Chapter 497: Things That Should Never Be Touched
Chapter 497: Things That Should Never Be Touched
Teacher Seong was an old man with hair as white as snow, yet his back remained straight and his gaze piercing.
His neatly tailored black robe contrasted sharply with his white hair, creating a peculiar, dignified atmosphere. He carried a large box, from which various mysterious tools peeked out from beneath a white cloth cover.
Jin Ha-gun was the first to greet him.
"It has been a long time, Teacher."
Jin Ha-gun had known Teacher Seong since he was a child. Within the Murim Alliance, the man was an indispensable authority on Demonic Arts; his research in the field was recognized by all.
From the Alliance's perspective, how could they not treasure a man who studied the techniques of their most formidable enemies? Even in his twilight years, he remained active, personally training several disciples.
"Have you been well, Captain Jin? I have heard much of your exploits as the leader of the Demon Extermination Squad."
Jin Ha-gun turned to introduce Geom Mu-geuk.
"This is the Young Cult Leader of the Divine Cult."
Teacher Seong started, clearly not expecting the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult to be present. He studied Geom Mu-geuk with a look of renewed interest.
"You look quite different from what I imagined."
Geom Mu-geuk offered a polite greeting and a thin smile.
"Your reputation precedes you, Elder."
"I would expect your kind to despise me."
"How could that be? Even on a day like today, it is thanks to you, Teacher, that we might clear our names."
Teacher Seong’s eyes narrowed.
"We shall see once the investigation is complete."
Ju Gwol, who had escorted Teacher Seong, made a solemn request.
"As you know, this is a grave matter. The truth of this incident rests solely in your hands, Teacher."
At that moment, Geom Mu-geuk spoke to Ju Gwol.
"Are you hoping we’re the culprits?"
Ju Gwol considered the thought. In truth, if there was someone else capable of such cruelty besides the Demonic Cult, it would be far more terrifying than the culprit being a Demonic Cultist.
Ju Gwol bowed respectfully to Teacher Seong once more.
"I leave it to you."
It was a plea born of a heart that desperately hoped the evidence of Demonic Arts would not be missed.
"Regardless of what you desire, I shall only reveal the facts as they are."
Teacher Seong walked toward the corpse of the Daejeong Sect Leader.
He opened his box, took out his tools, and began a full-scale investigation. He collected blood from the corpse, mixing it with liquids from various vials. He scrutinized the wounds with intense focus, applying different reagents to the severed flesh, bone, and organs.
He didn't limit his search to the body. He investigated the blood splatter patterns and the marks left on the walls. He scattered powdered medicine across the floor to reveal footprints, attempting to discern the specific footwork used. He performed every possible test.
Unless a technique left a very specific trace, it was usually difficult to identify an exact martial art, as there were countless similar techniques throughout the Murim.
After watching for a while, Geom Mu-geuk and Jin Ha-gun walked over to the window. Ju Gwol couldn't follow them and watched from a distance, his displeasure evident. He hated that Jin Ha-gun was associating so freely with the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult in a situation like this.
Geom Mu-geuk and Jin Ha-gun stared out the window in silence. Murim Alliance warriors were busy moving the bodies into the courtyard.
Jin Ha-gun saw it then—the look in Geom Mu-geuk’s eyes as he watched the scene was no different from his own. He was just as enraged, just as saddened.
Knowing Mu-geuk was this kind of person, Jin Ha-gun realized his earlier suspicion might have been a byproduct of his own personality. He was a man who didn't truly trust anyone—or perhaps, he simply didn't know how to trust.
"Why did you go to Shaanxi?"
At Jin Ha-gun’s question, Geom Mu-geuk answered honestly.
"Our Tongcheon Pavilion discovered the funding source for the masterminds in Shaanxi. I went to cut off their coin."
Jin Ha-gun looked at him. "Did you succeed?"
"Cleanly."
A faint smile touched Jin Ha-gun’s lips before vanishing.
"Do you think they are the ones behind this as well?"
"Maybe. Maybe not."
Was it revenge for the death of the Murder King?
If so, it meant those who had been plotting in the shadows were finally launching a proactive strike.
But the Murder King had died only recently. Could they have launched a revenge strike this quickly? This incident seemed meticulously prepared. Would they have had enough time to coordinate this in the interim?
Geom Mu-geuk sent a message via Voice Transmission.
— I am out here with my father.
Jin Ha-gun looked at Mu-geuk, his expression startled.
— I’m telling you because I don’t want to deceive you.
— Where is he now?
— He is at our Cult’s safe house.
Geom Mu-geuk looked Jin Ha-gun in the eye.
— That is the proof. Proof that we didn't do this. Would I commit such an atrocity while my father is with me?
Jin Ha-gun believed him completely now. He knew how much Mu-geuk loved and respected the Heavenly Demon. Even if he were to use some kind of trickery, he was not the type of person to use his father’s name to shield it.
— Thank you for telling me.
— When we become the Cult Leader and the Alliance Leader, we might face situations like this again. When that happens, tell me. Be honest, just as I am now. Then we can overcome any attempt to drive us apart, any misunderstanding.
The two looked at each other before turning back to the courtyard. The bodies were still being moved.
Meanwhile, Teacher Seong’s investigation continued. His process was meticulous and passionate. He didn't even flinch at the reagents that emitted a foul stench. He crawled across the floor where blood had pooled to find microscopic clues, and he tied red strings across the room, trying to reconstruct the battle that had taken place.
How much time had passed?
Finally, Teacher Seong finished his investigation.
Everyone gathered around him. Amidst the focused, tense gazes, Teacher Seong spoke calmly.
"I have identified the martial art."
Jin Ha-gun, Ju Gwol, and even Geom Mu-geuk waited for his answer with bated breath.
"The martial art used to kill the Daejeong Sect Leader was..."
Teacher Seong’s gaze turned toward Geom Mu-geuk.
"...a Demonic Art."
Jin Ha-gun flinched, while Ju Gwol wore an "I knew it" expression.
Geom Mu-geuk, however, remained calm. This conspiracy was truly well-planned. Although he had told Teacher Seong that he would clear their names, he had anticipated that the culprit might have used a Demonic Art to frame them.
Ju Gwol pressed Teacher Seong.
"Have you identified specifically which Demonic Art it was?"
To their surprise, Teacher Seong nodded. A shocking revelation flowed from his lips.
"It is the Demonic Art of a Demon Lord."
All three listeners were stunned.
This time, it was the previously calm Geom Mu-geuk who was most shocked. He truly hadn't expected a Demon Lord's technique to appear. Even Ju Gwol, who had been certain it was a Demonic Art, grew incredibly tense. The culprit was a Demon Lord? This was a problem on an entirely different level.
"Who is it? Which Demon Lord?"
At Ju Gwol’s trembling question, Teacher Seong pointed to one person.
"The Blood Heaven Blade Demon."
"!"
"It was his Heaven Extermination Demonic Blade Form that killed the Daejeong Sect Leader."
A heavy, suffocating silence fell over the room.
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon had massacred the Yumyeong Manor and the Daejeong Sect.
If this news spread through the Jianghu, not only the Chongqing Murim but the entire martial world would be thrown into an uproar. It was an incident that could easily serve as the catalyst for a total war between the Murim Alliance and the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
Jin Ha-gun looked at Geom Mu-geuk. Mu-geuk was staring silently at Teacher Seong.
Ju Gwol, taking that reaction as an admission of guilt, quickly dashed toward the entrance. He called in all his subordinates waiting outside, not even sparing a glance for Geom Mu-geuk.
The first thought that crossed Mu-geuk's mind after hearing Teacher Seong’s words was this:
Is Teacher Seong also someone recruited by Hwa Mu-gi’s side?
Because the result he produced was absurd.
However, in his life before the regression, Teacher Seong had never appeared in connection with the Twelve Zodiac. They might have helped them from the shadows, but it was unlikely. The Twelve Zodiac appeared after the Demonic Cult had sealed its gates, and Teacher Seong would have been unnecessary during that era.
Furthermore, there was one more thing.
If he had been recruited by them, he wouldn't have presented such a result in front of Mu-geuk, knowing he would be immediately suspected. He would have claimed it was a different martial art here, then gone to the Murim Alliance Leader in private to drive a wedge, saying he couldn't speak the truth in front of the Young Cult Leader.
This man is not their pawn.
That was why this result was so surprising and shocking to Geom Mu-geuk.
Jin Ha-gun confirmed with Teacher Seong once more.
"Are you certain it is the Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s martial art? As you know, Teacher, this is a very grave matter."
Teacher Seong replied firmly.
"I am certain."
There wasn't a hint of hesitation in his voice. He added weight to his claim with a face full of conviction.
"Even if the Demonic Cult Leader himself were here instead of the Young Cult Leader, I would give the same answer. I stake my name on it."
Jin Ha-gun was confused by his certainty. Up until the moment he said it was a Demonic Art, he had thought the masterminds had simply recruited an expert who used Demonic Arts to commit the deed.
But the martial art of a Demon Lord?
Could someone forge a Demon Lord's technique so perfectly?
It seemed impossible.
What if it really was the Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s doing?
Jin Ha-gun looked at Geom Mu-geuk. He didn't know what to say. He couldn't say he doubted Teacher Seong’s insight, nor could he say he trusted Mu-geuk in front of Teacher Seong.
Then, Geom Mu-geuk asked Jin Ha-gun a question.
"If evidence came out that the Murim Alliance Leader committed this act, would you believe that evidence?"
Since it was an absurd hypothetical, Jin Ha-gun didn't even answer.
"You wouldn't believe it for a second, would you? That is exactly how I feel right now."
Geom Mu-geuk stared intently at Teacher Seong.
"If that gentleman isn't faking the results, then we must find out how those bastards managed to create such a result."
Teacher Seong spoke sternly.
"I have not deceived anyone. Whether you believe it or not is irrelevant to the truth."
Geom Mu-geuk nodded silently.
"It had better be. I don't know who they are, but they keep touching things that should never be touched. They've made my father furious, and now they've made me furious."
It also meant the enemy knew his father and himself very well.
In the meantime, the warriors of the Chongqing Branch swarmed into the main hall, surrounding Geom Mu-geuk in layers. Thinking an incident had occurred, even the warriors of the Demon Extermination Squad entered to observe. Fortunately, nothing had happened to Jin Ha-gun.
Geom Mu-geuk spoke to Jin Ha-gun.
"I should be going now."
Jin Ha-gun couldn't find any trace of embarrassment or the look of a man caught in a plot in Geom Mu-geuk’s eyes. His gaze was clear and deep, as always.
"You'll have to uncover the truth as quickly as possible."
Jin Ha-gun believed in Geom Mu-geuk. He didn't trust the Demonic Cult, he didn't trust demonic practitioners, and he didn't trust the Blood Heaven Blade Demon—but he trusted his friend.
"I will. Thank you."
As Geom Mu-geuk tried to leave, Ju Gwol blocked his path. The branch warriors drew their swords in unison, circulating their internal energy.
"Now that the martial art used by the culprit has been revealed as a Demonic Art, we cannot let you leave like this."
He thought that if this was the Demonic Cult’s doing, this was the perfect opportunity to capture their Young Cult Leader.
Jin Ha-gun spoke to him.
"Even if we wanted to capture him, we couldn't do it with just our current numbers. Let him go."
Ju Gwol wasn't the only one surprised by those words. The warriors of the Chongqing Branch all thought the same.
Maybe for us, but with Captain Jin and the Demon Extermination Squad here, we can't capture a single Young Cult Leader?
In that moment, Ju Gwol deeply misunderstood.
He's letting him go because they're friends. Look here, Captain Jin. This incident could drag you down from your position as successor.
Jin Ha-gun looked at Ju Gwol and said, "Open the way."
Jin Ha-gun’s gaze was so firm that Ju Gwol could no longer be stubborn. When Ju Gwol gave the order to his subordinates, only then did the branch warriors sheath their swords and open a path.
Geom Mu-geuk walked quietly through the Murim Alliance warriors.
Jin Ha-gun stood by the window and watched as Geom Mu-geuk crossed the courtyard and left the building. He felt the anger and agitation from Ju Gwol and the branch warriors staring at his back.
There weren't many people who would understand the friendship between the grandson of the Murim Alliance Leader—a prime candidate for successor—and the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult.
Moreover, Teacher Seong was a figure everyone trusted. Given the way things were going, this result would spread as a rumor very quickly.
Friend, you don't have much time.
*
When I returned to the safe house, my father was in the courtyard, performing Qi Circulation. Lately, he had been increasingly devoted to his mental method training.
I held my breath and waited for him to finish his session.
The moment my father finished his circulation, I saw it. The True Qi swirling around his body gathered like a mirage in the shimmering heat.
It was the shape of the Heavenly Demon Soul.
I had the illusion that the Heavenly Demon Soul, formed from pure True Qi, was staring at me. It was a terrifying sight no matter how many times I saw it, but I was glad to see the Heavenly Demon Soul after such a long time.
The joy was short-lived as the Heavenly Demon Soul scattered back into True Qi and was absorbed into my father’s body.
My father slowly opened his eyes, his gaze as deep as an abyss.
"Did you see it?"
"Yes, I saw it."
My father’s gaze grew intense.
"The True Qi of the Nine Calamities Demonic Art is only visible to those who have mastered it. Only when one reaches the Seventh Stage does the form of the Heavenly Demon Soul begin to appear faintly. It means your realm has reached the Seventh Stage."
My father looked surprised that I had already reached such a level.
"It is much faster than the achievement I made at your age."
My father’s own achievements were known to be the fastest in history. Considering when I started learning the Nine Calamities Demonic Art, this was an impossibly rapid progression.
But this achievement was natural. In addition to my father’s repeated lectures, I had been training for much longer using the Time Heaven Secret Technique.
"It is all thanks to your excellent teaching, Father."
My achievement would surely be stimulating my father’s own drive.
I wanted to reach the Twelve-Star Great Achievement as soon as possible and fully manifest the Heavenly Demon Soul. I was incredibly curious about how my father’s Heavenly Demon Soul and mine would differ.
"How did the matter go?"
"It was as you expected, Father."
Before contacting the Murim Alliance Leader, my father had told me to go and check what kind of martial art had been used against the Daejeong Sect. He had suspected they might have been killed by a Demonic Art.
"Which Demonic Art was it?"
My father was surely expecting it to be a well-known Demonic Art. That would be the only way to firmly pin the blame on us.
I delivered a fact that even my father couldn't help but be surprised by.
"It was the martial art of Elder Blade Demon."
My father’s eyes turned cold. Since they had touched the Demonic Path and a Demon Lord, his anger was only natural.
"I don't know how they faked it, but since Teacher Seong—who is an expert in our Cult's Demonic Arts—identified it, the Murim Alliance will demand an explanation. Of course, since Elder Blade Demon is currently at the Cult reading books and teaching Dae-ryong, there won't be any problem."
Just then, a man entered the area, guided by a warrior of the safe house.
I stared at him with a look of surprise, as I truly hadn't expected him to come.
Seo Dae-ryong, with a great blade strapped to his back, was walking into the safe house.