I Shouldn't Have Joined the Martial Arts Alliance - Chapter 104

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Wandering Foolishly into the Murim Alliance — Episode 104
Before stepping into the Cheolgang Guest House, Sa U-rin had spoken.
Something felt off.
The Cheolgang Guest House was a day’s journey from the Murim Alliance. Of course, for martial artists it was closer, but still.
Even so, it wasn’t particularly near the Murim Alliance.
Even accounting for the approaching Azure Dragon Murim Tournament, while it made sense that guest houses and inns near the Murim Alliance would be packed with visitors, the fact that the Cheolgang Guest House was equally crowded made no sense whatsoever.
The Nine Sects and One Gang and the Five Great Clans had quarters prepared within the Murim Alliance itself. There was no reason for them to spend money staying elsewhere when accommodations were already arranged.
And lodging had been prepared within the Murim Alliance for all the martial artists competing in the Azure Dragon Murim Tournament and their entourages.
So there was even less reason for people to gather in such numbers at the Cheolgang Guest House, which lay quite far from the Murim Alliance.
Except for sects like the Cheongseong Sect and Ami Sect, who stayed one night here before proceeding to the Murim Alliance, there was no reason to lodge at the Cheolgang Guest House.
Even the Cheongseong Sect and Ami Sect had no real need to stay here, but they lingered one night at the Cheolgang Guest House, with the Murim Alliance practically at their doorstep, for the simple pleasure of a leisurely journey.
And what was particularly strange was this.
The majority of the martial artists inside the guest house all possessed the same aura.
Wasn’t that strange?
Most of these guests all gave off the same presence?
As if a single sect had monopolized the entire Cheolgang Guest House.
But Jang Hye-in and the others said there was nothing strange about it. In Gangho, nothing was strange no matter what happened, they insisted.
And yet……
Just as Sa U-rin had said, something bizarre unfolded.
Most of the guests suddenly shot to their feet, drew their swords, and fixed their gazes on Sa U-rin, Jang Hye-in, and the others with murderous intent.
As if they meant to kill.
Yes.
With swords drawn, killing must indeed be their intent. What was remarkable — and yet somehow accepted as inevitable — was that the target was Sa U-rin, Jang Hye-in, and the others.
It was exasperating. It was absurd.
“……This is how it becomes.”
“Not even a day since meeting U-rin…….”
That was the thing.
“Wherever U-rin goes…….”
“……it’s always the road to the underworld.”
How long had they even known each other?
“……Cursed.”
“……Damn.”
“……What is this?”
“We should change U-rin’s alias.”
“……Here, of all places?”
“Yes, here. Look at this mess.”
“……It’s not a good situation.”
This wasn’t merely a bad situation — it was a situation where death was imminent.
And again.
Yet again.
“That’s why I’m saying this.”
“So what would be a good replacement?”
“……The Jade-faced Underworld Lion.”
“The Jade-faced Underworld Lion?”
“Yes. A handsome grim reaper.”
“But does ‘jade-faced’ really have to be in there?”
“……U-rin will sulk if we leave it out.”
“Of all moments……?”
“That one would sulk over worse.”
“……I suppose so.”
“But why does this grim reaper insist on dragging us down the road to the underworld?”
“……I can’t answer that.”
Sa U-rin might sulk about it.
“……I understand.”
Then Jang Hye-in, who had been listening, chimed in.
“Hyeong-jun’s pulled off something rare. It’s a fine name. Jade-faced Underworld Lion. It has a certain ring to it. What do you think, U-rin?”
“It doesn’t sound bad.”
The word “jade-faced” hadn’t been omitted after all.
“Our Hyeong-jun managed something today. Congratulations.”
“No need for congratulations.”
Then So Seol-ru, who had been listening with a bewildered expression, spoke up.
“……Is it always like this?”
“Like what?”
“Well…… situations like this, and how the seniors respond to situations like this…… I mean, everything, really.”
“We weren’t always like this. Sa U-rin got us this way by spending time with him. You’ll adapt soon enough.”
“……Yes, I understand.”
So Seol-ru had no particular desire for it, but resigned herself to the inevitable.
And just then, Jang Chun, the owner of the Cheolgang Guest House, and Sa U-rin’s older brothers who worked there gathered close.
They were like Sa U-rin’s family. It had been far too long since they’d met, and he was genuinely happy to see them—but this was hardly the moment for pleasantries.
Jang Chun approached Sa U-rin, his expression clouded with confusion rather than warmth.
“……Sa U-rin, what in the heavens is happening?”
“That’s what I’d like to know.”
“Don’t tell me they’re after you and your companions right now?”
“……It certainly appears that way. You should retreat to the back for now.”
“There’s no need for that.”
“No need for that?”
Weren’t they in an extraordinarily dangerous situation at this very moment?
Moreover, it was obvious that if these men took Jang Chun and his brothers hostage, things would become impossibly dire.
And yet Jang Chun clearly understood all of this……
“In the Separate Building……”
It was then that the oldest-looking man among those who had drawn their blades stepped forward. He pointed at Sa U-rin.
“So you’re the Witch’s son?”
And so Sa U-rin answered.
“I am. But who might you be?”
He had a sense of who this might be, yet the name eluded him entirely.
“We have all come today prepared to die in order to kill you.”
And so Sa U-rin looked around at his surroundings.
Truly, their resolve was formidable. Fire burned in every eye. He couldn’t fathom what grudge they harbored against him that burned with such desperate intensity.
It wasn’t only inside the guest house.
There were many more blocking the entrance. They had certainly prepared thoroughly.
And so he wondered.
None of them appeared to be from the Cheon Hoon Mun.
“So who are you?”
The middle-aged man opened his mouth. But he was not answering Sa U-rin’s question.
The middle-aged man gestured to the disciples of the Cheongseong Sect and the disciples of the Ami Sect as he spoke.
“This matter does not concern you. Leave this place. And you as well, if you please.”
At that, the disciples of the Cheongseong Sect and the Ami Sect, along with the other guests, exchanged glances and quietly withdrew from this perilous situation.
There was clearly a blood grudge at work here, so interference was unwise.
No one wished to lose their life by meddling where they didn’t belong.
It was then that one of the Ami Sect disciples suddenly stepped forward and spoke.
“Master. Wouldn’t it be permissible for us to help the Jade-faced Underworld Lion here?”
Was such a face truly worth letting slip away into death?
That wasn’t all.
Standing in the face of death itself without so much as a blink—such composure was rare indeed.
Hadn’t the Cheongseong Sect disciple cursed the Jade-faced Underworld Lion as someone from the Sa Pa?
Yet to this Ami Sect disciple, the Jade-faced Underworld Lion seemed far removed from the Sa Pa.
Wasn’t this how a true martial artist ought to be?
That composure was so captivating. The thought of sharing a future with such a man filled her imagination with visions of happiness.
In short, she had fallen for Sa U-rin at first sight.
“……Junior sister. Collect yourself. If you stay here……”
You’ll die.
She couldn’t muster the courage to remain and face this many opponents. They were all here with fire in their eyes, determined to kill the Jade-faced Underworld Lion and his companions.
The Ami Sect disciple suddenly hurled words at the Cheongseong Sect disciple.
“Are you just going to stand there and watch?”
“……What are you saying?”
“You said it yourself. That the Jade-faced Underworld Lion’s fame is just an illusion created by rumor. But look at him now. He’s composure incarnate. Why not show the spirit of the Cheongseong Sect in a moment like this?”
In other words, she was challenging him—a disciple of the proud Cheongseong Sect—to sit idle while this unfolded.
“No……”
What would happen if he spoke those words aloud now?
It would only embarrass him.
“……It has nothing to do with me.”
“Ah, I see. I thought as much.”
That’s how men who spend their time envying others behave.
Then Sa U-rin stepped forward.
“Miss.”
The Ami Sect disciple looked up at Sa U-rin with eyes like a deer’s.
“Yes?”
“Your kind intentions are appreciated, but this is something we must settle ourselves. I think it best you withdraw from here.”
“But I want to help.”
“It’s dangerous.”
“Isn’t it dangerous for you too?”
“I can manage. So please, take your companions and step aside.”
Then the middle-aged man interjected as well.
“Disciples of the Ami Sect, withdraw. Do you mean to insert yourselves into a matter of personal vendetta?”
“You heard him? He said it’s a matter of personal vendetta. Come on, let’s go.”
“Sister……”
“Now.”
“But I want to help……”
“I said let’s go.”
So the disciples of the Ami Sect and the Cheongseong Sect made to leave again.
But then——
Suddenly Jong-cheol stepped in, blocking the Cheongseong Sect disciples, the Ami Sect disciples, and the other guests as they tried to exit the guest house.
The eyes of the guests widened. He was blocking the way out.
“……Why are you doing this?”
So Jong-cheol, blocking their path, spoke.
“You’ll need to settle your bill first, guests.”
In a situation like this, to brazenly demand payment——
Wasn’t he afraid?
He was not afraid.
Jong-cheol collects what’s owed. He is Sa U-rin’s older brother, after all.
The senior who has spent long years at Sa U-rin’s side.
When you spend time with Sa U-rin, incidents like this happen fairly often.
“……Ah, yes.”
So they all fumbled for their coin pouches and quickly fled the guest house.
The middle-aged man was left speechless.
Had he not seen it himself?
Even as dozens of men leapt to their feet, drew their swords, and sent blazing looks of hostility toward Jang Hye-in and his men, Sa U-rin threw jokes around as if mocking the very situation, and the innkeeper of Cheolgang Guest House blocked the fleeing guests’ escape and squeezed out payment to the end.
“Madmen, every one.”
Spend long enough around Sa U-rin and you become like this.
“So who exactly are you people?”
Only then did the middle-aged man answer Sa U-rin’s question.
“We are the Baekri Family.”
“……I see.”
Now it made sense.
Why they were acting this way.
Why their eyes blazed with the resolve to meet death.
It wasn’t only Sa U-rin. Jang Hye-in, his men, Jang Chun, Jang Chun’s brothers——all of them nodded in understanding.
They seemed to understand why the Baekri Family was doing this.
The master of Sa Pa, or rather——she was no longer the master of Sa Pa.
In any case.
Had not Jang Ryeo killed all of the Baekri Family’s direct line?
Yes, that’s what had happened.
True, it began with the Baekri Family’s own direct line, but the future of the Baekri Family was cut away by Jang Ryeo’s hand.
So it was fully understandable.
And yet.
“How did you know?”
That Sa U-rin would come to Cheolgang Guest House.
The fact that they had set up a position here meant they also knew the connection between Sa U-rin and Cheolgang Guest House——didn’t it?
So they needed to know. How these men had found this place.
“Does it matter?”
“It matters to me.”
“A man about to die has no need to know such things.”
“But I won’t die, so I wish to understand.”
The middle-aged man’s brow furrowed.
Truly, he found this distasteful.
Shouldn’t the boy be on his knees by now, begging for his life?
Yet the young man before him showed no sign of such submission. Neither did his companions.
Even the innkeepers of the guest house seemed far too composed.
The middle-aged man despised situations like this.
And.
“You won’t die?”
“That’s correct.”
“Don’t you see how many of us are here?”
“I see them.”
“And still?”
“Yes. But I would ask that you spare the people of the Cheolgang Guest House who stand behind me.”
“Ha. Worrying for others before your own life, are you?”
He found it repugnant.
No—wasn’t it precisely the righteous bearing of a true martial artist?
That was precisely why he found it repugnant. Rage kindled in his chest.
“Very well. The Baekri Family does not stoop to such shamelessness.”
Though it seemed they had, once upon a time.
Wasn’t that why the Baekri Family’s direct line had fallen to the hands of the Witch?
So Sa U-rin spoke to Jang Chun.
“Please, step away from here.”
At that, Jang Chun, who had worn an expression of frustration all this while, spoke.
“U-rin.”
“Please, get out of here. You too, the rest of you.”
Yet Jang Chun and the others did not budge. And their expressions—
Why were they regarding Sa U-rin with that look of exasperation?
“Why is everyone acting like this?”
It seemed they were being unusually deaf to his words today.
“U-rin.”
“What is it?”
Now even Sa U-rin felt exasperated.
“Your mother is in the Separate Building.”
“My mother?”
Who was Sa U-rin’s mother?
She was the former Supreme Matriarch of Sa Pa.
The Witch Jang Ryeo had already arrived at the Separate Building of the Cheolgang Guest House.
“Yes.”
“Ah.”
And so.
That was why Uncle Jang Chun and the others were so resolute.
Even in circumstances like these.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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