Chapter 753: None of You Will Enter

TL: FoodieMonster007

His identity was finally revealed. Dan Sojin was the Patriarch of the Hundred Graves Clan—a man with a background no one could have imagined.

A family that managed the tombs of the successive Evil Alliance Chairmen? Even Geom Mugeuk hadn't known this fact. He'd have to ask the Evil Alliance Chairman Baek Jagang directly to be certain.

However, Dan Sojin's current expression suggested the Sound King's words were true. He, who'd been so good at acting nonchalant, offered no denial.

The Sound King looked at Dan Sojin and spoke politely. "I finally get to meet you. I can feel a steel-like spirit and will from your presence."

Dan Sojin no longer hid his identity. His entire presence shifted. It wasn't the aura of a strong martial artist. Instead, the spirit in his eyes revealed his upright character.

Geom Mugeuk asked the Sound King, "Why were you looking for that man?"

The Sound King answered without hiding anything. "To enter that tomb, of course."

"What's in there?"

"It's the tomb of the successive Evil Alliance Chairmen. Wouldn't it be filled with all sorts of divine weapons and martial arts manuals?"

Geom Mugeuk stared quietly at the Sound King, then smiled. "For someone like you who loves music to be so greedy… it somehow doesn't seem to fit."

The Sound King's expression changed subtly. It was the same look he'd worn when wrongly accused of poisoning the white bones, as if he wanted to scream, "I'm not that kind of person!" He couldn't completely hide his emotions.

Right, you're not the type to cause such a commotion for that reason. Divine weapons and martial arts manuals all exist in the world. There must be something in that tomb that doesn't exist anywhere else.

A phrase suddenly flashed through Geom Mugeuk's mind.

"If the Evil Alliance Chairman doesn't die, the murim will be destroyed."

What if the Evil Alliance Chairman dies?

The Hundred Graves Clan would entomb him, and no matter how secretly they moved, they couldn't escape the surveillance of determined watchers. If the Sword King tailed them, he'd certainly discover the tomb's location.

So that's why they tried to kill the Evil Alliance Chairman!

He realized their attempt to kill the Evil Alliance Chairman during the beauty pageant was a plot to enter that tomb.

These thoughts led to one natural conclusion.

The last orb is hidden there!

They'd tried to take the energy from his body in a previous conspiracy. Now they aimed for his energy again with that last orb. This fact made it clear they couldn't simply take his energy. It could only be absorbed if another energy was present.

If so, this was their last chance. Since they considered this energy so important, what Geom Mugeuk had to do was naturally decided. They'd certainly try to obtain that energy, so he had to obtain the energy of that last orb first.

Geom Mugeuk slowly walked over and stood before Dan Sojin, blocking the path. "Now that your identity's exposed, you should've quickly hidden behind me. Why make me come to you?"

Dan Sojin replied from behind him. "I believed you'd protect me even from a distance."

"Look at the three people in front of us. Who looks like a pushover I can handle from way over there? Besides, don't you see they aren't even reacting to me blocking your path? They're confident they can kill you either way. Especially that barefoot man with the sword. That bland-looking person isn't easy. I know because I've fought him before."

The Sword King still stood there expressionlessly.

Let's see how long you can remain unresponsive, Ak-hyung.

Geom Mugeuk trusted the Sword King, despite knowing that to trust someone completely was to always risk betrayal. However, he could willingly take that risk with the Sword King. It didn't matter if the shoes on his waist weren't the ones he'd gifted. It was fine even if that old iron sword had been replaced by a brilliant treasured sword.

Ak-hyung, I believe in you.

The Sword King just silently met Geom Mugeuk's gaze.

The Blade King watched the scene and sent a telepathic message to the Sound King. [Do not trust Ak Gunhak, not even a little.]

He felt reluctant, as if driving a wedge between them, but he had to warn the Sound King.

[I know.]

[Then that's enough.]

The Blade King had requested that the Darkness Palace Lord entrust this matter to him. He'd argued that the Sword King couldn't be trusted since he'd returned without killing the Young Cult Leader, and the Sound King didn't have the firm and decisive personality to take the lead in this affair.

However, the Darkness Palace Lord had appointed the Sound King as the one in charge of this matter. There must've been some reason he didn't know, but the Darkness Palace Lord hadn't told him. He only told him to trust the Sound King.

I hope the Saintess's judgment was correct.

Geom Mugeuk turned to look at Dan Sojin and asked abruptly, "However, are you on my side?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"I'm asking if there's any reason I should help you."

Dan Sojin tried to hide his bewilderment. [You're saying that after taking my antidote?]

[Oh, right, the antidote.]

[I bet the fate of my family on you!]

[So what? Are you my friend? Isn't this too much of a burden to place on someone you've just met?]

[That… I admit.] Dan Sojin's expression showed he had much to say, but there was no time. All that mattered was how Geom Mugeuk would respond to this sudden trust.

Geom Mugeuk continued the conversation from before their telepathic conversation. "Why are you silent? If I help you, what will you do for me?"

"Is there something you want?"

"Just grant me one favor."

Dan Sojin's eyes shone sharply. He anticipated what favor Geom Mugeuk would ask. The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's Young Cult Leader would only ask one thing of him.

Young Cult Leader, even you cannot enter that place.

For that reason, he added a clear condition. "I will grant it, if it's a favor I can grant."

Since he was a smart person, Geom Mugeuk could've tried to change the condition he set, but for some reason, he readily accepted it.

"Good, you've promised." He turned back toward the Sound King. "Then why did you drag me into this?"

Of course, he knew it was to absorb the energy in his body, but he wanted to see how the Sound King would answer.

The Sound King gave an unexpected reply. "Because we want you to persuade that man to tell us the location of the tomb."

Geom Mugeuk felt it. Surprisingly, those words were sincere. They intended to use him to find the tomb's location. They'd enter together, and there, they'd steal his energy.

"Can't you just take him and torture him, or use soul-capturing arts?"

There was a reason they couldn't do that.

"It doesn't work on that man." The Sound King's gray gaze shifted from Geom Mugeuk to Dan Sojin. "Torture and soul-capturing arts don't work on the bloodline of the Hundred Graves Clan. If they're put under soul-capturing arts or feel pain beyond what they can endure, a restriction planted in them activates, causing their blood vessels to rupture and they will die."

Oh, so that's how they'd so thoroughly kept their secrets.

Only now did Geom Mugeuk clearly understand why both sides were trying to use him. One side was a difficult opponent to escape from, and the other was a difficult opponent to uncover.

At least one thing was certain. Entering the tomb through Dan Sojin would be more difficult than dealing with the people before him. Judging by his resolute gaze, he wasn't the type of person to let an outsider into the tomb.

"And you want me to persuade him?"

The Sound King nodded. "Young Cult Leader, you should be able to find a way. That's why we called you."

"You've overestimated me."

"Looking at what you've shown so far, I believe you can do it. Look at the puppets outside. Look at who you've been dealing with."

Geom Mugeuk smiled pleasantly. "How did you know I was weak to compliments?"

"Let's split the treasures in the tomb fifty-fifty."

"To even know I'm weak to greed! You've really done your research thoroughly."

Dan Sojin, standing behind him, felt his expression automatically stiffen. He'd gambled by trusting Geom Mugeuk, but what if he'd misjudged? What if the Young Cult Leader really joined hands with them? Honestly, Geom Mugeuk was more terrifying than them.

Just then, Geom Mugeuk abruptly asked about an unexpected person. "However, why did you leave that 'random' unorthodox martial artist alive?"

When the Sound King couldn't answer, Geom Mugeuk asked the man in the iron mask. "It's your decision, so you must know the reason, right?"

However, the man in the iron mask also gave no answer. Geom Mugeuk saw right through the impure intention they couldn't speak of.

"Could it be that you need someone to testify that it was the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's Young Cult Leader who committed this act?"

He asked it like a joke, but a telling silence followed. That momentary reaction confirmed Geom Mugeuk's guess was correct. There was no other reason to keep that man alive.

"You're not planning to kill us all after you get what you want, then use high-level evil arts on that martial artist to make him report that the one who raided the tomb was the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's Young Cult Leader, are you? Surely, the one who plays such beautiful melodies wouldn't have prepared such a despicable method, right?"

As he mentioned music again, the Sound King's expression hardened. His opponent knew exactly which words would offend him the most.

Geom Mugeuk continued, "What happens if I refuse your offer?"

"All of you will die. Today, the Eight Demon Supremes will become the Six Demon Supremes."

The two Demon Supremes had opposite reactions to the blatant threat. The Blood Heaven Blade Demon glared icily at the Sound King. The Flower Sword Supreme actually smiled faintly. Of course, both reactions meant the same thing.

"That won't do. All the people my father likes the most are gathered here. If we all die on the same day at the same time, my father will be very sad."

The Sound King misunderstood Geom Mugeuk's words. "Mentioning the Heavenly Demon won't change the outcome."

It seemed he thought Geom Mugeuk was trying to resolve the situation with the Heavenly Demon's authority.

"Even if the Heavenly Demon were here, the result wouldn't change."

At this truly arrogant confidence, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon and the Flower Sword Supreme looked at each other. They didn't need to get angry. Those words would anger Geom Mugeuk the most.

However, Geom Mugeuk didn't get emotional at all. "You must've looked into me while taking on this job, so you thought you'd know more about me than I do myself." He slowly walked over and stood before the Evil Alliance martial artist. "What's your name?"

"Just call me Pung."

"Did you come here under the Chairman's direct orders?"

"……" Pung hesitated.

"If you're at a level to receive direct orders, I trust you know about the relationship between the Evil Alliance Chairman and me. You probably have a rough idea of my relationship with the Young Alliance Chairman as well. Therefore, you should be fine answering this much."

"I left the Alliance under orders to investigate the treasure map incident."

"I see! From now on, Martial Artist Pung, you're definitely on my side."

"……" Pung stared at Geom Mugeuk in disbelief.

"If you die here, wouldn't I be too ashamed to face the Chairman and his disciple? For now, let's have you on my side." Geom Mugeuk turned back to the Sound King. "This is the kind of person I am. Even this person I just met today isn't allowed to die here!"

He moved again and walked in front of Ji Han. "This is a man who was my enemy but became my subordinate. I still don't know much about him. I just had a very good feeling about him, so I made him my subordinate."

A smile formed on Ji Han's lips. The words 'because I had a good feeling about him' sounded much better than reasons like because he was capable, or because his martial arts were outstanding.

Geom Mugeuk stared quietly at Ji Han, then declared, "I have every intention of not letting this man die either."

Finally, Geom Mugeuk stood before Tae Su. "This man is the thief who had the treasure map. He's a man with a good, loving father. He probably didn't know things would turn out like this, so he must be very surprised right now."

Tae Su's pupils trembled as he looked at Geom Mugeuk. Now that he knew Geom Mugeuk's identity, he no longer dared to even make a single joke.

"We haven't formed a relationship yet, but I'm going to take this man out alive too, because he succeeded in stealing my heart."

Tae Su was moved. It was a minor incident in the eyes of the Young Cult Leader, something he could've just ignored, yet he was making it so meaningful.

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon and the Flower Sword Supreme watched and understood. It was because Geom Mugeuk was this kind of person that he'd become so strong. Because he'd fought battles to survive even while dragging along a string of hostages, he'd become much, much stronger.

On the other hand, the Sound King couldn't understand Geom Mugeuk at all. "Why are you trying to save all of them like this?" he asked politely, but his tone betrayed his unspoken question: Why save these insignificant people?

Geom Mugeuk shrugged. "If you can't understand me, then I suppose that makes you trash that even the most beautiful melodies can't salvage."

The Sound King finally exploded. "Shut up!" he roared, unable to endure his music being insulted over and over again.

Geom Mugeuk roared back. "You shut up!"

All eyes focused on Geom Mugeuk. Even without fully revealing his aura, the Young Cult Leader's power was immense.

"How dare you spout nonsense in front of me about being able to kill my father? How dare you threaten to kill his Demon Supremes? …Yes, you're truly people who can't see what's in front of you. To say such things in front of me, you must be blind."

Geom Mugeuk's cold gaze slowly swept over the Sound King, the Blade King, the Four Dark Blood Bladesmen, and the iron mask martial artist.

"None of you will enter that tomb, because you're all going to die right here."

Geom Mugeuk spread his arms out like wings. As if on cue, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon and the Flower Sword Supreme simultaneously drew the Blood Heaven Blade and the One Flower Sword.

Geom Mugeuk's gaze finally stopped on the Sword King. "Ak-hyung, you stay out of this."