Chapter 377: Treason (5)
It resembled a beast, but it was not truly a beast.
Its body appeared like that of an animal, but it retained a form capable of bipedal movement.
At a glance, it might have seemed similar to an Awakened Body.
However, Baek Sang-ah thoroughly rejected that assumption.
‘Definitely not.’
The raised hairs on her body warned her.
Black yet sacred energy enveloped its whole body.
And the inhuman trace flowing from its entire being.
That thing was clearly not something that originated from a human.
At that moment, the Plum Blossom White Sword of Mount Hua, who had been quiet until now, suddenly spoke up.
"That’s not… Gu, Gunggi?!"
"Gunggi… did you say?"
When Baek Sang-ah turned her head, he spoke with a trembling voice.
"O-one of the Four Fiends mentioned in the Classic of Mountains and Seas. A being that exists only in legends."
"…You're quite knowledgeable."
Baek Sang-ah blinked.
She hadn’t expected a renowned master like the Plum Blossom White Sword to be familiar with a miscellaneous classic like the Classic of Mountains and Seas.
"Ahem! I’ve been fond of mysterious tales and supernatural beasts since childhood…."
"……."
Well, learning the hobby of one of the top orthodox masters was secondary.
In fact, Baek Sang-ah herself had read the Classic of Mountains and Seas to some extent.
Naturally, she had once encountered a turtle-like monster similar to that thing in Haedong Fortress.
The problem was...
‘Can I deal with that?’
If it were human, she might have been able to gauge its power somehow, but that thing defied all estimation.
‘That’s definitely the original form of those so-called Ten Heavenly Lords….’
Its strength likely surpassed human limits.
Then, the monster in the sky—called Gunggi—turned its gaze toward Lee Jaseong.
Gunggi’s mouth opened.
–You awakened me even though the time had not yet come? How insolent.
"……!"
‘It speaks more fluently than I expected?’
Ancient language was interspersed here and there, making perfect understanding difficult, but the being clearly possessed highly advanced intelligence.
Apparently not expecting to be scolded, Lee Jaseong was flustered and immediately bowed deeply.
"I beg your pardon. A lowly descendant has acted rudely."
–Descendant?
The corners of Gunggi’s mouth twisted.
–A manufactured toy dares to call itself a descendant? Do you truly wish to die?
"……!"
Lee Jaseong’s shoulders flinched slightly.
But only briefly. Gunggi shifted its gaze from him to Baek Sang-ah.
–Very well. A contract is a contract. But the offering you’ve presented… its time is even shorter than what it takes to devour a successful hunt.
"Even that much is enough."
"……."
The time declared by Gunggi was about half a ke and at most one ke.
Eventually, it descended to the ground.
‘It’s bigger than I thought.’
Its size… roughly about ten cheok?
In fact, there were Awakened Bodies of similar bulk, but...
‘The level is… different.’
Squeeze.
Cold sweat trickled down her forehead, and unnecessary force began to build in the hands gripping her twin swords.
At that moment, when immense tension gripped the surroundings—
"Uwek! What kind of monster is that?!"
Someone dropped down beside Baek Sang-ah.
As soon as she heard the voice, her expression lit up.
"You’ve come, Young Master So Cheon!"
"The strategist kept saying strange things and insisted I go to you, so I came quickly…."
Originally, he had planned to rest quietly at the main camp.
But suddenly, she said things like: “Are you really going to leave your sister alone in loneliness? Emotional wounds fester when left alone,” and so on and so forth.
Because Jegal Eun had said incomprehensible things while pushing So Cheon forward, he had no choice but to come quickly….
"In the end, it seems like the right decision after all."
So Cheon looked sourly at Gunggi.
Baek Sang-ah spoke.
"Be careful. That thing is definitely not human."
"It sure doesn’t look like it."
Suddenly, So Cheon let out a long sigh.
"My master told me, if you ever see something like that, absolutely do not fight it…."
"Another master told me, if you ever see something like that, you must kill it to protect the world."
The master So Cheon referred to was Dao Zun, and the one Baek Sang-ah mentioned was So Jeong.
–Humans of quite some worth. Despite not inheriting our blood, your skill is at that level….
At that moment, Gunggi casually gestured toward the two.
–The time of our awakening is near. If you cross over to our side now, I’ll treat you fairly.
"…An offer to surrender?"
So Cheon responded with a frown.
"…Contrary to that savage face, it speaks with surprising intelligence."
"Which makes it even more dangerous."
–With your level of strength, you’d have no problem surviving in the era of the Second Coming.
There was nothing incorrect about those words.
But the two already had their answers prepared from the beginning.
"Sorry, but."
"That’s not going to happen."
–Is that so?
The moment it blinked once—
Gunggi’s body instantly arrived before the two.
"……!"
"……!!"
–A shame.
Kwa-gwa-gwa-gwang!
***
Yura’s seclusion continued.
Now that she had grasped a direct clue about the Transcendent Demon Realm, she had no intention of emerging until she reached the end.
It probably wouldn’t take that long.
And while Yura was in seclusion, I, as the Cult Leader’s proxy, would be making all major and minor decisions for the Cult.
"Young Master Jin. You look rather gaunt… Are you alright?"
Before the Heavenly Demon Pavilion meeting began, Sa Biyeon asked with a worried voice.
"I'm just a bit tired, that's all."
Well, anyone would react that way after seeing how dark the circles under my eyes were in the mirror.
"Isn’t your workload too overwhelming? For a master who’s reached the Transcendent Demon Realm to feel fatigue..."
"Honestly, it’s not the workload that’s the problem… Well, let’s just say that for now."
"……?"
I tried to tell her the truth but quickly covered it up.
Even if it was Sa Biyeon, I couldn’t go around talking about personal matters between Yura and me.
"By the way, Lady Sa. How’s the atmosphere in the Cult these days?"
"Ever since the Baekga Trading Company got involved, things have improved quite a bit. It’s just…"
Her expression clouded slightly.
"I’m a little worried that the Clan Leader is displeased."
"Well, yeah…"
Though we’d extinguished the urgent fire by bringing in the Baekga Trading Company, the problem was that the position of the Black Gold Trading Company had diminished just as much.
It was likely that Thunder Commander Sa Myeongnin’s declaration of neutrality in matters concerning the Cheon Clan was a protest against that.
‘I didn’t expect the Baekga Trading Company to come in so aggressively either.’
Due to the contract between me and the Baek Cheonggunju, the Baekga Trading Company launched a significant and aggressive investment into the Heavenly Demon Cult.
If this matter ever leaked to the orthodox side, it would clearly spell disaster for the trading company.
"Looking at the current flow of funds, it feels like the Baekga Trading Company has abandoned the orthodox sects and is throwing in completely with our Cult."
"They probably have… and I doubt that’s incorrect."
Of course, there was now a promissory note obligating us to send some of the Cult's elite martial artists to the Imperial Court later, but for now, it was certain that the Heavenly Demon Cult had gained the most.
"The Cult’s authority may weaken slightly, but even for the Black Gold Trading Company, this isn’t necessarily bad news."
"What do you mean?"
"It’s about time for the Black Gold Trading Company to expand into the southern regions. The Baekga Trading Company will serve as a bridgehead for that."
"…Ah!"
Sa Biyeon’s face brightened a bit.
The Black Gold Trading Company’s primary area of activity had been around Shaanxi and Gansu.
They’d long hoped to enter the bountiful southern regions, but were repeatedly blocked by the other Five Great Trading Companies.
"We’ve only barely managed to establish a few branches there. But if we can make a full-scale entry into the southern provinces, the Clan Leader may well let go of her anger."
"That would be a welcome outcome."
Just then, a servant of the Heavenly Demon Pavilion bowed to me and reported.
"Your Grace, the Elders are waiting."
"I know. I’ll be there shortly."
The expressions of the gathered Elders were all grim.
The reasons for their displeasure varied.
But at the root of it all was the same issue—recent events had continuously spun out of their control.
"When are we going to capture the bastard who did that to the Sword Demon?!"
Bang!
Saber Demon slammed his fist on the round table, revealing an unusual level of fury.
The other Elders also reacted seriously to this topic.
"The Demonic Ghost Execution Squad defecting from the Cult… and that Death King Enforcer no less…"
"Your Grace, the Demonic Ghost Execution Squad was directly under the Heavenly Demon Pavilion. Their betrayal reflects a failure in oversight for which you must take responsibility."
Responsibility, huh...
Would they be saying that if Yura had secured the position of Heavenly Demon?
I gave a faint smile to Gu Eumhyeoljyo, who had uttered those words.
"I won’t avoid that responsibility. But at the very least, that responsibility should wait until all matters have been resolved."
"And how exactly will you resolve them? They’ve already escaped the Cult’s territory."
"No. They will return."
"……?"
"First, there’s something I need to announce to you all."
I looked around at the Elders seated around me and spoke.
"Many of you are likely aware that relations between the Heavenly Demon Pavilion and the Cheon Clan have become rather distant lately."
"……."
"……."
Many faces subtly changed expression.
To bring up such a sensitive issue so publicly—rather than concealing it—was bound to raise eyebrows.
"That’s exactly why I say this."
I made eye contact with each Elder as I continued.
"No matter what happens between the Cheon Clan and the Heavenly Demon Pavilion for the time being, do not intervene. That includes not only the Elders, but your subordinate factions as well."
"Have you lost your mind?!"
Saber Demon immediately raised his voice in protest.
Understandable.
This declaration was essentially a long-winded way of saying, "I’m going to die."
"You say the Heavenly Demon Pavilion, but you’re really talking about facing the Cheon Clan with only yourself and the Guardian Lions!"
It would be one thing if Cheon Jumun and the Demonic Ghost Execution Squad were still around.
But they had now betrayed the Cult.
"Besides, all the Elders include your own clan, the Demonic Heaven’s Jin Clan!"
"Of course."
"……?!"
Saber Demon’s mouth opened slightly in shock.
Even Jin Gun-ak, who had been watching with his arms crossed, gave me a look that said, "Are you seriously sane?"
But I remained resolute.
"There are mountains of things that must be resolved right now. I don’t intend to drag this out."
The Elders all stared at me with dazed expressions.
"If any of you intervene, the Cult will immediately fracture into two and fall into civil war."
And the damage from that war would surely be far worse than the internal strife within the Cheon Clan that had occurred in my past life.
I stared directly at Gwang Rahi Yeo Jin among the Elders.
"Especially since we have a traitor inside the Cult who has aligned with outside forces, the damage would only be greater."
"……."
Yeo Jin met my gaze without any change in expression.
Honestly, I still didn’t understand.
Even though it was clear that Gwang Rahi Yeo Jin had connections with the Heaven-Defying Society, the previous Cult Leader had begged me to let her be.
If he’d explained the reason clearly, it would’ve helped… but the former Cult Leader was no longer in this world.
Swish.
I stood from the jade throne where Yura had once sat and began to slowly release the energy I had kept hidden.
"……?!"
"……!!!"
Yorang had told me—
That there was no one among humans now who could challenge me.
That applied to individuals and groups alike.
"W-when did you achieve such a feat…"
Saber Demon’s expression shifted completely.
Since he had one foot in the Transcendent Demon Realm, the shock must’ve been even greater for him than for the others.
"Cult… Leader?"
One of the Elders muttered the words in a daze.
"I will say it once more."
I looked around the room again and declared:
"None of you are to interfere."
At that moment—
"Reporting directly to Your Grace!"
Vice-Leader of the Divine Ghost Unit, Bu Il-hwa, rushed into the conference hall in a panic.
Given that she had been granted the same authority as the Guardian Lions, it was not strange for her to appear here.
Bu Il-hwa, drenched in cold sweat, knelt before me.
And shouted:
"The Cheon Clan… has elected a new Clan Leader!"