Murim Login - Chapter 191
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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 191
As the unconscious Chul-woo was carried out, Jin Wi-kyung stepped forward.
“Does anyone else wish to challenge?”
I had utterly overwhelmed Chul-woo, who was so formidable. There was no way another challenger would step forward.
When no one came forward, Jin Wi-kyung’s expression radiated pure delight as he announced:
“Then the final victor of this martial tournament is Shanxi Sleeping Dragon Jin Tae-kyung!”
Ding.
– Sudden Event:
[Taewon Jin Family Martial Tournament]
You have become the final champion!
– Your fame increases!
– You have gained experience!
– Level Up!
– You have acquired 10 bonus points as an event reward!
With the unexpected notification, the Grand Training Ground transformed into absolute pandemonium.
“Yaaaaaaah!”
“Long live the Taewon Jin Family! Long live Shanxi Sleeping Dragon!”
“Shanxi Sleeping Dragon defeated Plum Blossom Fist!”
“Hiyahooo!”
Who was that shouting? Someone who knew how to celebrate.
In any case, the atmosphere of the arena had grown so heated that even a rock festival would pale in comparison.
A child hurled the candy he’d been holding into the air, while a white-haired elder smashed his walking stick against his knee with a wild cry.
“Waaaah!”
“Hiyah!”
The martial artists’ reactions were no less enthusiastic—if anything, they were even more so.
Shanxi’s martial world had been treated as a remote backwater for so long. Though I had merely defeated one serial confessor, for them it was as if they had won a battle of pride against Shaanxi’s martial world.
“Innkeeper! Bring us a bottle of wine!”
“The grudge I’ve carried for twenty years finally lifts! Today I’m treating everyone—order whatever you want!”
Don’t call the innkeeper. Don’t order everything.
It would all come from the Taewon Jin Family’s coffers anyway, and those who had caught the Shanxi fever had completely lost their minds.
‘They’ve gone mad with excitement.’
Since most were martial artists, carrying weapons was standard. I worried whether this drunken fervor might cause trouble.
Sure enough, some lunatic shouted:
“Everyone, draw your blades!”
Shiiiiing!
Hundreds of weapons were unsheathed in a brilliant flash of light.
“Wave them from front to back!”
“Woooooah!”
Shiiing! Shiiing!
Wait—they’re doing the wave here?
Watching this avant-garde fan culture unfold before me, I muttered in exasperation.
“This is completely….”
“A mess.”
I had started the sentence, but the rest wasn’t mine.
An aged voice pierced my ear with crystalline clarity. I glanced around, but all I saw were excited faces.
‘Who is that?’
Even amidst the cacophony of noise, the voice sounded as if spoken right beside me. A master—one with profound inner strength.
The moment I and several others turned our heads to find the source of that voice.
“Khat!”
A deep resonance echoed.
Was this what the Lion’s Roar I’d read about in martial arts novels felt like?
The ground trembled and the air shimmered. Among the commoners, the weak-hearted fainted or collapsed with screams.
“Kyaaaa!”
“Ugh!”
The festive atmosphere of the Grand Training Ground transformed into chaos in an instant.
Trembling commoners and frozen martial artists. Between the scattered crowds as if caught by an explosion, an old man walked with unhurried steps.
“That’s better.”
Tall and gaunt, the old man’s sharp gaze swept across the assembly before meeting mine.
Standing at the center of the martial stage and remaining composed, I was bound to catch his attention.
The old man who had been scrutinizing me from head to toe opened his mouth.
“Are you the one?”
“Pardon?”
“Chung Poong or Jin Tae-kyung. Which one are you?”
What is this situation?
A thousand thoughts raced through my mind. In that brief moment, I made my decision and answered.
“Neither, actually.”
“Neither?”
“Yes. It seems you’ve mistaken me for someone else.”
Whatever this was, I’d deny it first and ask questions later.
At a glance, the situation felt dangerous. Whoever this man was and wherever he came from, he clearly didn’t harbor good feelings toward me.
“Is that so?”
“I’ve never heard of them in my life.”
The old man gestured behind him.
“Come here.”
“Yes, Elder.”
Four people hidden among the crowd revealed themselves. By coincidence, I recognized all of them.
One face in particular was unmistakable.
‘Hyuk Moo-jin?’
No, why is that guy who was supposed to be on duty here?
Hyuk Moo-jin, pale as a ghost, was led forward by three middle-aged men at his sides. Their faces too were etched in my memory.
But what were those fellows’ nicknames again?
‘Ah, right. Zhongnan Three Hands.’
Just as I barely recalled the extras’ epithet, the mysterious old man spoke to the four of them.
“Find them.”
Hyuk Moo-jin and the middle-aged man with a splint on his arm, Gong Il-hyuk, pointed at me simultaneously.
“Chief! Please spare me!”
“It’s him! He’s Jin Tae-kyung!”
“….”
“….”
Well, I’ve been exposed.
The old man, who had been silent for a moment, asked me.
“Are you really Jin Tae-kyung?”
I bowed as respectfully as I could.
“It’s an honor to meet you. I am Jin Tae-kyung.”
“…I’ve never seen such a reckless fool.”
Just as the old man was dumbfounded, three figures descended lightly with a whoosh of wind.
It was Jin Wi-kyung, Baek Moo-sung, and Chung Poong.
“I am Jin Wi-kyung, the Young Master of the Taewon Jin Family. May I ask the honored senior’s name?”
“Hmm. The Young Master of the Taewon Jin Family, you say?”
The question was directed at the old man, but it was Gong Il-hyuk who stepped forward.
At his interruption, Jin Wi-kyung’s brow furrowed.
“Pardon me, but who are you?”
“I am Gong Il-hyuk of the Zhongnan Three Hands. I am the second-generation disciple of the Grand Zhongnan Sect, and the Sect Leader, the Feng Yun Sword Lord Gong Il-joong, is my fifth-degree uncle.”
This fellow’s constant appeals to his fifth-degree uncle connection are relentless. I wanted to beat him senseless with a chicken leg.
Jin Wi-kyung, having learned Gong Il-hyuk’s identity, let out a groan.
“The Zhongnan Sect?”
Gong Il-hyuk may be a nepotistic fool relying solely on his connections, but the name of the Zhongnan Sect carries weight.
The Nine Major Sects and One Alliance and the Five Great Families are the mighty pillars moving the martial world today.
Emboldened, Gong Il-hyuk continued with satisfaction.
“And this esteemed elder here is Song Il, a great master and elder of the Main Sect.”
That old man is an elder of the Zhongnan Sect?
I had expected him to be a master, but his status seems far greater than I anticipated. Jin Wi-kyung and Baek Moo-sung’s faces went rigid.
“The Angry Sword Immortal…!”
“Baek Moo-sung, a late student of the martial world, pays respects to Senior Song.”
The two men hastily offered their courtesies as the old man, the Angry Sword Immortal, gazed down at them quietly.
His voice carried the leisure and arrogance of a master.
“Baek Moo-sung? Are you the one from Hua Mountain?”
“Yes, I am unworthy of such a title.”
“It seems so. You fall short of your master in his prime.”
Listen to the way this old fellow talks.
I had to admit, though, that his prestige was formidable.
The Angry Sword Immortal had not only crushed Baek Moo-sung, who was an object of admiration, without hesitation before thousands of eyes, but had also addressed Cheon Geom Jin-in, the Master of the Hua Mountain Sect, as if he were a neighborhood friend.
His standing in the Martial World appeared to be as extraordinary as his martial prowess.
“I shall dedicate myself to improvement.”
“Hmm, you speak with a certain eloquence. But if Cheon Geom Jin-in sent you…”
The eyes of the Angry Sword Immortal flashed brilliantly as he observed Baek Moo-sung bowing his head silently.
His gaze turned toward Chung Poong, who stood there blankly.
“Ah, so it’s him. The successor of the Sword Saint.”
Chung Poong asked with a bewildered expression.
“You know my Grandfather?”
“Know him? Of course I know him. How could I not know such a man?”
From his expression, it seemed their connection was not a pleasant one.
As the situation took an ominous turn, Jin Wi-kyung asked with a hardened face.
“May I inquire the purpose of your visit?”
“I’ve come to collect a debt.”
“A debt, you say?”
“Yes, the debt of mocking the great Zhongnan Sect and injuring a disciple of the Main Sect.”
A blade-like gaze shot toward Chung Poong and me.
Gong Il-hyuk stepped forward, waving his splinted arm.
“See this? An injury I received at the Sangshan Royal Residence when I was invited there recently. The Physician said I’d need at least half a year to recover.”
Chung Poong opened his mouth with an apologetic expression.
“I held back… Did it hurt much?”
Cruel bastard. He was truly killing him twice over. Gong Il-hyuk’s face flushed crimson from public humiliation.
“You brat! You ambushed me and now you have the audacity to speak like this!”
I couldn’t help but mutter in disbelief.
“Ambush? You grabbed me by the collar first and got what you deserved.”
“Shut your mouth! When I think of what you two did to mock the Main Sect and to me, I could tear you apart!”
It was natural for children’s quarrels to escalate into disputes between adults.
The faces of Jin Wi-kyung and Baek Moo-sung contorted.
“Tear apart? Are you saying that to our youngest?”
“You dare! Gong Il-hyuk, mind your words! Though we belong to different sects, there is still such a thing as standing in the Martial World. How could you…”
“Kekeke.”
At the grating laughter of the Angry Sword Immortal, Jin Wi-kyung and Baek Moo-sung fell silent.
“Standing, you say. Well spoken.”
“…”
“…”
“I am the elder brother of Feng Yun Sword Lord, the Master of the Main Sect, and stand equal with Cheon Geom Jin-in of the Hua Mountain Sect, so there should be no problem whatsoever.”
Bringing up the matter of standing had been a mistake.
With his extraordinary martial prowess combined with seniority, neither Jin Wi-kyung nor Baek Moo-sung, nor even Chung Poong, a disciple of the Sword Saint, could match him.
“Is what I say incorrect?”
When no one spoke, the Angry Sword Immortal turned to Chung Poong and said.
“You have injured a disciple of the Zhongnan Sect. Are you prepared for the consequences?”
This is why words are so terrifying.
There was no process explaining how it happened—only the result. Baek Moo-sung hurriedly interjected.
“Elder, this matter requires a clear determination of right and wrong.”
Chung Poong also muttered in a visibly shaken posture.
“I only tapped him lightly…”
“So you’re saying you didn’t do it?”
“That’s not it. I did hit him, but I didn’t know he’d be hurt that badly.”
Gong Il-hyuk seized the opening and rushed in like a hawk.
“It was clearly an assassination attempt!”
“Did you hear that?”
“That’s not true.”
While Chung Poong fumbled for words, the Angry Sword Immortal’s sharp voice continued.
“I will formally lodge a protest with the Huashan Sect, so do not dare attempt to evade responsibility.”
“Elder, the government and the Martial World do not interfere with each other. Moreover, the officials present at that gathering were favorable to them, so I fear they might give false testimony.”
“Your words are wise. I will take measures.”
It was already a rigged game.
As Baek Moo-sung bit his lip at the unjust treatment, the direction of the remaining arrows was already determined.
“The Taewon Jin Family shall be sealed until the Main Sect sends someone.”
“…What did you just say?”
Jin Wi-kyung spoke the words I wanted to say. No, everyone who heard the Angry Sword Immortal’s words would have thought the same thing.
‘Sealed?’
What kind of nonsense was this?
It was true that I had embarrassed Gong Il-hyuk somewhat.
But that was limited to Gong Il-hyuk alone, and I could confidently say there were no words mocking or insulting the Zhongnan Sect.
Yet they would seal us for just that?
Although it came with the condition that it would last until the Zhongnan Sect sent someone, the act itself was already shameful.
“This is unjust!”
At Jin Wi-kyung’s outcry, the Angry Sword Immortal’s eyes widened.
“What?”
“How can you seal us without even determining the facts first? Is this the way of the Nine Major Sects and One Alliance, or the Zhongnan Sect?”
“You dare!”
“The Main Residence will not accept this!”
“You will not accept it?”
Whoosh.
A tremendous aura erupted from the Angry Sword Immortal’s entire body like wildfire.
The sensation of a blade aimed at the space between my brows. My skin prickled.
“If you will not accept it, what will you do?”
“…!”
“This is the Murim. Have you forgotten?”
Irritation flared up suddenly. I’d already grown sick of witnessing how the world truly operated.
The poor are scorned for lacking money, the powerless are despised for lacking backing, and the talentless are contemned for their mediocrity.
‘It’s all the same here.’
The Murim and the modern world were different, yet eerily alike.
Those with power transform lies into truth and truth into lies.
Oppressing and crushing the weak—it all feels natural and inevitable to them. Just like the Angry Sword Immortal before my eyes.
Drip, drip drip.
Blood trickled from my clenched fist.
Staring at the drops falling to the ground, I exhaled a scorching breath.
“Damn it. This is absolutely ridiculous.”
No one dared speak. Everyone heard the profanity spill from my lips.
Something invisible seemed to shatter with a sharp crack.
The Angry Sword Immortal asked in disbelief.
“…What did you just say?”
Cursing had been a mistake. Since this situation stemmed from my actions, I should have swallowed my anger regardless of what happened.
That would have been the smoother path to resolving this matter.
But….
“It’s ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. You bastards. At least have some restraint with your arrogance.”
I couldn’t hold back anymore. Let them call me thoughtless, let them say I’m ignorant of the world.
I had no desire to replay the exhausting reality I’d already endured in this life, now in the Murim as well.
I apologized to Jin Wi-kyung.
“I’m sorry. I know I should have endured this ridiculous situation, but it was so absurdly ridiculous that I couldn’t just let it pass.”
Jin Wi-kyung, who had been half-dazed, displayed a remarkably shifting expression.
It contorted, then relaxed. His face cycled through several expressions in that brief moment before he finally let out a small laugh.
“Honestly, I thought it was ridiculous too.”
Those words pulled the trigger.
Lava-hot flames poured from the Angry Sword Immortal’s eyes.
“You two…wish for death with such passion.”
Shing.
His sword was drawn with a spat curse, its pristine blade layered with sword energy.
It burned more fiercely than any I had witnessed before, aimed directly at me.
“Kill that one, and you die too.”
A sharp, resonant voice cut through the air from somewhere, and the Angry Sword Immortal’s body went rigid.
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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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