The Heavenly Demon Who Reigns

Cheon Myeong was gritting his teeth and forcing himself to hold on so as not to be pushed back by Cheon Jin's energy.

An energy that was driving Cheon Myeong like a fierce storm.

If he hadn't taken the elixir, it wouldn't have been strange if he had fainted immediately.

'There's no way that guy would know that I took an elixir.'

That meant that he had sent out his energy with the intention of killing him from the beginning.

A skilled person like Cheon Jin would be able to kill a person with just his energy.

Moreover, hadn't Cheon Myeong originally lost all his internal energy due to Qi Deviation?

If he had received this much energy at the level he was at when he first settled in this body, it would have been absolutely impossible to hold on like this.

'But... I haven't been just playing around until now!'

Rather, it was a good thing.

If he could withstand all the energy that Cheon Jin was sending out to him, he would be able to prove that he had changed from before.

No matter how much it was in front of the leader, since the other side had started first, he would have nothing to say even if he raised his internal energy.

Woong-!

Thinking so, Cheon Myeong raised the internal energy in his dantian to the fullest.

Thanks to that, it became more comfortable than before, but it was still difficult.

'As expected... there is this much of a gap between me and this guy now.'

As he directly received the energy, the gap was felt to some extent.

But.

No matter how much he was weaker than Cheon Jin in terms of skill now, he was confident that he would never lose in terms of mental strength alone.

He was also a being who had once sat on that grand chair.

Cheon Myeong was trying to fill the lacking parts with his sheer will.

Thump-.

It was at that moment.

Cheon Jin's feet, which had been standing still as if they were frozen, began to move forward little by little.

At first, one step, and then two steps.

Little by little, Cheon Myeong was getting closer to where Cheon Jin was sitting.

"..."

Cheon Jin watched Cheon Myeong approaching him with an expressionless face.

And as if it were ridiculous, he began to send out his energy more strongly towards Cheon Myeong.

Fwoosh-!

The second wave came.

As a more powerful energy was added to the already raging energy, the pressure seemed to have increased several times.

No matter how much Cheon Myeong's internal energy had become profound due to the elixir, this time he couldn't help but feel a sense of crisis.

'Go easy on me!'

What had he done so wrong?

Of course, disobeying an order could be called a mistake, but he thought this treatment was too much.

But couldn't he at least listen to his excuse once?

He hadn't said a single word since he had entered the inner palace, but he was sending out an energy full of killing intent, so Cheon Myeong felt wronged.

Woong-!

In the end, Cheon Myeong even operated the Heavenly Demon Divine Art and raised his internal energy.

Then, a unique red demonic energy began to appear all over Cheon Myeong's body.

And at that moment, as if it were a lie, all the energy that had been rushing at Cheon Myeong disappeared, and Cheon Myeong was able to maintain his breathing comfortably, as if he had come out of the deep sea.

"...Has your strength returned?"

Cheon Jin, who had been silent until now, opened his mouth for the first time.

While listening to that mumble, Cheon Myeong caught his breath.

And soon, the red demonic energy that had appeared all over Cheon Myeong's body also began to gradually disappear.

"..."

Cheon Myeong glared at Cheon Jin without a word.

Since he was the guy who had tried to kill him just a moment ago, it was inevitable that his gaze would become fierce.

However, remembering that the person in front of him was the leader of the Demonic Cult, he immediately averted his gaze.

"...I greet the leader."

Saying that, Cheon Myeong cupped his fist.

At first, he had been thinking of prostrating himself, but after receiving such a greeting from Cheon Jin, his thoughts changed.

Of course, since this was also a polite greeting, it wouldn't be a problem.

Cheon Myeong was carrying out a small rebellion that he could at least do to Cheon Jin.

"Raise your head."

"..."

"Your appearance seems to have changed quite a bit from before."

As expected, is he going to talk about that first?

Since he had unintentionally shown his strength, he had already expected that he would ask about it first.

'I'll have to make up something appropriate.'

He had no intention of explaining in detail what had happened to him.

Especially to a guy who tried to kill him as soon as he saw him.

But since he couldn't not say anything, Cheon Myeong was about to give a suitable answer to Cheon Jin.

"In the meantime..."

"But it's still pathetic."

"...?"

"At that level, it is far from enough to be called the young leader of our cult."

Why is this guy picking a fight with me from a while ago?

Cheon Myeong knew that fact better than anyone else.

Cheon Myeong was also not satisfied with his current skills, and of course, he was planning to become stronger in the future.

But to point that out and say it like that.

He had worked hard for the past year to raise his level to this point... hearing such words from Cheon Jin to his face, he couldn't help but feel quite offended.

'If he's reacting like this now, he wouldn't have even talked to me if I had come with that skinny body before.'

Ah, so that's why he tried to kill me earlier.

Cheon Myeong seemed to be able to roughly understand what kind of person Cheon Jin was.

'It's not much different from my memory.'

The memory of fear and sadness towards Cheon Jin.

Cheon Myeong seemed to be able to empathize more with why the previous owner of this body had run away from the main headquarters.

He had lost all his internal energy due to Qi Deviation, and after being saved, if he came out saying he didn't want to learn martial arts anymore, how much would Cheon Jin have nagged him?

With that timid personality, it was natural in a way that he couldn't stand it and ran away.

'But I have to get on his good side, no matter what.'

If he felt that he still had some use, wouldn't he allow him to stay at the main headquarters?

Although Cheon Myeong didn't like Cheon Jin very much, he was trying to talk to him for the sake of his goal.

Although he knew that he was not a guy who was easy to talk to.

But still, he would have to do his best as far as he could.

"...I also know that my skills are still lacking."

"..."

"But someday, I will become strong enough to be worthy of the young leader."

Cheon Myeong said that and looked straight into Cheon Jin's eyes.

To look straight into the leader's eyes.

Although it was an act that could be called disrespectful, Cheon Myeong thought it was better not to avoid his eyes in order to clearly convey his will.

And Cheon Jin looked at Cheon Myeong's eyes for a while and then quietly asked.

"Why did you come back?"

"..."

"You were the one who said you didn't want to be involved with martial arts anymore. So I let you leave the main headquarters as you wished."

In other words, is he asking what kind of change of heart he had?

Cheon Myeong understood the intention and answered immediately.

"At that time, I had no choice but to leave the main headquarters."

"You had no choice but to do so?"

"In order to recover my lost strength, I thought it would be safer to hide my appearance than to be at the main headquarters."

Cheon Myeong was saying something similar to what he had said to Soyeon Sang to Cheon Jin.

There would be no more plausible excuse than this.

He had already verified it with Soyeon Sang.

'It should work on this guy too.'

But the problem was that the person in front of him was Cheon Jin.

Since even Cheon Myeong could not easily read the true feelings hidden in Cheon Jin's expressionlessness, he could not be sure if this excuse would work properly.

Gulp-.

Cheon Myeong swallowed dryly and waited for Cheon Jin's answer.

And Cheon Jin finally opened his mouth.

"So you deliberately said that to me."

"That's right."

"In other words, you lied to me."

Huh?

Why is the story going that way?

Of course, if it was a lie, it was true that he had lied, but he had just said that there was a reason for it.

'Is he going to pick on me for something like this?'

He was a little dumbfounded.

But Cheon Myeong was not flustered and answered immediately.

"You are right, leader."

"..."

"Although there was a reason, I sincerely apologize for having lied to you, leader."

If he told him to cut off an arm as a sign of apology here, he would leave this place on his own two feet because it was dirty.

Cheon Myeong had said that with that thought.

"..."

However, Cheon Jin did not order Cheon Myeong to cut off his arm.

Nor did he say it was okay.

He just maintained his expressionless face from the beginning.

'Say something!'

Since he couldn't read his thoughts, Cheon Myeong was frustrated.

If he had his way, he wanted to ask Cheon Jin directly what he was thinking right now.

But since that was also impossible due to his position, he could only swallow his frustration inwardly.

And.

After a long silence, Cheon Jin finally answered.

"I understand."

"..."

Is that it?

For a long silence, the answer was quite short, so Cheon Myeong couldn't help but be puzzled.

But Cheon Jin's next words made Cheon Myeong even more dumbfounded.

"Now, leave."

"..."

No, it's good to leave.

Since he didn't want to stay here for long either.

But since he was telling him to leave without giving him a clear answer, Cheon Myeong was quite flustered inwardly.

'Punishment? No, more than that, does that mean I can stay at the main headquarters?'

At least he didn't tell him to leave the main headquarters, so doesn't that mean he can stay?

However, Cheon Myeong could not let his guard down until the end.

The opponent was Cheon Jin.

Since he didn't know when he would show a different attitude later, Cheon Myeong wanted to hear a more definite answer.

"Leader, what you mean is..."

"I said to leave."

The energy flowing from Cheon Jin's body at the same time as he cut off Cheon Myeong's words.

It was not powerful, but it was enough to be a warning.

'What, this selfish guy...'

Cheon Myeong was about to lose his temper for a moment, but he barely held it in.

It would not be good to provoke Cheon Jin any further.

Although he wanted to hear a more accurate answer, it seemed that it would be beneficial to his well-being to do as Cheon Jin said for now.

Thump-.

No matter how bad he felt, he had to greet him.

If he left without greeting him, he didn't know if he would pick on him for that, so Cheon Myeong cupped his fist to Cheon Jin as he had done before.

And he turned his body and left the inner palace.

Thump-.

Cheon Myeong left the inner palace and the door closed.

Then, only Cheon Jin was left in the inner palace.

And Cheon Jin stood still for a while and then raised his right hand.

Whoosh-.

At that moment, a bottle of alcohol flew into Cheon Jin's right hand.

Cheon Jin began to drink the alcohol in the bottle as it was.

Gulp- gulp-.

Cheon Jin drank the alcohol in the bottle without a break.

The alcohol in the bottle disappeared down Cheon Jin's throat in an instant.

And only after emptying the bottle at once did Cheon Jin take the bottle from his mouth.

"So that's what it was..."

After emptying all the alcohol in the bottle, Cheon Jin muttered some unknown words to himself.

And.

Grin-.

The expression that had not changed at all until now changed for the first time.

It was a clear smile.

Although it was faint, the corners of Cheon Jin's mouth were slightly raised.

(End of Chapter)