Blood Heavenly Horse entered Cheonmajeon.

He walked slowly along the bloody path and stopped at the end of the carpet.

“How have you been?”

Blood Heavenly Horse politely greeted Geom Woojin.

“Thanks to you, I’ve been doing well. How have you been?”

“I’ve been busy lately thanks to you.”

Geom Woojin smiled faintly.

“You’re so big, you can’t do what I want.”

“Hahaha. Has anything ever gone wrong for you, Leader?”

“Aren’t children something that Heaven has arranged to show us that life doesn’t go as we want? You’ll only know when you have a child of your own.”

“Maybe my child is growing up somewhere.”

Geom Woojin laughed. He was gentler and friendlier than when he was with Geom Mu-geuk. If Geommu-geuk had seen it, he would have definitely said, ‘Smile at your child like this!’

After exchanging such a light greeting, Hyeolcheon-doma casually mentioned Geommu-geuk.

“It may not go as planned, Master, but this Confucius has been gaining prominence in the school recently.”

“Isn’t it your work?”

In fact, it’s safe to say that Geommu-geuk became popular because it got entangled with Hyeolcheon-doma.

“This Confucius is your work. I only just realized this is such a great piece of work.”

Geomwoo-jin didn’t deny it. Believing that he was behind his son’s activities wasn’t bad in any way.

“He’s still immature.”

“I sometimes think back to when this Confucius was his age. If this Confucius was immature now, I would have to call him a swindler.”

“You overestimate immaturity.”

“It was the leader who said it first.”

It was about entrusting the Hwangcheonjoo to Geommu-geuk. No matter the reason, it was an unconventional appointment.

“That’s why I’m telling you this, but I want to make this Confucius into a better work.”

“If you step forward, it would be a stroke of luck for the second one.”

“You’re overpraising him.”

“Do as you wish.”

“Thank you.”

At the end of the story, the purpose of Hyeolcheon Doma’s visit was carefully revealed.

“Since you’re allowing it, will you push it forward properly?”

“What do you mean?”

“Please let me proceed with this Demon Lord matter as I wish.”

It was a request to make Jangho the Demon Lord as he recommended.

Silence flowed for a moment. The two looked at each other without any emotional ups and downs. The first to break the silence was Geom Woo-jin.

“The Demon Lord matter is difficult.”

“This is what this Confucius wants.”

“As you said, the second one was pushed enough. You should think about the first one too.”

“There’s one thing I’ve realized while raising my disciples. When you push someone, you should definitely push only one. I’ve been getting a lot of hate because I can’t do that.”

“I’ll be fine. Unlike you, who are generous, I kill anyone who curses at me.”

The two people’s eyes were locked in the air. They had been together for a long time, where they could read each other’s intentions just by looking at each other’s eyes. The ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ longer that time passed, the more awkward the silence at this moment became.

“Do you have anything more to say?”

Hyeolcheondoma didn’t insist anymore at Cheonma’s order to expel guests. He knew that once he made up his mind, he wasn’t the type to change his mind easily. He needed another way.

“See you next time.”

“Okay.”

Bloody Cheon Doma turned around and came out. His expression was hard as he walked down the bloody path.

‘What kind of belated weighing is this? Once you push, you should push all the way. Tsk!’

“The cult leader thinks of the Grand Duke more than you.”

Bloody Cheon Doma started to sow discord between my father and me as soon as he saw me.

“It seems like you think of the Grand Duke as your successor.”

When he has a weakness, he shakes his opponent first. This old man’s politics are really annoying.

“It seems like we met wrong.”

“What does that mean?”

“If I’m pushed by my brother, you should at least fill in what I lack…….”

“Does that mean I’m lacking?”

“It means that I’m a bit disappointed.”

Instead of getting angry, Bloody Cheon Doma tried to comfort me.

“Look, this Confucius. It was impossible to establish Jangho as the Demon Lord from the beginning.”

“Have you already given up?”

“There’s no need to cling to something that can’t be done.”

“You’re acting so great when you can’t even do this much?”

“This much? Acting great?”

I started to tease Hyeolcheondoma even more, who was already furious.

“It was you who suggested that I be your supporter.”

“You were the one who nagged me to do something that couldn’t be done like a child.”

“Then you should have refused then. You shouldn’t have recommended Jangho the next day. Didn’t you just think that way?”

I drew a long line under Hyeolcheondoma’s feet.

“You did that before. This is how much the leader thinks of you. I believed this line…….”

I drew a line again, but it was less than halfway.

“Isn’t this where the real father and elder’s line was?”

Hyeolcheondoma couldn’t refute. What if I hadn’t gone to my father and asked him separately? Would my father have actually accepted Hyeolcheondoma’s request?

“If my father had refused, I should have asked him more. If it were me, I would have definitely done it.”

“Then give it a try.”

“Huh?”

“Didn’t you mock me for not being able to do even this much? Then you can do it easily.”

“What would you do if I asked my father and he easily did it?”

“Go ahead and try. It’ll probably backfire.”

He seemed to be certain that since he had refused his own request, he would never accept his son’s request. At times like this, Hyeolcheondoma knew his father well.

“Are you suggesting we make a bet?”

“A bet? Fine. Let’s do it. If you can’t do it, then stop talking nonsense and be my water. Stop complaining about side dishes.”

“What if I do it?”

“I’ll give you what you want.”

“Whatever you want?”

“Is there something you want?”

After thinking for a moment, I said to him.

“Please get me an elixir. At least a better elixir than Majeongdan.”

At that moment, Hyeolcheondoma was startled. I knew exactly what kind of surprise this was.

“Do you know how difficult it is to get a better elixir than Majeongdan?”

“Of course I’ll make it a condition. Since we’ve decided to board the same boat, isn’t my growing stronger the same as yours?”

There was a reason I asked Hyeolcheondoma for the elixir.

Because I knew he had the elixir.

He has the legendary elixir Cheon-oe-shin-dan (天外神丹) that can gain more internal energy than Ma-jeong-dan.

In the past, Hyeol-cheon-do-ma joined hands with Hyung in earnest and gave him Cheon-oe-shin-dan as a gift. It was also revealed at that time that he had not taken Cheon-oe-shin-dan for a long time and had kept it.

The purpose of the bet was precisely this Cheon-oe-shin-dan.

“I can’t make Jang-ho the Demon Lord, I can’t even get him the elixir. I don’t know why I have to join hands with you, Elder.”

“Okay, if you make Jang-ho the Demon Lord, I’ll get you my elixir.”

“You promise.”

I pulled out my black magic sword and held it out. Hyeol-cheon-do-ma struck my sword with the Heavenly Sword as if it was flicking it.

Clang!

This clear sound was our promise. This promise made with a poison weapon has a binding force much stronger than words.

As always, the Blood Heavenly Sword suddenly rose up and disappeared into the distance.

If he won the bet, he would keep his promise. The Heavenly Sword was something he had prepared for his successor.

If he could take the Heavenly Sword in addition to the Magic Sword he had taken before, he would not lose due to insufficient internal energy in the fight against the Demon Lord.

And I knew how to win this bet.

The place I went to was the office of the great general Sima Ming.

This Tongcheon Pavilion where he stayed was the head of the school. All information in the martial arts world was gathered and classified here. Of those, only a small amount of information passed on to my father through Sima Ming.

Although I don’t know, I must have a significant portion of the information that was being passed on from Tongcheon Pavilion to Cheonma Hall these days.

There was strict security from the entrance of Tongcheon Pavilion to Sima Ming’s office, and it was even more security than Cheonma Hall. That meant that Tongcheon Pavilion played an important role in the main school, and since it was a place where the most intelligent soldiers gathered, it had to be guarded more thoroughly.

When I entered the office of the General of Military Affairs, Sima Ming was working among a pile of documents. The pile of documents on his desk was so large that it covered his face.

It seemed like he could just give his father a few words of advice, but in reality, the work of the General of Military Affairs was a battle with documents. He spent his days reading and rereading hundreds of letters from all over the Central Plains, and distinguishing between information that should be discarded and information that should be kept.

Knowing this well, Hwangcheon Pavilion could do it, but Tongcheon Pavilion could not.

Sima Ming got up from his desk and greeted me warmly.

“What’s the matter? Come here, please.”

I sat down at the table with him. Soon, as if he had been waiting, his subordinate brought tea.

“I don’t know if you’ll like it. There’s only one kind of tea here.”

“It smells really good.”

I took a sip of tea and looked around. As expected from a place where the best intellectuals of our school work, there were all kinds of books on the shelves.

“I heard that when the school’s military members gather these days, they all talk about Hwangcheon-gak.”

“Aren’t they just swearing?”

“That’s not true. I heard that they’re all praise.”

I know the public opinion about Hwangcheon-gak better than I do. There were those who were enthusiastic about enforcing the law fairly, but there were also those who were against it.

They must have felt needlessly anxious because they’ve lived their lives to the fullest. What if I get arrested? They must be worried. They must have to establish discipline before this atmosphere spreads.

“But what’s going on?”

“I have something to ask you, sir.”

“Go ahead.”

“What do you think of Jang-ho?”

“I think he’s a good military man. He’s the type of person who will lead the army well.”

Sima Ming must already know. That I am behind this recommendation. That I am trying to place Jang-ho in the position of the Demon Lord.

“Then what are the chances that Jang-ho will become the Demon Lord?”

“To be honest, it is not even possible."

“Even if Doma recommended Jangho?”

“The leader rejected that recommendation.”

That must be why the number 1 ha came out. Originally, the answer was impossible, but out of courtesy, it became 1 ha.

“What if Father changes his mind?”

“Of course it is possible. But it won’t be easy. As you know, the leader is not the type to change a decision without any justification.”

“I know that very well.”

It was a decision I made at my request in the first place. I have no intention of asking my father to change his decision again without any justification.

I have to come up with a justification for changing his decision. This is what I prepared.

“What about this? What if I receive another recommendation from another demon lord after Blood Heavenly Demon Lord?”

“Two demon lords recommending one person at the same time? That’s unprecedented… … If that happens, then Jangho could very well become the Demon Lord. The leader will have a reason to change his mind. But is it possible?”

In a situation where Blood Heavenly Demon has stepped forward, it was by no means easy to get another Demon Lord to step forward and recommend Jangho.

“I’ll have to give it a try. Sometimes, isn’t it easier to deal with two tigers at the same time than one?”

“I think it’ll be harder.”

That’s why there has to be this prerequisite. To prevent the unfortunate event of limbs being torn off at the same time.

“What if those two tigers are extremely bad with each other?”