The Novel’s Villain

39. Your Head Is Stiff (2)

Nangong Hui and Nangong Xiao-yan regained consciousness after a few moments. Those who were lying on the floor with gold and silver sycees stuck in their mouths and foreheads were the Peak Masters. Even Nangong Hui couldn’t guarantee an easy win against them, but such masters were overpowered with just a single move.

‘No, he didn’t overpower them…’

Nangong Hui knew their lives as martial artists were over. He had rendered them unable to fight any further. Still, there was no danger to their lives. That man didn’t just shoot the money; he was using some deep secret that couldn’t be understood.

Nangong Hui and Nangong Xiao-yan approached him cautiously. He was like a painting to Xiao-yan. She saw many noble families and martial artists’ children, but none of them could compare to this man. Even Nangong Hui, the most admired rising star, looked ordinary next to him.

“Who could he be?”

He was a mysterious man. She didn’t know what his purpose was or what his intentions were. After easily crushing the Great Duke of Èyun Imperial Clan, he calmly searched for the collapsed man. Could it be that he had the confidence to handle the aftermath?

He soon found what he was searching for, and the siblings’ eyes widened.

“Ah, ah…”

“That secret technique textbook?!”

It was a rare martial art book called the Moment of Ten Heavens Sexual Technique. There was no doubt, given the subtle energy flowing around the precious book. Nangong Xiao-yan trembled, and Nangong Hui felt terrified.

‘…I was almost beaten.’

Nangong Hui grabbed his sword. Still, he could hardly gather his qi because of the San-gong poison. What if those masters attacked them in that state? He might be able to endure it somehow, but that wasn’t the case with Nangong Xiao-yan. She could have suffered something terrible because of that sex maniac.

Nangong Hui closed his eyes tightly. Nangong Xiao-yan also trembled, imagining the situation she narrowly avoided. The heir of the Èyun Imperial Clan was in the same party as the officials of the martial arts world; there was no more convincing evidence than this. That guy probably knew all of this.

‘He’s a true chivalrous fighter.’

Nangong Hui was amazed. For now, it was their priority to express their gratitude. Nangong Hui and Nangong Xiao-yan approached him and politely bowed their heads.

“Thank you very much. Savior.”

“Thanks to you, I was able to avoid disaster. Thank you very much.”

After expressing their gratitude, Nangong Hui and Nangong Xiao-yan revealed their names. However, he gave off the impression that it wasn’t a big deal when he heard the name of the Nangong Imperial Clan. He just looked at the two of them and nodded lightly. The smile that played on his lips was very beautiful. Nangong Hui and Nangong Xiao-yan couldn’t take their eyes off him even though they knew it was disrespectful to stare.

‘Ah…my body….’

She always suffered pain so intense it felt like her body would freeze, but strangely, it vanished when she stood next to this man. It felt like her frozen hands and feet were melting. It was a warmth that she had never felt before, not even in her mother’s arms.

‘Is this warmth?’

Nangong Xiao-yan felt overwhelmed. It was so cozy that she felt like she was going to fall asleep. Therefore, she stared at him for a long time before she came to her senses and bowed her head.

“I-I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine.”

Beyond the level of his martial arts, he was also a man with a very deep heart. Jin-woo felt burdened, however. The Nangong siblings were watching him with sparkling and pure eyes. Nangong Xiao-yan’s face was pale as snow. She looked a little stuffy, wearing thick clothes despite the weather.

But it was because of the Nine Yin Severed Meridians. Nangong Xiao-yan would die before she turned 21. She saved the protagonist after many hardships and eventually died to him. Although it was a little late, the protagonist earned the nickname ‘Heroine Killer’ following that.

‘It would be nice to help out if I have the chance.’

It was to save himself from the original author, so there was no need to question the profit motive.

“Savior, may I get rid of them?”

Nangong Hui spoke. Jin-woo didn’t mean to get rid of them. Whether it was the Èyun Imperial Clan or the Xiawu Sect, it was good either way if they flocked to him. After all, he didn’t have to go through the trouble of finding them. Those on the floor were already beyond recovery; the silver sycees that were stuck to them would never fall off for the rest of their lives. As Jin-woo nodded, Nangong Hui regarded Èyun Qi and Gan Ji-chuan coldly.

Jin-woo turned around and left the guesthouse. When Nangong Hui and Nangong Xiao-yan glanced back, it appeared as if he disappeared. The General Manager bowed his head and greeted Jin-woo outside. The surrounding area had been cleaned up; the wandering disciples of the Xiawu Sect were nowhere to be found.

Jin-woo smiled.

“The cleaning went very well.”

“Thank you. What are you going to do with the Xiawu Sect?”

“Hmm, should we eat them up?”

“Understood.”

There was no need to worry about the Èyun Imperial Clan as he had entrusted them to the Nangong siblings. Following that, Jin-woo thought it would be better to take the Xiawu Sect under his control. It was made up of scoundrels, thieves, and third-rate fighters, but in any case, they were well-informed people in the martial arts world. Plus, with the proper education, everyone had room for improvement.

“Master, do you intend to go by yourself?”

“That’s how it should be.”

“You cannot dirty your hands with such trivial things. If you allow me to do so, I’ll bring your other subordinates.”

The General Manager was stricter than Yoo-na. Come to think of it, he also needed people to organize this place. When Jin-woo nodded, the General Manager immediately summoned helpers. The high-ranking judges and maids couldn’t come from the JW Gate, so they were pulled from the Demon Realm.

A shadow rose in front of Jin-woo, and his subordinates from the Demon Realm appeared.

“Umm? So it was Lilith, huh?”

“It has been a long time, my Great Emperor.”

Lilith and the Succubae accompanying her were on the verge of fainting just by standing by Jin-woo. The enormous energy exuding from him gave them great power and ecstasy. To them, Jin-woo was practically the God of the Sun, and their respect was only rising. The General Manager bowed his head as if he was ashamed.

“I was originally going to call others, but… there was a little commotion.”

“I see.”

Lilith and the Succubae came directly after stunning the other demons waiting. Their eyes were so fierce that it was hard to send them back, to the point Jin-woo felt like he was watching his fan club.

‘It doesn’t matter.’

Lilith herself was at the level of a Demon King, and the Succubae’s skills were also considerable, so there was no problem.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes, I will guide you.”

The General Manager took the lead and guided him to the base of the Xiawu Sect. It was a fairly large building constructed with the support of Èyun Imperial Clan after taking control of the guesthouse and commercial districts. It didn’t suit the Xiawu Sect at all.

The gatekeepers of Xiawu Sect, who knew nothing, were lazily guarding the front gate. Despite their laid-back demeanor, those guarding the base were at a higher level than those groups who wandered the village. As Jin-woo slowly approached, they looked up in surprise and reached out to stop him.

“Stop! This is the great Xiawu Sect’s….”

“Kugh!”

The Succubae appeared next to the gatekeepers. When they reached out and grabbed their faces, the gatekeepers began to tremble; then, their bodies began to wither. It looked as if the moisture in their flesh had been pulled out.

Thud! Thud!

The gatekeepers collapsed, looking like mummies. They continued to tremble in agony. For some reason, that image of them overlapped with Lee Min-woo’s.

‘Hmm…’

Jin-woo was startled, but he didn’t show it. However, he did have a question.

“…Is that your power?”

“Oh! No! It’s a technique! Anyone with mana can learn it.”

One Succubus responded energetically.

“I have something to ask you.”

“Yes! Tell me.”

“Don’t ever let the elves know about it.”

“What? Ah, yes! I understand!”

The Succubus didn’t fully understand, but she agreed. Jin-woo let out a long breath. An elf that mastered that technique would be an unimaginable monster.

He went inside through the gates. Next, the masters of the Xiawu Sect came out.

“I am the elder of Xiawu… ugh?!”

“Peak Master of Xiawu Sect, Limian Sha-gui… ughh!”

“You punks! How dare you come… ugh!?”

“Do you know who Jin-hu First Sword is? Huh!?”

“Hugh?!”

Everyone collapsed without having the chance to even meet Jin-woo’s eyes. Even at a glance, these Succubae were superior to other demons in terms of suppression. He doubted those on the floor would ever be able to stand again.

Jin-woo was able to enter the main building without any interference. Meanwhile, Lilith and the Succubae caught the Section Leader and the executives trying to escape. In their eyes, Lilith and the Succubae appeared to be human-eating ghosts. Every time they waved their hands, a person withered.

‘A-Absorbing Star Great Technique?!’

The Section Leader’s jaw trembled. It was a legendary martial art technique called the Absorbing Star Great Technique. Those demons ate all human vitality while wearing pleasant smiles. It was enchantingly beautiful, but fear prevailed.

“P-please spare me! I’ll give you everything! All the account books and treasures, all of them. So…”

“I-I don’t know anything!”

“I-I just joined yesterday…”

They were trying to cover for themselves. When Jin-woo looked at Lilith, she bowed her head deeply and snapped her fingers. The Succubae grabbed those men’s necks and opened their mouths. Lilith smiled and produced something seemingly from thin air.

Shrrrrkkk!

It was a very disgusting worm. Though it was shaped like a centipede, its legs were sharp as blades. Countless eyeballs were covering its back, as well. It was a Dreamworm, a creature that burrowed into people’s heads and took over their minds. It wouldn’t work if they had a strong will, but these people weren’t that good.

‘It would be better than having a silver sycee in your head.’

When Jin-woo nodded, the Succubae put the worms into their mouths.

“Eup!”

“Uaaarghh!”

“Ugh!”

It took over their minds quickly. As the Succubae let go, they walked like machines and knelt in front of Jin-woo. The General Manager approached as they prostrated, holding a hidden account book.

“There is a secret warehouse.”

“Hmm?”

Jin-woo followed the General Manager through a previously hidden door.

“It’s quite a lot for Xiawu, isn’t it?”

“After checking the account book, it seems everything was illegally acquired by the Èyun Imperial Clan. The flow of money is quite diverse.”

There were financial statements and silver sycees in the warehouse, and above all, secret martial arts books and medicines. There was even a drug useful for replenishing one’s vigor. It might be normal since their leader had mastered a sexual martial art. Jin-woo smiled happily and took it all.

“Burn all the financial statements of the Èyun Imperial Clan.”

“Yes.”

There was a lot, but it was trash to Jin-woo. He noticed high-quality silk was piled up in one corner.

“Give the silk to the Succubae.”

“Understood.”

Jin-woo could read something in the General Manager’s expression. He seemed to be thinking of Hua-ran. Come to think of it; her clothes were quite old.

“Take as much as you want.”

“C-cough, thank you.”

The General Manager quickly packed away some silks and accessories. Jin-woo grinned. Since the General Manager was on vacation, it seemed that the education of the Xiawu Sect could be entrusted to Lilith.

‘It’s okay.’

The guesthouses and commercial districts, which Xiawu Sect ruled, now naturally belonged to Jin-woo. No one knew yet how Jin-hu would change.

Jin-woo immediately returned to the Sanctuary, feeling a chill. Several others, including Yoo-na, Arina, and Luna, were meeting right in the center for the Golden Women’s Association he had seen before. Choi Hee-yeon was also there, recording their discussion in calligraphy. It seemed to be something serious, so Jin-woo quietly fled to his mansion.

He went into the study to write up the Paradise of Afterlife Divine Technique. The new technique in his head was well organized and reborn as a secret technique anyone could easily learn, thanks to his neat and cleanly written instructions.

Jin-woo contacted Lee Min-woo via text as soon as he finished writing. Almost immediately, he got a reply.

Lee Min-woo: What about the items?

Me: Got them all.

Lee Min-woo: I’ll go right away.

Thirty minutes passed before he received another message.

Lee Min-woo: I’ll go after putting the kids to sleep.

Me: LOL

Two more hours passed.

Lee Min-woo: I’ll go after Ella’s asleep.

Me: OK

Lee Min-woo: T.T

About four hours later, the window of the study slowly opened, and Lee Min-woo appeared. He was exhausted, with dark circles under his eyes and tangled hair. He took a deep breath and slumped back into a chair.

“Is it hard?”

“…The kids…”

“Yeah?”

Lee Min-woo’s eyes grew blurry. He was powerless, as if he had exhausted all his vitality.

“They’re flying recently.”

“Huh?”

“They flew in the sky and went out of the house… we managed to find them with the elves. A low-level spirit… destroyed the house… at least I’m glad that we’re staying in Elonti… cough, cough…!”

Elie and Elon were said to fly instead of crawl, summoning low-level spirits recklessly and damaging the house. Lee Min-woo’s suffering seemed quite severe as the kids would disappear if he looked away for a moment. Considering that they were just born, it was clear that his suffering would only grow in the future.

Jin-woo smiled and handed Lee Min-woo a drink mixed with the medicine he found. After taking a sip, Lee Min-woo’s eyes widened. He suddenly felt like rain had fallen over a dried-up land.

“Take this.”

“This…? P-Paradise of Afterlife Divine Technique? What a great name.”

Jin-woo handed over the technique next. Lee Min-woo was very excited. He now wore a lively expression Jin-woo hadn’t seen in a while. Lee Min-woo memorized everything on the spot. He was a genius. Although Jin-woo was helping, he learned it very quickly.

Lee Min-woo sat cross-legged and started image training.

‘Come to think of it. Lee Min-woo is a competent person with the ability to handle flame.’

What if he added vigor to his flame? It appeared to have tremendous synergy. Jin-woo looked at Lee Min-woo as he kept his eyes closed.

‘What will be born?’

He was looking forward to it. Lee Min-woo’s eyes suddenly shot open, and bright light poured from him.

[Lee Min-woo has awakened by learning the Paradise of Afterlife Divine Technique!]

[His flame, which was like a flickering candle, grows stronger.]

*[S+] Phoenix (Awakening)

‘I will not die!’

‘I am a phoenix!’

Lee Min-woo realized the weird trick of Paradise of Afterlife Divine Technique and now possesses undying flames.

Lee Min-woo stood. He quietly looked at Jin-woo and nodded. He remained silent, but Jin-woo could read his mind as he calmly walked out of the mansion. Confidence was radiating from his body.

Soon after, Jin-woo sent him a text message. Its only content was an emoticon of a thumbs-up.

* * *

After contacting the Martial Arts League and passing Èyun Qi and Gan Ji-chuan over, an investigation would begin soon. The reason Nangong Hui came to Jin-hu was for Nangong Xiao-yan. It was to write a Gourmet Guide, which was gaining popularity among the powerful. Among gourmets, the guide was considered almost biblical.

There were rumors that it was written by a clan leader of the Huashan Sect or that a Shaolin Monk wrote it. Some people looked at the handwriting and speculated that someone from the Demon Sect was its author. The author of Gourmet Guide was Nangong Xiao-yan.

The restaurant ratings were divided into lowest, low, medium, high, best, and special. So far, there had been only one restaurant that had received the ranking of best: a guesthouse near the Yangtze River. Xiao-yan, who was always full of motivation when going to a restaurant, let out a deep sigh. She hadn’t left the room she had been renting for a while now.

“Xiao-yan, are you not feeling well?”

“Oh, no. It’s just that…”

“Umm?”

“I should have asked for his name.”

She was talking about their savior. Nangong Hui smiled slightly.

‘Spring must have come.’

As a family member, he wanted to support her. She was a pitiful child. The Nangong Imperial Clan had spent a lot of money and manpower to find a cure, but it was useless. Now, Nangong Hui was going restaurant touring together with her to alleviate her pain.

He quietly closed the door and left. Nangong Hui had made a reservation for the Golden Stamp Guesthouse, but it seemed he had to cancel given Xiao-yan’s condition.

“Lady Lilith! Let’s go together!”

“Come quickly.”

Nangong Hui turned his head as he heard a voice next to him.

“Ah…”

Nangong Hui’s eyes widened, and his mouth gaped. This was the first beauty of this level he had ever seen in his life. Her alluring figure made his stomach twitch. Even his qi was shaken. It felt like it was about to burst out with joy.

The woman vanished. Nangong Hui stretched out his hand, but he couldn’t catch her.

‘Li-Lilith…?’

Nangong Hui stood there, stunned. Then, he returned to the room like a lost man. He sat down next to Xiao-yan.

“Haah…”

“Haah…”

They both sighed at the same time.

A powerful spring had also come for Nangong Hui.