After meeting Father, I went straight to Ma Ui’s infirmary.

He was treating a seriously ill patient. The patient was badly wounded, and the whole place was a sea of blood. The first smell I noticed upon returning was the ironworks’ metallic scent; the next was the smell of blood.

“Is there anything I can help with?”

“I’m fine.”

I stood back and watched him treat the patient. Ma Ui was covered in blood but putting all his effort into saving the patient’s life.

Both Gwak Bangju of the ironworks and Ma Ui gave a similar impression—those who have reached the pinnacle of their fields. Their determination and focus to save a life resembled Gwak Bangju’s resolve to forge the best swords.

After finishing what looked like a fierce battle of treatment, Ma Ui walked over to me.

“Long wait?”

“Not at all. Is it okay to watch such a miracle—someone coming back from death—for free?”

“He was meant to live anyway.”

There was no way that man was saved so easily; having Ma Ui as his physician was his fortune.

Ma Ui washed his hands and face with water he had kept in the infirmary corner. Seeing his thin, dry arm made me feel pity.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t visit often, always busy with excuses.”

“No need. Seeing you once in a while is enough. I’ve heard your news well. Each time, I think I made the right choice. Thank you.”

“It’s thanks to Igseon-nim.”

“How’s your eyes?”

“No problem. Too well, actually.”

“Good.”

When I decided to kill Yaryulhan, I wanted to see him.

Hearing Father say “Absolutely not,” I came to Ma Ui to find courage. I wanted to tell him that I planned to kill Yaryulhan soon, but that was only after Father’s permission.

“Since you came, have some tea before you leave.”

“Gladly.”

I talked with Ma Ui about various things. I tried to tell him all the stories I had held back, but another patient arrived, so I had to leave.

“I’ll come again.”

“No need to hurry with such things.”

I will definitely come back soon.

Next, I went to see Blood Heaven Butcher.

He was sitting in the yard, leaning on his Blood Heaven Great Sword stuck in the ground, practicing qigong breathing. The heat of his training still lingered in the space. Even while Gwonma and I went slacking, Blood Heaven Butcher never stopped martial training.

“Sir! I’m back.”

I greeted him cheerfully as if I had returned in glory, but Blood Heaven Butcher greeted me as indifferently as yesterday.

“You’ve traveled far; why not rest? Why come here?”

“I had to greet you, at least. And I have a report to make.”

“What report?”

I sat facing Blood Heaven Butcher.

“I have become Gwonma’s disciple.”

He glanced at me but said nothing.

“What’s with that dry reaction?”

“What reaction were you expecting?”

“To get angry because you became a disciple without my permission? To be jealous that you should have been my disciple first?”

Then Blood Heaven Butcher said unexpectedly:

“If not Gwonma, there’s no Ma Jon who would take you as disciple.”

“What do you mean?”

“Personality-wise.”

“And you?”

“I like disciples like Daeryong. Ones I can train while letting them run free.”

“Ah! Poor Investigator Seo.”

“A bastard who grabbed someone’s pants recklessly.”

This referred to how their master-disciple relationship began—with Seo Daeryong drunkenly grabbing Blood Heaven Butcher’s pants in a tavern.

Of course, I know Blood Heaven Butcher cares for Seo Daeryong a lot. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have named him next Blood Heaven Butcher.

“If I take you as disciple, you’ll get ulcers in less than a month.”

“I can’t deny that.”

“But Gwonma won’t get ulcers.”

“Why?”

“Because he never plans to run anyone. If Father and I are fire, he is water.”

I thought Gwonma was like Father’s fire, but Blood Heaven Butcher felt he was water. Maybe he was right. Fire and water might actually fit well.

“To be honest, I worried you might be upset with me.”

“A narrow-minded old man sulking?”

“Narrow-minded? No, it’s just your deep affection for me.”

“Before, that would have been true. Before I met you, I surely would have been upset.”

“And now?”

“Now I’ve changed. Because of you.”

“Because of me?”

“Would a narrow-minded old man say such things while making it impossible to walk with you?”

“...!”

I never dreamed he thought this way.

“After forming a bond with you, I started reflecting on myself. You constantly provoked me. At first, you annoyed me. Later, you surprised me. Now, you move me.”

“Is that part of your training?”

“Yes. I feel that if I just relied on my current skills and swaggered around, I’d be swept away by storms and rain. You’ve already begun ascending.”

When I first met him, he said a dragon ascending brings storms. Back then it was metaphorical, but now it’s reality.

Blood Heaven Butcher stared at me seriously, and I didn’t joke about him being a loach or anything. He was right. If we swagger relying on skills alone, we’ll all die.

So we had to keep moving forward.

“I will use the first of my thirty-three favors I can ask.”

At my words, Blood Heaven Butcher blinked and asked,

“Thirty-three favors? Did we have that?”

“Of course not. But I think I’ll need your help thirty-three times in life. I decided that arbitrarily.”

“By whose will?”

“Before granting those favors, don’t catch a cold, understand?”

Because my wish for his long life was part of this nonsense, Blood Heaven Butcher just smiled helplessly.

“What favor?”

“Please persuade Father.”

“Persuade the sect leader? How?”

“I want to get permission to kill Yaryulhan of Sadomeng.”

Blood Heaven Butcher wasn’t surprised. So calm that I wondered if he should be surprised at all.

“Why not surprised?”

“Because you’re crazy enough to attempt this.”

“Not a storm brought by a dragon ascending?”

“No. This is just crazy.”

“Please let me do this one crazy thing.”

“Tell me why. Why kill him?”

I told Blood Heaven Butcher about Jisaeng, Yaryulhan’s subordinate with the golden pig tattoo, who used Sinseonchae to lead the young martial artists to ruin.

I couldn’t tell him about Ma Ui’s revenge. That was a very personal matter.

“If that’s the reason, the sect leader won’t allow it.”

“That’s why I’m asking you.”

After a pause, Blood Heaven Butcher asked,

“If permission is granted… do you have the confidence to kill him?”

“I’ll try.”

“Not just him, but his subordinates’ martial skills are formidable. If things go wrong, it could lead to war between the sect and Sadomeng.”

Blood Heaven Butcher also worried about war breaking out.

“Is it worth risking such danger?”

“The young who just emerged into the world have been deceived by that old bastard and forced into all sorts of evil acts. They end up killed or committing suicide. Is it worth it? Yes, it is.”

Even without a promise to Ma Ui, Yaryulhan’s evil will continue.

Before reincarnation, I was too busy gathering materials to pay much attention to Sadomeng. But rumors kept coming of evil related to Yaryulhan’s subordinates.

If fate put me before him now, it was right to handle it.

“Why was someone like you born ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) in the sect? Why not as the son of the Martial Alliance leader?”

“Probably because Father told me not to fight you.”

Blood Heaven Butcher sighed lightly.

“There’s someone in Sadomeng who will help me.”

“Who?”

“Sadomeng’s successor, Bisa-in.”

For the sake of repaying past favors, Bisa-in will definitely help me, and he would be an excellent ally.

After a moment’s thought, Blood Heaven Butcher repeated what Gwonma said.

“To change the sect leader’s mind, all eight Ma Jons must step in. If you show that much ability, the sect leader will have a reason to relent.”

Hearing the opinions of the two who knew Father best made me heavy-hearted.

“The eight Ma Jons are difficult. Mabool and Dokwang support my brother, so they won’t help.”

Blood Heaven Butcher drew the sword embedded in the ground and said,

“Are you sure those two are the only ones refusing?”

As he entered the house, he added,

“Your real human relations might just be starting now.”

As Blood Heaven Butcher predicted,

Ilhwa Sword Immortal rejected the request flatly, just as neatly as her swordsmanship.

“That can’t be.”

Her reason was also neat.

“Igongja, since it’s you, I’ll be honest. I don’t want to fall out of favor with the sect leader over this.”

It was understandable. She respected Father more than anyone since youth. She didn’t want to ask for something Father would never allow.

“I understand, senior.”

Honestly, I expected Ilhwa Sword Immortal to refuse. Compared to other Ma Jons, I was farther from her. Apart from sparring, I had no deep relationship with her.

“Are you upset?”

If I answered too rigidly, I’d really upset her.

“Yes, I’m upset. That’s too harsh!”

Ilhwa Sword Immortal smiled.

“Thanks for understanding.”

“Sorry, but this might not be the end. I might come back to persuade again.”

“Yeah.”

But even with someone I thought closer than her, getting permission for this was not easy.

Next, I went to Chwima, who suddenly started pretending to be drunk when I asked him to persuade Father.

“Ah! Suddenly, I’m feeling tipsy.”

Chwima put his head down on the table and pretended to sleep.

I drank silently, and he said while lying down,

“I’ll do all other favors. What do you want? If you want me to buy you drinks for life, I will. Need a loan? Want me to beat those bastards in Akin-gok again?”

“Enough. Persuade Father.”

Then Chwima suddenly jumped up and dove into the lake.

He swam wildly from one end to the other like a madman, then climbed back to the pavilion. Sitting back down dripping wet, he said with a serious expression,

“I’ll quit drinking instead.”

Chwima quitting drinking? I chuckled.

“Is it really that hard?”

“If I go, what would Father think? ‘Look at this guy, coming to persuade me knowing I’m against it?’ Father already hates me.”

“Why does Father hate you?”

“He does. Father hates drunks and poison users. Father has clear likes and dislikes. I can’t do it! Absolutely can’t! Sorry, brother.”

I didn’t bother him further. It was about Father; how could I not understand? Even if it wasn’t because of Father, if he hated it, I couldn’t force it.

“Then no drinking for ten days starting today!”

“I quit drinking! Sorry!”

“Why should I be sorry? I’m the one who pressured you with unreasonable demands.”

“Don’t let this ruin our relationship!”

“Brother, our relationship won’t worsen because I asked or because you refused.”

“Then why does it?”

“When we’re not honest. If you pretended now that you’d do it to please me, even though you didn’t want to, you’d get irritated and angry. Eventually, you’d hate me too.”

Chwima nodded as if that’s how he would have felt.

“You refused well, brother. I’ll ask a lot more favors in the future—come with me to beat someone up, drink with me when lonely, help persuade someone. Brother, you have to be this honest then. Don’t ever think ‘I refused last time, so I have to do it this time.’ That’s when our bond breaks, got it?”

Chwima looked at me quietly and said,

“From today, you be the older brother. I’m serious.”

“No way. What kind of words are those from a younger brother who lives for teasing his older brother? Brother!”

“Ugh, what an embarrassing brother you are.”

“It’s not embarrassing to fear Father, unless it was something else. I’m going. I’ll probably come again for this. See you then.”

So I left Chwima’s place.

Blood Heaven Butcher was right. It might be harder to persuade the Ma Jons than Father.

Even those I thought allies—Ilhwa Sword Immortal and Chwima—were hard to convince, and all eight would have to come speak for Father to permit it? A sigh escaped me, but now was not the time to despair; I had to find a way.

Next, I headed to where my battle comrade was. I was curious about his reaction.