The Master of Villains’ Valley, Ji Fangyin, was so furious he could hardly bear it.
“You expect me to believe that?”
“What’s there to believe or not believe? It’s simply what happened.”
“The two great masters of Villains’ Valley do not simply die at the same time.”
Short in stature, with gloomy eyes, Ji Fangyin had always possessed the sort of presence that dampened a person’s spirits. Now that his temper had turned, the air around him grew so stifling it was hard to breathe.
“Can you defeat the Strange Demon? Are you confident you can defeat the Iron Chain Master? I’m not. And neither are you, are you? So how am I supposed to believe that those two were killed by the Extreme Evil Young Demon? In the same place, no less! Together!”
“It wasn’t because of the Extreme Evil Young Demon. It was because of the Second Young Master of the Demon Cult.”
“You call that an explanation?”
It was only natural that voices were rising. The Master of Villains’ Valley knew nothing of Geom Mugeuk’s strength. Only those in the murim who dealt in the most secretive information knew that Geom Mugeuk’s martial prowess was far greater than expected; his true abilities had yet to become known to the world.
“And was it only them? Did we not send the Paradise Enchantress, the Three Lords of the Bloody Road, the Blood Wolf Blade, and the Yama Divine Lord as well? Yet you say they were all annihilated, and you alone came back alive!”
“I barely made it back alive! I nearly died, I tell you.”
“Do you know something? Your words are so absurd that they almost sound like the truth. Surely you wouldn’t be stupid enough to offer such a ridiculous excuse.”
The Master of Villains’ Valley simply could not believe this situation. Through this affair, he had lost the two strongest limbs at his disposal. He had sent them all out precisely so that no one would die.
“When they died, what were you doing, Great Hero Yang?”
“When I was about to step in, the Blood-Heaven Blade Demon appeared. That old man’s internal energy was so profound that there was nothing I could do.”
Yang Cheogi thoroughly concealed the fact that he had only stepped in after the Strange Demon and the Iron Chain Master had died. The Valley Master would suspect him and investigate every which way, but in the end he would have no choice but to believe him. After all, it was an undeniable fact that on that day, only Geom Mugeuk, the Extreme Evil Young Demon, and the Blood-Heaven Blade Demon had been there.
“I, too, have ties with the Lord of the Heavenly Mandate Society. Why would I ruin this? Please believe me.”
The Master of Villains’ Valley regretted it. Had he known things would turn out this way, he would never have joined hands with the Lord of the Heavenly Mandate Society. Only now did it occur to him that the sweet thing the man had offered might in fact have been poison. Greed was always the root of disaster.
What was past was past. The present problem was this: with their deaths, his own position as Valley Master had become precarious.
Of all the organizations in the murim, Villains’ Valley was the one whose leader changed the quickest. It was filled with people who would bare their fangs the moment they sensed weakness in their head.
‘If you’ve been scheming for my seat, you won’t die a clean death.’
Ordinarily, even if Ji Fangyin harbored such thoughts, he would not reveal them on the outside. He was the sort of man who always smiled at enemies he intended to kill.
But today, he could not suppress his anger.
“I don’t want to see your face. Withdraw for now. We’ll speak again later.”
“Very well.”
Yang Cheogi was about to turn away when the Master of Villains’ Valley spoke.
“Do you know what my byname was before I entered this place?”
“What was it?”
“Hundred Evils. They called me that because I possessed every evil in the world.”
“Is that so?”
That indifferent response only angered the Master of Villains’ Valley further. Whether he knew that or not, Yang Cheogi threw out a new concern.
“They’ll guess that I’m here.”
“What are you trying to say? That they may even come charging all the way into this valley?”
“It’s not impossible.”
In this way, Yang Cheogi blocked off the possibility that the Master of Villains’ Valley might try to kill him.
“Since you came back after cutting off both our arms, we’ll have to fight with only our feet. If what you say is true, then we’re all dead now.”
Of course, he did not mean it sincerely. If Villains’ Valley would collapse simply because those two were gone, then it would have disappeared long ago. This was a place teeming with countless villains driven to the end of the road.
No one in the jianghu would immerse themselves in this filthy water. Just as it had always been.
After Yang Cheogi left, the Master of Villains’ Valley summoned a subordinate and issued an order.
“Investigate this matter thoroughly. And from this moment on, kill every person who enters the valley. Let everyone know! We’ll pay fifty thousand taels for each intruder’s head.”
* * *
After sending a letter to the main cult requesting the Drunken Demon and the One-Flower Sword Venerable, we headed straight for Villains’ Valley.
Lightness skill was faster than riding horses, so we ran using lightness skill.
A journey running alongside the Blood-Heaven Blade Demon and the Extreme Evil Young Demon? It was something I had never imagined, not before my regression, and not even after it.
I had traveled with the Extreme Evil Young Demon before, but this was my first time with the Blood-Heaven Blade Demon. On this journey, I learned something new about him.
The Blood-Heaven Blade Demon, whom I had thought would only like shutting himself in a room and reading books, had unexpectedly been to almost every corner of the Central Plains. Whenever we came upon an area he knew, he would stop mid-run and tell us about it.
“If you go over that mountain, you’ll reach a large place called Joyapyeong. There, I exchanged five hundred moves with a wandering swordsman who challenged me. That was when I was in the prime of my youth.”
Stories of battles he had fought, like this.
“In that village over there, there is a sect made up solely of women. Its sect master and her chief disciple both fell in love with me.”
He also spoke such absurd, lie-like stories with perfect nonchalance. At that moment, the Extreme Evil Young Demon and I sent voice transmissions to each other at the exact same time: He’s lying.
“From beyond that side lies the sphere of influence of the Evil Alliance. If you travel eight hundred li in that direction, you’ll reach the territory of the Murim Alliance.”
He was also well-versed in geography and the state of the murim.
There were many moments when I wanted to chime in because his words overlapped with what I knew, but I forced myself to hold back.
“By the way, was your internal energy always this profound?”
Seeing that I was not falling behind at all while running with them, the Blood-Heaven Blade Demon looked puzzled.
“I once took a spiritual medicine gifted to me by a very noble person.”
That spiritual medicine was none other than the Heaven-Outside Divine Pill the Blood-Heaven Blade Demon had given me before.
“That alone shouldn’t allow you to display this level of internal energy.”
“This time, while facing the Paradise Enchantress, I absorbed that temptress’s internal energy.”
Of course, there had been several other fortuitous encounters besides that, but I did not explain each one.
“Ah, truly, the heavens are helping you.”
“Then the two of you should help me a little too.”
At that, the Blood-Heaven Blade Demon and the Extreme Evil Young Demon once again shot forward.
To think they disliked each other, yet were able to coordinate like that with the sole intention of teasing me. Perhaps the two of them did not actually dislike each other that much.
As I ran after them, I shouted.
“Where do you think you’re running off to, when you’re both slower than me?”
* * *
We ran and ran like that until we arrived at the entrance to Villains’ Valley.
In the distance, I could see the One-Flower Sword Venerable and the Drunken Demon already there waiting for us. I had only ever seen them drunk and swimming about, or tending flowers in a garden, so seeing them outside felt different.
The Drunken Demon, arms crossed as he looked up at the sky, somehow seemed both lonely and handsome. The Sword Venerable, standing there in clean white robes with a sword at her waist, looked proud and elegant. Both of them felt extraordinary.
“Hyungnim!”
When I called him hyungnim even in the presence of the Demon Venerables, the Drunken Demon’s expression brightened radiantly.
“My dear younger brother!”
I focused on my relationship with the Drunken Demon without being conscious of any other ties.
“Hyungnim, thank you for coming.”
To feel awkward or mind others because of my relationships with the other Demon Venerables would be disrespectful to the Drunken Demon—and to the other Demon Venerables as well.
I am someone who calls the Drunken Demon brother. I believe that only when I clearly show what kind of person I am can I properly form other relationships as well.
“Unless it is something extraordinary, my closed-door training is never disturbed, but Yeobin brought me the news. She said my younger brother wanted my help. Just how did you make Yeobin take your side?”
All I did was look after your health, hyungnim. So Yeobin is the one who is truly on your side.
I could not answer like that, so I smiled and replied.
“Once this matter is over, I’ll buy you a drink.”
I then immediately greeted the One-Flower Sword Venerable politely as well.
“Seeing you outside, your beauty shines all the more.”
“I feel this every time, but your gilding is the most pleasing to hear. I heard you fought the villains of Villains’ Valley this time. Are you injured anywhere?”
“No. The Blade Demon appeared at the decisive moment.”
The One-Flower Sword Venerable looked at the Blood-Heaven Blade Demon and said,
“He may have been waiting for it. The decisive moment, that is.”
At those words, the Blood-Heaven Blade Demon looked dumbfounded and said,
“That’s right. I hid and waited. I wondered, when will the decisive moment come? I should appear only when things become a bit more dangerous.”
“Still, I’m glad you arrived in time. Well done.”
For some reason, the One-Flower Sword Venerable concluded the conversation with kind words. The Blood-Heaven Blade Demon sent me a look as if to say, What’s suddenly gotten into that woman? But how would I know what was in her heart?
Perhaps, on the way here together, the Drunken Demon had said good things about the Blood-Heaven Blade Demon? If so, today might be the starting point of their reconciliation.
The One-Flower Sword Venerable asked me again.
“So? The one behind this hid himself here?”
“Yes. I confirmed it once more through Tongcheon Pavilion. He entered Villains’ Valley.”
“This place is rather troublesome.”
“Fortunately, the Young Demon knows Villains’ Valley well.”
“Is that so?”
The One-Flower Sword Venerable’s gaze turned toward the Extreme Evil Young Demon. The bloodstains on his mask spoke of how urgent the previous situation had been.
The Extreme Evil Young Demon bowed his head lightly, and the One-Flower Sword Venerable exchanged greetings with him as well. The Sword Venerable treated the Drunken Demon like a friend, but with the Extreme Evil Young Demon, they maintained mutual courtesy.
They seemed like they were as indifferent to each other as chickens and dogs, but in truth, the reason I had formed a connection with the Extreme Evil Young Demon was because of the One-Flower Sword Venerable. When Cheongseon was being established as the Soul-Capturing Demon Venerable, she had told me that the Extreme Evil Young Demon had cast an approving vote. That was why I had gone to find him.
“Our target is Yang Cheogi. The villains here have committed crimes that deserve death, but there is no need to deliberately carry out an unnecessary massacre. It should be enough to eliminate only those who stand in our way.”
At my words, everyone nodded with expressions of understanding.
“There is one more thing I must tell you, concerning Yang Cheogi. Though the goal is to capture him alive, his martial arts are so strong that if capturing him proves difficult, you may kill him. Capture if possible, but this absolutely does not mean you must capture him alive at the cost of taking risks. The safety of everyone here comes first, no matter what.”
At that, the Drunken Demon said to the One-Flower Sword Venerable,
“Just who among us is my younger brother so worried about?”
“His drunken hyungnim, I suppose?”
“Ah, is it me?”
Even though they were Demon Venerables, charging into Villains’ Valley was something that could be burdensome and unpleasant. Yet they did not show the slightest sign of it. They did not even make a joke of claiming credit. I believe that was because of their feelings for me. It was a gratitude I must not forget.
“Thank you for coming like this for my sake. To be able to carry out a mission with four Demon Venerables is truly an immense honor. I will never forget today. If there were a painter here, I would have them paint us as we are today… Ah, where are you going? Listen to the end! I’m coming too!”
I followed after the Demon Venerables, who had gone ahead first, and entered Villains’ Valley.
After walking a little way inside, we found a warning written in red letters.
—The good shall surely die.
At that, the Drunken Demon looked around at us and said,
“Fortunately, there’s no one among us who will die.”
At those words, everyone laughed together.
“I’m in danger.”
When I protested at the injustice, the Extreme Evil Young Demon said,
“By that phrase, the safest person here is the Second Young Master.”
The gazes directed at me all seemed to agree with those words. Only the Drunken Demon took my side.
“I believe in my younger brother’s innocence. My kindhearted younger brother.”
“That makes me sound even more like a villain, doesn’t it?”
The Blood-Heaven Blade Demon, who had been listening, could not hold back and threw in a remark.
“I’m sick to death of hearing that damned ‘younger brother, younger brother.’”
Worried that he might pointlessly start a war of nerves with the Drunken Demon, I quickly took up his words.
“Exactly. How is a man without any sworn brothers supposed to live with the sorrow of it?”
At that, the Drunken Demon laughed and took a sip of liquor. I had been watching him since the day we first met, and it was certain that he drank less than before.
I sent a voice transmission to the Drunken Demon.
—You’ve cut down on drinking a lot. Impressive, brother.
—Thanks for noticing.
We could hardly have had this sort of conversation in front of the other Demon Supremes.
How long had we walked like that?
We came across a man with a basket of medicinal herbs on his back. He was just about to bow to us and pass by when—
Whoosh! Thud!
His forehead was pierced by the Blood Ang Finger unleashed by the Extreme Evil Demon, and he toppled over on the spot.
“He’s a scout guarding the entrance. If anyone comes in, his role is to take a shortcut and report it. Besides him…”
Swish! Shaaaak!
Before he could even say that others were hiding up in the trees and behind the rocks, the One Blossom Sword Sovereign sent out sword qi, and the Blood Heaven Blade Demon sent out blade qi.
The man hiding in the tree fell dead, and the rock was split in two, the man behind it meeting the same fate. Moving with Demon Supremes meant words were unnecessary. One gesture was enough.
“It’s been a very long time since I came back, but this place hasn’t changed at all. Back then, too, three of them guarded this spot.”
At the Extreme Evil Demon’s words, I smiled and replied.
“Isn’t the Cult the same? It doesn’t seem as if much has changed from decades ago to now.”
Then the Drunken Demon took a sip of liquor and said,
“That’s why our little brother is trying to establish a new demonic path, isn’t it?”
Instead of answering, I smiled as I looked at the Demon Supremes. I was growing closer to them by the day, but I still did not know just how much they would understand of the demonic path I pursued.
When we went a little farther in, several thatched huts came into view, with rice paddies and fields in front of them. They grew fruit trees and raised cows and pigs as well. It was truly no different from the scenery of any ordinary village.
But beside the fields were terrifying traps, and the flower beds blooming with splendid flowers were teeming with venomous insects.
A swarm of poisonous bees flew at us from somewhere, but from the start, it was impossible for bees to sting Demon Supremes. With a single wave of the hand, they were swept away all at once.
If we had not had someone who knew this place as well as the Extreme Evil Demon did, the road here would have been far more perilous. There were paths where it seemed there could be none, and traps where the way seemed safe.
The Extreme Evil Demon guided us only along shortcuts that avoided the traps.
At last, a village appeared in the distance. It was the first village we had seen since entering the Valley of Villains.
“From here to the tree at the village entrance over there, there are quite a few dangerous traps scattered about. Let’s just leap over them.”
The four Demon Supremes and I launched ourselves into the air at once.
We crossed in a single flight a distance no ordinary master could ever traverse. It was graceful and splendid, a supreme level of lightness skill that no one else could imitate.
Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap!
We landed in a line at the same time.
The moment we touched the ground, sword qi, blade qi, finger winds, and palm force flew out in every direction. The enemies lying in ambush around us fell one after another without even getting the chance to attack. Though we had not decided our targets in advance, not a single attack overlapped. These were the Demon Supremes of the Cult.
“Now, let’s go in.”
To my left stood the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, and to my right the One Blossom Sword Sovereign. At the far ends on either side were the Extreme Evil Demon and the Drunken Demon.
With the strongest wings in the world spread beside me, I walked into the village of villains.