AR Chapter 68

“The Soul-Seizing Demon had a total of five disciples, but among them, considering age and skill, the likely candidates for the succession battle are the first disciple Yang Do^[1] and the third disciple Cheong Seon. By the way, Cheong Seon is a woman.”

I asked Seo Daeryong after his report.

“What’s the reputation of these two within the Western Illusion Array?”

“As he’s older, Yang Do has the advantage in experience and martial arts skill, but Cheong Seon is more popular within the Western Illusion Array. Compared to the young and beautiful Cheong Seon, Yang Do has a violent personality, and several demonic sorcerers have already been hurt by him. Some have even died. Despite this, the late Soul-Seizing Demon favored him, so he had a high chance of becoming the successor, but now the situation has changed.”

“Investigate the two of them thoroughly. Martial arts, assets, abilities, hobbies, relationships. Don’t miss anything.”

“Understood.”

“I wonder who the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader will choose?”

Seo Daeryong widened his eyes at my question.

“Will the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader choose one of them?”

“Yes. That’s why I sent you the information about the Soul-Seizing Demon’s disciples.”

“Why?”

“Because I told him to get involved in the Western Illusion Array’s succession battle.”

“Good heavens! What are you planning now? Surely not…?”

Seo Daeryong, who seemed to have latched onto a thought, sent a sound transmission.

—Are you going to kill the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader too? Or Yang Do? Even Cheong Seon?

—Am I a serial killer? I’m not going to kill them all.

Only then did Seo Daeryong relax.

“That’s a relief.”

“It seems everyone these days is worried I might kill someone. Is that what I’ve become?”

“Who else was worried? Your master?”

“Master?”

“Ah! I mean Elder Blood Heavens Saber Demon.”

“You don’t call him master yet?”

“No, he hasn’t allowed it.”

But it seems Seo Daeryong regards him as his master. The word ‘master’ slipped out without him realizing it.

I could feel Seo Daeryong falling deeper and deeper for Saber Demon. Well, Seo Daeryong probably fell head over heels the moment he saw Blood Heavens Saber Demon reading a book.

“So, who do you think the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader will choose?”

“How would I know?”

“If you, a genius who entered with top marks, don’t know, then who would?”

“I just studied hard to get top marks, I’m not a genius.”

“But you said you were a genius.”

“That was you who said that, Pavilion Master.”

“But you nodded smugly back then, didn’t you?”

“I admit it. There’s an unavoidable bit of showing off in my heart. So please downgrade me from genius to someone good at practical work. In return, I’ll thoroughly investigate those two people.”

Seo Daeryong bowed and left the office.

***

“So, who should we support?”

The shackled man was just staring at the Sound Thunder Bell in response to the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader’s question.

“Why do you keep staring at that bell? Does the engraved evil spirit speak to you or something?”

Then the shackled man abruptly said,

“How did you know?”

“Why are you being so scary?”

“It sometimes speaks to me.”

“What does it say?”

The shackled man stared blankly at the evil spirit and said,

“Why do you live like that?”

A moment of silence passed.

“So what did you answer?”

“I used to answer that I live like this because of a narrow-minded and greedy human.”

“And now?”

“Maybe… I answered that it might not be just because of that human.”

“Then what did it say?”

The shackled man said nothing. When pressed once more, the shackled man looked at the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader pitifully.

“Why do you keep asking? How can a carving speak? Are you crazy?”

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader made an incredulous expression.

“Well, it would be strange if I wasn’t going crazy. Soon, I’ll be sitting there having conversations with that carved evil spirit. ‘Why do you let yourself be disrespected like that?’ Why? You evil spirit, you’ve been watching all along, you know!”

“Cheong Seon.”

“Goodness! At least take a fighting stance before you stab me!”

The shackled man was unpredictable, but he was a valuable person because he gave answers like this when needed.

“Why Cheong Seon? I thought Yang Do was more likely to become the successor.”

“Then choose that person.”

The shackled man closed his mouth as if he had nothing more to say.

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader quietly moved to his side.

“Why Cheong Seon?”

“Just choose Yang Do according to your own judgment. How long will a cult leader like you keep following others’ words?”

“Fine, I’ll choose Cheong Seon according to my judgment.”

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader had unwavering faith in the shackled man. No reason was needed. There was a past that he had shown until now.

“So, Cheong Seon, you say? Then how can I make her my disciple?”

“I don’t know that either.”

“What should I do if you don’t know?”

“Wouldn’t it be stranger if I knew that while being tied up here like this?”

“Well, that’s true.”

But the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader didn’t say he would unlock his shackles. Despite all the conversations they’ve had so far, he never said that one thing.

If he unlocked the shackles, the man would fly away from him. Who would stay with someone who put them in this state out of affection? The moment he’s freed, it’s over. That’s why unlocking the shackles was an absolute taboo word for the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader.

“Should I go see Cheong Seon myself?”

“What will you say?”

“Become my disciple. Is that too overbearing? I’ll allow you to become my disciple. How about that?”

“As if she’d become your disciple like that.”

“Then what should I do?”

“Put yourself in her shoes. If some old man from the outer regions whose intentions you can’t fathom suddenly comes and tells you to become his disciple, would you, as a sect leader, fall for those words?”

“Zero fat chance.”

“It’s the same for others. This won’t work just like that.”

“Don’t tell me you’re saying I need to pay a price?”

The shackled man nodded.

“I’ll become her master and teach her martial arts, shouldn’t she be the one paying the price?”

“That’s an outdated way of thinking. The more desperate person pays the price.”

“I don’t like it, I want to receive now instead of giving. I’m originally a person who likes receiving much more! Tell her to bring lots of things to fill my divine artifacts and learn! Tell her to kneel in the courtyard all day and beg!”

The shackled man had told him to give everything, but it wasn’t as easy as he said.

“If we have to pay a price anyway, the target shouldn’t be Cheong Seon.”

“Then who?”

“The Second Young Master will want more of the divine artifacts here. When he looked around the divine artifacts last time, there were some he was eyeing.”

“Dammit!”

“Second Young Master will come with the answer this time too.”

“Second Young Master again?”

The shackled man calmly said to the sighing Heavenly Wind Cult Leader.

“It will be the Second Young Master until the end.”

***

True to his boast, Seo Daeryong was indeed capable in practical matters.

He had thoroughly investigated Yang Do and Cheong Seon. He investigated not only their family backgrounds and relatives, but also their martial arts levels, personalities, interpersonal relationships, and even their favorite foods.

“But in the process of investigating Cheong Seon, I discovered one strange thing.”

“What’s that?”

“Cheong Seon has met Sa Woo-jong a few times.”

“Sa Woo-jong?”

An unexpected name came up.

“Yes. Since it’s a relationship that shouldn’t have any connection, I’m reporting it just in case.”

Seo Daeryong was reporting this separately because he knew that I had formed a connection with One-Flower Sword Supreme as well.

I recalled Sa Woo-jong’s final moments.

He was caught in a soul-seizing technique and died while trying to kill One-Flower Sword Supreme. It was a death where the source of the soul-seizing technique was never revealed.

‘Ah! So that was Cheong Seon’s soul-seizing technique!’

A conclusion naturally drawn.

“The two of them are in a relationship!”

Seo Daeryong was shocked at my words. Not because the two were dating, but because I had guessed it correctly on the spot.

“How did you know?”

Sa Woo-jong had feelings for One-Flower Sword Supreme. If Cheong Seon found out about this during their relationship? His death must have been the result of Cheong Seon’s jealousy and anger. Especially since Cheong Seon was young, if her man loved an older woman, the wound to her pride would be deep enough to pierce her body.

That’s not the only reason I judged they were dating.

The person who told me about the place where the corpses of the Heart and Soul Grand Technique were buried, and the person who stole Neung Hyu’s fan and put it there, must have been Cheong Seon. These were things that couldn’t be known or done unless one was a disciple of the Soul-Seizing Demon. Moreover, if they weren’t in a relationship, she wouldn’t have leaked such important information.

Everything fit together, but I couldn’t tell Seo Daeryong these facts.

I stood up abruptly.

“You’ve thought of something to change the situation again, haven’t you?”

“How did you know?”

“Your eyes changed. Pavilion Master, why are you looking for a genius? You’re the genius.”

“I’m not a genius. I just use my wits and try not to miss out on beneficial things. I need someone who can think big, not just use these small tricks. The difference between having such a person in an organization and not is huge.”

“I don’t really understand, but anyway, you’re amazing.”

“What do you mean you don’t understand? I figured this out thanks to your investigation. Even if I find a genius, I won’t exchange them for you.”

“I’m sure you wouldn’t. You’ll probably keep both of us anyway. But where are you going?”

I was already walking out of the office.

‘Divine artifact hunting!’

This was also something I couldn’t tell him.

***

I went straight to meet the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader.

His quarters were the scene of the incident, and as the Underworld Pavilion Master, I had an official reason to come and go anytime.

“Welcome.”

“Have you been well?”

“I read the materials you sent. Thank you.”

“It’s nothing.”

While exchanging greetings with him, I glanced at the shackled man.

He didn’t look at me with his head bowed, but every time I see him, I feel that this isn’t a relationship that will just pass by.

My gaze returned to the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader.

“Have you found a way to jump into the Western Illusion Array’s succession battle?”

“Not yet.”

“You should hurry. Soon, the Demon Supremes will intervene and choose a successor.”

“As you know, I’m shackled here just like that person. Even meeting the Western Illusion Array’s successors isn’t easy.”

I nodded as if I understood.

“Among the candidates, who would you like to take as a disciple?”

“Cheong Seon.”

Judging by his lack of surprise at my answer, it seems he had already come to this conclusion with the shackled man. Indeed, that was the case.

“We also judged Cheong Seon to be suitable.”

I think it’s because of Sa Woo-jong, but I wonder for what reason that shackled man chose Cheong Seon?

“But I have no way to persuade her.”

“What if I could make Cheong Seon come to you directly?”

“And then?”

“She would beg to become your disciple. I’ll even make her cook and feed you.”

“If you could do that, I couldn’t ask for more.”

“In exchange, give me one divine artifact.”

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader’s expression, which had brightened, darkened again.

“You’re really shameless.”

“It’s not shameless, it’s natural. Using friendship or loyalty to make someone work without proper compensation is something that only worked in our fathers’ generation.”

“I’m also from that time.”

“You need to acknowledge that times have changed. And that I, sitting in front of you, am a person of these times. If you don’t like this, you should live like a fossil, only looking at what you like.”

Of course, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader frowned because he didn’t want such a life.

I persuaded him in a gentle tone.

“This matter involves dealing with young people, so please leave it to me. I’ll produce results that will make the divine artifact worthwhile.”

“Let me think for a moment.”

“Of course.”

I pretended to look at the divine artifacts while giving time for sound transmissions to pass between the shackled man and the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader.

Finally, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader spoke to me.

“Alright, I accept your proposal.”

Although he seemed very displeased, it appears he was persuaded by the shackled man.

“It’s up to her coming and asking to be accepted as a disciple. Raising her to the position of a Demon Supreme is up to your capability.”

“If I need help even then, I’ll come back and ask for another divine artifact. Why don’t you just give me everything now!”

“I wish I had that ability. For my sake, and for yours.”

I stood up. I bowed politely to the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader, exchanged a brief eye greeting with the shackled man, and left the place.

From there, I went to find one person.

The person holding the key to this matter, Sa Woo-jong.

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