Chapter 622
It had already been over a year since I first entered Murim.
Dragged into countless incidents, I’d wandered far beyond Shanxi, visiting sects and meeting all kinds of people.
But without a doubt, nothing I had seen so far could compare to the sight before my eyes now.
“…Huh.”
“Unbelievable…” Gasps of awe escaped everywhere.
I’d realized from the mountain peak that the area was vast, but this… this was beyond imagination.
As the mist cleared and our destination drew closer, my mouth fell further open.
‘This… is supposed to be a sect?’
The shock came in two parts. First, the sheer scale of the land. Second…
[Southern Barbarian Beast Palace]
That was what the shoddily written signboard on a wooden plank, surrounded only by fences, declared.
Not high walls or iron gates—just fences.
‘…This is supposed to be a sect?’ This time, disbelief of another kind.
And the fences weren’t even intact.
As I stared at the half-collapsed barrier, I turned to Nam Ho.
“Elder Nam, don’t tell me this is really…”
“You mean the Southern Barbarian Beast Palace?”
“Yes.”
Nam Ho calmly nodded toward the sign.
“You can read, can’t you?”
“Of course.”
“Then read it. No, I’ll do it for you—‘Southern Barbarian Beast Palace.’ As written. From here onward, this land belongs to them.”
I understood the words, but not the meaning. From afar, it had seemed like some grand fortress. Up close, it was just open fields.
“Captain, this looks more like a ranch than a palace. Just fences everywhere.”
Even Ju Hwaran gave a small nod to Hyuk Mu-jin’s bitter comment.
“I’ve never seen the Southern Barbarian Beast Palace myself, but… calling this a palace feels off.”
Song Ilseom and Sama Pyo joined in.
“Something is strange.”
“Indeed. No people in sight, no other buildings. Don’t you agree, Taesan?”
“Lord, Taesan is hungry. Can I eat that mushroom?”
“No,” Sama Pyo immediately cut him off.
“Then what about that cow? It looks tasty.”
“…Wasn’t he called the heir of the Black Dragon Demon Sect? Please, let me shut his mouth before I die of frustration.”
“…Fine.”
“One more thing. Every blade of grass and every beast here belongs to the Southern Barbarian Beast Palace. Don’t forget it. Including my fraying patience.”
After sternly warning Sama Pyo, Nam Ho gestured at the wide fields.
“And to be clear, I never said this place itself was the palace.”
“You didn’t? But earlier—”
“No.”
“Don’t tell me… you’ve gone senile?”
I gave him a pitying look, but he scowled.
“Three things. First, I’m not senile. Second, your acquaintance who overcame senility—how did they do it?”
“Reversed Aging.”
“…That would work well—if I weren’t an eighty-year-old with no martial arts.”
“Life begins at eighty, doesn’t it?”
“…If I had the strength, I’d end yours right here.”
Suppressing his anger, Nam Ho continued.
“Third, as I said before—this is the beginning of the Southern Barbarian Beast Palace’s territory, not the palace itself. This land is directly ruled by its master.”
“Like an emperor’s capital, with lords ruling other regions.”
“Exactly. Though unlike the emperor, the palace master’s power is contested by other tribe chiefs.”
Ju Hwaran recalled, “I once read in my grandfather’s notes: ‘The Southern Barbarian Region is one kingdom, and the Southern Barbarian Beast Palace is like an enormous pasture governing five towns.’”
Nam Ho nodded.
“Fitting words. Yet even that great hero never crossed beyond these fences. Outsiders are forbidden entry.”
“That strict?”
“That strict.”
Even the reclusive Sichuan Tang Clan couldn’t match this level of seclusion.
I looked at the endless fences and pastures.
“But we need to go in.”
“Correct.”
“Then what now? You’re a tribesman—can’t you enter?”
“I said outsiders are forbidden. Being a tribesman doesn’t mean entry is allowed.”
“Oh.”
“I am nothing more than an old, powerless Miao tribesman. If not for Dark Heaven and you lot, I’d have lived quietly until death—YOU FOOL!”
Startled, I blinked.
“Why scold yourself like that, Elder?”
“Not me! That idiot! Catch him!”
We turned—and saw Taesan crawling over the fence toward a grazing calf.
“…You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“Taesan!”
The calf lifted its head, eyes widening at the massive figure drawing near. Its hooves stamped the grass.
Thud!
But Taesan was quicker.
“Beef! Stop right there!”
His enormous body leapt through the air, crashing down on the calf.
“Moooo!”
The pitiful cry could make anyone tear up—except Taesan, whose drooling mouth only widened.
“Beef! Fresh beef!”
“Stop that madman!”
I reached him just in time, grabbing the back of his neck and yanking him off. The calf scrambled to its feet and bolted.
Taesan murmured with grief, “No… brisket…”
“…Is this guy from a butcher’s district or something?”
Nam Ho raged, veins bulging.
“I told you not to touch anything here! And you assault a calf?! Do you know how long I waited to set foot here again, only for you to ruin it?!”
Sama Pyo quickly intervened.
“Forgive us, Elder. I looked away for a moment. Taesan, apologize.”
“Taesan is hungry.”
“You bastard! Let me go! I should’ve let the mosquitoes finish me off fifty years ago instead of seeing this!”
Even without martial arts, Nam Ho’s fury rivaled that of Jeok Cheon-Gang. Truly, life began at eighty.
He only calmed after a long moment, sighing like a dying man.
“Had the palace’s people seen that, we’d have been doomed from the start. Livestock here are worth more than life itself.”
‘Well, it is the Beast Palace.’
No wonder he warned us not to touch anything.
“So what now? We can’t just wait here forever.”
“If we intrude without permission, there’ll be trouble. We’ll have to draw them out.”
Nam Ho pulled something from his bundle.
“A signal firework. If I light this, someone will surely come.”
With confidence, he struck a spark.
Fsssh!
The fuse burned, and with a loud bang the firework launched.
Whoosh—BOOM!
The problem was, instead of exploding in the sky, the sparks fell into the pasture.
“…Huh?”
“…Oh no.”
FWOOOSH!
Flames spread across the field, animals scattering in panic. (T/N: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. This is fking gold. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA)
I muttered as I stared blankly at the burning pasture.
“…Well, that’ll definitely bring someone.”
“…This isn’t right.”
Like hell it wasn’t. We were screwed.
And just as I thought that—
ROOOAR!
With a beastly roar, a figure emerged from beyond the burning hillside.