Chapter 761: Youngest, Where Are You?
Chapter 761: Youngest, Where Are You?
"The formation has been activated!" Ji Han shouted.
In an instant, Geom Mu-geuk, the two Demon Lords, and the master known as Brother Ak vanished from sight.
It would have been a catastrophic situation had they been the only ones to disappear, but fortunately, the enemies they were facing had vanished along with them.
In truth, it wasn't entirely unexpected. In this surreal battle where even the souls of the dead were being summoned, disappearing into a tactical array seemed almost mundane. Everyone present assumed that someone had deployed a high-level formation.
Ji Han turned to Tae-su. "Now is our chance. We need to escape this room."
If the one who reappeared was the man in the iron mask instead of Geom Mu-geuk’s group, everyone left behind would surely perish.
"What about you?" Tae-su asked.
"I will wait for the Young Cult Leader," Ji Han replied firmly.
It wasn't a decision made out of a mere sense of duty as a subordinate. It was a choice rooted in his unwavering determination to share life and death with the Young Cult Leader.
— Aren't you also a sword that has fought alone for a long time?
Those were words no one had ever said to him in his entire life. The sentiment Geom Mu-geuk had expressed continued to echo in his mind.
Tae-su knew Ji Han’s suggestion to escape came from a place of concern, but it didn't sit well with him.
"I’ll wait, too."
Why is he telling me to leave when he isn't going anywhere? What does he take me for!
However, Tae-su couldn't bring himself to voice those thoughts; he felt too intimidated. Until he arrived here, he had harbored the delusion that he was the protagonist of this tale because he held the treasure map. Even if he wasn't the lead, he thought he would at least play a pivotal role.
He had been dead wrong. The young man who had been carrying the luggage was the Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, and the old man and woman accompanying him were legendary Demon Lords.
The warrior who identified himself as Pung was an agent sent by the Alliance Leader of the Unorthodox Path, and the other man was the head of the family that managed the ancestral tombs of the Unorthodox Path’s greatest leaders.
The only person who seemed even remotely approachable was Ji Han, but even he had already earned Geom Mu-geuk’s complete trust.
Even though he knew that in such a perilous situation, a higher status only meant greater danger, Tae-su felt a strange sense of alienation. Suddenly, something Geom Mu-geuk had said flashed through his mind.
— You have a very strong sense of pride.
He finally understood why he had said such hurtful things to his father. He wanted to live a life where he was the center of attention—a life where he was the protagonist. He wanted a life where he wouldn't be told to scurry away just because an opportunity to run appeared.
And that was a life he could never achieve as a common thief.
Ji Han wasn't the only one suggesting a retreat. Pung, the warrior from the Unorthodox Path Alliance, spoke to Dan So-jin, the head of the Baek Chong Family.
"Family Head, you should head out now."
As the head of the family responsible for the Unorthodox Path Alliance Leaders' tombs, Dan So-jin was someone Pung was duty-bound to protect. However, for some reason, Dan So-jin did not budge.
"I am fine."
Dan So-jin could feel it in his bones. This wasn't a fate he could avoid simply by running away now. If the person who emerged from the formation wasn't Geom Mu-geuk, he would eventually be hunted down anyway.
The die was already cast. Having staked everything on this gamble, he could only wait and hope the numbers fell in his favor.
How much time had passed? The rolling die finally came to a stop.
The group appeared as suddenly as they had vanished.
"Ah!" An exclamation of pure joy burst from Ji Han’s lips.
Geom Mu-geuk, the Sword King, and the two Demon Lords had returned safely. Moreover, not a single one of them appeared to be injured. A wave of profound relief washed over the survivors.
"You’ve returned?" Ji Han welcomed Geom Mu-geuk, his face flushed with emotion. Tae-su, Pung, and Dan So-jin were equally relieved.
Among them, Dan So-jin was the most relieved of all. This outcome involved not only his own life but the very survival of his entire clan.
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon spoke to Geom Mu-geuk. "Recover your internal energy first."
"Yes, Elder."
Geom Mu-geuk sat cross-legged and began his qi circulation. Immediately, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, the One Flower Sword Venerable, and the Sword King surrounded him, standing guard as his protectors.
It was a sight that truly drove home the fact that Geom Mu-geuk was the Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
The Sword King, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, and the One Flower Sword Venerable were all mentally replaying the sights they had witnessed within the Space-Time Displacement Technique. How could they ever forget that battle?
They remembered Geom Mu-geuk dodging a barrage of attacks while facing all Twelve Zodiac Kings simultaneously. If Tae-su or Ji Han had witnessed that fight, they might have thought the opponents were unremarkable because Geom Mu-geuk made dodging look so effortless.
But the masters knew. They knew exactly how impossible it was to evade every single one of those lethal moves. Geom Mu-geuk had fought against a tide of overwhelming destruction.
And then, there was that one move they could never forget. That final strike that had annihilated everything would be burned into their memories until the day they died.
After finishing his meditation, Geom Mu-geuk opened his eyes. Seeing the three legends guarding him, he let out a playful remark.
"If there’s anyone in the Murim who has been guarded by a more incredible lineup than this, tell them to step forward!"
As Geom Mu-geuk stood up to start chatting, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon began to walk away. "Let’s get out of this unpleasant place for now."
Though the Iron King was dead, the mechanisms throughout the tomb were still active. There was no reason to linger.
After leaving the chamber, they exited the Treasure Map Tomb entirely. They swam through the pond—which was as vast as a lake—via the passage they had used to enter. Emerging from the stifling underground into the open air felt like a rebirth.
Geom Mu-geuk shouted happily, "Now I feel like I can live!"
It wasn't just a feeling; they had all truly made it out alive. Everyone’s eyes were fixed on him. Seeing their relieved expressions, Geom Mu-geuk finally felt that the battle was truly over.
He looked up at the sky. The Sword King, the two Demon Lords, and the others followed his gaze. After staring at the clouds for a long while, Geom Mu-geuk checked on Tae-su first.
"Are you okay?"
Tae-su had been wallowing in the thought that he was the most useless person there. When Geom Mu-geuk checked on him first, a lump formed in his throat.
"Yes... I’m fine."
"I have an idea of what you want to say to me. Do you still feel the same way?"
Tae-su had been considering asking to serve as Geom Mu-geuk’s subordinate.
"I’m not sure," Tae-su answered honestly.
Geom Mu-geuk nodded. "Go meet your father. Think deeply about it, and take your time to decide."
In his life before the regression, Geom Mu-geuk had formed a bond with Tae-su’s father, Tae-gon, and owed him a debt. That was why he intended to give Tae-su this chance.
"You can come in a year, or you can come in ten years."
"Is that... really okay?" Tae-su asked, his voice trembling.
Geom Mu-geuk nodded. "But you must know this. My connection with you can get you accepted into the Cult, but once you enter, you must forge your own path, independent of me. It might even be difficult to see my face. The same goes for Ji Han. I am merely the catalyst; you are the one who must live the changed life. Don't forget—even if your environment changes, nothing will be different if you don't change yourself."
Tae-su stared at Geom Mu-geuk, speechless.
"Come find me when you are ready to take responsibility for your own life."
"Thank you, Young Cult Leader. First... I must go see my father."
He felt he needed to apologize for the hurtful things he had said to his father that day. After bowing politely to Geom Mu-geuk and the others, Tae-su departed. Whether he would eventually seek out the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult or live his life cherishing this day as a memory remained to be seen.
Geom Mu-geuk thought it would be fine even if he didn't come. Wouldn't it be nice to have at least one thief who only steals from the wicked to help the poor?
Geom Mu-geuk then turned to Dan So-jin and Pung of the Unorthodox Path Alliance.
"Warrior Pung, return to the Alliance immediately and report what has happened."
Since his mission was to report on the treasure map incident, his task was complete.
"And please have the Unorthodox Path Alliance take care of the mechanisms installed in the Sword Tomb."
Even if it wasn't a real tomb, it was known as the resting place of the First Sword of the Unorthodox Path, Ju Ga-sin, so it was only right that they handled the cleanup.
"Yes, we will take care of it." Pung walked a short distance away, then turned back to Geom Mu-geuk. "Thank you. If the Young Cult Leader hadn't been here, I wouldn't have made it back alive."
Though he hadn't played a major role in the combat, witnessing the events was his contribution to the Alliance.
"If I hadn't been here, those enemies wouldn't have been here either. So, in a way, I should be the one apologizing to you, Warrior Pung. I’m glad you’re safe."
After staring at Geom Mu-geuk for a moment, Pung gave a respectful fist salute and disappeared into the distance. Now, only Dan So-jin remained.
"Thank you for saving my life." He treated Geom Mu-geuk with the utmost respect. It wasn't just gratitude for his life; he had seen the way the Young Cult Leader treated Ji Han and Tae-su. He was a man worthy of honor. "I know there is something they were trying to find in the tomb. Do you happen to know what that object is, Young Cult Leader?"
"I know." However, Geom Mu-geuk couldn't tell him the whole truth. "It is something useless to anyone else. It is an object that only has meaning to them... and to me."
Judging by the caliber of the enemies mobilized, Dan So-jin could guess the object was of immense importance. Part of him wanted to take Geom Mu-geuk and tell him to go find it. What Geom Mu-geuk had saved was not just his life, but his entire family line.
"Do you remember promising to grant me a favor if I helped you, Family Head Dan?"
"I said I would grant it if it was within my power."
Dan So-jin anticipated the request. Naturally, it would be a demand to enter the ancestral tombs. In this situation, what else would the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult ask of him?
But that was a judgment made by someone who still didn't truly know Geom Mu-geuk. The request was something completely unexpected.
"When the Unorthodox Path Alliance Leader passes away in the future, please see to his burial with great care."
Dan So-jin was deeply shocked. "Was that the favor you wanted to ask?"
"It is. Please take especially good care of him."
The Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult was worrying about the afterlife of the Unorthodox Path Alliance Leader?
"Did you not want to enter the tombs of the successive Unorthodox Path Alliance Leaders?"
"Of course I want to enter."
"Then why do you not demand that?"
Geom Mu-geuk had already read his resolve. "You were planning not to reveal the location of the tombs even if it cost you your life, weren't you?"
Dan So-jin had indeed intended to do so. He was going to say that he could grant any other favor, but not that one.
"That is correct. It is a matter passed down through ancient family laws; it is not something I can decide on my own."
"I thought as much. I couldn't very well waste this precious favor on a refusal, could I?"
No matter how important obtaining the bead was, he wouldn't pressure Dan So-jin to betray his family's sacred duty.
"Instead, I plan to find the location of the tomb on my own. It is a truly important item for me, and it will also be for the sake of your Baek Chong Family. Because if I don't take it, those bastards will never stop targeting it."
The process of obtaining the previous five beads had all happened through fate; he hadn't obtained them through greed or force.
"If our destinies are linked, I will find it."
Dan So-jin actually found himself hoping that Geom Mu-geuk would discover the tomb. But it won't be easy to find, Young Cult Leader. Even if he did find it, it wasn't a place that could be easily entered.
Whether he knew those thoughts or not, Geom Mu-geuk spoke lightheartedly.
"Oh, and please look after my friend Sa-in later. Sa-in will probably be the next family head, right? When you hand over the position, please make sure to pass on my request."
Dan So-jin could tell that those words were a sincere request. The Young Cult Leader was not the monster he had imagined. Perhaps the die he had cast this time had landed on a number he had never even considered.
"Meeting the Young Cult Leader, I feel as though you are like the wind. I hope you continue to live a wonderful life, entrusting yourself to the wind like this."
After bowing respectfully to bid farewell, Dan So-jin departed.
Geom Mu-geuk turned toward the Sword King and the Demon Lords. When his eyes met the Sword King’s, Geom Mu-geuk spoke first.
"Don't even dream about it. This time, you must come to the main Cult with me. Our Brother Ak has a woman waiting for him with all her heart!"
Just as the Sword King was hesitating to answer, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon spoke up abruptly.
"Come with us."
The Sword King looked at the Blood Heaven Blade Demon. The Blade Demon said nothing more. After staring at him for a moment, the Sword King answered readily.
"Yes, I will do that."
Naturally, Geom Mu-geuk voiced his complaint. "Hey! You didn't even answer when I asked you to go!"
"It’s different with you."
"No way, you can't go! Bare feet, ponytails, sword-obsessed fools—all are banned from entering the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult!"
It was clear that the Sword King had earned a lot of respect from the Blood Heaven Blade Demon by being willing to sacrifice himself. Geom Mu-geuk suddenly had a thought: the free-spirited Sword King and the book-loving Blood Heaven Blade Demon might actually get along surprisingly well.
"Sword Venerable."
"What is it?"
"How about we lay your maternal uncle to rest here on Mt. Cheonmok?"
His remains were inside the long pouch hanging from Geom Mu-geuk’s belt. The One Flower Sword Venerable didn't need long to decide. Since he was an uncle who had wandered the Jianghu his whole life, she thought it would be fitting to lay him to rest here on Mt. Cheonmok, where he had played out his final adventure.
"Let’s do that. It’s a good idea."
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon said to Geom Mu-geuk, "You never seem to forget or overlook anything."
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon had even forgotten that they had recovered the body of the One Flower Sword Venerable’s uncle from the Sword Tomb.
"A time will come for me too when I forget and miss things," Geom Mu-geuk replied. He looked at Ji Han and said, "When that time comes, you have to look after me."
"Yes, I will keep that in mind!" Ji Han answered vigorously, but inwardly he was worried. I’m older than the Young Cult Leader, so wouldn't I be even more out of it by then? He resolved that for the sake of the Young Cult Leader, he would have to live youthfully and keep his wits about him.
And so, they buried the body and created a grave on a sunny hill of Mt. Cheonmok.
"You all go down first. I’ll look around here for a bit and then follow."
The Sword King asked, just in case, "Do you think the Unorthodox Path Alliance Leader’s tomb is here?"
"Yes, I’m certain it’s somewhere on this mountain. It might take a few days, so please go and rest comfortably."
The reason Dan So-jin had stepped forward himself and asked for help must have been because the pressure from those enemies had reached his very throat.
"I’ll head down first." The Blood Heaven Blade Demon turned away, and the One Flower Sword Venerable and the Sword King followed him. At least for today, the three of them had no desire to hover over Geom Mu-geuk.
Geom Mu-geuk said to Ji Han, "Take good care of the three of them."
"Yes!"
Thus, Geom Mu-geuk was left alone on Mt. Cheonmok. He looked around at the various peaks. It wouldn't be easy to find. But he had things that the masterminds behind the scenes did not.
He had the Secret Casket, and within his body, he had five distinct energies.
Geom Mu-geuk’s shout toward the last remaining energy echoed across the peaks.
"Youngest, where are you? Your brothers are here."