Chapter 632: More Than a Scheming Geom Woojin

TL: FoodieMonster007

"Are you suspecting the First Young Lord?" Jin Paecheon countered Jin Hagun's question.

"Then are you suspecting the Heaven's Edge Hermit?"

A tense atmosphere flowed between the two men.

Until he arrived here, Jin Hagun had harbored a sliver of doubt, a feeling of 'surely not'. But the moment he heard his grandfather's words, he knew for certain.

The Heaven's Edge Hermit must have used the Brainwashing Art to make him say his own name.

If you used the Brainwashing Art on a subordinate, wouldn't they name someone else under torture? However, the Heaven's Edge Hermit had exploited that common sense, perfectly escaping his role as the mastermind by framing himself.

This choice was only possible because the target was his grandfather. His grandfather had known the Heaven's Edge Hermit since his youth, and their friendship had continued to this day.

It was probably like this. Imagine if he built a friendship with Geom Mugeuk from now on, and decades passed. Then what if someone came and said Geom Mugeuk was the evil mastermind? They must be crazy. His grandfather was likely feeling exactly that way right now.

The reason the Heaven's Edge Hermit made this choice was clear.

"I asked where the First Young Lord is."

Since this happened while the First Young Lord was in Wuhan, Jin Paecheon had no choice but to believe it was a plot by the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.

Knowing that defending Geom Muyang in this situation would only fuel his grandfather's anger, Jin Hagun answered obediently.

"He is in a nearby manor."

The Murim Alliance Lord couldn't go himself, nor could he summon Geom Muyang to the Chairman's Hall.

"Bring him to the Azure Cloud Forest."

Jin Hagun obediently followed his grandfather's command.

"Yes, I understand."

Jin Hagun left the Chairman's Hall.

When Jin Hagun came out of the Chairman's Hall, the rain was still pouring. After telling a martial artist to prepare a carriage, he stood for a moment and watched the downpour.

He should have handled this himself, but he hadn't expected the White Dragon Commander to die like that. Now, proving that the Heaven's Edge Hermit was behind it all had become even more difficult. His grandfather would just assume any other evidence was fabricated.

An image of the Heaven's Edge Hermit came to mind. As a child, he had called him 'Grandfather' and followed him around. Unlike his strict grandfather, the hermit had treated him and Jin Haryong warmly. Whenever he came to see them, he would bring rare toys from all over the Central Plains.

That man was behind a conspiracy?

Jin Hagun lifted his head and looked up at the sky. Lightning flashed within the dark storm clouds.

Geom Muyang stood in the manor's courtyard, getting soaked by the rain as he watched the carriage arrive.

The carriage door opened, revealing Jin Hagun inside. Seeing him come in person, Geom Muyang instinctively knew that something had gone wrong with the White Dragon Commander.

"The Chairman wishes to see you."

As Geom Muyang walked straight toward the carriage, Ho Myeong followed him.

"We will escort you," he insisted, but Geom Muyang refused.

"You all wait here."

How could Ho Myeong not know? Now that the Murim Alliance Lord was involved, a single stroke of his sword could kill them all. But aside from that, he was worried and anxious about sending Geom Muyang alone. If something happened to him, they would all have to offer their heads. It would be better to die protecting him.

He sent another glance, expressing his desire to follow, but Geom Muyang firmly shook his head.

"Please be careful."

Leaving behind Ho Myeong, the Branch martial artists, and Gwak Yeong, who watched worriedly from the back, Geom Muyang boarded the carriage.

The carriage departed as soon as he was on board.

Once they were moving, Jin Hagun told him what had happened at the Chairman's Hall. He judged that in this situation, there could not be the slightest misunderstanding, so he shouldn't hide anything.

"The White Dragon Commander was under the Brainwashing Art."

Geom Muyang flinched. He hadn't realized it, even though he had tortured the man himself.

For the Brainwashing Art to escape his notice, it must have been an evil art cast by someone stronger than him.

In that case, it wasn't an evil art cast by the Heaven's Edge Hermit. After knowing him for so long, there was no way the Murim Alliance Lord wouldn't have recognized that he possessed such an evil art.

"Who did he say it was?"

"As expected, he said it was the Heaven's Edge Hermit."

Geom Muyang wasn't surprised at all. He had already confirmed many times how meticulous those bastards were.

"He must be dead, then."

"How did you know?"

"Because that's how I would have handled it."

Jin Hagun could tell that Geom Muyang had also seen through their scheme.

"There's no way the Chairman didn't see what we see. It's just that…"

He couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence. …he doesn't want to believe it.

Geom Muyang simply nodded without saying a word.

Contrary to Jin Hagun's thoughts, he thought it was possible the Chairman hadn't seen through it. Or perhaps he was thinking something entirely different.

The one who really didn't want to believe it might be Jin Hagun himself. The fact that his own grandfather could make a misjudgment.

However, Geom Muyang didn't show such thoughts. He could see things objectively, like an onlooker giving advice, because his own interests were distant. Who could say for sure how they would act if it were their own affair?

The carriage carrying the two men arrived at the bamboo forest. The Chairman's Hall bodyguards were all standing at the entrance. It seemed the Chairman had forbidden anyone from entering.

Geom Muyang and Jin Hagun got out of the carriage and walked into the forest. As they entered, the downpour lessened to a drizzle.

The two walked on, getting wet from the rain. It had been a long time since either Geom Muyang or Jin Hagun had been caught in the rain.

In the middle of the bamboo forest was a small pavilion. Jin Paecheon stood inside with his hands clasped behind his back, making no effort to hide his presence.

"I sometimes come here on rainy days."

Geom Muyang slowly walked up into the pavilion. Jin Hagun did not go up with him and waited below.

Stepping into the pavilion, Geom Muyang bowed respectfully.

"Greetings, Chairman."

Jin Paecheon, who had been gazing into the distance, slowly turned around.

"First Young Lord, it's been a while."

His gaze and attitude toward Geom Muyang were calm and polite. When he had ordered him brought here, he had seemed ready to roar, but his demeanor now was completely different.

Because of this, Jin Hagun, standing below the pavilion, felt a sense of relief on one hand but also grew more tense. He didn't know when or how his grandfather's fury might erupt.

"How is the scenery?"

"It's nice."

Indeed, the view from the pavilion was beautiful. The mist flowing between the fine raindrops was beautiful and dreamlike. Only the sound of the rain could be heard there, as if all other sounds in the world had vanished.

"Is the Cult Leader doing well?"

"He has entered seclusion training."

Since the Murim Alliance would already know this, Geom Muyang answered honestly.

"To be honest, I was surprised when I first heard the news."

After all, seclusion training was rare for those at their level of mastery. That was why the Alliance had even held an emergency meeting. Was he really in seclusion training, or was he planning some other scheme?

However, amidst the meeting with its various reports and opinions, Jin Paecheon had recalled the image of Geom Woojin undergoing seclusion training. He knew instinctively. The Geom Woojin he knew was not a man who would use trickery for something like this. Having met him at the last tripartite meeting, he was even more certain.

A Geom Woojin who doesn't scheme is a more fearsome being than a Geom Woojin who does. Therefore, although he didn't show it, he was inwardly tense. It was none other than the Heavenly Demon's martial arts realm that was changing. And it was in that situation that this incident occurred.

"My younger brother is serving as the Acting Cult Leader."

At the mention of Geom Mugeuk, a smile formed on Jin Paecheon's lips. The only demon who could make him smile in any situation. Yes, if it weren't for Geom Mugeuk, this meeting wouldn't even be happening in the first place.

"The Young Cult Leader is someone who would do well no matter what task he's given."

Geom Muyang nodded as if in agreement.

Was it because he was thinking of Geom Mugeuk? Like the mist flowing between the bamboo, a silence flowed between the two men.

After some time passed, Jin Paecheon spoke abruptly.

"It was unexpected."

Geom Muyang looked at him. Jin Paecheon stared straight back.

"You, coming all the way to Wuhan."

It was a natural question. The forgery of the Geumyong hidden weapons was a serious matter. However, it wasn't so serious that the First Young Lord would come all the way to Wuhan.

"There were circumstances."

"Can you tell me what they were?"

When Geom Muyang didn't answer, Jin Paecheon's gaze turned slightly cold. Despite sensing the change in his eyes, Geom Muyang remained silent.

Looking at him reminded Jin Paecheon of Geom Woojin. Then again, if it had been Geom Mugeuk, he would have already chattered on, 'There were these circumstances and those circumstances…'

"You resemble your father more than the Young Cult Leader does."

Geom Muyang knew what he meant. He felt that what was needed in this moment was not his own bluntness, but his brother's affability.

It was something he would never have said in a different situation, or to a different person, but he spoke.

"Those hidden weapons were nearly used to kill my younger brother."

At Geom Muyang's answer, Jin Paecheon's eyes widened.

Below the pavilion, Jin Hagun lifted his head to look up.

Now he understood for certain why Geom Muyang had said he would see this to the end.

What if someone had almost killed Jin Haryong? Yes, he too would have seen it to the end. He would have chased them all the way to the front of the Demonic Cult Headquarters.

"I was merely tracking the one who forged the hidden weapons, and it has led me to meet you, Chairman."

The words implied that someone had paved the path well. Jin Paecheon felt the barb in that statement.

"Did you hear who the White Dragon Commander mentioned?"

"……"

"What do you think?"

"I don't know anything about that person."

Geom Muyang looked Jin Paecheon straight in the eye as he spoke.

"The answer is something you would know, Chairman."

For a moment, Jin Paecheon's expression twitched. A tremendous aura flowed from his body.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Don't you already know?"

An overwhelming pressure began to rage around them.

Storm clouds gathered, and the world grew dark. Jin Paecheon's aura was a typhoon on a dark sea. On the rough waves that crashed in an instant, Geom Muyang felt as if he were being tossed up and down repeatedly. A fear that delved into the abyss churned deep within a person's heart.

Jin Paecheon was originally a man suited to this kind of aura. Overbearing and powerful. He just hadn't had many opportunities to reveal that pressure while living as the Murim Alliance Lord for so long.

Even in the storm, Geom Muyang stood firm. In response, Jin Paecheon's aura grew even stronger.

Below the pavilion, Jin Hagun's heart grew frantic. It was his enraged grandfather against an unyielding Geom Muyang.

How would Geom Mugeuk have handled this? He thought about it, recalling him, but he was not Geom Mugeuk. If he couldn't act like Geom Mugeuk, it was better to remain silent.

Yes, he had to trust his grandfather. Although he was angry now, he wasn't someone who handled things based on emotion.

He had to play the most important role in this matter. He was the one who knew his grandfather best, and he was the one who had to act as a bridge to the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.

Yes, from now on, I must look at each and every person properly, without any preconceptions. Those words that Geom Mugeuk had repeated so often had once again become the most necessary thing in his life.

The raging aura of Jin Paecheon gradually subsided, and the surroundings became calm again. He had pushed Geom Muyang to the very limit of sustaining internal injuries, but Geom Muyang hadn't moved a single step, holding his ground. Jin Paecheon, who had been watching him silently, spoke calmly.

"Leave Wuhan."

He could certainly make such a demand in Wuhan, if not in other regions.

However, Geom Muyang did not accept.

"I can't do that."

Jin Paecheon said nicely, "This matter is our business. When I find the answer, I will let you know."

"I'm sorry."

He would never find the answer alone. Geom Muyang did not back down. This was a promise with none other than Jin Paecheon. To say he would leave and then not do so would be an even greater act of disrespect.

"You people, really!"

Who in this murim would dare defy his words? The image of Geom Woojin overlapped with Geom Muyang's face. He was that man's son, so how stubborn must he be?

Just then, Jin Paecheon's gaze slowly turned toward the distant mist. His eyes changed. Someone was there, far away.

The fact that he could only sense their presence when they were this close was a testament to how outstanding the opponent's martial arts were.

"Stop eavesdropping and come out."

Then, someone slowly began to walk toward them from beyond the pure white mist as a golden radiance began to spread.

"Haven't you also experienced it for the past few decades, Chairman? Those bastards from the Demonic Cult just don't listen, do they?"