Chapter 537: Traces of a Past Life (7)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 537: Traces of a Past Life (7)
Wang Wiryong's youth had been a continuous cycle of grueling training.
Following in his father’s footsteps, he repeated the same brutal routine day after day, never ceasing his sword swings from before sunrise until well past sunset. It was a life no young boy could easily endure. Resentment gradually festered in his young heart, until one day, wearing a defiant scowl, he finally snapped and refused to train.
"Father, you always said the Heavenly Demon Cult was the best under heaven. But what is the point of all this? Even after training to the point of death every day, I don't see any progress. In this world, everything is decided by a few missiles, not by a single sword like this."
This was modern society.
In a world ruled by highly advanced science, clinging to martial arts that had lost their foundation seemed like a fool's errand.
His father looked at him with a complicated expression. Normally, he would have flown into a fiery rage and punished the boy, but this time, Wang Wiryong’s question seemed to have struck a chord.
"There is something I must tell you."
They moved to a different spot, settling on a quiet hill overlooking the city. Seating Wang Wiryong beside him, his father began to speak of the Heavenly Demon Cult's past—a history he had never shared before.
"My son. A very long time ago, the Murim existed in this world. Martial artists established sects based on their respective ideologies. Divided into three great powers—the Righteous Faction, the Evil Faction, and the Demonic Faction—they waged fierce wars across countless eras for supremacy over the Murim. Sometimes the Righteous Faction held the upper hand, sometimes the Evil Faction, and sometimes the Demonic Faction. Yet, the scales of balance never completely tipped. Conquering the Murim was deemed impossible for any single faction. But in an era where such conquest was regarded as a mere pipe dream, an anomaly occurred."
It was a story passed down from his father's father. And his father's father before him. A legacy carried through the generations.
Wang Wiryong’s father had engraved that history into his very core, endlessly repeating training that the rest of the world deemed meaningless.
"The Heavenly Demon of that era conquered the Murim. Even when the Righteous and Evil Factions joined forces, they were no match for him. For the first time in the history of the Murim, the Heavenly Demon Cult achieved total conquest. The Cult of that time was prosperous beyond anything we can imagine today. Even the Chinese Emperor did not dare offend us, and the common people bowed their heads to the Heavenly Demon's rule, crying out his name. The sword you have inherited is no ordinary thing. We have inherited the legacy of the Heavenly Demon who conquered the Murim. Even if our present circumstances are humble, the descendants of the Heavenly Demon Cult must never forget their roots."
The existence of the Heavenly Demon was no illusion.
Countless records proved his achievements, and whenever one looked at the massive mural preserved through the generations, they had no choice but to accept his existence. A dominating aura radiated from the ancient painting. Even though it was merely a depiction, the Heavenly Demon overwhelmed anyone who stood before it.
"If he had not suddenly vanished, many things in this world would have changed. The Emperor's policy to exterminate martial artists would have failed, and you would never have had to deny the fact that you are a descendant of the Heavenly Demon Cult."
"...Did he really conquer the Murim with just a single sword?"
"I promise you. The moment you fully master the sword techniques of the mural, the common sense of modern society will shatter before the single sword in your hand."
A burning desire swelled within the young boy. He envisioned himself ruling the world with a single blade. All his previous discontent vanished from his face as Wang Wiryong asked one final question.
"Please tell me his name. His real name."
His father smiled, a deep pride in his son evident in his eyes. To the boy enduring such a harsh life, he wanted to plant a seed of hope.
"Remember this. The Heavenly Demon, Baek Joong-hyuk. Never forget that we are the descendants of the Heavenly Demon Cult, carrying on his will."
* * *
Baek Joong-hyuk.
It was a name he had repeated to himself countless times. Whenever he was exhausted, whenever he hit a wall, Wang Wiryong would spur himself onward by picturing Baek Joong-hyuk.
And now...
"I am the Heavenly Demon, Baek Joong-hyuk."
It felt as if a bolt of lightning had struck his mind.
It was a declaration he had never expected to hear. He was certain that Roman Dmitry was a descendant of the Heavenly Demon Cult, but he had never imagined the man would claim to be Baek Joong-hyuk himself. His thoughts ground to a complete halt. Bewildered, his shocked face couldn't muster a single word.
Did this make any sense?
No. It was impossible.
Baek Joong-hyuk was a figure from the distant past; there was absolutely no way he could still be alive after all this time. Besides, Roman Dmitry was clearly a foreigner. Looking at his appearance—which was completely un-Asian aside from his black hair—Wang Wiryong had already been wondering how a foreigner could even be a descendant of the Cult.
The initial shock gradually morphed into anger. He felt that Roman Dmitry, knowing of Baek Joong-hyuk's existence, was daring to mock him.
"Do you honestly expect me to believe such nonsense? The great Heavenly Demon, Lord Baek Joong-hyuk, is the legend of the Heavenly Demon Cult. He is a great figure who achieved the unprecedented feat of conquering the Murim, and we, the descendants of the Cult, have carried on his will for generations. Yet you dare call yourself Lord Baek Joong-hyuk? You have crossed the line. No matter what atrocities you committed, I was willing to show mercy to a fellow descendant of the Cult. But not anymore. From the moment you dared insult Lord Baek Joong-hyuk, I, Wang Wiryong, will not stop until I have brought you to justice!"
He was furious. His voice poured out, laced with intense rage.
Wang Wiryong's reaction was entirely understandable. It was logically impossible to accept that Roman Dmitry, who looked like a westerner, was Baek Joong-hyuk, a man who should have died centuries ago.
However, Roman Dmitry had no intention of coddling Wang Wiryong any further. He had only revealed his identity because Wang Wiryong carried on the will of the Heavenly Demon Cult. Whether Wang Wiryong accepted the truth or not was his own problem.
Roman Dmitry did not acknowledge Wang Wiryong's authority. The Heavenly Demon Cult that he had built as Baek Joong-hyuk was not a force that would be satisfied with merely ruling a single nation like modern-day China.
The best under heaven.
He had built a colossal mountain. If Wang Wiryong was truly a descendant of the Heavenly Demon Cult, he should have possessed a status worthy of that peak.
China? It was just one of the great powers. Not the sole absolute existence, but merely one of several powerful nations. Furthermore, since global public opinion held the United States in higher regard, Roman Dmitry spoke coldly to Wang Wiryong.
"Wang Wiryong. I will not waste my breath trying to convince you over a communication screen that I am Baek Joong-hyuk. In a world plunged into great chaos, nothing is impossible. So, judge and decide for yourself. You have exactly one hour. Come to the Korean Empire and prove yourself to me. If you do not show up within an hour, I will designate both you and China as my enemies."
"What on earth..."
He did not wait for an answer. It was a one-sided notification.
Click.
Roman Dmitry cut the connection.
* * *
Staring at the darkened screen, Wang Wiryong stood completely dazed.
Roman Dmitry's final statement was staggering. Telling him to judge for himself without offering a shred of explanation... Honestly, in his heart, he wanted to wipe South Korea off the map right this instant.
But.
'...Roman Dmitry's words aren't necessarily wrong. From the moment the Absolute appeared and inheritance abilities began to manifest, nothing has been impossible in this world. What if—just what if—Roman Dmitry really is the Heavenly Demon, Baek Joong-hyuk? What should I do then?'
Even a one-in-a-million chance was a risk he could not afford to take. Ever since that conversation on the hill, his father had spoken of the Heavenly Demon, Baek Joong-hyuk, at every opportunity.
He was a great man. At the same time, he was an incredibly ruthless one.
One might think of him as a benevolent figure because of the era of great peace he established, but he had spilled enough blood to fill an ocean to achieve that result. He never showed mercy to those he deemed enemies. Looking back now, Roman Dmitry's actions perfectly aligned with that exact nature. Red Moon and the Central Government—there had clearly been plenty of room for compromise, yet Roman Dmitry had slaughtered them all simply because they opposed him.
And what about his trip to the United States? To go to LA and blow off the Vampire Lord's head all by himself required an almost arrogant level of absolute confidence.
It was exactly like... the Heavenly Demon.
The actions of the Heavenly Demon and Roman Dmitry overlapped perfectly.
'If Roman Dmitry is indeed the Heavenly Demon, Baek Joong-hyuk, it will turn the world upside down. Father said the Heavenly Demon conquered the Murim even before his Heavenly Demon Divine Art was fully perfected. Even after that, he made such immense progress that no one dared challenge him, to the point where the Chinese Emperor treated the Murim as an entirely separate, untouchable entity. If so, the strike that finished off the Vampire Lord was definitely not his full power. I am not even sure if I could handle that strike, so if he possesses power far beyond that, my defeat is guaranteed.'
It felt dizzying. The Heavenly Demon's Sword. He had strived tirelessly to manifest it. Yet, when faced with the prospect of the real Heavenly Demon, he didn't dare to raise his blade against him.
Humans are creatures of imagination, and his imagination had begun to consume his mind. Even though he knew it defied logic, that one-in-a-million possibility pushed Wang Wiryong to the edge of a cliff.
That was how absolute the existence of the Heavenly Demon was. The descendants of the Heavenly Demon Cult could never deny the Heavenly Demon.
After agonizing over it for what felt like an eternity, Wang Wiryong abruptly stood up.
"I am going to South Korea right now. Prepare the teleportation magic circle."
"Y-Your Majesty! You have a meeting with the Russian President in thirty minutes. If you cancel so abruptly, it could cause diplomatic problems later..."
"None of that matters right now."
He cut the speaker off. With a look of firm resolve, Wang Wiryong commanded, "Cancel all of today's schedules. I must go to South Korea."
* * *
Just a moment ago, Park Min-woo had received a special order from Roman Dmitry.
"Wang Wiryong has expressed his intention to come to South Korea. Bring him to me in secret."
Wang Wiryong's visit. It was an event that would shake the world.
That was why Roman Dmitry had entrusted this task to Park Min-woo, briefly explaining the reason behind the visit. He revealed that Wang Wiryong was a descendant of the Heavenly Demon Cult, and that since Roman had revealed himself as Baek Joong-hyuk, the Chinese Emperor was visiting in person to verify the truth.
The conclusion was already set in stone. The moment Wang Wiryong laid eyes on Roman Dmitry, he would not be able to deny that the man standing before him was the Heavenly Demon, Baek Joong-hyuk.
The problem was...
'His Majesty's secret was supposed to be mine alone...'
Park Min-woo felt a bitter pang of disappointment.
The rest of the world didn't know. They didn't know just how great of an existence Roman Dmitry truly was. Although his pride in serving him was so immense that he wanted to shout the truth from the rooftops, the reason he kept his mouth shut wasn't simply because of Roman Dmitry's orders. It was a secret shared only between him and his liege. Sharing an exclusive secret with the great Heavenly Demon gave him an indescribable sense of specialness.
But now, Wang Wiryong? A descendant of the Heavenly Demon Cult?
It felt as though someone even more legitimate than him had appeared. If he himself was just an ignorant peasant who had lived in a village at the foot of the Heavenly Demon Cult's mountain, Wang Wiryong was a true, direct descendant of the Heavenly Demon.
'Surely, just because a real successor has appeared, His Majesty won't cast me aside or treat me coldly. Yes. His Majesty is absolutely not that kind of person. If he were someone who only favored bloodlines and connections, he wouldn't have cared so much for the people of Dmitry in his past life. I'll be fine. His Majesty will always keep me by his side.'
Yet, anxiety still welled up within him.
The Maron Cult. Their existence was in a similar vein. Park Min-woo knew that the absolute entity the Maron Cult worshiped was actually Roman Dmitry, but he had no intention of correcting their delusions. Of course, if they had posed any real threat to Roman Dmitry, he would have blown off the head of the Maron Cult's leader immediately. But the Heavenly Demon he knew was invincible. Believing that no matter how much the Maron Cult ran wild, they could never harm Roman Dmitry, he didn't particularly care what they did.
Think about it. In his past life, his head had been blown off simply because he didn't know Roman Dmitry's true identity. It was a precious secret he had obtained at the cost of his own life, so why should he reveal the truth just to save the Maron Cult?
This was the true nature of Park Min-woo—or rather, Kim Pan-seok.
Having lived through his past life as Alexander, he had become thoroughly corrupted. To him, the special connection between himself and Roman Dmitry was infinitely more important than the lives of the Maron Cult members, and he couldn't care less if the people of Incheon died in the war against them. Why? Because they weren't Roman Dmitry. Park Min-woo's priorities were crystal clear: Roman Dmitry was number one, he himself was number two, and everyone else was pushed far past number one hundred.
To such a Park Min-woo, Wang Wiryong was a massive eyesore.
The thought that Wang Wiryong might verify the truth and become more special to Roman than he was made his stomach churn with jealousy.
It was the irony of life. If Wang Wiryong had denied the existence of the Heavenly Demon, Park Min-woo would have flown into a rage, accusing him of failing to recognize His Majesty. Yet, now that Wang Wiryong was reacting positively, Park Min-woo found it only natural, even as a dark, ominous feeling crept over him.
'I can't let someone like Wang Wiryong take my place. In this life, if not the past, I am His Majesty's number two.'
It was then.
The teleportation magic circle reacted. The other party had sent a signal.
As Park Min-woo channeled his mana, a brilliant light flared, and Wang Wiryong appeared along with his imperial guards.
Park Min-woo looked at them and spoke bluntly.
"Wang Wiryong, follow me. The rest of you, wait here."
"You bastard!"
"How dare you speak His Majesty's name so casually!"
The guards flared up instantly. Such insolence was unimaginable in China. Wang Wiryong also showed immediate signs of anger, but Park Min-woo glared back fiercely, refusing to back down an inch.
"If you were planning to throw your weight around, you shouldn't have set foot in the Korean Empire in the first place. Listen here, Wang Wiryong. Keep this in mind. If you are truly a descendant of the Heavenly Demon Cult, from this moment on, you will have to choose between submission and struggle. So lower your eyes, you bastard. If you choose struggle, you'll die by His Majesty's hand anyway. And if you choose submission, you're below me."
A preemptive strike.
For Wang Wiryong, who had yet to even confirm the truth, he was faced with a completely bewildering situation right from the start.