Chapter 508

“You know who I am, don’t you?”

“……!”

“……!”

The air around us froze. I could hardly believe my ears, and Mu Song’s pupils trembled.

He stared at Mungyeong like he was about to wet himself, then squeezed out a hoarse reply.

“I-I don’t know anything.”

“Is that so?”

Mungyeong regarded him coolly.

“Then why are you speaking formally to me, Great Hero Mu Song?”

“……!”

“You’re a fearless bastard, lying to my face.”

“Gasp!”

He’d walked right into that one. But how had Mu Song figured out who Mungyeong was?

No wonder he kept flinching like a dog that needed to shit.

From the way he’d been acting, Mu Song had known for some time. But given the level of martial arts I’d seen from him, that should have been nearly impossible.

Mungyeong had reached the realm of Returning to Simplicity and achieved Returned to Youth. To see through him, you’d need to be a master in a similar realm. At the very least, you’d have to be past the early stages of Supreme Peak to sense even the slightest thing amiss.

And Mu Song noticed?

No way. I’d sooner believe Hyuk Mujin had knocked Cheongpung down with one punch and sent three teeth flying.

While I was puzzling over it, Jeok Cheongang spoke in a bored tone.

“That’s enough. The fool kept his mouth shut, so he must have meant to pretend he didn’t know and let it pass. An old man threatening a child isn’t a pretty sight.”

“Old man? Threatening?”

Mungyeong snorted.

“Until yesterday, you were moping around like you could die any day. You get a little younger, and suddenly you’ve found your tongue. Stay out of this.”

“……What did you say?”

A deep furrow appeared on the forehead Returned to Youth had left smooth and wrinkle-free.

I hurried between them.

“Wait. Both of you, calm down. Calm down.”

“You, get out of the way.”

“Move.”

“Yes, sir.”

I slipped away without a moment’s hesitation. Mu Song, wedged between the two monsters like lettuce in a sandwich, shot me a pleading look.

Save me, or something like that.

But why should I get my guts burst in a fight between two whales?

I need to save myself first. Besides, they’re not about to have a life-and-death duel.

I was right. After glaring at each other in silence, Jeok Cheongang and Mungyeong lowered their auras at the same instant, as if they’d agreed to it.

“Hmph. I’ll let it go since you helped me.”

“What an ungrateful old man.”

They traded remarks like a pair of prim old men in a nursing home, then turned toward Mu Song. He had gone stiff as a statue.

“Come to think of it, you’re a remarkable fellow. How on earth did you know?”

I wanted to know that most of all. I watched Mu Song’s mouth, waiting for his answer, but it came from Mungyeong instead.

“It was them. The boatmen who came along when we went after the imugi.¹ Or should I say the river bandits of Water Dragon Stronghold? Am I right?”

Mu Song swallowed.

“Y-yes, sir. They said the young medical apprentice named Mungyeong was actually a Supreme Peak master with formidable martial arts, and that his standing seemed high enough to treat even the Zhuge Family Head however he pleased…”

That happened without me knowing?

Well, it made sense. Mungyeong couldn’t have found me by running all over the vast Dongting Lake using Rising on Duckweed, Crossing Water.

So that’s how his identity got exposed.

Mungyeong had kept his true identity hidden for decades. Even after the Sichuan Blood Tragedy, apart from his Disciple, the Divine Physician, you could count the people who knew on one hand—including Jeok Cheongang and me.

Mu Song didn’t seem to have guessed he was the Slaughter Saint. Still, Mungyeong couldn’t be pleased that more people knew his secret.

Jeok Cheongang, of course, didn’t care. He looked ready to break out the popcorn.

“You stupid old man. You should’ve disguised yourself. Ha ha ha.”

“There was no time. Every moment counted while I was going to save your Disciple.”

“……Ahem. I do appreciate that.”

Jeok Cheongang stopped laughing dead. Mungyeong clicked his tongue softly and fixed his gaze on Mu Song.

“I clearly warned you through Sound Transmission, but it seems you have more loyal subordinates than I expected.”

“Gasp!”

Mu Song’s eyes widened at Mungyeong’s cold voice. The next moment, he shouted loudly enough to turn every head nearby—if a screen of internal energy hadn’t enclosed us.

“N-no, you can’t!”

“What can’t I do?”

“My subordinates have done nothing wrong! Take my head instead!”

“……Why would I kill you?”

Mu Song, Jeok Cheongang, and I all stared at him wide-eyed.

“What? Y-you won’t?”

“You’re not going to kill him?”

“That old man’s gone mad—wait. Can infirmities of old age spread to other people?”

Jeok Cheongang considered that for a moment, then cried out triumphantly.

“I’ve got it! Instead of killing him, you’re going to cripple his dantian or cut off a limb!”

“……!”

Mungyeong looked at us, his eyes trembling, and muttered with regret, “You’re making me want to kill someone.”

Mu Song spoke, fear and resolve mingling on his face.

“My subordinates are innocent. Please, let me be enough—”

“Shut your damn mouth before I tear it apart.”

“Yes, sir.”

Mungyeong stared down at him in disbelief and sighed.

“Six, including you. Correct?”

“Y-yes, Senior. We’ve been together for many years, and they know how to keep their mouths shut.”

“I have never had a junior like you, and I am no longer a martial artist. But if you fail to keep them quiet, I can make all six of you disappear without leaving a trace.”

“……!”

“If you want to live out your days in peace, keep your mouth shut forever. Don’t tell the Seafaring King. Don’t tell anyone. Understood?”

Mu Song pressed his lips together and gave a small nod. Mungyeong jerked his chin behind him.

“Go. Tell your subordinates to stay away from the stern until we reach Henan.”

“What?”

“Do you have another question?”

“N-no, sir. If you need anything, please call for me.”

Mu Song bowed and hurried away.

That left the three of us: Jeok Cheongang, Mungyeong, and me.

Jeok Cheongang smacked his lips in disappointment and poked me in the side.

“It would be more fun if that fool told everyone. Don’t you think?”

“In—cough.”

I hurriedly buried the rest of I agree in a cough.

Mungyeong was glaring our way, plainly not amused. He looked ready to grab the nearest easy target and beat him senseless for finding it funny.

“I didn’t say anything.”

“Neither did I. Feeling guilty about something?”

“No, I just thought I’d tell you that in advance.”

“And I was thinking of giving you a beating in advance.”

“I really didn’t mean anything.”

“I heard ‘in.’ What came after it?”

Panicking would only make this worse. I answered calmly.

“I meant, ‘Admittedly, I have a conscience. How could I do such a thing?’”

“That didn’t sound like it.”

“It’s true.”

“No, it isn’t.”

“It is. Why are you playing Gung Ye?²”

Mungyeong didn’t know who Gung Ye was, but he could tell it wasn’t a compliment. I did my best to ignore his chilling gaze and changed the subject.

“Why did you tell them to stay away from the stern?”

“Don’t change the subject.”

“……”

That shut me up.

Mungyeong clicked his tongue at my awkward silence.

“You’ve done well raising this one as your Disciple.”

Jeok Cheongang had been watching with his arms folded, as though none of this concerned him. He let out a quiet laugh.

“It’s because he’s like this that I raised him.”

“This ill-mannered brat?”

“Is that what you think? I thought we were close enough to dispense with formalities. Perhaps we see things differently. Or perhaps someone’s trying hard to ignore that thought.”

Mungyeong looked silently from Jeok Cheongang to me and back.

“……You’re quite the smooth talker. Returned to Youth, and it’s your mouth that’s gained the most vigor.”

I had no idea what they were talking about.

As I stood there trying to follow the conversation, Jeok Cheongang pushed himself away from the swift ship’s wooden railing.

“I’m going into the cabin. I’m sick of looking at this goddamn river.”

“Wow, what a wonderful idea. Are you sure your surname isn’t Zhuge instead of Jeok?”

That was the best thing I’d heard all day. But when I took a step after him, Jeok Cheongang put out a hand to stop me.

Tap.

“Huh?”

“What do you mean, ‘huh’? Why are you following me?”

“You said you were going to the cabin.”

“So?”

“I was just about to go there myself.”

“Two men in that cramped cabin?”

“It’s a five-person cabin. Where’s your conscience—”

“I’m going to circulate my qi and sort through the enlightenment I’ve gained recently. You don’t need to come.”

“Oh, you’re going to circulate your qi. Then I’ll stand guard—”

“No need. Stay here.”

“What?”

Jeok Cheongang snapped.

“I said stay here!”

“Whoa, you startled me. Why are you shouting?”

“Quiet. Follow me and you’ll be sorry!”

“……?”

I stared after him, bewildered. Then I felt someone’s gaze prickling at me and turned.

Mungyeong’s stare was drier than the sand by the Sphinx’s forepaws.

Fuck. I should’ve followed him.

What did I care if Jeok Cheongang gave me hell or rang a bell? I’d rather jump into the vast Yangtze than be left alone with a man who might cut off my head—

“The river looks unusually clear today. Don’t you want to go in?”

“What?”

What the hell? Could he read minds? Was he really Gung Ye?²

A suspicion flashed through my head, and I found myself looking around for a palace guard with a mace.

That was when—

Whoom!

A mace swung at me.

No. It was a single, swift, stealthy wave of palm force.

I hastily crossed both arms to block it when the sound of splitting air pierced my ears, but the palm force fired by a once-in-an-age master known as the Slaughter Saint was not something I could block so easily.

Boom!

Fuck, that really does feel like a mace.

Pain throbbed in my chest as I flew off the swift ship. Just before I hit the river, I twisted my body, sent the internal energy in my lower dantian into my legs, and stepped onto the water.

Splash!

The calm surface splashed violently, as though I’d stepped into a puddle.

Standing on the water with Rising on Duckweed, Crossing Water, I glared at Mungyeong in disbelief.

“What are you doing all of a sudden?”

“The calm river’s been disturbed.”

“What are you—huh?”

“Your movements are so rough, you might stir up a storm.”

Before I could say another word, Mungyeong clicked his tongue and went on.

“Then… it’s time to begin.”

Ding!

System

• Linked Quest Fake Murim Martial Artist—Stage 2 has begun!