Chapter 171: Byeok Cheon-un (2)

“Hey, freeze.”

“…….”

At the sound of the woman’s voice from behind, So Soryu’s expression turned icy cold.

She closed the lid of the medicine vial in her hand and slowly rose to her feet.

When she turned around, her eyes were bloodshot with rage.

“How did a defector like you get in here?”

“Sorry to break it to you, but I’ve been pardoned, kiddo. I’m part of the Demonic Heaven’s Jin Clan now.”

“How dare trash like you interrupt my time with my brother?”

“Give me a break.”

Myeong-oh scoffed as she glanced around the room.

“If you wanted to have a good time with your dear senior brother, maybe set up a bed or something. What is this? Looks like an old torture chamber. What were you planning to do in this depressing dump?”

“…….”

So Soryu fell silent.

Myeong-oh’s remark had hit a fatal point.

In her urgency, she had neglected her brother’s preference for mood and setting.

Surely, her brother hadn’t wanted to make love in such haste like this!

“She’s off in her own delusional world again.”

Myeong-oh and So Soryu had known each other since their days in the cult.

Though their generation gap was significant, Byeok Cheon-un had practically raised So Soryu, so they had often crossed paths.

Even back then, Myeong-oh had thought So Soryu was born mad.

And So Soryu had the same view of Myeong-oh.

Then, something caught her eye.

“So Cheon?”

That familiar presence had been quietly hiding behind Myeong-oh.

“Ah, hello, sister. Lovely weather, isn’t it?”

Talking about the weather in an underground room was only going to make her angrier.

“……I warned you before.”

A strange light flared in So Soryu’s eyes.

“I told you, if you got in my way, I’d kill you.”

“Eek!”

Pah!

In an instant, So Soryu’s hands were wrapped in spider silk threads.

Heavenly Thunderclap Art

Poisonous Spider Web

In a confined space like this, the power of the Heavenly Thunder Spider Threads reached its peak.

So Cheon was helpless—caught like an insect in a web without even a chance to resist.

Myeong-oh looked at the ensnared So Cheon with a mix of pity and disgust.

“…Young Master So Cheon. You made such an impressive entrance before—what are you doing now?”

So Cheon shouted in protest, full of indignation.

“Y-you don’t get it! I almost died stopping that earlier! I only look fine on the outside—internally, I’m wrecked!”

Even for So Cheon, dispersing the shock of a clash between peak-level experts had nearly cost him his life.

Back then, he had played it cool for the entrance, but the price was having his internal organs nearly shattered.

“…Whatever, forget it. I didn’t expect much to begin with.”

Myeong-oh waved a hand lightly toward So Cheon.

Papapap!

Despite its reputation for slicing even sword qi, the Heavenly Thunder Spider Thread was effortlessly cut through like cheap string.

So Soryu’s eyes twitched.

“…You cut the Thunder Threads?”

“Hmph, without thunder qi, it’s just sharp string, nothing special.”

“No, that’s not the point.”

It had been brief, but So Soryu had seen it clearly.

“You cut it using your hand.”

“…….”

“There’s no way trash like you can use Hand Force. What did you do?”

“You’ve got sharp eyes for a brat.”

Myeong-oh raised her arm.

Chring!

Her forearm sprouted curved blades packed tightly together, like the teeth of a saw.

“The Lord said not to reveal this.”

But this wasn’t “outside”—this was a sealed underground room.

And on top of that…

“If there are no witnesses, who cares?”

“Y-you’re not thinking of killing me too, right?”

So Cheon’s meek protest was completely ignored.

“…So, you’ve got a trick or two up your sleeve, huh?”

So Soryu had been momentarily surprised when her threads were cut, but she quickly regained her composure.

She didn’t care what kind of gadget the opponent had in her body.

After all, if she just killed her, that would be the end of it!

“I never liked you. You act all normal in front of my brother while being just as crazy as I am.”

“Oh my, I feel the same way.”

Myeong-oh smiled with a sickly grin and gripped a dagger in her hand.

So Soryu likewise wrapped the remaining spider threads around herself and returned the smile.

“Whoever survives takes it all.”

“Sounds great.”

Watching them, So Cheon gulped hard.

The two women looked completely different in age and appearance, but the atmosphere they exuded made them seem like twisted sisters.

No, forget sisters—wasn’t there something Jin told them specifically before coming here?!

“Uh, Myeong-oh Sister? You did hear what Jin said before we came here, right?”

“Die.”

“You first.”

“…….”

Ka-ga-ga-gang!

So Cheon’s words were completely ignored as the two women clashed head-on with manic laughter.

“…I give up.”

So Cheon finally reached enlightenment.

* * *

After sending those two off to rescue Gu Chil,

I stood at the top of the lodging, overlooking the demon soldiers entering from deeper within.  

The estimated age range was roughly mid-teens.

They were all dressed in red martial robes, each holding something that appeared to be a mystical artifact.

‘As expected… it’s similar.’

Thanks to my past life experience, I immediately understood how they had been made.

‘Top-tier mind control, and physical modification tailored meticulously to handle those artifacts…’

During the apocalyptic era in my previous life, when humanity’s survival was threatened by the forces of the Mad God, they committed every kind of forbidden act to stay alive.

Naturally, in such circumstances, the concept of human rights had long since vanished.

The results of the human government back then and these current demonic soldiers were eerily similar.

“The end of the world, huh.”

Things that should only exist in a true apocalypse were already wandering the world.

‘No—maybe it only looks fine on the surface. Perhaps we’re already nearing the end.’

After the Heavenly Demon Cult was eventually destroyed in my past life…

The Central Plains, dominated by the Heaven-Defying Society, probably hadn’t ended up well.

“The only fortunate thing is that there’s still time to salvage this.”

According to Jeok Rua, the current number of demonic soldiers was around a hundred.

Surely, an immense amount of the Hidden Shadow So Clan’s resources had been poured into creating that hundred.

‘But it’s reversible.’

At least, with several years of almost complete seclusion and concentrated recovery efforts.

‘If this continues, the Hidden Shadow So Clan will lose its essence and collapse.’

They were able to remain one of the Six Great Demonic Clans precisely because they had preserved their identity as assassins to the end.

Even if being an assassin meant being a disposable tool, what they were doing now was throwing away even the future.

They were burning through all their resources, even those meant for raising the next generation!

‘They’re clearly single-use. One battle, and they’re done.’

With just one fight, they might be able to take down even a master-level expert.

But that would be it.

At this rate, the Hidden Shadow So Clan would be thoroughly used and then discarded.

I raised my voice while staring into a certain direction.

“Are you the ones who’ve rotted away the core of the clan?”

An empty space.

Surprisingly, a voice responded from that very void.

“Heh heh, how did you know?”

A shadow rose from the ground and tore through the veil, revealing a small girl.

“You must have a talent for sorcery. To detect my concealment, no less.”

“…….”

She looked genuinely surprised that her presence had been detected.

But putting that aside—

The moment I saw her, my expression twisted with recognition.

‘That woman… she was at the Exchange Ceremony.’

The one who had shown up at Cheon Yura’s Exchange Ceremony and left without a word.

At first, I thought she was just a junior sent randomly by the Illusion Clan, but apparently, that wasn’t the case.

“Now I remember clearly. Your name was Hwan Yul, wasn’t it?”

“That’s right, young one.”

Her tone was like that of a grandmother doting on her grandchild. Her concealment so perfect, even my senses couldn’t grasp her presence.

‘Is she an old monster out for some fun?’

Hwan Yul, known as the Great Grandmaster of Gyeongcheon Illusion Clan.

Her danger level would be close to when I faced the Sword Demon back in the Forbidden Demon Cave.

“This is fascinating.”

“What is?”

“That someone barely past twenty gives off the same scent as one of us.”

“One of you?”

“The scent of a savior.”

“…….”

I frowned deeply at her words.

To call herself a savior was ridiculous, but someone of her caliber wouldn’t say that without some basis.

Still, I knew all too well that the term “savior” could be conveniently twisted by anyone.

“A savior for what?”

“A savior for sorcerers who have lost their true potential in this corrupted world.”

A savior of sorcerers, huh.

“Are you one of the Ten Heavenly Lords?”

At my question, Hwan Yul shook her head.

“Sorry, but I’m not one of the chosen.”

“…Good.”

Truly a relief.

If Hwan Yul were one of the Ten Heavenly Lords, it would mean the entire Illusion Clan was already rotten from the inside.

“Of course, it’s not that I can’t become one. But the vacant position of the Spirit Turtle doesn’t suit me well. If I tried to accept it, I’d become a warped monster of the Netherworld.”

“……!”

She said it like a joke, but…

I immediately recognized the immense weight behind those words.

In the Heaven-Defying Society, there were ranks among the chosen—Pure-bloods and Half-bloods.

If what she said was true, then there was a way to inherit their power without being born of ancient bloodlines.

Just then, as if she had read my mind, Hwan Yul spoke softly.

“Still, I think you’d adapt quite well.”

“…What do you mean?”

“What do you think I mean? You possess qualities stronger than anyone I’ve seen.”

“Qualities?”

“The qualities to become one of the Ten Heavenly Lords.”

“……!”

Hwan Yul observed me curiously from head to toe.

“Truly intriguing. The Six Great Demonic Clans and their descendants were originally pure humans. Even when mixed with other blood, like the current Young Cult Leader, it should quickly be diluted…”

Diluted?

She said it casually, but for some reason, that word hinted at a major secret.

“For some reason, your qualities seem to rival that of the First Order.”

“What exactly are those qualities required to become a Ten Heavenly Lord?”

“Hehe, telling you that would spoil the fun.”

Suddenly, Hwan Yul extended her hand toward me.

“Wouldn’t you consider coming over to our side?”

“…What?”

“If you’re willing, I’d personally recommend you to the Grand Heavenly Lord. If you’re interested in martial arts, I could even introduce you to the Second Heavenly Lord.”

…My master?

“The Second Heavenly Lord secured the second-highest rank among the Ten with just a sword. If you were to learn from him, it would be of great help.”

“…….”

Wait—did my master not tell them he met me?

Hwan Yul spoke as if offering me a grand favor, but unfortunately, it wasn’t the least bit tempting to me.

“So you’re telling me to betray the Young Cult Leader?”

“That’s right.”

“You really think I’d accept that?”

After all the hell I went through to get here, you think I’d just throw it all away?

Are you insane?

“Tsk tsk tsk.”

Even though I hadn’t spoken it aloud, Hwan Yul noticed the scorn in my eyes and looked at me mockingly.

“Young one, do you truly believe the current situation favors you?”

“Hard to say. But I think I can buy some time.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about.”

Hwan Yul shook her head.

“The alliance of the Three Clans you formed—how long do you think it’ll last?”

“…?”

“I can guarantee—it won’t last more than ten years.”

Her voice was filled with absolute certainty.

Feeling the chill of unease, I asked,

“…Why?”

“The Three Clan Alliance may have been your success, but for it to continue, it requires the Young Cult Leader’s tacit approval and support.”

That much was obvious.

Even Cheon Jumyeong had pointed out that the alliance of the Six Clans was something the Cheon Clan would normally never allow.

“The Cult Leader—will pass away before ten years have passed.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep