The Celestial Spirit Maiden had returned.

The news of her return, as expected, stirred up the entire Ilwol.

This was because she, like Kim Songcheol, had been presumed dead.

The first to seek her out was Sa Gwang, the Mad Wolf Demon.

He was the Director who had first supported the Celestial Spirit Maiden, having seen her potential.

Although it wasn’t outright support, he always kept one foot out and cautiously tested the waters, but the fact that he had helped her was undeniable.

The Mad Wolf Demon stood in front of the corridor of a building, the Celestial Spirit Maiden’s residence.

His snake-like eyes were as unwavering as ever, but complex emotions were welling up within them.

It was an Inescapable Test.

That’s what the Celestial Spirit Maiden had challenged.

She had passed the Trial that even the Divine Demon had skipped, and returned.

The famous Illegitimate Child of Ilwol.

It would be a lie to say there were no expectations. What kind of power had she gained?

Dungeons give rewards proportional to the danger.

The reward from a Trial where no one had returned alive would probably be immense.

‘Perhaps it even surpasses that of a Demon Lord…’

The Mad Wolf Demon’s lips twisted strangely. For anyone else, it would have just been a movement of his mouth, but for the Mad Wolf Demon, it was clearly a smile.

His reason for supporting the Celestial Spirit Maiden could be called an investment.

Perhaps the results of that investment could be reaped now.

The Mad Wolf Demon knocked twice on the door. Then, a voice from inside said, ‘Come in.’

Upon opening the door and entering, he saw the Celestial Spirit Maiden sitting in a meditative pose in the center of the spacious room.

Her long hair was tied high, as usual, and she was dressed in training clothes.

Her appearance was the same as when she left, but the moment the Mad Wolf Demon saw the Celestial Spirit Maiden, he flinched as if struck by lightning.

‘Th-this isn’t the Heavenly Demon Realm…!? How can she have this without even learning Heavenly Demon Art!?’

Martial Artists are sensitive to energy. Their sensitivity is such that they can even identify the ownership of the energy present in a space.

It means that the moment you enter an Interval, you know whether or not you can move the ki that exists in this space as you wish, without even trying to move it.

If you enter the Interval of an opponent stronger than yourself, it will be difficult to move your ki.

And if you enter the Interval of a Demon who has formed the Heavenly Demon Realm, you cannot move even a single wisp of energy as you wish, except for your own Internal Energy.

The sensation that Gwangrang Castle Demon was feeling right now was exactly that.

The moment he stepped into the Thread, it felt like pushing a cotton ball fixed in Nothingness into the air.

It wasn’t a sensation he felt with his skin, but it meant that the ki in this space didn’t synchronize with Gwangrang Castle Demon’s movements to that extent.

It’s impossible to have ownership of ki completely taken away to this extent unless it’s the Heavenly Demon Realm.

This was the second time Gwangrang Castle Demon had met a Martial Artist from the Heavenly Demon Realm.

The first was the Divine Demon, and the next was the Celestial Spirit Maiden.

The Celestial Spirit Maiden had brought back even greater rewards than he had expected. It was a completely unexpected outcome.

“…Gwangrang Castle Demon Sa Gwang, I greet the former Demon Lord.”

He slowly knelt on the floor and bowed, touching his forehead and elbows to the ground.

Prostration.

It was excessive for a Director to bow to a Demon Lord, but Sa Gwang’s thoughts were different.

This was not a bow from Ilwol’s Director to the Demon Lord, but a bow dedicated to the Future Divine Demon.

“Did you receive etiquette training for men while I was away? You’ve suddenly become polite.”

The Celestial Spirit Maiden said, her eyes half-closed.

Sa Gwang opened his mouth without raising his head.

“Please forget my previous Nothingness. From now on, I will serve you with all my heart and Castle.”

In Ilwol, strength is the highest and only value.

Since the Celestial Spirit Maiden had proven her worth, there was no reason or need to test her.

Originally, the Celestial Spirit Maiden was able to survive as the Divine Demon’s Illegitimate Child precisely because of the possibility that she could become that strong by inheriting the Divine Demon’s genes.

However, the reason Gwangrang Castle Demon could act presumptuously towards the Celestial Spirit Maiden was because, even though the Celestial Spirit Maiden was of Divine Demon’s blood, she wasn’t strong enough to beat him to death.

But now, the story is different.

If the Celestial Spirit Maiden so desired, she could crush Gwangrang Castle Demon’s head.

Holding one’s neck stiffly and speaking righteous words in front of such a person was a Knight only the Murim Alliance guys could do.

“This was bound to happen anyway. I knew it, and you must have doubted it.”

At the Celestial Spirit Maiden’s words, Sa Gwang merely bowed his head in silence.

“If you have nothing to do, don’t just lie there; go and tell the current Demon Lord that I want to see him.”

An Invitation from the former Demon Lord, who had reached the Heavenly Demon Realm, to the current Demon Lord.

It was not of Normal significance.

However, Sa Gwang did not add any lengthy explanations.

A command had been given, so he would simply carry it out.

“Yes, I will convey that.”

Gwangrang Castle Demon rose from his spot and respectfully backed out of the Celestial Spirit Maiden’s quarters.

***

“No, what do you mean the current Demon Lord has stepped down?”

Ilwol’s Board of Directors convened.

“Exactly as it sounds. The current Demon Lord has stepped down. He has declared that there is no longer a Doctor in the position of the young Divine Demon.”

All 48 Directors had gathered in one place.

“Suddenly, that, ahem…”

The first issue was this Demon Lord’s voluntary resignation.

He was the strongest Demon Lord, and the Demon Lord closest to being a Divine Demon.

If he had just a little more time, he would have definitely ascended to the position of a Lesser Divine Demon.

But one day, he suddenly declared that he no longer had any ambition.

It was sudden news, and the Directors each made a comment, but then they quickly quieted down.

“Ahem…”

The Directors just exchanged glances. Some cleared their throats, others stared at something, and some even stroked their beards for no reason.

This was because they all guessed the reason for the Demon Lord’s resignation.

It happened just a few days after the Celestial Spirit Maiden returned from illusion.

If they couldn’t figure out the connection, it was as if they weren’t qualified to be Directors.

In the silence, someone spoke up.

“Then what happens now?”

That’s when it happened.

“A message that the former Demon Lord is coming.”

A voice flowed in from outside.

“The former Demon Lord…?”

“I don’t know why he’s coming here of all places.”

“Even so, attending the Board of Directors is a bit much…”

“Does he not know the rules?”

The Directors murmured.

According to Ilwol’s rules, a Demon Lord cannot attend the Board of Directors.

Demon Lords and the Board of Directors should not mix. Of course, each Director has Demon Lords they support, but Demon Lords and the Board of Directors clearly exist with separate influences, and their ability to influence each other is limited.

From the beginning, the Board of Directors also served to curb the Demon Lord’s outbursts.

In this situation, the former Demon Lord suddenly visits the Board of Directors?

This was something they had to properly challenge.

The Directors were each thinking about how they would protest this visit.

“The former Demon Lord is entering.”

The Celestial Spirit Maiden burst into the Board of Directors meeting.

As usual, she walked steadily into the meeting room with an expressionless face.

It was an ordinary entrance, but.

“Gasp…!”

“…!?”

The Directors’ reactions were intense. Some gasped, and some almost rose halfway from their seats.

They were Directors of Ilwol. They were Martial Artists who had experienced all sorts of things over the long years, but even they couldn’t help but be surprised by this.

It was as if they were facing a Divine Demon.

There was even a Director who rubbed their eyes and looked again, thinking they had seen the wrong person.

The Celestial Spirit Maiden stood firmly in front of the meeting room and looked down at the Directors.

None of the 48 Directors spoke up.

No, they couldn’t speak up.

The former Demon Lord was already too strong to be called just a Demon Lord.

The Mad Wolf Castle Lord surveyed the faces of the Directors and smiled faintly.

It was the smile of a senior who had met the former Demon Lord first.

‘He must have been very surprised. I felt the same way.’

Just then, a Director sent a Telepathic Message to Gwangrang Castlema.

[Didn’t you say you met the former Demon Lord a few days ago!? Why didn’t you give us a heads-up!?]

[I don’t know why I have to report every little thing. If I just keep my mouth shut, I can enjoy such a good show.]

Gwangrang Castlema once again swept his gaze around.

Everyone was wide-eyed, frozen, not knowing what to do.

Such was the immense prestige of the Heavenly Demon Realm.

Within this space, no one could circulate their energy, let alone use Internal Energy.

Because the space itself belonged to the Celestial Spirit Maiden.

The Celestial Spirit Maiden looked down at the Directors and opened her mouth.

“There is only one reason I have come here.”

A clear voice filled the space.

“Appoint me as the Divine Demon. Right now.”

The Celestial Spirit Maiden raised a finger and pressed down on the Book table.

A gesture that conveyed considerable stubbornness.

The Directors’ expressions changed, becoming quite a sight to behold.

They were as restless as a puppy needing to relieve itself, unable to move one way or another, just short of whining.

It was a natural reaction.

Appointing a Demon Lord as a Divine Demon requires many procedures.

Even if this Demon Lord had expressed his resignation, it wasn’t something that could be done immediately.

This Demon Lord was only provisionally the strongest Demon Lord; there were still other living Demon Lords.

Their opinions also needed to be gathered, and an auspicious day had to be chosen to set the appointment ceremony date.

Those were all issues to be addressed when the Board of Directors made a decision.

Even for the Board of Directors to decide on a Demon Lord as a Divine Demon, a process was required.

To meet all those requirements, it would take at least a month.

However, the Celestial Spirit Maiden’s demand was ‘right now.’

What should they do?

“The former Demon Lord…”

It was when Gwak Seoeung, Director of the Blood Sect Team, opened his mouth.

Considering the usual character of the Blood Sect Team, he would clearly suggest a way to uphold the rules without displeasing the Celestial Spirit Maiden.

However.

“If the former Demon Lord wishes it, then so be it.”

Ferocious Demonic Puppet Gongneung stepped forward to support the Celestial Spirit Maiden.

Gongneung was the strongest demon among the Directors, and also the one who had held the Director position for the longest time.

He accepted it simply, as if adding another side dish to a meal.

“What’s your name?”

The Celestial Spirit Maiden asked Gongneung’s name. She wouldn’t possibly not know the name of the famous Ferocious Demonic Puppet.

It must have meant that she would remember him.

“I am Gongneung. The martial artists of the Jianghu also call me the Ferocious Demonic Puppet.”

Gongneung straightened his old, hunched body and performed a Cupped Fist Salutation.

The Celestial Spirit Maiden nodded and then turned her gaze back to the Directors.

“Anyone with a different opinion, speak now.”

Her voice was filled with power. Just that alone made the Directors feel their hairs stand on end.

She hadn’t actually emitted any aura.

It was just that the future that was about to arrive was terrifying.

The Celestial Spirit Maiden would ascend to the position of the Small Divine Demon, sooner or later.

Gongneung must have supported her with the thought that even if they stopped her now, she would eventually become the Small Divine Demon anyway.

“…”

“…”

The Directors remained silent, like mute people who had swallowed honey.

“Then I will take it that everyone agrees. From now on, I, the Celestial Spirit Maiden, am the Small Divine Demon. Three Directors who wish to join me, step forward. We are going to the Heavenly Demon Cave now.”

At the command of the Celestial Spirit Maiden, Gongneung, Sa Gwang, and the Director called Killing Puppet Hawk Scythe Nothingnessgang, who was sitting at the very front, quickly stepped forward.

In the Heavenly Demon Cave, there exists a secret book of the ‘Heavenly Demon Art’ that only Lesser Divine Demon and Divine Demon can see.

And the Heavenly Demon Cave could only be opened by Lesser Divine Demon and three Directors.