Chapter 16: More Insane Than the Mad Demon (1)
The Mad Demon simply could not understand.
To anyone with eyes, wasn't the Heaven-Surpassing Pavilion a far better choice than the Thousand-Day Pavilion? In terms of educational environment, support, and every other aspect, the Heaven-Surpassing Pavilion was vastly superior.
Of course, it would be a different story if one lacked the skill to survive there, but wasn't Hajin a formidable expert who had even blocked her own attack? No matter how much she racked her brain, she could not fathom a single reason why Hajin would choose the Thousand-Day Pavilion.
The Mad Demon was gripped by deep suspicion. What on earth was he plotting?
In the end, she had no choice but to ask him directly.
"State your reason. Why the Thousand-Day Pavilion of all places? If you cannot provide a proper explanation, know that I will break your legs right here and drag you to the Heaven-Surpassing Pavilion myself."
"……?"
Hajin’s expression wavered slightly at this brutal threat.
However, he had already finished his internal calculations.
‘The Heaven-Surpassing Pavilion has too much to lose.’
As he had heard from Do-gyeong earlier, the Heaven-Surpassing Pavilion was a place crawling with bastards who wanted to become the next Cult Leader or Demonic Sovereign. It was obvious that if he walked into such a place, he wouldn't even be able to keep his bones intact.
They called it high risk, high return, but what Hajin needed right now wasn't a high return.
‘Until my mana stabilizes, safety is paramount. Survival is the priority for now.’
Even if he had been called a genius mage in the past, the nature of the Heavenly Demonic Cult made it impossible to guarantee one's safety. Therefore, he had no choice but to seek out a safe path for himself.
Of course, Hajin perfectly concealed his inner thoughts and answered in a grave voice, as if he had reached his conclusion after deep deliberation.
"……I judged that it would be of greater help to me as I am now."
This answer only made the Mad Demon’s insides burn even more. With a sigh, she asked again.
"Do you have no intention of aiming for the seat of the heavens in the Heaven-Surpassing Pavilion?"
The seat of the heavens—it meant none other than the Heavenly Demon. In other words, the position of the Cult Leader.
In a Demonic Cult that revered the strong, it could be considered the ultimate goal that every cadet dreamed of.
However, upon hearing this, Hajin scoffed inwardly.
‘Do I look crazy enough to stay in a den of Demonic Cultists for the rest of my life? Cult Leader, my foot…….’
His goal was nothing other than to leave the Demonic Path Academy at the right time and open an inn at a prime location on Black Wood Cliff. Naturally, he had every reason to refuse firmly.
"That path is different from my own goals."
Of course, this firm refusal left the Mad Demon engulfed in doubt once again.
‘What is this? Even with that level of potential and skill, he has no interest in the position of the Cult Leader? Could it be that he intends to walk an entirely different path?’
It was something an ordinary martial artist could never imagine. Yet, she soon nodded.
‘Right, there are people like that, aren't there?’
Suddenly, she thought of herself. The Mad Demon—hadn't she herself lacked any real interest in power or status despite possessing considerable skill?
A being who pursued only pure martial arts and freedom. That was who she was.
There was no guarantee that there weren't others like her in the Murim.
‘A truly interesting one has entered after a long time.’
The Mad Demon found herself even more intrigued, thinking that Hajin might be of the same breed as her. But a lingering question remained.
‘Still, why the Thousand-Day Pavilion?’
Even if the Cult Leader position wasn't his goal, the Heaven-Surpassing Pavilion was far superior in skill, training, and support. So why the Thousand-Day Pavilion!
The Mad Demon’s mind was filled with nothing but that thought. Generally, in her view, those who went to the Thousand-Day Pavilion were runaways.
A sanctuary for the weak who chose to stagnate, fearing the blood-soaked competition of the Heaven-Surpassing Pavilion. The Thousand-Day Pavilion.
Of course, this was the Mad Demon’s highly subjective opinion, and if someone else had heard it, it would have caused quite a controversy within the Cult, but what could she do?
Except for the Cult Leader, there was no one who could challenge the Mad Demon of the world.
‘Could it be that there is a Young Cult Leader candidate he is aiming for, and he’s going there to clean up their mess?’
That was the most rational guess. But if that were the only reason, she would be quite disappointed. How could a martial artist bow their head and enter a service role first?
Unless, like her, he had been properly crushed by the current Cult Leader and changed his mind.
The Mad Demon asked Hajin, staring at him as if to probe his soul.
"Is there perhaps someone you intend to support as the Young Cult Leader?"
Hajin shook his head firmly.
"No, there is no one."
At this unadorned answer, the Mad Demon fell into even deeper confusion.
No political ambition, no lust for power, and he didn't look like a defeated runaway either.
Then why on earth the Thousand-Day Pavilion? Was the guy actually out of his mind?
Then, suddenly, a name flashed through her mind. It was the Ghost Soul Hand.
‘Right, come to think of it, that old man Ghost Soul Hand was also from the Thousand-Day Pavilion.’
Ghost Soul Hand. A graduate of the Thousand-Day Pavilion, yet an assassin with a reputation higher than any other. To this day, no assassin surpassing Ghost Soul Hand had emerged within the Heavenly Demonic Cult, and even when he left the Cult, he had shown his loyalty to the current Cult Leader by sealing his own Dantian and cutting off his own wrist, leaving his name legendary.
And aside from the case of Ghost Soul Hand, the Thousand-Day Pavilion was a place no different from any other.
At that moment, a strange hypothesis formed in the Mad Demon’s mind.
‘Could it be that he has arranged something in the Thousand-Day Pavilion for a disciple?’
But she immediately shook her head. No matter how she thought about it, that didn't make sense. That stubborn old man would never show such meticulous care.
‘But if not that, then why go to the Thousand-Day Pavilion……?’
In the end, after a long, long silence, the Mad Demon spoke first. She asked in a voice that had turned cold.
"Are you truly going to the Thousand-Day Pavilion?"
"Yes, that is correct."
She finally resigned herself to his firm answer. The Mad Demon sensed that it would be difficult to persuade him any further. Whether it was stubbornness, conviction, or some other scheme, that look in his eyes was not the type to be broken.
A strange smile suddenly played on her lips.
"Fine, then I shall see you at the Thousand-Day Pavilion."
With those final words, the Mad Demon turned around and headed toward the door without a shred of lingering attachment.
‘Fine, if that’s how it is, I have my own plans as well.’
Her violet eyes flashed with a cunning light.
* * *
Meanwhile, in the study of the Right Law Protector located in a corner of the Cult Leader’s Palace.
A deep, cold sigh was flowing out once again.
"Hoo……."
The owner of the sigh was none other than the Right Law Protector, Xue Gui. Standing before him with his head bowed was Chae Un-ryang, the martial arts instructor who had come to report the results of the first stage of the exam.
"Is this truly……."
"……."
*Whoooooosh!*
At the cold, frost-like aura erupting from Xue Gui’s body, the instructor couldn't help but shrink back.
"R-Right Law Protector!"
When Chae Un-ryang called out to him in a fluster, Xue Gui blinked as if he had just come to his senses. Realizing his emotions had leaked out, he spoke briefly.
"My apologies. Leave the papers there and be on your way."
"Y-yes, sir!"
As Chae Un-ryang hurriedly put down the report and exited the study, Xue Gui pressed his throbbing temples and picked up the paper. He sighed again as he looked at the numbers written on it.
<First Stage Exam Results>
- Applicants: 500
- Passed: 160
- Heaven-Surpassing Pavilion Applicants: 40
- Thousand-Day Pavilion Applicants: 120
A miserable pass rate that didn't even reach half of the usual number of successful candidates. The cause of all the trouble was a single person.
"Mad Demon, you crazy bitch……."
Xue Gui muttered while rubbing his face. To cut the number of successful candidates in half—was she determined to ruin the entire Cult?
The embarrassing report he had to submit to the Cult Leader immediately loomed in his mind. Along with a sigh, the numbers danced dizzyingly in his head.
‘How on earth am I supposed to handle this?’
The first thing that came to mind were the more than three hundred failed candidates. He couldn't just cast them aside like this. Each one of them was essentially the future combat power of the Cult.
‘Should I have them take the exam again? Like a losers' bracket?’
Of course, this was unprecedented, so it wasn't a part he could decide easily. It required a bit more long-term deliberation. And there was an even bigger problem than that right now.
‘There are too few cadets for the Heaven-Surpassing Pavilion. Only forty…….’
Originally, there were over a hundred cadets for the Heaven-Surpassing Pavilion alone. With this number, how could they hold a competition, and how could they select any talent?
Xue Gui put the report down on the desk with a deep sigh. This wouldn't do. It was obvious that if he stuck to the existing methods, he would ruin this entire generation. A special measure was needed.
He closed his eyes for a moment and fell into thought. And a moment later, his eyes snapped open. He had finally reached a conclusion.
‘First, I must completely change the exam method.’
Originally, the Heaven-Surpassing Pavilion and the Thousand-Day Pavilion were strictly separated and operated independently, but this generation had too many failures to allow for that.
Therefore, there was only one best method.
‘I must impose a collaborative exam on both of them.’
Not competition, but cooperation. Mixing the two groups from different environments to create a new effect and winnowing out the gems in the process.
He might be able to identify some quite useful talent from the Thousand-Day Pavilion as well, and perhaps this was the only way to salvage this ruined situation.
The only problem was how to overcome the gap in skill levels between the cadets of the Heaven-Surpassing Pavilion and the Thousand-Day Pavilion.
‘I’ll have to think about that part a bit more.’
A suitable method didn't immediately come to mind, but he considered the collaborative exam to be the most plausible solution. Just as he was setting up the recovery plan and Xue Gui was wearing a momentarily satisfied expression, it happened.
Confused noises suddenly began to be heard from outside the office. Along with shouting, the sound of something breaking was heard intermittently.
‘What is it?’
The question lasted only a moment.
"You cannot enter so recklessly!"
"Kyaaaaaa!"
Just as a pitiful scream was heard, the heavy door of the office was kicked open as if it were about to shatter with a loud ‘Bang!’.
Xue Gui’s gaze turned to the door. Standing there was the Mad Demon, who had brushed aside the Law Enforcement Squad members guarding the door as if they were nothing. Her attitude was not just confident, but arrogant.
Without even rising from his seat, Xue Gui asked in a cold voice.
"What is it?"
"It’s nothing other th—"
"First the infirmary, and now you’ve come to tear down the Cult Leader’s hall? Or have you come to throw yourself on the floor and throw another tantrum in front of the Cult Leader?"
"No, stop interrupting me for a second."
Despite Xue Gui’s words, dripping with blatant sarcasm and contempt, the Mad Demon simply brushed them off with a grin.
"If you really want to get technical, it’s somewhat similar."
She strode in as if she were entering her own living room, stopping right in front of Xue Gui’s desk.
"Right Law Protector, I’ve come because I have a favor to ask of you. I—"
"Refused."
Before the Mad Demon could even finish her sentence, Xue Gui cut her off flatly, not even lifting his eyes from his documents.
"Hey, you should at least listen to what I have to say!"
The Mad Demon’s brow furrowed. Yet, Xue Gui remained cold.
"No, I refuse. I don’t know what it is, but since you’ve barged in here without warning, it couldn’t possibly be a normal request. You’ve already halved the number of successful candidates from the first round of exams—what are you planning to do now?"
Xue Gui’s voice grew louder. To this, the Mad Demon answered, surprisingly, with compliance.
"That’s exactly why I’m thinking of cleaning up the mess."
At these words, Xue Gui finally looked up, meeting the Mad Demon’s gaze properly for the first time. His eyes were filled with open distrust.
"You...?"
"That look is incredibly unpleasant, you know?"
"I never imagined you were capable of thought. I assumed you just lived by the whims of your impulses..."
"No, I have thoughts too, you know... Anyway, that’s why I’m here."
The Mad Demon paused for a moment before dropping a bombshell.
"I am going to go to the Thousand-Day Pavilion as a martial arts instructor to teach the students myself."
Silence descended upon Xue Gui’s study. He couldn't believe his ears. She was going to the Thousand-Day Pavilion? The arrogant Mad Demon?
The woman who had always treated the Thousand-Day Pavilion like a backwater village was volunteering to be an instructor there. It was as if the sun had risen in the west. Unable to fathom her intentions, Xue Gui glared at her with suspicious eyes and asked.
"You aren't planning to go there just to torment the students, are you?"
At this reasonable suspicion, the Mad Demon’s face turned bright red.
"Do you really think I would!!!!"
Her roar echoed thunderously through the study.
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