Chapter 270: Awaiting You (2)

Despite the Cult Leader’s provocation, the Grand Heavenly Lord’s expression did not change much.

Before I knew it, he had regained his composure and spoke to the Cult Leader.

“…I won’t deny it.”

His goal had always been one.

He had come to observe the movements of the enemy he must watch out for the most, in preparation for taking more aggressive actions from now on.

“However, this was not a wasted trip. Judging by your condition, I doubt you’ll last more than a year.”

“…….”

“If you leave Ten Thousand Mountain and start using your strength, that grace period will become even shorter.”

“That’s true.”

The Cult Leader calmly acknowledged the Grand Heavenly Lord’s point.

“If I wished to live as miserably as you, I could drag my life out as much as I wanted….”

The Grand Heavenly Lord’s face twitched slightly.

“But I won’t do that. Once I hand over my final will to him, I will cleanly sever all lingering attachments to this world.”

“Is that so?”

The Cult Leader laughed.

The Grand Heavenly Lord laughed as well.

They exchanged smiles with each other.

“Very well, watch carefully from the heavens above. Watch how your precious will gets utterly destroyed.”

“I wish you good luck.”

With those words, the Grand Heavenly Lord turned around.

It seemed the conversation between the two had come to an end, but….

“Ah, wait.”

Step. Step.

The Cult Leader slowly approached the Grand Heavenly Lord and placed a hand on his shoulder.

“I’ve long known that you’re plotting something through Yura.”

“…….”

“Of course. You recruited the Heavenly Researcher and even brainwashed my wife. How could I not know?”

The Grand Heavenly Lord’s involvement was significantly high in the creation of the current Cheon Yura and Cheon Yujeong.

Above all, if he hadn’t provided the true relic of the Heavenly Demon to the previous Cult Leader, Cheon Yura would never have been born with the Demonic Divine Physique.

“So, what do you want me to do about it?”

“Leaving Yura’s matter to that little brother is fine….”

Squeeze!

“Since we’ve met like this, wouldn’t it be fair to let me vent my anger for Moon Plum Blossom?”

Jeok Hawol, the Priestess of the Blood Cult.

And the only woman Cheon Taejong had ever loved.

The Grand Heavenly Lord slightly furrowed his brows.

“How pathetic. How long are you going to be bound by such trivial emotions?”

“I know that you’ve severed all feelings of love. Well, of course, since your predecessor died like that.”

“…….”

“I pity you for not knowing the beauty of love.”

“You’re a fool who ruined your grand plan because you couldn’t control your own feelings.”

The Cult Leader acknowledged that point as well.

“I admit that to some extent. No one expected your predecessor to truly fall in love with the disciple of the Ancestor.”

As a result, the relationship between the Ancestor and the disciple ended in ruin.

The disciple’s descendants still serve as collaborators in the council.

“Fine, since you’re offering to shorten the time yourself. I’ll entertain that venting of yours.”

“Good decision. It will hurt a little, but bear with it.”

Flash!

A sacred, pure white energy erupted from the Grand Heavenly Lord’s entire body.

At the same time, a dark crimson energy formed in the Cult Leader’s hand and shot toward the Grand Heavenly Lord.

Not long after.

With a loud explosion, a corner of the Heavenly Demon Pavilion was blown away.

***

Seventh Heavenly Lord, Lady of Splendid Hope, Baek Ryeo.

No, Ju Baekryeo.

Though the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult did have people with the surname Ju, those who used the character “朱” meaning “red” were special in the Central Plains.

Because that was none other than the surname of the current imperial family.

‘Something feels off….’

If Seventh Heavenly Lord truly had the Ju surname, it meant the Heaven-Defying Society’s influence extended all the way to the imperial family.

But if that were truly the case, their activities would have taken a completely different form by now.

If they had already taken control of the imperial family, it wouldn’t be strange for them to be much more blatant in extending their influence over Murim.

‘It’s also strange that a royal is leading a merchant guild….’

Given the strict propriety and dignity demanded by the imperial family, that was something unthinkable.

‘No, don’t get distracted. Right now, my priority is to return to the Cult with Cheon Yujeong.’

Since I had already found Cheon Yujeong, there was no longer any need to search the entirety of Guangdong Province.

Simply taking her back to the Cult would be enough to ruin their plans for the ritual of Fengshan.

At that moment.

“The restriction has disappeared.”

Cheon Yujeong said that to me.

“Not just for me, but for them as well.”

Just as she said, the trouble in Hainan Province, the Heavenly Demon Manifestation Cult, had been resolved in a single day.

Whether it was because Six Heavenly Lord had completely lifted the Soul-Confusion Technique, the frenzied cultists had instantly reverted back to being innocent commoners.

“Is there anything else unusual?”

After a moment of thought, Cheon Yujeong clapped her hands.

“Ah, those guys are gone too.”

“Those guys?”

“The ones who used to bring large amounts of supplies here. There were always several of them stationed here, but it seems they all ran away?”

They were essentially Six Heavenly Lord’s subordinates who had been sustaining the Heavenly Demon Manifestation Cult.

If even they had disappeared, the collapse of this cult was only a matter of time.

“That’s good. Now, if we coordinate with the Hainan Sect and adjust the schedule, we should be able to cross over to the mainland.”

I could roughly guess why Six Heavenly Lord had released everything like this.

However, unexpectedly, Cheon Yujeong showed a reluctant reaction.

“…Is that so?”

“Is there something bothering you?”

With a somewhat hesitant expression, she replied.

“Not really, it’s just… I was wondering if it would be alright to stay here a little longer.”

“……?”

I carefully observed her expression, wondering what she was up to.

But surprisingly, it seemed more like a personal whim rather than some kind of scheme.

“That won’t do.”

“…I suppose so. I was just saying.”

Cheon Yujeong nodded, looking more sullen than the proud demeanor she had shown until now.

“Is there a reason?”

She shook her head.

“Not really. It’s just… once I leave this place, I have to go back to being ‘Cheon Yujeong’ again.”

I couldn’t fully understand what she meant by that.

But it probably had something to do with the way her speech had changed.

I spoke without realizing it.

“Were your previous arrogant tone and behavior… something you were copying from Yura?”

I expected her to vehemently deny it.

But surprisingly, the answer that came from Cheon Yujeong was completely unexpected.

“That’s right.”

“…!”

“Well, if I may grumble for a bit….”

She looked out at the distant sea with a face full of regret.

“In the past, I was someone who was rejected even within the Cheon Clan. Honestly, it’s understandable. No one knew who my parents were, yet I carried the Cheon surname among them.”

Come to think of it, her life had been quite miserable too.

If not for the talent she was born with, she would have been eliminated long ago.

How much hell must she have gone through to climb back up after being defeated by Cheon Yura?

“I had to thoroughly crush and subdue my opponents. If I didn’t go that far, I would have been the one to suffer.”

Regardless of our positions, I couldn’t help but feel a bit of sympathy.

She pressed her lips together for a moment, then spoke seriously, as if confessing a great truth.

“Did you know? Cheon Yura is my real younger sister. Not just a cousin.”

“I know.”

Cheon Yujeong looked startled.

“Oh, you knew?”

“I found out in the Martial Arts Repository in Iron Steed Prison Cave. It’s not really surprising at this point….”

The record of the Demonic Divine Physique that detailed the entire process still rested in my possession.

Though she seemed a bit surprised, she quickly regained her composure and continued.

“…Right. I had forgotten for a moment, but you did enter Iron Steed Prison Cave back then. Knowing the truth will make this conversation easier.”

She let out a deep breath through her nose and spoke.

“I’m a failure who couldn’t become the Demonic Divine Physique.”

“……”

“That’s why I wasn’t chosen by Father.”

Cheon Yujeong longed to surpass her sister, Cheon Yura.

While her jealousy of Yura was obvious, her desire to be acknowledged by her father, the Cult Leader, was just as overwhelming.

“Since I lacked talent compared to her, I did everything I could.”

She had betrayed others without hesitation to survive, sold her soul to demons for personal gain, and didn’t hesitate to humiliate her enemies to break them.

“And I’ll continue to do so.”

I quietly observed her regretful expression.

I had no idea what she was thinking right now.

Frankly, I didn’t even want to understand.

However.

Seeing her relentlessly chase her goal, even with the towering mountain that was Cheon Yura blocking her path,

For some reason, it reminded me of my past self, desperately reaching for the light in the depths of endless despair.

I closed my eyes and spoke, almost involuntarily.

“It would be best to stop.”

“……”

“Sometimes, letting go of everything and turning your back to run away can also be a way to live.”

“……”

“It’s best not to do something you’re certain you’ll regret from the start.”

When she declared that she would surpass Cheon Yura,

I had sensed that she was secretly plotting something.

The weak expression she showed now was surely her way of preparing her heart before stepping into that plan.

A choice where either victory or ruin awaited.

She looked at me with eyes filled with expectation.

“If you’d come with me, running away might not be so bad.”

“…You know that’s impossible, don’t you?”

At my reply, she sighed.

“I know, I know… but I had to ask out of courtesy.”

“……”

“……”

A moment of silence passed.

Even though we were in the middle of the mountains, the salty sea breeze oddly stung my skin.

Perhaps because of the salt in the air, she rubbed her eyes for a while before suddenly changing her tone.

“Lead the way. It seems it’s time to say goodbye to Hainan.”

“…Understood.”

She put her mask back on.

Returning from her brief moment of escape, she once again became the iron-blooded woman, Cheon Yujeong.

I couldn’t help but wonder.

Would there ever be a day when that mask would fall off again?

‘For some reason… I feel like I’ll see it again.’

And I had a hunch that day wouldn’t be too far off.

***

Thus, the matter with the Heavenly Demon Manifestation Cult came to an end.

Now that most of the cultists had regained their senses and Six Heavenly Lord had withdrawn, there was no longer any risk of them becoming Hainan’s troublemakers again.

As time passed, the people who had regained their sanity began to scatter and return to their daily lives.

After successfully negotiating with the Hainan Sect, we waited for a ship to take us across to Guangdong Province.

However.

I couldn’t hide my shock as I saw the ships densely packed along the coastline.

‘That’s… the Baekga Trading Company?’

The Lord of Hainan had come out to the dock with hundreds of soldiers and officials.

They were clearly performing formalities to welcome someone.

Soon, under the escort of dozens of masters, a woman dressed in a pure white palace robe disembarked from a ship.

“Ah, welcome, Lord Baek Cheong.”

“Welcome to Hainan Province, Lord.”

Not only the Lord of Hainan but also the Head of the Hainan Sect, the Blue Wave Sword Lord, respectfully bowed their heads.

‘Lord Baek Cheong?’

Even I didn’t know every branch of the imperial lineage.

But if someone held the title of “Lord” and even the provincial lord greeted them so humbly, their authority must be significant.

I carefully examined the woman called Lord Baek Cheong.

Her outward appearance suggested she was in her mid to late twenties.

If she had trained in martial arts, she might actually be older than she looked.

‘Things just got complicated. If that woman really is Seventh Heavenly Lord, she must have come here with a purpose….’

That was when it happened.

-Greetings, Young Master Jin.

“…?”

I heard a polite voice whispering in my ear.

-It was truly unfortunate that we met under such unfavorable circumstances before.

I quickly identified the source of the whisper, unable to hide my astonishment.

It came from none other than Lord Baek Cheong, who I suspected to be Seventh Heavenly Lord.

-Could you spare me a moment? There is something urgent I wish to discuss… ah, but I won’t force you.

At some point, she was sending a whisper directly at me, looking precisely at the spot where my group was hiding.

How she had pinpointed my location was one thing.

But what was with that overly friendly tone?

And then, she made an offer that was hard to refuse.

-Even the Yoo Family is looking forward to meeting you. What do you say?

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