Chapter 85 - Family Is the Enemy

When the Single Flower Sword Supreme emerged from her thatched cottage, I was crouching in one corner of the yard, looking at the flowers growing there.

“Amazing, aren't they?”

“They've grown so much already.”

“That's the joy of growing them.”

“I should try growing some myself sometime.”

“You're too busy. It won't be easy.”

“It would end up a patch of weeds, wouldn't it? I'd better stick to what I'm good at.”

I rose from my crouch.

“Today, I've come as your sparring partner.”

“I'm glad you came.”

The Single Flower Sword Supreme's face lit up. She truly seemed to have waited a long time for this day.

“Thank you so much for all your help lately.”

“What help have I given you?”

When I leaked information to Sa Ujong, when Cheong Seon became a Demon Supreme, and when I visited the Wind Heaven Cult Leader. She claimed she was only halfway won over, but her actions went beyond those of someone fully on my side.

“This is a gift to show my gratitude.”

“A gift? Whatever for?”

“Please accept it as a token of my sincerity.”

She opened the small box I handed her. Inside was a night-shining pearl, one of those I had received from Geum Asu, the Golden Manor master.

“Something this precious?”

“It's different from what I gave the venerable Saber Demon.”

I had given him a poison-warding pearl. The Single Flower Sword Supreme laughed, apparently amused by my emphasis on that distinction. This was how I would dismantle the dam of ill feeling that had built up between her and the Blood Heaven Saber Demon. If I removed the stones one by one, eventually they would be able to see each other.

“It's truly beautiful.”

“If I may take a little credit, it's a night-shining pearl of the highest quality. Even with money, it's not easy to find one.”

“You deserve all the credit.”

“Still, it can't compare to your beauty, Senior.”

“You're laying the flattery on far too thick for an old woman.”

She waved off the compliment, but her face was wreathed in smiles. She was changing in many ways, yet her weakness for compliments about her appearance never changed.

“You have all the makings of a womanizer.”

“That's how I plan to live. I'll travel around enjoying myself and meet all the beauties of the Central Plains.”

“It would be nice if you could live that way, but...”

She left unsaid that I wouldn't be able to once I became the Heavenly Demon. Traveling as I did now and traveling as the Heavenly Demon would be worlds apart.

After all, Father surely didn't stay within the Cult because he never felt stifled. He must be cautious because Murim's fate hung on every step he took.

“Better to enjoy plenty of outings now. It'll be difficult later.”

“I will.”

“Now, shall we stretch our limbs for the first time in a while?”

“I've been looking forward to this moment.”

Normally, the person I wanted to look after next after Father was the Blood Heaven Saber Demon. But sparring with Father had left me itching for more. I wanted another good bout, so I had come to her first.

This was distinctly different from our last match. I could sense her slightest movements more clearly. Before I even sensed them instinctively, I could see them with my own eyes.

As Father had done to me, I pressed her harder than in our previous match. I could do so because I was confident in my ability to control my sword. She fought desperately, and I gave it my all as well.

When our match ended, the Single Flower Sword Supreme was breathing hard, her surprise plain. Though she had poured everything into the fight except her final trump card, she had been unable to subdue me.

“You've improved even more since last time!”

“I've learned a few things since then.”

“Truly remarkable. Truly.”

She was delighted, yet there was a touch of regret as well.

“If you keep growing this quickly, I don't think I'll be a match for you much longer.”

“I gave it my all for the sake of our next match, Senior.”

She understood my meaning and nodded.

“You want this old senior of yours to improve, don't you?”

“Presumptuous as it may be, I do. I want us to be sparring partners for life.”

At my honest words, an unmistakable flicker of emotion passed through her eyes.

This was also part of my effort to make her my right wing.

Before I left, we talked about various aspects of our match. My skills were clearly ahead of hers, but that didn't mean I had nothing to learn from her. What she taught me was different in nature from what I learned from Father.

We began with martial arts, then moved on to all sorts of things about life. It was such an enjoyable time that she was reluctant to see me go when I said farewell.

Next, I went to the Blood Heaven Saber Demon's residence, but he wasn't home. After waiting a long time and returning empty-handed, I found him waiting outside my house.

“Where have you been gallivanting at this hour? Have you got a woman hidden away somewhere?”

It seemed we had missed each other along the way.

“Why wait out here instead of going inside? Strategist Go is in there too.”

“Never mind.”

“We're family now. Why stand on ceremony?”

“Family, my foot. Family is your worst enemy.”

He still seemed awkward around Go Wol. He had grown comfortable with me, but this prickly old man still didn't care to mingle readily with others.

“What brings you here?”

“I came to give you some news.”

“What news?”

The Blood Heaven Saber Demon spoke with a grave expression.

“The Demonic Buddha has left to fetch the First Young Master.”

I wasn't surprised. I had expected this move. The Demon Supremes supporting my brother would have heard that the Wind Heaven Cult Leader's strategist had come over to me. They must have decided they could no longer simply stand by.

Coincidentally, my brother had returned to the Cult around this time in my life before regression as well. What was meant to happen was happening just the same.

“The Demonic Buddha is always busy. Fetching the Wind Heaven Cult Leader, fetching my brother.”

“That little fellow is industrious, I'll give him that. What on earth is your brother doing out on the frontier?”

“I don't know either.”

Of course, I did know. My brother was now passing through a trial that would change his life. That fact had only come to light after his return, and afterward he had firmly secured his position as successor.

“Will you be all right, sir?”

“With what?”

“You switched from supporting my brother to supporting me. He might resent you.”

“Let him, if he wants.”

The Blood Heaven Saber Demon had clear principles about such matters.

“If there's a better choice, you should take it. Anyone who uses personal ties to criticize you for that is no help to you in life whatsoever.”

“You're absolutely right.”

“Right about what? The same applies if I abandon you.”

I really liked this clarity of his.

“Will you be all right?”

“With what?”

After a pause, he spoke.

“What will you do if you have to kill your brother?”

“If he does something deserving of death, I'll have to kill him.”

“Look at you, acting tough.”

I let out a small chuckle. Yes, I was acting tough. Killing your own flesh and blood was never easy.

This wasn't a question of whether my martial arts were stronger than my brother's. Fighting him would demand every ounce of my mental and emotional strength. What the Blood Heaven Saber Demon had said jokingly earlier was true. Family was your worst enemy.

“You're right. Of course I won't be all right. I'm not cold-blooded. How could I be all right with killing my brother? And he isn't someone who'll die easily, either.”

I turned and called into the house.

“Strategist Go, come out here.”

Go Wol came outside.

“You're back, Young Master.”

After greeting me, he also greeted the Blood Heaven Saber Demon respectfully.

“The Demonic Buddha has gone to fetch my brother. What do you think?”

Go Wol couldn't answer readily. Another enemy might have been different, but when the enemy was the older brother of the leader he served, a strategist had no choice but to be cautious.

After considering for a moment, he spoke carefully.

“Whether the First Young Master lives or dies will not be for you to decide, Young Master. He will make that decision himself.”

In the end, he meant that my brother's fate would be determined by how he acted.

I nodded, but the Blood Heaven Saber Demon still didn't trust him.

“I helped because you wanted to recruit him, but...”

The Blood Heaven Saber Demon approached slowly and stopped in front of Go Wol. Staring straight into his eyes, he spoke.

“Is there any guarantee this man won't betray us?”

The word “us” caught my ear. It was the first time he had used it with me. He had probably said it without thinking, but it meant a great deal to me. The man who had threatened me while jabbing my side hard enough to bruise it was now part of “us.”

Go Wol showed no fear despite the Blood Heaven Saber Demon's pressure.

“What about you, Demon Supreme? Can you guarantee you won't betray the Young Master?”

At the question of whether he, too, might betray me, the Blood Heaven Saber Demon's lips curled upward.

“No guarantee. I'll betray him whenever I feel like it.”

“I'm here to prevent that.”

“Then what about you? Who stops you?”

“I won't betray him.”

“How am I supposed to believe that?”

“Only the Young Master needs to believe me.”

“Don't forget that I'm watching you.”

I didn't intervene in their confrontation. Wasn't this my philosophy of life? Rather than let wounds and conflicts grow, you had to expose them, dig into them, and fight them out to resolve them.

Looking uncertain whether he should tell me, the Blood Heaven Saber Demon spoke.

“The cult leader won't want you and the First Young Master to fight. He wants neither of you to die.”

Once again, I could see how well he knew Father. Clearly, they had a special relationship, one that let him draw a line on the ground and confidently say Father cared that much about him.

“I've sensed that too.”

When I had gone hunting with Father after my regression, he had asked in passing whether I could take my brother along with me. That question held his true feelings.

“The cult leader never looks back. Yet that's the one thing a man like him regrets.”

Even a heart like ten-thousand-year cold iron bore scars.

“You said you knew how he felt?”

“Yes.”

“Then that's fine.”

Then that's fine. Father had said those same words after our match. Both Father's words and the Blood Heaven Saber Demon's gave me a curious sense of strength.

“Is there anything I should prepare?”

“I always ask just one thing of you, sir.”

“What's that?”

“That you make peace.”

“What peace? Surely you don't mean...”

He realized I meant making peace with the Single Flower Sword Supreme.

“The First Young Master is on his way, and you're still going on about reconciliation. You really must be mad.”

How incredulous must the Blood Heaven Saber Demon have been to seek Go Wol's agreement?

“This is the lunatic you serve.”

Go Wol answered,

“I'm not exactly normal myself.”

The Blood Heaven Saber Demon shook his head, calling us a pair of lunatics.

I tried persuading him again.

“When my brother returns, the other Demon Supremes will start acting in earnest. I can't fight with only one wing, can I?”

“I'd like that too, but haven't you seen enough by now? The Sword Supreme snaps at me every time she sees me.”

“Yes, I've seen plenty. I've seen her sharpness fading with time, and the glare she gives you softening little by little.”

Even so, the Blood Heaven Saber Demon shook his head.

“Making peace between us would be harder than unifying Murim. I'm leaving.”

I called after him as he turned to go.

“You don't have to unify Murim, but you absolutely must make peace!”

Without answering, he walked slowly away and disappeared into the darkness.

I immediately checked on Go Wol.

“Are you all right?”

“Yes, I'm fine.”

“Don't let it bother you too much. He's always been a nasty old man.”

“I must give it some thought. He's your left wing, after all. But don't worry about me. As you know, my life hasn't been easy either.”

But I knew. Even people like him could be hurt.

“All right. Still, if you have something to tell me, be sure to say it. I'll tell you too whenever something upsets me.”

“Yes. I certainly will.”

“Oh, and my candidate for the right wing is the Single Flower Sword Supreme. Just so you know.”

“Understood. Sleep well, then.”

I couldn't fall asleep until late that night.

There was no need to think about how my brother had acted in my previous life.

When he returned, I would look at him. In my previous life, I had failed to see anyone properly. Now, I would see him clearly.

I would see what sort of person he was with my own eyes. I would see clearly what truly lay behind everything in my memories.

As always, Hwa Mugi helped at times like these.

If I didn't have what it took to overcome my brother, I would die at Hwa Mugi's hands anyway.