Little Demon Reversion to Youth

Chapter 213

As Baekji entered, the noisy main hall became quiet.

"Everyone was alive? But why did you stop talking? Were you talking bad about me?"

"Keum."

As Baekji swept his gaze over everyone with his sharp eyes, Shi Fengsheng let out a dry cough. The other successors also had nothing to say to Baekji's sudden joke and just stared blankly.

"So you were really talking bad about me?"

"Ah, no... why would we talk bad about Young Master So?"

Weizhi Shouchuan said, inwardly flustered. He was confused whether he was joking or interrogating.

Baekji, no, So Baek-cheon, whom they knew, had an expressionless face and was a man of few words. Although he was young, his unapproachable dignity pressed down on people.

But the face in front of them was somehow... bright. The heavy pressure that had been pressing down on them was also gone.

It was as if he had become a different person in a few days.

Wu Wen-sheng stood up and said, "Ahem, ahem. We were discussing the 'Great Successor War'. Young Master So, do you know? The Cult Leader has come out of the 'Heavenly Demon Cave'. Besides, he has ascended to the throne of the 'Heavenly Demon', so the entire sect is in a festive mood."

"Yes. Is that so? I heard."

"Oho? You were hearing all the outside news even while treating your injuries."

"My ears are on every wall. Young Master Wu should also be careful with his words. I can hear everything."

"..."

Was it a joke or was it serious? Wu Wen-sheng could not say anything in response and sat down, hesitating.

"Shouldn't you go and see?"

Shi Fengsheng said.

"The Cult Leader is my great-grandfather, so of course he will meet me. Just the two of us! What will he say?"

At Bi Jun-hua's words, everyone let out a subtle sigh.

As Bi Jun-hua had said before, there was no possibility of becoming the Young Lord in this life.

The great-grandson of the Cult Leader and the bloodline of the So family, who had immense martial prowess.

Of course, he would become the Young Lord.

"The reason I asked you to see me today is not to talk about my family affairs. What are you going to do about the 'Great Successor War'?"

"'Great Successor War'? Is there a need to do that?"

As Zheng Zhu-wang spoke, everyone closed their mouths as if they agreed.

"What are you talking about? You're saying we shouldn't have the 'Great Successor War'? Then how do we choose the successor?"

"..."

The eyes of the successors who were glaring at Baekji narrowed.

You detestable brat.

You're trying to use us as a side dish and to ascend to the position of successor in a grand manner.

"I... no, the Cult Leader said it. Everyone should fight fairly and squarely. I set the stage for you, and you're going to kick it over?"

"Eok! How dare you say 'Cult Leader' so disrespectfully! Young Master So! Are you crazy!"

Wu Wen-sheng was surprised and made a fuss.

"Then what should I say?"

"You should say 'Cult Leader-nim'. No, 'Heavenly Demon-nim'."

That brat is also quite a character.

"Ah! I see. 'Cult Leader-nim'. I think 'Cult Leader-nim' said to have a grand 'Great Successor War'."

"..."

"Why is the atmosphere like this? What are those unconfident gazes?"

Shi Fengsheng said with a hardened expression, "I admit that my skills are lacking. But don't force me to act like a pushover."

"A pushover?"

"Isn't it a stage for Young Master So anyway? The 'Great Successor War' duel is to determine skills... but everyone already knows."

You're the strongest.

Shi Fengsheng's gaze said so.

Aha. It's understandable that he would misunderstand. Because I'm so strong.

"Hmm. So. You're saying you won't even challenge because you think you'll lose. Is that it? You live life comfortably."

"..."

"Shi Fengsheng, why did you fight to the death when the 'Mingshan Sect' came? If I hadn't stepped in, you would have lost. You should have just knelt and begged for your life. What was the point of fighting while getting stabbed?"

Shi Fengsheng hit the table and stood up. His face contorted.

"Your words are too much! How can that and this be the same!"

Baekji looked at him with a surprised expression and said, "What's different?"

"'Shi Fortress' is the front line of the sect! No matter how strong the enemy is, it is natural to not retreat even if it means death! But the 'Great Successor War' is a matter of the sect! I don't want to get involved in something that has already been decided and to be played with!"

"Aha! So there was such a deep meaning."

Baekji nodded his head as if he understood.

Seeing him admit it so readily, Weizhi Shouchuan could not help but tilt his head.

'Is he the same person?'

Not only Weizhi Shouchuan, but the other successors also felt that something was strange.

Bi Jun-hua even unconsciously brought her hand to Baekji's forehead.

'Is it possible to lose one's mind from an internal injury?'

Baekji looked at Bi Jun-hua, who had touched his forehead.

"What are you doing?"

"Ah."

Bi Jun-hua hastily withdrew her hand.

Baekji, as if he were uncomfortable rubbed his forehead where Bi Jun-hua's hand had touched and said, "If you say so. The Shi family is out of the 'Great Successor War'... what about the other families?"

Everyone avoided his gaze.

Weizhi Shouchuan asked, "Participating in the 'Great Successor War' is a matter of free will, so why are you asking that?"

Baekji, instead of answering, looked around at the successors.

The reason he had gathered the successors in the first place was to find out which family had colluded with the Hyuk-ryeon family.

After gathering the successors, he had sent the eyes and ears of the So family to examine the families of origin, but there had been no particular movement.

The roots of the twelve guardian families were deep, and their branches were wide. Even the Hong family, which was at the bottom of the ranks, was a force that could establish a family if they went out to the Central Plains.

So they were just watching, although they were tacitly acknowledging the Hyuk-ryeon family's seizure of the sect's power.

'For the time being, I have to lead them.'

Baekji intended to put forward the successors of the twelve guardian families as the center of the sect.

Although the privileges of the twelve guardian families had been withdrawn, their power was firm. In any case, they were the pillars of the sect.

Of course, not as they were.

Unless they abandoned their sense of privilege, the rigid system of the sect would not change.

They were the ones who had been chosen as successors from birth and had grown up receiving all sorts of special treatment. It was not an easy thing to change their way of thinking.

'Just get rid of them. And set up other brats.'

So Ya-hu's memory whispered.

Perhaps that was why a murderous intent had flashed in Baekji's eyes. The successors who had met his eyes flinched.

A feeling as if something cold were brushing against their necks.

'A-cha-cha!'

If he scared the young brats, they would be scared and would not be able to do anything.

Baekji smiled.

"You can't even participate, so shouldn't the spectacle at least be abundant?"

"?"

"Young Master So is not participating?"

"Of course. If I were to participate, who would dare to face me? It's no fun."

"..."

Everyone looked at each other with dumbfounded faces.

He's not participating because it's no fun? Was the position of Cult Leader a position that one could do or not do for fun?

"The So family will also participate. But it's not me. You all know. I'm a stone that has rolled in. To be honest, I don't even know how the sect works."

How could he be so self-aware?

"What's more important is that I don't know politics well. What is politics? You have to be good at handling people, right? But since I don't know that, if things don't work out, I just hit them. I beat the brats who don't listen to death. Then there will only be wailing in the sect every day."

"What does that..."

Shi Fengsheng, who was about to say that it was a ridiculous reason, closed his mouth.

Because Baekji's gaze had become ferocious.

"I want to hit them even now. To think that the brats who are the successors of the twelve guardian families have enjoyed everything they could and are now trying to save their own skins because they think they will be at a disadvantage in the 'Great Successor War'..."

"!"

"I feel like hitting them."

"Th-that's... I was injured while fighting the 'Mingshan Sect', so I still..."

Hong Wu-yeol of the Hong family stammered and made an excuse, but Baekji turned his head and glared.

"You can walk. You can hold a sword. The brat who stepped forward to kill me first when I entered the Heavenly Mountains... the brat who was so overbearing is not going to participate just because of an injury?"

"..."

Silence flowed in the great hall.

He could not be matched with words. No, he could not even win with words. Although it seemed somewhat forced... since it seemed he would hit them if he was not careful, it was difficult to answer.

It was a crime to be weak.

Weizhi Shouchuan said, "If Young Master So is not participating... I will participate."

It was Weizhi Shouchuan, who had been mentioned as the next Young Lord along with Hyuk-ryeonhu until the appearance of So Baek-cheon.

"I will also... participate."

Shi Fengsheng also changed his mind. If So Baek-cheon was not participating, it was worth a try. He could not just hand it over to Weizhi Shouchuan.

His mind was already recalling the appearance of Weizhi Shouchuan, who had been fighting the 'Mingshan Sect', and was analyzing his martial arts.

"Then I will also! Let's at least try to poke the persimmon we can't eat."

Wu Wen-sheng also stepped forward.

At that, the others also looked at each other and expressed their intention to participate. Since even the youngest, Wu Wen-sheng, was participating, they felt that there was no reason why they could not.

"Ah... I, I..."

Hong Wu-yeol, as if he were indignant, clenched his teeth. He had been injured while fighting the 'Mingshan Sect', so he did not have the confidence to stand on the duel stage.

Baekji said, "Even if you collapse, collapse on the duel stage. That way, you will be able to protect the prestige of the twelve guardian families. From now on, there are no privileges. You must protect the honor of your family with your body."

* * *

The deep place of the Hyuk-ryeon family.

The office of Hyuk-ryeon Seung-mu, which was dark without any lights on.

In the darkness, Hyuk-ryeon Seung-mu's eyes burned blue.

The great art of Hyuk-ryeon Gi, no, Hyuk-ryeonhu, was over.

After the minimum of twelve 'shichen' had passed, he was waiting for Hyuk-ryeonhu to wake up.

Hyuk-ryeonhu, who held the soul of the last Cult Leader from the Hyuk-ryeon family five hundred years ago, Hyuk-ryeon Ju-pae...

'Is it really an old soul?'

Hyuk-ryeon Seung-mu's heart was wavering.

What was the meaning of the Cult Leader's words? Did it mean that the soul of Hyuk-ryeon Ju-pae was actually an old soul?

'What does it matter now?'

Why did things turn out like this?

A heart that could not accept. That was the beginning.

He, who had grown up as the successor of the Hyuk-ryeon family, had admired the Cult Leader from the Hyuk-ryeon family five hundred years ago, Hyuk-ryeon Ju-pae, as he had grown up. He had devoted his whole soul to succeed him, but he had been defeated in the 'Great Successor War' for the Young Lord.

He had not wanted to admit that fact and had stayed cooped up in the Hyuk-ryeon family.

Fortunately, his son, Hyuk-ryeonjong, had a greater talent than himself. He had devoted his heart and soul to raise him as an absolute talent, but the heavens were indifferent, and So Ya-hu had come out from the So family.

It seemed that even his son, Hyuk-ryeonjong, would lose to So Ya-hu of the So family.

The fate of the Hyuk-ryeon family, which was destined to remain forever as the second, was humiliating.

To him, the soul of Hyuk-ryeon Ju-pae had approached.

The soul that had possessed his son one day.

When he had found out about that fact and had tried to remove it using the 'soul weaving art', that soul had whispered.

'...I am the 489th Cult Leader, Hyuk-ryeon Ju-pae. For the revival of the Hyuk-ryeon family, I have not left this world and have been waiting for a descendant with the talent to fulfill my will...'

And the 'Heavenly Demon Divine Art' and the 'soul spirit art' that he had told him...

In that moment, he could not see anything due to his greed. He had taken the hand that the soul of Hyuk-ryeon Ju-pae had offered.

But Hyuk-ryeonjong had died absurdly. And he had had to accept a seed he had never even heard of as the bloodline of the Hyuk-ryeon family.

He had lived for decades suppressing the rising anger.

For this moment today.

'Hu-a-ya... I'm sorry. That is your fate...'

He recalled the time he had held the newborn Hyuk-ryeonhu.

Hyuk-ryeonhu, who had been obtained from a woman who had been chosen and chosen to continue the blood of the 'heavenly vein'. He was his great-grandson and, in reality, his son. The one who had succeeded Hyuk-ryeonjong.

Hyuk-ryeon Seung-mu, whose thoughts had reached Hyuk-ryeonhu, became anxious.

The great art was over, but Hyuk-ryeonhu was not waking up.

'I will have to go and see for myself.'

That night, Hyuk-ryeon Seung-mu dragged his old body and headed to the cave where Hyuk-ryeonhu was lying.

* * *

"Young Lord!"

Bi Jun-hua asked as if she were interrogating.

"Why, why! Why aren't you stepping forward for the 'Great Successor War'?"

If the Young Lord became the Cult Leader in the identity of So Baek-cheon, and the great-aunt, Bi Yun-seol, became his wife...

The poignant love of the two over decades could have a perfect ending...

Baekji, with a feast in front of him, just kept moving his chopsticks.

"Ah, this is really delicious."

"Young Lord! Why on earth!"

As Bi Jun-hua was screaming, Baekji, with his mouth full of food, mumbled and said, "I have been the Young Lord for decades. Do I have to do that again?"

(End of Chapter)