Seo Daeryong led all the inspectors and enforcers of the Yellow Springs Pavilion into Magachon.
When more than a hundred of them entered Magachon, everyone in the marketplace stared at them in astonishment.
They had naturally assumed it was a procession setting out for somewhere.
The enforcers entered each house and shouted loudly.
“Now, everyone must evacuate your homes. Take only what you need and come out!”
The enforcers went from house to house throughout Magachon, making everyone come outside.
They began evacuating not only the shops in the marketplace, but also the residences outside it. Magachon was larger than it appeared, and quite a number of people lived there.
The Yellow Springs Pavilion martial artists, who had prepared an evacuation plan in advance, scattered into their assigned districts and brought the people out.
Seo Daeryong personally took charge of the Windflow Tavern.
Jo Chunbae, as well as everyone dining there, was astonished.
“You will have to stay in lodgings prepared by the Main Sect for the time being.”
“Has something happened?”
Seo Daeryong calmly answered Jo Chunbae’s anxious question.
“I’m sorry, but I cannot tell you the details. Please hurry and gather your belongings.”
The guests each ran to their own homes. The people of Magachon were at least less alarmed because the ones carrying out the evacuation were martial artists from the Yellow Springs Pavilion.
Ever since Geom Mugeuk established a branch of the Yellow Springs Pavilion in Magachon, its people had received tremendous help from them. Thanks to the Yellow Springs Pavilion, martial artists who ignored the residents or caused trouble had disappeared completely.
Even amid his surprise and confusion, Jo Chunbae made sure to ask about one person. He feared that something had happened to the Demonic Cult.
“The Young Cult Master is safe, isn’t he?”
Seo Daeryong answered with a smile.
“Of course he is safe.”
Despite his answer, Seo Daeryong was inwardly worried about Geom Mugeuk.
The order had come down in great haste, and he had not been told the exact circumstances. But they were likely evacuating the residents of Magachon because the Main Altar might come under attack.
If the Main Altar was in danger, then the outside would be no safer.
‘Young Cult Master! Please be careful.’
At first, Seo Daeryong had regretted being unable to follow Geom Mugeuk.
But now he considered it fortunate that he had not gone. There were people he absolutely had to protect here: his son and wife, and his sisters-in-law. Even if he had to give up his life, he would protect his family.
Jo Chunbae came out after gathering the few things he needed. Before leaving the entrance, he turned back.
He gazed anxiously at the wall on this floor. He prayed that when he returned, that wall would still be standing safely.
When Jo Chunbae came outside, those who had emerged earlier were murmuring among themselves. It was the first time they had ever been evacuated, so everyone was tense and frightened. They whispered that a war must have broken out.
There was one thing Jo Chunbae considered fortunate. His wife, Yang-in, happened to be staying at the home of one of their married children, far away.
To put it bluntly, he had lived long enough and had no regrets about dying at any time. But the people who always weighed on his heart were his wife, who had suffered all her life, and his children.
“Those who came from outside will have to come with us as well. And if any of Magachon’s residents have gone elsewhere, tell the martial artists of this pavilion where they went. We will send word separately and make sure they do not return for the time being.”
Though they were moving nearly a thousand people, the process proceeded smoothly.
No one argued with or made trouble for the enforcers. Anyone unfamiliar with the situation might naturally assume it was because they feared the Demonic Cult members, but that was not the reason.
Without the Yellow Springs Pavilion martial artists who had protected them all this time, or their deep bond with the Young Cult Master, they might have believed the Demonic Cult had brought them away to harm them.
But now, they trusted them. They knew this was being done to protect them.
“Now, everyone, let us go to the Main Altar.”
The Yellow Springs Pavilion inspectors went from house to house, checking whether anyone remained behind.
Then they all followed the enforcers into the Heavenly Demon Divine Church.
The residents of Magachon were so astonished by the grandeur of the Heavenly Demon Divine Church that their mouths fell open. Most of them had never entered this far inside before.
After walking for quite some time behind the martial artists, they found several hundred lodgings made from temporary tents.
“Bear with the uncomfortable sleeping arrangements.”
Inside the lodgings, water and food sufficient to sustain them for the time being had been provided, along with the necessities of daily life.
“If you need anything, go to the blue tent over there and tell them. They will take care of it.”
Two people were watching from afar as the residents entered the Church. They were Geom U-jin and Sama Myeong.
After parting with Goh Wol, Sama Myeong had gone straight to the Cult Master and reported that the Heaven-Slaying Star had appeared.
Geom U-jin’s reaction was exactly what Sama Myeong had expected.
―Is that so?
Sama Myeong knew that the Cult Master was not a man who believed in astrology or heavenly omens. He believed only in human will and the power of martial arts.
Yes, if such a great baleful star had appeared, the Cult Master would rather welcome it.
―For the Heaven-Slaying Star to appear at a time like this. What a curious coincidence.
At those words, Geom U-jin silently nodded. He had only heard the day before that the Demon Fire should be lit, and now the Heaven-Slaying Star had appeared.
―That is why I would like to evacuate Magachon. If that person comes to the Main Altar, he will certainly pass through Magachon. If he truly bears the Heaven-Slaying Star, he might massacre them all.
Sama Myeong had been cautious. The Cult Master might have asked why they were making such a commotion over something so trivial. It might even make him appear frightened.
Besides, the appearance of the Heaven-Slaying Star in the heavens did not mean that the great baleful star would appear immediately. No one knew whether it would come tomorrow, in a month, or next year.
Even so, Geom U-jin readily gave his permission.
―Very well.
That easy approval had already been unexpected, but the Cult Master went a step further.
―Bring them all into the Church and protect them.
When Sama Myeong stared at him in surprise, the Cult Master said:
―If we make the people of Magachon leave for somewhere else, won’t word spread that we are making preparations? Handle it quietly.
Sama Myeong understood. This, too, was meant to ensure that the person coming here would not possibly go to the Young Cult Master.
―Yes. I will see to it.
It was through this process that they had been able to enter the Church grounds.
Then the sound of people murmuring reached them.
“Whoa!”
“Look over there!”
A group of Demonic Cult members was approaching them from the direction they were watching.
They were Demonic Cult members who revealed a far more intense aura than the enforcers or the martial artists they had seen while entering the Church.
When they saw the man at the head of the group, the nearby enforcers bowed respectfully. Seeing this, the residents of Magachon lowered their heads as well.
A man terrifying even to look at stood at the forefront.
He was none other than Fist Demon, a man with enormous fists and muscles that looked ready to burst at any moment. Even without his frightening face, Fist Demon overwhelmed everyone there through his mere presence.
Behind Fist Demon came the Iron Fists of the Eastern Fist Sect. They were the Black Fists, the strongest among the Iron Fists. The person commanding the Black Fists was none other than Cheon Sohee, the next Fist Demon.
Even a single Black Fist was a master whom ordinary martial artists could not hope to contend with. With all of them appearing at once, their oppressive presence was enough to make it difficult to breathe.
Their gazes and bearing were as sharp as if they were heading into battle.
The Black Fists formed ranks on the training ground, while Fist Demon continued walking until he stood before Geom U-jin.
“I greet the Cult Master.”
“You have come.”
Geom U-jin congratulated Fist Demon on entering a new realm.
“Congratulations.”
Fist Demon respectfully clasped his hands before his chest with his massive fists and lowered his head.
“Thank you.”
That was all. There was no need to add anything else. Fist Demon knew that Geom U-jin’s congratulations were sincere. The two were men whose hearts understood one another without words.
The residents of Magachon watched in silence. Only now did they realize that the person standing in the distance was the Cult Master.
As Sama Myeong watched Geom U-jin and Fist Demon standing side by side, he recalled what the two had looked like in their youth. Their younger forms seemed to overlap with the figures before him now.
Then another group of Demonic Cult members appeared.
This time, the residents of Magachon were overwhelmed by a wholly different feeling.
When they had seen Fist Demon and the Iron Fists, their mouths had fallen open in admiration. But this time, they clamped their mouths shut in fear and merely swallowed.
Once again, everyone’s eyes focused on the person at the front.
He was a beautiful youth with an utterly boyish face, but he was none other than Poison King, the most powerful deterrent to war in the martial world.
The twelve poison pouches hanging from his waist were not decorated with the cute animals of the Chinese zodiac that he usually wore. If those cute designs had inspired fear precisely because of the contrast, these drawings were simply frightening.
Each of the twelve pouches bore a picture of a terrifying zodiac animal. The red-eyed rat was grotesque even to look at, while the tiger seemed ready to leap from its pouch and tear a person to pieces.
These poison pouches were what Poison King wore when he went to war. Thus, those who knew what they signified could tell from the pouches alone what sort of mood Poison King was in as he set out.
Behind Poison King came Sangseon, wearing nine poison pouches, followed by the Poison Fangs of the Heavenly Poison Grove.
Each of them wore a different number of poison pouches around their waists, and only Poison Fangs wearing at least five had come out.
The Poison Fangs formed ranks just as the Iron Fists had, and Poison King walked toward Geom U-jin. When facing the Cult Master, Poison King did not wear his usual distracted expression.
“I greet the Cult Master.”
“Welcome.”
Because of his youthful appearance, standing beside Geom U-jin and Fist Demon made him look like their son or nephew. But his presence was no less formidable than Fist Demon’s.
The tension already seemed ready to explode with just those two present, when yet another person appeared.
The person who emerged with an overwhelming aura was none other than the Windcheon Cult Master.
This was not the Windcheon Cult Master who usually spouted frivolous remarks. At this moment, he was the Windcheon Cult Master, the absolute ruler of the lands beyond the frontier.
After walking before Geom U-jin and offering a respectful greeting, he asked:
“I would like to repay you for all the meals I have eaten from you. Will you give me the opportunity?”
At the Windcheon Cult Master’s words, Geom U-jin nodded and answered:
“I would be grateful if you did.”
Sama Myeong found it unexpected. Given the Geom U-jin he knew, he would have politely declined, saying that this was the Church’s affair and that he should rest comfortably.
Yet, for whatever reason, he readily accepted the man’s offer to help.
Then another person appeared.
A man who yielded to none of the three masters who had appeared before him in either aura or presence.
The man who emerged with his hair tied tightly back and a single sword at his waist was none other than Sword King.
He walked out without a word, wearing shoes.
Whenever he met the Cult Master, he had removed his shoes. But this time, he had come wearing them, as though his footwear itself expressed his resolve to fight alongside the Cult Master.
When Sword King respectfully clasped his hands and paid his respects, Geom U-jin silently nodded once.
Having promised the Cult Master that he would help when Geom Mugeuk struggled in the future, he would have to remain in the Heavenly Demon Divine Church with Geom Mugeuk until then. From now on, anything that happened within the Heavenly Demon Divine Church was his own affair.
With the four masters gathered, Geom U-jin gave Sama Myeong an order.
“Light the Demon Fire.”
“!”
Sama Myeong was startled. He understood summoning the two Venerable Masters and accepting the help of the Windcheon Cult Master and Sword King.
But light the Demon Fire? The Cult Master had said he would not light it because if the Main Altar became impregnable, those people would go to the Young Cult Master.
At that moment, Sama Myeong understood.
‘Ah! The Cult Master intends to lead these four masters out of the Main Altar and stop the enemy at Magachon!’
He had intended to do this from the moment he gave permission to evacuate Magachon.
It did not matter even if the enemy learned of this. No, this was something they wanted the enemy to know.
The Heavenly Demon had left the Main Altar and was in Magachon with only a small number of people.
He was telling the enemy to come there.
Sama Myeong believed that Geom U-jin’s judgment was not wrong.
If the enemy was powerful enough to invade the Main Altar, and if he truly possessed the Heaven-Slaying Star, sending his subordinates to fight would only result in needless sacrifices. The enemy would use the battle to kill his subordinates.
If Geom U-jin had been the sort of man who sacrificed all his subordinates to wear down the enemy’s strength, it would have been better to stop them within the Church. But the Cult Master was not such a man.
The stronger the enemy, the more readily he placed himself at the front. That was the kind of man the Cult Master was.
Because he knew the Cult Master better than anyone, Sama Myeong calmly followed his will.
“Yes. Leave everything behind to me.”
The gazes of Geom U-jin and Sama Myeong met in the air.
‘Please be careful, Cult Master.’
Geom U-jin gave him a single nod before moving on.
Geom U-jin walked ahead, with Fist Demon and Poison King following behind him on either side. The Windcheon Cult Master and Sword King followed after them.
As they walked away, the Demonic Cult members and the residents of Magachon all bowed their heads in unison.
Sama Myeong gave an order to the military adviser attending him, who was waiting a short distance away.
“Light the Demon Fire.”
The military adviser ran off somewhere, and not long afterward—
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Heavy drumbeats began to resound throughout the Heavenly Demon Divine Church. Flames rose from the braziers held high by statues of evil spirits.
At the same time, formations and mechanisms prepared throughout the Church began to activate.
Formations would also be deployed around the tents where the residents of Magachon were staying to protect them.
Boom! Boom-boom! Boom!
Thus, five people walked out of the Heavenly Demon Divine Church as it began transforming into an impregnable fortress.
Each of them possessed enough power to throw the Central Plains into an uproar by leaving alone.
Under ordinary circumstances, Geom U-jin would have gone out alone to face the enemy. Or perhaps, remembering the old days, he might have gone out with Fist Demon alone.
Yet he had brought everyone with him because of Geom Mugeuk.
“My son has been afraid of someone all this time.”
Geom U-jin had also used this opportunity to confirm it. The appearance of the Heaven-Slaying Star had shown him why his son had worked so hard and why he had struggled so desperately to become stronger.
It seemed his son had known that this being would appear.
The four men standing behind him had also formed exceptionally deep bonds with Geom Mugeuk. That was why they understood better than anyone what Geom U-jin meant.
“If it is someone he feared that much, we must not take him lightly.”
It was consideration for his son, as well as faith in him.
If this was the enemy you feared so greatly, then I will face him with caution as well.
Geom U-jin looked back at the four men behind him. They were men who would never fall behind anyone when it came to battle. Men who would bristle if told they were not second, but third, in this gathering.
“This battle is neither for the sake of the Church nor for the sake of the martial world.”
Geom U-jin calmly added in an even voice:
“I intend to erase that man for the sake of my son.”