Chapter : 84
“Even black-haired beasts are still beasts. They only come to their senses after being hit.”
“You! What nonsense are you spouting! I, Cheongun! As a martial disciple of the Shaman who protects righteousness and cooperation, how dare you oppress these two women, you despicable—”
Bam!
Before Cheon Mujin could even react, Geom Yujin’s fist smashed into Cheongun’s jaw.
“Huh?”
“Ugh?”
Both Cheon Mujin and the stunned Cheongun, who had been thrown to the ground, were surprised.
When their wide-open eyes focused on Geom Yujin, she knelt in front of Cheon Mujin.
“I apologize for disobeying orders and taking action. I could no longer bear to see Lord Gong being insulted.”
“That’s right.”
Seol Yuhwa nodded at Geom Yujin’s words.
Seeing the cold aura gathering in her hands, Cheon Mujin let out a small chuckle.
Well chosen as a bodyguard.
“You have nothing to apologize for. Well done.”
Cheon Mujin patted Geom Yujin’s shoulder and helped her to her feet, then clicked his tongue at the still-dazed Cheongun.
“Get a grip, you fool. If you keep wandering around, only picking up whatever you please, one day when the forest burns down, you’ll be crying tears of blood.”
“Wh-what are you saying!”
Cheongun shouted as he barely came to his senses, but Cheon Mujin ignored him.
He had thought to give him a light warning, but Geom Yujin’s attack had been stronger than expected.
For someone who had reached the peak of the first-tier, it wouldn’t have been easy.
Realizing that Geom Yujin’s skill was more refined than he had thought, Cheon Mujin smiled with satisfaction.
Then:
“You insane fool! You were harassing women again, weren’t you!”
“Ah! Sa-surely not! It’s not what it looks like!”
“Enough! Stop your nonsense and come with me!”
At that moment, the elder shaman who had been looking for him arrived, and the man was dragged away by the ear.
It was almost admirable how he still glared at Cheon Mujin, vowing revenge.
“They said he wouldn’t have come to his senses around this time, and it seems that was true.”
Cheon Mujin, pleased by this unexpected encounter, arrived at the lodging and led Geom Yujin and Seol Yuhwa into the room.
The three of them sat around the teacups.
“…Lord Gong, you seem to be in good spirits.”
“Huh? Ah, really?”
At Geom Yujin’s cautious words, Cheon Mujin chuckled.
“Maybe it’s because I saw that crazy fool. It’s a bit enjoyable.”
“…Is that so?”
Does he enjoy crazy people?
That didn’t seem quite right.
It wasn’t that he liked crazy people—he seemed to enjoy seeing them act recklessly…
Startled by the impure thought that slipped into her mind, Geom Yujin straightened her posture, took a deep breath, and stood up.
“Then, I’ll guard the door.”
“Guard what? Go train. Enter the room and meditate. Who’s going to attack me now?”
“No, it’s my duty as a bodyguard—”
“Noona.”
Startled at Cheon Mujin’s use of the honorific, Geom Yujin turned her head slightly.
During the journey here, she realized one thing:
“This isn’t an order—it’s a request. I hope you can grant it.”
“Even so—”
Cheon Mujin had a surprising skill in appealing to sentiment.
Over time, after becoming friendly through casual conversation, whenever he gave instructions outside of work, he would always phrase it as a “request.”
It’s no longer about duty; now it’s personal. Let’s forget work and focus on what matters.
“…Understood.”
“Good. Seol noona, go rest too.”
“Okay, I will.”
Cheon Mujin smiled lightly as he saw Geom Yujin and Seol Yuhwa nod and leave the room.
Originally, he had planned to spar lightly with them in the courtyard without using internal energy…
Hmm.
“Seems I’m getting old too.”
Cheon Mujin stroked Cheonghwa’s head, recalling old memories.
“Are you really going to cut it off, you madman?”
“Yes.”
When was it…?
Back when the civil war had made each day a struggle for survival, a shaman’s disciple, who had been expelled for pursuing women, heard of the shaman’s clan being annihilated.
Just as Cheon Mujin had started a civil war, the righteous faction was also in turmoil, and war raged.
Even in the internal war of the demonic sect, the martial alliance could not intervene.
The same went for the unorthodox factions.
Anyway, in the process, the shaman ended up annihilating the clan.
Despite the difficulties, Cheon Mujin heard the news through his sources, and so did the disciple who had helped him, Malko.
The result:
Standing on a cliff, Malko lowered his pants and raised his prized sword, while Cheon Mujin hesitated beside him.
And:
“Oh, don’t cut the pocket. You’ll lose muscle if you do.”
Ryoo Yeon, both poison master and physician, waited for treatment.
The expression of the man heating iron by the campfire to stop the bleeding was relaxed.
However, Malko’s face twisted with tension as he held the sword at Ryoo Yeon’s instructions.
“…Just cut the rod?”
“Yes. You’ll still have desires, but you won’t be able to use it, so no problem.”
“Then you’re asking me to go mad!”
“Can’t a Taoist endure that? Ah, that’s why he was expelled.”
“You bastard!”
“Well, if you’re not going to cut it, say so quickly. I’m busy.”
Despite Cheon Mujin’s threat, Malko grumbled and turned away.
As Cheon Mujin reached to grab Malko’s shoulder, thinking all was lost,
“Damn it!”
He raised the sword high again.
And…
Screech!
“Whoa! He really cut it!”
“Let’s go!”
Cheon Mujin admired as Malko actually cut off his rod and threw it off the cliff. Ryoo Yeon quickly cauterized the wound and ensured Malko could urinate after healing.
And…
Crunch.
Despite the excruciating pain, Malko stood resolutely as all treatment was administered. Cheongun turned to glare at Cheon Mujin.
“Hey, you shameless brat.”
“What?”
“I’ll get my revenge.”
“You call that a threat?”
Cheon Mujin smirked, placing a hand on Cheongun’s shoulder, feeling the martial energy surging from the forest, and gripped firmly.
“Of course you will. If you don’t, both of us will go to hell and get beaten to death.”
“He really was a fool.”
Thinking of Cheongun’s past, Cheon Mujin laughed.
His regrets were justified—he had wasted his youth chasing women and failed to reach the level he could have attained.
Had he trained diligently and reached his potential, the shaman’s annihilation could have been delayed by years.
But unlike the elder, Cheongun wouldn’t reveal anything no matter what.
Hmm.
The elder from Kunlun had aged properly and guided people on the right path. Cheongun wouldn’t.
He would have to be beaten into submission to prevent distractions, or perhaps lose his manhood to ensure he walked the right path.
As an old acquaintance, Cheon Mujin wanted him to walk a path with no regrets…
Impossible is impossible.
Well, he’d get another chance during the martial arts competition. Cheon Mujin thought to give him a goal since he had previously claimed he had none.
After a brief nostalgic rest, Cheon Mujin left the room and called Geom Yujin and Seol Yuhwa.
“Let’s spar.”
“Yes.”
“Alright, let’s go.”
Both of them cheerfully came out.
There were some watchful eyes, but since it was just light unarmed sparring, it wasn’t an issue.
All three primarily specialized in close combat rather than long weapons.
Cheon Mujin first faced Geom Yujin and threw her a medium-length branch.
“Use this as a substitute for a dagger.”
“Yes, understood.”
Geom Yujin grasped the branch and assumed a stance.
Cheon Mujin smiled at her neat posture and signaled.
Geom Yujin rushed forward without hesitation, aiming for his neck. Cheon Mujin’s backhand blocked her wrist with uncanny precision.
The branch was too short to reach.
The attack was completely blocked, but neither stopped.
Geom Yujin lowered her body and reached out with her empty left hand, aiming for Cheon Mujin’s side.
Just before it touched, she realized his right hand had moved lightly.
Snap!
Using her push as momentum, Cheon Mujin’s left hand struck her left hand away.
Though the attack was blocked, her right hand remained free, and she twisted to thrust the branch again.
Whap!
Cheon Mujin’s elbow intercepted the branch in midair. She realized her strike had missed and closed her eyes.
“I yield.”
“Good. Excellent. Your body movement is still a little unrefined, so speed and power were slightly lacking, but you maintained awareness in your right arm. Well done.”
Cheon Mujin smiled as Seol Yuhwa stepped forward to spar next.
“Let’s start.”
“Yes.”
Sparring, review, rest, sparring.
For ten days, Cheon Mujin repeated this routine.
To be honest:
“…This is refreshing. This is what rest feels like.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
Cheon Mujin nodded, looking rejuvenated.
Geom Yujin found his expression strangely awkward.
“…That doesn’t seem right.”
Cheon Mujin had been standing on his hands using just his fingers for over three hours.
Normally, one would be trembling all over in pain, gritting their teeth. Yet he still looked refreshed.
His muscles were clearly at their limit, yet he spoke so casually.
“Did they say preliminaries end tomorrow?”
“Yes. The main tournament starts immediately after, and we’ve been informed Lord Gong will participate in the first match.”
“Oh, really?”
Geom Yujin unfolded the paper delivered with the news.
“The name on the bracket is… Dang Chogi. From the Dang family, likely a martial artist from the Sichuan Dang clan.”
“What? Who?”
“Dang Chogi. Do you know him?”
Cheon Mujin’s reaction made Geom Yujin glance at him in surprise.
He, who hadn’t even cared about the preliminaries, showing interest?
Could he be someone of some renown she didn’t know?
“And I was planning to take it easy until the finals.”
Cheon Mujin’s smirk widened as he straightened up, shaking his arms.
“I’ll start by dominating the field right from the beginning.”
“Dominating the field?”
“You’ll see tomorrow.”
Smiling, Cheon Mujin headed to the bathroom to wash away the sweat.
Dang Chogi… what a small world.
When the Cheonma Sect erupted in civil war, both the orthodox and unorthodox factions were in chaos.
The strong ruled, the weak were trampled, the righteous betrayed.
A prestigious shaman clan was annihilated in just a few years.
Thus, chaos ensued, and Cheon Mujin formed ties with a few righteous factions.
The elder from Kunlun and Cheongun from the shaman clan were among them.
Some shared death with him, others were fleeting but good acquaintances.
Even if most of their last moments weren’t pleasant, they remained good memories for Cheon Mujin.
And, naturally, there were also unpleasant memories—those who attacked suddenly, betrayed him, or looted his warehouse.
Many people.
Sigh… I didn’t want bloodshed from the start.
Dang Chogi was one who had betrayed him.
Enemies can be forgiven, but traitors never.
A wicked smile crept onto Cheon Mujin’s lips as he anticipated tomorrow’s tournament.
