Chapter 733: I Have a Good Feeling About This Path
Chapter 733: I Have a Good Feeling About This Path
The interior of the cave was swallowed in pitch-black darkness.
Of course, to Geom Mu-geuk, who had mastered the New Eye Technique, the surroundings were as clear as day. Even for the two Demon Lords, the gloom wasn't enough to hinder their movements.
Those carrying torches were faring better, but those without were likely wandering through the shadows, relying solely on their primal instincts.
As Geom Mu-geuk pulled a small torch from his leather pouch and lit it, the two Demon Lords shared a quiet conversation.
“You say this is a labyrinth cave?”
“Surely the three of us won’t get lost, will we?”
“Wouldn’t we be more likely to get lost precisely because there are three of us?”
He meant that because they trusted each other’s strength, they might grow complacent and lose their way.
One Flower Sword Venerable let out a faint smile at the Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s grumbling. To an outsider, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon seemed like the type of man who would simply smash everything in his path if he hit a dead end.
However, she knew well that he possessed an unexpectedly delicate side.
Of course, neither of them was truly worried about losing their way. Their confidence stemmed from the nonchalant figure of Geom Mu-geuk walking ahead of them.
“When else would I get the chance to wander aimlessly with the two of you? Besides, just because we lose our way doesn't mean the path we must take disappears, does it?”
With that, the three of them ventured deeper. The interior of the cave was already thick with the metallic scent of blood. The clashing of steel, guttural curses, and agonized screams echoed in a chaotic tangle. It was a literal charnel house.
“We’ll take the path to the right first.”
Geom Mu-geuk chose the right fork out of three options.
“Moving with the Young Cult Leader is certainly convenient. It gives one the confidence that he’ll handle everything on his own, doesn't it?”
At One Flower Sword Venerable’s display of blind faith, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon stared at Mu-geuk’s back and snorted.
“As if he has a plan. He’s just walking blindly without a single thought.”
Mu-geuk replied with a bright laugh.
“Exactly! You see through me perfectly, Elder! Now, where could that fellow with the treasure map be hiding?”
“But how did he end up chased into this place? Was he driven here like prey in a hunt?”
“Or perhaps he entered of his own volition.”
“On purpose?”
Mu-geuk clearly seemed to have a hunch, but he didn't elaborate. They didn't bother to ask. He was the type of person who would explain everything until their ears bled later, even if they told him not to.
As they navigated the tunnels, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon flicked a Finger Wind, shattering a jagged rock protruding from the ceiling. It was a stone that One Flower Sword Venerable would have surely bumped her head on.
“I saw that too,” she remarked.
“I’m sure you did.”
“No matter how kind you are, I won’t go easy on our bet.”
“Who asked you to?”
The expression on Mu-geuk’s face as he listened to their banter was soft. Indeed, it was to hear conversations like this that he had invited them to leave the Cult with him.
The cave was a complex web. Every short distance brought a new fork in the road—sometimes three paths, sometimes four. Yet, Mu-geuk strode forward confidently, like a man who had walked these halls a thousand times.
Swish.
Suddenly, a sword lunged out of the darkness, aiming for Mu-geuk’s throat.
Mu-geuk twisted his body slightly to evade the strike and continued walking forward. He didn't even spare a glance at his assailant.
Instead, it was the ambushing martial artist who was taken aback. Not only did his target pass him by as if he were invisible, but the two following behind didn't even grant him a single look.
Swish.
The sword he swung belatedly missed its mark as well. The three had already vanished into the gloom.
“What in the world…?”
Thuck!
A blade erupted through the chest of the man who stood there dazed.
Someone else had ambushed and killed him from behind.
The killer rifled through the fallen corpse. When the treasure map didn't turn up, they vanished back into the shadows.
There was no rational choice or judgment to be found here. Everyone was hiding, waiting to ambush and kill others to search their bodies for the map. It was a descent into madness where only the luckiest would claim the prize.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Further in, a group was engaged in a frantic melee.
“Let’s just keep going,” Mu-geuk said.
Could it be that one of them possessed the treasure map? Despite the possibility, Mu-geuk passed them by for reasons known only to him.
Startled blades flew toward Mu-geuk as he cut through the battlefield, but not a single hair on his head was grazed. As if playing a game of tag, Mu-geuk lightly slipped away from the fray.
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon and One Flower Sword Venerable followed suit.
“Why aren't you stopping them?” the Blood Heaven Blade Demon asked.
Mu-geuk looked back at the site of the struggle.
“Look at their eyes.”
Every single one of them was consumed by a madness born of pure greed.
“I’d have better luck convincing a gambler to quit his habit.”
Mu-geuk moved deeper into the cave.
“Do you actually know where he’s hiding?”
“If we’re lucky, we’ll run into him.”
But he wasn't searching by luck. In truth, Mu-geuk had been to the Ten Thousand Holes Cave before.
He had scoured the entire Central Plains to find materials for his regression; there was no way he would have overlooked this famous labyrinth in Mt. Tianzi.
This mysterious place had once made it difficult for him to leave. He had been certain that something was hidden in a depth he hadn't yet reached. Though he had forgotten much over the years, at that time, he knew this place so well he could have drawn a map from memory.
‘I wonder if those things are still here at this point in time.’
He had failed to find materials for the Great Regression Art here in his past life, but he had found other things instead. He just wasn't sure if they existed yet, as the timing was different. Furthermore, if someone were to hide, he knew exactly which spots they would likely choose.
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon and One Flower Sword Venerable exchanged glances behind him. One would expect him to get lost or wander at least once, but Mu-geuk never passed the same spot twice.
After navigating the tunnels for a while, they reached a somewhat spacious cavern. Mu-geuk pulled two bamboo tubes from his leather pouch and handed them to his companions.
“Please, have some water.”
The two drank the refreshing water. Mu-geuk looked at the Blood Heaven Blade Demon with a concerned gaze.
“It’s suffocating, isn't it?”
“I’m fine.”
He wasn't fine. The Blood Heaven Blade Demon was sweating. As he had mentioned before entering, he truly loathed cramped, enclosed spaces.
“I’ll check this tunnel myself. Please rest here for a moment.”
Mu-geuk handed the torch to the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.
“What about you?”
“My night vision is quite good.”
In fact, Mu-geuk found it more comfortable to move without the flickering light.
Whoosh.
Utilizing his Rapid Speed Step, Mu-geuk vanished from their sight in an instant. The Blood Heaven Blade Demon and One Flower Sword Venerable sat side by side on a flat rock.
“I’ve been surprised by the Young Cult Leader so often that something like this doesn't even feel unusual anymore.”
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon nodded and wiped his brow.
“You’ve hated cramped, suffocating places since you were young. You haven't changed a bit.”
“Does a person really change that easily?”
One Flower Sword Venerable laughed at his words.
“Why are you laughing?”
“Oh, it’s nothing.”
She laughed because, of all people, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon shouldn't be the one saying that. He had changed tremendously since meeting Geom Mu-geuk.
“Do you remember? When we went to find the Cult Leader in his training cave?”
This was back when Geom Wu-jin was still the Young Cult Leader. She couldn't remember the reason, but Wu-jin had been ordered to undergo a hundred days of secluded training.
“We sneaked in with some booze.”
A smile touched the Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s lips. How could he forget? It was one of the few memories of the past that could still make him smile.
“You boasted that I should just trust you, but then you went and got us lost immediately.”
“Did I?”
In truth, he hadn't been lost that day. He had only pretended to be because he wanted to walk with her a little longer. Come to think of it, that cave hadn't felt suffocating at all. Even while dripping with sweat, he hadn't felt cramped for a single moment.
“We were so young back then.”
He could still see the Cult Leader’s smiling face when they had shown up, swinging their wine bottles.
As they were lost in the memories of days gone by…
Swish, swish, swish!
Hidden weapons flew out of the darkness toward One Flower Sword Venerable.
Clang, clang, clang!
It was the cloth-wrapped Heaven Extermination Great Blade that deflected the projectiles. The Blood Heaven Blade Demon lowered the blade he had used to shield her.
Once the ambush failed, the assailant vanished instantly. Neither of the two Demon Lords bothered to give chase. They had no interest in the petty squabbles occurring here.
“What was that for? Did you think I couldn't block those?”
At her question, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon looked at the torch planted near him.
“It looked dark over there.”
Then, he added words he didn't really need to say.
“Doesn't one’s night vision fade with age?”
“It’s rude to tell a woman she’s getting old!”
“What’s wrong with aging? You don't have to strive to look young. The evening is often more beautiful than the morning.”
“I told you I don't like it, yet you keep going!”
As One Flower Sword Venerable glared at him, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon subtly turned his head away.
Just then, another group of martial artists burst into the area. Among those who entered, their swords dripping with blood, were Chu Yeon, the daughter of the Flying Dragon Guild Master, and the warriors following her.
The number of warriors had dwindled from ten to eight.
Chu Yeon had thought she could easily sweep through this cave. After all, the men she brought were the elite Ten Heroes of the Flying Dragon. However, they had been ambushed twice during their search, and two of the Ten Heroes had lost their lives. Fighting with torches in a cramped, complex, and pitch-black cave was far different from what she had imagined. Today was the first time she realized that even the Ten Heroes were mortal enough to die like this.
Consequently, her nerves were frayed.
“What are you two doing here?”
There was another reason these two stood out more than others.
“Where is that porter?”
The arrogant words the boy had spoken earlier had been weighing on her mind. For a mere porter, he had been incredibly bold. She had resolved to give him a proper lesson if they met again.
“Is he dead already? Why aren't you answering?”
At her shrill questioning, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, who had been looking elsewhere, slowly turned his head.
The moment their eyes met, Chu Yeon’s heart skipped a beat. It wasn't that the opponent had released his aura or shown killing intent, yet goosebumps erupted all over her body.
It was because of his eyes. The torchlight reflected and flickered in the Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s pupils, making it look as if flames were erupting from within them. Feeling as if her entire body were being scorched, she reflexively circulated her internal energy.
In response to Chu Yeon’s reaction, the Ten Heroes of the Flying Dragon drew their swords in unison.
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s hand moved toward the knot of the cloth wrapping the Heaven Extermination Great Blade. The moment he pulled it, he would lose the bet. But if a fight was inevitable, he had no intention of letting One Flower Sword Venerable step forward just to win a wager.
Right then.
Grip.
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s gaze shifted to the knot. One Flower Sword Venerable had reached out and grasped it. She was telling him not to undo it.
“Young lady.”
At One Flower Sword Venerable’s calm call, Chu Yeon, who had been focused solely on the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, shifted her gaze. The moment she saw the woman’s serene eyes, Chu Yeon finally snapped back to her senses.
‘Both of them are true masters!’
If they could give off such a feeling without even revealing their aura, she and her men wouldn't stand a chance.
Chu Yeon signaled the Ten Heroes to sheath their swords. Her heart grew heavy.
‘Even masters of this caliber are inside. Will I really be able to obtain the map?’
There was a vast difference between her confidence when she first entered and how she felt now.
Just in time, Geom Mu-geuk returned.
“My lady, you’re safe!”
Mu-geuk greeted her so warmly that Chu Yeon was actually flustered.
“I was worried because so many people are getting hurt and killed. I’m glad to see you’re unharmed.”
She finally understood why this porter had been so arrogant. With such masters to serve, what would he have to fear?
“Why were you worried about me?”
“We shared a conversation outside. Isn't that a connection?”
To Chu Yeon, it might sound like mockery, but he was being half-sincere. If this incident involved an intervening mastermind, there would surely be pieces they had set in motion.
‘Are you perhaps one of them?’
She might be, or she might not. She could be a fleeting acquaintance he’d never see again, or she could be a thread that, if followed, would lead him to the culprits. As always, Mu-geuk intended to let nothing slip by. He planned to accept everything while feigning ignorance, turning their own plans against them.
“There are corpses strewn all over that way. Please, be careful.”
She couldn't bring herself to snap at someone who was acting so genuinely glad to see her. No, it was more likely because of those two masters. Fine, an opportunity to teach him a lesson will come eventually.
“Worry about yourself, porter.”
Chu Yeon turned on her heel and walked away. She stole a glance back at the two Demon Lords at the last moment, but neither of them was looking at her.
Once she and the Flying Dragon Guild warriors had left, Mu-geuk pulled something from his leather pouch.
“I didn't find the one with the treasure map in that tunnel, but I did find this.”
Wrapped carefully in paper was a deep, blue-green moss.
“This is…?”
Upon confirming what it was, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon and One Flower Sword Venerable were struck with shock.
“Stalactite Immortal Moss?”
Stalactite Immortal Moss was a spirit medicine that grew on the stalactites hanging from cave ceilings. It was an incredibly rare elixir that only grew when a multitude of conditions were perfectly met.
“This is the first time I’ve seen it in person,” One Flower Sword Venerable whispered.
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon felt the same. “It’s a first for me as well.”
The two Demon Lords stared at Mu-geuk with astonished expressions. To discover Stalactite Immortal Moss in that dark, chaotic mess and bring it out? It was hard to believe, even having witnessed it.
“Why are you both so surprised? Doesn't everyone find this level of elixir when they go into a cave? Let’s share it among the three of us when we get out. I’ll cook it so it tastes delicious. However, I’m the one doing the cooking!”
The effects of Stalactite Immortal Moss differed from ordinary elixirs; it didn't just increase internal energy. True to its name—the moss eaten by immortals—it was known to restore life energy and ensure a long, healthy life. Thus, Mu-geuk intended to feed a large portion of it to the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.
Listening to Mu-geuk, the two Demon Lords shared a similar thought. If the Young Cult Leader was always blessed with such immense luck… then he truly might be able to find the one with the treasure map in this place.
Shouldering his leather pouch, Mu-geuk took the lead toward a path they hadn't yet explored.
“I have a good feeling about this path. Come, let’s go!”