Chronicles of the Demonic Cult Conversion-Chapter 64 : Chapter 64

Chapter 64: I Accept the Young Master's Command.
“N-no way!”
“My goodness.”
When So U-bin was knocked down by Jin Cheon's single blow, the surprise of the onlookers grew even greater.
No one had expected that the Seventh Young Master, who had just become a disciple of the Iron-Blooded Demonic God, could land a blow on the Fifth Young Master.
“Keuuuk!”
A groan filled with pain flowed from the mouth of So U-bin, who had jumped to his feet.
Jureureureu!
A stream of bright red blood poured from So U-bin's nose.
It was fortunate that he had hastily drawn up his demonic qi to protect his face; otherwise, his handsome and sharp nose would have been completely crushed.
“How dare…… how dare a thing like you.”
A truly threatening voice flowed from the enraged So U-bin's mouth.
“What, did getting hit by a fellow you don't know where he rolled in from snap you to your senses?”
“Let's see how long you can act so arrogantly.”
After saying that, So U-bin raised his demonic qi to its fullest.
“As of today, I will make it so that you can never look at my face again.”
So U-bin rushed toward Jin Cheon.
Shwaek, shwaeeeek!
The edge of So U-bin's fan continuously flew toward Jin Cheon's neck, shoulders, and waist.
A barrage of lethal techniques, so thick with killing intent that even a single cut would result in a fatal wound, poured out indiscriminately.
Chaeng, chaaeng!
Jjeong!
A loud roar echoed as So U-bin's fan and Jin Cheon's sword clashed.
It was a truly fierce close-quarters battle where dozens of exchanges took place in the blink of an eye.
But that was only for a moment.
As So U-bin gradually pressed Jin Cheon further, a one-sided offensive was formed.
Although Jin Cheon had absorbed the demonic qi of the onlookers to supplement his lacking internal energy, that was merely a temporary measure.
The fundamental difference in their internal energy was so great that as time passed, Jin Cheon was bound to be at a disadvantage.
Thanks to the constitutional advantage of his Heavenly Demon’s Physique and his mental strength, he was managing to endure the Puppet Black Demonic Qi to some extent, but even that was becoming increasingly insufficient.
“Uh oh?”
“This is dangerous.”
Words of concern flowed from the mouths of the watching Blood Qilin and Yeom Bi.
In their eyes, it was no exaggeration to say that Jin Cheon was walking on thin ice.
“We have to stop them, don't we?”
“Agreed.”
Just as Blood Qilin and Yeom Bi, unable to watch any longer, were about to step in.
“Both of you, stop!”
With a clear shout, the Second Young Lady, Cheol Yu-ra, intervened between Jin Cheon and So U-bin.
***
“What on earth is this situation?”
Cheol Yu-ra asked, looking back and forth between Jin Cheon and So U-bin.
“Our cute youngest was asking to be killed, so I was about to grant his wish. So don't interfere and step aside. Ah, our little cutie might be inwardly begging for someone to stop me.”
So U-bin said with a bitter smile.
“No way. It was just getting interesting, it would be a shame to end it here. Since we've started, let's see it to the end.”
Jin Cheon retorted as if he were spouting nonsense.
It was an expression of his will to never back down, even if it meant dying.
“You heard him, right? He says he wants to die, so isn't it only right to kill him?”
“Stop being stubborn and quit it.”
“What if I don't want to?”
“Then I'll have to make you.”
Cheol Yu-ra took a step toward So U-bin.
“Second Young Lady.”
Jin Cheon said to Cheol Yu-ra.
“I'm fine. So I would appreciate it if you would step back.”
“It's not Second Young Lady, it's Senior Sister.”
“Ah?”
“And if you're the youngest, act like the youngest. Don't talk back to your senior sister. If you don't want to get beaten.”
“……”
Jin Cheon was at a loss for words at Cheol Yu-ra's forcefulness.
He had thought she just had a blunt personality, but it seemed that wasn't her true self.
“And……”
Cheol Yu-ra shifted her gaze and glared at Blood Qilin and Yeom Bi.
“What the hell are you guys doing? Your sworn brothers are fighting, and you're just watching? You call yourselves senior brothers after that?”
“We were just about to stop them!”
“We were just about to.”
Blood Qilin and Yeom Bi protested their innocence, but it seemed to have no effect on Cheol Yu-ra.
“You two.”
Cheol Yu-ra turned back to Jin Cheon and So U-bin.
“If you really want to fight, go somewhere where no one is around and do it quietly. Don't cause a scene. Why aren't you answering.”
“I will do as you say.”
“Fine.”
At Cheol Yu-ra's urging, Jin Cheon and So U-bin nodded.
It seemed that if they acted out of line, neither Jin Cheon nor So U-bin would see a good end.
“Knock it off. No matter how much you dislike the youngest. Do you really want to be brawling with a fledgling who just graduated from the Blood Wolf Corps?”
“Are you saying you also accept that fellow as our junior brother, Senior Sister?”
“Is this a matter for us to accept or not? It's His Holiness' choice. We just have to accept it.”
“So you're all in it together. Ha!”
So U-bin let out a hollow laugh as if he found it absurd.
“Accepting a fellow like that as a junior brother, what a bunch of saints we have here. Fine, as they say, if you don't like the temple, the monk should leave. I'll be the one to get lost. Let's go.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
The martial artists of the Puppet So Clan followed So U-bin.
“It's a shame, but I'll fix your manners later. You'd better be prepared. There will be no one to protect you then.”
“You'd better be prepared for a major humiliation. The next time we fight, you won't even be able to breathe.”
Jin Cheon didn't back down from So U-bin's parting words and retorted.
He had no choice but to be pushed back now since it hadn't been long since he had started learning martial arts in earnest, but the next time they clashed, it would certainly not be like today.
***
After the situation was resolved.
“Is the show over?”
As Cheol Yu-ra spoke with a voice like frost, the onlookers scattered in all directions.
“Let's move for now.”
Saying so, Cheol Yu-ra strode away.
“What should we do?”
“What do you mean, what should we do? We have to follow. If we get on our senior sister's bad side, things will get really tough.”
Blood Qilin said in a dejected voice.
“Right, you can get on anyone's bad side, but not our senior sister's.”
Yeom Bi nodded as if in agreement.
The place Cheol Yu-ra took the group to was Jin Cheon's house.
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
“No, I'm fine.”
Jin Cheon answered Cheol Yu-ra's question.
“That's a relief. You were lucky, you know that?”
“I know.”
Jin Cheon did not bother to deny the truth.
If So U-bin had gone all out from the beginning, he would be hovering on the brink of death by now.
“I won't ask for the details. I'm sure that fellow U-bin started it.”
“How did you…….”
“We haven't known each other for just a day or two. Besides, if I were in your shoes, I don't think I'd have the guts to pick a fight with U-bin first, am I wrong?”
“You are correct.”
“Yes, I thought so. Anyway, try not to get into fights with U-bin if you can help it.”
“Yes, well. I plan to, but if he picks a fight with me first, I won't avoid it.”
“Of course, you shouldn't.”
“Pardon……?”
“If you live your life avoiding fights in this cult, you'll eventually find yourself at the edge of a cliff.”
As someone who had also lived under the law of the jungle where the strong prey on the weak, Cheol Yu-ra seemed to know well what it meant to avoid a fight that was brought to you.
It wasn't for nothing that she was the Fourth Captain of the Iron-Armored Ghostly Demon Squad, one of the top martial organizations.
“But why were you all together?”
“We just happened to hang out.”
“That's good. There's nothing wrong with getting along well.”
“Hmm.”
Cheol Yu-ra's words felt somewhat unfamiliar.
It was surprising that there was no atmosphere of them fighting over the position of Little Cult Leader.
Of course, it could be because the First Young Master was so overwhelmingly dominant…….
“I'm saying this just in case, but fighting amongst ourselves will only cause division within the cult. I don't know if you know this, but our cult has many enemies. In fact, it's not an exaggeration to say that the whole world, except for our cult, is our enemy.”
“Yes, I know.”
“If our cult, which is in such a situation, experiences internal division, what do you think will happen?”
“It will naturally collapse.”
“So we must unite. Around the one who is the strongest.”
Perhaps because the Iron-Armored Ghostly Demon Squad was the group within the cult that was closest to an army, Cheol Yu-ra's words felt more like those of a military general than a martial artist.
“I will keep your words in mind, Senior Sister.”
When Jin Cheon replied with a smile, Cheol Yu-ra, as if satisfied, did not bother to nag any further.
However, the case was different for Blood Qilin and Yeom Bi.
“What are you two doing? Fourth, how long are you going to just play around in the cult? Isn't it about time you started moving?”
“Until last year, I was in the Western Regions almost every day……”
“It's been over a year since you took a break, hasn't it?”
“W-well, that's.”
Yeom Bi broke out in a sweat.
“And you.”
Cheol Yu-ra now glared fiercely at Blood Qilin.
“Playing the glutton is fine for a day or two, but are you going to keep living like that?”
“The glutton is not me, but Senior Brother Yeo—”
“Are you talking back to me now?”
“N-no.”
“Even U-bin does his part, but what do you do? How long are you going to keep causing trouble like a child?”
Cheol Yu-ra relentlessly pushed Blood Qilin.
“I-I'll be going now.”
Jin Cheon stealthily slipped away from his seat.
He had a premonition that if he loitered around, he would get caught in the crossfire and it would be tiresome.
And Jin Cheon's judgment was correct.
Cheol Yu-ra poured out nagging and lectures for almost four hours, and Blood Qilin and Yeom Bi were only released just before their ears started bleeding.
***
The next morning.
“Young Master, you should come out.”
“What's wrong now?”
“Captain Dan and the squad members are asking for your forgiveness.”
“What do you mean?”
“You'll see when you go.”
At Baek A-rin's words, he hurried out to find Danmok Cheong and the members of the New Demon Squad kneeling in the yard.
Their appearance was already a mess from being beaten by the martial artists of the Puppet So Clan, and now that they were kneeling, their situation looked even more pathetic.
“What's all this?”
At the bewildered Jin Cheon's question, Danmok Cheong touched his head to the ground and said.
“As a guard unit, we apologize for failing to protect our lord and instead causing you worry.”
“We apologize.”
The other members of the New Demon Squad also touched their heads to the ground and apologized to Jin Cheon.
“There's no need for this. Everyone, get up.”
Jin Cheon frowned.
The Seven New Demon Squads were not an elite unit composed of outstanding martial artists.
Their captain, Danmok Cheong, was from the information-gathering Bat Squad, and most of them were fledglings who had just graduated from the Blood Wolf Corps.
They were a unit hastily put together to make up the numbers, not a force capable of carrying out guard duties in the first place, so it was only natural for them to be beaten by the martial artists of the Puppet So Clan.
“Get up.”
Jin Cheon once again ordered the members of the New Demon Squad.
However, the members of the New Demon Squad, as if they had turned to stone, could not get up.
It was due to the accumulated feelings of self-reproach for being beaten by the martial artists of the Puppet So Clan and guilt for having troubled their lord, Jin Cheon.
“You just have to not forget.”
Jin Cheon opened his mouth in a low voice.
“I too learned a lot from yesterday's events. Yes, we are weak now. Not just me, but you all are also below standard. Let's admit what we have to admit. It's understandable that anyone would look down on us, ignore us, and pick fights with us without hesitation.”
“……”
“But we're not going to keep taking it, are we? We just have to get stronger. We'll get so strong that no one can ignore us, and we'll pay them back for all to see. Then they will regret ever touching us yesterday.”
At Jin Cheon's words, the half-dead expressions of the members of the New Demon Squad began to come back to life one by one.
“From today, we will train with the mindset that we are living only for today. And we will get stronger as quickly as possible, and take revenge on them. This is the first order I am giving you. Do you understand?”
“……”
“Why is no one answering.”
At Jin Cheon's question, Danmok Cheong, with a limping and uncomfortable movement, knelt on one knee and bowed his head.
“I accept the Young Master's command.”
“We accept the command.”
The other members of the New Demon Squad also followed Danmok Cheong's lead, knelt on one knee, and paid their respects to Jin Cheon.
“So, what I'm saying is….”
Jin Cheon continued with a determined expression and tone, as if he had decided something.