Chapter 109: The Night Before the Murim Excursion (1)

“Huff. Huff.”

Chui Geol-gae sat down, gasping for breath.

‘I thought they’d have significant strength, but…’

The power of the Heavenly Destruction Society was beyond his expectations.

How many ambushes had they faced on their way to the Murim Alliance?

Even after stopping the transmission of messages and moving along remote paths, the pursuit of the Heavenly Destruction Society never ceased.

There had been five major battles.

Including the minor skirmishes while evading pursuit, there had been over twenty encounters.

“This feels like being caught in the net of heaven.”

As an elder of the Beggars’ Sect, Chui Geol-gae had fought countless battles, but fighting without rest like this was rare.

But the hardship was almost over.

As they neared the Murim Alliance, the frequency of attacks had significantly decreased.

“No matter how powerful the Heavenly Destruction Society is, they can’t do much in the territory of the Murim Alliance.”

Muttering to himself, Chui Geol-gae glanced over his shoulder.

There, Wang Woo, with a pale complexion, was regulating his internal energy.

“Huuuu.”

After a long time, Wang Woo finished his breathing exercises and stood up.

He looked exhausted, but his half-closed eyes still formed a crescent moon smile, making him seem quite cheerful.

“I’m sorry. Because of me…”

“What are you talking about? Thanks to you, Brother Wang, this beggar is still alive. I could never have evaded them alone.”

Chui Geol-gae was sincere.

Among the pursuers from the Heavenly Destruction Society were some formidable masters, making it difficult even for Chui Geol-gae, who had reached the peak level, to handle them.

That was when Wang Woo stepped in.

Every time he revealed a hidden technique, the enemies shed blood.

Recalling Wang Woo’s formidable swordsmanship, Chui Geol-gae offered a mix of admiration and praise.

“I never imagined you had mastered the Great Void Dragon Slaying Sword.”

He had been astonished.

The Great Void Dragon Slaying Sword was a secret technique passed down only to the head of the Kunlun Sect.

True to its name, which means resonating with the heavens to slay dragons, Wang Woo’s swordsmanship scattered enemies into pieces.

Even witnessing just one technique, the swordsmanship was extraordinary.

“It seems the rumor that the Kunlun Sect’s lineage was severed is false. The essence is still preserved through you, Brother Wang.”

Wang Woo’s face turned red from the continuous praise.

“I was just barely managing to learn what my master left behind.”

His innocent demeanor made Chui Geol-gae laugh heartily.

“Haha. Brother Wang, a supreme swordsman shouldn’t be so modest.”

“Brother Chui, I barely managed to inherit fragments of my master’s teachings. Please don’t tease me.”

Seeing Wang Woo wave his hand dismissively, Chui Geol-gae chuckled.

‘How could such a person remain unknown?’

There are many hidden masters in the world, but how many possess such exceptional swordsmanship?

What is even more commendable is that despite possessing such powerful martial arts, Wang Woo chose to withdraw and focus on restoring his predecessor’s swordsmanship rather than seeking fame.

‘Most people with sharp swords would want to wield them.’

Perhaps this is why he was able to nurture such a great mastery.

“We’re almost at the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. The color of the water is different.”

Changing the subject, it seemed Wang Woo was uncomfortable with the praise.

‘I like this pure aspect of him.’

Deciding to go along, Chui Geol-gae responded.

“If we’re at the upper reaches, we’ll soon reach Muhan. We can finally rest.”

“Muhan… I thought I’d never return to the Jianghu once I left.”

Wang Woo seemed conflicted about returning to the Jianghu.

Feeling a bit sorry, Chui Geol-gae replied,

“I’m sorry for dragging you out of your peaceful life, Brother Wang. But it was necessary for the Jianghu.”

“I’m not blaming you, Brother Chui. I’m just feeling unsettled.”

Wang Woo’s voice was tinged with regret.

Chui Geol-gae spoke cheerfully,

“Why not think of the positive side?”

“The positive side?”

“You’ll finally meet your beloved disciple. Master and disciple will make a name for themselves in the Jianghu. Isn’t that a beautiful thing?”

“Indeed.”

Wang Woo reluctantly agreed, and Chui Geol-gae added,

“The One-Eyed Sword God will be very pleased.”

Wang Woo’s crescent eyes curved even more at Chui Geol-gae’s words.

“Indeed, you’re right.”

***

A farewell party was held in the ever-peaceful swamp.

“I’ve grown quite attached to this place.”

Eon Ho-seung said, as if it were a sudden realization.

“Well, we can’t keep formal students in the swamp forever.”

At Cho Un-hwi’s words, the twins giggled.

“When we first came here, we never thought we’d leave so proudly.”

“We thought the temporary instructor was just a lazy young instructor.”

“And now we’ve even beaten the instructors.”

Tang Gan still seemed to find it hard to believe what he had accomplished.

Especially since he had received praise for his exceptional skill with throwing weapons.

Tang Gan had been considered one of the less skilled disciples of the Sichuan Tang Clan.

There was another person leaving.

“More surprising is that Mok Yeon-seong is leaving.”

Namgung Yun-ho added, and Mo Yong So-hye chimed in.

“Right. I never thought he’d return to his family.”

Mok Yeon-seong replied,

“I’ve realized something through this experience.”

His face, now healthier, showed determination.

“Relying on others is fine, but I need to reflect on myself first. I’m going back to my family to retrain from the basics.”

He declared firmly.

It was a reliable appearance, but some were dissatisfied.

“Damn. My fishing luck is leaving.”

“You said it was your skill, not the bait selection.”

“Now that I think about it, maybe it wasn’t. Lately, I haven’t caught anything.”

“Haha.”

Mok Yeon-seong laughed heartily and stood up, cupping his hands in a respectful gesture.

“Thank you, Temporary Instructor.”

“Well, if troublesome kids like you disappear, I’m all for it.”

Grumbling, Cho Un-hwi reminded him,

“Think carefully when you go back.”

“The Ruthless Thirteen Swords, you mean?”

“Yeah. If you’re going to do it, do it right.”

Mok Yeon-seong’s face turned serious.

“Use a saber, not a sword…”

He muttered and replied firmly.

“I’ll re-evaluate my martial arts.”

“You’ll discover a new world.”

Cho Un-hwi was confident.

In his previous life, Mok Yeon-seong had gained notoriety with his ferocious saber techniques.

“Temporary Instructor.”

Hearing about martial arts, Im So-jeong’s sleepy eyes lit up.

“Temporary Instructor.”

“Yes? What is it?”

“I have something to say about my martial arts…”

She seemed eager to seize the opportunity, but Baek Ri-seol was quicker.

“Why wasn’t I there?”

Baek Ri-seol bit her sleeve.

“I should have seen the instructor’s heroic battle.”

“It wasn’t heroic at all. It was a complete brawl.”

Eon Ho-seung interrupted, and Baek Ri-seol sighed.

“Seeing the instructor punish the wicked students and uphold justice must have been amazing.”

“He was stomping on unconscious students and got dragged away.”

“Jegal, don’t ruin her dreams. She won’t listen anyway.”

As the argument continued, Cho Un-hwi pressed his thumb against his forehead.

‘What a noisy bunch.’

His peaceful life in the swamp had become incredibly noisy.

Finally, Cho Un-hwi clapped his hands.

“Alright, everyone, disperse. Those who are leaving, leave. Those who are staying, stay.”

“Where are you going, Instructor?”

At Baek Ri-seol’s question, Cho Un-hwi pulled out a small piece of paper and waved it.

“It’s a summons from Senior Instructor Jang Cheol-sim.”

***

‘Why did he call me?’

Dokgo Yul had promised to settle the previous incident.

No matter how he thought about it, he couldn’t figure out why he was being called.

As he pondered, he arrived at the office to find Jang Cheol-sim with his arms on the desk, looking serious.

“You called for me?”

As he entered, Jang Cheol-sim’s hooked nose wrinkled.

‘He always looks so stern.’

And his clothes.

The spotless white robe made him seem almost obsessive.

“Is this the right choice…?”

Muttering to himself, his unseen mouth was moving.

His eyes were wide open, making him look a bit dazed.

After a long silence, Jang Cheol-sim finally spoke.

“Temporary Instructor Cho Un-hwi…”

“Yes.”

“First, I want to commend you for your hard work.”

Commend me for my hard work?

The unexpected words made Cho Un-hwi’s eyes fill with doubt.

“Don’t look at me like that. As a disciple of the righteous Cheongseong Sect, it’s only right to reward merit and punish faults.”

“Yes.”

“First, let’s talk about your achievements. Regardless of the reasons, you helped expose the bad practices at Euncheon Hall.”

He continued with a surprisingly positive story.

Thanks to him, they discovered and corrected the misconduct of the instructors.

There were other unexpected benefits as well.

“Next, the performance of your students. You did a great job training some difficult ones.”

After a long string of praise, Jang Cheol-sim’s voice darkened.

“But the problem is…”

As he listened, Jang Cheol-sim’s eyes filled with endless gloom.

“Why haven’t you been showing up for work?”

“What? Work?”

*Bang!*

Slamming the desk, Jang Cheol-sim stood up.

“It’s been fifteen days! Why have you been absent without leave?”

“Isn’t my job to be on duty?”

“Usually, you finish your regular duties and then go on duty.”

“Oh.”

“Oh, not oh! I even sent people to check, but you were always gone!”

Grinding his teeth, Jang Cheol-sim ranted for a while.

But it couldn’t be helped.

‘Seeing my colleagues with their gloomy faces, I didn’t feel like going in.’

The intuition of a poor wage earner told him that once he went in, he wouldn’t come out. He decided to wait until the storm of the investigation passed.

After a long rant, Jang Cheol-sim, exhausted, sat down.

“Ha. If it weren’t for the honor of my sect…”

Speaking in a tone that made him sound years older, Jang Cheol-sim handed over a metal plaque.

“Take this.”

“Is this…”

“Yes. It’s the official admission letter to Euncheon Hall. You were under confinement, but your achievements deserve a reward.”

He then handed over a scroll wrapped in red silk.

“Take this too. It’s your appointment letter.”

Unrolling it, Cho Un-hwi read the short message inside.

*- Appointment Letter. Murim Excursion Specialist Instructor (Temporary).*

Though the tiny word “temporary” was annoying, Cho Un-hwi was moved.

“So now, I’m really…”

Struggling to contain his emotions, Jang Cheol-sim nodded.

“Yes. As promised, I appoint you as a ‘Murim Excursion Specialist Instructor.'”