The Heavenly Demon Who Reigns

Cheon Myeong recalled who the man in front of him was.

His younger brother, who shared the same bloodline as him.

He couldn't recognize him immediately because his atmosphere was quite different from the appearance in his memory.

'He seems quite on edge...'

If he had a round feeling before, now he felt like a sheer cliff.

But still, since his original face remained, Cheon Myeong was able to recognize Cheon Seong.

'But why does this guy seem so angry?'

According to his memory, he and Cheon Seong didn't seem to have such a bad relationship.

Far from having a bad relationship, they could be called brothers with a deep bond.

However, looking at the words Cheon Seong had said as soon as he opened the door and the gaze he was looking at him with now, it was an appearance that could by no means be called a good bond.

'I'll have to watch the situation for a while.'

He felt that he would be able to understand why Cheon Seong was hostile to him only after talking to him more.

Since he had decided to act like his past self for the time being, Cheon Myeong smiled as if he was happy and said to Cheon Seong.

"It's been a while, you've grown a lot."

Saying that, Cheon Myeong held out his right hand towards Cheon Seong.

However, at that moment.

Cheon Seong slapped Cheon Myeong's right hand with his own, as if he was displeased.

Thwack-.

"..."

A clear sign of hostility.

Cheon Myeong looked at Cheon Seong with a face that had wiped the smile off.

"Seong-ah, what's wrong?"

"Don't call my name as if you're close to me."

"..."

"I don't think of you as my brother anymore."

A cold voice.

Cheon Myeong couldn't understand the reason why Cheon Seong had become so hostile towards him.

'What happened?'

According to his memory, there didn't seem to be any problems with Cheon Seong.

Since he had a memory of Cheon Seong worrying about him until he left the main headquarters, Cheon Myeong couldn't figure out what the cause was.

'I thought Cheon Seong would be one of the few accomplices I have at the main headquarters.'

Is this what it feels like to be stabbed in the back by a trusted axe?

Cheon Myeong was quite troubled as his brother, who he had thought would surely welcome him, came out like this.

Cheon Seong was the only blood relative Cheon Myeong had, besides Cheon Jin.

The fact that they shared the same blood created a very strong bond.

Of course, Cheon Jin could be called an exception, but he couldn't let Cheon Seong become like that.

In order to stand against the Five Great Demonic Families in the future, he would have to build his own side to some extent.

Cheon Myeong had already marked Cheon Seong as his side early on.

'First, let's find out why he has become so hostile.'

If he could restore the relationship to how it was before, it would be good to do so.

Cheon Myeong thought so and said to Cheon Seong in a serious voice.

"We're the only brothers we have. But I have no idea why you're saying that."

"The only brothers we have..."

When Cheon Myeong said that, Cheon Seong scoffed.

"In the end, that's just words, isn't it?"

"...?"

"Otherwise, you wouldn't abandon your only brother."

"Are you saying I abandoned you?"

"Are you pretending not to know?"

A laugh of disbelief came out of Cheon Seong's mouth.

"I wanted you not to leave the main headquarters. And I clearly confessed my feelings to you."

"..."

"Qi Deviation? It doesn't matter. At that time, I thought that even if you lost all your strength, I could take on that role instead."

As Cheon Seong said that, a memory came to Cheon Myeong's mind.

He seemed to have had such a conversation with Cheon Seong.

Of course, the person who had the conversation at that time was not his current self.

"I just said that it would be a source of strength for me just to have you with me. So what did you say to me at that time?"

"...I said I would."

"Yes. Because you are my only brother. I thought that even though you had gone through a difficult time, we could surely get through it if we were together."

"..."

"But... you betrayed me."

Cheon Myeong seemed to be able to roughly understand why Cheon Seong had such hostility towards him.

He had said he would be with him, but he had left Cheon Seong here and had left the main headquarters alone, so from Cheon Seong's point of view, Cheon Myeong could only be seen as a traitor.

As deep as his affection for his brother was, that feeling would have instantly turned into hatred.

"Don't even bring up the story that you couldn't help it because my father exiled you. I know that you wanted it yourself."

"...You're right."

Cheon Myeong did not deny that fact.

His previous self had chosen to be exiled with the desire to escape from the struggle at the main headquarters.

Since Cheon Myeong also thought that that was a shameful act now, he had no intention of making excuses to Cheon Seong.

"You ran away like that, but I didn't want to be a coward like you."

After Cheon Myeong ran away from the main headquarters, Cheon Seong was left alone.

A lonely fight of his own.

Since Cheon Jin's personality was not one to take care of his blood relatives, Cheon Seong had been endlessly striving to survive in the Demonic Cult, a world of the law of the jungle, all by himself.

That's why he had been swinging his sword to the point where the blisters on his two hands did not dry.

And he had not trusted anyone and had continued to fight a lonely battle.

That's how shocking the betrayal of his most trusted brother had been to Cheon Seong, so Cheon Seong had not been able to trust anyone since then.

"You were left as a loser, but I don't want to be a guy like that."

"..."

"What on earth were you thinking, coming back to the main headquarters?"

Cheon Myeong, who continued to maintain his silence.

Cheon Seong couldn't help but frown as he looked at Cheon Myeong.

"Are you going to keep your mouth shut like that?"

"..."

"As expected... you haven't changed at all. You're still just a cowardly runaway."

Cheon Seong said that and turned his body.

'As expected... he's no different from before.'

Thinking that Cheon Myeong might have changed a little, Cheon Seong had come to see Cheon Myeong.

But as expected.

From the way he kept his mouth shut like that, only the appearance of a runaway could be seen.

'Let's go.'

He would be alone in the future as well.

It's okay.

Since he had been like that all along, he was already used to being alone.

After meeting Cheon Myeong, Cheon Seong was able to be sure that he would have to continue his lonely fight in the future.

"Wait."

Halt-.

As Cheon Myeong suddenly said from behind, Cheon Seong stopped his movement to leave.

What is he trying to say now?

But whatever it was, it was already too late.

No matter what Cheon Myeong said, he would not be able to move his heart.

Cheon Seong thought so and turned his head towards where Cheon Myeong was again.

Whoosh-.

As soon as he turned his head, something flew in front of Cheon Seong's eyes.

Cheon Seong reflexively snatched what had flown in front of his eyes with his hand.

And he opened his palm and looked down at what he had snatched.

"...?"

On Cheon Seong's palm was a small container.

And the person who had thrown that container at Cheon Seong was, of course, Cheon Myeong.

Cheon Seong raised his head and asked Cheon Myeong.

"What is this?"

"It's medicine."

"Medicine?"

"Yes, it will be more effective than a wound medicine, so apply it to your palm."

When Cheon Myeong said that, Cheon Seong's gaze turned to his own palm.

Then, the wounds immediately came into view.

Is Cheon Myeong worrying about the wounds on his hand right now?

Thinking so, Cheon Seong felt displeased.

"Are you pretending to worry about me now?"

"..."

"Do you think I'll forgive you if you do that?"

"No, I won't be able to receive forgiveness for something like this."

"You know well. So don't try to win my favor with something like this..."

"Because the wounds you received in the past are much deeper than the wounds on your hand."

"..."

Cheon Seong stopped talking in the middle and closed his mouth.

And looking at Cheon Seong, Cheon Myeong continued to speak.

"I don't think that the wounds you received at that time can be undone right now and our relationship can go back to how it was before."

"..."

"But I will try to slowly heal the wounds you received because of me."

Grin-.

"Think of the medicine there as the beginning."

Cheon Myeong said with a smile.

A smile that seemed to be full of confidence.

To be smiling at him in a situation like this.

Generally speaking, that smile could only be seen as unpleasant.

"Don't treat me like a child."

Whoosh-.

Cheon Seong said that and threw the medicine container he was holding.

The medicine container was rolling pathetically near Cheon Myeong's feet.

Cheon Myeong was still looking at Cheon Seong without paying attention to the medicine container.

"The younger brother you knew is not here now."

"..."

"The past three years have made me like this. I'm grateful for that."

And again, maintaining their silence, the two looked at each other.

"Young Master."

At that moment, Hwang Dongyeong approached, calling out to Cheon Seong.

Although he had been watching the two from a distance, as he saw signs of the commotion getting bigger, he had eventually approached Cheon Seong's side.

"...Let's go."

As Hwang Dongyeong approached, Cheon Seong quietly said that and turned his body to walk away.

Hwang Dongyeong watched Cheon Seong's back without a word.

And he bowed lightly to Cheon Myeong and was about to follow behind Cheon Seong.

"Wait."

"...?"

"Are you Seong-i's escort?"

"That's right."

"Then won't you apply this to Seong-i's wounds?"

Cheon Myeong said that and held out the medicine container that Cheon Seong had thrown earlier to Hwang Dongyeong.

"It will be much more effective than the medicine prescribed by the Demonic Medical Hall."

"More than the Demonic Medical Hall...?"

In the medicine container that Cheon Myeong was holding out was an external wound medicine manufactured with the knowledge of Medical Supplement Manual.

There would probably be few external wound medicines like this in the entire martial world.

Since Hwang Dongyeong didn't know that fact, he was listening to Cheon Myeong's words with a slightly suspicious look.

"Hide the fact that I gave it to Seong-i."

"...I understand."

Although he didn't know if this medicine would really be more effective than the medicine prescribed by the Demonic Medical Hall.

But since it was something Cheon Myeong was giving, Hwang Dongyeong decided to receive it and keep it.

"Please take good care of Seong-i."

"..."

Hwang Dongyeong answered with a cupped fist.

And he followed after Cheon Seong.

"Phew... this is tough."

As the two disappeared, Cheon Myeong quietly muttered.

Besides the purpose of making Cheon Seong his side, Cheon Myeong somehow couldn't leave Cheon Seong alone.

It was probably the influence of the memories of the previous owner of the body, just like with Mihwa.

So he had tried to do what he could, but he didn't think he would know what would happen in the future.

'It seems he did care for his younger brother.'

Isn't that why he can't leave Cheon Seong alone now?

Although it was true that he had abandoned his younger brother and run away, his love for his younger brother as an older brother seemed to have been sincere.

'It will take quite a while to change his mind.'

He would try to do what he could.

But still, if he couldn't change Cheon Seong's mind...

"...I don't know."

He would know if he ever had a younger brother.

Cheon Myeong was not used to this kind of sibling fight.

(End of Chapter)