Chapter 32. Begging for Punishment (1)
“...This is the Blood Gu you intended to implant into me?”
“Then kill me here instead.”
The Sword Demon stared at the Blood Gu wriggling inside the wooden box and barely contained his rage.
He wanted to crush the disgusting insect immediately.
But he could not.
It had to be submitted as evidence proving Lady Woo's connection to the rebellion.
“Why, Madam?”
“Our relationship may have already collapsed, but I still respected you as the mistress of this clan.”
“Then how could you do this?”
“...This is all because of you.”
“What?”
“If you had not favored that concubine and had given me one more chance!”
“If you had not tried to give the position of Young Clan Head to that concubine's son!”
“Would I ever have done something like this?!”
“You are the one who turned me into a monster!”
There were always people like this.
People who blamed every problem they created on someone else.
The Sword Demon let out a bitter sigh.
Of all the types of people in the world, his proper wife happened to be one of the worst.
“Jealousy blinded you.”
“I already told you this on the day I discovered you secretly sending the Sword Demon Clan's wealth to your original family, Woo Family Manor.”
“I told you not to expect affection from me as a husband anymore.”
“But I promised to continue respecting your authority as the mistress of this clan.”
“...”
“I never intended to replace the Young Clan Head either.”
“Your position and our son's position would have remained secure.”
“If you had simply been satisfied with what you already possessed and remained still, you would have lost nothing.”
Lady Woo turned her head away and avoided his gaze.
She no longer wished to speak.
“Do you truly expect me to believe the words of a Clan Head bewitched by some lowly concubine?”
“Enough discussion.”
“Kill me here.”
“You still refuse to accept responsibility until the end.”
“What did you say?”
At that moment, soldiers wearing white armor entered Lady Woo's residence.
Lady Woo froze the instant she saw them.
There was only one thing white armor represented inside the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
“T, the Heavenly Demon Army?!”
The Heavenly Demon Army was the direct personal guard of the Heavenly Demon and also the main security force of the Demon God Palace.
If compared to an imperial palace, they were equivalent to the Imperial Guard.
Every single member possessed martial arts close to the level of a Demon Lord.
They were widely recognized as the strongest military force in the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
“W, why is the Heavenly Demon Army here?!”
“It has been confirmed that the assassin you hired to kill Madam Hyeon was connected to the Black and White Demon Venerable's rebellion.”
“W, what?!”
“Who told you such a vulgar lie?!”
“Was it that lowly Hyeonri?!”
“How could you abandon your proper wife because of the words of some lowborn woman?!”
“Enough.”
“Your lies cannot shake me anymore.”
The Heavenly Demon Army began tying Lady Woo with black rope.
She screamed toward the Sword Demon and loudly insisted on her innocence.
But her voice no longer created even the slightest movement inside the Sword Demon's heart.
“C, Clan Head!”
“Then kill me here yourself!”
“How can you allow your proper wife to be humiliated inside the Demon God Palace?!”
“Clan Head!!”
Even while being dragged away by the Heavenly Demon Army, Lady Woo continued begging.
The soldiers apparently grew disgusted by the traitor's voice and sealed her acupoints.
At last, peaceful silence returned to the Sword Demon Clan.
“Gi Ryeom, First Legion Commander of the Heavenly Demon Army, greets the Sword Demon Clan Head.”
“This sinner greets the messenger of the Demon God.”
“Do not lower yourself.”
“Through the testimony of Black Blood Unit member Bi Anso, the Demon God Palace and Military Strategy Department have confirmed that you had no connection to the rebellion.”
Bi Anso.
The Sword Demon sighed in relief when he heard that name.
Without Bi Anso's help, he would have lived his entire life as Lady Woo's puppet.
Eventually, the entire Sword Demon Clan would have become involved in the rebellion.
Their destruction would have been unavoidable.
“Is Bi Anso safe?”
“He is.”
“Madam Hyeon and your second son are also safe.”
“The Military Strategy Department is currently protecting them.”
First Legion Commander Gi Ryeom smiled faintly.
“Perhaps this is none of my business, but that man Bi Anso practically saved the Sword Demon Clan.”
“You should continue treating him as a benefactor of your clan.”
“I intend to do so even without your reminder.”
“However, repaying that debt must wait.”
“I ask for your understanding.”
“This matter is too serious to end casually.”
“I understand perfectly, Legion Commander.”
The Demon God Palace had concluded that Sword Demon Won Jungyeon was not connected to the rebellion.
However, that did not mean everything was finished.
“When rebellion is involved, appearances are important even when bringing the matter to an end.”
The Sword Demon quietly removed the jade crown holding his hair.
Then he removed his shoes.
He took off his luxurious cloak and changed into simple white clothing.
That day, Won Jungyeon began walking barefoot toward the Heavenly Mountains without a single attendant.
The Sword Demon did not use lightness techniques.
He did not even protect his feet with internal energy.
Like an ordinary man who had never learned martial arts, he simply walked barefoot toward the Heavenly Mountains.
The skin on the soles of his feet completely peeled away.
Blood flowed down.
Red footprints remained everywhere he walked.
The Sword Demon did not care.
When he finally reached the Demon God Palace, he quietly knelt.
He took one deep breath and shouted loudly enough to shake heaven and earth.
“This sinner has come to beg punishment from the Demon God!”
“Please cut off the head of this lowly servant!”
His booming voice shook the Demon God Palace.
A moment later, the tightly closed massive iron gates of the Demon God Palace slowly opened.
He walked out through the gate with the Heavenly Demon Army behind him.
A black dragon robe decorated with the image of a decapitated dragon.
Cold eyes that looked down indifferently upon all things beneath heaven.
An overwhelming presence that made the air itself grow heavy merely by approaching.
The black ruler leading a pure white army.
Heavenly Demon Cheon Yugi stopped in front of the Sword Demon.
“Why does the Sword Demon ask this Cult Leader for punishment?”
“This lowly servant's proper wife committed the great crime of involvement in rebellion!”
“Rebellion is a crime that demands the extermination of three generations!”
“Please punish this servant and this servant's clan!”
“You did not protect the criminal merely because she was family.”
“Instead, you directly helped reveal her crime to the world.”
“Why should you be punished?”
“Failing to properly control my household is an unforgivable failure as head of my clan!”
“I beg you to cut off this worthless head!”
Cheon Yugi spoke quietly.
Yet his voice traveled far across the area.
“Rebellion is a great crime that cannot be forgiven even if committed by a member of the Cheon Family.”
“Even descendants of the founding contributors cannot escape destruction if they commit rebellion.”
The Sword Demon swallowed nervously.
If the Cult Leader truly wanted it, the Sword Demon Clan could still be destroyed.
“However, you personally revealed your wife's crimes.”
“As a descendant of a founding contributor, you showed proper conduct and resolved the matter yourself.”
“Therefore, this Cult Leader shall weigh your merits and faults before ending this matter.”
“Historians, raise your brushes and record this Cult Leader's words.”
“We obey the command of the Lord of Ten Thousand Demons!”
The historians waiting nearby loudly answered and simultaneously raised their brushes.
“Woo Family Manor was directly involved in the rebellion and therefore cannot avoid destruction.”
“Every person sixteen years of age or older, regardless of man or woman, young or old, shall be executed by beheading.”
“Those below sixteen shall have their dantians destroyed and become palace slaves.”
“Until the day they die, they shall prove their loyalty to this Cult.”
Dozens of historians recorded the Heavenly Demon's absolute command.
The Heavenly Demon continued without changing his voice.
“The Sword Demon Clan was also connected to this rebellion and should normally share the same fate as Woo Family Manor.”
