Chapter 438: The Cult Leader’s War Has Begun
Chapter 438: The Cult Leader’s War Has Begun
“Therefore, even if the Murim becomes a sea of blood, I will follow the Cult Leader’s Demonic Path.”
I could tell the Fist Demon was speaking from the depths of his soul.
Yes, this was exactly the kind of man he was.
His loyalty was immune to persuasion or conciliation. No threat could shake him, and no personal relationship could compromise his resolve. He was a man who, once he pledged his life to someone, followed them to the bitter end.
Of course, I didn’t believe those words represented his true desires.
How could he possibly want to turn the Murim into a sea of blood and slaughter the masses? While such a craving might be hidden in the blood of the Extreme Evil Smiling Demon, I knew well that the Fist Demon was not that kind of man.
Suddenly, an image of the Extreme Evil Smiling Demon standing side-by-side with the Fist Demon flickered in my mind. The two of them faced each other.
Both were projecting a will that ran contrary to their own personal desires.
One acted out of loyalty to me. The other out of loyalty to my father.
If their fates had been swapped, they would be saying the exact opposite. Was it because they lacked conviction? Not at all. It was because they were passionate men capable of suppressing their own nature for the sake of the one they served.
Because of that, I felt a renewed sense of gratitude toward the Smiling Demon. Seeing the Fist Demon made me realize once again just how much of a pillar of support the Smiling Demon had been for me.
And I was grateful to the Fist Demon as well—for protecting my father with such unwavering loyalty.
“I understand, Master,” I replied politely.
There was no need to argue over what was right or wrong. Not for my father, not for the Fist Demon, and not for me. For all of us, these were desires and values forged over many long years.
And then there were his words: I respect your Demonic Path.
That was enough.
“Thank you, Master.”
Was it because I had backed down gracefully, or because my gratitude was sincere? After staring at me in silence for a moment, he spoke abruptly.
“Do you think the Cult Leader is preparing for war?”
The question made me flinch. It felt like a prelude to something significant.
“Is he not?”
Then, the most shocking words I had heard since our meeting today flowed from the Fist Demon’s mouth.
“The Cult Leader has already started the war.”
“!”
I stared at the Fist Demon in shock, but he simply turned and walked away with long strides. Watching his broad back, I felt my heart begin to race.
My father’s war had already begun?
*
After leaving the Eastern Fist Sect, Geom Mu-geuk headed toward the Ma Clan Village. He felt like having a drink, and he also wanted to see Jo Chun-bae.
“Young Cult Leader!”
Truly, Jo Chun-bae’s joy at seeing Geom Mu-geuk was second to none of the Demon Lords.
“Have you been well, Innkeeper?”
“I’ve been doing very well, thanks to you.”
The customers drinking on the first floor of the tavern stood up in unison and bowed to Geom Mu-geuk.
The people of the Ma Clan Village liked Geom Mu-geuk. Ever since he established a branch of the Huangquan Pavilion in this marketplace and began frequently visiting the Pungryu Tavern, public order here had become superior to any other village in the Murim.
No one would believe it—the fact that the number of outrages or crimes committed by martial artists in front of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult’s headquarters was lower than those committed in front of the Murim Alliance’s headquarters.
Geom Mu-geuk sat in his usual spot on the second floor. Jo Chun-bae followed him up, bringing wine and a few simple snacks for now.
“How has business been lately? Have you been swamped with customers?”
After the Three-Party Summit, the Pungryu Tavern had become the most famous tavern in the Murim. It became legendary just for being the site of the meeting, but its reputation grew even further due to the rumors that the Heavenly Demon, the Murim Alliance Leader, and the Unorthodox Path Alliance Leader had left inscriptions there.
I had expected the front of the Pungryu Tavern to be teeming with crowds, but...
“Occasionally, customers come just to look at the wall, but it hasn’t been enough to disrupt business.”
It seemed the irrepressible curiosity of martial artists couldn't quite overcome the high wall of fear that came with being right in front of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult’s headquarters. There were no martial artists from the Orthodox or Unorthodox factions at all; Jo Chun-bae said that most of the occasional customers were either demonic practitioners or their families.
Then again, the people who left the inscriptions were so formidable that it might actually inspire anxiety. Who wouldn't worry that while they were just sightseeing, a demonic practitioner sitting nearby might suddenly jump up and shout, ‘How dare you look at that with such irreverent eyes? I’ll pluck your eyeballs out!’?
“Perhaps people will be lining up later.”
Once the people who left those words were all dead, only then would this place truly become a landmark. Just as a painting becomes a masterpiece after the artist passes away.
“I won’t be around by then, either,” Jo Chun-bae let out a feigned sigh, but his expression was bright.
He was a man who lived happily, boasting about the inscriptions on the wall and the summit to his drunken patrons at least once a day. Because he was happy, he felt like he was getting younger. Jo Chun-bae was practically undergoing rejuvenation because of that wall.
As Jo Chun-bae went downstairs to prepare the food, Geom Mu-geuk drank alone. His gaze naturally drifted toward the words left on the wall.
Jin Pae-cheon, Leader of the Murim Alliance, saw a new Demonic Path here.
The image of the Alliance Leader leaving those words came to mind. And the words left beneath them:
Baek Ja-gang, Leader of the Unorthodox Path Alliance, saw his disciple’s dance at the Pungryu Tavern.
Baek Ja-gang’s face also surfaced in his memory. He remembered the moment he had danced with him that day.
But if war broke out, the events of that day would be remembered as a cunning trick by the Demonic Cult. They would think the Three-Party Summit had been held merely to lull them into a false sense of security.
At that moment, the words the Fist Demon had spoken echoed in his mind.
— The Cult Leader has already started the war.
What did he mean by starting a war? Was it against the Orthodox or Unorthodox factions? Or did he mean the mastermind behind the recent incidents?
Both were possibilities. One was his father’s dream, and the other had wounded his father’s pride. However, if such movements were taking place, Go Wol should have noticed.
Did it mean they were moving so secretly that even Go Wol’s eyes were deceived? If not that... then who exactly was the target?
This was a question he couldn't even ask his father. The Fist Demon had told him specifically for his sake.
As he sat lost in thought, nursing a few cups of wine, Jo Chun-bae brought out the food.
“Innkeeper, it’s been a while. Have a drink with me.”
“Oh my, I accept this precious drink.”
Jo Chun-bae accepted the wine from Geom Mu-geuk with an expression and gesture of deep humility. One of Jo Chun-bae’s virtues was that he never acted overfamiliar just because they had become close. He knew that mistakes were always made when one let their guard down due to intimacy. He understood that slips of the tongue caused by clumsy jokes ultimately stemmed from the thought that one had become too close.
Because he knew this, he always maintained a consistent attitude. Even if he were offered a drink on his deathbed, he was the type of man who would accept it with humble gratitude. That was why people wanted to treat him even better.
“Drinking wine given by the Young Cult Leader after all this time makes it taste so much better.”
“Give me a cup as well.”
As Jo Chun-bae filled Geom Mu-geuk’s cup, he asked cautiously, “Is something troubling you, perhaps?”
“Do I look troubled?”
Jo Chun-bae nodded slightly. After all, he had been in the wine business for years; how could he not know? Just as martial artists could tell someone's skill just by the way they held a weapon, he could guess someone's emotional state just by the way they held a wine cup.
“I have many worries because I am standing against my father.”
At that, a low exclamation of "Oh dear" escaped Jo Chun-bae’s lips.
“I shouldn't have asked, should I?”
“I didn't hear a thing.”
Geom Mu-geuk poured another drink for the man, who was shaking his head and waving his hands in dismissal.
“Still, I believe you are on my side, Innkeeper.”
Jo Chun-bae let out another groan of distress as he accepted the wine. By being close to Geom Mu-geuk, he was now experiencing what it was like to stand on the side opposing the Heavenly Demon.
Usually, he would get up after just one drink, but today, he accepted one more.
“Do you remember what happened back then?”
“What are you referring to?”
“When those noble people left their inscriptions on that wall, I was very worried.”
He had worried about what he would do if the wall was damaged, or if someone stole it. It was a worry that truly kept him from sleeping.
“I’ve been living with a peaceful mind thanks to the advice you gave me then, Young Cult Leader.”
To the anxious Jo Chun-bae, Geom Mu-geuk had given this advice:
— If someone, for whatever reason, damages the wall and disappears at some point in the future, that too will become a moment in history. Perhaps it might even make for a more interesting history.
That had been a huge help to Jo Chun-bae. If those words hadn't been said, he might have collapsed from a nervous breakdown.
The things that make a person anxious, or the things that put them at ease, aren't always grand. Sometimes, a single word tossed out casually can make someone stay up all night. That one word can become a lingering wound in the heart, tormenting a person.
But he had learned this time that the opposite was also true.
It would be more interesting if the wall disappeared!
Surprisingly, those words had triumphed over his anxiety. Since humans are creatures who can be wounded by a single word, he experienced firsthand that they can also be healed by a single word.
“Those words erased my worries like magic. Now, I even find myself having extreme thoughts, like wondering why no one has tried to steal that wall yet.”
This was what Jo Chun-bae wanted to say:
“The things I worried about didn't happen easily. To the point where I wonder why I worried so much. So, please don't agonize too much. Everything will turn out well, Young Cult Leader.”
He added his own touch to the sentiment.
“Please wait just a moment. I will prepare a special dish just for you!”
Watching him head down to the first floor, Geom Mu-geuk felt his heart grow calm. There was a sense of security that the Pungryu Tavern—and Jo Chun-bae—provided. That was why this place felt like a world within a Space-Time Displacement Technique, separate from reality.
As he continued to drink, someone else entered the Pungryu Tavern. The person who came up to the second floor with a great blade strapped to his back was none other than Seo Dae-ryong.
“Strangely, I had a feeling you’d be here.”
“What brings you here at this hour? What about your evening training?”
“I decided to take the day off.”
“Because of me?”
“Pardon? What do you mean by that?”
For a moment, Mu-geuk wondered if Seo Dae-ryong had heard about the situation from the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, but that wasn't it.
“My master said he was going to Daecheon Mountain and told me to rest today.”
“Why Daecheon Mountain?”
“He didn't say why.” Seo Dae-ryong added playfully, “The Young Cult Leader, who knows everything under heaven, surely knows the reason.”
“Of course I know.”
He had said it as a joke, but when Mu-geuk claimed to know, Seo Dae-ryong’s eyes widened.
“You do? Why did he go to Daecheon Mountain?”
“He went to clear his troubled mind.”
The view of the stars pouring down from the summit of Daecheon Mountain was truly a spectacle. He was likely standing there, sorting out his thoughts regarding my father and me.
“Why is he troubled?”
“Because I made him troubled.”
Since it involved the Young Cult Leader and his master—the two people closest to him—Seo Dae-ryong naturally became serious.
“What on earth is going on?”
“Right, you’re my right hand, so you should know the situation.”
Geom Mu-geuk explained the current circumstances to Seo Dae-ryong. After hearing the whole story, Seo Dae-ryong spoke with strength in his eyes.
“I wish I had a vote in this decision as well.”
“Then it wouldn't be one against two, but one against three?”
“You’re as quick-witted as ever.”
He spoke jokingly, but Seo Dae-ryong knew for certain: if such a situation truly came to pass, he would support the Young Cult Leader. Even knowing that defying the Cult Leader meant risking his life, he felt he would still support Geom Mu-geuk.
He felt a sense of relief rather than shock at his own resolve.
While the relationship between Geom Mu-geuk and the Demon Lords was one of equals, his was different. Geom Mu-geuk had turned a mere investigator into the Huangquan Pavilion Master and had enabled him to become the disciple of the Blood Heaven Blade Demon. No, setting all that aside, he had led Seo Dae-ryong out of a world of gloom and dissatisfaction and into a world of light.
That was the kind of man Geom Mu-geuk was.
‘No matter what, you can't defy the Cult Leader, can you?’
He felt relieved that he wasn't the kind of person who would say such cowardly words.
“Since it’s such an important matter, we should hold a secret ballot!”
He felt proud of himself for being able to make such a joke without hesitation.
“So, who are you going to visit next?”
The remaining Demon Lords were the One Flower Sword Venerable, the Demon Buddha, the Soul-Seizing Demon Lord, and the Poison King. Seo Dae-ryong couldn't guess who would take the Young Cult Leader’s side.
“I tried to move a cliff, but it didn't budge an inch,” Geom Mu-geuk said as he took a drink. “I suppose I’ll have to climb the cliff and pick some poisonous herbs instead.”
*
There are many ways to win someone over to your side. You can persuade them with logic, move them with sincerity, or simply subjugate them with force. Or, you can draw them in through negotiation, giving what needs to be given and taking what needs to be taken.
And now, I had come to meet a person for whom none of those methods would easily work.
When I arrived at the Thousand Poison Forest, it wasn't Sangseon who usually greeted me, but a different Poison Human.
“Young Cult Leader, Sangseon has entrusted the guidance to me. Please, follow me.”
I walked through the Thousand Poison Forest behind him. Venomous snakes flickered their tongues from tree branches, and poisonous insects made eerie rustling sounds amidst the thick piles of fallen leaves below.
It’s been a long time since I’ve been here.
I asked the guiding Poison Human, “Does the Demon Buddha still visit often?”
“Yes, I understand he comes frequently to gather medicinal herbs.”
The Poison King and the Demon Buddha. In terms of both appearance and personality, they were a truly mismatched pair. Yet, the bond formed when the three of us gathered herbs together had evolved into a friendship between the two of them.
Between the Poison King and the Demon Buddha, the latter was easier to predict. He was my brother’s man, through and through. Above all, my brother’s opinion would influence him, and unfortunately, there was no way my brother would defy my father’s will. Though I couldn't be certain, it was highly likely the Demon Buddha would also follow my father.
Even if it weren't for my brother, the Demon Buddha was a man of great ambition. He was the type to favor war over peace.
In that case, I absolutely had to win the Poison King over to my side.
After walking for a long time, I arrived at the Poison King’s residence. Sangseon was standing in front of the dwelling.
Why did he send a subordinate when he’s just standing here doing nothing?
That question was quickly answered.
“I believe you will have to wait a moment.”
“Is the Poison King in the middle of manufacturing an important poison?”
“No.”
An entirely unexpected answer came from Sangseon.
“The Cult Leader is currently inside.”