Seodaeryong rushed before Geom Woojin and bowed respectfully.

“Greetings, Sect Leader.”

Geom Woojin received his salute.

“It’s been a while.”

Even my father seemed slightly surprised at his appearance. As Yellow-Heaven Pavilion Lord, Seodaeryong’s presence posed no problem—but he was the top disciple who had inherited Cheol Cheon-Doma’s technique.

“Greetings, Little Pill Master.”

Since he stood beside Geom Woojin, Seodaeryong also gave Geom Mugeuk a formal bow. Under other circumstances, he would have dashed forward shouting “I’ve missed you, Little Pill Master!” but this was no time for such jokes. Above all, he had to honor the Pavilion Lord before my father. The pleasure of teasing was fleeting, but this moment would shape his future under my father’s gaze.

“What brings Yellow-Heaven Pavilion Lord here?”

Seodaeryong sensed that not only Geom Mugeuk but even Geom Woojin had been taken aback by his arrival.

He wanted to plead with a grimace:
― I shouldn’t be here, should I?
But he dared not speak so before the Sect Leader.

Geom Mugeuk read his thoughts in his expression.

“We’re not supposed to meet your Lordship here.”

“What do you mean?”

“Father and I are here with the fiend who annihilated Guest Hall and Daejeongmun.”

When Seodaeryong realized “fiend” referred to him, his eyes widened in shock.

“Me?”

“Yes. You’re the prime suspect.”

Then to everyone’s astonishment Seodaeryong said:

“How did you know I went there?”

This time Geom Mugeuk was surprised.

“You went there?”

“Yes. I went to both places.”

Not just one. Geom Mugeuk could no longer contain himself.

“Pavilion Lord Seodaeryong, you are the fiend!”

At Geom Mugeuk’s words Seodaeryong leapt up.

“No—that can’t be—”

He tried to react as usual but resumed respectfully:

“I’m not the fiend!”

Of course Geom Mugeuk had been joking. Seodaeryong was no one who would slaughter an entire clan, nor kill even women and cooking staff unfamiliar with martial arts. He and Cheol Cheon-Doma would never commit such cruelty.

Geom Mugeuk asked seriously again.

“Why have you come to Central City?”

He hoped the answer would not come. ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) He wished Cheol Cheon-Doma were poring over books at the main hall.

“I came to see my master.”

At that, even Geom Woojin’s gaze grew intense. If Cheol Cheon-Doma was here too, this was far from ordinary.

“Surely… Elder Doma is here?”

Seodaeryong nodded.

“Yes. He is here.”

“Explain in detail what happened.”

Seodaeryong glanced at Geom Mugeuk, then in a trembling voice recounted the events—speaking to the Sect Leader as if reporting to him.

“Master left the Sect one day, saying he had business.”

“He did not say what?”

“He only said there was somewhere he must go. But his manner was different than usual.”

“How so?”

Since he taught martial arts so strictly, Seodaeryong could seldom read his master’s emotions. But recently their bond had deepened, and sometimes his master even accepted his jokes. Thus he perceived his master’s mood better than before.

“Though he appeared calm, his expression was somehow dark.”

At those words Geom Mugeuk’s face naturally hardened. Seodaeryong was perceptive; if anyone noticed correctly, it was Cheol Cheon-Doma. Something had happened to his master?

“But I could not ask further.”

Indeed—how could he pry when his master had left the Sect on urgent business?

“Then, after a long while, this arrived to me.”

Seodaeryong produced something from his robes: a book.

“Could it be—?”

“Yes. It’s his favorite anthology of poems and paintings.”

It was certainly Cheol Cheon-Doma’s book; on the first page was the inscription Geom Mugeuk had left when he borrowed and returned it:

― If you had not become a warrior, you would have been a poet, Elder.

“That came to you?”

Geom Mugeuk’s expression was grave.

“And between its pages was this note.”

Seodaeryong handed over another slip:

― On such-and-such day, meet at Guest Hall, Central City.

A summons from the clan he had destroyed.

Geom Mugeuk looked at his father, realizing the gravity: if he had wanted to summon Seodaeryong, he could have sent a formal letter; no need to send a book. My father’s gaze darkened.

“Is this the master’s handwriting?”

“I myself was uncertain—similar yet not quite. I planned to have a handwriting expert at the main hall verify it, but then I decided to leave immediately.”

“Why depart without waiting for results?”

“Because if it were his handwriting, he would certainly have summoned me; if not, I needed to hurry all the more.”

If someone else wrote it, it meant Cheol Cheon-Doma was in danger.

“I would have consulted you, Little Pill Master, but—”

Neither you nor Ian were here, and just then Jang Homa had gone out with the martial army. So Seodaeryong came to Central City alone.

Geom Mugeuk realized this plot was devised by someone who knew the main hall and Cheol Cheon-Doma intimately, foreseeing Seodaeryong would certainly travel here.

“On the date written, I went to Guest Hall, but he was not there. Perhaps the date or place was wrong. I could not simply return, so I waited at a nearby inn. My gut told me something was wrong, so I sent word to the Chief Marshal at Tongjeon Pavilion.”

“Wise choice.”

Truly perceptive Seodaeryong.

“While I waited that night, someone delivered a letter to my quarters.”

Geom Mugeuk guessed its contents exactly.

“It summoned you to Daejeongmun?”

“Correct. Having been left empty-handed before, I could not refuse. But again I found nothing. Then the next day, those incidents occurred.”

By the time we turned the carriage around, Seodaeryong had already arrived here and been implicated in those crimes.

“After Guest Hall and Daejeongmun were attacked, Central City was sealed. I could have escaped, but I could not leave without confirming my master’s safety. Then I received word from Tongjeon Pavilion: the Sect Leader and Little Pill Master were in the private residence—go there at once.”

Unless Chief Marshal personally granted permission, no matter how high-ranking, Seodaeryong could not enter the Tremor-Heaven exclusive residence. In that crisis, Sima the Marshal had made the wisest call.

Seodaeryong then asked Geom Mugeuk:

“But what did you mean earlier when you said I was the fiend? Because I came here?”

But Geom Mugeuk had mentioned the fiend before saying Seodaeryong had visited those sites.

Geom Mugeuk explained why.

“The art that killed the Daejeongmun Lord is the Annihilation Demon Sword Technique.”

Seodaeryong’s eyes flew open in shock.

“That cannot be!”

Thus Geom Mugeuk turned to his father.

“Whoever set this plot devised it well enough to be convincing.”

My father’s anger was palpable. Had the fiend challenged him directly, he might not have been so furious—but they had invoked “Demonic World” and now dared to touch his Demon Sovereign.

‘Before he is Master Doma’s top disciple, he is my father’s Demon Sovereign.’

I could sense my father would never forgive those behind this.

Then Geom Woojin spoke softly:

“There’s no need to worry about his safety—no one can best him so easily.”

With absolute trust in Cheol Cheon-Doma, he reentered the building.

His departing form spoke volumes: find out where my master is.

Geom Mugeuk called to his father:

“I will discover where the Elder is.”

Once Geom Woojin had gone inside, only Geom Mugeuk and Seodaeryong remained in the courtyard. At last Seodaeryong exhaled in relief; before the Demon Sovereign, he had been terribly tense. Though he’d tried to hide it, he’d trembled greatly.

“I feared you’d demand, ‘Is this your doing, scoundrel?’”

Now the two could speak freely.

“Why would I? Your master knows you’re no villain.”

“You know about me?”

Geom Mugeuk nodded.

“Would I have recommended you for Yellow-Heaven Pavilion if I did not know you? The Marshal must have reported everything about you, Seodaeryong.”

“He even knows how timid I am.”

Despite the situation’s gravity, seeing Seodaeryong again delighted Geom Mugeuk. Truly good people are always welcome in any circumstance.

“How have you been?”

“Very well.”

Seodaeryong smiled inwardly: the Little Pill Master could not know how much he had missed him, how he had checked daily for his return.

“Did you handle your mission successfully?”

Geom Mugeuk nodded.

“Of course. Who goes on a mission and fails? Especially since both the Sect Leader and I went.”

“When I dealt with that matter, I had no idea the real trouble awaited in Central City.”

Seodaeryong asked cautiously:

“My master—will he be all right?”

But then he looked at the anthology and shook his head.

“With this in our hands, how could he be safe?”

He despaired, then suddenly cried out:

“What nonsense! Sect Leader said it himself—our master is no one who can be easily undone. He will be fine.”

The deeper one’s affection, the greater one’s anxiety. Alone he might have borne it, but seeing Geom Mugeuk released his pent-up worry. Seodaeryong had barely slept since the fiend’s crimes.

Geom Mugeuk reassured him.

“Your master will be safe.”

“Will he really?”

“When have I ever been wrong?”

“Never!”

Geom Mugeuk pictured his master reading calmly—no roaring sword technique, no fierce glare, no rigid austerity. He believed it firmly. A Demon Sovereign who reads poetry is nowhere else to be found.

He tucked the book into his robe, confident it would protect his master.

“This is your master’s matter, so you and I must resolve it.”

A fire lit in Seodaeryong’s eyes.

“What must I do? Entrust me with anything.”

“They intended to frame you as the fiend. Witnesses will say they saw someone versed in the Annihilation Demon Sword Technique visiting those sites.”

With no easy escape, what then?

“We must play their game.”

“How?”

“When in life have you ever played a villain?”

He meant Seodaeryong must become the fiend who slaughtered Daejeongmun. Seodaeryong might plead to be spared this role—but instead he answered gladly:

“From now on, I am the fiend! Beware—this is the ruthless, terrifying man!”

“If you insist—just be careful. Once the Jianghu brands you that monster, this will be over—permanently. Aren’t you afraid?”

“I am.”

Seodaeryong admitted honestly.

“You know how timid and cautious I am. I look after myself, and worry about others’ gazes.”

But he had a reason to overcome all that:

“I must. It’s my master’s affair. Even if I die, I must do it.”

Seodaeryong remembered their first meeting—his own gloom and timidity then. He remembered clinging to Cheol Cheon-Doma’s robes drunk that night, and how the master had tucked him into bed with such immaculate care.

Why would he hesitate now?

“It’s unfortunate—I can only serve as bait.”

How could Geom Mugeuk not understand? He wanted Seodaeryong to shine in this mission, to win the master’s recognition. But the mastermind behind this plot was no ordinary fiend—being bait was no small role.

“Bait or not, you’re the ultimate lure—the top bait of the academy, the brilliant bait, the greatest bait in Jianghu.”

Seodaeryong smiled faintly. If this weren’t the Little Pill Master before him, he might have fainted countless times by now. Yet instead he spoke bravely:

“Even if this bait is swallowed by a monster, you must bring it back!”