“Is that really the first thing you’re curious about before even introducing yourself?”
A brief silence followed before the massive deer let out a soft laugh—or at least what passed for soft by deer standards.
RUMBLE—!
Seo-jun clamped his hands over his ears as the sound reverberated painfully, leaving him wondering if his eardrums had burst.
“Honestly, anyone would be curious.”
The deer laughed again (softly, by its own measure) and then fixed its eyes on him with a sudden gleam.
‘Shit. Did I screw up?’
To be fair, he wouldn’t blame her for getting upset. Seo-jun had developed enough social awareness to recognize his own rudeness by now.
A moment later, a colossal surge of demonic energy erupted from her body—vast enough to make even Seo-jun pause and admire its sheer scale.
‘Maybe I should look into size-altering techniques later.’
While that idle thought passed through his mind, a radiant light burst forth. Seo-jun narrowed his eyes and pierced through the glare with his gaze.
When the light faded, a regular-sized deer stood before him, its figure noble and refined.
“Size adjustments like this are easy.”
“A transformation technique, then?”
“Correct.”
The deer smiled faintly—a strangely human-like expression. Seo-jun stared, realizing for the first time that deer could even make expressions.
‘Was this her real form?’
Judging by her earlier size, probably not. This smaller appearance was likely a magical compression of her true form.
Instead of answering his unspoken questions, his curiosity deepened. Not about their mating habits—he’d had enough of that tangent—but about her abilities.
“I saw the one you called Nokyo’s father earlier.”
“Yes, a fine male. Impressive antlers, too.”
Wait—was that sexual harassment? Seo-jun wasn’t sure, but he pressed on.
“Both the father and mother are deer. So how does Nokyo look like a human with antlers?”
“Because I’m not a deer.”
Nokyo tilted her head in confusion.
“Mom’s a big deer, though?”
“Nokyo, it’s time you learned the truth.”
Nokyo’s eyes widened dramatically.
“Wait—am I not a deer?!”
“No, you’re a deer.”
“Phew. That scared me.”
“But you’re also not just a deer.”
Nokyo’s jaw dropped.
The deer laughed softly again and released another wave of demonic energy. Light enveloped her, and her form began to shift.
When the transformation ended, she now stood in human form—with large antlers, just like Nokyo.
Seo-jun glanced at Nokyo for her reaction.
“What are you doing?”
…She wasn’t surprised? Her mom just turned into a person, and this kid wasn’t even phased?
“My mom does that sometimes.”
What?
Both Seo-jun and Nokyo stared at her mother in disbelief, prompting her to giggle.
“Cute, isn’t it? These days, I enjoy teasing Nokyo like this.”
Seo-jun sighed internally. Extreme Demonic Masters really weren’t all there in the head. Who else would treat a child’s birth secret like a joke?
“So now you understand why Nokyo was born looking human, right?”
…No. Not at all.
Seo-jun furrowed his brows.
“That form—it’s not a disguise?”
“No. After attaining spiritual enlightenment and becoming a divine creature, I gained the ability to exist as both a deer and a human. Both are my true forms.”
“So then…”
“Yes. Because I conceived Nokyo in this form, she was born like this.”
This was far more detail than Seo-jun had wanted.
His expression soured, but Nokyo’s mother carried on, completely unbothered.
“Among Nokyo’s siblings, some look like her, while others take the form of full deer. Of course, they can shift between forms once they’re older, but most prefer to stay in their birth forms.”
“I see….”
Seo-jun decided not to press further. The conversation was already veering dangerously close to topics like interspecies mating rituals, which he had zero desire to know more about.
Instead, he focused on studying her energy.
His gaze settled on the area near her diaphragm, where her inner core radiated power. Surprisingly, her antlers also served as an extended energy center.
The Sword Saint had once described Extreme Demonic Masters as those who unified spirit, essence, and qi by immersing them in demonic energy.
Upon closer inspection, Seo-jun saw that her entire body pulsed with demonic energy, perfectly fused with her being.
Even more interesting was the fact that, unlike humans, she had naturally developed a core similar to Seo-jun’s own.
But…
‘Is that really all there is to it?’
Her presence was undeniably overwhelming, but if this was all that defined Extreme Demonic Mastery, it felt… underwhelming.
If that’s all it took, Seo-jun figured he could’ve reached this level ages ago—just by giving it a try.
‘No way it’s that simple.’
There had to be more to it—some hidden factor he hadn’t yet uncovered. Rushing in blindly would only lead to disaster, especially if he accidentally triggered a second transformation phase like the Violet Thunder Demon.
For now, he decided to gather more clues.
Rubbing his temples, Seo-jun turned to leave.
“Well, I’ll be heading out now.”
He’d delivered Nokyo safely, and it was time to resume his studies of Extreme Demonic Techniques.
But the deer-woman had other plans.
She suddenly leaned in close, her face just inches from his.
“By the way, you’re not someone I’ve seen around Tian Shan before.”
“Do you know every demonic practitioner in this vast region?”
“Not all of them. But it’s hard to miss someone at your level.”
She smiled, her eyes glinting with interest.
“Did I introduce myself yet?”
“You didn’t.”
“And yet you’re already leaving without even asking my name?”
“I only intended to drop off your runaway kid. Didn’t see the need for introductions.”
“My name is Nok So-pyeong.”
“…Alright.”
“I’m also one of the Seven Demonic Masters (칠마) of the Demonic Cult.”
The Seven Demonic Masters were the seven most powerful martial artists in the cult, second only to the Heavenly Demon.
Nok So-pyeong’s emerald-green eyes gleamed as they locked onto Seo-jun.
“The cult’s been noisy lately. They’re scouring the land for new rising stars.”
“…And?”
Nok So-pyeong chuckled softly, her expression enigmatic.
“Your name.”
“…?”
“I gave you mine. Shouldn’t you return the favor?”
“…Cheon Seo-jun.”
“Cheon Seo-jun, huh….”
Her crimson tongue lazily swept across her lower lip as she repeated his name.
“I’ll introduce myself again. I’m Beast Demon Nok So-pyeong, one of the Seven Demonic Masters and ruler of Deer Wilds Mountain.”
“What are you getting at?”
“You seemed quite interested in mating earlier. Coincidentally, I’m very interested in your seed.”
Shit.
Seo-jun instantly jumped back. Nokyo blinked up at him with wide eyes.
“So… a new dad?”
“No.”
“…Aw, too bad.”
“…….”
Seo-jun’s visible panic only made Nok So-pyeong burst into laughter.
“Relax. I’m joking. I don’t actually have any interest in humans.”
She dropped her voice, speaking just above a whisper.
“But you should be careful. I imagine plenty of people in the cult would take a keen interest in you—especially after this.”
“Should a Demonic Master really be saying that? Aren’t you part of the cult?”
“What’s the problem? Who’s going to stop me if I decide to say it?”
Nok So-pyeong waved her hand with a mischievous smile.
“I won’t stop you if you want to leave. Though it’s a shame I didn’t get to offer you tea before you go.”
“Well, then…”
RUMBLE—!!
“What now?”
Seo-jun turned toward the sound, his face twisting in disbelief.
There stood a massive tree.
And by massive, it rivaled Nok So-pyeong’s earlier colossal form. It was so large that, even from a distance, it loomed like a mountain.
The tree burned with dark energy, crackling ominously as if it might collapse at any moment.
‘How the hell did I not notice that until now?’
Was it overshadowed by Nok So-pyeong’s presence? As Seo-jun stared, she stepped closer.
“Interested in the Purification Tree (청화목)?”
“Purification? Doesn’t look very ‘pure’ to me.”
“Even a filter gets dirty after long use. Its lifespan is at its end.”
“I see.”
A tree that purified demonic energy? It made sense, considering that neither Nokyo nor the other deerfolk showed signs of demonic corruption.
Seo-jun nodded and turned to leave, but Nok So-pyeong suddenly started fake-crying.
“If the Purification Tree dies, poor little Nokyo will be corrupted by demonic energy! She’ll grow into a jaded, bitter adult!”
“…Can’t you just plant a new one?”
“Trees like that don’t grow on every corner, you know? I’ve known this one since I was a child.”
Nok So-pyeong dramatically dropped to the ground, burying her face in her hands. Her exaggerated sobs were laughable.
“Poor Nokyo. Abandoned by her new dad, corrupted by demonic energy—she’ll turn into a delinquent for sure.”
“Who the hell said I was her new dad? Enough nonsense—just say what you want.”
“Oh my. I guess Nokyo’s story hit a nerve. Don’t tell me you’re actually interested in her?”
“You’re insane.”
“Oh dear. Poor Nokyo. Even her new dad doesn’t want her.”
“Shocking.”
Nokyo yawned mid-sentence. Seo-jun didn’t know what kind of comedy act he’d walked into. With a blank stare, he turned back to Nok So-pyeong.
“So? What is it you actually want?”
Nok So-pyeong’s lips curled into a sly grin. Her antlers vibrated faintly, and the surrounding demonic energy stirred.
Dark vines burst from the ground, writhing as if alive.
“Get on. I’ll take you there.”
Seo-jun hesitated but ultimately climbed onto the vines. He was too curious to walk away.
The vines slithered forward, cutting through the earth like swimming serpents. It was a mesmerizing sight.
‘This doesn’t feel like traditional sorcery.’
Seo-jun poked at the vines. Nok So-pyeong leaned closer, giggling softly.
“Amazing, right? It’s an ability I gained when I became a spiritual creature.”
“A divine ability?”
“Something like that.”
Before long, they reached the Purification Tree.
Now that he was closer, Seo-jun could sense the barrier surrounding it.
Judging by the lingering traces of energy, the demonic aura had briefly overwhelmed and broken through the barrier.
The barrier seemed capable of regenerating in about thirty minutes, but the tree looked like it suffered regular bursts of corruption, making the barrier almost pointless.
“Why the barrier?”
“The Purification Tree is considered sacred. The barrier keeps filth away.”
“Then why drag me here? What’s your angle?”
Seo-jun narrowed his eyes and studied the tree.
Nok So-pyeong had described it as a filter, and it certainly looked the part—overloaded with impurities and ready to burst.
She smirked bitterly and stroked its trunk.
“For the tree to function again, all the demonic energy needs to be drained. But afterward, it must immediately be filled with pure energy. Otherwise, it’ll absorb demonic energy from the surroundings and turn into a Demonic Tree.”
“Why not just convert the demonic energy into pure energy?”
“If that were possible, we’d do it. But who in this world could pull off something like that?”
Seo-jun paused.