Chapter 180: Unless You Have Considerable Resolve
Chapter 180: Unless You Have Considerable Resolve
There were no words to describe the sound of the wind.
If I had to try, it sounded like a breeze whispering through a mystical valley at the edge of the world. It was that refreshing, that light—a sound that felt as though it shouldn't exist in this mortal realm.
The moment I heard the sound produced by the Rapid Speed Step at the stage of Great Achievement, I knew instinctively: I was going to become addicted to this. The sound was every bit as alluring as the maddening speed itself.
At first, I was the faster one.
The Rapid Speed Step, having truly reached Great Achievement, was fast beyond description.
Naturally, it was far superior to the Nine-Star stage. When I first suggested a race, I had actually been prepared to show my father a pathetic display—crashing into trees and tumbling across the ground in a clumsy heap. I was ready for him to watch and mock me as I made a total fool of myself.
However, I ran better than expected. My vision and my body were keeping up with the extreme velocity. This was likely because I had already fully adapted to the Nine-Star stage of the technique while traveling back and forth between the Main Cult and the Murim Alliance.
Thanks to that, even though I had only just reached Great Achievement, I was able to maintain a pace similar to my father’s.
But it required extreme concentration and drained my mental energy. Eventually, feeling dizzy and exhausted, I slowed down. As my pace dropped, Father surged up beside me.
"Not bad at all!"
"Whose son do you think I am?"
Father looked surprised and impressed. Of course, that didn't mean he was about to go easy on me. Whether it was his son or anyone else, Father was the type of man who refused to lose once his competitive fire was lit.
"Son, I have something to tell you."
"What is it?"
His tone was so serious that I tensed up instinctively.
It was at that exact moment.
Thud!
Distracted by Father, I slammed into a tree and went sprawling across the ground.
"I was going to tell you to be careful!"
I could hear Father’s triumphant laughter fading into the distance.
I scrambled up and sprinted after him. Fortunately, my Body Protection Qi had shielded me, so I was able to get back on my feet without any injuries.
"That’s cheating! That’s a foul, Father!"
I insisted it was a foul, even though I was the one who had stopped paying attention. Naturally, Father didn't even look back as he put on another burst of speed.
I ran after him once more.
Running like this made me realize something. The outcome of this contest didn't depend on which martial art was superior. The Rapid Speed Step of the Wind God Four Steps and the Heavenly Demon Flight Technique were roughly on the same level of lightness skill.
The issue was vision. My eyes couldn't keep up with the maximum speed the lightness skill could achieve.
Therefore, once I grew accustomed to it, I would inevitably win. Thanks to my New Eye Technique, I possessed vision that transcended human limits.
I ran while watching Father’s back in the distance. Just as I had watched his back during our first hunt, I watched it now as we ran.
He looked lonely back then, and he looked lonely now, but one thing had changed. The way I looked at him was different.
I loved this moment more than any other time I had spent running in my life. I didn't know what was in Father’s heart, but I could feel my own feelings for him growing deeper.
The moment I thought of Father, I tripped again. Even a momentary lapse in concentration led to an inevitable collision and fall.
I got up and gave chase again, but in the end, I couldn't catch him.
By the time I reached the Main Cult, Father had already headed off to the Heavenly Demon Hall.
If it had been me, I would have waited just to tease him, but Father was a man who knew how to restrain his urge to mock. He’d probably save it for the next time we met.
I bowed toward the Heavenly Demon Hall and offered my thanks once more.
Reaching Great Achievement in the Wind God Four Steps was entirely thanks to Father. And it wasn't just the Rapid Speed Step that had improved. The Dark Shadow Step had become more stealthy, the Blink Step now allowed me to escape even greater dangers, and the Underworld King Step had truly become the stride of the King Yama.
*
That evening, the trio of the drinking circle gathered at the Pungryu Tavern.
"It’s been a while, so today’s drinks are on me."
The proprietor, Jo Chun-bae, announced that he would treat them today to celebrate Seo Dae-ryong’s safe return. However, Seo Dae-ryong politely declined the gesture.
"I actually brought back some prize money from winning the martial arts tournament. Today, I’m buying a round for everyone. So please, bring out all the best dishes."
"A victory! Congratulations, Investigator."
"Thank you."
"And the Second Young Master is doing well, I assume?"
"Of course."
Once Jo Chun-bae headed down to the first floor, Seo Dae-ryong finally began his boasting.
"Ah, where should I even begin the tale of this lonely investigator’s magnificent adventure? Kyah! When I first laid eyes on the Murim Alliance building, I felt destiny calling to me..."
As Seo Dae-ryong began his epic saga, Lee An and Jang Ho exchanged smiles. He was such an entertaining storyteller that his adventures never felt boring.
"That’s truly impressive. Even if it was a tournament, those were real battles, weren't they? To win the whole thing despite not having much combat experience..."
Jang Ho had plenty of real-world experience, but Lee An spent every day focused solely on training. Thus, Seo Dae-ryong’s achievement felt both surprising and enviable to her.
"Of course, there was a fateful and tragic encounter along the way as well."
Seo Dae-ryong spoke of the woman who had cheered for him—and of the sad conclusion to that story.
"...She was a woman sent by the Heavenly Mandate Society."
Lee An jumped up and began hurling curses at them, while Jang Ho offered comfort, saying it was all part of gaining experience. Seeing how passionately the two were reacting on his behalf, Seo Dae-ryong felt the lingering wounds in his heart begin to heal.
"This is why I looked forward to this drinking session the most."
"We looked forward to it even more."
"Well, on that note, let’s have a toast."
Seo Dae-ryong was deeply grateful to the two of them. A woman who could easily be called the most beautiful in the world and the commander of the Demon Army—the elite force of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult—were waiting for him and listening to his stories. He wondered what he had done to deserve such friends.
"There is something I wish to tell you both. I have decided to truly walk the path of a martial artist."
While Geom Mu-geuk and the Blood Heaven Blade Demon had been the direct influences, these two had played a massive role as well. He had always harbored a desire to become someone they wouldn't be ashamed of.
Lee An and Jang Ho congratulated him sincerely. While an investigator of the Huangquan Pavilion was technically a martial artist, they knew that the "martial artist" Seo Dae-ryong was speaking of now carried a different weight.
"This is something worth celebrating, right? To be honest, I’m terrified I might die young. Aren't you two scared?"
Lee An replied with a smile.
"I believe life and death are already decided. When and how I die is already set in stone. Thinking that way makes me feel more at peace."
"So this martial artist is a fatalist."
"I suppose so."
Jang Ho, on the other hand, had a different perspective.
"I live in constant fear of death."
"Really? I would have thought Commander Jang, of all people, would be fearless."
"No. I wake up several times in the middle of the night. I often dream of dying."
This was something neither Lee An nor Seo Dae-ryong had known.
The conversation about life and death continued until Seo Dae-ryong felt a surge of excitement.
"I almost died this time, too!"
Seo Dae-ryong stood up abruptly and threw open his upper garment.
"There are four scars left on my body by those Orthodox bastards. This scar on my shoulder is from the quarterfinals. See the two holes? This one is from the finals, and this scar here is..."
*
I was listening to the three of them from beside the counter on the first floor.
When Seo Dae-ryong finally bared his chest, Jo Chun-bae and I laughed together. Truly, it was the kind of drinking circle the Drunken Demon would have sprinted to join the moment he saw it.
Jo Chun-bae spoke with a kind, warm expression.
"They are truly good people. When one is missing, the other two come and spend their time missing that person."
There had been times when Lee An was away, and times when Seo Dae-ryong was absent.
"I should be heading back now."
"Did you not come to join them?"
"They’re having such a good time, I think I should let the three of them bond today."
"Then please, wait just a moment."
Jo Chun-bae went into the kitchen and brought out a bottle of liquor.
"This is a bottle I’ve been saving. Take it and have a drink before you sleep. It’s a gift to celebrate your safe return. Welcome back."
Jo Chun-bae was genuinely happy about my return, as if I were family.
"I met someone precious in the Murim this time. If there’s a chance to drink together later, I’ll introduce you."
"I would like that very much."
He probably couldn't even dream that the person was the Murim Alliance Leader. But who knows how things turn out? The day might come when the Murim Alliance Leader shares a drink right here at the Pungryu Tavern.
"Thanks for the drink."
I said my goodbyes and stepped out of the tavern.
I walked home under the moonlight. There were others I wanted to see—Go Wol and the Pungcheon Cult Leader. I wanted to sprint to them using the Rapid Speed Step right this second, but the two of them were currently far away from the Main Cult.
Since I had been away for a long time, there was much to be done. Seeing them would have to wait. I wasn't worried about them, though, because they were together.
As I headed toward my quarters, I diverted my steps toward the Great Drunken Forest. When I thought of who might be awake to share a drink with me, the Drunken Demon was the first to come to mind.
Sure enough, the Drunken Demon was drinking alone at the Drunken Dream Pavilion.
The female martial artist Yeo-bin took me across to the island in the middle of the lake on a ferry.
"Does Lord Drunken Demon still drink heavily these days?"
"It has decreased significantly compared to before. He’s only having one bottle today."
"That’s a relief."
"It is all thanks to you, Second Young Master."
"How could that be because of me? It’s because you look after him and worry for him."
Knowing that Yeo-bin liked the Drunken Demon, I spoke kindly. I thought it would be good for a woman like her to be by his side. Of course, for her words to truly carry weight, she would need to be his wife rather than his subordinate.
I would have loved to step in and play matchmaker, but I had no intention of interfering recklessly. Meddling poorly could ruin a relationship that might have otherwise flourished.
From the railing of the Drunken Dream Pavilion, the Drunken Demon spotted me and waved. I called out to him loudly.
"Brother!"
Since it was just the two of us, I called him "Brother" comfortably. The Drunken Demon’s expression showed just how much a simple title could brighten someone's mood.
"My little brother is here?"
"I came because I figured my pathetic fourth-ranked brother would be drinking all by himself."
"Being fourth among the Eight Demon Lords is no small feat. Staying in the middle isn't easy."
The boat reached the island, and I climbed up to the pavilion.
"What brings you here so suddenly?"
"I wanted a drink."
"You’ve come to the right place."
I sat and drank with the Drunken Demon. We didn't say much, just quietly sipped our liquor.
Because the Drunken Demon knew alcohol so well, he also knew the people who drank it. He could tell whether his companion wanted to talk or, like now, simply wanted to drink in silence using the moon reflected in the lake as a side dish.
"I went hunting with Father."
"I heard you were gone for quite a while. Impressive. How do you spend that much time alone with the Cult Leader? I’d go insane."
"It can be unexpectedly, maddeningly fun."
The Drunken Demon shook his head, insisting that was impossible. He really should see Father cooking. It was a shame I couldn't tell him.
"I found out while talking to Father that he seems to hold the Poison King and the Fist Demon in high regard."
"If the Cult Leader holds someone in high regard, it would be the Fist Demon," the Drunken Demon said definitively.
"Not the Poison King?"
"The Cult Leader has never liked the use of poison. He’s never said it outright, but everyone knows. The Poison King knows it too, but he just pretends not to."
"Then why does he hold the Fist Demon in such high regard?"
I had said I would investigate the Demon Lords, but after regressing and meeting them, I realized anew: to truly know a person, you have to meet them, talk to them, and experience them firsthand. Even then, people remain a mystery. I had known their deeds, but I hadn't known them. The same applied to the Fist Demon.
"I once shared a drink alone with the Fist Demon."
"How was it?"
The Drunken Demon stared down at his glass for a moment, reminiscing, before taking a sip.
"He made me think... that unless you have considerable resolve, it won't be easy to defeat this man."
It was the first time I had heard the Drunken Demon speak so highly of another Demon Lord.
"But why the Fist Demon all of a sudden?"
"I was thinking of making someone the new number five, right behind you, Brother."
Since this implied bringing the Fist Demon over to our side, the Drunken Demon asked with concern.
"If you mess with the Fist Demon in the current situation, the First Young Master won't just sit idly by."
"That’s the point. I don't want him to sit idly by."
"What do you mean?"
"It’s about time I settled things with my older brother, don't you think?"
Since this meant the succession battle was about to begin in earnest, the Drunken Demon’s eyes sharpened.
"Are you confident?"
"I’m putting my trust in you, Brother."
At the remark that I was trusting him to help me face his peer, the Drunken Demon laughed and shook his empty bottle.
"Hearing that makes me want another bottle."
I poured the last of my wine into his glass.
"Hold back. From now on, we need to spend more time awake and alert."
*
The following afternoon, I headed to the Eastern Fist Sect, where the Undefeated Fist Demon resided.
"I have come to see Lord Fist Demon."
The Iron Fists guarding the entrance stared at me with startled faces. There were public rumors that their leader, the Fist Demon, had sided with the First Young Master.
"Please, follow me."
One of the Iron Fists guided me inside.
The gazes of the Iron Fists moving about the sect converged on me. White robes, blue robes, red robes, black robes—their colors differed according to their rank. Their gender, age, and physical builds varied as well. But they all shared one commonality.
They were all bare-handed, without a single piece of metal on them.
I walked slowly through the ranks of the Iron Fists—men and women who had staked their entire lives on nothing but their bare fists.