Are You Saying You Want to Become the Divine Maiden?

“The Divine Maiden selection competition?”

“That’s right. It will begin around this time next year.”

The Divine Maiden Selection. In the Sun Moon Demonic Cult, the Cult Leader and the Divine Maiden are not chosen by the figures of the previous generation—at least, not in the current iteration of the Sun Moon Demonic Cult, which functions as a coalition of the Demonic Factions. That was one of the conditions for the Demonic Factions to join the cult.

The geniuses of the Eight Families, the primary contributors to the Demonic Coalition, would head straight to the main tournament, while the rest would have to pass through the preliminaries. The format dictated that one hundred candidates each for the Cult Leader and the Divine Maiden would advance to the finals. The timing of this competition was meant to be decided by the mutual agreement of the Cult Leader and the Divine Maiden. Since both predecessors had passed away early, the decision fell to the highest elders ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of the cult, the Left Emissary and the Right Emissary... but the Right Emissary was dead, and the Left Emissary had been in seclusion for ten years.

The Manma Assembly finally decided that the competition could no longer be delayed.

The Sword Saint looked at his disciple. ‘It’s a pity. If only we could have bought a little more time.’

Although Seo-ah was not born with a natural talent for martial arts, her comprehension was unparalleled, to the point of defying belief. However, that comprehension only truly shone at the Peak Realm—or at least, after reaching the First-Class level. Before that, no matter how great one’s comprehension was, the physical body could not keep up with the enlightenment. Seo-ah’s current state was exactly that.

‘To be stuck at a mature Second-Class level despite having the enlightenment of a First-Class expert...’

It was deeply regrettable. She was a child with such immense talent that he had the blasphemous thought that her comprehension might even surpass that of the founder of the Sun Moon Demonic Cult, who was said to have reached the realm of an Immortal. But... wasn’t the child before his eyes still too young? To make ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠matters worse, it had not even been two months since Seo-ah began learning martial arts.

The Divine Maiden competition would be attended by young, experienced Peak Realm experts who were considered the geniuses of the cult. Of course, he had no doubt that Seo-ah would stand out even among those Peak Realm experts, but... well. The prospect of her becoming the Divine Maiden felt distant.

Seo-ah asked with a look of surprise. “Next year? That’s... a bit sudden.”

“I did try to delay it as much as I could, but... well, since the positions of Cult Leader and Divine Maiden have been vacant for nearly ten years, this was the best I could do.”

“Ah... then, what should I do about this?”

Suddenly, Seo-ah carefully pulled a book from her robes and handed it over. The Sword Saint received the book with a puzzled expression. As he saw the title, he couldn't help but gasp.

“No... what is... this?”

The Sword Saint’s hands trembled as he opened the book titled Sun Moon Divine Art - Moon and scanned it. Even as an Absolute Peak expert in the Flower Realm, he couldn't grasp the principles of the cult’s highest martial art just by glancing at it, but he could certainly be sure of one thing: although it was a copy and not the original, the book in his hands was indeed the Sun Moon Divine Art. The Sword Saint quickly realized who had committed the insane act of taking the cult’s divine art outside.

“The Left Emissary... must have lost his mind...”

The Sword Saint held the book that should never have been in his possession, his hands shaking as he pondered why the Left Emissary had committed such a mad act. Even if Seo-ah began practicing the Sun Moon Divine Art, it didn't mean she would be immediately appointed as the Divine Maiden. After all, the Divine Maiden competition itself was meant to find a genius capable of 'mastering' the Sun Moon Divine Art - Moon. It would take a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠long time for Seo-ah to master it, and if the fact were discovered or made public before she did... Seo-ah’s head would not remain on her shoulders. She would be attacked by both the moderate and radical factions. The moderates would call her a child who tarnished the sanctity of the cult’s orthodoxy, and the radicals would seek to crush the sprout that had begun practicing the Sun Moon Divine Art.

Then... why did the Left Emissary go so far as to copy the divine art and pass it on to them?

The Sword Saint could easily find the reason.

‘This is... an insurance policy.’

Seo-ah would likely stand out in the Divine Maiden selection, but she still lacked what was needed to ultimately become the Divine Maiden. It seemed the Left Emissary hoped that if Seo-ah failed the selection, she could practice the Sun Moon Divine Art in secret, 'master' it, and then officially usurp the position of the Divine Maiden.

‘He’s crazy. He’s truly lost it. To think he would carelessly take the cult’s divine art outside...’

The Sword Saint recalled the Left Emissary writing books whenever he visited him. If he had known the Left Emissary was copying the divine art, he would have stopped him long ago. But it was already too late. The divine art had been taken outside... and it was now in the hands of his disciple, thanks to a fanatic.

‘But... it might actually be... okay.’

On second thought, it was a viable method. It was just that it 'felt' a bit sacrilegious. The only time Seo-ah would be in trouble for touching the cult’s divine art was if she failed to 'master' it. But what if she did master it?

That in itself would become her justification. ‘The current Divine Maiden is flawed! The previous Divine Maiden and the Left Emissary foresaw this and brought the true Divine Maiden to me, the Sword Saint!’

‘What kind of nonsense is that! How can you say such things in front of a Divine Maiden elected through a legitimate competition!’

‘Look at this!’

If Seo-ah were to demonstrate the mastered Sun Moon Divine Art in front of everyone at that moment? The position of the Divine Maiden was, in the end, a position to prove that one was the representative of the heavens by mastering the Sun Moon Divine Art. If one mastered the Sun Moon Divine Art, that existence itself was the representative of the heavens; in the case of the Divine Maiden, she was the Moon itself.

What about the issue of Seo-ah practicing the illicitly removed divine art? The divine art was simply given to the true representative of the heavens. If the radical faction tried to push through with force? What did it matter when they had the real 'Divine Maiden,' an Absolute Peak expert who was one of the few in the cult’s history to have mastered the Sun Moon Divine Art? Even the orthodox faction, who were sitting on the sidelines claiming to protect orthodoxy, would follow the real Divine Maiden.

‘I’m going crazy. The more I think about it, the more plausible it sounds.’

The Sword Saint didn't worry about what would happen if Seo-ah failed to master the Sun Moon Divine Art. With Seo-ah’s comprehension, she would surely be able to do it. The fact that the previous Divine Maiden and the Left Emissary were so fixated on Seo-ah played a part in that belief. And if by any chance she couldn't master it? As long as she hid her martial arts well, there would be no problem.

‘...It’s not my place to say anything to the unbelievers.’

The Sword Saint struggled between his faith and a slight, realistic compromise for the sake of the cult. Of course, the deliberation was short. The Sword Saint briefly conveyed the facts. If she wanted to practice this divine art, she could. There would be some risks involved. However, he told her that if she wasn't prepared to become the Divine Maiden... he could not let her practice this divine art.

Contrary to the Sword Saint’s expectation that she would be horrified and refuse immediately, and his preparation to tell her to think about it slowly once more, Seo-ah began to think deeply. Perhaps the month spent with the Left Emissary had influenced her greatly.

After about a quarter of an hour, Seo-ah finally opened her mouth.

“I... want to learn it.”

“Are you saying you want to become the Divine Maiden?”

Seo-ah nodded. In truth, the Sword Saint had hoped she would say that, but now that the answer had come, his heart felt uneasy.

“Is that truly your decision? You, who until recently almost had a fit at the mere mention of becoming the Divine Maiden—now that you say you will become one, I feel more worried than happy.”

“This is my decision.”

The Sword Saint looked quietly into Seo-ah’s eyes, as if telling her to speak. Seo-ah began to speak, as if she had expected the Sword Saint to say that.

“The reason I was reluctant to become the Divine Maiden until now was because I didn't have a grand cause to justify taking that position.”

“When we discussed the reasons for practicing martial arts with No-ya last time, I told you my thoughts on my life.”

“Do you think others have a grand cause for becoming the Divine Maiden? I don't think so. But I... at least have the mindset to reach out my empty hands to others.”

“If I become the Divine Maiden... if I become a greater person, I will be able to reach out my hands to more people. That will become my cause. And it will become the meaning of my life.”

“If it’s for that, even if I don't have the mindset that I must become the Divine Maiden... I think I have the qualifications to participate in the competition and practice the divine art.”

Seo-ah scratched her head and added, “Or, well... it might also be because it’s a waste to give up the greatest divine art in the world right in front of my eyes.”

On a night when the full moon rose, Seo-ah returned to her quarters. She carried the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Sun Moon Divine Art inside her robes.

‘So-so isn't here.’

Was she dragged off somewhere and getting scolded? In the room left alone, Seo-ah opened the Sun Moon Divine Art and scanned it briefly. However, she couldn't understand a single thing properly. It was a martial art of the highest order, requiring at least the Peak Realm to enter and the Transcendental Realm to see its full power. It was a divine art that could become the greatest in the Demonic Faction... no, the greatest in the world. In a way, it was natural.

Day 1 of the Sun Moon Divine Art. Seo-ah, who understood nothing, tucked the book back into her robes and turned her gaze toward the pile of letters on her desk. The sender of the letters was, without a doubt, So-yul. The letters were filled with dense black ink.

‘Let’s see... I miss you. Answer me. Where are you? I’m... sorry? Why is she sorry?’

Well, So-yul’s eccentric behavior wasn't a one-time thing. Was the Left Emissary similar to So-yul in the past? Anyway, Seo-ah sat in her chair, lit the lamp, and picked up a brush.