Chapter 10…
Evil Breed: Martial God Chronicle
Chapter 10**
“Will those guys be able to hold out until we get there?”
“We’ll have to tell them to fortify their defenses as much as possible. They need to hold out somehow.”
“They could cross into another region. Or disappear completely.”
“Why do you think so?”
“If they fought the Nightmarish Demon Horse, they’ll have realized that our Nokrim Eight Lords stepped in. Which means they’ll naturally know the entire Nokrim Syndicate moved. So they might hide or relocate until things cool down.”
“My head hurts. Let’s stop guessing and just wait. We’ll know once we see it ourselves.”
Everyone nodded.
***
An emergency order was issued to all mountain strongholds in the South Sea region. Each stronghold was ordered to build the strongest defensive lines possible.
Following the order, the strongholds mobilized every available resource to build walls and fortifications.
They set traps along the paths leading up to their mountain bases and even hired formation masters to set up protective arrays.
Lookouts were stationed everywhere to monitor any movement.
They finished all preparations and waited.
But no matter how long they waited… no one appeared.
While the bandits grew increasingly anxious waiting, Jeok Wigang had been caught by his mother.
“What on earth were you doing for your clothes to end up like this?!”
He had forgotten to throw away the clothes torn during the fight with the Nightmarish Demon Horse, and his mother found them.
“Th-that… I was training…”
“What kind of training ruins such expensive clothes?! And this—this is clearly torn by something sharp!”
The terror of the South Sea bandits was being thoroughly scolded by his mother.
“…I’m sorry.”
Hearing his apology, his mother walked up to him and checked his body.
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
“No.”
Smack!
She slapped his back hard.
It didn’t hurt, but he pretended it did.
“Ow!”
“Do you know how terrified I was thinking you might be injured after seeing your clothes? It’s a relief nothing happened!”
Her nagging—filled entirely with worry for him—sounded impossibly sweet to Jeok Wigang.
Without noticing, a smile formed at the corner of his lips.
“You’re smiling? Do you think this is funny?”
He quickly straightened his expression.
“I’m sorry, Mother.”
“Promise me! You won’t do dangerous training that ruins your clothes like this again!”
“Yes. I promise.”
As he bowed his head deeply, warmth wrapped around him.
It was his mother’s embrace.
“You’re more precious to me than anyone. So always, always be careful. Understand?”
“Yes… Mother. I won’t worry you again.”
“That’s my good son.”
Jeok Wigang thought he should stay home for a while—his mother would be keeping a fiery eye on him.
And above all, he never wanted to make her worry.
“Young master, where have you been?”
His mother wasn’t the end of it.
“Hm?”
“I heard it from Madam. You ruined your clothes from training too hard. And they were torn by something sharp, she said.”
Taechun spoke while staring at him with frightening eyes, and Jeok Wigang shook his head.
“Sorry. I guess I got carried away without thinking.”
“From now on, I will never leave your side.”
Taechun declared firmly.
Now Taechun would watch him like a hawk.
‘Looks like I won’t be going out for a while.’
At least he’d successfully completed the final form of the Eight Circulating Incantations. That was enough for now.
Surely no one else would nag him…
But no. His father was still left.
The two people who could make Jeok Wigang nervous: his mother and father.
With a tense face, he entered his father’s office.
“Father, your son Jeok Wigang is here.”
Jeok Lihyeon looked up from his work, stood, and slowly approached with both hands raised.
Was he going to hit him?
Jeok Wigang shut his eyes tight—only to feel warmth again.
“You fool… why are you pushing yourself so hard?”
“Father?”
“Is mastering martial arts something you want that desperately?”
His father’s eyes were filled with sorrow rather than anger.
“No, it’s not that.”
“I’m sorry. I’m your father, yet I didn’t even realize how troubled you were.”
“No, Father, that’s not—”
“All of it is this useless father’s fault.”
Honestly, being scolded would’ve been better.
This was torture.
“It’s not like that. I was just experimenting with something and accidentally tore my clothes. I didn’t push myself recklessly. Truly.”
“Really?”
“Yes!”
After seeing the unwavering look in his son’s eyes, Jeok Lihyeon finally sighed in relief.
“…Alright. I’ll believe you.”
Jeok Wigang beamed.
Jeok Lihyeon also smiled.
“Sit. Today, let us talk. I’ve been too focused on clan matters to spend time with my own son.”
“I understand completely, Father.”
Jeok Lihyeon gazed at him with loving eyes.
He’d always been a smart, independent child.
Perhaps that was why he’d unintentionally neglected him.
He felt sorry.
“What do you want to become, Wigang?”
Jeok Wigang thought for a moment.
“I want to become someone who punishes evil.”
His father looked at him in surprise.
Then he smiled and asked,
“How?”
“I’ll rise in reputation and become an official who protects people and punishes the wicked.”
Jeok Lihyeon laughed in relief. He’d worried Wigang might try to punish evil through martial strength—but it was needless.
“Yes. My Wigang can do it. Of course he can.”
“Yes! I will.”
“And how will you punish evil?”
“Evil must be eradicated.”
Jeok Lihyeon’s eyes widened again.
Then he gently ruffled Wigang’s hair.
“You must not kill every wrongdoer.”
“Why? Isn’t eradicating evil and spreading good the way to peace?”
“There are those falsely accused, and those forced into wickedness. So promise me one thing.”
“Yes, Father?”
“I won’t ask you to spare those beyond redemption. But if someone seems redeemable—give them a chance.”
“A chance?”
“Yes. Let them become someone useful to the world instead of an evil-doer.”
Jeok Wigang hesitated.
Just then, his little brothers came to mind.
To the world, they were evil.
To him, they were pitiful and precious.
While with him, they’d never once committed wrongdoing.
They still lived quietly.
Jeok Wigang nodded.
“I understand, Father.”
“You truly promise?”
“Yes! I, Jeok Wigang, will give a chance to anyone who seems redeemable.”
“Good. That’s my son. But don’t waste mercy on demons beyond redemption.”
“Yes!”
He had intended to wipe out all evil—but after promising his father, he decided to revise that plan.
He should practice redeeming people too.
How should he do that?
What standard should he use?
Maybe start with an evil sect?
Well, he’d think about it slowly.
He couldn’t move freely anyway—the watchful eyes were too many.
Confined to home, Jeok Wigang researched the Nine-Circulating Incantations while also pondering how to “redeem” evildoers.
No matter how he thought about it, the most effective method was simple:
Overwhelming force that inflicted the worst suffering—
and fear so vivid they believed they might actually die.
To do that, he had to control his strength precisely. And he needed to ensure they didn’t actually break.
There was a healing incantation in the Third Circulating Set.
What if he infused that into his fists?
Strike and heal at the same time.
In theory, unlimited pain could be delivered.
He’d also need an incantation to heighten their perception of pain.
So many experiments to run.
Where should he test this?
He had to get out.
But everyone watched him like hawks—and Taechun was the biggest problem.
Taechun was so loyal he slept outside Wigang’s door, ate outside the door, and even had others watch the door when he went to the restroom.
Wait… what if he created another version of himself?
Could that work?
He resumed his research.
It was actually the most necessary incantation for his future.
He named it: Two-Form Doppelgänger Technique
Failure after failure.
Then—using the energy of the Seventh Circulating Form—he succeeded.
It was a Seventh-Level Incantation.
Higher-level than expected.
He created a clone identical to himself.
It was difficult because the formula required for a functional duplicate was enormous: the clone needed to speak, respond, and behave naturally.
He set the clone’s movement range to his room, with most of its time spent “studying.”
Nobody ever disturbed him while he was studying.
Whenever he said he needed to focus, they wouldn’t even bring meals.
He’d spent many days eating wall-nutrition pills while studying before—so no one would suspect anything.
Now he just had to infuse healing and pain-enhancing incantations into his fists.
Jeok Wigang immersed himself in research again.
One month later.
He finally completed it.
A fist technique that would not kill or knock someone unconscious—
But dealt pain far worse than a normal beating.
Controlling the healing energy had been the hardest part.
If it was too strong, the healing would occur instantly, making the victim think they’d dreamed it all.
No—he needed them to feel utterly certain they had been beaten.
That was how fear would brand itself into them.
He named it: Repentance Fist .
If he faced multiple opponents, he could use his doppelgänger.
The Two-Form Technique was proving extremely useful.
Now he just needed to test it.
He got information from Milyeong.
He asked them to recommend a cruel evil sect—and if possible, one far from home.
They recommended:
The Mad Sword Sect of Jiangxi Province.
A group of sword lunatics.
They constantly harassed nearby sects to prove their strength.
Perfect test subjects.
He decided to choose the next targets based on information gathered at the Mad Sword Sect.
He felt guilty overworking Milyeong, so he’d gather info from the sect directly.
He donned a demonic mask to conceal his face and changed into night gear.
Everything was ready.
But first—he had to make sure the doppelgänger could fool Taechun.
“Heartscape Unsealing ,
Qi Flow Dispersal,
Soul-Shadow Response,
Self-Manifest Return.”
As he chanted, an identical figure peeled itself off his body like a shed layer.
Facing himself felt strange.
“Do your job.”
The clone nodded, walked to the desk, sat, and began reading a book.
