Chapter 73: Chapter 73
‘The Cult Leader has been watching him separately. He didn’t become adjutant by coincidence.’
Heuk-ya studied Jang I-seo closely.
In truth, the reason he’d come here today instead of Baek-ya was to see this man for himself.
Two reasons.
First, one of his duties was verifying and managing the warriors of the One Hundred Demon Stars, the cult’s core military assets.
With one of them, Sa Do-cheol, gone missing, investigating was natural.
Second, the prime suspect in Sa Do-cheol’s disappearance was a lowborn adjutant not yet thirty.
He’d found that suspicious enough to come see for himself.
‘But if I’d just asked, it would’ve been fine. I tried to toy with him and walked into my own trap.’
Hoisted by his own petard. Heuk-ya wore his displeasure and clicked his tongue.
“Insolent whelp.”
But contrary to the harsh words, the shadow wrapped around Jang I-seo returned to its original place on the ground. An admission of defeat. Taking responsibility as the stronger party.
“My belated greetings. Adjutant Jang I-seo.”
Jang I-seo offered a light fist-and-palm salute, signaling he wouldn’t press further. Heuk-ya’s brow twitched.
“Your nerve, at least, is serviceable.”
This time, genuine. Neither afraid of losing nor intoxicated by winning. This was real.
Heuk-ya’s expression softened slightly.
“Martial prowess isn’t everything an adjutant needs.”
Praise. Jang I-seo replied readily.
“My mind isn’t half bad.”
“Hmph. At least you don’t undersell yourself.”
For the first time, Heuk-ya let slip a smirk. Jang I-seo filed it away. His temperament was becoming clearer. Disliked equivocation. Quick-tempered. Hasty conclusions followed.
“However, you still don’t have the strength to fell the Slaughterhouse master. Even if he’s dead, it wasn’t your handiwork alone.”
Forward-thinking was appreciated. As Jang I-seo offered a multi-layered smile, Heuk-ya casually produced a token and tossed it.
Tuk. Jang I-seo caught it and examined both sides. A round token, black on one face, white on the other.
Stamped on both sides with the seal of the Radiant Left and Right Emissaries. A divine token!
“This is…!”
“It’ll be useful once. With that, my responsibility is fulfilled.”
Heuk-ya stepped aside from the door he’d been blocking, as if done.
The words were simple, but the token’s significance was far from light.
Present this token anywhere and declare your intent, and it carried the weight of the Radiant Emissaries’ command.
One-time use, but with this alone, there was nothing in the Demonic Cult he couldn’t do. An immense privilege depending on application.
“Why? Do you refuse?”
“No. I’ll use it well.”
“Damn. Go.”
“Yes.”
Jang I-seo pocketed the unexpected gift and stood before the door with confidence. He placed his hand lightly against it.
VWOOM!
As he circulated his qi, virulent demonic aura surged from within. His face and the backs of his hands revealed black veins. Dark light pulsed in the grooves of the massive iron door.
‘He’s on the brink of death.’
Heuk-ya sensed it. Jang I-seo stood at the crossroads of life and death. He’d found his spirit commendable enough to give the divine token. Yet he might die here without ever using it.
Eyes narrowing, watching the door slowly open, he fell into calm reflection.
‘Whether you take that token as pocket change to the afterlife, or use it for the Seventh Young Master. That too is your fate. But somehow, I feel today isn’t the end of your story. Heh heh.’
Jang I-seo entered the Heavenly Demon Palace.
Watching his retreating back, the Radiant Right Emissary turned away.
* * *
“Heh heh heh… Hahahahaha!”
Mao erupted into laughter, unable to contain himself, watching the finger wind fly away.
He’d blocked the Heavenly Demon’s finger wind. In a proper frontal showdown.
How exhilarating.
‘Jang I-seo. I showed him. Properly. Just like you said.’
His tingling palms felt like medals of honor.
Honestly, the sensation had been better than any training session with Jang I-seo. As if the yang energy surrounding his palms had, for an instant, hardened into diamond.
Yes.
In that moment, he’d truly felt invincible.
And this was something even Jang I-seo hadn’t anticipated.
At the critical moment, fearing a breach, Mao had inadvertently drawn the qi back just before emission and wrapped it around his palms.
“You continually exceed my expectations.”
But did the method matter? What mattered was that he’d startled the greatest under heaven, Jin U-gwang.
KWAAA!
The Heavenly Demon watched the fierce finger wind returning toward him and drew a slow, deep smile.
Thoroughly pleased. Thoroughly satisfied.
The gale battering his robes. The crimson-glowing finger wind. His son’s audacious, confident grin.
All of it.
“You pass.”
FWOOSH! The Heavenly Demon extended his hand. All the rampaging wind spiraled into his palm like a whirlpool.
Then everything went calm, as if it had never happened.
Fzzzz. The heat in his hand dissipated in an instant.
Silence fell.
“H-huh?”
Mao, riding high on elation, crashed back to reality at the anticlimactic end.
What had he just done?
‘I just tried to… k-kill the Cult Leader!’
Pupils wavered violently. Both legs trembled.
The Heavenly Demon. Who was he?
Supreme Heavenly Demon. All demons bow.
As the cult’s oath stated, the being that all demons worshiped as a god.
And he’d attacked him.
The Heavenly Demon raised a cold gaze.
“Who taught you?”
“S-sir?”
“Provoking me, then launching a counterattack. That adorable scheme.”
“T-treason! I mean, conspiracy!”
Mao flattened himself in full prostration. The Heavenly Demon narrowed his eyes and glared down.
“Answer the question. Was it that adjutant boy.”
“I-I can’t say.”
“It was.”
“Yes. It was him.”
Sorry, Jang I-seo. He’d been found out. Mao clenched his fists.
But right then, his body slowly rose on its own.
“H-huh?”
“You’ve found a good teacher.”
At the Heavenly Demon’s gentle words, Mao blinked. Only then did he realize this wasn’t punishment. It was praise.
Huu. A deep breath of relief, and a brightening face.
“Well, yes. Being a genius had a lot to do with it.”
“Heh heh. Yes. It seems so.”
“Right? Hahaha!”
As Mao erupted into innocent laughter, Jin U-gwang, in good spirits, stroked his jaw and fell into thought.
Honestly, he’d expected nothing from the Seventh Young Master.
His talent was exceptional, but talent alone could never make a supreme ruler.
Charisma to command others. Heavenly fortune. Outstanding perception and combat sense.
All of these combined were necessary.
Among those, the Seventh Young Master had been the most lacking in everything except talent. And now he was breaking expectations, growing.
Rapidly.
Moreover, to complete the homework he’d assigned this perfectly.
A reward was naturally in order.
“I should give you a gift.”
“Really?!”
“Yes.”
Mao’s eyes bulged. An avaricious smile spread. Last time’s divine artifact had merely been the return of what was taken. This was the real deal.
‘What will it be? Surely… the legendary Heavenly Demon Divine Art?!’
How utterly simple. If it were that easy to give away, why would anyone fight over the Young Cult Leader seat?
Jin U-gwang was never one for prolonged deliberation. He reached his conclusion quickly and spoke leisurely.
“The other children all had at least one thing. A martial art, or a faction to support them. You have nothing.”
“Jang I-seo is here.”
“I shall grant you the Hundred Commander’s Seal.”
“Sir? What? A commander’s seal?”
As Mao panicked and tried to object, a chilling killing intent poured from Jin U-gwang. The sensation of a massive demon rising behind him.
‘Uuuuh. W-what.’
An illusion? No. What on earth was that?
Mao trembled, dropping his gaze. Just meeting the eyes had left him feeling as if he stood alone atop a mountain of corpses.
Even the reckless, clueless Mao understood instantly.
‘Push further and I die.’
“This humble son… will take his leave.”
Mao bowed and withdrew.
Left alone, the Heavenly Demon glanced at his own palm and murmured.
“Redirecting the opponent’s force. Similar to Wudang’s Four-Ounce Deflection. No. Different. This was a massive yang energy that merged with the opponent’s force, shattered the balance of yin and yang, and redirected it.”
Jin U-gwang nodded. A deeply satisfied smile formed.
Mao had clearly done it instinctively, but regardless, this was a new realm even he hadn’t experienced.
In other words, there was still more to learn.
“The yang energy that redirects, and the demonic energy that devours everything. Which will prove stronger, I wonder. I’m curious how far the power you’ll return to me will reach.”
One more thing to anticipate.
For the Heavenly Demon at the summit, this was tremendous joy.
Though today’s main course was separate.
Jin U-gwang walked out without a sound.
Reaching the long corridor, he finally revealed himself.
“You’ve come.”
The one he’d most awaited and wanted to see over the past month.
“Supreme Heavenly Demon! All demons bow! Adjutant Jang I-seo greets the Cult Leader.”
His appearance.
*
How eagerly had the Heavenly Demon awaited meeting Jang I-seo?
When he’d woken in the night and seen nine night pearls on the ceiling, he’d thought of those three syllables.
‘Jang I-seo.’
Did anyone understand how extraordinary that was?
No. Most wouldn’t.
But consider this.
Jin U-gwang, the Heavenly Demon.
The greatest under heaven who commanded all demons.
The man who stood at the summit, looking down upon vast armies, had picked out a single lowborn adjutant, number 18,928 among common soldiers.
And recalled his name precisely.
Impossible without immense expectation.
But.
Having awaited him so eagerly.
“In the end, you failed to find the answer.”
From the Heavenly Demon’s lips flowed a voice as cold as iced tea.
Understandably.
Jang I-seo’s body was already covered in hideously swollen black veins. He could burst and die at any moment.