Chapter 55
It was likely that the Baek family would have thought, 'What did the Danmu family do while we were taking decisive action?'
Reputation and fame take a long time to acquire, but they can crumble in an instant.
It was the same then.
The Danmu family belatedly tried to respond to the Cho family, and the timing was exquisite.
If that hadn't happened, the Cho family would have had to respond to the Baek family in some way.
No matter how great the damage and sacrifice that followed, they would have had no choice.
If they just stood by and did nothing after losing all the people in their own house, what would people think of the Cho family?
Some things have to be done even if there is nothing to be gained, and the Cho family's attack on the Baek family was such a case.
But just in time, the Danmu family provoked the Cho family, so the Baek family was able to avoid that disaster.
As a result, there was a festive atmosphere in the Baek family every day.
They had gained the reputation of having attacked the strongest martial force of the Cho family without sacrifice, had earned respect by protecting the people of their territory, and had also avoided the Cho family's counterattack.
In contrast, the Danmu family had lost all such opportunities and was suffering great sacrifices while fighting the Cho family belatedly.
From the outside, it looked as if they had attacked the two families, but in reality, the Cho family had done nothing, so if they were to be wronged, their insides would be turned upside down and they would be filled with rage.
It hadn't been that long since all that had happened.
Baek Yuhwa, realizing that it was time to meet Ya Socheong, sat in front of a bronze mirror and began to adorn herself with great care.
* * *
Dan Yujong and Jeok Soju shook their heads as they looked at Ya Socheong.
They couldn't understand how many li ahead their senior brother was looking and making plans.
They were just filled with respect.
Ya Socheong, who knew what kind of eyes they were looking at him with, felt endlessly burdened by that gaze.
He said that this was all a fluke and that he had done almost nothing, but his junior brothers did not believe him.
And they praised him, saying that a person with such great strategic wisdom was also humble.
It seemed that things had turned out better than he had thought.
Thanks to that, the things he had been worried about had been uprooted.
Ya Socheong was in a good mood because it had been resolved so well that it was difficult to imagine a better result.
From now on, the Cho family would quickly fall apart.
When a beast was injured and fell, even much weaker animals would aim for the beast from all sides.
Even the guys who had not dared to imagine a fight before would now think that it was worth a try and would come in aiming for it.
If the brave guy who attacked first was bitten by the beast and ran away, it would be much easier to aim for the beast next.
At that time, the beast would be a little weaker, and they would think that there would be more opportunities to tear off the beast's flesh.
The Cho family was also the same.
Moreover, this was the Heavenly Demon Sect, where the law of the jungle ruled.
There were not many people who would recognize a family that had lost its power just by its tradition and reputation.
The change was fast and steep.
'So things can turn out like this.'
Ya Socheong thought that and shook his head by himself several times.
What would have happened if he hadn't met Baek Yuhwa?
If so, he would never have reached this conclusion.
As he was thinking that, he suddenly became curious about Baek Yuhwa, so Ya Socheong dismissed the children and called Pae Maseong.
"Pae Maseong, have you ever met Miss Baek Yuhwa?"
"The third daughter of the Baek family? I've met her. A few times when I was in the Cho family. There are exchanges between the family members, and I went then."
"Really? What kind of person is she?"
At that, Pae Maseong's expression hardened a little.
Seeing that, Ya Socheong wondered if Pae Maseong had feelings for Baek Yuhwa.
But what Pae Maseong said was different.
"The Baek family is a family that has produced the Demonic Empress for generations, and that young lady is..."
Pae Maseong hesitated for a moment and then eventually told him everything.
That the Heavenly Demon Dan Mok-san wanted to take Baek Yuhwa as his Demonic Empress.
Ya Socheong thought of Dan Mok-san's age and wrinkled his face in genuine disgust.
Although he had the appearance of a middle-aged man on the outside, hadn't he reached old age a long time ago?
The age difference would be over fifty, so how could he have a dark intention towards such a young woman?
But Pae Maseong had a face that said he hadn't even started the important story yet.
"Socheong, what do you think of Maling?"
"Huh?"
Wondering why that was suddenly coming up now, he looked at him with a bewildered face, and Pae Maseong had a frustrated expression.
"If you save someone, you have to take responsibility. You've taken good care of all the people you've saved so far, but are you going to pretend not to know about Maling?"
Ya Socheong suddenly felt sweat on his forehead.
No, that's...
"Since we're on the subject, go and see Maling once. The master will also be curious about this."
Pae Maseong pushed him as if he were going to roast beans in a lightning fire.
"Ah, wait a minute. Come to think of it, I have an appointment."
Miraculously, the appointment he had made with Baek Yuhwa came to mind at that time.
Pae Maseong frowned again and asked persistently.
If it was an appointment with Baek Yuhwa.
Since that was true, he said yes, and Pae Maseong sighed deeply.
Looking at Pae Maseong's face, his will to somehow connect his younger sister was clearly visible.
He had asked for a ten-day deadline, but hadn't he said let's meet again after that? He was a little confused, but for now, he went to the place where he had met Baek Yuhwa before.
It wasn't that close, but he had many thoughts while riding his horse.
Pae Maseong had told him what he knew about Baek Yuhwa before Ya Socheong left.
That she was such a great beauty that she must have received confessions from countless people so far, and that she had never even given such people a glance.
It seemed that since the rumor that the Heavenly Demon Dan Mok-san was trying to take Baek Yuhwa as his Demonic Empress had spread, there were no more people who were hitting on her, but it also seemed that Baek Yuhwa herself was not interested in men.
He said that she was very greedy for learning and martial arts, and that when she had first met him, she had approached him and asked if they could have a spar.
Pae Maseong had not thought that he had to go easy on Baek Yuhwa, so he had tried to win for sure, and he had thought that once they started, he could easily defeat her in a few seconds.
But he said that it had taken longer than he had thought because she had held on by unfolding her secret techniques several times.
-It seemed that she really hated losing. She had a face that said she didn't know what to do because she was so angry that she had lost to me.
Pae Maseong said it as if it were funny.
Saying that if she was going to ask for a spar with the intention of winning, she shouldn't have asked him for a spar in the first place.
Since that was an irrefutable statement, Ya Socheong also nodded.
A smile had spread on Ya Socheong's face.
He didn't even know that he was smiling.
There was no guarantee that Baek Yuhwa would be there even if he went now.
It would be natural for her not to be there.
And yet, he was going, unable to abandon the slight hope that she might be there.
When he finally arrived there, Ya Socheong found Baek Yuhwa waiting in that place.
Baek Yuhwa raised her head and looked at Ya Socheong.
She had been wearing a mask until then, but a look of welcome appeared in the two eyes that were revealed above the mask.
When Ya Socheong approached, Baek Yuhwa took off her mask.
Ya Socheong wondered what to say and then said to her.
"Thank you for keeping your promise. It probably wasn't something you had to do, but thanks to you, I was able to prevent the sacrifice of my junior brothers."
Baek Yuhwa nodded as if that was enough.
"I think I should also say thank you. After that, the attitude of the people of the territory towards the family has changed. Although I can't say that it's only a good thing."
"Yes?"
"As you know, the Danmu family is the Sect Leader's family. The Sect Leader has been supporting the family knowingly and unknowingly since he became the Heavenly Demon, and this has made our Baek family a little uncomfortable."
"Is that so?"
It was not something he hadn't thought of.
But it didn't seem that Baek Yuhwa was saying it because she was seriously worried.
"Still, it's a burden to take it out on the main family, so it seems they're taking it out on the Cho family. As a result, it turned out well. In one way or another, it seems the Cho family will quickly fall apart."
Then Baek Yuhwa looked at Ya Socheong.
"What are you thinking of doing now?"
"What do you mean?"
"There are things you've been doing so far. Since this is over, I thought you might be planning something else."
"I don't know about that. I'll have to train my junior brothers and practice my martial arts. I haven't thought of anything else."
"You might have to think about it. The Sect Leader will be watching you very closely from now on."
That would be the case.
It was a story that Pae Maseong had already told.
"Young master, may I say a word to you?"
For some reason, Ya Socheong wanted to refuse.
It was because he had a feeling that if he heard the words that came out of Baek Yuhwa, it would be a matter of putting his foot in a deep swamp from which he could not turn back.
But as if his permission was not needed, Baek Yuhwa said.
"They say I will become the Demonic Empress. They said I will not become the Sect Leader's concubine, but the first Demonic Empress. And they said that the current Sect Leader and I are not fated to be husband and wife."
"..."
Ya Socheong tried to understand the meaning of those words.
From the story that Baek Yuhwa would become the first Demonic Empress, it seemed that Baek Yuhwa was already thinking that the era of the Heavenly Demon Dan Mok-san would end soon.
It might have been too much to say that based on one fortune, but Ya Socheong knew that some people's fortune-telling was often right.
But this person now.
Is she proposing to me so boldly?
Ya Socheong was quite at a loss.
Although Baek Yuhwa was a great beauty, and they communicated well, and it was enjoyable to be with her...
Is this enough for a marriage partner?
He was suddenly a little confused.
"Our family will be a strength to you in what you will do in the future."
Baek Yuhwa was the third daughter.
It didn't seem that the third daughter would have that much power.
But Baek Yuhwa, as if she knew all the questions Ya Socheong had, immediately explained what he would be curious about.
"The current Sect Leader favors me. So the people of the family also cannot treat my words carelessly."
"So you're saying that you'll use the family's power to help me, using the fact that you are favored by the Sect Leader as a pretext."
She was an interesting person.
"Use the Baek family instead of the Danli family, young master. I will become the sword that you will use."
For some reason, it was a grand thing to say.
(End of Chapter)