Chapter 136: 27th Floor. Murim (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 136: 27th Floor. Murim (5)
As he stepped outside, Wind Blood Blade Chicheon was already on high alert, having sensed an approaching presence. He muttered, his voice tinged with surprise.
"Your instincts are sharp. The intruders were masking their presence quite well."
"Seven people," Kang Jun-hyeok replied. "Three are coming from the east, and four from the west."
"I’ll take the west. You handle the east."
Jun-hyeok nodded.
Chicheon’s form dissolved into the wind, vanishing instantly.
Jun-hyeok took a single step forward and plunged into the forest. The masked men in black, who had been advancing with bated breath, recoiled in shock as Jun-hyeok suddenly materialized through the darkness before them.
"…!"
"Surprised? Yet you don't scream. You're not just ordinary thugs, are you?"
Swish!
Poison needles and throwing blades whistled through the air toward him. Jun-hyeok moved his fingers with effortless grace. He plucked a poison needle from the air and flicked it back with lethal precision. The incoming blades were deflected with a series of harsh metallic clangs.
"If you've come to kill, it means you're prepared to die yourselves."
Crunch.
A dagger appeared in Jun-hyeok’s hand as if by magic. He pierced the throat of the lead masked man in one fluid motion and delivered a crushing kick to another who was rushing him. The man collapsed to the forest floor, coughing up a spray of dark blood.
The last remaining man realized the gap in their strength and tried to flee, but Jun-hyeok seized him by the collar before he could even turn around. After a brief moment of gagging, the man’s body convulsed violently and then went limp.
"Did he commit suicide?"
[They are exceptionally well-trained.]
Jun-hyeok forced the man's mouth open and found the remnants of a crushed Restoration Pill—likely laced with a lethal poison. He searched the bodies, but they carried nothing that could identify their origin. When he returned to the clearing, Wind Blood Blade was already waiting.
"Did yours kill themselves too?" Jun-hyeok asked.
"Yes."
"Tough bastards. Their movements were efficient, and their resolve was absolute. They were trained to the highest standard."
Chicheon frowned. It wasn't hard to guess who had sent them.
"Geuk Ji-hak, the son of the Murim Alliance Leader."
"I didn't think he'd give up so easily. How annoying," Chicheon spat, clicking his tongue.
"What do you plan to do?"
"There’s no evidence. Even if I brought the bodies to his doorstep, he’d just play the innocent fool."
Shink—
Chicheon flicked the blood off his blade with a sharp snap.
"My duty remains unchanged. I protect him and kill those who target him. That is all."
"If you say so." Jun-hyeok gave a thin, cold smile. "I’ll help as well. I look forward to working with you."
"…Hmph."
Chicheon turned away without another word.
Spies continued to arrive in the following days, and Jun-hyeok and Chicheon dealt with them in total silence. Their vigilance allowed Faded Heaven Supreme to focus entirely on comprehending the martial arts of the Master of All Weapons.
"Cough! Cough, cough!"
Faded Heaven Supreme, who had been watching Jun-hyeok practice his forms, suddenly erupted into a violent coughing fit. His frail body trembled like an aspen tree caught in a gale. Chicheon rushed to his side instantly.
"Faded Heaven Supreme!"
Chicheon’s face hardened as he checked the man's pulse. The internal energy within was dangerously shallow.
"…You must rest. If you continue like this, your body will be in grave danger."
"I am fine."
"Your pulse is too weak. At this rate, you might suffer permanent damage—"
"Chicheon."
Faded Heaven Supreme called his name softly. His eyes were filled with a deep, unwavering resolve that brooked no argument.
"I will understand this martial art. I will catch a glimpse of the pinnacle—that which transcends all categories. So, I beg of you. Let me continue."
"…I understand."
Faced with such a powerful will, Chicheon had no choice but to back down.
The spies returned that night. Their caliber improved with each passing day; they were now skilled enough to sense Chicheon’s presence in advance and scatter to disorient his senses.
"You rats!"
Slash!
Blades of wind tore through the forest. Trees were sheared apart, and underbrush was scattered in every direction. Several assassins were cut down instantly, but one managed to break through the perimeter. He sprinted past Chicheon, heading straight for the house where Faded Heaven Supreme stayed. Chicheon’s expression turned frantic.
[ Stealth ]
[ Instant Acceleration ]
Crunch.
In that heartbeat, Jun-hyeok appeared out of thin air and pierced the spy’s chest. The assassin, who hadn't sensed a thing until the moment of impact, died instantly with his eyes wide in shock.
"…You use strange techniques."
Even Chicheon hadn't sensed Jun-hyeok’s presence until the kill. He struggled to hide his surprise and maintain his composure. Jun-hyeok flicked his blade clean and asked, "It’s getting hard to get a good night’s sleep. Does this happen often?"
"It has. There have always been those who coveted his talent and tried to kidnap him. But this is the first time I've seen elites of this level. Geuk Ji-hak is determined. If he wastes this much talent, even the Murim Alliance Leader won't stay quiet."
"If you weren't here, Faded Heaven Supreme would have been dragged off long ago." Jun-hyeok asked with a curious look, "Why did you volunteer to be his guardian?"
At first, Jun-hyeok thought Chicheon was receiving martial arts instruction from Faded Heaven Supreme and was acting as a guardian in exchange. However, during the two weeks he had stayed here, Chicheon had asked for nothing. He simply looked after the frail man and stood guard. It was a menial task for one of the Ten Great Masters.
"That is none of your concern," Chicheon cut him off sharply.
He clearly had no intention of answering. Jun-hyeok shrugged. He was curious, but he wouldn't force the man to talk.
From the next day, the spies who had been coming daily stopped appearing. Chicheon, finally finding a moment of peace, muttered, "They’ve wasted a lot of valuable manpower. Perhaps the Alliance Leader noticed and put a stop to it. That’s for the best."
Thanks to the reprieve, Chicheon could focus on caring for Faded Heaven Supreme’s health. Color slowly began to return to the scholar's face, which had been so pale he looked like he might collapse at any moment.
A week passed in quiet contemplation.
And then, that night.
Jun-hyeok, who had been sleeping with his back against the wall, snapped his eyes open.
[Someone is coming.]
The Master of All Weapons spoke within his mind.
Jun-hyeok could feel it too. An intense, heavy pressure was radiating outward, as if the newcomer had no intention of hiding their presence. They were strong—stronger than Chicheon.
When he opened the door, Chicheon was already standing in the yard with a grim expression.
"…Well, we have a distinguished guest."
Sensing the energy, Faded Heaven Supreme also came to sit by the door.
In the brilliant glow of the moonlight, the opponent revealed himself. He was a middle-aged man with a long, flowing beard. Chicheon’s face went pale.
"…Murim Alliance Leader, Geuk Ji-won."
"Wind Blood Blade. It has been a long time," the man said.
"Why have you come here?"
"Isn't the reason obvious?" The Alliance Leader leisurely stroked his beard. "Since you both rejected all of my invitations, I decided to visit in person."
"…So it wasn't just Geuk Ji-hak acting on his own."
"No matter how foolish my son may be, would he really act alone in a matter like this? I am already busy enough keeping the Evil Murim Alliance in check, yet I had to drag my heavy body all the way here."
Chicheon swallowed hard. He was one of the Ten Great Masters, one of the ten strongest people in the Murim. But the Murim Alliance Leader was the man called the Number One in Murim. There was a clear difference in both skill and status.
Seeing his tension, the Alliance Leader clicked his tongue.
"If you're that nervous, it makes it look like I'm doing something evil. This is all for the greater good. Oh, you must be Faded Heaven Supreme. A pleasure to meet you!"
"It is a pleasure," Faded Heaven Supreme spoke calmly.
The Alliance Leader then turned his gaze toward Jun-hyeok. "…And who might you be?"
"I'm Kang Jun-hyeok."
"A name I haven't heard before. Are you Faded Heaven Supreme’s servant?"
The Alliance Leader showed no further interest in Jun-hyeok.
"Faded Heaven Supreme. I am Geuk Ji-won, the Murim Alliance Leader. I am a busy man, so I shall get straight to the point. Do you have any intention of joining the Murim Alliance to work for the peace of the realm?"
"I do not," Faded Heaven Supreme replied with a thin smile.
As he was cut off so bluntly, the Alliance Leader’s expression hardened slightly. But he soon let out a hollow laugh.
"Now, don't be like that. I apologize for my forceful attitude. I also apologize for sending men in secret. It would be best for us to find some common ground, wouldn't it?"
The Alliance Leader took a step back and clapped his hands.
"I will give you time to think—until the sun has risen and set seven times. If you do not come to the Murim Alliance by then… I will have no choice but to send my men again. I hope you make a wise decision."
With those words, the Alliance Leader slowly departed.
While Jun-hyeok and Faded Heaven Supreme remained perfectly calm, Chicheon was drenched in a cold sweat. Once the Alliance Leader was gone, Chicheon spoke with a groan.
"Faded Heaven Supreme. This is… dangerous. If you refuse again, the entire Murim Alliance will move."
Chicheon was strong, but he was only one man. There were those in the Alliance even stronger than him. If they came in force, he couldn't stop them.
"…Faded Heaven Supreme. Why not yield just this once?" Chicheon suggested quietly. "I think it would be best to go to the Alliance for now and play along. Once the business with the Evil Murim Alliance is over, you can return. Your comprehension of this man's martial arts will be delayed, but that isn't a major problem."
To them, a slight delay wouldn't matter. But it mattered to Jun-hyeok. There was only one week left until the 27th Floor Quest ended.
This is troublesome.
He began to weigh his options. However, those thoughts soon became unnecessary. Faded Heaven Supreme slowly shook his head.
"I will not go to the Murim Alliance."
"It’s dangerous! You could lose your life—"
"Do you think I care about such things?" Faded Heaven Supreme smiled. Chicheon couldn't find the words to argue. "To me, this world has no value. I thought I was born into a meaningless world only to leave it just as meaninglessly. But now, I have found value in my life."
His eyes were shining brighter than ever before.
"I will not leave this place. My life has been like drifting duckweed, coming and going. At the very least, I will spend my final moments doing what I desire."
"…Faded Heaven Supreme."
"Chicheon. You may leave. You have more than repaid the debt for curing your daughter’s Severed Meridians."
So that was the reason.
He had cured his daughter’s illness. Out of gratitude, Chicheon had volunteered to be his guardian. Jun-hyeok looked satisfied now that his curiosity was sated. Chicheon bit his lip.
"…The grace I received from you is something I can never fully repay. I will stay with you until the end."
"Thank you. To have won the heart of a man like you, despite a life like drifting duckweed… it wasn't all in vain." Having said that, Faded Heaven Supreme looked at Jun-hyeok. "I am almost there. Just a little more, just a single spark of enlightenment is all I need. So please, wait for me."
Jun-hyeok nodded.
The Murim Alliance Leader kept his word. For a week, no one came.
And then, a week later. Exactly one day before the quest was set to end, the opposition arrived.
"…Two powerful presences," Chicheon whispered.
Two masters were approaching. One of them was clearly stronger than Chicheon himself.
"You can run," Chicheon suggested. "You might die here. No matter how precious martial arts are, they aren't worth more than your life."
"No." Jun-hyeok shook his head. "I can't miss such a great opportunity."
"…A great opportunity?"
Chicheon froze as he looked at Jun-hyeok. A sharp smile was playing on the young man's lips.
I can't leave like this.
He hadn't achieved his goal yet. More importantly, powerful foes were coming to him. He had sparred with Chicheon often, but in the end, those weren't life-or-death battles. There was a limit to how much he could temper his internal energy that way.
But now, powerful enemies he could kill—and who could kill him—were coming of their own accord. They were beings from whom he could gain ample rewards.
There was no reason to retreat. Soon, the opponents came into view.