Chapter 2
Fortuitous Encounter (1)
If someone asked who the strongest person on the continent was, who would come to mind?
It was one of those debates that frequently broke out not only in the Continental Integration Gallery, but also in everyday life.
Some would name Ash, the Sword Master of the Empire.
Others would point to Kadir, the Archmage of the Kingdom.
Some would choose the princess of the demon race, while others would name the vanished Hero.
Everyone had a different answer depending on their nationality, birthplace, background, and personal connections.
Even so, the fact that those people were extraordinarily powerful remained unchanged.
Title: Who Is the Strongest Person on the Continent?
Ash of the Messiah EmpireKadir of the Iris KingdomKeirin of MephistoThe Missing Hero
└ Heavenly Demon: Strange. Why is this lady not included in the poll?
└ Who are you?
└ Heavenly Demon: This lady is the rightful successor and ruler of the Divine Cult—the Heavenly Demon.
└ Yeah, but who the hell is that? LMAO.
However, rumors originating from the gallery were never particularly trustworthy.
In other words, they were unofficial.
More than anything, the very idea of the Heavenly Demon browsing an online gallery was ridiculous.
Why would someone powerful enough to bring every master of the Central Plains to their knees and unite the martial world spend her time on a gallery?
And she invested a considerable amount of time into it, too.
Hardly a day passed without the Heavenly Demon uploading some meaningless shitpost.
Most people were unaware of it, but a monster lived in "Jung," the nation known for its mysticism.
Jung was far more isolationist than other countries, so very little information about it was available.
However, not even its isolationist policies could block access to the gallery.
└ If she really is the Heavenly Demon, then she's not wrong. She's absurdly strong.
└ How strong?
└ She'd probably crush every one of them in a one-on-one fight, lol. Every master in the Central Plains got wrecked by the Heavenly Demon.
└ Then why hasn't anyone heard about her? I think I've seen similar stories on the gallery before.
└ Why don't you try investing in stocks based entirely on rumors too?
└ Ah.
└ Heavenly Demon, who do you think is the strongest person on the continent?
└ Heavenly Demon: Naturally, it is this lady.
└ LMAO. Why even ask her? Of course she'd say herself.
└ Heavenly Demon: Then allow this lady to ask in return. What realm have those people reached? Have they attained the Transformation Realm?
└ Sword Master: I'm a Sword Master.
└ Allfather: I'm a Tenth-Circle mage.
└ PrincessPickMe: I'm a Ninth-Circle mage!
└ Heavenly Demon: What are those things? This lady is unfamiliar with the language of the Western Lands.
└ Look at this ancient hag, lmao.
As a result, the gallery users treated Heavenly Demon as either a role-playing freak or an out-of-touch old-timer.
In truth, users from the Central Plains were generally unfamiliar with the languages and slang of other countries.
Everything on the gallery was automatically translated.
However, proper nouns and slang could not always be translated into the corresponding terms of another country.
It was a consequence of Jung's isolationism.
Ironically, that was also why so many people from there used the gallery.
└ Heavenly Demon: When this lady entered the martial world, she was also granted the title of the Greatest Beauty Under Heaven.
└ If you're really the Heavenly Demon, do something about the emperor. Apparently, using the gallery is punishable by death.
└ Heavenly Demon: To think he would dare obstruct this lady's hobby. He clearly does not fear the heavens.
After that post, rumors spread that the emperor of Jung had been assassinated.
Gallery usage also suddenly became legal and unrestricted.
Thanks to that, everyone reached the point where they began wondering whether Heavenly Demon might actually be the real Heavenly Demon.
Title: Heavenly Demon, Read This
If you're really the Heavenly Demon, prove it by showing your face. Then we'll believe you.
└ Heavenly Demon: You dare demand that this lady reveal her august countenance? How insolent.
└ Are you ugly or something? An old hag? LMAO.
As time passed, Heavenly Demon became increasingly famous.
Not as the actual Heavenly Demon, but as an old role-player who had become completely consumed by her character.
Someone even commented that if the real Heavenly Demon ever saw her posts, she would tear out the impersonator's organs and personally have her ripped apart by horses.
It was understandable.
Almost everything Heavenly Demon posted was complete nonsense.
The prevailing opinion was that no one could write that many posts unless they had a truly absurd amount of free time.
"Strange. Why does no one believe this lady?"
Meanwhile, the real Heavenly Demon stared at the gallery with a puzzled expression.
Skin as white as milk.
Full lips.
A breathtakingly beautiful face and voluptuous curves that could not be concealed even by her black martial robes.
She was Yu So-Wol, the sole being who reigned as the one true "Demon" beneath the heavens.
She was also the user called Heavenly Demon, who diligently browsed the gallery every day.
"This lady has proven everything already. Tsk, tsk."
Yu So-Wol clicked her tongue.
Despite that, there was not a trace of irritation on her face.
If anything, she looked amused.
After all, the gallery was the Heavenly Demon's only hobby.
One might wonder why a grand figure like the Heavenly Demon would waste her time browsing a gallery.
But in the end, she was human too.
Even after defeating every master in the Central Plains and claiming the title of Greatest Under Heaven, she still could not escape boredom.
She had become so overwhelmingly powerful that no one even dared challenge her anymore.
So, under the pretense of entering secluded cultivation, she shut herself away in the mountains.
Title: Upvote If You Think the Heavenly Demon Is Weak as Shit LMAO
└ LMAO.
└ Upvoted, lmao.
└ Agreed, hahaha.
"Hehe. These bastards deserve to be chewed to pieces. To think they dare mock this lady."
This was exactly what she liked.
People who hid behind anonymity and spouted whatever nonsense came to mind.
Back in the Divine Cult, most followers could not even bring themselves to meet her eyes.
Naturally so.
Yu So-Wol was the sole supreme ruler beneath the heavens.
They were too busy worshipping her.
But the gallery was different.
Using anonymity as a shield, people hurled insults at her so outrageous that they could never have spoken them aloud.
Sometimes, they even made sexually suggestive remarks.
Yu So-Wol generously ignored those.
They were strangers whose faces she did not even know.
'Truthfully, this lady would like to fight the masters of the Western Lands...'
Still, there was one thing that bothered her.
Whenever people discussed the strongest person on the continent, she was always excluded.
The other nations had interacted extensively, so the names of their strongest warriors had become widely known.
The Central Plains were different.
Because of their isolationist policies, they remained frogs trapped at the bottom of a well.
She had considered visiting the Western Lands herself, but strangely enough, her followers had desperately opposed it.
"You cannot."
"Why not?"
"If Heaven personally leaves, countless problems will arise."
"How so?"
"If you remain absent for too long, the believers will fall into confusion. Wicked martial artists may also use the opportunity to attack. More importantly..."
"More importantly?"
"Shouldn't those arrogant barbarians come here themselves? It would make no sense for the Supreme One to personally visit them."
"Hmm. That is true."
Thus, the Heavenly Demon was persuaded by her trusted strategist, the "Demon Brain."
However, the Demon Brain's actual reasoning was entirely different.
Things would become a complete disaster the moment she fought one of the masters from another country.
The Central Plains had not even been fully stabilized yet.
What would happen if they dragged foreign barbarians into the mess as well?
The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, which they had struggled so hard to establish, might collapse.
It was a perfectly realistic judgment.
└ Is that bastard insane? LMAO.
└ SmartDemon: If that happened, my head would explode.
Title: I'm Going Insane Because of the Woman I Serve
SmartDemon
That woman has nothing but martial arts in her head, and she's trying to cause trouble again. Thank god I barely managed to stop her. Otherwise, I would've run away immediately.
└ Hang in there, man. What do you do for a living?
└ SmartDemon: In the language of the Western Lands... a secretary? A steward? Just think of it as something like that.
└ Sounds rough working for a boss like that.
└ SmartDemon: Haah... Fuck, I want to quit so badly.
└ Why don't you?
└ SmartDemon: It's a lifetime position, lol. I started serving her under her parents.
A suspiciously meaningful post appeared on the gallery shortly afterward, but the Heavenly Demon ignored it.
Things like that happened all the time.
Afterward, she remained inside the Divine Cult, briefly emerged because of the emperor, and then returned to her ordinary days.
Being Yu So-Wol the "human," who traded vicious insults with others, was far more entertaining than being Yu So-Wol the "Heavenly Demon," whom everyone revered.
Then, one day, she attained a sudden enlightenment and entered secluded cultivation.
However, she soon encountered a completely unexpected obstacle.
"Cough!"
Splatter!
When Yu So-Wol coughed, a large mouthful of pitch-black blood spilled out.
It was a considerable amount.
She wiped the blood from her lips and stared ahead with a complicated expression.
"To think this lady would suffer qi deviation..."
That was right.
While deeply immersed in cultivation, she had fallen into qi deviation.
└ But if he's a secretary, does he actually crawl under the desk?
Since her condition was practically terminal, she emptied her mind and wrote a post on the gallery.
Title: Is There No One Willing to Engage in a Profound Discussion with This Lady? It Is a Grave Matter.
Heavenly Demon
The title says everything.
└ Heavenly Demon Death Beam!!
└ Taaaang!
One might ask how the sole supreme ruler beneath the heavens could possibly suffer qi deviation.
However, this was a kind of trial.
It was like an insect shedding its skin, where success meant survival and failure meant death.
To begin with, anyone could suffer qi deviation.
Being the Heavenly Demon did not make her an exception.
'My internal energy... is becoming far too powerful.'
The Heavenly Demon was strong.
The problem was that she was far too strong.
Yu So-Wol looked down at her hand.
Cracks spread across it like a spiderweb, making it seem as though it might shatter at any moment.
Her body could no longer withstand the power contained within it and was collapsing under its own strength.
There were only two ways to overcome this.
Either she had to bring the energy inside her under control, or neutralize it with a powerful elixir.
However, despite repeatedly attempting the former, her internal energy only continued to grow stronger without diminishing in the slightest.
'The heavens are the heavens, and the earth is the earth...'
Even so, she continued browsing the gallery until the bitter end.
In truth, she had already half given up.
As long as her internal energy continued growing stronger, it was only a matter of time before her frail shell failed to endure it and burst apart.
"Hehe."
Yu So-Wol laughed.
Her expression was filled with pity, as though she were looking at some pathetic idiot.
To think the only thing she could rely on at a time like this was the gallery.
Her self-mockery soon turned into self-loathing.
That only caused her qi deviation to worsen, but she had already reached a state of resignation.
'Is this how it ends...?'
She might as well browse the gallery one last time.
She had no desire to die alone in silence.
Yu So-Wol had initially been furious, but it did not take long for anxiety to replace her anger.
The competition had become far too fierce.
She had already sent a trade request long ago.
However, Wild Grylls had not accepted it.
'How disgraceful.'
Yu So-Wol let out a bitter laugh.
She had behaved disgracefully until the very end.
Still, it was unbearably frustrating.
She had wanted to die in battle, not perish in such a miserable fashion.
The energy within her grew increasingly uncontrollable, while the life remaining to her dwindled by the moment.
Just as Yu So-Wol was about to lament her fate and close her eyes—
The moment her request was accepted, a rectangular window appeared in front of her.
It was an empty chat box.
[Wild Grylls: Hey, hey. You're Heavenly Demon, right?]
A brief greeting filled the empty space.
It sounded frivolous, yet it was surprisingly polite.
Yu So-Wol cleared her throat without realizing it and sent a reply.
[Heavenly Demon: Indeed. This lady is the one and only Heaven of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult—the Heavenly Demon. Do you truly intend to trade with this lady?]
[Wild Grylls: Yes. You left the first comment, didn't you? First come, first served.]
[Heavenly Demon: Thank you. It is rare to find someone who understands proper manners.]
[Wild Grylls has sent you a trade request. Would you like to accept?]
A hand of salvation had descended from the heavens.
Yu So-Wol's eyes gradually widened.
Why?
Why had he chosen her out of so many people?
Her thoughts were lengthy, but her actions were swift.
She hurriedly accepted the request.
Fortunately, Wild Grylls did not appear to be ill-mannered.
The Heavenly Demon sighed inwardly in relief.
The gallery was much like a cesspit.
Countless people hid behind anonymity and revealed their desires without restraint.
Yet within that cesspit, she had discovered such courtesy.
It felt like finding a single rose blooming amid filth.
[Heavenly Demon: Is there anything you desire? This lady will obtain anything within her power.]
Her options were currently limited because she needed to remain in secluded cultivation.
However, once she returned to the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, she intended to grant him anything he wished.
Even the Heavenly Demon did not forget debts of gratitude or grudges.
If he desired it, she was even willing to pass down a secret martial arts manual.
[Wild Grylls: For now, I need a tool for making fire and a compass. A weapon to protect myself and some simple food. That should be enough.]
The Heavenly Demon was puzzled.
That was all he wanted?
What was the New Moon Spirit Herb?
It was one of the greatest medicinal herbs in existence, something people would gladly pay a fortune to obtain.
It was possible.
The Heavenly Demon turned her head toward the corner of the cave.
There lay a secret manual containing the insights she had gained, a large pile of fasting pills, and even her cherished sword.
She could satisfy two of his conditions.
She did not possess a tool for making fire, but there was another method.
[Heavenly Demon: What realm have you reached? Have you entered the Transformation Realm?]
[Wild Grylls: I'm just an ordinary person...]
"Damn."
In that case, she could not teach him how to use the Samadhi True Flame.
Yu So-Wol hurriedly moved on to the next matter.
[Heavenly Demon: Is that truly all you require? As you surely know, the New Moon Spirit Herb is an exceedingly precious medicinal herb.]
[Wild Grylls: Even so, can it be worth more than my life? I only need what I actually need.]
[Heavenly Demon: Hmm... Very well. Given this lady's current circumstances, there are some things that will be difficult to obtain immediately. However, they can be acquired with time.]
[Wild Grylls: I'm in a difficult situation too, so I'm in a hurry. Can you provide them or not?]
[Heavenly Demon: Regrettably, this lady can only satisfy two of your requests at present. A weapon and food.]
[Wild Grylls: Hmm...]
[Heavenly Demon: However, once this lady descends from the Divine Cult, the other two items shall also be delivered.]
Yu So-Wol grew increasingly anxious.
As her internal energy continued to intensify, cold sweat began pouring down her body.
Furthermore, trades were limited to three minutes.
Once those three minutes passed, the two users would be unable to trade again for an entire day.
[Wild Grylls: Okay, got it.]
[Heavenly Demon: Truly?]
[Wild Grylls: You said you'd give them to me, so I'll trust you. If you don't, then I'll stop trusting you afterward.]
"Ah..."
What an exceptionally courteous young man.
Yu So-Wol was deeply moved.
He was both a fortuitous encounter and a benefactor who had appeared at her most desperate moment.
She had never experienced anything like this, not when she first entered the martial world nor when she unified the Central Plains.
It felt as though everything in the world had grown brighter.
Even though she sat inside a dark cave, her conversation with Wild Grylls shone as brightly as the sun.
'Ah. This is no time for that.'
Yu So-Wol hurriedly gathered her sword and fasting pills.
If she successfully entered the next realm, she would no longer need either of them.
As someone who had used the gallery for a long time, she already knew how trading worked.
All she had to do was hold or touch the object she wished to send.
[Wild Grylls has registered an item for trade.]
[Heavenly Demon has registered items for trade.]
[Would you like to complete the trade?]
She accepted immediately.
The other side must have accepted just as quickly, because the message changed at once.
[The trade has been completed.]
[Wild Grylls: Mine arrived. Did yours?]
Yu So-Wol did not see the message.
She was too busy hurriedly stuffing the New Moon Spirit Herb into her mouth.
She felt truly apologetic toward Wild Grylls, but her life was in danger.
The moment she consumed the herb, she entered meditative circulation.
As expected, the instant she absorbed the herb's energy, her internal energy—which had burned like an active volcano—gradually began to stabilize.
Even Yu So-Wol herself was surprised.
At this rate, she would be able to break through her shell and ascend to the next realm.
Relief washed over her, but she did not lose focus.
She had no desire to waste this hard-earned opportunity through carelessness.
'Just a little more... Just a little more.'
Wooooong—
Yu So-Wol's body slowly rose into the air as she continued circulating her energy.
Her beautiful ebony hair floated around her as though drifting underwater, while a faint light seeped from her body.
Crack!
Like a bird breaking free from its egg, Yu So-Wol underwent a similar transformation.
Her body had already experienced Bone and Marrow Cleansing once, yet it was undergoing the process again.
The cracked layers of her skin fell away as new flesh emerged beneath them.
Her bones and body shifted into a form more suitable for the power she now possessed.
A realm liberated from all demonic limitations—
The Realm of Transcending Demonhood.
In the Central Plains, it was known as the Profound Realm.
Yu So-Wol's closed eyes slowly opened.
They were not the eyes of someone who had just stared death in the face.
Her black pupils were as calm as a still lake and as gentle as a spring breeze.
The Heavenly Demon, Yu So-Wol, had broken free of her shell once more and taken the world into her eyes anew.
"Phew..."
Yu So-Wol released a long breath.
It was a sigh filled with countless complicated emotions.
She then looked down at her hand.
Smooth, pale skin had grown over it.
It was the very image of a delicate jade hand.
She was satisfied.
A smile naturally appeared on her lips.
She had no idea how she could possibly repay this grace.
'Ah. Damn. I never thanked him.'
Yu So-Wol hurriedly accessed the gallery.
Too much time had passed, and her conversation with Wild Grylls had already ended.
All she could do now was write a public post.
Even after reaching the Realm of Transcending Demonhood, Yu So-Wol the human had not disappeared.
Quite the opposite.
Meeting a benefactor in her moment of crisis had only strengthened her human side.
She wanted to repay this kindness by any means possible.
But how could she repay such grace?
She had never been indebted to anyone in her entire life.
She had accumulated more grudges than she could count, but this was the first time anyone had ever shown her such kindness.
Her heart pounded, and a smile unconsciously formed on her lips.
Even she did not notice her own reaction.
Title: Wild Grylls, Read This
Heavenly Demon
Thanks to you, this lady has received a debt of gratitude that will take a lifetime to repay.
This lady shall obtain anything you desire, so name whatever you wish.
If you desire it, this lady can personally grant you a secret martial arts manual.
Ah, and lest there be any misunderstanding, the items you requested will be delivered without fail.
"...Why are you not answering?"
Yu So-Wol voiced her disappointment.
Only a few minutes had passed, but to her they felt unbearably long.
'Could it be because I failed to thank him immediately?'
Yu So-Wol's concern deepened.
***
The Heavenly Demon had even addressed him as "young master."
It was a form of address bordering on the highest possible level of respect.
Several comments appeared afterward, but none came from the person she wanted.
Yu So-Wol waited endlessly for her benefactor to respond.
Yet even after several minutes passed, Wild Grylls left no comment.
Meanwhile, Wild Grylls was—
"Woof! Woof! Grrrr! Woof!"
"Whoa! Fuck!"
—being chased by a beast.
Contrary to the Heavenly Demon's assumptions, he was in absolutely no position to access the gallery.