Chapter 194: Message (2)
“Spread a qi membrane since we need to absorb the energy.”
“Yes!”
Hyeok Mun snapped his fingers. With a sharp crackle, red sparks flew out, and something invisible brushed past me.
A qi membrane—a thin barrier made of pure energy.
It usually blocked out sound, making it a common technique for secretive conversations.
Of course, I couldn't do it myself.
I pressed a fragment of the Red Dragon's bone against Pa Cheon.
[Is it okay to do this so openly?]
‘They won’t suspect a thing anyway. See?’
“Ooh!”
Hyeok Mun watched in awe as the thunder qi from the Red Dragon's bone was absorbed into Pa Cheon.
“Indeed, it's thunder qi of tremendous purity! Absorbing it directly could damage your meridians, so you're filtering it through the sword first.”
Hyeok Mun kept nodding in admiration.
‘See?’
[……You demon. Let's stay apart for just a week.]
‘What are you talking about?’
[He's already this stupid after a short time, so how much dumber have I gotten from being stuck with you all day?]
‘Fair point. Without me, you'd be the Heavenly Demon yourself.’
[Really?]
‘Yeah, right. We can't separate anyway because of the contract restrictions.’
Pa Cheon and I were bound by a blood contract, making it impossible to part ways.
If we strayed too far beyond a certain radius, we simply couldn't go any further.
[Efficiency has improved dramatically. That half-named thing you came up with……]
‘Infinite Power Quantum Mechanics Superconductor Orbital Bombardment Thunder Shadow Sword? Based on the meteor sword principle.’
[We need to finalize the name soon. Anyway, with that, it can sustain for a full hour. Ah, but if we use Gongjin's energy to purge the impurities, it'd drop to less than half.]
Even that was a massive boost in output.
It wasn't long ago that I was constantly running low on stored internal energy during crises.
Anyway, once Pa Cheon absorbed the energy from the Red Dragon's bone, it crumbled to dust just like before.
This meant I wouldn't have to worry about running out of internal energy for a while. Preparations complete.
Hyeok Mun stared at the scene as if entranced, then suddenly clapped his hands as if remembering something.
“Right! Here's the report you requested.”
Hyeok Mun handed me a thick stack of documents, about the length of a finger joint, with utmost deference.
[Nicely organized.]
With the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult absent and the Sado Family's intelligence network crippled after Sado Gwang's death, we'd decided to borrow the Hyeok Family's power.
But our esteemed Chairman Kim of Food Supply Co. always said good reports were meant to be heard, not read.
It wasn't trauma from skimming a report after two all-nighters only to hear, “Good job. But what now? We decided not to do business with them.”
I was simply acting the part of the “Great Red Dragon.”
That's how all the high and mighty types behaved.
“Summarize the contents.”
“Pardon?”
“You didn't come here without reviewing the report first. Condense it, summarize, and brief me.”
“Uh…… Yes. Well, then.”
Hyeok Mun fumbled awkwardly. He was used to receiving reports, not giving them.
“F-First off. Um, so.”
“Hah. Incompetent fool.”
“S-Sorry!”
“Enough. Just answer my questions.”
“Yes, O Incarnation!”
“What of Chu Tae Su?”
Without a doubt, the biggest threat to the cult was Chu Tae Su.
The others were somewhat controllable and predictable, but our 0.7 Sado Gwang, Chu Tae Su, was neither.
My influence didn't reach him either.
Tracking his movements was essentially tracking all threats to the cult.
“Chu Tae Su has gone into seclusion.”
“……Seclusion?”
“Yes. Word is he's conducting closed-door training for some soul-ensnaring technique research.”
“Closed-door training, huh.”
“He must have fled in despair after you foiled all his plans.”
“Tch. Not just incompetent, but stupid too.”
“Pardon?”
I clicked my tongue and continued.
“Chu Tae Su is a sly, insidious bastard. If he's hiding, it means he's scheming something from the shadows. Nothing else.”
“I-I'll keep that in mind.”
By my rough calculations, he should be starting mass production of jiangshi around now.
Seclusion was probably just an excuse for that.
‘At least it's good that he's cut ties with the Blood Cult.’
I didn't know the exact process for making jiangshi, but I strongly suspected Blood Cult involvement.
Especially that “Blood Jiangshi” he revealed at the end—the name alone was suspicious.
“The Sado Family is operating smoothly. The other Mad Demon Six Families, excluding the Il Wol Chu Family, are respecting our territory, so no major issues……”
“But?”
“That brat Song Yang Geon is issuing challenges to the family heads.”
While I was away, Song Yang Geon had apparently reverted to his old habits, challenging everyone.
Of course, even a genius like Song Yang Geon was no match for the current heads of the Mad Demon Six Families.
“Handle him appropriately.”
“Understood.”
There was little else on the other families.
“I hear a Blood Cult subjugation force is being formed. Status?”
“It has been assembled around Jin Yeong Ryeong, but it's just manpower for now—no official deployment. They're on standby to mobilize once the Blood Cult shows itself in force.”
“I see. So Jin Yeong Ryeong leads the subjugation force.”
I pulled a small gourd bottle from my bosom.
“What is that?”
“Deliver this to Jin Yeong Ryeong. It's blood essence diluted with my blood.”
I'd had Gwang-yeon scrape some from the Blood Tree division in advance, anticipating it might come in handy, and stored it in the gourd.
Since both stemmed from the same blood arts but diverged, showing her the difference alone would propel her realm forward.
“Why give that to Jin Yeong Ryeong?”
Hyeok Mun seemed miffed that I was favoring her over him.
“Fool. Have you forgotten what happened to Jin Yeong Ryeong after drinking my blood?”
“Oh! Right. Her realm plummeted.”
“That's because of the Red Dragon's energy. Diluted, it's medicine; concentrated, poison.”
“Then, from her perspective, this is an elixir?”
“But it will infuse her body with my blood's energy.”
“Ooh! I see! You plan to enslave the Jin Family as the Great Red Dragon's slaves!”
“……Yes. Exactly.”
The reason for giving Jin Yeong Ryeong my blood was simple.
‘I'll control both the subjugation force and the Blood Cult.’
The perfect birth of a puppet master.
[Why aren't you laughing ‘muhuhuhu’? That's the chuunibyou you mentioned.]
‘I was just about to. Muhuhuhu.’
It'd be like playing a game with an invincible cheat key.
“Don't get any funny ideas—make sure it gets delivered.”
“I'll keep it in mind.”
“Finally. What is the Heavenly Demon up to these days?”
Hyeok Mun scowled at the mention of “Heavenly Demon,” then hastily smoothed his expression upon realizing he was before me.
“The Heavenly Demon remains the same. Idly wasting time atop the Heavenly Demon Palace, doing nothing.”
Hyeok Mun wouldn't know.
How fortunate it was for the world that Yi Se-ryeong was wasting time.
‘Good. No unusual activity.’
Hyeok Mun clapped his hands again with a smack.
“What?”
“Sorry. I just remembered one more thing.”
Hyeok Mun pulled out a crumpled letter from his bosom.
“It's from Gu Jin-gyeong. I received it via messenger bird last night too.”
“Urgent news, then.”
Since he didn't care much for Gu Jin-gyeong, Hyeok Mun had stored the letter carelessly.
I tore it open.
I am well aware of your exploits. All of it reaches the Supreme One's ears. The Supreme One seems greatly pleased and counts the days until seeing you again.
However, Sado Family Head, you are a candidate for the Supreme One's consort. You must conduct yourself with utmost caution in every matter. Do nothing to incur the Supreme One's wrath.
I have covered this incident on my end. I trust you understand, so I shall say no more. This ends it.
A chill ran down my spine the moment I read it. So much so that the blue ring in my ear flickered briefly.
I'd only managed that much by channeling the Heavenly Demon Divine Art; otherwise, my hands might have trembled.
“……”
[……]
This clearly implied they knew about my encounter with Jin So-cheong.
Yes, questioning “how” was pointless.
Just as I'd said in the cave upon arriving in this Murim Return world, the cult's eyes and ears were everywhere.
Even if it wasn't true, the fact that it nearly reached the Heavenly Demon's ears was a massive problem.
I'd almost awakened the obsessive yandere Heavenly Demon.
‘Gotta be really careful from now on.’
I could guess why Jin So-cheong did it.
‘Cliché.’
Women flock to the protagonist, and they fall for him without him lifting a finger.
Especially someone like Jin So-cheong, who already showed loyalty to me.
‘In that sense, Sa Wol is impressive. That's true loyalty.’
[Yes. From the letter, it's best they think that.]
‘What are you on about?’
Anyway, I resolved to be extra cautious going forward.
At least Shaolin, our next stop, posed no risk of scandals.
“I'll read the rest myself.”
“Understood, O Incarnation.”
“Hyeok Mun. Keep up the good work. My time as incarnation is gradually lengthening.”
“Has the Sado Family Head noticed?”
“He thinks it's a side effect of his cultivation art. No need to worry.”
“As expected, you had a plan.”
“On the day of my next descent, I shall use you importantly.”
Hyeok Mun slammed his head to the ground, repeatedly crying, “O Red Dragon!”
At this rate, if I returned to the modern world, I'd end up a cult leader instead of an actor.
“I'm heading back.”
I stepped down from the carriage and summoned Sa Wol and Tak Horak again. We rejoined the group.
It had been a fruitful long night.
The next day.
Our party arrived at Song Mountain, Shaolin Temple.
The Shaolin monks had already heard of our arrival and come out to greet us.
“It's a pleasure to see you again. Welcome to Shaolin.”
Leading the welcome was none other than the Shadowless Divine Thrower, Gongjin.
But.
“Puhaha! Bear-cat monk?”
“Soso-ya. Don't say bear-cat to a monk. Say panda.”
……Same difference.
Just like the Paeng grandfather and granddaughter had said, Gongjin's eyes were bruised black, panda-style.
“What happened?”
“Well.”
Gongjin sent me a transmission.
Senior Brother Gong-a did this to me.
Gong-a—Sa Wol's older brother.
Pretending to Be the Heavenly Demon