Chapter 801: Even If the Heavenly Killing Star Comes, One Must Still Eat
Gaye felt refreshed inside.
Geom Mugeuk had said the very words to the Dark Palace Master that she herself had long wanted to say.
If she were honest with herself, she wanted to ask him to keep going—until the Dark Palace Master opened that door, stepped outside, lowered his head, and apologized.
“Do not endure everything just because you are a Priestess.”
The problem was that the intention behind such sweet words from Geom Mugeuk was painfully obvious.
“No matter what you say, I will not take your side.”
She deliberately sighed.
“And you saw it, didn’t you? Even when you tried to kill me, the Palace Master did not open the door. I have no value to you.”
Yet despite her words, she still trusted the Dark Palace Master.
The reason he had not opened the door was probably because he knew Geom Mugeuk would not truly kill her.
“I know how good you are at beguiling people, so stop wasting your breath.”
Geom Mugeuk smiled and nodded.
“That’s true. With that charming skill of mine, I turned the two most impressive people among you into my allies.”
He suddenly looked nostalgic.
“Ah, I wonder what Brother Ak is doing right now? I hope he’s not being bullied in the cult while I’m gone. Brother Ak, endure bravely!”
Gaye stared at him.
He was talking like this now?
At a moment like this?
The more she listened, the less she could understand this Young Cult Leader.
But Geom Mugeuk had mentioned them for a reason.
“If Brother Ak or Miss Cha were in your position, I would have opened that door and stepped outside.”
Gaye bit her lip.
“It’s useless to try to drive a wedge between us. No matter how much you provoke him, that door will not open.”
But Geom Mugeuk’s words were sharp.
“Earlier the Dark Palace Master showed himself before me twice.”
“Both times as illusions.”
“But you?”
“You were simply sent outside.”
“You could have been killed by me or by the Demon Supremes.”
Gaye felt suffocated.
Even knowing clearly that he was trying to sow discord, the words still hurt.
She had already experienced Black Elder failing to protect her.
That memory made it worse.
“When we first met, you said someone like me would never receive a prophecy.”
“That was because you acted shamelessly.”
“At the very least, I expected you to apologize once to the Sky Flower Pavilion Mistress.”
“That you had no choice but to summon her. That you were sorry.”
“Is a single word like that really so important?”
“That one word can change everything.”
“If you miss the moment to say it, you might regret it for the rest of your life.”
Gaye had never thought like that.
“She had already been summoned. What meaning would an apology have?”
“So it wasn’t that you didn’t apologize because it had no meaning.”
Geom Mugeuk looked straight at her.
“You simply never even thought of apologizing.”
She froze.
“Be honest. Hearing this now, didn’t you think—maybe I should have?”
“If that’s the case, then it means the Dark Palace Master raised you that way.”
“You said I was good at manipulating people?”
“You should say that to the Dark Palace Master first.”
She could not refute him.
Geom Mugeuk continued mercilessly.
“You did not become the Priestess of the Priestess Palace.”
“You became the Dark Palace Master’s maid.”
“That is probably why the prophecy descended upon the Sky Flower Pavilion Mistress after she left the palace.”
“Shut up!”
Gaye exploded.
Truth was like a blade.
It could protect.
But it could also wound.
For Gaye—
It wounded deeply.
“Yes, even now I have no intention of apologizing!”
“And even if I die, I will not take your side!”
Geom Mugeuk said something unexpected.
“I’m not doing this to make you my ally.”
“Then why are you doing this?”
“Why did you pretend to be friendly with me?”
Geom Mugeuk turned his gaze toward the door again.
“I’m simply using you to open that door.”
“You’re the key.”
He said it so casually that Gaye was stunned.
But she was also curious.
How?
“If I ask you just one question, that door will open.”
The question came immediately.
“The six powers inside that orb—how are they used?”
Gaye flinched.
Her reaction alone revealed that she knew.
Geom Mugeuk continued calmly.
“I could also ask about the master of the Heavenly Killing Star.”
“What kind of person he is.”
“What abilities he possesses.”
“Where he is now.”
“What he intends to do.”
“If you answer that question, I will spare you.”
Gaye remained silent.
“The best revenge against the Dark Palace Master who abandoned you would be telling me the truth.”
At that moment—
Srrrk.
The dark barrier surrounding the door vanished.
The door opened.
“See?” Geom Mugeuk said.
“You were the key.”
Gaye’s face hardened.
The Dark Palace Master had opened the door out of fear she might reveal the secret.
But she had never intended to speak.
Even if tortured.
Even if her fingers were cut off.
Yet the door had opened before any of that.
So this is how he sees me.
The Dark Palace Master did not trust her.
Her emotions exploded.
“The door’s open now, right?!”
“So I have no value anymore!”
“Then kill me!”
“Kill me!”
“And the two of you fight until you both die from your wounds!”
“I’ll be watching to see which of you arrives in hell first!”
Being abandoned made her miserable.
Abandoned by the heavens.
Abandoned by the Dark Palace Master.
And now worthless even to Geom Mugeuk.
Geom Mugeuk looked at her calmly.
He did not rush toward the door.
Even though it might close again.
If it were her, she would have killed the hostage and rushed inside immediately.
But Geom Mugeuk simply looked at her.
“After shouting like that, do you feel a little better?”
Her strength suddenly drained away.
After provoking her like that—
This was what he said?
“Just looking at your face makes my insides feel like they’ll burst.”
“Then stop looking and leave.”
Gaye blinked.
“You’re letting me live?”
“Isn’t the life of a Priestess determined by heaven—not by men?”
Geom Mugeuk turned toward the door.
As if he truly intended to spare her.
From behind him Gaye shouted,
“Tell me the real reason you’re sparing me!”
Geom Mugeuk recalled the Priestess Palace Master from three hundred years ago.
The one who had delivered a prophecy to him.
Did you foresee your palace would become like this?
“Think of it as your ancestors helping you.”
With those incomprehensible words, he walked toward the door.
Gaye did not leave.
She hurried after him.
“My anger isn’t gone yet.”
Geom Mugeuk nodded.
“The Priestess Palace should have been like this long ago.”
And so—
The two of them entered the room where the Dark Palace Master waited.
---
They remained standing in the streets of Maga Village until sunset.
“We don’t know when the Heavenly Killing Star will arrive.”
The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader spoke.
“So let’s wait comfortably inside the tavern.”
“There’s no point wasting energy standing outside before the battle even begins.”
Geom Woojin accepted immediately.
Indeed, the Heavenly Killing Star might appear today.
Tomorrow.
A month later.
Or never.
Yet Geom Woojin had ignited his demonic flames and come here because of one thing—
His son.
With Geom Mugeuk’s expulsion from the cult, he felt fate had begun to move.
They entered the Flowing Wind Tavern.
Jo Chunbae had hurriedly emptied the place.
But the interior remained messy.
“This place needs cleaning.”
Heavenly Wind Cult Leader grinned.
“Who’s the youngest here?”
“The youngest should clean.”
Everyone smiled faintly.
He glanced naturally toward Poison King.
But someone stepped forward.
“I am the youngest.”
It was Sword King.
“You?”
“I’m two years younger than Poison King.”
Heavenly Wind Cult Leader laughed.
“I would’ve believed you were his son.”
Sword King paused.
“If we follow that logic…”
He decided not to finish that sentence.
“Then you’d be the Cult Leader’s grandson.”
“But how do you know our ages?”
“I know everyone’s age here.”
A reminder—
He had once been their enemy.
“I’ll clean here. Please go upstairs.”
“Even if the Heavenly Killing Star comes…”
“One must still eat.”
They could not let the Cult Leader wait downstairs.
Fist Demon King and Poison King escorted Geom Woojin upstairs.
Heavenly Wind Cult Leader stayed downstairs with Sword King.
The second floor was clean.
Geom Woojin sat in Geom Mugeuk’s usual seat.
Fist Demon King sat across from him.
Poison King deliberately chose a separate table.
The Cult Leader disliked poison arts.
“Are you uncomfortable?” Fist Demon King asked.
“No.”
“I actually enjoy this atmosphere.”
It had been a long time since Geom Woojin felt the tension before a battle.
No one knew this side of him.
Freed from authority—
The Cult Leader loved battle.
Downstairs, Heavenly Wind Cult Leader called out:
“You would’ve made a good waiter!”
Sword King continued wiping tables calmly.
“That wiping skill isn’t ordinary!”
With his worn clothes, loose hair, and bare feet—
Without the sword—
He truly looked like an old waiter.
“I once considered opening an inn.”
“That suits you perfectly!”
Heavenly Wind Cult Leader clapped.
“An inn where anyone who starts a fight must wager their life!”
“We’ll advertise it as the safest inn in the martial world!”
“What should we name it?”
He talked excitedly.
Then his stomach growled.
“Maybe I talked too much. I’m already hungry.”
“How many meals does the Young Cult Leader eat per day?”
“I’ll look for something simple.”
“Would you?”
At that moment—
Fist Demon King came downstairs.
“I will cook.”
Sword King and Heavenly Wind Cult Leader stared.
Those massive hands…
Cooking?
The kitchen knife looked like a toy in his grip.
It was a strange sight.
Sword King wiped tables.
Fist Demon King chopped vegetables.
Heavenly Wind Cult Leader watched.
If someone painted the scene, the title would be:
Waiting for the Heavenly Killing Star
A painting no one would believe.
Upstairs—
Only Geom Woojin and Poison King remained.
Geom Woojin spoke first.
“Your poison pouch is different today.”
Poison King looked up.
“It is a pouch for war.”
“This war is not yours.”
Poison King lowered his head.
“You must fight the war of protecting Mugeuk.”
Poison King looked up in shock.
“You assume defeat?”
Fist Demon King stopped chopping.
Sword King stopped wiping.
Heavenly Wind Cult Leader turned his head upstairs.
“How will you protect Mugeuk if someone appears whom even I cannot defeat?”
Geom Woojin asked calmly.
After a moment—
Poison King answered.
“I will protect him with a threat.”
“What kind?”
“If he kills the Young Cult Leader…”
“I will poison the entire world.”
“So that he possesses nothing.”
“The martial world he claims will become a wasteland.”
Silence fell.
Everyone knew—
He could actually do it.
But Poison King continued.
“That will not happen.”
He did not believe the Young Cult Leader existed to counter the Heavenly Killing Star.
“That would diminish him.”
“Then why was Mugeuk born?”
Geom Woojin asked.
Poison King answered quietly.
“I believe he was born…”
“…to balance you.”
Shock filled the room.
“I fear you more than the Heavenly Killing Star.”
“And because of that…”
“I fear the Young Cult Leader most of all.”