Chapter 48
Conclusion (3)
Near Mount Cheonmok, there stood a shrine enshrining the ancestors of the Cheon Clan.
This area was a forbidden ground, a place only the Family Head of the Cheon Clan was permitted to enter.
There, two men—both bearing the appearance of Cheon Wigang, the current Family Head of the Cheon Clan—faced each other.
Cheon Wigang spoke to Cheon Wigang.
"So… you were the root cause of everything."
From the voice to the expressionless face standing before him, everything was identical.
Yet the overwhelming, domineering aura flowing from the blood-soaked Cheon Wigang was something that could never be imitated.
"What is your reason?"
He wanted to ask why.
However, the one wearing Cheon Wigang's face offered no answer.
He merely studied Cheon Wigang's bloodied wounds with interest.
They looked deep, but were nothing more than flesh wounds.
"So you resorted to petty tricks."
"Speak. What is your reason?"
"Do not misunderstand. You lot are not the only special ones."
"Then you mean there are other places besides the Cheon Clan where your kind has infiltrated."
Grin.
Cheon Wigang saw the other man twist his face—his own face—into a grotesque smile.
It was a smile that unnaturally contorted the facial muscles.
"Chaos."
"Chaos, you say."
"This is only the beginning."
The Demonic Cult had devised countless schemes to destroy the Central Plains martial world.
Among them was chaos and division.
If those known as revered elders of the martial world were revealed to be members of the Demonic Cult—
A massive upheaval never before seen would descend upon the Central Plains martial world.
"When that time comes, no one will be able to trust anyone else."
Such chaos would inevitably breed distrust.
In other words, ensuring that people could not unite due to mutual suspicion.
That was the Demonic Cult's true aim.
"What would there be to fear from a righteous martial world that cannot unite?"
"A splendid strategy."
Cheon Wigang genuinely admired it.
It meant their analysis of the Central Plains martial world was that thorough.
'So there was someone who truly understood both the strengths and weaknesses of the righteous sects.'
Though classified as the righteous faction, internal conflict had always existed within it.
And yet the righteous martial world remained steadfast, because whenever a third force arose to shake the system, they would unite as one.
Moreover, scattered throughout the Central Plains were reclusive eccentrics—
As well as masters hidden within sects and clans, and even figures from past generations whose life or death was unknown.
There existed a hidden strength unseen on the surface.
That was why the era of the righteous martial world had endured until now.
'This is dangerous.'
Extremely dangerous.
It meant the Demonic Cult's sinister blade had already reached the throat of the Central Plains martial world.
And yet that foolish, ox-like righteous martial world remained completely unaware of it.
"Do you understand now? The martial world is finished. The fate of the Cheon Clan has already been decided as well!"
His maniacal laughter rang out.
Yet Cheon Wigang did not waver in the slightest.
Even if that were true—
The Cheon Clan would not fall.
"This is not a Cheon Clan that will collapse at the hands of the likes of you."
"Do you truly believe a mere wretch like you can stop our sect's schemes?"
A thirty-year grand plan.
Twenty of those years had already passed.
During that long span of time, the man disguised as Cheon Jungho had, paradoxically, come to understand Cheon Wigang better than anyone.
Thus, he had long known that Cheon Wigang had been blocked by a wall, unable to move forward.
"Enough. This is beyond you."
"Yes. It is beyond me."
Cheon Wigang admitted it without hesitation.
He knew that his limit ended with the Cheon Clan.
Anything beyond that exceeded the capacity of his vessel.
And so, he harbored no greed for more.
"I do not wish for anything beyond that."
"What…?"
"But that child is different."
Goooooooong!
The atmosphere changed.
Under a pressure like Mount Tai pressing down upon his shoulders, the man's eyes shook violently from side to side.
'Why? Cheon Wigang should have been stuck at the entrance of the Hwagyung realm, unable to advance any further.'
Had he not observed Cheon Wigang for twenty full years?
Though he had reached the Hwagyung realm, that was all.
He had long concluded that Cheon Wigang possessed nothing beyond that.
'Don't tell me… he crossed the wall?'
Yet the Cheon Wigang standing before him now was different.
He felt a firmness to his iron wall utterly unlike before.
So unfamiliar that even after watching him for twenty years, it felt foreign.
"That child will go beyond the heavens of the Cheon Clan."
"...!"
"And come to encompass the world."
Cheon Wigang tightly gripped his sword.
Though he had already laid waste to the surrounding area once, he knew the trap had not yet ended.
The reason the man had been prattling on about his plans was likely born of absolute confidence—that he could kill Cheon Wigang here.
"So do not stand in that child's path."
Flinch!
Up until now, Cheon Wigang had sought recognition as the Family Head of the Cheon Clan.
Because he strove to become strong for that very reason, Cheon Wigang lacked several virtues that a martial artist ought to possess.
'W-what kind of face is that…'
One of them was precisely fighting spirit—and killing intent.
Cheon Wigang's face, twisted like a ferocious god of slaughter, looked as though he might tear out a heart and scatter blood everywhere at any moment.
"If you truly intend to stand in that child's way—"
Hoooooong!
Cheon Wigang's sword bloomed in full.
"No matter who the opponent is, I will cut them down. That—"
The sword of one who had crossed the previous wall.
Sword energy that shone like the deep blue of the open sky burst forth.
"—is my burden to bear."
Flinch!
The false one who received that momentum trembled.
Even so, he remained arrogant.
After all, Cheon Wigang's death was, to him, an unavoidable fate.
"Khehehehe. You've grown stronger, it seems—but you don't really think this is the end, do you?"
The trap laid here was not yet over.
There were many daggers prepared to kill Cheon Wigang.
Shraaak!
He spread his right arm to the side.
"...."
Silence fell.
But only for a moment.
From within the darkness, shadows began to slither upward.
That ominous presence sought to defile Cheon Wigang's azure radiance.
"Die."
"Did you truly think trash like this could stain the heavens of the Cheon Clan?"
Cheon Wigang grew furious instead.
They were no different from those he had already cut down.
It was closer to an insult.
"Ah, of course not."
However, that was not the end.
Wham!
From the edge of those shadows, a frigid snowstorm erupted.
It felt as though the season—still standing at the tail end of summer—had been completely overturned.
Crack!
Crunch!
The road froze white.
The grass beside it froze solid, then shattered under the raging wind.
Cheon Wigang soon faced a single woman.
Even in the darkness, her two hands shone clearly.
A woman with pure white hair stood beneath the moonlight.
"...."
Eyes that seemed to look down upon the entire world with icy detachment.
They were eyes devoid of all emotion.
Yet even that suited her frost-like presence.
Crunch!
The small branch in her hand was a sharp hidden weapon.
Ice blades that would pierce flesh surged forward.
Whooosh!
Ice tore through the air.
The space along the branch's trajectory froze over, frost blooming in its wake.
Clang!
Cheon Wigang's sword blocked the ice branch.
He intended to sever it in a single strike.
"...!"
However, Cheon Wigang's sword failed to cut through the ice completely.
Unsevered shards of ice fell to the ground.
It was a moment that clearly revealed a difference in raw power.
"Khehehehe. With Yama and Sosu both moving, what chance would the Cheon Clan have?"
He laughed grotesquely.
For the sake of the Cheon Clan, two of the Seven Great Demonic Venerables had moved.
It was excessive force, by any measure.
Yet the fact that he could manipulate such immense power to his will, even briefly, was intoxicating.
"Die. The Cheon Clan will become mine."
"...That will not happen until you take my head."
His martial realm might have been lower.
He might have been lacking.
But what of it?
The world of martial arts was profound—being strong did not guarantee victory.
Nor did being weak guarantee defeat.
In the end, who was long and who was short would only be known once one of them lost their life.
"Come, woman of the Demonic Cult."
"...."
The woman known as Sosu moved.
The sky over this region—freezing and thawing in turns—had already become winter.
However, that winter was brief.
"Hm?"
He sensed something strange.
From not far away, the frozen sky began to crack.
At that, the filthy beings surrounding Cheon Wigang scattered in all directions.
With that as the trigger, pressure began to close in from all sides.
"What is this? What in the world—!"
As panic set in—
Before he could even grasp the situation, he felt death itself dying.
'It's being erased.'
The demonic energy that had surged throughout the area was being wiped out entirely.
'What on earth…!'
Not a single sound rang out.
And yet, the situation had reversed.
From those laying siege, they had become the ones besieged.
"Tsk. First Yama, and now Sosu. You really were determined."
Wolf King and Cheon Seonhak strolled in as if out for a leisurely walk.
No one could block their advance.
"Wolf King…!"
"Why? Surprised to see me here?"
"Seonhak, you've come."
"Yes. Thankfully, we're not too late."
"We are late."
The two faced each other.
They had always been each other's support.
And now, all three pillars that had upheld the Cheon Clan had gathered.
However, one rotten pillar had already collapsed, leaving only two standing.
"Did Muyang not come?"
"He's already here."
KWAANG!
One axis of the frozen sky collapsed.
Shattering like crystal fragments, the sky broke apart—and through it, Cheon Muyang could be seen walking forward at ease.
"Ah… you've come."
The three pillars still upheld the Cheon Clan.
Behind the rotten pillar, a new pillar rose.
"I'm late, Family Head."
"You came at the right time."
Flinch.
Cheon Seonhak recalled Cheon Wigang's words—that he had come late.
"Who would dare set their sights on the heavens of the Cheon Clan?"
Hooooong!
Two men bearing the appearance of Cheon Wigang stood there.
Yet Cheon Muyang could tell at a glance which one was the real Cheon Wigang.
Thud!
And so, Cheon Muyang's blade pointed toward the false one.
"Was it you?"
He was different from Cheon Wigang.
He had not reached the Hwagyung realm—so by simple comparison, he was clearly weaker.
Yet, aside from that, there was something different about him.
Ziiiiing!
The area around his brow began to ache.
He felt a chill.
"You'd better not let your guard down."
Flash!
In that instant—
His cheek was cut.
Beneath the thin wound, blood trickled down.
"H-how…!"
Seeing his flustered expression, Cheon Muyang smiled.
"Why? Is something wrong?"
"Y-you bastard…!"
"How utterly foolish. There was a vermin right in front of your eyes."
"What did you say?"
"To only realize it now."
Supreme Elder Cheon Jungho.
When he wore that guise, there was an unmistakable sense of weight to him.
"The name of the Supreme Elder certainly carried authority."
But once he cast aside the name Cheon Jungho, the true nature of that being was pitifully small.
"To the point that it even hid the stench of a worthless wretch like you."
Cheon Muyang boldly declared,
"I will cut you down and set the Cheon Clan right."
"Khehehehehehe."
He laughed.
"You should have lived and died as an ignorant butcher, knowing nothing of the world."
"...."
"What do you think you can change? I don't know how you escaped the trap of that trash Third Elder, but nothing will change."
As long as Yama and Sosu remained—
There would not be a single variable.
"Oh? Don't tell me you're relying on someone called the Yama Dao Venerable?"
"What?"
Cheon Muyang flashed a butcher's grin.
"Sorry about that. He's already admitted his failure."
The half-collapsed frozen sky.
Sosu still stood there, unmoving.
Fwoosh!
But in that moment—
The sky was dyed red.
It was the flames of the Yama Dao Venerable.
Whoosh!
Upon seeing that, Sosu turned her back without hesitation and left the area.
"And now the last card you trusted in is leaving as well."
"W-what?! S-Sosu!"
"...."
She gave no reply.
Even the Heavenly Hound Corps that had taken control of this area did not attempt to stop Sosu.
"Ah…!"
"Do you understand now? You're finished."
Cheon Muyang, Cheon Seonhak, and Cheon Wigang—
The three pillars stood firm.
At last, the false pillar collapsed completely.