Murim Login - Chapter 124

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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 124
I am only human, and two nights ago, when Eun So-wol pressed those three martial arts manuals into my hands, my resolve wavered inevitably.
They were peak-tier techniques, no less. Now that I had mastered the Jin Family Sword Method and the Jin Family Footwork, I had already felt the need for new martial arts—and here before me lay a temptation too sweet to resist.
‘This cannot continue.’
The battle with Pung Yang had been brutal. Without the Nameless Sword I obtained from Jo Pil, I would not have survived even if I possessed two lives.
It was time to learn more martial arts and ascend to a new realm.
‘Peak mastery.’
The Blood Wolf Sword Method, the Blood Wolf Footwork, and the Asura Annihilation Fist were already proven peak-tier techniques—solid hammers capable of shattering that lofty wall of mastery. But…
‘If that’s a hammer, then this is an excavator.’
I gazed with satisfaction at the worn manual in my hands.
This single martial arts manual was precisely why I could reject Eun So-wol’s proposal without hesitation.
“F-f-f-f…”
Jin Moo-kyung, who had been buffering for quite some time, finally uttered a single word.
“Flame Divine Form!”
“Oh, you know it? Correct.”
It was only natural that Jin Moo-kyung, who even understood the Ten Greatest Fist Techniques of the realm from two hundred years ago, would recognize the Flame Divine Form. This technique was far more remarkable than that.
‘Item check.’
Ding.
Item Window
[Flame Divine Form]
Type
: Martial Arts Manual
Grade
: Peak-tier
Restriction
: Owner of Eternal Yang Qi
Description
: One of the secret techniques of the Yeolhwa Sect. A martial art founded upon formidable flame energy.
Effect
: Acquisition of [Flame Divine Form]
Jin Moo-kyung asked with an expression of disbelief.
“How on earth did you obtain this…”
“A certain gracious person bestowed it upon me.”
“Bestowed it?”
“Yes.”
And then he soared away to the heavens.
The Nameless Sword forged from ten-thousand-year cold iron that destroys protective qi barriers, the Flame Divine Pill that granted thirty years of Eternal Yang Qi.
And finally, the peak-tier technique of the Flame Divine Form.
I gazed beyond the window at the azure sky, thinking of Jo Pil, who had given so generously before departing.
‘I hope you are well.’
At that moment, Jin Moo-kyung abruptly interjected.
“Enough of this nonsense. Tell me the truth. How did the secret techniques of the Yeolhwa Sect end up in your hands?”
“I already told you. Someone gave them to me.”
“You seem to be misunderstanding something.”
Jin Moo-kyung continued with a grave expression.
“This is not a situation to brush off with jokes.”
“Why?”
“Because you could become a thief who stole martial arts from another sect. If things go wrong, the Main Residence could face condemnation from the entire Murim.”
It was a problem I hadn’t considered.
Martial arts are the very foundation and history of a sect. The Flame Divine Technique, being both a supreme martial art and the secret technique of the Yeolhwa Sect, was beyond question.
“Damn it.”
“I’ll ask you once more. Where and how did you obtain the secret manual of the Flame Divine Technique?”
I let out a heavy sigh before answering.
“From Jo Pil.”
“Jo Pil? The Jo Pil I know—the one with One Strike, One Kill?”
“That’s right. I defeated him and took it as spoils of war.”
“Do you know how he came to possess the secret manual of the Flame Divine Technique?”
“I’m not sure.”
After thinking it over, I managed to recall what Jo Pil had said at the time.
“According to him, he claimed to be the nineteenth successor of the Flame Divine Technique.”
“A man like Jo Pil? Are you sure you didn’t mishear?”
“No, I’m certain. He didn’t seem to be lying.”
At that moment, Jo Pil had drawn upon his innate qi and was already fading rapidly. Words spoken by someone standing at death’s threshold are usually close to the truth.
‘Though I should keep in mind the possibility that Jo Pil was lying.’
Jin Moo-kyung, who had been deep in thought, opened his mouth with a confused expression.
“How did a successor of the Flame Divine Technique lose to someone like you?”
“…”
Well, it’s unpleasant to admit, but he has a point.
It was suspicious from the start that Jo Pil, who had mastered a supreme martial art, was living as a rogue.
‘Now that I think about it, he couldn’t even properly use sword qi.’
These days, everyone I encounter has sword qi as a basic skill, with protective qi as an optional bonus. Jo Pil, the One Strike, One Kill master, was among the weakest peak experts I had ever faced.
“Is the Flame Divine Technique actually weaker than I thought?”
“What? The Flame Divine Technique is weak?”
Jin Moo-kyung looked at me as if I were a madman.
“You lunatic. You’re probably the only person in the world who would call the Fire King’s exclusive martial art weak.”
“Who is the Fire King?”
“I’m not in the mood for jokes.”
“I’m serious.”
“Stop it. It’s not funny.”
“Fine. So who is the Fire King?”
The silence stretched on longer than usual. Jin Moo-kyung, who had been gaping like a goldfish, finally exhaled a deep sigh.
“Count your fingers and toes together. How many do you have?”
“Twenty.”
“Exactly. The Fire King is among the elite masters of the realm—one of the select few whose prowess would remain undiminished even if the world were turned upside down and shaken.”
“…I see.”
“One Divine, Three Stars, Ten Kings. You don’t know? You truly don’t know this?”
He looked ready to wring my neck if I admitted complete ignorance.
Faced with Jin Moo-kyung’s glowering eyes, I opened my mouth cautiously.
“I’ve heard of the Three Stars….”
“At least that’s something.”
Though this “Three Stars” wasn’t quite the same as what I was thinking of.
But that wasn’t the pressing concern right now.
“If the Fire King discovers that I possess the Flame Divine Scripture….”
“Then a situation you’d rather not imagine would unfold.”
Damn it. A supreme master among the twenty greatest warriors in all the realm. If the Fire King learned of this and came seeking me out, even the entire Taewon Jin Family combined couldn’t hope to prevail.
‘How did I even acquire such a technique….’
I was drowning in regret at the thought of having to surrender it without mastering it.
Jin Moo-kyung, who shared my melancholy as he gazed upon the secret manual of the Flame Divine Scripture, added one more thing.
“That is, assuming the Fire King is still alive.”
“What?”
“The Fire King was last seen forty years ago.”
“Forty years ago?”
“When he first appeared in Murim, the Fire King was already an old man. Had it not been for the Jungma Great War, he might have lived his entire life in seclusion.”
Jin Moo-kyung continued.
“After the Demon Cult defeated the Namgung Clan and occupied Anhui City, their morale soared to the heavens. Countless plunders, murders, and arson occurred—and in the process, they set fire to Jiuhua Mountain, which provoked the Fire King’s wrath.”
“And then?”
“In four days and nights, a thousand men fell. The old hermit dwelling deep within Jiuhua Mountain earned the name Fire King.”
“…A thousand?”
“Yes. The damage inflicted upon Jiuhua Mountain was so severe that the Demon Cult couldn’t hold Anhui City and was forced to withdraw.”
A thousand men….
After careful deliberation, I spoke.
“We should return it.”
I want to live a long life. I have no desire to add an encounter with a madman who single-handedly slew a thousand to my life’s itinerary.
“We need to depart immediately. Anhui City? Does he still reside there?”
“No one knows. The Fire King’s anger apparently wasn’t sated—he spent a year systematically destroying every Demon Cult member he could find, then returned to seclusion.”
“The Yeolhwa Sect! If we go to the Yeolhwa Sect, we might find him there.”
“The Yeolhwa Sect practices single-lineage transmission. It’s similar to the case of the Iron Grandmaster.”
“….”
Even if I wanted to return it, I have no way to do so.
Jo Pil was the one closest to the Fire King, but he’s already dead, so there’s no way to find him.
‘The best scenario would be if the Fire King is already dead.’
Given that he was already an old man forty years ago, it’s certainly possible.
On the other hand, being a master of the highest caliber, he could very well be living an extraordinarily long life.
“Hmm.”
Jin Moo-kyung spoke to me as I gazed at the Flame Fire Sect’s sacred grounds with conflicted eyes—uncertain whether this was an incredible treasure or a burden.
“If the Fire King is dead… then you are the rightful master of the Yeolhwa Sect.”
* * *
Jin Moo-kyung recovered quickly. Though he would need considerable time to fully heal from the severe internal injuries inflicted by Pung Yang, he had regained enough strength to return to the Taewon Jin Family.
“We’re finally heading back.”
Hyuk Moo-jin murmured with nostalgic emotion.
“They say leaving home brings hardship. From now on, absolutely, without exception! I will never set foot outside the Main Residence again.”
“…Anyone listening would think you suffered the most, you fool.”
“Why are you like this? I have my own grievances too.”
“Say that to the person standing behind you.”
Jin Moo-kyung, still unable to remove his bandages, rushed forward and struck Hyuk Moo-jin on the back of his head.
Smack!
“Ow!”
“Stop spouting nonsense and focus on driving.”
“But there’s a Coachman…”
As Hyuk Moo-jin said, there was indeed a Coachman. A disciple of the Haowen Sect that Wol-hwa had specially assigned to us.
She had come out early to see us off.
“Safe travels. Now that we’re parting, I feel a bit wistful.”
“Then why don’t you come with us right now?”
I spoke to her with a playful tone as she winked at me. Though wariness still lingered, our journey together had brought us close enough to exchange such jests.
“Oh my, I’d love to, but I’m thinking of taking a thorough tour of Northern Shanxi while I’m at it.”
Northern Shanxi, which the Hangsan Inspection Bureau had strictly controlled until now, had become an open market. It was only natural that Wol-hwa, the director of Shanxi Province’s headquarters, would be busy.
“It seems things went well with the Hangsan Inspection Bureau?”
“That’s classified. As the director, I can’t go around divulging confidential information from headquarters to outsiders.”
Despite her words, her bright laughter spoke volumes in reply.
Even if nine tails were attached to her, it wouldn’t be strange—she had certainly obtained a satisfactory outcome.
“We’ll meet again at the Taewon Jin Family next time.”
“Oh, perhaps?”
“Even as former allies, we should maintain a strong relationship going forward for mutual benefit, shouldn’t we?”
Wol-hwa smiled mischievously and lifted the hem of her skirt slightly.
“I’ll definitely see you then. Well then, farewell.”
As she boarded the carriage waiting in advance, the Coachman immediately cracked the whip. Two pairs of eyes gazed endlessly at the carriage as it rapidly disappeared into the distance.
“Tsk. I wish you’d stayed a bit longer.”
“Mm, yes indeed.”
Hyuk Moo-jin was one thing, but why was Jin Moo-kyung like this?
As I observed the man’s eyes brimming with regret, a sudden thought occurred to me.
‘That bastard… could it be…?’
Does he have an interest in Wol-hwa?
Good heavens, how is this possible? That martial arts-obsessed fool showing interest in a woman?
I couldn’t possibly keep this earth-shattering revelation to myself. I leaned in close to Hyuk Moo-jin, my voice barely a whisper, no louder than an ant’s footstep.
“Hey, Moo-jin.”
“Ah, you startled me. What is it?”
“Shh. Don’t be alarmed and listen carefully. Don’t let a single hint slip. This is a secret you must carry to your grave.”
Hyuk Moo-jin’s voice grew tense and strained.
“Y-yes. Please, tell me.”
“That man… he seems to have taken an interest in Miss Wol-hwa.”
“…”
“Don’t breathe a word to anyone. This is a secret only I know, and I’m trusting you with it.”
Despite my grave whisper, Hyuk Moo-jin responded with a sarcastic expression.
“Ah, yes. Thank you so much. I’m truly so grateful I don’t know what to do with myself.”
What is this insolent bastard doing?
I was pondering how to correct that disrespectful tone when it happened.
“Master.”
I turned slowly. There stood Eun So-wol, dressed in white robes as pure as snow.

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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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