The Scion of the Heavenly Demon
Silence fell over the crowd the moment Seong-jin appeared. Only a few recognized the resemblance to the Heavenly Demon in his features, but because two of those few held absolute influence over the region, the atmosphere shifted instantly.
"Is the Murim Alliance insane? What did they touch in there to let something like that crawl out? The Green Forest will have no part in this!"
The King of the Green Forest, who had been seething with rage after receiving his grandson’s corpse from the Alliance, turned his forces around without a second thought the moment he saw Seong-jin’s face.
"Those who haven't experienced him don't know. That thing was a disaster in human form...!"
He was the oldest among the active absolute masters. Unlike the others who had only heard tales of the Heavenly Demon, he was of the generation that had seen him and suffered the consequences firsthand.
"What is the point of taking revenge on a suicide case?"
On the other hand, the Clan Leader of the Zhuge family, who had yet to see Zhuge Hyuk, remained—though not out of any desire to save his eldest son. Logically speaking, it was impossible for the Heavenly Demon to still be alive. 'If so, this man must be the Heavenly Demon’s flesh and blood.'
If the man before him was the one who had inherited the Heavenly Demon’s true arts, he had to be crushed before that bud could fully bloom. It mattered not that the Heavenly Demon had never directly harmed anyone during his travels through the Murim. Who would leave a wild tiger roaming freely in a village just because it hadn't eaten a human yet? Especially if that tiger had already snatched up chickens and bulls—the family's assets—time and time again.
"Who are you to emerge from that place? State your name."
At the Zhuge Clan Leader’s demand, Seong-jin stared at him for a long moment before finally opening his mouth.
"Before asking for another man's name, why don't you reveal your own identity first?"
It was a fair point.
"You insolent fool! Do you not know who this is? This is Zhuge Wujin, the Clan Leader of the Great Zhuge Family!"
The one who shouted was a martial artist lacking in wit, failing to grasp the gravity of the situation.
"Is the Zhuge family a collective of idiots where even the Clan Leader doesn't know how to introduce himself?"
Seong-jin, already deeply soured by Zhuge Hyuk’s atrocities, responded with a sharp tongue. He felt as if he had woken from a faint, distant dream only to be dumped back into a filthy reality. It was hard to offer kind words when he was neck-deep in a sewer.
'Above all, as long as I can see that on him, civil conversation is impossible.'
[Current Score: -836 points]
A leader of a great clan should be willing to do dirty work, but what kind of Gong-gwa-gyeok score was this, treating the monsters of the Void Prison as if they were nothing? Was this the score a man of the Righteous Faction should possess? 'Even the King of the Green Forest wasn't this bad.'
Call it prejudice if you will. But having seen such a score, it was inevitable that Seong-jin found it difficult to treat the Zhuge Clan Leader like a normal human being.
"...So? I have revealed my identity, have I not?"
"Ju Seong-jin. Guest warrior of the Murim Alliance."
"A guest warrior?"
"You are welcome to check with the Alliance. I was officially tasked with the rescue mission for the warriors trapped within the formation."
Seong-jin spoke, pulling a gourd from his robes and pouring out the Zhuge family warriors trapped inside. Not only the jiangshi torn apart by Maegu, but even Zhuge Hyuk, whom he had personally beaten into submission. As people tumbled out of a gourd that looked like it couldn't hold more than a few sips, the murmurs grew louder. It was natural to be bewildered by such a sight, which looked like sorcery.
'To me, the Shin-geom-hap-il looks more like sorcery.'
An arrow that inevitably strikes its target, or a swordsman whose blade becomes so thin it’s invisible yet boasts incredible cutting power—these were not feats of amazing skill, but things that looked like the effects of magic. Zhuge Wujin, a master of magical martial arts, seemed to think Seong-jin’s gourd was merely "possible" and ignored it, focusing only on Zhuge Hyuk.
"Did you do this?"
At Zhuge Wujin’s words, Zhuge Lin panicked and tried to stop him. "Clan Leader! What are you saying...!"
"It does not appear to be the work of the Green Forest’s martial arts. Since he supposedly achieved Shin-geom-hap-il, if he wasn't defeated by the Green Forest’s Ghost, it must be you."
Perhaps it was a lack of prejudice. He did not rule out the possibility that a guest warrior of the Alliance, little more than a vagabond, had turned his son into a rag. "That is..."
"W-wait, Clan Leader!"
Just as Seong-jin was about to affirm it, Zhuge Lin blocked his path. "Young Master Ju is my benefactor who saved me! He is not that kind of person!"
"Approaching someone by letting them incur a debt for a crucial moment is a tactic even the Green Forest would think of."
"But...!"
Zhuge Lin tried desperately to defend Seong-jin, but she couldn't provide a proper argument, unsure how much she could reveal about the monsters.
"No more talk."
Zhuge Wujin did not wait for his daughter and struck. As he unfurled his folding fan, the dragon painted upon it soared into the air as if alive. The dragon-shaped Qi opened its maw and descended as if to swallow Seong-jin whole. It was the strike of an absolute master. The pressure was enough to make even the first-rate Zhuge Lin’s knees tremble. However, it was not enough to fluster Seong-jin, who had already experienced the strike of the Empire’s Grand General.
Seong-jin stepped forward, pulling Zhuge Lin aside, and reached out toward the dragon. Geon-gon-dae-na-i (Heaven and Earth Great Shift).
Even if one achieved Hwan-gol-tal-tae (Rebirth of Body and Soul) and gained the Immortal Bone, one did not immediately become an immortal. The Immortal Bone was merely a condition. Even those born with it had to cultivate the Tao to ascend. The Heavenly Demon Divine Art, however, was different. Though perfected by the Heavenly Demon, this art, crafted by Seong-jin’s hands, required no special cultivation. All that was needed was a sturdy body and sufficient internal energy—both of which Seong-jin possessed.
He grabbed the dragon by its maw and slammed it into the ground.
'Still, I need more practice.'
Seong-jin felt his shoulders ache. His ability to redirect force wasn't perfect yet. There was a disconnect between his transformed body and his mind. Trying to handle an unfamiliar intent with that body had caused him to exert too much power.
"Impossible. He blocked the Clan Leader’s strike?"
As the Zhuge warriors gasped, Zhuge Wujin let out a roar. "That martial art! You are indeed the successor of the Heavenly Demon!"
His voice was loud enough for all to hear—a clearly calculated shout. His previous strike had been the same. If Seong-jin couldn't block it, he was just a common guest warrior who had insulted him, so his life was forfeit. If he blocked it, it was proof that someone with such power was playing the role of a guest warrior, meaning he was up to something. He had thrown the strike judging that either result would be fine. Indeed, Seong-jin had revealed a glimpse of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, so he was correct.
"I will not let you leave this place alive."
Having confirmed the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, Zhuge Wujin attacked again. A dragon, incomparably larger than the last, soared into the sky, casting a shadow over the earth. A flood dragon made of dark clouds covered the heavens. Then, the sky began to pour down upon them.
They say even if the sky falls, there is a hole to crawl out of. But no one who saw that sight could say such a thing. Unlike before, when he had held back for the sake of his children and clan members, this was a full-power strike, fueled by the conviction that as long as Seong-jin was killed, the fate of others didn't matter. Even for Seong-jin, it was difficult to receive such a thing with an unfamiliar technique.
'I cannot protect the others as well.'
He might be able to escape alone, but Zhuge Lin would certainly die. Just as Seong-jin couldn't hide his dismay—
-Shin-geom-hap-il.
An intent stretched from afar and bound the dragon. In an instant, Zhuge Wujin and the dragon covering the sky vanished, only to reappear a moment later alongside a familiar face.
"The tomb has collapsed, and you strike without even listening to the last survivor?"
"Great Hero Gae-gal?"
Zhuge Wujin gnashed his teeth at the sudden intrusion. "What business does the Beggar Sect have here?"
"We are looking for the Tagubong (Dog-Beating Staff), so we must hear what was inside. Clan Leader Zhuge, do not strike until then."
"A mere Peak-Realm master thinks he can stop me?"
"My Shin-geom-hap-il creates a sub-space for a one-on-one life-or-death duel with a designated target. If used well, I can stall even an absolute master."
The moment Zhuge Wujin struck at Seong-jin again, Shin-geom-hap-il activated, and the two vanished once more. They returned alone, leaving Zhuge Wujin’s strike trapped in the sub-space.
"So, why don't you calm down?"
"Then I shall kill you first!"
Once again, the dark clouds gathered into the shape of a dragon. This time, it descended toward Gae-gal instead of Seong-jin. Even if Gae-gal moved to the sub-space, he would tear him apart within it. However—
"If a Peak-Realm master has done this much, he has done his part, hasn't he? Master."
A hole tore through the cloud-filled sky, and brilliant sunlight poured down. Something fell from above the clouds, pierced the dragon’s head, and slammed into the earth. Amidst the scattering dust, Seong-jin saw the intruder. A tall woman with disheveled hair, dressed in tattered rags that exposed her sun-tanned skin. A beggar among beggars, who had lost her rope and braided her hair into nine knots.
"Nice to meet you, boy. I am So-geol-a, the 28th Sect Leader of the Beggar Sect."
She looked at Seong-jin, gave a thumbs-up, and grinned. Her teeth, white and free of decay, showed that despite her filthy appearance, she was a true master of martial arts. Zhuge Wujin gritted his teeth at the battlefield where an absolute master had finally intervened.
"I heard the Sect Leader, who roams the world above the clouds, had come to Hubei. But why do you protect that man?"
"Above the clouds, my foot. There are so many branches to manage that my bones ache, and if I run on the ground, the shockwaves of my movement destroy everything, so I just use Susa-bi (Water-Walking) on the clouds. And why are you making a fuss about me protecting my kid?"
"Your kid?"
"Ah, even if he doesn't look like it, Young Master Ju studied under the late master of the Beggar Sect, so he’s not a beggar, but he’s practically one of us."
Meanwhile, Gae-gal sent a telepathic message to Seong-jin.
-The Beggar Sect knows you received the teachings of Lee Cheol-goi.
-How do you know that...?
-As a member of the Beggar Sect, I couldn't just ignore a mysterious young master appearing in the guest warrior exam. While investigating, I inadvertently discovered that your journey began on Mount Bongnae.
-You found out even that?
-When it comes to information, the Beggar Sect is the best under heaven.
The Beggar Sect’s unparalleled information network had not forgotten its roots, even after the Bongsin Covenant. At the very least, they could infer the origin of the martial arts of a mysterious master who used the Hangryong-jang (Dragon-Subduing Palm) after coming down from Mount Bongnae.
"If you want to lay a hand on my kid, you'll have to get through me first, right?"
So-geol-a was the leader of the Beggar Sect, one of the Nine Great Sects, and an absolute master representing the Orthodox Murim. She was famous for her eccentric behavior, acting like a drunkard in line with her nickname. If she struck here, the King of the Green Forest, who had just retreated, might return, thinking it was an internal conflict.
"That man used the Heavenly Demon’s martial arts."
"I didn't see it? You have proof?"
"This is not a matter to be settled by stubbornness. The Heavenly Demon’s sprout must be uprooted."
"I told you, our kid isn't the Heavenly Demon’s sprout! If you're dissatisfied, gather evidence and report it to the Murim Alliance. Of course, only if you can gather evidence without the Beggar Sect’s help."
Since most of the Murim relied on the Beggar Sect’s information network, it would be difficult to gather evidence while opposing them. Even if he somehow managed to collect it, the Beggar Sect would pour out counter-evidence, making a report to the Alliance meaningless. If he couldn't get the Alliance’s arbitration, the only method was force.
Zhuge Wujin quickly finished his calculations. 'It is not worth risking an all-out war with the Beggar Sect.'
If Seong-jin were truly the seed of the Heavenly Demon, the Beggar Sect’s standing would hit rock bottom, and the Zhuge family, who had identified the problem early, would rise to the heavens. Since his attempt to remove Seong-jin was based on profit and loss rather than a trivial sense of justice, he could withdraw as much as he wanted if the situation changed.
"Very well. I will trust the Sect Leader’s guarantee of his identity."
"You didn't even pretend to listen when your own daughter spoke?"
At So-geol-a’s sarcasm, Zhuge Wujin’s gaze shifted to Zhuge Lin for the first time. Just a moment ago, Seong-jin had stepped forward to save Zhuge Lin instead of retreating to ensure his own safety. If Zhuge Lin had intended for this to happen, Zhuge Hyuk was merely a pawn she had played with.
'She entered as a subordinate to remove Zhuge Hyuk, the strongest candidate for Clan Leader?'
If such a child had revealed her true colors and drawn her sword, it meant she was fully prepared to cut down all her competitors. 'Further competition is useless.'
Any more competition would not be a process of honing a candidate, but a waste of the clan’s strength—a self-destructive act. "Lin."
"Yes?"
"From today, you are the Young Clan Leader of the Zhuge family."
If he could get his hands on someone protected by the Beggar Sect Leader, turning Zhuge Hyuk into a cripple wouldn't be a crime. If he could back her with the Beggar Sect, it wouldn't matter if he threw away the pathetic jiangshi Zhuge Hyuk had become. Even in terms of personal martial power, he was no match for the now-crippled Zhuge Hyuk. 'She is my daughter, but her depth is terrifying.'
Losing Zhuge Hyuk, a Peak-Realm master, was a huge loss for the clan, but since Zhuge Lin had shown such potential, it wouldn't be a major problem. Zhuge Wujin stepped back with that thought.
"Me? The Young Clan Leader?"
Zhuge Lin, who had suddenly become the Young Clan Leader, stopped thinking altogether.