257 - Murim Login

Chapter 257 Rumble. In the distance, a faint roaring sound reached the ears, causing the ground to tremble slightly. The ordinary civilians, oblivious to martial arts, merely tilted their heads in confusion and continued on their way. However, Cheonmyeon Hori Songho was different. 'This is...' Agents from the Eunyounggak, who were covertly following Songho, transmitted messages. - Seven hundred Zhang to the north. - Something seems to have happened at the martial arts arena. - Awaiting your command. Songho hesitated. From his countless past experiences, he had a hunch that this thunderous noise was the aftermath of martial arts prowess. And not just any... 'A supreme martial master?' There are barely thirty such beings in the entire world, even when scouring the earth. The shockwave he felt now unmistakably pointed to a clash between supreme martial masters. This was no ordinary event. Could Sangseong Geomjong Lee Chu be causing mischief again? 'But preparations have surely been made.' He had meticulously scoured around the Murim Alliance with no stone left unturned. Checks were thorough to prevent any unforeseen situations, considering even the possibility of smuggling and installing explosives. Even when a tiger loses its fangs, it remains a tiger. Though not as formidable as in the past, Eunyounggak's intelligence was sufficient to control Hunan Province. 'And we still have three of the Ten Kings.' Moreover, the hosts from Gupa Ilbang and the Five Great Families were present, along with the elite sect members they brought along. It was not an exaggeration to say that a microcosm of the current world martial arts was there. 'I'm getting old. Have I been worrying too much?' All these uncertainties were due to entities whose identities had yet to be revealed. Songho vividly remembered his conversation a year ago with Beopwang Gyeongdo, who had visited him. 'Dark clouds are veiling the sky.' 'You mean the dark clouds from the Tianshan?' 'I do not know where it comes from or when it will arrive. Only the two characters "Amcheon" emerge.' 'Amcheon...' 'Help us. Your strength is needed.' Time has flown since the Great Demon War, with five shifts of the landscape. The fox, who had retreated to obscurity, returned to the world and was now becoming acutely aware of the passing years. With a shallow sigh, Cheonmyeon Hori Songho parted his lips. - Inform the sect leader that I shall come after completing my duties. An agent of Eunyounggak, who joined slightly later, responded. - Beopwang Gyeongdo left the place after the master went out. - The sect leader left? - Yes. Songho pondered briefly before shaking his head. He wasn't sure what was happening, but he trusted Gyeongdo's judgment. Gyeongdo likely felt the same. - One agent to the martial arts arena. The others standby here. Report immediately if anything happens. - As you command. - The rest, follow me. Block every nook and cranny upon arrival. - Understood. Whoosh! The dark silhouettes scattered through alleyways. While running across endlessly lined rooftops, Songho's mind was filled with reports he had received some time ago. 'We've found the target in hiding.' Crack! Channeling his skills in qinggong, he amplified his pace. Accordingly, the pain escalated. Boom! White Flame's transparent spear blade clashed with rusty sword steel. One swift exchange. A thunderous sound as if the sky was splitting, followed by a fierce gust of wind engulfing my entire body. Whoooosh! A whirlwind spiraled around us, obscuring other people's view. Amidst the swirling dust, through the crossing formidable weapons, I saw Jongri Chu's face staring back with round eyes. “Heh, impressive. Didn't expect to be pushed back.” Whoosh. His words confirmed that his form had already retreated several steps. It was clear he couldn't withstand my inhuman strength, which was far beyond ordinary limits. Yet... 'Who is this bastard?' If Jongri Chu was surprised, I was utterly shocked. I had dedicated a year to training relentlessly with a weight exceeding a thousand geun (Korean unit of weight). My martial arts and even my stats were incomparable to my past. 'But he withstood this?' That strike should have not only dominated but utterly overwhelmed him. Yet, Jongri Chu merely retreated a few steps after receiving such a blow. Even that rusty sword with blotches of rust hadn't shattered. 'What on earth is this guy's true form?' A single drop of cold sweat trickled down my neck. A playful smile formed on Jongri Chu’s lips. “Si Liang Ba Qian Jin (Four taels to move a thousand catties). It's not about blunt force; you must read the flow.” "......!" Creak! His sword wrapped around my spear's blade, altering its trajectory. The more force I applied to my grip, the more it felt like sinking into a swamp. Jongri Chu’s sword was like a horse, and my spear was the cart. The cart inevitably moved according to the horse's direction. The transparent spear blade of White Flame, crafted from tenacious steel, was driven into the ground as Jongri Chu extended his palm. Bang! Compressed air exploded in front of my chest, fogging my vision. I barely managed to stabilize my form as it attempted to be hurled backward. Gripping the spear shaft deeply embedded in the ground, I spun gracefully to near his neck. A surge of blue flame enveloped my right foot, charged with a gapja of energy. 'Firewheel Kick (Hwalyun Gak).' The searing flames struck Jongri Chu's nape. Boom! He was pushed back, lowering his elbow. His charred sleeve disintegrated into ash. “Pity. I liked this garment.” Crack. Like a third-rate thug, he cracked his neck side to side, grinning wickedly. “But truly, you are astonishing. I find myself liking you more and more. Now then..." Swoosh! With a sound akin to sharp wind, his figure vanished. His low voice echoed near my ear. “Let’s begin for real.” Whoom. The wind stilled. For once, my senses outpaced my body. His punch landed on the arms I managed to cross just in time. It was a blow with an immense force, unlike any before. Boom! The impact shattered the air with a bomb-like clamor despite being a mere clash of flesh. Even though I barely braced myself with the Qianjin Hammer method (Thousand Jin Hammer), my back nearly touched the ground. Crack. Even the exceptional sinews and bones, hailed as the Celestial Martial Body, offered little succor this time. I gritted my teeth against the jarring pain coursing through my spine. 'This bastard...' Thunk. With my left hand, I struck the ground, launching myself forward at twice the speed I had fallen, facing Jongri Chu, who was now grinning at me. I roared fiercely. “You haven't even seen my real strength yet!” Flames spread from my outstretched palm like a dragon, rushing toward him. An intense heatwave surged alongside a fiery blaze. It was the martial art that once pushed me to the brink of death. The flame god palm (Hwayeom Sinjang) clashed with his outstretched fist. Boom! The deafening sound made my ears ring, and the ground shook violently. I was thrown backward, clutching White Flame, and as I quickly got back on my feet, I saw Jongri Chu standing unperturbed amid the charred battlefield, enveloped in a cloud of dust. “Not a wise choice. As you can see, raw power is my forte.” I glared at Jongri Chu, who was calmly smiling, then suddenly coughed up dark blood. The color indicated internal injury. 'Damn it.' He was a supreme martial master, a person who had reached Banbak Gweejin. As I expected to some extent, he was stronger than I had imagined. Even though he mastered demonic martial arts, it was suspicious how he possessed such power at his age. “What exactly are you, really?” I asked, wiping the blood from my sleeve, and Jongri Chu let out a dry laugh. “That's what I'd like to ask. I never thought I'd encounter a monster like you in my lifetime.” “This bastard, now he's mocking.” “I'm sincere.” “Sincerity? If I'm a monster, then what are you?” “I am... just somewhat special.” As I gazed at Jongri Chu with his subtle smile, I spat bloody sputum to the ground. The internal injuries made my insides burn. “Is this some kind of legendary demonic art?” “When people encounter something beyond common understanding, they tend to label it as 'demonic.' It’s hard for them to accept it as it is.” “Yeah, it's really hard. So what demonic art have you mastered?” “There's no point in continuing this dialogue.” Jongri Chu raised his sword, pointing it at me. A transparent energy, as if from a mountain stream, flowed forth from him, forming a shape. Sword force (Gangkang?). Reserved only for those who have stepped into the grand domain of the supreme. Chuchuchuchuchu! Just watching it sent chills down my spine. My palms grew damp from Jongri Chu’s emerging aura, and my lips grew parched. 'This... is dangerous.' I took a deep breath. I've faced death countless times; the memories of each incident had faded. The important thing is that I've survived every time, and it will be no different now. I’ve followed the King of Fire, endured grueling training that seemed impossible. 'A nap is just half an hour every day. The rest is training!' Damn old man. Suddenly, before intense training, I recalled Jeokcheon River’s words and chuckled to myself. 'Half an hour, huh.' The time allowed was barely fifteen minutes. Without the system's ability to quickly restore my body, it would have been difficult to endure those days. Even as the sleep time decreased, the weight of my iron ball increased. Despite the tough conditions, I punched, kicked, and wielded my spear. “That was a masterstroke.” ''Hmm?'' “Our master was right, sleep is a luxury for a warrior. And...” Status window, open. With a murmur in my heart, a hologram filled my vision. Over the past year, the numbers and titles detailed in the status window had changed significantly. However, at this moment, only one thing mattered to me. - Remaining Points: 500 “Repeat quests are a jackpot.” Constant training translated into repeatable quests. Adding to that, the points gained from leveling up. The consistent effort for a year now paid off in a substantial sum. “That's why saving is important.” “What does that mean?” I raised Baiyan, grinning at Jongri Chu, who tilted his head, puzzled. “It means things are about to get tough.” Simultaneously, countless system commands resonated within my mind. Strength, agility, stamina. Muscles and tendons. Everything advanced, new power coalesced, interlinked, permeated. In a world that slowed endlessly, I took a step. Swoosh. Not a sound was heard. As I stepped forward, I was before Jongri Chu. The fiery dragon divinity spear (Hwaryong Shinchang), having reached the realm of the Seven Stars, danced along the spear blade, scorching the air and sound. Papatapatapat! The spear blade turned into light, raining down on Jongri Chu's entire body. Simultaneously, his sword, enveloped in transparent sword force, moved. Boom! In an instant, time split, and split again, exchanging dozens of blows. I glimpsed Jongri Chu’s eyes widen in astonishment. The thunderous roars continued, mounting. It seemed as if this would be the sound if the sky were to crack. Swaeang! Swoosh swoosh! When the spear and sword parted, a fist and a palm met. Every evasive step he took led to another waiting attack. Crack smash! With each punch and kick, massive craters formed, ravaging the surroundings. The typically indestructible arena now bore web-like cracks and pits. Yet, the most astounding thing was Jongri Chu. “Incredible! Simply incredible!” As he continued the assault, his eyes shone with delight. Even at full power, his movements grew swifter, stronger. 'What kind of man is this...!' My shaken mind confused my hands and feet. The unfocused state led to a mistake. Thud thud thud! “Urgh!” My vision whitened, overwhelmed with extraordinary pain. Jongri Chu, watching me stagger back, wore a face full of admiration. “Sanseo Dormant Dragon, Jin Taegyeong. Remember this clearly. You are truly..." At that moment, Jongri Chu’s expression hardened. As if drawn by something, his eyes fixed intently somewhere, and then he suddenly sprang from the ground. Boom! It was a flash. I stood there in astonishment, watching his disappearing form in mid-air, and then I gathered myself and shouted. “Where do you think you’re going! You bastard!”