Chapter 82. The Dead Azure Heaven Divine Warrior Wins Against the Living Me.

“If I do that… can I really reach the heavens?”

“Of course.”

The Iron-Blooded Demonic God nodded.

“Is he not a being who directly opposes the principles of all creation? He is one who is hated by the laws of the world, and furthermore, this vast universe. If you prevent the second coming of such a being, not only will your accumulation of merits and demerits be completed, but your long-cherished wish will also be fulfilled.”

“……”

After hearing the Iron-Blooded Demonic God’s words, Seop So-yeon seemed to think for a moment, then opened her mouth.

“Yes, you must be right.”

“If you are not inclined, it is fine to roam the world and accumulate merits and demerits. That is not the only way to reach the heavens. However, I cannot release your power as well.”

It meant that she would free her to leave the Sea of Trees, but she would completely block the possibility of her causing chaos in the world as a strange and powerful being.

If by any chance she were to help with the resurrection of the Heavenly Demon, there would be no situation more troublesome than that.

“Alright, I’ll do that.”

In the end, Seop So-yeon said as if she had made up her mind.

“I will contribute to preventing his resurrection.”

“Will you be alright? There is no need to force yourself. As I said, that is not the only way to reach the heavens.”

“No.”

Seop So-yeon shook her head.

“If I do not achieve complete enlightenment, I will not be able to become a Heavenly Fox even if I reach the heavens. It’s only possible after cutting off all worldly attachments, isn’t it?”

“I will not deny that.”

“Then I have no choice but to help prevent his resurrection.”

To Seop So-yeon, worldly attachments were the affection she had for the first Heavenly Demon and the sense of betrayal she felt afterwards.

Since she had to cut off her attachments for ascension, it would not be an exaggeration to say that there was no more certain way than to thwart the resurrection of the first Heavenly Demon.

Although it would not be an easy task…….

“Will you really do that?”

“I have no choice.”

“If you do so, you will eventually reach the heavens.”

“I really hope so.”

A hint of desperation appeared on Seop So-yeon’s face.

What meaning did ascension hold for her…….

Jin cheon, not knowing what ascension was, simply remained silent.

To be honest, he wasn’t interested.

Jin cheon was one who had his ambitions set not on that heaven, but on the world, that is, the world.

To such a Jin cheon, ascension was like a floating cloud, something he had no room to be interested in.

***

After freeing Seop So-yeon, the Iron-Blooded Demonic God gave Jin cheon her teachings.

To Jin cheon, who had been training alone after reaching the state of Demonic King, the Iron-Blooded Demonic God’s teachings were like rain in a drought.

Although he had reached the state of Extreme Demon and was able to use the Heavenly Demon Divine Qi’s Demonic King, he was still not used to it, and there were many things he didn’t know.

But as the Iron-Blooded Demonic God gave her teachings, the parts that had been frustrating were resolved, and it felt as if his martial arts had advanced one step further.

“You may now make your debut. Leave the Black Bamboo Forest at once and return to the Divine Land.”

“I will follow your command.”

Thus, the secluded training of the past three years came to an end.

“I will go first. I will call for you again soon, so let’s meet in the Divine Land.”

“Travel safely.”

As soon as the Iron-Blooded Demonic God left, Jin cheon gathered his subordinates and ordered them to tidy up the mountain keep.

“It’s time to make our debut. We will leave the Sea of Trees early tomorrow morning and return to the Divine Land.”

“As you command!”

The Divine Demon Squad members answered with a resounding shout.

“Finally, freedom! Hahaha!”

“Ooh!”

When the order to make their debut was given, the Divine Demon Squad members looked like they were half-crazy.

It was only natural; having been cooped up for three whole years focusing only on martial arts, everyone was itching to go.

Moreover, since they were not monks or Taoists practicing asceticism but demons in their prime, it would not be an exaggeration to say that they were on the verge of going crazy from being cooped up.

“This could lead to trouble, My Lord.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I’m worried they might cause some trouble……”

Danmok Cheong whispered to Jin cheon in a concerned voice.

“That could happen.”

Jin cheon fully agreed with Danmok Cheong’s words.

If he suddenly released the Divine Demon Squad members, who had been practicing martial arts to death for three years, into the world, it was hard to predict what kind of trouble would break out.

Weren’t they all in their prime, and their martial arts skills had improved by leaps and bounds, so their confidence was also higher than necessary?

To put it bluntly, the current Divine Demon Squad members were no different from walking powder kegs.

“I will keep a tight rein on them.”

“I’d be grateful if Commander Dan would take care of it.”

“I am only doing what is my duty as the commander of the Seventh Divine Demon Squad.”

To Jin cheon, Danmok Cheong, who spoke like that, was endlessly reliable.

The next morning.

Jin cheon’s party left the mountain keep and headed for the Divine Land.

“I’m finally leaving the Sea of Trees.”

“Are you that happy?”

“Of course I’m happy, why wouldn’t I be? I’m going out into the outside world for the first time in hundreds of years.”

Seop So-yeon asked back as if it were a silly question.

“What’s it like outside? Has it changed a lot?”

“Well.”

Jin cheon could not answer that question.

The world Seop So-yeon knew was from more than hundreds of years ago; how would Jin cheon, who lived in the present era, know what it was like back then?

“The world is all the same. How much could it have changed?”

“I guess you’re right?”

Even as Seop So-yeon said that, she seemed to be looking forward to it inwardly.

A few periods of two hours later.

“N-no way!”

Seop So-yeon looked down at the Divine Land visible in the distance and could not hide her astonishment.

“Th-that’s the Divine Land?!”

“Yes.”

“I can’t believe it! The Divine Land I knew was just a small village!”

“It seems to have changed a lot.”

“Is that even a question? Back then, there probably weren’t even fifty houses. The surroundings were all farmland for farming. It’s really developed a lot. It’s amazing.”

Seop So-yeon could hardly come to her senses at the night view of the Divine Land, which was lit up like a city that never sleeps.

“I’ve never seen such a big city in my life……”

“Really?”

“I’ve never been to the Central Plains.”

“Ah.”

In fact, in terms of size alone, the Divine Land was comparable to Luoyang in the Central Plains.

Even Jin cheon had been surprised by its size when he first came to the Divine Land, so even a person from the Central Plains would not be able to help but be surprised.

“Take this opportunity to go and see. I hear there are many places worth visiting.”

“Really?”

“I don’t know much. I’ve been so focused on practicing martial arts that I haven’t had time to look around.”

“Phew. You’re really something else.”

Seop So-yeon clicked her tongue as if fed up.

‘As if I have time to go sightseeing.’

Jin cheon gave a bitter smile inwardly.

In a position where he had to prepare for the upcoming resurrection of the Heavenly Demon and the second Righteous-Demonic War, he could not afford to go sightseeing leisurely.

Not when he hadn’t even taken revenge on the Righteous Heavenly Alliance yet…….

***

It was very late at night when Jin cheon’s party arrived home.

Since they had traveled solely on foot without sorcery, it had taken quite a lot of time to get out of the Sea of Trees.

“Who goes there.”

“It is the Seventh Young Master, Jin cheon.”

“Ah! We greet the Seventh Young Master!”

The martial artists guarding the gate knelt on one knee before Jin cheon and paid their respects.

“We are the martial artists of the Demonic Armament Yeom Family.”

“The Demonic Armament Yeom Family?”

“Yes, we have been guarding the Seventh Young Master’s house under the command of the Fourth Young Master.”

“Senior Brother Yeom ordered you to guard my house?”

“Yes, Seventh Young Master.”

Jin cheon was very grateful for Yeom Bi’s consideration.

He had been a little worried about leaving Baek A-rin all alone, but to think he would show such consideration.

“Where is Senior Brother Yeom?”

“I cannot give you the details, but he is currently on a mission in the Western Regions.”

“Ah, I see. I was going to pay my respects.”

Jin cheon was very disappointed by Yeom Bi’s absence.

He had thought they would have a meal together after such a long time, but to think he was in the Western Regions…….

“You have worked hard all this time. I will repay you for guarding my house in the near future.”

“Not at all. We only followed the Fourth Young Master’s command.”

“That’s that. My gratitude is my gratitude. I will show my sincerity soon, so please know that.”

“Thank you!”

“Return to the Yeom Family. From now on, my subordinates will guard the gate.”

“Yes, Seventh Young Master.”

In the meantime, with a creak, the main gate opened, and Baek A-rin appeared.

“Baek A-rin greets the Seventh Young Master!”

“Yes, have you been well? Was there any trouble?”

“Thanks to the Fourth Young Master’s care, I have been well!”

Baek A-rin’s appearance, seen after a long time, was no different from three years ago.

“You have truly worked hard! Please come in!”

“Yes, let’s go in.”

As soon as he entered his home after a long time, Jin cheon felt a certain warmth in his heart.

It was a strange thing.

The time he had been away was longer than the time he had actually stayed.

That was probably because this house was the first home Jin cheon had ever had.

“By the way, the young lady who came with you is……”

“Ah. She’s an older sister I came to know by chance. Say hello. This is Baek A-rin. My handmaiden.”

Jin cheon introduced Seop So-yeon to Baek A-rin.

“I’m Seop So-yeon. From now on, feel free to call me older sister. You look very cute and kind.”

“You’re too kind.”

“I don’t know much, so please take good care of me from now on.”

“Yes, Older Sister So-yeon.”

Having returned home, Jin cheon lay down on a soft bed for the first time in a long time and enjoyed a honey-sweet sleep.

And the next day came.

As soon as Jin cheon opened his eyes, he headed for the Cult Leader’s Hall, or more precisely, the backyard of the Cult Leader’s Hall.

The reason was simple.

Having finished his secluded training and made his debut, shouldn’t he properly pay his respects at the spirit tablet of his master, the Azure Heaven Divine Warrior?

He had also been unable to observe the anniversary of his master, the Azure Heaven Divine Warrior’s death, while he was in seclusion.

But when he went to his master’s shrine located in the backyard of the Cult Leader’s Hall, he found that incense was already lit in front of the spirit tablet.

The wine in the cup also gave off a tangy aroma of alcohol, so he could tell that someone had visited not long ago.

“Your unworthy disciple pays his respects to you, Master.”

Jin cheon lit new incense, poured wine into a new cup, offered it to his master’s spirit tablet, and then bowed down before it, fulfilling his duty as a disciple.

‘Well, have your martial arts improved a little?’

It felt as if he could hear the voice of his master, the Azure Heaven Divine Warrior, in his ear.

‘Yes, they have improved a lot.’

‘Don’t get too conceited just because of that. The world is full of strong people. A martial artist’s life is one where you don’t know when or where you’ll be struck by a sword and die.’

‘I will keep that in mind.’

‘Just because you’ve gotten a little stronger, you should never look down on the Nine Sects One Gang. They’re not called the Nine Sects One Gang for nothing.’

Suddenly, the words his master, the Azure Heaven Divine Warrior, had told him came to mind.

His master had said.

The true strength of the Nine Sects One Gang, the Righteous Heavenly Alliance, was not all that was visible on the surface.

The strength of a group was stronger than one might think, and the underlying power of the Nine Sects One Gang, which had been built up while ruling the Central Plains for over hundreds of years, was something an individual could not dare to stand against.

‘Fighting against the Nine Sects One Gang is not just about competing in martial arts. The wealth and connections they have built sometimes exert more power than martial arts. Besides, do you know how many old geezers are cooped up in the deep mountains and valleys? Hundreds of old geezers, who you don’t know if they’re dead or alive, pop out in times of crisis…….’

Jin cheon shook his head and shook off the thoughts of his master.

“S-stop. Please stop. Phew.”

For some reason, even in Jin cheon’s head, his master was far too talkative.

Well, even when he was alive, Jin cheon’s ears would often bleed…….

“You’ve come.”

“……!”

At the sound of the Iron-Blooded Demonic God’s voice from behind him, Jin cheon turned around with a jerk.

“I greet Your Holiness.”

“The dead Azure Heaven Divine Warrior wins against the living me.”

“Yes……?”

“I am also your master, yet you seek his spirit tablet first, so I said it.”

“Th-that’s.”

At the Iron-Blooded Demonic God’s jab-like remark, Jin cheon’s face turned beet red.

“It seems I am always second.”

“N-not at all!”

“Did you not seek his spirit tablet first?”

“It was just because I had not been able to visit the shrine for a long time……”

“It was a joke.”

“……!”

“It was just something I said lightly, so do not mind it.”

“Y-Your Holiness.”

Jin cheon was at a loss for what to do.

To think that the Iron-Blooded Demonic God would make such a joke…….

Fortunately, the Iron-Blooded Demonic God did not tease Jin cheon any further.

“Follow me. There is something important to discuss.”

“Yes, Your Holiness.”

After moving to a pavilion in the backyard.

“The reason I was absent before was to thwart his resurrection.”

“Ah.”

“This is the third time I have killed him.”

“……?”

Jin cheon could not understand the Iron-Blooded Demonic God’s words at all.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep