Chapter 730: Shall We Do It Here?

TL: FoodieMonster007

"How long will it take to break the seal?"

Ga Ye lifted her gaze to the stars scattered across the ceiling at Hwa Mugyeong's question. Only one constellation had completed itself while no others had lit up.

"I don't know. I've never heard of anyone breaking the seal of the Seventy-Two Stars Soul Sealing Formation by their own power."

Had anyone else been trapped within those bounds, she would have declared it impossible without hesitation. But this was him, the one who had already stirred from this very seal by his own will.

"At the earliest, it could take a few months. At the latest, it could take several years. We must come up with a countermeasure quickly."

Fear crept through her voice, that familiar dread which had haunted her for so long. The terror that all would perish when he finally awakened.

Hwa Mugyeong remained steady where she trembled. Initial surprise and disbelief had given way to grim certainty, and with that certainty came clarity about what needed to happen.

"We don't have much time."

What had to be accomplished in those precious remaining moments was clear.

"We have one last chance. If we can just retrieve the Six Elements Origin Qi before he breaks the seal, we will be able to control him."

Hwa Mugyeong called out right away. "Hue!"

A circle of absolute blackness materialized on the floor, and from it emerged the same dark-clad figure from before.

"Deliver this message to them. The energy must be retrieved."

"As you command!"

The shadowy messenger disappeared back into the floor.

Ga Ye turned her attention skyward once more. In her mind, she pictured every constellation blazing to life across that ceiling.

"I'm afraid."

Her honest confession drew Hwa Mugyeong toward a Secret Box positioned in the corner. His movements were deliberate as he approached.

He raised one weathered hand to caress its surface. Deep lines etched the back of his dry skin while profound regret filled his eyes as they fixed on the container. Words seemed to press against his lips, yet as always had been his way, that regret never found voice. Instead it seeped deeper into those worn creases.

"I like that honesty of yours. You are startled when surprised, and you say you are scared when you are scared. You do not have the pretense of your predecessors."

The darkness that had scattered in her moment of terror began gathering around Hwa Mugyeong once again. Sensing its master's somber mood, the shadows settled without their usual restless dance, becoming deep and cold instead.

"Yes, we must do this while trembling. This is a matter of taking over the murim."

Geom Mugeuk stood gazing upward at the plaque before him.

❬The Hidden Moon❭

Looking upon those characters stirred only one emotion within him—guilt.

He understood better than anyone how tirelessly Go Wol had labored to establish a building bearing this plaque within the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's Headquarters. That knowledge made the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader's constant reminders about Go Wol more precious than any other words. Those nagging comments never let him forget the magnitude of Go Wol's contributions.

Geom Mugeuk passed through the entrance into the building. No martial artists stood guard at the threshold. Instead, sophisticated mechanisms lined both corridor walls. These devices had been inactive during Go Wol's previous tour of this place, but now they hummed with readiness.

The long corridor stretched ahead with its newly installed defenses until finally the operations room came into view.

"Welcome, Young Cult Leader." Go Wol offered his respectful greeting to Geom Mugeuk.

"You look better than the last time I saw you."

"Isn't there someone who takes care of my health more diligently than I do?"

His words indicated the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader's careful attention to his condition.

"How has the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader been these days?"

"He's busy trying to lose his belly fat these days. He pesters me every day to let him know immediately if there's any information on martial arts for losing weight. He says even a demonic art would be fine."

Knowing such words would indeed come from that man's mouth, Geom Mugeuk found himself laughing.

"Well, let's take a look around."

Activity filled every corner of the operations room. Information flowed in from across the Central Plains through dozens of openings in the walls while workers sorted everything methodically to one side. The space truly resembled a smaller version of the All-Knowing Hall.

"There's a place I need to inspect."

Geom Mugeuk opened a door within Go Wol's office that led to a simple space containing only a single bed for rest.

"Just as I thought! I knew it."

Books and documents formed towering stacks beside the bed.

Flustered, Go Wol hastily explained, "T-These are things I read when I can't sleep."

"In that case, just close your eyes."

Geom Mugeuk gathered all the documents from that location and carried them outside.

"This is now an order."

"Yes! I will be sure to obey."

How could he dare refuse the Young Cult Leader's command?

After completing his tour of the Hidden Moon in this manner, Go Wol presented documents he had prepared beforehand. "These are the major incidents that occurred in the murim while you were at the Great Sky Peak."

Geom Mugeuk read slowly through Go Wol's organized reports. His enemies had even attempted to capture him using the Red Orb's energy, yet they had failed utterly. They were surely weaving fresh conspiracies, which meant something among these incidents had to connect to their schemes.

"Is there any incident worth noting these days?"

"Yes, there is one recent incident of note."

"What is it?"

"Have you ever heard of the Grave of Swords?"

Geom Mugeuk nodded. Only one Grave of Swords held significance in the current murim.

"Isn't that the place where the masters of the previous generation gathered to fight and ended up all dying?"

"That's correct. It became famous as it was known that the reason the masters fought was because of treasures and artifacts so valuable that they were worth risking their lives for."

Geom Mugeuk had entered that place during his life before regression. Of course, his purpose had not been the Grave of Swords' treasures but finding someone who had ventured inside.

"Recently, a rumor has been circulating that a treasure map with the location of the Grave of Swords has been discovered, and the movements of the murim are unusual. There have already been a number of deaths from people fighting over it."

Geom Mugeuk's gaze sharpened with intensity. The timing felt completely wrong for the Grave of Swords' appearance. It had emerged much later than this in his previous life and had brought storms of blood across the murim.

The Grave of Swords is opening now?

Go Wol read the seriousness in Geom Mugeuk's expression. "Is there something on your mind?"

The timing of such a significant event had advanced dramatically. It could relate to his enemies' activities, and even if not, it certainly demanded attention.

"Please investigate this matter under the assumption that it is related to them."

"Yes, I understand."

Go Wol asked no questions. His experience handling information had taught him firsthand about the diverse ways their enemies wove their conspiracies.

"Now, please distribute this to the strategists."

Geom Mugeuk withdrew a handful of envelopes from his robes. Each contained bank notes of considerable sums.

"Nothing boosts morale quite like this."

Geom Mugeuk spoke loudly enough for everyone to hear while holding the envelopes high, and the working strategists broke into bright smiles.

"They say a person's lifespan shortens by however long they remain seated. Everyone should rise frequently and sleep soundly."

Geom Mugeuk bid farewell to the Hidden Moon's strategists in this way before departing.

Go Wol accompanied him to the entrance. "Thank you very much for your concern."

Before leaving, Geom Mugeuk offered separate advice to Go Wol, who always showed such dedication to his duties.

"Your health is the most important thing. If your health deteriorates, the tens of thousands of pieces of information gathered here will be worth less than this one piece of information that everyone in the world knows."

Geom Mugeuk emphasized this one crucial point.

"Nothing is more important than your health, got it?"

After departing the Hidden Moon, Geom Mugeuk made his way to the Flower Sword Supreme's residence.

"Sword Supreme."

The Flower Sword Supreme emerged while opening her hut's door. "Welcome, Young Cult Leader."

Warmth filled the Flower Sword Supreme's greeting to Geom Mugeuk.

"Though time has passed, your beauty shines as brilliantly as ever, Sword Supreme."

"It feels quite good to hear your flattery after so long."

Since appearance no longer held meaning for her, she spoke with greater ease.

"Come by often and say some empty praise."

"Of course, I will come every day. And they are not empty praises!"

The two looked at each other and laughed.

"Shouldn't you check how hard I've trained before coming down?"

The Flower Sword Supreme made an unexpected suggestion. "Shall we do it here?"

She proposed holding their duel in this very yard rather than the training ground.

Geom Mugeuk surveyed their surroundings. Flowerpots lined up with blooming flowers created colorful rows while several food-storage jars occupied their spaces. A lengthy clothesline stretched across the yard's center where the Sword Supreme's white garments swayed in the breeze.

In other words, she was proposing a duel without breaking anything. It was a proposal for a duel of a much higher level than any they had had before.

"Very well."

Naturally, Geom Mugeuk readily accepted.

The two drew their swords at the same time.

From Geom Mugeuk's stance alone, the Flower Sword Supreme could determine what results his Great Sky Peak training had produced.

Swords drawn, the pair slowly began to approach each other.

As they moved with the clothesline between them, wind stirred and caused the clothes to flutter.

SWOOSH!

Geom Mugeuk's sword cut through the dancing fabric.

CLANG!

The Flower Sword Supreme swung the One Flower Sword swiftly to parry his strike.

It was just a sword strike without any inner arts, but it was heavy. Truly heavy.

The sword qi carried in his sword has changed.

WHOOSH!

This time the Flower Sword Supreme's blade grazed the clothesline as it flew inward.

CLANG!

Geom Mugeuk also recognized that the sword qi in her sword exceeded anything from before.

CLANG! CLANG!

The Black Demon Sword and One Flower Sword moved rapidly between the hanging laundry.

Though sword met sword with dangerous sword qi, neither the laundry nor the clothesline suffered tears or cuts. The white clothes simply fluttered in the sword wind's wake.

Once again the two moved and exchanged their attacks.

Though this was not a duel of pouring everything forward in overwhelming assault like before, it proved far more tense and dangerous.

Swords came and went before a pile of firewood stacked in one corner.

An uncut log flew upward. Both swords flew in, targeting each other with the log positioned between them.

THUD! THUD! THUD!

The log fell as properly chopped firewood. This was not some game of making firewood while attacking each other. Creating firewood was a natural condition both understood without spoken agreement, and upon that foundation, truly dangerous techniques were exchanged. A feast of swordsmanship unfolded within perfectly controlled movements.

He kicked off from a potted flower and soared upward, yet not a single petal dropped. When he landed on the roof, no footstep sounds emerged.

Though they dueled using only fundamental swordsmanship without employing their unique techniques, this combat proved far more perilous than fights involving flying sword qi and enhanced sword qi.

WHOOOSH!

After a clash that carried them around the entire yard, both stood in their original positions.

Nothing around them differed from before the duel began. Not only had nothing broken, but not even a scratch from any sword marked the area.

"Thank you very much for your teachings," Geom Mugeuk said politely.

The Flower Sword Supreme returned an equally respectful clasped hands salute. "Congratulations on achieving complete mastery of the Nine Calamities Demonic Art."

She too first paid her respects to the Nine Calamities Demonic Art, not to Geom Mugeuk.

"How did you know?"

The way she figured it out differed from how Geom Woojin or the Blood Heaven Blade Demon had realized it.

"When we fought previously, I could sense you holding back so that you wouldn't harm me."

The Flower Sword Supreme was surprised at herself for not feeling her pride wounded while saying such words.

"But just now, no such feeling existed. I felt as though you gave it your best."

"Hasn't my skill decreased instead?"

"No. You have now reached a stage where you can fight with your best effort and not harm me."

The Flower Sword Supreme made a clasped hands greeting this time while holding her sword.

"Thank you for your teachings."

She knew intuitively that this combat had created great impact within her and would provide immense help in advancing to her next stage, and she felt amazed. To witness the Nine Calamities Demonic Art in complete mastery twice during this era. When had she last seen the Cult Leader, who had achieved complete mastery, wear a smile?

"I too have learned a great deal. Thank you, Sword Supreme."

After finishing their duel like that, the two sat side by side on a small bench in the yard and drank tea.

"By the way, I am thinking of leaving the sect tomorrow."

"Where are you going?"

A name he had heard once today flowed from her lips.

"I understand the Grave of Swords has revealed itself to the murim."

Geom Mugeuk turned to observe the Flower Sword Supreme. She was gazing into her own teacup.

"As someone who lives by the sword, shouldn't I go take a look?"

She probably was not going for the treasures or artifacts rumored to be there. Such matters were not her concern.

Geom Mugeuk asked casually, "Might I perhaps accompany you?"

Surprise crossed the Flower Sword Supreme's features. "You?"

"I wish to go with you, Sword Supreme. Am I not also someone who lives by the sword?"

The Flower Sword Supreme nodded readily. "I would be glad. It is something I would rather ask of you. However, you have only just come down from the Great Sky Peak. Are you alright?"

"Didn't I just confirm it? Annoyingly, our Cult is running too well without me."

At those words, the Flower Sword Supreme laughed pleasantly.

"See you tomorrow at dawn."

The next day at dawn, Geom Mugeuk and the Flower Sword Supreme met at the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's main gate. Geom Mugeuk carried a bag stuffed full with luggage.

Who in the world would believe such a sight? That the Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult would depart the sect carrying so much baggage. He was a man who could obtain anything in the world simply by venturing out with a single sword.

"Let's go."

"Wait just a moment." Geom Mugeuk bowed his head deeply toward the Flower Sword Supreme. "Allow me to apologize in advance."

"Why? Can you not go with me?"

The Flower Sword Supreme assumed Geom Mugeuk had obligations elsewhere. That would explain his abundant luggage.

"No. It's the opposite. I've already caused trouble first, and I'm apologizing now."

Just as questioning expression crossed her face, the trouble Geom Mugeuk had mentioned walked toward them.

Approaching with a sullen expression and grumbling complaints was the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, a giant dao strapped across his back.

"Where on earth are you taking me this early in the morning?"