Chapter 2

A massive throne hall.

Darkness dominated the entire hall, too deep for even the numerous lanterns hung at regular intervals along the walls to dispel.

Step. Step.

Someone walked across the center of the hall. Their footsteps held both dignity and caution.

Shrik.

The man who stopped walking slowly dropped to his knees.

“Divine Cult is Invincible[1], Ten Thousand Demons Submit[2]. The Grand Guardian[3] of the Divine Cult seeks audience with the Cult Leader.”

The quiet voice cut through the darkness.

A moment later.

Woooong.

In the darkest corner of the hall, the dais.

There, a pair of blue phosphorescent lights blazed to life. The eerie glow was enough to induce seizures in the faint of heart.

“What is the matter?”

Drip.

Cold sweat beaded on the man’s nape.

Just hearing that voice made his body tense. The presence emanating from the owner of those blue eyes was that overwhelming.

The man bowed his head even lower.

“I have something to report.”

Sssss.

A faint mist rose from the base of the dais. Without words, it conveyed his displeasure.

The man understood him. No, he dared not understand a god, but he understood the situation he was in.

The undisputed strongest Martial God[4] of the Divine Cult was attempting to ascend another level. Of course he wouldn’t be pleased to be interrupted at such a crucial moment.

“Speak.”

The man internally breathed a sigh of relief.

“The Third Young Master has awakened.”

“The Third?”

“Yes. However…”

“…”

“Due to excessive cultivation, he has lost all his martial arts.”

The silence that followed was brief.

“Grand Guardian.”

“Yes, Cult Leader.”

“Until my seclusion ends in three months, bring me no more reports.”

“…Understood.”

“You may go.”

“Yes. But first, what shall we do about the Third Young Master?”

The blue phosphorescence vanished. No answer came.

The man bowed his head.

“I earnestly pray for your Grand Achievement.”

How much time passed after the man withdrew with those final words?

Flash!

The dimmed blue phosphorescence suddenly spat lightning.

***

Right, let’s think about this.

Three stab wounds to the gut, four spear wounds to the back, seven arrows in the thighs and buttocks.

Lost my left arm to that sociopath’s clawing, and my right leg to that late-arriving Righteous Heavens Alliance Grand Elder’s blade.

The number of hidden weapons buried in my body was uncountable, and my spine was broken by some unknown flail.

These are fatal wounds that even the Primordial Heavenly Ancestor couldn’t survive. Even the Great Immortals would pronounce instant death upon seeing them.

Let alone me, a mere human. Therefore, death was appropriate.

And I did die. I remember that crazy bitch Flying Demonic Empress ripping off my head like tearing apart a boiled chicken leg.

Right. I died.

But you see.

“Young Master, is the temperature to your liking?”

Splash, splash.

“Young Master, it’s time for your medicine.”

Gulp, gulp.

“Young Master, it’s time for your massage.”

Oh, that feels good.

“Young Master, it’s time for your acupuncture.”

“…”

“Young Master… Young Master…”

“…Stop.”

“Pardon?”

“Stop now.”

“Pardon?”

“Leave me alone.”

“Pardon?”

“Urgh.”

“Young Master?”

“…Please just leave me alone!”

The startled maid prostrated herself.

“F-forgive me! Please take this lowly one’s life!”

“Why would I kill you?! First…”

“Please take my life!”

“Oh for—I won’t kill you, so stop being so damn noisy and get out! Just get out!”

“I’m sorry, Young Master! I will serve you with all my heart, so please…!”

“Arghhhh!”

“Sob, hic…”

“…”

“…”

“Um… I need to think alone. Could you give me some space?”

“Y-yes!”

The maid scurried out of the room.

Even in her hurry, she made no sound with her steps and even bowed before leaving—showing just how much she feared him.

But Cheon Hajin felt no guilt whatsoever.

His mind was too confused and sensitive right now to worry about the feelings of some nameless maid.

“Damn it all, what the hell is going on?”

He had been in a daze since awakening in this new body, merely accepting care. Well, his muscles and joints were too stiff to even stand anyway.

But that’s not what’s important here.

“Am I really alive again?”

Cheon Hajin looked at the large bronze mirror placed on one side of the room.

There sat a gaunt young man in his early twenties on the sickbed.

…Good looking, at least.

Overall delicate yet with distinct features. A face that combined strength and gentleness.

Cheon Hajin contorted his facial muscles randomly. He tried smiling, frowning.

Hmm.

Even when completely scrunched up, still better looking than me. That’s one thing I really like… wait, no!

“Shit, is this really the time to be happy about that?!”

Let’s calm down and think this through.

First, where is this place? Seems like a noble family.

Perhaps the son of a decent family who suffered from a serious illness?

Cheon Hajin closed his eyes briefly, then opened them slowly with a long sigh.

“A martial family.”

The eight meridians were all tangled, the acupoints were tattered, and the danjeon was like a shriveled pig’s bladder.

But all these elements proved this body had practiced internal energy.

Since common civilians wouldn’t have access to martial arts, this must be a family from the martial world.

Damn though, it’s amazing I’m even alive.

This body’s condition was comparable to an eighty-year-old woman’s. It wouldn’t be strange to die at any moment.

The turbid qi rising from the rotting danjeon would kill him soon anyway.

“Would’ve been easier on my mind if I’d been reborn as some mountain bandit’s kid.”

Cheon Hajin stopped mid-grumble.

“No. Just being alive is something. Should be grateful I wasn’t reborn as a woman at least.”

It would have been quite awkward having a male soul in a female body. Might have had to seriously contemplate gender identity.

Cheon Hajin clenched his fist.

Right, be grateful for reality and accept the situation. Isn’t time the worst thing to waste?

“What matters is I can live again.”

Even though this body is in this state, even though I don’t know where this is.

Still, I can live. I can create my own future.

For the first time in my life, I’ve reached a moment where I can ‘choose’.

Thump thump.

His heart pounded.

The air was cool but his nape was damp. Blood seemed to flow twice as fast through his entire body.

Now…

The long-cherished wish and secret desire that had kept him going through hell all these years.

Can I really live freely now?

Taking unwanted training, committing unwanted murders, accepting unwanted control.

He had lived his entire life under the thumb of that shitty old man, the Righteous Heavens Alliance Leader.

Oh, you made me strong so I should be grateful? Just being born in the martial world and reaching the Ten Greatest Masters should be glory enough?

What utterly ridiculous bullshit.

They wouldn’t even help when my limbs were broken.

They sent me on another assassination mission before I was even fully healed. I stopped counting near-death experiences after ninety-nine.

When I tried meeting women, they were all crazy murderers, and when I sought solace in drink, all I found was cheap rotgut.

Did they even give me a monthly salary at least?

That miserly bastard Alliance Leader said this:

“Why give you money when we provide everything? You wouldn’t even know how to spend it.”

That son of a bitch. Cruel bastard.

It was truly a wretched life. Despite fancy titles like Ten Greatest Masters and Assassin King, I was nothing but a tool.

“…Good.”

Cheon Hajin’s face gradually flushed with excitement.

Now he could bid farewell to that past. Wherever this was, whatever this body’s status, whether he had family or not—none of it mattered.

I’ll find freedom. I’ll live like a real person.

Raw human desire burst forth from his tightly clenched fist.

***

Ten days had passed since awakening in the new body.

“Hmm.”

Cheon Hajin tapped the ground lightly with his toes.

His balance held steady. The atrophied muscles were functioning properly and the stiff joints had regained minimal flexibility.

Good enough.

He internally rejoiced.

This body couldn’t be fixed just by some acupuncture and massage. How could proper healing occur when the insides were completely rotten?

Whether freedom or anything else, you need a functioning body to enjoy it. So he made a drastic decision.

Namely, destroying his danjeon.

Though twisted and distorted, a danjeon was still a danjeon. But keeping it would clearly mean living as a cripple.

He’d die soon anyway from the turbid qi rising from the rotting danjeon.

Better to remove something that couldn’t be used and would only be a hindrance.

“Congratulations, Young Master!”

The maid who had been watching carefully prostrated herself.

“Since your condition has improved, I should quickly inform the physician…”

“Leave for a moment.”

“Yes!”

The maid hurriedly went outside.

Left alone, Cheon Hajin lay down on the sickbed. His joints weren’t flexible enough yet for the cross-legged position.

But there was no need to worry. Though worth less than soup bones, he hadn’t earned his reputation—or infamy—as the Assassin King playing mahjong.

He closed his eyes and moved his lips.

Ultimate Nine Smokes[5], Burning Void Shattered Ford[6], Wave of Contemplation Controls Turbidity[7], Universe Rain Auspicious Gate[8]…

Tsss tsss tsss.

A faint haze rose from his body.

The room temperature instantly rose. Though there wasn’t exactly a foul odor, the air became very humid and stuffy.

It was turbid qi.

The massive amount of turbid qi that had invaded Cheon Hajin’s body was being expelled.

Good. It’ll proceed on its own now.

He was using a martial art called the Boundless Arts[9].

Created by referencing several martial arts from the Nine Great Sects and One Faction, it was excellent at removing turbid qi and stabilizing the body’s interior.

In his past life, Cheon Hajin had invested enormous time in the Boundless Arts.

This was only natural since he had no support system whatsoever.

No one to detoxify him, no one to treat him, not even someone to hand him a piece of jerky.

For someone who had to handle everything alone, the Boundless Arts was his lifeline. His understanding had to be exceptional.

This was why he could even practice while lying down.

You helpful little thing. You’re saving my life.

His body tingled all over. The damaged meridians were returning to normal, very slowly, bit by bit.

Psssssh.

At some point his skin turned pale. The turbid qi that couldn’t fully escape had started circulating inside his body.

This is the limit.

Cheon Hajin clicked his tongue and opened his eyes.

“Still too weak. Can’t be helped though.”

Well, he had achieved his main objective anyway.

After stretching thoroughly, Cheon Hajin sat up.

“I can move decently now, but…”

As he was lightly turning his head side to side, his face suddenly wrinkled.

“By the way, where exactly is this place?”

There was a maid, albeit just one, who called him Young Master.

That indicated high status, but in the past ten days, no one except the physician had visited.

He could have asked the maid something, but he refrained. After all, nothing would matter if he couldn’t fix his body, even if this was paradise.

But now he needed to find out where this place was.

“Are you there?”

No response came from outside the door.

“Gone? Where did you go?”

Still no response.

“Tch, where did she run off to?”

Well, given his condition, running the Boundless Arts had taken quite a while.

The maid was human too—she probably needed to relieve herself or get some water.

…Shit, I could have at least asked about my background. Really only looking right in front of my nose here.

After briefly clicking his tongue internally, Cheon Hajin closed his eyes and observed his interior.

No good. Not in condition to heighten my senses yet.

A master who had created his own unique martial way by blending the advantages of both assassins and martial artists.

What made him particularly outstanding among other masters was his supersensory perception.

While other Ten Greatest Masters level experts could read ten jang distance, he could read thirty jang.

While they could sense dozens of people’s presence, he could sense hundreds.

This was the crucial reason he had been able to break through both the Righteous Heavens Alliance’s and Iron Blood Fortress’s intelligence networks.

They must have been driven mad as he kept breaking through only their weakest points.

He couldn’t manifest that precious martial art now.

“But I can’t just charge out recklessly either.”

There are times to strike boldly and times to be cautious. Let’s wait until that girl returns.

Cheon Hajin glanced around casually.

It’s incredibly luxurious.

A room decorated with all sorts of artwork, pottery, and artistic objects. Even the bedding was made of the highest grade silk.

This level means a truly great family… Huh?

He rubbed the blanket between his thumb and index finger.

This isn’t ordinary silk?

Much softer texture, and the patterns were different from those of the central or northern continent. He had been too distracted to notice its appearance until now.

And such vivid red dyeing.

He had seen red silk countless times, but never this deep a shade…

Wait?

Hmm. Feel like I’ve seen this somewhere before.

Ah! That’s right.

“I think it was one of the Seven Houses of the Demonic Path[10]?”

Right, when I killed one of their high-ranking members, his room’s bedding was like this.

Cheon Hajin nodded.

“Was it the Crimson Snake House[11]? Right, Crimson Snake House. I remember. That bastard, I beat him to a pulp after rolling him up naked in his blanket.”

Whew, that was tough too. Those snake-headed bastards were so persistent, climbing mountains just to catch me…

“Huh?”

Cheon Hajin flinched.

No way?

“…It couldn’t be?”

He forced his hardened face to relax.

“Nah, there’s no way it’s that neighborhood. Yeah, definitely not.”

The southern region of the Central Plains is where the worst demons of the continent collectively inhabit.

Thus, in the martial world, ‘Southern Central Plains’ is practically synonymous with ‘Gates of Hell’.

He doesn’t want to think such an impurity could be mixed into the tremendous luck of reincarnation.

No, that’s not just an impurity—it’s misfortune itself. It’s not enough to die, being thrown into a living hell?

“It can’t be. It won’t be.”

Anxiety and foreboding crept up.

Pacing restlessly in agitation, Cheon Hajin finally couldn’t bear it and flung open the door.

Clank!

“Hm?”

“Oh?”

Outside, Cheon Hajin’s eyes met three people approaching.

The maid he’d seen constantly for ten days, the physician he’d seen occasionally.

And a man in his thirties he’d never seen before.

“…”

An awkward silence.

The man in his thirties knelt and broke the silence with a gruff voice.

“Divine Cult is Invincible, Ten Thousand Demons Submit. Congratulations on your recovery, Third Young Master.”

Cheon Hajin blinked.

Divine what?