Chapter 758: Ties are Brief, Life is Long
Chapter 758: Ties are Brief, Life is Long
Brother Ak, are you kidding me? If you were going to do this, you should have killed him from the start!
The reason Geom Mu-geuk didn’t scream those words was the sheer weight of the story etched into the man’s back as he stood there, drenched in a spray of blood. He’d had a vague premonition that a situation like this might unfold.
Why had the Sword King protected the Sound King?
Because of that lingering question, Mu-geuk felt no joy at all, even though another of the Twelve Zodiac Kings had been slain.
Drenched in crimson, the Sword King turned toward Geom Mu-geuk.
“Listen carefully to what I’m about to say, Mu-geuk.”
Urgency radiated from the Sword King’s voice and expression.
“He completed his final song. And that song is not the sound art he was trying to unleash earlier.”
At that moment, the faint sound of a performance began to drift in from the void. It seemed to come from the left, then the right, gradually swelling in volume.
The cheerful, upbeat melody was entirely ill-suited to the Sound King’s death. It was a melody that gave the impression that the fight wasn't over—no, that the real battle was only just beginning.
The Sword King looked as though he had already expected this. A hidden truth spilled from his lips.
“The Dark Palace Master bestowed the Heavenly Will Divine Pill upon him. The Heavenly Will Divine Pill is no mere elixir. It is the supreme medicine of the Heavenly Will Palace, the only one of its kind, imbued with the energy of all creation. The Palace Master used the very treasure he had been hoarding most dearly.”
The Sword King’s gaze shifted toward the fallen Sound King. For someone who had consumed such a pill, his death had been far too hollow, yet the blood he had spilled was now soaking his pipa in a deep, visceral crimson.
“After taking the Heavenly Will Divine Pill, he completed his final song. Ever since that song was finished, it has been playing around him constantly. We simply couldn't hear it.”
Geom Mu-geuk realized then that the rhythm the Sound King had been humming all along was that very song.
“It is the Soul Exchange Song.”
The shocking secret of the technique was finally revealed.
“If you kill him while the Soul Exchange Song is playing, his soul will swap with the person who struck the killing blow.”
Only now did Mu-geuk understand why the Sword King had been so desperate to stop him.
“From the very beginning, he intended to die by your hand. That was his goal.”
He had intended to seize Geom Mu-geuk’s body.
“Does that mean… his soul will take over your body now, Brother Ak? You killed him because you have a countermeasure, right?”
The Sword King could not answer. He had no countermeasure.
“Why didn't you tell me? If you had just told me through Voice Transmission…!”
“If I had?”
Geom Mu-geuk found himself unable to respond.
“You would have insisted on being the one to kill him.”
The only people here with the skill to kill the Sound King were Geom Mu-geuk, the two Demon Lords, and the Sword King himself. In such a situation, Geom Mu-geuk would never have allowed someone else to be sacrificed.
“You would have killed him, thinking you could overcome it somehow. You wouldn't have hesitated to strike.”
Geom Mu-geuk let out a heavy sigh. The Sword King had seen right through him. Trusting in himself and the Nine Calamities Demonic Art, he would have struck the man down regardless of the risk.
“You all overestimate me far too much. Why would I strike, knowing full well such a terrifying consequence awaited?”
Because he said it that way, it was even clearer: Geom Mu-geuk would have killed the Sound King. Not just the Sword King, but the Blood Heaven Blade Demon and the One Flower Sword Venerable knew it too. The Young Cult Leader would have undoubtedly swung his blade to protect the others.
“No matter how great you are, you cannot overcome the Soul Exchange Song.”
“Then what about you, Brother Ak?”
The Sword King’s expression was calm, as if he had already made his peace.
“Kill me before that bastard takes over my body.”
“!”
The Sword King had intended to save Geom Mu-geuk by sacrificing himself.
He couldn't have killed the Sound King beforehand, either. If he had, the Sound King might have approached Geom Mu-geuk while pretending to be the Sword King, and there was no telling what havoc he might have wrought.
Striking him down in front of Geom Mu-geuk and revealing the truth like this was the best he could do.
The Sword King’s gaze turned toward the Blood Heaven Blade Demon and the One Flower Sword Venerable.
“It would have been better if I had struck him down before you two suffered, but I hesitated. I spent the whole time agonizing, searching for any other way.”
Because his life was on the line. He truly hadn't wanted to swing his sword until the very last moment.
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon, who had looked upon him with disapproval, now had a softened expression.
“I understand.”
Not only the Blood Heaven Blade Demon but also the One Flower Sword Venerable was inwardly stunned. One experienced all sorts of things when traveling with Geom Mu-geuk, but today’s events were entirely unexpected.
For such a powerful master to sacrifice himself for Geom Mu-geuk…
They had assumed there was a reason he was protecting the sound art user, but they hadn't imagined it was this. He had fought the battle with that burden in his heart, enduring the misunderstanding that he was being frustratingly indecisive.
He could have pretended to know nothing and lured one of them into killing the man instead. But he did not push the task onto others, even though his life was at stake.
Geom Mu-geuk asked the Sword King, “Why go this far?”
Yes, I don't know how many times I asked myself that very question.
Did he really have to go this far for Geom Mu-geuk? Honestly, he had agonized over it. He didn't know how many times he had wavered.
His bond with Geom Mu-geuk had been brief, while the life ahead of him was long.
Yet, he chose to save Geom Mu-geuk. He simply wanted to. Because Mu-geuk was the first and only friend he had ever had in his life.
The Sword King gave his second reason.
“If that man takes over your body, this Murim will be annihilated.”
If the enemy seized Geom Mu-geuk’s status and everything he had built, the result would be catastrophic.
“No, why are you worrying about the Murim? Since when were you that kind of person, Brother Ak! Your goal was to leave the Murim behind!”
The Sword King gave a lonely smile.
“You’re right. I should have left a long time ago.”
He had intended to leave. But when he learned that the Dark Palace Master had gone so far as to use the Heavenly Will Divine Pill to deal with Geom Mu-geuk, he ultimately gave up on his escape.
Though he told Geom Mu-geuk to kill him, the Sword King knew.
“I know you won't be able to kill me.”
The Sword King drew his sword. He intended to take his own life.
“Wait! Stop!”
Geom Mu-geuk lunged forward like a bolt of lightning and grabbed his arm. Of all the times he had used the Wind God Four Steps, this was the fastest he had ever moved.
“Think about it. If I start using sound arts as well, even you won't be able to handle me.”
The Sword King and the Sound King combined? They would become a truly formidable enemy. Furthermore, if Mu-geuk hesitated to take the Sword King’s head, those with him might be sacrificed. Despite this, Geom Mu-geuk was certain.
“I can handle it.”
“You can’t!”
Geom Mu-geuk roared.
“I said I can, you bastard!”
Geom Mu-geuk stared at the Sword King with burning eyes.
“I can handle it! So don't be in such a rush!”
Soon, Geom Mu-geuk’s voice lowered as he regained his composure.
“If this is your choice, Brother Ak, then you must give me a choice as well. If you take your own life in front of me, it will leave me with a lifelong regret.”
The Sword King’s eyes wavered.
“Even if that bastard takes over your body, I will definitely bring you back to normal. If your soul falls into hell, I will go all the way there to retrieve it.”
Yes, it’s because Geom Mu-geuk is this kind of person that I made this choice. He had no regrets.
“Trust me. If it truly seems impossible, I will kill you with my own hands then. Die by my hand at that time.”
The Sword King didn't believe those words. That was why his gaze shifted past Geom Mu-geuk’s shoulder to the One Flower Sword Venerable.
If a situation arises where I must be killed later, please, you must be the one to do it.
The One Flower Sword Venerable could read the desperate plea in those eyes.
He gave a silent nod.
Then, Geom Mu-geuk suddenly broke the somber atmosphere with a look of suspicion.
“Wait, something is fishy.”
Geom Mu-geuk stared intently at the Sword King and asked abruptly, “You’re not our Brother Ak, are you?”
Are you trying to play a joke at a time like this? With that thought, the Sword King looked at Geom Mu-geuk.
“That bastard already took over your body, didn't he? There’s no way you’d still be yourself after all this time has passed.”
Come to think of it, quite a bit of time had passed while the Sword King was explaining things. As everyone’s attention focused on him, the Sword King became flustered.
“No. I’m still me.”
He had expected a process where the soul invaded and he struggled to block it. Would he suddenly transform into that man at any moment? Would the change happen the instant this music, which was still playing, ended?
“Brother Ak, where was the first place we met?”
The Sword King shook his head with an exasperated expression.
“Seeing as there’s no answer, you must be Brother Ak. Everyone ignores my words and pretends not to hear me.”
The Sword King looked back at the Sound King’s corpse. Had something really gone wrong?
Then, Geom Mu-geuk said something unexpected.
“That man probably won't enter Brother Ak’s body.”
“I wish that were true, but my willpower isn't enough to block a sound art perfected by the Heavenly Will Divine Pill.”
“No, that’s not what I meant.”
Geom Mu-geuk voiced a thought no one had considered.
“I don't think this is their plot.”
“What?”
Not only the Sword King but everyone else leaned in to listen.
“I’ve been thinking about it this whole time. Why is Brother Ak acting like this? My first thought was: if you kill that man, does the killer die too? Is a cursed song being played? That was my guess.”
But that wasn't it. Their goal wasn't to kill him, but to steal the energy residing in his body.
“I considered this scenario too. Could souls be swapped? But I discarded that theory quickly.”
“Why?”
“Because of Brother Ak.”
The Sword King looked puzzled.
“If that were the case, why would they have sent Brother Ak with him? Their Palace Master knows we parted ways last time without killing each other.”
“I told him I couldn't kill you because I had to recover the Secret Casket.”
“Do you really think the Palace Master believed that?”
There was a reason for Geom Mu-geuk’s suspicion.
“They’ve staked everything on this. If I were the Dark Palace Master, I wouldn't have chosen a plan that had even the slightest potential for error.”
Geom Mu-geuk clearly seemed to have figured something out.
“Then what is your theory?”
Swoosh!
Instead of answering, Geom Mu-geuk swung his sword.
“Why don't you tell us?”
The flashing sword qi was aimed directly at the man in the iron mask.
Clang!
Screeech.
A single line was drawn from the iron mask’s forehead to its chin. Surprisingly, despite the power of Geom Mu-geuk’s sword qi, only a surface line was etched; the iron mask did not break.
A voice drifted out from beneath the mask.
“To think you’d only show interest in me now. I’m disappointed, Young Cult Leader.”
The voice felt different from the powerful, bright voice that had led the martial artists earlier. The heavy aura radiating from him also didn't match the figure who had been dodging here and there to avoid dying in the previous battle.
He slowly removed the iron mask.
A middle-aged man with an ordinary appearance was revealed. He had the kind of face that was so plain it could fit any role.
Geom Mu-geuk knew who he was. Surprisingly, another of the Twelve Zodiac Kings was present.
The 11th of the Twelve Zodiac Kings, the Iron King Gi Sa-hu.
He was a man who fought using all manner of devices. He primarily dealt with iron, mixing it with other metals to create alloys as strong as Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Iron.
He was a genius creator of mechanical formations and killed people using all sorts of hidden weapons, as well as bizarre devices never before seen in the Murim. Martial artists called him the Master of Iron.
With the appearance of the final member, the moment had finally come where Mu-geuk had encountered all of the Twelve Zodiac Kings.
“I thought someone like you, Young Cult Leader, would have noticed a bit sooner.”
The Iron King was smiling. He showed no sign of tension or panic, even though his identity had been exposed.
Mu-geuk should have realized his presence earlier, but in truth, he hadn't. The man was exceptionally skilled at hiding his aura, and he was more of a craftsman than a pure martial artist. Though, of course, he was a terrifying craftsman who could easily kill masters.
Furthermore, Mu-geuk had been preoccupied with the Sword King and the Sound King, and he hadn't imagined that four of the Twelve Zodiac Kings would be in one place.
But a moment ago, the thought had suddenly occurred to him. If they had truly staked their lives on this, there was no way they would have left the last person out.
“It’s you. The one who will wrap up this mess.”
The Iron King nodded as he listened to the music flowing through the air.
“This song, isn't it quite pleasant to the ear?”
As he spoke, his gaze shifted toward the Sword King.
“The Palace Master already knew you would betray him.”
Geom Mu-geuk said to the Sword King, “It’s because you walk around without shoes. You look like someone who’s ready to leave at any moment; who would trust you?”
The Sword King’s heart was in turmoil. He was glad to be alive, but a much larger conspiracy was unfolding.
A new truth was revealed through the Iron King.
“This song is not the Soul Exchange Song, but the Ghost Soul Song.”
“The Ghost Soul Song?” That would mean returning souls.
“It was a song that was finished, yet not quite complete.”
Starting with those cryptic words, a startling fact spilled from the Iron King’s mouth.
“The Ghost Soul Song is only truly completed by the death of the performer. In other words, it is a song that can only be played in full exactly once. So listen well. It is a song you will never hear again.”
The music flowing around them was upbeat yet dreamlike, cheerful yet chilling.
“To call forth souls, wouldn't the sacrifice of the living be necessary? The sacrifice of the performer is required, and the person who kills that performer must also be someone who is sacrificing themselves for another. By offering up that desperate heart, the souls of the afterlife are summoned.”
“!”
It meant the song had been completed by the combination of the Sound King’s death and the Sword King’s sacrifice.
“The higher the caliber of the one who sacrifices, and the purer that heart of sacrifice, the more souls can be summoned.”
Geom Mu-geuk looked at the Sword King with a worried gaze. His caliber was far, far too high.
“Just who were you trying to summon?”
The music reached its crescendo and then briefly stopped.
Clank.
At the sound from behind, Geom Mu-geuk slowly turned around. He looked toward the doll standing in the distance. As the doll moved, it made a metallic sound.
Shhh.
The doll that slowly turned its head to look this way was the Combat King.
Its eyes seemed to flash once before transforming into eyes that looked truly alive. Upon discovering Geom Mu-geuk, it radiated killing intent.
“Young Cult Leader!”
From those smoldering eyes, Geom Mu-geuk could sense it instinctively. The real soul of the Combat King had entered that doll.
“It seems Brother Ak liked me a bit too much.”
The Combat King wasn't the only one that began to move.
Drip, drip.
The blood floating in the air fell to the ground, and a red energy began to flow from the Blood King’s eyes.
Slither.
Wooden vines began to writhe as they emerged from the Wood King’s body, and the sound of ghosts began to drift from the door the Illusion King had opened in the air.
The sound of bones cracking came from the Fist King’s clenched fists, and the door of the carriage the Dark King rode in opened slightly, revealing dark eyes glinting within.
The Murder King, who had been floating in the air, dropped lightly to the ground. Finally, the sun and moon began to shine again on the Black Blade and Red Blade of the Blade King.
As the grand and cheerful music echoed once more, every one of the Twelve Zodiac Kings' dolls turned their heads toward Geom Mu-geuk.