Translator: FenrirTL
Editor/Quality Checker/Notes : Saphartlantis
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Chapter 381: For me, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon was…
"……And so, we’ve invited the Martial Alliance Leader to this gathering."
As soon as I returned to the cult, I reported everything that had happened to Father.
Today, Strategist Advisor Sima Myung was also present. After all, he was the one actually responsible for coordinating the schedule and the escort arrangements for the gathering. 1
At the mention of even inviting the Martial Alliance Leader, Father shook his head as if dumbfounded, and Sima Myung simply silently stared at me with an expressionless face.
"You predicted this would happen, didn’t you, Strategist Advisor?"
Of course, I expected it. This was the inevitable flow of history. That’s what I had hoped to hear.
"What exactly are you referring to? Are you talking about the Young Cult Leader suddenly leaving the cult to rescue a tavern owner and then inviting the Unorthodox Alliance Leader to our cult? Or are you referring to going to seek the Martial Alliance Leader’s understanding and ending up inviting him as well?"
Now that I think about it, I set out to save Jo Chunbae and his wife, and ended up all the way here. It hadn’t been a conscious plan. Perhaps everything that had happened was shaped by Jo Chunbae’s fate.
"I apologize. I know you're already busy, and now I’ve brought a great burden upon you."
"Do you really realize it’s truly a great burden?!!"
If I weren’t the Young Cult Leader, and if this wasn’t a conversation in Father’s presence, he might have already exploded, asking if I even knew what I had just done and throwing sharp objects at me.
"You’ve accomplished something no one else could, Young Cult Leader."
"That was a compliment, right?"
Sima Myung’s terrifying expression spoke for itself. Do you really think that was a compliment! Still, since we were in front of Father, what came out of his mouth was much different from what was in his heart.
"It was a compliment."
His expression looked like he wanted to begin a lecture with the words ‘However……’
I understood Sima Myung. Having lived his whole life as a strategist, he disliked sudden variables and changes. Especially this time, it must be the biggest incident in his career.
"There’s a lot we need to prepare. Especially since this is the first three-party meeting, various confusions are to be expected. The biggest issue will be the escort arrangements. Both the Martial Alliance and the Unorthodox Alliance will try to bring as many elite warriors as possible. The more people there are, the higher the chance something will go wrong. One misstep, and a war could really break out."
Still, we couldn’t ask them to bring only the bare minimum escort. That’s why prior coordination was absolutely necessary, and the one who would have to engage in a nerve-racking back-and-forth with the strategists from both sides was Sima Myung himself. I felt sorry for him, but what choice was there? Fate had led us here.
Pointedly turning my eyes away from Sima Myung, I looked toward Father, who was silently staring down at me.
If it were before my regression, I would’ve been trembling under that gaze. I wouldn’t have even dared to meet his eyes. That’s why my relationship with Father hadn’t progressed and had only ever retreated.
Father was looking at me without much thought. Probably thinking, What should I do with this troublemaker, tsk tsk. I couldn’t help but wonder—had I disappointed him again? Did he regret making me the Young Cult Leader? Was he perhaps thinking about my older brother?
One must never forget—when you let your imagination take flight alone, misunderstanding will tear those wings to shreds.
“Are you very angry?”
“Of course I am! Who gave you the right to arrange a three-party meeting? Strategist, contact both the Martial Alliance and the Unorthodox Alliance immediately and tell them it's canceled!”
Father’s voice echoed thunderously through the Cult Leader’s Hall.
But there was no irritation or fury in his gaze as he looked at me.
I could tell. Father was getting angry on behalf of Sima Myung to ease his mood. It was a scolding delivered for my sake as well.
“That won’t do, Father!”
“What do you mean, ‘won’t do’!”
Sima Myung stepped in carefully.
“Please calm yourself, Cult Leader. Since the Young Cult Leader has already made a promise, it would be best to proceed with the plan as it stands.”
This way, Sima Myung's authority would be upheld, and he’d also get the opportunity to take my side.
“Thank you, Strategist Advisor.”
“Well, it’s a relief. The Young Cult Leader already has a strategist.”
With a look that said, Imagine how hard it must be to live as your strategist, he shook his head. That’s our ever-grudging Strategist Advisor for you.
“You’re being too harsh!”
Sima Myung’s joke helped ease the tension in the room a bit.
I looked at Father again.
What could he be thinking now? Would he want to meet the two Alliance Leaders? No matter how hard I tried to read him, Father remained impossible to understand.
Anyway, the mess was already made. There was something I absolutely had to say to him.
“This meeting may be among just the three leaders, but it will have a huge impact on all three of us. Where else would we learn something like this? It’s a once-in-a-lifetime encounter with the Cult Leader and the Alliance Leaders.”
And then I repeated the words I had said to the others.
“I went through with it because I believed in you, Father.”
At last, that characteristic smirk appeared at the corner of Father’s lips. Even after so long, it still suited him.
“Then I’ll take my leave.”
As I turned to go, the back of my head started to feel hot.
That’s what you get for dreaming of unifying the martial world. I’ll stop you to the end, Father.
Ah, that burning gaze—there must be three of them now, not just two, right?
Before I stepped out of the Heavenly Demon Pavilion, I shouted into the air.
“Uncle Hui! I’m sorry!” 2
I didn’t forget to apologize to Hui, my father’s escort. He was another person whose nerves would be frayed over the three-party meeting.
* * *
“Sir!”
After leaving the Cult Leader’s Hall, I headed straight for the Southern Heavens Blade Family, where the Blood Heaven Blade Demon resided.
I ran toward his residence like a long-lost family member reuniting. Last time, I had only seen the Fist Demon King before leaving again, so it had been quite a while since I’d seen Gu Cheonpa.
There was no one in the yard.
So I slowly walked over and peeked into the house through the window. Then I saw something unexpected.
Old man Blade was lying on his bed, fast asleep.
‘It’s not even time to sleep yet.’
I was about to turn away when I stopped in surprise. The Blade Demon, taking a nap during the day? That had never happened before. 3
I turned back, carefully opened the door, and stepped inside. I walked without making a sound, afraid I might wake him.
But at the last moment, I changed direction from the bed toward the bookshelf. Standing in front of it, I began browsing the new books Gu Cheonpa had recently purchased.
"You didn’t come in here because you were worried about me?"
When I turned around, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon was looking this way with his eyes open.
"I didn’t."
As if. He probably had no idea how startled I was. When I stepped into the room, I had sensed him holding his breath, which made me subtly shift direction.
"I was lying in wait, planning to scare the life out of you when you came over to check my breathing."
"Why would I check your breathing? Are you the kind of person to die quietly in bed? You’ll probably go out fighting gloriously on the battlefield, leaning on the Heaven-Extinguishing Saber."
"You brat! You speak of death so easily to an old man?"
But despite his words, an uncontrollable smile spread across his face. That was the ending he dreamed of, after all.
"And yet, you, who never napped in your life, are suddenly dozing in broad daylight?"
"I nap sometimes. Wait until you're old and see."
Was it just my imagination? His voice lacked its usual sternness and vigor.
"Did things go well while you were out?"
"I caused trouble." 4
"You wander around like that—not causing trouble would be what’s strange. What kind of trouble?"
So far, only Father and Sima Myung knew about the matter. It hadn’t been disclosed to anyone else—it was top secret.
"I invited the Unorthodox Alliance Leader to the Flowing Wind Tavern."
So naturally, he was shocked.
"You invited who?"
"The Unorthodox Alliance Leader."
"You mean the Unorthodox Alliance Leader I know? Baek Jagang?"
"You know him?"
"Of course I do."
He really did know all kinds of people, an impressively wide network.
"That can’t be right. That man’s suspicious of everything. And yet he accepted your invitation?"
With a look of disbelief, Gu Cheonpa sat up in bed and drank the cold tea from the side table.
"I invited one more person. That’s why I’m worried."
Old man Blade replied casually.
"If you already invited the Unorthodox Alliance Leader, who would dare cause trouble? As long as it’s not the Martial Alliance Leader, it’s fine."
A moment of silence passed.
The Blade Demon blinked, staring at Geom Mugeuk.
"...It’s not, right?"
When I didn’t respond, he seriously asked me.
"Please tell me it’s not."
"……."
"No friggin’ way?!!" 5
"Why wouldn’t it be?"
Then, as if in agony, I made a show of cradling my head.
"I don’t even know why I’m like this!"
I tried to lighten the mood with a joke, but the Blood Heaven Blade Demon didn’t react. His gaze toward me was deep.
"The Martial Alliance Leader actually accepted the invitation? How? Even for you, that seems impossible."
"I don’t think they accepted the invitation because of me."
"Then why?"
"Because all three of them—somewhere in their hearts—wanted to see each other at least once. If not, could this have happened at all?"
Gu Cheonpa, who had been silently nodding, suddenly spoke with a sharp edge in his voice.
"The two Alliance Leaders are coming to our cult? Sounds like a perfect opportunity to take care of both sides in one blow."
Then, as if realizing how dangerous his own words sounded, he quickly added,
"But what if the Cult Leader is thinking the same thing?"
Old man Blade believed Father might actually be harboring such a thought.
"At least this time, he won’t."
"And how can you be so sure?"
Truthfully, I couldn’t be certain. I was simply choosing to believe in Father.
"Because they’re guests his son invited."
"And what if he values the great cause more than his son?"
"Then please, stop him. Only you would be able to."
We silently looked at each other.
Just then, Seo Daeryong entered the room.
"Oh? Young Cult Leader!"
Upon seeing me, Seo Daeryong greeted me warmly.
"When did you arrive?"
"Today. Huh? Your eyes look different."
Even with a brief glance, I could tell Seo Daeryong had achieved a major breakthrough in his martial arts. Before, his skills had improved steadily, little by little—but today, he felt suddenly much stronger.
Then came a surprising revelation.
"Yesterday, Master opened my Ren-Du Meridians for me."
Only now did Geom Mugeuk realize the truth. The Blood Heaven Blade Demon hadn’t been joking—he really was exhausted, which was why he had taken a nap. 6
Seo Daeryong was holding medicinal herbs in his hand. He had probably gone to the Demon Doctor to get a tonic to strengthen the body.
"Let me check your condition."
I didn’t even ask if it was alright. Knowing how worried I was, Gu Cheonpa didn’t resist when I grabbed his wrist and sent a stream of internal energy in.
"I said I’m fine."
Fortunately, he really was fine. His martial arts were so advanced and his inner energy so deep that he had managed to open the Ren-Du Meridians without using Innate Qi.
Ren-Du Meridians Opening.
A stage that every skilled martial artist must go through to become a top-tier master. I had figured he’d help Seo Daeryong with it someday, since he’d taken him as his direct disciple—but the day had come much sooner than expected. It was a testament to how hard he had trained.
Geom Mugeuk spoke up, taking the opportunity to show off in old man Blade’s place.
"You do know, right? Opening the Ren-Du Meridians is so risky, it's something you only do for family."
"I know."
"Then that’s enough."
Seo Daeryong’s eyes were burning with emotion. Given his personality, I didn’t even need to ask to know how deeply grateful he was.
"I’ll go heat up the decoction. The Demon Doctor said this one works best."
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon scolded Seo Daeryong.
"You brat, why are you buying medicine when you barely make a dime?"
"I may not look it, but I’m the Underworld Pavilion Lord. I make plenty of money."
Seo Daeryong went outside to heat the medicine.
As I looked at Gu Cheonpa with eyes full of emotion, he suddenly raised his voice unnecessarily.
"I didn’t do it for him. If he’s my disciple, he better be able to handle at least that much."
Now, the words my disciple didn’t sound strange anymore.
"I like you the best, sir."
Feeling awkward with the emotional atmosphere, the Blade Demon lay back down on the bed while grumbling.
"Enough. I’m going back to sleep."
As if I’d just leave it at that. I planted myself at the edge of his bed and sat down.
"Honestly, I talked big, but do you think I’m not worried? What if the gathering turns into a truly dangerous situation instead of what I envisioned? What if Father walks out holding two heads with blood dripping from both hands, smiling at me?"
"Why are you whining to me?"
"Who else am I supposed to say this to?"
"Go tell the mask-wearer. Or go to the booze hound or the poison freak." 7
I ignored him and kept talking.
"Do you think I’m the only one scared of Father? What if you dislike this whole thing? Or what if you’ve got some grudge I don’t know about with Baek Jagang or Jin Paecheon? What if you end up unable to hold yourself back and try to kill them on sight?"
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon spoke with his eyes still closed.
"If the grudge were that deep, I’d have gone after them already."
"That’s true, right?"
"Though who knows. One of the Demon Supremes might just explode with long-suppressed feelings that day."
"No, please, no!"
I was pretending to be distressed when Seo Daeryong came in with the heated medicine.
"Master, please drink your medicine!"
"I should be the one drinking that. I’m so anxious I feel like I’ll die first."
As I reached to snatch the medicine, Seo Daeryong slipped away using his footwork.
"This is Master’s medicine!"
"Since when did you care this much about him? Lord Seo, it’s me! The former Underworld Pavilion Lord and the Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult! The very person you swore to serve as his right arm!"
"Until Master finishes this medicine, you have only one arm!"
Watching Seo Daeryong respectfully present the medicine to Gu Cheonpa, a smile naturally crept to my lips. These two in my previous life had never exchanged a single proper conversation.
Over this current scene, I saw the image of Seo Daeryong the first time we met, entering my office with a depressed look. Then over that, the image of him clinging to the Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s leg, dead drunk. Then another layer—the joy on his face when he received his saber as a gift.
And over this moment—what new image would be added next? What would the final painting look like when all these overlapping moments came together? 8
After drinking the medicine, old man Blade lay back down, and Seo Daeryong and I quietly stepped out of the room.
Just then, with his eyes still closed, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon spoke.
"Everything will be fine."
With that one heavy yet calm sentence, my heart felt at peace. Truly, completely at peace.
Even though I had returned through regression, even if everything seemed perfect and I was living a life full of effort, I was still someone who needed to hear words like that sometimes. That I was doing well. That things would be alright. To me, Gu Cheonpa was that kind of person.
"Investigator Seo, let’s sleep over at our elder’s place tonight."
"Sounds good."
Swept up in the moment, Seo Daeryong showed no fear at all.
Then the Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s eyes flew open as he shouted,
"Since when is that your call?! Get out! Go sleep at your own house!"
Hearing his outburst, I finally felt like I was truly home again. If anyone ever asked how I managed to walk such a harsh path, I’d answer: because I had somewhere to return to.
"Get out, you brats!"
As if I’d have suggested it in the first place if I thought he’d listen.
Grinning ear to ear, I dashed off and shouted as I ran.
"I’ll go grab my pajamas! Let’s go, right arm!" 9
1 : F to Sima Myung who will have to do all the work….
2 : *Get slapped in the back of the head by the invisible Hui* XDXDXD
3 : It’s either old age or relaxation.
4 : “Doesn’t this describe your entire life ?” *Stab*
5 : Lol, he was so surprised that he took an accent there XDXDXD
6 : Yeah, no wonder. Even he was exhausted after opening Lee Ahn’s meridians. The Ren-Du are the two most important meridians to open for one to be considered master level. IIRC, the Ren is positioned from the lower dantian to the crown of the head, while passing through the middle and upper dantians, while the Du strat from the crown and follows the spine back to the lower dantian.
7 : Lol, those nicknames XDXDXD And the Fist Demon King ? Is it ‘scary face’ or ‘father-in-law’ ? ^^
8 : The world changes. And with it so does relationships and fate. In the end, only the Heavens will know what kind of karma will emerge from all these efforts.
9 : Are they flower-embroidered like Geom Woojin’s ? XDXDXD