Chapter 181
Chapter 181
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 181
Chapter Title: Backing the Eldest Princess
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One shichen before Hyeok Mulin went to find the great princess.
He left his residence and first sought out the young palace lord.
Suma Geon frowned at the sudden visit for a moment.
But as if it had never happened, he greeted Hyeok Mulin with a beaming smile.
"Oh, Cult Leader! What brings you here? Is there something I can assist you with?"
Hyeok Mulin noticed anew the tattoos covering Suma Geon's upper body.
Before, he'd only caught sight of the tiger, but upon closer inspection, ferocious beasts of every kind adorned his entire frame without exception.
Thanks to Sua Rang's explanation, he could roughly guess what they signified.
Gazing at them, Hyeok Mulin soon spoke up.
"I have something to say, so I stopped by."
Sensing something in Hyeok Mulin's words, Suma Geon promptly shut his mouth and nodded, ready to listen intently.
Hyeok Mulin then cut straight to the point.
"Young Palace Lord. I'm sorry, but it seems I can't join forces with you."
A vague sense of foreboding had washed over him.
And sure enough.
Suma Geon clenched his teeth briefly before composing his expression and asking,
"I can promise to deliver the world's riches and glory to you, Cult Leader. Are you still refusing?"
Riches and glory.
"It seems you've forgotten I'm the leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult."
Hyeok Mulin continued in a subdued tone.
"Why would I covet what I already possess? I have no need for such things."
"...Hoo."
Suma Geon let out a deep sigh from the depths of his lungs.
"I respect your decision, Cult Leader, but I can't say I understand it."
Suma Geon fixed Hyeok Mulin with a sharp gaze.
Then he spat out words laden with profound implications.
"You'll regret this."
"I've never regretted any of my choices thus far."
"Then today will be your first."
Suma Geon's demeanor had completely shifted from before.
Unlike when he'd fawned over Hyeok Mulin, a sinister killing intent now lurked in his eyes.
"We'll see."
Meeting that gaze, Hyeok Mulin turned away.
"Watch from here on out, and the answer will come."
With that, Hyeok Mulin left the building, naturally harboring no regrets over his current choice.
The biggest influence on this decision was Sua Rang's recounting of his past.
'There was something off about him.'
Her explanation had revealed the reason.
Sua Rang had said he treated ferocious beasts not as ends, but as mere means.
But her words were only half right.
Suma Geon viewed not just beasts, but all living things that way.
Even if they were human.
It would be hard to place trust in someone like that, even if they ruled the Southern Wild Beast Palace.
Wouldn't he flip his attitude on a dime depending on his goals?
Hyeok Mulin had never once felt even a shred of trust from him.
Having informed Suma Geon, Hyeok Mulin headed straight to his next destination.
In the heart of the jungle, he encountered Suri Tae taking a solitary rest.
Though he'd been dozing atop a small mountain of bones, he opened his eyes at Hyeok Mulin's presence and rose.
Seeing Hyeok Mulin approach, Suri Tae nodded.
"You've made your decision."
"Indeed."
"So, what will it be?"
To Suri Tae's question, Hyeok Mulin replied without hesitation once more.
"I'm afraid I can't join hands with you either."
"...Hm."
Perhaps not the outcome he'd expected, Suri Tae merely exhaled shortly.
But even that brief breath revealed the dissatisfaction he harbored.
Then, staring straight at Hyeok Mulin, he spoke.
"Just one question."
"Ask away."
"Then you've decided to side with the young palace lord?"
Hyeok Mulin firmly shut down the possibility in response to Suri Tae's query.
"No. I've already rejected his offer."
"I see."
Suri Tae's expression brightened slightly.
"That settles it. As long as you don't go to him."
Hyeok Mulin's answer left Suri Tae visibly relieved.
He seemed immensely satisfied that Hyeok Mulin had guaranteed he wouldn't join the young palace lord.
That was enough.
As long as he didn't side with the young palace lord.
Suri Tae showed no wariness whatsoever toward any other possibilities, appearing utterly at ease.
With his anxiety dispelled, Suri Tae suddenly recalled something and made a proposal to Hyeok Mulin.
"In a few days, the Fierce Beast Ranking Tournament will be held at the main palace. It's a grand event where warriors compete to determine the rankings of their tamed beasts. If you're not in a rush to leave, why not watch it together?"
"Sounds good. I'll attend."
"Understood. I'll have a seat prepared for you."
Hyeok Mulin had planned to attend the Fierce Beast Ranking Tournament anyway, so there was no reason to refuse.
Of course, he had no intention of leaving before seeing this power struggle to its end either.
Satisfied with Hyeok Mulin's quick acceptance, Suri Tae nodded and turned away.
"Then I'll be off. Time for me to get back to resting."
Suri Tae's attitude had grown drier than before.
Now that he knew Hyeok Mulin wouldn't side with the young palace lord, there was no further need to cozy up to him.
Bidding Suri Tae farewell, Hyeok Mulin turned and slowly made his way back to the main palace.
He smirked inwardly at the palace lord's subtly changed demeanor.
"As expected, it was right not to join hands with him either."
Suri Tae seemed to overconfident in himself, convinced he'd never lose to the young palace lord without the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's involvement.
'Reality played out the exact opposite.'
The young palace lord had originally seized the throne in a world without Hyeok Mulin's emergence.
The palace lord had grown intoxicated with his own power, losing his sharp insight.
In Hyeok Mulin's eyes, neither the palace lord nor the young palace lord measured up in this situation.
That left only one path.
To create an entirely new candidate, independent of them both.
"I'll join hands with you."
"...What do you mean by that?"
Sua Rang sent him a look of utter incomprehension at his words.
Hyeok Mulin provided a clear explanation.
"It means I'll support you as the next palace lord."
"Ah, I see. Support me as the next palace lord..."
Nodding blankly as she repeated it, Sua Rang suddenly sensed something amiss.
Her eyes flashed wide, and she raised her voice.
"What?! W-What did you just say...!"
Doubting her ears, she pressed him, and Hyeok Mulin replied indifferently.
"Why the surprise? Have you never considered becoming palace lord?"
How could he recite such a monumental notion so flatly?
Sua Rang responded with an expression of sheer absurdity.
"Of course not! How could I possibly surpass the palace lord and young palace lord for that position?"
"I believe it's possible."
"What makes you think...!"
It hadn't taken Hyeok Mulin long to settle on Sua Rang as his chosen candidate to back.
In his view, the sincerity she'd shown made her the most suitable for forging ties between the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult and the Southern Wild Beast Palace going forward.
Her martial prowess was respectable too.
As evident from her diligently honed physique, she was a warrior worthy of the title great princess.
She might not match the palace lord, but against the young palace lord, she'd win one or two out of ten bouts.
That was sufficient.
The rest came down to her growth potential.
In the end, Hyeok Mulin had no qualms about elevating her to next palace lord.
"I chose you based on your character."
She was the only warrior in the south who could foresee a grim future.
"Have confidence. You're more than capable of shouldering the south's tomorrow."
Yet Sua Rang still seemed lacking in self-assurance, her gaze dropping as she failed to affirm it clearly.
Hyeok Mulin drove the point home.
"If you sit idle, the world you envision will never come. If you want the future, you must seize it."
"...!"
His words struck Sua Rang's heart like thunder.
It swept away all her prior dilemmas in an instant.
But even so, she couldn't ignore reality.
She held no power in her grasp.
"But I have no forces at all..."
"That doesn't matter. I will be your force."
Sua Rang swallowed hard at the Heavenly Demon's unwavering confidence.
"Do you seek to divide the south three ways?"
Hyeok Mulin shook his head at her question.
"No."
There would be no future where three coexisted.
In the end, there could be only one victor.
"I'll seat you upon the jade throne."
His words rang so sweetly that Sua Rang's mind reeled for a moment.
But precisely because of that, her wariness sharpened.
She knew the Heavenly Demon wouldn't aid her on mere words alone.
"What do you want from me?"
"Trust, first and foremost."
"Trust... you say?"
Sua Rang tilted her head quizzically.
"Yes."
Hyeok Mulin nodded and continued.
"I believe the south you've envisioned will ultimately benefit my cult. So if you wish to seize that future you've dreamed of, trust in me."
Thump.
Hyeok Mulin's conviction set Sua Rang's heart pounding fiercely, like war drums.
His voice carried a strangely compelling power.
Though the words would normally seem grandiose, just hearing them naturally inspired faith.
As she was swayed by his voice, Hyeok Mulin pressed on.
"However, to aim for the palace lord's seat, your skills must improve further."
A shadow fell over Sua Rang's eyes.
No one knew better than she how far she lagged behind the palace lord and young palace lord.
"Man Ho."
"Yes."
"Train her."
"Understood."
Man Ho accepted Hyeok Mulin's order without hesitation.
Snapping to her senses upon hearing it, Sua Rang frowned.
"You want me to learn martial arts from one of your demonic cultists right now?"
"Only because he's Protector Man, not just any demon, can he teach you."
Sua Rang glanced skeptically at Man Ho as Hyeok Mulin spoke with firm assurance.
'What could that guy possibly offer...'
At best, a mere protector guarding the cult leader.
His level seemed decent enough, but southern martial arts and demonic arts were worlds apart—could he really provide proper instruction?
"If you can't keep up, feel free to quit."
"What did you say?"
Sua Rang's brow twitched at Man Ho's needling tone.
She soon quirked one corner of her mouth upward and nodded.
"Fine. I'll give it a shot with him. But if it doesn't satisfy me, I'll withdraw anytime."
"Do as you like."
Once she witnessed even a glimpse of Man Ho's true worth, she'd never speak of withdrawing.
"And one more thing."
Having assigned Man Ho to Sua Rang, Hyeok Mulin moved to the next item.
"I plan to enter your beast in the Fierce Beast Ranking Tournament."
"Pardon? The tournament?"
"Yes. It's the epicenter of the current power struggle—we can't pass it up."
Sua Rang agreed with Hyeok Mulin's reasoning.
But worry overrode it.
"Still, as you saw earlier, Geum Pyo lacks aggression..."
"No matter. Beast battles are ultimately a contest of momentum."
Hyeok Mulin approached the leopard seated calmly beside her.
As he placed a hand on its back, Geum Pyo flinched.
"That all-important momentum."
Gazing down at the leopard, Hyeok Mulin slowly lifted the corner of his mouth.
"From now on, I'll teach it to you myself."
Stroking Geum Pyo, Hyeok Mulin grinned.
Seeing that expression, Geum Pyo's face soon darkened with pitch-black dread.