Little Demon Reversion to Youth

Chapter 196

As the fact that the Cult Leader was alive spread, the sect was in an uproar.

The tea room of the head of the Hyuk-ryeon family's inner court.

"What on earth happened?"

Hyuk-ryeon Wi asked, unable to hide his bewildered expression. He was not in the mood to drink the tea that was placed in front of him.

Hyuk-ryeon Gi was leaning diagonally against a cushion and was just sitting silently with his eyes closed.

"The great elder of the Hyuk-ryeon family in the Elder Hall has been put in a difficult position."

Since it was said that the Cult Leader was alive, all eyes were focused on the great elder of the Hyuk-ryeon family.

The great elder of the Hyuk-ryeon family had announced that he had confirmed the death of the Cult Leader, but the So family had said that was not true.

Although he should have either refuted it or withdrawn his claim, no position had come out from the Elder Hall.

"Tell them to wait. The Cult Leader is definitely dead."

"If so, shouldn't we insist that the So family prove it?"

"..."

Hyuk-ryeon Gi opened his eyes. His gloomy and empty gaze was like looking into the abyss of a snake. Hyuk-ryeon Wi flinched. He could not get used to the gaze of the family head. He did not seem like a living person.

"Do you know what the So family is planning?"

"..."

"The Cult Leader is dead. But what do you think is the intention of claiming he is alive?"

Hyuk-ryeon Gi had concluded that the Cult Leader was dead. Hyuk-ryeon Wi could not know on what basis Hyuk-ryeon Gi was so sure.

"A person has a lifespan. No matter how much of a master he is, he cannot overcome a lifespan that has been exhausted. That is the fate of a human with the limits of a physical body."

"If so, shouldn't we open the 'Heavenly Demon Cave' and see?"

"When the time comes... we should. Before that, we must find out the So family's conspiracy."

"Can the 'Heavenly Demon Cave' be opened?"

Hyuk-ryeon Gi stared at Hyuk-ryeon Wi and then asked, "You... have become talkative."

"...I am sorry."

Hyuk-ryeon Wi flinched and hastily stepped back and prostrated himself.

Hyuk-ryeon Gi let out a light sigh.

As the posthumous child of Hyuk-ryeonjong, he had ascended to the position of family head at the young age of twenty. There had been a lot of rebellion within the family when he had been recognized as a posthumous child and when he had ascended to the position of family head, and even now, thirty years later, he was still being subtly checked.

Since his position was weak, he thought he should tell the truth to Hyuk-ryeon Wi, who followed him.

"I have obtained the 'Heavenly Demon Divine Art'."

"Yes? What do you mean?"

The 'Heavenly Demon Divine Art' could only be learned by the Cult Leader. Even the Young Lord could only learn it after the transfer of power was confirmed, so he could not help but be surprised that Hyuk-ryeon Gi had learned it.

"It was left by the 489th Cult Leader."

Hyuk-ryeon Wi was surprised and his mouth fell open.

During the thousands of years that the sect had been passed down, 498 Cult Leaders had come out. Although most had been produced by the So family, occasionally, other families had also ascended to the position of Cult Leader.

The twelve guardian families were the families that had a history of producing a Cult Leader. If a Cult Leader had been produced from a family other than those, it would have become the thirteen guardian families. Of course, it was an extremely difficult thing. Because even among the twelve guardian families, a Cult Leader had not been produced for hundreds of years.

The last Cult Leader with a surname other than So was the 489th, who was from the Hyuk-ryeon family, about five hundred years ago.

"He thought that the So family's monopoly would produce evils, and he hid the 'Heavenly Demon Divine Art' in the deep place of our family. Not long after I ascended to the position of family head, I discovered the record and found it."

Did he just find it? The fact that he had obtained the 'Heavenly Demon Divine Art' meant that he had learned it himself.

"Th-that kind of thing..."

If the fact that Hyuk-ryeon Gi had learned the 'Heavenly Demon Divine Art' were to be known, the Hyuk-ryeon family could be annihilated. Hyuk-ryeon Wi trembled at the enormous secret.

Then Hyuk-ryeon Gi's words that the Cult Leader was dead flashed by. If the Cult Leader was dead... Hyuk-ryeon Gi, who had learned the 'Heavenly Demon Divine Art', could succeed him.

Hyuk-ryeon Wi made up his mind.

"I will pretend I did not hear. I will just follow the will of the family head."

Hyuk-ryeon Wi said, holding his breath, and then hit his forehead on the floor. Hyuk-ryeon Gi stared at this and then said, "Your job is to find out what the So family is planning. The body of the 'Little Ghost' is there, so use it to pressure the So family. And... until right before the 'Great Successor War', have all the brats who are hidden in 'Mingshan' wait around the sect."

"Yes? Are you saying to call them all? There are over three thousand. By any chance..."

A murderous intent arose in Hyuk-ryeon Gi's gloomy eyes.

"I didn't want to see blood... but since the So family is calling for blood, I have no choice."

Hyuk-ryeon Wi's body trembled. The time of rebellion had come.

"Can I release the 'Great Ghost'?"

Hyuk-ryeon Wi said, holding his breath.

"If you release the 'Great Ghost'... he will go to find the 'Little Ghost'. How about we use this as a pretext and to press them, saying that the So family is making 'soul jiangshi'?"

Although it was not a very good move, there was no other alternative. The situation was currently chaotic due to the fact of the Cult Leader's survival.

There were even words going around that they should go to the 'Heavenly Demon Cave' right away and to plead for the Cult Leader's appearance.

If it was revealed that the So family had made the 'Yin Wind Twin Ghosts' into 'soul jiangshi', they would be able to turn the attention of the sect for a while.

"Do so. And... that young brat called So Jin-ha... also spread the fact that he is from Kunlun. If you want, it's good to kill him as an example."

"Although that brat is a child, he is a disciple of the 'Kunlun Three Immortals'. Since he is a master who suppressed the 'Little Ghost'... it will not be easy to kill him."

"We don't have to step forward. There are not just one or two who have died by the hands of the 'Kunlun Three Immortals', are there? If we incite those families, they will fight on their own."

"Ah, what a truly marvelous move."

Hyuk-ryeon Wi once again bowed his head and went out.

Hyuk-ryeon Gi, left alone, was lost in thought.

As he had told Hyuk-ryeon Wi, it was true that he had learned the 'Heavenly Demon Divine Art'. However, he had found it and had learned it long before he had ascended to the position of family head.

Although he had delved into it for nearly forty years, his achievement was now at the 'ninth stage'. The 'Heavenly Demon Divine Art' was a difficult martial art, not only because of its incantations, but also because it was difficult to master even if the previous Cult Leader had passed it on to the next Cult Leader through 'body-to-body transmission'.

The fact that he had learned it alone and had reached the 'ninth stage' was enough to say that Hyuk-ryeon Gi's 'five senses' were also extremely rare.

Hyuk-ryeon Gi, who had calculated the 'heavenly qi' and had confirmed that the Cult Leader's lifespan had ended, could not enter the 'Heavenly Demon Cave'. It was because of the concern that the Cult Leader might have mastered it and had overcome his lifespan.

Although the Young Lord's body had returned, since there was no news from the 'Heavenly Demon Cave', he had taken a risk. He had used 'Heavenly Demon Qi' and had entered up to the 'Heavenly Demon Great Hall'. But because of the restriction that the Cult Leader had installed, he could not open the door of the 'Heavenly Demon Great Hall' and could not enter.

So he had had no choice but to confirm the Cult Leader, who had 'passed away while sitting' on the 'Ice Jade Platform', and Bi Yun-seol, who was trapped in the ice coffin, from a distance and to return.

'He was definitely dead. But to bluff that he is alive? So Baek-cheon, what on earth are you up to?'

As soon as he had heard that So Baek-cheon was claiming to be So Ya-hu's grandson, he had sent someone to find out his past. So Baek-cheon's past would be in his hands soon.

Hyuk-ryeon Gi looked out the window and muttered, "Anyway... when a big flood comes, the small fry will all be swept away."

* * *

"What is your business?"

So Jeong-hu asked, looking at the elders, including the great elder of the Hyuk-ryeon family, who had suddenly rushed in.

The great elder of the Hyuk-ryeon family did not even enter the main hall and stood in the courtyard below, and he said in a cold tone, "I will get straight to the point. Where did you hide the 'Yin Wind Twin Ghosts'? For what purpose did you make the 'soul jiangshi', which is forbidden by the sect?"

"What? Great elder of the Hyuk-ryeon family, what are you saying? Our family made 'soul jiangshi'?"

"I came knowing everything. Don't think of denying it."

A bitter smile flashed across the lips of the great elder of the Hyuk-ryeon family. To think that the day would come when he would pressure the head of the So family... it was exhilarating.

An anger flashed in So Jeong-hu's eyes. To dare to pressure the So family after hearing a rumor...

"The 'Little Ghost' was caught by our family's Jin-ha when he was attacking a caravan. There are also witnesses. What on earth have you heard to be so rude?"

"Hmph! We can just confirm it with our own eyes! And there is one more thing to confirm."

"I see you came with the intention of shaming the So family. So what do you want to confirm?"

"The grandson of the head of your family, that child called Jin-ha! He is a disciple of the 'Kunlun Three Immortals', right? His Taoist name is Wu Ha, I hear."

So Jeong-hu was inwardly flustered.

The relationship between the Kunlun Sect and the sect was truly at odds. That was why he had kept quiet even though So Jin-ha had returned.

"The head of the So family should know better how many of our sect members have lost their lives to the 'Kunlun Three Immortals' in the past... what was the reason for sending your grandson to the Kunlun Mountains? Did you want to mock the sect?"

The great elder of the Hyuk-ryeon family pressed him without giving him a chance to breathe.

So Jeong-hu realized that the elders, including the great elder of the Hyuk-ryeon family, had come with a determination. People from various families were gathering around the So family.

'These brats?'

Although he was a gentle younger brother in front of So Ya-hu, the head of the So family, So Jeong-hu, was also a person with a temper. When his son, So Seong-hwi, had died and only his young grandson was left, there had been an assassination attempt.

Fortunately, he had caught the culprit, but since he had committed suicide right away, he had not been able to find out the mastermind. So he had sent his daughter-in-law and Jin-ha to Yuecheng...

Looking at Jin-ha again, he lamented the past ten years. To think that he had not even seen such a cute grandson...

"Who said that? That I sent Jin-ha to the Kunlun Mountains?"

As So Jeong-hu's voice was filled with anger, a few of the elders flinched. The prestige that the So family held in the sect was comparable to the Elder Hall.

"Who dares to demand an explanation from the So family?"

"Hmph! The act of apostasy is the greatest sin. The So family cannot be an exception!"

The great elder of the Hyuk-ryeon family immediately refuted.

"Alright! Let's go over them one by one. Hey! Bring the body of the 'Little Ghost'!"

So Jeong-hu first tried to resolve the false accusation that he had made a 'soul jiangshi'. The fact that So Jin-ha had become a disciple of the 'Kunlun Three Immortals' was honestly not easy to explain. He had intended to show the body of the 'Little Ghost' first and to buy time.

"Keu-a-ak!"

A scream erupted from the side where the body of the 'Little Ghost' was enshrined.

The gazes of those who had gathered in front of the main hall all turned to the place where the scream had erupted.

The screams erupted in succession.

"What is going on?"

So Jeong-hu had a premonition that something had happened.

A warrior ran and reported, "A brat has appeared where the body of the 'Little Ghost' is and is harming the warriors!"

"Hmm!"

There was no such disgrace. So Jeong-hu frowned.

"Call the martial force. No, I will go myself!"

As So Jeong-hu was about to take a step, there was no need.

"Keu-euk!"

A warrior, who was running away, died with his stomach burst. Behind him, the slightly shorter 'Great Ghost' appeared.

"That's! A 'soul jiangshi'!"

The great elder of the Hyuk-ryeon family immediately recognized it and shouted.

"'Great Ghost'?"

So Jeong-hu's face contorted. Although Baekji had said that the 'Great Ghost' would come to find the 'Little Ghost', to think that he would appear now, of all times.

The embarrassed So Jeong-hu looked at the great elder of the Hyuk-ryeon family. The sneer on his lips...

'These brats are playing a trick!'

So Jeong-hu immediately realized what was going on.

* * *

'Shi Fortress' Separate Building.

As Baekji was sitting and circulating the 'Heavenly Demon Divine Art', he heard a presence.

A moment later, Bi Jun-hua rushed in.

"Young Lord... no, Baek... Cheon."

Although Baekji had told Bi Jun-hua to call him Baek-cheon, since Bi Jun-hua could not dare to do so, she would call him ambiguously.

"What is the matter?"

"There's big trouble. Something has happened at 'So Fortress'. The 'Yin Wind Twin Ghosts' have appeared and are harming people. Besides, the fact that Wu Ha is a disciple of the 'Kunlun Three Immortals' has spread... and the families that have a grudge against the Kunlun Mountains are flocking there."

"..."

Baekji slowly stood up.

"Tell me in detail."