Heavenly Demon Divine Saint - Chapter 12

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 12
The sudden appearance of an unexpected figure left Cheon So-hyun momentarily flustered, as if caught off guard.
‘The Chief Military Commander?’
The man standing at the apex of the Military Council had come in person?
I’d heard that the Military Council was overwhelmed with urgent matters due to the great upheaval, so I’d naturally assumed someone of lower rank would appear.
Cheon So-hyun received Sa Ma-hyuk’s greeting with visible bewilderment.
“…It’s good to see you.”
A faint smile crossed Sa Ma-hyuk’s face.
“You seem quite surprised.”
“Well, yes. I didn’t expect the Chief Military Commander to come in person.”
“When the successor makes a request, I must attend regardless of how pressing my duties are. And if it’s a request from the Third Prince himself, there’s no room for hesitation.”
“Is my request somehow different?”
Sa Ma-hyuk’s eyes sharpened in an instant.
“I’ve judged that changes have occurred within the Divine Sect since the Third Prince awakened. The matter in the Cult Leader’s Hall is one such change, and….”
His gaze briefly touched upon Sa Ma-ryang.
“Sa Ma-ryang’s change of heart is another. Both are matters the head of the Military Council cannot overlook.”
“You speak of a change of heart?”
“I believed he’d grown disillusioned with the family’s work, yet suddenly he began showing signs of considering becoming a strategist.”
A hunger-like emotion flickered in the Chief Military Commander’s eyes—directed not at me, but unmistakably at Sa Ma-ryang.
‘So that’s why he came.’
I regarded Sa Ma-ryang.
“Is what he said true?”
“Yes, it is.”
I let out a soft laugh before speaking.
“One cannot know another’s heart completely, but the word ‘change of heart’ doesn’t seem to fit.”
Sa Ma-hyuk responded.
“Why do you say so?”
“As you know, I’ve only recently awakened. If a man could alter his convictions from mere influence in such a short time, there would be no reason for the Chief Military Commander to concern himself so greatly.”
“You believe he wasn’t disillusioned?”
“I can’t say for certain. That’s simply my opinion. But since you’re uncertain, it would be best to ask directly. After all, only he can truly know his own heart.”
Observing the Chief Military Commander’s eyebrows twitch slightly, I pressed forward with the intention of striking while the iron was hot.
“Shall we move to the main matter now?”
“Cutting straight to the point, then….”
The Chief Military Commander turned his head, surveying the surroundings before speaking.
“You seem to have changed greatly.”
I followed his gaze around the room, then straightened my head at his sudden remark.
The Chief Military Commander was studying me with a rigid expression.
Something cold ran down my spine at that gaze. A man capable of holding the position of Chief Military Commander would surely be keenly perceptive.
‘…?’
He may have already noticed the difference between the original Third Prince and myself.
Yet revealing such emotions would be dangerous. Maintaining the composure befitting a Buddhist monk of deep cultivation, I smiled.
“You’ve observed correctly. I’ve just resolved to live differently from now on, so it seems the change is showing.”
Sa Ma-hyuk, who had been studying me intently, spoke softly.
“It appears this was no light-hearted resolve.”
“It couldn’t be light-hearted. I made this vow when I kicked away the sickbed and rose. I intend to live differently from my past self. Having died and returned to life, shouldn’t I change?”
Sa Ma-hyuk paused deliberately, as if gauging my reaction, before asking.
“This change must be connected to your request for the Military Council to convene.”
“Not entirely unrelated. I’ve developed questions regarding the Cult’s grand scheme.”
A heavy silence descended.
Sa Ma-hyuk regarded Cheon So-hyun with piercing eyes, then asked with grave certainty, as though he’d discerned something.
“Do you intend to oppose the grand scheme?”
“…!”
For a moment, I felt the ground collapse beneath me. At what point in our conversation had he reached such a conclusion?
Unlike my previous clash with Sa Ma-ryang, he seemed entirely certain of my intentions.
Sa Ma-hyuk’s eyes flickered with ashen light.
“It appears so. As you know, this is no trivial matter. Without noble standing, one would scarcely dare broach such a subject. That the successor would oppose the grand scheme—the very aspiration of our followers—is extraordinary. Might I ask your reasons?”
Having already been seen through, pretending otherwise would be absurd. Cheon So-hyun maintained his composure and answered.
“Well, there are many reasons, but to summarize: for the sake of the followers. Ever since I regained consciousness and learned of the grand scheme, I’ve thought of nothing else.”
In truth, I had been scheming only to recover and escape, but that was irrelevant now.
“You fear the harm it would cause?”
“Yes.”
“There is no cause for such concern, young master. The Military Council is formulating tactics to fully utilize the Divine Sect’s strength, devising strategies against the various martial forces, and preparing contingencies for any vulnerabilities in our headquarters’ defenses. We are nearing completion.”
“Protecting the followers is a given. There’s no need to debate it. I understand the Military Council has been burning the midnight oil, crafting every conceivable stratagem.”
“Then what troubles you?”
Cheon So-hyun paused to choose his words carefully before answering.
“The followers I’m concerned about aren’t confined to the Ten Thousand Great Mountains. Isn’t this a time to deliberate carefully, both within and without?”
Sa Ma-hyuk’s eyes trembled slightly.
“Are you speaking of prospective followers?”
“Your perception is as sharp as ever. The Chief Military Commander surely knows that the Sacred Doctrine forbids reckless killing in the Central Plains. Yet wouldn’t an early advance into the Central Plains contradict this teaching?”
Absurdly, the Demonic Sect’s Sacred Doctrine apparently contained a provision against killing in the Central Plains under the pretext of protecting prospective followers.
It was something I’d discovered while searching for alternatives over the past fortnight.
Of course, the doctrine had been added to mean they should focus inward and accumulate strength without turning their gaze outward. As fanatics who revered mortals as gods, adding to their doctrine was hardly difficult.
And now, it had become our slender thread of hope.
Sa Ma-hyuk answered quietly.
“One might interpret it that way, but what was newly inscribed can be just as easily erased. In our Sect, now stronger than ever, such a doctrine is expendable.”
“Perhaps. But even so, there remains room for growth, does there not?”
Sa Ma-hyuk’s brow furrowed slightly.
“Room, you say?”
“Indeed. Some may be followers from birth, but surely not all. To expand the Sect’s influence, we must accept followers from outside. If we venture into the Central Plains and harm prospective followers, wouldn’t that weaken the Sect’s power?”
“….”
“The Sa Ma Family is an excellent example. They weren’t originally part of the Cult. Yet look at them now—not only do they occupy the Military Council, the very heart of the Cult’s leadership, but Sa Ma-hyuk himself holds the position of Chief Military Commander, does he not?”
Sa Ma-hyuk responded with a tone of bewilderment.
“By that logic, the Divine Sect should seal its doors forever. Is that what you wish?”
Cheon So-hyun shook his head and answered.
“I’m not saying we should never venture out—merely that the time is not yet ripe.”
“The time is ripe. The Divine Sect’s power now differs little from when the Demonic Path sought to dominate the Realm.”
“You’re certain of this?”
“Yes.”
Cheon So-hyun stroked his chin while holding Sa Ma-hyuk’s gaze.
“I see. My assessment differs greatly from yours. In my view, the Cult remains but half of what it should be.”
“….”
Sa Ma-hyuk’s brow furrowed gradually, deep lines etching between his eyes. His pupils darkened to a murky ash-gray, betraying his displeasure.
The words amounted to both a challenge to his judgment and an affront to the Cult itself.
“I would ask that you choose your words with greater care.”
The clipped, staccato delivery carried an edge that had not been present before.
Sensing the palpable surge of energy that brushed against his skin, Cheon So-hyun intuited that Sa Ma-hyuk’s demeanor would shift dramatically with his next response.
“Surely the Chief Military Commander has already assessed the Cult’s full strength before advancing into the Central Plains. It would be the first element one must understand before waging war.”
Sa Ma-hyuk nodded silently.
“Yet if the Cult’s power truly matches its former glory, why do the faithful cry out for the Return of the Heavenly Demon?”
Sa Ma-hyuk’s eyes trembled faintly.
“…!”
“I heard it everywhere within the Cult—when I visited the Cult Leader’s Hall, when carriages passed through the streets, even upon entering the Main Hall.”
Cheon So-hyun swallowed briefly before continuing.
“In truth, the faithful’s desire seems not to be expansion into the Central Plains, but rather the return of an unparalleled master—the Heavenly Demon himself. Is that not so?”
“….”
A heavy silence descended upon the Main Hall.
The Chief Military Commander maintained his piercing gaze as he caressed his cup, and after a moment of contemplation, he turned to look at Sa Ma-ryang.
His eyes held a glimmer of regret. Sa Ma-ryang understood the meaning behind that look.
‘He believes this is the answer I’ve provided.’
It was a reasonable inference, given that I had indeed spent considerable time sifting through records and visiting my quarters.
Yet I had merely offered hints—drawing from Sa Ma Family history and doctrine—that might illuminate a path forward. I had not provided a concrete solution.
Was this not a logic that pointed to the Cult Leader’s own insufficiency?
—Master, if you were to clarify your stance on the Return of the Heavenly Demon… everything could crumble before we even begin. Are you truly prepared for that?
—What else is there to do but face it? There seems no other answer, and after all these years of decline, I see nothing clearly anymore. We must test ourselves against it.
As Sa Ma-ryang recalled that conversation, he glanced at Cheon So-hyun.
‘Truly remarkable.’
Though praised as the Divine Sect’s foremost martial talent, Sa Ma-ryang recognized that Cheon So-hyun’s true strength lay in his refusal to be bound by convention.
He possessed not only eloquence and composure, but an unshakeable confidence that lent legitimacy to his unconventional thinking, preventing it from devolving into mere recklessness.
Cheon So-hyun stared directly at Sa Ma-hyuk.
‘A dark-hearted demon. Let’s see how you respond.’
I’d grown quite accustomed to dominating conversations while roaming the Jianghu. Unlike the crude thugs of the Black Path, the cunning schemers of the White Path couldn’t be enlightened by simply cracking their skulls.
—Abbot, please go on ahead. I’ll conduct a brief martial exchange to impart some teachings before following.
—You fool! A martial exchange? As if I don’t see through your ploy to pummel me senseless! Absolutely not!!
Whether it was the Nine Sects and One Faction, the Five Great Families, or any other power, the Abbot would inevitably tag along and interfere, so my eloquence had naturally sharpened over time.
‘A man of such standing, yet he has nothing but time to waste. Tsk.’
As I clicked my tongue inwardly, Sa Ma-hyuk released a measured tone.
“Your Highness’s concern is indeed a matter I have been contemplating. Naturally, no one would dare question whether the Cult Leader’s martial prowess surpasses that of the previous Heavenly Demon….”
I finished the sentence he left hanging, as if afraid to speak it aloud.
“Yet it remains a fact that he has not ascended to become the Heavenly Demon.”
“…That is correct.”
“Then let us clarify our direction. To summarize: the faithful’s desire is not expansion into the Central Plains, but the birth of a Heavenly Demon. Yet we cannot know when this will occur. There is no guarantee of timing.”
“Indeed.”
“If we wait until then, it may not be forever, but we would still be forced to keep our gates sealed indefinitely.”
The Chief Military Commander regarded me silently. Hoping my words would take root, I continued calmly.
“However, I directly witnessed the Cult Leader’s martial prowess not long ago. Though it may be presumptuous, the phrase ‘earth-shaking and heaven-splitting’ hardly does it justice. I thought he had reached the pinnacle of martial arts, yet he has ascended even further.”
In truth, I had no knowledge of his previous martial state, so I couldn’t truly judge progress. Yet I was confident in my educated guess.
The Cult Leader’s martial prowess was a realm that could not be reached without ceaseless cultivation.
Fortunately, the Chief Military Commander nodded in agreement.
Cheon So-hyun felt inwardly relieved and added calmly.
“Surely the time needed to reach the next realm will not be long. And when that day comes, the Heavenly Demon shall be reborn in our Sect. That is also why I said it is still too early.”
Indeed, it was so. Throughout my encounter with the Cult Leader, I felt he had reached the extreme limits of martial mastery.
Yet as the conversation continued, one question circled persistently in my mind.
If I could so easily understand why immediate expansion into the Central Plains was unnecessary, why was the Chief Military Commander so eager to accelerate this grand plan?
At a glance, he was a man armed with keen intellect.
Even discussing it with Sa Ma-ryang yielded no answer.
“And, I’ve been curious about this for some time—why insist on expanding into the Central Plains by the end of next year?”
Sa Ma-hyuk regarded me quietly before responding.
“…It is classified, but since you will learn of it eventually, I shall inform you in advance.”
As Cheon So-hyun nodded, an unexpected statement emerged.
“Because we have determined that the balance of the Jianghu’s three powers has collapsed.”
Cheon So-hyun felt a tremor in his chest. It was an ominous statement.
“…The balance has collapsed? What do you mean?”
“While observing the Jianghu’s circumstances and conducting repeated strategic simulations, we have consistently predicted that should our Sect advance into the Central Plains, mutual destruction or devastating losses of uncontrollable magnitude would occur.”
“Then, the situation has changed now? Have the White Path and Black Path weakened?”
“Precisely so.”
“How is this possible? Explain in detail.”
“Multiple factors are at play. But if I were to name the greatest reason, it is that Shaolin’s star has dimmed.”
“…!”
My breath caught. Shaolin—that word from his lips? And at this moment of all times?
“Sh-Shaolin?”
Cold sweat beaded at the back of my neck. Simultaneously, unease began creeping upward through my chest.
“When you say the star has fallen, surely you don’t mean….”
And at Sa Ma-hyuk’s following response, I found myself unable to gather my wits, as though struck directly in a vital point.
“Yes, we have confirmed the passing into eternal meditation of Divine Fist, the pillar of Shaolin.”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————