Chapter 723: Don't Try to Bear It Alone
Chapter 723: Don't Try to Bear It Alone
The date for Seo Dae-ryong’s wedding was finally set.
Though he had initially insisted on choosing it himself, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon spent a great deal of time agonizing over the perfect day. Worried he might have miscalculated, he even consulted the Pungcheon Cult Leader and the Chief Strategist to have the date double-checked.
Because the chosen day was fast approaching, Seo Dae-ryong and Dan-ah threw themselves into a whirlwind of wedding preparations.
In the meantime, Geom Mu-geuk went to find the Fist Demon.
While he could afford to delay meeting the other Demon Lords, the Fist Demon was his master before he was a peer. Given their relationship, the Fist Demon would have been well within his rights to scold him, saying, "You should have come to me first, not the Blood Heaven Blade Demon!"
But that wasn't his nature. He was the kind of man who wouldn't utter a single word of reproach even if Mu-geuk visited him last every single time. He was like a towering, unyielding cliff—one that Mu-geuk had once spent his life trying to overcome.
And now, Mu-geuk was a man who had surpassed even that cliff.
The Fist Demon was sitting in meditation at the base of that very cliff, his legs crossed in a lotus position. Geom Mu-geuk quietly sat down beside him, mirroring the posture.
He almost instinctively began to circulate his mental method but caught himself. Come to think of it, it had been a long time since he had practiced simple meditation. Whenever he sat like this, he was usually training his internal arts or the Heavenly Demon Body Protection Art. He had always strived not to waste a single moment.
Right, let’s take it easy for a while.
He simply kept his eyes closed. He didn't even focus on his breathing; he just let his mind go blank. Various thoughts drifted in and out of his consciousness. He thought of his brother, the Pungcheon Cult Leader, and Go Wol. He thought of the other Demon Lords.
I should go see them soon. They’ll be disappointed if I’m too late.
Even as he felt that flicker of impatience, he settled his mind, remembering the Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s warning: That impatience is exactly what you must avoid!
How much time had passed?
"Mu-geuk."
At the sound of the Fist Demon’s voice, Geom Mu-geuk opened his eyes. For some reason, the tone sounded different than usual, causing a surge of internal tension to ripple through him.
"Yes, Master."
Mu-geuk looked at the Fist Demon. The master, who had been staring at the cliff, turned to meet his gaze. What was he planning to say, to look at him with such deep, searching eyes?
Finally, words Mu-geuk hadn't expected flowed from the Fist Demon’s lips.
"Never take such a risk again."
Only then did Mu-geuk realize. His master had heard about Lee An stabbing him in the heart.
The words 'I had no choice' hovered at the tip of his tongue, but Mu-geuk didn't voice them. A man like the Fist Demon, who had traversed the Murim alongside Mu-geuk's father since his youth, wouldn't say such a thing out of ignorance. By nature, the Fist Demon wasn't one to tell someone to avoid risks; he was the type to tell you never to back down.
"I understand, Master."
Indeed, it hadn't been unavoidable. He could have evaded the prophecy. When the Heavenly Flower Pavilion Master spoke the omen, he could have simply returned to the Main Cult. But because he was the kind of person who dove headfirst into destiny rather than fleeing it, the prophecy had come to pass.
"From now on, your affairs do not belong to you alone."
Mu-geuk understood the heavy meaning behind those words. He thought of the countless people he was connected to and the mountain of sorrow his death would create. But the reason the Fist Demon brought this up now was likely with one specific grief in mind.
His father’s sorrow.
The Fist Demon knew the Heavenly Demon better than anyone. Therefore, his words carried a hidden weight: If you die, the Great Demonic-Orthodox War will erupt.
Unlike the life before his regression, his father had now reached the Twelve-Star Great Achievement of the Nine Calamities Demonic Art. The Demon Lords, too, were stronger than ever before.
The wailing caused by my death would instantly become the drums of war.
Mu-geuk looked into the Fist Demon’s eyes and replied, "I will not forget the weight of my life."
The Fist Demon nodded and stood up. Mu-geuk followed suit, cracking a joke to lighten the stiff atmosphere.
"By the way, it’s a shame. You almost became the father of the world's most beautiful woman."
The Fist Demon didn't look disappointed at all. "A shame? I am already the father of the world's most beautiful woman."
The Fist Demon cherished Lee An more than if she were his own flesh and blood. Mu-geuk couldn't help but think it was a blessing that he had taken her in as his adopted daughter, but he also knew this was simply the Fist Demon’s character. Once he gave someone his heart, he gave it completely and forever.
"Master."
"What is it?"
"Please teach me the Thunder Asura Fist again."
Instead of asking for a single lesson, Mu-geuk asked to be taught from the very beginning. The Fist Demon looked puzzled.
"I have already taught you everything there is to know."
"In the time since then, you have changed, Master, and so have I. I am certain there is something new to be learned."
Both of them had grown significantly stronger since the days Mu-geuk first learned the technique. The Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s teaching was meant to distance him from the greed of achieving the Great Achievement of the Nine Calamities Demonic Art, but it didn't mean he should abandon martial arts training altogether.
In particular, the Thunder Asura Fist was a technique that had been pushed aside because of that greed—delayed by the Nine Calamities Demonic Art and the Time Heaven Secret Technique. It was a martial art that deserved far better treatment than it had received.
The Fist Demon sensed that Mu-geuk was standing at a crossroads in his martial path.
"Very well. From this moment, I shall impart the oral formulas of the Thunder Asura Fist."
The Fist Demon recited the formulas as if he were teaching them for the very first time. Though the words were the same, the feeling was entirely different from when Mu-geuk had first heard them.
After the oral transmission, they discussed the formulas in depth, dissecting specific details. They spoke candidly about the ultimate principles of martial arts they had realized in the interim. This process wasn't limited to just fist techniques; it was a profound sharing of martial knowledge.
Mu-geuk learned, and the Fist Demon learned. They taught as they learned, and learned as they taught.
Once the verbal exchange was over, the Fist Demon stripped off his upper garment. Usually, he would toss his clothes aside carelessly, but today, he folded his robe neatly and placed it to the side. Mu-geuk noticed it was a new robe; it seemed Lee An had brought more than just news of his injury.
Mu-geuk also stripped to the waist and stepped forward. The Fist Demon’s gaze flickered briefly toward the scar over Mu-geuk’s heart, but he said nothing more.
The two stood side by side and began to unleash the Thunder Asura Fist. In their last battle, the Fist Demon had shown that his fists no longer made the sound of thunder.
Rumble! CRACK!
Thus, the fists that thundered were Mu-geuk’s. The sound was louder and more powerful than ever before. Once this sound reached its peak, it would gradually diminish until, like his master’s, his fists moved in total silence.
When they finished their session, the Fist Demon wore a satisfied smile. "Finally, those baby fists of yours have some weight behind them."
With this training, Mu-geuk’s realm had clearly ascended.
"So, are they 'boy fists' now?"
"You're still a long way from having the fists of a man!"
"May I keep visiting until they become the fists of a man?"
The Fist Demon gave a silent nod.
The next day, and the day after that, Mu-geuk continued to train. He stayed at the Fist Demon’s residence and immersed himself entirely in the Thunder Asura Fist. Though he had lived his whole life working hard, this was the first time he had ever been so purely absorbed in training without a single distracting thought.
Before he knew it, even the pressure of distancing himself from the Great Achievement of the Nine Calamities Demonic Art had vanished from his mind.
*
Seo Dae-ryong and Dan-ah sat facing each other. Today was the day to discuss a sensitive yet important matter.
"This is the money I’ve saved up," Dae-ryong said.
"And this is what I’ve saved so far," Dan-ah replied.
They revealed their respective savings. They needed to buy a house and prepare for the wedding, so they had to know their total budget. Dan-ah’s savings were significantly larger than Seo Dae-ryong’s.
"I'm sorry," he muttered. The difference was so stark that the apology came out instinctively.
"What are you sorry for? You haven't been a Pavilion Master for very long. We can just save from now on. There’s a certain joy in starting small and building a life together, isn't there?"
Seo Dae-ryong stared at her money in silence.
"What's wrong?"
"I was just thinking that you risked your life to earn this money. I wonder if I can bring myself to spend it."
Dan-ah smiled. "That’s exactly why we should spend it. I’m using it for the most valuable thing in my life."
"I thought you’d scold me for only saving this much."
"Oh, the scolding starts from now on. You can't spend money recklessly like you did when you were a bachelor. Now, let’s go look at houses."
Leaving the Main Headquarters, the two of them began scouting the nearby villages. Houses close to the Main Headquarters and Ma Clan Village were very expensive, and the prices varied wildly depending on the size. With their combined funds, they would likely have to look quite far away.
However, Seo Dae-ryong seemed reluctant to leave the immediate area, lingering nearby. He stopped in front of a house in an excellent location and asked her, "What do you think of a house like this?"
"It’s quiet and clean. Not far from the headquarters. There’s a large academy over there, and a martial arts hall behind it. The street is closed to carriages... it would be a wonderful place to raise children."
"Then let's raise them well here."
"Yes. Let's save up diligently and make sure we buy this house one day."
Then, Seo Dae-ryong said something unexpected. "There's no need to buy it. It's already ours."
"What?"
"I bought this house a few years ago."
Dan-ah’s eyes widened in shock. As if to prove it, Seo Dae-ryong pulled out a key, unlocked the door, and stepped inside.
"After I became the Huangquan Pavilion Master, I mostly stayed in the Inner Court quarters, so I only come by occasionally to clean."
The house was larger and nicer than she had expected. For a house that wasn't lived in, it was remarkably well-maintained.
"When I bought this place, it wasn't nearly as expensive as it is now. Once that academy and martial arts hall moved in, the neighborhood became much more desirable."
"Still, it must have been expensive..."
Seeing her still in disbelief, Seo Dae-ryong puffed out his chest. "I was a Special Investigator even before I became the Pavilion Master. I made decent money. Of course, I had to borrow some from the bank to cover the rest."
Seo Dae-ryong had been a diligent saver. Before meeting Geom Mu-geuk, he had disliked socializing, which allowed him to avoid squandering his money on entertainment like many of his colleagues.
"I finished paying off the bank loan last year."
"So, you were keeping this a secret?"
"I'm sorry! I wanted to bring you here and surprise you."
"You know I have a bit of a temper, right?"
"Of course." Seo Dae-ryong took a step back.
"I was almost about to ask if you’d been robbed by bandits! Or if you’d spent it all on some courtesan!"
"I was prepared to take the punch if it came to that."
She was happy. And it wasn't just because of the house.
"I’m so happy we have a beautiful home. But more than that, I’m happy to know that you aren't someone who lived recklessly. I was worried about how I was going to train such an irresponsible man."
"I don't just live any old way!" Seo Dae-ryong finally boasted to her the way he always did to Geom Mu-geuk. "Believe it or not, I was the top of my class when I entered the Huangquan Pavilion."
*
Finally, the wedding day dawned.
Dan-ah was so nervous she had hardly slept. She had drifted off for a moment, but even then, she had a nightmare. She dreamed of a desolate wedding with only a handful of guests. To make matters worse, it poured rain, and even those few guests left, making it the worst wedding imaginable.
On the other hand, Seo Dae-ryong was grinning from ear to ear, looking like the happiest man alive. "Today is finally the day!"
There had been no major hurdles during the preparations. While other couples often fought or even canceled weddings during the process, Seo Dae-ryong had followed Dan-ah’s lead perfectly.
Dan-ah looked at him and said, "Promise me one thing."
"Anything."
Gazing at him steadily, Dan-ah took his hand. "No matter what happens in our life together, don't try to bear it all alone. A husband and wife walk the path together, always."
Seo Dae-ryong nodded. "I promise."
The two shared a bright smile.
"I'll see you later, then."
"See you later."
After Seo Dae-ryong left, Dan-ah looked up at the sky through the window. It was finally the moment to accept the 'contract' of marriage in her life. I will complete this mission without fail.
A short while later, visitors arrived. It was Lee An and Cha Yi-ran.
"Ah! Captain, you came yourself."
Seo Dae-ryong had officially introduced Dan-ah to Lee An and Jang Ho over a meal. That day, Lee An had told her not to worry about her makeup or wedding dress, saying she would handle it herself. And now, she had arrived as promised.
"I didn't expect you to come in person. Thank you so much for being here."
"Pavilion Master Seo is my friend. Of course I would come. Besides, I’m just the assistant today. I’ve brought a real expert."
Lee An looked at Cha Yi-ran, who introduced herself. "I am Cha Yi-ran, the 3rd Team Leader of the Ghost Shadow Squad."
"I am Dan-ah. It’s an honor to meet you."
She had heard about Cha Yi-ran many times through her younger brother, Dan-yeon. Seeing her in person, she was even more beautiful than the stories suggested.
"I will do your makeup for you," Cha Yi-ran said.
Dan-ah was deeply moved. She had thought Lee An might just send someone, but she hadn't expected the Captain and a Team Leader to come personally.
Cha Yi-ran truly showcased her skills. When the lengthy makeup session was finished, everyone gasped in admiration. Once she donned the brilliant red wedding robes, she was truly breathtaking.
"I think the entire 3rd Team could have come and it wouldn't have mattered," Lee An remarked. It was a high compliment, and Cha Yi-ran smiled happily.
Dan-bi and Dan-yeon, who had been waiting outside, came in and cheered when they saw their sister.
"You're so beautiful!"
"Sister, you're so pretty. To think you almost spent your whole life as a ronin."
Dan-ah lowered her head, blushing at their praise. Lee An asked her, "Are you ready?"
Dan-ah nodded.
When she opened the door and stepped outside, an incredible sight awaited her. A flower palanquin was ready to take her to the ceremony site. It was a magnificent and beautiful carriage, but what shocked Dan-ah were the people who were to carry it.
The palanquin bearers were men of massive stature. They weren't just large; they possessed a terrifying aura that commanded respect. They were soldiers of the Demon Army.
"We shall escort you to the ceremony."
It was a flower palanquin specially prepared for her by Demon Monarch Jang Ho. As Dan-ah stood there, stunned and overwhelmed with emotion, Lee An smiled.
"I don't think anyone else in the world has ever ridden in a flower palanquin carried by the Demon Army."
The wedding day, which had exceeded her expectations from the very start, had finally begun.