Chapter 689: The Politely Mad Bastard (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 689: The Politely Mad Bastard (2)
This world has long revered the martial arts.
Countless paths of the Dao have spread across the land. Though practitioners and their beliefs may differ, in the end, even the Daoists were no different; they all sought mastery of martial arts under the guise of enlightenment.
They gather Qi in their dantian, circulate it through their bodies, and open their eyes to a new state of being.
Thus, they transcend the limits of humanity, endlessly repeating the cycle of climbing toward greater heights as martial artists.
They scale a steep cliff.
And as they climb and climb…
‘A higher cliff awaits.’
A much steeper, harsher precipice is bound to face them.
There is no end.
That, they said, was the true nature of martial arts.
What a load of bullshit.
If you become satisfied and complacent, you fall. If you want to climb, you have to crawl through every circle of hell to do it.
And at the top of that climb, does a summit truly exist?
Even if it does, would I even be able to see it?
I wasn't sure.
If the only meaning lies in the act of climbing itself, and that is what martial arts is all about…
Then why the hell should I even bother?
If other martial artists heard me, they would be outraged. But from the moment I first had this thought, my opinion hadn't changed at all.
The Sleeping Dragon of my past life once told me:
—"You’re too different to be called a martial artist."
I thought he was right.
I do not revere the martial arts. I have no interest in scaling cliffs, and if I so choose, I am more than willing to stop and let myself fall at any moment.
Even after reaching the Fusion Realm, that conviction remained unchanged.
I only do it because I have to.
That was what martial arts meant to me. It held no more significance than that, and certainly no less.
And yet.
What on earth do these people find so appealing that they praise martial artists like this?
I just couldn't understand it.
“The Peng Clan! The Four Noble Clans are here!”
Just as the area was beginning to quiet down, the noise swelled again. I leaned out to look.
In the distance, the largest carriage I had seen so far was approaching. Atop the carriage flew a red flag with a black border. It was the sigil of the Peng Clan, also known as the Great Sword Clan.
Inside that carriage was likely…
The Lord of the Peng Clan.
Dao King Peng Jeowoo.
I believe I met him briefly in Henan once.
He struck me as a first-class idiot.
The circumstances of our meeting had been terrible. For the lord of a noble clan, his eyes were filled with a peculiar, unrefined sort of ambition.
Ambition and greed are traits everyone possesses, so that wasn't necessarily strange, but…
A Lord should at least know how to hide such things.
Whether he had no intention of concealing his true nature or was simply incapable of it, the Dao King's attitude was utterly pathetic.
Considering that, his children grew up quite well.
When I thought of Peng Ah-hee or Peng Woojin, it felt strange. His skills, befitting the title of 'King,' were likely formidable, but…
I sensed an Inner Demon.
I had glimpsed an unknown Inner Demon lurking within him.
According to my information, he had gone into seclusion after losing to the Sword Immortal in the competition for the Murim Alliance Leader’s seat…
It seems he decided to show up this time.
He had quietly come to the tournament. How strange. I thought he’d be too pissed off to show his face.
Surely he won't participate.
As the Dao King and a clan lord, he would only attend as a dignitary, not a competitor.
Thinking this, I nodded to myself. Just as I was about to take a sip of my tea…
“The Peng Clan… their prestige is truly something else.”
“Of course. They are one of the Four Noble Clans, after all.”
Voices drifted over from the partitioned space next to us. It seemed to be other customers.
But then…
“Hmph. Are you still calling them the Four Noble Clans?”
A slightly grating comment reached my ears.
“It’s been a long time since the Tang Clan was removed. How can you still use that title?”
Thump.
At those words, I saw Tang Soyeol, who was sitting across from me, flinch.
“Ah, right… It’s just a hard habit to break.”
“If you say that elsewhere, you’ll be reprimanded. Be careful. How dare you even mention the Tang Clan?”
I immediately looked out the window, avoiding Tang Soyeol’s gaze.
What kind of expression was she making? How would she react?
I was curious, but I forced myself not to look. I knew that was what she would want. I pretended not to notice and turned my gaze away, when…
“It still makes my blood boil to think that vile place still bears the name of the Orthodox Faction.”
Snap.
A dry leaf crumbled in my mind. It should still be a while before the leaves started to fall.
“The Alliance Leader seems to have shown mercy out of pity, but how can they be called part of the Orthodox Faction?”
“Brother Joo, calm down a little.”
“Calm down, my ass! I heard a rumor that a blood relative of the Tang Clan showed up at the tournament. Did you hear that?”
“You mean the Poison Phoenix?”
Flinch.
I felt a presence stir. It was Tang Soyeol.
“Yes. I can’t believe she has the gall to show her face here.”
“Is that rumor really true?”
“I’m telling you what I heard. You know Mr. Bang, the one who goes to the registration desk every day? He said he saw her.”
“Good heavens…”
The reaction was cold. It kept grating on my nerves.
“After kidnapping parentless children and doing those unspeakable things to them… How dare they…”
Grrrk.
Listening to them, I started to stand up. My head was cool, but a heat was building inside me that I couldn't suppress.
Just then…
Squeeze.
Someone gently grabbed my hand. It was Tang Soyeol.
“Don’t…”
“...”
Tang Soyeol looked at me with wavering eyes.
“Young Master… don’t. Please, don’t do it.”
“…You.”
“You know, don’t you? This is something I have to endure. So it’s okay.”
“...”
“It’s not like they’re wrong, either. So I’m fine. So please…”
She hadn't done it. The Lord hadn't known; it was the elders who had committed those atrocities. From that perspective, it might seem unfair, but…
Tang Soyeol’s eyes welled up slightly, but she didn’t say anything else.
The Poison King was the same. Whether he knew or not, if it happened within the clan, the Lord had to take responsibility. The same applied to the blood relatives. Tang Soyeol clearly felt the weight of that sin.
“...”
I looked into Tang Soyeol’s eyes and sat back down. What more could I do when she herself was stopping me, insisting she was fine?
Just as I was about to look out the window again to cool my head…
“Excuse me.”
A voice came from an unexpected place. Someone was speaking to the men who had been gossiping.
I widened my eyes when I saw who it was. It was none other than Moyong Hi-ah.
What is she doing all of a sudden?
“I know it’s an exciting day, but could you please lower your voices? There are other people here, you know.”
Moyong Hi-ah, who had stood up at some point, addressed the men with a sharp smile.
“What?”
The man who had been worked up frowned and looked at Moyong Hi-ah.
“Who are you to butt in—!”
“B-Brother Joo!”
The man next to him quickly grabbed the one who was about to lose his temper.
“What’s your problem? This young lady is—!”
“Young lady? Watch your mouth, Brother Joo! Her waist—look at her waist!”
“What…?”
Hearing this, the man’s eyes widened. He looked at the sword hanging at Moyong Hi-ah’s waist. Though her face was hidden by a veil, he could probably guess she was a high-ranking martial artist from her bearing and equipment.
“Hup…”
Seeing the sword, the man clamped his mouth shut. From his reaction, it seemed he wasn't a martial artist himself.
“W-Well, that is…”
“Please just be a little quieter. You can do that much, can’t you? Right?”
“Ah, y-yes…”
The man stammered and nodded. Moyong Hi-ah returned to her seat.
Watching her, I let out a dry laugh.
“Didn’t you hate this kind of thing?”
Her actions were truly surprising. Moyong Hi-ah hated acting without a just cause. Noise was to be expected in an inn, so her intervention was bordering on unreasonable.
Was it because the talk about the Tang Clan bothered her? That was the part I found strange.
It’s not even her business.
It was the Tang Clan’s affair; it had nothing to do with her. And in reality, as Tang Soyeol had said, the man wasn't technically wrong. It was just surprising that Moyong Hi-ah had gone out of her way to intervene.
“I do.”
At my question, Moyong Hi-ah nodded with a peculiar expression.
“I do hate it… I just got annoyed.”
An emotional answer with not a shred of logical explanation. Coming from Moyong Hi-ah, it was a truly unbelievable thing to say.
Watching her, I burst out laughing.
“Good job.”
Moyong Hi-ah looked at me as if I were absurd.
“You never praise me, and now you praise me for this? Unbelievable…”
“…When have I never praised you?”
“You have no shame. If you’re not perceptive, you should at least have some shame.”
“...”
“Just be quiet.”
“…Yes, ma’am.”
At her sharp words, I clamped my mouth shut. It’s not easy; she’s always been scary.
Just then, Tang Soyeol looked at Moyong Hi-ah, about to speak.
“You don’t have to thank me. I really just did it because I was annoyed.”
“...”
“And definitely don’t say you’re sorry. I think that would piss me off too.”
Moyong Hi-ah cut her off before she could start. With all her words blocked, Tang Soyeol's lips moved soundlessly.
Seeing Tang Soyeol looking so dejected, Moyong Hi-ah suddenly sighed.
“Get a grip. Straighten your back. You’re already small, but you look even smaller now.”
“...”
“If you’ve decided to bear it, then act with dignity. That’s the only way you’ll survive.”
“…Yes.”
Tang Soyeol nodded. I watched the two of them for a moment before turning my head away.
Martial artists were still streaming past on the street. From the reactions I was hearing, it seemed a few famous figures had passed by.
Slurp.
Just as I was taking another sip of my tea…
“Oh!”
I perked up my ears.
“It’s the Hwangbo Clan!”
I turned my gaze. A yellow flag fluttered as another carriage entered the thoroughfare. Not just the flag, but the entire carriage was a vibrant yellow.
They’re here.
Yes. The reason I’d bothered to come and watch had finally arrived. I had been waiting for the Hwangbo Clan.
As my eyes followed the yellow flag, a voice reached my ears.
—We have arrived.
It wasn’t Nahee’s voice. It was a much deeper, lower tone. This was the voice I had been waiting for.
—I will see you at the designated location, as you commanded.
Hearing this, I immediately stood up. As I moved, Wi Seol-Ah, who was sitting next to me, also started to rise. I placed a hand on her shoulder and gently pushed her back down.
“I’m leaving first. Take your time.”
“What? You’re not watching anymore?”
Moyong Hi-ah frowned deeply.
“You’re leaving in the middle of things again.”
Her glare was so intimidating that my breath caught for a moment. But I had to endure it.
“…Something came up. Sorry. I’ll have dinner with you later.”
“I have plans for dinner.”
“...”
Shit.
Moyong Hi-ah turned her head away, looking sulky. Well, I had ditched them several times recently, so I could understand her reaction… but I had no choice.
“The Namgung Clan hasn’t arrived yet. Are you sure you can leave without seeing them?”
“They’ll get here on their own. Besides, their own daughter couldn’t even make it, right?”
Namgung Bi-ah was currently refraining from travel, as her treatment was the priority. Thus, she couldn't accompany us here.
Well, even if she had come, it’s not like she would have gone to see her own clan.
She didn’t seem very interested in them. Lately, she seemed to be spacing out more often.
It looked like she’d had some kind of epiphany.
That’s how it seemed, but I couldn’t be sure. I hadn't been paying much attention.
That will be more helpful for her.
My indifference was necessary to sharpen Namgung Bi-ah’s blade. That was the judgment behind my actions. Besides, everyone around me was a genius; leaving them to their own devices was far more beneficial.
Even if that weren’t the case, I have a lot on my plate.
There were less than two days left until the tournament began. Before then, it was time to wrap up one last thing.
“See you later.”
I bid farewell to the group and started walking. My destination was my own residence.
* * *
There was still a long time before the sun would set.
I escaped the cacophony of the streets and returned to my residence. Just moments ago, the city had been filled with a roar of voices, but the residence was strangely quiet.
Thanks to that, my ears were at ease, but my heart felt somewhat heavy.
Step.
I took a step forward.
Vwooom!
At that moment, a sensation brushed against my skin. A sound barrier had been cast over the residence—a very elaborate and dense one at that.
Feeling this, I smiled.
“The kid’s gotten better.”
The thickness and intricacy of the sound barrier had improved significantly since I first saw it. It wasn't this good at first. To have raised it to this level in the time I'd been away, he clearly had talent.
Well, with a surname like ‘Seong,’ it’s not surprising.
Considering his real name, it wasn't strange for him to be skilled in matters related to sound barriers and formations.
I didn't stop, continuing into the residence. It was silent. Not a single sound could be heard. It was unnervingly quiet.
Feeling a sense of unease, I grabbed the door and pulled it open.
Creeeeak!
The door opened, revealing the person inside. It was a small young man who looked somewhat gaunt.
I waved at him.
“Long time no see.”
“Uh-huh…”
Cheol Jiseon. The descendant of the Zhuge Clan, whose real name was Zhuge Jinseon.
He looked at me and nodded. The boy I was meeting after several months had a face worn thin with exhaustion.
“Are you feeling okay?”
“No, not really…”
“Glad to hear you’re fine. Means you can work more.”
“...”
I cracked a little joke, and Cheol Jiseon’s face twisted strangely. His expression clearly said, Then why did you even ask?
“Just kidding, just kidding.”
“…Doesn’t sound like a joke.”
“I said it’s a joke. You don’t believe me?”
“…No, I b-believe you…”
He still looked intimidated, but I knew that wasn't entirely the case.
He says everything he wants to while acting like that.
He pretends to be scared and hesitant, but he always speaks his mind. He has more guts than you’d think.
That’s why I entrusted him with the job.
If he didn't have guts, would he have gone to Hubei and managed on his own?
I looked at the sound barrier filling the room and asked Cheol Jiseon, “Your skill has improved a lot. You must have worked hard.”
“Yeah, it’s pretty good, right?”
Pleased with the compliment, Cheol Jiseon grinned. This guy was always so free with his smiles—so happy over a short compliment.
But the praise was sincere. The sound barrier he had cast was truly exceptional.
Is it based on a formation?
It didn't seem to be made purely with internal energy. For a moment, I was curious about the principle behind it and considered examining it, but I held back. If I messed with it and took it apart like I did with the Captain of the Cheonra, it would become a hassle.
Let’s focus on the task at hand. With that thought, I looked past Cheol Jiseon to the other person in the room.
Someone was kneeling, facing my direction. I took a step toward him.
“Have you been well?”
I greeted him. The figure responded.
“…Yes…”
It was the same voice that had sent me the telepathic message earlier. He had a massive build, reminiscent of the First Elder or Tang Duk—a body packed with dense muscle, without a single gap.
He was clearly a master, a man who looked like a close-combat specialist. I could feel a rough, unrefined energy radiating from him.
The man slowly raised his head to look at me.
“I greet the Great Cult Leader.”
His violet eyes, the symbol of a Demonic Human, gleamed. Below them, I could see the yellow uniform he was wearing. It was the uniform that symbolized the Hwangbo Clan.
In particular, the white embroidery on the yellow uniform was something only one person in the Hwangbo Clan was permitted to wear.
“Yes, it’s good to see you.”
This meant only one thing.
“Hwangbo Yeolwi of the Savage Beast Fist.”
It meant the man before me was the Lord of the Hwangbo Clan.
And furthermore…
“Are you ready to ascend to the Four Noble Clans?”
It meant that he was the Demonic Human I had corrupted.