Chapter 734: Can't Stand Eating Alone
One-Slash Sword Supreme gave up on memorizing the path.
When she first entered the cave, she tried to remember the way, even roughly. But now she had given up completely.
She turned to look at Blood Heaven Blade Demon. His face was relaxed, as if he had given up much earlier, following Geom Mugeuk without worry.
One-Slash Sword Supreme asked Geom Mugeuk,
“How do you know the way so well?”
“I suppose finding paths is an instinct I was born with.”
“Not even the Cult Leader would be this good at finding the way. Do you have some secret?”
“It’s intuition, intuition!”
In truth, it was the result of training and experience. He knew this Cave of Death inside out, and his keen sense of direction came from his previous life before the regression, wandering through many places and learning to train it. If he didn’t remember properly, he would end up lost in the same places again. Back then, wandering aimlessly was the thing he hated most in the world.
After a moment, Blood Heaven Blade Demon teased,
“Seems your intuition has led to a dead end!”
The path they had been walking for some time turned out to be blocked.
“I was sure this way felt promising.”
Unable to let go of his hunch, Geom Mugeuk went all the way to the end of the dead end and examined the wall.
“There’s something down here.”
At the very bottom of the left wall, Geom Mugeuk discovered a narrow passage. At first glance, it was completely hidden by a protruding rock, making the passage beneath it invisible. It could only be seen if one lay flat on the ground.
That was why ordinary people would never discover it. Who, after realizing a path was just a dead end, would crawl to the floor and check the sides?
And how had he discovered it the first time? It wasn’t from this side—it was from the other end that he had found it.
“As expected, the Young Cult Leader has a sharp eye.”
When One-Slash Sword Supreme praised him, Blood Heaven Blade Demon grew petty.
“He just got lucky. How could anyone have known that was there?”
“Half of it was luck thanks to you, Elder.”
“Because of me?”
“You teased me, so I felt I had to at least find something, which is why I came all the way here.”
“And the other half?”
Then Geom Mugeuk looked toward the bottom where the hole was and said,
“I sensed a new flow of air coming from this side.”
That answer startled both Blood Heaven Blade Demon and One-Slash Sword Supreme. They hadn’t realized Geom Mugeuk was paying attention to even such things.
“I’ll go in first.”
No matter how much he teased, the one most worried about Geom Mugeuk was Blood Heaven Blade Demon.
“Be careful.”
Geom Mugeuk lay on the ground and crawled into the passage.
Soon, his voice echoed from within.
“Come in here.”
Blood Heaven Blade Demon and One-Slash Sword Supreme followed him inside. Of course, Blood Heaven Blade Demon did so reluctantly.
“I can’t remember the last time I had to crawl like this.”
When the two Demon Supremes stepped inside, awe flickered in their eyes. The place lay beyond the cave, an enclosed space surrounded by sheer cliffs.
There, water flowed, flowers and grass bloomed, and trees grew tall. Truly, it seemed like the perfect place to build a house and live in peace.
Because of its unique terrain, unless one leapt down from those endless cliffs above, it would have been nearly impossible to discover this hidden space from the outside.
Before the regression, Geom Mugeuk had once climbed down those very cliffs. Back then, it was the era when he could boast that there was no cliff in the world he had not scaled.
It was then, after descending here, that he had discovered this hole. Only by entering had he learned it connected to the Cave of Death.
‘So this place was this beautiful.’
When he had first come before the regression, he only checked to see if there was anything here that could aid him. He had not realized how picturesque and full of charm this space was.
“I’ll take a look up there.”
With that, Geom Mugeuk leapt toward the cliffside.
One-Slash Sword Supreme slowly looked around the area. What drew her eyes first were the flowers blooming in the corners. There were even flowers she had never seen before.
“It would be wonderful to build a house here someday and live quietly.”
“Guests wouldn’t be easy to invite.”
At Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s words, One-Slash Sword Supreme smiled. Just as he said, it would be a home where not only ordinary people but only unmatched masters capable of climbing such cliffs could ever visit as guests.
Soon after, Geom Mugeuk descended again—this time with something unexpected in his hands.
“I found this on a tree halfway down the cliff.”
What he brought back were three peaches.
“You must be hungry. Let’s each have one.”
From the peaches radiated a luminous glow, brimming with spiritual energy, and their fragrance was anything but ordinary.
Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s expression froze in disbelief, and then his eyes widened.
“Surely these can’t be... the Immortal Peach Spirit Fruit?”
At his trembling voice, Geom Mugeuk replied with a smile.
“And why not?”
Astonishingly, these peaches were indeed the Immortal Peach Spirit Fruit, a rare medicinal treasure as uncommon as the Stalactite Immortal Moss they had found before.
“It’s especially known to be beneficial for women. Your skin is already beautiful, but with this, Sword Supreme, it will become as soft as a baby’s. Go on, please enjoy it.”
If the Stalactite Immortal Moss had been particularly effective for Blood Heaven Blade Demon, then this Immortal Peach Spirit Fruit was a boon tailored for One-Slash Sword Supreme.
Geom Mugeuk handed the fruits to both Blood Heaven Blade Demon and One-Slash Sword Supreme.
They had already gained the Stalactite Immortal Moss, and now they had stumbled upon Immortal Peach Spirit Fruit? And he was dividing them as casually as one might hand out peaches bought at a street market?
But Blood Heaven Blade Demon did not eat it.
“Every medicinal treasure has its destined master. This fortune came to you, so you should consume it all.”
One-Slash Sword Supreme nodded in agreement.
Geom Mugeuk looked at the two Demon Supremes. Yes, before the regression, he had eaten it all alone.
“My fortune is the two of you.”
“!”
“You’ve seen how I’ve lived until now, so you know, don’t you?”
Blood Heaven Blade Demon could not argue. He knew better than anyone what kind of person Geom Mugeuk was and how much effort he had put in. He also knew that Geom Mugeuk would never eat alone.
“Even so, you should take it.”
As Geom Mugeuk quietly stared at Blood Heaven Blade Demon, he suddenly wore a mischievous smile.
“Very well. Then I’ll eat two.”
“Why two? There are three!”
Blood Heaven Blade Demon glanced at One-Slash Sword Supreme. She was inhaling the fragrant scent of the Immortal Peach Spirit Fruit.
“It wouldn’t be polite to refuse too much, would it?”
At her words, implying she would eat, Blood Heaven Blade Demon flinched.
Geom Mugeuk smiled and reached his hand out to Blood Heaven Blade Demon.
“Then I’ll just eat yours, Elder.”
As Geom Mugeuk reached for the fruit, Blood Heaven Blade Demon quickly pulled his hand back. It was fine if no one ate—but the thought of being the only one not eating was unbearable!
“Now that I think of it, I do feel a little hungry.”
Geom Mugeuk burst out in hearty laughter, and the two Demon Supremes also smiled. How could words ever express the gratitude they felt for someone sharing such a precious spirit fruit so generously?
“Hurry and eat. I’ve heard that the Immortal Peach Spirit Fruit must be consumed within half a quarter-hour after being picked to be effective.”
Geom Mugeuk bit deeply into the fruit he was holding.
If there were such a thing as the taste of heaven, it had to be this. Sweet juice, unlike anything he had ever tasted, gushed forth and slid instantly down his throat.
Though Geom Mugeuk no longer needed inner strength, consuming the Immortal Peach Spirit Fruit was still an act of great worth.
For the Immortal Peach Spirit Fruit did not merely increase one’s inner power.
Though it could not grant immortality, it strengthened the body against disease, enhanced the five senses, regrew lost hair, and rejuvenated the skin.
“Ah, it’s delicious!”
At Geom Mugeuk’s exclamation, One-Slash Sword Supreme also bit into the fruit. Normally, she ate with poise and elegance, but this time she carefully ate in earnest, not wanting to waste even a single drop of juice.
Her expression told the story. It was no exaggeration to say it was the most delicious thing she had ever tasted in her life.
Following her, Blood Heaven Blade Demon also ate the Immortal Peach Spirit Fruit.
“Sweet… so sweet.”
Who could have guessed, when he had left the cult, that he would one day taste the Immortal Peach Spirit Fruit he had only ever heard of in stories?
Since traveling with Geom Mugeuk, he had been experiencing one unexpected event after another. And each of them was thrilling and full of delight.
The three of them each sat down in their places and began circulating their energy.
Each of them began dissolving the Immortal Peach Spirit Fruit’s miraculous energy into their inner strength through their own unique cultivation methods. Perhaps it was because of the pleasant fragrance flowing through their bodies inside and out, but absorbing this treasure felt far more refreshing and uplifting than any other medicine.
After fully refining the immense energy contained in the Immortal Peach Spirit Fruit, Blood Heaven Blade Demon opened his eyes. Not only had his inner strength increased, but his body also felt lighter.
Geom Mugeuk, who had finished his energy circulation first, was gazing up at the small patch of sky visible between the surrounding cliffs.
It was fortunate—they had managed to obtain both fortuitous treasures hidden within the Cave of Death. The fact that three Immortal Peach Spirit Fruits had ripened might well have been fate.
Following Blood Heaven Blade Demon, One-Slash Sword Supreme also finished her energy circulation.
“Thank you, Young Cult Leader.”
For One-Slash Sword Supreme, who was striving to grow stronger, the effects of the Immortal Peach Spirit Fruit were of tremendous help. On top of that, it also gave her a healthier body and firm, youthful skin.
Looking at her, Geom Mugeuk’s face brightened with a smile.
“On the contrary, I should be the one thanking you. If you hadn’t left the cult this time, how could I have gained such fortune? This is all thanks to you, Sword Supreme.”
One-Slash Sword Supreme silently gazed at Geom Mugeuk. What could she say to someone who even gave her credit for this?
She turned to Blood Heaven Blade Demon and said,
“You heard that, didn’t you? You should be grateful to me.”
Touching his own cheek, Blood Heaven Blade Demon replied,
“It really does feel like my skin has improved.”
At that, Geom Mugeuk drew his sword and held the blade up to reflect Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s face.
“Is that all? Look here. Even your wrinkles have smoothed out quite a bit.”
“Really? Isn’t it just my imagination?”
“Once you take the Stalactite Immortal Moss later, your skin will put even the Poison King’s to shame. What does age matter? As long as the heart is young and the body is healthy, that’s all that counts.”
Geom Mugeuk lifted him up with praise in front of One-Slash Sword Supreme.
There were few compliments more delightful than being told one looked younger, and Blood Heaven Blade Demon couldn’t hide his smile.
‘Please, live long and youthful.’
Geom Mugeuk walked back toward the hole they had crawled through earlier.
“Come on, let’s go.”
He crawled out first.
“So? Wasn’t it worth crawling across the ground?”
From behind, Blood Heaven Blade Demon grumbled,
“Still, crawling is something I absolutely despise!”
Normally, he would have insisted on breaking through the wall and walking out. Yet strangely enough, this time he meekly crawled through the passage.
Once outside, Geom Mugeuk once again took the lead, retracing the path they had come.
“This time, I have a good feeling about this direction!”
Following behind, Blood Heaven Blade Demon said,
“Well, that intuition of yours led us to the Immortal Peach Spirit Fruit. So of course I’ll follow.”
And so, the two Demon Supremes once again walked in Geom Mugeuk’s footsteps.
Outside, the landscape was still a vision of hell. The screams echoing from all directions reminded them they had returned to reality.
How long had they walked? Up ahead, two martial artists stood locked in a standoff, their swords pointed at one another.
Their auras were no ordinary thing, but then again, they were not ordinary men.
One of them was the Jade Sky Axe, famed throughout Honam for his mastery of a single great axe. The other was the Strange Blood Blade, a master from Jiangxi who had come here after hearing rumors of the Treasure Map. By sheer misfortune, two experts of nearly equal strength had crossed paths.
The force they exuded filled the surroundings. Because they knew each other’s strength well, neither moved recklessly.
“You are one I had thought to fight at the very end.”
The Jade Sky Axe valued both himself and his opponent that highly.
He wished to avoid this battle. But the Strange Blood Blade sought to settle things here.
“If we must fight sooner or later, why bother delaying?”
The place where they had met was narrow, and so the Strange Blood Blade believed he held the advantage. In such tight quarters, it was easier to wield a blade than a massive axe.
The tension was thick, as if a strike might be unleashed at any moment, when suddenly, someone’s voice cut in.
“If you’re not going to fight…”
The next words were utterly unexpected.
“…we’ll just pass through.”
Both men froze in shock.
Pass through? Here?
Here, where the Jade Sky Axe and the Strange Blood Blade stood poised to kill each other, their weapons drawn? Through this cramped passage?
Surely not… and yet, someone was walking straight toward them.
The two of them thought at once, Is this man insane? But the madman truly walked between them.
He even greeted them while passing through the very space between flashing axe and gleaming blade.
“Well then, you’ve both worked hard.”
The two martial artists were dumbfounded. It was so absurd they couldn’t even laugh.
And he was not the only madman. A strikingly beautiful woman followed behind him, drawing their eyes. Last came an elderly man with something massive strapped to his back, absently rubbing his cheeks with a silly grin as he walked through. None of these lunatics even spared the two a glance.
While they passed one after another, neither of the two experts dared move. A single rash action would invite their opponent’s strike. Worse, if those lunatics decided to attack together, things would turn catastrophic.
“What was that just now?”
“They must have gone mad from fear.”
Yet, despite their words, both could feel it—those people were not ordinary.
Whether insane or true masters, somehow the very spirit of their life-or-death duel had been drained away.
Without a word, the two slowly lowered their weapons and disappeared in opposite directions.
And Geom Mugeuk simply continued forward.
The two Demon Supremes followed behind, holding torches and scanning their surroundings. Caves opened in every direction. It had been confusing enough before, but here it was truly overwhelming. In a single chamber, as many as ten openings gaped wide. Entering one led again to five or six branching paths. Every passage was the same.
Now they could clearly understand why this place was called the Cave of Death.
What’s more, this section had been constructed so that the paths wound endlessly in circles. Without knowing the precise way, one would be doomed to wander the same routes again and again.
“Even someone who knew the path would lose their way here.”
At One-Slash Sword Supreme’s words, Blood Heaven Blade Demon nodded. Sweat trickled continuously down his face. Not even the effects of medicinal treasures could erase the suffocating pressure of these narrow confines.
Then Geom Mugeuk looked at the two with a meaningful glint in his eyes.
“So, if someone were hiding, wouldn’t they choose this place to hide?”
The Demon Supremes exchanged glances.
They understood. Geom Mugeuk was searching here for the one who possessed the Treasure Map.
Earlier, Geom Mugeuk had suggested that someone might have deliberately entered the Cave of Death with the Treasure Map in their hands. It was certain he had some strong suspicion.
Following Geom Mugeuk, they soon arrived at a new sight, one that cleared the suffocating heaviness from Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s chest.
Before their eyes stretched a spectacle shaped by the passage of ages.
The vast space, like a grand plaza, was filled with immense stalactites and stalagmites.
From the ceiling, stalactites hung long and sharp like the fangs of a beast, while from the ground stalagmites thrust upward toward the roof.
Some stalactites and stalagmites nearly touched, as if heaven and earth were meeting at last.
Drip, drip, drip.
The sound of droplets falling from the stalactites shattered the silence and echoed through the chamber.
As Geom Mugeuk silently gazed at the mysterious scene, he began to walk deeper into it.
“This feels like the kind of place where something good might happen.”