BRDM 198

chapter 198

Crunch, crunch—

Lee Hyun struggled to maintain his sanity as the iron cores inside his body wreaked havoc.

“This is a different kind of agony from the Ring of Extreme Cold. If I stay like this, Golgap will consume me.”

He suspected that this was perhaps a manifestation of Zhu Bajie’s impulses—always driven by appetite and lust.

In Journey to the West, Zhu Bajie was always portrayed as a nuisance. But that wasn’t because he was foolish—it was because he possessed instincts far stronger than ordinary people.

Thus, the fact that Zhu Bajie could overcome all that and attain enlightenment made him impressive.

“Fortunately, I have the masks of the Golden Orphan and the Metal Buddha to suppress impulses, but… controlling all of this isn’t easy.”

Lee Hyun’s eyes flashed fiercely.

“Then,”

[Activate the Sacred Artifact: Golden Orphan to accelerate thought!]
[Attempting bodily meditation.]
…
[Using the Yeoui Chain’s rapid recovery function to boost resilience.]

Kwad-deuk-deuk!!

Six iron cores erupted from Lee Hyun’s body, then retracted, repeating the cycle multiple times. Each eruption drenched his clothes in blood, reddened his eyes, and left his body in tatters.

“Hmm?”

Zhu Bajie watched with intrigue.

“He’s assembling himself against himself? Golgap adapting to its own physique? Ha! That’s an unexpected method.”

The iron cores were a cultivation technique for the Six Precepts. As one suppressed each desire, the cores would properly settle within the body. Mental training translated into physical change.

This echoed the teachings of Tripitaka: suffering was an inevitable part of enlightenment. But Lee Hyun aimed to skip the process entirely.

[The narrative of the Snow Queen gazes upon you with calm eyes.]

Having endured the Ring of Extreme Cold for over four years, Lee Hyun was familiar with pain.

So, this level of suffering was trivial. He experimented repeatedly to settle the iron cores properly—like assembling Lego blocks—until he was satisfied with the results.

“Master, have you perhaps taken on a more troublesome disciple than before?”

Zhu Bajie, understanding the severity of Golgap’s pain, looked at Son Goku incredulously.

“The one you saw before seemed ready to take on disciples someday?”
“No, that wasn’t it.”
“But this one just plopped down and took the spot without hesitation.”
“….”
“Even if I didn’t like it, he claimed it. It means he’s the one who convinced me in the end.”

Son Goku crossed his arms and grumbled but couldn’t wipe the smile from his face.

“You’ll see as it goes on. This is just the beginning.”
“…That’s a little scary.”
“Ha-ha! Looks like we’re about to start!”

“What?”

At Saoh Jeong’s laughter, Zhu Bajie glanced at Lee Hyun, who was slowly rising with eyes wide open.

[Controlling Golgap’s iron cores.]
[The first trial has not yet been passed.]

Lee Hyun’s body bulged in odd places as the cores occasionally protruded and retracted.

Crunch, crunch…

“Ma…ster.”

The monkey-like red eyes focused on Son Goku. His voice cracked, his vocal cords barely recovered.

“Very well. The second Ji-gi trial begins immediately.”
“In that state?”

Son Goku scanned Lee Hyun from head to toe, mocking him. Sweating profusely, he barely stood, yet insisted on taking a second trial.

“No. If not now, it won’t happen. I must… enter the unconscious world of the Demon Lord with this.”

“Why all of a sudden… to the Demon Lord… huh!?”

Zhu Bajie tried to stop him, then realized something and widened his eyes.

The Demon Lord watched from nearby, letting out a dry, ironic laugh.

“The eight iron cores of the Sangbo Simgeumpa sever desires… Are you planning to defeat the demonic nature of my eldest brother alongside those desires?”
“Yes.”

Lee Hyun nodded, drenched in cold sweat.

“The madness-inducing Uma King’s demonic nature and the desire-cutting iron cores are opposites.”
“…I see.”

Boommawang muttered to himself.

The Demon Lord continued:

“I understand your plan—you want to selectively eliminate the demonic nature. But your premise is flawed. How do you intend to enter my unconscious world?”

Even after drinking holy water, his madness still sought an opportunity to flare up.

“Unless there’s a contract establishing a spiritual connection between us, how can you interfere with my mind?”

“It’s not necessarily impossible,” Son Goku interrupted unexpectedly, eyes on Lee Hyun, calmly floating with the Golden Eye open.

“You just need to be eaten by him, right?”
“Yes, exactly.”

“…!”
“…!”
“…!!”

The faces of those present stiffened at Lee Hyun’s answer, including the Demon Lord.

“…As your teacher said, I am a body born from countless monsters and demons fused together. Everything I consume naturally merges with me.”

The Demon Lord finally spoke after a long pause.

“You, if eaten, will become part of me. I understand your plan to eliminate the demonic nature from within and to use the Sangbo Simgeumpa.”

Yet his eyes were a mixture of anger, regret, self-mockery, and lament.

“But how do you intend to move inside? My unconscious world is a chaotic demonic maze even I can barely comprehend. And yet, a human…”

The Demon Lord still didn’t fully understand his own creation. Numerous demonic beasts had merged, and collective consciousness had coalesced into a single self. That was why he couldn’t remove the demonic nature himself.

And now… Lee Hyun intended to eliminate it all? Insane.

“Impossible. I can’t sacrifice your disciple just to save myself…”
“Whether it’s possible or not, I will decide.”

Lee Hyun shook his head resolutely, cutting him off.

“I’ll just do it. You have nothing to lose anyway, right?”
“…You want me to make a selfish choice?”

Lee Hyun laughed faintly.

“And if it’s selfish? Isn’t that exactly what a true friend is?”
“Fr…iend?”
“Weren’t we going to be friends now?”
“….”
“So trust me, friend.”

The Demon Lord’s eyelids trembled.

After a long moment:

“…In these few days, I’ve learned a lot from a human who wouldn’t even live a hundred years.”

He was genuinely moved by Lee Hyun’s warmth. After a brief contemplation, he nodded.

“Very well. I will trust your words, friend.”
“Good choice.”
“But I won’t allow you to die. Even if I have to rip out my own heart, I will try to keep you alive.”
“That won’t happen.”

A smile never left Lee Hyun’s lips.

“I don’t die that easily.”
“Is that so…”

The Demon Lord glanced at Zhu Bajie.

“Will you be okay if I intervene? There’s a risk of losing the sacred artifact.”
“Do as you please. He’s your disciple anyway. He won’t listen to anything I say.”
“Hahaha, true enough.”

Zhu Bajie shrugged, and the Demon Lord chuckled lightly.

“What do these people think of me!?”
“Ask the youngest brother.”

The Demon Lord turned his gaze to the grumbling Son Goku.

“What your precious disciple is attempting is far more dangerous than a simple apostle contract. He could actually die. Are you okay with that?”

Son Goku remained sullen.

“Not okay? You wouldn’t do it?”
“I’ll consider your opinion…”
“Enough talk. Just do it.”

“….”

“Did thinking of others get you hit from behind by your eldest brother? Just mind your own path.”

Son Goku snorted lightly.

“Even if I complain, he won’t give up on his master.”

“What an astonishing disciple. I never imagined someone would speak of loyalty and friendship in life like that. Truly enviable.”
“Naïve.”
“…?”

Son Goku scoffed lightly. The Demon Lord tilted his head.

“You don’t think he’s walking the path of death just for friendship, right? From my perspective, he’s chasing Ho Poong Technique with eyes blazing, nothing else.”
“…?!”

The Demon Lord’s eyes widened as he looked at Lee Hyun. Sure enough, Lee Hyun’s gaze burned fiercely, letting out a strange laugh.

Greed.

“The Ho Poong Technique lets you control the Flying Nimbus properly, right? That’s why he’s going crazy. Greed, nothing else.”

Son Goku’s Palm Strike, Saoh Jeong’s Curse Technique, Boommawang’s Flame Technique, Woo Yoongwang’s Ferocity Technique, Zhu Bajie’s Defense Technique—and now the Demon Lord’s Ho Poong Technique.

Lee Hyun’s desire for growth knew no bounds.

“Your disciple… is truly multilayered.”
“Indeed. Simple yet complex. Soon enough, he’ll turn into an old man with a hump, I bet.”
“But that makes him more endearing. Friendship, greed, he won’t let go of anything.”

Hahaha!

The Demon Lord laughed in satisfaction.

Then…

“Let’s begin.”
“Be careful, brother.”

Boommawang carefully sat the Demon Lord down and left, Saoh Jeong carried Zhu Bajie, and Son Goku flew quietly into the sky.

At that moment:

[The Supreme Demon Lord reveals his true form!]

Whoooosh—

A massive black whirlwind formed around the Demon Lord, revealing a colossal dragon.

As a result, the suppressed madness flared up, his eyes clouding over.

“Here it comes.”

Lee Hyun took the Two-Headed God’s molars from Kirssis and slung them over his shoulder.

It was a gamble. With the iron cores still uncontrolled, facing the Demon Lord’s demonic nature would be extremely difficult.

But:

“I need greater power. And more power.”

After facing the Uma King and meeting Raphael, he realized how far he still had to go.

“Merely inheriting the Seven Great Stars’ power isn’t enough. I must fully master it and become strong enough to stand shoulder to shoulder with them.”

Thus, he pushed himself into even greater challenges.

And beyond them, valuable rewards awaited like treasures.

“Only then can I finally step onto the starting line.”

His gaze was already on the heavens, not the earth.

Kaahhh!!

At that moment, the Demon Lord opened his jaws and swallowed Lee Hyun in one bite.

Pah!

[The first trial has not yet ended, but the second trial begins forcibly.]
[Entering the event dungeon.]

Light exploded.