The Return of the Crazy Demon-Chapter 265: Why Don’t You Know Who I Am?

After threatening Giseonhyang and extracting the location of the Black Fragrance auction, I came to the site—and memories began flooding back. Since this place is where masters of the dark path hold their auctions, entry wasn’t too difficult.

Security here is maintained through solidarity among the auction participants.

You could call it a gathering of wrongdoers. The only time the participants clash is when they’re bidding against one another.

Among the guests are powerful figures planted by Heukhyang, who help drive prices down.

What makes Heukhyang such a pack of idiots is the fact that they take requests to retrieve the items.

Someone’s sword, someone’s ring, a family heirloom, a boy, a girl, a virgin, a mixed-blood, elixirs, silk, spiritual creatures, poisonous insects, secret manuals, liquor, poison, hidden weapons, paintings, books, obscene texts, beast cubs, beauties, even slave girls from Kunlun.

That’s why the participants change every time.

A lowlife from the dark path might come to get poison, a martial master might show up looking for a painting, or some filthy rich pervert might arrive to throw money around.

I disguised myself as one of ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) the auction participants, supposedly introduced by Giseonhyang, and at the entrance to the underground auction hall—connected to the gambling den—I had my token and silver verified. In other words, you need money to even step inside.

Escorts aren’t allowed in, so I had to leave the Drunk and the Lecher waiting at the gambling hall.

Of course, the Lecher got excited over gambling for the first time in ages and borrowed money from me.

After being swindled by him, I descended alone into the dust-scented depths of the underground auction.

The dim stairwell grew brighter the deeper I went.

I’d faced near-death several times in Jianghu, and one of those moments was when I fought against Heukhyang.

As I descended, a grin formed on my face.

“Unbelievable.”

***

From beyond the silver curtain came the sounds of a performance. Before entering the tent, a table full of bizarre masks awaited us.

Wearing masks in places like this is routine.

After all, you’re here to buy shameful things, so covering your face is a courtesy from the hosts.

While selecting a mask, a thought crossed my mind.

The timing must be different from the last time I was here, so today’s participants would likely be different too. Of course, the hosts were the same, and Heukhyang’s master was a martial expert I had barely survived against in my previous life.

While fighting that bastard...

My side had been pierced, my face slashed, internal injuries suffered.

My pinky was broken, the back of my hand gashed, my shoulder bitten by some nameless lackey, and a precious front tooth had been half-shattered.

So before I came down these stairs, I still had a face you could show in public. By the time I climbed back up, I looked like a damned wretch.

Probably.

Staring blankly at the masks, I suddenly thought of the Great Rakshasa.

Was he repenting in the afterlife? Or flailing in some unknowable hell? Maybe he had left a seat open in hell, waiting for me to join him.

I picked up a red-painted rooster-fighting mask and placed it on my face before entering the curtain.

“Shit, were there always this many people here?”

The event alternated between performances and auctions. Right now, it was a performance. Unfortunately, with everyone wearing masks, it was impossible to tell who was who.

I sat down in an empty seat and waited for the next auction round.

Nearby masks shifted slightly, their gaze landing on me before turning back to the stage. Some stared long enough that I had no choice but to move my head too.

“......”

It was too dark to see their eyes, but a halo of white hair around one of the masks told me it was an old martial artist. Just then, I turned my gaze to the stage, startled.

“Wow.”

A face-changing performance was underway. Naturally, the Great Rakshasa’s words from what felt like just yesterday resurfaced.

“My master’s master used to perform mask plays. He needed that mask just to make a living. But he was expelled because he could never master the art of switching masks in an instant.”

To my eyes, these performers looked like the very people who had kicked the Great Rakshasa’s grandmaster out. They were adept at face-changing. Watching them, I found myself wondering why he had let them live.

Was he not strong enough?

Or had he intended to raise them as disciples and attack later? Maybe they had no connection to his master at all.

When the performance ended, silence fell in an instant, and the auction resumed. No one knew what item would be revealed next—until someone spoke.

“......Tonight is special.”

I quietly repeated the phrase.

“Tonight is special.”

Is that just some cliché they always use? Or was tonight truly different? I suppose my presence alone made it somewhat special.

“We present the Hundred Yin-Yang Pills of the Gu Clan’s Apothecary. This will be revealed at the end. The Gu Clan guarantees their quality, so rest assured. Around a hundred days ago, the swordmaster of Wiji Mountain rose to fame by purging Green Forest bandits at Hyeongmun Mountain, only to be tragically defeated by a Bi-gaek. His sword is now available.”

At first glance, this felt like just another dark path auction, but the names hinted at something bigger.

I didn’t know the Gu Clan Apothecary.

Didn’t know Wiji Mountain.

I’d heard of the Bi-gaek—he was a public enemy of Murim—but didn’t expect him to be mentioned here.

The auctioneer continued.

“......First item: a six-year-old. Father is a trader who travels to the Western Regions. Mother’s identity is unknown but allegedly from some remote area in Tibet. Not that it matters. Let’s begin. Tonight, we have a special treat......”

I mumbled again.

“Tonight, we have a special treat.”

“Yes, tonight’s auction may get intense, which is why the Heavenly Three Killers are here with us. As you can see, they’ve already purchased several items. If you plan on causing trouble, we recommend a chat with them first.”

As he spoke, a masked man appeared onstage with a blindfolded child. I couldn’t tell if it was a boy or girl—unfortunately, it was a girl.

A sigh escaped me.

If the Drunk and the Lecher had seen this...

No matter who they were in their past lives, they would’ve gotten just as angry as me. If not, I’d have killed them myself.

Were there more children?

Or was she the last?

I steadied my rising anxiety. In my previous life, this girl must’ve been sold to one of the participants.

That must be it.

The auctioneer’s words started fading as numbers were shouted intermittently from around the room. I heard the last bid, raised my hand without thinking, and shouted a higher amount.

“...One hundred forty.”

That was surely in silver. The masks turned to stare at me. Moments later, one hundred forty became one hundred fifty, and the voices blurred again. I felt a buzzing in my ears and stood up—thinking I had used Jeunjong—when a spotlight hit me on stage.

As murmurs spread, the auctioneer calmly spoke to me.

“...Take him down.”

“Hold on. Wait a second...”

Panicked, I removed my mask. Looking around at the auction participants, I asked:

“Doesn’t anyone recognize me?”

“......”

“No? I thought I was pretty famous by now.”

An elderly voice rang out from behind a mask.

“Young man, who are you? If we don’t know you, introduce yourself. Don’t make a scene. You look like someone on hallucinogens. If you don’t behave, you’ll find it hard to leave.”

I scanned the room and replied.

“Why don’t you know me? I’ve been here before.”

It was then I noticed how hard it was to breathe. I looked at the girl trembling beside me—still blindfolded.

I said to her gently,

“...It’ll be bright. Be careful.”

I removed the blindfold and shielded her eyes with my hand. When I moved my hand, the adorable little girl looked up at me with big, round eyes.

I laughed.

“Haha.”

Startled by the sudden shouting, I looked away from her. All the auction participants had stood, something gleaming in their hands. I picked up the girl with one arm and cradled her on my forearm like a small chair, then said:

“I’m taking her with me. If her parents are alive, I’ll find them. If not, I’ll leave her with Deoksoo-hyung and Hong-shin. We’ll raise her into a proper adult. But I won’t pay you a single nyang.”

“You fucking lunatic...”

Now people were even climbing onto the stage. Auction staff started appearing from tunnels in the walls. Curses rang from the audience, and the girl trembled in my arm.

I reached for my sword—but then noticed the blindfold again and handed it to her.

“Cover your eyes for now.”

As she blindfolded herself, I drew my sword. Her wide eyes were too close to the blade, so I warned them.

“...I’ve changed since last time. Surrender and I might let you live.”

Not that I actually intended to. But the weight of holding a child made me hesitant. Maybe I should’ve trained harder in external energy.

Sword in hand, I retreated and watched them.

Everyone froze in place, staring at me.

“......”

I tilted my head and asked the participants.

“What? Why’re you just standing there? Come at me.”

My voice sounded far away, like speaking underwater. When someone pulled back the curtain, light flooded the stage and audience.

That’s when I realized everything had been tinted a purplish-red.

Even against Chu Myeong the Law Scholar, I hadn’t used my Zaha Divine Art—and now it emerged just for these clowns?

“Unbelievable.”

I checked my wooden sword. For a moment, I thought it was stained with blood—but we hadn’t even fought yet.

With no other choice, I infused my internal energy and shouted:

“Descent of the Lecher!”

“......”

“Hurry up.”

Suddenly, a thunderous crash came from the ceiling. Tables, chairs, gambling dice, coins—they all fell like a snowstorm. Then the Lecher dropped straight down, and all the masked bastards turned toward him.

The Lecher asked me,

“Did you call me?”

“I did.”

Right after, the Drunk dropped from the same hole. He glared at me and said,

“Let’s finish this quickly. He’s having a breakdown again.”

I replied half-heartedly,

“Arrival of the Drunk.”

Surrounded by the aura of Zaha Divine Art, I stood still, watching the Lecher and the Drunk tear through the place. Blades flashed, blood flew, and people screamed.

“Well done. Keep going.”

I said to the girl covering her eyes,

“Cover your ears, too.”

Someone tried to approach, but stopped when I turned my head. I asked him,

“The auctioneer?”

I swung my wooden sword—and before he could answer, the auctioneer’s body split diagonally in half, blood gushing into the air.

I dodged the spray and sidestepped.

From the stage, I saw blood erupting in the audience too. The two maniacs—the Lecher and the Drunk—were back at it.

We are public enemies of Murim, after all. Makes sense.

Then came a loud crash as someone rushed down the stairs behind the silver curtain. Likely an auction official. But the crowd didn’t seem to care.

Whenever cold air froze someone in place, the Drunk would shatter them with his blade.

I looked down at the girl again, covering her ears, and narrated the situation aloud:

“...We’re stronger. Should be fine. I’ve grown stronger too, so of course it’s fine. As of today, this place belongs to Haomun.”

Cradling the girl, I walked through the battlefield. If anyone got in the way, I cut them down with my wooden sword. Watching them split along with their weapons, I was grateful for all that martial training.

I reached the bottom of the stairs without much trouble. Looking up, I saw a familiar face.

The owner of Heukhyang?

The one who pierced my side before. More were waiting to join him.

I swung my wooden sword up the staircase. A streak of red light lashed like a whip, exploding everything it touched. Flesh and blood blocked the steps so badly no one could pass.

I returned to the battlefield where the Lecher and the Drunk were still fighting. Infusing my sword with internal energy, I soared into the air and escaped through the same hole the Lecher had entered from.

Once outside the gambling den, I sheathed my sword and removed the girl’s blindfold...

Then I caught my breath.

Only then could I breathe properly. The bloody tint faded, and everything returned to normal.

I set the girl down.

Then sat at the gambling den’s entrance, waiting for the Lecher and the Drunk. She looked up at me, so I said,

“...Taking a while, huh? Lot of high-level bastards in there.”

“Yes.”

She looked like she had something to say, so I spoke first.

“I’m the Master of Haomun.”