As Bi Sa-in left, his subordinate, Sa Hon, approached the Martial King, pulling a cart.
“Allow me to move the gifts for you.”
As Sa Hon loaded the gifts from the martial artists onto the cart, the Martial King also sat down on it.
As they left the Training Grounds, the two began a conversation via telepathic message.
—So, the Young Alliance Leader figured it out?
The Martial King gave a slight nod.
It was something he had anticipated the moment the assassins failed to kill Pyo Gi-gwang.
—Then why did you come to see him?
—It was a declaration of war.
And I wanted to boast.
That the assassins you sent are useless.
—He is still young.
A faint sneer formed on Sa Hon’s lips.
On the other hand, a question lingered in the Martial King’s mind.
—He’s definitely different from before.
He just couldn’t pinpoint exactly what it was.
—Did you find out how he survived today’s ambush?
The Martial King shook his head at Sa Hon’s question.
—Could the Alliance Leader be helping him?
—It’s not the Alliance Leader.
If he had intervened, he wouldn't handle things this way.
—In that case, the Young Alliance Leader will certainly ask Gwae-ak and Gwang-seom for help.
Gwae-ak and Gwang-seom.
They were among the Seven Great Masters of the Unorthodox Faction, masters whom Bi Sa-in had brought to a past meeting of the Righteous, Demonic, and Unorthodox Sects to show off his influence.
—That’s likely.
—If we give him time, we will be at a disadvantage.
I will lead my subordinates and deal with him myself before he can meet them.
—There’s no need for that.
The Martial King lay down among the piled-up luggage on the cart and delivered an incomprehensible message.
—He must be left alone to die.
*
After coming down from the cliff, Bi Sa-in immediately sent a dispatch and rented a carriage with a driver.
To avoid attracting attention, he left the Thirteen Wolves of the Unorthodox Path behind and headed to his destination with only Geom Mugeuk.
Bi Sa-in silently gazed at the scenery outside.
He was calming his mind before the great battle to come.
He was prepared to die; this was more dangerous than any fight he had ever faced.
Of course, a part of him wanted to run away.
A corner of his mind was constantly whispering for him to run to the Unorthodox Alliance Leader.
—Have you forgotten already? You regretted the decision you made in anger just now, didn't you? It's the same now.
You'll regret this choice later.
Go to the Alliance Leader now, tell him, and resolve this.
With a complicated heart, Bi Sa-in glanced at Geom Mugeuk.
As always, Geom Mugeuk was sitting still with his eyes closed.
Just then, Geom Mugeuk spoke abruptly.
“Are you regretting again?”
“It’s like you have eyes on the back of your head and on your eyelids.”
“That makes me sound like a monster, doesn’t it? Just say I see with my heart.”
Geom Mugeuk slowly opened his eyes.
“Whenever you’re in a carriage, you seem to close your eyes and mutter something. What exactly are you training?”
“I am training in the Heavenly Demon Body-Protecting Art.”
Bi Sa-in was inwardly flustered, not expecting the Heavenly Demon’s signature martial art to be mentioned.
“Is it alright to tell me such a secret?”
“What does it matter? It’s not like I’m telling you the formula. What’s the harm in telling you the name of a martial art?”
There was a level of mastery that could not be imitated, no matter how much one learned through words.
In the end, a single phrase slipped out of him without him realizing.
“I’ve lost to you.”
“I think it’s fine to admit it like that.”
“So? I’m just supposed to let you drag me around?”
“What does it matter? While being dragged along, you can see the stars, the birds, and the clouds. The one doing the dragging might act all high and mighty at first, but after a while, they’ll get tired too. They’ll be wondering if someone will drag them for a change.”
Bi Sa-in wore an expression that said he was truly hopeless.
“You say that so easily, for someone who has never lost to an opponent.”
“There’s my father, isn’t there? He reads me like a book anyway, so I don’t even try to hide things from him. Phew, you should see the way my father scoffs at me.”
It was hard to believe there was someone who could put even this Geom Mugeuk on the defensive.
Then again, he supposed it was possible, given that it was Geom Mugeuk’s father.
“What kind of person is your father?”
“I’m sure you people have more information than I do.”
Bi Sa-in smiled faintly at the half-joking, half-serious remark.
“I’ll introduce you next time. Meet him yourself and judge.”
Would the day he met the Heavenly Demon ever come?
“There you go, getting serious again. It’s not the Young Alliance Leader of the Unorthodox Alliance meeting the Heavenly Demon. It’s a friend meeting a friend’s father.”
A friend’s father.
A word as foreign as ‘friend’ in his life.
“By the way, why haven’t you asked who we are going to meet?”
Because he already knew, of course.
Geom Mugeuk had an idea of who Bi Sa-in was going to ask for help.
“Which of the two are you meeting first?”
Bi Sa-in shook his head.
“Do you know what? At times like this, you really have no human warmth.”
He felt sorry after saying it.
He figured someone without human warmth wouldn’t be helping him.
“Let me ask one more thing.”
“Go ahead.”
“Do you think even Senior Gwae and Senior Gwang won't be enough?”
When he had seen Instructor Hwang, his skill seemed to be that of an instructor at the Unorthodox Alliance Hall.
Which meant his skill was overwhelming enough to crush him.
Geom Mugeuk answered honestly.
“Unless the two of them attack together, fighting him alone offers absolutely no chance of victory.”
Although he had expected it to some extent, Bi Sa-in couldn’t help but be surprised.
An opponent that required two of the Seven Great Masters of the Unorthodox Faction to attack together.
To that, an even more surprising statement was added.
“Even if they work together, it will be difficult if they are not in sync.”
*
The carriage arrived at the promised location.
“Young Alliance Leader, welcome.”
“Thank you so much for taking the time to come.”
“Gwang-seom is waiting inside. Come, let’s go in.”
They were two of the Seven Great Masters of the Unorthodox Faction who had a deep friendship with the Unorthodox Alliance.
To be precise, they were followers of the Unorthodox Alliance Leader.
Gwae-ak glanced over, confirming he had only one attendant.
“You came quietly.”
Although he had met Geom Mugeuk before, he did not recognize him now.
Not only was Geom Mugeuk wearing a mask, but he also kept his head bowed, avoiding eye contact.
Moreover, he only revealed an aura on par with the Thirteenth Wolf of the Unorthodox Path.
Never imagining that the Young Cult Master of the Demon Sect would be acting as the Thirteenth Wolf and escorting Bi Sa-in, Gwae-ak failed to recognize Geom Mugeuk.
Geom Mugeuk also entered the room.
He didn’t mind at all, as the Thirteenth Wolf always moved with the Young Alliance Leader.
A table of wine was set up in the room, where Gwang-seom was waiting.
“Senior, thank you for coming.”
Gwang-seom, a man of few words, simply bowed his head slightly in greeting.
Bi Sa-in sat at the table and sent a telepathic message to Geom Mugeuk.
—Will you reveal your identity and sit with us?
—It’s fine.
I will stay here.
Geom Mugeuk stood slightly behind and away from Bi Sa-in.
“I was having a drink while waiting. Here, Young Alliance Leader, have a cup as well.”
Light conversation flowed as they drank.
They talked about how they had been, about the Unorthodox Alliance Leader, and about various recent events in the martial world.
Then, Gwang-seom also offered a drink to Geom Mugeuk.
Geom Mugeuk turned his head and drank from under his mask.
Bi Sa-in was inwardly amazed.
‘The Young Cult Master has the skill to hide his presence even in front of these men.’
After a few rounds of drinks, the real discussion began.
“So, Young Alliance Leader, for what reason did you want to see us?”
“There is a favor I must ask of you two seniors.”
Bi Sa-in was cautious.
Even Gwae-ak, who was treating him with a friendly face now, was an absolute master notorious in the martial world for his eccentric and cruel personality.
Gwang-seom too, though he seemed less malicious due to his taciturn nature, was a man whose sword was faster than his words.
The respect they showed him was respect for the Unorthodox Alliance Leader.
Bi Sa-in had yet to build a personal relationship and trust with them.
“I have recently discovered a certain hidden force that threatens our alliance.”
At those words, the gazes of Gwae-ak and Gwang-seom intensified.
“Who are they?”
“Their leader is the Unorthodox Alliance Hall instructor, Hwang Seok-gyeong.”
When Hwang Seok-gyeong’s name was revealed, both men wore baffled expressions.
They seemed more surprised by the fact that it was Hwang Seok-gyeong than by the news of a hidden force threatening the Unorthodox Alliance.
“If you know who the opponent is, you should just eliminate him. Why did you ask to see us?”
“He is hiding his true skills.”
“To the extent that you need us?”
“Yes, I need both of you to go.”
A moment of silence fell.
Bi Sa-in did not hide the opponent's strength.
He did not make the foolish mistake of downplaying Hwang Seok-gyeong’s skills just to save the two men’s pride.
Gwae-ak asked, half-convinced, half-doubting.
“Does the Alliance Leader know about this?”
“He does not know yet.”
“Why haven’t you told him?”
From here on was crucial for persuasion.
“It was entangled with me from the start, and he even tried to kill me.”
“He tried to assassinate you?”
“That is correct. That is why I want to end him with my own hands.”
Gwae-ak stared at Bi Sa-in.
“You want to handle this matter well and gain the Alliance Leader’s recognition.”
Bi Sa-in answered this honestly as well.
“That is correct.”
Gwae-ak looked back at Gwang-seom.
Gwang-seom just drank his wine in silence.
Gwae-ak did not readily agree to help.
“If what you say is true, this is quite a dangerous matter. What is our reason for helping?”
He did not say it would be an opportunity to render great merit to the Unorthodox Alliance, or a favor bestowed upon the next Unorthodox Alliance Leader.
He also didn’t say that some instructor was dreaming of becoming the Alliance Leader.
“I will not beat around the bush. When I become the Alliance Leader, I will give you two what you desire.”
“Do you know what I desire?”
“The day I ascend to the position of Alliance Leader, I will give you the secret manual of the Severing Shadows Ghost Step from the secret vault.”
A glint shone in Gwae-ak’s eyes.
The Severing Shadows Ghost Step was a secret manual Gwae-ak desperately wanted.
When learned in tandem with his signature martial art, the Iron Body Annihilation Technique, it would produce a much stronger effect, but unfortunately, he had not been able to learn the Severing Shadows Ghost Step.
The reason he had done various things for the Unorthodox Alliance Leader until now was precisely to obtain the Severing Shadows Ghost Step.
It was a double-edged promise.
If he accepted this condition, he would support Bi Sa-in both physically and mentally, wishing for him to become the Unorthodox Alliance Leader as soon as possible.
However, after giving him the secret manual, he would no longer be able to use him.
“Is there a guarantee you will keep your promise?”
“If you wish, I will write it down in a document.”
Only then did Gwae-ak nod.
“Fine, I accept on that condition.”
This time, Bi Sa-in looked at Gwang-seom.
“Senior, I do not know what it is you desire. Please tell me what you wish for.”
At that, Gwang-seom finally opened his mouth.
“I desire your life.”
A sudden silence filled the place.
Soon after, Gwae-ak burst out laughing and said.
“You have to save your words like you usually do for a joke like this to land.”
Bi Sa-in laughed along.
But Gwang-seom did not laugh.
Words he usually held back poured out all at once.
“When you went out to greet the Young Alliance Leader earlier, I put energy-dispersing poison in the wine. They said it was specially made by modifying the Black Fly, and indeed, even you did not notice. Unless you have a Body Invulnerable to All Poisons, you won’t be able to use your inner energy for the next hour. Of course, I took the Antidote beforehand.”
Instantly, Gwae-ak checked his inner energy.
His expression hardened coldly.
His inner energy was truly scattered.
“What is the meaning of this? What kind of prank is this, so unlike you?”
Instead of answering, Gwang-seom continued what he was saying.
“The one who kills the Young Alliance Leader here today will be you. After killing the Young Alliance Leader, you will be treated as if you have vanished from the martial world. A large sum of money will be deposited into your account, and circumstantial evidence of you receiving a request to kill the Young Alliance Leader will also be discovered.”
Gwang-seom said these words, which were utterly horrifying from Gwae-ak’s perspective, without batting an eye.
“You crazy bastard! Are you tired of living? Do you think I’ll just let you have your way because I have no inner energy?”
Contrary to his outward confidence, he was in despair.
To fight Gwang-seom without inner energy? It would be a fight between a martial artist and a child.
“I apologize for using the energy-dispersing poison. I did not underestimate your skills, so do not be too angry. I will bury your body in a place with plenty of sunlight.”
Bi Sa-in was just as shocked and bewildered.
Gwang-seom was an opponent he could not handle even with his inner energy, but the problem was that Geom Mugeuk had also drunk the wine.
Come to think of it, the one who gave Geom Mugeuk the wine was Gwang-seom.
He should have been suspicious when that quiet man went out of his way to give his subordinate a drink.
“Did you join hands with Hwang Seok-gyeong?”
Gwang-seom gave no reply, but it was a silence of affirmation.
“Why did you join hands with him?”
Gwang-seom gazed out the window for a moment, then said softly.
“I fought him and lost. I promised to become his subordinate if I lost.”
The way he said ‘him’ conveyed a sense of respect.
Bi Sa-in could see that Hwang Seok-gyeong was truly a strong person, just as Geom Mugeuk had said.
It wouldn’t just be because of the promise.
It seemed he had become a subordinate in earnest, fascinated by Hwang Seok-gyeong’s strength.
Just then, Geom Mugeuk, who had been standing behind and watching everything unfold, finally spoke.
“The human heart is a curious thing, isn’t it? I expected the traitor between you two to be Gwae-ak.”
At Geom Mugeuk’s words, everyone’s eyes turned to him.
As he suddenly stepped forward, not only Gwae-ak but also Gwang-seom wore expressions of bewilderment.
Their conversation was not that of a leader and his subordinate.
“Did you predict this situation?”
“Hwang Seok-gyeong surely would have predicted that you would go to meet these two. Yet he did not stop you."
"Two of the Seven Great Masters of the Unorthodox Faction could become his enemies, yet he doesn’t stop them? Isn’t that suspicious?”
Hearing that, Bi Sa-in thought it was true.
Why couldn’t such thoughts come to him so readily at the time?
“Then why didn’t you prepare for it?”
“Prepare for what?”
“You shouldn’t have drunk the wine.”
“How could I not drink it when he was trying to feed it to me with his eyes wide open? Should I have spit it out in front of him?”
Swoosh!
Gwang-seom’s Fast Sword cut through the air.
Thud.
The mask, sliced by the sword, fell to the floor.
Knowing that he was not trying to kill him, Geom Mugeuk did not dodge.
In fact, not dodging by accurately reading the opponent’s intention required greater courage and skill than dodging his sword.
His face now revealed, Geom Mugeuk touched his chin and mouth and said.
“The mask was uncomfortable and giving me a hard time anyway, so thank you for cutting it off. I keep saying they need to change the inner fabric of this thing.”