Suddenly!
"Young Master!"
The door burst open violently. At the same time, the smoke that had filled the room rushed out. Shin Hwa was too preoccupied with his rudeness and the fact that the smoke had become particularly toxic to care.
"Did you hear? At the Zha Mi Tower..."
"I heard."
Hoo.
A thick cloud of smoke mixed with his light exhalation. Shin Hwa spoke urgently.
"The situation is serious. Although everyone is whispering, the mere fact that the Third Prince has gone there..."
"They are targeting me."
"What?"
"I’m sure of it. That guy is plotting against me."
"How can you be so sure..."
Hong Wei Moon did not answer. He merely gazed lazily at the ceiling. Shin Hwa swallowed hard.
'He has changed.' When did it start? It had become hard to find a smile on the Young Master’s face, which used to remain cheerful even when lightning struck nearby.
His languid posture reminded one of a dangerous viper, and his hazy gaze was filled with ambiguity.
"Should we take action?"
"Action? What kind?"
"..."
"The words of the Demon Lord are not easily spoken. If there had been a conflict, he would be even more tight-lipped. That’s just who he is."
"That may be true."
"Of course, I can't guarantee anything."
The words of Hong Wei Moon, who had lost his smile, echoed with uncertainty. He had transformed into someone who could no longer be sure of anything, unlike in the past.
"Even if that happens, we cannot take any significant action. There’s no need to."
"Still..."
"I would rather the Demon Lord confess."
"What?!"
This was another unexpected statement. Hong Wei Moon shook off his pipe and said, "Do you know what is scarier than the truth?"
"..."
"Rumors."
"…!"
"If I were that guy, I would have caused a commotion and then slipped away. I wouldn’t have made any offers to the Demon Lord. And then..."
Hong Wei Moon's eyes sparkled.
"When the public's curiosity reaches its peak, I would spread rumors."
"Rumors..."
"There was some sort of deal between the Third Prince and the Demon Lord, and it turns out the Demon Lord was a puppet dancing in the hands of the Third Prince, and so on."
"…!"
"The public does not want a trivial conclusion. Even if the official truth comes out, they will still be doubtful and propose other possibilities. Especially if the truth has not yet been revealed. All sorts of scandals will spread like wildfire."
Shin Hwa's eyes trembled. Using the public's desires to tarnish a reputation was a common tactic among those engaged in political strife. However, it was not easy for the parties involved to realize it until it happened.
"Then we should take action even more, shouldn't we?"
Hong Wei Moon shook his head.
"That’s what I would do. He might be different."
"But to just sit back and do nothing in this situation..."
"Don’t worry. If they didn’t know, that’s one thing, but if they already know, it’s easy to cover up the rumors on our side."
"..."
"Rather, if we find out where the rumors originated and expose it, we can shift all the blame onto them. We just need to observe how the atmosphere flows."
Shin Hwa could not help but admire.
'Truly impressive.'
Despite appearing troubled lately, Hong Wei Moon’s ability to foresee one or two steps ahead was admirable.
"So, does that mean we just wait?"
"Not exactly."
"What?"
Hong Wei Moon stuffed a purple cigarette into his pipe, lit it, and took a deep drag.
Hoo.
The dreamy smoke that spread out was quite fragrant, unlike the previous cigarette.
"A martial art focused solely on offense will eventually lead to ruin. Offense and defense must always go hand in hand. Politics is the same. We must prepare while simultaneously attacking the enemy to avoid exposing our weaknesses."
"..."
"But my concern is not that."
Hong Wei Moon closed his eyes.
"How did he find out?"
"…!"
"No one knows about the bribe given to the Demon Lord. While it is said that there are no secrets in this world, it is not something that would be revealed so quickly."
"Could it be the True Demon Lord?"
"That one is definitely not sure. He is the kind of person who would never reveal anything that could incriminate him."
Hong Wei Moon closed his eyes. 'Could it be So Won-joo?' It wouldn’t have leaked from the military department.
Then the most likely source of information would be Hwan Hee Won. 'Was there some sort of deal between them back then?' That would be quite surprising in its own right.
Hwan Hee Won had always been an organization that did not interfere in the succession struggles. 'It would likely be the same this time. So Won-joo is not a fool.
He will never get involved in this fight.' What if So Yeon-shim had given information to Seoryang? 'That means the patient he must save is that precious to him.'
It was also surprising that So Yeon-shim knew about the deal between him and the Demon Lord. If this were true, he must never touch So Yeon-shim in the future. 'That sly woman.'
At that moment, "Young Master!" A hurried voice from outside the door made Shin Hwa frown.
"What is it?"
"The Demon Lord is heading to the Law Enforcement Hall!"
Startled, Shin Hwa looked at Hong Wei Moon. Hong Wei Moon chuckled.
"I don’t know whether to call this fortunate or regrettable."
"Oh, really?"
"Yes. Currently, the Demon Lord is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Hall. The amount involved is quite large, but he is likely to be released in three to four days."
"That would be the case. The name of the Demon Lord is not something to be taken lightly."
Ma Dong-pil said with a worried expression.
"Are you going to be alright?"
"What do you mean?"
"The public will be disappointed in the Third Prince. But it probably won’t lead to any real harm."
"That would be the case."
"There will likely be some movement from the Third Prince's side, right? They won’t just sit back and watch."
"That’s true."
Unlike Ma Dong-pil, Seoryang appeared quite relaxed. With his chin resting on his hand, he scratched the cheek of Geum-ho, who looked drowsy.
"You don’t seem worried at all, Young Master."
"Worried? Well... if worrying would solve the problem, I wouldn’t sleep and would just worry all the time."
"That’s true."
"Don’t think too much about it. What they do is not very important. Unless it’s a situation where my head might roll, I can worry about it later."
In fact, Seoryang was not paying much attention to that side. It was surprising that the Demon Lord had gone to the Law Enforcement Hall on his own, but he did not think of it as a fish he had missed. It was merely an unexpected gain.
What he was currently contemplating was Geum-ho. 'Look at this.'
Scratch.
As he scratched the cheek with his finger, Geum-ho let out a big yawn and rolled over. The sight of him lying down with his eyes closed, blowing out air through his nose, was incredibly cute. Although he had a somewhat unique appearance, he was just a young fox.
He did not look bizarre like the beasts of the Gojuk Forest, just an ordinary creature. 'But why was I so excited back then?' It was natural to be angry since the beast he was raising almost got hurt.
But he never expected to be that worked up. 'Did this little creature become such an important existence to me?' Whether it be a person or a beast, the time it takes for feelings to develop is not that significant...
'And what about that energy I felt back then?' Even Seoryang, who was extremely sensitive, found it hard to grasp. 'It felt as if I was connected to him...'
Seoryang shook his head. That couldn’t be. Qi is fluid, and the cultivation method is about processing that Qi into a suitable form for the body.
That’s why it is difficult to share Qi even among those who have learned the same cultivation method. The nature of Qi changes according to a person's mind and body. But to share Qi with a beast?
That’s nonsense. Blink blink.
Geum-ho opened his eyes. His clear eyes, like obsidian, reflected his own face. 'But... he is definitely not an ordinary beast.'
He was staying in the depths of the Gojuk Forest, where the concentration of spiritual energy was the highest. The fact that he could handle such a large amount of spiritual energy with his still immature body was remarkable. 'Moreover, he had disappeared several times without me noticing.'
It was similar yet slightly different from the extremely trained assassin's stealth technique. Stealth techniques erase all traces, but Geum-ho makes one not care even while sensing his presence. Seoryang held a piece of boiled pork in front of Geum-ho's nose and waved it.
Yum!
Geum-ho quickly bit into the meat. The little creature, no bigger than a forearm, devoured an entire plate of meat. He didn’t seem to have a big appetite, but it was surprising how he ate everything given to him.
"This little guy's belly is really round."
Seoryang poked Geum-ho's nose and stood up. He couldn’t hold onto worries that had no immediate answers forever. Instead, he should spend that time more efficiently.
"By the way, Dong-pil, you’ve improved a bit, haven’t you?"
"What?"
"Your sword technique has become quite refined, hasn’t it? Especially when you were fending off those mad dogs."
"Oh, did you see?"
"I could feel it without seeing. It was the Ho Ma Sword Technique, right?"
"Yes."
"You reduced the speed but eliminated the openings and mixed in the essence of the heavy sword... well done. Martial arts follow the person. You’ve adapted it well to suit you. That’s a good realization."
Genuine joy appeared on Ma Dong-pil's face. The Young Master, who usually didn’t comment much on martial arts, had said this. It was clear that he had found it quite impressive.
"Since we’re on the topic, may I dare to ask a question?"
"Feel free."
"Is this truly the right path?"
"What do you mean by that?"
Ma Dong-pil's expression became more serious.
"A martial art that leans too much to one side will eventually reveal its limits. Even if it has temporarily grown, if you think about whether this direction is truly right..."
"I thought you were laying the groundwork for a question, but this doesn’t even sound like a question."
"What?"
Seoryang snorted.
"Isn’t demonic martial arts a form of martial arts that leans to one side?"
"…?"
"Leaning to one side means losing balance. At the same time, it also means having a clear advantage. And demonic martial arts are ultimately martial arts that maximize advantages, so why do you think your sword technique is different?"
"…!"
"Moreover, you’re not in a position to be pondering such things right now."
"Not the right time to ponder means...?"
"Change signifies production. Whether you grow or regress, it holds meaning in itself. Why are you worrying about such trivial matters when you should trust in your own change and move forward without hesitation?"
"I see."
"Trust yourself. Don’t be afraid to run. You can ponder such worries when you reach your limits."
It was something anyone could say, but Seoryang's words resonated deeply with Ma Dong-pil. It was timely advice heard at the right moment. The fact that it was said so casually left no trace of anxiety.
Seoryang pointed with his chin towards the window. Beyond the window, a spacious training ground was visible.
"But, well, I understand your feelings. Since we’re talking about it, let’s take a look at your martial arts. If there’s something to correct, let’s tighten or loosen it up."
"It’s an honor."
Even if it was unsolicited, it was a welcome opportunity. Ma Dong-pil stood up with a smile on his face. At that moment, there was a loud knock!
Knock!
"We come from the Law Enforcement Hall! Please open the door for the Third Prince!"
Ma Dong-pil's eyes widened in shock. Seoryang scratched his head.
"Hmm... I didn’t expect this development."