Chapter 854: The Fate of This Murim Depends On You

TL: FoodieMonster007

"For today's fishing competition, you can't go past that protruding rock over there or that tree on the other side."

Before the main event, Geom Mugeuk set the boundaries. He kept everyone within sight and close enough to communicate telepathically, since today's gathering was arranged more for conversations they couldn't usually have than for the fishing itself. Since the river curved through the area, fortunately, everyone ended up breaking into two groups that faced each other rather than standing in a single file line.

"Now, pick your spots. If you don't like where you start, you can move later or stay put," he added, knowing that claiming a good spot mattered more than fishing skill. With the area so limited, securing a strong position from the start was everything. "Father, please choose your spot first."

Geom Woojin declined. "I'll choose later."

Geom Mugeuk knew his father well enough. He had been waiting for exactly that answer. His father wouldn't want anyone saying they'd won because they found a better spot. "Then how about this? To keep things fair, let's have the people with no fishing experience choose first."

Geom Woojin nodded. Today's contest was as much a battle of pride as it was a fishing competition.

With that settled, the novices got first pick.

"First, could the ones who were boasting about their skills earlier please step aside?"

The three boasters—the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, the Demonic Buddha, and the Drunken Demon—who understood better than anyone how much a good spot could decide things, were disqualified from priority selection. Though none of them showed it, disappointment was plain on their faces.

"Alright. Among everyone else, who arrived first today?"

Everyone looked around. The Poison King tentatively raised his hand.

"Okay, Poison King! Please choose first."

"Then I won't refuse." The Poison King smiled. He had sworn he would defend his preferred spot even if it meant spreading poison, and now Geom Mugeuk had handed him the chance to take it without a fight. He bowed his head toward Geom Woojin and started toward the spot Geom Mugeuk had indicated earlier.

"How strange!" someone complained.

The Poison King flinched and stopped. The speaker was, of all people, the Demonic Buddha.

The Demonic Buddha continued, "The Poison King has absolutely no interest in fishing, yet you're telling me he was the first to arrive today?"

The Poison King was astounded. Of all the Demon Supremes, the Demonic Buddha was the one he considered his closest friend, and yet he was the one raising an objection?

Geom Mugeuk looked at the Demonic Buddha. Is he trying to steal the Poison King's spot to win the tournament?

The Demonic Buddha of the past would have done exactly that and more. He would have spun a conspiracy theory, claiming the Poison King had colluded with the Young Cult Leader to secure a prime location, then used the accusation as cover to take the spot for himself.

However, he felt the Demonic Buddha of today would never do such a thing. Geom Mugeuk trusted him, which was precisely why he could even entertain the thought as a joke, "The little giant's revenge for being used as a poison herb collector has finally begun."

Those words alone told everyone the Demonic Buddha had been gathering medicinal herbs for the Poison King.

With all eyes on him, the Poison King answered calmly, "Isn't this the first competition our Cult Leader is hosting? I came early to practice. The Young Cult Leader taught me how to pick a good spot."

"I see," the Demonic Buddha replied, accepting the answer without question.

That reaction said everything. He had steered the conversation precisely so the Poison King would speak those words himself, making sure the Cult Leader heard them directly.

When he had learned the Poison King arrived first, he guessed the reason immediately. The Young Cult Leader had been meeting with all the Demon Supremes, clearly working to mend what was broken, so he stepped in to give the Poison King a stage.

Of course, what mattered most was Geom Woojin's reaction. He studied the Poison King with calm eyes, then said gently, "I hope fishing will become an enjoyable hobby for you."

The Poison King clasped his hands in a respectful bow, walked to his chosen spot, and claimed the best position on the riverbank.

Geom Mugeuk leaned close to the Demonic Buddha and whispered in his ear. "I'm telling you, you're being deceived, Demonic Buddha. You're being fooled to the very end."

The Demonic Buddha smiled when he realized Geom Mugeuk had seen through him completely, but it was because the Young Cult Leader understood him without misreading him that he had been able to act at all.

"Next person!" Geom Mugeuk called out.

The Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme stepped forward.

Everyone stared at her in shock. It was surprising enough that the Poison King had been first, but the Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme was second? The two people martial artists feared most in the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult had been the first and second to arrive at a fishing competition, and both were beginners.

Unlike the Poison King, however, the Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme picked her spot without much thought.

Visible relief spread across the faces of the three boasters. From an expert's eye, she had chosen a stretch of water where catching even a single fish would be a struggle.

Geom Mugeuk called out to her. "Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme!"

The Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme tensed inwardly. There was a mischievous glint in the Young Cult Leader's eyes.

Here it comes. He's undoubtedly about to declare to the Cult Leader that he only has six Demon Supremes, not eight.

She had already steeled herself to become the Young Cult Leader's Demon Supreme, but hearing it declared aloud in front of the Cult Leader was another matter entirely. Her heart pounded… but the words that came out of his mouth were nothing like what she had expected.

"Use your soul-stealing arts to send all the fish to me!" Geom Mugeuk yelled. "Don't send any to my father!"

It was a joke, of course. Martial arts were strictly off limits.

The Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme relaxed inwardly, then smiled. "Somehow, that sounds like you're telling me to send them to the Cult Leader."

Geom Mugeuk shook his head with great conviction. "I may be the most filial son in the history of the Divine Cult, but not today. Today isn't a fishing competition, it's a fishing war!"

Geom Woojin snorted, making no effort to hide the competitive fire burning in his eyes. Father and son stared each other down, neither willing to yield an inch, and the sight of it lit something in everyone around them.

"Alright. The next to arrive was Elder Blade Demon, right? As a master among masters, I'm sure you'll step aside."

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon smacked his lips with regret. He had his eye on a few choice spots, and losing all of them left him with no real path to victory.

Next up was the Flower Sword Supreme. With no idea which spots were actually good, she drifted toward a stretch shaded by a tree. She had done her makeup nicely and had no intention of standing in the sun all day.

Just as she settled down, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon tilted his chin, nudging her silently to move a little further back. He stopped short of using telepathy, thinking that would truly be cheating.

Geom Mugeuk didn't miss it for a second. "Hehe, our Elder is worried that the Sword Supreme might go home with an empty basket."

The Flower Sword Supreme smiled and looked at the Blood Heaven Blade Demon. "Please catch plenty for my share too."

That alone showed how much she had changed.

Next, the Fist Demon strode forward and planted himself at an open spot. Everything about him suggested he would eventually lose patience, snap his rod in half, and wade into the river to catch fish bare-handed.

After that, the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon chose the spot farthest from everyone else.

No words were needed. Just watching all the Demon Supremes pick their positions revealed their personalities.

"What about you, Hyung? Aren't you competing?" Geom Mugeuk asked.

Geom Muyang shook his head. "Today, I'll just watch Father fish and learn."

Geom Mugeuk sighed. His brother had made the wiser choice. On a day like this, standing beside their father rather than against him would do far more for their relationship.

This left the self-proclaimed masters. Geom Woojin, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, the Demonic Buddha, the Drunken Demon, and Geom Mugeuk himself.

"Then, as the youngest, I'll choose my spot first," Geom Mugeuk said, quickly trying to slip in ahead of the others.

The Demonic Buddha rolled his prayer beads. "Young Cult Leader, do you know what fishing and life have in common?"

"What?"

"There are days you feel good even returning with an empty basket, and there are days you feel hollow even with one full of fish. Isn't life the same? There's no need to fill your basket so much."

"Why would you say something like that at a fishing competition?!"

The Demonic Buddha pretended not to hear, wearing the serene expression of a monk who had transcended all earthly concerns. "Isn't it more important how many people you've talked with than how many fish you've caught?"

"So why are you doing this to me? The fish are more important! Is the Ten-Thousand Year Blood Ginseng a joke?!"

Laughter rippled through the group. The atmosphere was wonderful from the very start. With Geom Mugeuk leading the mood, there was no room for boredom or tension.

Geom Mugeuk grinned at the Demonic Buddha. He made everyone laugh. He deserves a reward.

"The Bloody Buddha has turned into a benevolent Buddha at the riverside, so I have to yield my spot," he said resignedly.

Geom Woojin nodded readily.

The Demonic Buddha laughed. "Hohoho! Do you understand now? When one abandons greed, unexpected fortune arrives."

Geom Mugeuk wailed, "That's not true! You didn't abandon your greed, did you?"

Leaving a complaining Geom Mugeuk behind him, the Demonic Buddha strolled forward and claimed his spot. The location he chose made it perfectly clear he had not been bluffing about his fishing skills.

Geom Mugeuk immediately tried to secure his spot again. "Alright then. As the youngest, I'll go next…"

Before he could finish, Geom Woojin turned to the Drunken Demon. "You choose next."

"Thank you for the consideration." The Drunken Demon beamed. Having the Cult Leader look out for him was more than he had hoped for, and there were still a few decent spots left too.

This isn't bad at all.

He had chosen later overall, but he had secured a better position than three of his toughest competitors, the Cult Leader, the Young Cult Leader, and the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.

"……" Geom Mugeuk pouted. He assumed his father would naturally yield to the Blood Heaven Blade Demon next.

To his surprise, Geom Woojin said, "It's my turn."

"?" Geom Mugeuk watched his father step forward as if he had been generous enough already. He asked out of genuine curiosity, "Setting me aside, why aren't you yielding to Elder Blade Demon?"

"I must protect the pride of the master who taught me how to fish."

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon's expression lit up. Just being acknowledged like that, in front of everyone, was more than enough.

Geom Mugeuk whined, "Hey, Elder. Father just took your spot and you're standing there grinning? Don't you see that Father is most wary of you? This whole riverbank is a conspiracy!"

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon smiled back. "From where I'm standing, the one he's most wary of is you."

"Huh?"

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon strode forward and claimed the last decent spot, leaving only one place left for Geom Mugeuk.

Geom Mugeuk's jaw dropped. "Oh no, I was so busy watching everyone else that I forgot to grab my own spot!"

Smiles spread across every face.

This was something utterly unimaginable in the old Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. A gathering like this would never have existed, but even if it had, it would have been a bloody battlefield, crushed beneath the Cult Leader's presence and filled with power struggles among the Demon Supremes.

Geom Mugeuk took the single open spot left, wedged between his father and the Blood Heaven Blade Demon. The three ended up standing unusually close together, but neither Geom Woojin nor the Blood Heaven Blade Demon minded. If anything, the elder looked pleased to have the young man beside him.

Once everyone had settled, all eyes turned to Geom Woojin. He baited his hook, drew back, and cast his line toward the river with a powerful sweep of his arm.

WHOOOSH!

The line sang through the air, cutting a clean arc across the sparkling silver water.

SPLASH!

That was the signal. Lines flew in every direction at once.

The Poison King, thanks to his practice, cast with a clean plop that looked nothing like a beginner's throw.

The Fist Demon, who looked like he might fling his rod clean into the river, instead laid his line down softly nearby.

Conversely, the Flower Sword Supreme, who seemed like she would cast most elegantly, hurled hers the farthest with the most excitement.

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon moved with practiced, unhurried precision.

The Demonic Buddha cast his rod sideways in a peculiar, almost meditative arc.

The Drunken Demon tossed his line one-handed, full of lazy flair.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon used barely any motion at all.

The Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme cast with a clean plop, exactly as she had been taught.

Finally, Geom Mugeuk sent his line out. Nothing flashy, just an ordinary cast, but the weight of countless hours on the water showed in every small movement of his hands.

And so, the fishing began in earnest. Everyone stared at the river, lost in their own thoughts.

During his life before regression, while searching for the Ten-Thousand Year Fire Carp, Geom Mugeuk had always been impatient. He had wanted to find it quickly. Somewhere along the way, though, he came to an understanding.

Just as a life spent only chasing opportunities ends up hollow, a hasty fisherman only muddies the water. You had to wait. You had to watch the river quietly, counting a thousand breaths, ten thousand breaths, until the one breath arrived when you could snatch the line. If you didn't miss that single moment, everything could change. And if you did miss it, you didn't quit. No fisherman ever stopped fishing over one lost catch.

He had found what he was looking for because he had kept going, right to the very end.

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon glanced at Geom Mugeuk. The look in his eyes as he watched the water was deeper than that of any Demon Supreme present. You brat, what are you thinking about right now?

Geom Woojin also turned his head slightly toward his son. The two men's eyes met by accident over the young man standing between them.

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon's gaze seemed to ask: Your son brought us this far. Are you planning to go all the way with a son like him?

Perhaps he read it clearly, because Geom Woojin's gaze answered: Where we are now, we can definitely achieve it. Do you really want to miss this chance?

They held each other's gaze for a moment, then both turned back to the river without a word.

A short while later, Geom Mugeuk secured his rod and walked over to his father. His brother stood beside Geom Woojin, quietly watching the water.

Geom Muyang looked over at him. "Should I step aside?"

"No. What can't I say in front of you, Hyung? Unless I'm badmouthing you, of course."

Geom Muyang was momentarily at a loss for words, but felt a quiet gratitude at that. "…Come to think of it, this is the first time the three of us have stood by a river like this, isn't it?"

Geom Mugeuk nodded. "It'd be nice to bring an artist here and have him paint this scene, or we could ask the doll maker from the Demon Village to make dolls of the three of us fishing."

Geom Woojin cut in, "Seeing you so relaxed, you must be confident."

"Would a huge catch be up and moving at this hour? It'll probably sleep in until late afternoon and start stirring slowly. I'm just matching its pace." Geom Mugeuk added a boast on top of it. "Shall we call this the victor's composure?"

"It won't be easy today."

"Then, separate from the competition, would you like to make a side bet with me?"

Geom Woojin's eyes sharpened with interest at the word 'bet'. "What kind of bet?"

Geom Mugeuk grinned. He had already thought of this beforehand. "A bet on who places first. You can bet on yourself, of course."

Geom Woojin's interest sharpened further. "We'll start observing from now and decide in two hours."

"As for the prize… how about the loser grants the winner one wish?" Geom Mugeuk asked, putting something on the table even more outrageous than the Ten-Thousand Year Blood Ginseng.

"Any wish at all?"

"Yes. Anything."

Geom Woojin scoffed, then replied, "You're going to lose, though."

"We don't know that for sure."

Geom Woojin stared at his son for a long moment, then nodded without hesitation. "Fine."

Neither of them set any limits, no exceptions, no conditions. Just like that, a truly enormous bet had been made.

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon, who had been listening from the side, shook his head slowly as if they were both incorrigible. He turned back to the flowing river and muttered softly, not to the men beside him, but to the fish somewhere beneath the surface. "Now, the fate of this murim depends not on the Celestial Killer Star, but on you."