Author's Preface
"Seriously? Why are you so heavy uncle." Blue shoved Yeol off of him. As he stood he looked out at the wreckage of the battle. More than half of the islands were decimated. The path to the anchor was basically nonexistent. As Blue stared at the anchor island he felt his body lift off the ground. His head turned to meet a grinning Yong Ma. "I'll get you there." He wrapped his arm around Blue and carried him. He looked back at Cheng and Yeol. "Leave the gate, I will get the boy to the anchor. We will meet you outside." Yong Ma bent down and was gone, carrying Blue like a tote bag.
Yong Ma and Blue landed on the main island. In the center stood a massive red crystal. "So, what now?" Yong Ma asked.
"I think it's just touch it and let my system do it's thing." Blue shrugged his shoulders and approached the crystal. He reached his hand out and touched the crystal. As his hand touched the crystal its power became uncorrupted, its glow turned from red to gold. Then strands of golden thread were released and surrounded Blue until they slid into his chest and dropped down into his dantian. Yong Ma's eyes were wide as he watched it all happen. Blue's system pinged.
[Remaining Corruption cleansed and transferred]
[Status: 2-star Master ----> Peak Master]
[120 seconds until collapse]
Blue staggered one step back too shocked to speak a word. Yong Ma watched with a hand stroking his chin. "So this is the Alliance’s trick? The gates they do close allows them to grow stronger... interesting." As Yong Ma finished speaking the inside of the gate started to tremble. The anchor fell to pieces and the island itself started to quake. "We need to go. NOW!" The Heavenly Demon grabbed Blue once more and headed toward the portal back to Murim.
Yong Ma and Blue stepped back into Murim, the others were already outside the gate, waiting. As they did the gate behind them crackled, the gate folded into itself and disappeared. Blue saw the boys gathered around a fire, and eating. He sat on a log next to Haejin. Yong Ma went the other way towards a tent that had been pitched for the elders. The squad of demons stood outside, guarding the tent. As Yong Ma approached, all twenty hit a knee, balled their fist and brought them to their hearts. "All demons prostrate!"
The boys heard and saw it happen. Jinhu chuckled and looked at Haejin. "You won't have to do that nonsense if you come stay with us at Silent Edge. That would be annoying to have to do that everytime Wu Jin or the rod appeared." Ryul, Hanjo, Blue and Ilho stared at Jinhu wide eyed with no reaction. "Seriously, you guys don't think that is crazy? Imagine the rod appearing and we have to kneel down everytime. I'd snap that rod in half." Jinhu laughed. Then he noticed Ilho's finger pointing behind him. Jinhu turned his head around, his eyes met Wu Jin's. Wu Jin stood, rod in hand tapping it against an open palm. "I think it's a marvelous idea. All dumbasses prostrate to the rod. Try it Jinhu. I want to see it in practice."
Jinhu stood, trembling. He whispered. "Seriously?"
CRACK.
Jinhu's knee immediately hit the ground. "All dumbasses prostrate to the rod." All the boys covered their mouths, trying to hold back their laughs. "No, I don't like it. We will work on it Jinhu." Wu Jin tapped him on the head with the rod. Then he pointed his rod at Blue and Haejin. "You two, come with me."
Blue and Haejin stood and followed Wu Jin into the tent. Inside the three elders had their robes off as the doctors attended to their wounds. Yong Ma looked at Haejin. "This is abrupt. But it is for the best. Make your decision, stay with Silent Edge and leave here with them. Or remain with the Heavenly Demon Cult."
Haejin stared at Blue, he turned his head and looked at Ryul laughing with the other three outside. Memories of his childhood flashed before his eyes. Memories of Yong Ma finding him, taking him in, giving him a home flashed as well. Haejin shook the thoughts loose and looked at Blue. "Don't hate me brother. I wish to stay with Yong Ma."
Blue blinked. "Really?"
Haejin nodded. "Yes, If the Cult Leader allows it, I will become the next Heavenly Demon. His dream is mine. The Cult has never mistreated me. They were my family when mine had all but disappeared." Haejin sighed. "It's not your fault Blue. But if I can truly become his successor. I will bring the Heavenly Demon Cult out of the shadows, and I will work with Silent Edge and with our Tang family. You and everyone else will always be welcomed by the cult."
"Are you sure about this Haejin?" Yong Ma asked.
Haejin bowed. "I am. It isn't only about techniques or titles. You gave me a family, I won't walk away now."
The Heavenly Demon smiled. "So be it. That fire of yours burns white because you still hold the leash. When you stop restraining it, when you let it consume you entirely. Then it will become the black flames of the Heavenly Demon. The hardest part is gaining control once it consumes you. That's the inheritance I have given you. It's ugly work, painful, and takes years. If you commit, I will give you everything I've got." Yong Ma smiled at Haejin. "I will officially announce you as my successor when we return. You will become the Young Leader. That is when the fun begins."
Blue walked up to Yong Ma. "I am entrusting him to you. I don't know how long I can stay here in Murim. Keep him safe, don't let harm touch him. Please."
"You have my word, and thank you for not standing in his way. I'd hate to have to kill the one trump card we have against the Alliance and Hyeon."
Blue bowed and turned to walk out, as he passed by he placed a hand on Haejin’s shoulder and nodded then continued outside.
Later that night as the boys sat around the fire chatting. Cheng approached, covered in bandages and a limp. He took a seat next to Ilho. "So Blue, that golden dome. What was that exactly?" Cheng asked with a smirk on his face.
I don’t know,” he said. “My system came alive. It... it said they would protect me this once. Only this once. It told me to get stronger. To find the other two pieces of my grandfather’s pendant. One is here in Murim. One is on Earth.”
Ilho and Jinhu stared at the pendant hanging on Blue's neck.
"It called me something too." Blue added. "Champion. I don't know what that means though."
Yeol crept up behind Blue. "That damned mr. eternal back there kept running his mouth about golden gods."
Wu Jin took a seat next to Jinhu. "You all feel it too. The Alliance, they rose too clean. Too fast. If Blue's protection came from these so called Golden Gods. Then Hyeon may have taken the hand of their counterparts." He paused and stared into the flames. "Maybe we aren’t just fighting beasts, maybe we've gotten dragged into something outside of our own comprehension. We may have stepped onto a battlefield of gods.
Cheng shook his head once. “We’ll find answers when they come. For now, sleep. Tomorrow we make plans. The pendant piece in Murim, we start there.” He turned to leave. Wu Jin didn’t move.
"By the way, Mr. Peak Master,” Wu Jin said. “When we get back to Silent Edge, you’ll drink that Alliance elixir. Then you sit your ass down and push until you break through to Grandmaster. No excuses.”
Blue laughed. Jinhu spit water out of his mouth toward the fire. "PEAK MASTER? ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS?"
Ilho tilted his head at Blue. "Fucking cheater. We just got to master and here you go outpacing us again."
Ryul slapped Blue in the back. "Okay, I want a system too. Can you pray to these gods to give us one?"
"Amitabha." Hanjo closed his eyes and bowed his head.
"Wrong god you damned monk." Jinhu threw a piece of pork at Hanjo.
Everyone started laughing. Blue looked over at Haejin. "It will suck not having you around. But I'm happy you found a place to call home."
Haejin smiled back. "I'm happy you found one too, although it's more chaotic than the Demon Cult."
A piece of meat hit Haejin’s head as he said it. "What do you mean chaotic?" Ilho exclaimed.
"Yeah at least we don't have to prostrate!" Jinhu grabbed his belly and billowed out a deep laugh. As he leaned back he noticed Yong Ma standing over him. "Fuck." He muttered under his breath. Yong Ma looked at Wu Jin. "May I?" Wu Jin nodded. "Please."
Jinhu looked quickly between the two men. "Wait... what is happening. May he what? Sect Leader are you re-" Jinhu was cut off by Yong Ma grabbing his collar and dragging him away.
"Let me show you why the demons prostrate." Yong Ma turned his head and winked at Blue. The bodies around the campfire burst into laughter as Jinhu was dragged off into the darkness. Blue watched everyone for a moment, laughing, joking, eating. He clutched his grandfather's pendant. "This is bigger than I think, isn’t it grandfather?" He muttered under his breath as Ilho came and put his arm around Blue's shoulders and shoved pork in his mouth.