Deep within the pavilion of the Heavenly Demon Cult, where darkness had settled. Under the red lanterns, a woman stood leaning against the railing.

The Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Cult. And the daughter of the Leader, Cheon Seo-jin.

Her eyes were darker than the night, but within them, a subtle dissatisfaction flickered.

"...Profound Realm."

She muttered softly and opened her hand. Above her palm, the energy of the Heavenly Flower Demonic Art faintly rose. The demonic energy, wavering like flames, distorted the air.

But that power stopped there.

The corners of her mouth twisted.

"Is this it... my limit?"

The daughter of Cheon Seo-jin, the Leader said to be the strongest in the history of the Heavenly Demon Cult. The world whispered that she would one day surpass the Leader.

But the reality was—

Stuck at the Profound Realm.

She gripped the railing tightly.

"Don't make me laugh..."

Her low voice was laced with anger and impatience.

"There's no way I... would stop at this level."

The image of her father's back came to mind. Absolute power, an absolute existence.

The Heavenly Demon.

"...Father."

Her eyes slowly narrowed.

"How did you cross this realm?"

No answer came.

After a moment of silence, she slowly looked up at the sky.

"Enlightenment, they say..."

The corners of her mouth curled up in a distorted way.

"People say it so easily."

The demonic energy of the Heavenly Flower Demonic Art rose from her hand again. This time, a bit rougher, a bit more savage.

"Fine."

Her eyes flashed.

"If there is no enlightenment—"

After a brief pause, she laughed lowly.

"I'll just have to create it myself."

The red lanterns swayed, stretching her shadow long.

The Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Cult. A genius stuck at the Profound Realm.

However, in her eyes, a madness toward the next realm was already slowly blooming.

The highest pavilion of the Heavenly Demon Cult, illuminated by red moonlight. A man draped in a black robe sat leaning leisurely on the throne.

The Leader of the Heavenly Demon Cult. One of the Four Great Sovereigns of the Central Plains.

And— the strongest among all successive Leaders.

His long black hair flowed down past his shoulders, and his red eyes glowed faintly in the darkness.

"...Ha."

A short laugh escaped him.

"Those Central Plains fools."

He rested his chin on his hand and slowly closed his eyes.

"They seem to still think of the Heavenly Demon Cult as some mere heretical sect."

A sneer was mixed in his words.

"Is that why they only call me one of the Four Great Sovereigns?"

A moment of silence passed.

The air around him distorted subtly. An invisible pressure filled the pavilion.

The martial art he practiced— the Heavenly Demon Divine Art.

And his realm was already one that surpassed the human domain.

The Life-and-Death Realm.

His fingers slowly tapped the armrest of the throne.

"Whether to let live... or to kill."

His red eyes slowly opened.

"The fact that the choice is in my hands... is quite amusing."

An arrogant smile spread across his lips.

"The Lord of the Beast Palace, the Mistress of the North Sea Ice Palace, and the one called the strongest, Guest..."

He recited the names of the absolute masters representing the Central Plains one by one.

And at the end, he muttered lowly.

"...Don't make me laugh."

He slowly rose from his seat.

His black robe brushed against the floor as he moved.

"Why must I be one of four equals with you?"

His red eyes flashed.

"The strongest in this Central Plains is—"

A brief silence.

And then he chuckled.

"...Just me alone is enough."

In an instant, the lanterns in the pavilion flickered.

The Leader of the Heavenly Demon Cult.

A monster of the Life-and-Death Realm who perfected the Heavenly Demon Divine Art.

And— he did not doubt for a single moment.

"The world will eventually..."

His low, arrogant voice echoed through the pavilion.

"...kneel at the feet of the Heavenly Demon."

The inner castle of the Heavenly Demon Cult, a high corridor overlooking the Young Cult Leader's residence. A blue-haired young man stood quietly leaning against the railing.

His red eyes slowly scanned the darkness.

The personal bodyguard of Young Cult Leader Cheon Seo-hwa. And the son of the Sword Demon, the First Elder of the Heavenly Demon Cult.

But he rarely spoke of that fact.

"...It's quiet."

He muttered lowly, sensing the surrounding energy.

The energy of the Blue-Eyed Demonic Art flowed calmly within his body. His clear and cold internal energy spread out like nerves, sensing everything in all directions.

He slowly closed his eyes.

"No abnormalities in the perimeter."

A moment later, he opened his eyes.

His gaze naturally turned in one direction.

The pavilion where Young Cult Leader Cheon Seo-hwa resided.

"...She must be training again."

A very subtle smile brushed his lips.

"Truly... an amazing person."

The world called her the daughter of the Heavenly Demon. But the woman he saw by her side was— someone who trained endlessly.

And now, she was stuck at the Profound Realm.

He fell into thought for a moment.

"...It must be frustrating."

He slowly placed his hand on the railing.

"And yet, she does not give up."

His red eyes shone calmly.

"That's why people follow her."

A moment of silence.

And then he said lowly.

"...My realm is the Transcendent Realm."

It was by no means a weak realm among the masters of the Central Plains.

But—

"It's still not enough."

He exhaled a short breath.

"To protect the Young Cult Leader... not yet."

His gaze turned toward the darkness.

There were many masters in the Heavenly Demon Cult. And there were even more enemies in the Central Plains.

"It doesn't matter who comes."

It was a quiet voice.

But within it was a firm resolve.

"...As long as I am standing."

His blue hair swayed slightly in the night breeze.

"Not a single finger shall touch the Young Cult Leader."

A moment later, he pulled himself away from the railing.

He walked back to his spot in the darkness near the pavilion.

His place was always the same.

Right by the Young Cult Leader's side.

And he whispered quietly.

"...So."

His red eyes softened for a moment.

"Please go forward as much as you like, Young Cult Leader."

"I will take care of what's behind you."

Atop a massive cliff. The wind blew violently, and below, the endless mountain range was submerged in darkness.

A man sat at the edge of that cliff.

His white hair fluttered in the wind, and his black eyes looked down at the distant Central Plains.

Beside him— a massive tiger lay leisurely.

The Lord of the Beast Palace.

And one of the Four Great Sovereigns of the Central Plains.

The man tilted his liquor bottle and laughed loudly.

"Hahaha! This Central Plains is interesting every time I see it!"

After taking a swig of liquor, he tapped the head of the tiger beside him.

"Don't you think so, Baekho?"

The tiger growled lowly and wagged its tail.

He grinned at the sight.

"Right, right. You know it too, don't you?"

A heavy energy seeped out from the man's body.

The martial art he practiced— the Tyrant Emperor Divine Art.

And the realm he had reached— the Mystic Realm.

He looked up at the sky.

"That Heavenly Demon Cult Leader fellow... they say he's in the Life-and-Death Realm."

He chuckled.

"He really climbed up there."

But there was no fear at all in his expression.

Rather, it was an interested gaze.

"That's what makes it more fun."

He muttered, shaking the liquor bottle.

"It's about time to sort out... just how many monsters are in the Central Plains."

He clenched his fist.

In an instant, the surrounding air settled heavily.

A tyrannical energy.

A pressure that seemed to crush everything.

The Tyrant Emperor Divine Art.

He laughed loudly.

"The Mistress of the Ice Palace, Guest, the Heavenly Demon..."

He recited the names one by one.

Then he tilted his head.

"But you know."

He said, resting his arm on the tiger's back.

"Why does everyone call me one of four?"

The corners of his mouth twisted.

"Isn't that a bit annoying?"

The tiger let out a low cry.

He laughed heartily.

"Exactly! I think so too!"

Then he slowly stood up.

He dropped his gaze down the cliff.

"Shall we get moving?"

His black eyes flashed.

"To see who the true hegemon is."

The wind blew hard, swaying his white hair.

The Lord of the Beast Palace.

The tyrannical sovereign who commanded a massive tiger.

He threw the liquor bottle and shouted jovially.

"Let's go, Baekho!"

"Let's turn the Central Plains upside down!"

The North Sea. A cold wind howled over the endless snowy fields.

A woman standing at its center.

Long white hair reaching her waist, and blue eyes as clear as ice.

The Master of the North Sea Ice Palace.

The Mistress of the Ice Palace.

And one of the Four Great Sovereigns of the Central Plains.

She was quietly looking down at the snowy field. Even the snow beneath her feet was silent, as if frozen.

"...Noisy."

A low, cold voice flowed out.

The rumors heard from the Central Plains.

The Leader of the Heavenly Demon Cult. The Lord of the Beast Palace. And the other absolute masters.

Her blue eyes narrowed slightly.

"People really love to chatter."

She slowly raised her hand.

At that moment— the moisture in the air froze and spread out like snowflakes.

The absolute martial art she practiced. The Ice Soul Divine Art.

The cold and pure internal energy dropped the surrounding temperature in an instant.

"...Mystic Realm."

She muttered quietly.

A realm that many martial artists never reach in their entire lives.

But to her— it was just a single step.

"So what?"

Her blue eyes looked out at the distant North Sea. The wind blew over the frozen sea.

"Strong, weak..."

Her expression hardly changed.

"Is that so important?"

A moment of silence. The cold wind swayed her white hair.

In the Central Plains, they called her one of the Four Great Beauties.

But— in her eyes, such things seemed entirely meaningless.

"...Useless talk."

As she lowered her hand, the ice shards floating around her shattered into pieces.

"Beauty, absolute master."

A moment later, she said quietly.

"I have no interest in such names."

Her blue eyes slowly closed.

"There is only one thing I want."

Her eyes opened again. At that moment, the air froze even colder.

"...A higher realm."

She turned and walked toward the North Sea Ice Palace. With every step, the snow crunched and froze.

The Mistress of the North Sea Ice Palace. The ruler of the cold snowy fields.

And— her low voice scattered into the wind.

"...No matter who blocks me."

"I will eventually reach it."

The center of the Heavenly Demon Cult, in front of the Cult Leader's Hall.

A woman stood in the corridor lined with red lanterns. Long red hair reaching her waist, and eyes as red as blood.

She stood silently before the door.

The bodyguard of Cheon Seo-jin, the Leader of the Heavenly Demon Cult. And the younger sister of the Red Demon, the Commander of the Red Snake Squad.

"...It's quiet."

She muttered softly.

No sound could be heard from inside the Hall. But she knew.

Even at this moment, inside— sat the existence that shook the Central Plains.

The Heavenly Demon.

Her eyes wavered subtly.

"...Cult Leader."

She slowly clenched her hand. A red energy faintly rose over the back of her hand.

The martial art she practiced— the Red-Eyed Demonic Art.

Internal energy as red as blood wavered quietly between her fingers.

"The people of the world wouldn't know."

She muttered lowly.

"What kind of being he is."

In the Central Plains, many things were said about the Cult Leader.

One of the Four Great Sovereigns. The ruler of the Demonic Cult. A monster.

But a faint sneer appeared on the corners of her mouth.

"...Don't make me laugh."

Her red eyes slowly grew cold.

"He is not someone who can be explained by such words."

A moment of silence passed. Her gaze stopped at the door of the Hall.

"He is..."

She paused for a moment. And then continued in a very quiet voice.

"...the Heavenly Demon."

Her hand slowly rested on the hilt of her sword.

"If anyone defiles that name—"

Her red eyes flashed.

"...not a single limb will remain intact."

In an instant, the air in the corridor turned chilly. But soon, she stood there again as if nothing had happened.

Her usual appearance. A quiet and silent bodyguard.

However, her inner thought was only one.

"...Cult Leader."

Her red eyes softened subtly as she looked at the door.

"The moment a blade is pointed at you."

She drew her sword ever so slightly. The sound of metal brushing echoed faintly.

"...that human's head will have already fallen."

She put the sword back and stood as if nothing had happened.