“What are you looking at so intently?”
Jo Chun-bae's mother-in-law, Madam Yun, approached the young man who was staring at something in a corner of the safehouse's courtyard.
The young man was looking at a small insect crawling in the flower garden.
He was a youth she had never seen before during her stay here.
Since the young man remained silent, just watching the insect, Madam Yun expressed her apologies.
“Did this old woman disturb you? I'm sorry, Martial Artist.”
Madam Yun treated everyone working at this safehouse with utmost respect.
She was polite not only to the martial artists but also to the male and female servants.
It wasn't out of fear, but gratitude.
Having lived a life of hardship, she was recently enjoying a very comfortable life.
For every meal, all sorts of precious dishes were prepared, and fresh clothes were provided for her to change into.
It was the first time in her life she had ever worn silk clothes.
She had slept in, and even taken naps, something she had never done in her entire life.
So how could she not be grateful to the people here?
Just as Madam Yun was about to turn away, the young man spoke.
“It's called a Dragon Venom Beetle. It's an insect that can only be found in this region.”
“Oh, I see.”
Madam Yun went over to the young man and squatted down beside him.
He looked young, but his aura and voice seemed mature.
When the insect crawled away and disappeared into the grass, Madam Yun looked at the young man's waist and said,
“Your coin pouches are very cute.”
The young man wore several pouches, on which the animals of the Twelve Zodiacs were drawn.
Only people who did business in the marketplace would carry so many pouches.
Of course, since she met him here, he couldn't be a merchant.
Then, the young man said something unexpected.
“I have eaten your son-in-law's cooking before.”
Madam Yun was startled.
“How?”
“I also live near there.”
“Oh, you do. Please visit often in the future. Our Jo Seobang is truly kind and diligent.”
Hearing that he was a customer at her son-in-law's tavern, Madam Yun was very pleased and happy.
“Are you perhaps hungry? There's food in the kitchen, shall I bring some for you?”
Seeing his young age, she assumed he did menial chores here.
Even if he was a martial artist, he was probably a low-level one.
“I'm fine.”
“No, no, you're at an age where you should be eating a lot. Wait just a moment.”
Madam Yun ran towards the building.
Watching her, the young man muttered to himself.
“My prime has long passed.”
A moment later, Madam Yun came out with a tray of food.
But the young man was not there.
“Where did he go so quickly? He should have waited a little.”
She was quite disappointed.
Just then, Jo Chun-bae walked out to that spot.
“Our Jo Seobang, aren't you hungry? Shall I prepare a meal for you?”
It was his mother-in-law, who always tried to feed him whenever she saw him.
“I'm fine. And I should be the one preparing meals for you.”
“No, you've been busy taking care of others your whole life. You should rest well at times like this.”
Weren't you the same, Mother-in-law? You've worked much harder.
While staying at the safehouse, Jo Chun-bae went through several stages of psychological change.
At first, he was bewildered but happy.
He just felt a little regretful, thinking it would have been nice if his married children who lived far away could have been with them.
But as the days passed, he grew anxious.
Was it okay to live in such luxury? Was it okay to leave the tavern unattended for so long?
Then he reached a point of 'to hell with it,' and was resting completely.
Above all, it was enough that his mother-in-law, his wife, and his sister-in-law and her husband were living comfortably.
After all, it wasn't as if he could leave just because he wanted to.
“By the way, what's that food?”
“There was a young man here I took a liking to, so I was going to give this to him. But he left already.”
“Who was it?”
“There was a cute and handsome young man.”
Jo Chun-bae tilted his head.
There was no such young man here.
“Oh, he said he's been to your shop, too.”
“What? To my tavern? That can't be.”
Just then, the young man returned.
His hands were full of unidentifiable herbs.
“Elder, your knees looked to be in bad shape.”
“When you get old, there's no place that doesn't hurt. But how did you know my knees were bad?”
Her knees were a chronic problem.
“If you brew this and drink it, it should be a little easier to walk.”
“Oh, you shouldn't have. Thank you, thank you so much.”
Madam Yun was so moved she didn't know what to do.
“Our martial artist isn't just handsome. Here, put that down and have some of this.”
Madam Yun treated the young man as if he were her grandson.
Watching this, Jo Chun-bae turned pale, his eyes wide and his mouth agape.
He was too shocked to speak.
Right now, his mother-in-law was patting the Poison King's back, telling him to eat a lot, saying that it was nice to see such a kind young man these days.
“Aaaah! You mustn't!” Jo Chun-bae shouted.
The Poison King and Madam Yun looked at Jo Chun-bae.
“Why are you acting like that?”
In response to Madam Yun's question, Jo Chun-bae bowed his head to the Poison King.
“Aigoo! Poison King!”
How could he not recognize the Poison King, who had even left his name on the tavern wall?
Belatedly realizing the young man's noble status, Madam Yun was flustered.
“Aigoo! I failed to recognize such an esteemed person. Please kill me!”
The Poison King stopped Madam Yun as she tried to prostrate herself on the ground and gave her the herbs.
“I cannot accept something so precious.”
“I'm giving it to you because I'm indebted to your son-in-law, so don't worry about it.”
After saying that, the Poison King went straight into the building.
When he had arrived here yesterday, he heard from the demonic practitioner managing the safehouse that Jo Chun-bae's family was here.
He had deliberately not revealed his arrival so they could stay comfortably.
They would have been given the best room, and if Jo Chun-bae knew he was here, he would try to give up the room.
It wasn't just the room; he would also feel very burdened.
That was why he had spent two days quietly in the guest hall with his subordinates without revealing his presence.
And since the Poison King knew that Geom Mugeuk cared for Jo Chun-bae, he had helped him save face in front of his mother-in-law.
“Thank you, thank you so much, Poison King!”
Seeing the fearsome Poison King give him herbs and leave, Jo Chun-bae was deeply moved.
“Jo Seobang, I don't know if I made a mistake.”
“Not at all. If you had, would he have given you something so precious?”
“He is truly a grateful person.”
She bowed towards the building the Poison King had entered.
“Thanks to you, what luxury this is.”
“I will brew the herbs for you.”
Taking the herbs, Jo Chun-bae's heart pounded.
Herbs given by the Poison King himself? His hands trembled.
He was careful not to drop even a single leaf.
He missed one person.
All this happiness and joy was a gift from him.
“Young Cult Master, please return safely. When you come back, I will!”
It was at that very moment.
“What will you do for me?”
Jo Chun-bae turned in surprise to see Geom Mugeuk entering.
Having left the Unorthodox Alliance, Geom Mugeuk had rushed here like the wind using Swift Step.
“Young Cult Master!”
At his cry, the Poison King, who had gone inside the building, opened a window and appeared.
“You're back sooner than I thought.”
“I missed you, Poison King, so I ran like the wind.”
“You probably missed that tavern owner over there.”
Geom Mugeuk smiled at Jo Chun-bae.
“Of course, I missed our tavern owner, too.”
Seeing Geom Mugeuk return safely, Jo Chun-bae was overjoyed.
A wave of relief washed over him.
It felt as if he had been floating in a dreamlike illusion, and was finally setting foot on solid ground.
“I don't know how I can ever repay this kindness.”
“There will be a way.”
“Pardon?”
“A precious guest will visit the tavern later, so please show off your skills then.”
At Geom Mugeuk's meaningful gaze, Jo Chun-bae blinked with a look of confusion.
He hadn't said anything like that even when a Demon Sovereign was coming.
Just who was coming that would warrant such words?
In the meantime, Jo Chun-bae's family, including Madam Yun, all came out to welcome Geom Mugeuk.
“Thanks to you, our family has made memories we will never forget even in death. Thank you, Young Cult Master.”
Geom Mugeuk held Madam Yun's hand and said with a warm gaze, “Please stay healthy, Elder.”
It was decided they would leave the safehouse the next day, so Jo Chun-bae prepared dinner that evening.
He wanted to personally serve food to those he was indebted to.
He served wine and dishes not only to Geom Mugeuk, the Poison King, and his poison gatherers, but also to the martial artists, and male and female servants of the safehouse.
While Jo Chun-bae showed off his skills, his wife went around personally thanking everyone who had taken care of them.
During the meal, the Poison King was blankly lost in his own world.
Sangseon, who was sitting next to him, poured wine for Geom Mugeuk instead.
“Thank you for everything.”
After meeting Geom Mugeuk, the Poison King was changing, and that change was what Sangseon had long hoped for.
Being here instead of the Thousand Poison Forest, gathering herbs with the Demon Buddha, and eating together were all things that would have been unimaginable in the past.
“I should be the one thanking you. Thanks to you coming with me this time, we overcame a great danger.”
“When you return, please come visit the Thousand Poison Forest.”
“Next time. I plan to just greet my father and then immediately leave the sect to visit the Martial Alliance.”
“You're going to turn the Martial Alliance upside down this time, I see.”
Geom Mugeuk laughed at Sangseon's joke and replied, “Of course not. It's a simple matter of meeting the Martial Alliance Leader and asking for his understanding on one thing.”
Then, the Poison King suddenly spoke.
It seemed he had been listening all along, though he appeared not to be.
“Will it really be that simple?”
At the Poison King's words, Geom Mugeuk drained the wine cup in front of him.
He didn't know the answer to that himself.
How would Jin Pae-cheon react? This was something neither he nor the Martial Alliance Leader had ever experienced before.
When the pleasant dinner came to an end, Geom Mugeuk said to Jo Chun-bae, “Let's go back now.”
It was the moment the most splendid vacation of Jo Chun-bae's life came to an end.
Having returned to the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect, Geom Mugeuk first stopped by the Heavenly Demon Hall.
“Father, I have returned.”
My father greeted me from his usual seat.
“I hear you stirred up the Unorthodox Alliance.”
“That's a misunderstanding. I didn't step forward; I just watched. I'm sure you received a full report from the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion.”
Geom Mugeuk told his father about what had happened at the Unorthodox Alliance.
As he had done in the past, he made a point of telling his father directly like this.
It didn't matter if his father already knew everything.
Just by speaking truthfully like this, it wasn't a report, but a conversation.
“I believe the hidden forces are still remaining.”
As long as Father doesn't let his guard down.
Even if the whole world lets its guard down, as long as Father and I don't, we can stop them.
“Those bastards might try some other tricks, so Father and I will have to watch carefully.”
He also emphasized that they must not let down their guard.
“Defending is not the only solution.”
It meant finding and eliminating them first—his father's way.
He had probably already given the order to the Grand Strategist and it was in progress.
“If we can do that, it would be the best way.”
But considering how meticulous the bastards had been so far, it wouldn't be easy to find them.
“Oh, and I invited the Unorthodox Alliance Leader to the Flowing Wine Tavern.”
He deliberately said it casually, as if it were nothing.
His father showed no reaction.
Unable to look his father in the face, he lowered his head and muttered.
“I know you dislike the Unorthodox Alliance Leader, Father, but once you meet him, he might turn out to be a surprisingly decent person, don't you think? And also...”
As there was still no reaction, he cautiously raised his head and looked at his father.
His father's gaze said it all.
You do know what you're doing, don't you?
Normally, he could have stopped by the Martial Alliance on his way back and handled matters there.
But he thought it was important to tell his father, even now.
He had to get permission, read his father's mood like this, and if he said no, he'd have to persuade and negotiate.
There was a big difference between telling him now and telling him after it was already done.
With an expression that said 'I know exactly what you're thinking,' the corners of his father's mouth slowly rose.
It was his father's smirk, which he hadn't seen in a long time.
Seeing that, he finally felt a sense of relief.
Ah, I'm home.
His father must have already seen through his intentions for inviting the Unorthodox Alliance Leader.
As expected, his father didn't ask for the reason.
“The Martial Alliance won't just stand by, will they?”
“That's why I'm planning to go to the Martial Alliance Leader and speak to him directly.”
“Do you think that Jin Pae-cheon fellow will accept it?”
Just like the Poison King, his father did not see this matter as a simple one.
Of course, I had an ace up my sleeve.
“I have allies on the Martial Alliance's side, too. In fact, there are two of them.”
“Master!”
The Fist Demon was looking up at the cliff he was trying to bring down.
“You're here?”
I wanted to bring Bi Sa-in here and joke around.
To tell him, look, compared to my master's face, yours is cute.
“I just returned after finishing my work at the Unorthodox Alliance. I came straight to you, Master, after seeing my father.”
After making a point of it, he stood next to him and looked up at the cliff.
“By any chance, is this cliff still growing?”
Meeting the Fist Demon's questioning gaze, he looked back at the cliff and answered, “Somehow, it seems to have gotten bigger and taller.”
At that, a strange light flickered in the Fist Demon's eyes.
“Is it not you who has grown?”
He could guess what he meant, but he feigned ignorance and asked, “As one grows stronger, shouldn't one's opponent feel more pathetic?”
“That's how the low-class ones think. The first-class ones see their opponents more clearly as they grow.”
That must be why true masters are humble.
Did my martial arts mastery improve after achieving Great Mastery in the Heavenly Demon Body-Protecting Art? The cliff truly felt more majestic.
“Then this cliff must look even more immense to you, Master.”
“Hearing flattery in my once-peaceful ears, it seems someone has indeed returned.”
“Did only flattery return? There's a gift here, too.”
The Fist Demon recognized the gauntlets I gave him.
“The Fighting God!”
“You recognize it.”
“Anyone who has learned fist techniques would know of it. Where did you get this?”
“I received it as a gift from the Unorthodox Alliance Leader.”
The Fist Demon looked dumbfounded for a moment, then nodded his head with an expression that said, 'Well, if it's you, that's possible.'
“Why are you giving me what was given to you?”
“Would the Fighting God want to be on my hands? Or would it want to be on your hands, Master?”
Since he had always lived bare-fisted, I thought he might say he didn't need it, but he accepted it without protest.
“Yes, I suppose I'll need it to bring down the cliff.”
Right, was I the only one growing? I could tell from the way he accepted it readily without standing on pride.
The Fist Demon was also growing.
And I could also see why the Fighting God was said to be the best among all gauntlets.
It was flexible and fit perfectly on the Fist Demon's large hands.
“The saying that every treasure has its own master, I think I understand it now. It suits you perfectly.”
The Fist Demon clenched his large fist in front of me, his way of saying thank you.
Yes, we all have to get stronger like this.
If they plot in the darkness over there, we will get stronger like this under the sunlight.
Let's see who wins.
After bidding farewell to the Fist Demon, I entrusted the Sun Moon Sword to my escorts and immediately left the Main Sect.
Since I had to leave the sect right away anyway, I decided to greet the other Demon Sovereigns after returning from the Martial Alliance.
“You're going to leave us behind again, aren't you?”
The head of the escorts, Jeok-yeon, had now reached a state of enlightenment.
“Looks like I'll have to this time, too.”
He tried to persuade me with a self-deprecating look that said, 'We are truly useless,' but it didn't work on me.
In the end, Jeok-yeon shouted.
“But please know this. If something happens to you, Young Cult Master, we all die too.”
Right, if something happens to me, you'll all die anyway.
“If you want to follow me, get stronger! More! More!”
Passing through Demon Family Village, I saw the Flowing Wine Tavern.
People from the marketplace were gathered in the newly reopened establishment, talking with Jo Chun-bae.
How many stories must he want to tell?
'Tavern owner, don't start yet.
There's still a real story worth bragging about.'
I unleashed Swift Step and raced towards the Martial Alliance.
Even as I flowed through the world like light, I could see them.
The flowers on the roadside were beginning to show their buds.
Spring was coming.