Translator: FenrirTL
Editor/Quality Checker/Notes : Saphartlantis
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Chapter 377: Flattery in the once Peaceful Ear
"What are you looking at?"
Jo Chunbae's mother-in-law, Yoon, approached a young man who was staring at something in a corner of the villa’s courtyard.
The young man was watching a small bug crawling through the flowerbed. He was someone she had never seen before during her stay here.
Since he remained silent, still watching the bug, Yoon offered an apology.
"Did this old lady disturb you? I'm sorry, warrior."
Yoon treated everyone who worked at this villa with the utmost respect. Not just the warriors, but even the attendants and maids—she greeted them all with proper manners. It wasn’t out of fear, but rather, gratitude.
She had lived a hard life full of struggles, but lately, she had been enjoying a comfort she had never known. Every meal came with rare and luxurious dishes. She was provided with new clothes to change into. For the first time in her life, she wore silk. She even got to sleep in late and take quiet naps, something she had never done before. So how could she not feel thankful to the people here?
As she turned to leave, the young man spoke.
"It's called a Dragon Venom Bug. You can only find it in this region." 1
"Oh, is that so?"
Yoon squatted down beside him.
His appearance seemed youthful, but his demeanor and voice felt mature.
When the bug crawled away into the grass, Yoon glanced at the young man's waist and commented.
"That coin pouch is quite cute." 2
The young man wore several pouches, each adorned with an animal from the Twelve Zodiac. Street vendors often carried such pouches, but since he was here, he was probably not a merchant.
Then the young man said something unexpected.
"I've had your son-in-law's cooking before."
Yoon was startled.
"Really? How?"
"I live nearby."
"Oh, I see. Please visit often. Our Jo is really kind and diligent."
Learning that he was a customer at her son-in-law’s tavern made Yoon genuinely happy.
"Are you hungry, by any chance? There's food in the kitchen—shall I bring you some?"
Because he looked so young, she assumed he was doing odd jobs around the place. Even if he was a warrior, she figured he was a lower-ranked one.
"I'm fine."
"No, no, it's the perfect time to eat. Just wait a moment."
Yoon hurried into the building.
Watching her go, the young man muttered to himself.
"That time has already passed."
Moments later, Yoon returned with a tray of food.
But the young man was no longer there.
"Where did he go so fast? He should’ve waited just a little."
She sounded genuinely disappointed.
Just then, Jo Chunbae came walking over.
"My dear Jo, aren’t you hungry? Should I prepare something for you?"
She was the kind of mother-in-law who always tried to feed him whenever she saw him.
"I'm fine. Besides, I'm the one who should be feeding you."
"No, you’ve spent your whole life taking care of others. At least now, you should be able to rest."
Wasn’t she the true dream of a mother-in-law? Even though she had suffered far more, she still worried more about others than herself.
Jo Chunbae experienced several stages of emotional change while staying at the villa.
At first, he felt dazed but happy. He wished his children, who lived far away after getting married, were there too—that was his only regret.
But as days went by, uneasiness began to settle in. Was it really okay to be living this luxuriously? Was it alright to leave the tavern unattended for so long?
Eventually, he gave up worrying and decided to just rest. More than anything, he was glad that his mother-in-law, wife, and sister-in-law’s family were living comfortably. Besides, even if he wanted to return, it wasn’t something he could do at will.
“But what’s that food?”
“There was a young man here I took a liking to, so I was going to give it to him. But he left already.”
“Who was it?”
“There was a cute and handsome young man here.”
Jo Chunbae tilted his head in confusion. He hadn’t seen anyone like that.
“Oh, he said he’d been to your tavern, too.”
“What? My tavern? That can’t be right.”
Just then, the young man returned. His hands were full of herbs whose names Yoon didn’t know.
“I noticed your knees seemed to be in bad shape.” 3
“When you’re old, there’s nowhere that doesn’t hurt. But how did you know it was my knees?”
It was true—her knees had been her chronic pain.
“If you brew this into a tea and drink it, walking should become easier.”
“You didn’t have to go out of your way like this. Thank you, really, thank you.”
Yoon was overwhelmed with gratitude.
“Our warrior here isn’t just handsome—he’s kind, too. Now, put that down and try some of this food.”
Yoon treated the young man like a grandchild.
Watching all this unfold, Jo Chunbae turned pale, his eyes wide and his mouth hanging open. He was so shocked he couldn’t speak.
His mother-in-law was patting the back of the Poison King, urging him to eat more, praising him as one of those rare good-hearted young men.
“Ahhhh! No! Stop!”
Jo Chunbae shouted while waving his arms as desperately as if he wanted to fly.
The Poison King and Yoon both turned to look at him.
“What’s gotten into you?”
Yoon asked. Jo Chunbae bowed his head toward the Poison King.
“I’m sorry! Poison King!”
How could he not recognize the Poison King, who had even left his name engraved on the tavern wall?
Only then did Yoon realize the young man was someone of noble status, and she panicked.
“Oh my! I didn’t recognize someone so distinguished. Please punish me!”
The Poison King stopped her as she tried to bow to the floor and handed her the herbs.
“I can’t accept something so precious.”
“I’m only giving it because I owe your son-in-law. Please don’t worry too much about it.”
With that, the Poison King went straight into the building.
When he had arrived here yesterday, he had been told by the martial artist managing the villa that Jo Chunbae’s family was also present. But he didn’t reveal that he had come here himself so they could keep relaxing without pressure.
He knew they would’ve been given the best room, and if they knew he had come, Jo Chunbae would insist on giving it up to him. Not just the room—it would’ve been a huge burden on them emotionally, too.
And so, without revealing his identity, the Poison King spent two quiet days in the guest quarters with his subordinates.
He did it because he knew Geom Mugeuk cared deeply for Jo Chunbae, and so he wanted to help him maintain dignity in front of his mother-in-law.
“Thank you, thank you so much, Poison King!”
When that fearsome Poison King handed over the herbs and left, Jo Chunbae was overwhelmed with emotion.
“Jo, I wonder if I might’ve done something wrong.”
“No, of course not. Would he have given us something so precious if that were the case?”
“He really is a generous person.”
Yoon bowed toward the building where the Poison King had entered.
“This is too much luxury for someone like me.”
“I’ll brew the herbs for you myself.”
Jo Chunbae accepted the herbs, and his heart pounded. Herbs given directly by the Poison King? His hands trembled. He was careful not to let even a single leaf fall.
There was one person he missed dearly. All of this happiness and joy—it was a gift from him.
“Young Cult Leader, please return safely. When you do, I’ll—!”
It was at that moment—
“What will you do for me?”
Jo Chunbae turned around in surprise, and there stood Geom Mugeuk, having just arrived. He had left the Unorthodox Alliance and raced back like the wind using Star Light Step. 4
“Young Cult Leader!”
At Jo Chunbae’s shout, the Poison King appeared at the window he had opened.
“You came back faster than I thought.”
“I raced like the wind because I missed you, Poison King.”
“You mean you missed that tavern owner over there.”
Geom Mugeuk smiled at Jo Chunbae.
“Well, of course, I missed our tavern owner too.”
Seeing that Geom Mugeuk had returned safely, Jo Chunbae was overcome with joy.
And relief washed over him. As if he had been floating in a dream, he now felt grounded in reality once again.
“I don’t know how I’ll ever repay this kindness.”
“There will be a way.”
“Sorry?”
“Soon, a very important guest will come to your tavern. When that time comes, show them what you can do.” 5
At Geom Mugeuk’s twinkling gaze and meaningful smile, Jo Chunbae blinked with a puzzled look. He hadn’t even said anything like that when the Demon Supreme came. Just who could it be this time?
By then, Yoon and the rest of Jo Chunbae’s family had come out and warmly welcomed Geom Mugeuk.
“Thanks to you, our family has made memories we will never forget—even in death. Thank you, Young Cult Leader.”
Geom Mugeuk gently held Yoon’s hand and spoke with a warm expression.
“Please take good care of your health, ma’am.”
The next day, it was decided that they would leave the villa. That evening, Jo Chunbae prepared the meal himself. He wanted to personally serve those to whom he was indebted.
He served food and drinks not only to Geom Mugeuk, the Poison King, and the Poison Fangs, but also to the villa’s warriors, attendants, and maids.
While Jo Chunbae displayed his culinary skills, his wife went around expressing her gratitude to every single person who had looked after them.
The Poison King sat in a daze, lost in his own world as he ate.
Sitting beside him, Sangseon poured a drink for Geom Mugeuk instead.
"Thank you for everything."
Ever since meeting Geom Mugeuk, the Poison King had begun to change—and this was a change Sangseon had long hoped for. The fact that they were here instead of in the Thousand Poisons Forest, gathering herbs and sharing meals with the Demonic Buddha—none of it would have been imaginable in the past.
"I should be the one thanking you. You helped us avoid great danger by coming along this time."
"Please visit the Thousand Poisons Forest sometime soon when you have a chance."
"Next time. I plan to stop by and greet my father, then head straight out again for the Martial Alliance."
"This time, you’re going to turn the Martial Alliance upside down, aren’t you?" 6
Sangseon joked, and Geom Mugeuk replied with a smile.
"As if. I’m just going to meet the Martial Alliance Leader and ask a small favor. That’s all."
At that moment, the Poison King suddenly spoke. They thought he wasn’t listening, but he had heard everything.
"Will it really be that simple?"
At his words, Geom Mugeuk emptied the glass in front of him. Truthfully, he didn’t know either. How would Jin Paecheon take it? This was something neither he nor the Alliance Leader had ever faced before.
When the pleasant evening came to a close, Geom Mugeuk said to Jo Chunbae,
"Let’s head back now."
It marked the end of the most dazzling vacation in Jo Chunbae’s life.
* * *
Upon returning to the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, Geom Mugeuk first stopped by the Heavenly Demon Pavilion.
"Father, I’ve returned."
His father was waiting for him in his usual place.
"I heard you stirred things up at the Unorthodox Alliance?"
"That’s a misunderstanding. I didn’t do anything—I just watched. I’m sure you got all the reports from the Heavenly Communication Pavilion."
Geom Mugeuk shared with his father what had happened at the Unorthodox Alliance.
As always, he preferred to explain things to his father directly. Even if his father already knew everything, it didn’t matter. It wasn’t a report—it was a conversation, an honest one.
"I believe there’s still someone behind all this."
As long as his father remained vigilant, that was enough. Even if the rest of the world let down their guard, as long as he and his father didn’t, they would be able to stop it.
"They’ll try something again. We must be the ones to see it coming."
He stressed that they couldn’t afford to let their guard down.
"Defense isn’t always the answer."
His father’s method—eliminate the threat first. He had probably already given the Chief Strategist the order to act.
"If that’s possible, it would indeed be the best option."
But judging by how meticulous their enemies had been so far, they wouldn’t be easy to find.
"Oh, and I invited the Alliance Leader to the Flowing Wind Tavern."
He brought it up casually, as if it weren’t a big deal. His father showed no reaction. Unable to look his father in the eye, Geom Mugeuk muttered with his head lowered.
"I know you dislike the Alliance Leader, Father. But when you actually meet him, he might turn out to be a surprisingly decent person. I mean, maybe..."
Since there was still no response, he cautiously lifted his gaze to look at his father.
The look in his father’s eyes clearly said:
You do realize what you're doing right now, don’t you?
Normally, he could have visited the Martial Alliance on the way back and taken care of that matter first.
But he believed it was more important to speak to his father about it now. He needed permission. He had to gauge the mood. And if his father disapproved, he’d have to persuade him, negotiate with him.
There was a big difference between saying “I'm telling you now” and “this already happened”. 7
His father slowly smirked, wearing the look that said, I see right through you. It was a sarcastic smile Geom Mugeuk hadn’t seen in a while. And oddly enough, that brought him a deep sense of relief.
Ah… I’m home.
His father had already seen through his reason for inviting the Alliance Leader.
As expected, he didn’t ask why.
“The Martial Alliance won’t just sit by, you know?”
“That’s why I plan to go speak with the Alliance Leader directly.”
“And you think Jin Paecheon will just go along with it?”
Just like the Poison King, his father didn’t take the matter lightly either.
Of course, Geom Mugeuk had one card up his sleeve.
“I’ve got allies on that side too. Two, actually.”
* * *
“Master!”
The Fist Demon King stood, staring up at the very cliff he intended to overcome.
“You’ve come?”
He wanted to bring Bih Sa-in here just to joke around—See? Your face is cute compared to my master’s.
“I just got back from the Unorthodox Alliance. Came straight to you after seeing my father.”
After announcing his return with that bit of flair, he stood next to his master and looked up at the cliff.
“Has this cliff grown somehow?”
Not understanding what he meant, Dan Woo-gang gave him a look. Geom Mugeuk glanced again at the cliff and added,
“It feels bigger and taller than before.”
A faint glint passed through the Fist Demon King’s eyes.
“Is it that the cliff grew… or that you did?”
He could guess what his master meant, but played dumb and asked,
“Shouldn’t things look smaller and easier the more you grow?”
“That’s only how lesser men think. True masters, as they grow, see things as they really are.”
That might be why true experts are always humble.
Had reaching the peak of the Heavenly Demon Body Protection Technique deepened his martial insight that much? The cliff truly did feel more immense than before.
“Then to you, Master, this cliff must look even more colossal.”
"Hearing flattery in this once peaceful ear of mine... must mean someone’s back."
"Flattery isn’t all I brought. I’ve got a gift, too."
Dan Woo-gang recognized the gauntlets I handed him.
"War God Gauntlets!" 8
"You recognized them."
"Anyone who’s trained in martial arts would. Where did you get these?"
"I received them as a gift from the Alliance Leader."
The Fist Demon King’s expression turned incredulous, then shifted to one of acceptance—as if to say, Of course, since it’s you.
"Why give them to me if they were gifted to you?"
"Would they suit my hands better, or yours?"
Since he had always lived with nothing but his bare fists, I half expected him to refuse. But he accepted them without hesitation.
"Right. I’ll need these to bring that cliff down."
Yes, it wasn’t just me who was growing. His willingness to accept them without pride showed it clearly—my master was growing too.
And now I understood why the War God Gauntlets were considered the best of their kind. Their flexibility made them a perfect fit, even for his large hands.
“I finally understand what people mean when they say every treasure finds its rightful owner. They suit you perfectly.”
Dan Woo-gang responded with a firm clench of his massive fist—a gesture of gratitude in place of words.
Yes, this is how we all must grow strong. While the enemy schemes in the shadows, we must grow stronger under the sun. Let’s see who wins in the end.
* * *
After parting with the Fist Demon King, I left the headquarters, leaving the Sun and Moon Sword in the care of my guards. Since I’d be departing immediately, I decided to greet the other Demon Supremes only after returning from the Martial Alliance.
"You’re going to leave us behind again, aren’t you?"
The guard captain, Jeokyeon, had long since reached a state of resigned acceptance.
"Looks like I will again."
He tried to guilt-trip me with that look—We’re just utterly useless, aren’t we?—but I wasn’t falling for it.
In the end, Jeokyeon shouted,
"Just remember this, please. If anything happens to you, we’re all as good as dead."
Right. If something happens to me, it’s all over anyway.
"If you want to come with me—get stronger! Stronger! Stronger!"
Passing through Maga Village, I caught sight of the Flowing Wind Tavern. It had opened for the first time in a while, and people from the marketplace had gathered there, chatting with Jo Chunbae. How much they must have wanted to speak with him.
‘Don’t boast just yet, tavern owner. There’s still something truly worth boasting about left to come.’
Activating the Star Light Step, I dashed toward the Martial Alliance.
Even as I moved through the world like a stream of light, I could still see it—flowers by the roadside beginning to bud.
Spring was coming.
1 : Hahahaha, the servants and bodyguards must be panicking right now XDXDXD
2 : “Cute” XDXDXD
3 : Can you imagine the miracles the Poison King, the Insect Saint and the Demon Doctor could create if they worked together ? The Poison King might even be able to cure the Insect Saint of her poisoning ^^
4 : Faster than the wind actually ^^
5 : Ehehehe, not warning him, huh ? What fun~~ ^^
6 : You have no idea XDXDXD
7 : Consent is everything, not just in romantic relationships. The second someone takes the ascendant on another, that relationship will inevitably spiral into chaos.
8 : Awww. Oh well, at least they will be ût to good use. So, the Ink Dragon, Soaring Tiger wrist guards for Soma, the Sun and Moon Sword for Lee Ahn, the War God Gauntlets for Dan Woo-gang. Wonder who will get the next gift ^^