Silence fell.

The wooden Jin Paecheon stared at Geom Mugeuk. Without any expression, it gave off an even more eerie and intense feeling.

Ssssst.

The wooden puppet returned to its original size, as if exiting a stage after the curtain had fallen.

Geom Mugeuk looked beyond the fallen wooden puppets on the ground toward Baek Cheonggyeong and asked,

“Did the Murim Alliance Leader annihilate your clan?”

Geom Mugeuk’s voice trembled. Despite all his experience, this matter was deeply shocking.

In contrast, Baek Cheonggyeong was enjoying Geom Mugeuk’s reaction.

“Come on, wise Little Pill Master of the Demon Sect! What will you say now?”

“Why? Can’t you believe the Murim Alliance Leader did such a thing?”

Geom Mugeuk answered firmly.

“Yes. I can’t believe it. The Alliance Leader I knew wouldn’t commit such an act.”

Certainly, Jin Paecheon was a ruthless man, but not one to annihilate an entire family. No matter how little one knew about a person’s true nature, the thought that Jin Paecheon had done such a thing was unimaginable. No, it couldn’t be.

“Fine. Then why did the Alliance Leader do such a thing?”

Baek Cheonggyeong refused to answer.

“I’ve said enough.”

As if the next conversation could only continue after defending himself, Baek Cheonggyeong once again activated the Wooden Puppet Spirit Binding Technique.

Ssssst.

This time, three puppets grew larger.

They stepped out slowly, with movements and aura different from the previous puppets.

Geom Mugeuk knew—they were special puppets among the puppets. Not just ordinary masters, but exceptional ones.

Though the enemies were stronger, Geom Mugeuk sheathed his sword.

At that moment, when Baek Cheonggyeong sent a puzzled glance,

Shiiik!

Geom Mugeuk surged forward with the Myeongwang Step. In the blink of an eye, he shifted space and threw a punch.

Bang!

Rumble!

With a thunderous roar, the head of the puppet standing in the center flew off before it could even properly attack.

It was the manifestation of Gwun Ma’s martial art—Lightning Hand Palm’s First Palm, Black Cloud Palm.

The remaining two puppets, unmoved, continued their assault.

Shiiik! Shiiik!

Two swords flew, aiming precisely for Geom Mugeuk’s vital points.

‘He’s dead!’

Baek Cheonggyeong almost convinced himself of that as the attacks pierced Geom Mugeuk’s body.

At that very moment—

Geom Mugeuk vanished.

‘Ihyeong Hwanwi!’

Simultaneously, a thunderclap erupted, drowning out Baek Cheonggyeong’s astonishment.

Kwarururung!

A second thunderclap followed. The head of the puppet on the left exploded.

Despite the flying shards, the last puppet showed no hesitation and attacked again.

But Geom Mugeuk was no longer there. This time, he used the Amyeong Step.

Kwarurururung!

The third thunderclap sounded even louder, and the last puppet’s head was shattered. No matter how well-trained hunting dogs were, they couldn’t catch a tiger; all three were finished with one strike.

The three puppets returned to their original sizes and fell to the ground.

Baek Cheonggyeong trembled all over. He never imagined he would feel such fear here—in this forest filled with puppets.

Geom Mugeuk picked up the severed puppets again.

“They’re different, these puppets.”

“They are. You made them ordinary.”

“I didn’t want to waste time unnecessarily.”

“You’re trying to make my ten years of work worthless.”

Then Geom Mugeuk fixed his gaze on him and said,

“What about Jin Sojeo’s time? Have you thought about her past and her remaining days?”

Surely, thinking of Jin Ha Ryeong must have weighed on his heart. But a deeper anger came before that.

“What about my family who died unjustly? My older brother, sister-in-law, and nephews? The children my nephews bore? Can you even imagine the heart of a parent who died holding their child to protect them? The bloody swaddling clothes I unfolded? What I saw in those swaddling clothes—do you know?”

Baek Cheonggyeong’s eyes reddened with fury.

Ssssst.

The puppets grew again, carrying his rage.

This time, there were two. The fewer the number, the more special their aura.

These two puppets launched the attack first. They were incredibly fast, surely modeled after a master of swift swordsmanship.

They were so fast that even Baek Cheonggyeong himself could not see their movements clearly.

Since he could not see the movements, only sounds were audible. The clashing of swords came in succession, ending with three distinct sounds.

Shiiik! Shok! Clack!

Just as Geom Mugeuk sheathed his sword again—

Thud, thud!

The heads of the two puppets fell and rolled on the ground.

It was the Ch’angcheon Form, Fifth Form of the Bicheon Sword Technique, swiftly executed.

Though it had been a while since he last used it, Ch’angcheon Form was faster than before. Even at the twelve-star great saint level, his skills matured and unleashed stronger techniques.

Baek Cheonggyeong was too shocked to speak.

No matter the Little Pill Master, no one could neutralize the swift puppet’s attack so quickly. At least five hundred exchanges of offense and defense were expected. Even Geom Mugeuk was thought unlikely to survive without severe injury.

Geom Mugeuk’s reaction was more surprising. Instead of boasting, he did not mention it at all. This fight seemed meaningless to him. His interest was solely in his own life.

“Answer the question I asked earlier. Why did the Alliance Leader annihilate your clan?”

“Why is that so important to you? Whether the Alliance Leader went mad or did it out of boredom, why does it matter? What if the Murim Alliance Leader is a hypocrite or not? You Demon Sect bastards plan to destroy everything and take over the entire martial world anyway, don’t you?”

“I’ll eat, but only after cutting out the rotten parts. So tell me.”

He deliberately used the word rotten. Whatever the truth of this matter, Baek Cheonggyeong believed it.

“Did you see it yourself?”

“Are you saying that because you didn’t see it yourself, it’s not the Alliance Leader’s doing?”

His words were filled with anger. Knowing better than anyone how deep that anger ran, Geom Mugeuk calmly soothed his emotions.

“I’m not on the Murim Alliance’s side. I just want to know the truth.”

“If you’re not on their side, then why are you here in front of me?”

Because of the Fire Weapon. If he did not know about the Fire Weapon or its connection, he would not have come this far.

“For Jin Sojeo.”

Baek Cheonggyeong snorted but finally answered.

“I didn’t see it myself. When I returned, it was already...”

Recalling that moment, Baek Cheonggyeong faltered.

“Then why are you so sure it was the Alliance Leader’s doing?”

“Someone saw it.”

“Who?”

“Our family’s steward. He was dying, covered in blood. His last words were that the culprit was the Murim Alliance Leader.”

Geom Mugeuk said nothing. Whether the Murim Alliance Leader had done it or not was unknowable. People’s hearts are always a mystery.

But considering the possibility it wasn’t true first was because Baek Cheonggyeong would later follow the Fire Weapon.

“No matter how much I think, there’s no reason for the Alliance Leader to annihilate your clan…”

At that moment, a thought flashed through Geom Mugeuk’s mind.

He remembered a fact he had forgotten. There was one reason why the Alliance Leader would annihilate them.

“You killed the Alliance Leader’s son and daughter-in-law!”

Baek Cheonggyeong said nothing, his expression hardened. Geom Mugeuk understood from his reaction.

“You knew too.”

“If I had known, would that lessen his guilt? Revenge should be taken only on those who committed the act. Why kill them all?”

His defense was just. The pain of losing a child was understandable, but annihilating the whole family was clearly wrong.

“But I have one question. Then why did the Alliance Leader spare you? It’s obvious you would seek revenge.”

“Because after that incident, I was declared dead.”

He had entered the Murim Alliance with a new identity.

“Who handled that? Did you do it yourself?”

Faking death and entering the Murim Alliance as the apprentice of the Alliance Leader’s grandson was no easy task, even with the Main Sect Tongcheongak’s involvement.

“Of course.”

His answer came hesitantly—a lie. Geom Mugeuk was certain someone was behind him.

“So? What are you trying to say?”

Geom Mugeuk said something surprising.

“What if it wasn’t the Alliance Leader who did it?”

“!”

“What if a third party was involved? Someone deceived both you and the Alliance Leader?”

To the frowning Baek Cheonggyeong, an even more startling statement was added. Without knowledge of the Fire Weapon, this hypothesis would not exist. But the Alliance Leader’s character and the existence of the Fire Weapon raised such speculation.

“What if the deaths of the Alliance Leader’s son and daughter-in-law were all planned from the start?”

Baek Cheonggyeong stood stunned, dumbfounded. He had never considered such a thing. What was this nonsense? Pure rubbish.

“So what do you want to gain?”

Geom Mugeuk’s final conclusion.

“You.”

“!”

“You who have endured ten years of madness for revenge, buried deep in the Murim Alliance. You are the final decisive dagger that will kill the Alliance Leader.”

A murderous aura radiated from Baek Cheonggyeong. He denied everything—he had to deny it. If Geom Mugeuk’s words were true, the past ten years of his work were folly. Puppets carving puppets.

“What do you know! You think you can say anything with that mouth? What do you know?”

His anger stemmed from confusion. What if it were true? That deep anxiety overwhelmed him. If such words came from anyone else, he would not have cared at all—just dismissed them as lies meant to shake him.

But these words came from Geom Mugeuk, who overwhelmed him with martial skill. A man extraordinary enough to accelerate his plans.

Fed by surprise, fear, and anxiety, trees began to grow.

Around the two men, branches sprouted from the ground.

Not ordinary trees. Trees that could not be cut by swords—secrets of the Wooden Puppet Spirit Binding Technique were at work. The growing trees formed walls and ceilings. There was nowhere to run. The two faced off in a closed space made entirely of wood.

Other branches curled around Baek Cheonggyeong’s body, forming armor. Here, even sword energy and sword hardness could not cut it.

“You ruined everything. Because of you, Jin Ha Ryeong will die.”

Geom Mugeuk calmly asked him.

“What did you say to me earlier? Why did you scream about not killing only the culprit but the entire family? What are you doing now?”

“They started it first!”

“But you started the whole thing, didn’t you?”

No, perhaps it was the Fire Weapon.

“Release Jin Sojeo. I know you never intended to kill her.”

Vines rose from the ground and climbed over Geom Mugeuk’s feet, slowly tightening around his entire body, immobilizing him.

“The one who helped you infiltrate the Murim Alliance—that person planned all this.”

Geom Mugeuk saw Baek Cheonggyeong’s pupils flicker. The vines paused their growth. Someone was definitely there.

“Tell me who.”

“There is no one! No such person! Do you think I’m an idiot?”

Around Geom Mugeuk, more trees grew, forming long spears. Like octopus tentacles, they swiftly stabbed at him from all directions.

Geom Mugeuk raised his Hoshin Armor to block the attacks.

Teng! Tong! Teng!

The wooden spears clashed with the armor, ringing metallic sounds.

Even if cut by sword, they regrew. Even if broken against the armor, new trees sprouted and attacked again. They relentlessly attacked to tear apart the armor. The only way to stop this assault was to kill Baek Cheonggyeong hiding inside.

Teng! Tong! Teng!

Attacks within the enclosed space were several times stronger than outside.

“It’s not too late. Let’s face that person together!”

Feeling Geom Mugeuk’s sincerity, Baek Cheonggyeong hesitated. If what he said was true—

“Please! Don’t let him kill you.”

But in the end, he did not trust Geom Mugeuk.

Baek Cheonggyeong pushed his internal energy to its limit. Blood trickled from his mouth, but he did not stop. Ten or so spears attacked only one place—Geom Mugeuk’s heart.

Teng! Tong! Teng!

At this rate, the Hoshin Armor would break.

“If you die, a war with the Demon Sect will break out. Even if I can’t kill you, Cheonma will.”

The wooden spears fused into one, darkening in color. It was Baek Cheonggyeong’s final attack, pouring all his internal energy into it. At least in this space, no defense against this attack remained.

Swaaaaaash!

The spear flew toward Geom Mugeuk’s heart.

At that moment—

Flash!

The flying wooden spear stopped just in front of Geom Mugeuk’s chest. Then its sharp energy disappeared and it fell to the ground with a thud.

Standing before Geom Mugeuk were five figures.

Four fiendish spirits stood around Baek Cheonggyeong. The First Form of the Nine Fiend Martial Art, Annihilation Form, was unleashed.

The ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) wooden armor that couldn’t be cut by sword energy began to crack and fall to the ground in pieces. His martial art rooted in demonic power could not withstand the Nine Fiend Martial Art.

When the fiendish spirits vanished, Baek Cheonggyeong was soaked in blood.

With a dazed look, Baek Cheonggyeong stared at Geom Mugeuk. It was clear he had little time left.

Geom Mugeuk pulled a puppet from his bosom. It was the very puppet he had threatened to carve a face into earlier.

Now, the puppet’s face had been carved. Over the past few days, as he went back and forth from his workshop, Geom Mugeuk had engraved the face of the Fire Weapon.

“Was this the person?”