Chapter 68
Chapter 68
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 68
Chapter Title: Heirs of the Cult
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After reaching the pinnacle of demonism, I descended the mountain and arrived at the Heavenly Dance Family estate.
But...
The moment Mu-heun stepped onto the estate, he sensed a commotion. He and Myriad Fragrance extended their senses to find the source of the disturbance.
They were neither the familiar servants of the Heavenly Dance Family nor members of the Azure Dragon Unit. There were easily over fifty of them.
This meant all these people were guests... and their martial prowess seemed extraordinary.
Expanding his senses for a closer look, he realized they were all masters at the peak level or higher.
'Could it be...'
Just then, a servant spotted Mu-heun and rushed out.
"Young Master! Where have you been?"
"What's going on?"
"A large group of warriors who participated in the Divine Dragon Assembly have arrived. They all said they were invited by you, Young Master!"
"Ah...?"
He'd been so preoccupied that he had forgotten. Right... he had indeed told the rookies at the Divine Dragon Assembly that he would invite them to the Heavenly Dance Family estate after it was over.
'But I never invited them.'
"Sir Un-pyo and Sir Pa-sun told all the participants of the Divine Dragon Assembly that it was your order."
"Ah..."
'Why did those two do something I never asked them to?'
And so, Mu-heun found himself hosting a banquet for the future heirs of the Divine Cult. He sent Hyeok to his quarters to remain hidden and had Cheon-hyang circle the skies to check for any other forces.
When he entered, he saw it was indeed filled with familiar faces from the Divine Dragon Assembly.
Among them were Seol Ha-ryeong and Gu Yang-baek.
'Seol Ha-ryeong and Gu Yang-baek are the ones who will accompany me on the upcoming Sichuan mission. They'll receive an official notice from the Radiant Heavenly Demon Lord soon enough... but perhaps I should tell them in advance.'
As he turned his head, he noticed someone harboring a strange mix of emotions.
Shock, fear, anxiety, guilt, and anger.
'What is this?'
It was the same faint feeling he had sensed among the heirs after the Divine Dragon Assembly finals. When Mu-heun tried to get a better look, the source of the swirling emotions moved away.
'Hmm... I'll look into it later.'
The banquet, held in the middle of the night, was packed with young masters.
'There are too many to greet one by one.'
In the end, Mu-heun had the servants build a platform overlooking the entire garden where the banquet was being held.
Mu-heun stepped onto the platform, where everyone could see him and he could see everyone.
"Thank you all for so readily accepting my invitation. The wine and food prepared are all for you, so please, enjoy yourselves to the fullest."
"Hooray!"
With just a few words, Mu-heun received a fervent welcome from the heirs. After a few more pleasantries, he stepped down.
It was a passionate welcome for a simple greeting. In truth, to the young heirs of the Divine Cult, Mu-heun was a special existence. The Divine Dragon Assembly, where countless strong warriors participated.
Held only once a decade, the Divine Dragon Assembly was the stage the young heirs of the Divine Cult had always dreamed of.
Many warriors would have honed their martial arts and cultivated their internal energy for this tournament.
However.
Unfortunately, for most of them, victory was not the goal.
Seol Ha-ryeong of the Sacred Fire Palace.
Ma Tae-pyeong of the Sword Demon Family.
Lee Baek of the Ferocious Tiger Family.
Woo Mu-gyeong of the Law Palace.
Gu Yang-baek of the Killing Palace.
Wan Se-hwa of the Sacred Moon Demon Family, and others.
This was because a large number of already famous powerhouses were participating.
And yet, there was a man who broke through all those powerhouses to claim victory.
Was he a contender from the start? No. He was a name no one had even recognized. In fact, his participation in the Divine Dragon Assembly was strange in itself.
Such a person was announced as the Cult Leader's sixth disciple at the opening ceremony.
It seemed odd at first, but after he crushed Ak Jin-sam of the Red Demon Pavilion, a strange sense of anticipation began to build. Then he defeated Woo Mu-gyeong, a top contender, and Ma Tae-pyeong, a master whom other heirs wouldn't dare to challenge.
After defeating one master after another, he finally beat Seol Ha-ryeong to seize the championship.
Was that the end? No.
The Red Demon Pavilion, disgraced by their crushing defeat at the Divine Dragon Assembly. In the end, Pavilion Lord Hwang Cheol-ung launched an attack.
An attack perpetrated by none other than a Pavilion Lord, one of the heads of a major faction within the main cult. If it weren't for Mu-heun, none would have escaped death...
Mu-heun thwarted the attack for all to see and, in turn, killed the Red Demon Pavilion Lord.
Not only did he shatter the entire force of the Red Demon Pavilion, but he also proudly established the Dragon Demon Pavilion in its place.
A young heir, barely past the age of twenty, had defeated all the seasoned powerhouses, eliminated the Red Demon Pavilion Lord, and confidently taken his place as one of the five Pavilion Lords of the Divine Cult.
The fourth young master, the scoundrel of the Heavenly Dance Family. No, 'scoundrel' was too mild a word, but now, he was called by a completely different name.
The fourth young master, the genius of the Heavenly Dance Family. No, the Cult Leader's sixth disciple and the Dragon Demon Pavilion Lord, Baek Mu-heun.
"To the genius fourth young master of the Heavenly Dance Family!"
"No, that's not right! To the Dragon Demon Pavilion Lord!"
"Ah, you're right! To the Dragon Demon Pavilion Lord!"
"To the Lord!"
As the banquet livened up, numerous warriors approached Mu-heun, trying to strike up conversations and build connections.
Mu-heun treated them all informally and without pretense, and the heirs of the Divine Cult naturally grew fond of him.
After some time had passed and the alcohol began to take effect, a young warrior approached Mu-heun.
"Dragon Demon Pavilion Lord, no, Dragon Demon Lord? Fourth Young Master? What should I call you?"
"Haha. Call me whatever you're comfortable with. I'm not one to get hung up on such things."
"Hahaha! Yes, then I'll call you Dragon Demon Lord."
"Yes, yes."
"But, there's something I'm really curious about... Ha, I don't know if I should be asking this."
"Haha, what is it? Anything is fine. If it's a difficult question, I simply won't answer."
"Hahaha! I knew you'd say that. Then I'll ask. Dragon Demon Lord, how did you become so strong in such a short time?"
"..."
In that instant, the atmosphere in the banquet hall fell silent.
It was the question everyone had been wondering but dared not ask. The question of how Mu-heun, who wasn't a favored contender from the start, had suddenly become so powerful.
It was a question the young warrior wouldn't have asked if he hadn't been drunk.
In truth, from the moment Mu-heun set foot on the Heavenly Dance Family estate, the heirs had realized it. An aura of an absolute master emanated from his every step and gesture.
He was already at the level of an Elder—a very powerful one at that—so no one present could stand against him.
But who here wouldn't be curious about the secret to his strength?
However, warriors are extremely reluctant to reveal the methods of their training. That's why it was a question that should never have been asked.
Within seconds, the chatter died down, and all eyes were on him. Everyone held the same question.
'What will the Dragon Demon Pavilion Lord, Baek Mu-heun, say?'
It was only natural.
To them, Mu-heun's secret was like a fabled opportunity they could only dream of.
"Are you going to tell us the secret?"
"I, I want to hear it too."
"Could you tell us?"
As Mu-heun hesitated, the young heirs, their patience thinned by alcohol, set aside their food and drinks and approached him.
Just then.
"Kuhahahaha! The strong are strong, is there really a secret method? And why do you think it's called a secret? It's a secret because it can't be told to others. The martial arts learned from the Cult Leader should not be taught carelessly, nor should one carelessly try to learn them. Isn't that right?"
Lee Baek of the Ferocious Tiger Family, perched on a desk with his feet up, laughed heartily like a divine tiger. Seol Ha-ryeong, who had been watching, chimed in.
"Hohoho. For once, that idiot is saying something right. That's true. He is the Cult Leader's disciple; whatever his secret is, he can't just reveal it so easily."
"What? Idiot? Do you want to die?"
"Oh? The one who lost to me and was carried out on a stretcher is still running his mouth?"
"Kuaaargh! Let's go again!"
As Seol Ha-ryeong and Lee Baek bickered, the young heirs in the banquet hall cleared their throats and returned to their seats.
Mu-heun found the thoughts of these young heirs rather amusing.
'Those two are certainly livening up the banquet.'
As the mood shifted abruptly, the warrior who had asked the childish question quickly changed his tune.
"I-I'm sorry. I was thoughtless."
The young warrior who had asked the question realized his mistake and apologized repeatedly.
"Not at all. Let's not dwell on it. I cannot teach you my methods one by one, but if you can gain enlightenment through exchange, you can surely grow. Let's spar often so we can all grow together. Even just doing that will help you all improve quickly."
Instead, Mu-heun laughed heartily and suggested they spar and continue their exchange instead of seeking a secret method. Just then, Gu Yang-baek of the Killing Palace, who had been listening silently without a hint of his presence, spoke up.
"In that case, why don't we decide when and where to spar?"
"Excellent. Then how about this? I have recently become the Dragon Demon Pavilion Lord. I plan to build a rather large training ground at the Dragon Demon Pavilion. Anyone who wishes to exchange martial knowledge should come find me there."
"Excellent!"
"A great idea!"
"Is it open anytime?"
"It would be best to contact me beforehand. Also, I will soon be departing for Sichuan. It's a journey that will take several months. The training ground will be completed by then, and I will invite you all again upon my return. Let's talk again then."
Having given an answer that satisfied most, Mu-heun raised his cup.
"And on this mission to Sichuan, Seol Ha-ryeong of the Sacred Fire Palace and Gu Yang-baek of the Killing Palace will be coming with me."
"...!"
Seol Ha-ryeong and Gu Yang-baek's eyes widened.
"What? I'm going to Sichuan with the Dragon Demon Pavilion Lord?"
Gu Yang-baek asked, dumbfounded.
Seol Ha-ryeong, on the other hand, merely narrowed her eyes.
"That is correct. It is an honor to go with you both."
"Ha, ha, hahaha. Are you certain?"
"An official notice should have arrived at the Sacred Fire Palace and the Killing Palace by now."
"Heh, I see. Very well."
'Neither of them seems particularly opposed. That's a relief. With those two, the trip to Sichuan will be twice as easy.'
Mu-heun paid his respects to everyone and then went in search of the source of the emotions that had been bothering him.
None of the warriors gathered here had shown any hint of shock, fear, anxiety, guilt, or anger on their faces, which made it all the more puzzling.
But strangely, his heart began to beat faster.
There was a sense of urgency.
'None of the heirs gathered here have any reason to feel such emotions. I have to find them and resolve this now. I don't know why, but that's what I felt.'
***
"Miss. Could I speak with you for a moment?"
As the banquet reached its peak, he took advantage of the chaos to approach the person whose expression had been bothering him.
She wasn't talking to anyone, drinking alone in a secluded corner where no one else went.
And tears were streaming from her eyes.
"Miss? Do you not remember me?"
"..."
Mu-heun was momentarily flustered.
'Who is she? I don't know. But she seems familiar. And she seems to know me well. If so, there's only one answer.'
'She's an acquaintance of this body's original owner, the fourth young master of the Heavenly Dance Family, Baek Mu-heun. But on the day I first inhabited his soul, his memories and mine merged. I should remember her...! But I can't recall anything at all.'
'Who in the world is she?'
'And what on earth happened to make her feel those emotions, and why is she crying at a banquet?'
He searched his memories and tried to organize his thoughts, but when no clear answer emerged, Mu-heun spoke.
"I apologize, but after a serious injury, my memory isn't what it used to be. Could you please tell me who you are?"
It was a decent excuse.
Now, all he had to do was wait for an answer.
That should have been it...
"It's all my fault. It's better that you don't remember. Just... please kill me."
"...!"