Chapter 125: Mu Jin
“Slow, huh. Not even worth drawing my sword for.”
My heart felt like it was about to burst even as I said it.
In truth, I hadn't aimed my fist at his bow—I'd gone straight for his heart.
I'd missed.
No matter how renowned Song Yang Geon was in the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's war against the murim world, that was from a world without me in it.
The original Murim Returner storyline and my current reality had already diverged so far that the gap was impossible to bridge.
And my opponent was a Super Peak master, no less.
One who could wield gang hwan—gang qi manifestations—at his young age, to boot.
When the Time Wheel Jade triggered Guardian Return and his ironclad defense still pierced through, I genuinely thought I was done for.
This wasn't a situation where anyone could afford to hold back.
I had to go all out, infuse every strike with killing intent, or I'd be the one dying.
That's why I'd holed up in the Punishment Cave for the past three days, pouring everything into mastering Domination Step.
The result? I could use it in actual combat—at least to a practical degree.
I still couldn't unleash sword strikes with it fluidly. I could manage, but it was so awkward it'd be better not to bother.
Instead, I could chain it into Bung Kwon combos smoothly enough.
The problem? This was my first time using Domination Step for real.
And that led to this.
The strategy itself had worked: leap into the air to bait his guard down, chain blinks to maintain momentum, then strike.
Just... my aim sucked.
[Not much inner energy left in me either, you monster. Even with the Time Wheel Jade, that's barely two seconds by your reckoning.]
Domination Step, built around one-strike kills, guzzled energy like crazy.
Despite absorbing plenty of inner energy in the Punishment Cave, a handful of exchanges had nearly drained Pa Cheon's reserves dry.
Which meant...
My bluff had to land right now.
Any further moves from me might just provoke him instead.
“Me...? Slow?”
Song Yang Geon stared at his trembling hands. His greatbow lay shattered from Bung Kwon's force, and his hands were a mangled mess.
“Not even worth drawing a sword for...?”
I channeled more Heavenly Demon Divine Art qi, glaring with all the intensity I could muster.
A full-throttle performance, every detail poured into my eyes.
Sure, the archer had lost his bow—but he was a Super Peak master who wielded gang qi like arrows.
If he wanted, he could counter with lethal close-range strikes.
But the fact he wasn't spouting his usual weird bookish speech? That meant he'd taken a real shock.
Come on! Sell it! Sell it!
I prayed desperately in my head.
And then...
Song Yang Geon's tightly shut mouth finally opened.
“As the book says, recognizing your foe is a true man's virtue.”
He bowed his head.
“I yield. Young Master Sado. I acknowledge my defeat.”
The instant he did...
“Woooaaah!”
“He's insane!!!”
“Sado Hwan! Sado Hwan! Sado Hwan!”
Cheers exploded from the audience stands, where everyone had been holding their breath.
...Fuck. Thought I was dead.
The tension drained out of me, but I couldn't drop character yet.
“Don't be disheartened. You've proven yourself plenty worthy.”
Flap!
I spun dramatically, robes billowing, and strode out of the training grounds.
Only once I was back in my room did I finally...
“Haa.”
...collapse into my chair, every muscle unclenching.
“Hey, Pa Cheon.”
[What?]
“We won. Fuck. I beat a Super Peak.”
[You idiot.]
Pa Cheon snorted.
[You had a perfect plan exploiting his inexperience, and you nearly blew it fumbling Domination Step.]
“Hey.”
[You did good.]
Pa Cheon floated up, beaming.
[You did good, you monster. We won. We won!]
His voice—excited in a way I'd never heard—cracked into manic laughter.
[We won! Beat a Super Peak!]
He buzzed around even happier than me.
[What's a Super Peak? Arrogant pricks forcing their will on the world! And we beat one!]
“...”
[Hey, monster. Don't just sit there. We gotta celebrate—get some booze!]
“...Yeah.”
I chuckled.
For once, I could sleep like a rock.
The news that Sado Hwan had defeated a “non-ranking” Super Peak rocked the entire Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
Everyone was talking about it, no matter where you went.
Even in Ma Ui Pavilion, packed with patients.
“Damn it!”
Yu Il O, his upper body wrapped in bandages, grumbled like it was the greatest injustice. Acupuncture needles studded his exposed abdomen.
“Of all times, I had to be laid up for that?!”
“Easy now. We barely drew out that deep-seated cold qi. Get riled up and stimulate your yang energy, it'll hide again.”
“Easier said than done.”
Ma Ui shook his head at Yu Il O's sigh.
“What's with the fuss over something so obvious?”
“What?”
“Young Master Sado winning is a given.”
Yu Il O narrowed his eyes at Ma Ui's words.
“You serious?”
“Of course.”
Ma Ui dipped a long needle into a special solution, casual as ever.
“Young Master Sado's a genius. His talent might rival the Divine Sovereign's—or surpass it.”
Those born with Blocked Meridians couldn't cultivate arts, but gained peerless intellect. Overcoming that to wield martial arts? (Ma Ui's misconception, of course.) Naturally, his talent would be absurd.
“Huh? How do you know?”
“Stings, doesn't it?”
Poke! Ma Ui jabbed a needle unhesitatingly near Yu Il O's solar plexus.
“I'm Ma Ui. I can tell just by examining.”
“What about me, then?”
“Born with world-best warrior potential.”
As Yu Il O grinned smugly, Ma Ui continued.
“If not for the Divine Sovereign and Young Master Sado.”
“Harsh rating.”
“Just facts. Hold still—one more. Stingy.”
“Ugh!”
“No whining.”
Ma Ui flicked the needle's end with a finger.
To an onlooker, it looked like bullying—but it was a subtle qi injection to stimulate his energy, a precise treatment.
“Urk!”
“Don't push it, Yu Il O. Your style burns life force like kindling. Keep fighting like that, you won't die peacefully. You're already breaking down.”
“My life's on the blade's edge anyway.”
“Cult folks—all of you itching for death.”
“A sparrow chasing a crane tears its legs running. Otherwise, you don't even get close.”
Ma Ui shook his head, baffled.
“And what do you gain from that?”
“A warrior's pride.”
“Empty words.”
“Non-warriors wouldn't get it. That blood-boiling rush from victory. Young Master Sado must've loved it.”
Ma Ui eyed Yu Il O's expression and quipped,
“Yu Il O, you're planning to challenge him, aren't you?”
“That obvious?”
“Your fingers are twitching like you can't hold back.”
“Curious, yeah.”
Yu Il O tapped his chest.
“The Divine Sovereign landed the exact same wound in the exact same spot—perfectly. Last time I got close; this time, not even.”
“That good?”
“Call the Divine Sovereign a monster? ...Yeah. Nothing else in my meager knowledge fits.”
The moment he'd glimpsed Yi Se-ryeong's colossal simsang, Yu Il O felt erased—naked in a blank white void, utterly powerless.
How could a human harbor such immensity?
“Swallowed the world in her gaze. Like seasons shifting. True masters probably felt the pressure from her upper dantian's simsang.”
“That upper dantian thing intrigues me too. Sensing the unreal?”
“You'd change your tune if you'd seen her simsang.”
Yu Il O shuddered.
“Talent on her level—or beyond. How could I not be curious?”
“I see.”
Ma Ui quietly pulled out some vials. Then...
“But.”
Yu Il O grinned slyly.
“Can't pluck unripe fruit. Not yet. Gotta wait.”
“Wait for what?”
“Ma Ui, you know war's coming.”
“Probably. Keeps this old body busy.”
“War's tragedy, sure—but for warriors, a chance to refine our realms.”
Yu Il O smacked his lips.
“By then, the fruit'll be ripe.”
“Right.”
Yu Il O kept grinning mischievously. Ma Ui watched, then stowed the vials.
“Weren't you gonna apply medicine?”
“You look cured just talking. No need.”
“High praise.”
Yu Il O nodded carelessly.
Ma Ui sank into thought.
Not time to kill him yet.
Sado Hwan was medicine's future.
Obstruct that? Remove him, naturally.
Thump!
The gu poison in his heart pulsed pleasantly.
“Why are you here?”
“The food's delicious, of course!”
“...”
I stared at Song Yang Geon, dumbfounded.
“I demolished my house on the way out anyway!”
“Not what I meant.”
“Ah!”
Song Yang Geon nodded.
“Because Young Master Sado is awesome!”
Pa Cheon and I thought it simultaneously.
[Tak Horak's doing.]
Tak Horak's handiwork.
I'd told them to treat him politely as a guest—not gaslight him.
Fresh off the mountain, the country boy was fully dyed now.
“I wanna join the Black Shadow Guard too! The book says: respect foes, learn what you can!”
On second thought, maybe it was for the best.
Tak Horak's thorough indoctrination(?) had turned this challenger into a blind follower despite the loss.
Snagging a 28-year-old gang hwan archer master as a subordinate? That opened new options.
“Tell Team Leader Tak I approve.”
I scribbled a note okaying Song Yang Geon's enlistment and handed it over.
“P.S. No Formless Phantom Shift inside clan grounds.”
“Stifling, but got it!”
Song Yang Geon beamed and bounced out happily.
[Pure crazy bastard, confirmed.]
I nodded at Pa Cheon's words, sipping tea.
[Speaking of... Sa Wol. When's she coming back? It's been a week.]
River searches aren't easy. Travel time alone...
At first, her absence as my constant shadow felt oddly empty.
Now it was worse.
With her here, I'd save on headaches.
[That's all?]
What else?
[Fine. Wait—footsteps. Speak of the tiger... it's Sa Wol.]
I donned my stern face again and downed my tea.
“You're back.”
Sa Wol emerged silently.
Her default stoic face was extra grim now.
As I sensed trouble and opened my mouth...
She spoke first.
“Young Master.”
“Find something?”
Her next words nearly shattered my composure.
“Do you know the Soul Swap Great Law... and the name Mu Jin?”