Translator: FenrirTL
Editor/Quality Checker: Saphartlantis
Murim Term Consultant: Kopke
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Chapter 268: Turns Out, No One Really Knows
Despite being challenged to a duel by the Young Cult Leader, someone he should never confront, Seo Cheong didn't back down. He stood his ground.
He was someone who lived and died by his pride. With Seok Pung and others watching, there was no way he would kneel alongside them.
Geom Mugeuk threw Seo Cheong’s own words from just a few seconds ago right back at him.
“Your pride is strong, huh? Well, for a martial artist, pride is everything.”
At that moment, Seo Cheong’s murderous intent surged. He envisioned himself stabbing Geom Mugeuk with his sword, killing him. He imagined slashing through all the approaching demonic beings, standing tall, drenched in blood, as everyone around looked on in shock and awe. The thought alone sent a thrill down his spine. 1
But what he didn't like was Geom Mugeuk’s calm, deep gaze, as if he could see right through his dark desires.
“How could I dare cross swords with the Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult?”
No matter how much his pride was wounded, Seo Cheong wasn’t foolish enough to charge at the Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. 2
“When someone begged you like this, did you grant their request?”
At first, Seo Cheong didn’t understand what he meant. But soon, he remembered. Not long ago, during a duel, a man had begged him. He had pleaded, saying he couldn’t possibly win. He had asked for mercy, just once.
“Why are you doing this to me?” Seo Cheong asked.
“Didn’t your friend already explain everything?”
“That bastard’s words were all lies!”
Seok Pung, who was kneeling, shouted out.
“I know where the bodies are buried!”
Seo Cheong ground his teeth as he glared at Seok Pung, who was throwing himself into this life-and-death struggle.
“That idiot bastard!”
The two stared at each other as if they were ready to kill each other.
Seo Cheong’s gaze shifted back to Geom Mugeuk.
“They were insignificant people. Just low-level martial artists, mere passersby. I’ll compensate for all of it.” 3
As Geom Mugeuk opened his meridians, demonic energy surged forth.
In that instant, Seo Cheong felt as if he had plunged into the depths of an unfathomable ocean.
The overwhelming pressure constricted his entire body, making it hard for him to breathe.
He tried to resist, but it was futile. The internal energy techniques he had mastered since childhood, his swordsmanship, his mental fortitude—none of it worked.
A scream escaped his lips. He was convinced he would be crushed to death by the pressure, or suffocate where he stood.
‘You bastard! Why the hell are you doing this to me? You’ve killed countless people too!’ 4
Unable to endure it any longer, Seo Cheong screamed.
“Please, stop!”
As if it had all been a lie, the crushing demonic energy vanished.
Seo Cheong opened the eyes he had clenched shut. In front of him, he saw Geom Mugeuk’s legs. Without realizing it, while suffering under the demonic energy, he had knelt.
His face flushed with shame as he jumped to his feet.
To be honest, Seo Cheong couldn’t understand it. No, he felt wronged. If it had been anyone else, fine, but shouldn’t the Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult understand him more than anyone? To him, these lives must be even more insignificant.
“I told you I’ll compensate. I’ll pay their families with money they could never even dream of in their lifetimes. Doesn’t that make their deaths even more valuable?” 5
Geom Mugeuk looked at him and smiled.
Since Seo Cheong didn’t know what kind of person Geom Mugeuk was, he naturally misunderstood the smile. He didn’t realize his fate had already been sealed—either in death or in a suffering worse than death.
‘That’s right. Even though it’s the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, they wouldn’t dare touch the Heavenly Flower Sect.’
He recalled something his father had said once: the Heavenly Flower Sect was a proud sect, respected by not only the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult but also the Unorthodox Alliance and even the Martial Alliance. 6
“Call my father.”
“Sure, I’ll call him.”
Geom Mugeuk’s easy response made Seo Cheong feel relieved.
‘It’s fine. Everything’s fine. This is no big deal. Just because I killed a few worthless people, nothing’s going to happen to me. That demon I killed was a low-level martial artist too.’
Seo Cheong reassured himself, glad that he hadn’t killed anyone important. As always, once his father arrived, everything would be resolved.
Next, Geom Mugeuk approached Seok Pung.
Seok Pung, still kneeling, trembled in fear as Geom Mugeuk drew closer. His mind was in turmoil. He couldn’t figure out if this situation was happening because of the Young Cult Leader, or if he had just barely escaped death at Seo Cheong’s hands because of the Young Cult Leader. He didn’t know what to think. 7
“All you have to do is give your statement, just like you said earlier.”
Seok Pung’s gaze shifted to Seo Cheong, standing off in the distance.
Geom Mugeuk planted doubt in Seok Pung’s mind.
“Sure, you could back out of your statement because you’re afraid of the Heavenly Flower Sect. But then, who should you fear afterward?”
In front of Seok Pung’s face, Geom Mugeuk slowly clenched his fist.
The moment the fingers contracted!
*Boom!*
A thunderous sound erupted from the fist.
“Aaah!”
Seok Pung was terrified, shaken by the explosive sound of thunder right in front of him. It was real thunder. Thunder, from a fist? If that fist hit him, his whole body would turn to dust.
“No! I’ll tell you everything, honestly. There’s more evil he’s committed!”
He thought that if he spilled all of Seo Cheong’s crimes, he could escape unscathed. Burying the bodies together, brutally beating up a young man who worked here until he was almost crippled—these were things he didn’t even consider part of his responsibility. Geom Mugeuk didn’t bother correcting that delusion. 8
“As expected. You’ve looked smart since the first time I saw you.”
Watching this, Seo Cheong scoffed.
‘He can’t touch me anyway. If he could, he would’ve done it by now.’
Scaring people like those from the Soaring Night Pavilion was one thing. The sound of thunder had only strengthened Seo Cheong’s belief.
When Geom Mugeuk signaled, the demonic cultists of the Honam Branch approached and subdued the internal energy of Seo Cheong, Seok Pung, and the others before escorting them out.
Seo Cheong shook off the hands of the martial artists trying to grab his arms.
“I’ll walk on my own!”
Seo Cheong remained defiant until the end.
His boldness even lifted the spirits of the others being dragged alongside him. After being scared stiff, they began to think, ‘This isn’t such a big deal, is it?’ seeing that no one was hurt as they were taken away. They really had no idea of what was coming.
Soon, only Geom Mugeuk and his guards remained in the now-empty banquet hall.
Jeokyeon spoke to Geom Mugeuk.
“You resolved it without lifting a finger.”
“I told you, didn’t I? This wasn’t anything major.”
“I thought you were going to break Seo Cheong through a duel.”
“His father’s coming to see him. Would that have been wise?”
Geom Mugeuk was thinking about two fathers at this moment.
This situation had started because of Haejin’s father, who had been assaulted here, and it would end with Seo Cheong’s father, who was responsible for the assault.
“Let’s see how this father reacts.”
* * *
Seo Baek-jung, the leader of the Heavenly Flower Sect, was in the middle of a meeting.
With his intense gaze and cold demeanor, he was a legendary figure who had raised the Heavenly Flower Sect from a small sect in Honam to the most prominent in the region. Having pursued success his entire life, even today he was working to strengthen the Heavenly Flower Sect further.
At that moment, his subordinate, Yoo Maeng, rushed in and reported via sound transmission.
—The Young Master has been captured by the Honam Branch of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
Seo Baek-jung showed no reaction to Yoo Maeng’s report.
—Wait until the meeting is over. 9
Even upon hearing that his son had been taken, Seo Baek-jung remained calm. He continued the meeting to the end. His composed demeanor didn’t change in the slightest, as if he hadn’t just been told about his son’s capture.
Only after the meeting had ended and everyone had left did he finally speak.
“Was it the Young Cult Leader who captured him?”
“Yes, that’s what I’ve heard.”
The rumor that Yeo Sogwang had died and that the Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult was now in the Honam branch had spread like wildfire throughout the region.
“Did they capture him knowing he’s my child?”
“Yes, they did.”
For a moment, an unmistakable flicker of displeasure crossed Seo Baek-jung’s face.
“How did it happen?”
Yoo Maeng cautiously continued his report.
“It seems the Young Master committed murder.”
Seo Baek-jung didn’t appear surprised at all. It was hard to tell whether he already knew or simply didn’t care about something so trivial.
“Who did he kill?”
“Several people, but the problem is that one of them was a martial artist from the Honam Branch of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.”
“Foolish!”
He wasn’t angry because his son had killed someone, but because he hadn’t cleaned up properly afterward. That was the source of his fury. 10
“It happened in front of a crowd, so it won’t be easy to sweep this under the rug.”
“Why did the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult capture him then?”
“The Young Cult Leader was present at the scene.”
“Was my son the one who invited him?”
“That part hasn’t been confirmed. What we do know is that a fight broke out between the Young Master of the Soaring Night Pavilion and your son at a banquet, during which Seok Pung apparently exposed everything.”
Yoo Maeng was always astonished by Seo Baek-jung’s composure. Even with his son captured by the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, he didn’t react emotionally. One would expect him to show some rage or murderous intent toward Seok Pung, but there was none of that.
What was even more remarkable was that Seo Baek-jung never forgot anything, even events seemingly buried under his calm demeanor. He always exacted revenge later. Once this situation was resolved, Seok Pung would certainly not go unpunished. 11
“Prepare the carriage.”
* * *
“I greet the Young Cult Leader.”
Seo Baek-jung bowed politely to Geom Mugeuk.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you for the first time, Sect Leader.”
Seo Baek-jung was inwardly surprised by Geom Mugeuk’s appearance. First, he was taken aback by how young he was, and then by his strikingly handsome features that would stand out anywhere.
“I didn’t expect the Young Cult Leader to be such a fine-looking man.”
“Fortunately, I didn’t take after my father, so I hear that quite often.” 12
At the mention of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult Leader, Seo Baek-jung tensed up a bit internally.
“If the Cult Leader heard that, he might be offended.”
“In truth, life would be easier if I resembled him. You, Sect Leader, wouldn’t be addressing me so casually either.”
“Have I been impolite in our first meeting?”
“No, please don’t misunderstand. I prefer things to be comfortable.”
Geom Mugeuk smiled widely.
Seo Baek-jung inwardly sensed that the Young Cult Leader was not someone to be taken lightly. By throwing out such a comment before the conversation had even begun, Geom Mugeuk had already made his opponent feel uneasy, naturally gaining control of the discussion and placing himself in a position of dominance.
‘Quite impressive.’
Of course, no matter how young, it wouldn’t do to underestimate the Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
“I’ve heard that my son caused some trouble.”
“I wish we were meeting under better circumstances, Sect Leader.”
“It’s my fault. I’ve been too busy to properly educate my child.”
Seo Baek-jung stood up from his seat and respectfully cupped his hands in apology.
It was an apology meant to prompt Geom Mugeuk to stand as well, reassuring him that it was fine and that such things happen when one is young. However, Geom Mugeuk remained seated and simply said:
“Yes, it seems so.” 13
Seo Baek-jung bowed his head once again, this time with a growing sense of displeasure.
‘This brat…’
Despite the growing resentment, his tone became even more polite.
“As you know, the Heavenly Flower Sect is the leading sect in Honam. We have the largest number of disciples, and we boast the greatest number of skilled martial artists.”
After flaunting his sect’s strength, he apologized once more.
“Because of this, I have neglected to attend to matters at home. Please understand and show leniency.”
“I would like to, but the crime is too great to overlook.”
“There’s much that our sect can offer to assist your cult. My son could spend his life repaying his debt in service.”
It was a veiled offer of money. Seo Baek-jung had always resolved serious issues with either money or force, and he intended to do the same here. After all, one couldn’t readily handle the Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult with force.
‘In the end, it’s all about money, isn’t it? How much do you want? Twenty thousand nyang? Thirty thousand?’
But Geom Mugeuk’s next words caught him off guard.
“I understand you’ve handled such matters extensively with Branch Leader Yeo.”
At the mention of the deceased Yeo Sogwang, Seo Baek-jung flinched.
‘So this is it.’
Seo Baek-jung now understood. His son wasn’t the only one in the world who had committed crimes. But the reason they had specifically captured his son was to pressure him to reveal what had transpired between him and Yeo Sogwang.
‘This isn’t about ten or twenty thousand nyang—they want hundreds of thousands!’
However, Seo Baek-jung completely misunderstood Geom Mugeuk’s intent. He couldn’t comprehend that this whole ordeal had begun for the sake of a young servant at the banquet and that the issue with Yeo Sogwang was merely an example to establish discipline within the Honam Branch of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. Even if Geom Mugeuk explained it to him, Seo Baek-jung would have suspected some hidden motive behind it. 14
“I’m sorry, but I don’t quite understand what you mean,” Seo Baek-jung said.
“In situations like this, it’s always the same…,” Geom Mugeuk replied, smiling brightly. He added, “Turns out, no one really knows.”
Their gazes locked in midair.
Seo Baek-jung realized that this wasn’t a problem he could solve. His opponent wanted something he couldn’t give. 15
“I’ve taken up too much of your valuable time. I’ll take my leave for today,” Seo Baek-jung said, cupping his hands respectfully before leaving the room.
After he left, Jeokyeon entered the room.
Geom Mugeuk spoke to him. “I should’ve beaten that Seo Cheong kid senseless.”
“What do you mean?” Jeokyeon asked.
“He didn’t even see his son before leaving, did he?”
“Perhaps he’s just angry?”
Geom Mugeuk walked over to the window. “No. It’s because he didn’t come for his son in the first place.” 16
No matter how angry or resentful a father might be, if his son had been captured by the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, he should at least check to see if he’s injured. But Seo Baek-jung wasn’t thinking about his son—he was entirely focused on how to deal with me going forward. They’re not looking at each other. They’re truly, utterly blind to one another.
From the window, Geom Mugeuk watched Seo Baek-jung’s figure retreating into the distance.
“If he had come as a father, my fight would’ve been much harder.”
At that moment, Seo Baek-jung paused and looked back in Geom Mugeuk’s direction.
From the window, Geom Mugeuk waved his hand. Seo Baek-jung politely bowed his head before turning and walking away.
“He should’ve met his son instead of making that pointless gesture.”
Whether he was going to scold him, beat him, or promise to save him, he should’ve at least met his son.
Then again, had they been that kind of father and son, this situation might never have occurred in the first place. 17
* * *
Late at night, Seo Baek-jung sat alone by the river, fishing.
Through the thick fog, the sound of footsteps approached.
Step, step.
The steps were steady, as if no matter what happened in the world, this person would always walk in the same way.
A man emerged from the mist, his face hidden beneath a deeply pressed bamboo hat. Despite not being able to see his face, the man gave off an unusual aura.
Seo Baek-jung, still watching the lake with his fishing rod cast, spoke.
“My son has been captured by the Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.”
Despite the mention of both "the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult" and "the Young Cult Leader," the two most dangerous words in the martial world, the man under the bamboo hat responded without hesitation.
“We will take care of it.” 18
The man walked away, his footsteps making the same steady sound as he disappeared into the fog.
1 : You have neither the strength or the caliber to be able to do such things. Your rotten pride will crush your life before you can ever wake up from your wild delusions.
2 : Not YET foolish enough.
3 : Can you compensate for the weight of a life ? For the tears of a mother ? For the bitterness of the alcohol the father drowns himself in every night ? For the questions of the children who do not understand why their parents aren’t here yet to read them their bedtime stories ? For all the dreams and hopes you broke over your meaningless pride ? Hunger is children waiting for the sun…. (Suicide Hunter)
4 : Actually, no. For evil leaders, he must be at, what, 20/30-ish ? And for goons around 80/90-ish ? Not counting pre-regression of course.
5 : *Cold eyes of death* I’m sorry Mugeuk, but I can’t smile at trash like you. I’m too honest in my emotions. Which is a good thing, mind you, but not the best skillset when hunting down those kind of monsters.
6 : Mugeuk didn’t hesitate to go to the Martial Alliance Headquarters and hunt down the second- in-command of the Unorthodox Alliance. Your mere countryside sect is barely a joke in comparison.
7 : “Both? Both. Both is good.”
8 : Another moth to the flames…
9 : Cold. It doesn’t bode well for ‘negotiations’ it seems that a family will be culled…..
10 : Okay, another client for the Total Distortion - You Are Dead song (you should totally listen to it, it’s a great song ^^)
11 : You won’t have the opportunity to do that, gladly (can’t put a sadly there XDXDXD)
12 : Surprise stab out of nowhere XDXDXD
13 : Agreed, youthfulness doesn’t excuse murder, that’s not something that should be taken so lightly ! And considering how you act, I think your education has a great part of responsibility in this.
14 : Their kind can’t even trust their own children, let alone people in higher positions they endlessly envy and covet.
15 : In more ways than one.
16 : No wonder the kid grew so twisted. I bet at the subconscious level, he wants to attract the attention of his father, and ruin the sect he spent more time building than raising his own son. After that comes the bad example of his father killing off competition and there you go, a life defining trauma who ruins everything around him.
17 : There might be infinite possibilities in the world, but sadly so few are able to take those who benefit others at the same time as them. It’s not even a hard effort and yet…..
18 : Look, look, it’s a ‘too dumb to live’ specimen !!! Watch closely, because its lifespan is shorter than a fly !!!
Sorry about all the comments, but I was stuck without wifi for 5 days and couldn’t post my edits back to Fenrir, sooooo…… I ranted *sliiiightly* more, I’m sure you haven’t noticed ^^
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Happy reading ^^