Geom Mugeuk was completely captivated by the Wind Heaven Sect Leader’s aura.
He felt the Cult Master’s rage in the illusions of the beasts flying toward him.
If the Heavenly Demon Body-Protection Art hadn't activated, his aura would have made his blood boil, and he would have had to fight the urge to draw his sword.
This was the aura of a true master.
The aura of a true master who had reached the ultimate state of a martial art.
Now, it was time to calm his anger.
Geom Mugeuk dodged the charging beasts, waving his hands and speaking lightheartedly.
“It wasn’t me who touched your disciple. Oh my, I’m going to die!”
At that, the Wind Heaven Sect Leader withdrew his aura.
The rampaging beasts vanished in an instant.
The dark clouds disappeared, and the surroundings brightened.
The tolling of the bell, which had hammered at his heart and opened the Gates of Hell, faded away.
He could feel the Wind Heaven Sect Leader's emotions subsiding with the long, lingering echo of the bell.
The Wind Heaven Sect Leader's eyes returned to normal.
“Where is Cheong Seon now?”
His calm question was filled with concern for her.
This was why you had to look at people closely.
No, even though he thought he had, he never knew the Wind Heaven Sect Leader had this side to him.
It was a moment that made him realize once again how difficult it was to truly know another person, to understand their many different layers.
“The Soul-Devouring Demon Sovereign is fine.”
Only then did the Wind Heaven Sect Leader’s face relax.
“She’ll be very happy to know that you were this worried about her, Cult Master. Thanks to you, though, I nearly died.”
“Stop exaggerating! You held up just fine.”
“I even had to use the Heavenly Demon Body-Protection Art!”
He deliberately mentioned the Heavenly Demon Body-Protection Art to save the Wind Heaven Sect Leader’s face.
As expected, his mood immediately brightened at those words.
After all, he acknowledged his father as the number one under heaven.
Go Wol, who was standing behind the Wind Heaven Sect Leader, chimed in.
“Cult Master, did you really care about your disciple this much? You don't usually show it, do you?”
“I don’t care. What’s there to care about?”
As if feeling unnecessarily embarrassed, the Wind Heaven Sect Leader gave another reason.
“It’s not because of Cheong Seon, it’s because of my pride! How dare they touch my disciple? This is an act of disrespect towards me. Surely they couldn't have been unaware she was my disciple? Ah, or did they not know? They must not have known to do such a thing, right?”
Geom Mugeuk firmly shook his head.
“That’s impossible. The person who planned this wouldn't have done so without that much investigation.”
“Who on earth is it?”
“It’s a woman.”
The Wind Heaven Sect Leader tilted his head in confusion.
Among the women he knew who practiced the Soul-Devouring Art, he couldn’t think of anyone who would commit such an act.
In fact, the same went for men.
Daring to touch a Demon Sovereign of the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect? Their entire clan would be annihilated if they were caught.
Who would do such a thing?
“Who is this woman?”
“She is a woman disguised as the owner of the flower garden in the Demon Family Village.”
“I’ll have to see for myself. But first, let’s see Cheong Seon.”
“I will go and bring her. Oh, and your disciple is unaware that she fell for a Soul-Devouring Art.”
“I would expect as much.”
The Wind Heaven Sect Leader’s gaze deepened.
He might be neglectful about other things, but he never took matters related to the Soul-Devouring Art lightly.
As Geom Mugeuk left, Go Wol spoke to him.
“Cult Master.”
After calling his name, Go Wol said nothing more.
They were always together, so how could he not know what Go Wol was thinking? It was a worry that he shouldn't get caught up in his emotions, as this concerned his disciple.
“What are you worried about? You know very well what a wicked person I am.”
Go Wol nodded, his face saying that he knew very well.
The Wind Heaven Sect Leader shouted.
Until his disciple arrived, his dignity was temporarily set aside.
“You’re supposed to say that’s not true! You’re supposed to say you’re worried because the Cult Master has a surprisingly warm heart! You’re supposed to say it’s not true, even if it’s just words!”
The black energy rising from Cheong Seon’s fingertips wrapped around her arm.
The black smoke transformed into armor resembling fish scales.
It seemed the Illusion Armor Technique would succeed, perfectly protecting her arm, but then…
Crack.
Just as he heard the sound of cracking metal, the scales burst with a pop, scattering in all directions and dissipating into smoke.
Cheong Seon clutched her arm with a pained expression.
She had recited the formula incorrectly and nearly injured her arm severely.
After killing Sa Yoo-jong, she couldn't focus on her Martial Arts Training.
Was it due to guilt? Not at all.
She was not so soft-hearted.
It was the regret of not being able to control her own emotions that tormented her, for she had a strong and harsh personality.
The events of that day kept replaying in her mind, and she imagined herself handling it calmly.
I should have answered like this.
I should have handled it like that.
I should have endured.
Perhaps it was because of the Young Cult Master.
She should have shown him an impressive side of herself.
Only she was the next generation’s Demon Sovereign.
Even if all the other Demon Sovereigns grew old and died, she would live to serve Geom Mugeuk when he became the Cult Master.
She felt a lingering regret, as if she had ruined the start of such an important relationship.
Just then, a subordinate's voice came from outside.
“The Young Cult Master has arrived.”
“Show him in.”
She was inwardly surprised, as she had just been thinking of Geom Mugeuk.
He had such impeccable timing.
A moment later, Geom Mugeuk entered.
“Young Cult Master.”
“Demon Sovereign.”
The two cupped their fists and greeted each other.
Cheong Seon was inwardly worried that the issue with Sa Yoo-jong had escalated.
However, contrary to her worries, Geom Mugeuk had brought very good news.
Two pieces of it, in fact.
“The Plum Blossom Sword Sovereign has agreed to let this matter pass quietly.”
Cheong Seon was greatly relieved.
She was so happy that she had to struggle to control her expression, as she couldn't openly rejoice.
“The Sword Sovereign made a concession for you, Demon Sovereign.”
How could Cheong Seon not know? This result was only possible because Geom Mugeuk had mediated so well.
“I will not forget the grace you have shown me.”
And then, another piece of good news was delivered.
“The Wind Heaven Sect Leader has returned.”
“Ah! My Master!”
“He looked for you as soon as he returned, Demon Sovereign.”
He wanted to tell her.
He wanted to tell her how enraged her Master was when he heard she had been subjected to the Soul-Devouring Art.
He wanted to tell her that even if he didn’t show it, he cared for her deeply.
He would tell her when everything was over, hoping their relationship would grow even deeper.
“Where is he?”
“He is waiting for you at my residence.”
This time, Cheong Seon did not hide her joy.
Geom Mugeuk and Cheong Seon returned to his residence.
“Master.”
Cheong Seon tried to appear confident to everyone, but she was always plagued by this pressure.
When will Seon become strong and be like the other Demon Sovereigns?
No one dared to say such a thing, but the question followed her like an obsession.
To her, the Wind Heaven Sect Leader was like a sturdy fence.
Perhaps because she had been feeling down lately due to Sa Yoo-jong, she was even happier to see her Master after a long time.
“Did you have a good trip, Master?”
Cheong Seon knelt and paid her respects.
The Wind Heaven Sect Leader could tell her level of martial arts mastery just from her aura.
“You have trained hard during this time!”
Cheong Seon was pleased that her Master recognized her achievements.
She had trained harder than anyone to catch up to the other Demon Sovereigns.
To have her Master acknowledge her efforts felt like all her past hardships were being rewarded.
“Thank you, Master.”
“Rise.”
The Wind Heaven Sect Leader stared intently into her eyes.
It was the first time her Master had looked at her like this, and Cheong Seon was inwardly flustered.
As she tried to lower her head, he said.
“Look me straight in the eye.”
“Yes, Master.”
Cheong Seon raised her head and met her Master’s gaze.
Geom Mugeuk and Go Wol watched tensely.
They hoped it was a Soul-Devouring Art that the Wind Heaven Sect Leader could undo.
“Now, perform the Heart Soul Technique.”
As the Wind Heaven Sect Leader's examination continued, Geom Mugeuk and Go Wol briefly excused themselves.
Although they knew he was trying to figure out what kind of Soul-Devouring Art she was under, it was not polite to remain in the presence of a Demon Sovereign performing her martial arts.
Geom Mugeuk and Go Wol walked together in the inner courtyard.
“You’ve been through a lot, haven’t you?”
“Not at all. I enjoy working. So please do not worry too much about it.”
“Don’t you say that. If you do, he’ll really think you like to work and give you more.”
Go Wol smiled.
Geom Mugeuk felt he should give Go Wol a little more information.
“Keep in mind that the ones who plotted this incident might be the same group that caused the incident at the Martial Alliance last time.”
Even though it was a serious matter if it were true, Go Wol was not as surprised as he had expected.
“Did you perhaps anticipate this?”
“Considering that both sides plotted against the highest ranks, I suspected they might have the same mastermind. If the Young Cult Master’s guess is correct, I predict that the Unorthodox Alliance will also be targeted by their schemes.”
As expected, Go Wol had a good grasp of the situation.
“It doesn’t hurt to be careful, so keep that possibility in mind as you gather information.”
“Understood.”
“And for the time being, stay at mine and the Cult Master’s residence. I’ll get permission from my father soon and establish a small Silver Moon Main Division for you.”
At that, Go Wol carefully declined Geom Mugeuk’s offer.
“I must ask that you postpone that matter.”
“Why?”
“If that happens, the Silver Moon will become an official organization of the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect. When you become the Cult Master, Young Cult Master, please make the Silver Moon an official organization then.”
For now, he wanted it to remain an organization that served only Geom Mugeuk and carried out only his orders.
At his loyalty, Geom Mugeuk expressed his joy with a bright smile.
As if to say, your loyalty makes me this happy.
He also spoke with his eyes.
Thank you, Go Wol.
“Grand Strategist Go.”
“Yes, Young Cult Master.”
“As you know, we have a long road ahead of us. Take breaks as you go. I’m worried you’ll get exhausted from working too hard.”
“Don’t people collapse from exhaustion not because the work is hard, but because no one recognizes their efforts? Since you acknowledge them so well, Young Cult Master, I have no worries.”
Go Wol smiled and added.
“And despite the Wind Heaven Sect Leader’s exaggerations, I don’t work hard enough to collapse.”
Geom Mugeuk laughed out loud at the rare joke.
The two resumed their walk.
They didn’t know when they would get busy again, so this long-awaited walk was a very precious time.
When he returned to his residence with Go Wol, Cheong Seon was gone.
“How was it?”
The Wind Heaven Sect Leader had figured out exactly what Cheong Seon had been afflicted with.
“She was hit by the Yin-Yang Soul Reversal Technique.”
It was a martial art that neither I nor Go Wol had ever heard of.
And for good reason, as this art was not from the Central Plains and had been lost long ago.
“It is an outer martial realm art said to have been lost long ago.”
The reason for the Wind Heaven Sect Leader’s stiff expression was because it was an art from a special place, even among the arts of the outer martial realm.
“It is a martial art of the Blood Sect, which no longer exists.”
The predecessor of the Wind Heaven Sect was the Blood Sect.
It seemed unsettling that a martial art that had been lost long ago and not passed down to the Wind Heaven Sect had suddenly appeared.
In every era, there were rumors of a ‘Blood Sect revival’ that floated around like ghosts.
Naturally, the Wind Heaven Sect Leader would be more sensitive to such rumors.
But to state the conclusion first, Hwa Mugi had nothing to do with the Blood Sect.
After Hwa Mugi sealed the three factions of Righteous, Demonic, and Unorthodox Sects, and even when the Twelve Zodiac Kings ruled the Central Plains, there were no incidents related to a Blood Sect revival.
In any case, what was important now was this.
“Can the Yin-Yang Soul Reversal Technique cast on the Soul-Devouring Demon Sovereign be undone?”
The Wind Heaven Sect Leader looked back and forth between me and Go Wol with a serious expression.
He wanted to show that he couldn't, but his desire to show off interfered with his acting.
In the end, he couldn't hold it in and said.
“Of course. I am the Wind Heaven Sect Leader.”
I and Go Wol cheered.
“As expected! The Cult Master is the best!”
“Amazing, Cult Master!”
The Wind Heaven Sect Leader shrugged his raised shoulders and continued to boast.
“The one who became the medium is dead, right?”
He knew about Sa Yoo-jong's death.
“How did you know?”
“The Yin-Yang Soul Reversal Technique can be cast in reverse when the other person casts a Soul-Devouring Art during intimacy. The conditions are very strict. But what reason would there be to cast a Soul-Devouring Art between lovers?”
“When one is trying to kill the other, I suppose.”
“If Cheong Seon tried to kill him, he would be dead. Since you said the mastermind is a woman, she wouldn’t have acted directly but used a man as a medium. She would have left the man she used to be killed by Cheong Seon to tie up loose ends.”
“You seem like a completely different person! Who on earth is standing before me? Could it be that you, Cult Master, are under a Soul-Devouring Art?”
“That’s an insult, right? Not a compliment?”
It wasn't just flattery to make him feel good.
When the Wind Heaven Sect Leader was doing his own work, he truly felt like a different person.
“The dead man was merely a medium, and the woman who taught him the formula will have a Spirit-Sealing Mark on her body. If I perform the Great Art to extract and destroy it, the Red Soul implanted in Cheong Seon will naturally disappear.”
The Wind Heaven Sect Leader’s eyes turned cold, and a chilling blue light flowed from them.
“I will take responsibility for my disciple’s life and death. So just take me to that damned woman.”
I trust the Wind Heaven Sect Leader.
That he will subdue Illusion Maiden and succeed in the Great Art.
Who else could I trust when it came to the Soul-Devouring Art? However, there was one problem.
“What will happen to that woman when the Great Art is performed?”
“If the Spirit-Sealing Mark is forcibly extracted, she will not be able to survive. If she intended to make another person her puppet, she should have been prepared for this much.”
“There is something I must find out before killing that woman.”
And that was where the Illusion King was.
If Illusion Maiden was killed, the Illusion King would surely seek revenge.
I know very well how much those twins care for each other.
The Illusion King honing his blade of revenge in the shadows, and his target of revenge being the Wind Heaven Sect Leader?
That was by no means a situation I wanted.
If we were to kill Illusion Maiden, we had to kill the Illusion King as well.
“I will let you know when to perform the Great Art. Please bear with it until then.”
The chilling blue light that had been flowing from the Wind Heaven Sect Leader’s eyes returned to normal.
“Anyway, I put too much strength into my eyes, it's tiring.”
After rubbing his eyes and joking around, the Wind Heaven Sect Leader asked me.
“What on earth are you thinking?”
I'm thinking of saving you.
So you don’t have to live a life being targeted for revenge by someone like the Illusion King.
“I am contemplating how to make our Cult Master shine.”