190 - Murim Login

Chapter 190 Crash! Baek Mu-seong's body shot up as if propelled by a spring. The chair he had been seated on moments ago clattered noisily to the floor, but he paid no attention to it, just as everyone else in the room did. “What is this?” “What the heck!” “W-what just happened?” It was supposed to be over. Jin Tae-kyung had displayed skills that far surpassed their expectations, yet in the end, Cheol-woo's mastery and weaponry seemed invincible. A spearman who lost his spear and a fighter at their peak. The outcome appeared clear. At least, it did until just now. “What on earth just happened?” “I...” In response to Lee So-wol's question, Baek Mu-seong's lips twitched. Despite finding it difficult to believe, he had momentarily lost track of Jin Tae-kyung's movements. All he caught was a faint glimpse of something. 'It was like being bewitched by a ghost.' What transpired was indeed extraordinary. After a moment of silence, Baek Mu-seong spoke. The voice that flowed out carried a tinge of embarrassment. “I don’t know.” Another wave of murmurs spread through the crowd. Among them, Eun-hyang, who perhaps knew Baek Mu-seong better than anyone, opened her eyes wide in surprise. “Brother, I mean Senior Brother.” “It’s true. Don’t say another word.” He had entered the esteemed Hwasan Sect at the age of five, had become a disciple under the celestial sword Jin In, and was renowned as the greatest talent of Hwasan. Though he was still young at just thirty, his standing was on par with that of the elders. 'The greatest talent of Hwasan… even a passing dog would laugh at that.' With a bitter smile, Baek Mu-seong turned his head. His gaze landed on someone smiling brightly. Ten years ago, with just a single encounter, Baek Mu-seong realized the fact that the true greatest talent of Hwasan was not himself. “Cheongpung Master.” “Yes, speak, Master.” Cheongpung, without even turning his head, replied. His eyes, fixed on the grand martial arena, were shining with interest. “Please tell me. How did he move?” Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Cheongpung’s mouth opened. “He was fast.” Everyone let out a sigh. “Fast” — they weren’t looking for such a simple and straightforward answer. Baek Mu-seong spoke in a frustrated voice. “That’s not what I was asking.” “I know. But that’s really all there was to it.” “What do you mean?” “He has only mastered a single stepping technique and spear technique. They are crude yet practical martial arts, but amongst them, none could be called a godly skill.” Cheongpung smiled broadly. “He was just faster. Much faster than Cheol-woo.” Baek Mu-seong was at a loss for words. Jin Tae-kyung did not possess any divine techniques nor extraordinary power. To him, Jin Tae-kyung was just a talented late bloomer from a remote martial family. 'How is such a thing possible?' Human physique has its limits. Martial artists surpass these limits through martial arts and power. Yet Cheongpung insisted that Jin Tae-kyung had surpassed these limits without any special martial arts. Instinctively, Baek Mu-seong expressed strong denial. “That’s impossible.” Cheongpung shook his head. “It is possible. For him.” "......!" “In just two days, he had grasped enough of the Bokho Fist technique to counterattack. If Cheol-woo knew that, he would have tried a different method.” “The Bokho Fist in just two days?” Bokho Fist is undoubtedly an advanced martial art. Its power is intimidating, and its techniques are meticulously detailed, befitting a form that subdues tigers. Even the talented disciples of the Hwasan Sect take an entire year to merely learn its forms and techniques. Yet he did it in just two days. 'No wonder my junior lost.' Baek Mu-seong's eyelids trembled slightly. He finally understood why the young master before him sought to remain by Jin Tae-kyung’s side. 'Another monster is among us.' Jin Tae-kyung, the hidden dragon of Shanxi. He truly was a hidden dragon. Though now overshadowed in a remote land, it wouldn't be long before he would unfurl his wings and soar into the sky. 'I was too arrogant.' Baek Mu-seong clenched his fist tightly. Though his nails dug into his flesh, the shame far outweighed the pain. Had he been conceited because of the name Hwasan Sect? Even before the duel commenced, the winner and loser had already been decided in his mind. 'I've always told my disciples to remain humble but failed to do so myself.' It was a day filled with reflection. With a quiet sigh, Baek Mu-seong offered a respectful greeting to Jin Wi-gyeong. “Jin Grandmaster. I apologize for the earlier rudeness.” “Oh, no.” Jin Wi-gyeong’s face was stiff as he received the apology. Baek Mu-seong knew he cherished his two juniors like treasures. To belittle Jin Tae-kyung in front of him was naturally infuriating. With respectful words, Baek Mu-seong continued. “Both my disciples and I learned a valuable lesson. Now that the outcome is clear, I think we can conclude this duel.” “That seems best.” With a heavy face, Jin Wi-gyeong nodded and stood up. A mumble barely audible escaped his lips. "Wow, he actually won." Even Jin Wi-gyeong hadn’t believed he’d win. The grand martial stage was silent, as if doused with cold water. Not only the commoners but also the martial artists looked as if they had seen a ghost. Though unseen, even Cheol-woo would bear a similar countenance. The one who had been standing like a statue asked with a trembling voice. “How, how?” “Skillfully.” “Could it be using Yi Xing Huan Wei?” “This form is a bit fast. Surprised?” “To evade the Bokho Fist so effortlessly…” “You’ll need to train hard when you return. My movements are far slower than your master’s.” It was true. Cheol-woo’s Bokho Fist was notably slower and more exaggerated compared to Cheongpung’s. There was no reason not to dodge when the sequences were so obvious, especially with an agility stat exceeding 300. “Destructive power matters when strikes are fast and precise. Understand?” “How dare you lecture me.” “Dare? Lecture? You still don’t grasp the situation?” Smirking, I poked Cheol-woo’s nape with my steel flute. As its sharp edge sank into his flesh, his large frame quivered. Ah, amusing indeed. "Don't worry, the infamous serial lover of the Hwasan Sect has been dealt with by the infamous Dan So Assassin of the Taiyuan Jin family!" "You bastard!" "Ah ah, don't move. I don't want any bloodshed." "You, the moment you come down, you're dead." "Well, now that the duel is over, you can look for the next opportunity." I noticed Jin Wi-gyeong getting up from his seat at that moment. Knowing Cheol-woo, he wouldn't surrender easily, so it seemed like he planned to end the match here. Soon after, Jin Wi-gyeong's voice, imbued with energy, filled the grand martial arena. "You both fought well!" “Wooaaah!” The crowd, finally coming to their senses, responded with a roar. Witnessing a duel between top martial artists up close was a rare sight even for those with money. "Alright, that's it. Well done." The quest turned out to be easier than anticipated. As I lifted the steel flute from Cheol-woo’s neck with a fresh smile, suddenly— Grab! A massive hand, wide as a pot lid, clamped down on my wrist. "What?" "It's not over yet!" I momentarily forgot what kind of guy Cheol-woo is—a fool blinded by love, someone whose heart began beating after lying dormant for twenty-five years, and a person needing Lee So-wol's permission to do anything. In short, a madman. Or synonymously, a stubborn fool. 'No way someone like him would give up so easily.' If nothing else, the man is born with divine strength. Even Cheongpung would have to acknowledge him here. Cheol-woo confidently declared, “Once someone’s in my grip, that’s it for them.” Granted, I was careless, but this guy's manner is downright terrible. Ah, you poor fool in love. I sighed deeply. “Stop it, Cheowoo.” “Is that your last words?” “No. Just a wise saying.” “You keep talking nonsense whenever you can. Give up on her and I might let this slide.” “Did I ever mention?” “What?” “I got proposed to by her.” “You lousy bastard!” Screams erupted among the crowd. It was because Cheol-woo, his veins bulging with rage, was attempting to slam me to the ground with tremendous force. However, it was just an attempt. “What... what the?” “Hnnnnngh!” His face, flushed red, turned white, then a faint purple. Despite the great force pulling at my wrist, I didn't budge an inch. “Wow, great strength.” With the bonus effects of the [Gambler] title temporarily active and newly allocated points, the power within me far surpassed human limits. Not even someone with Cheol-woo’s enormous size and natural divine power could "With this, I'm easily pushing a strength stat over 200.” “How can this be!” “Kid.” Caught in Cheol-woo's astonished eyes was my smirk. “My strength alone exceeds 300. Even before allocating points, I was stronger than you.” Technique? If it doesn’t hit, that’s it. Strength, speed—I outmatched him in every way. Even without any points distributed, I would have been the final victor. The reason for my point allocation was simple. "For a guy like you, I had to stomp you properly so you wouldn’t act up again.” “You damned...!” In a flash, I punched straight at his temple. His muscular body staggered, then collapsed. Thud! At the same time, a long-awaited sound chimed. Ding. - Quest Completed [There’s a man who loves you too much] - Successfully completed! - Received a massive amount of experience as a quest reward! - Gained a significant amount of fame as a quest reward! - Level up! - Level up! "Ah, thank you for the meal." After a brief silence, a tremendous cheer swept over the martial arena. About two hundred jang away from the martial arena, at the gates of the Taiyuan Jin family, a lower-level martial artist, ears perked at the echoing cheers, spoke excitedly. “Did you hear that?” “Yeah, I heard.” “They say the Third Young Master defeated Paehwa-kwon!” “Indeed.” “...Why the lack of reaction? That’s Paehwa-kwon we’re talking about, the Plum Blossom Trio of Hwasan!” “I know, you fool.” “The Third Young Master beat Paehwa-kwon, aren’t you surprised?” “Nope, not at all.” Taiyuan Jin family’s gatekeeper, Hyuk Mujin, yawned lazily as he spoke. “I’ve seen every kind of spectacle following him around. Defeating Paehwa-kwon is the least he should do to be my lord.” “Wow! You’ve already lined up for him?” “Lined up? No way.” Hyuk Mujin chuckled. “One day, the lord told me: ‘Hey, Hyuk Moo-in. Be my right hand. Without you...’” The lower-level martial artist interrupted with a curious look. “Wait a minute. Are we talking about the same Third Young Master?” “Did you just interrupt me?” “Leader, that’s not it.” “Damn, do you know him better than I do?” “No.” “You little...! I’ve been through life and death with him, shared meals, everything.” “...Alright, continue your story.” “That’s how you should have reacted from the start. Anyway, back to that time...” Just as a slightly mellowed Hyuk Mujin was about to continue— “Rather noisy for just a gathering.” “They’ve probably let anyone and everyone in, feeling cheerful.” "Tsk tsk." Voices seeped through the thin darkness that had quietly fallen. Hyuk Mujin clicked his tongue and asked the lower-level martial artist. “Weren’t all the esteemed guests on the list supposed to be here?” “Yes, anyone expected today has arrived.” “Then who might these extra folks be?” “Probably just people who came after hearing the rumors.” “Well, recheck the list first.” Hyuk Mujin grumbled inwardly while straightening his leaning posture. Then he called out towards the four approaching figures. “Stop! Hyuk Mujin, the gatekeeper of the Taiyuan Jin family, demands to know your identity and purpose!” An elderly voice responded. “Old Tiger Swordsman.” “Old Tiger Swordsman, huh. Which sect?” “Chungnam Sect.” “So from Chungnam Sect. Please come closer so I can confirm your identities…” Hyuk Mujin paused, the pen ceasing its motion across the wooden tablet inscribed with ‘Chungnam Sect.’ Raising his head slowly, he spotted an elderly figure, gaunt and wiry, accompanied by three disdainfully glaring middle-aged martial artists. "Ch-Chungnam Sect?" The elderly figure leading the group fixed Hyuk Mujin with a blazing gaze. "Take me to Jin Tae-kyung and Cheongpung immediately."