The Pungcheon Cult Leader’s face was filled with regret.
Given the circumstances, the shackled man had undoubtedly sent him a sound transmission telling him to simply hand over the divine relic I had chosen.
‘That man interfered with the Pungcheon Cult Leader’s decision at such an important moment?’
Something truly unexpected had happened.
“Do you know what it is you’ve chosen?”
“I’m not sure, but I was strongly drawn to it.”
What I had chosen was a small, egg-shaped sphere made of iron.
Of course, I knew exactly what it was. It was neither a weapon nor a jewel. What mattered was what lay inside this egg-like object.
The Pungcheon Cult Leader lifted the sphere and touched its underside. With a metallic click, the egg opened.
In an instant, an intense yet heavy medicinal fragrance spread out. Inside was a crimson spirit pill.
The Blood God Pill.
It was a spiritual medicine known as the finest not only in the Pungcheon Cult, but throughout the lands beyond the borders.
“It is the Blood God Pill. Have you heard of it?”
“Yes, I know it to be an extremely precious spiritual medicine.”
“Precious is hardly enough to describe it.”
“Why did you not take something so precious yourself?”
“I was saving it for the future.”
“It seems that future was me.”
He surely had never imagined that, out of all these divine relics, I would choose this one of all things.
The Pungcheon Cult Leader looked at the shackled man again. At that moment, I saw the shoulders of the shackled man, whose head was lowered, tremble faintly. Because my eyesight had improved through the Divine Eye Art, I could confirm it with my own eyes.
‘He’s definitely sending sound transmissions.’
In other words, the Pungcheon Cult Leader was undoubtedly following that man’s instructions. No, at the very least, he was consulting him.
‘Just what kind of person is he?’
Curiosity about the man arose in me, but I pretended not to notice. For now, the Blood God Pill was what mattered.
To give them time, I turned away as if unaware and looked over the other divine relics. I saw several things I wanted after the Blood God Pill. Whether I could obtain them or not would depend on the Pungcheon Cult Leader’s choices and actions from here on.
After a while, having finished their discussion, the Pungcheon Cult Leader made a difficult decision with a face that seemed to have aged ten years.
“Very well. I will give you the Blood God Pill.”
“Thank you.”
Still holding the Blood God Pill in his hand, the Pungcheon Cult Leader asked me,
“This time, I cannot give it to you first. Tell me the method by which I can remain in the Divine Cult.”
It seemed that he could not readily hand over the Blood God Pill, at least.
“The method is precisely this.”
Before the Pungcheon Cult Leader could stop me, I put the Blood God Pill he was holding into my mouth. The Pungcheon Cult Leader’s eyes bulged, as he had never imagined I would actually swallow it.
“You! What do you think you’re doing?”
He belatedly roared, but I immediately sat down cross-legged.
“Please stand guard for me while I dissolve the medicine for a moment.”
Then, with my eyes closed, I began dissolving the medicinal efficacy of the Blood God Pill. As a result, I did not see just how dumbfounded the Pungcheon Cult Leader’s expression had become.
* * *
Geom Mugeuk’s qi circulation and breathing had continued for a full two hours.
The Pungcheon Cult Leader and the shackled man were conversing through sound transmissions.
The shackled man calmed the Pungcheon Cult Leader, who was jumping in rage and saying he would kill him on the spot. It was also the shackled man who insisted that they must not disturb his qi circulation, and that even their conversation had to be conducted only through sound transmissions.
—Hahahahaha.
—Damn it! Curse it all!
The shackled man kept laughing through sound transmission. The Pungcheon Cult Leader, on the other hand, vented his fury without pause.
—Damn it! Should I kill this bastard right now?
—Kill him. Kill him and have a nice, satisfying war with the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. I would very much like to see you torn to pieces by the Heavenly Demon.
—Damn it! Curse it! What the hell is this?
He had truly never imagined that the man would eat it right in front of him.
—The method he intends to propose must be absurd. That must be why he took it first, is it not?
—I told you to kill him! Kill him! Smash his skull with one palm strike.
The Pungcheon Cult Leader approached Geom Mugeuk and raised his hand high. But he could not bring himself to strike down on his head.
—Ah, damn it!
After lowering his hand, the Pungcheon Cult Leader came over beside the Sound Thunder Bell and plopped down. The shackled man seemed to be enjoying the sight with amusement.
—Damn it!
—I do not think the Cult Leader will end up dead.
—Why? Because I’m a coward? Is that it?
—No. The Second Young Master is far more intelligent than I thought.
—What makes you say that?
—He is certain that the Cult Leader cannot kill him. That means he has already finished grasping what kind of person you are. Someone like that will give a proper answer.
—Do you have an idea what it is?
—I did not at first, but seeing him take the Blood God Pill, I think I know what method he will propose.
—What is it?
—Hear it from him directly when he finishes his qi circulation.
—Tell me!
—You cannot know, Cult Leader. It will show on your face.
—In my younger days, I never once lost at gambling!
—Because no gambler would dare display his true skill in front of the heir to the Pungcheon Cult.
—Hmph!
Only then did the Pungcheon Cult Leader feel somewhat relieved.
The shackled man called to the Pungcheon Cult Leader casually, as if speaking to a friend.
—Cult Leader.
—Good grief, here you go again. Am I your friend?
—Just give him everything. It would be fine to give him all of it.
—Are you serious?
—Until now, I judged the Second Young Master only by the information that came flying in. But seeing him in person today, I realize all the information up to now underestimated him.
—You can see that with your eyes?
—I can.
—Then why can’t I see it?
—Because you are too greedy.
—Damn it! Fine, let’s say that’s true. Let’s say my eyes are completely covered by greed. So? If I give him everything, what happens to me?
—You can live in the Central Plains. Was that not your dream?
—Did he say he would let me live in the Central Plains?
—He must have the intention to let you live there, which is why he keeps accepting everything so readily.
—What if he doesn’t keep his promise? We’ll have to carry around a broken beggar’s bowl and live off alms like paupers.
—Do not worry. I will feed and support you.
—What?
—I will drag these shackles around, clanking and clattering, and sell medicine if I must.
—……
The Pungcheon Cult Leader let out a sigh.
—What if the Second Young Master loses the succession struggle and dies?
—Is that not what it means to invest in someone with your fate on the line? You either gain everything, or lose everything.
—You are doing this to ruin me, aren’t you?
—You only realized that now?
The shackled man wore a strange smile. It was hard to tell whether he was serious or joking.
—Cult Leader.
—Do not speak informally to me. You passed five times long ago today.
—I understand you.
—……
—You must discard in order to obtain. Neither you nor I are blessed enough to have everything without throwing anything away. People like that are people like the Second Young Master sitting over there.
—……Damn it.
At last, Geom Mugeuk finished his qi circulation and breathing.
Geom Mugeuk’s expression was bright as he opened his eyes. His already clear eyes had grown even deeper, making it difficult to guess just how much internal energy he possessed.
But soon, those deep eyes changed to become like those of an ordinary person. The sight of him altering his gaze made the Pungcheon Cult Leader flinch.
‘Just how deep is his internal energy?’
Geom Mugeuk hid nothing in front of him. It was as if he were saying this:
I am this strong, so trust me and follow me.
Despite the power he revealed, Geom Mugeuk was courteous. He bowed his head and cupped his fist in thanks.
“Thank you.”
“You truly have guts. To steal a spiritual medicine and then circulate your qi right in front of me!”
“Steal a spiritual medicine? I received it as payment.”
“As payment? What do you mean?”
“I told you before I took the Blood God Pill, did I not? The method by which you can remain here is for me to eat this.”
“What does that mean?”
“Tomorrow, please come to the Yellow Springs Pavilion and report it. Say that your spiritual medicine has been stolen.”
“!”
“You should be able to stay here until the spiritual medicine is found.”
Only then did the Pungcheon Cult Leader realize Geom Mugeuk’s intention.
“But if an investigation is conducted, it may be revealed that no thief broke in.”
“The place conducting that investigation is none other than the Yellow Springs Pavilion, where I am the head. Until you achieve your purpose, I will proceed with the investigation as slowly as possible.”
“Ah!”
The Pungcheon Cult Leader’s expression brightened radiantly.
Since a thief had broken into the inner court of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, he now had a pretext not to leave this place.
Furthermore, since Geom Mugeuk would be in charge of investigating the case, there would be no risk of the staged act being exposed, nor would there be unnecessary friction in the process of searching for the culprit.
“You and I will also be the ones to decide the date of your return.”
“Ah! So that was your meaning.”
“Then I will be going now. Thank you once again for the Blood God Pill.”
After Geom Mugeuk left, the Pungcheon Cult Leader asked the shackled man,
“Did you know?”
“I knew the moment the Second Young Master ate the Blood God Pill.”
The shackled man’s attitude had returned to being respectful.
Looking down at the empty shell that had held the Blood God Pill, the Pungcheon Cult Leader said,
“But did the Second Young Master know in advance that this was the Blood God Pill?”
“Of course.”
“He knew?”
“Do you think he picked it up because the container looked pretty? Did you truly believe that?”
“No.”
But for a moment, the Pungcheon Cult Leader had believed just that. He had thought there was no way the Second Young Master could know the details of his divine relics.
“How did he know?”
“It is precisely because he is a figure of that caliber that you are giving him gifts, Cult Leader.”
The Pungcheon Cult Leader nodded. Even so, he thought it was fortunate that the shackled man was here. On the other hand, because all of this was happening due to the shackled man, he also felt resentful.
“……Still, the Blood God Pill was far too wasteful.”
The Pungcheon Cult Leader began lamenting its loss again. There would be no sleep for him tonight.
“I am telling you for the hundredth time that we did not give it to him because he provided a method.”
“If things do not go well after we have poured everything out like this, you die and I die too.”
Amid his long, disheveled hair, the man grinned.
“You promised to die only after killing me.”
“Shut up!”
The Pungcheon Cult Leader sank into his empty container, and the shackled man into the Sound Thunder Bell. In that way, the two fell into their respective worries.
* * *
The next day, shocking news struck the cult.
A thief had broken into the Pungcheon Cult Leader’s quarters and stolen a divine relic.
Everyone who met spoke of it. It was shocking enough that a thief had entered the inner court, but what everyone was curious about was exactly what divine relic had been stolen. However, the identity of the stolen divine relic was not revealed.
The cult was in an uproar over the matter, but the atmosphere inside the Heavenly Demon Hall itself was calm.
That was because Chief Strategist Sima Myeong had seen through the situation.
“It appears that the Pungcheon Cult Leader has staged this himself. According to our pavilion’s surveillance network, no one infiltrated the Pungcheon Cult Leader’s residence. Moreover, to steal a divine relic, one would need to be at least at the level of a Demon Venerable, and as far as I have determined, there is currently no expert of that caliber who would have reason to target the Pungcheon Cult Leader’s divine relics.”
Heavenly Demon Geom Woojin believed everything in Sima Myeong’s report.
“What is his reason for staging this?”
“He most likely wishes to remain in our cult longer. He will stubbornly insist that he cannot return unless the divine relic is found.”
“Why exactly does he refuse to leave? Is it perhaps because of that matter?”
“That is correct. It seems he wishes to settle the matter of the Pungcheon Cult’s advance into the Central Plains during this opportunity.”
“The second was involved in this, wasn’t he?”
“Yes. It appears the Pungcheon Cult Leader asked the Second Young Master for a method to remain. Since the Yellow Springs Pavilion will handle the investigation of this incident, the Pungcheon Cult Leader will be able to stay in our cult for the time being.”
“He used his head rather well.”
A faint smile formed at the corners of Geom Woojin’s mouth.
“What is the relationship between the Pungcheon Cult Leader and the Demon Venerables?”
“Not very good. Since the first meeting with the Demon Venerables after his arrival, they have not met even once. The only person he met was the Demon Buddha, with whom he is somewhat close.”
“What do you think should be done about this matter?”
Sima Myeong answered calmly.
“I believe it would be best to pretend not to know and watch for the time being.”
Geom Woojin pondered for a moment, and Sima Myeong waited for him to make a decision.
Sima Myeong could guess the cult leader’s thoughts.
The reason a decision did not come immediately was, after all, because this concerned the Pungcheon Cult. The cult leader did not look favorably upon the Pungcheon Cult’s advance into the Central Plains. Even so, the reason he was contemplating it like this was probably because the Second Young Master was involved.
At last, Geom Woojin made his decision.
“Do so.”
“Yes.”
Sima Myeong bowed respectfully and was about to turn and leave when he spoke to Geom Woojin.
“If the Pungcheon Cult Leader and the Second Young Master join hands, the Demon Buddha will not sit still. He will likely begin drawing in the First Young Master in earnest.”
In Sima Myeong’s judgment, the reason the First Young Master had been holding back despite the Second Young Master’s recent rise was partly because he was watching the cult leader’s mood, but also because he was still certain that he would become the successor.
However, if Geom Mugeuk joined hands with the Pungcheon Cult Leader after the Blood Heaven Saber Demon and the One Flower Sword Venerable, he would no longer be able to simply watch.
Geom Woojin nodded silently, his expression saying that he understood.
Leaving Geom Woojin behind as he sank into thought alone, Sima Myeong slowly walked out along the Path of Blood.
He was curious.
Just what decision would the cult leader make? Would he truly permit the First Young Master to return and leap into the battlefield? Would he somehow stop the fight between brothers?
Everything depended on the will of the Heavenly Demon.