When many people gather, there is always one whose body moves faster than their mind.
Swoosh!
A young martial artist lunged forward, thrusting his sword.
As he moved, another martial artist, not to be outdone, followed suit.
Seo Daeryong calmly swung his great blade to block the attack.
The onlookers were startled.
He moved the large blade as swiftly as a sword, deflecting the attack.
He simply deflected the first one, but for the second, he imbued his blade with profound inner energy.
Klaang! Kang!
The two men’s grips tore, and they dropped their swords.
Having sent his opponents' swords flying, Seo Daeryong sheathed the great blade on his back and shouted.
"Calm yourselves and listen to what I have to say!"
The martial artists who had dropped their swords picked them up and retreated.
Seeing it as a humiliation, the two men glared fiercely at Seo Daeryong.
Dozens of gleaming sword blades were pointed at him, but Seo Daeryong remained composed.
One reason was the significant improvement in his martial arts skills, but there was an even greater reason.
He had not come here alone today.
No matter how deep a trap he fell into, there was someone who would dig through the earth to pull him out… No, where in the world are you!
If Geom Mugeuk wasn't here, he would have to navigate this situation himself.
'I must not unleash the Heaven-Slaying Demon Blade Form!'
If he used the Heaven-Slaying Demon Blade Form, someone would surely die or be gravely injured.
Then this place would turn into a hell of killing and being killed.
Just as that man wants.
‘I will never move according to your wishes.’
For some reason, Ja Gyeong was looking at him with a strange smile.
If that man were to charge in himself, it would become an uncontrollable fight.
'Why isn't he attacking?'
Judging by the way he had cornered him earlier, he wasn't the type to miss an opportunity while enjoying the situation.
'What on earth are you plotting?'
He was a man whose true intentions were impossible to read.
In any case, he first needed to calm these agitated and furious martial artists.
'If the Young Cult Master were in this situation, what would he have done?'
He had to speak like Geom Mugeuk and act like Geom Mugeuk.
As his right-hand man, he had to apply everything he had seen and learned without reservation.
In a calm tone, Seo Daeryong addressed the martial artists surrounding him.
“I only learned that he was the Blue Cloud Rising Hero after we met.”
After revealing that he didn't know the man's identity, he revealed his own again.
“As I’ve said, I am the top disciple of the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, the one who will inherit the title of Blade Demon.”
Whether he could truly become the next Blade Demon was something only time would tell, but he deliberately mentioned it to prevent his opponents from acting rashly.
Despite this, the killing intent from the tips of the pointed swords did not subside.
The moment they misunderstood him as the one who had framed the Blue Cloud Rising Hero, he had become the culprit in their eyes.
Seo Daeryong sent a telepathic message to Ja Gyeong, taunting him.
-Does your master know? That his disciple goes around posing as a righteous hero.
-My master knows everything that is happening here today.
At least, those words sounded true.
'Is it really you, Master?'
If his master had been Geom Mugeuk, he would never have believed Ja Gyeong’s words.
But what about his current master?
It wasn't that he didn't trust his master, but that he still didn't know him well.
He had no way of knowing if his master had truly taken on such a disciple in the past.
Ja Gyeong began to provoke the heroes once more.
“The fact that you are a disciple of a Demon Sovereign is not important. What’s important now is that you are the culprit who annihilated the Great Justice Sect. No matter how you try to intimidate us with the Demon Sect at your back, you will not break the great righteous spirit of our Righteous Faction.”
A war of words unfolded between the two men, with the martial artists in between.
“You are the one using the Righteous Faction as a shield to frame me. The evidence that I annihilated the Great Justice Sect! Present that evidence first.”
Seo Daeryong spoke boldly, not backing down.
The moment he lost the war of words, a real fight would break out.
There would be no turning back then.
“I am the evidence. I heard those words directly from you.”
The claim that the Blue Cloud Rising Hero himself had heard it carried more weight than any other.
They believed he would never lie to them.
Seo Daeryong retorted again.
“Do you believe I would say such a thing to someone I met for the first time today? I didn’t even know that man was the Blue Cloud Rising Hero.”
But no one believed him.
"Let's not waste any more time and kill him now!"
"Let's attack together!"
"Filthy Demon Sect bastards!"
When one person shouted, others quickly followed.
However, no one made a rash move.
Among those gathered here were the leaders of the invited sects.
They were cautious.
Rather than ordering an attack, they sent telepathic messages to hold back.
It wasn't because they trusted Seo Daeryong, but because in fights like these, experience taught them that the first to move often suffered the greatest losses.
Besides, there was no need to be the one to answer the question, "Who attacked first?"
Ja Gyeong began to press Seo Daeryong again.
"Why is a demonic practitioner like you here?"
“I determined that someone would target this place today.”
"Do you have any evidence to support that judgment?"
“I burned all the documents, so I cannot show you.”
Ja Gyeong sneered openly.
“Of course, you did.”
The surrounding heroes wore similar expressions just then.
“Instead, I can tell you.”
Seo Daeryong quickly summarized why the Phoenix Mountain Sword Sect had become the target.
He mentioned the various sects from the documents and explained the reasoning.
He even added Geom Mugeuk's analysis at the end—that this place would be targeted because of its poor relationship with the recently annihilated Great Justice Sect.
In a situation like this, Ja Gyeong could have cut him off and provoked an attack for rambling on, but he listened in silence.
Since he remained still, the other martial artists listened as well.
He was the one leading the situation, after all.
And so, Seo Daeryong explained his reasoning.
The martial artists exchanged glances.
It was a plausible analysis.
As the mood shifted, it was Seo Daeryong’s turn to corner Ja Gyeong.
“Were you invited to today's gathering?”
"I was not."
“Then why did you come?”
The gazes of the righteous martial artists turned to Ja Gyeong.
They, too, were curious why the Blue Cloud Rising Hero had come to the gathering today.
“I also obtained evidence that the Demon Sect was targeting today’s gathering.”
“Can you show me that evidence?”
“If I reveal the person who gave me the information, they will suffer retaliation from you.”
When Ja Gyeong flatly refused, Seo Daeryong added another comment.
“Or perhaps such a person never existed in the first place.”
Some of the martial artists gave Ja Gyeong a look that said, ‘Just reveal it.
It’s not like that man can escape from here today, right?’
But Ja Gyeong chose a different way to corner Seo Daeryong.
“The martial art that killed the Great Justice Sect Master was the Heaven-Slaying Demon Blade Form you have learned. Now, how will you explain this?”
This was his biggest weakness in this matter.
“Surely you’re not going to say that the Heaven-Slaying Demon Blade Form is a martial art that anyone can learn, are you?”
Ja Gyeong cut off his escape route.
Seo Daeryong was at a loss for words at this question.
It was something he couldn't explain himself.
Seizing the momentum, Ja Gyeong once again incited the heroes.
“Do you remember how this man tried to shift the blame onto me earlier? Just by seeing that, can’t you tell what kind of person he is?”
Seo Daeryong was in a difficult position.
He knew that saying Ja Gyeong was the real culprit now would only backfire.
“The Great Justice Sect Master could not close his eyes even in death. Let us all avenge the grudge of the Great Justice Sect Master.”
Ja Gyeong raised his great blade high.
In response, the martial artists all released their auras and revealed their killing intent.
With a smile in his eyes, Ja Gyeong sent a telepathic message to Seo Daeryong.
-Kill all these Righteous Faction bastards! I'm helping you do it, aren't I? Kill them all with the Heaven-Slaying Demon Blade Form!
The martial artists slowly advanced, their swords aimed.
The Flying Sword Manor Lord and other leaders could not stay out of this fight.
Just as taking the lead could result in heavy losses, the stigma of being a coward was just as fatal.
Seo Daeryong took a step back.
'If I don't fight, I will die.'
Just as the man said, to live, he had to use the Heaven-Slaying Demon Blade Form.
It was a truly volatile situation!
Just then, someone’s voice was heard.
“Then the Great Justice Sect Master will shed tears of blood from those unclosed eyes.”
Everyone’s attention focused on the person who had newly emerged from among the heroes.
He was none other than the man Seo Daeryong had been waiting for so desperately: Geom Mugeuk.
'Young Cult Master!'
Seo Daeryong felt as if a ray of light was descending into the darkness.
It was like being in a pit with earth pouring down, and a hand reaching out through it.
Truly, if people weren't watching, he would have run to Geom Mugeuk.
'I was about to die from nervousness! You were watching on purpose, weren't you? To make me suffer! To make a grand entrance at the critical moment!'
Of course, thanks to that, he had a valuable experience.
When would he ever get another chance to persuade righteous martial artists with their swords at his throat to clear his name?
Geom Mugeuk said as he slowly walked forward.
“The Great Justice Sect Master lived his entire life upholding righteousness. If you kill an innocent man by falsely accusing him of his murder, do you think he would be pleased? That would truly be something that would keep the Great Justice Sect Master from closing his eyes even in death.”
Geom Mugeuk’s voice was low and calm, but it reached everyone’s ears clearly.
The Flying Sword Manor Lord asked Geom Mugeuk.
“Who are you?”
Geom Mugeuk did not hide his identity.
“I am Geom Mugeuk, the Young Cult Master of the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect.”
Everyone’s eyes widened in surprise.
Who would have expected the Young Cult Master of the Demon Sect to appear here?
“Someone is trying to sow discord between our sect and all of you, which is why I have come to the Central Capital myself to resolve this matter.”
Even at the mention of the Young Cult Master, Ja Gyeong showed no fear.
“You’re not the one who came here to commit this act yourself?”
Geom Mugeuk could have avoided an unnecessary power struggle with Ja Gyeong or the martial artists here.
He could have unleashed his aura and overwhelmed them with his power.
A clumsy provocation might lead to a fight, but an overwhelming aura could make an opponent lose their will to fight.
It was certainly an effective method, but Geom Mugeuk chose not to do so.
It was because of Ja Gyeong.
There was no surprise or fear in Ja Gyeong’s eyes as he looked at him.
'He knew I was here.'
That meant he also knew he would appear before something happened to Seo Daeryong.
If so, he would have known that Seo Daeryong would not end up killing the righteous martial artists.
'Could it be? Is he trying to provoke me, not Seo Daeryong, into killing them?'
That was the question that arose in his mind.
In any case, whatever the man’s intentions were, he had to calm the agitated martial artists first.
Geom Mugeuk looked at Seo Daeryong and addressed the heroes.
“That man over there is not only a disciple of the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, but also the Lord of our sect’s Underworld Pavilion.”
Geom Mugeuk began his persuasion by changing Seo Daeryong’s identity.
“In other words, he is a man appointed by the Cult Master of the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect.”
Thinking of him only as a disciple of a Demon Sovereign was one thing, but the mention of the Demon Cult Master made everyone tense.
“Do you know what kind of place the Underworld Pavilion is? It is the place that handles the discipline of our sect. It is the strictest among the many organizations in our sect. That man is the person in charge of such a place.”
Geom Mugeuk slowly walked towards Ja Gyeong.
As the two drew closer, a suffocating tension filled the air.
But both Geom Mugeuk and Ja Gyeong were at ease.
'Why did you come here? You must know you could die at my hands.'
Even though he must have read the warning in Geom Mugeuk's eyes, Ja Gyeong was smiling.
Stopping a short distance from Ja Gyeong, Geom Mugeuk spoke calmly.
“You said that man told you he annihilated the Great Justice Sect? A brilliant man who became the youngest Pavilion Lord of the Underworld Pavilion told you that, a man he met for the first time today? Just how foolish do you think the people here are to pull such a stunt?”
He deliberately used the word ‘foolish.’ Meaning, if you are swayed by those words, you are a fool.
“Leaving traces of the Heaven-Slaying Demon Blade Form at the scene of the annihilation is also suspicious. We have no intention of starting a war with you, so why would the Underworld Pavilion Lord leave traces of his own martial art at the scene? The Cult Master would not let it slide if he did. Do you think that intelligent man would commit such a reckless act?”
A few of the listening martial artists nodded slightly.
They, too, had suspected that someone was sowing discord.
But since the martial art of a Demon Sovereign was used, they had assumed it was a plot by the Demon Sect.
Hearing these words directly from Geom Mugeuk, the thought that someone might have been trying to sow discord occurred to them.
“Furthermore, the Underworld Pavilion Lord was recently investigated for this matter at the Martial Alliance's Central Capital Division and was released. If the Underworld Pavilion Lord was guilty, would the Martial Alliance have released him? If you believe so, you should go protest to the Martial Alliance, not here.”
Not a single word was wrong, so no one could offer a rebuttal.
Listening, Seo Daeryong was filled with both admiration and self-reproach.
'Ah, I should have spoken like that.'
Just then, a man walked out from among the heroes.
He was Bang Cheongmun, the sect master of the Phoenix Mountain Sword Sect.
“Sheathe your swords.”
At his command, everyone sheathed their swords without complaint.
After all, they couldn't fight the Young Cult Master of the Demon Sect.
“I have heard the Young Cult Master’s words well. Both the Young Cult Master and the Rising Hero came because they heard there might be a bloody affair in our sect, but thankfully, nothing has happened.”
Bang Cheongmun looked at Geom Mugeuk with a gentle gaze, but he was still half in doubt.
Although Geom Mugeuk could have killed him earlier but didn't, it could still be part of a conspiracy.
In any case, he had made a promise with Geom Mugeuk in the sect master’s hall.
At least for today, he would not clash with the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect.
Just then, Ja Gyeong stepped forward and bowed politely to Bang Cheongmun with a cupped fist.
“In my judgment that it was an urgent situation, I came without contacting you in advance. I apologize.”
“Not at all. I don’t know how reassuring it is to have you here.”
Watching the scene, Geom Mugeuk felt a strange sense of unease.
No fight had broken out between Seo Daeryong and the righteous martial artists, and the same was true for himself.
Yet, the man did not seem disappointed at all.
—His goal is not to make you fight the righteous martial artists.
Seo Daeryong was startled by Geom Mugeuk’s telepathic message.
—It’s not? Then why did he try so hard?
Standing among the righteous martial artists, Ja Gyeong looked at Geom Mugeuk with the same friendly smile he had when he first saw Seo Daeryong.
It wasn't a smile that came from the thought, 'You can't kill me while I'm surrounded by righteous men, right?' That smile was...?
—Anyway, he's a really bold one.
If he was targeting me, he must have expected you to come too, Young Cult Master.
To come here alone?
The moment Geom Mugeuk heard that telepathic message, he realized something.
—The problem isn't that he came here.
—Then what is the problem?
—The problem is who didn't come.
—What?
—Huh?
—Why didn't the Elder come here?
He must have known that an incident would occur here.
If so, he would have surely come to try and stop it somehow.
In that moment, Geom Mugeuk’s gaze deepened.
He had figured out what kind of smile Ja Gyeong’s was.
It didn't matter if a fight broke out or not.
The man's purpose lay elsewhere.
—That man's purpose is to keep us tied down here.
—Why on earth?
The reason was simple.
—Because the real plot is not unfolding here.