I Became the Death God-Level Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult

Chapter 15: Fortuitous Encounter

I jumped below the cliff.

To others, it would have looked like I was dodging a thrown spear and trying to save the Young Lord of the Tang Clan, Tang Cheolsim.

The disguise technique was still being maintained, after all.

"What do you think you are doing!"

As we fell down the cliff, Tang Cheolsim tried to shake me off.

"What am I doing? I am planning to kill you where no one is watching."

Stab—

He would likely have a tolerance to poison.

Having judged so, Dan Woojin stabbed Tang Cheolsim’s heart without a moment of hesitation.

"W-What......"

I ripped off the human skin mask mercilessly.

The reason I carried out the assassination while falling was that I had to ensure Tang Cheolsim could not move first.

Tang Cheolsim, who had firmly believed Dan Woojin was Tang Hoyeon, was horrified when Tang Hoyeon’s face was torn away.

"You......"

Before he could even think that he had been done in, Tang Cheolsim’s heart stopped rapidly.

"I am sorry, but it could not be helped."

There was the issue of survival, but Dan Woojin could only make a "claim" to the Cult Leader if he completed this trial properly.

This trial given by Dan Cheonwoo, the Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Cult, would not be the last.

The Cult Leader intended to pass down the position of Young Cult Leader to the one with the best results after a total of seven trials.

Every time one passed a trial, the Cult Leader would bestow a reward.

Therefore, the more one placed first in the trials, the more one could expand the size of their power base.

Whoosh!

While these thoughts crossed my mind, Dan Woojin was falling together with Tang Cheolsim.

Surviving was the priority for now.

Dan Woojin’s eyes began to scan the surroundings.

Since he had lured them toward the cliff on purpose, this terrain was familiar to Dan Woojin—no, to Am Yeong.

'I believe there was a cave below the cliff.'

He had conducted a terrain review while performing a mission in his past life.

There should be a long tree stump below the cliff.

"Found it."

He performed the Steps of the Killing Soul.

Obtaining momentum by treading through the air, Dan Woojin’s hand reached the tree.

Tap—

Crack.

It was difficult because he was managing Tang Cheolsim with his other hand, but he could not give up.

A small cave was visible next to the tree.

Since he had caught the tree, Dan Woojin threw Tang Cheolsim’s corpse into the cave and then climbed onto the tree.

Then, he looked up.

It was still pitch black.

Sa Hyeongseol’s poison mist was surely hiding the area below.

"They will try to search below the cliff."

He had to escape quickly before then.

Dan Woojin, who entered the cave, grabbed Tang Cheolsim’s corpse and took what needed to be taken from him.

Rippp!

He began to make another human skin mask.

This human skin mask would become the evidence to show the Cult Leader the effectiveness of the Seventh Young Master, Dan Woojin.

* * *

"It was a good thing I brought Bone Melting Powder in advance."

Instead of taking Tang Cheolsim’s head, he took the human skin mask and then disposed of the corpse with Bone Melting Powder.

It was impossible to escape this place while carrying Tang Cheolsim’s body.

"I hope there is a path leading outside deep within the cave."

If not, he would have to dig his fingers into the cliff and descend or climb back up.

Dan Woojin decided to explore the inside of the cave for now.

As soon as he went inside,

Flash—

"Hmm?"

He felt as if he had entered a formation.

Dan Woojin tilted his head at the fact that a formation was installed in such a cave and went inside.

From here on, it did not matter if he revealed his original form as Am Yeong instead of the Seventh Young Master of the Heavenly Demon Cult.

Swoosh—

He began to move rapidly while performing the Shadow Movement Technique.

He moved forward quickly while scanning the area to see if there was something there, but nothing was visible.

However, he could feel that the distribution of Qi was quite high.

'I have never heard news of anyone acquiring something near here.'

Escaping quickly was the priority, but he needed to check this strangeness first.

As he continued to head deeper into the cave,

— Stop.

Pause.

A massive pressure was being felt throughout his entire body.

Wondering what was there, he looked ahead.

"A sword?"

A single sword with a jet-black blade was plunged into the ground.

"Usually, shouldn't this kind of pressure come from the remains of a past master?"

Dan Woojin furrowed his brow at the fact that a sword was exerting pressure.

— You are rude.

Moreover, it was a sentient Spirit Sword.

Dan Woojin asked the voice delivered to his mind.

"What do you mean, rude?"

— Did you not wake me from my sleep?

Sleep?

The sword?

"Who are you?"

— I am the Demonic Sword.

He could tell it was a demonic sword just by looking at the jet-black blade.

"Are you a person?"

— From the looks of it, you are not from the Sword Demon Sect?

From the Sword Demon Sect?

"Could it be?"

He had heard of it.

A long time ago.

The Land of Demonic Swords that was said to have existed in the Sword Demon Sect.

The legendary demonic sword that was said to turn one into a demonic practitioner the moment they gripped it.

And,

"The Heavenly Demon Divine Sword that was said to have been taken by the Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Cult long ago."

— Yes, I am indeed that demonic sword.

He had seen in ancient records that the sword was definitely lost.

Yet, such a demonic sword…

"Why are you sleeping here?"

— That is not for you to know. By the way, for me to have reacted even though you are not from the Sword Demon Sect......

Whoosh!

A wind swept over his entire body.

Dan Woojin felt an unpleasant sensation.

— Ho! Look at you.

At the sword's exclamation, Dan Woojin approached it.

If it truly was the sword used by the past Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Cult, as the sword claimed…

"It seems I have obtained a good sword."

— You intend to pull me out?

It went without saying.

— The story that one becomes a mad demonic practitioner if they pull out the demonic sword. Have you not heard of it?

He had not heard it.

Even if he were to go mad,

"Rather, that might be better."

Achieving revenge in a normal state was a distant goal.

Even if he went mad, he intended to use everything he could use.

Grip—

As he grabbed the hilt of the embedded sword,

Crackle—!

A massive thrill was felt.

— Hahaha! This too is fate!

Fate?

He did not know what that meant.

However,

At the Demonic Qi entering his body, Dan Woojin began to operate the Soul Killing Art.

"How dare a mere sword try me."

— It seems the bloodline has been properly inherited!

Craaack—

The ground where the demonic sword was embedded began to split.

— If I return to the world, the world will be dyed in blood. Are you still alright with that?

The inner Qi flowing from his Dantian blocked the Demonic Qi that was rushing toward his mind from his fingertips through his arm.

The Soul Killing Qi and the Demonic Qi confronted each other.

"I am already in a state where my entire body is dyed in blood."

Whoosh!

The sword was pulled out.

The Demonic Qi that was struggling to invade his mind changed its path and began to rush toward his Dantian along with the Soul Killing Qi.

— Hahaha! You were already a bastard who had properly tasted blood. Yes, you must be at least this much to become the Lord of Demons!

The Lord of Demons refers to the master of All Demons.

Dan Woojin murmured while embracing the thrilling Demonic Qi entering his Dantian with the Soul Killing Qi.

"That certainly sounds nice to hear."

* * *

— The world has changed quite a bit!

Chirp, chirp.

It talked a lot.

It made him wonder if this bastard truly was the Heavenly Demon Sword used by the Heavenly Demon of the past.

In conclusion, acquiring the Heavenly Demon Sword was no different from a fortuitous encounter for Dan Woojin.

He received some help from the Heavenly Demon Sword to escape the cave.

The demonic sword showed a sharpness that made its time spent sleeping seem meaningless.

It was all thanks to the demonic sword that he could break through the blocked exit.

— Where are we going now? Are we going out to the Central Plains to taste the blood of the Orthodox people?!

It would be quite good if not for the fact that it was noisy.

"That is for later. First, I will return to the Cult."

— It seems you have not become independent yet.

Independent.

He wanted to, but he had no intention of becoming independent until he achieved his revenge.

He had to make the power of the Demonic Cult his own somehow.

— Speaking of which, I don't know your name yet.

"Dan Woojin."

— Are you the Young Cult Leader?

"I am the seventh candidate."

— He had seven whole children?

Indeed.

If he had only one, that child would have naturally become the Young Cult Leader without anyone dying.

— You must have suffered a lot.

"I am planning to from now on, actually."

Dan Woojin, who had secured the human skin mask of the Young Lord of the Tang Clan, Tang Cheolsim, first checked the situation above the cliff.

Since quite a bit of time had passed, he thought no one would be there, but there were people.

"Are you sure it is alright to keep staying here like this?"

"The warriors of the Tang Clan have all gone down to search below the cliff, so it should be fine. Furthermore, if it is the Seventh Young Master, he will come back up to check the situation above."

"You sound very certain? When did you get so close to the youngest?"

"It hasn't been long."

It was Sa Hyeongseol, the Young Sect Leader of the Poison Demon Sect, and the Sixth Young Lady, Dan Youngyoung.

Upon seeing Dan Youngyoung, his first thought was one of relief.

Normally, Dan Youngyoung would have lost her life here.

'Because she would have been poisoned.'

— Hmm? I feel it from that girl as well.

'What do you feel?'

— Bloodline. Is she your sister? She will become quite a beauty once she grows a bit more.

He agreed with that.

Dan Woojin sent a voice transmission to Sa Hyeongseol.

— Sa Hyeongseol. Behind you. Follow me.

Flinch.

Receiving the voice transmission, Sa Hyeongseol called Dan Youngyoung.

"Sixth Young Lady."

"What?"

"He is here."

"Really?"

"Let's go."

Sa Hyeongseol began to follow Dan Woojin with Dan Youngyoung.

Leaving this place as quickly as possible was the priority.

Hearing what had happened after Dan Woojin fell down the cliff was next.

"He is fast. It is amazing that the youngest has mastered martial arts... but to have this level of speed. He deceived everyone perfectly."

Sa Hyeongseol nodded while listening to Dan Youngyoung.

"So I am even more curious. Why did he even attach the Young Sect Leader of the Poison Demon Sect to protect me?"

"You should ask him yourself."

Because Sa Hyeongseol did not actually know the reason either.

Once they had moved a fair distance and neared the Heavenly Demon Cult,

"This should be enough."

"You run well without getting tired huh."

"It has been a long time, Sister."

At the word "Sister," Dan Youngyoung’s eyebrows rose slightly.

"Sister? Did the youngest just look at me and call me Sister?"

"I heard it as well."

"Ha, seriously, just who are you? You called the Eldest Young Master 'Big Brother'. And to me, 'Sister'? Are you in your right mind?"

I am in my right mind.

Well, if it were the original Seventh Young Master, he would not have been able to call Dan Youngyoung "Sister."

In a way, Dan Youngyoung was the very person who provided the reason why Dan Woojin had no choice but to become a shut-in.

"I am perfectly fine. Rather, I am the one who wants to ask if you are in your right mind."

"What?"

"What were you trusting to be with the Second Brother?"

"Brother Hyunwoo? Why? I was just with him because he suggested we join forces to pass the trial given by the Cult Leader first?"

"Did nothing happen after that?"

"What kind of thing?"

Dan Woojin looked back at Sa Hyeongseol.

An expression telling him to report what had happened afterward.

"After the Seventh Young Master fell below the cliff, the Tang Clan members retreated to save their Young Lord."

I looked at Sa Hyeongseol, wondering if truly nothing had happened.

"...Except for the fact that the Third Young Lady was poisoned, nothing happened."

Oh dear.

"If not for the Young Sect Leader of the Poison Demon Sect, I would have been poisoned as well. I am grateful for that...... but, what’s with that reaction of yours?"

It seemed that because Dan Woojin had changed history, the Second Young Master, Dan Hyunwoo, had changed his target for assassination.