A place with beautiful scenery and a cozy atmosphere is often referred to as a fairyland or a paradise. It meant to resemble a world where immortals reside. However, this place was undoubtedly a true fairyland.
Chirp, chirp, chirp. Small, pretty birds perched on the trees, singing sweetly. Rustle, rustle. Deer with shiny, smooth fur grazed leisurely on the grass, seemingly unbothered by any presence. Gurgle, gurgle. A stream flowed nearby, and the sky was clear without a single cloud. Flower petals danced in the wind, and the warm breeze carried the fragrance of spring, while vibrant flowers bloomed all around.
"Huh... What is this?" It was clearly winter now. Given the region, it might be warmer than the north, but it was still supposed to be very cold. Yet here, it felt like spring? "What’s going on? Am I dreaming?" Tian Hanjin, with a dazed expression, raised his hand and pulled at his cheeks. It hurt. "So it’s not a dream?"
In that moment, Tian Hanjin's eyes sparkled. "Illusion Array?!"
An illusion array is a formation that deceives a person's five senses, causing hallucinations and auditory illusions. Since it was winter, this scene made no sense. Moreover, it seemed to have come inside rather than being outside. Therefore, this place must be an area covered by an illusion array.
But... "Why does this illusion array feel so real?" To be an assassin, one must have a certain level of knowledge about formations. Moreover, to be called the King of Assassins, one must possess nearly expert-level knowledge of formations. Even someone like Tian Hanjin, who had such experience, found the illusion array here to be of a remarkably high level. It was hard to conclude, but it could easily be considered a top-tier formation in the martial world.
"Wow, anyway, this is nice." He wanted to retire from the martial world and build a big house in a place like this. The ideal home he had dreamed of in his imagination looked exactly like this.
Just as he was gaping and looking around, he heard a voice. "This way."
Gasp! Startled, Tian Hanjin turned his head toward the source of the voice. "…!" A large pavilion came into view, one that hadn’t been there just moments ago. There was no way he could have missed such a grand and antique pavilion if it had been there.
And there, a man dressed in a ceremonial robe sat with his back turned.
His fingers instinctively curled into a fist. After staring at the man's back for a moment, Tian Hanjin slowly began to walk forward. Step by step, he moved cautiously and carefully.
Then something astonishing happened. As he stepped forward, grass grew up to his shins, and as soon as he lifted his foot, it wilted and crumbled. With another step, new grass sprouted, and with another lift of his foot, it withered away. With each step, life emerged, and with the next, death seeped in. However, Tian Hanjin, who was focused on the man's back, was unaware of this. He walked as if entranced.
The man's eyes sparkled as he lowered a cup to his lips. "Life and death?"
Slowly placing the cup down, he looked around. The peaceful ambiance of the fairyland gradually encroaching upon his world, which had been at the edge of a cliff.
"…Interesting."
How much time passed?
Suddenly! Tian Hanjin's foot halted at the stairs opposite the pavilion. He felt an inexplicable sense of unease.
"Huh?" He hurriedly glanced around. The world remained unchanged. Flowers bloomed, and deer and birds frolicked peacefully.
"I definitely felt something strange..."
Suddenly, a sharp pain shot up his spine and into the back of his neck.
"…." Tian Hanjin flinched and rubbed his neck. It felt like being stung by a bee. That sharp pain jolted him awake.
"What should I say... I don't know why, but..."
His previously dazed eyes now shone with clarity. "This place is dangerous."
The mind and body are ultimately one. Though he had never experienced a moment of peace in his heart, the luxury he had never enjoyed in his life had made his mind and body more flexible over the past three months. However, the instincts of the King of Assassins, honed over a lifetime, would not vanish in just three months. The cries of instincts he had shouted countless times awakened once more in this unfamiliar environment.
And it informed him. This place was not safe.
Knowing something in his head and deeply "understanding" it in his heart are entirely different. Only now did Tian Hanjin fully realize that this place was genuinely dangerous.
How dangerous was it? "It could suppress even the sixth sense engraved in the soul!"
He placed a foot on the stairs. Thump. His heart raced. Thump, thump. Gradually, the gaze he felt upon him began to unveil the world above him, little by little.
Swish. Finally, Tian Hanjin reached the pavilion.
"Sit."
The voice that came in like a gust of wind was truly overwhelming. Tian Hanjin's throat bobbed as he swallowed hard.
A man came into his view. The man leaned on one arm, sitting at an angle, pouring himself a drink with languid movements.
Drip, drip. The cup filled slowly. However, Tian Hanjin was not captivated by the cup but by the man himself.
"He's huge!"
The man had an imposing physique. At a glance, he seemed nearly seven feet tall, with broad shoulders that resembled mountains. His hands were also enormous, wrapping around a thick wine bottle effortlessly. His tousled hair covered half of his face, and the ceremonial robe he wore was loosely draped, revealing his chest.
His well-defined muscles and abs were mesmerizing. The half-exposed face made it hard to gauge his age. His thick hair showed no signs of aging, and his skin was free of wrinkles. Yet, he did not give off a youthful vibe.
Despite his size, he exuded a languid and decadent atmosphere. This aura was born not from youthful vigor but from experience and composure that could not be achieved by mere youth.
"The Sect Leader!"
At last, he stood before the current leader of the Heavenly Demon Sect. It was the moment he faced Lee Cheonsang, the Ninth Great Heavenly Demon, who had received the divine spirit of the Heavenly Demon in history.
"Has the Third Prince entered?"
"Yes."
The middle-aged man, the Great Law Protector of the Sect, Mu Dam, stared at the door with a complicated expression.
Mu Dam remained silent. The man standing beside him, with a stern expression, spoke up. "Is there something troubling you?"
"……."
"……."
"……."
"Apologies. I misspoke."
Mu Dam did not respond again.
How much time passed?
"Since the Sect Leader's reign, only twice has anyone other than the Sect Leader entered the Pavilion."
The calm voice carried an undeniable tension and concern.
"Once was twenty-five years ago, when the Sect Leader took in his first disciple."
The man's eyes sparkled. "The first disciple... you mean?"
"That's right."
"Then it was the First Prince?"
"Not at all. The First Prince became the Sect Leader's disciple exactly twenty years ago."
"You mean there was another disciple before the current First Prince?"
"Indeed. And the shadowy disciple you do not know of died here in the Pavilion."
"……!"
"He was torn apart as if devoured by beasts."
The man's face turned pale.
"The Sect Leader...?"
"If the Sect Leader had intended to kill him, he wouldn't have brought him here in the first place."
That made sense. Thus, it was even more perplexing. The man, who had never entered the Pavilion, had no idea what kind of place it was. He only knew that the Sect Leader had a personal pavilion he favored.
"Then who was the other person who entered here?"
"The General."
"……!"
"The supreme authority who oversees the affairs of our Sect. The only man who has risen to the position of one under heaven and above all through intellect, not martial arts. He was the second person to enter the Pavilion."
"That person...?"
"Yes. He walked out with dignity."
Mu Dam's gaze deepened. "Today marks the third time the Pavilion has opened. Will the Third Prince truly return alive?"
The rising tension drained strength from his knees and pounded against his abdomen and back. After the command to sit, Lee Cheonsang had not spoken a word. He merely repeated the slow act of filling and emptying his cup.
Creak. Creak.
Tian Hanjin took a deep breath and took another step, one step at a time. When he was about five steps away from the table, he said, "I greet the Sect Leader."
Lee Cheonsang's eyes sparkled. Stopping his steps, Tian Hanjin bent slightly to greet him. A subtle politeness radiated from him.
"……."
Lee Cheonsang, who had been staring at him blankly, moved the cup he had placed beside him to the opposite side.
Drip. "Take it."
Straightening his back, Tian Hanjin sat down and lifted the cup. The wine sloshed inside. Its strong yet luxurious aroma made his head spin.
Closing his eyes for a moment to savor the fragrance, Tian Hanjin emptied the cup in one go. "Wow, this is amazing!"
After drinking cheap liquor every day, tasting such fine wine made his fingertips tingle. He barely held back an exclamation that almost slipped out and carefully placed the cup down, straightening his posture to look at Lee Cheonsang.
"……!"
It was different. The presence of Lee Cheonsang, sitting across the small table, was truly overwhelming.
Even without any display of power, an aura like a mountain radiated from him. A light gesture or a brief breath carried a heavy pressure that weighed down on others.
"The Grand Master of the Demon Path, the King of All Demons, is indeed not an exaggeration."
Though he was more skilled in politics than martial arts, the old man, the leader of the Yichuan Alliance, was also a powerful figure among the top ten masters in the world.
He had never seen the Blood Iron Saint, but he assumed it would be of a similar level. He could say he was a step below those two.
This man was different. The greatest martial god in the world, who had no reason to be confined within the ranks of the top ten masters, was here.
It was understandable why the demons revered him as a god; he was a formidable figure playing in an entirely different dimension, a half-immortal.
Before admiration could take root, a question arose. "Why, despite being so strong, has he not stepped into the martial world?"
Was he uninterested in the Demon Path? Just as Tian Hanjin tilted his head in thought, Lee Cheonsang spoke.
"Did you come to see me?"
The words thrown out were devoid of any emotion. It was truly the pinnacle of indifference.
"Ah, yes."
"Why?"
His tone was chilling. Wasn't there supposed to be some camaraderie between a master and disciple? Was it always this tense in this area?
Feeling somewhat awkward, Tian Hanjin cleared his throat twice. After all, this man clearly did not enjoy beating around the bush.
There was no need to ramble; he should be honest. "I have a favor to ask..."
"A favor?"
Perhaps it was unexpected. Lee Cheonsang's eyes sparkled again with interest.
"What kind of favor?"
The unyielding tension made Tian Hanjin swallow hard. Now that he was about to speak, he felt a bit nervous. Still, to seek freedom, he had to stake a significant bet.
"Cough! Um... I..."
"……."
"……."
"……."
"Can I leave the Sect...?"
At his vague request, Lee Cheonsang stared at Tian Hanjin in silence. Tian Hanjin felt cold sweat trickling down his back.
Damn it, you fool! Speak with confidence! Just say you want to step out for a bit! You want to catch some fresh air! Why did he phrase it like that?
"Can I leave the Sect?" What a poorly worded request!
"…Damn it, this is too tense!"
Above all, the pressure was immense. Just uttering that one sentence made him feel drenched in sweat.
"Well, I said it." Surely, he would grant permission? Yes, he would. It was just stepping out, after all.
He wasn't planning anything reckless; it was just a request to go outside, right? Given his current state, would he really refuse a simple request from a disciple?
With that thought, he lowered his gaze and put on a sorrowful expression. He relaxed his tense body, trying to create a favorable atmosphere.
Though it was a bit humiliating, once he stepped out of here, his harsh life in the Demon Sect would come to an end.
The true new life of Tian Hanjin as a human would begin. For that, he could even dance in front of the Sect Leader.
How much time passed?
Lee Cheonsang, who had been staring at Tian Hanjin, lifted his cup.
"Drink."
"Ah, yes."
Tian Hanjin respectfully filled his cup.
Slowly emptying his cup, Lee Cheonsang spoke. "You want to leave the Sect?"
"Yes."
"Are you saying you want to sever ties with us?"
Tian Hanjin blinked. Uh... that was the plan, but what I meant was just that I wanted to leave the Sect for a bit?
Ah! Thinking about it, this could be misunderstood!
Tian Hanjin hurriedly opened his mouth. "What I meant was..."
"Do you not like being my disciple?"
"Yes? No! That's not what I meant..."
"Then have you already given up just because your body has reached this state?"
"Well..."
"Is that all you are capable of?"
Swoosh. Lee Cheonsang's gaze deepened, sinking infinitely.
Tian Hanjin's throat bobbed up and down uncontrollably.
"…Shit."
This is bad.