Chapter 752: You Brought That Leather Pouch Well
Chapter 752: You Brought That Leather Pouch Well
The melody was truly beautiful.
But Geom Mu-geuk knew better. The sweeter the melody, the closer death approached. This was a sound echoing from the depths of hell.
As the brief performance ended, a man stepped through the open door.
He had a gaunt, skeletal frame—a body so emaciated he seemed to be little more than skin and bone. His cheekbones protruded sharply, and his cheeks were deeply sunken. In the sockets where his eyes should have been sat milky, lifeless pupils. He was blind.
His frail body looked as if it might collapse at any moment, yet there was a strange, rhythmic grace to his movements.
Was he listening to music only he could hear? Each step he took resonated like the steady beat of a drum, and the way he swung his long arms made it look as if he were dancing to a hidden tune. Is this truly how a blind man walks? The thought arose naturally; it was less a walk and more a profound display of footwork.
What drew the most attention, however, was the pipa he held.
The instrument was old and worn, and peculiarly, it had no strings.
Naturally, the beautiful melody from moments ago could not have been played on it. Yet, Geom Mu-geuk knew this man was the performer. He knew exactly who this man was.
The 10th of the Twelve Zodiac Kings: Sound King Sin Ryu.
He was hailed as a genius of sound arts, a man said to have no equal in the history of martial arts when it came to the mastery of sound. The stringless pipa he carried was his unique weapon, the Ghost Wail Stringless Pipa.
Among the Twelve Zodiac Kings, he had never been particularly prominent. No one knew who he had killed or what deeds he had performed. Yet, he had maintained his position as one of the Twelve Zodiac Kings until the very end—despite that sickly body that looked ready to crumble and those sightless eyes.
Rumor had it that before his death, he had perfected a terrifying sound art. Whispers spoke of a technique so powerful that no master could stand against it. However, the true nature of that martial art had never been revealed to the Jianghu.
And now, the Sound King, who had lived such a life, had appeared.
Geom Mu-geuk felt it instinctively. The reason the Sword King had come here was to protect the Sound King.
As if confirming that intuition, the Sword King moved first. The Sword King, a man who seemed bound to no one, walked forward slowly and took his place beside the Sound King.
The Blade King, whose fight had been interrupted, still wore a look of fury. He made no effort to hide his anger from the Sound King, yet he did not persist in continuing the fight. Whether acting on orders or out of a recognition of skill, there was an inexplicable tension radiating from the Sound King that kept him in check.
After shooting a cold glare at the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, the Blade King strode over and stood on the other side of the Sound King.
It was the first time since Geom Mu-geuk began his struggle against the hidden power that this had happened.
Three of the Twelve Zodiac Kings were gathered in one place.
It was a clear sign of how much importance the hidden power placed on this matter.
Standing between the Sword King and the Blade King, the Sound King’s presence was not overshadowed in the least. Was he always this kind of person? Even Geom Mu-geuk was inwardly surprised by the aura the man exuded.
He was undoubtedly the protagonist of today’s gathering.
The 10th King acting as the lead in the presence of the 1st and 2nd Kings?
Geom Mu-geuk’s gaze shifted to the Sword King. Their eyes met.
What on earth are you plotting today? And why are you here?
The Sword King, however, merely met Geom Mu-geuk’s gaze in silence, sending not a single word via Voice Transmission. He acted as if he were a mere observer.
Geom Mu-geuk took this as a positive sign. If the Sword King had started offering excuses, that would have truly been the worst-case scenario.
Seeing the three Kings, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon and the One Flower Sword Venerable took their positions flanking Geom Mu-geuk. Their momentum made their stance clear: Fine, let’s see how a three-on-three fight goes.
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon and the Blade King, in particular, glared at each other with murderous intent. The heat from their previous clash had not yet cooled. Though the Blade King had been wounded in the waist, their battle had been a stalemate.
The Sound King looked toward where Geom Mu-geuk stood as if he could see perfectly. No emotion could be read in his hollow eyes, giving him a mysterious, chilling aura.
“You have worked hard to come such a long way, Young Cult Leader.”
Contrary to his appearance, his voice was a pleasant, beautiful tenor. Though he spoke in a low whisper, the words carried and embedded themselves clearly in the ear. One could tell from his voice alone that his internal energy was incredibly profound.
“It was more of a pleasant journey than a hardship,” Geom Mu-geuk replied, glancing back at the Blood Heaven Blade Demon and the One Flower Sword Venerable. “Because I traveled with those I respect and admire deeply.”
The Sound King immediately greeted the Blood Heaven Blade Demon. He was as polite as he had been to Geom Mu-geuk.
“I have heard much of the Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s fame. It is an honor to meet you.”
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon stared into the man's grey eyes and asked, “Can those eyes see?”
“They cannot.”
“Then how did you know I was here?”
“I recognized you because the person with the hottest aura in this place is standing right there.”
The Sound King’s gaze then turned toward the One Flower Sword Venerable.
“You possess an elegant and noble aura. It is a pleasure to meet you, One Flower Sword Venerable.”
Despite the compliment, the One Flower Sword Venerable showed no pleasure. If anything, her reaction was colder than the Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s.
“You’ve seen wrongly. I have nothing but thoughts of killing you all, so how could I be elegant or noble?”
The Sound King did not seem offended by her blunt words.
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon followed up. “Now, enough with the honeyed words. Tell us why you called us all the way here.”
The appearance of three such masters meant they had undoubtedly been waiting for them. The dolls that had attacked Geom Mu-geuk earlier were proof enough. This meeting was clearly orchestrated.
The Sound King answered calmly. “Of course, I have my reasons. Just as you all do.”
The Sound King’s dead eyes turned toward the One Flower Sword Venerable as he asked, “Why did you come here?”
It was a question that implied she had a specific reason for coming. He asked the same of the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, Dan So-jin, and the warriors of the Unorthodox Path Alliance.
Though no one answered, it was true that everyone on this side had a reason. Even Ji Han, who had become a subordinate, had a reason for following them here, as did Tae-su.
Finally, the Sound King asked Geom Mu-geuk the same question. “Why did you come here?”
Geom Mu-geuk turned the question back on him. “I was drawn here by a truly beautiful melody. Even if I am to die, I could not ignore such a beautiful piece of music.”
“You are a man who loves music, Young Cult Leader.”
“I am merely a man who knows how to kill. Use this opportunity to teach me about music.”
The Sound King’s grey eyes lingered on Geom Mu-geuk in silence before he turned around.
“Please, everyone, enter this room for a moment.”
He walked back into the place he had emerged from. The Sword King, the Blade King, the Dark Blood Four Blades, and the man in the iron mask followed him.
Geom Mu-geuk looked at the Blood Heaven Blade Demon and the One Flower Sword Venerable. Since the other side held the initiative, they could not afford to let their guard down.
The two Demon Lords nodded. They understood what Geom Mu-geuk’s look meant: Be careful, and then be careful again.
Geom Mu-geuk’s group, Dan So-jin, and the Unorthodox Path Alliance warriors followed the Sound King into the room.
The massive space, resembling a plaza, was littered with broken blades and weapons. A dozen or so skeletons were scattered about.
These were the remnants of a fierce battle.
There were skeletons collapsed on the floor, skeletons entangled with swords driven into each other's bodies, and a skeleton leaning alone against a wall.
In the center of it all sat a coffin.
A surge of emotion crossed Tae-su’s face.
This is it!
He knew they had finally reached the Sword Tomb. He had risked his life in the struggle for the treasure map just to get here. It was a place he had only reached after encountering the Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult and the Demon Lords.
Whatever the others thought, he, a thief, had come for the treasures within. He wanted to check the swords held by the corpses right now; he wanted to run over and pry open that coffin to see what was inside.
Of course, the others must have opened it already. Even knowing there might be nothing left, he still wanted to see for himself.
The Sound King spoke to Geom Mu-geuk. “This is the Sword Tomb described in the treasure map.”
“The atmosphere is different from what I imagined. I thought it would be much more flamboyant and grand.”
“We have not touched anything in this room.”
Whether those words could be trusted was another matter.
“Are you not curious about what lies inside that coffin?”
“One cannot desecrate the deceased, after all.”
The Sound King answered as if they truly hadn't opened a single thing.
Just then, Geom Mu-geuk noticed the One Flower Sword Venerable staring intently at one of the skeletons. It was a skeleton kneeling, leaning on a sword with one hand. The look in her eyes was unusual.
Geom Mu-geuk approached her and asked, “Is it someone you know?”
The One Flower Sword Venerable nodded slowly. “That sword he’s holding is Dan Muk. That man is my maternal uncle. When I was a child, he would visit and play with me. The last time I saw him before he disappeared, he spoke of the treasure map.”
Now he understood why she had wanted to come to the Sword Tomb. She had suspected her uncle might have ended up here.
“I came here on a whim, and he really was here.”
Geom Mu-geuk realized something. The hidden power had used this Sword Tomb to lure him in. If he hadn't left the Cult with the One Flower Sword Venerable, they would have captured her here and then contacted him. Either way, they would have ensured he came to this spot.
At that moment, Dan So-jin sent a Voice Transmission to Geom Mu-geuk.
— There are poisonous insects hidden in that corpse.
They had even set a trap on a body that held special meaning for the One Flower Sword Venerable. They had tried to poison him with the Purple Cloud True Qi Poison while passing through the gates, and now they had planned to poison her using this skeleton.
Perhaps they had intended for the Blade King to kill the Blood Heaven Blade Demon in the earlier fight. That had only failed because they hadn't realized how strong the Blood Heaven Blade Demon truly was.
Geom Mu-geuk immediately sent a Voice Transmission to Ji Han. Ji Han responded as instructed.
“I smell something from that corpse.”
“What kind of smell?”
“It smells like bugs.”
To avoid revealing that Dan So-jin had informed him, he used Ji Han’s sense of smell as a pretext.
Geom Mu-geuk rummaged through his leather pouch and pulled out a small container and a pair of chopsticks.
“May I have a moment?”
Geom Mu-geuk asked for the One Flower Sword Venerable’s permission. She nodded readily, having already sensed from the conversation and the look in his eyes that something was amiss.
Geom Mu-geuk bowed respectfully to the skeleton.
“I am Geom Mu-geuk, the Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. I respect the One Flower Sword Venerable, your kin, more than anyone.”
He bowed deeply to the remains.
“For the Venerable’s safety, I must examine you for a moment.”
As Geom Mu-geuk carefully inspected the body...
Whoosh!
Something lunged toward him. It was so fast it was nearly invisible to the naked eye.
Snap!
Of course, Geom Mu-geuk, who was prepared, caught it instantly.
Squirming between the chopsticks was a poisonous insect with many legs, looking like a centipede. Geom Mu-geuk recognized the creature, which was close to being a spirit creature.
“It’s a Corpse-Blood Poison Centipede. I wonder where they caught such a rare specimen?”
The Corpse-Blood Poison Centipede primarily lived on cadavers and possessed an extreme poison that could kill most masters instantly. A master like the One Flower Sword Venerable might avoid instant death, but she would have to expend her energy to contain the poison within her body, preventing her from fighting at full strength.
If he hadn't been immune to all poisons, he might not have even known he was infected by the Purple Cloud True Qi Poison, and this centipede would have looked like an accident. They would have seized control of the situation without leaving a trace.
Geom Mu-geuk placed the centipede into the container he had taken from his pouch and sealed the lid tightly.
“Our Poison King will be delighted if I bring this to him.”
He had prepared the chopsticks and container specifically to give the insect to the Poison King. If it was a poison intended for the One Flower Sword Venerable, they must have prepared something truly precious. He had gained a rarer specimen than he had expected.
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon sneered at the Sound King. “You said you hadn't touched this room?”
The One Flower Sword Venerable glared at the Sound King with cold eyes. Her anger was justified. They had targeted her and desecrated her uncle’s remains.
The Sound King’s expression stiffened slightly, and his gaze turned toward the man in the iron mask.
The iron-masked man answered calmly, “I merely did the task I was assigned.”
It was clear that it hadn't been done on the Sound King’s orders.
Geom Mu-geuk’s expression hardened slightly. This was even worse. It meant the Sound King was confident he could win without using poison.
The One Flower Sword Venerable walked forward slowly, bowed, and looked at the skeleton for a moment. She hadn't thought much of it when she left the Cult, but finding her uncle’s remains after all these years made her heart ache.
“Uncle, I will take you home now.”
Geom Mu-geuk pulled a leather bag for the remains out of his pouch and brought it over. That pouch truly seemed to contain everything.
“I will help you.”
Geom Mu-geuk began to collect the remains with her.
Seeing this, the Blade King tried to step forward, questioning what they were doing at such a critical time. But then, he felt someone’s gaze. It was the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon shook his head, his expression telling him not to interfere. It was a look devoid of emotion, yet the Blade King felt his heart freeze. It was colder than any look he had received during their fight.
The Sound King said he found him because he had the hottest aura? He completely misread this man.
In that moment, the Blade King felt it.
This man’s darkness is deeper than mine.
The Sound King watched in silence as the two collected the remains. Beside him, the Sword King watched Geom Mu-geuk without a word.
In the meantime, Geom Mu-geuk finished gathering the remains and hung the leather bag next to his pouch.
“Please bear with the discomfort for a moment.”
He had collected the remains in advance because he didn't know what would happen next. A great battle could break out, and the cave might collapse.
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon, who had been watching, suddenly spoke.
“It’s a good thing you brought that leather pouch.”
Geom Mu-geuk smiled and replied, “You’re finally acknowledging it!”
The Sound King, who had waited until they finished, asked Geom Mu-geuk, “Do you know where this is?”
Geom Mu-geuk shared a fact almost unknown to the world, which he had heard from Tae-su.
“Is this not the tomb of Ju Ga-sin, the greatest master of the Unorthodox Faction and the Leader of the Unorthodox Path Alliance three hundred years ago?”
The Sound King shook his head. A truly shocking revelation flowed from his lips.
“All past Leaders of the Unorthodox Path Alliance are buried in one place.”
Everyone listening was stunned. Not only Geom Mu-geuk, but even the Demon Lords were hearing this for the first time.
“No one in the Murim knows that location. Even the Alliance Leader himself does not know where he will be buried. Only a family known as the Baek Chong Family, who has guarded and managed the tombs for generations, knows the exact location.”
The Sound King’s dead eyes turned toward Dan So-jin.
“Is that not right? Dan So-jin, Head of the Baek Chong Family.”