And wanting to run away.
“Brother! I made it back alive!”
As Geom Mugeuk entered the room with a cheerful greeting, Geom Muyang was standing by the window.
Wanting to.
Without turning back, Geom Muyang spoke.
“I heard everything.”
“What?”
“You, badmouthing me.”
“I forgot to mention that. My brother’s hearing is so sharp he even hears people speaking ill of him. So if you want to curse him, do it from far away.”
A faint smile graced the lips of Geom Muyang, who still had his back turned.
Geom Mugeuk slumped into a chair like laundry thrown over it.
“Ah, it’s finally over! Now, let’s rest for a while! I’m going to play, so don’t stop me! I’ll play with my friends, with the Demon Sovereigns, and with Father. I’m serious! Don’t even mention conspiracies, masterminds, or plots! Brother, let’s play!”
Geom Muyang turned around and examined Geom Mugeuk’s body.
“For someone who just finished a great battle, you don’t have a single drop of blood on your clothes.”
“Refined people like us fight elegantly.”
Just then, someone opened the door, came in, and said.
“Is that really why? Or is it because you stood by with your arms crossed, watching others fight?”
Geom Mugeuk’s face lit up brightly.
It was a welcome voice he hadn’t heard in a very long time.
“Of course, that mouth of yours wouldn’t have been idle while others were fighting.”
Geom Mugeuk shot up and turned to see the Wind Heaven Sect Leader and the Soul-Devouring Demon Sovereign entering the room.
“I missed you so, so much, Cult Master.”
Geom Mugeuk ran towards the Wind Heaven Sect Leader with his arms wide open.
The Wind Heaven Sect Leader used his footwork to deftly step aside.
“Don’t pretend to be happy to see me. I know you completely forgot about me. Just now, you looked at my face and thought, ‘Who’s this? Ah! That Cult Master from back then!’”
Geom Mugeuk shouted.
“I am that Second Young Master from back then!”
The Wind Heaven Sect Leader once again dodged the charging Geom Mugeuk with his footwork.
“Stop! You’re being creepy!”
But contrary to his words, the Wind Heaven Sect Leader’s face was filled with delight.
Joking and playing around so comfortably like this after so long felt like something that had been blocking his chest had been cleared away.
While he was teaching that disciple of his at the Wind Heaven Sect of the Outlands, had there ever been anyone he could treat so comfortably? He had missed this moment.
Yes, this was it.
This was why he had left everything behind and come here.
To meet people to whom he could express his heart freely, people who would accept and correct him even if there were misunderstandings and mistakes in the process.
It would be a great fortune to have just one such person, but he had two.
At that moment, another person entered the room, clicking his tongue and saying.
“He fell for that cute act.”
The person who entered was the Demon Buddha.
The Wind Heaven Sect Leader and the Demon Buddha exchanged greetings with their eyes.
The two had a relationship that had been good, then bad, and had now recovered to some extent.
“Isn’t this kind of cute act worth falling for?”
The Demon Buddha could not say no.
After he finished greeting Geom Muyang and the Soul-Devouring Demon Sovereign, Geom Mugeuk asked.
“Where is the Poison King?”
“He went to his room.”
The Poison King was likely in his room, laying out the poisonous herbs he had gathered.
“I tried to bring the general steward back alive, but it wasn’t possible.”
“You did well. He probably wouldn’t have known anything anyway.”
Geom Mugeuk formally expressed his gratitude.
“Thanks to you all, I was able to handle this matter easily. Thank you.”
“I didn’t come for you.”
As he said this, the Demon Buddha looked at Geom Muyang.
Geom Mugeuk felt like he now understood the unwavering loyalty the Demon Buddha had for his brother.
The Demon Buddha had lived a lonelier life than anyone since childhood.
That was why he knew what loneliness was to a person.
Because he had been confined in a small cave himself, he probably also knew the loneliness of his brother, who had lost in the succession battle.
“It’s fine. There are two people here who came for me, after all.”
When Geom Mugeuk looked at the Wind Heaven Sect Leader, he shook his head firmly.
“Sorry, but I came to see Grand Strategist Go.”
“That’s too much!”
Geom Mugeuk’s gaze turned to the last remaining person, the Soul-Devouring Demon Sovereign.
The Soul-Devouring Demon Sovereign smiled.
He thought she would naturally say she came for him.
“I wanted to see my Master after a long time.”
Soul-Devouring, you too! Only at Geom Mugeuk’s look did she finally smile.
“I’m joking.”
How could the Wind Heaven Sect Leader miss this great opportunity?
“A joke? You didn’t come to see me?”
“No. I came to see you, Master.”
The Wind Heaven Sect Leader teased Geom Mugeuk.
“Life is a path you walk alone.”
Geom Mugeuk walked to the window.
“Brother, let me borrow the window for a moment.”
He then looked out the window, pretending to be lonely.
At that moment, the Soul-Devouring Demon Sovereign, who was watching him, felt it.
Geom Mugeuk’s back looked truly lonely.
It was similar to the feeling she got when she saw the Evil Heart Laughing Demon standing alone on a roof.
The thought suddenly occurred to her that perhaps that was why the two of them were the closest of friends.
The Wind Heaven Sect Leader asked Geom Mugeuk.
“What about Grand Strategist Go?”
“I don’t know. Am I not a man who walks the path of life alone?”
“Let’s not count Grand Strategist Go.”
At those words, Geom Mugeuk laughed and turned around.
“We agreed to meet at the Main Sect. He said he would come after taking care of some business.”
The hidden contributor who made it possible to end this matter smoothly was none other than Go Wol.
He shared all of Silver Moon’s information with the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion and relayed it to Geom Mugeuk.
“Still being overworked by his heartless superior, I see.”
Geom Mugeuk did not deny it.
“That’s why I need you, Cult Master. No matter how much I tell him to slack off while working, he won’t listen to me.”
“Does that stubborn mule listen to me?”
“Still, he listens to you better than he listens to me.”
After exchanging greetings with the Wind Heaven Sect Leader, he looked at the Soul-Devouring Demon Sovereign.
He could feel that the Soul-Devouring Demon Sovereign’s aura had changed a lot from before.
She was not the same person.
“Thanks to you, this matter was resolved well. Thank you.”
The Soul-Devouring Demon Sovereign thought Geom Mugeuk was very meticulous.
He never forgot to greet each and every person he saw.
In a situation where everything was over, he never missed details that could have just been overlooked.
“I believe it was possible because you were here, Young Cult Master.”
She knew.
She knew the fact that the one who had commanded this entire operation and ultimately thwarted all the conspiracies was none other than Geom Mugeuk.
In the first place, she was someone who shouldn’t have been here in Wuhan.
And was it just her? The Poison King, the Demon Buddha, the Wind Heaven Sect Leader, and the First Young Master were here, and even the successor of the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect was here.
The one who made this possible was that very Young Cult Master.
The future Cult Master she would have to serve for the rest of her life.
Geom Mugeuk was delighted by her words.
“As expected! The only one who recognizes me is you, Soul-Devouring Demon Sovereign!”
Once the tumultuous reunion was over, the Wind Heaven Sect Leader asked casually.
“How was it over there?”
What he was curious about was the Martial Alliance Leader’s skill.
“The Alliance Leader’s skills are no joke, right?”
Everyone was curious, so they paid close attention to Geom Mugeuk’s answer.
“I’ll have to tell Father to postpone the unification of the Martial World.”
It was a way of saying how strong he was.
The Wind Heaven Sect Leader immediately shook his head.
“Your father is even scarier.”
“You haven’t fought against Father or the Martial Alliance Leader, have you?”
“Do you have to fight to know? If I had to fight the Alliance Leader, I’d worry and fret about how to fight, but if I had to fight your father… ah, I don’t even want to think about it. That’s the difference.”
The Wind Heaven Sect Leader feared the Demon Cult Master more than the Martial Alliance Leader.
“Now, let’s head back. We can meet up with the poor, overworked strategist too.”
The masters of the Demon Sect couldn’t stay in Wuhan for long.
Just then, Geom Mugeuk sent him and the Demon Sovereigns off first.
“Please go on ahead. My brother and I have something left to do.”
When Geom Muyang gave him a look that asked what trouble he was stirring up now.
“Good news will be coming from the Martial Alliance soon.”
“What kind of news?”
Geom Mugeuk spoke with an enigmatic smile.
“Since we’ve come all this way, let’s give them a proper celebration before we go.”
Jin Ha-gun returned to the Martial Alliance.
Seeing the blood-soaked figures of Jin Ha-gun and the warriors of the Demon Slaying Branch, the Martial Alliance martial artists greeted them with respectful clasped-fist salutes.
Because they knew well that the blood was shed to protect some innocent life.
Lately, Jin Ha-gun had been striving to change himself.
As a result, his relationship with the warriors of the Demon Slaying Branch had deepened, and that change had transformed the Demon Slaying Branch into an even stronger organization.
Naturally, the way the Demon Slaying Branch was viewed within the Martial Alliance also changed.
After entering the inner hall, he dismissed his subordinates.
“Go treat your wounds and get some good rest! You’ve truly worked hard.”
“You’ve worked hard as well, Branch Master!”
Thus, Jin Ha-gun headed to the Alliance Leader’s Hall alone.
On the way, he thought of his grandfather.
He didn’t know what kind of fight had unfolded with Hwa Yul-cheong, but considering the battle on their side, his grandfather’s fight must not have been easy either.
Especially since Jin Hyu had said he would use him as a hostage to threaten his grandfather.
What if his grandfather had been hurt because of that?
That was why he trusted Geom Mugeuk more this time.
That he would have protected his grandfather and kept him from wavering.
Jin Ha-gun entered the Alliance Leader’s Hall.
Creeak.
The moment the door opened, he instinctively felt that the air inside was different.
Jin Ha-gun’s heart began to pound.
At the sight inside the Alliance Leader’s Hall, Jin Ha-gun’s heart sank.
The Grand Advisor’s seat was empty.
If that had been all, he would have thought he had just stepped out for a moment.
But below the Grand Advisor’s seat, dozens of martial artists were lined up on either side.
They were not ordinary martial artists.
They were the heads of the various organizations of the Martial Alliance.
First, the four elite units representing the Martial Alliance.
The Division Lords of the Azure Dragon Division, White Dragon Division, White Tiger Division, and Vermilion Bird Division were standing there.
And they were not the only ones.
The Pavilion Lords of the secretly operating elite organizations, the Heaven Wind Pavilion and the Secret Pavilion, were also present.
In addition, the Branch Masters of the Iron Calvary Branch and the Flying Shadow Branch, along with the heads of other organizations, were all gathered.
And in front of them stood the Grand Strategist of the Martial Alliance, Jegal Hyeon.
Jin Ha-gun’s heart began to pound like crazy.
He was even more surprised to see his younger sister, Jin Ha-ryeong, standing there.
‘Don’t tell me?’
Could something have happened to his grandfather?
His steps toward that place quickened.
The leaders of the Martial Alliance, lined up on both sides, watched Jin Ha-gun in silence.
When Jin Ha-gun arrived below the Grand Advisor’s seat, the door used by the Alliance Leader opened, and Jin Pae-cheon walked out from it.
The moment he saw his grandfather, Jin Ha-gun let out a sigh of relief.
The short time it took to walk from the entrance to this spot was the most nerve-wracking moment of his life.
“Alliance Leader!”
Jin Ha-gun looked at Jin Pae-cheon with trembling eyes.
Seeing him safe and sound, one person’s face came to mind.
‘Thank you, Mugeuk.’
This time, feel free to take all the credit.
I’ll accept it all.
Jin Ha-gun bowed respectfully.
“Demon Slaying Branch Master Jin Ha-gun, I have returned after completing my mission.”
Jin Pae-cheon silently looked down at his grandson.
With a different gaze and a different atmosphere than usual, Jin Ha-gun became tense.
His grandfather was safe, so what on earth was everyone gathered here for?
Soon, astonishing words came from Jin Pae-cheon’s mouth.
Jin Pae-cheon was not one to postpone something he had set his mind to.
“From this moment on, I will designate the Demon Slaying Branch Master, Jin Ha-gun, as the next Martial Alliance Leader!”
It was something he had never expected, and Jin Ha-gun’s eyes widened.
His grandfather’s words just now meant he was making him the official successor to the Alliance Leader.
The moment he had so eagerly awaited had come so without warning that he was surprised and flustered.
Jin Ha-ryeong sent her brother a telepathic message.
—What are you doing, Brother!
Only then did Jin Ha-gun come to his senses and shout, showing his respect.
“Demon Slaying Branch Master Jin Ha-gun, I accept your solemn command. I will protect the Alliance, uphold righteousness and justice, and continue to defend what is right!”
At that, the leaders present there shouted in unison.
“The Path of Righteousness, the Righteous Path Rules the World!”
The voices, ringing out powerfully, were full of spirit.
Jin Ha-gun was happy.
So very happy.
He couldn’t describe how much he had wished for this moment.
It had been his dream since childhood to follow in his grandfather’s footsteps and become the Martial Alliance Leader.
Originally, the position of Martial Alliance Leader was not something that could be passed down or decided unilaterally by the previous Alliance Leader.
According to the established laws of the Alliance, the nominated person could only become the successor if more than eighty percent of the Alliance’s leaders, including the Grand Strategist, approved.
Whether they approved or disapproved was kept strictly confidential, so the selection was made very fairly.
Jin Pae-cheon’s decision to postpone the selection of a successor was, in retrospect, a wise one.
In the meantime, Jin Ha-gun had been active as the Demon Slaying Branch Master, steadily building his fame and reputation.
Furthermore, in the process of practicing righteousness, his character was also recognized.
That was why everyone had already made up their minds.
“Branch Master Jin, please come up.”
At the words of Grand Strategist Jegal Hyeon, Jin Ha-gun ascended the stairs and stood beside Jin Pae-cheon.
The lined-up leaders all showed their respect in unison.
“We greet the next Alliance Leader!”
Jin Ha-gun also bowed respectfully to them.
“Thank you sincerely for thinking so highly of this inadequate person.”
Jin Ha-ryeong also offered her congratulations.
Normally, she too should have shown formal respect, but at this moment, she wanted to congratulate him as a younger sister.
She knew better than anyone how much her brother had longed for this moment.
“Congratulations, Brother!”
Jin Ha-gun smiled brightly at her.
The leaders each offered their congratulations.
Jin Ha-gun went down and greeted them one by one, expressing his gratitude.
With this, the three successors of the Righteous, Demonic, and Unorthodox factions were confirmed.
Soon, an official announcement would be made, and the entire martial world would know this fact.
A great festival would be held at the Martial Alliance.
After everyone had left, only Jin Pae-cheon and Jin Ha-gun remained in the Alliance Leader’s Hall.
“Ha-gun, I have something to tell you.”
“I will engrave it deep in my heart.”
He thought his grandfather would speak about the sense of duty and attitude an Alliance Leader should have, and about Geom Mugeuk and the peace of the martial world.
But his grandfather brought up something completely unexpected.
“I had a heart that wished you wouldn’t sit in this seat. I was of two minds.”
For the first time, Jin Pae-cheon conveyed his honest feelings about the position of Alliance Leader.
“This position comes with an incredibly heavy responsibility. It’s a position where you must exercise extreme self-control and bear the burden of protecting countless lives. Even if it’s not your fault, the responsibility will fall on you, and you will have to accept all sorts of resentment.”
Jin Pae-cheon conveyed his feelings to his grandson with affection.
“You might think it’s exciting and wonderful, but that only lasts a day or two. You have to live your whole life conscious of others’ gazes. You have to be careful when you eat, and you can’t even curse out loud. Because of the tangled relationships, you can’t even show a hateful expression to someone you hate.”
And then, a surprising fact was revealed.
“I wanted to run away several times.”
Jin Ha-gun couldn’t believe his grandfather had ever had such thoughts.
“Those people who were congratulating you earlier, if they were offered this position, more of them would run away. The more one knows about this position, the more one would run away rather than covet it.”
Jin Ha-gun could understand what he meant.
Even the position of Demon Slaying Branch Master was so difficult at times, how much more so would the position of Alliance Leader be?
“Do you know how I overcame it?”
“How did you overcome it?”
Jin Pae-cheon’s gaze became intense.
“Through strength.”
Jin Pae-cheon wasn’t just trying to give his grandson this difficult and demanding position.
He also gave him the power to protect it.
“I will pass down the Imperial Sword Forms to you!”