Episode 3
Episode 3
Translation: Godtl
'There are far too many of them.'
Of course, not all those countless people were worthy opponents. Cheon Mu-jin quietly surveyed his surroundings as he contemplated.
The ones who could truly be considered his rivals were none other than the Young Cult Leader candidates from the four major sects.
They stood at the very front lines, while Cheon Mu-jin remained at the very last row. For now, this positioning directly reflected his current standing.
'I'll sweep up the easter eggs this time, then work on moving up the ranks next round.'
Being at the back wasn't entirely disadvantageous. At present, his existence was barely a speck of dust—nothing more than a minor nuisance to those with the sharpest fangs. This allowed him to quietly scheme for the future alone.
'They'll all be mine to devour eventually anyway—no need to rush.'
After all, the essence of this game was a 19+ harem fantasy romance—there would be plenty of opportunities.
There was no denying that staying quietly buried was a far safer solution than needlessly drawing attention right now.
Some time later, a woman approached and stood beside the Hall Master of the Demon Path Pavilion, Flame Emperor.
The woman who approached was none other than Wind God, the renowned Left Dharma Protector of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. Her epithet "Wind God" stemmed from her ghostly light-footed techniques. "You're finally here."
"I still haven't shaken off the drunken haze."
"...Tch, you could just expel it with your Internal Energy."
"Then I shouldn't have drunk in the first place."
"You know how important today is."
"Exactly, so just make sure nothing goes wrong."
Right Dharma Protector Flame Emperor and Left Dharma Protector Wind God conversed as if thoroughly accustomed to each other. The thin curtain prevented their words from carrying outside, but Cheon Mu-jin, having some knowledge of their relationship, could guess the nature of their exchange. They're probably bickering as usual.
Having been fellow disciples in the Demon Path Pavilion years ago, Flame Emperor and Wind God had known each other for decades—rivals and bitter enemies, one might say. But according to the game's storyline, they never truly fought in earnest. Their clashes always stayed within the bounds of petty squabbles. No need to worry about them right now. To them, I'm just a brat.
And it wasn't just Cheon Mu-jin. The newly admitted disciples of the Demon Path Pavilion were barely worth a glance. In truth, the two Dharma Protectors paid little attention to the students. Then, suddenly, a wave of cheers erupted. The reason was simple: the kind of figure who could inspire such fervor had appeared—Cheon Yu-rim, the supreme leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult and one of the Five Great Masters of the current Murim. "Waaaaaah!"
"The Cult Leader has arrived!"
"Long live the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult!"
Draped entirely in black silk robes with a white cloak bearing the emblem of "Heaven" (天), the middle-aged man who appeared was none other than Cult Leader Cheon Yu-rim. Unlike the in-game depictions, the aura he exuded in person was overwhelmingly murderous. His status alone was intimidating, but the invisible pressure of his killing intent weighed down on everyone present. This is the leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult... I can barely lift my head.
It wasn't fear but reverence that filled him. If he could return to reality with even a fraction of this power, how high could he climb? An S-rank Hunter? Maybe even higher. I will rise to the position of Cult Leader—no, even beyond that.
For the sake of achieving success as an S-rank Hunter, he had to fuel his ambition. Beside the Cult Leader, Wind God, clad in silk robes, took a step forward. Slung across her back was her signature weapon, a dao, gleaming brilliantly. But what caught the eye more was the wine gourd hanging from her waist—and, of course, the slender curve of her waist itself. Her chest is enormous too.
The kind of bust only possible in a game—easily surpassing a G-cup, no doubt. And she looks incredibly young.
Though her actual age was likely much older, whether due to reaching the Bone Transformation realm or some other secret method, she appeared to be in her late twenties or early thirties. "Silence!"
Her commanding shout instantly hushed the hall. At the same time, Cult Leader Cheon Yu-rim spoke. "Disciples who have entered the pavilion to become the future of our Heavenly Demon Divine Cult..."
His voice carried a peculiar force, laced with an undercurrent of killing intent. It wasn't that he harbored actual malice—rather, it seemed an unavoidable side effect of mastering the Heavenly Demon Divine Art. "I congratulate you on your admission. May you remain here for a long time."
Short and simple, but the implications were anything but ordinary. To remain in the Demon Path Pavilion meant proving one's strength. Those who failed would be weeded out. It was a clear declaration of the law of the jungle—survival of the fittest. Cheon Mu-jin swallowed hard. This was truly the beginning.
***
After the Cult Leader departed, only Right Dharma Protector Flame Emperor remained. He promptly began explaining the pavilion's rules and examinations. "Killing is forbidden outside of formal duels."
In other words, everything except killing was permitted. "Next, regarding the examinations."
He outlined the structure of the five-stage examination process. "The trials consist of five stages, with one held each year. Even if you fail, you may retake them in subsequent years, so there's no need for concern."
This meant a minimum stay of five years—after which, those capable could remain and take the exams at their own pace. Of course, the likelihood of someone staying that long without passing all five stages was negligible. This much was common knowledge; anyone who joined the pavilion would already know it. "I have a question."
"Denied."
"Excuse me...?"
Cheon Gi-baek, one of the Young Cult Leader candidates, wore a baffled expression. Flame Emperor paid no heed and continued.
"Questions are permitted only to those who have proven their qualifications. If you wish to ask, first earn that right."
"......Understood."
Despite his seemingly compliant words, Cheon Gi-baek's face openly displayed displeasure. Having always received the highest treatment until now, adapting to the Demon Path Pavilion's rules must have been difficult for him. But here, the same rules applied to everyone. The moment one entered the pavilion, all were equal. From then on, it was a matter of climbing the ranks through the exams.
"Finally, the rewards for passing the exams. Clearing each stage grants various benefits. Of course, that's not all. Beyond rare medicines and material rewards, you already know you can raise your rank, correct?"
"Yes!"
Even in the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, the power of rank could never be ignored.
"Then we're done here."
"Understood!"
Truthfully, Cheon Mu-jin wasn't particularly interested in rank. This was, after all, a game world—rank here held little real meaning. What intrigued him were the rare medicines obtainable by passing the exams. They were undoubtedly treasures incomparable to the Ten-year Polygonum Root he had chewed earlier. Among them, the most famous was the Demon Pill Elixir, obtainable only by clearing the final exam. If the Righteous Faction had the Great Return Elixir, the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult had its counterpart. A single dose could grant decades' worth of Internal Energy.
'Now that I know the power gained here applies outside, I absolutely must obtain the Demon Pill Elixir.'
His eyes gleamed at the thought of acquiring such immense power.
"Then, dismissed. The first exam can be attempted two days from now. Those who wish to participate should seek me out then."
"Understood!"
"Chung!"
With the final word, Cheon Mu-jin immediately headed for his quarters. There was no time to waste. Unlike the other candidates, he had nothing—no Internal Energy to speak of, no mastered martial arts. The first-stage exam wasn't particularly difficult, so the sophistication of one's techniques mattered little. What he needed most was Internal Energy. Even reaching the First-rate realm would be enough to pass.
But his current level was, at best, Third-rate. Naturally, he couldn't clear the first stage as he was.
However, the Demon Path Pavilion was still a place where people lived. For the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's masters, who had to spend five years here, boredom was inevitable. And so, they often created secret hideouts within the pavilion. Now, he had to find one of those.
'I don't know many hideouts. With my current status, the only place I can access is the library.'
And beneath the library lay the Left Dharma Protector Wind God's secret liquor stash. The drinks there were far from ordinary.
'If I take just one bottle, no one will notice.'
Stealing everything would surely get him caught, but a single bottle might go unnoticed. Even if its absence were discovered, the pavilion wouldn't launch a full investigation over something so minor.
'Timing is everything.'
Right now, Wind God was undoubtedly by the cult leader's side. He had to move quickly.
Cheon Mu-jin immediately made his way to the library. To avoid leaving records, he used a hidden entrance. Finding the location wasn't difficult—Wind God hadn't even bothered concealing it with Illusion Art.
"Incredible."
As soon as he stepped inside, rows of ceramic jars came into view. All of them had to contain liquor, but these were merely the lower-grade ones. The real treasure lay deeper within.
Opening an inner chest, he found what he was looking for.
[Superior Hundred Flowers Orchid Wine]
"Found it."