Moorim Pochang - Chapter 36

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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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Chapter 36. Blocking the Path.

Whoosh—
Shin Poong-gae launched himself up and over the wall.
In the same breath, Gang Jo stepped into his path.
That instant, Shin Poong-gae twisted mid-air, changing direction.
Thud—
Like water hitting stone and flowing around it, his body curved away.
Thud—
Yet Gang Jo remained planted in his way.
Hah!
Caught off guard, Shin Poong-gae drove the Dragon Head Claw Weapon at Gang Jo’s shoulder.
Gang Jo twisted his body deftly, slipping clear of the claws.
At once he raised his leg and drove it upward into Shin Poong-gae’s belly.
Crash—!
As leg met claw weapon, Shin Poong-gae’s body flew backward, returning to where he’d started.
“You hide much about yourself.”
He studied Gang Jo with grave eyes.
He’d faced the Divine Movement Technique before and knew its excellence well.
But he’d never guessed the Leg Technique would be this refined.
Gang Jo regarded him with an expressionless gaze.
Then he extended one hand backward.
“Sword.”
Yang Jeong came running at once, offering up his blade with both hands.
“Here, sir.”
Shring—
Gang Jo drew the sword and let it hang at an angle before him.
“Do you truly wish to make an enemy of this old man?”
For Shin Poong-gae, the question was deeply unsettling.
To make an enemy of this one meant also making an enemy of Gae-bang.
Yet the innkeeper showed no sign of concern whatsoever.
“Leave.”
A suppressed growl escaped him—
When Gang Jo refused to budge even an inch, Shin Poong-gae let out a stifled groan.
‘Heaven curse it—Gae-bang owes this man a debt far too heavy.’
Had Gae-bang owed nothing, he would never have shown such servility.
But the debt already incurred was too great. He could not add another sin atop it.
“I withdraw for today.”
“I hope we do not meet again.”
“Insolent wretch.”
Shin Poong-gae turned away, his shoulders sagging, and departed.

*

Once he vanished, Gang Jo descended from the wall.
“Thank you for your effort, sir.”
Yang Jeong smiled ingratiatingly, but Gang Jo’s face remained darkened.
“Why do you carry a sword?”
His expression and voice were so grave that Yang Jeong dropped to his knees at once.
“Forgive me, sir.”
“Apologies won’t work a second time, you fool. You should stand and face him boldly—boldly, I say—”
Gang Jo rebuked him in a stern voice.
But it seemed to have little effect on Yang Jeong.
“The thing is, sir—all the Murim Alliance martial artists came chasing after me. I couldn’t even think to draw.”
Sigh—
“You exasperating fool.”
Gang Jo’s expression softened, and he let out a long sigh.
Yang Jeong quickly rose to his feet, grinning.
Hehe…
“Brother, do you know how vast the Murim Alliance is? If you wander in there without knowing your way, you could easily get lost. There are great halls and small pavilions scattered everywhere, and the paths wind so much……”
“You haven’t eaten, have you?”
Gang Jo cut him off mid-sentence.
“No, brother. I don’t think I can eat food prepared by anyone else anymore.”
“Let’s go.”
Gang Jo tossed him a sword and moved toward the Inn.
Yang Jeong caught the blade, fastened it at his waist, and hurried after him.
“But it’s strange—everyone else received swords, secret manuals, gold, silver, and such. Yet Gae-bang offered me a Dragon Head Claw Weapon. So……”

*

Shin Poong-gae trudged back to the Murim Alliance, his steps heavy and listless.
The moment he entered the Alliance, martial artists swarmed around him.
“Have you captured him, Faction Leader?”
“What happened to that man?”
Shin Poong-gae’s eyes blazed with fury as he glared at them, then bellowed.
“Captured? What do you mean captured, you fools…! Why did you stop the pursuit…?”
A middle-aged martial artist stepped forward at his outburst.
“The Alliance Leader ordered us to cease pursuit.”
“The Alliance Leader?”
Shin Poong-gae immediately moved to find the leader.
Before the Alliance Leader’s pavilion stood Baek Mun-do, along with Baek Won-yeong, his disciples, and the Chief Administrator.
“It seems you failed to capture him?”
Baek Mun-do smiled.
“Why did you order the pursuit stopped?”
Shin Poong-gae demanded an answer first.
“Even if you forcibly designate him as your successor, do you truly believe Yang Jeong will accept it?”
At Baek Mun-do’s words, Shin Poong-gae fell silent like a fool who had swallowed honey.
He was right.
Yet still, he desperately wanted to accept that man as his disciple.
Shin Poong-gae lifted his head and surveyed the Alliance Leader’s disciples.
Baek Won-yeong and Baek Ha-yeong were exceptional prodigies, and Yeon Ja-seol too ranked among the strongest of the younger generation.
Moreover, Mo-yong Se was a remarkable talent in his own right.
Shin Poong-gae had disciples of his own.
But compared to the Alliance Leader’s disciples, he felt his face flush with shame.
“You don’t understand this old man’s heart, Alliance Leader.”
“In a few days, come with me to an Inn. I’ll buy you a cup of wine there.”
Baek Mun-do was trying to soothe his wounded pride.
Shin Poong-gae’s face had brightened for a moment, but now it fell into a deeply gloomy expression.
“I chased him all the way to the Inn earlier.”
“Then why couldn’t you capture him?”
“I couldn’t scale the Inn’s wall.”
Baek Mun-do was bewildered.
“What do you mean? You couldn’t scale the wall?”
“The innkeeper blocked my path.”
“Even so, if you were determined, surely you could……”
Frustrated, Shin Poong-gae cut him off.
“Didn’t Gae-bang commit some grave wrong against him? Besides, that man was no easy opponent.”
Hoh……
At Shin Poong-gae’s words, an unusual gleam flickered across Baek Mun-do’s eyes.
“What grave wrong did Gae-bang commit against Gang Jo, Faction Leader?”
Baek Won-yeong, who had been listening quietly, asked in surprise.
Flustered, Shin Poong-gae hastily deflected.
“It was long ago. Don’t trouble yourself to know.”
Baek Mun-do too fell silent on the matter.
He could not reveal Gae-bang’s shame himself.
Above all, those connected to that affair had all escaped, and he had no desire to dredge it up.
“Then is Yang Jeong unharmed?”
Baek Ha-yeong couldn’t help herself and opened her mouth to ask.
“Unharmed, you ask? That wretch is probably gorging himself on delicious food right now, stuffing his belly until it bursts.”
The hawk-nosed commander sat quietly, listening to the others speak without offering a word.

*

Yang Jeong entered the kitchen looking distinctly flustered.
“Brother. Something seems odd with the horse in the stable.”
Gang Jo dismissed it without much concern—the boy was always cooking up some scheme or other.
“Stop overthinking and go fix the roof tiles.”
“No, brother, it’s not that. The stallion is lying flat on the ground and won’t get up at all.”
Hearing Yang Jeong’s words, Gang Jo felt a pang of guilt.
He’d struck the animal rather hard because it kept rearing up, and now it seemed that blow had caused a problem.
“The beast’s been carrying on day and night—it’s probably taken ill.”
“It won’t even eat its feed.”
“If it dies, we’ll eat it as horsemeat.”
“Are you really saying that now? Brother!”
Yang Jeong raised his voice in an uncharacteristic outburst.
Clearly he was worried about the stallion he rode.
“Ah…….this damn beast.”
Gang Jo had no choice but to head toward the stable.
When he entered the stable, the stallion that had been thrashing about so violently was indeed sprawled across the floor.
The mare licked the stallion’s cheek with her tongue, anxious about him.
“What should we do?” Yang Jeong asked worriedly, but Gang Jo had no clear remedy either.
“Go to the kitchen and bring whatever He Shou Wu we have left.”
“Do you think He Shou Wu will help?”
“We have to try something.”
Yang Jeong rushed off to the kitchen and soon returned with He Shou Wu that reeked of liquor.
“Feed it to him.”
At Gang Jo’s word, he brought the He Shou Wu to the stallion’s mouth.
But the horse was reluctant to open its mouth.
When Yang Jeong pried its jaws open and forced the He Shou Wu in, the stallion’s mouth began to move slowly.
Munch, munch…..
“It’s eating. It’s working, brother!”
Yang Jeong cried out with delight.
“Let’s wait a bit.”
Gang Jo crouched down in one corner of the stable, and Yang Jeong sat beside him.
Snort, snort…
How much time had passed?
The stallion shook its head and slowly rose to its feet.
Ha ha ha ha…………!
At the same moment, Yang Jeong burst out laughing and stood up.
“He’s alive……..you stubborn fool!”
The stallion glanced back at him, then turned its gaze to Gang Jo.
For a brief moment they locked eyes, before the horse quickly lowered its head.
“Let’s go.”
Now at ease, Gang Jo left the stable.
“Brother. How did you know the He Shou Wu would work?”
“How was I supposed to know? I’m not the horse’s foal.”
Ha ha..
“In any case, it turned out well.”
Gang Jo smiled slightly as he watched Yang Jeong beam with joy.
Neigh, neigh, neigh………..!
Just then, the sound of a horse’s cry came from the stable.
“That damn beast….”
Gang Jo clenched his fist and turned back, then let out a sigh.
Sigh………
‘Just this once. I’ll let it slide.’

*

Dok-go Yeop stared hard at the man holding the Long Spear.
Among the hundred heroes, he had been closest to this man after Baek Mun-do.
He couldn’t help but be close to him—his temperament was bold and straightforward, with no lingering resentments.
Beyond that, he didn’t drink, so there was no drunken misconduct to worry about.
“It’s been a long time, Yeop.”
Dok-go Yeop heard the man’s voice but felt no surprise.
“You were alive? Jo Bi-ja.”
“The same thing Mun-do said. Is it so strange that I’m alive?”
“Strange indeed. We couldn’t find your body, so we made a wooden memorial and held a funeral rite for you.”
Their conversation carried the same warmth as before.
Yet the distance in their hearts seemed to stretch ten thousand miles.
“Today I’ve come merely to pay my respects. I’ll return in a few days.”
“By then you’ll bring your subordinates along, I imagine.”
Dok-go Yeop knew of the Murim Alliance’s blood battle.
His men stationed across the realm had sent urgent reports, and the Demonic Cult was making full preparations.
But he did not know that the enemy’s commander had once been his friend.
“Since I’m coming to pay my first respects, I’ll take half, just like the Murim Alliance.”
Dok-go Yeop felt no fear at his words.
The Demonic Cult burned with fiercer fighting spirit the stronger its enemies grew.
“What has become of you all this time?”
“I’ve seen a new world, but the world I desire begins now.”
“That will never happen, Jo Bi-ja.”
Chuckle, chuckle, chuckle……
“Still so confident. That’s what makes you Dok-go Yeop.”
Jo Bi-ja left his laughter behind as he vanished into the darkness.
The moment he disappeared, Dok-go Yeop turned his body toward the cold light of the night.
Without a word, he entered the fortress and surveyed the Demonic Cult warriors standing in formation.
“The Demonic Cult will not fall.”
At his single pronouncement, the warriors bowed their heads in unison.
“The Demonic Cult Cannot Fall! Ten Thousand Demons Bow in Devotion!”
Dok-go Yeop passed through the warriors and made his way to his private quarters.
As he reached the entrance, a martial artist in his mid-thirties bowed his head.
“Then I shall return to the Murim Alliance.”
“Tell the Alliance Lord my thanks. And tell him I will call on him once this battle is finished.”
“I will convey your message.”
The martial artist turned and disappeared into the darkness.
Entering his quarters, Dok-go Yeop picked up a letter from his desk and burned it in the candlelight.
‘Soon I’ll see So-hye as well.’

*

“I’ve arrived.”
The moment Baek Won-yeong crossed the stone bridge, he raised his voice in clear proclamation.
Today was a day of utmost importance to him.
“Welcome.”
“I’ve come alone today.
“Please, do come in. Sit, if you will.”
After exchanging greetings with Gang Jo, he turned to face Yang Jeong.
“You’re here too, Yang Jeong. A few days ago, Shin Poong-gae caused you no small trouble.”
“No trouble at all, sir. Thanks to the Alliance Lord’s signal, we were able to escape safely.”
Ha, ha, ha, ha…!
At Yang Jeong’s reply, Baek Won-yeong burst into hearty laughter.
Indeed, his suspicions had been correct.
If the Lord Chamberlain learned of this fact, his father would surely face considerable humiliation.
“Let me tether the mare in the back courtyard first.”
His laughter fading, he tried to lead the mare toward the rear courtyard.
Yang Jeong quickly reached out to take the horse’s bridle.
“Please give me the reins. I’ll lead it to the stable.”
His face was brimming with pride.
Ah………
“I heard you were fixing the pavilion, but you’ve been mending the stable instead?”
“Yes. I have rather more skill with carpentry than most craftsmen.”

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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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