Chapter 73
Chapter 73
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: Sama Clan's Utterly Hopeless Wastrel (1)
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The Heavenly Demon immediately asked the two Eternal Divine Gamblers, who knew all the treasures and divine artifacts in the martial world.
The Heavenly Sovereign Golden Bell was one of the Three Great Treasures, a bell made of gold.
Unlike the Heavenly Lord Demon Dragon Sword with its absolute offensive power or the Ghost Soul Shadowless Armor with its absolute defensive strength and mystical effects, it was said that shaking it once would make all ten thousand demons submit.
Above all, it was the divine artifact symbolizing the Demonic Cult Leader's position, making it something the Heavenly Demon absolutely wanted to reclaim.
And there was one more thing.
'There's a legend that gathering all three of the Three Great Treasures allows one to learn the Demonic Cult's hidden martial art.'
In the past, no Eternal Divine Gambler had ever stolen all three, so there was no way to verify the legend personally.
But now that he had obtained two of the Three Great Treasures, it was natural to feel greedy for the set.
"As far as I know, the Heavenly Sovereign Golden Bell is a divine artifact passed down through generations to the Heavenly Demons—that is, the Demonic Cult Leaders."
"Yes, that's right."
Unlike the Heavenly Lord Demon Dragon Sword or the Ghost Soul Shadowless Armor, the Heavenly Sovereign Golden Bell was essentially a divine artifact symbolizing the Cult Leader.
Thus, whoever possessed the Heavenly Sovereign Golden Bell was recognized as the true orthodox Cult Leader.
Because of this, even though it was less practical than the other treasures, its symbolic value was immense, making it the most cherished item.
However, Gunryong did not carry the Heavenly Sovereign Golden Bell, which had little use in actual combat, and instead stored it securely in the Demonic Cult's warehouse for future Heavenly Demons to inherit—a wise decision in hindsight.
"If I may be so bold... the Heavenly Sovereign Golden Bell was a treasure coveted not only by us but also by the previous Eternal Divine Gamblers."
Lee Shin and Lee Yeong hesitated greatly, fearing they might offend the First Heavenly Demon, before speaking up.
As they said, the Heavenly Sovereign Golden Bell was the treasure among treasures with the greatest symbolic value, so it was natural for the Eternal Divine Gamblers to covet it.
"So we kept a close eye on it. The last time the Heavenly Sovereign Golden Bell appeared in the martial world was at the end of the Demonic Cult—when the Fourth Heavenly Demon wandered various parts of the Central Plains in a desperate bid to survive."
It was an utterly obvious story.
The Heavenly Sovereign Golden Bell was like a nameplate proving the Cult Leader's position, so it was natural for the Fourth Heavenly Demon to carry it everywhere like a precious child.
"Then the one who killed the Fourth Heavenly Demon must have taken it?"
"Yes. That's the most likely possibility."
The question then was who had ultimately slain the Fourth Heavenly Demon, but opinions on that were divided.
There were simply too many pursuing the Demonic Cult at the time, the Fourth Heavenly Demon's end was relatively secretive, and those obsessed with conspiracy theories claimed the Fourth Heavenly Demon hadn't died but had hidden away somewhere in search of a utopia.
"Do you know who killed the Fourth Heavenly Demon?"
"We're not certain, but there's a suspect."
"Where?"
Feeling the slowly rising fury of the First Heavenly Demon, Lee Shin and Lee Yeong spoke in frightened voices.
"It's the place where all righteous sect warriors and clans cooperate, unite, and form alliances."
No sooner had the twin Eternal Divine Gambler brothers finished speaking than the Heavenly Demon shouted.
"The Murim Alliance!"
Why hadn't he realized it sooner?
The Heavenly Sovereign Golden Bell, which proved one's status as the Heavenly Demon Cult Leader and was the most important of the Demonic Cult's Three Great Treasures despite its lacking practical abilities.
The only place with the audacity to hide and store such a great item in secret was one: the Murim Alliance.
"That must be it."
"We're ninety percent sure it's in the Murim Alliance."
As the twin Eternal Divine Gamblers said, they had coveted it since the previous generation, but even they couldn't casually approach the Murim Alliance Leader's chambers.
"The Murim Alliance, huhuhu."
The Heavenly Demon chuckled slyly upon finding another goal, a new target.
'On the day my power is almost fully recovered, I must visit the Murim Alliance.'
Now there was one more reason for the Heavenly Demon to bring down the Murim Alliance.
Before departing, the twin Eternal Divine Gambler brothers once again pledged their loyalty to the Heavenly Demon, and they agreed to communicate through the Abyss Hall.
It turned out the Eternal Divine Gamblers were on very close terms with the Abyss Hall, so naturally, the connection between them and the First Heavenly Demon fell to the Abyss Hall and its Lord.
The Heavenly Demon sent off the twin Eternal Divine Gamblers who had become his subordinates and woke Seok Myeongju, the Seokga Manor Lord who had lost consciousness due to the sedative, telling him there was no need to worry since he had repelled the Eternal Divine Gamblers and taken them as subordinates.
"Thank you. Truly, thank you. How can I ever repay this grace?"
Seok Myeongju sighed in relief only after regaining consciousness and confirming that both the Left Guardian Seok Buloktae was safe and he himself was unharmed.
"I've already received the grace. Becoming the Dharma Protector of Seokga Manor along with the Gold and Stone Token is an immense reward, and it's only right that I help in return, isn't it?"
At the Heavenly Demon's jesting words, not only Seok Myeongju but also Seok Geumyeong and Ha Jin burst into laughter.
Seokga Manor Lord Seok Myeongju was a thorough merchant from head to toe.
He was the type who always gave back exactly as much as he received, whether loss or gain.
"This grace... I will support you both materially and morally from the shadows until the organization to which Gunryong-nim belongs as leader revives and stands tall once more."
Moreover, Seok Myeongju instinctively sensed that Heavenly Demon Gunryong was an undervalued gem of immense investment value, and he firmly believed this was the perfect time to invest in him.
"...!!"
This time, it was the Heavenly Demon who was surprised by the bold promise.
And well he might be, for a merchant guild leader publicly sponsoring and supporting the Demonic Cult was an extremely dangerous and arduous endeavor.
Yet he had promised unwavering support until the Demonic Cult's revival, meaning freedom from worries over money, wealth, goods, or food supplies.
'This settles it. Now I just need to find my Cult members or, like with the Eternal Divine Gamblers, recruit as many capable people as possible to revive it.'
The Heavenly Demon's ultimate goal was to conquer the Central Plains—a dream unfulfilled in the past—and splendidly revive the Demonic Cult, now an object of contempt and a symbol of downfall in this era.
With the Central Plains' strongest merchant guild and titan, Seokga Manor, backing him, there was nothing left to worry about.
"Now I'm the one who's grateful."
"No, no. Meeting a living legend like Gunryong-nim has been nothing but joyful and thrilling days for me."
The Heavenly Demon and Seok Myeongju exchanged words to further cement their bond.
This signaled that the time for the Heavenly Demon to depart was fast approaching.
"Are you leaving?"
Seok Geumyeong, who took after her father Seok Myeongju and had incredibly sharp intuition, asked.
She was so reluctant to part with the Heavenly Demon that her large eyes brimmed with sadness.
"Yes. I've achieved my original purpose of escorting you and resolving the Manor Lord's affairs... so now I must head to my original destination."
The Heavenly Demon and his group had originally planned to head straight to the Sama Clan in Henan Province, where Blind Thunder Demon Sama Hui was said to have retired.
However, encountering Seok Geumyeong in peril midway had led to unexpected aid, stretching out their timeline.
Now it was time to proceed to the original destination.
"Original destination...?"
"The Sama Clan in Henan Province."
Sogang, ever quick-witted, answered Seok Myeongju's question.
"The S-Sama Clan?"
But Seok Myeongju's reaction upon hearing this was somewhat suspicious.
"Why? Is there a problem?"
The perceptive Heavenly Demon noticed and asked, prompting Seok Myeongju to hesitate briefly before sharing the information he had as a merchant.
"The Sama Clan is a renowned house in Henan that prospered greatly... but recently, they've suffered several misfortunes, and dark clouds hang over them."
"Misfortunes? Dark clouds? What on earth happened?"
The Heavenly Demon reacted with surprise to the ill tidings of the Sama Clan, home to Sama Hui, one of his left-arm subordinates, the Blind Thunder Demon.
He had thought it couldn't be as bad as the Ghost Sword Manor of the Loyal Ghost Sword Yang Uryang, but apparently not.
"The previous head, who had been managing the clan well, suddenly passed away, leaving an underage young lord not even twenty yet to succeed him."
"Is that true?"
Typically, a clan head was at least around thirty years old.
This usually signified the emergence of an extraordinarily talented individual who had been confirmed worthy ahead of schedule.
No matter how exceptional the talent, it was safe to say no one became head in their teens.
"Yes."
"But if he's young yet capable, wouldn't that be fine?"
At the Heavenly Demon's question, Seok Myeongju placed a hand on his forehead in distress.
"The problem is... the Sama Clan's young lord is an utterly hopeless wastrel."
"Bring booze, booze!"
The young lord of the Sama Clan, Lazy Dragon Sama Hon, who called courtesans day in and day out for drunken revelries, shouted.
He was so thoroughly drunk that his speech slurred constantly, and his face was so flushed from alcohol poisoning that his eyes were barely visible.
"Young Lord! This is the main hall, the most sacred space in our clan! It's where the clan's elders gather to discuss and deliberate clan matters! How can you summon courtesans here for a drinking party?!"
The one conveying this desperate plea to Sama Hon—the Lazy Dragon, who bore the shameful moniker of a slothful dragon despite possessing a dragon's talent—was Sama Baekhyeon, the Vice Clan Head and Old Flame Elder of the Sama Clan.
To Sama Baekhyeon, Sama Hon was like a grandson, and he had raised him with special affection since childhood.
'I was certain he was the historic talent who would raise our Sama Clan—a future clan head! How could this be?!'
Far from a historic clan head, he had become the youngest in history to ascend as head, only to immediately summon courtesans for a drinking binge. It was enough to kill him.
He had drawn glares for his wastrel ways in the past, but no one had dreamed he would continue even after becoming head.
"Oh! Our Vice Clan Head is here? Come on~ have a drink!"
Sama Hon grinned sloppily, half-opening his bleary eyes.
Who could look at him now and imagine he was once Henan's top genius, a prodigy, and the second-in-command at the Murim Alliance's Heavenly Martial Academy?
"Young Lord, please!"
Sama Baekhyeon's heart felt like it would burst from sheer anguish.
If Sama Hon had been a born wastrel with no expectations placed on him, it wouldn't have felt so unfair or heartbreaking.
"Sad? Depressed? Then booze is just the medicine! Right! You bet it is."
Whether he knew of Sama Baekhyeon's boiling emotions or not, Sama Hon poured liquor until it overflowed the cup, spouting nonsense.
Drip, drip, drip!
As the liquor spilled over, Sama Baekhyeon's tears threatened to do the same.
'When on earth did he become like this?'
Sama Baekhyeon vividly remembered the days when Sama Hon shone with brilliance.
Sama Hon's repeated depravity had clearly begun...
"Young Lord. What exactly happened at the Murim Alliance—at the Heavenly Martial Academy?"
It was right after he had entered the Heavenly Martial Academy, the cradle of righteous warriors and a place to nurture talents.
The Heavenly Martial Academy was an elite training institution accessible only to the shining geniuses of the Nine Great Sects, Five Great Clans, and various righteous sects and families.
Sama Hon, who boasted the finest mind not just in Henan but in the eastern martial world, had entered by achieving the highest score in the academy's history.
But where had it all gone wrong?