Chapter 645: Isn't a Greeting the Least You Could Do?
Chapter 645: Isn't a Greeting the Least You Could Do?
My father would never tolerate my death, you say?
Geom Mu-geuk thought of his father.
If I actually died, would Father really start a Great Demonic-Orthodox War?
Wouldn't he just sit in his Grand Tutor’s Chair as usual and say something like:
—"As of today, Mu-yang is the successor of the Main Cult."
He might just utter that one sentence and go about his day as if nothing had happened. Perhaps he’d even add:
—"The Cult will finally be a bit quieter now."
Of course, Mu-geuk also considered the possibility that their analysis was correct. He imagined his father sitting alone in the Grand Tutor’s Chair of the Heavenly Demon Hall, submerged in deep sorrow—a father yearning for his lost child.
Perhaps on the day he officially named his older brother as the new successor, he would speak to the Eight Demon Lords lined up before him.
—"Let us go... to the Central Plains!"
A fishing rod might even be poking out of the window of his father's carriage as they marched. He might take Mu-geuk along on the campaign just like that.
It was truly impossible to know how the man would react.
"Was it really a 'smart' person who predicted this?" Mu-geuk asked.
So Jeong-rak replied, "You are the one who created this outcome."
To be honest, Mu-geuk didn't feel bad. It was essentially an admission that his father cared for him that much.
"But if a war breaks out because I die, will you all be safe?"
So Jeong-rak wore a meaningful smile. "We are people accustomed to living many different lives."
He meant they would simply vanish, hiding their faces forever. If masters of this caliber intentionally went into hiding, it would be impossible to find them in the chaos of a Great War.
"Rather, the war will bring us immense wealth."
And with the power built upon that wealth, they would surely try to tear at the throat of the wounded victor.
Mu-geuk openly mocked him. "Indeed. That has always been your way. A life spent holding your breath behind a kind face, waiting for the perfect moment to stab someone in the back—isn't that exactly how you've lived?"
Despite the provocative words, So Jeong-rak remained composed. The final struggles of the dying were always merely pathetic.
There were no variables left. Mu-geuk had been administered a poison that would cause his blood vessels to burst if he used internal energy, and two Absolute Masters were standing right there.
So Jeong-rak looked at the two Old Demons with satisfaction.
Ma Yeom-gun was radiating a shimmering, blood-colored Demonic Energy. It was the first time So Jeong-rak had seen someone manifest such a vivid, crimson aura.
His signature martial art was the Flaming Fire Palm—a Demonic Art containing Extreme Yang Energy as hot as lava. Just imagining his palm branding a person's chest like a searing iron, burning through skin and melting into the body, was terrifying. Even at a hundred years of age, his eyes emitted a fearsome light that rivaled any young man's.
Next, So Jeong-rak looked at the White Bone Soul Demon.
His face, hands, and feet were as white as if they had been powdered, making him look like a literal skeleton at first glance. Then again, considering his age, it was a miracle he wasn't already a pile of white bones. His gaunt body was draped in all sorts of bone ornaments, and they were made from actual human remains.
His unique martial art was the Soul Return Ghost Spirit Art, a forbidden Demonic Art that manipulated the souls of the dead. The mere thought of it—stealing souls, reanimating corpses, and having hundreds of skeletons rise to attack—was enough to make one's skin crawl. The dark energy swirling in his eyes gave the impression that they were directly connected to hell itself.
How about it? Even if it's you, do you dare talk big in front of these two? So Jeong-rak thought triumphantly.
It was then that Mu-geuk abruptly spoke to the two Old Demons.
"Aren't you going to greet me?"
So Jeong-rak thought he had misheard. But he hadn't.
Mu-geuk spoke to them even louder.
"I am the Acting Cult Leader. Show some respect and greet me first!"
Ma Yeom-gun and the White Bone Soul Demon looked at each other. How could they have imagined Mu-geuk would act like this?
"Acting Cult Leader? Did the Cult Leader die?" Ma Yeom-gun asked. His voice sounded like metal scraping against metal; his age had clearly settled in his throat, making his speech incredibly unpleasant to hear.
So Jeong-rak answered respectfully, "The Heavenly Demon is currently in closed-door training."
On the other hand, the White Bone Soul Demon's mouth split into a wide grin. His toothless gums, with only a few stray teeth remaining, were clearly visible as he smiled brightly like a child.
"It's good that he's alive. I intend to tear the Heavenly Demon apart with my own hands."
Though he was a hundred and fifty years old, he spoke with the clear, thin voice of a child. As the saying goes that the elderly become children again, both his voice and expression were remarkably innocent. However, his eyes, filled with dark energy, stood in such stark contrast to that innocence that his entire presence felt bizarre.
The energy shimmering from Ma Yeom-gun's body flared up, becoming scorching hot.
"I feel the same. Let's start by tearing this brat apart today."
Bound by the Forbidden Demonic Order, they had lived only for this day. It had been years fueled by pure spite. Once they fulfilled these demands and the restriction was lifted, those lost years would be compensated with blood.
Mu-geuk chuckled. Did they want to act tough in front of him? Or had they lost all sense of reality after being bound by the Forbidden Demonic Order for so long?
If they were masters of the Orthodox Faction, such words might carry weight. But for those who practiced Demonic Arts, it was nothing but a bluff. Since he practiced the Nine Calamities Demonic Art, which stood at the pinnacle of all Demonic Arts, facing it with another Demonic Art was several times more difficult.
Furthermore, his father was currently challenging a new realm beyond the Twelve-Star Great Achievement.
When Mu-geuk laughed, the White Bone Soul Demon laughed brightly as well.
Mu-geuk peered into the old man's mouth and remarked, "You don't have any teeth. How do you even manage to eat?"
The White Bone Soul Demon stared blankly at Mu-geuk before turning to Ma Yeom-gun.
"What has happened to our Cult while I was away?"
"I heard the youngsters these days have lost their manners."
"It was the same in our time. Some things never change."
The child-like voice and the metal-scraping voice went back and forth. Despite hearing their conversation, Mu-geuk treated them even more sternly.
"Greetings first! I'll listen to your complaints about manners after you've shown some yourselves!"
Ma Yeom-gun and the White Bone Soul Demon stared at Mu-geuk. At first, they looked at him with indignation, wondering what kind of reckless fool he was. But Mu-geuk's eyes were clear and deep.
He did not burn despite their heat. He did not sink despite their deep darkness. In those eyes, there was no childishness or the rashness of a successor who didn't know his place.
Mu-geuk was truly scolding them.
You ill-mannered fools! Show some respect while I'm asking nicely!
Without a hint of fear, he was lecturing them with dignity and authority. Moreover, Mu-geuk wasn't utilizing any internal energy right now. He was overwhelming them through the sheer weight of his natural presence.
"Impressive."
Ma Yeom-gun clapped his hands. It was a sincere round of applause. It was the first time he had been so overwhelmed by a young opponent that he felt genuine admiration.
The White Bone Soul Demon also revealed his honest feelings. "It's a waste to kill him. A real waste."
He could see now why the analysts predicted the Heavenly Demon would start a Great War. How could a father lose a son like this and remain still?
Mu-geuk continued to scold them calmly.
"Age is proven by how you use your mouth. Knowing when to speak, when to stay silent, when to curse, and when to greet. Prove with those mouths of yours that you haven't lived all these years in vain."
A moment of silence followed.
Then, something surprising happened. Ma Yeom-gun, who had been staring intently at Mu-geuk, actually offered a greeting.
"Ma Yeom-gun greets the Acting Cult Leader."
It was a metal-scraping sound, but it was a respectful greeting in its own way. Of course, greeting him didn't mean he wouldn't kill him. It was an acknowledgment of Mu-geuk's admirable spirit. If a youth possessed this much presence, a greeting was the least he could do.
On the other hand, the White Bone Soul Demon did not give in so easily.
"I have lived my years in vain. All because of that damn Cult Leader's Order of yours."
Mu-geuk wasn't about to give him a soft reaction. "That's because of the crimes you committed. Greet me!"
Whoosh!
Instantly, dark energy erupted from the White Bone Soul Demon's eyes.
"Let's see if you're worthy of receiving my greeting."
He activated the Dark Mind's Eye, which allowed him to peer into a human's soul. With this Demonic Art, he could see exactly what kind of person his opponent was. No bluffing or pretense worked before the Dark Mind's Eye. He could see the naked truth of a person—a fox wearing a tiger's mask, or a coward clad in armor.
The moment he peered into Mu-geuk's heart, the White Bone Soul Demon flinched.
A moment later, the dark energy vanished from his eyes. The gaze with which he looked at Mu-geuk had completely changed. After staring at Mu-geuk for a long time, he took a step back in the battle of wills.
"The White Bone Soul Demon greets the Acting Cult Leader."
Only then did Mu-geuk accept their greetings.
"I am Acting Cult Leader Geom Mu-geuk."
In that moment, it felt as if they were in the Heavenly Demon Hall. It felt as though Mu-geuk was sitting in the Grand Tutor’s Chair, and the two of them were looking up at him from below.
As if he had never put on an air of authority, Mu-geuk smiled brightly and greeted them anew. He was so friendly it was as if they were looking at a different person than the one from a moment ago.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, seniors. Even if you're going to kill me, isn't a greeting the least you could do?"
Watching this, So Jeong-rak felt that changing the target to Mu-geuk had been the right decision.
To extract a greeting from those two in this situation? Who else in the Murim could pull that off?
He became certain that if this Young Cult Leader grew any further, no one would be able to stop him. So Jeong-rak moved to suppress Mu-geuk's momentum. Because he too felt Mu-geuk's greatness, he tried to belittle him as if it were nothing.
"He's completely terrified to meet you two while unable to use his internal energy. He probably doesn't even know what he's saying right now."
At the mention of being unable to use internal energy, Ma Yeom-gun expressed his dissatisfaction in an even more grating voice.
"Why did you suppress his internal energy? We said we would kill him ourselves!"
A greeting was just a greeting; the desire to tear Mu-geuk apart remained unchanged.
So Jeong-rak explained Mu-geuk's situation. Since these two had been bound by the Forbidden Demonic Order for decades, they wouldn't know the current state of the Murim.
"That Young Cult Leader possesses martial arts skills that are truly peerless. Even now, with his internal energy suppressed, he is someone you must never let your guard down against."
"Even so, we cannot kill a man who cannot use his energy. Release him."
So Jeong-rak said with a calm face, "I cannot do that."
The two Old Demons were fearsome, but So Jeong-rak did not fear them. A poison user fears no one. The only person he truly acknowledged was the Poison King.
Breaking the taut tension, the White Bone Soul Demon stepped forward. Instead of asking to release Mu-geuk's energy, he asked something else.
"Is everything ready to lift the restriction?"
"As long as you kill the two targets as promised, I will perform the Great Regression Art immediately."
At those words, Mu-geuk asked in surprise, "I thought the target changed to me? Why are there two?"
Then, a name that should not have been mentioned came out.
"We will kill you, and then we will kill Jin Ha-gun. Since one side lost a son, it's only fair the other side loses a grandson."
So Jeong-rak spoke to the two Old Demons. "Now, finish this."
The White Bone Soul Demon looked at Ma Yeom-gun. Ma Yeom-gun nodded, sensing that the White Bone Soul Demon had become more cautious after peering into Mu-geuk's heart. He wasn't the type to act like this. What on earth had he seen?
Just as the two were about to step toward Mu-geuk, he spoke again.
"By the way, have you two met the person who will actually lift the restriction?"
Ma Yeom-gun and the White Bone Soul Demon stopped in their tracks. Their gazes turned toward So Jeong-rak.
"Isn't he right there?"
Mu-geuk shook his head. "That man cannot do it alone."
Ma Yeom-gun's expression hardened slightly. "He can't?"
"How could he lift the restriction of the Forbidden Demonic Order by himself? If it were that easy to break, would the Forbidden Demonic Order have been maintained for all these years?"
Ma Yeom-gun asked So Jeong-rak, "Is this true?"
So Jeong-rak didn't give a straight answer. "That is a matter we will handle on our own."
So Jeong-rak could tell. Mu-geuk was trying to drag his other backer into this. This man is truly... a madman!
Instantly, the expressions of Ma Yeom-gun and the White Bone Soul Demon turned grim. One's aura became hotter, while the other's became colder.
So Jeong-rak was in a bind. He should have just killed him from the start instead of playing around. Every time Mu-geuk opened his mouth, an unexpected situation unfolded.
That mouth opened once more.
"I don't know much, but that Great Regression Art will surely cost a staggering amount of money. Probably enough to make someone have second thoughts."
How could the two Old Demons not know what those 'second thoughts' meant? It meant it would be cheaper to kill them than to perform the ritual.
Ma Yeom-gun flatly denied it. "That cannot be."
The White Bone Soul Demon also nodded. It seemed they at least trusted the person they had made the promise with.
"I don't know who you made the promise with, but the one handling the practical work is that man. Isn't the heart of the person who will be putting a knife to your bodies what truly matters?"
So Jeong-rak then said leisurely, "You're trying to drive a wedge between us with trivial words, but it won't work."
Then, Mu-geuk said something unexpected. "I will show you right now why that man cannot be trusted."
No sooner had he finished speaking—Shing.
Mu-geuk's sword was drawn.
Slash!
"Ugh!"
The one who let out a short scream was So Jeong-rak. The Sword Qi flying from Mu-geuk's blade had split in all directions, severing the vine-like lines connecting So Jeong-rak and the sleeping patients. It looked like a light move, but it contained an Extreme Ascension Martial Intent. That was why it appeared so effortless and simple.
"Didn't I just lie and say I couldn't use my internal energy?"
Before So Jeong-rak could make an excuse, Mu-geuk quickly added, "His intention was to have you two seniors attack me defenselessly and fall into danger."
Instantly, Ma Yeom-gun and the White Bone Soul Demon's expressions froze. They had clearly heard him say Mu-geuk couldn't use his internal energy.
"Isn't he planning to let us destroy each other and then kill everyone with poison at the end?"
So Jeong-rak just listened to Mu-geuk's words in a daze. Rather than being misunderstood, he was shocked by the fact that the poison he had administered earlier hadn't worked.
Why didn't his blood vessels burst?
However, to the two Old Demons, his silence looked like an admission.
So Jeong-rak asked Mu-geuk, "How did this happen?"
He was asking why he hadn't been poisoned, but Mu-geuk twisted it.
"How else? Your plan to use me to make us destroy each other failed."
Mu-geuk began to sway the two demons.
"They say blood is thicker than water. How about we join forces? I'll save my life, and you two can lift your restrictions. What do you say?"
So Jeong-rak was flustered. He never imagined Mu-geuk would attempt to side with the two demons. What is his true intention?
But in this rapidly escalating situation, he couldn't grasp Mu-geuk's real goal.
"Do not fall for his wicked schemes!"
As he spoke, So Jeong-rak secretly administered poison to Mu-geuk again. White Snake Powder—a poison that caused blindness and loss of speech. He had to shut that annoying mouth first.
However, Mu-geuk opened his eyes even wider and raised his voice.
"My dear seniors, are you really going to trust that liar with your lives?"