Chapter 79
Chapter 79
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 79
Chapter Title: Sima Family's Total Ruin (7)
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“……!!”
The people of the Sima Family, who hadn't realized the Heavenly Demon's true identity, finally recognized Gunryong as the Heavenly Demon and staggered back in shock.
Of course, they didn't suspect he was the First Heavenly Demon—they believed he was a new one.
“D-Demonic Cult? Heavenly Demon?!”
“This can't be! We've only just escaped ties to the Demonic Cult!”
“On top of that, for the current head of the Sima Family to join the Demonic Cult? That's a straight path to becoming a public enemy of the martial world!”
“To follow in the footsteps of Sima Hui, our family's sworn enemy Ma An-cheon-noe? This is absurd!”
Everyone leaped up, pouring out objections and trying to dissuade him. Sima Baek-heun was no different.
Above all, hadn't the Sima Family suffered lifelong torment because of the Demonic Cult?
Facing their fierce backlash, the Heavenly Demon spoke coldly.
“Do not speak ill of Hui.”
Whoosh!
Not only that, he unleashed his overwhelming inner energy, signaling a subtle fury.
“Even if you were scorned and despised, the one who secretly protected this space where you could sleep soundly with legs stretched out was also Sima Hui.”
The Heavenly Demon's words rang true.
The Sima Family had barely clung to survival thanks to Sima Hui, who stayed in the hidden space, activating formations in moments of crisis and wielding his power.
Yet the Sima Family had no idea, believing they'd endured through their own strength.
“T-The Demonic Cult... me...”
Meanwhile, Sima Hon, who had received this monumental offer, blinked his innocent eyes, still unable to process it.
“Why? Hesitating?”
“Y-Yes. I've lived my whole life in the righteous sects. The idea of joining the Demonic Cult, home of ten thousand demons, never even crossed my mind.”
His knees trembled at the mere thought of entering the Demonic Cult.
Watching him, the Heavenly Demon couldn't help but chuckle.
“Is joining my cult that frightening? In truth, calling it the Demonic Cult is just the righteous sects' way of labeling it.”
The Heavenly Demon shared his own views on the distinctions between the Demonic Cult, righteous sects, and unorthodox ones.
Why had the Demonic Cult become the Demonic Cult?
“The righteous sects are the privileged class clinging to the status quo. The unorthodox are the cunning ones making pragmatic choices in that world. And my cult... is merely the force that upends the world and order they've built to usher in a new era. If they dare call that the path of demons!”
The Heavenly Demon clenched his fist.
“Call my cult the Demonic Cult as much as you like. Call me the eternal heaven-sent devil, the Heavenly Demon.”
“……!!”
Hearing this, Sima Hon felt a profound sense of liberation.
For Sima Hon, manipulated, oppressed, and bound by those who called themselves righteous, this world was an unjust one ruled by the elite.
There were two ways to live in this unjust world.
‘Either soak in alcohol forever like before, occasionally practicing formations to prolong my miserable life... or follow the resurrected First Heavenly Demon and turn the world upside down!’
Simply put, submit and die, or change the world. People wanted the latter but chose the former due to lack of power.
But now, a transcendent being with immense power and martial arts stood before Sima Hon.
His choice was obvious!
“The one who saved me, slowly dying yet clinging to breath, was Ma An-cheon-noe Sima Hui, my ancestor. I too will follow in his footsteps... and become the strategist, the insightful mind at your side, Heavenly Demon!”
He was merely emulating Sima Hui's choice.
Ooooo!
The Sima Family reeled at this utterly unexpected decision.
And rightly so—the current head volunteering to join the declining Demonic Cult, no less as a strategist following Sima Hui? Shock was inevitable.
“Family Head! What of our family then? Will you abandon it?”
Sima Baek-heun cried out in shock and despair.
“Abandon the Sima Family? Even parched to death, I've never forsaken the head's seat. I have two ambitions.”
Only now did Sima Hon truly feel liberated.
“First, to serve the Heavenly Demon well. Second... to unite the Demonic Cult's Sima clansmen and our divided Sima Family back into one, as it once was.”
“No way!”
His grand ambition left Sima Baek-heun and the entire Sima Family speechless in astonishment.
“As expected of a clever one.”
Only the Heavenly Demon grinned broadly, welcoming Sima Hon's thoughts—smart like Sima Hui, yet on a completely different path.
“In the past, when our Sima Family was united, not even the Five Great Clans dared mock us. I will restore that era of glory. Moreover!”
The dormant dragon Sima Hon, gifted with innate intellect and talent yet unable to unleash it.
“I will prove the Martial Alliance's choice wrong by fully utilizing my abilities.”
The lazy dragon shed its laziness, soaring freely.
“Yes. A true man must dream that big.”
The Heavenly Demon was quite taken with Sima Hon.
If Yang Hui-gun resembled Yang U-ryang, Sima Hon felt like the opposite of Sima Hui yet equally brilliant.
“Deputy Head.”
Sima Hon called to Sima Baek-heun.
“I'll be away for a while... please look after the family.”
Sima Hon had made his final decision.
Even if it meant leaving as family head, he would follow the Heavenly Demon.
It wasn't uncommon for a family head to be absent.
It happened for various reasons, and the deputy head or elder statesman usually filled in.
“Is this truly your chosen path, Family Head?”
As everyone gasped in shock, Sima Baek-heun, barely regaining composure, asked.
He stared piercingly at Sima Hon, whose face had brightened noticeably, eyes gleaming with spirit.
“Now I can finally breathe.”
No matter what anyone said, Sima Hon intended to live a liberated life.
But one thing.
The only thorn in his side was Sima Baek-heun.
Orphaned young, Sima Hon saw him as father, mother, elder, and sole family.
That's why.
If he approved, Sima Hon felt he could endure the world's finger-pointing.
‘Ironically, this liberated Family Head is the one I cherished, respected, and favored most.’
Sima Baek-heun now realized.
The only way to save Sima Hon was to change the world.
To him, Sima Hon was more precious than anything—even the whole world.
“The Sima Family will stay quiet for now. Like always, it'll flow smoothly, like water in water, alcohol in alcohol. And this stagnation will only tighten around our talented Family Head's neck.”
Like sending off grown children?
Feeling a tenth of his soul vanish, Sima Baek-heun spoke.
“This damn world that denied and ignored your talent—go smash it to pieces!”
“Deputy Head!”
Disappointment, never show your face again—such reactions he'd expected.
The exact opposite—wholehearted approval—brought tears flooding from Sima Hon.
For all his resolve, he was still just nineteen.
Joy, guilt, sorrow overwhelmed him at his sole family's permission.
“If you feel yourself breaking while smashing the world, come back home. I'll keep the Sima Family strong.”
Sima Baek-heun wanted to be Sima Hon's pillar and home to return to.
“Thank you.”
Sima Hon wiped his tears, bowing with cupped fists.
“When I return, I'll be greater still.”
As Sima Hon gave his final farewell, not just Sima Baek-heun but even those who'd undervalued him wept.
They belatedly realized his bottomless suffering and struggles, and how he'd upheld the head's role for the family despite it all.
“Farewell.”
In the end, Sima Baek-heun shed tears too.
Thus, the dormant dragon Sima Hon officially left the Sima Family to join the Heavenly Demon's group.
Gunryong had now gained, after the loyal ghost swords Yang U-ryang and Ma An-cheon-noe Sima Hui, their heirs: Ghost Shadow Sword Yang Hui-gun and dormant dragon Sima Hon.
“Good. Now I've recovered all my old direct subordinates.”
Finally reclaiming his past right and left hands, the Heavenly Demon beamed.
Next, he asked Sima Hon—the insightful mind neither he, Yang Hui-gun, nor Sogang possessed.
“Hon.”
“Yes, Heavenly Demon.”
“Just call me Gunryong.”
“Yes, Gunryong.”
“What should I do next?”
The Heavenly Demon asked.
Much to do, much he wanted, but no clue on the most efficient start.
In the past, he'd ask Sima Hui; now, it was Sima Hon's turn.
“Next, recover the Demonic Cult's past powerhouses: the Five Heavenly Kings and Five Great Forces that dominated our strength.”
“That's underway. Found one Ghost Palace Unit, reviving their lineage. The rest are still being searched.”
As the Heavenly Demon said, they'd revived the Ghost Palace Unit among the Five Heavenly Kings and stationed them at Ghost Sword Manor to build power.
“After that?”
“Simple.”
Sima Hon lightly lifted Sima Hui's white crane feather fan, pointing ahead.
“Like me, find those yearning for liberation from this world and free them.”
“Where?”
Sima Hon answered instantly, as if waiting.
“Martial Alliance's Jiangxi Branch.”
“Jiangxi Branch!”
Sogang, well aware of its notoriety, reacted with alarm.
“As expected, young master Sogang knows it well.”
“How could I not? To Alliance experts or high officials, Jiangxi Province is paradise... but to powerless commoners like me without martial arts, it's hell—the Martial Alliance's Jiangxi Branch.”
There was another reason for its infamy.
“The branch head, one of the Alliance's boasted seven invincible masters, the Invincible Seven Venerables—Phantom Proliferating Spear Wang U-ryong—is obsessed with racking up achievements.”
The supreme Alliance Leader wielded absolute power, backed by seven transcendent experts. Among them, Wang U-ryong stood out as a madman fixated on merits.
His skill was at the divine realm, upper tier—no major sect leader dared touch him.
“Pfft! Invincible Seven Venerables? These days, they slap 'invincible' on dogs and pigs alike.”
The Heavenly Demon snorted in derision.