Chapter 387: We’re Not Exactly on Smiling Terms
Chapter 387: We’re Not Exactly on Smiling Terms
As he reached the top of the stairs, the figure of Heavenly Demon Geom Wu-jin came into view.
For the first time in a long while, Jin Pae-cheon felt his heart race.
How long has it been since I felt this kind of excitement?
Geom Wu-jin had already risen from his seat, waiting for him.
Demonic and Orthodox. Orthodox and Demonic.
The leaders of two factions that had waged an endless, bloody war for ages.
The two men stared at each other in silence. It was their first reunion in over a decade. Ordinarily, they should have exchanged formal greetings, but neither spoke. Words simply failed them.
Jin Pae-cheon was the first to break the silence.
"Your eyes are exactly the same."
Meeting Geom Wu-jin again made Jin Pae-cheon realize something. He realized just how much he disliked this man—how much he truly loathed the Demonic Cult. The version of Geom Wu-jin he had held in his imagination had been far too beautified.
A surge of hostility so immense washed over him that he wondered where all this hatred had been hiding.
The self-control he had cultivated over decades of meeting countless people crumbled the moment he met that cold, haughty gaze.
This man’s eyes hadn't changed. Nor had his ambition to swallow the Murim.
Jin Pae-cheon’s heart turned cold.
This time, Geom Wu-jin spoke, his voice calm.
"You haven't changed either."
The way he addressed him and the comment itself were both grating. It could have been interpreted positively—as in, "you haven't aged a bit"—but Jin Pae-cheon didn't take it that way.
He realized anew that despite his domineering personality, he had been remarkably patient lately.
As these thoughts took hold, the air around them began to chill.
The taut tension wasn't limited to the two of them.
The first floor was the same.
A fierce war of nerves was underway between the Orthodox experts and the Demon Lords.
Geom Mu-geuk stood at the front of the Demon Lords.
Jin Ha-gun stood before the line of Orthodox experts.
Beside them stood Jo Chun-bae, who hadn't managed to retreat into the kitchen in time. He had been watching the Murim Alliance Leader head upstairs when the clash of auras erupted on the first floor.
In a room where everyone stood deathly still, he didn't have the courage to be the only one moving toward the kitchen.
The only saving grace was that no one was emitting an aura strong enough to physically harm others. It was, quite literally, a staring contest.
But their gazes were sharp enough to pierce hearts and sever necks.
Anyone could have uttered a single word to ignite the fuse, but fortunately, everyone remained silent.
Jin Ha-ryeong saw it—how Geom Mu-geuk remained incredibly relaxed even in this touch-and-go situation.
— Shouldn't you stop them?
— How am I supposed to stop these people?
Then again, considering the caliber of the people gathered here, it was absurd to believe that even Geom Mu-geuk could control them. Every single person present was powerful enough to be a regional hegemon.
— It’ll be fine. I don’t think your grandfather is reckless or stupid enough to bring people who would start a brawl in a place like this.
Jin Ha-ryeong looked at the experts standing beside her. She knew who they were, but she didn't know them intimately. Right, Grandfather must have kept them in line.
If anything, she was more worried about what was happening upstairs.
Her gaze drifted back toward the second floor. She still couldn't hear any conversation.
Are they talking via Voice Transmission? Even so, shouldn't there be some standard greetings? "Welcome," "It's been a while," "Thank you for coming." "How's the Alliance doing?" "Is the Cult running smoothly?" No matter how much you dislike the other person, shouldn't you at least say that much?
The second floor was silent, and the first floor was silent.
The tension was so thick it felt like it could explode at any second.
It was then.
Jo Chun-bae, who had been looking up at the second floor, felt a chill run down his spine.
He turned around to find that everyone inside had shifted their gaze toward the entrance.
A man stood there.
He was dressed in clean, black martial robes. He scanned the experts of the Demonic Cult and the Orthodox faction. His eyes were small, but his gaze was intense.
A single look was all it took. The man’s sheer presence seemed to suck the tension right out of the room.
Directly behind him stood a young man who looked terrifyingly fierce, followed by nine more warriors.
Based on the Eight Demon Lords, the Murim Alliance had brought one fewer person, while the Unorthodox Path Alliance had brought one more.
Baek Ja-gang was a thorough realist; he wasn't the type to reduce his numbers out of pride.
Jo Chun-bae could feel it. These newcomers possessed a presence equal to the Murim Alliance experts who had entered before them.
Whether they were looking at the Demon Lords or the Orthodox experts, they showed not a hint of intimidation.
Jo Chun-bae’s gaze returned to the man in black.
Based on his attire alone, he looked like an ordinary martial artist, but his presence overwhelmed everyone standing behind him. It was a moment where plain black cloth seemed to eclipse the most ornate robes.
Geom Mu-geuk called out loudly.
"The Leader of the Unorthodox Path Alliance has arrived!"
At the mention of the Unorthodox Path Alliance Leader, Jo Chun-bae let out a groan that sounded like a muffled scream and quickly covered his mouth.
He had wondered if anything else today could possibly surprise him. It could.
"Thank you for traveling such a long distance."
Baek Ja-gang looked at Geom Mu-geuk for a moment.
This young man, Geom Mu-geuk, was half the reason he had come here. He was as curious about how Geom Wu-jin had raised such a son as he was about whether Geom Wu-jin still harbored ambitions of unifying the Murim.
And this matter went beyond winning or losing the "parenting competition"; it concerned the future of the Unorthodox Path Alliance. The boy before him had not yet been harvested. He couldn't even begin to guess what form that harvest would take.
Baek Ja-gang strode toward the stairs leading to the second floor.
Fist Demon offered to guide him, but he declined.
As he was about to head up, Baek Ja-gang stopped in front of Jo Chun-bae, who was standing near the stairs with his head bowed.
Don't come over here! Please, just go upstairs!
Jo Chun-bae was having an extraordinary experience. After the Heavenly Demon and the Murim Alliance Leader, he was now standing before the Leader of the Unorthodox Path Alliance.
"Are you the proprietor of this establishment?"
Jo Chun-bae looked up at the deep, resonant voice. It was a truly pleasant voice to hear.
"I am."
When he answered in a trembling voice, Baek Ja-gang shifted his gaze to Geom Mu-geuk.
"The Young Cult Leader spoke highly of you."
Knowing that Baek Ja-gang said this as a gesture of consideration for him, Geom Mu-geuk smiled. Baek Ja-gang gave a slight smile with his eyes and headed upstairs.
People really do need to see each other often, Mu-geuk thought. The more he looked at those small eyes, the cooler they seemed.
Geom Mu-geuk approached the dazed Jo Chun-bae.
"That’s right. This meeting today is the first-ever Three-Party Summit between the Cult Leader, the Murim Alliance Leader, and the Unorthodox Path Alliance Leader."
Finally, the moment arrived when Jo Chun-bae learned the true nature of today's gathering. It was also the moment the identity of the person for the final chair was revealed.
A meeting at Majeongsa? They decided to hold that meeting in my tavern? The Cult Leader, the Murim Alliance Leader, and the Unorthodox Path Alliance Leader are sitting in my chairs? Our chairs!
Jo Chun-bae looked up with a bright face, then flinched and bowed his head again.
Everyone on the first floor was looking at him.
People he would never have even made eye contact with in his entire life were staring at him, a mere tavern owner.
A sudden wave of fear washed over him, and his whole body began to tremble.
"I believe this place is more wonderful than any other venue suited for a Three-Party Summit."
Hearing Geom Mu-geuk’s calm voice and seeing his gentle gaze, the trembling subsided.
Right, if it weren't for the Young Cult Leader, I would be dead already. What is there to be afraid of?
Geom Mu-geuk had supposedly praised him to both the Murim Alliance Leader and the Unorthodox Path Alliance Leader. Jo Chun-bae summoned his courage.
"I will do my absolute best with the cooking."
Jo Chun-bae strode confidently toward the kitchen.
Behind him, Geom Mu-geuk shouted loudly.
"For today, you are the king of every tavern in the world!"
For a moment, Jo Chun-bae’s legs gave out, and he nearly stumbled.
Jin Ha-ryeong burst out laughing at Geom Mu-geuk’s words. She had been caught off guard and couldn't hold it in.
An elderly Orthodox expert standing next to her looked back, and Jin Ha-ryeong quickly wiped the smile from her face.
The Young Cult Leader is truly a madman. And I’m a madwoman for coming all this way just to see that madman.
On the other hand, those who had only heard rumors of Geom Mu-geuk glared at him, thinking, What on earth is he doing? Was he mocking them?
— Be careful of that tavern owner.
They even exchanged such Voice Transmissions. They had misinterpreted Jo Chun-bae as a secret weapon prepared by the Demonic Cult.
Bi Sa-in, Jin Ha-gun, and Jin Ha-ryeong knew better. They knew the tavern owner was an utterly ordinary man. And they knew that Geom Mu-geuk’s Demonic Path existed to protect such ordinary people. No matter how many people were in this cramped tavern, he would never let those tables be broken.
— You’re actually pulling this off, Jin Ha-gun sent via Voice Transmission.
Geom Mu-geuk replied, — We pulled it off. Though I didn't realize they would hate each other quite this much.
Then again, it was no different from mortal enemies meeting for the first time in ten years.
— Can you resolve this well?
— I have to try.
Now, the staring contest on the first floor had become a three-way battle.
With their respective successors at the front, they stood in lines, glaring at one another.
The Orthodox experts hated the Unorthodox faction almost as much as they hated the Demonic Cultists.
The Great Righteous Hero Im Sang-gon glared at an Unorthodox expert. There was one person in particular he despised.
Thunderstrike Blade Cheon-mang.
He was an expert who had recently gained fame in the Unorthodox Path, and several Orthodox warriors had died fighting him. Im Sang-gon had hoped to meet him one day, and here he was.
As the Great Righteous Hero glared, the Thunderstrike Blade reacted. He stared back without averting his eyes.
The gazes of the two men, who were cursing each other with their eyes, gradually grew heated.
If left alone, it seemed they would charge at each other regardless of the consequences.
Just then, someone placed a hand on Thunderstrike Blade’s shoulder.
When he turned around, Goe Ak, one of the Seven Great Masters of the Unorthodox Path, shook his head slightly, telling him to stop.
Goe Ak was an acquaintance of the Thunderstrike Blade. Since he had intervened so visibly, it gave the younger man an excuse to back down. Sure enough, the Thunderstrike Blade looked away.
Bi Sa-in sent Goe Ak a look of approval.
The situation on the second floor wasn't much different.
When Baek Ja-gang reached the second floor, Geom Wu-jin and Jin Pae-cheon rose to greet him.
The three men were finally gathered in one place.
Demonic, Orthodox, Unorthodox.
The first summit of the era.
Baek Ja-gang could tell.
He could guess the atmosphere just by the heavy energy flowing through the room.
Well, we’re not exactly on smiling terms.
If not for the extraordinary variable that was Geom Mu-geuk, they might never have seen each other's faces until the day they died. Or perhaps they would have seen them on the day they died.
Knowing the atmosphere wasn't right for formal greetings, Baek Ja-gang took the remaining seat.
Once he sat, Geom Wu-jin and Jin Pae-cheon sat as well. Greetings were skipped entirely.
Baek Ja-gang looked at Geom Wu-jin first. Seeing him after so long, he felt different than the last time.
You’re getting older too.
However, that gaze that seemed to look down on everyone was exactly the same.
Baek Ja-gang then looked at Jin Pae-cheon. He was staring out the window, ignoring the other two.
If Jin Pae-cheon hated Geom Wu-jin, it wasn't as if he liked Baek Ja-gang.
Baek Ja-gang could tell.
He’s already fuming.
It was likely because of Geom Wu-jin’s gaze. If it made even him feel this unpleasant, how much more would it irritate that prideful, stubborn old man?
Is this meeting even possible?
At the same time, a doubt rose in Baek Ja-gang’s mind.
This man raised a son like that?
This cold, blunt man raised that talkative, bright son? He wanted to ask right then and there.
Just how on earth did you raise that boy?
Even with the three of them gathered, it was silent. Someone needed to take the lead and drive the conversation, but none of the three had any intention of doing so.
The silence on the second floor only heightened the tension on the first. At this rate, someone upstairs might just say:
"Wipe them all out!"
If that one sentence was uttered, this place would become a bloodbath in an instant.
And the one to resolve this heavy atmosphere was Geom Mu-geuk.
"Master."
Everyone’s attention snapped to Geom Mu-geuk.
The Demon Lords who knew him all thought the same thing.
Right, the Young Cult Leader is stepping in. Now the mood will shift, and the meeting will truly begin.
They felt relieved that they weren't the ones being singled out.
What kind of mischief is he up to now?
Fist Demon was inwardly anxious, but he replied in a low, heavy voice.
"What is it?"
"About the Young Alliance Leader of the Unorthodox Path over there."
This time, Bi Sa-in flinched. Why me? He had a bad feeling.
Please, don't say anything useless!
Geom Mu-geuk’s question shattered Bi Sa-in’s desperate hope in an instant.
"That face... isn't it exactly the kind of face you prefer, Master?"
It was a question that left both men bewildered. Since the room was silent, Geom Mu-geuk’s words were heard not only by the three men upstairs but even by Jo Chun-bae in the kitchen.
Everyone’s eyes focused on Fist Demon.
In the middle of a Three-Party Summit, he was being asked to evaluate the face of the Unorthodox Path's Young Alliance Leader?
It was the kind of situation where thunder should have roared from Fist Demon’s fists, but the thunder only roared in his heart. The thunder sounded like this:
I’ll see you afterward.
Since he couldn't scold the Young Cult Leader in this setting, and ignoring him might be seen as a slight toward Bi Sa-in...
"I like faces that look manly. Yes, that's right. It is a face I like."
It was something the usual Fist Demon would never have said. But he knew that Geom Mu-geuk was starting to move for the sake of this unstable and perilous meeting. So, he stepped up for his disciple.
If anyone else had said it, Bi Sa-in might have been offended.
Is this brat mocking me?
But it was said by Fist Demon, the man whose sheer appearance could intimidate everyone gathered here.
"Thank you for the kind words," Bi Sa-in said, cupping his fists in a salute of gratitude.
It would have been nice if it ended there, but...
"What do you think of my Master’s face?"
Bi Sa-in was flustered. He never imagined he’d be asked about Fist Demon’s face.
— Why me? Why not tease Captain Jin over there!
— Because teasing you is more fun.
In the past, he would have reflexively said something like "He looks magnificent" or "He looks even more manly" out of panic.
But things were different now.
Bi Sa-in looked at Fist Demon first. Setting aside his prejudices, he calmly observed him.
"He is the most terrifying-looking person I have ever met in the Murim."
He spoke honestly but politely.
Fist Demon didn't seem to find the attitude offensive and accepted it with a soft joke.
"Fortunately, this face is quite helpful in my line of work."
The Orthodox and Unorthodox experts present found it quite surprising. He was very different from the Fist Demon they had heard of in rumors.
In any case, the conversation had started with a ridiculous question, but it resulted in softening the explosive atmosphere on the first floor.
And to top it off with a final quip, Geom Mu-geuk said to Bi Sa-in:
"Actually, I like faces like yours too, Young Alliance Leader."
To which Bi Sa-in asked:
"If you could swap faces with me, would you?"
"..."
This brief exchange alone revealed the relationship between the two. They did not hide their friendship before the experts gathered here.
Just then, Geom Wu-jin’s voice drifted down from the second floor.
"Mu-geuk, come up."
Then, as if competing, Jin Pae-cheon spoke.
"Ha-gun, come up."
Baek Ja-gang wasn't about to be left out.
"Sa-in, come up."
And so, the three of them headed to the second floor.
The three leaders upstairs realized that the meeting wouldn't be easy with just themselves. They hated each other far too much. How could they talk when they didn't even want to look at one another?
The three successors stood beside their respective Cult Leader and Alliance Leaders.
Then, Geom Wu-jin spoke.
"Mu-yang, you come up as well."
Geom Mu-yang, not expecting to be called, climbed to the second floor in surprise.
He stood on the opposite side of Geom Mu-geuk, like a pair of wings.
So you have two sons, do you? Ridiculous. Jin Pae-cheon, the doting grandfather, couldn't hold back.
"Ha-ryeong, come up."
Jin Ha-ryeong went up and stood opposite Jin Ha-gun. Jin Pae-cheon wore a proud expression.
Baek Ja-gang looked at the two of them with an incredulous face.
Is this how we're doing this?