Chapter 14
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Joining the Cult (Complete) - Heaven's Right Side
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Days at the Heavenly Seed Pavilion were incredibly simple.
Morning was training.
Afternoon was classes.
Usually, Geum-gang tempered her body, while Hee Yeon sharpened her swordsmanship.
A girl sitting cross-legged, grimacing as she honed her bones and muscles.
A girl gripping her sword, relentlessly thrusting at one spot until blisters burst on her hands.
Even in this peaceful hall, the madness screamed Demonic Cult.
Very occasionally, Hee Yeon and Geum-gang would spar.
Each time, Hee Yeon got thoroughly thrashed, but she was a girl with unyielding resolve.
"One more time!"
Geum-gang was always genuinely impressed by the girl charging in with her face swollen.
The Chief Instructor of Doctrine, was it?
The two taught each other and learned from one another.
Hee Yeon began training external arts to emulate Geum-gang's physique, and some of Hee Yeon's techniques became Geum-gang's own.
As these peaceful days passed, an unexpected guest arrived.
He stood over eight feet tall.
His massive musculature held no excess fat, so he didn't feel overwhelmingly huge.
His long arms and legs matched his frame, highlighting his balanced physique.
Yet Geum-gang didn't find the man beautiful.
His hair was disheveled like a beggar's, his beard unkempt.
He wore faded black robes worn to threads.
The stench of sweat and stale booze clung to him.
Geum-gang craned her neck way back to look up at him.
"Mister. Who are you?"
Her speech already laced with familiarity, Geum-gang stared at him with wide, sparkling eyes.
The man patted her head with his huge hand.
Each pat made her eyes flutter shut.
"Kiddo. Tell the Pavilion Master to come out."
The man with his peculiar dialect bent down to her level and grinned.
"Well now, you look just like her. You know Ha Jin?"
"She's our master."
'Why's he calling her by name so casually, the jerk.'
Geum-gang bristled at the man tossing her master's name around so freely.
As the girl in front of him scowled and pouted, the man teased her more playfully.
"You know who I am? Ha Jin never mentioned me?"
"No idea!"
Geum-gang sulked even more, but the man just grinned wider, like he was having the time of his life.
"Heh, feisty one. Let's see..."
The moment the man spread his huge hand to grab her shoulder, Geum-gang struck his wrist with blinding speed.
Reflexes etched into her Golden Body.
She'd recognized his touch as an attack.
As Geum-gang readied her next strike, she was already flat on the ground.
'Huh?'
It didn't hurt at all, but she couldn't fathom why she was staring at the sky.
"Whoa, nice one. Wanna go again?"
The man's move hadn't hurt, nor carried any malice.
Still...
'He's so annoying!'
She had to land at least one hit.
Geum-gang harbored mischief and sprang up into stance, but regrettably, the Pavilion Master's voice rang out from behind.
The Pavilion Master was rushing over, clutching her skirts.
"Right Envoy! What brings you here?"
'Right Envoy?'
A strange term echoed in Geum-gang's ears.
'This bum is the Right Envoy?'
Way too shabby for the Heavenly Demon Cult's Right Envoy!
What had her master said?
Ha Jin rarely spoke of people, but occasionally mentioned the Right Envoy.
'Yeah, he's a bum. Could use a bath.'
Oh, right.
"Aw, Pavilion Master. Been too long since we last met."
The man dusted off his knees and rose to greet her.
"Right Envoy. It's been ages. Good to see you."
The Pavilion Master blushed as she welcomed him.
"Yeah, real good. Been way too long."
Geum-gang alternated glances between the Pavilion Master and the Right Envoy, her face scrunching up.
'Damn it.'
It felt like witnessing something gross between adults.
Her stomach churned.
"Let's head in. Got somethin' to say."
The man snatched the wine flask from his belt and followed the Pavilion Master inside.
"Geum-gang! Bring Hee Yeon and come along!"
The Pavilion Master stuck close to the Right Envoy like she had urgent business, gesturing hurriedly.
"Y-yes..."
It was a thoroughly unpleasant first meeting.
As Geum-gang trudged off into the distance, the Right Envoy rubbed his wrist.
"Right Envoy, your wrist...?"
"She's got some strength. Stings a bit."
The Right Envoy caressed his slightly reddened wrist and followed the Pavilion Master inside.
Geum-gang and Hee Yeon scurried over and sat at the round table.
The Pavilion Master wasn't that big, so it hadn't been noticeable before, but with the tall man there, the girls looked like kids.
The man plopped down and dropped a bombshell.
"What did you say?"
"Yeah, Ha Jin's gone missin'."
It was about the disappearance of Geum-gang's master and one of the Heavenly Demon Cult's pillars.
Radiant Light Left Envoy Ha Jin.
"Haven't seen her since she went to see the Cult Leader. It's been half a month already."
Invisible power struggles were underway within the cult right now.
In this chaotic time, the Left Envoy's vanishing implied much.
"To fill the empty seat..."
The Right Envoy glanced at Geum-gang.
"They'll need another Left Envoy."
"The Cult Leader... really..."
The Pavilion Master wrung her fingers.
Ha Jin's vacancy would soon be filled with puppets.
And those puppets would be...
"These two right here."
As the others discussed the cult's situation and the empty envoy seats, Geum-gang's mind wandered elsewhere.
Ha Jin's disappearance.
When exactly?
The image of Ha Jin seeing her off was still vivid in Geum-gang's mind.
'She told me to come back...!'
And then she vanished.
This was worrying.
For the first time in her life, Geum-gang fretted over someone stronger than her.
Noticing Geum-gang's mood, the Right Envoy added unnecessarily.
"Ha Jin won't die. Who could kill that monster? The problem's what happens while the Golden Demon's away."
True enough.
Ha Jin was a master without peers in the Heavenly Demon Cult... no, the world.
The uniqueness of her Golden Body Art amplified her power even more.
"Then... you too, Right Envoy...?"
Quick on the uptake, Hee Yeon eyed him.
The disappearance of the Left Envoy, pillar of the Heavenly Demon faction.
If the Cult Leader orchestrated it, the Right Envoy would be affected too.
"Yeah. I'll be out soon enough."
"What?!"
The Pavilion Master let out a shrill cry.
Both Left and Right Envoys ousted at once?
Unthinkable in normal times.
The symbolism of the envoys equated to power.
Dismissing them both meant...
The Cult Leader had drawn her sword in earnest.
"On what pretext...!"
As the Pavilion Master fumed, Hee Yeon trembled with a grave expression.
She was clearly hearing things she shouldn't.
'They say knowing the world's secrets brings no good...'
She was getting tangled in dangerous webs.
The Right Envoy chugged his booze.
"Hang it on your nose, it's a nose ring; throat, a necklace. They'll find some excuse or other."
"Then the next Left and Right Envoys are...?"
"These two kids."
Hee Yeon and Geum-gang.
Junior disciples too green even to call full cultists, placed at the Heavenly Demon's sides.
This was clearly...
"Ridiculous! Girls not even in their teens yet...!"
"Set up a couple young thorns and do as they please. That's the plan."
Hee Yeon couldn't interject into the conversation unfolding too swiftly.
'Why would the Cult Leader...? Where do we stand in the South Heaven Sword Family?'
"There'll be plenty of threats too. Worst case..."
"Yeah. Makin' one a cripple's no big deal."
Cripple them to prune the buds, leaving weak envoys.
Or poison them, holding their lives hostage to bend them to the Cult Leader's will.
The Cult Leader's options were endless.
Geum-gang recalled her last meeting with the Cult Leader.
The Heavenly Movement Formula was undoubtedly aiding her growth.
If the Cult Leader truly meant to discard them as pawns, it was an unnecessary gift.
"She seemed pretty kind last time."
"Right? Assigning us to the Heavenly Seed Pavilion doesn't exactly trample procedure..."
The Pavilion Master agreed.
The Cult Leader's intentions were utterly inscrutable.
One thing was clear: the two girls were in danger.
No overt moves, but endless intrigue would follow.
As various thoughts swirled in their heads, the Right Envoy slammed the table with his huge hand.
"So, I'm crashin' here for a bit."
"Pardon?"
A declaration to stay in the Heavenly Seed Pavilion, a place of women... well, probably women only.
Yet even to the Pavilion Master, the Right Envoy seemed the only reliable shield against the Cult Leader faction's threats.
"With you here, Right Envoy, we can buy some time at least."
The Right Envoy nodded at her words.
As long as he was around, he could safeguard the girls' growth.
For them not to become puppets, they needed to grow stronger than the Cult Leader anticipated and overturn the board.
To truly become envoys worthy of the title.
"Yeah. Got a promise with Ha Jin. And you—you're her disciple. What'd you do to Dam-mok Gon?"
"Pardon?"
Who was that again?
'Dam-mok Gon. Sounds like a pair of nunchucks.'
Geum-gang mulled it over, lost in rude thoughts about the name.
Dam-mok...
Dam-mok...
Ah!
"Mok-hyeon!"
"Mok-hyeon? Dam-mok Gon's grandson, Dam-mok Hyeon?"
"Yeah. I beat him up a bit at the initiation ceremony. Word got around quick, huh."
Petty jerk.
Running to Grandpa already?
I have a master too.
'Miss my master.'
Geum-gang suddenly missed Ha Jin more.
She hadn't realized it when she could see her, but absence made the heart grow fonder.
"The Eighth Elder was fumin'. Says watch out."
"Everyone's gunning for me. Gotta get stupid strong."
"What? What'd you say?"
Whoops.
Her thoughts slipped out.
"Uh. Um. Means I'll get strong fast."
As Geum-gang scratched her head to brush it off, the Right Envoy burst out laughing.
"Ha Jin's disciple alright! Hahaha!"
He laughed long and hard, wiping tears from his eyes.
"Yeah. Get stupid strong. I'll help. Gotta keep my promise to Ha Jin."
He stank a bit and was filthy, but he was the Heavenly Demon Cult's Right Envoy.
A master rivaling Ha Jin in strength.
"Then how long will you...?"
"Dunno. Till the Cult Leader boots me."
Hee Yeon listened quietly but couldn't keep up.
She knew the cult was divided between the Cult Leader and Heavenly Demon factions, but not that things would escalate this fast.
Let alone her becoming mere words on paper.
Reality was too harsh and tangled for a young girl to grasp.
"Why would the Cult Leader... choose us...?"
She couldn't accept that the Cult Leader she respected was using her.
"Perfect excuse. South Heaven girl and Ha Jin's disciple. Easy to exploit."
One word pierced her ears.
Exploit.
'Ah.'
A strange displeasure washed over Geum-gang.
Ah, this was the unease she'd felt from the Cult Leader.
She didn't see me as a person.
Just a tool to move bricks.
'Again...'
Geum-gang clenched her fists and asked the Right Envoy.
"What do I do to not get exploited?"
"Get strong. Stronger than the Cult Leader expects. Strong enough to beat down anyone who messes with you."
The Right Envoy looked at Geum-gang.
She shone like dawn light.
'Could pass for her daughter.'
Just like Ha Jin in her prime.
Geum-gang slowly rose and stood before the Right Envoy.
"Right Envoy, help me. I want to get strong. Stronger than anyone..."
Danger was fine.
She'd learned countless times over the years how perilous the martial world was.
Let them target me.
Interests always entwine.
I know that much.
'But...!'
Forced into unwanted actions.
Unwittingly becoming a piece on a vast board.
Even dragging in the precious person who'd treated me kindly.
'This shitty feeling...!'
I never want to feel it again.
So no one can wield me carelessly.
So I never feel this disgust again.
And my master...
My...
Tears welled in Geum-gang's eyes.
She couldn't stop the drops falling unbidden.
The Right Envoy turned away and grabbed his flask.
"Yeah. Get strong. We'll go find Ha Jin. And then... the Heavenly Demon... gotta see the Heavenly Demon too."
He took another swig.
'Heavenly Demon, my ass. Poor kid.'
Watching the tearful girl, he thought of another small child, huddled somewhere.
A little one hiding in the pitch-black night.