Chapter 84: The Flame Knot and the Return (2)

“You were having quite an amusing conversation, weren’t you?”

“H-Hyungnim…”

He cast a cold glare toward the flustered Ma Jinyoon and Ma Chulsoo.

“You should be calling me ‘Young Master of the Ma Clan,’ not ‘Hyungnim,’ right?”

At those words, Ma Jinyoon flinched and shrank his shoulders, but Ma Chulsoo didn’t back down and kept his defiant gaze.

“The position of the Young Master hasn’t been officially confirmed yet.”

“Hahahaha!”

Ma Jeongcheon burst into laughter as if he had just heard a funny joke.

“You speak amusingly. Then, among our siblings, who do you think will become the Young Master?”

It was a clear provocation, and Ma Chulsoo gritted his teeth.

“Our youngest brother aiming for the position of Demonic Faction Lord? Or our adorable Yeonhee, who doesn’t care much for family matters?”

“……”

“Oh, don’t tell me you mean our second brother, who not only got humiliated by the Jin Clan’s eldest son but almost cut off our bloodline altogether?”

Clench!

Ma Chulsoo wanted to draw his sword and strike right away, but he held back.

In terms of skill and influence, he still couldn’t compare to Ma Jeongcheon.

Ma Jeongcheon approached Ma Chulsoo and whispered quietly.

“When I first heard you’d gathered the lowlifes from the Thousand-Day Pass to stir things up, I thought you might pose a threat. But seeing how you all collapsed on your own… seems I was worried for nothing.”

“Is that all you have to say?”

“Hah, as if I’d stop there.”

Ma Jeongcheon turned his eyes to Ma Jinyoon.

They had only briefly made eye contact, but Ma Jinyoon instinctively lowered his gaze.

“Hah, our little brother. Why lower your head like that? What are you so afraid of?”

“N-No, Big Brother…”

Ma Jinyoon’s voice trembled violently.

It was only natural.

Though they were blood brothers, Ma Jeongcheon felt like someone entirely distant and untouchable.

After all, who wouldn’t fear the man who had once sent assassins after them?

“So, Demonic Faction Lord, huh? You’ve got some big dreams, little brother.”

Ma Jeongcheon reached out and ruffled Ma Jinyoon’s hair, leaning in close.

“Surely… you’re not aiming to become Demonic Faction Lord just to support Chulsoo, are you?”

Ma Jinyoon shook his head desperately.

“Absolutely not, Hyungnim!”

“Right? I believe in you, little brother.”

He was smiling, but it wasn’t a smile. Ma Jinyoon had never felt that phrase as vividly as he did now.

“Even if the chances are slim, if our youngest becomes Demonic Faction Lord and supports me from behind, it could create quite a compelling picture.”

“That’s enough, Hyungnim.”

Ma Chulsoo suddenly stepped between them with a harsh tone.

Ma Jeongcheon’s face twisted instantly like a ghost’s.

“Ma Chulsoo. What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

An overwhelming pressure exploded outward.

Ma Chulsoo braced himself against it and forced out words.

“Jinyoon is not a tool for your ambitions. He’s a direct descendant of the Ma Clan and has every right to pursue his own will.”

“What nonsense. Try saying that directly to the Clan Head.”

“Kh…!”

Ma Chulsoo’s face twisted in frustration.

“His own will? The family’s interests and glory come first. You two, who don’t even have the qualifications, have no right to spout that kind of nonsense.”

Both Ma Chulsoo and Ma Jinyoon stiffened at his words.

“Ah, but I suppose there’s one way for Jinyoon to prove his resolve.”

“What would that be?”

“It’s simple. In the upcoming Exchange Ceremony with the Young Cult Leader, you defeat the Jin Clan’s eldest son. Jin Yeomyung, was it? The one who crushed your brother with a single strike.”

“T-That’s—!”

Ma Jeongcheon cut off his brother and continued speaking.

“If you defeat him, you’ll have no real competition left. That would make you, in essence, the next Demonic Faction Lord. Even if I don’t acknowledge you, the Clan Head surely will, and your position within the family will naturally be secured.”

Though the position of Demonic Faction Lord was often considered more of a burden than a prize among the Six Great Demonic Clans, that didn’t mean there was no benefit to having it.

If Ma Jinyoon could take the seat convincingly, the Clan Head would willingly establish his standing within the clan.

“So? Are you going to do it?”

“Ji-Jinyoon!”

Ma Chulsoo tried to stop him in haste, but the die had already been cast.

“Of course! I will… absolutely make it happen!”

For Ma Jinyoon, refusing here was not an option.

But to Ma Chulsoo, it was far too rash a decision.

“Hahaha, that’s what I like to hear! That’s the spirit of a Ma!”

Ma Jeongcheon laughed heartily and slapped his brother’s back.

No matter the outcome, it was a proposal with no downside for Ma Jeongcheon.

Ma Chulsoo bit his lip lightly as he watched the scene unfold.

With a satisfied smile, Ma Jeongcheon finally left.

Only then did Ma Jinyoon realize what he had just done.

“H-Hyungnim…”

“……”

“I-I’m sorry. I… I’ve caused trouble for you.”

“No, not exactly.”

He shook his head, but inside, Ma Chulsoo was deeply conflicted.

Aside from his affection for his younger brother, what Ma Jeongcheon had said was not entirely wrong.

To survive within the clan, Ma Jinyoon had turned his eyes toward the Demonic Faction Lord position, and if he succeeded, he had silently agreed to use that position to support Ma Chulsoo.

But with just one provocation from Ma Jeongcheon, not only was their alliance strained, but now they were also dragged into a duel they didn’t even need.

“What’s done is done. If you’re going to go through with it, you better win.”

“Do… do you think I can?”

“The atmosphere within the Cult is a mess right now. It’ll probably be a while before the Exchange Ceremony is held.”

Ma Chulsoo expected a delay of at least several months.

“If you can learn to wield Sword Qi by then, there might be a chance.”

“Sword Qi…”

“You saw it, didn’t you? Our eldest brother—no, that bastard’s ambition. He’s someone who’d eliminate us all just to claim the Young Master’s seat.”

Ma Jinyoon nodded heavily.

He had already narrowly escaped death several times from assassins sent by Ma Jeongcheon.

And all of that, not because he’d done anything, but simply because his existence was considered an obstacle.

Ma Chulsoo’s resolve to bring down Ma Jeongcheon, and Ma Jinyoon’s aim to become Demonic Faction Lord using the Cheon Clan’s influence—both were born from that reality.

It was all to survive… against that eldest brother, Ma Jeongcheon.

“I must succeed. Only then… can you survive—”

“Well, well. I’m hearing quite an entertaining story.”

“Who’s there?!”

Ma Chulsoo roared at the sudden interruption.

This was the training ground reserved exclusively for direct descendants of the Ma Clan.

No outsider should be able to enter—nor should they dare to.

“My apologies. I came as a guest of the Clan Head, but since he said he was occupied, I took the liberty of looking around.”

“Ah, you’re a guest of the Clan Head.”

Ma Chulsoo’s demeanor changed instantly to one of politeness.

Anyone who came to meet the head of the Blood Dragon Demonic Clan personally couldn’t possibly be of low standing.

‘Who is he?’

The man was incredibly handsome. With a languid air and dressed not in martial robes but in luxurious silk, he looked like a noble scion from a prestigious family.

His apparent age seemed to be in the late twenties? Maybe early thirties?

But of course, someone that young couldn’t possibly meet with the Clan Head directly—so that apparent age likely meant nothing.

“I am Cheon Jumyeong. Publicly, I’m more often referred to by my alias, ‘Ma Gunja.’”

“……!!”

***

After wrapping things up in Eastern Sea Fortress, I returned to the Thousand-Day Pass.

Considering we had expected to be there for a few months, this was a much earlier return than planned. But at least when it came to the escort mission for the Nine Moons Blade Hall, I could confidently say we had completed the mission flawlessly.

Having returned, I resumed my duties as a Pavilion Trainee at the Thousand-Day Pass—or so I thought.

“The moment you left the cult, a bloodstorm erupted here.”

As soon as I got back, I was summoned by Jin Gun-ak—my father and the Clan Head.

“That outing with the Young Cult Leader seems to have stirred up quite a storm.”

“A storm, you say?”

“You know what I’m talking about. Hidden Trace Manor. And now, the Eastern Sea Fortress incident.”

I kept my lips tightly sealed.

“Do you know why no pursuit squad was sent out even though the Young Cult Leader left the Ten Thousand Mountain?”

“Please enlighten me.”

“Since the Hidden Trace Manor incident, the Cult Leader has been secretly hunting down external forces and traitors embedded within the Cult.”

This, I had already somewhat inferred from the words of Gu Yomyeong, the King of Ten Thousand Evils.

“So the Cult Leader used the time while the Young Cult Leader was gone to purge them, huh?”

“Exactly. But even so…”

Jin Gun-ak let out a slight sigh, a trace of exasperation on his face.

“I knew it wouldn’t end there. But I never imagined someone like the Seventh Elder would be involved.”

“……”

“Over a thousand people have already died due to connections with the rebellion. More than ten separate buildings like Hidden Trace Manor have been uncovered.”

At those words, my jaw slightly dropped.

Twenty years ago.

From the time everything collapsed, it had been twenty years.

I thought we had ample time to prepare, but it turns out the enemies had already burrowed into the Cult like parasites long ago.

I clenched my fist.

‘Damn it, I was too complacent.’

Even if there wasn’t much I could do in my current state, I still needed to reflect on how mentally lax I had become.

“And since the Seventh Elder is involved, there will likely be even more bloodshed to come.”

“…Ah.”

It was a massive scandal—a Cult Elder implicated in treason.

No one would be surprised if the Ten Thousand Mountain ran red with blood for a while.

And yet, Jin Gun-ak looked pleased.

“I’ve already received a report through the Guardian Court regarding your accomplishments. You helped the Young Cult Leader capture the Colorful Flower Lord, didn’t you?”

“I just got lucky.”

I let out a small sigh of relief internally.

‘Good, the Grand Protector followed through with my request.’

Since Jin Gun-ak didn’t mention the Yin-Yang Fist Demon, it seemed the Grand Protector had honored my plea.

‘I can’t allow my full strength to be revealed yet.’

Though I couldn’t stop reports from reaching the Cult Leader, I had to make sure no one else knew of my full power.

“I won’t ask what you obtained from the tomb of the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden.”

I inwardly shouted in celebration.

‘As expected of Father—so bold and refreshing.’

That signature boldness of his—the kind that overlooks anything as long as it benefits the family!

“But if the martial art you’ve learned causes harm to the main family, I might personally take your life.”

Jin Gun-ak knew that I had trained in a martial art not from the main family.

The way he said it now implied he even knew it was a technique from the Yu Clan.

“That will never happen.”

“Good. I’m relieved to hear that.”

Whether it was just a bluff or not, his face softened immediately.

“For now, lie low and act like you’re dead. You won’t gain anything by getting caught up in the Cult’s chaos.”

“Of course.”

Though I had been deeply involved in this incident, his words also meant Jin Gun-ak would take full responsibility for any fallout.

Now that I’d received all the warnings and advice…

“What do you want?”

It was time to receive my reward.

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