Chapter 138: A miracle happened in the Demon Cult (1)

The somewhat disordered atmosphere settled down.

The excitement from young master Kim showing his shocking power and the Heavenly Demon seeming to be okay instantly changed.

Only heavy silence filled the area.

"Kim Hae-il. Sound does not leave this area, right?"

Cale unhappily looked at the Heavenly Demon who called out his alias without even using young master.

'I don't know his name. Why the hell does he think he can call me by my name and speak so informally to me?'

Maybe it was because he was feeling upset, but his response was not very sincere.

"Yeah."

It was just a single word.

The Heavenly Demon did not seem fazed by this. He just channeled more of that vicious dark red aura and looked at his top executives standing outside the pavilion.

He then resumed speaking.

He said something that the people outside, who were at a loss for words, could not hear.

"Kim Hae-il. It looked like you wanted to move around stealthily, but… That has become impossible."

Cale nodded his head.

"Yeah, now that the spies saw my power, it might be better to move openly."

This was an unexpected situation, but he just had to plan accordingly now that the situation did change.

He shared his thoughts as he organized the list of things he had to do.

"I haven't figured out the living jiangshi in the Unorthodox faction's top executives, but oh well. I will need to take care of the things in the Demon Cult as quickly as possible and go meet the Divergent Coalition's leader."

It was better to move quickly because they had no idea how the Blood Cult and the living jiangshis or Blood Cult spies in the Unorthodox faction would react after learning about how young master Kim could purify the black smoke.

The Heavenly Demon nonchalantly commented at that moment.

"No. There is no chance of it spreading to the Unorthodox faction."

Cale looked toward the Heavenly Demon.

He then realized it.

"No word of the Blood Cult will spread outside of the Demon Cult. However, it will be impossible to hide it within the Demon Cult."

A slight smile appeared on the Heavenly Demon's face.

Cale was certain.

'This bastard seems extremely angry.'

Cale's face became unsettled after hearing what the Heavenly Demon said next.

"Because I am angry."

Now that he was angry, it was impossible to move around stealthily.

The Heavenly Demon did not look at the expression on Cale's face. He didn't need to do so. He did not feel that anything was lacking in what he just said.

The Heavenly Demon. From the moment he let go of his own name and carried this name on his back…

"I am the Demon Cult and the Demon Cult is me."

The aura surrounding the Heavenly Demon became even stronger.

Cale subconsciously released a small amount of the Dominating Aura.

'Ah, now I feel like I can breathe.'

His arms that had been covered in goosebumps had returned to normal.

Now that Cale knew how he could counter this, he slowly increased the amount of Dominating Aura used following the Heavenly Demon's scary aura. Of course, he only used extremely low amounts compared to the Heavenly Demon.

It was only strong enough to make sure he did not get goosebumps.

He quietly listened to what the Heavenly Demon had to say.

"The Demon Cult's living jiangshis are both perpetrators and victims. However, it is a different story for spies."

he then nodded his head.

"They are victims because they became the Blood Cult's living jiangshis because the Demon Cult could not protect them. However, they are perpetrators because even if they themselves cannot recognize it, they are currently harming the Demon Cult. But I cannot be angry at them because they are not doing so out of their own will. However, it is a different story when some bastards who are not a part of the Demon Cult have snuck in here to cause trouble."

The Heavenly Demon grumbled.

"Yes, an extremely different story."

He heard a casual voice as soon as he finished speaking.

"I'll release the soundproofing."

The Heavenly Demon stared at young master Kim Hae-il, who responded without any changes to his expression.

Although he did not say anything to show his approval, the fact that he was removing the soundproofing meant that the Heavenly Demon could do as he pleased.

'How entertaining.'

The Heavenly Demon was entertained that although Cale had not studied martial arts, he was able to straighten himself out from the Heavenly Demon's wrath-filled aura by releasing internal ki.

"What are you looking at?"

The Heavenly Demon looked away after hearing the grumbling question.

"Nothing much."

He gave a short response and took a step forward.

He could feel the eccentric aura surrounding the pavilion disappear.

'Did he call it magic?'

That soundproof barrier magic thing must be getting withdrawn.

The Heavenly Demon's gaze moved toward the Demon Cult members standing outside the pavilion.

The smile had disappeared.

It was still silent out there.

The Heavenly Demon liked this atmosphere where people were so quiet that they could clearly hear the wind and the fluttering leaves.

It was quiet.

He liked it when it was quiet.

"I do not like loud things."

Those nights he had to clutch his empty stomach and go to sleep…

He curled up into a ball and kept himself from crying or groaning despite his whole body being in pain from being beaten by the other future leader candidates because doing so would use up more energy.

It had been a quiet night where he couldn't even hear the insects chirping outside.

It was a rare night of such silence. It led him to believe that he could peacefully go to sleep despite his whole body being in pain and not having eaten anything all day.

Until a rat started running across the ceiling.

The area between the roof and the ceiling… The rats living in that gap were running around with excitement.

The noise was trivial, but maybe because it was a quiet night, but…

The noise the Heavenly Demon heard from above was so loud that he was worried that the ceiling would break down.

Although this house was all he had, the endless noises of the rats moving around and their squeaking… All of it felt as if they would take away his base.

"Yes, I especially hate those damn rats."

The Heavenly Demon took another step forward as he spoke.

"Immediately close and lock up all gates of the Demon Cult."

His voice was calm.

It was a girlish voice that seemed as if he was sharing his thoughts while looking at the flowing river.

"All living creatures currently existing within the Demon Cult will not be able to exit out of the Demon Cult."

The spies from the Blood Cult…

The Heavenly Demon had made up his mind from the moment he heard about those damn rats.

"Should someone exit, they will not be alive."

The Heavenly Demon' violent dark red aura made nobody able to say anything.

They all knelt down on one knee, bowed their heads, and responded.

"Demon!"

At the same time, they could also feel the aura behind the Heavenly Demon's violent aura that was giving off its presence.

Unlike this violent and explosive aura, that other aura seemed to slowly suffocate them.

That was an aura that was making them bow their heads for a different reason.

Young master Kim.

He was standing behind the Heavenly Demon as if he was supporting him.

'What is up with this situation?'

Pavilion Master Gong knelt down on one knee with her old body but her mind was getting complicated.

She was about to scope out the Sage Demon next to her when she heard the Heavenly Demon's voice.

The Heavenly Demon did not raise his voice. However, everybody was able to hear his internal ki-filled voice.

"The Blood Cult has made me ill."

Pavilion Master Gong's eyes opened wide.

She started to release her aura as well.

Crack.

The veins on the hand clutching the cane started to bulge.

The Demon Cult existed in a desolate area that neighbored a desert.

You had to be strong to survive in such a place.

That was why the strongest of them all, the Heavenly Demon, was like the ground to the Demon Cult.

The person who decided where they would set up their base or even determined the direction they should walk

Someone dared to make their land sick?

That meant that they were trying to crumble the Demon Cult.

"However, young master Kim Hae-il right here was able to heal that illness."

Pavilion Master Gong was finally able to understand the true meaning behind the Sage Demon and the Heavenly Demon calling such a person into the Demon Cult.

Negotiation between the Orthodox Clan and the Demon Cult? Friendship with the Imperial family?

Yes, such things did not align with the laws of the Demon Cult.

At that moment, the Heavenly Demon, the Demon bestowed upon them by the Heavens, the ground supporting the members of the Demon Cult, started to speak.

"Pavilion Master Kee, Battalion Commander Meng. We have some damn rats from the Blood Cult here."

Pavilion Master Gong raised her head.

She made eye contact with the Heavenly Demon.

Pavilion Master Kee and Battalion Commander Meng kicked off the ground at that moment.

They were not trying to escape.

As they acted with their lives on the line to commit suicide or to send a carrier pigeon…

"Ugh!"

Battalion Commander Meng, who had been trying to send off the carrier pigeon, had his hand pierced. His dantian was also pierced.

A cane had pierced through both of them.

Tap. Pavilion Master Gong gently landed back on the ground. Battalion Commander Meng was still pierced in her cane. It was just extra that she suppressed his blood flow so that he could not commit suicide.

Boom.

Pavilion Master Kee, who was suppressed without being able to commit suicide, had lost consciousness. The Sage Demon was holding him by the neck.

The spies were hunted as soon as they were discovered, making it impossible for them to get out of this trap.

The Heavenly Demon did not react in any way as if this was to be expected and nonchalantly commented.

"Demon Guardians Battalion."

The Demon Guardians Battalion. This was the Heavenly Demon's personal Battalion for protecting the Demon Cult.

Shhhhhhhh-

The instant they felt like a breeze passed by…

Martial artists clad in black attires appeared, encircling the pavilion and the area around it.

They looked like shadows as everything other than their eyes were covered.

"Demon."

The Demon Guardians Battalion gave a short response before they disappeared.

Everybody could tell what they were going to do.

All doors of the Demon Cult would close starting today. All living creatures escaping past the doors would die.

However, nobody was scared about this.

In fact, they were releasing their auras similar to Pavilion Master Gong and the Sage Demon.

So many people started releasing their internal ki that the ground started shaking.

Cale gulped internally as he watched.

'Holy crap.'

He realized that he had not seen the true identity of the Demon Cult until now.

He could clearly feel why the Orthodox faction and the Unorthodox faction avoided the Demon Cult while being scared of them.

Vicious gazes that would never look back were focused on the Heavenly Demon.

The Heavenly Demon firmly received those gazes and released even more of his aura.

'Ugh!'

Cale was about to get goosebumps again and used more of his Dominating Aura to barely stop himself from getting swept up in the Heavenly Demon's aura.

'Haa.'

As he was about to hold back a sigh…

The Heavenly Demon started speaking with an overflowing dark red aura wrapped around him.

"Destroy Blood."

Destroy the Blood Cult.

That was all he said.

Boom!

Everybody standing in front of the Pavilion slammed their heads on the ground and shouted.

"Demon!"

They must have infused their internal ki into their voices as the air around them started shaking.

Flutter-

The birds that had been quiet around them must have gotten shocked as they flew up into the sky. However, there were eyes watching those birds.

Even those birds would die if they flew past the doors of the Demon Cult.

Cale watched all of this with an unsettled look on his face.

'As expected, the Demon Cult members are no joke either.

I think the Blood Cult messed with the wrong people.'

A kind of blind devotion not seen in the Orthodox faction could be seen in them.

'But doesn't it hurt slamming your head in the ground like that?'

Cale slowly rubbed his forehead with his palm as if his own forehead hurt.

'Hmm?'

He then felt something weird and looked around.

There were two people staring at him with piercing gazes.

One was Pavilion Master Gong of the Law and Etiquette Pavilion. Cale moved his gaze away from her. He made it not very obvious that he was avoiding her gaze.

'What a vicious old woman!'

Battalion Commander Meng, who had fainted with his dantian destroyed… The spy from the Blood Cult was shaking and foaming at the mouth but she didn't even blink and just kept her cane in the air with the spy dangling from it.

Such an old woman was smiling at Cale.

She reminded Cale of Ron.

No, Ron was better. 'Ron's never done something like that!

And what's up with her?'

Cale felt extremely iffy after avoiding Pavilion Master Gong's gaze and looking at the other person staring at him.

One of the candidates was drooling while looking at him. She was quietly laughing as well.

Such laughter was scary for a different reason.

Crazy bastards were the scariest people.

She laughed even brighter and bowed once they made eye contact.

'…I don't think it would be good if she became the Heavenly Demon.'

Cale felt that avoiding crazy bastards was the best decision and looked away from the candidate.

– Human, are we not eating refreshments? Is it just going to end like this?

Cale walked over to the Heavenly Demon after hearing Raon's disappointed voice.

Pat pat.

He patted the Heavenly Demon's shoulder.

The Heavenly Demon turned his head to ask what Cale needed.

"It's basically done, right?"

The Heavenly Demon responded to Cale's nonchalant question.

"That is true."

He was not going to go into details here.

Cale nodded his head and continued to speak.

"Ask Pavilion Master Kee and Battalion Commander Meng what number they are in the Blood Cult."

"What?"

"The people the Blood Cult sends out seem to have numbers."

"…What do you mean by that?"

"I have the Blood Cult's Number 7."

The Heavenly Demon's eyes clouded over.

He felt that young master Kim knew more about the Blood Cult than he expected.

"You truly are the answer."

"Yes, yes. I am the answer."

Cale just brushed it off and asked.

"By the way…"

His face became a bit serious. The Heavenly Demon looked back with a stiff expression on his face as well and Cale looked around.

He then walked a little closer to the Heavenly Demon. As the Heavenly Demon's movements became cautious as well and he was about to focus on Cale's lips…

"Hey."

Cale asked.

"Can I pack up some of the refreshments here? There's a kid who wants to eat it."

Cale could still hear Raon gulping in his mind.

He thought it would be weird to openly ask that in such a serious situation and whispered to the Heavenly Demon because he could not use sound transmission.

"…I see. Go ahead."

The Heavenly Demon gave his permission.

However, Cale's mood turned odd.

'Why is he looking at me like that?'

He heard Raon's voice in his mind.

– Alright! How exciting! Let's pack up all of the expensive crackers!

'Yes, let's head back to our lodging first.'

Cale thought that there should be nothing for him to do and just packed up some refreshments and headed back to his lodging.

Of course, he told the Heavenly Demon to let him know immediately if anything changed or they made any decisions.

The Heavenly Demon asked back.

"Can we do the experiment in two days?"

Cale responded to the question asking to pull forward the purification time.

"Of course."

It wasn't hard.

The Heavenly Demon quietly observed Cale who answered nonchalantly and disappeared.

That pure yet destructive aura…

Controlling such a power should require delicate control but he answered as if it was nothing.

However, it was probably no big deal to this person.

"Oh esteemed Heavenly Demon."

He spoke to the Sage Demon who approached him.

"We are heading to the Grand Pavilion."

The Demon Cult would now break their silence and be loud for a while.

However, Cale didn't think about that and walked quickly toward the lodging.

He had something to do.

Tonight, he was planning on having Choi Han and Choi Jung Soo spar against each other.

* * *

Choi Han and Choi Jung Soo were standing in the training ground looking at Cale.

—

Translator's Comments

Here it comes. Here it comes.

***

If you find any errors or have suggestions, please feel free to provide feedback.

Thank you for reading!

[Author – Yu Ryeo Han]

[Translator – Anowa]

[Proofreader – Rai_Mayank]