novelraw Chapter 87 : Chapter 87
Chapter 87 : Chapter 87
Chapter 87 - In Front of a Bamboo Spear, Everyone Is
Gurgle.
His stomach was constantly protesting, demanding to be filled with something.
But for a beggar, hunger was like a shadow.
Ji Seok-gi lightly ignored the sound from his stomach.
‘A little late…….’
Like the darkening surroundings, a shadow began to fall over Ji Seok-gi’s face.
The sun sets earlier on Diancang Mountain compared to the plains.
The setting sun had already gone down, and the area where he was resting had become dark.
He had expected it to take some time.
He had come this far using the Footless Movement Technique to its limit, but for an ordinary Murim person, it was a distance that would require several times more time.
“Still…….”
Is it this late……?
Even considering the Footless Movement Technique, it seemed like the time to arrive had passed.
Could it be.
Was Young Hero Biyoung playing with me?
Come to think of it, there was no guarantee anywhere that Biyoung would keep his promise to him.
From the Diancang Sect’s perspective, he was nothing more or less than a spy.
When his thoughts reached that point, a bitter smile appeared on Ji Seok-gi’s lips.
“Ji Seok-gi. You're done for too. Being played with like this.”
Even if it was true that Biyoung had backstabbed him, now that the sun had set, he couldn't go down the mountain.
Even if his leg was fine, going down the dark Diancang Mountain would have been difficult.
“I might have to prepare to camp.”
It was when Ji Seok-gi muttered to himself and forced himself up on one foot.
Rustle.
A figure appeared, parting the bushes.
Since he had just stood up, the two naturally came face to face at close range.
“Wak!!”
“W-wuak!!!”
Ji Seok-gi jumped up and down on one foot as if he were about to faint.
If both his feet had been fine, he would have immediately used Iron Striking Martial Art or fled with the Footless Movement Technique.
Because the face of the man who appeared from the darkness was so scary it would put a ghost to shame.
‘An assassination? Did Biyoung send an assassin to get me?’
Looking at that face, he was clearly not a person of the bright world.
Too much, Biyoung.
I may have spied, but there's no need to kill me for it!
It was just when Ji Seok-gi was thinking that.
“Aish. You startled me!”
The man in front of him scowled and cursed.
Don't scowl!
It's scarier!!
“Are you Ji Seok-gi? I'm Uma of the Diancang Sect.”
It was a self-introduction that a street ruffian might make, but it was no problem at all for Ji Seok-gi.
On the contrary, he let out a sigh of relief.
“Phew…….”
The very fact that he had initiated a conversation meant he was far from being an assassin.
Besides, he hadn't noticed at first because he was startled, but now he saw that his martial arts uniform also had a wing pattern.
“Why are you sighing like that…… are you hurt somewhere?”
“N-no. I am Ji Seok-gi. Young Hero Biyoung said he would send someone, is that you?”
“That's right. I heard you broke a leg, why were you walking around instead of sitting still? You startled me.”
Startled me, he says.
Is that something he should be saying to me right now?
I almost soiled my pants!
“Anyway, it's a good thing I found you quickly. You look older than me, so I guess I can call you Brother Ji.”
“B-Brother Ji?”
The man in front of him looked older than Biyoung, but even so, he was much younger than Ji Seok-gi.
Moreover, weren't the Three Knots in the Beggars' Union equivalent to a branch leader?
However, to the man standing opposite Ji Seok-gi.
To Uma, he was nothing more or less than a troublesome ‘piece of luggage.’
“Now that I've found you, let's go. Everyone's waiting up there.”
After saying that, Uma knelt on one knee.
It was an embarrassing situation, but Ji Seok-gi was somewhat prepared for it, so he obediently got on his back.
“Even if your leg hurts, please bear with it for a little while.”
“Th-thank you.”
As soon as Ji Seok-gi replied, Uma moved his body.
Pababat!
Uma basically had a large build.
Thanks to that, it was good for being carried, but on the other hand, he thought it would be disadvantageous for climbing the mountain compared to others.
However, a moment later.
Ji Seok-gi had to revise his thoughts.
‘……Uma, he said. This person’s skills are also not ordinary.’
About a quarter of an hour passed.
As time passed and the embarrassment faded, admiration peeked out in its place.
Just by looking at his face, he thought he would be very rough and coarse, but the movement technique he displayed was nothing short of light and nimble.
Even with a splint, if he was shaken around, there would surely be pain.
But contrary to his expectations, Ji Seok-gi’s broken leg remained quietly fixed.
The movement technique was one thing, but he also seemed to be taking special care to reduce the impact while moving around.
‘He’s deliberately stepping only on flat ground.’
Others might not know, but Ji Seok-gi, who was skilled in movement techniques, could tell.
Unlike his appearance, this man named Uma seemed to be quite considerate.
And yet…….
“Sniff sniff.”
A sour smell was coming from behind him.
Perhaps feeling Ji Seok-gi’s reaction, Uma smiled bitterly while looking straight ahead.
“It might smell a bit of sweat. I had some special training before coming here.”
“Special training…… what do you mean by that?”
“As soon as that punk Biyoung came up the mountain, he suddenly called all the senior brothers and made them perform the sect's footwork. He said he would give a special punishment to the most clumsy person.”
After answering, Uma ground his teeth.
Recalling that moment, he looked like his anger was flaring up again.
“…………!”
Ji Seok-gi felt fortunate to be on Uma’s back.
He didn't have the confidence to look at Uma’s teeth-grinding face from the front.
On the other hand, it was also absurd.
“A punishment? Then you were…….”
“That's right. I showed the most insufficient result in today’s training. So as a punishment, I'm taking you.”
Ji Seok-gi, who had become the object of punishment without his knowledge.
He smiled bitterly at himself.
‘I have no face to see the Guardian.’
Beggars are looked down upon, whether in the marketplace or in Jianghu.
However, if there is one knot on their belt, Murim people consider them to be somewhat useful in the Beggars' Union.
From the two knots, the treatment changes again, and it becomes a stage where ordinary Murim people cannot rashly pick a fight.
And now, three knots were tied on Ji Seok-gi’s waist.
Martial power that does not fall behind even when fighting against the masters of Jianghu.
Leadership to command the eccentric beggars.
And a brilliant mind.
It was not simply three knots, but because one possessed all three of the preceding qualities, they were called ‘Three Knots.’
But now?
Not only did his spying fail, but he also allowed himself to be pursued, and was now being treated as a ‘punishment’ or ‘luggage’ of another sect.
If he could, Ji Seok-gi wanted to erase all of today’s memories.
‘And yet…….’
On the other hand, he was also curious.
“Excuse me…… Young Hero Uma. I have something I want to ask.”
“I’m out of breath, so don’t talk to me.”
“………….”
Although he answered like that, he must have thought he was being too harsh, as Uma soon nodded.
“Speak.”
“You just said you were performing a punishment for not doing well in training, how many fellow disciples are there?”
“Hoo. Let’s see…… excluding that punk Biyoung, there are five.”
“Five, you say……”
It couldn't be called a large number, but it wasn't a number to be ignored either.
It was unreasonable to compare with just movement techniques, but anyway, it meant that there were many individuals with more potential than Uma.
‘I originally heard that besides Biyoung, there were no outstanding individuals…… I should check more when I go inside.’
After organizing his thoughts, Ji Seok-gi asked again.
“I have another question. Young Hero Biyoung used the title of senior brother for you all. It seems he is the youngest in actual age as well.”
“That is a fact.”
“But you're saying the youngest of the disciples is training his senior brothers? And giving punishments?”
Ji Seok-gi’s question was a valid one.
No matter where you look in the world, there is no sect where a junior disciple trains a senior brother.
Even if there is an outstanding individual among the disciples whose skills surpass his senior brothers, how could he train them?
That is something that can only be ordered when there is a difference of at least one generation.
What are the sect’s elders doing, just watching things like this?
“Hehehe.”
Instead of answering, Uma let out a desolate laugh.
A low, cold voice mixed with a metallic sound.
Ji Seok-gi couldn't help but swallow his saliva.
“Brother Ji must have felt it too, right? That punk's skills.”
“……!”
“There’s a saying that in front of a bamboo spear, everyone is equal. One shot for you, one shot for me. In front of overwhelming martial power, there is no need for etiquette or formality.”
“That is…….”
It wasn't wrong.
But isn't that closer to the law of the wild rather than a sect?
As if sensing Ji Seok-gi’s agitation, Uma’s smile became even deeper.
“That’s not to say the punk is a complete hellion. Sometimes he’s more rigid than the old fogeys of the sect. Above all……”
“…………?”
“We want it. It's infuriating, but we want to get stronger. If we can return to the Diancang Sect of the past, we would ask for teachings not just from a junior brother, but even from a junior brother’s grandson.”
“!”
Ji Seok-gi’s expression changed from moment to moment.
He had not yet gathered all the information about the Diancang Sect.
But this one thing seemed certain.
‘They are different from other orthodox sects.’
It was an answer so practical it left him speechless, and at the same time, one from which he could feel the poignant sorrow for a declined past.
‘Well. They are the descendants who were annihilated. Building up their power must be more important than anything else.’
Besides.
The man named Biyoung that Ji Seok-gi had confirmed.
Even he, a Three Knots of the Beggars' Union, found it difficult to gauge the extent of that man’s skills.
Looking at the sword at his waist, he was clearly a swordsman, yet he had arms harder than the legs of someone who specializes in fist and foot techniques.
What would it look like when that man used his swordsmanship?
While Ji Seok-gi was having various thoughts about the Diancang Sect, the mountain gate he had seen during the day appeared again.
“Hoo. We've arrived.”
“You've worked hard, Young Hero Uma.”
Arriving at the place he had been spying on while being carried on someone’s back was so embarrassing he couldn't stand it.
But what's done is done.
Ji Seok-gi resolved to obtain as much information as possible and return to his union.
“Oh. They're here.”
As Uma supported Ji Seok-gi and entered the training ground, a few figures greeted them.
“What took you so long? I thought the sun was going to rise.”
“Didn't I say we should send the fastest one?”
“What are you talking about? Then there's no meaning to the punishment. We trained them with the meaning that if you don't want to suffer, work hard.”
“You've worked hard to come.”
Welcomes(?) of different forms, as varied as their appearances, were directed at the two.
“Holholhol.”
Among them, the most impressive was an old man who was shrouded in the pungent scent of liquor.
“Welcome. I did not expect to meet the Great Master Ji, known as the Divine Horse of the Beggars' Union, like this.”
“To be called a Divine Horse is undeserved. A beggar of the Beggars' Union greets the old Daoist master.”
An old man who lives with a liquor bottle in a sect based on Taoism.
He was probably not a respected figure.
However, as the other party greeted him formally, Ji Seok-gi also greeted him with due respect.
“Old Daoist master, are you an elder of the sect?”
“Holholhol. I originally intended to be.”
“?”
“This humble old man will soon become the Sect Leader of the Diancang Sect.”
At that moment.
Ji Seok-gi’s eyes popped out as if he had been hit in the back of the head with a hammer.
“Y-y-you're becoming the Sect Leader?”
The pungent smell of liquor and a small physique.
Was this old man, who stumbled even when walking, let alone in martial arts, going to become the Sect Leader of the Diancang Sect?
How could there not be a single normal aspect to this sect……!!
‘……It seems that none of my common sense works here.’
Ji Seok-gi suddenly grinned.
Just.
Let’s give up thinking.
Not even a quarter of an hour after crossing the mountain gate, Ji Seok-gi had come to think that.