The Genius Youngest Disciple of the Wudang Sect

Chapter 370

"Who... are you...?"

Dokgo Ju-gwak, with his eyes narrowed and his body tensed, opened his mouth.

His qi sense was extremely sharp.

Just by facing him and talking for a moment, he could clearly feel that the middle-aged person in front of him, whose gender he couldn't even tell, was an immense powerhouse.

"You don't even know your master's identity, so you don't need to know who I am. If I have to say one thing, it's that I'm very interested in Unhwi. If you try to kill Unhwi... to the point where I might kill you."

The Demonic Fire Hall Master said with a wink.

Although what he had just said was a scary thing, if you just listened to his tone, it didn't sound like that at all, so it felt even more bizarre.

"You can kill me...? Do you know who I am to say that?"

"I don't know the details, but I do know."

"You know...?"

"You're the young master of the Four Evils Alliance who has almost finished taking control of it, and you're the disciple of the Evil Faction Alliance Leader. When you finish taking control of the Four Evils Alliance, you're planning to extend your power throughout Sichuan, and then offer the Sichuan you've devoured to your master."

"......?!"

Dokgo Ju-gwak had a surprised expression.

Because he had never thought that someone would know about him in such detail.

"Heh. Now that I look at you, you're also very cute. You can make that kind of expression?"

"......"

Although the Demonic Fire Hall Master spoke playfully, Dokgo Ju-gwak's expression became even more serious.

Because the opponent knew about him, but he didn't know who he was at all.

Even more so, the opponent seemed to know in detail not only about him but also about his master. That is, the identity of the Evil Faction Alliance Leader.

To be honest, although he had learned martial arts as a disciple of the Evil Faction Alliance Leader and had received various support, in fact, if he thought about it, he had never known what his master's true identity was, or what purpose he had in raising the Evil Faction Alliance.

This situation where he didn't know, and the opponent knew everything, was bound to be uncomfortable for him.

"Alright. I like you. Dokgo Ju-gwak. If you promise me two things, I'll just let you go here today."

"Just... let me go?"

For a moment, Dokgo Ju-gwak's pride was greatly hurt, but he didn't get angry.

Because the more they talked, the more he could feel the opponent's strength.

On the contrary, the fact that the opponent didn't seem to have any intention of fighting now might be a good thing for him.

Because as Dokgo Ju-gwak felt it, it didn't seem like it would be a very difficult thing for the Demonic Fire Hall Master to kill him if he put his mind to it.

"Two conditions. Will you listen?"

Dokgo Ju-gwak, who had been rolling his head for a moment, nodded.

As he had thought a little while ago, it would be resolved if he just fought and died.

But if he just accepts the conditions, he will be spared his life for now.

To be honest, for him, who didn't have that much loyalty to the Evil Faction Alliance Leader, and who didn't have a great sense of mission for the mission he had received from the Evil Faction Alliance Leader, that choice was a very easy one.

"First. Don't aim for Unhwi in the future. Second. Don't tell anyone that you met me. Easy, right?"

"I don't know who you are, but since you seem to know who I and my master are, I'll speak comfortably."

"Yes. Go ahead."

"The second condition is a really easy thing. I just have to not say anything. Even though I look like this, I'm a very tight-lipped person."

"I've never seen a truly tight-lipped person among those who say they are tight-lipped with their own mouth, but anyway, I'll believe you. But the first one is the problem? That's more important to me."

When the Demonic Fire Hall Master raised his killing intent, Dokgo Ju-gwak hurriedly said to him, "Wait! I didn't mean that I can't follow that condition. If I don't carry out this mission and just go back, I'll die at my master's hands anyway. Whether I die at your hands here, or go back and die at my master's hands, to be honest, it's the same for me, isn't it? So I'm asking you to think of a way for me to not die at my master's hands and also not kill Unhwi."

When the Demonic Fire Hall Master's expression seemed indifferent, Dokgo Ju-gwak hurriedly continued, "And to be honest, I also like Unhwi. So if I can get away with not killing him, I want to."

"Oh. Really? You also like Unhwi? What part?"

"I like that he doesn't care about anything for victory, that he's not stuffy unlike a Taoist, and I also liked his perseverance and talent to have learned that much martial arts at that age."

"Is that so?"

The Demonic Fire Hall Master smiled broadly.

It was the kind of expression a parent would make when they heard someone praise their child.

Dokgo Ju-gwak, after thinking for a moment about what kind of relationship Unhwi and the man in front of him had, realized that he had no time to worry about such things now, and said to him again, "So please give me a way to live too. As someone who also likes Unhwi, you can help me that much, can't you?"

Dokgo Ju-gwak was rather brazen.

Through a brief conversation, he had realized two things about the man in front of him.

First, he was not in his right mind now, and second, despite that, he was an opponent who could be resolved through conversation.

If he had been a sane person, he would not have had such a conversation with him, and if he had been an opponent who could not be resolved through conversation, they would have already clashed swords.

"Hmm..."

The Demonic Fire Hall Master, at Dokgo Ju-gwak's rather brazen attitude, frowned as if he were contemplating something and looked at him for a long time, lost in thought.

A brief silence flowed between the two, and when Dokgo Ju-gwak was hesitating whether to open his mouth first or not, the Demonic Fire Hall Master opened his mouth.

"Alright. Let's do this. I'll give you two choices. Choose one of them. That seems to be the best way for you to not die."

"Speak. I will follow whatever I can do."

"First. Let me beat you up here just enough so you don't die."

"W-what does that mean?"

"So it's not sabotage, but lack of ability. You attacked Unhwi, but because you lacked the skills, you were beaten to a pulp and barely managed to escape. So you didn't disobey your master's words, but you couldn't carry out the mission because Unhwi was stronger than you thought."

"Ah..."

The Demonic Fire Hall Master's words were plausible.

In fact, before he came here, he had asked his master if he should go with his great senior brother, Gal Ryeok-hyeok, who had entered seclusion.

Of course, it was half a joke because he didn't want to work alone, but his master, who didn't know jokes, dismissed his words, saying that there was no need for two people to go to catch one of the third-generation disciples of the Wudang Sect, and not to disturb Gal Ryeok-hyeok's training.

So if he went back after being beaten up by the Demonic Fire Hall Master and argued, 'I told you not to go alone then!', he would be able to save his life somehow.

'But... I don't want that.'

A look of contemplation crossed Dokgo Ju-gwak's face.

In a way, this might be the easiest thing, but he didn't want to say that he had lost to Unhwi without even fighting him, he didn't want to be beaten up by the Demonic Fire Hall Master before that, and he didn't want his master to treat him as a loser when he went back like that.

The Demonic Fire Hall Master, noticing the contemplation that had briefly crossed his face, said to him slyly, "You don't like it? Then there's a second way."

"The second way... what is it?"

"But before you hear this, you have to make another choice."

"A choice?"

"If you refuse the second way after hearing it, I'll kill you unconditionally. So if you're going to accept the second proposal, listen, and if you don't think you will, don't even listen."

"Where in the world is there such a thing? You mean I have to decide whether to choose or not without even hearing what the condition is?"

"Yes. That's right. It's unfair, isn't it? But the world is originally unfair. So why weren't you stronger than me? Or you could have entertained me like Unhwi."

The Demonic Fire Hall Master laughed heartily.

Dokgo Ju-gwak, after closing his eyes and thinking for a moment, said to the Demonic Fire Hall Master, "Then I'll ask you one thing. Please answer me honestly."

"What is it?"

"If it were you, would you have chosen the first one? Or would you have chosen the second one?"

"Is that even a question?"

The Demonic Fire Hall Master, without even hesitating, continued, "Of course, the second one. The first one is too painful, isn't it? You have to be treated as a loser, and you have to be beaten up by me."

Dokgo Ju-gwak looked at the man's face, which seemed to be saying his own thoughts, with a slightly surprised expression.

The man, as if he were seeing through Dokgo Ju-gwak's heart, smiled broadly and continued, "But the second proposal is much better if you just accept it. Perhaps a completely different world will unfold from what you've known so far."

Since the opponent had said this much, Dokgo Ju-gwak didn't need to think any further.

He, with a determined expression, said to him, "Alright. I'll listen. What is the second proposal?"

The Demonic Fire Hall Master smiled brightly.

It was an expression that said it couldn't be more interesting.

"You. Come under me."

"W-what did you say...?"

"It's literally what I said. You have nothing to gain from being under the Evil Faction Alliance Leader now, do you? Do you know what that old man's scheme is? When you raise the Four Evils Alliance to the point where you can devour Sichuan... his purpose is to start a war with the orthodox faction and annihilate you."

"Why would my master do such a thing?"

"Because he has to cut down the strength of the orthodox faction by offering you as a sacrifice!"

He, as if this situation were so enjoyable, had his mouth torn from ear to ear.

Dokgo Ju-gwak was still in a daze, unable to accept what Lee Gwak-sa was saying.

It wasn't that he didn't understand what he was saying, but he just couldn't believe it.

"Why... would my master do such a thing?"

"Because it will be easier to achieve the 'real purpose' if he greatly cuts down the strength of the orthodox faction by sacrificing the Evil Faction Alliance."

"Real... purpose?"

Dokgo Ju-gwak's pupils shook greatly.

It wasn't that he hadn't been curious about what kind of person his master was until now.

But, on the contrary, it was also true that he had thought he had to follow him regardless of who he was because he was his master.

But when he heard the words 'real purpose', the doubts he had been harboring until now exploded at once.

What on earth was his purpose in raising the Evil Faction Alliance?

"The real purpose of the Evil Faction Alliance Leader is..."

Lee Gwak-sa, after pausing for a moment, continued, "It's the Heavenly Demon's world."

"Heavenly Demon's world?!"

"Your master is the First Elder of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. Have you never thought it was strange? Where that enormous amount of money that the Evil Faction Alliance earns flows into. And why you have to so desperately take over Sichuan? You are all just a stepping stone for the Heavenly Demon's world. A scapegoat for the Heavenly Demon's world!"

Dokgo Ju-gwak couldn't answer.

He was so shocked that he couldn't even close his open mouth.

"I am the Demonic Fire Hall Master, Lee Gwak-sa. Take my hand. With me, you can become the protagonist of the Heavenly Demon's world, not a stepping stone for it."

Lee Gwak-sa, continuing to laugh as if his mouth were tearing, but with a much more serious face than before, extended his hand to Dokgo Ju-gwak.

(End of Chapter)