Seo Daeryong said nothing.
He merely stared silently at the Blood Heaven Blade Demon. Just as the sight of the Blood Heaven Blade Demon smiling so brightly was being etched deep into his heart—
“Pavilion Lord Seo.”
At the One Blossom Sword Venerable’s call, Seo Daeryong snapped back to his senses and looked at her.
“Yes, Sword Venerable.”
“You should receive the guests’ greetings.”
While he had been looking at the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, several martial artists had lined up and were waiting.
“Ah, yes.”
As the One Blossom Sword Venerable turned and walked away, Seo Daeryong spoke to her.
“Thank you, Sword Venerable.”
If she had not told him, he would have been too busy receiving the guests’ congratulations to notice that expression on his master’s face.
The One Blossom Sword Venerable nodded silently and walked on.
The place she headed toward was where Geom Mugeuk stood. Geom Mugeuk was a short distance away, standing side by side with the Drunken Demon as they talked.
“Since you’re not feeling hurt, hyung, I’m the one who feels hurt instead.”
Even though Geom Mugeuk had returned to the Cult and had not come to see him, the Drunken Demon now seemed not to mind at all. He should have grumbled and complained.
“You must have been busy.”
“I wasn’t busy. I had time to come see you, hyung.”
“Your heart must have been busy.”
Geom Mugeuk stared fixedly at the Drunken Demon.
“Did something happen while I was gone? Are you sick? Is it incurable?”
“Once it passes, all things are futile. Do you think I’ll die regretting that you didn’t come see me when I was dying?”
Just then, the One Blossom Sword Venerable approached the two of them and said,
“He has changed the way he shows he feels hurt. It is a change in tactics, so don’t be deceived.”
The Drunken Demon flinched, then laughed heartily as he looked up at the sky.
Leaving him behind, Geom Mugeuk gave the One Blossom Sword Venerable a proper greeting.
“I apologize for not coming to see you immediately after returning to the Cult.”
“I heard you were in the middle of fist arts training.”
The One Blossom Sword Venerable quietly observed Geom Mugeuk, then shook her head.
“When you are like this, I have no time to rest.”
It meant that every time she saw him, he showed signs of growth, and it also carried the meaning that she, too, was still striving.
“May I come to you soon as a sparring companion?”
The One Blossom Sword Venerable smiled and nodded.
“Come anytime.”
Just then, a new Demon Venerable arrived.
It was none other than the Soul-Capturing Demon Venerable. Since she had come as a guest, she had reduced her ghostly energy to a minimum, but even so, Geom Mugeuk could tell at a glance. She had grown even more than when he had seen her before. She, too, was growing by leaps and bounds every time he saw her.
The Soul-Capturing Demon Venerable offered her congratulations to Seo Daeryong. She had come not so much because of her friendship with Seo Daeryong, but because of her relationship with the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.
After giving her congratulations, she came to Geom Mugeuk first and greeted him. No matter what anyone said, the person she cared about most was Geom Mugeuk.
Because the person she most wanted to show her growth to was the Young Cult Leader.
“This waiting is a most interesting and pleasant wait.”
It meant he was waiting for the day she grew and became his Demon Venerable.
The Soul-Capturing Demon Venerable smiled happily. Those words were a reward for her efforts so far, and more than enough to become the driving force for her efforts to come.
The next Demon Venerable to arrive was the person with the most frightening face among all the guests who had come today.
At the appearance of the Fist Demon, everyone held their breath. His broad back cut through the guests as he walked.
The Fist Demon went not to Seo Daeryong, but first to the Blood Heaven Blade Demon and offered his congratulations.
“Congratulations.”
“Thank you for coming.”
Geom Mugeuk watched the two of them converse.
They were the two people closest to his father. Because of that, there was a bond that only they, with his father between them, possessed. And there was also a bond with him between them.
When the two looked at him and said something to each other, Geom Mugeuk smiled and said,
“You aren’t speaking ill of me, are you?”
The two did not answer and continued their conversation.
“That’s too much!”
Watching from beside them, Cha Iran could sense from the way they gave no reply and simply continued their own conversation just how deep their relationship with the Young Cult Leader was.
If she had not experienced the person called Geom Mugeuk, she would have had to make all sorts of guesses about that behavior just now.
Then Geom Mugeuk saw someone and ran over in delight.
“Owner.”
Jo Chunbae, dressed neatly, stood in a far corner. Naturally, he had also been invited to this wedding.
“Young Cult Leader.”
“I’m glad you came. Now, let’s go.”
Geom Mugeuk took his hand and brought him to Seo Daeryong.
“Actually, our owner here is acquainted with all the Demon Venerables, isn’t he? Shall we go around and greet them one by one?”
“Oh dear, please don’t say such things even as a joke.”
Cha Iran silently watched as Geom Mugeuk took Jo Chunbae over and introduced him to Seo Daeryong. The Young Cult Leader greeted him more warmly than he had the Demon Venerables. This, too, if she had not experienced Geom Mugeuk beforehand, would have made her ponder the tavern owner’s true identity.
“There is no need to doubt.”
The person who came beside her and spoke was Ian.
“I’m not doubting.”
She no longer thought that Geom Mugeuk was hiding something. He was simply new and astonishing every time she saw him.
“I just thought… it must be truly difficult to become the Young Cult Leader’s shadow.”
At that, Ian gave an unreadable smile.
“No. Because it isn’t difficult, it will be difficult for us.”
Cha Iran felt she roughly understood what Ian meant.
Just then, Geom Mugeuk brought Jo Chunbae over to where the two women were.
Ian welcomed Jo Chunbae warmly.
“Please come here and stay with us.”
“No, no. I can stay over there in the back.”
“Stay with me.”
Not far from them, the bride, Dana, was seated.
Dana was stunned by these incredible guests.
The great lords of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult had come, the group leaders had come, and the Demon Venerables had come as guests. In her entire life, she had never seen nor heard of such a grand wedding ceremony.
To think she had worried that such a grand wedding ceremony might be desolate. What on earth had she been thinking?
And then one thought occurred to her anew.
‘He truly was an extraordinary person.’
She was so grateful that such an extraordinary person had liked her.
Geom Mugeuk looked around. He had found Jo Chunbae, but there were still people he had to find.
“By the way, why don’t I see them? I’ll be back in a moment.”
Geom Mugeuk set out to find someone in the place bustling with countless guests.
The person he was looking for was squatting beneath a tree in the corner of the training ground. It was none other than the Poison King. He had come here without even offering a greeting.
Geom Mugeuk sat down beside him and asked,
“What is this fellow called?”
“Hongduui (Red-Headed Ant).”
Indeed, the heads of the ants crawling over the ground were red.
“If you look down on them because they’re small, you’ll suffer for it.”
They seemed to be highly venomous ants.
“When did you arrive?”
The answer came from behind him instead of from the Poison King.
“We arrived earlier.”
When he looked back, the Demon Buddha was standing there. And a short distance away was his older brother, Geom Muyang.
“What is this? Some suspicious meeting?”
In truth, there was nothing suspicious about it. His brother was close to the Demon Buddha, and the Demon Buddha was close to the Poison King.
“I know what to call this gathering. The Flame of Rebellion!”
At Geom Mugeuk’s banter, Geom Muyang replied bluntly,
“That flame went out long ago. Someone put it out very thoroughly.”
At Geom Muyang’s words, the Demon Buddha smiled faintly. Geom Muyang’s heart had now eased enough that he could make such a joke comfortably.
“If you have all come, you should offer your congratulations first.”
“We will do it later.”
Of course, it seemed they had all been held here because the Poison King had become absorbed in the ants.
“Since this is a rare outing for you, I thought you would enter flashing with golden radiance.”
Today, the radiance from the Demon Buddha’s body was fainter than usual. Since he had come as a guest, it seemed he had adjusted its intensity.
“At my wedding, you must enter shining brightly enough to blind the guests.”
“You intend to marry as well?”
When the Demon Buddha asked in surprise, Geom Mugeuk answered as if it were only natural.
“Of course. I must.”
Because he answered far too readily, the Demon Buddha instead did not believe him.
“Even if you do, there will be so many shining people at your wedding that my radiance will be nowhere near enough.”
It truly seemed like it would be a wedding where no one could imagine who might come.
At that very moment, the surroundings suddenly began to grow quiet. Everyone’s gaze turned toward one place. Postures that had been relaxed all straightened.
Even the Poison King, who seemed as if he would remain squatting even if a bloody battle broke out beside him, rose from his seat.
Geom Ujin was walking toward them.
When he appeared, no one even breathed loudly. Those who had thought, Surely even the Cult Leader wouldn’t come, were even more astonished.
Among them, the most shocked were Seo Daeryong and Dana. They had truly never dreamed that the Cult Leader would attend their wedding.
Step, step, step, step!
Everyone standing along the path Geom Ujin passed cupped their fists and paid their respects. He revealed no aura whatsoever, but his very presence overwhelmed everyone there.
Surprisingly, the place Geom Ujin walked toward slowly was the bride’s side. With gentle eyes, he said to Dana,
“Congratulations on your marriage.”
It was already astonishing that the Demon Cult Leader had come, but he had come to congratulate her first.
Dana’s mind went blank, not knowing what to do.
“How could the Cult Leader come here?”
At her astonishment, Geom Ujin said calmly,
“Do we not have a connection from the Central Plains?”
He was referring to the incident when the dishes sent by the women at the next table had gone to Geom Ujin.
Of course, that was not why Geom Ujin had come. Naturally, he had attended because of the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, but he had first shown care for her, who had thrown herself into the Cult with only her two younger siblings.
“Thank you so very much, Cult Leader.”
Without realizing it, she tried to prostrate herself in her wedding robes, but the gentle energy Geom Ujin sent out stopped her.
Danbi and Danyeon, too, watched the Cult Leader’s back in deep emotion as he turned and walked away.
Danyeon, who had sent food to Geom Ujin that day, truly wanted to shout like this:
‘The most handsome and wonderful person in this world is the Cult Leader!’
After taking care of the bride in that way, Geom Ujin approached Seo Daeryong.
“Pavilion Lord Seo, congratulations on your marriage.”
“Thank you, Cult Leader.”
Seo Daeryong was deeply moved. He was truly grateful that the Cult Leader had taken care of her before him.
When Geom Ujin sat in the central seat, Geom Mugeuk and Geom Muyang sat to either side of him, and the Demon Venerables lined up to the left and right. Naturally, the Poison King and the Demon Buddha, who had been in the corner of the training ground, sat with them as well.
The wedding proceeded according to ceremony, and at last it was time for the Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s officiating address.
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon had never been nervous before anyone, yet now it could be felt that he was nervous.
After clearing his throat for a moment, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon slowly opened his mouth.
“Today, in the presence of the august Cult Leader, my disciple, the Hwangcheon Pavilion Lord Seo Daeryong, and the beautiful bride Dana are to join in a lifelong bond as a match bestowed by the heavens.”
A smile formed on Geom Mugeuk’s lips.
You brats, eat well and live well.
That was what the Blood Heaven Blade Demon had said he would do. He must truly have wanted to do it that way. Yet he was delivering the officiating address while painstakingly remembering what he had memorized.
“The groom, Seo Daeryong, entered our Cult at an early age and walked the arduous path of the demonic way…”
Because this was not a place where he could simply act according to his own fiery temperament. This was not a place to reveal his own personality, but a precious place meant for Seo Daeryong and Dana.
Everyone listened to the Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s officiating address. In the middle, he stammered, and his words broke off.
“…Life is by nature a lonely road, and meeting a companion who will walk that road with you can be called one of life’s greatest blessings.”
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s words did not continue. He had forgotten the next line.
Flustered, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon closed his eyes and recalled the words, then continued. Considering his pride, it was unimaginable, but he silently carried on.
“…Do not look only at each other’s strength, but soothe each other’s wounds. Rest with your backs leaned against one another. In every moment, be together. A married couple is…”
Once again he forgot the next words, and the Blood Heaven Blade Demon continued the address after recalling them. He could have ended it briefly out of shame.
But the Blood Heaven Blade Demon spoke every word he had prepared, one character at a time.
Geom Ujin was watching the Blood Heaven Blade Demon with a deep gaze. The Fist Demon, the One Blossom Sword Venerable, the Drunken Demon, and the other Demon Venerables were the same. Today, for the first time in decades, they were seeing a new side of the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.
“…And when, after wandering the jianghu, you stop in some field, look up at the stars and share your final moments together.”
That was the end of the officiating address.
After finishing the address, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon looked at Seo Daeryong. Seo Daeryong, his eyes reddened, was doing his utmost to hold back his tears.
Now the Blood Heaven Blade Demon spoke from the heart. It was not the wedding address he had prepared in advance, but the words he wanted to say to his disciple and his bride in this moment.
“I am a man who has never married in all my life. So I do not know how one should live to have a good marriage.”
Seo Daeryong looked at his master with trembling eyes.
“I have not even lived as a good person. My life was filled with nothing but misfortune.”
Seo Daeryong nearly cried out, That is not true, Master.
“So, in truth, I do not know what I should say to you two.”
For a moment, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon looked past the two of them at Geom Woojin.
After exchanging glances with the Cult Leader, he slowly turned his head again to look at the Drunken Demon, then at the One Flower Sword Venerable.
“The older I get, the more I find myself regretting the days gone by.”
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s gaze, which had briefly drifted outside, returned to Seo Daeryong and Dana.
“You are both clever children, so do not live a life of regret like this master of yours.”
Seo Daeryong bowed his head deeply. His shoulders were trembling faintly. The tears he had been holding back flowed down. At Seo Daeryong’s tears, tears also spilled from Dana’s eyes. She knew well what Seo Daeryong thought of his master.
When the two of them began to cry, the flustered Blood Heaven Blade Demon looked at Geom Mugeuk.
Since weddings were not supposed to be this solemn, Geom Mugeuk stepped in with a smile as the rescue party.
“How ever did our elder hold back what he truly wanted to say?”
Imitating the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, Geom Mugeuk declared,
“O demons of the Divine Cult, born and raised in darkness! Betrayal means death, so forge an eternal blood alliance! Cast aside the sword and take up the blade!”
The Demon Venerables laughed, and one corner of Geom Woojin’s mouth also curled upward. At the relief that it was finally over, the tension eased from the Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s face.
Since both of them had lost their parents, the rite of bowing to their parents had been omitted.
Seo Daeryong and Dana tried to bow to the Blood Heaven Blade Demon. At that, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon waved his hands in refusal and walked far away.
Seo Daeryong and Dana bowed as they watched his retreating back.
With that bow, the two’s wedding ceremony came to an end.
When the two who had bowed rose from their places, a gust of wind blew in.
Whoooosh.
Then one petal fell from the flower Dana was holding.
The petal fluttered through the people and came to rest in the One Flower Sword Venerable’s hand. A smile formed on the lips of the woman who loved flowers.
Geom Mugeuk walked over to Seo Daeryong. He was smiling brightly. Seeing that expression as he approached, Seo Daeryong thought, Had he ever seen the Young Cult Leader’s face so filled with joy?
Bang! Baaang! Bang!
Beneath the exploding firecrackers, Geom Mugeuk said the words the Blood Heaven Blade Demon had not been able to say.
“My right arm, eat well and live well!”