Chapter 301: Only for the One with a Connection

TL: FoodieMonster007

The journey with Pyeon Jung was incredibly pleasant. I trained in the Heavenly Demon Defense Art in the carriage Pyeon Jung skillfully drove, and we stopped at delicious inns to eat. Just like on the way there, we stopped the carriage to admire any scenic spot we found. We saw a rainbow rising over a waterfall, and I listened to the coachman's life story over a drink.

After we arrived at the Demon Village, I paid Pyeon Jung for his return trip as well.

"There are many vicious demonic practitioners here, so it's dangerous to take a passenger on your way back. This money isn't for you. It's for you to buy your kids a new set of clothes, so don't disregard my sincerity."

Pyeon Jung looked like he had much to say, but he settled for just one sentence.

"I'll eagerly await the day I can serve you again."

I would probably never see this man again, but human connections are unpredictable. Who knows if a day will come when I ride in the carriage of a white-haired Pyeon Jung.

"Travel safely on your way back."

After sending Pyeon Jung off, I entered the Demon Village.

"Ah, this is great! This smell!"

The unique scent of the Demon Village welcomed me. I finally felt like I was home.

"Young Cult Leader!"

The person running toward me was Jo Cheonbae of the Alluring Inn. Jo Cheonbae ran so enthusiastically that I worried he might fall.

"Innkeeper, have you been well?"

"When did you return?"

"I've just arrived. Seeing our innkeeper as soon as I get here must mean I'll have great luck today."

"Aigoo, please don't say that! Who am I to deserve such words."

Jo Cheonbae waved his hands dismissively, but he was beaming. Seeing Jo Cheonbae really made me feel like I was back.

Jo Cheonbae was on his way to the Alluring Inn with a cart full of ingredients.

"You buy the ingredients yourself."

"Of course. I personally select each fresh ingredient myself. Now, let's get going."

Just as Jo Cheonbae was about to push the cart, I had him sit on it.

"Let's sit and go together."

I sat next to Jo Cheonbae at the front of the cart.

Jo Cheonbae blinked and asked, "If we both sit, who's going to pull the cart?"

"We pull it with our hearts."

Thinking I was joking, Jo Cheonbae laughed. "I'll push you. Please, try riding in my cart for the first time!"

The moment Jo Cheonbae tried to get off, the cart began to move on its own.

"Aigoo! It's moving by itself!"

Of course, I was moving the cart with telekinesis. Jo Cheonbae found it fascinating and exclaimed in admiration repeatedly.

"I've worked at the tavern since I was young and have experienced all sorts of things, but this is a first for me."

"Actually, it's a first for me too."

"Is it alright to use your precious inner arts for something like this, Young Cult Leader?"

"Those precious inner arts are always used on trash. If anything, this is the most precious task they've been used for."

Jo Cheonbae looked at me and said, "If I were a martial artist, I would've definitely served you, Young Cult Leader."

"I would hate that."

Jo Cheonbae tensed, worried he had misspoken. I smiled and spoke to him.

"Then the Alluring Inn wouldn't exist, would it? I have plenty of subordinates, even if you're not one of them."

A deep smile formed on Jo Cheonbae's lips.

And so, we arrived at the Alluring Inn.

I went up to the second-floor seat where I always sat and drank.

"Do you still keep this place empty?"

"Yes, it's a spot for you, Young Cult Leader, and other special guests."

"Isn't this a loss for you, innkeeper?"

"I've spent my whole life struggling just to avoid losses like that. It's about time I had some fun like this."

Jo Cheonbae gazed fondly at the signatures of the Demon Supremes carved into the wall.

I looked at it with him and was startled.

"Father left one too!"

"He came about a month after you left the Cult, Young Cult Leader."

"Did he come alone?"

"Yes, he came twice, and both times he was alone."

I pictured Father sitting here alone, drinking.

Leaving a signature there couldn't have been an easy thing for him to do. How could I not love him for this? Father is truly Father.

"Would you like a drink?"

"I have to greet Father first. I'll stop by later."

"Then I'll see you later."

My steps quickened as I left the Alluring Inn. After seeing Father's signature, I wanted to see him even more.

In front of the Heavenly Demon Hall, the head of the bodyguards, Cheokyeon, was waiting. It seemed word of my return had already spread.

Cheokyeon quickly scanned me from head to toe, checking for any injuries.

"I'm relieved you've returned safely."

Cheokyeon must have been angry that I had sent the bodyguards away and gone to the Jiangxi Branch alone, but his eyes showed only relief at my safe return.

"You'll have to get used to this. We have a long road ahead."

"No matter what you say, it's not something one can easily get used to."

He was right. If I died, they would have to take full responsibility.

As Cheokyeon was about to turn away, I asked him, "How's your eye?"

"It's fine."

"Let me see."

This time, Cheokyeon obediently removed his eyepatch without any argument. The red energy in his eye suggested he had made progress in his training.

"Once you get past this critical point, you'll enter a stage where the pain lessens."

I placed my palm over Cheokyeon's eye and infused it with a gentle qi.

"I'm the one who can best tell when the state of your martial arts changes, Young Cult Leader."

"Does it feel different?"

"Yes, it feels different from the last time you checked on it."

His eye minutely sensed changes that I myself could not even perceive.

"When on earth do you train?"

"I might look like a slacker, but I'm surprisingly diligent. I trained the whole way here in the carriage."

Although I said that, I did not think the change came from practicing the Heavenly Demon Defense Art in the carriage.

Did it not change when I watched the sunset with Pyeon Jung?

Did it not change when I placed a coin in Jo Yang's hand?

Did it not change when I was listening to the troubles of Branch Manager Hojyung?

I still believe that for martial arts to change, one's life and one's self must change first.

Finally, the father I had longed to see was sitting in the distance. I strode down the path of blood to the foot of the grand throne. Father was protecting our Cult, looking the same as ever.

"I have returned. Have you been well in my absence?" I greeted Father with proper etiquette.

Whenever I leave and return, I always see Father first. I have done this many times, offering the same greeting, but the emotion in my heart feels different each time. The more I do it, the happier and more pleased I am to see Father.

"Every time you leave, you return with blood on your hands."

In Hunan, and in Jiangxi. There was no room for excuses.

"Isn't it all because I take after you, Father?"

A sneer touched Father's lips. It was so good to see that sneer after such a long time.

Father had changed a lot, too. He used to be someone who only ever looked down from that grand throne.

"Let's go out for a walk."

These days, Father enjoys walking with me like this.

I followed Father out of the Heavenly Demon Hall. We walked together along a small path built through the rear garden.

"I met a good coachman and learned of many excellent inns. There are hidden gems in the most unexpected places. I'll take you to all of them later."

I did not talk about the people who died by my hand. Father would have already received a report through the All-Knowing Hall anyway. I wanted to tell Father about things like this.

I wanted to tell him where the scenic spots were and where to find a teahouse with a good atmosphere. I wanted to tell him how people were living. Just as Father had come from his grand throne to this rear garden, I now wanted to go out into the Central Plains with him.

"Do you know how much interest King Yama Loan is charging these days? They're crazy bastards."

I told him about King Yama Loan and relayed the conversations I had with the martial artists of the Demonic Sword Squad.

"If you personally send a gift to the Demonic Sword Squad, their morale will rise significantly."

"I will."

When Father readily agreed, I could not help but joke.

"Your favoritism is too much."

"What favoritism?"

"You're so different toward me as the Young Cult Leader compared to when I was the Second Young Lord."

"I have to be. That's how you'll know how precious your position is. Why? Should I treat you like I used to?"

"You mean back in the days when my handsome face was almost pierced by your finger qi bullet? No, thank you!"

I really like moving forward into this new relationship with Father.

Father paused his steps for a moment and gazed at the Great Sky Peak in the distance.

The thing I wanted to say to Father most was this.

"Next time, let's go out and have some fun together."

"If I make a move, the jianghu will be shocked."

"Let them be shocked. Stop protecting the Heavenly Demon Hall and now… go protect your own life, Father."

For a moment, I felt Father's back flinch.

I do not want Father's entry into the murim to become a war. I want his entry to be a pleasant journey.

"It's because I want to have fun with you, Father."

Father just silently gazed at the distant Great Sky Peak.

Right, how could even he not want to go out? No one can know the pressure of that seat without sitting in it.

"I hear the Fist Demon has a daughter now."

"I was surprised too. I didn't think Master would make such a decision."

"You did not intervene?"

"I may like to meddle in all sorts of things, but not this time. It's a matter between a parent and a child, how could I dare interfere?"

"It was unexpected."

Was Father the only one who was surprised?

"He seems like he'd live well even if left alone in the world, but he must have been lonely. What do you think? Would you like to have a daughter too, Father?"

For some reason, Father readily nodded.

"What if I disappeared and you got a daughter instead?"

Father nodded even more firmly.

"That's too harsh!"

It felt good to act playfully in front of Father after so long.

"Follow me."

Father led me deep into the rear garden of the Heavenly Demon Hall. We passed through all sorts of barriers that forbade outside intrusion and then through a series of secretly laid formations. Finally, I could see our destination. It was my first time here, and I was shocked when I read the sign.

The Heavenly Demon Vault.

He had brought me to the treasure vault of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.

"Ah! This is my first time here."

I followed Father inside.

Countless weapons glittered with sharp edges. Miracle herbs and spiritual grasses exuded all sorts of fragrances, tempting anyone who entered. There were also innumerable dazzling jewels like night-illuminating pearls and the Antitoxin Bead.

As a martial artist, my eyes were first drawn to the weapons and miracle herbs.

There were swords, daos, and spears, but also axes, wheels, sickles, rulers, fans, brushes, and needles. Truly, all kinds of divine weapons were on display. Every single one was a divine weapon that would cause a storm of blood if it appeared in the murim.

That was not all. Among the miracle herbs, there was not a single Thousand Year Blood Ginseng. Only the highest-grade miracle herbs and spiritual grasses, like the Ten-Thousand Year Blood Ginseng, were stored here, sorted by their yin and yang properties.

Eight miracle herbs were stored separately.

"These ones here are miracle herbs that will be immediately distributed to the Demon Supremes if a war breaks out."

There were also poisons and hidden weapons for use in war. The hidden weapons were forbidden weapons, banned from use in the murim. The poisons were for mass destruction, capable of taking hundreds, even thousands of lives at once. Entire bottles of the expensive imperceptible poison were there. Just seeing the amount of poison prepared sent a chill down my spine.

If a war broke out, these poisons would be delivered straight to the Poison King, wouldn't they?

In one corner, protective armors were piled up. Stacked like that, they looked like cheap martial arts uniforms from a marketplace, but each one was a protective armor difficult to obtain in the murim. These, too, would be distributed to the Demon Supremes and the heads of each organization if a war broke out.

Father was steadily preparing for war.

Father, I respect you more than anyone, but we can't have a war.

Father knows how I feel. Nevertheless, he is showing me this to persuade me.

That this is the path you and I must walk.

Then, Father said something unexpected.

"Choose one from among these."

His words were truly something I had never expected.

"It is my gift to the Young Cult Leader."

Because it was such an unexpected gift, the feeling was even more moving.

After becoming the Young Cult Leader, I had heard 'Young Cult Leader' countless times, but now I felt like I had truly become the Young Cult Leader.

"Can I really choose anything from here?"

"Once you become the Heavenly Demon, it will all be yours anyway. Of course, for now, it's just one."

Choosing one among these priceless treasures was a heart-pounding affair.

Which of these would be the most helpful to me?

I walked past the weapons and miracle herbs and went to another area.

"Where are you going? There are no miracle herbs over there."

Father naturally assumed I would choose one of the miracle herbs. Since I had the Black Demon Sword, the treasured sword after the Heavenly Demon Sword, I did not need another weapon.

"Somehow, the fact that you showed me that area first makes me think there's something better over here."

I continued walking, looking at the items in the vault. There was truly a bit of everything. There was a cushion that replenished yin energy and an incense burner that boosted yang energy. There was even a mechanical doll that performed martial arts and a statue of a beautiful woman that danced. The mechanical doll's martial arts seemed to be at the ultimate level, and the dancing statue looked like it would perform an unparalleled movement art.

However, I kept walking past them.

There were all sorts of precious, splendid, and strange things, but nothing captured my heart.

Just as I was about to turn back, something caught my eye.

It was a square lump of iron, the size of my palm.

"What is this?"

"It's called a Secret Box."

The name implied it was a box, but there was no lid to be seen anywhere.

"What is it used for?"

"I do not know either."

When I looked back at Father, he shook his head with an expression that truly said he did not know.

"It's an item that has been passed down in our Cult for a long time. Nothing has been discovered about where or how it's used. Only the saying that it will open only for the one with a connection has been passed down."

"What about you, Father?"

Father nodded. "To me, it was nothing more than a lump of iron."

It opens only for the one with a connection.

Could this feeling of being drawn to it be that connection?

I wanted to choose this. More than anything else, this dull lump of iron caught my eye.

Even though I knew the chances were high that I was not the one with the connection, I still wanted to choose this among all these treasures. My deliberation was not long.

"I'll take this one."