Chapter 334 : Do You Like the Evil Smiling Demon That Much

Translator: FenrirTL

Editor/Quality Checker: Saphartlantis

Murim Term Consultant: Kopke

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Chapter 334: Do You Like the Evil Smiling Demon That Much?

The next morning, someone I hadn’t expected came to visit me at my place.

It was Jangho.

"Young Cult Leader."

"What brings you here this early in the morning?"

"I heard you returned, so I came to greet you. Did your trip go well?"

"I came back after getting smacked around by sandstorms."

"I’ve never been to the Wilderness before, so I’d like to go at least once."

"When you’re chewing on rice and feel the grit of sand grinding in your teeth, that’s when you’ll understand why I kept saying it was so damn awful."

Jangho laughed. He rarely did so in front of the subordinates, so this wonderful smile was always mine alone to see.

"Ah, also—please take this."

He handed over what he had brought. It was something wrapped in paper. When I opened it, a drawing emerged from within.

It was the back of a man standing on a cliff, a sword strapped to his waist. The moment I saw the picture, I knew who it was. It was me. 1

"And who is this terrifyingly handsome man?"

"It's you, Young Cult Leader. My skills are still a mess, but for my first painting, I wanted to draw you. I didn’t dare draw your face, so I went with your back."

When he said he’d like to take up painting after retirement, I gave him the tools used by court artists. Still, I never thought I’d be the subject of his first work.

"I didn’t know you were this talented."

It wasn’t just empty praise. It really was a striking painting—good enough to be mistaken for one done by a professional.

"This is my first time receiving a drawing as a gift."

"And it's my first time giving one."

"I should go brag to my father. Tell him, ‘The Demonic Army Commander may get paid by you, but he gives painting gifts to me.’"

He was mostly sure I was joking, but just imagining it made him break out in nervous sweat.

"Please spare me from that."

His flustered reaction was too entertaining, so I kept teasing.

"If I take this to the Central Plains and sell it, how much do you think I’d get? ‘A painting by the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's Demonic Army Commander!’ It’d be priceless, right? You sure you’re not buying? Really? Just for that much money?"

With a helpless expression, Jangho waved his hands as if begging me to stop.

"Thank you. I’ll treasure this for life."

"I’ll draw you a better one when my skills improve."

"Then do the front next time. This handsome face is too good to waste, don’t you think?"

I didn’t miss Jangho’s subtle flinch at that.

"What was that? Don’t tell me you don’t think I’m handsome?"

Jangho’s counterattack began now.

"Your looks are definitely in line with modern preferences."

"But not actually handsome?"

He didn’t answer, but the look on his face said it all.

"Then who do you think is handsome? Pick someone we both know."

‘Could it be the Poison King? No, it can't be. He looks younger than me, so that's unlikely. Soma is good-looking, but there's no way he's seen under the mask. Ah, then it must be the Great Drunken Demon’, I was thinking—when a completely unexpected name came out.

"Isn't the Fist Demon King handsome?"

"...What? Are you insane?" 2

The words flew out of my mouth before I could stop them.

"Manly, charismatic... He's handsome, isn't he?"

"You seriously think that?"

"Yes."

When I realized he meant it, I sighed and shook my head.

"I'm really disappointed in your taste. Please, before you leave, just say it was a joke!"

Jangho chuckled, clearly expecting this reaction. But he never took back what he said.

"Then, I'll see you again."

He bowed politely and left my quarters.

After he left, Jeokyeon and the other guards came in and started admiring the painting.

"This is amazing."

"Right? Can you believe he almost wasted this talent? You all should get a hobby too. One stroke of a brush could be better for your life than a hundred strikes of a blade." 3

They understood I was being sincere now, and their replies came loudly and proudly.

"Yes, Young Cult Leader!"

As I stepped out of my quarters, I added,

"I'll ask you later, so think carefully. Oh, and hang the painting somewhere visible in the room. I'm heading to Valley of Wicked. You don’t have to come along."

*         *         *

When I arrived at the Valley of Wicked, something was different.

The place was in a festive mood.

Every building was adorned with colorful decorations, and the Faceless Swordsmen's masks were painted in vibrant hues. Fires were lit throughout, roasting meat, and jars of liquor were being carried around. The usual ominous vibe of their masks was nowhere to be found. Today, everyone seemed genuinely excited.

I asked one of the Faceless Swordsmen who greeted me upon recognizing me,

"What's going on?"

"Today is the Demon Supreme’s birthday."

"You're saying it's Soma-nim’s birthday?"

"Yes."

"Don’t tell him I stopped by."

I turned around and exited the Valley of Wicked.

I hadn’t known it was the Evil Smiling Demon’s birthday. If I had no clue, it would’ve been fine, but now that I did, I couldn’t just show up empty-handed.

What should I get him?

Last time, for Gu Cheonpa’s birthday, I had gifted him a detoxifying pill. But our relationship back then was different. That alone had been a big enough gift at the time.

After a brief moment of thought, I dashed toward the Heavenly Demon Pavilion.

"I came again because I wanted to see you, Father."

Father looked at me with suspicious eyes. After all, I had greeted him yesterday and was already back again today—it was odd. 4

"Would you like to play a game of go?"

"I'm busy."

"Then how about a sparring match?"

"What do you want?"

I carefully made my request.

"Please let me take just one more treasure from the Heavenly Demon Vault."

Father didn’t even ask why.

"Denied!"

Right, he opened the Heavenly Demon Vault especially to commemorate me becoming the Young Cult Leader. If I just barge in and ask for something, of course he won’t give it to me.

"What would I need to do for you to give it to me?"

"And what exactly can you do?"

"I can give you shoulder massages. For the rest of your life." 5

"I can’t stand having someone else’s hands on me."

"But am I someone else?"

Of course, this attempt didn’t stand a chance either.

"I’ll come play go with you every day."

"Playing with an amateur only dulls my skill."

"I’ll train in martial arts diligently every day." 6

"Go ahead, then."

"Do you, by any chance, have a hidden daughter? One you’ve kept secret for her safety by concealing her identity? Maybe she's growing up somewhere living a normal life. But now she’s in danger. ‘Son, I can only trust you. Go rescue her in secret. In exchange, I’ll give you one treasure.’ Something like that."

The corners of Father’s mouth curled upward in a smirk full of ridicule.

"If I was worried about her safety, wouldn’t I keep her here in the cult?"

"Well, maybe you were worried about her because of my older brother, who was blinded by ambition."

"Judging by how you are now, I’m more worried about you."

"What could I possibly offer to someone who already has everything? Please, just give it to me!"

At my shameless plea, Father rose from the Celestial Zenith's Throne. I braced myself for something along the lines of ‘Do I need to beat some sense into you?’—but instead:

"Let’s walk."

We walked together through the inner court. Every cultist we passed bowed respectfully, showing proper etiquette.

Surprisingly, our destination turned out to be the Heavenly Demon Treasure Vault.

"Pick one and bring it out."

His sudden generosity made me uneasy.

"Why are you being so agreeable all of a sudden?"

"So you don’t build up hollow desires."

"What do you mean?"

"Once I become the Heavenly Demon, I’ll use it all as I please. That kind of desire."

I understood what was in Father’s heart.

"You’re thinking that far ahead?"

"That’s how important this is—to you, and to the Heavenly Demon Vault."

The way he said “to you” struck deep in my chest.

And even more shocking was that Father already knew everything.

"So, you like the Evil Smiling Demon that much?"

"You knew, didn’t you?"

He knew today was Soma’s birthday. He had guessed that my visit was to prepare a gift for him.

One might’ve expected him to ask what made that man so special to me—but he didn’t.

"Go and take it."

Moments later, I walked out with one treasure in hand.

"I’ve built up no hollow desires. Instead, my respect and affection for Father have piled up..."

But before I could finish, Father was already striding ahead without a word. 7

I paused for a moment, staring at his back. His figure was usually broad, strong, lonely, and quiet—he made me feel every emotion just by standing there. But today, I felt nothing but his deep love for me.

When I first regressed, there had been a part of me that thought I was above him. I’ve lived longer than Father. I used to carry that kind of mindset.

And now, I truly understand.

Regardless of how long I’ve lived, regardless of what kind of life I’ve led—there’s a different kind of strength that comes with being a father.

I want to be the kind of father he is.

I might laugh, flatter, joke, and say all kinds of nonsense to everyone else, but I want to be the kind of father who shows everything through actions to his child alone. I never had any desire for children in my life—but just for this moment, I felt it.

Up ahead, Father came to a stop and looked back at me. At the silent question in his eyes—Aren’t you coming?—I strode quickly toward him.

"I’ll visit you every day, massage your shoulders, play go, and bring you pocket money often. And... let’s go together! I used to wonder who the Demon Supremes took after when they left like that. It was you, Father!"

*         *         *

When I arrived at the Evil Smiling Demon’s quarters, he was sitting alone in a snow-white room. Even though it was his birthday, he was like that.

“Soma-nim!”

“Young Cult Leader!”

His eyes, visible through the holes in his mask, curved in a wide smile as he turned to me. Was it the silent understanding between us? Just looking into those eyes of his stirred something deep in my chest.

"I saw you yesterday, standing on the statue platform."

"I thought you might be tired from the long journey, so I just wanted to greet you from a distance. How did things go?"

"Everything went smoothly. With the previous Cult Leader and the Demonic Buddha there, nothing could’ve gone wrong even if it wanted to."

Perhaps the Evil Smiling Demon regretted not being able to fight alongside us.

"Oh, right—happy birthday!"

“Thank you.”

"If I’d been just two days later, I would’ve missed it altogether."

"It’s not that important of a day."

"It is important. It’s the day you were born."

At that, Soma said something unexpected.

"Actually, I don’t like celebrating my birthday."

"That’s funny—considering it looks like a festival out there."

The Evil Smiling Demon walked over to the window and looked outside. I stood beside him.

The area around his residence was even more lavishly decorated. In front of it, the Faceless Swordsmen were gathered, laughing and celebrating like it was their birthday.

“It wasn’t always like this, but I told them to use today as an excuse to enjoy themselves. Told them to share any gifts that came from outside too.”

He, too, had changed compared to the past.

I pulled something from my robe and said,

“But this gift isn’t for sharing.”

The moment he saw it, he recognized it instantly.

"This is…!"

His eyes trembled.

"It was just gathering dust in a storage room, so I brought it in case you might need it."

What I’d taken from the Heavenly Demon Vault was a set of wrist guards. Just the look of it radiated value. One side was embroidered with a roaring black dragon, and the other with a tiger soaring into the sky.

Ink Dragon Soaring Tiger Guard.

This wrist guard, known not only for being impervious to blades but also resistant to sword qi, was considered among the finest of its kind. Especially for someone like Soma, who didn’t wield swords or sabers, it was an essential treasure for emergency defense.

As he gazed down at it, the Evil Smiling Demon’s eyes deepened with emotion.

“No one in the world would call the Heavenly Demon Vault a mere storage room.”

Soma looked up at me.

“Do you even understand how valuable this is?”

“I know well enough that such a precious item has just been gathering dust in a storage room.”

He stared at me intently and said,

“You once told me relationships should be light as a feather if you want them to last. You said you didn’t want to build an impenetrable fortress between us. That our bond should stay light, so we can be at ease until the end. And now? What are you going to give me next birthday? What am I supposed to give you?”

I looked at him silently for a moment.

“Can’t you think of it this way? Maybe in a past life, I, the Young Cult Leader, committed a sin against you. And now I’m repaying that debt in this life.”

“You already repaid it by saving my life.”

“Then I must’ve sinned twice.”

“Young Cult Leader…”

“Soma-nim…”

If I were ever in danger, he would be the first to come running. He’d be the one to willingly throw away his life.

That’s why I didn’t need to worry about this gift being a burden. Whether I gave it or not, he would act the same.

“Please accept it, Soma-nim.”

Our gazes met in midair. In the end, he couldn’t reject my sincere gesture. 8

“…Alright.”

“Ah, thank goodness. If you’d refused to the end, Father would’ve teased me about this for the rest of my life.”

The Evil Smiling Demon rolled up his sleeves and fastened the Ink Dragon Soaring Tiger Guard onto both wrists. It suited him perfectly, especially with his white mask.

“This is the most precious birthday gift I’ve ever received.”

“If anyone ever tops it, please let me know. I’ve got a bit of a competitive streak, you see.”

From deep within the mask, his eyes radiated heartfelt gratitude.

“What will you do if the other Demon Supremes find out?”

“They’ll just start wondering what I’ll give them on their birthdays.”

“And if you don’t give them anything?”

“They’ll think, ‘Ah, Soma-nim must be his favorite’.”

Soma laughed out loud.

It had been a while since I’d heard that joyful laugh from him.

*         *         *

After leaving the Valley of Wicked, I headed straight for Maga Village.

I planned to check in on Jo Chunbae and have a meal at the Flowing Wind Tavern while I was at it.

Maga Village hadn’t changed a bit since I last left.

The bustling market street was filled with people coming and going.

Street vendors calling out to customers, old men shouting as they pulled carts for people to move, women browsing goods, men grabbing each other by the collar, lovers holding hands and laughing as they strolled, children running around, and housewives yelling at them not to run.

After returning from life-and-death battles, scenes like this looked completely different.

Only when you realize that this "ordinary" life isn’t guaranteed, can you truly begin to find happiness in it.

When I arrived at the Flowing Wind Tavern, I stood still in stunned silence.

Its doors were shut. 9

It was the first time I had ever seen this place closed. Had he fallen ill? Or had something happened?

Just then, someone approached.

"Young Cult Leader, I run a fruit stall just down the street."

He was someone I had seen often in Maga Village. He was also friendly with Jo Chunbae.

"The tavern owner left a few days ago with his wife. Said something happened at his in-laws’ place."

I knew Jo Chunbae had a close relationship with his wife.

"Do you know what happened?"

"I didn’t hear the details, but from what little I caught, it seems one of her family members got involved with a martial artist."

My chest turned cold at the mention of getting involved with a martial artist. That kind of thing rarely ended well. And the fact that he’d closed the tavern and left in a hurry suggested the situation was urgent.

And of course, it had to happen while I was away from the cult. With Lee Ahn also traveling far, and with Seo Daeryong and Jangho likely not holding their usual gatherings at the tavern, there was no one to notice it quickly. 10

"Do you know where her family lives?"

After hearing the location, I immediately launched into motion.

Using the Star Light Step, I left Maga Village in an instant. The best-case scenario was arriving before anything happened—and next best was getting there before it was too late.

I hoped it was nothing. But if it turned out to be something dangerous, the only thing Jo Chunbae could rely on was his experience. He had run a tavern here long enough to deal with all sorts of people and situations.

‘Tavern Owner, just hold out until I get there!’

The Star Light Step, pushed to its limits, began to breakthrough once more.

1 : Lol, I got the same urge to push him as Bih Sa-in XDXDXD

2 : Remember that it’s you who started calling him manly instead of terrifying XDXDXD

3 : Would be funny if the Demonic Cult ended up becoming a place of refinement and culture XDXDXD

4 : *Insert Inception squinty eyes meme here*

5 : Lol what low stakes XDXDXD

6 : Isn’t that already what you do ? Even during your vacations ^^

7 : The curse of speeches XDXDXD

8 : I’m sure he did the thing with his eyes, you know, when they suddenly become deep as his past life slips through.

9 : Oh no !!! I hope he’s okay *worry*

10 : He should ask Hidden Moon and the Heavenly Communication Pavilion to keep an eye on him in the future.