Chapter 308: Murim and Players (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 308: Murim and Players (1)
First-generation disciple, So Yu-myeong, the "Storm Sword."
Known for his dizzying, relentless swordsmanship, So Yu-myeong was a treasured genius who carried the high expectations of the Wudang Sect.
Indeed, the sole reason So Yu-hyeon had brought him all the way from Mount Wudang to this place was to show off the sheer caliber of Wudang's rising stars.
'That's right...'
Through bone-shaving training, and to prove himself worthy of being a first-generation disciple, he had never wasted a single day.
He had constantly whipped himself into shape, all to elevate the name of Wudang.
Yet.
Why on earth?
Why were all his efforts and hardships on the verge of crumbling today?
A savory, mouth-watering aroma tickled his nose.
Gulp.
So Yu-myeong swallowed hard.
He had scoffed at countless delicacies in the past, but he simply could not ignore the food sitting right before his eyes.
Just as his junior brother had said, unless this was some wicked sorcery of the Unorthodox Sect, this made absolutely no sense.
"What? Do you want some? If you really do, I can share. As much as you want, seriously."
Jinhyuk picked up a thick slice of meat with his chopsticks and dangled it in front of So Yu-myeong's face.
The gently swaying piece of meat seemed to flirt with him, practically begging to be eaten.
"Go on, take a bite. Hmm? Eat this, wash it down with a cup of alcohol, and all your built-up fatigue will melt away in an instant."
The meat hovered so close it almost brushed his lips.
The other junior disciples seemed completely entranced, their eyes darting left and right as they tracked the piece of meat.
Like hypnotized subjects. Purely reflexively.
"Ugh!"
Finally, the veins on So Yu-myeong's neck bulged.
"To dare humiliate a Taoist of Wudang... I shall wash away this disgrace with your head!"
Rumble!
Instantly, a terrifying murderous intent swept through the inn.
The tables shook violently, and dust cascaded down from the ceiling and pillars.
"Whoa, why are you getting so worked up when I'm just trying to share some food out of the goodness of my heart?"
"Eating meat is the ultimate taboo for Wudang! You knew that, yet you dared to pull a stunt like this?!"
"Hmm... I didn't know, though?"
"What?"
"How am I supposed to know what the Wudang Sect's rules are?"
Jinhyuk shrugged with the most innocent face in the world.
"T-That..."
So Yu-myeong was left speechless.
Come to think of it, there was no way someone from outside the Tower would know the rules of the Murim.
Though it felt somewhat suspicious, if the man had truly approached them with good intentions, then they were the ones being incredibly rude.
Just then.
"He knows everything. He knows the rules and regulations of every single sect inside out, not just Wudang."
Cheon Yu-seong chimed in.
"Hey! Why would you say that?!"
"Watching you make those innocent, doe-like eyes was so nauseating I couldn't swallow my food. That's why I spoke up."
Cheon Yu-seong popped another piece of food into his mouth, looking thoroughly satisfied.
On the other hand, So Yu-myeong's face flushed bright red.
His fingers trembled with shame and fury.
"Clear the inn!"
"F-First Senior Brother?"
"If you get caught up in this, even you might not escape unscathed. Take the other patrons outside as well. I will compensate the owner for the food and any property damage later."
"But if the Elder finds out..."
"Yunho. What did I just say?"
"U-Understood."
The junior disciples wanted to stop him, but they didn't dare cross So Yu-myeong in his terrifying state.
It was the first time they had ever seen their First Senior Brother this enraged.
* * *
The empty inn.
Jinhyuk faced So Yu-myeong head-on.
"To dare make a mockery of Wudang... I assume you are prepared for the consequences?"
"You guys were the ones who picked a fight first. I'm the type of guy who returns a favor in kind, but pays back a grudge a hundredfold."
"That absurd principle of yours will cost you your life."
Shring!
So Yu-myeong drew his sword.
The blade gleamed with a brilliant light.
'Now we are finally alone.'
In truth, he hadn't drawn his sword simply because of the insult involving food.
Though the other disciples were unaware, a secret kill order had been issued against Jinhyuk by the high-ranking members of Wudang, Mount Hua, and the Five Great Clans.
Under the pretext of avenging their fallen disciples.
'Since the Elder gave his permission, even if trouble arises, it will only result in a formal reprimand at worst.'
On the contrary, if he could kill this guy... his contribution would be highly recognized in the future.
Having finished his calculations, So Yu-myeong wore a cold, sinister smile.
It was a smile that did not suit his clean, elegant appearance at all.
"I wonder... just how many exchanges you, an outsider from beyond the Tower, can survive against my blade."
The tip of his sword trembled subtly.
The signature technique Wudang took pride in: the Taiji Sword.
A sword style renowned for carrying the very intent of the sword wherever the blade pointed.
However,
'How cute.'
From Jinhyuk's perspective, it was all just laughable.
Even if his master, So Yu-hyeon, came in person, he wouldn't stand a chance.
Yet a mere first-generation disciple, far below his master's level, was acting so cocky.
"You're going to regret this..."
"Regret? Nonsense. I shall yield three moves to an amateur. Come at me first."
So Yu-myeong spouted utter nonsense.
Seeing his smug, overconfident expression made Jinhyuk want to utterly crush him for some reason.
"Well... if you say so."
In an instant, Jinhyuk's figure vanished.
Activating the 'Sword Demon's Heavenly Spirit Steps', he slipped behind So Yu-myeong before the dust kicked up from the floor could even settle.
"What?!"
A sharp gasp escaped So Yu-myeong's lips.
He couldn't help but panic at a speed that far exceeded his expectations.
But by the time he realized the gap between them, it was already too late.
Boom!
A fist slammed directly into his spine.
"Argh!"
His body folded in half from the impact.
Seeing how he managed to deploy his Protective Aura even in that split second, his title as a first-generation disciple wasn't entirely for show.
"Wow! As expected of an expert, nice block. I didn't think you'd actually react to that."
Jinhyuk uttered in mock admiration.
"You... bastard!"
Whoosh!
So Yu-myeong swung his sword, but Jinhyuk dodged the attack by a hair's breadth.
"Didn't you say you'd yield three moves? Ah! In case you forgot how to count: after one comes two, and after two comes three."
"I know how to count!"
"Hmm. Knowing it but failing to put it into practice... that's actually more concerning."
"Aaaargh!"
Gritting his teeth so hard they nearly shattered, So Yu-myeong channeled his Qi.
Crackle!
A blue energy completely enveloped the blade.
[So Yu-myeong activates 'Thirteen Taiji Swords, 3rd Stance'!]
The sword seemed to split into multiple blades, quickly filling the entire inn.
The Taiji Sword, the pride of the Wudang Sect.
And this was the 3rd Stance, unleashed with half of his total internal energy.
"I'll shred you to pieces with this!"
Crash! Crash! Crash!
The tables splintered into dozens of pieces, and deep sword gashes carved into the pillars.
It was a force so destructive that anyone caught in it would be ground to dust.
However, there was one thing So Yu-myeong did not know.
Even the Sect Leader of Wudang...
[Unique Ability...]
...could not even graze the domain of the Sword Demon.
[‘Grave of Swords’ has been activated.]
An indescribably ominous energy.
A black, burning Calamity Fire took shape along the length of Fang.
Even if they were both Sword Aura, their quality was on entirely different levels.
The same went for their understanding of martial stances.
The atmosphere shifted drastically.
"I'm actually quite grateful you cleared out the crowd."
The suffocating pressure radiating from him made it hard to believe he was the same person who had been grinning slyly just moments ago.
"Now I don't have to worry about anyone getting caught in the crossfire."
"T-This can't be..."
A low gasp escaped So Yu-myeong's lips.
This energy...
'Could he... be even stronger than Master?'
Before he could even process his shock, a sword strike was unleashed.
From left to right.
A sword laden with heavy internal energy swept forward as if to cleave heaven and earth.
Boom!
With a single strike, all the Sword Qi on So Yu-myeong's blade vanished.
Simply parrying the blow drained his internal energy faster than it could recover.
On top of that, his opponent was reading every single path of his Taiji Sword.
Where he would strike, where the next stance would lead—everything.
He was a complete... monster.
Like the monkey of Mount Huaguo playing in the palm of the Buddha.
So Yu-myeong felt an insurmountable wall before him.
Crash!
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Lethal strikes capable of flaying skin were unleashed in rapid succession.
With every exchange, the gap between them widened exponentially.
"Pant... pant... pant."
His breathing grew ragged.
So Yu-myeong stumbled backward.
He was utterly despairing.
Every single stance he took pride in had been dismantled without exception.
"I actually had some expectations when you used the 3rd Stance, but this is disappointing. That's not how you use the Taiji Sword. You learned it completely wrong."
"Ugh! Stop playing with me and just kill me!"
"I can't do that. You're a valuable pawn. If you do as I say, I'll let you live."
"Don't make me laugh. I would rather die than listen to a word you say!"
"Hmm. Is that so?"
Jinhyuk wore a strange smile.
At the same time, Fang's speed accelerated to another level.
It lashed out at a speed that completely transcended human perception.
Clash! Clash! Clash! Clash!
The Sword Aura vanished.
Fang vanished as well.
This time... it was impossible to dodge.
Sensing his impending death, So Yu-myeong closed his eyes in resignation.
However, what struck him was not a blade.
A sweet, savory flavor spread across his mouth.
"...?"
Gently, So Yu-myeong unconsciously moved the tip of his tongue.
The rich, savory taste on his tongue was so extraordinary that it made him forget the terror of death and his accumulated fatigue.
Chew.
A large piece of meat passed through his teeth and slid down his throat.
Heavens.
'How can something this delicious exist?'
The harmony of the deeply infused seasoning and the still-juicy, tender meat.
It made the years he had spent eating nothing but grass and beans feel utterly foolish.
Chew, chew.
Nom, nom.
So Yu-myeong devoured the meat in the blink of an eye.
Immediately, another piece of meat vanished.
It was delicious.
The sense of fulfillment rising from deep within him was incomparable to any other emotion.
By the time he snapped back to his senses, he had already polished off seven pieces of meat.
"Wow. You're really packing it away. Eating like a champ."
Only upon hearing Jinhyuk's voice did So Yu-myeong realize something was terribly wrong.
"Ah?!"
"Didn't a certain Wudang Taoist say eating meat was a taboo or something?"
"W-Who said that? I have never eaten meat!"
"Wipe the grease off your mouth before you say that."
"Ugh!"
So Yu-myeong quickly wiped his mouth with his sleeve.
"In any case, there are no witnesses. It seems clearing everyone out turned out to be a blessing in disguise for me."
Between a first-generation disciple of the Wudang Sect losing a duel, and greedily devouring meat in violation of his sacred taboos... it was obvious which one he had to choose.
"I hate to break it to you, but we Players have something called a 'Broadcasting System.' Even without witnesses, I can record and save everything that just happened."
"W-What did you say?"
So Yu-myeong's eyes shook violently.
"I knew those from outside the Tower could perform bizarre sorcery and spells... but to think even such a thing is possible..."
No, of course it wasn't possible.
The Broadcasting System couldn't be activated in a place like this.
By default, it could only be turned on in dungeons or ruins with bosses.
But the important thing was that So Yu-myeong didn't know that.
"W-What on earth do you want from me?"
There was no need to be that terrified.
After all, Jinhyuk only intended to make a very simple proposal.
"As it happens, I'm currently recruiting employees."
A first-generation disciple of the Wudang Sect joining the Overseas Sales Team of the Veteran Corporation...
Now that was a perfect title.