Chapter 680: Even if You Put Down the Sword
Chapter 680: Even if You Put Down the Sword
When Geom Mu-yang entered the iron workshop, he spotted Gwak Yeong in the distance. She was busy hauling heavy lumps of iron on a handcart. Instead of approaching her, Mu-yang walked straight toward the area where Master Gwak was working.
Master Gwak, who had been inspecting newly manufactured armaments, greeted Mu-yang the moment he saw him.
"I am glad to see you have returned safely, First Young Master."
Mu-yang returned the greeting with polite respect. "I have returned in good health, thanks to your concern. Have you been faring well, Master?"
At that, Master Gwak shook his head with a peculiar smile. "No, I’ve been quite troubled because of you, First Young Master."
Mu-yang could guess what he meant. He was likely referring to Gwak Yeong.
In the missive he had sent to Master Gwak, Mu-yang had relayed the facts exactly as they were: that Gwak Yeong had been an artisan at the Murim Alliance’s iron workshop, and that she had created counterfeit hidden weapons to save her younger brother.
He had told the Master to judge for himself whether to accept her into the Main Cult’s workshop after meeting her in person. He had also mentioned that he was only sending her because her skills were too exceptional to waste, and that since she had no personal connection to him, the Master should decide her fate as he saw fit.
Mu-yang had only intended to introduce her to the workshop; he had no intention of exerting any further influence. Master Gwak held absolute authority here, and Mu-yang respected that.
"I was already aware of the rumors regarding that woman," Master Gwak admitted.
How could he not be? She was the youngest person to ever become a master artisan at the Murim Alliance’s iron workshop—and a woman at that. Then, Master Gwak brought up something unexpected.
"The Gwak bloodline is exceptionally gifted at working iron."
"Could it be...?"
"Yes, you are correct. Upon checking, it turns out she is a descendant of the Gwak Family Iron Gate."
The Gwak Family Iron Gate. It was a family once renowned for possessing the greatest forging skills in all the Central Plains. However, generations ago, the brothers of the Iron Gate had turned on one another, leading to a bloody internal conflict that scattered the family. It had taken a mere half-day for the great family to fall into ruin.
The reason Gwak Yeong had been able to become a master artisan at such a young age was that she had inherited the superior bloodline of the Gwak Family Iron Gate.
Master Gwak’s name was Gwak In. He, too, was a descendant of the Gwak Family Iron Gate, making him a relative of Gwak Yeong, strictly speaking.
"That is why I was even more troubled. Normally, I would have accepted her immediately, but I worried it might look like I was taking her in simply because we share a family name."
Master Gwak had always been a man of upright character.
"And yet, you accepted her anyway."
When Master Gwak first saw the counterfeit Advance into the Central Plains, he had been truly impressed. The skill was so refined that it could have been mistaken for their own work. Furthermore, once he learned she had made them in a converted warehouse—not a proper workshop—and with people who weren't even trained technicians, he couldn't bring himself to reject her. Of course, that didn't mean he would immediately entrust her with heavy responsibility.
"I told her to start from the bottom, just like anyone else entering the workshop for the first time. To adapt here, she will have to prove herself through her skills anyway."
There was no telling how long that would take. Master Gwak’s gaze turned toward Gwak Yeong, who was still moving iron in the distance.
"That child likely lived her life believing she was already a finished sword. I am curious to see what kind of blade she will become once she melts herself down and starts over from the molten iron."
Mu-yang watched her as she performed menial labor, her face flushed red and drenched in sweat. After staring at her for a moment, Mu-yang bid farewell to Master Gwak.
"Then, I shall take my leave."
After exchanging greetings with the Master, Mu-yang walked out of the iron workshop. He deliberately avoided meeting her. He felt that acknowledging her in front of everyone would not be helpful to her integration.
Gwak Yeong also knew that Mu-yang had come, but she did not look his way. In her heart, she wanted to run to him and express her gratitude—to thank him for his consideration in allowing her to enter the workshop. But she didn't.
The one she needed to become close with right now wasn't Mu-yang, nor Master Gwak, nor her seniors.
The only thing she needed to bond with was the object right in front of her.
Iron.
Her relationship with everyone else would be determined by how close she became with the metal.
‘I will fulfill the promise I made to you after I marry this iron. Ah, I suppose it would be a remarriage.’
*
"Elder!"
After leaving Villain Valley, Geom Mu-geuk ran straight to the residence of the Blood Heaven Blade Demon. When he opened the door and entered, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon was practicing his martial arts in the courtyard.
The trend of the Demon Lords training had spread like wildfire. In truth, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon had been at the forefront of that trend. He had resumed his martial arts training quite a long time ago.
And recently, with Geom Wu-jin’s closed-door training as a catalyst, each of the Demon Lords felt a sense of mission. They had gained a goal: they had to overcome the walls standing in their way.
The martial art the Blood Heaven Blade Demon was currently performing was the Heaven Extermination Demonic Blade Form.
Third Form: Extermination Blade Blood Wind.
Whooooooooosh!
A wild Blade Qi erupted from his blade, spiraling outward. Since he was performing such a perilous technique in the courtyard, the surroundings should have been utterly devastated. But at the very moment the Blade Qi was about to blow away the walls...
Sssssssst.
As if by magic, the Blade Qi vanished right in front of the wall.
Seeing that, Mu-geuk understood. The Blood Heaven Blade Demon was manifesting the Heaven Extermination Demonic Blade Form only within a strictly defined area. Just as it is harder to walk slowly through the air than it is to fly up quickly, performing martial arts with such restraint required a much higher realm of mastery than simply turning the walls to dust.
‘The Elder has ascended to a new realm as well!’
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon swung the Blood Heaven Great Blade once more. This time, his target was Mu-geuk.
Swaaaaaaaah!
A wave of Blade Qi with immense momentum surged toward Mu-geuk, who was standing by the door.
Heaven Extermination Demonic Blade Form, Second Form: Extermination Blade Wave.
Mu-geuk did not dodge the terrifying attack. At the critical moment!
Sssssst.
Just like before, the wave of Blade Qi vanished right before Mu-geuk’s face as if it had never existed. The Blood Heaven Blade Demon barked at Mu-geuk.
"Do you have a death wish? You didn't even raise your Body Protection Qi!"
He had only just realized that Mu-geuk had been standing there completely defenseless.
"I trusted you, Elder."
"And what if I had made a mistake?"
"Then I would have appeared in your dreams every night as a vengeful ghost, crying out, 'Give me back my handsome face!'"
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon shook his head, looking at Mu-geuk as if he were hopeless. He might be able to handle a ghost, but he wouldn't be able to bear the guilt he'd feel toward the Cult Leader.
"I missed you!"
As Mu-geuk ran forward to hug him, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon blocked him with the flat of the Blood Heaven Great Blade.
"You smell like sweat. Get away!"
"Your sweat smells better than the scent of an elixir, Elder."
"Wipe that frown off your face before you speak."
Mu-geuk burst into laughter. Seeing the Blood Heaven Blade Demon put his mind at ease. There was a unique comfort that only he could provide.
"I’m going to go wash up."
"I told you, it’s fine."
"Well, it’s not fine for me."
If asked who among the Eight Demon Lords was the cleanest, Mu-geuk would unhesitatingly answer that it was the Blood Heaven Blade Demon. One could tell just by looking at his always-immaculate bed. He was a man who seemed like he would be far removed from tidiness, yet he was anything but.
Just then, something caught Mu-geuk’s eye. In a flower garden in the corner of the courtyard, there were flowers and plants he hadn't seen before—evidence that the Blade Demon was getting along well with the One Flower Sword Venerable.
How long had he been crouching there, looking at the grass and flowers? The Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s voice came from behind him.
"The Cult Leader was pleased, wasn't he?"
Mu-geuk knew he was asking about the hunting trip with his father and brother. Yes, perhaps the person who understood his father’s heart best was this very man.
Mu-geuk stood up and turned toward him. "Ugh, you have no idea how much he favored his eldest son. I cried myself to sleep every night."
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon gave him a look that said, As if you would ever do that. "I see that mouth of yours didn't get any rest there either."
"How could it? It was two against one!"
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon spoke with a faint smile. "You did well."
It was a short sentence, but it was filled with sincerity. It wasn't praise for Mu-geuk himself, nor for his brother. It was about his father. He was saying Mu-geuk had done well for the sake of the Cult Leader.
"Next time, you should come with us, Elder."
"Why would I go there?"
"To take care of me and stand up to my father, who only favors his eldest son."
"If that’s your goal, you should take the drunkard or the masked one."
"The drunkard would just take my brother’s side to flatter my father. And my father probably wouldn't want to take the masked one."
"Then take that brawler, your master."
"You know how he is, don't you? Master would only take my father’s side. You’re the only one who would wipe away my tears, Elder!"
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon laughed, genuinely amused. Mu-geuk continued the pleasant atmosphere with an even better story.
"Did you know? You saved me in Wuhan this time as well, Elder."
"I did? I didn't go anywhere near Wuhan." The Blood Heaven Blade Demon looked at him as if wondering what kind of prank he was pulling now.
"It’s because of you that I grew to like books, Elder."
When he was about to give up on finding the bead for the Secret Casket in the Murim Treasure Vault... if he hadn't felt like reading a book before leaving at the last moment, he never would have obtained the Yellow Eye Bead.
"The desire to read a book changed my fate. Thank you." Mu-geuk bowed his head to express his gratitude.
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon gazed at him silently for a moment before speaking calmly.
"To defeat others, you must never let go of your sword. However, to defeat yourself..." He followed with advice for the next Heavenly Demon that no one would ever believe. "Even if you put down the sword, do not put down the book."
*
From the top of the Drunken Dream Pavilion, the Drunken Demon’s gaze was fixed on the lake. A corpse was drifting along where his eyes rested.
A corpse at his residence? One might expect him to be shocked, but the Drunken Demon wasn't surprised at all. He walked across the surface of the lake toward the body.
Looking down at the corpse floating face-down, the Drunken Demon asked nonchalantly, "Is this a new way of expressing your apologies?"
As if waiting for that cue, the corpse flipped over. The person floating in the lake was Geom Mu-geuk.
"It’s been a while, Brother."
"What are you doing here?"
"I was trying to surprise you. I didn't realize you’d lost your childhood innocence to this extent."
"It’s not a matter of innocence; it’s a matter of conscience."
The Drunken Demon had every right to say that. He hadn't seen Mu-geuk since the boy had left the Cult and returned to become the Acting Cult Leader. It had truly been a long time. He was the type to feel slighted when Mu-geuk visited him later than the other Demon Lords.
"Brother, how long has it been?"
The Drunken Demon looked down at Mu-geuk and spoke with mock formality. "Even as our father turned into a stone statue waiting for you and passed away, he spoke of the Young Cult Leader. He said that although he treated you the most harshly among the Demon Lords, you were still his favorite."
Mu-geuk wasn't one to let the Drunken Demon’s joke slide. "You really took after Father; you’re quite handsome and atmospheric. You can take after everything else except his personality and his drunken behavior!"
The Drunken Demon shook his head and flew back toward the Drunken Dream Pavilion. His movement technique across the water was incredibly smooth and elegant. Mu-geuk shouted after him.
"Even so, it hasn't been that long since we last saw each other!"
Mu-geuk lay back in the lake and looked up at the sky. "Ah, this is nice. The sky looks best when viewed from here."
Being afloat in the lake of the Drunken Dream Pavilion after so long made him feel good. After fully savoring the emotion of his long-awaited return, Mu-geuk climbed up to the pavilion. The Drunken Demon poured him a drink in the Ice Palace Holy Cup.
"How did the trip go?"
"It went well."
Mu-geuk explained everything that had happened in Wuhan to the Drunken Demon as well. He had already told the Extreme Evil Smiling Demon and the Blood Heaven Blade Demon. It had always been this way. He told the Demon Lords everything regarding the forces behind the scenes. He wasn't fighting alone; he was fighting alongside them.
After hearing the story, the Drunken Demon refilled Mu-geuk’s cup. "You’ve worked hard."
Mu-geuk tilted his head at the Drunken Demon’s subdued reaction. "You seem different today, Brother."
"I do?"
"You seem... calm, for some reason?"
He would usually have played more pranks. And he wasn't the type to be genuinely sulky like this. Mu-geuk teased him for being narrow-minded, but he knew better than anyone that the Drunken Demon was a great man. The problem was that this change today felt like a calmness born of anxiety.
"Is it because of Miss Yeo?"
He already knew that the Drunken Demon and the Third Division drunkard, Yeo-bin, treated each other with affection. He wondered if something had happened between the two while he was away. But I didn't sense any problems from her when she was guiding me earlier.
The Drunken Demon emptied his cup and stood up. "Follow me."
The Drunken Demon led Mu-geuk somewhere. The two used their light body techniques to fly across the lake and land on the shore opposite the entrance. The Drunken Demon led Mu-geuk into the Great Drunken Forest.
Deep within the forest, Liquor Qi was spread out like a thick fog. This was the Absolute Forbidden Area of the Great Drunken Forest. Because it was Liquor Qi that could not be expelled even with internal energy, even a master could not easily pass through this place.
As the Drunken Demon walked, the Liquor Qi parted to create a path as if it were alive. There, in a place where only the Drunken Demon could go, stood a brewery. It was the same place Mu-geuk had visited once before.
Stepping inside, the Drunken Demon spoke with a look of incomprehension.
"The trip went well, the Cult Leader has emerged from his training, and the Demon Lords are growing stronger. Everything is falling into place."
The Drunken Demon’s footsteps stopped. His gaze turned toward a large vat placed in the center. There lay the reason for his sunken mood.
"So why has the newly brewed mash spoiled again?"