SYM 41

It wasn’t difficult to find individuals with unstable minds within the Demonic Sect.

Some had become madmen, obsessed with Martial Arts itself, while others had fallen into Qi Deviation during cultivation and turned insane.

Demonic Sect’s Martial Arts offered faster achievements compared to the orthodox sects, but it was also easier for Demonic Energy to infiltrate the mind or for one to succumb to Inner Demons. It was even called Demonic Art, not Martial Arts, due to its wicked nature. One of the most famous madman in the Demonic Sect was none other than the Asura Demon.

The Asura Demon was an old monster who delved into and researched all sorts of Martial Arts and Witchcraft, and even within the Demonic Sect, everyone avoided him.

“A major incident has occurred in the Central Plains, and they are looking for someone skilled in Undead Manipulation. How could we leave out Suramain? Don’t you agree?”

“Indeed! As you command. I will contact the sect!”

Yoon Ju-myeong quickly replied, imagining the troubled faces of the sect members who would receive this message.

The Asura Demon was not someone who would come or go just because he was called. He secluded himself in Devil’s Valley, researching Demonic Art, and only emerged when he needed to experiment with his Demonic Art. Each time, horrific events unfolded, making the Asura Demon someone even the Demonic Sect avoided. However, no matter how arrogant he was, he couldn’t ignore the sect leader’s summons. Though those delivering the message would likely face his wrath.

“I have something to report.”

“A report?”

As Cheonma’s eyes turned towards him, Yoon Ju-myeong’s mouth went dry.

“It’s a follow-up report on the individual resembling Eun-hyeon Taoist, whom you mentioned before. He has been spotted near a village in Qinghai.”

The moment the name Eun-hyeon left Yoon Ju-myeong’s lips, Cheonma’s face darkened menacingly.

“He seemed to have spent some time in Xi’an before, but now he appears to be heading towards Qinghai.”

“…Appears to be? Are you saying you’re not certain?”

“I apologize. It seems that he is sensitive to being followed, so we had to maintain a distance…”

“Anything else…?”

“According to the report… he appears to be clearly alive. We attempted to approach him several times, but each attempt was thwarted. However, from a distance, he seemed no different from a living person.”

“Xi’an, you say.”

Cheonma remained silent for a moment.

“Moshan Sect is in Xi’an.”

“…That is correct.”

“The discovery of Undead within the Namgung Clan at this time, and the way things are strangely intertwined… and the fact that my dead master is wandering around… It feels like I’m being played in someone’s palm, and I don’t like it.”

“Shall we continue to monitor him?”

“Yes. Keep your eyes on him and report even the smallest detail.”

“As you command.”

Yoon Ju-myeong bowed his head and retreated. The reaction was much calmer than he had anticipated.

In the past, whenever the topic of Eun-hyeon Taoist came up, he had to lie low and be cautious for several days. So, he had been quite nervous before making this report. But the reaction was much more subdued than he expected. Yoon Ju-myeong was certain after today’s events. Cheonma had changed.

Cheonma’s bizarre behavior was nothing new, but recently, the direction of that bizarreness had shifted slightly. However, Yoon Ju-myeong couldn’t determine whether it was a good thing or a bad thing. His head was in a mess.

He was well aware that Cheonma would occasionally conceal his identity and travel around the Central Plains, searching for traces of his dead former master or seeking revenge. Yoon Ju-myeong understood this as Cheonma’s eccentric hobby. Paying back grudges and startling the orthodox sect bastards seemed like a very fitting hobby for a demon.

However, recently, with his entanglement with Namgung Clan’s Eldest Young Master, Namgung Eun-hyeon, Cheonma’s actions had consistently defied Yoon Ju-myeong’s predictions.

Cheonma, the object of fear within the Demonic Sect and the father of all demons, had personally treated and cared for the Namgung Eldest Young Master.

And that wasn’t all. About half of the Dark Shadows accompanying the Namgung Eldest Young Master were attached to him. Amheun had to report the Eldest Young Master’s daily activities to Cheonma every day.

The Eldest Young Master’s daily life, lying in his room like a semi-corpse, was boring to the point of being tedious, yet Cheonma listened to these stories attentively. He even made them recite every word of who the Eldest Young Master met and what conversations they had.

And that wasn’t all.

After everyone had fallen asleep, he would secretly enter and extract the Turbid Qi filling the Eldest Young Master’s body, replacing it with Pure Qi, and even recently, he had ordered the Demonic Sect’s medicine hall to be emptied to create Pills.

He ordered them to make medicine for ordinary people to be healthy, not medicine for Martial Arts practitioners to improve their Martial Arts, which seemed to have quite bewildered the head of the medicine hall. Not everyone in the Demonic Sect was a Martial Arts practitioner, but Cheonma had never paid attention to those who hadn’t mastered Martial Arts until now.

Yoon Ju-myeong could easily guess who the medicine was for.

Sure enough, the Elixir, created after tormenting the head of the medicine hall, ended up in the hands of the Namgung Eldest Young Master.

Yoon Ju-myeong felt uneasy about all of this.

Was this really okay?

But Cheonma was the supreme leader of the Demonic Sect. Even having anxieties and worries about the supreme leader’s actions was blasphemous.

Amhon Unit Leader Yoon Ju-myeong forced himself to ignore his uneasy feelings and lowered his head.

* * *

“Young Master…! What on earth… where, where have you been!”

As soon as Eun-hyeon returned to the Namgung Clan, Soseo rushed over, her face pale.

Only then did Eun-hyeon realize that he had completely forgotten about Soseo due to the Undead story. Seeing Soseo’s pale face, he belatedly felt a surge of guilt.

“Soseo…”

“You said you were just going for a walk, but you went outside, and there was no contact… Do you know how worried I was?”

Seeing Soseo pressing her reddened eyes with her hand, Eun-hyeon smiled awkwardly.

“Well, I met someone I knew and ended up talking for a while, and it got later than I thought.”

“…Young Master! How could you do that without thinking about the person waiting for you! I was really…”

Just as Soseo was about to pour out her resentment to Eun-hyeon, tears welling up in her eyes.

“Soseo, you need to relearn basic etiquette.”

Hwahong stood behind Soseo, who was sniffling. Soseo’s face turned white in an instant. The change was so quick, it was as if a skilled face-changing artist had swapped masks.

“T, th, that’s…”

“Following the orders of one’s master is the duty of a subordinate. Where did you learn to argue with your superiors?”

Hwahong’s voice was cold. As Soseo looked towards Eun-hyeon, hoping he would help her, Hwahong stepped forward, blocking her gaze.

“Soseo needs to relearn the basics of being a subordinate. Eldest Young Master, I will personally train her.”

“…Y, yes, okay.”

Eun-hyeon also found Hwahong a bit difficult to deal with. Eun-hyeon nodded and subtly averted his gaze.

“Um…, well, today…”

Hwahong smiled softly at Eun-hyeon.

“How could I dare to interfere with what the Eldest Young Master does? However, as the head of the family has personally entrusted me with the Eldest Young Master’s safety, please allow me to do my best to assist the Eldest Young Master.”

Hwahong smiled and spoke gently, but the intention behind her words was clear.

“I’m sorry for causing you worry. I ended up having dinner with an acquaintance unexpectedly today…”

“There is no need for the Eldest Young Master to explain what he has done to the lower servants. Just let us know in advance, and we will serve the Eldest Young Master so that he experiences no inconvenience.”

Eun-hyeon nodded at Hwahong’s firm words. Hwahong’s words were all correct, so he had nothing to say.

“The weather is mild during the day, but it is still chilly in the evening. Shall I prepare some warm tea? Please let me know if you are hungry. I can also prepare a meal.”

“No, I don’t need a meal. Just prepare some tea. And don’t scold Soseo too much. She was just worried about me.”

Hwahong paused for a moment but then bowed her head demurely. It was as if she was showing Soseo that this was the correct attitude of a servant.

“If that is the Eldest Young Master’s wish, then I understand.”

Eun-hyeon glanced at Soseo, who was behind Hwahong. Soseo’s eyes were shining as if she was moved by Eun-hyeon’s actions.

“Soseo, follow me for a moment. I have something to tell you.”

“Yes, yes!”

Soseo followed Eun-hyeon in with a triumphant expression. The way she ran in cheerfully was as if she was saying to Hwahong, “No matter what you do, the Eldest Young Master favors me.” Hwahong glared at Soseo for a moment, but Soseo didn’t care.

“Soseo.”

“Yes! Please speak, Eldest Young Master!”

Soseo, who had called him Young Master just a moment ago, quickly changed her title to Eldest Young Master. She had a triumphant expression, having escaped from Hwahong.

When Eun-hyeon offered Soseo the seat opposite him, Soseo sat down without hesitation.

“Let’s have a cup of tea together. It’s been a while, so I’ll make the tea.”

Eun-hyeon didn’t order Soseo to do it and placed the kettle on the brazier himself.

Eun-hyeon took down the boiling kettle with a loud noise and began to make tea himself. In an instant, a fragrant tea scent filled the room. The scent was incomparably better than the tea he had drunk when he lived in the outer quarters. Soseo’s mood improved again as she smelled the scent of the high-quality tea. Seeing that he was even making such high-quality tea for her, it was clear that the Eldest Young Master relied on her the most.

After all, she had taken care of Eun-hyeon since he was in the outer quarters, when he received no attention from anyone. There was nothing among his meals, laundry, and everything else he needed in his life that hadn’t passed through her hands. Although the Eldest Young Master was older than her, his heart was weak, so it was understandable that he relied on her.

It was then. Eun-hyeon placed the tea in front of Soseo and said.

“There’s no poison in this tea, so drink it without worry.”

“Excuse me?”

“You’ve been poisoning my tea all this time. I didn’t do that, so drink it without worry.”