Chapter 166
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 166
Chapter Title: This is Fame Too (3)
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No Gang-wi, who couldn't even withstand the first form before collapsing in defeat, dropped to his knees as his strength gave out. When he had charged in, he'd planned to counter with the Azure Wolf Flash of the Azure Wolf Six Battle Spears. But in an instant, a flash of light sliced his spear clean off. Twenty years of training, and he hadn't even grazed this green kid half his age.
Mujin approached No Gang-wi, who stared in dazed disbelief.
And quietly said,
"Aren't you ashamed? If it were me, I'd be too embarrassed to show my face and just go farm rice paddies."
Cough!
Though his spear shaft had been severed, he hadn't taken any direct hit to the body. Even so, No Gang-wi foamed at the mouth like a man possessed and passed out.
Ker-r-r!
His big mouth had just proven stronger than his martial arts.
Mujin offered no words of comfort. The guy's intentions had been impure from the start. It was the perfect end for someone whose scheme to steal fame was plain as day.
Know your place before picking a fight.
There were far too many fools chasing fame through martial arts when they should've learned a trade or farming techniques. Nations needed farmers and merchants to thrive. Talent wasted elsewhere was why countries faltered.
He got it, though.
"Farming's tough, yeah. No money in it."
Sweat under the blazing sun from dawn to dusk paled compared to the fame and power high masters enjoyed. Farmers were just easy targets for exploitation, the village punching bags. A glance at history's peasant revolts made it obvious.
But the challengers didn't let up afterward.
They aimed to defeat the Heavenly Fist and claim his fame and luck for themselves. It proved they lacked the skill to match the spotlight they'd drawn. No wonder challengers kept coming.
Each time, Mujin didn't even bother facing them himself—he sent proxies.
"Yeok Chil, handle it."
"Yes, Sir Kang!"
The one who'd introduced himself as the Underworld Sword Hero nearly got his ticket stamped for the afterlife from Yeok Chil's kick.
Namgung Yeon-hwa stepped up for the next. The guy demanding to be called Red Lightning Fist didn't even get his name out before her fist sent him lights-out.
By the time they reached Danyang, there'd been dozens of challenges. Most were bluster from posers, but a tiny few had real skill.
Still, none broke through Namgung Yeon-hwa, Yeok Chil, or Taejin. They put up a fight, then folded.
Sometimes groups rushed in, banking on numbers to win and snag the fame. But it stayed just a plan.
Namgung Yeon-hwa, Yeok Chil, and Taejin's teamwork was flawless without even syncing breaths—a payoff from their sparring sessions.
Namgung Yeon-hwa, Yeok Chil, and Taejin got plenty of experience. Not top-tier foes, but a peek at the jianghu's ugliness.
"You're getting better."
"Damn it."
"This is all my deep consideration for you all."
"How is it?"
Namgung Yeon-hwa bristled at Mujin's calculated bullshit. She hated admitting it, but her skills had sharpened. Same for Yeok Chil and Taejin, who stayed quiet.
Things unfolded as expected after that.
With proxies handling everything while Mujin sat out, public opinion soured further. Doubts arose: Hadn't his entourage really solved all this, not him?
Public sentiment is fickle.
Once it sours, turning it back is no easy feat. Especially with repeated slip-ups—it sticks, hard to shake.
Thus, Mujin became synonymous with blind luck. His own arrogance lent it credibility. No matter how he denied it, people wouldn't buy it.
As defeats piled up, doubts amplified into "facts." Mujin didn't care—he hid behind his proxies, running his mouth.
"...Infuriating!"
"You think it's normal to challenge me with that level of skill? Go suck on your mom's tit some more."
"You coward, come out here!"
"Who's hiding? You think you can beat me if you can't even beat my kid? What a joke."
The weaker they were against breaching Mujin's ironclad defense, the more inferiority fueled their malicious rumors.
He understood. Losers with nothing to show needed some solace. If the opponent cheated, it softened the sting.
A elegantly inked plaque caught his eye, brimming with power. Master calligrapher's touch, no doubt.
Guo Family Manor.
He pulled the carriage to the main gate. Hearing the horses, the gatekeeper swung it open.
"Who might you be?"
"Heavenly Fist Kang Mujin of the Qingyang Pine Tiger Sect. Be sure to announce me as such."
Mujin revealed his identity and asked for someone he knew.
"Why here?"
"They urgently asked me to come, so I stopped by while passing through."
"No ulterior motives?"
"That paranoia of yours."
"I just don't wanna get blindsided again without knowing."
"They really begged from Guo Family Manor. No other agenda. Though they might've changed their minds."
He hadn't mulled it deeply. Tied by marriage and blood to his wife's family, he swung by before heading to the Huangbo household. But if rumors had sparked paranoia, he was willing to cure it. Treatment wouldn't be cheap, of course. Free fixes never work anyway.
The gatekeeper relayed the message, and a familiar face hurried out. Spotting Mujin, he welcomed him warmly.
"Why so late? I was dying waiting for you."
"Had my reasons. But how long you gonna keep me standing?"
"My bad, my bad. Come on in."
"You say you've been waiting, yet you're always late. Feels like you're pretending not to know."
"No such thing."
Guo Cheol-woong, inwardly flinching, barely hid it. Never treat this man lightly, past or present. First time might pass as politeness, but Mujin always cut straight to the chase.
Guo Cheol-woong led Mujin to a guesthouse prepared for honored visitors.
The courtyard and garden blended nicely—well-built, all told. No big thrills, though. After Nangong's Five Saints Garden, it felt underwhelming. Humans always look up, never down. That's why matters.
'I don't need beginner's mind.'
-Don't get cocky.
'A peerless master like me acting humble would just weird people out.'
-Shameless to the core. Anyway, don't forget—our enemies are strong.
'That's why I'm circulating qi non-stop.'
-Heartless bastard. You'll regret it someday.
'We're one.'
One thing was certain: When I die, the Demon King comes with. Can't go alone. Natural death? Still dragging him.
"Let's cut to the chase. Bring the real deal."
"What's the rush? Eat first, then we can look it over leisurely."
"Rumors fly fast elsewhere, but you're slow here. If it's not trustworthy, I'll head out."
"Not trustworthy? No way. Give us a moment. Circumstances, you see."
"If there are circumstances, fine. But I've got a schedule, so let's wrap this quick."
"Of course. Just wait a bit—you'll see my brother soon."
Guo Cheol-woong earnestly instructed the maids to serve him well, then left the guesthouse.
Namgung Yeon-hwa couldn't fathom why Mujin kept pressing with tough questions.
"Did you have to corner them like that?"
"They say the hasty one digs the well. Do they look hasty to you right now?"
"They said they have circumstances."
"Are those circumstances more precious than the True Divine Arts? They called me here, so stalling like this is a problem."
"What if they're dragging time because rumors make it awkward to discuss?"
"Wanna bet?"
"Forget it!"
Not about Guo rumors specifically, but hearsay could've sparked suspicion. Showing True Divine Arts to an outsider warranted prior clearance. Testing waters just dragged things out—no good end there.
"Stirring trouble would make it awkward for your sister-in-law."
"If I've decided, Yujin won't oppose. Whatever it takes."
Baemun Merchant Group tied him to his wife by marriage, but it didn't run deep for Mujin. Just husbandly support so she could lord over her family proudly. Good intentions or not, endless testing meant cutting ties.
The longer it dragged, the more irritated Mujin would get. Best goodwill? Inevitable payoff.
'People are all the same.'
Mujin had been certain coming to Guo Family Manor.
"Son."
"Yes, Father."
"These posers don't know their place. Show them your full experience."
"I'll crush them thoroughly."
"That's my boy."
Parenting lesson served.
Namgung Yeon-hwa and Yeok Chil deeply regretted Guo's choice. Of all the narrow-minded fools—narrower than a soy sauce dish. The losers were set.
Guo Family Manor's study.
The manor lord and elders gathered. As Mujin predicted, rumors left them lukewarm.
Guo Cheol-woong persuaded his brother and the elders again. Guo was the one at a disadvantage here. No time to second-guess.
Having tasted Mujin's temperament, urgency mounted. A deep well of tolerance? Hardly. Everyone knew his pettiness. Upsetting such a man gained nothing.
"Brother, why the sudden change? You wanted to see him."
"Showing the family sword manual isn't casual. Can't decide rashly."
"Rumors are just rumors. Didn't I show you?"
"I get your point, but can't ignore the elders."
"Pitiful. You'd think we were handing over the manual. We're the desperate ones."
With Five Holy Gates listed as a criminal sect, Guo caught a breather. Their expansion had hurt Guo before. But life turns—now they vied for Five Holy turf with their long-dreamed rival, Shao Manor.
Shao had allied with Hebei Peng Clan, their skills transformed lately. Full backing from Peng, it seemed.
Thus, Guo Cheol-woong despaired at his brother and elders' hesitation. In this crunch, they weighed profits?
'Headache.'
Needed to build their trust. Rumors tanked faith in Mujin perfectly. One fix: the root solution. But this flow boded ill.
'Not your average temperament.'
He'd trounced Hyun-ak Sword one-sidedly in public, humiliating him. That alone verified it. But people don't trust without experiencing.
And the rumors? A spectacle. Twisted his shady wins into "real skill," tripping them up.