Murim Login - Chapter 202

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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 202
A single hour. A full thirty minutes had elapsed.
I had believed that even against the Fire King himself, if I poured forth all my strength, I could force him to retreat—if only slightly, ever so slightly.
Until just now.
‘This makes no sense.’
I withdrew with an expression of utter exhaustion.
To seize a spear blade infused with rotating inner force with bare hands—it was as senseless as thrusting one’s hand into a grinding mill.
Yet when the hand belonged to Jeok Cheon-gang, the Fire King, the rules changed entirely.
Splatter. Hissssss.
As the molten metal touched the ground, steam rose in billowing clouds. Witnessing this, Jeok Cheon-gang clicked his tongue.
“Scrap metal melts faster than expected, it seems. Since considerable wealth has come in recently, procure some quality steel for the next attempt.”
“H-how did you manage that?”
“You could do the same.”
“I could?”
“Of course. Should you cultivate inner force beyond this level and master the Main Sect’s martial arts with utmost dedication.”
….
“Simple, yes?”
Exceedingly simple, surely.
As I wore an expression of bewilderment, Jeok Cheon-gang opened his mouth and released a yawn.
“You have leisure time. Were I your age, I would wield the spear once more in that interval.”
“That was precisely my intention.”
I glanced sidelong at the time limit hovering in the void and drew forth a fresh spear.
Sixteen minutes remained. Nearly half the allotted time had already slipped away.
‘Just one step. I need only force him back a single step….’
Yet it proved far from simple.
I drew a deep breath, fixing my gaze upon Jeok Cheon-gang, who stood at ease in that very spot.
“Haaah—”
Whoosh!
Simultaneously, I launched myself forward, my feet tearing at the earth. With a stride broad enough to obliterate the distance between us, I thrust the spear forth.
Screeeeeech!
The corners of Jeok Cheon-gang’s mouth lifted as he observed me.
“I told you this was merely the beginning.”
Boom!
A single push of his feet. Yet the effect was devastating.
The earth trembled as though struck by an earthquake, and a flock of birds perched upon bare branches took flight.
Within the slowed world, Jeok Cheon-gang’s hand, momentarily blurred, struck forth dozens of pebbles suspended in the void.
Directly toward me.
Whistle whistle whistle whistle whiiiip!
Dozens of stones launched with inner force—each one as lethal as a concealed projectile weapon.
They possessed destructive power far exceeding the Grand Elder’s Finger Flick technique that I had faced in the past.
But….
‘I’ve grown stronger too.’
Hum, hum, hum.
The spear sang out its resonance.
I felt a unity of being that transcended the dimension of when I had merely lingered at first-rate mastery.
The Jin Family’s spear technique and footwork, already having reached the realm of great accomplishment, achieved perfect harmony.
As the enlightenment gained from surpassing the wall of the peak melted into me, I could now perceive combat approaches that were previously unthinkable.
And on top of that, my elevated capabilities.
‘I can do this.’
Crack.
The spear shaft, gripped with all my might, buckled under the force it could not endure.
And in the next instant.
Whoooosh!
Power compressed like a spring shot forth. Wind erupted from the trajectory of the spear blade as I swung it horizontally with all my strength.
It was the release of qi force—a tempest I had summoned.
Psshhh.
Fine dust scattered in all directions. The final traces of the stones caught in the trajectory.
“Heh, look at this one.”
Now that the obstacle had vanished, it was time to strike the torso.
I rushed toward Jeok Cheon-gang, whose expression mingled bewilderment with delight.
Shwik! Shwish shwish shwik!
The spear blade, brimming with qi force, cleaved through the empty air.
Jeok Cheon-gang evaded with a light bend at the waist, and heat surged from his right hand.
Whoosh!
Simultaneously, blazing flames shot forth—a mass of condensed qi infused with formidable heat energy.
I gritted my teeth and swung the spear shaft.
Clang! Boom crash!
A deafening roar, and tremendous force and heat engulfed my entire body. Jeok Cheon-gang laughed heartily as he watched me standing there, completely blackened with soot.
“Have you ever seen such a crude fool? You thought you could block that?”
“…Hah. I almost had it.”
“That’s ridiculous. If I had gone all out, you would be dead right now.”
I replied curtly.
“I blocked it because it was blockable.”
“And is that why you look like that?”
“…I didn’t expect it to turn out this way.”
“I’ll give you credit for not collapsing in an unsightly manner. And for actually managing to block it.”
“But weren’t you just supposed to be blocking, not attacking?”
“Who said that?”
Damn. Now that I thought about it, that was true.
I tore off my upper garment, which had become half a rag, and cast it aside.
“Your Excellency the Fire King, surely you’re not exerting yourself too much against a mere boy young enough to be your grandson?”
“A wet-behind-the-ears brat swinging a spear at an old man old enough to be his great-grandfather? And you call yourself the Shanxi Sleeping Dragon?”
“But you’re a supreme master, sir!”
“And you possess the Heavenly Martial Body.”
“Is that what you call an argument?”
“If not an argument, then what—a foal’s braying?”
“….”
“What, why the silence?”
Crack.
My grip tightened around the spear shaft. I exhaled a scorching breath.
“Phew. Now I’ll do this properly.”
Jeok Cheon-gang picked at his ear with his pinky finger.
“Hm? What was that? I can’t quite hear the words of a third-rate who’d become charcoal in a single blow.”
“….”
Ugh, absolutely infuriating.
When I was dismantling the Angry Sword Immortal, his sharp tongue had felt like the most refreshing thing in the world. But now that I was on the receiving end, my insides were turning inside out.
“What will you do if I actually manage to force you back even a single step?”
“It would be faster for the Heavenly Demon to become the Shaolin Abbot.”
“Tch.”
“You’ve barely got time for a glass of cold water left. Can you make me retreat in that span? Not a chance.”
Jeok Cheon-gang’s words were true. Only about three minutes remained.
Reflecting on the exchanges we’d had so far, Quest failure seemed like a foregone conclusion.
Yet I still possessed one hidden trump card I hadn’t revealed.
I continued the conversation naturally.
“You’ll really come to regret this.”
“Regret? I was simply trying to gauge your true capabilities. Still, you show promise. If you continue to cultivate diligently….”
“What a shame.”
“Hm?”
Toward the bewildered Jeok Cheon-gang, I released a sigh as though genuinely disappointed and at my wit’s end.
“If you were to take no offensive action and merely defend, I could certainly succeed. But of course, no such condition was set.”
“If I merely defend, you could force me to retreat?”
Jeok Cheon-gang’s eyes flashed brilliantly. Competitive spirit, or curiosity—I couldn’t tell.
Whatever the precise emotion gleaming in his gaze, I was certain he was already half-convinced.
I waved my hand dismissively, as though I hadn’t noticed.
“No, forget I said anything. If I succeed, won’t it tarnish your reputation?”
That single remark was the wedge.
“…Look at this brat.”
Jeok Cheon-gang, whose cheek had been twitching with an odd expression, finally nodded.
“Your scheme is transparent as day, but fine. Let’s see what you’ve got.”
“You’re serious?”
“Haven’t you heard the saying, ‘A word from the Fire King is worth its weight in gold’? Once I speak, I never go back on my word.”
“…Ah, yes.”
Subtly changing the first character to plagiarize—how shameless.
In any case, I’d achieved my objective. I discarded the spear that had become half-charred and drew out a third one.
‘It’ll probably become disposable.’
But considering it’s the price of completing a peak-tier Quest, it’s an absurdly cheap trade.
Jeok Cheon-gang’s brow furrowed as he watched me adjust my stance.
“You’re not planning to use poison or underhanded tricks, are you?”
“No way, how could I?”
I smiled and added with a grin.
“A real man goes for one decisive blow.”
Goooong.
The spear shaft trembled as it consumed forty-five years of accumulated power.
* * *
Kwaaaaaah!
Massive boulders flew through the air, and ancient trees were uprooted from the ground.
In the center of the Clearing, where a tempest had just swept through, Jeok Cheon-gang stood towering.
Exactly five paces back from where he’d been.
“You, you….”
Jeok Cheon-gang stared at me and the devastated surroundings in turn, his expression half-dazed.
The pristine natural landscape that had existed moments before was now hideously transformed into a wasteland of snapped and uprooted trees and boulders.
All of this was the result of a single thrust—a single strike.
“What, what on earth have you done?”
“Well, I… didn’t expect it to be this severe either.”
This was the first time I’d used that strike since reaching the peak realm.
I’d anticipated the destructive power would increase with my dramatically elevated cultivation, but not to this extent.
At my uncertain response, Jeok Cheon-gang let out a sharp cry.
“Does that sound reasonable to you?”
“Exactly. Wow, this is absolutely insane….”
Suddenly the world spun before my eyes, and my legs buckled beneath me.
The result of pouring every ounce of strength and power into that single attack without reservation.
Weathered hands caught my wavering body. The light in his eyes as he looked down at me was impossibly complex.
“We’ll discuss the details later. For now, rest.”
As he spoke, a surge of vital energy flowed into my back. It must be the power Jeok Cheon-gang was channeling into me.
Contrary to what I’d expected—that it would be scorching like swallowing the sun—his power was warm and vast.
That comforting warmth brought an irresistible wave of drowsiness.
“No, no….”
“Don’t resist. Surrender yourself to it.”
“…Right?”
“Hmm?”
“I won, didn’t I?”
“…!”
Jeok Cheon-gang’s eyelids trembled slightly. After a moment, he answered in a hoarse voice.
“Yes. I have been defeated.”
“Hehehehe.”
Laughter escaped my lips unbidden.
Despite the numerous restrictions placed upon me, the joy of forcing back Jeok Cheon-gang—one of the world’s most formidable masters—welled up from deep within.
Ding.
– Quest
[One Step Back]
has been completed successfully!
– Quest reward is….
As the system notification faded into the distance, I surrendered to a deep sleep.
* * *
‘That boy. He certainly knows how to sleep.’
Jeok Cheon-gang gazed intently at the unconscious Jin Tae-kyung for a long while.
His sharply defined features seemed at once those of an innocent youth and a young man already weathered by the world.
‘A curious one. A most curious one indeed.’
The longer I observed him, the more such thoughts crystallized.
I had believed I had already peeled away one layer of his shell, yet beneath lay even harder, more brilliant scales.
‘A sleeping dragon.’
This young man, sleeping peacefully and snoring softly, was a dragon that had yet to obtain the pearl of ascension.
And that made me all the more curious. Where would Jin Tae-kyung’s limits lie? Would I live long enough to witness the true extent of this boy’s potential?
‘Especially that final strike….’
Jeok Cheon-gang surveyed his surroundings once more, then let out a hollow laugh.
Could this truly be a sight created by someone who had only just crossed into the late stages of the post-heaven realm?
Without question, even the Sword Saint of old could not have achieved such a thing.
‘Mu-shin. Perhaps only he could have managed it.’
A martial artist born human yet revered as divine. Mu-shin—the sole person for whom the Fire King Jeok Cheon-gang harbored genuine awe.
What had his youth been like, he who was lauded as the greatest throughout all ages?
As Jeok Cheon-gang imagined the young days of Jin Tae-kyung and Mu-shin, he suddenly let out a quiet chuckle.
‘That I should entertain such thoughts—this means the magnitude of that boy’s talent rivals even Mu-shin’s.’
Jeok Cheon-gang, his gaze deep and penetrating as he looked upon Jin Tae-kyung, rose from his seat.
Within his heart, a desire had begun to bloom—to place the pearl of ascension in the hands of this young sleeping dragon.
‘Soar beyond those clouds. Become a celestial dragon that can blanket the world with rain and wind.’
Shnore.
At the snoring that answered in his stead, Jeok Cheon-gang burst into hearty laughter.

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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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