novelraw Chapter 41
Chapter 41
Chapter 41
『 Translator – Divinity 』
“That is not the face you should be making. In truth, although I am the Cult Leader of the Divine Cult, I cannot use all of the cult's precious spiritual elixirs as I please. There is a set quantity of spiritual elixirs that I can use.
If it were something that only increases one's internal energy by less than six hundred years' worth, I would have plenty of room to exercise my discretion, but when it comes to the Azure Sky Stone Milk and the inner core of the Ten-Thousand-Year Fire Carp, for one, only a minuscule amount even exists within the Divine Cult…”
Cheon Ha-seong belatedly realized why the Cult Leader had shown such reluctance as he spoke.
“The one I can use immediately under my authority is one of those two. The Ten-Thousand-Year Fire Carp's inner core and the Azure Sky Stone Milk are treated as the same grade, and I am allowed to use one of them every ten years.”
“Cult Leader, you do not need to trouble yourself so much because of me. I do not need the spiritual elixirs. Even if I do not achieve complete mastery, there will be things I can do with my current level of accomplishment. I can be satisfied with that. The consideration you have shown me until now is more than I can express in words.”
Cheon Ha-seong hurriedly said, but the Cult Leader shook his head. Just hearing such words was in itself a blow to his pride.
“As I said before, this is also for the sake of the Divine Cult's power. The fact that no one has ever mastered the Heaven-Shattering Will Art is a fact that all martial artists of the Divine Cult know.”
Cheon Ha-seong somehow felt that the Cult Leader was about to decide on a difficult course of action for his sake. So he began to feel anxious.
“Cult Leader, what are you planning to do?”
“Even so, you do not need to worry so much. It's not as if I have to concede something great; it's just a matter of asking for the cooperation of the old men of the Divine Cult. Besides, the timing is good right now.
Haven't both the Danmok Demonic Clan and the So Demonic Clan done things that have given me leverage over them? If I tell them I will let it slide with just the use of a spiritual elixir, they will be more than grateful.”
“Will it really be resolved that way?”
“It seems you look down on me too much. I can handle something of that level. First, I'll persuade them with nice words, and if that doesn't work, I can just threaten them, can't I? Those old men have grown old with me, and we have spent a long time together, so if I desire it desperately, they will not try to oppose me to the very end.”
Cheon Ha-seong didn't think things would go well. If they were the people he knew them to be, they would think of this as a good opportunity and try to block the Cult Leader by any means necessary.
And if they were forced to accept the Cult Leader's will, it seemed they would try to get as much as they could out of it.
“Cult Leader, I will try to do it with my own strength.”
When Cheon Ha-seong said that, the Cult Leader frowned.
“It seems you think I cannot resolve a single matter like this. Let's not speak of this matter any further, and you, son-in-law, just diligently research your techniques.”
Then the Cult Leader left the training ground first.
Cheon Ha-seong remained in that spot for a moment, but thinking he probably shouldn't leave the matter to the Cult Leader alone, he hurriedly followed him out. However, the Cult Leader, as if he had already known he would follow and had hurried, was already nowhere to be seen.
Even when he asked the warriors guarding outside, they did not answer. It seemed the Cult Leader had given them a stern warning as he left.
Cheon Ha-seong, who had been standing blankly in thought, eventually headed for where Seo Hyo-eun was. She was the only person he could think of who could give him frank advice on such a problem.
***
Seo Hyo-eun had piled up even more books than before and was writing, the paper piled much higher.
Even when he told her not to overdo it since she was no longer alone, she didn't listen.
On the contrary, it even seemed she was acting more passionately than before.
“What are you going to do, not listening like that, Head Instructor Seo? I think we're already no different from a married couple, just that we haven't held the ceremony. Are you planning to keep disobeying your husband's words?”
Seo Hyo-eun just let out a chuckle and didn't even raise her head. In the meantime, her fine brush moved diligently.
The topic of their wedding had already come up, but in the end, it was decided to postpone the ceremony. The only people present to discuss the matter had been Cheon Ha-seong, Seo Hyo-eun, and the Cult Leader.
The Cult Leader and Seo Hyo-eun had worried that if the two of them were to marry, the surprise attacks aimed at Cheon Ha-seong would intensify. So they decided to first reorganize the Honor Guard with trustworthy people, and once Cheon Ha-seong had achieved more, they would hold the wedding then.
Cheon Ha-seong had also thought that the most important thing was for him to remain unharmed and protect Seo Hyo-eun and the baby, so he had fully agreed.
Seo Hyo-eun quickly finished what she was doing, put down her brush, and raised her head.
It was because she had a hunch that his reason for visiting her at this hour wasn't just to see her face.
“What is it?”
As if he had been waiting for Seo Hyo-eun to ask, Cheon Ha-seong began to tell his story from then on.
Hearing that her father had intended to give him the Azure Sky Stone Milk and the inner core of the Ten-Thousand-Year Fire Carp, Seo Hyo-eun's eyes widened in surprise.
“Did he really say that? He must think very highly of you. If he uses those, Father won't be able to use his share of spiritual elixirs for the next twenty years.”
Then, as if it weren't such a simple problem, Seo Hyo-eun's expression stiffened.
“What's wrong?”
Cheon Ha-seong was flustered, wondering if there was some other meaning he didn't know.
“Father has already taken many spiritual elixirs. So even if he uses another one now, his internal energy won't increase by leaps and bounds like it would for other people. So there's a high chance that the spiritual elixirs Father will use in the future will be used for someone else. Like our child.”
“Ah…”
Cheon Ha-seong also understood her words and nodded.
“Head Instructor Cheon, it seems this is your destiny after all. I wonder if the Demonic God didn't designate you as the next Cult Leader from the very beginning. Since Father is trying to use the spiritual elixir he would have used on our child on you, it means you have to obtain the elixir for our child yourself, right?”
“What do you mean by that?”
“The reason Father can use the elixirs from the secret treasury is because that is the Cult Leader's authority. So, if you become the Cult Leader, then you too, with the authority of the new Cult Leader, will be able to use the spiritual elixirs.”
“……”
Cheon Ha-seong had already been thinking that those events seemed to be unfolding naturally. For Seo Hyo-eun's sake, and for the sake of the child to be born between them, he thought that he had no choice but to become the Cult Leader's successor. But listening to the story, it seemed another reason for him to become the next Cult Leader had just been added.
Seeing Cheon Ha-seong obediently nod, Seo Hyo-eun wore a pleased expression.
“It looks like Father is finally going to settle things with those people. He's avoided it well until now. It will turn out fine, right?”
At Seo Hyo-eun's words, Cheon Ha-seong's heart grew even more uncomfortable.
“I should probably go with you, right?”
“If you do, I'll be at ease, too. But you're really amazing, Head Instructor Cheon. There were so many other urgent matters, but you made them all seem trivial in an instant. As expected, I have a good eye for people.”
Seeing Seo Hyo-eun acting smug, Cheon Ha-seong burst out laughing.
It was a strange thing, when he thought about it. He had had no interest in women until he met Seo Hyo-eun, but he had no idea why he had come to accept her without any prejudice.
“Head Instructor Cheon, if you eat the Azure Sky Stone Milk and the inner core of the Ten-Thousand-Year Fire Carp, will you finally master the Heaven-Shattering Will Art? Does that mean someone who has mastered the Heaven-Shattering Will Art will finally emerge in the Divine Cult? I'm so excited. If you can just accomplish that, the Divine Cult's power will become tens of times stronger in a single stroke. What's tens of times? It might become hundreds of times stronger.”
Seo Hyo-eun spoke as if she were excited just thinking about it.
“You'll have all the masters of the Central Plains Murim under your feet and ascend to the realm of Heaven Beyond the Heavens, right? And it won't just be you; won't our child be even more amazing? For one, they will have inherited your blood, and from a young age, you and Father will teach them really well, right? At that time, we might even be able to achieve a Demonic Hegemony over the world.”
Listening to Seo Hyo-eun pour out her excited words, Cheon Ha-seong also imagined it.
He had no thought of dyeing the world in blood and making it submit by the sword, but he did want to spare the followers of the Divine Cult from having to live huddled in this desolate land.
“My internal energy is blocked, so I'm still stuck at the sixth stage, but it's not like I'll be able to master it immediately just because the internal energy problem is solved. It will be a long road from there, too.”
When Cheon Ha-seong spoke awkwardly, Seo Hyo-eun laughed with amusement.
“You seem like a different person when you act so humble, Head Instructor Cheon. Weren't you originally the person who thought you were the most amazing person in the world?”
He didn't think that was the case, but it didn't seem like they had time to talk about it at length.
“Where do you think the Cult Leader went?”
“If it were me, I'd think he went to the Marquis Halls. Don't you think he'd go there to settle things with the Marquises first? If he does that, the Marquises will persuade the Family Heads of the Demonic Clans.”
As expected of Seo Hyo-eun. Cheon Ha-seong, thinking he had done the right thing in coming here at once, nodded his head.
“Where do you think he'll go first?”
“Wouldn't it be the Fourth Demonic Marquis's Residence? He'll want to solve the easy problem first.”
“That makes sense.”
Cheon Ha-seong, thinking that must be it, hugged Seo Hyo-eun once and left.
Seo Hyo-eun thought that she would have a lot of things to do in the future.
Her future child seemed destined to become the best in the world, and her worries were already growing about what she should teach such a child.
***
The Cult Leader was indeed at the Fourth Demonic Marquis's Residence.
When Cheon Ha-seong went to the Residence, the Captain of the Honor Guard, Cho Seok-myeong, was there.
Feeling a sense of welcome, Cheon Ha-seong approached, and Cho Seok-myeong also greeted him with a bright smile.
“Captain, how are the men?”
He was asking about the people he had recommended along with Gi Mun-yong.
Cho Seok-myeong, who had wanted to talk about them anyway, thought this was a good opportunity and began to boast.
“Head Instructor Cheon, you are truly amazing. It was surprising to the point of wondering where you found such treasures. If only one or two were excellent, I might have thought it was a coincidence, but since every single person you recommended, Head Instructor Cheon, leaves one's mouth agape, it must be your ability.”
He had heard from the Cult Leader that the Young Supreme One was pregnant with Cheon Ha-seong's child. Even after that, although he still called him Head Instructor Cheon, his tone had changed.
Cheon Ha-seong's face was full of joy, feeling even better than if he had been praised himself. Cho Seok-myeong burst out laughing, thinking that since he had met Cheon Ha-seong, he had never seen him with such a radiant face.