I visited Seo Hwanjin after a long time.

Everywhere, the towers and grotesque decorations, as well as the flowers swaying in the garden, radiated an eerie aura that unsettled the heart.

Though the eerie aura remained, the spiritists I passed by were no longer hostile as before. They greeted me politely, showing respect to the Little Pill Master.

Following the guiding spiritist, I walked between the houses built like snail shells.

They were so bizarre and dazzling that unless one was a skilled master, the dizziness would force closing one’s eyes to walk.

At the end of that path stood a conical-shaped building. This was the residence of Seophon Mazon.

Inside a room filled wall to ceiling with swirling patterns, Seophon Mazon greeted me.

"Little Pill Master, you have come?"

The eerie energy flowing from her eyes was even more intense than when I had seen her before.

"I think this is the first time I’ve met you here."

"Are you comfortable? If it’s unpleasant, we can speak outside."

The dizzying patterns of the room unsettled the mind just by being there.

She was considerate in case I felt uncomfortable. Of course, the Heavenly Demon Ho-shin Gong I had mastered was protecting me, so it was only a needless worry.

"When the previous Mazon was here, this place felt nauseating and dizzying. But now it is beautiful and mysterious."

I knew she was doing well. Although she had risen to Mazon at a young age, she had already completely taken control of Seo Hwanjin and was recognized by the spiritists as the new Mazon. What remained was to achieve the great mastery of the Poison Martial Art and to gain experience as Mazon.

"What brings you here?"

She was different from other Mazons. Still very young, she was closer to my Mazon than her father’s.

Thus, this moment was when the next generation of Heavenly Demon and Mazon stood face to face.

I conveyed the current situation to her just as it was—no diminishment or exaggeration. I respected her as a fellow Mazon.

"To get straight to the point, there is only one Mazon on my side."

I had not revealed who it was, but surprisingly, Seophon Mazon guessed correctly.

"Could it be that person is the Wicked Little Demon (Geugak Soma)?"

"How did you know?"

She said she felt a certain kinship seeing the Wicked Little Demon isolated and lonely apart from the other Mazons at the last tripartite meeting.

"At the last meeting, Soma envied me. Because I am young and can serve the Little Pill Master for a long time. From that, I guessed it might be Soma thinking of you."

She still vividly remembered the conversation we had that day.

"Do you know what I told Soma?"

"What did you say?"

"Soma truly likes difficult things."

I laughed heartily. She, who had been stiff when facing me, now spoke comfortably. That meant the situation had stabilized and confidence had grown.

Unlike other Mazons—or rather, because she still had a long way to go—she was growing faster than anyone.

"If not for you, Little Pill Master, I would not have risen to Mazon."

"There is no need to make this decision for that reason. Decide as the Mazon wishes."

Then Seophon Mazon asked with a strange look.

"Are you sincere?"

It was a playful look asking, “Do you really not need my help?” Of course not. If that were so, she wouldn’t have come.

"No. I desperately need the Mazon’s help."

At my honest answer, Seophon Mazon smiled. Her silent smile now matched well with her eerie aura.

"As I said, the situation is unfavorable. You may even fall out of your father’s favor."

That was the most important point for the other Mazons, but not for her.

"Don’t worry about that. I am already out of the Patriarch’s favor."

It didn’t mean her father hated her. It meant it would take more time and effort to gain his favor. He would still see her as an unfinished Mazon.

She clearly understood where she stood and who her father was.

"Is it okay for someone like me?"

I respectfully bowed my fists to her.

"You may be out of your father’s favor, but to me, you stand before me."

That was enough. The eerie aura flowing from Seophon Mazon’s eyes intensified further.

"All the spirits of this sect will follow the Little Pill Master."

Mabul was carving a statue in a small clearing not far from the Golden Great Buddha.

His appearance carving stone with a chisel and hammer was both fitting and yet unfamiliar.

The surrounding buildings, statues, and towers were all gilded in gold, but the statue Mabul was making now was ordinary stone.

"By three to two, I am winning."

I tried to boast to Mabul first. Of course, it did not work.

"You’ve only told more lies since I last saw you."

"You are still sharp, Mabul."

That was a lie. Mabul felt softer now. Had he attained enlightenment?

I stopped and watched Mabul the sculptor for a moment. He wasn’t just good at harvesting herbs. His skill in carving statues was excellent.

"But how did you know? That I had two?"

"Because even two is a lot."

I laughed at that. How could I deny it? The other party was my father.

"This matter has its good side. I met all the Mazons and confirmed what they think. Maybe father intended it. To know your place and face reality!"

Bang! Bang!

Hammering stopped briefly. Mabul glanced at me over his hammer.

"Did the Patriarch make this stage to show that he has many Mazons supporting him?"

Mabul used the word ‘stage’. In other words, he thought father intentionally created this situation.

"Did he want me to grow closer to the Mazons?"

Bang!

Bang!

The hammering sounded briskly as if to say that was wrong.

"Or perhaps this time, father wanted to reconsider his relationship with the Mazons?"

Again the hammering echoed like a ‘no’.

How did Mabul see this matter? Now he acted like an enlightened man stepping back, but once he was the most political and realistic of the Eight Mazons.

"Tell me. Why did father create this stage?"

Mabul stopped hammering and inspected the statue. Frowning, he shook his head as if the balance was off.

How could we focus on work having this conversation?

Mabul put down the hammer and turned toward me.

"To make us sit in the audience of that stage."

It was unexpected. If he made the Mazons the audience?

"Don’t tell me? Does that mean he plans to fight me on that stage?"

Mabul looked at me with an expression saying, "Isn’t it obvious?"

At that moment, I recalled what Gwonma had said.

—The Patriarch has already started the war.

Did the war Gwonma spoke of mean the war with me?

"They say no parent wins against their child."

Then came an unexpected remark.

"The Patriarch won’t lose to you."

I could feel Mabul also regarded father with the same perspective as Hyeolcheondoma.

"Ordinary people think it foolish to create another enemy when you already have one."

"Isn’t that so?"

"For ordinary people, yes."

"What about father?"

Mabul lifted his head and looked at the Heavenly Demon Hall far away.

"The Patriarch is trying to cut down everyone with the sword drawn once."

"!"

"He wants to persuade you in front of the Mazons, then with united strength eliminate the backers, and further cut down the Martial Alliance and the Apostate Alliance with that blood-dripping sword."

I did not say "That can’t be."

Instead, one scene came to mind.

Master Bin Tae.

The sight of father absent from that seat, where he always guarded, was a more frightening image than father holding the blood-dripping Heavenly Demon Sword.

"Why are you so certain?"

"I am."

A golden glow shone strongly from Mabul’s body.

"The sect has never been this strong."

If Mabul’s thought was true?

In the end, I was the one who moved father.

"Little Pill Master!"

It was Go Wol who looked at me with surprised ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) eyes.

After meeting Mabul, I ran at full speed toward where Go Wol was. I truly ran like the wind.

Even while I was at the North Sea, Go Wol was moving between the sect and outside, strengthening Eunwol firmly.

The branch that arrived today was within half a day’s swift ride.

"You must be busy. What brings you here?"

The desk where he was sitting was still piled with documents.

"Why is there so much work? I told the subordinates to handle it."

"They are."

"You just drink tea and nag."

Knowing his nature was not like that, I added one more word today.

"Officer Go, you know how important you are to me, right?"

"I know."

"Then don’t make me worry about your health."

I wasn’t worried about his protection because I knew top masters sent by the Pungcheon Patriarch guarded him. How well the Pungcheon Patriarch took care of Go Wol.

But health was the one thing I had to nag about.

"You must be busy meeting Mazons. How did you come all the way here?"

Go Wol also knew the sect’s situation well.

"I wanted to see you. Let’s go out for some fresh air, even if just for a moment."

We left the office together. Upon exiting the backyard, we headed straight to the marketplace. We walked side by side through the bustling crowd.

"Don’t sit too long. They say the longer you sit, the shorter your life is. Get up and walk at least once every half hour."

"I understand."

"Too much nagging after seeing me so long, isn’t it?"

Go Wol smiled without denying it. I knew how well he teased the Pungcheon Patriarch. If the Patriarch had nagged, his reaction would be different.

"Do you often hear from the Patriarch?"

The Pungcheon Patriarch stayed at the sect for the sake of his disciple and the current Patriarch. I thought he’d return after a month or two, but he stayed quite long. Now that the disciple’s relationship was restored, he seemed to have many things to teach.

"Occasionally I receive letters. Half of them are complaints about the disciple."

"And the other half is complaints about me?"

"How did you know?"

We laughed together.

"Judging by the shortening intervals between letters, the Patriarch seems impatient. I think he’ll return soon."

"I want to see the Pungcheon Patriarch too."

After chatting about various things, I revealed the main topic.

"Throughout the time I met the Mazons this time, one thought kept coming to me."

"What thought?"

"Do I have the right to break my father’s dream?"

The Mazons all understood father’s aspirations. Though not openly expressed like Master Ilhwa Geomjon, they likely felt the same. Hyeolcheondoma’s worries were similar; how would Wicked Little Demon differ?

"Then why do you want to stop it?"

Too many people would die.

But that answer didn’t come easily. Just like the Poison King had difficulty saying ‘because I like poison,’ I also couldn’t easily say it.

Are you really the kind of person who cares about the safety of all martial artists?

That question immediately came to mind.

Normally, I would say:

My purpose in returning is to save those who must live and kill those who must die.

But if war breaks out, people who shouldn’t die will die. Who that will be, no one knows.

One of the Mazons, maybe Ian, maybe Seo Daeryong. Maybe Go Wol in front of me, or the Pungcheon Patriarch. Maybe Jo Chunbae or customers at the Pungryu Tavern. This matter will not end with just a broken table.

Moreover, there was also a heart for father.

Before returning, I experienced much. I saw many lives and felt extreme loneliness. I endured unbearable hardships and escaped death many times.

I endured all for revenge.

Revenge is like this.

Killing a person creates that kind of grudge. Humans cannot forget a few hurtful words for life, let alone countless lives taken.

Friends, colleagues, family of the dead.

Thousands, tens of thousands of grudges will arise from war.

Tens of thousands of me.

Tens of thousands of flaming swords.

That burden will rest on the shoulders of father, who started the war. I don’t want father to bear that burden of resentment. I don’t want him to stand at the tip of countless swords of revenge.

Isn’t that father’s dream? His aspiration?

I thought so before returning, but I think father thought the same.

We never had the chance to dream differently.

Father lived as a Heavenly Demon who could not open his heart to anyone; I lived as the blood relative who lost that Heavenly Demon.

We were stronger than anyone, but we were people who never properly dreamed.

Along with that feeling, I had one more belief.

Heaven wouldn’t have given me the chance to return just to drive countless people to death.

Many thoughts circled and returned to the start.

"Because too many people will die in that war."

Go Wol quietly looked at the passing people.

Then he looked at me and said softly,

"If that is the reason, isn’t that reason enough to risk everything and stop it?"

Yes, that was what I wanted to hear from Go Wol. That was why I came running like the wind all this way. To hear that from my officer.

Now the moment had come to return and meet father.

"I think I am ready to step onto the stage as well."