“This was the place, where I parted with Miss Jin.”
Ian pointed to the end of the narrow path.
“And Miss Jin walked that way.”
The ones listening to her were the Blood Heaven Saber Demon and the Fist Demon. For fear of being seen by anyone else, they had pulled bamboo hats low over their faces. The Heaven-Destroying Great Saber, too, was wrapped round and round in white cloth. Fortunately, it was a deserted place, and they met no one.
When Ian came to the safe house and told them what had happened, the first thing the Blood Heaven Saber Demon said was this:
—Leaving that fellow alone is helping him.
That was the Blood Heaven Saber Demon’s assessment of Geom Mugeuk. But his actions differed from his words and judgment.
—There likely won’t be anything we can help with, but you never know, so shall we go get some fresh air?
The Fist Demon, as blunt as ever, followed the Blood Heaven Saber Demon’s will.
The Fist Demon began examining the path here and there. The Blood Heaven Saber Demon merely stood and watched him. Ian had wondered why only he was being entrusted with the search, but there was a reason.
“It seems she was seized here.”
Ian asked the Fist Demon,
“How did you know?”
Ordinarily, he was someone so frightening she would not even have dared speak to him, but after training together late at night, she had grown a little more comfortable with him.
Ah! To think that if she had to choose the most comfortable among the Demon Venerables, she would pick the Fist Demon, who looked the most terrifying!
“Look at the footprints here.”
There were footprints left on the ground, but they were so faint that she would never have recognized them if the Fist Demon had not pointed them out.
“How did you make these out?”
“When I was young, I once took an interest in tracking arts.”
At that, the Blood Heaven Saber Demon praised him.
“If you had not become a Demon Venerable, you would have become the man with the greatest tracking arts under heaven.”
The thought that such a frightening, huge man had learned tracking arts did not suit him at all, and yet another thought occurred to her.
‘Not just anyone becomes a Demon Venerable.’
When one thought about it, they were the eight people who had risen to the highest positions among the demonic martial artists, second only to the Heavenly Demon. Because Geom Mugeuk was so outstanding, it made the Demon Venerables look as though they were being swept along by him, but if one looked at them separately like this, each and every one of them was someone capable of shaking the martial world.
“Fortunately, the kidnapper let his guard down, thinking no one would follow. This way.”
“Lead the way.”
The Blood Heaven Saber Demon and Ian followed behind him.
Their pace grew slower as they went. Even if he had learned tracking arts in his youth, it was no easy thing to display that skill properly now.
Just when Ian wondered whether they would have to give up, the Fist Demon found the trail.
They had discovered traces of someone forcing a path through the forest.
“It’s Mugeuk.”
They were traces Geom Mugeuk had deliberately left behind.
Shaking his head, the Blood Heaven Saber Demon said,
“Doing whatever he can to work an old man to the bone!”
Unlike his words, a flash of relief crossed his face. Ian could tell. Though he had said leaving Geom Mugeuk alone was helping him, he was sincerely worried about him.
And that blunt Fist Demon was trying to find Geom Mugeuk, even if it meant drawing on the skills of his youth.
Ian felt pleased by their concern for Geom Mugeuk, and at the same time, envious.
‘I want to make people like this in my own life too.’
Geom Mugeuk had taught her not only martial arts. He was influencing even the direction of her life like this.
With a faint smile, Ian said to the Blood Heaven Saber Demon,
“Let’s hurry, so you can scold him!”
And so the three of them began cutting across the forest.
* * *
“How did you find this place?”
Though he pretended to be calm on the outside, Baek Cheongyeong was inwardly greatly shocked by Geom Mugeuk’s appearance. This place was his own hiding place, one that had never been discovered by anyone until now. Of course, over the past ten years, there had been one or two herb gatherers who had happened to set foot here and died, but he had never imagined someone would deliberately track this place down.
“I tossed my shoe and read the direction it pointed. It pointed right here.”
“Yes, you were always one to spout nonsense.”
Geom Mugeuk gazed at him and asked,
“And what sort of person are you? Someone who kidnaps women to set up his schemes?”
“You saw correctly. I am a man who will achieve his aim even if he has to kidnap a woman.”
The aura emanating from the thousands of dolls gradually began to grow stronger. It was clear Baek Cheongyeong’s emotions were rising.
“Where is Miss Jin?”
“Haryeong is well.”
“Haryeong? Are you qualified to call Miss Jin by name?”
“Qualified? I have never seen anyone who speaks of qualifications actually possess them. What about you? Are you qualified to question my qualifications?”
“If it is qualifications, I have them in abundance. The Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult who came to save the granddaughter of the Martial Alliance Leader—how is that? Have you ever seen such a person? Being someone like that, what qualification could I possibly fall short of?”
A sneer appeared at the corner of Baek Cheongyeong’s mouth.
“Yes, I suppose you slipped away after bewitching the Alliance Leader with sweet words, just as you are doing now.”
Geom Mugeuk had expected that he would not easily fall into a trap. After all, this was the man who had forced him to move up his plan by several days.
“What is this all for? Haven’t we reached the point where you can tell me? Say it. Why are you doing this?”
“Since you brought up qualifications, let us first see whether you are qualified to hear my story.”
When Baek Cheongyeong extended his hand, deep green light seemed to pour from the eyes of the dolls near Geom Mugeuk.
Ssssss!
Ten of the dolls grew larger.
Like living people, they drew their weapons. The sight of wooden dolls moving so naturally was truly bizarre and chilling.
Their weapons, too, were made of wood, except for the bladed portions. Those parts were neither iron nor wood, yet they shone more keenly than any sharp weapon.
It was the moment he directly encountered the Wood-Effigy Heavenly Soul Art, which he had only heard of in words.
Of course, Geom Mugeuk was neither surprised nor flustered.
At his reaction, Baek Cheongyeong felt both doubt and admiration at the same time.
‘He is not surprised at all.’
How could he remain so composed when small wooden dolls grew to the size of people and moved like them? Was it because he had experienced all manner of demonic arts since childhood?
Of course, that did not mean Baek Cheongyeong thought Geom Mugeuk would overcome the Wood-Effigy Heavenly Soul Art. No matter how outstanding the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult might be, that youth of his could not overcome Baek Cheongyeong’s years of experience.
Geom Mugeuk knew the quickest and most certain way to break this martial art. It was to kill Baek Cheongyeong himself. Of course, Baek Cheongyeong would protect himself in all sorts of ways, but at least Geom Mugeuk would not need to face every single one of these dolls.
However, Geom Mugeuk did not charge in to kill Baek Cheongyeong. His main purpose was not to kill him, but to rescue Jin Haryeong and find out about Hwa Mugi.
And so he respectfully received Baek Cheongyeong’s first move.
The moment Geom Mugeuk drew his sword, the ten wooden dolls rushed at him all at once.
When Geom Mugeuk unfolded the Wind God’s Four Steps, no matter how fast the dolls were, they could not keep up with those wondrous movements.
Without using the Flying Heaven Sword Art, Geom Mugeuk cut them down. He treated them as if they were people, not dolls, and cut them down decisively.
How could ten ordinary experts possibly kill Geom Mugeuk? Of course, they had frightening aspects different from people. First of all, they had no emotions. They had no fear and no mercy toward their opponent. No matter who the opponent was, they obeyed only orders.
Even more frightening was the fact that they could not feel pain.
On top of that, they even possessed regenerative ability. If one arm holding a sword was cut off, a sword grew from the other arm and attacked.
If both arms were cut off, they charged in and rammed him with their torsos.
In the end, only when he split their bodies in two or cut off their heads did they stop moving. The dolls thus neutralized returned to their original size.
As Geom Mugeuk faced these ten dolls, he thoroughly grasped their characteristics and movements. Seeing him not waste even a single move, Baek Cheongyeong inwardly admired him.
‘He truly is no ordinary man.’
After eliminating all ten dolls, Geom Mugeuk exaggerated his distress.
“What will you do if I die at this rate?”
“If you die, you die. Why? Do you think I cannot kill you?”
“I am the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult. The Young Cult Leader.”
“You may be an important person in the martial world, but to me, you are nothing more than an obstacle that suddenly sprang into my life. Like a carriage that suddenly comes charging when I turn a corner.”
“Not a carriage, the Demonic Cult. At this rate, there will be war. War, I tell you.”
He had slipped in the word war to probe him, but Baek Cheongyeong did not waver at all. Perhaps that was what he wanted. After all, his purpose in causing a clash with the Alliance Leader had been to incite conflict between the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult and the Martial Alliance.
“I showed you my qualifications, so answer my question.”
“Did I not just answer you? If you wish to speak with me again, show me your qualifications again.”
This time, twenty wooden dolls grew larger.
Twenty dolls out of thousands. It was a number that amounted to no more than a drop in the bucket. The frightening thing was not the twenty dolls, but all the dolls that remained.
Of course, Geom Mugeuk was not afraid. To use the Wood-Effigy Heavenly Soul Art, Baek Cheongyeong must also expend internal energy. He could not move the dolls endlessly, and in a contest of internal energy, Geom Mugeuk was confident against anyone in the world.
And this time, Geom Mugeuk dealt with them in a different way.
Swaaaaaaak!
Before they could charge in, Geom Mugeuk’s sword energy swept over them first. It was the first form of the Flying Heaven Sword Art, the Heaven-Balancing Form, which had reached great completion at the twelfth level.
It was not sword energy that could be avoided simply by trying to dodge. It was so fast and powerful that the twenty dolls were cut apart all at once.
“Kuh.”
Baek Cheongyeong let out a low cry. When the Wood-Effigy Heavenly Soul Art he had created was cut apart in one stroke like this, the shock rebounded into his body.
‘Twenty bodies in a single move?’
Baek Cheongyeong could not believe it. Since he had begun using the Wood-Effigy Heavenly Soul Art, this was the first time he had been defeated so helplessly.
Though he had displayed an astonishing move, Geom Mugeuk was instead calm.
He slowly walked over and sat down in the place where the dolls that had just come out to attack had been.
Then he picked up the doll beside him. Without the slightest fear, he toyed with the thing, which might grow and attack at any moment.
“What on earth happened to you?”
With the playfulness gone, Geom Mugeuk gave off a different impression. His clear, deep eyes seemed as though they would listen to any story. Though he was an enemy, it felt as if he might offer a comfort that Baek Cheongyeong had never received from any ally.
Was it because of those eyes? A scene rose in Baek Cheongyeong’s heart.
That place on that day, filled only with corpses. That day’s events, branded into his chest like a fire mark.
Then Geom Mugeuk suddenly asked,
“Are you trying to take revenge?”
Baek Cheongyeong looked at Geom Mugeuk. He had been determined never to speak of his circumstances, but looking at Geom Mugeuk, he felt a desire to tell him. He wanted to hear what Geom Mugeuk would say. What this strange, silver-tongued Geom Mugeuk would say.
“And what are you trying to do? Are you aiming to become the Martial Alliance Leader’s grandson-in-law? Or are you trying to win the Alliance Leader’s favor and then kill him?”
Toying with the doll, Geom Mugeuk said,
“I am trying to take revenge too.”
Baek Cheongyeong was startled. It was the greatest shock he had felt since meeting Geom Mugeuk. He had truly never imagined the word revenge would come from Geom Mugeuk’s mouth.
“Against whom?”
“See? When you hear the word revenge, you immediately become curious who it is against, do you not?”
Geom Mugeuk set the doll he was holding back in its place and said,
“Shouldn’t I hear your story first, in order?”
At that instant, four dolls around Geom Mugeuk suddenly grew larger and launched an attack.
Shiiiiik!
The four dolls were cut apart at the same time.
Geom Mugeuk reacted as though he had known the attack was coming. His level of martial arts already overwhelmed the dolls’ attacks.
Baek Cheongyeong could tell. With this method, he could not harm even a hair on Geom Mugeuk’s head. Only by using his trump card could he decide the match.
Thud, thud.
The dolls returned to their original size and fell, severed.
Even after the surprise attack, Geom Mugeuk did not curse him for it. He picked up the fallen pieces from the ground and placed them back where they had been.
“Are you mocking me?”
“If I were mocking you, I would have trampled this or pissed on it. At the very least, I know this much, do I not? How diligently you carved each and every one of these. I know because I tried imitating you. Carving these is no ordinary task.”
“No matter what you say, you will not return alive today.”
“Then can you not tell me? I am going to die anyway. The reverse is also true. Even if you are the one who dies, it is the same. You are going to die anyway, so what reason is there not to speak? What worries burden you so heavily that you carry even matters after death upon your shoulders?”
Those words struck Baek Cheongyeong in the chest. Yes, he was holding on to all kinds of lingering attachments and worries. Even while he did not actually fear death.
“You are good at spouting sophistry.”
“Tell me. I want to know what happened to you.”
Their gazes tangled in midair.
Baek Cheongyeong could feel that Geom Mugeuk sincerely wanted to know, and that his reason was not to gain an advantage in this fight.
At last, Baek Cheongyeong slowly extended his hand.
Then the dolls some distance away from Geom Mugeuk grew to the size of people. They did not rush toward Geom Mugeuk. Instead, they began fighting among themselves in the center of the square.
Geom Mugeuk could tell. Baek Cheongyeong was trying to show what he had experienced in this way. Now the square had become a stage displaying his past.
One masked doll was cutting down the other dolls. Male dolls and female dolls alike, all were struck down by his sword. They were helpless. Even on the stage, the Wood-Effigy Heavenly Soul Art was being displayed. It showed small dolls growing larger. It showed them trying to stop him even by using the Wood-Effigy Heavenly Soul Art.
‘The Mokcheon Clan.’
He was now showing the destruction of the Mokcheon Clan. The sight of everyone in the clan dying. More than anyone else, it was a scene that would enrage Geom Mugeuk. Familiar faces overlapped the fallen dolls.
The masked doll cut down everyone, even the last person. With this, Geom Mugeuk could tell. The destruction of the clan that day had been carried out by the hand of a single person.
“You wanted to know why I spent ten years in the Martial Alliance carving these things? Why I do not care whether war breaks out or not? Why I dared to kidnap the Alliance Leader’s granddaughter without fear? Why I waited only for the perfect moment of revenge? Watch closely!”
The moment those words ended, the doll that had carried out the massacre turned its head toward Geom Mugeuk.
The instant Geom Mugeuk saw him, he was startled.
Though the doll wore a mask, he knew whose sharp and intense eyes those were. It was someone he knew as well.
It was none other than the Martial Alliance Leader, Jin Paecheon.