Translator: FenrirTL
Editor/Quality Checker/Notes : Saphartlantis
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Chapter 387: We’re not exactly on laughing terms
When he climbed the stairs, he saw the figure of Heavenly Demon Geom Woojin up ahead.
Jin Paecheon felt his heart stir violently for the first time since forever.
‘How long has it been since I felt this kind of excitement?’
Geom Woojin rose from his seat, already waiting for me.
Demon and Orthodox, Orthodox and Demon.
The leaders of both factions that had endlessly battled through the ages.
The two of them stared at each other in silence. It had been over ten years since they last met. Normally, they would’ve exchanged greetings with proper decorum, but neither of them said a word. No greeting came to their lips.
Jin Paecheon broke the silence.
“You’ve got the same look in your eyes.”
Now that he was facing Geom Woojin again, he could finally recognize just how much he had despised him. Just how much he had hated the Demonic Cult. The Geom Woojin he had pictured in his mind was a glorified version.
So much hatred—where had it all been hiding? The overwhelming hostility washed over him like a wave.
All the self-control he had cultivated over the years, meeting countless people, crumbled the moment he saw that cold, arrogant gaze of his.
That gaze of his hadn’t changed. Nor had his ambition to consume the martial world.
Jin Paecheon’s heart grew cold.
This time, Geom Woojin spoke calmly.
“You haven’t changed either.”
Even the word “you” was irritating, and the comment about not having changed grated on him too. Though it could have been interpreted positively—“You haven’t aged a bit”—that wasn’t how it felt.
Jin Paecheon felt it acutely once again. That someone as domineering as himself had shown great restraint in recent times.
And as these thoughts surfaced, the air around them naturally began to grow cold.
The tension wasn’t limited to just between the two of them.
It was the same on the first floor.
A fierce clash of auras was unfolding between the top fighters of the orthodox sects and the Demon Supremes.
Standing before the lineup of Demon Supremes was Geom Mugeuk.
Standing before the lined-up elite of the orthodox sects was Jin Hagun.
And beside them was Jo Chunbae, who hadn’t managed to enter the kitchen. He had been so absorbed looking up at the Martial Alliance Leader ascending to the second floor that he couldn’t escape into the kitchen before the battle of wills erupted on the first floor.
No one moved. It was utterly silent. He was the only one free to move, and he didn’t have the courage to go into the kitchen alone.
The only consolation was that no one was releasing energy that would directly affect anyone’s body. It was, quite literally, a staring contest.
Eyes that pierced the heart, eyes that sliced the throat—those kinds of glares were flying back and forth.
Someone could have easily uttered a single word that would ignite the fight, but fortunately, no one had opened their mouth yet.
Jin Haryeong observed. Even in this hair-trigger moment, Geom Mugeuk looked utterly composed.
—Shouldn’t you stop them?
—How do you stop people like that?
Well, thinking about the people who came with them this time, it was absurd to believe that Geom Mugeuk could somehow keep them in check.
Each and every one of them was powerful enough to be a regional overlord.
―It’ll be fine. I don’t think your grandfather would’ve brought someone foolish and reckless enough to start a fight in a place like this.
Jin Haryeong glanced at the elite martial artists standing beside her. She knew who they were, of course, but not in detail. Still, her grandfather must have kept them in line.
What really worried her was what was happening upstairs.
Her gaze returned to the second floor. Still no sound of conversation.
Were they speaking through sound transmission? Even if they were, shouldn’t there at least be some common greetings by now? “Please, come in”, “How have you been?”, “Thank you for coming.” That kind of thing. No matter how unpleasant the other party was, shouldn’t they at least exchange that much? “How’s the Alliance these days?” “Is the Cult running smoothly?” Something.
But the second floor was dead silent, and so was the first floor.
A heavy tension hung in the air, ready to explode at any moment.
And then it happened.
Jo Chunbae, who had been looking up at the second floor, suddenly felt a chill crawl down his spine.
When he turned around, he saw that everyone inside was staring at the entrance.
A man stood there.
He was wearing a crisp black martial uniform. The man swept his gaze across the elites of the Demonic Cult and the orthodox sects. His eyes were small, but the intensity in them was undeniable.
That single glance was all it took. The pressure in the hall, so taut it could snap at any moment, was completely absorbed by the man’s presence.
Just behind him stood a terrifyingly fierce-looking young man, and behind him, nine more martial artists were lined up.
Compared to the eight Demon Supremes, the Martial Alliance had brought one less person, and the Unorthodox Alliance had brought one more.
Baek Jagang, a meticulous realist, wasn’t the kind of man to reduce numbers out of pride—he’d bring more if necessary.
Jo Chunbae could feel it. These newcomers possessed an aura no different from the martial elites who had entered earlier from the Martial Alliance.
Whether looking at the Demon Supremes or at the Martial Alliance elites, there wasn’t a hint of hesitation in their eyes.
Jo Chunbae’s gaze returned to the man in the black martial uniform.
Judging by appearance alone, he looked like just another martial artist. But his presence overwhelmed everyone behind him. That plain black outfit swallowed all the other lavish attires in the room like a blackhole.
Geom Mugeuk raised his voice loudly.
“The Unorthodox Alliance Leader has arrived!”
At those words, Jo Chunbae let out a squeaky shriek—“Eeeep!”—then quickly covered his mouth with his hand.
He thought nothing more surprising could happen today—but he was wrong.
“You must be tired from your long journey.”
Baek Jagang briefly looked at Geom Mugeuk.
That Geom Mugeuk made up half the reason he had come here. Just as much as he wanted to confirm whether Geom Woojin still hadn’t abandoned his ambition to unify the martial world, he was also curious—how could someone like him raise a son like that?
And this wasn’t just a matter of parenting success or failure. It was a matter deeply tied to the future of the Unorthodox Alliance. That boy standing before him had not yet been harvested. He had no sense at all of what kind of fruit he would become when the time came.
Baek Jagang strode toward the stairs leading up to the second floor.
The Fist Demon King tried to guide him, but he declined, as expected.
As Baek Jagang was about to ascend, he stopped in front of Jo Chunbae, who stood near the steps with his head bowed.
‘Please don’t stop here! Just go up quietly!’
Jo Chunbae was undergoing a surreal experience. To be standing in front of the Heavenly Demon, the Martial Alliance Leader, and now the Unorthodox Alliance Leader on the same day.
“Are you the owner of this establishment?”
At the deep, resonant voice, Jo Chunbae raised his head. What a pleasant voice it was.
“Yes, I am.”
He replied with a trembling voice, and Baek Jagang’s gaze shifted from him to Geom Mugeuk.
“The Young Cult Leader speaks highly of you.”
Geom Mugeuk smiled, knowing Baek Jagang had said that to be considerate toward him. Baek Jagang returned a faint smile and proceeded up to the second floor.
Truly, people grow on you with time. The more I looked at those small eyes, the more I thought they were rather cool.
Geom Mugeuk walked up to the still-stunned Jo Chunbae.
“That’s right. Today’s gathering is the first-ever three-way summit between the Cult Leader, the Martial Alliance Leader, and the Unorthodox Alliance Leader.”
At last, Jo Chunbae learned the true identity of today’s meeting. And also who would take the final seat at the table.
‘It’s an Orthodox/Demonic/Unorthodox Gathering? That meeting is being held in my tavern? The Cult Leader, the Martial Alliance Leader, and the Unorthodox Alliance Leader will be sitting on my tavern’s chairs? Our chairs!’
He lifted his head with a bright face, then flinched and quickly lowered it again.
Everyone on the first floor was looking this way.
People he would have never locked eyes with in his entire life were now looking at him—a mere tavern owner.
Suddenly overwhelmed by fear, his whole body began to tremble.
“I believe this place is more fitting than any other for a three-way summit.”
Hearing Geom Mugeuk’s calm voice and seeing the gentle look in his eyes as he patted his shoulder helped calm Jo Chunbae’s shaking.
‘Right. If not for the Young Cult Leader, I’d already be dead. What’s there to be afraid of now?’
Both the Martial Alliance Leader and the Unorthodox Alliance Leader said Geom Mugeuk had praised him. Jo Chunbae straightened up with renewed strength.
“I will do my utmost to prepare the best dishes.”
With newfound resolve, Jo Chunbae walked confidently into the kitchen.
Then, Geom Mugeuk’s voice rang out maliciously behind him.
“Just for today, this tavern’s owner is the king of all taverns in the world!” 1
In that moment, Jo Chunbae's legs gave out, and he nearly collapsed.
At Geom Mugeuk’s words, Jin Haryeong burst out laughing. Caught off guard, the lively laughter slipped out before she could stop it.
An elderly elite from the Martial Alliance standing next to her looked at her confusedly. Jin Haryeong quickly wiped the smile off her face.
‘Seriously, the Young Cult Leader is insane. And I’m a crazy woman for coming all this way just to see that lunatic.’ 2
Meanwhile, those who only knew of Geom Mugeuk through rumors were glaring at him, thinking, ‘What the hell is this guy doing?’ Were they being mocked?
―Be wary of that tavern owner.
They even exchanged sound transmissions like that. Some mistook Jo Chunbae as a hidden trump card prepared by the Demonic Cult. 3
But Bih Sa-in, Jin Hagun, and Jin Haryeong knew. They knew that the tavern owner was as ordinary as one could be. And that it was Geom Mugeuk’s Demonic Path that was protecting this utterly ordinary man. No matter how many people were packed into this tiny tavern, he would never let that table be damaged.
―You really managed to pull this off.
To Jin Hagun’s sound transmission, Geom Mugeuk replied.
―We pulled it off. Though I didn’t expect the hatred between them would run this deep.
Indeed, it was no different from two mortal enemies meeting again after ten years.
―Think it can be resolved?
―We’ll have to try.
Now, the staring contest on the first floor had become a three-way standoff.
Each side placed their heir out front as they lined up and glared at one another.
The orthodox sect elites hated the demonic faction, but they also held disdain for the unorthodox sects.
Im Sang-gon, the Great Justice Warrior glared at one particular unorthodox elite—someone he despised deeply.
Thunder Strike Blade Cheon Mang.
A recently famous name in the unorthodox faction, he had killed several orthodox elites in recent battles. Im Sang-gon had wanted to meet him someday, and now, here he was.
As Im Sang-gon glared at him, Cheon Mang reacted. Without averting his gaze, he returned the glare.
Their eyes, filled with silent profanity, began to heat up.
Left unchecked, the two would charge at each other without hesitation.
Just then, someone placed a hand on Cheon Mang’s shoulder.
When Cheon Mang turned, it was Monster Evil, one of the Seven Great Unorthodox Elites, shaking his head slightly as if to say, “Let it go”.
Monster Evil, who had some personal connection with Cheon Mang, had given him a clear excuse to back down. And sure enough, Cheon Mang turned his gaze away.
Bih Sa-in glanced at Monster Evil with eyes that said, "Well done."
The situation on the second floor wasn’t all that different.
When Baek Jagang arrived upstairs, Geom Woojin and Jin Paecheon both turned to greet him.
It was the moment when the three finally gathered in one place.
Demonic, Orthodox, Unorthodox.
The first summit of the era.
Baek Jagang understood.
Just the heavy energy in the room was enough to grasp what kind of atmosphere this was.
Right, they’re not exactly on laughing terms.
If it weren’t for the special variable named Geom Mugeuk, they might have never seen each other again until the day they died—or perhaps, only on the day they died.
Knowing full well it wasn’t a moment for greetings, Baek Jagang quietly sat down in the remaining seat.
Once Baek Jagang sat, Geom Woojin and Jin Paecheon also took their seats. As expected, no greetings were exchanged.
Baek Jagang first looked toward Geom Woojin. It had been a long time, and the man before him felt different than he had the last time they met.
‘So, you’ve aged too.’
But that gaze of his, one that looked down on people, was the same as ever.
Baek Jagang then turned his eyes to Jin Paecheon, who was staring out the window, refusing to meet either of their gazes.
If Jin Paecheon hated Geom Woojin, why would he feel any warmth toward Baek Jagang?
Baek Jagang could tell.
‘He’s already pissed.’
It was likely because of Geom Woojin’s eyes. If even Baek Jagang felt this irritated, how must that prideful, stiff old man be feeling?
‘Is this meeting even possible?’
And then, a single question floated to Baek Jagang’s mind.
‘This man really raised that son?’
That cold and blunt man raised such a chatty and cheerful son? He wanted to ask right then and there.
‘Just how did you raise that boy?’
Even with all three seated, it remained quiet. Someone needed to take the lead and steer the conversation, but none of them seemed willing.
The silence on the second floor only heightened the tension on the first floor. It felt like at any moment, someone upstairs might shout:
Wipe them all out!
And at that moment, this place would become a bloodbath.
And the only one who could break this heavy atmosphere was none other than Geom Mugeuk. 4
“Master.”
All eyes turned to Geom Mugeuk.
The Demon Supremes thought the same thing.
Yes, the Young Cult Leader has stepped forward. Now the mood will shift, and the real meeting can begin.
They were so relieved it hadn’t been them who were called out. 5
‘What is that brat up to now?’
Dan Woo-gang was secretly nervous, but he answered in a low, solid voice.
“What is it?”
“It’s about the Unorthodox Alliance’s Young Leader, over there.”
This time, Bih Sa-in flinched. Why me? He had a very bad feeling.
‘Please, don’t say anything unnecessary!’
And Geom Mugeuk cheerfully shattered Bih Sa-in’s desperate hope with a single question:
“Doesn’t his face happen to be your type, Master?”
It was a question that stunned both men. And since the room was silent, Geom Mugeuk’s words reached not just the three on the second floor, but even Jo Chunbae in the kitchen.
All eyes were now fixed on the Fist Demon King.
At a three-way summit, was he really being asked to rate the Young Leader of the Unorthodox Alliance on looks?
It was the kind of thing that should have made thunder rumble from Dan Woo-gang’s fists, but the thunder rumbled only in his heart. The thunder said:
‘We’ll talk after this is over.’
In this setting, he couldn’t scold the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult, nor could he simply ignore him—doing so might be seen as disrespectful to Bih Sa-in.
“I prefer manly-looking faces. Yes, that’s right. That is the kind of face I like.”
It was something the Fist Demon King would never have said under normal circumstances. But he knew. He knew that Geom Mugeuk had begun stepping up for the sake of this uneasy and dangerously tense summit. So he stepped forward in support of his disciple.
If someone else had said that, Bih Sa-in might have taken offense.
'Is this punk mocking me?'
But this was coming from none other than Dan Woo-gang, the man with the most fearsome presence in the room—someone who could face all those gathered here with sheer intensity alone.
“Thank you for your kind words.”
Bih Sa-in bowed with a clasped-fist salute to express his gratitude.
If only it had ended there. If only. 6
“How about my master’s face?”
Bih Sa-in was flustered. He had never imagined someone would ask him to comment on the Fist Demon King’s face.
―Why me? Why not tease Lord Jin over there?
―Because teasing you is more fun. 7
In the past, Bih Sa-in might have reflexively blurted out something like, “You’re very handsome”, or “You look even more manly”.
But things were different now.
Bih Sa-in first looked at Dan Woo-gang. Setting aside any preconceptions, he calmly observed him.
“Among everyone I’ve met in the martial world, you have the most fearsome face.”
He spoke honestly, but with respect.
Perhaps because his tone wasn’t offensive, the Fist Demon King responded with a soft joke.
“Fortunately, this face suits my line of work quite well.”
Both the orthodox and unorthodox elites present found it surprisingly unexpected. He was not at all like the rumors had portrayed him.
Despite the absurdity of how the conversation had started, it ended up easing the near-explosive tension on the first floor.
And it wrapped up with a little humor. Geom Mugeuk added with a grin as he turned to Bih Sa-in:
“To be honest, I like our Young Alliance Leader’s face too.”
To which Bih Sa-in replied,
“If you could switch faces with me, would you?”
“……” 8
Even from just that exchange, one could tell what kind of relationship they had. Neither made any effort to hide their closeness in front of the gathered martial elites.
At that moment, a voice called from the second floor—Geom Woojin.
“Mugeuk, come up here.”
Not to be outdone, Jin Paecheon called out in turn.
“Hagun, come up here.”
And Baek Jagang wouldn’t just sit quietly either.
“Sa-in, come up here.”
Thus, the three of them ascended to the second floor.
The three leaders upstairs knew it. That this meeting wouldn’t be easy if it were just them. They hated each other far too much. How could they talk when they didn’t even want to look at one another?
Each heir stood beside their respective cult or alliance leader.
Then Geom Woojin spoke again.
“Muyang, you come up too.”
Geom Muyang hadn’t expected to be summoned and startledly climbed to the second floor.
He stood like wings on the other side of Geom Woogin.
'So, two sons, huh? How funny.' Jin Paecheon, the doting grandfather, couldn’t stand it.
“Haryeong, you come up too.”
Jin Haryeong cheerfully ascended and stood beside Jin Hagun. Jin Paecheon looked visibly pleased.
Baek Jagang looked at the two with an incredulous expression.
'Really, this is what we’re doing?' 9
1 : Hahahaha, he couldn’t stop himself XDXDXD
2 : Yup, Mugeuk’s insane, but you’re not mad, just infected with love disease. Sadly, it’s incurable.
3 : Lol, that level of wariness XDXDXD
4 : I didn’t expect such intense hostility to be honest. I thought the faction leaders would at least make some small talk. Indeed, only Mugeuk can save the situation with some (bad) jokes !!! XDXDXD
5 : Lol, pushing him to the piranhas XDXDXD That’s cold you guys !!!
6 : Poor Bih Sa-in is already depressed before Mugeuk even seriously started XDXDXD
7 : Hehehe, true ^^ But don’t worry, Jin Hagun will have his share soon *evilly smirk* It’s just that the Martial Alliance side is too tense for now, better to let them relax a bit before poking them ^^
8 : “Oi, why did you stop talking ?” “....” “Look me in the eyes.” “I’m sorry.” XDXDXD
9 : Yeah, they’re quite petty towards each others ^^