Chapter 365
Chapter 365
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 365
Chapter Title: The Beggar's Trial
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Namgung Un wore an expression of utter disbelief.
“You completed an internal core through death?”
“Just a moment ago, there was no internal core in this man’s body. But as his breath stopped, his blood circulation ceased, and an internal core was formed.”
Bu Eun-seol’s eyes were tinged with a deep, dark light.
“It seems that to create an internal core artificially, they have to inject what is called a Demonic Seed, the source of demonic energy, into a living person.”
He let out a deep sigh and continued.
“And when the person injected with the Demonic Seed dies, the artificial internal core is completed.”
“So… you’re saying they used a living person’s body as soil to plant the seed of an internal core?”
“That is correct.”
“In that case…”
Muttering under his breath, a terrifying intuition flashed through Namgung Un’s mind.
*Rustle.*
He quickly turned and began to meticulously examine the bodies of the fallen masked men.
He immediately noticed that the temples or the back of the necks of the masked men were slightly bulging.
*Shing.*
Namgung Un drew his sharp golden-needle sword and cut into the corpse of a masked man.
*Slice.*
The area around the temple split open, and a small bead popped out along with a trickle of blood.
An artificial internal core.
The Demonic Seeds that could create internal cores had been implanted in the bodies of these masked men as well.
“How can this be.”
Namgung Un trembled as if he couldn’t believe it.
“It was true.”
Until now, Namgung Un had traveled the martial world quite a bit for his age, but he had not seen much of its darker side.
But to plant a seed in a living person’s body and kill them to create an internal core?
He was utterly enraged by such a cruel act, something he had never heard of or seen in his life.
“The Beggars’ Sect has been a great pillar of the Orthodox Faction for generations. How could they commit such a wicked deed?”
Namgung Un clenched his fists and spoke.
“What could the Beggars’ Sect possibly gain from doing this?”
“You’re right. They must have been desperate. Very desperate.”
Bu Eun-seol spoke calmly.
“As the term ‘Nine Sects One Union’ implies, the Beggars’ Sect was once called the greatest sect under heaven. But in the present day, their power and martial arts have dwindled to the point where the name has become meaningless.”
Recalling the face of the King of Beggars, Gu Hong-cheong, Bu Eun-seol continued his explanation.
“So for a long time, there has been an opinion within the Beggars’ Sect to make it strong again. The one at the forefront of that movement was Gu Hong-cheong.”
“So they intend to make the Beggars’ Sect strong by creating internal cores at the cost of human lives?”
“The Beggars’ Sect can do that. They have more than enough people.”
As they encompassed all the beggars in the Central Plains, the members of the Beggars’ Sect were truly countless.
Unless one held a significant position, it was common for people to die without anyone noticing.
“To do something like this just because they have many people… I simply can’t believe it.”
“If one could gain immense benefits by killing people, the sect that could do it most easily would probably be the Beggars’ Sect.”
“But the Beggars’ Sect reveres the path of righteousness…”
Bu Eun-seol cut Namgung Un off firmly.
“That is a thing of the past. Due to their failure to produce outstanding disciples, the Beggars’ Sect has been on a path of decline, and it has now devolved into a place where those who worship power gather.”
Namgung Un no longer argued and sighed with a look of shame.
The Beggars’ Sect, once called the greatest sect under heaven and a pillar of the Orthodox Faction, was resorting to such acts to gain power?
He himself felt so ashamed he wanted to hide in a hole.
“I will return to my family at once and report this. And I will request that the Martial Alliance investigate the Beggars’ Sect.”
“It’s useless.”
“Pardon?”
“The Beggars’ Sect is not the true culprit behind the creation of these internal cores. They are merely pawns, blinded by greed and being used.”
“Pawns? The Beggars’ Sect?”
“Hmph.”
With a sigh of resignation, Bu Eun-seol briefly recounted what he had experienced.
From the Black Lotus in Qinghai, to the government officials cultivating internal cores in the underground city.
And the fact that some unknown force had perfectly resurrected destroyed sects and was using them as their limbs.
“Just like the Black Lotus Master, the Beggars’ Sect was likely being manipulated. Their desire to once again become the greatest sect under heaven was cleverly exploited.”
“So, in the end, there is someone else behind all of this.”
Having heard everything, Namgung Un shook his head and lamented.
“I had no idea such things were happening, not even in my dreams.”
He stroked his chin with a serious expression.
“If such forces are behind this, shouldn’t we inform the Martial Alliance even sooner? If they start an investigation, I think they could easily find evidence of the Beggars’ Sect’s complicity.”
“Every sect or organization has eyes and ears connected to outside forces. The Beggars’ Sect would have even more.”
Bu Eun-seol stated firmly.
“The intelligence network of those shadowy forces surpasses that of my own. The moment you tell the Martial Alliance, the Beggars’ Sect will be immediately informed and destroy all the evidence.”
Namgung Un felt a sense of despair.
To think that such forces cast a dark shadow over the martial world, and that Bu Eun-seol had been constantly fighting against them?
“Then is there no other way?”
“We have to get the evidence ourselves.”
“How?”
Bu Eun-seol pointed to the fifty-odd corpses.
“Since the Beggars’ Sect fed them the seeds for the internal cores, they will surely come to retrieve them.”
Namgung Un let out a small “Ah.”
He realized that Bu Eun-seol intended to pursue them himself.
“Then shouldn’t we put this internal core back?”
“It doesn’t matter. Now that they’ve discovered something is amiss, they’ll have to return to their base.”
“I see. Then I will wait with you.”
Bu Eun-seol and Namgung Un concealed themselves about thirty feet away from where the masked men had fallen.
After about two hours had passed…
With a whoosh of air, a dozen beggars arrived at the clearing where the masked men lay.
They carefully scanned the surroundings to see if anyone was nearby.
But they could not find Bu Eun-seol and Namgung Un, who had expertly hidden their presence.
Confirming that there was nothing out of the ordinary, they took out daggers from their robes.
Then they approached the fallen masked men and began to retrieve the internal cores that had formed in their necks or temples.
*Slice. Thud.*
As if this wasn’t their first or second time retrieving internal cores, they handled the corpses with great skill.
“...!”
Then, one of the men discovered the corpse from which Namgung Un had taken the core and called over his comrades.
The masked men huddled together, whispering for a long time, then immediately used their movement techniques to quickly leave the area.
*Swoosh.*
As they took off, the hidden Bu Eun-seol and Namgung Un stealthily began to follow them.
The masked men ran without a single break for a day and a half.
The place they finally arrived at was Kaifeng.
Upon reaching Kaifeng, the masked men suddenly scattered in all directions as they entered the marketplace.
Bu Eun-seol and Namgung Un watched them from the roof of a tall pavilion.
“It really was the Beggars’ Sect.”
Although they seemed to be scattering and moving separately, the direction they were heading was toward the Beggars’ Sect headquarters.
Seeing that one internal core was missing, it seemed they were heading to the headquarters separately in case any pursuers had followed them.
“What do we do now? Now that they’ve entered the Beggars’ Sect headquarters, it will be difficult to get evidence.”
Bu Eun-seol said nonchalantly.
“We’ll have to go in ourselves and get the evidence.”
“You mean infiltrate the Beggars’ Sect headquarters?”
“That’s right.”
“That’s absolutely impossible.”
Namgung Un waved his hands in protest.
“The Beggars’ Sect headquarters is even more difficult to infiltrate than the Martial Alliance or Shaolin.”
Sighing, Namgung Un continued.
“Beggars have their own unique characteristics, so if an outsider tries to infiltrate, they’ll be exposed immediately. It’s a place that even the most skilled spy can never infiltrate.”
The Martial Alliance and Shaolin might have tight security, but at least outsiders and visitors moved about.
But inside the Beggars’ Sect headquarters, only beggars gathered.
Moreover, no matter how well one disguised themselves as a beggar, real beggars could easily spot a fake.
In short, unless one could turn their entire body invisible, it was absolutely impossible to infiltrate the headquarters.
“We can infiltrate as beggars.”
*Crack, crack.*
Bu Eun-seol performed the Visage and Bone Alteration Art.
His facial bones shifted, and his face, once that of Seol-so, became slightly more simple and naive.
“Brother Bu, just changing your face won’t be enough.”
Namgung Un shook his head firmly.
“Beggars have their own way of life and habits. Ordinary people don’t know them, so no matter how much you dress up like a top-class beggar, they say you’ll be found out immediately.”
Then he spoke cautiously.
“My family has highly skilled intelligence agents. It would be better if I had them infiltrate.”
“You’re right. No matter how capable an intelligence agent is, they’ll be quickly discovered if they enter a den of beggars.”
Bu Eun-seol said with an unconcerned expression.
“If a spy sent from the Namgung family is discovered, it will become a problem not just for you, but for the entire Namgung family.”
“But…”
“It’s fine. I’ve had plenty of experience being a beggar in the past.”
Bu Eun-seol patted Namgung Un’s shoulder.
“You should return to the Namgung family. I can go in here alone.”
Then he gave a faint smile.
“If I find clear evidence, I will be sure to share it with you.”
His words meant that he would give Namgung Un the decisive evidence found in the Beggars’ Sect, so that he could become the family head.
But Namgung Un’s pride was wounded instead.
Bu Eun-seol, the successor of the Demonic Path, was risking his life to infiltrate and catch the forces that were throwing the martial world into chaos.
And here he was, just saying it couldn’t be done?
“Brother Bu, I have no desire to become the family head.”
Taking a deep breath, Namgung Un said.
“I just don’t run away from trials when they come. Just as I learned from you, Brother Bu.”
Then, with resolve, he spoke forcefully.
“I will go with you, Brother Bu. Just like before.”
“There’s no need for that.”
Bu Eun-seol said with a serious expression.
“Disguising yourself as a beggar is not easy. You won’t be able to stand it for even a moment and will run away.”
“Haha, is disguising as a beggar that difficult? That’s probably because you, Brother Bu…”
Namgung Un, who was about to continue speaking with a laugh, shut his mouth.
Bu Eun-seol’s gaze was endlessly serious.
‘Brother Bu is not one to make idle talk.’
Namgung Un was conflicted for a moment.
When he had accompanied him during his wandering days, there were repeated situations so dangerous that a hundred lives would not have been enough.
But back then, Bu Eun-seol had never once made such an expression.
This meant that the current task was incomparably more difficult and dangerous than those times.
‘But the me of then and the me of now are different.’
‘Besides, what’s the worst that can happen while infiltrating the Beggars’ Sect headquarters? We get caught and have to escape, right?’
Steeling his resolve again, Namgung Un smiled and beat his chest.
“What can’t I do if I’m with you, Brother Bu?”
Namgung Un clasped his hands and said with a serious expression.
“Please, take me with you. I beg you.”
“Are you serious?”
“Of course.”
Bu Eun-seol hummed in thought.
“Make sure you don’t regret it.”
“Don’t worry!”
Namgung Un beat his chest once more and said cheerfully.
“That will never happen!”
Namgung Un regretted it immediately.
“Ugh.”
As soon as he received the clothes Bu Eun-seol brought, a wave of deep regret washed over him, and he started to retch.
To infiltrate the Beggars’ Sect headquarters, Bu Eun-seol had led Namgung Un to a small village far from Kaifeng.
And as soon as they arrived in the village, they immediately found a den of beggars gathered on the outskirts.
They were not beggars belonging to the Beggars’ Sect, but vagrants treated worse than livestock.
“I’d like to get two sets of clothes.”
Bu Eun-seol offered money to the man who appeared to be the leader.
The man bared his yellowish teeth and took the money. Without asking a single question, he ordered his subordinates to bring the clothes at once.
It was common to see martial artists borrowing beggars’ clothes to evade pursuit.
“Give me two gourds as well.”
But when Bu Eun-seol also asked for gourds, the leader couldn’t hide his puzzled expression.
“What do you need gourds for?”
Instead of answering, Bu Eun-seol offered silver again.
The leader then, without another word, handed over two broken gourds that his subordinates were using.
With the clothes and gourds in hand, the two men entered a secluded forest and began to change.
But Namgung Un, far from changing his clothes, was constantly gagging.
“Ugh. Uweeek.”
Before long, Namgung Un’s face was a mess of tears and snot.
The clothes worn by the beggars reeked with an indescribable stench, and there were stains of what looked like feces and crushed insects.
Forget wearing them, just holding them made the chicken noodles he had eaten a year ago rise up in his throat.
“You can still give up now.”
Bu Eun-seol said, having put on the filthy beggar’s clothes without any issue.
“If you keep this up, you’ll be discovered before you even enter the Beggars’ Sect headquarters.”
At that, Namgung Un quickly stopped gagging and wiped his mouth.
“What are you talking about? It’s just that what I ate yesterday isn’t digesting well.”
Then, after taking a deep breath, he forced himself to put on the beggar’s clothes.
As he put on the top, the sour and potent smell was so strong it made his eyes water.
*Crack.*
Just then, Bu Eun-seol used the Visage and Bone Alteration Art to adjust his physique, making himself thinner.
With a gaunt body and beggar’s clothes, he looked just like any common beggar you could find anywhere.
“Can you perform the Bone Alteration Art?”
“O-of course.”
Taking a breath, Namgung Un began to perform the art.
*Crack.*
He changed his face to look ordinary, but Namgung Un had a naturally large and imposing frame.
So, although his clothes and face were that of a beggar, his physique remained impressive.
“You look too noble.”
Bu Eun-seol said, observing Namgung Un’s body.
“Shrink your frame more and make your face fleshier. That will look much more natural.”
“Make my face fleshier? Where in the world is there a fat beggar?”
“There are no fat beggars, but there are many with swollen faces. If you eat dirty food scraps for a long time, your body and face naturally swell up.”
“I-is that so?”
*Crack, crack.*
Following Bu Eun-seol’s advice, Namgung Un used the Bone Shrinking Technique to reduce his frame as much as possible and expanded his facial bones greatly.
The result was the physique of a rather chubby beggar.
“But will this disguise be enough to get into the headquarters?”
Namgung Un asked with an anxious expression.
The Beggars’ Sect headquarters was a veritable den of beggars. The slightest awkward movement or atmosphere would be instantly noticed.
“Of course not.”
Bu Eun-seol led Namgung Un outside.
Then, with a strange smile, he said.
“From now on, we’ll have a crash course in becoming a beggar.”
Bu Eun-seol immediately headed for the city with Namgung Un.
“To become a beggar, you must first get used to people’s stares.”
“Stares? What kind of stares?”
“You’ll find out when we walk through the marketplace.”
Bu Eun-seol began walking through the crowded marketplace with Namgung Un.
Passersby would frown or curse whenever they passed the two men, who reeked of a foul stench.
Some even got angry and came over to kick them.
‘These bastards?’
Namgung Un’s anger boiled over.
As a direct descendant of the Namgung family, had he ever been treated like this?
He had only been walking for half a day, but the contemptuous gazes and disgust from people made his head spin.
“Doesn’t it make you angry, Brother Bu?”
At Namgung Un’s words, Bu Eun-seol gave a faint smile.
“Isn’t it a natural human instinct to avoid things that are smelly and dirty?”
“If you’re dirty and smelly, do you deserve to be scorned? To be kicked for no reason?”
“That’s just the way of the world.”
Bu Eun-seol answered Namgung Un’s question calmly.
“People despise those who are weaker and more unfortunate than themselves. It makes them feel happy.”
His words were so cynical that Namgung Un couldn’t laugh them off.
Moreover, didn’t Bu Eun-seol’s expression and gaze seem to be tracing the past?
“Did you really live as a beggar, Brother Bu?”
“It’s not that I experienced a beggar’s life, I *was* a beggar.”
Bu Eun-seol avoided Namgung Un’s wavering gaze and said calmly.
“I was abandoned from a very young age… I was never even given a name.”
‘So that’s how it was.’
Only then could Namgung Un begin to imagine what kind of life Bu Eun-seol had lived.
And why his heart had become so frozen.
—His personality isn’t cold. Something happened that caused his heart to freeze over completely.
Namgung Un had thought this before parting with Bu Eun-seol in the past.
And he had hoped that Bu Eun-seol’s frozen heart would melt. And that his surroundings would always be warm.
‘I was just spouting nonsense without knowing anything about Brother Bu.’
Recalling his past thoughts, Namgung Un felt a pang of guilt.
He himself was born into a fine and noble family and grew up without want.
What if he had grown up powerless in a harsh environment? He might have become cold and cynical, with a frozen heart like Bu Eun-seol.
“I think I was too ignorant of your circumstances, Brother Bu.”
As Namgung Un scratched his head, Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
“There’s no need to think that. It’s all just in the past.”
“But I can’t help but feel like I was a naive brat who knew nothing of the world…”
“There is no need to see what is unseen. And there is no need to seek out and look at unpleasant things. You just need to do your best in your position.”
Bu Eun-seol thought that someone like Namgung Un didn’t need to despair just because he didn’t know the dark and dirty side of the world.
He was born the scion of a noble family and grew up bright and unburdened. And with his good character and actions, he tended to brighten his surroundings.
That alone was enough for Namgung Un to have a good influence on many people.
“Brother Bu.”
“If you understand now, you should go back.”
Only then did Namgung Un realize.
Bu Eun-seol had been deeply considerate of him all this time.
The reason he took the time to give him a beggar experience was not to really go together, but to send him back.
‘I am not the naive brat I used to be!’
In the past, he would have given up and gone back quickly. But now was different.
Namgung Un shook his head firmly and said.
“There is one thing I learned from meeting you, Brother Bu.”
He wiped his nose and said calmly.
“That if you overcome all the trials that come your way, you will surely become a great person.”
“Namgung Un.”
“I will show you that I can do it.”
Namgung Un made up his mind. And he believed.
That with Bu Eun-seol, he could overcome all these trials.
“Are you really sure you won’t regret this?”
“Of course!”
Namgung Un’s steadfast eyes sparkled as if lit by a torch.
“Fine.”
Bu Eun-seol, as if he had no other choice, handed the gourd he was holding to Namgung Un.
“Then let’s start again.”
Taking the gourd, Namgung Un would soon realize.
That the trials so far had been mere child’s play. And why Bu Eun-seol had tried so hard to stop him from coming along…