Translator: FenrirTL
Editor/Quality Checker: Saphartlantis
Murim Term Consultant: Kopke
========================
Chapter 320: That’s What My Undercurrent Said
It felt unfamiliar.
The disciple speaking of Unifying the Martial World before him now felt like a completely different person.
He was the disciple the former Heavenly Wind Cult Leader had entrusted the position of Cult Leader to—believing he would protect the Heavenly Wind Cult better than anyone else.
He had even gone as far as to recheck whether the boy had fallen under the Soul Reaping Art. But no, So Baekta was under no such technique.
What if it was a type of Soul Reaping Art he didn’t know of? But if such a technique truly existed, the one who wielded it would already be ruling the martial world.
Taking the first step toward Unifying the Martial World? You mad bastard! Do you even know what kind of path that is, before you speak?
He suppressed the urge to shout and forced himself to treat him as a Cult Leader.
“What do you mean?”
It was a joke, Master.—That was what Jeong Dae had hoped to hear. Yes, let’s just laugh it off.
But So Baekta responded calmly, without even a hint of a smile on his face.
“We must first unify the Wilderness’s martial world.”
The Heavenly Wind Cult wasn’t the only sect in the Wilderness. It might not be as vast as the Central Plains, but this place too had many factions competing for dominance.
In the Wilderness, the Heavenly Wind Cult held the same status as the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult did in the Central Plains. Naturally, there were powers on par with the Martial Alliance or the Unorthodox Alliance here.
“You don’t mean to start a war, do you?”
“It’s not as if we can make them submit without bloodshed.”
Then So Baekta took it a step further.
“Help me, Master. If you help, we’ll be able to unify the Wilderness more easily. Please—for the sake of this Cult.”
At last, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader’s fury exploded.
“Silence! You wretched fool!”
A cold qi burst forth from the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader’s body like a storm.
Fwwwoooosh!
But So Baekta showed no change in expression, as if he had already expected such a reaction from his master the moment he brought it up. He didn’t even flinch.
“It’s a delusional dream!”
“And why is it delusional? Why is it a foolish dream for a martial artist to dream of unifying the martial world?”
“Do you not know how many lives will be lost in such a war? Thousands—no, tens of thousands will die!”
Though Jeong Dae’s voice rose, So Baekta’s tone only sank deeper.
“Since when did you ever care about people’s lives, Master?” 1
“!”
The previous Cult Leader’s expression froze over. His disciple had crossed the line. No—he had already stepped across the line the moment he spoke of taking the first step.
“Why is that dream allowed only to the Demon Cult, to the Martial Alliance, or the Unorthodox Alliance? Are we not allowed to dream? The words I heard most growing up—from you, from the seniors—were all about entering the Central Plains. If this is how you truly felt, then why did you all say those things back then?”
He demanded like that—asking with such force—that Jeong Dae was left speechless.
At that moment, the former Heavenly Wind Cult Leader was reminded of a certain arrogant and clever someone—someone who kept elders up at night. If he were here, he’d have said something sharp enough to slap this fool back to his senses. And yet, all he could offer was this:
“You’re not in your right mind.”
Like a madman, So Baekta actually walked up to the Thunder Bell—and struck it.
Deng! Deeeeng! 2
The sound of the Thunder Bell rang out through the Cult Leader’s Hall. It felt like a declaration. As if it were saying: A new era has begun. So this was how he’d come to hear the sound he had once longed for.
Jeong Dae found the entire scene unreal.
He half-expected people to suddenly rush out from behind the curtain shouting, ‘Surprise welcome party for the Cult Leader’s return!’ 3
Of course, no such thing happened. So Baekta's gaze was more serious than it had ever been since they’d met again.
“Did you leave the Cult in your right mind, Master?”
Yes, just as the boy said—he hadn’t been in his right mind then. He did feel guilt over that. But if anything, that guilt was toward the Heavenly Wind Cult itself—not So Baekta. He wasn’t about to hear that kind of rebuke from someone who inherited everything from him.
“Even if everyone else says that, shouldn’t you be the one not to?”
“No. Even if no one else can, I can.”
Deeeeng!
The Thunder Bell rang again.
The demonic face carved into it looked as though it were laughing at him, mocking him. The former Heavenly Wind Cult Leader clenched his fist. His rage was fully boiled now—just one spark away from spilling over.
Then, Geom Mugeuk’s words echoed deeply in his heart.
―The answer doesn’t lie with the Cult Leader.
Ah… He was worked up again. Once more, unable to see things clearly. Once again, fighting with his own heart.
As the sound of the bell faded, Jeong Dae forced himself to calm down too.
“Fine. Alright—I’ll accept that dream of yours. But you! You haven’t even mastered the Heaven-Shattering Demon Aura yet—what business do you have dreaming of unifying the martial world?”
If he had at least reached the peak of illusion arts, maybe there would be some weight to it. That kind of power had its own allure.
But for So Baekta to reach full mastery of the Heaven-Shattering Demon Aura, it would likely take another ten years at minimum.
So Baekta calmly ran his hand over the Thunder Bell as he replied.
“In a martial arts tournament, martial skill is everything. But to unify the martial world—something else is more important.” 4
“What else?”
So Baekta didn’t answer. He simply walked toward his master.
“Now that you’ve seen the Thunder Bell, let’s return. The elders must be waiting for you.”
He placed his internal energy into the mechanism on the back of the Wind Spirit Throne, and the walls began to descend in front of the sacred artifacts.
A wall descended in front of the Thunder Bell too. As it vanished behind the partition, the demonic face on the bell seemed to say:
You’re obsolete. You’re not fit for the young anymore. When the rear waves of the Yangtze press forward—the front waves must be swept away.
Fortunately, Jeong Dae managed to push away the negative thoughts.
Demonic face, you rear wave bastard—he’s the kind of rear wave who never shuts up about that. He keeps telling me not to fight these lonely battles in my heart. Can you hear me, you bastard? That’s what my rear wave is always telling me!
The former Heavenly Wind Cult Leader calmed the storm raging in his chest and looked at So Baekta again. Alright, I’ll only see you as you are now.
In the gaze directed at him, he saw a powerful determination. This brat—he means it.
“You must’ve known I’d try to stop you. Why’d you tell me anyway?”
He expected something like ‘You lost the right to stop me when you left the Cult’. But So Baekta gave a reason he hadn't anticipated at all.
“No, I didn’t know. How could I possibly know what Master is thinking? You might even have agreed to help. Maybe you’re tired of just looking after the Young Cult Leader. Helping me with my dream would make things several times easier—so of course I had to tell you. Come on, let’s go.”
So Baekta stepped forward first.
Just a short while ago, he had been thinking this:
Who could’ve turned that calm disciple into this?
But now, watching that confident figure walking ahead, he wasn’t so sure anymore. Maybe So Baekta had always been like this—and he had simply never seen it.
Perhaps this was the price he was now paying for never once asking his disciple what his dream was.
* * *
The first thing Jeong Dae said upon returning to the guest hall was:
“I really don’t know.”
He told both Geom Mugeuk and Ma Bul everything he had discussed with his disciple at the Cult Leader’s Hall.
Oddly, his emotions flared up even more than they had during the conversation itself. He had tried to control himself in front of his disciple, but now everything burst out.
After hearing the full story, both Geom Mugeuk and the Demonic Buddha were visibly shocked. Neither had expected the new Heavenly Wind Cult Leader to be undertaking something like that.
“I wanted to handle it like you would, but it just didn’t work. I feel like I got completely overwhelmed.”
The previous Cult Leader didn’t bother with pride in front of Geom Mugeuk. Nor did he hold anything back in front of Ma Bul—proof that sharing the sandstorm with them had been worthwhile.
“From now on, don’t tell me to be patient! Don’t tell me to look closely either! I’m going to yell however I want, get mad however I want, and think whatever I want! Ugh—I should’ve slapped that lunatic upside the head the moment he opened his mouth!”
The Demonic Buddha nodded as if to say ‘Yes, that sounds more like you’.
Geom Mugeuk smiled as he looked at his master. He was thankful that the man was trying to take his words to heart. You’ve done well, Cult Leader. Since Hwan Wang is behind this, we must tread carefully—and even more carefully.
“If he’s revealed the plan to you, it means it’s already more or less ready to go.”
The fact that something just as serious as uncovering where Hwan Wang was hiding had now occurred. The Heavenly Wind Cult being drawn into a war was something even Geom Mugeuk absolutely did not wish for.
Still, one natural question arose.
“If the one behind the scenes influenced this decision… what could they possibly gain by pushing the Wilderness into war?”
The former Heavenly Wind Cult Leader, having been too focused on his disciple, hadn’t thought that far ahead.
“What would be the reason?”
“That’s what we need to figure out from now on.”
What was it that Hwan Wang wanted?
If his goal was to seize control of the Heavenly Wind Cult, he wouldn’t have guided things in a direction that incited war.
So what on earth had transpired between Hwan Wang and So Baekta?
In the timeline before the regression, the Heavenly Wind Cult had never started a war in the Wilderness. But now that people had changed—and so had events.
Geom Mugeuk asked Jeong Dae,
“Do you regret it? Putting that person in the position of Cult Leader?”
The word ‘Of course’ almost came out—but got caught in his throat. Was he really regretting it? If so, why couldn’t he say it straight?
Geom Mugeuk rephrased the question.
“If you could go back—would you choose someone else?”
After a moment’s thought, the former Heavenly Wind Cult Leader answered,
“Even if I went back, I’d still choose him.”
No matter how he looked at it, back then So Baekta had been the best choice. It’s just… if he could go back, he’d ask him about his dream first. And before that foolish dream could take root, he’d carefully plant a different one. 5
Even if someone kept poking at the dark greed hiding deep in his heart, he’d raise him to be a disciple who could say, ‘Why’re you poking around, bastard? Get lost’.
“Then that’s enough. What matters now is correcting your disciple—while you still can.”
“How?”
“That answer has to come from you, Cult Leader. This is the Heavenly Wind Cult and your disciple. So—what are you going to do?”
Jeong Dae stood up and said,
“There’s someone I need to meet first.”
They didn’t want to draw attention, so Ma Bul and the guards were left behind. The two of them slipped out of the guest hall discreetly.
* * *
The place Geom Mugeuk and the former Heavenly Wind Cult Leader arrived at was the home of Seongya, who had once been the Head Elder among the Six Great Elders.
Back in his days as Cult Leader, Seongya had been the one he cherished most.
“He’s not someone who would break a promise to me.”
The previous Cult Leader still trusted him. 6
His house stood isolated in the middle of a desolate plain swept by sandstorms. Though it felt barren, there was also something dignified about the atmosphere.
Plus, it was in a wide open area—making it easy to spot anyone approaching.
The front gate was open.
“Elder Seong.”
Jeong Dae called from the yard, but no one came out.
After exchanging glances, Geom Mugeuk and the former Heavenly Wind Cult Leader entered the house together.
It was completely empty.
“Judging by the amount of dust, it looks like this place has been empty for quite some time.”
At Geom Mugeuk’s words, a flicker of worry crossed the previous Cult Leader’s face.
Given the circumstances, Seongya’s absence felt especially ominous.
The two of them examined the interior. Everything was tidy and in order. Just by the way the house had been arranged, they could see what kind of person he was.
“Did he have any family?”
“He’s always lived alone.”
“Who was the person he was closest to?”
After a brief moment of thought, Jeong Dae let out a sigh.
He didn’t know who Seongya had been closest with. And yet he called him the person he cherished most. He’d lived a life only caring about how others treated him.
“I really don’t know what I was thinking all this time.”
“Don’t blame yourself too much. We’re all like that.”
“You’re different, aren’t you?”
I was the same. No—I was worse.
“But I’m the Young Cult Leader, aren’t I?”
“And I was the Cult Leader!”
“Cult Leader!”
“What?”
“No, look at this.”
Geom Mugeuk had discovered something.
Next to the desk was a piece of burned paper.
“This place is cleaned up so meticulously, yet this ash was left untouched. He must’ve read whatever this was, then ran out in a hurry.”
Unfortunately, only a charred corner of the paper remained. The contents were unreadable.
As the former Heavenly Wind Cult Leader carefully examined the burnt piece with his hand, he said something shocking.
“Can you restore this?”
“No.”
“I can.”
That made Geom Mugeuk jump in surprise.
“There’s an illusion art that can do that? You’ve got to teach me that!”
“There’s no such illusion art.”
Jeong Dae rose to his feet, left the remaining ash behind, and walked out of the house.
Following him, Geom Mugeuk asked,
“I thought you said you were going to restore it?”
“I am going to restore it.”
“Shouldn’t we take the ash with us?”
“That paper is secret paper—treated with a special chemical. When exposed to heat, the real contents appear.” 7
“How did you know that?”
Then came the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader’s astonishing answer.
“Because I’m the one who chose it.”
“Is that the secret paper used by the Heavenly Wind Cult?”
“No.”
Then how would the Cult Leader know?
But—he said he chose it? What did he mean by that?
“Gowol used to nag me endlessly about picking something cheap but good quality. Said he was saving me money.”
At those words, Geom Mugeuk understood.
The answer was already there—in the fact that he picked it, and that he could restore it.
“It’s the secret paper used by Hidden Moon.”
1 : Since he was brought to a bigger world, and started to truly look at people. Since he started being happy basically. And you ? Are you truly happy now ? Is it even your own dream or did someone else whisper it to you ?
2 : That’s a massive disrespect. Not only towards his Master, but towards his own cult. That’s his divine artifact !!! It’s like using the Heavenly Demon Sword to cut potatoes !!! Or putting your coffee cup on the Mona Lisa !!!
3 : That would have been nice. And a good prank not gonna lie.
4 : Cruelty ? A just cause ? A hidden weapon of mass destruction ? All those answers are technically correct, though I much prefer the second one.
5 : “An idea is like a virus. Resilient. Highly contagious. And even the smallest seed of an idea can grow. It can grow to define or destroy you.” (Inception)
6 : Well he’s either dead or he was Hwang Wang.
7 : Invisible ink ? Lemon juice can work too ^^