Murim Troubleshooter Dan Mujin

Chapter 64: Family Reunion

The Shaanxi region was like the heart of the Central Plains.

With the Mount Hua Sect and the Zhongnan Sect, the giants of the Righteous Sect, rooted here, numerous small sects had flourished, and even the Murim Alliance that safeguarded the order of the Murim had taken up residence.

For that reason, it was well worthy of being called the center of the Orthodox Murim.

And there was a city that fully encapsulated the essence of this Shaanxi—none other than Xi’an, the city that inherited the splendor of ancient Chang’an.

Our group now stood before the gates of Xi’an.

We stared blankly at the towering city walls and the massive crowd of people flowing beneath them, as if a grand gathering of dragons and phoenixes had descended.

"Boss, what are you doing? Fiddling with that club."

As we stood in a long queue waiting, Ilhong looked at me quizzically when he saw me toying with the Dog-Beating Staff.

"Don't swing it by any chance. If you cause a commotion in a crowd, you'll get arrested."

"What do you take me for?"

I shot him a glance of disbelief.

Though, it was true that my body had been itching since last night.

After all, I had witnessed someone breaking through to become a Peak Master Level right in front of my eyes.

When you see something like that, a martial artist can’t help but be stirred.

I wanted to find an empty clearing to swing my staff around, but the place was packed with people—no proper space in sight.

That moment of enlightenment from Jo Hah-rang, and the small insight I had gained by assisting her, had left me restless. I wanted to digest it quickly.

"Mujin!"

Jo Hah-rang playfully tapped my shoulder, her sleek black hair swaying elegantly.

She was always a striking woman, with those serene amethyst eyes leaving a lasting impression.

"They’re selling roast chicken at the trading company’s convoy in the back! Let’s go eat!"

As the queue grew longer, some had laid out their stalls and started selling goods. She must’ve caught a whiff of the savory meat, tugging at my arm enthusiastically.

"Go by yourself."

"Whyy? Come with me."

"I’ve got a lot to think about right now."

Not only had I accumulated more Righteous Energy than necessary from a recent matter, but I had also finally grasped the thread of reaching Peak Master Level.

Despite the long queue, the reason I wasn’t bored and instead lost in thought was precisely because of that.

This was no time to be munching on drumsticks leisurely.

"Come on, let’s gooo~"

Though she could have gone alone, Jo Hah-rang kept tugging at my arm, clinging persistently.

And there was one guy who absolutely lost his mind at such unnecessary contact.

‘Kill (살)! Kill (살)! Kill (살)!’

Like a feral cat meeting its natural predator, the Killing Karma hissed with fierce hostility.

By the way, there was a particular reason why he was acting even more unhinged than usual.

It went back to last night. After her cultivation breakthrough, Jo Hah-rang had cautiously revealed a certain secret.

How had she started?

"……Mujin, there's one secret I’ve been hiding from you."

Right. She had blindsided me with that out of nowhere.

Considering her talent thus far, I’d been buttering her up with full effort, thinking she had a high chance of winning the Gathering of the Dragon and Phoenix in the future.

But then, with a conflicted look, she’d begun to speak amidst my praises.

"Since you're my benefactor, I felt I should be honest…… The reason my martial arts advancement has been so fast is actually because of something else."

"What reason?"

Her tone sounded like it was more a stroke of luck than skill, so I sipped my tea and urged her to continue.

She then explained that due to her ‘exceptional physique,’ she was naturally gifted with such martial prowess, and that perhaps she wasn’t the martial arts prodigy I had assumed her to be.

"I was actually born under the Evil Star called the Ziwei Star (자미성)."

"...Pfft!"

The moment I heard that, I sprayed the tea I was drinking straight out of my mouth.

"Damn it, are you doing this again?"

Second tea splash. She frowned as she wiped the tea off with a cloth.

"You’re saying you’re the Ziwei Star...?"

"Yeah. You’ve at least heard rumors about the Heaven-Slaying Star or Evil Stars, right? Out of the Big Dipper, the brightest one is me."

She pointed at one star that blazed divinely, unlike the dark and ominous Heaven-Slaying Star.

Ziwei Star — of course I’d heard of it.

Back during the Nangabong Monster incident, Hwang Geolgae had mentioned another Evil Star, warning that it was the one to be most cautious of — that was the Ziwei Star.

If the Heaven-Slaying Star was the Evil Star that delivered divine punishment to the world, then the Ziwei Star was the one destined to protect it.

The destined nemesis of the Heaven-Slaying Star, having fought it across generations.

They said it had already slain the Heaven-Slaying Star multiple times throughout the long history of the Central Plains.

And just yesterday, I had awakened such a fated rival into a Peak Master Level (절정 무인) martial artist.

'...Damn. I'm screwed, huh?'

That was the conclusion I arrived at after much thought.

How could things get this twisted?

'Idiot (등신)'

'Fool (멍청이)'

Naturally, the Evil Star in my head was throwing a fit over this situation.

"Just shut up already."

Wasn’t she the one who had first helped me ascend to First Rate Martial Artist, offering her grace?

So I simply repaid the favor as a person ought to, but who would've expected things to end up like this?

"Anyway, thank you. I thought I’d end up stuck behind the wall of Peak Master Level, spiraling into inner demons. I’ll definitely repay this debt!"

Helping someone overcome the wall of Peak Master Level was a grace far beyond merely raising someone from Second Rate to First Rate.

Gratitude shimmered in both of Jo Hah-rang’s eyes.

Now I wasn’t just helping people — I was even helping my future nemesis. My sane self would have never done such a thing.

As if to prove it, a massive surge of Righteous Energy began filling my chest like never before.

"Hey, then how about you grant me one wish instead of paying the debt?"

The deed was done, and there was no undoing it. I had to dig an escape route for the future.

"Sure, what kind of wish?"

"You know, if one day it turns out I’m a really bad guy and you have to kill me..."

"Hmm? You’re not that kind of person, though?"

Jo Hah-rang smiled brightly and asserted it with conviction.

"...How do you know that?"

"Oh, I didn’t tell you? I can see the Righteous Energy people have built up. And ever since I entered the murim, I’ve never seen anyone as righteous as you."

"..."

So, just like how I could see Killing Karma, the Ziwei Star could apparently see someone’s goodness?

How ironic. The Righteous Energy I had built up for lifespan extension had once again saved me.

"Right. So basically, if that day comes, just turn a blind eye once."

Whether she trusted in her ability to read Righteous Energy or not, she tapped my shoulder firmly, saying I was overthinking.

"Of course. That’s not even a big deal."

She promised so easily, not even realizing what kind of situation she was in.

Let’s see if she’ll keep that promise or not.

Anyway, I guess you could say I secured my survival path throughout the night in this manner.

It had truly been a long night filled with many events.

"Hey, what are you two doing?"

A clear voice pierced through our ears.

When we turned around, there stood Tang Yeo-hye — still small in stature but immense in presence.

"...You were thinking something rude, weren’t you?"

"No, of course not."

I flinched for a second. Could she be some kind of Evil Star who could read minds?

"Hmm... anyway, follow me. Chairman Jo paved the way."

Apparently, Chairman Jo had slipped the gatekeeper some money and made a shortcut. According to Tang Yeo-hye, we could go straight through without queueing.

This was the Central Plains, alright. In this world, money solved everything.

"But the problem is once we enter the Murim Alliance (무림맹). Mujin, do you know anyone familiar with the interior layout?"

"How would a beggar-born wanderer like me know about the Murim Alliance?"

Both of us were entering with nothing but our duel cards, no backing or connections.

Unlike other orthodox martial artists, we’d never been in and out of the Murim Alliance.

Moreover, this place would be swarming with top-tier prodigies from each sect. One misstep could leave a mark, making it hard to attract clients later.

"Hey, don’t worry about that. This noona knows the Murim Alliance inside and out."

Seeing a chance to act like a noona, Tang Yeo-hye of the Sichuan Tang Clan swiftly boasted with confidence.

Come to think of it, we did have someone from one of the Five Great Clans, a legitimate elite from the Righteous Sect who was even a Peak Master Level.

Realizing that, her short stature suddenly felt very reliable.

"Wow, then you must know a lot of people inside too?"

Ilhong asked with genuine curiosity.

"…Yeah, I guess."

Tang Yeo-hye nodded slowly.

I heard there would be a grand banquet before the Gathering of the Dragon and Phoenix. If we entered with Tang Yeo-hye, at least we wouldn’t be embarrassed.

"Let’s go, then."

With one good noona, even the center of the Righteous Sect offered more room to move.

And so, we decided to trust in Tang Yeo-hye and throw ourselves into the unknown banquet hall of the Gathering of the Dragon and Phoenix.

We said our farewells to Chairman Jo and headed straight for the Murim Alliance.

Chairman Jo and his sons looked at me with slight envy for getting to participate in the Gathering of the Dragon and Phoenix after receiving the duel card.

They even asked if they could come along, but I told them not to mess around and just watch the matches before heading home, then took the payment and left.

Thus, we proudly entered the manor where the grand banquet was taking place.

Jo Hah-rang and I handed our duel cards to the gatekeeper — cards marked with the Seven-Fingered Gate and some unknown sect.

Before long, we were assigned seats in a lonely corner of the banquet hall where no one came looking.

"..."

Well, I could understand that to a degree.

With so many families, sects, and clans gathered, the central and prime spots had to be given to them.

Meaning someone without influence had to be pushed to the outskirts. I wasn’t a child, so I had no intention of wasting time on what couldn’t be helped.

Besides, I had something I was counting on.

That was none other than Tang Yeo-hye, a reliable powerhouse among the elite prodigies, and core of the Nine Sects One Gang.

"...So yeah. That happened."

Yet, no one came looking for the famous Tang Yeo-hye of Poison Sparrow Mountain.

And she was from the Sichuan Tang Clan, a Peak Master Level on top of that.

I wasn’t expecting people to line up and greet her, but this level of indifference?

"You told us to trust you, noona."

"Ahem, well, I meant trust me with the directions."

She certainly knew the layout of the Murim Alliance inside out. But that wasn’t what we had been expecting.

I quietly glanced over at Uncle Neung Sam.

"You know how our young lady is. Among her peers in the murim, she’s already shunned and known as the Poisonous Dog."

"Hey, you want to shut your mouth?"

In the past, when she was still naïve, her doll-like appearance had earned her the nickname Poisonous Phoenix. But her hellish personality had ruined everything.

"Hmph, indeed, indeed..."

"Don’t you go agreeing with that, you bastard."

When I nodded in agreement, Tang Yeo-hye snapped.

But how could I not agree when it was all too convincing?

"Huh, so are we just going to sit here and watch the banquet, Boss?"

Sunlight streamed into the main hall, where martial artists in colorful silk robes gathered in small groups, exchanging lively conversation.

There were no proper means of transport or communication here, so events like this were the only chances for face-to-face encounters and sharing stories.

Maybe that’s why even the elders of the Righteous Sect had all gathered to raise their cups together.

I could see now why Chairman Jo wanted to attend. It was truly a treasure trove of connections and a center for networking.

"Why? Do you want to be part of the mainstream society of the Righteous Sect too?"

Ilhong glanced wistfully in that direction, but after some thought, she shook her head.

"Hmm, now that I think about it, it’s not a priority."

Her top priority was probably finding someone named Sangha-something and carrying out her revenge.

"Mujin, try this spring roll. It's crispy and delicious."

Jo Hah-rang already seemed fully adjusted to the current situation. I should learn from her attitude.

"Hmph, a martial artist proves themselves through a duel."

And then there was Tang Yeo-hye, scoffing and vowing to prove herself in the duel.

Well, I was just tagging along to collect a bounty anyway, so I didn’t really care.

Having failed to build any connections, I focused instead on stuffing myself with the Murim Alliance’s food supply.

That was when someone approached and spoke to me.

"Young Hero Dan Mujin, why are you sitting alone in such a corner?"

It was none other than Ma Jungcheon, the Shinpung Hero and a member of the Beggars’ Union, hiding his identity.

"Beats me."

"This is a rare chance for socializing. You shouldn't just be gnawing on meat. You should be out there meeting people, Young Hero."

"I appreciate the advice, but that sounds like a hassle."

If I introduced myself out there as Unchil Samhyeop, all I’d get in return would be awkward laughs over the strange alias.

"Young Hero, get a grip. You mustn’t end up resembling that person in such matters."

Who was I not supposed to resemble? Surely he wasn’t talking about Hwang Geolgae?

I was still more normal than that guy.

"Then let me introduce you to my connections. You might find it bothersome now, but later, such ties and bonds become a great asset."

The young man from the Beggars’ Union, already half considering me as a future brother-in-arms, had grown quite friendly toward me after recent events.

He seemed genuinely concerned that I might become a lazy and unreliable Dragon Head Sect Leader like Hwang Geolgae someday.

And so, under Ma Jungcheon’s guidance, I ended up spending an unexpected round of introductions with the elite prodigies of the murim.

But I soon realized something. Their attention wasn’t on me, but rather on Jo Hah-rang, who was busy gnawing on chicken bones beside me.

Apparently, Ma Jungcheon had used the newly ascended Peak Master Level Jo Hah-rang as bait to lure people to this spot.

"So I’m just the extra, huh?"

Well, even if it were me, I wouldn’t have spared a glance at a guy if a beautiful and talented young female master were sitting right next to him.

"Wow, to have such prowess at that age."

"With talent like that, the competition for the world’s strongest may take an unexpected turn..."

People murmured in awe upon hearing that a young woman, not even in her prime, had already reached Peak Master Level.

And eventually, these rumors moved even a major figure from a prestigious clan.

Step. Step.

From afar came a middle-aged man, exuding a heavy, aged presence, walking with deliberate steps.

Ma Jungcheon wore a proud expression, saying he had finally brought over the most difficult person to meet.

And when I saw the man’s face, my eyes almost popped out.

‘Why is that guy here…?’

The one who had sent Murong Cheonghye to kill me.

Murong Cheon, the Clan Leader (가주) who should’ve been in Liaoning Province, was now looking down at us with indifferent eyes.

"So, you’re Jo Hah-rang?"