Seodaeryong felt like he could fly, so happy he was.

He suddenly understood why his work hadn’t gone smoothly today—because such an exciting event was waiting for him.

He lowered his voice and replied,

“Catching villains is the main duty of this branch, Little Pill Master.”

That was the last moment he kept a serious tone.

“Ugh, at least when I’m with you, Little Pill Master, I want to be comfortable.”

Actually, the hardest part was maintaining dignity as branch leader. He had gotten used to joking and fooling around with Geom Mugeuk, so it was even harder.

“But who is the one we need to catch?”

“Saujong.”

Seodaeryong also knew the man who had once been Ilhwa Sword Master’s right hand.

Geom Mugeuk told him about Saujong visiting Cheongseon but omitted mentioning Ilhwa Sword Master’s weakness, as it was a personal matter.

“That sounds suspicious. Then what should this branch do?”

“Conduct a secret special investigation on him.”

Starting a special investigation would reveal everything about Saujong—his assets, duties, martial arts, relationships, even hobbies and daily life. They would uncover it all.

“Request support from Tongcheongak too.”

“Understood.”

Then Seodaeryong raised a question.

“But isn’t threatening a Demon Warrior itself a serious crime?”

Depending on the case, it could even lead to execution. The position of Demon Warrior in Cheonma Sect was absolute. So why conduct such a grand investigation instead of resolving it simply?

“Saujong must know that too, so I wondered why someone who knows that would act like this.”

“Right. Why would he? Unless he’s desperate before death… he must believe he has some backing.”

Geom Mugeuk nodded in agreement.

“Let’s find out what it is.”

“We’ll start the investigation immediately.”

In truth, Seodaeryong wasn’t curious about the reason. He was just happy to be working with Geom Mugeuk now.

“I’m off. If you don’t want to work, switch with me!”

Geom Mugeuk turned to leave, but Seodaeryong called out from behind,

“Glad you’re back.”

Seodaeryong still loved joking, but as branch leader, there was a newfound steadiness to him—even if he hadn’t noticed it himself.

“Well then, please take care, Branch Leader Seo.”

After leaving Hwangcheongak, I went straight to Cheondokrim.

Thanks to the strong poison medicine the Poison King had fetched last time, my internal power had greatly increased.

Even more so because the Poison King had contributed his own money. But what mattered most was that he, who hated going outside, had personally gone to Central Plains to get it.

Our handsome Poison King was probably still alone, digging the ground and searching for poisonous insects today.

“Poison King! I’ll dig with you!”

Then I saw an amazing sight.

Hyeolcheon Doma’s garden was impressive, and the duel between Kwonma and Ian was impressive.

But coldly assessed, this was the most astonishing scene.

The Poison King and the Demon Buddha were walking side by side out of the forest. It really was Demon Buddha. They were even talking.

“Ah, your keen eyesight! Truly amazing.”

“This is ordinary, really.”

The Poison King’s bag held poisonous herbs. It seemed they had gathered them together. Seeing these two together without me felt very strange.

Once, Demon Buddha and I had a bet to find poisonous herbs in Cheondokrim. Demon Buddha found the herbs, and I joked that it was the Poison King’s scheme to use us as gatherers. But Demon Buddha was back again?

I shouted at them.

“Be careful! One of you is a fake!”

They glanced at me, then ignored it and continued their conversation.

“How did you find them so fast? Tell me your secret.”

“What secret? I was just lucky.”

“Really, Demon Buddha has a natural talent for gathering herbs. I recommend changing your profession even now.”

Demon Buddha seriously replied to the ridiculous comment.

“I might take it up as a hobby. Traveling in clean air is good for health too.”

I shook my head and shouted at Sangseon.

“You two are both fakes!”

Sangseon just smiled.

I really hadn’t expected these two to get along so well.

“What are you two doing now?”

The Poison King answered excitedly.

“Demon Buddha found the Nine Yin Herb today. I’ve been searching for years.”

Clearly, this wasn’t the first time.

“A bet again?”

The Poison King sighed sadly.

“I lost again.”

“What’s at stake?”

“A meal. Sangseon, prepare the meal.”

Sangseon smiled.

“I already prepared because I thought I might lose again.”

A grand meal was set in the courtyard.

I sat down too. Sangseon brought rice and chopsticks for me.

“How much is one root of the Nine Yin Herb?”

“At least a hundred thousand nyang.”

“And you’re trying to settle with just a meal?”

“Winning the bet is what matters.”

I whispered to Demon Buddha.

“You’re being fooled by a wicked gambler.”

Demon Buddha ate deliciously.

“Poison King isn’t like that.”

One pretends to cheat, the other pretends to be fooled. Such a cute pair.

The Poison King pushed the food toward Demon Buddha.

“Eat a little. I made this for hard-working Demon Buddha.”

“I’m the Little Pill Master, not Second-in-command! I can overturn the table!”

The Poison King ignored me and took care of Demon Buddha.

“Eat well.”

“It tastes good.”

“We barely passed through Honam and Gangseo branches, if we toured all of Central Plains, we’d be sworn brothers.”

Sangseon smiled at my words.

Those two are polar opposites. One enjoys solitude in Cheondokrim, the other traveled everywhere for politics.

Seeing them together, I thought maybe each envies the other's life.

The Poison King might envy Demon Buddha, who roams freely and meets people without hesitation, while he himself stays locked in Cheondokrim despite being more handsome.

Demon Buddha might envy °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° Poison King, tired of traveling and people, wanting a quiet life alone.

Maybe that’s why they look so compatible now.

Then, what kind of life do I want?

After killing Hwamugi and standing before my life, I keep asking myself what I will do and how I will live.

I try not to fall into the trap of ‘do important things first and think later!’ because I might lose something more important without realizing it.

While eating, Demon Buddha suddenly asked,

“Kwonma’s been busy. Is that because of you?”

Having two disciples, a daughter, and a chosen successor naturally draws Demon Buddha’s attention.

“You know my master’s personality, right? He isn’t one to be influenced by others.”

“Maybe not by anyone but you.”

“You overestimate me.”

The Poison King stared at the Nine Yin Herb throughout the meal. I know he was truly captivated by it. Right now, all he thinks about is getting inside and making a new poison from that herb.

“When will you visit your older brother?”

“Why rush to see him first? I’ll go last.”

“You had a drink with the Duke last time. He mentioned you.”

“Better if he didn’t curse me.”

I never really wanted to see my older brother, but today I missed him.

“The winner never knows the heart of the loser. Your brother is a great loser.”

“Only because Demon Buddha stayed by his side.”

Demon Buddha looked at me.

“You don’t need to say that anymore.”

“I will keep saying it. Not flattery, but sincere.”

I felt Demon Buddha’s golden aura grow stronger.

While talking with Demon Buddha, the Poison King couldn’t wait and went inside with the herb. I could see through the window him cutting the herb with focus.

“We’ll be going now.”

“Let’s.”

I left his place with Demon Buddha. Sangseon stayed behind and politely bowed.

After a while, the Poison King’s voice echoed from afar.

“Little Pill Master, where did you go? Come! You have to test the poison!”

We had promised to do poison tests in exchange for the medicines.

I pretended not to hear and quickened my steps.

Then Poison King called out to Demon Buddha too.

“Next time, let’s bet on finding the Banseon Herb!”

Demon Buddha smiled.

I could feel he had changed a lot. Even his way out of Cheondokrim was different. He used to choose the shortest path and hurried across the small bridge. Now he walked slowly along a scenic, winding path, even stopping briefly to enjoy the view.

I recalled the words I said at the cave near his hometown’s hill.

―Stop staying in that narrow, suffocating place.

Maybe Demon Buddha had already left that cave to find a new life.

“Next time, I’ll make Demon Buddha gather Banseon Herb again.”

Demon Buddha answered leisurely,

“The food suits my taste… it’s fine.”

At the same time, Saujong was walking through the market street of Maga Village.

Passing by Pungnyu Tavern, he continued down to a small garden at the outskirts where flowers, trees, and seedlings were sold.

His frequent visits to this garden had become a well-known rumor even within Bukcheon Sword family.

Originally, when he was Ilhwa Sword Master’s right hand, he mostly went to a large garden.

But now he had given up that role to another demon swordsman and came here to the outskirts garden, sometimes sitting absent-mindedly staring at trees.

Everyone understood how desperate he was to become Ilhwa Sword Master’s successor. His despair was so deep that it wouldn’t be surprising to hear he committed suicide. But no one visited or comforted him. He had run forward without looking back to succeed.

The garden owner was a kind-faced woman.

“Welcome.”

Saujong didn’t even greet her but sat silently in the corner of the garden, staring blankly at the trees. The flowers were all gone, and only evergreen seedlings remained.

The woman let him be, seeming to understand he came here to escape desires and emotions, but in reality, he wandered lost in worldly greed rather than freed from suffering.

‘He gave up a man to become Demon Warrior, and now he’s discarded me?’

Did he even know what it meant to give a man to the woman he liked? He showered her with curses and insults. He had planned to use the man to control Sword Master, yet he never thought about that.

His hatred was not just toward her.

As soon as Cheongseon became Demon Warrior, she broke up as if waiting for it. The last bastion to become Sword Master was gone.

He lived growing hatred. He dreamed every day. Sometimes of killing Ilhwa Sword Master and committing suicide, sometimes of killing Cheongseon and committing suicide, sometimes killing both and committing suicide. If he couldn’t become Demon Warrior, he would kill both and die.

He lacked the skill to carry it out but longed for the end.

At the end of his despair, someone approached him.

The very person sending the mental message now.

―Have you met Seophon Demon Warrior?

Surprisingly, the sender was the garden owner. Saujong’s coming here was not out of sorrow. He was not weak to wander gardens to forget suffering.

―As you said, but she didn’t try to kill me.

Saujong was extremely polite. He was neither someone who easily trusted nor bowed his head easily. But the woman who approached him in his dark times had immediately captivated him.

A woman aiming at Seophon Demon Warrior of Cheonma Sect, but she gave him faith she could achieve it. Saujong had already experienced the fear hidden beneath her ordinary appearance.

Now he was entangled with three women. He thought that he could only succeed through this woman.

―Meet Seophon Demon Warrior again and provoke her. You must make her use Seophon Technique to kill you.

―I will.

Saujong was no one to die easily, so he had one countermeasure for the moment Seophon Demon Warrior used Seophon Technique on him.

―When Seophon Demon Warrior uses the technique, you must activate the Yin-Yang Reverse Soul Technique.

Yin-Yang Reverse Soul Technique.

A secret art said to have been used long ago in real combat, able to block and reverse opponent’s Seophon Technique. However, it only works on someone you’ve had sexual relations with.

That was why he was chosen for this. He didn’t care about the woman’s intentions. Whether using Seophon Demon Warrior as a puppet to kill the Sect Leader or Little Pill Master, it didn’t matter. Only one thought filled Saujong’s mind.

―You must keep your promise.

At Saujong’s repeated confirmation, the woman stopped moving a huge seedling she was carrying, wiped sweat from her forehead, and sent a mental message. It was a reward Saujong couldn’t refuse.

―If you succeed this, you will become the Sword Master, and Ilhwa Sword Master will be yours.