Chapter 44
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: The Martial Arts Tournament Begins
-----------------------------------------------------------------
They came to me, asking me to pass on external martial arts training methods to them as well.
Seeing them reminded me of the guys I'd worked out with back in the Demonic Cult.
But I turned them down.
Even looking after Sima Ryang alone was burden enough right now.
Under my guidance, Sima Ryang was making tremendous progress.
It hadn't been long since we started, so I couldn't yet confirm if internal energy was building up in his muscles.
But one thing was clear: his strength had improved, his body was taking on definition, and he was thrilled with the results himself.
His physique had transformed dramatically from before, and his gains—in strength and every other area—were on a level that couldn't even be compared to his old self.
The Great Demonic Divine Palace, where the Demonic Cult Leader resided. At the very top floor, in his private quarters.
Gazing down at the Demonic Cult from there, Heo Cheon-seong's face was etched with worry.
The atmosphere in the Demonic Cult didn't look right at all.
Its experts were bustling about nonstop.
The forges blazed day and night without cease.
Anyone could see it: this was preparation for war.
'If things continue like this, the Demonic Cult will head straight for ruin again.'
Heo Cheon-seong knew the righteous factions' true power all too well.
He briefly recalled the past.
Back then, he'd thought himself untouchable, seated at the pinnacle of power.
The righteous experts had seemed like nothing but paper tigers in his eyes.
He'd believed that unifying the martial world was within reach if he so desired.
But when he'd actually launched the Demonic Purge War? How badly he'd struggled against their hidden strength.
He'd faced near-death crises countless times.
Only by rallying even the unorthodox rabble he'd once dismissed as riffraff had he managed to hold the front lines.
Having endured such trials once before, he knew it wasn't yet time to conquer the martial world.
Yet the Heavenly Demon was treading the exact same path he'd walked.
He wanted to stop him.
He couldn't bear to see the Demonic Cult—to which he'd devoted his life—march toward destruction again.
'It's not time yet. Not yet...'
With that, Heo Cheon-seong sent a messenger pigeon to the Murim Alliance.
In it, he wrote:
This autumn, as a gesture of harmony between the Demonic Cult and the righteous factions, let's hold a tournament between the martial academies.
The intent was to avoid all-out war by pitting the younger experts from both sides against each other, cooling the rising tensions.
'Baek No-cheon will understand my intentions.'
Soon after the pigeon flew off, the Heavenly Demon stormed in, his face twisted in rage, to confront the Cult Leader.
Without preamble, he demanded,
"Cult Leader! Did you propose a martial academy tournament to the Murim Alliance?"
"I did."
"Why handle such a critical matter on your own? Do you take me, the Vice Leader, for a joke?"
The Heavenly Demon's attitude was anything but deferential. If anything, he treated the Cult Leader like a subordinate.
That alone revealed exactly how he viewed him on a daily basis.
"I'm the Cult Leader. Do I need your permission for every little thing?"
"You know full well what we're preparing for with our lives on the line!"
"We're preparing? Or is it just you scheming?"
"Are you denying that I am the Demonic Cult?"
"And if I do?"
"Then I'll cut you down on the spot."
"Same old you—as arrogant and reckless as ever."
In the Heavenly Demon's unbridled madness, Heo Cheon-seong saw echoes of his own past.
The days when he'd rampaged across the world as the Sword Demon.
'Was I like that too? Maybe this is my punishment.'
"Don't forget who put you in that seat and kept you alive there."
"Hmph! I have no attachment to this empty shell of a position. Take it anytime."
The Heavenly Demon flashed a sinister smile at the Cult Leader's bravado.
"I'll claim it when the time comes. So just stay quiet until then, alright? Think of your family's future."
"......"
Heo Cheon-seong ground his teeth at the Heavenly Demon's words.
That was the reason he'd played along in this puppet show all this time—for his remaining family's safety.
The Heavenly Demon was certain Baek No-cheon wouldn't go along with Heo Cheon-seong's senile ravings about a tournament amid the current crisis.
But that was the Heavenly Demon's miscalculation.
Baek No-cheon accepted the tournament proposal with open arms.
"What? He agreed? Have you ever seen such a deranged old lunatic?"
The Heavenly Demon wondered what Baek No-cheon was up to.
He retraced his possible motives.
Not satisfied, he summoned all his strategists and ordered them to uncover the man's intentions.
While the Heavenly Demon pondered Baek No-cheon's move, Murim Alliance Leader Baek No-cheon sat in his office, heads together with his newly appointed strategist.
It was Jegal Dong-cheon, the younger brother of the late Jegal Jwa-seong.
He'd come to the Alliance vowing to wash away his brother's death with Demonic Cult blood.
Though his martial prowess fell far short of his brother's, his intellect was said to surpass even the deceased genius.
The Alliance Leader spoke gravely.
"As you advised, I've informed the Demonic Cult that we accept. But is this truly wise? Their aggression is right before our eyes—do we really need to dance to their tune?"
"Of course, my lord. There's no downside for us. Victory boosts our morale. And even if we lose—which won't happen—we can use it to heighten the crisis sense, rallying the righteous factions even tighter."
"Hm, I agree. Our problem is we're too sluggish to act."
"To guard against any schemes, we should also invite the Imperial Palace Martial Academy to participate."
"Hm, do those imperial types even have what it takes?"
"It'll be tough for them, sure. Just think of it as a check on the enemy and for appearances' sake, my lord."
"Appearances... Anyway, what do you make of why the Demonic Cult is trying this divide-and-conquer ploy?"
"In my view, it's a strategy of peace and war."
"Peace and war?"
"By proposing this tournament, they're signaling they have no intent for all-out war. But once they've lulled us into complacency, they'll strike when we're most off-guard."
"Those vile bastards would do exactly that."
"Precisely, my lord."
"So, where do you predict their invasion route?"
"I expect they'll reuse the same path as before."
"Why?"
"This tracks the movements of the Demonic Cult's elites, led by the Heavenly Demon."
Sure enough, their paths aligned perfectly with the routes from the previous Demonic invasion.
History showed that major wars often followed fixed invasion corridors.
It wasn't because they were fools repeating the same paths.
There were reasons—rugged mountains, wide rivers, or swamps blocking alternatives.
Such natural barriers were beyond human alteration.
The ancestors had built fortresses and castles along those routes to repel invaders.
Thus, the Demonic Cult would follow the old paths again.
"There's only one way into the martial world from the Demonic Cult. But we can't assume they're truly invading. It could just be a ploy to sow confusion."
"Filthy rats. When they lack real power, they resort to petty tricks."
"But it doesn't matter, does it? You're planning war with the Demonic Cult anyway, aren't you, my lord?"
At his strategist's words, Baek No-cheon grinned wickedly.
His smile was so fiendish it made the righteous Alliance Leader look like some great demonic overlord.
In truth, ten years ago, Baek No-cheon hadn't wanted the Righteous-Demonic War to end.
He'd wished it would go on forever.
That way, he could keep clashing in life-or-death battles with the Demonic Cult's many powerhouses.
Those desperate fights were the driving force that had elevated him to Dao Master.
He craved more battles with the strong.
To reach even higher realms—the transcendent stage. For that, peace in the martial world was the last thing he wanted.
In chaotic times, heroes were born.
Baek No-cheon needed that hero.
To quench his thirst.
"Kekeke, exactly."
"If we go all-out from the start instead of holding back like last time, we can wipe the Demonic Cult from the Central Plains for good."
Baek No-cheon laughed heartily, thoroughly pleased.
"That's the spirit! Good! Good! Leave it to you. Keep watching their moves."
"I'll do my utmost, my lord."
A bombshell announcement rocked the Imperial Palace Martial Academy.
A tournament for the martial academies was being held.
Even more shocking: our Imperial Palace Martial Academy could participate.
But that meant facing off against experts from the Dragon Academy and Demon Dragon Academy, so concerns outweighed excitement.
Amid this, the Academy Head sought me out with a resolute expression.
He seemed to view this as our final chance.
Straight to the point, the Academy Head said,
"No long talk. I want you to represent us in this tournament."
I had zero interest in some silly tournament.
Participating in a kids' contest wouldn't help my revenge one bit and would only expose my face.
I politely tried to decline.
"I'm just a first-year. The seniors should..."
"They unanimously voted for you."
"What?"
'Damn it...'
They knew it'd end in a total rout, so they'd offered me up as sacrifice from the start.
'And the Academy Head probably pressured them too.'
As I thought that, an unexpected offer came from the Academy Head's mouth.
"What do you want?"
"Pardon?"
"A talent like you coming here means there's something you want, right?"
As expected of a battle-hardened veteran from the chaos of war—his insight was razor-sharp.
"If you go out there and bring back meaningful results, I'll grant whatever you desire."
I straightened up immediately.
"Really?"
"Well? What's on your mind?"
"I knew you were someone I could talk to straight from the start, Academy Head."
"Yes, yes—out with it. What do you want?"
"I'd like to graduate early and join the Murim Alliance's White-Clothed Youth Corps."