Chapter 307: Why Are the Flowers Entrusted to Me

TL: FoodieMonster007

To visit the flower garden naturally, I needed one person's help.

"Are you moving?"

Lee Ahn looked up from the clothes and luggage scattered around the room.

"You're here?"

Lee Ahn was preparing to leave the cult. She was about to depart to meet Seo Jin, the Ghostly Sage's younger sister.

"It's a long journey, so there's so much to prepare. I need a change of clothes, a formal outfit for meeting Young Lady Seo, and some food in case I get hungry. I've also packed wound salves and antidotes. I probably don't need medicine for adjusting to new water, right? I've got a map, too, and…"

"What are these?"

"Ah, these are bowls for camping, this is seasoning, and this is a leather hide to sleep on."

I pulled all the bowls from her leather pouch.

"Don't cook anything that requires bowls. For seasoning, just take salt. What's this?"

"It's a book to read when I can't sleep."

"Since when do you read so much? Pick just one!"

I helped her pack. Or rather, I helped her unpack.

"When are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow morning. I was just about to come say my goodbyes."

"You're going alone?"

"Yes. I'm going to try and persuade her, woman to woman."

If Seo Jin, a descendant of the Ghost Sect, joined the Ghost Shadow Squad, our strength would increase significantly. She was skilled not only in formations but also in ghost arts.

"No matter how much luggage you have, you can take this much, right? Here, try this on."

I held out what I had brought. It was a leather belt for the waist, densely packed with small throwing knives.

"These are throwing knives I specially commissioned from Artisan Gwak of the smithy. Use them when you're in danger. It's a farewell gift."

"Ah! Thank you, Young Master!"

Lee Ahn was deeply moved by the unexpected gift. She wrapped the leather belt around her waist, then quickly drew a throwing knife and threw it at the wall.

Four throwing knives stuck into the wall. If a person had been drawn there, the knives would have hit the arms and legs.

I drew a throwing knife from her belt and threw it.

The knife landed in the neck.

"Always here."

It was advice to be ruthless when facing an enemy.

"Remember this. Your clumsy mercy could get someone else killed."

Lee Ahn nodded once, then threw another knife.

It struck right next to mine.

I gave her a nod that said, 'Well done.'

Lee Ahn retrieved the throwing knives from the wall and put them back on her belt.

"I really love it! Thank you, Young Master."

"Don't be too frugal with them. I'll have more made when you run out."

"I'll be careful and come back safely. Don't worry."

"I'm not worried. Why would I worry about the direct Captain of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's Young Cult Leader and the daughter of the Fist Demon? On that note, shall we go for a short walk?"

"As you can see, I'm busy. Please pick that up for me, and bring me the clothes hanging over there."

"A woman who rejects the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult!"

Of course, Lee Ahn was only joking about being busy.

"I'd have to go even if you asked me to walk all the way to the Outer Regions."

She came to my side and almost linked arms with me but flinched. Before, she would have piggybacked on me or linked arms without a second thought. It seemed she found it difficult to treat me so casually now that I was the Young Cult Leader.

When we left my residence, the bodyguards waiting outside greeted her.

Lee Ahn greeted them back. As they were my two closest organizations, they were subconsciously aware of each other. To be precise, the bodyguard captain, Cheokyeon, was a bit more conscious of it.

When the bodyguards followed us, Lee Ahn showed a hint of confusion. It had been a while since we were alone, so she probably hadn't expected me to bring them.

I felt sorry for not telling her in advance, but today's outing was more official than personal.

After leaving the Headquarters, we entered the Demon Village. It felt good to walk with Lee Ahn after so long. We looked at goods in the market and chatted about various things until we soon arrived at the Alluring Inn.

When I walked right past it, Lee Ahn asked in surprise, "Huh? Aren't we going to the Alluring Inn?"

"No."

She seemed to have assumed that since we were in the Demon Village, we were naturally going to the Alluring Inn.

We continued down the path and arrived at the flower garden on the outskirts, the one mentioned in Seo Daeryong's report.

"Buy a flower. One that blooms well through the winter."

"No way. Did you come here to buy me a flower?"

When I nodded, she was even happier than when she had received the throwing knives.

"This is the first time I've ever received flowers as a gift!"

Before we entered, the bodyguards went inside first to search the area.

A woman with a benevolent appearance, who seemed to be the owner, came out from the garden's backyard holding a flowerpot. The moment she saw us, she startled and put the flowerpot down.

She looks familiar.

I had definitely seen the woman somewhere before, but I couldn't remember where. It certainly wasn't from buying flowers.

There's something about her.

I examined her qi. A casual look would not have revealed she was a martial artist. The woman was that good at concealing her qi.

My guess was correct. Sa Woojong must have visited this place because of that woman. A simple rendezvous would only require one or two visits, but the report said he came often, almost daily. He must have been learning something from her.

"Owner, please recommend a flower that would suit this beautiful Young Lady."

The middle-aged woman bowed her head politely. "We have flowers befitting one so noble and beautiful. Come, this way please."

She took Lee Ahn and introduced her to the flowers. Judging by her extensive knowledge, anyone would have thought she owned the garden.

If she's a master capable of disguising herself this well, I should be able to remember her.

With a sense of doubt, I looked around the flower garden. Baek Cheongeong's workshop had a sinister energy from the dolls, but here, there were just ordinary flowers and trees.

She wasn't one of the Twelve Zodiac Kings who followed Hwa Mugi.

Then was she someone I saw during my mercenary days? Or when I was searching for materials for the grand technique?

I even examined her body shape. I thought I might recognize her body or her gait if not her face, but still, no one came to mind.

While I was thinking, Lee Ahn chose a flower.

"She said this is the longest-living flower tree. A really pretty flower will bloom from this bud."

Then she flinched in surprise. "Ah! Come to think of it, I have to leave the cult tomorrow, don't I?"

I smiled. "Don't we have a flower-tending expert?"

Lee Ahn, guessing who I meant, smiled in relief.

I paid the middle-aged woman for the flower. She might have found my sudden visit suspicious.

However, she would be confused. I brought Lee Ahn without saying anything, and her happiness was genuine, not an act. I also deliberately brought the bodyguards. She would probably overthink it, assuming someone wouldn't bring such a large entourage on an investigation.

Hey, who are you? If this is the first time I've seen you, why do you look so familiar?

The next day, I stopped by Seo Daeryong's office. He was watering a flowerpot. There were now two flowerpots on the windowsill.

"This is the pot that Martial Artist Lee left in your care," Seo Daeryong joked.

"Do you know what Martial Artist Lee said when she left this with me?"

"If you kill the flower, she won't let you get away with it?"

"It would've been better if she had. I could've at least protested, asking what kind of threat that was for someone making a request."

Seo Daeryong imitated Lee Ahn.

"'Ah! Look at this flower bud. It'll be so pretty when it blooms, won't it? I'm so, so excited. It's the first flower I've ever received from the Young Master. The flower will have bloomed by the time I get back. Right?'"

Seo Daeryong shook his head. "You should have seen her eyes. They were sparkling with anticipation, with a hint of tears. Ah! How could I possibly kill this flower?"

Seo Daeryong had been thoroughly bested by Lee Ahn's advanced tactic, which was more terrifying than any threat.

"Why are the flowers entrusted to me always ones that I absolutely cannot let die!"

Sighing, Seo Daeryong looked at the flowerpot. "Grow well here next to your Orabeoni."

"Why Orabeoni?"

"They look alike, don't they? The flower tree that the Sword Supreme gave me is…"

The next moment, I kicked open the door to Seo Daeryong's office and ran.

I remembered who she was.

Hwan Yeo!

I had never seen her before. I mistakenly thought I had because I knew someone who looked similar to her.

The Fifth King of the Twelve Zodiac Kings who followed Hwa Mugi. The Illusion King, an absolute master of illusion and soul-stealing arts.

Hwan Yeo and the Illusion King were twins.

The fact that the Illusion King had a twin Noona was revealed long after he was active as one of the Twelve Zodiac Kings. The Illusion King rose so successfully because of Hwan Yeo, who operated in secret.

Furthermore, the Illusion King and Hwan Yeo were famous for being fearsome and vicious. They mercilessly killed anyone who stood in their way. They were heartless fiends who used soul-stealing arts to make parents kill their children, wives kill their husbands, and friends kill their friends. Everyone feared them.

Hwan Yeo's target is the Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme!

"The Sword Supreme has a confidential message to deliver."

Seeing the demonic sword from the Northern Heaven Sword Sect, Cheongseon sighed. The person bowing his head was Sa Woojong. She had refused to meet him, so he had come openly, using an errand for the Sword Supreme as an excuse.

"Follow me."

Cheongseon dismissed her subordinates and led Sa Woojong to the guest hall. Once they were alone, Cheongseon's expression hardened.

"Don't you know that faking an order from the Sword Supreme is a grave crime? If she finds out, she won't let you get away with this."

"Then go tattle to the Sword Supreme."

Sa Woojong acted like a twisted, heartbroken child.

"Are you really going to be like this? If you're a man, you should know how to give up."

"That's not something you should be saying, kicking a man aside just because you've become the Demon Supreme."

"Do you think I abandoned you because I became the Demon Supreme?" A sneer as cold as her gaze touched Cheongseon's lips.

"You have someone else you like, don't you?"

She had belatedly realized that Sa Woojong was in love with the Flower Sword Supreme.

"Did you think I wouldn't know you were thinking of that woman when you were in bed with me?"

It was something that hurt her pride as a woman so much she didn't even want to say it.

In truth, she hadn't dreamed of such a thing at first. No matter how outstanding her appearance was, she couldn't have imagined he would love the Flower Sword Supreme, a woman old enough to be his parent.

Sometimes he would stare at the painting on the wall with a passionate gaze, but she had thought it was just respect for the Sword Supreme. However, once the blinders were off, she could see it was the gaze of a man looking at a woman. He had even looked at the Sword Supreme's painting while in bed with her. The thought alone made her want to kill him.

However, since she had entrusted this matter to Geom Mugeuk, she had to placate him and send him away.

"You should be grateful I even let you live. Go back now."

Sa Woojong provoked her to the very end. "What can I do? The Sword Supreme is more charming. Any man would feel the same."

Cheongseon clenched her fists. What angered her more was that he thought he could spew such nonsense and she wouldn't be able to kill him.

"You know what? Surprisingly, the Sword Supreme's skin was better."

Sa Woojong chose the method that would infuriate a person the most. He compared them again and again.

"Stop it. If you don't want to die."

Cheongseon endured, but Sa Woojong provoked her further, even making things up.

"The Sword Supreme smells nice. Is it because she practices evil arts? I never said it, but you had a nauseating smell. You might not know, but I even had to hold my nose sometimes…"

Cheongseon whipped around. Her eyes, even the whites, had turned completely black.

KIIIIIIII.

With a bizarre sound, black energy erupted from Cheongseon's eyes.

HAAAAAAA.

At the same time, red energy erupted from Sa Woojong's eyes. If Cheongseon's soul-stealing art produced a ghostly sound, the Yin Yang Reverse Soul Art echoed with the cries of a passionate man and woman.

The red energy coiled around the incoming black energy like a snake and flew toward Cheongseon's eyes. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that only a person who had slept with the target could have.

I did it.

As the red energy rode the black energy and penetrated her eyes, Sa Woojong was ecstatic. He imagined becoming the Demon Supreme and making the Flower Sword Supreme his woman.

Just then!

!

Sa Woojong's eyes flew open. Against his will, his right hand began to draw his sword.

What? No!

The woman from the flower garden had said it clearly. The moment the Yin Yang Reverse Soul Art took effect, Cheongseon's soul-stealing art would be broken.

But the Yin Yang Reverse Soul Art definitely took effect, didn't it?

Even now, the red energy was occupying her eyes and pushing out her black energy. However, Cheongseon's soul-stealing art still controlled his body.

SHIIING.

He aimed the drawn sword at his own neck.

Only then did Sa Woojong understand.

She tricked me.

He realized too late that it couldn't break the opponent's soul-stealing art. He, who was so cautious and suspicious, had been tricked by her as if possessed.

Could it be me too?

The moment he suspected that the woman from the flower garden might have placed some kind of suggestion on him!

"……"

He cut his own throat with his sword.

At that very moment, Geom Mugeuk rushed into the guest hall.

Sa Woojong was collapsing, a fountain of blood spraying from his neck. Beyond him, Cheongseon was visible.

The red energy of the Yin Yang Reverse Soul Art had now completely driven the black energy from her pupils. The red energy filling her eyes gradually shrank to a dot, and then her eyes began to return to normal.

Geom Mugeuk could tell.

Cheongseon has been hit by a soul-stealing art.

Originally, their target would have been the previous Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme, but because I killed the Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme in this life, the target naturally changed to Cheongseon. Now I knew for sure.

The traitor before my regression was the Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme.