Chapter 191
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 191
Chapter Title: The Heavenly Demon Whispered with Starlight (2)
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The first time the sign of a gateway breakthrough appeared in the Heavenly Demon Cave.
The Ten Thousand Demons Hall was in a state of utter tranquility.
"Looks like someone's getting ahead of themselves again."
"Th-that's... ri-right... old... tim-er..."
The average age: 87.
In a place swarming with battle-hardened old demons who had outlived the average martial artist's lifespan by a full 34 years.
"Heh heh, still, it's heartening to see the young ones taking the challenge."
The eldest among them, a variable that skewed the average dramatically, and the unspoken leader of the old monster crew.
Why it was called the Ten Thousand Demons Hall when it had a palace lord was a mystery, but he was the Supreme Elder of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult and the lord of the hall.
Jang Ilgyeom stroked his beard as he tracked the heavenly portent with his eyes.
True to his status as a grand elder who had lived over a century and a half.
He had witnessed countless descendants of the Heavenly line enter the Heavenly Demon Cave, only to emerge steeped in despair—or not emerge at all.
He had pinned his hopes on the current legitimate heir, born a woman.
But her innate fate and constitution weighed too heavily; even employing the Demon Soul Division Method, she failed to overcome it and achieved nothing noteworthy.
The illegitimate son went without saying.
To begin with.
No man had ever become the Heavenly Demon in the cult's history.
"Then... could it be that he's returned?"
Yet, why?
The last time he'd seen him before leaving the cult, he hadn't even budded, let alone bloomed.
He himself must have felt, within the Heavenly Demon Cave, that the wall was still far too high for him to challenge.
There was only one possibility...
"A mate."
Jang Ilgyeom stroked his beard, imagining the scene.
"Out of his mind."
And with that, he passed judgment on the nameless one.
.
.
.
As expected of one who had lived a century and a half—perfect insight.
"A rusted sword can never stand again, and if not gripped properly, it tears one's own flesh..."
The Heavenly Demon of the era was, indeed, out of his mind.
Setting aside his cultivation of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, his personal martial prowess was that of a mere insect.
Even Jang Ilgyeom himself, without using any demonic arts and relying solely on external power, could sever head from body in three moves or less.
But such frailty wasn't the point.
Of course, in his long life, he'd never laid eyes on a true Heavenly Demon, but even so.
How could he so brazenly conceal his true nature, hide his real intentions, and spew lies he didn't even believe himself—without a shred of shame before the heavens?
There were only two possibilities for such a thing.
Either he was the real Heavenly Demon.
Or...
He was a madman who believed himself to be one.
Strangely.
Jang Ilgyeom's instincts screamed the former.
Did he sense the sudden tension filling the room?
"Gramps. No."
Cheon Luri, who had been rolling around hugging her puppy, popped up with a pout and blocked the space between me and the elixir gramps.
They knew each other.
That was a relief, at least.
"Tch, tsk. How is it you return to the cult and don't even pay me a courtesy visit?"
The middle-aged man's lips twitched unmistakably.
I'd seen that dopey smile before.
It was the grandpa grin Master made every time he looked at Luri.
He'd slyly stripped the "elixir" prefix from "elixir gramps" and tossed it aside.
Because...
Luri was alive and well?
Trusting someone based on something that flimsy felt off.
Of course, there were other reasons too.
A bit... I wondered if I was going mad myself, or if it was another ability of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art.
By looking into someone's eyes.
I could vaguely sense what emotion they held.
The gramps's eyes, neutral or dubious toward me.
Switched instantly to the warm, fuzzy gaze of the kindly next-door grandpa the moment they turned to Luri.
And when they shifted back to me.
There was no more hostility.
...Not full goodwill either—just the curiosity of spotting an intriguing monkey.
That should be enough to defuse the situation.
"You've become Luri's grandfather, I see. Allow me to greet you properly. I'm Cheon Pedro."
"...Your name is truly Cheon Pedro?"
Luri shot me a look that was 95% affection, 5% pity.
And gramps gave me a 100% madman stare.
But I stood tall.
Well...
What would change if I revealed I was actually Geum Sihyeon of the Ten Thousand Gold Treasury Fortress?
Mystery masked Heavenly Demon!
Unimaginable true identity!
The youngest son of the Ten Thousand Gold Treasury Fortress in the western Central Plains, Geum Sihyeon!
So, where's the Ten Thousand Gold Treasury Fortress?
And who's Geum Sihyeon?
That'd be the reaction, right?
...Of course, there was that last line of defense: not wanting to taint my real name Geum Sihyeon with the demonic cult.
"Goodness... ha, fine. If you've touched the will of heaven, you're probably on nodding terms with that Yahweh from the western regions."
"...Elder, if I may ask your age?"
"It's impolite to ask, but... since the Heavenly Demon inquires, I have no choice. I've lived two full sexagenary cycles plus 39 more years."
Whoa!
159 years!
Not just that—he'd need his spine propped up to be considered normal at that age.
Yet he looked not just hale, but middle-aged.
"A terribly rude question, but what's your expected lifespan—"
"Heavenly Demon, such questions are improper."
"My apologies. I was a bit discourteous."
"Heavenly Demon, speak plainly."
...Was this old man treating me like the Heavenly Demon or not? Whatever.
Still.
It didn't seem like we'd end up on bad terms.
.
.
.
"No, you're saying you're the master of Master Wi Ji-ryang... no, Wi Ji-ryang's master?"
"Hahaha! That snot-nosed sword maniac teaching someone? That's a real knee-slapper."
"Then you're my grandmaster. Shall I perform the rite?"
"Hm... Draw your sword first."
I thought we'd part on warm, harmonious terms.
But when I came to, I was in the cult leader's private training hall, facing off with the geezer old man, prepping for a spar.
Did these strength-obsessed Pokémon trainers have "throw down?" as a passive skill triggered by eye contact?
"Gramps. Go easy."
"Aigoo, how could I not when it's the little cult leader's command? Heh heh."
From there.
"Rise. How can the Heavenly Demon of our cult be so feeble? What face would we show the world?"
"Kuh...!"
For nearly two shichen, I got beaten like a dog.
The crazy old man's glances at Luri seemed to double the force of his blows each time... probably my imagination.
Probably.
At this rate, I'd turn into battered meat faster than elixir—
"Euk, ugh!"
"No whining, you thief... Heavenly Demon."
"Euk!"
After thoroughly thrashing Cheon Pedro and, as a bonus, stimulating his Extreme Demon Body via acupoint interrogation to hasten its progress with demonic energy, Jang Ilgyeom returned.
"How was the Hea... venly... De... mon...?"
"When does the Heavenly Demon plan to conquer the Central Plains?"
"Palace Lord! Tell us!"
Their daily routine was eat, train, sleep.
These old monsters, who skipped even bowel movements to delve into demonic arts day and night without cease, swarmed him.
Most were survivors of the last Great War of Righteousness and Evil, and had been key players.
Their interest leaned toward whether the Heavenly Demon's return meant resuming the dream of unifying the demonic path.
"He said, 'True strength is victory without fighting.'"
Jang Ilgyeom relayed the words he'd heard from Cheon Pedro... er, the Heavenly Demon, verbatim.
But.
"How do you win without fighting?"
Though the craziest in that regard, the Mad Demon, had left the cult, plenty of belligerent types remained.
A retort came immediately.
But.
Kugugugu...!
"...Supreme Elder. I spoke out of turn."
The moment a ferocious demonic energy and killing intent dominated the room, he tucked tail right away.
Watching this.
Jang Ilgyeom couldn't help recalling the Heavenly Demon of the era.
Though still far from shaking the Heavenly Demon's prestige.
- Where are you looking? That's just my afterimage.
- Luri! No! ...Fooled!
Whether rolling his wits desperately, chattering nonstop to take even one less hit.
Or the profound scheming evident in his ruthless strikes at weaknesses.
And wielding the Heavenly Demon Divine Art—said to be the domain of the true Heavenly Demon—with utter freedom, even mimicking a flying sword.
Just as he'd surmised.
He hadn't fully recovered his original realm yet—
"Our Heavenly Demon has finally arrived. No rash actions—obey unconditionally and bide our time."
If not this man, then who in the world could be the Heavenly Demon?
In their brief encounter, Jang Ilgyeom acknowledged Cheon Pedro.
No, Geum Sihyeon.
No two men under heaven could both be the one Cheon Luri lived and died for, no matter the disguise.
"And the Heavenly Demon issued a decree: weakening the enemy as we grow stronger is the strategy. Unless ordered otherwise, we needn't observe formalities toward the Heavenly Demon."
That profound scheming.
Who could object to the grand strategy of borrowing orthodox facades to crumble them from within?
It had been far too long a wait.
A century and a half of years was finally to be rewarded.
Jang Ilgyeom stroked his beard with a pleased smile.
"Keng..."
A talisman sealing yokai on her forehead, body bound tight in iron chains, all meridians sealed.
Ho Yeonhwa wailed mournfully in the underground thunder prison.
How had she been subdued so futilely?
Unless that madman was truly the Heavenly Demon—no, even then—how could mere words alone seal her, once the Nine-Tailed Fox?
It was all utterly incomprehensible.
Lost in melancholy thoughts of Cheon Siu, now beyond even contact.
"Nice look?"
"...?"
A loathsome voice that shouldn't reach here.
And one she had no desire to hear.
"Hong Sundok...?"
The voice of the Demon Horse Hong Sundok echoed.
"You fucking bitch?"
The moment she named him, he flew into a rage—proof her spirit was indeed here.
And sure enough.
The face of the guard who'd been bustling about moments ago twisted grotesquely.
As if.
Someone had forcibly ripped out his soul.