‘Become the Heavenly Demon. Only then will you and this mother live. You must become the Heavenly Demon. You must...!’

Only the strong can survive, and only the strong can protect what they have.

The powerless are ruled by the strong, serve them, and even if they die by the strong’s hand, they have no right to resent it.

Their deaths are not the tyranny of those with power but the fault of their own frailty.

That was what he had been taught, born and raised as the Heavenly Demon’s child.

Even when weak siblings died one by one, his mother and those around them all blamed the siblings’ weakness, not those who drove them to death.

No—if anything, they praised the strength of those who killed his siblings and climbed a step higher.

Looking at the empty quarters, their masters gone overnight, he learned the law of survival called the strong devour the weak.

‘You... at least... must survive. To live... in this hell... you must... the Heavenly Demon....’

His mother, after drinking poisoned tea, died on the spot.

Even as she died, she never stopped urging him to become the Heavenly Demon and survive.

If you would protect someone.

If you would not be robbed.

If you would live.

You must become the Heavenly Demon.

You must climb to the highest seat.

That alone was the goal of life, and he had never once considered any other goal.

Because it mattered most, when the time came to send his wife and child outside the Demonic Cult, he regarded it as something unavoidable.

He realized that was wrong only when he heard that the one called Father had dispatched a pursuit unit to kill them.

“I had to become the Heavenly Demon.”

That alone was the reason he existed.

****

Tak—

“Cult Lord.”

Baek-yeong approached the Heavenly Demon’s side.

The Heavenly Demon’s gaze tracked the party of Ouyang Do rapidly receding.

It went to his own son, Yu Gang, who kept tight to Ouyang Do’s back.

“Why did you not speak plainly?”

“Speak what?”

“It was you who sent Jamun to the young lord, was it not?”

It had been the Heavenly Demon who sent the warrior Jamun to Yu Gang to tell him the truth of ten-odd years ago.

The reason a mere rank-and-file like Jamun could visit Yu Gang, the Demonic Cult’s young lord, without any hindrance was precisely that.

The problem was likely that Jamun remembered the events of that day wrong.

“Was it not that you wished to mend your relationship with him? If you yourself had explained the circumstances back then, the young lord surely would have....”

“That child.”

The Cult Lord’s gaze rested on Yu Gang.

“He has not smiled even once before me.”

In all the many days since they met again at the Demonic Cult.

The Heavenly Demon had not once seen his child smile.

Who was it that said blood ties are not easily severed?

The long years the child lived apart diluted even the heaven in their shared blood to a thin wash.

‘I do not know how important the Heavenly Demon’s seat is that you had to abandon your family, but I have no thought of succeeding you.’

‘If you would think of me, do not seek me again.’

If you cannot be happy, then leaving is right; if you cannot be at peace, it cannot be called a home.

The Heavenly Demon’s seat was the best of what the Cult Lord possessed, but in his son’s eyes it was nothing but a shackle.

‘Go.’

The Heavenly Demon chose to let his son go.

It was the last thing a father could do for his child.

“Let’s return.”

Only when Yu Gang could no longer be seen did the Heavenly Demon turn to leave.

Part 3, Chapter 5. Ambition Soaked in Blood

Swish— Swish—

The three swiftly cleared the Forest of Demonic Creatures.

Unlike when Baek-yeong had been with them pretending his qi was unstable, they could freely use their movement arts now, so getting out of the Forest of Demonic Creatures did not take long.

Having traveled through the night to exit the forest, the three took their rest at the inn in Xining where Seolhwa and Yu Gang had stayed on their way to the Demonic Cult.

“So you’re staying on Mount Kunlun now?”

At Yu Gang’s question, Ouyang Do nodded.

“Yes. Once the Demon-Slaying Corps troopers gather, we’re to begin a purge of demonic creatures together with Kunlun Sect warriors.”

“The Demon-Slaying Corps is coming here?”

Yu Gang’s face brightened.

“The Alliance Lord told me that when you returned, you were to carry out a mission with the Demon-Slaying Corps. It will take seven days for everyone to assemble, so while we wait, let’s train the Ouyang Do Art for the first time in a while.”

Yu Gang bobbed his head vigorously.

“Yes. I’d like that!”

Just then—

“Pff.”

At the sudden little laugh, Yu Gang and Ouyang Do looked at Seolhwa in surprise.

Finding herself the focus of their eyes, Seolhwa waved a hand and explained the reason for her laughter.

“No, just... That face you made when the elder spoke—how you liked it—I never saw that expression while we were in the Demonic Cult.”

“Ah....”

“It looks good on you. It’s like the you I knew.”

With Seolhwa’s smile curving softly, Yu Gang blinked.

A faint flush touched Yu Gang’s cheeks.

He had felt it when she reached out her hand to him in the Demonic Cult as well, but it seemed Seolhwa’s way of dealing with him had changed from before.

Somehow she seemed less restrained....

Of course, he did not dislike that change.

“Does it?”

Yu Gang scratched the bridge of his nose for no reason.

As a delicate current passed between them, Ouyang Do, after swallowing a dumpling, spoke to Seolhwa.

“You should return to your main house.”

Seolhwa looked at Ouyang Do.

“Has something happened?”

“The imperial household seized the Namgoong Clan’s Medicine Hall Lord. The Chief Division Lord went with her.”

“...!”

Shock washed across Seolhwa’s face.

Chor Yeon had been taken by the imperial household, and Master had gone to the palace following the ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) seized Chor Yeon?

What kind of bolt-from-the-blue was this?

She was about to ask again in disbelief when Ouyang Do’s voice transmission continued.

— The Emperor asked to borrow strength to find the missing Explosives. After Namgoong Cheongun met with the Emperor, he began investigating that matter.

— And the Medicine Hall Lord and the Wind-and-Thunder Deity of the main house?

— They will remain in the Imperial Palace until the Explosives are found.

Seolhwa’s eyes trembled.

She could roughly guess what this was about, but it looked necessary to learn a bit more in detail.

Hao Sect would not be sitting idle on something this important.

‘They will have organized the needed information.’

Waiting only for me to return.

“I’ll... to the main house....”

“It’s all right. Go.”

Seolhwa nodded.

Now that she knew the situation, there was no time to delay. She rose at once.

Startled, Yu Gang rose at the same time.

Going?

She’s going? Just like this?

He had thought they could finally talk at ease, but she was leaving like this?

Yet this was Namgoong’s business, most precious to Seolhwa.

He could not bring himself to stop her.

Tak—

Right there, Seolhwa gathered her things and bolted out of the inn.

“Seolhwa...!”

Yu Gang hurriedly chased her out of the inn.

But Seolhwa was nowhere to be seen.

Even so, Yu Gang’s eyes chased her traces.

She left. She really left.

It was natural that she would be frantic when it concerned her precious people, but still....

Just then—

As Yu Gang was looking about busily, someone caught his wrist and turned him.

“!”

Yu Gang spun around, eyes wide.

“...Seolhwa?!”

The one he had thought had already left the town stood behind him.

Catching her slightly quickened breath.

“Puppy.”

In that instant, Yu Gang felt his heart drop with a thud.

For a heartbeat it was as if everything around them stopped; he saw only her.

“Be careful.”

Her gently curved brows, the worried eyes, the lips that offered a calm breath and a warning to take care.

Unable to restrain himself, Yu Gang seized the hand clasping his wrist and pulled it the other way.

As if to lock her in his arms, he drew her into a sudden embrace.

“!”

Seolhwa’s eyes went round as she was caught in Yu Gang’s arms in a heartbeat.

“Puppy?”

“Thank you for coming back.”

“...”

“You be careful too. I know you’re strong. Only... I hope you won’t hurt at all.”

In body, or in heart.

I hope no more painful things happen to you.

“...Mm.”

Hearing his voice while held in his arms, it felt as if Yu Gang’s feelings were being transmitted through her whole body.

She knew well that an embrace was warm, but every time she felt it, Yu Gang’s arms felt uniquely hot.

After saying farewell to Yu Gang, Seolhwa left Xining at once and headed straight for the Hao Sect’s Shaanxi branch.

Thanks to the letter she had sent ahead to the Hao Sect Lord while passing through Gansu, the Hao Sect Lord was already waiting for her when she arrived at the Shaanxi branch.

Yuhua Mountain in Chongqing.

Led by Namgoong Cheongun, the Namgoong Clan’s Black Dragon Unit, the Martial Alliance’s Vermilion Bird Division, and five eunuchs of the Eastern Depot climbed the mountain while hiding their presence.

Their destination was a small, shabby mountain stronghold hidden halfway up Yuhua Mountain.

It looked like a plain mountain lodge, but through the Sado Union they had already confirmed it belonged neither to the Green Forest nor to common bandits.

Above all, a large cave adjoined the back of the stronghold—an optimal place to store Explosives, which must be kept in dry, cool conditions.

It was the most likely site where the Blood Cult was expected to be hiding the Explosives.

“...”

On a low cliff from which one could look down on the stronghold,

Cheongun signaled to those following him to halt.

Hiding his body behind a rock, Cheongun looked down at the stronghold.

‘For all its shabbiness, every guard is a skilled fighter.’

At least first- or second-rate warriors; he could see several peak-level masters as well. Moreover—

‘Are those the leaders?’

Cheongun’s eyes narrowed.

Two men who seemed at least close to his own realm were chattering idly as they crossed the stronghold.