Chapter 344
Chapter 344
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 344
Chapter Title: The Divine Thief of a Thousand Faces
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“No matter what, that’s not right.”
However, So Ok-rim wagged her index finger and objected.
“No matter how well a man dresses as a woman, there’s always a certain aura about him. It’d be better if I did it.”
Won Se-mun then chided her.
“Instructor So. Are you trying to ruin the plan?”
“What?”
“You’re too big for the part, Instructor So.”
So Ok-rim, her eyebrows twitching, shouted in annoyance.
“I can just use the Bone Shrinking Art!”
*Crack.*
As she used the art, her height shrank to about five feet.
But because of her thick, large frame, shrinking her height only made her muscles look denser, and her body became round like a snowman.
“...If we pushed her down a hill, she could probably roll all the way to the Northern Sea.”
At Bu Eun-seol’s mutter, the leaders nodded in unison with expressions of agreement.
“I’m still telling you, I’d be better.”
When So Ok-rim returned to her original form and stubbornly insisted,
“Bu Eun-seol. I think you’ll have to show her.”
Myo Cheon-u said with a shrug.
“We can’t have all this careful planning go to waste, can we?”
After a moment of deliberation, Bu Eun-seol used the Bone Shrinking Art as if he had no other choice.
*Crack.*
His tall stature shrank, transforming into a petite frame.
“Hmm. With your fair skin and red lips... there’s no need for makeup. Just a little shaping of the eyebrows will do.”
Myo Cheon-u took out a dagger from his robes and thinned Bu Eun-seol’s sharp, sword-like eyebrows.
“How about we do the hair like this?”
He then swept the long hair up into a cloud-like bun, revealing the nape of his neck.
In the sunlight streaming through the window, the figure of a peerless beauty emerged, like a celestial maiden from the moon palace with long lashes cast downward.
“Ooh!”
Gasps of admiration filled the room.
The Demonic Sect had many beautiful women, including world-class beauties like Jin-seol and Dan So-ok.
But even they seemed somewhat plain compared to Bu Eun-seol in disguise.
His beauty was so captivating that not only Won Se-mun and the others, but even Wi Cheon-gyeong, who was utterly indifferent to women, couldn't help but blush.
*Crack.*
When Bu Eun-seol returned to his original form, a collective sigh of disappointment filled the hall.
Every one of the leaders wore a look of regret.
If they could, they would have summoned a painter to capture Bu Eun-seol’s female disguise on a canvas to cherish forever.
His beauty was enough to steal the very soul of anyone who gazed upon him.
“What do you think, Instructor So?”
At Myo Cheon-u’s question, So Ok-rim puffed out her cheeks and yelled in frustration.
“Do whatever you want!”
After leaving the Demonic Sect, Bu Eun-seol and So Ok-rim headed for Shandong.
This mission had to be kept an absolute secret.
Officially, Bu Eun-seol had announced he was leaving to inspect the Demonic Sect’s branches scattered across the regions.
He immediately disguised himself as Seol-so.
This was partly because many people would recognize his face after his duel with the Cheon-geom-hoe, but more importantly, he needed to completely cover his tracks.
Bu Eun-seol was the heir to the Demonic Sect, a figure watched by every intelligence organization.
Concealing his movements was quite difficult and costly.
But by once again hiding his identity and appearance as the ronin Seol-so, he could easily throw off anyone trying to track him.
—This journey into the martial world must be kept secret. Do not follow me.
Furthermore, Bu Eun-seol had only ordered his tracks to be erased; he had strictly forbidden any covert escorts.
The Black and White Witch was a master who had evaded countless pursuits.
She might detect the movements of the Gu-sal-dae or other secret intelligence units.
Bu Eun-seol and So Ok-rim soon arrived near Pyeongdo, where the Black and White Witch was said to frequent.
As dusk fell, the two entered an inn for dinner.
Bu Eun-seol ordered three bottles of yellow wine.
So Ok-rim ordered chicken noodle soup but only drank a little of the warm broth.
‘It seems she, too, has reached the state of Five Qis Return to the Origin.’
When one’s internal energy reached its peak, the five energies composing the body would liquefy and gather in the dantian.
Once this stage was reached, one could generate the necessary energy within their own body, making it possible to survive without consuming grains.
Bu Eun-seol had reached this state long ago and ate very little.
Seeing that So Ok-rim also barely ate, it was clear she had attained the same level.
‘Her skills are by no means inferior to mine.’
Among all the younger generation martial artists Bu Eun-seol had met, So Ok-rim was the strongest.
Strength didn't just mean martial prowess but encompassed all her talents, including intelligence and aptitude.
So Ok-rim might look rough on the outside, but she was sharp-witted and had deep insight.
In fact, while Bu Eun-seol was dealing with the traitors of the five families in the North Sea Ice Palace and planning for peace, she had vaguely guessed his plan without being told anything.
That alone was enough to surmise that her intelligence and acuity were in no way inferior to his.
‘But I can’t trust her yet.’
Still, Bu Eun-seol couldn't bring himself to trust So Ok-rim completely.
Virtually no one in the martial world knew of her, and above all, her appearance had been too sudden.
Making a strong, dramatic entrance was a common tactic used when creating a false identity.
Nevertheless, he continued to travel with her because she knew more about the descendants of the Eight Desolations Three Sages than anyone else.
“Why are you drinking so much?”
So Ok-rim’s eyes widened as she watched Bu Eun-seol down five jugs of yellow wine in a short time.
“Is something wrong?”
“To come to an inn and ask why I’m drinking…”
Bu Eun-seol said quietly as he refilled his cup.
“That is the very essence of a foolish question.”
“No, I mean, you’re drinking more than I expected.”
“It’s good wine.”
“The wine is tasty?”
He didn’t know why she was asking such a question, but her wide-open eyes seemed full of innocence.
“Don’t tell me you’ve never had a drink before.”
“I’ve had it just once.”
“Just once?”
As Bu Eun-seol furrowed his brow, she twitched her nose and said.
“I promised that my next drink would be the wedding wine with my destined partner.”
“Your next drink is wedding wine, you say.”
Bu Eun-seol had no intention of paying much attention to her words.
But what So Ok-rim said was so bizarre that he couldn’t help but ask.
“My master told me that since my first cup was given by him, my next first cup must be the wedding wine.”
Bu Eun-seol had a hunch and asked.
“You mean you’ve had a drink with your master.”
“Yes.”
“And your memory of it?”
“I don’t have one.”
Bu Eun-seol nearly burst out laughing.
He finally understood why her master had said such a thing.
‘She must become a total mess when she drinks.’
So Ok-rim’s personality was such that if anything bothered her, be it a person or an object, her fists would fly first.
If she got drunk, she must have caused a huge scene.
Her master, likely traumatized by it, must have given her that warning.
“But seeing you enjoy your drink so much makes me want to have a cup.”
A chill ran down Bu Eun-seol’s spine.
The inn was crowded, and he could even see a merchant dining with his child.
“You must keep your master’s command.”
“Hmm. Then maybe just one cup?”
“One cup becomes two, and two become a bottle. If you intend to keep your promise, it’s best not to touch it at all.”
When Bu Eun-seol spoke firmly, she thankfully seemed to understand and smacked her lips.
“Fine.”
“The sun is setting. Let’s take a look around the area.”
According to the Gu-sal-dae’s information, the Black and White Witch often appeared deep in the mountains or at places where travelers rested.
Therefore, Bu Eun-seol planned to first investigate the government shrines and abandoned temples in the Pyeongdo region.
After that, he would disguise himself as the Black and White Witch and cause a disturbance in the area to lure out the real one.
*Murmur, murmur.*
As they stepped outside the inn, it was somewhat noisy.
Looking around, he saw a middle-aged man in a magnificent martial artist’s uniform striding forward, leading dozens of young warriors.
It was Gu Yang-chun, a famous swordsman from Shandong who had made a fortune by establishing a martial arts school called the Cheong-un-gwan.
But Bu Eun-seol stared intently around Gu Yang-chun as if seeing something astonishing and let out a gasp.
“Incredible.”
Beside him, So Ok-rim’s eyes also widened as she nodded.
“Wow, that really is incredible.”
Just as the two stood side by side, muttering,
“Uaargh!”
Gu Yang-chun, who had been walking fine, suddenly screamed.
“A thief!”
Only then did he realize the precious sword at his waist was gone.
“Find the sword!”
At his shout, the warriors began to look around frantically.
But all they saw were merchants and onlookers staring back at them, blinking.
They couldn’t even figure out who had taken the sword.
‘An art of thievery and earth evasion that the eye cannot distinguish.’
After leaving the inn, Bu Eun-seol had seen a shadow swiftly pass by Gu Yang-chun as he led his warriors.
In the instant the shadow brushed past Gu Yang-chun, it had snatched the sword with lightning-fast hands and tucked it into its robes. Then, it used an earth evasion art to flee in an instant.
However, it had moved at such an incredible speed that he couldn't see its face.
“To steal something so brazenly in front of dozens of people. That’s truly amazing.”
So Ok-rim, who had watched the whole thing, also let out a cry of admiration.
“Such fast movement arts and a traceless earth evasion art.”
She stroked her chin as if deep in thought.
The Earth Evasion Art was a technique that involved sinking the ground with internal energy and moving through it like a mole. Therefore, using it left very distinct traces on the ground.
But the shadow that stole the sword had used the art without leaving any trace at all.
“This is going to be fun.”
As if an amusing idea had struck her, So Ok-rim said to Bu Eun-seol.
“Let’s catch him first.”
She then abruptly flew into the air and began to pursue the traces of the earth evasion art.
Bu Eun-seol followed her with his movement arts as if he had no choice.
*Rustle.*
Bu Eun-seol and So Ok-rim followed the traces of the fleeing thief, instantly reaching the outskirts of the town.
When a quiet reed field came into view, the shadow using the earth evasion art stopped moving.
Bu Eun-seol and So Ok-rim then hid themselves in a large tree overlooking the reed field.
*Gurgle.*
At some point, the ground in the reed field moved like a living snake, and finally, a small hole appeared.
*Swoosh.*
A small head popped out of the black hole and looked around.
“Phew.”
Then, slowly, a figure emerged under the moonlight.
It was a man with a lean body and a modest height, who could be mistaken for a woman from a distance.
His face was covered with a messy beard, but his eyes were clear and his skin was clean. However, there was a playful and eccentric expression about him, giving him a somewhat vulgar feel.
The man scanned the reed field one more time before finally drawing the stolen sword.
*Shing!*
The sword, reflecting the moonlight, emitted a brilliant glow.
Moreover, the scabbard and hilt were embedded with several diamond stones the size of jujubes.
“How badly did he want to show off his wealth to embed diamonds in the scabbard and hilt?”
The man grinned and took out a sharp dagger from his robes.
He then began to pry out the diamonds attached to the hilt and scabbard.
“Hehehe. This job was a piece of cake.”
As the excited man was busy prying out the jewels,
*Rustle.*
So Ok-rim descended from the large tree and walked straight toward the man.
“Hey, having fun?”
The man’s face instantly hardened.
How could this giant woman have eluded his senses and gotten so close?
‘She’s strong. Incredibly so.’
Realizing that So Ok-rim possessed a level of martial skill he couldn't handle, the man put the pried-out jewels into his robes and politely clasped his hands.
“Who are you?”
“Who do you think?”
“This humble one dares not…”
Just as the man was about to continue speaking politely with his hands clasped,
*Shhhk!*
With a whoosh of air, he vanished in an instant.
He had pretended to talk calmly while making a split-second escape.
“Ugh.”
But the man didn't get far before he stopped at the edge of the reed field.
A man in gray robes with a sword on his back had already blocked his path.
It was Bu Eun-seol.
“Y-your movement arts are incredibly fast!”
After offering the compliment, the man tried to use his movement arts again to escape into the sky.
But his legs were stuck to the ground as if they were nailed down.
A colossal shadow had approached from behind him, unleashing an invisible pressure.
“If you want to run, go ahead.”
So Ok-rim moved right up behind the man and grinned.
“I’ll just completely shatter your leg bones so you won’t be able to use your movement arts for a while.”
The man swallowed hard.
Her words sounded like a joke, but he felt that if he really tried to run, she would actually break his legs.
‘Could Gu Yang-chun have hired such skilled experts?’
The man realized that the man and woman before him not only possessed incredible martial prowess but also had movement arts that surpassed his own, and his expression changed.
“Hehehe. I just stole it out of curiosity.”
The man, feigning nonchalance, quickly took out ten diamonds from his robes and held them out.
“I’ll return them. I’m truly sorry.”
“Don’t need them.”
“Pardon?”
“You can have junk like this.”
At So Ok-rim’s words, the man scratched his head.
“Then why did you chase after me?”
“You, what’s your name.”
“This humble one is Jin Baek-rim.”
*Thwack.*
So Ok-rim’s cauldron-lid-sized fist struck the man’s head.
“I can tell when someone is lying.”
“I’m sorry. It’s actually Sa Jin-baek…”
*Thwack!*
“Jin Cheong-un… Ok Ja-myeong… Yun Gwang-seo.”
*Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!*
“I-it’s Yu Cheong-rim!”
*Thwack!*
“It’s true!”
“I told you I have a way of telling lies!”
*Thwack!*
As she struck him hard enough to crack his skull one more time, the man clutched his head and began to cry.
“It’s true! I swear on my life!”
He knelt before her and clasped his hands.
“My name really is Yu Cheong-rim! Lady Hero! Please spare me!”
“Ah, it was true?”
At those words, the man, Yu Cheong-rim, finally understood.
She had no way of telling lies. She had just beaten him until he made a truthful expression.
“Hmm, Yu Cheong-rim?”
So Ok-rim hummed and tilted her head as if she had realized something.
“Yu Cheong-rim? I’ve heard that name somewhere.”
Then, as if she remembered something, she nodded.
“So you’re that thief known as the Divine Thief of a Thousand Faces!”
The Divine Thief of a Thousand Faces, Yu Cheong-rim.
He was one of the Four Great Divine Thieves, known as the best thieves in the current martial world.
He was given the name ‘Divine Thief of a Thousand Faces’ because he left almost no traces when he stole.
And because he had mastered the Art of a Thousand Transformations, which allowed him to change his face in an instant.
The Divine Thief of a Thousand Faces, Yu Cheong-rim, known as the most difficult of the Divine Thieves to catch due to his astonishing movement arts and disguise skills.
To think he was such a young man.
“How could a nobody like me be the Divine Thief of a Thousand Faces? I’m just…”
Before he could finish his sentence,
*Taat!*
His identity exposed, he used his movement arts and began to flee for his life.
‘If I get caught, I’m dead!’
He had stolen countless treasures not only from the rich but also from martial arts sects.
He thought So Ok-rim and Bu Eun-seol were pursuers sent to capture him.
*Shuuuuuk!*
Yu Cheong-rim’s shadow instantly left the reed field.
Thieves known as Divine Thieves each possessed outstanding movement arts.
Yu Cheong-rim, in particular, had mastered one of the arts once known as the Eight Great Movement Arts of the Martial World.
Great Lightning Flash Shadow.
A demonic movement art that disregarded stealth and focused solely on speed.
His specialty was also the Art of a Thousand Transformations.
Since he could change his appearance and attire in a short amount of time, he used a movement art that focused only on creating distance between him and his pursuers.
*Kwawoooo!*
*Tsssss!*
But two shadows shot up from the ground, flanking him, and instantly stuck to Yu Cheong-rim’s shoulders as he ran.
“Your movement art is quite impressive.”
As Bu Eun-seol, running on Yu Cheong-rim’s left, nodded, So Ok-rim also blinked.
“Indeed. He must be the real Divine Thief of a Thousand Faces.”
As Bu Eun-seol and So Ok-rim casually chatted while keeping pace on either side of him, fear appeared in the eyes of Yu Cheong-rim, who was using his movement arts.
He was pushing his Great Lightning Flash Shadow, one of the Eight Great Movement Arts, to its absolute limit, yet…
These two could hold a conversation while using their own movement arts?
“Hey, aren’t you going to stop?”
So Ok-rim, running alongside him, thrust her fist in front of Yu Cheong-rim’s face.
“You wanna stop after getting hit?”
As the cauldron-lid-sized fist moved back and forth before his eyes, Yu Cheong-rim lost all will to fight.
*Shhhk.*
Finally stopping his movement art, Yu Cheong-rim bowed his head as if in prayer.
“Please spare me! I’m just a man trying to get by day to day…”
*Whoong!*
Before he could finish, So Ok-rim threw a punch.
Simultaneously, a massive gust of wind blew, and the fabric of Yu Cheong-rim’s clothes tore as it flapped wildly.
*Rustle.*
With that, his secret pouches were ripped open, and the jewels he had hidden inside came pouring out.
“You spend tens of thousands of nyang to get by for a day?”
Yu Cheong-rim lowered his head and remained silent.
Grape-sized beads of sweat formed on his forehead.
He had roamed the martial world for a long time, but he had never heard of such terrifyingly powerful masters appearing.
“Ugh, you’re disgusting. Are you sick? Why are you sweating so much?”
“I’m sorry. I’m just so scared.”
“Why are you scared? Is someone going to eat you?”
Yu Cheong-rim quickly changed his expression and clasped his hands.
“May I ask for the lady hero’s name?”
“Why my name?”
“Well, you are clearly a great master, and I am unable to address you by your esteemed name…”
“You’ve been rolling around in the martial world for so long, yet you have no sense.”
“Pardon?”
So Ok-rim swept her long hair back with her thick arm and crossed her arms.
“Doesn’t this beauty remind you of someone?”
“Well, Guan Yu…”
“I’m the Galaxy Divine Maiden.”
For a moment, Yu Cheong-rim’s eyes widened.
“Don’t tell me, the Heaven-Collapsing…”
*Thwack!*
So Ok-rim threw a punch, and Yu Cheong-rim’s head seemed to sink into his neck.
“Who’s Heaven-Collapsing! It’s the Galaxy Divine Maiden.”
“M-my apologies!”
Yu Cheong-rim’s mind was in a whirl.
So Ok-rim, the Heaven-Collapsing Fist, who had beaten down even the old masters of the Yanggwang martial world like rats two years ago and then disappeared.
Why had such a fearsome master suddenly appeared here?
“What do you think? He seems useful, right?”
So Ok-rim looked at Bu Eun-seol and bared her white teeth.
“I think we’ve found some better bait.”
“It seems so.”
No matter how one reached the state of returning to simplicity and concealed their martial prowess, one could not hide their innate disposition.
When he had disguised himself as a woman in the meeting hall of the Jam-ma-gak, an air of elegance and an unapproachable dignity had emanated from his entire body.
But Yu Cheong-rim had been living under disguise as an ordinary person, evading suspicion and pursuit for a long time.
Because of that, despite his martial skill, his presence was ordinary, and he even had a simple-minded air about him.
Moreover, he was not tall and had a slender body, making him perfectly conditioned to disguise himself as a woman.
“Bait? For what?”
Sensing something ominous, Yu Cheong-rim asked, trembling. So Ok-rim waved her hand dismissively.
“Ah, it’s nothing.”
Hearing that, Yu Cheong-rim became even more anxious.
Usually, when someone like her said ‘it’s nothing,’ it meant something extremely strange and significant.
“Hey, you.”
So Ok-rim put on a very friendly expression and gripped his shoulder tightly.
“You’re going to do a little job with me.”