Chapter 848 : Don’t Flip Over the Cult Leader’s Drinking Table

When ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Geom Mugeuk and Geom Woojin stepped outside, Hui was just placing food there.

At ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the appearance of the two, Hui greeted them with a bright expression, cupping his fists.

“I ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍greet the Cult Leader and the Young Cult Leader.”

As ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍he spoke, he examined Geom Woojin first. Since time flowed differently inside and outside, he had been worried there might have been some change to the Cult Leader. Fortunately, Geom Woojin looked no different from before he entered.

“Uncle, ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍you’ve worked hard, haven’t you?”

“Not ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍at all. I merely carried the food.”

“Please tell the cooks! Their hard work is over now!”

Thanks to the cooks and Hui, he and his father had been able to eat well and train.

“If we had only eaten jerky or grain pills, we probably wouldn’t have come out even now.”

Hui spoke politely to Geom Mugeuk.

“Congratulations on achieving great accomplishment.”

Geom Mugeuk asked with a surprised expression.

“Does it show?”

“No, I can no longer even begin to gauge the Young Cult Leader’s level.”

That was not mere courtesy, it was the truth. He had long since surpassed the stage of Complete Reversal of Energy and Spirit, and now Geom Mugeuk had reached the final realm of martial arts.

“Then how did you know?”

“If it weren’t a critical moment, you wouldn’t have entered seclusion together. And since you did, you wouldn’t come out without any results.”

Hui knew their personalities well, especially the Cult Leader’s. The Cult Leader never gave up midway.

Geom Woojin spoke as if proud.

“Mugeuk has achieved the Twelve Star Greatness of the Nine Calamities Demon Art at the youngest age in the history of our cult.”

At the mention of Twelve Star Greatness, Hui was astonished and congratulated Geom Mugeuk again.

“Young Cult Leader, my sincere congratulations.”

He had truly become the second strongest under heaven. Since he was still young, it was only a matter of time before he became the strongest. Considering the remarkable achievements he had shown so far, it wouldn’t take long.

In truth, achieving Twelve Star Greatness was incredible in itself, but to Hui, there was something even more surprising.

‘Cult Leader, do you realize that you just boasted about your son to me for the first time?’

Geom Mugeuk gave the credit to his father.

“I’m not lacking in parental fortune compared to anyone, am I? Who else in the world could lead someone as young as me to Twelve Star Greatness?”

It wasn’t just this seclusion. Even in the process of reaching Ten Star Greatness before, his father’s help had been the greatest.

“It’s enough that you know.”

In truth, it had also been a great help to Geom Woojin. It was an experience that made him realize that even after reaching Twelve Star Greatness of the Nine Calamities Demon Art, the path of martial arts still stretched far ahead.

Hui delivered the news that had to be shared in the presence of both of them.

“The Demon Supremes, the Demonic Army, and the Tenebrous Ghosts Corps have all returned. However, an incident occurred during the process.”

After the battle with the Dark Palace Master ended, the Large Secret Box that had remained there was being transported to the main division of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.

“During transport, the Secret Box disappeared. It was neither looted nor lost—it vanished without a trace. The Underworld Pavilion has begun investigating the matter.”

Geom Woojin looked at Geom Mugeuk. When it came to the Secret Box, his son knew best.

“I don’t think an investigation is necessary.”

Geom Mugeuk understood. The old man who had sent him back had retrieved the Secret Box.

Considering its mysterious properties, perhaps the Secret Box had never been an object of the human world to begin with.

“It seems the Secret Box has returned to where it belongs.”

At Geom Mugeuk’s words, Geom Woojin nodded. He knew that multiple souls had entered the body of the Heavenly Killing Star because of that Secret Box. It had been something that absolutely had to be recovered, but if his son said that, he must have his reasons.

“Call off the investigation.”

“I will relay the order.”

Geom Mugeuk spoke to his father.

“Ah, and Father. How about opening the Heavenly Demon Treasury wide this time?”

At the questioning look, Geom Mugeuk made an unexpected suggestion.

“The big battle is over, so how about gathering all the Demon Supremes soon and holding a competition? Put up a few Millennium Snow Ginseng as prizes.”

“What kind of competition?”

“They can’t exactly beat each other up, so how about a fishing competition? A match where they stake their pride! You, me, and even my brother can participate.”

At the mention of fishing, a competitive spark flashed across Geom Woojin’s face.

“Good!”

Agreeing at once, Geom Woojin began walking toward the Heavenly Demon Pavilion, with Hui following behind him.

A faint smile formed at the corner of Geom Woojin’s lips as he walked.

How could he not know? His son was setting the stage for him—to take care of the Demon Supremes who had worked hard. Using the excuse of a fishing competition to comfort them.

Even after Geom Woojin and Hui walked toward the Heavenly Demon Pavilion, Geom Mugeuk remained standing there for a moment, looking up at the sky.

Originally, he had planned to enjoy himself to his heart’s content, but instead, he had gone through the hardest training of his entire life.

That was why he shouted toward the real sky he was seeing after so long.

“Don’t stop me now! I’m really going to have fun this time!”

The sky gave no answer. Only indifferent white clouds drifted slowly by.

---

Having achieved Twelve Star Greatness of the Nine Calamities Demon Art, there was something he absolutely had to do.

Returning to his residence, Geom Mugeuk immediately used the Temporal and Spatial Transference Technique. A blue plain spread out before him. In this vast space, he called forth a being that suited it well.

A gigantic Heavenly Demon Spirit descended.

It was the first time he saw his Heavenly Demon Spirit after achieving Twelve Star Greatness. Just as his father’s had changed, his own had also taken on a different appearance.

The flame emblem on its chest had grown larger and clearer, and the symbol of the Heavenly Demon Spirit was engraved on both the backs of its hands. His father’s had only been on the right hand, but his was on both.

Its body had changed in many places, as if it wore armor. It looked far more refined and impressive, but its gaze had become even more terrifying and intense.

“Congratulations. You’ve become a Twelve Star Heavenly Demon Spirit.”

The Heavenly Demon Spirit slowly brought its hands together and, like a human, cupped its fists and bowed slightly. Geom Mugeuk could tell—it was congratulating him on reaching Twelve Star Greatness.

“Thanks, friend. We’ve got somewhere to go, so descend in human size.”

At that, the Heavenly Demon Spirit vanished and reappeared in a smaller form.

Indeed, the smaller form felt far more intense.

Snap.

With a snap of Geom Mugeuk’s fingers, the space around them changed.

It was that small island he loved most.

Under the blazing sun, a stretch of pure white sand spread out, and there stood a tree with wide leaves. Beneath its shade were two comfortable chairs.

“This is your seat.”

At those words, the Heavenly Demon Spirit’s eyes wavered slightly. As the saying went, the spirit resembled its master, this one truly reacted differently.

Geom Mugeuk leaned back halfway into his chair first.

“You have no idea how much I missed this place during training.”

Still gazing at the sea, he continued.

“If you sit here and look at the ocean, you can forget all your

worries, even if only for a moment. I don’t know if you have worries, though.”

The Heavenly Demon Spirit glanced at Geom Mugeuk, then turned its gaze to the sea he was watching.

“Now that you’re at Twelve Star, you’ll talk, right? Honestly, your mouth must be itching too, isn’t it? Father said there were Heavenly Demon Spirits in the past that conversed with their masters. You wouldn’t be the first, so there’s no need to feel burdened. And there’s no way the spirit of a master who loves talking this much can’t speak, right?”

Still, the Heavenly Demon Spirit remained silent.

In truth, it didn’t matter if it spoke or not. Just having someone who would listen to him like this was enough.

At that moment, the Heavenly Demon Spirit slowly sat down in the chair beside him.

Geom Mugeuk looked at it with a deeply moved expression. It wasn’t merely obeying a command to sit. This action was clearly an emotional exchange between them. It meant they had grown one step closer.

With an expressionless face, the Heavenly Demon Spirit gazed at the distant sea.

Perhaps, he thought, this Heavenly Demon Spirit resembled not his current talkative self after regression, but the personality he had before regression—the true self deep within him.

“Well, if both of us talked a lot, it’d probably get too noisy, right?”

Thus, Geom Mugeuk and the Heavenly Demon Spirit sat on the beach in silence, watching the ocean.

---

“You’ve already come out of seclusion training?”

Drunken Demon looked at Geom Mugeuk and was startled. After resting with the Heavenly Demon Spirit by the seaside, the first person he went to see was Drunken Demon.

“I heard you entered seclusion with the Cult Leader, so I thought you’d be out much later?”

It seemed he was surprised that he had come out in less than a few days.

“That’s how it turned out. Are you hurt anywhere?”

“I’m fine now. Don’t tell me you came because you were worried about this big brother?”

Geom Mugeuk nodded. Drunken Demon had fought fiercely, even drinking all the alcohol he had. This time, he wanted to take care of him first.

“I wanted to have a celebratory drink with you, hyung.”

“Sounds good.”

As Drunken Demon was about to bring alcohol from a corner of the Tower of Drunken Dreams, he suddenly seemed to remember something and spoke.

“No, there’s somewhere I need to take you.”

Drunken Demon led Geom Mugeuk somewhere.

The place they arrived at was the absolute forbidden zone deep within the Great Drunken Forest.

It was the place where the Liquor Essence was kept.

Geom Mugeuk understood why Drunken Demon had brought him here. Since even the Heavenly Killing Star had been killed, he wanted to check whether the Liquor Essence had been tainted.

The two entered with tense expressions.

After checking it, Drunken Demon shouted with joy.

“The Liquor Essence hasn’t gone bad!”

He cheered loudly.

“It’s finally back to normal!”

He was genuinely delighted, like a child. It made one realize just how important this Liquor Essence was to him.

“You’re that happy?”

“Of course.”

Others might consider it superstition, but to him, it was the most important thing.

“Congratulations, hyung.”

“Thanks. Let’s have our celebratory drink here.”

“Sounds good.”

Drunken Demon brought out alcohol and cups he had stored in the forbidden zone.

The two sat beside the Liquor Essence and drank. Just looking at the clear Liquor Essence seemed to put him in a good mood, as he kept smiling.

“The taste is incredible. I’ve never had this before?”

“It’s something I saved. I was going to drink it once the Liquor Essence returned to normal.”

“You’ve got an endless supply of saved alcohol.”

“There’s also alcohol I brewed for the day you become the Cult Leader. That’s the one I cherish the most.”

“Isn’t the one you saved for your retirement the best?”

Drunken Demon flinched, and Geom Mugeuk burst out laughing.

Drinking here in the forbidden zone of the Great Drunken Forest had its own unique charm.

After a few drinks, Drunken Demon spoke to him.

“Don’t worry about the future in advance.”

“Does it show?”

“Your face is full of worries.”

“You know how I am. I tend to worry unnecessarily. I even worry about things that won’t happen. And given the nature of this matter, it’s not easy to just put it off as something for later.”

After emptying his cup, Geom Mugeuk spoke honestly.

“Hyung, I even had a terrible thought just now. If Father seriously tries to unify the martial world, I thought it would be better if this Liquor Essence went bad again. Then maybe I could use that as an excuse to stop him.”

“The Cult Leader wouldn’t care even if the Liquor Essence went bad.”

Drunken Demon refilled his empty cup.

He had nothing to say to that. If the Cult Leader gave an order, he would follow it without question. Even if he was ordered to kill Jin Hagun or Bih Sa-in, he would carry it out willingly.

Drunken Demon stared down at the cup in his hand for a moment, then suddenly said something unexpected.

“Don’t flip over the Cult Leader’s drinking table.”

Geom Mugeuk looked at him. Drunken Demon continued speaking without lifting his gaze from the cup.

“The Cult Leader has spent a long time drinking the liquor called ‘unifying the martial world,’ and he’s intoxicated by it. Now imagine someone suddenly appears, flips over his table, and throws cold water on him to sober him up. How would that feel? Even if it’s his son.”

Geom Mugeuk asked him.

“Then what should I do?”

Drunken Demon emptied his cup and answered.

“You should sit at that table too.”

It was something Geom Mugeuk had never expected.

“Sit first, then think. Don’t just think about flipping the table over.”

Sit at his father’s table? And then?

“What if I end up getting drunk too?”

“That, I don’t know.”

Drunken Demon laughed self-deprecatingly and poured more alcohol into Geom Mugeuk’s empty cup.

“That’s the kind of advice you get from a drunk.”

“No. It was helpful.”

“Really?”

Geom Mugeuk nodded. Until now, just as Drunken Demon said, he had only been thinking about overturning the table. About how to end the drinking altogether.

But Drunken Demon was right. From his father’s perspective, that would be sudden and unfair.

“I felt this before when we went to the Ice Palace, but you’re really smart, hyung.”

Drunken Demon waved his hand, denying it, but couldn’t hide the look that clearly said, “Go on, praise me more.”

“You’re the smartest among the Demon Supremes.”

“If I hadn’t drowned myself in alcohol, I might’ve been a strategist at the Heavenly Communication Pavilion.”

Gowol had told him to become the Cult Leader. The Cult Leader of the Heavenly Wind Cult had told him to give him a grandchild. And Drunken Demon told him to drink together with his father. Each of them was giving advice in their own way.

“Alright. Like you said, I’ll sit at that table first.”

At least one thing was certain.

“Father probably knows too—how terrible the hangover from this drinking table will be.”

Because it would be something where countless lives would be lost.

‘What if I become his drinking partner and never let the table end?’

He didn’t know if it was possible, but at least one thing had become clear.

He shouldn’t try to stop his father recklessly.

Drunken Demon brought over a box of alcohol he had stored in a corner of the forbidden zone.

“Take this with you when you go. It’s what we just drank.”

“Why give me something this valuable? And a whole box at that?”

It wasn’t because he had been praised as smart.

“You said you’re going to go around and enjoy yourself, meeting people now, right? Good alcohol creates a good atmosphere, and that good atmosphere…”

Handing over the box, Drunken Demon added,

“…will help you find your answer.”p