Episode 20
Episode 20
Translation: Godtl
Fortunately, Ye-ryeong was assigned to the same floor as Cheon Mu-jin.
Though they were of opposite genders, since their buildings were right next to each other, they spent most of their time together in the shared lounge until bedtime.
And now, in that very lounge, an utterly shocking situation—one that no one had anticipated—was unfolding.
Until recently, the atmosphere in the lounge had been dominated by each faction solidifying their influence, especially after the tense standoff between Cheon Mu-jin and Cheon Gi-baek.
In fact, there were already students who had sworn loyalty to Cheon Gi-baek, and even if not to him, quite a few had pinned their hopes on figures like Cheon Yu-rin, who seemed highly likely to secure the position of Young Cult Leader.
But today, the mood was entirely different.
Unlike Cheon Gi-baek and Cheon Yu-rin, whose success seemed all but guaranteed, the name that was now being called belonged to someone who could only be considered a gamble.
"Disciple Cheon Mu-jin."
The reason was the sight of a student from the Dark Ink Sword Family—one who had introduced herself as Ye-ryeong—kneeling before Cheon Mu-jin.
And it wasn't just a simple kneel.
The words that spilled from her lips were even more shocking.
"I, Ye-ryeong of the Dark Ink Sword Family, pledge to serve Lord Cheon Mu-jin as my sovereign."
"......?"
"What did you just say?!"
Confusion flickered in the eyes of every student who heard her.
But as if to prove this was no joke, Ye-ryeong, under the watchful eyes of everyone present, dropped to one knee and performed the fist-and-palm salute.
The surroundings erupted in murmurs.
Of course, all of this had been prearranged between Ye-ryeong and Cheon Mu-jin, but there was no way those present could have known that.
So the sight of a disciple from the prestigious Dark Ink Sword Family swearing loyalty to Cheon Mu-jin was nothing short of astonishing.
"You wish to serve me as your lord?"
"Yes. I, Ye-ryeong of the Dark Ink Sword Family, believe that Lord Cheon will become a candidate for Young Cult Leader. Thus, I offer my loyalty."
The unexpected oath of fealty shifted the atmosphere in the lounge.
Cheon Mu-jin smirked faintly as he observed the situation he himself had orchestrated.
This wasn't just about a simple pledge of loyalty.
It was the first step—a signal that even a renowned faction was beginning to invest in Cheon Mu-jin.
It was also the first move to instill tension in the other candidates, forcing them to realize they could no longer remain idle.
Of course, most of the students couldn't help but feel a twinge of discomfort.
This was proof that someone they had never even considered a threat was far from negligible. And the ones most unsettled were none other than the candidates vying for the position of Young Cult Leader themselves.
The so-called descendants of the Cheon Family.
Cheon Gi-baek, Cheon Yu-rin, Cheon Ha-na, and Cheon Yeon-hwa—these four candidates for Young Cult Leader were more uncomfortable now than ever.
And among them, the one who felt the most bitter was none other than Cheon Gi-baek.
'Damn it, she's pledging loyalty to that worthless bug?'
From the moment he first saw her, he had already decided in his heart that the Dark Ink Sword Family's disciple would be his.
Her face and figure were exactly to his liking, and he had even entertained thoughts of taking her as a concubine once he ascended to the position of Heavenly Demon.
And now, that very woman was swearing loyalty to Cheon Mu-jin?
'She was supposed to be mine!'
As these thoughts raged inside him, Cheon Gi-baek seethed with silent fury toward Cheon Mu-jin.
Then—
Cheon Mu-jin wiggled his fingers tauntingly at Cheon Gi-baek, whose face was twisted in anger.
It was an outright provocation.
A look that practically dared him to make a move. It was clear he had caught onto at least some of Cheon Gi-baek's thoughts.
Cheon Mu-jin, being a man himself, knew full well that Cheon Gi-baek must have had the same intentions toward Ye-ryeong.
The fact that someone like Cheon Mu-jin had read his mind was infuriating.
For a moment, Cheon Gi-baek nearly lost control and lunged forward.
But he forced himself to suppress his rage.
He knew all too well that losing his temper here would only damage his own reputation further.
So the wisest course of action was to play it off lightly and move on.
"Enjoy it while you can. It's not like you'll ever become Young Cult Leader anyway. Do you really think some nobody from the Dark Ink Sword Family will change your fate?"
With those words, Cheon Gi-baek ignored Cheon Mu-jin and walked away. But this only made things worse.
—Did Cheon Gi-baek just back down from Cheon Mu-jin?
—Don't tell me he got pushed back?
The attitude he had taken was, in fact, even more shocking to the students.
Arrogant and short-tempered as he was, Cheon Gi-baek had always been highly regarded for his strength.
In short, many considered him the most fitting candidate for the ruthless position of Heavenly Demon. But now, that reputation was beginning to crack.
After that, another rumor began circulating among the students.
That Cheon Gi-baek had lost a battle of wills against Cheon Mu-jin.
Moreover, whispers spread that since Cheon Mu-jin was a Rising Star, pledging loyalty to him wasn't a bad idea—especially for those who didn't feel particularly drawn to any of the existing Young Cult Leader candidates.
A new expectation had firmly taken root in the disciples' minds—that someone outside the Four Great Clans might emerge to rewrite history.
***
Several days later, the next stage of the examination commenced.
Unlike the previous test, this one was a Cooperative Battle.
Prior explanations had been given about the trial. The directive was clear: within each assigned group, members were to select a Group Leader through either negotiation or force.
"Negotiation" could mean dialogue—or it could mean violence.
Regardless of the method, the command was to appoint a leader, and the disciples strove to comply.
At the time, Cheon Mu-jin had held a faint hope.
Had Cheon Gi-baek been in the same group, he would have relished the chance to thoroughly crush him in front of everyone.
Unfortunately, Cheon Gi-baek was not in his group.
Instead, he had been assigned to the same team as Cheon Yeon-hwa of the Poison Demon Clan.
"All Group Leaders, step onto the platform."
Naturally, the leaders of Groups One through Three were Cheon Gi-baek, Cheon Yu-rin, and Cheon Ha-na.
But the leader of Group Four defied all expectations.
Of course, it was none other than Cheon Mu-jin.
The disciples' reactions to his ascent were anything but ordinary.
Amidst the murmuring crowd, the whispers could be distilled into a single question:
"Cheon Mu-jin is Group Four's leader?"
"Did Yeon-hwa lose to him?"
Before long, the murmurs escalated beyond mere whispers—Cheon Yeon-hwa's name was openly discussed.
The more they talked, the more Yeon-hwa, standing in a corner, lowered her head and averted her gaze.
Even the leaders of Groups One through Three frowned as they watched Mu-jin step onto the platform.
'Cheon Mu-jin... you bastard!'
'Did he really defeat Yeon-hwa? She shouldn't have been an easy opponent.'
'Cheon Mu-jin... I can't afford to keep underestimating him.'
Among the Young Cult Leader candidates from the Four Great Clans, Yeon-hwa was admittedly the weakest in terms of skill.
But did that make her weak in an absolute sense? Of course not.
Even if she was lacking, she was still of the Cheon bloodline. And the other half of her lineage belonged to the Poison Demon Clan.
Yet, such a Yeon-hwa had lost to Cheon Mu-jin?
'Did she not use her poison? Or was she careless?'
The Poison Demon Clan's strength lay in their toxins. If Yeon-hwa had been unable to properly employ her Poison Technique in the leadership battle, her defeat could be rationalized.
'How many times did I warn that stupid bitch not to let her guard down?'
Cheon Gi-baek cursed Yeon-hwa viciously in his mind.
Yeon-hwa couldn't lift her head.
The reason for her defeat traced back to just two days prior.
Whether it was a fight for the leadership position or not, Yeon-hwa hadn't been concerned.
Who else but her—a descendant of the Cheon Family and the Poison Demon Clan—would dare claim the role?
With that confidence, she hadn't worried about securing the position. Instead, she focused on gathering the poisonous herbs she loved.
Since the Demon Path Pavilion was off-limits to outsiders, toxic plants grew abundantly in its corners—a paradise for a poison practitioner like her.
That day, as usual, she had ventured into the mountains behind the pavilion in search of herbs.
Then, someone ambushed her.
Not in the sense of assault—but outright violence.
Startled, Yeon-hwa immediately coated her hands with Poison Hand, but escaping her assailant—who had already secured the advantage—was no easy feat.
Clad in black night-robes, the unknown attacker left her with a wounded shoulder.
A sharp blade had pierced her tendons, and her thigh suffered significant injury.
She tried to counterattack, but that was the end of it.
The assailant vanished without a trace.
The only clue she had was that they wielded a sword.
But identifying the attacker based solely on that was nearly impossible.
Moreover, revealing her injuries would only make her prey for others.
The Demon Path Pavilion operated on the law of the jungle—the weak were meat, the strong ate.
No one would show mercy to the wounded.
And so, in her duel with Cheon Mu-jin for the leadership position, she couldn't even properly unleash her Poison Technique.
Her legs gave out too quickly, and her arms refused to move freely.
In the end, she lost. And the leadership position was wrested from her.
'Damn it all! That lowborn bastard stole my position?'
Right now, Yeon-hwa's mind burned with fury—both at losing to Mu-jin and at the unknown assailant who had made it possible.
'It must have been someone he hired. A swordsman? Don't tell me it was that bitch?'
Not long ago, a female swordsman had sworn loyalty to Cheon Mu-jin. But without proof, all she could do was swallow her rage.