Chapter 273: Hitting an Empty House
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 273: Hitting an Empty House
When I think of the color red, the first thing that comes to mind is my Heart Demon.
Red scales, red glowing eyes.
…And those bizarre clothes, which were also strangely red.
But that form originated from me.
The worst being I could possibly imagine.
It might even be the form of the one who had a hand in killing me once.
My Heart Demon itself had even complained to me, asking why it had to look like this.
And yet, someone recognized me as a Gomodo because of that appearance?
Was she saying the previous Gomodo carried around a Heart Demon that looked like mine?
No, that couldn’t be right.
If nothing else, there was no way he would have copied that outfit.
Then how on earth did she know?
Tang Muyeong, unable to tear himself away from the insects, displayed a strange and wondrous footwork as he walked backward, but my gaze didn’t follow him.
I had too much to think about.
Once Tang Muyeong left, the believers began to subtly offer me alcohol.
They claimed to have acquired a world-renowned liquor made from aged spiderwebs, but a glance inside revealed what I suspected were the webs of Pus and Nephila.
When I smelled it, I thought I could detect Tus’s poison as well.
Naturally, I refused.
I needed to think about my Heart Demon, and I had just remembered what Soyeong told me about the believers’ secret.
No wonder they always managed to find alcohol whenever I was away. So this was their insidious purpose.
Did you guys join the Gaegaek Cult for my body?
I was about to say something straight out of an erotic comic, but I had a strong feeling that if I did, I’d be the one to blame for having such scales and would end up mummified. I kept my mouth shut.
Leaving the disappointed believers behind, I finally got some time to myself.
Time to myself, of course, meant time for Qi cultivation.
Tus and Pus, who had been whining with slight disappointment, suddenly started bustling about, preparing something as soon as I said I was going to cultivate.
As the Left and Right Guardians, it seemed they intended to stand watch while I cultivated.
It made sense. Back when I was a crocodile monitor, they had protected me when I first started cultivating.
I asked them to stand guard and sat in the lotus position.
Starting from my dantian, I began to circulate my qi.
The biggest difference between my cultivation and a human’s was, without a doubt, the presence of a tail.
And my tail happened to be longer than that of a normal lizard.
Right now, that tail was packed with an incredible amount of elixirs.
It was enough to make me think that if I digested it all, I could reach the threshold of my next evolution.
Of course, a satisfying option like a special evolution probably wouldn’t appear, but given the path I’d walked so far, I could at least get a foothold among the high-tier dragon races.
But my tail was no longer my own.
It was an offering for my Master, so I couldn’t use the power of the elixirs carelessly.
It was a slightly calculating thought, but if my Master recovered after receiving my tail, there was a very high chance she would give me things far more valuable than the elixirs I had consumed.
The elixirs stored in my tail were mostly focused on recovery, so she might just give me a mountain of elixirs effective for enhancing internal energy.
She might even tell me I’d worked hard and feed them to me herself.
And, just as Seol-hwa mentioned last time, I would rest in the hot spring.
And there, Seol-hwa and my Master would…
“Gerong, kkerorong. Kkerororororong…”
For a moment, I indulged in a blissful delusion that could make a lizard’s stomach burst with happiness.
“Kieeeeng?”
Tus and Pus made a noise, telling me to stop daydreaming and focus.
Right, enough with the idle thoughts.
Focus.
As I continued to circulate my internal energy, the image of a lake began to shimmer before my eyes.
Normally, I couldn’t face my mental image just by cultivating, but for some reason, I was able to reach it quickly today.
Did that Heart Demon bastard know I was looking for it?
—Hmph, what brings you all the way here?
There was no dramatic entrance, leaping out of the lake like before.
No flashing of red eyes.
And it wasn’t wearing those flowing clothes.
It was simply sticking its head out of the water.
—Khuht, kukuk…
The Heart Demon suddenly burst out laughing.
What was so funny?
—How could I not laugh? I saw you in that state.
My state?
…
Right.
To counter the Heart Demon of that “suspiciously suspicious thing,” I had to take on that form for a moment.
—Kuhuhuk! It’s been a while since I laughed so hard. Good grief, do you get it now? Do you understand the horrible thing you did to me?
It seemed it hadn’t been pleased about having to wear that strange outfit all the time.
Of course, if it had been pleased, that would have been a problem in its own right.
But I had an excuse.
I didn’t want my Heart Demon to look like that, either.
No one would.
The Heart Demon was embarrassed, and I was mentally scarred.
—Hehe… Not only that, but you also landed a blow on that fool who held his head so high, calling himself an ancient being. Of course I’m in a good mood.
It was clearly laughing with delight.
Though it was just a heinous-looking face, having seen it for a while now, I could tell it was a smile.
So that’s why you let me in so quickly.
—You show me that form and then seek me out again. I thought you wouldn’t come for hundreds of years. Do you have some urgent business?
Hundreds of years was a bit of an exaggeration, but just as it said, I hadn’t wanted to face my Heart Demon again.
Even if we could communicate, it was still a Heart Demon. The more I faced it, the more of a disadvantage I would be at.
But there was a question I had to ask it.
What was its connection to the previous Gomodo?
And what was the Heart Demon’s true identity?
—You seem to have some time on your hands, asking such a useless question.
It’s not a useless question.
To me, a descendant of the Gomodo, the connection to my predecessor is more important than anything.
To stand against the True Dragon, I’ll have to become at least as strong as the previous Gomodo.
—Hmmm… I don’t know why you’re asking such a thing, but since I’m in a good mood, I suppose I can answer.
The Heart Demon stared at me intently.
—My identity is not that complicated.
Its red eyes, a stark contrast to my blue ones, flashed.
—I am the being that will one day devour you and take over your body.
—The demon lurking in your mind, aiming to seize control of you.
…Was it joking?
Was this its sense of humor?
It was a joke that wasn’t the least bit funny.
I wasn’t looking for such a textbook answer that anyone could have given.
The corner of the Heart Demon’s mouth twisted slightly.
It smirked, as if amused by my reaction.
—I am a Heart Demon, and I am you.
It added in a subtle voice.
—Yes, I am you.
…
Right. I should have known it was too good to be true for the Heart Demon to be so cooperative.
Unless I was about to die and it was facing its own demise, there was no way my Heart Demon would ever cooperate with me.
—You don’t seem to believe me?
As if I would.
No, it wasn’t even a matter of belief. What the Heart Demon said was so devoid of substance it couldn’t even be considered a joke.
—Think what you will. It will be more entertaining that way.
I felt like I had just wasted my time.
Just as I was about to leave my mental image, the Heart Demon spoke once more.
—Since you’ve come all this way, I’ll give you a piece of advice.
Advice?
What was it planning now with that three-inch… no, that three-foot-long tongue of its?
Still, I might as well listen.
When it came to information, the more the better.
If it was the truth, great. If it was a lie, it would still be useful in its own way.
—This time, you won’t be able to keep everything.
The Heart Demon’s red eyes glanced at my tail.
—You will certainly have to cut one thing off. Think carefully about what you will choose.
Was this a pathetic attempt to mess with my head?
I’d heard enough.
—Handing your body over to me is also a fine choice.
—My offer is still valid, after all.
I knew what the Heart Demon’s words meant.
A big fight was coming soon.
I could have predicted that much even without its advice.
I had destroyed the Black Cloud Faction.
Retaliation from the True Dragon was the natural next step.
And I was actually waiting for it.
The current Gaegaek Cult was a powerful group that wouldn’t be easily pushed around by anyone.
And I was confident that, as I was now, I would not lose to anyone.
I won’t be able to keep everything?
For a Heart Demon, it still didn’t know me at all.
Dragons are sacred and divine beings.
At least, Eastern dragons are.
In the West, dragons are evil and greedy creatures.
And I am inherently greedy and covetous.
There isn’t a single thing I have that I’m willing to give up.
I pulled myself out of my mental image and looked at my tail.
The tail, a collection of all sorts of elixirs, was heavier than ever.
So heavy it was difficult to move properly.
I’ll have to cut one thing off?
As if I would.
“Everyone, listen.”
I opened my heavy mouth.
And I gave my orders to everyone.
Orders on how we would deal with the invaders to come.
“So this is the 100,000 Great Mountains!”
Qiongqi, in the form of a brown-haired man, shouted as he took a deep breath.
The 100,000 Great Mountains, a land teeming with all kinds of spirit beasts and powerful beings.
If not for certain reasons, Qiongqi himself would have been fighting for his life here every single day.
To be here now, with the True Dragon’s permission, he couldn’t help but be thrilled.
“Lower your voice. We investigate first.”
Bixi, a man with blue hair, growled in a low voice.
Seeing his reaction only amused Qiongqi further.
He knew exactly why Bixi was acting this way.
“Going to see your precious little sister, you have to be quiet. Of course, of course!”
Bixi fell silent.
He decided there was no point in talking to Qiongqi.
“Don’t just stand there with your mouth shut. We have to carry out the Master’s orders, don’t we? That means we should share information, right?”
Bixi’s eyebrow twitched.
Uncharacteristically, Qiongqi was making a valid point.
“…There is an object that must be hidden in Chodo’s territory.”
“I know that much. Something that can’t fall into anyone else’s hands, right?”
“Yes. And it’s an object that cannot even be destroyed.”
“Hoh. If even He cannot destroy it… it must be a divine relic.”
Qiongqi knew the True Dragon’s overwhelming power.
If there was something even he couldn’t break, it could only be a divine relic, said to have been sent from the heavens.
“It’s not that the True Dragon couldn’t destroy it if he wished. He simply chooses not to, to avoid wasting unnecessary resources.”
“Yes, yes. Of course He would.”
Bixi’s eyebrow twitched again.
“That is why He chose to use it. So that if someone touches the object, their mind can be destroyed.”
“Destroy their mind? …Don’t tell me you’re talking about that furry bastard?”
“No. It uses a similar but different power.”
What Chodo was guarding was a trace left behind by the Heavenly Demon.
Even the True Dragon couldn’t destroy it, so he had set up a device of sorts.
A device to eliminate anyone who would inherit the Heavenly Demon’s will.
“Ho, now I’m starting to get it. I thought we were here to see your sister, but we’re actually here to see a traitor.”
“…It’s not confirmed yet, so don’t run your mouth.”
But the device had been countered.
The news had reached the True Dragon, and shortly after, word came that the Black Cloud Faction had been annihilated.
A sudden, unexpected turn of events.
Bixi believed there had to be a clear connection between these incidents.
The most suspicious person was Chodo.
She had always hated leaving her territory, so it was unthinkable that an intruder could have come into contact with the Heavenly Demon’s trace without her knowledge.
Either the intruder had defeated Chodo, or Chodo had betrayed the True Dragon.
To be precise, it wouldn’t be a betrayal.
Chodo had never been on the True Dragon’s side to begin with.
The True Dragon knew this but had turned a blind eye.
After all, she kept the riffraff from reaching the Heavenly Demon’s trace, and even if someone strong enough to defeat her appeared, he could use his device to control that being in turn.
But his arrangement had been countered, leaving him no choice but to draw his sword.
Chodo’s territory was silent.
It was a dense forest, but for some reason, not a single sound could be heard.
Bixi wasn’t suspicious, however.
Next to him was Qiongqi, the strongest of the Four Fiends.
He knew that all life had fallen silent simply because of the ominous killing intent that leaked from Qiongqi with every breath.
“Your sister is nowhere to be seen, is she?” Qiongqi said in an annoyed tone after they had wandered the forest for some time.
Bixi could only nod slightly.
Chodo rarely left her territory.
And yet, she hadn’t appeared even with Qiongqi leaking so much killing intent.
That meant Chodo wasn’t here, and it was highly likely she had been dealt with by an intruder.
“…Do as you wish.”
Hearing those words, Qiongqi laughed loudly.
“Kuhut, that’s more like it! What’s with this investigation? So unlike you! Let’s just start by blowing this whole forest away!”
Bixi had been restraining Qiongqi in case Chodo got caught in the crossfire.
But now that it was confirmed she wasn’t here, there was no longer any need to control him.
It would be far more advantageous to find the Heavenly Demon’s trace after leveling the entire forest.
Rumble!
It was the moment Qiongqi’s form began to slowly change.
Chiiiiik…
A sudden noise.
It was very faint, but it was the distinct sound of fire.
It was almost buried by the sound of Qiongqi’s transformation, but Bixi heard it clearly.
“Get down!”
KWAAAAAAAANG!
With a roar like the sky collapsing, the entire forest began to dance wildly.
CRACKLE! RUMBLE!
KWAAAAAAAANG!
Of course, an attack of this level couldn’t kill one of the Nine Sons of the Dragon and the most ferocious of the Four Fiends.
But it would be more than enough to buy time and throw their investigation into confusion.
“Hoo…”
Watching the collapsing forest, a green-haired woman spoke quietly.
“Phew, I wonder if this is the right thing to do…”
The self-proclaimed homebody, Chodo.
On the word of a certain lizard, she had just destroyed her own territory with her own hands.
“I wonder if he even knows what ‘let’s live together’ implies, saying it so casually.”