Murim Login - Chapter 644

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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 644
Ding. Ding. Ding.
– Quest
[Tribal Council]
has been created!
Quest
[Tribal Council]
You have become the first outsider in Southern Beast Palace history to qualify for attendance at the Tribal Council.
This is an Achievement that even the Five Poison Sect’s former Sect Master could not accomplish.
Because he annihilated the Five Poison Sect and departed before the council even convened!
In this critical assembly where all major and minor affairs of the Southern Wilderness are decided, you must now produce the best possible outcome within your capabilities!
Rank
: Transcendent
Restriction
: Jin Tae-kyung
Objective
: Induct Southern Beast Palace into the Alliance (Incomplete)
Reward
: ???
Failure
: ???
I gazed at the Quest window and exhaled a quiet sigh.
No matter how favorable public opinion has shifted toward me, asking me to induct the Southern Beast Palace is no trivial task—a mission as demanding as the Transcendent rank itself.
‘And what about that former Sect Master of the Five Poison Sect…’
Should I say it’s the Yeolhwa Sect after all?
A venerable gang-like sect that has endured for centuries through single-line succession.
Among the successive Sect Masters of Yeolhwa, I’ve heard there were those who lived long in obscurity and those who blazed like flames in the Martial World and died young, yet they were always monsters who held positions within the top five under heaven.
‘Perhaps that’s one reason I can sit in this seat.’
Even though it was over two hundred years ago, the Southern Beast Palace and Yeolhwa Sect had quite intimate relations.
In K-Murim terms, it would be something like a sect founded by Grandfather Dangun’s best friend.
The problem is that while I have talent for beating people, I possess absolutely no gift for persuasion.
‘Still, I should do my best.’
Straightening my posture, I gazed upon the thirty-two tribal leaders seated around the table.
Beast King Miao Wang occupied the seat of honor. To his left and right sat the Great Tribal Leaders Baek Sang, Yo-hee, and Hyuk-ung in order, while the remaining individuals appeared to have been assigned seats regardless of their factional strength.
Though few in number, considering that each of these individuals was a tribal leader commanding anywhere from hundreds to tens of thousands of tribespeople, this gathering was essentially the Southern Wilderness itself.
And as I was surveying their faces, Beast King Miao Wang, seated at the place of honor, broke the brief silence.
“Well then.”
A solemn expression and eyes brimming with authority. As he finally spoke, the air in the hall grew taut like a drawn bowstring.
Beast King Miao Wang, radiating the charisma befitting the master of the Southern Beast Palace, uttered a historic opening statement in a grave voice.
“Has everyone eaten?”
“…?”
“There have been difficult times lately, but we still mustn’t skip meals. Especially you, Jang Tribal Leader—you seem to have lost some weight compared to last year?”
“…!”
This was historically absurd.
‘What in the world did I just hear.’
While I was doubting my own ears at those unexpected opening words, the Jang Tribal Leader, who had been the first to take a stance against me moments earlier, responded.
“Indeed, Palace Lord, your keen eye misses nothing. I have indeed lost some weight.”
No. He actually accepted that?
“I thought as much. But how can a tribal leader be effective if he neglects himself? For the sake of your people, you must take care of your own health. By the way, how old are you?”
“Sixty years old.”
“You’re still in your prime. Eat more from now on.”
“I shall obey.”
Now I was hearing things—”I shall obey” sounded like complete nonsense to my ears.
‘The Southern Wilderness is utter madness.’
Is this really the Tribal Council I imagined?
I stared at the thirty-two tribal leaders with a dumbfounded expression.
These representatives of all the Southern Wilderness, taking Beast King Miao Wang’s opening remarks as a signal, were exchanging conversations throughout the hall that made one’s heart sink just listening to them.
“Gal Tribal Leader, I heard news. Your sixth child came of age?”
“It’s the seventh.”
“I must have miscounted. You should have had one or two children. How does it make sense to have fifteen, no matter how vigorous you are?”
“Seventeen.”
“…Last year’s council meeting it was definitely fifteen?”
“I had two more. Twins.”
“Ah.”
On one side, there was a conversation that made me suspect a certain super-fertile tribal leader was aiming to establish a Southern Wilderness football league.
“Gu Tribal Leader. Return the livestock you stole recently.”
“What livestock?”
“Fifty-two dairy cows that vanished without a trace from the pasture. Did you think I wouldn’t know it was your tribespeople?”
“That never happened.”
“Of course you’d say that. Return them while I’m being reasonable.”
“No, seriously! It never happened!”
“Return the dairy cows while I’m asking nicely! You bastard!”
On the other side, there was heated shouting about who could have possibly stolen all those dairy cows.
“It comes to mind as vividly as yesterday’s memory. That day when you invaded our tribe’s territory.”
“Ah, this guy does this every year. You’re not even fifty yet, so why do you keep bringing up something from eighty years ago?”
“I inherited the souls of my ancestors. In that sense, return our land.”
“Does that even make sense? Why do you keep dragging up something that was settled in the previous generation?”
“Return our land.”
“Seriously….”
“Return our land.”
In another corner, the earth ghosts advocating for reincarnation continued their tug-of-war.
And as I stared at all this absurdity, a voice transmission pierced my ears.
– You’ve got a funny expression on your face.
I turned my head slightly to find the source of the transmission. At the same moment, my eyes met Yo-hee’s, who was looking at me with an amused smile.
– The Tribal Council is always like this. Well, we’re scattered across the Southern Wilderness, meeting only once a year, so it’s only natural.
After a moment of consideration, I answered honestly.
– Even accounting for that, this is complete chaos.
– The Tribal Council handles all matters—great and small—of the entire Southern Wilderness. Literally, even trivial affairs are included in the council’s agenda.
– …But this matter is far too trivial?
– How else would thirty-two tribes coexist in harmony? Everything is decided when everyone gathers, one matter at a time. That’s how grievances are resolved.
Crash!
“Hey, you bastard!”
“What, has this guy lost his mind….”
“You think you’re that strong? Shut your mouth and come outside.”
Yo-hee added as she watched two tribal leaders who had finally grabbed each other by the collar over a dispute about cattle.
– Though there are exceptions.
– ….
– It’ll be sorted out soon. The real council begins after that.
“Ah. Give me land. I want land.”
“Huh. You’re like the Thousand Year Spider.”
“Now that you mention it, a thousand years ago our ancestors….”
“Stop! Stop it now!”
Sorted out soon, she said.
Hmm. Doesn’t seem like it.
‘Are these really just savages…?’
Just as I was muttering my true thoughts in silence, the chaotic situation around me began to settle down one by one, and new matters started to emerge.
“In this recent beast subjugation, thirty warriors of the Man Tribe were wounded, and twenty-two died. It seems to be raging unusually of late, so we request that the Inner Palace intervene before the damage grows worse….”
“A sudden downpour caused flooding. About fifty households in the surrounding areas, including pastures, were submerged….”
“We report that the conflict between the Yellow Tribe and the Dung Tribe has been resolved. Both sides have drafted an official agreement, and for the next ten years, peace….”
Matters concerning beast subjugation. Disasters and conflicts.
As the appetizers finished, the main course began to emerge.
And among the matters being discussed, there were indeed some pieces of information that warranted careful attention.
“A strange being has appeared in the northeast, it is said.”
A strange being?
At my question, Beast King Miao Wang, who had been giving short answers and merely nodding until now, straightened his posture and spoke.
“A strange being, you say. This is the first I’ve heard of this.”
“Well. That is….”
The tribal leader who had first brought up the matter of the strange being answered with a hesitant expression.
“The information is not certain, so I cannot speak with confidence, but….”
“Where does this information come from?”
“Four days ago, we captured a Han Chinese who crossed the northeastern border. He informed us that a mysterious monster of unknown origin has been wreaking bloody havoc in Gwiju.”
Gwiju Province, along with Sichuan and Guangxi, borders the Southern Wilderness—close enough that you could practically touch your nose to it without exaggeration.
‘A monster appearing in Gwiju? So suddenly?’
Something felt off. More than off—it grated against my instincts. And I wasn’t the only one who sensed this inexplicable unease.
“Tell me more.”
The Tribal Leader swallowed hard at the sight of Beast King Miao Wang’s furrowed brow.
“Neither the monster’s name nor age has been revealed. However, like the monks of the Central Plains, he is bald and carries a Zen staff, and he has reportedly slaughtered over a thousand people in Gwiju alone. Because of this, he is called by the epithet Blood Monk.”
“Blood Monk?”
“Yes. The Han Chinese I captured appeared to be a skilled martial artist, but when speaking of the Blood Monk, he could not hide his fear.”
The sinister epithet itself was telling, but this was undoubtedly a master of extraordinary martial prowess.
‘Gwiju is clearly Orthodox Sect territory. The Martial Alliance couldn’t possibly be ignoring it.’
Yet despite their presence, this monster slaughtered over a thousand and earned his dark reputation. Such a feat would be impossible without the backing of supreme martial skill.
Moreover, the fact that he appeared in Gwiju, which happened to border the Southern Wilderness, troubled me deeply.
‘Could it be.’
A mysterious monster appearing at a peculiar moment. Martial prowess sufficient to ravage Orthodox Sect territory single-handedly.
I could not help but consider a connection to Dark Heaven. Even if he weren’t a figure of the Nantian Demon Empress’s caliber, the possibility remained substantial.
The Blood Lord and the Western Heavenly Demon Army likewise commanded supreme masters like the Yin-Yang Twin Ghosts and the Three Demons of Giresan.
‘And if this Blood Monk’s objective is the Southern Wilderness…?’
My thoughts reaching that point, I finally opened my mouth to address the Tribal Leader.
“Do you know where this Blood Monk was heading?”
“I wished to ask him the same, but there is no way to know now.”
“What do you mean…?”
The Tribal Leader shook his head with a faint sigh before answering.
“He died.”
“What?”
“There was nothing more to ask—he simply died. He had sustained considerable injuries to begin with, and it seems he couldn’t adapt to the sudden change in environment. A torrential downpour caused flooding, and we couldn’t take proper measures.”
“…!”
The Blood Monk’s emergence. And now, the death of our only witness.
As silence settled over the assembly, one person who had remained quiet since the council began suddenly spoke.
“Injuries, endemic disease, and death. Such things happen often enough.”
At the sudden voice, everyone’s gaze fixed upon a single figure.
Baek Sang. It was him.
“The appearance of Kill Star in the Central Plains is much the same. The Han Chinese have always been this way. Despite being one people, they kill and are killed, maintaining the current state of all under heaven. In short…”
His tone was detached, his expression equally so. Baek Sang’s cold voice continued.
“There is no reason for us to concern ourselves with the affairs of the Central Plains. At least, not for the Southern Wilderness.”
I cannot say whether this thought I now harbored was mere misunderstanding.
But one thing was certain: this narrative felt strangely discordant to me.
The Great Tribal Leader of the White Tribe, commanding the second-most powerful force and people in the Southern Wilderness, was attempting to ignore what was happening right beside us.
And as I gazed silently at this Baek Sang, I suddenly opened my mouth.
“What if the Blood Monk is moving southward?”
The tribal leaders’ eyes widened as they grasped my meaning, while Baek Sang answered without the slightest tremor in his voice.
“Gwiju is not bordered solely by the Southern Wilderness. Beyond Guangxi lies an endless expanse of sea, and with favorable winds, one can reach Hainan in ten days of sailing.”
“In other words, the likelihood of Blood Monk invading the Southern Wilderness is low?”
“Why would he go to such lengths to come here? Rather than contend with poisons, beasts, and countless Southern Wilderness warriors, he would simply traverse Guangxi toward the sea….”
“There is. One reason, and one alone, that is certain. However….”
I cut off the words that were about to follow, my gaze hardening as I fixed Baek Sang with a penetrating stare.
“It’s rather peculiar—you alone seem ignorant of this fact.”
“What?”
“Or perhaps… you made some pact with someone to feign ignorance from the very beginning?”
In that instant.
Whoosh. Crack.
The flickering torch vanished into darkness.
Within the vast Great Hall now shrouded in absolute blackness, a pair of eyes gleamed—radiating a cold so piercing it seemed to freeze the very air.
“You dare overstep your bounds.”
Swiiiiish!
“I beg to differ.”
Sensing the colossal qi waves constricting around me from all directions, I responded with unshakeable composure.
“It appears you are the one overstepping, are you not?”

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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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