Demon Buddha was rushing towards Wuhan.
When he heard the information sent from the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion, he decided he had to go.
Han Wol-gaek and the Jade Mountain Sword.
They were opponents the First Young Master would not find easy to handle.
Demon Buddha knew all too well that Han Wol-gaek’s grudge against the Main Sect was as deep as the sea.
Just then, someone shouted from far behind him.
“Wait a moment!”
At the familiar voice carried on the wind, Demon Buddha halted his lightness arts.
Whoooosh.
The person who rushed forward like a streak of light and landed behind him was Geom Mugeuk.
“For a man with such short legs, you sure are fast.”
“So you’ve become the Acting Cult Master and now you’re openly making personal attacks.”
“Sitting on the throne makes one naturally arrogant. Everyone, kneel!”
Although their conversation was filled with negative words, the expressions on their faces as they looked at each other were bright.
“What is it?”
“You gave me a job to do, so I should at least pay my respects.”
“You didn’t chase me down just because I was leaving without paying respects to the Acting Cult Master, did you?”
“Of course! You know the nature of power so well! No matter how many statues you carve, Demon Buddha, you are the Incarnation of Greed itself when it comes to power.”
Demon Buddha snorted.
He could feel Geom Mugeuk deliberately trying to provoke him.
Just as he had said to carve statues to sell them, he was telling him to go back to that time when he sought power again.
To be vibrant, not to sink.
“I came to ask a favor.”
Geom Mugeuk unwound the Supreme Heavenly Silkworm Thread from the hilt of his Black Demon Sword.
What he had once shared with the Evil Heart Laughing Demon and the Drunken Demon was now being passed on to a new person.
“Please wrap this around your brother’s heart.”
Demon Buddha took the Supreme Heavenly Silkworm Thread.
At first, he hadn’t believed Geom Mugeuk’s words about fighting for the succession while saving his brother.
But now, he believed.
Yes, perhaps the First Young Master’s heart had something like this wrapped around it back then, too.
Something invisible to the eye, something that protected his heart, something even stronger than what he held in his hands now.
Demon Buddha’s gaze turned to the Black Demon Sword.
There was still some Supreme Heavenly Silkworm Thread left on the hilt.
Looking at it, Demon Buddha said abruptly.
“What about me?”
Geom Mugeuk laughed out loud as if he’d heard a joke.
But Demon Buddha was not smiling.
“Is the First Young Master’s heart the only one that matters?”
“You don’t need something like this, do you, Demon Buddha?”
“I’m a man who bleeds when cut, too. Did you think gold dust would pour out of me instead of blood?”
“It’s not cool for a Demon Sovereign to wrap himself in something like this.”
“Have you not given it to any other Demon Sovereign?”
“…”
“So you just don’t want to give it to me.”
In the end, pretending to be defeated, Geom Mugeuk unwound the rest and handed it to him.
“Why are you taking it when you’re not even going to use it?”
“I will use it.”
“You will absolutely not use it, Demon Buddha!”
“We’ll see about that.”
If he had given it all from the start and said, “Half for your brother, half for you, Demon Buddha,” Demon Buddha would have surely refused.
That was why he had deliberately played the contrarian.
Whether Demon Buddha had guessed his intention and played along was unknown.
Demon Buddha looked at the leather pouch Geom Mugeuk was carrying on his back and said.
“I think you brought that for me too. Give it here.”
How perceptive he was.
Inside the leather pouch were three sets of protective armor he had brought from the Heavenly Demon Treasury.
One of them was a smaller set of protective armor for Demon Buddha.
“Why three sets?”
“If you happen to meet him, please give one to the Poison King as well.”
Demon Buddha stared at Geom Mugeuk and spoke, his eyes saying, ‘There’s no way you don’t know.’
“That man won’t wear it.”
“Yes, he’ll say he doesn’t want it.”
“Then why?”
“Some might think I’m sending you because you’re close to my brother, but that’s not why I asked you, Demon Buddha.”
“Then what is it for?”
Geom Mugeuk’s true assessment of Demon Buddha’s value.
“To make the impossible possible. It’s what you do better than anyone else.”
After looking at Geom Mugeuk for a moment, Demon Buddha slowly began to wrap the Supreme Heavenly Silkworm Thread around both his wrists.
“You’re not sending me because of your brother, are you? And it’s not to make the Poison King wear protective armor, either.”
He had accurately grasped Geom Mugeuk’s intention.
“You want me to stop that man, the Poison King, don’t you?”
Instead of answering, Geom Mugeuk gave a smile of affirmation.
If Han Wol-gaek, who held a deep grudge against the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect, went on a rampage, the Poison King would eventually have to step in.
And the moment someone let their guard down due to his boyish, fresh appearance and spouted some nonsense, the one principle everyone had to abide by would be broken.
The principle of not angering the Poison King.
If things went badly, it was a situation where a war could break out.
“Because only you, Demon Buddha, can stop the Poison King.”
“Why me?”
He had expected a grand reason, but…
“Because you’re the king of poisonous herb collecting, aren’t you?”
At the unexpected reason, Demon Buddha couldn’t help but laugh.
The playfulness disappeared from Geom Mugeuk’s face.
He bowed his head respectfully.
“I apologize for asking such a difficult task of you.”
Having finished wrapping the Supreme Heavenly Silkworm Thread, Demon Buddha slung the leather pouch onto his back.
Because of his short stature, it nearly covered his entire body.
“You become the Cult Master and the first thing you do is burden me with your luggage.”
“It’s a burden only a little giant can carry.”
“If only you couldn’t talk so smoothly.”
Demon Buddha turned and began to run again.
Geom Mugeuk stood in that spot and watched until he had completely disappeared.
To be honest, watching was harder than fighting himself.
But even if anxiety kept him from sleeping, there were times one had to watch.
Like a parent’s heart for their child, it is when we stand alone like that, that we grow.
Both the opponent, and even the one who was watching.
Geom Mugeuk turned in the opposite direction from which he had disappeared.
“Well then, shall I go read the book I left off?”
In a flash, Geom Mugeuk’s figure became a dot and vanished.
The cart carrying Geom Muyang and his party slowly passed through the central streets of Wuhan.
Disguised as construction workers, they sat huddled together in the cargo bed of an old cart, looking at the surrounding streets.
A middle-aged martial artist with a long sword on his back, striding confidently with the hem of his robe fluttering; an old man sitting in a tavern, stroking his white beard while sharing a cup of wine; young martial artists with youthful faces, laughing and chatting about what made them so happy; Martial Alliance martial artists in uniform, passing by with sharp eyes—everyone they saw was a member of the Righteous Path.
In the distance, the grand buildings of the Martial Alliance headquarters and a huge statue of a martial artist symbolizing a warrior of justice could be seen.
Ho Myeong didn’t show it, but he was tense inside.
He had only heard about it, but this was the first time he had actually come before the Martial Alliance headquarters.
And was he the only one? It was the same for the subordinates who had come with him.
It wasn’t just the people.
The countless large and small sects they saw along the way were all Righteous Path sects that followed the Martial Alliance.
If a fight were to break out, Righteous Path martial artists would pour out from all directions.
They were truly passing through a dragon’s pond and a tiger’s den.
The place they arrived at was a manor.
It wasn’t in a secluded area far away, but just a little off the main street.
Other houses were packed tightly next to it, and a short walk would take them back to the marketplace they had just passed.
A place where the grand buildings of the Martial Alliance headquarters looked even larger.
It was right under the nose of the Martial Alliance.
Everyone got off the cart and entered the manor.
Once inside, they saw that parts of the manor building had collapsed everywhere.
As if they had called workers to do repair work.
“Welcome, everyone!”
The person who greeted them was the owner of this place.
“I plan to renovate this place splendidly.”
At the same time, he was a martial artist from the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion.
“Alright, let’s go in and rest today, and start work tomorrow.”
The Heaven-Reaching Pavilion had bought this manor and made it look like they were starting new expansion work.
It was to ensure that Geom Muyang and the Division martial artists, who had arrived in Wuhan disguised as workers, would not arouse any suspicion.
The Heaven-Reaching Pavilion was truly sparing no support for Geom Muyang.
Once the manor gate closed, the Division martial artists surveyed the surroundings.
Over the walls and even on the roofs.
After confirming there were no watchful eyes, they took out the swords and protective armor hidden at the bottom of the cart and went inside the building.
Once inside the building, the middle-aged man finally introduced himself.
“I am Hwa In from the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion. It is an honor to serve such a distinguished person.”
Normally, martial artists belonging to the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion identified themselves by their code names, but this time he revealed his real name.
Although he had lost in the fight for succession, the opponent was of the Heavenly Demon’s bloodline.
That was why he, the one in charge of Wuhan, had stepped forward himself.
“I’ll be in your care.”
After Geom Muyang’s brief greeting, Division Lord Ho Myeong stepped forward.
“Did you say you lost track of Gwak Yeong?”
Then came an unexpected answer.
“No.”
At the word “no,” not only Ho Myeong but all the other martial artists were surprised.
“Gwak Yeong returned to the Iron Workshop this morning.”
Geom Muyang’s expression hardened slightly as he listened.
It was a situation where he should be happy to have found her, but…
The fact that she had returned so brazenly on the very day he entered Wuhan bothered him.
Ho Myeong felt similarly.
“It could be a trap.”
Geom Muyang nodded at his words.
“Perhaps.”
But even if it was a trap, he could not back down.
That wasn’t the only news waiting for them.
“There is something you need to know. Han Wol-gaek is currently in Wuhan.”
At the name Han Wol-gaek, Geom Muyang flinched.
Before he could even react, more bad news was delivered.
“And the Jade Mountain Sword will arrive soon.”
Ho Myeong quickly asked Hwa In.
“Are they here because of our operation?”
“We are confirming that now.”
Gwak Yeong had returned on her own, and two renowned masters from the Righteous Path were coming here?
The dragon’s pond was truly bubbling and boiling, and from the tiger’s den, the roar of a hungry tiger could be heard.
Ho Myeong looked back at Geom Muyang.
He knew that even if they had come because of them, Geom Muyang was not the type to get scared and turn back.
Indeed, Geom Muyang calmly asked Hwa In.
“Where is Gwak Yeong’s house?”
“She has a residence in the inner courtyard of the Martial Alliance.”
As an artisan of the Iron Workshop, she must have been specially given a residence in the inner courtyard.
Not the outer courtyard, but the inner courtyard?
Getting in was almost impossible.
“There is a tavern that Gwak Yeong frequents. After finishing her work, she often stops by there for tea.”
“Where is it?”
“It’s a tavern called Fragrance Tavern in the marketplace.”
What Hwa In had prepared was not just information.
He opened a closet.
Inside, it was full of various kinds of martial robes.
“You cannot wear weapons in those clothes, so please wear these. These are the most common martial robes you can see here in Wuhan.”
He also gave them new identities.
“If you ever need to reveal your identity, say that you are disciples of the Revered Sword Sect, a Righteous Path sect in Hunan.”
The Revered Sword Sect was also a front sect of the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect.
“The disciples of the Revered Sword Sect are currently out with their senior to tour the Martial Alliance headquarters.”
Hwa In brought a piece of paper with names written on it and told them their respective names.
If someone were to check with the Revered Sword Sect, they would hear that these people had gone to tour the Martial Alliance headquarters.
“Thank you for your consideration.”
Everyone began to change into the martial robes.
“Don’t forget to put on the protective armor under your clothes, everyone.”
After taking care of his subordinates, Ho Myeong was worried that only Geom Muyang had no protective armor.
But he couldn’t give him the one he was wearing.
He couldn’t give the protective armor supplied to ordinary martial artists to the First Young Master.
He felt it would be alright since his martial arts were so strong, but he still wished he could give him something better if he had it.
A short while later, they quietly slipped out through the back gate of the manor.
Geom Muyang was drinking tea alone at the Fragrance Tavern.
The rest of the martial artists were scattered across the street in the tavern opposite, on the street corners, in the alleys, and in the adjacent buildings, monitoring the surroundings.
They had taken their positions one by one with great care.
In fact, today was more like a reconnaissance mission.
He hadn’t expected to meet her on the first day.
-It’s her!
At Ho Myeong’s telepathic message, he lifted his head to see a woman entering the tavern.
There was a large burn scar on the back of the woman’s hand.
He couldn’t mistake her.
She made no attempt to hide the scar; in fact, she had her sleeves rolled up.
The woman who proudly displayed her wound was, as he had heard, beautiful in face and figure.
After entering the tavern, Gwak Yeong looked around to see where to sit.
Just then, her eyes met Geom Muyang’s.
Gwak Yeong then smiled with her eyes and bowed her head slightly.
Geom Muyang couldn’t tell.
Did she smile because she recognized him, or was it just a polite greeting after their eyes met by chance?
In any case, one thing was unexpected.
Her atmosphere was brighter than he had thought.
Just then, Ho Myeong sent a telepathic message to Geom Muyang from outside.
-There seems to be no tail or ambush.
Geom Muyang also raised his energy to check, but he didn’t detect any particular danger from the customers inside either.
‘She really came alone for tea?’
If so, all that was left was to subdue her and take her away.
A cart was even ready outside to transport her.
But Geom Muyang was cautious.
The fact that things were going too smoothly made him even more careful.
Gwak Yeong was sipping her tea, watching the pedestrians come and go outside.
Her eyes were deep, as if in thought.
Then, a group of men passing by saw her and bowed in greeting.
She greeted them with a bright voice and waved her hand at them.
Seeing their muscular builds, they were probably men who worked at the Iron Workshop.
As she turned her head back to drink her tea after looking outside,
Geom Muyang was already sitting opposite her.
It was a startling situation, but she asked calmly.
“Why did you sit down without asking for permission?”
On the other hand, Geom Muyang came on strong.
“And why did you make them without our permission?”
His first words revealed his identity and questioned her.
If she tried to scream or run away, her paralyzing and mute points would be sealed before she could even try.
But Gwak Yeong’s reaction was unexpected.
She leaned her upper body forward, getting closer to Geom Muyang’s face, and said with utmost confidence.
“Are you a fool? Who asks for permission to make counterfeit goods?”