Chapter 604: If You Don't Come Out Today, I'm Taking It With You Inside

TL: FoodieMonster007

A six-colored light poured down upon Geom Mugeuk.

SHAAAAA.

The light seeped into Geom Mugeuk's body, much like rain soaking the earth. Once inside, it flowed through him like a river of qi. The light spread throughout his entire body with every single beat of his heart.

The light was hot and cold, thrilling and refreshing. It was a comforting sensation, yet it also instilled a sense of fear.

Geom Mugeuk did not resist this light.

He knew instinctively that this light was meant for him. It did not matter how hot or cold it became, nor how deep a fear it evoked.

After swirling through every corner of his body, the six lights gathered together in Geom Mugeuk's mind. The lights collected inside his brain and then simultaneously burst into a brilliant radiance.

SWIIIIIIISH!

The next moment, the Black Orb, Green Orb, and White Orb began to move. The three energies, which had been dormant within Geom Mugeuk, started to travel along his meridians on their own.

Amazingly, Geom Mugeuk knew the incantations for the inner art.

The halo of light that had entered him moments before had directly taught him the incantations. No, it had not just taught him. It had made him master them completely.

He had heard of passing inner arts to another person, but this was the first time he had ever heard of knowledge being transferred so instantaneously.

The inner art taught by the Secret Box was completely different from any conventional method of circulating energy.

The three energies moved along his meridians in an utterly unexpected sequence. The landscape of his rushing meridians was different from what he knew. It was an incredibly precarious and dangerous view. The inner qi sometimes flowed in reverse, and it even forced its way down paths that seemed certain to cause internal injuries.

This inner art truly shattered all his existing knowledge of martial arts in an instant.

However, Geom Mugeuk trusted these incantations. He did not know what the energies in his body were, nor what this inner art was, but he decided to simply trust anything related to the Secret Box.

Just like the inexplicable sense of relief he felt when he first absorbed the energy from the Secret Box, he trusted his instinct that this energy was benevolent towards him.

As he completed one full circulation of the inner qi, the three energies merged into one at the final moment.

In that very instant when he felt an immense power, the three energies scattered limply once more. They settled quietly to sleep throughout his meridians.

Geom Mugeuk understood. Just as the Secret Box had said before, this inner art would only be complete when all six energies were gathered.

Everything else was a mystery.

What would happen when all six energies were gathered and he operated this inner art? Would the collected energies operate separately, or would they merge with his existing inner arts? Was there a separate martial art that corresponded to this inner art, or did the inner art itself possess some kind of power?

And how was it supposed to grant him the power of the Greatest of All Time?

Just then, his surroundings began to change.

SHRRRRRNG.

The Secret Box made a cheerful sound he had never heard before, as if it were bidding him farewell.

CHIIIII.

The six circles engraved on the Secret Box vanished. The patterns, which had appeared as if carved with a knife, slowly began to fade until they disappeared completely.

Starting with that, everything returned to its original state.

JIIIIIIK.

The tear in the space before him began to close. A deep darkness had spread within that space.

Geom Mugeuk did not dislike the darkness. He knew better than anyone that a night spent awake and alone was less lonely than the day.

KRRRRR!

The overturned crust of the earth began to descend again. As it slowly lowered, it seemed to be greeting him, as if to say, 'Don't worry, I am here beneath your feet.'

KWAKWAKWAKWA.

The brightly shining icicles began to disappear back into the ceiling. The ice glittered with a pure white light at the last moment, as if sad to part.

The terrifyingly soaring flames began to slowly die down. The fire flickered from side to side, looking as if it were waving its hands.

WHOOOOSH.

A gust of wind blew past, brushing over the lightning marks etched on the floor. Surprisingly, the marks vanished completely. They disappeared like a sand drawing washed away by the waves.

The wind gave Geom Mugeuk's clothes and hair one last refreshing flutter before disappearing entirely.

And so, everything around him returned to normal. The place now looked just as it had when Geom Mugeuk first entered.

It felt as if he had been dreaming.

However, Geom Mugeuk could feel a change.

The three energies were dormant in his body just as before, but it was different now. If before it felt like he was merely storing the energies, now it felt like they were truly his own. It was the feeling of going from a guest in a room to its owner.

And he could sense an unprecedented potential from those energies. If three energies were like this, he could not imagine what would happen when all six were gathered.

Geom Mugeuk took the Secret Box out from his robes. The brightly smiling face of the Secret Box seemed to reflect his own heart.

Geom Mugeuk was happy. Truly happy. What made him happiest of all was that this power had come to him, instead of falling into the hands of his enemies.

Since his regression, he had been steadily changing his life from how it was before, but now it felt like he had passed a major turning point in a different way.

I must not let my guard down and must keep striving until the very end.

Putting the small Secret Box back into his robes, Geom Mugeuk looked at the large Secret Box. His gaze deepened as he stared at it.

Geom Mugeuk gave a deep bow to the Secret Box. He could feel with his entire being that this ancient power was not something that could be obtained from mere miracle herbs.

"If this is the will that heaven has bestowed upon me, I will gladly accept that destiny."

He meant it sincerely. After all, his regression had only been possible because heaven had recognized his efforts.

After formally paying his respects, Geom Mugeuk approached the Secret Box and placed his hand on it.

"Thank you, Secret Box."

Heaven's will was heaven's will, but he still considered these Secret Boxes his friends.

In that very moment!

SWOOOSH.

Geom Mugeuk's hand went into the Secret Box. His body was sucked inside before he could even resist. The Secret Box had begun to absorb Geom Mugeuk.

"Whoa? No! I haven't seen the final battle yet!"

However, the Secret Box began to suck Geom Mugeuk in instantly, as if to say that much was not permitted.

Geom Mugeuk did not resist, just as he had not when he first entered.

Fine, if this is the destiny you've chosen.

See you in three hundred years!

The Sword King was examining the walls of the space where the Secret Box was located.

Several days had passed since Geom Mugeuk was sucked into the Secret Box. However, he had not yet returned. During that time, the Sword King had explored various ways to enter the Secret Box.

Naturally, he started by examining the Secret Box thoroughly. He tried knocking on it, moving it, and even injecting inner arts into it. But the Secret Box showed no reaction.

He even went back through the gates to examine the previous chambers and reread the manuals stored there. But nowhere was there a clue on how to enter the Secret Box.

After examining the surrounding walls, the Sword King came over to the Secret Box and leaned against it. The spot where he sat was the exact place where Geom Mugeuk had been sucked in.

Hoping he might be able to enter as well, he made sure to sit and lean against that spot once a day. But today, the Secret Box was just as cold and hard as ever.

"Huuuu."

A sigh escaped the Sword King's lips for the first time. He could not just keep waiting like this forever.

In truth, his mission was to take that Secret Box. Whether Geom Mugeuk was inside or not, his job would be done once he delivered it.

However, he had been waiting for days.

He was worried about Geom Mugeuk, yet at the same time, he was not. To be objective, he leaned more towards not being worried.

The way he was sucked in looked exactly like someone sinking into a swamp, but he did not get the feeling that it had absorbed Geom Mugeuk to harm him. It was probably because of the special quality that the man named Geom Mugeuk had shown.

You're not the type to die so pointlessly, are you?

Thinking of Geom Mugeuk, the nonsensical words came out on their own.

"If you don't come out today, I'm taking it with you inside."

Despite the Sword King's threat, Geom Mugeuk did not appear.

This time, he threatened the Secret Box.

"If you don't release my official, I'll slice you in half."

He said it like a joke, but he truly did feel the urge to cut the Secret Box open with his sword and look inside. However, there was no way Geom Mugeuk could be inside that hard Secret Box, so he could not do it.

If this can truly change the fate of murim, why did it swallow the Young Cult Leader?

Fiddling with the shoes tucked at his waist, the Sword King muttered to himself.

"Could it be that the one to change the fate of murim… is you?"

It was at that very moment.

"Uwaaaaaaah!"

With a scream, something shot out from behind the Sword King. The person who flew out from over the head of the Sword King, who had been leaning against the Secret Box, and tumbled to the floor was none other than Geom Mugeuk.

The Sword King stared at Geom Mugeuk with a shocked expression. He was so startled that he had almost reflexively cut Geom Mugeuk down.

To startle someone so badly.

"Master, you've gotten haggard in just a few days."

At those first words, the Sword King replied with a look of disbelief.

"You look like you had a good time."

Geom Mugeuk's eyes were clearer, and the vitality emanating from his body felt even more energetic. It was a change that only a master like the Sword King could perceive.

"Aigoo, don't even ask. I went through a lot of hardship without any inner arts."

Geom Mugeuk examined his own body first. He could feel the profound inner arts in his qi center. Fortunately, his body had returned to its state before he went in. His swordsmanship had reverted to the Black Demon Sword. The Secret Box was also still safe in his robes.

Geom Mugeuk stood up and took a deep breath.

The smell of three hundred years in the future. I've returned alive!

"You were worried about me, weren't you? You must have even given up food and drink."

"Not at all. I ate meat every day."

However, Geom Mugeuk sensed it. The relief in the Sword King's eyes when he saw him. He had been waiting for him here. Waiting anxiously for him to come out.

"What happened in there?"

This was truly the first time in his life that the Sword King had ever been this curious about something.

"Before I tell you, just a moment."

Geom Mugeuk walked over to the Secret Box.

The feeling of seeing the Secret Box after having met it three hundred years in the past was completely different from when he first entered this place and saw it. That Secret Box, after three hundred years, was now before his eyes again. Geom Mugeuk placed his hand on it.

You must have been lonely for three hundred years. You've worked hard. And thank you. For sending me back here.

It was a shame he could not see the final battle, but it was a fight whose outcome was already decided.

After saying his goodbyes to the Secret Box, Geom Mugeuk turned back to the Sword King.

How much should he tell him? Geom Mugeuk decided to exclude just two things. The prophecy about himself, and the fact that he had learned the Secret Box's incantations.

"Do you happen to know about the Divine Sword Martial Emperor?"

Just how much did the Sword King know about this past history?

"I've heard of him. He was the leader of the Murim Alliance three hundred years ago."

He was the most famous leader of the Murim Alliance, after all.

"Why are you suddenly asking about him?"

Then, astonishing words flowed from Geom Mugeuk's lips.

"I've just come from meeting the Divine Sword Martial Emperor."

"What?"

At first, his eyes seemed to ask, 'You're joking, right?' but then surprise began to bloom on the Sword King's face. He sensed that Geom Mugeuk was not joking.

"It's true!"

"I even ate a meal with the Divine Sword Martial Emperor."

Geom Mugeuk's gaze turned to the Secret Box.

"This box took me three hundred years into the past."

The Sword King also stared at the Secret Box in astonishment.

Geom Mugeuk's words continued.

"This box was a sacred object of a mysterious faction from the past called the Heavenly Fate Palace."

Geom Mugeuk watched to see how the Sword King would react to the mention of the Heavenly Fate Palace. It was not a special reaction, just a typical one.

"I know. The Divine Sword Martial Emperor destroyed the Heavenly Fate Palace."

This was as much history as most people who knew of the Divine Sword Martial Emperor were aware of. From this reaction, he could guess. The Sword King was not currently connected to the descendants of the Heavenly Fate Palace. To him, the Heavenly Fate Palace was just a part of history.

"Don't tell me you met the Heavenly Fate Palace Lord too?"

Geom Mugeuk nodded. Was that all he met? He had even met the Saintess.

"I spent a few days in the place where the final war between the two sides was taking place."

"Why did it take you there?"

Since he had no intention of revealing the part about the prophecy concerning him, Geom Mugeuk had no way to explain.

"I don't know either. Maybe it's because I'm more handsome than you, Master? If you're going on a long journey, you might as well take someone young and handsome…"

"Enough nonsense!"

The playfulness vanished from Geom Mugeuk's face. The time had finally come to ask this question.

"Why did you bring me here? Please tell me the real reason."

There was definitely some intention. It was not to save those in the underground, nor was it because he was helpful in dismantling the mechanisms. There was clearly another reason of his own.

At last, the Sword King spoke his true feelings.

"I wanted to see if you were the one who would change the fate of murim."

The gazes of the two men locked in mid-air.

"Why did you think it might be me?"

After a brief pause, the Sword King answered.

"Because you changed our destiny."

They had believed they would change the fate of this murim, but Geom Mugeuk had changed their destiny.

"And now, you're even trying to change my destiny."

Geom Mugeuk could feel it. This was the moment that would decide the fate between him and the Sword King. It would be determined by the answer to this question.

"What if I am the one who will change the fate of murim?" Geom Mugeuk stared into the Sword King's eyes and asked again. "Can our relationship change?"