Swoosh. Swoosh.
A luxurious robe was carefully draped over the broad and sturdy shoulders of a man. The wild aura emanating from his unkempt hair and imposing physique blended perfectly with the noble elegance of the robe. An expressionless beauty adjusted his appearance, while other women knelt at his feet, bowing their heads. Far behind them, a middle-aged man prostrated himself on the ground.
"Congratulations on your great achievement, Sect Leader."
Thud.
The man's attire was now complete.
Swish.
The women bowed their heads and retreated. Their movements were cautious but swift.
The man in the robe picked up a large wine cup placed to the side. His back was still turned, so his face remained hidden.
Gulp. Gulp.
He drank slowly, not spilling a single drop, and then asked, "Where is the third one?"
The middle-aged man who had prostrated himself replied, "He is currently on the move in a carriage. He will arrive at the palace within a moment."
"Is that so?"
"Yes, Sect Leader."
The man in the robe poured more wine into the cup. The clear liquid cascading down was Jiannanchun, a famous liquor from Sichuan. He emptied the cup again, his pace unhurried. It took nearly half a moment for him to empty the large, gold-adorned cup three times.
Like most liquors from the Central Plains, Jiannanchun was quite strong. Yet, the man drank it as if it were water, showing no concern.
"Great Protector."
"Yes, Sect Leader."
"Take the third one to the Judgment Pavilion."
For a moment, the middle-aged man's eyes wavered. But only for a moment.
"As you command."
The middle-aged man bowed respectfully and left.
The man in the robe yawned lazily.
"Is it winter already?"
Clop. Clop.
The carriage wasn't moving very fast, which made the ride quite comfortable.
Cheon Hajin brushed his hand over the seat.
'This is incredible.'
This was no ordinary carriage. Not only was it spacious, but the interior was also gilded with gold, and the cushions were plush. Sitting here, one could easily fall asleep just by closing their eyes. A half-day nap here would surely wash away all fatigue.
Power truly was something. If the disciples' carriage was this luxurious, what about the Sect Leader's?
'The Sect Leader.'
A sense of tension crept over Cheon Hajin's face.
'I'm really going to meet him.'
He had vaguely thought that he would one day see the Sect Leader while living in the martial world. The leader of the Righteous Alliance, that old man who wouldn't be satisfied even if he devoured him whole, had always seemed like he would send him to the Demon Sect eventually. But he never imagined it would be after his reincarnation.
'What kind of person is he?'
No one in the martial world who had enemies would not be curious about the current Heavenly Demon. It was only natural. He might be the strongest person in the vast Nine Provinces.
Even though he had never shown his true martial prowess, he was always mentioned as a candidate for the title of the strongest in the world, even now. That mysterious tension sparked a deep curiosity.
'No, the important thing isn't how strong he is. It's what kind of personality he has.'
Of course, he couldn't be a good person. The leader of the Demon Sect, the most notorious group in the martial world, couldn't possibly be good. He was definitely a bad person, but how bad was he? If he was so bad that even talking to him was unbearable... then meeting him now might be dangerous.
He shook his head inwardly.
'He probably isn't the worst who can't even communicate.'
While serving under the Righteous Alliance leader, Cheon Hajin realized that both the righteous and the demonic sects had many things in common. One of them was that neither wanted a foolish leader.
If the Demon Sect Leader was as evil as the rumors suggested, the Heavenly Demon Sect wouldn't have lasted this long. Such a simple-minded person couldn't have managed such a massive organization. He must be incredibly intelligent and capable of controlling his emotions at will.
Someone who could control their emotions would never be deeply immersed in either good or evil, knowing the strengths and weaknesses of both. That's why Cheon Hajin judged that the Demon Sect Leader wasn't as wicked as people thought.
Lost in his thoughts about the Sect Leader, Cheon Hajin eventually lay down.
"Enough, enough. Worrying won't solve anything. What's done is done. I'll just meet him and see."
He rolled around on the plush cushion for a while.
But only for a moment.
"Ah, damn it!"
Cheon Hajin suddenly sat up, clutching his head.
"Damn it! Damn it all! I should have been more careful!"
But still, it's the Sect Leader, right? The current Heavenly Demon?
Among all the leaders of the Heavenly Demon Sect throughout history, fewer than ten had earned the title of Heavenly Demon. And the current Sect Leader was one of them.
How ridiculously strong must he be to confidently call himself the Heavenly Demon?
'Huh?'
Cheon Hajin flicked his finger.
Right, maybe the Demon Sect deliberately spread rumors. Maybe he's not that strong, but to save face, they spread exaggerated rumors...
"...Damn it."
That can't be, you idiot!
The title of Heavenly Demon is on par with a divine name in the demonic martial world. They wouldn't just attach such a noble title to save face.
In the end, as he thought earlier, the important thing isn't his martial prowess but his temperament.
'Still... if he's weak, it would at least be a comfort.'
Cheon Hajin, who had been nervously biting his nails, suddenly had a change in his eyes.
'Wait, I'm not that weak either, am I?'
In his past life, he was one of the top ten martial artists in the world. Although he specialized in assassination rather than direct combat, that was just how he was trained.
'Besides, I fought fairly when I had to.'
It might sound like boasting, but it was true. He didn't just hide and slit throats. After a while, he got tired of it and would just put on a mask, walk through the front door, kill his target, and leave calmly.
He even used a variety of weapons. While most assassins used daggers, hidden weapons, or blackened swords, he used spears, axes, whips, hook swords, and even rocks and window frames as weapons.
There was no weapon he couldn't wield, no person he couldn't kill. He was the strongest assassin in history.
That was Cheon Hajin, the Assassin King.
"Right, that's it. Whether the opponent is the Heavenly Demon or not, I was someone who made a name for myself."
Cheon Hajin clenched his fist.
The myth of the assassination world, called the strongest not just in the world but throughout history! The first assassin to be counted among the top ten martial artists in the world! The worst god of death in the martial world!
At this level, even if he couldn't fart, he could at least blow a gust of wind. Besides, he was now the disciple of the Sect Leader.
There was nothing to worry about.
"Don't be scared, Cheon Hajin. State your demands confidently!"
Cheon Hajin's face flushed with overflowing confidence.
But that confidence began to wane as the carriage slowed down.
"......"
Cheon Hajin's left leg trembled uncontrollably, and his index finger tapped his thigh frantically.
"Ugh! Are we almost there? It feels too fast... Huh?"
Suddenly, Cheon Hajin's face stiffened.
'......?'
What's this? What's going on?
'My senses...'
Even though his vision was fine, it felt like everything around him had darkened. A ringing sound echoed in his ears, and a musty smell tickled his nose. Goosebumps rose all over his body.
'A master?!'
At that moment, a gruff voice came from the driver's seat.
"This is the Third Young Master of the Seoryang family."
"Show the entry permit."
"Here it is."
"Confirmed. You may enter."
Clop. Clop.
The sound of horse hooves pulling the carriage.
Drip. Drip.
Sweat dripped from Cheon Hajin's chin.
'...Damn it.'
As soon as the carriage stopped, only one thought crossed his mind.
'Shit, I've walked right into the monster's mouth.'
Whoosh!
Even though he tried to activate his heightened senses, they seemed to kick in on their own. His instincts sharpened his senses to an extreme degree, indicating that the atmosphere here was anything but ordinary.
'Why are there so many masters here?'
He couldn't sense their presence, but he could feel the unique aura they exuded. This place was a dragon's den, a tiger's lair.
They might not be among the top ten martial artists in the world, but they were certainly among the top hundred. At least five top-tier masters were hidden here, and ten times that number of skilled martial artists surrounded the area.
It felt similar to being trapped in the Righteous Alliance's and the Iron Blood Fortress's nets. The numbers might not compare, but the overwhelming pressure was even greater. It was suffocating, making his head spin.
'Is this the Demon God Palace?'
It seemed they had arrived at the Sect Leader's residence.
'The security is insane. There's no way to break through.'
The Righteous Alliance leader's security was also impressive. Even if he hadn't been poisoned, it would have taken at least three months of preparation to attempt an assassination, and even then, the success rate wouldn't exceed fifty percent.
This place was even more formidable. The numbers were fewer, but each guard was highly specialized in protection, and their martial prowess was top-tier. For a human, sneaking in here was impossible. Even if he were twice as strong as the Assassin King in his previous life, it would still be out of the question.
'Crazy bastards! Is the Sect Leader that important? Why deploy such a massive force for someone so precious?!'
Cheon Hajin grumbled inwardly, but that was because he didn't understand the nature of the Heavenly Demon Sect.
The Heavenly Demon Sect was both a martial faction and a religion. The Demon God Palace was not only the Sect Leader's residence but also a temple. To them, protecting the Demon God Palace was akin to guarding a sacred temple.
From the moment they entered the martial world, they were trained specifically for protection. The elite guards of the sect were carefully selected.
Even if he were the God of Death, not the Assassin King, infiltrating would be difficult.
Creak!
The sound of a door closing echoed, though he hadn't noticed when it opened.
"Young Master, please disembark now."
"Ah, alright."
Cheon Hajin tried to hide his tension as he stepped out of the carriage.
"The Sect Leader has summoned you to the Judgment Pavilion. Please follow the attendant."
"Understood."
What's the Judgment Pavilion?
'I don't know anything about this place.'
He had thought he would leave soon, so he didn't bother to learn the details. He figured it was better to focus on recovering his strength. But now, he regretted that decision. The oppressive atmosphere here only intensified that regret.
Cheon Hajin silently followed the attendant.
After walking for a while, they arrived at a small, dark, and narrow door, just big enough for one person to pass through. The attendant bowed.
"Please enter."
Cheon Hajin tilted his head slightly.
'Isn't the Judgment Pavilion supposed to be a pavilion?'
No, no. Act like you know everything. Be natural, don't arouse suspicion.
The attendant straightened up and grabbed the door handle.
Creak...
As expected of the Demon Sect, even the sound of the door opening was eerie.
The moment Cheon Hajin stepped inside.
Whoosh!
A blinding light poured over him, so intense that it was hard to keep his eyes open.
'What the...?!'
Instinctively, he shut his eyes tightly.
And then, after a moment.
"......?"
When he cautiously opened his eyes, they widened in shock.
"What... what is this?"
Before his eyes, a new world unfolded.