The moment Ilseon saw the Fist Demon, he felt that something had gone wrong—terribly wrong.
His instinct for danger screamed at him to flee. But the Fist Demon’s aura, which froze his entire body solid, froze with it both his will to fight and his will to run.
Just then, the eight masters who had been hiding nearby revealed themselves.
Seeing them surround and encircle the Fist Demon, Ilseon’s frozen heart eased a little.
Gwigyeom Palsu (鬼劍八手).
Moving as though the eight of them were one body, they had once earned a fearsome reputation throughout the murim. In the battles of the murim, one man becoming two did not mean he became twice as strong. Just as a hundred men attacking did not mean they became a hundred times stronger.
But these Gwigyeom Palsu became eight times stronger. Perhaps not in actual fact, but that was the impression they gave. Their combined attack technique was that perfect.
That was why they could stand boldly against even the terrifying aura exuded by the muscular man before them without being cowed.
Strictly speaking, the Gwigyeom Palsu were not his subordinates. They were fixers sent by the Hall Master to ensure the task was carried out properly.
Thus they were his guards, his limbs that would carry out any order, and at the same time, his watchers.
“Kill him!”
The moment Ilseon’s command fell, the Gwigyeom Palsu launched themselves forward without hesitation. They stabbed simultaneously at eight vital points on the Fist Demon’s body.
The instant they moved, the Fist Demon also thrust his fist toward the Gwigyeom Palsu in front of him.
Kwa-kwaang! Puh-uh-uhk!
Along with a sound like thunder, the heavy impact of flesh and bone shattering rang out, and one of the Gwigyeom Palsu flew backward, smashing through a tree before collapsing. It was the first fist of the Thunderbolt Asura Fist, Black Cloud Asura.
One had been sacrificed, but the remaining seven swords struck the Fist Demon’s body.
Kaaaang!
Swords had struck a human body, yet the sound that burst out was metallic. As the fifth fist, Vajra Asura, activated, his entire body had temporarily become as hard as steel.
At the very moment the Gwigyeom Palsu were shocked—
Puh-puh-puh-puh-puh-puhk!
The second fist, Thunderbolt Asura, erupted from the Fist Demon’s fists. Thunderbolt Asura was so fast that it looked as though an asura with many arms was extending all its fists at once.
With that single move, six of the Gwigyeom Palsu were flung away in every direction. Killed instantly the moment they were hit, they slammed into trees and rocks and tumbled across the ground.
At the very moment the last remaining member of the Gwigyeom Palsu tried to rush in, aiming for the Fist Demon’s eyes—
The Fist Demon’s massive form cut through the air at tremendous speed. A single blow from the Fist Demon, carrying his full weight.
Kwaang!
The flesh and bones of the one struck twisted as if caught in a whirlwind.
The last of the Gwigyeom Palsu, struck by the third fist, Heavenly Thunder Asura, was sent flying so far away that he could no longer be seen.
All of it had happened in an instant.
To the eyes of the Immortals, thunder had sounded, something had flashed, and the Gwigyeom Palsu had become corpses rolling on the ground. It felt as though heavenly punishment had descended from the sky.
A heavy silence fell.
Because it was all too unreal, Ilseon and the other three wore blank, dazed expressions.
Over the past several years, Ilseon had confirmed the Gwigyeom Palsu’s abilities many times. When he gave the order to kill, they killed without regard for who their opponent was. Even renowned masters had died before their perfect combined attack technique.
While watching them fight, Ilseon had established a principle.
If four of them fall, then I run without looking back.
If their perfect combined attack technique was broken, then he judged that it was time to flee. But what was he supposed to do in this situation? When all of them had died in an instant?
Geom Mugeuk could tell. The Fist Demon had deliberately shown him a wide variety of techniques, starting from the first fist, for him to see.
It was clearly different from his own fist art. It was tyrannical, and yet possessed even greater power. It was not a matter of having more or less internal energy. The aura contained in the fist was more vigorous and powerful.
“Ah! That was truly magnificent.”
Seeing it once like this was better than hearing about it a hundred times.
At Geom Mugeuk’s admiration, Ilseon thought that the young bastard from Jeonggwonmun was spouting lies. The fists had not even been visible, so what exactly had been magnificent? Just who was he, to possess such divine might… Huh!
‘It’s the Fist Demon! You fool! You only realize that now?’
Those huge fists, those thick forearms that looked as if they had personally opened the gates of hell and walked out. If that man was not the Fist Demon, then who in the world could be the Fist Demon? If not the Fist Demon, who could send the Gwigyeom Palsu to the next world so easily?
“Please spare me! Lord Fist Demon!”
Ilseon flung himself flat to the ground. At the words “Fist Demon,” the remaining three also paled in terror and prostrated themselves. Once they realized their opponent was one of the Demon Venerables of the Demonic Cult, their entire bodies trembled.
Lying flat on the ground, Ilseon sent a sound transmission to Samseon.
—Wasn’t it that Jeonggwonmun heir bastard who tried to kill the Fist Demon?
—That’s right.
—You stupid son of a bitch! Do those two look like enemies to you?
—I’m not sure what happened either.
—You useless idiot!
If he could have done as he pleased, he would have leapt up and beaten Samseon half to death first. But he could not.
He had lived his entire life according to his temper. Not once had he ever restrained his anger. Once, when someone had glared at him in the street, he had chased the man down and gouged out his eyes. He never left anyone alone who provoked his temper. Yet that rage was now being controlled very well.
“Please spare us!”
The four of them begged for their lives.
The Fist Demon slowly walked toward them.
“So these bastards believed those words without even the slightest doubt?”
At the Fist Demon’s pettiness, Geom Mugeuk laughed.
“Yes. Since they live that kind of life themselves, they assume everyone else does too.”
I cleared up the misunderstanding about the Fist Demon.
“All of you, raise your heads. Straighten your backs.”
Then the bastards lifted their heads while still kneeling.
“You fools! Lord Fist Demon, touching the fiancée of the heir to a sect belonging to our cult? Does that make even the slightest bit of sense? I made that story up to lure you in. Do you understand?”
“Yes! Yes.”
The Immortals bowed their heads, agreeing unconditionally.
Geom Mugeuk asked the Fist Demon.
“How is it? Do you feel a bit relieved?”
The Fist Demon shook his head. Right, there was no way he would.
Geom Mugeuk thought that if it had been for some other reason, the Fist Demon would not have reacted so sensitively. They said he killed someone, they said he disrespected someone—he would not have so much as blinked at such things.
However, the Fist Demon was a man who terribly loathed doing such things to women. Thinking about it, that seemed right. He was a man who threw his fists toward cliffs, and a man who had never once caused trouble over a woman. That was precisely the kind of person the Fist Demon was.
“You came out to slack off and even became a lecher for me. Thank you.”
Geom Mugeuk was sincerely grateful.
“I know that, given your personality, Master, you truly hated this matter. Thank you for enduring it.”
He expressed his gratitude in words like this. When one was as close to the Fist Demon as he was, shouldn’t they know without needing to say it? No. It had to be said in words for him to know. If it was not said, how would he know?
What he was most grateful to the Fist Demon for was this: that he had not hidden his dislike and piled it up in his heart, but had expressed plainly that he hated it, thereby giving him the chance to ease his mind like this.
“Among all the lechers who appeared and vanished without anyone knowing in this murim over the past few days, you were probably the best fighter in murim history.”
At Geom Mugeuk’s joke, the Fist Demon finally laughed.
Their gazes intertwined with the moonlight between them. Geom Mugeuk could feel that his face had relaxed. The Fist Demon’s pent-up anger was not eased when the truth was revealed to those bastards, but only when he heard the words, Thank you for enduring it, and I’m sorry.
That was why he could hear words like these from the Fist Demon.
“You said this matter would save hundreds, thousands of young ones? Then it wouldn’t be so bad to be a divine physician once in a while.”
As though he had said something unnecessary, the Fist Demon looked up at the moon. His broad back looked larger and sturdier than before.
Meanwhile, Ilseon was sending a sound transmission to Saseon.
—There’s no way the Fist Demon will let us live. Look for a chance and take that young bastard hostage! That’s the only way we survive.
Judging from the atmosphere, the two were clearly close. If they could make him a hostage, they would at least be able to search for a way to live.
Just then, Geom Mugeuk approached them.
When he passed Saseon and came toward Ilseon, Saseon sprang up like lightning and succeeded in placing his sword against Geom Mugeuk’s neck.
“Move and this bastard dies!”
Ilseon shouted.
“We did it!”
After glancing at the sight, the Fist Demon looked back up at the moon and said,
“You should have taken me hostage instead.”
The moment the Fist Demon’s incomprehensible words ended, Geom Mugeuk had already turned to face Saseon.
‘When did he turn around?’
It was a question that Saseon, who was pointing his sword at him, should never have had.
Geom Mugeuk’s fist struck lightly. Tap. But the result was not light.
Puh-uhk!
Saseon’s head snapped backward, then returned to its original position. Was it all right for a neck to bend like that? It was not all right.
Saseon collapsed forward as he was and did not rise again. His neck had broken, and he died on the spot.
Geom Mugeuk looked at the remaining three and said coldly,
“I don’t even like the fact that you attached the name Immortal to yourselves.”
At that sight, Ilseon realized.
‘Ah! This man isn’t the heir of Jeonggwonmun!’
There was no way the young heir of Jeonggwonmun could so easily subdue Saseon when a sword had been placed against his neck.
‘Damn it! Damn it all!’
Ilseon regretted it, and regretted it again.
He was usually extremely cautious. Even this time, if it had simply been a clash with a demonic practitioner, he would never have revealed himself. But because he had been told it involved the Fist Demon, he had had no choice. One wrong move, and the cooperation network he had painstakingly built could have been blown away.
‘Get a hold of yourself! Get a hold of yourself!’
He had already been dragged into the tiger’s jaws. Fortunately, there was not just one prey, but three. It might spare at least one.
‘I’ll survive! I’ll survive no matter what.’
He was earning so much money right now. He would live the rest of his life in luxury and comfort. He could not die like this.
“Which of you is the worst bastard?”
At Geom Mugeuk’s question, the three flinched in surprise.
“Why are you so shocked? You picked people too, didn’t you? Who would be good to threaten? Who should you swindle? You got to choose, so why can’t I?”
As if he intended to return the price of their sins exactly as they had committed them, he pressured the three.
“If you don’t choose, all three of you die!”
Then Ilseon and Iseon looked at Samseon as if they had promised to do so beforehand. Since they often joked that he was the worst bastard among them, the decision was not difficult.
Samseon shouted with an aggrieved expression.
“No, that’s not true. I did the best work. I gave young people hope and dreams.”
“I know very well that isn’t true. You said it earlier, didn’t you? It wasn’t for my youth, but for yours.”
“Please spare me!”
“When those young people begged you like this, did you spare even one of them?”
“……”
“I thought so.”
Puh-uhk!
Samseon’s face caved in under Geom Mugeuk’s fist, and he died on the spot.
Thud.
Just as he had told him earlier that he would forget everything as of today, Geom Mugeuk tossed his corpse aside carelessly. He thought that this level of treatment suited them perfectly. He could say he would spare them in order to extract information, but he had no intention of sparing any of them.
Ilseon tried to make his final choice. He would run without looking back. Even if he was struck in the back by a hidden weapon and died, he would die while fleeing. There was a sliver of hope. He was confident in his lightness skill.
Just as he was about to turn around, someone wrapped an arm around his shoulder and stood beside him.
“You can’t run. I’m not joking— even if you started running two hours ahead, he’d still catch you. Running is what that man does best.”
The middle-aged man who had come up beside him and was pretending to be friendly was none other than Cult Leader Pungcheon.
Ilseon could not gather his wits.
‘Who is this one now?’
Not only had he approached without a trace of presence, but how had he realized that Ilseon was about to flee?
In the end, Ilseon could not hold back and shouted furiously at Iseon.
“You useless bastard! Just who the hell did you mess with?”
Because choosing the targets was Iseon’s role.
Then Cult Leader Pungcheon laughed and said,
“That’s right. There was a time when I said that to myself a lot too.”
Soon after, Gowol also appeared there.
“I searched the safe house where that bastard was staying and found the ledger.”
The thick ledger contained the names of several hundred people and the amounts of money they had borrowed.
“I will handle this ledger properly.”
Since Gowol would judge wisely and handle it well, Geom Mugeuk readily nodded.
Ilseon’s expression twisted. How had they found out about his safe house as well? He had been so careful, and then careful again. He grew dizzy. This was a natural disaster.
Geom Mugeuk sealed Ilseon and Iseon’s mute points and paralysis points.
“Only one of you two lives. The one who tells me something more useful will live. If you have something to say, blink.”
At that, Ilseon blinked rapidly without hesitation.
Geom Mugeuk released his mute point.
“The remaining funds, eight hundred thousand nyang, are in the Central Plains Money House. The seal is in my robe, and I will also tell you the password needed to withdraw the money.”
Ilseon told Gowol the password.
Seeing that, Iseon panicked. Ilseon was handing over the money this easily? No, he understood. Their opponent was the Fist Demon—how could they possibly resist?
What shocked Iseon was this. He was saying it immediately without even giving Iseon one apologetic look? Without even pretending to agonize, he was handing down a death sentence like this?
Geom Mugeuk said to Iseon,
“It’s unfortunate for you, but it looks like our First Immortal is about to shed his mortal shell and ascend to immortality, doesn’t it?”
Then Iseon blinked rapidly.
After sealing Ilseon’s mute point, Geom Mugeuk released Iseon’s mute point. Since Ilseon had been so heartless in trying to save only himself, Iseon also had no reason to hesitate.
“There is one more ledger.”
Ilseon’s eyes flew wide open, but with his mute point and paralysis point sealed, he could do nothing.
As though he had expected it, Geom Mugeuk said to Iseon,
“The ledger for the patron.”
He must have been paying a certain sum of money every month to the one who had provided the funds. A ledger recording when and how much.
“The ledger is hidden inside Ilseon’s belt.”
When Gowol untied Ilseon’s belt and searched it, a rolled-up piece of paper emerged from inside. The details of the payments were written there in full. If they had to officially crush the forces behind him, it would be essential evidence.
Geom Mugeuk looked at Ilseon and said,
“It seems I’ll have to yield ascension to immortality to our Second Immortal.”
At that, Ilseon began blinking faster than light.