Murim Login - Chapter 320
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I will re-publish the earlier chapters to fix those issues with the translation. I apologize in advance if it did not meet your standard. Please comment the chapters you find that is lacking in quality so I can fix them ASAP. Thanks for understanding!
Current re-published chapters (270 - 305)
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The old man exuded an aura of an immortal. Despite being close to eighty years old, his face was unblemished, without a single age spot, and his posture was impeccably straight, befitting an unparalleled master with immense inner power.
He had a piercing gaze. Just meeting his dark eyes was enough to unsettle anyone. This old man was Hwangbo Eom, the Taeeul Mujeong Sword.
“An interesting fellow has appeared,” Hwangbo Eom remarked.
I met his gaze without flinching and responded, “I get that a lot.”
“Bold, aren’t you?”
“That too,” I replied.
The corners of Hwangbo Eom’s lips curled up.
“You must know who I am. Stop with the pointless jesting.”
“And who might you be?”
“What?”
“We’re meeting for the first time. How am I supposed to know who you are? You should introduce yourself. It’s basic etiquette.”
My nonchalant reply elicited gasps from around the room.
“Jin Taekyung!”
Ju Hwa-ran and the people of Yongbong Escort Agency stared at me with their mouths agape, while the disciples of Jongnam Sect instinctively reached for their swords.
“How arrogant!”
“Show some respect immediately!”
But Hwangbo Eom raised his hand to calm the situation. Normally, this would be where one might foam at the mouth and their blood pressure would spike, but he was different.
“I see,” he said, giving me a slight smile before slowly turning his head to look past me, Cheong Pung, and Hyeok Moo-jin, settling his gaze on two others.
“Claiming you don’t know me? Both the promising talent of Hwasan and the successor of Gaebang should have informed you already. Excessive jest can be displeasing.”
At his words, Baek Mu-seong and Gung Ki-bang flinched before stepping forward to bow.
“Baek Mu-seong of Hwasan greets Hwangbo Daehyup.”
“Gung Ki-bang of Gaebang…”
“Enough,” Hwangbo Eom interrupted with a wave of his hand, then turned his gaze back to me.
“I believe I’ve tolerated enough of a child’s tantrum. Is that not sufficient?”
Indeed, he was no ordinary old man. He was on a different level from my senior, the Roaring Sword Master. His martial arts and personality were superior.
‘What a hassle.’
But this was within my expectations. I shrugged my shoulders nonchalantly.
“No, it’s enough now, Hwangbo Daehyup, the Taeeul Mujeong Sword.”
“Bold indeed. Aren’t you going to pretend you didn’t recognize me?”
“It’s refreshing to see someone who admits it straightforwardly.”
“Hahaha. What an impudent child,” Hwangbo Eom burst into laughter. His laughter carried a mix of interest and exasperation towards me.
However, the disciples of Jongnam Sect were visibly enraged, feeling the situation had crossed the line from absurd to insulting. It wasn’t just a matter of ignorance; I had pretended not to recognize someone of Hwangbo Eom’s stature within Jongnam Sect, and they couldn’t let it slide.
“No-!”
One of the disciples, the eldest among them, shouted and drew his sword, prompting others to follow suit.
Sching!
Thirty well-maintained swords were aimed at me. As disciples of Jongnam Sect, one of the Nine Great Schools, each of them was at least a first-class master.
But to me…
‘Far too weak.’
Their level posed no threat to me. First-class? Supreme master? It didn’t matter. They were just thirty swordsmen in my eyes.
I am strong.
The supreme principle of the Murim world: The strong reign supreme. I had become strong enough to move within that principle, which allowed me to step forward confidently.
“We seem to be fated. May I join you?” I asked Hwangbo Eom, ignoring the thirty swords pointed at me. The middle-aged leader of the swordsmen’s face flushed red.
“You impudent brat! How dare you!”
“Being impudent is so much fun.”
“Taeeul Sword Team, draw your swords! Kill this—”
It was at that moment that Hwangbo Eom spoke, breaking his silence.
“Let him join us.”
Everyone turned to look at Hwangbo Eom in shock.
“Master?”
“Lower your swords.”
“But that man—”
“Are you disobeying my command?” Hwangbo Eom’s cold voice made the middle-aged swordsman bite his lip and lower his sword. With the disappearance of the weapons that lit up the room, there was nothing obstructing me.
“Thank you. The bright lights were starting to bother me.”
I walked past the stiffened figures and sat next to Ju Hwa-ran. Looking at her pale face, I gave her a slight smile.
“It’s been a while… No, just two days. How have you been?”
“Jin Taekyung…”
“No need to answer. It was just a greeting. From your expression, I can tell you haven’t been well.”
“How did you—”
“I was just passing by and decided to drop in. Cheong Pung here really wanted a cup of tea. It’s purely coincidental.”
While Baek Mu-seong, Gung Ki-bang, and Hyeok Moo-jin remained composed, Cheong Pung, who seemed to have all his courage concentrated in his liver, sat next to me and pouted.
“Savior, when will the sweets come out?”
“Just wait a little longer. They’ll bring a mountain of sweets soon.”
“Wow! A mountain of sweets!”
While Cheong Pung’s eyes sparkled at the thought of a mountain of sweets, Ju Hwa-ran’s expression was as if a mountain had collapsed. Most of her distress was due to Hwangbo Eom sitting opposite her.
Watching me and Cheong Pung with curious eyes, Hwangbo Eom spoke.
“You’ve got quite a bit of nerve, almost to the point of recklessness.”
“I used to be timid. But after going through various experiences, my courage suddenly grew.”
“Various experiences… I see. You went through the Bloody History of Shaolin.”
“Huh?”
“Why are you so surprised?”
Hwangbo Eom curled his lips into a smile and continued.
“I’ve heard the rumors. That the Fire King has taken a dragon under his wing. I also know you left the Murim Alliance seven days ago.”
What a sly old man. He knew everything from the beginning, unlike Ju Hwa-ran, who had only guessed our identities two days ago.
‘How?’
This mission was conducted quickly and in secret, yet he knew as if he had seen it all.
‘Could it be that the Jongnam Sect leader sent a carrier pigeon from the Murim Alliance?’
‘Then does he also know about Master’s condition…?’
Just as I wondered, Hwangbo Eom’s gaze briefly passed over the crate I had left with Baek Mu-seong.
Then, with a nonchalant remark, he said, “I didn’t expect the Fire King’s disciple to be dressed like a leather merchant.”
Was he pretending not to know, or did he truly not know? His expression revealed nothing.
Currently, Jeok Cheon-Gang was in a state of pseudo-death, with his heartbeat and breathing extremely reduced, making his presence almost undetectable. It was similar to the Turtle Breathing Technique that Cheong Pung had mentioned before.
‘Covering him with all that leather wasn’t just for warmth.’
It was to hide his appearance and suppress his presence and noise, making it extremely difficult for even the greatest masters to detect him.
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing. By the way, I’m parched.”
I quickly diverted Hwangbo Eom’s attention. Without a word, he picked up the tea set and handed me a cup.
“Here.”
“Thank you, then.”
As expected, Hwangbo Eom was no ordinary person. I could sense his immense inner power even in the tea.
‘As expected of Jongnam’s best.’
The tea fell slowly, tracing a smooth arc. But the power imbued in it was strong enough to shatter a rock.
‘But still, not as strong as Master.’
Jeok Cheon-Gang, who had a mischievous personality, had played many tricks on me. What Hwangbo Eom was doing was similar. I had broken more than a few cups due to such antics.
Moreover, Jeok Cheon-Gang was the top among the Ten Kings and was often compared to the Three Saints, an absolute master.
‘This is nothing.’
Seeing that I didn’t blink an eye, Hwangbo Eom’s eyebrow twitched. At the same time, the power in the tea increased even more.
“Excuse me, Hwangbo Daehyup.”
“Yes?”
“The tea is about to overflow.”
“You can stop pouring now.”
Just as I said, the teacup was already full. I lifted the smooth, uncracked cup and drank it in one go.
“Ah, that was refreshing.”
“…You must like tea.”
“Not particularly. But let me pour you a cup this time.”
As I extended my hand, the teapot floated into my grasp. This was the skill known as manipulating objects in the air.
Having reached a level close to the peak with nearly fifty years of accumulated inner power, it was easy for me to do this. I usually didn’t use it due to the high energy consumption, but I could if I wanted to.
‘Time to put on a little show.’
Jeok Cheon-Gang had mentioned in passing,
‘The Murim is full of fools who love flashy things. Look at me. I just got mad and beat up some Demonic Cult guys, and now I’m called a king.’
As expected of King Cheon-Gang, who had turned the Murim world upside down by killing a thousand men alone.
‘Though manipulating objects isn’t on that level, it’s still an impressive skill.’
People’s eyes widened in surprise as they watched me.
“Manipulating objects so effortlessly…”
“Wow.”
It’s rare to see someone use such a skill so casually, especially someone my age. I didn’t stop there and increased my energy. Extreme yang energy from the Seven Stars Fiery Heat Technique seeped into my hands.
With a sudden burst of heat, the tea in the pot began to boil furiously. I calmly filled Hwangbo Eom’s cup and spoke.
“The tea was a bit cold. It’s better to drink it warm, especially in this cold weather. Older people should be more careful.”
“…”
Hwangbo Eom’s face stiffened.
Heating tea with inner power wasn’t difficult for him either; he could use the Three Flavors True Fire Technique. However, the Fiery Heat Technique was renowned for handling extreme yang energy.
No matter how great Hwangbo Eom was, he couldn’t match the Fiery Heat Technique.
And…
No, it’s too early to conclude that.
I handed him the cup.
“Please, have a drink.”
“Hmm.”
“Drink up! Down it in one go!”
“…I shall drink it.”
After glaring at me, Hwangbo Eom drank the tea. When he put the cup down, his gaze had changed significantly from when he first faced a young brat.
“Your martial arts are quite good.”
I waved my hand with a smile.
“Not at all.”
“Trying to deceive my eyes?”
“No, I mean my martial arts aren’t just quite good; they’re very exceptional.”
“Your arrogance is…”
“Oh, by the way, my master said so. You know him, the Fire King Jeok Cheon-Gang?”
Now, I was the only one smiling. There was no trace of a smile on Hwangbo Eom’s face.
After a moment of silence, he suddenly spoke.
“What are your intentions?”
“Pardon?”
“Your arrogance knows no bounds. Enough with the nonsense. Tell me the truth.”
“You’re straightforward. Well then, alright.”
With a faint smile, I continued.
“I was just passing by and got curious about what kind of trick Jongnam Sect was up to, so I decided to take a look.”
At that, the Taeeul Mujeong Sword Hwangbo Eom’s eyes turned icy cold.