“What are you looking at so intently?”
Mrs. Yun, Jo Chunbae’s mother-in-law, approached a young man who was staring at something in a corner of the inner house courtyard.
The young man was watching a small bug crawling in the flower bed. He was someone she had never seen during her stay here.
Since the young man remained silent, only watching the bug, Mrs. Yun offered an apology.
“Did this old woman disturb you? I am sorry, sir.”
Mrs. Yun treated everyone working at this inner house with the utmost respect. Not only the martial artists but also the servants and maids—she treated them all with courtesy. It was not out of fear, but out of gratitude.
She had lived a life of nothing but hardship, yet lately she had been enjoying such comfort. Every meal, they served her all kinds of precious dishes and provided new clothes to change into. For the first time in her life, she wore silk garments. She had slept in late and even taken afternoon naps, something she had never done before. So how could she not be grateful to the people here?
Just as Mrs. Yun was about to turn around, the young man spoke.
“It is called a dragon poison bug. It is a bug you can only see in this region.”
“Ah, I see.”
Mrs. Yun went to his side and squatted down with him.
He looked young in appearance, but his demeanor and voice seemed mature.
When the bug crawled away and disappeared into the grass, Mrs. Yun spoke while looking at the young man’s waist.
“Your coin pouches are quite cute.”
The young man wore several pouches, each embroidered with one of the animals of the twelve zodiac signs. Only merchants in the streets wore so many pouches like this. Of course, since he was someone she had met here, he probably was not a merchant.
Then the young man said something unexpected.
“I have tried your son-in-law’s cooking before.”
Mrs. Yun was startled.
“How?”
“I also live near that place.”
“Ah, so that is how it was. Please visit often in the future too. Our son-in-law Jo is truly kind and diligent.”
At the words that he was a guest of her son-in-law’s tavern, Mrs. Yun was overjoyed.
“Are you hungry? There is food in the kitchen; shall I bring you some?”
She assumed that because he was so young, he must be doing chores here. Even if he was a martial artist, he was probably a low-level one.
“I am fine.”
“No, you are at an age where you need to eat well. Please wait a moment.”
Mrs. Yun ran toward the building.
Watching her, the young man muttered as if to himself.
“I have already passed that age.”
Shortly after, Mrs. Yun came out with food on a tray.
But the young man was no longer there.
“Where could he have gone in that short time? He should have waited just a bit.”
She felt deeply disappointed.
At that moment, Jo Chunbae walked out.
“Our son-in-law Jo, aren’t you hungry? Shall I prepare a meal?”
She was a mother-in-law who tried to feed him whenever she saw him.
“I am fine. Besides, it is I who should be preparing meals for you.”
“No, you have spent your whole life busy taking care of others. You should rest properly at a time like this.”
How could this be only about the mother-in-law? She had suffered far more.
While staying at the inner house, Jo Chunbae had gone through several stages of psychological change.
At first, he had been bewildered but happy. He felt regret that his children, who had married and lived far away, could not be here together.
But as the days passed, his heart grew uneasy. Was it all right to live in such luxury? Was it all right to leave the tavern empty for so long?
Then, eventually, he had begun resting deeply with a resigned “whatever will be, will be” attitude. Above all, it was enough that his mother-in-law, wife, and his younger sister-in-law and her husband were living comfortably. Besides, it was not as if he could leave just because he wanted to.
“But what is that food for?”
“There was a young man here I took a liking to, so I was going to give it to him, but he left in that short time.”
“Who?”
“There was a cute and handsome young man.”
Jo Chunbae tilted his head. There had been no such young man?
“Ah, he said he had been to your shop too.”
“What? My tavern? That can’t be.”
Just then, the young man returned. In his hands was a large bundle of nameless medicinal herbs.
“Your elder’s knees seemed to be in quite bad shape.”
“When you get old, there is no place that does not hurt. But how did you know my knees hurt?”
Her knees were chronically afflicted.
“If you boil these and drink them, walking should become a bit easier.”
“Why would you go to such trouble… Thank you, truly thank you.”
Mrs. Yun was so moved she did not know what to do.
“So our warrior is not just handsome in face. Here, put that down and eat this.”
Mrs. Yun treated the young man as if he were her own grandchild.
Watching that scene, Jo Chunbae turned pale, eyes wide and mouth agape. He was so shocked he could not speak.
Right now, his mother-in-law was patting the Poison King on the back, telling him to eat plenty. She said that even these days, there were such grateful young men.
“Aaargh! You mustn’t!”
Jo Chunbae shouted.
The Poison King and Mrs. Yun looked at Jo Chunbae.
“Why are you like this?”
At Mrs. Yun’s question, Jo Chunbae bowed his head to the Poison King.
“Oh! Poison King-nim!”
He was the Poison King who had even left his name on the tavern wall—how could he not recognize him?
Belatedly realizing the young man’s exalted status, Mrs. Yun was flustered.
“Oh! Forgive me for failing to recognize your noble presence. Please kill me!”
The Poison King stopped Mrs. Yun from prostrating on the floor and handed her the herbs.
“I cannot accept such precious things.”
“I am indebted to your son-in-law, so I give them. Please do not mind it too much.”
Having said that, the Poison King immediately entered the building.
When he had arrived here yesterday, he heard from the steward of the inner house that Jo Chunbae’s family had come. He had deliberately not revealed that he had come so that they could stay comfortably. He had likely given them the best room, but if they knew he had arrived, Jo Chunbae would try to give up the room. The room was one thing, but they would also feel heavily burdened.
So he had spent two days quietly in the guest hall with his subordinates without announcing his presence.
And because the Poison King knew that Geom Mugik cherished Jo Chunbae, he had established Jo Chunbae’s prestige in front of his mother-in-law.
“Thank you, truly thank you, Poison King-nim!”
When that fearsome Poison King gave her the herbs and left, Jo Chunbae was deeply moved.
“Son-in-law Jo, I wonder if I made some mistake.”
“No. If you had, would he have given you such precious things?”
“He is truly a wonderful person.”
She bowed toward the building the Poison King had entered.
“What luxury this is, thanks to you.”
“I will boil the herbs for you.”
Jo Chunbae’s heart pounded as he received the herbs. Herbs given directly by the Poison King? His hands trembled. He was careful lest even a single leaf fall.
He wanted to see one person. Because all this happiness and joy was a gift from him.
“Young Cult Leader, please return safely. When you return, I will—”
Right at that moment.
“What will you do for me?”
Jo Chunbae turned around in surprise and saw Geom Mugik entering there. Geom Mugik, who had departed for the Four Devils Alliance, had rushed here like the wind at full speed.
“Young Cult Leader!”
At his shout, the Poison King, who had entered the building, opened the window and showed himself.
“You came faster than I thought?”
“I rushed here like the wind because I wanted to see the Poison King.”
“You mean you wanted to see the tavern keeper over there.”
Geom Mugik looked at Jo Chunbae and smiled.
“Of course, I also wanted to see our tavern keeper.”
Seeing that Geom Mugik had returned safely, Jo Chunbae was overjoyed.
And relief washed over him. It was the feeling of finally stepping onto solid ground after drifting through a dreamlike illusion.
“I do not know how I should repay this grace.”
“There will be a way.”
“Yes?”
“Later, a precious guest will come to the tavern, so please show your skills then.”
At Geom Mugik’s meaningful gaze, Jo Chunbae blinked with a bewildered expression. He had not said such things even when the Demon Venerable came. Just who was coming that he would say such things?
In the meantime, Mrs. Yun and all of Jo Chunbae’s family came out to welcome Geom Mugik.
“Thanks to you, our family has made memories we will never forget even if we die. Thank you, Young Cult Leader.”
Geom Mugik took Mrs. Yun’s hand and spoke with warm eyes.
“Please stay healthy, Elder.”
Since it was decided they would leave the inner house the next day, Jo Chunbae prepared that evening’s meal himself. He had wanted to personally serve food to those he was indebted to.
He served alcohol and dishes not only to Geom Mugik, the Poison King, and the Poison Children, but also to the inner house’s martial artists, male servants, and female servants.
While Jo Chunbae displayed his skills, his wife expressed her gratitude one by one to those who had cared for them.
The Poison King was absentmindedly lost in his own world while eating.
Sangseon, who was sitting beside him, poured wine for Geom Mugik instead.
“Thank you in many ways.”
Since meeting Geom Mugik, the Poison King was changing, and that change was what Sangseon had long wished for. Being here instead of the Thousand Poison Forest, gathering herbs with Ma Bul, and eating together were things that would have been impossible in the past.
“It is I who should be grateful. Because you came with us this time, we overcame great danger.”
“When you return, please visit the Thousand Poison Forest.”
“Next time. I plan to greet my father and then immediately depart from the cult to visit the Martial Arts Alliance.”
“This time, you will turn the Martial Arts Alliance upside down, I suppose.”
Geom Mugik answered with a smile at Sangseon’s joke.
“How could that be? It is a simple matter of meeting the Martial Arts Alliance Leader and obtaining his understanding on one matter.”
Then the Poison King abruptly spoke. He had been listening to everything even though they thought he was not.
“Will it really be simple?”
At the Poison King’s words, Geom Mugik emptied the wine cup before him. He did not know either. How would Jin Paecheon take it? This was something that neither he nor the Martial Arts Alliance Leader had ever experienced before.
When the pleasant dinner gathering ended, Geom Mugik spoke to Jo Chunbae.
“Now, let us return.”
It was the moment the most splendid vacation in Jo Chunbae’s life ended.
* * *
Geom Mugik, having returned to the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, stopped by the Heavenly Demon Hall first.
“Father, I have returned.”
His father received him in the seat he always occupied.
“I heard you swept through the Four Devils Alliance and came back?”
“It is a misunderstanding. I did not even step forward; I only watched. Though you must have received all the reports from the Tongcheon Pavilion.”
Geom Mugik told his father about the events at the Four Devils Alliance.
He had done so in the past as well, but he tried to speak to his father directly like this as much as possible. It did not matter if it was content his father already knew. Just speaking honestly like this—it was not a report, but a conversation.
“I believe there are still forces behind it remaining.”
It would be enough if only Father did not let his guard down. Even if everyone in the world let their guard down, as long as Father and I did not let ours down, it would be enough. Then we could stop them.
“They may pull another trick, so Father and I must watch closely.”
He also emphasized that they must not let go of the string of tension.
“Defense alone is not the answer.”
It meant he would find them first and eliminate them; that was Father’s way. He had likely already given the order to the Chief Strategist, and it was already in progress.
“If that is possible, that would be the best method.”
But judging by their meticulousness so far, they would not be easy to find.
“Oh, and I invited the Four Devils Alliance Leader to the Pungnyu Tavern.”
He mentioned it casually on purpose, as if it were no big deal. His father gave no reaction. Unable to bear looking at his father’s face, Geom Mugik lowered his head and muttered.
“I know that you dislike the Four Devils Alliance Leader, but once you actually meet him, he might unexpectedly be a fine person, might he not? Moreover…”
Since there was still no reaction, he cautiously raised his head and looked at his father.
His father’s gaze said it all.
You know what you’re doing, don’t you?
He could have stopped by the Martial Arts Alliance on the way back and taken care of that matter first.
But he thought it was important to tell Father even now. He had to get permission, had to gauge his mood like this, and if he said no, he would persuade and negotiate.
Because there was a big difference between telling him like this even now and saying “It already happened.”
The corners of his father’s mouth slowly rose with an expression that said he saw right through him. It was his father’s scornful smile, one he had not seen in a long time. Seeing it, he finally felt relief.
Ah, I’m home.
His father had likely already seen right through why he had invited the Four Devils Alliance Leader.
As expected, his father did not ask about the reason.
“He won’t just stay put at the Martial Arts Alliance, will he?”
“That is why I plan to go meet the Martial Arts Alliance Leader personally.”
“Do you think Jin Paecheon will accept it just because you do?”
Just as the Poison King had, his father also did not take this matter lightly.
Of course, Geom Mugik had one thing he was sure of.
“Because I have allies on the Martial Arts Alliance side as well. There are two of them there.”
* * *
“Master!”
The Fist Demon was looking up at the cliff he meant to bring down.
“Have you come?”
I wanted to bring Bisain along and joke with him. Look, I’d say, your face is cute compared to our master’s.
“I’ve only just returned after finishing matters with the Sado Alliance. I paid my respects to Father and came straight here to you, Master.”
After making a show of it, I stood beside him and looked up at the cliff.
“By any chance, is this cliff still growing?”
At the look in the Fist Demon’s eyes asking what I meant, I looked back at the cliff and answered.
“Somehow, it seems bigger and higher than before.”
At that, a strange light passed through the Fist Demon’s eyes.
“Or could it be that you have grown?”
I could guess what he meant, but I pretended not to know and asked.
“Shouldn’t the more one grows, the more trifling one’s opponent seems?”
“That is only true of those at the bottom. The first-rate see their opponents more accurately the more they grow.”
That must also be why true masters were humble.
Had my martial realm risen as I achieved great completion in the Heavenly Demon Body-Protecting Art? The cliff truly felt more majestic.
“Then to you, Master, this cliff must look even more tremendous.”
“The fact that flattery is reaching my peaceful ears tells me someone really has returned.”
“Would only flattery have returned? I also have a gift here.”
The Fist Demon recognized the gauntlets I handed him.
“It’s the Fighting God!”
“You recognize it.”
“No one who practices fist arts could fail to know this item. Where did you get it?”
“I received it as a gift from the leader of the Sado Alliance.”
The Fist Demon looked dumbfounded, then soon nodded with an expression that said, If it’s you, that could happen.
“Why give to me what was given to you?”
“Would the Fighting God want to be on my hands? Or would it want yours, Master?”
Since he had always lived with bare fists, I had thought he might say he did not need it, but he accepted it without hesitation.
“Yes. If I am to bring down that cliff, I will need it.”
Yes, as if I were the only one growing. From the way he accepted it gladly without putting his pride first, I could tell. The Fist Demon was growing too.
And I could also understand why the Fighting God was called the finest among gauntlets. Its elasticity was so excellent that it fit even the Fist Demon’s enormous hands perfectly.
“I think I understand now the saying that every treasure has its rightful owner. It truly suits you.”
The Fist Demon answered my thanks by clenching those great fists in front of me.
Yes, everyone had to become stronger like this. If they schemed in the darkness over there, then we would grow stronger like this under the sunlight. Let’s see who wins.
* * *
After parting from the Fist Demon, I entrusted the Sun-Moon Sword to the guards and immediately left the main cult. Since I had to leave the cult right away anyway, I decided I would greet the other Demon Supremes after I returned from the Murim Alliance.
“You’re going to leave us behind again, aren’t you?”
Jeokyeon, the captain of the guards, had now reached a state of complete detachment.
“I think I’ll have to this time too.”
He tried to persuade me with self-deprecating eyes that said, We really are useless bastards, but it did not work on me.
In the end, Jeokyeon shouted.
“Then please remember this, at least. If anything happens to you, Young Cult Leader, we all die too.”
Yes, if something happened to me, they would all die anyway.
“If you want to follow me, get stronger! Stronger! Stronger!”
As I passed through Maga Village, I saw the Pungryu Tavern. Having opened again after a long while, it was filled with people from the marketplace gathered around and talking with Jo Chunbae. How many things must he have wanted to say?
‘Owner, don’t do it yet. There is still a boast left that is truly worth making.’
I used Swift Step and raced toward the Murim Alliance.
Even as I flowed through the world like light, I could see it. The flowers by the roadside were beginning to show their buds.
Spring was coming.