Radiant Ascension Path
I looked at the main gate of the Seon Family Manor.
Since it was broad daylight with the sun high overhead, the gate stood wide open. Through the gap I could glimpse the interior. The garden was immaculate, the buildings large and lavish.
The gate may have been boldly thrown open, but that didn't mean just anyone could stroll inside.
Two gatekeepers stood watch, glaring at me with sharp eyes.
I ignored them and took a step forward. They immediately raised their spears and leveled them at me.
When I stepped back, they returned to their original rigid stance. Well trained.
"……."
I took a step. They aimed their spears. I retreated. They lowered them.
After roughly eight repetitions of this, one of the gatekeepers barked in a voice thick with irritation.
"Enough! Are you playing games right now?! If you have business, speak!!"
"Don't raise your voice. Not if you want to live."
"……!"
I let my killing intent show. Overwhelmed, they swallowed dryly and shifted into combat stances. Killing gatekeepers would be easy. Gatekeepers were just for show, after all.
The problem is that the ones inside would be hard to handle without lifting the seal.
The Heavenly Demon Cult would be watching my every move from the shadows. Charging in with the seal lifted was impossible. That would turn everything I'd done so far into nothing.
"I come from the Heavenly Demon Cult."
The gatekeepers exchanged glances and lowered their weapons. A bead of cold sweat traced a line down each of their foreheads.
"…What business brings a martial artist of the Heavenly Demon Cult to the Seon Family Manor?"
"I am carrying out a mission for the Cult. The mission is to eliminate a traitor of the Cult. The Seon Family will cooperate."
"……We don't have the authority for that. We will report to the Family Head. Please wait a moment."
"I'll give you the time of one incense stick. After that, I'll force my way into the Seon Family Manor if I have to."
One of the gatekeepers scrambled inside.
The Seon Family was one of the factions cooperating with the Heavenly Demon Cult. Because Haga City sat near the Cult's territory.
The Seon Family can't afford to ignore the Heavenly Demon Cult. Things should go smoothly. All I need to do is kill my target, Chujeo. Our skills are about equal, so will he try to run? If he runs, things get annoying.
I spread my sensory field. The moment I sensed anyone fleeing the manor, I'd move.
I didn't have to wait long. The gatekeeper who'd gone inside came rushing back, panting, and said to me:
"The Family Head formally invites you, young hero! I will escort you to the reception hall!"
Things were going well.
I stepped confidently across the threshold of the Seon Family Manor.
In the reception hall I faced the head of the Seon Family. A man who looked to be in his forties. Neat, composed attire. Thick eyebrows and a beard on his chin. The very image of a great hero straight out of a martial arts novel.
"A pleasure to meet you. I am Seon Haedo, head of the Seon Family."
Elegant Crane First Sword, Seon Haedo.
That was the moniker Seon Haedo carried.
"Lightning Flash Blade Yeom Guseok, of the Heavenly Demon Cult."
"Have a seat first, and we'll talk."
I dropped heavily into the chair he indicated. Teacups sat on the table. Clean green tea steamed gently. I took a sip and spoke.
"My purpose in coming to the Seon Family is exactly what I told the gatekeepers. Chujeo. I know a traitor of the Heavenly Demon Cult is living here as a guest retainer. Bring him to me."
I made no effort to hide my hostility.
Even with me invoking the Heavenly Demon Cult, Seon Haedo didn't so much as twitch an eyebrow.
"Chujeo, a traitor of the Heavenly Demon Cult… I find that hard to believe."
"Are you doubting the Heavenly Demon Cult?"
"No, don't misunderstand. Our Seon Family has an alliance with the Heavenly Demon Cult. Of course I trust our ally, the Cult. What I can't trust is you."
"That same Heavenly Demon Cult gave me this mission. Kill the traitor and bring back his head. Seon Haedo. If the Seon Family is an ally of the Cult, then cooperate with me right now."
"Haha. You speak as if you represent the entire Heavenly Demon Cult. Are you the Heavenly Demon himself? …No, that was too irreverent. Let me rephrase. Are you even an elder of the Heavenly Demon Cult?"
"……."
The atmosphere was off. Seon Haedo showed not the slightest intention of cooperating. Things weren't going well after all.
"I do not casually cast out a guest of the Seon Family."
"I told you the man is a traitor of the Heavenly Demon Cult."
"The Cult isn't the issue. I simply cannot take you at your word. Bring an official request for cooperation from the Heavenly Demon Cult bearing an elder's name. Then I'll cooperate without another word."
"……."
Go back to the Heavenly Demon Cult at this point? Even running full speed with light-foot techniques, it would take at least four days. Time was far too short. And I couldn't use a spatial transfer scroll for official business either. Even if I did return to the Cult, there was zero chance they'd write the elder's cooperation request Seon Haedo wanted.
"Around this time of year, the Ipmaso of the Heavenly Demon Cult is conducting its third trial."
"……You knew from the start."
"I have no doubt you are a martial artist of the Heavenly Demon Cult. But that doesn't mean I have any obligation to cooperate with you unconditionally."
There was no support from the Cult for my mission. I had to complete it by my own power somehow. Persuading the Seon Family was my responsibility too. Securing Seon Haedo's cooperation to kill Chujeo was part of the mission.
"You should have shown proper courtesy from the beginning and requested my cooperation. Well, it's not too late even now. Show some manners. Kneel, bow your head, and apologize to me. Then I'll consider your request."
Asking for cooperation with money might have been faster.
I let out a sigh.
Irritation surged. Seon Haedo's realm was at best Ogi second stage. He was weaker than me. If I lifted the seal and went all out, I was confident I could kill him within fifty exchanges.
When I rose from my seat, Seon Haedo's eyes sparkled with expectation.
I grabbed the teacup from the table and hurled it at the wall. Crash! The cup shattered, tea running down the wall in rivulets. Killing intent radiated from Seon Haedo.
I opened my mouth and poured voice and killing intent together. The Heavenly Demon Divine Art stirred. Demonic qi laced my words.
"You fucking insect. I'll come back later and wipe your pathetic little Seon Family off the map without leaving a single foundation stone. I'll rape your wife to death, tear your children apart, and burn every last member of your household. The name Seon Family will vanish from the martial world forever. You just sit there and wait for that day, full of regret."
Crack!
The teacup Seon Haedo had been holding shattered. He trembled. Rage? No. He was clearly terrified of me. He bit his lip. Desperately trying to hide the fear while putting on a show of anger.
"…Are you threatening the Seon Family right now? The likes of you? Even if I kill you here and now, the Heavenly Demon Cult won't hold me guilty of any crime!"
"Kill me if you can."
"……."
He clamped his mouth shut.
Refusing to cooperate with me and killing a member of the Heavenly Demon Cult were two different matters. On top of that, my brazen attitude had probably made him wonder if I had powerful backing.
I quietly reined in my Heavenly Demon Qi. I checked the seal. The seal remained intact, unbroken. Looking at Seon Haedo, still rigidly frozen in overwhelm, I felt the true power of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art.
I went outside. I ran into Seon Family martial artists. I walked right past them. Even if I didn't like it, I couldn't start a scene here. An all-out war with the Seon Family would put me at a disadvantage.
Coming back at night to assassinate Chujeo… doesn't seem feasible. Their alert level will be sky-high. Chujeo will have noticed my presence too, so he won't leave the manor…
Outside the main gate, I turned and looked back at the Seon Family Manor. The lavish buildings were thoroughly annoying. If I'd just gotten Seon Haedo's cooperation, this would have been easy. Now everything was tangled. Killing intent rose.
"……!!"
The two gatekeepers clutched their weapons and glared fiercely.
"What are you looking at. Eyes down."
"……."
When I growled while circulating the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, the gatekeepers immediately dropped their gazes.
I walked the streets. I turned my mind over, trying to come up with a method. But nothing came to mind. Surging irritation kept interrupting my thoughts.
Passing through an alley, I spotted some thugs snickering. Squatting in the alleyway, laughing among themselves about something. The moment they saw me standing at the mouth of the alley, their faces twisted.
"What the hell is this now… Ghk!!"
I kicked the one who spoke.
"You're my sandbags. Just take the beating."
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
I grabbed the thugs by the collars and beat them without mercy. Of course I controlled my strength. Right now I was Yeom Guseok. I couldn't kill people casually. Especially not while on a mission.
After a while of punching, I lowered my hands. I hadn't meant to kill them, but they were so weak I accidentally finished them off. They'd learned some martial arts, but they were third-rate trash who hadn't even reached Ipsik.
Fuck. Can't even serve as sandbags. Useless bastards.
The alley was already soaked in blood. It was a secluded spot, so no witnesses in sight. The Cult's informants weren't watching my every single move either, so they wouldn't know about this.
As I was about to slip out of the alley unnoticed, a fun idea suddenly struck me.
I smeared the fallen men's blood on the alley wall and left a review.
No-brand trash, so the beating felt fucking worthless.
To the sandbags' moms and dads:
Make your sandbags properly, you useless bastards.
Writing the review improved my mood a little.
Whew. At times like this, I really should hit a brothel. Let's blow off some steam at Boyiru.
And the next day. Before leaving, I bought the neighboring building and wrote a review on its wall.
The food is so-so. The liquor is good — they use premium stuff. But at a brothel, food and drink don't really matter. The most important thing at a brothel is, of course, the courtesans.
The courtesans' skills are outstanding. Their looks go without saying — the absolute best — and they sing well and dance well. Especially Yeong-i's (Zero Two) dance, which she performs to full satisfaction. Among the top-tier courtesans, Hyewol has the finest breasts. Wolhyang has the most exquisite pussy — a true masterpiece.
When calling courtesans, I recommend three or more. That way the atmosphere never drops.
Boyiru's private suites are better appointed than other brothels. But rather than renting a suite, I strongly recommend hiring a boat and playing on the river.
The boat outing is a whole new world. The courtesans' bodies reflected in the river water stir my dried-up sensibilities. For reference, all of Boyiru's top-tier courtesans are said to have mastered the Maiden's Classic.
Also, you attendant bastards need to move faster. I almost docked a star because of you, but I held back by thinking about Hyewol's breasts and Wolhyang's pussy.
Later, when someone broke into the building, the review became known to the world, and Boyiru grew even more famous.
And the brothel ratings of the 'Passing Great Hero' became a legend across the continent.
Any review he left with two stars or fewer was treated as a garbage brothel, while four stars or more were praised as the finest establishments. Three stars meant a decent, average place. And then a review writer named 'Halgasu' appeared and plunged the world into shock.