Chapter 802: Don’t Get It Mixed Up with Salt!
The Dark Palace Master stood in the middle of the room.
Around him lay the corpses of the Five Great Scholars.
They had collapsed where they sat, lifeless. Blood had streamed from their noses and mouths as if their internal energy had been pushed far beyond its limits.
Earlier, the five men had formed hand seals and traced strange patterns and characters in the air. Each time they did so, letters had appeared on the floor beneath the Dark Palace Master, glowing with a dim light.
Now those symbols were no longer on the floor.
They had transferred onto him.
His body, arms, and even his face were covered in countless incomprehensible characters.
The aura he emitted now was far stronger than the one Gaye had felt when he appeared as an illusion earlier.
His eyes gleamed with an indescribable excitement and confidence.
“We finally meet, Young Cult Leader.”
Gaye’s eyes trembled.
He succeeded…
The grand technique with the Five Great Scholars…
The Dark Palace Master had never told her what that technique was.
Which meant only one thing.
It was something extremely dangerous.
Something extraordinary.
She glanced at Geom Mugeuk beside her.
No matter how strong you are… can you really defeat that man?
Geom Mugeuk, however, looked completely relaxed.
“You even locked the door,” he said casually.
“How did someone this timid ever dream of conquering the martial world?”
The Dark Palace Master chuckled.
“You forced me into a corner. How could I not be afraid?”
Surprisingly, he was just as relaxed.
Geom Mugeuk’s gaze moved to the corpses.
“How many people must die for the sake of that old body of yours?”
“The path toward a great cause is paved with corpses.”
“Funny,” Geom Mugeuk said.
“The people who talk about sacrifice are rarely the ones who sacrifice themselves.”
“They died willingly,” the Dark Palace Master replied calmly.
“They left behind noble words and embraced death with joyful hearts.”
Geom Mugeuk stared closely at the strange characters covering the man’s face.
“That’s not what it says here.”
He tilted his head.
“It says: It’s unfair! It’s resentful! The Dark Palace Master is trash who used us and threw us away!”
The dark aura swirling around the Dark Palace Master twisted violently.
He was agitated.
Remaining calm in front of Geom Mugeuk was never easy.
Geom Mugeuk turned to Gaye.
“Now then.”
“Say everything you couldn’t say before.”
When she first entered the room, she had planned exactly that.
The moment she saw the Dark Palace Master,
You wicked man who defied heaven!
She had intended to shout.
But now that she stood before him…
The words would not come.
The Dark Palace Master spoke gently.
“Do not misunderstand.”
“I kept the door closed because I knew the Young Cult Leader would not kill you.”
“Then why open it now?”
“As you can see,” he replied calmly.
“The grand technique has just been completed.”
The very fact that she had asked meant her resolve was wavering.
“Black Elder did not try to save me.”
The Dark Palace Master answered immediately.
“Was he not a man who only cared about himself?”
Because it was not entirely wrong,
Gaye could not refute him.
“Do not let yourself be swayed by the Young Cult Leader.”
“You know what kind of tongue he possesses.”
Naturally, Gaye looked toward Geom Mugeuk.
He spoke calmly.
“Do you know why you want to believe him?”
Gaye froze.
“Because right now…”
“You want comfort more than truth.”
Her heart sank.
It was true.
His words had comforted her.
Maybe he didn’t abandon me.
Instead of criticizing her, Geom Mugeuk spoke gently.
“When people grow tired, that happens.”
“Even walking your own path is exhausting.”
“Walking someone else’s path is even more tiring.”
He did not try to persuade her further.
“If you believe him, you may go to his side.”
Gaye hesitated.
She could not determine who was telling the truth.
The Dark Palace Master extended his hand toward her.
“Come.”
The moment she saw that hand,
She realized something.
“From the time I was a child until now…”
“You have never once reached out your hand to me.”
The Dark Palace Master’s fingers twitched.
Gaye had watched him her entire life.
Yet she had never truly known him.
Still,
She knew the dark smoke that always surrounded him.
It reacted to his emotions like a living creature.
Now the smoke churned violently.
Greedy.
Impatient.
Hungry.
Come quickly.
Come.
I will swallow you whole.
It was the gaze of a predator.
At that moment, Gaye understood.
Between these two men,
Which one had truly deceived her.
And how long she had been manipulated.
“Do you understand now,” Geom Mugeuk said quietly,
“why the Priestess Palace should have led them?”
Anger rose within her.
The Dark Palace Master had already ruled when she was a child.
Even the former Priestess Palace Master, who placed her there, had not dared oppose him.
“I had no power.”
“You had the greatest power of all.”
“What do you mean?”
“Was heaven not behind you?”
Gaye fell silent.
“You possessed the greatest power.”
“You simply never realized it.”
“And there was no one beside you to tell you.”
She realized Geom Mugeuk was right.
Instead of claiming she was powerless,
She should have tried to change something.
If someone like Geom Mugeuk had been beside her…
Would things have been different?
“Three hundred years ago,” Geom Mugeuk continued,
“The Heavenly Will Palace was destroyed because its master ignored the Priestess’s prophecy.”
The Priestess had predicted the arrival of Heavenly Will.
The Palace Master had denied it.
“You speak as if you witnessed it yourself,” the Dark Palace Master said.
Geom Mugeuk smiled.
His calm eyes were deep.
For the first time, the Dark Palace Master felt something cold run down his spine.
Geom Mugeuk turned to Gaye.
“Now say what you wish to say.”
“If you miss this chance…”
“You will regret it forever.”
“There will be no next time.”
Gaye spoke calmly.
“The way you have lived your entire life… was wrong.”
It was the first time she had ever criticized him.
“You.”
“And I, who failed to stop you.”
“We will both pay the price.”
Tears flowed down her cheeks.
Her entire life had been spent assisting him.
Whenever she felt something was wrong,
She had ignored it.
Geom Mugeuk asked gently,
“Has your anger eased?”
She lowered her head silently.
“You did well,” he said.
“When you look back later, you will be glad you spoke today.”
Later…
Would she even live another hour?
“Why are you being kind to me?” she asked.
“I used you to open the door.”
“And I still need the answer to my earlier question.”
Even such blunt honesty did not offend her.
The Dark Palace Master spoke again.
“Young Cult Leader… truly impressive.”
“To change someone in such a short time.”
Geom Mugeuk shook his head.
“It isn’t me.”
“It is the Priestess who is remarkable.”
He looked at Gaye.
“The ship called the Priestess Palace has been sitting in the harbor all this time.”
“You are its captain.”
“You simply forgot its purpose.”
“It is not too late.”
“Set sail.”
He meant,
Live as the true master of the Priestess Palace.
“Has heaven abandoned me?” she asked quietly.
“I believe you have never properly looked at the sky.”
“Only after sailing into the sea will you see it.”
“There may be storms.”
“There may be lightning.”
“But go anyway.”
“Do not die by my hand.”
“Nor by his.”
“If you must die…”
“Die upon that sea.”
Emotion surged through Gaye’s chest.
Even if she lived only one more day,
She wanted to live as the true Priestess Palace Master.
Now she finally understood why Ak Gunhak and Cha Iran followed this man.
At last, she answered his earlier question.
“The six powers are called the Six-Origin Energies.”
The Dark Palace Master watched silently.
“Why do you need them?” Geom Mugeuk asked.
“Because only that power can control him.”
Geom Mugeuk flinched.
He had assumed those energies were meant to empower Hwa Moogi.
Control him?
Just what kind of martial art had Hwa Moogi cultivated?
Finally the Dark Palace Master spoke.
“The world he will rule will be completely different.”
“What is considered evil will become good.”
“What is considered good will become evil.”
“The weak will be mocked and slaughtered.”
“The strong will be worshiped.”
“And those who kill the most…”
“…will be revered.”
“A martial world like the primordial age.”
Darkness poured from his body.
“Young Cult Leader.”
“If only you die…”
“A new martial world will be born.”
---
After the Poison King finished speaking, silence filled the room.
Geom Woojin looked at him quietly.
The Poison King lowered his head.
Then Geom Woojin spoke.
“Bring a bottle of liquor.”
“Yes.”
Fist Demon King brought it upstairs.
Geom Woojin placed a cup before the Poison King.
“Here.”
The Poison King filled his cup.
“Now pour mine.”
The Poison King did so with trembling hands.
“Let us drink.”
Geom Woojin drank first.
The Poison King followed.
Then Geom Woojin waved his hand.
“That will do.”
“Go rest.”
The Poison King bowed and returned to his seat, staring silently out the window.
Fist Demon King thought:
You said the Young Cult Leader is the most frightening…
But I think you are the most frightening.
Downstairs, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader whispered to the Sword King.
“You escaped well.”
If not,
He might have had to fight them.
And he had no desire to fight those monsters.
The Sword King continued wiping the table.
“About that inn you mentioned earlier,” he said calmly.
“Give it a name.”
---
The Heavenly Killing Star did not come.
They remained at the Flowing Wind Tavern.
They cooked.
They joked.
They waited.
Days passed.
Then one day,
Geom Woojin rolled up his sleeves.
“I will cook today.”
Everyone froze.
The Heavenly Demon…
Cooking?
The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader quickly protested.
“I wouldn’t dare eat food cooked by the Cult Leader!”
Fist Demon King stopped him.
“Let him cook.”
Poison King suddenly stood.
“I will assist.”
Geom Woojin nodded.
“Peel the onions.”
“Yes.”
The Poison King peeled onions.
His eyes watered.
The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader laughed.
“Don’t get confused and mix the salt with the powder from your poison pouch!”
Geom Woojin smiled faintly.
But then,
His smile vanished.
His gaze turned toward the tavern entrance.
The others felt it too.
Someone was approaching.
Moments later,
A man entered.
Lightly dressed.
Calm.
It was Baek Jagang, leader of the Unorthodox Alliance.
He had arrived before the Heavenly Killing Star.
Silence filled the tavern.
Geom Woojin leaned out of the kitchen, still holding a kitchen knife.
“Have you eaten?”