Returning Of The Dark Moon – Ch. 3

Chapter 3. Are You Losing?

Elder Hwa and Hong Cho-sam stared at Wangcho, who was glaring back at them. To the point the blood vessels in his eyes burst.

Why was he so angry? Hong Cho-sam couldn't understand.

‘He seemed perfectly normal just yesterday.’

No, he knew—he’d received a report that Hugae had sworn off gambling and poured ten bottles of that potent liquor down his throat. But how could a man change so drastically in a single day?

The reckless words, the radical personality. The foundation was the same. But something was different. It felt as if every move was calculated.

But that couldn't be. This wasn't a matter of talent, but of time. A wisdom that couldn't be acquired in a mere thirty years.

The name "Drunken Sword, Wangcho" was renowned throughout the world as the greatest of the younger generation, but that was only within the realm of the younger generation.

And he was only famous because he was born with the insane talent of a Heavenly Martial Body. Otherwise, his name would have long been forgotten.

‘He never leaves the damn house.’

Brothels, gambling dens, the main headquarters. The reports he received on Wangcho's habits ended there. He gambled to make money, went to brothels to drink. He went to the headquarters to sleep, then returned to the gambling dens to make more money—the lowest of the low.

But his martial prowess was undeniable. The idiot, who didn't even train properly, had reached a level of mastery similar to Hong Cho-sam's—the realm of a Supreme Master.

A Supreme Master's power was equivalent to that of a sect leader of a small or medium-sized sect. Yet Wangcho had obtained his current martial might without any bone-grinding effort.

What would happen if he truly dedicated himself to martial arts? Wouldn't the day come when the world knelt before the Beggars' Sect—

Hong Cho-sam had thought so once. But what meaning would that hold? That world wouldn't be *his* world.

Besides, even if Wangcho became that strong, he could never defeat the Leader.

A human cannot defeat a five-hundred-year-old Flood Dragon. The same went for the peerless masters said to walk on clouds—the sect leaders of the Nine Sects.

The day he joined the Dark Heaven Society. In the night sky that obscured the stars and moon, there was a man named Baek Cheon. A god of war who knew everything about him.

Who in this vast world could possibly defeat him?

The first emotion he felt was the admiration of a martial artist; the emotions that followed were all awe.

To the old beggar named Hong Cho-sam, the absolute being named Baek Cheon appeared as a Flood Dragon. A supernatural force, like those he'd seen at Shaolin, the great sect closest to their Beijing headquarters. An opponent a mere human could never dare to face.

So.

This wasn't a betrayal. It was something that should have been done long ago.

‘I'm sorry, Sect Leader. But this is unavoidable, is it not?’

It's not as if you, bedridden as you are, could fight and win against the Leader.

My eyes stung. I instantly knew the cause of the reddish tint creeping into my vision. All the blood vessels had burst. It was a form of Qi Deviation, or perhaps an Inner Demon—common afflictions among the martial artists of Jianghu.

Was it because the Beggars' Sect's situation after my return was so frustrating? No, that wasn't it. The frustration that had been building since my fight with the Leader had finally erupted.

Thinking of those arrogant eyes that looked down upon the world, a smirk escaped my lips.

No matter how skilled Hong Cho-sam was, could he even hope to touch Baek Cheon's toes? The man who had crossed swords with him? That was me. The former number one under heaven? That was also me.

"Elder Hwa, do you think I'm doing this because I have a grudge against you? If so, that's deeply regrettable. I'm sorry, but I have no particular interest in you. I just want to know who's spreading poison in the great river that is the Beggars' Sect."

"Your words have a bite to them. I am not the kind of person you think I am, Hugae. What did my disciple do to deserve being slammed into the ground like that?"

It was true that at this point in time, Elder Hwa's corruption had not yet been exposed. And I didn't have any proof either.

"I slammed him because he deserved it. If a mere sect member insults the Sect Leader, he should receive a fitting punishment."

Hong Cho-sam said no more. Perhaps he felt no need to argue. For an instant, the sound of a falling leaf brushed past my ear, and Elder Hwa suddenly appeared right before my face.

The Ten Thousand Li Chasing Wind Technique.

It was one of the many ultimate arts of the Beggars' Sect. Elder Hwa was, after all, an Elder of the Beggars' Sect. He held a position that would earn him respect anywhere in the vast Jianghu. To me, who had returned to the past, he was less than a pebble, a worthless cur, but in truth, his reputation within the sect wasn't bad.

That's why the plan to bring down Elder Hwa should have proceeded slowly. It's hard to shatter such a large mirror in one go. It's just that my personality couldn't stand the wait.

Besides, I knew of his corruption, which could bring about his complete downfall. Having returned to the past, I had a great deal of information I could use.

*Poke, poke.*

A cold sensation pulled me from my thoughts. I saw Elder Hwa poking the area near my heart with a long staff.

"Hugae, I think you're mistaken about something. If it came down to it, and the Sect Leader had to weigh my life against yours, who do you think he would choose?"

"Me, obviously. Wouldn't he choose me, strong and full of vigor, over a weak old man?"

"Why do you keep speaking so informally? Do you have no sense of hierarchy, Hugae? At the very least, show some respect to an Elder. What have I done to deserve this?"

I suddenly looked at Elder Hwa's face and realized something.

*He's already met Baek Cheon and joined the Dark Heaven Society.*

Then why, unlike in my past life, has he already revealed his claws to the Beggars' Sect? Could it be that Baek Cheon has already made his move? In truth, it wasn't my business. What did it matter why he had started to move?

I grabbed the staff that kept pressing into my chest with both hands and pushed it away. He hadn't imbued it with much internal energy, so it was quite easy.

Seeing Elder Hwa glare at me as if he wanted to kill me, a grin spread across my face. Having lived a long life, Elder Hwa must have intuitively sensed that something about me had changed.

·Or perhaps he perceived it with the insight of his Upper Dantian.

He must be afraid of what kind of variable this would be for his plans. He wants to deal with me beforehand, but he doesn't have the confidence to handle the aftermath.

I met the foolish Cho-sam's eyes. Originally, the Blue Clothes and Soiled Clothes Factions outside the main headquarters got along reasonably well. If these people hadn't instigated conflict, there wouldn't have been a problem.

Moreover, the leader of the Soiled Clothes Faction has no interest in politics. That's why Elder Hwa's faction is so noticeably large.

"Elder Hwa, you've done nothing wrong, I'm sure. I don't expect anything from you. I just want to look into your collusive ties with the Righteous Hero Sect, the Golden Sword Merchants, the Heavenly Slaughter Sect, and Heart Poison Heaven."

Elder Hwa's body visibly stiffened. He understood the meaning of the words spilling from my mouth.

The Righteous Hero Sect and the Golden Sword Merchants were a sect and a merchant group with considerable influence around the main headquarters, while the Heavenly Slaughter Sect and Heart Poison Heaven were major sects belonging to the Unorthodox Alliance.

The Righteous Hero Sect and the Golden Sword Merchants were one thing. But merely associating with the Heavenly Slaughter Sect and Heart Poison Heaven was enough to get caught up in scandal and be condemned.

Because the Heavenly Slaughter Sect was a group of assassins, and Heart Poison Heaven was full of madmen obsessed with poison. What business could an Elder of the Beggars' Sect have meeting with the notorious leaders of the Unorthodox Faction?

‘What else? They were up to some dirty business.’

Isn't it obvious?

In contrast to my burst of laughter, Elder Hwa's face was contorted, spewing rage.

Meaning his ugly face had gotten even uglier. They say it's wrong to judge a person by their face, but since I've never considered myself a righteous person, it didn't matter to me.

Hong Cho-sam, tightly gripping the collar of my tattered clothes, spoke.

"Where did you hear this? How? This isn't something you could possibly know. Was it the Sect Leader? No, that can't be. I made sure to block his eyes and ears. Even with that prodigy Baek-hae by his side……………”

People make mistakes when they're flustered. Elder Hwa was no different. He blurted out his own misdeeds before realizing his mistake and shutting his mouth.

For a moment, a viscous killing intent flowed from Elder Hwa, only to vanish immediately.

‘He considered whether to kill me or not.’

Keep thinking, keep worrying. It'll only make it easier for me to destroy you.

In truth, bringing down Elder Hwa was just a small part of my plan. Ever since returning to the past, various incidents have been popping up, forcing me to revise and refine my plans in real-time, but my ultimate goal was to prevent the war and protect the Sect Leader.

Though I don't know if it's possible.

Elder Hwa let out a deep sigh and looked up at the sky. Though the sky was blue, I knew what scene he was seeing.

·The night sky where Baek Cheon's dark world unfolded.

It was also the ultimate technique that took my life in the end. Why didn't Baek Cheon kill me sooner? A man like him wouldn't have needed to drag it out for fifteen years.

Borrowing courage from the drunkenness that still hadn't faded, I wondered if perhaps he had been lonely—since I was the only martial artist who could match him.

Are even these thoughts part of Baek Cheon's plan? No. I am a man that even I cannot predict.

The moment I saw Elder Hwa's gaze shift to Eung-sam, who was standing awkwardly in the distance, I spoke urgently.

"Elder Hwa, surely you don't want us both to be dragged off to the Hall of Punishments, do you? Are you trying to take a hostage? What happened to the law of the Murim, the one-on-one life-and-death duel, established by my mother? If you call yourself a man of Jianghu H.......””

"Shut your mouth, Hugae. What's an orphan doing talking about his mother? I understand. I know what you're trying to do. You intend to stop the conflict between the Soiled Clothes and Blue Clothes Factions, don't you?"

Having composed himself, Elder Hwa smiled as if at ease. It was a bluff.

Few can smile after their crimes have been exposed. Especially not someone who went to great lengths to hide them.

“I will stand with you, Hu-gae. I mean that I will actively cooperate in restoring the Beggars' Sect. Give me a few days. I will sort everything out by then. How about it?”

Hearing Elder Hwa's words, I inwardly smiled. This is why I don't hold Elder Hwa in high regard. I could see right through him. It was painfully obvious this was a lie to escape the situation.

He'll probably forge the evidence and hide the ledgers somewhere else once he gets out of this.

“Well, very well. I'll give you seven days and nights (七晝夜: one week). Do as you see fit.”

“…Why do you keep changing your tone? Just stick to one.”

“You're one to talk. Isn't it because we're both uneducated? Just let it go!”

Elder Hwa, who had been glaring at me, soon vanished like the wind. Such a simple man. To get so worked up over being called uneducated.

Eung-sam, who had been anxiously looking around several times, stuck close to me and whispered in my ear.

“Senior Brother, are you crazy? You're accepting that? What, are you going to just accept it if Elder Hwa offers you the Beggars' Sect next? No, was the Elder always like that? The Sect Leader's eyes what? That son of a bitch in the Beggars' Sect…………

“Eung-sam, my ear hurts.”

“Yes, Senior Brother.”

Eung-sam, who had moved a little away from me, looked around again before asking.

“…But since it's you, Senior Brother, I have to ask. Um, I know it sounds ridiculous, but if Elder Hwa… no, Elder Gyeon (犬) and you fought, who would win?”

Asking who would win in a fight... It seems that because Eung-sam has been with me for so long, he figured out that I hadn't actually accepted his proposal.

“Elder Hwa is certainly not a man to be taken lightly.”

“So you'd lose?”

Lose? As if. No matter how I thought about it, I couldn't picture myself losing to Elder Hwa.

Feeling the chilly moonlight in the now-darkened night sky, I grinned.

“I'd win.”

Keep thinking, keep worrying. It'll only make it easier for me to crush you.

In truth, taking down Elder Hwa was just a small part of my plan. Ever since returning to the past, various incidents have been popping up, forcing me to revise and refine my plans in real-time, but my ultimate goal was to prevent the war and protect the Sect Leader.

Though I don't know if it's possible.

Elder Hwa let out a deep sigh and looked up at the sky. Even though the sky was blue, I knew what scene he was seeing.

The night sky where Baek Cheon's Dark Heaven unfolded.

It was also the ultimate technique that took my life in the end. Why didn't Baek Cheon kill me sooner? If it were him, there would have been no need to drag it out for 15 years.

Thinking about it, borrowing the courage from the drunkenness that still hasn't faded, perhaps he was lonely. After all, I was the only martial artist who could exchange blows with him.

Is even having these thoughts part of Baek Cheon's plan? No. Because the person I am is someone even I cannot predict.

The moment I saw Elder Hwa's gaze turn to Eung-sam, who was standing awkwardly in the distance, I hurriedly opened my mouth.

“Elder Hwa, surely you don't want us both to be dragged off to the Hall of Punishments (刑法黨), do you? Are you trying to take a hostage? What happened to the law of the Murim, the one-on-one duel to the death, chosen by my mother? You call yourself a man of the martial world.......””

“Shut up, Hu-gae. What's an orphan like you doing, going on about a mother? I see. I know what you're trying to do. You intend to stop the conflict between the O-ui Faction and the Cheong-ui Faction, don't you?”

Last Page

Please continue to the next volume

Elder Hwa, having composed himself, smiled as if at ease. It was a bluff.

Confirm

Few can smile after their crimes have been exposed. Even fewer if they are someone who went to great lengths to hide them.