Chapter 559: Return to the Demonic Sect
In the serene pavilion of the Demonic Sect’s rear garden, the sound of a gentle chime echoed as wine filled the cup.
“Please, drink.”
Gu Yoon gazed at the cup offered by Sabi Kang, then spoke softly, “This is the first time I’ve shared a drink with you, Sect Leader.”
“Is that so?”
“At least, without any particular agenda or reason, it’s a first.”
“Perhaps,” Sabi Kang replied nonchalantly, raising his cup.
Gu Yoon had arrived at the Demonic Sect that morning. After settling in and surveying the grounds, he found himself sharing a quiet drink with Sabi Kang as the sun set. There was no grand ceremony to mark his appointment. Neither Sabi Kang nor Gu Yoon cared for such formalities. Instead, it was publicly announced that Gu Yoon was the new chief strategist of the Demonic Sect. This news was sure to stir the martial world once more, symbolizing that the righteous alliance had not yet given up.
Sabi Kang tilted his head, observing Gu Yoon. “Do you not drink?”
“It’s not that. I drink too well, that’s the problem,” Gu Yoon replied with a faint smile.
Sabi Kang’s expression seemed to ask why he wasn’t drinking then. Gu Yoon paused before continuing, “On the last night… the last night the Alliance Leader was still himself, we shared a drink like this.”
“With the Alliance Leader?”
“Yes,” Gu Yoon nodded, grateful that Sabi Kang referred to him respectfully as ‘Alliance Leader.’ Given Sabi Kang’s personality, he wouldn’t have been surprised if he used a more dismissive term.
“Was it a celebration of some great achievement?”
It was a genuine question, free of mockery. Perhaps it was a night worthy of celebration, having convinced the Chuma Association without a single sword drawn. But Gu Yoon shook his head.
“The Dark Lord visited that night. He warned me that many things seemed suspicious. The Dark Lord, even at his age, possessed a shrewdness that matched his years.”
“So, you drank to test the Alliance Leader?”
“In a way. But perhaps, I simply wanted to share a drink with him.”
“Was it an enjoyable evening?”
“How did you know?”
“If it wasn’t, you wouldn’t be talking about it now.”
Gu Yoon chuckled softly. “Yes, it was a very enjoyable evening. It was the most at ease I’ve felt since becoming a strategist. I learned a lot that night. I realized one thing for sure.”
“And what was that?”
“That a strategist’s qualities aren’t just honed at a desk.”
“Indeed. But why won’t you accept my drink?”
Gu Yoon gave a wry smile. “I’ve recently come to a new realization.”
“And what is that?”
“A strategist must know how to use both heart and mind separately… and I’ve realized I can’t do that. Long ago, my master told me my greatest flaw was my inability to separate my heart from my mind. Now, I understand what he meant.”
“I’m not sure I follow.”
Gu Yoon sighed, then suddenly poured his drink onto the ground, placing the empty cup back on the table with a firm clink.
“I’ve decided not to drink anymore.”
“Why?”
“To overcome my flaw.”
“Do you have a drinking problem?”
Caught off guard by the unexpected question, Gu Yoon laughed. “Well, I can’t say I don’t. But the reason I won’t drink is…”
“Because you can’t separate your heart from your mind.”
Sabi Kang’s casual remark made Gu Yoon flinch. “You knew.”
“Yes. I know quite a bit about you.”
“Ah, you mentioned you’ve returned from the future?”
“Indeed.”
“What kind of person was I in the past life?”
“You were very intelligent. But you never shone. Partly because you didn’t find the right master.”
Gu Yoon shook his head. “No. A truly great strategist would have changed their master.”
“That’s a difficult task. It’s easy for a warrior to change their sword, but for a sword to change its wielder is another matter.”
“But there are swords that can do just that, aren’t there?”
Gu Yoon’s gaze fell to Sabi Kang’s waist, referring to the legendary sword, Veritas.
“I aim to become a sword of that caliber.”
“Have you found a way?”
Gu Yoon nodded. “I’ve decided to discard my heart. If I can’t overcome my flaw, I’ll eliminate it. If I can’t distinguish when to use my mind and when to use my heart, I’ll use only my mind. That’s my greatest strength.”
“I see.”
Sabi Kang nodded in understanding. Gu Yoon continued with a bitter expression.
“There are three things I failed to do.”
“What are they?”
“First, I knew the Alliance Leader’s guardian, the Heavenly Dance, had disappeared long before he told me. I had already received the information from Hyesung Pavilion. But I didn’t investigate further.”
“Why not?”
“I was afraid. Afraid of discovering a truth I couldn’t bear to accept. In a moment when I should have acted with my mind, I acted with my heart.”
“I see. And the second?”
“On the last night at Daewoon Mountain, I didn’t send the Ten Thousand Mile Hawk. Fortunately, the Dark Lord did, but I had considered sending it to the Demonic Sect myself. But…”
“You wanted to trust the Alliance Leader.”
“Foolishly, yes. Again, I acted with my heart instead of my mind.”
“And the third?”
Gu Yoon looked at Sabi Kang, then slowly pulled something from his robe—a small wooden box, slightly larger than a fist. Sabi Kang’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Is that…”
“Yes. It’s the Explosive Pill.”
The Devil’s Fire. Sabi Kang had once distributed a small amount of these explosive pills to the righteous alliance as a precaution. But their destructive power was so immense that there was never a suitable opportunity to use them. A single mistake could obliterate friend and foe alike.
Gu Yoon had kept one with him at all times, as a last resort.
“This was my final safeguard. If anything happened, I planned to detonate it and take myself out.”
“I’m glad you didn’t go through with the third one,” Sabi Kang said seriously. If Gu Yoon had, he would have lost a valuable strategist.
Gu Yoon was far from incompetent. The fact that he had considered so many alternatives was proof of that. He simply had too much heart and didn’t know how to wield it.
Gu Yoon gave a bitter smile. “I should have detonated it. If I had, the Alliance Leader and the hundred thousand warriors turned demons would have vanished without a trace. But…”
Until the end, he wanted to believe in the Alliance Leader. Even though he had turned into a demon, he hoped he could be saved. He couldn’t muster the courage to turn his revered leader to ashes, even at the cost of his own life.
Sabi Kang refilled Gu Yoon’s cup. As Gu Yoon looked at him, Sabi Kang filled his own cup and said, “Ending your strategist’s journey by turning the Alliance Leader and a hundred thousand comrades to ashes would be a waste.”
”…”
“As a pledge for today, from now on, whenever I offer you a drink, pour it on the ground. I’ll drink, and you discard.”
Sabi Kang grinned and downed his drink in one go. Gu Yoon looked at his cup with a determined expression, then nodded.
He lifted his cup and poured it onto the ground, saying, “Understood. From now on, I won’t think with my heart. I’ll think only with my mind. I’ll become more ruthless than the demons and devour them.”
“No matter how ruthless you become, you won’t be as cunning as I am,” Sabi Kang chuckled.
Gu Yoon clenched his jaw, then knelt and bowed deeply. “Until the day the demons are no more, I will serve Sect Leader Sabi Kang as my lord. Please, speak to me informally.”
Sabi Kang didn’t refuse. “I look forward to working with you.”
The two continued to share drinks, with Sabi Kang drinking and Gu Yoon pouring his onto the ground.
After a few rounds, Sabi Kang spoke up. “There’s someone I’d like you to meet.”
“Who is it?”
In response to Gu Yoon’s question, Sabi Kang glanced behind him. A man approached the pavilion with quick steps, as if he had been waiting for this moment.
The young man, barely past his coming of age, bowed to Gu Yoon. “I am Dam Woo-gi, head of the Hyesu Pavilion. It’s an honor to serve you, Strategist.”
Sabi Kang turned to Gu Yoon. “You might not remember, but he was part of the Celestial Annihilation Unit. His sharp mind made him perfect for managing funds in the Ghost Brigade, and now he’s in charge of the Hyesu Pavilion.”
“Ah, I see.”
The Hyesu Pavilion was akin to the Hyesung Pavilion of the righteous alliance—a place for gathering and organizing information, as well as planning critical operations. It was where the brightest minds of the Demonic Sect congregated.
Damwoo pushed up his glasses and spoke with enthusiasm.
“The strategy you implemented this time was truly a masterstroke.”
“What do you mean?” Gu-yoon asked, prompting Damwoo to continue with excitement.
“News has spread that Leader Neung died fighting the demons, and it’s causing a ripple effect among the martial artists. Before, there were quite a few who suggested we should beg the demons for mercy to save our lives. Some even went as far as to say we should impeach Leader Neung for his hardline stance against them. They were practically demon sympathizers.”
“And now?”
“Now that rumors are circulating about Leader Neung’s death being due to a traitor, there’s a movement among the martial artists to root out those demon sympathizers.”
“That’s good to hear.”
“As a result, the influence of those who advocated for appeasement is dwindling, and there’s a growing resolve to stand against the demons. All of this is thanks to your insightful strategy.”
Sabikang turned to Gu-yoon and said, “From now on, you’ll be working closely with Damwoo on our strategy meetings. He’s sharp, and I believe you’ll find him easy to communicate with.”
“Then… may I propose something right now?” Gu-yoon asked, his expression unexpectedly composed.
Sabikang knew this wasn’t a casual suggestion. Gu-yoon must have been contemplating this for some time. After all, Sabikang had sent Hongyeom ahead to relay information, but he hadn’t expected Gu-yoon to act so swiftly.
“You must still be carrying a heavy burden,” Sabikang said, referring to the events at Daewoon Mountain. The guilt of losing the leader and ten thousand comrades must still weigh on him.
But Gu-yoon shook his head. “I told you, I won’t be driven by emotion anymore. I’m ready.”
Sabikang studied him for a moment before asking, “Alright. What do you have in mind?”
“Until now, we’ve always reacted to their moves. This time, we make the first move.”
Gu-yoon’s eyes gleamed with determination as he looked at Sabikang.