Chapter 91: Is It Really That Obvious?
Chapter 91: Is It Really That Obvious?
The Pungcheon Cult Leader sat by the window, his gaze drifting toward the world outside.
In the courtyard, Cheong-seon, the Soul-Seizing Demon Lord, was immersed in her martial arts practice. Though her training hours had decreased since she officially ascended to the rank of Demon Lord, her skills were sharpening by the day. She truly possessed a natural affinity for the Soul-Seizing Technique.
Toying with a dagger forged from Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Iron, the Pungcheon Cult Leader watched her for a moment before habitually glancing behind him. There stood the empty display cases where his sacred relics had once been enshrined.
He let out a long, heavy sigh.
When he first received the dagger, he had tried to convince himself it was enough to treat it as his new sacred relic. But now, it was the only treasure left in his room. In a sense, he had traded every other artifact he owned for this single blade.
No. I promised myself I wouldn't live a life of looking back.
He had to transform this hollow emptiness into a sense of relief.
In the past, he couldn't even step out for a cup of tea without worrying about his relics. Now, however, he could go anywhere with nothing but this one dagger tucked into his belt. They said one must empty oneself to be truly free, and those words finally rang true. Yes, that was the only way to think about it.
Meanwhile, Cheong-seon finished her forms.
"Master, I shall take my leave for today."
"You worked hard."
Cheong-seon turned to leave but hesitated. She paused, then spoke up.
"Master."
"What is it?"
"When do you plan to pass down your true secret techniques to me?"
The Pungcheon Cult Leader had yet to teach her his ultimate arts.
"Cheong-seon."
"Yes, Master."
"Why are you in such a hurry?"
"Because I am weak. And being weak naturally makes my heart race with impatience."
She was the one who had killed her own senior disciple to seize the position of Demon Lord. Initially, the ghost practitioners of the Seohwan Formation had been fanatical in their support of her, but she could feel that fervor slowly cooling. These days, she was plagued by the pressure to display a level of overwhelming martial prowess that would silence any doubters.
Furthermore, she was increasingly annoyed by Sa U-jong, who tried to corner her at every opportunity. She had been so fond of him before, but the moment she became a Demon Lord, her affection had vanished as if by some dark magic. Every little thing he did now grated on her nerves.
In her heart, she wanted to cut him off cleanly, but she continued to meet him occasionally out of fear that he might spread damaging rumors. She was so troubled by his persistence that she had even begun to contemplate the possibility of killing him.
"What kind of Demon Lord do you wish to become?" the Cult Leader asked.
"I have no time for such luxurious thoughts. How could I even sleep soundly with my current level of skill?"
"If an ambitious and talented person like you trains diligently for about thirty years, you will become like me. How does that look? Your future self."
Cheong-seon flinched for a moment.
"It seems I'll have to work ten times harder than I am now."
She worried she might have overstepped with the joke, but fortunately, the Pungcheon Cult Leader burst into a pleasant laugh.
"Couldn't you have said five times harder?"
"I apologize. I was originally going to say twenty times."
She pushed the joke a bit further, and the Pungcheon Cult Leader laughed even louder. It was the first time they had exchanged genuine banter since they met.
Cheong-seon saw a new side to her master. She had always thought he was merely a stubborn, narrow-minded man, but this was unexpected.
"Right. Since you have eyes and ears, you must have a general idea of what I've been through and what the current situation is."
He hadn't told her the details directly. However, she likely knew enough—that he had effectively surrendered his position as Cult Leader and joined forces with Geom Mu-geuk. He wondered what she truly thought of him.
"I know that, deep down, you probably think I'm pathetic."
"No, Master. You made a choice that I could never have made."
"Which makes it even more pathetic, doesn't it?"
"Which makes it even more admirable."
"The reason I brought this up," the Cult Leader said, his tone turning serious, "is because I wanted to tell you that while martial arts are important, there is something even more vital."
"What is that?"
"People. More accurately, an eye for people."
"I see."
"Right now, you're thinking: What a load of nonsense about 'people'," he remarked.
"No, Master."
"I would have thought the same at your age. So it's fine."
"It's truly not like that."
As the Pungcheon Cult Leader stared her down, Cheong-seon finally revealed her true thoughts.
"I believe that if one's martial arts are weak, people are useless. In the end, everyone will leave. I'm sorry to say this, but I still believe martial prowess is more important than people."
"Yes, I used to think so too. One day, you will understand what I mean."
"Yes! I understand."
What could she possibly understand? He had been exactly like her. At that age, no matter who gave him advice, it never entered his ears.
Only after being enchanted by someone like Geom Mu-geuk, watching his sacred relics vanish every time he turned his back, and being dragged around with a shackle wrapped tightly around his neck, would she finally think, Ah, my Master was right back then.
Martial arts were only important when killing; in reality, she would eventually realize that an eye for people was a hundred times more vital.
"I will observe your progress soon and move you on to the next stage."
"Thank you, Master."
Cheong-seon left the room with a satisfied smile.
When he first took Cheong-seon as his disciple, he had viewed her only as a cold, ambitious woman. Back then, his mind was elsewhere, and he hadn't given her much thought. He had wondered if he could ever truly care for her, but as he taught her, a certain affection was beginning to take root.
Especially after being toyed with by those clever bastards recently, having someone he could nag and mentor gave him some much-needed breathing room.
But that peace was short-lived.
Not long after she left, a visitor arrived. It was the First Young Master, Geom Mu-yang.
"I came to see the Cult Leader. I apologize for not sending word in advance."
"It is fine. Please, come in."
Geom Mu-yang sat across from the Pungcheon Cult Leader.
"I wasn't able to greet you properly the other day because things were so hectic."
"I was in the same position, so do not worry about it."
"I heard you've become quite close with my younger brother."
"There were many twists and turns."
"It must have been a great fated encounter for Mu-geuk."
"Actually, it wasn't quite like that."
"What do you mean?"
"Your brother is so clever that there was much for me to learn from him."
The Pungcheon Cult Leader was speaking indirectly about his own tribulations, but Geom Mu-yang misunderstood, thinking the Cult Leader was offering high praise to Geom Mu-geuk.
"My brother is indeed clever."
"He is the cleverest person I have ever met."
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon had said Mu-geuk moved his heart, and now the Pungcheon Cult Leader said he was the cleverest person he'd ever seen. Clever, yet possessing a charm that moved hearts? Geom Mu-yang still didn't feel that such praise suited his brother.
"Anyway, what brings a busy man like you here? Aren't you the busiest person in the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, First Young Master?"
"Please help me make that a reality. I am someone who enjoys being busy."
Geom Mu-yang spoke bluntly.
"If you join hands with me, I will grant you the two things you desire most."
As the Pungcheon Cult Leader listened, he realized they truly were the two things he wanted most. And throughout the entire conversation, he kept thinking of one person.
*
The Pungcheon Cult Leader went to find Go Wol.
"Where is the Second Young Master?"
"He hasn't returned yet."
Perhaps because Geom Mu-geuk wasn't there, the Pungcheon Cult Leader found himself teasing Go Wol for no reason.
"Being here all alone and lonely... how is it any different from being bound by shackles?"
"You keep saying things like that because you've never been shackled yourself. Would you like to try it once?"
"Forget it, forget it."
He felt that even with the same old jokes, his heart was more at ease than before.
"Listen. I have a favor to ask."
"Go ahead."
"At least when it's just the two of us... could we speak informally?"
Go Wol stared at him for a long moment before finally opening his mouth.
"Hey, Cult Leader."
"Yes! This is it!"
"You even threw away that important position of Cult Leader for me, so how could I not grant such a small favor? However, I am worried about one thing."
"What is it?"
"You like it now, but what if you start to dislike me later? If you grow to hate me, you'll start thinking: This young brat, speaking informally to me? It'll be damn annoying then."
"By then, the relationship will already be ruined, so what does it matter? I would have already lost you anyway."
For a moment, Go Wol's heart surged. He had truly hated this man, yet there was no one else who liked him as much as this man did.
"Fine, then. Don't regret it later."
"Regret is my burden to bear. Don't worry about it."
"Why did you come today? Surely not just to say that."
"I just came to see you."
Go Wol, quietly observing the Pungcheon Cult Leader, suddenly spoke.
"The First Young Master visited you, didn't he?"
The Pungcheon Cult Leader flinched.
"How did you know?"
"I had a feeling he would."
"This is one of those things, isn't it? You're acting smart after finding out by spying on me, right? Are you all just scammers?"
The Pungcheon Cult Leader wore an expression of utter disbelief.
"What did the First Young Master say he would do for you?"
"He promised an advance into the Central Plains if I side with him. He said that while the Second Young Master promised a branch office, he would establish a full branch for us."
"It's a promise he can't keep. It's a lie."
"Why are you so certain?"
"The First Young Master is someone who obeys his father's words unconditionally. He lacks any of the unconventional traits the Second Young Master possesses. He will follow his father's will and never allow the Pungcheon Cult to advance into the Central Plains. If the First Young Master becomes the Heavenly Demon, the Pungcheon Cult will never even hang a palm-sized plaque in these lands."
"You're judging partially because you're on the Second Young Master's side."
Go Wol ignored the remark and threw out another question.
"What else did he propose?"
"There were no other proposals."
At that, Go Wol's eyes narrowed as he scrutinized the Pungcheon Cult Leader.
"Don't look at me like that. He didn't set any other conditions."
"It shows on your face when you lie."
"It shows? How?"
Go Wol didn't answer. Instead, as if to prove his words were true, he correctly guessed Geom Mu-yang's offer.
"He used me as a bargaining chip, didn't he?"
The Pungcheon Cult Leader's eyes widened.
"How did you know?"
"He must have promised to return me to you. That's the only offer that could possibly sway you."
To be honest, the Pungcheon Cult Leader had been tempted by the First Young Master's proposal. If he could just get Go Wol back? It might sound crazy, but he had thought he could even give up on the advance into the Central Plains for that.
Seeing how the First Young Master could shake his heart, even after he had thrown away his position as Cult Leader, he thought the man was impressive.
"The First Young Master is also incredibly clever."
"The First Young Master is not a clever man," Go Wol countered. "If he were truly clever, he wouldn't be fighting the Second Young Master."
"You've got a sickness, I swear. Second Young Master Syndrome."
"So, what did you say?"
"Don't worry. I rejected him firmly."
"Don't lie. You're probably plotting how to use the conflict between the two to get me back. You came to see me today just to test the waters and see if there's a way."
After a brief silence, the Pungcheon Cult Leader asked.
"Is it really that obvious?"
"Cult Leader. Why do you keep forgetting? You said it clearly with your own mouth, didn't you? That you can't possibly win against these clever bastards. Why are you trying to play petty tricks again after saying that?"
"That's... because of you."
"If you act like this, you will instead... lose me forever."
The Pungcheon Cult Leader let out a long sigh.
"I'm sorry. I knew better, yet I acted like an idiot again."
"You have to fight with your other strengths. Against those who use their heads, you must use your other charms as a weapon."
"What charms do I have?"
"If you weren't charming, I would still be bound by shackles."
The Pungcheon Cult Leader's eyes trembled slightly.
"You're the only one who says things like that to me."
"No. It's because you only look at me. It's because you sat on your throne and looked down on others half-heartedly. Now that you've truly come out into the world, if you show people who you really are, there will be a line of people saying such things to you. At that time, you might be the one to say this about me: Ah, that guy in shackles? I wonder if he's still alive."
"You're talking nonsense."
The two of them smirked at each other.
"Cult Leader, think of me as a bonfire. Warm yourself from a little distance. If you keep me too close, you'll get burned, and you'll be covered in soot."
The Pungcheon Cult Leader nodded silently.
"......Just don't remember me as the Cult Leader I was back then."
Go Wol's heart also began to waver. Even Geom Mu-geuk hadn't given him this kind of emotional resonance.
"Cult Leader, from today on, chant this five times before you go to sleep."
"What words?"
"It's the Second Young Master until the end. It's the Second Young Master until the end. Go on, do it."
The Pungcheon Cult Leader forced himself to finish the remaining repetitions.
Contrary to his words, in his heart, he shouted:
I'm jealous of the Second Young Master. I'm jealous of the Second Young Master, you bastard. I'm jealous.
Still, he felt glad that Go Wol was there. Because today, Go Wol felt closer than when he had him by his side in shackles.
It seemed there was a certain compatibility even in relying on someone. Honestly, he felt that even burning to death in the bonfire would be fine.