Chapter 669: But You Didn't Know This, Did You?

TL: FoodieMonster007

The Murim Vault was a place where all the treasures of the murim were stored. It was an absolutely forbidden zone that only those permitted by the Murim Alliance Lord and Chairman were said to be able to enter. A mystical aura, as ancient as its long history, flowed from the very doors.

As he passed through the formations, Geom Mugeuk had honestly felt hopeful. His hope was not born from a greed for martial arts manuals or divine weapons. Instead, he hoped that a bead for the Secret Box to absorb might be stored here in the Murim Alliance's vault.

However, he never imagined the Murim Alliance Lord would actually bring him to this place.

"This is the first time someone from the Divine Cult has come this far," Jin Paecheon said. "Probably the first in all of history."

"It is an honor, Chairman," Geom Mugeuk replied.

Geom Mugeuk thought about how it wasn't just people from the Divine Cult. The number of orthodox sect members who had ever stood before this place could likely be counted on one hand.

"Since becoming the Chairman, I have never once used an item from this place for my own personal reasons," Jin Paecheon added, looking down at his own sword. "This swordsmanship is from a sword I've used since I was young."

He had touched neither the miracle herbs nor the divine weapons kept within this place.

"I believed this was not mine, but the property of the Murim Alliance. It is a legacy left by our ancestors to protect the orthodox sects murim."

Geom Mugeuk spoke to Jin Paecheon with a voice full of respect. "It is because you are such a person that you have been able to protect the orthodox sects murim until now."

He was being completely sincere. If the Chairman had been a man full of greed, his father would not have overlooked that weakness for so long. Although he was a grandfather whose heart wavered because of his grandchildren, Geom Mugeuk could see that a man with such a heart was an even stronger martial artist.

"I have been contemplating what kind of reward to give you," Jin Paecheon said.

Geom Mugeuk had told him he would have resolved the situation well even without his help, but would he really have? Would his crisis instinct truly have kicked in for a friend he had spent decades with? He thought not.

Geom Mugeuk had saved his life and the lives of his grandchildren. By extension, he had saved the fate of the Murim Alliance. Including the last time, this was now twice.

Honestly, Jin Paecheon had wanted to say, "As a reward, I will make you my grandson-in-law." Of course, their relationship made that impossible. Even if it were possible, he now knew it couldn't be considered a gift. Rather, if Geom Mugeuk became his grandson-in-law, it would be he who was receiving the gift.

"If you were an ordinary master, I would have assessed your skills and talent and bestowed upon you a martial arts manual and a treasured sword myself. But I cannot do that for you."

Jin Paecheon's gaze turned to the Murim Vault.

"So, you shall choose for yourself."

An astonishing statement followed.

"Take three things you desire from this place."

Geom Mugeuk was stunned by the unexpected gift. Not one, but three?

Seeing the surprised Geom Mugeuk, Jin Paecheon gave a single nod.

"Chairman, I'm too greedy to refuse an offer like that. If you thought, 'Surely this fellow will refuse on his own,' then you've underestimated my greed. You think I'll reduce the three to one? No. I'm a greedy man who schemes to increase three to five."

"It was a decision made after much thought. Take three."

Only after that confirmation did Geom Mugeuk rejoice.

"Thank you so much! Thank you, Chairman!"

He wasn't just happy, he was ecstatic. He jumped up and down right in front of the Chairman.

"Are you that happy?"

"Of course! Isn't this a place I'll never get to see again in my life? Just getting to look around would be amazing, so how could I not be happy when I can take three items? I'm so happy! Treasure, just you wait! The incarnation of avarice is on his way! I'm coming to get five!"

"Three!"

"Yes! I'm coming to get three!"

A smile formed on Jin Paecheon's lips as he watched Geom Mugeuk's delight. Yes, this was much better than someone feigning refusal before reluctantly accepting a gift. To rejoice so freely that it even made the giver feel good.

"But why three?" Geom Mugeuk asked, then guessed the answer himself. "Is it perhaps because I rooted out the three people who had deeply infiltrated the Murim Alliance?"

Jin Paecheon hadn't decided on three for any particular reason. It just seemed cruel to tell him to take only one, so he had said three. If he had to attach a reason, it would be more accurate to say it was for saving himself, his grandson, and his granddaughter. One for each person.

"I should tell you in advance, I'm going to take only the best things."

"Go ahead."

Jin Paecheon took out a large key. He inserted it into the hole in the entrance and turned it.

KRRRRRRR.

The massive door began to slowly open.

"I'll be back then."

"Take your time and look around, even if it takes a while."

"Thank you very much."

After showing his respect with a formal clasped hands greeting, Geom Mugeuk stepped inside.

Behind the door was a corridor, and at the end of that corridor was another door. The walls leading to it were embedded with luminous pearls, so it wasn't dark. Usually, broken or low-grade luminous pearls were used to substitute for lanterns, but here, very bright and high-quality ones were used.

It was making a man's heart flutter right from the start.

His first goal here today was to obtain a bead for the Secret Box to absorb. He had obtained the Secret Box from the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. In the basement of the Yellow Dragon Academy, he had connected with three hundred years in the past and obtained the heart-method incantation to control these energies.

He had currently absorbed three energies. The Black Orb came from the Heavenly Wind Cult, the Green Orb from the Evil Alliance, and the White Orb from the North Sea Ice Palace.

Last time, in the basement of the Yellow Dragon Academy, he had seen the Secret Box and the orbs drawn on the wall. The Secret Box was meant to absorb a total of six energies. They were black and white, blue and red, and yellow and purple.

Could he really obtain one of the energies here at the Murim Alliance?

Having reached the end of the corridor, Geom Mugeuk opened the door with a pounding heart and walked inside.

The first space of the murim secret vault was where treasures were stored. Usually, the most common sight in a place with treasures is various items made of gold. Gifts sent by a Trading Company or various sects, things like dragons, tigers, turtles, or toads made of gold, would typically fill a vault.

However, there was no such gold or jewelry in the Murim Vault. There was only one type of treasure here.

The Antitoxin Bead.

Shelves were filled with expensive, top-grade Antitoxin Beads. When he opened the boxes stacked below, they too were filled with the Antitoxin Bead. Each box was packed with the Antitoxin Bead, all sorted by grade.

Geom Mugeuk understood. The Murim Alliance was converting all its treasures into the Antitoxin Bead for storage.

Ah, they're preparing for war.

At the same time, it was also a preparation against the Poison King. If a war were to break out, the Antitoxin Bead here would be immediately distributed to all the masters of the alliance.

You won't have to worry so much about the current generation. Even if a war were to happen, Father wouldn't put the Poison King at the forefront.

Passing through the room of only the Antitoxin Bead, he opened the door to the next room. The moment he opened the door, a vast space revealed itself. It was a space dozens of times larger than where the Antitoxin Bead had been.

The aura emanating from this place was filled with the energies of the orthodox sects. It was so full of righteous and chivalrous energy that an ordinary master from the Demonic Cult or unorthodox sects would find it burdensome just to step inside.

Geom Mugeuk slowly walked in. This was the place where divine weapons were stored. It was so vast the end was not in sight. Weapons hung on all four walls, and countless display stands holding more weapons were set up in the inner space.

Geom Mugeuk walked slowly, admiring them. They were mainly weapons used by masters of the orthodox sects, which was why the room was overflowing with their energy. Below the display stands, the names of the weapons and the masters who used them were written. There were also detailed accounts of where and with whom the masters had fought using them.

This was not just a warehouse. It was an exhibition hall where one could learn the history of the murim.

He had been in several vaults until now, but the Murim Alliance was the first to have one so well-organized. The weapons were famous ones he had heard of at least once.

Take this sword that immediately caught Geom Mugeuk's eye. The name written below the display stand was the Nameless Sword. It was the Nameless Sword because it had no name, but it was more famous than any sword that did. It was the unique weapon of an absolute master who swept through the murim two hundred years ago, known as the Nameless Warrior.

I can't just pass by the Nameless Sword.

He carefully lifted the Nameless Sword from its stand and drew it.

SHRRRNG.

The sharp aura emanating from the sword chilled the surroundings.

"Magnificent!"

Admiration escaped him automatically. Any martial artist who used a sword would find their feet rooted to the spot before this blade.

Next to it rested a pipa. It was a weapon for a martial artist who used sound arts. The Heavenly Music Pipa. It was the unique weapon of the Clear Flower Fairy, an absolute master of sound arts in the past. It was said that when the Heavenly Music Pipa was played, those with weak inner arts would have their eardrums burst and their blood and qi flow in reverse, causing instant death.

There was a reason the Nameless Sword and the Heavenly Music Pipa were placed so close together. The Clear Flower Fairy had lost her life in a battle against the Nameless Warrior. The display stand below also explained the final battle between the two.

After taking a few more steps, he saw a blade with a black dragon carved as if it were coiling around the blade's body. The Divine Black Dragon Blade.

"Ah! I haven't even walked ten steps since entering the room, and I've already seen the Nameless Sword, the Heavenly Music Pipa, and the Divine Black Dragon Blade? And I can only pick three things from here? I want to take everything except three!"

Jin Paecheon would have laughed heartily if he had heard him, but the place was truly filled with divine weapons that made one want to lie on the floor and throw a tantrum. With every step, a piece of history that had once shaken the murim revealed itself.

The Demon Restraining Chains. This chain weapon was also the unique weapon of an orthodox sects master who once roamed the murim. The fan next to it, named the White Air Fan, was also an absolute weapon where life and death were decided with a single wave. These two martial artists had been sworn brothers.

Geom Mugeuk's knowledge of the murim was broader and richer than anyone's, so he recognized many of the weapons. However, reading the descriptions, he found many hidden stories he didn't know. As he looked around, he found some surprisingly ordinary weapons as well. If the person who used the weapon was a great hero, or if the weapon was used in a truly meaningful way, it was displayed.

When one's martial arts reached a certain realm, an old iron sword used by a martial artist one respected would be more meaningful than any treasured sword.

Geom Mugeuk continued to walk, looking at the weapons. How far had he walked?

Suddenly, the Heavenly Demon Defense Art activated. It wasn't because an immediate danger was detected. It was because the Heavenly Demon Defense Art had reacted to an unusually powerful energy felt up ahead.

What in the world is over there?

Geom Mugeuk walked towards it. As he got closer, the energy grew more intense. When he arrived, there was a wide, open space. Before, the weapons had been displayed densely like a checkerboard, but here, there was only one display stand in the wide space. A single sword rested upon it.

The Heavenly Demon Defense Art had activated because of this very sword. The Heavenly Demon Defense Art was triggered by the energy emanating from a mere sword?

Come to think of it, this was the very center of this second area. It was a layout where all the weapons were displayed in four directions with this sword at the core. A single sword rested there.

Geom Mugeuk slowly approached it. He could feel an intense righteous and chivalrous energy from the sword. The moment he saw the name written below it, Geom Mugeuk's eyes widened in shock.

The Gentleman Sword.

A cry burst from Geom Mugeuk. "The Greatest of All Time the Gentleman Sword!"

That was the name used to refer to the Gentleman Sword. The Gentleman Sword was a symbol of the orthodox sects murim. It was said that if the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult had the Heavenly Demon Sword, the orthodox sects murim had the Gentleman Sword.

"Ah! So this is the Gentleman Sword."

It was a sword Geom Mugeuk had only ever heard of. The scabbard and hilt of the Gentleman Sword were not ornate. However, the energy felt from the sword overwhelmed that of any other weapon.

Geom Mugeuk quietly stared at the Gentleman Sword.

First, he was amazed by Jin Paecheon. As the Murim Alliance Lord, he could have taken and used this Gentleman Sword. But he did not use the Gentleman Sword. It was likely because it was a sword that was a symbol of the orthodox sects murim, steeped in long history and tradition.

He must have known I might choose the Gentleman Sword, right?

Did he have faith that he wouldn't choose the Gentleman Sword? Or did he think it was acceptable for him to take the Gentleman Sword? In any case, since he had promised, if he said he would take this sword, Jin Paecheon would let him. He was not a man who broke his promises.

"No, didn't I go so far as to call myself an incarnation of avarice? What on earth did you trust in to tell me to take whatever I wanted?"

He thought Jin Paecheon was an incredible man.

Geom Mugeuk approached the Gentleman Sword until it was within arm's reach.

"You must be lonely, being trapped in here all by yourself, right?"

A treasured sword like the Gentleman Sword would surely want to meet a good master and reveal itself to the world.

Geom Mugeuk's deliberation was not long.

"Alright, let's get out of here together!"

Geom Mugeuk decided to take the Gentleman Sword with him. For such a precious sword to remain only in a vault was not right, neither for the murim nor for the sword itself.

Geom Mugeuk carefully took the Gentleman Sword in his hand. Even without drawing the blade, he could feel its energy.

As he held the Gentleman Sword, the Black Demon Sword at his waist let out a low hum.

GUUUUUNG.

It had sensed the presence of the Gentleman Sword. It was the moment a treasured sword recognized another treasured sword. Geom Mugeuk soothed the Black Demon Sword.

"Don't be nervous, it's okay."

Geom Mugeuk did not draw the Gentleman Sword. It was not a sword for him to use. No matter how much he was promised he could take anything, and no matter how he had saved their lives, there were some things he should not be greedy for.

"A reason to congratulate my friend has just come up."

He planned to give the Gentleman Sword to Jin Hagun as a gift. He had a character that perfectly matched the sword's name.

Knowing Jin Paecheon's personality, even if Jin Hagun were to become the Chairman later, he would never give this sword to his grandson. A man of such integrity who hadn't touched anything in this place his entire life would not be able to give the Gentleman Sword to his own blood.

So I'll give it to him!

Would the day come when he would see Jin Hagun perform the Royal Sword Style with the Gentleman Sword?

Geom Mugeuk fastened the Gentleman Sword to the opposite side of his waist from the Black Demon Sword. Thus, Geom Mugeuk chose the first of his three items. Just as he had joked to Jin Paecheon, he had truly chosen the best thing.

Jin Paecheon must have had faith that he wouldn't take this out.

But you didn't know this, did you?

"You'll probably like that friend of mine, too."