Murim Login - Chapter 688

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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 688
Baek Sang stood alone, gazing into the mirror.
The gift from the Nantian Demon Empress was unlike an ordinary mirror—large enough to reflect his entire body, with a surface unmarred by a single blemish.
A masterpiece rarely found even in the Central Plains, let alone the Southern Wilderness.
Yet Baek Sang’s reason for studying the mirror was singular: within it, he could see the face of his son, bearing an uncanny resemblance to himself.
‘Never before has it been like this.’
For forty long years, I had steadied myself through countless waverings to reach this position—yet now my heart trembled as never before.
‘Perhaps this is what it means to approach the end. This grand scheme that has endured for decades.’
As Baek Sang turned these thoughts over in his mind, the door behind him opened, and a familiar face appeared.
The Guard Captain’s eyes met Baek Sang’s in the mirror’s reflection, and he spoke.
“Has he been brought?”
The Guard Captain, who had hesitated momentarily at the sight of his lord lost in contemplation, answered.
“He is on his way.”
“Then what is the matter?”
“An urgent report has arrived.”
“An urgent report…”
Baek Sang’s words trailed off as he gestured with his hand. Understanding the gesture, the Guard Captain stepped closer and whispered in a low voice.
“Last night, a massive inferno was confirmed three hundred leagues to the north.”
“Ai-nao Mountain.”
“Yes.”
“The one who set the fire must be Jin Tae-kyung.”
“Further confirmation is needed, but given the circumstances thus far, he is the prime suspect.”
“It is Jin Tae-kyung. Once again, moths blinded by the promise of merit have swarmed toward him.”
“The smaller tribes near Ai-nao Mountain have united their strength. They attacked him with five hundred warriors and a hundred fierce beasts, but…”
Baek Sang raised his hand, silencing the Guard Captain. There was no need to hear more.
Jin Tae-kyung was not the sort of adversary that could be overcome by hastily assembled rabble numbering five hundred.
The saying “many cannot overcome few” depends entirely on who the few are. Jin Tae-kyung clearly fell outside such considerations.
“I already anticipate the outcome, so that will suffice. What became of Jin Tae-kyung afterward?”
“After routing the warriors, he proceeded alone toward Ai-nao Mountain.”
“He must have had a purpose. Could it be the Poison Blood Land?”
“The flames were so fierce that confirmation could not reach that far. The fire that began at the entrance has already spread to the mountain’s midpoint.”
“He has made his decision, it seems.”
Ai-nao Mountain was among the most treacherous peaks in the Southern Wilderness.
With its rugged terrain and deep valleys, the mountain ridge stretched for a hundred leagues, winding endlessly and blanketed by ancient trees of indeterminate age.
With such an inferno descending upon Ai-nao Mountain, even at the fastest pace, three days and nights would need to pass before the flames showed any sign of subsiding.
‘Perhaps… the entire mountain will be consumed by fire.’
What a remarkable coincidence, if coincidence it was. The last time an inferno had ravaged Ai-nao Mountain was two hundred years ago, and it was also a member of the Yeolhwa Sect who had used the entire mountain as kindling to annihilate the Five Poison Sect.
‘Thus the Southern Wilderness found peace.’
But would it be the same this time?
Baek Sang, who had been silently studying his own face in the mirror, opened his mouth with grave weight.
“Evacuate all tribespeople residing in the vicinity, and select three thousand capable warriors to seal off Ai-nao Mountain.”
The Guard Captain’s expression flickered with unease as he continued his report.
“My lord, with a total mobilization order already issued across the Southern Wilderness, you wish to deploy three thousand warriors for this?”
“We must bind his feet, whatever the cost.”
“Yet my lord, even with that force, to encircle all of Ai-nao Mountain….”
“Ai-nao Mountain, despite its vast expanse, has few entrances and exits. Deploy them accordingly.”
The Guard Captain fell silent in thought for a moment, then lowered his head.
“I obey.”
“What of the other tribal chiefs?”
“As I reported, five tribal chiefs have vanished. The same applies to the warriors under the two chiefs who departed with the Scouting Party.”
“So it comes to this. They refuse to accept reality.”
Baek Sang murmured calmly.
The vanished tribal chiefs were those who had never changed their allegiance.
Their loyalty to Beast King Miao Wang remained steadfast, and some had even spat at Baek Sang when he attempted to sway them.
“My lord, they have surely betrayed us. It is not yet too late—send pursuit parties now….”
Baek Sang shook his head at the Guard Captain’s suggestion.
“Not long ago, someone told me something curious. That a sickly tree does not make a sick forest. One need only prune away the diseased portions.”
“That saying means….”
“For centuries past, thirty-two tribes have coexisted upon this land. Yet I have often found myself seized by a question—how much longer must we maintain this arrangement?”
“…!”
Baek Sang continued in a voice grown deep and grave, addressing the Guard Captain whose eyes had widened in comprehension.
“Thirty-two is too many to unite in common purpose. The time has come to prune away the diseased wood and reshape the forest.”
Expulsion. Or elimination.
The will of the new power who had deposed the king who had ruled these lands for so long was unmistakable.
The Guard Captain, who had been staring at his lord with mouth agape, finally spoke in a heavy voice.
“What would you have me do?”
“If they depart, let them go. Should they return to their strongholds and rally their warriors, we shall possess both justification and strength.”
The Guard Captain understood as well. The balance of power had already tipped long ago.
Yet what troubled him was the existence of one man.
“If the Palace Master—or rather, Ya-ryul Cheok—were to join them, matters would not proceed smoothly.”
Baek Sang, who had been regarding the Guard Captain quietly, suddenly spoke.
“Long ago, when I dwelt in the Central Plains, I heard an amusing tale.”
“My lord?”
“It was the story of a certain monkey born from stone. His nature and strength were so wild and formidable that the Buddha Shakyamuni, revered by the monks of the Central Plains, came forth and wagered with him—asking if he could escape from the palm of his hand.”
His calm voice burrowed into the Guard Captain’s ears.
“The monkey laughed mockingly and accepted. He rode the clouds to the world’s end and even scrawled his mark upon five pillars standing there. Yet when he returned, he discovered that those very pillars were the Buddha’s fingers.”
Baek Sang slowly opened his hand toward the mirror.
The great Palace Master Hall seemed to fit within his palm. The sky and river, earth and mountain—even if all the Southern Wilderness were reflected there, it would be so.
“Ya-ryul Cheok is no different. Now that I have claimed this seat, he shall never escape.”
“That means….”
“We have intelligence that he headed east. Take a thousand White Tribe warriors and pursue Ya-ryul Cheok yourself.”
“As you command.”
In that moment, the Guard Captain, who had been bowing, moved his lips slightly.
– Forgive me, but the opponent is Beast King Miao Wang. To prepare for contingencies, perhaps the White Heaven Squad should be deployed.
Yet Baek Sang shook his head silently. The White Heaven Squad was a blade he had honed in secret for decades. It must be drawn and wielded only when most needed.
“My instructions end here. A guest has arrived, so withdraw now.”
Though the words were directed at the Guard Captain, his gaze—which had been fixed on the mirror from the beginning—had already shifted toward an old man standing before the open doorway.
“Then I shall take my leave.”
Once Baek Sang confirmed the Guard Captain had departed the Palace Master Hall, he turned slowly around.
“You have come, Grand Elder.”
A bland greeting. Yet the response that came was sharp and cutting.
“Would that filthy mouth of yours finally shut.”
Thud.
An old man, his face covered in age spots and every visible inch of flesh etched with wrinkles, approached leaning on his staff.
In his weeping eyes, a fury he could not conceal flickered like a restless flame.
“You wretched creature.”
“It seems you overheard our conversation.”
“Do you think I, old as I am, cannot see through your blackened heart? Was that not meant for my ears?”
“Defying the Grand Council’s will to save Hyung Soo, and regarding Ya-ryul Cheok, who betrayed the Southern Beast Palace—yes, you are correct.”
“You wretch!”
Whoosh! Crack.
The staff, swung with all the old man’s might, was caught in Baek Sang’s hand.
A strike devoid of any real force or martial power. As Baek Sang effortlessly seized the staff and waved his sleeve lightly, an invisible force pressed the aged body into a seated position.
“You have grown much older in the time we have not seen each other. Though your fiery temperament remains unchanged, it seems.”
The old man trembled.
“Had I known you would commit such acts, I would have beaten you to death with these very hands long ago.”
“But too much time has passed for that. Ya-ryul Cheok has betrayed the palace and fled, and the fate of the Miao Clan now rests with a child who was once caught stealing fermented wine and received a harsh scolding from you.”
“…!”
“Now is the time to leave musty old grievances behind and think of what lies ahead. With the Tribal Chief and the young chieftain gone, everything depends on what choice the Grand Elder of the Miao Clan makes.”
The old man, the Grand Elder of the Miao Clan, stared at Baek Sang in silence before speaking heavily.
“You have finally seized the Southern Wilderness in your filthy grasp. With that obscene greed of yours.”
“Call me what you will. There is nothing I cannot do to achieve what I desperately desire.”
“You are now the Palace Master of the Southern Beast Palace. What more could you possibly want? Do you seek the Shuowang Stone to become a god?”
Baek Sang shook his head.
“I have no interest in ancient divine relics passed down only through whispers. What I desire now is what lies ahead, and your wise choice, Grand Elder.”
“The boy I remember was not like this.”
“I have changed. As all things do.”
“The Palace Master believed in you. Despite my warnings, he believed in his one sworn brother.”
“Not all trust requires repayment.”
“It is not yet too late. Even now….”
“I crossed the river long ago. Once you mount the tiger, you must ride it to the end. Now it is the Grand Elder’s turn to climb onto its back.”
Crunch.
The sound of bones grinding echoed from the Grand Elder’s clenched fist, every muscle tensed with fury.
“So you’re asking me to betray the Palace Master?”
“Not at all.”
Baek Sang continued, lifting his teacup to his lips.
“I hope that the Grand Elder and all of the Miao Clan will betray him.”
“…!”
“You must read the currents wisely. If you wish to save over ten thousand of your kinsmen.”
“You wretched dog!”
“Remember this well. This is my first and final offer.”
Baek Sang tilted his teacup, and the Grand Elder squeezed his eyes shut.
Then, moments later, a hoarse voice escaped between his lips, shattering the brief silence.
“Impossible.”
Clack.
Baek Sang set down his teacup and fixed the Grand Elder with a gaze as deep and hollow as a chasm.
“You won’t regret that answer?”
“Kill me instead. Ask any member of the Miao Clan—the answer will be the same.”
“You don’t disappoint.”
Baek Sang, offering only a curt reply, snapped his fingers.
The sealed door swung open, revealing White Tribe warriors, to whom he issued his command.
“Throw them into the Underground Prison. The Grand Elder and all the leadership of the Miao Clan.”
The White Tribe warriors bowed and seized the Grand Elder from both sides, hauling him to his feet.
The old man, whose days were numbered, cried out in a voice like shattering metal.
“Baek Sang! You wretched cur! Do you not fear Heaven itself!”
As his screams—almost like shrieks—faded into the distance, Baek Sang stared down at his empty teacup and let out a hollow laugh.
“What more is there to fear? It was Heaven’s will that brought me to this place.”
There had been a time when he cursed the heavens.
After the Great Demon War ended, Baek Sang returned to the Southern Wilderness, drowning himself in drink every single day.
He drank as though each day were his last, and despaired when the morning sun woke him the next day.
‘Why did you let me live? Why!’
Those days had been more painful than death itself.
Yet he could not writhe in sorrow forever. There was work that needed to be done.
Work that absolutely had to be done.
Baek Sang gazed out the window at the azure sky and murmured softly to himself.
‘Is this truly your will? Or have you ever once watched over me?’
And as always, no answer came, no matter how long he waited.
In the next moment, save for the unfamiliar voice of someone that pierced his ears.
“Um, shall I refill your tea?”
Baek Sang turned his head toward the source of the voice.
Before the half-open door stood Si-bi, his delicate features fixed upon the figure within.
“It’s unnecessary.”
“But your cup is empty, is it not?”
“I said it’s unnecessary——”
His words trailed off into obscurity. After studying Si-bi for a moment, Baek Sang opened his mouth.
“Come inside.”
At that measured command, the warriors who had been about to restrain Si-bi withdrew, and the door closed firmly shut.
Si-bi approached Baek Sang with quick, mincing steps and slowly tilted the teapot he held.
Plink, plink.
The fragrance of tea spread forth, rising with wisps of steam.
Yet why did this throbbing sensation feel as though poison had been poured into his veins?
Baek Sang, who had been silently observing the filling teacup, suddenly spoke.
“Whose face is that, Nantian Demon Empress?”
Si-bi—no, the Nantian Demon Empress smiled faintly and answered.
“A child who worked in the Inner Palace. Still so fresh and green, so adorable. Unbearably so.”
“Did you kill them?”
“My. Is that truly so important?”
“It’s just that——”
“How amusing. Hundreds have already perished, yet you concern yourself with a single life—Si-bi’s life.”
Baek Sang, who had been silent, answered in an even tone.
“I inquired only because I feared the plan might encounter complications. Matters occurring in the Inner Palace are quickly discovered, after all.”
“Ah. Well, if that’s your concern.”
The Nantian Demon Empress, laughing softly, picked up the teacup.
“What you fear will not come to pass. If a problem arises, it will be on Ai-nao Mountain, not in the Inner Palace.”
“Ai-nao Mountain? Could it be——?”
“Yes. Jin Tae-kyung. That child has made a move. The fact that we’ve received no word since then makes it certain.”
Baek Sang, after a moment’s thought, spoke.
“Was it a trap?”
“Precisely. A snare laid to capture the old tiger who escaped the palace. I never anticipated the young tiger would be caught instead.”
Click.
The Nantian Demon Empress set down her teacup and continued, her voice tinged with amusement.
“Of course, I also did not foresee that the young tiger would be strong enough to break the snare.”
“It must have been a trap as thorough as the Empress was confident, then.”
“Two supreme masters. One of them was the Black Hand Fist Demon, and the other——”
The Nantian Demon Empress paused and smiled knowingly at Baek Sang.
“In any case, they were formidable. Overwhelmingly so compared to the Black Hand Fist Demon.”
“…!”
“It is extraordinary. I believed those two could have even disposed of Beast King Miao Wang. The Heavenly Master’s interest in that child was not without reason.”
For Baek Sang, listening to this, it was a cascade of astonishments.
Not only had Jin Tae-kyung defeated two supreme masters single-handedly, but even the Heavenly Master himself had taken notice of him.
In that same moment, I realized my judgment had not been mistaken.
‘Jin Tae-kyung.’
The incomprehensible face of a young man flashed before my eyes.
Baek Sang opened his mouth as he gazed at the Nantian Demon Empress, who smiled toward him.
“So the Empress will move directly from this point forward.”
A supreme master was formidable military strength. With two such transcendent experts dead, Baek Sang believed the Nantian Demon Empress stepping forward was inevitable.
At least, until he heard her response in the next moment.
“Why would I?”
The Nantian Demon Empress let out a soft chuckle and continued.
“I don’t have time to concern myself with that. Even if the Great Demon is dead, the current situation won’t be reversed. What matters is the grand scheme.”
“Your meaning is…?”
“Beast King Miao Wang and Jin Tae-kyung are irrelevant now. Fortify the Inner Palace and Outer Palace thoroughly. And gather all available forces.”
The Nantian Demon Empress rose from her seat and moved with a dancer’s grace.
Her voice, brimming with exultation and delight, pierced Baek Sang’s ears.
“Four days. No later than four days hence.”
…!
“Prepare. On that day, everything shall begin and end.”
Thud.
The door opened, then closed.
Yet even as considerable time passed, Baek Sang remained frozen, unable to move.
That day was drawing near.
The day I had yearned for more than anyone in this world, yet feared more than anyone.

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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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