Chapter 83
Chapter 83
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 83
Chapter Title: Appearance of Hidden Masters
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Heuk Do-san rolled his eyes, feeling the stares of the crowd. It was clear. That Heavenly Wind Young Master or whatever he was had pointed him out as the one holding the treasure map.
'Is that sleazy bastard out of his mind?'
"Is that guy the one for sure?" the strange monk asked the Heavenly Wind Young Master, his eyes fixed on Heuk Do-san. The Heavenly Wind Young Master, also staring at Heuk Do-san, replied.
"The moment I entered the pleasure house, I spotted the woman. That's when I saw that disheveled guy whispering with her before sneaking to his feet."
Heuk Do-san couldn't hold back any longer.
"I didn't sneak to my feet—I stood up boldly, you sleazy bastard. And we weren't whispering; it was a farewell greeting."
"Why the farewell greeting?"
"Why should I have to explain that?"
"Heh heh, sounds like you've got something to hide. Naturally you would. Right before you stood up from that table, that woman handed you something. You tucked it secretly into your bosom and then got up. Don't bother denying it. I saw it clear as day with my own two eyes."
"Is this what you're talking about?"
Heuk Do-san freely pulled out the wine jar he'd received from Yong Seol-ran and held it up.
"I met her here for the first time today, happened to share a table, and as we parted ways, she gave me this leftover jar of wine... Why the hell am I even making excuses like this?"
The wine jar Heuk Do-san held out was identical to those on every table in the pleasure house.
The Heavenly Wind Young Master's face turned ashen, wondering if he'd stepped in it again. If so, he was a dead man this time.
But the strange monk was different. In a deeply calm voice, he said,
"Smash the wine jar."
In that instant, Heuk Do-san's expression hardened.
'No way, right?'
He struck the jar against the edge of the table. With a clunk, clear liquor poured out in streams. Amid it all, a tightly rolled scrap of paper emerged.
"......!"
Silence fell over the room like a bucket of ice water, with Heuk Do-san at the lead. After a mouse-still hush, Heuk Do-san picked up the paper scrap.
Unrolling the oil-treated paper revealed a palm-sized map etched with intricate lines.
"See? I was right!"
The Heavenly Wind Young Master bellowed at the top of his lungs.
But no one reacted, their eyes locked solely on the treasure map.
The air in the pleasure house turned frigid as if doused in ice water, people's eyes gleaming with greed.
Some were already slowly drawing their swords. The slightest spark would send them lunging to hack away—the target, naturally, the holder of the treasure map.
It was a powder keg ready to blow. Heuk Do-san shot a cold glare at Yong Seol-ran.
Her face pale, Yong Seol-ran floundered in confusion. Bang Daegang and the escorts, seemingly unaware of the situation, gawked wide-eyed at her and Heuk Do-san in turn.
Heuk Do-san said,
"Why was this in my possession?"
"I thought you were leaving. It was the only way to safely smuggle the treasure map out."
"You planned to come back for it later."
"You should've left right after standing up earlier. Then none of this would've happened..."
"Are you saying this is my fault?"
"That's not what I... Sigh. My greed dragged an innocent young master into danger. I'm truly sorry."
"How exactly am I in danger?"
"What?"
Heuk Do-san casually tossed the treasure map toward Yong Seol-ran. As it flew through the air, the crowd flinched sharply.
But it landed precisely in Yong Seol-ran's hand.
The room filled with baffled expressions. Why return the treasure map everyone was dying to claim?
On second thought, it wasn't so hard to understand. No matter how tempting the treasure, it wasn't worth more than one's life. In the end, that disheveled weirdo must have such pitiful martial arts and a coward's heart that he couldn't even keep a treasure that fell into his lap.
Every gaze shifted, the killing intent pouring from their eyes abandoning Heuk Do-san for Yong Seol-ran.
Yong Seol-ran was so stunned she couldn't speak. She rubbed her eyes in disbelief several times.
She'd figured, since things had come to this, he'd fight to protect the treasure to the end. But to give it up so easily...
With the treasure map finally revealed, the atmosphere in the pleasure house grew more murderous than ever.
Yet greed aside, no one dared move first. They knew lunging blindly at the map would make them the first to die. They just eyed each other warily, unsure what to do.
The strange monk's lips curled greedily. His gaze no longer lingered on Yong Seol-ran. It turned to Hong Gongtak, whose eyes burned with equal avarice.
"Shall we discuss our business now?"
"Back off quietly, and you'll keep your life."
"I told you it's not something solved by mere words."
"Are you thinking of challenging the Righteous Alliance?"
"What nerve does a wandering monk like me have to challenge the Righteous Alliance? Unless we grab the loot and run. Come to think of it, that sounds like a gamble worth taking."
"You've got some cunning, but you picked the wrong opponent. Even if heaven favors you and you beat us, you'd still have to face the rest alone with your wounds. Have you considered that?"
"Abandon a little greed, and many more paths open up."
The strange monk chuckled lightly, then proclaimed loudly for all to hear.
"Is there a hero here willing to gamble with me? They say it's wealth enough to buy a First Star Lord rank—more than anyone here could handle even if split equally."
His words sent a massive stir through the pleasure house.
Truth be told, having witnessed the astounding martial prowess of the Pursuing Soul Ten Ghosts and Hong Gongtak moments ago, the crowd harbored some unease. And behind them stood the Righteous Alliance.
But the monk's words and the lure of treasure overpowered their fear.
Someone shouted,
"Can we trust that?"
"My answer is simple. If the Demonic Cult's treasure falls into the Pursuing Soul Ten Ghosts' hands, as you know, it becomes the Righteous Alliance's from then on. But if we find it first, even the Righteous Alliance can't claim ownership lightly."
"They could just take it by force."
"Then we find it first and divide it up. No matter how mighty the Righteous Alliance, they won't scour every person and sect here to reclaim it. That would make them no better than bandits..."
In other words, to avoid becoming the Righteous Alliance's target, they had no choice but to share.
The monk's words were like a spark to oil. Those waiting for their chance drew swords and blades everywhere.
Even the lowlifes reduced to spectators by the Kunlun Five Killers and Pursuing Soul Ten Ghosts drew their weapons one after another.
In an instant, over forty people gathered around the strange monk—more than half of everyone in the pleasure house.
Heuk Do-san couldn't suppress a sneer.
The monk's words were blatant lies. Those flocking to him surely harbored ulterior motives as well.
Treasures weren't treasures because they could be shared. They knew that full well. But if the map ended up with the Pursuing Soul Ten Ghosts as the monk claimed, it truly would become the Righteous Alliance's loot. So this was their last shot at claiming it, drawing them like moths to flame.
'The old monk's good at stirring the pot.'
Hong Gongtak's face twisted in disgust.
No matter how invincible the Pursuing Soul Ten Ghosts' formation, facing forty martial artists—including scattered experts—all at once was impossible.
But he still had a hidden card.
"Since it's come to this, why not reveal your identity plainly? Don't I deserve to know who I'm about to cut down?"
"I told you it's not a name worth boasting."
Then a voice cut in suddenly.
"Excessive humility becomes arrogance. If Skull Staff Murder Buddha isn't a name worth boasting, who in the world could casually proclaim theirs?"
"Skull" meant a skull-topped staff, and "staff" a walking stick.
Skull Staff Murder Buddha literally meant a monk who wandered with a staff adorned in skull toppers, committing murders.
He was an infamous great demonic fiend whose reputation eclipsed the likes of the Kunlun Five Killers. His martial arts surpassed most sect leaders, and his brutality—evident from his gruesome moniker—would make devils weep.
Yet twenty years ago, he'd vanished without a trace, fading from talk. Now he reappeared as an old man.
The air in the pleasure house roiled uncontrollably. Especially those who'd drawn swords on his side, thrilled to have such an unexpected master as an ally, brimmed with confidence.
As the excitement settled, gazes naturally turned to the small table by the entrance where the voice had come from.
There sat an old man, a sword propped slantwise beside him, drinking alone.
Around seventy, perhaps?
Petite and frail, dressed in light blue robes unfit for the chilly northern weather, he evoked the image of a pure, ascetic Taoist elder.
The second strongest among the house's top three had appeared.
Skull Staff Murder Buddha showed no surprise or fluster, as if he'd anticipated his presence. He even knew his identity.
"How could this monk's meager name compare to the ancient tree of Kongtong Mountain? It's an honor to meet you, though late. Cheongjin Daoist."
The Kongtong Sect, on Kongtong Mountain in southwestern Shaanxi, was an ancient Taoist sect—one of the famed Nine Great Sects. Its pinnacle arts, the Demon-Subduing Golden Seal that could shatter even the Vajra Indestructible Body and the Demon-Subduing Sword that subdued all worldly demons, needed no introduction.
Cheongjin Daoist was one of the sect's eight great elders. And the Kongtong Sect was part of the Righteous Alliance.
In short, Cheongjin Daoist was the hidden ally Hong Gongtak had brought with the Pursuing Soul Ten Ghosts.
While they tracked the Golden Axe Thrower King, he'd apparently come to Tongmeng Fortress as a diversion, lying in wait for the treasure map.
That single name sent the room into another frenzy.
Heuk Do-san thought,
'So that's their ace.'
First Skull Staff Murder Buddha, now Cheongjin Daoist.
The situation spiraled out of control. Even among those gathered by Skull Staff Murder Buddha, some muttered low curses. Their foes were simply too formidable.
Cheongjin Daoist bellowed like thunder.
"How dare a monk who upholds Buddha's teachings covet wealth?"
"Wandering and begging alms here and there, fifty years flew by before I knew it. If you see this as one final grand collection before I grow too old, I'd be grateful."
"Outrageous nonsense! Who do you think you're fooling with that vile tongue!"
Cheongjin Daoist's roar echoed through all of Tongmeng Fortress. Those with weak inner power felt their eardrums might burst from the lion's roar.
The crowd felt a chill of terror.
Sweeping his gaze over the room, Cheongjin Daoist thundered sternly.
"The Righteous Alliance toppled the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult at the cost of countless sacrifices. Has anyone here contributed even a single drop of blood to driving them out? If so, step forward now. I'll gladly escort you to the Alliance for ample reward."
In the deathly silence, Cheongjin Daoist's stern warning continued.
"But if not, get out of this pleasure house right now. Should you stay blinded by treasure to the end, you'll be deemed bandits, and I will show no mercy!"
His fiery roar instilled ample fear. With him backing the Pursuing Soul Ten Ghosts, it was no empty threat.
Yet no one budged. They'd come too far to give up easily. And the treasure's quantity was immense. Decisively, Skull Staff Murder Buddha was there.
Truth be told, his martial arts fell a bit short of Cheongjin Daoist's.
But if the others overwhelmed the Pursuing Soul Ten Ghosts with numbers, then aided Skull Staff Murder Buddha in a pincer attack, even Cheongjin Daoist wasn't guaranteed survival. Perhaps Skull Staff Murder Buddha had provoked them foreseeing exactly this. No, it seemed certain.
"Tsk tsk tsk, foolish mortals."
Cheongjin Daoist clicked his tongue.
Without hesitation, he turned to Hong Gongtak and said,
"Begin."
"As you command."
That was when it happened.
"Who dares raise their voice on my turf!"
With a booming voice, the burly giant sitting beside Heuk Do-san rose. Just standing exuded immense pressure.
The last of the top three strongest had finally appeared.
Heuk Do-san watched, arms crossed.
'Things are getting bigger and bigger.'