Chapter 44 – The Dumpling Shop Owner

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read more at Nineheavens.org

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Chapter 44 – The Dumpling Shop Owner

About half a shichen had passed since Namgung Sang-rin left.

As moonlight shone down ever more brightly, the shop's interior remained quiet without a single customer.

The only thing breaking the silence of the autumn night was the occasional hooting of an owl from the forest in the distance.

Neung Po, who had been staring blankly out the window as if thinking of nothing, rose quietly, separating his behind from the chair.

'Even if it's lonely being alone… Living peacefully like this is the most difficult thing.'

A single gentle smile passed across the lips of the one who muttered internally.

As if his current life was utterly satisfying.

When he had settled here eight months ago, his purpose hadn't been to make money.

If his plan from the start was to make a living running a dumpling shop, he wouldn't have spent three hundred taels of silver just to take over a place like this.

Among all the many shops in the Hong Lake area, the only reason he had bought the failing Solitude Inn was one thing.

Establishing a kind of sanctuary to spend his remaining years in peace.

Opening a shop in a secluded place with few people and spending his remaining life there would be enough.

Of course, hermit life befriending the mountains, rivers, plants, and trees could also be one way to pursue peaceful living.

But he didn't want to live lonely while completely cut off from the outside world.

If he still had attachments to martial arts, that might be different, but since he had no more interest in study, he never even considered reclusion turned away from the secular world.

Right now was just right.

This life of avoiding bustle and occasionally catching whiffs of human presence to adequately soothe loneliness…

That was what the smile meant.

Others might be different, but for himself, having achieved his dream, there was no reason not to be satisfied.

'Making dumplings day by day as a pastime, and greeting the occasional customer who visits – if I wish for anything more than that, it would be my greed.'

Having stretched fully, Neung Po walked outside the door and took down the lantern hanging on one side.

It looked like there would be no more customers today, so he intended to close up shop.

But then.

Swish, swish-swish, swish…

Suddenly, a series of faint presences were detected.

Neung Po, who had been heading toward the entrance, hesitated and turned his head.

About three jang away.

Four men wearing bamboo rain hats stood in a row.

A group boasting quite robust physiques.

Each had a sword at one side of their waist.

Even black light armor suitable for covert night travel.

Customers? No.

Most likely martial world people with some purpose.

In that short gap, Neung Po discerned their characteristics.

All four were missing the first joint of their left pinky finger.

Had they sustained the same injury in the past?

Soon, Neung Po spoke casually without showing any sign.

"Oh dear, my apologies. I was just about to close for the day… I'm feeling a bit stiff today and don't think I can make more dumplings."

At that moment, the one at the front opened his mouth.

"From now on, answer without hiding anything to what I ask. How many people who appeared to be martial world people visited this dumpling shop today?"

"Pardon? Ah, there was only one…"

Right after, the rain-hat man raised his head slightly and asked again, eyes glinting.

"Did they possess a sword?"

"Yes. A quite handsome young swordsman."

The person Neung Po meant was none other than Namgung Sang-rin.

"When?"

"He ate a plate of dumplings here and left about half a shichen ago."

"Half a shichen… Describe his appearance exactly as you saw it."

At such questions from the rain-hat man, Neung Po described Namgung Sang-rin's appearance in detail without hesitation, then mentioned the scabbard.

"As impressive as his handsome face was that scabbard. A pitch-black dragon was precisely engraved on it – it didn't seem to be an ordinary item."

"Good, that's enough. Did you hear anything else?"

"No, we only exchanged formal greetings."

"Which way did he go?"

"That forest path over there."

The moment Neung Po's finger pointed in one direction, the rain-hat man immediately turned his head back and issued instructions.

"Let's go find him and interrogate him immediately. Time is pressing, so we must secure any clue we can get our hands on."

"Yes."

The moment the three rain-hat men standing behind answered in unison.

"But… What is everyone doing this for?"

Neung Po asked quietly with a deliberately worried face.

Seeing that expression, the leader of the rain-hat men smirked dismissively and spat out cold words.

"Don't worry. Our business won't cause any damage to your shop. You only need to keep one thing in mind. You… saw nothing today."

He was telling him to forget completely.

This meeting right now.

It was a warning with a hidden threat that if he carelessly opened his mouth, his life would be in danger.

"Ah… Yes. I'll keep that in mind."

When Neung Po bowed his head like that, the group of rain-hat men exchanged looks and turned around.

In an instant.

A heavy voice flowing out with the night wind caught their steps like a trap.

"But chasing after him would be wasted effort."

The voice belonged to Neung Po.

A manner of speech that had changed in an instant.

The four rain-hat men turned back around, none being the first.

Neung Po spoke again in a heavy voice.

"He has no connection whatsoever to yesterday's events. He was merely a traveler passing through."

Their expressions stiffened at the unexpected words.

"…!"

The leader of the rain-hat men immediately channeled internal energy to amplify his senses.

Now he could read it.

The considerable amount of energy lurking within the opponent's body…

"Oho, what's this?"

The rain-hat man lifted one corner of his mouth and gently placed his palm on the end of his sword hilt.

The three rain-hat men behind him also took the same stance.

A tension-filled atmosphere settled.

Neung Po placed the lantern he was holding on the ground with a thump.

"It was the southwest forest of Hong Lake. The place where about ten street ruffians violated a woman."

Simultaneously, the leader of the rain-hat men narrowed his eyes.

"So then… It was you who slaughtered all my subordinates back then?"

"How could I just pass by when I saw a group doing such things in front of a young daughter?"

"Interesting. Did you openly reveal that fact out of confidence in your own martial prowess?"

"What if I did?"

At Neung Po's quiet counter-question, the rain-hat man blatantly radiated fighting spirit and killing intent.

"Your skill at hiding your internal energy is top-notch… But you've looked down on me too much."

"Complete Evil Sword Chu Chung – you earned that title because of your vicious character and swordsmanship, did you not?"

Complete Evil Sword Chu Chung.

The gang leader of the Black Forest Hall, an unorthodox power that dominated the Hong Lake area – a first-rate level sword master whose infamy exceeded his martial reputation.

"You know me?"

"One of those who died by my hand yesterday told me."

"Is that so? Then let me enlighten you here. Why I'm called the Complete Evil Sword…"

A short sword cry rang out.

Schwing-

Chu Chung, having drawn his sword, immediately threw off his rain hat and stepped forward.

A truly fierce intangible aura.

Befitting a first-rate sword master, his bearing seemed capable of subduing lesser opponents with just his drawing stance.

Following that, the three Black Forest Hall members behind him spread out at regular intervals and aimed their sword tips.

<The first attack is mine. You block the retreat route.>

Chu Chung gave orders via Sound Transmission secret technique, then charged savagely.

Fwoosh-

A figure advancing like a black gale.

In just one breath, Chu Chung, having closed the three-jang gap, slashed down with lightning speed.

Shwaaaack!

The blade falling vertically – the ground screamed from the power of its sword energy.

Thud!

An empty swing.

Neung Po had disappeared.

At that moment, sharp screams burst out from behind in succession.

"Kghh!"

"Aaahk!"

Startled, Chu Chung turned his head to see two of his subordinates collapsing while spouting blood.

They had been struck by Neung Po, who had somehow gotten over there.

The instant Chu Chung was dumbstruck.

Swish-swish- Splurt…!

Neung Po's left hand struck and cleanly severed the remaining subordinate's neck.

Amid the fountain of reeking blood spraying high.

Turning around, a thick murderous light gathered in Neung Po's eyes.

"The woman who was seized and raped by those wretched men's hands, and the daughter who had to watch that horrific scene frozen in fear… Both will suffer from wounds they can never erase. That sin must be repaid only with your blood."

Chu Chung stepped back hesitantly.

That's right.

He had lost his will to fight.

After watching the three Black Forest Hall elite swordsmen each receive one attack and die futilely, he had absolutely no confidence to swing his sword.

His instincts were warning him to run away quickly, yet his hands and feet wouldn't move as he wished.

Neung Po slowly walked forward and spoke.

"I looked into it separately, and it turns out this wasn't a one or two-time thing. Complete Evil Sword? So, did you enjoy having such a bad reputation?"

"…"

"I'll show you. Truly fiendish martial arts."

Neung Po extended his left hand.

In that instant.

Crash-!

An object smashed through the window beside the entrance and flew like a bird into his hand.

Snatch!

It was an iron sword.

Chu Chung was seized by even greater terror.

'M-My, Void Grasping Technique…?'

An elevated skill he couldn't even imitate as someone who had barely stepped into the first-rate tier.

The pitch-black shadow of death approached together with this night.

Step, step.

The aura of Neung Po holding the iron sword was overwhelmingly powerful, enough to choke.

"Tonight… Even if I show no mercy in my strikes, I don't think I'll feel any guilt. What I'm about to display is the pure ultimate art of demons."

The ultimate art of demons – upon hearing those words, great ripples arose in Chu Chung's pupils.

'C-Could it be… demonic arts…?'

Why do ominous premonitions always come true?

Tsss-tsss-tsss-tsss-tsss-

Gray currents spread like waves around Neung Po's body.

A bizarre energy that felt gloomy and unpleasant just to look at – demonic energy.

Suddenly.

Woong!

The iron sword vibrated, and around it, a terrifying Hungry Ghost form materialized immensely.

Shudder.

It felt as if every hair on his body was standing on end.

A spine-chilling sound suddenly reached his ears.

-I'm hungry, so hungry. Kekeke… Kekek…

A distant resonance.

Was it the sword cry of the iron sword that had created the Hungry Ghost form?

Chu Chung's back was blocked by the wall – there was no more space to retreat, yet he kept moving his two feet, pushing against the ground.

Scratch, scratch, scratch-

Terrified, he even dropped the sword in his hand.

"Hrrr… Wh-Who… Who on earth… are you?"

Neung Po, wrapped in gray haze-like demonic energy, kept his gaze fixed as he continued closing the gap.

"The former Alliance Master of the Demon Destroyer Alliance."

Chu Chung's eyes widened to their fullest.

It was shocking.

Unbelievable words.

For the Alliance Master of the Demon Destroyer Alliance, said to have been annihilated along with the Dragon Martial Gate over twenty years ago, to be the person before his eyes… The very fact of his survival was inconceivable.

"Now, as you can see, I'm just a dumpling shop owner."

At that moment, the Hungry Ghost-shaped energy gathered on the iron sword gaped its mouth wide and let out a ghostly wail.

"This is the Demon-Devouring Sword, a Divine Weapon of the Hungry Ghost Realm."

"Ah… Aaah…!"

"Experience it yourself. The mad feast of a Hungry Ghost, something you've never experienced even once in your life."

The Demon-Devouring Sword that Neung Po thrust out stabbed into Chu Chung's left side.

Squelch!

The massive demonic energy in the form of a Hungry Ghost also pounced to completely engulf the target.

Immediately after, with a gnawing sound, his entire body, including the wound, began to be eaten away and rot pitch-black at tremendous speed.

"AAAARGH, AAAAAAARGH!"