Episode 73 – Six Demon Families
When I entered the Clan Head’s Hall, the senior members of the clan all stood up, waiting for me.
Outside the doors, the shouts of the martial artists could still be heard. The elders seemed to have heard it too, as unease was clearly written across their faces.
[Was it to show these so-called executives that the younger generation of the clan follows you?]
“No matter how much this is the Demon Cult, public opinion can’t be ignored forever.”
[……Cautious and calculating. You really do remind me of someone.]
‘When a weak person pretends to be strong, the methods they come up with are all the same.’
The outer wall of the Clan Head’s Hall, which had been destroyed by Skybreaker’s attack, had been repaired, but the deep V-shaped crack in the floor was left untouched.
It could have easily been repaired long ago, but I had ordered it to be left as is.
It served as a warning. Still, the fact that some elders were entertaining foolish thoughts was... impressive, in a way.
“We greet the Clan Head.”
First Elder slightly bowed his head as he spoke to me. The Elder Faction was lined up at his side.
On the opposite side were the members of the former Clan Head’s faction. What was unusual was that Moo Yeong-do, the most trusted aide of the previous Clan Head, Sado Muyul, was standing among them.
The Demon Cult respects strength. Following a powerful person isn’t considered disgraceful. Moreover, he was likely the strongest among them, and so now seemed to be leading the former Clan Head’s faction himself.
I had accepted him on the condition that he hand over half of his illicit profits.
After all, a seasoned peak-level master doesn’t just fall from the sky.
I took my seat at the head of the table, the seat of the Clan Head.
“Be seated.”
I spoke while looking at the First Elder. His eyebrows twitched.
He clearly didn’t like a young punk speaking down to him. Back when I was just the Second Young Master, even if we rarely crossed paths, I had always used honorifics.
But I was deliberately being arrogant.
When you poke someone like this, they usually react emotionally, and from that, you can figure out what they’re plotting.
‘Then again, if he’s someone who gets that easily agitated, he has no business being the First Elder.’
He was the typical “fox-like old man” cliché you often see in martial arts novels, so he wouldn’t be easy to deal with.
“I have no intention of dragging this meeting out,” I said.
“Sado Muyul, the former Clan Head, colluded with wicked elements and led the clan into corruption. Even if the clan expanded in appearance, it could no longer be called a true Demon Cult lineage.”
At my words, the senior members averted their gazes, unable to meet my eyes.
“First, I will restructure the overgrown departments, units, and halls. Any institution that fails to produce results will be consolidated or abolished.”
The elders visibly flinched.
In effect, I was declaring, “I’m cutting off your limbs, so don’t resist.”
Performance is vague at best—easy to manipulate, so what I really meant was: if I don’t like you, you’re out.
They might have their complaints, but they’d just seen how overwhelming my authority in the clan was. They had no grounds to object.
“If there are any objections, speak now.”
“We will follow the Clan Head’s will,”
First Elder was the first to respond. Everyone looked surprised, but I wasn’t. The guilty ones always act nice to your face.
“We will follow the Clan Head’s will!”
The other elders followed suit, expressions full of forced compliance and resignation.
“Are there any other matters to discuss?”
No one dared meet my eyes, and of course, that meant no one would dare speak up…
—or so I thought.
The First Elder gave a fake cough, clearly wanting to bring something up.
“First Elder.”
“There is something the Clan Head must be made aware of.”
“And what is that?”
“The Six Demon Families Council.”
As expected, the Six Demon Families Council.
I had predicted that if the First Elder had a scheme, it would unfold during the Six Demon Families’ assembly.
That was how it played out in Return of the Murim as well.
Indeed, this kind of foresight was the privilege of someone who had possessed a character in this world.
“The Six Demon Families Council is an alliance of six great families within the Demon Cult. To be recognized as a member, a newly appointed Clan Head must gain approval from at least two of the other five families.”
The Six Demon Families weren’t eternal or unchanging.
The Dao family that once produced the Heavenly Demon, or the Hundred Families that served as their underlings—such families have come and gone.
Some, like Saweol’s original family, the Gwangmyeong Seong Clan, were even wiped out entirely.
That’s why customs like this exist. But—
“If the succession within a clan was legitimate, outside recognition is not required—that’s the unspoken rule.”
I looked at the First Elder.
“Are they trying to interfere with our internal affairs?”
“If the succession was legitimate, that is.”
First Elder didn’t look at me, but at another elder from a different family.
“The Clan Head was not formally appointed as Young Master, but rose to the position while still the Second Young Master. Therefore, the succession is not legitimate.”
I took out the Black Feather Fan.
Through my deal with the Poison Demon, I had acquired his master’s powerful decay poison, and it was now discreetly spread throughout the Clan Head’s Hall.
Even the poison of Dok So-gong was formidable, but the poison from his master was another level entirely—so subtle, it was impossible to tell whether it was even poison.
“Gugh?!”
“My qi... why can’t I circulate it…?”
The sudden disruption of their qi circulation turned the elders pale. Their eyes were all locked on me, expressions of horror on their faces.
They were probably thinking, “To radiate this much killing intent without any warning…?!”
This is why presentation matters. The elders couldn’t even bring themselves to look me in the eye.
Though the First Elder tried to maintain a calm expression, even his fingertips trembled slightly—he was clearly shaken.
“You say that even though I gained the position through a duel, the succession is not legitimate? Are you suggesting that the laws of the Demon Cult are beneath the approval of the Six Demon Families?”
“There are rumors that Sado Muyul was under the influence of poison.”
A twisted logic, but I had no real rebuttal. Technically, it was the fault of Sado Gwang and Skybreaker.
For members of the Demon Cult, duels were an obligation and a right—no matter when, where, or how. But Skybreaker had used the tactic of “Defeat my subordinates first” to maintain his position, and I was no different.
Frankly, I’d lose to anyone here in less than a second. In the Demon Cult’s main base, masters of this caliber were as common as pigeons in a park.
If I tried to argue that my duel was legitimate, I’d essentially be declaring that I would accept any challenge in the future.
[Smart move. This isn’t the First Elder’s handiwork.]
I agreed with Skybreaker.
The First Elder wasn’t the type to set up such a scheme.
It had to be an external force.
‘Then it must be the Chu Clan... the work of the Demon Strategist.’
[Most likely the Chu Clan.]
The Sun and Moon Chu Clan.
They had long served as the military strategists of the Demon Cult.
Their clan head was known as the Demon Strategist.
If Sado Gwang had lived another ten years, that title might not belong to Chu’s clan head, but to him instead.
Being compared to Sado Gwang, the Demon Strategist was like a 0.7-version. Even 70% of Sado Gwang was terrifying.
“Trying to reclaim their ambitions again, are they?”
The Chu Clan had once assisted the former Heavenly Demon, Do Il-gwang.
For that, they had been sealed away for five years, during which time the Sado Clan rose to become one of the Six Demon Families, backed by the protection of the current Heavenly Demon.
Originally, that protection should have been the Chu Clan’s role, but the Sado Clan took over during their absence—no wonder they’re viewed as a thorn in the side.
“I’d love to throw away the whole Six Demon Families mess.”
But the coming war was the problem.
This world of Return of the Murim runs on clichés. I’ve already changed many things, but I’ve noticed that even my own actions trigger new clichés.
So, surely, a cliché like this exists too:
.
In other words, the war will come—inevitably.
I had intended to prevent it, but from everything I’ve experienced so far, it seems clear that stopping it is beyond me.
Which means I need to stay alive until I return to my original world.
‘For that, I need the title of one of the Six Demon Families.’
When the war begins, the Six Demon Families will play key roles and become strategic centers.
Being a bystander and getting caught in the crossfire is far riskier.
“When is the next Six Families Council meeting?”
“In one month.”
“So I need to gain recognition from at least two of the other five families within a month.”
To be honest, this is the most troublesome thing I’ve faced so far. If I were starting from scratch, that’d be one thing.
The problem is that Sado Gwang already scattered a mountain of filth—A tangled web of schemes, tricks, and slanders held in delicate balance.
Not only do I have to untangle it, I need to gain their support too. A daunting task, to say the least.
‘If worst comes to worst, I could use the Heavenly Demon’s power…’
But that might mean avoiding the fox only to walk straight into the tiger’s den.
Sado Gwang—whether he’s alive or dead, I can’t say. But the mere mention of his name makes my teeth grind.
“If the Clan Head gains recognition and retains the title of one of the Six Demon Families, then our clan will unite anew.”
In other words, if I fail, they’ll openly rebel.
“I’ll handle it. You all focus on maintaining stability within the clan.”
“Understood!”
With that massive burden, I exited the Clan Head’s Hall.
[This is going to be a headache.]
“You’re telling me.”
Back in my room, I let out a long sigh.
Within the Sado Clan, my power was nearly absolute, but outside the clan, that didn’t hold true.
Even the Poison Demon treated me as someone beneath him.
Now that I was Clan Head, he might show me more courtesy, but still.
And the Six Demon Families were all deeply entrenched powerhouses.
Sun and Moon Chu Clan.
Red Dragon Hyuk Clan.
Iron Mountain Cheol Clan.
Shadow Blood Jin Clan.
Nine Yin Gwak Clan.
‘It’s not like one of them is worse—they’re all a pain in the ass.’
The Hyuk Clan were lunatics who believed themselves descendants of the Red Dragon.
The Cheol Clan were blacksmiths obsessed with creation.
The Jin Clan were creepy bastards who practiced blood-based martial arts, true to their name.
And the Gwak Clan? Just plain crazy.
That was my conclusion—they were all nuts.
“The most powerful of them are the Chu and Gwak Clans.”
Especially the Gwak Clan—
Just from their name, Nine Yin Gwak, it was clear they were an homage to classic wuxia families.
That’s what made them so troublesome.
They were full of clear-eyed lunatics who believed in justice and righteousness—A mindset totally unsuited for members of the Demon Cult.
They hated the Sado Clan, who had taken their place in the Six Demon Families through schemes and deception.
[So, in short, you’re being targeted by the two strongest clans in the Six Demon Families.]
‘Wow, thanks for the brilliant analysis. So helpful.’
The Chu Clan were behind this whole conspiracy, so no matter what I did, they’d just reject it outright. Which meant I’d have to convince the Gwak Clan…
[There’s a good chance they’ll demand a spar.]
Not a duel, but a spar.
Because someone might get seriously hurt in a duel, their logic dictates it should be a friendly spar instead.
It’s not a mindset that fits the Demon Cult, but the problem is—they’re not just crazy, they’re crazy strong.
Including the Gwak Clan Head, they had five Transcendent Peak masters.
Just as I was wracking my brain—
[It’s Saweol.]
I casually replied, trying to look unfazed.
“What is it?”
Saweol silently appeared from thin air and bowed her head.
“Someone from the Nine Yin Gwak Clan has come.”
“The Gwak Clan? Who?”
Saweol answered,
“Gwak Jeong, the heir of the Gwak Clan.”