Chapter 179: Career Path (4)

About a month before the Hall of the Demonic Way graduation ceremony, a special event unfolded in the Hyeokryeon Family—one of the Five Great Families of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult and the prestigious house that had produced the current Heavenly Demon.

Hyeokryeon Hwan, the eldest son of Family Head Hyeokryeon Cheongang and heir to the position, finally emerged from over three years of secluded training.

"We greet the Young Lord!"

You have changed so much we almost didn’t recognize you, Young Lord!”

Despite all the praise from the household members, Hyeokryeon Hwan just nodded gravely and headed somewhere with a heavy expression.

He was on his way to the Family Head’s chamber to inform his father that he'd completed his secluded training.

As he approached the hall, Hyeokryeon Cheongang's voice called out from inside.

"Come in."

Hyeokryeon Hwan nodded with an "as expected" look on his face. Even though he'd broken through to a new level during his training, his father had still instantly sensed his presence.

Entering the hall, Hyeokryeon Hwan bowed formally to the Family Head.

"I greet the Family Head."

"Good. Sit down."

Accepting the greeting brusquely, Hyeokryeon Cheongang spoke as soon as his son sat down.

"You've broken through another wall."

"It's all thanks to you, Family Head."

"Right. If you break through just two more walls, I might be able to hand over this position to you."

"How could someone who's barely touched the Transcendence dare to push out the Family Head?"

The Demonic Cult operates by the law of the strong. The most obvious example is the tradition of the struggle for cult leadership, in which the strongest becomes the cult leader and learns the Heavenly Demon Divine Arts.

Naturally, a tradition similar to that of the Cult was also passed down in the prestigious houses known as the Five Great Families.

And thanks to over three years of secluded training, Hyeokryeon Hwan had reached a level just short of the Transcendence. As his father said, if he broke through just two more walls, he'd reach the level where he could achieve Transcendence with the Blood Shadow Eighteen Swords.

But the current Family Head had achieved Transcendence for nearly twenty years. He wasn't someone you could beat just because you'd freshly achieved Transcendence.

In other words, the conversation between the two was similar to what occurred in a royal or imperial court.

It was a situation where the emperor or king suggests abdicating the throne to their accomplished child, and the crown prince or heir reacts with feigned shock, declaring how someone as unworthy as himself could possibly dare to oust His Majesty and ascend the throne.

At least, that's how it looked on the surface.

Seeing his son continue to address him as "Family Head" and respond so curtly, Hyeokryeon Cheongang let out a light sigh.

"Are you still holding a grudge about the secluded training?"

"Not at all, Family Head. I'm simply trying to act appropriately for my position as th Young Lord, as you instructed."

At his son's blunt response, Hyeokryeon Cheongang swallowed another sigh.

Hyeokryeon Hwan's seclusion hadn't been voluntary.

Hyeokryeon Cheongang had forcibly locked him in a cave with orders not to come out until he broke through to the next level.

His attitude was now completely different from before he entered seclusion. No matter how one looked at it, it seemed less like an attempt to act befitting of the Young Lord and more like a clear display of sulking. But Hyeokryeon Cheongang decided to let it slide for now.

“In any case, it is fortunate that you have broken through a threshold. Continue to strive and devote yourself to your training so that you may enter Transcendence."

"I will do so, Family Head."

Hyeokryeon Hwan bowed formally again and left the Family Head's hall.

"We greet the Young Lord!"

"Congratulations on completing your seclusion!"

He would give a solemn nod each time he encountered household members on his path who bowed to him.

After passing the servants, the second place he arrived at was his own quarters.

And there, waiting for him, was the woman who had handled his duties as Young Lord while he was away.

"Husband!"

"My dear!"

The couple, reunited after more than three years, exchanged passionate looks.

It was a sight that would have shocked Il-mok.

A lovely smile was drawn upon the face of the notoriously spiteful Lady Cheonghwa.

"You've worked so hard while I was away, my dear."

"As someone who will become the madam of the great Hyeokryeon Family, it was simply my duty.”

Their conversation was ordinary, but the looks they exchanged carried something heated. A burning hint that something would happen tonight.

After catching up with his wife for a while, Lady Cheonghwa, who knew her husband very well, gently broached a subject.

"Are you looking for Seon-ah?"

Though it was but a subtle flicker of his eyes, she had not missed her husband’s gaze periodically scanning the interior of the hall.

"Ahem. Well, yes."

Hyeokryeon Hwan answered with an awkward tone.

"I'll lead the way. Let's go together."

"Are you sure it's alright? Isn't Seon-ah in the middle of training the Blood Fox Crimson Claw Art right now?"

“Shouldn’t a daughter naturally greet her father after meeting him for the first time in so long? Besides, it is fine for her to meet and talk with you.”

"It seems Seon-ah is overcoming the side effects of the Blood Fox Crimson Claw Art!"

As Hyeokryeon Hwan exclaimed with a bright smile, Lady Cheonghwa replied with a reluctant expression.

"Y-yes, that's right."

She wasn't entirely sure whether you could call it "overcoming" the side effects.

But with his head already full of thoughts about Seon-ah, Hyeokryeon Hwan didn't notice his wife's subtle change in expression.

"Let's go."

Eventually, Hyeokryeon Hwan followed Lady Cheonghwa's lead to meet the daughter who now lived separately.

This was because of the side effects of the Blood Fox Crimson Claw Art.

To think he had to live apart from his daughter, who was barely over ten years old!

'She should stay in her father's embrace until at least thirty!'

Hyeokryeon Hwan swallowed his anguished cry.

The reason Hyeokryeon Hwan had been forcibly put into seclusion by his father was simple.

He was seriously overprotective of his daughter.

It wasn't just that he interfered with his daughter's training. It had reached a level where it interfered with his own training.

During the hours he should have been training the Blood Shadow Eighteen Swords, he'd spend all day and night clinging to his daughter.

Unable to bear this pathetic sight any longer, Hyeokryeon Cheongang had finally exploded and thrown him into a cave.

Thanks to that, he'd broken through a wall but felt no gratitude toward his father for it.

'For my daughter's sake, I'd gladly give my life!'

He'd broken through purely because of his daughter Seon-ah. With the single-minded determination to see his daughter's adorable face again, he'd devoted himself to swordplay like a madman until he broke through.

Hyeokryeon Cheongang was mistaken. He'd hoped the secluded training would help Hyeokryeon Hwan overcome his obsession with his daughter, but the symptoms had worsened.

It was an understandable mistake. Hyeokryeon Cheongang saw his son's condition as being influenced by the side effects of his Demonic Art..

But Hyeokryeon Hwan's overprotectiveness wasn't influenced by Demonic Art. It was pure paternal love for his daughter.

It wasn't the kind of thing that would disappear just because he couldn't see her face for a while or his martial arts level improved slightly. If anything, it only got worse.

'Ah, I need to manage my expression.'

It took all his willpower to keep the goofy smile from his lips as he walked toward his daughter.

'Just act normal. That damn father of mine might lock me in the cave again if he sees this.'

The reason Hyeokryeon Hwan had been acting stern and grave since completing his seclusion was purely to avoid being locked up again.

To prevent any interference with reuniting with his daughter, he desperately managed his expression as he headed somewhere.

Following Lady Cheonghwa's guidance, they arrived at a training ground set up in one corner of the Hyeokryeon estate.

And there she was.

His daughter, whose hair had turned red due to the influence of the Blood Fox Crimson Claw Art.

"Hah!"

With a spirited cry, she swung her similarly reddened claws.

Children grow up so fast. Although only three and a half years have passed, that tiny child has grown so much.

Tears were already forming in Hyeokryeon Hwan's eyes, but he didn't rush to his daughter. He even stopped his wife from calling out to Seon-ah. He just watched his daughter's training with a proud expression.

Then, when Hyeokryeon Seon-ah finished repeating her training until her internal energy was depleted and took a deep breath—

"Whew."

Clap clap clap.

He applauded thunderously, celebrating his daughter's achievement.

Hyeokryeon Seon-ah's eyes widened as she turned at the sudden applause.

"Father?"

Even though his daughter, who used to call him "daddy" when she was little, now used the more distant "father," Hyeokryeon Hwan smiled contentedly.

“Hahaha. Our daughter has grown so much in three years!"

"Father also seems to have achieved great things. I truly congratulate you."

Even at his daughter's polite but distant response, Hyeokryeon Hwan smiled happily.

"Hahaha. Truly praiseworthy."

He saw her polite behavior as a sign she was overcoming the side effects of the Blood Fox Crimson Claw Art.

His daughter, who had somehow become a fifteen-year-old young lady, smiled gracefully at her father's praise and replied.

"I've been doing my best in training to stay by big brother's side."

"...Big brother?"

Hearing this expression from his daughter for the first time, Hyeokryeon Hwan's thoughts stopped as he turned to look at his wife.

“We have a son?”

A long, weary sigh escaped Lady Cheonghwa's lips.

***

Lady Cheonghwa led the stunned Hyeokryeon Hwan back to the young master's hall.

A little later, after barely pulling Hyeokryeon Hwan out of his mental breakdown, she explained what had happened.

"The big brother Seon-ah speaks of is the youngest disciple that the Lord of Ten Thousand Demons recently took in."

"Three years ago, when Seon-ah was learning the Blood Fox Crimson Claw Art, she became close to that youngest disciple."

"Thankfully, even after that youngest disciple entered the Hall of the Demonic Way, Seon-ah didn't go berserk or fall into Qi Deviation. She's just... waiting eagerly..."

Lady Cheonghwa's explanation came in brief, scattered pieces.

She had no choice. Every time she explained something, her husband would fall into another mental breakdown.

Having barely managed to hear the full explanation before spitting blood, Hyeokryeon Hwan shouted without having recovered his composure.

"How could you let such a lecher get close to Seon-ah!"

And just like that, Il-mok had instantly been branded a lecher.

Her expression soured at the accusation. After three and a half years, this was what he had to say to her?

“Are you really scolding me right now, you who have been absent for over three years?”

Hyeokryeon Hwan instinctively felt it. The hot night of rekindling their relationship after three and a half years was in danger of becoming as cold as ice from the eternal snow mountains.

"I-I wasn't trying to scold you. S-sorry. That's right! I meant father! What was father thinking, letting such a lecher approach a child suffering from side effects!"

He shamelessly threw his father under the bus to preserve their marital harmony.

Lady Cheonghwa felt irritated but accepted this excuse to restore harmony with her long-absent husband.

"Father had no choice in the matter. The Lord of Ten Thousand Demons took the youngest disciple's side."

"!!!"

Lady Cheonghwa told the anecdotes about the Eighth Young Master, the things the youngest young master had done in the past three years, and how much the Heavenly Demon cherishes that youngest disciple.

Right after hearing all those stories, Hyeokryeon Hwan said with a very serious face. “For the great one to have become a doting fool! The Hidden Guard Pavilion Master serving the Supreme One should be severely punished!"

Coming from the mouth of a doting fool himself, the declaration lacked any and all credibility.

***

A month had passed since Hyeokryeon Hwan emerged from seclusion.

Many things had happened during that time.

He'd tried to relive old memories by bathing with his daughter after so long, only to be treated like a pervert.

He'd gone to his daughter's quarters trying to have a conversation with his precious daughter, only to be turned away at the door. It just so happened that the time he visited was the hour Hyeokryeon Seon-ah was scheduled to play with Il-mok’s doll.

Aside from such minor incidents, he was getting along fairly well with his daughter.

Hyeokryeon Seon-ah came to the Young Lord’s quarter every morning to pay her respects and at least shared meals with her parents.

The only problem was that if anyone interfered with her training time or the time she spent receiving Il-mok's doll, her attitude would change as if she were facing a mortal enemy.

That's why Hyeokryeon Hwan left the family estate today to head for Windrock Palace.

To meet the youngest disciple who had graduated from the Hall of the Demonic Way.

'This is all because of that damn youngest disciple.'

How dare he seduce his daughter while he was away! He absolutely couldn't let this slide.

'Until my daughter is fully grown. Yes, at least until she's thirty, no one can covet my daughter!'

Killing intent and demonic energy poured steadily from his eyes.