Chapter 32
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: Unnecessary Thoughts
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‘You’re having unnecessary thoughts.’
Even as he stared blankly up at the dim sky, Gwang-il quickly picked up on the fact that the grizzled veteran’s gaze wasn’t ordinary.
And he had a pretty good idea why.
‘……I got too carried away without realizing it.’
It had been ages since he’d truly cut loose, unleashing his blade like a madman.
Even against trash he could’ve swept away in a single blow, he’d taken the time to pierce each one individually, snuffing out their lives without hesitation.
So it wasn’t all that surprising for the man to shoot him such an insolent look.
From the perspective of an ignorant beggar who knew nothing of his circumstances, he couldn’t comprehend why someone with the power to wipe them out in an instant would stubbornly target only vital points and acupoints.
‘But for me, this is only natural.’
What had driven him to unite the evil paths and form the Evil Path Alliance in his previous life?
It was all to get revenge on those damnable Southern Barbarian Beast Palace bastards he wanted to rip apart.
But that plan had gone to hell when the Murim Alliance, like thieves with guilty consciences, launched a massive offensive first and ruined everything.
In the end, he hadn’t avenged his sect at all. Instead, he’d been forced into a desperate deathmatch with the orthodox sects from north of the Yangtze, leading straight to his downfall.
So how could he show even a shred of mercy to this long-awaited pack of enemies?
If he’d had his way, he would’ve sliced off their flesh bit by bit, making them suffer agonizing deaths.
‘Even this might be too merciful a end.’
His junior brothers and senior uncles from his past life, devoured alive as beast fodder.
Recalling their fates, he felt this was hardly enough revenge—his honest gut reaction.
Even with this miraculous regression back to the past.
The deep-seated rage and resentment, layered over years, wouldn’t vanish so easily.
And these scumbags were scheming against his sect once more.
‘There’s not a single mistake or regret in my actions or choices.’
Whether it was unleashing the Dark Heaven Emperor’s One Flash Death without restraint in front of the Beggars’ Sect members.
Or the current reality of personally teaching that infamous killer sword to over two hundred junior brothers.
Only by piling up such choices could he finally forge a new history, one divergent from his previous life.
‘I’ll shoulder all the infamy and slander from that process alone.’
The name of Point Cang would shine eternally from the loftiest heights of the martial world, perched on an unshakeable foundation for generations.
Thanks to him rampaging wildly in the thick shadows and darkness beneath it.
“Hoo……”
After a brief moment of uncharacteristic sentimentality.
He let out a long exhale.
Then, with heavy steps, Gwang-il trampled over the Beast Palace corpses as he slowly approached the grizzled veteran, who was still staring holes through him.
Despite his exhaustion and wounds, the man’s face betrayed clear tension and thick wariness…
“Kuk!”
Gwang-il burst into sudden laughter, then casually wiped the blood crusted around his eyes with his sleeve, his demeanor surprisingly relaxed.
“You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“……Damn it. I’d take a ghost over this. What the hell are you, anyway?”
“As if you don’t know. I’m Gwang-il, third-generation disciple of greater Point Cang.”
His leisurely chuckle revealed a blatant poise and proficiency beyond his youthful years.
‘Who’d ever take that guy for a fresh-faced latecomer just hitting thirty……?’
The veteran himself hadn’t even reached forty, barely shedding the latecomer label a few years back.
Yet staring at this Point Cang disciple, the distant future suddenly felt endlessly terrifying, without beginning or end.
And on top of that.
‘To have such a fatal weakness gripped by a monster like this…… My life’s as good as shattered!’
He could picture it all too clearly.
Like when they’d rushed to the Sichuan Tang Clan safehouse, or when the Yun Merchant Leader inexplicably showed up at the division with the clan’s weakness in hand.
Looking back after the dust settled, he and the Beggars’ Sect had been mere pawns, dancing to this goblin Gwang-il’s tune without any control.
‘Same thing this time.’
Contrary to expectations of storming the Beast Palace lair together, they’d been left outside to form a siege net.
Yet hilariously, that had turned into a blessing, drastically cutting beggar casualties.
‘No telling how many were holed up in that manor, but…’
Regardless, by staying outside and watching the perimeter instead of charging in, they’d played the key role in repelling the surprise attack.
‘Did he predict even this from the start…?’
From the veteran’s standpoint, Gwang-il’s choice not to bring them along now struck him as the consideration of a supreme master.
Setting aside the brutal swordplay and terrifying killer instinct, he and his division had received yet another immense favor impossible to repay.
“Tsk.”
‘Come to think of it, even that ruthless handiwork had ample justification, didn’t it?’
As greater Point Cang’s eldest disciple with Yun Province as his territory, he’d have no reason to welcome Beast Palace incursions.
Besides, the Tang Clan had already ransacked the place once.
For a hot-blooded youth like that—with martial prowess surpassing even division leaders—no wonder he felt no need to rein in his burning fury.
‘…Yeah. Makes sense. I’d be pissed too.’
If he’d had peak skills at that age, he’d have done the same.
“Mm.”
Layered atop this line of thinking was their established power dynamic, plus the guilt relief from fewer beggar deaths.
‘No need to dig any further.’
The veteran scrapped his plan to investigate Gwang-il’s past.
Truth be told, he and the Beggars’ Sect had only gained benefits and favors so far, never real losses.
And that dynamic wouldn’t change anytime soon.
“Good call. Unnecessary thoughts only invite trouble.”
“…Huh?”
Gwang-il’s timely words, delivered with a sly grin, pinpointed the shift in his heart with uncanny precision.
“Just keep following my lead from here on, Division Leader. That’s the path to peace for us all in the long run.”
“Tsk… Feels kinda iffy, but…… Fine. We’ll go with that for now.”
His vague expression of unease lasted only a moment.
“Let’s say the Beast Palace scum we killed today were all rounded up by you and your beggars.”
“What?”
Gwang-il’s abrupt proposal rocked the veteran’s emotions once more.
“Wh-what the hell are you talking about?!”
“Exactly what I said. I want no Point Cang involvement in this incident.”
“No, why on earth…?!”
He’d single-handedly butchered thirty peak experts.
Plus dozens of first-rate masters by his blade.
If word spread under the Beggars’ Sect name, claiming the top latecomer title would be a given.
And that would skyrocket Point Cang’s status—always the runt among the Nine Great Sects—without question.
Yet he was volunteering to forfeit it?
From any typical martial artist’s fame-obsessed view, it was incomprehensible.
On the other hand.
“Nothing more to say. Just handle it that way, Division Leader.”
But Gwang-il had his plans set, painting a grander picture.
No reason to be swayed by petty glory.
Especially after tasting absolute power in his past life, ruling the world as the Emperor.
Besides.
‘With the chaos that’ll decide the Central Plains martial world’s fate closing in, no need to draw unwanted attention and suspicion.’
Before a decade passed, the world would be uprooted from its foundations.
So staying forgotten, honing his skills in silence to prepare for the harsh times ahead—that was the wise move.
‘True gold will shine then, anyway.’
Those puffed up on empty fame would vanish without a trace when it came, just like in his past life.
And the benefits didn’t end there.
He knew better than anyone he wasn’t ready to face the Beast Palace Lord yet.
Sadly, the sect leader and grand elders were in the same boat.
Point Cang lacked any Transformation Realm masters right now.
So redirecting the enemy’s vengeful arrows toward the Beggars’ Sect—champions of all orthodox eyes with their hundred thousand members—was the smarter play.
The Beast Palace wouldn’t dare act rashly against such a foe.
“Anyway, that’s how it’ll be. Not a bad deal for you either, right?”
“You gotta be kidding! How am I supposed to explain taking down thirty-plus peak experts…!”
“Embellish it, hide it—your call, isn’t it?”
“No, why go that far?!”
As the veteran shouted in utter confusion, Gwang-il flashed a shadowed, ominous glint in his eyes.
“The Beast Palace invasion is inevitable. An unavoidable disaster, no matter what happens.”
“All the more reason…!”
“We can’t rush them. Point Cang isn’t ready yet.”
“Ridiculous! Of course all the orthodox sects unite against an external invasion…!”
“Kuk! Puhahaha! Kuhahahahaha!”
“…?”
The veteran’s heated rant was instantly buried under Gwang-il’s explosive laughter.
“Kuhuh!”
“…!”
After the throat-shredding guffaws came eyes blazing electric blue.
The deep-rooted hatred and venomous rage filling them pinned the veteran in place, like a frog before a serpent.
“All the orthodox sects unite? To defend Yun Province alongside Point Cang against the Beast Palace?”
“Of course! If Yun falls, Sichuan and Huguang are next…”
“Kuhuhu! Exactly. A plain fact you know, and I know…”
‘Why those thick-headed fools pretended not to.’
The unspoken words surged to his throat.
He swallowed them back down with effort.
Shaking his head, Gwang-il waved dismissively and walked off.
“Do as I say, regardless. Point Cang had no part in this.”
“What…!”
[Keep this secret forever from the sect elders who’ll emerge from seclusion. Tighten your beggars’ lips.]
His receding figure, blood-matted hair dangling, shuffled into the distance.
“That guy……”
The veteran’s face, watching the lonely silhouette fade into thick darkness, twisted into irrepressible turmoil.