I arrived at their safe house, not far from the Unorthodox Alliance’s headquarters, along with Bih Sa-in.
There, the Evil Smiling Demon and the Thirteen Wolves were waiting.
Ilrang was delighted as if someone who had been dead had come back to life.
“Young Master! You’re safe!”
“Ilrang, I’m sorry for leaving without saying anything.”
“I was very worried. Please don’t do this again.”
“I understand.”
The other Thirteen Wolves were also happy. Seeing them welcoming him seemed to ease Bih Sa-in’s mind.
“Though the Evil Smiling Demon assured your safety….”
Thinking of Ilrang worrying about how the situation might become even more dangerous with the Evil Smiling Demon guaranteeing safety made me chuckle.While Bih Sa-in was catching up with the Thirteen Wolves, Soma called me to a separate room.
The eyes behind his white mask scrutinized me thoroughly.
“Bih Sa-in probably doesn’t even know what he’s lost. What did you actually gain?” 1
“I just tried to win his heart.”
“That can’t be it. That’s something even I or the Thirteen Wolves could have done.”
Traveling together for a while, the Evil Smiling Demon had figured me out too well.
“Come to think of it, your gaze seems deeper. Have you made progress in your martial arts?”
“There’s been a little progress.”
In fact, achieving the Twelve Stars of the Soaring Sword Art was a tremendous accomplishment, but I only revealed half the truth. I thought I couldn’t completely fool Soma, nor did I want to.
“If our Second Young Master’s skills have improved, I’d lose if we fought now.”
“No matter the other Demon Supremes, I still wouldn’t be able to beat you, Soma.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re the Evil Smiling Demon.”
Knowing it was a compliment, the Evil Smiling Demon laughed.
That afternoon, Bih Sa-in came to see me.
He had devised a plan, and it was very dangerous.
“You plan to use yourself as bait.”
He had staked his life on this.
“I’ll leak the information that I have evidence. Evidence that points to Seok Gwan-chu as the mastermind behind all the misdeeds. If I say I’ll report this to the leader, Seok Gwan-chu will surely come to kill us.”
With Black Kill Master dead, the visit to White Night Valley, and even Yuklang’s death, it was plausible we had the evidence.
“He has to kill us as soon as possible, but he won’t be able to quickly gather external experts. Either he’ll come himself or send someone deeply connected to him.”
“Do you understand how dangerous this plan is?”
“Of course, I know. He will surely send someone who can kill me. He might even come himself.”
“Even so, why have you come up with such a dangerous plan?”
“Because there’s one thing they’re overlooking.”
“What is it?”
“It’s you, Young Master. They would never expect that you and the Evil Smiling Demon would help me.”
He asked me,
“Will you help me?”
“I will help.”
Bih Sa-in was taken aback by my immediate response.
“Why don’t you ask for a reward? This time, no matter what conditions you set, I have no choice but to agree. Even if you asked for everything I have, I’d have to give it.”
“I want to properly shake hands with you one day.”
Bih Sa-in’s eyes wavered. Help received in times of difficulty always leaves a lasting impact. If I could win his heart this time, it would be more powerful than any elixir or treasure.
After parting with him, I met with Soma to inform him of the plan.
“Young Master, you should stay out of this.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yes.”
“Are you worried about me?”
“No, I’m worried about myself. I came here with you, and if you die in front of the Unorthodox Alliance’s headquarters, what will become of me? I won’t be able to face the Cult Leader.”
I was actually concerned about the same thing. My father had ordered not to kill any more Demon Supremes, but if the Evil Smiling Demon died, what would happen to me?
“Let’s decide based on the situation.”
“As you wish.”
“This fight isn’t ours. There’s no need to jump in so dangerously.”
At my words, Soma’s eyes lit up. The stronger the opponent, the more he burned with excitement.
Back in my room, I wrapped the Supreme Heavenly Silk around my heart, neck, abdomen, and limbs. Then, I donned the Ghost Protector Garment given by the Blood Heaven Sword Demon.
I quietly practiced my breathing techniques, preparing for the upcoming battle.
Late at night, I woke up.
The Heavenly Demon Body Protection Technique had roused me. It was the first time it had awakened me so fiercely and strongly. I knew then.
‘A formidable foe.’
Though I had anticipated a strong opponent, it was the first time the Heavenly Demon Body Protection Technique had reacted so intensely.
The Evil Smiling Demon, who was sleeping in the same room, also opened his eyes abruptly.
“Did you feel it?”
“Yes.”
“Let’s go.”
Like Soma, I also put on my mask.
We headed towards the source of the powerful aura. It was the building where Bih Sa-in was staying.
Crash! Smash!
Martial artists burst through the windows and walls. They were Bih Sa-in and the Thirteen Wolves. Their expressions were filled with panic.
Following them, an old man leisurely stepped out, making his appearance.
He wore pristine white robes and had a long white beard that reached his chest, resembling an immortal. His face and hands were deeply wrinkled, showing the passage of time, but his eyes were as fierce as a wild beast’s.
The old man was dragging someone along. The person was already a mangled corpse, leaving a trail of blood in his wake.
Whoosh.
The old man flung the corpse, which rolled into the middle of the courtyard. The deceased was one of the Thirteen. 2
The expressions of the Thirteen Wolves hardened at the sight of their fallen comrade. Although their eyes gleamed with vengeful intent, none of them acted rashly or cursed.
They were undoubtedly intimidated by the swordsmanship the old man had displayed when he killed their comrade.
“Who are you?” Ilrang asked, trying to suppress his anger.
He was not Seok Gwan-chu. He was much older and exuded a far more intense presence than the Great Elder.
“And who might you be?” The old man’s voice cut through the night air. It was low and calm, yet it carried a sense of profound inner strength.
“I am Ilrang, leader of the Thirteen Wolves.”
“Come closer,” he said.
Of course, Ilrang did not approach.
“How can a coward lead the Thirteen Wolves?”
Ilrang’s expression hardened, but he didn’t fall for the old man’s provocation.
Instead, he quietly said to Bih Sa-in, “We’ll handle this. You should escape.”
The plan to lure and capture them fell apart with the old man’s sudden appearance.
Bih Sa-in had no intention of escaping, but even if he had, it wouldn’t have been easy. Another master had appeared on the opposite wall.
It was Seok Gwan-chu, the mastermind behind this incident. He also exhibited the demeanor fitting his rank as the Great ELder.
His presence signified that he intended to kill everyone.
With his hands behind his back, Seok Gwan-chu looked up at the night sky and said, “The moonlight is beautiful, so I came out for a stroll with my master.”
When everyone realized the identity of the old man, they were all shocked.
Seok Gwan-chu’s master.
The Sword Emperor Baek Mang-gi.
A master of the Swift Sword Technique, he was over 130 years old, an elder of the previous generation.
For decades, he had not shown himself in Murim, but now he appeared. They intended to draw in villains, but a monster emerged instead.
“Hey, Young Master.” 3
Seok Gwan-chu was calm and composed.
“There is only one way for you to live.”
“What is it?”
“You know what I want, don’t you?”
“Are you talking about the evidence to present to the leader? It seems even Elder Seok is afraid of the leader.”
“Hand it over while I’m asking nicely.”
“Do you think I’m a fool who would carry that around with me? If you kill me, the evidence will immediately go to the leader. Then, Elder Seok will also bear the crime of killing me.”
At that moment, Baek Mang-gi, Seok Gwan-chu’s master, leaped into the air. He slowly walked through the air and softly landed in front of Bih Sa-in. It was as if a god descended from the heavens.
Bang, bang, bang!
All the swords that attempted to protect Bih Sa-in were deflected.
Baek Mang-gi’s sword was back in its sheath. He had already drawn his sword, deflected the Thirteen Wolves’s swords, and returned it to his scabbard.
The Thirteen Wolves were overwhelmed by the speed of the swordsmanship.
Baek Mang-gi quietly looked into Bih Sa-in’s eyes.
“Eyes that do not know how to lie.”
Baek Mang-gi said, looking at Seok Gwan-chu.
“There is no evidence.”
“I expected that.”
Seok Gwan-chu rebuked Bih Sa-in with a calm face, as if he believed everything his master said.
“What exactly made you think you could pull off such a stunt? Did you really think I would foolishly walk into a trap you set and offer my neck?”
Bih Sa-in said nothing. The moment Baek Mang-gi arrived, all plans went awry.
While the Thirteen Wolves could be confronted with combined efforts, Baek Mang-gi was a being far beyond their capabilities.
At that moment, Baek Mang-gi turned his head and looked over.
“It seems you believed in those playing ghost tricks over there.”
Of course, both Baek Mang-gi and Seok Gwan-chu had been aware of our presence from the beginning. Seok Gwan-chu knew precisely about us.
“It’s the Evil Smiling Demon, one of the Eight Demonic Supremes.”
“I’ve heard there are lackeys in the Demonic Cult who wear masks and pretend to be mysterious. But what makes you stand there even though you know it’s me? Do you think I wouldn’t kill you because I fear the Heavenly Demon?”
“It seems so.”
Then, Soma spoke to me.
“It’s not too late now.”
“Shall we run?”
“Do as you wish, Young Master.”
At that moment, my eyes met Bih Sa-in’s. Instead of fear, there was resoluteness in Bih Sa-in’s expression. It was a look that said it was okay for me to leave, that there would be no resentment.
“I don’t want to remember that expression as the last thing we shared. This damned loyalty, pride, and promises. Ah! This is why the average lifespan of Murim practitioners drops drastically.”
“I expected that.”
The Evil Smiling Demon laughed. Even if he died, he would fight like a madman until the end.
But that wasn’t why we decided to fight. We knew they wouldn’t just let us go. Such a big secret couldn’t be leaked to the outside.
“Hey, old man. Your opponent is over here.”
At Soma’s words, Baek Mang-gi laughed. Seok Gwan-chu laughed as well.
“Did you think I would care about the Heavenly Demon?”
The moment Baek Mang-gi finished speaking, he charged at us. He was incredibly fast. The moment we realized he was coming, his sword was already drawn right in front of us.
Shwik! Shwiik!
Peet! Pat!
In an instant, the situation was over.
Baek Mang-gi stepped back and looked at me with a surprised expression.
“You?”
His long beard was cut off and scattered between us.
Baek Mang-gi had tried to cut down Soma, but I had cut Baek Mang-gi. He was fast, but so was I. Baek Mang-gi had almost lost his head to my sword.
The composure vanished from Baek Mang-gi’s face. He had not encountered such a dangerous moment in decades. This was probably the first time his heart had raced like this.
Not only Baek Mang-gi, but also Seok Gwan-chu, Bih Sa-in, and the Thirteen Wolves all looked at me with shocked faces.
It was at that moment.
Screeeech.
The mask of the Evil Smiling Demon, which had been struck by Baek Mang-gi’s sword, split in half from the forehead to the chin and fell down.
Evil Smiling Demon had also not completely avoided Baek Mang-gi’s attack.
As the mask fell, Soma was very flustered. If faced with the choice of death or removing his mask, he would choose death.
Just as his face was about to be revealed.
Snap.
A new mask covered his face.
I had taken off my mask and blocked his face with it.
Our eyes met for a moment. Instead of the shame that would have been worse than death, his eyes were filled with intense emotion directed at me.
“Only take off your mask when you wish to, Soma-nim.”
Suppressing the surging emotions of the Evil Smiling Demon, I turned to face Baek Mang-gi.
I didn’t know. I didn’t know that the fact that Soma almost died would make me this angry. I really didn’t know. 4
1 : He’s really getting a reputation XDXDXD
2 : I’ll admit, I was very tempted to edit it as ‘The old man flung the corpse, who ragdolled into the middle of the courtyard.’ I restrained myself XDXDXD
3 : Talking to Bih Sa-in, not Geom Mugeuk.
4 : Shounen Rage Power, GOOOOO !!!!!
Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!
Use arrow keys (or A / D) to PREV/NEXT chapter