Chapter 81: The Heavenly Demon Cult Serial Murder Case: A Night of Murder Without a Culprit

The music lesson that followed was surprisingly enjoyable.

“Please, just one more time! You have to master it within a month. I’m begging you.”

“Ah, there! My calf, just now! Ahh…”

Qing let out a rather suggestive sound.

But it couldn’t be helped.

Madam Kang’s main instrument was the seven-stringed zither.

Her grip strength was no joke.

Right now, she was desperately massaging Qing’s calves, pleading with her.

And that sight—oh, what a sight—was being thoroughly enjoyed by So-yeong, the maid, who was watching with a smirk that practically screamed, Serves you right.

“Ohh, that’s nice~. My dear professor is truly the best teacher ever. Massaging a crippled student’s legs so diligently… I’m getting softhearted again. Alright then, I guess I’ll play another verse?”

Qing finally, ever so reluctantly, got up and put the Bokshinjeok to her lips.

And then, she blew into it with enough force to shatter eardrums.

Madam Kang ground her teeth—internally, of course.

She wouldn’t dare show it outwardly.

Because before the cane, age meant nothing.

Qing’s rendition of Heavenly Heart Resonance was the auditory equivalent of a battlefield.

The piece was supposed to be a delicate, sorrowful melody—woven with longing, aching with a lover’s regrets.

But Qing played it like a goddamn war march.

The tempo was rapid, the force unwavering, and her breath control—sharp, clipped, and powerful—was like the rhythmic stomp of a military parade.

And the worst part?

She was good at it.

Music was often described as a beautiful woman’s weeping voice.

This? This was absolutely not how it was supposed to sound.

Then why the hell did it sound good?!

It was like crafting a culinary masterpiece out of rotten meat and rancid oil.

Fifty-five years of expertise in ritual harmony—utterly trampled.

Madam Kang’s very concept of music was being demolished before her eyes.

“T-that’s enough! That song is not meant to be played like—”

“What? Did I mess up again? Damn. Feels like it’s more of a teacher’s problem than a student’s, though. And when a teacher fails to teach properly… well, shouldn’t the teacher be the one to take the punishment?”

Qing tapped the Bokshinjeok against her palm meaningfully.

Madam Kang flinched.

But she wouldn’t back down.

“I meant to say—you played excellently! Absolutely magnificent!”

“Really? Feels like I messed up somewhere.”

“N-no! Not at all! It was flawless.”

Qing nodded, deeply satisfied.

“Right? Guess I had a hidden talent all along. Must be my natural genius at work, huh? Man, I should’ve practiced the bamboo flute back in school.”

Madam Kang wept bitter tears internally.

What an absolute, unholy little brat.

Sure, there were ungrateful children in the world who would strike their own parents.

But striking a teacher?

Unheard of.

Then again, laws were distant while fists were near.

An immutable truth, transcending time and space.

Madam Kang simply couldn’t take it anymore.

“You’ve learned two entire verses today. That’s more than enough for a single lesson. We’ll stop here.”

“Oh, but I was just starting to have fun.”

Qing clicked her tongue, genuinely disappointed.

“No. Excess in anything is never good. You need time to internalize what you’ve learned. Yes, you must take time to fully digest the lesson. So don’t be greedy and—”

“Yeah, yeah, fine. Whatever.”

Qing waved her hand dismissively.

Then, without a care in the world, she pulled her legs in and sat cross-legged, straightening her posture before speaking.

“Well then, as the student, I have received my lesson. Now, it’s time for the teacher to show proper respect and take her leave.”

“…?”

“What are you waiting for? A teacher doesn’t exist without a student. Surely you understand that I am the very reason for your existence?”

“The… Bokshinjeok—”

“What about the Bokshinjeok?”

Qing’s grin twisted into something sharp and dangerous.

“What, am I not allowed to hold my own possession? Oh, wait! I must’ve made another mistake. How terrible of me.”

“N-no, that’s not it. It’s a valuable treasure, so… take good care of it.”

“Obviously.”

Qing waved her hand again. “Now, hurry up and bow before leaving.”

In the end, Madam Kang hesitated, fidgeting awkwardly before giving a stiff nod and making a swift escape.

After enduring four solid smacks, an intense full-body massage, and enough groveling to make a beggar proud, she had miraculously managed to teach Qing two entire verses.

If she had been the stubborn, prideful type, she would’ve been split in half like a bamboo stalk by now.

Instead, she had wisely chosen to smile, swallow her pride, and achieve at least a fraction of her goal.

In a way, she was the true teacher of this era—not some foolhardy idealist, but a survivor.

Qing stretched, yawning.

“Well, that was fun.”

Only then did she finally acknowledge the flashing, flickering mission window that had been screaming for her attention in the corner of her vision.

Qing clicked her tongue.

She was starting to understand how these mission windows worked.

The major triggers were obvious—whenever she stumbled into a major incident, the system would throw a mission at her.

But there was also a secondary trigger—if she gathered enough information about a future event, the system would preemptively pop up with options.

Last time, the mission was labeled as the Prologue.

Now, it was the Middle Chapter.

Which meant there was probably a Final Chapter lurking somewhere down the line.

And maybe even a Grand Finale.

But oddly enough, none of this really annoyed her.

Why?

Because the demonic cult bastards were evil anyway.

Qing’s gaze turned icy.

She had her priorities now.

First, she needed to rob some speed-focused martial artists and steal their movement techniques. The faster she could move, the better.

Second, she needed more internal energy. That meant finding and looting the best cultivation techniques she could get her hands on.

And finally, she needed to head to the Heavenly Demon Vault, find that Heavenly Demon Soul, Horn, Hoof, or whatever the hell it was, smash it to pieces, and disappear.

“Heh…”

Qing let out a low chuckle.

It was a brilliant joke—Horn in the Western Regions' language sounded the same as Soul in the Central Plains dialect. A high-level pun! [^Just like last chapter, Qing is making a wordplay joke—"Cheonma" (천마) can mean both "Heavenly Demon" (天魔) and "Heavenly Horse" (天馬), making the "Heavenly Demon Tomb" sound like a burial site for a mythical flying horse.]

What a shame.

No one else would get to hear it.

A true tragedy.

The Heavenly Demon Cult Serial Murders

Report compiled by Inner Hall Investigator Seok Hum-hum

First Day Victims

• Victim: Fenglangzi Oh Suheon
• Cause of Death: Cardiac rupture.
• Murder Method: Heart was crushed by bare hands.
• Notable Details: Multiple fractures across the entire body.
• Conclusion: Victim was tortured alive.
• Victim: Pa Unjak, Chief Disciple of the Demon Path Blade Sect
• Cause of Death: Asphyxiation.
• Murder Method: Strangled with their own intestines.
• Notable Details: Multiple fractures across the entire body.
• Conclusion: Victim was tortured alive.

Second Day Victims

• Victim: Nae-ui Divine Thrower Yang Ryeong
• Cause of Death: Exsanguination.
• Murder Method: Perpetrator split open the victim’s stomach and intestines, stuffed the cavity with stolen items (primarily women’s undergarments), and crudely stitched it shut before hanging the victim upside down.
• Additional Notes: Victim survived for two more hours before succumbing.
• Victim: Assassin No. 11 from the Outer Hall’s Covert Operations Division
• Cause of Death: Poisoning.
• Murder Method: Skin was flayed, then poison and antidote were alternately poured onto the exposed flesh before the victim was left to die.

Third Day Victims

• Victim: Patrol Officer Bam Reungje, Fourth Squad Leader of the Divine City Watch
• Cause of Death: Shock due to meridian rupture.
• Important Discovery: Traces of White Hand Demonic Arts were found on the body.
• Reexamination Findings: All previous victims also exhibited signs of meridian rupture caused by infiltration of White Hand Toxin Qi.
• Conclusion: It is highly probable that a White Hand Witch from the Blood Cult has infiltrated Tian Mountain Divine City. Requesting assistance from higher authorities.
• Additional Concern: Only one body was discovered today, meaning another victim may still be missing.

Later in the day, a missing person report was filed for Bang Dojun, the Southern Pervert of Jiangnan.

• Status: Found deceased.
• Confirmed Killer: Gyeon Pohee, Second Generation Fifth Disciple of Bliss Palace.
• Testimony: Gyeon Pohee stated that Bang Dojun attacked her first under the pretense of giving a lesson in chamber techniques.
• Verdict: Given the victim’s known history, the act was deemed a justified duel.

Qing checked over the new martial arts she’d acquired.

From that Fenglangzi bastard, Oh Suheon, she picked up a red-grade footwork technique called Windstorm Steps and a few other scraps.

But seriously, why the hell was this guy practicing white-grade internal energy cultivation? If that were me, I’d rather drop dead than train in something that embarrassing.

Then there was the Demon Path Blade Sect’s supposed heir. Now he was something else.

He had stamina—lasted long enough to make things real fun.
It took three rounds of him blacking out before his body finally gave up, and even then, Qing almost collapsed from sheer exhaustion before making it back to Bliss Palace.

She’d gotten too excited.
Gotta rein it in a bit...

To make up for it, she hurriedly pushed her Heavenly Ice Sura Demonic Arts up to four stars.

At least that so-called heir coughed up two gold-grade techniques.
But only one of them was useful—Blood Demon Emperor Divine Art, an internal energy cultivation technique.

The other one?
Some trash-tier half-sword technique called Blood Shadow Thunder Half-Sword Style.

A half-sword?[^Saber]
With only half the blade’s power?
Why the fuck would anyone willingly use that?

Qing registered it just in case, but honestly, it was a joke.

From that underwear thief? She looted Thousand Li Flight, another gold-grade footwork technique.

Wasted on that pathetic little pervert.
This dumbass had precious, rare, gold-tier movement arts…
And all he did with it was sneak into women’s rooms to steal panties.

When Qing found him, he wasn’t even asleep—just furiously inhaling stolen underwear while jerking himself off.

So she granted his wish.
She stuffed so much lingerie into his stomach that he literally died from it.

Then there was that ninja-wannabe assassin.
Sneaky bastard. Almost got away.

He had dumped a ton of poison everywhere, so Qing just returned the favor.
The guy was so moved by her generosity that he handed over Shadow Phantom Piercing Steps—a red-grade movement technique—before dying.

And then there was last night.
Seol Ganom, that goddamn rat, gave me false info.

The target was supposed to be in possession of a legendary movement art manual, Ghostly Mirage Wandering Steps.

But when she got there?
Turns out, he had sold fake copies of the manual after spreading the rumor.

And what did she get out of him?
Just one white-grade and two blue-grade techniques.
Fucking useless.

Qing had gotten so pissed that she decided to smack him just once for the trouble.
But, well… miscalculated her strength.

And now he was gone.
Yeeted straight into the afterlife.

Damn it. There goes my stress relief time.

It was… oddly disappointing.
Maybe she was just getting tired.

I need sleep.
I’m so fucking exhausted…

For morale’s sake, she dragged in the captured pervert and gifted him to Crutch No. 2.

And oh.

Oh.

Her instincts never failed.

There was no describing that scene.

Porn doesn’t even come close. Like, this was a whole different dimension of entertainment.

And considering it actually was a different dimension, I guess that makes sense.

But still. Holy. Fucking. Shit.

She need to do this again.