AR Chapter 76

I clearly have a reliant heart towards Blood Heavens Saber Demon.

If there’s a part of me that relies on Father, there’s a separate part that relies on Blood Heavens Saber Demon.

“Solve it with what you do best.”

“What’s that?”

“Kill the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader.”

I laughed loudly, thinking it was a joke, but Blood Heavens Saber Demon was serious.

“Why are you laughing? It would kill two birds with one stone. If you kill the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader, no one would dare oppose you becoming the successor. As a bonus, you’d get the subordinate you want.”

“I won’t kill the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader.”

“Why?”

“He’s not a good person, but he’s not evil enough to deserve death either.”

“That’s not it, is it? You can’t kill him because he’s your treasure trove, right?”

“Well, that’s part of it too.”

“You’re such a villain.”

“I admit it.”

“Why are you admitting it so easily?”

“How could I catch villains if I were too kind? I’ll become a proper villain. So I’ll bear the karmic retribution and go to hell.”

“People like me should go to hell. You should walk a flowery path.”

I was deeply moved because I felt he meant it sincerely.

“You’ve already made your decision, haven’t you?”

“Yes.”

I decided to make the shackled man my person after my conversation with Chief Strategist Sima Myeong.

“Since he’s the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader’s person, you can’t just take him recklessly.”

“That’s right.”

“Then you should leave it to him. Make him come to you directly.”

“But he’s bound by shackles.”

“He should break those shackles himself. Isn’t he only worth bringing over if he can show that much ability?”

“You’re right, but I’m not sure if I’ve given him that much confidence. We haven’t even exchanged a single word yet.”

That’s why I came to Blood Heavens Saber Demon. Because I believed that if no one else could, at least Blood Heavens Saber Demon would understand my feelings.

Indeed, instead of cursing me as crazy, he came up with an answer I hadn’t even thought of.

“Then give him confidence.”

“How?”

“Show him your people.”

“!”

“If you show him your people, he’ll know what kind of person you are. If the person you’re trying to recruit is smart, just seeing your people will make him confident about you. He probably won’t be able to resist coming.”

I stared at him quietly. I never expected such advice. It was even more valuable advice because it was based on his experience.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“It’s the best advice.”

“Honestly, it’s not that great, is it?”

“Among my people, you’re number one, Elder. So it’s the best advice.”

“Then it’s the worst advice?”

This time I laughed first, and Blood Heavens Saber Demon followed.

“If he sees me, even someone who might come will run away, so show him other people. I didn’t say it with myself in mind.”

I spoke to him firmly.

“You have to come too, Elder.”

“I don’t want to.”

“It’s not because I want to show you to that person.”

“Then?”

“I want to show you too. Who I’ve chosen.”

“Why?”

“Wouldn’t you be able to know better what kind of person I am?”

“So why?”

“I want to give you confidence in me. I want to become closer to you, Elder. This is truly killing two birds with one stone.”

Blood Heavens Saber Demon’s eyes twitched. Usually, it’s an expression of anger, but now it was a reaction from awkwardness.

“You say such embarrassing things right to my face.”

“Let’s go.”

I stood up abruptly.

“Now?”

“Why delay what you’re going to do anyway? Let’s take everyone who’s available. I’ll show each other. What kind of person I’ve chosen. And thus, what kind of person I am.”

“As expected, you… are crazy.”

“Hahaha.”

That’s right. It’s this hard for me to make one person my own.

This applied to both Blood Heavens Saber Demon and the shackled man.

***

The air in the room was cold.

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader was looking out the window, and the shackled man was looking at the Sound Thunder Bell. The two hadn’t said a single word for a long time.

Let’s see who speaks first, but the winner of this battle was already determined. The shackled man could probably go a whole year without saying a word.

Eventually, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader spoke first.

“I’m sorry.”

It was a difficult apology. So he hoped the answer wouldn’t come easily, but the shackled man spoke as if he had been waiting.

“It’s alright.”

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader got angry again because his apology, which he had agonized over, was taken so lightly.

But like before, and now too. It wasn’t a situation where he should get angry. If nothing else, opening the space filled with corpses was a really big mistake. Especially knowing how much the shackled man loved the space with blue skies and fields.

“It seems I’ve unknowingly built up a lot of anger recently while giving divine artifacts to Second Young Master. I’m sorry.”

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader apologized again.

“It’s alright.”

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader’s expression hardened at the unchanging tone of the reply. Not confident he could hide this expression, he kept looking out the window. He bit his lip until it bled.

All sorts of distracting thoughts tormented him.

‘Is this all because I’m narrow-minded and greedy? Because I’m petty? Damn it! How can I advance into the Central Plains when I can’t even win over one subordinate’s heart? The other subordinates must be worse? They might be pledging loyalty on the outside but laughing at me on the inside.’

If he were to do breathing exercises at a time like this, he would surely fall into qi deviation.

Just then, a single word from behind:

“Chief.”

The moment he heard those words, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader was overwhelmed with emotion. Although he had been angry and blaming himself, deep in his heart, he had been anxious about never hearing those words again.

“What?”

“Chief, you’re trying to hold onto my heart while keeping me bound with shackles. I told you before, didn’t I? That neither you nor I are fortunate enough to have everything without giving up anything.”

“I am the ruler of the martial arts world outside the Central Plains! If I’m not fortunate, who is?”

“Did you gain control of the martial arts world outside the Central Plains with your own strength? Chief, you just inherited it. Well, if that’s fortune, it’s great fortune, but the fortune I’m talking about isn’t the kind that comes down through the umbilical cord.”

“Nitpicking! You’re making me angry again!”

At that, the shackled man closed his mouth.

An awkward silence passed for a moment.

Angry when he speaks, angry when he doesn’t speak.

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader knew exactly where his anger today had started.

“Why did you accept Second Young Master’s drink?”

“Just because.”

“How can it be just because? Tell me the reason. I have the right to know.”

The shackled man didn’t answer. The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader asked abruptly. He really didn’t want to ask this question.

“You don’t want to go to Second Young Master, do you?”

The shackled man neither confirmed nor denied.

For a moment, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader felt his legs weaken.

“You really want to go? Really?”

“I haven’t decided anything yet.”

“That’s the same as saying you will!”

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader’s eyes narrowed as he shouted.

“When did you conspire? Did you exchange secret sound transmissions behind my back?”

If only he had said yes to that.

“We never exchanged even mere secret sound transmissions.”

“Then how?”

“I read his mind. Second Young Master wants me.”

“Cut the crap! Cut the crap, I said! Where do you think you’re imitating the Soul-Seizing Demon? What minds are you reading?”

Now the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader could understand why he had been so upset and angry when Geom Mugeuk poured a drink for the shackled man earlier. It wasn’t because he accepted Second Young Master’s drink but refused his.

He had sensed this coming. His fate, his instinct, his premonition had read this damn situation.

“You think I’ll let you go? I’d rather kill you than let you go!”

“Then you should kill me now.”

“What?”

“Kill me when you can. You won’t be able to kill me later.”

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader’s whole body trembled with anger.

The shackled man was the only person who understood his heart. Kill such a person? Lose him to someone else?

“You’re doing this because you think I can’t kill you? Because you look down on me!”

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader walked briskly towards the shackled man.

He raised his hand high.

If he struck with one palm, he would be free from all troubles.

If the shackled man had looked up at his face, he might have struck.

But the shackled man remained still with his head bowed so that he wouldn’t feel guilty.

Seeing him accepting death so readily, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader couldn’t bring himself to strike.

“If you can’t kill me now, you’ll never be able to kill me. If I make up my mind to live, I won’t die by anyone’s hand. So if you’re going to kill me, you have to do it now.”

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader’s raised hand trembled in the air.

But in the end, he couldn’t bring himself to strike.

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader slowly lowered his hand. The anger that had erupted like lava had already settled down calmly.

“You think you can escape alone from this chaotic world? So easily? No way! I won’t let that happen.”

The shackled man slowly raised his head. Their gazes intertwined in the air with complex emotions.

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader hadn’t given up hope yet.

“You said you haven’t decided to go yet, right?”

“That’s right. Not yet.”

“Then I just need to not lose you, right? I just need to become a better person than Second Young Master, right?”

A smile formed on the shackled man’s lips. It wasn’t a forced smile, but a natural one.

“Yes, that’s how we should live from now on.”

“Don’t talk like we’re saying goodbye!”

“Don’t obsess over me. It just seems bigger because someone else wants to have me.”

“Shut up! Give me a chance to persuade you and then decide who you’ll serve. Even resentment is a form of affection, and we’ve spent years in the same room, so I should at least be able to struggle. I’ll cling to you desperately.”

“It still won’t work. He’s not your match.”

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader sighed. The already emptied divine artifacts were telling him that he couldn’t handle this.

“I can’t let you go just like that. If you’re going, take me with you.”

The shackled man chuckled. It was the first time he laughed today after their argument.

“Alright. Let’s go to Second Young Master together.”

“What?”

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader had a blank expression because he didn’t expect him to suggest going together.

“Are you crazy?”

But the shackled man’s next words were even more surprising.

“Didn’t you decide to make Second Young Master the Heavenly Demon? Let’s go together and help make Second Young Master the Heavenly Demon. Then your dream will naturally come true too. The current Second Young Master is someone who would even create a Heavenly Wind Cult headquarters next to the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.”

“You crazy bastard! How can you say that.”

Just then, a subordinate outside said:

“Second Young Master and guests have come to visit.”

“Guests?”

“Yes. There are five companions with him.”

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader sighed and shook his head.

“Ah! He really pushes aggressively.”

Usually, he would have been very irritated, but the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader had a relaxed face as if he had let go of his worries.

“You’re right. We talk too much about Second Young Master. That’s why he keeps coming to find me like a tiger that heard its name.”

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader said to his subordinate:

“Bring them in quickly. And prepare plenty of alcohol and snacks.”

“Yes!”

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader looked at the shackled man. It was a different look from usual.

“It seems fate wants us to negotiate over you. Alright, let’s decide today. Whether Second Young Master dies, or I die. Whether you go to Second Young Master, or stay with me. Let’s decide everything today. But judge fairly.”

“In that respect, Second Young Master is at a disadvantage. As you said, I’ve grown more attached to you.”

“Good. That’s fine then.”

Soon after, Geom Mugeuk and his party entered.

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader welcomed the guests with a hearty laugh as if nothing had happened.

“Hahaha, welcome!”

And so began the decisive drinking party that would change their fates.