the table, brushing it off.
“Let’s introduce ourselves. I’m Sak Hwi.”
“Ho Cheon-an.”
As Sak Hwi pulled out the cup and dice, I thought,
I was utterly crushed by the Martial Arts Gambling Technique displayed by Heavenly Demon Wi Ji-cheon.
Why was I defeated so effortlessly?
It was simply because it was unfamiliar.
Never had I considered that a martial artist’s instincts would be provoked at a gambling table – and now a Heavenly Demon at a far greater level than I was digging deep into my instincts as a martial artist, leaving me dazed.
So I had to get accustomed.
I had to acclimatize to the scenario where a martial artist’s instincts were heightened at the gambling table.
And I had to maneuver against the Martial Arts Gambling Technique.
Sak Hwi’s technique would undoubtedly be different from the one employed by Wi Ji-cheon.
But the core principle of triggering martial instincts to reveal openings would remain the same.
Thus, simply facing off against those using Martial Arts Gambling Techniques here would potentially build my resistance to it.
If Wi Ji-cheon could grow, then surely I could too.
“Then let’s begin.”
“Please do.”
Upon feeling Qi concentrating in Sak Hwi’s palm, his cup began to move.
The underground gambling house.
My first duel with a true master of the Martial Arts Gambling Technique was about to commence.
