Chapter 178: Who Is Third?

TL: FoodieMonster007

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon was training. He had started long before my recent test, so he had been absorbed in his practice for some time without a break.

"Are you really preparing for war?"

He answered without turning his head.

"When you get old, every day is a war."

"I'm back."

This time, I ran up and threw my arms around the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.

"What is this disgusting act?" the Blood Heaven Blade Demon demanded, startled as he forcibly pushed me away.

Honestly, I want to hug Father like this, but I'm too afraid to try. I fear I'd get beaten with the Nine Calamities Demonic Art.

"I missed you, Elder."

"You're acting like someone I haven't seen in ten years."

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon thrust the Heaven Destroying Dao into the ground. He then leaned against the blade. The sword looked like his friend in moments like these, which was a truly pleasant sight.

"What about the Heavenly Enlightenment Society Chairman?"

"He's dead."

"There must have been many people around him."

"I got a lot of blood on my hands this time."

Perhaps sensing the bitterness in my answer, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon went inside. He brought out some alcohol and poured me a drink.

"What can you do? Such is your fate. Drink up and shake it off."

I drained the drink he gave me in one go. It felt as if the Blood Heaven Blade Demon was washing the blood from my hands. It was a drink and a comfort from someone who knew better than anyone what it meant to kill a person.

I did not say thank you. As always, words were not enough to repay him.

"First Young Lord will never give up, so things won't be easy from now on. His abilities and qualities might not measure up to yours, but his obsession with becoming the Heavenly Demon is stronger than yours."

Trying to keep a brother like that alive was certainly going to be difficult.

"By the way, have you seen your disciple?"

"He came by a little while ago."

"You did a really good job choosing him as your successor."

"We'll have to wait and see."

"He'll do better than anyone. Oh, you must have heard that he won the Young Dragon Tournament."

"He won?"

"You wrote that he would die if he lost, so how could he not win? He would've had to win even if it was a world number one duel competition. Besides, whose martial arts is it? How could he possibly lose?"

A flicker of joy crossed the Blood Heaven Blade Demon's face, as if he truly had not expected him to win. At times like this, it was clear he had affection for Seo Daeryong.

"Whew. Seeing that chatterbox didn't brag about it, I can tell how much he fears you, Elder. Please be a little easier on him."

"If a master and disciple get too comfortable, problems are bound to arise. In any case, he must be full of himself now. He'll need some hellish training."

Ah, Detective Seo. This was something I hadn't anticipated. My apologies.

"You should go now. Don't you have other Demon Supremes to see?"

"No. I'll see the other Demon Supremes later. Today, I'm only seeing you, Elder."

When you like someone, you should show it this clearly. The saying goes, 'a person who likes everyone likes no one,' and everyone ends up thinking that way regardless of the person's true intentions. 'Oh, that person just likes everyone, right?' That was a misunderstanding I did not want from the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.

"Your flattery is the same as ever."

However, an unconcealable smile bloomed on the Blood Heaven Blade Demon's lips. He secretly enjoyed this sort of thing.

"Go and greet the Demon Supremes. They all stepped up for you, so it's polite to greet them."

"Yes, I'll do that then."

"Even though you wanted to go deep down."

"You just need to know that you are always my top priority, Elder."

I left the residence, leaving the Blood Heaven Blade Demon to swing his blade once more.

Before heading to the Valley of Evil, I stopped by my home to pick up my white mask. Isn't it proper etiquette to wear a mask when visiting the Valley of Evil?

The Faceless Warriors, clad in their white masks, no longer watched me with the same special attention. The hostility in their gazes had vanished. I could tell from their reactions that my relationship with the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon was deepening. If they were to greet me with favorable gazes, it would mean we had become even closer.

Guided by the Faceless Warriors, I entered the residence of the Evil Valley Lord.

At first, I considered these Demon Supremes as important as my martial arts training, so meeting them felt like a task. Now, it was no longer a task but a relationship. Surprisingly, I was visiting them because I genuinely wanted to see them.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon was looking at the white wall again today. What in the world could he be thinking while staring at that wall?

"I'm here."

I greeted him cheerfully and lifted my mask to the top of my head. The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon then turned his body toward me. My gaze met his two eyes from behind the mask. To think a day would come when I would feel so happy to meet the eyes of the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon and I had fought two life-or-death battles together. The first was against the Sword Emperor Baek Manggi, and the second was against the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's senior, Yang Cheogi. Both were battles for our lives, and perhaps because of that, we shared the special bond of comrades-in-arms who had protected each other.

"I heard you finished the matter with the Heavenly Enlightenment Society."

"Whose revenge was it? How could I have been negligent?"

This test was also related to the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon, as the society had recruited his senior, Yang Cheogi.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon laughed and said, "As you know, I am clear about my debts and grudges."

He was alluding to the time he had given a gratitude coin to Chu Saeng of the Wolpyeong Mun. The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon and a gratitude coin was a truly unfitting combination.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon held out a small box.

"What is this?"

"Open it."

When I opened the box, a single white pill was inside.

"It is the White Soul Pill, a secret manual miracle herb passed down in my sect."

A sharp yet intense fragrance quickly filled the room. I could feel that its efficacy was anything but ordinary.

"My sect sent it to me. It seems peace has come now that my senior, Yang Cheogi, is dead."

It appeared they had sent it as thanks for me sending back the sect's martial artists, who had come under his senior's orders, without harming any of them.

"I will give it to you, Second Young Lord."

"Why are you giving me something so precious?"

"Because I received it thanks to you, Second Young Lord."

It was a gift given with genuine sincerity. I was flustered by the unexpected present.

"No. You should take it, Smiling Demon."

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon then said something unexpected.

"I'm giving it to you because I also want to score some points with you, Second Young Lord, so please stop refusing and accept it."

"I want to score points too. Alright. Then how about this? Let's split it and each take half."

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon was startled by my words.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes. I'm greedy, so I'm not one to share miracle herbs, but I want to make an exception this time. Let's each take half to commemorate fighting and surviving together."

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's eyes shone brightly. They were the clearest I had ever seen them since we first met. I could feel that we were passing another turning point in our relationship.

"Alright. Let's do that."

I drew the Black Demon Sword and split the White Soul Pill exactly in half. As if drinking alcohol, we took it at the same time.

I swallowed the White Soul Pill. A cool, refreshing energy filled my mouth before it quickly melted and slid down my throat. It was a very potent miracle herb, but because my existing inner arts were already so profound, I absorbed all its effects without any issue. Even though it was only half, the amount of inner arts added to my qi center was not insignificant.

My eyes shone with a clear, deep light before returning to normal.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon also finished circulating his qi and rose from his seat.

"It's delicious, isn't it?"

"It's more delicious than any miracle herb I've ever eaten."

No more words were needed. We simply laughed together.

"That aside, what would you have done if I had given you poison? What if that was a fake White Soul Pill?"

"That's why we split it, wasn't it? To die together."

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon laughed out loud. To everyone else, his laughter might have been just a habit, but to me, it was filled with emotion. I could feel his feelings in his laughter.

"But are you alright, staring at that wall like that?"

"Isn't it good? It makes me look like a madman, and people don't mess with madmen. Why? Are you worried? That I might actually go crazy."

"A little."

At my honest answer, the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon revealed an unexpected fact.

"Shall I tell you a secret? The heart technique of my sect is enhanced when trained while looking at a white wall."

"Ah, so that's why."

I had no idea the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon was training his heart technique by looking at the wall. I realized it once again. They might seem unstable to my eyes, but everyone was living their own lives just fine.

"Did you come here after seeing the Blood Heaven Blade Demon upon your return?"

"……"

"It must be difficult to take care of everyone one by one."

"There are only four for now, right?"

"So you plan to take care of all eight."

Surprisingly, his prediction was correct.

"Yes. Whether they are allies or enemies, I will manage and take care of all eight of them."

"Can you handle it?"

Of course, it would not be an easy task. Even if we were laughing and getting along now, it was a relationship that could sour at any moment. If I took the Demon Supremes lightly, I would surely suffer for it one day.

"I told My Heart Lee something similar. That martial arts and life are connected. That statement doesn't just apply to her, does it? If I become a vessel capable of embracing all of the Eight Demon Supremes, then I should also be able to overcome the wall of martial arts that blocks my path."

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon stared at me for a moment before sharing something he had often felt.

"What is it that you're looking at, Second Young Lord? At times, I get the feeling that what you're aiming for isn't just to be the successor, or just to be the Heavenly Demon, but something else far beyond that."

Was it because we were two people who only ever looked into each other's eyes? He was also seeing that something beyond that I was looking at. The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon was sensing something that even people closer to me could not.

The day would come when I would tell him about my great enemy. Perhaps then, a moment would come when we would once again stand back-to-back, overcoming the boundary between life and death.

"If it's you, Smiling Demon, and not someone else, I don't think that moment would be so bad."

I spoke without any context, but the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon did not ask what I meant.

"I will wait for that moment."

"Then, I'll see you again."

I bid him farewell and left the Valley of Evil. The reunion with him had been as clean and crisp as his white mask.

The Flower Sword Supreme and the Drunken Demon were drinking, so I was able to see them both in one place. The two friends often drank together, and as it happened, they were drinking today as well.

"Welcome, Second Young Lord!"

Both the Flower Sword Supreme and the Drunken Demon were drunk. It was the first time I had ever seen the Flower Sword Supreme this intoxicated.

"You've fallen into the temptation of evil."

"You're here, so hurry up and save us."

Despite her words, the Flower Sword Supreme poured me a drink.

"Thank you for your help with the matter at the Valley of Evil."

"What did we do? We just swarmed over there."

Just then, the Drunken Demon asked me with a disgruntled expression.

"You've already met the Blood Heaven Blade Demon and the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon, haven't you?"

"……"

"Why are we last? Why third and fourth? You could have come to see us first, couldn't you?"

The Flower Sword Supreme joined his complaint. As she stared at me with her flushed, drunken face, I laughed.

"Which one of you is third?"

The two of them happily took my bait, a powerful attempt to drive a wedge between them.

"It's me."

At the Flower Sword Supreme's confidence, the Drunken Demon shook his head pitifully.

"My friend. I'm sorry, but it's me. I'm on brotherly terms with the Second Young Lord."

"Hey, friend. If it were a true brotherly relationship, you wouldn't be fighting over being third or fourth, would you?"

"We're the kind of friends who drink and swim together."

"I didn't want to go this far, but we even had a duel under the moonlight."

The two of them, who had been arguing, looked at me. They wanted me to choose who was third and who was fourth. The Drunken Demon asked with a desperate look in his eyes.

"Little brother. I'm not last, am I?"

"You're not last."

"Right?"

Just as he was smiling brightly, I said, "You're in the middle. Fourth among the eight Demon Supremes."

The Flower Sword Supreme drank the victor's cup.

"My friend, not all brothers are close, are they?"

The Drunken Demon pouted and drank his alcohol.

I was incredibly grateful to both of them. Were they people who deserved to be treated this way? Were they people who would ever be in third or fourth place to begin with? They were enduring it for my sake. They were willingly fighting over third and fourth place for me.

"Let me tell you two something today. You know the first two, right? They're picky, stubborn, and eccentric. On the other hand, what are you two like? You're the most generous among all the Demon Supremes, aren't you?"

"It's because we're generous, right? Not because we're pushovers?"

At the Drunken Demon's question, I feigned a flinch. The two of them laughed heartily as if they found it amusing. The three of us toasted and emptied our cups.

Putting down his cup, the Drunken Demon also delivered some rather surprising news.

"A while ago, the Blade Demon, myself, and the Sword Supreme here had a drink together."

The image of the three of them drinking together was not easy to conjure.

"How was it? Did you have a good time?"

"Do you think it was good?" the Drunken Demon let out a sigh.

"There wasn't a sword fight, was there?"

"It almost came to that."

"Then that's good enough."

Then the Flower Sword Supreme said, "What do you mean, good enough? Don't ever call me to a gathering like that again!"

Right, if people who had fallen out could reconcile so easily, why would there be any fights in the world? In any case, it was meaningful, because the Drunken Demon was trying to reconcile the two of them.

I raised my cup and spoke with my eyes.

You worked hard, Hyung.

The Drunken Demon smiled and raised his cup. Sometimes, acknowledging someone's hardship just once is better than a hundred kind words.

"Now that I've paid my respects upon my return, I'll be going."

I bid them farewell and stood up. The Drunken Demon even clung to my trouser leg, begging me to drink more, but I forced myself to leave. I could hang out with the Demon Supremes another time, but the opportunity to hunt with Father was not one that came often.

The next day at dawn, I shouldered a leather pouch larger than before and made my way to the Heavenly Demon Hall for my second hunt with Father.