The Righteous Demon God
Prologue
0. The Four Great Villains (四大惡人)
One.
Name: Gudeukso
Weapon: Folding fan (摺扇)
Representative evil deed: Slaughtered men and women, young and old without discrimination after raiding approximately seven flower village settlements. Annihilated Sangdomun (常道門), a venerable righteous sect affiliated with the Righteous Dao Alliance, and the Maeyeongmun (梅英門) secular family of the Huashan Sect.
Notable trait: One of the Seven Greatest Experts of the martial world.
Two.
Name: Chaeboryeong
Weapon: Sword (劍)
Representative evil deed: Using the Plundering Yin Nurturing Yang Technique, absorbed and murdered the internal energy and vital essence of the Wudang Sect Leader, True Person Oksang, and the Righteous Dao’s foremost rising expert, Do Baekcheon.
Notable trait: One of the Three Greatest Beauties of the martial world.
Three.
Name: Great Master Yeonghwan
Weapon: None (無)
Representative evil deed: Murdered his own master, Great Master Gakyang, an elder of the Shaolin Temple. Thereafter, while fleeing the Shaolin Temple’s pursuit, raped seventeen women.
Notable trait: One of the Seven Greatest Experts of the martial world.
Four.
Name: Samaso
Weapon: Judge’s Brush (判官筆)
Representative evil deed: Incited a war between the Orthodox Five Great Families, the representative power of the orthodox faction, and the Iron Flag Alliance, the strongest unorthodox sect.
Notable trait: One of the Three Greatest Strategists of the martial world.
* * *
The above four villains are hereby publicly declared as public enemies of the martial world. A reward of one hundred taels of gold shall be given per person to whoever kills them, and three hundred taels of gold to whoever captures them alive.
—Okheo, Leader of the Righteous Dao Alliance
—Mayang, Leader of the Sacheon Association
The Righteous Demon God
Episode 1
Thud-thud-thud-thud…! Whooooosh…!
A night in a nameless mountain.
Thud-thud-thud-thud…!
Whooooosh…!
The rain fell with a force that seemed to pierce the rocks, and the wind whipped as though it would wrap around the entire heavens, a din so deafening it nearly numbed the ears.
A ravine as dark as pitch, without even a sliver of moonlight.
And then.
Flash—!
In the instant the lightning split the darkness.
As if a boulder had tumbled down a cliff, a man with a tall and imposing frame appeared there.
In his left hand he held a giant string of prayer beads, and on his forehead were stamped four monastic scars symbolizing a monk.
Who in the world could he be, to appear so suddenly in such a place?
“Keke… So even you have come.”
“Does this mean we are all gathered…?”
From the darkness at which the monk glared, other voices rang out in succession.
“Hoho, so what if you are one of the Seven Greatest Experts of the martial world?”
The voice of a woman so honeyed that it could stir lust from hearing alone. The monk’s eyebrows twitched as he looked at the three figures.
“Cruel Divine Wind (殘酷魔人), Enchantress Demon Sword (妖姬魔劍), Divine Heavenly Demon Brain (神天魔腦)… Could it be you as well?”
The three epithets that quietly slipped from the monk’s lips were truly astonishing.
Cruel Divine Wind (殘酷神風) Gudeukso.
Enchantress Demon Sword (妖姬妖劍) Chaeboryeong.
Divine Heavenly Demon Brain (神天魔腦) Samaso.
Precisely the names of three among the Four Great Villains of the martial world, who had recently been publicly declared as public enemies and were being pursued by all martial artists.
And if that was the case…
Did that mean this imposing monk was none other than Great Master Yeomra (閻羅大師) Yeonghwan, who held a rightful place among the Four Great Villains and the Seven Greatest Experts of the martial world?
Cruel Divine Wind Gudeukso smiled with his oily face, eyes nearly buried in his cheek fat, and spoke.
“Kiki… It seems we have all gathered for the same reason. As expected of one called Cheon Gija, he is no ordinary man. To dare gather the Four Great Villains in one place, truly.”
Great Master Yeomra, Cruel Divine Wind, Enchantress Demon Sword, Divine Heavenly Demon Brain.
Those considered the Four Great Villains of the world currently held the status of public enemies of the martial world.
Four people whose movements must never be exposed before others.
Nevertheless, the reason they had appeared in this place was due to a single letter.
After becoming public enemies, men appeared before each of them as they hid to evade pursuers. Men in their thirties with ordinary faces. They delivered a letter to each of the Four Great Villains.
—I shall inform you of a place where you can avoid the eyes of the martial world. The emissary (使者) I sent shall guide you. If you do not come, I shall exert all my abilities to expose your whereabouts.
Had they received a letter with such contents from anyone else, the Four Great Villains would have all sneered. No, before sneering, they might have already torn the emissary who delivered the letter to death on the spot.
But when they confirmed the name and seal (印章) written at the end of the letter, they could not dare do such a thing.
Cheon Gija (天奇者).
A name called the Greatest Wonder of the Martial World.
Rumors about Cheon Gija were countless, but what was certain was that his abilities were truly extraordinary.
First was Cheon Gija’s internal injury treatment art.
He did not treat ordinary illnesses. But it was said that his medical skill in healing internal injuries caused by martial arts was unmatched under heaven.
Second was the Martial World History Book (江湖歷史書) authored by Cheon Gija.
It was truly unbelievable that this history book, which recorded only events worthy of remaining in the annals of the martial world, contained detailed accounts of matters from five hundred years ago.
Finally, the reason Cheon Gija was most famous was precisely his divination and prophecy abilities.
Cheon Gija had prophesied seven major events that occurred in the martial world over the past forty years, and not once had his prophecy missed the mark.
Moreover, rumors abounded that his divination in predicting fortune and misfortune, blessing and calamity (吉凶禍福), was so miraculous it was difficult to believe.
Truly a mysterious wonder (奇人).
Furthermore, it was said that Cheon Gija was also superb at disguise, and had never shown his true face to anyone in the martial world.
Being such a figure, no one in the martial world dared look down upon the name of Cheon Gija. Even the Four Great Villains of the world were no different.
Moreover, a place to avoid the eyes of the martial world!
The contents of the letter made the eyes of the newly declared public enemies shine.
“But… where might that great benefactor be?”
Yeomra Daesa looked at the man who had guided him all the way here and spoke.
“Keke… Benefactor? A lecherous bastard like you, still trying to act like a monk?”
Cruel Divine Wind Gudeukso muttered with a laugh toward Yeomra Daesa Yeonghwan. However, he too looked at Cheon Gija’s emissary with a rather curious expression. After all, he wanted to quickly see the face of the one who had brought them here with a veiled threat.
But then.
“I am already here.”
Suddenly, a clear voice—impossible to guess its age—rang out as if from the heavens.
The Four Great Villains were all startled and looked around.
Yeomra Daesa and Cruel Divine Wind, counted among the Seven Greatest Experts of the martial world, as well as Enchantress Demon Sword and Divine Heavenly Demon Brain, were all experts for whom it was difficult to find a match in the martial world.
Yet they had not sensed even the slightest trace.
Enchantress Demon Sword Chaeboryeong briefly surveyed the surroundings with fox-like eyes, then soon smiled coquettishly and spoke toward the empty air.
“As expected, Cheon Gija’s skill is truly unerring. Now stop playing games and show us that handsome face, won’t you?”
Her voice seemed ordinary, but the complexions of the other villains grew extremely rigid.
‘So the rumors of this witch’s Emotion-Plundering Soul-Bewitching Technique (奪情迷魂術) being fearsome are true…’
Chaeboryeong’s voice contained a magical power that stirred men’s hearts. If she were to truly unleash a honey trap, even they might not be able to guarantee their resistance.
In response to her voice, an answer echoed from the empty air.
“Hehe… There is no need to exert yourself so. I have no intention of hiding my appearance.”
At those words, as a lone crane descended loftily from the heavens, a figure (人影) revealed itself.
An old man wearing white hemp clothes as white as snow, with a black sash adorned with a yin-yang pattern around his waist.
It was none other than Cheon Gija.
The four villains intuited the moment they saw him.
‘An expert (高手). This old man is greater than what is known in the martial world.’
Of course, they were not ones to be subdued by that.
Yeomra Daesa Yeonghwan spoke with a sneer.
“Benefactor, you are quite bold. To dare summon me, Yeomra Daesa, to such a place. Do you wish to die?”
But Cheon Gija looked at Yeomra Daesa Yeonghwan and instead smiled gently.
“Are you not already satisfied?”
Yeomra Daesa Yeonghwan furrowed his brow.
“What do you mean?”
“You must have felt it. As I stated in the letter, this ravine is a place that no one in the martial world can find.”
At Cheon Gija’s words, the four briefly fell silent.
Indeed, just as he said, the Four Great Villains could not help but marvel as they were guided to this place.
This ravine was so rugged that even birds of prey seemed unable to penetrate it, and nearby, mysterious formation arrays were spread out. If not for the guide sent by Cheon Gija, they would never have known such a place existed for the rest of their lives.
“What do you want?”
The one who suddenly spoke was Divine Heavenly Demon Brain Samaso, who had maintained silence until now. When his eyes met Samaso’s, Cheon Gija soon nodded.
“I shall speak of the main point. As you may have guessed, I have a request for you, which is why I have invited you here.”
Cruel Divine Wind Gudeukso smiled with interest.
“Cheon Gija has a request for the Four Great Villains? Keke, let’s hear what it is.”
Cheon Gija spoke without hesitation.
“Raise one disciple for me.”
In that instant, a light of surprise rose in the eyes of the villains.
“A disciple?”
“Indeed. No matter how strong your martial arts, you will never be able to escape the pursuit of the martial world for your entire lives. But here, at my sect, Cheonuimun (天意門), unknown to anyone for the past five hundred years, you can remain safe.”
The villains were surprised once again.
Then did this ravine belong to the very sect that produced Cheon Gija?
“In exchange, my request is that you join forces and take a child as your disciple to raise.”
Enchantress Demon Sword Chaeboryeong burst into a bewitching laugh as if amused.
“Very well. I acknowledge that this place is secret. But you wish for us to raise a disciple? What is the reason?”
Cheon Gija answered with a calm face.
“A villain (惡人). It is because I wish for you to raise that child to be a villain.”
“What?”
The Four Great Villains all looked at Cheon Gija with dumbfounded faces.
Cheon Gija was not particularly affiliated with the Righteous Dao Alliance, but everyone had considered him a figure of the orthodox faction. Because until now, his prophecies had always been for the sake of the orthodox faction and the martial world.
For such a man to ask the Four Great Villains to raise a villain disciple…
Great Master Yeonghwan, Gudeukso, and Chaeboryeong simultaneously looked at Divine Heavenly Demon Brain Samaso. It was a signal to probe Cheon Gija’s true intentions.
Samaso glanced at Cheon Gija. In that moment, Cheon Gija felt his heart drop.
‘Eyes too clear and deep to be called a villain’s… That is precisely what makes him more terrifying. A man who deceives even himself, and will not be deceived by anyone else.’
A man unrivaled in the martial world when it came to schemes and stratagems.
The weakest among the Four Great Villains, yet the most fearsome figure.
The voice of Divine Heavenly Demon Brain Samaso rang out quietly.
“You do not seem to have any intention of revealing the reason in any case… The child is no ordinary one, I presume?”
Cheon Gija nodded.
“Indeed. The child is by no means ordinary. The one I am entrusting to you was born bearing the energy of the Guardian Star (守護星).”
“The Guardian Star?”
“It is a legend passed down in our Cheonuimun. When one born with the energy of the Guardian Star appears, they shall destroy all evil and demons in this martial world…”
A strange light flickered in Samaso’s eyes.
If Cheon Gija’s words were true, was he not asking them to raise just such a legendary figure as a villain?
Enchantress Demon Sword Chaeboryeong tilted her head.
“You wish us to raise a child born with such a destiny as a villain… What exactly are you scheming?”
Samaso fell into thought for a moment, then smiled gently.
“I do not know the reason… but you mean that this child growing up as a villain will benefit the martial world.”
Cheon Gija looked at Samaso with a surprised face, then let out a sigh.
“Samaso, you are truly a difficult man to deal with. If only your brilliance were used for righteousness… In any case, you are correct. And there are no people more suitable than you to raise a child as a villain.”
Gudeukso burst into snickering laughter.
“Those are quite pleasing words. Indeed, if the four of us were to raise a joint disciple, that brat would become the greatest villain under heaven.”
But Divine Heavenly Demon Brain Samaso shook his head.
“I do not like it.”
Cheon Gija and Samaso’s eyes met.
“While you say to raise a villain disciple, no matter the reason, it ultimately means lending a hand for the justice of the martial world that you, Cheon Gija, are planning. I do not like it.”
At Samaso’s words, Yeomra Daesa Yeonghwan nodded deeply.
“Now that I hear it, that is so. For me, Yeomra Daesa, to be played by such a cheap trick would be a grievous wound to my pride.”
Cheon Gija glared at the Four Great Villains and spoke.
“This is not a one-sided request. The condition is that I give over the entire five-hundred-year-old hidden sanctuary of Cheonuimun, so that you may evade the eyes of the martial world.”
Then, at that moment, as if he had performed instantaneous movement, the smiling face of Cruel Divine Wind Gudeukso suddenly appeared before Cheon Gija’s eyes.
“Kilkil, that is a story for when we did not know of this place. If we tear you limb from limb and take this place for ourselves right now, would that not settle everything?”