Chapter 419
Chapter 419
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 419
Chapter Title: What Goes Around Comes Around (3)
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The tales about Dokgo Cheol must have spread far and wide across the land by now.
'From the moment I tore off the Ghost-Faced Elder's mask, my story became one of the hottest topics in the capital.'
It was only natural.
Even if he changed his name and cured the madness induced by his martial arts, the roots of the Superficial Assembly still lay in the Blood Cult.
Dokgo Cheol had originally hidden that fact when taking the entrance exam.
By strict standards, Dokgo Cheol was a demonic cultivator.
'The vice president didn't tell me to steel my resolve for nothing.'
Thus, he had long foreseen that all sorts of stories would swirl around Dokgo Cheol.
But he hadn't expected them to take this form.
'Betrayal, contempt, shock, condemnation... I thought it'd be something like that.'
Yet the attention directed at Dokgo Cheol now was mostly cheeky jokes mixed with admiration or sympathy.
Four people were behind the stories taking on that tone.
Three of them were, even today, gathered with graduate students and cadets from the Righteous Martial Academy, regaling them with tales.
"So there we were, the air thick with killing intent as the Blood Demon descended, eyes gleaming wildly, and my legs were just shaking uncontrollably!"
"And then?!"
"That's when Cheol steps up and says just one thing. 'He might be able to kill us, but he can't take this Ghost Face from us!' "
"Not the Assembly President Eon, but Cadet Dokgo Cheol said that?"
"That's right! Isn't it, Little Sorung?"
"Exactly! I'm his senior, but now Cheol feels like the adult. I catch myself using polite speech sometimes without realizing it."
"This Cheon Jang-ho vouches for it too."
"...Hm? Weren't you saying you joined late, following the river path? How can you vouch for it? This is pure bluster."
Yin Ha-seong, Woo So-rung, Cheon Jang-ho.
These three, who had a natural flair for storytelling, seized every chance to spin their heroic exploits to the other cadets.
"Come on, it's true! Jang-ho, why do you butt in and confuse the seniors?!"
"Whoa! The man himself is passing by!"
And as those tales snowballed...
"Oh! Cheol! Come here and tell us about that day before you go!"
"...Haha. I'm on my way back from handling a task the Assembly President assigned me. I need to make my report."
"Ah, then hurry off. Safe travels, Superficial Assembly President!"
"Take good care of things. Future Autonomy President of Cheongjuk Hall!"
"Patriarch of the Dokgo Clan!"
Dokgo Cheol had become Eon Yong-un's successor, the true master of the Blood Cult, and a powerhouse commanding his own clan.
'Better than people freaking out calling him a demon...'
Empty titles had a way of inflating quickly.
As the descriptors attached to his name grew longer, Dokgo Cheol began to worry.
'I have nothing to lose.'
Of course, that worry wasn't for himself, but for Eon Yong-un.
'But this is the Assembly President lending his prestige to me and the Superficial Assembly.'
Given Eon Yong-un's temperament, if he disliked Yin Ha-seong or the others blabbing, he would've shut them down with a flick to the forehead or some punishment long ago.
Yet he let it slide, which meant...
'The prestige as the world's greatest junior expert with the makings of a grandmaster, and as the foremost new hero who worries for the realm and brings peace to the common folk.'
Eon Yong-un was lending those names to ensure no one dared touch the Superficial Assembly lightly.
'But if any Assembly member steps out of line, even slightly, or if I fall short of people's expectations... the arrows of blame will point straight at the Assembly President.'
Dokgo Cheol couldn't help but feel the weight on his shoulders.
Yet for the fledgling Superficial Assembly, just taking its first steps, this was essential. He couldn't very well ask Eon Yong-un to stop.
So, with a heavy heart, time passed.
Those moments accumulated into a day, then days.
And at the end of that tumultuous year...
It was graduation day for the fourth-year cadets.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Among this year's graduates was Jin Kyung-ryong, who had served as Cheongjuk Hall's Autonomy President for several years.
As Dokgo Cheol offered his congratulations.
"Congratulations on your graduation, Senior."
"Thanks, Junior Dokgo. You'll probably take on a key role this year too. Work hard."
Tak Jang-myeong, the Iron Hall's Grand Captain who had come as a guest, presented Jin Kyung-ryong with a single pure steel sword he had forged himself.
"Congratulations on your graduation, Autonomy President."
"I'm grateful just for your presence, but can I really accept such a treasure?"
"Is the bond between our Iron Hall and Cheongjuk ordinary? Use it for the right causes. As a graduate of Cheongjuk, you'll know best."
And then he returned the sword Dokgo Cheol had entrusted to him.
"Ah, the repairs on the sword Cadet Dokgo Cheol left are complete."
The scabbard of the returned sword bore an inlaid pattern of a demon face in cloisonné.
"...This pattern?"
"Ah, Assembly President Eon used to commission items with that design often in the past. After hearing Cadet Dokgo Cheol's story, it felt like the symbol of the Superficial Assembly, so I added it. Doesn't it suit you?"
"No, I like it."
"I worried I overstepped, but I'm glad. If you don't like it, I can revert it to the original scabbard."
"The Ghost Face emblem is practically the Superficial Assembly's banner. I truly like it."
In response to Dokgo Cheol's reply...
Tak Jang-myeong gave a light fist salute and moved on to the other graduates.
At that moment, Jin Kyung-ryong turned to Dokgo Cheol with a question.
"You clearly flinched when you saw it. Even the Grand Captain noticed and asked again. Something bothering you?"
"I really do like the pattern. I've just had a lot on my mind lately."
"Hm. Because of all the talk about you?"
"Yes... exactly. My name feels inflated far beyond reality..."
"Worrying over that? What happened at Manyeop Mountain was bloody enough as it was—that's establishing great merit. The stories about you aren't wrong, if you think about it."
"......"
"Patriarch of the Dokgo Clan and president of the Superficial Assembly. All true, isn't it?"
"...Yes, but I worry it might burden Assembly President Eon."
To Dokgo Cheol's response...
Jin Kyung-ryong paused, then apologized.
"Not an easy topic. You've shouldered so much, Junior Dokgo. I spoke out of turn."
"No, it's fine."
He patted Dokgo Cheol's shoulder and spoke again.
"But you're a Cheongjuk Hall cadet. You have professors and seniors to guide you, and classmates to stand with you. Fear nothing, whatever comes. We'll be by your side."
"...Thank you for the advice."
Then, with an awkward smile, he gazed at Eon Yong-un, not far off, directing the student council executives.
"Good. I was worried about Assembly President Eon, but now I can leave with peace of mind."
"Ha-seong Senior or Ok-gi Senior would say you're the one who should worry."
"Fair enough. It doesn't suit me to worry about a Flower Realm expert anyway."
"I didn't mean it like th..."
"I know. Not like that. Anyway, I worry about Assembly President Eon because he's too brilliant. He shines so brightly that moths gather to the flame—and so do jealous shadows trying to snuff it out."
"......"
"But with juniors like you who truly follow and care for him, I can finally leave Cheongjuk Hall without worry."
Finishing his words, Jin Kyung-ryong began taking in the sight of the Righteous Martial Academy.
His gaze, slowly sweeping the academy's landscape, finally settled on Cheongjuk Hall.
"I'm glad I chose Cheongjuk Hall."
As complex emotions crossed Jin Kyung-ryong's face, tears welling in his eyes...
Eon Yong-un's voice called out to him.
"Hyung Kyung-ryong! Scheming right up to the end! Senior Ye! Please capture that look in a painting."
To Eon Yong-un's words, Jin Kyung-ryong smiled and grumbled.
"Give me a break today!"
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Jin Kyung-ryong was, no matter what anyone said, the spiritual pillar of Cheongjuk Hall.
With him graduating, even I felt an inexplicable emptiness in my heart.
'...With Hyung Kyung-ryong here, I could entrust Cheongjuk Hall and wander freely.'
It hit me anew how deeply my life had intertwined with so many bonds.
Yet in my current situation, far removed from the days when I had nothing to lose...
A chill clarity settled in my mind.
'Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.'
We had lost much of the Eastern Assembly's main force in the fight with the Blood Cult, and we needed time to gauge their strength properly.
They, too, would be busy with internal cleanup.
We wouldn't clash immediately.
But as enemies who couldn't share the same sky, conflict was inevitable someday.
'To protect what's precious, I must advance.'
Facing them would inevitably mean confronting the Reverse Heaven Demon Gu Cheon-seo's Demon King's Division.
'Dead comrades turning against us would inevitably crush morale.'
Even the Haomen and Green Forest—called the black path or unorthodox—mourned their fallen comrades.
'The righteous martial world, which values the Three Bonds and Five Morals, would suffer even more.'
In the end, it came down to me handling it.
'Reverse Heaven Demon Gu Cheon-seo and Demon Prison Lord Yeon Ok-ran.'
If I could deal with them, it would be a key to resolving the conflict with the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
'It seems feasible.'
This world had black magic efficiency that was abysmally poor.
'But thanks to Senior Myeongyeong, my internal energy has grown tremendously.'
So, by blending ritual formations like those of the Ho-sik Order with this era's methods—just a bit further—I could reclaim the might of my Necromancer King days without issue.
Thus, right after the graduation ceremony, I headed to Ma Bang-yeon's necromancy research lab.
"...Professor Yeong-hwan?"
There, amid towering stacks of papers, was Mount Mosan's Yeong-hwan, looking like a beggar.
I made a sound to alert him.
"I wondered why you weren't at the ceremony—you've been holed up here the whole time?!"
Yeong-hwan perked up and rose.
"Ah, I was on the verge of cracking a ritual formula, so I got absorbed and lost track. Anyway, Assembly President Eon! Perfect timing! Take a look at this. I think I've found something, but I can't verify it at my level."
He handed me a thick binder that looked like a thesis.
As I took it and started flipping through...
Yeong-hwan explained excitedly.
"I pondered ways to boost internal energy efficiency from the lower dantian. Your necromancy and ritual setups gave me huge inspiration. But your method burns through so much energy, doesn't it?"
"True enough."
"I dug into ancient oracle bone wards, Mount Mosan's rituals, even demonic methods, seeking improvements... What do you think?"
"It's so complex that any disruption in the ritual formation wastes energy alone. I see spots for improvement everywhere."
"As expected... Where are you going? At least finish it. That's how we progress."
"Didn't you ask me to check it?"
I skimmed about half while heading outside, still turning pages.
"Ah! Right!"
"I see improvements, but it aligns with the ritual formation I needed. This part is the core. This next bit can definitely go. And here, adapting a bit from the Book of the Lion would improve it."
"...Book of the what?"
"I'll explain in detail soon."
Reaching the training ground in the front courtyard...
I opened my lower dantian.
Wuuuuuung—
I drew up a massive surge of internal energy, overlaying Yeong-hwan's ritual with my black magic to form a new one.
I shot the coalesced black orb from my left hand into the sky.
Rumble!!!
Earthly yin energy surged toward the black sphere hanging in the heavens.
The clumped yin energy turned into pitch-black clouds, blotting out the sun in a sort of eclipse.
My master, who had watched silently, finally spoke.
—Energy rising from earth to veil the sun. A true reverse-heaven ritual... What is this?
I grinned and replied.
"Necropolis."
The ultimate black magic creating a zone under the Necromancer King's sole control.
"In this world's terms... the Hour of the Hundred Ghosts' Night Parade."