Chapter 100: From Now On, You
Gu Jin-gyeong stood with his hands clasped behind his back, as upright as ever.
I couldn’t help but think—if a real writing brush were personified, wouldn’t it look just like Gu Jin-gyeong? That impression grew stronger as I looked at the long beard fluttering beneath his bamboo hat.
“I greet the Judge of Life and Death.”
“I greet the Master of the Sado Clan.”
In response to my greeting, Gu Jin-gyeong removed his bamboo hat and tucked it under his arm, offering a slight nod.
It was a notable change from the stiff greetings he’d given before.
“His Supre Excellency has sent a ssage to the Master of the Sado Clan.”
“I will obey.”
As before, I knelt on one knee in a formal bow.
Gu Jin-gyeong pulled out a bamboo scroll he had tucked in his robe and unfurled it.
“Tomorrow at dawn, enter the Heavenly Demon Palace. That is all.”
“I receive and obey.”
“Good.”
[What did Gu Jin-gyeong just say?]
It sounded like he said ‘Good’.
[The Judge of Life and Death?]
As Skybreaker said, Gu Jin-gyeong, the Judge of Life and Death, was regarded as soone who had practically purged himself of emotion.
For such a man to say “good” was like seeing a legendary mystic beast—it was a rare and strange sight.
And then...
“Master of the Sado Clan.”
“Yes?”
“Would you be so kind as to serve a cup of tea?”
Gu Jin-gyeong was asking for tea. But in the world of , asking for tea didn’t literally an drinking tea. Just a few days ago, Demon Physician had used the sa excuse to commit a crazy act.
It was the sa situation now. It ant he either wanted sothing from or had sothing to say.
[It’s Gu Jin-gyeong. No need to offend him.]
I completely agreed with Skybreaker. Gu Jin-gyeong was like the chief secretary who served the Heavenly Demon directly.
“Please, co inside.”
“Thank you.”
Naturally, I didn’t take him to the regular reception room but to the private reception room reserved for the clan master.
Though Gu Jin-gyeong didn’t show it, I could tell his eyes were carefully scanning every corner of the room.
He hung his bamboo hat on the chair and sat down.
What’s he planning?
Just in case, I prepared to activate the Guardian Armring, and instructed Saweol to bring tea.
Gu Jin-gyeong slled the tea and said,
“The fragrance is excellent.”
“It’s top-quality Yunnan tea. I got it from the Poison Demon.”
“Is that so? I’ve heard recently that you’ve grown close not only to the Poison Demon but also to Demon Physician.”
“Wouldn’t you say that’s thanks to Demon Physician’s favorable opinion of ?”
“Is that so?”
Gu Jin-gyeong set his teacup down, his eyes gleaming.
“Is that truly all?”
His gaze pierced into like an awl. Sowhere in the distance, I could almost hear the sound of chains.
[It’s a ntal domain.]
“I know.”
Gu Jin-gyeong was subtly emanating ntal energy to pressure . I raised the energy of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art to resist.
“I don’t know what you an.”
“His Supre Excellency is fully aware of your every move. From your contact with Do Il-gwang at the Disciplinary Hall, to the Poison Demon, Iron Mountain Cheol Muguk, Gwak Riyeon, and even Hyuk Mun. He knows you've been recruiting all the high-ranking mbers of the cult.”
“His Supre Excellency is simply observing. But I ask you now out of personal curiosity. Do your actions truly have no ulterior motive?”
“Chief Gu Jin-gyeong,”
I responded firmly.
“My sword exists solely for the cult and for His Supre Excellency. I have no other intentions.”
“Even becoming the clan head?”
“I beca the clan head because...the previous master was unfit to lead the Sado Clan.”
“Unfit, you say.”
Gu Jin-gyeong stared at as if trying to read my heart.
It was pointless.
After going through so much, I had learned to control my expressions at will.
With the power of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, I could even regulate my heartbeat.
“I see. Good.”
With that, Gu Jin-gyeong downed his tea in one gulp.
“Thank you for the tea. I’ll see you at the palace.”
He adjusted his bamboo hat and disappeared in a flash.
[I really have no idea what that was all about.]
“Sa here.”
He had co like the wind and left like the wind.
“And now I have to enter the palace again.”
I would’ve preferred to avoid another face-to-face with the Heavenly Demon, not knowing what she might pull next.
First, let’s prepare an offering.
After Iljangro lost his position due to the Wraith Incident, his personal treasury had been reclaid by the Sado Clan. There might be so valuable treasures hidden in there.
***
And so, the next day dawned.
In front of the Ascension Stairs leading up to the Heavenly Demon Palace, a group had gathered. It included the high-ranking mbers of the cult, including the Six Demon Families.
[Looks like we weren’t the only ones summoned.]
That’s actually a relief.
The mbers of the Six Demon Families looked around at one another with surprised expressions.
They had thought each of them was summoned individually, but in truth, the entire Six Families had been called together.
Two people among them stood out glaringly.
One was, of course, Jin Yeongryeong. She had bandages wrapped around her neck and recoiled the mont our eyes t. People who saw her murmured, “So the rumors were true?”
And the other...
[Is that Hyuk Mun?]
A man with his face fully wrapped in bandages. But his identity was obvious—he wore a long robe emblazoned with red dragons.
[No doubt, that’s Hyuk Mun.]
He was the head of the Red Dragon Hyuk Clan. He avoided eye contact with others, clearly ashad of his appearance.
‘Was it because of the Firebird?’
At the last Six Family Council, one resolution was to capture the Firebird that had appeared in the Red Dragon Region.
If the Hyuk Clan failed, an outsider would be brought in.
Hyuk Mun had fiercely refused and offered to do it himself.
But now, there was no word of the Firebird being caught, and only Hyuk Mun looked like a ss. That could only an the Firebird got the better of him.
[If even a Transcendent Peak master ended up like that…that Firebird must be no ordinary mystic beast.]
“Exactly.”
Ordinary mystic beasts exhibit strength equivalent to first-rate or peak-level experts. But so rare individuals are extraordinarily powerful and extrely difficult to subdue.
I exchanged greetings with the clan heads and high-ranking mbers of the Six Families.
“You stubborn old man!”
“You sly dog, shut your mouth!”
Up ahead, the Poison Demon and Demon Physician were already growling at each other.
I wisely avoided stepping into their squabble and walked over to the more approachable Cheol Muguk.
“Have you been well?”
“What, afraid I’d grow old again?”
“After reversing aging with the Jade, it could happen, right?”
“You brat, seriously.”
Cheol Muguk let out a low chuckle and then said in a soft voice,
“By the way… do you know why His Supre Excellency summoned us?”
“I don’t.”
“I heard you even had a private audience with the Judge of Life and Death. The rest of us just got a ssage. You really know nothing?”
“You seem unusually inford about our internal matters.”
“Ahem. Wasn’t yesterday the day we delivered weapons to the Sado Clan? Our n happened to witness sothing. Just a coincidence.”
I narrowed my eyes, and Cheol Muguk awkwardly cleared his throat.
To be fair, personal friendship is one thing, but espionage between clans was fairly standard.
“There was nothing.”
“Is that so? Strange.”
“What’s strange?”
“This is the first ti His Supre Excellency has summoned the cult’s upper echelon like this since inheriting the title of Heavenly Demon.”
Lee Seryeong usually maintained a hands-off approach to internal cult affairs.
It wasn’t from indifference, but because once the Heavenly Demon intervened directly, things tended to spiral out of control—like what happened with Do Il-gwang.
That’s why people like Sado Gwang had been able to act out.
“And yet, I don’t see Chu Taesu here. There’s no way he’d miss sothing like this. Must be plotting sothing again.”
True enough, as Cheol Muguk pointed out, Chu Taesu was missing.
“We’ll find out soon. Look, the Judge of Life and Death has arrived.”
Gu Jin-gyeong opened the gate to the Heavenly Demon Palace and appeared.
“mbers of the cult. Thank you for responding to His Supre Excellency’s summons.”
Though he spoke softly, his voice struck everyone’s ears with clarity—proof of precise control over imnse internal energy.
“His Supre Excellency awaits. All of you, enter the palace.”
I steadied the energy of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art in my lower abdon.
No matter what happens—I would not be shaken.
That resolve shattered imdiately.
A massive throne room so grand, even an emperor would pale in comparison. At its center, on a jade throne shaped like a coiled black dragon, sat a woman.
Her beauty was ethereal, as if sculpted from ice, not of this world. Her silver eyes glowed with a divine majesty.
Lee Seryeong.
The world called her Heavenly Demon, in awe and terror.
Not one among the cult mbers dared et her gaze. Whether Transcendent Peak experts or heads of the Six Families, all bowed their heads.
They lined up left and right like ministers before an emperor—not by instruction, but by instinct.
Why is Chu Taesu standing there?
Chu Taesu stood just below the Heavenly Demon’s throne, on the left side. Though he wasn’t floating in the air, he wore a suspicious smile and bowed slightly when our eyes t.
“Thank you all for coming.”
Her voice was soft.
Yet it was on another level. Just hearing her speak sent chills through my spine and made my heart race.
It felt like a divine blessing just to hear it.
[Pull yourself together, you fool!]
Only after Skybreaker’s scolding did I regain my senses.
I couldn’t even draw on the energy of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art in her presence, so even a brief lapse left vulnerable.
“Today, I summoned you because I have sothing to announce.”
This had never happened in .
Lee Seryeong never made public proclamations unless war had broken out.
“We will obey!”
All the cult mbers bowed their heads and shouted in unison.
Except .
[You idiot...]
“I an, soone should’ve told !”
I alone was left with my head raised. And that made lock eyes with the Heavenly Demon.
I struggled not to let my mind lt.
“Ranked 23rd in the cult. Master of the Sado Clan, Sado Hwan.”
[It’s over. You didn’t bow, now she’s angry.]
As Skybreaker said that, I quickly stepped forward and bowed my head.
“Yes, Your Supre Excellency.”
“Your brother, Sado Gwang, is dead.”
The Heavenly Demon had once been betrothed to my older brother.
“In our cult, if the older brother dies, the younger brother takes the bride. Therefore—”
With a cold expression and an even colder voice, she said,
“Sado Hwan. From now on, you are my fiancé.”
I’m screwed.
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