Chapter 159: Social Life (2)

“I already consider it a stroke of immense luck that I’m alive and standing here today.”

Her expression twisted slightly in displeasure.

She wouldn’t be able to refute me easily. What I said was unquestionably correct, by any standard.

After all, it wasn’t just anyone—one of the Heads of the Six Great Demonic Clans had taken action personally.

That woman known as Ghost Demon Immortal could only respond with such feeble attempts at checking me.

“If this isn’t a hearing, I would appreciate it if you’d refrain from making personal attacks against me.”

“What did you say?”

Just as anger began to rise in Cheon Eunryeong’s eyes—

A voice rang out from the side, where the elders of the Cheon Clan were gathered.

“Hahaha, surely this isn’t a place for reprimanding the Vice Pavilion Master, is it? If anything, it should be a place to offer him comfort.”

I turned my gaze to see an aged old man seated there.

If not for the thick miasma of demonic energy radiating from his body, I might’ve mistaken him for a refined Daoist hermit.

‘That man!’

Seizing the opportunity, I quickly cupped my hands and bowed toward the elder.

“I am grateful that you understand the hardships I’ve endured. My thanks to Elder White-Bone Ghost Demon, Cheon Jaeryong.”

At my words, Cheon Jaeryong widened his eyes.

“Hoh? You know who I am?”

“Who wouldn’t recognize the man who decapitated twelve members of the Tang Clan near Hanzhong forty years ago, an incident still referred to within the clan as the Hanzhong Blood Massacre?”

Cheon Jaeryong’s expression instantly melted into a pleased smile.

“Heh… hahaha! No one even remembers that anymore… and yet a young fellow like you knows it? Impressive.”

Just as he said, it had once been a widely discussed event, but—

Forty years had passed.

Now, it only remained as a faded record in the Murim Alliance or our Cult’s archives.

They must’ve been shocked that I mentioned an incident remembered by almost no one except the participants themselves.

Seeing how satisfied Cheon Jaeryong looked, another elderly man next to him pouted and grumbled.

“Good for you, old friend. Kids these days remember your name? No one remembers me anymore, tch!”

The bald old man, who could have been Gu Chil’s sworn brother.

I knew that bald head wasn’t the result of aging—it was self-inflicted.

I quickly lowered my head toward him.

“How could I not recognize Elder Cheon Gokchu, the Mad Annihilation Monk?”

Mad Annihilation Monk Cheon Gokchu.

A rare case among the Cheon Clan—a kind of overseas scholar who had mastered the martial arts of the Evil Refining Sect deep in the Great Desert.

His expression immediately transformed into one just like Cheon Jaeryong’s.

“W-What? You know me? A brat from the Jin Clan?”

“I’ve heard that twenty-four years ago, you massacred the warrior monks of theConqueror Western Harbor Palace near the Ten Thousand Mountain Range using the Evil Refining Sect’s forbidden technique, the Mad Demon Annihilation Skill.”

The Mad Annihilation Monk let out an exclamation.

“Hah! Even the kids of my own clan don’t know me anymore… and yet the young one from the Jin Clan even knows my signature martial art?”

“You’ve always been an elder of the Cheon Clan I respected.”

I lied without a drop of shame.

“Hahaha! What a polite and respectful youngster you are!”

It seemed my heartfelt flattery had worked.

Immediately, murmurs began to ripple among the elders of the Cheon Clan.

The former generation—those on the brink of retirement… or practically already retired.

They began to speak to me, clearly craving the attention.

The tense standoff between me and Cheon Eunryeong from just moments ago had completely vanished from their minds.

“You there, Young Man. Do you know who I am?”

I instantly recalled the man’s identity and past achievements and offered a smile.

“You must be Senior Cheon Baeseong, the Annihilating Divine Hand. I’ve heard that during the early days of the Evil Overlords of Heaven’s founding, you crossed hands with the Ten Thousand Evil King during the Battle of Eumjugok, showcasing your unmatched mastery of palm techniques.”

“Hohohoho!”

“And me! What about me?!”

A middle-aged woman among the elders raised her hand.

I kept her true moniker hidden in my heart as I answered.

“With such flawless white skin and lush, resilient black hair, you must be Elder Cheon Mireong, the Graceful Demonic Empress. Your reputation precedes you as one of the foremost masters of our Cult’s Lesser Demonic Arts, alongside the Great Elder.”

Her expression lit up with delight.

“Hohoho! This young man really knows how to see a person!”

The Annihilating Divine Hand beside her scoffed.

“Graceful Demonic Empress, my foot. More like the Ice Demon Beast!”

“You want to die, old man?!”

I could guess what kind of history she had, considering her nickname included the word ‘beast’…

Anyway, the important thing was that the Cheon Clan elders’ attention had shifted in my favor.

As the previously quiet room became lively with chatter centered around me—

“W-What is this… what’s happening…?”

Cheon Eunryeong blinked in disbelief, clearly unable to grasp what had just happened.

* * *

The elders of the Cheon Clan.

Regardless of whether they supported Cheon Yura or Cheon Yujeong—

They all had one massive thing in common.

Despite their formidable skill, their fame wasn’t nearly as widespread as one might expect.

Which, in hindsight, made perfect sense.

Unless they held the rank of a unit commander among the Thirty-Four Demon Squads, most of them were treated as secret weapons within the Cheon Clan, only emerging in times of crisis or special incidents.

The missions they undertook were typically shrouded in secrecy, and as a result, their names and deeds were rarely known in public.

Even among the current leading generation of the Cult—those in their forties and fifties—only a handful would even know who these elders were.

But a kid barely half their age?

If I were in their shoes, I wouldn’t be able to stay quiet either. Damn right!

“Hahaha, who would’ve thought our Vice Pavilion Master Jin had such great promise.”

“The Asura King sure raised a fine son. A young man who knows how to respect his elders!”

Before I knew it, I was surrounded by the elders.

Most of them had long passed the age where they were swayed by joy or anger.

But that was only because time had worn them down.

Deep down… they still yearned for attention from their juniors.

“I’ve heard that the Puppetry Arts of the Corpse Dread Demon Lord are second to none in the world. Rumor has it you can control a hundred and eight puppets in a single breath…”

“Kehahaha! You know well! These days, everyone mocks my divine art as mere toymaking. Who would’ve thought such a wonderful junior who knows the truth exists!”

“Hmph! What’s so special about playing with dolls!”

“Kekeke! Just admit you’re jealous.”

I continued chatting, recognizing each elder and letting the conversation blossom.

In doing so, the presence of Vice Pavilion Master Cheon Eunryeong, seated at the head table, was utterly forgotten.

“Wh-What? What is this…?”

Cheon Eunryeong couldn’t hide her bewilderment.

This meeting was supposed to be a session to hear the explanation for the sudden outburst from the Hidden Shadow So Clan and to discuss countermeasures moving forward…

…disguised as a meeting, but in reality, a trap set to attack Jin Yeomyung.

Yet before anything could even begin, the atmosphere in the chamber had suddenly transformed into something more like a retirement home gathering around a polite grandson.

A sense of alarm crept into Cheon Eunryeong’s eyes as she glared at Jin Yeomyung.

‘With just the information from the Naming Hall, he shouldn’t know anything more than their names and titles, should he?’

Even if these elderly men were desperate for attention—

They were all once great demonic masters who had left their mark on an era.

Naturally, each of them had an overwhelming pride in their martial arts and an obsessive attachment to their past accomplishments.

The moment he spouted even the slightest inaccuracy or lie, all those warm smiles would instantly turn into murderous intent!

In that instant,

A chilling thought crossed Cheon Eunryeong’s mind.

‘Don’t tell me… he actually read through the entire Divine Demon Record in that short time!’

If not, there was no way to explain the current situation.

‘What a terrifying person. So that’s why the Corps Leader warned us so sternly!’

Cheon Eunryeong trembled.

“Heoh! You even know about the operation I ‘led’ in Xi’an?”

“Of course. No matter how much the Black Gold Sa Clan prides itself on their thunder arts, they can’t compare to your Great Thunderbolt Demonic Art.”

Even Cheon Eunryeong, the Vice Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Thunder Corps, didn’t know all the details of the elders’ pasts.

To learn those stories, one had to visit the Divine Demon Record Pavilion—where the Cult’s history was archived.

‘He didn’t just visit the Martial Repository, but even went to a mere archive to prepare?’

But that wasn’t all.

His tongue was unbelievably smooth, wrapping every word in elegant phrasing, skillfully playing to each elder’s preferences, drawing out their attention to the highest degree.

As a result—

“To think such a polite child came from the Jin Clan!”

“Indeed. Even setting the Jin Clan aside, it’s rare to see someone from the direct line of the Six Great Demonic Clans show this kind of humility.”

“No wonder he’s the one paired with the Young Cult Leader!”

“Here, here, take this. This is a medicinal pill called Gamma Pellet that I’ve treasured. It’s very beneficial for a man’s vitality.”

“Th-Thank you, Elder Goreuhyeolgung!”

…How long has it even been since they met him, and they’re already handing out gifts.

As the situation continued to escalate, Cheon Eunryeong felt a sense of crisis creeping in.

If she didn’t turn this atmosphere around, something irreversible might happen.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

“Elders! We haven’t even begun the questioning for Vice Pavillion Master Jin yet! Everyone, please remain calm!”

Just as Cheon Eunryeong banged the gavel in an attempt to rein in the situation—

Ssshh—

…Chill!

The room instantly fell silent as dozens of gazes zeroed in on her all at once.

“Hey.”

“Vice Pavilion Master… no, Eunryeong.”

“Can’t you see we’re in the middle of something?”

“……”

To her, who had not yet reached the Master Level, the combined pressure from all of them—no, even just one or two of them—was utterly overwhelming.

“Can’t you be a little quieter?”

“Yes.”

Cheon Eunryeong shrank back immediately.

The Heavenly Thunder Corps was, from the very beginning, a strange organization built around these elderly figures.

Since each of them wasn’t from another family but the main lineage of the Cheon Clan, no one other than the Cult Leader himself could truly control them.

Of course, under the shared cause of supporting the Young Cult Leader Cheon Yura, they would more or less follow orders—

But when unexpected variables like this occurred, all control flew out the window.

Cheon Eunryeong ground her teeth in frustration.

‘Damn it. I need to fill the Heavenly Thunder Corps with New Brains as soon as possible…’

New Brains.

Those prepared to take over the duties currently held by these old-timers the moment they step down.

Not these ancient relics, but the true next-generation members meant to form the first official Heavenly Thunder Corps—essentially puppets trained for this very purpose.

They were currently spread out among the Nine Demon Halls and the Seventeen Parties, lying in wait for their time.

‘One day, I will wipe out these geezers and create an era of my own!’

Cheon Eunryeong swallowed her anger and made a firm resolve.

“Hahaha! So, you’re planning to go to the House of Slaughter yourself to resolve this matter?”

“Yes, Elder.”

“If it’s the House of Slaughter, I know them well! Those assassins from the So Clan are surprisingly stiff and conservative. They probably haven’t changed much from what I remember.”

“……!”

My efforts to curry favor had paid off.

A piece of top-tier classified information had just spilled from one elder’s mouth.

I sharpened my focus and listened intently.

“Now that I think of it, there’s someone causing a stir within the House of Slaughter these days. Was it a guy or a girl?”

At those words, a bald elder who appeared to be an assassin himself nodded.

“Ah, that I know. It’s someone named Jeok Rua. She’s the current Lord of Slaughter.”

Lord of Slaughter—referring to the one who holds the top authority in the House of Slaughter.

But then—

“Ah, her!”

“That one!”

“……?”

A few elders suddenly let out exclamations, as if they had just remembered something important.

I was curious about what exactly that “her” referred to—

But the elders who had just casually revealed major details about the House of Slaughter’s structure now hesitated to speak further about Jeok Rua.

‘Must be quite a big secret. Would they even answer if I asked?’

Still, I had to ask, at least out of courtesy.

“She doesn’t have the So surname… who exactly is she?”

“She’s the second wife of the Murder Demon.”

I frowned at the unexpected information.

She was clearly someone of significance, and yet I had never heard of her—which meant that in my past life, she must’ve had no real presence.

‘Or perhaps she was quietly removed before I ever got involved…’

Just as my thoughts began to spiral—

“It’s been a long time, but the grudge must still be strong…”

“Thought she was living quietly, but maybe not?”

The mood among the elders suddenly turned heavy.

And at that moment, I was sure of it.

‘There’s something here. Something I never knew about from the past.’

“Hmm, Myeongah.”

“Yes, Elder?”

“You’d better be careful.”

“……!”

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