3 The Invincible Porter (1)

Blood Demon Honggong.

The principle behind the demonic art Honggong taught him—Changgwiching—was astonishingly simple.

It was a fundamental method of absorbing the lingering resentment of those one had killed to elevate the rank of one’s soul.

When one commits killing, something called karma accumulates layer by layer within the soul.

In Buddhism, this is originally regarded as something that must be cleansed away.

Like grease clinging thickly between the links of the cycle of reincarnation, it is treated as an obstruction that hinders the smooth turning of the wheel.

But Honggong interpreted it differently.

“What is mere filth to one person can be medicine, fertilizer, firewood, or building material to another.”

Using karmic retribution as fuel, burning it down and converting it into inner power—an approach both terrifying and disarmingly simple.

In a way, it resembled the Absorbing Essence Art, yet the depth of the underlying logic was on an entirely different plane.

Honggong himself utterly despised having his demonic art, Changgwiching, compared to something like the Absorbing Essence Art.

“Trivial tricks like essence-draining arts merely suck out another’s vital energy. Changgwiching, on the other hand, devours an entire human being whole—joy and sorrow, pleasure and anger, the seven emotions and six desires, even suffering and enlightenment. Comparing essence-draining arts to my martial art is like placing a single raindrop beside the waves of the vast sea.”

Chui remembered every one of Honggong’s teachings.

He remembered all too clearly those hellish days when his blood vessels burned and his body was forcibly transformed.

Honggong had said:

“There is something called a changgwi. A person eaten by a tiger becomes one after death, clinging to the tiger, raising its spiritual rank, and assisting it in hunting.”

The demonic art Honggong created, Changgwiching, was inspired by this very concept.

“The one who first learns this martial art is called a Gulgak. At best, one can emit demonic energy from the body in a vapor-like form. This stage is divided into ten levels, from the first to the tenth.”

In the past, while Honggong was still alive, Chui had raised his Gulgak realm all the way to the tenth level.

Even for a demonic art that advanced rapidly depending on the scale and frequency of slaughter, this speed had been astonishing—enough to shock even Honggong.

“One who has mastered this martial art is called an Iol. The blood of an Iol is like a supreme poison to most martial artists, because it burns and withers inner power that does not belong to the user. At this stage, one’s inner power turns red, and when released outside the body, it takes on a liquid form—literally resembling spurting blood. Like Gulgak, this stage is also divided into ten levels.”

Just before Honggong’s death, Chui had advanced beyond the tenth level of Gulgak and entered the first level of Iol.

For Chui, that had been a stroke of luck.

Even if one perfected Gulgak to the tenth level, it was impossible to advance to Iol unless a master with profound inner power opened the Ren and Du meridians for them.

“If one fully masters both Gulgak and Iol, the next stage is the realm of Yukhon. With just one foot in that realm, I once looked down upon the world. After climbing four levels, I came to regard everything—orthodox, unorthodox, and demonic alike—as trivial.”

Once he entered the Iol realm, reaching Yukhon would have been only a matter of time.

That was why Honggong had originally intended to keep Chui confined to the Gulgak stage—but for certain reasons, he changed his plans, only to meet a miserable end.

“My current realm is… the first level of Gulgak.”

Chui murmured quietly.

He looked at his reflection in the bloodstained spearhead.

The powerful body that had once stood in the Yukhon realm was nowhere to be found. All that remained was the frail body of a young soldier—no, not even that, merely the body of a porter.

Yet Chui did not feel impatient.

After all, the formulas of the martial art were still etched clearly in his mind, and he now remembered the breathing technique capable of suppressing the side effects of the demonic art.

From here on, things could only improve, little by little.

…Which meant it was now time to carefully consider what twist of fate had sent him back into the past.

Just as Chui was about to sink into thought—

“What are you thinking about so deeply, Young Hero?”

A voice spoke to him from the side.

It was Ju Yehwa, the Escort Leader.

She was both a first-grade escort of the Hojil Escort Agency and the highest-ranking person in charge of this escort mission.

Including her, more than a dozen escorts were all seated atop their horses, looking at Chui.

“You don’t even seem to have come of age yet, but your martial cultivation is truly astounding.”

“Did anyone see what kind of martial art he used? It was too fast for me.”

“It was too dark for me to see clearly either, but I definitely heard the screams of the Green Forest bandits around that Young Hero.”

“He must be a disciple of some reclusive master. Truly enviable.”

“But then why would someone with such martial skill be working as a porter for our escort agency?”

“Hey now. There are plenty of eccentric masters in the martial world.”

.

.

The escorts chatted quietly among themselves.

Chui, meanwhile, simply sat silently in the saddle.

Ju Yehwa was carefully gauging him, trying to find a way to strike up a conversation.

“I don’t know where such an expert came from… but since he saved us, he doesn’t seem to be an enemy. It would be wonderful if he helped us with this escort mission.”

They had lost many escorts in the recent ambush by the Green Forest bandits, and Ju Yehwa was anxious.

“You handle a horse very well, Young Hero. It’s as if you’ve been riding for decades.”

“…”

Chui glanced down at the horse he was riding.

Tremble, tremble—

The horse was walking while wetting itself.

It looked utterly terrified.

Every time Chui pulled the reins, the horse jolted as if burned by a red-hot iron, immediately obeying his commands.

Ju Yehwa spoke in amazement.

“That horse was notorious for its nasty temperament—it was famous for listening to no one. We brought it along only to haul cargo since it was strong, but to think it would allow someone to ride on its back…”

That made sense.

In his previous life, Chui had accumulated vast karmic slaughter across countless battlefields.

Among those he had killed were humans—but naturally, horses as well.

Riding warhorses, killing, eating them, riding again, killing again, eating again.

If anything was soaked into Chui’s soul more deeply than human blood, it was the blood of horses.

They said that even the fiercest dog would tuck its tail and wet itself before a dog butcher—and horses, being even more perceptive than dogs, seemed to react all the more strongly.

Just then—

“A fork in the road.”

One of the escorts riding ahead returned.

Ju Yehwa pondered briefly, then turned to Chui.

“Young Hero. I feel deeply ashamed to ask this of you upon our first meeting, but would you be willing to continue accompanying our escort mission, as you have until now? Naturally, the compensation will not disappoint you…”

“No.”

“I see.”

As if she had expected that answer, Ju Yehwa lowered her head with a dejected expression.

Someone with such strength must have had reasons for volunteering as a mere porter in the escort mission.

Perhaps he had not wished to reveal his power.

“…Still, it is a stroke of heaven-sent luck that someone like him sided with us.”

Ju Yehwa resolutely continued.

“I am truly sorry, Young Hero. The debt we owe you would not be repaid even with three days and nights of banquets, but the deadline for our escort mission is extremely tight. And while we wish to repay you here and now, the wealth we carry with us is limited.”

The goods being transported belonged to the client, not the escort agency, and could not be touched.

Nor would escorts on mission be carrying spare money or valuables.

So Ju Yehwa gave Chui something else.

“It is a small thing, but please accept this.”

It was a square badge made of gold.

“Hojungmun — First-Grade Escort.”

Ju Yehwa explained.

“As you may know, the Hojil Escort Agency is operated separately by Hojungmun. Hojungmun is a long-established sect in the Anhui region.”

Chui nodded.

Hojungmun.

Naturally, Chui—who had once worked as a porter—knew the sect well.

“…A tragic sect that will fall within a few years and disappear without a trace.”

Though it had been run quite uprightly and honorably, it would suddenly collapse overnight.

It seemed to be suffering from financial difficulties even now.

That was likely why Ju Yehwa was placing so much importance on this escort mission.

“This badge represents my status. If you were to go to Hojungmun carrying it, you would likely be treated as an honored guest equivalent to a first-grade escort. I sincerely hope you will accept my goodwill.”

“…”

Chui quietly looked at the golden badge she offered.

Then he reached out and accepted it.

Ju Yehwa’s expression brightened immediately.

At that moment, the fork in the road came into view.

Ju Yehwa once again clasped her fists in salute.

“We will take this road to deliver the goods at once. As soon as the mission is complete, we will return to the escort agency—no, to the sect—like the wind, and properly thank you. Please feel free to stay at our sect, for as long as you wish.”

These people were both escorts of the Hojil Escort Agency and martial artists of Hojungmun.

They repeatedly clasped their fists toward Chui as they rode away.

Before long, Chui quietly turned his horse toward Anhui, where the Hojil Escort Agency was located.

“…”

Meanwhile, Ju Yehwa continued to watch Chui’s retreating figure beyond the mountain ridge.

Then a one-eyed escort beside her grinned.

“Have you fallen for him? That Young Hero earlier was so pretty I thought he was a girl at first. Slender and fair—exactly your type, Escort Leader.”

“Are you insane? Want me to draw my sword again?”

“Whoa, why stab me? Feeling called out?”

Ju Yehwa turned her head away sharply, as if he wasn’t worth responding to.

Then she spoke quietly.

“…You may not have seen it, but I did.”

“Seen what?”

“His spear technique.”

Ju Yehwa broke out in a cold sweat.

“I don’t know the origin or identity of his martial art, but the spear technique itself was familiar.”

“Which famous spear sect could it be? The Yue Family of Shandong? Or the Ma Family Spear, Yang Family Spear, Pear Blossom Spear… Hmm. The Sha Family Staff or Li Family Short Spear are famous too.”

“No. It was not of the martial world.”

At Ju Yehwa’s next words, the chatterbox subordinate fell silent.

“It was military spear technique.”

“…”

After a long pause, the subordinate asked blankly,

“Are you saying that Young Hero is from a military family?”

“Almost certainly. I only saw a few basic forms, but the level of mastery was absurd. It is not a realm someone of that age could reach. He must be a talent systematically trained by a general’s household and sent out to accumulate real combat experience. He is surely of noble status.”

The escorts nodded at her words.

Her explanation made sense.

“He is likely the child of an influential military family. There is no harm in building ties with him.”

“With the sect’s situation being precarious, having even one such expert as a guest would be a great help.”

“Exactly. It’s hard for someone to turn their back on those who feed and house them… and that Young Hero risked his life to help us when we were being overwhelmed by the Green Forest bandits. He is a righteous person. There is a good chance he won’t stand by and watch our sect fall.”

Ju Yehwa’s expression hardened as she looked at the escort goods.

“The sect’s finances are poor right now, so all martial artists have been assigned as escorts. We need to finish this mission quickly and return to fill the gap in our main force. Let’s hurry.”

“Indeed. It would be good if that Young Hero stays until we return. If he gets into trouble with the Black Path gangs in the meantime, he could help.”

“Every outside expert we can invite is precious right now. That’s why I handed over my symbolic gold badge. With that, the sect will surely treat him with the utmost courtesy.”

The escorts of the Hojil Escort Agency hastened their pace.

They intended to deliver the goods as quickly as possible and return to their sect.

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