Surviving as a Cripple in Murim – Chapter 33

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Teottry
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He described his experience in the mental realm to Muk-gang, who, after carefully examining him for any injuries, looked at him with surprise.

“A celestial being has marked you as its own. Whether this is a blessing or a curse remains to be seen. What kind of life have you lived to have such an encounter at such a young age?”

Huh? A celestial being? Did the martial world have celestial beings like in fantasy stories? Were there demons as well? Dragons, too? What didn’t the martial world have? It was incredible.

Fantasy wins this round.

“Well, I’ve lived a pretty normal life, eating my mom’s cooking and all. What’s a celestial being, anyway?”

“Celestial beings generally refer to the Eight Legions of Devas, eight beings, or races, that transcend earthly ethics and roam the heavens.”

Muk-gang used a twig to write the names of the Eight Legions in the dirt, explaining each one.

Devas (天), Dragons (龍), Yakshas (夜叉), Gandharvas (乾闥婆), Asuras (阿修羅), Garudas (迦樓羅), Kinnaras (緊那羅), and Mahoragas (摩睺羅迦).

“Of these, Devas and Dragons are the most powerful. Ordinary humans should never become entangled with these beings.”

At the mention of dragons, he thought of his adorable baby dragon, Gwahae. They had eaten together, played together, slept together. They had always been together.

They were practically inseparable, their bond as strong as that between Yubi and Jegal Liang.

“Um… I think I’m already entangled with a dragon.”

Muk-gang frowned momentarily, but then nodded reassuringly.

“Dragons are generally docile creatures. They rarely harm humans without reason. However—”

‘See? I told you Gwahae was a good girl!’

“you should never become entangled with a descendant of Ao Sun, the Dragon King of the North Sea.”

His relief evaporated at Muk-gang’s words. Ao Sun, the Dragon King of the North Sea… he had heard that name before.

It was the name of Gwahae’s father, the dragon Jegal Sowol had spoken of.

“Just as humans have their own individual natures, so do dragons. Their obsessions differ depending on their lineage and life experiences.”

“Obsessions?”

It was an ominous word, one that seemed to foreshadow regret and ruin.

“Yes, while generally docile, dragons possess a frighteningly intense obsession with the things they cherish.”

“For example, Ao Gwang, the Dragon King of the East Sea, is obsessed with collecting treasures. He particularly covets rare swords and armor. He will not tolerate anyone touching his treasures.”

“And Ao Chin, the Dragon King of the West Sea, is obsessed with promises. He will never forgive anyone who breaks a promise, not even friends or family.”

A shiver ran down his spine at the ominous words, will not tolerate, will never forgive.

“And what is Ao Sun, the Dragon King of the North Sea, obsessed with?”

“Love.”

“Excuse me? Love?”

“Ao Sun rules the North Sea, the coldest sea in the world, and therefore, yearns for warmth and craves affection. It is said that he sometimes kidnaps those he falls in love with and brings them back to his palace.”

If he’s cold, he should get a heater. Or wear more clothes. Why kidnap innocent people? Is he a psychopath?

Seeing Mancheon’s speechless bewilderment, Muk-gang paused, then spoke in a serious tone, as if issuing a warning.

“While there are individual differences, descendants of Ao Sun inherit this trait and are intensely devoted to love. They never forget the warmth they have experienced. They will pursue it relentlessly, no matter where it hides. That is why they are dangerous.”

He recalled Gwahae, her soft, cool cheeks pressed against his as she clung to him.

Come to think of it, Gwahae had always enjoyed his hugs, seeking his warmth. He had assumed she simply craved physical affection due to a lack of love in her childhood, but perhaps she had inherited it from her father.

But Gwahae was still a baby dragon. Did she even understand what love was?

[Candy… yummy!]

He pictured Gwahae’s bright, cheerful face as she happily devoured her snacks.

Well…, this wasn’t exactly a world with dating sims. How could a child understand love?

‘I hope… she’s alright.’

Perhaps it was because he had seen Gwahae in the mental realm, but he felt a sudden longing for her.

He couldn’t just go and see her, unfortunately, so he shook his head, dispelling the thought, and addressed Muk-gang in a serious tone.

“Let me get straight to the point. I’m entangled with a descendant of the Dragon King of the North Sea. And she has… a history of losing control. What can I do to prevent that from happening again?”

He was the one who had trained Gwahae. Therefore, he was responsible for her.

While he personally hoped she would choose the path of humanity, he couldn’t deny her dragon heritage. Gwahae was a hybrid of human and dragon.

Both her human and dragon sides were precious. Therefore, he couldn’t ignore the dragon aspects of her being. He needed to learn more about dragons.

Muk-gang sighed at his question, his expression as if he had expected this, and answered seriously.

“My personal recommendation is to move to the mountains and live a peaceful life together.”

“The mountains? Are there no other options?”

While he wouldn’t mind living peacefully with Gwahae, he had no desire to live in the mountains. A peaceful life in nature sounded idyllic, but in reality, it would be incredibly inconvenient.

They would have to hunt and forage for food, contend with insects, and there would be no access to medical care in case of injury. It wasn’t simply inconvenient; it was dangerous.

And it would be too quiet. He preferred the hustle and bustle of a populated area.

“Then there are only two paths: death, or becoming a hero.”

“Why are all your solutions so extreme? Is there nothing else?”

“There is not. Those who dare to ride a dragon face only two possible outcomes: they are thrown from the dragon’s back and perish, or they seize the dragon by its horns, tame it, and become a hero. There is no other path.”

It was Gwahae who climbed on his back when he slept, not the other way around. It was hardly fair.

He continued to question Muk-gang, but no viable solutions emerged.

He had many more questions about Ao Sun, the Dragon King of the North Sea, the Eight Legions of Devas, and the newly acquired energy of Fudo Myo-o, but the sun was beginning to set, so they agreed to meet again the next day, and he made his way down the mountain.

He had only meditated and talked all day, but he felt utterly exhausted.

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The Jegal Estate, Jegal Liang’s home.

A beautiful girl with fair skin, clear blue eyes like the morning sea, and sharp, pointed teeth hidden behind adorable lips, lay on her bed, a blissful smile on her face.

Gwahae always dreamt of Mancheon, but tonight’s dream had been special. It had felt real. She could almost feel his warmth.

She gently caressed a red silk pouch embroidered with the characters for Sima Mancheon (司馬瞞天) in golden thread.

The pouch, and the meticulously polished staff resting in the corner of her room, were Gwahae’s most prized possessions. She cleaned and polished them herself every day, no matter how busy her training schedule. She allowed no one else to touch them.

Anyone who dared to touch them would face her wrath.

Tracing the golden embroidery with her slender, delicate fingers, she practiced writing Mancheon’s name.

It had been such a strange dream. Mancheon, the clever, intelligent Mancheon, had forgotten his own name, and, transforming into bubbles, had sunk into the darkness.

‘But he remembered my name.’

Her cheeks flushed, a warm blush spreading across her face. Her heart pounded in her chest.

Even in her dream, Mancheon, after all this time, was as handsome as ever. His eyes sparkled, even in the darkness.

And he was still warm.

She recalled the feeling of his strong right arm wrapped around her, holding her tightly, his embrace almost painful. The memory of his warmth filled her with a joy she hadn’t felt in a long time.

She rolled around on her bed, writhing in happiness.

But there had been something, someone, who had interrupted… her perfect happiness.

Gwahae stopped rolling and stared blankly at the ceiling, the light fading from her beautiful blue eyes.

She recalled the crimson thread connected to Mancheon’s robe in her dream, a thin, vibrant thread that stretched out, connected to something, somewhere.

It was a disturbing image. A heat, different from the pleasant warmth she had felt earlier, spread through her, a sticky, uncomfortable sensation, a burning rage that churned deep within her gut.

[It seems your beloved~ has been unfaithful~ Shall I lend you my assistance.]

“Be silent.”

[As you wish.]

The black serpent, recognizing that this wasn’t the time to interfere, quickly retreated, its voice colder than the winter seas of the North Sea.

Its side still ached from the Dragon Subduing Palm she had unleashed when it had tried to seize control of her in the mental realm.

Despite having driven the black serpent away, the disturbing image of the red thread lingered in her mind.

Her beautiful blue eyes grew cold, distant, sinking endlessly into the darkness.

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“Older Brother, say ah~”

She sat in Mancheon’s room, feeding him bite-sized portions of the Western cuisine she had prepared. It was extravagant, perhaps, but it brought him immense joy.

He had never had a younger sister before, so he hadn’t known the joys of being an older brother. His efforts to build a relationship with her had paid off.

Perhaps they had become a little too close, but all’s well that ends well.

As he sampled the various exotic and delicious dishes, Yeonhwa quietly offered him a glass of water.

“Here you go, Older Brother.”

He was thirsty. Perfect timing. He had noticed it before, but Yeonhwa was incredibly perceptive.

She watched him with a happy smile as he accepted the water with a small smile of thanks and took a sip.

She observed him, taking in every detail: his eyebrows, his nose, his ears, his eyes, the curve of his throat, his lips.

He wasn’t a conventionally handsome man. The world was vast, and there were many men more handsome than Mancheon. But for her, there was no one else.

She loved her older brother. Just looking at his face brought a smile to her lips, her heart swelling with happiness.

She placed a hand over her heart, feeling the steady beat beneath her palm. The same blood that flowed through her older brother’s veins flowed through hers.

Sima Rang, the current eldest son of the Sima family, was actually Jang Chun-hwa’s much younger brother. Their father had died of old age when Sima Rang was still a child, and their mother had abandoned him, taking their inheritance.

The other relatives had refused to adopt him, claiming his blood was tainted, so Sima Bu…

“My wife’s family is my family. If there is no one else to care for him, I will.”

had adopted him as his son. It was a heartwarming tale.

A sneer flickered in Yeonhwa’s red eyes. Sima Bu only cared for his beloved wife, Jang Chun-hwa, and his true son, Sima Mancheon.

He had taken in his wife’s younger brother, a boy unrelated by blood, not out of kindness, but because he needed a decoy to protect his true heir.

If an enemy of the Sima family were to strike, who would they target? The designated heir, or the untrained second son?

Sima Rang’s poor health wasn’t solely due to a weak constitution.

‘Such a despicable man.’

She subtly shook her head, careful not to let any stray hairs fall into her older brother’s food, and banished Sima Bu from her thoughts, refocusing her attention on Mancheon.

It was a wonder how such a kind and wonderful older brother could be born from such a deceitful man.

Her heart pounded at the thought of sharing the same blood as her beloved older brother.

Yes, she and her older brother were the only true Sima descendants, bound by an unbreakable thread of crimson blood.

The last remaining male and female wolves in the world. It was destiny.

Her beautiful red eyes, fixated on Mancheon, burned with a fiery intensity.

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Ayoo! Two ladies at once boy!