Chapter 193
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 193
Chapter Title: The Path of a Monster (7)
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On the way to Jamiru, the two exchanged no words.
Their relationship was one that hardly allowed for smooth conversation in the first place. If the battle for succession had been somewhat abstract until now, it was no longer.
Though they were sworn brothers, they were rivals who had to crush each other to reach the top. In truth, their relationship was worse than that of strangers.
Perhaps it was the stifling atmosphere that he disliked.
It was Jin Gwan-yong who spoke first.
“Did you happen to hear from the Fifth?”
“About what?”
“She said she has no interest in the succession.”
He brought up the topic of succession without hesitation, likely because he knew their relationship wouldn't improve no matter how he tried to sugarcoat the conversation.
“I heard.”
“She’s always been like that. Seoyun has always pursued only the martial way. Despite possessing talent greater than anyone in the Cult, she had no interest in power.”
That seemed to be the case.
My impression of Ju Seoyun was that she was like a cold stone.
An endlessly chilly and hard person. For reasons I didn't know, the passion for the martial arts that dwelled in Ju Seoyun’s heart would likely never fade, not even at the moment of her death.
“I was wary of Seoyun.”
“Were you?”
“I had to be. There were some who thought a woman could never become the Cult Leader, no matter how great her talent, but that is a ridiculous misconception.”
Seo Ryang nodded.
The Divine Cult of the Heavenly Demon was, surprisingly, more open-minded than any sect in the Central Plains. While there were plenty of scumbags who saw women merely as sexual objects, as long as one had the ability, they could rise to the highest positions and live in splendor.
A prime example was Wi Hongryeon. Despite being a woman and a descendant of the Wi House, an enemy of the Divine Cult, she had become the Commander of the Berserk Demon Unit at such a young age. It was because her abilities were that outstanding.
To be judged solely on ability, regardless of origin or gender—the Divine Cult of the Heavenly Demon was a group that strove to realize the true meaning of survival of the fittest.
“The Cult Leader of our faith is the vicar of God, chosen by the Heavenly Demon Papiyas. A god is not bound by gender, so there is no law that says a woman cannot become the Cult Leader. In fact, there has been a female Cult Leader before.”
“The Fourth Heavenly Demon.”
“Indeed.”
A prodigy of the ages who, in a woman's body, mastered the Supremacy of the Demonic Emperor, a technique renowned for its potent Yang energy.
Surprisingly, the era of the Fourth Heavenly Demon was when the Divine Cult's viciousness was most prominent. This was because less than a month after ascending to the position of Cult Leader, the Fourth Heavenly Demon had raised the banner for the conquest of the Central Plains.
A reckless policy? Not at all.
At the time, the forces of the Divine Cult had invaded as far as Sichuan, Hubei, and Henan, laying waste to the world of the orthodox martial artists. The incident where she single-handedly fought and claimed victory against the so-called Three Divine Monks of Shaolin, the greatest masters of the Shaolin Temple at the time, was all too famous.
It was also the second time in history that the demonic path had come close to ruling the world. However, in the third year of the Fourth Heavenly Demon's reign, she died suddenly for unknown reasons, bringing the Cult's conquest of the Central Plains to an end.
Afterward, the Divine Cult was embroiled in internal strife for decades. Because the Fourth Heavenly Demon had not designated a successor, countless demons had descended into chaos to seize power.
“I do not know how great a talent the Fourth Heavenly Demon possessed. But in my opinion, I do not believe Seoyun’s talent is any less than hers.”
“…”
“For someone like her to have no interest in the succession… for me, it was a relief.”
“A relief?”
“Do you think otherwise?”
Seo Ryang shook his head.
“It doesn’t matter now, does it? You’ve reached the pinnacle of demonic arts, while the Fifth has yet to even transcend the limits of a mortal. That gap is too great to be bridged by talent alone.”
“That is true, but also false.”
“Hm?”
Jin Gwan-yong stopped walking and turned to look at Seo Ryang.
“Seoyun is a weak child.”
He wasn't talking about her martial arts or talent.
“The reason her perspective is so narrow is because she is not strong. If Seoyun were to harbor a strong will to advance into the world, she would soar into the sky, unbound by anything.”
“Is that so?”
“At least, that is what I believe. For such a person to have no interest in the throne is truly a relief.”
His words meant that he, Jin Gwan-yong, strongly desired to become the next Cult Leader.
Seo Ryang smiled.
“You’re honest.”
“There’s no reason to hide it now. I never intended to hide it in the first place. From the moment I became the Master’s disciple, I have strived to become a god. The existence of a competitor can only be unwelcome.”
A peculiar glint appeared in Jin Gwan-yong’s heavy gaze.
“In that sense, you are the most unwelcome presence to me right now.”
“I suppose so.”
“You fell to demonic deviation and lost all your martial arts, yet you reached such a state in just two years?”
“Well, something like that.”
“You have no idea how surprised I was when I heard that. You were able to become that strong even without Seoyun’s level of talent. I don’t know how such a thing was possible.”
*Try dying and coming back to life once.*
Of course, the Seo Ryang of his past life had been a man of considerable talent in his own right. Even if he had mastered the secret arts of the Nine Great Sects, what he had truly honed were the skills of an assassin. Although they were of a high level, for him to reach the state of enlightenment in his fifties, having grown with the inherently limited skills of an assassin, was truly remarkable.
It was possible because he had that much focus and experience. If he had lived a peaceful life, he would never have even dreamed of enlightenment, even if he had learned the greatest martial art in the world.
“A new state of being ultimately depends on how one sees the world. Some can gain great experience just by walking through a marketplace, while others may not feel stimulated unless they face the life-and-death line of killing and being killed.”
“That is true.”
Jin Gwan-yong’s eyes deepened.
A profound question clouded his gaze, which was tinged with a faint demonic energy.
“What about you, then?”
“What about me?”
“What kind of experience do you need to be stimulated?”
Seo Ryang, who had been quietly watching Jin Gwan-yong, grinned and replied.
“Oh, I’m always stimulated.”
“…?”
“With every step, every breath, every grain of rice I chew, I feel stimulated.”
“…”
“And just by pondering why you asked me to go to Jamiru, my demonic energy is stirring.”
Jin Gwan-yong’s eyes wavered.
*‘I had something to test, but it seems that won’t be happening. What a shame.’*
This was a man who, upon meeting a master who had reached the pinnacle of demonic arts, would suggest a fight just to test something.
No matter how confident one was, such a statement was hard to make. It wasn't that he looked down on his opponent; it was that he had little interest in anything other than his own growth.
And so, he didn't care who his opponent was. For him, everything was a part of learning, a stepping stone for growth.
The world this man saw was so different from that of others.
“I see.”
Jin Gwan-yong smiled.
The single line of a smile that graced his stiff face was strangely chilling.
“So that’s how it was.”
In that instant, Seo Ryang felt a sharp stimulus ringing in a corner of his mind.
*Ziiing!*
His hyper-senses, activated for the first time in a long while.
*‘He’s made up his mind.’*
The smile vanished from Seo Ryang’s face.
*‘He’s decided to kill me.’*
I didn't know what he had prepared at Jamiru.
But one thing was certain. Through their brief conversation, Jin Gwan-yong had become convinced that I was a dangerous man.
Jin Gwan-yong turned his body.
“Let’s go.”
Jin Gwan-yong began to walk, step by step.
A pale smile graced his shadowed face.
It was an expression Seo Ryang couldn't see, but anyone who saw it would have turned their head away in horror.
And so, a moment of silence passed again.
“How much farther?”
“We’re almost there.”
“Ah. I’ve never been this way before.”
Seo Ryang scratched his head.
“They should be here soon.”
“Hm?”
“I called for someone earlier with a telepathic message.”
Even with demonic arts, which were far from delicate, Thousand-Mile Telepathy was possible. The efficiency was just abysmal.
Jin Gwan-yong’s eyebrow twitched.
“Who did you call?”
“There’s someone who doesn’t like it when we fight. The distance was so great I wasn’t sure if it would reach, but it seems to have connected just fine.”
“What?”
It was then.
‘…!’
A single, powerful presence could be felt approaching at high speed from the west.
It wasn't a master who had reached the pinnacle of demonic arts. But it was someone that even Jin Gwan-yong, who could be called the best in the Cult in terms of both status and martial arts, could not easily touch.
A slight tremor ran through Jin Gwan-yong’s cheek.
Seo Ryang smiled.
“Honestly, I want to go into Jamiru too. I’m curious to see what preparations you’ve made to take me down.”
“…”
“But I have a family to support. There’s a limit to how much I can enjoy danger. If Dongpil were here, I might have given it a try, but he’s busy right now.”
*Swish.*
A middle-aged man appeared before the two.
“You know each other, right? Say hello.”
The man, Go Gu, looked at Jin Gwan-yong with transparent eyes.
“First Young Master.”
“…Head of the Hall of Punishments.”
Seo Ryang spoke to Go Gu.
“This gentleman invited me to Jamiru for a cup of tea. Would you care to join us?”
“…”
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
Seo Ryang looked at Jin Gwan-yong.
Jin Gwan-yong’s expression was blank, but Seo Ryang could read the bewilderment that flashed across his face.
“While I was at it, I was thinking of calling the Lord of the Garden of Joy too. I’m on pretty good terms with her, you see. I’ve received a lot from her, so I’ve been thinking I should treat her sometime. Jamiru seems like a fine place for it.”
“…”
“Shall we go?”
Jin Gwan-yong’s face grew grave as he looked at Go Gu.
“It has been a long time.”
“Indeed.”
“To come running at the Third’s call… I do not believe that is a fitting action for the head of the Hall of Punishments, which, along with the Garden of Joy, is said to be the most neutral organization.”
It was a remark meant to provoke his pride. But Go Gu’s expression didn't change in the slightest.
“To think that neutrality is compromised over a cup of tea is an overly narrow-minded view, I believe.”
He was paid back with interest. Jin Gwan-yong shook his head.
“Would it not depend on who is offering the drink?”
“Do not worry. I don’t particularly like the Third Young Master.”
Seo Ryang grumbled.
“That’s harsh. You’ll hurt my feelings.”
Jin Gwan-yong’s eyes narrowed.
“You came all this way in person at the summons of someone you don’t even particularly like?”
“Conflating private friendships with public duties is not a virtue of a statesman.”
Seo Ryang was inwardly surprised by Go Gu’s successive aggressive remarks. He knew the man was as rigid as an iron rod, but he hadn't thought him the type to say such things so openly.
*‘There’s something I don’t know.’*
A strange smile formed on Seo Ryang’s lips.
*‘I don’t know what it is, but calling the Head of the Hall of Punishments was a good choice.’*
Jin Gwan-yong, who had been staring blankly at Go Gu, turned his gaze to Seo Ryang.
“You’re uncannily perceptive.”
“I’m a sensitive guy.”
“Let us have tea another time.”
“I’ll invite you soon.”
“I will look forward to it.”
That was the end of it. Jin Gwan-yong turned and vanished from their sight.
It was rather abrupt, but Seo Ryang understood him. No matter what cards he held, to force a showdown after his hand was revealed to be a threat would be foolish.
In fact, giving up so cleanly was the harder thing to do. He was truly not an opponent to be taken lightly.
Seo Ryang let out a sigh.
“A bloody sweet start to things.”
He looked at Go Gu.
“Since it’s come to this, shall we grab a bite to eat?”
“Third Young Master.”
“Hm?”
“Be careful.”
Go Gu was still looking in the direction where Jin Gwan-yong had disappeared.
“He is a dragon. But a demonic dragon, possessed by a fiend. He is more brilliant than anyone, but he will stop at nothing to achieve his goals.”
“That’s pretty much the same for everyone.”
“That is so. In that sense, the two of you are alike. But in terms of viciousness, the Third Young Master is no match for the First Young Master.”
“Why?”
“Because he is a true demon, devoid of even the slightest morality.”
An interesting assessment.
Go Gu turned around.
“I will have tea another time. Please take care.”