Chapter 188
Chapter 188
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 188
Chapter Title: Black and White Impermanence
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Despite seeing right through Gongson Gu-reung's dark intentions, Bu Eun-seol calmly explained.
“Your mistake was carrying that large bamboo box.”
His eyes deepened, as if recalling something from long ago.
“Since I was a child, I’ve carried a large bamboo box filled with ceremonial goods.”
“I don’t understand what you mean.”
As Gongson Gu-reung looked on in complete confusion, Bu Eun-seol continued impassively.
“The human spine has a natural curve. But a bamboo box used for carrying goods is so large that it’s a burden even for an adult, and it extends all the way down to the hips.”
He then pointed a finger at Gongson Gu-reung's waist, where he carried the bamboo box.
“Therefore, those who carry such a large box for a long time naturally bend their waists slightly to find the right angle.”
Bu Eun-seol indicated Gongson Gu-reung's posture—his shoulders slumped low and his back excessively bent.
“You bent your back excessively, like a bow, to appear as an ordinary young man. But a peddler with no martial arts training could never carry a basket that way. The back pain would make it impossible to walk.”
“Heheheh. So that was it.”
Finally understanding the secret he had missed, Gongson Gu-reung let out a sinister laugh.
“From now on, I suppose I shouldn’t bother carrying useless things like boxes.”
At that, Hwangbo Cheon-gyeong, who was flanking Gongson Gu-reung, laughed arrogantly.
“Gongson Gu-reung. Do you really think you have a ‘from now on’?”
As Hwangbo Cheon-gyeong interjected, a yellowish killing intent flared in Gongson Gu-reung’s eyes.
“Stay out of this, brat.”
“Brat? Do you even know who you’re talking to?”
“Hahahaha!”
Gongson Gu-reung suddenly burst into a mad laugh.
His laughter, laced with internal energy, echoed thunderously through the mountains and trees.
“I’m well aware you’re the brats from the Eight Great Families.”
“Then you must also be aware that today is your last.”
When Jegal Seo-un replied coldly, Gongson Gu-reung only smiled grimly.
“You think you found me because you’re clever?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean I knew everything from the very beginning. That the brats from your three families were chasing me on your own.”
In an instant, the smile vanished from Jegal Seo-un’s lips.
Gongson Gu-reung’s single statement had completely shattered every prediction Jegal Seo-un, the planner of this entire operation, had made.
“From the fact that the pursuers from the families are surrounding the vicinity of Mount Daemyeong…”
Gongson Gu-reung grinned, revealing his white teeth.
“…to the fact that you lot joined forces to guard this very path.”
As he laughed slyly, the skin mask on his face moved unnaturally, creating a bizarre atmosphere.
The corner of Jegal Seo-un’s eye twitched.
Gongson Gu-reung’s words meant not only that information from within the families had been leaked, but also that a formidable intelligence organization was aiding him.
“If you knew, then why did you come here?”
Moyong Gyeong, who had been listening in silence, asked. Gongson Gu-reung smirked.
“Because I wanted to peel the skin off some young, tender whelps rather than those old geezers.”
Licking his lips, he looked at Bu Eun-seol with an ecstatic expression.
“And I’ve found a treasure I couldn’t find even after decades of searching.”
Bu Eun-seol’s face and skin, disguised by the Face-Altering Bone-Changing Art, looked ordinary.
But the Euihon-gwangja, who had dissected humans for decades, seemed to be seeing right through to Bu Eun-seol’s true skin.
“I was right to listen to him. Heheheh.”
‘Him?’
A flash of insight sparked in Bu Eun-seol’s mind.
He suddenly recalled the mysterious masked figures aboard the Jiaolong ship.
“It doesn’t matter what nonsense you spout, Gongson Gu-reung.”
Moyong Gyeong stepped forward with a calm expression.
“The fact that you will die here remains unchanged.”
*Shing.*
Moyong Gyeong drew the sharp, treasured sword from his waist.
The Hwangbo brothers, too, began to radiate a sharp aura, having raised their internal energy.
Just as the situation was about to explode, Jegal Seo-un shouted loudly.
“Rin-ah, now!”
Feigning a fight only to attempt an escape was a common tactic for fugitives.
Well aware of this, he intended to immediately deploy a containment formation to block any escape routes.
*Rustle, rustle, rustle.*
With the sound of rustling leaves, the area around the flat clearing blurred, and a faint mist began to swirl around them.
Jegal Seo-rin, hidden in the trees, had activated the formation.
“The Jegal Family’s Gijeong Yukhapjin, is it?”
Gongson Gu-reung, who identified the formation at once, wore a cruel smile.
“You seem to think I was planning to run.”
The Gijeong Yukhapjin was not a particularly impressive formation, merely a simple containment array.
Its only purpose was to confuse one’s sense of direction and prevent a proper escape.
“The brats are dreaming. Heheheh.”
“Hmph. Do you not know that our family doesn’t act unless we are confident?”
Jegal Seo-un, his confidence restored, smiled.
Their party was composed of peak-level martial artists, not to mention the exceptional masters Bu Eun-seol and Hyeok So-jin.
Even if his skills bordered on the Transcendent Realm, their combined strength was more than enough to handle him.
“For a murderer, you talk too much.”
Of the Hwangbo brothers flanking Gongson Gu-reung, Hwangbo Cheon-gyeong lowered his stance, stroking his Gwangcheon-gapsu.
“Shall we get started?”
At that, Jegal Seo-un drew his Six Harmony Fan, and Moyong Gyeong also raised his treasured sword.
But something was strange.
Despite the imminent battle, Bu Eun-seol was frowning deeply, staring only at the space behind Gongson Gu-reung.
“Young Master Bu.”
Just as Jegal Seo-un was about to speak with a puzzled expression,
*Woooong!*
a low vibration shook the very ground.
A sharp aura erupted from Gongson Gu-reung’s body as a tremendous wave of true energy shot toward the sky.
The shockwave was so distinct it was visible to the naked eye.
“Impossible.”
Jegal Seo-un’s eyes widened at the unexpected sight.
The materialization of true energy.
Wasn't that a feat only masters who possessed a full cycle of internal energy and had reached the mature stage of the Transcendent Realm could display?
“How is this…”
Even Moyong Gyeong and the Hwangbo brothers were agape.
But Jegal Seo-un quickly composed himself and shouted.
“Don’t panic. Didn’t we anticipate that his skills might have entered the Transcendent Realm?”
This was precisely why they had been so desperate to recruit Bu Eun-seol and Hyeok So-jin.
“If we can just block his offensive, we can certainly handle him.”
At that, Hwangbo Je-gyeong clenched his fists with a confident expression.
“He’s right. My brother and I…”
Hwangbo Je-gyeong’s confident words were cut short.
*Kwoooosh!*
A massive palm force, accompanied by a tremendous roar, descended upon the spot where the Hwangbo brothers stood.
“Who’s there?!”
Startled, the Hwangbo brothers immediately threw themselves to the sides.
*Kwaaang!*
An explosive sound followed, and a crater in the shape of a handprint appeared where they had been standing.
It was a terrifying display of power, hard to believe even after seeing it with one's own eyes.
*Whoosh.*
As the thick dust stirred up by the blast began to settle in the wind,
*Clack, clack.*
a strange sound of footsteps could be heard.
The mountain path was clearly covered in grass and dirt, yet the sound was like someone walking on marble.
*Clack.*
Finally, two men came into view.
The one on the left wore clothes as white as snow, while the one on the right was dressed in black.
Even their skin tones matched their clothes; the one on the left was deathly pale as if powdered, and the one on the right was as black as ground ink.
The sound with each step came from the wooden clogs they were wearing.
“There’s no one here who looks particularly tasty.”
When the man in black spoke, he revealed a grotesque sight: teeth stained completely black.
“It’ll just ruin my appetite.”
The man in white smiled brightly, showing off his pointed teeth.
“They look useful enough to me. I think I’ll keep them around for a while.”
*Shudder.*
Jegal Seo-un’s body trembled slightly as he stared at the grotesque figures who had suddenly appeared.
The names of the most bizarre and cruel masters in the Murim flashed through his mind.
“The Black and White Impermanence…!”
Black and White Impermanence.
Demons who were expelled from the Blood Gate, one of the Four Vile Lands of Murim, because of their exceedingly bizarre hobbies.
The Black Impermanence, Daeryeoksin, kills people to eat their flesh, while the White Impermanence, Jeon Mu-yeol, kills women for no reason and indulges in pederasty.
They had long been public enemies of both the Orthodox and Unorthodox Factions and had vanished from the Murim long ago… so why had they appeared here?
‘It was a trap!’
Jegal Seo-un’s instincts screamed a warning.
The Black and White Impermanence, who disappeared long ago, appearing at the same time and place as the Euihon-gwangja? This could not possibly be a coincidence.
“That one’s skin is mine.”
The Euihon-gwangja said, pointing at Bu Eun-seol.
“I won’t give up his skin, even if I die.”
“Hohohot. No need to worry.”
The White Impermanence covered his pointed teeth as he laughed and extended a finger.
“I prefer burly, manly boys like them over girly ones.”
In an instant, the color drained from the Hwangbo brothers’ faces.
The White Impermanence’s finger was pointing right at them.
“Then it’s settled.”
The Black Impermanence looked up at the large tree opposite them, baring his black teeth.
“Then, the child hiding up there is mine.”
His gaze was fixed on the giant tree where Jegal Seo-rin was hiding.
“She looks tender enough to be chewed up whole.”
*Grind.*
As the Black Impermanence ground his black teeth and smiled, Jegal Seo-un, Moyong Gyeong, and the Hwangbo brothers felt as if their souls were about to flee their bodies.
‘How could this be.’
A nightmare beyond their wildest imagination was unfolding before their eyes.
The Euihon-gwangja, who was known as a murderer with peak-level skills, was actually a master who had reached the mature stage of the Transcendent Realm.
Behind him was a terrifying intelligence organization that could toy with the information network of the Eight Great Families, and now figures like the Black and White Impermanence had appeared to help him?
Forget victory; even escape was impossible.
‘I was wrong.’
Jegal Seo-un finally understood.
Why the pursuit teams of three great families had joined forces to hunt down a single murderer.
Why the family elders had ignored his advice and refused to split up the pursuit teams.
‘The elders must have considered all these unexpected situations, which is why they didn’t divide the teams any further.’
Jegal Seo-un hung his head.
No matter how brilliant his strategies, compared to the seasoned veterans of the Jianghu, he was still just an inexperienced brat.
He had learned that in the battles of the Murim, misjudging the enemy meant death.
“Shall we get this over with.”
*Pahk!*
The first to move was the Black Impermanence. He licked his lips and leaped up into the giant tree.
Despite this, Jegal Seo-un and his party could only stand there with unfocused eyes.
Overcome with extreme fear, their bodies had frozen momentarily.
“Heheheh.”
Just as the Black Impermanence, having reached the top of the tree where Jegal Seo-rin was hiding, reached out his hand,
*Zzzzt.*
a spark like the sun flared in the night sky,
*Krrrrr!*
and five streams of fist energy tore through the air, hurtling toward the Black Impermanence’s chest and face.
“Kuh!”
Faced with the blade-sharp fist energy, the Black Impermanence had no choice but to turn and land back on the ground.
“Who is it?!”
*Thud.*
As he landed, the Black Impermanence’s jaw dropped at the sight of the young man standing before him.
“How…”
Bu Eun-seol, who had been standing in front of the Euihon-gwangja all this time, was now blocking his path.
For a moment, not only the Black Impermanence but also the Euihon-gwangja and the White Impermanence rubbed their eyes.
When had Bu Eun-seol, who was clearly standing right before them, moved to block the Black Impermanence?
“To think such a ghostly movement technique exists in the Murim…”
The Black Impermanence exclaimed with interest.
“I’ve chewed up countless young pups, but I’ve never seen one with a movement technique as stealthy as yours.”
Regardless of the compliment, Bu Eun-seol looked toward the empty space on the opposite side with an impassive face.
“So-jin.”
“Yes.”
“This one is yours.”
“Understood.”
With a low reply, Hyeok So-jin, who had been concealing his presence until now, appeared before the Black Impermanence.
“Ugh.”
Stepping onto the ground, Hyeok So-jin saw the Black Impermanence’s black teeth and spoke, suppressing a gag.
“When was the last time you brushed your teeth?”
‘This insolent brat…’
*Grit.*
At that moment, a thick vein bulged on the Black Impermanence’s forehead,
“Die!”
Five sharp lines shot toward Hyeok So-jin’s face.
The Black Impermanence had finally unleashed his ultimate technique, the Heukgyeongmajo.