Chapter 607: Do You Think Just Anyone Is Worth Silencing?
Chapter 607: Do You Think Just Anyone Is Worth Silencing?
Seo Jin was practicing her swordsmanship in the courtyard of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult’s safe house.
The technique she performed was the Yellow Dragon Sword Technique.
Reinterpreted by Geom Mu-geuk, the Yellow Dragon Sword Technique was not overly difficult, yet it was incredibly profound. It was the kind of martial art where one discovered a new facet every time their skill improved. Consequently, the more she progressed, the more her admiration for the art grew.
Over the past few days, she had immersed herself in training. She practiced her swordsmanship by day and honed her Ghost Arts by night. This was the first time in her life she had ever trained in martial arts with such fervor.
Even before this incident, she had known well enough that the Murim was a frightening and dangerous place. However, having lived as a blood relative of the Ghost Gate, she had never felt true, bone-deep terror.
But through this experience, she realized the truth. The Murim she had lived in until now was a sheltered one—a world where she merely punished local thugs.
The real Murim was a place where the young man smiling brightly in front of her could be the Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, and a barefoot martial arts instructor could be a master targeting that very leader.
She learned that stepping out of the "greenhouse" didn't just mean facing a harsh wind; it meant standing on the edge of a thousand-foot precipice.
If Geom Mu-geuk and Lee An hadn't come to her aid, would she have even survived?
Seo Jin’s gaze drifted toward the entrance again. It felt as though the gates might swing open at any moment.
The two Demon Lords and Lee An, who had left to fetch the Young Cult Leader, had not returned for several days.
‘You told me to trust you when you recruited me,’ she thought. ‘I’m trusting you. So please, come back soon.’
In a way, she felt even more responsible because this entire ordeal had started because of her. It had begun while she was investigating the death of Im Hyeon, a brother from her hometown.
Just then, Gyo Seok and Yu Gwang of the White Dragon Unit, who had come to the safe house with her, stepped out into the yard.
Now that they knew her true identity, they were extremely cautious in how they treated her.
“Were you practicing?”
Seo Jin offered them a smile. “You can act comfortably around me.”
“We couldn't possibly do that.”
To an ordinary martial artist, a member of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult was the embodiment of terror. Even while staying at the safe house for the past few days, they had felt like they were sitting on a bed of needles. They hadn't even dared to speak loudly, fearing they might run into the cultists managing the house or inadvertently offend them.
“It’s stifling, isn’t it? Everyone will be back soon.”
Gyo Seok, who had been gauging Seo Jin’s reaction, spoke up with a sense of half-despair.
“You’re going to kill us in the end, aren’t you?”
Seo Jin asked back with a puzzled expression. They had been fine for days, so why now?
“Why would you say that all of a sudden?”
Gyo Seok glanced at Yu Gwang beside him.
“This guy said his anxiety vanished this morning.”
Yu Gwang, who usually lived with the word 'anxious' on his lips, had suddenly claimed his worries were gone.
“I don’t know why, but my mind feels at peace,” Yu Gwang added.
Gyo Seok let out a heavy sigh at Yu Gwang’s words.
“And thanks to that, I feel even more ominous.”
“I told you, the anxiety is gone!”
“That’s why! Why would it just disappear like that?!”
“Maybe something good is about to happen.”
“No, you need to stay anxious! That’s the only way I can feel at ease.”
Gyo Seok wasn't just joking; his fear was genuine.
“I have one request. I’ve written a letter to my parents in my room. If I die, please make sure it’s sent. Oh, don’t worry. I didn’t write a single word related to the Demonic Cult—I mean, the Divine Cult. No one will ever know we were silenced by the Cult.”
It was at that moment.
“Do you think just anyone is worth silencing?”
The three of them spun around in surprise to see Lee An entering the courtyard.
“Squad Leader! You’re back!”
Seo Jin was overjoyed to see her return safely.
Following behind her were the Fist Demon and the One Flower Sword Venerable.
Seo Jin bowed politely to the two Demon Lords as well. Gyo Seok and Yu Gwang scrambled backward, bowing their heads and holding their breath.
As the two Demon Lords headed inside first, Seo Jin asked Lee An, “What about the Young Cult Leader?”
“He’ll be here soon.”
Leaving the relieved Seo Jin behind, Lee An teased Gyo Seok and Yu Gwang.
“Send that letter yourself once you leave. Kid, save that kind of useless worrying for when you’re actually important enough to be silenced.”
Gyo Seok asked, his face lighting up with joy, “Are you really letting us live?”
“If we were going to kill you, we would’ve done it already.”
“Thank you! Thank you so much!”
Gyo Seok then turned to look at Yu Gwang.
‘How is your intuition always so spot on?’
Encouraged by the fact that his gut feeling had been right, Yu Gwang mustered his courage.
“I have a request.”
“What is it?”
“I want to follow you to the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.”
Startled, Gyo Seok tried to stop him. “You! Are you crazy?”
Lee An stared silently at Yu Gwang. Having someone who was good at sensing ill omens as a subordinate wouldn't be bad, but he was too young and naive to take along for that reason alone.
“I refuse.”
“May I ask why?”
How could she explain it to a naive youth who didn't know what it meant to live as a demonic practitioner? If a war breaks out, you’ll have to point your sword at your friends. Could you kill Gyo Seok standing next to you? Your parents, who sent you to a martial arts hall to learn, would faint. Are you okay with that?
As Lee An pondered how to persuade him, a clear answer rang out from the entrance.
“Because you’re still too weak.”
They turned to see Geom Mu-geuk entering the safe house. This time, both Lee An and Seo Jin welcomed him together.
“Young Cult Leader!”
Lee An had answered Seo Jin with confidence that Geom Mu-geuk would return soon, but she had been inwardly worried. After all, his opponent had been who he was.
Who’s worrying about whom? she had told herself, but if not her, who else would worry about Geom Mu-geuk?
“Come find Lee An when you’ve become exactly ten times stronger than you are now.”
In that instant, Lee An knew. That was the perfect answer. Explaining things with various excuses would only leave Yu Gwang with lingering regrets and a complicated mind.
But if he strove to become ten times stronger, he would grow into a fine martial artist. And by the time he achieved that strength, this incident would have become a memory of his youth. If he still remembered and sought them out then, it could truly be called destiny.
“Can you do that?”
At Geom Mu-geuk’s question, Yu Gwang answered vigorously.
“Yes! I will become ten times stronger and seek you out again!”
However, right after shouting his resolve, Yu Gwang’s complexion darkened.
“Ah, I’m anxious again.”
Gyo Seok sighed at the sight.
“I guess he’ll be anxious until he’s ten times stronger. And I’ll have to live my whole life listening to him say he’s anxious.”
“You said I should stay anxious!”
Geom Mu-geuk felt that their friendship would likely continue just like this. He had a feeling that even if they did return after becoming ten times stronger, they would come together. Yes, don't let go of this friendship over something trivial; protect it well.
Then, Yeon Baek-jin walked out. As he approached, Gyo Seok and Yu Gwang cleared the area and returned to their quarters.
“You’ve returned?”
Yeon Baek-jin was curious about what had happened to his brother, but he didn't dare ask first.
How could Geom Mu-geuk not know what was on his mind?
“From now on, you are the Hall Master of the Yellow Dragon Martial Arts Hall.”
With those words, he knew. His brother was dead. He thought about asking who killed him, but stopped. It was no different from asking the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult, ‘Did you kill my brother?’
He wasn't as shocked as he expected, nor was he as relieved or excited as he thought he might be.
“He went without pain. He didn't even realize he was dying, so do not grieve too much.”
Though his brother had tried to kill him, the fact that he felt relieved his brother died painlessly made him realize that blood was, after all, thicker than water.
“The Yellow Dragon Martial Arts Hall will be different from now on.”
His brother had only run toward the goal of making it the greatest martial arts hall in the Central Plains. Yeon Baek-jin had no such greed.
“Even if I only raise one student, I will raise a martial artist with proper character.”
“You can start with those two who just went inside.”
Yeon Baek-jin nodded and looked at Geom Mu-geuk, Lee An, and Seo Jin.
Geom Mu-geuk could sense it. In the way Yeon Baek-jin looked at Seo Jin, there was no longer the omen of a tragic fate that led to the bitter end.
Geom Mu-geuk had started this entire endeavor to change the destiny of these two people.
‘I did it.’
With this, the matters of the Yellow Dragon Martial Arts Hall were completely concluded.
*
Geom Mu-geuk told the Fist Demon and the One Flower Sword Venerable about what had happened with the Sword King.
“I’ve decided to be friends with him.”
He spoke honestly, feeling the Demon Lords should know.
Neither the Fist Demon nor the One Flower Sword Venerable would have believed those words if they hadn't come from Geom Mu-geuk. They had seen the Sword King’s aura. There had been no room for anyone else to step between those dense blades.
“What kind of person is he?”
The One Flower Sword Venerable showed curiosity. As a fellow sword user, it was only natural.
“To be honest, I don’t know him deeply yet, but I got this impression: he is a man who wants to be freer than anyone else, yet he is tied down tightly by those people.”
Then, the One Flower Sword Venerable said something unexpected.
“Like you?”
Geom Mu-geuk laughed as he looked at her. It seemed that in her eyes, he also appeared to be someone bound tightly, longing for freedom.
“Since there is someone who recognizes that, I think I can endure the pain of the ropes.”
“Who in this world could bind the Young Cult Leader? You must have bound yourself.”
Because of that, she thought Geom Mu-geuk’s longing for freedom was even more desperate.
“You’re right. I am someone who wants to roam this Murim freely. The reason I went on a trip with my father was also in the hope that he, too, could live a free life.”
He added another layer of honesty.
“However, as much as I desire freedom, I have just as much lust for power. It’s not just any position; it’s the position of the Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. Freedom is nice for a day or two, but what kind of grand freedom would make me cast aside this position without hesitation? I certainly have the ambition to inherit it and lead it well.”
Of course, before that, his priority was to persuade his father to give up on the Unification of the Murim within the five years they had promised.
The Fist Demon, who had been listening silently, spoke calmly.
“You will be a good Cult Leader.”
Geom Mu-geuk’s gaze turned toward the Fist Demon. At times like this, he could feel the immense weight behind the silence of the taciturn.
If he said something like that to someone else, they would probably say, ‘Flattering again!’ but a single word from the man of few words, the Fist Demon, struck him with great force.
“I’ll surely be a better Cult Leader than my father, right?”
Of course, to the Fist Demon, the father’s existence was an impregnable fortress.
“That would be difficult.”
Geom Mu-geuk smiled and asked. It was time to express his gratitude.
“Leaving the chair that leads to the basement... that was your doing, wasn't it, Master?”
The person the Sword King trusted must have been a true master. Likely one of the Twelve Zodiac Kings. The Fist Demon had left that chair intact even while fighting such a master.
The Fist Demon merely gave a slight nod, not making a show of his deed.
Usually, the less a person brags, the more one should express their gratitude. By recognizing his intention and voicing his thanks, the difficult battle the Fist Demon had fought could be properly concluded.
Geom Mu-geuk bowed politely, marking the end of the matter.
“Thank you truly.”
*
That night, Geom Mu-geuk opened the Space-Time Displacement Technique.
It was to rest, not to train, for the first time in a long while.
A white sandy beach stretched out beside an endless blue sea. A comfortable chair sat under a large-leafed tree.
“Ah! This is so good!”
As he leaned back in the chair, the words escaped him naturally.
“Here, you take a rest too.”
He placed the Secret Casket on the spot he had prepared for it. Then, he gazed at the blue sky and sea for a long time. Feeling the sea breeze carrying a gentle warmth, his mood improved instantly.
“I’ve learned a lot about you through this trip.”
As the energy within his body became his own, his feelings toward the Secret Casket became even more familiar.
“Where are the other three energies?”
He had one place in mind.
The Murim Alliance.
The Secret Casket had come from the Main Cult, and he had obtained beads from the Unorthodox Path Alliance, the Pungcheon Cult, and the North Sea Ice Palace. If so, wouldn't there be one in the Murim Alliance as well?
“It’s in the Murim Alliance, isn't it? Right?”
How nice it would be if you could talk.
Even if it was kept in the Murim Alliance, he couldn't just walk up to the Alliance Leader or Jin Ha-gun and demand they hand over the bead. Just like the ones he had obtained so far, he would get it when his destiny aligned with it.
Geom Mu-geuk decided not to rush. It had been the same when he first obtained the Secret Casket. He would leave it to fate and keep his mind at ease.
Geom Mu-geuk emptied his mind and savored his solitary time. He dozed off in the chair, woke up to stroll along the beach, and crouched down to watch the crabs crawling by. He lay down again and fell asleep, then woke up to watch the sea. Finally, he shouted:
“I really don’t want to leave!”
*
The next morning, the carriages were prepared for the return to the Main Cult.
There were three carriages.
The Fist Demon took the lead, the One Flower Sword Venerable took the middle, and Geom Mu-geuk, Lee An, and Seo Jin took the last carriage. Separate carriages were prepared for the two Demon Lords so they could travel comfortably.
Seo Jin expressed her gratitude to Geom Mu-geuk, who sat across from her.
“Thanks to you, I was able to avenge my brother. Thank you, Young Cult Leader.”
Thinking about what you did for me in my life before the regression, this is nothing.
Geom Mu-geuk gave her a meaningful smile and asked, “How do you feel about going to the Main Cult?”
She seemed to ponder what to say for a moment. Then, Seo Jin suddenly held out her hand, palm up.
Sssss.
Dark smoke rose from her palm, forming a single black wolf. It was small enough to fit on her palm, but it was a magnificent-looking wolf with a dignified gaze.
“When the Squad Leader first recruited me, I was like this.”
Sssssssss!
More black smoke surged in front of the wolf, forming the face of a large tiger. The moment the tiger opened its mouth wide, the magnificent wolf popped and transformed into a terrified dog with its tail tucked between its legs.
“This is my current state.”
Geom Mu-geuk laughed at the sight of the dog. She had known how to perform such tricks but had never shown them once during her days as a ronin.
“It’s just like how I feel in front of my father.”
With an expression of shared sympathy, Geom Mu-geuk stroked the dog. The dog made of black smoke rubbed its face against his hand.
As he stroked the dog, Geom Mu-geuk said, “Whether it’s a tiger, a wolf, or a dog doesn't matter.”
“Then what matters?”
The same sentiment Geom Mu-geuk held for Lee An was conveyed to Seo Jin.
“What matters is whether you are happier when you get to the headquarters than you are now. I don’t want an unhappy tiger.”
Seo Jin hadn't known the Young Cult Leader for long, but she knew those words were sincere.
Pop!
The dog vanished, and the wolf from before reappeared in its place.
“Even if I can’t become a happy tiger, I will strive to be a happy wolf.”
Yes, the woman I met as a ronin before the regression was like a wolf.
Live like that, Seo Jin. But this time, be a wolf that lives with a wide smile.
As he thought about returning to the Main Cult, the faces he missed began to surface one after another—faces he hadn't been able to see properly because he had left the Cult in such a hurry.
Geom Mu-geuk leaned his head out of the carriage window and shouted loudly.
“Alright, let’s head to the Main Cult! This time, we go as fast as possible!”