Dropped into Murim with an Instant-Kill Skill - Chapter 52

WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

Chapter 52: At the Mountain Temple, Peach Blossoms Begin to Bloom

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April had ended.

All the flowers had fallen from the streets of Shinheung County.

People whispered among themselves.

"Did you hear? About how Hang Inwoo started the White Dragon Gang? Yi Yubaek was the one who helped him get it off the ground."

"Really?"

"I'm telling you. Hang Inwoo had no foundation whatsoever in Shinheung County. He must've had no idea how he was supposed to make a living."

"That would've been true."

"So Yi Yubaek gathered porters and herb gatherers, carved out routes for them to cross safely while avoiding bandits, then gathered the capable martial artists in Shinheung County and arranged drinking parties with Hang Inwoo. Yi Yubaek supported all of it."

"Good grief... and even so...?"

"He's not human. That Hang Inwoo isn't human."

For some reason, everyone kept their voices low.

Sorrow. Grief. Bitterness.

The atmosphere did not allow anyone to speak excitedly.

"So has Heavenly Road Mountain opened up now?"

"It has."

"The entire martial world of Shinheung County has practically been smashed to pieces. What else could it be?"

"Still, if righteous warriors from other regions come to help..."

"Will they come? The very people who should have been leading the charge are all down."

"Ah. Is that how it works?"

"That's how it works. Adding flowers to brocade is a pleasant thing, but delivering charcoal to a snowbound place only brings hardship."

Everyone had been hoping for it deep down.

If the bandits of Heavenly Road Mountain were exterminated and everyone could travel freely through the mountain, Shinheung County would become far wealthier.

Guangdong was a coastal province.

Salt and seafood from the sea were Guangdong's finest products and its greatest competitive advantage.

That was why the people of Shinheung County had always longed for the sea.

Shinheung County itself lay in the mountains, but once they crossed Heavenly Road Mountain, they could take the river from Eunpyeong straight to Yanggang, the great coastal city. The sea was not so far away.

Yanggang.

A city of salt, producing endless quantities thanks to its high salinity and vast tidal flats.

A port city where large ships sailed far into deep, calm waters and returned with an endless supply of seafood.

If they could connect directly to that place through Heavenly Road Mountain, Shinheung County could become at least twice as prosperous.

At the very least, they would be able to buy cheap salt and seafood in Shinheung County. They could even carry those goods farther inland and trade them directly. Considering how exponentially more expensive salt and seafood became the farther inland they went, Shinheung County's gains might have been far greater than merely double.

Naturally, the people of Shinheung County were deeply saddened.

"....Hah. What a waste. Such a waste."

"Righteous warriors withered like flowers..."

"Flowers do not stay red for ten days, I suppose. Things had been looking so promising..."

"We thought our livelihoods were about to bloom too. Those damned bandits."

"I heard Gukeun Temple is holding a funeral for the righteous warriors."

"We should go."

"We should."

"....I especially want to pay my respects to Great Hero Shin Jae-eon, the Leader of the Severing Sword Sect. He entered a battle he had no need to join, then lost his life."

"That's right. Great Hero Shin Jae-eon. I never knew he possessed such righteousness. I never knew."

"That son of a bitch Hang Inwoo..."

"Talking about it only leaves a bitter taste. Let's leave it there."

"Yes. Let's leave it there."

"....It will be a heartbreaking funeral."

Their hearts ached terribly.

Still, there were a few stories that soothed that pain.

"I heard Young Hero Yeon Seonhong was incredible in this battle."

"I have a friend in the Severing Sword Sect, and he told me Young Hero Yeon was the one who killed Hang Inwoo."

"Bah! Does that even make sense?"

"No, really... They said everyone just dropped dead the moment they touched Young Master Yeon."

"Oh, come on. What an exaggeration."

"Yes, that's going a little too far."

"....Right? That's what I thought. I did hear it that way, but even I wasn't sure."

"How could anyone die just from being touched while masters are fighting?"

"Exactly. He must've made such an impression while fighting through that chaos and hardship that people remembered it in exaggerated terms."

Whenever the conversation turned to Yeon Sowol, everyone seemed to cast off their gloom as though they had made a promise, speaking with fervor instead.

"Young Hero Yeon might have killed Hang Inwoo. But even if he did, Hang Inwoo must have been beaten half to death already after fighting Great Hero Yi Yubaek or another master."

"True. I heard their levels were quite far apart."

"Still, there's no doubt he distinguished himself. They say far more people would have died without Young Master Yeon."

"That must be true. Would smoke rise from a chimney without a fire? For rumors like 'he kills with a touch' to spread, he must have done something extraordinary."

"Sole Crimson, Yeon Sowol. Yeon Seonhong! He shone alone once again. Shinheung County may soon see the birth of another great hero."

Rumors often exaggerated the truth, but sometimes they diminished it instead.

* * *

Flash.

Kang Muhyeok opened his eyes.

An unfamiliar ceiling greeted him.

The reek of medicine was overwhelming.

"You're awake."

When he turned his head, he saw Yi Yubaek.

"Master."

Kang Muhyeok slowly sat up.

"Lie down."

"No, sir. I must have been lying here for quite some time. It doesn't hurt as much as I expected."

"We put good Golden Wound Medicine on you, and three days have passed. Everything has been handled in the meantime. We carried all the bodies to Gukeun Temple, prepared them for burial, and placed them in coffins. We also distributed gold to the families of the dead."

"Ah. I should have done that..."

"It's all finished. Now we only need to hold the funeral. It will last ten days. Some people may need time to hear the news and travel here from afar."

"I see."

"You should rest."

"No, sir. I'll participate where I can. The funeral is being held at Gukeun Temple anyway, isn't it? The monks there are skilled physicians, so I think I can rest there and show my face now and then."

"....Fine. But don't overdo it."

"Yes. Thank you, Master."

Kang Muhyeok lowered his head, then suddenly gave a bitter smile.

"Still, this is troublesome."

"What is?"

"That I'm alive."

"....What kind of bullshit is that?"

"The Severing Sword Sect lost its sect leader and youngest direct disciple. It wasn't even their fight, yet they came to help us... If everyone from the head of our Windflow Martial Academy down through the direct disciples survives, it will be too shameful to bear. They might laugh at us for not fighting hard enough."

"...."

"If I, at least, had died as the eldest disciple, we might have preserved some semblance of dignity..."

"Muhyeok."

"Yes, Master."

"Shut up and lie down before I beat you."

"Yes, sir."

Kang Muhyeok quickly lay back down and pulled the blanket up to his nose.

* * *

Gukeun Temple stood far upriver along the Jipseong River from Shinheung County.

It was the birthplace of the Sixth Patriarch Huineng.

In his later years, Huineng returned to his hometown, founded Gukeun Temple on the site of his family home, erected the seven-story pagoda known as the Baoen Pagoda, and then passed into nirvana.

The title Sixth Patriarch meant he was the sixth patriarch of Chan Buddhism.

The first patriarch was the famous Bodhidharma.

As the great master who founded Shaolin, Huineng was Bodhidharma's true successor several generations removed.

Huineng had overcome the Northern School's gradual practice and established a new system centered on the Southern School's sudden enlightenment. He spread Chan Buddhism widely among the people, becoming the teacher of all Buddhists under heaven. Thus, Gukeun Temple became one of the holiest pilgrimage sites, even for Shaolin, the foremost authority in the Jianghu martial world.

Despite its renown, this was Yeon Sowol's first visit to Gukeun Temple.

"It's cool here. The flowers are still blooming."

They had followed the Jipseong River for a long time, then climbed all the way to the foothills of Heavenly Road Mountain before Gukeun Temple finally appeared.

The slopes were gentle, but Heavenly Road Mountain boasted one of Guangdong's highest elevations. Cool winds descended from it all year round.

That made the mountain temple cool, and unlike Shinheung County, where every flower had fallen, peach blossoms here were only now in full bloom.

For some reason, the sight struck Yeon Sowol as even more painful.

The blooming peach blossoms kept reminding him of the oleander from that day.

"Sowol. You don't look well."

Yeon Sowol avoided Yi Yubaek's gaze for no reason.

"It's just... the world feels so cruel."

"What is so cruel about it?"

"....Father worked so hard for the Heavenly Road Mountain Expedition... only to be betrayed like this. The righteous warriors of Shinheung County died in vain, and the Heavenly Road Mountain Expedition has fallen through... It all feels so cruel."

"Is that so?"

Yi Yubaek gave a faint smile.

"But I don't think it's over yet."

"....You're right. As long as we hold onto our purpose, it isn't over. Someday, once again..."

"No, not that..."

Yi Yubaek had been about to explain something, but he only chuckled.

"Well, you'll see. For now, let's focus on the funeral."

"Yes, sir."

This was the first funeral since he had fallen into this world.

No, it was the first funeral in Yeon Sowol's life that he had to personally help arrange.

He had experienced the death of someone around him.

It was not something a third-year high school student in South Korea could easily experience.

That was why Yeon Sowol poured his heart into it.

He believed that if he did not conduct himself properly, he would dishonor the dead. He could not afford even a moment of carelessness.

Throughout the funeral,

Yeon Sowol was terribly busy.

He rose at dawn and bathed in cold water.

Every hour, he lit fresh incense in the funeral hall.

He wore mourning clothes made from coarse hemp, and every evening he beat and washed the garments he had worn that day.

He did not wash only his own. Together with Mo Cheong, the youngest, he collected and washed Yi Yubaek's clothes and those of his two disciples as well. Then they pressed them smooth with heated irons to prepare them for the next day.

They could not dare use scented sachets at a house of mourning, so it was important to wash and press the garments daily until they carried only the faint smell of fire.

"I'll help too."

"Jin Geol? No. This is something we should..."

"Let me do it too."

Whenever they were hard at work, Jin Geol would suddenly join them and help.

Grateful, Yeon Sowol gave his shoulder a firm squeeze.

Yeon Sowol's main duty was greeting the guests.

He did not smile once, nor did he make a single careless movement.

He stood upright and neat, receiving guests without wavering. His mourning clothes, carrying the scent of smoke, were always sharply pressed.

Whenever things grew busy, Jin Geol would appear and help with the work.

One day passed, then two, then three.

At first, people assumed the number of guests would decrease after the third day.

The people of Shinheung County would visit during the first three days, so there would naturally be many guests. After that, visitors from elsewhere would begin to arrive, and the funeral was expected to become quieter.

But their expectations were wrong.

Even on the fourth and fifth days, the number of guests only continued to grow.

Yeon Sowol found it strange, but he was too busy to think deeply about it. He simply received guests, handled odd jobs, maintained his composure, and let the time pass.

Still,

"So you are Young Hero Yeon."

"At last, I have the chance to meet you, Young Hero Yeon."

"Young Hero Yeon, your grief must be immense."

For some reason, more and more people recognized him as the days passed.

They were people he had never seen before, yet they recognized him and approached him, clasped their hands in salute, shook his hand, or patted his shoulder.

Yeon Sowol greeted every one of them solemnly.

He mourned, but did not collapse in grief.

He was warm, but never forgot courtesy.

"Good heavens..."

"I thought the rumors were exaggerated."

"Both foster father and foster son are such fine people. How could anyone do that to them?"

"I was already furious when I only heard the story. Seeing it myself makes my blood boil."

The guests seemed deeply satisfied by the sight of Yeon Sowol.

The final day of the funeral arrived.

By then, Yeon Sowol had begun to sense what was happening.

He could not help but notice.

Far too many people had come from other regions to attend the funeral.

'Why are there so many people from the Jianghu...?'

A considerable number of them were martial artists.

"When I heard about the river outing led by Great Hero Yi Yubaek, my heart began pounding."

"Me too. I thought, this is what the Jianghu is. I've wanted to meet Great Hero Yi Yubaek ever since."

"The river outing was one thing, but I was amazed when I heard he met the Governor-General of Liangguang alone and obtained a commander tally. Ah, I thought. This is a man who truly follows the greater good!"

"Me too. I assumed the rumors were exaggerated, but after coming here and seeing him and his foster son, I understood. His reputation does not exceed the reality. It was all true."

"Exactly. Exactly."

Unable to overcome their anger and regret, the people of Shinheung County spread the story far and wide.

Before long, those rumors had set all of Guangdong ablaze.

"What kind of bastard is this!"

"He betrayed his sworn elder brother?!"

"A righteous man recognized by the Governor-General of Liangguang?"

"Hang Inwoo, you bastard. Hang Inwoo, you damned bastard. The only regret is that you're already dead."

Yi Yubaek and Yeon Sowol had already become a topic of conversation in Guangdong recently. Then they had been betrayed?

It was a story so sensational it sent a thrill through people.

"How could a sworn younger brother betray his sworn elder brother? How am I supposed to hear that and stay still?"

"What vile scum!"

"Must a righteous man allow his purpose to be broken by trash like that?"

"I may have nothing but this worthless body and a dull sword, but if they have use for even those, I must come running!"

"I ate and drank at that river outing. How could I pretend not to know?"

"You were at the river outing?"

"What? Tell us everything! I'm jealous!"

"Ahem. Well. It truly was something incredible back then..."

They did not leave even after paying their respects.

Again and again, they gathered in small groups, whispering among themselves, seething with outrage, and showing their fighting spirit.

If not for the fact that they were at a funeral, shouts and cheers would have erupted many times. The atmosphere kept growing hotter.

"Once the funeral is over, let's persuade Great Hero Yi Yubaek."

"Yes! And if that doesn't work, we'll sweep away Heavenly Road Mountain ourselves!"

"Let's do it!"

At last, the ten-day funeral came to an end.

They buried every coffin, raised burial mounds, and erected gravestones.

Yet the Jianghu people still crowded Gukeun Temple, where the funeral had been held.

Many faces from the river outing were easy to spot.

There were far more who had not attended that day.

As an energy with nowhere to go simmered and boiled among them, Yi Yubaek climbed onto the raised terrace.

"Fellow companions of the Jianghu."

The noisy grounds fell silent in an instant. Everyone looked up at Yi Yubaek.

For some reason, goosebumps rose across Yeon Sowol's skin.

The peach blossoms were in full bloom, and when the wind swept through with a rushing sound, a rain of crimson petals came tumbling down.

"I have one request."

Yi Yubaek was neither angry, excited, nor sad.

He simply clasped his hands before everyone and bowed his head.

"For the forty-nine-day rites, I wish to make offerings with the blood of the bandits of Heavenly Road Mountain. Please, help me."

A shiver ran through the crowd.

They had not dared ask for it, yet it was exactly what they had wished for.

Throughout the ten-day funeral, everyone had wanted to say it but could not. The moment Yi Yubaek spoke those words aloud, the grounds fell silent for a moment.

"Uwaaaaaah!"

"This is it!"

"I like how straightforward this is!"

"Let's make offerings with the bandits' blood!"

"....But if it's an offering to Buddha, can you really use human blood?"

"Buddha himself will be pleased with this blood!"

"Uwaaaaaah!"

Deafening cheers erupted.

Heavenly Road Mountain shook from the uproar. Mountain birds burst into flight, and peach blossoms showered down from every trembling tree.

The funeral, which had seemed destined to end in the atmosphere of a mourning house, ultimately concluded like a send-off for a campaign.

'What is this...?'

Yeon Sowol could not speak.

The martial world of Shinheung County had been reduced to ruins, yet more martial artists than Shinheung County's own martial artists had gathered here, saying they would fight in its place.

'What in the world is this...?'

Jin Geol patted Yeon Sowol on the shoulder.

"The world is cruel, but there are people with conviction everywhere."

Even as he said it, he could not hide his excitement.

Yeon Sowol silently nodded.

The world was far too vast, always slipping beyond his small expectations.

Then Jin Geol recited a verse.

In the human world, April has exhausted every fragrant flower.

At the mountain temple,

the peach blossoms are only now in their full bloom.

"Wonderful!"

Yi Yubaek glanced back.