Murim Login - Chapter 461

In terms of speed, a skiff was no match for the swift ships of the Yangtze Waterways Alliance, let alone conventional vessels. Especially in weather as rough as today’s.

‘Whoosh, splash!’

The strong winds and churning waters rocked the small skiff.

With a vessel as small as this, its resistance to external conditions was inherently limited. The boatman’s arms bulged with tension, his muscles straining to guide the boat through the waves.

Despite his seasoned expertise, the turbulent waters became more violent as we approached our destination, pushing him to his limits.

‘This won’t work from here on.’

If I had truly relied solely on an old boatman and a single skiff to get us this far, it would’ve been sheer madness.

Cracking my neck, I stepped forward.

“Shall we begin?”

At my cue, the three who had been silently meditating and regulating their energy despite the rocking of the skiff opened their eyes.

“I’m ready, Benefactor,” said Cheongpung.

“To use the Beggars’ Sect’s proud techniques for this… My master would have a few choice words,” grumbled Gong Gi-bang.

“What should I do, Captain?” asked Hyeok Mu-jin.

Having replenished their energy through their breathing exercises, the three awaited orders. I quickly assigned tasks.

“Cheong So-hyeop, follow behind me. Gong Gi-bang, take the lead up front. Hyeok Mu-jin, stay with the boatman and protect him. Be ready to act when I call for you.”

The three swiftly followed my instructions, moving into position. The old boatman, who had been struggling to row, blinked in confusion.

“What are you all talking about right no—”

Before the boatman could finish his sentence, Cheongpung’s hands unleashed a powerful energy that slashed through the turbulent water.

‘Boom! Whoosh!’

The force, aptly named the ‘Palm Force Booster’, sent the lightweight skiff soaring through the air.

The boatman screamed as the wind roared past us.

Taking his scream as my cue, I acted.

‘Now.’

‘Shhhhhh!’

Just as the skiff began to descend toward the water’s surface, I gathered all the energy from my ‘dantian’ and channeled it through my palms.

‘Boom! Boom!’

The air heated up with the fiery energy of my near-mastered ‘Flame God Palm (Hwayeom Sinjang)’, causing the skiff to leap upward like a flying fish.

The boatman’s eyes bulged as he pointed ahead with a trembling finger.

“R-rocks! There are rocks ahead!”

Of course, Dongting Fisherman wouldn’t have hidden his lair in an easy-to-reach location.

The path we were navigating was too narrow for ordinary boats, and the currents were far too strong for a small skiff to safely pass through. If caught by the current, we would inevitably be smashed against the countless rocks scattered throughout.

“You scoundrels! I told you I wasn’t coming!” the boatman wailed in genuine despair.

At that moment, I shouted a name.

“Gong Gi-bang!”

“Got it!”

Responding promptly, Gong Gi-bang flicked his tattered sleeve.

The ‘Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms (Hangnyong Sippaljang)’, a technique known only to the Beggars’ Sect’s leader and deputy, roared as it shattered the air.

‘Boom! Crash!’

The once-imposing rocks were obliterated by the storm of palm energy, breaking apart into harmless fragments.

More rocks emerged to block our path, but they fared no better against the overwhelming force of Gong Gi-bang’s technique.

‘Crack! Boom!’

Piercing through the shattered debris, the skiff landed back on the water’s surface, spraying mist on either side. A few fish even leaped out of the water, slapping the boatman across the face before falling back.

“W-whoa… whaaa…”

The boatman, now half-catatonic and drooling, was clearly at his limit. I shook his shoulder, trying to snap him out of it.

“Get a hold of yourself!”

“W-whoa… oh, curse it all…”

“This isn’t working. Mu-jin!”

“Yes, Captain.”

Hyeok Mu-jin rolled up his sleeves and delivered a sharp slap to the boatman’s cheek.

‘Smack!’

The sound rang out, and the boatman’s glazed eyes regained focus.

“Gah! What’s happening—”

‘Smack!’

“I-I’m fine now!”

“Enough.”

“Yes, Captain.”

There’s nothing like a good slap to bring someone back to their senses. The boatman, now nursing his reddened cheek, muttered complaints as I questioned him.

“Where are we now? Can you tell?”

“Well, noble ones or not, you can’t just—”

“Mu-jin.”

“Yes, Captain.”

“I’ll check immediately!”

The boatman shot to his feet, scanning the surroundings.

The narrow riverbank barely allowed room for one or two skiffs to pass side by side. Sheer cliffs flanked us on both sides, while violent currents swirled below. A thick mist hung over everything, making visibility difficult.

After carefully observing the area, the boatman nodded.

“This is the first location mentioned earlier, I’m sure of it.”

According to the information from the Hao Clan, conveyed through Hong Ran, there were five possible locations where Dongting Fisherman might have hidden his lair.

This was the closest of them.

While it was good news that we had arrived quickly, there was no time to celebrate.

“Getting here quickly is great, but… how do we find him now?” Gong Gi-bang asked, scanning the surroundings.

“We search every corner,” I replied.

“Ugh, this will take forever,” Gong Gi-bang grumbled.

“Don’t jinx it. Be grateful we even have this lead thanks to Lady Hong,” I retorted.

A hideout isn’t called a hideout for nothing.

Even if the exact location wasn’t pinpointed, narrowing down Dongting Fisherman’s hiding spot to five possible sites was a significant achievement.

If we struck out here, we would simply tighten the net until the prey had no choice but to surface.

Or, they might just come out on their own before then.

As I carefully examined the area, I noticed something odd. My face felt unusually warm.

Glancing sideways, I found four pairs of eyes staring at me intently. When I turned, they quickly averted their gazes.

“What?” I asked.

“N-nothing! I just think it’s nice how you’re still thinking about Lady Hong even now…” Gong Gi-bang muttered.

“Ahem. Captain, I support you!” declared Hyeok Mu-jin.

“Ah, young love… I remember when I was popular with the ladies, too. They used to call me Dongting Lake’s Heartthrob, you know. Hahaha.”

I knew exactly what they were implying.

Cheongpung, looking flustered, waved his hands frantically when our eyes met.

“No, no! Benefactor, I wasn’t thinking about anything!”

“I didn’t even say anything yet, but now I’m curious.”

“Really, I wasn’t! I definitely wasn’t imagining you and Lady Hong getting married, having two kids, living happily ever after, and me visiting your house often as your neighbor!”

“…!”

Cheongpung immediately covered his mouth, but the damage was done.

‘In that short time, he imagined all that?’

He should quit martial arts and become a novelist. His pen name could be ‘Volcanic Dragon,’ and with Mount Hua’s backing and a foreword from Sword Saint Ma Jong-hak, his books would sell like hotcakes.

Though, if he wrote me as the protagonist, I’d personally knock some sense into him.

“Seriously, what is wrong with people… Forget it. Let’s get to work,” I sighed, issuing quick orders.

It wasn’t because my face felt hot, or because the faint scent lingering on Hong Ran’s silver hairpin wouldn’t leave my nose.

The situation was tense, and the air carried an undeniable heaviness as I issued orders.

“Cheong So-hyeop and Gong Gi-bang, use [Byeokho Gong] (Wall-Climbing Technique) to investigate the cliffs. Hyeok Mu-jin, stay on the skiff and search the lower areas. Stay alert—anything could happen at any moment.”

At my somber tone, the faint humor lingering on everyone’s faces vanished entirely.

If Dongting Fisherman truly was here, battle was inevitable.

I wasn’t entirely sure of his martial prowess, but for someone of Dongting Fisherman’s level, any ambush would likely leave only Cheongpung and me capable of responding effectively.

“Remember, if you let your guard down, you’ll die.”

Though I’d do everything in my power to prevent such an outcome, a martial artist’s life and death could hinge on the smallest of moments.

I turned to leave, but just as I did, Hyeok Mu-jin spoke up.

“What are you doing, Captain?”

“Looking for him, obviously. What, did you think I’d just stay on the skiff and wait around?”

“No, I just thought… weren’t you planning to stay back with the boatman?”

“The cliffs are covered by Cheong So-hyeop and Gong Gi-bang, and you’ve got the lower waters covered. That leaves me to search somewhere else.”

“Somewhere else? Like where—”

Hyeok Mu-jin suddenly froze mid-sentence.

“Wait, are you saying—”

“That’s right.”

I peered down at the churning waters beneath us.

“We’ll need to check the depths as well. If it’s Dongting Fisherman’s hideout, it’s a very real possibility.”

“But you don’t know any water techniques, do you?”

“Nope, not a single one,” I replied confidently.

Cheongpung, who was preparing to scale the cliffs, and Gong Gi-bang both chimed in, along with the boatman who clutched his oar like a lifeline.

“Benefactor, my grandfather always said to avoid fighting water technique masters underwater at all costs.”

“I agree. Not only are you untrained in water techniques, but if the opponent is Dongting Fisherman, the disadvantage is overwhelming.”

“Sir, I know you’re an exceptional warrior, but these waters are deep and treacherous. One wrong move, and…”

Everything they said was correct.

Combat between supreme masters often came down to the smallest details, and the difference between fighting on land and underwater was as vast as heaven and earth.

To make matters worse, most of my techniques from [Yeolhwamun] (Fiery Flame Sect) relied on fiery energy—making them inherently weaker in aquatic environments.

Even the mighty Jeok Cheon-Gang on the Yangtze River avoided such battles because he knew the battleground would not favor him.

Still, there was a reason I had decided to dive into the water, despite my lack of experience.

‘I haven’t used it before, but if the description is accurate, this should work.’

Taking a deep breath, I removed my outer garments and shoes.

Before Hyeok Mu-jin could stop me, I jumped straight into the river.

‘Splash! Whoosh!’

The water was icy and clear.

Schools of fish swam past in vibrant colors, while strange plants swayed in the murky depths below.

Then, it came—the sound I’d been waiting for.

—

‘Ding. Ding. Ding.’

– The effects of the title [Lifesaver of the Waters] have been activated!
– Special skills embedded within the title are now in effect!
– [Webbed Hands and Feet of the Lifesaver] have been created!
– [Gills of the Lifesaver] have been created!
– Special skills will last for 24 hours and cannot be reused for one week.
– Your martial arts techniques are not optimized for this environment. Using [Yeolhwamun] techniques underwater will result in a 20% reduction in effectiveness.

—

As the system notifications chimed, my body underwent a remarkable transformation.

‘Whoosh.’

A faint light shimmered around me, forming transparent webbing between my fingers and toes.

‘What is this…’

Though I was submerged, my movements felt as light as they would on land.

My vision sharpened, and when I exhaled, the cold water transformed into breathable air, flowing smoothly into my lungs.

‘This is even better than I imagined.’

The title [Lifesaver of the Waters], a reward from completing the emergency quest [The Tragedy of Dongting Lake], was proving to be invaluable sooner than expected.

‘With this, I can do it.’

Grinning, I began to swim.

Cutting through the violent currents with the webbing on my hands and feet, I surged forward faster than any fish, heading deeper into the unknown.