The Return of the Crazy Demon-Chapter 261: If You Accept the Offer, You Become a Scholar

Turns out, killing the Blind Scholar wasn’t some minor incident. At this rate, I might end up having interviews with every scholar out there.

Scholar Chu Myeong stood with his arms crossed, staring at me.

“...Would you care to explain what happened?”

Was this an interrogation? A trial? Or just some idiotic attempt at intimidation?

Instead of answering, I let out a sigh. I glanced at the Lecher and the Drunk before responding.

“The White-Robed, the Blind, and Cheonak all showed up to kill the Beggars’ Sect Leader. I was with the Sect Leader at the time. They attacked, and the Sect Leader fought the White-Robed and Cheonak at once. The Blind died by my hand.”

Chu Myeong replied,

“Do you know why I don’t believe that story?”

I gave him a sharp look.

“Why don’t you believe it?”

“For starters, your level is beneath that of the Blind Scholar.”

“Oh really?”

“Let’s say you got lucky and killed him. Then why did Cheonak let you live? Do you know what kind of man Cheonak is?”

“One of the Three Calamities.”

Chu Myeong smirked.

“That’s right. He’s called one of the Three Calamities. Do you know the Demonic Cult once killed a scholar, and Cheonak stormed the entire cult alone?”

“That’s impressive. Must’ve clashed with the Cult Leader, then.”

Chu Myeong nodded.

“And someone like Cheonak let you live? That’s why I don’t believe your story. I suspect it was the White-Robed Scholar who orchestrated it, and you simply carried it out.”

“Unbelievable. Scholars really don’t trust anyone—even when told ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) the truth. You only believe what you want. Besides, weren’t you the Blind Scholar’s senior? If what I say is true, doesn’t that make me an enemy of your whole Legalist Sect?”

At that moment, Chu Myeong glanced toward the entrance, where a man appeared. He looked to be in his early thirties, completely wrapped in dense killing aura from head to toe.

His eyes were clearly unhinged.

The kind of madman who’s killed so many people that conversation isn’t an option. If I had to compare, he was much like that Butcher I killed a while back.

Now that I thought about it, this inn looked like Cheolli Inn, and the man before me resembled the Butcher—almost like I was dreaming.

Chu Myeong spoke to him.

“...Dokhaeng, the one who killed your master, the Lord of Haomun, is here.”

The man called Dokhaeng answered,

“So that’s why you summoned me. Shall I kill him?”

“Wait outside for now. What about your fellow disciples?”

“They’re on their way.”

“Understood.”

After the man stepped out, Chu Myeong turned back to me.

“As you might have guessed, we’ve surrounded the place. My disciples and the Blind Scholar’s disciples are waiting outside.”

“I see.”

The Drunk asked him,

“Dokhaeng... is he the infamous Public Enemy of Murim?”

Chu Myeong nodded.

“So you’ve heard of him.”

The Drunk let out a sigh.

“Then the Blind Scholar deserved to die. His disciple’s a Public Enemy.”

The Lecher spoke up too.

“Wasn’t that Butcher guy also the White-Robed Scholar’s disciple?”

I nodded.

“He was.”

The Lecher sneered.

“Now that I think about it, these crazy scholars all raise either maniacs or Public Enemies. What a wonderful group. Maybe even Dongho’s Greatest Swordsman is one of their disciples too?”

“Doubt it. But Bi-gaek might be.”

I didn’t bother asking Chu Myeong. No way he’d answer.

Chu Myeong said to us,

“...Whether it was the White-Robed Scholar or you who killed the Blind, if you want to live through this, you’d better listen closely, Yi Zaha.”

“...”

He spoke with a cold expression.

“All three of you join the Legalist Sect and fill the void left by the Blind Scholar. I want to spare your lives. I’ll formally introduce the three of you to the Leader of the Swift Party. Of course, introduction doesn’t mean all of you will become scholars. Knowing the Swift Leader’s temperament, he’ll test your light footwork and choose only the fastest among you to receive the scholar’s title. This is the best offer I can give.”

It was such an absurd proposal that I ended up watching the Lecher and the Drunk’s expressions for amusement.

I spoke first.

“Hey, Scholar Chu Myeong... is it alright to call you that?”

He gave a bemused laugh and nodded.

“Call me whatever you like.”

“So you’re asking me to work for the Legalist Sect... but it doesn’t feel like recruiting talent. Sounds more like becoming your slave.” 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

“How can a scholar’s title be likened to that of a slave?”

I asked him,

“What’s the Legalist Sect’s great cause?”

“The great cause of the Legalist Sect is equal governance of the impoverished — make the rich pay more taxes and distribute that to the poor. The world has fractured, and the poor grow more destitute by the day. But whether the world’s divided or not, we’ll carry out our equalization. Isn’t that similar to how you run Haomun?”

“If you’re so focused on fairness for the poor, then why did you go after the Beggars’ Sect Leader? That doesn’t add up.”

“That was at Cheonak’s request. It wasn’t our idea. We joined only as support.”

A blatant contradiction.

I imagined what a Public Enemy affiliated with the Legalists might do. Most likely, Dokhaeng was their executioner for the rich.

Their elite surrounded the inn. In front of me sat their master, clearly above us in skill. But for some reason, I just couldn’t stomach the Legalist Sect.

Chu Myeong narrowed his eyes.

“Are you actually going to turn down a scholar’s title?”

“That title... I’d have to ingest whatever poison the Legalist Sect offers, right?”

He nodded.

“I’ll be honest. We’d observe you for a year. You can manage that, can’t you? We forbid scholars from killing other scholars. Even the Swift Leader opposes it.”

It felt off.

Honestly, I was more interested in meeting the Swift Leader than joining the Legalists. But I couldn’t read Chu Myeong’s true intentions, so I remained cautious.

After a long pause, I answered.

“I’m not suited for the Legalist Sect. I won’t cooperate with you.”

“Why not?”

“If you had to group me under the Hundred Schools, I’d be more Daoist. If their leader’s reasonable, I might consider working with them.”

Chu Myeong scoffed.

“What makes you think you’re suited for the Daoists? We’ve always classified you as part of the Dark Path.”

“Regardless, I decline.”

Chu Myeong said,

“Why throw your life away?”

He snapped his fingers and gave an order outside.

“...Tear it down.”

I kept my eyes on him, when I heard the sound of something like a whip slicing the air from outside. Then came a crack!—followed by the sound of wooden boards ripping apart. A quick glance revealed his subordinates were hurling hooks attached to whips, tearing the inn apart.

The three of us scanned our surroundings.

It was impossible to tell if there were thirty or fifty of them. The Legalists had filled the area around the inn.

Even the old man who had guided us earlier was there.

Alongside Dokhaeng were several others who seemed to be on his level.

Including Scholar Chu Myeong, they had a serious force.

Chu Myeong spoke.

“Understand the situation. What do you think happens if you ignore goodwill?”

I stared at him and replied.

“Did you bring all of the Legalist Sect’s strength here?”

“When offering a scholar’s title, I had to show sincerity. If you accept, I’ll make you a scholar. If you refuse, you’ll die here with Lord Mong and Master Yukhap.”

“What kind of bullshit is that? Those two have nothing to do with the Blind Scholar’s death. That’s on me. Let them go.”

Chu Myeong smirked, then glanced at the Lecher and the Drunk in turn.

“You’re right. They’re not involved. If I let them go, will they leave quietly?”

The Drunk answered,

“No chance.”

The Lecher said,

“I’m not someone who’s ever run away.”

I nodded.

“Except when you had diarrhea.”

The Lecher looked at me and nodded without hesitation.

“That’s true.”

It was the moment the shitbag admitted he was a shitbag. That’s how people grow.

Chu Myeong laughed.

“I didn’t expect such loyalty from you.”

I said to him,

“I don’t know much about your Legalist Sect. Didn’t even know the Blind Scholar’s disciple was Dokhaeng. You say you execute the rich and hoard their wealth—but I haven’t seen it for myself, so I can’t judge. I’ll try to respect your perspective as much as I can. But if we clash here, I can promise you one thing.”

“What is it?”

I said in a flat tone.

“Everyone here will die except you. That’ll be the end of the Legalist Sect. So keep that in mind before fighting. When it’s over, you’ll finally understand why the Blind Scholar died at my hands.”

Chu Myeong’s mouth opened slightly.

“Well, then...”

Suddenly, a gust of wind blew—and Chu Myeong vanished from sight. Then he reappeared outside the ruined inn and addressed his subordinates.

“On a personal note, the Blind Scholar was my junior and the Legalist Sect’s enforcer. He was slain by the Lord of Haomun. Since it was a conflict tied to business, I set aside personal feelings and offered an invitation. But he refused. Lord Mong and Master Yukhap seem prepared to die with him, so the Legalist Sect shall end all three of their lives and send them to join my junior.”

The warriors surrounding the inn responded in unison.

“We receive your command!”

I stood and said to the other two,

“Living quietly really is impossible.”

The Lecher sighed.

“You’re telling me.”

The Drunk drew his sword.

“Third and Fourth. Let’s survive this first. Talk later.”

A slight headache came over me, and I shut my eyes tight. My lower eyelid twitched uncontrollably.

Then came a vrrrm sound as whips with hooks began spinning through the air from all directions.

The Lecher stepped forward and muttered,

“Good thing we ate well.”

The Drunk jumped down from the second floor, heading for the front.

“See you soon.”

Hands on my waist, I looked at Scholar Chu Myeong. Dokhaeng locked eyes with me, then leapt into the air.

At the same time, the hooked whips flew toward us from every direction.

Time felt like it was slowing down.

I’d visited the Wi Clan, had a proper duel, was treated to a feast, and saw the famously beautiful Lady So-seon.

Drank plum tea, even.

And the moment that warm, peaceful visit ended...

...it felt like the gates of hell reopened.

I dodged Dokhaeng’s blade and muttered,

“...Living is hard. Exhausting.”

The blade was too dangerous to just dodge—so I drew my wooden sword. As soon as steel met wood, sparks flew. If I’d been alone, I might have dragged the Legalists around with diversion tactics.

But the Drunk and the Lecher were already tearing into the enemy forces, so that wasn’t an option.

While parrying Dokhaeng’s sword, I studied his face.

Unlike me, he didn’t seem to have any doubts. Just pure killing intent. A frightening kind of man. How many people do you have to kill to make a face like that?

Dokhaeng slashed at me, not even breathing, and grinned.

Even as I swung my sword, my mouth opened involuntarily.

“Don’t smile... you stink.”

His sword turned reddish, enveloped in sword energy, and came down vertically. I bent my back and twisted my whole body. As the sword energy passed in front of me, a chunk of my bangs flew off.

Then came screams—he must have cut down several of his own men in the process.

I deflected his blade again and retreated.

Oddly, no one else joined him in attacking me. Maybe that’s why he was called “Dokhaeng”—the solitary one. I had a sudden thought while watching his vicious expression. Maybe he hates it when someone else steals his kill. Just a hunch—but my hunches tend to be right.

After deflecting another attack, I used the momentum to leap into the air, stepping across the shoulders of Legalist warriors to move.

Behind me, I heard Dokhaeng shout:

“Move! Move!”

“Oh...”

They realized it was a one-on-one fight between us. As I stepped off shoulders and landed, the enemies cleared out with a roar, forming a circle around us. Inside that arena, Dokhaeng reappeared and came at me with wide eyes.

His sword technique resembled the Butcher’s—aggressive, fast, with little defense.

But I was far stronger now than I was when I killed the Butcher.

We clashed at similar speed.

I calmed my mind and channeled internal energy through Divided Mind Technique. Into the wooden sword, I only imbued Wood Qi. Into my palm, I wrapped Hundred Battles Tenfold Technique.

While blocking his attacks, my left hand trembled as if I had a nervous disorder.

Instead of spreading Hundred Battles Tenfold Technique across my whole arm, I channeled internal energy into each fingertip separately—preparing five threads of lightning qi.