Chapter 112
Chapter 112
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Translator: penny
Chapter Title: Chapter 30: The Eve of the Journey to the Jianghu (3)
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I stared at the old man before me.
His white hair grew long down to below his shoulders, paired with neatly groomed white eyebrows.
The soft, curved eyes beneath his thick white brows gave him the typical dignified look of a gracefully aged elder.
"Is there something on my face?"
But when he slyly narrowed his eyes, a stream of madness poured out from beneath his eyelids.
That's right.
He might look like a kindly old man on the surface, but in truth, he was a freak even demonic cultists fled from in disgust.
The true face of Sima Baek, the grand leader of the Shadow Marriage Black Wind Division.
'Misfortune creeps in before you even notice.'
What was it like? Rather like a cat owner who blinks to find their pet rubbing against their feet after it had been sitting in a box moments before.
Except the thing rubbing up was a cat stripped of all cuteness, its twisted personality ballooned several times over, and all the fluffiness sucked out.
"Haah. Life really..."
I'd tried so hard to avoid him, yet here he was, already burrowed into my home.
With a sigh, Sima Baek's narrowed eyes snapped wide open toward Sima Yul.
"You fool! How could you serve as retainer when your lord's mood is this foul!"
No self-awareness that it was his fault?
"A true loyal retainer reads even his lord's heart."
If only he'd read the sincere plea in my heart and disappear.
"To think my one and only son is such a disappointment. How could I ever close my eyes in peace!"
Sima Baek scolded his child in a voice that sounded vigorous even after a hundred more years.
Sima Yul's face turned ashen under the relentless barrage.
'Guess I have to mediate.'
Otherwise, he'd end up strangled alive by his enraged father.
"Uncle Sima."
"Yes, my lord."
Chu Un-hwi asked the man, who had already reverted to his kindly face.
"How did you get in here?"
"It's a retainer's duty to follow their lord across icy peaks or seas of flame."
"No joking."
"Hohohoho."
Sima Baek replied with that grating, sly chuckle.
"I got lucky."
"Getting in and out of the Divine Martial Academy is 'luck'?"
"It's all heaven's will, guiding me to serve my lord."
Sima Baek spun his tale with a grin, then explained what had happened. Chu Un-hwi's jaw dropped as he listened.
"The Venomous Bee Swordsman Wang Wu?"
"That's right. A hidden master rebuilding the exterminated Kunlun Sect. Not a bad identity, eh?"
"Not bad? It's perfect."
A killer setup.
The destruction of Kunlun Sect was a legendary sore spot for the righteous factions.
Any righteous cultivator would swoon just at the claim of inheriting Kunlun's lineage.
'Hand a beggar a gold ingot, and here I am, a lowly instructor.'
Heaven, isn't the favoritism a bit much? But there was something odd.
"Where'd you get Kunlun Sect's martial arts from?"
"We snatched some from the Demonic Cult bastards."
"Well, since the Demonic Cult wiped out Kunlun, they'd have kept some arts."
But that alone wouldn't suffice.
Certain arts, like the 'Great Void Dragon Swordsmanship' passed only to the sect leader, weren't easy to come by.
Sima Baek answered the question plainly.
"We robbed the graves."
"What?"
Sima Baek's narrowed eyes gleamed dangerously.
"Some shady types started poking around Kunlun's old ruins at some point."
"I figured something was up, killed them, and searched the place myself."
"That's how we got Kunlun's arts."
Simple as that, right?
Chu Un-hwi's stomach churned at the sight of his white-haired retainer grinning like a puppy begging for praise.
"...So."
Chu Un-hwi pressed his forehead with his index finger.
"You killed Nether Society goons and stole their loot?"
"No, my lord."
Sima Baek denied it vehemently, like a loyalist falsely accused.
"Everything in the desert belongs to my lord, down to every grain of sand."
"They coveted what was yours, so the Nether Society scum brought it on themselves."
"Stealing from an owner means no room for excuses, even if their heads roll and bellies split."
"I'm sure the dead ones thought the same."
What the hell was he saying?
'Ah, we're screwed.'
That's why he'd stayed silent despite knowing about Kunlun's legacy.
The Nether Society drooled over Kunlun arts like starving dogs.
And he'd gleefully slaughtered them and stolen the arts?
'The Nether Society must be searching like mad now.'
I'd worked so hard to avoid entanglements, and he'd properly stirred up a storm.
My insides twisted in agony.
"Ah. My stomach... my stomach hurts."
Clutching his belly, Chu Un-hwi watched Sima Baek's eyes narrow again.
"You dullard! Can't you see your lord is upset!"
"It's all because you failed to serve him properly!"
It's you! You!
"Even subjugating the Murim Alliance and offering a golden throne wouldn't suffice, and you're stuck as a lowly instructor?"
"What have you been doing while things reached this point!"
"I've told you time and again to bring me the Murim Alliance Lord's head!"
Pecking at him like a woodpecker, Sima Yul's cheeks hollowed out in no time.
After a long scolding, Sima Baek shifted targets.
"My lord. Where is Dan-ya?"
"...Why Dan-ya?"
"Seems everyone's grown lax in my absence. Time for some discipline."
Ah, I see.
I wanted to brush it off, but the sly-eyed Sima Baek was too unnerving, so Chu Un-hwi deflected vaguely.
"He's not here right now."
"Leaving your... lord... unattended?"
Unattended? I'm not a kid.
But as expected, it didn't faze Sima Baek at all.
"It's worse than I thought. Mental fortification is urgently needed."
"Drop it. Getting in and out of the Divine Martial Academy is tricky."
So calm down and talk first.
But Sima Baek was adamant.
"Worry not, my lord."
And the item he pulled from his sleeve.
It was a slender silver badge gleaming iridescently.
"Huh? What's that?"
"The Beggars' Sect Elder's identification plaque."
A Beggars' Sect Elder's plaque?
"I figured something like this might come up and pocketed it."
Sima Baek grinned wickedly.
I always think this, but Sima Baek's resourcefulness is incredible.
Flashing the Beggars' Sect Elder's plaque, he moved about freely and easily obtained an exit pass.
Ggrrrrrr.
Chu Un-hwi was stunned to see the Silver Hall gate open in the dead of night.
"...First time this gate's opened outside regular hours."
"I've never seen anyone fool people with a smile like that except my father."
"Same here."
Agreeing with Yul, Chu Un-hwi eyed Sima Baek.
"Hohoho. Thanks for understanding this old man's stubbornness."
He'd either sweet-talked the gatekeeper with his kindly smile.
Or...
"It's urgent. Lives might be at stake. Rules matter, but saving people comes first, right?"
...coaxed the grumpy academy scribes dragged out at dawn.
And at the same time.
[Look into my eyes.]
While they were distracted by the plaque and his silver tongue, he slipped in hypnosis with skillful ease.
The result was this.
Grrrng. Thud.
Staring at the fully open drawbridge, Chu Un-hwi was dumbfounded.
'Was it this simple?'
What had I wasted half a year trying to sneak out for?
'Gotta admit what I suck at.'
Killing and smashing? Fine. But schemes and intrigue? Zero talent.
As the drawbridge lowered, the gatekeeper mumbled with half-lidded eyes.
"All set. Go on through."
"Thanks. You've lifted a huge weight off me. The jianghu stays peaceful thanks to folks like you."
"I'm honored to help Beggar Elder."
"The Beggars' Sect won't forget you."
Patting his shoulder in praise and tossing in blessings, Sima Baek returned.
"Something on this old face?"
"Nah. Just amazed."
"Hohoho. Let's go. Time's short."
Sima Baek's sly eyes cracked with villainy again.
"Night's too short to instill discipline in young Dan-ya."
An abandoned building on the outskirts of Infinite Citadel.
Barely any time since sending word via messenger bird, and already the stench of blood wafted over.
Slash!
Out from the shadows emerged Dan-ya.
Bandages soaked in blood fluttering, he waved cheerfully at us.
"He- hey! Lord. Even Uncle Sima's toes?"
Sima Baek's lips curved into a smile at the flailing Dan-ya.
"Young Dan-ya?"
But his voice was low and ominous.
Only then did Dan-ya notice Sima Baek's expression and stiffen.
"Sent to attend your lord, and here you are loafing about."
"Uh, Uncle Sima. It's like this..."
"Irresponsible as a retainer, and speaking so flippantly to your lord."
Killing intent laced his low voice.
Dan-ya's face paled instantly under the choking pressure.
"Wh-why are you so mad?"
"Hohoho. I'm not mad at all."
"Liar! Your eyes are scary!"
"Just pondering how to handle someone acting as they please without their lord."
Sima Baek twitched the corner of his mouth.
"Useless retainers deserve disposal."
"Eek!"
The intensified killing intent made the bandages writhing around Dan-ya tremble.
Sensing the dire mood.
"N-no! I was properly helping the lord!"
"The blood suggests you had quite the fun time."
"No! By the lord's order, I was hunting Nether Society spies..."
Dan-ya gestured emphatically with hands and bandages, but Sima Baek was firm.
"Abandoning your lord to catch a few minnows."
"Sent to aid the world's greatest bandit, and that's your excuse?"
"Calling yourself the lord's left arm while this irresponsible?"
"Looks like young Dan-ya needs some mental training."
Thoroughly refuted, Dan-ya looked ready to cry.
Sima Baek's expression grew even colder as he lectured.
His hypersensitive senses had intercepted even Dan-ya's telepathic plea.
Demonstrating a supernatural feat possible only at ghostly levels of perception.
"A retainer begging help from the lord instead of being helpful."
Truly hopeless.
Sima Baek's aura grew heavier.
"Gack! Gack!"
Throat strangled by killing intent, Dan-ya finally shrieked.
"Can't be helped! Finding the lord's proper wife is more important than the world's greatest bandit!"
Halt.
Sima Baek's killing intent cut off abruptly.
Then, like a broken wooden puppet, his head turned.
"Pro... per... wife...?"
Sima Yul, waiting for his chance, jumped in swiftly.
"I'll explain."
With a sigh, Sima Yul finally spoke.