I did not simply leave the wind valley.
How could I just leave after struggling so hard to get in?
First, I thoroughly inspected the inside of the valley.
It was the first time I had seen a place so completely cut off from the outside world.
This place would make the perfect safehouse.
Not only was it secretive, but even if enemies knew someone was here, they would never be able to enter.
Of course, to bring someone I needed to protect in here, I would need much more inner energy than I had now.
I decided that someday, when I reached a level of mastery where I could come and go with ease, I would build a villa here.
There was something I had to do before leaving.
I immediately performed the Space-Time Displacement Art.
I intended to perform the Nine Calamities Demon Art once before I left this place.
I had used all my potential in the process of breaking through this valley.
There had been an awakening in that process, and I wanted to confirm my achievement.
The reason I used the Space-Time Displacement Art, even though no one was around, was not only to protect the interior of this valley but also to use the Heavenly Time Secret Art.
To me, inner energy was time, and time was the lives of myself and those around me.
I unleashed the Nine Calamities Demon Art within the Space-Time Displacement Art.
I carefully performed each form from the beginning to the last one I had learned.
First Form: Annihilation Form.
Shaaaaaaaak!
To an enemy, it would be a terrifying and ghastly sight, but to me, the familiar illusions of four evil spirits appeared in the east, west, south, and north, swinging their swords simultaneously.
Slice! Slice! Slice! Slice!
And today’s Annihilation Form was different from before.
If my previous achievement had made the four evil spirits of the east, west, south, and north faster and stronger, today's change was in a different aspect.
They did not disappear immediately but looked at each other.
The fearsome one looked at the handsome one, and the mysterious one exchanged glances with the intelligent-looking one.
Until now, I had only sensed their instincts, but today, for the first time, I felt that they possessed reason and emotion.
It was only for a fleeting moment, but it felt like the four of them were whispering amongst themselves!
The feeling was certain.
Before the intelligent-looking one among them vanished, he looked at me.
I could clearly feel the regret of parting in his eyes.
Just before the four evil spirits completely disappeared, I said to them,
“It’s a pleasure.”
The four evil spirits quietly disappeared, and my words ended up being a monologue, but it was the first time I had greeted them.
I felt I had taken another step closer to the Heavenly Demon Soul.
Next, I performed the Second Form: Great Annihilation Form.
Just by looking at the Great Annihilation Form, I could clearly see that my mastery of the Nine Calamities Demon Art had improved.
Sssssssssss.
Originally, the fearsome evil spirit from the east, west, south, or north would split into eight, but now two more were added, splitting into ten.
Kwakwakwakwakwakwakwakwakwak!
Ten evil spirits swept forward, wiping out everything in their path.
The Great Annihilation Form was always spectacular, no matter when I performed it.
Third Form—Great Demon Wall.
How could a wall of force be any different? The Great Demon Wall had become smaller again.
By reducing its size, the Great Demon Wall celebrated my achievement.
And the Fourth Form.
Darkness Flash.
Whoosh!
Darkness descended.
A darkness deeper and heavier than before.
Shiiing.
A streak of light cut through the darkness.
It was faster and more powerful than the previous flash.
The darkness had deepened, and the light had brightened.
I did not yet attempt the Fifth Form.
I instinctively felt that now was the time to refine my achievements, not to advance.
I considered this achievement a gift from the old man.
A gift for doing well even after my regression.
It was thanks to his guidance that I had made it through the wind to this point.
“I will continue to work hard.”
To strive and strive again, so that even if the result is wrong, I can say this:
I have no regrets, for this was my best.
Only then, even while dreaming of revenge, would I be able to live my life to the fullest without being consumed by it.
And finally, when I left this place, I did not train hard.
After holding out at the source of the wind with extreme inner energy.
“I’m leaving nooooow!”
I released my hold and let my body be carried by the mad wind, flying toward the entrance.
I flew with exhilaration.
When I miss the wind, I will come back again.
*
Han Seol was lost in thought.
The moment the name Elder Seo came up, she became serious.
He was the person her mother trusted most and the most respected figure in the Ice Palace.
The quick-witted Lee Ahn guessed where her worries were ultimately headed.
‘She's afraid the Ice Palace Master might be involved.’
In other words, she did not trust her own mother.
At that thought, Lee Ahn recalled a presence she had forgotten for a while.
A name that was difficult to have and difficult to be without.
Lee Ahn controlled her emotions and spoke calmly.
“If he’s an important person in the Ice Palace, we should approach this carefully.”
“First, I should go see Elder Seo. I’ll go there alone.”
“Did you visit him often before?”
Han Seol shook her head.
“Then he will definitely be suspicious.”
“What if I just say I came to investigate for such and such a reason?”
It would be a relief if she found something out.
What Lee Ahn was worried about was this:
“Can you tell if the other person is lying? I’m not confident I could. Especially since he’s an Elder.”
How would Han Seol be any better at telling?
“If Elder Seo is involved in this matter, he will surely lie. If we can't detect that lie, we'll just be revealing that we suspect him, right? We’d be showing our hand before the real fight even begins.”
Her words certainly had a point.
“So what do you suggest we do?”
Lee Ahn cautiously made a suggestion.
“Let’s inform the Young Cult Master.”
Han Seol’s expression hardened slightly.
They had found out about Elder Seo on their own, and now they were giving up already? She wanted to uncover the whole truth of this matter with her own strength.
Guessing her thoughts, Lee Ahn was even more careful.
“I think finding evidence that Elder Seo was involved is already a huge accomplishment for you, Young Palace Master.”
It was a suggestion she would never have accepted under normal circumstances.
“Do you believe that Young Cult Master of yours has some brilliant solution?”
“Yes, I do.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“He has shown me many times before.”
Han Seol thought for a moment.
“Alright, let’s go back for now.”
Since it was a matter related to Elder Seo, it had to be handled with caution.
Besides, she wanted to see for herself what abilities the Young Cult Master of the Demon Sect possessed.
And so, they returned to their residence with high spirits and asked the Drunken Demon where Geom Mugeuk was.
“The Young Cult Master has gone out.”
He should have been here at a time like this.
Just trust our Young Cult Master, she had said, and returned to the residence.
And of course, he was not here now.
Lee Ahn hid her inner thoughts and smiled.
“He must have gone to take care of something important.”
Then, the Drunken Demon, feeling mischievous, added something unnecessary.
“Something about preparing for the cold?”
“What?”
“That’s all he said before he left.”
“Did he go to buy clothes or something?”
Even as she said it, Lee Ahn felt her answer was lame.
Lee Ahn sighed and looked back at Han Seol.
“Should we go meet Elder Seo right now?”
Han Seol laughed at Lee Ahn’s joke.
“Oh? You just laughed.”
Han Seol said with a straight face.
“Does a sneer count as a laugh?”
Just then, someone spoke from behind.
“A sneer is a laugh too. In fact, I know the coolest sneer in the world.”
Turning around, they saw Geom Mugeuk entering.
Lee Ahn exclaimed happily.
“Young Cult Master! Where have you been?”
“I was getting some air.”
He had really gotten a lifetime's worth of air.
*
Half an hour later, there were visitors at Elder Seo’s residence.
“The Young Palace Master has arrived with the Young Cult Master of the Demon Sect.”
Despite the unannounced visit, Seo Nak was not surprised.
“Show them in at once.”
A moment later, Geom Mugeuk and Han Seol entered the great hall.
“It is a pleasure to meet you for the first time. I am Geom Mugeuk.”
“So I finally get to meet the protagonist of the rumors that have shaken the Central Plains.”
The two exchanged courteous greetings.
Seo Nak had a gentle smile, words, and dignified actions.
He had a warm aura that made it seem like he would forgive any wrongdoing with kind words.
For that reason, he was a person highly respected not only in the Ice Palace but also by the martial artists of the Northern Sea.
“I hear you are investigating the death of the brewer of the Hundred Wines Snow Courtyard?”
“Yes, I have received the Palace Master’s permission. Please treat me comfortably, as I am a junior in the martial world before I am a Young Cult Master.”
Geom Mugeuk also wore a comfortable smile like Seo Nak.
The beginning of the meeting was good.
“She was a regrettable person.”
“Have you ever had a drink with the brewer?”
At Geom Mugeuk’s casually thrown question, Han Seol became tense.
Jo Myeong of the Hundred Wines Snow Courtyard had said the two had drunk together several times.
Would he tell the truth?
“I have drunk with her a few times. But we mostly just talked about wine, so I don’t know much about the brewer.”
Seo Nak did not hide the facts.
“What are your thoughts on the brewer’s death?”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“Do you think there was anyone who might have held a grudge against her?”
Seo Nak paused before answering.
“Are you perhaps here to investigate me?”
“Is there a reason I shouldn't?”
The provocative question created a tense moment.
Geom Mugeuk quickly broke the tension with a smile.
“I’m joking. Just a joke. When I said I should start by investigating the people around the brewer, the Young Palace Master here told me that among those people, the most trustworthy are the Palace Master and then you, Elder Seo. That’s why I came to see you first. To rule you out as a suspect from the start.”
Seo Nak smiled kindly and looked at Han Seol.
“Thank you for thinking so.”
“Not at all.”
Han Seol bowed her head slightly in greeting.
“By the way, you have decorated this great hall very nicely.”
Geom Mugeuk walked over to one wall and looked at the display cabinet in front of it.
Various ornaments were placed on it.
Meanwhile, Seo Nak looked at Han Seol.
With the same gentle smile as always.
She had grown up thinking of him as an uncle.
She had heard that Elder Seo had been a great help when her mother ascended to the position of Ice Palace Master.
Now that she was here, seeing his face, she thought:
‘I shouldn't be here like this.’
She had heard testimony that the brewer had shared drinks with Elder Seo several times, but there was no proof that he had received the wine.
Normally, she should have been standing next to Seo Nak, watching Geom Mugeuk.
Asking what these demonic practitioners were doing here.
But now, she was with the demonic practitioners, suspecting him.
How did it come to this?
When she thought about it vaguely, Elder Seo seemed suspicious, but now that she saw his smiling face, she felt sorry.
How different a person's heart is when they see someone in person versus when they do not.
“Have you heard the news from the Northern Blood Sect?”
Geom Mugeuk asked while still looking at the items on the display cabinet.
Han Seol was about to say something about his rude behavior, but Seo Nak stopped her with a hand gesture.
He did not lose his composure at all.
“What news is that?”
“Their second son lured people into a dangerous experiment.”
“I have not heard.”
“I see.”
After a brief pause, Geom Mugeuk glanced back and asked.
“You’re not going to ask what kind of experiment it was?”
“It’s obvious. That second son is quite an eccentric person.”
“So I’ve heard.”
Geom Mugeuk did not continue the conversation and touched the ornaments on the display cabinet.
Han Seol did not feel the special quality Lee Ahn had spoken of in Geom Mugeuk at all.
Transcendental? His rudeness was certainly transcendental.
“Is there anything else you wish to discuss?”
“No, we just came to pay our respects today.”
“The Demon Sect is the Demon Sect after all. To think just paying respects can make a person so tense.”
“If you have not committed a crime, you would have no reason to be tense, would you?”
Han Seol quickly said their goodbyes.
“We will take our leave now.”
“If you have any more questions, come again. I will cooperate at any time.”
“Thank you.”
The two bowed and turned to leave.
As he was walking towards the door with Han Seol, Geom Mugeuk turned back as if he had just remembered something and asked abruptly.
“By the way, what did you use the Incense Snow Ice Wine for? Did you go somewhere cold?”
The surprised one was Han Seol.
She had not expected Geom Mugeuk to ask such a question so suddenly.
Despite the sudden question, Seo Nak was not flustered.
He tilted his head and replied.
“Incense Snow Ice Wine? Why do you ask me that?”
“Did you not receive it from the brewer?”
“I have never received such a thing.”
He reacted so naturally that he did not seem to be lying.
“I see.”
After a polite bow, Geom Mugeuk was about to turn away when he turned back once more and asked.
“You’re not asking again? How I knew he gave you the Incense Snow Ice Wine. Wouldn’t one normally be curious? When someone says something about them that isn’t true.”
“What does that matter? What matters is that I did not receive it.”
Seo Nak did not ask, but Geom Mugeuk told him anyway.
“In a letter the brewer sent to the Drunken Demon, it was written that he gave the Incense Snow Ice Wine to you, Elder Seo.”
“I do not know why the brewer would write such a thing, but I have never received the Incense Snow Ice Wine.”
“There must have been some kind of misunderstanding.”
After saying their goodbyes, the two came out of the great hall.
Once they were completely away, Han Seol asked.
“What was that about?”
“I was just prodding him here and there to see if he was lying.”
“You were the one who lied.”
The brewer had never mentioned Elder Seo to the Drunken Demon.
“Did you find out if Elder Seo was lying by lying yourself?”
Geom Mugeuk shook his head.
“I couldn't tell.”
“Because Elder Seo didn't lie.”
“That might be true.”
Geom Mugeuk readily admitted it for the sake of his next words.
“However, one thing was strange.”
“What is it?”
“After we met today, there was only one moment when Elder Seo got angry. Do you know when that was?”
“You were so rude so many times, I couldn’t possibly know. So? When was it?”
Then, an unexpected answer came from Geom Mugeuk’s mouth.
“It was when I moved and messed up the items on the display cabinet.”
Han Seol had not even noticed that it had happened, or that Seo Nak had been angry.
Only Geom Mugeuk, who had been secretly emitting his energy throughout the conversation to carefully observe Seo Nak’s emotions, could have known.
“Did you see that display cabinet?”
“No.”
“There wasn’t a speck of dust on it, and the items on it were lined up with not a hair's breadth of error. It felt almost obsessive.”
“The maids must keep it very clean.”
“That’s an even bigger problem.”
“What do you mean?”
“How scary must the master be for them to clean so meticulously?”
The problem was that it was not the maids’ issue.
“If Elder Seo had no interest in the display cabinet, he wouldn't have reacted that way when I messed up the ornaments.”
Geom Mugeuk learned an important fact from that incident.
“He has two opposing sides to him. The kind-hearted man with a gentle smile, and the neurotic side that cannot tolerate even the slightest disarray.”
Han Seol was inwardly impressed.
She had known him for so long and never realized this, but Geom Mugeuk had figured it out in such a short time.
Now she understood a little why Lee Ahn had suggested informing the Young Cult Master.
His rude behavior must have all been calculated.
“Even so, it’s just a personality trait, isn’t it?”
She was right.
His contradictory personality was surprising, but it was not proof that he was behind this incident.
“That's right. So let's investigate a little more.”
“How?”
The method he suggested was also something Han Seol had not thought of.
“This time, instead of shaking up things, we'll shake up the people around him.”
Han Seol was enveloped in a strange tension.
Among the people around Seo Nak, the very first and closest one was someone who had never shown a moment of wavering in her entire life.
‘Can you really shake my mother?’