Radiant Ascension Path
In the reception hall of the House of Seon, the air hung heavy in the moments after Yeom Guseok's departure.
Seon Haedo, master of the House of Seon, stared into empty space through a weighty silence. His eyes kept replaying the image of the man who had just thrown down a declaration of war and stormed out of his estate.
The realm Seon Haedo had sensed from Yeom Guseok was Chulji, second stage. His own was Ogi, second stage — an entirely different dimension of power. Had the two of them fought bare-handed, Seon Haedo could have finished Yeom Guseok within three exchanges. If he had gone all out from the start, settling it in a single exchange would not have been strange at all.
But the Yeom Guseok he had just faced was different. The thought of crushing him like an insect in a single breath simply would not come.
If anything, Seon Haedo had been the one overwhelmed.
That dense, concentrated killing intent was not something some nobody could radiate. It belonged to a man who had killed thousands — no, tens of thousands or more.
…And more dangerous still is Yeom Guseok's demonic art.
Seon Haedo had clearly seen the pitch-black demonic energy that had poured from Yeom Guseok's body. The moment he laid eyes on that unfamiliar aura, instinctive terror had seized him.
To feel fear before a martial artist of the Chulji realm and have my legs tremble… how shameful.
He judged Yeom Guseok's demonic art to be something special.
A demonic art among demonic arts. A grotesque technique barely worthy of being called a martial art at all — the kind that, for instance, grew stronger at terrifying speed by consuming human flesh.
Either way, that man is dangerous. A member of the Heavenly Demon Cult who has already reached the Chulji realm without even graduating from the Ipmaso. Whatever anyone says, his talent is the real thing. Given time… the House of Seon could truly be in peril.
Cut the stump and dig out the roots.
Those four words would not leave Seon Haedo's mind.
For a while he simply breathed in the empty reception hall, steadying his trembling body, then shouted toward the outside.
"Is anyone there?!"
"Yes, my lord!"
A guard's booming reply came back. In truth the man was less a bodyguard than an aide who handled administrative work — a personal secretary, in modern terms.
"I need to speak with Lord Chu Jeo. Bring him to the reception hall at once."
"Yes, my lord!"
Before long the doors opened and a young man entered. Barely past twenty by appearance, this was Chu Jeo — the very target of Yeom Guseok's mission.
One should never be fooled by looks and take him lightly. Chu Jeo was nearly ninety years old. He maintained his youth through a form of cosmetic art that altered his appearance. Of course, the technique was nothing like true immortality. It was merely a method of changing the surface. Time still aged him, so if he wished to keep looking young, he had to undergo the procedure periodically.
For reference, a martial artist who had reached a true realm could never be judged by outward appearance alone.
In this world, methods of preserving youth were many and varied. Techniques of the mystic arts were the most common, but there were also martial arts that halted aging. Seeking youth through wondrous spiritual elixirs was another path.
And there were those who maintained youth naturally, without arts, martial techniques, or elixirs. A master's body followed the form of the spirit. If the spirit remained young, the flesh was influenced in kind and youth was preserved.
But as the years passed, it was not only the body that grew — the spirit matured as well. That was the way of the world. Maintaining a youthful spirit across decades or centuries was a feat even enlightened high monks found difficult.
"Sit."
Chu Jeo took the chair Yeom Guseok had occupied. He glanced behind Seon Haedo. The wall was still wet with spilled green tea, and shattered fragments of a teacup lay scattered beneath it.
"I assume you've already heard who came calling on the House of Seon."
"I heard a martial artist of the Heavenly Demon Cult came to kill me. And that you drove him out, my lord. You have my thanks."
"The House of Seon does not cast out its guests so easily. After all the effort you've poured into this house, would I throw you away like a worn-out shoe?"
"This Chu Jeo feels a profound debt of gratitude toward you, my lord! Even if it costs me my life, I will repay this kindness!"
"As expected — my choice was not wrong."
Seon Haedo smiled with satisfaction, then wiped the expression from his face.
"But the matter is not finished. That man will try to kill you. He is from the Ipmaso, and the mission he received is to take your life."
"…From the Ipmaso. Given the timing, this would be the third trial. He has to return to the Ipmaso, so if I can just hold out for about ten more days…"
"Holding out will not be enough."
Seon Haedo's voice was firm. At that grave, resolute tone, Chu Jeo fell quiet and waited for him to continue.
"That man is no ordinary opponent. If we leave him be, it will not be only you in danger — the House of Seon itself could be threatened. Cut the stump and dig out the roots… We must finish this while he is still in Hagashi. I would like nothing more than to kill him with my own hands, but… I am the master of this house. If I act directly, it could mean a fight to the death with the Heavenly Demon Cult."
"I will follow your will, my lord. I will go out and kill him myself."
"It will be difficult alone."
"Please trust me. I wish to prove my sincerity to you."
"I do trust you. But you know better than I that the Heavenly Demon Cult is no soft target. That man is a dagger of the Heavenly Demon Cult — sharper than any other, more powerful than any other."
"…Hah. You're right. The Heavenly Demon Cult. I underestimated them for a moment. My lord, lend me the Seon Vanguard Corps."
The Seon Vanguard Corps.
A force of thirty martial artists — the House of Seon's finest military unit. The elite of the elite. Every member of the Vanguard Corps held a realm of at least Ipsik, fifth stage.
"I'm sorry, but the House of Seon cannot involve itself directly in this. I ask you to understand my position."
"…I understand. Even for the House of Seon, the burden would be considerable… But then, is there another way…?"
"Lord Chu Jeo. Hear my plan. I intend to make use of the Parallel Kill Guild."
The Parallel Kill Guild was an assassin organization operating across Hagashi and the surrounding region — a society of killers who took coin to end lives as their trade.
"Would the Parallel Kill Guild even accept the contract? Those bastards may be mad for money, but they're not stupid enough to make an enemy of the Heavenly Demon Cult."
"His situation is special right now. He received a mission from the Heavenly Demon Cult, yet he cannot use the Cult's name."
"…The third trial of the Ipmaso…!"
"Exactly. And I have no intention of using them to kill him. You must be the one who kills him. The Parallel Kill Guild will harass him — thoroughly, mercilessly."
"…So my role is to finish him off once he's weakened. Because if I am the one who kills him, the Heavenly Demon Cult will stay quiet."
Seon Haedo swallowed once. He twisted his face into a performance of anguish.
"…It tears me apart to say this to you, but… once this is over…"
"There's no need for that pained expression. Once I've killed him, I will leave Hagashi. Thank you for taking me in all this time."
Chu Jeo understood his own position perfectly well.
Now that the Heavenly Demon Cult had found him, he could no longer remain at the House of Seon. He flattered Seon Haedo with his words, but in truth he could not trust the man.
Seon Haedo was the master of the House of Seon. Contrary to what the common folk believed, he was no righteous, upright great hero. If the Heavenly Demon Cult formally demanded Chu Jeo, Seon Haedo would hand him over without a moment's hesitation. If they ordered him killed, he would kill him.
For Chu Jeo, leaving with the House of Seon's goodwill intact was the best outcome he could hope for.
"Where do you plan to go once this is finished?"
"South, beyond the reach of the Heavenly Demon Cult's influence. I had intended to leave eventually regardless."
"Have you saved enough money?"
"Thanks to you, I've accumulated a fair amount… but it's still a little short."
"Don't worry. I'll see that your travel funds are more than generous."
"Thank you, great hero! I will never forget this kindness!"
"Hah. There's much to be done. Let's rise."
That afternoon I enjoyed a boat outing at the Boiru House, and come nightfall I went looking for another pleasure house. It was a rare visit to the city. I was curious what the other establishments were like. The courtesans at other houses deserved a taste as well, didn't they?
The Boiru House had recommended another place. The pleasure houses of Hagashi maintained cooperation rather than competition — a corporate cartel, in modern terms. Naturally illegal in the modern world, but not particularly so here. There were few people around to crack down on it.
This world doesn't even have an emperor dispatching officials to manage things… Cities are governed through the martial sects. A little collusion between shops is practically adorable.
That was not to say the emperor was incompetent. Quite the opposite — he was highly capable. This system existed because the continent that formed his territory was simply too vast. There were thousands of cities within its borders, and a population numbering in the tens of billions.
Against that staggering scale, the level of civilization was closer to the medieval. Over-technology appeared from time to time, but it was genuinely rare.
There's not even a computer in this world. Managing an entire continent alone is impossible for any emperor. Not that he was the one who invented the system of using the martial sects, of course.
The sects had governed their regions from the beginning. The emperor had simply unified the continent through overwhelming martial force and brought the murim under his rule. The murim obeyed the emperor's laws and paid him taxes.
I was walking along, turning over these thoughts, when I stopped short. Tonight was a moonless night. Darkness pressed in from every side. Not even the sound of insects. Lights from a distant pleasure house were visible, but far too far away.
"……"
A whistling rush of air.
From the darkness, a lightless throwing knife came flying. Blended into the black, it was nearly invisible. But the sound of it tearing through the air gave away its position.
I drew the blade at my waist and knocked the knife upward. It spun through the empty air and clattered to the ground. I kicked the fallen knife as if taking out my frustration, and stared hard into the dark.
Heavenly Eye — Opening
I could see them hiding in the dark.
All of them were cloaked in black clothes and face coverings. But there was something they didn't know. Unless blocked by mystic arts or similar means, the Heavenly Eye could see through anything. I checked their faces. Every one of them was a stranger.
Six visible. Their skill at concealing their presence is excellent. Not martial artists of the House of Seon — assassins.
Who had hired killers and sent them after me was obvious. Seon Haedo.
Can't move openly because of the Heavenly Demon Cult, so this is how you play it?
I gripped the hilt tight. Just thinking of Seon Haedo made irritation surge up my throat. Fortunately, I had targets for that frustration right in front of me.
Kill them all…!
I charged straight at the assassins.