Murim Login - Chapter 346

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 346
I examined the small ring carefully. Light, yet peculiar.
The band was composed of an unidentifiable metal adorned with intricate patterns, and the gemstone set at its center gleamed with a dark luminescence, as though it contained the night sky itself.
‘So this is the Antidote Ring.’
The sacred treasure of the Sichuan Poison Sect—capable of neutralizing any poison—had come into my possession.
Given that it had transformed the Thousand-Year Poison Fang Snake, said to harbor an extraordinarily potent venom, into my pet Mi-mi, its efficacy was undoubtedly assured, but there was no harm in verifying it myself.
‘Item Appraisal.’
Beep.
– Item Appraisal Failed!
– Special conditions must be satisfied to appraise this item!
“Hm?”
“What is it? Is something wrong?”
I offered a vague response to the puzzled Dang Sa-dok.
“No, it’s just….”
“Just what?”
“Just that the gemstone is beautiful. It resembles the color of a snake’s eyes.”
At my answer, wrinkles formed across Dang Sa-dok’s forehead.
I had momentarily forgotten—the old man before me was both the family patriarch and a seasoned martial artist who had spent his entire life in the Murim.
As expected, Dang Sa-dok’s eyes widened as he bellowed.
“What nonsense!”
“Family Head, the truth is——”
“Our Mi-mi’s eyes are far more beautiful!”
“I beg your pardon?”
“That’s not all! Every morning and evening, I cleanse her body with fragrant oils, so she smells divine, and her teeth are pristine white!”
“Ah… yes.”
A seasoned martial artist, my foot. He was simply a snake enthusiast.
How could a family patriarch care more for a pet snake than his clan’s sacred treasure?
At this point, I was beginning to suspect whether Mi-mi was truly the Sichuan Poison Sect’s sacred treasure at all.
‘But why can’t I appraise this?’
I attempted the appraisal once more out of curiosity, but the result remained unchanged. The fact that item appraisal required special conditions confirmed that this was indeed a sacred treasure.
‘It’s frustrating that I can’t verify it, but the effect should still be reliable.’
I turned my gaze toward the Divine Physician. With a smile, he opened his mouth as though he had been waiting.
“The Thousand-Year Poison Fang Snake is no ordinary serpent—it is a spiritual creature. To render the venom of such a being useless… whether we can neutralize it completely remains to be seen through practice, but this is indeed worthy of the Antidote Ring.”
“Then——”
“Without the Antidote Ring, success would have been mere chance, but now I assess our prospects at seventy percent or higher.”
“Even with the Antidote Ring, merely seventy percent…?”
“The remaining thirty percent, I shall supplement with this old physician’s medical skill.”
“Phew, then you should have explained it that way from the beginning.”
The Divine Physician chuckled at my relieved sigh, stroking his beard.
“Now, only one final matter remains.”
“What is that?”
“A space to conduct treatment.”
Dang Sa-dok spoke abruptly in a blunt tone.
“Have you forgotten where you are?”
“I am well aware that there is a Physician within the Sichuan Poison Sect. However, treating an enemy’s poison requires two specific conditions.”
“Speak.”
“First, it must be a secluded place where others cannot easily come and go. Second, it must be a place devoid of sunlight, where a biting chill permeates the air.”
“A place sparse of people, dark, and cold, then…”
Dang Sa-dok, who had fallen silent in thought for a moment, let out a soft chuckle.
“As it happens, I know just the place. I shall guide you there myself.”
“I am grateful for your generosity, Lord Sect Master.”
“I am no benevolent savior as you speak of. This is merely an exchange of favors between us. And should you ever reveal the existence of the Thousand Poison Antidote or disclose this matter to the outside world in any way…”
I exhaled a long breath and continued his thought.
“You’ll drag me into a vat of poison for a half-body soak and pierce my body full of holes with needles.”
“Your imagination is rather impoverished. Whatever you envision, you will experience far worse.”
“Unless I lose my mind, such a thing will not come to pass.”
“I hope so… And what is that creature?”
Right. What is that thing anyway?
As we conversed, Chung Poong had quietly crept closer and was now reaching his hand toward Mi-mi.
“Wow, how pretty. Can I touch it?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Hmph. Do you think this creature lets just anyone touch it? Had I not summoned it, it would not have revealed itself before you.”
“Mi-mi, Mi-mi. Come here.”
“This is ridiculous…”
Whoosh.
Mi-mi slid down from Dang Sa-dok’s shoulder and licked the back of Chung Poong’s hand.
“Huh!”
“Mi-mi, Whirlwind Strike!”
Whirlwind Strike? He’s commanding a technique that people can’t even understand.
Chung Poong’s mind truly defies comprehension no matter how many times I witness it.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoooosh!
“…What the hell.”
What did I just witness?
My jaw dropped as I watched Mi-mi spinning wildly in a helical motion.
“Wow! Well done, Mi-mi!”
“This cannot be! How is Mi-mi using Whirlwind Strike on someone it’s meeting for the first time!”
“Wait, is that actually a real technique?”
“That’s not the important issue right now!”
It seems pretty important to me. At this rate, I wouldn’t be surprised if it starts firing Thunderbolt or Hyper Beam next.
‘Could it be that he’s evolved as well…?’
As I pondered whether Man-dok’s Poison and Mi-mi were the same creature, Chung Poong spoke with a radiant smile.
“I get along well with those animals. When I lie in the grass on Huashan, birds, deer, and tigers come to play with me. Hehe.”
What is this, a Huashan Sect druid?
Dang Sa-dok, who had been staring at Chung Poong with a dazed expression from the shock of losing Mi-mi, raised an objection.
“Wait. Something strange slipped in at the end. Why would a tiger be there? How dare you spin such an obvious lie before me…!”
“We were all about to finish playing and part ways, but the tiger tried to eat the deer, so I knocked it down with the Reverse Tiger Fist!”
“….”
“….”
It sounded insane no matter who heard it, but it was probably true.
In the silence that fell over the Great Hall, Moon-kyung’s muttering rang out with unusual clarity.
“Is the Huashan Sect I know really the Huashan Sect…?”
I couldn’t say about that, but one thing was certain.
If heaven and earth were turned upside down and Chung Poong became the Sect Master of Huashan, then from that moment on, it would be your Huashan Sect.
“…Let’s go. You said you’d guide us.”
“…Very well.”
* * *
Following Dang Sa-dok, we arrived at a cave on the outskirts, far removed from the grounds of the Sichuan Poison Sect.
A cave entrance with its dark maw gaping wide open.
Except for two large braziers installed on either side, no one was visible.
“What place is this? There doesn’t seem to be anyone guarding it.”
“Seeing no one around, it must be feeding time.”
“Feeding?”
“You’ll understand once you go inside. Follow me.”
The cave wasn’t structured in a straight line like the Training Pavilion of the Taewon Jin Family.
After descending stone steps that led deep underground for some distance, a narrow corridor barely wide enough for two people to pass through appeared, and a familiar scent pierced my nostrils.
‘This is… the smell of blood?’
The atmosphere felt heavy, so I looked around and spotted doors with iron bars installed sporadically.
“Surely not?”
“Yes. It’s the underground prison of the Main Residence.”
“…It’s not a torture chamber?”
“Ah, you’ll see plenty of torture chambers once you go inside.”
What exactly have I just heard?
At the gazes of everyone including myself, Dang Sa-dok opened his mouth in a casual tone.
“Except for the Family Head Hall and a few other pavilions, it’s the oldest space in the Main Residence. It’s probably well over two hundred years old. In any case, it’s a historic place with history carved into it.”
I don’t know about historic, but I think I should leave a will before being dragged here.
The more I thought about it, the more exasperated I became.
“Regardless, this is still a prison.”
“Is there a problem with that?”
“Of course there is. You’re asking me to treat Old Master Noya—I mean, my master here?”
“Not a single ray of sunlight reaches this place, and the bone-chilling cold seeps through everything. This is the most suitable location.”
“You also conduct torture here, I hear?”
“Of course. What else would you call it?”
“….”
Anyone listening would think they were asking about adding toppings to pizza.
Just as I lost my words, a hunched elderly man with a torch approached from the distance, limping slowly.
“Family Head, what brings you to this place?”
“Ah, Gung Elder. You work hard. How are those prisoners?”
“Nothing out of the ordinary, sir. I merely checked to ensure they still draw breath before leaving. But these people are…?”
“Guests from the Main Residence. They’ll be staying in the Underground Prison for a fortnight due to certain circumstances. I trust they won’t cause too much disturbance?”
“Well, the ones still alive are practically corpses anyway, so it should be quiet.”
“From what I saw a few months ago, Cheon Ryeok-ma seemed to still have plenty of vigor.”
“Ah, that one—you needn’t worry about him anymore.”
The hunched elder grinned, revealing teeth that had rotted away entirely.
“He made such a racket that I drained all his vital energy. While I was at it, I took a few other things here and there, hehe.”
“You always work so diligently.”
“Oh, Family Head, you’re too kind. It’s all work I do with pleasure, after all.”
Listening to their exchange, I made a silent vow: I would never make an enemy of the Sichuan Poison Sect.
After exchanging a few more words with the hunched elder, Dang Sa-dok spoke with a bright expression.
“Perfect. I hear the deepest and largest Underground Prison cell has just been vacated. You can use that one.”
I didn’t need to ask why it had been vacated.
The previous occupant probably never checked out of the Underground Prison’s front desk.
‘By now, they’ve checked in at the underworld.’
Even if the conditions were suitable, could we actually conduct treatment in a place like this?
The Divine Physician clearly shared my thoughts. Noticing my master’s furrowed brow, Moon-kyung spoke in a calm voice.
“Master, are we not physicians? For the sake of our patients, we must endure even what we find distasteful.”
The Divine Physician sighed deeply before responding.
“…You’re right. Your words are just. So be it.”
“Furthermore, those imprisoned here are surely villains who have committed countless murders. Please do not trouble yourself over it.”
Dang Sa-dok added his own comment as he listened to their exchange.
“Hah, the young physician shows remarkable composure. Listen, Divine Physician. As this boy says, those locked in the Underground Prison are all thoroughly wicked demons, so do not bring shame upon the Main Residence.”
“This old man spoke out of turn with a compassionate heart. I beg your forgiveness with magnanimous understanding.”
“I forgive you gladly. Of course, those wretches didn’t harm the Main Residence’s household members. Isn’t that so, Gung Elder?”
The Gung Elder laughed with an eerie metallic sound and raised his torch.
“Now then, allow me to guide you.”
“….”
I felt as though I were following the grim reaper himself.
‘Judging by the atmosphere alone, that old man seems far more dangerous than Hyung Soo, who killed Dok Wang.’
It must be a misunderstanding. It has to be.
And so we began walking toward the Sichuan Poison Sect’s Underground Prison’s most prestigious suite.
* * *
“Hmm?”
The Middle-aged Guard suddenly glanced around his surroundings.
Winter had passed, the sky was clear, and the barren forest was reclaiming its verdant hues.
The nameless mountain valley lay as peaceful as ever—yet why did he feel this peculiar sense of déjà vu? No matter how much he pondered it, the answer eluded him.
“Truly a strange thing. A strange thing indeed….”
The Middle-aged Guard murmured softly, turning his head as he spoke.
“Don’t you think so too?”
Crackle, hack.
Blood surged and bubbled from the gaping throat wound.
The fallen man stared at the Middle-aged Guard with eyes filled with resentment and despair.
“You… you must… the Main Residence will….”
“A dying declaration without any flair. Then again, those Sichuan Poison Sect dogs were always like that.”
Squelch!
The Middle-aged Guard wiped his leather shoes, soaked with brain matter and blood, against the grass before straightening his back.
Four corpses lay scattered around him.
And toward the one man still remaining, he flashed a sinister smile.
“Now then, will you answer my questions obediently, or will you writhe in unimaginable agony before death claims you?”
“…!”
“For reference, Dok Wang chose the latter. He lasted four days before finally expiring.”
The man’s body trembled violently as he slowly closed his eyes.
Seeing his resignation to death, a dark smile spread across the Middle-aged Guard’s lips.
“Good. Let’s see how long you can endure, shall we?”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————