801 - I Am This Murim’s Crazy B*tch

Qing's expression twisted at the words of the Langzhong Elder. "These bastards, stealing... food of all things?" "Are these even human?" Qing was especially incensed. To her, this was a deep irritation, a vivid reminder of her bleak past where she had to eat things worse than dirt, among the poorest of the poor. It had been a while, but the Moonlight Sword was about to feast once again. It was unlikely that any expert of the Profound Realm would appear among these ruffians who had nothing better to do than rob the food of the destitute. With the anticipation of slaughter, Qing's eyes turned fierce. "Elder, don't worry. Because today, ah, do you know what day it is today?" "What are you suddenly talking about?" "Today is their anniversary, and every year today is the day of their memorial rites. Dare to steal food from poor patients? They're all dead today." And with that, thump! It was a light rap on Qing from the Langzhong Elder's knuckles. However, it didn't even register as a minor impact to Qing—instead, the recoil made the Langzhong Elder clutch his fist. For Qing, with her transcendent durability, had a skull as hard as ten thousand-year-old iron; to knock on such a head with the hand of an elderly physician was, of course, bound to hurt. "Tsk, why is your head as hard as a rock? You memorize scriptures so easily." "Eh. Oh, ah, right." It was only proper to feign pain when the Elder struck, yet Qing simply rubbed her forehead, showing no sign of discomfort. It was a blatant act, adding yet another wrinkle to the elder’s already lined face. "You cannot behave that way. I made you memorize medical texts to save people, not to speak carelessly of killing, even if it's just words." "Ah." Qing blinked. Of course, she wasn't genuinely surprised. Qing was from a future civilized society, able to indirectly experience countless human archetypes through various story mediums. She had simply realized again. Ah, so this is who he is. 'Do not strike even with a flower'? Non-violence? Life is utterly dignified and precious? If it were any other day, Qing would have spouted her favorite philosophical belief in the innate goodness of humanity. Confucius said all people were inherently good, and if any were not, they were beasts that should rightfully be struck down—a radical claim she would make. But the Langzhong Elder was indeed a true healer, a virtuous sage whose immense good deeds shone brightly. For someone like him, wandering to save the stricken and to speak against killing was not unusual. In fact, it was only natural. enN1WnIzcFhHMVJuR0JvdkNPc013N0g2R0xETDZrQnA0Y003bEVhbGwrWG1yaG13em1McW5zN3lZN1RucmxFbg "Hmm. Elder, those from the Unorthodox Faction don't listen if you try to coax them nicely. They tend to dismiss words, you know." The peculiar pride of the Unorthodox Faction. It's okay to kneel after being beaten. But to yield simply through words? That would simply earn you scorn for giving in without a fight, wouldn't it? "Huh, so? Are you set on shedding blood?" "Well, maybe not that far, but they should be beaten enough? If they act malevolent in the future, they'll think twice. Just turning them into cripples would ensure they won't trouble the folks here after we leave." "Hmm. Yes, that's true. Cripple, huh. The hamstring?" "Yes, the hamstring." A grim exchange between the medically learned. Crippling and hamstring. In Qing's homeland, it's referred to as the cruciate ligament. "Well, in that case." The Langzhong Elder nodded in agreement. He surprisingly assented straightforwardly. In the face of life and death, living even if it means rolling in manure, like the old saying—you should hold onto life unless it's unbearable. "Did you hear that? Let's go. Do you know what today is? It's the day justice is upheld in the martial world. Hahaha, justice is doomed today." At this, Qing's smile widened fiercely, preparing for the imminent ferocity. --- Qing's decisiveness is unparalleled. She acts first, then thinks later. Once something lodges in her mind, she rushes headlong without considering the ramifications, often leaving herself at a disadvantage when complications arise afterward. Someone of this type should never delve into lotteries or investments. But. Entranced by the chance to fight after such a long time, Qing was already riled up and promptly strode toward the Jangyun Haven. "Uh, but where is Jangyun Haven?" "Were you not going there with purpose?" "How would I know? It's my first time in this town. Zhuge, where is Jangyun Haven?" When unsure, ask. Yet asking Zhuge Leehyun was unlikely to yield a comprehensive answer. But isn't Zhuge clever enough to know? And Zhuge Leehyun didn't disappoint. "Miss, it's also my first time here. How would I know where such an unheard-of local faction is? Hmm, let's go this way." Despite claiming ignorance, Zhuge Leehyun took the lead. "What? You said you didn't know?" "Even though I don't know, places chosen by those types are all the same. Such minor factions tend to flaunt with grandeur. They'll probably be along the main road, wouldn't you say?" Despite being an expedition into another sect, the group was remarkably relaxed. But this was expected. Qing was herself a master of the Transformation Realm, capable of single-handedly overturning a small local faction's worth of Unorthodox Faction fighters. Both Peng Daesan and Tang Nanah, and Zhuge Leehyun being direct descendants of the five great noble families, had no fear of such local factions. Moreover, in terms of strength, their group had several in the Transcendent Realm, with one in the Transformation Realm and three in the Transcendent Realm, easily matching the power of any regional sect. Of course, amid all this, Seo Lily and Gyeon Poo Hee had no specific thoughts. They simply followed Qing's lead. Being one of the lower-ranked, but nonetheless a figure of respect, Zhuge Leehyun led the way confidently until they found themselves passing by the high walls of a large estate. They approached the gate with a tiled roof, and the plaque inscribed with grand strokes, boldly declaring 'Tai Zhangyun,' loomed large. Qing pounded on the gate forcibly. With each strike of her fist, there was a resounding thud! The noise was almost loud enough to break the gate apart. Yet, there was no response. "Hello! We've come to have a friendly word!" She shouted loudly, but there was no answer. Of course, if there's anyone inside, they would likely pretend not to be there upon hearing that someone came for a "friendly word." However, those who claim to come for a friendly word are usually exceedingly persistent, are they not? Qing placed both palms flat against the gate, leaning in like a bull about to push it open, and then squeeeak— Qing's strength was extraordinary, so the wooden hinges couldn't withstand it, and the gate slowly creaked backward and fell. Bang! The gate crashed down with a tremendous noise. Stepping over the fallen gate, Qing raised her voice. "Hey! What kind of rotten business are you running here! Tell the owner to come out!" Behind her, her companions exchanged glances. She looks positively thrilled. That's what they thought. "Leader, it's them!" "Already? Isn't it too soon?" Zhang Yunpa Sect Leader Cho Sam-il scratched his jaw. Yet, he didn't seem particularly shocked. That's because he was expecting this. Cho Sam-il had received reports that the Langzhong Elder had brought some young martial artists along. These young martial artists followed the Langzhong Elder into a quarantine area where a strange disease was rampant. Naturally, they must be idealistic young kids from the righteous faction who fancied themselves heroes. And surely, the Langzhong Elder had a grievance against them. Young martial artists typically lack wisdom and knowledge of the martial world, acting impulsively on sheer bravado. It was only a matter of time before they would charge in following the old man's orders. But still, wasn't this a bit too quick? Did they run over the moment the old man spoke? "Tch. Those orthodox faction types. They think anything unorthodox is pure evil." "Leader?" "Never mind. I'll see those faces myself." Cho Sam-il stood up. Heading out to the front courtyard, the backs of his disciples were arranged in a long line, making way for him to advance. As he parted the ranks of disciples, young, vigorous martial artists appeared before him. A woman in a veil, a man, and a muscular giant. Three beauties so dazzling they could make one dizzy. And, what's this—a child? It was then. Though her face was hidden, a woman, from whom an immense presence radiated, spoke with a nonchalant tone. "Are you the owner here?" Cho Sam-il felt a surge of irritation. Such impudent words that even an unorthodox faction wouldn't use. Not something one should say to the leader of a sect. Unless, of course, it was a direct provocation to fight. Still, Cho Sam-il suppressed his feelings. From their attire, it was clear these were children of nobility, and to roam the harsh martial world with such beauties would mean they weren’t ordinary youngsters. Moreover, if they felt confident enough to bring a child along, it implied they had both the confidence and skill to back it up. Being openly provoked might actually have the effect of making one retreat. "Ahem, I am Cho Sam-il, the leader of Zhang Yunpa. From where do such distinguished guests hail?" "I am the Earthen Immortal Maiden! Once a carpenter, now an immortal maiden, um? Immortal? No, not an immortal, a medical maiden. Hence, the world knows me as the Earthen Immortal Maiden! You vile creatures dare exploit and plunder those who struggle against illness? And you dare call yourselves humans?" Earthen Immortal Maiden? What was that? It was a nickname never heard before, and frankly, such a moniker likely didn’t exist. Meaning, it was a blatant form of mockery. Any onlooker could see it was a provocation, and this only made Cho Sam-il’s rage settle down. "Ahem. I fear there may be some misunderstandings here." "Misunderstanding, my ass. What kind of misunderstanding?" "My sect is currently closed." "…What." The veiled woman's demeanor visibly relaxed. Upon which, Cho Sam-il spoke with a plaintive tone. "Exploitation and plundering? That too is a misunderstanding. Is it not the standard of the martial world? It is only natural for us to keep the peace and receive due contributions. However, following the Langzhong Elder's remonstration, who asked how we could possibly demand contributions from the pitiable common folk suffering from sickness, I felt deep shame. Thus, we decided to close the sect." "…Really?" "In plain honesty, 'shame' is an excuse; how would it benefit us to antagonize a figure as reputable as the Langzhong Elder? Given that we're an unorthodox faction, being vilified is unavoidable, but to oppose someone recognized throughout Zhongyuan would lead to repercussions we wouldn't want to face. So we closed the sect." Closing the sect would be akin to a business going on a temporary shutdown. With the gates shut tight, the sect members were unable to act under the sect's name. Inside the veil, Qing furrowed her brows. Indeed, the Elder talked about an answer akin to "Fine, we won't do it," followed by stealing in secret. However, he never did find definitive proof of them actually taking protection fees from the diseased. No matter how much the patients were encouraged to speak up, they all denied it, claiming they hadn't been taken advantage of. But if the patients truly weren’t affected, what then? The Elder suspected malnourishment from extorted grain, but even healthy people might appear weak if trapped in a closed area without work all day. So, what now? Qing adjusted from her slouching stance. "Is that truly accurate?" "I swear on the names of my parents." Swearing on one's parents? That, in technical terms, is swearing an oath. This won't do. The Zhuge clan's wicked past doesn't particularly warrant trust. The Elder didn't mistakenly view them that way, and using an oath seemed like a ploy to escape the immediate threat. However, lacking absolute certainty— the intent was to ensure they'd never exploit anyone again by making them pay for it dearly. Given their tainted history and unorthodox nature, and considering the questionable pleasure in testing one’s hand, it's difficult to proceed with action. What if, by any slim chance, they were genuinely wronged? Therefore, Qing decided to back off for now, realizing she needed more than just suspicion—she needed concrete evidence. "Ahem, we'll withdraw for the moment." At this, an annoying smirk appeared on Cho Sam-il's face. "Ah, the Earthen Immortal Maiden, is it? Once a carpenter? Then please fix the gate before you leave."