TRDT 14

Chapter 14 — Settling the Score

This was the perfect opportunity to test the martial arts I had honed in the Abandoned Martial Hall.

I quietly closed my eyes and circulated the [Kunlun Azure Soul Scripture].

The calm lake of my dantian began to tremble faintly.

The inner energy that had been sleeping within slowly awakened, creating gentle ripples.

Those ripples gradually grew stronger, transforming into a powerful current.

The energy surged like a rushing river through my meridians and pathways.

A clear, deep energy — like the blue streams winding through the deep valleys of Kunlun Mountain — spread throughout my entire body.

Feeling the abundant energy flowing through my blood vessels, I slowly opened my eyes.

Four Taoists were charging toward me.

They held swords and were attacking from different directions simultaneously.

As expected of Kunlun disciples, their speed and momentum were decent.

But the only thought that came to my mind was:

‘Pathetic.’

I infused energy into my toes and executed [Phantom Night Void-Step].

The shadow beneath my feet rippled, and my presence melted into the wind.

[Shadow-Manifesting Flash]

At that moment, the energy of [Phantom Night Void-Step] enveloped my body, and my figure scattered like smoke.

Concealing even my presence and qi, I slipped into the darkness of the surrounding shadows.

Riding the shadows, I dove into the shadow beneath the feet of the Taoist leading the charge.

“W-what?!”

“Where did he go?!”

The confused Taoists raised their swords in defense, but to me, it was nothing but meaningless flailing.

In an instant, I burst out from the Taoist’s shadow like a streak of lightning.

My right fist, laden with inner energy, drove straight into his abdomen.

Bam!

“Ugh!”

His upper body bent like a bow before he was sent flying backward with a short scream.

The faces of the remaining Taoists turned deathly pale in an instant.

“H-how is this possible?!”

“W-what kind of sorcery is this?!”

Questions that weren’t even worth answering.

I activated [Phantom Night Void-Step] once again.

The startled Taoists swung their swords wildly in all directions while shouting.

“He disappeared again!”

“Don’t let your guard down!”

“You cowardly bastard! Show yourself!”

Their desperate sword swings through empty air were utterly clumsy.

Hidden within the shadows, I calmly watched their terrified expressions.

“What are you looking at? I’m right here.”

I appeared behind one of them and spoke mockingly.

“Kh— You bastard… Ack!”

The moment he turned around, my knee smashed into his jaw.

With his head snapped back, he crashed into the colleague beside him, and both went flying.

Without pause, I moved toward the last remaining Taoist.

“D-don’t come…!”

The terror-stricken Taoist swung his sword wildly at me.

But a sword swung in panic was no longer a sword.

Its trajectory was broken, and its center of balance had collapsed.

There was no way I would be hit by such sloppy swordplay.

I took a half-step to the side and let his downward strike flow past me.

Then I immediately closed in on his lower body.

I lightly infused inner energy into my fingertips and struck the exact center of his Severing Point.

Thud.

I hadn’t used much force, but he immediately dropped to his knees.

“Kh… Ha… Haa…”

The Taoist who had been hit in the Severing Point had his eyes rolled back and couldn’t even breathe properly.

I glanced down at him briefly before turning my head to the side.

There was still one Taoist left — sitting on the ground, staring at me with a dazed expression.

He was the one who had been knocked over after getting caught up in the Taoist whose jaw I had smashed with my knee earlier.

“Hiiik!”

The moment our eyes met, the Taoist recoiled as if he had seen a ghost.

I smirked and said to him,

“Hey, you over there — the one who’s still fine. Hurry up and take your fallen friends and get lost. If you set foot in the Affairs Hall one more time, I’ll make sure you won’t even be able to collect your own bones.”

The Taoist trembled violently and nodded frantically. He looked around in a panic, then hurriedly helped the collapsed Myeong-hoon to his feet while shouting at the others.

“E-everyone, get up! Quickly!”

While dragging his companions and backing away, he suddenly stopped and yelled at me.

“Just you wait! The Hall of Martial Law won’t let this slide!”

I replied in a calm tone,

“Sure, I got it. Now scram. Next time you see me, you won’t be able to stand up on your own feet like that Myeong-hoon guy.”

The Taoist’s face turned deathly pale.

He didn’t say another word. He simply dragged his fallen comrades and fled the Affairs Hall as if running for his life.

“Pathetic. All talk and no substance.”

I brushed my hands off and turned around.

Sogwang and the rest of the Affairs Hall people were staring at me with dazed expressions. None of them could speak first.

I walked over to Sogwang and asked first.

“Sogwang, are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”

“…”

Sogwang stared at me speechlessly for a long while.

His eyes were filled with a mix of shock, worry, and something close to awe.

After a moment, he stammered,

“M-Mujin… Are you really… the Han Mujin I know? You’re not a ghost, right?”

“What kind of nonsense is that? Of course I’m me. Who else would I be?”

“B-but… what the hell was that just now? What happened to you while you were gone?”

“It’s nothing much. I’ll tell you the details later.”

After reassuring Sogwang, I turned my gaze to the side.

Wang Dusik and his gang were sitting on the ground, looking up at me.

Their faces and bodies were covered in ugly blue bruises.

‘Did they use them as targets to vent their anger?’

I didn’t particularly like Wang Dusik’s usual behavior, but seeing him beaten so brutally didn’t feel good.

‘So Affairs Hall people can just be treated like this with no consequences?’

Irritation and anger rose inside me again at those damn Taoists’ behavior.

I looked down at Wang Dusik and asked,

“What happened? Why did only you guys get beaten so badly?”

“W-well… that is…”

Wang Dusik scratched the back of his head with an awkward expression.

He looked embarrassed.

Sogwang stepped forward and answered for him.

“Dusik stepped up and blocked them when those Taoists started causing trouble. Thanks to him, the rest of us didn’t get hurt too badly.”

“Him?”

I was surprised.

I looked at Wang Dusik and asked,

“Why did you do that? Did you have some grudge against those Taoists?”

“W-well…”

Wang Dusik glanced around hesitantly before speaking awkwardly.

“I’m not exactly a good person… but when I saw those bastards grabbing our Affairs Hall people by the collar and kicking them… I just couldn’t stand by and watch… Ahem.”

He cleared his throat awkwardly and turned his gaze away.

“So… I ended up stepping forward… and that’s how it happened.”

“…”

I stared at Wang Dusik silently.

He was sitting on the ground, rubbing his bruised eyes with his palm.

The way he deliberately avoided my gaze out of embarrassment somehow felt endearing.

‘…He might actually be a decent guy.’

I smirked at Wang Dusik and said,

“Well done, Wang Dusik. Now you finally look like a proper senior of the Affairs Hall.”

For a moment, Wang Dusik’s eyes widened, then his face turned bright red.

He cleared his throat awkwardly, looking embarrassed.

“Ahem. Well, that much is only natural. I am Wang Dusik, the biggest brother in the Affairs Hall, after all.”

He spoke in his usual boastful tone, but his bruised face flushed even redder from embarrassment.

The sight made me smile faintly.

I lightly patted Wang Dusik on the shoulder.

“Yeah. Keep protecting the Affairs Hall people with that same attitude from now on.”

After finishing my conversation with Wang Dusik, I looked around.

The expressions of the Affairs Hall people had improved somewhat, but they still didn’t look fully relieved. Worry and anxiety remained on their faces.

As expected, Sogwang let out a heavy sigh and spoke carefully.

“But Mujin… what are we going to do? Those Taoists from earlier don’t seem like the type to let this go. They’ll definitely come back for revenge. And if they do…”

At Sogwang’s words, the faces of the people around us darkened again.

They began murmuring anxiously.

“Aren’t we in serious trouble? They mentioned The Hall of Martial Law…”

“Yeah… Maybe we should run away while we still can.”

There was only one reason they were so scared.

The Hall of Martial Law (武憲).

It was the most feared organization among everyone in Kunlun Sect.

They investigated those who broke the sect’s rules and handed out punishments.

In some cases, they even carried out forceful enforcement. They were literally the law of Kunlun.

‘Well, it’s understandable that they’re scared.’

Even official Kunlun disciples broke into a cold sweat at the mere mention of The Hall of Martial Law. For the powerless Affairs Hall workers who had nowhere to turn, that name was pure terror.

‘I need to deal with this in advance.’

If I let this drag on, things would only get worse.

There was no telling what kind of lies those Taoists would tell The Hall of Martial Law. They might even fabricate a story claiming the Affairs Hall people attacked them.

Even if the truth came out, it would be fine, but if things went wrong…

‘…The Affairs Hall people would be the only ones to suffer.’

That was something I didn’t want.

I decided to resolve this matter myself.

‘After all, I’m the one who started this whole thing.’

The reason Myeong-hoon and his group came to the Affairs Hall was ultimately because of me.

As the saying goes — the one who tied the knot should untie it.

Besides, it wasn’t that difficult.

I already knew a very simple way to settle this situation.

“Everyone, don’t worry. I have a plan.”

All eyes turned to me at once.

Their gazes still held fear, but there was also a glimmer of hope.