Chapter 851 : The World Is Full of Swindlers

When ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Geom Mugeuk went to see the Demonic Buddha, he was sitting in the Dharma Hall, tending to a fishing rod.

At ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍that sight, Geom Mugeuk was startled.

“How ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍did you know?”

“Know ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍what?”

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Demonic Buddha looked at Geom Mugeuk with an expression asking what he was talking about.

“I ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍mean that fishing rod.”

“What about the fishing rod? I just had nothing to do. I thought I’d try fishing for time.”

“Is that really the only reason?”

“Otherwise? Do I need another reason?”

Still looking suspicious, Geom Mugeuk sat down beside the Demonic Buddha.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“It’s nothing.”

The Demonic Buddha turned his gaze back to the fishing rod and asked casually,

“I heard you’ve been busy lately, going around meeting Demon Supremes?”

“You even know that.”

Could fishing really be a coincidence? No way!

If the Evil Smiling Demon had a fishing rod, it might be a coincidence. But if it was a Demonic Buddha?

“Truly impressive. Just how did you find out there would be a fishing tournament?”

Geom Mugeuk was certain he had known about the event in advance.

As expected, the Demonic Buddha didn’t react at all to the mention of a fishing tournament.

“Didn’t you say so? That I should return to who I used to be. Was there ever anything the past me didn’t know about what happened in our cult? I even know the location where the fishing tournament will be held.”

“Even things I, the Young Cult Leader, don’t know! Truly amazing!”

It had been a while since Geom Mugeuk praised him.

“Our little giant, Demonic Buddha, has finally returned to his original self! The embodiment of ambitious power! Our Demonic Buddha has returned!”

A mischievous glint flickered across the Demonic Buddha’s satisfied face.

“But are you good at fishing?”

“I did it a bit in my younger days.”

The way he handled the rod was no ordinary skill. This was bad. The Poison King had to take first place. He hadn’t even told the Evil Smiling Demon that he was backing the Poison King.

“Are you aiming for first place?”

“Of course.”

“Didn’t the Buddha teach to abandon greed?”

“Our Blood Buddha is different. He teaches that whatever you can take, you should seize and claim it all.”

Was it just his hands that were quick? The Demonic Buddha’s perception was sharp as well.

“Why? Is there someone you want to support?”

“No way. I’m the embodiment of competitiveness, after all.”

He couldn’t let it be discovered that he intended to support the Poison King. Only then could he somehow make him win.

The Demonic Buddha began organizing the fishing line again. Sitting beside him, Geom Mugeuk stared at the sky before suddenly remembering something and handed him the liquor he had brought.

“Ah, keep this and drink it later. Drunken Demon gave me some of his treasured liquor.”

“You wouldn’t give such a precious drink for free. What do you want?”

“You already know what I’m troubled about without me saying it, don’t you?”

The Demonic Buddha placed the fishing rod he was holding onto the floor of the Dharma Hall.

“The only problem you have left is the Cult Leader.”

Geom Mugeuk asked with calm eyes,

“What should I do?”

“You’ve been going around diligently. Haven’t you already found the answer?”

If he combined all the solutions given by the Demon Supremes, a single answer would emerge.

And in forming that answer, the Demonic Buddha’s thoughts were essential.

Because he possessed a uniquely exceptional insight.

“Even so, among the Demon Supremes, aren’t you the most brilliant and cold-headed? I must hear your words.”

Even knowing it was flattery, a golden radiance deepened around the Demonic Buddha’s body.

“There’s only one thing I’ll tell you.”

The Demonic Buddha did not view this situation emotionally.

He presented a single-word solution.

“Justification.”

“!”

Even without further explanation, Geom Mugeuk understood what he meant.

“You mean I must give my father a justification to abandon the war.”

The Demonic Buddha nodded.

“To you, he’s your father, but to us, he’s the Cult Leader. It may seem like no one is watching, but everyone in the cult is watching him. What decision he makes, and why he makes it. Each of those decisions gathers into authority and leads to loyalty.”

The Demonic Buddha emphasized again.

“You must give him a justification he can use to give it up. A justification that everyone watching can accept. That is the most important thing.”

Geom Mugeuk nodded. It was correct. It was valuable advice from the Demonic Buddha, who had earned power by navigating relationships between people.

“Thank you, Demonic Buddha. You’ve told me something important I was overlooking.”

“Well? Was the liquor worth it?”

“How could it compare to even a single bottle of this? I’ll go right now and steal all the liquor in the Great Drunken Forest.”

But the Demonic Buddha did not accept even that single bottle.

“Take this and give it to someone else.”

“Why? This liquor is incredibly good.”

“I’ve already tried it.”

“What? You’ve tried it?”

“The Drunken Demon came yesterday, and we shared a drink.”

Geom Mugeuk was startled. He hadn’t imagined the Drunken Demon would come to see the Demonic Buddha and drink with him.

In truth, the two had grown closer during the battle against the Dark Palace Master.

Especially during the fight within the painting, the Drunken Demon had been deeply moved by the Demonic Buddha’s willingness to sacrifice himself.

“Truly, you are blessed with connections, Demonic Buddha. Lose one person, and another appears.”

“Who did I lose?”

“Ah, you haven’t met him yet, have you? If you meet the Poison King after he revealed his true colors, you’ll learn who the greatest swindler in the martial world is. You should definitely go see for yourself. And take back all the poisonous herbs you’ve offered him so far.”

The Demonic Buddha understood that the Poison King had shown Geom Mugeuk a new side.

“Everyone deceives and lets themselves be deceived.”

Leaving behind the Demonic Buddha, who acted like an enlightened old monk, Geom Mugeuk picked up the liquor and stood.

“Then I’ll take this liquor back. I don’t need to stop by home.”

“Who are you taking it to now?”

“I’m going to see the Sword Supreme.”

“You heard my advice, and you still need more?”

As Geom Mugeuk stepped outside, he said,

“I’ll be asking the Sword Supreme something different.”

---

When Geom Mugeuk arrived at the residence of the One-Slash Sword Supreme, she too showed a new side.

She was dressed in beautiful clothes and wore bright makeup.

“I tried putting on makeup for the first time in a while. What do you think?”

“It’s so dazzling I can’t even look at you.”

For a long time, she had paid no attention to her appearance. Not only makeup, but she had only worn martial attire.

Yet today, she looked more elegant and radiant than ever.

And there was a reason for this preparation.

“There’s an event tomorrow, so I thought I’d dress up for the first time in a while. I’m practicing in advance.”

“What event is tomorrow?”

“You still don’t know?”

At that moment, a subordinate brought her a fishing rod.

“Huh? How did you know?”

“What do you mean, how?”

“The fishing tournament.”

“The Cult Leader sent word earlier. He said we should all go fishing together with the Demon Supremes tomorrow. He even said there would be a prize for whoever catches the biggest fish.”

Geom Mugeuk blinked. Only now did he understand. The Demonic Buddha had played a prank on him. He had already received word from the Heavenly Demon Pavilion but pretended he had figured it out himself.

The little giant title is canceled! Give back my praise! And Father, if you’ve set a date, you should inform your son first! I was the one who even brought up fishing!

He couldn’t help but think it was just like his father.

“What’s wrong?”

“The world is full of swindlers.”

“There’s one right in front of you.”

Understanding she meant one should be careful of a woman in makeup, Geom Mugeuk laughed together with her.

“Ah, this was one of the Drunken Demon’s favorite liquors. He gave me a whole box, so I’m giving one bottle each to the Demon Supremes.”

“I know this liquor.”

“How do you know it?”

“It was a drink he would never give, even if you begged for just one bottle. Yet he gave you an entire box of it.”

Not only that, he had even taken that liquor to the Demonic Buddha and drank it together with him.

He couldn’t bring himself to tattle like that, so Geom Mugeuk smiled and said,

“In the end, he must have known it would come to you like this.”

“Don’t take that drunkard’s side.”

Because the One-Slash Sword Supreme and the Drunken Demon were friends, they could speak so casually like this.

“Young Cult Leader.”

“Yes, Sword Supreme.”

“I know what you want from the Demon Supremes. You want us to support you and stop the Cult Leader, don’t you?”

“That’s right.”

“If I say this, our sparring friendship may end up sounding like empty words, but I cannot help you. I will follow the will of the Cult Leader.”

The One-Slash Sword Supreme clearly expressed her stance.

“I understand your feelings, Sword Supreme. I won’t feel hurt over that. Our sparring friendship isn’t just for show—it will remain a good friendship going forward.”

The One-Slash Sword Supreme smiled pleasantly. Just as she was thinking she was grateful even for those words—

“Since we’re on the topic, shall we have a spar?”

The One-Slash Sword Supreme’s eyes trembled slightly. She had firmly stated she couldn’t help him, yet the Young Cult Leader was now trying to help her.

“A spar is always welcome.”

Her skills had been steadily improving.

But there had been no one to verify her progress or guide her on how to advance further. She couldn’t spar with other Demon Supremes, nor could she go to the Cult Leader. Now, even enemies worthy of life-and-death battles had disappeared.

In her life, that most important role was being fulfilled by Geom Mugeuk. Even at this very moment, after she had said she could not help him.

If it weren’t for the matter concerning the Cult Leader, she would have undoubtedly stepped forward for the Young Cult Leader.

The two stepped outside.

Both Geom Mugeuk and the One-Slash Sword Supreme had reached a different realm compared to their last spar.

“Whenever I spar with you, Sword Supreme, my heart always races.”

“It won’t be as much as mine.”

And so, their spar began.

Just as their realms had changed, this spar was different as well.

It wasn’t as fierce as on other days. It was calm and elegant. Among all the spars they had shared, it was the least intense.

Their swords never traced the same path twice. Like a painter endlessly creating new images, their blades continued to draw new lines.

The one leading today’s spar was Geom Mugeuk. Just as his father had once guided him, he guided her.

She felt it. The Young Cult Leader’s sword was continuously asking her a question.

What is a sword?

She was called the Sword Supreme—how could she not have answers to that?

She had many answers. Those answers had changed throughout her life.

At times, the sword had been power, and at times, fear. It had been a wall, and also freedom. It had been death, and also life. It had been honor, and also guilt.

The meaning of the sword in her life had endlessly shifted.

And now, faced with the question asked by Geom Mugeuk’s sword, she could not answer.

The inability to answer meant there was still a path left for her to walk.

And so, the spar came to an end.

Though it was not long, it was the spar that left her with the most.

The One-Slash Sword Supreme recalled the exchange they had just had. In the past, she would have remembered every clash vividly, but now she could not recall them clearly. With such a state of mind, how had she even survived? Had the Young Cult Leader gone easy on her?

“Young Cult Leader, I thought that the more I cut with my sword, the clearer the world would become.”

“Is that not the case?”

“The more I cut, the more blurred the world becomes. Am I growing old? Or is my sword growing old?”

She looked down at the sword she was gripping. Had she not advanced, but regressed instead? Why did everything feel so vague and hazy?

Geom Mugeuk’s gaze was deep and calm, as though he understood exactly how she felt. After all, he had already experienced the confusion of watching everything fall apart.

“When I climb a mountain, I like it when it’s covered in thick fog. It’s mysterious and beautiful. It has a feeling that can’t be expressed in words. At that moment, I think even the fog is part of the mountain.”

The One-Slash Sword Supreme interpreted his words like this:

Don’t struggle to find a perfectly clear realm.

What if things are blurry? What if there’s fog?

If one part is hidden, you may come to see the whole more clearly.

When one is young, each part is too clear, and so one cannot enjoy the deep, fog-like blur of the world.

The moment she reached that understanding, the tension left the hand gripping her sword.

As she held it more gently, she could vaguely feel it.

A new path of the sword had opened before her once again.

The One-Slash Sword Supreme respectfully clasped her fists in salute. Beyond the relationship of Demon Supreme and Young Cult Leader, it was the respect one martial artist offered to another who walked ahead.

“Thank you for showing me that there are endless new paths before me.”

Geom Mugeuk also returned the salute and replied,

“I’m happy as well, knowing that the path I walk is not a lonely one.”

The two looked at each other and smiled.

“From now on, I’ll put on makeup when I feel like it, and not when I don’t.”

After all, even ignoring one’s appearance was still, in a way, paying attention to it.

Before leaving, Geom Mugeuk had something he wanted to ask her.

“There’s one thing I’d like to ask.”

“What is it?”

“It’s about my mother.”

At that moment, the One-Slash Sword Supreme’s expression stiffened noticeably.

“Why ask that all of a sudden?”

“During my closed-door training, I asked Father about her.”

“What did he say?”

Geom Mugeuk relayed it exactly as he had heard.

“He said she was the only person he ever loved.”

The One-Slash Sword Supreme slowly nodded.

“Yes, she was the only woman the Cult Leader ever loved.”

Geom Mugeuk could tell that she was uncomfortable talking about his mother.

After a brief silence, the One-Slash Sword Supreme let out a sigh and said,

“To be honest, I did not like the Demon Empress.”

It was not something easy to say to Geom Mugeuk, but she did not want to lie.

“In truth, it was closer to hatred. That was because……”

She did not continue. A mixture of complicated emotions could be felt from her.

“I brought up something I shouldn’t have. I apologize, Sword Supreme.”

It was certain that her feelings were not simply jealousy from liking his father. Her loyalty to the Cult Leader had always been pure and unwavering. There must have been another reason.

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow at the fishing spot. Please come even more beautifully tomorrow and give Elder Blade a surprise!”

As Geom Mugeuk bowed and turned to leave, a quiet voice from behind reached him.

“She was incomparably more beautiful than I.”

Geom Mugeuk turned back toward her.

The One-Slash Sword Supreme’s gaze deepened as she recalled that day from long ago.

“I still vividly remember that splendid floral palace gown the Demon Empress loved to wear.”