“I don’t know.”
My father looked at me with a surprised look in his eyes, then turned away.
“Let’s go to bed now.”
“Yes.”
I lay down between my father and the bonfire.
“What was that?”
Judging by my father’s reaction, he definitely knew something…
“!”
In that moment, I realized.
“Oh! It’s Mr. Hwi!”
I felt his presence, as my father did. The second time I tried to feel it, he had already moved away.
With that thought, my whole body trembled.
I had discovered something that I couldn’t have known just two days ago. Of course, Hwi wasn’t desperately trying to hide himself, but just recognizing his basic hiding technique was a significant improvement.
If I could continue my training and emit dozens of energies like my father, any hiding technique would become useless. It would be just a matter of where, here or there, it would be discovered.
Perhaps it was because I had been drinking, but that night I couldn’t fall asleep easily.
When I got tired of searching for ingredients for the Daebeop, I would drink and often gaze at the stars in the night sky. The stars from that day, which had kept me company in my loneliness, were still shining today.
My father couldn’t sleep either.
I couldn’t know his true feelings, but maybe he felt passion for my talent of absorbing martial arts like a dry sponge absorbs water.
“Father, who do you trust the most among the Daebeop Masters?”
I didn’t necessarily expect an answer, but my father responded.
“Why are you asking that?”
On the day our family was destroyed.
The Hwamugi had invaded the Celestial Horse Fortress.
Celestial Horse Fortress.
A place guarded by three gatekeepers, six weapon masters, and selected martial artists.
Once again, the eight Palma Masters and their subordinates guarded the fortress in the eight directions centered around the Celestial Horse Fortress.
To the north, the sword demons of the North Sky Sword Clan led by Ilhwa Geomjon.
To the south, the sword devils of the South Blade Sect led by Hyeolcheon Domma.
To the east, the iron fists of the East Fist Gate led by Bupae Gwonma.
To the west, the ghost sorcerers of the West Fantum Sect led by Sehonma.
To the northeast, the faceless guests who wanted to resemble the extremely wicked Laughter Demon.
To the southeast, the drunken guests with Daechwima.
To the southwest, the venom fangs who researched various poisons with Dokwangma.
To the northwest, the mad monks who worshiped the bewitched people of Mabul.
At that time, I thought that enemies had infiltrated from the outside.
But that wasn’t the case.
Later, I realized that there had been no breach from the outside that day. It was certain that one of the Palma Masters had led the Hwamugi into the fortress.
There could be one or more traitors. It didn’t matter who the traitor was.
I considered all the Palma Masters as traitors.
After my father’s death, revenge was not the choice of the Palma Masters. Their choice was to remain silent. If even one of the eight had chosen to take revenge, I wouldn’t have felt this sense of betrayal.
Yes, I understand. It wouldn’t be easy to seek revenge when faced with the overwhelming power of the Celestial Horse of the Seon Hwamugi.
You’re all humans too, so I understand, I understand.
So, you should understand too.
Even if I use you completely in the future, treat you as expendable, I hope you understand. Isn’t that fair?
“If I become a Celestial Horse, I will capture the Palma Masters and twist their necks.”
“What?”
My father suddenly sat up. The grass around me also stood up. I quickly stood up as well.
“Why?”
Because they are much further away from what you are thinking, father. You know perfectly well that there are only a few hidden tigers outside, but you don’t know how far these smiling people in front of you are in their hearts.
Since I couldn’t say that, I gave another reason.
“They are involved in corruption and malpractice.”
✧˚·̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥·̩̩̥͙✧·̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥˚·̩̩̥͙✧ 𝑔𝓇𝒶𝓋𝒾𝓉𝓎𝓃𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁𝓈 ✧˚·̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥·̩̩̥͙✧·̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥˚·̩̩̥͙✧
