The Fist Demon's gaze turned to Geom Woojin.
It had been a while since he heard the Cult Master curse.
In his youth, the Cult Master used to swear quite often.
Before he became the Young Cult Master, and during his time as one, the Cult Master had a completely different air about him.
He spoke his mind and expressed his emotions freely.
There was even a time when he called the Blood Heaven Blade Demon ‘brother’.
In any case, one thing was certain.
In his life, the Cult Master had sworn more than he had.
Though no one would believe it.
The person most surprised by Geom Woojin's words was Jin Pae‑cheon.
'To think he would curse like that?'
Jin Pae‑cheon glanced at Baek Ja‑gang.
His eyes seemed to ask, 'Did you know?' Baek Ja‑gang shook his head.
But he knew this much.
Only someone who was used to cursing could do it so naturally.
'So he was a foul-mouthed Cult Master? How has he held it in until now?'
The more he saw, the more he felt that this man was an enigma.
The others, who had not heard the telepathic message, now understood from Geom Woojin's words.
It was not Hwa Mugi acting, but other souls possessing his body.
The Sword King stepped forward and looked at the Wind Heaven Sect Leader, who had blocked the attack.
At his grateful gaze, the Wind Heaven Sect Leader nodded with a reassuring expression.
If Hwa Mugi's second and third attacks had continued to fly at him, there was no telling what the outcome of the fight would have been.
He had only blocked a single attack, but the moment their swords clashed, he knew.
'He's strong!'
He had truly never encountered such profound inner energy before.
Moreover, it was not just the inner energy that was astonishing.
Such clean movements!
The Sword King felt a desire to continue fighting him.
Meeting a strong opponent, his blood began to boil.
The Poison King silently watched Hwa Mugi, who had been approaching him, turn away.
He knew.
The Cult Master had diverted Hwa Mugi’s attention from him.
The Poison King had known from the beginning.
The Cult Master did not wish for him to play an active role in this fight.
What the Cult Master wanted from him was to protect the Young Cult Master, should he lose this battle.
When that order had been given earlier, the Poison King had said he would protect the Young Cult Master by threatening to kill everyone in the world.
Even so, having him sit here today must have been to make him see clearly who his opponent was.
After all, a threat is only effective if you know your opponent.
Hwa Mugi slowly turned to face Geom Woojin.
The air around them instantly grew heavy.
His gaze was fixed solely on Geom Woojin.
The Poison King, whom he had intended to kill first, and the Sword King and Wind Heaven Sect Leader, who had interfered, were no longer of any concern to him.
It was only natural.
It was not Hwa Mugi, but another soul now glaring at Geom Woojin.
"Do you know who I am to dare speak so!"
Geom Woojin knew who had emerged.
The Demon Cult Master from three hundred years ago!
"Where did you pick up such language?"
In a tense situation that seemed on the verge of exploding, Geom Woojin stared at him and spoke.
"Who are you?"
None of them had yet revealed their identities.
And aside from the Heavenly Will Palace Master, who had drawn his sword in anger at the Sword King over a difference in interpreting Heaven's Will, none had even drawn their weapons.
Geom Woojin could tell.
There was definitely some kind of restriction on those souls.
'I must break that restriction.'
He had to make them run wild.
The more the souls within the Heaven Killing Star raged, the greater the chances of defeating it.
Normally, an opponent’s confusion and unpredictability would be a disadvantage, but with the skills of the seven masters gathered here, that chaos would work in their favor.
"I asked who you are."
"I am..."
The demonic practitioner within Hwa Mugi could not reveal who he was.
The control was strong enough to silence the Demon Cult Master, but Geom Woojin provoked him further.
"A coward who can't even reveal his own name!"
The moment those words reached Hwa Mugi.
In the next instant!
A single restriction was broken.
Demonic energy began to seep into the eyes that had been shimmering with a red aura.
Until now, only a faint energy that Geom Woojin could sense had brushed past, but now it was revealing its demonic energy in earnest.
The soul within Hwa Mugi identified itself.
"I am Hyeok Do‑cheon, who led the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect three hundred years ago."
He might have tolerated it from anyone else, but hearing such insults from a later Demon Cult Master was something he absolutely could not endure.
His pride would not allow it.
Hyeok Do‑cheon, having revealed himself, spoke sternly.
"Kneel and apologize at once!"
An immense wave of demonic energy poured toward Geom Woojin.
Whoosh.
Everyone in the tavern instantly raised their protective energy to shield themselves.
Even though the demonic energy was directed only at Geom Woojin, just being in the same space was suffocating.
Then, a single word was heard.
"No."
Hyeok Do‑cheon's face hardened.
His expression was closer to bewilderment than anger.
He did not know.
He did not know that the Demon Cult Master he was facing was the same person who had written 'idiots' on the walls of the Little Heaven Grotto, where Geom Mugeuk was tested, referring to the past Cult Masters.
Geom Woojin did not go easy on him just because he was the Demon Cult Master from three hundred years ago.
On the contrary, he used his opponent's fiery temper.
"Because you are not the Heavenly Demon."
His existence denied, Hyeok Do‑cheon became enraged.
"You dare to not believe me? I am Hyeok Do‑cheon!"
Crack.
The floor began to crack and splinter.
It was not broken by a display of inner energy, but purely by the force of his demonic energy.
In fact, this demonic energy alone was more than enough proof that he was Hyeok Do‑cheon.
He was not strong simply because his inner energy was profound.
It was not ordinary demonic energy, but contained the dignity that only a Demon Cult Master could display.
But Geom Woojin, far from being intimidated, added fuel to the fire of his anger.
"If you were the real Heavenly Demon, you would have already escaped from that body. You wouldn't be sullying the honor of our sect, trapped in another's body."
Anger, as if struck in a vital spot, flared up like fire.
Yes, go mad! Show your emotions! Let your demonic energy explode and wreak havoc! Tear the other souls apart!
The Black Demon Sword in Hyeok Do‑cheon's hand pointed at Geom Woojin.
He looked ready to charge at any moment.
"And if by some chance you are the real Heavenly Demon."
Everyone expected him to say, 'Show me proof that you are the Heavenly Demon.'
"Because I'm ashamed to be the same Heavenly Demon."
But from Geom Woojin's lips came words no one could have imagined.
"Take your own life."
"..."
A heavy silence fell.
Jin Pae‑cheon swallowed hard.
Given the situation, it was certain that the soul was, as he claimed, the Demon Cult Master from three hundred years ago, Hyeok Do‑cheon.
But to tell him to take his own life? Especially when the opponent was a soul?
Baek Ja‑gang did not get goosebumps.
It meant that those words were not just talk, but spoken with genuine intent.
In this atmosphere, Baek Ja‑gang almost burst out laughing.
At that moment, someone else did laugh out loud.
It was Hwa Mugi.
Just as the demonic energy was about to explode, laughter erupted first.
The on-the-verge-of-exploding Hyeok Do‑cheon receded, and Hwa Mugi reemerged.
"They say the Young Cult Master makes people laugh by acting like a madman. He takes after his father."
In that instant, Geom Woojin knew.
The souls that emerged did so randomly, differently each time, but the one controlling them was ultimately Hwa Mugi.
If he had not controlled them, Hyeok Do‑cheon would have already charged at him.
Hwa Mugi walked to the kitchen and found some wine.
As if to soothe the angered Hyeok Do‑cheon, he poured the wine into a large cup and drank.
Hwa Mugi held up the wine bottle towards Geom Woojin with a look that said, 'Want some?'
Geom Woojin shook his head.
"You have no style. A Heavenly Demon should drink straight from the bottle!"
Hwa Mugi scooped up the soup that Baek Ja‑gang had boiled earlier as a side dish.
"It's a bit cold, but it's delicious. Who made this?"
Hwa Mugi was still at ease.
From the moment he first appeared, Geom Woojin had a question about this leisurely attitude.
'Why doesn't he attack us immediately?'
Was it because he wanted to enjoy being out in the world after so long? To toy with them and revel in his strength?
At first, he thought so.
But as the man's killing intent gradually rose, Geom Woojin found a different answer.
'He is being cautious too.'
Geom Woojin could feel it.
Though he appeared calm on the outside, Hwa Mugi's killing intent was steadily rising.
He was using the emotions of the people inside his body.
'He is gathering Heavenly Killing intent.'
This killing star bestowed by heaven would display its greatest power when the killing intent gathered like this reached its peak.
Hwa Mugi would move then.
And one thing he deduced from this fact.
If this fight were too easy for him, there would be no need to gather killing intent like this.
Two.
The choice Geom Woojin could make now was to fight before more killing intent was gathered!
Or to shake the souls dwelling within his body.
Geom Woojin chose the second method.
On this side, there was himself, the Martial Alliance Leader, and the Unorthodox Alliance Leader.
On that side, there was the Demon Cult Master from three hundred years ago and the two Alliance Leaders.
If fate had brought them together like this, he thought that those souls might also play some role.
He didn't know how many souls were inside, but so far, three had revealed their identities: the Martial Emperor Divine Sword, Hyeok Do‑cheon, and the Heavenly Will Palace Master.
There was one he suspected was present but had not yet revealed itself: the Unorthodox Alliance Leader.
The next target Geom Woojin aimed for after Hyeok Do‑cheon was the most incongruous person among them.
Geom Woojin sent a telepathic message to Jin Pae‑cheon.
-Don't you wish to see the Martial Emperor Divine Sword?
Jin Pae‑cheon understood.
He didn't know the intention, but it meant he should try to draw out the soul of the Martial Emperor Divine Sword from Hwa Mugi.
Even without his words, he wanted to properly meet the Martial Emperor Divine Sword again.
Jin Pae‑cheon said to Hwa Mugi.
"Give me a cup of wine."
Hwa Mugi looked at Jin Pae‑cheon and laughed heartily.
"Excellent! The Demon Cult Master who looks like he'd drink heartily is playing it safe, while the Martial Alliance Leader who seems like the biggest prude is quite bold!"
Hwa Mugi held up the wine bottle and gestured for Jin Pae‑cheon to come closer.
"Come here! I'll pour it for you myself."
Swoosh.
But Jin Pae‑cheon did not approach, instead bringing the wine bottle to himself from across the air.
At this, Hwa Mugi feigned a look of disappointment.
"You are a prude."
Jin Pae‑cheon's next action was unexpected.
He held the wine bottle and politely asked Hwa Mugi.
"Alliance Leader, would you accept a cup of wine from me?"
Just as a strange smile formed on Hwa Mugi's lips.
In an instant, his gaze changed.
"Give me a cup."
His calm voice indicated that another soul had already appeared.
Jin Pae‑cheon stared silently at Hwa Mugi for a moment.
He could feel that he wasn't joking, that he had truly changed into someone else.
Geom Woojin was impressed by the way Jin Pae‑cheon had summoned him.
He hadn't provoked the Martial Emperor Divine Sword, but had called him out in a manner befitting his character.
With just one polite sentence.
Jin Pae‑cheon approached him with the wine bottle.
Drip, drip.
Jin Pae‑cheon filled his cup to the brim.
After emptying the cup, Hwa Mugi asked.
"Do you know who I am?"
"You are the Martial Emperor Divine Sword, are you not?"
"How did you know it was me?"
The fact that he was indeed the Martial Emperor Divine Sword sent a wave of emotion through Jin Pae‑cheon's heart.
'The Cult Master's words were true.'
Jin Pae‑cheon, with a calm gaze, revealed his honest feelings.
"The person I respect the most is you, Alliance Leader. Whenever someone asks who I admire most, I have always answered with your name."
For a moment, a look of emotion flickered across the Martial Emperor Divine Sword's face.
It had been a long time since he had a conversation like this with someone from the Righteous Path, not some villain, and to hear that he was the most respected person!
"How did you end up in that body?"
At Jin Pae‑cheon's question, the Martial Emperor Divine Sword sighed and answered.
"There was a divine relic of the Heavenly Will Palace that absorbed evil spirits. It absorbed me along with the others."
"Then why was that Demon Cult Master there?"
He could understand the Heavenly Will Palace Master being there.
But why was the Demon Cult Master there as well?
The Martial Emperor Divine Sword could not answer easily.
He could not bring himself to tell the later Martial Alliance Leader, who respected him the most, that he himself had dragged the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect and the Unorthodox Alliance into that war.
Jin Pae‑cheon thought that if it wasn't for a reason like this, there would be no cause for hesitation.
"Could it be that you were the one who summoned them, Alliance Leader?"
After a moment's pause, the Martial Emperor Divine Sword recalled another day instead of answering.
"I remember the day I declared war on the Heavenly Will Palace. I stood proudly before all the members of the Righteous Path and said, 'Let us root out evil and protect the martial world.' I was confident back then. I was sure I could end the war quickly with my own hands."
A shadow fell over the Martial Emperor Divine Sword's eyes.
"But the war did not end quickly. So many people died in that war. It's all my fault."
As a fellow Alliance Leader, he understood better than anyone what that felt like.
But what he was curious about right now was not his feelings.
Jin Pae‑cheon had yet to hear the answer to his previous question.
"Was it you who brought the Demon Cult Master into it, Alliance Leader?"
Finally, the Martial Emperor Divine Sword answered honestly.
"Yes, it was me."
Various emotions bloomed in the Martial Emperor Divine Sword's eyes.
The greatest among them was a sense of injustice.
"I only wanted to minimize the casualties among my subordinates. I wanted to end the war decisively so that no more of my subordinates would lose their lives. Even if my honor was tarnished, I believed it was the path for the Righteous Path martial world, and my choice was for the sake of the martial world!"
Jin Pae‑cheon felt him becoming increasingly agitated, so he said nothing.
"And yet! The heavens treated me the same as the Demon Cult Master and the Unorthodox Alliance Leader! It sucked me in along with the Heavenly Will Palace Master who started the war! Just for being there!"
Jin Pae‑cheon had to force himself to swallow the words that rose in his throat.
'Was that really the only reason?'
When Jin Pae‑cheon remained silent, the Martial Emperor Divine Sword thought he was being criticized.
"Would you have been any different? You, who stands with the Demon Cult Master and the Unorthodox Alliance Leader even when there is no war?"
Still, Jin Pae‑cheon offered no reply.
Then, someone spoke.
"He would have been different."
The one who spoke in Jin Pae‑cheon's place was Geom Woojin.
All eyes turned to him.
"He is a man who would rush here alone for his grandson, but he would not call me to his war. That is the kind of man Alliance Leader Jin is."
Geom Woojin and Jin Pae‑cheon's gazes met in mid-air.
Jin Pae‑cheon was surprised that Geom Woojin knew him so accurately.
His words were right.
If it were him, he would not have involved the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect.
Even if he and everyone else were to die in that fight.
On the other hand, anger rose on the Martial Emperor Divine Sword's face.
To hear such words from none other than the Demon Cult Master was truly a humiliating experience.
The reason Geom Woojin was pushing so hard was because he hoped for a variable to occur in that body.
As the killing intent built up, the confusion had to grow as well.
"You did it out of concern for the martial world?"
Geom Woojin, with a deepened gaze, stared into his eyes as if to pierce them.
"Then prove it."
Geom Woojin did not specify what or how to prove it.
He knew well that in such situations, saying nothing had the most powerful effect.
"If you cannot do that,"
Geom Woojin pushed him to the very end.
He wasn't forcing him to do something; it was the opposite.
"Stop your stale whining and tell someone else to come out."