Chapter 313: What Would You Have Done Without Me?
Chapter 313: What Would You Have Done Without Me?
The Pungcheon Cult Leader, who usually spent his time cracking jokes, was now a completely different person. An aura of untouchable dignity radiated from him.
The reaction of the ghosts in the restaurant was far different from when Geom Mu-geuk had first appeared. Toward Mu-geuk, they had shown a mix of curiosity and blatant hostility.
But they didn't dare act that way toward the Pungcheon Cult Leader. They, too, had seen the hellscape unfolding beyond the open door—the piles of ghost corpses strewn across the ground.
The Pungcheon Cult Leader walked slowly through the ghosts, approaching Geom Mu-geuk and Hwan-yeo.
At his appearance, Gwi Suk’s expression froze as he peeked out from the kitchen. Of all the people who could have shown up, the one person who absolutely shouldn't have was standing right there.
Watching that reaction, a thought occurred to Geom Mu-geuk: perhaps these two knew the Pungcheon Cult Leader even better than he did.
Reaching the spot where the two stood, the Pungcheon Cult Leader glared at Hwan-yeo and spoke coldly.
“Is it you? The bitch who dared lay a hand on my disciple.”
Hwan-yeo’s face twitched. Where would she have ever heard such an insult? And even if she had, would she have ever tolerated it?
Yet, she didn't dare snap back with something like, 'Was that pathetic wench your disciple?'
Geom Mu-geuk looked at the Pungcheon Cult Leader and smiled. He hadn't realized the man's presence would feel so reassuring within an illusion.
“In this illusion, you truly are the Heavenly Demon, Cult Leader.”
The Pungcheon Cult Leader’s shoulders squared with pride.
“What would you have done if I hadn't come? Why did you let yourself get dragged all the way here?”
“I was counting on you, of course.”
Amidst their banter, the Pungcheon Cult Leader asked a silent question with his eyes: Did you find out what you needed to know?
Mu-geuk gave a slight shake of his head.
As if deciding to find out for himself, the Pungcheon Cult Leader turned back to Hwan-yeo.
“The Yin-Yang Soul Reversal Technique is a Soul-Seizing Technique of the Blood Cult that was lost long ago. How did you learn it?”
Hwan-yeo remained silent. The Pungcheon Cult Leader didn't know her, but she knew him well. While studying illusion arts, the name she had heard most often wasn't the Heavenly Demon or the Murim Alliance Leader—it was the Pungcheon Cult Leader.
“So, the famous Pungcheon Cult Leader has become a dog of the Demonic Cult.”
Geom Mu-geuk watched to see how the man would react to her provocation.
This was the same Pungcheon Cult Leader who would fly into a rage every time Go Wol teased him. But now, he showed exactly how differently he treated a friend versus an enemy.
“Isn't being a dog a hundred times better than being a human who crawls around in the shadows plotting conspiracies?”
Just then, a ghost from behind lunged in a surprise attack.
The moment the creature tried to sink its teeth into the Pungcheon Cult Leader’s neck, the man spun around and seized it by the scruff of its neck.
“Where did you learn such bad manners? Biting from behind... you're just like your master!”
The Pungcheon Cult Leader slapped the ghost across the face.
It looked like a playful, light swat, but his movements contained the profound mysteries of illusion arts that had reached the ultimate stage.
A flash of light flickered in the soulless ghost’s eyes before quickly fading away.
Thud.
The ghost collapsed to the floor, becoming a mere corpse.
The other ghosts who had been standing near the one he just killed rushed forward.
The Pungcheon Cult Leader handled them with ease. After lightly suppressing the ones charging wildly, he slammed their heads together.
Crack!
Once again, the eyes of the two ghosts flashed and then went dark. They didn't die from the impact of the collision; it was because of the profound energy infused into the Pungcheon Cult Leader’s hands.
The remaining ghosts rose from their seats in unison and let out a piercing shriek.
Kee-he-he-he-he-he!
It was a Ghostly Wailing designed to shake the very soul.
Geom Mu-geuk’s Body Protection Qi activated, shielding his spirit from the sound.
The Pungcheon Cult Leader shouted, “Shut up, you bastards!”
His voice boomed like a Lion’s Roar, and the Ghostly Wailing vanished instantly.
In that moment of collective terror among the ghosts, Gwi Suk began to chant an oral formula in a low voice. Immediately, ghostly qi began to surge from the ghosts' bodies.
Hwan-yeo also leaped back and began her own chant.
Madness flooded the ghosts' eyes, as if they had taken a drug to amplify their internal energy. It felt as though their strength, already doubled by Gwi Suk, had doubled once more.
Even so, Geom Mu-geuk did not stop them. While the simplest way to end this fight would be to kill those two, Hwan-yeo could not be killed yet. She was needed to perform the ritual to remove the Yin-Yang Soul Reversal Technique from Cheong-seon. Furthermore, this was the last chance to learn about the Illusion King.
Exuding ghostly qi and killing intent, the ghosts from all directions lunged at once. They swung their palms, aiming for vital points. They swung, scratched, bit, and tore, radiating a suffocating ghostly qi. Their entire bodies were weapons.
The Pungcheon Cult Leader took the lead in facing them.
He personally demonstrated exactly how he had carved a path through the countless ghosts outside the door.
The Pungcheon Cult Leader was faster than expected. The assumption that his martial arts would be weak because he specialized in illusions was nothing more than a prejudice.
He wove through the ghosts. Using light footwork that looked like a dance, he tapped their foreheads and chests with his palms.
The technique looked effortless, but it was anything but. At his touch, the ghosts that had been raging like madmen collapsed like stalks of straw.
Black energy began to rise from Hwan-yeo and Gwi Suk. Their chanting grew faster, and the ghosts became even more powerful.
The ghostly qi filling the room became suffocating. The Heavenly Demon Body Protection Art activated with greater intensity, shielding Mu-geuk’s body. Without it, enduring this energy would not have been easy.
On the other hand, the Pungcheon Cult Leader remained completely unfazed, dealing with them just as he had from the start.
He used ghosts as shields to block attacks and swung them around like dolls. Every time they were slapped, struck on the back of the head, or hit in the stomach, they turned into corpses.
As they disappeared one by one, the expressions of Hwan-yeo and Gwi Suk grew increasingly grim. Eventually, they gave up on their chanting. They realized that these ghosts would never be enough.
With that, the remaining ghosts became corpses even faster.
Wham!
The Pungcheon Cult Leader delivered a final, powerful blow to the last ghost. Its body shattered as it flew between the two leaders and slammed into the wall.
In an instant, all the ghosts inside had been turned into corpses. Since they had no souls to begin with, calling them corpses felt a bit strange, but the result was the same.
Gwi Suk and Hwan-yeo looked at each other. They hadn't expected the ghosts to kill the Pungcheon Cult Leader, but they never imagined he would dispose of them all without a single scratch.
Geom Mu-geuk was genuinely impressed.
“I didn't know you were this agile, Cult Leader.”
“I lost weight because of Go Wol’s nagging.”
Just as a person who didn't know an artist could paint or a musician could play is struck by their talent, the Pungcheon Cult Leader looked magnificent as he revealed his true skill.
Even his gaze was different now. In a situation where he would normally be full of jokes, he was staring at the two enemies with deep, focused eyes. On the battlefield, he never let his guard down.
As if the real fight was only beginning, Gwi Suk stepped forward.
Watching him calmly, the Pungcheon Cult Leader spoke to Geom Mu-geuk.
“The ghostly qi is thick. Be careful.”
He did not underestimate Gwi Suk.
As Gwi Suk strode forward, the Pungcheon Cult Leader walked out to meet him.
“You are a disgrace to the Outer Rim Murim.”
Gwi Suk took a jab at the Pungcheon Cult Leader for siding with Geom Mu-geuk. He thought it was his greatest weakness, but that was only because he didn't understand the relationship between the two.
The Pungcheon Cult Leader nodded.
“Fine, let's say I'm a disgrace. Then what are you? The pride of the Outer Rim?”
Having gained Go Wol and Geom Mu-geuk as allies, he wasn't angry at all, even when called a disgrace. In the past, such words would have made him jump in rage.
“If you're going to insult someone, shouldn't you reveal who you are first? Who exactly are you?”
What could those who operated in the shadows possibly say?
Instead of answering, Gwi Suk summoned his subordinates from the kitchen.
Men dressed as cooks swarmed out. There were so many that it was hard to believe the kitchen could hold them all.
There were nine in total. Each held a rectangular kitchen cleaver. Red ghostly qi flowed from their eyes and their blades.
They weren't living beings either, but they overflowed with a ghostly qi far more powerful than the ghosts from before. If the previous ghosts were a disorganized mob, these were well-trained warriors.
This time, Geom Mu-geuk stepped forward.
“I'll handle them.”
The Pungcheon Cult Leader looked at him, a flash of worry in his eyes. No matter how strong Mu-geuk was, this was a world within an illusion.
“I suspect the next ones will be even stronger, so I'll take care of the weaklings first.”
At Mu-geuk’s relaxed attitude, the Pungcheon Cult Leader let go of his worry. Indeed, if he couldn't trust Geom Mu-geuk, who could he trust?
Meanwhile, the aura of the cooks grew even sharper. Though they existed only in the illusion, they understood human speech and possessed emotions.
They lunged at Geom Mu-geuk.
Swish! Whoosh! Shhh!
The cleavers flying toward him with sharp whistles began to shift and change.
Their attacks were fast and unpredictable. On top of that, they executed a perfect combined attack technique. In an instant, dozens of sword lines embroidered the air.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
Hwan-yeo and Gwi Suk tried to pressure Mu-geuk with ghostly qi while chanting their formulas again.
But the Pungcheon Cult Leader released his own aura, blocking their energy.
At the boundary where Mu-geuk and the cooks fought, two powerful energies collided. It was a two-on-one battle of wills, but the Pungcheon Cult Leader did not yield.
Slash!
Mu-geuk’s Black Demonic Sword cut through the chest of the lead cook. The strike was deep enough to cleave the body in two, but the opponent did not fall.
The second one was the same. Even after being pierced through the heart, he didn't go down. No fatal wound seemed capable of stopping them.
Unlike the previous ghosts, these were enemies that couldn't be killed unless their specific counter-dispelling method was found and struck.
Despite being pushed back by the Pungcheon Cult Leader’s internal energy, smiles appeared on the faces of Hwan-yeo and Gwi Suk. They were certain that no matter how talented the Young Cult Leader was, he wouldn't be able to handle these foes here.
If Geom Mu-geuk hadn't used the Blood Eye Purifying Water, and if he hadn't received the New Eye Technique, this would have surely been the grueling, blood-soaked battle they expected.
But as he focused his gaze using the Blood Eye Purifying Water and the New Eye Technique, a part of each cook's body began to glow with a faint blue light. For one, it was the arm; for another, it was the left knee.
Knowing exactly where he needed to strike, how could they possibly be a match for him?
He unleashed a sequence of Dark Shadow Step, Blink Step, and Underworld King Step. His Wind God Four Steps had become faster and more precise than ever before. Mu-geuk could feel it himself, and those watching were left in utter shock.
In a flash, Mu-geuk moved like someone who had transcended time and space.
As he thrust his sword precisely into the blue-glowing weaknesses, the enemies who looked like they would keep fighting even if their heads were cut off died instantly and collapsed.
With every surge of shock from Hwan-yeo and Gwi Suk, another man fell.
Gwi Suk tried to intervene halfway through, but he couldn't find the right moment. Mu-geuk didn't show a single opening; if Gwi Suk jumped in recklessly, he was certain he would die by that sword as well.
And so, the nine cooks were turned into corpses in the blink of an eye.
Gwi Suk asked with a shocked face, “How did you find the counter-dispelling method?”
He was stunned that Mu-geuk could see it.
Geom Mu-geuk expressed his gratitude to the Pungcheon Cult Leader.
“It's thanks to the Cult Leader.”
If the man hadn't blocked the ghostly qi of those two, Mu-geuk’s body would have felt much heavier. Even if he could see the weaknesses, it would have been a difficult fight. The Pungcheon Cult Leader’s contribution to this battle was immense.
Gwi Suk misunderstood that expression of gratitude.
“As I thought, you are a cowardly man.”
He assumed the Pungcheon Cult Leader had told him the counter-dispelling method. In a way, it was true, since the Blood Eye Purifying Water was a sacred relic of the Pungcheon Cult.
The Pungcheon Cult Leader didn't bother to make excuses.
“You, who sent out things that don't die even when their hearts are pierced, have the nerve to talk about being cowardly?”
After spitting out those words, the Pungcheon Cult Leader looked at Geom Mu-geuk. Their gazes met in mid-air. They were both deeply worried about each other, but at the same time, their mutual trust was growing. This was the first time they had truly fought side-by-side like this.
This time, Hwan-yeo stepped forward.
“It won't be so easy this time.”
Blood began to drip from the ceiling.
Each drop grew larger on the floor until they rose up as hideous monsters. Creatures so revolting and terrifying that just looking at them was enough to cause fear rose one after another. They were larger than the warriors of the Demon Army. Dozens of these massive monsters filled the restaurant.
“I don't know how you found the weaknesses before, but these Blood Spirits will be different. A Blood Spirit can never be killed as long as this space remains intact.”
Indeed, no blue light was visible on the beings called Blood Spirits.
Geom Mu-geuk slowly backed away and spoke to the Pungcheon Cult Leader.
“I told you the next ones would be stronger.”
“And the ones after that will be even more horrific, won't they?”
The Pungcheon Cult Leader was reading Mu-geuk’s mind perfectly.
“Are you worried about me?”
He was asking if Mu-geuk intended to take on the stronger enemies himself, knowing they must have more tricks up their sleeves. He was incredibly sharp.
While Mu-geuk trusted the Pungcheon Cult Leader more than anyone, his heart still wanted to face the more dangerous enemies himself.
You are the one who came to get me, but I will be the one who leads us out.
He intended to take the man out without a single scratch on him.
“Of course not. Please handle the next ones too, Cult Leader!”
Mu-geuk knew better than anyone that he had to answer this way to get the desired response.
“Not a chance! You take the next ones.”
The Pungcheon Cult Leader stepped in front of Geom Mu-geuk.
Mu-geuk stared at his back.
The back of the Pungcheon Cult Leader who joked around while insulting himself was his back, and this back, which showed not a hint of fear even before these terrifying Blood Spirits, was also his. The feeling his back gave was different from anyone else's.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
The Blood Spirits approached with terrifying momentum, making the floor vibrate.
Even for the Pungcheon Cult Leader, dealing with them wouldn't be easy, so Mu-geuk was inwardly tense, ready to jump into the fray at any moment.
When the Pungcheon Cult Leader held out his hand, it was as if a single drop of ink had fallen into the air.
That tiny dot expanded instantly, creating a large black hole in the void.
“It’s dangerous!” Gwi Suk shouted out of instinctive dread.
Whirrrrrrrr!
The black hole began to swirl like a vortex, sucking in the Blood Spirits.
The Blood Spirits were pulled inside in an instant. It wasn't a hole they could resist. It was a void that consumed everything in its path.
The sight of those massive, terrifying Blood Spirits being sucked in helplessly was so surreal it felt impossible.
Once all the Blood Spirits were consumed, the black circle shrank back into a tiny dot and vanished into the air with a soft pop.
It was as if nothing had ever happened in the first place.
In the face of this overwhelming illusion, Hwan-yeo, Gwi Suk, and even Geom Mu-geuk stood dazed with shock.
Then, words that only an absolute master of illusions could utter flowed calmly from the Pungcheon Cult Leader’s mouth.
“You may have opened this place, but this is my world now.”