Chapter 58
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 58
Chapter Title: The Successor Beggar (1)
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The rumor that Cheon Muryang had slain the Thousand-Faced Demon of Lust spread in an instant.
However, what was discussed even more was Cheon Muryang's declaration of righteousness before the demon's severed head.
『The Cheon Family has declared that it will re-establish the fallen code of chivalry.』
『The one who declared this was not the Family Head of the Cheon Family, but its wastrel Great Young Lord, Cheon Muryang.』
Consequently, many were skeptical.
Many also interpreted the fact that Cheon Muryang had slain the Thousand-Faced Demon of Lust as a distortion of the truth.
However, at least those who were present that day were certain.
That both the Cheon Family and Cheon Muryang had definitely changed.
“What I saw with my own eyes that day was not a lie.”
“Hmm. Is that so?”
“Yes!”
Two beggars were talking.
An old beggar and a young one.
Their attire was similar, but the number of knots tied at their waists was different.
“You brat, so.”
“Yes?”
“So what am I supposed to do about it?”
“No, I mean, that wastrel Great Young Lord is no longer a wastrel. He’s become a hero who slayed the Thousand-Faced Demon of Lust!”
The young beggar's face was flushed red.
Seeing this, the old beggar clicked his tongue.
“This kid, honestly. So what if some wastrel got his act together! What’s the big deal?!”
“What do you mean, it’s not a big deal? In this desolate martial world, who else would even mention righteousness? Just you wait. He’s going to make waves in the martial world soon.”
“Tsk. You damn brat.”
“What!”
“You’ve already brought a tail with you!”
“Huh?”
The old beggar hastily untied the knot at the young beggar’s waist.
Then, the old beggar flopped onto the ground, feigning ignorance.
“Is anyone here?”
A voice came from outside.
The young beggar recognized the owner of that voice.
It was the same voice that had deeply impressed him not long ago.
“Huh?”
“Pardon the intrusion.”
The one who appeared was the wastrel Great Young Lord of the Cheon Family, Cheon Muryang.
The young beggar covered his mouth.
At that, the old beggar shot up in surprise.
“Oh my, what brings you to such a humble place!”
He truly looked the part of a beggar.
Cheon Muryang and the young beggar thought simultaneously.
‘His acting is superb.’
‘His acting is superb.’
As if aware of their thoughts, the old beggar simply remained pressed to the ground.
Flinch!
In the midst of it all, his sidelong glance toward the young beggar was perfect.
‘Good grief.’
The young beggar awkwardly prostrated himself next to the old one.
“Oh my!”
He said, along with his clumsy acting.
A smirk.
Cheon Muryang smiled as he looked at the two.
Then, he sat down without a care, despite the dirty floor.
“……!”
Cheon Muryang was clearly smiling.
However, the old beggar, prostrated on the floor, felt his heart drop.
He sensed that the atmosphere had changed in an instant.
‘No, what is this……!’
It became difficult to even breathe.
This pressure that squeezed his heart.
It was as if a cold, sharp blade was at his throat.
Shudder!
His entire body trembled.
He wasn't just prostrating himself.
An unknown force was pressing down on the old beggar’s entire body.
‘What kind of sorcery is this……!’
He couldn’t even lift his head.
He felt that if he did, something that wasn't even touching his neck would slice it.
“Let me ask just one thing.”
“Wh-what is that?”
“What are you doing here?”
“Wh-what do you mean!”
Whoooosh!
The corner of Cheon Muryang's mouth curled up.
However, his cold, sunken eyes only shone with a sharp light.
There was no trace of a smile in them.
“I’ll ask again. I’m asking what a beggar from the Beggars' Sect is doing here.”
“Th-that is……!”
Cheon Muryang stood up.
“If you won’t speak, I have no choice but to find out for myself.”
Fwoosh!
As if he had swung his sword, the ceiling of what appeared to be a dugout hut was instantly sliced and fell away.
Letters rained down.
They were likely the pieces of information the two had gathered here.
“This is…….”
The Successor Beggar touched his forehead.
Cheon Muryang snatched a letter fluttering in the air.
“Halt!”
At that moment, the old beggar who had been prostrated shot up and threw a punch.
Swish!
It was a strike filled with ferocity.
However, Cheon Muryang stood his ground without even drawing his sword.
“……!”
Under that strange pressure, the old beggar couldn't follow through with his punch.
‘He clearly hasn't drawn his sword…! Why?’
He sensed danger.
It was because he felt he would be cut.
Thus, the old beggar retracted his fist.
“You’re lucky.”
“……?”
Rustle.
The letter that was falling to the floor was suddenly split in two.
“If you hadn't pulled back in time, you would have become a one-armed man.”
“Wh-when!”
The old beggar couldn't believe his eyes.
Cheon Muryang was already holding his sword.
Clack!
“So, just answer my question. What is the Beggars' Sect doing here?”
“See? My eyes weren’t wrong, were they?”
As if he didn't know what was going on.
While the old beggar’s insides were churning with frustration, the young beggar’s eyes shone.
It was impressive how he was unfazed by Cheon Muryang’s overwhelming presence.
“The Beggars' Sect is everywhere and nowhere. We haven’t done anything to harm the Cheon Family, so you don’t need to worry.”
“…….”
At the young beggar’s words, the old beggar sighed and shook his head.
Seeing this, Cheon Muryang realized.
‘The old beggar is clearly an elder-level figure. But for someone like him to be by his side? Interesting. I didn't expect to meet him here.’
Cheon Muryang had figured out the young beggar’s identity.
He was someone he had held in high regard even in his past life.
However, that aside, he had to address the Beggars' Sect's conduct.
“The Beggars' Sect roams freely without the Cheon Family's permission, and you tell me not to worry?”
The Beggars' Sect and the Cheon Family both belonged to the Orthodox Faction, but their relationship was ambiguous.
The Beggars' Sect was a group that desperately wanted to advance into Zhejiang.
Of course, this was for the purpose of gathering information, but how could that be permissible?
“The Tang Clan couldn't do it, and neither could the Namgung Family. So, would the Beggars' Sect be an exception?”
Zhejiang was the Cheon Family’s territory.
For beggars from the Beggars' Sect to infiltrate that territory without a word was a breach of etiquette.
“Normally, I would have to execute you on the spot and send a warning to the Beggars' Sect, but……”
Cheon Muryang didn't want that.
The Beggars' Sect was a colossal force that formed one of the pillars of the Central Plains martial world. Rather than making an enemy of them, he planned to put them in his debt and use them.
“What is it you want?”
The old beggar was shrewd.
With that one question, he seemed to have discerned that Cheon Muryang wanted something else.
“It's nothing much.”
The old beggar was momentarily suspicious.
‘They said he wasn't a wastrel anymore…….’
Isn't this quite wastrel-like?
Of course, he didn't show it.
If he did, he wouldn’t have a word to say even if he really did become a one-armed man.
“Let’s just get a few pieces of information.”
“…….”
It was as he expected.
The most valuable thing the Beggars' Sect could offer was information.
“Ah, one of my close associates was injured recently, so I don't have anyone to move on my behalf.”
Cheon Muryang wanted the Heavenly Watch Corps to possess intelligence capabilities rivaling the Beggars' Sect.
So, he had thought he would eventually get entangled with the Beggars' Sect.
‘I just didn't think it would be now.’
It was truly a coincidence.
A few days ago, when he declared the value of righteousness in front of the Cheon Family's main gate, Cheon Muryang had met the gazes of all who were watching him.
Among them, that young beggar had stared at him with a peculiar expression.
Recognizing him as a beggar from the Beggars' Sect at a glance, Cheon Muryang had immediately started tailing him.
‘I failed on the first day.’
He failed on the first day.
His movements were so wondrous that even Cheon Muryang was astounded.
He couldn't keep up with the movements that staggered and swayed as if drunk.
‘The second day was a bust.’
So, he searched the area the next day, but he couldn't find a single trace.
‘I only just found him today.’
Cheon Muryang smiled and gazed at the young beggar.
He, too, was gazing back at Cheon Muryang.
“Let me ask just one thing.”
“Anything.”
“How did you tail me? I checked several times to make sure I wasn't being followed.”
“Ah, so that’s what you were curious about.”
Cheon Muryang smiled.
It seemed he needed to remind these two beggars where they were.
“But your question is wrong.”
“……?”
“Where do you think you are?”
“Ah!”
This was Zhejiang.
The territory of the Cheon Family.
Swoosh.
They were already surrounded.
A cordon had been formed without either the old or the young beggar noticing.
This place was a perfect trap.
“Even so, if you want to escape, you probably can.”
The young beggar flinched.
As Cheon Muryang said, if he wanted to escape, he was more than capable of doing so.
“But not that old beggar.”
“…….”
“How about it? Is this enough for a deal to be struck, Successor Beggar?”
Successor Beggar—the symbolism behind that name was immense.
It meant he was the successor of the Beggars' Sect, the one who would lead the next generation.
A grin.
The corner of the Successor Beggar's mouth curled up.
“See, Elder? I told you my eyes weren't wrong. How can this man be a wastrel?”
There was no way he was a wastrel.
The Successor Beggar sat down right where he was, as if to show he had given up on escaping.
“What information do you want? I'll tell you everything I know, so for now, why don't you have a seat?”
“Good, you’re reasonable.”
The Successor Beggar was a reasonable man.
Cheon Muryang smiled and sat down.
‘The Successor Beggar was the first to uncover the existence of Demonic Cult members hidden within each sect.’
He was like a ray of hope in the bleak martial world of the Central Plains.
‘Perhaps the Successor Beggar is here for that very reason.’
The Successor Beggar was not known to the public.
He was someone who operated in the shadows like this, only to appear at a certain moment to signal the beginning of a turnaround.
Thus, he needed to make it clear.
‘That I, too, am an enemy of the Demonic Cult.’
That connection would one day be of great help.
“Should I prepare a table with drinks?”
“That sounds great.”
Snap!
Cheon Muryang snapped his fingers.
At that, Woryeong, who was nearby, brought over a prepared table of drinks and food.
“Here you go.”
“Thank you.”
Looking at the steaming food, the Successor Beggar scratched the back of his head.
“So, what do you want to hear?”
“I’ll get straight to the point. The Demonic Cult.”
“……!”
“How much has the Beggars' Sect figured out about the Demonic Cult?”
The Successor Beggar laughed.
It must have been an unexpected question.
“You cut right to the heart of the matter.”
“Tell me.”
“Hmm… about that.”
The Successor Beggar shook his head.
It was a hollow smile.
“We know nothing.”
“What?”
“I said we know nothing.”
The Successor Beggar was not one to lie.
Knowing this, Cheon Muryang waited for him to continue.
“Well, to be precise, I should say they don't try to find out. The Beggars' Sect isn't what it used to be. It seems some saboteurs have infiltrated our ranks.”
“Saboteurs?”
“Yes. Well, the Cheon Family had them too, didn't they? In positions similar to elders.”
Whoooooosh!
Cheon Muryang's eyes darkened.
The information about the Third Elder and the Grand Elder was top secret.
“Ah, don't misunderstand. I just inferred it.”
“You inferred it?”
“Yes. As I mentioned, the Beggars' Sect also has saboteurs, and while I was chasing their tails… it led me to the Cheon Family. That’s why I came.”
Cheon Muryang tilted his head.
What kind of connection was there between the Cheon Family and the Beggars' Sect?
“Gongcheongseokyu.”
“…….”
“I came here chasing that. It was the only clue.”
It seemed the Third Elder had made a mistake.
Cheon Muryang nodded.
“I see. So what did you find out?”
“Unfortunately, nothing. But I did discover one thing three days ago.”
“Three days ago?”
“Yes.”
The Successor Beggar smiled and continued.
“You, Young Lord Cheon Muryang.”
“Me?”
“I like you.”
“Suddenly?”
“Yes. In a world like this, who pursues righteousness? Everyone’s too busy looking out for themselves and trying to get by.”
“…….”
“So, meeting someone like you might be the only lifeline to break through this stifling situation.”
Cheon Muryang frowned.
‘Have I somehow misunderstood the Successor Beggar?’
He had a strange, ominous feeling.
A glance.
He subtly turned his head to look at the old beggar, who was staring at the Successor Beggar with an expression that said, ‘There he goes again.’
A grin.
The Successor Beggar suddenly grabbed both of Cheon Muryang’s hands.
“Great Young Lord!”
“……?”
“Instead of all this, let’s work on something together!”
“Hey, I’m the one asking the questions.”
“I’ll take that as a yes!”
He had thought the Successor Beggar was a reasonable man, but he was more reckless and more of a madman than he had thought.