Murim Login - Chapter 623

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

Chapter 623
His sun-darkened tan skin and lean frame were adorned with well-defined musculature across his entire body.
The foreign youth, whose exotic appearance clearly distinguished him from the Han people of the Central Plains, gazed down at the landscape below the hillside and pondered.
‘What in the world is happening?’
The question was natural enough—vast grasslands were burning fiercely before his eyes.
Even now, the rapidly spreading flames exhaled endless black smoke, and through it, cattle, sheep, horses, and other livestock fled in panic.
–
Grrrrowl.
Then a low rumble and tremor emanated from below. The youth gently stroked the mane of the snow-white white tiger beside him.
“It’s alright. You’re alright.”
–
Grrrowl.
“You’re quite angry, aren’t you?”
Emotion is not conveyed by words alone.
Though they were different species—human and beast—after countless years together, they could understand each other’s intentions from the smallest gesture or the slightest variation in cry.
The foreign youth’s gaze met the white tiger’s blue eyes, and he nodded.
“Yes. First, we extinguish the flames. Punishing the intruders comes after.”
If left unchecked, the fire would reduce the entire grassland to ash.
Of course, the land could be restored later, but the livestock caught in the flames needed to be saved first.
And next would come…
‘How dare they.’
Not only had they invaded the Southern Beast Palace’s territory without permission, but these audacious intruders had set fire to it. They would face punishment.
The foreign youth fixed his gaze on the shadowy, unidentified intruders visible through the acrid smoke in the distance, then swept his hand across the tiger’s mane.
The white beast, understanding his intent, shot forward like the wind.
–
Roooaaarrr!
A thunderous roar tore through the flames and echoed across the land.
* * *
It happened in an instant.
The white tiger that suddenly appeared atop the hillside and the foreign youth moved as one, darting about in all directions.
Whoosh, crackle, roooaaarrr!
‘I think I saw something like this in an educational comic when I was young.’
What they call fighting fire with fire?
Fire clashes with fire, consuming one another until one vanishes. The effect of the counter-fire the youth skillfully ignited was remarkable.
As the flames rapidly subsided before my eyes, I stepped forward in good conscience to lend a hand.
Boom!
A sharp punch sent the flames wavering like a candle before the wind… only for them to grow larger.
Roooaaarrr!
“Oh no.”
What is this?
Nam Ho cried out like a scream as I stood bewildered.
“This is insane! What in the world have you done!”
“…Is that really something for you to say, Old Master Nam Ho? It’s like a fool who broke wind getting angry. The one who started the fire is lecturing me?”
“I didn’t know it would turn out like this either!”
“Neither did I.”
“Is that the issue right now! Quick, the flames first… whoa, whoa, whoa! Behind! Behind!”
Kwaaaaaaah!
“Don’t exaggerate. It’s still manageable.”
The flames hadn’t grown tremendously strong, but it was certainly true that I needed to contain them as quickly as possible.
My mind racing with urgency, I didn’t hesitate—I thrust my palms repeatedly toward the swelling inferno.
And in the next moment, I realized it.
‘Oh, that’s right.’
The name of the palm technique I had just used was the Flame Divine Palm.
Kuwaaaaaaah!
It hadn’t been true moments ago, but now I could say with certainty: the flames had grown tremendously strong.
In one sense, it was a miraculous sight. The flames that had been on the verge of dying out were now burning several times larger than before.
Of course, for the livestock fleeing frantically in all directions, it must have been a hellish scene.
“…Ah.”
As I silently alternated my gaze between the surroundings that had become nearly a sea of fire and my own palms, my eyes met two pairs of eyes glaring at this place through the flickering flames.
The White Tiger that had appeared from the Hillside and that foreign youth. Their eye colors and races differed, but they shared one thing in common—they were absolutely furious.
“Old man! What in the world are you doing!”
–
Kraaaang!
The young-looking fellow spoke in casual speech to someone he’d just met.
It was certainly overstepping a line, but I was the one who burned that line away. Like a civilized person from the twenty-first century, I reassured them with a polite and composed demeanor.
“I don’t know who you are, but don’t worry for now. I’ll handle it.”
Of course, there was no guarantee that my reassurance would actually reassure them. Just like now.
“No! Don’t!”
–
Kraaaang!
I gently remonstrated with the man and tiger who cried out in unison.
“It’s fine. I can do it. More importantly, could you keep the tiger quiet?”
“You can’t! You fool!”
–
Kraaaang!
“Don’t, okay?”
“Don’t!”
–
Kraaaang!
Well, the resistance was as fierce as the flames themselves. But I shook my head.
“No. I’ll do it. I believe in myself.”
“This insane Han bastard…!”
–
Craaaash…!
Before the White Tiger and the foreign youth could finish their cries, I unleashed both palms with the speed of lightning.
Whoooosh, boom!
Two torrents of formidable palm force shot through the undulating waves of flame, tearing and shattering them apart.
But if I stopped here, the inferno would only grow fiercer, repeating the same mistakes I’d made before.
Without hesitation, I unleashed palm force in rapid succession.
Boom! Booom!
The reason people struggle to extinguish fire is simple.
Either there isn’t enough water to douse it, or there isn’t a wind strong enough to snuff it out like a candle.
So ultimately, all that’s needed is more water or a stronger wind—and in this case, it was the latter.
Booom!
The final palm force I unleashed was particularly devastating.
As a typhoon-like wind swept across the grassland, the livestock that had been fleeing in panic suddenly lifted into the air, and all the grass and trees were flattened to the ground.
And….
Whoooosh.
The flames spreading in all directions were instantly extinguished.
All that remained were embers smoldering like a campfire and patches of grassland turned to black ash.
And a certain foreign youth staring blankly at the sight, along with one pure white tiger.
“This, what is….”
–
Growl?
Two pairs of eyes filled with disbelief.
I stamped out the last remaining ember nearby with my foot and shrugged my shoulders.
“I told you. I can do it.”
“…!”
–
…!
The foreign youth, whose eyes now gleamed with pure astonishment, pointed the spear in his hand at me and asked.
“I am Ya-ryul Mok of the Southern Beast Palace. And you?”
As expected, he was indeed from the Southern Beast Palace.
I nodded and was about to answer when it happened.
“He is Jin Tae-kyung of the Taewon Jin Family.”
An aged voice suddenly rang out from behind me. As I turned, Nam Ho, leading the Fire Dragon Pavilion members who had drawn near, came into view.
“In the Central Plains, he is known as Yeolhwa Shinryong, the greatest late-stage master of this generation, and also the pavilion master of the Fire Dragon Pavilion, which belongs to the Martial Alliance.”
I wasn’t sure whether my name and title had reached the Southern Wilderness.
But at least the foreign youth before me—or rather, Ya-ryul Mok—seemed to understand exactly what Nam Ho had added.
“The Martial Alliance….”
Ya-ryul Mok spoke in a low voice, soothing the white tiger’s mane with gentle strokes.
As I watched the fierce beast’s growls gradually subside, he lowered the spear that had been aimed at me and turned his body away.
“Follow me. Since the Martial Alliance has been mentioned, I’ll refrain for now, but don’t you dare pull such foolish stunts again.”
Nam Ho shrugged his shoulders.
“It was a mistake. But remember this well.”
“You’d better. Unless you wish to die a meaningless death.”
I watched Ya-ryul Mok ride ahead on the white tiger, my expression turning sour as I spoke to Nam Ho.
“The boy has no manners. Though setting that fire was certainly wrong.”
“Listen here, Han Chinese—I heard every word.”
–
A low growl rumbled through the air.
“I meant for you to hear it. You beast.”
“What?”
“Speaking to your elder like that. Do you have no grandfather?”
For a moment, my expression flickered with indignation, but that was all.
Ya-ryul Mok glared at me once more before turning away, and Nam Ho, who had been following behind me, opened his mouth with cold, piercing eyes.
“Watch your tongue.”
“I was defending the old gentleman. How could I speak of a meaningless death to someone living on borrowed time?”
“When did I ever live on borrowed time… Never mind. I shouldn’t have expected anything. Does he perhaps suffer from some illness where he dies instantly if he doesn’t cause trouble for even a single day?”
“Does he perhaps suffer from some illness where he goes senile if he doesn’t set fire to the Southern Beast Palace’s pastures?”
“…”
“Before I confiscate your staff for three months, take a moment to reflect on yourself.”
Nam Ho, having lost ground in this exchange of words, let out a sigh.
“Fine, I admit it. It was clearly my mistake. I should have been more careful handling something that had been stored away for fifty years.”
“How refreshing to see you admit it so readily. Though the pasture is still smoldering.”
“…Every time I hear you speak, my bones ache. But when dealing with that young man, exercise some caution.”
“Why?”
“Why? Didn’t you just say his name yourself? Ya-ryul Mok.”
“Ya-ryul Mok or Ya-ryul mosquito, what difference does it make…”
As I was answering, I suddenly trailed off. Something forgotten in my memory seemed to surface, hovering just at the edge of recollection.
‘Ya-ryul Mok. Ya-ryul Mok, that’s it.’
Pondering this, I turned my head and asked Ju Hwa-ran.
“Miss Ju, if I may ask.”
“Yes?”
“What was the name of the Southern Beast Palace’s master again?”
“Are you referring to Beast King Miao Wang?”
“Yes.”
Beast King Miao Wang, the master of the Southern Beast Palace, was the leader of the Miao Clan, one of the most powerful tribes in the Southern Wilderness, and despite his status as a foreigner, he held the lowest seat among the Ten Kings.
Ju Hwa-ran smiled gently at me and answered in a courteous tone.
“Ya-ryul Cheok.”
“Ah, I see.”
“Yes. The surname is Ya-ryul. It’s a rare name, even in the Southern Wilderness.”
“So that rude fellow over there would be Ya-ryul, with the given name Mok.”
“Forgive me, but… are you hoping that’s actually the case?”
“Hmm. And if it is?”
Just as Ju Hwa-ran was about to open her mouth, the forest ahead that had been blocking Ya-ryul Mok’s path as he rode the white tiger suddenly trembled.
Crack. Snap!
I can honestly say this is the first time I’ve seen such a diverse collection of animals in one place since I visited the zoo at seven years old.
A jet-black jaguar and tiger, both covered entirely in dark fur, along with a leopard and an elephant.
Foreign men and women mounted on various beasts of prey caught sight of Ya-ryul Mok and hurriedly dismounted from their saddles, prostrating themselves in reverence.
“Young Palace Master!”
“Are you unharmed!”
“We received urgent word of a fire. Young Palace Master, if you continue so recklessly, the Palace Master will be deeply troubled… But who are these people?”
Dozens of pairs of eyes—beast and human intermingled.
Quietly turning over the word “Young Palace Master” they had just cried out, and recalling my own earlier question about whether he had a grandfather, I quietly sidled up next to Ya-ryul Mok and draped an arm around his shoulder.
“We’re relatives. Isn’t that right, Mok?”
“…”
Come on, smile.

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