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"You insane bastard!"
Riiip.
Moyong Je, head of the Moyong Clan, tore the message from the Murim Alliance to shreds with savage force.
"Father, what's the matter?"
"It's nothing!"
Moyong Ran, seated across from him handling clan affairs, tilted her head and asked, but Moyong Je couldn't bring himself to answer.
How could he possibly say it?
That the Sex Demon who had violated Dokgo Yeon, Eul So-mi, and Paeng Sin-hye was heading for the Moyong Clan.
And that the bastard's next target was none other than the Swallow Maiden Phoenix, Moyong Ran!
"Damn it, damn it... Grrr! I'm off to swing my sword for a while!"
Moyong Je grabbed his sword case and left the office. Furious beyond measure, he clearly intended to vent his rage by swinging his blade.
"......."
Unnoticed by him, Moyong Ran had already roughly grasped the letter's content with a sideways glance. Moyong Je, driven to a frenzy by the existence of a Sex Demon coming to violate his daughter, completely failed to notice that his daughter had been darting her eyes at him several times right beside him.
"...Tch."
Moyong Ran wiped her lips with her hand. Her hand was smeared with ink from handling the clan's affairs.
"......."
Moyong Ran rose from her seat and walked out. But she had to halt her steps at the voices coming from beyond the door.
- ...Increase the guard! Absolutely! Around the clock, twelve watches, wherever Ran is!
"......."
Moyong Ran shook her head. Would increasing the guard really solve anything?
No. The legitimate daughter of the Hebei Paeng Clan was also violated while staying at her clan's estate. So staying put in the clan, no matter how many guards there were, would be ineffective.
Dokgo Yeon, who was stronger than her, was kidnapped as easily as hiding a crab.
The Murim Alliance Leader, stronger than the clan head, failed to notice his daughter's kidnapping.
"In that case...."
Moyong Ran picked up her brush again. A new line was added to the order form for stockpiling goods in the clan's warehouse.
Black clothes, three sets.
"......Hmph, as if I'd just let it happen."
Before she could be kidnapped like Dokgo Yeon, she would flee the clan.
Before she could be violated while sitting still like Paeng Sin-hye, she would run away.
Before she could be confined to the clan like the other women, she would escape this place quickly.
"Father... I'm sorry."
Moyong Ran apologized to her father, who was working so hard to protect her.
"This girl... will run away from home before she can be violated."
* * *
"Hmm, hm-hmm..."
The Demonic Sword Consort hummed a tune as she exited the great hall. Unlike the other elders, she wasn't particularly concerned about the Miyeom Divine Art. The side effects of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art hadn't affected her mind, after all.
"Geombung, Geomdam, Geom-je... Then of course, it has to be the Sword Demon."
The thought filling the Demonic Sword Consort's mind was how to turn the individual known as the Sky-Soaring Lust Demon, who assisted the Little Princess, into the 'Flying Sword Demon.'
Whether he became Bi-cheon, Earth Qilin, or a Wild Demon didn't matter, but the name absolutely had to include 'Sword Demon.'
The Flying Heaven Three Demons—Blade, Thief, Illusion.
The Earth Qilin Three Demons—Flame, Beast, Thunder.
The Wild Three Demons—Ice, Madness, and now Sword.
There was one last seat, the No Demon, but that was an existence known only to the Heavenly Demon, a name that never changed. Throughout history, countless demons had circulated through the seats of the Ten Demons, but there had never been a single moment without a Sword Demon.
Yet the Sword Demon seat had been vacant for over a year now.
The most recent Sword Demon, a man who was the Demonic Sword Consort's disciple, had attempted mutual destruction with the Wudang Sect Leader while afflicted with smallpox. Driven by a grudge involving his younger sister, his death left the Sword Demon seat empty to this day.
While the Orthodox Faction was abuzz with the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering and the Two Phoenixes Decisive Battle, the Demonic Cult was in an uproar, with all sorts of demonic practitioners flaunting their strength to claim the vacant Sword Demon position.
"Hmph, how dare those riffraff covet the Sword Demon's seat...?"
The Demonic Sword Consort could not forgive a bunch of nobodies ascending to the position of Sword Demon.
As the Sword Demon's master and the Sword Demon of a previous generation, it was an unbearable humiliation, worse than getting dirt in her eye, to have successors worse than weeds inherit the Sword Demon's name.
At the minimum, one must be at the Peak Realm.
At the minimum, one must be the foremost among the Ten Demons.
At the minimum, one had to withstand her sword for ten seconds.
At least when it came to 'swordsmanship,' the current Demonic Sword Consort was the strongest in the Demonic Cult.
"The Heavenly Dragon Emperor Twin High Sword... Fufufu."
In that regard, the emergence of a new swordsman was a delightful piece of good news that stirred the Demonic Sword Consort's excitement.
Moreover, it was said he had subdued the Orthodox Faction's assassination squad in reverse.
Moreover, it was said he had blocked even the Divine Spear, who wielded the Cloud Dragon Crescent Moon Spear at its extreme, using the Ho-su-bi defensive technique.
Moreover, it was said he had entered the Supreme Demon Realm while simultaneously operating the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, with his hair fully intact.
"Haah...."
A swordmaster of transcendent demonic escape who had reached the Supreme Demon Realm.
The mere thought was paralyzing. Just the idea of crossing swords with him left the Demonic Sword Consort's lips parched.
"Demonic Sword Consort."
Which was why she found the man behind her, daring to address her by her title so casually, so utterly displeasing.
"If you weren't the Eldest Prince, your head would have flown off by my sword."
"Ha. Do you still say that after witnessing my true power?"
The Eldest Prince, Ju Ji, pointed to the golden lightning crackling around him.
"Show respect to the next Heavenly Demon, Demonic Sword Consort."
"Bullshit."
Having sneered her fill at Ju Ji, the Demonic Sword Consort ignored the Eldest Prince and turned away.
"I don't show respect to anyone weaker than me."
"They say the fuller the rice, the lower it bows its head."
"My apologies. I'm still in my prime."
"Pfft!"
Ju Ji openly mocked the Demonic Sword Consort.
"Aren't you ashamed to say such things at your age? Your old rival, the Emei Peak, wouldn't talk like that."
"You dare mention that wench in my presence? Your nerve matches your sire's bloodline. But you're a fool, boy. You should know this."
The Demonic Sword Consort wagged a single index finger at Ju Ji.
"I don't know who will become the new Ten Demon succeeding the Sword Demon, but if it's a Sword Demon, they can't become one without my approval. You should understand what that means without me spelling it out, no?"
"Ha. Are you threatening me now? That the Earth Qilin Sword Demon won't get your approval?"
"You take it as a threat? You're still a brat. A fool like you isn't even worth talking to."
"...When I become the Heavenly Demon, the Council of Elders will be the first thing I replace."
"Do as you wish, Young Heavenly Demon. Hahaha!!"
Laughing at Ju Ji, the Demonic Sword Consort left the hall. Ju Ji watched her go, his fists trembling for a long time before he turned away.
"......You rotten wench."
In Ju Ji's eyes as he glared at the Demonic Sword Consort, an unmistakable murderous intent gleamed.
* * *
"They've all gone."
"Indeed."
Only the Heavenly Demon and Ma-hwa remained in the vast great hall. The Heavenly Demon rose from the throne, cradling Ma-hwa in his arms.
"Let's return to bed."
"Oh my, why not do it here for a change, since it's been so long?"
As soon as everyone else disappeared, Ma-hwa began to act coy. The Heavenly Demon blinked, then sat back down on the throne.
"Do you have something you wish to say as well?"
"Yes. Will you continue to hide the existence of the No Demon from the elders?"
The No Demon.
The truth that it was a non-existent seat was a secret known only to a very few. The unidentified No Demon, unknown even to the elders, was a being that existed while not existing.
And that was what had caused the Demonic Sword Consort's misunderstanding.
"Strictly speaking, since the Sex Demon has filled the Void Seat, the Sword Demon seat is still vacant. You made the Demonic Sword Consort misunderstand for no reason; she'll be furious when she learns the truth. Her Sword Pavilion is one of the Five Great Sects of the Demonic Cult, you know."
"That is true."
Even within the Demonic Cult, there were distinct martial sects. Having passed the Sword Demon's position to her disciple, the Demonic Sword Consort was now the master of the Sword Pavilion, where roughly nine-tenths of the Cult's swordsmen gathered, and was dedicating herself to training the next generation.
In other words, the Demonic Sword Consort was not someone who could be easily dismissed or ignored.
"Ma-hwa. She is someone who values her own self more than the honor of the Sword Pavilion."
"What do you mean?"
"The expulsion threat is simply because the Demonic Sword Consort wants to fight with swords. That fellow, the Sex Demon, posed as Geomdam and used unidentified martial arts, didn't he? It's just a pretext, a pretext."
"You're saying she just wanted a sparring match and made up a convenient reason? Fufu."
The Heavenly Demon nodded.
"It's hardly the first time she's ambushed someone when she got the notion they were decent with a sword."
"That's true. Fufufu. But what if the Sex Demon defeats the Demonic Sword Consort with the sword?"
At Ma-hwa's question, the Heavenly Demon's expression grew complicated.
"The Demonic Sword Consort declared she would offer her virginity to anyone who defeats her with the sword, and you yourself couldn't beat her with a sword, my lord. Since you are a fist master, not a swordsman."
"......."
The Heavenly Demon furrowed his brow and grumbled.
"Tsk. Whether I win with my fists or my cock, a win's a win. She was just nitpicking about it having to be a sword victory. Hmph, like I care anyway. A woman still a virgin past the age of knowing heaven's will."
"But if the Sex Demon defeats her with the sword, he's going to violate the Demonic Sword Consort, you know?"
"What's that to me?"
The Heavenly Demon muttered in an indifferent voice.
"She's not my woman. It's actually better. If the Demonic Sword Consort lends her support to the Sky-Soaring Lust Demon, then the next Sword Demon is highly likely to be on Shia's side as well."
"Oh my, you mean...."
"Yes."
The Heavenly Demon pulled Ma-hwa closer and whispered in her ear.
"If the Flying Heaven Three Demons truly bring back the Heavenly Horse's Tear, there'll be no reason not to designate Shia as my successor."
"Even though the Little Princess is currently weaker than the Eldest Prince?"
"A Heavenly Demon is one who reigns over all. Having strong subordinates is also part of one's power. If she has taken the strongest under heaven as her subordinate and husband, then Shia herself becomes the strongest. Hehe."
"That's a novel approach."
Ma-hwa faced the Heavenly Demon and straddled his lap.
"Then shall we test the stamina of the man who will be the strongest under heaven's son-in-law?"
"Hmph. I'm not dead yet. The only way to know who's stronger is to face each other directly."
With a confident face, the Heavenly Demon pulled Ma-hwa close.
"I am the strongest under heaven."
* * *
Atop a sheer cliff, a pavilion built precariously.
Higher than the white mist clinging to the peaks, on a cliff where the mountain summit was clearly visible, the pavilion was built. There, a beauty with long black hair fluttering in the wind sat with her eyes closed, lost in thought.
"...The heavenly secrets have twisted again."
The woman's elegant eyebrows trembled faintly. Her full lips, red as blood, also quivered.
"Are the heavens angered?"
The woman lifted her head vacantly. The sky was clear and bright, but the heavenly energy reflected in her pupils was tangled and distorted.
Destinies that were fixed were deviating, and fates that had left their orbits were beginning to return to their places. The confusion deepened as everything tangled and knotted like a skein of thread, but on a grand scale, the major currents remained unchanged.
No matter how the Yangtze River's waves bend, the water's flow from west to east never changes.
"...Ultimately, does this mean the Blood Turmoil cannot be stopped?"
The woman let out a weary sigh. Leaning against the railing overlooking the sheer precipice, she began to pant for breath.
"Hah, hah...."
Her complexion looked terribly poor. The mere act of breathing seemed to poison her, and indeed, the woman was in immense agony.
"Cough. ...Huff."
Covering her mouth with her hand, the woman vomited a terrifying amount of blood. The red blood soaked her white martial arts uniform, making it look as though blood flowers had bloomed across the fabric.
"Not yet... Not yet. Hah."
The woman clutched her chest. Her long fingers couldn't fully grasp it with one hand, but the sharp pain radiating from deep within her left breast prevented her from gathering her senses.
"Just a little, hah, longer... please...."
The woman remained collapsed, steadying her breath until the sharp pain subsided. Only after the pain faded could she finally manage to raise her body.
"Hoo, hoo."
"Master---!!"
A voice like a scream erupted from below the pavilion. The man rushing up breathlessly was a middle-aged Taoist who looked far older than the woman.
"Huff... Master?! Blood, that blood?!"
"This is none of your concern."
At her cold voice, the middle-aged Taoist groaned softly.
"What news of the matter I asked you to investigate?"
"Yes! By all appearances, it seems Young Lady Dokgo Yeon has been treated for her illness. Although I couldn't confirm it directly with her or the Alliance Leader...."
"That doesn't make sense."
The woman murmured in a voice of genuine puzzlement.
"She was treated for the Eighteen Yin Torment Severed Meridian? ......Is such a thing even possible?"
"It's said a person claiming to be the Divine Doctor's disciple treated her. He's currently nowhere to be found. ...Shall we issue a search warrant? Even if he claims to be the Divine Doctor's disciple, if we handle it well, perhaps Master's illness could also—"
"No, it's a futile effort. Spend that time honing your martial arts instead."
"...Yes, Master."
The middle-aged Taoist turned away with a gloomy face. The woman gazed after him for a long while, then turned her head back toward the sky.
"Is a new wind... blowing through the Martial World?"
As she looked up at the sky, the woman's eyes shone with a deep blue glimmer.