Chapter 601: The Person Who Buys You Meat Is the Best Person

TL: FoodieMonster007

After his meeting with the Saintess, Geom Mugeuk made his way back to the Murim Alliance camp. He spent the entire journey thinking about what she had said.

What did she mean when she said there was no need for gratitude because she had already repaid everything? It sounded as if their connection might extend all the way to his original world.

A particular person suddenly came to mind. It was someone who, much like her, possessed a truly mysterious air. However, that alone wasn't enough to be certain it was the same person.

Right, I'll check later.

The matter he needed to focus on now was the prophecy she had given him.

Darkness will lead you to the Heavenly Will.

What on earth did 'darkness' mean? And what exactly was the 'Heavenly Will' that the prophecy spoke of? Everything was uncertain, but he had one sure premonition.

He had to find the meaning of the prophecy before the confrontation between the Heavenly Fate Palace Lord and the Divine Sword Martial Emperor. The Secret Box was unlikely to leave him here after that fight was over. Just as it had sucked him in without warning, he had no idea when it might spit him out.

I don't have much time.

The sky was just beginning to lighten with the break of dawn when he returned to the Murim Alliance barracks. Despite the early hour, Group Leader Jang Hu was already awake.

"Where have you been?" he asked, his expression filled with worry. He must have found it suspicious that Geom Mugeuk would disappear so suddenly and then reappear like this, but he was his savior nonetheless.

"I just went out for some fresh air."

"Jo Woong is watching you. You should lay low at times like this."

"Yes, I'll be careful."

"Have you eaten?"

"I'm fine."

"Here, eat this. It's a bit cold, but it should still be edible."

Jang Hu handed over some meat he had saved. With the war dragging on, meat was a truly rare delicacy. He had specially set it aside for him.

As Geom Mugeuk accepted the meat and smiled brightly, Jang Hu spoke with a look of disbelief. It was the first time he had seen him smile so brightly.

"You like it that much?"

"Isn't the person who buys you meat the best person in the world?"

He wasn't smiling brightly because of the meat. It was because Jang Hu's kindness had lifted his spirits.

He thought about how good people like this had lived in the murim three hundred years ago. If it had been nothing but the bloody law of the jungle, the murim probably wouldn't have survived until his own era.

"Group Leader, what will you do when this war is over?"

"I'm definitely getting married this time. It's my elderly mother's wish."

"Do you have someone to marry?"

Jang Hu nodded. "You might not believe it with this face, but I do."

He then added with a sigh, "She's too kind. She's waited for me until an age where she can't wait any longer."

Right, this was the reason the war had to end even a day sooner. Not because of some conspiracy being plotted in the shadows.

"I'll invite you to the wedding when it happens."

Geom Mugeuk smiled without a word. If he could really go, he desperately wanted to.

'The Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult has arrived!' The groom, the bride, and the guests would all faint at that announcement.

"You're not coming, are you?"

"I'll congratulate you, even if it's from afar."

Though it would be from very far away.

Jang Hu stared intently at Geom Mugeuk, who was happily tearing into the meat, before shaking his head.

"You're definitely a strange one."

Geom Mugeuk went out on patrol with his team members. His heart grew anxious when he thought of the prophecy.

Is this really the time to be leisurely going on patrol?

Although such thoughts naturally came to mind, Geom Mugeuk silently carried out his assigned duties.

He had experienced it many times in his life before regressing. Just because you agonized over something all day to find an answer didn't mean the answer would appear. In fact, the impatience from thinking, 'I've spent all this time and still can't find the answer,' only made the outcome worse.

At times like these, it was more helpful to live one's daily life more diligently. Sometimes, an answer wasn't found by digging deep in one place, but was caught like a shoe thrown onto a tree branch you happened to glance at.

Of course, he didn't find that shoe today. He learned nothing about the prophecy during the patrol, but it wasn't a complete waste. He had deliberately asked Jang Hu about various places and confirmed the location of the White Sun Peak.

After finishing the patrol and returning for a meal, he heard a roar of cheers from the distance. Looking over, he saw the Divine Sword Martial Emperor inspecting the martial artists. He still held the absolute support of the Murim Alliance martial artists.

When the Divine Sword Martial Emperor first arrived here, he had asked the name of each person before him and greeted them individually. From what he had shown, he was a Chairman who respected and cherished his subordinates.

Soon, the Divine Sword Martial Emperor passed by Geom Mugeuk and his team members, who were lined up at the meal table.

"Were you eating? Go on, eat comfortably."

As he greeted them and walked past, a powerful voice came from behind.

"If you haven't eaten, please join us!"

Of course, the owner of the voice was Geom Mugeuk.

His team members' eyes widened as they stared at him. Their gazes said it all. Even if he was their savior, this was too much.

Is this guy crazy?

The Divine Sword Martial Emperor turned his head and looked at Geom Mugeuk. He recognized him.

"You're that fellow from before, aren't you?"

He remembered the young man who had thrown that audacious question at him on the first day. He recognized him because he had been strangely impressive.

"You remember me. I'll consider it an honor for my family."

Among the few martial artists behind the Divine Sword Martial Emperor, Jo Woong scowled openly. He had gone to him personally and even warned him, yet Geom Mugeuk was stepping forward again.

Geom Mugeuk pretended not to see him. He could have found a way to inform the Chairman that Jo Woong had colluded with the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, but he didn't. It wasn't because the group he colluded with was the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. It was to avoid interfering with the main flow of events. Of course, some things had changed since he came here, and this moment might also cause some change, but it wouldn't affect the grand scheme of things.

"If I join you, you'll all be uncomfortable, won't you?"

"We're fine."

Of course, his team members were screaming internally.

We are not fine!

There was a reason Geom Mugeuk had asked him to eat with them. It was a reason separate from his efforts to find clues to the prophecy, a feeling that he couldn't just let the Chairman pass by.

"Very well."

For some reason, the Divine Sword Martial Emperor sat down with them. Before his followers could stop him by saying he shouldn't, the Divine Sword Martial Emperor had them move a good distance away. He figured the martial artists wouldn't be able to eat comfortably otherwise.

From this, Geom Mugeuk could feel that the Chairman was a good person. One could sit down for show, to prove 'I'm such an approachable person'. However, it wasn't easy to take care of such a small detail as having one's subordinates move away. It was the kind of thing easily missed if it wasn't ingrained in one's character. It was the same principle that it's easier for a person to fake big things than small ones.

"I'll eat what you're all having."

Jang Hu scurried off to get a meal for the Divine Sword Martial Emperor. What in the world is all this commotion?

"I'm not sure if the side dishes will suit your esteemed palate."

"It's fine."

The Divine Sword Martial Emperor sat down purely because of Geom Mugeuk. He was a strangely captivating fellow. Those clear, deep eyes, unbefitting of his age, were one thing. Asking the Chairman to eat with him? That unexpectedness was another. He wondered if he might be a master of martial arts hiding his skills, but the inner arts he could sense amounted to only a few years' worth. A master capable of deceiving his eyes would have to be stronger than him, and that was impossible.

This was a moment where Geom Mugeuk starting with only a few years of inner arts proved helpful.

And so, the Divine Sword Martial Emperor ate with the Seventeenth Team of the White Tiger.

Watching him silently move his chopsticks, a thought suddenly occurred to Geom Mugeuk. Perhaps he was nervous about his upcoming battle with the Heavenly Fate Palace Lord. So nervous that he felt the urge to eat with his subordinates like this.

Jin Hagun, my friend, I may not have crossed swords with the most famous Chairman of your Murim Alliance from three hundred years ago, but I did cross chopsticks with him.

Of course, it was a boast he would only ever make in his mind.

The Divine Sword Martial Emperor finished his meal. He had cleaned his bowl completely. Before getting up, the Divine Sword Martial Emperor spoke to Geom Mugeuk, who was sitting beside him. He spoke softly so that others couldn't hear well.

"You asked before, didn't you? If there was a way to beat them."

"Yes, and at that time, you said this, Chairman. That you had a way, but you couldn't say it where there were many people."

Then, the Divine Sword Martial Emperor said something unexpected.

"There is no special method. The only way is to fight and win."

Geom Mugeuk nodded silently.

"Why aren't you surprised?"

It was surprising enough for the leader of the Murim Alliance to speak so frankly to a mere martial artist, but the content was an admission that he had lied. He had surely expected a more surprised reaction than this.

"I thought as much."

"You thought as much?"

"Because if there was a way to win, you would have already won, Chairman. I believe that you're not the kind of person who would stand by and watch martial artists die, for any reason."

A strange light flickered in the Divine Sword Martial Emperor's eyes as he looked at Geom Mugeuk. Where could you find a martial artist, a young man at that, who could say such things to the leader of the Murim Alliance? And those words had definitely given him strength.

"So please, win for our sake as well."

"I have a favor to ask."

"What is it?"

The favor was truly unexpected.

"When this war is over, our Group Leader here will return to his hometown and get married."

What? Why is he bringing that up? Jang Hu was greatly startled inwardly at being mentioned. Why would he bring that up?

"Please give a congratulatory speech at his wedding, Chairman."

A shriek burst from the overly shocked Jang Hu's mouth.

"No, Chairman. No!"

He even waved his hands in denial, but Geom Mugeuk pretended not to notice and added, "Our team, which once had thirteen members, now has only five. He is overcoming all that sorrow, steadfastly taking care of his team members, and defending the battlefield. I believe he is more than qualified to receive your congratulations, Chairman."

Jang Hu belatedly rushed over and covered Geom Mugeuk's mouth.

"This guy must have gone crazy in the middle of the war. I apologize, Chairman."

Just then, the Divine Sword Martial Emperor silently nodded his head in agreement.

"Very well. I will give the congratulatory speech."

Everyone was stunned by his words. Jang Hu, in particular, was on the verge of fainting. Geom Mugeuk could tell from his eyes that he was being sincere.

"Then, finish your meal."

The Divine Sword Martial Emperor left.

Jang Hu recalled the moment with a dazed expression. The leader of the Murim Alliance giving a speech at his wedding? It felt good just imagining it. His elderly mother would brag about it to everyone she met.

"I did well, didn't I?" Geom Mugeuk asked slyly.

Despite feeling pleased, Jang Hu shouted, "You really are a crazy bastard!"

He was being called a crazy bastard by Jang Hu from three hundred years ago. In a way, that meant he was doing a good job of being himself.

Geom Mugeuk smiled and said to him, "This is the least I can do to repay the person who gave me meat."

Geom Mugeuk had taken care of Jang Hu's wedding, but he still hadn't found a clue to the prophecy.

That night, Geom Mugeuk ascended the White Sun Peak. Since it was the duel location, someone might be guarding it. For that reason, Geom Mugeuk was extremely cautious as he climbed.

Separate from his inability to use the Nine Calamities Demonic Art due to his lack of inner arts, Geom Mugeuk's senses were as sharp as ever. He moved carefully, relying on his senses. Fortunately, he didn't encounter anyone on the way.

He reached the summit of the White Sun Peak without meeting anyone. Then again, they couldn't recklessly send people to a designated duel site. If the other side found out, they would be embroiled in rumors of using cowardly tactics before the fight even began.

Once he was up there, he could see why they had chosen the White Sun Peak. The summit was a wide space, large enough for the two supreme masters to have a magnificent fight. There were trees, rocks, and a certain elegance to it.

Geom Mugeuk looked around, bathed in the bright moonlight.

Could this place be related to the prophecy?

However, he couldn't find anything strange. The moon was exceptionally bright tonight, making it feel even further from darkness.

Secret Box, where am I supposed to find a clue to the prophecy?

Just then, he sensed a presence far behind him. In that instant, Geom Mugeuk vanished. He had disappeared into the Spacetime Manipulation Technique in a flash. He reacted so quickly that the other person didn't notice Geom Mugeuk had been standing there.

From within the darkness of the Spacetime Manipulation Technique, a space just large enough for one person to stand, Geom Mugeuk watched the person approach.

A moment later, a man arrived. He was a young man dressed in a black robe with ornate patterns, someone Geom Mugeuk had never seen since coming here. For his young age, the aura he exuded was extraordinary. It wasn't the aura of the orthodox sects, but it was also different from Wi Mucheon's and the Protection Palace Lord's.

Who is he?

The man's eyes, filled with moonlight, shone intensely. They were eyes that held a burning desire.

How long did he stand there alone? Another person appeared.

Surprisingly, the second person to arrive was someone Geom Mugeuk had seen before. The very same masked man from the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult who had secretly met with Jo Woong had appeared here.

The masked man's words revealed the other man's identity.

"The Darkness Palace Lord."

The moment he heard those words, Geom Mugeuk knew who the man was. He was the Lord of the Darkness Palace, the last of the three great palaces of the Heavenly Fate Palace.

He didn't know why he was meeting a demon from the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult here, but he knew one thing. The prophecy the Saintess had told him surfaced in Geom Mugeuk's mind.

Darkness will lead you to the Heavenly Will.

He knew instinctively. That the 'darkness' meant none other than the last Empress of the Heavenly Fate Palace, the Darkness Palace Lord.

This is the person who will guide me to the Heavenly Will.