Chapter 286 - When You Hear the Word Revenge

“This is where I parted ways with Miss Jin.”

Yi An pointed to the end of the narrow path.

“And she walked that way.”

The Blood Heaven Saber Demon and the Fist Demon were listening to her account. They had pulled their bamboo hats low in case anyone spotted them. The Heaven-Destroying Great Saber was also wrapped tightly in white cloth. Fortunately, the area was seldom traveled, and they had encountered no one.

When Yi An had arrived at the safe house and reported what had happened, the Blood Heaven Saber Demon’s first words had been these:

[“Leaving the boy alone is the best way to help him.”]

That was his assessment of Geom Mugeuk. His actions, however, differed from his words and judgment.

[“There won’t be anything for us to help with, but you never know. Shall we go out for some fresh air?”]

As taciturn as ever, the Fist Demon had gone along with him.

The Fist Demon began examining various spots along the path, while the Blood Heaven Saber Demon merely watched. Yi An wondered why he was leaving the search entirely to the other man, but there was a reason.

“It seems she was taken from here.”

Yi An asked him, “How can you tell?”

Ordinarily, she would have been too frightened even to speak to him, but their late-night training together had made her somewhat more comfortable around him.

Ah, to think that if she had to choose the Demon Supreme she felt most comfortable with, she would pick the most frightening-looking one of all!

“Look at these footprints.”

There were footprints on the ground, but they were so faint she would never have recognized them without his pointing them out.

“How did you spot those?”

“I took an interest in tracking when I was young.”

The Blood Heaven Saber Demon offered him praise.

“If he hadn’t become a Demon Supreme, he would have become the finest tracker under heaven.”

Tracking seemed an odd skill for such a huge, frightening man to have learned, yet it also brought another thought to her mind.

‘Not just anyone can become a Demon Supreme.’

Come to think of it, these were the eight demonic martial artists who had risen to the highest positions beneath the Heavenly Demon. Geom Mugeuk was so exceptional that they seemed to be led around by him, but seen apart from him like this, every one of them was someone who could shake Murim.

“Fortunately, the abductor grew careless, assuming no one would follow. This way.”

“Lead on.”

The Blood Heaven Saber Demon and Yi An followed him.

Their pace grew slower as they went. Even if he had learned tracking in his youth, putting those skills to full use now was no easy task.

Just as they were wondering whether they ought to give up, the Fist Demon found the way. He had discovered signs of someone pushing through the forest.

“It’s Mugeuk.”

Geom Mugeuk had left the trail deliberately.

The Blood Heaven Saber Demon shook his head.

“He’ll find any excuse to put an old man to work!”

Despite his words, relief flickered across his face. Yi An could tell. He had said leaving Geom Mugeuk alone was the best way to help him, but he was genuinely worried about him.

And the taciturn Fist Demon was determined to find Geom Mugeuk, even if it meant dusting off the skills of his youth.

Their concern for him warmed Yi An’s heart, while also making her a little envious.

‘I want to have people like this in my own life, too.’

Geom Mugeuk was not merely teaching her martial arts. He was even influencing the direction of her life.

With a faint smile, Yi An said to the Blood Heaven Saber Demon, “Let’s hurry and give him that scolding!”

And so the three of them began making their way through the forest.

* * *

“How did you find this place?”

Though he feigned composure, Baek Cheongyeong was deeply startled by Geom Mugeuk’s arrival. This was his private hideout, which no one had ever discovered. A few herb gatherers had stumbled into it over the past ten years and died, of course, but he had never imagined anyone would deliberately track it down.

“I tossed a shoe to divine where you’d gone, and it pointed straight here.”

“Right. You’ve always been one to spout nonsense.”

Geom Mugeuk stared at him and asked, “And what sort of man are you? Someone who abducts women to carry out his schemes?”

“You’ve judged me well. I’m a man who always accomplishes his aims, even if it means abducting a woman.”

The qi emanating from the thousands of figurines began to strengthen. It revealed that Baek Cheongyeong’s emotions were rising.

“Where is Miss Jin?”

“Haryeong is well.”

“Haryeong? What right do you have to address Miss Jin by name?”

“Right? I’ve never met anyone who questions another’s right who has any right himself. What about you? What right do you have to question mine?”

“I have more than enough. The Demonic Cult’s young lord, here to rescue the Martial Alliance Leader’s granddaughter. What do you think? Ever seen anyone like that? What could a man like me possibly lack the right to do?”

A sneer formed on Baek Cheongyeong’s lips.

“Yes, I suppose you escaped by beguiling the alliance leader with that silver tongue, just as you’re doing now.”

He had expected Geom Mugeuk would not fall easily into his trap. After all, the young man had forced him to move his plans forward in a matter of days.

“What is all this for? Surely you can tell me now that things have come this far. Tell me why you’re doing this.”

“Since you brought up the question of rights, let’s first see whether you’ve earned the right to hear my story.”

Baek Cheongyeong extended his hand. A deep, forest-green light seemed to pour from the eyes of the figurines nearest Geom Mugeuk.

SHHHH!

Ten figurines grew in size.

They drew their weapons as though they were living people. The sight of wooden figurines moving so naturally was grotesque and chilling.

Their weapons were wooden as well, except for the edges. Those were neither metal nor wood, and they gleamed more keenly than any sharpened weapon.

Geom Mugeuk was now witnessing the Wooden Form Thousand Souls Art, which he had only heard about before.

Naturally, he was neither startled nor flustered.

His reaction left Baek Cheongyeong both puzzled and impressed.

‘He isn’t surprised at all.’

How could he remain so calm as tiny wooden figurines grew to human size and began moving? Was it because he had experienced all manner of demonic arts since childhood?

Of course, that did not mean Baek Cheongyeong thought Geom Mugeuk could overcome the Wooden Form Thousand Souls Art. However accomplished the Demonic Cult’s young lord might be, his youth could not prevail over Baek Cheongyeong’s years of experience.

Geom Mugeuk knew the fastest and surest way to break this art: kill Baek Cheongyeong directly. The man would defend himself by every means available, of course, but at least Geom Mugeuk would not have to fight every last figurine.

Yet he did not rush in to kill him. His chief objective was not Baek Cheongyeong’s death, but rescuing Jin Haryeong and learning about Hwa Mugi.

That was why he courteously accepted the opening move.

The moment Geom Mugeuk drew his sword, the ten wooden figures charged at once.

He unleashed the Wind God’s Four Steps. However fast the figures were, they could not keep up with his wondrous movements.

Without using the Heaven-Soaring Sword Art, he cut them down. He treated them as people rather than figurines, making certain of every cut.

How could ten ordinary martial experts kill Geom Mugeuk? There were, however, frightening ways in which these figures differed from people. First, they had no emotions. They felt neither fear nor mercy for their opponent. Whoever they faced, they obeyed only their orders.

More frightening still, they could not feel pain.

They could even regenerate. When a sword-bearing arm was severed, a sword grew from the other arm, and they attacked with that.

When both arms were cut off, they charged in to ram him with their torsos.

In the end, they stopped moving only when their torsos were bisected or their heads severed. Once disabled, they returned to their original size.

As he fought the ten figures, Geom Mugeuk gained a clear understanding of their traits and movements. Watching him waste not a single move, Baek Cheongyeong was inwardly impressed.

‘He truly is extraordinary.’

After eliminating all ten, Geom Mugeuk made a show of complaining.

“What will you do if you end up killing me?”

“If you die, you die. Why? Do you think I can’t kill you?”

“I’m the Demonic Cult’s young lord. Its young lord.”

“You may be someone important in Murim, but to me you’re nothing more than an intruder who suddenly appeared in my life. Like a carriage bearing down on me the moment I turn a corner.”

“Not a carriage. The Cult. You’ll start a war at this rate. A war.”

Geom Mugeuk subtly tested him by mentioning war, but Baek Cheongyeong remained entirely unmoved. Perhaps that was what he wanted. After all, he had engineered the clash with the alliance leader to provoke a conflict between the Divine Cult of the Heavenly Demon and the Orthodox Martial Alliance.

“I’ve earned the right. Now answer my question.”

“Didn’t I just answer you? If you want to speak with me again, earn the right again.”

This time, twenty wooden figurines grew in size.

Twenty out of thousands—a mere drop in the bucket. It was not those twenty that were frightening, but all the ones remaining.

Of course, Geom Mugeuk was not afraid. Using the Wooden Form Thousand Souls Art must consume internal energy as well. Baek Cheongyeong could not move the figurines indefinitely, and Geom Mugeuk was confident in a contest of internal energy against anyone in the world.

This time, he dealt with them differently.

SHWAAAAASH!

Before they could charge, his sword qi swept through them. It was the Heaven-Balancing Form, the First Form of the Heaven-Soaring Sword Art, which had reached twelfth-level complete mastery.

This was not sword qi they could evade simply by trying. It was so swift and powerful that all twenty figures were cut apart at once.

“Urgh.”

Baek Cheongyeong gave a low cry. Having the constructs of his Wooden Form Thousand Souls Art cut apart in a single stroke had sent a shock through his body.

‘Twenty constructs in one move?’

He could not believe it. Never since he had begun using the Wooden Form Thousand Souls Art had he been defeated so helplessly.

Despite displaying such an astonishing move, Geom Mugeuk remained calm.

He walked slowly over and settled himself where the figurines that had just attacked had stood. Then he picked up a neighboring figurine, fearlessly turning it over in his hands even though it might grow and attack at any moment.

“What happened to you?”

With his playfulness gone, Geom Mugeuk gave a different impression. His clear, deep gaze seemed ready to listen to any story. Though he was an enemy, he seemed capable of offering a comfort Baek Cheongyeong had never received from any ally.

Was it that gaze? A scene rose in Baek Cheongyeong’s mind.

That place on that day, filled with nothing but corpses. The events of that day, branded into his heart.

Then Geom Mugeuk abruptly asked, “Are you seeking revenge?”

Baek Cheongyeong looked at him. He had been determined never to tell his story, but looking at Geom Mugeuk made him want to speak. He wanted to hear what the young man would say. What would this strange, eloquent Geom Mugeuk make of it?

“And what are you trying to do? Become the Martial Alliance Leader’s grandson-in-law? Or win his favor so you can kill him?”

Turning the figurine over in his hands, Geom Mugeuk said, “I’m seeking revenge, too.”

Baek Cheongyeong was startled—more startled than he had been at any point since meeting Geom Mugeuk. He had never imagined the word revenge would come from that young man’s mouth.

“Against whom?”

“You see? When you hear the word revenge, don’t you immediately wonder who it’s against?”

Geom Mugeuk returned the figurine to its place.

“Shouldn’t I hear your answer first, since I asked first?”

At that moment, four figurines around him suddenly grew and attacked.

SHIIIING!

All four were cut apart at once.

Geom Mugeuk reacted as though he had known the attack was coming. His martial prowess already far surpassed anything the figures could throw at him.

Baek Cheongyeong understood. This method would not harm a single hair on Geom Mugeuk’s head. He would have to use his secret trump card to settle the fight.

THUD. THUD.

The severed figurines fell as they returned to their original size.

Rather than curse him for the surprise attack, Geom Mugeuk picked up the pieces and placed them back where they had stood.

“Are you mocking me?”

“If I were mocking you, I would have crushed these underfoot or pissed on them. At least I know, don’t I? How hard you worked to carve every one of them. I know because I tried it myself. Carving these is no easy task.”

“Whatever you do, you won’t leave here alive today.”

“Then surely you can tell me? I’m going to die anyway. And the same applies if you’re the one who dies. If you’re going to die anyway, what reason is there not to speak? What are you so worried about that you’re even shouldering burdens that will outlive you?”

Those words struck home in Baek Cheongyeong’s heart. Yes, he was carrying all manner of lingering attachments and worries, though death itself held no fear for him.

“You’re quite good at spouting sophistry.”

“Tell me. I want to know what happened to you.”

Their gazes met.

Baek Cheongyeong could sense that Geom Mugeuk genuinely wanted to know, and not to gain an advantage in their fight.

At last, he slowly extended his hand.

The figurines a short distance from Geom Mugeuk grew to human size. They did not charge him. Instead, they began fighting one another in the center of the clearing.

Geom Mugeuk understood. Baek Cheongyeong intended to show what he had experienced in this way. The clearing had become a stage on which his past would unfold.

A masked figure was cutting down the others. Male and female figures alike fell beneath his sword. They were helpless. The Wooden Form Thousand Souls Art appeared on the stage as well. Small figurines grew larger, showing how they had tried to stop him even with that art.

‘The Wood Heaven Clan.’

He was showing the destruction of the Wood Heaven Clan—the death of everyone in the clan. It was a scene that would enrage Geom Mugeuk more than anyone else. Familiar faces overlapped the falling figures.

The masked figure cut down every last person. That made one thing clear: the massacre that day had been carried out by a single man.

“You want to know why I spent ten years carving these in the Orthodox Martial Alliance? Why I don’t care whether a war breaks out? Why I dared to abduct the alliance leader’s granddaughter? Look carefully, and see why I waited only for the perfect moment to take revenge!”

As he finished speaking, the figure that had carried out the slaughter turned its head toward Geom Mugeuk.

The sight startled him.

Though the figure wore a mask, he recognized those sharp, fierce eyes. This was someone he knew as well.

It was none other than Jin Paecheon, the Martial Alliance Leader.