Chapter 847: She's Watching Over Me Even Now

TL: FoodieMonster007

The training continued. Geom Mugeuk trained day after day, certain he would achieve twelfth star mastery. After all, the best was teaching the best of the best. All that remained was effort.

He knew from experience that water heats up gradually until it suddenly boils. If he couldn't endure the process and stopped, all that remained was for it to cool.

However, it was too hot right now, so hot he wanted to give up on the spot.

"Haa, haa…"

Geom Mugeuk lay on the ground, panting for breath. Geom Woojin stood beside him with his hands clasped behind his back, gazing into the distance.

The training grew more intense each day, to the point where Geom Mugeuk worried about his father, the one teaching him.

PLOP, PLOP…

Just then, raindrops began to fall.

SHWAAAAAA!

Soon, a downpour began.

Geom Mugeuk squealed, "Ah! It's raining. Where did this sudden rain come from?!"

"……" Geom Woojin rolled his eyes. What good acting, considering he was the one who made it rain.

"Father, should we take shelter over there for a moment?"

Geom Woojin turned around. A small pavilion had appeared behind them at some point. Smiling faintly, he walked toward it. An invisible aura protected his body, so not a single drop of rain touched him.

SHWAAAAAA!

The two sat side by side, watching the falling rain.

"Would you like a drink?" Geom Mugeuk asked. "The chef happened to make some savory crepes today."

Geom Woojin stared at his son. The rascal, he had it all planned! Well, there should be a day for slacking off now and then.

Sighing, he nodded. "Let's have a drink. It's been a while."

Before the words were even out of his mouth, Geom Mugeuk flew off and returned in an instant with wine and crepes.

The two drank in the pavilion, with the rain and crepes as their side dishes.

In truth, even including his life before regressing, this was the first time Geom Mugeuk had spent so much time alone with someone. It was likely the same for his father, yet Geom Mugeuk didn't find the time awkward or burdensome at all.

It wasn't just because of his own efforts. His attempts to make his father feel as comfortable here as he was in the outside world had eliminated any awkwardness. How could there be time for awkwardness? He was always busy creating new spaces and trying to make them even a little more atmospheric.

SHWAAAAAA!

Just sitting still and watching the rain felt good.

Suddenly, Geom Mugeuk said carefully. "I might lose all the points I've worked so hard to build up, but there's a question I must ask. What kind of person was my mother?"

This was a question he had never brought up before, but his father wasn't surprised by the sudden question, as if he had anticipated his son would ask someday.

Geom Mugeuk continued, "I once asked Hyung-nim about Mother when I was very young. Back then, he told me never to bring it up because you hated talking about it, so I never brought it up again after that day."

His brother was young back then, too. At that time, they were both too young to even think about the succession war.

After hearing his Geom Muyang's advice, he had lived as if their mother was a forbidden topic. He had no memory of her, so there was no fond longing. Besides, after Hwa Mugi appeared, his entire life had been focused on stopping him.

Now that Hwa Mugi was dead, he thought it was time to finally ask his father.

For the longest time, Geom Woojin said nothing. He just silently watched the falling rain.

Geom Mugeuk didn't press the issue. He figured his father would tell him when the time was right.

SHWAAAAAAAA!

"Another bottle of wine," Murim Alliance Chairman Jin Paecheon requested.

A waiter rushed over and delivered the alcohol. "Here you are! Please enjoy!"

Currently, Jin Paecheon was in an inn bustling with people. On his way back to the Murim Alliance, he had stopped by a tavern again.

He had also stopped by a tavern on his way to help the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, enjoying a brief escape where no one recognized him. He hadn't had the leisure then, but now he calmly savored the moment.

This time, too, no one recognized him. Who would imagine the Murim Alliance Chairman drinking alone in an inn like this? Even an acquaintance would probably just tilt their head in confusion and walk past.

The noisy inn was filled with all sorts of people—some eating, others drinking and chatting, families dining together, and escorts on missions. Amidst it all, Jin Paecheon was people-watching.

Suddenly, his eyes fell upon a boy on the roadside peering into the inn. The boy, dressed in beggar's rags, held his younger sibling's hand tightly.

Without hesitation, he beckoned the child over. The boy shot him a wary glance before leading his sibling inside, but unfortunately, the owner tried to chase the children away at the entrance.

"I called them over. Let them in," Jin Paecheon said firmly.

Recognizing at a glance that he was no ordinary martial artist, the owner quickly sent the children to him.

Jin Paecheon asked the children, "This old man ordered too much food and can't finish it all. It'd be a waste to throw it out, so would you two help me out?"

The younger sibling might not have understood, but the older one's expression showed he understood the kind intention behind the words.

"Thank you," the boy said, feeding his younger sibling first. When the child are ravenously, he nagged, "Slowly! Eat slowly."

Only after taking care of his sibling did he begin to eat.

"How old are you?" Jin Paecheon asked.

"I'm twelve."

"Your parents?"

"They passed away."

The boy explained that they were left with relatives but fled in the middle of the night with his sibling after being abused.

Jin Paecheon was astounded. How many days could this child possibly survive in this harsh world with such a young sibling in tow?

So they could eat in peace, he didn't speak to the child anymore.

When the children finished their meal, he wrote something on a piece of paper and gave it to the boy. "Do you know where the Murim Alliance Branch is in this town?"

"Yes, I saw it on my way here."

"Go straight to the Murim Alliance Branch. If you give them this letter, you'll be able to get a job that will keep your sibling from starving."

"Okay!" The boy nodded. He was smart and quick-witted. He might not have gone if told to go somewhere else, but he knew the Murim Alliance Branch at least wouldn't sell him off.

"Don't be afraid, just go. Trust this old man. Understand?"

"Thank you." The boy bowed deeply, then took his sibling and left.

A young man walked over and sat in the spot the two children had vacated.

"Chairman, I'm so relieved you've returned safely," Jin Hagun sighed in relief.

Since Jin Paecheon had left, he hadn't had a single peaceful night's sleep. He had regretted asking his grandfather for the favor countless times.

Thus, when he received his grandfather's urgent messenger pigeon asking to meet here, he couldn't describe his joy. His grandfather's safety made him far happier than the defeat of the Celestial Killer Star.

Jin Paecheon commanded, "Send a subordinate to make sure those children find their way to the Branch, and speak well of them to the staff there."

"Yes, Chairman." Jin Hagun relayed the order to a subordinate from the Demon Slaying Brigade who was waiting outside.

When his grandson sat down again, Jin Paecheon calmly recounted the outcome of the battle and conveyed his honest feelings. "There were several battles, but in the end, the Demonic Cult Leader defeated the Celestial Killer Star, and the Young Cult Leader blocked his final counterattack. I worried about their strength during the fight, and I'm still worried about it. All the way here, I couldn't shake of the worry that the Demonic Cult Leader might pursue the futile dream of a Great Orthodox-Demonic War. Only a moment ago, while feeding those children, did I remember something I had forgotten. Hagun, if you had been sitting here, would you have called those children over and fed them?"

Jin Hagun didn't hesitate. "Yes, I would have."

"Yes, that's who we are."

In the process of making Jin Hagun the Young Alliance Chairman, Jin Paecheon's trust in his grandson had deepened immensely. He no longer deceived his own heart for the sake of appearances.

He smiled gently, all traces of worry gone from his face and a steadfast will in his voice. "This old man was so overwhelmed by the Demonic Cult Leader's powerful martial arts that I briefly forgot who we are. I was only worried about war. As long as we have the heart to help that child hold his sibling's hand, we will not lose. I'm ashamed to admit that this old man briefly forgot that what has protected the orthodox murim for so long was not a technique that could defeat the Demonic Cult Leader's Nine Calamities Demonic Art, but that very heart. Remember this, Hagun. The people we must protect are not just those children, but everyone who tries to protect them. We will protect them all. That is the reason for our existence. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I'll keep that in mind."

"Good. Meanwhile, this old man intends to work even harder from now on."

"……" Jin Hagun looked into his grandfather's brightly shining eyes.

Do people normally age gracefully? I doubt it. I guess cool people grow old coolly, and uncool people just become tasteless old men.

"I will definitely become a cool Chairman just like you, Grandfather."

Jin Paecheon smiled, unfastened the Gentleman Sword he wore, and offered it to his grandson. "Take your sword back."

Today, a confrontation of the Nine Calamities Demonic Art was unfolding.

The Great Annihilation Stance versus the Great Annihilation Stance.

SHHHHHHHHK!

The demonic spirits on both sides split apart simultaneously.

Geom Mugeuk's eyes widened as he stared at the demonic spirits lined up before Geom Woojin. He had used the Great Annihilation Stance countless times, but he had never seen the version his father was using now.

Was this technique always capable of being modified like this?

Amazingly, his father's demonic spirits stood in a two row formation. The demonic spirits that originally lined up in a single row could now form two, thanks to the twelfth star mastery.

Were these things always this obedient?

The number of spirits had also increased, making it truly feel like a demonic army marching in formation.

"This is cheating, Father!" he complained, but the words had barely left his mouth when his father's demonic spirits surged forward.

RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE!

Geom Mugeuk's demonic spirits charged forward without fear.

KABOOOOOOOM!

His demonic spirits and the first row of his father's spirits collided and annihilated each other, but immediately after, the second row of demonic spirits pressed forward to overwhelm him.

BAM! KABAM!

The Impenetrable Demonic Wall that Geom Mugeuk erected blocked the terrifyingly advancing demonic spirits, but for some reason, his father was pushing forward with more powerful inner qi than ever before.

"This time, I really almost died…" Geom Mugeuk couldn't finish his sentence. A shadow began to fall over the place where he and his father stood. "No way. It can't be, right?"

There was no warning. Behind his father, the Heavenly Demon Soul descended, and dozens of sword-shaped enhanced qi twinkled like stars in the empty void behind it. This was the Seventh Technique of the Nine Calamities Demonic Art, Demonic Soul Realm Creation.

Without looking back, Geom Mugeuk used the Vanishing Step to escape.

SWISH SWISH SWISH SWISH SWISH SWISH SWISH! BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM!

The enhanced qi swords rained down, narrowly missing the fleeing Geom Mugeuk.

"Even with the Demonic Soul Realm Creation, you can't catch me… Eh?"

SHWAAAAAAK!

The massive Heavenly Demon Soul rushed toward Geom Mugeuk at a terrifying speed, using the Eighth Technique, Berserk Demon Soul.

Having caught up to Geom Mugeuk with incredible speed, the Heavenly Demon Soul's eyes turned white to unleash its Ninth Technique, Supreme Demonic Soul.

Geom Mugeuk's jaw dropped. Father, why are you doing this? I'm going to die!

"Save me, my Heavenly Demon Soul!" he screamed, erecting the Impenetrable Demonic Wall.

VMMMMMMMM!

The Supreme Demonic Soul crashed into the Impenetrable Demonic Wall. If it broke through, the attack could not be blocked with protective enhanced qi, yet neither Geom Woojin nor the Heavenly Demon Soul held back.

Geom Mugeuk could feel a certain sentiment from his father's cold gaze, 'Find a way out of this, or you die!'

FLASH!

The next moment, the enhanced qi that broke through the Impenetrable Demonic Wall collided with a pure white light.

KABOOM!

With a tremendous explosion, the surroundings vibrated as if an earthquake had struck. Overturned soil and dust rained down.

When the dust cleared, Geom Mugeuk was standing. Amazingly, he was unharmed even by the Supreme Demonic Soul.

"I imitated what you did, Father, and it worked," he gasped. "When I was about to die, I was able to imitate it."

He had unleashed the Heavenly Demon Destroys the World at the last moment. It was not the version that annihilated everything, but the same one his father had used to create a sword of light and kill Hwa Mugi. He had manifested it as a sword, countering the ultimate move with the ultimate move.

Geom Woojin smiled strangely. "Do you think you could imitate that just by trying? You have achieved twelfth star mastery. No, you already achieved it a few days ago. You knew, didn't you?"

"…Yes, I knew." Geom Mugeuk hung his head low. His father was right. He was able to modify and use the Heavenly Demon Destroys the World because he had achieved twelfth star mastery.

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"I wanted to spend a few more days with you, Father, so I didn't tell you. I'm sorry."

Geom Woojin sighed. How can I scold such a son for deceiving me? Everyone in the world finds me difficult to live with, yet my son wanted to stay with me for even a few more days.

In truth, their feelings were mutual. He had also known for a few days that his son had achieved twelfth star mastery, but mentioned nothing of it.

"You've finally done it," he said.

"Yes, I've finally done it."

"Congratulations."

Geom Mugeuk bowed his head in gratitude. "This is all thanks to you, Father. It was only with your help that I easily achieved a great feat which should have taken a lifetime. Thank you so much!"

Although he didn't show it, Geom Woojin was just as happy as his son. "No, it's thanks to your own effort. You've worked hard."

The two stood side by side, gazing at the distant horizon. The sun was setting, painting the world in a beautiful, crimson twilight.

Geom Mugeuk mumbled dejectedly, "So this is the end of our time here."

After watching the sunset for a moment, Geom Woojin said abruptly, "She was the only person I ever loved."

"!" Geom Mugeuk stared at his father in surprise. A hint of longing flickered in his father's eyes as he gazed at the sunset. It was a look he had never seen before.

A sigh of relief escaped him without him realizing it.

What did my father think of my mother? Did he perhaps hate her? Did he regret meeting her? Was there some unspeakable story?

He had worried about all sorts of things, but now, none of that mattered.

Everything's good as long as Father carries Mother in his heart.

"I'm sure she was the most wonderful person in the world," he remarked.

Geom Woojin's gaze deepened as he looked at his son. "She would have been very happy to see you now."

"I see! She's watching over me even now." An undeniable surge of emotion crossed Geom Woojin's face. As if to hide that emotion, he turned to look at the distant sunset.

"Let's leave now," Geom Woojin said.

"Yes, Father."

SNAP!

Geom Mugeuk snapped his fingers. It was the most cheerful and pleasant snap since he had first used the Spacetime Manipulation Technique.