AR Chapter 73

After leaving the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader’s quarters, I went to find Lee Ahn.

She was still immersed in training, and her Soaring Heaven Sword Arts had improved dramatically.

“Lee Ahn.”

“Yes.”

“After you receive the Body Poison Purification Technique, you can leave anytime you want.”

“What? Why are you suddenly saying this?”

As I left the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader’s quarters thinking that shackles didn’t suit the shackled man, I suddenly thought of Lee Ahn.

It occurred to me that she might have shackles on her ankles too.

Are there only visible shackles in this world?

Even my determination to kill Huawuqi had invisible shackles attached to it.

Between Blood Heavens Saber Demon and One-Flower Sword Supreme, there were also shackles of hatred that were difficult to break.

Then what about Father? Just like the shackled man in front of Sound Thunder Bell, I thought that perhaps Father might be bound to Grand Preceptor’s chair. Carrying the heavy responsibility of protecting the cult on his shoulders.

“I’m saying you can choose your own life. You don’t have to be the Demonic Shadow Corps Leader. Leave the cult and travel the Central Plains. You can live as a hidden master in some peaceful village. You’ve received martial arts training from me, so there’s no need to repay that kindness. You’ve already done enough for me, so you can choose freely with peace of mind.”

Lee Ahn listened quietly to my words and then said with a smile:

“I guess I’ll have to reveal another tail.”

“What do you mean?”

“Being by your side, Young Master, I’m happier and living a better life. Traveling is fine for a day or two, and being a hidden master is fine for a day or two. But I’m happy every day within your protection. I’m not a fool – if I really hated it, I would have risked my life to run away in the night. I don’t understand why you always see me as so kind.”

I looked at her and smirked.

“How many hidden tails do you have left?”

“Maybe about seven?”

“That’s enough. Now go back to training.”

As I turned to leave, unnecessary worry spurred me to add one more thing.

“Still, make sure to keep at least one tail hidden.”

In my experience, that was as important as having a secret technique in reserve.

Seeing her expression that said “I already know that without you telling me”, I left the place. Well, as long as she knows.

***

Demonic Monk came to see the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader.

He came with determination, so his eyes were different from the moment he entered.

“Did you just kill someone? There’s a bloodthirsty aura all over your body, even though you follow the dharma.”

“The Buddha I serve sometimes violates the precept against killing^[1].”

“First he became a Colorful Buddha, then a Killing Buddha. What a busy figure.”

Demonic Monk didn’t sit down, but stood in place looking at the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader. He was almost at eye level with the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader, who was sitting up straight. Given that he was sensitive about height, matching eye levels like this was a clear expression that he was very angry.

“Listen here, Heavenly Wind Cult Leader!”

“What is it?”

“How long have we known each other?”

“I don’t remember well.”

“That’s right. It’s been such a long relationship that we can’t even remember, yet how can you do this to me?”

“Sit down. Let’s talk sitting down.”

But he didn’t sit and glared at the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader. The golden light emanating from his body grew more intense.

“I didn’t know you would pull such a transparent trick!”

“A trick, you say?”

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader frowned, but Demonic Monk had come prepared from the start.

One-Flower Sword Supreme and Blood Heavens Saber Demon had started moving to persuade other Demon Supremes. The Demon Supremes’ reactions were different when they met Demonic Monk and when they met Blood Heavens Saber Demon. They were all people who had lived their lives without caring about others’ opinions, so it was impossible to predict whose words they would listen to in the end.

That’s why Demonic Monk came to confront the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader directly.

“Seducing the young disciple of Soul-Seizing Demon to become your disciple? What kind of trick is this!”

“I didn’t seduce her. That child came to me on her own.”

“Then you should have sent her back! You, as the adult, should have sent her back!”

“Why should I have done that?”

“Why are you trying to become the master of a disciple from our cult?”

“Because the martial arts learned by the Demonic Sorcerers are demonic arts of the Blood Cult!”

“Are you saying you’re part of the Blood Cult now? Are you serious?”

Everyone knew that the Heavenly Wind Cult was the successor to the Blood Cult, but it shouldn’t be mentioned or connected to the Blood Cult. After all, the Blood Cult had a history of waging several wars against the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. He was invited solely because he was the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader.

“Are you nitpicking my words now?”

“Even when you staged that fake theft of your divine artifact, I could understand to some extent. But this time, I simply can’t tolerate it.”

“Fake theft? Are you calling it a staged act to a friend who had his divine artifact stolen? I came here trusting only you and even had my divine artifact stolen. Instead of taking responsibility, you make such absurd accusations!”

“Did you think we would believe that? The Demon Supremes are not fools.”

“Looking at you, they don’t seem that smart either.”

“What?”

“You, how many times in your life have you been called smart? Be honest.”

Demonic Monk’s expression hardened for a moment. He knew well that he wasn’t a particularly smart person.

Lashing out at others with harsh words was also a means to suppress the other person’s momentum and lead the conversation advantageously.

When the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader struck at his inferiority complex, Demonic Monk chose to play his trump card.

“Listen, friend. Where you are now is not the outside world.”

“Are you threatening me now?”

“It’s not a threat, I’m telling you the reality. I’ve been friends with you for a long time, but other Demon Supremes think differently. I can’t predict how they will act.”

“With your meager imagination, what could there be? You’ll probably try to kill me using you as a front.”

“If only it were that simple, we could at least say our farewells.”

A tense atmosphere hung between the two.

“Don’t underestimate the Demon Supremes. They’ll try to deal with you in a much more miserable way than that.”

“Why do you look down on me so much while telling me not to underestimate you?”

“I’m not looking down on you. You just have a fatal weakness.”

“Weakness?”

“If the Demon Supremes decide to eliminate you, they won’t make the foolish choice of attacking you directly. Instead, they’ll drive a wedge between you and the Divine Cult Leader to make him get rid of you. Can you handle that? Our very own Divine Cult Leader.”

When threatened about Heavenly Demon, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader couldn’t say anything. Heavenly Demon, who hated the Blood Cult, was indeed a clear weakness of the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader.

“Pretend to look for the divine artifact for a few days and then leave. Expel your disciple. I’ll speak well to the Demon Supremes.”

“What if I refuse?”

Instead of answering, Demonic Monk just smirked and left. Perhaps because that was more annoying, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader didn’t say anything for a while.

Finally, he opened his mouth.

“I just made a decision.”

Looking at the shackled man in front of the Sound Thunder Bell, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader gritted his teeth.

“To definitely make the Second Young Master the Heavenly Demon.”

***

“What brings you here, Second Young Master?”

As always, Chief Strategist Sima Myeong was buried in work.

“I wanted to play with you, Chief. If you have time, let’s go to Demonic Family Village for fun.”

Sima Myeong was surprised by my proposal.

“To Demonic Family Village?”

“You’re the most important person in our cult, but the cult won’t collapse if you play hooky for one day.”

“The sad secret is that it wouldn’t collapse even if I played hooky for a year.”

“Then let’s go play for just two hours so the secret doesn’t get out?”

“Alright.”

Sima Myeong stood up without hesitation, closing his documents. He probably guessed that I didn’t come just to play.

“If you’re not here, the Martial Righteous Alliance will attack immediately.”

“You don’t know Heavenly Communication Pavilion well to say that. There’s a line of smart military officers waiting for me to step down.”

“They’ve chosen a really difficult path.”

We left his office laughing.

The place I took him was the Flowing Wind Tavern.

“So it was this place after all.”

It meant he knew about the Flowing Wind Tavern well. Well, since he knows everything about me in detail, of course he would know about the Flowing Wind Tavern too.

“Are you disappointed? Did you expect we’d go to the best brothel in Demonic Family Village?”

It was a bit of an excessive joke, but Sima Myeong laughed and played along.

“I was hoping I could pretend to give in and follow you there.”

“This is why prejudices are scary. Next time we play hooky, I’ll make a reservation right away!”

“Hahaha.”

I sat across from Sima Myeong at the usual second-floor seat in the Flowing Wind Tavern.

I introduced Sima Myeong to Jo Chun-bae, who came to take our order.

“This is our cult’s Chief Strategist. Greet him.”

“Uh-huk!”

Jo Chun-bae bowed to Sima Myeong with a face like he was about to faint. He had been overwhelmed lately with visits from high-ranking people. From Heavenly Wind Cult Leader to Demon Supremes, and now the Chief Strategist. Especially the title of Chief Strategist carried more weight than any other person.

“I’ve always respected you. You’re the person I respect the most.”

“So the person you respect the most isn’t my father?”

Jo Chun-bae was startled by my teasing.

“How could that be! I respect the Chief Strategist second most.”

“Ah, I thought I was second.”

“That’s not it, actually Cult Leader is first…”

He played along, pretending to be flustered.

“I’m joking. Please bring us some alcohol first and make the food delicious today.”

“Yes!”

After Jo Chun-bae brought the alcohol and ran to the kitchen, I poured a drink for Sima Myeong.

“This is the first time drinking alone with you like this, right Chief?”

“That’s right.”

“I should have invited you earlier. I was late in doing so.”

“Not at all. You’ve been very busy lately, haven’t you?”

“If anyone’s busy, it’s you, Chief. I’m always slacking off.”

“If you say that, what are the real slackers supposed to do?”

He knew best how diligently I had been moving around lately.

We drank while chatting about various everyday matters. Sima Myeong could hold his liquor better than I had thought.

“You drink well.”

“Of course. I used to be able to drink straight liquor in my younger days.”

“That’s unexpected.”

I couldn’t quite imagine a young Sima Myeong who was good at drinking.

“So, what’s the matter?”

Sima Myeong knew I hadn’t come just to play. I also didn’t beat around the bush and got to the point.

“There’s one thing I’d like to ask.”

“Go ahead.”

“What makes a good military officer?”

Surprised by the unexpected question, Sima Myeong looked at me with wide eyes. Then his gaze turned to the wine cup.

“When I was young, I used to ask myself this question a lot, but I’ve forgotten about it for a while.”

Originally, these kinds of questions are difficult. If someone asked me what makes a good martial artist, what should I say?

But Sima Myeong’s answer came immediately.

“In my opinion, a good military officer is one who is smarter than the opposing military officer. There’s no profound meaning, just literally smarter than the enemy officer. That’s my answer. It’s okay if there are people smarter than me in our cult. It’s okay if there are smarter people here in this tavern. It’s okay if you, Second Young Master, are smarter than me. But…”

After a brief pause, Sima Myeong continued.

“I must be smarter than the Martial Righteous Alliance’s military officers. I must be smarter than the Unorthodox Alliance‘s military officers. That’s enough.”

It was a really unexpected answer. As if anticipating my reaction, Sima Myeong smiled and asked.

“Is it a bland answer?”

“That’s why it hit home.”

“When I was younger, I probably had too many thoughts and came up with a different answer. It might have been a more pedantic answer.”

I could imagine how he felt. As one gets older and becomes more skilled, the answers tend to become simpler.

“Martial artists working in the field can use improvisation. They can change tactics according to the situation. But a military officer can’t do that. If you make one wrong strategy, it’s total annihilation. If you die by your own choice, you might regret it less. But how frustrating would it be to die because of a wrong judgment from above? That’s why I always tell my junior officers: ‘Desperately become smarter! Everything depends on that.'”

I learned for the first time that Sima Myeong had been thinking like this. Just as I learned for the first time that he was good at drinking.

Sima Myeong filled my empty cup and said:

“Now it’s my turn to ask a question.”

In fact, I didn’t come to hear the answer about what makes a good military officer. Today’s meeting with him was to hear this question.

“Why did you ask such a question?”

1. 살계(殺戒)[↩]