Surviving as a Cripple in Murim – Chapter 93

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Teottry
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Mancheon, who had just shared a moment of warmth with another woman, was now in her arms.

[I know you’re angry… but how about you calm down a little?]

Ignoring the black serpent’s plea from within, Gwahae’s body moved first, unable to tolerate the sight.

“G-Gwahae-?!”

Before Jegal Yeon could stop her, she leaped from the railing.

Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms – Flying Dragon in the Heavens.

-Crash!!

She landed with a thud, kicking up dust and cracking the tournament stage.

“You’re… the Jade Dragon of the Jegal Family?”

For some reason, she was exuding a menacing aura.

“……”

Xiaoshao, recognizing the sudden intruder, tightened her grip on Mancheon, as if to protect him.

Gwahae’s brow furrowed at the provocative gesture.

Her blue eyes flashed with anger at the continued provocation, and she prepared to unleash the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms.

“Gwahae? Gwahae!!”

Was it luck or misfortune?

Mancheon, who had been clinging to Xiaoshao, suddenly sat up and embraced Gwahae from the front.

He had switched from ‘baby mode’ to ‘master mode.’

“……!!”

Gwahae’s body was lifted and buried in Mancheon’s chest.

They had exchanged letters, but… it had been five years since they had last seen each other.

They had grown and changed over time, yet they recognized each other instantly.

“You’ve gotten so thin! Did that brat Jegal Liang not feed you?! No… you’ve lost your baby fat.”

After all, they were Mancheon and Gwahae.

For Mancheon, who had always treated martial arts as a game, Gwahae was the first person who had made him feel a sense of responsibility, a desire to become stronger, to protect her.

“I was going to come earlier, but… a lot of things happened. Still…”

Gwahae wasn’t the only one who felt a special connection.

They were already inseparable, their existences intertwined.

They had influenced each other.

They were like fish and water, inseparable companions.

“I really… really… missed you.”

The gentle voice that had comforted her as a child brought a glimmer of light back to Gwahae’s blue eyes.

“Ah, by the way… it’s me, Mancheon. You remember me, right? Don’t tell me you forgot your master’s face…”

The hand that had been about to unleash a palm technique hesitated in mid-air at the familiar warmth, then slowly relaxed, the accumulated inner energy dissipating.

“Yes… I missed you too.”

She wrapped her arms around Mancheon’s back, embracing the foolish man.

The scent of another woman was deeply unpleasant, but… she savored the joy of their reunion, feeling his strong arms wrapped around her.

“Young Master Sima…?”

But… Xiaoshao, who had witnessed the entire scene,

who had suddenly become an outsider, couldn’t share in their joy.

She had been the purpose of his journey, a reunion with a long-lost friend.

She should be happy for him, congratulate him, but… she couldn’t. She didn’t want to.

Xiaoshao’s face hardened.

The heart that had been pounding just moments ago, when Mancheon was in her arms, now felt like it was being dragged down by a lead weight.

A dark emotion clouded her mind.

“Well… I’m glad you’re happy to see your friend, but your wounds are deep. Let’s get you treated first.”

She forced a smile and reached out to touch Mancheon’s back, but…

-Slap!

“……?!”

Gwahae slapped her hand away.

She peeked out from Mancheon’s embrace, her blue eyes flashing a warning.

“Don’t touch. He’s mine.”

Dragons were divine, but also greedy creatures.

They did not tolerate thieves who coveted their precious treasures.

But Xiaoshao couldn’t accept it either.

The little king’s brow furrowed at the absurd statement.

“Ha?”

She could no longer control her expression.

‘Young Master Sima… hers? What is this woman talking about…?’

Mancheon didn’t belong to anyone.

He was a man who forged his own destiny, the one who had come to her in her despair…

A coldness filled her calm, jade-like eyes.

He was her hero.

She met Gwahae’s gaze without flinching.

Zhanlu, her treasured sword, hidden in her infrimary, resonated with its master’s energy, humming and vibrating, ready to fly to Xiaoshao’s hand at a moment’s notice.

Two girls, one man.

“……”

A silent, immense pressure emanated from the dragon and the king.

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And in the seats reserved for the elders and officials of the Martial Alliance, an unusual atmosphere was brewing.

“Ahem… I’m not sure what’s going on, but! It looks heartwarming!”

Jegal Biyeong, the deputy commander of the Flying Dragon Unit, suddenly stood up and applauded Mancheon and Gwahae.

“Let’s give them a hearty congratulations-!!”

-Clap Clap Clap!

“Hey, hey~ you two look good together! Be happy!!”

A bead of sweat trickled down Jegal Biyeong’s jaw.

The young man who had caused a huge commotion at the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering.

Sima Mancheon.

He was his friend’s son and the nephew of his deceased first love, so he had tried to smooth things over, but…

“Stop with the nonsense! Get that brat down from there! Arrest him!!”

…it was no use.

The elders, with their long beards and old age, began to clamor.

“A-Alliance Leader! The elders from the Sichuan Tang Family, the Huangbo Family, and the Zhongnan Sect have arrived!”

Even the high-ranking officials of the various sects and families had come to protest.

“Alliance Leader! I heard you brought that cripple here!!”

“What are you plotting?! What do you want to achieve with this?!”

“The last martial art he used was the Wudang Sect’s Tai Chi Chuan! Is he your hidden disciple?!”

“Tell us! Is the Wudang Sect trying to monopolize the Martial Alliance?!”

Were they spewing baseless accusations to gain an advantage, or did they really believe it?

Either way, it was a headache.

“Sigh… I don’t want to be the Alliance Leader anymore…”

Zi Lu sighed.

It had been fun watching the commotion, but in the end, he was always the one who had to clean up the mess.

He massaged his temples with his thumb.

‘Zhang-style Tai Chi Chuan.’

He recalled Mancheon, who had truly mastered Tai Chi Chuan and made it his own.

Well, he had seen a good show.

He looked at Xiaoshao, who now showed a variety of emotions, albeit with a slightly frightening expression, and stood up in satisfaction.

“If you’re not going to keep talking here, let’s change locations.”

I’ll take care of this.

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In the Martial Alliance meeting hall, not just the sects that had reached the quarterfinals of the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering, but also the high-ranking officials of various other sects gathered to discuss Mancheon’s punishment.

However, one of the supreme masters of the righteous martial world, one of the Ten Great Masters,

“Is there really a need for a meeting? He didn’t use any dirty tricks. If he defeated seven people in a row, then he’s the winner.”

The great elder of the Jegal Family, Mancheon’s Go friend,

“Am I wrong?”

Jegal Liang, actively defended Mancheon, so

“Well… rules are there to be followed. If we let someone who runs wild become the winner, there will be no discipline.”

The opposition, who wanted to punish Mancheon, couldn’t push their case too strongly.

There were a few who were of the same rank as him, but the difference in skill was too great.

In the martial world, regardless of whether you were from the righteous, demonic, or evil sects, the strong ruled.

Without a strong justification, the words of the strong naturally held more weight.

The elders of the various sects glanced at each other.

And Jegal Liang was a madman.

Even though Zi Lu was also one of the Ten Great Masters, as the Alliance Leader, he tried to resolve things peacefully, but that madman was different. If he was displeased, he would unleash the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms.

Come to think of it, there had been an incident at a previous Dragon-Phoenix Gathering where a participant had defeated all the aspiring martial artists who had reached the top sixteen, saying, “I’ve seen enough of your skills. I’m bored and want to play Go.”

That participant had been Jegal Liang.

He had mellowed with age, but he was still a man to be wary of.

And as Jegal Liang had said, the fact that the aspiring martial artists of the various sects, except for the Ice Dragon, had been defeated so easily was a major factor.

“He’s quite skilled for his age…”

“But a cripple of unknown origin can’t be given the title of ‘Dragon.'”

The atmosphere was such that

“He has a master. He’s a disciple of the Emei Sect, though it’s a fallen sect.”

“But as you said, we can’t give the title of ‘Dragon’ to someone who didn’t officially participate. So…”

Zi Lu, while subtly taking Mancheon’s side, tried to appear neutral and find a compromise to resolve the situation smoothly, but…

“Dog Beating Staff Technique.”

The elder of the Hebei Peng Family, who had been silent until now, spoke up.

“I don’t care about the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering anymore.”

The eyes of Peng Wuxun, the fifth son of the previous head of the family, glinted with killing intent.

“I don’t know about the other martial arts, but the staff technique he used was definitely the Dog Beating Staff Technique.”

Due to the fact that only the Beggar King could learn it, few in the righteous martial world had actually seen the Dog Beating Staff Technique, but he couldn’t be mistaken.

“I’m curious how he learned the Dog Beating Staff Technique.”

After all, the Eight-Foot Tall Monster, a public enemy of the martial world, had used the Dog Beating Staff Technique to beat the previous head of the Hebei Peng Family senselessly, leaving him incontinent and confined to his room to this day.

“Isn’t he a disciple of the Eight-Foot Tall Monster?”

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Oops he’s caught