The Blood Heaven Blade Demon entered the Heavenly Demon Hall.
He walked slowly along the path of blood and stopped at the end of the carpet.
“Have you been well?”
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon greeted Geom Woojin with proper courtesy.
“Well enough, thanks to you. And you?”
“I have been rather busy lately, thanks to your son.”
Geom Woojin smiled faintly.
“Once a son’s head grows big, he no longer moves as I wish.”
“Hahaha. So there are things even you cannot do, Cult Leader?”
“They say children are beings arranged by Heaven to show us that life does not go according to our will. You would know if you had children of your own.”
“My children may be growing up somewhere, for all I know.”
Geom Woojin laughed. He was softer and more familiar than when he dealt with Geom Mugeuk. If Geom Mugeuk had seen it, he surely would have said, “Please smile that broadly at your son too!”
After they exchanged such light greetings, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon casually mentioned Geom Mugeuk.
“It may not be going as you intend, Cult Leader, but the Second Young Master has been distinguishing himself within the cult lately.”
“Is that not your work?”
In truth, it was fair to say so, since Geom Mugeuk had gained popularity while becoming entangled with the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.
“The Second Young Master is your work, Cult Leader. I only realized this time what a splendid work he is.”
Geom Woojin did not deny it. Believing that he existed behind his son’s accomplishments was not a bad thing, in any sense.
“He is still immature.”
“I sometimes think back to when I was the Second Young Master’s age. If he is immature, then I should have been called vermin.”
“You overestimate immaturity too much.”
“You were the first to overestimate him, Cult Leader.”
He was referring to the decision to entrust Geom Mugeuk with the post of Pavilion Lord of Hwangcheon Pavilion. Whatever reason one gave, it had been an extraordinary appointment.
“And so, that is why I say this: I would like to make the Second Young Master into an even better work.”
“If you step forward, it could be called a fortuitous encounter for my second son.”
“You praise me too highly.”
“Do as you see fit.”
“Thank you.”
At the end of the conversation, the purpose of the Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s visit emerged cautiously.
“Since you have given your permission, will you support him properly?”
“What do you mean?”
“As for this matter of the Demon Army Lord, please allow it to proceed according to my wishes.”
It was a request for Jang Ho to be made the Demon Army Lord, as he had recommended.
A brief silence passed. Without any fluctuation of emotion, the two men looked at each other. The one who broke the silence first was Geom Woojin.
“The matter of the Demon Army Lord is difficult.”
“This matter is also what the Second Young Master desires.”
“As you said yourself, I have supported my second son enough. I must consider my eldest as well.”
“There is one thing I have learned while raising disciples. When you support someone, you must support one person decisively. Because I failed to do that, I am cursed by many.”
“I will be fine. Unlike the tolerant you, I kill everyone who curses me.”
Their gazes tangled in midair. They shared years long enough to understand each other’s intent from a mere look. The longer those years were, the more awkward the silence of this moment became.
“Do you have anything more to say?”
At the Heavenly Demon’s order of dismissal, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon did not insist any further. He knew well that once the man made a decision, he was not one to change it easily. Another method was needed.
“I will see you again another time.”
“Do that.”
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon turned and left. His expression remained stiff the entire way as he walked back along the path of blood.
‘What is the meaning of weighing things on a scale so belatedly? If you chose to support him once, you should support him to the end. Tsk!’
* * *
“The Cult Leader seemed to be thinking more of the Eldest Young Master than of you.”
The moment the Blood Heaven Blade Demon saw me, he began trying to drive a wedge between my father and me.
“He seemed to be considering the Eldest Young Master as his successor.”
When one has a weakness, one shakes the other party first instead. This old man’s political maneuvering was truly hateful.
“It seems ours was an ill-fated meeting.”
“What do you mean?”
“If I am being pushed back by my elder brother, then you, at least, should fill in what I lack…”
“Are you saying I am lacking?”
“I am saying it is somewhat regrettable.”
Instead of getting angry, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon tried to soothe me.
“Look here, Second Young Master. Making Jang Ho the Demon Army Lord was impossible from the start.”
“Have you already given up?”
“There is no need to cling to something that cannot be done.”
“You acted so high and mighty when you cannot even manage this much?”
“This much? High and mighty?”
I began provoking the indignant Blood Heaven Blade Demon even further.
“You were the one who proposed becoming my backing.”
“And you were the one who whined like a child for me to do the impossible.”
“Then you should have refused back then. You should not have recommended Jang Ho the next day. Did you not think there might be a chance?”
I drew a long line beneath the Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s feet.
“You said this before, did you not? That this was the extent of the Cult Leader’s regard for you. I believed in this line…”
I drew another line, not even halfway as long.
“Was the actual line between my father and you not here?”
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon could not refute it. What would have happened if I had not gone to my father and asked separately? Would Father truly have granted the Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s request?
“If Father refused, you should have asked again. If it had been me, I would have accomplished it without fail.”
“Then try it.”
“What?”
“Did you not mock me, saying I could not even manage this much? Then you should be able to do it easily.”
“What will you do if I ask Father and accomplish it with ease?”
“Go ahead and try. It will probably only backfire.”
He seemed certain that because his own request had been refused, there was no way the request of a son would be accepted. At times like this, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon knew my father well.
“Are you suggesting a wager?”
“A wager? Good. Let us make one. If you fail as well, then from that moment on, become my water without complaint. And no more whining about side dishes.”
“And if I succeed?”
“I will grant what you want.”
“Whatever I want?”
“Is there something you want?”
After thinking for a moment, I said to him,
“Obtain a spiritual medicine for me. One at least better than the Demon Essence Pill.”
For an instant, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon flinched in surprise. I knew exactly the nature of that surprise.
“Do you know how difficult it is to obtain a spiritual medicine better than the Demon Essence Pill?”
“I know, which is why I am making it a condition. Since we have decided to ride the same boat, does my becoming stronger not mean that you become stronger as well?”
There was a reason I demanded a spiritual medicine from the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.
I knew he had one.
He possessed the Heavenly Beyond Divine Pill, a peerless spiritual medicine that could grant more internal energy than the Demon Essence Pill.
In the past, when the Blood Heaven Blade Demon had fully joined hands with my elder brother, he had given him the Heavenly Beyond Divine Pill as a gift. It was revealed then that he had kept it without taking it himself for many long years.
The reason I had led him into this wager was precisely because of that Heavenly Beyond Divine Pill.
“You cannot make Jang Ho the Demon Army Lord, nor can you obtain a spiritual medicine for me. I do not see why I should join hands with you.”
“Fine. If you put Jang Ho in the seat of Demon Army Lord, I will obtain a spiritual medicine for you.”
“You promise?”
I drew the Black Demon Sword and held it forward. The Blood Heaven Blade Demon struck my sword with the Heaven-Destroying Great Saber as if flicking it away.
Clang!
That clear sound was our promise. A promise made with one’s unique weapon held a far stronger binding force than words.
As always, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon sprang up with a swift motion and vanished into the distance.
If I won the wager, he would keep his promise. The Heavenly Beyond Divine Pill was something he had prepared for his successor.
If I could take the Heavenly Beyond Divine Pill after having already taken the Demon Essence Pill, then I would not lose a fight against a Demon Venerable because I lacked internal energy.
And I knew how to win this wager.
* * *
The place I went to was the office of Grand Strategist Sama Myeong.
This Tongcheon Pavilion, where he resided, served as the head of our cult. All information from the martial world gathered here and was sorted. Among it, only an extremely small portion passed through Sama Myeong and reached my father.
I could not know for certain, but a considerable portion of the information being sent from Tongcheon Pavilion to the Heavenly Demon Hall these days was probably about me.
From the entrance of Tongcheon Pavilion to Sama Myeong’s office, strict security was spread out, even more stringent than at the Heavenly Demon Hall. That was proof of how important a role Tongcheon Pavilion played in our cult, and since it was a place where strategists who used their heads gathered, it needed to be protected even more thoroughly.
When I entered the Chief Strategist’s office, Sama Myeong was working amid piles of documents. There were so many documents stacked on his desk that they nearly hid his face.
One might think he only needed to offer a few words of advice by Father’s side, but in reality, the work of the Chief Strategist was a battle against documents. Dispatches flew in from all over the Central Plains by the hundreds each day, and he spent the whole day reading and rereading them, distinguishing information to discard from information to preserve.
Knowing that well, I could serve as the Pavilion Lord of Hwangcheon Pavilion, but not as the Lord of Tongcheon Pavilion.
Sama Myeong rose from his desk and welcomed me gladly.
“What brings you here? Come, please sit over here.”
I sat across from him at the table. Soon after, as if waiting, a subordinate brought tea.
“I do not know if it will suit your taste. We only have one kind of tea here.”
“The fragrance is excellent.”
As I took a sip of tea, I looked around. Befitting the workplace of the greatest intellect in our cult, all sorts of books filled the shelves on every side.
“I hear that whenever the warriors of our cult gather these days, all they talk about is Hwangcheon Pavilion.”
“Are they not too busy cursing it?”
“Surely not. I heard it is nothing but praise.”
I knew public opinion about Hwangcheon Pavilion better than he did. As many people were thrilled by the idea of enforcing the law fairly, there were also those who were beginning to resist it.
Since they had lived as they pleased until now, they must have felt needless anxiety. What if I get dragged away too? That sort of worry, surely. Before that atmosphere spread, discipline had to be firmly established.
“But what brings you here?”
“There is something I would like to ask you, Strategist.”
“Please ask.”
“What do you think of Jang Ho?”
“I think he is a good warrior. He is a man of fine caliber who can lead the Demon Army well.”
Sama Myeong likely already knew. That I was behind this recommendation. That I was trying to seat Jang Ho in the position of Demon Army Lord.
“Then what are the chances that Jang Ho will rise to the position of Demon Army Lord?”
“To speak honestly, not even ten percent.”
“Even though the Blade Demon recommended Jang Ho?”
“The Cult Leader refused that recommendation.”
That was likely why he had given a figure of ten percent. Originally, his answer would have been impossible, but out of courtesy, it had become ten percent.
“What if Father changes his mind?”
“Then of course it would be possible. But it will not be easy. As you know, the Cult Leader is not someone who changes a decision he has made without any justification.”
“I know that well.”
To begin with, it was a decision made because of my request. I had no intention of asking such a father to change his decision again without any justification.
I had to create a justification for him to change it. This was what I had prepared.
“What about this? What if, following the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, we receive the recommendation of another Demon Venerable as well?”
“Two Demon Venerables recommending the same person at the same time? There is no precedent for it… but if that happens, then there would certainly be a sufficient possibility of Jang Ho becoming the Demon Army Lord. The Cult Leader would have justification to change his mind as well. But would that be possible?”
With the Blood Heaven Blade Demon having stepped forward, making another Demon Venerable step forward and recommend Jang Ho would never be easy.
“I will have to try. Sometimes, dealing with two tigers at once may be easier than dealing with one, no?”
“I think it would be more difficult.”
That was why this prerequisite had to exist. To avoid the unfortunate outcome of having my arms and legs torn off at the same time.
“What if those two tigers hated each other bitterly?”