Chapter 543
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 543
Chapter Title: Wanna Step Out and Spar?
Members of Fierce Dragon Corps Squad Seven dashed across the wasteland, their lightness skills carrying them swiftly forward.
They paid no mind to the fact that their path led toward the territory of the Sand Pirates.
Leading the pack was Ha Seol-ran.
She was still sensing Ha Mu-baek and Wi Ji-gun's presences, so she had to be their guide.
Naturally, the group's pace matched hers.
"How much farther do we have to go?"
The question came from Yeon Ha-min, running right beside her.
They had already been sprinting for about three quarters of an hour.
"Maybe one more quarter? Huff... huff."
Ha Seol-ran gauged the distance covered and what remained before replying.
Her breathing was already ragged, her body soaked in sweat.
"They sure went a long way."
Dang Jin-san remarked as he pushed himself to keep running, and Baek Ri-pyeong responded from nearby.
"It's not that far for those two."
He was right.
With their lightness skills, it was only about half a shichen away, but those two could cover it in one or two quarters easily.
After another quarter hour, they spotted churned-up earth in the distance.
Split open, thrust upward, deeply gouged.
They had seen terrain like this before.
Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest.
Wasn't this just like the divine might Ha Mu-baek had displayed there?
"Hoo... What the hell happened here?"
Dan Mok Un-roe muttered in shock.
The group gradually slowed.
Ha Seol-ran headed straight toward one spot and soon found the two men sitting cross-legged in meditation.
Truly, utterly defenseless.
It was a wasteland where no one passed, sure, but this was right on the edge of Sand Pirate territory.
Meditating so vulnerably here—what if something happened?
The thought crossed all seven minds at once, though masters of their caliber might handle it differently.
"We should stand guard."
At Yeon Ha-min's words, the squad members nodded and formed a circle around Ha Mu-baek and Wi Ji-gun, scanning the surroundings.
How much time passed like that?
Ha Mu-baek moved first.
He slowly opened his eyes and surveyed the area.
He had already sensed their arrival through his energy perception.
"Brother!"
Ha Seol-ran had watched the moment his eyes opened.
"Seems I've worried you."
Ha Mu-baek rose and patted her head.
'Huh? Something...'
In that instant, Ha Seol-ran felt a change in him, though she couldn't quite define it.
'He's even more at ease.'
She didn't know why.
But undeniably.
Much more serene.
He had always been endlessly comfortable to be around, but now it was even more so.
"What's wrong?"
Ha Mu-baek asked, sensing her mood.
"N-nothing."
His gaze upon her was warm and profound.
And the deep-seated anguish and hesitation that had lingered seemed gone.
"What happened?"
Yeon Ha-min approached and asked.
"Just a simple spar."
A calm reply.
Yeon Ha-min tilted her head at Ha Mu-baek's answer.
She too had sensed the change.
She couldn't pinpoint it, but he was definitely different.
For the better.
"Why, what's up?"
Dang Jin-san asked as he came over.
He and the others seemed oblivious.
"Nothing."
Yeon Ha-min shook her head slightly.
"If a simple spar did this, what would a real one look like? Seriously."
Dang Jin-san glanced at the devastation around them before asking Ha Mu-baek.
Ha Mu-baek chuckled at his deadpan tone.
"Wanna step out and spar?"
Dang Jin-san's eyes widened at the response. After a breath, he shook his head vigorously.
"I wanna live a long life."
Dang Jin-san stepped back.
"Thanks, everyone. Good work."
Ha Mu-baek addressed the gathered squad members.
Only then did Dang Jin-san, Baek Ri-pyeong, Dan Mok Un-roe, Nak Woo-jin, and Joo Woo-myeong sense that something had changed in him.
Dang Jin-san had noticed a step ahead of the other four.
Ha Mu-baek's gaze shifted to Wi Ji-gun.
The squad might not know it, but Wi Ji-gun was at a crucial moment.
Ha Mu-baek could feel the fierce vortex of energy churning within his master.
"Let's fall back a bit."
Ha Mu-baek said as he stepped away.
The squad followed.
They retreated about twenty zhang—roughly sixty meters—from Wi Ji-gun.
"Do we really need to go this far?"
Ha Mu-baek nodded lightly to Yeon Ha-min's question but said nothing.
The mood kept everyone silent, just watching Wi Ji-gun.
Time passed again.
Dawn was breaking.
The moment the red light of morning bathed Wi Ji-gun's body.
Wi Ji-gun's eyes snapped open.
Fierce light burst forth, and a terrifying aura poured from him, only to transform into multicolored energy that enveloped his entire form.
The rainbow energy was then sucked back into his nostrils.
Crack. Crack. Crack.
Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.
Dozens, hundreds of cracks spiderwebbed across his skin, bones twisting as if realigning.
Whoosh.
Skin sloughed off, bones settled into place.
Taut, pale new skin over a perfected frame.
Shedding the bones and emerging anew.
The squad members gaped at the sight.
When had they ever witnessed bone shedding?
It was legend, yet here it unfolded vividly before them.
Once the process ended, Wi Ji-gun looked toward Ha Mu-baek with eyes deeper and broader than before.
"Thank you."
A small insight had led to great enlightenment, culminating in bone shedding.
This was Wi Ji-gun's third time.
He had thought there would be no more, yet in his old age, he experienced another.
All thanks to his disciple Ha Mu-baek—that's why he said it.
"Congratulations, Master. This is the result of your guidance, so I should be the one thanking you."
Ha Mu-baek clasped his hands in respect, speaking sincerely.
"You've progressed too."
"Not fully yet... but I believe it will be soon."
Wi Ji-gun nodded at the reply.
His disciple's utterly transformed aura said as much.
No more torment or hesitation from heart demons.
If anything, even more serene and tranquil than before.
Perhaps he had achieved even greater than Wi Ji-gun's bone shedding.
The Fierce Dragon Corps squad exchanged baffled looks, clueless about what had transpired between the two.
"Let's head back now."
Ha Mu-baek said to the squad, lightly kicking off the ground.
Kaifeng.
An ancient capital.
Luoyang was more prosperous now, but Kaifeng held its own in history and tradition.
These days, though, it was even more famous as the headquarters of the Beggars' Sect.
Luoyang housed the Righteous Heaven Alliance headquarters; Kaifeng, the Beggars' Sect's.
A massive den of beggars, yet none of Kaifeng's common folk minded.
Thanks to them, it was one of the safest cities in the world.
Outlaws and street thugs couldn't gain a foothold, let alone cause trouble.
Beggars were everywhere on Kaifeng's streets, and no one dared act rashly where they were.
You never knew who among them was a Beggars' Sect master.
Paradoxically, beggars scraping by on handouts made the city greater and more renowned.
The Plum Blossom Sword Immortal and Wi Su-yeon had just passed through Kaifeng's gates.
Wi Su-yeon gawked around, entranced.
This ancient city had a charm distinct from Luoyang or Zhengzhou on their journey here.
"Welcome. Gui-hwi."
A ragged old beggar greeted them.
A young beggar stood beside him.
As if waiting, they appeared the moment the two passed the gates.
"Cheol Dam. Long time."
The Plum Blossom Sword Immortal smiled at the beggar.
Iron Wall Beggar.
Vice Leader of the Beggars' Sect.
And an old friend of the Sword Immortal.
They simply shared a look to catch up.
"This way."
Iron Wall Beggar led the way.
The young beggar followed quietly.
The Sword Immortal and Wi Su-yeon brought up the rear.
Iron Wall Beggar headed to a tidy shrine on a quiet Kaifeng street.
Small but immaculate, with a simple spread of drinks inside.
"For beggars, nothing beats a place like this."
Iron Wall Beggar had prepared it thanks to the Sword Immortal's advance message.
Inns or teahouses might be nicer, but beggars should stay true to form—that was his philosophy.
This was his best effort.
"Perfect."
The Sword Immortal nodded and entered.
Wi Su-yeon followed cautiously.
"It's so clean?"
She murmured, looking around.
"Heh, we scrubbed hard for a noble guest. This one especially."
Iron Wall Beggar chuckled, pointing at the young beggar.
"Speaking of, who's this young hero?"
"A Tail Beggar."
Iron Wall Beggar replied dismissively to the Sword Immortal's question.
The Tail Beggar's waist bore no knot of the Eight Knots.
Meaning he was just tagging along for personal reasons.
"Huh?"
The Sword Immortal's eyes widened in surprise at the Tail Beggar's presence.
"Heard you were bringing a Huashan disciple and insisted on coming. He cleaned the whole place himself. Tsk tsk."
Iron Wall Beggar clicked his tongue, displeased with the Tail Beggar's ulterior motives.
Wi Su-yeon shrank back half behind the Sword Immortal.
She had noticed the glances from the moment they met—they were from the Tail Beggar.
Even now, his face beet red, he averted his eyes but peeked at her sidelong.
The Sword Immortal tilted her head, puzzled.
"Tsk, what sect are you from? So buried in the sword you ignore all worldly rumors."
The Sword Immortal looked even more baffled at Iron Wall Beggar's chiding.
"Hubei's icy lotus, Anhui's bright orchid, Hunan’s elegant chrysanthemum, the seas' fresh pear blossom, Shaanxi's sharp plum blossom. Five beautiful flowers illuminating the world."
Iron Wall Beggar recited like poetry.
The Sword Immortal still looked lost.
"The Five Flowers of the Martial World, as the gossips call them."
"Five Flowers?"
"The five women deemed the most beautiful of our era by enthusiasts. That one's in a tizzy because Shaanxi's sharp plum blossom is visiting Kaifeng."
Iron Wall Beggar eyed the Tail Beggar steadily.
The Tail Beggar turned away further.
Now he couldn't even sneak a peek.
The Sword Immortal turned to see Wi Su-yeon half-hidden behind her.
Wi Su-yeon's face flushed crimson.
Hearing such an embarrassing nickname right in front of her, from a respected elder of her sect no less.
In the end, Wi Su-yeon bowed her head deeply.