Chapter 392: A More Exciting Song!

TL: FoodieMonster007

"The time has finally come."

Bi Sayin's heart sank at Geom Mugeuk's words. Bi Sayin knew exactly what that mischievous gaze demanded. The inevitable had finally arrived.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Bi Sayin feigned ignorance.

Who would dare question me when I look this fearsome?

Unfortunately for Bi Sayin, his opponent was Geom Mugeuk.

"I'm talking about the time to keep your promise."

Geom Muyang, Jin Hagun, and Jin Haryong grew curious. They wondered what kind of promise Geom Mugeuk meant.

At the same time, they shared another thought.

Poor guy. What weakness did Geom Mugeuk catch this time?

For now, however, their curiosity outweighed their sympathy. The same was true for Geom Woojin, Jin Paecheon, and Baek Jagang, who stood a short distance away.

Bi Sayin pleaded with his eyes.

Surely not? Here? Please tell me it's not true.

If that were the case, Geom Mugeuk wouldn't have brought it up in the first place.

"Don't you think there's no better time or place than now to keep that promise?"

Geom Mugeuk's use of 'that promise' only heightened everyone's curiosity.

Bi Sayin's heart pounded. It had not beaten this fast even when Bi Sayin waited below the stage for his first duel.

Geom Muyang remarked suggestively, "I don't know what's going on, but don't needlessly embarrass the Young Alliance Chairman."

"He was the one who made that promise."

Bi Sayin anxiously drained his cup.

"You're not going to give up, are you?"

"What would you do if you were me?"

Bi Sayin hated it, but he had to admit the truth.

What if our situations were reversed? What if I had the chance to tease Geom Mugeuk like this?

"I wouldn't be able to give it up."

"If I miss this chance, I'll probably regret today for the rest of my life."

Bi Sayin agreed. The people gathered today were a group that would be difficult to bring together again in a lifetime.

For that very reason, however, Bi Sayin could not agree to do it. Bi Sayin offered another excuse.

"The masterminds behind today's summit might be watching."

"They might be."

"And you want me to do it in this situation?"

Bi Sayin was asking if it was really okay to be seen dancing.

"On the contrary, I hope they see it."

"What?"

"I want to show them that even with you lurking, we are living well. That we are living our lives to the fullest."

Bi Sayin could tell this was not a joke, but a sincere statement.

"If we can't live our lives properly, then even if we eliminate them later, it won't be a true victory. Let's not give them any meaning."

This was what Geom Mugeuk always wanted.

Oh, I'll be right back. Where did you go? Oh, it was nothing, please continue what you were saying.

Bi Sayin drank again. His expression showed he was contemplating just getting drunk.

Geom Mugeuk changed his strategy.

"Young Alliance Chairman."

When Bi Sayin looked up, Geom Mugeuk spoke with a gentle expression.

"It's alright. I was just teasing you."

"Really?"

"Even if it's a promise, it'd be difficult to keep it in a situation like this. It's a shame, but I'll have to give up. Now, now, let's not worry about it and just drink."

Bi Sayin should have been happy that he did not have to dance, but for some reason, Bi Sayin was not.

Unable to hold back any longer, Jin Haryong asked, "What on earth is going on?"

"You don't need to know."

Just then, Bi Sayin blurted out, "I promised to dance in front of people."

Jin Haryong froze with a gasp. Not only Jin Hagun, but even Geom Muyang was surprised.

As all eyes flew toward Geom Mugeuk, he waved his hands dismissively.

"Why are you looking at me! The Young Alliance Chairman made the promise on his own."

Of course, Jin Haryong did not believe Geom Mugeuk.

"No way! It must have been a demon's temptation."

Geom Muyang and Jin Hagun nodded at the same time.

"You must have pushed him from behind into a trap!"

"The one who's always looking for a chance to push me from behind is that Young Alliance Chairman!"

"No way! He would never do that."

"Since when do you know him so well?"

This time, Geom Muyang stepped forward. "I'll apologize on my brother's behalf."

Ironically, their actions helped Geom Mugeuk. Given Bi Sayin's personality, Bi Sayin could not hide the truth when they spoke like that.

"No, it's true that I said I would dance."

Bi Sayin downed three consecutive cups of alcohol.

"I will dance."

Everyone tried to stop Bi Sayin.

"Please, hold back!" Jin Haryong started.

"Don't get tricked by my brother." Geom Muyang also tried to stop him.

"Don't push yourself." Jin Hagun tried to stop him too.

If I were in Bi Sayin's shoes? Ah, what a horrifying thought.

"I can't become a petty man who doesn't keep his promises."

"I think it would be better to be a petty man." Jin Haryong said regretfully, then looked at Geom Mugeuk.

"Look at that satisfied expression."

Then, Geom Mugeuk delivered the final blow to Jin Haryong.

"So? You don't want to see it?"

"……"

Bi Sayin shot up from his seat, swept up in the atmosphere and the alcohol.

If I have to do it someday, then yes, better to do it today!

Youthful bravado fueled his decision. Bi Sayin also wanted to show Geom Mugeuk that he keeps his promises. In the end, Bi Sayin charged toward the typhoon, the tsunami, and the lava.

Bi Sayin strode over to Baek Jagang.

Since Baek Jagang's group had heard the entire conversation, Baek Jagang wore an expression that said, Are you really going to do it?

"A long time ago, I made a promise to myself. If I escaped that crisis, I would dance in front of people. I intend to keep that promise today."

Everyone seemed to understand. Bi Sayin's words held another meaning. The crisis had been immense, and Bi Sayin had overcome it with Geom Mugeuk. This was not just any promise, and this was not just any dance.

Baek Jagang quietly gazed into his disciple's eyes.

You had this side to you?

Bi Sayin's face was flushed red. It was impossible to tell if it was from alcohol or excitement.

"If you made a promise, you must keep it."

Baek Jagang granted his permission, as expected of his cool and straightforward personality.

Bi Sayin returned and made a request to Geom Mugeuk.

"Please make the preparations."

"Are you really going to do it?"

Instead of resentment, Bi Sayin showed the gaze of a man who had made his resolve.

"I'm seeing a new expression from you again."

"I was deceived by your words and came this far."

"We still have a long way to go. I'm going to see all of your expressions."

Bi Sayin's eyes trembled. Bi Sayin now knew, surprisingly, that those words were sincere.

From the railing, Geom Mugeuk called down to Jo Cheonbae on the floor below.

"Innkeeper, go and bring the musicians."

"Understood."

As Jo Cheonbae was about to run out, the Fist Demon stopped him and sent a telepathic message to the Commanders.

The Commanders rushed out like arrows and brought back musicians from a nearby brothel.

When the musicians arrived, Bi Sayin went down to the first floor. On the second floor, Geom Woojin, Jin Paecheon, and Baek Jagang stood at the railing and watched.

The four who had been with Bi Sayin followed him down.

All the masters drinking on the first floor looked at Bi Sayin. A few were already drunk.

Bi Sayin announced to them, "To commemorate today's historic three-party summit, I will perform a dance for all of you."

Everyone was stunned. When the musicians arrived and took their places, they had assumed it was just to liven up the mood, but the Evil Alliance's Young Alliance Chairman was going to dance?

The masters of the Evil Alliance looked to the second floor. Baek Jagang stood at the railing, watching silently, as if he had already given permission. In that case, it was not their place to argue.

An old master from the unorthodox sects asked, "Then are you planning to perform the Thousand Transformations Dance of Death?"

The Thousand Transformations Dance of Death was an ultimate martial art of the unorthodox sects. No one who witnessed the dance was said to survive.

"No."

"Then are you planning to perform the Primordial Soul Stealing Dance?"

The Primordial Soul Stealing Dance was a dance of death known to drive those with weak inner arts mad upon seeing it.

"No."

"Then you will perform a normal sword dance?"

To most martial artists, a dance meant a sword dance performed with a sword.

"No. I'm just going to dance a normal dance that common people do. The kind of dance you see at a festival."

The old master and the others did not understand Bi Sayin's words at first.

What does he mean by just dancing? That he'll perform a common dance? You? Here? Why?

"Our Young Alliance Chairman must be drunk."

At the old master's words, the surrounding masters looked up at Baek Jagang again. Their gazes asked if he would not stop Bi Sayin, but Baek Jagang just looked down silently.

The masters of the orthodox sects were just as bewildered as those from the unorthodox sects. However, everyone had been drinking, and they were curious about what kind of dance the Evil Alliance's Young Alliance Chairman would perform.

The Demon Supremes looked not at Bi Sayin, but at Geom Mugeuk.

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon shook his head, scolding Geom Mugeuk with a look that said, Aigoo, you rascal!

Geom Mugeuk put on an aggrieved expression. Of course, none of the Demon Supremes believed his act.

The Poison King's gaze was particularly distant.

Ah, I fell for that devil's trick and barked in the training yard.

The inn's windows were thrown wide open. People watched while sitting or standing, and some even came outside to see.

Bi Sayin stood in the middle of the road outside the tavern.

"Oh, what is to be done."

Before Bi Sayin even began, Jin Haryong's face turned red. She felt more embarrassed than he did.

"I guess we won't be able to see Young Alliance Chairman Bi for a while, right? He might go into a hundred years of seclusion training."

Geom Muyang and Jin Hagun also ganged up on Geom Mugeuk.

"You villain!"

"This time, you've gone too far."

"I'm telling you, he made the promise on his own."

Geom Mugeuk's protests were futile.

"Even so, you just had to bring up that promise at this specific time, didn't you?"

Geom Muyang hit the core of the issue, but Geom Mugeuk had a decisive counterattack.

"So? You're not going to watch?"

"……"

Geom Muyang, Jin Hagun, and Jin Haryong all pretended not to hear and looked in different directions.

"Young Alliance Chairman Bi! You're amazing!"

As Geom Mugeuk cheered and clapped, the three people next to him also clapped along.

The old masters of the orthodox and unorthodox sects showed slight displeasure. They did not like seeing the successors mingling like this in the first place.

However, they did not dare to openly scold them in front of Geom Woojin, Jin Paecheon, and Baek Jagang.

Bi Sayin closed his eyes.

Bi Sayin felt completely alone, as if he had been thrown into the world all by himself.

Finally, the music began.

His body would not move.

Ah, if this were a fight, I would have just died.

Watching Bi Sayin, Jin Haryong covered her eyes.

"Ah, I can't bear to watch."

"Me neither."

When Geom Mugeuk also covered his eyes, Jin Haryong challenged him.

"Why are you covering your eyes?"

"Now that it's happening, I can't bring myself to watch either."

"You killed the man, and now you're scared of the blood?"

The musicians played again. They must have been shocked. They were suddenly called to perform for the Demonic Cult Leader, the Murim Alliance Chairman, the Evil Alliance Chairman, the Demon Supremes, and the greatest masters of the orthodox and unorthodox sects. Above all, the Evil Alliance's Young Alliance Chairman was about to dance to their music. The musicians were as stunned as Bi Sayin.

Yes, this must be a collective dream.

The music flowed again. This time, Bi Sayin began to dance.

"……"

Jin Haryong removed the hands covering her eyes.

Bi Sayin was a better dancer than she had thought.

Geom Mugeuk, who had been peeking through his fingers, opened his eyes wide. Even though Geom Mugeuk was the one who made him do it, he felt just as embarrassed and nervous.

"He's pretty good, isn't he?"

Bi Sayin danced quite plausibly. It was not a clumsy dance. His hands and feet followed the rhythm well.

In truth, Bi Sayin had learned to dance from Sadopallang of the Thirteen Evil Wolves. Sadopallang, who once ruled the back alleys of Hangzhou, had passed on his secret dance to Bi Sayin.

Bi Sayin had practiced that dance diligently whenever he had time. Bi Sayin had anticipated that a day like this would come. He just did not know it would be today.

Geom Mugeuk could tell.

He practiced and practiced.

This was the kind of person Bi Sayin was. Someone who always tried to keep his promises and strove to do well at whatever he did.

However, Bi Sayin's dance soon reached its limit. He was not a born dancer, and it was a dance he had learned in a hurry. He also lacked practice.

As the movements became repetitive, embarrassment made his limbs feel awkward. One needed to be shameless in times like these, but Bi Sayin could not. His body tensed up, and his true skill began to show.

His confidence vanished, and his pitiful movements revealed his awkwardness to everyone.

Geom Woojin tilted his head slightly and looked at the sky.

Jin Paecheon cleared his throat.

Baek Jagang gently closed his small eyes.

Should I have come alone?

At that very moment, as everyone from the orthodox, unorthodox, and demonic factions felt sorry for Bi Sayin, someone leaped into the dance.

"Let's dance together!"

The person who jumped in, crashing the party, was Geom Mugeuk.

Geom Mugeuk began to mimic Bi Sayin's dance. A dance he was trying for the first time could not be any good, but Geom Mugeuk diligently followed the movements.

Geom Mugeuk deliberately danced in an exaggerated and ridiculous manner, causing laughter to erupt from all around.

"This is such a fun dance!"

Then, getting more into the spirit, Geom Mugeuk shouted.

"A faster song, please."

The musicians played a faster song.

Geom Mugeuk's joints bent here and there. It was a bizarre dance that made one wonder where on earth he learned such a thing.

Laughter erupted again, and this time, Bi Sayin copied Geom Mugeuk's dance.

Bi Sayin's hideous face was even more flushed.

No one could possibly know how happy Bi Sayin was when Geom Mugeuk jumped in.

Even if someone had saved him right before he died, surrounded by enemies, Bi Sayin would not have been this happy.

"Brother, let's dance together!"

Geom Mugeuk ran over and tried to forcibly drag Geom Muyang out.

"……"

Geom Muyang's sword was halfway drawn.

Geom Mugeuk changed direction and tried to pull Jin Hagun out.

SHIIING.

The sword was drawn even further.

Just then, someone jumped in on their own.

It was Jin Haryong.

No! Haryong!

Before Jin Paecheon could stop her, Jin Haryong was already moving to the rhythm.

It was not because she was a good dancer. Jin Haryong was also extremely shy about stepping forward in situations like this.

However, seeing Geom Mugeuk step up for his friend, she wanted to help too. She wanted to share the embarrassment. The moment she had that thought, her body impulsively jumped in.

With Jin Haryong joining in, the atmosphere brightened. She danced gracefully, and Geom Mugeuk danced excitedly. Bi Sayin, in a daze, danced this way and that. The musicians began to play with even more excitement.

The three-party summit was a first, but it was also likely the first time since murim's founding that martial artists from the orthodox, unorthodox, and demonic factions had gathered to dance together.

The glow from the Demonic Buddha's body shone even brighter. The Demonic Buddha, who had wandered all over the Central Plains, tapped his foot and swayed to the rhythm, as if he had also had his fun back in the day. His movements suggested he might have jumped in if so many eyes were not watching.

Even the masters of the orthodox and unorthodox sects, who had initially watched with displeasure, now relaxed their stiff expressions, as if watching children's antics.

Baek Jagang watched Bi Sayin dance diligently.

Jin Paecheon had seen that kind of expression many times before. It was the kind of face that says, No matter how great someone else's child is, my own child is the best.

This time, Jin Paecheon looked at Geom Woojin, who stood on the opposite side.

Geom Woojin was silently watching Geom Mugeuk dance.

I hope you will lose to your son. If your first defeat is at the hands of your son… wouldn't that be alright?

Jin Paecheon's gaze returned to the dancing youths.

"Even when the orthodox, unorthodox, and demonic gather, they can have this much fun."

Youth is such a wonderful thing. Why couldn't I have had this much fun when I was young? Fighting and more fighting. Killing a few this time, then killing someone else the next. Did I spend my entire youth like that? Without ever laughing so freely, without ever playing so excitedly.

Then, Baek Jagang remarked.

"Perhaps it's more enjoyable precisely because they are from the orthodox, unorthodox, and demonic factions."

Jin Paecheon nodded.

Jin Haryong moved her hands and waist cutely, as if telling them to follow her. Geom Mugeuk and Bi Sayin copied her dance. As the three synchronized their movements, it looked as good as a group dance.

Bi Sayin did not realize it. Bi Sayin, who had never laughed properly because he hated revealing his hideous face, was now smiling more brightly than he ever had in his life.

Lost in the ecstasy of the dance, Geom Mugeuk shouted.

"A more exciting song!"

Was it because the wind, carrying the full spirit of spring, cooled their sweat?

The three dancers did not tire.