Chapter 325: Demonic Faction Lord Competition (5)

Heavenly Demon Pavilion, Deep Interior.

“It must have started by now.”

The handsome young man in black dragon robes spoke to the woman before him, who was dressed in identical robes.

Anyone unaware of their relationship would have said six out of ten times that they looked like a perfect couple.

And perhaps four out of ten would have thought they were siblings.

But none would have guessed they were father and daughter.

That was how youthful the man appeared—far too young to be called a 'father'.

And yet, the expression on Cheon Yura’s face as she looked at her father was not a pleasant one.

After all, just a short while ago, he had not been a young man, but a mere boy.

He had reversed his aging appearance for a time, but in just a few days, he had reverted to his youthful form once again…

The Cult Leader, Cheon Taejong, patted Cheon Yura on the shoulder.

“Do not worry. Now that I have taken this form, I should be able to endure for at least another week.”

Cheon Yura noticed something behind the Cult Leader—something like a black halo.

It was a black halo that not even the Great Elder, Cheon Yeongha, who stood right beside them, seemed to recognize.

But Cheon Yura’s transcendent senses vaguely perceived that the halo was pulling the Cult Leader toward some unknown place.

While Cheon Yura remained silent, her mind weighed down with anxiety, the Great Elder, Cheon Yeongha, asked the Cult Leader a question.

“Do you not intend to stop him this time?”

The Cult Leader replied with a soft smile.

“In private, that man is a mischievous old rascal, but every action he takes carries immense weight. He knows how to hold the center and respect boundaries. That is why I trust him, no matter what he schemes.”

“Hmmm…”

Cheon Yeongha nodded.

She, too, did not believe that Ilro was doing this out of hostility toward Cheon Yura.

“If that is your will, I shall say no more. However, there is one thing I must know.”

Cheon Yeongha spoke again, her face clouded with frustration.

“Why do you continue to leave the Heavenly Thunder Corps unchecked?”

“……”

“Now that the boy has proven himself capable of supporting Yura, the Heavenly Thunder Corps is nothing more than an obstacle in her path. No, even putting aside everything else…”

After a brief pause, Cheon Yeongha raised her voice firmly.

“You must sever the head of Cheon Jumyeong, the Leader of the Heavenly Thunder Corps. He may appear absolutely loyal to you now, but if you disappear, that man will become a great threat not only to Yura but to our entire Cult.”

Her expression carried absolute conviction.

“He might even sell out the Cult to some other power for his own gain.”

If the Demon Slaying Corps Leader, Cheon Jumun, was the Cult Leader’s sword…

Then the Heavenly Thunder Corps Leader, Ma Gunja Cheon Jumyeong, was the Cult Leader’s brush.

However, some of the elders in the Cheon Clan who had observed him for a long time did not believe his loyalty was as absolute as it appeared.

“I am sorry for troubling you with this.”

The Cult Leader shook his head with a bitter smile.

“While he may oppose Yura politically, I am certain that he will remain on the Cult’s side to the very end.”

“What makes you so sure?”

Cheon Yeongha could not understand his reasoning at all.

“I am sorry I cannot explain it clearly. And there is one more thing…”

The Cult Leader continued quietly.

“The Heavenly Thunder Corps was created not just to keep the Six Great Demonic Clans in check, but also to guard against 'those things.' As long as balance is maintained, their true purpose will not be forgotten.”

“Hmm…”

“Besides, if that young man continues to grow, he might eventually swallow the Heavenly Thunder Corps whole.”

“But if that happens, the balance of power within the Cult…”

“Will not collapse.”

“At the very least, that young man will prioritize Yura over his own clan’s prosperity.”

“……”

Cheon Yeongha unconsciously turned her gaze toward Cheon Yura.

She noticed, ever so faintly, that Yura’s cheeks had turned slightly red.

“Hahaha…”

It might have sounded overly optimistic, but for now, there was no choice but to trust the Cult Leader’s judgment.

***

A man was dreaming.

In his arms lay a woman, bleeding and dying.

The woman spoke.

“I’m sorry. I’ve caused you trouble until the very end.”

“……”

The man said nothing.

He simply held her trembling body with shaking hands.

With the breaking of someone’s psychic suppression technique, the woman’s entire network of acupoints collapsed completely.

Not even the greatest divine physician could save her now.

And yet, the woman gave a weak smile and whispered to the man.

“I know it’s shameless to ask this at the very end, but…”

Blood continually dripped from her lips as she spoke.

“Could I… entrust the two children to you?”

“……”

The man must have said something in reply. But even after more than ten years had passed, he could no longer remember his own answer in this recurring dream.

“Thank you… Thank you so much…”

She kept repeating her thanks.

Finally, the woman’s entire body, not just her hair, turned crimson as her life faded.

And in that moment.

The man woke up.

“…Damn it.”

The man muttered a low curse to himself in the middle of an empty office.

***

The gates of the Cheon Clan opened.

The mist surrounding Gunrimbong, where the clan’s main residence stood, dispersed.

And the grand yet silent headquarters of the Cheon Clan revealed itself.

“They’re coming!”

The warriors stationed at the distant lookout watching the procession from the Demonic Heaven’s Jin Clan raised the signal in unison.

Doom! Doom! Doom! Doom!

The sound of drums echoed as beacons were lit to announce the arrival of the guests.

“Damn it, just how many are coming?!”

“Looks like at least three or four thousand!”

The warriors guarding the surrounding territory were shocked by the sheer size of the Demonic Heaven’s Jin Clan’s procession.

But soon enough, they realized the truth.

“Look at that. Except for the few hundred at the front, the rest are just regular cult members.”

“It’s been centuries since the gates of the Cheon Clan opened. No wonder all sorts of riffraff are swarming in.”

The Cheon Clan’s territory had always been considered a sacred and inviolable domain within the Heavenly Demon Cult.

Naturally, the vast majority of cult members lived their entire lives without ever stepping foot in it.

And now that the gates of such a place had been opened even to common members?

Of course they would desperately want to enter, even if only to look around as if they were on a pilgrimage.

“Do you see it?”

“Yes.”

“That’s the Cheon Clan. The very place where the Heavenly Demon Cult began over a thousand years ago.”

“……”

As I looked at the faintly visible Cheon Clan in the distance, I thought to myself.

‘In terms of scale, it’s about the same as the House of Slaughter I visited before.’

However, unlike the House of Slaughter, which felt desolate with hardly anyone around, I could clearly sense that many people lived there.

“Welcome. We are honored to receive you at the Cheon Clan.”

Standing at the main gate of the Cheon Clan were Ilro and all the members of the Seven Elders.

Jin Gun-ak, who had just stepped down from the palanquin, respectfully cupped his fist toward Ilro.

“It is good to see you again, Ilro.”

“Hohoho, I never imagined the mighty King of Asura would come all the way to the main house. You must be greatly concerned for your son’s safety.”

Though his words carried some edge, Jin Gun-ak remained unshaken.

“How could I not be? What kind of parent would send their precious child alone into a viper’s nest?”

“Hahaha! A viper’s nest, is it? Well, you’re not entirely wrong…”

Ilro glanced at the uniforms of the Demonic Heaven’s Jin Clan warriors.

“Looks like your journey here was quite rough.”

“We ran into all sorts of trash along the way.”

Just as he said.

On their way to the Cheon Clan, the Demonic Heaven’s Jin Clan had been constantly harassed by attackers and followers trying to join their group.

Schemes from various clans who wanted their own children or disciples to become the Demonic Faction Lord.

Ordinary cult members simply wishing to visit the Cheon Clan for once in their lives.

And pests who pretended to be cult members while secretly launching surprise attacks.

“Get some rest today. Starting tomorrow, you will face challengers on the sparring stage prepared in the outer hall. Naturally, there will be no restrictions on weapons, poison, or hidden weapons.”

Jin Gun-ak snorted.

“Obviously. Anyone who can’t handle that doesn’t deserve to be called a bloodline of the Demonic Heaven’s Jin Clan.”

I made a slightly strange face at those words.

‘Poison, huh…’

Hearing the word 'poison' reminded me of the Heavenly-Slaying Poison I had encountered at the Namcheon Baek Clan.

While I could shrug off most poisons, the Heavenly-Slaying Poison still felt like a heavy burden.

What if someone actually showed up using that poison?

That would be like openly declaring their allegiance to the Heaven-Defying Society…

‘Well, I doubt that’s going to happen.’

I let out a soft laugh and shook my head.

And so, half a day passed.

On the first night at the Cheon Clan, So Cheon sat at the entrance of his quarters, sniffling.

“…I should have just listened to Lady Baek.”

The truth was, So Cheon had been confident in his improved skills.

Even if his secret technique, the Death King’s Sword, didn’t fully succeed, he had thought it would at least leave a scratch.

‘Damn that monster bastard!’

But the moment he had been subdued by Jin Yeomyung, his fate had been sealed.

“Hahaha, you’re awake?”

“…Clan Leader Jin?”

When So Cheon opened his eyes, the first thing he saw wasn’t the familiar ceiling, but Jin Gun-ak’s thickly bearded face.

Jin Gun-ak gave So Cheon’s shoulder a hearty pat with his usual easy-going demeanor.

“I heard you want to return to the Cult?”

“Well… I do, but…”

So Cheon shouldn’t have said that.

The moment those words left his mouth, he had handed over complete control of the conversation to Jin Gun-ak!

Before long, So Cheon found himself stamping his seal on a document, agreeing to serve as Jin Yeomyung’s bodyguard for the duration of the three-day competition.

In exchange, Jin Gun-ak had promised to push for someone else to be sent to the Black Lotus Union at the next Elders’ Meeting.

It wasn’t a guarantee—just an empty promise—but So Cheon had been completely talked into it by Jin Gun-ak’s persuasion.

And it didn’t take long for So Cheon to realize he had been swindled.

‘Aaaargh! Every last one of those Demonic Heaven’s Jin Clan bastards are con artists!’

Clutching his already messy hair in silent frustration, So Cheon let out a silent scream.

But what choice did he have?

He was the one who had attacked someone in broad daylight, despite belonging to a closed-off clan.

Jin Gun-ak hadn’t just offered a carrot; he had clearly laid out how he would throw So Cheon into a pit if he refused the deal.

‘Damn it, I’ve got to find a way to fool that guy’s senses even better…’

I had charged in with confidence, but my friend was still miles above me.

Especially since the Death King’s Sword was a technique I had developed with great pride.

If its true nature became public, the entire Heavenly Demon Cult would be thrown into chaos.

‘That strange flow around Myeong… If I could just learn to control that… I might have a chance…’

My mind began to drift toward a state of nothingness.

Even Dao Zun, one of the Three Great Saints of the Central Plains, had acknowledged my genius. I had begun to delve into the essence of the highest realm—Sword Intent.

It was then.

Voices broke my meditation.

“This is the place, right?”

“According to the intel, yes.”

“Is it really okay to move on the first night? They’ve been on edge from all the ambushes on the way here.”

“That’s precisely why this is the best time. No one would expect an ambush before the official start.”

‘…What the hell?’

Their conversation was so quiet that even most experts wouldn’t have noticed. But my enhanced hearing caught every word.

Soon, three figures appeared in the courtyard, facing me, who had been crouching there.

“Huh? Who’s this idiot sitting here like a fool?”

“…And who the hell are you?”

“……”

“……”

The three exchanged silent glances.

They hadn’t expected to be spotted before even making it inside.

They were the completed infiltration unit dispatched by the Heaven-Defying Society—

Akho (Evil Tiger), Seolbaek (Snow White), and Gwanggeun (Mad Muscle)—now standing before me.

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