Heavenly Demon Divine Saint - Chapter 52

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 52
I studied Sa Ma-ryang’s face intently, examining every contour.
Deep shadows pooled beneath his eyes, and his complexion had turned ashen. He appeared even more gaunt than before—as if he hadn’t managed to secure a proper meal in days.
“Are you handling all the Military Council’s affairs yourself? Why does your face look so haggard? And what’s with your appearance?”
Sa Ma-ryang laughed sheepishly.
“Recent matters have been unusually demanding, leaving me no time for rest. I intend to recuperate once my schedule permits. But Master, your martial essence has become far more refined since we last met.”
Whatever efforts he had undertaken, the aura that once leaked subtly from him was now perfectly contained and controlled.
The densely woven musculature and the matured presence he now exuded were so formidable that it was difficult to believe this was the same person who had once lain bedridden.
“The arena is quite chaotic. Might we converse in that empty waiting room back there?”
“Very well.”
The two of us walked down a quiet corridor and entered the vacant waiting room reserved for the competitors.
“I had planned to greet you before the opening, but the unexpected crowds delayed my arrival. How was your first match?”
“Nothing remarkable. They swarmed at me in a mob, so I simply struck them down as they came. Those fools couldn’t tell heaven from earth.”
“I see, then.”
“So the investigation is complete?”
Sa Ma-ryang shook his head.
“We’re gradually entering the final stages, but we haven’t reached a point where we can conclude matters entirely. First, I should brief you on the events that have transpired. To begin with….”
Sa Ma-ryang explained the incidents that had unfolded following the investigation, one by one.
The arrest of Gwak Ji-ryang, the involvement of the Law Enforcement Hall in that process, and the capture of the Changeung Trading Company—the hidden force behind it all—with assistance from Baek Myun Valley.
As I listened to the atrocities they had committed, my expression grew increasingly rigid.
“They harvested people’s vital essence?”
“Yes, it was discovered while a grand ritual was being prepared in the Heart Chamber. It’s a forbidden technique called the Extreme Extinction Time-Devouring Formation. That appears to be the reason they were capturing those with inner strength.”
My eyes turned cold and sharp.
“…The Extreme Extinction Time-Devouring Formation?”
“Indeed.”
“Could it have come from outside?”
“Pardon? Ah, yes. It’s said to be a technique from the Central Plains. An assassin from the Dark Lotus Society, who defected to the Cult, possessed the secret manual. Do you have knowledge of it?”
I nodded slowly.
“I know of it, roughly.”
The Extreme Extinction Time-Devouring Formation was once a forbidden grand technique that had caused immense devastation in the Central Plains long ago.
Initially, I had heard it was a medical art that channeled others’ vital energy to invigorate life force. However, it was later discovered that it could extract not only inner strength but also the innate true qi—the fundamental life essence of a person—and as a result, even ordinary people fell victim to it.
The technique was so heinously evil that it was thought to have been completely eradicated, yet the secret manual still existed?
‘And it found its way into the Demonic Sect?’
As I mulled over these troubling questions, I asked:
“Have you identified the one who cast the grand technique?”
“We discovered traces a few days ago. A treacherous cave has become a demonic realm where the wailing of ghostly voices echoes ceaselessly. We’ve been tracking from that point onward.”
“You must hurry. If someone interrupted the casting of such a technique, the backlash would be unbearable. They would need to continue draining vital essence just to survive. They may have already perished, but if by some chance they’ve survived, the damage could become catastrophic and uncontrollable.
If there’s been no significant disturbance in the surrounding area, they may have already fled to the outskirts.”
“Precisely so. In fact, I was already considering that possibility given the absence of notable incidents in the region.”
Sa Ma-ryang asked in a startled tone, clearly caught off guard by my unexpected response.
“But sir, how is it that you know such details?”
“Hmm?”
“Information about the Extreme Annihilation Heavenly Demon Formation was only partially recorded in the council archives… Did the Demonic Sect Archive perhaps contain texts related to it?”
The Demonic Sect Archive was a mysterious repository accessible only to those of Cheon Family bloodline.
Ancient demonic techniques said to be the source of all martial arts in the realm were kept there, so it stood to reason that the Extreme Annihilation Heavenly Demon Formation or similar grand techniques would exist within its halls.
Cheon So-hyun let out a dry cough.
“Ahem. Well, something like that.”
I couldn’t very well explain that I’d encountered it in a past life, so I simply improvised.
“As the saying goes, knowing yourself and your enemy ensures victory in all battles. Understanding the Central Plains is fundamental. I came across it sometime in the past.”
“Ah, I see. The truth is… even though the incident hasn’t been fully resolved, the reason I sought you out was partly due to the Extreme Annihilation Heavenly Demon Formation.”
“Hmm? Why? Is there something more?”
Sa Ma-ryang answered in a subdued voice.
“Because it has thrown the sect’s affairs into chaos. Hostility toward the Central Plains grows with each passing day.”
At this unexpected statement, Cheon So-hyun tilted his head.
“What are you talking about? Hostility growing?”
I was weaving through hordes of demons trying to stop the Great Sect—what nonsense was this?
“As I mentioned, with the cooperation of Baek Myun Valley and the Law Enforcement Hall, the arrest of the criminals proceeded faster than anticipated.”
“And?”
“Originally, we planned to conduct several rounds of interrogation before deciding the criminals’ fates… but during my absence, the Chief Military Commander expedited matters. He concluded that all the criminals should be executed and their heads displayed.”
“… He executed them all and put their heads on display?”
“Yes, initially many disciples were disgusted and reluctant. However, as the charges were revealed in detail, their disgust transformed into resentment toward the criminals. That resentment is now… shifting into hostility toward the Central Plains.”
Cheon So-hyun’s brow furrowed deeply.
“They believe the sect disciples were sacrificed through the Central Plains’ schemes?”
“Precisely. The greater problem is that criticism of you has also emerged as a result.”
“Suddenly? Why me?”
“The accusation is that despite the sect being in such turmoil, you’ve been frequenting gambling dens.”
“….”
“For now, it’s only circulating among the upper echelons, but the speed of its spread is abnormally fast—it feels as though someone’s hand is deliberately behind it.”
Cheon So-hyun let out a hollow laugh. After all, it was I who had exposed Ja Gwi Moon’s crimes and provided the evidence to the Military Council. Yet now there was criticism?
“Absurd talk indeed. But does it really matter? Whispers behind closed doors are nothing new, and you said the other senior members couldn’t be persuaded anyway, right?”
“Yes, normally it wouldn’t be an issue. However, if the movement of public opinion carries a purpose beyond mere criticism, there is a possibility it could pose a threat to your safety.”
“A threat to me?”
“When the Cult Leader is absent in seclusion as he is now, the Left and Right Envoys become the highest decision-makers of the sect, assuming the role of deputy leader. Depending on how circumstances develop, the situation could become quite complicated.”
Cheon So-hyun nodded slowly.
I could roughly grasp what Sa Ma-ryang was trying to say. The Gwangmyeong Left Envoy, being the head of those who desired expansion into the Central Plains, would view me as a thorn in his side.
If public sentiment worsened and resentment deepened, there was no telling what he might do.
“You’ve come here because you have a countermeasure, then?”
“Yes. There are three main approaches… or rather, two that can be implemented immediately.”
“Let me hear them.”
“First, we publicly announce that all the accomplishments—both the investigation and the capture of the criminals—actually stem from your efforts.”
“….”
“Since the evidence you recovered after annihilating the Ja Gwi Moon has played such a decisive role, we should be able to quell the criticism.”
Cheon So-hyun stroked his chin thoughtfully.
“That doesn’t seem like a fundamental solution, though. They’re still displeased about my participation in the tournament, aren’t they?”
“Yes. That’s why I believe the true solution lies in the second approach—drawing the Blade Emperor Sect into our fold through this tournament.”
“Hmm? Through the tournament?”
“The Blade Emperor Sect’s cooperation would transcend mere support from The Demon Master, becoming a solid foundation for our future power structure.”
“….”
“With the Blade Emperor Sect’s prestige and influence, combined with your standing as someone backed by two Demon Masters, all eyes will turn toward you. Consequently, such trivial criticism will lose its power to sway you.”
Cheon So-hyun nodded in agreement.
“Fine then. Either way, what matters now is focusing on the tournament. Nothing changes.”
Sa Ma-ryang spoke with a note of concern in his voice.
“That’s true in essence, but… the Blade Emperor Sect faces considerable risk as well. They’ll be constantly testing whether the danger is worth taking on….”
“Enough with that. We don’t skip making kimchi because we’re afraid of maggots. In the arena, things are simple—whoever steps forward, I’ll crush their skull and be done with it.”
Cheon So-hyun’s lips curved upward.
“Stop your fussing and do your job properly. I’ll beat them all, gain the elixir, and draw in the Blade Emperor Sect—we’re on the verge of having our cake and eating it too.”
Perhaps his worry had been unnecessary after all. Sa Ma-ryang laughed at the answer that entertained no thought of defeat.
“Ah, and I have good news to share with you as well.”
“Good news?”
“Yes. As I mentioned, your accomplishments are undeniable, so I asked the Chief Military Commander whether you might receive a reward during the merit distribution. As a result, your contributions have been recognized.”
“Oh? Really?”
Cheon So-hyun asked with evident pleasure.
“Well, that’s welcome to hear. Good—a person should have at least that much decency. So what are they giving?”
The answer that came was utterly absurd.
“You may be granted an opportunity to visit the Cult Leader’s Palace.”
“…What?”
What kind of nonsense was this?
While Cheon So-hyun doubted his own ears, Sa Ma-ryang continued with an excited tone.
“The Chief Military Commander sent a personal letter directly to the Cult Leader’s Palace. He detailed your accomplishments thoroughly, so if the Cult Leader takes interest, you may have the opportunity to enter the palace….”
“Damn it, that’s a reward?”
Cheon So-hyun’s face twisted in displeasure. The unease he’d felt upon meeting the Cult Leader and the suffocating pressure that had constricted his breath remained vividly fresh.
The sensation of the surrounding air becoming a hidden blade, ready to tear through his skin at any moment.
And they wanted him to experience that again?
What madman in this entire world would consider an audience with the Demonic Cult Leader a reward?
Sa Ma-ryang stammered in alarm.
“Pardon? W-what do you mean, my lord….”
His eyes trembled uncontrollably. As the atmosphere grew tense, Cheon So-hyun forced out a dry laugh.
“Is that something you can even call a reward? Damn it, haha! I might go to the Cult Leader’s Palace? I’m so thrilled I can’t help but curse. Haha, what a blessing.”
Oblivious to the burning tension, Sa Ma-ryang laughed brightly.
“Of course! Congratulations, my lord!”

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