Chapter 78: A Glimpse of the Myth (4)

A few hours ago.

“Congratulations, you’ve all crossed the wall admirably.”

Yoo So looked at the four exhausted men and women, a satisfied smile spreading across her face.

Her gaze then settled on Cheon Yura among them.

“Especially you. The Cheon Clan has raised a true monster this generation.”

Seeing Cheon Yura wrinkle her nose, drenched in sweat and filth, Yoo So chuckled and pointed to the side.

At her gesture, a chest that had been resting in the distance floated toward them and gently landed before us.

“It’s quite old since it’s been stored for hundreds of years, but I’m sure it’s better than what you’re wearing now.”

Inside the chest were white martial uniforms that looked very aged.

Cheon Yura clicked her tongue.

“They look like funeral robes. It gives me a bad feeling.”

“Still, it’s better than staying in those ragged clothes, don’t you think? Do you plan to keep looking like that in front of your man?”

“……”

At Yoo So’s teasing, Cheon Yura reluctantly began picking up a uniform.

She seemed to mutter something very faintly under her breath, but I couldn’t catch what she was saying.

“You’ve all accepted the arrangements prepared by the Cheon Clan and me. There are certainly experts in the world of Murim, but the power you’ve accepted is something different.”

Yoo So’s confidence was well placed. The power the four of them had received through the formation was indeed extraordinary.

The fact that they had broken through the wall in front of them alone made the treasure invaluable, but the higher they climbed, the more they’d come to realize its true worth.

Yoo So looked toward one of the four, who was sitting in a corner.

“So don’t complain.”

The girl with braided pigtails sobbed and buried her face between her knees.

“M-My internal energy… My internal energyyy…”

“……”

“……”

We all looked at Baek Sang-ah with indescribable expressions.

Cheon Yura, gathering her courage, offered some consolation.

“Congratulations on becoming a fine demonic cultivator.”

She was so serious that it didn’t sound like she was teasing at all.

Baek Sang-ah snapped and shouted.

“Are you mocking me right now?!”

“But thanks to that, didn’t you also break through the wall to the Peak Master Level?”

Her gaze was firm, as if saying, ‘You’ve reached a realm unimaginable at your age—you should be happy about it.’

“You mentioned the Six Dragons of the Orthodox Murim, right? Even if all of them attacked you now, they wouldn’t stand a chance against you.”

“Y-Youuu! Ughhh!”

Without realizing it, Baek Sang-ah swung her dual swords in an attempt to strike Cheon Yura.

But no matter how close she was to the Peak Master Level, she couldn’t yet cut Cheon Yura.

After all, Cheon Yura had used this opportunity to rise to an even greater realm.

After a while, Baek Sang-ah lowered her head in resignation.

“Who am I even mad at…? It’s all my fault anyway…”

In truth, Baek Sang-ah had the chance to back out before stepping onto the altar.

But driven by competitiveness, she had rejected that opportunity, and in the end, she had transformed into a magnificent demonic cultivator, just as they said.

“I… I’ve become someone who can’t go back anymore.”

She looked up at me with a pitiful expression.

“Will you… take responsibility?”

“A-Ah, no.”

It was like a puppy that had lost its home, begging to be let inside. It felt like I’d be killed if I didn’t refuse her now!

Just imagining what kind of chaos would ensue if I brought the granddaughter of the Lord of the Orthodox Alliance into the Demonic Heaven’s Jin Clan made my head hurt.

But I also couldn’t coldly turn her away.

“In the Black Gold Sa Clan, we’ll arrange a place for the lady as a top-class guest.”

“Biyeon?”

“Lady Sa?!”

The unexpected savior was none other than Sa Biyeon.

Baek Sang-ah glared at her.

“I was speaking to Young Master Jin, though?”

“Wouldn’t it be more comfortable to stay with the Black Gold Sa Clan than go to the Jin Clan? Is there any particular reason it has to be the Jin Clan?”

Though Sa Biyeon harbored ambition, she hadn’t yet revealed it openly.

Among the Six Great Demonic Clans, the safest and least politically dangerous place was undeniably the Black Gold Sa Clan.

“Our clan handles the finances of the Cult, and we are strictly forbidden from interfering in internal cult affairs. Of course, if you want to be used politically within the cult, I won’t stop you.”

“Ughhh!”

No matter where she went, Baek Sang-ah would receive special treatment due to her identity and circumstances.

But in doing so, she would also be swept up in political strife and mentally torn apart.

Even Baek Sang-ah wasn’t foolish enough to be unaware of that.

“Th-Thank you for your kindness, Lady.”

“It’s nothing, really.”

Thus, the ‘battle’ between the two women ended in Sa Biyeon’s victory.

‘In any case, this part needs to be handled carefully.’

The fact that the granddaughter of the Orthodox Alliance’s leader had become a demonic cultivator was a shocking incident without precedent.

This alone could very well trigger an Orthodox-Demonic War.

‘We’ll need to either purify her internal energy, negotiate with the Orthodox Alliance… or, in the worst case, consider sealing off her internal energy entirely.’

None of those options were easily resolved.

Thankfully, it wasn’t an immediate issue we had to solve right now.

“Lady Baek, let’s think about that after we get through this current crisis. We still have enemies in front of us.”

“…Yes. I am, after all, the root of this incident.”

Though things had veered toward matters involving the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden, the original objective of the enemy had been to assassinate Baek Sang-ah and retrieve the Jade Green Heavenly Net Divine Sword.

“Since we don’t know how the situation is unfolding, we should proceed cautiously.”

This altar was designed to perfectly isolate intruders; one could leave, but not return.

To re-enter this place, they would have to leave entirely and come back in through the main entrance.

“Oh, that won’t be an issue.”

At that moment, the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden lightly waved her hand.

A massive map, created as an illusion, appeared before our eyes.

“This is?”

“My authority as the administrator of this ruin.”

The map showed the full layout of the ruin and the number of intruders marked as dots.

“Your subordinates who left this place are still safe. It seems they’re carrying out their orders properly.”

The dots clustered throughout the area in groups of dozens were likely the warriors of the Evil Overlords of Heaven.

Cheon Yura examined the map and spoke.

“Looks like Wang Cheongeol is holding down that Elder quite well. In that case, we can take care of the rest of the Evil Overlords who are stuck here.”

“Yes, that sounds like the best plan.”

“Wait a moment, Jumyeong—”

Just as it felt like our next task was set, Yoo So called out to me.

“Is something the matter?”

“I need a little more of your time. There’s still something I must pass on to you.”

“…?”

“It won’t take long. About a quarter of an hour should do.”

Cheon Yura, understanding what Yoo So’s gaze implied, turned and walked away.

“I’ll go on ahead. Come find me once you’re done.”

“…Understood.”

For some reason, Yoo So wanted to speak with me alone.

Once the three others disappeared—

“Jumyeong, can you feel that your internal energy now contains a force different from the others’?”

“Uh… I can sense it faintly, yes.”

If a foreign Qi invaded your built-up internal energy, there was no way you wouldn’t notice.

“A small trace of heterogeneous true energy… It didn’t seem harmful, so I’ve left it alone.”

Still, it felt like I had some kind of foreign substance in my gut—it wasn’t exactly pleasant.

“You’ll get used to that initial discomfort over time, so don’t worry. But the reason I wanted to speak with you privately is because I’d prefer your lover didn’t know about that power, if possible.”

“…”

Leaving aside the fact that she assumed Cheon Yura and I were lovers—

Even if we were, the implication that it was best even lovers didn’t know this couldn’t be taken lightly.

“Is there something wrong?”

“At your current level, if this secret were to leak out, it could cause great trouble.”

“…?”

“The energy you’re feeling now is the condensed and refined essence of the Heavenly Demonic Divine Art of the ‘Second Heavenly Demon’ (Cheon Clan).”

“Gasp!”

Wait, you’re telling me the power of the Second Heavenly Demon is inside my body right now?!

“More precisely, it’s the unique authority of the Heavenly Demonic Divine Art—power to suppress beings beyond humanity—that has been implanted within you.”

There’s a phrase always associated with the Heavenly Demon, the god of demonic martial arts:

Ten Thousand Demons Bow in Reverence.

Commonly, the “demons” in this phrase are taken to mean demonic cultivators or members of the Heavenly Demon Cult, but historically, it had an entirely different implication.

“The Heavenly Demonic Divine Art inherently possesses a powerful anti-evil authority. But more importantly, for those who’ve inherited the power of the mythic era, it acts as a ‘Mystic Nullification Force’—an ultimate counter to the mysterious.”

“A-Amazing…”

There was no doubt that this power was incredibly useful—but if word of this ever reached the Cheon Clan?

Just imagining it made me shiver.

“The power you’re sensing is only a tiny fraction of the whole. As your achievements grow, that power will awaken more and more, and eventually, should you reach the realm of Transcending Demon…”

Gulp!

“It might even become possible for two Heavenly Demons to exist in one era.”

“Ah…”

“When that time comes, not even the Cheon Clan will be able to control you.”

That was certainly true.

If someone transcended even the peak of demonic cultivation, not even the Heavenly Demon Cult could stop them—its very foundation would be shaken.

“Wasn’t your lover’s father the Third Heavenly Demon? At least until he dies, or until Heavenly Evil awakens, the Heaven-Defying Society won’t make any major moves.”

In other words, I needed to build my strength before Heavenly Demon Cheon Taejong died.

“You called it the Heaven-Flying Boundless Divine Art. I’m not sure why my Heavenly Mystery Divine Art ended up being passed down under such a name, but if what you say is true, then it’s likely that descendants of my clan are still among the Heaven-Defying Society.”

Hmm.

It wasn’t unreasonable.

In fact, I should assume it’s true and prepare for it just in case.

“There must be another safeguard left behind in the Heavenly Demon Cult by the ‘Second Heavenly Demon’.”

“When you say safeguard… what exactly do you mean?”

“I don’t know what form it takes either. But since fate has connected you and me, that safeguard will likely reveal itself to you one day.”

As I was contemplating the idea of a hidden safeguard—

Crack!

“…Huh?”

Suddenly, Yoo So’s body crumbled away like scattered fur.

Not a drop of blood, not even a trace—nothing flowed from the disintegrating body.

She hadn’t possessed a physical body to begin with.

“The power of the Demonic Spirit Formation has run its course. The time has come for even I, who was bound by its law, to return to the beyond.”

“Lady Yoo So…”

“I thought I’d be trapped in this place for all eternity… but an end still came.”

Even as her body crumbled, Yoo So smiled gently.

That smile radiated relief and release all at once.

“Now, you are my only successor.”

I respectfully knelt on one knee.

Though our time was short, I had received so much from her.

“I humbly accept the legacy of the predecessor.”

“Go to Lin’an. There, during my time in active duty, I gathered several things. Though much time has passed, they may still prove useful on your path.”

Lin’an—nowadays known as Hangzhou.

“And perhaps… my family, the Yoo Clan, may still exist as a force. If they’ve yet to come to their senses and are still aligned with those people—”

“As the descendant of the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden and rightful heir of the Six Great Demonic Clans, I will judge them accordingly.”

“Good.”

Yoo So smiled with satisfaction and closed her eyes.

The former Second Heavenly Demon once said—

That a descendant would come to this place to carry on the unfinished work.

Even though not even a Heavenly Demon could see the future, and it had seemed unlikely at the time, Yoo So had taken those words to heart.

“Father… now, I too, shall go where you are…”

She was once called the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden, Yoo So.

A woman who dyed the Murim world in blood four hundred years ago and earned the title of a public enemy of Murim.

But in truth, she had defended the world alongside her beloved against the Heaven-Defying Society.

This was her final moment.

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