263 - Murim Login

### Chapter 263 "He is the enemy who killed my most precious friend." With those words, I froze on the spot. Beside me, Jeok Cheon-Gang seemed to have the same thought as I did. 'What did we just hear?' For a moment, it didn’t make sense. The words from the mouth of the unfamiliar young man had my mind in chaos. So, wait... 'He killed Gong Myung-Do? That guy?' Memories deeply ingrained in my mind flashed before my eyes and disappeared. Zong Li-Qiu, who vanished during the duel, and Gong Myung-Do, who was gasping on the brink of death, leaving behind his last four words. 'Zong Li-Qiu, Amcheon, Anonymous, Buljang.' What on earth were all the things I had seen and heard until now? Where and how did it all go wrong? I struggled to grasp a clue while remaining as still as a statue, but before I could think further, a dry voice escaped Jeok Cheon-Gang's lips. "You... killed Gong Myung-Do?" His voice, breaking, was laden with patience, anger, and disbelief. The young man responded with a calm smile and a nod. "That's right. It was much easier than expected. When I said I would set off the Jincheonle in the spectator stands, he came along quietly." "Jincheonle? Did you plant explosives or something?" "Oh, that? It was a lie, of course." "......What?" "Why do people lie? Because sometimes there are fools who believe it." Blood dripped from Jeok Cheon-Gang's clenched fist, held so tightly it seemed like it would shatter. "It wasn't that he was fooled, he allowed himself to be. That's the kind of person Gong Myung-Do was." "He allowed himself to be fooled? Well, maybe. A monk like the head of Shaolin might try to prevent a massacre, it sounds plausible." "Bastard!" "Don't be too harsh. It's not like I planned such a trivial thing from the start. Things went awry in an unexpected place, thanks to...” The youth’s gaze suddenly turned towards me. "Sanseo Hidden Dragon, Jin Tae-Kyung. You played a part too." Just meeting his gaze felt like my body was stiffening. I wasn't sure if it was due to my animosity towards him or the difference in power that made him seem insurmountable. 'Perhaps it's both.' I bit my lip, glaring at the youth. "What nonsense is this?" "Your sudden intrusion in the duel made us move up our plans by a day. The biggest variable was Sungseung Sword, Zong Li-Qiu." "..." Now it was clear. Zong Li-Qiu was neither the real culprit nor an accomplice. "Well, in the end, it was all resolved neatly." The youth grinned and extended a hand. Realizing what he wanted, Hansoo hurriedly produced an item. "The holy artifact of Shaolin, the Jade Furnace Cube." "Ah, yes, this is what..." His slender fingers gently caressed the subtly shining Jade Furnace Cube. But at the next moment, he stared blankly at Hansoo's face. It was because of Hansoo’s wrinkled hand, still not letting go of the Jade Furnace Cube. "You can let go now." Hansoo swallowed and replied. "Blood-master, I have a request." "A request? Go ahead, I'll lend an earnest ear since you've worked hard." A bizarre, if not downright strange scene. An old man who should be at least a grandfather figure was fawning over a youth. And if that old man was the great demon who turned Shaolin into a river of blood, it was even more perplexing. 'Who exactly is this guy?' It's one of the two. Either he has an incredibly high status within Amcheon or he is far older than he appears. Or maybe it's both. Anyway, Hansoo's face brightened upon hearing the young blood-master's response. "Really?" The blood-master clicked his tongue. "Have you been deceived all your life? A reward is natural for a mission accomplished splendidly. But how difficult a request are you making that the senior Yumi ghost is delaying like this?" "It’s not a particularly difficult request." "But difficult to do personally?" "…… Embarrassingly, yes." "Ah, I think I get the gist." The blood-master nodded towards me and Jeok Cheon-Gang. "Kill those two. Isn't that what you're asking? Am I correct?" When Hansoo nodded with murderous intent in his eyes, the blood-master chuckled. "Wow, this is unexpected. You seem more attached than I thought." "We've been together for half a lifetime. This much is necessary to satisfy me." "Loyalty... That's a good thing." "Make sure to kill them as painfully as possible. I'll lend a hand, too." "Will that be enough? Once the righteous faction comes rushing in, it will be troublesome. You'll need to sweat a bit to wrap this up quickly and leave, senior." "Then?" "Senior, you take on the Sanseo Hidden Dragon. I'll handle the Fire King. If we push it, it should be over by one dakyeong." "Me, against that young brat? Hahaha! That's good!" I was flabbergasted by the conversation between the two, who treated my and Jeok Cheon-Gang's lives like items in their pockets, and at the same time, a chill ran down my spine. 'Those words... they're serious.' One dakyeong. He asserted that he could kill the Fire King Jeok Cheon-Gang in the span of a short tea break. The rigid expression on Jeok Cheon-Gang’s face was proof that the youth's words weren't mere bluster. - If things don't look good, run. The whisper instantly reached my ears, and I barely shook my head. A fierce battle was already taking place above, so we couldn't rely on aid from Shaolin. If I withdrew, Jeok Cheon-Gang would inevitably be swamped by the concentrated onslaught from two supreme experts. 'Enduring here until the end is the best option.' Jeok Cheon-Gang knows this too. Yet he says so... because he's a warmer and more concerned person than others might think. 'This time, we're in real danger.' Licking my dry lips, I tightened my grip on the Baekyeom. Seeing my stance, Hansoo sneered. "Pathetic fool. Do you think that will change anything? Your accomplishments are commendable, but they are not enough to handle this old man, even if you were to die and come back to life." "Screw you." I spat ostentatiously. "In this time here, I might just take a nap and you'd wake up to find yourself dead by my hand." "What nonsense is that?" "Don't believe me? Give it a try." "This damn youngling dares!" ### Chapter 263 It's truly unfortunate. If we weren't in the middle of a battle, the time inside while logged out would either flow slowly or stop entirely, allowing infinite time to escape this crisis. But right now, these thoughts are nothing more than personal greed. It was time to face reality, not fantasy. "I'll freeze you alive." Step. Step. Crunch. Now I understood why that damned old man was called the Eum-Gwi (陰鬼), the Shadow Ghost. With each step he took, the ground froze, and frost settled on the branches. "What a terrifying Yin Cold Qi... But still..." Jeok Cheon-Gang positioned himself to block my way. "Someone like you won't dare lay a finger on my disciple." With a blinding blaze! If Hansoo's Yin Cold Qi was an iceberg, then Jeok Cheon-Gang's Fiery Yang Qi was the sun. Given that Hansoo's martial abilities were said to be on par with Yeomho, who was earlier killed, Jeok Cheon-Gang's victory seemed all but assured. Still, Hansoo showed a relaxed expression. He knew a tiger stood behind him. "I'll need the blood-master to step in." "Ah, of course. It's time to get started." The blood-master, holding the Jade Furnace Cube as if it were a treasure, moved—or rather, vanished. In the next moment... Slice! Thud! A chilling sound resonated as a round object rolled to a stop at my feet. White, venerable hair and a gentle demeanor. A faintly arrogant smile still clung to its mouth. "......!" "......!" Jeok Cheon-Gang and I widened our eyes in disbelief at the same time. The infamous great demon and supreme master Eum-Gwi, Hansoo, had been decapitated in a single stroke. Contrary to our shock, the blood-master, the mastermind behind it all, remained unfazed. "That wretched old man. That's why you shouldn't take in those with no roots." Clicking his tongue, he casually nudged Hansoo's now headless body. Splat. Blood spurted from the fallen body like an old tree, soaking the ground. "If it's a sword, act like one. Flow wherever the wielder decides to swing you." Smash! Crush! Crack! With each power-infused kick, flesh was torn and bones shattered. After repeatedly stomping on the lifeless body, the blood-master swept his hair back. "Some people just don't know their place. Don't know their level or their boundary. Sanseo Hidden Dragon, don't you agree?" ...Me? What should I say? After hesitating, I answered frankly. "No. You just seem like a crazy bastard." The blood-master stared blankly at me for a moment before a smile crept over his lips. "You're a bold young one." "And you seem a bit nuts for someone so young." "Thanks for thinking I'm young. I'm older than I look." "Doesn't seem like much." "Trust me, I've lived at least twice as long as your entire life." I sized him up and down with a skeptical gaze. His height was similar to mine, with an incredibly balanced physique. His face barely looked older than someone in their early twenties. This couldn't simply be attributed to youthful looks. But then again, the martial world is a place where anything can happen. "Why, too surprised by my age?" I shook my head. "No. If what you say is true, I was thinking what a disgraceful old fool you are." "Hahaha!" The blood-master burst into laughter, his mannerisms playful to the point of frivolity. That’s why he seemed all the more dangerous. Even as he leaned forward in laughter, no opening was visible. Jeok Cheon-Gang, who had been glaring at the laughing blood-master, suddenly spoke. "You'll regret this." "Regret?" The blood-master stopped laughing and frowned. "Why would I regret?" "If you wanted everything wrapped up neatly, you shouldn’t have killed Eum-Gwi." "He was a rusting blade past his usefulness, so disposing of him was only natural." "If such a supreme master is but a rusted sword, what does that make me?" The blood-master stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Fire King, you're worthy of praise. Had the war between the orthodox and the unorthodox factions lasted another year, the Three Stars might have grown to Four Stars." "So my blade hasn't dulled just yet." "For someone of your level, calling you a treasured sword wouldn't be an overstatement." "What if that treasured sword were to pierce your heart?" "Hmm... I'm tougher than I look. That might not even draw blood." "When Gong Myung-Do died, I vowed to the heavens." Jeok Cheon-Gang's eyes darkened as he looked at the smiling blood-master. "Even if the beast is more of a demon than a person, I'd see this revenge through the end." "That's touching, really." Weapons appeared in the blood-master's hand as his laughter ceased. "But it looks like today marks the end of the Yeolhwa Clan." Still watching the blood-master intently, Jeok Cheon-Gang asked me a question. "What do you think of his words?" "It's like his mouth needs surgery to stop spewing bullshit." The blood-master’s smile faded. "…You're a funny one after all." Step. Moving towards Jeok Cheon-Gang and me, he spoke again. "But when’s that little mouse over there going to stop hiding?" Suddenly, a suspicious figure emerged, scratching the back of his head and calling out. "Savior, I'm sorry. I’ve never been more scared in my life…" I had never been happier to see Cheongpung.