The Return of the Crazy Demon-Chapter 275: Did I Commit a Crime?

I looked around from the rock that held the Moon Orchid.

Even if Manjang Gorge was known to be deserted, maintaining awareness of my surroundings was second nature. Sitting cross-legged with my arms folded, I gazed at the Moon Orchid for a while.

If you glare too fiercely at a flower, it might wither from fright. So I took out the Flash Dagger and cut the Moon Orchid, swallowing it immediately as it slid down the blade.

It was bigger than the Moon Orchid I found in the Crimson Night High Peak of Daejeoksan.

Though it was a pity there was only one blossom, Moon Orchids always regrow in the same spot with time anyway.

If I told Yoran about this location, it’d be worth checking out later—once she has the skill to climb down and back up from Manjang Gorge on her own. Only then would her physical constitution and the Moon Orchid be on the same level.

If someone of low internal skill recklessly shoved anything into their gut, they'd likely be poisoned.

The more I chewed, the more a cold chill spread through my body.

A chill so intense I wouldn’t have been surprised if I shit myself on the spot.

If someone without extreme yang-type internal energy like Golden Nine Free-Wandering Manual had eaten this, they’d have suffered severe internal injuries on the spot.

In that case, I must now declare myself a man prepared to grow stronger.

Without profound internal energy, I would’ve turned into a frozen corpse beneath Manjang Gorge the moment I ate this.

At that moment, I glanced toward the swamp, slightly startled.

Somehow, I pictured a martial artist greedy for the Moon Orchid getting frozen solid and slipping into the swamp.

Because of the chill, I had no choice but to begin circulating my qi. My hands and feet instantly turned cold and my entire body shivered, but I quickly converted the Moon Orchid's energy into internal power using Moonlight Cold Heart Technique.

Once again, I confirmed that, like Dugangju, Moon Orchids had grades.

This one was top-grade.

By the time I finished circulating my qi, the merciless moon had risen. I confirmed that the extreme yin energy within me was now just as densely layered as the extreme yang energy. With this level of chill, I felt I could even rival the moonlight’s cold-heartedness.

And so, I became a merciless man appearing on a moonlit, cold-hearted night.

***

I gathered firewood and prepared to camp.

The weather was already chilly, and cold knife-like winds swept through Manjang Gorge, making it clear that even a single night couldn’t be taken lightly. No matter how deep one's internal energy was, body temperature drops when asleep.

After piling firewood like a small mountain, I lit it with a firestarter. While watching the flames rise, I trimmed appropriately sized branches into a spear with my dagger.

With cold now inside my gut, my instincts told me to heat up my insides.

A decision born of experience, reasoning, and instinct all jumbled together.

I used the moonlight shining on the lake as my companion while stabbing into the transparent water with my makeshift spear and managed to catch a large fish. One would be enough, so I turned the spear into a skewer.

I grilled the fish thoroughly over the campfire.

This was a meal to protect my organs from internal injury.

I deliberately overcooked the unknown fish and slowly tore off pieces to eat. The meat was thick and satisfying to chew.

It was unexpectedly delicious—so much so that I was almost disturbed.

Meaning, the flavor of this fish from the clear lake in Manjang Gorge was known to no one but me. Once something hot entered my belly, the icy chill inside me vanished like it had never been there.

If I hadn’t eaten that, I’d have been in trouble.

After tossing the bones of the fish, which was bigger than my forearm, into the fire, I lay down beside it and used my pack as a pillow.

Back at the Zaha Inn, I got stronger from salted seasoning.

Now, with the Moon Orchid and this fish harmonizing inside me, I’d grown even stronger.

A top-grade fish dish, Moon Orchid, and salt... it was an unbeatable flavor.

I closed my eyes and listened to the crackling of the fire, imagining myself happily beating the shit out of scholars.

Those bastards...

Even though I’d now gained so many fortuitous encounters that no one in the world could rival me, the reason I still lost to those scholars was simple—they started training ten or twenty years before I did. Surpassing time itself is no easy feat, but this time, I felt I’d made great strides.

I drifted in and out of sleep.

The wind sounds of Manjang Gorge were horrifying, like a ghostly master of sonic techniques playing the flute for fun. Maybe even the wind here had a story.

I’d been given a fish.

A Moon Orchid as a gift, too.

It was starting to feel like a warning not to get cocky.

But I’m not the kind of man who backs down from a threat. Once the sun rose, I planned to inspect the northern end of Manjang Gorge.

***

In the end, I endured until sunrise and didn’t freeze to death.

For breakfast, I washed a Hundred-Year Huso Root in the lake and ate it, drinking plenty of water as well.

If I stayed here one more day, I might end up eating all the top-grade Huso Roots I worked so hard to find. So I returned to my role as a diligent herbalist.

High-quality roots went into my pack. Strange flowers and herbs were boxed. Since I was a lacking herbalist by trade, anything I couldn’t identify would be handed to Moyong Baek.

As I headed north, I noticed vines clinging to the right cliff, dotted with red flowers. It might’ve been the Chinese trumpet vine Moyong Baek mentioned—an herb often used for treating internal injuries. Since I had little to offer him, I plucked the vines off the cliff and boxed them.

I also checked the left cliff on my return, but there were no caves or rare herbs to be found. From the rising heat in my gut since morning, I figured the fish I ate the previous day had medicinal properties.

How could its white flesh erase the Moon Orchid’s chill so thoroughly?

They say antidotes often grow near poison. Perhaps that fish had dispelled the cold poison of the Moon Orchid—that was my luck.

And where did that luck come from?

From thinking of Yoran. So even luck must’ve departed from the Zaha Inn with me.

My body’s balance was now in complete harmony. Letting go of greed, I returned to the swamp and bid farewell to the rocks, lake water, freshwater crabs, weeds, and the wind that howled like a ghost being decapitated.

“I owe you all. When my disciple comes down next time, I’ll ask for your help again.”

Saluting Manjang Gorge out of nowhere might make me look insane, but since I was alone, I didn’t care. I saluted anyway.

A peace treaty had been formed between Manjang Gorge and me.

After tightening the heavy pack, I looked up at the cliff. If I stayed hidden here, maybe I’d never suffer emotional wounds. But even with scars on my heart, I had much to do up there. So I returned to the wide clearing.

I couldn’t find the white bones of the ancient master.

Maybe, like me, they’d re-entered the world. After circling the clearing a few times and feeling limber, I shot upward and clung to the cliff.

It really was a crazy thing to do.

The cliff was so high that, like when I climbed the White-Robed Scholar’s library, using light footwork on the vertical face might drain my energy. If I reached the top of Manjang Gorge with empty reserves and ran into an enemy, I’d have to throw myself back down. So instead, I mimicked the gestures of Seokryongja, like the Lecher once did.

Climbing with both hands and feet, I used light footwork leaps at jutting rocks. At one point, I got snagged on a branch, and my floral robe tore.

When I looked back, the shredded hem of my robe fluttered as it fell back down into Manjang Gorge. Petals floated midair, slowly descending.

“...A gift.”

Manjang Gorge and I had now exchanged flowers.

After struggling to the top, I finally saw the mountain scenery filled with ordinary people.

Living normally is this hard.

My fingers were torn and bloody from the stone sword forms, but I’d conserved most of my energy.

Resuming my journey in the garb of a seasoned herbalist, I now thought I’d had enough of mountains and cliffs. If anyone ever suggested hiking on a day off, I’d slap them first.

Though I felt guilty for returning empty-handed without Azure Amber or Celestial Spring Fruits, perhaps my safe return was a gift for Yoran?

After all, I was her Third Master.

Having eaten the Moon Orchid alone, I kept making excuses in my head as I ran straight to Hwanghak Inn out of guilt and frustration.

***

I purposely chose a tavern across from Hwanghak Inn and ordered a strange combo—chicken, Dugangju, and noodles. After eating the noodles and sipping the chicken soup with liquor, I finally felt my stress wash away.

My floral white robe was tattered, my hair wild.

My hands were covered in blood, so the jomsoi kept glancing at me nervously. Since I was eating outside, he looked like he was wondering if I’d dine and dash.

Even after getting this strong...

I knew a jomsoi’s heart best. I pulled out my pouch and paid in advance. Relief finally spread across his face.

“Is the food to your liking, sir?”

I pointed across the street.

“Tastes eighteen times better than Hwanghak Inn.”

“Haha, you're too kind.”

Maybe money really did loosen people up—the jomsoi finally smiled and sat nearby, his tone much softer as he looked at my injuries.

“What happened to your hand, sir?”

“Oh, I fell off a cliff picking herbs. Took me half a day just to climb back up.”

“Oh dear, that’s awful.”

When I offered him some Dugangju, he casually grabbed the cup from the table. After we shared a drink, we both looked toward the entrance of Hwanghak Inn.

Someone came out smiling, and the jomsoi beside me coughed awkwardly and headed back inside. Just then, a Yanghaejo thug from Mansangmun spotted me and approached with a surprised look.

“Well, look who it is! That herbalist we said we’d deal with later.”

Yanghaejo looked back at his lackeys like he couldn’t believe it.

“That’s the herbalist who ran away, right?”

He walked up with his mouth half-open and sat across from me.

“What the hell? What happened to your hand?”

Just then, the jomsoi who’d fled earlier came out smiling and said:

“Oh my, Brother Yang! Long time no see. Something going on?”

I chuckled and muttered to myself.

“Brother Yang...”

I motioned for the jomsoi to go back inside and poured myself another glass of Dugangju. Yanghaejo grinned at me.

“Herbalist, you think this is funny? Laughing in front of me, and here of all places?”

“...”

“Oh? That pack of yours looks thick. What’s in it?”

“Hundred-Year Huso? Maybe some three- or four-hundred-year roots. Poison herbs, flowers, medicine, cash.”

“Oh? Let’s see, then.”

I glanced at the thugs he brought with him. If I made a move, there’d be bodies. So I skipped the pretense.

“I...” 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

“What?”

I introduced myself to Yanghaejo.

“I’m Yi Zaha, Lord of Haomun. You thought /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ I was just a regular herbalist, but I’m not. Take me to your sect leader.”

“...Who?”

Yanghaejo tilted his head, but one of the underlings answered.

“He says he’s the Lord of Haomun.”

Yanghaejo looked back and asked:

“Who’s that?”

“The leader of the sect that wiped out the Martial Alliance Leader and Namgak Green Forest Faction.”

Yanghaejo’s head slowly turned back toward me. I gazed at him with a gentle, distant expression.

“...”

He asked me:

“Why would our sect leader...”

“Yang warrior.”

“Yes?”

“You’ve got two choices. Either end up crippled and get carried to your leader, or just guide me yourself. Which sounds better to you? Up to you. I’m fine either way.”

Yanghaejo, bewildered, asked me:

“Did I... do something wrong?”

“Haven’t you done plenty?”

“I don’t recall...”

I called out to the jomsoi watching from inside.

“...How much do they charge monthly in tribute?”

He smiled and answered.

“Oh, tribute? We don’t pay any.”

“How much is the protection fee?”

“Eighty nyang. That much, yes.”

“Go inside.”

“Yes, sir.”

I said to Yanghaejo:

“Yang warrior, lucky for you I’m in a generous mood. Mansangmun didn’t suddenly vanish into the earth, did it? Whether you guide me or not, I’ll head there myself.”

Looking around the shabby tavern, I asked the jomsoi:

“If you joined Haomun, we’d protect you without tribute or protection fees. Interested?”

The jomsoi poked his head out from the entrance, staring at me in shock.

“If I did, my granduncle would be thrilled.”

“Then you’re in?”

“If you’ll have me.”

“An honor. Can you share this info with the other tavern owners nearby?”

“Not hard at all.”

I met the jomsoi’s eyes and nodded.

“Good. I’ll have a talk with Mansangmun’s leader—positively.”

“Thank you, Lord.”

I stood up and tapped Yanghaejo’s knee with my foot.

“Yang warrior, let’s go.”

“Ah, sir, wait...”

As Yanghaejo reached for my arm, I reflexively slapped him across the face. With a loud smack, he flew from the chair, rolled across the ground, and didn’t move.

I spoke to the pale-faced underlings.

“Carry him.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Lead the way.”

“Understood.”

I turned to the jomsoi I shared Dugangju with and said goodbye.

“The noodles were good. Better than me.”

He grinned and replied:

“Come again, Lord of Haomun.”

I waved, then followed the Mansangmun lackeys carrying Yanghaejo on their backs.