Do Seokhwi, the head of the Southern Manchuria Do clan.

He had been in a very bad mood recently.

Although his eldest son and successor, Do Hyeonmin, had shown disappointing martial arts achievements compared to the investment made in him, that wasn’t the reason.

While he was displeased to hear the evaluation that the Southern Manchuria Do clan had recently been surpassed by the Blood Soaked Joo clan, that also wasn’t the decisive reason for his bad mood.

There was only one thing that made Do Seokhwi’s mood unpleasant: Hyuk Dojin. It was precisely because of the Young Cult Leader.

About half a month after Hyuk Dojin’s wedding ceremony, four people – Do Seokhwi, Lee Seonghak, Shin Hohyeol, the head of the Cliff Rivers Shin clan, and Baek Geon, the master of the Holy Stream League – formally expressed their objection to Hyuk Dojin.

Since the marriage of the two people was already decided, they couldn’t find fault with it, so they clung onto an old custom.

The Young Cult Leader who would become the leader of the Demon Cult. In other words, the person who would become the wife of the Young Cult Leader would be the mother of the next Cult Leader.

She would be the woman who could stand at the pinnacle of the Demon Cult, guiding the Hundred Thousand Daesan Mountains and leading the million evil sects.

So, when she sat in that position, it was customary for her to have a formal match with the opponents designated by each clan and gain their recognition.

The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult was a group that revered strength.

No matter how much she was the Cult Leader’s wife, she needed to have a certain level of martial arts.

If she was an ordinary woman who couldn’t use martial arts at all, she could become a weakness for the Cult Leader in the future if something were to happen.

Therefore, the Demon Cult’s stance was that she should at least have the skills to protect herself using martial arts, and they had maintained this for over three hundred years.

However, the clan heads couldn’t openly express this to the person who would become the Young Cult Leader’s wife and soon the Cult Leader’s wife.

So, they only needed to have a formal match to prove that she had a certain level of skill, and it could pass without issue.

Of course, the clan heads or clans never objected or complained about not recognizing her.

In the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, the word of the strongest person, the Cult Leader, was the law.

In the end, it was a matter of sincerity and custom.

However, even though half a month had passed since Hyuk Dojin’s wedding ceremony, forget about following the custom, there was no sign of him doing so, which was the problem.

While others said to wait and that he would surely do it, Do Seokhwi and Lee Seonghak, who harbored dissatisfaction from the previous incident, couldn’t do that.

Moreover, the Southern Manchuria Do clan and the Cliff Rivers Shin clan, who believed that only the overwhelming power of the Demon Cult was the truth, were extremely dissatisfied with this matter.

In addition, the Holy Stream League, where the martial artists without clans gathered, also felt resentment about this.

The Young Cult Leader not holding the match meant, in other words, that he was disregarding them.

No matter how much he was the second-in-command of the Demon Cult, they believed he should respect them.

In particular, most of the martial artists belonging to the Holy Stream League were high-ranking members of the Demon Cult and simultaneously the heads of the Demon Cult’s military units.

When Do Seokhwi and Lee Seonghak were previously defeated by Hyuk Dojin, the two of them thought they would never bare their fangs at the Young Cult Leader again, but they were slowly raising their heads that had been lowered at the insistence of Baek Geon and Shin Hohyeol.

Moreover, they had ample justification.

The custom of the Demon Cult was an important law. If he wasn’t going to follow it, a valid reason was needed, they declared in a statement. They expected Hyuk Dojin to show a moral response to their dissatisfaction.

However, Hyuk Dojin didn’t offer words of understanding or a reasonable explanation.

Rather, he issued a decree that anyone who mentioned the content related to what they had asserted would be severely punished.

Do Seokhwi thought Hyuk Dojin’s words and actions showed that he considered them insignificant ruffians. That’s why his mood had been quite unpleasant recently.

“Does this even make sense? How could the Young Cult Leader react like that?”

“That’s right.”

“The Young Cult Leader should lead by example, upholding the prestige of our cult and setting an example in customs to guide the believers. However, the Young Cult Leader not only fails to show such an example but also disregards us who have loyally served for a long time and ignores the meaningful customs of our cult. Is this even acceptable?”

The old man who looked to be in his eighties, Shin Hohyeol, expressed his fiery anger, fitting his temperament. He was sensitive to principles and fundamentals.

The deeper his loyalty to the culr, the more he would speak his mind to those who opposed it, even if it were the Cult Leader.

Because of that, he had always clashed with the self-willed Do Seokhwi and had a poor relationship with him, but by uniting for this matter, from Do Seokhwi’s perspective, it was as good as having a reliable ally.

“I know the Young Cult Leader is fond of that woman. I hear she’s ill, but he should still show sincerity, sincerity! I can’t understand the Young Cult Leader’s thinking!”

“I feel the same way. But what can we do? It’s the Young Cult Leader’s will.”

Do Seokhwi inwardly sneered while outwardly clicking his tongue, pretending to understand the Young Cult Leader’s position. At his behavior, Shin Hohyeol shouted angrily.

“No matter how much it is the Young Cult Leader’s will, it cannot stand above the will of our cult! Even if it’s the Cult Leader himself!”

“Hmm…”

Do Seokhwi groaned and slightly rolled his eyes. At the end of his gaze was Lee Seonghak.

Recently, he had heard that Lee Seonghak’s prestige had slightly diminished after being thwarted by Hyuk Dojin in every task he undertook.

Lee Seonghak, receiving Do Seokhwi’s gaze, nodded his head and responded to Shin Hohyeol’s words.

“Tsk, no matter how angry you are, be careful with your words and actions. No matter what anyone says, isn’t he the Young Cult Leader? It would be disrespectful for someone in our cult to say such things to the Young Cult Leader. Be careful.”

“Elder Lee Seonghak. Are you defending the Young Cult Leader in this situation?”

“It’s not about defending, but about the way you’re speaking.”

“Then. Is Elder Lee Seonghak satisfied with the Young Cult Leader’s attitude right now?”

Lee Seonghak stroked his protruding beard with his hand and raised his eyebrows.

“How could that be? I also take pride in loving our cult more than anyone else. But how could someone like me be satisfied with the current situation? However, what I’m worried about is that if Elder Byeok gets too angry and talks like that, something bad might happen before we even hold the big event.”

“…”

At Lee Seonghak’s calm words, Shin Hohyeol gnashed his teeth and closed his mouth. As he quieted down, Baek Geon, who had been silently listening beside him, opened his mouth.

“Elder Lee Seonghak. I reported to the Cult Leader about what you told me last time.”

“What did he say?”

“He didn’t seem to have much interest. Moreover, even the Cult Leader said he hasn’t met the lady of the Moyong clan yet. Even after the wedding ceremony and before.”

“Ha…!”

Shin Hohyeol let out a hollow breath as if he couldn’t believe it. Lee Seonghak sighed and asked again.

“So what did the Cult Leader say he would do?”

“He didn’t say anything. He just smiled and said she would come to him on her own… and that he would wait.”

“…”

Lee Seonghak, who had expectations for the Cult Leader’s reaction, frowned. It was none other than the Cult Leader. It was an astounding fact that even the supreme leader of the Demon Cult hadn’t seen his daughter-in-law yet, but if the Cult Leader said he would wait, there was nothing more to say.

There was no point in rashly coming forward and making a fuss. There was no justification either.

Lee Seonghak let out a deep sigh.

If the Cult Leader got angry, they could also pressure Hyuk Dojin with the Cult Leader’s support, but with the Cult Leader’s lukewarm response, they didn’t have the confidence to directly intervene.

Moreover, even the Vice Cult Leader, Man Do, supported Hyuk Dojin, and the Ink Stained Nam clan, known as the descendants of the Blood Soaked Joo clan and the Demonic Blood Sword God, revered absolute power, so if the Cult Leader was indifferent, they would certainly side with the Young Cult Leader.

If that happened, even with the Holy Stream League, the power struggle between the clans was inevitable.

“…Is there no good plan?”

Do Seokhwi spoke cautiously, unlike his usual self. Shin Hohyeol and Lee Seonghak groaned in a low voice.

Baek Geon alternately observed the two before shifting his gaze to Do Seokhwi.

Do Seokhwi raised his eyebrows at Baek Geon’s gaze upon him.

“What plan does Elder Baek Geon have?”

“No, I don’t have one.”

Do Seokhwi frowned. Then why are you staring at me? As Do Seokhwi was about to glare, Baek Geon’s mouth opened again.

“If the Young Cult Leader says he won’t follow the custom, we have no way to force him from our position. If the clans and elders unite, nothing is impossible, but if we’re scattered like now, it’s impossible.”

“We all know that already. Why are you bringing it up again?”

Do Seokhwi bluntly retorted and leaned his body back. Baek Geon smiled softly and spoke gently.

“But even if it’s not that custom, it doesn’t mean we can’t meet the Young Cult Leader and his wife.”

At Baek Geon’s words, Lee Seonghak and Shin Hohyeol turned their gazes to him. He rubbed his chin, seemingly organizing his thoughts with a pensive expression, and then slowly opened his mouth.

“Is there any reason to force a match on a sick person?”

“Then…”

“It’s simple. We hold a banquet.”

A banquet? At Baek Geon’s words, the three people simultaneously furrowed their brows. A banquet in this barren Heavenly Demon Divine Cult?

It was such an out-of-the-blue suggestion that they narrowed their brows and looked at him. Baek Geon smiled and spoke to the three people.

“The Young Cult Leader’s bride is from the Righteous Sect. And she’s the daughter of one of the Five Great Clans. What are the Five Great Clans? They’re fools indulging in extravagance and pleasure, aren’t they? They hold banquets more than ten times a year. But in the Demon Cult, banquets are rarely held except for special occasions, right?”

“That’s right.”

“So if we hold a grand banquet this time using the Young Cult Leader’s wedding as an excuse, it will be difficult for them to refuse since it’s an event celebrating them.”

The three people thought his plan was quite plausible. It was a decent plan to draw out the Young Cult Leader’s wife, who was kept tightly wrapped up. However, there was a big problem with it.

“But even if we invite the two of them, what meaning does it have? We’re not upset because they’re not showing the new bride’s face, and do we really need to do this just to see her?”

At Lee Seonghak’s question, Baek Geon lowly nodded his head.

“Certainly, just seeing her face has no meaning. But what if it’s not just about seeing her face?”

“What do you mean?”

“Are all banquets the same? The banquets of the Demon Cult and the Righteous Sect are clearly different. We just need to let them know that.”

Baek Geon interlocked his fingers and grinned.

“If they want to stand above us, they need to prove their worth, don’t they?”

His eyes gleamed with murderous intent.

“She needs to realize that it won’t be easy for a bloodline from the Righteous Sect who can’t use martial arts to adapt and live here.”