“Hey, you bastards, stand straight! How dare you slack off when the Assembly Master is here!”

Lee Hyeon-Su roared at the Demon Flames, forcing them to stand taller and stiffer.

Yi Myeong-Hwan groaned inwardly.

‘Gimme a break. Seriously now…’

If he was being deadly serious, then… Lee Hyeon-Su could be taken care of with a single punch. Then again, no one here required a second strike to send Lee Hyeon-Su to the netherworld. It wasn't the case of the Demon Flames being strong, but more like Lee Hyeon-Su being a weakling.

Even in the past, Lee Hyeon-Su was one of the weakest members of the Martial Assembly. And he became even weaker, comparatively speaking, after the overall strength of the Assembly experienced a dramatic improvement.

So, Lee Hyeon-Su could be utterly destroyed with one punch. Indeed, just one hit would be enough! Even then…

‘Even then, isn't he still kinda scary?'

If Yi Myeong-Hwan was being honest, he was kind of afraid of Lee Hyeon-Su. And this fear didn’t stem from the fact that Kang Jin-Ho was Lee HyeonSu’s backer.

Everyone might say they could easily deal with Lee Hyeon-Su but simply chose not to, but Yi Myeong-Hwan knew those people weren't being entirely honest.

Even if Kang Jin-Ho wasn't interested in backing Lee Hyeon-Su, not a single person in this auditorium had the balls to get in Lee Hyeon-Su's bad books.

One's cultivation wasn't the be-all and end-all. Lee Hyeon-Su might be weak, but he had something else besides his martial prowess to make everyone cower before him.

To prove that point, the Demon Flames in this place were shrinking back obediently from Lee Hyeon-Su's fierce yelling.

Once the atmosphere had been ‘sorted out’ to some degree, Kang Jin-Ho addressed the crowd again. “Things will not be easy. In fact, it will be downright torturous.”

It was unfortunate, but Kang Jin-Ho or anyone else couldn't change reality. Reaching higher cultivation realms was always accompanied by great struggle and difficulty, after all. Also... It could be too early for these Demon Flames to learn Mara Blood Flame Qi.

Kang Jin-Ho knew how to improve a martial art's quality and even change its direction, but making it comparatively easier to learn? That was not part of his skill set. For one, he had never taught anyone before. And he never even entertained the thought of teaching someone in the first place.

All he did was toss some secret manuals in front of his followers and then… led the survivors. That was Kang Jin-Ho's style. His way of doing things.

Obviously, that method wouldn’t work now.

“However, that doesn't mean it's impossible. In the end, martial arts were conceived by humans, so nothing should stop you from trying to master them. And I'm here to make sure you do master it. It will definitely happen!”

In any other circumstances, that should've been a stirring speech. However, in this case…

How were the Demon Flames supposed to explain this leeriness?

Lee Hyeon-Su spoke up. “Sir, I have to say, that does sound like a threat.”

Kang Jin-Ho tilted his head. “Oh, really?”

That was when everyone went,

Oh, that’s why. It was a threat!

What a good thing they had the 'Kang Jin-Ho Interpreter' on hand! Thankfully, Lee Hyeon-Su was here to translate the obtuse language Kang Jin-Ho spoke into something more digestible for these plebs.

Basically, what Kang Jin-Ho said was that this demonic cultivation method was tough for idiots like them, but they didn't have a choice but to master it. Or they would be beaten up half to death!

In that case… Maybe it was better to not have an interpreter, after all?

Kang Jin-Ho frowned slightly. “I wasn’t trying to threaten anybody, though.”

But that did sound like he was threatening everyone, though? Lee Hyeon-Su's translation seemed oh-so on point, now, didn't it? Yi Myeong-Hwan blinked his eyes a few times, then his hand slowly went up as if he were in a trance.

Kang Jin-Ho noticed that hand and glanced at Yi Myeong-Hwan. “Mm?”

Yi Myeong-Hwan's head was ruled by the singular thought of ‘Do Not Ask This Question’, but his body was in no mood to listen to his brain. “Sir, if we, uh, fail to keep up with you... What will happen to us?”

Kang Jin-Ho seemed troubled by that question, judging from his expression. “If you can't keep up?”

“…”

“That won't happen. I'm going to make sure everyone keeps up, no matter what.”

‘So Lee Hyeon-Su was right! This is a 100% threat!’

Yi Myeong-Hwan cried out in despair, although his voice remained inside his head. And such a cry would never reach Kang Jin-Ho’s hearing.

Kang Jin-Ho weightily nodded. “In any case, that’s the plan. You’ll master it. Unfortunately, we can’t take our time doing that.”

“Why... not, sir?"

“Everyone here will become the demon cult's instructors soon. Your job is to pass down Mara Blood Flame Qi to the demonic cultivators.”

“Huh?” Yi Myeong-Hwan's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. “Us? We will instruct them?”

“That’s right.”

“B-but, Assembly Master, our comprehension or strength aren’t high enough to…”

“It’s fine,” Kang Jin-Ho smiled refreshingly brightly. “Their realms are even crappier than you, after all.”

“…”

The operative word in Kang Jin-Ho's reply was ‘crappier.’ Why? Because it indicated that although this side was crap, the other side was even worse! Logic dictated that a bunch of crap should be able to instruct even crappier bastards.

Even though the Demon Flames were treated as hopeless trash just now, none of them tried to rebel or raise their voices in unhappiness. They understood that, from Kang Jin-Ho’s perspective, they probably didn’t look like humans but a torso with some limbs dangling off it.

When Kang Jin-Ho seemed to be searching for something else to say, Lee Hyeon-Su quickly stepped forward to wrap up the situation.

“This Mara Blood Flame Qi will become the Martial Assembly's core demonic cultivation method. Not just you but everyone who wishes to master demonic art will first master the basic cultivation before moving to Mara Blood Flame Qi. Being able to master it before anybody else is a massive honor. Don't forget to express your gratitude to your Assembly Master.”

Again, that speech should’ve been stirring and inspiring, but…

‘Hang on; something is a bit strange here…?’

Yi Myeong-Hwan tilted his head before raising his hand high up. “Excuse me!”

“What the hell is wrong with that guy? Why do you have so many bloody questions?” Lee Hyeon-Su tutted unhappily.

However, Yi Myeong-Hwan remained unfazed. “Are we the first people to ever cultivate using this demonic art?”

“That’s right.”

“The Assembly Master said he has created this, but… Does that mean no one’s mastered the demonic art serving as the foundation of this Mara thingy?”

“That’s not true, but it’s been changed so much that it’s pointless to worry about that now. Basically, yeah, you’re the first ones.”

“I-in that case… It’s not gonna cause problems, yes?”

Lee Hyeon-Su’s face crumpled hideously. “What the hell, this bastard…!”

“Hold on,” Kang Jin-Ho suddenly interrupted and stopped Lee Hyeon-Su. Then, he sheepishly addressed Yi Myeong-Hwan. “We don’t know.”

“...I’m sorry?”

“How can we know when we’ve never tried it before?”

“…!”

𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

An anxious expression immediately formed on Yi Myeong-Hwan's face.

Kang Jin-Ho continued to speak. “I'm pretty sure there shouldn't be any major problems to worry about, but no one's mastered this cultivation method before, so even I can't say for sure what might happen to you. For instance, there could be a fatal flaw that I have overlooked.”

When he was a young boy, Yi Myeong-Hwan's parents taught him that a person must be honest at all times. However, at this very moment, Yi Myeong-Hwan learned that being honest was not always a good idea!

‘What the hell?! Couldn't you just lie and say everything will be fine?! We'll be forced to master it, after all!'

Unrest quickly spread, eventually leading to some idiot running his mouth to open the proverbial Pandora's Box! “...Sir, do we have to master this cultivation method?”

Everyone present witnessed Kang Jin-Ho furrow his brow when that question registered in his hearing.

‘Hiieeeek?!’

‘Who said that?! Which motherf*cker was it!’

‘Imma kill you! Imma find you, and Imma bloody kill you!’

Kang Jin-Ho pondered something before slowly nodding away. “Hmm. If you don't want to, then you don't have to. Now that I think about it some more, it is kinda problematic to force everyone to try something a bit too dangerous, now isn't it?”

Lee Hyeon-Su’s jaw nearly dropped to the floor. “W-what? Sir, what are you talking about?”

“Well, it’s true, isn’t it?” Kang Jin-Ho shrugged his shoulders.

Lee Hyeon-Su shot a murderous glare at the Demon Flames. Such was the intensity of venom in his eyes that even the Demon Flames, scary enough to make other Assembly martial artists cower with their auras alone, hurriedly lowered their heads in fright like stray mutts.

“You bunch of trash…!”

His eyes and attitude eerily resembled that of a sister-in-law who just witnessed her mother being insulted by the new bride. The Demon Flames were experiencing what it felt like to be a new bride being harassed by the in-laws!

Kang Jin-Ho continued to clarify the situation. “It's fine if you don't want to do it. But, do make sure to return the manual if you're not planning to participate.”

Lee Hyeon-Su growled menacingly. “...Drop the book in the box before you leave, okay? Do not forget!”

The way he said those words clearly conveyed his intentions of memorizing the faces of everyone returning the secret manual and then tormenting them until their final moments.

Kang Jin-Ho tutted quietly. “Lee Hyeon-Su.”

“Yes, Assembly Master.”

“That’s enough, don’t you think?”

“...My apologies,” Lee Hyeon-Su bowed a little and backed off.

That allowed Kang Jin-Ho to address the crowd again. “I'm not joking here, guys. If you don't want to, don't force yourself to master it.”

“Assembly Master, sir!” Yi Myeong-Hwan raised his hand again, this time without hesitation. Until now, he had been asking things out of curiosity, but now was the time to ask the question that had to be asked.

Kang Jin-Ho nodded. “Go ahead.”

“How dangerous are we talking about here, sir?”

“Well, you could end up as a cripple.”

“…”

“Or, lose your life. The side effect with the highest odds is you losing your mind and going on a crazed killing spree. Your mind will be completely gone, of course.”

Yi Myeong-Hwan’s expression stiffened. However, his questions weren’t finished just yet. He sucked in a deep breath before continuing on. “Even so… Since you’ve given us this demonic cultivation, it means it’s worth risking my life to master it, yes?”

Kang Jin-Ho nodded again. “Yes. With this cultivation method, something that might take ten years can be reduced to five instead. Of course, it’ll depend on each person, but the duration can be shortened even more.”

Yi Myeong-Hwan weightily nodded. “I see. That’s good enough for me, sir. I’m going to master it.”

“…” Kang Jin-Ho silently stared at Yi Myeong-Hwan.

“I've already made up my mind back when we started learning demonic arts from you, sir. I am determined to become even stronger, even if I have to risk my life. And that includes learning demonic arts. In that case, giving up now because the risk factor has gone up a bit sounds pretty stupid, wouldn't you say, sir?”

After saying his piece, Yi Myeong-Hwan glanced around and saw his comrades making the same expression.

He shifted his gaze back to Kang Jin-Ho. “If I die, so be it, sir. But I won't say I'm not doing something because I might die from it. Well, that's my story, anyway. I can't speak for others.”

That was when a chorus of jeers and boos greeted Yi Myeong-Hwan.

“What the f*ck, man! What about those who want to give up?! Are you trying to screw them over?!”

“That stinking piece of sh*t…! I’m telling you, that bastard knows how to piss people off. I hate his guts so damn much!”

Yi Myeong-Hwan nearly tripped on his feet.

‘Eh? Me? Not Lee Hyeon-Su?’

Only now did Yi Myeong-Hwan realize who he thought was the most detestable and who everyone else thought was not the same!

‘But, I haven’t done anything to deserve that!’

Unsurprisingly, Yi Myeong-Hwan felt deeply aggrieved by this situation. While holding back his tears, he stuttered some words out. “A-anyways, I’ll continue this journey, Assembly Master.”

Kang Jin-Ho crossed his arms in front of his chest. “I’m not going to force you or anyone into mastering it.”

A Demon Flame member raised his hand. “Sir! Can I ask you one more question?”

“Mm?”

“How much of a difference are we talking about here, sir? I mean, between folks who give up and those who cultivate it. Let’s say, in a year, maybe?”

Kang Jin-Ho rubbed his chin. “…Maybe around ten of the former barely handling one of the latter?”

“Eiii, that’s super unfair, isn’t it? Geez, how are we supposed to give up now?”

The mood had become noticeably divided. Some were visibly resigned, while some others were excited by the prospect of mastering a highest-grade demonic cultivation method.

When the commotion grew a bit too much, Lee Hyeon-Su raised his voice again to bring order back to the proceedings. “Shut your pieholes, you shi*heads!”

“…”

“You shouldn’t celebrate just because you’re about to become stronger. Until now, you only had to master the Assembly Master’s cultivation method and handle the tasks assigned to you. However, the amount of work you must do will increase accordingly to match your strength.”

One of the Demon Flames quickly retorted, “We already know, sir.”

“Oh, so you know?” Lee Hyeon-Su smirked suspiciously. “Really?”

“...No, Director Lee. We don’t know anything, sir!”

“Tell us what to do, and we will do our best!”

Lee Hyeon-Su tutted and backed off. Rather than keep dragging things on, it was about time they wrapped this meeting up.

Kang Jin-Ho stepped forward and addressed the crowd. “Things will get a little risky. No, let me correct myself. It will get a lot more dangerous. However, I’ll do my best to minimize the risk factors as much as possible.”

Everyone paid their undivided attention to Kang Jin-Ho.

“However, if you manage to overcome all the hardships… You will acquire the power that I’ve promised you. Power that will ensure you won’t have to bow down to anyone!”

Those words were enough. From the get-go, everyone assembled in this auditorium had already discarded things like morals and values in pursuit of strength. They respected Kang Jin-Ho's strength and wanted to be like him. And now, they were given a method to become stronger.

In that case, what more convincing did they need?

Kang Jin-Ho glanced back at Lee Hyeon-Su. “How about two days for everyone to memorize the contents of the secret manual?”

“Unfortunately, sir,” Lee Hyeon-Su ruefully shook his head. “These idiots aren’t smart enough for that.”

“...Then, three days?”

“Yes, at least.”

Kang Jin-Ho slowly nodded. “Okay. Then, let’s set the deadline to three days later. Once you memorize the contents, the teaching process will begin in earnest, so prepare yourselves accordingly.”

“Yes, sir!”

Yi Myeong-Hwan raised his voice, his expression slightly flushed with excitement. “Does this mean you’ll personally guide us like before, sir?”

“Ng?” Kang Jin-Ho tilted his head. “Didn’t I clarify what will happen? Why would I when Vator will be here?”

“…!”

“Ah, I almost forgot to mention this. From now on, Vator will be in charge of your general management. And he will oversee your training, too. I was thinking of doing it myself, but Vator told me to stay out of it for some reason. I still don't get why, but… Tsk.”

Actually, only Kang Jin-Ho didn’t get it. As for the rest, they knew the truth only too well. Way too well, in fact…!

Yi Myeong-Hwan hurriedly wiped away his heart’s sweat pooling near his eyes.

It seemed the good days were officially over. And now, the real Hell awaited them!