Chapter 107

“Haa. Is this really right? No matter how I think about it, I don’t get it.”

Ju Ok-hwa let out a sigh.
It had easily been dozens of times already.

“Why on earth are you saying you’re going to meet the Guardian Court Master? And why do I have to go with you?”

That was because we were on our way to the Guardian Court.
To that place we’d barely escaped alive from not long ago.

“I’m telling you, it has to be now.”

The moment Du Jung-baek would be most confused.
I had to dig into that moment.
And that moment was now.
I continued shamelessly.

“And if something happens to me, Hall Master, you will be unhappy too. Who’s going to bring you things like Eternal Snow Blossom and eel inner cores?”
“That’s true, but this is a bit…….”

Ju Ok-hwa trailed off.
She looked unusually lacking in confidence, but I could understand.
A perilous meeting with an Extreme Demon Realm master.
As both guard and physician, there was no one more suitable than Ju Ok-hwa.
Of course she wouldn’t be eager to go. That was why she must have come fully prepared.

‘To think she’d even disguise herself.’

‘We mustn’t create any future trouble,’ she says.
Funny how she’s so good at spreading rumors about other people.

A little later, we arrived at the Guardian Court’s main gate.
The guards who recognized me froze. They looked flustered.

“S-seventh Young Lord?”
“I came to meet the Guardian Court Master. Will you send word?”
“Th-that’s…….”
“Tell him I came to cut off the Court Master’s torment.”
“Ah, understood!”

Not one, but two guards ran inside at the same time.
Thanks to that, the gate was left completely empty.

‘So polite.’

I was satisfied inside.
Their view of me seemed to have changed.
Either the fact that I subdued the Escort Hall Chief had spread widely, or my words about seeing guards as companions had left a deep impact.

“Did you see that look just now? It was the look you give a crazy person.”

…Though Ju Ok-hwa’s opinion on that differed from mine.

“He says to bring you in.”

The guard came back quickly.
Following behind him, we headed for Court Master Hall.
Only then did I start thinking Ju Ok-hwa might be right.
Everyone we passed wore an expression that said, ‘Why is this guy here again?’

“Go in.”

Before long, we arrived at the office inside the Court Master Hall.
After the guard reported, he opened the door.
Du Jung-baek, who had been standing while staring out the window, slowly turned around.
Bloodshot eyes, sallow complexion.
It looked like he had spent the night here.
It was probably because of Geuk Mu-hyeok’s subordinate who visited yesterday.
I went straight for the core.

“Did he tell you to eliminate me quickly, so the First Young Lord wouldn’t misunderstand?”
“Why do you think so?”

Du Jung-baek asked back calmly.

“Because that’s how Geuk Mu-hyeok thinks.”
“You know the First Young Lord well.”

Du Jung-baek’s eyes sharpened, and dense killing intent coiled around the office.
The pressure of an Extreme Demon master was terrifying no matter how many times you felt it.

“Your guess is right, Seventh Young Lord. He told me to kill you for the Guardian Court’s future. I had just resolved to do it, and yet I didn’t expect you to appear on your own feet.”

The killing intent thickened further.
Ju Ok-hwa tensed and moved close to my side.
Her aura, rising like a heat haze, neutralized Du Jung-baek’s killing intent.

[Seventh Young Lord, let’s just go. If the Guardian Court Master has decided to kill you, it’ll be hard to stop.]

Ju Ok-hwa’s level was late-stage Transcendent Realm.
There was a huge gap between her and the Extreme Demon Realm, but in internal energy alone, she could surpass Du Jung-baek and then some.
It was thanks to how she had mastered rare elixirs, fitting for someone skilled in medicine and poison arts.
But for even Ju Ok-hwa to urgently send me a voice transmission.
That meant it was dangerous.

“It’s fine. It’s within what I expected.”
[You expected Aura Qi to come flying too?]
“Yes.”
[Then at least dodge!]

Kwaang!
Ju Ok-hwa shoved me and threw herself in the opposite direction.
Silver Aura Qi flew in and stabbed into the spot.
It was the same color as the Aura Qi that had bloomed in both of Du Jung-baek’s hands.

‘Demon-Manifesting Absolute Steel Hand.’

A supreme art passed down through the generations only to Guardian Court Masters.
In my past life, I’d heard it had power strong enough to render even Protective Qi meaningless.
Ju Ok-hwa might survive, but for me, even a graze would be severe injury.

“I must see this through before last night’s resolve scatters.”

At Du Jung-baek’s declaration, Court Master Hall trembled as a whole.
I stared at Du Jung-baek quietly.
I roughly knew what thoughts were in his head.
Doubts about joining hands with Geuk Mu-hyeok, and yet despair that there was no other choice if he wanted to revive the Guardian Court.
Those two things were tormenting him.
But what if I made him realize there was an alternative, no, a better path?
Du Jung-baek would definitely let go of Geuk Mu-hyeok’s hand without hesitation.

‘To do that, I have to prove it first.’

That I had the right to present an alternative.
And that I also had the ability to make that alternative real.

I stepped forward boldly.

[What are you doing, Seventh Young Lord!]
“Because I have something important to discuss with the Court Master.”
[What are you going to discuss with someone trying to kill you!]

I didn’t answer and looked at Du Jung-baek. Something unusual flickered in his eyes.

“I did some investigating this time. There was a reason the Guardian Court fell.”

Was it an unexpected topic?
Du Jung-baek’s attack stopped.

“It was because the Guardian Court’s authority was too great.”

Power without oversight breeds tyranny.
As a result, the Disciplinary Court and the Demon Inquisition Court were created. It was to check the Guardian Court.

“But if you forget that past, and try to reclaim the authority the Disciplinary Court and the Demon Inquisition Court took, what happens? Do you think they’ll hand it back obediently?”
“……What are you trying to say?”
“That no matter how much you cater to Geuk Mu-hyeok, you won’t gain anything.”
“Cater?”

Du Jung-baek’s brow twitched.
I ignored it and continued.

“How did Geuk Mu-hyeok’s subordinate who visited yesterday look at you?”
“…….”
“Geuk Mu-hyeok doesn’t trust you. Do you trust Geuk Mu-hyeok?”
“……Are you telling me to switch horses?”
“Yes. What’s stopping you? Geuk Mu-hyeok has no intention of reviving the Guardian Court. Even if he revives it, will it look the way you want it to? That won’t be the Guardian Court anymore. It will only be even firmer limbs for Geuk Mu-hyeok.”

Du Jung-baek’s eyes sank coldly.

“Aren’t you the same? It’s hard to believe the Seventh Young Lord moves only with the pure purpose of saving his guards. You don’t seem like someone who acts without benefit to himself.”
“You saw well. My goal is to not let Geuk Mu-hyeok take power into his hands.”
“Why do you oppose the First Young Lord so fiercely?”
“To survive.”

‘And to save the Heavenly Demon.’

With only those two things in mind, I’m living my second life.

“You only want to survive? That’s all?”
“That’s all? It’s the most important instinct. That’s why I can’t leave someone alone who tries to violate it.”

At the honest answer, Du Jung-baek’s pupils wavered.
Not just his pupils.
He was wavering.

“I have a way to revive the Guardian Court. It’s quite realistic.”
“What is it?”
“The Guardian Court returns to its roots.”
“Ro…… ots?”
“Choose first. Will you remain being Geuk Mu-hyeok’s limbs, or return to being the Guardian Court as it originally was?”
“The First Young Lord is the most likely successor candidate. Compared to the Seventh Young Lord who hasn’t even been in the cult for a full year, it’s the difference between heaven and earth.”
“Then what do you think about how I, not even a year in, am the one Geuk Mu-hyeok is targeting the most?”
“…….”

From here on was what mattered.
I had to make him recognize the possibility that I could be better than Geuk Mu-hyeok.
I answered boldly.

“In less than a year, I defeated Fourth Sahyung, brought down the Hundred Succession Heuk Clan, and moved the Sacred Fire Order. What about after one year? After three?”

Du Jung-baek fell silent for a moment.
He stared at me for a long time.

“……You take the world of martial arts lightly. Does the Seventh Young Lord think he will only keep growing without end?”
“I think so.”
“Anyone can speak words. But if you weren’t born with heaven-given martial talent, it would be absurd. Like the First Young Lord.”
“Do you want to confirm it yourself?”
“Myself?”

I smiled at Du Jung-baek as he asked back.
Ju Ok-hwa jolted and grabbed my arm. Forgetting her disguise, she shouted aloud.

“Seventh Young Lord! Are you crazy?”

Even Du Jung-baek looked dumbfounded.

“You’ve achieved remarkable results, but do you believe you can face me?”
“Of course I can’t.”

I admitted it honestly.
There was no point bluffing that I could beat an Extreme Demon Realm master.

“If Geuk Mu-hyeok fought you, how many exchanges would he last?”
“……At least thirty exchanges. The First Young Lord has Extreme Demon right before his eyes.”
“Then I’ll make it about ten exchanges. I’m still growing. That should be enough for you to gauge my martial talent, right?”

A heavy silence fell.
Du Jung-baek stared at me for a while.

“Do you know how difficult it is to hold off against an Extreme Demon Realm master? In a single move, you could turn into a puddle of blood.”
“I have to accept it. Because I’m a follower of the Demonic Path, afterall.”
“Seventh Young Lord, you really……”
“Really what?”
“You remind me of someone.”

That look again, as if retracing the past.
I asked who, but Du Jung-baek didn’t tell me.

“Fine. I will cross hands with the Seventh Young Lord for ten moves. If you endure, I will sever my relationship with the First Young Lord.”
“You made a good choice.”
“However, I still believe only the First Young Lord can revive the Guardian Court. So know this. I will attack with my full effort.”
“Yes.”

Du Jung-baek’s pressure grew heavy like a massive boulder.
He was testing me.
At my side, Ju Ok-hwa spoke.

“Seventh Young Lord, was this your plan from the start?”
“Yes. In the end, if you don’t show skill in the Divine Cult, you won’t be acknowledged.”
“Hah……”
“Step back. If Hall Master gets hurt, there’ll be no one left to treat me.”

When I said it with a smile, Ju Ok-hwa shook her head.

Du Jung-baek slowly raised his hand.
The air in the office froze.
Facing Du Jung-baek, I thought.

‘One stone, three birds.’

I can get my guards back, cut off one of Geuk Mu-hyeok’s limbs, and expand my forces.
My experience is sufficient.
The Nine Heavens Demon-Reversing Art has reached the fourth stage, and my internal energy supply has become that much smoother. On top of that, I also possess both Perfect Demonic Qi and Chaotic Demonic Qi at the same time.
And it’s not like I have to defeat Du Jung-baek.
Enduring ten moves is more than doable.

‘But this isn’t enough.’

If I only endure, I can’t completely turn Du Jung-baek’s heart.
I have to land a decisive blow and plant certainty that I’m a better choice than Geuk Mu-hyeok.

Du Jung-baek’s gaze sank coldly.

“If you’re still standing after ten moves, it will be your victory.”

I nodded quietly.
I had to face an Extreme Demon Realm master, but I wasn’t afraid.
If anything, I felt a pleasant tension.

Du Jung-baek’s Aura Qi grew denser.
The furniture in the office creaked and trembled under his pressure.

Ten moves.
The time it would take could be considered both short and long..
Du Jung-baek moved toward me, and the first move began.