Chronicles of the Demon Faction

Episode 404 Casting a new shadow (4)

The place where Seoliang headed was Gojuklim (孤竹林).

It was indeed a place I had not been to in a long time. I came here when I came to see Yeo Kang-hwi, but I didn’t have the time or intention to look around this place at the time.

“It’s still the same.”

Whistling.

The cold wind that blew past the bamboo leaves touched Seoryang’s collar.

Seoryang closed his eyes.

‘It was really hard.’

I remembered the time when I entered the Gojuk Forest and caused a stir.

It was a time when I had a bloody life-and-death battle with strange spirits, or even ghosts. I managed to survive with a body that had not yet properly learned martial arts.

If it had not been for Ma Dong-pil, I would not have survived. Plus, Lee Cheon-sang. If I hadn’t sent myself here, I wouldn’t be where I am now.

Xu Liang looked back.

“What do you think? Do you remember the old days?”

Ma Dong-pil lowered his head.

“That’s right. “Master.”

“It was so hard at that time that I thought I was going to die.”

Ma Dong-pil had a faint smile on his face. As Seoryang said, I don’t know how many times I have been in danger of death.

However, when I returned to this place, I could no longer feel the eerieness of the past.

On the contrary, I was even glad to see it.

Hu Yaosheng asked cautiously.

“Master.”

“hmm?”

“This may be presumptuous, but what about here?”

“I have someone to meet.

“Huh? Are there people here?”

No one can enter Gojuk Forest without the order of the religious leader.

No, there is one person. But there is no reason for that person to be here.

“Daehobeop.”

Ho Yo-seong looked at Um Tae-kyung.

Eom Tae-kyung was staring deep into the Gojuk Forest with his characteristic blunt expression.

“There is a Great Protector?”

There was no answer. Uhm Tae-kyung was just staring into the forest with infinitely deep eyes.

“Why is he here?!”

Even so, I was wondering why I didn’t come to Daejeon. At least in Ho Yaoseong’s eyes, Mudam was not the kind of person who would fall into such a situation.

Are you to the point where you can’t even move after the death of your lord whom you trusted and followed? That is an overly belittling treatment of a man named Mudam.

Mudam was a man who would do whatever he had to do, even if it meant taking his own life.

But he was in Gojuk Forest?

“Because I think this is my last place.”

They were shocked when they saw Seo-ryang.

Even though he said something surprising, his expression was not that dark.

“Let’s go in together.”

“Oh yeah!”

The group entered the bamboo forest.

Ma Dong-pil looked around with nervous eyes.

When I saw the bamboo forest from afar, I felt a memory rather than a scary feeling. It was dangerous at the time, but because of that time, I was able to become as strong as I am now.

But once you go inside, it’s a different story.

Among the precious treasures of the Gojuk Forest, there were many that were dangerous even to the highest level expert.

Of course, even if they attacked out of the blue, there wouldn’t be any problem because there was Seo Liang, but that was a different problem.

How much did it cost?

“You don’t have to be nervous, Dongpil.”

“yes?”

“They can’t touch me anyway. No, they would rather try to avoid it.”

Are you trying to avoid me? What does this mean?

Seoryang looked around and touched his chest.

‘Stay here.’

The core of Gojuk Forest, which has never been properly examined before.

The spirit that he had taken when he first met Geumho was lodged in his body.

Even now, it was so vague that I couldn’t feel it unless I was conscious of it, but it was a rich wild energy that felt like it would be there forever.

‘Because of that spirit’s core, nobles cannot attack me.’

When I thought about that, Geumho came to mind.

‘Where are you now?’

The bond with Geumho was so strong that they could feel each other even if they were thousands of miles away.

However, after Lee Cheon-sang disappeared, Geumho’s presence could no longer be felt.

Of course, it does not mean that Geumho died or that the string of spiritual energy disappeared. Seoliang could feel it instinctively. That Kumho still remains in the world.

‘I’ll come back someday.’

It’s not like Geumho was seriously injured or lost his spirituality. Seoliang lightly dismissed the question.

How much did it cost?

Tsutsutsutsu.

In the middle of a wide open space, a sturdy old man was sitting cross-legged on a small platform with his back turned.

The subtle demonic energy emanating from the old man was perfectly refined.

Even though Ho Yao-seong is an expert in his own martial arts, he is in complete control of his energy to the extent that he does not feel it.

Xu Liang raised his hand. Then, Ho Yo-seong, Ma Dong-pil, and Eom Tae-kyung stopped on the spot.

“Great protection law.”

Ugh.

The faint demonic energy that had been blooming disappeared completely.

The old man, Mudam, got up from his bed and came down to the ground.

“Dominion Seonggyo, Heavenly Demon Immortal. A sinner of the Protestant religion meets the religious leader.”

He was the one who unhesitatingly recognized Seoryang as the leader of the religion.

Xu Liang shook his head.

“Get up.”

“Yes, leader.”

Mudam carefully got up and stood with his head bowed. It was a very polite posture.

Seoliang sighed.

“Thank you for calling me leader, but there is no need to stand so stiffly.”

“It is a natural example to the master of Protestantism.”

He seems like a stiff gentleman.

Seo-ryang went to the bench and sat down.

“Sit next to me.”

“Hello, leader.”

“It’s an order.”

Mudam flinched.

But soon after, he carefully sat down next to Seo-ryang.

“Do you have something to tell me?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Yes, I heard it from Master.”

Ho Yo-seong, who heard those words from afar, tilted his head. What on earth was that he was going to deliver?

That was not all. He didn’t show it, and even Ma Dong-pil and Eom Tae-kyung didn’t understand their conversation.

Seo-ryang asked,

“Will you deliver it?” “I have to take it, but there’s no need to wait here to give it to me.”

“I apologize, Master, but by nature I am a high treason criminal who does not deserve to be here. I am a

great man who would not be worthy of being imprisoned in the deepest prison of the Penal Court and suffering for eons right now.”

“Why are you a sinner?”

“For a long time, I was an unfit person who sat in the glorious position of the Great Protector of Protestantism, even though I had only limited abilities.”

“…..”

“The reason why the former leader passed away was all because of my shortcomings. “How can you hope to live?”

Xu Liang shook his head.

“You know it’s not your fault, right? “Master left you behind on purpose.”

“Even if the head of the former church gave this order, it does not mean that my sins will disappear.

I should have died before the former leader passed away. “With what dignity can such a sinner be admitted to the Demon God’s Palace?”

It was fierce loyalty.

I already knew this, but Seoliang knew even more clearly.

How deep is Mudam’s loyalty to Lee Cheon-sang? Even if Lee Cheon-sang jokingly told him to die, Mu-dam was the one who would follow his words without hesitation.

“It’s not something I would say to someone who is in self-destruction, but let me tell you something.”

“……”

“Strictly speaking, you are a sinner.”

Mudam bowed his head.

“Even though it is the Great Protection Law of Shingyo, you did not properly protect Shingyo.

Whatever the reason, if the atmosphere and situation of Shingyo were abnormal, you should have stepped forward and corrected it. You failed to do that.”

“I apologize.”

“Derelict of duty. That is your crime. That is why I intend to sentence you to a three-month pay cut.”

Mudam looked at Seo-ryang in surprise.

Seo-ryang smiled.

“I don’t know that your loyalty to your master is as good as anyone else’s.

But you are the Lord of the Protectorate. Loyalty to the head of the religious order is natural, and furthermore, you will reorganize the new religion like the Lord of the Protectorate. “I should have done it.”

“…….”

“But no one could have imagined that Master would pass away in the middle of nowhere. I can only guess how great the shock must have been.

That’s why the crime was reduced to a three-month pay cut, so something like this would never happen again. “Make sure it doesn’t happen.”

“Master. I…”

“Don’t fall into delusion yourself.”

“……”

“You will protect Shingyo until the day your life ends.

If you have a trustworthy successor, I don’t mind handing over the position of Daehobeop, but even when you step down from active duty, you must do your best for Shingyo.”

“……”

“That’s what you have to do.

The person you owe your loyalty to is the religious leader, not my teacher. What you need to do is protect the religious faith, not wallow in sorrow.”

Mudam’s eyes were shaken.

Seo-ryang tapped his shoulder.

“Not only I, but all demons know the hard work you have done day and night to ensure the safety of Shinjyo for decades.

Please do not turn a blind eye to the Shinjyo that you have achieved. “Yes.”

“…….Church leader.”

“This is not an order, but a request.”

Mudam quickly got down from the bench and knelt on the floor.

“How can you ask me a favor? If you are a demon of a new religion, it is natural to absolutely obey the orders of the religious leader.”

“okay. So you don’t have to feel guilty. “The reason Master ordered you not to follow him wasn’t because he wanted you to show up like this.”

Mudam bit his lip.

Blood dripped from the torn lip.

“If the request is too burdensome, I will give you an order.”

An intense glow appeared in Seo-ryang’s eyes:

“You will have to burn the rest of your life with me.”

“Master!”

“I won’t care even if you are panting from exhaustion, so risk your life to chase after me. I tell you in advance, I am not generous enough to take care of even those who have fallen away of their own accord.”

Mudam hit his forehead on the ground.

Boom!

“Mudam, the new guardian lord, takes the orders of the religious leader!”

“Just get up now.”

Mudam stood up.

Xu Liang smiled.

Tears were flowing down Mudam’s cheeks.

The tears were a combination of the guilt of not seeing the last of the former religious leader, the sadness of not being able to die with the former religious leader, and the joy of being encouraged by the new religious leader.

“I trust you.”

“I will sacrifice my life to protect the sect leader.”

He overcomes his guilt for not being able to protect his previous lord with loyalty to his new lord.

Seo-ryang, who brought back the old loyalist who had fallen to rock bottom, spoke in a mischievous voice.

“Now give me what I deserve, you loyal loyalist, who takes a lot of effort.”

*

*

*

next day.

“Are you going to postpone the bite?”

“Yes.”

Hao Yao-seong’s voice was calm. But Princess Queen, who heard those words, could not be calm at all.

“Is that really true?”

“That’s right.”

“That cannot be done. The coronation of the new religious leader and the religious affairs of the religious leader are entirely managed by the royal palace. No matter how religious the religious leader is, he cannot overstep this authority.”

“The Majin people don’t know that Daegwan and Gyosang are managed by the Big Palace.”

“…What did you say just now?”

Hu Yaosheng straightened his back.

“I will inform you of the leader’s message.”

“message?”

The Queen Mother’s eyes deepened.

A message? What does the new leader, or the young man who will become the new leader, have to say to himself?

“You said that in the new era, there will be no secret palaces in the Heavenly Demon Church.”

“……?”

“The Secret Palace, a group known only to the religious leader and a very small number of people, will later be renamed the Priest’s Hall and its existence will be made known to all demons.”

“…….!!”

“This is the leader’s message.”

Lightning rained down from the queen’s eyes.

“You’re joking.”

“This is a message, not a joke. Not from anyone else but from the religious leader.”

“……”

“If you have anything to say, please come to the Demon God’s Palace in person.”

Hu Yao-seong stood up, saluted her, and left the palace without looking back.

The princess’s face was cruelly distorted.

It was a very scary face that even Li Cheon-sang had never seen before.