Murim Login - Chapter 119

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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 119
Thud!
A tingling sensation coursed through my fingertips—a familiar feeling I’d experienced thousands, tens of thousands of times before.
‘It’s in.’
The moment certainty flooded through me, I twisted the dagger I’d driven into Pung Yang’s ribs, and a scream tore from his throat.
“Krraaaaaagh!”
Beyond the pain from the blade itself, the way his protective energy scattered like smoke before fully manifesting proved he’d suffered severe internal injuries. That was all the evidence I needed.
‘That was close.’
Pung Yang’s instincts were extraordinary. Had my dagger struck even a fraction of a second later—before his protective energy fully crystallized—I would have been the one taking the hit instead.
“Hack!”
Pung Yang spat black blood and extended his arm. In that instant, light flashed brilliantly from within the darkness of his sleeve.
Screeeech!
I instantly stepped back and tilted my head. A dagger shot from Pung Yang’s sleeve, grazing my nose by the narrowest margin.
‘That was dangerous.’
Had I not retreated, it would have buried itself in my throat, not my nose.
I was able to evade it only because I’d witnessed Pung Yang employ his concealed blade technique earlier. I flicked my tongue, licking away the blood trickling down my nose.
“Thanks. I was thirsty anyway.”
“You rat bastard…!”
Pung Yang, now at a distance, ground his teeth.
“Was this your plan from the start?”
“Yes. Does it hurt?”
“Wait. I’ll repay you a hundredfold.”
“Between us, there’s no need for such debts. You don’t owe me anything.”
“Iiiiick!”
The pleasure of taunting him was quite satisfying. I’d be grateful if he died of rage, though I doubted that would happen.
‘It was a good opportunity.’
I’d succeeded in drawing Pung Yang in with provocation, but I’d failed to finish him completely. Even with the Crimson Flame Restoration Pill, the gap between us remained substantial.
And more than anything else.
‘This is getting difficult.’
My entire body burned like a mass of flames. The thirty years of Scorching Yang Energy that I couldn’t control from the start was now rampaging uncontrollably.
Even suppressing it with my existing cultivation was touch and go, and having engaged Pung Yang in close combat with the reins completely released, the situation was steadily deteriorating.
‘Damn it, I wish it had been the Latent Power Pill instead of the Crimson Flame Restoration Pill.’
The Crimson Flame Restoration Pill and the Latent Power Pill were fundamentally different in their intended purpose.
The latter was a temporary awakening agent that drew latent power to its limit—if I had to compare them, it was like the difference between herbal medicine and a stimulant.
‘That bastard has no side effects either. Disgustingly energetic.’
It was as I gazed at Pung Yang with an envious heart that it happened.
“Cough.”
Wait, what’s this?
In Pung Yang’s eyes as he coughed briefly, the whites suddenly became visible.
No matter how I thought about it, there was only one reason why his eyes—which had been consistently blood-red until now—would change like that.
‘The Breath-Sealing Pill’s effects are wearing off.’
* * *
Pung Yang felt a surge of panic. He immediately sensed the abnormal signals emanating from his own body.
‘Already?’
The Breath-Sealing Pill’s duration was supposed to last roughly two hours. Yet barely an hour had passed, and the overwhelming power that had surged through his entire frame was gradually ebbing away.
Fatigue he hadn’t felt before now pressed heavily upon his shoulders, and pain that had seemed distant began to gnaw at his nerves.
“Cough.”
And not insignificant internal injuries to boot.
Pung Yang bit his lip as dark crimson blood mixed with his cough.
‘I’ve exhausted far too much strength.’
The Breath-Sealing Pill was a precious treasure that doubled—or more—one’s available power, but such strength came at a steep price.
In exchange for temporarily obtaining tremendous force, one’s physical capabilities deteriorated, and if the user’s body couldn’t sustain it, the pill’s effects would vanish prematurely.
‘Taking the Breath-Sealing Pill consecutively was the mistake.’
After Chul Moo-baek of Hangshan Lake, then those young whelps of the Taewon Jin Family. Without the pills, I would have died long ago, but knowing the price, I dreaded the backlash.
‘At this rate, the pill’s effects will last at most one more hour.’
One hour. I must decide the outcome within that time.
The last remaining Breath-Sealing Pill must never be used. Taking three consecutively could cost me my life.
“One hour, then…”
Pung Yang muttered softly, his gaze sweeping across the remaining prey.
“That should be sufficient.”
The whites of his eyes, which had briefly shown, flooded once more with crimson.
* * *
Had I been mistaken?
When Pung Yang raised his head again, his eyes burned red, and an overwhelming torrent of qi erupted from his entire body.
“I’ll end you with a single stroke.”
I opened my mouth, keeping my gaze fixed on his curved blade.
“You said you needed the martial arts secret formula?”
“It doesn’t matter if it’s not from you. Why do you think I’ve kept Jin Moo-kyung alive?”
“Because you love him.”
“By the heavens and earth, I swear—I will cut out your tongue.”
It was the moment Pung Yang raised his curved blade.
Screech! Thwack!
Pung Yang caught the iron arrow that had come hurtling with ferocious momentum, his brow furrowing.
“There are plenty who wish to die. Or is it a woman this time?”
The arrow’s owner walked slowly forward and stood beside me. Her footsteps were light as down, her height barely reaching my shoulder, and her beauty was so striking that even in this desperate moment, my gaze was drawn to her.
Eun So-wol, Master of the Hangsan Inspection Bureau, whispered softly to me.
“We’ll buy you time.”
‘We’ referred to the surviving martial artists of the Hangsan Inspection Bureau under Eun So-wol’s command—merely ten in number. Despite their survival through this catastrophic battle, each was a first-rate master, yet against an opponent like Pung Yang, the outcome was as clear as day.
‘Total annihilation.’
How much time could they possibly buy me? In truth, their intervention would likely prove more of a hindrance. It was a cold assessment, but it was reality.
I shook my head.
“That won’t change anything.”
“I’m not asking us to fight together.”
“Then?”
“We’ll take Elder Brother and flee.”
Pung Yang and I were separated by merely thirty meters or so. Even whispered, there was no way a peak master wouldn’t hear us.
“What, flee? Kahahaha!”
Despite Pung Yang’s raucous laughter erupting around us, Eun So-wol continued without hesitation.
“It will buy you only moments, but I’ll create the time you need. Run as far as you can.”
I cast my gaze toward the city gate. From here to the gate lay roughly three hundred meters—not far, where Wol-hwa and Hyuk Moo-jin waited with horses to carry us.
‘It’s worth attempting.’
Even now I’m suffering internal injuries from Yeolhwa Shindan, but I can endure it to some degree. If I squeeze out every last bit of strength I have, there’s a possibility of escaping even while carrying Jin Moo-kyung.
But…
‘They will die.’
Without question, not a single one would survive. The “us” Eun So-wol had spoken of included herself, the sect master—she had already accepted her death.
‘Why?’
The Hangsan Inspection Bureau and Taewon Jin Family were bound by bitter enmity. Though we had been manipulated by the Grand Elder’s schemes, we had killed one another and shed countless tears of blood. Yet Eun So-wol sought to save me.
Even at the cost of her own life and those of her subordinates.
“Don’t look at me like that. This is my conclusion after careful deliberation. But there is one thing I must ask of you.”
I spoke.
“What is this request?”
“Avenge us in return.”
Eun So-wol fixed Pung Yang with a cold, piercing gaze.
“Kill him. Make it as cruel as possible.”
Ten lives surrendered for the death of one man.
With each word she spoke, I felt the weight of her hatred. As I stood speechless, Pung Yang—who had been watching us with a mocking smile—opened his mouth.
“A bold scheme, but it will come to nothing. You will all be buried here.”
One of the Hangsan Inspection Bureau’s warriors cried out.
“Shut your vile mouth!”
Thunk!
In the next instant, the warrior’s head snapped back. An iron dart, gripped in Pung Yang’s hand, was now embedded in his forehead.
“Senior brother!”
As the delayed scream tore through the air, Pung Yang smiled wickedly.
“I was running low on projectiles anyway. Thank you, sect master.”
Eun So-wol’s lips trembled.
“Go, now!”
I drew a deep breath. I had already mapped out every step in my mind.
Jin Moo-kyung lay only sixty meters away. Even bearing internal injuries, if I summoned every ounce of my strength and carried him, the city gate was within reach.
Pung Yang might catch us by then, but if they bought me even a little more time, I could survive.
‘I can return.’
I could return to the Taewon Jin Family Estate where Jin Wi-kyung resided, where Mother and Ha-yeon awaited. If I postponed this reckoning for another day, I was confident that Pung Yang would return far stronger—incomparably so.
‘Then it’s decided.’
Drawing a deep breath, I turned to face Eun So-wol.
“I will repay this debt. Without fail.”
Was it merely my imagination that she smiled, just for an instant?
It had been so fleeting that when I looked at Eun So-wol’s face again, only grim resolve remained.
“Go. Now.”
That word was the signal. The warriors of the Hangsan Inspection Bureau surged forward with a fierce cry, Eun So-wol leading their charge.
‘Yes, I must go.’
I drew upon every ounce of my cultivation. The sharp pain from the internal injuries left by Yeol-yang’s strike caused blood to flow from my nose, dark as rust, but I endured it. Just a moment—only a moment was needed.
‘Inventory open. Equip spear.’
The cool shaft of the spear settled into my grip.
And with a single push of my feet.
Boom.
I shot forward like an arrow—no, faster than any arrow.
Toward Pung Yang, not Jin Moo-kyung. I could see his broadly grinning face.
“Yes, this is how you should come!”
“Shut your mouth, you bastard.”
“Ahahaha!”
Pung Yang’s curved blade was more massive than ever before. Brimming with crimson blade energy, it swung toward me.
Whoooosh!
The wind erupted outward, and the very air seemed to be erased.
I gripped the iron spear with crushing force.
‘Please, just this once.’
I poured all fifteen years of my cultivation through the spear. Arching my shoulders and waist fully, I unleashed everything.
‘One Flash.’
Crrrunch!
The collision of the massive blade energy and the vortex.
A deafening roar split the heavens, filling the world. Through the raging winds, I saw it clearly.
Boom!
White vortex scattering to pieces before the crimson blade energy. The colossal crystallized force completely shattered One Flash. Pung Yang whispered with a face full of exhilaration.
“This is the end.”
In the next instant, Pung Yang’s cultivation surged through the spear and struck me.
Crash! Distant agony and a ringing in my ears washed over me like waves.
Ding.
–
[Internal Injury]
sustained! Your condition is critical!
–
[Yeol-yang’s Strike]
is running rampant!
–
[Critical Injury]
sustained! All stats have dropped significantly!
System notifications rang out in succession—the shouts of Hangsan Inspection Bureau warriors, Eun So-wol’s screams, and even Pung Yang’s laughter.
‘It’s over.’
The moment my legs gave out against my will, a vice-like grip seized my throat.
“Gasp… cough…”
“Impressive. Had you been just a moment faster, you might have won.”
Pung Yang grinned, baring his teeth. The crimson glow in his eyes was slowly fading.
Damn it. How infuriatingly close.
I wanted to curse aloud, but my mouth was too full of blood to manage even that.
“I swore by heaven and earth that I would tear out your tongue.”
Did I say something like that? Now I can barely remember who I am.
Pung Yang pried open my mouth with his other hand. I felt his rough fingers grasping my blood-soaked tongue and pulling.
“Hrrgh…”
“When you were flapping that mouth of yours, did you never think it would come to this? Hmm?”
“Hah… hahaha…”
“Hahahaha! What are you babbling about? Should I let you leave some final words?”
Pung Yang chuckled and released my tongue, finally allowing me to speak. I swallowed the blood and said:
“Salty.”
“What?”
“Damn salty.”
“What nonsense is that?”
What do you mean, what nonsense.
Tasting your fingers brought a bit of clarity back to my mind.
I muttered through the haze.
‘Inventory open. Summon anything.’
Ding.
–
[Anything]
could not be found. Summoning the oldest item in your inventory instead.
–
[Nameless Blade]
has been summoned.
A nameless blade? What was that again?
‘Doesn’t matter.’
I mustered my last strength and drove the blade in my hand toward Pung Yang’s chest, where his protective energy shimmered. It was a futile last act of defiance.
‘Cursed protective energy.’
But this was enough. I had no more regrets.
It was the precise moment my head began to lower.
Thud!
Ding.
–
[Nameless Blade]
has satisfied a specific condition.
–
[Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Iron]
has
[Guardian Qi Barrier]
destroyed.
…Huh?

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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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