Chapter 803: Deliciously Spicy
When the Heavenly Killing Star was mentioned, Gaye felt fear.
If not others, at least she knew. She knew what a terrifying existence he was.
After all, he had broken the Seal of the Seventy-Two Stars Forbidden Soul Formation, which no human could ever undo, with his own hands and emerged. And she had been the one who watched that entire process in real time.
Gaye recalled that day before she came here.
In that place where starlight glittered across the entire ceiling, she had felt terror.
-You must leave now.
Only one constellation on the ceiling remained unlit. Once even that final constellation was lit, he would break the seal and come out.
But the Dark Palace Master sat cross-legged as if he had abandoned everything, unmoving. Even the darkness lingering around his body seemed lifeless today.
-You know there is a way to stop him from coming out.
Gaye knew. If the Seal of the Seventy-Two Stars Forbidden Soul Formation were completely destroyed, the one trapped inside could be prevented from ever coming out. The Dark Palace Master knew that method.
-If we destroy the seal? What of this palace’s three-hundred-year-long aspiration?
-But if he comes out without obtaining the Six-Origin Energies…… he will kill you first, Palace Master.
-Perhaps he will.
The Dark Palace Master already looked as though he had resolved himself to death.
-Destroy the seal and find another way.
After a brief silence, the Dark Palace Master asked,
-Do you think I have time left to start anew?
Gaye could not answer that question. No matter how powerful the Dark Palace Master was, he was ultimately human. The deep wrinkles lining his face spoke of that limit.
-Go to Dongting Lake first and prepare the things I mentioned.
-What are you planning to do?
The Dark Palace Master said something astonishing.
-I will meet him.
The overlapping symbols on the Dark Palace Master’s face brought Gaye back to the present.
After that day, he had not died.
He had come to Dongting Lake.
But he never told her whether he had truly met the man who broke the seal.
Nor what they had spoken about.
Had he begged?
Negotiated?
Or simply avoided him entirely?
The Dark Palace Master glared at Geom Mugeuk.
“Now every table in this world will be overturned.”
He understood clearly the kind of demonic path Geom Mugeuk envisioned.
“How laughable,” Geom Mugeuk replied coldly.
“A martial world where evil becomes good and good becomes evil?”
“That’s not the world you wanted.”
The Dark Palace Master’s eyes twitched.
“You wanted a world that functioned normally.”
“A world where your subordinates ruled openly, while you sat behind the curtain as the shadow controlling everything.”
The Dark Palace Master could not deny it.
How does he know?
That truly had been the life he dreamed of.
“If the entire world becomes darkness,” Geom Mugeuk continued,
“what meaning will your darkness have?”
The Dark Palace Master froze.
In such a world, the title Dark Palace Master would no longer mean anything.
He would become just another evil among countless others.
“Either you die or I die today.”
“Before that, there is something I want to ask.”
Geom Mugeuk needed information.
The Dark Palace Master had deep ties with Hwa Moogi.
Before their inevitable battle, he had to learn as much as possible.
If the two of them were bound by such fate,
Would the Dark Palace Master not want to tell someone, at least once?
“How did you come to know that person?”
---
When Baek Jagang rushed here, he had not imagined the atmosphere would be like this.
He had expected tension.
Gravitas.
Perhaps even hostility.
He had wondered how he should greet the Heavenly Demon.
Would the Heavenly Demon even believe he came to help?
Should he say:
I came to help.
Or perhaps joke instead.
I came to see what the Heavenly Killing Star looks like.
But when he arrived,
“Have you eaten?”
Geom Woojin asked casually from the kitchen.
“I have not,” Baek Jagang replied.
“Then please wait a moment.”
Geom Woojin disappeared back into the kitchen.
Through the doorway, Baek Jagang saw him slicing meat.
Beside him stood someone peeling onions.
The young man looked like a cook.
But then Baek Jagang noticed the pouch hanging at his waist.
Twelve pouches.
Not weapons.
Poisons.
Baek Jagang froze.
The Poison King… peeling onions?
The Poison King ignored him completely and continued helping Geom Woojin.
Baek Jagang was too stunned to react.
The Heavenly Demon is cooking.
And the Poison King is assisting.
For a moment, an absurd thought crossed his mind.
Did they prepare poisoned food because they knew I was coming?
But he quickly dismissed it.
If Geom Woojin wanted him dead,
He would simply throw the cleaver.
Poison would be unnecessary.
Besides, the Poison King’s eyes were watering from onions.
Not grief.
Baek Jagang shook off the absurd thoughts.
The Fist Demon King approached politely.
“You must have traveled far. Please sit.”
Baek Jagang returned the courtesy.
He also greeted the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader, whom he already knew.
“It has been a long time.”
“Have you been well?”
Despite stepping down from his position, Baek Jagang still considered him the greatest expert of the Outer Lands.
The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader was curious.
“You came alone?”
“Yes.”
That alone was shocking.
“What if the Heavenly Demon killed you?” the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader joked.
Then he probed further.
“When you entered, a strange thought crossed my mind.”
“What if you are the Heavenly Killing Star?”
Baek Jagang laughed.
“When my temper gets out of control, people sometimes say that.”
Then he replied playfully.
“If that’s the case, there are already five Heavenly Killing Stars in this tavern.”
Everyone laughed.
It was true.
If any of them rampaged in the martial world,
It would become the greatest disaster in history.
“So why did you come?” the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader asked.
Everyone waited.
Even the Sword King.
Even the Fist Demon King.
Baek Jagang answered calmly.
“I was bored.”
The answer stunned everyone.
“There was no better excuse to travel alone.”
“So I came.”
Of course, that was not the truth.
He could not say the real reason.
He came because he was worried.
Because he did not want the Heavenly Demon to die.
Even if that man was his rival.
Even if the Demonic Cult weakened his own alliance.
Some things could not be explained.
At that moment, Geom Woojin called from the kitchen.
“Alliance Leader Baek.”
Baek Jagang looked over.
Geom Woojin leaned out.
“Do you eat spicy food?”
Baek Jagang smiled.
“I enjoy spicy food very much.”
Geom Woojin nodded.
“Then I will add more chili peppers.”
The Poison King, still teary-eyed from onions, began slicing chili peppers.
The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader grinned.
“I also love spicy food.”
“The best part of coming to the Central Plains is the spicy dishes.”
“That was a bold decision,” Baek Jagang replied.
He meant leaving his position behind.
“Perhaps I grew bored with life as well.”
The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader introduced the Sword King.
“That man came because of the Young Cult Leader.”
Baek Jagang examined him quietly.
Such strength joining the Demonic Cult was troubling for the Unorthodox Alliance.
“If you grow bored someday,” Baek Jagang said,
“consider joining our Alliance instead of the Martial Alliance.”
The Sword King simply bowed slightly.
Soon, the sizzling sound of stir-frying echoed from the kitchen.
Chiieeeek.
Geom Woojin tossed meat and vegetables in the wok.
The onions peeled with the Poison King’s tears were mixed in.
Feeling awkward, Baek Jagang approached the kitchen.
“May I help?”
“It is nearly finished.”
Baek Jagang watched silently.
Is this your way of relieving life’s loneliness?
Soon the dish was ready.
They gathered around the table.
The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader hesitated before eating.
Only after Geom Woojin and the Fist Demon King tasted it first did he pick up his chopsticks.
After all,
The Poison King had touched the ingredients.
But when he tasted it,
“Oh!”
“It’s delicious!”
The seasoning was perfect.
Even Baek Jagang was impressed.
“This tastes like it was made by a professional cook.”
“I would like to learn it someday.”
Geom Woojin replied modestly.
“You flatter me.”
Fist Demon King noticed.
Despite his calm face,
Geom Woojin was extremely pleased.
Then Geom Woojin spoke casually.
“Thank you for coming.”
Baek Jagang understood.
He lifted a mouthful of food.
“It is deliciously spicy.”
---
The next night, another visitor arrived.
Jin Paecheon, leader of the Martial Alliance.
He had nearly turned back several times.
What if the Heavenly Killing Star attacked the Martial Alliance instead?
But in the end,
He followed his heart.
Just as his grandson once had.
“I will make this decision by following my heart.”
“For the first and last time since becoming Alliance Leader.”
Now he stood before the tavern.
Light shone only from this building.
The aura inside was strange.
Jin Paecheon opened the door carefully.
Four men turned toward him.
Fist Demon King.
Poison King.
Sword King.
Heavenly Wind Cult Leader.
They looked surprised.
The atmosphere is tense.
And the Heavenly Demon is absent.
His heart sank.
Did I arrive too late?
Then voices came from the kitchen.
“So you rotate it like this so the seasoning spreads evenly.”
“You don’t need internal energy for that.”
“If we’re doing it, shouldn’t it look impressive?”
“You splashed it everywhere.”
Jin Paecheon’s eyes widened.
Surely not…
Then Baek Jagang leaned out of the kitchen.
His clothes and face were smeared with red seasoning.
Beaming brightly, he asked,
“Have you eaten?”