The woman diligently hammering away with a sledgehammer was none other than Lee Ahn. She worked in a small iron workshop making farming tools like hoes and sickles.
With her skillful hands, she quickly learned the work and was soon producing fairly decent quality hoes with ease.
This place was a safehouse of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. There were various types of safehouses: some hidden in places where no one would think to look, and others disguised as ordinary places in bustling areas.
Just then, someone entered the workshop.
“Have a meal before you continue working.”
Turning around, she saw that the Sky Flower Pavilion Mistress had brought food.
“Thank you.”
Lee Ahn mainly handled the ironwork, while meals were the responsibility of Yo Jeong. Cheong Myeon, always wearing a mask, moved about secretly, never revealing his face.
Lee Ahn looked at the Sky Flower Pavilion Mistress and asked,
“Are you going somewhere?”Usually, Yo Jeong dressed like an ordinary woman, complete with a headscarf. But today, she had makeup on and was dressed in beautiful clothes.
“No, I just felt like dressing up for a change.”
The rule of the safehouse was that no one could leave under any circumstances.
Lee Ahn could tell that today was a special day for her.
“Is it your birthday today, by any chance?”
“No, I just had a good dream. Now, eat before it gets cold.”
“Yes, thank you. I’ll eat well.”
Lee Ahn started eating with her chopsticks.
“Please eat with me.”
“I nibbled on a few bites while cooking, so I’m full. You go ahead and eat a lot.”
“You really have a talent for cooking. This tastes much better than anything bought.”
“Actually, when I first started working here, I worked in the kitchen.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes, I had quite a hard time back then.”
Lee Ahn could sense it. Her experience of starting from the bottom had led to her success.
The food was delicious, but Lee Ahn couldn’t eat much. Ever since coming here, she had lost her appetite, worrying about Geom Mugeuk.
“Did you hear what I said to the young master?”
“Yes. I heard you said that I am someone who will accomplish great things. Why did you say that?”
“I am good at reading people.”
“Thank you for thinking so highly of me. But your praise is too much.”
Looking at Lee Ahn with calm eyes, the Sky Flower Pavilion Mistress said,
“You are a precious person. So always consider yourself valuable.”
Lee Ahn was grateful for her words of encouragement.
While hiding in the safe house, she couldn’t show it outwardly, but she was very worried about Geom Mugeuk. She was so worried that she couldn’t sleep at night. Every time that happened, the Sky Flower Pavilion Mistress would comfort her, saying that nothing would happen. 1
Her comfort had a strangely empowering effect. It might have been because of the inexplicable, mysterious aura that the Sky Flower Pavilion Mistress possessed.
Just then, Cheong Myeon, who rarely showed himself, entered.
Startled, she asked, “What’s going on?”
“The Unorthodox Alliance’s headquarters is in chaos.”
“Do you not know the details?”
“No. I only heard that there’s an emergency.”
She struggled to calm her uneasy heart and said, “The young master will be fine. Sir Soma is protecting him.”
It was at that moment that she heard a familiar voice from behind.
“Why don’t you think the opposite? I was the one protecting Soma.”
Turning around, she saw Geom Mugeuk and the Evil Smiling Demon walking in side by side. Their clothes were splattered with blood, especially Geom Mugeuk’s, which was soaked with it. Alarmed, she ran over to check his body.
“Are you okay? Are you hurt?”
Geom Mugeuk collapsed to the ground, and she inspected his body. He had cuts here and there but had avoided any fatal wounds.
“I’m seriously injured. I almost lost my arms and legs!”
“…It doesn’t seem that bad.”
“No, look closely. Check if all my fingers and toes are still attached.”
She turned her head and bowed politely to the Evil Smiling Demon. “Thank you for saving our young master.”
“No, it’s the opposite!”
Geom Mugeuk joked while Soma remained calm. Thus, it seemed like the Evil Smiling Demon had saved Geom Mugeuk.
The Evil Smiling Demon silently gazed at Geom Mugeuk. The Sky Flower Pavilion Mistress could sense a change in the Evil Smiling Demon. It was as if the mask he was wearing had changed, and his gaze towards Geom Mugeuk had also altered.
She linked arms with the Evil Smiling Demon and asked, “Brother, are you not hurt anywhere?”
“No.”
“Then can we return to Sky Flower Pavilion now?”
Soma nodded, and Yo Jeong was delighted.
Just as she felt a change in the Evil Smiling Demon, Lee Ahn also sensed something. Perhaps the Sky Flower Pavilion Mistress had known all along that the two would return today.
“Is everyone ready to go immediately?”
“Let’s go first.”
As the Sky Flower Pavilion Mistress looked back at the Evil Smiling Demon’s nod, Geom Mugeuk had already fallen asleep, leaning against her back.
Lee Ahn gestured for them to go ahead, indicating that she would stay here for a while.
Yo Jeong whispered to the Evil Smiling Demon, “It’s been a while since we’ve shared a drink with my cooking.”
“That sounds good.”
The Evil Smiling Demon, the Sky Flower Pavilion Mistress, and Cheong Myeon left first.
Lee Ahn remained still, making sure not to wake Geom Mugeuk. Finally, her expression, which had been tense for a long time, relaxed.
‘Welcome back, young master.’
* * *
I had a dream.
In the dream, I was fighting Baek Mang-gi. It wasn’t a new fight; rather, it was a reenactment of a previous battle.
The sword techniques of Baek Mang-gi, which had been too fast to see during the fight, now unfolded like a slow-motion picture. My own techniques also moved slowly.
I felt like an observer, watching the fight objectively from a third-person perspective as if I were a spectator standing to the side.
The techniques that had flashed by and seemed forgotten now came back clearly. Like a Go player reviewing a match, I was replaying the battle in my mind. My subconscious had precisely remembered the fight with Baek Mang-gi.
I could even control the speed of the fight. The moment I wished for a pause, both I and Baek Mang-gi froze in the dream. 2
This allowed me to examine the positions and angles of the swords in detail. The fight moved according to my will. I could slow it down, rewind or stop it as I pleased.
Thus, I could compare the martial arts of the Sword Emperor and my own techniques. This process provided me with great insights, almost as significant as actually fighting.
There were also new experiences during the fight. In the final moments of my fight with Baek Mang-gi, when he was the only thing I could see and the world had darkened, I realized something.
I understood that this mysterious occurrence was the result of my Soaring Sword Art reaching the level of Twelve Star Greatness, my inner strength surpassing certain limits, and the teachings of the Great Evil Sect Master combining to create this change.
As my sword pierced his heart in the final moment, I woke up from the dream.
My body and mind felt refreshed.
You’d think fighting in a dream would make me more tired, but it didn’t. It seemed I had slept well right before waking up.
“Young master, you’re awake? Are you hungry?”
“How long did I sleep?”
“You slept for almost twenty hours.”
I had slept for almost a full day. It had been a long time since I had such a deep sleep. Come to think of it, this was the first time I had slept so well since the regression.
My body felt great. Thanks to the Ghost Protector Garment and the Supreme Heavenly Silkworm, the wounds I had sustained were not very deep.
‘Thank you, senior.’
If Blood Heaven Sword Demon hadn’t given me the Ghost Protector Garment, I would have been hurt much worse. I untied the Supreme Heavenly Silk and wrapped it around the handle of the Black Demon Sword again.
“It doesn’t feel like I slept that long.”
“You must have been very tired.”
“What about the Evil Smiling Demon? Did he go to the Sky Flower Pavilion?”
“Yes, they went ahead.”
Suddenly feeling a desire to see Soma, I realized that people indeed grow closer through fighting together.
“Oh, there was some news that came in while you were sleeping. Bih Sa-in killed Seok Gwan-chu’s grandson.”
I nodded silently. This moment not only changed the fate of Bih Sa-in but also the fate of the Unorthodox Alliance. Originally, Seok Gwan-chu’s grandson was to be the successor of the Unorthodox Alliance. How this change would affect our future remained unknown.
“Is this good news?”
“Probably?”
I lay back down.
Lee Ahn tugged at the blanket.
“No. You need to eat and then sleep.”
“Just a little more.”
“I’ll prepare the meal, so come out when I call you.”
As Lee Ahn was leaving the room, I called out to her.
“Lee Ahn.”
“Yes?”
“It’s good to see you again.”
Lee Ahn smiled brightly.
“Me too.”
* * *
The Strategist Advisor, Sima Myung, was in the operations command room.
This operations command room in the Heavenly Communication Pavilion was known to be safer than the Heavenly Demon Pavilion itself.
Hundreds of messages flew in daily, and they were analyzed here.
“Not yet?”
“No.”
Sima Myung was tense because of the last message that had arrived.
When the news came that Seok Gwan-chu was behind it, he wasn’t this nervous.
He believed that Geom Mugeuk and Soma could handle it on their own.
But then the name Baek Mang-gi arrived, putting the Heavenly Communication Pavilion on high alert. If the real Baek Mang-gi was moving, even the lives of Geom Mugeuk and the Evil Smiling Demon couldn’t be guaranteed.
However, the Cult Leader had given no orders. Given the formidable opponent, it would be impractical to dispatch top martial artists from nearby to support them immediately. But they could have sent an urgent message for Geom Mugeuk and the Evil Smiling Demon to stop everything and return. Yet Geom Woojin did not do that.
Sima Myung thought this was characteristic of the Cult Leader but also something he himself could never decide.
‘Does he trust them that much?’
Since the Strategist Advisor rarely came down here to wait for messages directly, the strategists working here were also extremely tense.
The strategists managing this place had the authority to handle the highest-level secrets of the Heavenly Communication Pavilion. They were the people Sima Myung trusted the most.
At that moment, the long-awaited message arrived. A soldier checked the contents and reported in a relieved tone.
“Both Seok Gwan-chu and Baek Mang-gi are dead.”
Hearing the report, Sima Myung felt a great sense of relief but was also immensely surprised.
“And our two people?”
“Both the Second Young Master and the Evil Smiling Demon are safe.”
Sima Myung let out a sigh of relief and collapsed into his chair. The tension drained from him, and he leaned back, closing his eyes for a moment.
‘Did those two really kill Baek Mang-gi and Seok Gwan-chu? That’s unlikely.’
Since the Thirteen Wolves and Bih Sa-in were also involved, there must have been other variables. There could have been new experts from the Unorthodox Alliance. In time, they would learn the detailed events.
Meanwhile, the soldier who reported organized the message into a report. It was a report to be sent to the Heavenly Demon.
As he accepted the report, Sima Myung asked him.
“What do you think of this incident?”
“I don’t know how Baek Mang-gi died, but one thing is certain. Recently, any news related to the Second Young Master always astonishes me.” 3
Sima Myung nodded in agreement and stood up from his seat.
However, as he left the operations room, he thought that today, at least, the Cult Leader seemed even more remarkable for having seemingly predicted such an outcome.
* * *
A few days after arriving at the safe house, I went around the marketplace, purchasing various items. Since there was a lot to buy, I bought a cart to carry everything.
First, I visited the clinic and bought several new acupuncture sets, then went to the pharmacy and bought a large quantity of various herbs. Some were rare and expensive, while others were commonly used.
After gathering the herbs, I bought a barrel big enough for three or four people to fit inside.
I bought new blankets and clothes, as well as food and alcohol that would last for a while. Then, I purchased a large bronze mirror that could reflect my entire body.
Seeing all the things I brought back from the market, Lee Ahn was astonished.
“What is all this?”
“Guess what it is.”
“They’re all unrelated things, aren’t they?”
She looked at the pile of herbs with a concerned expression and asked me hesitantly.
“You’re not injured internally, are you?”
“I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to worry, but I think I need to see the Demon Doctor.”
Lee Ahn inspected the cart again.
“You’re not hurt. So why did you buy so many herbs?”
Then she picked up something from the cart.
“What’s this? Oh my!”
She put the item back in its place, then crouched down next to the cart and whispered.
“These are women’s undergarments, aren’t they?”
“That’s right.”
I crouched down next to her as well.
“Why did you buy undergarments?”
“Because I needed them. But why are you suddenly whispering? Did an enemy appear?”
“It’s just… something more surprising than finding a treasure map in the cart.”
“My back hurts. Can we stand up now?”
“There are other clothes too! They’re so pretty!”
There was also a beautiful palace robe made of high-quality silk.
“Who are these for? They look like they’re for a very slim woman.”
“I have someone to gift them to.”
“If you’re giving undergarments as a gift, they must be someone very close to you, right?”
“Very close.”
“If they’re that close, I should know them, shouldn’t I? It’s not the Sky Flower Pavilion Mistress, is it? Ah! Is there someone you fancy among the Sky Flower Pavilion courtesans?” 4
“Do you want me to show you who it is?”
“Really?”
“Of course. Let’s go.”
I pulled the cart with Lee Ahn, heading to a quaint manor far from the village.
“Does someone live here?”
“You could say that.”
However, the manor was empty when we entered.
“There’s no one here. It looks like no one lives here.”
“There will be soon. I’ve rented it for a few days.”
“Why?”
I told her, sensing her curiosity. It was something that would change her life, and something she most wanted to hear from me.
“I’m going to use the Divine Poison Purification Technique on you here.”
1 : She’s a good person.
2 : So OP. Is he having this lucid dream due to his Heavenly Martial Body or his martial art knowledge ? Maybe both.
3 : Lol, he’s getting known as an amazing troublemaker XDXDXD I’d like to see the reaction of the Orthodox one of these days ^^
4 : Lee Ahn can be quite dense sometimes ^^
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