I walked through the inner courtyard with Cheong Seon.
“As I've said before, I believe it is thanks to you, Young Cult Master, that I became a Demon Sovereign.”
“I appreciate you saying so, but you, Soul-Devouring Demon Sovereign, have earned your position through your own abilities.”
“That must be why. Why I came to see you today, Young Cult Master. Because you are someone who believes in me like this.”
After we reached a secluded spot, I asked her.
“What is it?”
Cheong Seon couldn't bring herself to speak easily.
It seemed that even though she had mustered the courage to come, the words wouldn't come out.
Was it about her martial arts?
Even though the Wind Heaven Sect Leader had taught her, he was currently absent, so she must have many obstacles.
Or? Could it be?
The name of one person connected to her came to mind.
After a long hesitation, she finally opened her mouth.
I had hoped it was the former, but her trouble was the latter.
“There's a man I was with before I became a Demon Sovereign. He is Sa Yoo-jong of the Northern Heaven Sword Clan.”
I already knew that the two of them had been together.
I had even used that fact in the past to make her go see the Wind Heaven Sect Leader.
In my past life, Sa Yoo-jong had been under the influence of the Soul-Devouring Art and tried to kill the Plum Blossom Sword Sovereign, only to be killed in return.
After his death, it was revealed that he had loved the Plum Blossom Sword Sovereign as a woman, but at the time, the person who had cast the Soul-Devouring Art on him was never found.
Of course, I now knew that person was Cheong Seon.
“After I ascended to the position of Demon Sovereign, I declared our separation. But he couldn't let go and kept lingering around me. After some time passed, I thought he had forgotten me and was living well, but he suddenly came to see me the other day. He said that if I didn't see him again, he would expose everything that happened while we were together.”
Sa Yoo-jong.
What a pathetic fool, resorting to threats and blackmail instead of thinking of succeeding on his own.
“Since it happened before you became a Demon Sovereign, it shouldn't matter, should it?”
That wasn’t his only threat.
“In the past, at his request, I once stole my martial brother's fan. He's threatening to expose that as well.”
At the time, the Soul-Devouring Demon Sovereign had been periodically performing the Heart Soul Grand Art, a technique that involved ripping out people's hearts to absorb their life force.
The person who had told me this fact was none other than Sa Yoo-jong.
Of course, he didn't tell me with good intentions.
His goal was to use the Soul-Devouring Demon Sovereign to keep me in check.
A body sacrificed to the Heart Soul Grand Art was discovered, and along with the body, the fan of the Soul-Devouring Demon Sovereign's disciple was found.
The person who had stolen it was Cheong Seon, at Sa Yoo-jong’s request.
Whatever his intentions, Sa Yoo-jong had helped stop the Soul-Devouring Demon Sovereign's evil deeds, and I couldn't kill him just for dragging the Soul-Devouring Demon Sovereign into it, so I had let him live.
And now, he had reappeared like this.
“If that matter comes to light, my reputation will be tarnished.”
If she were a fully established Demon Sovereign, she wouldn't be having this dilemma.
But as she was in the midst of seizing control and growing her organization, she took this matter seriously.
“To be honest…”
A ghostly energy flowed from her eyes.
She did not hide her killing intent.
“I also considered getting rid of him.”
“Why didn't you?”
Sa Yoo-jong's swordsmanship was not ordinary, but he couldn't handle her Soul-Devouring Art now that she was a Demon Sovereign.
She could have lured him out and killed him without a trace.
“There are two reasons. First, a suspicion arose in my mind. This man is always suspicious and cautious, so why would he make such a reckless threat to me? He could be killed and silenced for this.”
It was certainly strange.
The Sa Yoo-jong I knew was also a cautious man who never revealed his true intentions.
For such a man to suddenly do something reckless, there had to be a reason.
“The second reason was something he said carelessly. ‘Everyone has a weakness. You think the Sword Sovereign doesn't?’ The moment I heard that, I realized. Ah, this person also holds the Plum Blossom Sword Sovereign's weakness. Having served the Sword Sovereign for a long time, he is certainly capable of it. At that moment, I felt that this was not something I should handle. I shouldn't just kill him. The person who came to mind then was you, Young Cult Master.”
I smiled at her.
She passed.
Just a moment ago, while talking with the Fist Demon, I had thought that each Demon Sovereign had their own brilliance and meticulousness.
This was exactly it.
She must have known instinctively.
That she should report to me instead of handling it on her own.
Both the first and second reasons she mentioned were warnings not to be swayed by momentary emotions.
Her instincts would have also told her that this would bring her closer to me.
Her instincts were working well.
“You've judged very well. I will handle things from here.”
Cheong Seon's tense expression softened.
Considering the results I had shown so far, she would be able to sleep soundly from now on.
Yes, for making a smart choice, she deserved at least that much of a gift.
Before we parted, I said one more thing to her.
“You must know that the Demon Sovereigns most feared by the Righteous and Unorthodox Factions are the Soul-Devouring Demon Sovereign and the Poison King. I hope the tradition of that fear continues.”
Cheong Seon silently bowed her head in a respectful farewell and left.
That pride would be the greatest motivation for her efforts.
After parting with her, I walked in the opposite direction.
Was it a simple threat? Or did he really know the Sword Sovereign's weakness? If there was a weakness, what could it be?
My heart grew cold.
Those who seize someone's weakness and try to achieve something through blackmail were the worst of the worst.
I headed straight for the Northern Heaven Sword Clan.
*
“The Sword Sovereign is not seeing anyone these days.”
A Demon Sword guarding the entrance spoke cautiously at my visit.
It seemed she was, as the Blood Heaven Blade Demon had said, focused solely on her martial arts training.
“Just let her know that I am here.”
“Yes, please wait a moment.”
The Demon Sword hurried inside.
As I stood there for a moment, Sa Yoo-jong happened to be walking across the training grounds.
Upon seeing me, he bowed his head respectfully in greeting.
“My greetings are late. Congratulations on becoming the Young Cult Master.”
“It has been a while, Martial Artist Sa.”
He looked the same as always.
It used to be his role to deal with visitors to the Plum Blossom Sword Sovereign.
But now he had been pushed from his position as the second-in-command to become an ordinary Demon Sword.
He bowed politely again and continued on his way.
Who would know? That while treating people so nonchalantly, he was blackmailing the Soul-Devouring Demon Sovereign behind their backs.
I had let it slide last time, but this time would be different.
Just then, the Demon Sword who had gone to report to the Plum Blossom Sword Sovereign returned.
“She says to come in.”
If you want to know how hard someone is trying, look at how they use their spare moments.
A truly hardworking person never wastes the time that we carelessly let slip by.
Just as I trained the Heavenly Demon Body-Protecting Art whenever I had a chance to sit down, the Plum Blossom Sword Sovereign was the same.
She was brandishing her sword in the front yard of her residence.
Having been informed of my arrival by her subordinate, she was using even that short time until I arrived to practice her swordsmanship.
The aura of her brandished sword was distinctly different from before.
‘Everyone is truly getting stronger.’
But what truly surprised me was not the progress of her martial arts.
She had no makeup on her face at all.
I had heard it from the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, but I never thought she would have such a bare face.
She really looked like a different person.
Not in the sense that she was ugly without makeup, but the feeling was completely different.
Sensing my surprise, she showed a slightly embarrassed expression.
“This is a first. Showing someone my face without makeup.”
I could tell.
She wasn't just showing me her face without makeup.
She was showing me her will. ‘I have changed.’ ‘I am not the same Sword Sovereign who was only immersed in that beauty of the past.’ ‘Look.
Look at my will.
My will to see you, even after erasing my makeup.’
“To see your bare face, Senior! It is an honor.”
When I exclaimed in a feigned, emotional tone, the Plum Blossom Sword Sovereign gave a faint smile.
“What honor? I'm just shabby and old.”
“On the contrary, you are more beautiful.”
“Don't say such nonsense.”
“It's not just a pleasantry, you are truly more beautiful. It makes me wonder why you wore such thick makeup until now.”
When I went that far, she asked me slyly.
“Do you really mean that?”
“Did no one ever tell you?”
“I never showed anyone.”
It seemed she had lived for a very long time thinking that her made-up face was naturally beautiful.
“You look much more charming now. Clean and elegant.”
“What about these wrinkles?”
“They are as beautiful as the strokes of your sword you created just a moment ago.”
The Sword Sovereign gave a pleasant laugh.
“As expected! The only person who can make me feel good is the Young Cult Master.”
“I only spoke my true feelings.”
No matter how much she put on makeup and adorned herself, could she ever match the beauty of Lee Ahn or Jin Ha-ryeong? But at least compared to other middle-aged women, the Sword Sovereign was overwhelmingly beautiful even without makeup.
In that world, the Sword Sovereign was Lee Ahn and Jin Ha-ryeong.
“I've felt this for a while, but you really never seem to get tired. Even you must get tired of taking care of people. How can you say such pleasant things?”
“It's because I'm a flatterer.”
She shook her head and stared at me intently.
“Only those with high self-esteem can sincerely praise someone. I envy your self-esteem.”
Judging by her appearance and atmosphere, she seemed to be the one with the highest self-esteem among the Demon Sovereigns.
But at times like this, her self-esteem was at rock bottom.
“I believe that becoming close with the Demon Sovereigns is the path to my own strength. I consider each and every word of mine to be like swinging the sword once, twice. I train until my arms feel like they'll fall off, so compared to that, this is easy.”
“Isn't dealing with people more difficult?”
“Aren't you perhaps doing training that is too easy?”
“Ah! It seems my training intensity was too low.”
We looked at each other and laughed.
That's right, dealing with people is ten times harder.
“I have something to tell you, Senior.”
“Go ahead.”
“Sa Yoo-jong…”
When his name was mentioned, a hint of discomfort flickered across her face.
“Is causing problems.”
No matter how I dealt with Sa Yoo-jong, I had to report to her beforehand.
I didn't mention her weakness, nor did I mention that the Soul-Devouring Demon Sovereign was involved.
“Please do not ask for details, and leave it to me.”
The Plum Blossom Sword Sovereign nodded without a word.
If I had my way, I would have dealt with Sa Yoo-jong immediately without telling the Plum Blossom Sword Sovereign.
But that was not an option.
Sa Yoo-jong was a despicable man, but he was not a fool.
‘Sa Yoo-jong, what on earth are you relying on to bet your life?’
*
“Number three, if you want to bloom, you must wait until spring comes.”
Staring at the potted plant that had gone from being second-in-command to third-in-command, Seo Daeryong let out a sigh.
“No, spring will never come for us.”
After becoming the Underworld Pavilion Lord, he was spending every day busy.
His desk was piled high with work.
Becoming a Pavilion Lord meant there were many things to do and many people to meet.
He thought that if he became the Underworld Pavilion Lord, he could change the world with his own hands.
But surprisingly, the world continued to flow on as usual.
“Ah! I really don't want to work.”
You know those days? The days you just don't feel like working.
The kind of day where you keep staring out the window.
He banged his head on the desk.
When Geom Mugeuk was the Underworld Pavilion Lord and he assisted from the side, the workload was similar.
Even then, he had handled almost everything.
But when that work was officially given to him, the feeling and the pressure were different.
The same work felt much harder.
“It was good when I was out of the sect with the Young Cult Master.”
Especially the moment he won the Young Dragon Tournament was truly unforgettable.
The cheers that came from the stage! The moment of glory that he could no longer bring up because he had boasted so much to Lee Ahn and Jang Ho!
“Ah! I want to go back! To that time!”
Just then, the door creaked open.
Seo Daeryong, who had been slumped over his desk, shot up like a lightning bolt, straightened his back, and asked in a low voice.
“What is so urgent that you come in like this?”
Then, a welcome voice was heard.
“If you go back to that time, who will change the Main Sect? Pavilion Lord.”
Seo Daeryong jumped to his feet and shouted in delight.
“Young Cult Master!”
Geom Mugeuk stood at the door, smiling.
“Is it tough?”
Seo Daeryong put on a deliberately grim face and said.
“It's tough.”
This was the first time since becoming the Underworld Pavilion Lord that he had so comfortably said he was struggling.
Who would have thought that the person he would say it to would be the most difficult person after the Heavenly Demon?
“I entrusted it to you because it was tough. Otherwise, I would have kept doing it.”
“That's too much!”
Shouting after a long time, Seo Daeryong felt a sense of joy.
And he knew.
He had really missed Geom Mugeuk.
Being the Underworld Pavilion Lord was good, being the Blood Heaven Blade Demon's disciple was good, everything was good, but still, he missed Geom Mugeuk the most.
“If it's that tough, let's switch jobs.”
“With you, Young Cult Master?”
“Alright, I'll tell you what you have to do. Go meet the Drunken Demon and listen to his worries, check if my brother and the Demon Buddha are doing well, meet the Poison King and dig up some poison herbs. You also have to play Go with my father. And train your martial arts all night.”
No matter what his own status was, he had desperately missed this Geom Mugeuk who would joke around like this.
“Suddenly, my job feels so easy. I'll endure it while receiving my salary until I die. I've put down roots here.”
Geom Mugeuk's comfort didn't end with jokes.
He stared intently into Seo Daeryong's eyes and said.
“You've worked hard, my right-hand man.”
Hearing the words 'right-hand man' after a long time, Seo Daeryong felt a lump in his throat.
He had been so busy that he had even forgotten that he was Geom Mugeuk's right-hand man.
Yes, those words, ‘you've worked hard,’ were enough.
When there was someone who acknowledged his hard work, could he not work harder?
Yes, one needs to be acknowledged.
If no one acknowledges you, even picking up trash on the street becomes a difficult task.
Seo Daeryong was learning firsthand how he should treat his subordinates in the future.
“It's not hard work, my life is a dream for someone else. I have to work hard. I will work myself to death! Spring has come with you, Young Cult Master. I will make a flower bloom in my heart!”
After shouting cheerfully, Seo Daeryong asked.
“But what brings you to the Underworld Pavilion?”
In the past, Geom Mugeuk would have said, ‘Let's do a job together,’ but today he properly established Seo Daeryong's authority.
Geom Mugeuk spoke with a more serious face than ever before.
“I have a favor to ask of you, Pavilion Lord Seo. Let's you and I catch a nasty villain.”