CHAPTER 66: Moonlit Arhats
Everyone had fallen into deep slumber at the dead of night.
It was a night when a bright moon hung high in the heavens.
“Mm...”
Jin Muhon arrived at Gwiyuan Temple on the northern outskirts of Wuhan, exactly as Jegal Yunseo had described.
The signboard had fallen away, and the front gate was rotten and warped—an ancient, abandoned temple.
One might doubt whether the old Four Emperors alliance's faction could truly be here, for not even the hoot of an owl or the chirp of crickets disturbed the silence.
That stillness itself betrayed the presence of people.
Creeeak—
Jin Muhon pushed open the gate and stepped inside. A wail like the cry of damned souls pierced the darkness from the rusted hinges.
Step. Step. Step.
As he entered the courtyard overgrown with weeds, a damp sensation seeped up from underfoot.
No rain had fallen, yet the ground was a quagmire, the stench of decayed leaves mingled with soil assaulting his nostrils.
Rounding the great hall to enter the rear garden, Jin Muhon halted his steps.
“...Interesting.”
The first thing to catch his eye was over a hundred Arhat statues standing gloomily in the shadows.
And thick smoke laced with a bloody scent hung heavily over the garden soil.
Evidently an imitation of Blood Mist, styled after the so-called Blood Mist Sword Emperor.
Splash. Splash. Splash.
Jin Muhon advanced into the cluster of Arhats.
Mud quickly soiled the hem of his martial robes.
Paying it no mind, he pressed on to the center of the rear garden.
“......”
Jin Muhon stopped. The air around him twitched faintly.
With a smirk, he drove his fist straight into the face of the Arhat statue beside him.
Thud!
“Gah!”
A man who had stood rigid as stone screamed and tumbled far away.
Shouts soon erupted from all around.
“Fuck! Busted!”
“Get 'im!”
Dozens of men disguised as Arhats surged forward in a mob.
Whoosh—!
In the blink of an eye, a fist shot toward Jin Muhon's face.
He fell back with agile footwork.
Splash!
The mud clutched at his feet.
Unable to retreat as planned, his vision filled with a massive incoming fist.
“Your effort is commendable.”
Jin Muhon jerked his head back to evade, then snapped out a chop to sever the punch and smashed the opponent's jaw.
Thud!
“Graaahk!”
Blood sprayed from the man's mouth as his head whipped backward.
“You bastard!!”
Men positioned from every direction lunged with arms and fists extended.
Jin Muhon circulated his upper dantian inner energy.
Whummm—
The men's ferocious charge slowed to a crawl.
In that state, Jin Muhon scanned his surroundings.
No killing intent in particular; none carried weapons.
Strange bunch.
Rather than draw the Four Emperors Sword, Jin Muhon raised his fists.
No need to unleash lethal techniques on foes who bared no murderous aura.
Revenge begets revenge.
He had no desire for the karma of blood he spilled to taint Jin Hayeon.
Thud-thud-thud-thud!
“Gaaahk!”
“Ugh!”
With every flash of Jin Muhon's fists, bone and flesh resounded in agonized cries.
In less than a quarter hour, the Arhat men writhed in the mud, clutching wounds across their bodies.
“Ughhh...”
“Kuhk...”
Some had caved-in noses, others missing front teeth.
Jin Muhon gazed down impassively and spoke.
“Were you waiting for me?”
It was then.
Splash. Splash. Splash.
A man emerged from behind the Arhats.
A hulking frame radiating savage menace.
As if a lion had stalked forth from the gloom.
As the man squared off against Jin Muhon, the fallen warriors groaned and staggered to their feet one by one.
The man glanced around with an unexpected look.
“You lot didn't croak?”
“Aigoo, Hall Leader. My nose caved in. I'm a goner.”
“My teeth shattered!”
To the chorus of complaints bursting from everywhere, the man bared his teeth and eyed Jin Muhon.
“You're the one who called us, right?”
Jin Muhon quirked his lip slightly.
“What bullshit. Like I'd summon you without knowing who you are.”
“Ain't you that Blood Mist Sword Emperor fucker?”
The man cocked his head and bellowed at his groaning subordinate.
“Hey, you idiots! That him?”
“W-well, Haomen said gear up pronto, so we came... didn't ask details.”
“Then why're you all flat on your asses like morons?”
“He hit first! We just stand there and eat it?”
“You fuckers...”
The burly man seemed their chief, but unlike other sects, discipline was lax.
Strength alone commanded respect; a sense of wild freedom emanated from the men.
Watching their antics, Jegal Yunmyeong's words surfaced in Jin Muhon's mind.
A faction of ronin, was it.
“You morons! Charging blind without ID'ing the mark!”
“Then you ask yourself, Hall Leader...”
“What the fuck! Who said that! Who just piped up!”
The man heaved ragged breaths, whipping his gaze through the shadows.
Yet fearing him, all clamped their mouths shut.
Jin Muhon, observing, spoke up.
“You lot. Tyrant Hall?”
“Huh?”
The man's head turned slowly toward Jin Muhon.
By now, battle lust blazed in his eyes.
“Figured. You're the Blood Mist Sword Emperor. But why no sword?”
“You're empty-handed too.”
“If we'd drawn?”
“All dead.”
“......”
The man glared, staring intently for a moment.
Then—shing—he drew his blade.
“I'm Gwak Woong, Tyrant Hall Leader.”
Jin Muhon drew his Four Emperors Sword.
“Jin Muhon.”
“Jin Muhon... New name to me. You really the successor to the Lian Lord?”
“......”
Poised to deny it outright, Jin Muhon opened his mouth—then closed it.
No formal master-disciple tie existed, yet he had mastered the Fate Soul Heaven Sacrificing Scripture.
Moreover, he'd received its incantation straight from Dan Ri-ye's lingering obsession.
Hmm... successor...
Whoever started the rumor knew nothing of the truth.
Even Jin Muhon hadn't reconsidered his link to Dan Ri-ye until questioned.
“Well, you could call it that.”
“Good. Prove it.”
“Tch. Why should—”
“Haaap!!”
As Jin Muhon spoke, Gwak Woong exploded forward in a sudden charge.
His footwork nimble despite the massive bulk.
Slaaash—
Moonlight gleamed along the sword's arc, slicing the dark.
Jin Muhon stepped left foot forward, twisting to deflect Gwak Woong's blade.
Clang!
“Uaaaah!!”
Gwak Woong barreled his shoulder into Jin Muhon, riding the momentum.
True to ronin roots—not refined swordplay, but a street fighter's brutal strike.
From his off-balance stance, Jin Muhon thrust his left palm to shove Gwak Woong's shoulder, then hammered the exposed flank.
Thud!
“Kuh!”
Gwak Woong grunted, stumbling back.
Yet even from there, he swept his sword horizontally.
Whoooosh—
If inclined, Jin Muhon could've brought down the Four Emperors Sword and severed Gwak Woong's neck.
But the raw, unmalicious battle fervor kindled a heat in Jin Muhon's chest.
Clang—!
Gwak Woong's blade met Jin Muhon's once more.
His ambush foiled, he bulged his eyes in shock and tried to pull back.
Splash! Splash! Splash!
Mud flew in all directions.
Jin Muhon surged ahead, left fist thrusting.
Thud! Thump! Thud! Thud-thud!
“Graaahk!”
Jaw, ribs, gut, face.
Gwak Woong flung up both arms in desperate block, but Jin Muhon's fists doggedly invaded every gap.
What the hell fists!
Seemingly light strikes, yet each landed like a boulder.
Before he knew it, Gwak Woong's head reeled, breath coming in gasps.
I'm gonna die!
Sensing doom, Gwak Woong poured everything into raising his arms.
As if anticipating, Jin Muhon swept-kicked his leg.
Thwack!
“Uk?!!”
One blow toppled the giant Gwak Woong sideways, launching him airborne.
Jin Muhon followed with another gut kick.
Thud!
“Kuuuuhk!”
Gwak Woong soared far, splashing and rolling in the mire.
“Hall Leader!”
“Hall Leader!”
Of the forty-odd subordinates, five rushed to Gwak Woong while the rest blocked Jin Muhon.
Jin Muhon rolled his neck side to side, eyes fixed steadily on the Tyrant Hall warriors.
“Continue?”
In the grim tension, facing dozens without flinching, Jin Muhon betrayed no unease.
They had ambushed and encircled him first, yet the Tyrant Hall men paled as if caught in their own trap.
“Blood Mist... Sword Emperor...”
A low groan leaked from someone's lips.
Fear and awe, respect and anticipation all entwined in the voice.
Jin Muhon summoned his Blood Mist.
Ssssss—
“Gasp!”
“......!”
“T-that's Blood Mist!”
Under the moonlight, blood-red fog billowed up, sweeping away the smoke that filled the garden.
The Blood Mist devoured the surroundings in an instant, engulfing the Tyrant Hall warriors.
Post-shedding, its control far more refined.
Within the crimson haze, the Tyrant Hall men lost all will to fight, as if mired in quicksand.
“Grrrh. Outta the way.”
Gwak Woong shoved aside his supporting men from behind and stepped forward.
His battered face was grotesquely swollen.
Gwak Woong glared at Jin Muhon, eyes ablaze.
“I ain't gone all out yet.”
Jin Muhon nodded.
“I know.”
“For real... even you couldn't last dozens of bouts unscathed.”
Dozens of exchanges.
The Tyrant Hall Leader's pride—but Jin Muhon saw no need to shatter it.
“You get the commission fee?”
“...Huh?”
“Ronin wagering life without pay? Ain't nothing stupider.”
“......”
Gwak Woong blinked his beady eyes, then threw his head back in roaring laughter.
“Hahahaha!”
Not particularly funny, yet the other Tyrant Hall ronin joined in.
“Kekekeke!”
“Spot on! Why the fuck we bustin' ass for free?”
“Hall Leader! Squeeze that Haomen Lord for medical at least!”
Ptooey—!
Gwak Woong hawked a thick glob of phlegm.
Bloody spittle splashed onto the mud.
“Shut it, you brutes. Beat like dogs and what's with the giggling?”
“You took the worst of it!”
“Fuck. Fair.”
Gwak Woong slowly lowered his sword.
Then—thud—he dropped to his knees, bowing his head.
The leader followed suit, and the other ronin knelt as one.
Jin Muhon narrowed his eyes, looking down upon the Tyrant Hall ronin.
Gwak Woong lifted his head and spoke.
“We pay respects to the Four Emperors. Why so late?”
“......”
Jin Muhon offered no reply.
The Tyrant Hall ronin raised their voices in unison.
“We pay respects to the Four Emperors!”
Jin Muhon glanced skyward.
The bright moon rode swift-passing clouds.
“Where's the Haomen Lord?”
Eyes fixed on the drifting clouds, Jin Muhon spoke.
Gwak Woong answered swiftly.
“With the others, awaiting the Four Emperors at headquarters.”
Jin Muhon furrowed his brow.
“Somewhere else?”
“Heh heh heh. Nah. Lads!”
Gwak Woong turned and bellowed.
Five ronin rose, grunting as they shoved one of the Arhats.
Rumble—
As the statue shifted, descending stone stairs revealed themselves below.
Gwak Woong stood, pointing to the steps.
“This way. We'll escort you.”
“......”
Jin Muhon took a step forward.