Leaving the building, Seo Daeryong let out the breath he had been holding.
To think he had fallen asleep in the Evil Heart Laughing Demon’s room.
It still felt unreal, like a dream.
He couldn't even remember how he had gotten from that room to here.
In any case.
‘I survived!’
Seo Daeryong looked up at the pouring sunlight.
He felt as if he had barely made it out of a battlefield alive.
‘Still, how could he just leave me behind like that.’
Just then, a Faceless One guarding the building's entrance spoke to him.
“The Young Cult Master left a message for you to stop by his residence before you go.”
“Thank you.”
Seo Daeryong quickened his pace toward Geom Mugeuk’s residence.
‘I'll go even if you tell me not to.
I challenge you to a duel.
It seems my Master opened my meridians in anticipation of this!’
Like the wind, Seo Daeryong rushed into Geom Mugeuk’s residence and shouted.
“Let’s have a bout!”
In that moment, Seo Daeryong flinched and fell silent.
Seeing the person who had turned to look at him from the courtyard, he cried out involuntarily.
“Aigoo!”
The person who had turned was none other than the Plum Blossom Sword Sovereign.
He had just shouted at the Plum Blossom Sword Sovereign to have a bout with him.
“Pavilion Lord Seo?”
“Sword Sovereign!”
Seo Daeryong respectfully cupped his fists, and the Plum Blossom Sword Sovereign also greeted him with the courtesy due a Pavilion Lord.
“A bout with me? I don’t mind.”
Deeply engrossed in her martial arts training, she was the type who would run ten thousand li for a spar.
“No, no. That wasn't meant for you, Sword Sovereign.”
“Then was it for the Young Cult Master?”
It was too awkward to admit it was for the Young Cult Master.
He thought he had escaped one battlefield, but this was another.
‘Ah! I've fallen into a double trap!’
With such thoughts, he failed to notice the look of admiration the Plum Blossom Sword Sovereign was giving him.
The aura Seo Daeryong possessed now was incomparable to when she first saw him.
‘Has there ever been a demonic practitioner who grew this quickly?’
Moreover, his gaze, somewhat defiant yet full of life, naturally reminded her of someone.
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon in his youth had felt just like this.
It was even more so since he was carrying a great blade.
Just then, Geom Mugeuk came out from inside, holding a bowl of water.
“Our Pavilion Lord Seo has grown up a lot, hasn't he? It's about time he had a bout with the Sword Sovereign.”
Seo Daeryong jumped, waving his hands so fast they were a blur.
“No, you misunderstand, what are you saying!”
Seo Daeryong glared at Geom Mugeuk, cursing him with his eyes.
‘Are you really going to do this to me!’
Geom Mugeuk handed the water he brought to the Plum Blossom Sword Sovereign.
“Pavilion Lord Seo and I are close, so we often joke around.”
The Plum Blossom Sword Sovereign smiled.
Of course, she was well aware of their relationship.
That's why she knew the person Seo Daeryong wanted to fight was Geom Mugeuk.
It wasn't strange at all.
After all, this Geom Mugeuk before her was someone who was on familiar terms even with the owner of the Demon Family Village Tavern.
Then, the Plum Blossom Sword Sovereign bid Geom Mugeuk farewell.
“Thank you for the spar today.”
“Don't mention it. I learned a great deal.”
How nice it would have been if that were true.
Geom Mugeuk had grown even faster than she had.
She felt what the Fist Demon felt when looking at a cliff every time they sparred.
The Plum Blossom Sword Sovereign also bid farewell to Seo Daeryong.
“I’ll see you next time, Pavilion Lord Seo.”
“Please take care until then, Sword Sovereign.”
As she was about to leave, the Plum Blossom Sword Sovereign added, as if suddenly remembering.
“Oh, I heard that you, Pavilion Lord Seo, are taking care of the potted flower I gifted to the Young Cult Master a while ago.”
Seo Daeryong flinched at the sudden mention of the potted flower.
“Is it still alive?”
“Of course. It’s growing well.”
In my office, it’s ranked higher than me.
That thing is number one!
The Plum Blossom Sword Sovereign hadn't brought it up as a joke.
Her gaze deepened.
“Just as a flower will bloom from that bud, you too, Pavilion Lord Seo, will soon be in full bloom.”
It was a word of blessing, expressing her anticipation that the remarkably improved Seo Daeryong would now make a name for himself as a martial artist.
She had brought up the potted flower to say this.
After the Plum Blossom Sword Sovereign left, Seo Daeryong, in a daze, asked Geom Mugeuk.
“She just praised me and left, right?”
“Sounded like a warning not to kill the flower.”
“Young Cult Master!”
Only then did Geom Mugeuk smile and nod.
“The Sword Sovereign has truly acknowledged you.”
The brief moment of emotion brushing past his eyes was fleeting as Seo Daeryong began to complain.
“What good is that? My life is ruined now. Do you know what it feels like to open your eyes and see the Evil Heart Laughing Demon staring at you? Have you ever even heard of such a thing in your life?”
“What are you talking about?”
“The words, ‘when exactly are you leaving?’”
“I’ve never been so rude.”
“Thanks to someone, I heard those words from the Evil Heart Laughing Demon. Words that are nerve-wracking and burdensome even from an ordinary person. Ah! My life is ruined now. How could you do this to me! Leaving me behind?”
“I didn't intend to.”
“You did. You were looking forward to the moment our eyes met when I woke up in the morning, weren't you!”
“If so, I would have hidden outside the window to watch.”
“Huh? You’re right.”
Seo Daeryong blinked.
The Young Cult Master he knew would have definitely teased him on the spot.
“I received word this morning that the Plum Blossom Sword Sovereign would be visiting.”
“Then you should have woken me up and brought me with you.”
Then came an astonishing story.
“The Evil Heart Laughing Demon stopped me.”
“What?”
“He saw you sleeping so soundly and told me to leave you be.”
Seo Daeryong was shocked.
“Really? No way!”
Seo Daeryong couldn't believe it, but seeing Geom Mugeuk’s expression, it didn't seem like a lie.
“Why would the Evil Heart Laughing Demon do that?”
“I don’t know. Maybe he’s taken a liking to you?”
“But why?”
“I told you, I don't know.”
Though he said that, Geom Mugeuk could guess.
The life of Seo Daeryong, an ordinary investigator who became the Pavilion Lord of the Underworld Pavilion and the top disciple of the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, must have appealed to the Evil Heart Laughing Demon.
Of course, it was also likely because he knew Seo Daeryong was someone he cherished.
Seo Daeryong looked down at the white mask in his hand.
“Then was this gift also given out of goodwill?”
“Ask him yourself next time.”
“Next time?”
He was about to wave his hands, saying there would be no next time, but stopped.
Was it because they had spent a day together? Or was it because of what Geom Mugeuk had said? The Evil Heart Laughing Demon didn't seem as fearsome as yesterday.
“I doubt it… What am I to him.”
As he hung his head, Geom Mugeuk spoke in a calm tone.
“He's a power-hungry and ruthless man who loves only one woman, a nonconformist who raises his hand alone when everyone else is silent, a pacifist who made a life-changing decision over a drink at a tavern, the winner of a martial arts tournament, and my sharp-eyed right-hand man.”
The final phrase, ‘sharp-eyed,’ was a joke he and Seo Daeryong had shared in the past when Seo Daeryong discovered the hidden Myriad Poison Extreme Divine Pill.
“You still remember all of this.”
“It’s how I introduce you. Of course, I do.”
Seo Daeryong’s chest grew warm.
This person before him gave no rest.
He seemed to say, ‘Our relationship isn't over yet, is it? If we go a little further, won't something else be waiting for us?’ He pushed from behind and knocked on the heart.
Don't grow tired of the relationship.
Let's not fall into the swamp of boredom.
He was always a person who joked around and flustered him, but his words and actions always held a deep meaning.
Just look at what happened yesterday and today.
Overnight, he had forged a deep connection for him with two Demon Sovereigns.
If not for Geom Mugeuk, how could he have naturally formed a relationship with them? Would he even have had the chance to speak to the two Demon Sovereigns?
If Geom Mugeuk had shown any sign of taking credit, he would have bantered back, but instead, Geom Mugeuk was washing up and changing clothes, hurrying to go out again.
“Where are you going now?”
“If the Main Sect had about three Demon Sovereigns, I wouldn't be this busy.”
Meeting the Demon Sovereigns was both preparation for the three-party meeting and martial arts training.
At his current level, he could gain new insights into martial arts from a single joke with a Demon Sovereign.
“Did you tell the Plum Blossom Sword Sovereign everything that happened while you were away from the sect?”
Geom Mugeuk nodded.
“You're truly diligent.”
I have to be.
Haven't I experienced it many times? The one on the defensive is always at a disadvantage.
Those who plot schemes look for their opponent's flaws and relentlessly exploit their weaknesses.
“You must be the busiest Young Cult Master in history.”
“You have a lot to do too, don't you?”
“Me?”
“When they arrive, we must show them that the Main Sect is well-disciplined. You're the one with the greatest responsibility for that.”
As Seo Daeryong nodded with a serious expression, messenger hawks flew one after another over their heads.
He could also see messenger hawks flying in the opposite direction.
There were certainly more wings in the sky than usual.
“It's started, hasn't it?”
Geom Mugeuk nodded in response to Seo Daeryong’s question.
While the two of them were talking on the ground, the conversations of the strategists for the three-party meeting were diligently flying back and forth across the sky.
*
The Drunken Demon’s reaction was different than expected.
Normally, his reaction would have been something like this.
—You came last again.
Right, I’m just a fish already on the hook.
No, I don’t even count as a fish.
I’m just a decorative stone in a fishbowl, aren’t I?
But today, his reaction was different.
“You’re here?”
What was with this relaxed reaction? Was he sober, by any chance? Though he reeked of alcohol.
“What's this? Brother, is this how you have to laugh to use the final secret technique of your signature martial art?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Why aren't you angry that I came late?”
“Why would I be angry when my most cherished younger brother has come?”
I took a step back.
“Who are you? They weren't just targeting the Soul-Devouring Demon Sovereign.”
“Sit. It's good to see you after so long. Let’s drink all night today.”
“This is strange. Really strange.”
Just then, Yeo Bin, one of the three great drunkards, brought over some food.
At that moment, Geom Mugeuk saw it.
He knew in the instant the Drunken Demon glanced at her where the change in him had come from.
A strange current flowed between the two.
‘Something happened between them!’
As soon as Yeo Bin left, he asked the Drunken Demon directly.
“Did something happen with Martial artist Yeo?”
“No.”
“You're going to tell me anyway, right? So start with what you want to say! Say your fill.”
“But if I say it as soon as you arrive, won't I seem too flighty?”
“Don't worry. The most talkative man in the world is sitting in front of you. What happened?”
The Drunken Demon then told him what had happened.
“I was drinking alone on a boat on the lake when she flew onto the boat. And then she asked for a drink.”
“And then?”
“She challenged me to a drinking contest.”
It was something he had never expected.
“Oh! How cool. A woman who challenges the Drunken Demon to a drinking contest.”
The interesting story continued.
“I said to her, ‘Do you even know who you're challenging to a drinking contest?’ She said she knew. ‘Then what’s the wager?’ ‘Let’s grant the winner’s wish.’ ‘Are you a child? Why such a childish bet?’ ‘Are you not confident?’ ‘Of course not! Fine.’ That's how it happened.”
He filled the Drunken Demon's empty glass.
The Drunken Demon emptied the glass with a deepened gaze, as if recalling that day.
“She could really drink. Well, she’s one of the top three drunkards, so of course she can. But when she drank with determination, she was even better than I thought. The two of us drank all the wine in this building. When we ran out, we opened the cellar and drank right there.”
Imagining the scene, it must have been quite a spectacle.
“The result?”
“What do you mean? I won.”
I shook my head with an incredulous look.
“You won? You heartless man. I can’t believe it.”
“In any other contest, maybe, but how could the Drunken Demon lose a drinking contest?”
“So? Did you make a wish?”
“I did.”
“What was it?”
The Drunken Demon silently looked down at his empty cup.
He knew this man wasn't one to easily give his heart to a woman.
Please, don’t let the wish be something like, 'Don’t ever do this to me again!'
“I told her to bring a dish of spring greens she made herself as a side for our next drink.”
“!”
A bright smile spread across my lips.
“Why are you smiling?”
“Because my brother is so cool.”
I filled the Drunken Demon's glass to the brim.
“This is the coolest you've been since I met you. You always seemed so pitifully wretched. Now you finally seem like a man.”
“So you’re finally admitting you looked down on me.”
The Drunken Demon smiled and clinked his glass against mine.
Yeo Bin, who had liked the Drunken Demon for a long time, must have bet everything she had that day.
How nervous she must have been.
He didn't know how their relationship would unfold, but the Drunken Demon had understood her heart so well.
“These days, we just have a drink occasionally, like friends.”
Those drinking sessions must have been what gave the Drunken Demon his composure.
“This is all because of you.”
“Why is it because of me?”
“She said she gathered her courage because of you and the Plum Blossom Sword Sovereign. You had a big influence on the Plum Blossom Sword Sovereign, didn't you? So in the end, it’s because of you. You influenced me too.”
Yes, it was probably because of me.
I admit it.
So many things had been changing since my regression.
In any case, among all those changes, this was a truly pleasant one.
“Call me too when you have a drink over spring greens.”
“I’ll think about it.”
I smiled at his smug, boastful look and emptied my glass.
Brother, just don't blame me later by saying, 'This is because of you!' in a different sense.
*
While meeting the Demon Sovereigns, I also focused on my martial arts training.
At the center of my efforts was always bloody training.
I trained when I met a Demon Sovereign, and I trained when I didn't.
The jokes exchanged with a Demon Sovereign could provide clues to understanding martial arts only because they were supported by the endless training I had accumulated.
The moment a single word leads to a great awakening is like placing the final ornament on a painstakingly built tower.
Without the tower, there is no final ornament.
I continued to hone the Heavenly Time Secret Art to gain more time, and within that time, I practiced the Nine Calamities Demon Art with all my might.
About twenty days passed like that, and finally, the day arrived.
A soldier sent from the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion came and reported to me.
“The date for the meeting has been set.”
A date not too far in the future was set.
Because the three leaders’ will to meet was firm, things had progressed faster than expected.
I immediately headed for the Demon Family Village.
Just then, Jo Chun-bae, who was stretching in front of the Flowing Wine Tavern in the distance, saw me and greeted me cheerfully.
“Young Cult Master, welcome!”
I walked toward him, who was smiling brightly, unaware of what was to come.