Chapter 249: The Reason I Have Called You All Today

TL: FoodieMonster007

I entered the Heavenly Demon Hall with my brother.

Father was already there with Head Strategist Sama Myeong. He should have been asleep at this hour. His presence meant he had received a report that we fought and were on our way.

A strange tension filled the hall as my brother and I walked side-by-side.

Father looked down at us wordlessly as we approached.

"Father."

My brother, who always addressed Father as 'Cult Leader', called him 'Father'. He used to find it hard to even look at Father, but today he stared straight at him.

Then, he spoke the most difficult words of his life.

"I will withdraw from the succession contest."

Father rarely showed his emotions, but a quiet passion surfaced in his eyes. It was a feeling mixed with joy and pity.

"Will you not regret this?"

"No, I won't."

"Once a decision is made, it can't be reversed."

My brother looked at me. "I want to see the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult led by my younger brother."

Our gazes met. This moment would torment my brother for a long time. He would regret it again and again.

Thank you, Hyung. I may not be able to prevent that regret, but I'll make it the most precious emotion of your life.

My brother looked at Father again.

"This is my earnest request, Father."

I hadn't expected my brother to be so proactive. He was not the same brother from before my regression. My brother had changed after I regressed, growing through various emotional shifts. Now that he could look at Father like that, their relationship would also change.

I sent a telepathic message to Father.

[I brought Hyung back looking truly magnificent, didn't I?]

[He was always a magnificent child.]

[Are you discriminating against me because he's the eldest son?]

The corner of Father's mouth curled up slightly as he looked at me. Father, I'll spend my entire life jesting just to see that smirk. Please, don't let that smile fade!

Father's gaze returned to my brother. He must have known how difficult this decision was for my brother.

And Father accepted my brother's sincerity, right here and now.

He issued a command to Sama Myeong.

"Activate the Eight Demons Edict immediately."

The Eight Demons Edict was a supreme order. It summoned not only the Eight Demon Supremes but also all the demonic practitioners they commanded.

"I will obey your command."

In the dead of night, a truly unprecedented order was given.

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon was teaching Seo Daeryong late into the night. He smiled with satisfaction at the technique Seo Daeryong displayed.

"Well done!"

Seo Daeryong felt like he could fly at his master's praise. The praise was especially moving because his master was so stingy with it.

"Thank you!"

Seo Daeryong, who was always full of jokes around Geom Mugeuk, was on his best behavior with his master. In his heart, his master was more precious than the Heavenly Demon.

When the training ended, Seo Daeryong presented a book.

"I asked an investigator stationed outside to acquire this for me."

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon was startled when he saw the book. It was a book he had wanted to read.

"This must not have been easy to find."

"I was lucky."

"What money do you have?"

It was a rare edition, so it must have cost a great deal.

"I'm still single, so my monthly salary just piles up."

"For the crime of spending lavishly, it's back to hellish training starting tomorrow."

"Ah! The hellish training was supposed to end today."

Though he feigned annoyance, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon was inwardly touched.

Just then, a bell rang out.

DEEEENG! DEEENG!

"What bell is this, in the middle of the night?"

It was no ordinary bell. The sound was clear and deep, unlike any he had heard before.

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon answered Seo Daeryong's question.

"It's the bell announcing the Eight Demons Edict."

Seo Daeryong asked in surprise, "What could be happening at this hour?"

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon gazed toward the Heavenly Demon Hall and said softly, "Either a war has broken out…"

Seo Daeryong tensed at the word 'war'.

"Or what was bound to come has finally arrived."

A war wouldn't have broken out, so it had to be the latter.

"If that's the case, you'd better train harder in your martial arts. If you want to keep being the right-hand man."

The mention of being the right-hand man made him realize it was related to Geom Mugeuk. Still, Seo Daeryong couldn't figure out what was going on.

"Open the wardrobe at the very end and bring out the blood-colored robes!"

Seo Daeryong went inside the house and opened the last wardrobe. A set of ceremonial robes as red as blood was hanging there.

At that moment, the Drunken Demon was drinking with the Flower Sword Supreme at the Drunken Dream Palace.

Yeo Bin, one of the three great drunkards, set down the side dishes. As she was about to turn away, the Flower Sword Supreme spoke to her. "Have a drink from my cup."

Yeo Bin politely accepted the drink and drank it. She then poured a drink for the Flower Sword Supreme before withdrawing.

Once she was gone, the Flower Sword Supreme said, "Just accept her when she says she likes you. Don't regret it later."

The Drunken Demon drank the alcohol he held.

"A woman suffers if she meets a man who loves to drink."

"Isn't that girl also one of the Three Drunkards?"

"Exactly. If we're both drunkards, are we supposed to earn money just to spend it all on alcohol?"

The Flower Sword Supreme shook her head at the Drunken Demon's ridiculous excuse.

"You're my friend, but I really don't understand…"

DEEEEEEENG!

The resounding bell made the Drunken Demon, who had been leaning back, straighten up. In an instant, the Flower Sword Supreme was already flying across the lake, her white martial arts uniform fluttering.

Watching her, the Drunken Demon shook his head this time.

"If it's the Cult Leader's command, you'd jump into hell just as quickly, wouldn't you?"

Yeo Bin ran to the Drunken Dream Palace.

The Drunken Demon set down his cup and said, "Sober everyone up!"

The Poison King was concocting a poison.

It was called the Seven Lives Extreme Medicine. Its main ingredient was the Seven Lives Grass, discovered by the Demonic Buddha in the Thousand Poisons Forest. It was a mystical poison that made its victim feel pleasure for seven days, only to die on the final day while experiencing pain equal to all the pleasure they had felt.

He worked while wearing the Heavenly Antivenom Silk gloves that Geom Mugeuk had gifted him.

DEEEENG!

The Poison King ignored the bell and focused only on his work.

Just then, Sangseon entered holding some clothes. Without lifting his head, the Poison King said, "Tell them I can't go."

"Do you think you can handle the consequences of refusing the Eight Demons Edict with that poison?"

Sangseon went to him and held out the clothes.

The Poison King reluctantly took the clothes and complained, "When I actually get there, it probably won't even be that important."

"Hurry and change your clothes. The Poison Disciples are preparing."

When Sangseon brought the poison pouches from the wall, the Poison King was mixing poisons again. Sangseon had to forcibly pull him away to get him dressed.

Once the Poison King was properly dressed, with twelve poison pouches tied to his waist, he looked just like a tall and handsome murim Young Lord.

As the Poison King left his residence, he said, "Now I've made the Second Young Lord do all the cleaning."

He had a precise guess about today's summons. It was worth it to have played along with him.

The moment he heard the bell, the Demonic Buddha's hand stopped turning his prayer beads.

He could tell that the First Young Lord had finally made his decision.

It was a moment he had been waiting for, but also a moment he had prayed would never come.

…First Young Lord.

A golden radiance burst from his body. The light was more intense than ever, as if showing his turbulent emotions.

Only after praying for the First Young Lord did the Demonic Buddha rise from his seat.

First Young Lord, let us go and see where fate leads us.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon was circulating his qi.

He had now fully recovered from his injuries. Thanks to the Ten-Thousand Year Blood Ginseng, his inner arts had become even more profound. His body itched with energy, and he wanted to run out and fight alongside Geom Mugeuk right away.

The Thousand Flower Palace Chairwoman, sitting beside him, said softly, "I dreamt that Orabeoni was going on a night outing."

She was sensing the winds of fate blowing through the Divine Cult.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon opened his eyes and rose.

"If your dream says so, then I must prepare."

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon opened a closet hidden within a white wall.

A dozen masks hung there. Each mask held a different meaning.

"You choose for me."

"It seems it will be a celebratory occasion, so how about that mask?"

She pointed to a brilliantly colorful and ornate mask. It was the Happy Ghost Mask, used for major cult events or banquets.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon took out the Happy Ghost Mask as she instructed.

The Thousand Flower Palace Chairwoman turned away so she would not see him change his mask. She was walking the path of fate, loving a man whose face she did not know.

Just as the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon finished changing his mask, the bell began to ring.

The bell rang out during the late-night training session.

The Fist Demon stopped training and said to Lee Ahn, "You'll need to prepare a congratulatory gift."

Because the First Young Lord had visited, the Fist Demon had an idea of what this nighttime summons meant.

The quick-witted Lee Ahn understood at once.

"Finally!"

Tears welled up in her eyes. She had perhaps been waiting for this moment more eagerly than the person it concerned.

"That's all for today's training."

Then, he gave an order to Cheon Sohwi.

"You go ahead and prepare the Iron Fists!"

Cheon Sohwi accepted the command for such a major event with a moved expression.

"I will obey your command."

Cheon Sohwi leaped away and disappeared.

Before leaving, the Fist Demon said one more thing to Lee Ahn.

"The Second Young Lord will want to see you. Go and get ready."

"Yes! Thank you."

Lee Ahn leaped toward her quarters. She had waited so long for this moment and could not be late. She would take out the clothes she had saved and put on makeup. She would congratulate Geom Mugeuk looking her most beautiful for this important moment.

Torches blazed on all four sides of the grand training ground.

Geom Woojin sat on the central platform, while Geom Mugeuk stood facing him. Geom Muyang had stepped aside to stand next to Sama Myeong.

The elite demonic practitioners of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, including the Demonic Army, surrounded the grand training ground like an iron wall.

Now, the Eight Demon Supremes and their subordinates began to enter.

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon arrived first, dressed in red. He entered with the colossal Heaven Destroying Dao slung across his back, followed by the Blade Fiends of the Southern Blade Sect.

CHUK CHUK CHUK CHUK CHUK CHUK!

Though famous for being fierce, they entered in perfect formation without a single misstep.

Next came the Flower Sword Supreme, dressed in a pure white martial arts uniform. The Demonic Swords of the Northern Heaven Sword Sect followed her. Normally, they would exchange fierce glares with the Blade Fiends, but today, no one even glanced at the other side. They lined up behind the Flower Sword Supreme in perfect order, as if competing.

The Fist Demon arrived next. Following him were the Iron Fists of the Eastern Fist Garrison, who had entered the murim with only their bare fists. They wore formal attire and bracers on their wrists, which were engraved with the demon symbol of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. Though they used bare fists, they did not fall behind in the battle of wills. Their clash of spirits was often more intense than that of the Demon Supremes.

Next, the Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme entered. Though she was still young with relatively low martial arts, the shamans of the Western Illusion Sanctum following her lacked no presence. Even amidst the demonic qi filling the training ground, their ghostly energy eerily announced their arrival.

The procession continued. The Drunken Demon entered next. He walked with steps that seemed both drunk and sober, and the Drunkards followed him. Though they were drunk, they too were in perfect formation. The drunken energy they emanated seemed to intoxicate even the demonic and ghostly energy that had dominated the grounds.

Next, the Demonic Buddha entered. He had a calmer expression than ever before. The Mad Monks following him, however, were different. Dressed in golden kasas, they entered chanting Buddhist verses with crazed eyes, sweeping the grounds with yet another kind of energy.

This time, the Poison King entered. The Poison Disciples following him had more confident expressions than any other demonic practitioners here. They were filled with a confidence that bordered on arrogance. Their faces clearly said, 'If we decide to, all of you will die.'

The last Demon Supreme to enter was the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon. A fiery heat could be felt from his eyes behind the Happy Ghost Mask. Behind him, the Faceless Warriors followed, wearing white masks with red lines drawn on them like bloodstains. Their cold gazes announced who they were.

As the elite demonic practitioners of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult gathered, the area was engulfed in a heat that felt like it could explode at any moment.

Only one person could cool that heat in an instant.

The Heavenly Demon Geom Woojin slowly rose from his seat and walked forward. Even among these countless demonic practitioners, he exuded a singular presence.

The demonic practitioners all bowed at the waist and shouted.

"The Supreme Heavenly Demon the Invincible Divine Cult!"

It was a thunderous roar that truly shook the heavens and the earth.

After the shouts ended and the grounds fell silent, Geom Woojin finally spoke. "The reason I have called you all today is to make a momentous announcement."

His low, heavy voice flew into everyone's ears as if embedding itself there.

Tension flowed, and not a single breath could be heard.

"Mugeuk, listen well."

Geom Mugeuk showed his respect and said in a loud voice, "I will receive your solemn command."

Geom Woojin declared in a voice more resonant and powerful than ever, "From this moment on, I shall make Mugeuk the next Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult."

It was the moment Geom Mugeuk officially became the successor.

Geom Mugeuk raised his head and looked at his father. He wanted to say so many things, but now was the time to show respect and follow the heavenly mandate.

"For the future of the Divine Cult, I will devote my body and soul so as not to tarnish the cult's reputation."

Geom Woojin patted Geom Mugeuk's shoulder. The encouragement in his father's eyes and touch was sincere.

[Well done, my son.]

That single telepathic message made Geom Mugeuk feel as if all his past struggles had been rewarded.

[Thank you, Father.]

Geom Mugeuk slowly turned to face the demonic practitioners.

Their gazes flew toward Geom Mugeuk.

Geom Mugeuk released his qi. He held nothing back, opening it all.

Those who knew Geom Mugeuk and those who did not were all overwhelmed by his presence and powerful qi. If his father was a blood-red dot in a black and white painting, Geom Mugeuk was a sky-blue dot. If his father was a large dot, Geom Mugeuk was a small one.

The eight Demon Supremes all bowed at the waist to show their respect.

"We greet the Young Cult Leader."

The demonic practitioners of the eight factions behind them, and even those surrounding the area, all performed a clasped hands greeting and bowed their heads.

"We greet the Young Cult Leader!"

A deafening shout echoed through the grounds.

The status of Second Young Lord and Young Cult Leader was the difference between heaven and earth. Not only the demonic practitioners of our Cult, but now no one in the murim could treat Geom Mugeuk lightly.

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

A roar that shook the heavens and the earth continued.

Geom Mugeuk's chest swelled with emotion.

He had run this far for this very moment. A new history was now unfolding, not only for Geom Mugeuk but also for the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.

When the endless cheers subsided and the grounds grew quiet, Geom Mugeuk slowly walked toward the Demon Supremes.

Towards his Demon Supremes.

It was his first step as Young Cult Leader.