Chapter 521: May I Cast One Last Fortune?

TL: FoodieMonster007

As Geom Mugeuk watched the backs of his father and the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, a martial artist from the All-Knowing Hall arrived to give a report.

"We've located the people of the Cloud River Sect. By order of the head of the All-Knowing Hall, the Demonic Army has been deployed for the rescue operation."

This place, where he had just fought Gyo Cheon, was the Cloud River Sect. It was fortunate that they had been kept alive instead of being killed.

Geom Mugeuk spoke to the martial artist from the All-Knowing Hall.

"Send word to the head of the Demon Slaying Brigade and tell him to meet me there."

"Yes! Understood."

He had to see his friend's face before leaving. He had received a great deal of help from Jin Hagun while handling this matter.

The martial artist from the All-Knowing Hall disappeared with a swift movement technique. Seo Daeryong, who had been listening beside him, rejoiced.

"What a relief."

"You're the one who found these people."

The two sects Seo Daeryong had ultimately chosen were the Mount Phoenix Sword Sect and the Cloud River Sect. He had claimed he couldn't possibly pick between them, so Geom Mugeuk had selected the Mount Phoenix Sword Sect. That one, however, had been a trap to buy time, while the real incident occurred here at the Cloud River Sect.

"As expected! The power of the top entrant of the Sanzu River Hall!"

Seo Daeryong could have puffed out his chest and boasted at my praise. Instead, he simply bowed his head politely and expressed his gratitude.

"Young Cult Leader, thank you."

"For what?"

"For… just everything."

He wondered if such a wonderful reunion would have happened today if he had met his master alone. He thought not. It would have been awkward and distant, and he wouldn't have been able to convey his true feelings at all.

"Write all that gratitude down! Just you wait. That good head of yours will turn into one that forgets the moment you turn around. You'll be saying, 'Ah, did the Young Cult Leader say that back then? I think I did it myself.' You'll make me jump with your distorted memories. No, no. I probably won't remember either. So write it all down, meticulously and without leaving anything out."

"I'll make it into a book and pass it down for generations."

A vision of the future formed in Seo Daeryong's mind. He pictured himself with his grandchildren on his lap, telling them the story of this day.

Perhaps those grandchildren would say something like this.

"Grandfather, is it another story about the Cult Leader?"

It couldn't be helped. His gratitude was piled as high as a mountain.

Today's events were a perfect example. Geom Mugeuk could have told him to wait at the safehouse, but he had brought him all the way here.

"I'm also grateful that you brought me here so I could meet my Master even a little sooner."

"That's not why I brought you."

He realized the Young Cult Leader was right. The excitement of seeing his master here, in this place drenched in blood, was still vivid.

"It's better to meet where all grudges are settled. Waiting at the safehouse and meeting him here would have felt very different. The most important thing in a martial artist's life is whether you were there at that moment or not."

"Huh? Then why did you bring me?"

"Even though I couldn't fight alongside you?"

How could he, as a martial artist, not feel such regret?

"You did fight alongside us. Just by not becoming a nuisance by getting taken hostage while trying to help your Master, you fought well with us. It's good that you're smart enough that I don't have to worry about that."

Seo Daeryong's eyes trembled. What sin could this Young Cult Leader have possibly committed against him in a past life to be like this?

Of course, Geom Mugeuk was not one to let the emotion so clearly written on Seo Daeryong's face go unnoticed.

"Besides, if I happened to die, you'd jump in, wouldn't you? How could I walk that long road to the afterlife without you? It'd be so boring."

He talks like a show-off, but he's a Young Cult Leader who truly dislikes taking credit.

Hiding his feelings, Seo Daeryong spoke with a look of disbelief.

"I knew it! You had an ulterior motive. You have no idea how grateful I am that you told me to hide far away. My supreme goal is to survive for a long, long time! Fortunately, I achieved my dream today. I'm not just a right-hand man anymore. I'm a right-hand man who doesn't have to do dangerous things."

He was referring to when the Blood Heaven Blade Demon had told him to leave the dangerous work to the Young Cult Leader.

"But what can you do? Since he told you to leave the dangerous work to me, you, the right arm, will have to follow the torso."

"Aah, is that how it's going to be again?"

Geom Mugeuk strode forward.

"Come on, my still-in-danger right arm. Let's go."

Seo Daeryong stood there for a moment.

Just as Geom Mugeuk had watched the backs of his father and the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, Seo Daeryong silently watched Geom Mugeuk's back.

He was a talkative Young Cult Leader who was always joking around, but watching his back often made one think he looked lonely. This was truer the more one got to know him.

If the Young Cult Leader had died today, my skills are still too lacking to have avenged him. But his journey wouldn't have been boring. The ferryman of the underworld river would have probably covered his ears, complaining about the noise we were making.

The Sect Leader of the Cloud River Sect looked up at the sky and gave thanks.

Thank you, truly, thank you.

Masters had stormed the Cloud River Sect, subduing him, his family, and his disciples. They had locked them all in this remote warehouse.

Until a short while ago, he had been devastated.

He was a renowned master in Chongqing, but he was no match for the masters who had attacked.

He recognized two people among the attackers, two people who drove him to despair.

The one with the bright red face was the Red Faced Gentleman.

The one with a woman's figure tattooed on his body was the Vajra Sex Fiend.

His heart sank especially upon seeing the Vajra Sex Fiend. He knew all too well how many women that bastard had raped and murdered.

Besides his wife and daughter, there were more than just one or two women in his clan.

Vicious men like these had come in droves.

In the end, we're all going to die miserably.

Just as he was feeling so devastated, he heard the sound of something clashing outside. Screams followed.

RRRRIP.

The huge iron door was torn away, and someone filled the doorway.

The Sect Leader was startled when he saw the man's face. He had never seen a martial artist so large, nor one with such a frightening face.

The huge martial artist said in a gruff tone, "We've come to rescue you. Everyone, come out."

They looked more like villains than the villains who had captured them.

Yet these men had saved them.

"Thank you so much. I will never forget this kindness."

Even when he asked for the names of his benefactors, these large martial artists only told him to wait a little and did not reveal their identities.

As he was calming his startled heart, Chongqing Branch Manager Ju Gwol arrived with martial artists from the Murim Alliance.

The Cloud River Sect Leader felt completely relieved upon seeing a familiar face.

After exchanging greetings with the Cloud River Sect Leader, Ju Gwol approached Jang Ho.

"I've received your help yet again."

The look in his eyes as he gazed at Jang Ho had changed for reasons beyond just being helped.

Ju Gwol now knew that the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult was not behind this incident.

He had heard that the Blue Cloud Hero from the Mount Phoenix Sword Sect had been learning the Heaven Destroying Demonic Blade Technique and was the one who had planned this incident. This cleared up his misunderstanding about the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.

"I'm sorry for misunderstanding you."

He had also heard from Jin Hagun that these large martial artists who had saved him when the Branch was attacked were the Demonic Army of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.

Although he truly detested and hated the Demonic Cult, his gaze toward Jang Ho was gentle. They had not only saved his life and the lives of his subordinates but had also prevented the annihilation of the Cloud River Sect.

"I am merely a man following orders."

Jang Ho didn't take any credit, which made Ju Gwol like him even more. Was it because of his guilt for misunderstanding them? Surprisingly, he found himself thinking that it wouldn't be so bad to form a friendship with a man like this.

Was friendship possible between a member of the Demonic Cult and a martial artist from the orthodox sects?

He had strongly disapproved of Jin Hagun's friendship with the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult. Now, as if in punishment for that disapproval, he was having these thoughts himself.

"I hope I'll have a chance to repay you someday."

Ju Gwol spoke with sincerity, and Jang Ho nodded with a gruff expression.

Ju Gwol's gaze naturally shifted to the two figures standing on a distant rooftop. Geom Mugeuk and Jin Hagun were standing side by side, conversing.

Geom Mugeuk had frankly told him why this incident had occurred. He told him everything, just as it was.

"So that's what happened."

Learning that this incident was born from a long-standing grudge, Jin Hagun was struck anew by how terrifying human resentment could be.

"On behalf of our Cult, I sincerely apologize for the clan that was annihilated because of this."

"It was beyond your control. Still, thanks to you, those people were able to live."

If not for Geom Mugeuk, the Cloud River Sect would have been wiped out. If the conflict between the two sides had deepened because of this, there was no telling what might have happened. For that reason, it wasn't just the Cloud River Sect that had been saved.

"I knew you'd do it."

Jin Hagun looked at Geom Mugeuk. Honestly, while waiting for news at the safehouse, he had believed that Geom Mugeuk would be able to resolve it.

"It's thanks to your consideration. If you had acted like a rigid person who puts principles first, this would have been several times more difficult."

His past self would have certainly put principles first. If he had, he might have played right into the hands of those who orchestrated this incident.

"It wouldn't be easy to get along with you if I were rigid."

"Of course. Because I'd find a way to break through everything anyway."

Jin Hagun could feel it. With each meeting, his relationship with Geom Mugeuk was deepening. It was because he trusted him that he had allowed members of the Demonic Cult into the Chongqing Branch and had obediently gone to the safehouse.

"Is it all over now?"

"The Blade Demon is taking care of the last matter. As soon as that's done, we'll be leaving."

Their gazes met in the air.

"Let's get the prodigies together and see each other soon."

Leaping into the air, Geom Mugeuk vanished from sight in an instant.

The farewell wasn't sad, filled with the anticipation of seeing him again soon.

Jin Hagun watched the sky where Geom Mugeuk had flown, then looked down.

His eyes met with Ju Gwol, who had turned around after sending off the Demonic Army.

His expression, which always soured whenever he saw him with Geom Mugeuk, was gentle today.

Whatever the reason, please continue to change like this.

He felt that just as the bodies of the Demonic Army were large, the power of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult was also growing.

If we don't want to lose, we must also continue to change.

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon sat down before the old fortune teller.

The old man's expression darkened. The news he had been waiting for had not arrived. Instead, the one person who should not have come was here.

"The place you told me about was wrong."

The old fortune teller had told the Blood Heaven Blade Demon to go to the Mount Phoenix Sword Sect. However, Gyo Cheon had been carrying out his plan at the Cloud River Sect.

"Did you perhaps meet the Master?"

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon nodded at the old fortune teller's question.

The fact that he had met the Master and still appeared safely before him meant that their plan had failed.

"He said, one who ties a knot must untie it themselves."

The one who untied the knot should have been Gyo Cheon.

He had believed that no matter how strong the Heavenly Demon was, he couldn't have faced the twelve of them and also avoided Gyo Cheon's final move.

The old fortune teller sighed. "I must have misinterpreted the divination."

When he had met the Blood Heaven Blade Demon before, he had read his own fortune. The divination he had drawn then was that those who would live, live, and those who would die, die. He had thought he was on the side of the living.

Sensing his end, the old man's heart surprisingly grew calm.

"While planning this, I cast countless fortunes, and one thing always stood out. In the grand scheme of things, that's probably why this plan failed."

"What is it?"

After a brief pause, the old man said something unexpected.

"Your Young Cult Leader."

The old fortune teller sighed.

"His fortune was completely unpredictable. Sometimes it came out as if he held the fate of the murim in his hands, other times as if he had no influence on the murim at all. Sometimes he was a great bringer of slaughter, creating blood threads, and other times the divination showed him as a great master who would save the murim. Every time I cast a fortune, his future was so different. It was the first time I'd ever seen a case like this since I started fortune-telling."

He made a request to the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.

"May I cast one last fortune about the Young Cult Leader's future?"

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon nodded.

The old fortune teller shook the divination cylinder filled with bamboo sticks. Knowing it was his last time, the old man's movements were deliberate.

And so, one divination stick popped out.

Both men were startled when they saw the characters written on the bamboo.

Four characters were written there.

[Unification of the World Under Heaven.]

After staring blankly for a moment, the old fortune teller laughed loudly.

"If that's the case, then my death must be the will of heaven."

The old fortune teller tilted the divination cylinder in his hand toward the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.

PWAAAAANG!

Hidden weapons shot out from the cylinder. It was both a divination cylinder and a hidden weapon. At this distance, it was the old man's unique hidden weapon, which no one could dodge.

CHANGCHANGCHANGCHANG!

However, the hidden weapons were blocked by something and all ricocheted away. The Blood Heaven Blade Demon had blocked them by raising the Heaven Destroying Dao.

SHWIIIIK!

The giant dao flew in and slashed deeply across the old fortune teller's chest.

Bone and flesh parted as the old fortune teller collapsed. If he had been determined to launch a surprise attack, it would have been much harder to block, but this attack was one that asked for death.

"Since I failed because of one who has received heaven's mandate… I have no regrets."

With those last words, the old fortune teller breathed his last.

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon picked up the bamboo stick that had fallen to the floor. He stared at it silently, about to burn it with his solar energy.

However, he soon withdrew his energy and, for some reason, tucked it into his clothes.

Just then, Geom Mugeuk arrived at the scene.

"Ah, is it over? I rushed over hoping to get my fortune told."

"What fortune could you get from a phony fortune teller?"

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon strode away.

"Elder, let's go together!"

Geom Mugeuk followed after him. Did something happen with the old fortune teller? Geom Mugeuk got a different feeling from the Blood Heaven Blade Demon than usual.

"Oh, and don't even think about going back to our Cult alone. We're all going back together."

He said this, worried that his father might feel uncomfortable and just leave by himself. The Blood Heaven Blade Demon was certainly the type of person to do that.

After a brief pause, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon replied.

"I was planning to go with you."

It seemed he had decided to go with them while talking with his father.

"Ah, that's great. There will be even more enjoyable things on the way back."

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon and Seo Daeryong would now be returning to the Cult together. Just as he had spent a lot of time with his father, he hoped the two of them would also have that kind of opportunity.

"Oh, and look forward to it. The real showdown is still to come."

"What showdown?"

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon looked at Geom Mugeuk with a curious expression.

However, Geom Mugeuk didn't tell him, as if to say he'd find out later. Instead, he smiled meaningfully and said.

"You've never tried the fish dish my father made, have you?"