Chapter 157 : Brainwashing That Wasn’t Brainwashing, Yet Felt Like Brainwashing
Chapter 157: Brainwashing That Wasn’t Brainwashing, Yet Felt Like Brainwashing
The Cult Leader, who had not been able to make time because of training and was making the rounds of the sect for the first time in a long while, encountered Iron Demon storming out of the Vice Cult Leader’s residence while fuming.
“I pay my respects to the Cult Leader.”
Watching Iron Demon clasp his fists and bow deeply, the Cult Leader smirked.
Not long ago, Iron Demon had not even bent his waist and merely nodded his head.
He knew the reason.
After reaching the Manifestation Realm, confidence would have overflowed, and the world would have seemed as small as a grain of millet.
Compared to others who had reached the Manifestation Realm, Iron Demon had been particularly swept up in that emotion simply because he was straightforward.
If he liked something, he liked it. If he hated something, he hated it.
At the very least, he wasn’t the type to smile in front of someone and stab them in the back.
Yet at some point, Iron Demon’s attitude had completely changed.
According to what he had heard, Iron Demon had clung even to the Vice Cult Leader and then been thoroughly beaten into his senses.
Seeing a master who could immediately go out and found his own sect still sticking around even after such a thing happened showed that he truly didn’t hold grudges.
That was why the Cult Leader casually asked with a faint smile.
“Why are you huffing like that?”
“That is, Cult Leader. Those bastards Ghost Demon and Profound Demon are looking down on me!”
“Why would they look down on you?”
“Well, you see…”
After hearing Iron Demon’s entire story, the Cult Leader’s eyes gleamed.
“So after seeing the Vice Cult Leader smile, Demon Flower ran straight to the Golden Flower Manor Lord’s daughter?”
“Yes. But they won’t tell me why.”
“You really don’t know?”
“Uh! Cult Leader, do you know?”
Seeing Iron Demon ask with wide eyes, the Cult Leader chuckled.
“Tsk tsk. You’re truly ignorant of how the world works. Blood Sword Unit Commander.”
“Yes, Cult Leader.”
At the reply from the Blood Sword Unit Commander who was following behind, the Cult Leader gave an order.
“Explain it to him so he understands.”
Leaving only those words behind, the Cult Leader strolled back toward his residence.
Iron Demon turned his gaze from the departing Cult Leader to the Blood Sword Unit Commander.
As if urging him to hurry up and explain.
But…
“….”
The Blood Sword Unit Commander only stared blankly at Iron Demon with an awkward expression.
Seeing that, Iron Demon narrowed his eyes.
“You… don’t know either, do you?”
“Bastard. If you don’t know, then stay quiet like me. Don’t drag innocent people into your trouble.”
After snapping angrily for no reason, the Blood Sword Unit Commander stomped away toward the Cult Leader’s residence.
Iron Demon snorted loudly.
“Tch, if we weren’t from the same batch…”
That was right.
In the Bright Cult, where Might Makes Right was the law, it was absurd to expect a weaker martial artist to speak like that to a stronger one and survive.
Yet the Blood Sword Unit Commander could behave that way because they were from the same batch.
They had survived together from Foundational Training, through advanced training, and into the stage of mastery.
Among Iron Demon’s batchmates, only about two hundred were still alive.
When they had first passed foundational training, there had been just over a thousand of them.
But after countless operations and battles, most had died, leaving only that many behind.
Because of that, the bond between them was stronger than that of blood relatives.
That was why a mere Super-Peak Realm martial artist could glare and call a Manifestation Realm master “bastard” and remain unharmed.
But after the Blood Sword Unit Commander left, a sudden thought crossed Iron Demon’s mind.
“…Don’t tell me they don’t know either?”
Iron Demon looked back toward the Vice Cult Leader’s residence he had just left, suspicion filling his eyes.
A strong suspicion arose that Ghost Demon and Profound Demon hadn’t answered him because they didn’t know either.
Iron Demon’s steps were rough as he turned back toward the Vice Cult Leader’s residence.
---
At a pavilion attached to the manor, Ga Hwa-yeong sat gazing absentmindedly at the pond.
Her face looked gaunt.
At a glance, she looked deeply ill.
Watching his daughter from afar, the Golden Flower Manor Lord’s heart burned black with anguish.
Yet he could not step forward.
He knew the illness his only daughter was suffering from.
And even so, there was nothing he could do.
That was why a miserable voice slipped from his lips.
“Lovesickness… my daughter…”
Lovesickness.
A sickness born from deep longing for someone.
He had been a cruel father who was prepared to offer his daughter to a sect of the Demonic Path in order to save Golden Flower Manor.
But it was not something he had done gladly.
It had simply been an unavoidable choice to save the thousands of people belonging to Golden Flower Manor.
That was why he felt even more sorry.
When the father she trusted and relied upon handed her over as if selling her off, he could not even imagine the wound it must have left in her heart.
And now that daughter was suffering like that.
Even so, the Golden Flower Manor Lord could do nothing.
Because the other party stood too high above him.
He was, after all, the Number One of the Hundred Paths.
He did not even dare speak to him.
If that man became angry, not only the lives of the thousands of people of Golden Flower Manor but even his daughter’s safety could not be guaranteed.
The Vice Cult Leader he had met personally seemed to be a reasonable man.
But he was still a member of the Bright Cult.
There was a reason the Bright Cult was also called the Demonic Cult.
They were the kind who might laugh arm in arm with you today, but if things went wrong, they would draw their blades against you tomorrow.
He had no desire to make enemies of such people.
That was why the Golden Flower Manor Lord only fretted despite knowing of his daughter’s illness.
At that moment, the General Manager came running.
“Manor Lord. A guest has arrived.”
“A guest? Who?”
“An elder of the Bright Cult who visited before.”
At that answer, the Golden Flower Manor Lord hurried at once.
An elder of the Bright Cult was someone who could turn Golden Flower Manor into a sea of blood in an instant even alone.
When he rushed out, he was met by a woman of breathtaking beauty.
“O-Oh, you’ve come? Elder Demon Flower!”
The Golden Flower Manor Lord clasped his fists respectfully.
Demon Flower smiled.
“Long time.”
“Yes, it’s been a while.”
While the Golden Flower Manor Lord greeted her politely, Demon Flower spoke.
“I’m bad at beating around the bush, so I’ll ask directly.”
“Please speak.”
“What do you think of our Vice Cult Leader?”
“…Pardon?”
“What do you mean ‘pardon’? I asked what you think of our Vice Cult Leader.”
Asked again, the Golden Flower Manor Lord answered awkwardly.
“W-Well, he is wise, great, extraordinary…”
“Not that kind of flattery. I’m asking how he is as a son-in-law.”
“A-A son-in-law?”
“Yes. A son-in-law. Do you have someone in mind for your daughter? No— even if you do, you must marry her to the Vice Cult Leader.”
“Well… if that were possible, it would certainly be good… but does the Vice Cult Leader perhaps have feelings for my daughter…?”
“Nope. That’s the problem. But what can we do? If you want to obtain a man like that, you have to put in effort.”
“T-Then who is making this proposal, and why…?”
“I am. If we’re not careful, he might get snatched away by those Hundred Paths bastards. So you and I should join forces and give it a proper shot.”
“You and I… together?”
“That’s right.”
“W-Will that even work?”
“If it doesn’t, what happens? Everything will fly away—your wealth too… no, no. I mean the Vice Cult Leader will end up with the Hundred Paths. That must be stopped.”
Honestly, even if he didn’t know who exactly she meant by the “Hundred Paths,” it had nothing to do with Golden Flower Manor.
But…
The Golden Flower Manor Lord recalled the gaunt face of his daughter he had seen just moments ago.
Grinding his teeth, he rolled up his sleeves.
“We must stop it! Of course we must! Absolutely! What should I do?”
Demon Flower was somewhat surprised at how much more enthusiastic he was than expected.
But soon she began responding enthusiastically as well.
If he had refused, she had been planning to force the matter anyway.
So having him cooperate willingly was even better.
After a long conversation between Demon Flower and the Golden Flower Manor Lord, several carriages left Golden Flower Manor.
Among the wagons carrying rare medicinal herbs and hundreds of medical texts was also a carriage carrying Golden Flower Manor’s precious jewel—Ga Hwa-yeong.
---
The trial given by the Poison Demon by the Vice Cult Leader was still ongoing.
Because of that, after returning to the Cheonghae Region, the Poison Demon had been extremely busy.
Between treating patients, drafting plans, and preparing for the Physician Training Institution of the Bright Cult, he spent every day in a whirlwind.
Then guests came to visit him.
“Who came?”
“It’s me. Have you been well?”
When the Poison Demon saw Demon Flower pushing aside the subordinate who had been reporting and walking in, he beamed.
“Demon Flower! What brings you here?”
Seeing his old batchmate after so long, the Poison Demon was delighted.
Demon Flower replied.
“I heard you needed various things, so I asked someone for help, and they gladly agreed.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“Didn’t you say you were lacking rare medicinal herbs and medical texts? That’s what I heard.”
“How did you know that? Since I’m establishing a physician training institution, I’m lacking so many things that— …Miss!”
The Poison Demon’s eyes widened as he saw Ga Hwa-yeong slowly entering.
“It has been a while, Elder Poison Demon.”
Recognizing him, Ga Hwa-yeong greeted him.
The Poison Demon smiled.
“It truly has been a while. But what brings you here… could it be!”
“That’s right. The one who offered help is Miss Ga Hwa-yeong. Or more precisely, Golden Flower Manor.”
The moment Demon Flower finished speaking, a subordinate rushed in with a bright expression and reported something to the Poison Demon through Mental Voice Transmission.
Hearing the report, the Poison Demon’s face lit up with joy.
“Such precious medicinal herbs and medical texts… How did you know I had been struggling due to their shortage recently? Thank you. I will never forget this kindness.”
The Poison Demon repeatedly clasped his fists in gratitude.
Seeing that, Demon Flower smirked.
Honestly, the Poison Demon in the past would never have been grateful for something like this.
If he lacked something, he would simply take it.
And he would consider bringing it back merely something done to avoid dying.
It wasn’t just the Poison Demon.
Demon Flower herself had been the same.
And so had the other Five Demons, including Iron Demon.
In fact, nearly every martial artist of the Bright Cult had been like that.
Because their worldview was simple.
What belonged to others was merely something that hadn’t yet been taken by them.
But these days, it wasn’t like that.
As long as the Vice Cult Leader had his sharp eyes open, it was absurd to think one could seize others’ possessions by force and remain unharmed.
Moreover, when someone gave you something, you had to be grateful.
Otherwise, the Vice Cult Leader would glare as if he might draw his blade at any moment.
And the funny thing was—
When that kept happening repeatedly, before you knew it, you genuinely became grateful.
Something like brainwashing that wasn’t brainwashing.
Even small acts done for your sake would make your heart soften and itch strangely.
The result of that was the Poison Demon standing before her now.
Had the Vice Cult Leader intended that?
Of course!
While the Poison Demon was expressing his gratitude, Demon Flower asked casually.
“Just words?”
“What?”
“I asked if you’re only going to say thank you.”
At Demon Flower’s words, the Poison Demon realized that Golden Flower Manor must want something.
For a moment he thought they were daring to use him with mere wealth.
But considering who they were—and that Demon Flower had mediated—he simply smiled.
“Tell me. If it’s within my power, I will help.”
Before Demon Flower could answer, Ga Hwa-yeong stepped forward.
“I want to get married, Elder. Please help me.”
“…Hm? Married? Which lucky fellow has gained such fortune? Tell me. Since you’re asking me for help, it must be one of our Bright Cult fellows, right?”
“Yes.”
“What a lucky bastard he is. Who is it?”
“…The Vice Cult Leader.”
“….”
Clang.
The Poison Demon dropped even the medicine bottle he had been holding.
So shocked was he by Ga Hwa-yeong’s answer that his mouth remained hanging open.