Chapter 118: Extre Pa Clan (5)
The outco was decided in a single exchange.
And yet...
For so reason, my mories of what happened after that were oddly hazy.
Damn it, what the hell happened?
The Heaven-Earth Reversal Formation was ultimately a counter technique.
Pa Yeongyeong, unable to withstand both the power of her own Overlord’s Dominant Qi Art and the energy of the Heavenly Deer Sword, had been swallowed whole by the stream of black-and-white light.
Even with defensive Qi surrounding her, survival was uncertain. I rembered that soone had blocked her path at the last mont, but after that…
"You're awake?"
"Ugh, uuugh!"
I opened my eyes, feeling the soft touch of the blanket around .
The bitter scent of dicinal herbs drifting through my nostrils told I was probably in the dicine Hall.
But then...
Why was this person here, in the dicine Hall?
“L-Lord of the Clan?!”
For so reason, the Lord of the Extre Pa Clan, Pa Uryang, was sitting right beside , looking down at .
“They said it's a light internal injury. You’ll need to rest for a while.”
“W-Why is the Clan Lord here…?”
My foggy mind suddenly felt sharp and alert.
Should soone of the Clan Lord’s stature, busy as he must be, really be lingering in a place like this?
As if reading my thoughts, Pa Uryang spoke.
“There’s sothing I want to ask you.”
Unlike the hearty manner he’d shown before, he now appeared quite serious.
“What would you like to ask?”
As though he had been waiting for those very words, Pa Uryang wasted no ti.
“What is your relationship with the Cult Leader?”
“……!”
Why was he asking about my relationship with the Cult Leader?
Even as the question startled , another part of found it reasonable.
After all, I had been asked sothing similar before.
By none other than the Yin-Yang Fist Demon, during the first display of the Heaven-Earth Reversal Formation.
‘What should I do?’
If I were to answer, I could do so truthfully.
The Pavilion Master of the Thousand-Day Pass had told that rely learning the Heavenly Deer Sword wasn’t a cri.
The only issue was whether he would believe .
The Yin-Yang Fist Demon had ntioned the Heavenly Demonic Divine Art upon witnessing the Heaven-Earth Reversal Formation’s power.
Surely, Pa Uryang was asking for a similar reason—if not the exact sa one.
“If I answer, will you believe ?”
Surprisingly, Pa Uryang nodded without hesitation.
“I will.”
“There’s no special relationship. Especially when it cos to martial arts.”
I offered a slightly modified explanation.
I said that I had obtained my martial arts through a stroke of fortune after eting Yoo So, the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden, in Qinghai. Her martial arts, I added, were based on the long-lost arts of the Reversed Heaven Clan.
“Martial arts of the Yoo Clan? That still exists?”
Pa Uryang looked quite intrigued by my words.
“If that's true, then it makes sense. Yoo Jeon, the Heavenly Demon’s first disciple, directly inherited the Heavenly Demonic Divine Art from the First Heavenly Demon himself.”
He accepted my explanation without much suspicion.
“Well, fine. I had been wondering if you were a lackey of the Cult Leader... but if it was just coincidence, then so be it.”
“Haha…”
I wasn’t a lackey of the Cult Leader, but I had been acting suspiciously close to it.
“R-Right… What about Lady Pa? How is she?”
It was a belated question, but one I had to ask regardless.
There was a real chance Pa Yeongyeong might have been obliterated in that final clash.
“She’s alive.”
“And by that, you an…?”
“She’ll need about a year of recovery.”
“……!”
For a martial artist in her pri, being sidelined for a year was a devastating blow.
“She was lucky. Even with blocking the final blow, she could’ve easily lost a limb or two.”
Should I feel relieved that she still had all her limbs?
“I-I’m sorry.”
“There’s nothing to apologize for. It was a fair duel and a fair outco.”
A response befitting the head of the Pa Clan—honorable and straightforward.
…If only he hadn’t said what ca next.
“Well, I’m not sure how Seolyeong will react to you.”
“…….”
Knowing how obsessed Pa Seolyeong was with her sister, there was a good chance she wouldn’t let off easy for injuring Pa Yeongyeong so severely.
It was already hard enough dealing with Sa Biyeon—now I’d have to face Pa Seolyeong too…!
“Hmph. Anyway, let’s just move past that for now.”
“I don’t think that’s sothing to just ‘move past,’ sir.”
Ignoring my protest, Pa Uryang continued speaking.
“I heard from Seolyeong that you want to unite the Six Great Demonic Clans to keep the Cheon Clan in check?”
“To be precise, I’m referring only to the faction within the Cheon Clan that opposes the Young Cult Leader.”
“Sa thing. Most of the Cheon Clan elders probably can’t stand the Young Cult Leader.”
At that mont, a question I hadn’t considered before sprang to mind.
In my past life, I hadn’t cared enough to ask, but after assisting Cheon Yura in this life, I began to wonder—
And before I realized it, I asked Pa Uryang directly.
“Why do the Cheon Clan elders dislike the Young Cult Leader so much?”
“Hm?”
“The Young Cult Leader has impeccable qualities. She seized her position through overwhelming talent, and as a direct descendant of the current Cult Leader, her legitimacy is unquestionable, isn’t it?”
The fact that she was a woman shouldn’t be an issue either.
After all, the one the elders were backing was also Cheon Yujeong—a woman.
It was clearly a sensitive matter with so hidden truth behind it, so I hadn’t pried until now…
It was a shot in the dark, but as expected, our esteed Pa Clan Lord didn’t disappoint.
“Obviously, it’s because of her maternal bloodline.”
“Maternal… bloodline?”
“The Young Cult Leader’s mother—the late Grand Madam of the Cheon Clan—was of a bloodline that would make those Cheon bastards foam at the mouth just hearing about it.”
Much more critical information spilled from Pa Uryang’s lips than I’d anticipated.
“Honestly, if the current Cult Leader hadn’t been the Heavenly Demon of his era, the Young Cult Leader would’ve been killed long ago… Damn it, I’ve said too much.”
Realizing he’d spoken without filtering his thoughts, Pa Uryang abruptly shut his mouth.
“Ha… hey.”
“Yes, Clan Lord.”
“Forget what I just said. It was sothing I promised the Cult Leader not to reveal…”
Pa Uryang roughly scratched his head.
That was likely just how sensitive and shaful a matter it was concerning the Cheon Clan.
“I’m not sure what you’re talking about, sir.”
“Good. That’s the right attitude.”
Pa Uryang let out a faint sigh.
“In any case, whatever your plan is, if both I and Yeongyeong, the Lesser Clan Lord, have acknowledged you, then I’m willing to help however I can.”
…What?
A strange sense of unease crept up on .
Even after showing all his cards, why was Pa Uryang suddenly hesitating like this?
“Is there sothing you want from ?”
At my question, Pa Uryang grinned, baring his teeth.
“Heh, quick on the uptake.”
And then, right after—
“You, marry Yeongyeong.”
“…Excuse ?”
“I’m saying you should marry into the Pa Clan as our son-in-law.”
It felt as though a giant teor had just crashed down on my head.
***
Lesser Demon Hall.
One of the Nine Demon Halls, and the residence of the Young Cult Leader, Cheon Yura. Recently, it had transford into a place of suffocating silence.
In the past, it had retained at least so atmosphere of daily life, but ever since that incident, everything had changed.
The maidservants and law protectors were now living with their heads down, constantly watching the Young Cult Leader’s mood.
“Clear it.”
“Y-Yes, ma’am!”
Ever since Jin Yeomyung gave up on participating in the Exchange Ceremony, many promising heirs from the Six Great Demonic Clans had visited the Soma-gak in hopes of claiming the position of Demonic Faction Lord.
But without exception, each one was dragged out in ruins, looking just like the one who had collapsed before them.
One of the law protectors, who had been watching, nervously swallowed and cautiously approached Cheon Yura.
“Um… Young Cult Leader.”
“What is it?”
Her voice was cold, with not a trace of humanity.
“A letter of protest has arrived from the dicine Hall’s Hall Master.”
“And?”
“Well… they ask that you stop destroying the challengers’ Dantians…”
To leave with just broken limbs was a blessing.
Most challengers lost their martial arts entirely under Cheon Yura’s ruthless strikes.
Considering they were all blood relatives of the Six Great Demonic Clans, this was no minor problem.
But Cheon Yura remained indifferent.
“That’s a cheap price for facing off against garbage. Tell the dicine Hall Master to mind his own position. And if he sends another one of those letters, I won’t let it go.”
“……”
A clear refusal.
The law protector felt utterly lost as to how to reply to the letter.
“Are there any other challengers still waiting?”
“One person remains.”
“Tell them to co in. Let’s get this over with—”
“There’s no need. I’m already here.”
A cold female voice cut off Cheon Yura’s words.
The law protectors missed their mont to react when they saw the woman who had entered the sparring grounds.
Normally, anyone who violated the rules of the Soma-gak would be imdiately punished.
“You’ve been living like a wreck, swinging your sword aimlessly, and it looks like the rumors were right.”
But the figure standing before them looked strikingly similar to the Young Cult Leader.
Even Cheon Yura frowned deeply upon recognizing the visitor.
“Cheon Yujeong.”
“It’s been a while, Cheon Yura.”
A forr rival, thought to have disappeared into history after losing in the Young Cult Leader Selection Tournant.
“You’ve lost your mind, Cheon Yujeong. Are you here to die?”
Even with the murderous intent filling the air, Cheon Yujeong was unbothered.
She even smirked, mocking Cheon Yura.
“Fufu, I heard you were dumped and haven’t recovered from heartbreak. Looks like the rumors were spot-on.”
“H-How dare you!”
The maidservants and law protectors nearby exploded in rage toward Cheon Yujeong.
But the target of their outrage remained composed and only grew colder in her presence.
“I’m in a very foul mood today. If you pick a fight with half-heartedly, I won’t go easy on you.”
“Even if killing could cost you your position as Young Cult Leader?”
One of the Cheon Clan’s most sacred rules was the prohibition against killing one’s own blood relatives.
Granted, soone of Cheon Yura’s status might be granted leniency—but Cheon Yujeong was backed by nearly all the Cheon Clan Elders.
Killing her outright would almost certainly lead to Cheon Yura losing her position.
But Cheon Yura didn’t care in the slightest.
“You’re banking everything on that?”
Srrrng!
Cheon Yura’s sword was drawn, exuding a deadly killing aura.
Yet Cheon Yujeong didn’t react.
She simply stepped forward and spoke softly.
“Then your man will never look at you again.”
Flinch!
Cheon Yura’s sword stopped just before it was fully drawn.
“You think I wouldn’t know? That your man has been running around trying to protect you.”
“You wretched—!”
“And if you’re going to betray that trust yourself… here.”
Without even drawing her sword, Cheon Yujeong walked straight up to Cheon Yura.
Then, in an almost theatrical display, she lifted her chin and leaned in.
“Kill .”
“……”
“Why? Can’t do it?”
Tremble, tremble!
Cheon Yura’s half-drawn sword began to shake.
It wouldn’t be strange if, in the next mont, it completed its draw and carved a bloody line across Cheon Yujeong’s throat.
But in the end…
Cheon Yura’s sword never ca out all the way.
Cheon Yujeong sneered at her.
“Coward.”
“……”
“You’ve never been loved, so you don’t know how to love.”
Cheon Yujeong ruthlessly tore open Cheon Yura’s emotional wounds.
“That man is out there doing everything he can for you, and yet you don’t even know how to respond. So instead, you waste your emotions by swinging your sword like a pitiful fool.”
“That’s too far!”
A maid finally lost her temper and raised her voice.
“Silence. How dare a re servant interrupt the conversation between blood mbers of the Cheon Clan?”
“U-Urk!”
Crushed by the full force of Cheon Yujeong’s killing intent, the maid collapsed, a wet stain spreading underneath her.
Normally, Cheon Yura would have intervened by now.
But this ti, she said nothing—she couldn’t even lift her head.
“I ca here today to declare war.”
Almost as if to ensure no one else could hear, Cheon Yujeong whispered into Cheon Yura’s ear.
“There’s only one daughter of Mother. . Not a manufactured thing like you.”
“……!”
“I may have lost back then, but now I’ll reclaim the place that was rightfully mine.”
Cheon Yujeong’s voice, dripping with malice, dug deep into Cheon Yura’s ear.
“Without fail.”
Reviews
All reviews (0)