Chapter 61
After that, she had happened to find the Mannyeon Seolsam, and because it felt strange that it was still alive she had decided not to eat it. Before she knew it, she’d ended up searching together with that woman’s companions.
It was nothing more than a chain of coincidences.
The moment Sawu saw the emblem carved on Namgung Jin’s scabbard, she realized he was a branch head of the Namgung family.
They said he was an exceptional swordsman; it wasn’t an exaggeration.
Facing Namgung Jin, she understood why Somagi had lost an arm to him. He was far stronger than she had expected.
If, back when he was a Taoist, she had crossed swords with Namgung Jin, she was certain she would have been defeated without fail.
But now he was no match for her.
Sawu had grown strong enough that her past no longer came to mind. There were very few in the Central Plains who could defeat him.
In any case, she had finally met the Golden Shrine Maiden she’d been worried over how to find.
The only clues about the Golden Shrine Maiden had been that she possessed beautiful looks and that she accompanied Namgung Jin and Jegal Haesu — not much to go on and it felt hopeless. Surprisingly, though, Baeksam fit every one of those conditions.
More than that, the spiritual energy emanating from Baeksam was unusual. With that level of aura, it seemed she might be able to use healing abilities.
There was no doubt she had to be the Golden Shrine Maiden.
Having the kind of martial might that could look down on almost anyone made it possible, to a degree, to see through others.
‘Now I should have her use that healing power to cure me,’ he thought.
But to do that, he would have to confess that he was a Heavenly Demon, that he had mastered the Asura Blood-Sky Sword, and that he suffered from berserk madness.
Of course, unlike others who had gone insane from the madness and lost everything, he hadn’t yet fallen that far — but sometimes unbearable bouts of madness still surged in him.
Whenever that happened, he would retreat to a secluded training chamber to subdue the frenzy alone.
Yet as time passed, and as he perfected the Asura Blood-Sky Sword as his own, the berserk fits grew more frequent.
Not only more frequent; their intensity rose as well, making them increasingly difficult to control.
At that rate, he might, like many late-stage cultivators, go mad from the frenzy and become a lunatic.
He absolutely did not want that.
How far had he climbed to get here?
How hard had he fought to survive?
How many people had he killed to become a Heavenly Demon?
He did not want to self-destruct as a madman now.
At that moment a strange question occurred to him.
‘…But why did I try so desperately to survive the demonic cult in the first place?’
There had certainly been a reason — it was a frenzied struggle and an act of survival.
Yet oddly, he couldn’t clearly remember that reason.
Had five years already passed…?
“…Sawu, young hero?” Baeksam’s bright call pulled Sawu out of his reverie.
“Yeah.”
“You’re not even eating properly. Aren’t you hungry?”
“No, I’ll eat too.”
Sawu picked up one of the dumplings Baeksam had been enjoying.
Steam rose in soft puffs from the dumpling and it looked delicious, but after taking a bite Sawu couldn’t really taste it.
‘Anyway — how can I lure the Golden Shrine Maiden without telling her my situation?’
Of course, he could kill Namgung Jin and Jegal Haesu, then threaten her into healing him — that was the way of the demonic cult.
But for some reason he didn’t feel inclined to do so.
He thought killing people was different from killing beasts.
Why was that?
“Sam-a, worry about me too. I’ve been too busy worrying over you to eat properly.”
“Yes, Jegal young hero, you should eat a lot too.”
“Ahem.”
“Yes, Namgung young hero, you eat a lot as well.”
Sawu watched that strange trio quietly.
Namgung Jin and Jegal Haesu, in particular, seemed like a very odd pairing.
“Why are you three traveling together? The Namgung clan, the Jegal clan, and a woman who doesn’t practice martial arts. It’s a strange combination.”
A teasing smile crossed Jegal Haesu’s face at the question.
“Sawu young hero, that’s a secret. It’s top-level information.”
“Top-level information?”
“Yeah. I’ll tell you for money. If you’re curious, one nyang of silver will do.”
As if waiting for the cue, she slapped Jegal Haesu’s back hard.
“You rogue! Do you plan to extort money here too?” Baeksam scolded.
“Sam, you! Stop making it sound as if I extort money everywhere! I’m hurt!”
“And Sawu young hero is a ronin, so you probably don’t have much money,” Baeksam added.
Money? He had no shortage of that.
Sawu took a heavy pouch from under his clothes and spilled it onto the table.
Clatter—
Shining gold coins filled the table.
“Gah!” Jegal Haesu’s eyes lit up like stars, and she slapped him on the back again.
“With this much, can I hear your top-level information now?”
Baeksam, who had been the one scolding Sawu, quickly covered the gold with the cloth she’d used to wrap it.
Sawu slid that cloth toward Jegal Haesu.
“Alright, Jegal Haesu — what’s this high-level info?”
Jegal Haesu looked to Namgung Jin, as if asking how much she should reveal.
“I’ll answer. We’re together because we share the same goal of hunting the demonic cult,” Namgung Jin said.
“…”
Sawu glared at Namgung Jin with fierce eyes, then finally spoke.
“The demonic cult… Right, there are indeed many righteous martial artists who hunt the demonic cult.”
“You speak as if you’re not one of the righteous martial artists.”
“I’m just a ronin. I belong to nowhere. I act as I please.”
“Then I’ll ask. What do you think of Miss Baek?”
Sawu answered honestly.
“I promised not to devour her.”
“…”
“And in exchange for keeping Baeksam’s secret, I have one request.”
“What request?”
“I’ll travel with you on your journey.”
In truth, Sawu didn’t need their permission.
Even if they refused, he planned to stay beside Mannyeon Seolsam — Baeksam, the Golden Shrine Maiden — at least for a while.
And he intended to try receiving treatment for his madness.
Of course, he had plenty of justification to be near her.
‘Because I know her identity as the Mannyeon Seolsam.’
It was a secret that didn’t concern him much, but these people seemed reluctant to have her identity revealed.
He planned to use that to his advantage.
“…”
Sure enough, Namgung Jin looked troubled.
“Brother Namgung seems to need a moment to consult.”
True to form, Jegal Haesu noticed quickly.
He flashed an affable, disarming smile and asked Sawu favoringly, “Could you step outside for a moment?”
Instead of answering, Sawu rose from his seat first.
“I’ll be back in half a shijin.”
That was his way of saying he would return shortly.
“That should be enough time,” someone said.
“Right.”
Sawu swung his long legs and strode out of the inn.
Only after a short while — perhaps the span of a few matters being settled — did Namgung Jin finally speak.
“Young man, tell us everything that has happened so far. Every single detail, leave nothing out.”
