Chapter 41
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 41
Chapter Title: Wealth Gap (1)
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"This should do it."
To leave no traces behind, he changed his disguises multiple times while traveling. Disguises and evasion had to be utterly natural. Any hint of suspicion could mean a tail following him.
He headed to one of his personal safe houses hidden across the continent in the past. It wasn't furnished like a home. He used caves, burrows, or basements in abandoned buildings—places that didn't need to be specially prepared as hideouts. This was a standard precaution to shake off pursuers.
Where human hands had touched, artificial traces were inevitable. Skilled trackers would never overlook such minor details. He was always cautious, constantly suspicious, scanning his surroundings.
Finally arriving at the safe house, he let out a sigh of relief. Here, he could examine his condition more clearly.
He carefully assumed a cross-legged position.
"I'm not the type to fall for such a pathetic threat."
He had rolled in these streets long enough. He wasn't foolish enough to bend to ordinary intimidation and hand over a hard-won treasure. If they thought he was a pushover, they had misjudged him badly.
"Even if you're strong!"
The guy was a monster, no doubt. Mujin had displayed martial prowess unlike anything he'd seen before. Despite the age gap, it was enough to stir feelings of inferiority. But he wouldn't live at the bottom forever.
If he unraveled the myth, he could dominate the world many times over.
"First, I need to deal with this."
He didn't know what kind of seal it was. But as long as it wasn't poison or solitary confinement, there was a way to break it. He was fairly confident in this field.
Cross-legged, he cautiously examined his internals. He delved into the foundation of his Heavenly Prodigy () arts. Circulating his qi, he sought the source of the disharmony.
'What the hell is this!'
He'd thought it would be hard to find, but focusing revealed it immediately. It wasn't hidden deep inside. It blatantly disrupted his harmony. For a seal placed by someone with such immense martial arts, it was laughably crude.
A proper seal should be imperceptible to the victim. That way, they couldn't even dream of locating and resolving it. Once found, most could be dealt with somehow.
'He must think I'm a fool.'
Finding the qi didn't mean rushing. He had to slowly circulate and melt away the clashing energy causing the discord.
Tap!
He barely brushed against it. He needed to prod it to gauge the reaction and respond.
Rooooaaar!
A terrifying roar slammed into his mind.
"Cough! Urk!"
Na-ril, who had been meditating, snapped awake and spewed blood from his mouth and nose. If it had been even a bit stronger, his seven apertures wouldn't have survived intact.
-Don't mess around.
The energy, silent until provoked, was pure savagery. But what shocked Na-ril more was something else.
"...He planted his will in it!"
The qi reacted like a living being. Na-ril froze in disbelief. Was this even possible? He couldn't tell if it was a dream or reality.
-Try messing around again.
The qi lodged firmly in his dantian was arrogant like its owner, oozing the presumption that Na-ril couldn't touch it. Na-ril seethed with rage. He wasn't even facing the man himself—just a fragment of his energy—and it had him cowed.
"You son of a bi... Cough!"
Na-ril vomited blood again. The fishy taste of blood sliding down his throat snapped him alert.
Damn it!
If he hadn't touched it, there'd be no pain. Now, even cursing the guy made him spit blood. If he didn't submit, the seal wouldn't stay quiet.
"I can't let this happen! Do you know what I went through to get it?!"
He had spent years searching for the Mythic Demon Spirit Armor. Fifteen years hunting the key and fragments to unlock its secrets. Heaven's luck had finally brought him close, only for some bastard to swoop in and steal the core.
Of course he was furious!
But why couldn't he even curse?
Reaching the limit of his patience, Na-ril tried to unleash a barrage of curses. But the energy dominating his dantian wouldn't tolerate even that.
Rooooaaar!
Na-ril couldn't help but freak out at the pain of his limbs being torn apart. It tormented him right at the human limit of endurance. Adapting was pointless.
After thrashing like a madman for a moment, he finally calmed.
-Kuhahaha!
It was mocking him.
It let him experience the guy's true personality. Was there anyone more wicked?
Then it hit him.
"I won't die."
He had brushed it off lightly then. As long as he didn't die, he was confident he could resolve it.
That was a massive miscalculation. Far from resolving it, imagine this pain lasting a lifetime.
"Might as well die... Rooooaaaar!"
It was the epitome of evil.
It crushed even the attempt to die. The mere intent triggered the seal reflexively. He was a walking powder keg.
Roll, roll!
After rolling across the floor, he finally regained his senses. The pain was so intense his clothes were soaked. He never wanted to feel it again.
"Damn it all, why!"
He didn't even dare curse outright. Na-ril ended up cursing the heavens.
Rooooaaar!
Damn it, no—stop!
The guy didn't discriminate targets.
***
The annihilation of So Ho Village didn't spread quickly. Even if little time had passed, without survivors, it would be one thing—but blocking rumors intentionally was the only way.
"Mum's the word?"
"It'll be quiet for a while, but completely blocking the info at the source is impossible."
"When will the letter arrive?"
"We've arranged to get a reply the moment it reaches the Nangong family."
Upon arriving at the port dock, Hwangbo Jangseong and the Crimson Dragon Squad were immediately busy containing the aftermath.
Especially info on the Mythic Demon Spirit Armor couldn't leak publicly. To that end, they needed to delay rumors of the So Ho Village subjugation as much as possible.
Fortunately, all who knew about the armor had been eliminated. Cheonmyeon Horisa's disappearance as the instigator was regrettable, but if rumors spread, things could worsen.
Martial artists' greed for manuals or divine weapons often overrode common sense, even for rumors. It might seem overly sensitive, but it wasn't excessive. It could spark a massive bloodbath.
"Figure out the true nature of the Mythic Demon Spirit Armor first."
"We'll investigate as discreetly as possible. But it seems the Beggars' Sect and Hao Clan have already caught the scent."
Underestimating the Beggars' Sect or Hao Clan from street life could mean a knife in the back. Plans had to account for their vast information networks.
"Well, hiding it forever isn't realistic anyway."
"We've done our best."
"Sure. The problem is the guy himself is so nonchalant."
They'd sent word to the family branch and poured no small effort and funds into cleanup.
That made it all the more infuriating.
"Does that guy seem like someone who lives causing incidents?"
"At first, I thought he was hiding his identity. But the more I dealt with him, the clearer it became: he has no thoughts at all."
"I agree."
"I can't fathom what goes through his head."
While Hwangbo Jangseong handled the aftermath, Mujin was splurging like he'd won the lottery. He used the spoils from So Ho Village as he pleased. Jewelry and goods needed discreet handling, yet he flaunted them openly. Without intervention, the rumors would be everywhere.
"I hope he doesn't blab."
"He can't be that thoughtless."
"You sure?"
"No."
Jang Taeseong shook his head.
The guy was unpredictable. He committed outrageous acts beyond imagination as if they were natural. Better to keep distance. In just days, he'd aged worrying.
"But his strength is real."
"Heaven is unfair."
Contrary to Jang Taeseong's wishes, the prowess he'd shown was awe-inspiring. At least peak transcendent, he cautiously guessed. Ties with such a powerhouse couldn't be taken lightly.
"It's for the family, so pay extra attention."
"...Understood."
He wanted to persuade keeping distance to avoid future troubles. But his status was confirmed: a new orthodox powerhouse. For the future, they couldn't sever the connection.
"Speed up the Pine Tiger Sect investigation too."
"I'll create an opportunity."
Pine Tiger Sect was just a minor rumor sect unknown without Mujin. But if it produced a master like him, something was there. Better to secure ties before other families or sects did.
Thud thud, creak!
Someone burst in hastily. Hwangbo Jinun, the family's rising star.
"Hey, didn't I tell you not to rush even for urgent matters?"
"It's not that—he's gone!"
"...What? Why tell me now! What about Lady Ryeong?"
"Seems she followed."
Hwangbo Jangseong's head throbbed. They caused the mess and slipped away. He had to stay half a day more for cleanup.
"Shall we pursue?"
"No need. His destination is obvious anyway."
Heading to Hefei for the Little Dragon Tournament. Same goal, so they'd meet at Nangong family. Forcing pursuit could backfire.
Hwangbo Jangseong paused while organizing remaining tasks.
"He won't mistreat Lady Ryeong, right?"
"Pr...probably."
No confidence. The guy seemed to forget his own deeds if things soured.
***
"Why are you following me?"
"Is there something you plan to do that I can't accompany?"
"If I say yes, will you stop?"
"No."
"If I speed up, you won't keep up."
"Hefei isn't far from here. We'll meet up along the way."
Mujin had no intention of shaking Hwangbo Seryeong from the start. He just moved ahead to wrap up business before reaching Nangong family.
Anyway, the spot he wanted was secluded, not impressive. He'd never seen a proper guy who fussed over locations, but knowing the future, he endured.
Still, Seryeong's constant chatter grated on him the whole way.
"Must've had some fateful encounter."
"I'm a natural genius."
"I heard just a few years ago, you were the notorious wastrel of Cheongyang."
"Who the hell spreads such bullshit?!"
"Saying that won't be good for your reputation."
"Ah! Sly as a fox."
"I hear that a lot."
"Not a compliment."
"Better than a bear. I hate fools."
Even with Hwangbo intelligence, they couldn't uncover all of Mujin's info in that time. Unfortunately, a blabbermouth spreading premium intel was nearby.
"Calling my dad a wastrel—aren't you going too far?"
"Can't lie, can I?"
Taejin had just relayed facts with shamelessness. Where did she learn that gall?
-Like father, like daughter.
'It's master-apprentice unity. Think you're exempt?'
-It's master-disciple unity.
"Yeah, that."
-Master-apprentice unity is correct.
This damn Demon King!
'Isn't master-disciple unity right?'
War King, master, and son are one.
First instinct was spot on.
Mujin's ears flapped like in a typhoon. Enough to memorize a maxim. After that, he'd avoided scholarly knowledge. Classics like the Four Books and Three Classics didn't help daily life.
'Hid his martial arts?'
Seryeong found no deception in Mujin's demeanor. His actions didn't suggest ulterior motives. He didn't flaunt but didn't hide either—like, if discovered, oh well.
'So sloppy.'
Full of holes, too many flaws to judge. But if acting, it meant not just martial arts but profound mind arts.
'I'll dig it all out.'
Seryeong was young but prided herself on sharp eyes. To her, Mujin was fascinating and bizarre. This ambiguous, off-beat type was novel. Fun to probe.
'Kid, you're green.'
-Now targeting kids too.
'Don't twist words.'
-Am I wrong?
Without knowing her future, he'd call it childish impulse. But Mujin knew: a future master of strategy. No way she followed without reason.
Not intentional, though.
'Guess I have charm that draws people. Shame I only realized now.'
-Your nonsense has reached grandmaster level.
'Still, they gathered. Three already.'
-Without asking their will.
'Desperate times. Think of family.'
Cheon-gyeong didn't like Mujin's smugness but accepted partly. Not intended, but talents needed against Demonic Cult of the Demon God were assembling.
Fate's wheel was strange.
-Murim's future looks bleak.
'With me here, no worries.'
-You're the biggest worry!
'Hey, that'll make me blab about being a regressor.'
-They'll just call you crazy.
Say he came from the future truthfully. If believed, he'd be a lunatic.
"How strong are you?"
"Strength is relative."
"Give a rough idea."
"Strongest under heaven, past and present."
Relative, my ass!
Not just now, but all history? Seryeong tsked at Mujin's brag. No one in murim uttered such lightly, especially the strong. It risked universal outrage—a sensitive claim.
"Don't say that anywhere."
"You shouldn't ask."
"Sorry."
"Quick to apologize."
A proud warrior would draw steel instantly.
Of course, Mujin wouldn't spare such types. Protect pride? Stake your life. That was the warrior's way.