Chapter 201: Opening of the Great Martial Assembly
Chapter 200
The history of the Heavenly Demon Cult is long. Throughout that long history, it had never once allowed an external invasion.
In short, its headquarters had never once been destroyed.
Therefore, ancient things remained as they were, and new things were created around those ancient things, like ripples spreading out.
It was only natural.
The Heavenly Demon Cult is a group with strong religious overtones, and those things touched by the hand of the First Heavenly Demon, who is revered as a god, are treated not just as relics but worshiped as sacred objects.
The moment someone suggests getting rid of such a sacred object, it wouldn’t be strange if their head was cut off on the spot.
The Great Martial Arena was one of the things the First Heavenly Demon had ordered to be built.
Naturally, it is located in the deepest part of the Heavenly Demon Cult.
Although it had been destroyed and rebuilt repeatedly because it was a place where rough fights occurred, it still existed today, testifying to the long history of the Heavenly Demon Cult.
This was the reason why the Heavenly Demon bloodline could not completely abolish the Great Martial Arena even though they felt its danger.
That Great Martial Arena was rebuilt like new.
In front of everyone in the Heavenly Demon Cult watching.
The confrontation between the Heavenly Demon and the Heaven-Entering Divine Demonic Sovereign last night had stimulated the Heaven-Rebelling Faction, and even the Neutral Faction gathered at the Great Martial Arena to verify the rumors.
Naturally, this news also reached the Heaven-Obeying Faction.
Although the Heaven-Obeying Faction wanted to ignore it.
“The location of the Great Martial Arena is…”
The Heaven-Obeying Faction, to whom the Great Martial Arena itself was uncomfortable, smacked their lips as they looked at the neatly rebuilt arena.
The Great Martial Arena, situated in a place that could not be ignored even if they wanted to, felt to the Heaven-Obeying Faction like a blade pointed right under their chins.
***
“The scenery is nice.”
Above, the residence of the Heavenly Demon whom I had blown away was visible, and in the distance, the beauty of the Tianshan Mountains stretched out like a folding screen to the left, right, and front.
The Great Martial Arena, large enough for about a thousand people to align in ranks and files, was situated in a position that embraced both the upper and lower parts of the Demonic Cult.
At the same time, there was also a place like spectator stands where a significant number of people could watch.
“The Great Martial Arena was also a place that announced the beginning of a festival.”
“Ah!”
Hearing Yi Hwa’s explanation, I understood immediately.
In the days when the Heavenly Demon had no shame, when he could stand proudly and arrogantly before all the cultists, he must have shown many things on this stage.
Now I must do it.
Thinking so, my heart fluttered slightly.
“Good job working through the night.”
“We only did our duty!”
Those lined up before me answered proudly.
They had refined the Great Martial Arena, which was large enough for a thousand people, with only this few people.
Naturally, they were covered in dust.
I was also quite tired from flying around the Kunlun Mountains on the Azure Bird all night, but I felt it was nothing compared to their hard work.
“Good job. Truly. This is not just empty words.”
I patted them one by one like real brothers.
“Thank… uh…”
Whether they were worried about getting dust on the Dark Dragon Treasure Robe, a treasure passed down from the First Heavenly Demon, the Heavenly Demon’s Personal Guard felt extremely burdened.
“It is fine! Is encouraging my people who worked hard something a Heavenly Demon should be ashamed of?”
“Th-that…!”
I checked the atmosphere. It was clear he was barely holding back the words that were about to burst out.
“N-no, it does not seem so.”
“It doesn’t just seem so; it is not. If anyone says otherwise in the future, bring them before me. I will smash their head.”
It seems the saying that the position makes the man is true.
I am not usually this type of person, but the words came out naturally.
Because here, I am the Heavenly Demon.
The Heavenly Demon is unbending and indestructible.
He does not bend, and he does not break.
The gaze of the Heavenly Demon’s Personal Guard changed.
“Before that, I will smash them myself!”
Once the line was set, their thoughts became firm.
They would rather die than allow themselves, and by extension me, to be looked down upon.
It seemed I would see a few heads smashed soon.
If this were an orthodox sect, it would be an attitude to be avoided.
But right now, this kind of aggressiveness is necessary.
‘It should be about time they took the bait…’
The location was better than expected. For those uncomfortable with the existence of the Great Martial Arena, it was a troublesome position.
It was certain that an intervention would come soon.
It was at that moment.
“What are you doing here?”
Someone approached, leading a group of about ten people.
He stared directly at me standing on the Great Martial Arena with an unfavorable gaze, raising his energy.
‘Speak of the devil.’
He came at just the right time.
I approached with a smile.
“What does it look like I’m doing?”
“Well… cough!”
When asked directly, the opponent, who was about to say something, cleared his throat.
At a glance, he wanted to find fault, but was acting this way because he had no clear pretext.
“…Anyway, this place is a closed restricted area. As the Patrol Squad Leader under the Demon Enforcement Hall, I order you. Leave immediately.”
It seemed to be a security organization.
The problem was that no one had any intention of complying.
“Who closed it?”
“It is an order given by the Heavenly Demon.”
“I never gave such an order, though?”
“Not you, you bastard!”
‘If not me, did my Master do it?’
I playfully glanced up at the sky.
[…Don’t scratch me, it’s annoying.]
He was indeed watching.
[The Heavenly Demon… pfft! Kehe-he-hep!]
[Hohoho.]
It seemed Master Heavenly Demon was not the only one present.
They were not the type of people to miss a spectacle.
‘Then shall I run wild to meet their expectations?’
“Will you not come down immediately!”
The voice of the Patrol Squad Leader grew louder. He seemed to feel ignored when I suddenly looked up at the sky.
“I personally smashed the head of that retard who called himself the Heavenly Demon. So who is the current Heavenly Demon?”
“Urgh! …It will be decided by the Elder Council!”
“Then does the Heavenly Demon Cult belong to the Elder Council?”
“Th-that…!”
“He says no, though?”
I deliberately fluttered the Dark Dragon Treasure Robe and operated the Heavenly Demon Divine Art.
Over the dark navy surface, a black flame pattern rose vividly.
“The Dark Dragon…”
A demonic practitioner standing behind the Patrol Squad Leader muttered upon seeing the vivid pattern.
He had some knowledge, but from their perspective, it was a tactless act.
At the gaze of the furious Patrol Squad Leader, the muttering cultist startled and shut his mouth.
The Patrol Squad knew what the Dark Dragon Treasure Robe I was wearing was.
Then the conversation was easy.
“It is not the Elder Council that decides the Heavenly Demon. If you want to deny it, bring the Elder Council. I must question before everyone whether the Elder Council has the qualification.”
“Urgh…”
The Patrol Squad Leader shut his mouth.
It was only natural.
According to Yi Hwa’s explanation, there had been no one who brought out the pattern on the Dark Dragon Treasure Robe until now.
In terms of legitimacy, it was practically already settled.
“If you’re unhappy about it, come up.”
“Do you think I can’t!”
When I opened the path slightly, he instantly threw his body forward.
What a splendid lightness art.
In terms of flashiness alone, it deserved a twelve out of ten.
[Retard.]
‘Indeed.’
Except for the fact that he was practically begging to be kicked.
Unless one could tread on empty air, there was no way to turn or avoid in midair.
An idiot with zero real combat experience was the leader of the Patrol Squad that maintained public order.
Once again, the appeal of the Black-Wristed Demonic Monarch exposing the corruption within the Cult came to mind.
The moment the Patrol Squad Leader placed his foot on the Great Martial Arena, I kicked him straight in the chest.
Thud!
“Keack!”
Flying away like a skipping stone, the Patrol Squad Leader bounced off the ground several times before falling outside the Great Martial Arena.
“The end of an idiot…”
[Ke-ke-ke! Look at the state of the Cult. Kehe-hep!]
[Pfft! …Puhaha! …Puff!]
[Don’t laugh to provoke me, you guys!]
It seemed Master Heavenly Demon was pissed.
Hearing Master Heavenly Demon’s pissed voice, strangely, I also felt good like Master Zhang Sanfeng and Master Bodhidharma.
‘The medicine is working well.’
Even though I didn’t seem to use much force, the power I unleashed was far exceeding my usual level.
Having spent the night roaming the Tianshan Mountains, finding spiritual herbs and shoving them into my mouth, I felt the limit of my operational range for exerting power had risen.
Although it was hard for the medicine to take effect so quickly even if I had eaten spiritual herbs, the body refined by my celestial masters accepted it without hesitation.
In fact, even now, the Heavy Earth Divine Art was actively moving, digesting the medicinal power remaining in my body.
It meant I would become even stronger as time passed.
It was worth staying up all night and rolling around.
So I should vent the annoyance of staying up all night and rolling around.
“Don’t climb up one by one bothersomely, just come at me all at once.”
“A-are you talking about us…?”
“Your superior got smashed, and you guys think you can leave in one piece? Will that be alright?”
“Uh…”
Realizing that their options were extremely limited, the faces of the patrol members turned pale.
***
“Th-that, that, that!”
To control a group, the first place to grasp is the law that manages the rules of that group.
It goes without saying, but the Demon Enforcement Hall, which managed the laws of the Heavenly Demon Cult under the Elder Council that moved the Cult around the Heavenly Demon, was like their hands and feet.
The same went for the Patrol Squad under its command.
The pathetic display of the Patrol Squad getting smashed on the Great Martial Arena was enough to raise Great Elder Yi Won-gun’s blood pressure from early morning.
“The Great Martial Arena? Reviving the Great Martial Arena? Is he a bastard who is eager to die!”
Yi Won-gun raised his voice, venting his fury.
“A mere puppy running wild without knowing the value of his life! No, maybe the real one is not that brat, but the fellow hiding behind him!”
He even suspected that Yeon Cheong-un was just a bait to draw attention.
“Dark Rock Demonic Sovereign!”
“Yes, Great Elder.”
The leaders of the Heaven-Obeying Faction were all gathered at the rumor that the Great Martial Arena had opened.
Naturally, the Demonic Sovereigns who supported the Heaven-Obeying Faction were also present.
“Go to the Great Martial Arena right now and tear that greenhorn…!”
“You’d better not.”
However, Yi Won-gun’s order could not be properly finished.
“Th-the Heaven-Entering Divine Demonic Sovereign! H-how did you!!”
The Heaven-Entering Divine Demonic Sovereign, who cut off his words, overwhelmed the crowd.
“H-how dare you come here!”
Composing his startled heart, Yi Won-gun raised his voice late, but it was filled with unconcealable fear.
It was a situation where a tiger had entered the cage.
All members of the Heaven-Obeying Faction watched the Heaven-Entering Divine Demonic Sovereign in extreme tension.
Whether they did so or not, the Heaven-Entering Divine Demonic Sovereign said cheerfully.
“With the Elder Council’s information network, you must already know what was discussed between the Heavenly Demon and me last night, so I won’t speak long. If you send a Demonic Sovereign up, I will go up. Know that.”
“You bastard…”
“It’s a long-awaited festival. Let’s enjoy it for about fifteen days.”
It was an outright threat.
But the Heaven-Obeying Faction lacked the power to overturn this threat.
Having finished his business, the Heaven-Entering Divine Demonic Sovereign had already vanished silently from his spot.
An elder swallowed dry saliva and offered an opinion.
“Then we can just endure for fifteen days…”
“Foolish! Are you telling us to leave that state as it is for fifteen days? Don’t you know why he mentioned a festival? It is a festival because it touches emotions and excites hearts! If that continues for fifteen days, what do you think will happen? What if the Heaven-Entering Divine Demonic Sovereign harvests what has been built up during those fifteen days?!”
The Heaven-Rebelling Faction was moving.
Even the Heaven-Entering Divine Demonic Sovereign, who had stood aloof from everything, moved his heavy buttocks.
Unlike before, he might swallow everything heated up by the festival and ascend the throne of the Heavenly Demon.
“He’s just a young child! Kill him! Kill him on that Great Martial Arena! Make him crawl the ground like a dog and kill him miserably!”
Yi Won-gun shrieked in madness.
An elder proposed a way.
“It shouldn’t be difficult. Isn’t he a young fellow? How much internal energy could he have accumulated at that age?”
“…A battle of attrition?”
“Yes. There won’t even be a need for Demonic Kings to step forward. After he faces a few Demonic Generals or Demonic Monarchs, his strength will be drained. From then on, we can slowly toy with him.”
“Excellent!”
As if the scene was vividly drawn in his mind, Yi Won-gun clapped his hands in joy.
“…Pathetic.”
Unlike Yi Won-gun, the Geuk Demonic Sovereign frowned at the plan that showed zero vigor.