Chapter 563: I Went to Great Lengths to Bring These, So You Must Accept Them
Chapter 563: I Went to Great Lengths to Bring These, So You Must Accept Them
Lee An slowly ascended to the second floor.
Up close, she was even more breathtaking than she had appeared from the balcony. She exuded an aura of untouchable elegance that commanded respect.
"Young Cult Leader!"
Lee An came to a halt before Geom Mu-geuk.
Had they been alone, she would have called him "Young Master" instead of his formal title. She would have run to him and thrown her arms around him. That was how much she had truly missed him.
"You’ve worked hard."
At those few words from Geom Mu-geuk, the tension and rigidity in Lee An’s heart melted away instantly.
He’s finally back!
Lee An was overwhelmed by the exact same emotion Geom Mu-geuk had felt when he first reunited with his father.
Her gaze naturally shifted toward Han Seol.
The primary reason Han Seol had come to the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult was to meet Lee An. She had worried she might have to leave without seeing her, but fortunately, Lee An had returned just in time.
Han Seol called out to her.
"Sister."
It was their first meeting since they had parted ways after promising to be like sisters. They thought the reunion might be awkward or strained, but unexpectedly, it felt perfectly natural.
At the word "Sister," everyone unaware of their relationship was visibly startled.
"I didn't expect to see you here," Lee An said.
"Didn't you say you'd show me around the next time I came to the Central Plains?" Han Seol remembered Lee An's promise exactly.
"Yes. I'm glad you came."
Looking at Lee An’s smile, Han Seol could feel it—Lee An had changed somehow. However, she couldn't quite put her finger on what that change was.
Seo Dae-ryong greeted Lee An warmly. "Warrior Lee, it is good to have you back."
"Have you been well, Pavilion Master?"
Geom Mu-geuk chimed in slyly. "He’s been doing the best out of all of us."
As he spoke, he glanced pointedly at Dan-ah. The quick-witted Lee An’s eyes widened.
"No way? Really? You traitor!"
Lee An teased him with a casual joke, showing off their closeness, and Seo Dae-ryong laughed sheepishly. Lee An then turned to Dan-ah with a bright smile.
"Congratulations."
"Thank you, Squad Leader."
Dan-ah looked at her youngest sister and said, "Thanks to the Young Cult Leader, my youngest has joined the Ghost Shadow Squad. Hurry and greet her."
Dan-yeon stared blankly at Lee An, mesmerized by her beauty, before finally snapping out of it.
"Ah, you're so beautiful... I am Dan-yeon, the new recruit. The First Team Leader told me to start tomorrow." Dan-yeon bowed politely with a fist salute.
Lee An stared at her quietly before suddenly tossing out a question. "Have you heard what kind of organization we are?"
"Yes. I heard it is a place that serves as the Young Cult Leader's shadow."
"Good. Then let me ask you this. If the Cult Leader's orders and the Young Cult Leader's orders conflict, what will you do?"
Without a moment's hesitation, Dan-yeon answered. "I must follow the Young Cult Leader's orders, of course."
"But that’s treason."
Though she flinched at the word, Dan-yeon’s resolve remained firm. "A shadow is something that disappears if the body isn't there anyway."
At Dan-yeon’s answer, Lee An looked at Geom Mu-geuk and smirked. "She hasn't even started her first day, yet her loyalty is already higher than mine."
A smile spread across Dan-yeon’s face. She liked interesting people, and she was easily the brightest and most witty among the three sisters. Whether it was the joke about Seo Dae-ryong being a traitor or her current remark, Lee An liked her very much.
The reason Lee An felt such great favor toward Geom Mu-geuk wasn't just because of his status. It was because of the relaxed, human moments he shared, like cracking jokes at a time like this.
"Still, I think I'll send the cooking to Father," Geom Mu-geuk added.
At Lee An’s questioning look, he merely gave a cryptic smile.
Jang Ho greeted her next. "Warrior Lee, it is good to have you back."
"Commander, you've gotten even bigger!"
Her reunion with Cheon So-hui was also long overdue.
"We used to see each other every day, but now it's hard to even catch a glimpse of your face," Cheon So-hui remarked.
"The Young Cult Leader said he would definitely revive the late-night training sessions."
After finishing greetings with Gang Dal, they all finally sat around the table. Geom Mu-geuk raised his glass high and shouted.
"My heart has returned!"
Lee An felt a flush of embarrassment, thinking, There he goes again, but she still raised her glass high. After a pleasant toast, they all drank.
Setting her glass down, Dan-yeon whispered to Seo Dae-ryong. "Brother-in-law, that was such an obvious lie."
She was referring to what Seo Dae-ryong had said earlier about her sister being the prettiest woman he'd seen. As Seo Dae-ryong laughed awkwardly, Dan-yeon whispered again.
"In times like this, you're supposed to say, 'She looks even prettier in my eyes.'"
"Ah!" Seo Dae-ryong whispered back. "Please keep teaching me in the future, sister-in-law."
"The quality of my advice will depend on the amount of your allowance, won't it?"
Seo Dae-ryong laughed. Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind.
Is it okay for me to be this happy?
He feared that the heavens might grow jealous of this happiness and send misfortune his way. Then, he happened to look at Geom Mu-geuk, who was drinking with Lee An.
What he had only vaguely understood with his head, he now felt he understood clearly with his heart: why Geom Mu-geuk had moved so diligently.
To Geom Mu-geuk, Lee An was his Dan-ah, Jang Ho was his Dan-bi, and he himself was his Dan-yeon. He must have moved so busily to ensure that misfortune would never dare to visit—to prevent laziness from inviting tragedy.
I, too, will protect this with my diligence, Young Cult Leader.
Just then, his eyes met Geom Mu-geuk’s. The two toasted in the air and emptied their glasses.
Despite there being people meeting for the first time, the atmosphere was excellent. The pillar that was Geom Mu-geuk allowed everyone to let their guard down. They laughed and chatted comfortably.
Toward the end of the session, they broke off into smaller groups.
Dan-bi, who was to join the Huangquan Pavilion as an enforcement martial artist, shared a conversation with Seo Dae-ryong and Gang Dal. Though the second sister was usually the quiet type, she wasn't so introverted that she would miss an opportunity to build rapport with her direct superiors.
Seo Dae-ryong spoke to his two subordinates. "I believe our Huangquan Pavilion is a guiding star. Our role is to ensure no one loses their way in the dark of night. Since everyone else seeks the easier path, I believe that even if every other organization in the Cult wavers, we alone must remain unshaken."
Dan-bi asked cautiously, "How can we remain unshaken?"
"Each person must find their own guiding star," Seo Dae-ryong answered honestly.
Gang Dal and Dan-bi emptied their glasses in silence, lost in thought. Seo Dae-ryong’s gaze turned toward Geom Mu-geuk. He could say this because he had already found his.
Meanwhile, Dan-yeon was staring only at Lee An. She was completely smitten with the leader of her new organization. Lee An was beautiful, strong, and above all, witty—the very image of what Dan-yeon dreamed of becoming.
"Squad Leader, do you have a dream?"
At Dan-yeon’s courageous question, Lee An answered, "To survive well for a long time."
Lee An left out one important phrase: By his side.
Geom Mu-geuk drank with Cheon So-hui and Jang Ho, talking about everything from the Fist Demon to Jang Ho’s drawings.
Cheon So-hui felt like she could finally breathe for the first time in a long while. It was so good to gather like this. In the past, she used to drink comfortably with the Iron Fists of the Eastern Fist Sect, but after becoming a successor, such occasions had vanished.
"We'll be heading out first."
Since they had to face their first day in a new organization tomorrow, the Dan sisters stood up. Dan-ah had been quiet throughout the night. In truth, she was a strong drinker and could be quite talkative, but today she had restrained herself. She didn't want to make any mistakes for the sake of Seo Dae-ryong and her sisters.
Before they parted, Lee An whispered to Dan-ah, "Pavilion Master Seo is a truly good man."
"Thank you."
As they stood up, Gang Dal also bid his farewell. "If my subordinate is leaving to prepare for tomorrow, the leader can't very well stay and play, can he?"
He said that, but it was really because he knew it was time to give the core group space for their long-awaited reunion. He was a man who knew exactly when to join in and when to bow out.
Han Seol stood up as well. "The elders look tired, so I should head out too."
On the first floor, Sa Han, one of the Twin Frost Swords, was asleep with his head resting on his wife's shoulder. He had gotten drunk on the alcohol he hadn't tasted in a long time.
Geom Mu-geuk spoke to Han Seol. "Miss Han, I have a request."
"Please, speak."
"Please leave a word on the wall here."
At those words, Jo Chun-bae’s face on the first floor brightened instantly. As expected, Geom Mu-geuk understood his heart and was looking out for him.
She immediately shook her head. "I don't think I'm qualified."
"Then leave it on this wall. Let's leave the names of our young masters here. Please, Young Palace Master, open the way for us."
At his request, Han Seol finally left a message.
—Had a good drink with friends. Han Seol, Young Palace Master of the North Sea Ice Palace.
Finally, the writing of the successor to the North Sea Ice Palace was left on the wall of the Pungryu Tavern. Seo Dae-ryong smiled warmly at the expression "friends," and Jo Chun-bae grinned from ear to ear.
"Thank you. Truly, thank you."
After expressing his gratitude to Han Seol, Jo Chun-bae looked at Geom Mu-geuk and beamed. It was a mark of prestige that would never have been left if not for him.
Once everyone else had left, only Geom Mu-geuk, Cheon So-hui, and the original drinking trio remained. Geom Mu-geuk had intentionally kept Cheon So-hui even though she was about to leave.
"Just drink for a moment. I have something to bring."
While Geom Mu-geuk was away, the four of them chatted. Lee An asked Seo Dae-ryong, "How does it feel to have someone you like?"
To Seo Dae-ryong, Jang Ho and Lee An were more than just drinking buddies. "To be honest, I came back with Miss Dan, but I'm scared. I've lived selfishly, thinking only of myself my whole life. I wonder if I can do well. I worry if I'll regret it later."
Since they were all unmarried, their feelings weren't much different from his. Just then, Geom Mu-geuk’s voice drifted up from the first floor.
"You should ask someone with experience about such worries."
Geom Mu-geuk brought Jo Chun-bae up to the second floor. Somewhere along the way, he had picked up a leather pouch and a long sword box.
"Innkeeper, do you regret your marriage?"
At the question, Jo Chun-bae laughed. "There were times I regretted it. After a big fight with the wife, whew... on those days, I’d fall asleep dreaming of the days I lived alone."
Everyone laughed at his honest confession.
"But I would have regretted it even if I lived alone. No matter how much my kid doesn't listen, it makes me dizzy to think what my life would be without him. Maybe it's because we've shared both the bitter and the sweet, but the older I get, the more I realize I have no one but my wife."
Geom Mu-geuk said to Seo Dae-ryong, "When you're struggling with matters of the heart, come to the Pungryu Tavern for a consultation!"
"Yes!"
Jo Chun-bae bowed, saying he was honored, and went back down to the first floor. He was smiling as he descended the stairs. To think he would now be giving relationship advice to the Huangquan Pavilion Master.
Seo Dae-ryong’s gaze fell on the items Geom Mu-geuk had brought. "But what are those? It looks like a sword box."
Geom Mu-geuk handed the box to Lee An. "Here, a gift."
Lee An was startled as she took it. She truly hadn't expected a gift in this setting. "A gift?"
The sun and moon were beautifully engraved on the box. Just by looking at the exquisite craftsmanship, one could tell that the item inside was no ordinary object. Inside was a single sword.
Lee An slowly drew the blade.
"Ah!"
An exclamation escaped her lips involuntarily.
Sssssss.
A chillingly sharp energy instantly spread in all directions. It was a legendary treasure.
"It is the Sun and Moon Sword."
At his words, not only Lee An but also Jang Ho, Seo Dae-ryong, and Cheon So-hui were shocked. The Sun and Moon Sword was a famous treasure in the Murim.
It was the very sword he had received from the Black Snake Unit Leader while resolving the matter of Bi Sa-in. Bi Sa-in had given the sword back to Geom Mu-geuk, and at that time, Geom Mu-geuk had said he would give it to his "heart." He had kept it safely stored ever since, and now the moment had come to give it to Lee An.
"Why are you giving me such a precious sword?"
"Because you have now reached a realm where you can protect it. Congratulations, Lee An."
"Ah, as expected! You knew."
She had achieved the Great Achievement of the Flying Heaven Sword Technique, something she had only dreamed of. It was a timeframe that even the most talented martial artist couldn't have managed, but it was possible because Geom Mu-geuk had unstintingly bestowed his teachings upon her.
"Are you really giving this to me?"
Geom Mu-geuk nodded. To a martial artist, a sword was their life; the Sun and Moon Sword would become another life for her. And the sword suited her perfectly.
"I won't refuse. I know I'll never get a sword like this again. I'm taking it."
"I even made sure to get the sword box because I thought you'd like it."
"Thank you so much, Young Master."
The weight of the gift was one thing, but she was so happy she felt like she could fly. She wanted to demonstrate the Flying Heaven Sword Technique with this blade immediately. On the other hand, she felt a bit guilty receiving a gift all by herself.
How could he not know her heart? Seo Dae-ryong said to Geom Mu-geuk, "Even if she is your 'heart,' this is too much! What about us?"
He was being playful, but words he hadn't expected flowed from Geom Mu-geuk.
"I have things for Commander Jang and you two as well."
Geom Mu-geuk began to pull items out of the leather pouch. Protective robes emerged. He gave the Flying Tiger Iron Armor to Seo Dae-ryong, the Vajra Divine Armor to Jang Ho, and the Hwayang Armor to Cheon So-hui.
These were the protective robes he had taken from the Silver River Merchant Group Leader’s treasure vault—the very ones he had layered four deep to smuggle out.
"Such precious things! We cannot accept them!"
At Seo Dae-ryong’s refusal, Geom Mu-geuk moved to take the Flying Tiger Iron Armor back. "Really? Then I guess I'll have to give this to Lee An too."
As he reached for it, Seo Dae-ryong desperately gripped the armor. "We can't turn Warrior Lee into a greedy person, can we?"
All three were deeply moved. The protective robes were so expensive they couldn't buy them even if they saved for a lifetime, and even with the money, they were nearly impossible to obtain.
Cheon So-hui made a vow in her heart. One day, wearing this armor, I will surely protect the Cult Leader.
Jang Ho wore a troubled expression. He had already become a Demon Monarch thanks to Geom Mu-geuk, and now he had received this. "I don't know if it's right for us to receive something so precious."
"You must accept it. I became the incarnation of greed and went to great lengths to bring these back right in front of my father just to give them to you."
"What about yours, Young Cult Leader?"
Geom Mu-geuk spread his robes. The garment he wore underneath was the Black Dragon Flying Armor. "Of course, I took the best one for myself, so don't feel burdened."
He had worn it intentionally, fearing they might not accept theirs. This sentiment was more precious than the armor itself.
"Thank you so much, Young Cult Leader."
Geom Mu-geuk looked at them with a satisfied heart. Yes, grow stronger. Grow so strong that no one dares to touch us.
"These aren't gifts for you. They are gifts for my heart, my right arm, my left arm, and my one and only junior sister—so they are gifts I am giving to myself."
*
After the drinking session ended, Geom Mu-geuk and Lee An walked along a path in the early dawn. Lee An brought up something she hadn't mentioned while the others were present.
"You aren't asking about the mission?"
The mission was to bring Seo Jin, Gwi Ryeongja’s younger sister, to serve as the Second Team Leader of the Ghost Shadow Squad.
Seo Jin. His only friend in his life before regression. He hoped that in this life, she would be connected to Lee An rather than being a ronin, and live a happier life.
"You failed, didn't you?"
If she had succeeded, they would have returned together.
"Did something else happen this time too?"
Previously, Lee An had gotten sidetracked because she had accepted water from an old woman.
"No, I met Miss Seo this time."
"You met her?"
"I finished persuading her, too. It really wasn't easy."
"Then why didn't she come with you?"
"She said she would come after finishing what she had to do. She said she had business at the Yellow Dragon Martial Arts Hall."
The Yellow Dragon Martial Arts Hall. It was a massive institution, the undisputed best in the Murim, having produced countless masters.
"She said she would come as soon as she finished her business... Young Cult Leader?"
Lee An turned her head. Geom Mu-geuk had stopped in his tracks, his expression hardened.
"What’s wrong?"
In his life before regression, the person who had killed her was someone from the Yellow Dragon Martial Arts Hall. Perhaps that ill-fated connection had begun around this time. Or perhaps fate had changed.
Geom Mu-geuk could feel it. The few days of sweet rest were over, and the moment had come to head back out into the Jianghu.
"Lee An, you haven't unpacked your bags yet, have you?"