Murim Login - Chapter 507

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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 507
I was already aware that Moon-kyung was approaching. Seven days and nights of grueling cultivation—blood, sweat, and tears—had honed my qi perception far beyond its usual acuity.
Though the system’s display of my cultivation realm had yet to advance, I could dimly sense that I needed to overcome the barrier standing before me to reach that threshold.
‘But four of them? Not two? What does this mean?’
Yet my confusion was fleeting.
The Yangtze River Water Bandit Alliance and the Green Forest Alliance wielded power that even the Orthodox Martial Arts World could not easily dismiss, and there were only so many factions that could be grouped with such forces.
I murmured softly, recalling fragments of a tale Jeok Cheon-gang had once shared with me.
“The Outside Martial World.”
A martial world beyond the Central Plains, a martial realm outside the martial realm itself.
Some spoke of barbarians beyond the Great Wall erected by ancient emperors as “outside,” but Jeok Cheon-gang had dismissed such notions with a scoff.
‘What, does the Great Wall embrace all under heaven? The world is truly the world—boundless and vast beneath the sky, with its own martial traditions everywhere.’
Whether by nature or circumstance, Jeok Cheon-gang’s perspective was far removed from narrow Chinese supremacy.
His broad-mindedness stemmed partly from the records of his predecessors—sect leaders who, unlike Jeok Cheon-gang himself (who remained a hermit in the mountains save during the Demonic Heretical Way conflict), had indulged their sociable nature to the fullest.
Though truthfully, these were less historical records for posterity than personal journals written for self-satisfaction.
‘It was shocking.’
I recalled several entries I had read in Yeolhwa Cave.
Year XX, Month X, Day X. Cheon Bong, Third Sect Leader of Yeolhwa Sect.
I’ve grown weary of the Central Plains. War rages on all sides, and the martial world is chaos. Thus, to broaden my horizons, I journeyed to India.
After a long voyage, I arrived at what they call the Ganges River.
Not as grand as the Yangtze, but wide nonetheless… In any case, let all junior disciples of Yeolhwa Sect who venture to India first bathe themselves in the Ganges. Ask no questions, harbor no doubts.
As I toured the sights, a horde of monks suddenly rushed forth, spouting incomprehensible words and drawing blades. I beat them senseless.
A Central Plains interpreter passing nearby happened to witness this and trembled, explaining they were the Small Thunder Temple of India.
From the name alone, I thought them similar to Shaolin Temple, but these monks proved barbarously violent beyond measure.
When more of their ilk arrived, I crippled them all and burned their peculiar temple to the ground.
The sight was most satisfying.
Year XX, Month X, Day X. Song Hak, Fifth Sect Leader of Yeolhwa Sect.
I have long revered my Grand Master, the Third Sect Leader, and thus I have followed in his footsteps to explore both the world and the Outside Martial World.
I clashed with the Mad Wind Society in the Great Desert beyond the scorching sands, and I journeyed to the Potala Palace in Tibet, where I uprooted its pillars.
Thereupon, all the people of Tibet burned with fury and pursued me.
Yet who am I? Song Hak, Fifth Sect Leader of the great Yeolhwa Sect, master of the Demon Flame Fist.
Without a single hair harmed, I eluded them and returned safely to the Central Plains.
To whoever shall inherit the true teachings of Yeolhwa Sect in ages hence, heed these words well.
Should your opponent be a first-rate master, stand and fight. Should they number in the thousands, unleash the Transformation of Ghosts and Demons. Should they exceed even that, plan for another day.
Of course, should you who read this prove stronger than I, then simply fight.
Ah, and should you journey to the Ganges River in India, dive in at once and bathe yourself. Bathe twice.
Year XX, Month X, Day X. Gu Jin-cheon, Ninth Sect Leader of Yeolhwa Sect.
I journeyed to the Southern Wilderness and annihilated the Five Poison Sect.
I journeyed to Persia and encountered those who wear turbans instead of crowns.
They are called followers of the Islamic faith, believers in a prophet and seer, or so they claimed.
When I expressed my desire to meet this prophet, they said he had long since passed. Confused, I asked repeatedly, and they drew their blades.
I had no choice but to send them to the Divine Physician’s side.
Next was the Ice Palace in the Northern Sea, but since everything there was ice and water, I simply returned.
To future disciples, go there yourselves.
Ah, and I discovered the name of that river. The Ganges River. If you go to India, you must wash yourself there first. Absolutely wash yourself.
Year XX, Month X, Day X. Han Shin, Sect Master of the Twelfth Generation of Yeolhwa Sect.
This foolish disciple reached India following the records of our ancestors and immediately entered the Ganges River.
While washing my hair, I saw corpses drifting down from upstream.
While moving to another spot to wash, I saw excrement passing by.
When I went upstream to investigate, I found hundreds of people dumping corpses into the river and defecating.
How could you give such ridiculous instructions?
“….”
No matter how I think about it, the records are utterly absurd.
Even skimming through the records, it’s clear they destroyed everything indiscriminately, whether in the Central Plains or beyond.
Telling someone to bathe in the Ganges River amid all that is no different from a veteran soldier’s malice in a barracks survey, suggesting to intensify training for those about to be discharged.
In other words, a “suffer as I have suffered” mentality.
After the Twelfth Generation Sect Master became furious following his excrement-water bath in the Ganges River, there aren’t many records about the Outside Martial World, but once trade routes connecting the Central Plains and beyond opened, information about martial sects outside the Central Plains began flowing in.
Moreover, those two forces now flowing from the mouth of the Red Sky River were geographically closest to the Central Plains and had the most intimate relations with it.
“The Northern Sea Ice Palace and the Southern Beast Palace.”
Even hearing them again, the sect names clearly revealed their respective locations and characteristics.
At Jeok Cheon-gang’s words opening this topic, Moon-kyung nodded with an annoyingly bright smile.
“Yes, that’s right. My master told me. He visited long ago, and he said that upon verification, they are in no way inferior compared to the renowned great sects of the Central Plains.”
“….”
“….”
I’d bet my life that he clearly went there to kill people.
The moment I and Jeok Cheon-gang exchanged similar glances, Moon-kyung’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“Why are you like that?”
“…Huh? Oh, well. It’s nothing.”
“Ahem. It’s nothing. The Divine Physician would rush anywhere there’s a patient.”
As for me, it was natural, and since Jeok Cheon-gang had received considerable help, I had no choice but to match his rhythm as much as possible.
At our response, Moon-kyung, who had returned to being a young physician as if nothing had happened, continued speaking.
“My master said that even during the Orthodox-Demon War, the Demon Cult tried to recruit those two forces first… Is that really true, Jeok Dae-hyup?”
“Huh? Well.”
Jeok Cheon-gang answered with a reluctant expression.
“It’s true. To the Demon Cult, the Demonic Heretical Way in the Central Plains could be called a branch from the same root, so naturally they recruited them. If the Northern Sea Ice Palace had accepted the Demon Cult’s recruitment and moved south, and the Southern Beast Palace had moved north, the Orthodox-Demon War would have unfolded in a very difficult manner.”
However, neither of the two forces accepted the hand extended by the Demon Cult.
The Northern Sea Ice Palace declared isolation from the outside world as it always had, and the Southern Beast Palace, geographically closer to the Central Plains, ultimately sided with the Orthodox Martial Arts World after weighing their options.
“The Beast Palace initially only pretended to fight, but later became quite helpful. The various ferocious beasts they brought were each capable of matching several first-rate masters, and the Messenger Hawks the Demon Cult sent throughout the land were captured by the Heavenly Eagles trained through the Beast Palace’s secret techniques.”
The Southern Beast Palace was nothing less than the achievement of modern-day animal lovers.
For a very long time, they had captured and trained all manner of creatures inhabiting the jungles of the Southern Wilderness, creating and practicing martial arts by imitating the movements of ferocious beasts.
“Oh, wait. Now that I think about it, didn’t you say you’re close with someone there?”
When I voiced this sudden thought, Jeok Cheon-gang’s brow furrowed.
“Who?”
“The Palace Master. The Palace Master.”
“The Palace Master? Ah, you mean Beast King Miao Wang?”
“Yes, that person.”
Beast King Miao Wang was arguably the most junior and peculiar among the Ten Kings.
After all, he was the leader of the Miao Clan, the indigenous people of the Southern Wilderness, and the master of the Southern Beast Palace, which could be called the overlord of the Southern Wilderness.
His entry into the Ten Kings was due to his merits in the Righteous Demon War and his exceptional martial prowess, yet outsiders viewed it as little more than an honorary medal given to a foreigner, and for this reason, the Central Plains martial world avoided mentioning him.
The rumor that Beast King Miao Wang was overrated began with the sentiment that they should have elevated someone from their own Orthodox faction instead—why elevate some southern barbarian so much?
“I’ve merely met him a few times in passing.”
“But I heard Beast King Miao Wang came to greet you in person once?”
“That’s true. One afternoon, some dark-skinned fellow came to my residence with his upper body bare, and I nearly unleashed the Flame Divine Palm on him.”
Moo-song, who had been standing uneasily with an anxious look in his eyes for some time now, widened his gaze.
“Is that truly so?”
“Would this old man spout lies at my age?”
“No, that’s not it—I was simply astonished. My master once mentioned Beast King Miao Wang as well, saying he was temperamental and arrogant, showing courtesy only to Mu-shin, but….”
“Sea King, has this green youngster already lost his mind? The fool shows no courtesy to Beast King Miao Wang and speaks of it like some great matter. Tsk, tsk.”
Jeok Cheon-gang clicked his tongue dismissively and continued.
“Beast King Miao Wang may appear that way on the surface, but he knows when to show courtesy. If he were merely a brute with overwhelming strength, would the Miao Clan have gathered under a single banner?”
It was certainly a point I couldn’t help but acknowledge.
Even small to mid-sized sects with only dozens of disciples repeatedly rise and fall as disciples come and go, yet Beast King Miao Wang was a clan leader ruling over thousands of Miao people by any reasonable measure.
“And then?”
At my question, Jeok Cheon-gang stroked his lustrous crimson beard.
“And then? Nothing much. He came and spoke in a gentle tone, bringing up the ties of previous generations.”
“Ties of previous generations?”
“Ah, truly. Have I ever seen such an ignorant fellow? Others may not need to know, but you should!”
“What? Why are you suddenly like this?”
Our Old Master Noya just suddenly hit the accelerator hard.
After issuing one stern rebuke, Jeok Cheon-gang continued in an irritated voice.
“Two hundred years ago, the five sect masters of the Main Sect annihilated the Five Poison Sect of the Southern Wilderness.”
“Why would…ah, could it be?”
“The Southern Wilderness back then was like a tripod with three legs. The Five Poison Sect was the strongest, followed by the Southern Beast Palace, and lastly Poison Valley.”
“So when the Five Poison Sect was annihilated, the Southern Beast Palace rose to power?”
“Exactly. They absorbed Poison Valley and dominated the Southern Wilderness.”
“Wow, insane. So that’s how it happened.”
“For this reason, Beast King Miao Wang harbored goodwill toward the Main Sect. It was one reason he participated in the Righteous Demon War, so how dare you speak informally to him now?”
“…I’ll correct myself. It was unintentional.”
Thinking of how the thuggish deeds of past sect masters from long ago have come back around like this, I can’t help but marvel.
In any case, the fact that Beast King Miao Wang harbors goodwill toward the Yeolhwa Sect and supported the Orthodox faction in the Righteous Demon War because of it means….
“The Southern Beast Palace will likely participate in this Martial Alliance as well.”
“Well, even I cannot speak with certainty on that matter. But if the Beast King Miao Wang is as I remember him, he would surely aid the Orthodox Sects.”
“What of the Northern Sea Ice Palace?”
“If the envoy sent from Hanan didn’t freeze to death on the journey, they might at least read a letter. But it’s best not to hold expectations.”
No Gang-ho’s eyes, gleaming with vast knowledge and deep experience, turned toward Moo-song.
“But what troubles me most right now is this matter… What will the Sea King do?”
Just as Moo-song’s shoulders trembled slightly, Moon-kyung opened his mouth quietly.
“There’s something I’ve wanted to ask you since earlier, Moo-song Dae-hyup.”
“Huh? Yes?”
Moon-kyung, who had been silently observing Moo-song’s trembling pupils, suddenly clicked his tongue.
“You know who I am, don’t you?”
“…!”

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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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