Murim Login - Chapter 363
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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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Boom!
A colossal explosion and shockwave hit my entire body.
In the momentary haze, the ceiling and floor flipped, and my hair fluttered. My body, flying uncontrollably, crashed into a corner of the treatment room.
Crack!
A sharp jolt of electricity ran down my spine, and something hot surged up from deep within my chest.
“Cough!”
Dark red blood splattered on the ground. Just looking at it, it was clear I had sustained significant internal injuries, and indeed I had.
‘Damn it. How long has it been since I recovered?’
The only silver lining was that the injuries weren’t as severe as before and that I had managed to protect the treatment room from Seo Cheon-Ma’s sword energy.
“Are you alright?”
At my question, the Divine Doctor, who was huddled in a corner of the treatment room, raised his head.
He was covered in a thick layer of dust, and in his arms, Jeok Cheon-Gang lay. The Divine Doctor groaned softly and answered.
“Thanks to you, Young Master Jin, we are safe.”
But despite his words, it was evident that the Divine Doctor’s condition was far from normal.
His once snow-white beard was stained with blood, and between the tattered clothes and his oddly angled arm, his abdomen was covered in dark bruises.
‘That’s…’
It was clear. The Divine Doctor’s dantian was destroyed. With all his martial arts gone, he was now just an ordinary old man.
No, worse than that, with his Qi Sea destroyed and his arm broken, he was in a dire situation.
‘Yet he still protected Noya…’
In contrast, Jeok Cheon-Gang had no visible injuries. The old doctor had protected the patient at the expense of his own body.
“Elder…”
“I am fine, do not worry about this old man,” the Divine Doctor said, faintly smiling despite his worried gaze.
“More than that, I am concerned about Young Master Jin’s condition. I will come to you, so just hold on a moment…”
Instead of answering, I reached out a hand. The invisible energy flowing from my fingertips gently pushed the Divine Doctor back.
“Young Master Jin?”
Before the Divine Doctor could finish speaking, a gust of energy whizzed past and pierced the wall where his head had been.
If I had been even a fraction of a second slower, the Divine Doctor would have already been dead.
Motioning for the frozen Divine Doctor to stay down, I turned to face the source of the attack.
“Attacking an unarmed old man, how cowardly.”
Through the dust clouds parting like the Red Sea, Seo Cheon-Ma’s sinister voice echoed.
“Cowardly? You forfeited the chance I gave you.”
The usual composure and gentle demeanor were long gone. The concentrated killing intent in Seo Cheon-Ma’s eyes was palpable.
“You’ve touched something you shouldn’t have.”
“Listening to you, one might think the All-Poison Ring was some sort of erogenous zone. How embarrassing for an old man who can’t even get it up anymore.”
“You…”
I used the White Flame Spear to support myself as I stood.
My entire body ached as if my bones were about to break. Judging by the pain, I might have actually fractured some bones. And I had significant internal injuries on top of that.
‘Damn it. He’s already a monster…’
I briefly regretted provoking him.
I hadn’t expected a top-tier master like Seo Cheon-Ma to resort to such a lowly method without hesitation.
But…
“That just proves how important this is to you, doesn’t it?” I said, waving the All-Poison Ring, freshly pulled from my inventory. Seo Cheon-Ma’s steps halted abruptly.
“Right away…”
“Give it back? That’s easy.”
“Do you intend to bargain?”
“You’re quick-witted, aren’t you?”
The All-Poison Ring was just a fascinating trinket to me, nothing more, nothing less. But it was different for Seo Cheon-Ma.
He considered this small ring more important than the annihilation of the Sichuan Tang Clan, Qingcheng Sect, and Mount Emei.
Just like how the Blood Lord had desperately clung to the Jade Buddha Staff even while fleeing.
“Take your minions and leave immediately. Otherwise, you’ll never see the All-Poison Ring again.”
“Never see it again…”
Seo Cheon-Ma brushed his blood-crusted hair back.
After a moment of silence, his low voice emerged from his lips.
“Ridiculous.”
“What?”
“Isn’t it ridiculous? I can kill all of you and take it back.”
“Nothing changes. You, your master, and the Divine Doctor will all die.”
Even if I explained, Seo Cheon-Ma wouldn’t understand the concept of a subspace or inventory.
Maybe, as he said, if he killed me, all the items in my inventory might spill out.
But Seo Cheon-Ma overlooked one crucial detail.
“Well, it sounds plausible, but you should have considered that I might destroy the All-Poison Ring before you get to me.”
I possess the strength to crush steel like paper. Even without channeling energy, I could easily pulverize this ring.
“So, stop thinking foolish thoughts and back off. If you take one more step…”
Seo Cheon-Ma stepped forward without hesitation, cutting me off.
“Why, are you surprised?”
Seo Cheon-Ma didn’t wait for my response. With a face full of joy, he continued speaking.
“It’s amusing. You call it a divine item but don’t treat it as such.”
“What do you mean?”
“I thought you’d understand by now.”
The smile disappeared from Seo Cheon-Ma’s face. His eyes, filled with contempt and disdain, pierced through me.
“You think a human made of mere flesh and bones can destroy an item imbued with divine power?”
I stared at the All-Poison Ring in my palm.
A divine item passed down through generations in the Sichuan Tang Clan. A relic from an ancient martial world legend. A mysterious ring that could neutralize any poison.
And…
‘The system can’t even identify the All-Poison Ring.’
Divine Item.
That single term hit my mind, making my heart sink. Something cold trickled down my spine, possibly sweat or blood.
Drip, drop.
Blood dripped from my clenched fist.
Despite my crushing grip, the All-Poison Ring didn’t bend; instead, it dug into my palm like a thorn.
“Damn it.”
I muttered quietly. There was no more room for negotiation or retreat.
Seo Cheon-Ma, noticing my realization, took a confident step forward.
“I’m sorry, Blood Lord…”
Sizzle.
“I have to kill you.”
The dark mist emanating from his body engulfed the treatment room.
* * *
Bang!
Seo Cheon-Ma’s form vanished. He crossed several yards in a single step, his dark sword energy slicing through solid rock like tofu.
I ducked, evading his attack, and thrust my spear at him.
Bang!
The spear pierced the air, causing compressed air to burst. Seo Cheon-Ma, grabbing the spear shaft with his energy-infused hand, clicked his tongue.
“Still clinging to hope?”
His kick struck my wrist with precision, targeting my pressure point. The pain was akin to having a needle pierce a vein, forcing the spear from my grasp.
But I didn’t give up.
‘I was prepared for mutual destruction from the start.’
I couldn’t fall here. Whether he died or I did, or even if that wasn’t possible, I had to ensure we died together.
Without the help of others, I should have died multiple times already. It was time to repay the accumulated debt with interest.
“Ugh!”
With a groan, I grabbed Seo Cheon-Ma’s ankle. He let out a scream and struck with his palm.
Bang!
A small explosion erupted inside me. The unpleasant energy penetrated deep into my body, tearing apart my internal pathways.
My vision blurred, and my legs gave out.
But my hands, clutching Seo Cheon-Ma’s ankle like shackles, moved by sheer will and instinct.
Crunch!
I saw Seo Cheon-Ma’s eyes widen in pain.
He could block my spear energy with his protective energy, but he couldn’t prevent his ankle from breaking under pure force.
‘Damn it, my hand…’
Of course, I paid a price for my brute force.
My hand, which had grabbed his protective energy, was scorched black as if electrocuted. And my internal injuries worsened.
As my grip weakened, my body swayed.
“Ugh!”
Seo Cheon-Ma finally screamed.
His ankle, crushed with immense force, revealed white bones, and the torn flesh was drenched in blood.
Even a transcendent master like Seo Cheon-Ma had limits.
Though he had shown unbelievable martial prowess, he didn’t possess infinite energy and stamina and couldn’t heal through level-ups like me.
‘Now is the chance.’
I charged at the staggering Seo Cheon-Ma.
Ignoring the pain of my limbs being torn apart, I gathered my energy into my fists, which soon ignited with flames.
“Jin Taekyung!”
Seo Cheon-Ma’s face, twisted with rage, appeared right in front of me.
His empty hand, unable to hold his sword due to the pain, was too slow to block my attack.
If I reached out, I could deal a significant blow to Seo Cheon-Ma.
‘But why… why does this feel…’
I was seized by a strange sensation.
The world slowed down, and everything moved at a snail’s pace.
It was the same feeling I had when I fought Hwangbo Eom of the Taeul Wumu Sword Sect.
But this time, the sensation was far sharper, resonating like a bell in my mind. At the same time, I instinctively knew what it meant.
From behind me, a chilling energy targeted the back of my neck.
‘Ah.’
So this was it.
A flash of realization struck me.
I retracted my hand from reaching Seo Cheon-Ma and twisted my head to the side.
In that moment, time, which had been paused, resumed.
Swish.
Like a dam breaking, several events unfolded simultaneously.
Seo Cheon-Ma’s sword, shrouded in dark energy, grazed my neck. As I extended both palms, Seo Cheon-Ma’s fist smashed into my side.
Crack!
My ribs shattered, and blood spurted from my throat. I was thrown back like a bullet, struggling to lift my head.
In the dim, hazy vision, I saw Seo Cheon-Ma standing tall.
Was it due to the bizarre sensation that still lingered, or was it the pain?
In my vision, Seo Cheon-Ma’s face was not filled with joy or triumph, but with shock and fury.
“You dodged the Yi-Gi-Yeo-Geum?” [1]
Right, Yi-Gi-Yeo-Geum. I had almost forgotten about that.
I coughed up blood and smirked. Seo Cheon-Ma’s eyes trembled with rage as he watched me.
“Even in this situation, you’ve achieved enlightenment… You must not be left alive.”
Enlightenment. That’s what it was.
I twitched my fingers. The flow of energy, clearer than ever, was palpable. I could sense the movement of every part of my body.
‘But it’s too late.’
Step by step.
Seo Cheon-Ma’s footsteps echoed like thunder.
In my blurry vision, he approached steadily.
Amid the darkness and falling debris, Seo Cheon-Ma was like a swirling abyss.
“You are truly an anomaly, a supernatural force.”
I bared my bloodstained teeth in a grin. My voice, hoarse and weak, slipped from my lips like a drunken whisper.
“Fuck you, you bastard.”
“Goodbye.”
Seo Cheon-Ma’s eyes gleamed red in the darkness.
His hand, engulfed in dark energy, rose high and descended slowly toward my head.
Swish.
And then, at that very moment.
“Do not touch even a single hair on him.”
Flare!
A voice, hoarse as if unused for a long time, accompanied by a burst of flame, emerged from the darkness.
Seo Cheon-Ma’s body froze. Behind him, someone was rising to their feet.
“Take your hands off my disciple.”
A small figure, yet with the presence of a giant.
I laughed, and Seo Cheon-Ma groaned.
“Fire King…!”
***
Footnotes:
[1] Yi-Gi-Yeo-Geum (이기어검) is a martial arts technique that means ‘Using Qi to Control the Sword.’