— Chapter 2 —
Snowmelt Peak. An age-old glacial mountain where, according to legend, the blizzards never ceased, not even for a single day. Located just behind the Heavensreach Peaks, it was forbidden to the million followers of the Heavenly Demon Cult, a place untouched by human presence. Yet, a lone man ascended its treacherous slopes with unwavering determination.
“This path is always such a nuisance.”
Hyuk Murin’s gaze, laced with irritation, drifted downwards.
Thump— Thump—
With every step, his feet sank deep into the accumulated snow. The driving snow lashed against him, stealing his body heat, his feet numb and frozen. Despite the harsh conditions, he couldn’t stop, couldn’t turn back. The die was cast, and his only path to survival lay straight ahead.
As he trudged onwards, Hyuk Murin recalled the events of a few hours prior.
—“Divorce? Are you certain that’s what I heard?”
He’d been somewhat surprised by her reaction. Cheon Seo-hee usually kept her emotions tightly leashed, her demeanor professional and detached. In his previous life, he’d barely seen a flicker of emotion on her face in decades. Yet, for a fleeting moment, genuine surprise had registered clearly.
‘Well, it is rather sudden.’
She’d likely never experienced anything as abrupt as a declaration of divorce. It would have been stranger if she hadn’t shown some outward reaction in such a situation. However, she quickly regained her composure, her gaze unwavering as she met his eyes.
—“Three months, and you’ve already succumbed to the allure of power. So, you intend to discard the Hyuk Clan and focus solely on yourself?”
She seemed to believe he’d become intoxicated by the authority of his position, leading to this rash decision.
“No. This decision is long overdue.”
He’d been a voiceless puppet for decades. Only after returning to the past could he finally utter the word “divorce.” Their perception of time was vastly different.
‘And my own clan isn’t much better.’
The primary reason he’d agreed to the political marriage was the Hyuk Clan, his family. Once, the Hyuk Clan had stood at the forefront of the Seven Demonic Houses, the most revered among the demonic followers. However, after the loss of their leader in the Righteous-Demonic War three centuries ago, they had fallen precipitously, now teetering on the brink of expulsion from the Seven Demonic Houses.
It was the Cheon Clan that had extended a lifeline to the desperate Hyuk Clan. They had promised support and backing, proposing a political marriage to solidify the alliance and elevate one of them to the position of Heavenly Demon. Left with no other recourse, the young head of the Hyuk Clan, Hyuk Murin, had accepted their offer, becoming a powerless figurehead.
‘But with time, I realized it was a grave mistake.’
Alliance was a euphemism. The disparity in power between the two clans was immense; it was more akin to subjugation. Bluntly put, the Hyuk Clan had been slowly suffocating under the Cheon Clan’s thumb. Severing this connection, while potentially painful in the short term, was undoubtedly beneficial for his clan in the long run.
However, there was no need to explain all this to her. He remained silent. Cheon Seo-hee shook her head and rose from her seat.
—“Very well. I understand your intentions. I shall return to my family.”
Pausing at the door, she added in a frigid tone,
—“However, you should be prepared to face the full wrath of the Cheon Clan and my father.”
“…The wrath of the Clan Leader, huh?”
Hyuk Murin brushed the snow from his brow.
‘He won’t make a move immediately.’
Faced with such an unexpected turn of events, they would observe the situation before acting. Moreover, the Clan Leader of the Cheon Clan had no sons. That was why he’d married his eldest daughter, Cheon Seo-hee, to him and orchestrated his ascension to the position of Heavenly Demon, solidifying his own power as the Heavenly Demon’s father-in-law.
However, even a puppet Heavenly Demon couldn’t be easily discarded and replaced. Such a move would erode trust and prevent him from employing the same tactic again. It wouldn’t be in his best interest.
‘Of course, that doesn’t mean I have the upper hand.’
He would soon realize that, from an outsider’s perspective, it was his daughter, Cheon Seo-hee, who had been cast aside without explanation. He had ample justification to be enraged. He would likely apply increasing pressure, hoping to change his mind. If that failed, he might resort to framing him and having him executed.
The current situation wasn’t exactly favorable, but…
‘It had to be done.’
Now that he was the Heavenly Demon, there was no other way. If he hadn’t initiated the divorce immediately, everything around him would have fallen under the Cheon Clan’s control. The Hyuk Clan, the Dharma Protectors, the Royal Guard, the military forces – all would have become their puppets. Even if it meant confrontation, severing the current relationship and rebuilding it anew was the right course of action.
“I estimate they’ll need about ten days to react.”
He had enough time. If he could achieve his goal at his destination, he would have leverage to negotiate with the Cheon Clan, perhaps even dictate terms. Reaching his destination was paramount.
“This is getting tiring.”
Exhaling heavily, Hyuk Murin stretched his stiff neck and looked ahead. He had reached the treacherous cliff face halfway up Snowmelt Peak. A massive iron gate, spanning over thirty feet high, dominated his view. Forged from Mannyeol Hancheol (*Ten Thousand Year Cold Iron), a legendary metal, it exuded an aura of awe and power. Approaching the gate, Hyuk Murin raised his hand. Channeling his internal energy, he recited the incantation, and the gate began to grind open.
Rumble—
The gate groaned and protested, taking a considerable amount of time to fully open.
Step, step.
Hyuk Murin crossed the threshold, and the gate slowly closed behind him. The passage within was sealed, with no windows, yet it was far from dark. Luminous night pearls, spaced every ten feet, illuminated the path ahead.
After walking a considerable distance, another door appeared.
“Finally arrived.”
Stopping before the door, Hyuk Murin gently placed his hand upon it.
Creeeaaak—
With a deafening screech and a cloud of dust, the door swung open. Hyuk Murin cautiously stepped into the radiant chamber beyond. With each step, he passed priceless artifacts. The Dragon Tendon Rope, woven from the sinews of a Jiao Dragon and said to be unbreakable. The Absolute Armor, forged from thousand-year-old iron, capable of withstanding any attack. The Bewildering Lacquer Blade, crafted by the legendary blacksmith, Geummyo, who dedicated fifty years of his life to its creation. Even the Golden Imperial Dragon Sword, a sacred treasure of the distant imperial family. Treasures beyond the wildest dreams of ordinary mortals shimmered and glowed throughout the chamber.
However…
Step— Step—
Hyuk Murin’s gaze remained fixed ahead, oblivious to the surrounding riches. Reaching the far wall, he descended a staircase. He passed through chambers filled with rare elixirs and medicinal pills, followed by another filled with countless martial arts manuals. Yet, he continued his descent without pause.
Finally, at the lowest level, he stood before a crimson door. Small yet radiating an enigmatic aura, it seemed to bar his way. Forged from condensed Ten Thousand Year Cold Iron, it appeared impervious to any attack. Positioning himself before the center of the door, Hyuk Murin raised a hand and unleashed his demonic energy.
West to East, East to South, South to North, and North back to West. As his demonic energy cycled through the cardinal directions, a brilliant light emanated from the cracks in the door.
Crack—
“It’s been a while.”
The door opened, revealing a cavernous chamber far grander than any he’d passed before. Within this vast space, only nineteen martial arts manuals rested on pedestals, each radiating a distinct and overwhelming aura of power. They seemed to cry out for his attention, begging to be chosen. Yet, Hyuk Murin walked past them all, his gaze unwavering.
Finally, his steps faltered. Before him lay a single, unassuming, tattered scroll, seemingly out of place in such a grand chamber. With an impassive expression, he reached out and trailed a finger across its cover, disturbing the thick layer of dust that had accumulated over centuries of neglect. A faint smile played on his lips.
“Found you.”
The Soul Purifying Demonic Art. The essential cultivation technique he needed to forge a new path, the ultimate demonic art whose true value he’d only grasped in his final moments.
“Ordinary demonic arts won’t suffice.”
He would attain the pinnacle of demonic power, a realm untouchable by others. Clutching the scroll tightly, a strange light flickered in Hyuk Murin’s eyes.
——
Translated by Sato
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