Chapter 198: Breakthrough of the Limit
Chapter 197
‘The Demonic Cult is twisted…’
Mulling over what the Black-Wristed Demonic Monarch had said, I let out a smirk.
“I already knew that. It is a mess so obvious that anyone can see it. It is actually more surprising that it hasn’t collapsed yet and is still functioning.”
The Heavenly Demon, who is supposed to be the master of the Demonic Cult, was walking on eggshells and watching everyone’s reactions, while the Heaven-Rebelling Faction, who treated such a Heavenly Demon like dog crap, strolled around the Cult leisurely.
To think that this was the true nature of the Demonic Cult that the Central Plains martial world feared and guarded against—as someone caught up in various positions, I did not know whether to sigh or laugh.
“Seeing you speak like that, it seems you still haven’t grasped what the fundamental problem is.”
At my response, the Black-Wristed Demonic Monarch provoked me.
“Just say it. Stop beating around the bush.”
“Ah! My apologies. It is quite an annoying matter even for the one speaking. I suppose I needed some mental preparation…”
The Black-Wristed Demonic Monarch adjusted his posture as he answered.
I had thought he was trying to test me and probe my strengths and weaknesses by scratching my nerves, but now that I looked, it seemed it was the Black-Wristed Demonic Monarch who needed time to steel his heart.
“Do you know how demonic practitioners are raised?”
“I have seen and heard some things.”
The sight of a child boasting of his talent and smilingly saying he would seek revenge in the future was indeed chilling.
However, there was something even more impressive than that.
“At least everyone is given an opportunity.”
“Yes, that’s it. Opportunity is equal to everyone. The talented can succeed, and those who achieve merits are promised everything. Those are the words one hears when first entering the Lesser Demonic Academy.”
This was an incredibly great policy.
The world was filled with talented individuals who were buried because they never got the chance to bloom.
Even if it was limited to the talent for martial arts, it was the best method to secure talent.
“Do you really think it is equal?”
“…It did not seem like perfect equality.”
If truly equal opportunities were given to everyone and they enjoyed achievements based on the results, there would be no reason for the position of the Heavenly Demon’s blood relatives to exist.
Opportunity was given, but it was not equal.
“Ah…”
The situation of the Demonic Cult.
The Heaven-Obeying Faction and the Heaven-Rebelling Faction.
Equality of opportunity.
I understood what this bear-like man was trying to say.
“It means it has been exposed. That opportunity is not equal.”
“And the ones who proclaimed it were none other than the previous Heavenly Demons themselves.”
As the Heavenly Demon Divine Art became incomplete, problems also began to arise in the Heavenly Demon’s martial prowess.
Eventually, they became weaker than the Demonic Sovereigns under their command.
Even the martial prowess of Yi Gang-mu, whom I had clashed with, was several levels below that of the Demonic Sovereigns.
And yet, the Heavenly Demon sat in the most honorable seat in the Demonic Cult as its supreme ruler.
It was a contradiction.
“When the Heaven-Entering Divine Demonic Sovereign revealed his martial prowess to the world, the first thing the Heaven-Obeying Faction did was to abolish the Great Martial Arena.”
“Great Martial Arena?”
“It is a kind of sparring arena. A place where, if there is a matter of right and wrong to be settled, it is decided by martial arts.”
Hearing this, it seemed the Demonic Cult used to have a way to settle disputes.
The law of the jungle.
The survival of the fittest.
A law truly befitting of the Demonic Cult had been alive and breathing.
From the Heaven-Obeying Faction’s perspective, it was something to be abolished immediately.
“But does that pose a problem for me? From what I hear, it sounds like a very favorable situation for me, doesn’t it?”
Isn’t it the perfect pretext to drive out the fake Heavenly Demon?
Thinking simple-mindedly, yes.
“If the upper waters are dirty, how can the lower waters be clean?”
“Hmm! So they learned the bad parts of the organization.”
Those who took their places and expanded their influence became the vested interests and formed a stagnant pool, turning into the upper class ruling the Demonic Cult.
A line was drawn.
Opportunities were still given, but one could not cross the line.
Even if one crossed the line, a condition was attached: one had to bow to the stagnant pool and become a well-behaved dog.
“What about the Heaven-Rebelling Faction?”
“It is no different over there. They might have been pure at first, but as time passed, they also became stagnant. In a way, they are even worse than the Heaven-Obeying Faction. Not everyone is like that, but… it is clear they have become the vested interests.”
“And they represent the Heavenly Demon Cult.”
The moment the system is overturned, if one wants to return the Demonic Cult to its original state according to the pretext, it cannot end with just a change of the Heavenly Demon.
Those who represent the Demonic Cult must be pulled down.
The Demonic Cult itself must be torn down.
“To ascend the seat of the Heavenly Demon to change something, one might have to fight the Heavenly Demon Cult itself.”
The enemy was larger than I thought.
Now I understood why the Black-Wristed Demonic Monarch said I would die a violent death before ascending the throne.
“What a mess.”
“…My apologies.”
I had not necessarily spoken to Yi Hwa or Old Jong.
Yet, as if they had made a promise, the two bowed their heads at the same time.
While looking at the faces of the others, I spotted Yi Cheon-gyeong standing at a distance.
Yi Cheon-gyeong’s face was filled with disappointment.
***
Night came, but the party could not rest easily.
There was no telling when they might be attacked.
While taking turns standing guard and resting, I spent some time alone.
“Honestly, that was a story that stung a bit.”
With some self-reproach for my loose judgment.
When I thought about it, I too had planned to change the Demonic Cult by borrowing the authority of the Heavenly Demon.
It would be a lie to say I hadn’t thought it might be solved easier than expected upon seeing the loyalty Yi Hwa and Old Jong offered me.
But reality was asserting otherwise.
It was warning me that it was not the way.
Even Grandfather, when he worked in the government, always said that one could never know the field from a desk, and never neglected to inspect and verify things himself.
“What do you think?”
Looking up at the ceiling, I sought advice.
Though it was doubtful whether Master Heavenly Demon, who was particularly busy among my three masters, would be in front of the Meridian Mirror.
[Didn’t you decide not to worry about things?]
“…I said I would make choices and act boldly, I didn’t say I would cut off all thoughts.”
I was startled.
Master Heavenly Demon was really there.
“How insidious. Have you been watching me in silence all this time?”
[What nonsense are you talking about? I just got here.]
“Really?”
[Yes. I just finished frying a fresh Heavenly Demon and came back.]
“…”
It seemed that guy I sent had already been delivered to hell and was being fried in filthy water.
‘Normally, isn’t there a middle process to get there?’
I wondered if most of the intermediate steps had been skipped because the nature of his crime was so bad and clear.
Perhaps because I had faced him and personally smashed his head, I could visualize him being fried in filthy water in hell.
It was a harmful image that I absolutely did not want to recall, especially while eating.
[You have a face that is imagining something strange.]
“Haha…”
If I told him exactly what I was thinking, I would surely get scolded.
Let’s just gloss over it.
‘Besides, I have something to ask permission for.’
“Master.”
[What is it?]
“I was thinking about how to fix this messed-up situation.”
[Did you catch the habit of that bear-like fellow? The introduction is too long.]
He seemed to see everything even from hell.
He was indeed insidious.
‘Well, if I must do it, I must.’
I threw the words that were hard to bring up directly.
“Would it be alright if I do not inherit the throne of the Heavenly Demon?”
[…]
“I will do what I can, but if I use this method, there is a ninety percent chance that I won’t become the Heavenly Demon. My life might be a bit at risk too. Oh, of course, I will return in about ten years. If I am alive… Ahahaha…”
I added a footnote because it sounded like an excuse, but it felt like it only made it sound more like one.
Yet there was no immediate answer.
[Is it only that?]
The reply that came after a brief silence carried a sense of absurdity.
[You worked your brain over such a trivial thing, you clever fool.]
“Pardon?”
[It means do as you please.]
Master Heavenly Demon’s reaction was incredibly refreshing.
“Really?”
[What does a mere name matter? You foolish disciple, there is only one thing you need to keep in mind. That you are my disciple!]
“Ah…”
This was a bit strong.
There was something that made my heart surge, something hard to explain in words.
Perhaps it was because it was spoken by Master Heavenly Demon.
[Tsk! That fellow Sampung’s words have stuck to my mouth.]
It seemed the original author of those words was someone else.
‘Still, it means Master Heavenly Demon feels the same way.’
A smile crept onto my face.
[What are you smiling at? How annoying.]
“Now you complain even about me smiling?”
[Hmph! Do as you please. You foolish disciple.]
Master Heavenly Demon’s voice was no longer heard, indicating he had left.
‘Or he might be secretly watching from somewhere.’
Either way, my smile did not fade.
“Now then, in the spirit of meeting expectations, shall I go do something crazy?”
Stretching my limbs, I stood up.
As I walked out of the shrine, Yi Hwa, who was still awake, approached and showed her respects.
“Yi Hwa.”
“Yes.”
“By any chance, is there a relic symbolizing the authority of the Heavenly Demon?”
As the Divine Maiden who hosted the rituals, it would not be strange for Yi Hwa to possess such a relic.
Yi Hwa brought out a flowing, dark navy outer robe from inside the shrine.
“It is a relic called the Dark Dragon Treasure Robe. When a qualified Heavenly Demon wears it, a special pattern emerges. Since there has been no proper successor for a long time, it has been kept sealed away.”
Such a relic had to be sealed.
For it would be a disaster if one wore it and that special pattern did not appear.
When I took the robe Yi Hwa handed me and put it on, a pattern rose over the dark navy fabric.
“Since it’s called the Dark Dragon Treasure Robe, I thought a dragon pattern would appear…”
“It is said that from afar, it looks like a dragon.”
“Is that so?”
If I were a child, I would have loved it, but now it somehow made my skin crawl.
‘Since I am only wearing it in the Demonic Cult.’
The moment I leave this place, a hunt-and-kill order will be issued immediately.
“Ah! And there is one more thing I need you to do.”
“Please speak.”
“I think I need to go see the Heaven-Entering Divine Demonic Sovereign. Guide the way.”
“…I must have misheard you?”
Yi Hwa answered, tilting her head slightly.
She looked cute.
“I think you heard correctly.”
“…”
“I plan to revive the Great Martial Arena. To do that, there are things I need to align on with him.”
She had indeed heard correctly.
Yi Hwa’s face crumpled.
“If it was abolished by the order of the Heavenly Demon, it can be revived by the order of the Heavenly Demon. Right now, I am the Heavenly Demon.”
I said, fluttering the Dark Dragon Treasure Robe I was wearing.
“…You must know the reason why the Great Martial Arena was abolished.”
Yi Hwa stiffened her face and dissuaded me.
It was a rare sight from Yi Hwa, who had offered me blind trust and loyalty.
I placed my hand on top of Yi Hwa’s head.
“I am going to change it from the roots.”
“…”
“I have no intention of half-assing it.”
I infused my will into every single word.
“I’ll overturn everything.”
“…Your order is received.”
Reading that intent, Yi Hwa bowed deeply.