The Fist Demon and I stood on a cliff where a waterfall plunged.
RUMBLE!
The great spray created by the waterfall was refreshing to behold.
“Now, you absolutely must not use your inner energy.”
“You'd better not break the promise yourself.”
What we were about to do was jump from a high place.
Well, there was nothing at stake.
It was purely a battle of pride.
When I was young, girls used to look up from below...
I was now playing that dangerous game with the Fist Demon in these deep, overlapping mountains.
“That thin body of yours might shatter against the rocks.”
“And your large body, Fist Demon, will hit the rocks twice as hard.”
Our gazes held a determination to never lose.
We jumped at the same time.
At my level, would jumping without using inner energy really scare me or make my heart drop? Still, I deliberately let out a refreshing shout.
“Waaaaaaaaah!”
Splash!
Sending up a huge splash, the Fist Demon's body entered the water first.
Immediately, the Fist Demon poked his head out of the water.
At that moment, I was floating on the water using Water Steps.
I had used my inner energy before hitting the water.
I crouched before the Fist Demon, who had his head out, and said cheekily.
“I lose.”
The Fist Demon looked dumbfounded for a moment at the mischief on my face, then burst into laughter loud enough to echo through the valley.
Well, as long as it was funny, that's all that mattered.
I too plunged into the water.
The ice-cold water jolted my senses.
While I swam in the water, the Fist Demon climbed onto a wide, flat rock on the opposite bank.
Jumping from a waterfall without inner energy.
Had he ever done it even once in his life? No, he probably hadn't even considered it.
“The water is really clear.”
After swimming for a while, I also climbed onto the rock where the Fist Demon was.
I could have used my inner energy to generate heat and dry my clothes, but instead, I took them off and spread them on the rock.
“I'm going to lie down for a bit.”
And I flopped down and looked up at the sky.
“You should lie down too, Fist Demon.”
“I'm fine.”
“How long has it been since you've lain down in front of others?”
“I can't even remember.”
“So you should lie down at a time like this.”
Despite my suggestion, the Fist Demon remained seated.
We looked up at the sky in silence for a while.
To relieve his accumulated fatigue by slacking off, it wouldn't be enough even if we crossed the entire Central Plains.
That's why I plan to keep moving further away from the Sect.
“Let's get going.”
“Let's stay just a little longer.”
The Fist Demon looked anxious and restless.
I understood him.
In the Sect, his life was busy all day long.
Teaching everyone from the White Fists to the Black Fists! Thinking about it, it was a truly difficult life.
After sitting like that for a long time, the Fist Demon suddenly stood up.
I quickly stopped him as he, unable to bear the stuffiness, was about to perform a fist technique.
“You've been throwing punches like that your whole life. Just for this once, please endure it.”
“Just sitting here makes my body feel sluggish and stiff. I can't stand it.”
“Now, now, just sit down first.”
I made him sit down again.
He was not adapting easily to this slacking off.
“That's right. They say it's harder for a person to stay still. But they also say that spacing out like this is good for one's mental health.”
“Where did you hear such a thing?”
“It's just something I picked up somewhere.”
Beyond the Fist Demon who looked down at me, the sky was blue.
“Fist Demon, look at the clouds floating by behind you.”
The Fist Demon turned his head and looked up at the sky.
As he watched the clouds, I could feel distracting thoughts entering his eyes.
“Don't worry about your subordinates.”
The Fist Demon looked at me with an expression that said, 'How did you know what I was thinking?'
“They're probably all cheering right now. Tell your subordinates to relax and slack off a bit too. The leader slacks off, the subordinates slack off. Isn't that great?”
“Then the organization will fall apart.”
“So what if it falls apart a little?”
For a moment, the Fist Demon flinched.
“'So what if it falls apart?' You've never once had that thought, have you?”
“Of course not.”
“If it falls apart, there are the other Demon Sovereigns, aren't there? If it falls apart, there's my father, isn't there? So what if you get yelled at a little? So what if your pride is hurt a little?”
The corners of the Fist Demon's mouth curled up slightly.
It seemed like a sneer that said, 'What do you know?' but also a laugh that was somehow refreshing.
“Just forget it all. Forget all those fist masters with their colored titles.”
How long were we like that?
The Fist Demon relaxed his posture.
He leaned back slightly, supporting himself with his arms behind him.
He didn't lie down completely, but it still felt a bit more relaxed than before.
We stayed like that, staring blankly at the sky until our clothes were dry.
After coming down the mountain, we walked along a narrow path.
“Aren't we going to use lightness arts?”
“The scenery is so nice, let's just walk to the end of this path.”
As expected, he seemed to be itching for action.
“Wouldn't it be better to rest once we reach our destination?”
Whenever I hear words like these, I keep thinking of myself before my regression.
That's how I was when I was searching for materials for the Great Art.
I would run to my destination no matter what.
Walking was unimaginable.
“They say taking a walk is very good for people.”
“Spacing out is good, taking a walk is good. What on earth isn't good?”
“There are many bad things. Worrying about work when you're out to slack off. Thinking about someone when they're not even thinking about you. Coming out to have fun but still thinking about demolishing cliffs. There are many.”
After a moment, he asked.
“Did my life look that bad to you?”
“Yes.”
At my unhesitating answer, the Fist Demon stopped walking and looked at me.
“It didn't look bad because it was bad, but because it was too perfect.”
A hint of relief flickered across his face.
“I know what you're worried about, but I am not a man who breaks easily.”
“Really?”
“What?”
“I'm asking if you really are someone who doesn't break easily. How would you know? You've never broken before.”
The Fist Demon couldn't answer.
“When I look at my father in the Grand Advisor's seat, it reminds me of you standing on that platform, looking down at your subordinates. I get the feeling that you are both trapped there.”
“!”
Fist Demon, you've come this far with that unwavering steadfastness, isn't it time for you to rest a little?
He said nothing.
We walked in silence like that for a long time.
Where the path ended, I asked the Fist Demon.
“Is there anything you want to try?”
The Fist Demon couldn't easily find an answer and asked me back.
“And you?”
“I'm doing it right now.”
A faint smile appeared on the Fist Demon's lips.
Lee Ahn and Cheon So-hee say he's still scary no matter how many times they see him, but I'm not scared of this face.
In fact, I was never scared from the beginning.
“Then, I'll leave it to you.”
“Alright, then let's go eat something delicious first. Isn't it a rule that you can't leave out food on a journey?”
I ran ahead first, and the Fist Demon ran with me.
The Fist Demon unleashed the speed he had been holding back and started to run in front.
“Here we are. A famous restaurant with a two-hundred-year tradition!”
The place we arrived at was called Bright Destiny Pavilion, which sold both wine and food.
It was so popular that customers were lined up.
“How did you know about this place?”
“Is that all I know? The signature dish here is a bamboo shoot dish that you like, Fist Demon.”
“How did you know that?”
“Don't look at me like that. It's not like I looked it up to poison your food. You're going to be my future master, so I should at least know that much.”
The man standing in line in front of us glanced back and was startled to see the Fist Demon.
The man said, trembling.
“Sh-shall I let you go first?”
“It's fine.”
After the Fist Demon's reply, the man turned his head and never looked back again.
I smiled and asked the Fist Demon.
“You've never stood in line to buy food in your entire life, have you?”
Seeing the Fist Demon's expression that said, 'Of course not,' I asked again.
“Isn't it fun?”
The Fist Demon looked around.
The people in line, the new people lining up behind, the people coming and going on the street, the hawking of the street vendors.
“It's not bad.”
Bright Destiny Pavilion had over ten waiters alone; it was such a large restaurant that the line moved quickly.
When it was our turn, we took a seat.
We ordered several dishes and some wine.
“Why are you ordering so much?”
“It's been a while since I've been here, so we have to eat everything.”
The wine came first.
As I poured a cup for the Fist Demon, his displeased gaze turned towards the martial artists passing by on the street, cursing amongst themselves.
I reached out and blocked his view.
“We are slacking off! That's a rock. That's a chair. Do you understand?”
“I understand.”
The Fist Demon poured me a cup of wine and said.
“At your age, with that level of martial arts, it must be difficult to control your hot-bloodedness.”
“That's why I'm hanging out with the Demon Sovereigns, isn't it? So I don't cause any unnecessary trouble.”
“There may be other reasons why you associate with us, but not causing trouble is a commendable thing.”
“Oh! This is the first compliment the Fist Demon has ever given me.”
I raised my wine cup, and we toasted.
A moment later, the food arrived.
The Fist Demon took a bite of his favorite bamboo shoot dish and was surprised.
“This is truly delicious.”
“There's always a reason why people line up for a place.”
My gaze turned to the kitchen.
“How about it? Should we kidnap the chef and take him to the Main Sect?”
“You're saying something you don't mean.”
“Why are you so sure? If we take him, he'll come.”
After staring at me for a moment, unexpected words came from the Fist Demon's mouth.
“I heard your Demonic Path is one that doesn't break a tavern's table?”
I was surprised.
I didn't know the Fist Demon knew about that.
“How did you know?”
“I have ears to listen with.”
This is why what I said to my brother was right.
It seems like they aren't watching, but the Demon Sovereigns are always paying attention.
“Yes, so if others line up, we should line up too. If the chef gets kidnapped, we should go rescue him. This is my Demonic Path.”
The Fist Demon stared at me intently.
How would my Demonic Path be received by him?
The Fist Demon, who seemed to be contemplating whether to say something, focused on eating again.
As we were drinking, one of the two women sitting at the next table spoke to me.
“Young hero, is this your first time here?”
“Yes, it is.”
“Then there are some places you must visit.”
“Would you care to join our table and tell me more?”
The women glanced at the Fist Demon, then readily joined our table.
I ordered new dishes for them.
I can feel the Fist Demon's surprise.
This process of the women joining us so naturally seems to be a fresh shock to him.
A woman he's never seen before starts a conversation and joins his table?
So he was wary of the women.
He narrowed his eyes, wondering if they were up to something, but the women were just young people who liked to have fun.
The reason I insisted they join us was because of the Fist Demon.
The Fist Demon had lived his entire life as a bachelor.
There were no records of him being involved with women.
Perhaps he had given up on matters of love from the start because of his appearance?
That's why I'm trying to give the Fist Demon an experience he's never had before.
We talked about various things with the women while drinking.
I made them laugh with funny stories.
The Fist Demon, who was cautious at first, later enjoyed the gathering with an interested gaze.
Occasionally, I would ask the Fist Demon things he could answer better.
For example.
“Please tell these young ladies the story of how you broke through the Martial Alliance's Heavenly Net formation when you were young.”
Of course, the women didn't believe it and just laughed heartily.
It was a statement that went beyond the usual boasts men make when drinking.
At that moment, the Fist Demon looked at me, asking with his eyes. Really? Should I tell them? I smiled and shook my head. No, no one will believe you.
After having fun like that for about an hour, the women got up to leave first.
That was even more surprising for the Fist Demon. They're just leaving like that? Without even promising to meet again?
After they left, the Fist Demon asked.
“Did you perhaps send them a telepathic message promising them money? Or did you threaten to kill them if they didn't join us? Or were they women after our money pouches?”
To think he would have such thoughts.
“If not, there's no way women would ask to join our table, is there?”
“That's because of me, of course.”
“I know that. One of them was staring at your face the entire time.”
“That's right. That's why she suggested joining us.”
“Even with me sitting next to you?”
“Are you saying they wouldn't have joined because they were scared of your face?”
The Fist Demon nodded.
“You are unaware of two things, Fist Demon. Kids these days comfortably hang out and have fun even with strangers.”
“Aren't they afraid of what might happen to them?”
“They're fearless, the kids these days.”
“And you're not?”
“Including me. I'm fearless too, aren't I?”
“Too fearless. And what's the second thing?”
“The fact that while your face is scary, it's not an ugly one. In fact, you're on the handsome side.”
The Fist Demon was startled.
It was the most surprised reaction he'd had since meeting me.
He had probably never heard that he was handsome in his entire life.
“Even if you're going to flatter me, make it believable.”
“I am good at flattery, but what I just said wasn't flattery. To women, your face can seem attractive. They might also feel a sense of security, like you would protect them no matter what.”
To the Fist Demon, who didn't know what to say, I added.
“Today's conclusion. The Fist Demon has a scary, but handsome face!”
After emptying his wine cup, the Fist Demon came to a conclusion.
“You're a madman.”
“So, in the end, I hear those words from you too, Fist Demon!”
Just then, a young waiter walked towards us.
He couldn't have been more than ten years old.
His eyes were swollen from crying so much.
“I've been watching you for a while. For some reason, I felt like I could ask you for a favor, Great Hero.”
The child pleaded with the Fist Demon.
“Please, help me.”
In the tears welling up in the child's eyes, I could feel the weight of a pain that even an adult could not bear.
I gently stroked the child's head and said to the Fist Demon.
“And not only are you handsome, but in the eyes of an innocent child, you also have the kind of face that looks like it would help if asked.”