Chapter 9

Drip.

Sweat trickled down his forehead, dampening his eyes.

Whoooooosh!

A ringing seemed to fill his ears. Though only his gaze had changed, the warm spring breeze felt as if it had transformed into winter’s bitter wind, becoming unbearably cold.

“What I mean is…”

“How disappointing.”

Lee Cheonsang casually tossed out the words while filling his own cup.

Cheon Hajin screamed internally.

What did I do wrong? I just said I wanted to go out! And if someone’s talking, please just listen without interrupting!

The words swirling in his head were all things he couldn’t possibly say out loud.

Cheon Hajin took a deep breath.

“Cult Leader.”

Lee Cheonsang didn’t even look at him, simply continuing to slowly empty and refill his cup.

“I think there’s been some misunderstanding…”

“A misunderstanding?”

Still that indifferent voice. It was impossible to figure out what this man was thinking.

This is driving me crazy! I can’t read his expression at all!

Beyond that, the way he kept cutting off every sentence made it hard to even open his mouth.

But he couldn’t just stay silent either. He was the one who set this up – he couldn’t just leave after breaking into a cold sweat.

Cheon Hajin rolled his eyes around as he pondered repeatedly.

What should he do? The man didn’t seem extremely angry, but he didn’t seem pleased either. Well, there hadn’t been anything said worth being happy about.

After frantically racking his brains for a moment, Cheon Hajin eventually reached a point of resignation.

…Damn it.

Fuck it, I don’t know anymore.

The only option left was the direct approach. This man clearly despised beating around the bush more than snakes.

He even seemed absolutely convinced his interpretation was correct.

Fine! I do want to cut ties with this place! You’re right! I admit it!

Since it’s come to this, might as well go all out!

You only live once… twice… three times?!

Having died once already, there was nothing to regret or fear about dying again.

“Cult Leader!”

A resounding start.

Cheon Hajin lifted his head sharply.

“I…!”

That’s when it happened.

Whoosh!

…!!

His body froze solid.

Lee Cheonsang’s expression remained as indifferent as before. He wasn’t particularly releasing inner force or emanating presence.

But upon meeting the gaze of the unparalleled Demon God[1] of Heaven and Earth, Cheon Hajin felt his joints freeze.

Eyes containing the flames of the Endless Hell.

The gaze of the absolute being was itself majesty, threat, and terror.

There stood one who was self-complete, requiring no unnecessary words or actions to prove himself.

It was the moment when the current era’s strongest Demon God, who could manipulate the principles of all creation[2] and burn even the heavens, was about to devour whole the Lord of Death who had yet to shed his human shell.

“…Ah, I’m not really trying to cut ties.”

Lee Cheonsang’s eyes flashed.

“Then?”

Cheon Hajin stammered.

“I just wanted to get some fresh air.”

“…”

“You see… it hasn’t been long since I recovered. And I’ve lost my martial arts too.”

“And?”

“Things are complicated, that’s all. I tried to get my mind right, but it wasn’t easy at all.”

“…”

“So, I thought maybe going out might help… that’s why I came to make this request. Yeah, that’s it.”

“…”

“How could I dare think of cutting ties with our cult, hahaha! I, Cheon… Western Wing! I’m not going anywhere! No sir.”

Lee Cheonsang’s eyes narrowed slightly.

His gaze, watching his disciple chirping like a sparrow, held a hint of surprise.

“Is that so.”

“Yes, yes, that’s right.”

“So you asked to see me just to get permission for a mere outing?”

…Huh?

D-damn it.

Cheon Hajin cursed his own simplicity.

Thinking about it, it was truly ridiculous.

He had requested an audience with the Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, the Lord of Ten Thousand Demons, for nothing more than ‘mere’ permission to go out?

Anyone would find it absurd. He should have come with a reason more important than just requesting permission for an outing.

No wonder he started talking about cutting ties. Severing ties would at least be a sufficient reason to request a meeting with the Cult Leader of the great Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.

The outing itself is an important reason to me!

But would the other party think it important too?

“…And I wanted to see my Master’s noble countenance after so long.”

Lee Cheonsang’s eyebrow twitched.

It was his first show of expression change, but Cheon Hajin was too busy chattering to notice.

“Though I’m in this state, there are still duties as a disciple, aren’t there?

I haven’t repaid even one hundredth of the grace I’ve received, and not being able to properly pay my respects has been weighing on my mind…”

Having come this far, Cheon Hajin tried his best to appeal to the other’s emotions.

They say you can repay borrowed money but not a borrowed heart. That’s how important human feelings are.

The master-disciple relationship is also bound by heaven’s law[3], like blood relations.

Though he wasn’t sure if this stone-like man had any emotions, surely he wouldn’t get angry at a disciple saying he came because he missed his master?

Poof.

The cup in Lee Cheonsang’s hand crumbled to dust.

Though his expression remained indifferent, his blazing gaze seemed to reveal his twisted state of mind.

…Why is he angry?!

Swoosh!

The heavy air grew scorching hot.

“You speak of a disciple’s duty?”

“Pardon?”

“If you knew duty, you shouldn’t have appeared before me with such a body.”

Cheon Hajin’s jaw dropped.

A disciple who had recovered from qi deviation came to pay respects, and he’s saying I don’t know duty?

What? Am I the weird one? No, I really don’t know. Why does this show I don’t know duty? Someone please explain!

Lee Cheonsang rose from his seat.

Boom!

He had been intimidating while seated, but standing up he was truly as massive as Mount Tai.

Turning his back, he spoke bluntly.

“In three days, I will send someone.”

“…?”

Three days? Someone?

“Leave.”

Leave? You mean go back to my quarters?!

Cheon Hajin was dumbfounded.

Wait a minute! What about my request? What about going out? Can I just leave on my own? Should I really do that?

“Um…”

Lee Cheonsang glanced at Cheon Hajin.

Surge!

Something about that wordless glance inexplicably angered him.

This guy’s been saying whatever he wants since earlier, hasn’t he?

Don’t you have even minimal consideration for others? Do you even know what the essence of conversation is?! Huh?!

Hey, I was counted among the world’s ten greatest masters, you know!

Cheon Hajin rose indignantly.

Then he bowed respectfully.

“I’ll see you later.”

Let’s go back for now.

***

“You summoned me, Cult Leader.”

“Mm.”

Lee Cheonsang, seated in the main hall, rose from his seat after receiving Mu-dam’s greeting.

Thud. Thud.

Even just walking made others tense.

Even Mu-dam, who was no inferior to the world’s ten greatest masters, felt his hair stand on end as Lee Cheonsang approached.

Glug.

Having moved beside the window, Lee Cheonsang filled a cup from one of several wine bottles.

Mu-dam maintained his full prostration.

“Come here.”

“Yes.”

Rising from his position, Mu-dam carefully walked toward Lee Cheonsang.

Lee Cheonsang extended a cup.

“Have a drink.”

“I am honored.”

Mu-dam respectfully received the cup, turned his head to empty it, then immediately stepped back three paces before kneeling and bowing his head.

Such attitude was impossible without extreme reverence for the other party. This was how the Grand Guardian behaved toward a god incarnated in human form.

Lee Cheonsang asked calmly.

“What has happened with the Third lately?”

Confusion crossed Mu-dam’s face. Lee Cheonsang rarely inquired about his disciples.

Though curious, burying one’s curiosity was the duty of one who served a god.

“He has been recovering in his quarters.”

“Is that all?”

“…Yes.”

“I see.”

The indifference in his brief response remained unchanged.

But Mu-dam, who had served Lee Cheonsang for decades, could tell. The Cult Leader was slightly different from usual.

Though even daring to guess was blasphemous, if he had to venture…

Interest?

In whom? Surely not in the Third Young Master?

As Mu-dam tilted his head inwardly in wonder, he was startled by Lee Cheonsang’s next words.

“Not bad.”

“…?”

“I thought I’d picked up a serpent, but it turned out to be a viper. That’s why I was disappointed.”

“Pardon?”

“Looking again today, I saw it had a divine pearl in its mouth.”

Mu-dam’s eyes trembled.

The corner of Lee Cheonsang’s mouth lifted slightly.

Though it was an incredibly small movement, it was shocking to see a change in an expression that seemed like it wouldn’t change even after a thousand years.

Lee Cheonsang recalled the scene at the Demon Judgment Pavilion.

That mysterious and amazing sight the Third had shown.

Though he’s distanced from the demonic path, he ‘understands’ death.

The Demon Judgment Pavilion.

It wasn’t called the pavilion that judges demons for nothing.

The formation surrounding it was a supreme achievement developed each generation from ancient ultimate formations, maintained by the Cult Leader’s demonic qi.

Judging the demonic.

The demonic refers to those the Cult Leader brings, and the judging is done by the Cult Leader and the formation.

Since the formation was maintained by the Cult Leader’s demonic qi, the Demon Judgment Pavilion could only have the Cult Leader as its master.

The Demon Judgment Pavilion visualizes the mind of those who enter the formation.

It not only shows their current state and what they pursue, but even reveals parts of their unconscious realm.

What if the subject doesn’t please the Cult Leader?

If even a trace of killing intent rises in the Cult Leader’s heart?

Then the demonic formation called the Demon Judgment Pavilion attacks the subject according to the Cult Leader’s will. The moment he truly wishes to kill, it brutally destroys.

It’s the ultimate method for understanding a person’s true nature. However, the Demon Judgment Pavilion couldn’t be opened indefinitely.

The method of opening the formation, its duration, and when it could be reopened were secrets known only to the Cult Leader.

“Is the Solitary Bamboo Forest[4] being well maintained?”

“Ah, yes! We deploy personnel from the Law Enforcement Court[5] every other day for maintenance.”

“Casualties?”

“We average five casualties per month, but fortunately there have been no deaths in the past four months.”

“You’ve trained the children well.”

After emptying his cup, Lee Cheonsang extended it to Mu-dam, who carefully refilled it.

But Lee Cheonsang continued holding out his cup.

“Join me.”

“Pardon?”

Lee Cheonsang said nothing more.

Mu-dam filled his own cup with reverent humility, then carefully raised it.

Clink!

The sound of the cups touching was exceptionally clear.

One drank freely, the other respectfully.

“This is a gift for your hard work.”

“No, no! It was only my duty!”

Mu-dam’s face flushed with emotion. He never imagined the Cult Leader would propose a toast.

Neither heavenly ambrosia nor the temptation of the most beautiful woman could be sweeter than this. It was a gift he would remember until his dying moment.

As he was intoxicated by the Cult Leader’s gift.

“Dismiss the children for a moment.”

“…Pardon?”

Lee Cheonsang sat on the main seat after setting down his cup.

“I’ll send the Third to the Solitary Bamboo Court.”

Mu-dam’s face turned deathly pale.

“To the Solitary Bamboo Court… you say?”

He knew how important the place was to the cult.

And how dangerous it was, even more than its importance.

Lee Cheonsang propped his chin.

Was it Mu-dam’s imagination that he saw interest arise on that perpetually indifferent face?

“It’s a suitable place for getting some fresh air.”