Chapter 89: The Second Exchange Ceremony (2)
The simplest method, yet one I couldn’t bring myself to suggest.
I never expected Baek Sang-ah to bring it up first.
“You said you’ll go along with it?”
“To be honest, if you ignore the fact that the energy currently settled in my Dantian is demonic qi, it’s no different from gaining a miraculous opportunity of the ages. In terms of both quantity and quality of internal energy.”
That was true.
The purity of internal energy obtained through Demonic Spirit Body Fusion Qi Flow was unmatched.
It couldn’t even be compared to the secret arts of the Nine Moons Blade Hall.
“In other words, I plan to aim for the Sword Empress’s position without being struck off the clan registry.”
“Is… is that even possible?”
If it were as easy as it sounded, we wouldn’t be worrying about it like this.
“Well, there is one method that might work.”
I perked up at Baek Sang-ah’s words.
“What is it? If there’s anything I can do, I’ll help you as much as I can.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really.”
“Then, let’s get married.”
“…What?”
My thoughts came to a complete halt.
***
What… did she just say?
There had once been an issue with a cliché in old romance novels, where the male lead would constantly ask “What?” after being confessed to by the heroine.
Right now, that was the only word flooding my mind.
I stared at Baek Sang-ah’s face, wondering if she was joking, but she was completely serious.
“Wh-why does it lead to that conclusion?”
“Well, there’s one assumption I absolutely need to establish if I don’t want to be rejected by the main family.”
For some reason, I felt like I already knew what that assumption was.
“An alliance between the Heavenly Demon Cult and the Southern Heavens Baek Clan.”
“Yes, exactly. You caught on fast.”
“Don’t tell me, as proof of that alliance…?”
Only then did I understand why she chose the word marriage.
“If it’s the Grand son of the Demonic Heaven’s Jin Clan, one of the most prestigious families of the cult, then the main family would consider it a suitable match. Besides, it’s been a really long time since a war broke out between the Heavenly Demon Cult and the orthodox faction.”
The reason such a long peace had lasted was, ironically, largely thanks to the Evil Overlords of Heaven.
Since the King of Ten Thousand Evils, Gu Yomyeong, established the Evil Overlords of Heaven in Qinghai Province and stirred up trouble everywhere to expand his influence, both the Cult and the orthodox factions had spent decades monitoring his movements, leaving them no time to fight each other.
Though their ideologies differed and they rejected each other, the current generation of the orthodox and demonic factions barely held any deep blood feuds anymore.
“We’ll definitely be eyed with suspicion by the surrounding orthodox factions. It might lower my position significantly too. But if there’s a chance for me, this is the only path.”
“Th-that may be true, but… why me, of all people?”
At that, Baek Sang-ah glared at me as if I were trash.
“Are you seriously asking that?”
“…”
Though I felt wronged, I lowered my gaze.
It’s not like she… likes me or anything, right?
Baek Sang-ah snapped at me.
“Who do I know in this cult? Who knows what kind of bastard could be hiding in one of the Six Great Demonic Clans?”
“N-no, but still, that’s a bit too hasty…”
“Ugh, shut up. Be quiet.”
She was originally cheerful, but after her internal energy converted to demonic qi, her personality seemed to have become more reckless.
Was this what it felt like when a little girl suddenly became an older sister?
After fuming for a while, her voice eventually softened as if the steam had finally run out of her head.
“Sigh… I guess you’re right. A political marriage isn’t something that can be decided by the people involved alone. And more than anything, you already have that woman…”
“I wouldn’t say we’re like that. Not yet, anyway.”
“I know. I’ve looked into the position of Demonic Faction Lord a bit.”
Baek Sang-ah seemed to be saying she just considered us to be somewhat connected.
“For now, it’s just an idea I’m toying with, so please just keep it in mind as a possibility.”
“Hmm… okay.”
Even if that idea became reality, I wasn’t sure I could accept it.
Truthfully, even without being the Young Cult Leader’s partner, the Southern Heavens Baek Clan was a prestigious house that Jin Gun-ak would gladly welcome with open arms.
They were one of the top powers in the central plains, to the point that people referred to them along with the Northern Heavens Cheon Clan before even listing the Five Great Families.
‘Whether I can accept that or not is another matter entirely.’
“Hmm! Looks like that match has reached some sort of conclusion.”
Baek Sang-ah stretched and stood up.
So much had happened in our conversation that I hadn’t even noticed—the match between San Dojeon and the Three Officers was nearing its end.
The result, of course, was San Dojeon’s overwhelming victory… though honestly, who could focus on that right now?
Baek Sang-ah smiled down at me.
“If the marriage talks with that woman fall through, I hope you’ll remember that you have another offer on the table.”
…Is this really okay?
I know things were like this in this era, but wasn’t she giving up her own happiness too easily for the sake of a political marriage centered on her family?
While I was still stunned by the storm of confusion swirling in my mind, she murmured something quietly.
“Well, I could just ruin the marriage myself, if it comes to that.”
“…What?”
“I was just talking to myself. Don’t mind it.”
With that, Baek Sang-ah told me we’d talk later and disappeared somewhere.
Then, San Dojeon reappeared with a beaming smile and a few bruises on his face, knelt on one knee and shouted:
“My lord! I, San Dojeon, offer my respects as your left arm and the leader of these men!”
Behind him were the Three Officers, all looking disgruntled, yet accepting in their own way.
“Uh… sure…”
I nodded weakly, feeling my strength drain out of me.
***
After that, I carried on my life at the Thousand-Day Pass without much trouble.
But even as I did, the Ten Thousand Mountains were caught in a storm, and countless lives continued to bleed out.
“I heard the Sangwan Clan was wiped out.”
“W-wait, you mean the Sangwan Clan that was once said to rival the Six Great Demonic Clans?”
“That was centuries ago. These days, they were just another mid-tier family. I heard they had less than a hundred retainers.”
“The problem is, a family with that kind of legacy was implicated in treason.”
“Hahaha, this is insane. All that for power—joining hands with outsiders?!”
Most of those involved in the recent Great Purge were families that had once enjoyed tremendous golden ages or held prestigious legacies going back generations.
“In a way, it might just mean the power structure of the Cult, dominated by the Six Great Demonic Clans, has grown too stagnant.”
“Shhh! Don’t say such things so carelessly—do you want to get yourself executed?!”
The current state of the Ten Thousand Mountains was utter chaos.
So much blood was being spilled so suddenly and so violently that every household and faction within the Cult had been holding their breath, praying for the storm to pass.
“Sigh… What could the Heavenly Demon be thinking? There’s no doubt that there are traitors, but still, so much bloodshed…”
“There’s nothing we can do. It’s the will of the Heavenly Demon.”
“Well… that’s true.”
Everyone involved in the conversation was oddly accepting of what was happening. Under normal circumstances, such things would be unthinkable—but in the Heavenly Demon Cult, the Heavenly Demon was akin to a god, and whatever a god did was always accepted as right.
“Have you heard?”
“Heard what?”
“They say the Heavenly Demon Pavilion is holding a small gathering to lighten the mood amidst all this.”
“A gathering?”
“A gathering between none other than the heirs of the Six Great Demonic Clans and the Young Cult Leader!”
“Oooooh!”
Though one exchange ceremony had already taken place, the news hadn’t reached the general followers of the cult.
To them, this was effectively the first.
“Could it be?! Is the Young Cult Leader finally choosing her partner?!”
“The heirs of the Six Great Demonic Clans… they must all be exceptional, promising masters, right?”
“And not just branch family members—surely only direct descendants would be invited!”
“Ah, I can’t wait to see it!”
Rumors of this second exchange ceremony quickly spread among the general members of the cult and brought a brief spark of life back into the otherwise grim atmosphere of the Heavenly Demon Cult.
Because of that, unprecedented interest began pouring into this upcoming event.
***
“The half-year period I mentioned is up, isn’t it?”
The former Pavilion Master of the Thousand-Day Pass had instructed me to gather six people who would challenge the main flow of the pavilion within half a year.
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“So? Did you gather them all?”
“As of now, including myself, there are eight.”
Me, Baeksa, Heuksa, Jeoksa, San Dojeon, Cheon Yura.
Then Baek Sang-ah and Sa Biyeon also expressed their intention to participate.
Jin Sang and Baekgu, who had initially followed me, eventually gave up and dropped from the ranks of my trusted subordinates.
“Hmm, I see. There’s no need to limit it to exactly six.”
The Pavilion Master had said multiples of six were fine, but I had no intention of forcing unqualified people into a death march.
No point in pushing people to die for nothing.
“Well then, will you challenge the main branch?”
There was a faint glimmer of expectation in the eyes behind the Pavilion Master’s mask.
But I shook my head.
“No, I won’t challenge it just yet.”
“Hmm. Is that so? A shame. I had hoped to witness the reopening of the main flow during my tenure.”
“You will see it eventually. But for now, there are more pressing matters I need to attend to.”
“Ah, I understand. You mean the exchange ceremony.”
Originally meant to be a quiet meeting between the Young Cult Leader and the heirs of the Six Great Demonic Clans, the event had somehow grown into a grand spectacle rumored even among the regular cultists.
I was convinced the source of those rumors lay within the Heavenly Demon Pavilion.
The Pavilion Master gave me a sly smile.
“I’ve heard that the other four clans are sending new participants this time, quite different from last time.”
“Is that so?”
“Don’t you find it shameless? All of them essentially lost in the preliminaries, except for you and that little friend from the Ma Clan.”
I shook my head at that.
“I don’t really think so. In politics, worrying about saving face is the stupidest thing you can do.”
If there was a benefit, they’d chase it down. If there was an opportunity, they’d bite.
That relentless nature was one of the reasons the Six Clans had been able to maintain their power for over a thousand years.
I'd rather avoid a repeat of my previous life’s ending by trying to play nice.
“Well, politics is also about knowing when to save face, but let’s say you’re right for now.”
The Pavilion Master nodded and continued.
“The exchange ceremony will be held in a month. Invitations should be going out to all of the Six Clans within a few days.”
“You even know that, being the Pavilion Master?”
“You know my true identity is not exactly ordinary, don’t you?”
A blood relative of the Cheon Clan.
Not a branch member—a bastard child.
Unable to aim for the peak, but perfectly positioned to wield influence behind the scenes.
In fact, the current Pavilion Master might wield more power than even the Lord of the Demon Dragon Hall.
“Well? Should I give you some time to prepare?”
“I’m not sure what I’d be preparing for, but no need. The result will be the same regardless.”
“Oh? And what exactly do you mean by that?”
The Pavilion Master showed great interest in my statement.
“Isn’t it obvious?”
I tilted my head slightly and narrowed my eyes.
“No matter who the other clans send. All five of those bastards coming this time…”
I didn’t know exactly what the Cult Leader’s goal was in turning this exchange ceremony into a grand event.
No—there were so many plausible reasons that I couldn’t even pick one.
But at the very least, one thing about this ceremony was certain.
“They might as well give up on walking out of there unscathed.”