Chapter 57
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 57
Chapter Title: The Returned Junior Disciples (2)
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This guy really isn't a Shaolin monk.
How could a Shaolin monk, forbidden from taking life, know how to cast nets?
"Wandering from place to place, I ended up learning how fishermen cast their nets. But that doesn't mean this little monk goes around killing."
"What a hypocrite. It's fine if others get blood on their hands, but you won't soil your own."
Puhehehe...
"Exactly. No excuses here. Come on. I'll teach you how to cast a net. Fish bite better at night."
Myeong-gak took the oar himself and rowed out to the middle of the river.
I learned how to row and cast nets from him.
"You cast the net where fish pass through often. That spot over there looks good to me."
With clumsy hands, I silently cast the net where Myeong-gak pointed and asked,
"Do you know an old man with cloudy eyes but a handsome face like a woman's? He seemed close to your master."
Myeong-gak, who had been watching me cast the net, jumped in surprise.
"H-Has that old beggar come here by any chance?"
"No. I ran into him by chance outside the village."
"Namu Amitabha Buddha, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. Namu Amitabha Buddha, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva..."
Myeong-gak muttered the chants endlessly like a mantra.
I grew curious about why he was reacting this way.
"What's wrong? Why are you like this?"
"That beggar old man is Yeonggae, an elder of the Beggar Clan who holds one of the Seven Lords seats. There are two people in the entire martial world that this little monk dreads: one is my master, and the other is that beggar old man."
The more he spoke, the more curious I became about why Myeong-gak feared the beggar old man.
To me, the old man had seemed like a hermit or immortal living in another world altogether.
"He seemed like a really good person to me..."
Sigh...
Myeong-gak let out a deep sigh before answering and began lamenting his woes.
"Don't be fooled by appearances. This little monk fell for that flashy exterior at first and suffered all sorts of hardships. He once took silver from a great household and sold me off, leaving me to serve as their servant for a month. Another time, he gorged on liquor and food at an inn, then ditched me and ran. And that's not all. He's a master con artist—if he weren't my master's friend, we would've had a massive showdown."
Being a friend of his master, Myeong-gak knew even the past of the old man called Yeonggae in detail. Apparently, he hadn't been born a beggar but came from a wealthy family.
Unfortunately, bandits slaughtered his entire family, leaving him an orphan.
With no one to care for him, he left home and wandered the world, but luck smiled on him—he caught the eye of the Beggar Clan leader and became a disciple.
His face was so beautiful for a man that he was often mistaken for a woman, earning him nicknames like "Flower Beggar" or "Zigao Reborn" in the clan.
Zigao was a man who nearly became an imperial consort thanks to his stunning looks and the emperor's favor.
In his youth, he sometimes dressed as a woman to roam the martial world, drawing gazes from young heirs of great families and scholars, and used his beauty to swindle them.
"Stay away from him if you can. He'll drag you into all sorts of trouble."
By the time we finished casting nets and returned home, dusk was already falling.
The Taoists and women must have gone to sleep, as no light leaked from the rooms.
"It seems you've finally realized you can never escape the martial world."
I stood there with an indifferent face, but I couldn't help feeling bitter at the Great Heavenly Demon's satisfied expression.
"Ah... no, that's not it. I just don't want to waste any more of my life because of you."
Heh heh heh...
"Good. That's the way. A real man stands tall even if the heavens collapse."
"You stand tall by yourself. I'll sit back and watch."
I sassed back and quietly watched the sword soul plummeting toward my shoulder.
Thud.
The sword soul dug about an inch into my shoulder before stopping.
"Why aren't you dodging?"
I calmly brushed off the gleaming killing intent.
"There are many guests in the house. The monk doesn't matter, but I don't want the Taoists and women seeing this. So let's stay quiet for a while."
Oh ho...
"You don't want those women seeing your mad side? Heroes love women, but you're no hero."
This demon bastard twists every situation to suit himself.
"Think what you want. But stay quiet for now. Please."
Heh heh heh...
"Can't do that."
As expected, no persuading this demon through talk.
Whoosh...
I threw myself into the path of the sword soul filling the space.
Kwajijik! Kwang!
Startled awake by the sound of the door shattering, Zhuge Ji and Namgung Hye hurriedly grabbed their swords and rushed outside.
Ahh...
The sight that greeted them outside left them stunned.
Flap flap flap... Boom! ...Boom!
The rustle of clothing and the whoosh of air being sliced rang out one after another, filling the wide courtyard with countless shadows.
Shiiiiaaa...
The rusty iron sword hanging in the room flew out, vanishing into the throng of shadows.
Soon, the shadows each wielded the rusty iron sword, slashing through space wildly.
Vmmm...!
Wrapped in brilliant sword energy, the rusty iron sword split into dozens, hundreds, illuminating the darkness.
"Have you ever seen swordsmanship like that, Cheongpung?"
Zhuge Ji and Namgung Hye, entranced by the spectacle, snapped to attention at the voice beside them.
On the nearby porch, Myeong-gak and Cheongpung sat side by side, marveling at the wondrous display in the courtyard.
"Master showed it once before. But not that brutal."
The swordsmanship the house's master displayed looked flashy on the surface, but each move was a ruthless killing strike.
"Anyway, thanks to you, we've had quite the experience."
Namgung Hye and Zhuge Ji listened to Cheongpung with their ears while their eyes followed the martial display in the courtyard.
Urgh...
A pained groan reached their ears.
Boom! Boom! ...!
But Go Un-san kept teleporting across the courtyard in an instant, swinging his sword relentlessly.
Chasing his movements, Zhuge Ji suddenly wondered,
'Why is he practicing martial arts in the dead of night? He was desperately hiding himself before.'
But the question didn't linger.
She had to focus every nerve just to track his movements with her eyes.
Whoooosh...!
Brilliant sword aura swirled around Go Un-san's entire body as he tore through the courtyard.
Ahh...
Astonished gasps escaped the onlookers' lips.
The dense sword aura enveloping him hid Go Un-san's form completely.
But in the next instant, Go Un-san flew backward, clutching his stomach as if struck hard, crashing into the ground.
Grghhh...
The four heard incomprehensible mutterings from Go Un-san as he groaned and rose.
"I'm tired, so kill me already today."
With those words, he pitched forward.
Face-planting into the ground, he lifted his head again, looking around bewilderedly.
His gaze then fixed on the four staring at him.
"Ah... Go back inside and sleep."
Go Un-san stood, brushed off the dirt casually as if nothing happened, and went back into his room.
Cheongpung, Zhuge Ji, and Namgung Hye stared blankly until Myeong-gak's chant snapped them out of it.
"Namu Amitabha Buddha, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva."
"Hey, monk. Let's make some space outside."
Myeong-gak glared at Cheongpung with fire in his eyes.
"What's wrong with 'monk'? How'd you like being called 'Taoist punk'?"
"I am a Taoist punk."
Cheongpung crossed the courtyard first and exited through the gate, followed by Myeong-gak, Zhuge Ji, and Namgung Hye.
"Over there."
Walking along the chilly riverbank, Cheongpung pointed to a large rock by the water.
The four climbed atop the rock and sat. Namgung Hye spoke first.
"Spill everything you know about that man."
She guessed why Cheongpung had chosen this separate spot.
"I really don't know much, Lady Namgung."
But Myeong-gak wasn't quick to share what he knew.
"Monk Myeong-gak wouldn't waste time idly. Tell us."
Only after Zhuge Ji joined in did Myeong-gak scratch his shiny bald head and start talking.
"I don't know the details. But I'll tell you what I wheedled out of Brother Gwang-u and my guesses. First, the man's name is Go Un-san. His junior brother's is Seok Gwang-u. They trained in the mountains—as you probably guessed, Namgung Hu of the Namgung Family is their senior brother. According to Seok, this Go Un-san hated his master greatly. The master even left a dying wish never to leave the mountains. So Go Un-san isn't possessed. He probably doesn't realize it, but the one he meets every night is his master. His resentment and rage toward the master have manifested as a vengeful spirit."
"What reason did he have to hate his master so much?"
Myeong-gak hesitated, glancing at Namgung Hye.
"Well... Apparently, Namgung Hu was supposed to be the youngest disciple, not the first. But the master made him first disciple, and Go Un-san—not the actual youngest, Seok—handled all the sect chores. Seok didn't give details, so I don't know the full story, but he lived like a servant."
Hmm... Hm...
Hmm...
Cheongpung nodded as if piecing it together with each word, while Namgung Hye made odd humming sounds, her eyes gleaming.
"As expected, I couldn't fail to exorcise a ghost. So that's the situation."
"Plenty of reasons to hate big brother. Good thing I kept quiet."
But Zhuge Ji thought differently.
"That's why he hated the martial world so much. Now I understand his feelings."
Hmph.
"Like hell you understand."
Listening to their conversation from where I lounged on the porch, I snorted.
The Great Heavenly Demon as master? Sure, I disliked my master, but I didn't hate him enough to kill.
"What to do with that Gwang-u punk?"
Gwang-u's got a big build but a loose tongue.
And a soft heart to boot.
His skills could handle Myeong-gak, but not in words or debate.
Of course, Myeong-gak was sly too.
'Gotta train him properly soon. With this fist.'
Resolved, I hurried inside.
Their voices were drawing closer.
"Anyway, don't let on what we know. With his temper, he won't let it slide."
"Shh. Be quiet. We're near the house."
I lay down quietly on the bed.
Can't fully trust them after all.
They're trying to gain from me.
But I won't dance to their tune easily.
Since I'm in the martial world anyway, I'll squeeze every benefit from them I can.