Chapter 34: Sword Discussion (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 34: Sword Discussion (3)
He was a man of towering stature and imposing build.
Beyond his intimidating appearance, a fierce light shimmered in his eyes. Even though their gazes hadn't met, Seok Myeong’s expression stiffened. He had remained indifferent even when the woman attacked him, yet his complexion shifted the moment he saw this old man.
“A young man who can see two steps ahead… You aren't the type one finds in a common marketplace.”
The old man walked with his hands behind his back. In one hand, he carried a bottle of liquor.
Thud.
The old man pulled out a chair and sat down naturally across from Seok Myeong.
Hyeok-jin watched him with a bewildered expression. Why was this old man, who radiated such an overwhelming presence, sitting here?
Then, Seok Myeong spoke.
“You are quite something yourself, Elder.”
“…Hm?”
“Seeing as you gave that man advantageous advice before the fight even began.”
“Ho!”
The old man’s eyes wavered as if he had been struck by an unexpected blow.
“Sit next to me.”
At the old man’s urging, the woman—who seemed to possess a hasty and eccentric temperament—scowled as she approached and sat beside him.
Glug, glug, glug.
The old man poured liquor directly into Seok Myeong’s bowl of noodles.
“Meeting here is a twist of fate, so have a drink.”
“I do not drink.”
“Then take this opportunity to learn.”
“What if it is poisoned?”
At those words, the corners of the old man’s mouth curled upward.
“If you were afraid of poison, you shouldn't have provoked me.”
“Just as you have your reasons, Elder, every person has their own position to maintain.”
“Sometimes that position lands a person in deep trouble.”
“If one’s spirit remains unbroken, then one is not truly dead even in death.”
“Ho… Did you say ‘spirit’?”
The old man looked at Seok Myeong with curiosity in his eyes and spoke again.
“Which sect are you from?”
“Qingcheng.”
“Qingcheng? Qingcheng, you say…”
The old man tilted his head.
“I’ve heard that name a few times lately. Do you mean the Qingcheng Sect of Mount Qingcheng?”
“That is correct.”
“...!”
Everyone seemed shocked by Seok Myeong’s admission. Those who had been fighting and those who had remained to watch all turned their gaze toward him.
Disciples of the Qingcheng Sect rarely showed themselves in this vicinity unless there was a special occasion. Furthermore, they almost never involved themselves in brawls. Was Qingcheng not known as the most reclusive of all sects?
At that moment, the woman sneered.
“Aha, so you’re acting tough because you have a powerful background? You arrogant brat, do you have any idea who we are—”
The old man raised a hand to silence her.
“Qingcheng… Well, if it’s Qingcheng, I can understand why you’re acting this way.”
The old man replied calmly. Then, he continued.
“But I’m not particularly impressed.”
“...?”
“In the past, I might have looked surprised. Ah, I see. Is it because you’re the sect at the very bottom of the Nine Great Sects?”
Twitch.
The composed Seok Myeong furrowed his brows. It was an insulting remark—an insult directed at his sect.
Surge.
As his emotions wavered, the energy within his body began to stir. Within his frame, where three energies were intertwined, a violet qi began to fluctuate violently.
Hyeok-jin was inwardly shocked by the sight. It was the first time he had seen Seok Myeong display such hostility.
However, the old man had no intention of stopping.
“It seems you truly are from the Qingcheng Sect. Seeing how you, who maintained your calm from start to finish, flare up at an insult to your sect.”
Seok Myeong’s expression did not soften. A venomous light lingered in his eyes.
“So, which side are you on?”
“……”
“Are you a Qingcheng Taoist, or are you of Azure Cloud Taoist’s line?”
“...!”
In an instant, Seok Myeong locked eyes with the old man. Unlike before, when he had subtly avoided the man's gaze, he now turned his head to meet it directly.
He is an extraordinary man.
Seok Myeong felt a mountain-like pressure from this old man, similar to what he had felt from Song Hak. He had thought he had become stronger and more solid, but he was wrong. He felt a sense of emptiness, as if he were staring at a horizon where he couldn't tell what lay beyond.
“Grandfather, I told you not to bother with these greenhorns. He looks like a total amateur,” Cheol So-yeon remarked with a look of displeasure. It seemed she felt it was beneath them to even continue the conversation.
But the old man’s gaze remained fixed on Seok Myeong, filled with curiosity.
“I am of Azure Cloud Taoist’s line.”
“What?”
This time, the old man’s eyes widened. His expression suggested he had suspected it but hadn't truly expected it to be true.
“I heard the line of Azure Cloud Taoist was gone…”
“That is what was known.”
“I see the tradition is still being carried on.”
A faint smile appeared on the old man’s face.
“What is your goal?”
“...?”
“I mean your purpose for coming out into the Martial World.”
The old man continued to press him, his curiosity deepening.
“A Martial Journey.”
“And what do you intend to do on this Martial Journey?”
“I plan to build my reputation.”
“And why is that?”
“I cannot tell you that. Just know that there is something I need.”
“Is that so? Huhu…”
The old man chuckled softly and spoke in a low voice.
“Then this is an opportunity for you.”
“...?”
“If your goal is simply to build a reputation, you can just face me.”
Seok Myeong met the old man’s gaze and asked, “And who are you, Elder, that facing you would build my reputation?”
“At the very least, you won't be ashamed. I believe my name is fairly well-known in these parts.”
“Tell me who you are first.”
“I am Cheol Mu-jin.”
“Grandfather!”
“...!”
The woman’s voice rose. Suddenly, the air inside the inn turned cold.
“Ch-Cheol Mu-jin?”
Hyeok-jin was the most shocked of all. His face turned pale as he stared at the old man with trembling eyes.
One of the Eight Yuan Masters.
While the masters representing the Jianghu were often called the Hundred Great Masters, those above them were given different titles. They were named in their own ways, and one such title was the Eight Yuan Masters.
The Eight Yuan Masters referred to eight masters of the Unorthodox Faction who commanded their own independent forces. Among them, Cheol Mu-jin was the lord of the Unorthodox Faction who controlled the entire Sichuan region. He was a master of the Absolute Realm, known to easily rank within the top fifty masters of the world.
It was then.
Go Gu-heon, who had stopped fighting at some point, approached. His guards were with him.
“I am Go Gu-heon, Vice-Leader of the Kyung-moon Association. I have long admired your reputation, Senior.”
He turned his gaze and spoke again.
“And you must be Lady Cheol So-yeon. Thank you for your help earlier. I was so captivated by your beauty for a moment that I couldn't fight properly.”
“Hmph!”
She merely snorted without a word. He seemed to have been smitten by her looks, but she didn't even view such a weakling as a man.
“Young Master, I think it would be best if we left now.”
Around that time, Jang Cheong-bi approached Gang Bi, who had been watching the situation, and whispered to him. They knew as well. The old man before them was a master so great that one might not see his like once in a lifetime. This old man was a master capable of turning this inn into a bloodbath in an instant if he so desired.
“But to leave our benefactor behind…”
Gang Bi protested. The help he had received from Seok Myeong was too great.
However, Jang Cheong-bi did not back down either. Since he was tasked with protecting the Young Master, he needed to remain cold-headed.
“That is Cheol Mu-jin of the Eight Yuan Masters. His reputation within the Unorthodox Faction reaches the heavens. If we get involved with him, it won't be a problem that ends with just you, Young Master.”
“But if we retreat like this, that gentleman will…”
“It is best to avoid him for now. I have memorized his sect and his face, so there will be a way for us to repay him later.”
Gang Bi was reluctant, but he had no choice. He looked back at the guards awaiting his orders and spoke.
“Let’s go.”
“Yes, sir.”
With that, Gang Bi and his party left the inn.
*
“I accept the duel.”
“...!”
“...!”
Everyone was speechless at Seok Myeong’s shocking declaration. Not only Hyeok-jin, Cheol So-yeon, and Go Gu-heon, but also the few martial artists remaining inside were all aghast.
The shock was several times greater than when the name Cheol Mu-jin was first mentioned. This young man dared to duel Cheol Mu-jin?
It was a fight against a supreme master who led one of the eight heavens of the Unorthodox Faction, which divided the power of the Central Plains alongside the Orthodox Faction.
“Are you out of your mind?”
Cheol So-yeon interjected, her voice filled with disbelief. No matter how much she thought about it, his actions were incomprehensible. Even those considered masters within the Unorthodox Faction only dared to look at him from a distance. Yet, a youth who looked to be her age was trying to face a 'Heaven' of the Unorthodox Faction.
“U-Um, Brother Seok Myeong…”
Hyeok-jin also turned his gaze toward Seok Myeong after watching the situation unfold. He intended to confirm if Seok Myeong truly meant what he said.
As he looked over, Seok Myeong asked, “What is it?”
“Your opponent… the person you're fighting…”
“Why? Is he the greatest master under heaven?”
“Well, no, but…”
“Then what? Are you telling me to stay still after hearing my sect being insulted?”
“……”
Scrape.
Seok Myeong pushed back his chair and stood up. He walked to one side and cupped his fists toward Cheol Mu-jin.
“As I have just entered the Jianghu, I am not well-acquainted with your honorable name, but seeing the reactions around me, I can roughly guess your standing.”
“…Hm.”
“However, that is all the more reason I cannot back down. Where else would such an opportunity come easily?”
Seeing Seok Myeong actively express his will, the old man’s eyebrows twitched. But his expression wasn't one of anger. Rather, a smile gradually spread across his lips as if his interest had been piqued.
I don't know what his story is, but he possesses a dignified spirit for his age. Also, the energy rising within his body is quite peculiar…
“Indeed, a man should be so.”
“Shall we do it here? Or would you like to move elsewhere?”
“Is there a need to move?”
Cheol Mu-jin replied composedly as he stood up. As he rose, all eyes in the inn were drawn to him. Unlike when he was sitting, an overwhelming pressure radiated from his massive frame, making it impossible not to look.
This is impossible.
Hyeok-jin denied the reality in his mind. This was a man who exuded an intimidating aura just by being looked at. And yet, a duel? He couldn't even imagine how Seok Myeong felt, having to fight an opponent it was difficult even to stand before.
While Hyeok-jin was lost in thought, Seok Myeong and Cheol Mu-jin had already moved to the spot where Gang Bi and Go Gu-heon had been fighting moments ago.
Silence blanketed the inn. The few martial artists who hadn't left yet retreated as far as possible to watch the two.
Ha, this man is like a great mountain as well.
No, to be honest, he felt even larger than that. In terms of pure aura alone, he was more intense than Song Hak, the Master of the True Martial Hall. Seok Myeong’s lips were parched and his legs felt weak just from facing him.
But Seok Myeong hid his emotions and did not let them show.
He could forgive someone for rebuking his own shortcomings. Since he considered himself lacking, he didn't care who pointed it out.
But insulting Qingcheng was different.
This was something he could never let slide.
Let’s do this.
Seok Myeong steadied his heart and drew his sword.