Chapter 304: What Gave You the Confidence to Risk Your Life?
Chapter 304: What Gave You the Confidence to Risk Your Life?
I walked through the inner court alongside Cheong-seon.
"As I’ve mentioned before, Young Cult Leader, I believe I owe my position as a Demon Lord entirely to you."
"I appreciate the sentiment, but you sit in the seat of the Soul-Seizing Demon Lord because of your own merit."
"That must be why I came to see you today. Because you are someone who trusts me like this."
Once we reached a secluded area, I turned to face her.
"What is the matter?"
Cheong-seon struggled to find the words. Though she had summoned the courage to seek me out, they seemed to stick in her throat.
Was it a problem with her martial arts?
The Pungcheon Cult Leader had been her teacher, but since he was currently away, she might have hit a wall in her training.
Or perhaps... could it be?
The name of a certain person associated with her came to mind.
After a long hesitation, she finally spoke. I had hoped it was the former, but her concern was indeed the latter.
"There is a man I was involved with before I became a Demon Lord. Sa U-jong of the Northern Heavenly Sword House."
I already knew of their history. In the past, I had even used that knowledge to send her to the Pungcheon Cult Leader.
In my previous life, Sa U-jong had died while attempting to assassinate the One Flower Sword Venerable under the influence of a soul-seizing technique. After his death, it was revealed that he had harbored a twisted love for the Sword Venerable, but the identity of the person who had cast the technique on him was never discovered. Now, of course, I knew that person was Cheong-seon.
"After I ascended to the position of Demon Lord, I ended things. Yet, he couldn't let go and kept lingering around me. After some time passed, I thought he had moved on, but he suddenly reappeared recently. He threatened to expose everything that happened while we were together if I didn't start seeing him again."
Sa U-jong—a pathetic man who chose blackmail over trying to succeed on his own.
"Does it matter? Those things happened before you became a Demon Lord."
But the blackmail didn't stop there.
"In the past, at his request, I stole my senior's fan. He is threatening to expose that as well."
At that time, the previous Soul-Seizing Demon Lord had been periodically performing the Heart-Soul Great Law, which involved ripping out human hearts to absorb their life energy.
The person who had informed me of that atrocity was Sa U-jong. Of course, he hadn't done it out of the goodness of his heart; his goal had been to use the Soul-Seizing Demon Lord to keep me in check.
A corpse sacrificed to the Heart-Soul Great Law had been discovered, and alongside it was a fan belonging to a disciple of the Soul-Seizing Demon Lord. The person who had stolen that fan was Cheong-seon, acting on Sa U-jong's request.
Regardless of his intentions, Sa U-jong had helped stop the Soul-Seizing Demon Lord’s crimes, and I had spared him simply because I couldn't kill him just for involving the Demon Lord. Now, he had resurfaced.
"If that comes to light, it will tarnish my reputation."
If she were a fully established Demon Lord, she wouldn't be worrying about this. But because she was still in the process of seizing control of her organization and consolidating her power, she took the matter seriously.
"To be honest..."
Ghostly Qi flickered in her eyes. She did not hide her murderous intent.
"I considered getting rid of him."
"Why didn't you?"
Sa U-jong’s swordsmanship was formidable, but he was no match for the soul-seizing techniques of a woman who had become a Demon Lord. She could have easily lured him away and silenced him forever without anyone knowing.
"There are two reasons. First, I had a suspicion. He is a very cautious and suspicious man by nature, so why would he make such a reckless threat? He must know I could kill him to keep him quiet."
That was indeed strange. The Sa U-jong I knew was a careful man who never revealed his hand. When such a man does something reckless, there is always a hidden motive.
"The second reason was something he let slip. He said, 'Everyone has a weakness. Do you think the Sword Venerable doesn't have one?' The moment I heard that, I felt it. This man holds leverage over the One Flower Sword Venerable as well. Having served her for so long, he’s certainly capable of finding something. That’s when I realized this wasn't a matter for me to handle alone. I couldn't just kill him. And the person who came to mind then was you, Young Cult Leader."
I looked at her and smiled. She had passed the test. Earlier, while talking to the Fist Demon, I had thought that each Demon Lord possessed their own brand of brilliance and meticulousness. This was exactly it.
She must have known instinctively that she shouldn't act unilaterally and should inform me instead. Both reasons she gave were warnings to herself not to be swayed by momentary emotions.
Her instinct also told her that this was the way to grow closer to me. Her instincts were working perfectly.
"You made the right judgment. I will handle the rest."
The tension left Cheong-seon’s face. Considering my track record, she would be able to sleep soundly from now on. She deserved that much of a reward for making the smart choice.
Before we parted, I left her with one final word.
"You likely know that the Demon Lords the Orthodox and Unorthodox factions fear most are the Soul-Seizing Demon Lord and the Poison King. I hope that tradition of fear continues."
Cheong-seon bowed deeply in a respectful, silent farewell before departing. That pride would be the greatest motivation for her efforts.
After parting with her, I headed in the opposite direction.
Was it a simple bluff? Or did he truly know the Sword Venerable's weakness? If there was a weakness, what could it be?
A chill settled in my chest. Those who held someone's weakness over them to achieve their goals were the worst of the worst.
I headed straight for the Northern Heavenly Sword House.
*
"The Sword Venerable is currently not seeing anyone."
The Demon Sword guarding the entrance spoke cautiously at my arrival. It seemed she was focusing entirely on her martial arts training, just as the Blood Heaven Blade Demon had said.
"Just let her know I am here."
"Yes, please wait a moment."
The guard hurried inside.
As I stood there, I happened to see Sa U-jong walking across the training ground. Upon seeing me, he bowed his head politely.
"My greetings are late. Congratulations on becoming the Young Cult Leader."
"It has been a while, Warrior Sa."
He appeared exactly as he always did. It used to be his role to attend to those visiting the One Flower Sword Venerable. But now, he had been pushed out of the number two spot and was just an ordinary member of the Demon Sword Squad.
He bowed politely again and continued on his way. Who would have guessed? That while treating people so nonchalantly, he was blackmailing the Soul-Seizing Demon Lord behind their backs. I had let it slide last time, but this time would be different.
Just then, the guard who had gone to report to the One Flower Sword Venerable returned.
"She says you may enter."
To know how hard someone is working, you only need to look at how they spend their spare moments. A truly dedicated person never wastes the time that others carelessly let slip away.
Just as I practiced the Heavenly Demon Body Protection Art whenever I had a chance to sit down, the One Flower Sword Venerable was the same.
She was swinging her sword in the front yard of her residence. She had been practicing her swordsmanship in the brief interval between receiving the report and my arrival, unwilling to waste even a few minutes.
The weight behind her blade was fundamentally different than before.
Everyone really is getting stronger.
However, it wasn't her martial progress that truly surprised me.
Her face was completely devoid of makeup. I had heard about it from the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, but I hadn't expected her to be completely bare-faced.
She looked like a different person. It wasn't that she looked unattractive; the aura she gave off was entirely different.
Sensing my surprise, a faint blush of embarrassment touched her features.
"This is the first time I've shown my unadorned face to another."
I could tell.
She wasn't just showing me a face without makeup. She was showing me her will. She was no longer the Sword Venerable obsessed with her past beauty. Look at my resolve, she seemed to say. The resolve that allows me to face you even after washing away my vanity.
"To see your bare face, Senior! It is an honor."
When I marveled with a deliberately exaggerated tone, the One Flower Sword Venerable gave a faint smile.
"What honor? I look haggard and old."
"On the contrary, you look even more beautiful."
"Don't say such empty words."
"It’s not just flattery; you truly are more beautiful. To the point where I wonder why you wore such heavy makeup until now."
When I pushed that far, she asked tentatively.
"Do you mean that sincerely?"
"Has no one told you that before?"
"Because I haven't shown it to anyone."
It seemed she had lived for a very long time believing that being made up was the only way to be beautiful.
"You are much more charming as you are now. You look clean and elegant."
"What about these wrinkles?"
"They are as beautiful as the sword lines your blade created just moments ago."
The Sword Venerable let out a pleasant laugh.
"As expected! You are the only one who can make me feel this good, Young Cult Leader."
"I am only speaking the truth."
No matter how much she made herself up, could she ever match the youthful beauty of Lee An or Jin Ha-ryeong? But compared to other middle-aged women, even without makeup, the Sword Venerable was overwhelmingly beautiful. In that demographic, she was the equivalent of Lee An and Jin Ha-ryeong.
"I’ve felt this for a long time, but you really are tireless. Even for you, taking care of so many people must be exhausting. How can you still say such pleasant things?"
"It’s because I’m a flatterer."
She shook her head and stared at me intently.
"Only someone with high self-esteem can sincerely praise another. I envy that self-esteem of yours."
Based on her appearance and aura, one would think she had the highest self-esteem among the Demon Lords. But in moments like this, it seemed to be at rock bottom.
"I believe that becoming close with the Demon Lords is the path to becoming stronger myself. I consider every word I speak to be the same as swinging my sword. I sometimes train until my arms feel like they’ll fall off; compared to that, this is easy."
"Isn't dealing with people harder?"
"Are you saying your training intensity is too low, Senior?"
"Ah! I suppose my training hasn't been rigorous enough."
We laughed together. You're right, dealing with people is ten times harder.
"Senior, there is something I need to tell you."
"Go ahead."
"Sa U-jong is..."
A flicker of discomfort crossed her face at the mention of his name.
"...causing trouble."
Regardless of how I handled Sa U-jong, I had to report to her beforehand. I didn't mention her weakness, nor did I mention the Soul-Seizing Demon Lord's involvement.
"Please don't ask for details, and leave him to me."
The One Flower Sword Venerable nodded silently.
Part of me wanted to just deal with Sa U-jong immediately without telling her. But that wouldn't do. Sa U-jong was a despicable man, but he wasn't a stupid one.
Sa U-jong, what on earth gave you the confidence to risk your life?
*
"Number Three, if you want to bloom, you must wait until spring arrives."
Seo Dae-ryong sighed as he looked at a flowerpot that had once been Number Two but was now Number Three.
"No, spring will never come for us."
Since becoming the Huangquan Pavilion Master, his days had been a whirlwind of busyness.
His desk was piled high with work. As a Pavilion Master, there were many tasks to handle and many people to meet. He had thought that becoming the Huangquan Pavilion Master would allow him to change the world with his own hands. Surprisingly, the world continued to flow on, unchanged.
"God, I hate working so much."
You know those days? Days when you just don't want to work for no reason. Days when you find yourself constantly staring out the window.
He thumped his head against the desk.
Even when Geom Mu-geuk was the Huangquan Pavilion Master and he was assisting him, the workload had been similar. He had handled most of it back then, too.
But once the work was officially his own, the pressure was different. Even the same tasks felt more exhausting.
"It was better when I was out on missions with the Young Cult Leader."
In particular, the moment he won the Young Dragon Tournament was truly unforgettable. The cheers echoing from the arena! The moment of glory he had bragged about so much to Lee An and Jang Ho that he couldn't even bring it up anymore!
"Ah! I want to go back! To those days!"
Just then, the door swung open.
Seo Dae-ryong, who had been slumped over his desk, bolted upright with lightning speed, straightened his back, and asked in a low, authoritative voice.
"What is the matter that you enter with such haste?"
Then, a welcome voice reached his ears.
"If you go back to those days, who will change the Cult, Pavilion Master?"
Seo Dae-ryong jumped to his feet and shouted joyfully.
"Young Cult Leader!"
Geom Mu-geuk stood at the door, smiling.
"Is it hard?"
Seo Dae-ryong put on a mock-tearful face. "It’s hard."
It was the first time since becoming the Huangquan Pavilion Master that he had spoken so comfortably about his struggles. Who would have thought the person he’d say it to would be the most difficult person in the Cult after the Heavenly Demon?
"I entrusted it to you because it’s hard. Otherwise, I would have kept doing it myself."
"That’s too much!"
Shouting for the first time in a long while, Seo Dae-ryong felt a surge of happiness. He realized something: he had truly missed Geom Mu-geuk. Being the Huangquan Pavilion Master was good, being the Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s disciple was good—it was all good—but he had missed Geom Mu-geuk most of all.
"If it’s that hard, let’s trade jobs."
"With you, Young Cult Leader?"
"Right. Let me tell you what you’ll have to do. You’ll go meet the Drunken Demon and listen to his troubles, check if my brother and the Demon Buddha are doing well, meet the Poison King to dig up poisonous herbs... You’ll have to play Go with my father. And you’ll have to practice martial arts all night long."
He had missed this Geom Mu-geuk—the man who would joke around like this regardless of his status.
"Suddenly, my job feels very easy. I’m going to hold on until I die, collecting my monthly salary. I’ve put down roots here."
Geom Mu-geuk’s comfort didn't end with jokes. He looked Seo Dae-ryong straight in the eye and spoke softly.
"You’re doing a great job, my right arm."
Hearing the words "right arm" for the first time in a long while made Seo Dae-ryong choke up. He had been so busy he had even forgotten he was Geom Mu-geuk’s right arm. Yes, that one sentence—that his hard work was recognized—was enough. If there was someone who acknowledged his struggles, how could he not work even harder?
Recognition was necessary. If no one acknowledges it, even picking up trash on the street becomes a grueling task. Seo Dae-ryong was learning through personal experience how he should treat his own subordinates in the future.
"Hard work? My life is probably someone else's dream. I have to work hard. I’ll work myself to death! Spring has arrived with the Young Cult Leader. I’ll make the flowers bloom in my heart!"
After his spirited declaration, Seo Dae-ryong asked, "But what brings you to the Huangquan Pavilion?"
In the past, Geom Mu-geuk would have said, "Let’s do a job together," but today, he properly upheld Seo Dae-ryong’s authority.
Geom Mu-geuk spoke with a face more serious than ever before.
"I have a request for Pavilion Master Seo. Let us go catch a vile villain together."