Cale thought it had been a while since he heard that name, Kim Hae-il, as he answered the Heavenly Demon.
“Yeah. I’m called Cale Henituse here.”
“I see.”
The Heavenly Demon was not the only one to come through the Central Plains-Aipotu temporary portal this time.
“Hoho.”
The Fist King, Mok Hyeon, the strongest figure serving the Imperial family.
“It’s been a while, young master-nim.”
The Orthodox faction’s Martial Arts Alliance’s representative, the strategist of the Martial Arts Alliance, Zhuge Mi Ryeo.
“…….”
The Sichuan Tang Clan’s matriarch silently stood there.
“Wow! How amazing!”
The Unorthodox faction. The Divergent Coalition leader Sima Pyeong’s son and the greatest trash of the Unorthodox faction, the Fighting Lunatic, Sima Jung rounded out the group.
“Where is my close friend?”
Of course, Sima Jung looked for Toonka first.
The four of them seemed shocked after seeing Cale and the people of the Black Castle, but they quickly hid their shocks just as the Heavenly Demon had done.
The Triumvirate and the Imperial family…
As representatives of these major factions, they were all quite skilled at hiding their emotions.
“Wow, this is amazing! I’ve never seen this style in a home before. Oh, Noble Warrior Choi Han, it’s been a while!”
Well, everybody except Sima Jung.
He was just transparent.
But maybe that might lead to him adjusting the easiest.
However, something made even him stiffen up.
“Mm.”
It was when he saw Raon.
“It’s been a while!”
As Raon greeted him excitedly…
“Hey Sima Jung! Did you see me back then too?”
And as Raon debated whether he had shown himself to Sima Jung back in the Central Plains…
Sima Jung brusquely walked toward Raon with a stiff look on his face.
Raon was floating in the air, flapping his wings.
Sima Jung walked up to him.
The people of the Martial Arts world as well as Cale’s group all just watched.
There were quite a lot of people in Cale’s group. Some of them had gone to the Martial Arts world, but Sheritt, Mila, Rosalyn, Lock, and many others had not gone there.
As they all focused on Sima Jung’s stiff expression…
Sima Jung stood in front of Raon and fixed his clothes.
“I greet the big senior.”
He then knelt down and showed his respects. This greeting resembled one that people would give to an emperor.
Cale saw former Lord Sheritt’s pupils shake at that time.
Sima Jung didn’t care and spoke with devotion.
“My father told me to make sure to ask big senior about his health and to show my respects.”
“?”
Raon tilted his head in confusion.
“Hey Sima Jung! Why am I your big senior? I’m only seven years old so far!”
Sima Jung shook his head.
“No, sir. As you are my father’s master, I have to address you even higher. Please understand that I have not learned enough to find a better title than eldest senior.”
“Mm. I’m okay!”
“I wish to do this, Big senior.”
“Then do as you like!”
Raon answered cheerfully, making Sima Jung relieved while cautiously getting up to stand next to Raon.
Cale looked at Sima Jung, who was not acting trashy, with an iffy look on his face when received a sound transmission.
It was the Fist King.
– I heard he was beaten up for three days and three nights by Sima Pyeong before coming here.
‘Aha.’
Cale immediately understood.
“Ron.”
Ron, who had bandages around his forehead, came over at Cale’s call.
Cale peeked at Ron before asking him for something.
“Please show them to their rooms.”
He had prepared a room for each of them.
So many people were scheduled to come through starting from the second transfer, making it impossible for them to all fit In the Black Castle. It was possible now because only five people came through.
“We will discuss in detail in a bit.”
Zhuge Mi Ryeo, who looked as if she had the most to say, hesitated for a moment before nodding her head.
“That sounds great. We cannot rush things and make mistakes.”
She started to follow Ron and everybody else did as well.
The only person who did not move was the Sichuan Tang Clan’s matriarch, Tang Yu, who kept her gaze locked somewhere.
Cale recalled what Central Plains had said about the Sichuan Tang Clan.
‘Sichuan has been scorched! The Dragon Lord destroyed everything there! I am currently on the run! – Sincerely, Central Plains’
Sichuan being scorched meant that the Tang Clan was impacted as well.
Tang Yu was known as the Poison Empress.
Cale figured out what she was looking at and his eyes clouded over.
“Meeeeeow?”
Hong tilted his head while looking back at Tang Yu.
He seemed curious and entertained more than wary.
Sniff sniff.
Hong sniffed his nose before slowly walking toward Tang Yu.
He then roamed around her.
Tang Yu quietly looked at him while Hong placed his front paws on the Poison Empress’s shoes and commented.
“I smell a familiar poison, nya!”
“As I expected.”
The Poison Empress nodded her head before continuing in a gentle voice.
“So it was you.”
Cale had robbed, no, received five of the Nine King Poisons from the Tang Clan.
Hong’s poison became much more deadly and vicious after absorbing all of them.
“Meeeeeow.”
On moved toward Hong and Tang Yu.
She then opened her mouth.
“I’ll take you over there, ma’am.”
It was rare for On to talk to someone first like this.
Poison Empress Tang Yu.
She was quite skilled with poison as the matriarch of the Tang Clan, but she was also talented in using hidden weapons and daggers.
She was pretty similar to Ron.
“Is that okay?”
Cale and Ron nodded their heads at On’s question.
In fact, Ron quietly observed Tang Yu for a bit before adding on.
“I’m sure a conversation will be entertaining.”
“…It does seem that way.”
A smile appeared on Tang Yu’s face. But it quickly disappeared.
Central Plains had told Cale about the damage to the Tang Clan right before the temporary portal opened.
‘I heard that half of the clan has perished, young master-nim.’
As a closed off clan, the majority of the Tang Clan were family members. Half of the clan perishing meant that their immediate family or cousins had died.
Cale pretended not to see the fatigue visible under the Poison Empress’s eyes for now.
Instead, he quietly looked toward the direction where the rest of the people from the Central Plains were leaving before starting to walk.
“I’ll guide you to your room.”
He pulled the Heavenly Demon aside.
“Hoooo.”
The Heavenly Demon smiled as if he was intrigued.
“I’m curious to know why you are personally taking me.”
Cale looked at him as if the answer was obvious.
“The people carrying on your powers. Aren’t you curious?”
The Heavenly Demon’s gaze instantly changed.
Cale read the curiosity now visible on his relaxed face and guided the Heavenly Demon to his room.
He then opened the door.
And inside-
“I greet my master.”
The white-haired green-eyed Clopeh Sekka. He greeted the Heavenly Demon in an elegant and noble manner.
“Mm.”
As for Hannah, she flinched before slightly bowing her head.
“T, thank you very much.”
‘Oh.’
Cale had never seen Hannah like this.
She was being quite respectful compared to her usual self, as if she was grateful to the Heavenly Demon.
“…….”
The Heavenly Demon crossed his arms and silently looked at the two of them.
There was an extremely entertained smile on his face.
“Disciples-
Ha.”
He let out a short chuckle.
The Heavenly Demon was about to brush his hair back with his hand when he noticed his baggy sleeves.
He then saw the two people who were dressed completely differently from himself.
There was one punk who dared to call him ‘master’ for learning his power while the other punk has his power but just said thank you once awkwardly.
“I was curious to know who Choi Han would give the power to.”
But this was just…
“How entertaining.”
The two people in front of him seemed entertaining.
The Heavenly Demon looked toward Hannah.
“This one just stupidly swings her sword.”
“…What?”
Hannah looked at the Heavenly Demon as if she was wondering if she had heard properly.
The Heavenly Demon saw her scowl and smiled.
“I said you stupidly swing your sword.”
“What?”
Hannah was about to complain in disbelief-
“And I am right.”
“!”
She flinched.
The Heavenly Demon walked toward Hannah.
He quietly observed the black spider web-like veins before calming speaking.
His low voice filled the room.
“Is the sword some sort of beautiful art? It is simply a tool made to kill, hunt, and fight. So stupidly swinging it is also an answer.”
Hannah slowly avoided the Heavenly Demon’s gaze once they made eye contact.
Gratitude, awkwardness, and other emotions were visible on her face.
“Yes. I’m stupid, err, sir. Are you happy now?”
The grumbling Hannah… The Heavenly Demon, who had not seen someone so easy to read in a long time, did not stop smiling.
“No.”
He shook his head.
“Swinging the sword stupidly does not mean that the person swinging the sword is stupid. It is just the way you swing the sword that is stupid.”
“…….”
Hannah started to look at the Heavenly Demon again.
“You are quite smart.”
The Heavenly Demon did not know Hannah.
However, he looked at the calluses that filled Hannah’s hand, her form, and her aura as he nonchalantly answered.
“That is how you were able to tell the true nature of the sword.”
His gaze then moved past Hannah to the person who came with Cale.
“I am not your master.”
The Heavenly Demon’s gaze landed on Choi Han.
“I guess… It isn’t a bad thing to be similar to this guy either.”
The Heavenly Demon’s face filled with joy.
“A shrewd bastard who acts all innocent. Someone who pretends to be stupid but has a lot on his mind.”
Choi Han let out a chuckle.
Hannah shrugged her shoulders with a more relaxed look on her face.
“You two are quite well suited for each other.”
Neither Choi Han nor Hannah said anything regarding the Heavenly Demon’s comment. In fact, Hannah sounded somewhat happy as she answered.
“I am definitely not stupid. Do you know how much education I received?”
Honestly speaking, Hannah’s level of knowledge was overwhelming compared to most people because she lived as a half Holy Maiden. She had quite a lot of knowledge about respect as well.
She just instinctively did not want to remember those times and was subconsciously avoiding anything related to it.
The Heavenly Demon looked at Hannah with quite the amused look on his face before he looked elsewhere.
Clopeh was standing there like a silent lake.
The Heavenly Demon stopped smiling once he looked at him.
He then nonchalantly commented.
“A fucking snake.”
‘Oh.’
Cale was amazed.
– Human, the Heavenly Demon really is a bit amazing!
Raon was amazed as well.
Clopeh just had his usual dignified smile on his face as he looked at the Heavenly Demon.
The Heavenly Demon looked back without a smile on his face. The Heavenly Demon walked up to Clopeh and kept looking at him as if he was looking at a marvelous item.
“How intriguing.”
He nonchalantly continued.
“I can’t tell whether you are going to turn into an imugi or a Dragon.”
However, his gaze alone was sparkling intelligently.
A smile appeared on the Heavenly Demon’s face again.
“You.”
He addressed Clopeh.
“You will be a decent sword even if you become an imugi.”
It didn’t matter if he became a Dragon or an imugi.
He would be an amazing sword either way.
This was quite the compliment.
“Choi Han.”
He kept his eye on Clopeh as he addressed Choi Han.
“I think you should be careful.”
Clopeh’s smile became a bit deeper than before.
It resembled the shadow on the surface of a lake.
“This punk might push past you.”
The Heavenly Demon looked at that shadow and cheerfully chuckled.
His hand then moved.
Clang.
He pulled out his sword.
“Anyway, Choi Han, you remember our promise, right?”
The Heavenly Demon had a promise to spar with Choi Han.
Choi Han asked the Heavenly Demon a question.
“Did you find your path?”
Choi Han had shared a drink with the Heavenly Demon before he left the Central Plains.
‘If you create your own path, we will exchange blades.’
This was the Heavenly Demon’s answer.
“A bit.”
‘Oh.’
Cale gasped.
– Human! The Heavenly Demon truly is the strongest in the Central Plains!
Raon gasped in amazement as well.
Oooooo– oooooo–
Dark red aura wrapped around the Heavenly Demon.
Hannah and Clopeh’s eyes clouded over while watching this. Clopeh’s gaze was especially sparkling and fluttering.
Choi Han’s aura.
A presence similar to that was rising from the Heavenly Demon.
Of course, the depth of it could not reach Choi Han’s level.
“I at least found the entrance to the path.”
Either way, the Heavenly Demon had found his path and could pull his sword out in front of Choi Han.
‘I knew it was a good idea to drag in the people of the Central Plains.’
Cale looked at his increased number of allies, his allies that had gotten stronger, and smiled.
– Human, why do you have that look you have before you scam someone?
He ignored Raon’s comment.
His smile of satisfaction just became bigger.
* * *
But that expression soon disappeared from his face.
Axion, the Third Saint Dragon.
He returned to Axion’s Estate and finally had a chance to talk to him one on one.
Cale focused after hearing Axion say these words.
“Even the Dragon Lord has a weakness.”
—
Translator’s Comments
What could his weakness be? Is he… fond of sweets? Farts too much??
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