Chronicles of the Demonic Cult Conversion-Chapter 3 : Chapter 3

Chapter 3: I Must Walk the Demonic Path.
My instincts warned me.
To speak honestly.
This time, I decided to trust my gut.
“I am… the disciple of the one resting here.”
“Is that so.”
As the woman spoke, the pressure that had been weighing me down vanished as if it were a lie.
“It seems he did take a disciple.”
“Do you know my master?”
“It was not a grudge, so rest assured.”
At the woman's words, my heart, which had been pounding, began to calm down.
‘What on earth were you doing in your prime?’
Suddenly, I became curious about my master's past.
How had he lived to form a connection with such a person?
“I greet my master's acquaintance. I am his disciple, Jin Yeong-in. What is your relationship with my master?”
I offered a respectful clasped-hand greeting towards the woman.
Whoever she was, she had a connection with my master, so as his disciple, it was my duty to be hospitable.
“We merely formed a brief connection in the past. I inquired after him out of nostalgia and heard the news of his passing.”
“Ah.”
“I came to quietly offer a glass of alcohol, but I did not expect to meet his disciple. So, were you there at his deathbed?”
The woman asked me.
“Yes, I was by his side.”
“How were his last moments?”
“He struggled for a few months, but when he closed his eyes, he went peacefully.”
“…….”
Silence flowed for a while.
“Young brother, would you mind stepping aside for a moment? It won't be long.”
“Yes, I understand.”
At the giant's request, I moved a good distance away and watched the woman.
The woman poured a glass of alcohol for my master and stood before his grave for a long time.
About an hour passed.
The woman disappeared into the darkness.
“Young brother.”
The remaining giant handed me a black jade plaque engraved with a black dragon.
“If you ever face difficulties, show this jade plaque to No Dae-yeong of the Red Moon Pavilion and ask for help. He will grant any request.”
“Yes? Why such a kindness….”
“I do not know. I am merely carrying out the will of my superior.”
The giant said so and then added a warning.
“However, you must not use the jade plaque carelessly. Use it with caution.”
“I will keep that in mind.”
“Then, take care.”
The giant said so and then followed the woman, disappearing.
“…….”
As I stood there, momentarily dazed by the unexpected encounter, a thought occurred to me.
‘Wait, the Red Moon Pavilion.’
I snapped to my senses.
The Red Moon Pavilion was a tavern located near the Heavenly Martial Academy, a place frequently used by the academy's disciples to enjoy themselves.
But the Red Moon Pavilion was no ordinary tavern.
Was it about 15 years after I was imprisoned?
One day, the owner of the Red Moon Pavilion, No Dae-yeong, was captured, and his crime was quite surprising.
It turned out that the Red Moon Pavilion was a secret branch of the Demonic Cult, and No Dae-yeong was a member of the cult.
And yet, I was told to go to the Red Moon Pavilion and ask for help if I was in trouble…….
‘The Demonic Cult! And high-ranking members at that!’
Especially the woman, I couldn't even imagine how high her position was.
Even that giant alone was clearly above the level of a Sect Leader of a renowned orthodox sect.
‘A female master of that caliber in the Demonic Cult…’
Perhaps because my knowledge was limited, no particular person came to mind.
Just one.
‘Cheol Yu-ra?’
I had heard that among the Heavenly Demon's disciples, there was one outstanding woman…….
‘It can't be.’
From what I heard, her age was similar to mine.
Masters used to say that to reach a high realm, not only outstanding talent and good teaching were necessary, but also a certain level of experience.
No matter how talented a disciple of the Heavenly Demon was, reaching the state of returning to the origin at my age was absurd.
‘Well. In a Demonic Cult teeming with legendary masters, it wouldn't be strange for there to be one unknown female master.’
With that thought, I stopped speculating about the woman's identity.
***
The giant cautiously asked the woman walking ahead of him.
“Forgive my impertinence, but may I say a word?”
“I permit it.”
“Will it be alright to leave the Azure Heaven Divine Warrior's disciple like that?”
“What is there to not be alright about?”
“However….”
The giant recalled Jin Yeong-in's condition and said.
“According to the , the Azure Heaven Divine Warrior's disciple has lost his martial arts due to qi deviation.”
“So?”
“I do not know what kind of connection you had with the Azure Heaven Divine Warrior in the past, but if you came all this way in person, his disciple….”
The woman's steps came to a halt.
“……!”
Realizing his mistake, the giant hastily knelt on one knee.
A mistake he would never have made under normal circumstances.
But the woman's actions this time were so unconventional that the giant had inadvertently crossed the line.
“I apologize for my presumptuous words. If you command me to repay with death, I will gladly do so.”
“What value is there in your neck?”
“…….”
“His disciple… why would I spare my hand for something so trivial?”
The giant did not doubt the woman's words.
Because he knew that for the woman he knew, treating Jin Yeong-in's qi deviation would be a simple matter.
“If you are concerned that our paths are different….”
“I wished for him not to live as a warrior. That is all.”
“Pardon?”
The giant could not understand.
Wasn't martial arts something that even ordinary people who knew nothing of it tried to learn at any given opportunity?
“Have you ever regretted learning martial arts?”
“Never.”
There was not a hint of hesitation in the giant's answer.
Like any warrior, martial arts was life itself to the giant.
“But why do you ask….”
“If I said I regret it, would you believe me?”
“……!”
The giant was shaken by the unexpected answer.
Coming from the woman's mouth, of all people, the shock the giant received was even greater.
Because he knew all too well who the woman was.
“To hold a sword is….”
The woman started walking again and said in a low voice.
“In itself, an accumulation of karma. Even if one never cuts anyone, it cannot be avoided.”
“……My liege.”
“I have given him a lifeline, so that is enough. Whether our paths cross again or not, I will leave to the will of the heavens.”
The giant could not agree with the woman's words about leaving it to the will of the heavens, but he did not dare to say it out loud.
***
Even after the woman and the giant left, I remained by my master's side, deep in thought.
It was around the time when dawn was slowly breaking in the distance.
“I am sorry, Master. I… must walk the demonic path.”
After long deliberation, I announced my decision before my master's spirit.
It wasn't something I should have said in front of my master, who was a chivalrous hero, but I had no choice.
With the anger, hatred, and thirst for revenge still carved into my soul, how could I walk the path of a hero?
Just because I returned to the past didn't mean those terrible memories I experienced would disappear.
I could never forget what they did to me, nor did I have any intention of forgetting.
The Righteous Heavenly Alliance was a rotten organization, and the so-called famous masters of Murim were all black-hearted hypocrites.
To face those bastards under the banner of the righteous path and eat from the same pot?
I doubt I could even swallow a spoonful of rice.
‘Yes, a pine caterpillar should eat pine needles. As you said, I'll eat those damn pine needles.’
The Great Divine Physician once said something like that.
That a Heavenly Demon's Physique should just learn demonic arts as befits it.
I hated to admit it, but thinking about it now, he wasn't wrong.
Learning orthodox arts would only ruin my body.
Moreover, I was already equipped with extensive knowledge of demonic arts.
The results of the biological experiments the Great Divine Physician had performed on me were recorded in my mind.
What I needed was a supreme martial art that was incomparable to what I had learned in the Demonic Prison.
For example, a world-class demonic art like the Heavenly Demon Divine Art.
The demonic arts I knew were mostly shallow, provided by the Righteous Heavenly Alliance.
Even with just that, it was enough to create martial arts that could neutralize the main forces of the Demonic Cult, but…….
‘The Demonic Cult, I will go to the Demonic Cult.’
Just as they say you have to go into the tiger's den to catch a tiger, to learn the supreme demonic arts, it was only right to go to the Demonic Cult.
“I promise you, Master. At the very least, the demonic path I walk will be different from the demonic path of others.”
I made that vow and performed the nine bows.
Since I wouldn't be able to visit for a while.
‘I was originally a wanderer, so I have no sect. Therefore, I have no founder, and no master. So, take the world, this world, as your sect.’
Three bows to the heavens.
Three bows to the earth.
And finally, three bows to my master.
“Then, I will be on my way.”
As I turned and took a step, I suddenly heard my master's voice in my head.
‘Do you really have to do this?’
‘I am sorry.’
‘Even so, for my disciple to say he will walk the demonic path?’
‘I am ashamed.’
‘Do you think walking the demonic path is easy? What kind of people do you think the members of the Demonic Cult are? Of course, this master admits that there are many hypocrites in the Orthodox Factions, but the Demonic Cult members are even worse. They have no concept of good. Didn't your master tell you how the Demonic Cult members were during the Great War between the Righteous and Demonic Factions?’
Suddenly, a forgotten fact came to mind.
My master… was a very talkative person.
‘I remember the first battle with them. During the Great War. This master volunteered for the Murim Alliance's militia. My life? I wasn't afraid to lose it. It was for the sake of protecting the world, so what was one life w………….’
“S-stop. Please stop.”
I flinched and unknowingly covered my ears.
Whenever he started nagging, it was so agonizing that I felt like blood was streaming from my ears.
I can't imagine how such a person could have gotten involved with the woman I met last night.
Still… it's a relief that I didn't hear a harsh scolding.
If I had, my decision to walk the demonic path might have wavered.