So? Did Someone Force You to Become the Heavenly Demon?

Chapter 361 : Truth (1)

Seo Wan-pyeong's eyes went wide at Il-mok's words."A plan to annihilate the murim? What the hell does that mean?"

In response, Il-mok laid out his reasoning.

"The Imperial Family's intention in trying to seize control of both our Divine Cult and the Martial Alliance at the same time was never about absorbing them. It's the opposite. They want to make us destroy each other."

Even with just that broad outline, Seo Wan-pyeong immediately grasped what he was getting at.

"Now that actually makes sense. Neither we nor those self-righteous hypocrites in the Central Plains would ever willingly become the Imperial Family's dogs, so their plan all along was to just let us tear each other apart."

"Exactly. Our Divine Cult and the Orthodox Faction have always been at each other's throats for years. The only reason an all-out war hasn't broken out yet is because Master prioritized the Cult's internal stability over the war."

The man who had single-handedly resurrected the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult from a decades-long dark age was none other than the previous Heavenly Demon, Hyeokryeon Il-hwi.

Over the course of more than fifty years, he had suppressed internal conflicts and stabilized the Cult from within, and the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult was now enjoying a golden age unheard of in its history.

Even ignoring the various brilliant systems Il-mok had introduced, this golden age was especially obvious when looking at their sheer martial might.

Despite being a single organization, the Cult boasted nearly ten absolute masters who had reached the Realm of Truth. And that number was actually after subtracting the former Chief Elder Deung Bi and the three masters who had died trying to assassinate Il-mok.

Had a Heavenly Demon of Hyeokryeon Il-hwi's caliber never emerged, the Divine Cult would've been bled dry by endless succession wars. And had a more war-hungry Heavenly Demon taken power instead, countless talents would've burned out before they even had a chance to bloom in the wars meant to reclaim the Central Plains.

Just like the Hidden Guard Pavilion Lord once told Hyeokryeon Il-hwi, the liege he served was a man who had painstakingly cultivated the fertile field where Il-mok could now plant his seeds for the future.

"The Orthodox bastards weren't exactly eager to pick a fight in the Western Regions since there was nothing of value to loot. But if the leaders of both sides had wanted a fight, an all-out war would have exploded instantly."

"Correct, Third Brother. They were undoubtedly trying to use barbarians to control barbarians, hoping both sides would mutually destroy each other so the Imperial Family could effortlessly sweep in and reap the rewards."

Seo Wan-pyeong gave a solemn nod at Il-mok's theory.

"We can't just sit around here doing nothing, then. I need to get up and report this to Eldest Brother immediately."

He moved to get up in a hurry, but Il-mok stopped him.

"We can have someone else carry the letter to headquarters. Right now, you should focus on recovering first."

"But..."

"Third Brother, no one can accomplish great things entirely alone. You need to learn how to trust others. And our Cult has no shortage of people worth trusting for."

Seo Wan-pyeong looked back at him with severe anxiety practically radiating from his face. Even though Seo Wan-pyeong looked like he was one breath away from Qi Deviation, Il-mok just met his gaze calmly and steadily.

"."

By the time Seo Wan-pyeong calmed his nerves, his expression looked significantly brighter.

"You're right. Better to rest and recover than to push myself until I collapse and become a burden to the Cult."

"Glad to hear it, Third Brother."

Il-mok immediately ordered the servants to fetch him a brush and paper, then began writing the letter to be sent to the main headquarters.

Meanwhile, Seo Wan-pyeong settled onto the bed in a lotus position and entered a meditative recovery state to heal his internal injuries.

Countless thoughts drifted through his mind as he sank deeper into his meditation.

Memories that had grown hazy from running purely on the single-minded drive to deliver the letter to the Cult began to surface one by one.

The memory of being chased by the Eastern Depot agent known as the Brush-Holding Grand Eunuch. The memory of desperately shaking off the Eastern Depot hounds who took over the chase after the Grand Eunuch was forced to stop because of his wounded leg. And going even further back, the near-death encounter with the Alliance Leader.

'Why the hell am I so useless?'

A shadow fell over Seo Wan-pyeong's face as the memory of his shameful performance in that fight came flooding back.

'Because of me, the Pavilion Lord...'

The Heart Demon that he had forcefully shoved down using willpower and sense of duty reared its ugly head once again.

That idea kept circling within his mind like a broken record.

Seo Wan-pyeong had always believed that he had three teachers in his life.

First was Hyeokryeon Il-hwi, the Heavenly Demon who had taught him martial arts, religious doctrine, and a wealth of knowledge beyond that.

The second was his youngest brother, who had painstakingly built up his shattered self-esteem and confidence.

And the third was the Dark Shadow Pavilion Lord, who had taught him the harsh trade of espionage and countless life-saving lessons.

He had never said it aloud since one couldn't exactly claim multiple teachers. But in his heart, he had always thought of those three as his teachers and greatest benefactors.

And now one of them had died because of his failure.

Just as he was about to sink deep into that grief and self-loathing, a voice pulled him back.

It was the final message the Dark Shadow Pavilion Lord had sent him before he died. It dragged Seo Wan-pyeong back up from the depths of self-loathing hell.

A thought came to him then.

The Dark Shadow Pavilion Lord wasn't someone who would've blamed him for what happened.

If anything, he would've commended him for completing the mission.

But even if the Pavilion Lord had already forgiven him, that didn't make his own guilt disappear.

'If only I were as powerful as Master or Eldest Brother... or even Il-mok...'

Maybe because he was already thinking of Il-mok, the words that his youngest brother had said to him a little while ago rose up through the chaotic sea of his thoughts.

Il-mok had meant it as advice about trusting others, but Seo Wan-pyeong took it in a slightly different direction.

Even the most brilliant youngest brother had things he couldn't accomplish on his own.

If that was true, wouldn't it be enough for Seo Wan-pyeong to dedicate his life to supporting Il-mok in the shadows, handling the things his youngest brother couldn't do alone?

After all, the world didn't need everyone to be an untouchable god like Master, a visionary genius like Il-mok, or a charismatic leader like Eldest Brother.

'Ahh... I see.'

From their very first encounter to their recent discussion, Il-mok had always said the truth about him.

That no matter what Il-mok did, moving in secret the way Seo Wan-pyeong did would be impossible for him.

He might not be as flawless as their Master.

He certainly didn't have the charisma to command armies like their Eldest Brother.

He definitely wasn't blessed with the dazzling talent of his youngest brother.

But Seo Wan-pyeong finally realized that he, too, had his own unique purpose and talent.

'All I have to do is pull my own weight. There was never any reason to beat myself up for not being as good as others.'

The moment that realization took hold, the self-loathing and anxiety that had always weighed on him melted away, and the tangled mess of thoughts swirling around him dissolved like snow in the sun.

What remained were thoughts about himself alone. About the talents he possessed, and how to make the best possible use of them.

As Seo Wan-pyeong sank deeply into that contemplation, a change came over his body.

While Seo Wan-pyeong was lost deep within his own mindscape, his flesh and bones twisted and realigned into his martial arts’ ideal form. The accumulated impurities deep within his body were forcibly purged out of his acupoints by the surging Qi of the Shadowless Fourteen Moves.

After a long meditation, Seo Wan-pyeong opened his eyes.

The first thing he saw was his youngest brother's smiling face.

"Congratulations on your breakthrough, Third Brother.”

Only then did Seo Wan-pyeong realize.

He had achieved Transcendence and successfully undergone a complete rebirth of body and spirit.

"Hahaha. It's all thanks to you."

While Il-mok stood there looking visibly confused about what he meant, Seo Wan-pyeong spoke up again.

"Youngest."

"Yes, Third Brother?"

"Didn't you say just a moment ago that I needed to be able to trust others?"

Il-mok answered with an awkward smile.

"I did."

Seo Wan-pyeong obviously hadn't noticed, but a full half-day had already passed since they actually had that conversation.

"You can hand whatever tasks you like to this brother of yours, and you can order others around however you see fit. But there is one thing that you should know, one thing that I absolutely want to handle myself."

"And what would that be?"

Seo Wan-pyeong answered with a resolute expression.

"The Eastern Depot bastard called the Brush-Holding Grand Eunuch who murdered the Pavilion Lord. Killing him is my job, and mine alone."

***

A few days earlier, right around the time Seo Wan-pyeong was desperately shaking off the Eastern Depot's hounds and making his way to Lanzhou.

The man known as the Grand Eunuch was deep within the Imperial Palace, prostrating himself before an elderly man.

The sword wound on his thigh hadn't fully healed, and the cloth wrapped around it had soaked through red again. The agony should have been enough to twist his face, yet the man called the Grand Eunuch lay completely still on the floor, not daring to make a single movement.

The sheer terror he felt toward the old man standing over him completely eclipsed the burning pain in his leg.

It wasn't simply because the old man was the head of all eunuchs within the Imperial Court.

It was because even a monstrous martial artist in the profound Realm of Truth like the Grand Eunuch wouldn't last even three strikes against that old man.

"I see. So you're telling me you were ambushed while trying to receive the letter from Agent Number One?"

"Yes, my lord. We were ambushed by the Demonic Cult's Dark Shadow Pavilion Lord and the previous Heavenly Demon's Third Disciple, Seo Wan-pyeong. I successfully eliminated the Pavilion Lord, but while he stalled me by burning off all of his Innate Life Force, Seo Wan-pyeong snatched the letter and escaped."

Listening to his report, the old man stared down at him with cold eyes.

"Hmm. Even if the Pavilion Lord was burning his Innate Life Force to death, I can hardly believe a dead man could mangle your leg like that, Grand Eunuch.”

The Brush-Holding Grand Eunuch, the Director of the Eastern Depot, swallowed a dry lump in his throat and begged for death through gritted teeth.

"Supreme Eunuch, please kill me!"

The Supreme Eunuch clicked his tongue and replied.

"Tsk. You are a loyal subject of the Son of Heaven. How could I possibly execute you on my own whims?"

The Grand Eunuch quietly swallowed a sigh of relief inside.

The Supreme Eunuch was considered the highest authority just below the Emperor himself. He might pay lip service to the Emperor, but it was an open secret that the power of life and death over every eunuch in the palace rested entirely in the Supreme Eunuch's hands.

"However, this is already your second blunder. Whether His Majesty the Emperor will forgive you a third time..."

In other words, he would let it slide this time. And this is the last chance.

"I am grateful for His Majesty the Emperor's grace! Long live the Emperor! Long live!"

The Grand Eunuch prostrated himself before the Supreme Eunuch, shouting his loyalty to the Emperor, while inside he was grinding his teeth.

'I will slaughter every last one of those Dark Shadow Pavilion bastards!'

The Supreme Eunuch could see perfectly well what was going through Byeongpil's mind, but he merely watched him for a moment before turning his gaze toward the massive table nearby.

Spread across the table was a highly detailed map of the Central Plains and its surrounding outer territories.

The Grand Eunuch stared at the map and let his thoughts wander.

'For Agent Number One to go out of his way to send a dispatch during a tense situation like this...'

Obviously, it had to be a request for some kind of help.

But what kind of help could Agent Number One possibly need right now?

Cross-referencing all the intelligence gathered by the Eastern Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the Supreme Eunuch analyzed the current political landscape of the Central Plains and deduced the answer.

'Agent Number One and his right-hand man, Agent Number Two, aren't fools. They know better than to ask the Imperial Family to openly deploy forces to wipe out the Maitreya Luminous Cult.'

Moving in secret was possible as they had done that when they disguised themselves as the Blood Cult to carry out massacres, but the circumstances right now were different.

The ones they had massacred while disguised as the Blood Cult were ordinary civilians and weak martial artists from no-name sects.

The Maitreya Luminous Cult, on the other hand, was powerful enough that completely concealing their involvement would be next to impossible.

Then what could be handled without exposing their identity?

An idea surfaced in the Supreme Eunuch's mind before long.

He had received intelligence indicating that the Martial Alliance had recently been sending scouts to the north to investigate the Maitreya Luminous Cult without much success.

'We'll need to send someone north.'

Having reached that conclusion, the Supreme Eunuch turned to look at the still kneeling Brush-Holding Grand Eunuch.

Not only had the Grand Eunuch botched the job twice and lost his trust, but with his leg in that state, the odds of him carrying out a task properly were slim to none.

But the Supreme Eunuch wasn't particularly worried about that.

He still had plenty of other pieces on the board to replace the injured dog with.

***

TL Note: I apologize for the mistranslations between Supreme Eunuch and the Brush-Holding Grand Eunuch. Those two are two different things. The first one is what you imagine an eunuch to be in Chinese Dramas. The kind of Eunuch who announced the Emperor’s arrival, read the imperial decree, and managed the inner workings of the Imperial Palace. The latter is also a eunuch who served the Emperor and the Imperial Family, but was more focused on serving as a secret (not-so-secret) police officer and as the Director of the Eastern Depot. I thought the two were the same thing at first until this chapter. Once again, I apologize.

Fun Fact: If you are familiar with C Drama, the Supreme Eunuch is called Taigonggong in Chinese.