Endless blood energies flew in, crashing relentlessly—but none could pierce the Great Demon Wall.

Thud thud thud thud thud!

Every last blood energy that came like a squeezing force was neutralized.

The more than a ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) dozen warriors who had poured almost all their blood into the self-destruct technique lay sprawled on the ground as bodies with gaping holes in their chests.

The Great Demon Wall did not vanish immediately but shimmered grandly in the sunlight.

Chimma slowly turned his head.

Geom Mugeuk, who had been behind him, was now standing at his side, thrusting his Black Demon Sword forward.

“I can’t let you get hurt by attacks like those.”

This was not a normal attack, nor a fierce final technique used in the heat of battle—it was a self-destruct technique revealed at the very first sight. Though it has “gong (technique)” in its name, it cannot be called a true martial art.

Geom Mugeuk had erected the Great Demon Wall to prevent even a single hair on Chimma from being harmed by such an attack.

This scene was symbolic.

—I believe this is where we must find our reason for existence: the only ones in the martial world who can eradicate vile and cruel evil with an even more vile and cruel force. We will be able to stop evils that ordinary people cannot.

Chimma bowed respectfully toward the Great Demon Wall, paying homage to the Nine Flames Martial Arts. Only then did the wall slowly vanish.

At last, he looked at Geom Mugeuk and spoke politely.

“Thank you, Little Pill Master.”

At this moment of being saved by the Nine Flames Martial Arts, their relationship transcended brotherhood—they were the Demon and the Little Pill Master. Geom Mugeuk returned the gratitude.

“I will never forget that you stood up to protect me, Demon.”

His words were sincere. When Chimma tried to block the self-destruct technique with his body, Geom Mugeuk was genuinely moved.

After sharing their hearts, Geom Mugeuk raised his energy to check if anyone else was present. There was no one else. Those hiding near the shattered main hall had all been accounted for.

At that moment, the front gate opened, and Binggung entered.

Behind her, in the distance, lay three or four frozen corpses.

“I took care of a few that caught my eye.”

She had tried not to intervene in the fight as much as possible. She had stayed outside because she promised to give priority to Chimma.

Her gaze fell on the dozen or so corpses lying on the ground.

‘They used self-destruct technique all at once.’

She looked beyond the wall of energy rising high over the fence. How could she not know what an incredible level of mastery had created it?

‘The Little Pill Master has properly learned the Nine Flames Martial Arts.’

If the Little Pill Master’s martial art was like this, how terrifying must the Heavenly Demon’s martial arts be? A chilling awe filled her.

Geom Mugeuk spoke to her.

“They recruited elders from Northern Sea Binggung, allied with Bukhyeolmun, and shamelessly used self-destruct techniques.”

Binggung felt the situation was more serious than she had thought. Although she always kept a close eye on martial world affairs to avoid falling behind, she had never heard of such people until now.

Binggung walked toward the fallen Seonak.

He was barely breathing, his whole body a wreck from Chimma’s attacks.

‘Who exactly did you ally with?’

She looked down coldly and turned away without a word. She didn’t even want to give him a farewell.

As she turned, Seonak said,

“…Han Ikyung.”

Binggung flinched and stopped in place.

She slowly turned back and looked down at Seonak.

Seonak lay on the floor, smiling—his mouth full of blood, a horrific sight.

Han Ikyung.

She was Binggung’s older sister.

Long ago, she had fought her sister for succession, and her gentle sister left Northern Sea for her sake—yielding the successor’s seat.

After that, Binggung never sought her.

She thought it would be better for her sister not to get involved with her.

To be honest, she barely tried to look into it. She feared that if their relationship rekindled, her sister might again crave the Palace Lord’s seat. She truly worried that way then.

So she forgot. At first consciously, then naturally.

The thought of her sister returned only because of Geom Mugeuk.

When she received the report that Geom Mugeuk had peacefully ended the succession fight without bloodshed, she remembered her sister who had been long forgotten.

Looking back now, there must have been a way. Could they have peacefully selected a successor like Geom Mugeuk did?

What had she been so afraid of then? Now she realized neither she nor her sister had any real problem—but those around them had panicked.

Anyway, Binggung felt a debt to her sister.

Because her sister could have enjoyed all that Binggung now enjoyed.

Seonak, who was dying now, mentioned that sister.

‘Why?’

Her cold gaze fixed on him as Seonak said,

“I chose you, not Ikyung.”

It was no delirium of the dying; Seonak’s eyes in his final moments were clear.

“Don’t you want to see her?”

Binggung didn’t want to hear any more, and her hand glowed white.

Just as she reached out to end him—

“Maybe you have family.”

Seonak smiled, as if knowing something, blood dripping from his mouth.

‘Is this it? The final revenge?’

He knew a secret but refused to say it.

At this moment, he knew the sister’s matter would hurt Binggung the most. No other words would make her flinch.

“If you had a daughter, wouldn’t she live her whole life unaware that her aunt is the Palace Lord? She might lose her parents early and suffer trouble somewhere. Or maybe she’d be a courtesan, selling her smile.”

Binggung calmly met his eyes.

“I’m not curious. Whether she lives in trouble or as a courtesan.”

Binggung did not insult Elder Seo. She was still polite, as if no provocation would work.

“I’ve lived forgetting all this until now. Did you think I’d feel guilt now? You’re foolish until you die.”

Seonak’s smile vanished as the muscles around his eyes twitched.

A pure white aura spread from Binggung’s hand, covering Seonak’s body. Terrible pain spread through him.

“Uwaaaaa!”

His whole body froze, writhing in agony. He screamed to be killed.

“Don’t tell anyone even if you know where they are. Don’t bother me! Shut your mouth!”

Despite the pain, Seonak struggled violently.

He died writhing in agony worse than any pain he had ever known.

Binggung looked down at his corpse with a complex gaze. She secretly hoped he would beg for his life, promise to tell everything he knew, and plead for the pain to stop.

But seeing him die without speaking even through such pain, she thought he was only trying to torment her one last time. Even if not, she would think so. She would not be fooled by his tricks.

Binggung said to Geom Mugeuk,

“I’ve unintentionally revealed the Palace Lord’s shame before you.”

“Shame? Palace Lord, you also ended the succession peacefully without shedding blood between relatives.”

“It was my sister who was wise.”

“If she’s that wise, she’s surely living happily somewhere.”

Knowing Geom Mugeuk was being polite, the words still comforted her somewhat.

Binggung changed the subject.

“What is the plan now?”

“We plan to strike Bukhyeolmun next.”

Binggung wanted to lead her subordinates to sweep through Bukhyeolmun, but that would cause heavy casualties.

Then Geom Mugeuk unexpectedly said,

“If Your Highness permits, I would like to scout Bukhyeolmun with the Little Pill Master.”

Sending her daughter to Bukhyeolmun? Binggung was silent for a moment. Though the enemy was formidable, she hesitated.

“Very well.”

When war breaks out, she judged it would be safer to be beside Geom Mugeuk. She saw the wall of energy beyond the fence and had tea with her daughter. Since Geom Mugeuk made that possible, she trusted him.

“Please take care of wiping them out, Your Highness. This time, I give you the priority.”

Binggung nodded. Chimma and the Little Pill Master had come to reveal the Original Lord’s death. Now that they had exposed the truth and taken revenge, they could leave.

But they offered to fight alongside her against the enemy. Binggung was grateful and felt reassured by Geom Mugeuk.

“See you later then.”

After bidding farewell to Geom Mugeuk, Binggung politely parted with Chimma.

Once she left, Geom Mugeuk looked back at Chimma.

Chimma handed the blood weapon Hyeollu to Geom Mugeuk.

“Drink.”

He never handed over the poison-martial weapon Hyeollu to anyone else.

The only person permitted was Geom Mugeuk.

Geom Mugeuk drank the Bingju inside Hyeollu with satisfaction.

“Ah, this is the most delicious Bingju in the world!”

Chimma took the blood weapon back and drank.

“Truly delicious!”

They deliberately spoke loudly. Someone filling the vessel was surely listening from somewhere in the sky.

After finishing all the liquor in Hyeollu, the two stood side by side, looking up at the sky.

Chimma smiled brightly.

Geom Mugeuk thought to himself that perhaps the Original Lord was watching and smiling from that sky.

“Don’t worry.”

Ian’s voice came from behind, and Hanseol, who was standing by the window, turned her head. Hanseol was the one speaking to Ian, who was sitting on the bed.

“Mother went with them.”

Ian stared blankly out the window, appearing worried.

Ian answered honestly.

“To be honest, I was distracted. I’m not worried about what the young master is doing. I have enough worries of my own; why should I care if the sun rises tomorrow?”

Hanseol looked at her for a moment and said,

“Because he is a transcendent being?”

Ian thought it was teasing. That expression would haunt her for a long time!

“Yes. To me, he is a transcendent being.”

Hanseol wanted to discuss this issue someday and asked again.

“If the Little Pill Master told you to die, could you do it?”

It was a question she thought Ian wouldn’t answer easily, but Ian replied without hesitation.

“Yes. I could die. I’d fling open the gates of hell and say, ‘Our young master sent me!’ Oh, but if it’s the young master, he’d become friends with Yeomwang and be excused. I’d suffer in the flames, though.”

Hanseol shook her head, barely holding back the words that rose in her throat. The affection from only a few days together didn’t allow her to say those things outright.

Ian spoke instead.

“You thought I was crazy, right?”

Hanseol gave a face that said, “As long as you know, that’s enough.”

Ian smiled brightly and looked out the window again.

“Actually, that question was the easiest to answer. He would never tell me to die. It’s a question I can say loudly that I could die for him.”

Hanseol looked at her back. Could such a deep bond really form between people?

“Wouldn’t that be a burden to the Little Pill Master if you said that?”

Hanseol thought it would be. If someone looked at you with that much hope and expectation, you’d want to do better, show a better side. The burden would be immense.

“I don’t think so.”

“Why are you so sure?”

“Because he isn’t foolish enough to see those words as a burden. He’d just be happy that his efforts mattered.”

Honestly, Hanseol envied Geom Mugeuk. Earning someone’s absolute trust and support was not easy.

Just then, Geom Mugeuk and Chimma returned to the residence. Seeing them, Hanseol hurriedly asked,

“What about Mother?”

“She went to Binggung.”

News came that Elder Seo was truly a traitor and that he had died.

Hanseol felt strange—not because of Elder Seo’s betrayal, but because someone was behind him.

Since she had treated him like an uncle from childhood, he had been like a great elder to her. Yet someone had been pulling his strings. Such a powerful person.

Hanseol worried about her mother. Still, she must have trusted and relied on Elder Seo.

Suddenly, she realized this was the first time for such feelings.

‘I’m worried about Mother right now.’

Surprisingly, she had never worried about her mother even once before. She had always been strong, and there had been no reason to worry. Yet moments ago, she asked about her mother’s well-being and now worried if she might be hurt. For the first time, she felt a new heat inside her.

Do people’s hearts change so easily? Or is it okay for them to change like this?

Does changing like this mean it could turn into greater hatred?

Hanseol suddenly wanted to ask Geom Mugeuk about this. Somehow she felt he could give a clear answer. But she didn’t ask.

“What will you do now?”

“We killed Elder Seo to declare war on them.”

The real battle had begun.

“The next target is Bukhyeolmun. Before we strike them, it’s urgent to find out why they sought the Extreme Limit Technique. It would be best to infiltrate them.”

Then Hanseol remembered something and spoke before Geom Mugeuk could ask.

“When I met the Young Master Yang from Bukhyeolmun, I told him we’d come again with the Little Pill Master. Let’s go together.”

Geom Mugeuk honestly explained the current situation.

“It will be very dangerous. The very opponent we just spoke to could suddenly use a self-destruct technique before our eyes.”

Perhaps feeling a burning passion she had never felt before, Hanseol was strangely unafraid. Because it was Binggung’s matter, she felt she must lead the charge.

“Someone said they’d open the gates of hell.”

Hanseol looked at the smiling Ian and added resolutely,

“I’ll open the gates of Bukhyeolmun.”