Chronicles of the Mad Demon - Chapter 123
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 123. The Match in the Light, the Hunt in the Shadows (2)
The next day.
Today, when the final match of the first round of the main tournament was taking place, there seemed to be an unusually large crowd.
“The Heartless Blade Woo Gong and the Wolf Fang Sword Song Geum…”
Hwang Ha Seong stroked his beard as he spoke.
“Both are exactly twenty-four this year. It seems both have learned secret transmissions from individual masters.”
“…”
“They certainly show a rough spirit different from the bloodlines of prestigious families. These two have probably experienced the most real combat among all the late-stage experts participating in this tournament.”
Indeed, both Woo Gong and Song Geum’s faces bore many small scars.
Woo Gong left his sect at nineteen, Song Geum at twenty to embark on martial journeys, and in the process they were known to have eliminated countless villains.
Woo Gong was from Hubei and Song Geum was from Anhui.
“We should be able to see quite a high-level match. With so much real combat experience, they won’t create overly dangerous situations either… Hmm?”
“…”
“Ho Geom Jin In.”
“Hmm? Ah, did you call me?”
“You seem particularly absent-minded today. Are you feeling unwell somewhere?”
Ho Geom Jin In smiled awkwardly.
“I didn’t sleep well.”
“Oh my, you, Jin In?”
“I suppose I was worried about the match. There was even a death.”
Bitterness also appeared on Hwang Ha Seong’s face.
“I too have an uncomfortable relationship with that young master, but… it was truly frustrating. I couldn’t offer comfort carelessly, but I couldn’t just ignore it either.”
Hwang Ha Seong was the owner of Hwang Shi Geum Sang, a person called the best in Hubei in the clothing industry.
He was also the person who invested the most money in this tournament after Gold Flower Trading Company, and despite being a merchant owner, he was also the possessor of such great martial arts that he was recognized as a supreme master.
Though he couldn’t compare to Gold Flower Trading Company in scale, he was a renowned figure of Hubei with unrivaled fame in one domain and also famous for his good deeds and righteousness.
Then, the match began.
“We begin.”
It was as Hwang Ha Seong had said.
Woo Gong and Song Geum engaged in a neck-and-neck match. It was spectacular and fierce.
At least on the surface, it could be called the most passionate and well-matched bout in this main tournament.
The spectators cheered and some were anxious. They worried there might be a fatal accident.
But the masters watching them could tell. Though it was certainly fierce, they were definitely helping each other avoid decisive strikes.
It was an ideal sparring match. A mature duel where they sought to prove their real combat-forged skills to their opponent and to everyone.
Hwang Ha Seong admired it purely.
“Song Geum’s oddly-shaped sword, jagged like canine teeth, is certainly dangerous. However, given its form, its durability probably isn’t good, yet he’s managing the blade well even while clashing with Woo Gong’s heavy sword.”
“Indeed.”
“Though not as much as the secret transmissions of Wudang martial arts, he’s deflecting his opponent’s force well. I expected him to use rough martial arts, but to think he’d show such flexible swordsmanship.”
Then, Jeong Gal Ryun, who had been silent until now, spoke up.
“I made a mistake too.”
“Hmm? A mistake?”
“I thought I lived distinguishing between public and private matters well and understanding people well, but looking back, I realized I judged many people based only on their appearance.”
“Haha, I’m ashamed. It seems I was the same way.”
“In this world, there are many villains who act like good people, and there are also people who look like villains but have actually accumulated more good deeds than anyone.”
A small puzzlement appeared on Hwang Ha Seong’s face. Though it was good advice, it wasn’t something to bring up in this situation. Moreover, wasn’t he someone who didn’t talk much?
Jeong Gal Ryun glanced at Ho Geom Jin In and asked.
“How do the Taoist priests of Wudang determine whether someone is a hypocrite or not?”
This was also a sudden question.
Ho Geom Jin In answered calmly.
“Wouldn’t it differ from person to person? Not all Taoist priests have clear eyes.”
“Then, when you learn that hypocrite has committed vicious acts, how do you punish them?”
“The word ‘punish’ is a bit much. We should probably persuade them to admit their crimes themselves.”
“Even if the opponent is a Taoist priest from the same sect?”
Hwang Ha Seong was inwardly flustered.
‘Why is Great Hero Jeong Gal suddenly acting like this?’
He didn’t know the reason, but it sounded quite aggressive.
Ho Geom Jin In nodded as if there was no problem at all.
“Of course we would. Rather, if they’re from the same school, we should apply even stricter standards.”
“That’s truly befitting of the Wudang Sect.”
Jeong Gal Ryun looked around at the spectators near the duel stage and said.
“Our main family should learn from that aspect. What meaning is there in boasting about being a prestigious family? It’s precisely those people who have allowed us to be in this position.”
Those who receive the evaluation of being extraordinary can appear special thanks to countless ordinary people.
Therefore, extraordinary people must treat everyone with courtesy. They should be grateful to everything in this world that made their special selves possible.
That was the very foundation of chivalry.
Hwang Ha Seong nodded and said.
“Great Hero Jeong Gal’s words are correct. We too would just go bankrupt if those people didn’t buy our clothes.”
“That’s right. Therefore…”
Jeong Gal Ryun’s eyes sharpened.
“If we can’t protect them but instead look down on them and exploit them, we must sternly hold them accountable and punish them.”
He could have used much softer and gentler expressions. Yet he brought up the terrifying word ‘punish’ several times.
Hwang Ha Seong asked carefully.
“Great Hero, has some incident occurred recently?”
“Incidents always occur.”
“What I mean is, I wonder if there was an incident serious enough to make you this sharp, Great Hero.”
Clang! Clang clang!
The heavy sword began to press the jagged oddly-shaped sword.
The sight of pushing back soft and sharp swordsmanship with heavy force looked like weighty justice steadily advancing even before rough and fierce violence.
“Does Merchant Owner Hwang know about the incident that occurred in the nearby wild mountains recently?”
“Wild mountains?”
“It seems you didn’t know. I heard that beasts were horribly slaughtered in the nearby wild mountains.”
“Beasts?”
“Mainly wild boars and deer, they say, found as corpses too horrible to describe. As if…”
Jeong Gal Ryun’s eyes turned toward Ho Geom Jin In again.
“Like the work of a demon.”
Hwang Ha Seong was shocked.
“A, a demon?!”
“Just in case, I had some trustworthy people investigate. But it seems they really discovered a demon.”
Unlike the duel stage and spectator seats, the atmosphere between them sank frighteningly.
“Is this true, Great Hero?”
“It is.”
“Then, why didn’t you tell us about it earlier? The appearance of a demon is no ordinary matter.”
“I didn’t share the information in case of that one-in-ten-thousand possibility.”
He might not have noticed if he wasn’t paying attention, but being a merchant, Hwang Ha Seong’s intuition was exceptionally sharp.
His face hardened like wood.
“Do you think there’s a possibility that one of us is in league with the demon?”
“Don’t they say to test even a stone bridge before crossing?”
“Great Hero, even so…”
Hwang Ha Seong instinctively looked around.
There were only three people in this place. Many renowned figures hadn’t attended today’s match because it wasn’t a duel between prestigious family bloodlines.
Should this be considered fortunate?
“How could that be?”
“Why are you so certain, Merchant Hwang?”
“That is…!”
“Just as you shouldn’t judge people by their appearance alone, even those who seem well-regarded on the surface may be doing unspeakable things in secret.”
Though flustered, Hwang Ha Seong inwardly nodded.
‘So that’s why.’
He thought he understood why Jeong Gal Ryun had used words like ‘execution.’
“The fact that you’re telling us this now means…”
“We caught the Ma In.”
Hwang Ha Seong unconsciously swallowed.
The world was vast and martial arts were numerous. There were people who openly claimed to practice demonic arts, and among them were many masters not to be underestimated.
However, this current situation seemed to be caused not by a simple Ma In who practiced demonic arts, but by a true Ma In with a twisted mind.
And Jeong Gal Ryun said they had caught that Ma In.
“Great Hero, could that Ma In possibly be…?”
That’s when it happened.
Thud!
The heavy sword struck the ground, and the powerful shockwave sent Song Geum falling below the duel stage.
He had wounds here and there, but none were fatal.
In fact, Woo Gong had more injuries, but the defeat belonged to Song Geum.
“Heartless Blade Woo Gong wins!”
Waaaah!
The audience rose as one and applauded.
Congratulations for the victor, consolation for the defeated, and praise for both men who had shown a magnificent fight continued in succession.
Woo Gong silently descended from the duel stage and extended his hand to Song Geum, who sighed and took that hand.
The victor showed consideration and the defeated silently acknowledged it.
The crowd’s cheers grew even louder at the admirable attitude of both men, as impressive as the match itself.
Jeong Gal Ryun stood up.
“I need some time to organize my thoughts separately. I’ll be taking my leave now.”
“Great Hero?!”
Jeong Gal Ryun coldly left his seat.
Hwang Ha Seong became even more flustered, and Ho Geom Jin In silently applauded before standing up.
A moment later.
“Great Hero Jeong Gal.”
Jeong Gal Ryun, who had been walking ahead, stopped in his tracks.
It wasn’t an alley, but behind the spectator seats where hardly anyone passed by.
Ho Geom Jin In spoke in a subdued voice.
“Let’s have a brief chat with this old man.”
“I heard you came looking for me yesterday.”
“…That’s right.”
“I happened to be meeting with someone, so I couldn’t see you.”
“I heard.”
Jeong Gal Ryun asked while still keeping his back turned.
“If it’s about the Ma In, I’ll tell you about it later.”
“It’s not that.”
“It seems you have something else to say to me.”
“That’s right. Let’s move to a different location first.”
“How strange.”
“What do you mean?”
“Could there be something more urgent than the appearance of a Ma In for the leader of the Nine Sects, the symbol of righteousness?”
Ho Geom Jin In’s face hardened completely.
‘Damn it.’
There was no choice. He had to push forward now.
“It’s that urgent.”
“I’ll listen.”
Meaning he wouldn’t move locations.
Ho Geom Jin In gritted his teeth and spoke.
“Young Geom has gone missing.”
“I know.”
“Wh-what?!”
He was as shocked as when Kang Won Gong’s name came from Moyong Bi’s mouth.
Jeong Gal Ryun slowly turned around.
Ho Geom Jin In’s face rapidly stiffened.
The eyes of Jeong Gal Ryun looking at him were filled with disgust and anger.
“To be precise, it’s not missing but divine punishment, isn’t it?”
“…Great Hero.”
“Shall I guess why Jin In came looking for me yesterday?”
His gaze was intense but his voice was calm.
That stark contrast made him seem even more frightening.
“You need to capture and kill or imprison someone. You need to drag out the person who caught Yeong Geom Jin In immediately, under any charge whatsoever.”
“G-Great Hero?!”
“Do you want to hide the Mu Dang Faction’s original sin? If you buy a few days, you could bury the crimes committed by the Mu Dang Faction back under the surface, so every moment was precious, wasn’t it?”
Then, Moyong Bi walked out from the shadowed area behind the spectator seats.
Ho Geom Jin In’s face turned pale.
Jeong Gal Ryun spoke coldly.
“When I sent people to investigate at dawn today, I found that forces from Tae Ryun Sword Sect, Mu Dang’s affiliated family, were approaching this place. You found people to serve as your hands and feet quite quickly.”
“Great Hero! Listen to what I have to say!”
“Of course I should listen.”
An ominous energy wave rose from Jeong Gal Ryun’s body.
“After escorting you to the Martial Alliance Investigation Room.”
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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