By Zephyria 
However, contrary to his will, there was nothing he could do.
Peng Yuan-jin’s subordinates blocked the entrance without a single gap, leaving him in a position where he couldn’t even peek outside. Even the remaining medicinal herbs that Owl had firmly pressed into his hands were all seized.
He simply sat in the corner, hugging his knees.
Aside from the occasional groans coming from Peng Do-hwan, he could only roughly gauge the situation outside through the sounds of martial artists shouting as they ran down the corridors and the vibrations transmitted through the rock walls.
“…….”
As he spent more time listening to the faint movements outside, countless thoughts naturally crossed his mind.
Where had the Third Young Master taken Yak Seon? What was his purpose in taking her? He worried that Yak Seon might be suffering severe hardships.
Meanwhile, Seong Mu-yeon felt a deep sense of helplessness amidst the turmoil, barely believing that a single person was facing the Heaven-Sent Fortress head-on.
He felt as though he would willingly pay any price if only he could fight alongside Baek Ryeo-il right now.
If only he could turn back time for just one day—no, not even half a day, just a few hours—how wonderful would that be? Then, no matter what harsh words Baek Ryeo-il poured upon him, he was confident he would cling to him and never let go.
But it was an unattainable wish. Seong Mu-yeon buried his face in his arms and swallowed his pain.
How long had he endured like that? By his perception, the night had nearly passed, and the morning sun was about to rise. Even then, the noise from outside did not diminish at all. Rather, it felt as if an even more fierce attack was striking the ground.
“You cannot enter.”
Suddenly, at the sound of a voice from the entrance, Seong Mu-yeon snapped his head up. One of Peng Yuan-jin’s subordinates spoke to someone in a stiff voice.
“I have no intention of causing trouble. Move aside.”
“Please do not do this. If the Left Horse General finds out, we will be in trouble.”
“Hmph, I said move! I will explain it well to the Left Horse General, so you won’t have to take responsibility.”
The opponent pressed them with a solemn voice, suggesting they held a fairly high rank.
A small scuffle broke out between the one trying to enter and those trying to block him. Before long, the sound of the stranger entering echoed, as if the visitor had eventually won.
At the appearance of a new figure, Seong Mu-yeon stared at the entrance, tense. The footsteps echoed unusually loudly against the hard stone floor, adding to the tension.
However, when the visitor revealed himself, Seong Mu-yeon’s eyes widened in surprise for a different reason.
“B-Brother?! You’re safe!”
“That’s what I want to say, youngest! I’m glad to see you look healthy.”
The person was none other than the Sixth Young Master, Seong Mu-jae.
Seeing Seong Mu-jae, who had been dragged away by Seong Mu-geuk three years ago and whose life or death had been unknown, in perfect health brought an unexpected sense of relief.
Seong Mu-jae also wore a faint smile of pleasure.
“What happened? After you left like that, I was so anxious wondering what might have happened to you. Are you alright?”
“Yak Seon helped me somehow. What about you, Brother? Why are you here?”
At his question, Seong Mu-jae gave a bitter smile.
“The Third Brother gave me the task of managing this place. Internally, it is called the Demon Subjugation Valley. Three years ago, when I first arrived, it was a ruin with nothing in it, but I built everything, down to the smallest detail.”
Having lost his dantian, he likely had no way to escape the Third Young Master’s grasp. The regret of past days, where he had to do as he was told no matter how much he hated it, was melted into his smile.
“Still, I’m so glad you’ve stayed safe.”
Seong Mu-yeon was sincerely happy that he was safe. For three years, it had weighed on his heart that he hadn’t even tried to recover Seong Mu-jae amidst the fast and complex flow of events.
Whether those words provided comfort or not, Seong Mu-jae’s expression softened slightly, but the deep furrow between his brows remained.
“Do you know what the situation is outside? Did you see who is attacking the Demon Subjugation Valley?”
“Who else could it be? It’s the Heartless Sword, Baek Ryeo-il, running wild like a boar. I can’t believe not a single thing about his temperament has changed.”
Seong Mu-jae clicked his tongue, bursting out in irritation. Conversely, a warm glow spread through Seong Mu-yeon’s chest.
It really is Baek Ryeo-il.
He came to save me.
“What are you so happy about that you’re grinning like that?”
Seong Mu-jae frowned with disapproval.
“No matter how great he is, he won’t be able to set a single foot inside the Demon Subjugation Valley alone. He’s just wasting his strength for nothing. The terrain is unfavorable, but choosing a time when both the Right Horse General and Left Horse General are present was a blunder.”
Those words snapped Seong Mu-yeon back to reality.
“C-Could he be hurt? What if he’s poisoned by the Poison Freak? What if he’s bewitched by Young Master Peng Yuan-jin…?”
“Get a grip, youngest. Is this the time for you to worry about that guy? You’re in a dire situation yourself! Do you think your brother secretly came to see you while the Left Horse General was away for no reason? I nearly fainted when I heard you were captured! Why on earth would you set foot in a place like this!”
Seong Mu-jae scolded him fiercely.
“No, who would want to set foot here… I was dragged here too.”
“You wandered around recklessly without a shred of fear, and look at you now! How are you any different from livestock waiting for the day they’re slaughtered! What do you plan to do now?!”
“I mean…”
His personality—willful, refusing to listen to others, and only saying what he wanted to say—remained the same. His talent for making someone feel irritated in less than fifteen minutes of reuniting was truly remarkable.
Seong Mu-jae brushed back his hair anxiously. Seong Mu-yeon glimpsed the fear hidden beneath that.
Seong Mu-jae looked very gaunt, as if he had suffered great hardships over the last three years. His skin was more parched and dry than when he had been hiding and begging for food in an abandoned hut in the forest.
“Whether by choice or force, now that you’ve set foot here, there is only one option for you. Quietly follow the Third Brother’s will. Swear that you’ve changed your mind and will serve him with all your heart.”
Letting out a sigh that felt as if the ground were sinking, Seong Mu-jae gripped his shoulder firmly and pressed him in a low but strong voice.
“The prestige of the Divine Demon Sect is greater than expected. I’ve even started to think that the Third Brother might actually rewrite the history of the Demonic Cult. In such a situation, opposing him will only lead to a dog’s death.”
“Brother…”
“The orthodox sects? I’m telling you, the day those pretenders who spout empty words kneel before the power of the Divine Demon Sect is not far off. I thought you were quick with calculations, youngest, but it seems you’re completely clueless.”
Seong Mu-jae’s judgment was not entirely wrong. It was a self-evident fact, proven through the Director, that the Divine Demon Sect commanded by the Third Young Master, Seong Mu-geuk, would not only swallow the Old Demon Sect of the Shingang headquarters but also extend its demonic claws into the Central Plains.
However, while the Third Young Master’s prestige might seem to pierce the heavens right now, Seong Mu-jae did not know that on the opposite side, a great Chivalrous Knight-Errant named Baek Ryeo-il was waiting to tear his throat out.
Suddenly, Seong Mu-yeon realized that the sounds of battle, which had been familiar to his ears all night, had subsided. Simultaneously, a cold voice was heard.
“I believe I clearly warned you not to approach him, Sixth Young Master.”
Peng Yuan-jin appeared, looking deeply fatigued. He glared at Seong Mu-jae with cold eyes and immediately approached the bed where Peng Do-hwan was lying.
“The Seven Sons rebelled against the Lord and caused immense loss by extorting his possessions. Furthermore, he is a man who carried out an attack. Surely you wouldn’t want to lose the position you barely obtained through extreme hardship due to foolish sympathy.”
Perhaps exhausted by the battle that continued through the night, even the soft smile he always maintained had vanished. Because of this, Peng Yuan-jin, who had previously felt eerie as if wearing clothes that didn’t fit, now looked closer to a figure befitting a high-ranking member of the Demonic Cult.
“Left Horse General… do not misunderstand. I simply came to see my younger brother.”
Though his complexion turned sallow with fear, Seong Mu-jae did not quietly back down.
“If my actions are a problem, then isn’t it also an inappropriate situation for Young Master Peng Do-hwan, a scion of a noble family, to be here?”
“…….”
As if mentioning his brother had touched a raw nerve, Peng Yuan-jin finally took his eyes off Peng Do-hwan and glared at Seong Mu-jae.
“What is your scheme? Are you trying to secretly smuggle the Seven Sons out? No matter what you say, I cannot hand him over.”
“I am not asking for anything else, but it seems this child has also suffered much outside. He has changed his heart and is repenting for his past mistakes. He says he wishes to devote himself to the Divine Demon Sect if the Third Brother only forgives him; surely we have no right to dispose of him as we please?”
“…….”
“My brother is not such a cold-hearted person as to cast someone away for a single mistake. Since I also received a second chance, why couldn’t the youngest? Much time has passed, so I believe it is right to proceed after receiving the brother’s confirmation. What do you think, Left Horse General?”