Chapter 86
Chapter 86
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 86
Chapter Title: A Deeper Insight
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After laughing for a moment, he looked at U Hak and spoke confidently.
“The Cheon-geom-hoe's intelligence network is disappointing.”
“What did you say?”
“Well, I won't blame you for not knowing his true nature. But you should reorganize your intelligence network properly.”
Bu Eun-seol looked down at U Hak with cold eyes.
“His true nature and wicked deeds have already been exposed to the world. What ancient history are you talking about?”
“This bastard is spouting nonsense.”
“Look into it again.”
“Hmph, there's no need. Judging by the way you speak…”
Bu Eun-seol cut U Hak off coldly.
“Don't you know that if you kill someone without a proper investigation, you become the very villain who murdered an innocent man?”
At those words, U Hak was left speechless and shut his mouth.
“You…”
“Fine.”
Just then, Seok Song, who was standing on the altar, laughed in disbelief.
“If you're going to say something like that, you must be prepared for the consequences, right?”
“No preparation is necessary.”
Bu Eun-seol said calmly.
“Send someone to investigate again right now. If the Cheon-geom-hoe has anything worthy of being called an intelligence network, you'll be able to find evidence detailing his evil deeds.”
“What?”
Just then, a middle-aged man without a mask came rushing through the entrance to the altar, out of breath.
He seemed to be a member of the Cheon-geom-hoe.
“What he says is true.”
“What?”
As Seok Song and U Hak reacted with great surprise, the middle-aged man scratched his head and said.
“As of yesterday, news of ‘his’ evil deeds has spread throughout the intelligence networks of the entire Murim.”
The middle-aged man continued to explain something to Seok Song and U Hak in a low voice.
Watching this, Bu Eun-seol wore a faint smile beneath his mask.
*I have a favor to ask.*
Before leaving the Dong-pyo-seo-rang, he had asked a favor of its master, Do Myeong.
It was to find evidence proving Yeop Hyo-cheon's evil deeds and spread it to the various intelligence networks.
Bu Eun-seol would have to continue his journey through the martial world.
He had anticipated that if he continued to be framed for the murder of a renowned hero of the Orthodox Faction, it would greatly hinder his movements.
“Hmm.”
After listening to the middle-aged man for a while, Seok Song and U Hak looked at each other.
*Even if this is a lie, we can't deal with him right now.*
It was because of what Bu Eun-seol had said.
What if they killed someone without a proper investigation? What if his innocence was later proven?
They would become the very 'villains' they spoke of, who murdered an innocent person.
“The truth of this matter will be properly revealed in time.”
As Seok Song let out a low groan, U Hak narrowed his eyes and said,
“For now, we will not pass judgment on you.”
“Don't you worry.”
Bu Eun-seol said nonchalantly.
“Because soon, rumors of his crimes and depravity will spread not just through the intelligence networks, but throughout the entire Murim.”
For the Dong-pyo-seo-rang, which handled dangerous jobs for money, information was their very lifeline and livelihood.
Since the information was guaranteed by the master of the Dong-pyo-seo-rang, the rumors would spread quickly.
“If this turns out to be a lie, there will be no place left for you to stand.”
“That won't happen.”
At Bu Eun-seol's firm reply, U Hak spoke again.
“Then let's begin the test.”
*Rumble.*
A square-shaped wall then rose up on one side of the wide, open area.
A picture was carved onto the wall's surface.
“The first test is to decipher the martial arts move hidden in this picture.”
The picture carved on the wall was strange, and even painted with colors.
Before a cliff on a snowy mountain, a woman with daggers was fighting a tiger.
The tiger was depicted pouncing, its sharp claws and teeth bared, while the woman held three daggers in one hand, stabbing at the tiger's neck, chest, and lower belly.
“If you've figured out the hidden martial art, go through the door behind this altar. Elder Seok, who is in there, will judge whether you pass.”
U Hak said again.
“You have one shichen. If you cannot find the hidden martial arts move in the picture within that time, you will be disqualified.”
At U Hak's shout, the martial artists in the open area rushed toward the wall.
*'Dual blades are common in the Murim, but no one uses three blades.'*
Standing at a distance and looking at the picture on the wall, Bu Eun-seol frowned.
There was something else strange.
The tiger's ferocious face was drawn, but the woman's face was completely blank.
Judging by the clear outline of her face, it was obvious that it had been left blank intentionally.
*'No matter how swift and brave a tiger is, it cannot defeat a martial arts master armed with blades. But…'*
Though her face wasn't drawn, judging by her posture, she seemed to be in a panic and on the defensive.
“This is nothing.”
Just then, someone who had been looking at the picture turned and headed for the next stone chamber.
It was Dang Gon, wearing the fox mask.
*He's already discovered the hidden martial arts move in the picture?*
Leaving the murmuring crowd behind, he went through the door on the altar.
A moment of silence passed, and then Seok Song's deep voice echoed from within.
“Pass.”
At that, most of the martial artists in the open area were greatly flustered, and a few even stomped their feet in frustration.
“Ah, I get it!”
The one in the rat mask, as if he'd also realized something, quickly went up to the door behind the altar.
But a moment later, Seok Song's solemn voice was heard.
“Incorrect.”
The door opened again, and the man in the rat mask came out, scratching his head.
Seeing this, U Hak pointed a hand toward the exit.
“You are disqualified.”
“What?”
The man in the rat mask's voice rose sharply in confusion.
“Didn't you say we just had to figure it out within one shichen? I don't recall hearing that a wrong answer meant disqualification.”
“When fighting an enemy, if your first move fails, is that the end of it?”
U Hak said with a grave expression.
“In a real battle, a failed first move can cost you your life. You looked at this picture and didn't realize that?”
The man in the rat mask stammered.
“I just thought there was a hidden martial arts move…”
“This test is the same as a real battle. You don't get to make multiple mistakes.”
U Hak's voice was stern.
When you thought about it, while they weren't fighting other competitors, this process was still a clear competition.
Mistakes were not tolerated. The man, hearing the one-shichen time limit, had made a blunder in his haste.
“I understand.”
The man in the rat mask trembled slightly, then stormed out of the entrance.
*'Hmm.'*
Bu Eun-seol, paying no mind to any of that, was becoming lost in the picture on the wall.
*'Indeed, it makes sense that he would be the first to figure it out.'*
Like Dang Gon, Bu Eun-seol had also already discovered the martial art hidden in the picture.
The picture didn't depict a woman holding three daggers, but rather one scattering hidden weapons in three different directions.
*'To be able to throw with three different hidden weapon techniques with one hand, simultaneously…'*
There are many techniques for throwing dozens of hidden weapons in a single move, but it is rare to find someone who can throw with different techniques from one hand.
*'The tiger's posture must be the key to the hidden weapon technique.'*
The tiger's face, body, and lower belly were twisted in different directions.
It looked like a dynamic pounce, but it actually signified the method of throwing hidden weapons in different directions.
“Pass.”
In the meantime, about a dozen masters had passed and moved on to the next stone chamber.
Bu Eun-seol had already figured out the martial arts move, but he didn't go up to the testing platform. No matter how he looked at it, something felt off.
*'It feels like something is missing from the picture.'*
He felt an unidentifiable sense of wrongness.
Unable to shake the feeling, Bu Eun-seol continued to stare at the picture. Before long, only four people, including him, remained in the empty area.
The other three, seemingly unable to get a clue, were staring at the picture while breaking out in a cold sweat.
*'Not such a great talent, after all.'*
U Hak looked at Bu Eun-seol and shook his head.
He seemed to possess a remarkable aura, yet he was struggling with the very first trial.
“Only one quarter-hour remains.”
At U Hak's words, the three other challengers were startled and rushed to the testing platform behind the altar.
But Bu Eun-seol just continued to gaze leisurely at the picture.
*'Hmm.'*
The more he looked at the picture, the stranger the sense of dissonance became.
Encountering a tiger on a snowy mountain in the middle of winter, especially on a sheer cliff, was a statistical impossibility.
*'So that's it.'*
A few specks of snow were kicking up from under the feet of the woman, who seemed to be dodging the tiger's leap.
It could be seen as a way to express dynamic movement, but to Bu Eun-seol's eyes, it looked like the positions of an exquisite footwork technique.
*'If I were to perform the hidden weapon technique while following that footwork…'*
A technique to throw three types of hidden weapons in a single move. And the footwork that moves in sync with it.
In his mind, Bu Eun-seol performed both martial arts simultaneously.
*'This is…'*
Having realized something, Bu Eun-seol finally entered the examination room. Torches were stuck in place of oil lamps, and Seok Song stood there with a solemn posture.
“Do you know what the martial art in the picture is?”
“It is a single-move fist technique.”
“A fist technique?”
At the unexpected answer, a light shone in Seok Song's eyes.
“Can you show me what kind of fist technique it is?”
Nodding, Bu Eun-seol simultaneously performed the hidden weapon technique and footwork from the picture.
*Whoosh.*
As he threw a punch, his fist split into three shadows that cut through the air.
When the hidden weapon technique and footwork were combined, they surprisingly became a profound fist technique.
“I see.”
Seok Song nodded.
“You pass.”
Bu Eun-seol cupped his hands lightly and was about to pass through the examination room.
“Wait.”
Just then, Seok Song asked Bu Eun-seol a question.
“How did you know there were two martial arts in the picture?”
“What do you mean?”
“We gave you a limited time of one shichen. And we told you to find the martial art in the picture.”
Seok Song narrowed his eyes.
“In a competitive situation with a time limit, if you're told to find something… anyone will look for the one thing they can find the fastest. It's human instinct.”
He paused for a moment before asking in a low voice.
“Why did you look for two martial arts?”
“You never said there was only one martial art, did you?”
“Weren't you anxious?”
“You said to solve it within the time limit, not that it was first-come, first-served.”
Bu Eun-seol said with an unfazed expression.
“I simply found everything I could within that time.”
It was a simple answer, but Seok Song's eyes were filled with admiration.
He realized that Bu Eun-seol had an eye for piercing through to the essence of things.
“Most of those who have passed so far figured out the single hidden weapon technique and passed with that.”
Seok Song wore a faint smile.
“A few exceptional talents even noticed the footwork. But there was no one like you, who combined those two martial arts to create a single fist technique.”
Seok Song looked at Bu Eun-seol and nodded.
“I'll be looking forward to the next trial.”
“Understood.”
Despite Seok Song's intense gaze, Bu Eun-seol simply nodded without any particular expression and moved on to the next trial.
“His personality is too cold. Composure is good, but it can also create many enemies.”
Seok Song smacked his lips.
He could tell at a glance that among all the talents gathered here, Bu Eun-seol possessed, by far, the greatest qualities.
But his personality seemed heartless and, in some ways, ruthless. Such a personality often leads to a lonely life, walking the martial world alone, unable to get along with others.
“This society was also founded by masters who grew tired of being solitary figures in the martial world.”
The Murim was a place where one could not survive alone. Holding such a view, Seok Song felt a slight sense of regret regarding Bu Eun-seol.
“Is this a pointless desire?”
This was no time to be picky about a prodigy's personality.
They had to find a talent who could learn the sword art created by the Cheon-geom-hoe and kill ‘him’.