Murim Login - Chapter 357

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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 357
A serene expression and measured gait. A pristine yellow robe.
He alone was an anomalous presence, the only person who could approach the aura of death that saturated the Sichuan Tang Sect.
“They number barely a handful. Push forward!”
“Fight to the end. We stand against the Sichuan Tang Sect!”
Waaahhh!
Two waves collided with a thunderous roar that shook the earth itself. Screams and battle cries intermingled as a thick mist of blood coalesced in the air.
A fierce battle waged without regard for life. Victory and defeat were decided in mere moments.
“Encircle them! Not a single one must survive!”
Grraaahhh!
A black wave of dark-robed warriors engulfed the green wave.
In the wake of that tide, only corpses in green garments remained, like foam upon the shore.
From a hundred paces away, observing all of this, the Western Heavenly Demon Lord finally spoke.
“It is finished.”
Their resolve to stand rather than retreat was worthy of respect, yet this had always been a battle of overwhelming numbers against the few.
Even the poison and secret techniques that formed the very foundation of the Sichuan Tang Sect could not manifest their true power.
The battle—no, this war—belonged to Dark Heaven.
“I fear I cannot keep my promise. Forgive me, Family Head Dang.”
Humans grow clouded in judgment the more desperate they become. Dang Sa-dok was no exception.
Having obtained the answer he desired through the condition of preserving the Tang Family’s bloodline, the Western Heavenly Demon Lord’s actions were simple and cruel.
Rather than end his life immediately, he had placed him upon a tree on the hillside overlooking the Sichuan Tang Sect.
So that he might witness his family’s destruction until his final breath.
“All things unfold according to the Heavenly Master’s will.”
Pitter, pitter-patter.
The Western Heavenly Demon Lord, who had been gazing at the sky now releasing raindrops, turned his body.
The cave entrance gaped like a dark maw. Beside an overturned brazier lay a hunched old man, dead with eyes wide open.
What captured the Western Heavenly Demon Lord’s interest were the scars etched upon the old man’s body.
‘Black Blood Sword Technique.’
The Black Blood Sword Technique was permitted only to the martial artists of Dark Heaven.
Having discerned the identity of these visitors, the Western Heavenly Demon Lord descended the stone stairs leading underground.
Footprints mingled with blood and mud were clearly visible upon the steps. At least twenty or more subordinates had passed through this place before him.
And likely….
‘All are dead.’
There were traces of descent, but none of ascent.
Upon entering the Underground Prison, his suspicion became certainty.
The Western Heavenly Demon Lord, who had lived a life stained with blood, could sense the lingering heat of battle in the dim corridor, the metallic scent of blood masked by stench.
Whose work was this? the Western Heavenly Demon Lord wondered, observing the fine droplets of blood splattered upon the wall.
‘Skilled work. They didn’t even manage proper resistance.’
With the Sichuan Tang Sect now on the brink of collapse, it was unlikely that the sect’s masters would be here protecting outsiders.
If Dang Sa-dok’s words were true, three remained in the Underground Prison now.
The Divine Physician was useless, and Fire King Red Sky River hadn’t even regained consciousness. Only one person remained.
‘Shanxi Sleeping Dragon Jin Tae-kyung.’
Suddenly, I recalled what the Blood Lord had said about Jin Tae-kyung.
The most arrogant, tenacious, and audacious brat in all the heavens.
For some reason, I wanted to kill Jin Tae-kyung even more than the Sword Saint who had severed my arm or the Fire King.
‘Does he possess enough skill to survive against the Blood Lord?’
But Jin Tae-kyung would not have a second stroke of fortune.
The Sword Saint was not here, and the Fire King was incapacitated.
The Western Heavenly Demon Lord intended to easily capture the rats trapped in poison and return with them.
‘Along with the Antidote to All Poisons they possess.’
Splash, splash.
The Western Heavenly Demon Lord’s figure, which had been walking with leisure, suddenly halted.
A solid stone wall descending from the ceiling now blocked his path.
“Heh, quite the intricate construction.”
The Western Heavenly Demon Lord, gazing blankly at the wall, gathered his hands. Crimson mist coiled around his arm, enveloping his fist.
Gooooong.
Everything happened in an instant.
The manifestation, compression, and explosion of qi. Nothing could stand before the force of a fist strike.
Crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch!
Shattering, crumbling, trembling.
The concentrated mass of formidable qi shot forth in a straight line, piercing through dozens of walls. Stalactites rained down like hail from the ceiling, and thick clouds of dust rose into the air.
‘Much better.’
The next moment.
The Western Heavenly Demon Lord, observing the scene he had created, suddenly spoke.
“Why not come out?”
What answered instead was an intense piercing sound.
Boom!
Between the splitting clouds of dust, the Western Heavenly Demon Lord caught the hidden projectile flying toward his throat and smiled faintly.
“Are you Jin Tae-kyung?”
“You already know. Why ask?”
Step, step.
Jin Tae-kyung, a tall young man who emerged from the dust, gazed at the Western Heavenly Demon Lord with an impassive expression.
* * *
I tried to appear composed.
In combat, momentum accounts for half the battle. I must not become careless if my opponent seems weaker, nor must I lose confidence if they seem stronger.
Especially when facing a true master like this.
‘What kind of monster is this?’
Inwardly clicking my tongue, I studied the middle-aged man before me.
If Moses split the sea with his staff, he had carved another path through the Underground Prison with a single punch.
And there he stood with a smile on his face, the very picture of serenity.
The very aura he emanates is different.
If the Blood Lord had been openly mad, this middle-aged man before me was dangerous simply by existing.
Their martial prowess might be comparable, but the nature of it was entirely different.
“I’ve heard much about you. You’re quite the interesting young man, just as they say.”
I tilted the blade of White Flame diagonally and replied.
“Let me add another layer of interest.”
“They also say you lack courtesy.”
“You’ve got the wrong person. My nickname is actually Propriety itself.”
“Well, I’ll need to experience you a bit more to judge, but that’s what my acquaintance told me.”
“You don’t seem to have many friends. Who’s this acquaintance?”
The smile at the corner of the middle-aged man’s mouth deepened.
“The Blood Lord.”
“…!”
“He’s been quite eager to see you.”
“I don’t want to see that bastard’s face either.”
“Chung Poong, you’re saying the exact same thing as that young man. Though your tone is different.”
This bastard has already met Chung Poong.
Yet he’s still here, which means….
I felt my facial muscles stiffen involuntarily as I opened my mouth.
“You, could it be.”
The middle-aged man laughed and waved his hand dismissively.
“No need to worry. I won’t kill you. I plan to bring you, Chung Poong, and the Fire King back alive to him.”
I asked with a dumbfounded expression.
“Bring us back?”
“As I said, the Blood Lord wants to see you. So at least until then, you’ll be safe.”
“….”
“Of course, what happens after that depends on the Blood Lord.”
The middle-aged man delivered two pieces of good news and one piece of bad news.
The former were Chung Poong’s survival and that the Blood Lord wasn’t here, while the latter was that if I lost this fight, I’d be having a group reunion with the Blood Lord.
Of course, the probability of parting ways after sharing grilled intestines and soju was nearly zero.
‘Instead, the probability of me becoming grilled intestines is about fifty percent.’
The remaining fifty percent was the probability of becoming tripe.
Damn it, just thinking about it made my mouth water.
I swallowed hard and scrutinized the middle-aged man from head to toe.
Someone who could call the Blood Lord—apparently among the highest ranks of Dark Heaven—an ‘acquaintance’. Destructive power displayed in mere moments that rivaled mine.
A certain epithet surfaced in my mind.
“The Western Heavenly Demon Lord, aren’t you?”
“Ah, I haven’t introduced myself yet. Pleased to meet you.”
Pleased, my ass.
I muttered while staring at the Western Heavenly Demon Lord’s perfectly intact two arms.
“I heard you were called the One-Armed Man.”
“That was true. Until ten days ago.”
“What?”
“I had it reattached. Since it’s not originally mine, the movements are still rather stiff. If you’re going to try anything, aim for the left arm.”
“…!”
What in the world was this bastard?
Suturing surgery was possible through sheer determination, but swapping an arm like computer parts?
Aside from the subtly different skin tone, the movements were unnaturally smooth.
‘Is this even possible? In just ten days?’
I couldn’t comprehend it, but I had to set aside my shock and questions for now.
What bothered me more was his final remark.
‘He even revealed his weakness.’
There was only one reason for such an absurd display.
The arrogance of one who considers himself overwhelmingly superior.
And he—the Western Heavenly Demon Lord—was strong enough to make arrogance appear as composure.
“Damn it.”
I took a deep breath and fixed him with a sharp, unwavering gaze.
“Can’t I just leave, treating this as a courtesy visit?”
“That would be difficult. Setting you aside, there’s something I must take.”
“Something?”
The Western Heavenly Demon Lord asked a question instead of answering.
“This time, I shall ask. Will you not surrender? Peacefully?”
“Would you mind killing yourself instead? Peacefully.”
“Then there’s only one answer.”
Thirty paces of distance.
The moment our gazes collided in the empty space between us.
Whoosh, hiss!
We both extended our hands without hesitation.
No—at least in terms of drawing speed, I was faster.
Yet the finger wind the Western Heavenly Demon Lord unleashed reached its target one step ahead of my hidden blade.
‘Striking after, striking first.’
A red warning light flashed in my mind. Simultaneously, my keen senses absorbed everything around me.
An invisible, formless finger wind. Yet I felt the approaching force distinctly. It was a new sense I had acquired while facing Hwang Bo-eom, the Tae-eul Mujeong Sword.
‘Now!’
I twisted my head and lunged forward. Something faster than a bullet grazed past my ear.
The Western Heavenly Demon Lord watched this with an expression of surprise.
“To evade the Ear Jade Finger of the Eight Immortals. You truly have a talent for surprising people….”
“Ear Jade Finger, huh.”
Whoosh!
The Western Heavenly Demon Lord’s voice could not continue.
In that slowed moment, my figure—now looming directly before him—reflected in his pupils as they widened with dawning horror.
It was a speed that transcended the Western Heavenly Demon Lord’s comprehension, something that shattered the distant limits of a supreme master.
‘Physical strength, raw power, agility. And the Flame Path.’
I poured everything into a single step. Distance dissolved. Air fractured.
The fire dragon coiled within my Qi Sea unfurled its wings and took flight. The transparent blade of white flame became the dragon’s talons, descending upon my enemy with devastating force.
‘Heavenly Strike.’
Kwaaaaaaa!
* * *
Guuuuuuung!
It was a tremendous resonance.
As if bearing witness to the ferocity of the clash, the corpses of friend and foe that had been piled together collapsed.
The Pavilion trembled as though struck by an earthquake, and those wielding weapons against one another staggered, momentarily losing their footing.
“An earthquake! It’s an earthquake!”
“Damn it, of all times….”
An earthquake was a calamity beyond human power to prevent.
The resonance appeared and vanished in the briefest instant, yet it seized the hearts of all present with terror.
However, there were two exceptions—those who faced each other here, in the Family Head Hall of the Sichuan Tang Sect, already reduced to ruins.
“Krahahahaha!”
Il-gwe, the old man who had burst into raucous laughter, turned his head toward Chung Poong.
“Just now, you felt it too, didn’t you?”
Chung Poong nodded, his expression dazed.
“Yes.”
It was unavoidable. That resonance had been a surge of Qi so immense it could be felt hundreds of zhang away.
Il-gwe’s mocking voice continued toward the stunned Chung Poong.
“It seems the Lord has made his resolve firm. Krhehe.”
“Indeed. Truly magnificent.”
“Now that he has finally abandoned mercy and embraced the will to kill, neither the Fire King nor his disciple can survive. Do you understand what this means?”
“Yes. My benefactor is truly extraordinary.”
“Now there’s no need to heed the Blood Lord’s gaze either. From this moment on, I too shall show you no quarter…what?”
Il-gwe suddenly faltered, his brow furrowing.
His mind could not fathom what the bloodied figure before him had just said.
“Benefactor? That wretch who is the Fire King’s disciple?”
Yet Chung Poong’s answer that followed was not directed at Il-gwe.
In truth, none of his responses had been aimed at him from the very beginning.
A soft murmur escaped Chung Poong’s lips.
“I thought he was far ahead at first, but somehow he’s already come this far….”
Chung Poong’s eyes, gazing toward the source of that resonance, gleamed with joy and longing.
No one in the Sichuan Tang Sect, not even Il-gwe standing before him, could have guessed it. But one person alone—only Chung Poong—knew the truth.
“It must be him. My benefactor.”
At Huashan, Chung Poong had been happy, yet lonely.
There was something that could not be filled even by the beauty of nature, the animals he could play with, or the presence of his grandfather whom he revered beyond measure.
‘The Martial World has many talented prodigies of your generation. Among them, the Ten Dragons and Phoenixes are the finest.’
‘Hmm. Then those Ten Dragons and Phoenixes are stronger than me?’
‘What? How could you say such a thing? Of course you are….’
‘Grandfather?’
‘Ahem. Of course you still have much to learn.’
‘Really?’
‘Of course! The world is vast and masters are countless. So you must continue to dedicate yourself to martial arts, yes?’
‘Yes….’
At his grandfather’s casual remark, Chung Poong felt the strange emotion that had taken root in a corner of his heart grow ever stronger.
The name of that emotion, which he would only later come to know, was competitive spirit.
‘Who among us would be stronger?’
He wanted to test it. He wanted to cross martial skills with them and stand among their ranks.
And so Chung Poong left Huashan and ventured into the world beyond, where he met him on a winter’s day when the sunlight was beautiful.
‘If it’s not too much trouble, might I have just one Bing Tang Hu Lo?’
‘…Moo-jin. Give it to him.’
That was my first meeting with Jin Tae-kyung.
A benefactor in name, but a friend in truth. And now, my one and only worthy rival.
A gentle smile settled at the corners of my lips.
“I know. My benefactor shares the same thoughts as I do.”
“…!”
Fire blazed in Il-gwe’s eyes as he watched this exchange.
A bloodied wretch who should have died long ago if not for the Western Heavenly Demon Lord’s orders dared to disrespect him. His fate was now sealed.
“This bastard dares….”
Il-gwe raised his twin axes, flesh still clinging to their blades.
And in the next instant, he froze like a statue at the sight unfolding before his eyes.
Whoooosh.
Wind was blowing. A scarlet aura flowed from one man’s body, trailing across his wrist and sliding along his blade.
Past the plum blossom engraved on the sword’s hilt, it wrapped around the blade and finally bloomed into a single crimson plum blossom.
Zzzzzzzt!
The most brilliant and destructive radiance.
At this unbelievable sight, a dazed voice escaped Il-gwe’s lips.
“…Sword Force.”
The product of great warriors and proof of reaching that supreme pinnacle beyond the ultimate.
Yet on the face of the young man who had just turned twenty-three this year, there bloomed an innocent smile utterly unbecoming of a great warrior.
“Well then, shall we begin?”

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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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