Chapter 123
Chapter 123
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 123
Chapter Title: Kunlun's First Elder
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Can you handle it?
What an arrogant thing to say.
Kunlun's First Elder, Hyun Do-gwang, couldn't help but laugh to himself. Look at this guy. Where the hell did he crawl out from?
He glanced up, taking in the man wearing a rugged leather coat.
The aura emanating from him? Barely any.
It was as still as if he had no internal energy at all.
By contrast, those visible muscles...
Trained to the absolute limit. Terrifyingly so.
Unable to contain his curiosity, he asked.
"Did you hone external arts?"
"Isn't that beside the point?"
"...You're right about that."
On his way here, he'd heard it. While pondering swordsmanship, he'd sensed the ripple of qi and the desperate cry contained within.
Kunlun. What was Kunlun?
A sect rooted in Daoism, established in Qinghai Province. They cultivated both martial arts and scholarly pursuits in tandem.
Thus, they kept a certain distance from worldly affairs. Humility was their virtue, intertwined with fasting and temperance in their teachings.
Hyun Do-gwang could confidently say he'd been raised that way.
But lately, things in Kunlun had turned strange.
It wasn't the sect leader pulling the strings. He was cut from the same cloth as Hyun Do-gwang himself. A man who believed Kunlun's spirit should remain unchanged amid shifting eras and times.
The lower elders were different, though. All except him-they filled their bellies with rare delicacies and were rumored to descend into Qinghai City now and then for wine, women, and entertainment.
He'd tried to pin down the truth, but they slipped away like eels, leaving him frustrated. Who could've guessed it would unravel like this?
That's why he'd escalated things. He'd raised his voice to enlarge the stage and make an example of them.
And yet...
This fool chose to challenge him here.
Even after seeing what he'd just done. If that didn't pique a warrior's interest, he wasn't a warrior.
"Can't endure it... What exactly can't you endure?"
He deliberately stomped his foot. He lowered his voice to a chilling tone.
He unleashed his qi. Within the spreading energy, he left traces on whatever it collided with.
"What will you do if you can't endure it?"
"......."
The man's eyes were calm. His somewhat tall frame looked down at him.
But inside burned a beastly fury. Their eyes met, and Hyun Do-gwang flinched involuntarily.
"...Shall we find out firsthand?"
His sunken voice was filled with resolve.
Thinking he'd misheard, Hyun Do-gwang blinked. Then he burst into laughter, unable to hold back.
"Hahaha! To speak such words before this Hyun Do-gwang! You! You've got your guts hanging out!"
"......"
"But... but you know, that's what makes it appealing. Yes. A man needs that kind of spirit."
No detectable internal energy.
Even the sword drawn fully from its sheath showed no trace of inner power at its tip.
A resolute mind. Likely a straight, iron-forged will bearing his very existence.
And that meaning was evident in the dried blood crusted at the corner of his mouth. How much blood was pooling behind those clenched teeth?
Ah! A warrior with a steadfast heart!
A rarity in this age! And if that sword was drawn for the sake of the innocent...
He had no choice but to praise him!
"Red Cloud, was it? But regardless of how much I like you, we must settle this fairly."
"S-Senior Brother! Even so...!"
"Junior Brother. Isn't that the proper order? Kunlun swords must be impartial for their meaning to hold. There's a victim, and one shouting on behalf of evidence-there's no reason not to hear them out."
"The ravings of lowly scum!"
"Lowly scum. Where in this world is anything truly lowly? We're all human. Judging a person's worth by whether they practice martial arts is no different from the logic of the unorthodox paths. Are you saying we're no better than those fiends, Junior Brother?"
"Th-That's...!"
"If there's no guilt, then stop insisting. But as a warrior of the Murim Alliance, you bear responsibility for forcing your way in here recklessly."
The warrior who called himself Red Cloud sheathed his sword back at his waist. Hyun Do-gwang glanced absently at the inside of his coat and noted the four swords hanging there.
Four swords... What an unusual fellow.
Who on earth is he? A warrior with such refined external arts should have a name I'd heard at least once, but I don't recall it...
Hyun Do-gwang stroked his beard.
"Stay here for a while. I guarantee your safety on Kunlun's name. And wouldn't that suit you as well? Seeing what Kunlun's name truly means would be safer for your future considerations."
"......"
"If you can't trust Kunlun's name, then stake mine instead. They call me the Kunlun White Sword, so as long as I'm here, no one will touch you."
"...Very well. But in exchange, I want to see this through to the end."
"Of course. You'll accompany us. To grasp the full situation, your testimony is needed."
Hyun Do-gwang approached the man kneeling on his knees. So this was the bandit in question.
He lowered his voice. He spoke coldly.
"If you want to live, not a single lie from now on."
"Y-Yes! I-I'll tell everything! P-Please spare me, my lord!"
......
Hyun Do-gwang.
The First Elder of Kunlun Sect who burst in so suddenly was different from what he'd expected.
He handled matters decisively, as if prepared in advance. Under the bandit's testimony, he even dispatched warriors.
"These are my trusted aides. No need to worry. They'll round them all up."
True to Kunlun's name, those who leaped into action had all surpassed the peak realm with ease.
Kunlun's formidable strength.
They captured the bandits plaguing the Qinghai region and forced them to their knees. The bandits were baffled at the sight of the elder who'd clashed with the Orthodox Alliance and me.
"M-My lord...! Didn't we pay this month's tribute? Wh-Why...?"
"Shut your mouth, you scum!"
The bandits of Qinghai Province. The common folk who'd suffered greatly because of them.
Even the taxes carved out from Qinghai's merchants weren't legitimate-some elders had collected backroom bribes under their command.
Kunlun's corruption was laid bare for all to see. Hyun Do-gwang sighed.
"I thought it was rotten, but not this rotten... My god..."
Even attempts to cut off tails were dragged before Hyun Do-gwang in full.
Ledgers. Documents. Promissory notes. People.
The mess, tangled with Qinghai's thugs, was a black mire of filth. Hyun Do-gwang broke into a cold sweat upon realizing the scale-he couldn't weed it all out at once.
"...This... will definitely... take time."
An amount that couldn't be handled overnight.
Once it all came to light, Hyun Do-gwang apologized sincerely.
Before the battered Narin and Gwangyang, a Kunlun elder knelt personally.
"We've dragged you into our internal affairs. My apologies. We'll tend to those wounds and your tarnished honor... somehow."
Kunlun's medicine hall treated Narin and Gwangyang. Using precious ingredients, their broken bodies recovered swiftly.
After separate compensation payments, he dragged the Orthodox Alliance members and remaining sinners before us and punished them on the spot.
His ruthless hands were terrifying. It was hard to believe they were from the same sect.
The fainted Orthodox Alliance leader was hauled away. Hyun Do-gwang bowed to me repeatedly.
"We've shown you an ugly sight."
"...As long as everything's falling back into place, I'm satisfied."
"Even so, I want to offer personal thanks. Thanks to you, our stalled investigation finally broke through. Who would've thought they'd even mobilized bandits? This is my personal token of gratitude."
What Hyun Do-gwang handed over was a small spirit pill.
"You seem to have trained only external arts. No internal energy detectable. External arts are vital, of course, but their true value shines when fused with inner power."
"I have a body that can't accumulate internal energy innately."
I offered a suitable half-truth.
Hyun Do-gwang nodded immediately.
"In that case, sell it. This is a Lesser Immortal Pill-it'll fetch a fine price anywhere. Good for emergencies too. The internal energy might dissipate, but it'll bolster your vitality."
"...Thank you."
"Thanks? I should be the one sorry. You're my benefactor. You've helped cleanse Kunlun's sullied name. It'll take time to return to normal, but..."
Hyun Do-gwang smiled wryly.
"Bitter medicine is the best kind, no? You seem in a hurry, so I won't keep you. Go with your companions. But next time we meet, let me buy you a drink."
"I won't refuse."
"Haha! Naturally!"
Hyun Do-gwang was a good man. So, while I couldn't say the same for all Kunlun warriors, I'd welcome meeting him again.
We descended from Kunlun's domain. At my side walked the swiftly healed Gwangyang and Narin.
Those who'd been receiving treatment at the medicine hall eyed me cautiously. Gwangyang bowed deeply.
"I-I'm sorry! My lord! For the trouble...!"
"Why'd you go back that day?"
"...Pardon?"
"I asked why you left that night without a word."
"...This lowly one is worse than vermin, human trash... But even I have lines I must hold. You saved my life and entrusted others to me... A man has to know gratitude, doesn't he?"
I stared at Gwangyang. His rough-hewn face bowed repeatedly.
"That's why... I couldn't speak. It stuck in my throat. That's all."
"...Tch."
I looked at Narin. She'd taken a beating too, yet hadn't revealed my whereabouts.
I sighed. I stopped.
I turned to both of them.
"Sit."
"Uh, huh?"
"P-Pardon?"
"I said sit."
They sat. I sat facing them.
Two former bandits. And me.
Finally, one last check.
"Swear on everything you own-you've never plundered from innocents?"
"N-No...!"
"Never!"
"...I'll believe you."
I didn't know if this was the right choice. But they'd shown me something, so...
I couldn't just up and leave like this.
At the crossroads of decision, I turned my head. I looked at Narin.
"Narin."
"Uh, yeah?"
"You're mistaken about something. I didn't train only external arts. I have internal energy too."
"......."
"But I can teach you how to swing a sword. And how to refine that external strength."
It was the path I'd walked.
It'd be weirder if I didn't know it.
She'd said she wanted an equal relationship.
I didn't fully grasp what she truly wanted. But seeing her sparkling eyes, I finally muttered.
"Not quite a disciple... something like that. If that's fine with you."
"Wha-?! Y-Yes! I'll do it! Teach me!"
I ignored her bouncing excitement and turned to the side.
I stared at Gwangyang, whose face showed the relief of unburdened baggage. His expression screamed he was ready to bolt.
But I had no intention of letting him go.
"You told me. That plundering was the only way of life you knew."
"Y-Yes...?"
"What if I taught you another way?"
"......?!"
Gwangyang, grasping my meaning, prostrated himself flat.
"I'll serve you as my lifelong benefactor!"
"No need for benefactor."
This felt right.
Whether I was qualified to pick someone up, I wasn't sure...
But having confirmed their character, I wanted to give them at least that much.
"I'll teach you martial arts on the way to the Murim Alliance. With conditions, of course."
"Wh-What...?!"
"Once you start, you see it through."
I stood up.
"No quitting midway. Until we reach the Murim Alliance, no matter the reason, you cultivate martial arts. Will you do it?"
"...I-I'll do it... N-No, I will!"
"We will, my lord!"
"Enough with 'lord'... Roughly..."
Too vague for master, too distant for just 'man'.
In that ambiguity, I couldn't find a fitting title.
"Just call me whatever."
"Master!"
"Master!"
"...Drop the 'Master' part."
I'd told them not to call me master...
No. There wasn't really another suitable term anyway.
Just roll with it.
"Let's go. Long road ahead."
How much time did I waste at Kunlun...
I hope to pass the next region quickly.
Gwangyang and Narin hurried after me. Seeing them clap hands together, they seemed thrilled.
Wonder if they'll still be clapping later.
Gwangyang, catching up, asked me.
"B-But, mas- So, where to next?"
"Next is..."
I checked the map.
"We follow the road to Qingcheng. The path to Kongtong is complicated, so that's best."
"The place next to the Tang Clan of Sichuan?"
"Yeah."
A place that might hold one of my targets. The Tang Clan of Sichuan.
Not bad to gather info on them while passing through.
"S-So, what do we start with...?"
"Basics. Conditioning."
"Pardon?"
"I said it clearly. No quitting midway."
I lightly stretched. Then I said.
"Run. Until you feel like dying."