Episode-1

There was a man referred to as 'Fist Demon'.

His name was Hyeok Ryeon Mugang.

In an era of chaos and entanglement, he suddenly appeared and left behind numerous legends.

He never hesitated to face an approaching battle and didn't care about the identity of his opponent.

Whether it was a revered scholar of a prestigious clan or the final exponent of a massive martial sect, if they challenged him to a fight, he mercilessly defeated them.

The same goes to Na Han-seung of the Shaolin Sect, who chanted a Buddhist prayer to teach him.

The dispute had no specific catalyst, yet once ignited, it left no room for clemency. Consequently, animosities festered, and a thirst for revenge took root.

He perpetually confronted countless threats, yet Mugang endured unscathed. He never tasted defeat.

As time passed, his reputation grew so fearsome that even members of his own gang dared not provoke him, contributing to Mugang's ascendancy as a legend of invincibility in the martial world.

He was truly an indomitable martial artist.

However, those who had been victimized by him playfully reshaped his moniker, exacting minor vengeance, dubbing him the 'Brainless Fist Demon'.

It connoted a recklessness in combat, heedless and vehement, devoid of strategy.

Initially, Mugang remained indifferent to others' perceptions and appellations, living life by his own principles and whims.

However, as he was not one to initiate actions, he naturally faded into obscurity over time. Eventually, Mugang passed away, his demise peaceful and due to old age.

Thus, forgotten by collective memory, Fist Demons's saga reached its conclusion.

No, it was inevitable that it should conclude.

******

"... ..."

Feeling tired, like waking up from a long sleep.

Mugang raised his upper body and yawned.

My whole body was tired. Is it because of the weight of the years accumulate d in the body?

No, it couldn't have been.

No matter how old he is, he's a horse.

The body that reached the ultimate of nothingness did not lose the density of its muscles and bones eve n in the face of old age.

Compared to the prime of his youth, he had come down slightly, but his body was still like steel.

Considering the accumulated experience and the purity of the inner workings, it was good to say that it was rather superior.

Even at the moment of death, I did not suffer from aging.

In a way, it seemed to have met an end closer to the concept of fables.

"however. ?"

What's more, the voice he muttered earlier was different from his own.

Bang!

The loud sound of porcelain bowls hitting the floor.

When I turned around, I saw a middle-aged man with a flagship through the half-open door.

"Master, master, master, my lord!"

'My lord'?

As he was addressed correctly, Mugang felt momentarily dazed. He lowered his gaze and examined his body.

A frail and feeble physique, drained of vitality, with bones loosely connected. A weakened and fragile body, seeming to be a million leagues apart from any form of training, lay there.

"This is damn absurd."

The situation was grasped in an instant. Even if it was hard to accept, it was understandable. Though he was given the moniker of 'Brainless' by the world, it wasn't that he truly lacked thinking ability or was foolish. From the start, that was just a title the defeated attached out of spiteful vengeance.

Merely a petty act, a retaliatory gesture using his tongue since he couldn't do so with his fist.

'Reincarnated, perhaps? Seems that way.' It wasn't a situation he particularly desired, causing his brows to furrow involuntarily.

"Oh my, my lord! Are you alright?"

"Not alright, so shut up and leave me alone."

"Pardon?"

"I said shut up and let me think."

As the middle-aged man who had been making fuss about Mugang stiffened as if struck by a hammer.

Whether he said anything or not, Mugang examined his physical condition.

While trying to draw out his strength for a final bout, he had failed and let out a sigh. It was not like he had wanted this state of affairs.

"Look here."

"Yes, yes?"

"Who am I?"

"Yes?"

"Is my name 'Yes'? It can't be. My mind is hazy, so please explain."

"Oh my, Lord Jegal Cheon! How did this happen to you!"

Jegal Cheon? A name he had never heard before. However, one couldn't possibly not know the family name Jegal. If we were to list the most famous families in Murim, it could be counted on one hand.

Could it be the White-Faced Sage family, known for spreading nonsensical excuses? They had met once before.

In a world of how things should be and righteousness, a young man with a student's uniform and a white cloth headband. It made so much noise that, he had plucked all the feathers from a fan and stuffed them up his nostrils, shutting them tight.

"His name is probably..."

He couldn't remember. He probably never asked in the first place.

"Oh my, oh my!" Even while fumbling through old memories, the old man continued to sob in front of Mugang.

It was probably well-intentioned, but hearing it repeatedly was getting on his nerves. It happened on its own.

Snap!

"Wha- What?!"

The man was taken aback as Mugang lightly gripped his collar. With weaker physical strength than he had anticipated, Jeoksawoon let out another sigh.

"Stop yammering and answer the questions."

"Yo- Your Excellency..."

"Seems like my name is Jegal Cheon. And who might you be?"

"I am your humble servant, Jegal Sam."

"I see, Jegal Sam. I remember. By the way, my physical condition seems ridiculous. What happened?"

"You truly have no recollection?"

"If I remembered, you wouldn't be giving such evasive answers."

Jegal Sam tensely responded to the faintly sensed irritation in Mugang's words. He felt that Jegal Cheon had become a completely different person. And indeed he had.

"You... suffered from... an assault and were unconscious for nearly ten days."

"Assault? To whom?"

Was it due to some reckless action or perhaps some form of corporal punishment? It wasn't.

"The details are not known."

"Not known?"

"Yes."

"Hmm."

"Well, there are some speculations, but nothing is certain. From what I heard, there was no conclusive evidence to identify the assailants."

"I see. Understood."

Mugang ended the conversation calmly. Jegal Sam felt worried by his attitude, as if he was brushing it off like it was someone else's business.

"It seems like you've hurt your head pretty badly, my lord."

Despite Jegal Sam's concerns, Mugang had already lost interest.

'To get beaten up and knocked out by unknown people. He must be quite pathetic.'

It seemed likely that this Jegal Cheon was either halfway dead or actually dead. Though he didn't quite understand why, it felt as if Mugang's spirit is attached to this body.

'Living my life quite contentedly, I thought I had no regrets in this world. Was that not the case?' Mugang mumbled to himself while scratching his chin.

In any case, being alive again wasn't a bad thing. Whether it was the will of the heavens or the whims of fate, it wasn't his concern. Just like in his previous life, he could live as he pleased.

******

"Cheon has awakened?"

"Yes, my lord. It seems he regained consciousness around the time of the new moon."

"Hmm."

"But there's an issue."

"An issue?"

"According to Jegal Sam, it seems that the youngest lord might have lost his memories."

The main hall of the Jegalsega estate. A middle-aged man with a half-white beard, dressed in fine silk robes, was furrowing his brow.

He was Jegal Yun, Jegal Cheon's father.

"Well, then there's no point in asking about the assault."

"Yes, it seems so." Baek-ho Sang, the chief administrator of Jegal family, responded.

"How is the investigation progressing?"

"Regrettably, there hasn't been much progress so far."

"Even so, we must not halt the investigation. We must search every grain of sand and find the truth!"

"Yes, my lord."

"Though he may be inexperienced and inferior, Cheon is my child and Jegalsega Ju's heir. The fact that Jegalsega Ju's heir was attacked here in Yungjoong cannot be ignored!"

"We will spare no effort to uncover the truth about the absorption."

"Of course, that's the way. We must achieve results as quickly as possible."

"Yes." Having given the command with a solemn demeanor, Jegal Yun finally quelled his anger.

"Cheon is likely still lying in bed, isn't he?"

"Most likely, wouldn't that be the case? He was in a coma for a whole ten days before finally waking up..."

"Summon a physician to administer some medicine."

"I will send for Doctor Baek to attend to him."

"Yes, do that." At least as parents, they had fulfilled their duty. Jegal yun's affection for his youngest son was just about that much. After all, it was only natural.

Eldest son Jegal Myeong was hearty and excelled in martial arts, while second son Jegal Sak was remarkably clever.

On the other hand, the third son and youngest, Jegal Cheon, was practically a burden.

He wasn't even particularly smart, and he lacked even a hint of assertiveness, making him subtly disregarded by the household staff.

Rather, the occurrence of an incident like this attack is even more peculiar. After all, there was no one who could pose a threat in the first place, so there wasn't even a reason to poke around.

"It must surely be the work of ignorant troublemakers who are unaware of the situation here," Baek-hosang thought.

The martial world had been in disarray as of late. Even if Yungjoong's security was a mess, it was impossible to monitor every wanderer who came and went. Passing by, there might be a penniless-looking youngster, not even considering who they really were and possibly hitting the back of the head for all you know.

"That youngster probably didn't even know that Jegal Cheon was the youngest master." Baek-ho-sang concluded that the incident was likely nothing more than a minor event.

'I should have some appropriate herbs prepared for a decoction.'

******

"Uh, Lord?"

Mugang remained silent. He had intended not to respond, but the oblivious Jegal Sam persisted in speaking.

"Did you come here for some special purpose?"

"You, you really have no sense."

"Yes?"

"If a person who almost got to witness the celestial realm came looking for the herbal storage, wouldn't the reason be quite obvious?"

Jegal Sam stood there with his mouth agape.

"If you want to take some medicine, you should ask the physician..."

"No need. I will handle it myself now, so just keep your mouth shut."

The place that Mugang had come to was Jegal family's herbal storage. As he walked in with Jegal Sam nervously watching, the guards who recognized the intruder narrowed their eyes.

"Youngest Master?"

"Are you Master Jegal Cheon?"

"Yes." With a curt response, Mugang tried to pass by, but the guards were taken aback.

"If you wish to enter the herbal storage, you need permission from the Lord."

"Done."

"I already have it. So step aside."

"Are you sure?" Mugang turned sharply to the guard who asked the question.

"Do you have sesame seeds inside your skull?"

"...Yes?"

"If the young master of this household personally comes and says so, do you doubt it? You must be well aware that such behavior goes against the will of my father, the Lord."

"Open the door and step aside."

Assertively commanding, Mugang's demeanor was so imposing that the pale and feeble Jegal Cheon hardly seemed believable. Overwhelmed by the dominance, the guards opened the door to the herbal medicine warehouse. Mugang confidently entered inside.