The Heavenly Demon Palace.
A massive palace located at the summit of Ascension Valley, which bisects the cult’s central territory.
The Heavenly Demon—is the Demon who touches the Heavens, and thus, resides at the highest place.
The current Supreme Heavenly Demon was especially known for rarely stepping outside the palace. That’s why I had been so startled to see her outside the Disciplinary Hall. Even if one is free to act, personal disposition still matters.
Normally, she wouldn’t involve herself in internal conflicts between the cult's families.
And now that Heavenly Demon has sent a message to me?
“Where is the messenger?”
“In front of the Main Hall.”
If it were a normal messenger, he’d be made to wait outside. But even the Sado Clan couldn’t leave someone conveying the Heavenly Demon’s message standing in the open.
“I’ll go.”
I rose from my seat. Saweol faded into the air, vanishing.
After all, she was also suspected of involvement in Sado Gwang’s death, so she wasn’t showing herself openly these days.
In front of the Main Hall stood a single man.
He wore a deep-black bamboo hat pulled low, his face mostly hidden. A long beard fluttered gently beneath it.
He stood motionless with arms crossed, eyes closed. Surrounding him were all the major elders of the Sado Clan. Among them was even the Patriarch, Sado Muyul, who was visibly trembling in fear.
‘Can’t blame him…’
He was a figure so distinct that a scene from the novel came to me immediately.
The Heavenly Demon’s secretary, and general manager of the Heavenly Demon Palace for three generations.
Rank 12 in the cult’s hierarchy: Judge of Life and Death, Gu Jin-gyeong.
Every one of his actions was governed solely by the will of the Heavenly Demon. He represented her, and carried out her commands.
He had served even under the previous Heavenly Demon, Do Il-gwang, and though that might have marked him as a collaborator of a past tyrant, no one in the cult blamed him—he was known by all as an absolute stickler for principles.
And now, that same man had come to deliver a message to me.
‘This is nerve-wracking.’
Being ranked 12th in the cult meant he was incredibly powerful.
Saweol had once told me: Not all Transcendent Peak masters are equal.
She was right.
In Return of the Murim, as the story progresses, power inflation becomes rampant. Eventually, even a random tavern server turns out to be Transcendent Peak. That’s why new realms beyond Transcendent Peak are introduced for plot progression.
The reason I bring this up is because Gu Jin-gyeong eventually reaches one of those higher realms.
‘If the Heavenly Demon has judged me to be a threat…’
Then I’d be killed without leaving a trace.
But there’s no reason that should happen.
I drew upon my Heavenly Demon Divine Art—not enough to manifest outwardly, since someone like Do Il-gwang could spot it. I simply summoned it to my dantian, stirring my core to simulate confidence.
And then, I stepped forward to face Gu Jin-gyeong.
Since the cult doesn’t use Martial World greetings like the clasped fist salute, I gave a simple bow of the head.
“I greet the Judge of Life and Death.”
“I greet the Lord of the Black Shadow Corps.”
Gu Jin-gyeong removed his hat and slung it over one arm, then immediately got to the point. He exuded pure bureaucracy.
“The Supreme One has a message for you.”
“I will receive it.”
I dropped to one knee and bowed.
“Sado Hwan, Lord of the Black Shadow Corps, Rank 23 in the cult hierarchy, receive this message.”
Gu Jin-gyeong produced a bamboo scroll and read aloud:
“In nine days, enter the Heavenly Demon Palace. That is all.”
He closed the scroll.
“I have received the message.”
‘So he stood there in all that pomp just to say that?’
Of course, it wasn’t “just” that to me.
Being summoned to the palace meant the Heavenly Demon had taken an interest in me.
As a fake Transcendent Peak master with only half of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, that attention could only be dangerous.
And I couldn’t refuse.
Sending Gu Jin-gyeong in person was a silent threat—if I made excuses or declined, I could be cut down on the spot.
“Then I’ll be on my way.”
He turned to leave, but—
“W-wait a moment!”
Sado Muyul called out to him. Gu Jin-gyeong paused.
“What is it, Patriarch of the Sado Clan?”
“D-did the Supreme One not say anything else?”
“Something else?”
“My son, Gwang… he’s dead! He and the Supreme One were betrothed! And yet, she won’t even appear once?! Does she only call upon us when she needs us and ignore us when she doesn’t?!”
In that moment—
Thump!
A beat of pressure pulsed from my chest. The internal energy of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art throbbed like a heartbeat. I instinctively took a step back.
GOOOOOOOH!
An overwhelming aura surged from Gu Jin-gyeong. Even I, who couldn’t clearly perceive inner force or nature’s qi, could recognize it instantly—
‘Manifestation!’
The technique where a Transcendent Peak master brings a fragment of their spiritual world into reality!
Gu Jin-gyeong’s manifestation…was chains.
Enormous chains, like the limbs of a dragon, coiled and rose from his body toward the sky.
‘What kind of life must he have lived to form that as his manifestation…?’
Those directly exposed to it choked and gasped, unable to breathe. I had stepped back just in time to stay outside the direct area of influence.
Gu Jin-gyeong, who had been watching me closely, shifted his gaze back to Sado Muyul.
“Let this be a warning, Patriarch of the Sado Clan.”
“To insult the Supreme One is among the gravest of sins. Even as Patriarch, you cannot escape punishment. Though I trust it will not come to that.”
He then withdrew his manifestation.
Apparently, he no longer considered further conversation worthwhile, and turned to leave.
Our eyes met, so I took the opportunity to ask—
“Must I enter the palace alone?”
“Not necessarily… Are you referring to that child?”
His gaze flicked to somewhere along the wall. I hadn’t noticed, but Saweol must have been hiding there.
“It should not be a problem.”
“Understood.”
“Then, I’ll see you there. I take my leave.”
Gu Jin-gyeong departed the Sado residence.
Only then did the elders of the Sado Clan, who had been holding their breath, finally exhale.
“My son… what am I supposed to do about my son Gwang…”
Sado Muyul collapsed where he stood, groaning. Even so, he glared at me with venom.
‘Does he think he’s some tragic palace consort or something?’
The moment I had declared my intent to become Patriarch, Sado Muyul began to unravel.
And he still was.
The truth is, he was right.
The current Supreme Heavenly Demon, Lee Seryeong, had indeed been engaged to Sado Gwang. Now that he had died suddenly, some sort of gesture—a letter, a visit—should’ve been made.
His grievance was valid.
But if he wanted to protest, he should have faced Gu Jin-gyeong with dignity—even as a weaker man.
And yet, look at him.
Choking after being exposed to a manifestation, slumped to the ground, nearly weeping while glaring at me.
The cult is a world where strength reigns.
Appear weak like that… and you get eaten alive.
Sure enough, the Patriarch Faction wore anxious expressions, while the Elder Faction looked pleased.
In hindsight, it seemed silly that I was once so intimidated just because the Sado Clan held a seat in the Six Demon Families.
‘Maybe this’ll be resolved quicker than I thought.’
I left them behind and returned to my room.
Once I finished dealing with Sado Gwang, I would install a suitable figure as Patriarch, then leave the cult behind.
Just as Saweol said, I never intended to become Patriarch.
My goal was always to survive in this insane world and return to my original one.
To do that, I needed to find Heavenly Saint, who was wandering the Martial World without a fixed destination.
Heavenly Saint would know everything.
Hope had returned.
Back in my world, I had ability far beyond ordinary humans—but I never had overwhelming acting skills.
But now, I was confident. If I could just get back, I’d crush anyone with sheer charisma.
After all, who else could stay in character with a blade literally at their throat?
‘But that’s for later.’
Right now, the priority is to enter the Heavenly Demon Palace and meet the Supreme One.
I only had nine days left.
There was no real “preparation” I could do. Preparation implies comparable rank—and no one can compare to the Heavenly Demon.
In this world, she was the indisputable strongest.
No matter how high I climbed, no matter how well-equipped I was, I couldn’t even scratch her.
If things went south, I couldn’t run. I couldn’t escape Saweol, much less the Supreme One.
‘Thank god this Heavenly Demon is a pacifist.’
In typical wuxia, a Heavenly Demon is often depicted as a destructive force—like Do Il-gwang, the previous one.
But the Heavenly Demon of Return of the Murim wasn’t like that.
She wouldn’t just kill someone on the spot for being mildly annoying.
The only thing I could do in preparation… was remain calm. If I got flustered and let the Heavenly Demon Divine Art surge into my eyes, I’d be dead on the spot.
‘Well, I did prepare a gift...’
Still, I wondered if there was anything more I could do. My eyes landed on Skybreaker.
“Still here, huh.”
I checked with a whisper to see if Saweol was nearby. She wasn’t. I was alone.
“Tsk… Should I visit the Demon Medical Hall?”
The Demon Medical Hall was, simply put, the cult’s hospital.
“They should have various pills, right? Maybe something that calms the mind? A simple tranquilizer would dull my thinking, but I need something that keeps me sharp while calming my nerves. A specialized pill from the Demon Medical Hall might do it.”
I said this out loud as if hoping Skybreaker would respond—but it remained silent.
You’d think it’d say something in a moment like this, especially after I was summoned by the Supreme One.
I had taken the lead on all our recent moves, but when Skybreaker was around, it felt good to share thoughts—it eased the anxiety.
Ever since Sado Gwang’s “death,” I’d been thinking and talking to myself nonstop.
“How long are you going to stay silent?”
“....................................”
“Tch.”
Not that I could blame it.
Trying to kill its own creator must’ve left psychological damage no one could easily comment on.
Maybe this was the aftershock of being mentally suppressed for so long by Sado Gwang—unable to mature during its formative years.
It was… sad.
But the longer Skybreaker remained silent, the more dangerous my situation became.
“Still, I can’t just injure myself to get medicine…”
The head of the Demon Medical Hall was notoriously stubborn. He wouldn’t hand out pills without good reason.
Of course, there was another place that handed out medicine freely. A rival to the Demon Medical Hall, with similar results.
“Then maybe I should just visit the Poison Demon.”
[You lunatic.]
I grinned.