Chapter 80 - Those Who Chase the Dragon

Bang Duchil was persistent.

Every time our eyes met, he would trail after me, continuously shouting about becoming 'sworn brothers' or something.

If it hadn't been for Dongryong recovering from the injuries he sustained during the battle, I would have wanted to flee in the dead of night long ago.

"I'm... sorry."

Dongryong, having risen from the bed, stood with his head bowed like a sinner between Geumpyo and Eunho.

"Please forgive me, Eldest Senior Brother."

Surprisingly, Dongryong vividly remembered the actions he had committed.

He said that while he was definitely himself within his consciousness, he wasn't the one moving his body.

When the Heavenly Murderous Star awakens, there is no way for the consciousness to perceive the outside situation. The fact that Dongryong could maintain his consciousness was entirely thanks to the Taiyi True Scripture.

Fortunately, the higher his mastery of the Taiyi True Scripture rises, the more firmly the roots of his consciousness will take hold, and Dongryong will never become a demon again.

"I'll never... never do it again."

"Do what?"

"... T-Those kinds of things."

He was on the verge of tears, unable to properly string his words together.

Seeing his teary eyes that looked ready to spill over at any moment, I struggled to hold back the laughter threatening to burst out.

"Do you mean turning into a demon?"

"Sob, sob."

Tears dripped down from his eyes, which were wide open like a rabbit's.

Terrified of when his murderous nature might awaken again, he looked completely lost.

He looked inexplicably cute like that, making me want to tease him.

"But what will we do if your murderous nature awakens next time..."

"Waaah. Sob, sob."

Ultimately, Dongryong burst into tears.

Geumpyo and Eunho dropped to their knees.

"Senior Brother! I will take responsibility."

"Eldest Senior Brother! I will also take responsibility."

‘Why are these guys suddenly dropping to their knees and making a fuss?’

"Hmm, how exactly do you two plan to take responsibility?"

"... We talked about it last night. If... Dongryong is about to become a demon again, Eunho and I will..."

"Stop right there! What the hell are you talking about?"

My heart suddenly sank.

‘Just what is going on inside these punks' heads?’

I let out a sigh.

"Do not worry. Dongryong will never turn into a demon again."

"What? Is that true, Senior Brother?"

"Yes. Of course, to enter a safer state, you must train the Taiyi True Scripture like your life depends on it to raise your mastery much higher. But even reaching 5-star mastery of the Taiyi True Scripture will be enough to suppress the murderous nature, and once you reach 7-star, you will never fall into your murderous nature again."

Geumpyo and Eunho hastily stood up and wrapped their arms around Dongryong's shoulders.

"Dongryong! Did you hear that! You're not a demon! There's no way my brother is a demon!"

"See! I told you there was no need to worry!"

Dongryong was smiling while tears and snot streamed down his face.

However, I couldn't tell if he was happy about not becoming a demon or happy that he could go together with us.

Those guys probably didn't know, but thanks to the Taiyi True Scripture, Dongryong had basically gained an immense talent as a warrior that wouldn't fall behind any special constitution.

I looked at the three brothers, who were excitedly putting their arms around each other's shoulders, and spoke.

"Therefore, there must be no slack in your training going forward. There was a reason why I made you train moving cultivation like your lives depended on it."

"Of course. Of course. We will unconditionally believe your words now, Senior Brother, even if you say that day is night."

"Good grief."

* * *

A thousand and two hundred refugees emerged from the three villages around Mount Cheonmok.

Their homes had been ruthlessly destroyed, the unmaintained thatched roofs had all collapsed, and the blood spilled by the bandits flowed into the village streams and wells, leaving them with no way to sustain their lives.

"Mom, I'm hungry."

"Okay, just hold on a little longer. Let's go up the mountain and pick some wild greens we can eat."

"Are you going to leave me behind again? You aren't, right?"

"... Right, let's go together this time."

Even so, they were feeling boundless gratitude that they were alive and able to see each other again.

"Everyone is thinking of turning their backs on their hometown and heading toward Hangzhou. It's too difficult to even survive this winter here."

Village Chief Heo, who had essentially become the spokesperson for the three villages, let out a long sigh.

"Still, it's a relief that we were able to reunite like this. This is all thanks to you."

"Don't mention it."

Village Chief Heo pulled out the five-thousand-tael bank note I had given him from his robes.

"This is what you entrusted to me."

"Didn't I tell you to buy the necessary supplies?"

"We aren't that shameless."

Village Chief Heo paused for a moment before continuing.

"We will repay this favor somehow. Naturally, I won't be able to in my lifetime, but in my children's lifetimes... and if not then, in my grandchildren's lifetimes... and if even that isn't enough, we will definitely repay you through the descendants after them."

The white-haired old man looked guilty, having no way to adequately express his gratitude.

We had searched the Ssangmak Stronghold, but no treasures or anything of the sort came up.

According to Yang Gunbaek, the Ssangmak Stronghold had spent a lot of money recently expanding their base.

‘Useless bastards, as always.’

In the end, we had subjugated the stronghold, but since nothing came of it, there was nothing to distribute to the villages.

"If it takes that long, wouldn't I end up not receiving any benefits?"

"..."

I pushed the bank note forward again.

"It might not be plenty, but please use it to rebuild the villages."

If the villages disappeared, it would take a long time for the stronghold on Mount Cheonmok to be rebuilt as well.

If the stronghold failed to grow, it would take longer for Bang Duchil to take control of the Green Woods Alliance.

Moreover, I know all too well what it feels like when unrelated people fall into suffering after being swept up in massive battles or wars.

‘If I really need money, there are a few more places I can rob.’

"... But..."

The old man, who had never been given anything in his entire life, seemed to be terrified by the massive sum of five thousand taels itself.

‘Hmm, what should I do about this...’

Actually, I did have a method in mind.

"Then how about doing it like this. Rebuild the villages with this money, and going forward, send a portion of the profits generated by the villages to the Taiyi Sect."

"...?!"

The old man's eyes shot wide open.

"Are you more at ease if you consider this an investment?"

People like Village Chief Heo actually felt more comfortable accepting something if a small burden was placed on them in return.

It was a characteristic of people who had never received anything for free in their entire lives.

"T-Then..."

"Is that acceptable?"

Village Chief Heo nodded vigorously.

"For the next thirty years, we will send one-tenth of the profits from the three villages to your sect."

"N-No... That's too much."

What I had said was just meant to relieve his burden, not for him to shackle his own neck.

However, Village Chief Heo shook his head so hard it looked like it might fall off.

"No. Only by doing that much can I accept this money, and the villagers can comfortably settle back down in the village."

"..."

The villages around Mount Cheonmok were situated at a chokepoint that merchants had no choice but to pass through.

Furthermore, it was a juncture where those exhausted from crossing the high mountain range absolutely had to stop and rest, whether before or after their crossing.

Village Chief Heo and the villagers knew nothing about how much their villages could develop.

When I couldn't readily answer, Village Chief Heo grabbed my hands with a resolute gaze.

"I have a request in return."

"What is it?"

"Please allow us to use the name of the Taiyi Sect in the villages."

"What do you mean..."

"I mean, let us say that these villages are under the protection of the Taiyi Sect."

Such a contract was a common protection agreement in commercial districts where a sect was established, but there was no precedent for making an agreement for three whole villages at once, especially in a place so far from the sect, like I was doing.

Moreover, the Taiyi Sect was currently in a state of closed doors, and the distance was far too great for the sect to extend its influence all the way here.

"I hope that, at the very least, others will be able to fear our villages."

Village Chief Heo was glancing furtively at Bang Duchil and his group.

He seemed to be wary of the talk about them establishing a stronghold on Mount Cheonmok again.

However, having seen him dig a massive pit with a single palm strike during the process of cleaning up the corpses after the battle, dump all the bodies inside, and then cover it back up with a single punch, he was simply too afraid to speak up.

I scratched my head and answered.

"I think that will be a bit difficult. For starters, the Taiyi Sect isn't that fearsome of a sect..."

At that moment, Baek Soryeong, who had been listening to the conversation, began whispering in Bang Duchil's ear.

Bang Duchil hunched his massive body to listen, then nodded and stepped forward.

"I'll do it!"

"Pardon?"

"I will do it. Protecting the three villages, I mean."

"..."

Bang Duchil thumped his chest robustly and let out a hearty laugh.

"In exchange, become sworn brothers with me. That way, I will have a justification to protect them, wouldn't I?"

"..."

Village Chief Heo looked at me with a beaming expression at Bang Duchil's words, while Baek Soryeong, standing beside Bang Duchil, was stifling giggles.

I had already been suspected of being an Underworld spy in my past life just for participating in a few operations with the Green Woods Alliance, yet now I was in a situation where I was about to become sworn brothers with the future Green Woods Alliance Leader.

‘With this... I really won't have anything to say even if I'm treated as an Underworld figure, right?’

Before I knew it, Village Chief Heo was looking at me with desperate eyes, suddenly acting like someone leaving his dying wish.

"... I-If only that could happen, I would have no regrets even if I died right now..."

I pressed my fingers against my throbbing head and asked Bang Duchil.

"Haa... Just why are you trying to become sworn brothers with me? My sect is nothing special, and my background is nothing special; I am merely a third-rate warrior."

"I have never met anyone greater than myself."

"I am great? I just stumbled upon a fortuitous encounter; I only ended up like this because I was lucky. But haven't you achieved immense martial arts starting from nothing, Big Brother Bang? Even looking at our potential for future growth, I can't even compare."

At my assertion, Bang Duchil shook his massive head vigorously.

"The 'greatness' I spoke of has nothing to do with martial arts."

"... Pardon?"

Then, baring teeth that were whiter than expected, he grinned.

"A man with the immense magnanimity to fearlessly step forward for the weak and unhesitatingly give away his precious fortune is not easily found, even if you search the whole world."

"..."

"You were the first person to make me feel astonishment. Since I cannot take such a person as a subordinate, isn't it only natural for a man to want to become sworn brothers!"

‘It's an absurd logic... but there's no way to slip out of it.’

‘For starters, when someone approaches you that genuinely, it's hard to reject them to the end.’

Village Chief Heo, who was leaving a dying wish like he was about to drop dead just a moment ago, was nodding so hard his neck looked like it would break.

"Haa..."

I eventually let out a long sigh.

‘Yeah, since when did I ever walk the path of a prestigious Orthodox warrior anyway.’

"Understood. Let's do that..."

"Go bring a blade!"

‘No, I wasn't even done answering... More importantly, a blade? A blade, you say?’

"Why a blade?"

"To become sworn brothers, we must make a blood oath..."

‘This guy, saying such scary things so casually.’

I stopped him and shot a plea for help to Baek Soryeong standing next to him.

"You've seen so much blood already, are you still craving more? Let's just share the cups of brotherhood!"

"He's right, darling. I don't want to smell any more blood either."

Fortunately, Bang Duchil listened obediently to Baek Soryeong's words.

"Shall we? Look here, Village Chief Heo, is there any alcohol in this village?"

"What are you talking about when you bastards drank it all!"

Amusingly enough, Village Chief Heo did not hold back his curses even after seeing Bang Duchil's might.

Of course, Bang Duchil wasn't the type to care much about that either.

"Hmm... I suppose I'll have to buy some alcohol from a neighboring village first. Wait a moment, little brother."

‘We haven't even shared the cups of brotherhood yet, but he's already calling me little brother.’

‘I'm already worried about how perilous the future unfolding before me will be.’

Once Bang Duchil swung his massive body around and disappeared, Baek Soryeong approached my side and whispered softly.

"You truly are amazing, Young Master Jin."

"What do you mean?"

"Right now, the structure makes it seem like you are taking all the losses, but in just a few years, you will be reaping massive profits. What with the profits coming from the three villages around Mount Cheonmok, and becoming sworn brothers with the Green Woods Alliance Leader... Am I wrong?"

Baek Soryeong was referring to him as the Green Woods Alliance Leader as a matter of course, as if she had seen the future where Bang Duchil becomes the Green Woods Alliance Leader.

‘She is definitely no ordinary person.’

"I assume that was your idea, Lady Baek?"

When I voiced my suspicions, Baek Soryeong flashed a meaningful smile.

‘As expected, there's no way such a thought would have come from that massive but simple-looking Bang Duchil's head.’

"Why specifically did you tell the Green Woods Alliance Leader to become sworn brothers with someone from an Orthodox sect?"

"That was purely my darling's idea. He wanted to have you so badly but didn't know how, so I merely gave him a little tip."

"..."

Baek Soryeong slowly scanned my face, then continued speaking.

"And I also thought that you, Young Master Jin, would become the greatest threat to my darling in the future. So I thought it would be best to deliberately forge a tie with you."

"... Me?"

As for myself, I was someone ranked as the most harmless in the Murim Alliance in my past life.

Just how harmless was I? I was so unbelievably harmless that the Murim Alliance would put me at the very forefront to use as a meat shield in major battles against the Demonic Cult.

When I tilted my head in incomprehension, Baek Soryeong showed her trademark meaningful smile.

"Fufu, you still haven't objectively evaluated yourself yet. This is why men are cute."

* * *

"Eldest Senior Brother!"

Just as I had shared the cups of brotherhood with Bang Duchil and was emptying the five jars of alcohol he had bought under that pretense.

Geumpyo came rushing in breathlessly.

"I think you need to come outside for a moment."

When I headed outside the guest house, a procession lined with the injured was passing by.

And their faces immediately came to my mind.

‘The Gyeryong Merchant Group.’

The procession of a hundred wandering warriors that had marched out so majestically to subjugate the stronghold was left with less than a quarter of its original numbers.

Even then, most of them were heavily injured, wrapped in bandages, and wearing splints.

"Senior Brother."

Looking where Eunho subtly shifted his gaze, I saw Gye Yeonseung—his right sleeve flapping emptily—leading a cart carrying two black coffins.

Judging by the fact that Gye Yeonseok and Gye Cheolyeong were nowhere to be seen, it seemed those two were inside those two coffins.

"..."

Gye Yeonseung, whose eyes met mine, quickly turned his head away as if he had committed a sin.

We remained completely silent until the Gyeryong Merchant Group vanished from sight.

"Should we feel pity for them?"

"No."

"Pardon?"

I looked straight into the eyes of the bewildered three brothers.

"We should be afraid. Since we do not know when we might end up in the exact same state."

Then, the moment I finished speaking, I violently unleashed killing intent.

"..."

The Geum-eun-dong brothers all twitched their eyebrows, but there was no other significant reaction.

"Gah."

The scream came from an unexpected place.

Yang Gunbaek, his complexion pale, had appeared from the back of the alley with a terrified expression.

"I-Is there perhaps something wrong...?"

Yang Gunbaek spoke while trembling violently.

"Ah, my apologies. I was training my junior brothers."

Yang Gunbaek was looking at me and my junior brothers as if he were seeing ghosts.

* * *

The Geum-eun-dong brothers naturally gave us some privacy, and the moment Yang Gunbaek sat down, he asked a question.

"Are you sure you don't actually have the ability to control the wind?"

‘Bang Duchil is making a fuss about becoming sworn brothers, and Yang Gunbaek is making a fuss about whether I can control the wind.’

"Haven't I told you? Strong northwesterly winds blow around this time every year. Moreover, because of the long drought, there wasn't a drop of moisture left in the fallen leaves on the mountain."

"You truly are an amazing person. I thought only someone on the level of Zhuge Liang from the old days could say such a thing."

Yang Gunbaek, who had been looking at me with complicated eyes for a moment, spread a map out on the table.

"The First Gate of the Hell standard exam has concluded completely. A total of three thousand eight hundred and forty-two people have received the gate token."

"Haomun will be getting busy from now on."

"... Indeed."

"How many people will be targeting us?"

"..."

The number of people who passed the First Gate was immense, but the number of people who failed was even greater.

The Murim standard exam considered not only passing the gate but also reaching the final destination with the gate token to be part of the test.

And those who failed at the gate would begin targeting the gate tokens of those who had passed.

"We will try to block them as much as possible, but since the Beggars' Sect has already made their move..."

"I know. That is precisely why I need to know for certain."

"It is... quite a lot."

Since Bang Duchil was staying on Mount Cheonmok, he had decided not to take the Murim Academy exam anymore, and he handed over all six First Gate tokens to me—both his original ones and the four he had newly received this time.

Yang Gunbaek could not easily continue his words.

I nodded as if I understood.

A gate token would change owners countless times, and the owner protecting a gate token would kill countless people.

It wasn't a fight between the Orthodox faction and the Underworld.

The Orthodox faction and the Orthodox faction would wage a war far greater than most Orthodox-Underworld wars, all under the name of an exam.

That was how much significance the Murim Academy held for the current rising stars.

After briefly organizing my thoughts, I asked Yang Gunbaek.

"So, how many people are currently targeting Mount Cheonmok... no, targeting us?"

This was the true nature of the Murim Academy's standard exam.

It was the reason why it was called the Hell standard exam.

Yang Gunbaek's mouth opened heavily.

"We estimate a minimum of two hundred groups. More than four thousand people."