Murim Login - Chapter 249

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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 249
The Thousand-Faced Fox—a fox with a thousand faces.
I’d never seen anyone whose epithet fit so poorly.
The Old Master, Song Ho, the Thousand-Faced Fox, possessed a frame larger than most able-bodied men, yet his expression carried the warmth of a kindly grandfather from next door.
He was as far removed from a fox as one could be—indeed, nearly the opposite.
‘He looks just like that grandfather. The one standing in front of the chicken shop whether it rains or snows.’
With glasses, he’d be indistinguishable from a twin.
Yet unlike my comfortable musings, the air around us was drawn taut as a bowstring.
Tense faces. The sound of nervous swallows reached my ears.
The Thousand-Faced Fox, then…
‘That epithet didn’t come from nowhere.’
Once I corrected my thinking, everything began to appear different.
The aura emanating from Song Ho was that of a peak master—no more, no less—yet something else lingered beneath it.
Something beyond martial prowess. Something uniquely his own.
‘What could it be?’
As I studied his profile, his head turned sharply, and our gazes collided in the empty air.
At his beckoning gesture, I stepped forward.
“So you’re the one?”
“Pardon?”
“Shanxi Sleeping Dragon Jin Tae-kyung. The disciple of Fire King Jeok Cheon-gang, who achieved remarkable results in the preliminaries—I’ve heard the tales.”
From the way he spoke, he seemed to have some acquaintance with Jeok Cheon-gang. I bowed respectfully.
“Thank you for your kind words.”
“And you’re also the reason why this year’s Seongnae Daeyeon has an unusually large number of main tournament participants.”
Though I’d heard various stories about myself, this was the first time I’d heard Song Ho say such a thing. I tilted my head in confusion and asked.
“Because of me?”
“Of course, because of you.”
A deep smile formed at the corners of Song Ho’s mouth.
“You’re the one who destroyed all the mechanical contraptions we’d set up during the final examination.”
“Ah.”
“Thanks to that, the number of those who passed increased by a hundred or so. Because you destroyed the core, the others passed through with ease.”
Such a thing had happened?
Now that I thought about it, everyone did seem to pass through rather quickly.
At the time, I’d simply assumed they were locals and thus far more familiar with mechanical contraptions than a foreigner like me.
“Your expression tells me you didn’t know.”
“Well, yes. I’m quite ignorant in such matters.”
“Do you regret it?”
“Regret what?”
“Destroying the core of the mechanism. Your competitors could have been far fewer than they are now.”
“Five hundred or four hundred—what’s the difference?”
“What’s the difference, you say…”
Song Ho pointed behind my back with a refreshing directness.
“It won’t be easy, will it?”
I turned my head in the direction his finger indicated.
The three idiots and countless martial artists filling the Training Ground were all staring at me.
Their number reached a staggering five hundred.
Every one of them was a first-rate master or peak expert recognized throughout the Martial World.
Among them were disciples of prestigious families who had cultivated their martial arts with generous support, and rogues bearing countless scars like medals across their bodies.
‘Quite a lot indeed.’
But it didn’t matter. Four hundred, five hundred, even a thousand—my answer would not change.
I looked at Song Ho and slowly parted my lips.
“It doesn’t matter. If I win, that’s all there is to it.”
“What? Hahaha! Hahahaha!”
Ah, saying it out loud like that was embarrassing.
Song Ho burst into hearty laughter at my answer, clearly pleased, but at the same time I’d drawn considerable aggression.
I scratched the back of my head, which tingled slightly, and reflected.
‘Everyone thinks the same thing, yet here they are.’
After all, now that everyone had gathered for Seongnae Daeyeon, there was only one goal for all: victory. Pretending otherwise in this situation was even more ridiculous.
“An amusing fellow. Jeok Cheon-gang has raised a fine specimen.”
It was just as Song Ho, who had been patting my shoulder, smiled with satisfaction.
“Song Dae-hyup, is that you? What brings you to this place….”
The Middle-aged Supervisor, who had been about to ascend the platform, stopped upon seeing him. Song Ho’s hand withdrew from my shoulder.
“I heard the successful candidates had arrived, so I stopped by to see their faces. Are they not the talents who will become the pillars of the Martial World?”
The old man, his expression satisfied, swept his gaze across the crowd and turned his body.
“Well then, this old man in the back room shall take his leave. It was most enjoyable.”
“….”
I did not respond. It had been only a fleeting moment, but I had clearly witnessed it.
Eyes narrowed like a fox stalking prey, and a piercing gaze.
‘Thousand-faced Fox.’
I began to understand why such an epithet had been attached to this generous-looking old man.
‘What did he see?’
And from whom did he see what?
That gaze which had flashed past in an instant was certainly not that of a senior looking upon distant juniors.
It was just as I was rapidly scanning the faces of the people around me.
“Hey there! Friend!”
At first, I thought he was some madman.
A resonant shout that echoed through the quiet Training Ground, accompanied by someone waving his hands enthusiastically.
Upon seeing a face I recognized from somewhere, I let out a deep sigh.
‘What, he passed too?’
Jong Ri-chu, the Ascending Sword. With his beaming smile, the curiosity I had harbored moments before vanished in an instant.
* * *
“All who have passed, follow me.”
After walking some distance behind the Middle-aged Supervisor, a long procession of carriages stretched out before us, their wheels creaking in anticipation.
“Wait, where are we going?”
Whoever this person was, they were undoubtedly drawing the ire of those around them at this very moment.
The schedule after the preliminaries had already been explained multiple times.
The Middle-aged Supervisor answered in a gruff voice.
“Luoyang.”
The preliminaries of Seongnae Daeyeon had been held at Songshan with restricted access, but the finals would take place in Luoyang, and the format would be entirely different.
From what I heard, there would even be spectator seating to watch the martial contests.
Perhaps that’s why the finals are called the true beginning of Seongnae Daeyeon.
“Everyone, board the carriages. It’s not such a long journey—we’ll arrive shortly.”
Thud-thud-thud!
The moment the carriage door shut, hooves thundered forcefully against the ground.
I gazed out the window at Songshan receding into the distance.
I wished it were because of the beautiful memories from these past four days, but truthfully, it was because I couldn’t stand looking at the faces of those sharing the carriage.
“It’s been a while. Have you been well?”
“Get lost. Don’t talk to me.”
The first provocation came lightly from Jong Ri-chu.
But I shouldn’t let my guard down. The real battle was only beginning.
“Heh, listen here. Did you all hear what that fellow just said? ‘Get lost’? As if he were some street ruffian! How utterly lacking in decorum…”
Baek Woo, one of the Ten Dragons and Phoenixes.
I spoke without taking my eyes from the window.
“Shut your mouth. I won’t say it twice. And if you keep it up, I’ll turn you into charred crust with my Flame Divine Technique.”
“What? You dare speak to Ren Dou this way?”
“Yes.”
“Just because you got lucky and surpassed him once in lightness technique, you think you’re invincible…”
“Listen here.”
I turned and fixed my gaze upon Baek Woo.
“I told you to shut your mouth.”
Our eyes clashed in the air. A brief silence fell, and without hesitation, we both extended our hands.
No—Baek Woo, who struck first, was half a beat faster.
Whoosh, clatter-clatter-clatter!
And in an instant, it was all over.
Baek Woo’s eyes widened as both his wrists were pinned.
“Tch, striking after retreating?”
“Don’t talk about who threw the first punch, you bastard.”
What matters in a fight isn’t who is faster.
Results. Only results matter.
Though I started later than Baek Woo, I reached my target first. That’s all there is to it.
“Your foundation is pathetic. Did you dump everything into lightness technique?”
“H-how is this…?”
“How? Simple. You were weaker than me, and I was stronger than you.”
I grinned at the vacant-eyed fool and continued.
“Well, you have three choices. First: take one solid Flame Divine Palm strike.”
“…!”
“From your expression, you don’t like that one. Second: take a gentle Extinguishing Flame Divine Fist. Oh, and by the way, I collapsed a cliff with that. If you think your body is tougher than a cliff, go ahead and try.”
“…Is there… is there no third option?”
“Option? So you speak like Haowen Sect. Are you from Haowen? I thought you were from Kunlun?”
Baek Woo bit his lip hard.
“I, Ren Dou am twenty-six this year. Four years older than you.”
“Oh, four years. Then you want four Flame Divine Palm strikes?”
“Gasp.”
Baek Woo shook his head vigorously.
“Right, say it again.”
“Is there… is there no third option?”
“There is. Third option: keep your mouth shut in front of me from now on.”
“I’ll take that!”
“Good. Let’s go quietly.”
I released the wrist I’d been gripping.
For a moment, conflict flickered in his eyes, but he soon nodded with a deflated expression.
Any response less pathetic would have been surprising from such a fool.
‘Well, that’s one down.’
I turned my gaze to the remaining ones in turn.
Jong Ri-chu, eyes wide open, alternating his stare between me and Baek Woo.
Gung Ki-bang stopped scratching his thigh, and Jegal Gyun closed the book he’d been reading intently.
“Hey. Beggar Clan.”
“….”
“This bastard only opens his mouth when talking about shit.”
Gung Ki-bang was the quietest of the three idiots. The rare times he spoke, it was nothing but curses starting with dog shit and ending with horse dung. Utterly filthy creature.
“Anyway, I’m giving you a choice too. The same three I mentioned to him. You heard them, right?”
Gung Ki-bang’s matted head nodded up and down.
“I’m impatient, so choose quickly.”
Gung Ki-bang, who had been silent, finally spoke.
“The Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms of my sect rank among the top five supreme techniques under heaven. Even mastering eight stages would leave few in the world capable of opposing me.”
“And?”
“Unfortunately, I have only mastered five stages of the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms.”
“…?”
Gung Ki-bang’s eyes blazed with resolve as he continued.
“Therefore, I choose the third option.”
“….”
I was tempted to smack him upside the head, but I held back. It would only dirty my own hands.
“From now on, keep your mouth shut, Gung Ki-bang. And use formal speech with me from here on out.”
“G-Gung Ki-bang? Formal speech?”
“The strong are revered. Don’t you know that?”
“But still, that’s a bit….”
“Right, you’re twenty-six, aren’t you? Since you’re four years older than me, how about you take four strikes of the Melting Flame Divine Fist?”
“…!”
Gung Ki-bang’s wavering eyes settled into calm resolve. His fist clenched tight, then his hands trembled as he released it.
Whoosh, crack!
With lightning-fast movements, Gung Ki-bang assumed a respectful stance with clasped fists.
“From now on, I shall address you as Elder Brother Jin.”
“Good.”
Having cleanly settled those two fools, I turned my gaze toward the last idiot.
Jegal Gyun sat with his book closed, stroking a pristine white crane-feather fan.
“Gyun.”
“My family name is Jegal. My given name is Gyun.”
“Right. Gyun. You’ve already made your choice, haven’t you?”
“Choice is a difficult matter.”
“If you haven’t decided your answer even after seeing those two seniors before you… you’ll become a corpse.”
Jegal Gyun regarded me with calm, steady eyes.
“My ancestor, Zhuge Liang the Martial Marquis, made his decision to serve only after Liu Bei’s three visits of respect.”
“Are you serious? I ask for a number and you’re reciting the Romance of the Three Kingdoms? So what?”
“Three visits of respect. The Marquis opened his heart after three visits, so I, his descendant, shall choose the number three.”
“….”
Truly, the Jeongal Family.
Building narrative momentum by invoking ancestors—what cunning strategy.
‘I could turn that crane-feather fan into a blood-feather fan.’
Only one remained, but Jong Ri-chu simply laughed and raised both arms in surrender.
“This is frightening. I’ll keep my mouth shut the whole way.”
“Don’t meddle anymore. Understood?”
“Understood. If that’s your will, so be it.”
I bore no particular ill will toward Jong Ri-chu, so I let it end there.
Just as I was savoring the peace I’d gained from subduing those three fools, the rapidly moving carriage began to slow, then came to a halt.
“We have arrived at our destination.”
I cast my gaze out the window.
Towering walls dozens of zhang high and a massive iron gate. And a plaque bathed in the soft glow of sunset.
【Martial Alliance】

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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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