Heavenly Demon Divine Saint - Chapter 85

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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 85
Clatter, clatter!
Inside the swiftly moving carriage, a middle-aged man drew back the curtain and spoke.
“We should be arriving soon.”
“I see.”
After a moment of silence, the middle-aged man continued in a hushed voice.
“Guild Master, wouldn’t it be wise to make a decision now?”
“….”
“The Young Guild Master hopes for it as well. Surely they will grow greedy for petty profits and attempt to swallow the guild we’ve built with such care. Their avarice knows no….”
“I’m aware they are people we should never entangle ourselves with. Perhaps the name Yuhyeon Merchant Company will disappear entirely.”
“…”
“But what choice do I have? To stand against Hyun-i’s illness, this path is the only one. I no longer have the courage to lose my child after losing my wife.”
Though his tone was calm, the resignation contained within it came through clearly, and the middle-aged man’s complexion grew even darker.
“Forgive my bluntness, but what they offered cannot truly be called medicine. It is merely a monstrosity that postpones suffering while nurturing destruction. As the Young Guild Master has said plainly, turn back now and seek help elsewhere. It is not yet too late.”
“Not too late, you say? But haven’t I exhausted every option? No renowned physician in all the Realm can halt Hyun-i’s condition.”
Yu Yang-deok, the Guild Master of Yuhyeon Merchant Company, released a long sigh.
“And who in the Central Plains would willingly help us? The Martial Alliance? Or perhaps the immortals of the Nine Sects? After sending away those we’ve walked with for so long, and mingling our flesh with theirs, I can no longer tell what is my own skin and what is a festering wound that has entered from without.”
“….”
“Whoever steps forward, Yuhyeon Merchant Company will not escape karmic retribution. I alone shall bear the price of my misjudgment, so you should leave now.”
“How can you say this is your fault, Guild Master?”
The middle-aged man’s expression crumpled in despair.
‘Even Heaven turns a deaf ear.’
A man who had spent his entire life caring for those in need, never losing his integrity even amid the sordid struggles for profit within the guild.
His righteous character had earned him dealings even with Shaolin, spoken of as the Pole Star of the Jianghu.
Watching such an upright man slowly rot and decay was suffocating.
The middle-aged man added his words, clinging to a thread of hope.
“What if you sought aid from the great masters of Shaolin? They are beings of boundless compassion, whether it be Gwi Jeong Bang or Yongya Chamber beyond it….”
“The kindness I’ve already received overflows. To ask for more would be greed. Besides, those masters will not open their gates for any reason.”
“Then… is there truly no way?”
Yu Yang-deok gazed silently out the window.
Was it obsession with defying fate that invited destruction? Or was it even right to call a father’s desire to save his child obsession?
‘I built this guild to protect my people, so what use are riches and honor?’
Even as he blamed his own foolishness and rationalized his helplessness, his heart swelled with bitter resentment.
‘What should I do?’
If he were still here, how different things might be. Because of the Chief Administrator’s suggestion, a certain face lingered unusually in his mind today.
* * *
Cheon So-hyun gripped Yong Gol’s wrist, his eyes boring into him.
“Answer me. How did a worthless wretch like you accumulate such inner power?”
“Cough!”
Yong Gol spat out a broken tooth, his shoulders trembling as waves of pain crashed over him.
“Are you curious about that now?”
“Yes, I need to hear it.”
Yong Gol possessed inner strength profound enough to shatter a great cauldron, yet the martial arts he had actually cultivated fell short of that level.
His swordplay, while potent, was embarrassingly far from being called exquisite, and his footwork, palm techniques, and even his tactical knowledge lacked any distinguishing excellence.
However, if he were to acquire martial arts that could compensate for those flaws and given sufficient time, he would become a formidable Black Path practitioner capable of earning notoriety throughout the Jianghu.
“Hehehehe….”
Whether he had lost his mind or not, Yong Gol began laughing deliriously while spitting blood.
“What a shame. The outcome would have been different had you merely completed the integration properly. I’ve confirmed you’re not the type to rot under someone else’s command. Cough! Now disappear.”
Cheon So-hyun’s eyes narrowed.
“What fresh nonsense is this? Are you unable to grasp the situation?”
“Krhehe. Absurd, isn’t it? A dying man threatening me. Even I find it repulsive. But what can be done? This is reality. Even now, beg for forgiveness and withdraw.”
Yong Gol glared at Cheon So-hyun with bloodshot eyes.
“I am… the Third Son of the Black Serpent Sword Sect, Yong Gol.”
At the unexpected name, Cheon So-hyun tilted his head.
“The Black Serpent Sword Sect?”
One of the Eight Pillars of the Dark Lotus Society, a faction that gathered madmen who saw themselves as seekers of the sword’s way.
As an organization obsessively devoted to the goal of perfecting the sword, it was infested with loose screws who had gone mad on an endless path.
“Yes. Since you seemed to know about the Eight Pillars, you must have grasped what that means. If you understand….”
Crack!
Cheon So-hyun squeezed Yong Gol’s wrist even more violently.
“Has this Black Path wretch lost his mind?”
“Krraaaagh!”
The already fractured bone fragments crumbled further under the grip, unleashing excruciating agony.
“When did I ever ask who your father is? Answer the questions I’m asking.”
“D-do you not understand the significance of the Eight Pillars?! You will never be able to walk with your head held high for the rest of your life. The masters of the Assassin Guild and Sword Sect will pursue your….”
Whoosh!
The erupting Samadhi True Flame caused Yong Gol to shriek as drool streamed from his mouth.
“Krraaaaaaagh!”
The pitch-black flame spread across his entire shoulder in an instant, beginning to sear his flesh.
“Why is the mountain hero being so dramatic?”
Cheon So-hyun met Yong Gol’s gaze.
“Do you think I’m causing all this commotion just to walk around peacefully with my head held high? Do you have such poor judgment of people? I’m asking one last time. How did you accumulate such inner strength?”
Yong Gol trembled convulsively from the torment reminiscent of hell itself.
‘This… this madman.’
The appearance of someone whose eyes had rolled halfway back was no bluff. He genuinely didn’t care about backgrounds like the Eight Pillars or the Sword Sect.
“I-I’ll tell you! I’ll reveal everything, just please….”
Boom!
Cheon So-hyun hurled Yong Gol to the ground and looked down at him coldly.
“Stop wasting time with pointless talk. So?”
“…Just… promise me one thing. Will you at least let me keep my life?”
“Right, I need to patch you up. As you can see, I’m a corpse without mercy. Stop worrying needlessly and speak freely.”
Yong Gol groaned in pain, glaring at him with hollow eyes.
The man had stormed in without warning, reduced everything to pulp, and now spoke of mercy—what nonsense.
He seemed even more unhinged than the madmen I’d encountered countless times in the Sword Sect.
‘Still, he says he’ll let me live….’
As long as breath remained in his body, there were countless paths to survival.
He could seek their aid to make a comeback, or failing that, bow his head to those insufferable brothers.
At last, Yong Gol’s mouth opened with great effort.
“…Spirit elixirs. I’ve been receiving regular supplies of spirit elixirs.”
“Spirit elixirs? From whom?”
“I don’t know the details. They concealed their identities thoroughly, but they called themselves Baek Yeon. From what I gathered during our transactions, they’re likely from the Central Plains….”
That was when it happened.
Yong Gol’s face suddenly flushed crimson, then drained to a deathly pallor in an instant.
“Huh?”
Was shame for his past life suddenly overwhelming him?
If so, there would be merit in my guidance, yet strangely, Yong Gol’s eyes bulged as though they might burst from their sockets.
“Kgh! Kack!”
The veins in his neck and face swelled grotesquely, writhing as he expelled ragged breaths and convulsed.
“Hey, what’s suddenly wrong with——”
“Step back!”
Ryu Jeong-hak, who had entered the hall, drew his greatsword and moved with explosive speed.
In that instant, his nimble form blocked the space before Cheon So-hyun.
“Ugh, uhhh… you bastards did this to me too… Kghack!”
As Yong Gol unleashed a horrific shriek, the veins in his neck and face expanded grotesquely.
Then, from near his Dantian, a brilliant white radiance poured forth, and his body detonated.
Boom!
The Gwi Jeong Bang Hall shook violently from the impact. Stone tiles and the dais crumbled, and a thick gale swept through the chamber.
Cheon So-hyun immediately crossed his palms to respond, while Ryu Jeong-hak unfurled a sword barrier to block the explosion’s force.
Boom!
Despite their efforts, the undiminished power drove both men back, and the hall descended into complete chaos.
In the wake of the explosion, only a deep crater remained.
“Huff, gasp.”
As Cheon So-hyun steadied his dizziness and caught his breath, Ryu Jeong-hak glanced back.
“Are you unharmed?”
“I’m fine. What in the world was that——”
Cheon So-hyun furrowed his brow.
It appeared a restriction had been placed on him to self-destruct under specific circumstances. I had witnessed similar sorcery several times in my past life, and revulsion washed over me.
Such schemes never ended well, no matter the form they took.
“This is no light restriction. Did he perhaps leave any final words?”
“Despite appearances, he came from a respectable family. He said he was the third son of the Black Serpent Sword Sect.”
“…The Black Serpent Sword Sect, you say?”
A glint of caution flickered across Ryu Jeong-hak’s expression.
They were the sort to obsessively guard their secret techniques from leaking to the outside world, so imposing such a restriction was hardly unreasonable.
But the Third Prince seemed to have something else on his mind.
“There appears to be something specific that’s caught your attention, sir.”
Cheon So-hyun spoke while stroking his chin.
“I doubt he’s even Moon Ju’s child, but even if it were true, he’d seem more like someone who’s fallen out of favor.”
“Is that because of Yong Gol’s swordsmanship?”
“Precisely. If they were particularly close, he wouldn’t have learned such crude techniques. He wouldn’t have built up forces in the borderlands to claim a seat among the Nine Pillars.”
Ryu Jeong-hak nodded slowly.
It was a valid point. Madmen obsessed with the blade wouldn’t be bound by blood relations.
Moreover, southern Gangseong Province was a remote corner of Jianghu beyond the reach of the Martial Alliance and Dark Lotus Society. The Third Prince’s assumption that he was a cast-off son was entirely reasonable.
“In any case… we should prepare ourselves.”
Ryu Jeong-hak was about to summon a subordinate to issue orders.
Cheol Jo, a member of the Yuyun Team, approached him with hurried steps.
“Master Ryu.”
“What is it?”
“The Guild Master of Yuhyeon Merchant Company has arrived at the entrance. It appears he’s come to conduct business with Gwi Jeong Bang. How should we handle this?”
Ryu Jeong-hak surveyed the ruined hall interior and issued a quiet command.
“Finish this quickly so matters don’t become complicated. Make it appear they perished in a clash between Black Path factions….”
Sensing the murderous intent, Cheon So-hyun interjected urgently.
“Wait, wait! Master Ryu, perished? What do you mean by that? Are you saying you’ll commit murder and cover it up?”
Ryu Jeong-hak regarded him silently. His expression asked why such a question needed to be asked.
“There’s no need to tolerate unnecessary complications. If word of the Young Master’s movements were to leak, we must tie up all loose ends securely.”
If they made it appear that a merchant guild manipulated by the Black Path had collapsed in mutual destruction, then even the Black Serpent Sword Sect’s pursuit need not be a concern.
Cheon So-hyun waved his hand.
“I understand what you’re saying, but shouldn’t we at least ascertain the situation first? There’s the matter of the restriction placed on him, and something about this doesn’t feel like an ordinary incident.”
“Is there some aspect that concerns you?”
“I’m troubled by the vital elixir he was apparently taking regularly. Haven’t similar issues occurred recently within the Sect?”
“…Are you referring to Changeung Trading Company?”
“Yes. It may be mere worry, but confirmation is necessary.”
“….”
“I’ll go check it out.”
As Cheon So-hyun promptly left the hall, Ryu Jeong-hak watched his departing figure with furrowed brows.
After the human trafficking and the method of extracting the vital essence from sect members at Changeung Trading Company were exposed, all those involved had been executed, their heads displayed at the Inner Fortress.
If the remnants had fled outside the sect and, as the Third Prince feared, were engaging in such vile acts once more….
‘They must be found and eliminated first.’
He had heard that the Third Prince deserved credit for exposing that crime, so if remnants existed, they would surely be sharpening their blades to aim for the Third Prince’s life.
If word of the Third Prince’s departure from the sect were to be known, even by the slimmest chance, the success of the mission could not be guaranteed, so a swift decision had to be made.
Ryu Jeong-hak summoned his team members, issued his orders, and followed Cheon So-hyun out of the hall.

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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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