Chapter 149
Translator: penny
Chapter: 149
Chapter Title: A Month of Confinement
"Are you truly prepared to fight me, Mok Jimyeong?"
The Patrol Hall Master, having received my declaration of war, clamped his mouth shut.
He moved his lips slightly, looking deeply troubled.
In truth, the Patrol Hall Master's realm was at the early stage of the Transformation Realm, one step below my mid-Transformation Realm.
On top of that, I'd shown him my overwhelming internal energy reserves, so it wouldn't be easy for him to refute me head-on.
But that didn't mean he could simply back down gracefully either.
'If he retreats tamely here, his political career is over.'
This wasn't a private meeting between just the two of us—it was an official gathering with all the other elders present.
For him to cower and flee from the man who'd severed his nephew's limbs?
What kind of looks would that earn him?
So, I decided to open a path for him to survive.
I swiftly withdrew the internal energy that had filled the Disciplinary Hall and spoke in a calm voice.
"Of course, I do acknowledge some of what the Patrol Hall Master said. Though you're not the type to do so, but suppose the Murim Alliance Leader over there insulted our Hyea? What could I do but endure it?"
At my sudden change in tone, all nine judges wore puzzled expressions.
As if wondering what I was getting at.
I waited a moment in case the Patrol Hall Master seized the opening, but there was no response.
In the end, I continued with what I'd planned to say.
"But do you know what?"
"…?"
"It was about six months ago that I killed the Four Black Alliance elder Chu Munrak. And that was right when I'd just ascended to the Transformation Realm."
Some of the sharper ones realized what I was driving at and widened their eyes.
I responded by curling the corner of my mouth slightly.
"And now, I'm at a level where I can say I'm in the mid-Transformation Realm. Oh, for anyone who might not know, I'm still in my early twenties—exactly twenty years old. I'll turn twenty-one in a few days."
Some hardened their expressions, while others looked shocked.
I met each of the judges' eyes one by one before finally fixing my gaze on the Patrol Hall Master.
"There's a saying that a gentleman's revenge is never too late, even if it takes ten years. But it seems I won't even need ten. Exactly three years. Three years should be plenty—what do you think?"
In truth, it was hard to pin it down to exactly three years.
With the Blissful Creation Art, it all depended on which woman I slept with.
If I went mad and resumed my lecherous demon antics, I could reach the Profound Realm in a year.
Conversely, I might not even hit the late Transformation Realm after three years.
But right now, that 'truth only I knew' was irrelevant.
It was just like when I'd fooled the Martial Emperor Cheon Seonwu before.
What they saw was a genius who'd reached mid-Transformation Realm at just twenty.
I wanted them to imagine for themselves how much further such a genius could grow.
But one person looked uncomfortable with my words.
"Ahem, even so, isn't three years a bit too soon?"
It was the Murim Alliance Leader Heo Euncheong, who'd been the point of comparison.
Since he was on my side from the start, there was no need to raise my voice, so I just gave an awkward smile.
"I was just speaking hypothetically. Hypothetically. Why take it so seriously, Alliance Leader?"
"Ahem, I'm not belittling your talent, but going from mid to late stage, and then from late to peak, is no small feat."
He seemed loath to admit I'd catch up in three years, trailing off with more words.
To his remarks, I replied playfully.
"Then how long did it take you to go from early to mid-Transformation Realm, Alliance Leader? It took me less than six months…."
"…."
Silence descended.
Even Heo Euncheong, who'd been clearing his throat, started pretending otherwise.
Then, the one who chimed in belatedly was Chief Strategist Zhuge Hak, who'd been silent until now.
"I heard Chu Munrak died in the Northern Capital. But because the imperial court suppressed the information, we didn't know who did it… Was it really you?"
To be precise, it wasn't just the imperial court—the Shadow Gate Sect had helped cover it up too. But it seemed the Murim Alliance only thought of the court.
Then again, it would've been hard to suspect the Shadow Gate Sect, the same group as Chu Munrak, of controlling information.
Instead of proving it here, I took a slightly different tack.
"Pardon? Didn't your son-in-law… Ah, sorry. Didn't the Moyong Family Head tell you? He knew early on…."
I casually flaunted my ties to the Moyong Family.
It worked—Zhuge Hak let out a small groan.
"Mm, the Moyong Family is indeed close to the imperial court…."
At that, the Disciplinary Hall Master Peng Seonho, who'd been quiet since the trial began, looked startled.
"You don't mean… Were you someone raised by the imperial court?"
What misunderstanding was this?
I needed to correct that right away.
"What are you talking about? Far from the imperial court, I was born in the Mok Family Clan of Shanxi Province and lived there exclusively until just a year ago. The Beggars' Sect already knows all about it, don't they?"
"That's right. It was confirmed by our Southern Branch Leader recently."
The Murim Alliance Leader's testimony brought silence once more.
In other words, I was a true genius who'd risen without any backing.
And this silence lasted a bit longer.
As no one spoke for a prolonged time, Disciplinary Hall Master Peng Seonho declared a recess.
In truth, it was less a recess and more time for the elders to discuss among themselves, excluding Mok Jimyeong.
The first to speak was Peng Seonho, who was overseeing the trial.
"What do you think, Patrol Hall Master?"
"…."
But Song Yukang, the one questioned, kept his mouth firmly shut, his expression grim.
He looked deeply troubled.
Peng Seonho switched targets.
"Then what about you, Capture Hall Master?"
"…Sigh, it's tricky. Originally, I wanted that Mok Jimyeong boy to get a light punishment. As he said, Nangong Chan was the one who started it. But now, I'm not so sure."
Mok Jimyeong's intimidation had certainly worked, but it came with side effects.
The talent he'd displayed went beyond envy or jealousy—it inspired worry and concern.
Even Go Ilbeom of the Zhongnan Sect, who hadn't spoken a word throughout the trial, added his piece.
"It seems the Central Plains martial world will flow according to that boy's will from now on. But he's closer to tyranny than righteousness, and that's what concerns me."
"Tyranny? He's just a plain madman, isn't he? Threatening to surpass the Murim Alliance Leader in three years…."
Song Yukang, who'd been silent, blurted out his true feelings in frustration before belatedly clamping his mouth shut again.
But his words had already reached everyone's ears.
However,
"…."
No one agreed—or even disagreed.
They just eyed each other cautiously.
'Could he really grow enough to beat the Alliance Leader in just three years?'
'Mid-Transformation Realm at twenty… I've been stuck at early stage for fifteen years already….'
The one who finally spoke was Chief Strategist Zhuge Hak.
He bantered with the Murim Alliance Leader as if nothing had happened, in his usual joking tone.
"Alliance Leader, you've kept that boy well hidden until now."
"Ahem, I didn't know he was that kind of kid either."
It was a statement loaded with meaning.
Zhuge Hak let out a wry chuckle.
"You told me he was just a promising junior… I doubt many among us could beat him now?"
In truth, it wasn't 'many'—it was just two people.
He avoided specifics to spare the pride of himself and the others.
Heo Euncheong smacked his lips, unable to reply.
'I didn't know he was that strong either.'
Once one sheds the mortal coil upon reaching the Transformation Realm, gauging exact realms becomes difficult.
Heo Euncheong, standing right before the Profound Realm wall, could faintly sense natural energies and estimate Mok Jimyeong's level, but even that wasn't precise.
About between early and mid-Transformation?
But he'd never imagined he'd killed a Four Black Alliance elder long ago and hidden that much internal energy.
Let alone have that kind of personality.
Suddenly, Heo Euncheong recalled a conversation with Zhuge Hak from a few days ago.
—Hmm, is that so? I thought it might be nice to watch the young ones bicker and grow.
—It's not the growth that's nice—it's watching it that's fun, isn't it?
—Why quibble? It's all the same.
Seeing it in person, there was no fun at all.
It only burned him up inside.
Time passed, and the recess was nearly over.
It was time to reach a decision.
Yet no one opened their mouth about the trial.
Disciplinary Hall Master Peng Seonho, who had to push the trial forward somehow, resorted to his final measure.
"It seems we need the Alliance Leader's opinion. What should we do?"
He was dumping it all on Murim Alliance Leader Heo Euncheong.
Of course, Heo Euncheong was on Mok Jimyeong's side, but with the trial already underway, declaring complete innocence was tough.
There was a victim, after all.
So he pushed for the minimal punishment, and thanks to Mok Jimyeong's intimidation, no one dared object.
Not even Song Yukang, who'd advocated the harshest penalty.
And so….
"One month of confinement?"
Mok Jimyeong received only a slap on the wrist.