Chapter 330: Cheon Jumun (2)

Asking me to take in the Heavenly Illusion Clan and kill his own son?

I quietly pulled a booklet from my robe and held it out to him.

“By that son, are you talking about the author of this record?”

Divine Demonic Physique Restoration Records.

A secret tome, sealed with advanced techniques, its entire content still not fully revealed.

“To be precise, my son is one of the authors of that record.”

Heavenly Researcher slowly raised his upper body.

“He was a smart one. Wiser than anyone in the clan, and exceptionally talented in martial arts. I had no doubt he would become the new brain of the Cheon Clan. But… he lacked the character to match that mind.”

“……”

“I know. It was all my fault as his father. But because he was so bright, I believed time would eventually smooth out those minor character flaws.”

In truth, character wasn’t much of an issue here.

This was the Heavenly Demon Cult. A place others called the Demonic Cult.

In this place, countless values took precedence over character, and especially if one had martial talent, their character wasn’t even worth considering.

However…

‘Maybe his personality was even worse than I imagined.’

Honestly, unless someone was a real piece of work, no one here would bring up character as an issue.

Heavenly Researcher continued.

“At least, that was the case until he became obsessed with the forbidden knowledge that the Grand Heavenly Lord brought.”

“Hm……”

“After meeting the Grand Heavenly Lord, he started to twist and change. He abandoned even the bare minimum of human decency and began walking not the Demonic Path, but the path of true evil.”

Though human sacrifices once performed by the Sun and Moon Divine Cult had been banned after the Heavenly Demon Cult rose to power, human experimentation still happened quietly and frequently.

Heavenly Researcher, standing before me, must have cut into countless human bodies himself.

For someone like him to condemn his own son as evil…

Heavenly Researcher poured out his story in detail.

“In the end, my son was expelled from the cult after the experiments were over, but his evil deeds didn’t stop there. He joined the Heaven-Defying Society, received their support, and carried out all sorts of experiments. He even produced results.”

Results, huh…

“If we don’t stop him now, a disaster beyond imagination will befall the Murim. I beg you… please kill my son.”

“……”

I didn’t respond.

It was all too one-sided to accept as it was, and there were clearly things he hadn’t said yet.

‘What if I press him for the truth?’

Would he answer me honestly?

In the end, I had only one thing to say.

“I need some time to think about it.”

Heavenly Researcher didn’t press further and withdrew.

Before leaving, he shared a few insights about the upcoming tournament as if offering advice.

One of those things turned out to be more fatal than even I had anticipated…

But that wasn’t what was troubling me right now.

‘How did he know his son had produced results in the Heaven-Defying Society?’

The answer came immediately.

‘Of course, because he never really cut ties with him.’

If he truly wanted to stop his son’s wicked deeds, even if it meant killing him…

‘Why didn’t he risk his life to report it to the Cult Leader?’

His son had been expelled decades ago.

Even if it wasn’t that long ago, just a few years back, the Cult Leader would have been capable of granting Heavenly Researcher’s request.

‘Is he trying to deceive me? No, his emotions were genuine.’

Was there some truth he couldn’t bring himself to tell me?

I had more questions than answers.

As I sat there lost in thought without even lying down to rest, Gu Chil cautiously asked me.

“Are you alright?”

I shrugged my shoulders and answered.

“…My thoughts have gotten complicated.”

Honestly, the matter of the Illusion Clan wasn’t something worth troubling over this much for me.

But…

‘This is also an opportunity to fulfill the promise I made to Senior Brother Hwan Seong.’

Senior Brother Hwan Seong had felt deep guilt over the fact that the clan he founded had betrayed the Heavenly Demon Cult.

Back then, my master, the Heavenly Demon Founder, had foretold that I would eventually set everything right.

Following his words, I had promised that one day, I would restore the Heavenly Illusion Clan to its rightful place.

‘The Heavenly Illusion Clan…’

To be honest, the Cult Leader’s decision to expel the Illusion Clan had been somewhat hasty.

If I had been in the Cult Leader’s position, I would have applied pressure on the clan and quietly eliminated the ringleaders harboring rebellion, one by one.

The damage to the clan would have been significant, but it would have been better than completely losing one of the Six Great Demonic Clans.

After thinking it over for a moment, I finally made up my mind.

“I’ve decided.”

“Decided on what?”

I slowly stood up and turned my gaze toward him.

“I’ll restore the Illusion Clan with my own hands. If they’re truly willing to repent and pay the price.”

“If that’s your decision, I will follow it no matter what, Young Master.”

“Hm!”

I nodded and approached Gu Chil.

At that moment.

“Huh?!”

Sensing something ominous, Gu Chil took a step back.

But my hand reached his shoulder first.

Tap!

“Gu Chil.”

“W-Why?”

Gu Chil realized it then.

That for some reason, the hand resting on his shoulder felt unusually heavy.

“Sorry, but I need you to make a trip to the north.”

“To the north… how far north are we talking…?”

“……”

“……”

Gu Chil’s face twisted miserably.

***

Though the matter of the Illusion Clan had been decided, my dilemma about the Heaven-Slaying Poison remained unresolved.

Even if things went well and I secured the cooperation of the Medicine Family, there was still no guarantee they could produce an antidote.

Even as all of this unfolded, the tournament to claim the position of Demonic Faction Lord continued.

Surprisingly, nothing significant happened on the second day either.

Well, there was one small incident. So Cheon had suddenly run off in the middle of the night saying he was going to capture someone, and he hadn’t returned since.

That was unusual, sure.

But knowing that guy, as long as he didn’t run into the Cult Leader directly, he wouldn’t die so easily.

Before I knew it, the tournament had reached its final day.

“I am Mo Sahon, known as the Black Corpse Claw! It is an honor to face the esteemed Great Young Master of the Jin Clan!”

“That’s a fine title you’ve got. Come at me.”

A Peak Master Level expert, capable of using Claw Strength, collapsed in exhaustion after a fierce exchange that lasted nearly two hundred breaths.

“Huff… Huff… Thank you for the lesson!”

Mo Sahon looked down bitterly at his own shredded poisonous claw weapons.

He had given it his all, truly putting every ounce of his skill on display, yet his opponent had stood firm like a towering mountain.

Still, his face showed a strange satisfaction.

It had been a long time since he had fought with everything he had against a human opponent.

That feeling of fulfillment dominated his entire being.

Watching him, Saber Demon clicked his tongue.

"Honestly… this feels more like a disciple recruitment event than a tournament."

"It’s getting a little boring, being so one-sided," Sa Myeongnin agreed.

He glanced at Jin Gun-ak, who was smiling ear to ear beside him.

"You’re grinning like a fool."

Sa Myeongnin muttered in a low voice.

"It’s ridiculous, but I get it. If that was my own kid, I’d be parading him around on my shoulders."

At those words, Saber Demon casually asked.

"Come to think of it… did you ever deal with your eldest son?"

“……”

Sa Myeongnin’s face stiffened slightly. It was a rude and heavy question to bring up in public, but the one asking was Saber Demon.

The eldest of the Sa Clan, Sa Bihwan.

Once he had been the closest to claiming the position of Clan Leader. But after getting involved with the Eighth Elder, Yin-Yang Fist Demon, he had fallen into ruin.

Afterward, he had lost most of his power to his youngest sibling, Sa Biyeon.

And then… Sa Bihwan had made the most foolish choice of all.

He had colluded with the Heaven-Defying Society and sold out Sa Biyeon.

Yet he had shamelessly shown up later, demanding to be reinstated as Clan Leader.

At that moment, Sa Myeongnin had felt something snap inside him, something that had been tightly stretched for a long time.

Saber Demon clicked his tongue again as Sa Myeongnin remained silent.

"You didn’t kill him, did you?"

“……”

"I know it’s none of my business, but you should finish what needs finishing. If my Seolyeong had ever tried to take Yeongyeong’s position, I wouldn’t have hesitated to cut her head off."

Well, in Pa Seolyeong’s case, she liked Pa Yeongyeong too much for that to ever happen.

"For someone so stingy with money, you’re oddly soft when it comes to family."

“…Shut up."

Sa Myeongnin sighed and avoided the conversation.

Saber Demon had a point.

Cutting him off would have been the best choice. But even if he crippled his martial arts and left him a wreck, he couldn’t bring himself to kill him own child.

It was then that Jin Gun-ak, who had been smiling all this time, suddenly muttered with a serious expression.

"Something feels off."

“……?”

"The atmosphere around here just turned cold."

At Jin Gun-ak’s words, Saber Demon’s relaxed expression instantly stiffened.

Just as he said, the presence of numerous, familiar yet unpleasant figures began to press in from all sides!

"Damn it! I should’ve known the Cheon Clan wouldn’t just sit quietly… So this is what they had prepared?!"

Saber Demon immediately stood up, glaring murderously at Ilro.

"W-Wait! Those people only move on the Cult Leader’s command! Why would they—?!"

Sa Myeongnin, realizing the identity of the approaching figures a moment later, also tensed up.

At that moment.

Dark shapes descended from the sky, surrounding the sparring stage.

On the third day of the tournament.

When the number of challengers had surpassed two hundred.

The warning Heavenly Researcher had given me finally came to pass.

Swish! Swish!

Masked figures, dozens of them, suddenly surrounded the sparring stage.

All of them wore crude, uniform black outfits and carried swords on their backs.

Their presence was surprisingly faint.

And among them, someone in the same outfit but completely white stood in front of me.

He slightly bowed his head toward me.

"It’s been a while, Young Master Jin."

“…‘You are…"

I definitely remembered this guy.

Obsessed with cleanliness, dressed in pure white. The scene of him gambling with Gu Chil surfaced in my mind.

"If I recall, your name was Jeolyeong."

Wasn’t he the Vice-Leader of the Demonic Ghost Execution Squads?

Jeolyeong bowed again.

"It is an honor to be remembered."

"What business does the Demonic Ghost Execution Squads have with me?"

"I’m sorry, but that is not something I am allowed to explain."

He turned his body slightly, looking toward a certain spot.

"The Corps Leader wishes to see you, Young Master Jin."

At that moment.

Shiver!

My entire body tensed up.

Ever since reaching the Transcendent Demon Realm, I hadn’t reacted to ordinary experts anymore.

But the man who now appeared before me set off every instinctual alarm in my body.

A warning that I would die if I let my guard down.

Step. Step.

A massive man, holding the sword that had been on his back in one hand, began walking onto the sparring stage.

Demonic Soul’s First Sword

The name engraved on the hilt of his sword.

Only one person in the entire Heavenly Demon Cult was qualified to bear that title.

The giant stood on the stage, his expression completely devoid of any playfulness, and spoke.

"This is our first face-to-face meeting. Back then, you were with Jumyeong, weren’t you?"

A giant rivaling even Jin Gun-ak in stature looked down at me.

The Leader of the Demonic Ghost Execution Squads.

Death King Enforcer.

And—

The number one expert of the Cheon Clan.

One of the strongest in the entire cult, Cheon Jumun, spoke in a flat voice.

"Let’s see what you’ve got…"

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