Chapter 438: A Dagger Hidden Behind Sweet Words (2)

Heavenly Demon Divine Sword.

A sacred artifact representing the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult and a symbol of the Cult Leader, this sword had been gifted by Cheon Taejong, who had discarded the constraints of weaponry, to Cheon Yura during her time as the Young Cult Leader.

It was certainly presumed to possess the performance befitting a divine artifact, but strangely, its true nature had never been officially revealed.

Still, the fact that such an item had been so casually handed over was beyond Cheon Jumyeong’s expectations.

The Grand Heavenly Lord formed a faint smile with narrowed eyes.

“Why so hesitant? Are they too heavy a burden for you to bear?”

“…How could that be? I am always grateful for the Grand Heavenly Lord’s grace.”

Cheon Jumyeong knelt on one knee and respectfully received the Heavenly Demon’s Seal and the Heavenly Demon Divine Sword.

Just as Cheon Jumyeong was about to rise, the Grand Heavenly Lord asked,

“Aren’t you curious about the whereabouts of the former Cult Leader?”

“I am curious.”

Cheon Jumyeong answered immediately.

“Her life or death hasn’t been revealed. Still, I do not think it is my place to ask.”

“If she is dead, what would you do?”

Even with the continued sensitive questions, Cheon Jumyeong showed no sign of wavering.

“If that’s the case, then one of the obstacles blocking my path would have been removed. Though, I do feel a bit of regret.”

“That’s quite a cold response for someone who harbored feelings for the daughter of an unrequited love.”

“……!”

Had he not been bowing his head, the emotions he harbored might have been exposed.

Cheon Jumyeong, who had almost failed to control his emotions for a moment, slowly raised his head and smiled.

“That’s why I can hate her all the more.”

“Hooh…”

“Half of her blood comes from someone I could never surpass in my lifetime.”

Was that statement sincere?

With that thought, the Grand Heavenly Lord stared at Cheon Jumyeong as if piercing through him.

But even with eyes capable of reading all things, the Grand Heavenly Lord could not clearly grasp the tightly sealed truth of his heart.

“Very well. Then, what did you mean by feeling regret?”

A twisted smile crept onto Cheon Jumyeong’s lips.

“To turn that child into a puppet, I spent a lifetime scheming through the Heavenly Thunder Corps. It’s rather regrettable that she died before the results could come to fruition.”

“Even if the Cult Leader’s position has now fallen to you?”

“If my plan had gone as intended, I would’ve obtained power surpassing the Cult Leader anyway. More importantly…”

“More importantly?”

“Letting her live and suffer until the end… might’ve been a more perfect revenge than an easy death.”

“…….”

The Grand Heavenly Lord rested her chin and stared intently at Cheon Jumyeong for a while.

Then she withdrew her gaze and waved her hand.

“…You may go now. I’ll see you at the enthronement ceremony.”

Cheon Jumyeong bowed once again.

“Having the Grand Heavenly Lord grace the ceremony would be the greatest honor of all.”

With that, Cheon Jumyeong left with the Heavenly Demon Divine Sword and the Heavenly Demon’s Seal.

“Master, that one cannot be trusted. May I ask why you handed over a sacred artifact of the Demonic Cult?”

“Are you saying I made a rash decision?”

“N-no, not at all! It’s just… to my foolish mind, it seemed like too generous a reward… and perhaps…”

“You’re worried that those sacred artifacts might fall into the hands of Jin Yeomyung?”

“…Yes.”

The Grand Heavenly Lord chuckled at the Sixth Heavenly Lord’s concern.

“Of course, I didn’t hand them over without any safeguards.”

“Ah! As expected…!”

“Still, I’m curious to see what choice he’ll make in the end.”

The unexpected remark made the Sixth Heavenly Lord’s expression harden.

“What do you mean?”

“The Heavenly Demon Divine Sword and the Heavenly Demon’s Seal… they’re indeed dangerous if they fall into his hands. The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult might end up entirely in Jin Yeomyung’s hands.”

“T-then why!”

“Still, in the current state of affairs, those sacred artifacts alone won’t shift the tide.”

The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult was bound to disappear from history before long anyway.

If so, it was better to make useful use of it.

“I didn’t detect any lies in his tone. If he really is the ambitious man that Cheon Juchun described, his reaction was exactly what one would expect.”

“And yet?”

“It’s that he responded too well…”

Cheon Jumyeong’s response was neither excessive nor lacking—it was perfectly measured.

That very fact only fueled the Grand Heavenly Lord’s suspicion.

“In any case, I’ve tossed enough bait that he’s bound to show some sort of reaction.”

“In that case, wouldn’t it be better to just eliminate him…?”

“That’s also not an option. What better reason is there to gather all the offerings in one place than his enthronement?”

“Ah!”

Indeed, Cheon Jumyeong’s enthronement would draw countless individuals scattered across the Ten Thousand Great Mountain.

Whether ally or enemy.

“Either way, I’m looking forward to it. I wonder how that one will move.”

At that moment, the Grand Heavenly Lord suddenly turned her gaze somewhere.

“Don’t you agree, Eighth Heavenly Lord?”

“…….”

The figure referred to as the Eighth Heavenly Lord did not answer and silently held his place.

“I still suspect you just as much as I do Cheon Jumyeong, you know.”

“…….”

“Are you going to remain silent to the end? I don’t really mind. Just know that being a bystander in this situation only deepens my suspicions.”

“…….”

“The reason you were allowed to join us… is similar to that of Cheon Jumyeong just now.”

The Eighth Heavenly Lord still did not respond.

“Unlike Cheon Jumyeong, you must remember—you can be eliminated at any time if things go awry…”

Swish!

The Grand Heavenly Lord, who had been constantly mocking the Eighth Heavenly Lord, suddenly changed expression and turned her gaze.

“…Master?”

After staring intently toward the south for a while, the Grand Heavenly Lord spoke with a vicious expression, grinding out the words.

“Do-ol is dead.”

***

Heavenly Demon Divine Sword and Heavenly Demon’s Seal.

Having acquired two of the sacred artifacts of the Cult Leader, Cheon Jumyeong silently gazed at them for some time in his office atop the Heavenly Thunder Corps.

“Lord.”

Cheon Eunryeong, who had been watching Cheon Jumyeong quietly, could no longer hold back and spoke.

“Shall I… deliver those items to him?”

“Who knows…”

Cheon Jumyeong drew half the blade of the Heavenly Demon Divine Sword.

A dark wave of Demonic Qi and ghostly energy, seemingly able to captivate anyone, flowed along the blade.

“Lo-Lord!”

“Don’t worry. It just hasn’t recognized me as its master yet.”

Clack.

The Heavenly Demon Divine Sword slid back into its scabbard.

“There doesn’t seem to be anything unusual.”

“……?”

“That means… it’s fine for her to throw these at me now, doesn’t it? Perhaps she’s even trying to fabricate justification. To fully bring down Our Cult…”

Cheon Jumyeong, clearly reading the Grand Heavenly Lord’s intent, formed a chilling smile.

“How amusing. I’ll gladly walk right into the lion’s mouth.”

“…….”

For some reason, Cheon Eunryeong could not read any emotion from Cheon Jumyeong’s smile.

That very fact terrified her.

There was something unmistakable emanating from him—a particular aura belonging only to those who had made an irreversible resolution.

“Ryeong-ah.”

“…Yes, Orabeoni.”

For some reason, the warm tone made her reflexively respond with her old way of address.

“Give this to him.”

The Heavenly Demon’s Seal was placed in her hands.

“Eh? B-but…”

“If I slip away with the Heavenly Demon Divine Sword too, he’ll definitely notice. And… the current him doesn’t need the Heavenly Demon Divine Sword.”

The previous Cult Leader, Cheon Taejong, had bestowed the sword upon Cheon Yura after reaching a certain realm and no longer using it himself.

Which meant, the usefulness of the Heavenly Demon Divine Sword applied only before reaching that realm.

‘If he subdued the Supreme Demon Palace without harm… then it’s quite possible he’s stepped into a realm close to the former Cult Leader’s.’

To have surpassed the Transcendent Demon Realm and reached the Supreme Demon Realm in his twenties?

Under normal circumstances, it would have been dismissed as nonsense.

But Cheon Jumyeong was a living witness—he had observed for decades just how transcendently monsters beyond genius could grow.

Though he did not believe that two such exceptions would appear in a single era…

‘In an abnormal era, abnormal individuals may appear.’

If this major premise did not hold, then all resistance would amount to nothing.

Regardless.

‘The Grand Heavenly Lord didn’t place much weight on the Supreme Demon Palace as a group.’

More precisely, he didn’t deeply analyze the fact that they had turned to Jin Yeomyung.

She’ll realize it soon enough. But…’

That brief gap would be the decisive difference in the strategic battle between the Grand Heavenly Lord and Cheon Jumyeong.

“Once you leave this place, follow Jin Yeomyung’s orders instead of mine.”

Cheon Eunryeong’s complexion turned pale.

“You’ve suffered much until now.”

“Orabeoni!!”

Even as her cry bordered on a scream, Cheon Jumyeong calmly met her gaze.

The will Cheon Eunryeong saw in his eyes was resolute.

She had come to a painful realization, having watched Cheon Jumyeong over the years—there was no way he would ever withdraw from this choice.

After a long silence, she finally spoke in a trembling voice.

“You truly are… such a cruel man.”

“…….”

“Even though you know… just how deeply I love you… yet still, to the end…”

How could he not know?

She was from a powerful lineage within the Cheon Clan, someone with nothing to regret or want for.

Yet she had abandoned everything, left the Cheon Clan, and entered the Demonic Pavilion where Cheon Jumyeong resided.

Considering that the Demonic Pavilion was considered one of the most idle positions even within the Nine Demon Halls, it meant she had lowered her status by several levels just for one man.

And yet.

“I’m sorry.”

Cheon Jumyeong slowly bowed his head toward her.

“If there is a next life, I promise to look at you instead of her.”

“…….”

She had believed that time would heal and bring things back.

Because the woman he loved had already become someone else’s.

She thought, eventually, he would overcome the heartbreak and return to her.

But the man she loved was an utterly foolish, stubbornly burning flame.

And what could she do?

Even if she was disappointed, she had already come too far.

“Jumyeong…”

Drip.

Something trickled down from her eyes.

A faint cracking sound came from Cheon Jumyeong’s jawline, but she didn’t notice.

Holding the Heavenly Demon’s Seal in her hands, Cheon Eunryeong gave a clasped hands salute to Cheon Jumyeong and left.

And so, in the now quiet office,

Cheon Jumyeong spoke toward one side.

“Sorry, but you all must now share this fate with me.”

A voice answered from the shadows.

“Of course, Lord.”

“From the beginning, we entered the Heavenly Thunder Corps for Our Cult.”

They were the true confidants who had endured for decades in foreign lands alongside Cheon Eunryeong.

Cheon Jumyeong gave each of them an order.

“Go to the So Clan and tell them to prepare to lift the seal.”

“Yes.”

“Inform the King of Asura as well. He is to join with Jin Yeomyung and come to the enthronement.”

“Understood.”

“Also convey my word to Pa Seolyeong of the Pa Clan and to the Sword Demon of the Ma Clan. Tell them to time it well.”

“Eh? But the Sword Demon is still…”

Cheon Jumyeong immediately dismissed the subordinate’s doubt.

“He regained consciousness while the Young Master of the So Clan was out in the Central Plains. Since then, his recovery has been kept a strict secret. You’ll see when you go.”

“Y-yes, understood.”

“Notify the Cheon Clan as well. All the Seven Elders and the other elders. But do not be too direct—deliver the message as if leaking bits of information.”

The subordinates, understanding the implication, bowed their heads.

And so, even the subordinates dispersed.

Looking up at the blood-red moon, Cheon Jumyeong let out a faint sneer.

“Now, is everything left up to heaven’s will?”

He briefly asked himself aloud, then shook his head.

“No… I need no such thing as heaven’s will. With my own hands, I’ll plunge the dagger into his foot.”

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