The Heavenly Demon casually surveyed the aftermath of his rampage.

Around him lay nothing but blood and corpses.

It was a place perfectly suited for his end.

His life had been one defined by bloodshed and death.

What better location to die than here?

"It seems the time has finally come."

The Heavenly Demon knew he was about to die.

It was the inevitable consequence of the Demonic Art he had mastered—Soul Augmenting Demonic Art.

This technique, passed down to the leaders of the Heavenly Demon Cult, granted unparalleled strength. But ultimately, the practitioner's body would fail, unable to endure the overwhelming power, and they would explode.

Every leader before him believed they could overcome this fate.

So did he.

But no one had ever succeeded.

He was no exception.

A deep rumble resonated.

From his dantian, an immense power surged, racing through his meridians and filling his body with uncontainable energy.

His consciousness blurred.

It was a power no human could withstand.

His soul felt as though it was being torn to shreds.

The force he had amassed by absorbing countless others' souls was now destroying his own.

As death approached, dark chains, seemingly forged of shadows, rose from the ground with a chilling rustle.

Hundreds of chains coiled tightly around his body.

"Are they trying to drag me to hell?"

He could have allowed himself to be taken.

But he was the Heavenly Demon.

"Who dares to force me?!"

Fueled by an overwhelming surge of power, he gripped the shadowy chains restraining him.

"RAAAARGH!"

With a deafening roar, he tore at the chains, forcing them to snap back with ferocious force.

At their ends hung shadowy figures, entities that could only be described as reapers of the underworld.

"If this is hell, I'll walk there myself! Be it brimstone or fire, I'll tread that path on my terms!"

A burst of power erupted from his body, sweeping away the reapers surrounding him.

And with that, his soul was torn to shreds, scattering in all directions.

An unbearable pain engulfed him.

In that final moment of agony, a faint realization dawned upon him.

'Ah… so that's how it was. The Soul Augmenting Demonic Art wasn't just a technique to consume others' souls!'

He had uncovered the key to mastering the art. But it was too late.

His consciousness faded.

'In the next life… I want to live differently. Peacefully and quietly…'

With that thought, the Heavenly Demon's soul vanished.

* * *

"Young Master, there you are! Your meal is ready!"

The Heavenly Demon sat by a pond, staring absentmindedly at his reflection in the water.

For the past ten days, this had become his routine.

It hadn't taken long to accept his situation—less than a day.

He was someone who had drenched the world in blood and terror.

To get there, he had navigated countless horrific battlefields and unimaginable atrocities.

Adapting to any situation was second nature to him.

But even for someone like him, this was hard to process.

He scrutinized his reflection in the water.

The face staring back at him seemed barely twenty years old.

It was delicate, lacking even a hint of masculinity.

'That's supposed to be me?'

He had been certain he had died, yet he awoke in this frail body.

"Young Master, your food will get cold! Please come inside!"

The persistent voice belonged to Soso, a maid who had been tending to him.

The Heavenly Demon instinctively considered killing her for addressing her master so casually.

But he couldn't.

"This body… it's disgustingly weak."

At his muttered complaint, Soso quickly responded.

"Young Master, don't say that! You'll get better soon. The best physician, the Heavenly Divine Healer, will be arriving shortly!"

The Heavenly Demon sneered.

"Never heard of him. What could some unknown doctor possibly fix?"

"Young Master, you can't speak like that! I've told you so many times—positive thoughts lead to positive outcomes!"

He chuckled softly and stood.

"Come back and preach to me in twenty years."

"Are you going to keep behaving like this?"

Ignoring her, the Heavenly Demon strode away.

Over the past ten days, he had focused on learning about this body's previous owner.

His name was Byeok Taesan, and he belonged to the Golden Wall Merchant, one of the most prominent merchant families in Wuhan.

He had no parents but did have an elder brother, the head of the company.

And Byeok Taesan's body was in terrible condition.

He suffered from a unique ailment—a severed meridian system.

None of the physicians who had examined him had even been able to name his illness.

But the Heavenly Demon understood his condition better than anyone.

With his meridians severed, learning martial arts was impossible.

The only solution was the Soul Augmenting Demonic Art.

As he walked, he repeated the name Byeok Taesan to himself.

From the moment he heard it, the name had felt strangely familiar, almost like it belonged to him.

When he tried to recall his original name, though, he was stunned to find it eluded him.

He remembered everything else about his past life—except his name.

'It's true I hadn't used it in ages…'

For decades, subordinates had called him Master or Cult Leader, enemies had cursed him as the Heavenly Demon, and he referred to himself as This One.

But forgetting his own name?

That was absurd.

Yet here he was.

He even began to wonder if Byeok Taesan had been his real name all along.

'What does it matter? My old name isn't important anymore.'

What mattered was that he was alive.

And if he didn't act, he would soon die again.

'Survival is all that matters now.'

The answer lay in mastering the Soul Augmenting Demonic Art.

By temporarily connecting his severed meridians with the power of souls, he could train his body.

Over time, the meridians would naturally heal.

'But I need souls to do that…'

The best source would be the souls of the living.

In the past, he would have killed someone and extracted their soul immediately. But his death had taught him that this was the wrong approach.

'I'll take the easier route for now.'

If his body were stronger, he could pursue more efficient methods. But in his current state, he had no choice.

"Soso, I feel like going out today."

"Huh? Really? Where to?"

"That's not your concern. Just get a servant to guide me."

Soso beamed at him.

"I know the city better than anyone! Where do you want to go? I promise there's nowhere I can't guide you to! Oh, how about we have lunch outside? I know a fantastic restaurant I've been dying to try!"

Her excitement didn't escape him.

The Heavenly Demon smirked.

"Fine. Take me to a decent brothel."

Soso froze, her eyes wide with shock.

"Wh-what? A b-brothel?"

She finally understood why he wanted someone else to guide him.

"Ah, um, well… Young Master, the head guard, Warrior Cheon, usually accompanies you on outings. Perhaps he could…"

Soso's lips pursed in a pout.

"You've never acted like this before…"

"If it bothers you, come along."

"I'm not going with you! Hmph! I'm telling Lady Yeon everything!"

"Do as you like."

Lady Yeon, or Yeon Harin, was Byeok Taesan's betrothed.

It was an engagement arranged before either of them was born.

Frankly, the Heavenly Demon couldn't have cared less.

He hadn't even seen her face yet.

The body's previous owner had treated his betrothed with cold indifference and biting sarcasm, something Byeok Taesan was well aware of.

From what Soso had shared, his fiancée was said to be the most beautiful woman in Wuhan, but the Heavenly Demon dismissed this claim outright.

After all, women who praised other women's beauty were rarely objective.

Soso looked at Byeok Taesan with a mixture of pity and concern.

"Young Master, please don't be so hard on yourself. At least hold on to some hope until the Heavenly Divine Healer has had a proper look at you. Isn't that worth trying?"

The Heavenly Demon—now Byeok Taesan—glanced at her curiously.

Her words and demeanor were undoubtedly genuine.

Having dealt with countless people hiding their true intentions behind masks, he had long mastered the ability to discern sincerity.

There was no way this innocent maid could deceive his seasoned intuition.

'This kid must've lived a charmed life. Annoyingly so.'

A faint smile tugged at Taesan's lips as he quickened his pace.

* * *

By dusk, Byeok Taesan had prepared to go out.

Soso fussed over his attire, her expression troubled.

"It's just a brothel. Isn't this outfit a bit excessive?"

"Not at all, young master. In places like that, you need to flaunt your wealth to get the proper treatment."

"You talk like you've been there yourself."

"Do I have to go to know? You've no idea how much I hear about these things."

"By the way, where's that escort? Why isn't he here yet?"

"He'll be here on time, I'm sure. Aside from escorting you, all he does is train."

The escort in question, Cheon Kyungwan, was a member of the Sword Dragon Corps, an elite group of warriors under the Golden Wall Merchant.

The Sword Dragon Corps existed solely to intervene in dire crises facing the trading company.

Their only activity outside of emergencies was relentless training.

Among them, only Cheon Kyungwan had been assigned to guard Byeok Taesan personally.

In addition to the Sword Dragon Corps, the trading company had many other warrior groups.

While their skills couldn't quite match those of prestigious martial families, they were leagues ahead of what other trading companies could muster.

"He must be here," Taesan remarked.

Soso blinked in surprise, but moments later, voices from outside confirmed his statement.

"Young Master, we're ready to depart."

Soso stared at him with wide eyes.

"How did you know?"

Taesan smirked without answering. He opened the door and stepped outside.

'How could I not notice, with that overwhelming presence practically announcing itself?'

Standing outside was Cheon Kyungwan, his demeanor sharp as a honed blade.

His presence exuded a razor-like intensity, as if capable of cutting through anything.

'Impressive.'

Taesan's gaze sparkled with intrigue.

* * *

Even by the Heavenly Demon's rigorous standards, Cheon Kyungwan was a capable warrior.

'The Sword Dragon Corps, was it?'

Kyungwan wasn't the leader or deputy leader of the corps, nor even a unit captain—just an ordinary member.

Yet, if he was this skilled, how strong must the corps's leader be?

Based on Taesan's evaluation, Kyungwan could easily hold his own against the heads of prominent martial families he had faced in his past life.

Despite his severed meridians and dulled senses, the remnants of his Soul Augmenting Demonic Art still allowed him to assess Kyungwan's level.

'The Golden Wall Merchant might be more formidable than I thought.'

Even so, Taesan's position within the company was far from significant.

If the company's key members were ranked, he'd barely make the top seventy.

Moreover, his relationship with his elder brother, Byeok Taesoo, was distant at best.

Taesoo's wife and in-laws openly treated Taesan as a thorn in their side.

Yet, despite this, a warrior of Kyungwan's caliber had been assigned to guard him.

This spoke volumes about the trading company's hidden strength.

'Interesting. This might work in my favor.'

"Let's go."

At Taesan's command, Kyungwan took the lead, his expression unreadable as he walked briskly.

Taesan followed leisurely, observing his escort with mild amusement.

Soso, however, watched the pair leave with a mix of worry and sadness.

* * *

Kyungwan guided Byeok Taesan to Fragrant Flower House, a renowned brothel in Wuhan.

It was among the city's top three establishments and, importantly, not owned by the Golden Wall Merchant.

This was one of Taesan's specific requirements, and Kyungwan had followed it to the letter.

As they entered, a flock of courtesans rushed to greet them.

Their eyes sparkled, clearly informed in advance of Taesan's arrival.

The Golden Wall Merchant's influence in Wuhan exceeded that of most noble martial families.

"Young Master, I'll wait for you here," Kyungwan said, stopping outside the main hall.

"Why?"

"Pardon?"

"Why are you staying out here? Isn't this the brothel entrance?"

"In case anything happens…"

"And do you think you'll reach me in time if something happens inside?"

Kyungwan didn't respond.

Realistically, few would dare provoke the Golden Wall Merchant in Wuhan, but he couldn't dismiss the possibility outright.

"Stop wasting your breath and come in. Frankly, I'd prefer if you joined in the fun, but if that's not your thing, at least stay in the room next to mine."

"That won't be necessary."

Kyungwan's voice was flat, his face emotionless.

"What exactly won't you do? Stay in the next room? Enjoy yourself? Or obey my orders?"

For a moment, Kyungwan's expression hardened before returning to its stoic state.

It was the first time he had faltered in maintaining his composure.

Taesan patted him on the shoulder.

"If you can protect me while enjoying yourself, great. If not, just stay nearby."

With that, Taesan disappeared into the brothel without waiting for a response.

Kyungwan stood silently, staring after him with an inscrutable expression.

* * * ***

In a lavish, spacious room, a table laden with alcohol and dishes awaited Taesan.

Ten courtesans filed in, taking seats around him.

"Well then, let's enjoy ourselves, shall we?"

In truth, even as the Heavenly Demon, his visits to brothels could be counted on one hand.

He had never felt the need.

His last visit had been twenty years ago, making today's experience an unusual and oddly exciting one.

Turning to the courtesan beside him, he asked, "What's my escort doing?"

"He's standing guard at the staircase on this floor."

"Of course he is. No sense of flexibility."

Taesan chuckled and raised a cup of wine to his lips, only to pause and set it back down.

This wasn't the time for drinking.

In his current condition, even a single sip could have unpredictable consequences.

Honestly, just being able to walk around was a miracle—a miracle bought with money.

He could feel the remnants of rare elixirs coursing through his body.

The amount poured into this body would have been enough to elevate all one hundred members of his former Heavenly Spirit Guard to the next level.

Taesan glanced at the courtesans, a sly smile playing on his lips.

'Perfect.'

For a first attempt, they would do nicely.

"Why aren't you drinking, young master? Would you like a different wine?"

He shook his head.

"You drink. My health doesn't allow it for now."

For now.

Once his body improved, he fully intended to indulge.

Upon reflection, Byeok Taesan realized this was a new opportunity.

In his previous body as the Heavenly Demon, he had been unable to get drunk.

The violent, overwhelming power that filled his body would burn away any alcohol before it could even affect him.

"Without drinking… What would you like to do instead? Would you like us to play music or perform a light dance for you?"

Taesan shook his head again.

Coming to a brothel unaffiliated with the Golden Wall Merchant had been a deliberate choice.

He wanted to assess his surroundings from a variety of perspectives.

"Instead of that, let's just talk. Do you know who I am?"

"You're the second young master of the Golden Wall Merchant, aren't you?"

"Second young master… So, that's how I'm known to the outside world."

"If it's uncomfortable—"

"It's fine. I don't care what people call me. Being the second young master is a lot better than being a blood-soaked murderer, isn't it?"

"Oh my! You're quite the joker, sir! I thought you only had a handsome face."

Taesan frowned.

The thing he liked least about this new body was its face.

"Handsome? Nonsense."

The courtesan giggled and glanced at her companions.

"Look at their faces. Every single one of them is dying to sit next to you."

"A man's face should have something rugged about it."

"Oh my! You're plenty manly. You've got a charm that makes people want to protect you. I doubt there's a woman alive who wouldn't feel her heart flutter around you."

Though meant as a compliment, her words annoyed Taesan.

They felt like a complete denial of who he had been in his past life.

"Enough pointless talk about appearances. Let's move on to something else."

The courtesan nodded with a smile.

"Very well, then. What should we talk about? We're not just pretty faces here. We've got sharp minds, so I think you'll enjoy our company."

Among the courtesans present were ten of the most renowned women in Fragrant Flower House.

"Really? That sounds promising. Let's talk about the current state of the martial world."

The courtesans' eyes sparkled.

"You're interested in the martial world?"

"Wuhan is already under the watchful eyes of the Golden Wall Merchant, so there's no need to discuss that. Let's start with the Martial Alliance since they've been the hottest topic lately."

"The Martial Alliance, huh? What have they been up to?"

The courtesans exchanged uneasy glances.

"Even though no one else is listening, speaking so carelessly could get you into trouble."

Taesan smirked.

Who would dare trouble him?

'Well… given my current body, I suppose I should be cautious.'

He didn't want to stir up unnecessary commotion.

"Just tell me what's been happening. What about the Martial Alliance?"

"They're in turmoil. They prepared extensively to fight the Demonic Cult, but the cult has sealed itself away."

"What? The Demonic Cult is in hiding?"

Taesan stared at the courtesan, bewildered by the absurd claim.

"They've completely isolated themselves by surrounding their territory with some kind of massive formation. It's said to cut them off from the world entirely. A very unusual kind of formation."

"Are you talking about the Heaven-Sealing Array?"

"Oh! Yes, that's it! I heard that without a specific artifact acting as the key, it's impossible to break the formation."

"That makes sense. So, it was the Heaven-Sealing Array."

Taesan nodded in understanding.

The Heaven-Sealing Array was a formation with unique activation conditions.

Once deployed, entering or leaving the formation became nearly impossible.

It was designed to perfectly isolate the inside from the outside.

The condition for activating it?

The death of the cult leader.

The key to undoing it?

The cult leader, or more specifically, their successor.

And the proof of succession was mastery of the Soul Augmenting Demonic Art.

'That means the formation can't be undone until I step forward.'

There had been five candidates to succeed him, but Taesan had personally killed all of them before his death.

He felt no guilt over it—they had attacked him first, and he had simply defended himself.

"So, what's the Martial Alliance planning to do?"

"Who knows? They seem to be focusing on surveillance for now."

"They'll start fighting among themselves soon enough."

The courtesan didn't reply, but her expression and subtle nod made it clear she agreed.

Taesan looked at her with newfound interest.

She seemed to have a keen eye for the martial world and access to reliable information.

'Is this the standard for courtesans in Wuhan?'

Curious, he asked her, "All right. Let's change the topic. Tell me what you know about me."

"Excuse me?"

"Everything you know about the second young master of the Golden Wall Merchant. Share it."

The courtesans stiffened at the unexpected request.

Seeing their tense expressions, Taesan chuckled.

"I promise, no matter what you say, there'll be no repercussions. You can insult me, call me ugly if you like."

The last comment sounded oddly genuine.

Even so, the courtesans hesitated.

A change of heart could lead to trouble, and they'd be the ones to face the consequences.

"One by one, each of you will share something. Let's start with you."

He pointed to the courtesan closest to him.

Though reluctant, she finally spoke after a resigned sigh.

"Well…"

Making each of them speak one at a time worked.

Under pressure, the courtesans racked their brains and shared various rumors about him.

This information was something Soso would never have told him.

Of course, he didn't take everything at face value.

He mentally sorted through the stories, cross-referencing them with what he already knew, and accepted only what seemed credible.

The most shocking revelation?

Taesan's inheritance amounted to a thousand gold coins, a small estate, and a handful of brothels and taverns.

If he ever wanted to live independently, that was all he could claim.

This arrangement had been decided by his father when Taesoo, his elder brother, inherited the company.

It was meant to prevent future disputes.

At the time, Taesan's health had been so poor that no one contested it.

And that situation hadn't changed.

This was apparently common knowledge in Wuhan—except to Taesan himself.

The previous owner of the body likely knew, but it was news to him.

Having gathered enough new information, Taesan turned to the courtesan beside him.

"Let's wrap this up."

He glanced around at the remaining courtesans before adding, "I don't think I can handle all of you. One of you will suffice."

He pulled a small pouch from his robe and tossed gold coins to the others.

Delighted, they quickly bowed and left the room.

Alone with the remaining courtesan, Taesan looked at her expectantly and moved to the bed.

"Well then, shall we enjoy ourselves?"

He placed his hand on the crown of her head.

The courtesan looked at him with a mix of curiosity and confusion.

Taesan grinned and extracted her soul essence through the Hundred Convergences Point.

[Early Chapters on ethiclearners.com ]