Translator: FenrirTL
Editor/Quality Checker: Saphartlantis
Murim Term Consultant: Kopke
========================
Chapter 370: Raise Your Hand If You Think You're Ugly!
"First, begin with energy circulation."
Bih Sa-in was worried about Monster Evil. His complexion was so pale, it looked as if he might collapse at any moment.
"Donât worry. Iâve been through worse and came out just fine."
Before sitting down, Monster Evil looked at the corpse of New Moon Blade.
Over his corpse, the corpse of Flash of Light overlapped. He also saw the figure of Thousand Hands Sword, one of the Flame Sky Twin Swords. Who would have thought the day would come when he killed three of the Unorthodox Allianceâs top seven experts with his own hands?
Life changes drastically like the dagger of an assassin. It never comes with a warning.
Even as he carried out various tasks for the Unorthodox Alliance, Monster Evil had always stayed one step back. He was prepared to pull out whenever needed. Thatâs how he had been before.
âI've come too deep.â
But just as he had told Bih Sa-in earlier, the feeling wasnât unpleasant. Though, admittedly, caring for someone else still felt awkward.
Monster Evil sent a voice transmission to one person.
âIs this how itâs supposed to feel?
The recipient was Geom Mugeuk. He had asked bluntly without any lead-up, but Geom Mugeuk answered without hesitation.
âThis is just the beginning.
Did he know exactly what Monster Evil had asked?
âThen what happens later?
âYouâll regret it. Youâll wonder why you let yourself get dragged into this mess. You might even die because of these ill-fitting emotions.
Geom Mugeuk knew precisely what the question was and answered accordingly.
âBut when you die, it will be different.
âDifferent how?
âAt the very least, you wonât leave behind words like âthis feels disgustingâ, like New Moon Blade did. Youâll leave behind different words. Iâll be there to listen to them till the end. 1
âIâll live longer than you. Iâll show you how tenacious this Unorthodox expertâs life is.
Monster Evil closed his eyes and began circulating his energy.
Geom Mugeukâs gaze turned toward Baek Jagang.
Sensing that gaze upon him, Baek Jagang looked over.
After drawing his attention, Geom Mugeuk immediately turned his gaze to the Battle King. As if to say:
Iâll take care of the Battle King now, so please watch over your disciple for a while.
He was someone you couldnât take your eyes off of even for a second.
At the same time, Geom Mugeuk sent another voice transmission.
âWhat you see may not be all there is. Itâs a plotâone targeting none other than the Alliance Leader himself. 2
And then, Geom Mugeuk gave an extreme example.
âFather might even walk out of those bushes back there.
To think he could speak so cheerfully while warning of danger!
Baek Jagang once again felt a fierce surge of jealousy toward Geom Woojin.
âI acknowledge your child-rearing as a grand success.â
Not just a success, but a grand one.
âBut farming happens every year, doesnât it?â
There was still hope. Monster Evil had stepped up for Bih Sa-in. The fact that he had gained the support of such a difficult person meant that he had become someone worthy of gaining a true ally.
Geom Mugeuk sent another voice transmission.
âNot even a hair must be harmed. Iâll help as well.
Seeing him repeat what heâd already said, it was clear Geom Mugeuk truly intended to finish this situation in his own way.
âVery well, Iâll let you enjoy your bountiful harvest this year.â
Yes, if he was to properly compete with Geom Woojin in child-rearing.
âFine, not even a hair will be harmed.
Though the mood on the Unorthodox Allianceâs side was good, the Battle Kingâs side was far from it.
With the Poison Overlord dead and even New Moon Blade gone, the morale of the Fighting Wolves had plummeted.
No matter how much they loved to fight, it didnât mean they enjoyed losing battles.
They were people who could make their opponents lower their heads with just a glare, but now, that glare didnât work. Their opponents were elite martial artists of the Thirteen Wolves and the Extreme Forces Brigadeâpeople they could barely win against even when morale was sky-high.
Naturally, all eyes turned to the Battle King.
He showed not the slightest hint of agitation. He neither tried to encourage the Fighting Wolves nor forcefully raise their spirits. Instead, that calmness itself eased their anxiety.
The Battle King spoke courteously to Blue Death Ghost.
"Senior, please step up and take care of things."
The Battle King trusted in his skill. Though his hot temper and foul personality were concerns, he had weathered many storms, so the Battle King didnât worry much.
Blue Death Ghost stepped forward and addressed the martial artists of the Unorthodox Alliance.
"You picked one person, so I assume itâs our turn now? Youâre not going to swarm this old man like a pack of dogs because youâre scared, right? Hey, you lot, your Alliance Leader is watching!"
He grinned, revealing the few teeth he had left.
A faint smile formed at the corner of the Battle Kingâs lips. Yes, just like that.
In contrast, Baek Jagangâs expression hardened. He knew that among those present, no one could face Blue Death Ghost in a one-on-one match. On top of that, the bastard wasnât going to choose Geom Mugeuk.
Blue Death Ghost spoke to Monster Evil.
"Why donât you step up first? You, whoâs running wild after killing all of the Unorthodox Allianceâs top seven experts, trying to become the top expert of the Alliance."
He seemed to be picking a fight, possibly having had a personal connection to New Moon Blade.
Of course, Monster Evil wasnât someone to be trifled with. His closed eyes opened.
"And you? What are you standing there hoping to gain?"
Blue Death Ghostâs expression twitched for a moment.
"Someone listed as a public enemy of the Alliance dares to expect to be treated like a senior? Just how filthy a life have you lived to become an enemy to both orthodox and unorthodox sides alike?" 3
Radiating killing intent, Blue Death Ghost stepped forward.
Then Bih Sa-in stepped in front of Monster Evil as if to shield him.
"Stand down."
Blue Death Ghost gave him a scornful look.
"Young Alliance Leader, unless your hideous face turns into martial skill, donât dare stand in my way."
Blue Death Ghost deliberately provoked Bih Sa-in. From the start, the real target wasnât Monster Evil â it was Bih Sa-in. Knowing how close the two were, he picked a fight with Monster Evil just to lure Bih Sa-in out.
If Bih Sa-in charged at him in a fit of rage, he planned to take him hostage. He was ready to snatch him up like a hawk if he dashed forward even just ten steps.
With Poison Overlord and New Moon Blade dead, this was the best way to shift the tide. If he had Bih Sa-in as a hostage, the Unorthodox Alliance wouldnât be able to go all out in battle. The plan was to pick them off one by one, then finish with eliminating the Alliance Leader alongside the Battle King.
"Since no one else will be honest with you, Young Alliance Leader, Iâll tell you â your face is revolting to even look at."
When had he ever been told his face was disgusting? Bih Sa-in felt terrible. In the past, he might have reacted to this provocation. He was truly angry, after all.
But the Bih Sa-in of today had changed. What would Geom Mugeuk do in this situation? He might feel the rage, but he wouldnât act on it.
"Someone once told me this face was handsome."
"And who the hell said that?"
At that, Bih Sa-in looked toward Geom Mugeuk.
Geom Mugeuk, caught off guard, replied with an awkward expression as he sheepishly rubbed the back of his head.
"âŠI was joking."
Bih Sa-in laughed. And the fact that he could laugh in a moment like this brought him a deep sense of satisfaction. He was certain this change would make him stronger from now on.
He was also grateful to Geom Mugeuk â for being someone he could joke with like this and not make him feel hurt. That person, the one who always noticed his emotions with care, never failed to follow up his teasing with words like these.
"When you smile like that, you actually look a little cool."
With all the martial artists of the Unorthodox Alliance watching, Geom Mugeuk offered another compliment to Bih Sa-in.
"Those who donât know how to look at a face will only see your scars. But those who do will recognize how good-looking the face beneath the scars really is."
It wasnât about seeing his inner self. Geom Mugeuk hoped these words would work like magic. That under their influence, someone might pause to think and end up saying: You know, now that I look again, itâs not so bad. That more and more people would start to think that way.
"And your smile reminds me a lot of our cultâs Demon Supreme, the Fist Demon King. Itâs my favorite smile, right after my fatherâs."
How could Bih Sa-in not feel grateful hearing this in front of everyone? Ever since meeting Geom Mugeuk and hearing words like these, his long-standing sense of inferiority had begun to fade. At this moment, he even felt like maybe, just maybe, he could shed it all for good after today.
"Then I guess Iâll need to find more reasons to smile."
"Isnât that up to you?"
Blue Death Ghost, who had been listening to the conversation, suddenly felt as though he had been dragged into something. Rather than provoking the opponent, it felt like he had ended up improving the relationship between the two â and that left him with a foul mood. In any case, he had failed to take Bih Sa-in hostage.
Blue Death Ghostâs gaze turned back toward his original target.
"You, step forward."
The person he pointed to was Beoncheon, the Division Leader of the Extreme Forces Brigade.
"Iâll be your opponent."
Beoncheon showed no fear at all toward Blue Death Ghost. That was the kind of presence the man Beoncheon carried. It was why he led the Extreme Forces Brigade, the Alliance Leaderâs personal elite unit.
There were countless branches and divisions in the Unorthodox Alliance. But in an uncertain situation like today, when no one knew whom to trust, the first unit to be mobilized was always the Extreme Forces Brigade.
He was the leader of such a unit. So even if the opponent wasnât just Blue Death Ghost but included the Battle King as well, he was not someone who would be intimidated.
That was why Baek Jagang had to stop this fight. No matter how capable Beoncheon was, he couldnât withstand the deep cultivation of a veteran expert like Blue Death Ghost.
But if he personally tried to intervene, that Blue Death Ghost would only humiliate Beoncheon with all sorts of insulting remarks. And with the subordinates watching, this needed to be handled delicately.
Baek Jagang, before he realized it, turned to look at Geom Mugeuk. Though he didnât want to admit it, in this moment, he realized he was relying on him. 4
And once again, Geom Mugeuk rose to meet the Alliance Leaderâs unspoken expectations.
Geom Mugeuk spoke politely to Blue Death Ghost. 5
"Before the two of you fight, may I have a brief word with our esteemed elder?"
"What is it?"
"Frankly speaking, if weâre comparing looks, youâre uglier than the Young Alliance Leader."
"What?"
Blue Death Ghost scowled, clearly not expecting that kind of remark.
"I just thought I should tell you, in case you die in this fight and leave this world without knowing the truth."
Die at Beoncheonâs hands? That alone was irritating. But the part that really got to him was something else.
"Are you saying Iâm uglier than the Young Alliance Leader?"
"Yes."
Geom Mugeuk knew full well â although Blue Death Ghost now had missing teeth and a face full of wrinkles, he had once been known in his youth as âthe handsome swordsmanâ.
He took great pride in his appearance. That was also why he had mocked Bih Sa-inâs looks â it came from that pride. 6
"Even if I compare your younger face to his, youâre still definitely uglier. Iâm sorry."
He even bowed his head slightly and apologized sincerely. That only made Blue Death Ghost even angrier. If Geom Mugeuk had just hurled a childish insult like youâre uglier, it wouldâve been meaningless. But thisâthis polite and sincere apologyâfelt  absolutely infuriating.
âYou little bastard, youâre quite the piece of work!â
He knew it was deliberate provocation, but he just couldnât ignore it. He simply couldnât accept being called uglier than Bih Sa-in â especially after heâd just called that face "disgusting".
"You donât seem to believe me â shall we verify it?"
Geom Mugeuk deliberately raised his voice and spoke to everyone present.
"Alright then, letâs check whoâs uglier. Everyone here, raise your hand if you think the Young Alliance Leader is uglier!"
No one expected such a question. Everyone was colmpletely caught off guard.
Even Baek Jagang was surprised â even the Battle King was surprised. There wasnât a single person in that place who wasnât. A beauty contest, now?
Of course, no one from the Unorthodox Alliance raised their hand. Even if someone thought so, who would dare? On the other hand, there were some among the Fighting Wolves who couldnât react in time to the sudden question.
"Then now, raise your hand if you think our old master here is the uglier one!"
As he finished speaking, Geom Mugeuk himself raised his hand high, and the Thirteen Wolves immediately followed. Then all the martial artists of the Extreme Forces Brigade raised their hands too.
At that moment, Bih Sa-inâs eyes widened in shock.
Baek Jagang had raised his hand.
In this completely absurd situation, he never imagined his master would raise his hand for him.
âMaster!â
It was just a raised hand â but it overwhelmed him with emotion.
He didnât know. He didnât know that Baek Jagangâs action also held a hint of apology for having doubted him earlier.
Geom Mugeuk turned to Blue Death Ghost while barely contained snickers erupted from the crowd behind him.
"You see? Clearly, far more people think our senior is the uglier one."
"You bastard, thatâs just because there are more of you!"
"Isnât it the same thing?"
"What is?"
"Arenât you, Senior, also acting however you please just because youâre older? Mocking a junior for being ugly â isnât that only because you have greater internal energy?"
"!"
Blue Death Ghost was momentarily speechless. He hadnât expected that line of argument. And this â this was Geom Mugeukâs true intention.
"Monster Evil, earlier, picked someone of similar age and strength to duel, didnât he? But you, Senior â thatâs not the case, is it? If fairness is what weâre aiming for, then we too should step up in proportion to your age."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Weâll step forward with as many people as your age adds up to. Or, if you prefer, you can simply admit that youâre the uglier one."
"You crazy bastard! You dare call that an argument?!" 7
Blue Death Ghost had tried to provoke Bih Sa-in with an insult about his appearance â but now, he had walked right into Geom Mugeukâs provocation instead.
"You think ganging up on me will work, so youâre pulling this stunt?"
"Just admit youâre uglier and go duel Division Leader Beoncheon!"
"What kind of nonsense logic is this?"
"No, I said too much. Please go ahead with the match as you planned."
"You brat!"
"Whatâs so shameful about a man admitting heâs too ugly?" 8
In the end, Blue Death Ghost couldnât take it anymore and shouted.
"Fine! Iâll kill you all at once!"
No sooner had Blue Death Ghost finished shouting than Bih Sa-in stepped forward.
"Letâs settle whoâs uglier with a proper fight."
As if waiting for that moment, Geom Mugeuk followed right after.
"If my friend goes, I go too! Weâre still far too short of matching our seniorâs age, so Iâll add one more person to our side."
Geom Mugeuk glanced back and forth between Il-rang and Beoncheon, then kindly addressed Il-rang.
"Division Leader Beoncheon was already pointed out and even falsely accused this time â please yield the spot."
Il-rang nodded without hesitation. If Geom Mugeuk and Beoncheon were stepping up, there was no need for him to act. Anyway, if Bih Sa-in ended up in real danger, he would intervene without hesitation, promises or not. That being the case, it was better to stay out of it for now.
Blue Death Ghost finally came to his senses.
âDamn it, this wasnât the plan.â
Heâd lashed out in anger â and now three people stood proudly before him.
This damned temper of his â it had turned him into a public enemy of three major orthodox sects. No matter how old he got, it just wouldnât change.
The one who brought the situation under control was the Battle King.
"The ages donât match."
The Battle King spoke calmly to Geom Mugeuk.
"You should step back and let Il-rang take your place."
Geom Mugeuk had already anticipated that the Battle King would step in, so he accepted it without protest. The Battle King would never allow him to join the fight directly anyway. 9
"Then I leave it to you, Il-rang."
Il-rang readily took Geom Mugeukâs place.
A thought rose in the Battle Kingâs heart. He pictured Geom Mugeuk, after all those words and jokes and tricks, returning to a battlefield where blood still flowed. Standing there alone on the hill of corpses, with endlessly deep eyes, staring back this way. Without seeing that sight, Blue Death Ghost was falling prey without even realizing.
Originally, it should have been only Beoncheon standing there. But now, Bih Sa-in and Il-rang stood beside him.
From the rear, Geom Mugeuk looked toward Baek Jagang.
âThis is as far as I can go.â
1 : Lol, such kind compassion, cursing him to die soon XDXDXD
2 : Taunting him with the threat of his power ? Really, even with his killing intent at full blast, the Battle King is still scheming. How frightening.
3 : Hehehe, nice stab ^^
4 : Donât worry about it, and come aboard the Mugeuk Bus !!! Professional carry since Chapter 1 !!!!
5 : Wait, politely ? If I was in Blue Death Ghostâs place I would hear all sorts of alarms right now XDXDXD
6 : Petty.
7 : âWho do you think I am, a naĂŻve orthodox ? Why should I use honest methods ?â XDXDXD
8 : I totally agree with that mindset. I am already glad to have skin, a mouth, a nose, two eyes, two ears and a mostly working brain XDXDXD I couldnât care less about the rest, especially if it gives me an advantage in a fight. Why would/should it matter if others call me ugly, when I can stay alive by ignoring them ? Blue Death Ghost really is a stupid old bastard XDXDXD
9 : Not so easily at least. His opinion wonât stay relevant for much longer ^^