Chapter 9 Meeting the Sect Leader (4)

Sweat trickled down his forehead, soaking the corners of his eyes. A buzzing sound echoed in his ears. Just a slight change in the gaze of the man before him, and the warm spring breeze had turned into a freezing winter gale. It was unbearably cold.

"So, what I mean is..."

"Disappointing."

With a light clink, Sect Leader Yi Cheon-sang filled his cup again.

Cheon Ha-jin screamed internally.

What did I do wrong? I just wanted to go out for a bit! And when someone is talking, can you please not cut them off?!

The thoughts swirling in his head were all things he couldn’t say out loud.

Cheon Ha-jin took a deep breath.

"Sect Leader."

Yi Cheon-sang didn’t even glance at him, slowly emptying his cup and refilling it again.

"It seems there’s some misunderstanding..."

"Misunderstanding?"

The voice was still indifferent. Cheon Ha-jin couldn’t figure out what this man was thinking.

‘I’m going crazy! I can’t read his expression at all!’

On top of that, the way he kept cutting him off made it hard to even open his mouth.

But he couldn’t just stay silent. He was the one who had started this conversation, and he couldn’t just leave after sweating buckets.

Cheon Ha-jin rolled his eyes, deep in thought.

What should I do? He doesn’t seem extremely angry, but he doesn’t seem happy either. Well, there wasn’t a single word that suggested joy.

In that brief moment, Cheon Ha-jin’s mind raced like crazy, and at some point, he felt like giving up.

‘...Damn it.’

Screw it, I don’t know.

Now, the only way is to be direct. This man clearly hates beating around the bush more than he hates a venomous snake.

In fact, he seems to firmly believe that his own thoughts are correct.

Fine! I want to cut ties with this place! You’re right! I admit it!

‘Since it’s come to this, I might as well just say it outright!’

You only live once... or twice... or three times?!

Anyway, this body has already died once. Dying again wouldn’t be a big deal.

"Sect Leader!"

A bold start.

Cheon Ha-jin raised his head.

"I...!"

At that moment.

Buzz!

‘...!!’

His body stiffened.

Yi Cheon-sang’s expression remained as indifferent as before. He wasn’t releasing any aura or exuding any presence.

But Cheon Ha-jin, who had met the gaze of the one and only Demon God in the world, felt his bones freeze.

Eyes that seemed to hold the flames of the endless hell.

The gaze of the absolute being was majesty, intimidation, and terror in itself.

There was no need for unnecessary words or actions to prove himself. He was already complete.

The Demon God, who toyed with the principles of all creation and could even burn the heavens, was about to devour the Death God who had yet to shed his human form in an instant.

"...Ah, it’s not like I want to cut ties or anything."

Yi Cheon-sang’s eyes gleamed.

"Then?"

Cheon Ha-jin stammered.

"I just wanted to get some fresh air..."

"..."

"I’ve only just recovered, you see. And I’ve lost my martial arts."

"So?"

"It’s just... complicated. I’ve been trying to sort things out, but it’s not easy."

"..."

"So, I thought I’d go out for a bit... That’s why I came to ask for permission. Yes, that’s it."

"..."

"How could I ever think of cutting ties with the sect? Haha! I, Cheon... Seo-ryang! I’m not going anywhere! Of course not."

Yi Cheon-sang’s eyes narrowed slightly.

There was a hint of surprise in his gaze as he looked at his chattering disciple.

"Is that so?"

"Yes, yes, that’s right."

"So, you came to see me just to get permission to go out?"

...Huh?

‘Oh, damn it.’

Cheon Ha-jin cursed his own simplicity.

Thinking about it, it really was ridiculous.

The reason he had asked to meet the Sect Leader of the Heavenly Demon Sect, the Demon God himself, was just to get permission to go out?

Anyone would be shocked. At the very least, he should have had a more important reason than just wanting to go out.

No wonder he was talking about cutting ties. Asking to sever ties would have been a more fitting reason to meet the Sect Leader of the Heavenly Demon Sect.

‘To me, going out is an important reason!’

But would the other person think the same?

"...And I wanted to see you, Master, after so long."

Yi Cheon-sang’s eyebrow twitched.

It was the first change in expression, but Cheon Ha-jin was too busy chattering to notice.

"Even though things have come to this, there’s still the duty of a disciple, right? I haven’t even repaid a fraction of the kindness I’ve received, and I haven’t been able to pay my respects properly. It’s been weighing on my mind..."

Since he had already started, Cheon Ha-jin tried his best to appeal to the other’s emotions.

They say you can repay money you owe, but you can’t repay a debt of gratitude. A person’s feelings are that important.

The relationship between master and disciple is like a bond of fate, just like family.

He didn’t know if this stone-faced man had any emotions, but if a disciple came saying he missed his master, would he really get angry?

Crunch.

The cup in Yi Cheon-sang’s hand turned to powder and scattered.

His expression was still indifferent, but the blazing light in his eyes seemed to reveal his twisted emotions.

‘...Why is he angry?’

Whoosh!

The heavy air grew hot.

"You spoke of a disciple’s duty?"

"Yes?"

"If you knew your duty, you shouldn’t have appeared before me in such a state."

Cheon Ha-jin’s mouth fell open.

A disciple who had fallen into demonic possession and then recovered came to pay his respects, and now he’s being told he doesn’t know his duty?

What? Am I the weird one? No, I really don’t get it. Why is this not knowing my duty? Can someone explain it to me?

Yi Cheon-sang stood up.

Thud!

Even sitting, he was intimidating, but standing, he was truly like a towering mountain.

He turned his back and spoke bluntly.

"In three days, I’ll send someone."

"...?"

Three days? Someone?

"Go back."

Go back? To my quarters?!

Cheon Ha-jin was dumbfounded.

Wait a minute! What about my request? What about going out? Can I just leave on my own? Should I really do that?

"I..."

Yi Cheon-sang glanced at him.

Gulp!

For some reason, the silent look made him angry.

This guy keeps cutting me off and only saying what he wants to hear!

Doesn’t he have even the slightest consideration for the other person? Does he even understand the essence of conversation? Huh?!

I, for your information, was once considered one of the top ten masters in the world!

Cheon Ha-jin stood up resolutely.

And then he bowed politely.

"I’ll see you later."

For now, I’ll go back.

"Did you call for me, Sect Leader?"

"Yes."

Yi Cheon-sang, who had been sitting on the throne, stood up as Mu-dam greeted him.

Step, step.

Just the sound of his footsteps was enough to make people tense.

Even Mu-dam, who was considered no less than the top ten masters in the world, felt his hair stand on end as Yi Cheon-sang approached.

Swish.

Yi Cheon-sang, who had moved to the window, picked up a bottle and filled his cup.

Mu-dam remained in a deep bow.

"Come here."

"Yes."

Mu-dam stood up and cautiously approached Yi Cheon-sang.

Yi Cheon-sang held out the cup.

"Have a drink."

"I am unworthy."

Mu-dam respectfully took the cup, turned his head to empty it, then immediately took three steps back and knelt, bowing his head.

It was an attitude that could only come from extreme respect for the other person. The posture of the Great Protector, who treated the human incarnation of a god, was like that.

Yi Cheon-sang asked calmly.

"What has happened to the third disciple lately?"

Mu-dam’s face showed confusion. It was rare for Yi Cheon-sang to ask about his disciples.

He was curious, but curiosity was something to be buried in the heart for those who served a god.

"He has been recovering in his quarters."

"Is that all?"

"...Yes."

"I see."

The indifference in the short answer was still there.

But Mu-dam, who had served Yi Cheon-sang for decades, could tell. The Sect Leader was slightly different from usual.

It was almost blasphemous to even speculate, but if he had to guess...

‘Interest?’

In whom? Surely not the third disciple?

Mu-dam was inwardly puzzled, but he was shocked by what Yi Cheon-sang said next.

"He’s quite something."

"...?"

"I thought I picked up a snake, but it turned out to be a venomous one. So I was disappointed."

"Yes?"

"But today, I saw it holding a pearl in its mouth."

Mu-dam’s eyes shook.

The corner of Yi Cheon-sang’s mouth twitched slightly.

It was a very small movement, but the fact that his expression, which seemed like it would never change even after a thousand years, had shifted was surprising.

Yi Cheon-sang recalled the time at the Demon Judgment Pavilion.

The mysterious and astonishing sight the third disciple had shown.

‘Instead of moving away from demonic energy, he had come to ‘understand’ death.’

The Demon Judgment Pavilion.

The name wasn’t given for no reason. The formation surrounding it was a top-tier technique maintained by the Sect Leader’s demonic energy, developed over generations from ancient formations.

To judge demons.

Demons were what the Sect Leader brought, and judging them was the role of the Sect Leader and the formation.

Since the formation was maintained by the Sect Leader’s demonic energy, the owner of the Demon Judgment Pavilion could only be the Sect Leader.

The Demon Judgment Pavilion materialized the heart of anyone who entered.

It not only showed their current state and what they pursued, but also revealed parts of their subconscious.

What if the person didn’t meet the Sect Leader’s expectations?

What if even a hint of killing intent arose in the Sect Leader’s heart?

Then, the Demon Judgment Pavilion, a demonic formation, would attack the target according to the Sect Leader’s will. The moment the desire to kill arose, it would mercilessly destroy them.

It was the best way to understand a person’s true nature. But the Demon Judgment Pavilion couldn’t be opened indefinitely.

The method, timing, and the period before it could be opened again were secrets known only to the Sect Leader.

"Is the Lonely Bamboo Grove being well maintained?"

"Yes? Ah, yes! We send members of the Protectorate every two days to manage it."

"Casualties?"

"On average, five casualties occur each month, but fortunately, there have been no deaths in the past four months."

"You’ve raised them well."

Yi Cheon-sang emptied his cup and handed it to Mu-dam, who carefully refilled it.

But Yi Cheon-sang still held out the cup.

"Let’s drink together."

"Yes?"

Yi Cheon-sang said no more.

Mu-dam, feeling honored, filled his own cup and carefully raised it.

Clink!

The sound of the cups clinking was incredibly clear.

One drank heartily, the other respectfully.

"This is a gift for your hard work."

"Ah, no! It was my duty."

Mu-dam’s face was filled with emotion. He never expected the Sect Leader to propose a toast.

Even the nectar of the heavens or the temptation of a beauty wouldn’t be as sweet as this. It was a gift he would never forget, even at the moment of death.

As he was intoxicated by the Sect Leader’s gift.

"Send the children away for a while."

"...Yes?"

Yi Cheon-sang, who had put down his cup, sat back on the throne.

"Send the third disciple to the Lonely Bamboo Garden."

Mu-dam’s face turned pale.

"To the Lonely Bamboo Garden... you mean?"

He knew how important the Lonely Bamboo Garden was to the sect.

And how dangerous it was, perhaps even more so.

Yi Cheon-sang rested his chin on his hand.

Was it Mu-dam’s imagination, or was there a hint of interest on that usually indifferent face?

"It’s a suitable place to get some fresh air."