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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: Hwa Mujin Wields the Steel Mace
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-Crack!
A burly man popped the youngest's dislocated shoulder back into place.
-Riiip!
The two demonic swordsmen tore strips from the swindler's clothes and bandaged their ripped hands.
"Those arms. Aren't they ruined? Shouldn't you at least put a splint on them?"
At Mujin's question, the large man shook his head.
"This will heal in three days. When we trained under our master, we often broke bones, not just fractured them."
It didn't seem like something to smile about, but the man spoke with an out-of-place grin.
"What are your names? If you're warriors of my family, I should at least know that."
"I am Cheol-muk, the eldest of the Four Demons of Mount Jung."
"My name is Dong-jeok."
"I am Jang-tae."
"And I'm the youngest, No-sak."
Mujin nodded as he heard the names of the four demons.
"You said you were all orphans. I guess you don't have family names."
"The four of us grew up without ever knowing our parents' faces, so no, we don't. Aren't names like that something only esteemed people like you have, big brother?"
"Well, you can live just fine without a family name. There are thousands upon thousands of them in the Central Plains. You can just pick one up later."
In his past life, he too had never had a family name, only the name Jeongcheon, which his master had given him.
"Ah, and stop calling me 'big brother' with that face. It's unsettling. Just call me Young Master."
-Yes, Young Master!
"Then don't just sit there, get in. We have to hurry if we want to get back before sunset."
Though the carriage was quite luxurious and large, it felt cramped with six adult men inside.
It was even tighter because Mujin had stretched out across one row of seats.
With no room left to squeeze in, the swindler had no choice but to sit on the floor.
The carriage sped toward Geumyang.
Upon arrival, it entered the wealthy district of Geumyang, where landowners and high-ranking officials who had retired from their posts lived.
When the carriage finally stopped inside a rather large estate, the burly man, Cheol-muk, spoke.
"Young Master. We have arrived at Brother Do's home."
"Haaah. We have?"
The swindler stepped out of the carriage with feet that felt heavy as lead.
Mujin and the Four Demons of Mount Jung followed him.
"M-Master?"
The servants who greeted the swindler, who was dressed only in undergarments and a tattered, hastily thrown-on outer robe, stared with wide eyes.
They were shocked by his disheveled appearance, with his beard and fine white eyebrows torn out.
"Wow. This makes our estate look like nothing. Are those silk carp swimming in that pond? Is this floor made of blue riverstone? I see you were a big shot after all."
Anyone who had amassed this much wealth could certainly be called a big shot.
"P-Please, come in. I will show you to the annex."
"Forget it. What would we do in the annex? The storeroom… No. You have a separate warehouse where you keep all your treasures, don't you?"
At Mujin's question, a dark shadow fell over the swindler's face.
"Brother Do. What are you doing? Lead the way."
At the words of Cheol-muk, who had now completely switched sides, the swindler sighed and trudged forward.
After entering the main building, they walked for a long time before his personal quarters came into view.
Just as he was about to enter, a warrior appeared, preceded by startled attendants.
"Brother Do. Has something troublesome occurred?"
"B-Brother Bi. N-No, it's nothing. Please, go on your way."
Despite the swindler's words, the warrior approached.
Even without the sword at his waist, his sharp aura marked him as a martial artist.
"Is there something you cannot tell me? Speak. We should help each other in times of trouble. And who might these gentlemen be?"
The warrior asked as he inserted himself between Mujin and the swindler, looking at Mujin's group.
"Hey, he told you to go. Why are you interfering? You look like a freeloader at this swindler's house. This is no place for a guest to meddle, so get lost."
As Mujin finished speaking and tried to move on, the warrior blocked his path with a hand on his sword.
At his action, Cheol-muk spoke up.
"Young Master. Should I take care of him?"
Startled by his words, the swindler quickly waved his hands and interjected.
"Th-There seems to be a misunderstanding. These gentlemen are all my guests. It is truly fine for you to stand down. These four are the Four Demons of Mount Jung, and this Young Master here is the eldest son of the Yeomhwa Family."
"The Hidden Dragon of Seochang?"
Rumors about the Hidden Dragon of Seochang, who had crippled the lay disciple of the Kongtong Sect and second son of the Cheonghwa Merchant Guild, had already spread far and wide throughout Sichuan.
"..."
A frown formed on Mujin's brow as he looked at the warrior smiling at him.
"The Hidden Dragon of Seochang and the Four Demons of Mount Jung traveling together? Interesting."
"You find it interesting? If you've had your fun, then move it. I'm busy."
"Hmph! A man who claims to be of the Orthodox Faction, running around with demons and oppressing the common folk. Your family has truly fallen. Your grandfather must be weeping in his grave."
-Clang!
-Shing!
-Fwoosh!
No sooner had the warrior finished speaking than the martial artists in the courtyard drew their weapons, their auras flaring.
"D-Don't do this!"
At the swindler's panicked shout, the warrior who had provoked Mujin and drawn his sword spoke.
"Worry not, Brother Do. I, Bi So-jin, am no worthless swordsman to be defeated by the likes of the Four Demons of Mount Jung and some madman."
"A-Are you… certain?"
A glimmer of hope returned to the swindler's face.
If they could just deal with the Mad Dog of the Yeomhwa Family, that would be the best outcome.
The problem was whether Bi So-jin, the so-called Bloodless Sword from Guizhou, could truly defeat the Four Demons of Mount Jung and the Hidden Dragon of Seochang.
To the swindler, who knew little of martial arts, it seemed impossible for the Bloodless Sword to overcome the Hidden Dragon who had subdued the Four Demons in an instant.
"Bi So-jin? What kind of back-alley bastard are you, spouting nonsense about my ancestors weeping? Are you a shaman? You son of a…"
"Young Master! I will handle this!"
Just as Mujin was about to unleash a torrent of curses, No-sak, the youngest of the Four Demons, stepped forward.
Mujin glanced at No-sak for a moment.
It seemed he was stepping up in place of his brothers—Cheol-muk with his fractured arms and the others with their mangled hands—but in Mujin's eyes, No-sak was no match for this opponent.
To others, they might both appear to be first-rate masters, but even within the same realm, there were clear differences in skill.
Moreover, it was unlikely that he, whose right shoulder had just been dislocated while blocking Mujin's sword, could defeat a swordsman far superior to him.
"Stand down. He insulted my grandfather, so I'll be the one to beat him."
"How dare you!"
As the Bloodless Sword, Bi So-jin, heard the words directed at him and was about to thrust his sword, Mujin leaped backward, moving off the wooden porch and landing in the spacious front yard.
"Come on."
Seeing Mujin beckoning with his finger, Bi So-jin tossed his scabbard aside and took a step forward.
His step shattered the floorboards as his figure shot toward Mujin.
-Clang!
Mujin met the opponent's sword without even unwrapping the cloth from his own.
It was the first time since learning the Nine Swords of Dugu that Mujin had defended instead of attacked.
-Clang! Clang! Clang!
'A fast sword, as expected.'
After parrying his sword for a moment, Mujin waited for the instant the opponent's breath hitched from the continuous attacks, then stepped forward.
As he pushed his sword straight forward, the man, who had a gap between his feints and true strikes, retreated in alarm.
As if his earlier offensive had been a lie, Bi So-jin scrambled back, frantically striking at Mujin's ridiculously heavy iron sword.
But Mujin's sword didn't budge, no matter how much the opponent struck it, and continued to press forward.
"It's over."
"Yes. Once you start getting pushed back like that, there's no way out."
"He's using that heavy steel mace as a sword, and it didn't even move when we struck it."
"By the way, it should be about time for it to burst…"
No sooner had Dong-jeok finished speaking than Bi So-jin's hands, which had been striking Mujin's sword as he retreated, burst open.
The Four Demons of Mount Jung shook their heads as they saw fresh blood dripping from his hands.
Just as they had predicted, Bi So-jin, flustered by a sword style he had never seen or even heard of, was clearly on the verge of defeat.
But Bi So-jin was different from the Four Demons.
Unlike them, who had immediately groveled for their lives the moment they realized their opponent's strength, he gritted his teeth and fought back against Mujin.
-Chaaaaang!
With a faint ring, Bi So-jin's sword flew into the air.
-Thwack!
Simultaneously, the flat of Mujin's sword struck Bi So-jin in the chest.
-Pffffft!
The moment the blow landed, Bi So-jin spat blood and rolled violently across the ground.
"No-sak."
"Yes!"
No-sak, the youngest of the Four Demons who had been watching the fight from the porch, answered quickly.
"Give me that club."
At Mujin's words, No-sak tossed his steel mace to him.
-Thump.
Mujin casually caught the forty-plus-pound steel mace in one hand and began to mercilessly beat Bi So-jin, who was just starting to struggle to his feet.
-Thwack! Thwack-thwack! Thwack!
"W-Wait."
"Wait, my ass. You dare mention my ancestor? If anyone's going to curse him, it's me. Why were you running that mouth of yours?"
-Thwack-thwack-thwack! Thwack-thwack-thwack! Thwack!
"What? Weeping in his grave? Fine! I'll make your ancestors weep in their graves today!"
-Crack! Thud! Thwack-thwack!
"Gah!"
The Four Demons watched with impressed expressions as Mujin beat him black and blue.
"What a solid hit."
"Yes, brother. That's not the work of a novice."
"He's avoiding all the vital points to inflict maximum pain."
"The way he's managing not to break any bones means he really intends to beat him to death."
Watching Mujin wield his steel mace as if it were a tree branch, No-sak suddenly grew curious about the weight of Mujin's sword.
A clump of white fragments flew from Bi So-jin's mouth as he was struck in the face.
"Looks like he's going to kill him now."
"Even if he lives, he'll need to recuperate for at least half a year. With all his teeth knocked out, he won't be able to chew meat anymore."
"This is the first time I've felt a chill watching someone get beaten."
"Let's all be careful."
At the Four Demons' words, the swindler, realizing Bi So-jin's life was hanging by a thread, shouted.
"Young Master! I will pay for his life as well! Please spare him!"
Thud.
Mujin's steel mace, poised to shatter Bi So-jin's skull, stopped three inches from his head.
"Really? This guy's life, too?"
"Yes…"
"He may not look like much, but he's a pretty skilled master. He'll be expensive…"
"I cannot let a master with ties to Samu-cheon die in my home… I will pay whatever the cost."
Mujin tossed the steel mace back to No-sak and smiled.
"You want to do that? Well, if you insist, I can't say no."
With that, Mujin leaped lightly, landing back on the wooden porch in a single bound.
"Well then. Shall we go in?"
"Yes… What are you all doing? Quickly, take him to the infirmary!"
He shouted at the servants who had been watching from a distance, then entered the main room.
Once inside the spacious room, he moved aside a folding screen that covered one wall and took down a large ink wash painting hanging there.
With the painting removed, a small door was revealed.
He undid the three locks dangling from the door and opened it.
"Wow… A big shot is a big shot for a reason. Are all of those luminous pearls?"
"Yes…"
Mujin's eyes widened at the sight of the luminous pearls illuminating the room.
Having lived a life far removed from wealth in his past life, it was the first time he had ever seen so much treasure filling a swindler's secret vault.
Piles of gold and silver ingots were stacked everywhere.
There were also precious-looking ceramics and paintings.
Even to an untrained eye, everything looked priceless.
"Alright, shall we start the calculations?"
At Mujin's words, the swindler looked at him with a face that seemed on the verge of tears.