Chapter 163
Chapter 163
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 163
Chapter Title: Secret Tale (3)
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Sima Geon brushed past Dang Cheonhwa and strode toward the Bloodlight Demon Emperor, with Cheol Woo silently trailing half a step behind.
The Eighteen Crossers, led by Gwak Chung, scrambled to shield the Bloodlight Demon Emperor. The Black-and-White Twin Assassins, who had rushed to his side in an instant, glared at Sima Geon and Cheol Woo with faces taut with tension.
The Bloodlight Demon Emperor casually raised a hand to calm his men, then burst into laughter at the sight of the Biheaven Fortress warriors frantically gathering Sang Gwancheon's corpse.
"Still as bold as ever. I didn't think you'd strike down the leader of a whole group quite that harshly."
"He was a dead man even without my hand in it. Wasn't he?"
"True enough. I was grateful you'd driven them off, so I meant to finish him off myself."
The Bloodlight Demon Emperor sounded genuinely regretful.
"So, what do you plan to do now?"
No one could hide their tension at the Bloodlight Demon Emperor's question. The Eighteen Crossers especially seemed ready to leap into battle at Sima Geon's response, their auras flaring fiercely.
"Where do these flies think they get off baring their fangs? You itching to die?"
Cheol Woo snarled at the Eighteen Crossers.
"I'll handle you myself, whelp."
The bald monk stepped forward in front of the Eighteen Crossers.
"Think you can manage, old man?"
Cheol Woo asked, exuding a chilling killing intent.
"We'll see if you can say that after I cut your throat."
"I like the confidence. Just remember plenty have died mouthing off like that."
"Insolent cur!"
As the bald monk, unable to stomach Cheol Woo's mockery, moved to hurl a dagger—
A sudden, eerie killing intent froze him in place. It felt like the slightest twitch would send his head flying.
"Stand down."
Sima Geon, who had blocked the monk's attack, spoke to Cheol Woo. Cheol Woo, poised for a counterstrike, withdrew with obvious reluctance.
"You stand down as well."
The Bloodlight Demon Emperor spoke, eyeing Sima Geon in astonishment for halting the monk with sheer presence alone.
The killing intent that had gripped him vanished, and the bald monk exhaled sharply before stepping back. His pursed lips and flushed face betrayed deep humiliation at the situation.
"On my way here, I heard an interesting story."
Sima Geon brought up something utterly out of place amid the tense atmosphere. The Bloodlight Demon Emperor's brow furrowed deeply, having expected talk of the fight with Biheaven Fortress.
"Do you happen to know someone named Pyo Yeong?"
"Pyo Yeong?"
The Bloodlight Demon Emperor thought for a moment before shaking his head.
"No."
"He was one of Dark Fragrance's agents."
"I might know the leaders, but not every underling."
"He came to Soheung once."
At the mention of Soheung, the Bloodlight Demon Emperor's eyes narrowed sharply.
"And he was the only one I let live."
"Right. I remember now. There was one agent who survived."
"Do you remember his report too?"
"Of course. The Hierophant and all the Heavenly Demon Cult's top brass read it."
The Bloodlight Demon Emperor nodded, recalling the report's contents.
"But he told me that report was wrong."
"What do you mean?"
"He said the version presented at that meeting wasn't his original—it was missing key parts."
"Impossible. He must be mistaken."
As the Bloodlight Demon Emperor shook his head firmly, Sima Geon casually touched the Heavenly Demon Ring on his wrist, his expression saying he'd expected as much.
"I warned him that if they targeted my family again, I'd assassinate every last relative of the Heavenly Demon Cult's leadership, down to the eighth cousin. You didn't know that, did you?"
"That..."
He looked visibly rattled by the unmentioned detail.
"Naturally, you wouldn't know about my offer either: release the Divine Demon Division members from prison unharmed, and I'll return the Heavenly Demon Ring."
The Bloodlight Demon Emperor's face hardened noticeably.
No matter how hard he racked his brain, that wasn't in the report. He glanced suspiciously at the bald monk.
"It wasn't there. I didn't see the report myself, but nothing like that came up in the meeting."
The bald monk shook his head, equally flustered.
"Did you really issue that warning and proposal?"
"Yes. I don't shy from fights that come to me, but no need to drag out ones we can avoid. Especially not over some unwanted trinket putting my family at risk."
Sima Geon said, shaking the Heavenly Demon Ring on his wrist.
The Bloodlight Demon Emperor and bald monk's eyes wavered greatly at the sight.
"The Heavenly Demon Ring."
Sima Geon gestured lightly toward it and changed the subject.
"Pyo Yeong said that on his way back to the Heavenly Demon Cult, he ran into a Dark Fragrance hit squad. He barely escaped with his life, then tried to figure out why they were after him and got ambushed again. Most of his comrades who helped him died."
The Bloodlight Demon Emperor fell silent.
"Recently, the Divine Demon Division members locked in Thunder Prison were moved to Ten Thousand Poisons Valley. Some guy named Yin Jeokso used an immortality poison technique on them, turning the survivors into Poison Blood Demons. You know about that?"
"I heard last night."
"I'll be direct: did the Hierophant order it?"
Sima Geon's voice sank low.
The Eighteen Crossers waiting at the rear flinched instinctively into defensive stances.
"Absolutely not. Neither the Hierophant nor we elders knew. Truth be told, we were distracted elsewhere and paid no mind."
"Is that true?"
"It's fact. If you knew what Yin Jeokso's been up to lately, you'd know I'm not lying."
As Sima Geon pondered, the Bloodlight Demon Emperor sighed.
"That brat Yin Jeokso's staged a rebellion. He's rallied some factions and is stirring up all sorts of chaos. Especially those monsters he commands... we're getting overwhelmed."
When he said "monsters," the Bloodlight Demon Emperor unconsciously glanced at Sima Geon.
"Poison Blood Demons, right?"
"Likely."
Sima Geon clenched his teeth, suppressing his rising fury, before continuing.
"Pyo Yeong pieced it together: there are moles inside the Heavenly Demon Cult. This infiltrator can alter reports to the Hierophant, deploy hit squads to silence the reporter, and even secretly extract Divine Demon Division prisoners. The most likely culprits..."
"Blood Fiend Cult."
The Bloodlight Demon Emperor and bald monk answered in unison.
"Yes. He suspects the Blood Fiend Cult. What do you think?"
After a long silence, the Bloodlight Demon Emperor nodded weakly.
"Probably right. The first thing I did coming here was root out Blood Fiend Cult spies."
Using Poison Blood Lord, he'd caught seven—all key figures in their factions. Few in number given the scale, but their positions suggested high odds of Blood Fiend Cult infiltrators among the Heavenly Demon Cult's core leadership.
"How do you think I felt hearing the Divine Demon Division became Poison Blood Demons?"
"..."
The Bloodlight Demon Emperor couldn't answer lightly.
"Pyo Yeong said it looks like the Blood Fiend Cult wants us fighting nonstop: sneaking out the Divine Demon Division, censoring his report, then silencing him. Might be speculation, but not entirely wrong. If I didn't think so, we wouldn't be talking face-to-face."
Sima Geon said, scanning the Bloodlight Demon Emperor and the Heavenly Demon Cult warriors around them.
"So just go home. How can you act when you haven't even rooted out the rats inside? Tell your Hierophant too: clean house before starting needless wars."
As the Bloodlight Demon Emperor hesitated, Sima Geon channeled inner energy into the Heavenly Demon Ring.
"Th-that's..."
"What the—!"
Their eyes bulged as it instantly transformed into a sword.
Sima Geon held the Heavenly Demon Sword at a slant.
"I'm counting to ten."
Cheol Woo jeered.
"Get lost before then if you don't want to die."
"It was when the Divine Demon Clan was waging war to unify the demonic path, leading with their Divine Demon Division. Even our main house wasn't safe from their assaults."
At Jong Yo's words, everyone's faces twisted, dredging up grim memories.
"As you know, our clan's martial strength is lacking. Yet no faction dares attack us recklessly."
"I remember Father mentioning a few times how fearsome the Ghost Gate Clan's mechanisms and formations are."
Jwa Geom's remark drew a wry smile from Jong Yo.
"That overconfidence led to our annihilation. We knew the Divine Demon Division was coming but handled it too carelessly. Still, they took heavy losses attacking us—far worse than against other sects. Perhaps because of that, they razed our house thoroughly. Every building burned, our retainers slaughtered mercilessly."
Jong Yo's voice cracked with emotion, his already grating rasp growing harsher.
"I alone survived that hell. I lived, but fire demons left me this wretched shell."
While Ma Uk and Jwa Geom pitied Jong Yo's plight, Yin Jeokso's face showed no emotion—almost bored, as if the preamble dragged on.
"The Divine Demon Leader was strong, no doubt. But not like now. He changed after gaining fortune in our house."
At "fortune," Yin Jeokso's expression shifted instantly.
"What fortune?"
"They reduced our entire house to ashes, exposing a hidden chamber we'd never known."
"You got martial arts from there?"
Ma Uk couldn't hold back.
"Yes. Amid the ruins of the patriarch's office, the Divine Demon Leader found an iron door to a basement. Descending to the secret room, he discovered three ancient corpses."
"Who were they?"
Yin Jeokso swallowed hard.
"Know the Three Demon Venerables?"
All three shook their heads at Jong Yo's question.
"Iron Blood Demon Venerable, Blood Sea Demon Venerable, Great Power Demon Venerable. The Three Demon Venerables challenged the Heavenly Demon, later revered as the supreme of ancient and modern times."
"Rings a bell."
Ma Uk said, brow furrowed in intense thought.
"They shook the world with their arts but fell short of that colossal wall, the Heavenly Demon."
"So the Divine Demon Leader got their martial arts."
Yin Jeokso said.
"Yes. And the one they created together."
"Created together?"
"Defeated and crippled by the Heavenly Demon, they realized no single one could surpass him. Burning with defeat and humiliation, they pooled their minds. After grueling effort, they birthed a new art."
Jong Yo steadied his breath.
"Heaven Piercing Nine Forms! Crafted solely to shatter the Heavenly Demon's arts."
"Damn it! The luck of the universe went to that bastard."
"No wonder he's filthy strong."
Ma Uk and Jwa Geom spat curses.
"But their preparations didn't end there. Their own arts and the Heaven Piercing Nine Forms demanded vast inner energy. So they gathered myriad elixirs. By the time they found the chamber, most were likely ruined. But one was perfectly preserved, I'd wager."
"What was it?"
Ma Uk asked.
"Celestial Pure Jade Milk. A substantial amount."
"Fuck!"
Ma Uk swore.
"Ha! I'm all out of curses now."
Jwa Geom chuckled dryly, shaking his head.
"But Strategist, how do you know? And that guess about the Jade Milk's odd."
Jong Yo's scarred face twisted uglier at Yin Jeokso's question. After hesitating and sighing, he spoke.
"Blood Sea Demon Venerable was sworn brothers with our then-patriarch."
"Ah! That's why their relics were in Ghost Gate Clan."
"Yes. The patriarch, versed in heavenly principles, gave unstinting counsel. Without him, the Three Demon Venerables never could've created Heaven Piercing Nine Forms. But human greed is unfathomable."
Jong Yo's bitter look silenced him. Jwa Geom carefully refilled his cup; Yin Jeokso didn't press.
Jong Yo spoke again after three cups.
"Our weak-willed patriarch always lamented our martial frailty and grew covetous."
"Of Heaven Piercing Nine Forms?"
"Yes."
"Possible? They fought the Heavenly Demon."
"Post-defeat, they were crippled shells. And with their trust secured, our patriarch pulled it off."
"Outcome?"
"He poisoned them successfully, but they countered, gravely wounding him. He fled to another chamber space, erected a barrier to evade further assaults..."
"He died."
"Yes."
"The Three Demon Venerables too?"
"Yes. Though not instantly, it seems. The patriarch left a written account from hiding behind the barrier—he couldn't exit carelessly."
"Got it. Then the Divine Demon Leader later found the chamber, swallowed the Three Demon Venerables and their arts. Jade Milk as a bonus."
"Yes. I blacked out amid the ashes right after seeing him open the iron door. Barely surviving, I later checked the chamber, confirmed the patriarch's barrier, and learned the secret."
Ma Uk promptly refilled Jong Yo's cup as he finished.
"Fascinating tale, but disappointing. Divine Demon Leader got all the goodies."
Yin Jeokso grumbled. Jong Yo pulled a small cloth bundle from his robe.
"The space our patriarch fled to was Iron Blood Demon Venerable's sleeping quarters. I found it late and got a few items."
"Oh ho!"
Yin Jeokso snatched it eagerly, unfolding to reveal two books and a halved golden plaque.
"Th-this is Iron Blood Demon Venerable's..."
"Yes. His martial arts manual and divine relic."
"Heh heh heh! Such treasure!"
Yin Jeokso's face lit with ecstasy. But Jong Yo wasn't done.
"Also the divine relic of Iron Blood Palace, hegemon of the Great Veil."