Chronicles of the Demonic Cult Conversion Chapter 58
‘Yes, that must have been it. Was he a madman who practiced human sacrifice from the very beginning?’
If that had been the case, the members of the Silk Guild would never have followed the First Heavenly Demon.
It was because of his heroic deeds and teachings that the religious group called the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult could have been born.
‘How did it end up like this?’
Jin Cheon continued to read the History of the Divine Cult, losing track of time.
The First Heavenly Demon declared on his hundredth birthday.
– I will be reborn every hundred years and return, so you must find a boy with purple eyes. He will be my reincarnation, and when he comes of age, he will remember his past life and lead you.
The First Heavenly Demon foretold his eternal life through reincarnation, and that promise was kept.
One day, exactly fifteen years after his death.
A boy with purple eyes appeared in the Divine Land.
The boy, upon coming of age, truly remembered his past life, and by the time he was thirty, he had completed his martial arts, proving that he was the reincarnation of the First Heavenly Demon, and was enthroned as the 2nd Heavenly Demon.
After that, the Heavenly Demon was reincarnated five more times, but his actions became strange after the fourth reincarnation.
About two hundred years ago.
The 5th Heavenly Demon, the fourth reincarnation of the Heavenly Demon, was no longer a being that could be called a hero.
According to the records, the 5th Heavenly Demon had become a completely different person from before.
It was from this time that the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult began human sacrifices and the creation of stiff corpses, and it was also by the order of the 5th Heavenly Demon that they invaded the Central Plains and caused a blood calamity.
It was also from this period that the notoriety of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult began to resound in the Central Plains.
The 6th Heavenly Demon was no different from the 5th Heavenly Demon, and the same was true for the 7th Heavenly Demon.
However, the 7th Heavenly Demon started the First Righteous-Demonic War but was deposed by the Iron-Blooded Demonic God and met his death at Mount Hua.
After that, with the Iron-Blooded Demonic God's ascension as the 8th Heavenly Demon, the eternal life of the First Heavenly Demon seemed to come to an end.
……At least until now.
‘The Heavenly Demon began to fall from the fourth reincarnation. I wonder what on earth happened.’
However, the History of the Divine Cult did not record the Heavenly Demon's intentions or inner circumstances, so it was impossible to know the detailed inside story.
Unless one asked the Heavenly Demon himself, it was no exaggeration to say that a third party had no way of knowing how he, who was an unparalleled hero, had become such a demon.
However, what was certain was that, as Jin Cheon had assessed, the First to the 4th Heavenly Demons had acted as guardian deities protecting this Xinjiang region from various forces.
‘Ah!’
Jin Cheon suddenly realized why the Iron-Blooded Demonic God had asked if he had read the History of the Divine Cult.
‘Just because I have the Heavenly Demon’s Physique doesn't mean I am bound to become a demon. The First Heavenly Demon had the Heavenly Demon’s Physique, but he was not assimilated by the demon and instead saved people. He too practiced chivalry. I can become like that too.’
However, since even the First Heavenly Demon had gradually fallen as he repeated his reincarnations, it would by no means be an easy task to maintain one's sanity and not be assimilated by the demon as a Heavenly Demon’s Physique…….
“Young Master, have you woken up?”
At Baek A-rin's voice from outside the door, Jin Cheon took his eyes off the History of the Divine Cult.
“No, I haven't slept yet. I'm about to now.”
“The sun is rising, and you still haven't slept?”
“Ah?”
Jin Cheon was surprised that it was already that time.
It seemed he had stayed up all night, so engrossed in reading the History of the Divine Cult that he had lost track of time.
“It just happened. I'll sleep now. Wake me up in the afternoon.”
“Yes, Young Master. Please sleep well.”
“Alright.”
Jin Cheon immediately went to his bed and lay down.
***
The next afternoon.
What was waiting for Jin Cheon, who had woken up late, was none other than a pile of books.
“……What on earth is all this?”
At Jin Cheon's question, Danmok Cheong grinned and answered.
“I have prepared the essential books needed for the Seventh Young Master.”
“Essential books……?”
“As the Seventh Young Master of our cult, shouldn't you possess the appropriate knowledge? I have prepared only what seems absolutely necessary.”
“……”
“Besides that, you must learn several Western Region languages and Tibetan, and it would also be good to learn Mongolian.”
Jin Cheon squeezed his eyes shut, feeling a headache already coming on.
He had already stayed up all night reading the History of the Divine Cult, and now talk of studying as soon as he opened his eyes…….
“Then when do I practice martial arts? A martial artist should practice martial arts, but it seems like I'm just filling my head with ink.”
“Of course, martial arts come first, but you can't neglect your studies. Would it be acceptable for the Cult Leader's youngest disciple to be illiterate?”
“W-well, that's true, but.”
“Besides, the martial artists of our cult are…… to be honest, quite ignorant.”
“Ignorant?”
“Most martial artists only know how to practice martial arts and fight. So, at least the leadership needs to make up for the lack of knowledge.”
“Ugh.”
Jin Cheon shuddered but did not say he wouldn't study.
As Danmok Cheong said, if a person with the title of Seventh Young Master was no different from an angry monkey, he would only be laughed at by everyone.
“Alright, I'll study a little when I have time.”
Just because one was a martial artist doesn't mean it was okay to be illiterate.
To understand the principles of advanced martial arts, one had to grasp the principles of all creation by studying various philosophies, and to fully display the martial might accumulated in that way, one had to know the art of war.
Even just thinking about it simply, the difference between a person who is only strong and a person who is both strong and smart is enormous.
“By the way, what are your plans for today? Will you be going to the gym as usual?”
“I was thinking of going to the Demonic Scripture Pavilion, is that allowed?”
“Of course, you may go. The Seventh Young Master can enter and leave freely.”
“……!”
According to Danmok Cheong's explanation, once one became a disciple of the Iron-Blooded Demonic God, one could freely browse the martial arts manuals stored in the Demonic Scripture Pavilion.
However, it was said that for some manuals, the permission of the Cult Leader, the Iron-Blooded Demonic God, was required…….
‘As expected, having a high status is a good thing.’
For ordinary martial artists to enter the Demonic Scripture Pavilion, they had to get permission from their superiors or earn the right to view the manuals by performing meritorious deeds.
However, a disciple of the Iron-Blooded Demonic God was free from such restrictions, so it seemed that a person's status was the most important thing after all.
“Let's go to the Demonic Scripture Pavilion.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
As they say, strike while the iron is hot. Jin Cheon immediately headed for the Demonic Scripture Pavilion.
***
The Demonic Scripture Pavilion was a huge building consisting of a total of seven floors.
The first floor, the lowest, stored the martial arts manuals permitted to martial artists who had just completed their Blood Wolf Corps training; the second floor could be accessed by those who had fought in three real battles; and from the third floor upwards, one had to receive approval from the commander of their group to enter.
In other words, the higher the floor, the more powerful and advanced demonic arts were stored there.
Since Jin Cheon was a disciple of the Iron-Blooded Demonic God, he could freely enter and leave up to the sixth floor, excluding the seventh floor which required separate permission.
“Greetings to the Seventh Young Master. I am Yi Seol, the Head of the Demonic Scripture Pavilion.”
Surprisingly, the person in charge of the Demonic Scripture Pavilion was a young woman.
She wore spectacles, perhaps due to poor eyesight, and the demonic qi that could be felt from her at a glance was not very great.
The Head of the Demonic Scripture Pavilion was a high-ranking position belonging to the Council of Elders, so the fact that her martial arts didn't seem particularly outstanding must have meant that she possessed a great talent in another area.
“I am Jin Cheon.”
“I finally get to meet you.”
Yi Seol welcomed Jin Cheon as if she had been waiting for him.
“I really wanted to meet you, Seventh Young Master.”
“Me……?”
“The Post-Heaven Extreme Demonic True Qi, it was a truly amazing heart art.”
“Ah.”
Jin Cheon realized why she had wanted to meet him.
The Demonic Scripture Pavilion was a kind of armory that stored the martial arts manuals of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, and on the other hand, it was also a research institute that studied demonic arts.
According to Yi Mu-baek, the Demonic Scripture Pavilion and the Life Demonic Institute were working together, clinging to the improvement of the Reverse Heaven Heart Art.
“Thank you so much for fulfilling our cult's long-cherished wish. The creation of the Post-Heaven Extreme Demonic True Qi is a great achievement that will be remembered by future generations.”
“You praise me too much.”
Jin Cheon flinched, startled by a sudden sense of foreboding.
Yi Seol's eyes, felt from beyond her spectacles…… a hint of eeriness seemed to peek from her blazing gaze.
“Too much praise? The Seventh Young Master accomplished in just a few months a task that the Demonic Scripture Pavilion and the Life Demonic Institute could not solve even after clinging to it for decades.”
“Yes, well. That is true, but.”
“So, I was wondering, do you perhaps have time?”
“I don't have anything particular to do……”
“Bring them immediately.”
As soon as Jin Cheon's words ended, Yi Seol ordered her subordinates to do something.
Rattle!
Soon, Yi Seol's subordinates pulled small carts and showed them to Jin Cheon.
“These are the martial arts manuals currently being researched at the Demonic Scripture Pavilion. Since the Seventh Young Master came, we prepared them in a hurry, so this is only half of them.”
“……”
Seeing the manuals piled high on the carts, Jin Cheon was at a loss for words.
Although she said it was only half, the number of manuals on the carts seemed to be well over a few hundred.
“Uh. Hmm.”
The flustered Jin Cheon hesitated.
“I was just planning to look at the advanced martial arts manuals stored on the sixth floor……”
“Most of them are advanced martial arts. They may not be divine arts or ultimate techniques, but they are high-level martial arts that would be evaluated as advanced martial arts anywhere. Although, due to the nature of demonic arts, the various drawbacks and side effects are not to be taken lightly.”
“……”
Yi Seol spoke as if she had anticipated his response, so Jin Cheon couldn't think of a good excuse.
‘It seems I've been caught properly.’
He had come here without much thought, just to browse the martial arts manuals, but who would have thought that a demonic hand would be cast even here in the Demonic Scripture Pavilion.
“Could you please take a look? We are desperate for the Seventh Young Master's opinion. As the one who created the Post-Heaven Extreme Demonic True Qi by improving the Reverse Heaven Heart Art, you will be of great help in researching and developing these martial arts.”
Yi Seol pleaded with a truly desperate gaze, as if tears were about to fall.
“Very well.”
Since it was a request from someone who was an Elder in the Council of Elders, Jin Cheon couldn't refuse and accepted the request.
“However, I can't be stuck in the Demonic Scripture Pavilion all day, so I will only look at a few martial arts for you.”
“Really?!”
“It is a request from the Head of the Demonic Scripture Pavilion, so I must help as much as I can.”
Jin Cheon had been planning to apply to the Demonic Scripture Pavilion after completing his Blood Wolf Corps training anyway, so he didn't feel a great sense of rejection to Yi Seol's sudden and unreasonable request.
‘Yes, it's not the martial arts of another sect, but the martial arts that the martial artists of our cult will learn.’
With that thought, Jin Cheon decided to review a few of the martial arts manuals that Yi Seol had presented.
***
The martial arts that Yi Seol asked Jin Cheon to review were all notorious in the Central Plains, known as cursed demonic arts.
“If you look there, you will find the interpretations and research notes from the Demonic Scripture Pavilion.”
“Yes.”
“Please take a look and give me your opinion.”
“Hmm.”
As Jin Cheon slowly looked through the manuals, he was able to find the problems without difficulty.
“First of all, let me say…… these martial arts are not something a person can learn.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“From the beginning, they seem to have been designed to exhibit the greatest power when one has undergone demonification. Therefore, as one's level increases, the side effects worsen, and in the end, one is bound to lose one's humanity completely.”
“……!”
“There are no flaws or side effects in the martial arts. They were created to be that way, so it is only natural for such effects to appear.”
“S-so, are you saying that the side effects of these martial arts are intentional?”
“At least, that is how I see it.”
“It's a truly new and surprising opinion…… but it's not easy to accept.”
Yi Seol wore a confused expression.
And for good reason; the opinion Jin Cheon had just put forth was a statement that shook the very foundation of the research conducted at the Demonic Scripture Pavilion.