Chapter 733: I Have a Good Feeling About This Path

TL: FoodieMonster007

The cave's interior was pitch black, though this fact was lost on Geom Mugeuk. His mastery of the Divine Eye Technique made the cavern appear as bright as day.

The two Demon Supremes navigated the darkness with equal ease, though anyone else would have needed a torch or been forced to wander blindly through the passages, relying on instinct alone.

Still, Geom Mugeuk retrieved a small torch from his leather pouch and lit it.

The two Demon Supremes began to converse as they moved deeper into the cave.

"So this is one of those labyrinth caves?"

"The three of us won't get lost, will we?"

"Aren't we more likely to get lost precisely because there are three of us?" the Blood Heaven Blade Demon suggested, alluding to how they might get lost if they trusted each another too much.

The Flower Sword Supreme offered a faint smile at the Blood Heaven Blade Demon's words. Most people would have expected him to say something like 'If we get lost, we'll just smash our way out,' but she knew better. She understood the surprisingly delicate side he kept hidden.

Neither of them was truly worried about getting lost, of course. Their confidence rested entirely on the carefree figure of Geom Mugeuk walking ahead of them.

"When else would I get the chance to be lost with you two?" Geom Mugeuk chuckled. "Besides, just because we wander around a little doesn't mean the path we have to take will disappear, will it?"

The three of them ventured deeper into the cave. The air grew thick with the scent of blood, and a cacophony of clashing weapons, curses, and screams echoed from the surrounding passages. A veritable hellscape of killing and being killed was unfolding all around them.

"First, let's take the path to the right," Geom Mugeuk said, choosing one of the three forks ahead.

"It's so convenient traveling with the Young Cult Leader. You just have this feeling that he'll take care of everything," the Flower Sword Supreme remarked with blind faith.

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon glanced at Geom Mugeuk's back and grumbled, "Exactly! You understand perfectly! So, Young Cult Leader? Where on earth is that guy with the treasure map hiding?"

Geom Mugeuk replied with a laugh, "I don't have any special plan. I'm just picking paths as they come."

"But how did he end up being chased in here? Was he herded this way?" the Flower Sword Supreme wondered.

"He might have come in on purpose," Geom Mugeuk suggested.

"On purpose?"

Geom Mugeuk clearly had a premonition about something, but he didn't elaborate, so they didn't bother to ask. Their Young Cult Leader was the type who would eventually explain everything in excruciating detail, even if they begged him not to.

Suddenly, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon flicked a finger, sending a qi bullet to shatter a rock protruding from the ceiling. The stone would have struck the Flower Sword Supreme's head had he not acted.

"I saw it too," she remarked.

"I'm sure you did."

"No matter how kind you are to me, I won't go easy on you for the bet."

"Who asked you to?"

Geom Mugeuk listened to their conversation with a gentle expression. Yes, this was why he had come with them. He had wanted to hear this very banter.

The cave formed a complex maze. Every short distance brought them to another fork, sometimes with as many as three or four different paths, yet Geom Mugeuk strode forward confidently, as if he knew exactly where he was going.

SHWIIIIK!

A sword suddenly shot out from the darkness, aimed straight for Geom Mugeuk. He twisted his body just enough for the blade to slice through empty air and kept walking without so much as a glance at his attacker.

The ambusher was left flustered. Not only had his target completely ignored him, but the two people following also passed by without a single look.

SHWIIIIK!

His belated second swing missed its mark. The trio had already vanished into the darkness.

"What the fuck…?"

PUUK!

A sword burst through the man's chest as he stood there, momentarily stunned. Someone else had ambushed him from behind. The new attacker searched the fallen corpse, and when the treasure map didn't turn up, he disappeared back into the shadows.

There were no rational choices or judgments here. Everyone was hiding, ambushing, and killing, then searching the bodies for the treasure map. Only the luckiest would claim the prize in this chaos.

CLANG CLANG CLANG CLANG!

Ahead, a group of people was locked in fierce battle.

One of them might have the treasure map, the Demon Supremes thought, but Geom Mugeuk simply passed them by.

"Let's just keep going," he said.

A stray sword flew toward him as he crossed the battle, but it failed to graze even a single strand of his hair. He slipped through the fighting area as lightly as if he were playing a game of tag.

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon and the Flower Sword Supreme followed with equal ease.

"Why aren't you stopping them?" the Blood Heaven Blade Demon asked.

Geom Mugeuk glanced back at the fight. "Look at their eyes."

They were all consumed by greedy madness.

"It would be easier to make a gambler quit gambling," he said, continuing deeper into the cave.

"Do you even know where he's hiding?"

"If we're lucky, we'll find him."

In truth, Geom Mugeuk wasn't relying on luck. He had been to the Cave of Ten Thousand Paths before. Back when he wandered all over the Central Plains in search of regression materials, he had explored this famous cave on Emperor Mountain.

The mysterious, labyrinthine cavern hadn't let him leave easily back then. He had felt that something must be hidden in a place he hadn't yet explored. Though much of the memory had faded, he had once known this place so well he could have drawn a map from memory.

I wonder if those things are still here at this point in time?

He had failed to find the materials for the Great Regression Technique here, but he had discovered other things instead. He just couldn't be sure if they were still here, since the timing was different.

At least, he had a good idea of where people could hide for an ambush.

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon and the Flower Sword Supreme, following close behind, exchanged a look. They half-expected Geom Mugeuk to get lost and wander at some point, but he never passed through the same place twice.

Finally, as they navigated the cave's interior, they came upon a slightly wider space.

Geom Mugeuk took two bamboo flasks from his leather pouch, giving one to each of his companions. "Have some water."

They both drank the cool water.

Geom Mugeuk then looked at the Blood Heaven Blade Demon with a worried expression. "Feeling suffocated?"

"I'm fine."

Geom Mugeuk frowned. The Blood Heaven Blade Demon wasn't fine. Sweat beaded on his brow. As he had mentioned before entering, he truly hated stuffy places.

"I'll go check this tunnel. Please rest here for a moment," he said, entrusting the torch to the old man.

"What about you?"

"My night vision is excellent."

In truth, Geom Mugeuk was more comfortable moving without a torch.

SHWAAAAAAK!

Using the Swift Step, he vanished from sight in an instant.

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon and the Flower Sword Supreme sat side by side on a flat rock.

"I've been surprised by the Young Cult Leader so many times that things like this don't even feel strange anymore," the Flower Sword Supreme said.

"……" The Blood Heaven Blade Demon nodded and wiped away his sweat.

"You hated stuffy, narrow places even when you were young. You haven't changed."

"Do people change so easily?"

The Flower Sword Supreme laughed.

"Why are you laughing?"

"It's nothing."

The Flower Sword Supreme regarded the man next to her. Anyone else could have said that, but not the Blood Heaven Blade Demon. He had changed so much after meeting Geom Mugeuk.

"Do you remember? When we went to visit the Cult Leader at his training cave?" she asked.

It was back when Geom Woojin was still the Young Cult Leader. She couldn't recall the reason, but an order had been given for him to train in a cave for a hundred days.

"We snuck in with alcohol we'd bought," the Blood Heaven Blade Demon recalled, a smile forming on his lips. How could he forget one of the few happy memories from his past?

"You boasted that we should just trust you, but then you got us lost right away."

"Did I?"

In truth, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon hadn't gotten lost that day. He had only pretended to be lost because he wanted to walk with her a little longer. Come to think of it, the cave that day hadn't felt so stuffy. Even while sweating profusely, he had never once felt suffocated.

"We were so young back then."

He recalled the sight of the Cult Leader smiling at them when they arrived, shaking the bottle of alcohol.

SHWIK SHWIK SHWIK SHWIK SHWIK!

Suddenly, as they were briefly lost in memories of the past, a volley of hidden weapons flew from the darkness, aimed directly at the Flower Sword Supreme.

TADANGDANGDANG!

The cloth-wrapped Heaven Destroying Dao deflected them all.

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon, who had blocked the attack, lowered his weapon. Once the ambush failed, the attacker vanished.

The two Demon Supremes didn't even think of chasing them, paying no mind to the events unfolding around them.

"Why?" the Flower Sword Supreme asked. "Did you think I couldn't block that myself?"

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon looked at the torch placed beside him. "It seemed dark on your side…." he began, then added a completely unnecessary comment, "People's night vision gets worse as they get older, you know."

"Telling a mature lady that she's getting old is rude."

"What's wrong with getting older? You don't have to try so hard to look young. The evening is always more beautiful than the morning."

"I said I don't like it, but you just keep going!"

The Flower Sword Supreme glared at him, and the Blood Heaven Blade Demon subtly turned his head away.

Just then, another group of martial artists burst in, led by Chu Yeon, the daughter of the Flying Dragon Boss. Her and her followers' swords were still dripping with blood, and the number of martial artists with her had dwindled from ten to eight.

At first, Chu Yeon had thought they could sweep through this cave at their leisure. After all, the people she brought were the Ten Flying Dragon Elites, the best of the Flying Dragon Gang.

However, they had been ambushed twice during their search, and two of the Elites had lost their lives. Fighting with torches in a narrow, complex, and pitch-black cave was far different from what she had imagined.

Today, for the first time, she had been forced to realize that even the Ten Flying Dragon Elites were mortals who could die. Because of this, her nerves were on edge.

"What are you two doing here?" she demanded.

There was another reason they stood out.

"Where's that porter?"

The arrogant words the man had spoken earlier lingered in her mind. How could a mere porter be so haughty? She had resolved to teach him a proper lesson if she saw him again.

"Is he already dead? Why aren't you answering?" she demanded sharply.

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon, who had been looking away, slowly turned his head.

The moment her eyes met his, Chu Yeon's heart sank. He hadn't revealed his aura or shown any killing intent, yet goosebumps erupted all over her body.

It was his gaze. The torchlight flickered in his pupils, making it seem as if flames were erupting from his eyes.

Feeling as if her own body was being engulfed in fire, she reflexively gathered her inner qi.

Sensing their leader's anxiety, the remaining Flying Dragon Elites all raised their swords at once.

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon's hand moved toward the knot of the cloth wrapped around the Heaven Destroying Dao. The moment he pulled it, he would lose the bet. However, if a fight was inevitable, he had no intention of letting the Flower Sword Supreme step forward just so he could win.

TAP!

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon's gaze fell upon the knot. The Flower Sword Supreme was clutching it, silently commanding him not to draw his weapon.

"Young Lady," she called out calmly.

Chu Yeon's attention, which had been focused solely on the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, shifted to his female companion. The moment she saw the woman's composed gaze, though, she finally came to her senses.

So they were both absolute masters!

If they could give off such an impression without even revealing their auras, her group wouldn't stand a chance against them.

Her heart growing heavy, Chu Yeon had the Flying Dragon Elites sheathe their swords.

So even masters like these have come in. Can I really obtain the map?

There was a huge difference between how she felt when she entered this place and how she felt now.

Just then, Geom Mugeuk returned. "Young Lady, you're safe!" he greeted so warmly that Chu Yeon was taken aback. "I was worried because so many people were getting hurt and dying. I'm glad you're safe."

Now she understood why this porter had been so arrogant. What did he have to fear when he was accompanied by such masters?

"Why were you worried about me?"

"We talked outside. Isn't that a destined meeting?"

To Chu Yeon, it might have sounded like he was teasing her, but he was sincere. If a hidden power was involved in this incident, then there must be things they have arranged.

Are you perhaps one of them?

She could be, or she couldn't be. Their connection might be one that ended after today, never to be seen again. Or, by following the thread connected to her, he might be able to find them.

As always, Geom Mugeuk intended not to miss a single thing. He planned to play dumb, accept everything, and turn their plans against them.

He warned, "There are corpses piled up over there. Please be careful."

Chu Yeon couldn't bring herself to curse at someone who was greeting her so warmly and expressing concern. No, it was more likely because of those two masters. Anyway, an opportunity to teach him a lesson would come someday.

"You be careful yourself, porter."

Chu Yeon turned and walked away. At the last moment, she glanced back at the two Demon Supremes, but neither of them was looking at her.

After the Flying Dragon Gang had departed, Geom Mugeuk took something from the leather pouch he carried. "I couldn't find the person with the map in that tunnel, but I did find this."

It was a deep, blue-green moss, carefully wrapped in paper.

"This is?"

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon and the Flower Sword Supreme were stunned into silence when they recognized it.

"Immortal Stalactite Moss?"

Immortal Stalactite Moss was a miracle herb, a type of moss that grew on stalactites hanging from cave ceilings. It was an extremely rare treasure that only grew when numerous conditions were perfectly met.

"This is the first time I've seen it in person," the Flower Sword Supreme gasped.

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon nodded. "It's my first time too."

The two Demon Supremes stared at Geom Mugeuk with astonishment. Even witnessing it firsthand, finding Immortal Stalactite Moss in this pitch blackness and bringing it out was an unbelievable feat.

"Why are you so surprised? Doesn't everyone find a miracle herb or two when they enter a cave? Let's share it nicely among the three of us when we get out later. I'll cook it so you can enjoy it, no, please let me do the cooking!"

The effects of Immortal Stalactite Moss were different from those of ordinary miracle herbs, as it didn't just increase one's inner arts. As its name, 'the moss eaten by immortals,' suggested, it was a miracle herb known to be excellent for one's health, restoring vitality and granting a long, disease-free life upon consumption. That was why he planned to feed a generous portion to the Blood Heaven Blade Demon in particular.

Listening to him, the two Demon Supremes found themselves thinking the same thing. If such incredible luck always followed the Young Cult Leader like this, then he really might be able to find the person with the treasure map here.

Slinging his leather backpack over his shoulder, Geom Mugeuk once again took the lead down an unexplored path.

"I have a good feeling about this path. Now, let's go!"