How could Wu So-chu not be confused?
He hesitated for one reason.
The very same concern that Gong Chan had.
‘Is this man truly the Young Cult Master of the Demon Sect?’
Fine.
Let’s concede a hundred times over and say the Young Cult Master came alone.
Let’s even say his appearance could be disheveled.
But to say he rushed here to save a tavern owner and his family? To have himself stand while these lowly people sat in chairs? To even brush the snow off a porter’s shoulders?
In Wu So-chu’s world, such a thing was utterly impossible.
‘He is not the Young Cult Master of the Demon Sect. It cannot be.’
He was certain.
But he could not refuse the man’s demand.
The martial arts he displayed when overpowering Gong Chan were certainly not fake.
Though he had watched from inside the building and couldn’t see clearly, he saw Gong Chan taken down without even a chance to raise a hand.
His skill was no ordinary matter.
“If the Young Cult Master bids me to come down, then I must.”
As he watched the man slowly walk down the stairs, Geom Mugeuk spoke coldly.
“You shouldn’t come down because I told you to. You should come down because your subordinate, whose life hangs in the balance, is down here. And you shouldn’t be descending so leisurely; you should be leaping down to check on your subordinate first.”
A surge of irritation washed over Wu So-chu.
From the way he had called his name and ordered him down, to this current remark which he couldn’t refute.
It was humiliating.
With the escort warriors and even the village residents watching, his anger boiled over.
Because of this, the five people sitting behind Geom Mugeuk were even more of an eyesore.
‘Insignificant things!’
This was the first time he had ever been so humiliated by his inferiors.
Once this was over, he would not let them go.
Except for Jo Chun-bae and Yang In, the other three did not dare to meet Wu So-chu’s gaze.
The man with the greatest power in this region was the Escort Master of the Yellow Dragon Escort Agency.
Yet now, they were sitting while the Escort Master stood.
“That hurts.”
Yang In said to her younger sister.
She had gripped her sister’s hand too tightly out of fear from Wu So-chu’s glare.
“I’m sorry.”
“Seon-ah, it’s all right now.”
Yang In spoke confidently, even though Wu So-chu was listening.
Ignorance was one thing, but now that she was certain the person who had come was the Young Cult Master of the Demon Sect, she truly believed everything was fine.
Yang In looked at Jo Chun-bae, asking with her eyes.
‘It’s really okay, right?’
Jo Chun-bae nodded vigorously, lending strength to his wife’s comfort.
“Don’t worry, little sister.”
“Brother-in-law!”
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime moment, so you can enjoy it.”
Jo Chun-bae knew.
He knew what kind of person stood before them like a fortress wall.
He also knew that even if a fortress wall were to crumble, that back would not.
This was the man who had brought the Demon Sovereigns to his humble Flowing Wine Tavern and had them leave their words on his wall.
This was the man who had brought the Heavenly Demon to his tavern.
That was a strength entirely different from martial prowess.
A unique Young Cult Master of the Demon Sect, the likes of which had never been and would never be again.
In that sense, a desire to live a long life sprouted within Jo Chun-bae.
What would the Young Cult Master be like when he became the Heavenly Demon? What would the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect be like under his leadership? How would the Martial World change with him as the Heavenly Demon? He wanted to see it all.
Yang In gazed quietly at her husband.
He was a man who never spoke a word about his work at the tavern.
How could she not know how difficult it was to deal with drunkards?
But he had changed after the Young Cult Master came to the tavern.
On days when Geom Mugeuk or the Demon Sovereigns visited, his eyes would sparkle like stars as he excitedly recounted the day’s events.
The look in his eyes as he watched Geom Mugeuk now was the same.
Today was the brightest star.
Geom Mugeuk returned to his polite and calm demeanor.
The primary goal here, before punishment, was to clear Jong Hak’s name.
“Now that you’ve come down, let’s hear it together. Aren’t you curious, Escort Master? Why did Escort Leader Gong try to kill an innocent porter to silence him?”
Wu So-chu immediately retorted.
“He wasn’t trying to kill him, but to cut off the hand that committed theft. And silencing him? You don’t die just from having your wrist cut, do you?”
Geom Mugeuk was certain that Gong Chan had intended to kill Jong Hak.
“Do you think one could survive here with both hands cut off and make it to a doctor? Let’s say I cut off both your hands. Are you confident you could run to a doctor without using lightness arts and survive? A person who hasn’t learned martial arts would faint the moment their hand is cut.”
Wu So-chu could not argue.
Without proper help, even he would find it difficult to survive the severe blood loss.
The watching residents looked at each other and murmured.
They had been summoned here thinking someone was being punished for theft by having his hand cut off, but a completely unexpected truth was being revealed.
The escort warriors already suspected from Gong Chan and Wu So-chu’s reactions that there was some conspiracy afoot.
For now, they watched.
Their opponent was a very special demonic practitioner.
Geom Mugeuk spoke to Gong Chan and Wu So-chu.
“You two tried to kill not only a man’s life, but his honor as well.”
Jong Hak let out a long sigh.
Hearing Geom Mugeuk say those words in front of everyone felt like something that had been tightly constricting his chest had finally been released.
What had tormented him most was being framed for theft.
It was all the more painful because he had lived his entire life without ever coveting what belonged to others.
Geom Mugeuk approached and once again brushed the snow from Jong Hak’s shoulders.
Madam Yun watched this silently, then spoke softly to her eldest daughter.
“He may be young in age, but he is like an elder.”
There was something that could only be seen through the eyes of an old woman who had weathered all the storms of the world.
In the meantime, Geom Mugeuk was raising a question before Wu So-chu.
“Escort Master Wu. I have one question. Looking at that man, Escort Leader Gong, he seems impetuous and cruel. Why didn't he kill this man during the escort mission? His personality seems more than capable of it.”
Gong Chan looked back and forth between Geom Mugeuk and Wu So-chu, his face full of fear.
Geom Mugeuk stared directly into Gong Chan’s eyes and asked him.
“Perhaps you had to report to someone upon your return?”
Who would an Escort Leader have to report to? Naturally, everyone’s gaze turned to Wu So-chu.
“Was that person Escort Master Wu?”
Gong Chan did not answer.
His reaction was answer enough.
“A denial does not come immediately.”
At that, Wu So-chu quickly interjected.
“But a confirmation didn't come either. How can he give a proper answer when you are threatening to kill him?”
Geom Mugeuk could feel it.
The moment Gong Chan was about to answer, Wu So-chu had sent him a telepathic message.
“What did your Escort Master say in his message? Did he threaten your life? Did he say he’d give you a fortune if you just get through this? Did he promise to make you the Head Escort Leader? Or all three?”
Gong Chan stared at Geom Mugeuk with a shocked expression.
‘What in the world is this man?’
Amazingly, it was all three.
The person Gong Chan had reported to upon his return was Wu So-chu.
This entire affair had been carried out strictly under the Escort Master’s orders.
It was also true that the Escort Master had just threatened him with a telepathic message.
He had brandished the whip, saying he would die by his hand if he confessed, while at the same time promising the carrot of a large sum of money and the position of Head Escort Leader.
Of course, against Geom Mugeuk, it was bound to fail.
“I’m sorry to say this, but it’s no use even if he offered you a billion nyang instead of ten million. If you don’t speak truthfully here and now, you will die by my hand.”
Just then, Wu So-chu tried to persuade Gong Chan.
“If that man is the Young Cult Master of the Demon Sect, he can never kill you. A demonic practitioner killing an Escort Leader from an escort agency belonging to the Righteous Path? The Young Cult Master of the Demon Sect, no less? The Martial World would be thrown into an uproar. Trust me.”
In the end, Gong Chan remained silent.
If he could just get past this crisis, he would gain an enormous fortune and the position of Head Escort Leader.
To ensure his own survival, Wu So-chu would surely save him.
Geom Mugeuk’s eyes grew cold as he revealed his demonic energy.
“Indeed. If you were the type to listen to reason, you wouldn’t have done such a thing in the first place.”
The demonic energy flew not at the others, but solely towards Gong Chan.
Gong Chan looked around.
He was standing in the sea.
The thought that it was beautiful was brief.
He began to be pulled down under the water.
A pitch-black abyss awaited, and he could see nothing.
It was not an illusion.
He truly couldn't breathe, just as if he were actually drowning.
How could this be possible with just aura?
It was excruciatingly painful.
He wished he could lose consciousness, but Geom Mugeuk’s aura perfectly reflected his intent.
The agonizing pain continued.
Just as he was about to reach the point of death, he would be given a few gulps of air to regain his senses before being dragged back into the agony of suffocation.
‘Please! Please! Just kill me!’
The pain was so great that the words ‘kill me’ came out before ‘save me.’
Then, he heard Geom Mugeuk’s voice.
—Do you want to live?
Loyalty? Devotion? Right now, he would trade his very soul just to be able to breathe.
‘Yes, please save me!’
—Then speak honestly.
Panting, he snapped his eyes open and shouted.
“The one who gave the order was the Escort Master!”
Wu So-chu could not say a word.
It was as if he was admitting guilt.
But he wasn’t.
Unbeknownst to anyone, Geom Mugeuk had sealed his mute point and paralyzing point.
The exact same situation from before, when he sealed them as Jong Hak was about to have his hand cut off to make it seem like he was confessing, was replaying itself.
Wu So-chu was aghast.
No matter how strong his opponent’s martial arts were, he couldn't have had his pressure points sealed without even feeling it.
‘He’s the real Young Cult Master!’
Meanwhile, Geom Mugeuk’s questions to Gong Chan continued.
“Then who is the man with the dot on his forehead?”
“I don’t know either. The Escort Master told me to meet him. I went to hear from him when and where I would receive the next escorted goods.”
“Do you know what the escorted goods are?”
“I do not.”
“When are you scheduled to receive the next item?”
“In three days, at Clear Water Forest.”
Geom Mugeuk asked something more important.
“What was the reason for trying to cut off porter Jong’s hand?”
“When I reported that Jong Hak had seen our meeting, the Escort Master said to deal with it by cutting off his hand.”
It was the moment Jong Hak was completely exonerated.
The gazes of the escort warriors and residents turned to the Escort Master.
His face flushed red, but he said nothing.
“Which escort warriors were involved in this?”
“Only me. The other escort warriors just followed orders. No, it was the same for me. I only did as the Escort Master commanded.”
He shifted all the blame to the Escort Master.
“I’ve told you everything, so you’ll spare me, right?”
Gong Chan was not the only one tense about the answer.
Jo Chun-bae’s family behind Geom Mugeuk was even more on edge.
Jong Hak, in particular, prayed in his heart, ‘Please, do not spare that man!’ He was afraid that if Gong Chan was spared, he might seek revenge on him later.
“Why should I?”
When Geom Mugeuk asked back, Gong Chan raised his voice.
“Didn’t you say you’d spare me if I told you everything?”
“But you didn’t tell me when I asked you to, did you? You only spoke reluctantly after I pressured you with my demonic energy, didn’t you?”
Gong Chan could tell.
He had no intention of sparing him from the beginning.
Just as he was about to hurl insults and curses at Geom Mugeuk, his mute point was sealed.
It was a skill that would make a ghost weep—no, even a ghost would be immobilized with its mute and paralyzing points sealed.
There was no advice to be reborn as a good person in his next life.
Geom Mugeuk utterly negated Gong Chan’s existence.
Whoosh!
Geom Mugeuk’s merciless fist flew toward him.
Rumble!
At the same time, a sound like divine punishment thundered down.
Thwack.
With one strike, his ribs shattered, and Gong Chan flew far into the wall of a building.
He had already died before he hit the wall.
“For trying to cut off an innocent man’s hand, and furthermore, for trying to cut out my friend’s tongue, you were already a dead man.”
He said it for the residents and escort warriors to hear.
They needed to know exactly what these deaths signified.
Only then could Jong Hak’s family continue to live here.
The watching escort warriors and residents thought it was a just outcome.
Jong Hak let out a sigh of relief.
Knowing how he must feel, Yang Seon hugged her husband tightly.
Yang In felt it.
The moment Geom Mugeuk said the word ‘friend,’ her husband’s grip on her hand tightened.
Jo Chun-bae spoke in a trembling voice.
“You are a friend far too great for me.”
Geom Mugeuk turned to him and smiled.
“Of course. Am I not the one who will become the Heavenly Demon? I am a friend of high standing to anyone.”
Geom Mugeuk’s jest put him at ease, and Jo Chun-bae felt good.
“You have no idea how grateful I am.”
Jo Chun-bae would live his entire life with a grateful heart.
But then, Geom Mugeuk said something unexpected.
“It is I who should be thanking you.”
“Pardon?”
“Rather, you are the one who saved me, owner.”
As Jo Chun-bae’s eyes widened in confusion, Geom Mugeuk gave a faint smile and turned away.
Thank you for allowing me to protect my demonic path, owner.
Geom Mugeuk walked up to Wu So-chu.
“Fortunately, it seems the matter we sought to resolve has been cleared up well.”
That wasn't the only thing that was released.
Wu So-chu’s mute point had also been unsealed at some point.
“You! Do you know what you’ve just done? You just killed an Escort Leader of the Yellow Dragon Escort Agency!”
He looked at the escort warriors and shouted.
“This is a separate matter from Gong Chan’s crime! A demonic practitioner has killed a warrior of the Righteous Path! This is an attack on the Righteous Path by the Demon Sect!”
His cry echoed emptily.
No one sided with him.
The moment it was revealed that he had ordered Jong Hak’s wrist to be cut off, the authority of the Escort Master of the Yellow Dragon Escort Agency had vanished.
He was nothing but a hypocrite who tried to kill an innocent person for his own gain.
“If you touch me, a war between the Righteous and Demonic Factions will break out! Countless lives will be lost because of you!”
In contrast to his agitation, Geom Mugeuk was calm.
“It’s already clear that you can’t grasp the situation and that words won’t work on you, so I’ll do things my way. No, I suppose it would be your way.”
Just as Wu So-chu wondered what he meant.
Swoosh.
His left hand stretched forward on its own.
With his paralyzing point already sealed, he could not resist.
“What are you trying to do?”
“What you were trying to do. You gathered all these people to show them that those who commit crimes receive punishment, didn't you?”
As Geom Mugeuk held out his hand, the sword from the waist of Gong Chan’s corpse far away was unsheathed.
The sword flew through the air and into Geom Mugeuk’s hand.
“My sword is too sharp, so it might hurt less.”
Realizing Geom Mugeuk's intention, Wu So-chu was struck with terror.
“Stop! Don’t! Stop!”
“It’s fine. You said it yourself, didn’t you? You don’t die from having your wrist cut off.”
“Why are you doing this, Young Cult Master! Young Cult Master! Please!”
“Fine, then I’ll give you a chance.”
Words as fearsome as his cold gaze flowed from Geom Mugeuk’s lips.
“If you don’t answer my question by the count of three, I’ll start by cutting off your left hand and ask again.”
Raising the sword as if to strike at any moment, Geom Mugeuk asked.
“Who is that man with the dot on his forehead? One, two…”