Chapter 72 - Lucky You, Being the Waves Behind

The Wind Heaven Cult Leader stared at the place where his sacred relics were displayed. He looked again and again, closed his eyes and opened them, but the places where the Blood God Pill and supreme-grade heavenly silkworm silk had stood remained empty.

“I can hardly bear to look. She was a perfect beauty, and now she’s missing her two front teeth.”

At the Wind Heaven Cult Leader’s lament, the shackled man gazed at the Thunderous Sound Bell and spoke softly.

“She still has her canines and molars. She can tear into an opponent, or grit her teeth and steel her resolve.”

“You’re delighted every time a sacred relic disappears, aren’t you?”

“How did you know? Undo these shackles and I might even dance.”

The Wind Heaven Cult Leader sighed.

“To be honest, I’m afraid.”

“Of what?”

“That all of this will turn out to be an empty dream. That I’ll wake up and find nothing left. Then I’ll regret it, won’t I? What on earth bewitched me into giving everything away?”

The Wind Heaven Cult Leader looked at the shackled man. The man raised his head and swept back his long, dangling hair, revealing his face for the first time in a while.

“What are you doing all of a sudden?”

“Showing you the fellow who bewitched you into giving everything away.”

“Madman.”

The man was right. It wasn’t the Second Young Master who had bewitched him. It was that shackled man—the man who openly claimed to have bewitched him, who smiled as he said he would bring him to ruin.

“How do we make Cheong Seon a Demon Supreme?”

“We’ll have to win the Demon Supremes over one at a time. Coax them, persuade them, bring them into our camp. It will cost at least two sacred relics. If we’re unlucky, we may need another.”

The shackled man apparently had already finished his calculations, but the Wind Heaven Cult Leader’s face tightened into a deep frown.

“That’s your roundabout way of telling me to invest in the Second Young Master, isn’t it? You’re with him to the bitter end.”

“How long do you intend to lean on the Second Young Master? Be a man and take care of it yourself. I’ll tell you the best way to approach each Demon Supreme.”

“I told you to stop mocking me!”

“Quite right. Simply stay put and do nothing.”

“Is that any way for a strategist to talk?”

No sooner had the Wind Heaven Cult Leader spoken than the chains rattled.

CLANK

Faced with the wordless protest—what strategist in the world wore shackles like these?—the Wind Heaven Cult Leader could say nothing.

“I’m saying this because you consider me your strategist. Stay put. Sometimes doing nothing yields the best results.”

After a brief pause, the Wind Heaven Cult Leader asked,

“Is that really all right?”

“The Second Young Master will come to see you.”

“And then?”

“He’ll ask for a sacred relic in exchange for putting Cheong Seon in the seat of a Demon Supreme.”

“Can even the Second Young Master manage that?”

“We have to believe in him. We’ve already crossed a bridge we cannot cross back over.”

Just then, Cheong Seon, who had been training in the courtyard, brought news.

“The Second Young Master is here.”

The Wind Heaven Cult Leader was startled and impressed at once. Everything was unfolding as the shackled man had predicted, giving him the illusion that he held the upper hand.

“Speak of the devil.”

“That’s because we’re always thinking and talking about him.”

“Stop talking about him! Stop taking his side! I’m your master! Me!”

“Who told you to be the waves ahead on the Yangtze?”

The mention of the Yangtze’s waves ahead made the Wind Heaven Cult Leader’s heart sink. The shackled man had probably meant nothing in particular by it, but it struck him deeply. Lately, he had already felt as though something were pushing him along, carrying him somewhere he did not want to go.

“Yes, lucky you, being the waves behind on the Yangtze.”

When he had decided to come to the Central Plains, he had never dreamed he would have a conversation like this with the shackled man.

‘You truly cannot see even a step ahead in life.’

For the first time, the Wind Heaven Cult Leader felt the unfamiliar tension of an unpredictable life. Put another way, that was how smooth and predictable his life had been until now.

* * *

When I went to see the Wind Heaven Cult Leader, Cheong Seon was there as well. Deep in training in the courtyard, she recognized me and offered a respectful greeting.

“Greetings, Second Young Master.”

While the Soul-Seizing Demon was alive, we had been utterly indifferent to each other, but things had changed. She needed outside allies to support her, and she had reason to make a good impression on me, both the Second Young Master and the Pavilion Master of Yellow Springs Pavilion.

“I heard you became the Wind Heaven Cult Leader’s disciple, Miss Cheong. Congratulations.”

“Thank you, Second Young Master.”

She would have no idea that all of this had begun with me slipping information to Sa Ujong.

“I’ve come with news for the Cult Leader. You should hear it too, Miss Cheong.”

As we went inside, the shackled man lifted his head slightly, and our eyes briefly met. Since my last visit, we had been greeting each other in our own way.

“What brings you here?”

“The Demonic Buddha is making his move.”

“The Demonic Buddha? How?”

“He’s persuading the Demon Supremes to make Yang Do, the first disciple, the next Soul-Seizing Demon.”

“Damn it! And he calls himself a friend.”

“Now that the Demonic Buddha is taking serious action, I’m afraid it will be difficult for Miss Cheong here to become a Demon Supreme.”

Cheong Seon pressed her lips between her teeth. She had taken an enormous risk to become a Demon Supreme. If she failed despite becoming the Wind Heaven Cult Leader’s disciple, she might end up being driven beyond the frontiers along with him.

“Second Young Master, is there no way to put this girl in a Demon Supreme’s seat? As you know, I cannot act here in the Divine Cult of the Heavenly Demon.”

“There is a way, but it won’t be easy.”

“What way?”

“We’ll have to get the Demon Supremes to act for us as well. Fortunately, the Blood Heaven Saber Demon and the Single Flower Sword Supreme are both well disposed toward me. If I ask those two elders, perhaps...”

“Please, help us.”

“Please help, Second Young Master.”

Cheong Seon was every bit as desperate as the Wind Heaven Cult Leader.

“It’s not as easy as it sounds.”

I made a show of difficulty, though it wasn’t entirely an act.

“There’s no telling what the Demon Supremes will demand in return for their votes. Even if everything goes well, I’ll end up owing the Saber Demon and Sword Supreme a great debt.”

“My disciple and I are the ones benefiting, aren’t we? I will never forget what you’ve done.”

“Very well. I’ll try.”

“Thank you. Wait a moment, will you?”

Perhaps wanting a private word with me, the Wind Heaven Cult Leader sent Cheong Seon out.

“Go outside and train.”

“Yes, Master.”

Cheong Seon bowed to me before leaving. Her gaze held an earnest plea.

Once she was gone, the Wind Heaven Cult Leader asked,

“What do you want this time? Another sacred relic, I suppose?”

“No.”

“No?”

The Wind Heaven Cult Leader looked startled.

“The only thing more important than a sacred relic is my life.”

He said it like a joke, but he meant it. The words that left my lips were a blessing to such a man.

“There’s nothing I want this time.”

“Nothing?”

“That’s right. Nothing.”

“Really?”

I nodded firmly, and the Wind Heaven Cult Leader’s face brightened.

“Once we have the result, I’ll treat you to a drink.”

“A drink on top of that?”

“You gave me two precious sacred relics, didn’t you? Win or lose, let’s have a drink.”

“Where?”

“Here, of course. With a sacred relic stolen, everyone would find it strange if you left your quarters. I’ll bring the wine and food.”

Of course, that wasn’t the reason. I wanted to drink where the shackled man was.

“I’ll do my best to make it a victory drink rather than a drink to drown our defeat.”

With that, I rose. The Wind Heaven Cult Leader was pleased, but he was also visibly bewildered.

“Train your disciple well, just in case. Miss Cheong may have to face the first disciple, Yang Do, in a martial contest.”

“I have that in mind as well.”

“Then I’ll be going.”

I started to leave, then turned back to the Wind Heaven Cult Leader.

“Oh, there’s one thing I’d like to ask.”

“What is it?”

“I was trying to create a sky in the space I made with the Art of Space-Time Transposition, but the verses wouldn’t flow together smoothly. Could you explain that part once more?”

The Wind Heaven Cult Leader was startled. The seated shackled man also gave a start. He rarely showed any emotion, but this time he reacted.

“To fill the space, you have to succeed in creating it within half a double-hour.”

“I’ve already succeeded in creating it within half a double-hour.”

“What?”

The Wind Heaven Cult Leader was astounded. He hadn’t believed me when I’d said I could open one in two double-hours. I had promised to show him next time, and now I had already cut that down to half a double-hour. His astonishment was only natural.

“Show me. Then I’ll explain.”

“You’ll wait half a double-hour?”

“I will.”

“Very well.”

I immediately began reciting the verses and performing the Art of Space-Time Transposition.

Half a double-hour later, we were in the space I had created. I deliberately brought the shackled man along as well.

Both the Wind Heaven Cult Leader and the shackled man were surprised. A sky stretched overhead, but holes dotted it here and there, making it a strange sky indeed.

After looking around for a while, the Wind Heaven Cult Leader asked me,

“Why did you choose to make the sky first?”

“I like looking at the sky. It feels as though it clears away the weight on my heart. Now, if you would explain?”

“I promised, so I’ll teach you.”

The Wind Heaven Cult Leader gave a detailed explanation of the verses concerning how to fill the space.

In truth, I could already create a perfect sky. I had merely pretended that I couldn’t do it properly to give myself a natural opportunity to demonstrate my ability before them.

After hearing the Wind Heaven Cult Leader’s explanation, I spent another half a double-hour opening a new space with a vast blue sky stretching overhead, astonishing them both even more.

This demonstration wasn’t for the Wind Heaven Cult Leader. It was to show the shackled man firsthand what kind of talent I possessed.

Was I showing off? Yes. Quite deliberately.

In my previous life, I had come to believe that a leader’s foremost virtue was strength. Strength, no matter what anyone said. Someone strong enough that you could trust them with everything you had.

And I saw it: the shackled man’s face as he looked up at the sky. The clarity and loneliness in his eyes.

I still did not know what sort of person he was. But one thing was certain.

Though I called him the shackled man, there was nothing about his appearance or bearing that belonged in shackles.

* * *

After Geom Mugeuk left, the Wind Heaven Cult Leader and the shackled man remained silent for a while.

The Wind Heaven Cult Leader spoke first.

“Today, I saw a martial genius.”

“He must possess the Heavenly Martial Physique.”

“The Heavenly Martial Physique? Yes, otherwise he couldn’t have learned the Art of Space-Time Transposition so quickly.”

“Do you still begrudge it?”

“What? Giving him the Art of Space-Time Transposition? Of course I do. That regret has nothing to do with his ability, does it?”

“Who knows what legend he may create with the art you taught him?”

“As I always say, what good is that legend if it isn’t mine?”

“Our Cult Leader truly is a man who never gives up.”

“There you go mocking me again.”

“No. I appreciate your honesty.”

“Because it’s you! I’m honest because I’m with you. I’m not this soft anywhere else.”

He often revealed his innermost thoughts like this, but the shackled man had never once revealed his own. The Wind Heaven Cult Leader understood why better than anyone. Unless he removed those shackles, he would never know the man’s true feelings.

But even so, he would never remove those shackles.

‘I won’t let anyone take you from me.’

Whether he knew those feelings or not, the shackled man simply gazed at the evil spirits engraved on the Thunderous Sound Bell.

“Is the evil spirit speaking to you again?”

“It’s asking again why I live this way.”

“Tell it everyone lives that way. You damned evil spirit, everyone lives that way. What makes you so special that you can ask a question like that?”

But the Wind Heaven Cult Leader did not know that, at that very moment, the man was saying something entirely different to the evil spirit.

He was talking about the person who had begged him to stop taking sides and stop talking about it. The evil spirit, which looked as closemouthed as the Thunderous Sound Bell itself, simply listened in silence.