Chapter 39
Chapter 39
『 Translator – Divinity 』
Cheon Ha-seong hadn't even been trying to destroy the building. He hadn't aimed for the building at all. He had thought he needed to save Gi Mun-yong and had tried to lure the people to a place far from where he was being held. So he had decided to make the loudest noise possible and had injected his internal energy.
Then, the words he had shared with the Cult Leader and the markings he had seen on the wall came to mind, and as his energy passed through the acupoints where the markings had been, he injected even more internal energy, even faster. As a result, seeing the building collapse before him, Cheon Ha-seong was stunned and stood frozen on the spot for a moment.
Such a thing had never happened before, and he had never imagined it.
He was momentarily dazed at the sword strike that was truly on another level, but from then on, he was in a frenzy dealing with the people rushing towards him.
‘It seemed I had to progressively inject more internal energy every time a marking appeared.’
To try and understand the content of the commentary, Cheon Ha-seong tried executing the techniques in various different ways, and he was able to figure out to some extent how to produce the greatest might.
‘Just how much internal energy do I need to have for it to last until I execute the final technique?’
At that thought, Cheon Ha-seong shook his head alone. He was a man who had been so proud of his internal energy that he had thought he would never experience a shortage of it while performing martial arts. But now, that was no longer the case.
While he was having such thoughts, he had drawn near to the Third Demonic Marquis's Residence before he knew it, and he looked around his surroundings. Seeing that there was no one coming and going at the moment, he leaped lightly onto the roof and paused. It was to check if anyone might have been watching him, but it seemed there was no one.
From then on, he hid his presence, entered the Third Demonic Marquis's Residence, and snuck into the room where the Marquis was staying. There, things were proceeding just as Cheon Ha-seong had thought.
Sitting opposite the Third Demonic Marquis was Danmok Muyeol, who had an irritable impression. He was the Young Master of the Danmok Demonic Clan, the family home of the Third Demonic Marquis, and the person who had become her adopted son.
Cheon Ha-seong had also seen him at the Martial Arts Academy, and that man had a truly unpredictable personality. One day he would seem very gentle and delicate, and the next, he would beat another candidate to a pulp for no reason. Like any other Young Master from a prestigious Demonic Clan, he had a gang around him, but their faces were always covered in wounds. At first, he had thought they were beaten by others, but the person who had done that to them was Danmok Muyeol.
Danmok Muyeol was the most difficult and tricky person Cheon Ha-seong had met while being a Head Instructor at the Martial Arts Academy. It wasn't just once or twice that he had been surprised, thinking, 'So people like that exist in the world.'
He had thought that he would probably run into Danmok Muyeol again sooner or later, and it seemed it was to be like this.
Even the great Danmok Muyeol was suppressing his temper and acting meek in front of his adoptive mother, the Third Demonic Marquis.
“I do not understand why the So Demonic Clan did that. There was no reason at all for them to suddenly capture Gi Mun-yong, was there? And looking at their usual conduct, wouldn't you think they would try to pass off such a risky job to our family?”
At that, the Third Demonic Marquis, who had been sitting with a relaxed attitude, smiled.
“That is because you are mistaken. They likely did not capture Gi Mun-yong because of the matter we agreed to do together. Separate from that, they must have hunted him to use later, because they want to control Cheon Ha-seong in the future.”
As they spoke, the Third Demonic Marquis's smile grew wider. It was the face of someone who couldn't contain her joy, as if she had already been briefed on what had happened at the So Demonic Clan's residence.
Hearing that, Cheon Ha-seong was surprised that they already knew about the incident at the So Clan. Hadn't it been less than fifteen minutes, yet it seemed a full report had already been delivered?
It was to the point where he couldn't even fathom how deep their reach was. Seeing how quickly the news had been delivered, it seemed there were people in the So Demonic Clan who had gone over to their side.
It didn't seem like it was just the Danmok Demonic Clan; it appeared that each of the Demonic Clans had planted spies in the others.
“Didn't they just pull the whiskers of a sleeping lion? Not even knowing who their opponent was, those bastards dared to touch Cheon Ha-seong, thinking they could easily do something to him.”
“Then what becomes of the matter we agreed to do with the So Clan, Mother?”
“Wouldn't we have to see how the So Clan reacts? But isn't this just perfect? I heard a hall collapsed, their masters were injured, and many of their martial artists died. If it turns out like this, I wonder if we shouldn't be the ones carrying Cheon Ha-seong on our backs. This mother feels like a ten-year-old indigestion is finally gone.”
“Is it that much, Mother? It seems a lot has been building up.”
“What is there to say? You don't know the Second Demonic Marquis.”
The Third Demonic Marquis shook her head and shuddered as if she had so much to say.
“Is that so?”
Danmok Muyeol smiled and looked at his mother.
Cheon Ha-seong knew very well that such warmth could appear on Danmok Muyeol's face. If anyone had seen that sight, they would never have been able to imagine Danmok Muyeol's true nature.
“What did the Family Head say? Who could have possibly imagined that such a great seismic shift would occur in the Divine Cult just because of the appearance of one bastard, Cheon Ha-seong? Now, won't it be difficult for the So Clan to act as a prestigious Demonic Clan in our cult anymore?”
“What do you wish to do, Mother?”
“If the So Clan self-destructs like that, don't we seize a very advantageous position? If it turns out this way, wouldn't it be better not to waste our power and instead conserve it to compete directly with the Cheok Demonic Clan? Cheok Gyo-woon will be no match for you.”
At that, Danmok Muyeol smiled coldly.
“Mother, you say such things even after having been treated that way by the Second Demonic Marquis all this time. Do you think the So Demonic Clan has been maintained as a prestigious Demonic Clan in our cult for so long just because they were lucky? They have the ability and power to do so. Their roots are deep and their vitality is tenacious. They will not self-destruct so easily this time either. It is a good opportunity, but you must not act as if you have already won.”
The Third Demonic Marquis didn't seem to like that Danmok Muyeol didn't agree with her, but she felt there was no other way.
“Then what do you think would be best?”
“We will proceed as planned. Now is not the time to worry about the other Demonic Clans. What good would it do to defeat the other clans' Young Masters now? That is, if we were to become the head of the Demonic Clans only to have everything taken away by Cheon Ha-seong. I do not wish for that.”
Hearing that, the Third Demonic Marquis also seemed to firm her resolve again.
“Mother, do not go easy on their side; tell them to send their men. And watching for the right time, we will strike Cheon Ha-seong.”
“I understand. I shall do so.”
An amused expression formed on the Third Demonic Marquis's face. The thought of pressuring the Second Demonic Marquis seemed to automatically lift her spirits.
Cheon Ha-seong, wondering if a Marquis could really be so frivolous, shook his head and quietly slipped out of the place.
He didn't think he was that good at the Stealth Technique, but until the very end, no one knew he was above them.
From then on, Cheon Ha-seong went straight to the Cult Leader without a moment to think of anything else. He couldn't meet him right away and had to make a few wasted trips before he could see him, but he didn't even feel that it was much of a hassle.
The Cult Leader, upon seeing Cheon Ha-seong, thought that it seemed like a long time since he had last seen him.
“Son-in-law, where have you been?”
After hearing that his daughter was pregnant, his name for Cheon Ha-seong seemed to have solidified into 'son-in-law'. The Cult Leader spoke without much thought, then noticed a strange sign.
“Son-in-law, did you go somewhere and have a serious duel? Is there anyone who can even be your opponent? Who did you fight? Is that person unharmed?”
Cheon Ha-seong, as if to say now was not the time for such words, shook his head and hands at the same time.
“Cult Leader, I have found out something incredible. There is a lot I need to tell you from now on.”
“Why are you scaring me like this?”
However, Cheon Ha-seong did not go easy on the Cult Leader and began to tell his story in a torrent.
“What… do you mean?”
After he had spoken for a long time without resting, the Cult Leader saw a small opening and asked.
From the moment he heard that the So Demonic Clan had kidnapped Gi Mun-yong, he had wanted to stop Cheon Ha-seong and ask him right away. But Cheon Ha-seong had asked him to first let him finish everything he had to say, so he had barely managed to hear him out.
The Cult Leader's anger boiled up, and he didn't know what to do.
“What did those bastards take me for, to do that to Gi Mun-yong, who I am raising to be our Hyo-eun's personal bodyguard!”
Saying that, as if he couldn't stay there, he was about to go to the So Demonic Clan's residence at once. However, Cheon Ha-seong stopped him.
“That is not what is important right now, Cult Leader. And in any case, the So Demonic Clan will be having a hard time for a while without us even lifting a finger.”
“What do you mean that's not important? Then what is important?”
“They are trying to ambush me. Your precious son-in-law.”
“……”
The Cult Leader stared at Cheon Ha-seong, momentarily dazed. There was no doubt that Cheon Ha-seong was his precious son-in-law, but he couldn't understand when this man had become able to say such things so shamelessly.
“Son-in-law, did you perhaps get hit in the head?”
“No, sir. I am perfectly normal.”
“Right… That's a relief.”
Cheon Ha-seong began to speak again from then on.
“First, there is something I would like to ask you, Cult Leader. If the masters of the Divine Cult harbor foolish thoughts and attempt rebellion, what is the best way to deal with them?”
The Cult Leader was about to get angry and ask why he was asking such an obvious thing. But then he had the thought, 'Could it be that Cheon Ha-seong is asking because he doesn't know?'
“At a time like this, when the bastards from the Orthodox Sects are being quiet, we only have to think about the internal affairs of the Divine Cult, but in the end, I feel that those people are our limbs. I felt that if we cut off our own limbs, the inconvenience will ultimately be our burden. That is why I thought the proposal put forth at the So Demonic Clan's residence was plausible. I was wondering what you would think if you were to accept that proposal, Cult Leader.”
“Are you saying they should go out to the Central Plains, carry out a mission, and have their sins forgiven for it?”
The Cult Leader asked. It wasn't as if such a thing had never happened before. But this time, he felt that the incident had directly targeted his daughter's safety, and he had the mind to go at once and completely erase the So Demonic Clan.
Of course, doing so would relieve his anger, but he was the Cult Leader. He couldn't act based on his feelings alone.
“Cult Leader, I have had a thought about this.”
“What is it?”
“Are you satisfied with our cult, Cult Leader? I mean the Divine Cult of today. This land where the Divine Cult is situated, the perception of the people of the world, the quality of life. I am asking about these things.”
At first, he was about to answer immediately, but as the story continued, he was at a loss for words.