It had been exactly one-quarter of an hour.
Everyone looked at Geom Muyang with surprised expressions.
Judging by the blood on Geom Muyang’s hands, it was clear he had conducted the torture himself.
Geom Muyang slowly walked toward Jin Ha-gun.
Jin Ha-gun was inwardly relieved to hear that the White Dragon Division Lord had confessed.
He suspected the man might be lying, but if that suspicion was wrong, it would lead to irreversible consequences.
First, he asked about the White Dragon Division Lord’s condition.
“Is he alive?”
Geom Muyang answered with an expression that said it was obvious.
“His life is in no danger.”
If he had died, it would have been a great discourtesy to Jin Ha-gun, who had trusted him with the task.
That made it all the more surprising.
He had managed to get a confession from a man who seemed unlikely to talk, and left him unharmed.
"What did he confess?"
At Jin Ha-gun's question, Geom Muyang glanced around.
It was a silent question, asking if it was alright to speak in front of the Demon Slaying Branch subordinates.
Jin Ha-gun gave a single nod, as if to say it was fine.
“The one behind this was not one of your high-ranking officials. It was someone with no position in the Martial Alliance.”
Jin Ha-gun was inwardly relieved, but at the same time, puzzled.
If it wasn't the Alliance's leadership, why was the White Dragon Division Lord won over by them?
Then, an unimaginable name came from Geom Muyang's lips.
“The Heavenly Wandering Hermit, Hwa Yul-cheong.”
Shocked, Jin Ha-gun’s eyes widened.
Surely, he had not expected that name to come up.
It was a name that should not have been mentioned.
Is it true? Really? Jin Ha-gun stared at Geom Muyang as if glaring.
"That cannot be."
Instead, Jin Ha-gun became calm.
Because this was something that made no sense.
Hwa Yul-cheong is an absolute master of the Righteous Path.
Not only his martial arts, but also his character is so excellent that countless martial artists respect him.
He did not even covet wealth or power.
When he had money, he helped the poor, and he never forgave those who committed evil deeds.
And crucially,
"He is my grandfather’s old and dear friend."
He was the closest friend of the Martial Alliance Leader, Jin Pae-cheon.
The two had spent long years together.
His grandfather probably trusted him more than his own grandson.
How could Jin Ha-gun believe it when such a person was named as the mastermind?
Not only the Demon Slaying Branch martial artists, but also Gwak Yeong could not believe it.
What martial artist of the Righteous Path did not know of the Heavenly Wandering Hermit?
Jin Ha-gun said firmly.
“He must have lied.”
Jin Ha-gun was even suspicious of Geom Muyang, wondering if he was being deceived for some unjust purpose.
No, this was a name he could not be deceived by, even if he wanted to be.
“I must hear it directly from the White Dragon Division Lord.”
“As you wish.”
Jin Ha-gun strode into the building, with Geom Muyang following behind him.
The Demon Slaying Branch martial artists and the Division martial artists also followed.
In the middle of a spacious room, the White Dragon Division Lord was sitting on a chair.
Although he had said the man was fine, Jin Ha-gun had expected him to be half-dead, but surprisingly, he was perfectly alright.
His face was without a single wound, and his eyes were lively.
However, his clothes were soaked in blood.
The man, who had shown a pleased expression at seeing Jin Ha-gun, flinched and avoided his gaze when he saw Geom Muyang enter behind him.
He was completely terrified.
It was a stark contrast to the White Dragon Division Lord who had been so boastful before.
Jin Ha-gun walked in front of him.
"Division Lord Do, are you alright?"
The White Dragon Division Lord was overcome with emotion but could not express it.
His fear of Geom Muyang standing behind him was immense.
“I am here, so it’s alright. So tell me again. Who is behind this?”
With eyes full of fear and resentment, the White Dragon Division Lord finally opened his mouth.
“The pain was so great, I just named anyone! I am so ashamed.”
After speaking, he burst into tears.
Anyone could see that he was filled with a sense of injustice.
Jin Ha-gun looked back at Geom Muyang.
Despite the White Dragon Division Lord's reversal, Geom Muyang did not press him.
He looked as if he had expected him to change his testimony.
Indeed, Geom Muyang spoke nonchalantly.
“This is why I do not trust people.”
He said nothing more.
It felt as if he were saying, ‘Whose words you believe is your choice.’
Until he had entrusted the White Dragon Division Lord to him, Jin Ha-gun had trusted Geom Muyang.
He had handed him over because he trusted him, but now he was conflicted.
Should he really believe Geom Muyang’s words?
All because of that heavy name, ‘Heavenly Wandering Hermit.’
The White Dragon Division Lord said, choking back tears.
“Please believe me. Please believe in my loyalty.”
Lost in thought for a moment, Jin Ha-gun spoke to the White Dragon Division Lord.
“It seems I have misunderstood you.”
Jin Ha-gun’s attitude toward Geom Muyang suddenly changed.
"The Heavenly Wandering Hermit is behind this? I was almost deceived by demonic practitioners.”
He glared at Geom Muyang with cold eyes and said.
“Did you think such a trick would work?”
At that, the Demon Slaying Branch martial artists all drew their swords at once and pointed them at the Division martial artists.
The Division martial artists also drew their swords.
A tense atmosphere unfolded between them.
However, in terms of both numbers and skill, the Division martial artists were no match for the Demon Slaying Branch.
If the order to attack was given, their annihilation would be a matter of time.
Geom Muyang simply gazed at Jin Ha-gun with his deep eyes.
The two men’s gazes locked in mid-air.
Gwak Yeong was flustered by the sudden situation.
She wanted to step forward and shout.
‘I believe the First Young Master!’
She had confirmed with her own eyes that the White Dragon Division Lord was not the person she once knew.
She wanted to say she would stake her life to guarantee it.
But she could not step forward.
This was not her place to intervene.
Besides, it was the Demon Slaying Branch Master who had promised to save her brother.
Jin Ha-gun apologized to the White Dragon Division Lord in a gentle tone.
“Division Lord Do. I am sorry.”
“It is nothing. It is enough that you now recognize my loyalty.”
He truly looked like a man who had returned from the dead.
Given his personality, he might have said a word to Geom Muyang in this situation, but his fear was so deeply ingrained that he didn't even meet his gaze.
“When you return, go see a doctor first for treatment. I will report this matter to the Alliance Leader.”
For a moment, the White Dragon Division Lord flinched in surprise.
If this matter reached the Alliance Leader, the fact that he had confessed would also reach the Heavenly Wandering Hermit.
The fact that he had spilled the name so easily after being tortured.
“Please do not mention that I uttered the name of that esteemed person.”
“I cannot do that. I must report the full details of the matter to the Alliance Leader. But do not worry too much. When he hears the circumstances, he will understand that you were forced to give a name under torture.”
The White Dragon Division Lord pleaded again.
“Is there really a need to trouble such a revered person?”
Jin Ha-gun stared at him fixedly.
His gaze, which had been gentle until now, turned cold.
“Are you afraid you might be silenced for good?”
The moment Jin Ha-gun said those words, he did not miss the expression on the White Dragon Division Lord’s face.
The unconcealable bewilderment of a man who had been struck to the core.
Jin Ha-gun interrogated him.
“You couldn't bear the pain and named just anyone, but of all people, you named the Heavenly Wandering Hermit? Is that your excuse? Did I seem foolish enough to believe that?”
The Heavenly Wandering Hermit was the person furthest from any conspiracy.
His was not a name that would come up when naming someone at random.
Besides, Geom Muyang had previously said their leader was among the highest ranks of the Martial Alliance.
If he were to name someone, it would have been anyone from that group.
Furthermore, his desperate attempts to prevent the news of his confession from reaching the Heavenly Wandering Hermit's ears revealed that he had indeed named him as the real mastermind.
Because of this, a chill ran down Jin Ha-gun’s spine, and the thought that the Heavenly Wandering Hermit might really be behind it all arose.
It was a name that had come out of nowhere.
The White Dragon Division Lord pleaded and made excuses until the very end.
“No, sir. Please! It is a misunderstanding! I was merely…”
As if he didn't want to hear any more excuses, Jin Ha-gun pressed his vital points.
As the White Dragon Division Lord collapsed to the floor, Jin Ha-gun commanded the Demon Slaying Branch martial artists.
“Everyone, sheathe your swords.”
The men who had surrounded the Division martial artists sheathed their swords and stepped back.
The Division martial artists also sheathed their swords with a sense of relief.
They had just walked the line between life and death.
Jin Ha-gun formally apologized to Geom Muyang.
“I was only acting to confirm his true intentions. Please, I hope you understand.”
Surprisingly, Geom Muyang had known his intentions.
“I believed that would be the case.”
“Did you not say you don’t trust people?”
After a brief pause, Geom Muyang answered.
“Because you are Mugeuk’s friend.”
Just as Jin Ha-gun trusted Geom Mugeuk’s brother, Geom Muyang also trusted Geom Mugeuk’s friend.
“My little brother would not befriend just anyone.”
If Geom Mugeuk had heard that, he would have boasted about it all day long.
Although the misunderstanding was cleared, Jin Ha-gun’s heart remained heavy.
‘Really, the Heavenly Wandering Hermit?’
Even after confirming the White Dragon Division Lord’s confession, he still could not believe it.
“What will you do now?”
At Geom Muyang’s question, Jin Ha-gun shook his head with an expression that said he still did not know what to do.
Then he returned the question to Geom Muyang.
“What will you do?”
Normally, he should have said, ‘This is our affair, so all of you should withdraw from Wuhan.’
But he did not.
If it hadn't been for him, this great secret would not have been uncovered.
Geom Muyang’s eyes caught sight of Gwak Yeong in the distance.
Even if he left now, Jin Ha-gun would protect her and rescue her brother.
There was no need to help Jin Ha-gun.
It was an internal matter of the Martial Alliance, something he should handle.
But the reason he had come out of the sect himself remained.
Because of those counterfeit weapons, he had almost killed his own brother with his own hands.
That anger would not subside until he eliminated all of them.
That alone was reason enough for this decision.
“I intend to see this through to the end with them.”
The Demon Buddha sat alone, lost in thought.
He was in an empty hut in the mountains near Wuhan.
After sending the Jade Mountain Sword back to his hometown, he had stayed here for a while.
He could control the golden light emanating from his body, but he could not hide his short stature.
Wuhan was a place where many masters came and went, so he stayed inside whenever someone passed by, worried that someone might recognize him.
Just then, there was a presence outside.
“Are you there?”
“Come in.”
The person who entered the hut was the Poison King.
It was the first time the two had met since coming to Wuhan.
When at the Main Sect, it was usually the Demon Buddha who visited the Poison King, but today was the opposite.
“The atmosphere is quite nice.”
It was something said out of awkwardness, but what kind of nice atmosphere could this desolate hunter’s hut have?
An awkward silence followed.
There was a time when they would go digging for poisonous herbs together in the Thousand Poison Forest, but they hadn't seen each other often lately, so the two had become somewhat awkward.
They had returned to their original relationship.
Just then, the Demon Buddha took something from a wicker basket in the corner and slid it over to the Poison King.
“I happened to spot it while taking a walk earlier.”
It was three or four roots of a poisonous herb.
“It’s Demon Life Herb!”
It was a poisonous herb on the list the Poison King had made of things he absolutely had to dig up here in Wuhan.
No matter how hard he tried to find it, it was nowhere to be seen, yet it caught the Demon Buddha’s eye so easily on a walk.
"Thank you very much."
As soon as the poisonous herb appeared, the awkward atmosphere vanished in an instant.
The Poison King’s eyes sparkled as he said.
"Shall we go out for a walk?"
The Demon Buddha smiled faintly at the Poison King, who looked eager to go out right away.
His eyes lit up when it came to poisonous herbs.
It made one think that one had to love poison that much to earn the title of Poison King.
“Have you eaten?”
"Not yet.”
“I’m feeling a bit hungry. Let’s have a simple bite and then go for a walk. Please wait a moment. It’s nothing special, but it will be enough to fill you up.”
The Demon Buddha rolled up his sleeves and began to cook.
In the wicker basket were a few types of mushrooms.
It seemed he had gathered them while digging for poisonous herbs.
First, he started a fire in the campfire in front of the hut, boiled some water, and cooked the mushrooms.
“You gave me the Demon Life Herb, so I should be the one treating you to a meal.”
“Do you know how to cook?”
The Poison King shook his head.
It was always Sangseon who prepared his meals.
In contrast, the Demon Buddha’s hands moved skillfully.
“You have the hands of someone who has cooked a lot.”
“I had many occasions to eat alone while wandering the Central Plains.”
Because the Demon Buddha’s appearance was so conspicuous, he often camped out and satisfied his hunger that way.
He had brought basic seasonings for camping when he came out this time.
How would the world know? That the short person cooking alone somewhere in the forest was the Demon Buddha.
The Poison King watched the Demon Buddha cook.
He usually had no interest in the other Demon Sovereigns, but the Demon Buddha was different.
Though it was a meal made in a hurry, the Demon Buddha’s mushroom dish was excellent.
"This is delicious."
“I’m glad it suits your taste.”
The Poison King moved his chopsticks diligently.
He only wanted to finish eating quickly and go out to dig for poisonous herbs with the Demon Buddha.
Just then, Sangseon arrived and relayed the contents of an urgent dispatch sent from the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion.
“According to information sent by the First Young Master, the Heavenly Wandering Hermit is behind this affair.”
Unlike the composed Poison King, the Demon Buddha was startled.
He knew well what position the Heavenly Wandering Hermit held in the Righteous Path, and how deep his friendship was with the Martial Alliance Leader.
“That is truly unexpected.”
At the Demon Buddha’s words, the Poison King mentioned two names.
“Han Wol-gaek and the Jade Mountain Sword.”
The Demon Buddha nodded.
Yes, only someone of the Heavenly Wandering Hermit’s stature could have summoned Han Wol-gaek and the Jade Mountain Sword.
If he was truly involved? This matter had become much more dangerous.
“Even so, the First Young Master will see it through to the end.”
The First Young Master he knew was not someone to give up in the middle of a task.
The Poison King silently fiddled with the Demon Life Herb in front of him.
The look in his eyes now was different from when he had suggested going for a walk.
He also knew.
That he might have to step forward himself.
The Demon Buddha recalled the most important reason he had to come.
To prevent the Poison King from stepping forward.
But what if things got this big? What if misunderstandings piled up and things went wrong?
The golden light from the Demon Buddha’s body intensified.
"Our enemy will not be the Heavenly Wandering Hermit, but the Martial Alliance Leader.”