Chapter 618: I'm Worried He'll Handle It Too Well

TL: FoodieMonster007

The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's Yueyang branch was in a state of continuous tension.

When the First Young Lord first arrived leading the elites of the Changsha Branch, everyone believed it was just a passing wind. He might have been stopping by on some urgent business. In the life of a demon, how could a wind not blow occasionally? It was fine, so long as you were not swept away by it.

However, the wind only continued to blow.

The very next day, martial artists from the Pingjiang branch arrived. Since they were nearby, their situation was well known. The strongest martial artists from the Pingjiang branch had come, having even opened their armory to don protective gear.

Beginning with them, all the elites of Hunan started to gather.

The elites from the Yiyang branch arrived, soon followed by the martial artists from the Mount Heng Branch. A certain individual who was said to be doing very well in the Mount Heng Branch lately also appeared, and they could even see the face of the monstrous newcomer from the Yongxing County branch.

Elites from other Branches and their sub-branches arrived one after another.

Only then did they realize the truth. This was not merely a passing wind but a typhoon, and their Yueyang branch was situated in the eye of the storm.

And today, a piece of news finally arrived from within that typhoon.

Ho Myeong entered Geom Muyang's room with hurried steps.

"Word has come from the All-Knowing Hall. They say they've found the woman from the smithy with the burn on the back of her hand."

Even if the number of women working in a smithy was small, there had to be more than one or two such women in the entire Central Plains. Nevertheless, the All-Knowing Hall had produced results.

Geom Muyang did not question the findings. If they said they found her, then she had been found.

Geom Muyang shot up from his seat.

"Let's go."

Seeing Geom Muyang's reaction, ready to depart and capture her immediately, Ho Myeong wore a troubled expression.

"However, the place the woman belongs to…"

Ho Myeong carefully continued, "She's part of the Murim Alliance Headquarters smithy."

"!"

Geom Muyang's expression hardened. The most troublesome name they could possibly deal with had just been mentioned.

Ho Myeong relayed the rest of the information from the All-Knowing Hall.

"The woman's name is Gwak Yeong, and she's twenty-seven years old. She is one of the three master artisans at the Murim Alliance Headquarters smithy."

"A master artisan at twenty-seven?"

To become a master artisan at the Murim Alliance smithy at such a young age, especially as a woman, meant she possessed not only talent but had also put in an extreme amount of effort.

But she made a counterfeit?

She had even met Gu Yong directly to sell the item. These were details he could not comprehend.

"It's been confirmed that she was away from the smithy around the time she met Gu Yong. The problem is, they say they lost track of her after she returned to Wuhan. It's presumed that news of the Black Hand Sect affair over here has reached her."

Judging by her actions, it seemed certain she was the woman they were searching for.

"So, we'll have to go to Wuhan after all."

Ho Myeong could not offer a reply to Geom Muyang's words, which were muttered as if to himself.

The place where the Murim Alliance Headquarters was located. Wuhan was truly a forbidden territory for the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.

Furthermore, even with advance notice, leading the elites of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult into Wuhan was impossible. The Murim Alliance would never permit such an operation.

"I will enter Wuhan alone."

There was a reason for such a decision.

"With all the elites gathered here, they won't expect me to enter Wuhan by myself."

"Absolutely not," Ho Myeong stated firmly.

"Is there another way, then?"

Of course, there was no other way. Even so, sending Geom Muyang there alone was completely out of the question.

"Then at least allow me and my subordinates to accompany you."

Ho Myeong stared at Geom Muyang with eyes that showed he would never back down.

"If you're going to go alone, you'll have to cut us down first."

Geom Muyang gazed out the window for a moment, lost in thought, before soon nodding his head in permission.

"Alright. Then let's inform only the branch chief here and slip out quietly."

This meant they would not tell any of the other martial artists who were present. They had to tell the branch chief, however. If a search began because the First Young Lord had disappeared, rumors would spread quickly.

"Understood. I will find a way for us to leave secretly."

Then, Geom Muyang gestured for him to come and look out the window. Ho Myeong walked over and stood beside him, looking outside.

A line of carts and wagons was arriving to deliver goods.

As the number of people residing there increased, the number of people coming and going naturally increased as well. To feed so many people, they had to purchase a great deal of cooking ingredients and food, and they also needed more people for washing dishes and cleaning.

Therefore, carts and wagons transported food and people several times a day.

Ho Myeong understood Geom Muyang's meaning.

"That's right. They don't pay much attention to the outgoing wagons."

While incoming carts were searched thoroughly, the empty carts and wagons that were leaving were not inspected with the same rigor.

A few days later, a large wagon approached Wuhan.

"We'll be arriving in Wuhan soon."

Crowded in the rear cargo bed were Geom Muyang, Ho Myeong, and the elites of the Changsha Branch. They had removed their martial arts uniforms and were now dressed as common laborers. Some were shirtless, while others were disguised as old men with wrinkles and beards. The wagon was disguised as if it were transporting workers to a construction site in Wuhan.

They were more nervous than they had ever been. Although they were the elites of their Branch, they had no experience carrying out an operation right in front of the Murim Alliance Headquarters.

Instead of reassuring his subordinates, Ho Myeong emphasized the danger.

"As you know, this mission is extremely dangerous."

It was truly a life-or-death mission.

"We'll have to face two types of enemies. The ones who made the counterfeit, and the people of the orthodox sects."

In some ways, the masters of the Murim Alliance were more dangerous than the scoundrels who created the counterfeit. How many Murim Alliance masters held a grudge against the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult?

Crucially, since they had not informed the Murim Alliance about this, there would be no excuse if they died at their hands. Furthermore, this was an operation with none other than the First Young Lord.

"Our mission is singular. To follow the First Young Lord's orders and to protect the First Young Lord."

Ho Myeong looked at Geom Muyang and declared forcefully, "We will serve you well so that we can all escape safely."

He omitted the part about them all dying for him. Ho Myeong's loyalty was genuine.

Geom Muyang gazed at the approaching city of Wuhan and replied indifferently, "I won't be returning on this road alone."

When the Blood Heaven Blade Demon lifted his head to look out the window, something was floating through the air, flying toward him.

Startled, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon saw that the object floating and flying before his eyes was a book.

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon caught the book. A peculiar light flashed in his eyes as he checked the title, and he immediately began to flip through the pages and read.

"Hey, what are you going to do if the book is poisoned? Why did you just catch it and start reading like that? You even lick your fingers when you turn the pages sometimes."

The person who emerged from the distant darkness, falsely accusing him of licking his fingers, was Geom Mugeuk.

Without even looking at Geom Mugeuk, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon turned a page and said, "Dying while reading a book wouldn't be so bad."

Geom Mugeuk shouted happily and ran into the room.

"Elder! I missed you!"

As Geom Mugeuk rushed in for a hug, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon stood up and showed his respects with a formal clasped-hands greeting.

"Greetings to the interim Cult Leader."

Geom Mugeuk, who had been rushing forward, stopped awkwardly.

"Why are you being like this? Between us."

"Do you have any orders for me, interim Cult Leader?"

"It's me, me! The handsome Young Cult Leader who brushed off the other seven Demon Supremes begging me to visit them first after I returned from my excursion, just to rush over and see you, Elder. You're really too much!"

Only then did the Blood Heaven Blade Demon's expression soften, and he sat back down.

"Too much? You're the one who's too much, only coming to greet me now."

"Isn't that why I brought a gift? It's the book you wanted to read, right? It just so happened to be in the Heavenly Demon Archives."

The book he brought was a collection of essays left by a master of old. He had read all the other books the master had left, but this was the only one he had not been able to obtain.

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon, his eyes still fixed on the book, said, "Don't you know you're not supposed to take books out of there?"

"And yet you're reading it so diligently."

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon quickly turned another page.

"Because this is the only chance I'll have to read it."

"No, please read it slowly. It's a gift."

"You're giving this to me?"

"When you say something like that, you should be looking at me!"

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon's gaze was still on the book.

"Aren't I the Cult Leader?"

"But it's a book that can't be given without the Cult Leader's permission?"

"The interim Cult Leader."

"Then I'll change the rules. Aren't interim rules still rules? And this is also rude to my father. 'I have a book I want to read, so please let me check if it's in the Heavenly Demon Archives.' What's so hard about saying that, that you didn't even mention it?"

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon read the book without a word. His special relationship with his father was likely something that could not be easily explained with words.

"I hear you've been cooped up in the Heavenly Demon Archives lately?"

"I'm reading with the thought that if not now, when?"

"A good attitude."

A satisfied smile formed on the Blood Heaven Blade Demon's lips.

"My decision to read books this time is purely because of you, Elder."

"Because of me?"

"Didn't I learn the joy of reading after meeting you, Elder?"

"You haven't even read that much. You always dozed off after a few pages."

Geom Mugeuk continued, pretending not to hear. "Ah, our Elder is so strong because he reads so many books. That's why he's so cool. If I read a lot of books too, maybe I can break through this wall I've hit in my martial arts?"

Since that was something he truly believed, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon even nodded as he said, "No matter how high the wall, if you stack books like a staircase, you can eventually reach the top."

He meant to step on those books and overcome the wall.

"If you can't climb it, it's because you haven't read enough books."

"I'll probably be the first Young Cult Leader to try and reach the next stage of the Nine Calamities Demonic Art through books."

After a brief pause, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon said, "That's why your Nine Calamities Demonic Art will be the strongest."

When Geom Mugeuk looked at the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, he was still looking at the book.

This time, when the Blood Heaven Blade Demon peeked up at him, Geom Mugeuk was looking at the bookshelf.

"There are a lot of books I haven't seen before."

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon might have taken his words as flattery or a joke, but his influence was truly a big reason why Geom Mugeuk had decided to enter the Heavenly Demon Archives.

Geom Mugeuk took out this book and that from the bookshelf and examined them.

How much time passed like that?

"Take this book back."

"Why? I told you it's a gift."

"That's enough. I'll ask the Cult Leader for it later."

Geom Mugeuk sent him a suspicious look.

"You've already finished it, haven't you?"

Seeing the Blood Heaven Blade Demon flinch, Geom Mugeuk pressed his attack.

"Of course you should have finished it. A little while ago, you were only half-listening to me because you were reading, right? Right? You didn't even look at my face once, did you? Didn't that book have a subtitle like this? My Young Cult Leader, Traded for a Book!"

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon finally broke into a wide smile. He had read a good book after a long time, and it was so enjoyable to trade jokes with Geom Mugeuk like this.

Just then, Cheokyeon's report came from outside.

"Strategist Sama requests your presence at the All-Knowing Hall."

Until now, he had delivered news directly about what had happened. But a summons to the All-Knowing Hall meant something had come up.

"Elder, I'm leaving. I'll see you later then."

"Take the book!"

Geom Mugeuk caught the book that the Blood Heaven Blade Demon carefully sent with telekinesis, tucked it into his robes, and disappeared from sight.

After he left, as the Blood Heaven Blade Demon was about to sit down again, he saw a book he had not seen before lying where Geom Mugeuk had been.

As if anticipating he would not accept it, he had even prepared a note.

[Our Cult won't be ruined just because one poetry collection disappears from the Heavenly Demon Archives.]

That book was also one the Blood Heaven Blade Demon had been unable to obtain and read. It was a book he had wanted even more than the one from before.

Geom Mugeuk had remembered this book, which he had only mentioned in passing someday.

"You're still the same, even as the interim Cult Leader."

He probably would not change even if he became the Cult Leader.

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon sat down with a deep smile and began to read the book. This time, he started turning the pages very slowly. He even licked his finger once.

Geom Mugeuk had already heard the news that his brother was heading to Wuhan.

The reason Sama Myeong had summoned him today was because others were also heading to Wuhan.

A flag was placed on the topographical map. The character written on the flag was Han (寒), meaning cold. A master represented by a flag from the All-Knowing Hall signified a master of incredible skill.

"The Cold Moon Warrior is on his way to Wuhan."

The Cold Moon Warrior was a master of the orthodox sects who had lost his family to demons in the past. Thus, he was a man who held a deep grudge against the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.

"Coincidentally, after the First Young Lord left for Wuhan, he also headed for Wuhan."

It could be a coincidence, or it might not be.

If it were only this, he probably would not have summoned Geom Mugeuk.

"The Cold Moon Warrior is a person of interest to our Cult, so we have been constantly tracking his movements. However…"

A new flag was placed on the topographical map. This time, it was Byeok (碧), meaning blue.

"In the course of investigating another matter, we coincidentally discovered that the Blue Mountain Swordsman is also heading to Wuhan."

He too was a master of such caliber as to have his own unique flag. The problem was the timing. Of all times, just as the First Young Lord was heading to Wuhan, two renowned masters of the orthodox sects were heading there.

Geom Mugeuk's gaze deepened.

"If they're going because of my brother, then there must be someone behind the scenes who can move at least two flags."

He did not know how those two masters were connected to the mastermind of this affair, but they were masters representing the orthodox sects regardless. Even if they attacked, they were not people who could just be killed recklessly. Especially not in Wuhan.

Sama Myeong said cautiously, "At least two."

What if other masters that the All-Knowing Hall had not identified were to join them?

"Please order the First Young Lord to return."

He was likely saying this because his intuition as a Strategist was bad.

"My brother won't come back."

Geom Mugeuk stared at Sama Myeong. Even in this situation, Sama Myeong was not trying to send him out. Then again, the more dangerous the situation became, the more he would try to keep him from going.

Even though he had not asked to be sent, Sama Myeong spoke first and firmly.

"You can't."

Geom Mugeuk nodded obediently. He knew well that Sama Myeong considered the duty of protecting the heir of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult more important than any other mission.

In truth, it would be a matter for consideration even if Sama Myeong asked him to go. For him to go when the danger had not been clearly identified? That was a poor strategy. It would be a choice to ignore his brother's pride and his brother's request, solely to save his life.

Geom Mugeuk's gaze turned to the green Demon Supreme flag on the topographical map. Sama Myeong's gaze naturally followed.

"Are you worried that the Poison King won't be able to handle it?"

"No, I'm worried he'll handle it too well."

Sama Myeong also knew what that meant and nodded silently.

What if a situation unfolded where the Poison King carried out a massacre in Wuhan? After all, the most powerful deterrent to war in the murim was now at the very front line.

Both the Poison King and his brother were very hard-line people. People who would never break. Someone was needed to act in their stead.

"Please relay this situation to one person."

And so, the news was delivered to one person.

A short while later, the Strategist who had gone to deliver the news on Geom Mugeuk's orders returned.

He returned and placed a new flag on the topographical map. The flag of the one his brother trusted most, the one who understood his brother best. It was a golden flag.

"The Demonic Buddha departed for Wuhan a short while ago."