As I watched the backs of my father and the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, a martial artist from the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion came and reported.
"We have located the members of the Cloud River Sect, and by order of the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion Lord, the Demon Army has been deployed for the rescue operation."
This place where I fought Gyo Cheon was the Cloud River Sect.
Fortunately, he had kept them alive instead of killing them.
Geom Mugeuk said to the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion martial artist.
"Send word to the Demon Slaying Branch Master and tell him I'll see him there."
"Yes! Understood."
I had to see my friend's face before leaving.
I had received a lot of help from Jin Ha-gun while handling this matter.
As the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion martial artist disappeared with swift lightness arts, Seo Daeryong, who had been listening to the report beside me, rejoiced.
"That's a relief."
"You're the one who found these people."
The two sects Seo Daeryong had chosen at the end were the Phoenix Mountain Sword Sect and the Cloud River Sect.
He had said he couldn't choose between the two, so Geom Mugeuk picked the Phoenix Mountain Sword Sect.
But that one was a trap to buy time, and the real incident occurred here at the Cloud River Sect.
"As expected! The power of the Underworld Pavilion's top entrant!"
He could have puffed out his chest and boasted at my praise, but Seo Daeryong politely bowed his head and expressed his gratitude.
"Young Cult Master, thank you."
"For what?"
"Just for everything."
If he had met his Master alone, would such a wonderful reunion have been possible? He thought not.
It would have been awkward and distant, and he wouldn't have been able to convey his true feelings.
"That gratitude, write it all down! Just you wait. Even that good head of yours will turn into a forgetful one once you turn around. Ah, the Young Cult Master said that back then? I think I did it myself—you'll make me jump with your distorted memories. No, no. I won't remember either. So write it all down, meticulously and without omission."
"I will make it into a book and pass it down for generations."
A vision of the future formed in Seo Daeryong's mind.
He saw himself with his grandchildren on his knees, telling them the story of this day.
Perhaps those grandchildren might say.
"Grandfather, is it the story about the Cult Master again?"
It couldn't be helped.
His gratitude was piled up like a mountain.
Today was another example.
Geom Mugeuk could have told him to wait at the safehouse, but he brought him all the way here.
"I'm also grateful that you brought me here so I could meet my Master even a little sooner."
"That's not why I brought you."
"What? Then why did you bring me?"
"If possible, you should meet where all favors and grudges are settled. Waiting at the safehouse and meeting here would have felt very different. The most important thing in a martial artist's life is whether you were there at that moment or not."
He thought that was right.
The excitement he felt when he saw his Master here, in this place soaked with blood, was still vivid.
"Even if I couldn't fight alongside you?"
How could he not feel such regret as a martial artist?
"You did fight together. Just by not becoming a nuisance by trying to help your master and ending up a hostage, you fought well together. It's good that you're smart, so I don't have to worry about that."
Seo Daeryong's eyes trembled.
What sin could this Young Cult Master possibly have committed against him in a past life to be like this?
Of course, Geom Mugeuk was not one to let Seo Daeryong's obvious emotion go unnoticed.
"And if by some chance I were to die, you'd jump in, wouldn't you? How could I go on that long road to the underworld without you? It'd be so boring."
He's all talk about taking credit, but in truth, the Young Cult Master hates taking credit.
Hiding such thoughts, Seo Daeryong spoke with a look of disbelief.
"As expected! You had an ulterior motive. I'm someone who doesn't appreciate how thankful I should be that you told me to hide far away. For me, surviving for a long, long time is the greatest mission! Fortunately, I achieved my dream today. I'm not just a right-hand man anymore. I'm the right-hand man who doesn't have to do dangerous things."
This was in reference to the Blood Heaven Blade Demon's words that the Young Cult Master should be entrusted with dangerous tasks.
"But what can you do? Since I'm supposed to handle the dangerous tasks, you, as the right-hand man, will have to follow the torso."
"Ah, is that how it is again?"
Geom Mugeuk strode forward.
"Come on, my still-in-danger right-hand man. Let's go."
Seo Daeryong stood there for a moment.
Just as Geom Mugeuk had watched the backs of his father and the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, Seo Daeryong silently watched Geom Mugeuk's back.
He was always joking and talkative, but looking at his back, one often thought he looked lonely.
The more one got to know him, the more that was true.
'If the Young Cult Master had died today, my skills are still lacking, so I couldn't have avenged him.
But his journey to the afterlife wouldn't have been boring.
The ferryman of the underworld would have covered his ears, complaining about the noise.'
The Cloud River Sect Master looked up at the sky in gratitude.
'Thank you, thank you so much.'
Just a moment ago, he had been devastated.
Masters had stormed the Cloud River Sect, subdued him, his family, and his disciples, and locked them in this remote warehouse.
He was a renowned master in the Central Capital, but he was no match for the attacking masters.
He recognized two people among the attackers.
Two who drove him to despair.
The Red-Faced Young Master.
The one with a woman's figure tattooed on his body was the Lustful Vajra.
His heart sank especially when he saw the Lustful Vajra.
He knew very well how many women that bastard had violated.
His wife and daughter, of course, but there were more than just one or two women in his clan.
Vicious men like them had come in droves.
'In the end, we will all die miserably.'
While he was in such a state of despair, he heard the sound of something clashing outside.
Followed by screams.
Kra-a-a-ack.
The huge iron door was torn off, and someone filled the doorway.
When he saw that face, the Sect Master was startled.
He had never seen a martial artist with such a large frame, nor one with such a fearsome face.
The huge martial artist said in a blunt tone.
"We came to rescue you. Everyone, come out."
They looked more like villains than the ones who had captured them.
But they had saved him.
"Thank you so much. I will never forget this kindness."
Even when he asked for his benefactors' names, these large martial artists only told him to wait a little, not revealing their identities.
While he was calming his startled heart, the Central Capital Division Lord, Ju Gwol, arrived with Martial Alliance martial artists.
Seeing a familiar face, the Cloud River Sect Master felt completely relieved.
After exchanging greetings with the Cloud River Sect Master, Ju Gwol approached Jang Ho.
"I have received your help again."
The way he looked at Jang Ho had changed not just because he had been helped.
Ju Gwol now knew that the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect was not behind this incident.
He had resolved his misunderstanding of the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect after hearing that the Blue Cloud Rising Hero had been learning the Heaven‑Slaying Demon Blade Form at the Phoenix Mountain Sword Sect and that he had planned this incident.
"I apologize for misunderstanding you."
And he had heard from Jin Ha-gun that these large martial artists who had saved him when the division was previously attacked were the Demon Army of the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect.
Though he truly hated and despised the Demon Sect, his gaze towards Jang Ho was soft.
Not only had they saved his and his subordinates' lives, but they had also prevented the annihilation of the Cloud River Sect.
"I am merely a man who follows orders."
Jang Ho did not take any credit, which made Ju Gwol like him even more.
Was it because of the guilt of misunderstanding them? Surprisingly, he thought it wouldn't be bad to form a friendship with someone like this.
Was friendship possible between a demonic practitioner and a Righteous Path martial artist?
He had truly disapproved of Jin Ha-gun's friendship with the Demon Sect's Young Cult Master, but now, as if to punish that disapproval, this thought entered his mind.
"I hope to have a chance to repay you someday."
Ju Gwol spoke with sincerity, and Jang Ho nodded with a blunt expression.
Ju Gwol's gaze naturally turned to the two people standing on a roof far away.
Geom Mugeuk and Jin Ha-gun were standing there side by side, talking.
Geom Mugeuk told him honestly why this incident had occurred.
He told him everything as it was.
"So that's what happened."
Learning that this incident was born from a long-standing grudge, Jin Ha-gun realized anew how terrifying human resentment could be.
"On behalf of my sect, I sincerely apologize for the clans that were annihilated in this incident."
"It was something you couldn't help. Still, thanks to you, they were able to survive."
If it weren't for Geom Mugeuk, the Cloud River Sect would have been annihilated, and if the conflict between the two sides had deepened because of this, there was no telling what might have happened.
Therefore, it was not just the Cloud River Sect that had been saved.
"As expected, you did it."
Jin Ha-gun looked at Geom Mugeuk.
Honestly, while waiting for news at the safehouse, he had believed that Geom Mugeuk would be able to resolve it.
"It's thanks to your consideration. If I had acted like a stubborn person who puts principles first, this would have been several times more difficult."
His former self would have definitely put principles first.
If so, he might have played right into the hands of those who planned this incident.
"It wouldn't be easy to get along with you if I were stubborn."
"Of course. I'd break through it all one way or another."
Jin Ha-gun could feel it.
With each meeting, his relationship with Geom Mugeuk deepened.
Because he trusted him, he had allowed the demonic practitioners into the Central Capital Division and had obediently gone to the safehouse.
"Is it all over now?"
"The Blade Demon is taking care of the last matter. As soon as that's done, we'll leave immediately."
Their gazes met in midair.
"Let's get the younger generation together and see each other soon."
Geom Mugeuk leaped away and disappeared from sight in an instant.
The farewell was not sad, filled with the anticipation of seeing him again soon.
Jin Ha-gun watched the sky where Geom Mugeuk had flown, then looked down.
He met the eyes of Ju Gwol, who had turned after sending off the Demon Army.
His expression, which always soured whenever he saw him with Geom Mugeuk, was gentle today.
'Whatever the reason, please change like that.'
Because he could feel that the power of the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect was growing, just like the large frames of the Demon Army.
'If we are not to lose, we too must continue to change.'
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon sat down in front of the old fortuneteller.
The old man's expression darkened.
The news he awaited had not come, and the person who should not have come, had.
"The place you told me was wrong."
The fortuneteller had told the Blood Heaven Blade Demon to go to the Phoenix Mountain Sword Sect.
But Gyo Cheon had been carrying out his plan at the Cloud River Sect.
"Did you perhaps meet my master?"
To the old fortuneteller's question, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon nodded.
The fact that he had met his master and still appeared safely before him meant that their plan had failed.
"The one who tied the knot untied it."
The one who untied the knot should have been Gyo Cheon.
He had believed that no matter how strong the Heavenly Demon was, he could not have faced the twelve of them and also avoided Gyo Cheon's final move.
The old fortuneteller sighed.
"I misinterpreted the divination."
When he met the Blood Heaven Blade Demon before, he had read his own fortune.
The fortune he drew then was 'those who are to live will live, and those who are to die will die.' He had thought he was on the side of the living.
Sensing his end, the old man felt his heart grow calm instead.
"While planning this, I cast countless divinations, and one thing always stood out. Perhaps the failure of this plan is, in large part, because of that."
"What is it?"
After a moment's pause, the old man said something unexpected.
"Your Young Cult Master."
The old fortuneteller sighed.
"His fortune was completely unpredictable. Sometimes it showed him holding the fate of the Martial World, other times as having no influence on it at all. Sometimes he was a great killing star causing a bloodbath, and other times the divination of a great master who would save the Martial World. Every time I cast his fortune, his future was so different. It was the first time I'd seen such a case since I began telling fortunes."
He asked the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.
"May I cast a final divination about the Young Cult Master's future?"
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon nodded.
The old fortuneteller shook the container of divination sticks.
Knowing it was his last, the old man's movements were deliberate.
And so, one divination stick popped out.
Both men were startled when they saw the words written on the bamboo stick.
Four characters were written there.
Unification of the World.
After staring blankly for a moment, the old fortuneteller laughed loudly.
"If that is so, then my death is the will of Heaven."
The old fortuneteller tilted the divination container in his hand toward the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.
Fwoooosh!
Hidden weapons shot out from the container.
It was both a divination container and a hidden weapon.
At this distance, it was the old man's signature hidden weapon that no one could avoid.
Clang, clang, clang, clang!
But the hidden weapons were blocked by something and all bounced off.
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon had blocked them by raising his Heaven-Slaying Blade.
Shwiiiiik!
The great blade flew and cut a large gash across the old fortuneteller's chest.
Bones and flesh split as the old fortuneteller collapsed.
If he had been determined to launch a surprise attack, it would have been much harder to block, but this attack was a plea for death.
"To have failed because of one who has received Heaven's decree... I have no regrets."
The old fortuneteller breathed his last after leaving his final words.
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon picked up the bamboo stick that had fallen to the ground.
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon silently looked down at it, about to burn it with his extreme yang energy.
But he soon withdrew his energy and for some reason, tucked it into his robes.
Just then, Geom Mugeuk arrived.
"Ah, is it over? I rushed over to get my fortune told."
"What fortune could you get from a quack fortuneteller?"
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon strode away.
"Elder, let's go together!"
Geom Mugeuk followed him.
Had something happened with the old fortuneteller? Geom Mugeuk got a different feeling from the Blood Heaven Blade Demon than usual.
"Oh, and don't think about going back to the sect alone. We're all going back together."
He said this, worried that his father might find it uncomfortable and just leave by himself.
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon was the type of person who would do just that.
After a moment's pause, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon answered.
"I was planning to go with you."
It seemed he had decided to go with them while talking with my father.
"Ah, that's great. The journey back will have many more enjoyable things."
On the journey back to the Main Sect, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon and Seo Daeryong would be joining us.
Just as I had spent a lot of time with my father, I hoped the two of them would have a similar opportunity.
"Oh, and look forward to it. There's a real showdown remaining."
"What showdown?"
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon looked at Geom Mugeuk with a curious expression.
But Geom Mugeuk didn't tell him, as if he would find out later.
Instead, he smiled meaningfully and said.
"You've never had the fish dish my father made, have you?"