Chapter 127: That Person's Smell of Alcohol is Always

TL: FoodieMonster007

The next person I visited was the Blood Heaven Blade Demon. My feet naturally carried me to him after I saw Father.

I expected to find the Blood Heaven Blade Demon reading by his window, but he was in the yard. He practiced his dao techniques, swinging the Heaven Destroying Dao. He sheathed his dao as soon as he noticed me.

"You're here?"

He greeted me casually, as if we had just seen each other yesterday. It was a reunion so devoid of passion that it felt passionate, a greeting befitting the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.

"You look cool reading a book, but you look even cooler swinging a dao."

"What's with the flattery?"

"It's because I survived thanks to you, Elder."

I spread the front of my clothes and showed him the Ghost Armor. There were several gashes on it, torn by a sword. They were the marks left by the Sword Emperor Baek Manggi.

"I survived thanks to you. Thank you, Elder."

Of course, the Top-Quality Heavenly Silk also played a part. The two layered artifacts had saved me.

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon came closer and looked at the sword marks. A sense of relief clearly flashed in his eyes.

"You were worried about me, weren't you?"

"Worried? What nonsense! I was just checking if you ruined the precious treasured armor. It's fine, you can keep using it."

I knew it without having to see. He would have never mentioned me to Seo Daeryong, even though he had been this worried.

"The rumor was true," the Blood Heaven Blade Demon said.

"What rumor are you talking about?"

"The rumor that the Sword Emperor Baek Manggi is dead."

His death was information not yet officially revealed to the outside world.

"Did you know about his swordsmanship?"

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon shook his head.

"Then why do you see these marks as Baek Manggi's?"

"If it wasn't Baek Manggi, there's no way such sword wounds could have been left when you and the extreme evil attacked together."

"How did you know that I joined forces with the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon?"

"Follow me."

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon then led me inside his house. He took something out of a closet and tossed it to me.

To my surprise, it was the white mask used by the Faceless Warriors. It was not just any mask, but the same top-quality one that the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon used. It was light, well-ventilated, and one's eyes could not be seen from the outside.

"Did you fight the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon and kill him?"

"Is he the type to die so easily just because I want to kill him?"

"Then why is this coming out of your closet, Elder?"

"Didn't the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon say anything?"

"I haven't met the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon since I returned. I stopped by the Heavenly Demon Hall and came straight to you, Elder."

"You didn't go to the Valley of Evil first?"

"Of course, I had to come to you first, Elder. Why did you think I went to the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon first?"

An unexpected answer followed.

"The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon paid a visit."

"To you, Elder? What did he say when he came?"

"He left that with me. Told me to give it to you when you came."

"He entrusted this to you, Elder? Why?"

"That's what I'd like to ask. Why did he entrust this damn thing to me?" The Blood Heaven Blade Demon stared at me with suspicious eyes.

Since Lee Ahn had taken the one he gave me, it seemed he had made a new one. He must have made it after returning to the Cult, and since he was giving it to me anyway, he made it a top-quality one.

"What in the world are you plotting?"

"You should have asked the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon that question back then."

"I did."

"And what did he say?"

"He just left, only saying to give that to you. What the hell is he trying to do?"

"I guess he was worried it might get lost if he entrusted it to just anyone."

"Who in our Cult would lose something entrusted by him? They'd move a family heirloom to put this mask in its place."

I laughed out loud, but the Blood Heaven Blade Demon did not. He had noticed that something had happened between me and the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon.

"Well, you did go out with him, so something must have happened. What on earth happened?"

"He promised to give me a mask."

"……"

"It's a long story. I can tell you everything if you wish."

"Forget it. What's the point of hearing such a story?"

"The reason he entrusted the mask to you is to show off his closeness to me and drive a wedge between you and me, Elder."

"So why?"

How could the quick-witted Blood Heaven Blade Demon not know his intention? The Blood Heaven Blade Demon wanted to know the reason for that attempt to create discord.

"I don't know either. How would I know what's in his heart?"

After a brief pause, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon said, "If you trust the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon, you'll regret it later."

It was not a remark born from feelings like jealousy. It was a warning that accompanying the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon on our path was dangerous.

"I don't trust him."

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon stared at the mask in my hand with his small, slender eyes.

"Indeed……"

He said no more, but I could guess what he was about to say.

Indeed, will that go as you wish? When the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon is reacting this proactively?

He probably did not say it out loud because it would make him seem concerned about the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon.

"Elder, why do you hate the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon?"

"Go ask him. Ask him if he likes me. It's mutual. Why on earth are there so many detestable people in our Cult?"

I laughed again. The words, Isn't it because of your personality, Elder? came to my throat, but I held them back. It was not like he did not know his own temperament when he said that.

"Now I need to talk about my own detestable person. Did my brother come to see you again in the meantime, Elder?"

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon shook his head.

"After he came before, I gave him no answer. First Young Lord must have taken that as a clear rejection."

"As expected, you're reliable."

"Don't let your guard down. I'm someone who could go to First Young Lord at any time."

"Then I suppose I'll be going with you."

"What do you mean?"

"If the wings attached to my body fly away, won't I go with them?"

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon wore a look of disbelief.

"As long as you wear that unlucky mask, your wings will fall off soon enough."

He might talk like that, but the Blood Heaven Blade Demon was not a man who would leave so easily. Even when the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon tried to drive a wedge between us, he accepted it with a broad mind. That was why the Blood Heaven Blade Demon was the first person I came to see.

"Even if you go to my brother, Elder, I will still come to see you. I will throw open the door while you're in the middle of a strategy meeting to eliminate me and come find you, Elder."

"……"

"Because I'll want to see you. Because I'll still want to see you then."

"More blatant flattery."

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon snorted, but he could not hide that he was pleased. The door to his heart was now quite open, and I could see him smiling inside. Yes, that's good to see. Please smile like that.

"I'll come see you again then. Let's have a drink at the Alluring Inn soon."

As I stood up to leave, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon asked, "Are you going to see the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon?"

"Yes, I received a gift, so I should at least say thank you."

"You would have gone even if it wasn't for the gift, right?"

"I probably would have."

I did not bother lying to the Blood Heaven Blade Demon. Always be honest. No matter how awkward or reluctant the subject, always be honest. I believe this is the greatest strength in not losing the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.

That must be why the Blood Heaven Blade Demon also gave me such sincere advice.

"I don't know what happened while you were out, but the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon is, in the end, the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon. You must never forget that."

"I'll keep that in mind."

After leaving the Blood Heaven Blade Demon's residence, I went straight to meet the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon.

I entered the Valley of Evil wearing the mask the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon had given me. The gazes of the Faceless Warriors focused on me. They might all look like the same white masks, but the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's mask stood out. They were all surprised to see me wearing the mask their Demon Supreme used.

Receiving such surprised looks, I was guided to the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's room. His room was the same as when I had visited before.

There was still nothing in the room, where not only the four walls but also the floor were painted completely white. No table, no display cabinet. The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon stood alone in the empty space. There was only one difference. When I first came, he was facing the wall, but today, he was looking out the window.

"I'm here, Lord Smiling Demon."

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon turned around. When he saw me wearing the mask, his eyes showed delight through the eyeholes.

"How is the mask?"

"It's great. It's incomparably better than the previous one."

"Then that's good."

"Why did you entrust this to Elder Blade Demon?"

"I heard you two are the closest."

"……"

"I don't like seeing Second Young Lord being close to anyone but me. I'm sure that petty old man is quite bothered by it."

I pushed the mask up onto my head and asked, "Are you only satisfied when you're the closest friend?"

"That's right. That's my personality. From now on, you must be closest with me. If that's not possible, I'll go over to First Young Lord."

"Lord Smiling Demon's selfishness, noted."

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon laughed loudly. The line between what was a joke and what was serious was ambiguous.

At least one thing was certain. Making one of the Eight Demon Supremes my ally and making two of them my allies did not take twice the effort. It took three or four times the effort. They were like oil and water that would never mix.

"How was your trip with the prettier heart?"

"It was really great."

"See? Traveling is best with a beautiful woman, isn't it?"

"That beautiful woman enjoyed it so much. I felt sorry that the trip was so late."

"Don't fall for a woman. She will betray Second Young Lord in the end."

"The Thousand Flower Palace Chairwoman would be sad to hear that."

"She knows too. That I don't trust her. You can't betray someone who doesn't trust you."

"Then I suppose you don't trust me either, Lord Smiling Demon."

"I don't trust humans. Being close is one thing, trust is a separate issue."

I was grateful that he was telling me this is how he is. The problem in relationships was always the disappointment upon discovering the other person wore a different mask.

"Did my brother visit you?"

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon added other information to his answer. "He visited twice. It seems he's been diligently meeting not only me but also the Poison King and the Fist Demon."

"We're still at an advantage then, aren't we?"

"Why do you calculate it that way?"

"Even if the Poison King and the Fist Demon have taken my brother's side, that's three including the Demonic Buddha. On the other hand, we have you, Lord Smiling Demon, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, the Flower Sword Supreme, and the Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme. That's four of us, isn't it? Four versus three, we have the advantage."

"It's not four versus three."

"Why not?"

"For starters, I myself am on neither First Young Lord's side nor Second Young Lord's side."

I had achieved my goal of making him side with neither me nor my brother. Of course, my emotional connection with him was more intimate than that.

"Then we're at a disadvantage. Our Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme is still too weak to pull her own weight."

"Is it just Seobhon? Are you certain that the Blood Heaven Blade Demon and the Flower Sword Supreme are on Second Young Lord's side? Did you sign a pact in blood? You shouldn't ignore what First Young Lord is offering. Money and power, very concise and clear. He's even presenting specific amounts and positions. He knows he's at a disadvantage and is betting the maximum he can."

It was also a breathing room I had allowed. Right, brother. You do your best too. There are things that can only be understood between people who are doing their best.

"When faced with complex and troublesome problems, humans eventually choose the simplest option. At least First Young Lord feels simpler than Second Young Lord."

Perhaps the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon was trying to show me how easily humans are swayed and how easily human relationships crumble. That must be why he entrusted the mask to the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, to show that a crack can form in a relationship for such a simple reason. Of course, it did not work because the Blood Heaven Blade Demon's heart was broader than he thought.

He was advising me. That if I approached this emotionally, I would fail.

"I'm going to bet big too. Unconditionally double whatever my brother offers! How about it? Are you tempted?"

"Do you have that much money?"

"I'll have to start earning it now. If you have any money, please lend me some."

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon then leaped lightly and flew to the back wall.

"That's harsh."

"Don't forget. It's always the one borrowing money who is being harsh."

We looked at each other and laughed at the same time.

"But you said my brother is approaching the Poison King and the Fist Demon. Why did he leave out the Great Drunken Demon?"

When I mentioned the Great Drunken Demon, the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's smile vanished. He asked abruptly, "Do you like to drink?"

"I drink in moderation."

"The Drunken Demon is a man who has taken alcohol to its absolute limit. It's not easy for a sober person to deal with a drunkard."

"Do you know about the Drunken Demon?"

I knew a fair amount about the Demon Supremes, but that information was more focused on the future than the present. I knew about the major events of their lives, about them when they came looking for materials for the Great Law, and about their final moments. However, I did not know much about what kind of person the Drunken Demon was at this point in time. The same was true for the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon, who was living in the same era.

"I don't know him well, but I don't feel good when I see him."

"If the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon feels bad seeing him, doesn't that make him a good person?"

"Perhaps. Or…… he could be an even worse person."

"That's a bit scary. Worse than the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon."

"That person's smell of alcohol has always made me feel bad."

With those words, the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon mentioned the Drunken Demon no more. His two eyes, looking at me, held a peculiar glint. It was as if he found it interesting to see how I would deal with him.

He definitely knew something more about the Drunken Demon. His wicked nature is acting up again, and he's trying to enjoy the situation without telling me.

"Smiling Demon, what do you know about the Drunken Demon?"