Chapter 38 – Reckless Guts
Trickle. Tap.
I poured the brewed tea from the kettle into a cup. It wasn’t a tea bag, but loose leaf tea I had steeped myself. Judging by the dark color, I must’ve brewed it for too long.
[That’s not how you’re supposed to do it.]
“As long as it tastes okay, it’s fine.”
[Tsk tsk… Must be because you're a yokai or whatever, don’t even know proper tea ceremony.]
I didn’t bother replying. I missed the life where there were electric kettles and tea bags.
“Kim, bring me some iced green tea!”
That picky manager’s voice echoed in my memory. Now that I think about it, it’s not like I long for those days, but still—tea bags were definitely more convenient.
Anyway.
“Drink.”
Saweol stared at how much I poured into her cup, then belatedly lowered her head and drank the tea.
Slurp!
She swallowed the steaming hot tea in one gulp. But she didn’t so much as blink, as if she didn’t even feel the heat. Then, she stood up.
“Thank you for the tea. I’ll be going now.”
“Sit down. Where do you think you’re going?”
“But I’ve finished my tea...”
“You don’t even know basic tea etiquette? Who drinks tea like that?”
Skybreaker let out an incredulous sigh. I ignored him and poured her another cup.
“Hold it in your mouth for a moment. Savor it. Don’t go outside just to embarrass yourself.”
“…Yes.”
Reluctantly, Saweol obeyed. She was trembling like a newborn calf—who knew where she thought she was going in that state?
If I let her out like that, she’d either collapse again from her trauma or go swinging her sword.
I sat across from her and took a sip myself.
Ugh, bitter.
Yep, definitely over-brewed. But I couldn’t grimace like an amateur. I had trained myself to keep a straight face even with swords swinging in front of me—this was nothing.
But the problem wasn’t the taste of the bitter tea.
It’s so awkward I could die.
It was almost the first time I’d been alone with Saweol. Even when I was around the Black Shadow Corps, Tak Horak was always there.
He used to seem like a chatterbox, but now I kinda wished he were here.
I need to get closer to Saweol.
Well, things were a little better than in the beginning. Maybe it was because I made her believe I was strong, or because I had treated her kindly a few times.
At least she wasn’t trying to kill me right away anymore. Though she might just be holding back due to loneliness. In martial arts novels, characters often resort to mutual destruction.
Anyway, I desperately needed allies inside the Heavenly Demon Cult.
Ironically, I had better connections outside the cult—like Yun Yeopja, the next First Sword of Kunlun, or Tang Siyuk, a direct descendant of the Tang Clan, even if only third-born.
But within the cult, I didn’t have a single real ally yet.
Tak Horak might follow me into a fire pit if I asked, but he was too weak.
Being a full-fledged First-rate martial artist would be a big deal anywhere in Jianghu, but here in the cult, guys like that were a dime a dozen.
Saweol reminded me of a wounded cat—The kind that hisses the moment you try to approach it.
That’s why I had to be careful. I needed to figure out how to turn this scared cat into my ally.
“Saweol.”
“Yes?”
“I have a question.”
There was only one way—To build a sense of kinship with her. If I had thrown her off balance until now, it was time to plant the idea that we weren’t enemies.
“Which district are you from?”
“I’m from the Sixth Demon Sector.”
The cult was divided into zones. At the center was the Main Hall, where the Heavenly Demon and the six Demon Families resided.
Surrounding it in concentric circles were six districts called Magyeong—the Demon Sectors.
The Sixth Demon Sector was essentially a place for sinners and outcasts. A realm of sin where people lived lives not worth living.
“I see.”
Of course, Saweol wasn’t actually from the Sixth Sector.
She was originally from the Main Hall. But she had lived in the Sixth Sector for a time, so it wasn’t a complete lie.
“You must’ve gone through a lot to rise to vice-captain of the Black Shadow Corps from there.”
A noble-born girl cast down from her pedestal, clawing her way out of hell to survive. She had even vowed revenge and entered the enemy household as a warrior.
“All of it…”
Saweol continued,
“All of it was thanks to the Sado family’s grace. I am always grateful.”
But her face was expressionless—beyond that, it was cold.
She was clearly filled with murderous intent.
The mere mention of the Sado family was enough to elicit that reaction.
“No matter how much support our family gave you, to reach the Peak Realm at your age is impressive. It’s almost like the path of the Supreme Heavenly Demon.”
“Please don’t speak so highly of me. Do not dare compare me to the Supreme One.”
“It’s not an exaggeration. All cult members revere the Heavenly Demon, but that doesn’t mean there can only be one.”
Indeed, cult members worship the Heavenly Demon. But if the Heavenly Demon were a god, the title wouldn’t need to be inherited.
Rather, it's a name for the one who dares to challenge and subjugate. That’s why when you ask cult children what they want to be when they grow up, they say,
“I want to be the Heavenly Demon!”
“Isn’t it something everyone dreams of—to rule the cult as the Heavenly Demon?”
At my words, Saweol looked at me and, surprisingly, asked a question.
“But you don’t seem to think that way.”
“Who knows.”
I swallowed my tea. Still disgustingly bitter.
“My dream is a little different.”
I had no desire to become the Heavenly Demon, conquer all the devils, rule the cult, and dominate Jianghu. My dream was just one thing:
“To struggle and survive. That’s my dream.”
Saweol’s brow twitched slightly.
“You look surprised.”
“I just thought, as the Sado heir, you would aim higher.”
“A family name is just a facade. Strip it away—”
I stared directly into her eyes.
“I have nothing. I’m at the bottom.”
For once, emotion flickered on Saweol’s face. A mix of faint anger and resentment.
“You speak as though you know that bottom. But you’ve never lived it. And never will.”
“Don’t act proud of being at the bottom, Saweol. You’re not the only one who’s been through hell. The Sado family—and ‘my brother’ too…”
I frowned on purpose as I mentioned the family and my “brother.” It was calculated to portray discomfort.
Saweol’s eyes wavered. Publicly, I was said to be close to Sado-Gwang, this body’s “brother.”
Of course, the discomfort wasn’t entirely fake. I’d had my own share of hell. Subtle discrimination for being an orphan, the years spent desperately trying to prove myself—
Those left scars on my soul. And now, I was trapped in the world of <Return of the Murim>, surviving on the edge of death 24/7.
Skybreaker was no different.
Once hailed as a prodigy, he was now a broken phoenix with clipped wings. Not that he even remembered it himself.
Whether she sensed something or was just trying to save face,
Saweol’s expression returned to a cold mask.
Just like a cat.
Say one wrong thing and she hisses. This is enough for today. Still, I had planted the idea that there’s something about me, the Sado family, and this body’s “brother” that she doesn’t know.
The first goal was to make her start separating me from the Sado family.
“Looks like you’ve calmed down.”
Just then, the thickest stretch of fog had passed. The guiding ship’s lights were now visible. With this much visibility, Saweol should be free from her trauma—for now.
“Time to head back.”
Saweol stood and bowed her head. She stopped briefly at the door, then said,
“Thank you for the tea.”
I didn’t respond. There was a reason.
[You. Ghost.]
Skybreaker spoke with a chilling tone.
[What nonsense was that? What did you mean about my family and my brother?]
“Don’t take it personally. I was just telling my story.”
[Your story?]
“Like you always say, I’m just someone possessing your body. If I ever say or do anything suspicious, they’ll start questioning. That’s what worries me.”
[…You have a point.]
Our simple-minded Skybreaker accepted my explanation.
I nodded.
“When we return to the family, you’ll need to teach me a lot.
Otherwise, I’ll be exposed right away.”
[Why not just tell my brother everything? If it’s him, he’ll understand.]
That brother is exactly why I can’t say anything. The words hovered at the tip of my tongue.
“No. The fewer people who know the truth, the better.”
[Still…]
“Sorry to say, but your brother—To me, he’s someone I have to deceive.”
Skybreaker didn’t respond. He just lay still, sulking. If I could trust him, I’d be honest. But Sado-Gwang wasn’t someone I could trust.
He was the villain of <Return of the Murim>. With a genius mind and a serpent’s tongue, he wielded massive malice. Unredeemable.
No one outside of the family head even knew his true nature.
Poor guy.
I looked at Skybreaker with sympathy. Despite being one of Sado-Gwang’s victims, he still believed in his brother unconditionally.
He doesn’t even know his brother shattered his talent.
Skybreaker had been a genius. Maybe not on the same level as the Heavenly Demon, but still a prodigy.
The Sado family had celebrated, overjoyed to finally produce a potential Heavenly Demon from their bloodline.
But—
Sado-gwang forcibly made him cultivate an incomplete version of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, crippling Skybreaker and destroying his energy pathways.
He had lied, saying it was the clan’s secret art—Sura Devil Emperor Technique—and forced it on Skybreaker.
If it had been out of jealousy, it might have been more forgivable. But it was worse. He did it just… for an experiment.
“To see what would happen to someone who practiced an incomplete version.”
Because of that, Skybreaker could no longer use inner energy.
A death sentence for any martial artist.
And now I have to face that monster.
He was a different breed from the geniuses I’d met so far.
Yun Yeopja, Paeng Soso, even Saweol—they were all focused on physical power.
But Sado-Gwang…
He was a genius of intellect. A max-level schemer.
I want to run…
But if I run, I’ll die. The cult doesn’t let deserters live.
Someone like me wouldn’t last a month.
But if I fight, even with just a 10% chance, I might survive.
Slim odds—but it’s possible.
I have acting. I have the story knowledge of <Return of the Murim>. And above all—
There’s one thing I’ll never lose to anyone.
I have reckless guts.
I hardened my resolve. Three days later—The usually calm Black Shadow Corps ship stirred.
“We see the cult!”
Far in the distance—Through the lingering mist, The outline of steep, jagged peaks began to appear faintly.
At last—
We had arrived at the Heavenly Demon Cult.