Chapter 485: Monster (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 485: Monster (3)
The Thunderous Sword, Namgung Myung.
He was one of the five heroes who had stopped the Blood Demon, and the strongest martial artist the Namgung Clan had ever produced. Historical records claimed he could summon dark clouds with a single finger and call down lightning without effort.
He was also known as the God of Thunder.
That was what the texts said, but I’d never bothered to learn the details—until now. Now that I knew these legendary figures were still alive and tangled in the same mess as me, I had no choice but to study them.
And judging by the records… it was hard to believe he was human.
The stories sounded like myths.
Tang Jaemoon could erase an entire region with her poison.
Cheolyoung’s fist, contrary to his mild personality, could pulverize a mountain in one blow.
When the God of Thunder grew angry, he could shake the very heavens.
The tales of Elder Shin and Yeon Il-Cheon were even more staggering than the other three.
Each of their legends painted them as monsters.
Reading their records only made me angrier. Maybe if I could dismiss them as exaggerated rumors, I might have felt better—but that wasn’t the issue.
There were five such monsters in the past, and the best they could do was seal him away?
The Blood Demon War was infamous for its devastation. People believed the heroes of old had completely destroyed the Blood Demon, but the truth was far grimmer: they had only sealed him, and the Blood Demon still walked freely in this world.
I was already overwhelmed by the thought of stopping the Heavenly Demon. Now I had to contend with the Blood Demon—a being even those five legendary martial artists couldn’t kill.
The more I thought about it, the more furious I became. How was I supposed to slay a monster they couldn’t? That anger was why I couldn’t bring myself to read their records any further.
But for now… I pushed those thoughts aside. I needed to focus on what Elder Shin had just said.
Namgung Myung?
I looked ahead.
The man before me had long white hair, covered in dust. When he brushed it aside, I saw striking blue pupils. He was one of the most handsome middle-aged men I had ever laid eyes on—even more so than the famed Azure Heavenly Sword, Namgung Jin.
As I studied him, a thought crossed my mind.
…The Monster of Wudang… is from the Namgung Clan?
Only one clan in the Central Plains had members with such distinctive features: the Great Namgung Clan. And the Monster of Wudang looked more like a true Namgung than even the current clan lord or Namgung Bi-ah.
Shocked, I turned to Elder Shin.
Elder Shin… what did you mean by that just now?
[…What do you think I meant? It’s exactly how it sounds.]
He looks identical to the Thunderous Sword?
[Yes. So much so it gives me goosebumps. Though that bastard never looked as filthy as this one.]
I observed the man again. Handsome, with a cold aura, yet his weary expression made him seem unapproachable. Now I understood why Elder Shin always spoke poorly of Namgung Myung.
I wondered how to greet him. At the very least, I had to show respect. I cupped my fists and bowed.
“…It’s an honor to meet you, Senior. I am from the Gu Clan.”
“Gu Clan?”
The Monster of Wudang’s eyes widened slightly at my introduction.
“I see. So you’re the one who’s been making waves lately.”
“…Yes. My name is Gu Yangcheon.”
I wasn’t sure what he meant exactly, but given the rumors the Murim Alliance had been spreading, it was definitely about me.
“Hmm.”
His gaze swept over me, assessing. He seemed… amused.
After a moment, he smirked. “When I first heard the rumors, I thought those Alliance bastards were up to something again.”
…!
I was taken aback by how casually he insulted the Murim Alliance. I hadn’t thought anyone else in the world would refer to them so disdainfully—other than me, of course.
[So you’re self-aware enough to know you’re not normal.]
I was also surprised that the Monster of Wudang knew about the Alliance’s scheming.
Just as I was shocked by him, he seemed equally shocked by me.
“I thought the rumors were exaggerated, but if anything, they fell short.”
“Thank you for the flattery…”
I had tried to conceal my strength, but he must have sensed it when I dodged his attack earlier.
The Monster of Wudang stroked his chin. “But this one isn’t it,” he remarked, glancing at Woo Hyuk.
“What do you mean?” Woo Hyuk replied, as if used to his master’s cryptic comments.
The Monster smirked. “I thought you’d have an easy time dominating this generation.”
“Huh? Me?”
Woo Hyuk acted as though this was the first he’d heard of it.
“But with a freak like this around, your chances are shot. Just give up.”
“Haha, Master, why say that? I never had such ambitions anyway. Why aim for something so troublesome? I’d rather eat and sleep.”
“…Still as lazy as ever, I see. At least pretend to be diligent in front of your master.”
“You’re just as bad when it comes to laziness. Why single me out?”
“Fair point.”
Hahaha—!
The two burst into laughter, their rapport easy and familiar. I found myself smiling as I watched them. So this was where Woo Hyuk’s odd personality came from.
[Hmm.]
Elder Shin let out a weary sigh, sounding equally perplexed.
[…They have the same face, but completely different personalities.]
He’s very different from the Thunderous Sword?
[That bastard never spoke so casually, and he’d never wander around looking so grubby and destitute.]
Elder Shin’s tone was firm.
[He whined like a child if a single speck of dust touched him. It annoyed me so much I occasionally threw him into mud puddles.]
Pardon?
[You should’ve seen how fiercely he tried to kill me afterward. Hehe, what a narrow-minded bastard. A real martial artist shouldn’t fear a little dirt. Tsk, tsk.]
…
No matter how I looked at it, Elder Shin sounded more like a bully than Namgung Myung sounded petty. It was clear their relationship had been… contentious.
From what little I’ve heard, he does seem very different from the Monster of Wudang.
Yet their faces were identical.
Once their laughter subsided, I seized the moment to ask a question.
“Uh… Senior.”
“Hmm?”
“If it’s not too much to ask… are you perhaps from the Nam—”
“Ah.”
He waved a hand, cutting me off as if he’d anticipated the question.
“I was. In the past. But not anymore, so don’t worry about it.”
So he was, but now he wasn’t. Something must have happened.
At the very least, it seems he is from the Namgung Clan.
A realization struck me.
Is that why he has the Thunder Fang…?
It made sense now. The Thunder Fang was a symbol and treasure of the Namgung Clan. I’d long wondered why an outsider possessed it.
But if he was originally from the clan…
It was rare, but not unheard of, for clan members to leave and join another sect. History held examples from the Moyong and Peng clans as well.
Yet… why wasn’t the Monster of Wudang famous for his origins?
Logically, both the Wudang Sect and the Namgung Clan would have exploited his background for prestige. The sects loved to boast. But no one knew he was originally a Namgung.
And with a face like that…
It should have been obvious. Stranger still…
He has the Thunder Fang, so why hasn’t the Namgung Clan taken it back?
That was the biggest mystery. The Thunder Fang was their sacred treasure. By rights, they should have reclaimed it the moment he left the clan. The current clan lord and his son might be fools, but they weren’t that foolish. There had to be a reason.
As I pondered, the Monster of Wudang spoke again.
“Even if I tell you not to worry about it…” He paused, as if a thought had just occurred to him. “It might be particularly hard for you to let it go.”
“Huh?”
What did he mean?
“I heard you’re engaged to that clan. Isn’t that right?”
“Oh…”
He meant Namgung Bi-ah.
“It’s… complicated to explain, but I’m really not involved with—”
“No, no need to explain. I’m genuinely not concerned.”
“Hmm?”
“I’d only get curious if I heard the details, and since you said not to worry, I’ll take your advice.”
“Oh, really?”
It was bound to be a long story. My mind was already full; I didn’t need a history lesson about the Namgung Clan.
Perhaps my response was unusual. The Monster of Wudang gave me a strange look and turned to Woo Hyuk.
“Maybe it’s because he’s your friend. He doesn’t seem quite normal either.”
“Huh? He might not be, but I’m perfectly normal.”
“I’m glad you’re still just as weird as you were years ago, my disciple.”
It was frustrating enough being called strange, but Woo Hyuk’s claim to normality made it worse.
I can’t beat him up with his master here. I’ll have to deal with him on the way back.
I was already planning it.
“Master, I think he’s going to beat me up later,” Woo Hyuk said, quick to tattle.
That bastard…!
“It’s normal for youngsters to fight among themselves.”
“Haha. Damn. No one’s ever on my side, huh?”
[…You’re all crazy. Every last one of you.]
For once, I agreed with Elder Shin. They were crazy.
But then again, Elder Shin wasn’t one to talk.
[What did you just say, you little brat…?]
How can you read my thoughts? A little privacy, please?
[Hah, now you’re just being shameless.]
If he could read everything anyway, I might as well speak my mind freely.
[…Anyway, focus. You came here for a reason.]
Right. I did.
[…]
I didn’t hear anything, but I could feel his disappointment.
He’s right. I came here for the Thunder Fang.
I needed it for Namgung Bi-ah.
But I can’t just steal it.
Using force was out of the question. Invoking the Namgung Clan’s name was also ineffective, since he was originally one of them, and the clan itself seemed to be deliberately ignoring the situation.
I hadn’t planned on taking it today, but I still needed a strategy.
As I wracked my brain…
[Want help?]
Elder Shin’s voice was calm.
…You, Elder Shin?
[Yes, me. Who else?]
How?
He was a spirit trapped inside me. How could he possibly help? I was skeptical, but willing to listen.
Do you have a plan?
[Nothing special, but wouldn’t it be fastest to talk to the man himself?]
The man himself?
I was confused.
[Remember when I said that Myung bastard tried to kill me in the past?]
Huh? Oh, yes.
He was bringing up old history again.
[It wasn’t a one-time thing. We fought constantly. We just didn’t get along.]
There had to be a point to this.
[We must have fought over a hundred times… and do you know what’s important?]
He sounded serious. I swallowed nervously.
What is it…?
[Forty-nine to fifty-one.]
What…?
[That was our battle record. And of course, I was the one who won fifty—]
[…What a load of bullshit.]
“…!”
A new voice cut through Elder Shin’s, sharp and clear.
I turned toward the source.
Woong—!—!
“…Hmm…?”
The Monster of Wudang was staring at his chest, confused. Something was vibrating violently beneath his robes. He reached in and pulled out a wildly shaking object.
Woooong—!
It was a sword. The Thunder Fang—one of the Five Treasures of the Central Plains.
[Hehe.]
Elder Shin chuckled.
So that meant…
The voice I just heard…
I stared at the sword.
[Your brain must have rotted away over time.]
A cold, razor-sharp voice emanated from the blade. It was startlingly deep and frigid.
[You won forty-nine times. I won fifty-one. How dare you falsify the past?]
The voice was icy, yet somehow childish. I kept staring, stunned.
[It’s been a while.]
Elder Shin’s tone was almost welcoming.
Then it clicked. This cold voice belonged to none other than…
[Have you been well, Myung?]
Namgung Myung, the Thunderous Sword himself.
* * *
Drip…
The dark room was damp. In the cold silence, a small sound echoed relentlessly.
Drip… Drip…
A water droplet falling. Even this tiny noise seemed to fill the entire space.
She didn’t know what this room was built for.
Inside, Nahee knelt with her head bowed, showing more deference than she ever had before the Poison King.
The figure in front of her held a piece of paper. In the gloom, his fingers were visible—thin as bare bones.
Rustle—
After reading slowly, the old man scowled. “The Poison King found out… is this true?”
“…Yes, Elder.”
“Hmm… A hassle.”
As he spoke, the letter in his hand began to rot, crumbling into ash.
Psss…
“Now… is not the time.”
The old man was displeased. He had been preparing meticulously, but a problem had arisen.
“Gu Yangcheon, was it?”
“Yes.”
Tsk.
The old man clicked his tongue. “He interferes, just as one would expect from a brat of the Gu Clan… It would have been better if he had stayed quiet in his place.”
This young man—a so-called genius now famous across the Central Plains—had brought unwanted information to the Poison King.
“He did well to deliver the Heavenly Poison Orb, but it’s a problem if he oversteps without knowing his place.”
This was the territory of the Tang Clan. The old man was not amused.
“Before he causes more trouble… we should remove him.”
A slight smile touched the old man’s lips. This was the Tang Clan. No matter how powerful the opponent or how lofty their background, they could make anyone disappear without a trace.
“Inform the others. We shall prepare a suitable gift for him.”
In this, the old man held absolute confidence.
Nahee bowed her head even lower. “Under…stood.”
She had no choice but to obey.
Once, a ‘curse’ bound to her body would have forced her compliance.
“…”
But not anymore.
Nahee lifted her head slightly, studying the old man. The curse was gone; she could flee whenever she wished.
And it was all thanks to… him.
Gu Yangcheon had forced a strange Qi into her, breaking the curse she had endured for decades. Because of him, she was free.
Now, she desperately wanted to drive a dagger into the old man’s throat, to end his life and tear out his heart. But she didn’t. She couldn’t.
The curse was gone, but a greater one had taken its place.
-If something happens, just do as they say. It won’t matter in the end.
She remembered his order.
Because of that, Nahee could take no action. She despised still living as a slave, but she endured, biting her lip.
At least one thing was different.
-I’ll let you have your revenge. Just follow my instructions.
Those words. Because of them, she could obey—not that she had any real choice.
“One more thing,” the Elder said, interrupting her thoughts.
“…Yes.”
“Find the Young Lady. I believe I shall pay her a visit.”
“Understood.”
Nahee vanished as the old man finished speaking.
Alone again, the old man began to chuckle, his gaze fixed on something in the darkness.
Hehe.
There, a pile of corpses lay strewn across the floor, their blood soaking the ground. The old man smiled amid the brutal scene.
“As thou wilt, my Lord.”
A problem had arisen, but it was of little consequence. He need only dissolve and erase the obstacle in his path.
It had always been this way.
The Poison Emperor.
If anyone stood against his methods, the old man would simply remove them.