A Shift in the Heavenly Design
Mount Tianshan of Xinjiang.
Its main peak, shrouded in pristine, eternal snow, stretched out into countless ridges that formed a colossal mountain range.
Because of this majestic presence, the Tianshan Mountains had been revered as a sacred object of worship by the common folk of Xinjiang since ancient times.
However, several decades ago, a massive earthquake fractured and warped parts of the range, bringing about a bizarre transformation.
Was it truly because of the earthquake?
Not only did the terrain become so treacherous that ordinary people could no longer dare to climb it, but a mysterious, blood-red mist also rolled in to blanket the entire region.
It was only natural that rumors of Mount Tianshan being cursed began to spread among the local populace.
And then, an incident occurred that poured oil onto the wildfire of these rumors.
A few brave men ventured into the mountains to see the truth for themselves, only to meet a gruesome end. When not even their corpses could be recovered, the people began to call the mountains by a different name.
The mountain of a hundred thousand anomalies coiled across a hundred thousand peaks.
The cursed range, the 100,000 Great Mountains.
The mist was thick.
A fog so dense that one could not see an inch ahead was enough to incite primal terror in any man. How much worse, then, when that fog was dyed the color of fresh blood?
A weak-willed commoner would have fainted on the spot, losing their mind entirely.
Yet, hidden within this crimson shroud lay countless pavilions and halls, their existence completely unknown to the Orthodox faction's Beggars' Sect or the Unorthodox faction's Haoman Association.
The structures were designed to slope gently upward toward a single pinnacle. These buildings, resembling temples built to worship some ancient deity, served as the sanctuary of the cult—the main headquarters of the Demonic Cult.
"The Poison Demon has vanished?"
Near the summit, inside a grand pavilion, Geom-ma's eyes flickered with a strange light. It was a phenomenon born from his inner energy reacting to his shifting emotions. Perhaps because one of his eyes was a glass prosthetic, the gleam was exceptionally eerie.
"Yes, Vice Leader," a subordinate replied.
"Hmm. Is this his final struggle?"
The Beast Poison Demon had failed to make any progress for years after ascending to the rank of Elder. Recently, whenever whispers arose about stripping him of his elder status, he had managed to preserve his position through his medical expertise and poison arts. But even that had reached its limit.
"He must have known he was about to be ousted from the Elder's seat, so it is not surprising that he would struggle. But to vanish like this?"
"Once stripped of his title, he would have to face all the grudges he accumulated over the years. Perhaps he fled out of fear of that retribution?"
"No. Even so, this is not like him."
The Beast Poison Demon possessed a remarkably sharp mind when it came to schemes for self-preservation. Would such a man act in such a reckless, planless manner? Geom-ma found it hard to believe.
"...Then, in my humble opinion, could he have acquired a treasure grand enough to warrant fleeing the Cult?"
It was not entirely impossible. However, Geom-ma refuted this with the same premise.
"No, he is not so foolish as to lose his judgment like that. He is the type of man who would keep it hidden in secret and play completely ignorant."
Once one attains the rank of Elder, they realize anew just how colossal the power of the Demonic Cult truly is. Even if one fled to Tibet or Japan, they could never escape the Cult's eyes and reach. Therefore, flight was out of the question. This naturally narrowed the possibilities down to one conclusion.
"That insect must have been up to something and got caught. And then, he met his end."
"...!"
The subordinate looked incredulous, but Geom-ma was certain. The Beast Poison Demon had been taken out by someone.
"Tsk. This complicates things..."
Yet, there was no trace of sympathy or anger on Geom-ma's face. He was merely annoyed by the variable caused by the Beast Poison Demon's sudden absence.
Those bastards from the Protectorate will scramble to plant their own disciple into the vacant seat of the Fifth Elder.
It was said that when two people gather, a hierarchy is formed, and when three gather, factions are born. The Demonic Cult was no exception. Currently, the Cult was divided between the Elder faction led by Geom-ma and the Protector faction led by the Great Protector, Gu-hon-ma-jon.
Under these circumstances, a vacancy had suddenly opened up among the Elders. Gu-hon-ma-jon would almost certainly try to place one of his own men in the empty seat of the Fifth Elder. If that were to happen, the Elder faction's influence would inevitably weaken.
"Hmm..."
Geom-ma pondered for a moment, deciding that the Beast Poison Demon's cause of death was the key. Depending on how they fabricated and interpreted the cause of death, they could completely shut down the Protector faction's schemes.
"Where did you say his last trace was found?"
"Changsha, Vice Leader."
"The territory of Sadocheon."
Geom-ma stroked the area around his glass eye. It was a habit of his whenever he fell into deep thought. However, he reached a conclusion quickly.
"Send the Twin Calamities and the Ghost Spirit Squad to track the Poison Demon."
"...!"
The subordinate gasped, barely holding back his shock. The Twin Calamities were Geom-ma's top disciples, and the Ghost Spirit Squad was one of the elite combat units within the Demonic Cult. Deploying them meant they would push through no matter what obstacles lay ahead.
Whoever touched the Poison Demon won't even have bones left to bury, the subordinate thought as Geom-ma's next command fell.
"Make sure to bring back the Poison Demon's corpse."
"Understood!"
Just as the conversation seemed to draw to a close, a commotion erupted outside.
What is it?
Rapid, chaotic footsteps drew closer. It sounded as if someone was about to burst through the door without even waiting for permission. Normally, Geom-ma would have severed their head on the spot, but he held back. His instincts were ringing alarm bells.
"V-Vice Leader! A disaster! An anomaly has occurred at the Hall of the Divine Demon!!"
Indeed, his instincts had been correct.
"Speak clearly! What is happening?!"
At the subordinate's urging, the messenger cried out in panic.
"T-The gates of the Hall of the Divine Demon are opening!"
"...!"
At those words, shock colored Geom-ma's eyes. It was only natural. The Hall of the Divine Demon was the place of secluded meditation for the master of all demons, the Heavenly Demon.
The distance from the office to the Hall of the Divine Demon was about a fifteen-minute walk.
However, Geom-ma pushed his movement technique to its absolute limit. He had to be there to greet the Heavenly Demon before the gates fully opened and he stepped outside.
As he flew toward the hall, only one thought occupied Geom-ma's mind.
The Master has altered his plans for the first time. What on earth could have happened?
The Heavenly Demon's words, which seemed to foresee the future, had never once been wrong. Furthermore, the Master had never gone back on his word.
Yet, there was still over a year left until the scheduled end of his declared seclusion. This was why Geom-ma was so utterly shocked.
...Could it be that I was the only one kept in the dark?
He worried that the Master might have only informed the Great Protector. However, that anxiety washed away the moment he arrived in front of the Hall of the Divine Demon.
All of the Elders except the Poison Demon, the Great Protector, the Left and Right Protectors, and the Inner and Outer Chief Administrators were gathered. Not a single one of them looked calm. In short, the Heavenly Demon's sudden emergence was an event no one had anticipated.
That is a relief, but then, the reason the Cult Leader ended his seclusion early must be...
Geom-ma's train of thought was abruptly cut off.
A massive surge of demonic energy suddenly filled the air.
"!!"
"Urgh!"
Ugh...! What is this demonic energy...!
It was not mere pressure. The Heavenly Demon's energy was a shackle, a suffocating chain. Even the leadership of the Demonic Cult was not exempt from its crushing weight.
Rumble!
"The gates... are opening!"
At someone's shout, the gates of the Hall of the Divine Demon swung fully open, and the Heavenly Demon stepped out.
There was no sound of footsteps. Naturally, for he was walking on empty air, not the ground.
"The Heavenly Demon has descended! May ten thousand demons bow in submission!"
"The Demonic Path shall rule the world! Long live the Sacred Cult!"
The Elders, Protectors, and Chief Administrators all fell to their knees in unison, prostrating themselves.
Anyone witnessing this sight would have been struck dumb with horror. Each of these individuals was a powerhouse capable of leaving mountains of corpses and seas of blood in the Jianghu, ruling as lords of terror.
Yet now, they trembled like aspen leaves, begging for mercy before the true master of demons. But one look at the Heavenly Demon would make anyone understand why.
A single step.
With that simple movement, a colossal wave of demonic energy erupted from the Heavenly Demon's body, unleashing a destructive force capable of reshaping heaven and earth.
This was no illusion or hallucination. A devastating aura that looked down upon the world and threatened to overturn the heavens spread in all directions. The mountains and trees trembled, shedding their leaves, and all living creatures hid themselves in terror.
Who dare stand tall before such a being? Even the most notorious villains of the land could do nothing but grovel like common street thugs, begging for their lives.
"..."
The Heavenly Demon did not take a second step.
Instead, he drifted through the air like a phantom, stopping before the prostrate Elders.
He slowly lowered his gaze, as if checking the tally of those present.
...Damn it.
Cold sweat poured down Geom-ma's back. His mind went completely blank. Was the Master angry because the Poison Demon's seat was empty? He had rushed here so quickly that he hadn't even prepared an excuse.
As Geom-ma panicked, the Heavenly Demon moved again, gliding toward the center. He remained silent.
When the silence grew so heavy it threatened to crush Geom-ma's heart, the Heavenly Demon spoke.
"The heavenly design has shifted."
The Heavenly Demon spoke casually. While everyone was left dazed by the sudden and cryptic statement, he dropped a second bombshell.
"We shall accelerate the grand plan."
"!!"
No one misheard him this time. They heard it loud and clear. They were to accelerate the grand plan.
What on earth is happening?
...The heavenly design has shifted? Why?
The Heavenly Demon's sudden declaration threw Geom-ma and the Great Protector into deep shock. Their worst fears had been realized. The future the Heavenly Demon had foreseen had changed. And because of that, the Master had decided to alter the grand plan, emerging early from his secluded meditation.
"My Lord, but why must the plan..."
Unlike Geom-ma and the Great Protector, not everyone understood the gravity of the situation. The moment one of the Elders, the Qilian Blood Monster, cautiously raised a question—
Splat!
"...!"
The Qilian Blood Monster's head suddenly exploded. It was merely a glance. With a single look, the Heavenly Demon had obliterated the Elder's head.
Brain matter, bone fragments, and chunks of flesh rained down. As the headless corpse of the Qilian Blood Monster slumped to the ground, absolute terror gripped the assembly. That could easily be their own future.
It was a gruesome sight, but no one dared harbor any resentment. Questioning the Master's will was a death sentence in itself.
"W-we shall revise all plans and present them to you, My Lord," the Inner Chief Administrator managed to stammer out in a trembling voice. In response, the Heavenly Demon displayed another miraculous feat.
Rumble!
With a flick of his hand, stones rose from the ground, and an invisible blade began to carve into the rock. It was an intangible sword of the highest order. If the Heavenly Demon willed it, everyone present would become wandering ghosts before they could even think of resisting.
The intangible sword carved a deep, circular groove into the stone floor.
"When this groove overflows with blood, I shall emerge once more."
"...!!"
With that, the Heavenly Demon turned his back, as if his business was finished.
"Long live the Sacred Cult!"
"Long live the Sacred Cult!"
The Elders and Protectors chanted while prostrated, but the Heavenly Demon returned to the Hall of the Divine Demon without sparing them a single glance.
None of them saw his back, but had they looked, they would have been unable to close their mouths in shock. The Heavenly Demon's flesh was writhing grotesquely. Something that could not be hidden even by his robes was squirming beneath his skin.
Thud!
Once inside the Hall of the Divine Demon, the Heavenly Demon lightly stroked his body, and the writhing subsided. With an indifferent expression, he stabilized his incomplete vessel and whispered softly.
"...Where are you, Rebel of Heaven?"
It was a voice that no one else would ever hear.