Chapter 10: The Sure Fire Plan (1)
Dozens of candles burned, illuminating the surroundings.
Despite the space being quite expansive, the stands on both sides were crammed to a suffocating degree with countless luxury items.
Scrolls bearing the poetry and paintings of renowned calligraphers who once made waves across the Central Plains.
Celadon and porcelain imported from the Eastern countries.
Even treasures adorned with gold and jewels.
All of these were decorations inside the study of Jin Gun-ak, the head of the Demonic Heaven’s Jin Clan.
“Yes, you pulled off something rather amusing.”
Inwardly, he had beaten up Jin Yeowoon, who was practically confirmed to be the next Young Clan Head.
When I returned to the main house, Jin Gun-ak’s expression of dumbfounded disbelief had been quite the rare sight.
And yet, rather than getting angry, Jin Gun-ak was surprisingly pleased with me.
He hadn’t asked what martial arts I had learned or how I had trained.
To him, the only thing that mattered was the result.
“The Cult Leader couldn’t stop praising you.”
“Those words are far more than I deserve.”
“And me, as well.”
Hmm?
Jin Gun-ak had been praised by the Heavenly Demon?
Though he had already drunk quite a bit outside, Jin Gun-ak didn’t put down his cup even at home.
“He was impressed by the boldness of a man like me, offering someone like you for his daughter.”
Was that sarcasm or praise?
“Heh heh heh, how should I take that?”
With a subtly complex expression, Jin Gun-ak took another drink.
But the emotion I could clearly sense behind that look was none other than greed.
“My son.”
“Yes, Father.”
“Do you want to become the Young Clan Head?”
I didn’t answer that question immediately.
If I nodded right here and said I wanted to be the Young Clan Head, then I could probably be appointed as early as tomorrow.
But that wasn’t the answer Jin Gun-ak truly desired deep down.
“Please give the position of Young Clan Head to Yeowoon.”
“Oh?”
“Unlike me, who has been wandering outside, Yeowoon has consistently proven his worth within the main household.”
With a solemn expression, I bowed my head.
“I will do my utmost to stay close to the Young Cult Leader and contribute to enhancing the prestige of our clan.”
“……”
Jin Gun-ak didn’t respond to my words and simply sipped his drink in silence.
But I could tell.
My answer must have filled him with considerable satisfaction.
“You truly have no interest in the position of Young Clan Head?”
“It’s more efficient for the clan’s development this way.”
This recent event may have led to a reevaluation of my martial prowess and potential, but that didn’t mean the main house’s warriors would immediately rally behind me.
To truly make it work, consistent socializing and political maneuvering would be essential.
‘But honestly, all that sounds like a pain and a huge waste of time.’
To take control of the Jin Clan in the future, all I needed was to keep Jin Yeowoon under my thumb.
After a while, Jin Gun-ak finally spoke.
“I never imagined you would think so deeply about the clan’s prestige.”
“Our Jin Clan cannot continue being seen as second to the Ma Clan or the Pa Clan, can we?”
That remark immediately drew a displeased look on Jin Gun-ak’s face.
“We are the strongest. There’s no clan above us, except for the Cheon Clan.”
“That may be true in reality, but aren’t the ignorant outsiders’ evaluations different?”
That was Jin Gun-ak’s reverse scale—his most sensitive spot.
Among the Six Great Demonic Clans, the Jin Clan had always been rated below the Blood Dragon Demonic Clan and the Extreme Pa Clan.
In terms of actual power and influence within the Cult, they fell just a bit short when compared to those two clans.
Jin Gun-ak had spent his life desperately trying to change that, yet all he had achieved was narrowing the gap, not overcoming it.
“I intend to change that. While the other clans waste their potential on successor conflicts, if Yeowoon and I strengthen both our internal and external foundations—”
“If you do?”
“Then in the next generation, the Demonic Heaven’s Jin Clan will be called the greatest among the Six Clans.”
Coincidentally, the direct heirs of the Six Great Clans were mostly of similar age.
That made their rivalry all the more intense.
‘But before any external competition, they’d been busy tearing each other apart over succession.’
In the case of the Blood Dragon Demonic Clan, there were four direct male heirs, including Ma Chulsoo and Ma Jinyoon.
The same was true for the Black Gold Sa Clan and the other clans—they were all in similar situations.
The Jin Clan, on the other hand, had avoided internal damage thanks to my early withdrawal from the succession race, which allowed everyone to rally around Jin Yeowoon.
Unfortunately, Yeowoon’s inability to control his violent nature had caused him to miss the opportunity of a lifetime.
‘Now that I think about it, the hidden powers rising within the Cult may have only gained traction because the Six Clans remained embroiled in internal strife.’
If I really think about it, there’s a chance those factions might have even meddled in the succession disputes...
But that deepening train of thought was interrupted by Jin Gun-ak’s next words.
Thud!
He slammed his cup down and smirked bitterly.
“An excellent idea.”
“Thank you.”
“If we could gain the support of the Cheon Clan, then our clan’s status would be beyond compare to the other five.”
The divine and inviolable bloodline—Cheon Clan.
Their power was formidable, but their symbolism alone exerted absolute influence over the Cult’s members.
“Until now, the in-laws of past Cult Leaders had their power restricted by the Cult’s laws and the Leaders themselves. But the next era will be different.”
The current Young Cult Leader, Cheon Yura, was a woman.
And the current Cult Leader was the ultimate being, known as the Heavenly Demon.
Naturally, the next Cult Leader, Cheon Yura, would possess relatively less authority.
With my head bowed, I quietly spoke.
“The next Cult Leader’s authority may depend on how much power her in-laws can support her with.”
“Bwahaha! Exactly, exactly!”
And accordingly, it was obvious that her in-laws’ power would grow just as much.
Jin Gun-ak looked at me with a meaningful gaze.
“Can you do it?”
“I will make it happen.”
“Good. I like how cool-headed you’ve become these days.”
He sipped from his cup with satisfaction, then unexpectedly asked:
“Is there anything you want?”
“……!”
“If it’s for your success, then as your father, it’s only right I give you my full support.”
‘He looks like he's in a really good mood.’
The fact that Jin Gun-ak was talking about fulfilling his duties as a father made me scoff inwardly.
Still, it would be a huge waste to throw away this opportunity.
“In that case, I humbly request something from you, Clan Head.”
I cautiously made a few requests to Jin Gun-ak.
Though he frowned slightly at the unexpected contents, he ultimately agreed to them.
***
The next day.
I was walking through the bustling district of Miokseong with Gu Chil.
Miokseong, often said to be a perfect replica of Hangzhou's culture from the Central Plains, was responsible for the Cult’s entertainment and economy.
It was also a place I had a deep connection with—one could even say I spent half my life here in my previous life.
“Oh my, big young master! We've got some fine fruit today—how about a taste?”
“Hmm, let me see.”
“Fresh peaches, just in today!”
“Not a fan of the hard ones. Got anything softer?”
“This is silk imported from distant Jiangsu Province!”
“Nice sheen on it.”
It was still daytime, so the area was focused more on economic activity than entertainment.
As I pushed through the crowded streets, I sank deep into thought.
‘The matter of the Jin Clan is mostly settled.’
Now that I had the support of Jin Gun-ak, the clan head, it was safe to say that most internal obstacles had been removed.
‘There are still a few elders who see me as a thorn in their side, but as long as I don't stand out too much, they won’t bother making a move.’
Normally, I should be cutting off outings like this and focusing on my training.
But the five years of closed-door cultivation had already gone down the drain thanks to my engagement with Cheon Yura.
‘In that case, it might be better to start digging into the identities of those hidden factions.’
Cheon Yura had gone to excessive lengths to isolate herself from the rest of the Cult in order to assert her authority.
As a result, the Protection Division and parts of the Five Main Divisions—those who should have been closest to the Cult Leader—ended up betraying her.
And the final nail in the coffin was driven in by Han Mubaek, the Demonic Faction Lord, who had been a hidden mole from the start.
‘Timing-wise, it likely all started when Cheon Yura became the Cult Leader. The current Cult Leader’s reign is overwhelmingly solid.’
Even the Protection Division, which had once betrayed Cheon Yura, was probably fully loyal to the current Cult Leader by now.
‘But I still can’t shake my doubts about the Heavenly Thunder Corps. Even if it was formed under the current Cult Leader’s command and staffed with only his closest aides...’
In truth, in the future, the Heavenly Thunder Corps would grow powerful enough to all but dominate the Cult.
And yet, when the betrayers led by Han Mubaek were exposed, Heavenly Thunder Corps hadn’t been involved.
Still, I couldn’t just overlook the fact that it was members of the Heavenly Thunder Corps who recommended Han Mubaek for the upcoming selection for the *Demonic Faction Lord* position, set to take place a few years from now.
‘It’s highly suspicious. How could the Heavenly Thunder Corps, holding so much power, not notice betrayals from the Protection Division and some of the Six Clans?’
Especially when Heavenly Thunder Corps was also responsible for overseeing the Cult’s intelligence network.
‘If I’m going to dig, then I should start with Heavenly Thunder Corps. Right now, it’s too early for “them” to have contacted any new traitors. Even if they did, I wouldn’t find any proof yet.’
One of the reasons I returned to Miokseong at this particular time was for this very purpose.
Crunch, crunch.
‘Well, all that’s fine, but…’
I gave a withering glance to the big brute behind me who was noisily munching an apple.
“Why are you following me, little brother?”
Jin Yeowoon, who had snatched an apple from some old lady earlier, answered with a sulky face.
“What about you, brother? What are you doing here instead of training?”
“I asked first.”
At that, he gave a small scoff and replied.
“Hmph. I was just curious. What have you been doing to get so strong all of a sudden?”
Yeowoon was a beast when it came to competitiveness, and his pride was just as fierce.
It was hard to believe someone like him would swallow his pride just to observe me.
But aside from that…
‘Should I really take this guy with me?’
Where I was headed now was one of the shadiest corners of Miokseong.
Even as a direct heir of the Six Clans, getting involved in the wrong way could become a serious headache.
I snorted and shook my head.
‘It should be fine. A troublesome situation and an unmanageable one are two different things.’
“Take care of yourself.”
“Of course I will!”
Flexing his bulging muscles, Jin Yeowoon fell silent for a moment, but his curiosity soon flared up again.
“So, where are we going? This isn’t one of those fancy shopping districts you like.”
“This is the Black Market.”
“Black Market? What kind of place is that?”
Having spent his life focused solely on martial arts until the age of sixteen, Jin Yeowoon was still rather ignorant of the outside world.
“It’s a kind of black market.”
“I’ve heard black markets are where illegal goods are bought and sold. Isn’t this a place where excommunicated criminals who violated the Cult’s laws gather?”
I chuckled softly at his naivety.
“Little brother, remember just one thing.”
“What is it?”
“In this Ten Thousand Mountain stronghold, the concept of ‘illegal’ barely exists.”
Things were only tucked away in shady corners because it was best that regular cult members didn’t stumble across them.
In truth, every event or activity within the main Cult was strictly controlled by the Cheon Clan and the Six Great Demonic Clans.
Which meant this black market too was under the influence of one of the Six Clans.
As we walked, our path began to draw closer to the rear gates of Miokseong.
Accordingly, the surrounding atmosphere turned drastically more subdued.
‘Looks like we’re getting close.’
Men with grim expressions and weapons at their sides began to appear. The sinister killing intent they gave off prickled at my skin from every direction.
“Not exactly a cheerful place, is it.”
Jin Yeowoon frowned as he muttered his thoughts.
“Brother, is this the kind of place you’ve been hanging around to sharpen your skills?”
“No. I’ve only been here maybe twice before.”
Back when I was living like a layabout, I had no ties to this place. I only discovered it much later, after becoming the Inner Administrator and investigating the Cult’s inner workings.
Our steps halted in front of a fairly grand building located deep within the black market.
“Quite the luxurious look, considering the surroundings.”
Jin Yeowoon muttered his thoughts under his breath.
“What’s this place?”
“*Amgeumgak*—the Hidden Gold Pavilion. It’s the place that actually controls this black market.”
The state of the building was remarkably unchanged from my time as Inner Administrator to now.
Creeaak!
Without hesitation, I pushed open the entrance to the building.
Step. Step.
“Hmm!”
Behind me, Jin Yeowoon let out a small groan as he glanced inside.
Led by an elderly man, a row of warriors dressed in black robes stood in perfect formation.
“They knew we were coming?”
“With your giant frame? I’d say it was only a matter of time before word spread.”
“Welcome, honored guests of the Jin Clan.”
I gave a small chuckle and asked the old man who greeted us:
“How long have you known we were coming?”
“No event in the black market escapes our attention.”
‘So, from the beginning.’
The old man bowed deeply, his hands folded neatly in front of him.
“What brings such honored guests of the Jin Clan to the underbelly of society?”
“Obviously, to do something less than upright, no?”
“……”
He hadn’t expected me to be so blunt—his forced smile cracked slightly.
“But someone like you isn’t worth talking to. Bring out the highest-ranking manager here.”
“I am the one in charge of this place.”
He lied boldly without batting an eye.
Tilting my head to one side, I lowered my voice.
“*Golden Crow Demon*, Oh Gunjong.”
When I clearly said his name and alias, a slight tremor ran through Oh Gunjong’s shoulders.
“To speak with the Eldest Son of the Jin Clan, you should at least send someone from the Sa Clan, don’t you think?”
Ssssshhh.
Slowly raising his head, Oh Gunjong’s expression had already turned cold.
“How did you know?”