The Martial God with Psychic Powers

The three students sent to Baekyeong under Jungcheon’s orders—
Their names were Won Gwang, Ho Pae, and Gan Pyeong.
The leader among them was Won Gwang.

The three had gathered in a room, recalling the day’s events as they conversed.
“Did you see Seong Seak get completely wrecked without even landing a hit?”
“He’s only a year younger, but they treated him like some toddler. Just toyed with him.”

“Today made it clear. No wonder Baekyeong managed to unify Mushincheon’s High Divisions.”
“It’s not just that. Did you notice how the intermediate students acted toward the seniors? They’re completely disciplined.”
“Yeah. That kind of discipline only comes from being crushed by force. Which means… the seniors must be way stronger than the intermediates.”

While the other two were talking, Won Gwang remained silent, listening.
Then he finally spoke.
“Don’t you think that line about ‘go home and try circulating your Qi’ sounded meaningful?”

“That? Wasn’t it just a way of saying, ‘go home and rest up’?”
“No. He specifically said: ‘circulate your Qi and decide afterward.’ What does that imply? That something might change in your body.”
At Won Gwang’s words, the other two glanced at each other.

“Let’s try it. See what’s changed.”
Without another word, the three of them assumed lotus position.
Then they began circulating their Qi.

The results were shocking.
“W-What is this?! M-My inner energy increased?!”
“Not just that. Circulating Qi is way easier now!”
Won Gwang’s expression turned grave.

“So this is the reason Baekyeong got so strong. It was this formation. This clears up the mystery.”
“Where the hell did they even find a formation this powerful?”
“More than that… isn’t it insane that someone actually endured that kind of pain just to test it out in the first place?”

At the mention of pain, all three of them involuntarily shivered.
The pain they’d experienced during the day seemed to rise again in their memories.
“I don’t even want to think about that pain.”

“I never want to go through that again.”
Won Gwang spoke up.
“But what if enduring that pain makes you stronger?”
The two of them fell silent.

Thinking about it again, if pain brought strength—it might be worth it.
“We still don’t have enough information about the formation. For now… let’s experience it firsthand.”
Though reluctant, the other two nodded at Won Gwang’s words.

“If we’re going to go through that pain again tomorrow, we’ll need our minds and bodies ready. Let’s turn in early.”
 
****

The next day.
The first-years returned, faces pale with fear.
Seeing them, Shin Dowoon let out a soft laugh.

“Looks like everyone tried circulating their Qi yesterday?”
“Yes, sir!”
“So? Isn’t it killer?”

“Yes, sir!”
“I guarantee, by the time you reach intermediate class, your cultivation will have risen by at least four stages.”
Four stages in a year?

“If you put effort into the other training too, you could go even higher. For reference, this guy here jumped seven stages. Sure, his starting point was a bit low—but what matters is that he jumped seven levels. Isn’t that right?”
Seven stages.
All eyes turned to the formation.

Pain didn’t matter anymore.
That kind of pain? They could endure it.
If it meant their cultivation would rise—they’d do it.

It wasn’t like it destroyed their bodies.
In fact, they felt better.
Motivation surged among them.

And just as quickly, Shin Dowoon dropped a line that froze their enthusiasm cold.
“Yesterday was just the first session—a little sample. Today’s going to hurt.”
What did that mean?

Yesterday was already agony—and that was just “a little”?
And today would “hurt”?
Then what the hell was yesterday?

That wasn’t even pain?
“Alright, get in.”
No one moved.

Their faces said it all—Is this even real?
“C’mon, you won’t die.”
Yeah! Let’s do this!

No matter how bad it got—it’d just be a little worse than yesterday.
One person stepped into the formation, and the others slowly followed.
Watching them enter, Shin Dowoon’s lips curled up slightly as he murmured—

“Go ahead and die a little. Kukuku…”
 
****

Thud— thud—
One by one, the students collapsed to the ground as they emerged from the formation.
Each and every one of them lay sprawled out, eyes unfocused, gasping for breath.

“So? A bit painful, but not too bad, right?”
The students bristled at Shin Dowoon’s words.
“A bit”?!

They wanted to leap up and punch that smug face.
But they didn’t even have the strength to lift a finger.
Today had been different from yesterday.

The moment they entered the formation, their bodies stiffened.
What the hell is this?
As they panicked, intermediate students swarmed in and began contorting their bodies in unnatural ways.

Bending joints in directions no human body should move.
And when that happened—pain beyond comprehension surged through them.
They couldn’t even resist—their bodies were frozen stiff.

Every single one of them writhed inside the formation in grotesque, unnatural poses.
Then the formation activated.
And that pain—

Just remembering it brought tears to their eyes.
They thought of their parents.
Why did they miss them so much today, of all days?

Especially their mothers.
“…Mom…”
Someone finally said it aloud.

“Sniffle…”
That broke the dam. The sound of sobbing began to spread.
“Men crying over this?”

Shin Dowoon grinned cheerfully as he said it.
The students around him all turned to stare silently, thinking the same thing:
You sobbed like a baby too, you bastard!

But Shin Dowoon, unaware of their thoughts—and apparently of his own past—beamed as he said,
“Alright, today’s session is over. Go home and be sure to circulate your Qi. You don’t want all today’s suffering to go to waste, do you?”
 

Mushincheon Branch of the Snowy Mountain Sect.
Once again, Seong Seak returned crawling—barely alive.
Seeing this, the branch leader’s expression turned grave.

“What’s going on? What the hell is happening to our young lord at that High Division?”
“He looks exactly like someone being bullied.”
“Indeed. He skipped meals today and went straight to his quarters with a furious expression.”

“He told us not to let anyone near—he said he’s going to circulate his Qi.”
The branch leader’s brow twitched.
“He said he’d circulate his Qi the moment he came back?”

“Yes, sir. It seems he’s been wronged somehow, but he won’t talk about it.”
“Are the intermediate or senior students at Baekyeong mistreating our young lord?”
“Are they out of their minds?! Who would dare lay a hand on our lord?!”

“There’s the Young Lord of the Shin Clan at Baekyeong. His reputation up through last year wasn’t exactly stellar. What if he’s the one tormenting him?”
“If it’s the Shin Clan, they outrank us in Mushincheon. He might be keeping silent for fear of dragging our sect into conflict.”
Misunderstanding piled atop misunderstanding.

“Hmph! Shin Clan only holds their rank because of their backing from the Tianzhu Hall Lord. If we go all out, we’re stronger!”
“But that Tianzhu Hall Lord’s influence is too great…”
The branch leader stroked his beard.

“First, we need to figure out exactly what’s happening inside Baekyeong. The response can come after that.”
“I’ll sneak in and investigate.”
“Oh! Good. With your stealth skills, I can trust you. I’m counting on you.”

“Yes, sir!”
 
The next day.

A martial artist of Snowy Mountain Sect, hiding his presence, was secretly trailing behind Seong Seaak.
He spotted a group of children in identical uniforms, heading to a location far removed from the High Division. Among them was Seong Seaak.
Their expressions were all the same—like cattle being herded to the slaughterhouse.

He even caught fragments of their muttering.
“I don’t wanna go…”
“What the hell was I thinking…”

“Haa…”
That was unmistakable.
They looked exactly like kids being bullied.

Seong Seaak’s face was no different.
It seemed the upperclassmen were summoning the first-years to some remote location under the pretense of discipline… just to torment them.
The martial artist clenched his fist.

So this is what these bastards had learned after conquering the High Division of Martial God Heaven? Just thuggery?
Fine.
Let’s see just what kind of abuse they’re inflicting.

He followed the children. And then, the man of the hour appeared.
Shin Clan.
So it was him after all?

Just as he thought that, Shin Dowoon spoke with a gleeful grin.
“Well, well. It’s time for another joyous day, isn’t it?”
The children gave no reply.

“What’s this? No answer?”
When Shin Dowoon narrowed his eyes, the children shouted as if their lives depended on it.
“Yes, sir!”

“That’s better. When a senior speaks, answer immediately. Got it?”
“Yes!”
“Good! Then let’s get started, shall we?”

Started… what?
The martial artist watched in silence—but his face gradually twisted in horror.
Shin Dowoon shoved the children into what looked like a formation—some kind of array—and then started twisting their bodies into grotesque positions without mercy.

Even as the children begged him to stop, he ignored them and kept going.
These vile, inhuman bastards…!
After contorting their bodies in impossible ways, he activated the formation.

As the formation roared to life, joint-popping sounds erupted from all directions.
Crack—pop—snap.
“Aaaagh!”

“Guaaaah!”
“Nnghhh!”
In an instant, the place had turned into a torture chamber.

The children's agonized screams pierced the ears of the martial artist hiding nearby.
He trembled uncontrollably, shaking from rage.
Seong Seaak was there too.

Tears streamed down his face as he struggled in anguish.
The martial artist, unable to hold back, clenched his fists and wept alongside him.
The young lord he served was suffering before his very eyes, and he couldn’t step in to save him.

That unbearable frustration burned in his chest.
He turned to look at Shin Dowoon again.
He was snickering, clearly enjoying it.

And in that moment, the martial artist was convinced.
He was the one behind all of ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ this.
He had now confirmed with his own eyes exactly what was happening to Seong Seaak in the High Division.

Grinding his teeth, he slipped away in silence.
 
****

BANG—!
“Is that true?!”
“It’s true! I saw that godforsaken scene with my own two eyes! It was so vile and brutal, I could barely hold in my rage!”

“Shin Clan bastards! Those sons of bitches!”
The branch leader’s face turned red with fury.
“The Young Lord was wailing in torment! I wanted to rush in and rescue him right then and there… but I couldn’t. Khugh!”

The martial artist couldn’t hold back his tears.
“Those filthy fuckers! Are they mocking our Snowy Mountain Sect?!”
And it wasn’t just the branch leader who was furious.

Everyone in the room was seething with rage.
“We must inform the Lord of the Sect immediately!”
“That’s right. If this continues, something terrible could happen to the Young Lord!”

“Every second counts! Even now, our Young Lord is suffering!”
The branch leader nodded in agreement.
He turned to the martial artist who had witnessed everything.

“You. Go to the Main Sect right now and report exactly what you saw to the Sect Master!”
“Yes, sir!”
 

****
Snowy Mountain Sect, Tianshan, Qinghai.
Sect Master Seong Baekcheon stood face to face with the martial artist who had rushed from the Martial God Heaven branch.

“What’s the matter? Why have you come running like this? Did something happen to my Seaak?”
“Y-Yes, Sect Master.”
“What?”

He had only asked in passing—but…
“What do you mean? What happened to my youngest?”
“It’s true. That’s the reason I rushed here, Sect Master!”

“What happened?”
“The Young Lord is being abused in the High Division.”
“WHAT?! What the hell are you saying?! My boy is being bullied?!”

“It’s true. I saw it with my own eyes.”
SLAM—
CRACK—

Seong Baekcheon slammed his fist on his desk, smashing it into splinters.
“Who’s the bastard?! Who dares lay a hand on my son?!”
“It’s the heir of the Shin Clan.”

“What? The Shin Clan?!”
“Yes.”
“That fucking son of a bitch… why would he target my boy?!”

“I… I don’t know, sir.”
“Those goddamn bastards. Drunk on the backing of the Heavenly Lord of Ten Thousand Poisons, and now they think they can do whatever they want?!”
“What should we do, sir? It’s the Shin Clan. We can’t act recklessly.”

“What do you mean, what should we do?! What the hell gives them the right to touch my son?! Are we weaker than the Shin Clan or something?!”
He turned to his subordinates.
Their response was thunderous.

“No, sir!”
Seong Baekcheon’s face darkened.
“I’ll see my son myself. And if what you say is true… then it’s war with the Shin Clan.”

“The Young Lord won’t say a word about it.”
“Then I’ll see it with my own two eyes. Prepare to leave for Martial God Heaven.”