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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Confronting the Heavenly Demon (1)
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* * *
"Alright, it's time you told me."
"About what, sir?"
As soon as they returned to his residence, Jinmyeong summoned Yang Jeon.
"Why the Vice Cult Leader is so interested in me."
It was truly a peculiar situation.
Of course, one could argue that the Vice Cult Leader had taken an interest in Jinmyeong's martial prowess and was helping him because he saw his potential.
"But no matter how much you asked, he's not an easy man to meet."
"That's true. Who am I to arrange a meeting with the Vice Cult Leader?"
"The son of the general manager of the Vice Cult Leader's palace?"
"Ahem!"
Yang Jeon let out a dry cough at Jinmyeong's words.
"Now tell me the truth."
"Hoo."
"Why is the Vice Cult Leader so interested in me, and why is one of his men, you, here with me?"
He felt he needed to know.
"Hmm. It seems you don't remember that either."
"I don't."
"Yes. It's not exactly a secret, so I will tell you."
The reason Yang Jeon was here.
And the reason the Vice Cult Leader, Shin Horyang, held a favorable view of Jinmyeong.
"It is because of your father, Young Master."
"That again?"
"Pardon?"
Jinmyeong muttered to himself as his father, a man whose face he didn't even know, was mentioned once more.
"That man who let me go when I was on the verge of death said the same thing."
"..."
Jinmyeong spoke, recalling the pursuer who had spared his life.
It seemed his father had been quite a remarkable person.
"Hmm. Do you know which of the Vice Cult Leader's forces is the strongest?"
"No."
"It is the Gale Force Brigade."
The pride of the Vice Cult Leader, the Mad Demon.
It was said that just as the Heavenly Demon had the Demonic Shadow Brigade, the Mad Demon had the Gale Force Brigade.
"So why are you bringing that up?"
"Because your father, Young Master, was the former commander of that very brigade."
"Now that is surprising."
He had been told his father was the commander of a formidable unit.
But he never imagined that unit would be the Vice Cult Leader's Gale Force Brigade.
"He must have been quite a man, my father…"
"You speak as if he's a complete stranger."
"I can't help it. I've never even seen his face."
Yang Jeon could only offer an awkward laugh in response to Jinmyeong's reply.
In truth, Yang Jeon didn't know Jinmyeong's father well either.
"In any case, it is said that your father died in battle on behalf of the Vice Cult Leader."
"Hmm?"
Jinmyeong wore a puzzled expression.
"There was a time when the Vice Cult Leader briefly ventured into the Central Plains."
There, he was ambushed by assailants of unknown origin.
They were stronger than expected, to the point that even the Mad Demon, the Vice Cult Leader himself, felt he was in danger.
"In that situation, while trying to protect the Vice Cult Leader…"
He had died protecting Shin Horyang.
"Hmm. I see. So that's why he's interested in me? Because I'm the son of his old subordinate?"
"That's part of it, and also because he was impressed by your talent, Young Master."
When Jinmyeong was young, he had displayed his talent at the Gale Force Brigade's training grounds.
"The Vice Cult Leader intended to take you as his disciple, but…"
It seemed the Heavenly Demon had also taken a liking to Jinmyeong's talent.
It was only natural to covet someone with an eye that could grasp the essence and even the weaknesses of a martial art just by seeing it.
"So the Vice Cult Leader yielded you to the Cult Leader."
"If he gave me up just because the Cult Leader showed interest…"
Perhaps the Mad Demon hadn't rated Jinmyeong's talent as highly as he thought.
"Well, I do not know what transpired between the Cult Leader and the Vice Cult Leader."
He might have thought it better to send him to the Heavenly Demon, or the Heavenly Demon might have taken him by force.
He could have offered the Mad Demon something else in return, or, as Jinmyeong suggested, he might have simply thought it didn't matter if he went to the Heavenly Demon.
"He's probably thinking he made the right choice, seeing the state of my body."
"Hahaha."
Yang Jeon couldn't answer, only letting out an awkward laugh.
"Exceptional talent in a body that can't keep up, is it?"
"I heard you adapted to the basic training immediately."
Jinmyeong had readily absorbed things like internal energy cultivation and physical conditioning.
Indeed, his body was well-developed, and his internal energy was quite substantial.
"But it's a body forsaken by the heavens."
Jinmyeong didn't believe it was a congenital condition.
'There could be something like a curse.'
After all, in the place where he discovered the martial arts, wasn't there a mechanism that used his blood?
To Jinmyeong, that seemed no different from magic.
'But there's no way to prove it, and no way to fix it.'
In truth, he was just hoping that was the case.
Shouldn't he at least have the goal of fixing a body that couldn't even perform martial arts?
If he hadn't been able to learn a martial art that didn't require physical movement, he might have given up on everything.
"In any case, did he send you here because I'm the son of a subordinate he cherished?"
"That could be the case."
In the end, Jinmyeong was abandoned by the Heavenly Demon.
Because he couldn't properly learn martial arts.
He fell behind the other disciples and was eventually left alone.
'It seems I'm alive thanks to a father whose face I've never seen.'
It had been that way since he first opened his eyes.
The man who let him go said he owed a debt to Jinmyeong's father.
And thanks to his father, he had even gained the favor of the Vice Cult Leader.
Though he didn't know his father's face or even his name, he couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude.
* * *
About five days had passed since Jinmyeong's visit to the Vice Cult Leader's palace.
"Young Master."
Yang Jeon approached Jinmyeong, who was training in his garden as usual.
"You truly are remarkable."
Yang Jeon clicked his tongue as he watched the five swords floating around Jinmyeong.
*Whoosh!*
As one of the swords grazed past him, Yang Jeon jumped back in surprise.
"Are you doing this on purpose?"
"Doing what? You're the one who walked into the sword's path."
At Jinmyeong's words, Yang Jeon frowned and tried to approach him.
*Whoosh!*
But another sword flashed right before his face, and he couldn't help but flinch back again.
"Please stop playing around."
Though he said that, Yang Jeon's eyes remained fixed on Jinmyeong's swords.
It was only natural, as this martial art completely defied his common sense.
"So, what really brings you here?"
"Pardon?"
Yang Jeon, who had been staring blankly at the floating swords, finally snapped back to reality.
"You didn't come all this way just to watch me train, did you?"
"Of course not."
Yang Jeon let out a small sigh.
"I was just watching you train and momentarily forgot my purpose for coming."
"Doesn't sound like it was very important, then?"
"No, it's quite important. The Cult Leader has summoned you."
"Who has?"
Despite saying it was important, Yang Jeon's tone was casual.
Because of this, Jinmyeong also heard the words without much concern.
"The Cult Leader."
"Right. The Cult Leader. Summoned who? Me?"
"Yes. You, Young Master."
"I see. So it was quite important."
Yang Jeon nodded and replied to Jinmyeong's words.
"Yes. I told you it was important."
"When do I have to be there?"
"You should go right now."
"Ah, now?"
Jinmyeong grinned.
"Yes. Now."
And Yang Jeon grinned back.
But he was slowly backing away.
"So it seems we've been having a pointless chat about something that's extremely urgent."
The swords floating around Jinmyeong began to prepare themselves, ready to launch at Yang Jeon at any moment.
"I-is it alright for you to be doing this?"
Feeling the pressure, Yang Jeon exclaimed hastily.
"Shouldn't you be getting ready to see the Cult Leader?"
As he said, there was no time for this.
"It's been a while since the Cult Leader has called for you, hasn't it?"
The Heavenly Demon hadn't summoned Jinmyeong for a long time.
It would be more accurate to say there had been no reason to.
"But why is he calling for me?"
"I do not know. Do you think they'd tell me the reason for the Cult Leader's summons?"
All that was delivered was a message telling him to come to the Cult Leader's Hall.
'Is this because of the Vice Cult Leader?'
There was no other reason for the Cult Leader to summon him right now.
That meant the Vice Cult Leader, the Mad Demon, must have pulled some strings.
'It's only been five days.'
It seemed the Mad Demon was more impatient than he had thought.
"If you are late, the Cult Leader may become very angry. If that happens, he might never summon you again."
"That wouldn't be good."
Right now, he needed to convince the Heavenly Demon that he too was useful.
Falling out of favor by being late for a summons was not what Jinmyeong wanted.
He could end up kicking away the very opportunity the Vice Cult Leader had painstakingly created for him.
"Hoo. I should get going."
"Yes. So please, hurry and prepare."
Jinmyeong shot a glare at the smoothly answering Yang Jeon before moving to prepare for his visit to the Cult Leader's Hall.
He quickly washed off his sweat with water Yang Jeon had prepared and put on his finest clothes.
"Let us be on our way."
Once he was ready, Yang Jeon spoke.
"Don't people usually take a carriage for things like this?"
"Where would we get a carriage? Perhaps when you secure a high-ranking position, Young Master, you might get one."
Jinmyeong sighed at Yang Jeon's words.
"Come, let's be on our way."
"Fine. Let's go. Lead the way."
"Yes, sir."
The two immediately left the estate and headed for the Heavenly Demon's Palace.
'It's ridiculously extravagant.'
Jinmyeong couldn't close his mouth as he looked at the Heavenly Demon's Palace, the Cult Leader's residence.
The Vice Cult Leader's palace? It was large and splendid.
But the Heavenly Demon's Palace made even that place look shabby.
'It really is a palace, just like its name.'
It looked like a scaled-down version of the Forbidden City he had seen on TV or the internet.
The Heavenly Demon's Palace alone looked like a small city.
"Let us enter."
"Hoo. Alright."
Jinmyeong soon headed for the main gate of the Heavenly Demon's Palace.
"This is Young Master Jinmyeong, the Cult Leader's youngest disciple."
"Mm."
The warrior guarding the main gate nodded at Yang Jeon's words and studied Jinmyeong for a moment.
Then, he nodded again and signaled to the other warriors beside him.
*Creeeak!*
The massive, tightly shut gate began to open.
"Let us go."
As the main gate opened, Jinmyeong and Yang Jeon went inside.
Guided by a waiting handmaiden, the two immediately made their way toward the Cult Leader's Hall within the Heavenly Demon's Palace.
'If I had to make a comparison, is this where the emperor conducts his business?'
Jinmyeong stared blankly at the enormous Cult Leader's Hall.
It looked similar to what he had seen in historical dramas.
'Hmm. In historical dramas, aren't places like this usually where all the officials line up to listen to the emperor?'
A massive hall. And a vast plaza from which to view it.
"Young Master! How long are you going to stand there!"
As Jinmyeong stood in the great plaza, staring up at the hall, Yang Jeon called out to him.
"I'm coming, I'm coming. We're late because of you, but you're blaming it all on me?"
"How is this my fault? The fault lies with you, Young Master, for being unable to use lightness techniques and having to walk."
"You never lose an argument, do you?"
Jinmyeong clicked his tongue and immediately started moving toward the Cult Leader's Hall.