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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: Snow-Capped Peak
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Snow-Capped Peak.
A legendary snow mountain where, historically, the blizzard has never ceased for even a single day.
Though located just behind the Heavenly Mountains, entry was strictly forbidden to the million Demonic Persons, making it a place where one could hardly find a human shape. Yet, a man was climbing it without hesitation.
"This path is a bother every single time."
Hyeok Mu-rin's gaze, which seemed to shudder, turned downward.
Plop— Plop—
With every step, his feet sank deep into the accumulated snow.
The fierce Snow Gale assaulted his entire body, lowering his body temperature, and his feet had already frozen cold, losing all sensation.
Yet, even so, he could not stop or turn back.
The die was cast, and the only path to survival was to press straight ahead.
Hyeok Mu-rin moved his steps in silence, recalling what had happened a few hours ago.
—A divorce? Is what I heard really true?
Frankly, he hadn't expected her to show such a reaction, so it was a bit surprising.
Usually, she showed an office-like demeanor that restrained her emotions to the extreme.
In his past life, he had hardly seen any change in her expression for decades, but at that moment, even if only for a moment, the emotion of surprise was clearly revealed on her face.
'Well, it makes sense, given the circumstances.'
She had never experienced anything as sudden as a divorce declaration.
It would be even stranger if she didn't reveal her inner feelings outwardly in such a situation.
However, Cheon Seo-hee soon suppressed her emotions and looked straight ahead.
—So, in just three months, you've been consumed by power. Does that mean you intend to leave the Hyeok Clan behind and only look out for yourself now?
She seemed to guess that he, drunk on the power of being the Cult Leader, had rashly made such a decision.
"No. It was a decision made too late."
But that thought was wrong.
It was only after returning to the past that he could finally speak of divorce, after living for decades like a scarecrow, unable to speak.
His timeline was different from hers.
'The main house isn't much different either.'
The core reason Hyeok Mu-rin had accepted the political marriage was none other than his main house, the Hyeok Clan.
In the past, the Hyeok Clan had led the Seven Great Demonic Houses and was the most envied family among Demonic Persons.
However, after losing the head of the family in the Great War Against Demons three hundred years ago, it rapidly declined, and now it was located at the very end of the Seven Great Demonic Houses, facing the threat of expulsion.
It was the Cheon Clan that extended a helping hand to the Hyeok Clan in such a desperate crisis.
They promised robust support and backing, and proposed a plan to solidify the bond between the two families through a political marriage and to elevate one side to the position of the Heavenly Demon.
Ultimately, with no other option, the young head of the Hyeok Clan, Hyeok Mu-rin, held hands with them and ascended to the powerless position of the Cult Leader.
'But as time passed, I realized it was a fatal mistake.'
It was called a bond, but the gap between the two families was as vast as the sky and the earth, making it practically a form of subordination.
To put it bluntly, it was no different from the Hyeok Clan, which had been subordinated to the Cheon Clan, accepting a leisurely death.
Though it might be difficult immediately, in the long run, severing this relationship was clearly beneficial to the main house.
However, he couldn't explain such things in detail, nor was there a need to.
When he remained silent, Cheon Seo-hee shook her head and stood up from her seat.
—I understand. I understand my husband's intentions, so I shall return to my main house now.
And before leaving the room, she paused and spoke in a cold voice.
—However, you must fully bear the anger of the Cheon Clan and my father.
"...An enraged head of the family."
Hyeok Mu-rin brushed the snow off his eyebrows.
'They won't be able to move for a few days at least.'
Having heard of such an unexpected event, they would not take immediate action but rather observe the situation.
Moreover, the head of the Cheon Clan had no sons.
That was why he had married off his eldest daughter, Cheon Seo-hee, and elevated him to the position of Cult Leader to solidify his power by making him the father-in-law of the Heavenly Demon.
However, even if he was a mere puppet and a dummy Heavenly Demon, he could not be easily replaced and discarded like a spare part.
If he were to commit such an act, he would lose trust and never be able to use the same method again.
That wouldn't be beneficial for him either.
'Well, that doesn't mean I'm at an advantage either.'
He too would come to realize it gradually.
Ultimately, from an outside perspective, it was his daughter, Cheon Seo-hee, who was driven out without even properly hearing the reason for the divorce.
So, from the eyes of the world, he had sufficient grounds to rage.
As time passes, he will press harder and try to win him over.
But if that doesn't work, there was a possibility he would resort to his final method: framing him and executing him.
Looking at it this way, the current situation doesn't seem very positive.
'Yet, it was something that had to be done.'
If he hadn't become the Heavenly Demon, it might be different, but now that he had ascended to the position of Cult Leader.
If he didn't start with a divorce from the very beginning, everything around him was set to be subordinated to the Cheon Clan.
Not just the Hyeok Clan, but the Law Enforcement Hall, the Royal Guard, the Force Unit, all real power would have gone to the Cheon Clan.
Even if it meant making enemies of them, severing the current relationship and re-establishing it was a hundred times more correct.
"It will take about ten days or so until they express their anger."
There is plenty of time.
If he can achieve his goal where his steps are leading now, there is plenty of room for negotiation with the Cheon Clan, or rather, to take a strong stance from this side.
So, reaching his destination was the priority.
"My breath is getting quite rough."
Hyeok Mu-rin exhaled a rough breath and loosened his stiff neck as he looked ahead.
The cliff section of the rock face located around the waist of Snow-Capped Peak.
A giant iron door filling one side of that cliff filled his vision.
A majestic height of over ten zhang.
The door, made of Everlasting Cold Iron, a peerless treasure, naturally evoked a majestic image in the minds of those who saw it.
Hyeok Mu-rin approached it and raised his hand.
As he chanted the incantation and infused his Internal Energy, the door began to open on its own.
Ku-gu-gung—
The door, which made a loud noise, took quite a long time to open completely.
Step, step.
Hyeok Mu-rin moved his steps and passed through the entrance, and the door moved in reverse and closed again.
The interior was a sealed passage with not a single window, but it was far from dark.
This was because Bright Night Pearls were densely placed every three paces along the path straight ahead.
After walking a considerable distance, a door soon came into view again.
"So I've finally arrived."
Hyeok Mu-rin stopped his steps and lightly placed his hand against the door ahead.
Kiiiiiiing—
At the same time, the door opened, raising an immense amount of dust.
Hyeok Mu-rin slowly stepped into the place where light was shining brightly.
As he moved his steps forward, peerless, priceless treasures were lined up one after another.
The Dragon Sinew Rope, said to be made by twisting the sinews of a Flood Dragon so it would never snap no matter what, and the Absolute Armor, made of Thousand-Year Old Iron that withstands any attack.
The Secret Cloud漆刀, which the Great Forger of the Age, Geum-myo, worked on for fifty years, surpassing the Ten Thousand Affairs of the White Heaven, and the Golden Imperial Divine Dragon Sword, a divine weapon from the distant Imperial Palace.
Peerless treasures that ordinary commoners would find difficult to even lay eyes on in their entire lifetime were shining brilliantly here and there.
But.
Thud— Thud—
Hyeok Mu-rin paid no attention to any of the treasures and continued his steps.
Reaching the wall, Hyeok Mu-rin descended through the stairs at the end.
Then, floors lined with various rare elixirs and Divine Pills, and floors with Martial Arts Manuals lined up, appeared in succession.
But he continued his steps in silence.
Arriving at the very bottom, the lowest floor, Hyeok Mu-rin finally faced a single door dyed in red.
Though small, it emanated a mysterious energy and seemed to block the path, refusing the approach of visitors.
The material was condensed Everlasting Cold Iron, so it seemed as if no amount of force could shatter it.
Hyeok Mu-rin approached the very center of that door, placed one hand on it, and released Demonic Energy.
From West to East, from East to South, from South to North, from North to West again.
As the Demonic Energy passed through West, East, South, and North in order, a brilliant light shone from the gaps in the door.
Kiiiiiiing—
"It's been a long time."
As the door opened, a vast cavern unfolded, incomparable to the secret vaults he had passed through so far.
However, in that enormous space, only nineteen Martial Arts Manuals were placed, and each one emitted a different, domineering aura.
It felt as if they were all crying out to be chosen by him, but Hyeok Mu-rin passed by without giving his attention to any of them.
His steps finally stopped at one place.
There, a shabby old book was placed, as if it belonged in a neighborhood storage.
Hyeok Mu-rin looked down at it with a cold face and traced it with his finger.
Dust, piled up thickly as if it hadn't been touched by human hands for hundreds of years, clung to his finger.
At that sight, Hyeok Mu-rin curled up the corner of his mouth.
"Found it."
Purifying Soul Divine Demon Art.
A heart method that is absolutely necessary to walk a new path above all else, and an absolute Demonic Art that he could barely recognize its value just before death.
"It cannot be solved with an ordinary Demon."
So, he will obtain the Extreme Demon that no one else can covet.
An ominous light flashed in Hyeok Mu-rin's pupils as he gripped the Martial Arts Manual firmly.