Chapter 107
Chapter 107
************************-
Translator: uly
Chapter: 107
Chapter Title: Heavenly Demon's Bodyguard
************************-
After being tossed around by Baek Mae for quite some time, I received a messenger pigeon late that night.
A short letter in the First Demon's handwriting, delivered via the blood thread bird she controlled.
[I've sent someone.]
The moment I read it, a voice came from behind me.
"Red Cloud. It's been a while."
The maid who always brought news of the Heavenly Demon.
I bowed my head to her.
"It's been a long time. Does your arrival mean... the usual this time too?"
"Right on the mark. Since you already know, I skipped the explanations. You need to move now to make it in time."
"In time for...?"
"The Cult Leader specifically chose you. As her escort warrior for this event."
"...Pardon?"
"Follow me."
I was practically kidnapped and, as always, entered the secret passage to the Demon Palace.
The room was as quiet as ever. Inside lay a familiar face I hadn't seen in ages, sprawled out spread-eagled.
"Ugh... I'm dying."
"Cult Leader."
"Puppy. Come here."
I moved to her side where she patted insistently. The Heavenly Demon, with something covering her face, grabbed my hand.
"I'm starting to lose track of whether you're a genius or just a hard worker."
"I've been diligent."
"Who in the world would doubt your effort? At least anyone who knows you understands how heavy that word 'diligent' is coming from your mouth. And that goes for me too. I already know you'll keep at it without me needing to hear it. But the genius I'm talking about isn't that kind. Probably across the entire cult..."
The Heavenly Demon chuckled softly.
"The one closest to death is you. That's why I said it. If I had to compare you to a genius, you'd be a genius of death."
"You're too kind."
"Kind? Come here. Let me feel your face."
She removed the cloth-like covering from her face and fiddled with mine.
"Hmm. You were already decent-looking before, but... now you're definitely more handsome. Not a trace of impurity in your body. Flower Realm. But it's not just that realm. It's thanks to the Heavenly Tribulation inside you."
"It's been a great help."
"The Heavenly Tribulation could help because you endured it. And now, let's see... You can advance to the Reverse Heaven Blood Flow Great Law. You've skipped two stages, so jumping straight to the fourth is fine."
"The fourth stage...?"
"Ah. It won't hurt this time. No need to worry. The Heavenly Tribulation has already perfectly adapted to your body."
She brought over massive silver needles. Infusing them with energy, she inserted them into my body one by one.
It didn't hurt. Just as she said. But it felt strange somehow.
Seventy-two large needles embedded throughout my body. And the foreign sensation they caused inside me.
"I'll work on you over two days, in four sessions total. Bear any discomfort. You can still move without issue, so visit the bathroom between needle extractions. Or I can handle it for you if you prefer."
"...I'll manage myself."
"Heh heh. Don't forget you'll stay here for two days. Call the maid if you need anything. Got it?"
"Yes."
"I'll stay with you while you sleep, at least. Though with your condition, nothing intense."
"...Cult Leader..."
"Look at that face. Such a cute one."
The Heavenly Demon propped her arm up and sat beside me on the bed.
Something suddenly occurred to me, so I asked.
"Cult Leader. I have a question."
"Ask away."
"Do you know about the Thousand Net Reverse Blood Back Death Array? And what exactly is the Nine Heavens Blood Demon Sword...?"
"Of course I do. How could I not? The Reverse Heaven Blood Flow Great Law I'm using right now even originates from there."
"...Pardon?"
"Such a curious face. I'll answer one by one. The Blood Demon Sword, the root of your swordsmanship, was originally a technique of the Blood Cult. Decades ago, after the previous Heavenly Demon crushed the Blood Demon, it came to our cult. Out of curiosity, I learned it once."
Blood energy rippled from her fingertips. The casually summoned aura effortlessly surpassed everything I'd honed so far.
"It was a wild, beastly art. So I took parts of it and refined it anew. But it felt so sloppy overall that I scrapped it and started from scratch. That became the Nine Heavens Blood Demon Sword... though I stopped midway."
"Why...?"
"Blood energy is far more vicious than demonic energy. Born from human blood, how could its nature be light? And above all, the gains didn't match the investment."
"........."
"You have to dance on the edge of death to grow stronger. It only surges dramatically when you're near death. Sure, early on it rivals divine arts without issue, but later you'd need to flirt with death dozens or hundreds of times to match the efficiency of superior arts. Isn't that ridiculous? Easy to start, but reaching the pinnacle is near impossible. And death... well, even I don't fancy it much. Why bother researching something you can gain lightly without dying, when I have plenty of those?"
"........."
"Not just that-there's the demonic corruption and risk of qi deviation too... Anyway, those who learned it either died without becoming masters or went mad from the blood energy. No one ever completed it fully, so I didn't bother finishing."
The Heavenly Demon poked my cheek.
"Then a freak like you appeared before me. Someone who can return from death multiple times via Heavenly Tribulation, with the mental fortitude to endure it. Who could've guessed? From the first time I saw you, I wondered. As time passed, I became certain. You're rare. A rare poison, and among those, the king of poisons. So now I'm helping the First Demon complete the Nine Heavens Blood Demon Sword belatedly. It's a technique forged by two absolute masters, you could say."
"......"
"That's enough on that... And you asked about the Thousand Net Reverse Blood Back Death Array?"
"Yes."
"Simple. It's a remnant of the Blood Cult's attempt to forge Heavenly Tribulation through human hands. So... True Blood, was it? That's a failed version of Heavenly Tribulation."
"A failure of... Heavenly Tribulation...?"
"Yes. A failure. The root of Heavenly Tribulation is... hmm..."
The Heavenly Demon grinned mischievously mid-sentence.
"Let's skip it."
"Pardon?"
"I said skip it, puppy. Explaining its origins would take going way back-to the founding Heavenly Demon even. My mouth would get sore. I'll tell you later. I need some sleep to handle tomorrow too, right? What you need to know is this: Places tried to create Heavenly Tribulation, and they all failed. True Blood is one of those failures. That Blood Cult vice leader, Gok Cheong? If it were that important, the leader would've used it, not the vice. They pushed the vice forward knowing the risks."
"...So Gok Cheong was a scapegoat?"
"Maybe. Nothing's certain. But more importantly..."
The Heavenly Demon stroked my head.
"I have a question for you, puppy. Did Gok Cheong say something's behind the Blood Cult?"
"Yes. He did."
"What do you think?"
"It didn't sound like just the Blood Cult. If something bigger than them..."
I pondered deeply. Then it hit me.
"Maybe the Five Outer Palaces..."
"The Five Outer Palaces? Those recluses who lock their doors-would they pull something so brazen?"
"...Murim Alliance..."
"Could be a candidate, but doubtful. The Blood Cult are gutsy types anyway. They shout they're stronger no matter the foe. If even they call it 'above,' the gap must be overwhelming."
"The Evil Cult?"
"A filthy horde in numbers. But... sheer numbers don't equal power..."
"You seem to already suspect someone."
"Correct."
The Heavenly Demon smiled brightly.
"I do have suspicions. But I'm turning a blind eye because I don't want to touch it."
"Why...?"
"Our cult's power is strong. Step outside, and we might unify Murim. We'd be outnumbered, sure... but our current forces are the strongest in history."
"........."
"Yet I'm not advancing into Murim. Numbers are one issue, but there are others."
"What other issues...?"
"History is like a vast flowing river. And there are those forcing its current. Ones only I know of-no one else."
"........."
"Puppy. Do you get why I'm telling you this?"
"I... don't really."
"I haven't even told the First Demon. But a pet is different. Hunting dogs have to listen to their master's grumblings, don't they?"
"........."
"That's why I'm venting. See, I'm a woman. A fragile one at that. The wind could knock me over."
"......"
"Look at your face. Argh. Argh. But still, I have family. Position shapes a person, they say. As Heavenly Demon, I've ruled, and so I see this entire cult as family. So... if someone's harming my family, shouldn't I act somehow? If the head doesn't move, the whole pillar gets uprooted. But even knowing that in my head, I can't act. That's the situation. Even if I step up... I'd probably lose."
"That big of an enemy?"
"Like an invisible foe. Or one you see but pretend not to. So, puppy, bury everything I said here. This is just me venting, not asking you to fix it. But instead..."
The Heavenly Demon took my hand and placed it on her head.
"Comfort me a bit."
"......"
I awkwardly stroked her hair a few times. She burst into delayed laughter as I gently petted her.
"Being petted by someone feels weird."
"......"
"Anyway, that's enough. Plenty good. Mm. My puppy. Flower Realm achieved, and you can wield one ghost sword too-preparations are basically done."
"...Preparations for...?"
"I'll call you again soon. Pack for a trip. Saying goodbyes to your acquaintances wouldn't hurt. Time to settle why I took you in originally."
"...You mean..."
"Prepare to head to the Murim Alliance. They infiltrated as a spy, wrecked my home-they'll pay."
The Heavenly Demon grinned wickedly.
"Don't want to?"
"...To me, you're no different from a benefactor. If someone's targeting a precious person's life, it's only right to handle it..."
I shook my head.
"I won't hesitate with my sword."
"Heh heh heh. My puppy! I raised a fine hound! Shall I raise a few more?"
"...Am I not enough?"
"What? Ahaha! You adorable thing. Mm. True. One hound's plenty. More would just be a hassle to manage. Come here. Time to suck on those cheeks."
"Eek."
She really did.
The Heavenly Demon licked her lips.
"Delicious. Gotta do this more often."
"...Cult Leader..."
"Ah. What is this... Feels different stealing from the First Demon..."
Grinning, she fell asleep right beside me on the bed. I hadn't expected to sleep in the same space as the Heavenly Demon, but with the needles, I couldn't move, so I just stared at the ceiling.
What could they be? The enemies even she, the Heavenly Demon, had to vent about-ones you 'see but pretend not to.'
What exactly is hiding behind the Blood Cult?
...
The great law was complete. But there were no odd changes in my body.
If anything felt different, it was that even the slight foreign sensation between Heavenly Tribulation and me had vanished completely.
Heavenly Tribulation becoming me.
Me becoming Heavenly Tribulation.
"The fourth stage of the Reverse Heaven Blood Flow Great Law raises synchronization with Heavenly Tribulation."
"So that means..."
"I've made you and your inner Heavenly Tribulation get along, so more things are possible now. Check them slowly later. For now, the first thing you'll notice is... the discomfort's gone. Isn't that good enough?"
"It is."
"Hmm. Cute one. And during this banquet, you'll move as my escort warrior, so follow the maid for preparations."
Her unexpected words froze me solid.
The Heavenly Demon's escort warrior...?
"How could someone like me...?"
"How what? Forget etiquette and such-just silently guard my side. Keep your mouth shut. Once the event progresses and I withdraw, you're free to act. I'll give you a mask to cover your face, matched to the First Demon's."
"Just keep my mouth shut?"
"Yes. And enjoy the stares."
"The stares...?"
"Since officially taking the Cult Leader seat, I've never had even one escort warrior. Suddenly plopping a neither left nor right protector there? What do you think happens?"
"...All eyes on me..."
"Exactly. Eyes. Being at my side means every warrior there, even sect leaders, will focus on you."
"Too heavy a spotlight."
"My favorite kind. Heh heh heh."
...She's just toying with me.
I sighed. But it was an order, so I had no choice.
I became a special care subject alongside her. Even hiding my face, the exterior had to be perfect, so from ritual bathing onward, I endured all sorts of treatments.
Powdering the face under the mask was par for the course. When I asked why, the maid-practically my dedicated handler-tilted her head and said,
"What if the mask slips off?"
"If it slips, we're already done for..."
"Even in failure, a shabby revealed face means total disaster, not just failure. I can't allow that."
"...Understood."
Preparations done, I waited outside her room. Maids bustled in and out several times, as if she was getting fully dolled up.
I waited obediently, masked. Far more time passed than for my prep.
Finally, her preparations seemed complete; she called me from beyond the door.
"Come in, puppy."
I rose to my feet.