“What would you do if I were to end that life for you, without pain?”
“You promised you wouldn’t lay a finger on her…”
“…I promised your granddaughter’s safety, not yours. Besides, it isn’t a bad choice, is it? You have lived no short life and have already been worn down as much as one can be. You must wish to be at peace, no?” The Heavenly Demon parted her blood-red lips and asked sweetly, “I will ensure your granddaughter lives a noble life. A safer and more peaceful life than the White Dragon Medical Pavilion could ever provide. This, I promise on the name of my cult.”
At those words, Shadowless Thieving Phantom’s hands trembled. “Why are you saying such things now of all times…”
“…Because it seemed necessary. I, for what it’s worth, enjoyed watching you in your prime. It is simply unpleasant to see something that once shone so brightly become so broken.”
Watching this scene unfold, Jin Cheonhee swallowed his words.
The Heavenly Demon is serious.
He couldn’t understand what whim had moved her to offer death to Shadowless Thieving Phantom. But there was one thing he thought he understood. Surprisingly, this proposal was an act of goodwill. A kindness for a woman who would live for an eternity but could never ascend. A woman who, at the same time, could not forsake her humanity. It was a bizarre story.
Finally, what came out of Shadowless Thieving Phantom’s mouth was a string of thick profanity.
“What kind of dogshit nonsense are you spouting now, you bastard! You think my baby girl will live a happy life laughing if I die by your hand? It’s because you’re such a piece of shit that the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains get a bad name! You get that?!”
Hearing the curses, the Heavenly Demon laughed with delight. “Hahaha, you haven’t changed a bit.”
“Why should I die?! I’m never going to die until I see my granddaughter get married!”
“Yes. That’s how it should be. That’s the Shadowless Thieving Phantom I know. Hahaha, ha ha…” The Heavenly Demon laughed like that for a long while. Then, she turned to Jin Cheonhee. “Thank you. For saving that one.”
“…Did you not wish for her death?”
“Mm. A part of me did. The part of me that is the leader of the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains certainly wished for that one’s death.”
“Then why thank me…”
“On the other hand, another part of me wished for her to live. It is quite entertaining to watch her struggle.”
Ah… I don’t understand this mentality. Is this what it takes to be the leader of the Demonic Cult?
Amidst his thoughts, the Heavenly Demon looked at Jin Cheonhee. Her deep eyes were like blades, and the mere gaze felt as if it could slice his skin.
“Continue to live so freely.”
“Pardon?”
Instead of answering Jin Cheonhee’s question, the Heavenly Demon said what she had intended to say. “I heard you are looking for a fan, but no matter how much you search, you will not find one as good as the old one. This is a gift from me; you will have use for it one day.”
Click.
She placed a small wooden box in front of Jin Cheonhee.
“…What is this?”
“There is no need to be tense. Hahahaha.”
Jin Cheonhee had not forgotten the grudge from the sweet and sour pork incident. He eyed the Heavenly Demon with deep suspicion, but she, on the contrary, seemed to find his reaction cute and responded leisurely.
“Inside is a cord woven from Lunar Silk thread. If you use it as a decoration for the fan, Zhuge Rin will be pleased.”
“Lunar Silk?”
“Mmm, it’s a divine material that no longer exists, so not many would know of it. Thieving Phantom, you remember it, don’t you?”
At those words, Thieving Phantom replied in a listless tone. “Of course, I do. And it’s natural that he doesn’t. Our generation was the last to be able to obtain Lunar Silk. The Lunar Workshop has since burned down, and all its artisans were slaughtered, so that must be the last of it.”
Wow… what a grim backstory.
Then, Thieving Phantom added another comment. “But wasn’t it the Demonic Cult that burned down the Lunar Workshop?”
The Heavenly Demon replied, “Mm, that’s right. It happened during my Heavenly Demonhyeollo¹ when another young cult leader I was competing with caused some trouble.”
…The more I learn about this story, the more gruesome it gets.
The two women spoke of the past as if it were nothing. Listening quietly, it seemed that Thieving Phantom, the Heavenly Demon, and Hyeolsaeng were all martial artists who had entered the martial world around the same time and roamed it together.
“What is this cord used for?”
“It is strong and beautiful. That is all.”
At those words, Jin Cheonhee’s eyes widened.
Thieving Phantom added, “They call it Lunar Silk because it glows faintly like moonlight in the dark… but that’s about all there is to it, child.”
So, I should think of it as a divine material that’s rare, beautiful, and… uh… stronger than a normal cord.
“Well… it’s certainly extravagant to use as a fan decoration. The box itself might be the more valuable item.”
“The box?”
No matter how he looked at it, the box seemed to be an ordinary wooden one.
The Heavenly Demon said, “As expected of you, Thieving Phantom, you recognize it. This box is made of Lunar Wood. When infused with internal energy, it becomes harder than cold-forged steel, and its properties change according to the nature of that internal energy.”
What kind of divine material is this…? No, wait, she wants me to make a fan out of this, not a weapon…?
Just as he thought that, Jin Cheonhee immediately corrected himself.
…But it is a bit short to be used as a weapon. And for my master, even a piece of flimsy paper is an excellent weapon for human slaughter… so, yes, making a fan out of it should be fine.
The more he thought about it, the more it seemed to suit his master.
Thieving Phantom furrowed her brow. “This is too much for a reward.”
At that, the Heavenly Demon gave a playful smile. “It is a luxury I can afford before my ascension.”
As the leader responsible for the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains, the Heavenly Demon had issued an assassination order, but she had also said she had secretly hoped Thieving Phantom would survive. Those words were undoubtedly sincere.
Thieving Phantom glanced at the Heavenly Demon with a complicated expression, then her gaze fell upon the Lunar Wood box that Jin Cheonhee was holding.
“Lunar Wood can no longer be obtained either.”
“That’s right. That forest, too, has burned and vanished. The Orthodox Faction burned that one down.”
***
Although he was with extraordinary people, it was a surprisingly ordinary drinking session.
After the short session ended, the Heavenly Demon rose from her seat. “It was enjoyable. Though I do not know what you may think of it.”
“…”
Thieving Phantom did not reply, merely tilting her cup with a complex expression. The current Heavenly Demon must have had a time when she was just a young cult leader, and her hands must have been stained with no small amount of blood. She was a living demon, second to none in her cruelty and ruthlessness. For all this time, the Heavenly Demon must have been an existence Thieving Phantom had to avoid at all costs. To share a drink with such a person… it was something that could only be felt by those who had lived through the same era. It was an emotion that neither Yeo Ha-ryoon nor Jin Cheonhee could possibly understand.
Clang!
Thieving Phantom slammed her cup down and said, her face flushed, “Let’s never see each other again. You go and ascend! I’ll stay here!”
“Do you truly have no intention of ending your life? In this martial world, there is no one who can end a life with as little pain as I can.”
“…”
Her silence must have meant that a part of Thieving Phantom still harbored a lingering attachment to the idea of death. Jin Cheonhee had no way of knowing how long she had lived. Since Hyeolsaengnogoe had lived for a long time, the Heavenly Demon and Thieving Phantom must have as well. Living for an endless amount of time, she must have sent off countless cherished people. If attaining enlightenment in martial arts and ascending was a distant dream, and abandoning her human heart was just as remote, was being worn down all that was left in the end?
“Maybe I’ll regret it. But I don’t know. Hey, Heavenly Demon, do I look like someone who stays alive because I’m afraid of the pain of death?”
“…”
A hint of drunkenness could be heard in Thieving Phantom’s voice. “Honestly, this is the first time we’ve met to share a drink, but we crossed blades often enough in the martial world when we were just reckless youths, didn’t we? I was honestly just struggling to survive, but you swung your sword with killing intent. Yeah, I could have died back then, Heavenly Demon.”
“Still as stubborn as ever. Still a simpleton…”
“Yeah, I know. I’m ignorant.”
Finally, Thieving Phantom also stood up. “So let’s consider this our farewell drink and never see each other again. You can watch from way up there how I crawl around on the ground.”
The Thieving Phantom pointed a finger to the sky. And with that, the drinking session was over.
***
In the end, Yeo Ha-ryoon was grabbed by the scruff of his neck by the Heavenly Demon and dragged back, unable to slack off any longer (though he had already played around plenty under the pretext of looking for a fan with his brother). And so, Jin Cheonhee returned to the Pavilion.
He hadn’t found the fan for his master, but he had brought back the materials to make one.
Ha, I hope this appeases my master’s anger a little.
He had left saying he would handle things quietly, but he had ended up causing all sorts of trouble. He was too ashamed to face him, truly ashamed.
No, this was Ha-ryoon’s fault… I was planning on a hegemonic(?) strategy that was at least somewhat manageable!
He felt a feather’s weight of unfairness. But considering Yeo Ha-ryoon’s personality, perhaps it was unavoidable. As long as he was the protagonist, no one could predict how he would move. And, like a true protagonist, the situation had ended in the coolest way possible.
Yeah. Ha-ryoon… whew… his coolness was on another level…
If a martial arts protagonist were to wear clothes, wouldn’t it be Yeo Ha-ryoon? No, wasn’t he a protagonist by birth to begin with? He was the very incarnation of coolness. But because you never knew what trouble he’d stir up next, having him as a companion was bad for the heart.
On top of that, the Heavenly Demon’s words were ominous.
—Hahaha, I shall borrow this one for a moment.
…To borrow means to return… which in a way means he’ll be back soon.
No, but… I don’t think I have the confidence to handle Ha-ryoon a second time. He’s cool, absolutely overflowing with coolness, but a coward like me can’t travel with this guy and expect to live out my natural lifespan. I’m telling you, I’m now getting a 4D experience of why side characters in martial arts novels curse the protagonist, calling him a crazy bastard or clutching the back of their necks saying he’ll be the death of them.
Can’t we just maintain a reasonable distance like now, where I just assist by preventing bloodbaths?
This cowardly brother’s heart was in turmoil.
“The Pavilion Master summons you.”
Sure enough. He hadn’t even finished unpacking when his master’s call came. Last time, his master had come out to the gate to greet him, so for him to send someone to fetch him meant he was that angry.
I’m a dead man.
And his prediction was spot on. He was thoroughly scolded by his master for a full four hours. What was more troublesome was this:
“Indeed. What could our Hee have possibly done wrong? It is all because a certain bug has attached itself to you. The Demonic Cult is called the Demonic Cult for a reason, and the Heavenly Killing Star is called the Heavenly Killing Star for a reason.”
That was right. To his master, Yeo Ha-ryoon was a bug. No, if possible, he was something less than a bug. And Jin Cheonhee had to embrace that bug and defend him yet again today.
“Master, although Ha-ryoon may have a hasty side, he made a great contribution to ending this matter swiftly.”
“That’s not it, Hee-ya. The reason this matter ended swiftly is all thanks to me, your master.”
If he said no, the 800 martial artists would weep. But Yeo Ha-ryoon’s contribution to turning the tables and ending things quickly was also significant. He wanted to point that out, but his master…
“Then, you couldn’t have gone out into the martial world without a plan. I wonder if things would have gone awry if they had proceeded according to your plan. You, who read the situation in advance and sent a letter to the Namgoong Clan.”
“Even so, it wouldn’t have ended as quickly as it did with Ha-ryoon.”
“But it would have ended safely. Hee-ya, that is enough for me.”
That was right. His master had already done the calculations and was now scolding him. And winning an argument against his master was no easy feat. It was even more impossible to win with excuses when he was in the wrong. In the end, all Jin Cheonhee could do was beg, “It is all my sin and my failing, please just don’t blame Ha-ryoon…”
Ha-ryoon-ah, your big brother has it this tough.
Of course, Yeo Ha-ryoon, who had been dragged away by the scruff of his neck by the Heavenly Demon, was probably suffering more. His master’s scolding came from a place of affection, but the Heavenly Demon had little interest in whether Yeo Ha-ryoon lived or died. Of course, she would have a minimum sense of duty towards the one to whom she passed on the Heavenly Demon Divine Arts, but in the might-makes-right Demonic Cult, if you were weak and died, that was that. That was the life she had lived, so the same would apply to Yeo Ha-ryoon.