Chapter 669: But You Didn't Know This, Did You?
Chapter 669: But You Didn't Know This, Did You?
The Murim Treasure Vault.
It was an Absolute Forbidden Area, the sanctuary where the greatest treasures of the Murim were stored. It was a place known to be accessible only to the Murim Alliance Leader and those he personally authorized.
A mysterious energy, as deep and profound as the vault's long history, wafted from the very gates.
As they passed through the protective formations, Geom Mu-geuk was filled with genuine anticipation. It wasn't because he was greedy for martial arts manuals or divine weapons; rather, he harbored a sliver of hope that the Murim Alliance might possess one of the beads his Secret Casket needed to absorb.
However, he truly hadn't expected the Murim Alliance Leader to bring him here personally.
"This is the first time someone from the Divine Cult has stepped foot in here. Likely the first time in history."
"It is an honor, Alliance Leader."
It wasn't just those from the Divine Cult; even among the Orthodox Faction, those who had stood before these doors could be counted on one hand.
"Since becoming the Alliance Leader, I have never once used the items here for my own personal gain." Jin Pae-cheon looked down at his own sword and added, "This sword, too, is one I’ve used since my youth."
He was a man who had never laid a finger on the ancient elixirs or divine weapons stored within.
"I considered these to be the heritage left by our ancestors to protect the Orthodox Murim, not my personal property."
Geom Mu-geuk spoke to Jin Pae-cheon with sincere respect. "It is because you are such a man that you have been able to protect the Orthodox Murim until now."
He meant it. If the Alliance Leader had been a man consumed by greed, Mu-geuk’s father would never have left such a weakness overlooked. Though he was also a grandfather whose heart wavered for his grandchildren, Geom Mu-geuk could tell that it was precisely because he possessed such a heart that he was an even stronger martial artist.
"I agonized over how to reward you."
Geom Mu-geuk had claimed he would have resolved the situation even without help, but was that really true? Would his survival instinct have truly kicked in against a friend of several decades? Jin Pae-cheon didn't think so.
Geom Mu-geuk had saved his life and the lives of his grandchildren—and by extension, the fate of the Murim Alliance. Twice now, including the previous incident.
To be honest, the Leader wanted to say, 'As a reward, I shall make you my grandson-in-law.'
Of course, their respective positions didn't allow for that, and even if they did, he now realized that wouldn't be much of a gift. In fact, if Mu-geuk became his grandson-in-law, it would be Jin Pae-cheon himself receiving the gift.
"If you were an ordinary master, I would have assessed your skill and talent and bestowed a martial manual or a precious sword upon you myself. But I cannot do that with you." Jin Pae-cheon’s gaze turned toward the Murim Treasure Vault. "Therefore, choose for yourself."
Then, he added something truly shocking.
"Bring out any three items you desire from this place."
Geom Mu-geuk was stunned by the unexpected windfall. Not just one, but three?
Seeing Geom Mu-geuk’s shock, Jin Pae-cheon gave a firm nod.
"Alliance Leader, I am a very greedy man, so I cannot refuse such an offer. If you were thinking, 'Surely this fellow will politely decline,' then you have vastly underestimated my greed. You think I'll reduce three to one? No, I'm the kind of greedy bastard who's already plotting how to turn three into five."
"It is a decision I made after much thought. Take three."
Only after confirming this did Geom Mu-geuk allow himself to celebrate.
"Thank you so much! Thank you, Alliance Leader!"
He wasn't just happy; he was practically ecstatic, hopping up and down in front of the Alliance Leader.
"Are you that pleased?"
"Of course! Isn't this a place I'll never get to visit again in my life? Just getting a tour would be incredible, but to take three items? How could I not be happy? This is great! Treasures, just you wait! The Incarnation of Greed is coming! I'm going in to get five!"
"Three!"
"Yes! I'm going in to get three!"
Seeing Geom Mu-geuk so genuinely delighted brought a smile to Jin Pae-cheon’s lips. Yes, this was much better than someone declining out of false modesty only to accept while pretending to be coerced. It was better to be this happy—happy enough to make the giver feel good as well.
"But why three?" Geom Mu-geuk asked, then immediately guessed the answer himself. "Is it because I helped root out the three spies who had infiltrated deep into the Murim Alliance?"
Jin Pae-cheon hadn't chosen the number three for any specific symbolic meaning. He simply felt that allowing only one would seem stingy. If he had to give a reason, it was more accurate to say it was because Mu-geuk had saved him, his grandson, and his granddaughter. One item for each person.
"Just so you know, I'm going to bring out the absolute best things in there."
"I expect nothing less."
Jin Pae-cheon pulled out a large key, inserted it into the lock at the entrance, and turned it.
Rumble—!
The massive doors began to slowly grind open.
"Well then, I'll be back."
"Take your time. Look around as much as you like."
"Thank you truly."
After offering a polite fist salute, Geom Mu-geuk stepped inside.
Beyond the doors was a corridor, with another set of doors at the far end. The walls leading there were embedded with Night-shining Pearls, so it wasn't dark. Usually, cracked or low-grade pearls were used just for lighting, but here, they used incredibly bright, high-quality Night-shining Pearls.
It was an exhilarating start.
His first goal today was to find a bead for the Secret Casket to absorb. He had obtained the Secret Casket from the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, and in the basement of the Yellow Dragon Martial Arts Hall, he had found the mental method oral formula to control these energies, connecting him to events from three hundred years ago.
Currently, he had absorbed three energies: the Black Essence from the Pungcheon Cult, the Blue Essence from the Unorthodox Path Alliance, and the White Essence from the North Sea Ice Palace.
Previously, in the basement of the Yellow Dragon Martial Arts Hall, he had seen a mural of the Secret Casket and the beads. There were six energies for the casket to absorb: Black, White, Blue, Red, Yellow, and Purple.
Would he be able to find one of the remaining energies here in the Murim Alliance?
Reaching the end of the corridor, Geom Mu-geuk opened the doors with a pounding heart and stepped inside.
The first chamber of the Murim Treasure Vault was where the treasures were kept. Usually, such places were filled with various golden objects—gifts sent by merchant groups or sects, like golden dragons, tigers, turtles, or toads.
However, there was no such gold or jewelry in the Murim Treasure Vault. There was only one type of treasure here: Poison-Repelling Pearls.
The room was filled with displays of expensive, top-tier Poison-Repelling Pearls. When he opened the crates stacked beneath them, they too were filled with pearls categorized by grade. Geom Mu-geuk realized then that the Murim Alliance had converted all its liquid assets into Poison-Repelling Pearls for storage.
‘Ah, they’re preparing for war.’
At the same time, they were preparing for the Poison King. If a war broke out, the Poison-Repelling Pearls here would be immediately distributed to all the masters of the Alliance.
‘At least for this generation, you don’t have to worry too much. Even if a war starts, Father won’t put the Poison King on the front lines.’
Passing through the room dedicated solely to Poison-Repelling Pearls, he opened the door to the next chamber. The moment the door opened, a massive space revealed itself. It was dozens of times larger than the room with the pearls.
The aura emanating from this place was thick with the energy of the Orthodox Faction. It was so saturated with righteous energy and chivalrous spirit that an ordinary master of the Demonic Cult or the Unorthodox Faction would have felt burdened just by stepping inside.
Geom Mu-geuk walked in slowly.
This was the hall of divine weapons. It was so vast the end was barely visible. Weapons hung on every wall, and the floor was filled with countless display stands. Geom Mu-geuk walked slowly, admiring them. These were primarily weapons used by the great masters of the Orthodox Faction, which was why the place overflowed with righteous energy.
Below each stand, the name of the weapon and the master who wielded it were inscribed, along with detailed accounts of their deeds. This wasn't just a warehouse; it was an exhibition hall where one could read the very history of the Murim. He had been in many vaults before, but the Murim Alliance was the first to have everything so well-organized.
The weapons were famous names he had heard at least once. Take the sword that immediately caught his eye: the Nameless Sword.
Though it was called "Nameless," it was more famous than any sword with a name. It was the unique weapon of the Absolute Master known as the Nameless Guest, who had swept through the Murim two hundred years ago.
‘I can’t just pass by the Nameless Sword.’
He carefully picked up the Nameless Sword from its stand and unsheathed it.
Shring—
The sharp energy emitted by the blade caused the surrounding air to turn cold and still.
"Exquisite!"
The exclamation escaped him naturally. Any martial artist who used a sword would find it impossible to walk away from this blade.
Beside it sat a pipa, a weapon for those who used Sound Arts: the Heavenly Sound Pipa. It was once the unique weapon of the Absolute Master of Sound Arts, Fairy Hwa-myeong. It was said that when the Heavenly Sound Pipa played, those with weak internal energy would have their eardrums burst and die instantly from reversed blood flow.
There was a reason the Nameless Sword and the Heavenly Sound Pipa were placed so close together. Fairy Hwa-myeong had lost her life in a battle against the Nameless Guest. The inscription below the stand explained the details of their final duel.
Moving a few steps further, he saw a saber with a black dragon engraved as if coiling around the blade: the Ink Dragon Divine Blade.
"Ah! I haven't even walked ten steps and I've already seen the Nameless Sword, the Heavenly Sound Pipa, and the Ink Dragon Divine Blade? And I can only pick three? I want to take everything except for three!"
Jin Pae-cheon would have laughed loudly if he had heard him, but the hall was so full of divine weapons that Mu-geuk felt like throwing a tantrum on the floor. With every step, history that had once shocked the Murim revealed itself.
The Demon-Sealing Chain. This chain weapon was the unique tool of an Orthodox master who once dominated the Murim. Beside it was a fan named the White Qi Fan, an absolute weapon where life and death hung on a single swing. These two martial artists had been sworn brothers.
Because Geom Mu-geuk’s knowledge of the Murim was broader and richer than anyone else's, he recognized many of the weapons. Yet, reading the descriptions revealed many hidden stories he hadn't known.
As he looked around, he occasionally saw surprisingly ordinary-looking weapons. These were displayed because the person who wielded them was a great hero, or because the weapon had been used for a truly meaningful purpose. When one's martial arts reach a certain level, a single worn-out steel sword can be more meaningful than any precious blade simply because it was used by a martial artist one respects.
Thus, Geom Mu-geuk continued his tour of the weapons.
How long had he been walking? Suddenly, his Heavenly Demon Body Protection Art activated. It wasn't because he sensed an immediate danger; it was because his technique reacted to an exceptionally powerful energy coming from up ahead.
‘What on earth is over there?’
Geom Mu-geuk walked toward the source. As he drew closer, the energy became even more intense. When he arrived, he found a wide, open space. Previously, the weapons had been packed tightly like pieces on a Go board, but here, there was only one display stand in the center of the vast area, holding a single sword.
The Heavenly Demon Body Protection Art had activated because of this sword. To think a single sword’s aura could trigger his protection art?
Come to think of it, this was the exact center of the second chamber. All the other weapons were arranged in every direction with this sword as the focal point.
Geom Mu-geuk slowly approached it. He felt a powerful sense of righteousness and chivalry emanating from the blade. The moment he saw the name written below, his eyes widened in shock.
The Gentleman’s Sword.
An exclamation burst from his lips. "The Greatest Gentleman Sword of All Time!"
That was the title given to the Gentleman’s Sword. It was the very symbol of the Orthodox Murim. It was said that if the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult had the Heavenly Demon Sword, the Orthodox Murim had the Gentleman’s Sword.
"Ah! So this is the Gentleman’s Sword."
It was a sword Geom Mu-geuk had only ever heard of. The scabbard and hilt were not flashy, yet the aura felt from the sword overwhelmed any other weapon.
Geom Mu-geuk stared silently at the Gentleman’s Sword. First, he was impressed by Jin Pae-cheon. As the Murim Alliance Leader, he could have taken and used this sword, but he hadn't. It was likely because it was a symbol of the Orthodox Murim, steeped in long history and tradition.
‘He must have known I might choose the Gentleman’s Sword.’
Did he have faith that Mu-geuk wouldn't choose it? Or did he believe it was okay even if he did? Regardless, since he had made a promise, if Mu-geuk said he would take this sword, Jin Pae-cheon would let him. He was not a man to break his word.
"No, I even told him I was the Incarnation of Greed! What was he trusting in to tell me to take whatever I wanted?"
He felt that Jin Pae-cheon was truly a remarkable man. Geom Mu-geuk stepped close enough to reach out and touch the Gentleman’s Sword.
"You must be lonely, being locked up in here all the time, right?"
A precious sword like this would surely want to meet a good master and show itself to the world. Geom Mu-geuk’s hesitation didn't last long.
"Fine, let's go out together!"
Geom Mu-geuk decided to take the Gentleman’s Sword. Leaving such a precious sword only in a vault was not right for the Murim, nor for the sword itself.
Geom Mu-geuk carefully picked up the Gentleman’s Sword. Even without unsheathing it, he could feel its energy. As he held it, the Black Demonic Sword at his waist let out a low hum.
Vrrrrm—
It had sensed the presence of the Gentleman’s Sword. It was the moment one legendary blade recognized another. Geom Mu-geuk patted the Black Demonic Sword.
"Don't be nervous. It's okay."
Geom Mu-geuk did not unsheathe the Gentleman’s Sword. It wasn't a sword for him to use. No matter how much had been promised, and no matter how he had saved their lives, there were some things one shouldn't be greedy for.
"My friend has something to celebrate."
He intended to give the Gentleman’s Sword to Jin Ha-gun as a gift. Ha-gun possessed a character that perfectly matched the sword's name. Given Jin Pae-cheon’s personality, even if Jin Ha-gun became the Alliance Leader later, he would never give this sword to his grandson himself. He was a man of such integrity that he hadn't touched anything here his whole life; he wouldn't be able to hand the Gentleman’s Sword to his own flesh and blood.
‘So, I’ll be the one to give it to him!’
Perhaps the day would come when he would see Jin Ha-gun performing the Imperial Sword Arts with the Gentleman’s Sword.
Geom Mu-geuk fastened the Gentleman’s Sword to his waist, opposite the Black Demonic Sword. Thus, Geom Mu-geuk chose the first of his three items. Just as he had jokingly told Jin Pae-cheon, he had picked the absolute best thing.
Jin Pae-cheon probably believed he wouldn't bring this out.
But you didn't know this, did you?
"I think you'll like that friend too."