Chapter 87
Chapter 87
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 87
Chapter Title: Ban Yong-gyeol
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An unnamed Sacred Forest Sect disciple bellowed at the top of his lungs.
"That's the guy! That bastard killed our sect leader!"
He must have been hiding somewhere, watching the situation, then slipped out to call for help from the Qingcheng Sect.
Yellow Spirit Master, the head of the Qingcheng Chengdu Branch, and Chief Instructor Jin Song were utterly bewildered by this sudden turn of events. They had assumed some vile demon or unorthodox fiend was causing trouble without knowing their place, but surprisingly, it was a familiar face.
And it wasn't just a casual acquaintance between the three of them and Dang Mujin.
Just a few months ago, Dang Mujin had forged an exquisite sword for Yellow Spirit Master at basically cost, and Jin Song was next in line to receive one.
A martial artist's attachment to their sword runs incredibly deep.
One can attain martial arts through tireless effort, but a famed sword cannot be obtained by effort alone.
A true divine blade is something you can only acquire by encountering a heaven-sent opportunity.
To Yellow Spirit Master and Jin Song, Dang Mujin was a living, breathing stroke of fortune.
Yellow Spirit Master recalled the day he visited Master Seok's forge and found a dagger that hadn't even been properly sharpened.
The shock of learning that it wasn't made by Master Seok or Seok Jiseung, but by Dang Mujin, was still fresh in his mind.
If he had known where Dang Mujin was, Yellow Spirit Master might have even left the Chengdu Branch empty to follow him.
After more than a year of anxious waiting, he finally obtained his new sword. His attachment to it was profound, and his goodwill toward the one who forged it was just as great.
'...What should I do?'
Yellow Spirit Master decided to first calm the agitated Sacred Forest Sect disciple.
"Let's assess the situation first. Please rein in your anger."
"How can I stay calm right now? That wicked villain brutally... to our sect leader..."
"Tsk."
When the peak-level expert Yellow Spirit Master clicked his tongue, the Sacred Forest Sect disciple belatedly realized his place and made an "oh no" face. The gap between a peak expert and a third-rate martial artist was that vast.
Yellow Spirit Master examined Dang Mujin's appearance. Something about it felt off.
When he first heard the Sacred Forest Sect disciple's story, he had imagined a fiend steeped in demonic energy to the bone, drenched in blood.
But Dang Mujin's eyes were as kind and serene as ever, without a drop of blood on his clothes, let alone splattered everywhere.
Still, he couldn't immediately take Dang Mujin's side. Yellow Spirit Master asked him,
"Hey there, Young Master Dang. Is it true that you killed the Sacred Forest Sect Leader?"
"Yes? No, it's not."
Yellow Spirit Master pointed to the disciple behind him.
"This man says he saw the sect leader get done in by you?"
"...He said it was possible he was dead. He didn't say for sure that he was killed. Sir."
The quick step back. Yellow Spirit Master shot the disciple a glare and asked Dang Mujin again.
"We should check on the Sacred Forest Sect Leader's condition first. Where is he?"
"Over there, sleeping in the bedroom."
"...Bedroom? He's sleeping?"
"Yes. Please come this way."
Dang Mujin led the three into the bedroom. The Sacred Forest Sect Leader was sleeping peacefully.
Yellow Spirit Master and Jin Song glared at the Sacred Forest Sect disciple as if to bore holes through him. The disciple was visibly fidgeting.
"This can't be..."
Ahem.
Yellow Spirit Master cleared his throat disapprovingly, then checked the sect leader's condition.
His breathing was steady, with no signs of disrupted qi and blood or severed meridians.
His limbs were intact, no broken bones, not even a bruise.
"It's clear he's unharmed, but it's odd that he won't wake up."
"I put him in that state. He'll wake up around lunchtime."
He didn't seem to be lying to get out of trouble.
Sensing the mood turning strange, the Sacred Forest Sect disciple shouted desperately.
"But Ban Yong-gyeol! He definitely took Ban Yong-gyeol!"
The disciple's story had already lost all credibility. Yellow Spirit Master asked somewhat disinterestedly,
"Is that so? Young Master Dang, where is this Ban Yong-gyeol fellow?"
"In his own room."
His own room. The disciple squeezed his eyes shut, and Yellow Spirit Master asked again.
"Is he dead or injured by any chance? Severed meridians or broken limbs?"
"No."
"Of course, I trust you, Young Master Dang. But since we've come this far, we should confirm his condition. Bring Ban Yong-gyeol here."
The four left the sect leader's bedroom. Dang Mujin walked a bit faster than the other three and dragged out the unconscious, limp Ban Yong-gyeol.
Yellow Spirit Master carefully examined Ban Yong-gyeol's state. His hands and feet were bound, but there were no obvious external injuries, no severed muscle meridians or destroyed dantian.
However, he seemed to have suffered some mental shock, as his qi and blood were still somewhat agitated and unsettled.
'He must have been shocked seeing his master get taken down.'
Yellow Spirit Master was a Daoist of the Qingcheng Sect, but above all, a martial artist of the jianghu.
And jianghu folk have a habit of dismissing psychological or mental issues as the result of personal weakness.
It was clearly no big deal no matter how you looked at it. Yellow Spirit Master decided to wrap things up with a simple question.
"I thought something major had happened from all the fuss, but it seems like nothing serious. Anyway, what happened that made Young Master Dang come to the Sacred Forest Sect and cause this commotion?"
"I stepped out from home in the evening and was heading back around the hour of the pig when I sensed unfamiliar presences behind me. When I turned, there were six masked men."
"Hmm. And?"
"Without a word, they swung clubs at the back of my head. So I subdued them. When I cut off the masks, Ban Yong-gyeol's face was revealed."
Dang Mujin pulled out the neatly sliced mask.
Yellow Spirit Master looked at Chief Instructor Jin Song. Unlike Yellow Spirit Master, who rarely left the Chengdu Branch, Jin Song often strolled through Chengdu's streets when he had time.
Naturally, Jin Song was well-versed in local affairs and rumors.
"It's probably true. Ban Yong-gyeol's gang is quite notorious around here."
"Why didn't you give them a good thrashing beforehand?"
"As a Qingcheng Sect martial artist, they were too low-level to bother with formally, and they kept a low profile around me, so it was hard to punish them preemptively."
Yellow Spirit Master nodded in satisfaction and asked Dang Mujin,
"And then what?"
"I sent them back intending to deal with it later, but it bothered me so much I couldn't sleep. So I came to the Sacred Forest Sect."
Hearing the full story, it wouldn't have been strange if Dang Mujin had killed Ban Yong-gyeol.
Swinging a club at someone's head from behind isn't a trivial matter. If you're lucky, they pass out; if not, they could become an idiot or die.
Moreover, wearing masks while wandering around clearly meant Ban Yong-gyeol was up to no good.
Furthermore, as a martial artist, it's a problem that inferiors couldn't recognize a superior and attacked. Even leniently, he'd have to lose an arm.
But Ban Yong-gyeol was alive without a scratch. This actually proved how kind and magnanimous Dang Mujin was.
Yellow Spirit Master decided to end the nighttime disturbance here.
"You seem to have gotten caught up in some trouble, Young Master Dang. But seeing his sect leader subdued must have startled him into rushing here, so it's not that unusual. I have no intention of punishing him, so head back and rest."
Having stuck his nose in unnecessarily, the Sacred Forest Sect disciple slunk away with an awkward expression. Not being interrogated was a relief.
Yellow Spirit Master told Dang Mujin as well,
"Tomorrow, I'll visit the Sacred Forest Sect and deal with Ban Yong-gyeol's crimes, so go home and get some good rest tonight."
But unexpectedly, Dang Mujin objected.
"No."
"Hm?"
"There's a Salmaek assassin behind Ban Yong-gyeol."
"Salmaek?"
What out-of-left-field talk was this? Salmaek might be filthy unorthodox scum, but they wouldn't recruit total idiots without basic competence as assassins.
And to Yellow Spirit Master, Ban Yong-gyeol clearly fell short of the mark.
Yet Dang Mujin's voice carried a strange fervor and conviction.
"What makes you think that?"
Unlike before, Dang Mujin explained in a manner that was neither calm nor composed.
There was no new information. A group attacking at night, wearing masks. That was it.
No Salmaek tattoos, no witnessing murders.
But Dang Mujin was convinced Ban Yong-gyeol was a Salmaek assassin who had killed countless people.
Yellow Spirit Master and Jin Song wanted to side with Dang Mujin, but even accounting for that bias, his claims were too much of a leap.
Yellow Spirit Master inwardly thought it fortunate the Sacred Forest Sect disciple had left in time.
"Young Master Dang, that's just speculation."
"No. He's definitely a Salmaek assassin."
Such an unusually adamant attitude. Yellow Spirit Master took a step back.
"...I understand. Tomorrow, I'll summon Ban Yong-gyeol and thoroughly investigate any Salmaek connections, so withdraw for tonight."
As Yellow Spirit Master tried to conclude, Dang Mujin's expression noticeably changed.
It was like he was gripped by extreme anxiety.
"No. We can't let a Salmaek spawn live. We need to extract a confession right now and cut off his head here."
Dang Mujin kept fiddling with the hilt of his sword at his waist, as if wanting to behead Ban Yong-gyeol himself.
Yellow Spirit Master spoke sternly.
"Young Master Dang, don't make this bigger. It won't do you any good as a future physician if word gets out that you harmed someone."
"With danger right at our doorstep, do we have the luxury to worry about aftermath? We need to uproot the seed of future trouble now to survive."
Yellow Spirit Master saw Dang Mujin's trembling eyes. This wasn't normal.
It wasn't just the eyes. Dang Mujin moved toward Ban Yong-gyeol as if determined to take him by force, no matter what.
But neither Yellow Spirit Master nor Jin Song intended to let Dang Mujin cause more trouble. If he had killed Ban Yong-gyeol on the spot after the attack, fine—but doing it now would look bad.
As Yellow Spirit Master and Jin Song blocked his path, Dang Mujin glared at them sharply. His intent to resolve this by force was clear.
Dang Mujin toyed with his sword hilt but ultimately couldn't draw it, instead raising both fists.
He wanted to kill Ban Yong-gyeol but didn't want to harm Yellow Spirit Master or Jin Song.
Yellow Spirit Master didn't back down either. Jianghu martial artists are accustomed to settling disputes with strength, not words.
"Jin Song, move Ban Yong-gyeol far away."
"Are you going to fight?"
"Yes."
Yellow Spirit Master answered curtly and told Dang Mujin,
"Young Master Dang, I won't injure you badly, so don't worry too much. Sleep soundly until lunchtime tomorrow like the sect leader, and your head will clear."
Yellow Spirit Master didn't draw his sword either. Instead, he assumed the stance of the Shattering Stele Thousand Palms.
Qingcheng Sect's palm techniques might be inferior to other sects', but they were more than enough to subdue a weaker opponent.
Yellow Spirit Master struck first with his palm. It looked like a light technique, but it carried enough force to shatter a stone pillar in one blow.
Dang Mujin countered without falling behind, sweeping his arm to deflect the palm and attack. No killing intent, but no intention of retreating either.
No, it wasn't devoid of killing intent. It wasn't aimed at Yellow Spirit Master, but it was growing thicker toward Ban Yong-gyeol.
Their fists and palms clashed repeatedly. It was so fierce you could forget there were no blades involved.
After more than a dozen exchanges, even Yellow Spirit Master grew alarmed. He had thought it would be easy to subdue him, but Dang Mujin's skill was no joke.
The profundity of Dang Mujin's palm technique surpassed the Shattering Stele Thousand Palms, and his attainment was far from shallow.
'Shaolin fist techniques?'
Dang Mujin's style bore the hallmarks of Shaolin methods.
Forms emphasizing flow and circulation over one-strike kills.
The distinctive circular patterns of Buddhist martial arts.
The occasional half-palm interspersed between techniques.
And the subtle aura of Prajna Clarity.
'His mind seems unstable, yet his palm techniques carry Prajna Clarity aura. Strange.'
Most tricky of all was the poison qi infused in Dang Mujin's palms.
Not lethal poison, but it was certain to affect the fight in some way.
Of course, even considering all that, Yellow Spirit Master wouldn't lose. The gap between him and Dang Mujin wasn't small.
The issue was that while he could win, subduing him without injury wasn't feasible.
'This won't be easy.'
Jin Song couldn't recklessly join the fight and stayed back at a distance.
Teaming up on Dang Mujin with Yellow Spirit Master would look bad. Especially since Dang Mujin's skill didn't surpass Yellow Spirit Master's.
The poison qi swirling around Dang Mujin was also a problem. Jin Song lacked the attainment to dispel it mid-fight.
As the fight dragged on without resolution, Yellow Spirit Master spotted a figure approaching from behind Dang Mujin.
A fairly handsome young man in dark gray night travel clothes. His light movements suggested decent martial arts.
At first, he thought the youth meant to aid Dang Mujin in a pincer attack, but surprisingly, the young man gestured toward Yellow Spirit Master. He held a finger to his lips, signaling silence.
The nameless youth suppressed his presence, standing behind Dang Mujin and waiting for an opening.
"Hah!"
Yellow Spirit Master launched a more intense assault to draw Dang Mujin's focus.
When Dang Mujin was fully immersed, the youth approached silently from behind and chopped the nape of his neck with his hand blade.
Thwack—
A small impact. But it was enough. Dang Mujin lost consciousness and collapsed.
So stealthy was the youth's movement that Dang Mujin apparently didn't realize what hit him even as he fell.
Yellow Spirit Master let out a sigh of relief, and the youth in night clothes cupped his fists in salute.
"Sorry for butting in uninvited."
Of course, Yellow Spirit Master wasn't petty enough to get angry in such a situation.
"No, I don't know who you are, but you helped greatly."
Unlike Yellow Spirit Master, Jin Song recognized the youth.
"Aren't you Young Master Dang's friend? Namgung Myeong, was it? I think I heard you stay together at the Dang family clinic."
"Yes."
"...Is that alright with you?"
In a way, Namgung Myeong had ambushed his friend to help outsiders. Their friendship could easily sour.
But Namgung Myeong shrugged it off lightly.
"It's fine. When a friend's gone mad, snapping him out of it is what real friends do. Besides, you looked ready to draw your sword any second, elder. Better to end this without major injuries for everyone."
Yellow Spirit Master cleared his throat awkwardly.
As Namgung Myeong pointed out, he had been considering drawing his sword to end it quickly.
If he had, the fight would have ended with some injury, big or small.
Jin Song, now grasping the situation fully, thanked Namgung Myeong again.
"Excellent judgment. How long were you watching?"
"Not long. I stepped out to view the moon and saw the fight break out, so I watched briefly."
Jin Song looked up at the night sky.
The stars were bright, but the moon was a very thin crescent. Not an ideal night for moon-gazing.
Namgung Myeong quickly added,
"I prefer new moons over full ones."
The world is vast, and it's not strange for someone to like new moons. Jin Song and Yellow Spirit Master nodded lightly.
The three watched over the unconscious Dang Mujin and Ban Yong-gyeol. They weren't sure how to wrap this up.
But sending them back like this would look bad to anyone.
In the end, they took the fainted Dang Mujin and Ban Yong-gyeol to the Qingcheng Chengdu Branch.