novelraw Chapter 173 : Chapter 173
Chapter 173 : Chapter 173
Chapter 173. You Have Finally Found Your Place
Jin Cheon didn't know what to do, feeling overwhelmingly honored.
With the Cult Leader, his Master the Iron-Blooded Demonic God, revealing such special affection, he was simply moved to tears.
“Yes, I will definitely achieve complete mastery and uphold the Cult Leader’s... no, Master’s will.”
“Yes, that heart is delightful.”
The Iron-Blooded Demonic God smiled benevolently.
“In that sense, this seat will throw you a topic of inquiry.”
“If you grant it, I will receive it gratefully.”
“The Union of Heavenly Demon and Oppression. That will be the completed form of your martial arts.”
“By the Union of Heavenly Demon and Oppression, you mean...”
Jin Cheon’s expression became distant.
As for the Heavenly Demon Divine Qi, since he was born with the Heavenly Demon’s Physique and could read the Heavenly Demon Scripture, and had the Iron-Blooded Demonic God to interpret it, its achievement was a problem that time would solve.
However, achieving the twelfth stage complete mastery of the Oppression Suppression Divine Qi and combining it into one with the Heavenly Demon Divine Qi was a realm he dared not even imagine.
When just unleashing the Oppression Suppression Divine Qi meant risking internal injury right now, by what means could he use a martial art that must be commanded with pure internal energy using demonic qi?
That was merely a stopgap measure and nothing more than improvisation.
Moreover, the Master to teach the Oppression Suppression Divine Qi was already not a person of this world.
Although the Iron-Blooded Demonic God was giving teachings instead, there was a limit.
Unless it was the Azure Heaven Divine Warrior himself, the way to fully convey that enlightenment seemed far off.
However, the Iron-Blooded Demonic God’s thought seemed different.
“Do not think it is impossible.”
“Wasn't it impossible?”
“Possible.”
The Iron-Blooded Demonic God spoke firmly.
“The Union of Heavenly Demon and Oppression is definitely not impossible.”
“However...”
“He probably already taught everything.”
There was no need to say twice that the ‘He’ the Iron-Blooded Demonic God spoke of was the Azure Heaven Divine Warrior.
“I have never learned the Oppression Suppression Divine Qi.”
“That is just you deeming it so.”
“Pardon...?”
“He is never a lax person. There probably weren't many people in the world whose outside and inside were as different as him.”
“...”
Jin Cheon could not believe just those words of the Iron-Blooded Demonic God.
Despite his faith in the Iron-Blooded Demonic God being practically absolute and close to religion.
‘That guy isn't a lax person? His outside and inside are different?’
The reason Jin Cheon thought so was that the Azure Heaven Divine Warrior he remembered was no different from a loafer.
The Azure Heaven Divine Warrior Jin Cheon knew was a braggart, had absolutely no substance, was lax, and also a person with a few screws loose.
Of course, his mindset as a martial artist and the chivalry he harbored in his chest were probably such that it wasn't an exaggeration to call them number one under the heavens...
“Do not doubt him, your Master. He probably fully conveyed the latter essential secrets of the Oppression Suppression Divine Qi, the enlightenment gained over a lifetime, to you. It is just that you are not realizing it yet.”
“Mmm.”
“You will come to know if you constantly devote yourself. So from now on, think only of the Union of Heavenly Demon and Oppression.”
“Yes, Master.”
Honestly, Jin Cheon did not understand the meaning of the Iron-Blooded Demonic God’s words, nor did he empathize.
However, since they were words from the Best in Ancient and Modern Times who had already transcended human limits and risen to the rank of a god, they were surely not spoken in vain.
So for Jin Cheon, believing the Iron-Blooded Demonic God’s words, realizing and understanding the topic she threw, and eventually solving it was the only best course of action.
‘Union of Heavenly Demon and Oppression...’
Jin Cheon repeated those words for quite a while, chewing over their meaning.
* * *
After receiving various teachings from the Iron-Blooded Demonic God for a few days, Jin Cheon set out to prepare to go to the Scorching Hell, one of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult’s Five Great Forbidden Lands.
“What?! You're going to the Scorching Hell???”
Blood Qilin pretended to faint as soon as he heard the story that Jin Cheon had to go to the Scorching Hell.
“Is that really the only way???”
“Yes.”
“Good heavens.”
Blood Qilin clicked his tongue and shook his head from side to side.
“What to do about our poor youngest. We won't even be able to find the corpse.”
“What does that mean?”
“You'll burn up completely and turn into ash, so how can we find the corpse?”
“...Is that what you meant.”
“That place is somewhere even fair masters dare not even approach. It's incredibly hot. Probably if you throw a lump of metal, it will melt in an instant?”
Blood Qilin’s words were true.
Scorching Hell was literally just like a fiery hell.
In the first place, the middle of Sky Mountain where the Scorching Hell was located was a volcanic zone where hot lava constantly burst out, a place where ordinary people didn't even dare to dream of approaching.
It wasn't one of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult’s Five Great Forbidden Lands for nothing.
“This is the only way to save Senior Sister.”
“Oh dear. Our youngest is going to die trying to save Senior Sister.”
Blood Qilin lamented.
“Scorching Hell... It must be unusually dangerous. Shall I go with you?”
Yeom Bi worried for Jin Cheon.
“I will go too.”
The Grand Prince Cheon U-jin also seemed to have no intention of sending Jin Cheon alone.
However, Jin Cheon’s thought was different.
“I am truly grateful for your words, but I must go alone. It is not that I do not trust you, Senior Brothers, but this is a task to save Senior Sister and at the same time a trial given to me.”
“A trial?”
“The Cult Leader said so.”
“Ah.”
Cheon U-jin showed an appearance of nodding and accepting when Jin Cheon mentioned the Cult Leader, the Iron-Blooded Demonic God.
Since none other than the Iron-Blooded Demonic God had said so, he considered there must be a worthy reason.
“Hmph. Then we will help with the preparations.”
Wi Mu-rin seemed to think for a moment, then spoke.
“By preparations, you mean...”
“You cannot survive in the Scorching Hell with ordinary methods. So, we will help. I know the Demonic Armament Yeom Family also has a method worth helping with, isn't that right?”
Wi Mu-rin looked back at Yeom Bi.
“Yes, we do. Perhaps we might receive help from the Main Family.”
Yeom Bi made a meaningful expression.
Jin Cheon could not know the meaning, but regardless, it seemed clear there was some method.
“We need a reprieve of a few shijin. You can wait that long, right?”
“Yes, of course.”
Jin Cheon nodded at Cheon U-jin’s words.
It wasn't that it wasn't urgent, but since it wasn't a matter fighting for a split second, he thought waiting a few shijin would not be a big problem.
A few shijin later.
Cheon U-jin, Wi Mu-rin, Yeom Bi, and Blood Qilin gathered at Jin Cheon’s house again.
“It is the Dark Heaven Black Tortoise Armor. It is one of the treasures of the Main Family, so take it just in case.”
Cheon U-jin showed the goodwill of readily giving up the Dark Heaven Black Tortoise Armor, one of the heirlooms of the Demonic Dao Heavenly Family.
Since the Dark Heaven Black Tortoise Armor was called the number one shield under the heavens, whatever he met in the Scorching Hell, it would be able to protect Jin Cheon.
“It is called the Northern Yin Wind Way Talisman. It gathered the power of the Main Family’s sorcerers. It will protect you from Fire Qi.”
Wi Mu-rin gave a hundred talismans from the Spirit Commanding Wi Family.
“It is the Nine Heavens Cold Jade Dew. Eat it before entering the Scorching Hell.”
Blood Qilin held out a red wooden box.
“Where on earth did you get that?”
Cheon U-jin looked back at Blood Qilin with surprised eyes.
Wi Mu-rin and Yeom Bi also had considerably surprised expressions.
“Nine Heavens Cold Jade Dew? You had that?”
“How did you get that precious thing?”
The Nine Heavens Cold Jade Dew was a spiritual medicine containing immense Cold Qi, a treasure treated like the Great Cycle Pill of Shaolin to those training in Yin Arts or Ice Arts.
Just its value was worth thousands of taels of gold; it was not an object that could be readily produced.
“I stole it.”
Blood Qilin grinned.
“You stole it?”
“Yeah.”
Blood Qilin nodded at Yeom Bi’s question.
“It was in our family’s treasury. So I swiped it. Hehehe.”
“...”
At Blood Qilin’s innocent answer, the senior brothers including Jin Cheon were left speechless.
It wasn't something he could put back, and it was a spiritual medicine that was gone once eaten, and he stole the Nine Heavens Cold Jade Dew at that?
“How do you intend to handle the aftermath that you stole that?”
“Surely they won't kill me. Hahaha.”
Blood Qilin shrugged his shoulders as if it was no big deal at Cheon U-jin’s question.
“Well, he'll take care of it.”
Yeom Bi took out the items brought from the Demonic Armament Yeom Family as if worrying about Blood Qilin was not something to do.
It was a very thin pair of gauntlets and a slightly large lump of metal.
“It is the Flame God Gauntlet and Ten Thousand Year Cold Iron. The Flame God Gauntlet is a pair of gloves worn when crafting divine weapons in our family. It allows one to handle any hot flame. It is a treasure of our family. You probably know about the Ten Thousand Year Cold Iron without me needing to explain.”
“Haha, hahahaha...”
Jin Cheon laughed vainly.
The Flame God Gauntlet was a pair of gloves worn when crafting divine weapons at the Demonic Armament Yeom Family, and the Ten Thousand Year Cold Iron was an extremely rare mineral in itself.
“If it's the Cold Qi contained in the Ten Thousand Year Cold Iron, you will be able to endure even in the Scorching Hell. If you are lucky, you might be able to make the Ten Thousand Year Cold Iron soft enough to refine.”
“Ah.”
“Take it just in case.”
“Thank you, Senior Brothers.”
Jin Cheon looked back at Cheon U-jin, Wi Mu-rin, Yeom Bi, and Blood Qilin and took a pose of clasped hands.
“Since you help so unsparingly and readily, as the youngest, I am just grateful.”
At this, Cheon U-jin, Wi Mu-rin, Yeom Bi, and Blood Qilin replied.
“It is a matter of saving Junior Sister. Isn't it obvious? I am rather sorry that we made you shoulder that heavy burden alone.”
“It is a matter for which we should thank you.”
“Please take care of Senior Sister.”
“Wouldn't I do this much for our youngest? Moreover, Senior Sister’s life is on the line.”
Jin Cheon smiled unwittingly at such reactions from his Senior Brothers.
His heart was warm.
Seeing the appearance of his Senior Brothers uniting solely to save Cheol Yu-ra and to help Jin Cheon, he felt strength rising naturally.
And such emotion was not felt only by Jin Cheon.
‘Brother... You have finally found your place.’
Dang Cheon-wi thought this as he looked at the disciples of the Iron-Blooded Demonic God including Jin Cheon.
In the days when he was in the Orthodox Faction, that is, when Jin Cheon was studying at the Heavenly Martial Academy, he was a very lonely person.
Only Dang Cheon-wi had become his friend.
But now it was different.
Here in the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, Jin Cheon was never alone.
He had the contemporary Heavenly Demon, the Iron-Blooded Demonic God, the Best in Ancient and Modern Times, as his Master, and he had Senior Brothers with good brotherly affection.
Also, Jin Cheon had loyal subordinates like Danmok Cheong and the Seventh Divine Demon Squad.
Furthermore, if one added the houseguests staying at his home, now Jin Cheon was no longer alone.
Also, that wasn't the only thing Dang Cheon-wi felt.
‘The Demonic Cult was also a place where people live after all.’
Dang Cheon-wi could clearly realize that the current Heavenly Demon Divine Cult was not the Demonic Cult he knew, that it had changed into a completely different group through the Iron-Blooded Demonic God’s reforms as Jin Cheon said.
Otherwise, there was no way the Iron-Blooded Demonic God’s disciples, who originally would have competed for the position of Young Cult Leader and wouldn't have been satisfied even if they killed each other, would unite to save Cheol Yu-ra.
* * *
As soon as Jin Cheon packed the treasures his Senior Brothers had gathered, he immediately began to climb Sky Mountain.
Sky Mountain was more barren, rugged, and harsh than any mountain Jin Cheon had climbed so far.
Thousand-yard cliffs were located everywhere, trees harboring potent poison that would poison one just by grazing them were dense, and the wind blew so hard that it wouldn't seem strange at all if skin tore and blood flowed.
Moreover, the spiritual energy was so strong that while Jin Cheon could endure it, Danmok Cheong and the Seventh Divine Demon Squad were in a state where they couldn't even breathe properly.
“Captain Dan and the Seventh Divine Demon Squad, wait here.”
“But Liege...”
“Demonic practitioners cannot climb Sky Mountain.”
“...”
“Wait here at least.”
“Your command.”
Jin Cheon left Danmok Cheong and the Seventh Divine Demon Squad behind and continued to climb Sky Mountain.
When he had climbed about a third of the mountain.
Just as he wondered if the temperature was slowly rising, a new world unfolded before his eyes.
“...This is.”
Jin Cheon had no choice but to doubt his own eyes.