Chapter 241: Stop Getting Stronger!
Chapter 241: Stop Getting Stronger!
The Heavenly Flower Pavilion Master was deeply moved.
Far from being angry, the Extreme Evil Smiling Demon had spoken the very words she had longed to hear.
"Yes, Brother. I truly want to see your room."
She fought back the tears threatening to fall. She had endured all manner of hardships as the master of the Heavenly Flower Pavilion without ever wavering, yet those few words from the Smiling Demon were enough to bring her to the brink of weeping.
She felt the relationship they had built—the deep affection between them—reach a point of completion in this single moment.
Though they had never once spoken of love, his words sounded like a confession to her ears. He had merely offered to show her his room, yet to her, it meant so much more.
The Pavilion Master turned to Geom Mu-geuk.
"Thank you, Second Young Master."
While waiting for the Smiling Demon to wake, she had heard from Seo Dae-ryong that Geom Mu-geuk had carried the Smiling Demon on his back across a vast distance. Furthermore, he had even given up a Hundred-Year Snow Ginseng—a treasure any martial artist would covet.
"I did nothing but run with him on my back. Your thanks should go to the Demon Doctor, not me."
The Pavilion Master expressed her gratitude to the physician as well.
"Thank you, Divine Healer."
"It was nothing, Madam. Lord Smiling Demon is exceptionally robust, so there were no complications. There is no need for thanks. I will send the necessary medicine to Villain Valley, so the two of you may take your leave now."
With that, the Smiling Demon and the Heavenly Flower Pavilion Master were the first to exit the infirmary.
Watching them go, the Demon Doctor thought of his own wife. We were like that once, he mused.
Surprisingly, even as he thought of her, he felt a sense of peace he hadn't known in years. He turned to Geom Mu-geuk.
"I once wondered if I would feel only emptiness after completing my revenge."
"Do you feel empty now?"
The Demon Doctor shook his head firmly.
"Not at all. My heart feels so light, so at ease... I almost wonder if I’m allowed to feel this way."
"You’re allowed to feel even more gratified than that."
"Could you spare a moment? There is something I want to show you."
The Demon Doctor led Geom Mu-geuk into his private quarters. Passing through a secret door, he guided him to the place he had shown him once before.
Previously, the room had been a perfect recreation of his old home, but it had changed. Now, bookshelves lined the walls, transforming the space into a study where one could sit comfortably and read. He was in the process of building a new life.
"The atmosphere is pleasant. Elder Blade Demon is quite the bibliophile as well."
"I know. I often discuss books with that fellow."
For the Demon Doctor, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon was his only true friend.
Just then, Geom Mu-geuk noticed a pile of wood in the corner.
"What is that?"
Beside the wood lay tools for refining and carving.
"My father was a carpenter. When I think of him, the image that comes to mind is him carving wood in the yard. I thought I might take it up as a hobby."
The Demon Doctor let out a soft sigh. "I truly am an unfilial son. Only after my heart found peace regarding my son did I finally start thinking of my father."
"I’m sure your father would have understood."
The two men looked at each other and shared a pleasant smile.
Geom Mu-geuk was grateful. He was thankful that the doctor was making an effort to change, and above all, he was moved that the man wanted to share that change with him.
Because of you, I am becoming happy.
That was what the Demon Doctor was communicating. Yes, it had to be said. Only when things were spoken could they truly be known. If left unsaid, they remained hidden.
Thank you, Demon Doctor.
For making me feel that risking my life was worth it.
And please, be happy.
*
The Heavenly Flower Pavilion Master was walking through the Inner Court of the Demonic Cult for the first time in her life.
The cultists they encountered bowed respectfully to the Smiling Demon. They were fierce-looking men of all kinds—terrifying warriors who looked as though they could upend the Murim the moment they stepped out into the world—yet they greeted the Smiling Demon as meekly as new brides.
She whispered so only he could hear.
"I had forgotten what kind of person my brother was. You truly are a great man."
Being a man himself, the Smiling Demon didn't mind the praise.
"I should hang your mask in front of the Heavenly Flower Pavilion. I'll tell them, 'You lot, just try making a scene after drinking!'"
At her joke, the Smiling Demon merely offered a silent smile with his eyes. Since he was usually a man of few words, she didn't mind his lack of a verbal response.
"I'm so nervous right now," she chattered. "That building is very unusual. Are there warriors lying in ambush over there?" She went on about everything until finally adding one last thing.
"I'm sorry for coming here uninvited."
He had only been listening to her other remarks, but he responded to this one.
"It's fine."
Then, he added a sentence he would never normally say.
"I had intended to bring you here eventually."
Because he was usually so taciturn, those brief words moved her deeply.
In the meantime, the two arrived at Villain Valley. The Pavilion Master was startled by the sight at the entrance. An innumerable number of Faceless Guests were lined up in formation.
They had all gathered upon hearing the news that the Smiling Demon had recovered and was returning. Every one of them wore a white mask, and every mask was smiling. It was a sight both terrifying and magnificent. It was only today that she realized just how many subordinates he commanded.
As the two passed, the Faceless Guests bowed their heads in unison. Their greetings continued like a rolling wave, fervently welcoming the safe return of their leader.
The Pavilion Master felt a sense of dread, but also a certain thrill. The gazes directed at her held a mixture of respect for the leader's woman and intense curiosity. This was the first time the Smiling Demon, who had never brought a woman home, had come to Villain Valley with a companion.
She felt that from this moment on, her destiny—and her relationship with him—would change forever.
She whispered a question. "But how do you recognize each other? You're all wearing the same masks."
"You might not recognize us, but we recognize everyone."
"That's amazing."
Looking closer, the masks did seem to have slight differences. Some had unique patterns, while others were accented with various colors.
After walking for a good while, they reached his residence. Entering the Smiling Demon's room, the Pavilion Master was stunned. She hadn't expected a room with nothing but bare white walls on all sides.
She placed a hand on a wall and spoke. "This room is so... clean."
"It will be uncomfortable for you to stay here."
She was a woman who could endure anything as long as she was with him, but seeing a room without a single piece of furniture made her heart ache.
"Do you sleep here?"
He nodded.
"But there's no bed?"
"The only time I sleep lying down is when I go to the Heavenly Flower Pavilion."
"Ah!"
He was a man who loved to lie with his head in her lap. To think he lived in a place like this when he was at the Cult... She had assumed he would sleep in a grand, luxurious bed.
Then, the Smiling Demon spoke unexpectedly.
"Why don't you take this opportunity to truly achieve your dream?"
The Pavilion Master was taken aback. Her dream was to become the Empress of the Night—to establish her pavilions throughout the entire Central Plains.
"Now that Yeo Bul-gae is dead and there is a power vacuum, this is your chance."
He was implying that he would back her. It was a golden opportunity, and she was not a woman to let such a chance slip by.
"Yes, I'll give it a try."
The two looked at each other and nodded. She knew that when it came to business, the Smiling Demon was thorough and rational. Her achieving her dream would also be a great help to him. To rule the night was to rule information; secrets tended to lose their power in the presence of wine and beautiful women.
This time, she asked about a line drawn on the wall.
"What is that line over there?"
It was the line he had drawn with Geom Mu-geuk. Since it was the only thing that stood out in the white room, she had been curious from the start.
"It is the line of my life."
It was an answer she couldn't truly understand, but the look in his eyes as he gazed at the mark was more content than ever.
The Pavilion Master stood beside him and leaned her head on his shoulder.
"That must be why it was drawn so magnificently."
*
When I returned to my quarters, Lee An was waiting in the yard.
"What are you doing here?"
"What do you think? I was waiting for my sleepyhead Young Master."
"How did you know when I'd be back?"
"I was planning to wait until you showed up, no matter how long it took."
I had heard from the Demon Doctor that she had come and cried her eyes out while I was asleep in the infirmary. Her face made it obvious how much she had worried.
"Have you been skipping meals? Your face looks gaunt."
Moreover, her eyes were swollen, as if she had cried again recently.
"I thought you were getting prettier, but you've turned back into an ugly duckling."
"I got along just fine even when I was a hundred times uglier than this."
"Let's go. I'll buy you something delicious. Today, the two of us are going to clean out the Pungryu Tavern!"
"I have something to tell you."
"Tell me on the way. I'm hungry."
As I took the lead, Lee An followed behind. Trotting after me like a shadow, she suddenly blurted out, "Take me with you from now on. I'm going to be your guard again."
I kept walking as I answered. "Sure."
"I'm not joking. I'm serious."
"I know."
Because I answered so readily, Lee An scurried forward to peer into my face. "Really?"
"Yeah."
Just as she was about to jump for joy, she paused and asked suspiciously, "There's a condition, isn't there?"
"Naturally."
"What is it?"
"You can be my guard once you achieve Twelve-Star Great Achievement in the Flying Heaven Sword Technique."
Lee An's face fell. "I haven't even reached regular Great Achievement yet. When am I supposed to reach the Twelve-Star stage? I might not even manage it before I die of old age."
"Otherwise, I'll just end up having to carry you back too, won't I?"
"!"
Knowing exactly what that implied, she couldn't keep being stubborn. If a situation arose where even the Smiling Demon was on the brink of death, she wouldn't be of any help unless she reached that level of mastery.
"Stop getting stronger!" she huffed.
"The correct answer is: 'I will become even stronger!' My dear Ghost Shadow Squad Leader."
With that, we arrived at the Pungryu Tavern in Ma Clan Village.
"Pavilion Master, it has been a long time!" Jo Chun-bae welcomed me, looking exactly the same as always.
"Innkeeper, have you been well?"
"Always the same for me. I heard you've been very busy lately."
"Even in the midst of all that business, I was dying for a taste of your cooking. Give me everything I like."
Leaving Jo Chun-bae as he headed to the kitchen with an excited stride, we went up to our usual spot on the second floor.
"Did you know? The innkeeper always keeps this table empty."
"For us?"
"Yes. So that we can sit here whenever we come."
"We only come once in a while; why go that far? He'll lose money."
"No, word got out that this is the seat where the Cult Leader and the Demon Lords sat. Business is actually better because of the customers who come just to see it." Lee An lowered her voice and added, "Do you think the innkeeper planned it?"
"He's a seasoned veteran, so he might have."
I laughed along with Lee An. The way she looked when she was worried and the way she looked when she laughed brightly were so different they could belong to two different people. In any case, seeing her smiling face made it feel real that I had finally returned to the Cult.
"How is the Ghost Shadow Squad coming along?"
"Lord Blue Face is meeting with a few people. He said there are some trustworthy individuals. Things are moving along so smoothly that I'm actually worried."
"About what?"
"I'm the Squad Leader, but I've hardly ever met people. The only person I really know is you, Young Master. Can someone like me really do a good job as a leader?"
"You've dealt with me; who else could you possibly fail to handle?"
"Ah, I guess that's one way to look at it."
Just then, Jo Chun-bae came up with wine and snacks.
"Innkeeper, have a drink with me for the first time in a while."
"Oh no, please, you two go ahead and talk."
As always, Jo Chun-bae declined, but I caught his sleeve and made him sit. "Just have one."
"Oh dear, I shouldn't... Thank you, Pavilion Master." Jo Chun-bae accepted the drink.
"So this place has become a landmark?"
"That's just how it turned out. It's all thanks to you, Pavilion Master."
"Next time my father or the Demon Lords come, I'll ask them to leave some traces of their martial arts on the walls."
"Traces of martial arts?"
"Shouldn't there be something for the people who come to see? Next to the mark my father leaves, Lord Smiling Demon could pierce a hole with his Blood Calamity Finger. And we could ask Elder Blade Demon to write a poem on this table."
Jo Chun-bae waved his hands frantically. "How could I ask such noble people for such favors? And if I did, I wouldn't be able to sleep for fear that someone might tear out the wall or damage the table. Now then, please enjoy your meal."
Jo Chun-bae hurried back downstairs. Though he said it was nonsense, his expression was full of delight, as if the mere thought made him happy.
I spoke softly to Lee An. "If you're ever unsure about human relationships, asking the innkeeper here will help."
There was likely no one who understood people better than Jo Chun-bae, who had lived his life dealing with every sort of character.
"I'll do that."
I drank wine and ate with Lee An. The taste of Jo Chun-bae's cooking, which I hadn't had in a long time, was a flavor I had missed dearly.
"Leave the Cult with Blue Face. Go and meet Strategist Go and the Pungcheon Cult Leader. Bring back some warriors to join the Ghost Shadow Squad."
It was time to let her out of the greenhouse.
"And soon, my father will select his successor."
Lee An was startled. She knew better than anyone how important this event was and how much thought I was putting into it.
"Do you have a plan?"
"I have something in mind. I don't know if it will go exactly as intended, though."
"What kind of plan is it?"
"If I had to give it a name..." I spoke as I emptied my glass. "I suppose it would be the 'Great Golden Operation'."