Chapter 256
Chapter 256
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 256
Chapter Title: Fate
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Several days had passed since I'd walked into the Heavenly Demon Cult of my own accord and become the Heavenly Demon's husband.
If I summed up what I'd done during that time, it was eat, sleep, and sex. But since the first two were just things I squeezed in when I had no choice, it pretty much amounted to nonstop sex.
Meals felt like something I forced down just to stay alive, without savoring the taste at all. Sleep was basically passing out cold.
The only time my mind was fully clear was...
'...Was there any?'
Sometimes we'd go all day at it, and I'd thought those times pushed my body to its limits. Looking back now, that was nothing but whining.
A single day? What was that compared to this? I'd been at it for days now.
Try going without food or sleep and see what real exhaustion feels like.
Not that it mattered. You'd gasp and moan for a few hours, collapse into sleep, and wake up to a gentle morning greeting you.
Nothing like that here.
Whether cum came out or not, it didn't matter.
This insane dick would stand up no matter what.
Anyone watching might think it'd kill me if it couldn't get hard.
The Heavenly Demon seemed to take its erection as a sign that everything was fine and had no intention of stopping on her own.
And over those days, she'd started absorbing techniques like a sponge soaking up water, at a terrifying speed.
Not just basic insertion in standard positions—she'd experiment with her moving on top, or grabbing my limp, exhausted body and shifting into other positions.
She'd even mastered pseudo-sex acts using her mouth, hands, breasts, and other body parts we'd tried before.
I'd never even taught her, so how was she figuring it out on her own?
For most men, having a wife skilled in bed would be a blessing. Why was I the exception?
'...Maybe I should just give up...'
My consciousness would fade out several times a day, only to snap back at the thought of needing to see Master again. I'd reached my limit sometime during that cycle when—
—Swish.
"...Hoo. Time's up already."
The Heavenly Demon let out a deep sigh as she rose from on top of me.
'...?'
Compared to past sessions, it had ended abruptly and far sooner than expected. I half-opened my heavy-lidded eyes and stared at her.
"Today's your inauguration ceremony, so we'll leave it at this. I've prepared clothes for you—wash up first, then get ready."
"..."
She straightened the blankets, her expression as unreadable as ever.
What was this about, anyway?
Inauguration? For who? For what?
As I lay there, questions bubbling up without moving—
"...Come to think of it, I should've checked if you could even move on your own first. How's your body holding up? If you can't manage alone, I can help."
She must have thought I was staying put because of my condition, because she extended a hand.
...My condition was pretty bad, to be fair...
'What inauguration is she talking about...?'
"..."
I tried to speak, but my throat rasped like wind slicing through dry reeds. I clamped my mouth shut.
Looked like my voice was shot from all the moaning again.
I just stared blankly into her eyes, unable to say a word, until she finally caught on and spoke again.
"I'm talking about your inauguration. You're going to be the Young Cult Leader of our cult, aren't you?"
...Young Cult Leader?
Oh. Right, there was that.
She'd said she was giving me that position.
'...'
Not that it'd be worth much.
Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult, one of the Central Plains' greatest powers? It was just a title in name only. In a world where the strong reigned supreme, no one would truly respect a position gained solely from being the Heavenly Demon's husband.
And even if I had the title, it only mattered if I could wield the power that came with it.
Stuck here having sex all day—how was I supposed to use any power?
No one would be ridiculous enough to suggest wielding authority against the Heavenly Demon herself.
'...What can you do?'
If our Heavenly Demon wanted it, I'd prepare. No choice there.
I'd pledged my body and soul to her, so I'd play along.
I wasn't particularly interested in some fancy hat, but an inauguration might mean good food. I could hope for that, at least.
'First, though... need to clear my head a bit...'
At this rate, I'd end up addicted to dopamine.
Hell, my hormones might already be out of whack.
I barely got any wise-up time anymore, and no matter how much I came, it never went down. Not entirely impossible.
They call it great stamina or good health, but this was clearly beyond normal.
Even on Earth, news stories popped up now and then about people overdoing sex and ending up sick or dead.
I hadn't felt any real damage to my body yet—probably because I was still young. Who knew what it'd be like when I got older?
And no matter how you sliced it, days of nonstop sex meant my brain was drowning in pleasure chemicals. Hard to believe that wouldn't affect my health.
'Living like this... gonna shorten my lifespan?'
I didn't crave eternal life for a thousand years, but I didn't want to die young either.
Better to do everything I wanted and go out satisfied.
'How long have I even been alive to worry about this already?'
Anyone hearing would call me a young punk fretting over nothing. I shoved the thought aside, forcing my aching body upright.
—Tremble tremble.
...Yeah, getting ready on my own seemed impossible in this state.
—Saaah.
On a certain day, after the sun had hidden itself and the chilled air brushed through grass and trees, producing a pleasant whisper.
Even on such a fine day, perfect for meditation amid nature's beauty, anyone else present wouldn't have thought so.
A woman stood there silently, her long golden hair fluttering like grass in the wind. She possessed a beauty so captivating that it was hard to look away.
If word got out, nations could topple for her—a true kingdom-toppling beauty if there ever was one.
"It's been days like this already."
"After finally reuniting with your disciple after three years, only to part again... It's hard to even put that sense of loss into words."
"Not sleeping, not eating... Are you sure you're okay?"
"If she were truly a gumiho, a little deprivation like this wouldn't faze her, so no need to worry. What concerns me more is her state of mind..."
Dang Ayoung and the Sword Empress watched her from the backyard, gazing toward the woods, worry etched on their faces.
They weren't unconcerned about the husband who'd gone to the Demonic Cult, but his master had been like this since waking—silent and unmoving. They couldn't help fearing she'd collapse again.
If the woman they'd sacrificed so much to save fell once more, it would undo the very reason he'd gone to the Demonic Cult.
"And speaking of her... shouldn't Lady Thunderclap Sword rest a bit too...?"
"Mm..."
Truth be told, their worry weighed heavier on Yeo Socheon than his master.
She might look radiant despite days like this, but—
—Creak.
"...What are you staring at? Show's over."
Yeo Socheon, who had just stepped out of her room, looked like hell to anyone with eyes.
Dark circles shadowed her sunken eyes, proof she hadn't rested properly. Her once-gleaming skin had dulled visibly, turning dry and ashen.
"...I understand your feelings, but how about a little rest?"
"Don't talk nonsense. While I'm like this, that damned bloodsucker is out there plotting its next move. It must still be recovering from its mortal wound—this is our chance to finish it."
"You're not wrong, but... how about a look in the mirror first?"
"What does a mirror have to do with—"
The Sword Empress silently held out a hand mirror. Yeo Socheon peered into it, then fell silent.
'Have I pushed myself this hard...?'
After delivering him to the Demonic Cult, she'd spent days scouring the entire Central Plains from her room, grasping at clouds.
She looked a wreck, no denying it.
"I can see exactly what he'd say if he were here."
"...Nag like an old man and tell me to get to bed right now."
"What?!"
"...To sleep, I mean. Not that kind of bed."
"...Ahem."
Dang Ayoung wondered briefly if this was the sort of conversation old-school Taoists would have, but she didn't reach a conclusion.
"Fine, I get it. I'll rest a bit while I keep at it. A couple days off and I'll be back to normal, so don't worry."
"If you're feeling better, how about convincing her over there too?"
Yeo Socheon glanced where the Sword Empress pointed, sighed in disbelief, and muttered.
"That woman's still at it?"
"That's not something you should say..."
"Ahem. Wait here. I'll talk to her."
Yeo Socheon circulated her inner energy briefly to brighten her complexion, then headed into the yard toward her.
But as she moved away from the Sword Empress and Dang Ayoung, her face hardened. By the time she reached her, it was set in a cold mask.
"...What are you thinking?"
"...Asking your life-saver 'what are you thinking' right off the bat? Quite the foul mouth for a Taoist."
"You're definitely our savior. Without you that day, the Sword Empress and I would've been devoured by the deathly aura. You blocked it for us, absorbed it all, and collapsed alone."
"..."
She turned to meet Yeo Socheon's eyes.
"That day, you could've escaped on your own. If you hadn't worried about us two, dodging that deathly aura would've been easy."
"Regretting that I saved you?"
"Of course not. I'll repay this debt forever. But the more I think about it, the fishier it gets."
"..."
"You're no villain... but you're not some saint who'd sacrifice yourself for strangers either. We weren't your disciples—we were rivals you found annoying. Saving us at the risk of your own life... can only mean you had an agenda."
"...Then answer me this first, before I respond."
"What?"
"Explain why every glimpse into my disciple's heavenly secrets shows a woman called the Heavenly Demon."
—Thud!
That was the moment Yeo Socheon's stony expression crumbled.