Chapter 510: The Problem Is Who Didn't Come
Chapter 510: The Problem Is Who Didn't Come
In a large crowd, there are always those whose bodies move before their minds.
Swish!
A young martial artist lunged forward, his sword whistling through the air.
The moment he moved, another martial artist leaped after him, refusing to be left behind.
Seo Dae-ryong calmly swung his great blade to parry the incoming attacks. The onlookers gasped. He handled that massive slab of steel as if it were as light as a willow branch, deflecting the strikes with effortless precision.
He batted away the first strike with a simple parry, but for the second, he infused his blade with a surge of profound internal energy.
Clang! Clang!
The impact was so violent that the webbing between the attackers' thumbs tore instantly. Their swords spun out of their hands, clattering onto the ground.
Having disarmed his opponents, Seo Dae-ryong sheathed the great blade across his back and shouted, "Calm down and listen to what I have to say!"
The disarmed martial artists scrambled to retrieve their weapons and retreated. Humiliated, they glared at Seo Dae-ryong with murderous intent. Dozens of blades remained pointed at him, their edges glinting under the light, but Seo Dae-ryong remained composed.
Part of his calm came from the significant improvement in his martial arts, but there was a greater reason for his steadiness. He hadn't come here alone today.
No matter how deep a trap he was buried in, there was someone who would dig through the earth itself to pull him out... No, wait, where on earth are you?!
If Geom Mu-geuk wasn't here yet, he had to navigate this situation himself.
I must not use the Heaven Extermination Demonic Blade Form!
If he unleashed that technique, someone would surely die or be gravely injured. Then, this place would turn into a bloody hellscape of mutual slaughter—exactly what that man wanted.
I won't let things go your way.
For some reason, Ja Gyeong was watching him with a strange, mocking smile. If the man attacked him directly, it would spiral into an uncontrollable brawl.
Why isn't he attacking?
Judging by the way he had cornered him earlier, Ja Gyeong didn't seem like the type to miss an opportunity just to enjoy the spectacle.
What is he up to?
His true intentions were impossible to read. Regardless, Seo Dae-ryong had to pacify these agitated martial artists first.
What would the Young Cult Leader do in this situation?
He had to speak like Geom Mu-geuk and act like Geom Mu-geuk. As his right-hand man, he had to put everything he had observed and learned into practice.
Seo Dae-ryong addressed the surrounding crowd in a measured tone. "I only realized later that this man was the Blue Cloud New Hero."
After clarifying that he hadn't known the man's identity, he reasserted his own. "As I mentioned, I am the top disciple of the Blood Heaven Blade Demon and the one who will succeed him as the next Blade Demon."
Whether he would actually become the next Blade Demon remained to be seen, but he mentioned it intentionally. He needed to project enough authority to prevent the opposition from acting rashly.
Despite this, the killing intent emanating from the sword tips did not waver. The moment they believed he had framed the Blue Cloud New Hero, he became a villain in their eyes.
Seo Dae-ryong sent a message via Voice Transmission to provoke Ja Gyeong.
— Does your master know? That his disciple is running around pretending to be a hero of the Orthodox faction?
— Master knows everything that is happening here today.
At the very least, those words sounded like the truth.
Is it really Master?
If his master were Geom Mu-geuk, he would never have believed Ja Gyeong's words. But what about his current master? It wasn't that he didn't trust the Blood Heaven Blade Demon; it was that he didn't know him well enough yet. He had no way of knowing if his master had ever had a disciple like this in the past.
Ja Gyeong began to incite the crowd again.
"A Demon Lord’s disciple or not, it makes no difference. What matters now is that you are the culprit who annihilated the Daejeong Sect. No matter how much you try to intimidate us with the Demonic Cult at your back, you will not break the chivalrous spirit of the Orthodox path!"
A war of words unfolded, with the martial artists caught in the middle.
"You're the one using the Orthodox faction as a shield to trap me!" Seo Dae-ryong countered boldly, refusing to back down. "Show me the evidence! Show me the proof that I destroyed the Daejeong Sect!"
The moment he lost the argument, a real fight would break out. There would be no turning back then.
"I am the evidence," Ja Gyeong replied smoothly. "I heard the confession directly from your own mouth."
The word of the Blue Cloud New Hero carried immense weight. To the crowd, he was a man who would never lie.
Seo Dae-ryong countered immediately. "Do you really believe I would say such a thing to someone I met for the first time today? I didn't even know he was the Blue Cloud New Hero!"
But no one believed him.
"Stop wasting time and kill him now!"
"Attack him together!"
"Filthy Demonic Cult bastards!"
As one person shouted, others followed suit. However, no one was the first to move. Among those gathered were the leaders of the sects invited today. They were cautious. Rather than ordering an attack, they sent Voice Transmissions telling their disciples to hold their ground.
It wasn't because they trusted Seo Dae-ryong, but because experience told them that those who struck first in such a confrontation usually suffered the most damage. Furthermore, no one wanted to be remembered as the one who sparked a war.
Ja Gyeong pressed Seo Dae-ryong again. "Why is a demonic practitioner like you even here?"
"I judged that someone would target this place today."
"Do you have any evidence to support that judgment?"
"I can't show it to you because all the documents were burned."
Ja Gyeong sneered openly. "Of course they were."
The surrounding martial artists wore similar expressions of disbelief, but then—
"I can, however, explain the reasoning."
Seo Dae-ryong quickly summarized why the Bongsan Sword Gate had become a target. He mentioned several sects listed in the documents and explained the strategic logic. Finally, he added the analysis provided by Geom Mu-geuk: that this place would be targeted specifically because of its poor relationship with the recently annihilated Daejeong Sect.
In such a situation, one might have expected Ja Gyeong to cut him off and incite an attack, but he simply listened in silence. Since he remained still, the other martial artists listened as well. He was the one driving the narrative, after all.
Once Seo Dae-ryong finished his explanation, the martial artists exchanged glances. It was a plausible analysis.
As the atmosphere began to shift, Seo Dae-ryong turned the tables. "Were you invited to today's meeting?"
"I was not," Ja Gyeong admitted.
"Then why did you come?"
The eyes of the Orthodox martial artists turned toward Ja Gyeong. They were curious as well. Why had the Blue Cloud New Hero shown up unannounced at a private gathering?
"I also obtained evidence that the Demonic Cult was targeting today's meeting."
"Can you show us that evidence?"
"If I reveal the person who gave me the information, they would suffer retaliation from your kind," Ja Gyeong flatly refused.
Seo Dae-ryong didn't miss a beat. "Or perhaps such a person never existed in the first place."
A few martial artists gave Ja Gyeong looks that said, Just tell us. It's not like he can escape from here today anyway, right?
However, Ja Gyeong pushed back from a different angle. "The martial art used to kill the Daejeong Sect Leader was the Heaven Extermination Demonic Blade Form—the very technique you have mastered. Now, how do you explain that?"
This was Seo's biggest weakness.
"Surely you're not going to suggest that the Heaven Extermination Demonic Blade Form is a technique just anyone can learn?"
Ja Gyeong was blocking every exit. Seo Dae-ryong was at a loss for words; he didn't know the answer himself.
Seizing the momentum, Ja Gyeong incited the crowd once more. "Do you remember how this man tried to pin his crime on me earlier? Doesn't that alone show you what kind of person he is?"
Seo Dae-ryong was in a bind. He knew that in this situation, claiming the other man was the real culprit would only backfire.
"The Daejeong Sect Leader probably couldn't even close his eyes in death. Let us all avenge him!" Ja Gyeong raised his great blade high.
At that, the martial artists simultaneously released their auras, radiating cold killing intent. With a glint of mockery in his eyes, Ja Gyeong sent a Voice Transmission to Seo Dae-ryong.
— Kill all these Orthodox bastards! I'm helping you do it, aren't I? Use the Heaven Extermination Demonic Blade Form and slaughter them all!
The martial artists slowly closed in, swords leveled. The leaders, including the Flying Sword Manor Lord, couldn't stay out of this fight any longer. The stigma of cowardice was just as fatal as the casualties sustained from leading the charge.
Seo Dae-ryong stepped back.
If I don't fight, I die.
To survive, he truly would have to use the Heaven Extermination Demonic Blade Form, just as the man said. The situation was on a hair-trigger.
Right then, a voice rang out.
"Then the Daejeong Sect Leader will shed tears of blood from those unclosed eyes."
Everyone's attention shifted to the new figure emerging from the crowd. It was Geom Mu-geuk, the man Seo Dae-ryong had been waiting for so desperately.
Young Cult Leader!
To Seo Dae-ryong, it felt like a ray of light descending into the abyss. It was like a hand reaching out to him just as the dirt was being shoveled into his grave. If it weren't for the audience, he would have run straight to Geom Mu-geuk.
I was so nervous I almost died! You were watching on purpose, weren't you? Just to make me suffer! Just so you could make a grand entrance at the last second!
Of course, thanks to that, he had gained valuable experience. When else would he have the chance to try and persuade a group of hostile Orthodox martial artists while their swords were at his throat?
Geom Mu-geuk spoke as he walked forward slowly. "The Daejeong Sect Leader was a man who lived his entire life by the code of chivalry. Do you think he would be happy if his death was used to frame an innocent man? That is what would truly keep him from closing his eyes in peace."
Geom Mu-geuk's voice was low and calm, yet it rang clearly in everyone's ears.
The Flying Sword Manor Lord stepped forward. "Who are you?"
Geom Mu-geuk did not hide his identity. "I am Geom Mu-geuk, the Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult."
Everyone gasped, their eyes widening. Who could have expected the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult to appear here?
"Since someone is trying to sow discord between the Cult and all of you, I have come to Chongqing personally to resolve this matter."
Even at the mention of the Young Cult Leader, Ja Gyeong showed no fear. "Are you sure you didn't come here to commit these acts yourself?"
Geom Mu-geuk could have chosen not to engage in a petty battle of nerves. He could have released his aura and suppressed them with overwhelming power. While a clumsy provocation leads to a fight, an overwhelming aura causes the opponent to lose their will to fight altogether.
It was a highly effective method, but Geom Mu-geuk did not choose it. It was because of Ja Gyeong. There was no surprise or fear in the look Ja Gyeong gave him.
He knew I was here.
That meant he also knew Geom Mu-geuk would appear before anything happened to Seo Dae-ryong. In that case, he must have known that Seo Dae-ryong wouldn't end up killing the Orthodox martial artists.
Wait. Is he trying to provoke me into killing them instead?
The thought crossed his mind. Regardless of the man's intentions, he had to calm the agitated martial artists first.
Keeping his eyes on Seo Dae-ryong, Geom Mu-geuk addressed the crowd. "The man standing there is indeed a disciple of the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, but he is also the Pavilion Master of our Cult's Huangquan Pavilion."
Geom Mu-geuk began his persuasion by reframing Seo Dae-ryong's status. "In other words, he is an official appointed by the Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult."
The crowd grew tense. They had previously only thought of Seo as a Demon Lord's disciple; the mention of the Demonic Cult Leader himself changed the stakes entirely.
"Do you know what the Huangquan Pavilion is? It is the department responsible for our Cult's discipline. It is the most rigorous organization among our many branches. This man is the head of such a place."
Geom Mu-geuk walked slowly toward Ja Gyeong. As the distance between them closed, a suffocating tension filled the air. Yet, both Geom Mu-geuk and Ja Gyeong remained composed.
Why did you come here? You must know you could die by my hand.
Ja Gyeong was smiling, even though he must have read the warning in Geom Mu-geuk's eyes. Stopping a short distance from him, Geom Mu-geuk spoke calmly.
"You claim this man told you he annihilated the Daejeong Sect? That the extraordinary man who became the youngest Huangquan Pavilion Master said such a thing to you, a stranger he met for the first time today? Just how stupid do you think the people here are to try such a pathetic trick?"
He used the word 'stupid' intentionally—implying that anyone swayed by such words was a fool.
"The same goes for leaving traces of the Heaven Extermination Demonic Blade Form at the scene. We aren't trying to start a war with you, so why would the Huangquan Pavilion Master leave his signature technique at a crime scene? The Cult Leader would never let such a blunder slide. Do you really think such a brilliant man would commit such a reckless act?"
A few of the listening martial artists nodded slightly. They, too, had suspected that someone was sowing discord. They had assumed it was a Demonic Cult plot because a Demon Lord's technique was used, but hearing this directly from Geom Mu-geuk made them consider that someone might be trying to frame the Cult.
"Furthermore, the Huangquan Pavilion Master was recently investigated by the Murim Alliance's Chongqing Branch regarding this matter and was released. If he were guilty, would the Murim Alliance have let him go? If you disagree, you should take it up with the Alliance, not here."
Since every word he spoke was logically sound, no one could offer a rebuttal. Listening to this, Seo Dae-ryong felt both admiration and self-reproach.
Ah, I should have said it like that.
Then, a man stepped out from the crowd. It was Bang Cheong-mun, the leader of the Bongsan Sword Gate. "Sheathe your swords."
At his command, everyone sheathed their weapons without a word. They couldn't very well fight the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult anyway.
"I have heard the Young Cult Leader's words," Bang Cheong-mun said, his gaze softening though he remained wary. "Both the Young Cult Leader and the New Hero said they came because they heard rumors of a potential bloodbath at my sect, but fortunately, nothing has happened."
Regardless of his doubts, he had made a promise to Geom Mu-geuk in the Sect Leader's Hall. At the very least, he would not clash with the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult today.
Ja Gyeong then stepped forward and gave Bang Cheong-mun a respectful fist salute. "I judged the situation to be urgent and came without prior notice. I apologize."
"No, I can't tell you how reassuring it was to have you here," Bang Cheong-mun replied.
Watching this, Geom Mu-geuk felt a strange sense of dissonance. A fight hadn't broken out between Seo Dae-ryong and the Orthodox martial artists, and the same went for him. Yet, Ja Gyeong didn't seem disappointed at all.
— His goal wasn't to make you fight the Orthodox martial artists.
Seo Dae-ryong was startled by Geom Mu-geuk's Voice Transmission.
— It wasn't? Then why did he try so hard?
Standing among the Orthodox martial artists, Ja Gyeong looked at Geom Mu-geuk with the same genial smile he had shown Seo Dae-ryong when they first met. It wasn't a smile that said, You can't kill me because I'm surrounded by witnesses. That smile was something else.
— By the way, he's got nerves of steel, Seo messaged. If he was targeting me, he must have expected you to come too, Young Cult Leader. Yet he came here alone?
The moment he heard that, Geom Mu-geuk realized the truth.
— The problem isn't that he came here.
— Then what is the problem?
— The problem is who didn't come.
— What?
— Why didn't the Elder come here?
The Elder surely knew something was going to happen here. If so, he would have come to stop it somehow. Geom Mu-geuk's gaze deepened. He realized what Ja Gyeong's smile meant. It didn't matter if a fight started or not. His goal was something else entirely.
— His goal is to keep us pinned down here.
— But why?
The reason was simple.
— Because the real plot is unfolding somewhere else.