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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: The Four Demons of Mount Jung. Fin.
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"You don't know? Why not?"
"My master never told me!"
"…So you obviously don't know your master's title either."
"Yes!"
As Mujin's face grew increasingly annoyed, the demonic practitioner who used a sword, kneeling beside the giant, answered instead.
"To be honest, our master never truly accepted us as his disciples. He took us in when we were young, wandering the streets and relying on each other to survive, and he taught each of us a martial art, but he told us not to expect a master-disciple bond. That is why we don't know our master's name, or even what he did."
"…I see. Then you should have just stayed quietly holed up in the mountains, polishing your clumsy martial arts. Why the hell are you out here playing bandit?"
"We are truly not bandits."
"But you act and look the part."
At Mujin's words, the demonic practitioner with the torn palm waved his hands in denial.
"Truly, we are not. I swear on our master's honor, we have never done such things."
"Then why are you playing muscle for that bastard of a conman?"
"Ah, we received some help from those brothers, and we've been on good terms ever since… We don't really know what kind of work they do. Only that they run a business helping common folk with their spiritual problems…"
With a sigh, Mujin looked from the conman to the clumsy demonic practitioners before him.
"The help you received from this conman?"
"Two years ago, after our master passed away, we came down from the mountain for the first time, intending to make a living as rōnin. But that world was more territorial than we expected, and we ran into some trouble. So we gave up on being rōnin, and just when we were in a difficult situation, we received help from those brothers. We were able to return to Mount Jung and train without worrying about our livelihood. Since then, we've had a relationship where we help them out whenever they need it."
"Huh? What kind of bullshit is that? So there was a conflict, but why would that stop you from working as rōnin? You're clumsy, sure, but from the looks of it, you'd be quite sought after as high-ranking rōnin."
At Mujin's question, the conman, who had approached at some point, cautiously spoke up, gauging Mujin's mood.
"Um, it seems there's a communication issue. May I explain on their behalf?"
True to his nature as a quick-witted conman, he had swiftly grasped the source of Mujin's confusion.
"Go on."
As Mujin gave his permission, the conman, still in his undergarments, cleared his throat and began to speak.
"Ahem! So, the year before last, when the Four Demons of Mount Jung came down from the mountain. The four of them went straight to the Rōnin Association in Zigong."
"The Red Rōnin Association?"
"Yes! That's right! They went to the Red Rōnin Association!"
"Isn't that place a little different from one that just brokers jobs for rōnin?"
At Mujin's question, the conman snapped his fingers and nodded.
"Exactly! The Red Rōnin Association is a sort of rōnin sect, formed by martial artists who were once rōnin themselves. They went there and demanded work without thinking things through."
"A fight must have broken out. Don't tell me that's what you call 'territorialism' or a 'conflict'?"
"Yes, that's right. I met the Four Demons of Mount Jung while they were fleeing after killing some twenty rōnin from the Red Rōnin Association."
"So you provided them with money, and in return, they lent you their strength whenever you needed muscle?"
"Yes! That's right. After the Red Rōnin Association incident, the name of the Four Demons of Mount Jung became quite famous in Sichuan, so in truth, just dropping their name was enough to make most people back off…"
Mujin glanced at the kneeling Four Demons of Mount Jung before turning his gaze to the conman.
"Are they… a bit slow?"
"…Well, like martial artists who live in seclusion, they are a bit simple. Untouched by the ways of the world, you could say?"
The conman skillfully chose his words, managing not to offend either Mujin or the Four Demons.
Mujin thought for a moment about what to do with the four demonic practitioners, then decided against killing them.
At first, he had intended to kill all four.
But after seeing the rather manly giant, he had considered merely crippling his dantian and a meridian or two and letting him live.
Now, however, it seemed they might be carrying on the martial lineage of someone who could be one of his younger brother's subordinates on Mount Cheon. More importantly, their simple-minded innocence reminded him of someone, making it difficult to harm them.
"You said you're not bandits. I'll let you live. But you'll have to pay the price for these four lives."
Mujin said, looking at the conman, whose eyes widened.
"M-Me?"
"If it weren't for you, I never would have met these guys, right? Of course, you have to pay."
"Y-Yes, of course. I should be the one to pay."
"And you four. You're clearly living thoughtlessly, oblivious to how scary the world is. I'm sure your master didn't teach you martial arts just so you could be used by a conman like him. Live with your wits about you."
With those words, Mujin turned and walked back to the carriage.
"G-Great Warrior! Thank you!"
The four demonic practitioners bowed, their foreheads touching the ground.
"W-Well then, see you around, brothers."
With that, the conman in his undergarments also snatched his discarded clothes from the ground and scrambled into the carriage.
Soon, the coachman who had been hiding in the bushes returned, and the carriage set off.
The giant of a man stared after the departing carriage for a long time before speaking.
"Our master used to say it. That we aren't deep thinkers by nature and are easily swayed, so we must be careful about who we associate with."
"He certainly did."
"He especially warned us to be careful not to get caught up in others' fights and suffer for it."
"And to be wary of cunning merchants."
"And. Do you also remember him saying that if we ever meet someone stronger and more trustworthy than us, following them and entrusting ourselves to their care would be a good path?"
"Big Brother."
"Surely you don't mean…"
"I'm all for it! Big Brother! If we stay cooped up on Mount Jung, we'll have a hard time getting married. I think entrusting ourselves to that great warrior would be a good idea."
At the youngest's words, the giant nodded, his mind made up.
"We follow him!"
Not long after the carriage had departed, Mujin, who had been lying down, sat up straight as he sensed the demonic practitioners' presence again.
"These bastards… I went out of my way to spare them…"
Just as he sat up, his eyes glinting with killing intent, his body lurched forward as the carriage came to a sudden halt.
The moment the carriage stopped, the conman rolled out, and Mujin shot out from inside.
Just as he was about to draw his sword, he saw the Four Demons of Mount Jung waiting for him, kneeling with their heads bowed.
"What is this? Weren't you here for a fight?"
"How could that be possible?!"
"Then what is it?"
"Please accept us, Great Warrior!"
-Please accept us!
"…"
Mujin stared at the demonic practitioners with a dumbfounded expression.
"Why would I?"
"We will serve you as our big brother!"
-Big Brother! Please accept us!
"…Anyone can see you're all too old to be calling me 'big brother.' Why should I, at my young age, have to take on four intimidating guys like you as my younger brothers?"
"We will believe in you and offer our loyalty!"
-We will offer our lives as well!
The Four Demons' nonsensical behavior made Mujin's temples throb.
"Go back while I'm still being nice. Go and polish those clumsy martial arts of yours. And don't go around spouting nonsense about being demonic practitioners. Do you really think I'd take clumsy fools like you as my subord…"
As he spoke, he realized that the warriors currently in his family were far clumsier than the Four Demons of Mount Jung.
"Ahem! In any case, go back."
As Mujin turned away, the Four Demons of Mount Jung crawled after him, banging their heads on the ground.
-Thud!
"Great Warrior!"
-Thud!
"Big Brother!"
-Thud!
"Please accept us!"
-Thud!
"If you would just take us in…"
"For crying out loud!"
Losing his patience, Mujin spun around to face the Four Demons.
"Do you even know who I am?! Huh?!"
"Yes! We heard you are the great young master who will become the family head of the Yeomhwa Family, the Hidden Dragon of Xichang!"
The giant declared confidently.
"You said you're demonic practitioners, right? Does it make any sense for demonic practitioners to join a declining orthodox martial family?"
At Mujin's explanation, the giant tilted his head.
"Our master told us that being a demonic practitioner is a way of life and an identity, not an affiliation."
"…Well… you're not wrong…"
'Hmph, whoever he was, he taught them properly.'
Mujin found himself at a loss for words, as he had heard the exact same teaching from his own master in his past life.
"Still! What kind of orthodox family would take in demonic practitioners?! We'd just be inviting gossip and trouble! So…"
"Who is it? If there's anyone who dares to spout such nonsense, we will go and crush them and annihilate their clan!"
"Yes! We will tear their throats out so they can never run their mouths again!"
"…"
The sight of the Four Demons of Mount Jung, whose simple-mindedness reminded him of his sworn brother from the Sun Moon Divine Cult, made Mujin's brow furrow.
It was certainly a troublesome and annoying situation, but he didn't particularly dislike their straightforward, guileless approach.
'That's why I made Chu-bok my brother, too.'
Chu-bok.
Ju Chu-bok, the Lord of the Sun Moon Divine Cult, a name no one on Mount Cheon dared to utter.
"Haa. Do you have any idea what it means to serve under someone? It means you must be ready to throw away your life at a single command from me, whether you like it or not. You have to discard all personal freedom and live like a dog, bound solely by the family's orders. Do you understand that?"
-We pledge our loyalty!
"But why…"
"Our master said that if we meet someone trustworthy and strong, entrusting ourselves to them could be a better path for us!"
As the giant finished, the martial artist who used the iron club also chimed in.
"Yes! That's right! He told us not to think for ourselves and cause trouble, but to follow someone with quick judgment who wouldn't be a detriment to us, and to live by using our bodies more than our minds! Big Brother."
"Who's your big brother?! You're old enough to know better, don't you have any shame…"
"I'm twenty-three!"
At the giant's words, Mujin's eyes widened in disbelief.
-We're twenty-two!
As the two martial artists who used the sword and saber spoke, Mujin's jaw dropped.
"I've just come of age!"
At the words of the demonic practitioner who wielded the iron club—the one who looked the oldest of them all—Mujin shook his head.
"You guys… What the hell happened to you? Did you suffer from cultivation deviation while practicing demonic arts?"
"Nothing like that ever happened…"
"Then did your master feed you some improperly refined elixir?"
"That never happened either…"
Mujin turned to the conman, who was just now climbing out of the carriage, and spoke.
"Is it just me? Am I the only one who finds it strange that they're in their twenties?"
"They suffered a great deal in their youth, so it's not surprising they look older than their age."
"Did they suffer all the hardships in the world? How can they look so…"
By all accounts, the giant of a man looked to be at least in his forties.
With his bronze skin and intense features, he had the perfect face for a bandit chief in a mountain fortress.
The demonic practitioners next to him, who used the sword and saber, were also burly and bearded, looking to be in their thirties at least.
Finally, there was the demonic practitioner who had been swinging the iron club around like a brute.
He had the roughest appearance of them all, with a face that looked like he could take over any mountain fortress. One could easily believe he was in his late forties.
"…And you're in your twenties with those faces?"
-That is correct…
The Four Demons of Mount Jung answered, their voices lacking energy as if they had suffered an internal injury.
"…"
Mujin looked down at the Four Demons, his expression one of utter disbelief.
If they were truly that young, then his assessment of their skills had to change from 'clumsy' to 'quite outstanding.'
Having crossed swords with many warriors from Mount Cheon, he knew well that a martial artist in his early twenties with this level of skill would be considered to have a very bright future, even there.
'Who in the world was their master?'
He grew curious about how hard the man had pushed them to make them look so worn out at such a young age, and how he had raised them to be this skilled.
"Whatever. You really mean to join the Yeomhwa Family?"
-Yes! We will bury our bones with the Yeomhwa Family, even in death!
"A lot of people used to say that. But only two of them are left protecting our household now."
"We are not like those faithless tribes. Our master taught us that once you decide to do something, you either do it or die! There is only one way."
"A lesson well learned. Fine. From now on, you are… warriors of the Yeomhwa Family."
After a moment of deliberation, Mujin finally accepted the Four Demons of Mount Jung as warriors.
Though it was a humble position as a mere warrior in a declining martial family, the Four Demons of Mount Jung didn't seem to mind and were overjoyed.
-Thank you!
"Alright, alright, just wipe the blood off your foreheads."
At Mujin's words, the demonic practitioners wiped away the blood, their faces beaming with joy.
This was the beginning for the men who would one day be called the Iron-Blooded Four Directions of the Yeomhwa Family, the shields who would protect the clan.