Murim Login - Chapter 435

A deep night that swallowed even the sunset. A boy sitting at the bow, gazing at the darkened river, suddenly spoke.

“What brings you here?”

“I came to drink while looking at the Yangtze River. Didn’t expect company, though.”

Behind the boy, an elderly man as small as a phantom appeared soundlessly, shaking a wine gourd with a sly grin.

“Well, how about it? Care for a drink?”

“Excessive drinking is harmful. You should refrain.”

“Oh, come now, have a drink. It’s quite scenic.”

“It’d be better if I were alone.”

“Ha, the way you talk is pretty sassy for a kid. You haven’t even looked at me while I’ve been talking.”

At that moment, the boy’s brow furrowed. The serene face, as if reflecting a blue sky, clouded over as if storm clouds had gathered, with lightning flashing across it.

Then, instead of a clear voice, a deep, subdued tone slipped from his lips.

“Enough.”

An eerie, bluish gleam shone in the dark.

The bright, cheerful image of Moon Kyung, the young medic, was nowhere to be found.

What had replaced it was a legendary warrior known by the moniker *Killing Star*, a fierce predator baring its sharp claws.

But it wasn’t just about him alone.

“Oh, scary.”

Even in the face of an intimidating aura that could petrify any seasoned master, the old man, Fire King Jeok Cheon-gang, smirked and tossed his wine gourd.

“Enough with the childish act. Drink up.”

Moon Kyung, who caught the slowly gliding gourd, responded dryly.

“Not interested.”

“Why, not old enough yet?”

“I quit. Long ago.”

“Since you were playing the part of a medic, then.”

“…Aren’t you sleeping?”

“Old folks don’t need much sleep. Unlike someone.”

Moon Kyung shook his head slightly. For someone as taciturn and reserved as him, Jeok Cheon-gang was a difficult conversational partner. If avoiding him was possible, it was better to do so.

“Leaving already?”

“None of your business.”

“What about the drink?”

Moon Kyung threw the gourd into the river. The rippling waters of the Yangtze swallowed it in an instant.

“Finished it.”

“If you didn’t want it, you could’ve returned it. What a spiteful old man.”

As Moon Kyung brushed past him, his eyes turned sharp.

The *Killing Star* was a persona that no longer existed. Now, he was just a young medic, indistinguishable from any other.

“You have a loose tongue.”

“Not much to hear, so what’s the problem? Besides, why bother hiding your identity when you’ve followed this far?”

Moon Kyung didn’t answer. Rather, he couldn’t.

Why was it? Was it just a fleeting impulse?

It was something that even his cold, rational mind, unfazed by countless assassinations, couldn’t explain.

“I see. You haven’t found the answer yet.”

After a brief silence, Moon Kyung spoke.

“It’s just a simple journey.”

“I understand. At first, it was the same for this old man. Then I met a strange guy, and my final days got all tangled up.”

Moon Kyung thought he knew who that ‘strange guy’ was and considered it an apt description.

Even with his experience of encountering all kinds of people and events in the turbulent world, that man was an unfamiliar breed he’d never seen before.

“Jin Taekyung.”

“So, you do know him. Well, how could you not?”

“A peculiar fellow. He’s reached a remarkable level for his age.”

Jeok Cheon-gang’s lips twitched.

“Ahem. Remarkable, sure. Just a lucky guy. In pure martial talent, he can’t match the Sword Master’s disciple. Though he doesn’t seem to realize it yet, he’s already on the verge of opening his *middle dantian*.”

Moon Kyung recalled the young man, who performed tricks with a snake during their journey.

Barely past his coming-of-age, scattering brilliant sword energy—just like in the Sichuan Tang clan.

“That kid is also… well, a madman. But if it’s only about talent, he’s a step above Jin Taekyung.”

“What?!”

“Hmph.”

Moon Kyung clicked his tongue, staring at Jeok Cheon-gang.

“You dote on your disciple.”

“Disciple?”

Jeok Cheon-gang paused momentarily, then cleared his throat.

“Ahem. Well. Could be, might not be…”

“What nonsense is that?”

“Well, there’s a complicated story to it, you see.”

Suddenly, Moon Kyung’s head began to ache.

It had only been a few days since the unseen *Dark Sky* group turned Sichuan into a bloody mess.

His mind was already a storm of chaos, and listening to the tale of this odd master and disciple was enough to bring on seasickness he hadn’t felt before.

“If there’s nothing else, I’ll be going. I hope tonight’s events won’t happen again.”

With that curt statement, Moon Kyung moved towards the cabin.

“Thank you. For saving him.”

“I mean it.”

Moon Kyung didn’t respond as he opened the cabin door. Jeok Cheon-gang muttered complaints about being a cranky old man, but Moon Kyung ignored them and sat on the hard wooden bunk.

A few steps away on another bunk, a passenger who had settled in earlier was fast asleep.

Moon Kyung stared at the unmoving Jin Taekyung, lost in thought.

‘What a strange guy.’

Even his sleep was odd. At first, his breathing was so faint that it seemed he was practicing *Turtle Breathing Technique*.

And that wasn’t all. He was said to possess Heavenly Martial Body (Cheonmujiche), a body of unparalleled martial aptitude that appears only once in centuries.

Jeok Cheon-gang had even mentioned that his body was gradually becoming more perfect—a statement hard to believe.

‘Nonsense.’

Heavenly Martial Body is called so because it is the ideal body for mastering martial arts, known as the bone bestowed by heaven.

Perfection means there is nothing to add or subtract. It must be the biased judgment of a sentimental master.

‘Still, he is remarkable. Or are they?’

Next to Jin Taekyung’s bunk, Cheongpung was drooling in his sleep.

He was smacking his lips as if eating something, and upon closer inspection, was mumbling in his sleep while sucking on the head of the snake that always accompanied him.

“Dumplings, roast duck, mooncakes too…”

“Lots, lots more…”

What on earth had happened while he was away?

With a wry expression, Moon Kyung glanced between Jin Taekyung and Cheongpung.

‘These are the ones who will one day illuminate the world of Murim.’

In Moon Kyung’s eyes, the two had already surpassed the level of *post-qi gathering* by far.

Geniuses who had broken through the supreme barrier at such a young age, barely past their twenties.

If even one of them opened their *middle dantian* before reaching their thirties, then…

‘This is…’

Moon Kyung’s eyes trembled as he scrutinized Jin Taekyung and Cheongpung.

‘When? No, how?’

Leaping up as if struck by lightning, he quickly checked Jin Taekyung’s pulse.

Sending internal energy through the *Myeongmun Point*, an unbelievable truth unfolded before his eyes. One realization echoed in his frozen mind.

‘The middle dantian… has opened?’

Even his deeply trained, unmoving mind was of no use. Just as Moon Kyung’s vacant gaze met the void…

“What are you doing?”

Lowering his gaze, Moon Kyung saw it. Jin Taekyung’s eyes looking up at him, then shifting to Moon Kyung’s hands resting on his *Myeongmun Point* and chest where the *middle dantian* was.

“What the…”

With utmost sincerity, Moon Kyung spoke.

“It’s a misunderstanding.”

“Sure, it is.”

“Calm down and listen to me for a moment—”

Jin Taekyung answered his earnest plea.

With a shout loud enough to wake everyone on the *Quicksilver Ship*.

“You pervert!”

Boom!

The cabin door shattered into ash as Jeok Cheon-gang appeared.

In the deep night when all were asleep, the peace of the Yangtze was shattered.

* * *

Mu Song, disciple of the Lord of the Yangtze River Alliance and leader of the *Water Dragon Fort*, shouted as if the sky was falling.

“No! My *Quicksilver Ship*!”

I subtly avoided his gaze, and Moon Kyung, alias *Killing Star*, suddenly left, claiming he had to prepare medicinal herbs.

Jeok Cheon-gang, who had incinerated the *Quicksilver Ship*, patted Mu Song on the shoulder.

“It’s alright. A ship can be rebuilt.”

“No! No way!”

“Hey now, it’s fine. Isn’t a ship just something that can be made if you have people and money?”

“It’s not that simple! This isn’t just any ship, but a special *Quicksilver Ship* that only our Yangtze River Alliance can construct! Rebuilding it means requesting artisans from the sect and pouring in a fortune…”

Mu Song’s voice, raised in agitation, gradually lowered as he noticed Jeok Cheon-gang’s dangerous smile.

His fist was already glowing with fiery *Sunfire Qi*.

“A fortune, and then what?”

Mu Song fell silent.

He was clearly debating whether to pour wealth into rebuilding the *Quicksilver Ship* or pour his blood into the Yangtze.

In the end, it was money or life. The choice wasn’t hard.

“…I meant, even if we pour in a fortune, we’ll still have money left, Sir Jeok.”

“Right? Business is good around here, isn’t it?”

Mu Song’s fierce face twisted. To a commoner, it would look terrifying, but for him, that was a smile. It was just his rough features that made it seem otherwise.

He rubbed his large hands together humbly.

“Well, what can I say. It’s so successful, we can’t seize enough.”

“Good, good. By the way, try to seize moderately. It’s none of my business, but they have to eat too.”

“Yes, yes.”

“I apologize for the mishap. Just a little slip during training, you see.”

“Of course, that happens. Are you hurt anywhere?”

“No. But I’ve felt weak lately. Something to chew on would be nice…”

“Some good *He Shou Wu* [1] came in recently. It seems it’s found its owner.”

“You’re the owner. I’m just a guest. Haha. But I’ll take it gratefully.”

Jeok Cheon-gang patted Mu Song on the shoulder and turned to me, frowning.

“Damn it. Why did you cause such a ruckus at night?”

I answered calmly.

“Imagine waking up to some man touching an old master’s chest and back.”

“I’d burn them to dust.”

“Exactly. What do you expect in that situation? And then everything got smashed before anyone could stop it.”

The result was explosive.

True to his moniker, *Killing Star*, Moon Kyung had dodged Jeok Cheon-gang’s attack with ghost-like movements, while the *Flame God Palm* imbued with intense heat had flamboyantly burned down the *Quicksilver Ship*.

Jeok Cheon-gang muttered with a grimace.

“That rascal hasn’t changed his old habits.”

“Right, they say old habits die hard.”

“He passed eighty long ago, didn’t he?”

“Then let’s say old habits die at a hundred.”

As Moon Kyung hurried past, checking on those who had fallen into the water, he whispered to me.

“Keep your mouth shut if you want to live.”

I didn’t keep my mouth shut. Instead, I shouted loud enough for everyone to hear.

“What did you say, Moon Kyung?”

“Yes, yes?”

“Didn’t you just say something to me?”

“N-no. You must’ve misheard.”

“Right?”

“Yes, yes.”

“Then keep at it. You’re doing well.”

“Th-thank you.”

This is the fate of someone committed to a persona.

What a spectacular return this is.

‘This is Murim, after all.’

I shook my head as I looked out at the boundless Yangtze River.

***

Footnotes:

[1] He Shou Wu (何首乌), also known as Fo-Ti, is an herb in traditional Chinese medicine believed to promote longevity, hair health, and support liver and kidney function. It is reputed for its rejuvenating and immune-boosting properties.