880 - I Am This Murim’s Crazy B*tch

In the beginning, there existed a Buddha. As soon as this Buddha opened their eyes, the three thousand worlds were formed. Therefore, this Buddha was called the Original Buddha (本初佛), meaning the origin of all. Several names referred to the Original Buddha, such as Dainichi Nyorai or Vairocana Buddha, both meaning Great Sun (大日). The difference between Dainichi Nyorai and other Buddhas is that Dainichi Nyorai was never born (無生). This is because they existed from the beginning. Since no one gave birth to them, they could never have been born. Furthermore, they were the mother of all, having conceived and created the universe, the oldest of all mothers (老母). Thus, some who follow the greatest fire and its brightness refer to Dainichi Nyorai by another name. The Unborn Ancient Mother (無生老母)! Meanwhile, the current world is misguided. The good should be rewarded, and the wicked punished, but the reality of the world is far from it. The good, while spreading goodness, end up ruined and dying in the streets, whereas the wicked, thriving on their evil deeds, succeed and prosper. As a result, the status of the wicked elevates, and that of the righteous declines, making the world increasingly chaotic and hellish. Yet. Darkness must ultimately succumb to light. Someday, at the time of promise, the greatest demon will appear from the heavens and shatter this corrupt world. At that time, only the good will survive, as the Unborn Ancient Mother will lead them to the true heavens. Once, the righteous, in their limited human perspective, made a grave error regarding this grand plan. The greatest demon appeared on earth, and they mistakenly aided it hoping to welcome the Unborn Ancient Mother. But it was us who were destroyed. The false destruction spoken by the Unborn Ancient Mother was instead the hatred harbored by good people, scarred and bloodied by the harsh reality. Thus, the good who let go of their hatred, those who follow the greatest fire and brightness, freed themselves from the shackles of hatred and finally found peace in a truly radiant world. Indeed. God exists. God exists, and she is of Zhongyuan. However, tragically. This truth cannot be widely revealed. This world remains lawless, teeming with wicked ones who vilify the true deity. Until the righteous cover the earth and achieve the great cause, only the sincerely faithful should keep this secret. Moreover, she is yet unaware of her true identity. Nevertheless, light exists not to illuminate by intent but to naturally radiate wherever it is. “Miss, would you like some fish jerky? We had a good catch last autumn, so I just air-dried it, and it tastes quite nice.” “Oh, really? Let me try. Munch, munch, oh, this is delicious! Wow, it might be the best thing I’ve ever tasted?” “Hehe, you're flattering me.” “No, I’m serious. It’s so good you could sell this. You really should think about selling it.” “Oh no, it's just a one-time luck that I made them this well. Who’s to say they’d turn out just as good next time?” “Oh, is that so? Makes sense, I guess.” Incidentally, the "just incidental" process was quite involved. Carefully preparing only large, oil-rich fish, meticulously removing the countless freshwater fish bones with tweezers, drying them in sunny weather, smoking them alternately with applewood and lacquer trees, and painstakingly drying and laying them for four months, and finally hand-shredding them into jerky pieces for easy consumption. It was a process so arduous that another "just incidental" attempt might drive one mad. Yet, what should we call witnessing the incarnation of the deity on earth, being able to meet her in person, and even presenting offerings to her? Truly a blessed event, though words fail to capture its essence! Now, the offerings of the divine sect devotees enter a new realm. What use is presenting ordinary snacks? Special offerings must be made! Yet, without the option of offering just anything, the answer lies in homemade, handmade snacks! And so, with utmost devotion, these offerings, subtly given to the divine when she visits, become a devotional pursuit, almost akin to an earnest and engrossing productive hobby. “Oh, did the lady arrive? I heard you're going away for a while. I made some sausage; though it's my first time, it seems to have turned out decently. You can eat it when you're bored, or slice it into big pieces for soup.” “Oh, sausage. But is it okay to take it? Aren't they meant for sale?” Sausage involves stuffing animal intestines with spiced meat and drying it. While not difficult to make, drying is tricky, leading to many spoiling or rotting items. Therefore tastefully made sausage is considered a gourmet ingredient. “They’re not really for sale. I just wanted to see how they turned out, so if you taste them and give feedback, I might consider a career change. Haha.” “Well then, let's see. Num.” Qing munched, and gulped. “You should seriously consider a career change. It’s neither salty nor overly dried. How did you dry the fat to such perfection?” “Hehe, thank you. By the way, is there any flavor you think I should add? Just for preparation, you know, I should try out various flavors if I'm going to prepare for a change.” “Well, something spicy could work. Although, making it too spicy won’t appeal to everyone, so maybe not too much.” With those words, the employee from the Seol Gonam Company’s eyes gleamed with interest. “Spicy, indeed. Got it.” Additionally, requests for handshakes and gifts stuffed into sleeves are pouring in. “I’ve recently gotten into baking snacks. Would you like to try some Korean snacks?” “Dried lamb meat……” “There might be heavy snow; please take a pair of snowshoes with you." **Notes on Translations:** 1. **본초불 (Original Buddha)**: Translated as "Original Buddha" to retain the foundational aspect. 2. **대일여래 (Dainichi Nyorai)**: Translated as "Great Sun" and maintained in the original context to present the essence. 3. **무생노모 (Unborn Ancient Mother)**: Translated directly to denote divinity without beginning, emphasizing the ancient maternal aspect. 4. **대일 (Great Sun)**: Explained as "Great Sun" because it refers to a significant symbol akin to the sun. 5. **Zhongyuan(中原)**: Translated as "Zhongyuan" (Central Plains) as it refers to a specific region in China commonly acknowledged in martial world narratives. The passage uses religious tones to discuss the mystical origins blended with familiar worldly contexts — such as discussing gifts or homemade items, which juxtaposes the otherworldly grandeur described earlier. Changes might include adding or clarifying mythical titles as new contexts or hanja are revealed. "Picked this up along the way, anyone in need of a Hwasubja? I tried to find its owner, but no one showed, and I have no use for it." "The peanut harvest was good, so here's some beef jerky..." Hmm, who would carelessly drop an expensive thing like a Hwasubja? And what does a good peanut harvest have to do with beef jerky? In any case, there was this fervor, almost like saying, "Please, just take it," a kind of energetic push. Thanks to that, by the time Qing entered the Seol Gonam Company, she was already clutching countless pouches in both hands. Choi Ryang observed her with a faint smile. He knew all too well how hard everyone had worked, their heads racked in concentration to create the contents of those pouches. It was a symbol of respect, love, and a feeling that could only be described as reverence. "Grandpa, I'm here." "What brings you down so soon? Where's Jayeo? Did you leave without him?" "I have a long way to go, so I plan to make this a quick trip this time around. What about Huimae?" "What? Off somewhere again? Well, I suppose so, but you should give a heads up to prepare things beforehand, right?" "What’s there to prepare? Just money and my body should suffice. So, where's Huimae—" In that moment. A shadow loomed over. When Qing looked up, a black object eclipsed the sun. Moments later, the sunlight beamed brightly again, piercing the eyes. The dark shadow rapidly approached, taking the form of a person. What is this? A flying Huimae? Why is she flying? And bam! It wasn’t flying—it was falling. With a loud crash and a subtle earth tremor, Gyeon Poo Hee crashed onto the frozen winter ground. "Huimae!" Qing rushed to the fallen Gyeon Poo Hee. "Ah, it's younger sister. Hehe..." Gyeon Poo Hee wore her characteristic innocent yet mischievous smile. Yet, even as she smiled, a stream of blood trickled down from her forehead, pooling in her eyes, turning into blood tears that seeped away. "Huimae?" Gyeon Poo Hee's trembling hand reached for Qing’s cheek, and then it dropped. Thud! Gyeon Poo Hee, deceased! Qing's heart plummeted with dread. From here, we need to escape immediately— "Hmm? And who might this be?" Darn, it was too late. With the ensuing voice, Qing's expression soured dramatically. Heavily soured. “Ugh.” “Does your face really have to be like that? Are you complaining about a bit of tough training? A current drop of sweat will save a future drop of blood; getting hit and fainting is all part of it—" “Well, yes, of course. That’s how training typically goes, right?” “Hm...?” Qing nodded repeatedly. Even for Qing, training with her master often ended in fainting, or sometimes didn’t even end at all. If it were real combat, she’d be dead, but since it was training, it ended with a bit of pain, some bruises, and fainting. For a brief moment, a look of pity flashed across the man’s face. A ruggedly masculine handsome man. Despite the winter cold, his upper body was fully bared, revealing small defined muscles standing out as if they were human anatomical models demonstrating muscular positions. Unusual was the eye patch crossing his face, the one-eyed man gazed at Qing with a wide grin, exuding a wild charm yet filled with warmth and familiarity. “Having finally seen your son, can't you greet him with a smile? Right?” Um. Ma. The one-eyed man added. "Ack! I told you to stop that already." Qing shrank back considerably. Oh, I had forgotten about this brat. This brat, Qing’s adopted son and Jayeo’s brother, that brat, Yeom Hwi-yeong, a former Heavenly Demon whose current activities are unclear, chuckled with satisfaction. For the record, this ridiculous adoption was not Qing’s idea—they threatened her with a blade to play the mother role, what could she do? Whether it’s at the Profound or Demon Liberation realm, someone of that outrageous calibur even has the privilege of choosing their own mother. "You're heading out again? Must say, Mother, you've got wanderlust. But, it’s quite hurtful. While you keep my sister close, both of us are children born of other wombs, yet there's such discrimination?" "Probably just the difference between a daughter and a son..." "Is that so? If that’s the case, it can't be helped. To be jealous as an elder brother is somewhat petty, oh, right. Come to think of it, it makes sense." "What, what makes sense?" “If she weren’t my sister, I wouldn't take such unjust treatment so passively either. Certainly, since she's my sister, there's a spirit of wanting to protect? what—why the face, Mother?" “Ah, just thinking you must not have had a younger sister.” If he had a sister, he definitely wouldn't be spouting such nonsense. Hm, come to think of it— I wonder if the pig back home is taking good care of her parents. If she caught herself someone dimwitted and gave them grandchildren... Qing dismissed the sudden thoughts. What’s the use in dwelling on it now? Qing looked down at the limp Gyeon Poo Hee. A real master like Yeom Hwi-yeong giving proper teachings leading to fainting was rare, and suggesting she takes him along just for her convenience seemed unfair. With Huimae alongside, she could gain numerous conveniences like automatic bathing and changing, plus substantial psychological comfort from pinching and coddling. But priority was Huimae quickly escaping the inferior realm, wasn’t it? Barely at the Transcendent level, how could a martial artist hold their head high with that sort of status? How terrifying. If it were me, I’d discard the sword and head to farming straightaway, how could someone be just Transcendent, that’s no human life. Thus for Huimae’s sake, hmm, there’s no choice... This time, I’ll make it a quick trip. Well, haven’t I always traveled alone anyway? **Notes on Translations:** 1. **화섭자 (Hwasubja)**: Translated directly as "Hwasubja," it typically refers to a type of script or document, but in this context appears as an unnamed expensive item or artifact. It remains undefined in terms, left to further plot reveal. 2. **견포희 (Gyeon Poo Hee)**: Identified as a female from context. 3. **엄. 마. (Um. Ma.)**: Retained as is, a form of informal address or jest that amplifies character dynamics and familiarity. 4. **염휘영 (Yeom Hwi-yeong)**: Identified as male and referred to as the former Heavenly Demon. This passage showcases a dynamic interaction between characters, employing humor and familial nuances, while also addressing the disparity in martial skill levels and training experiences. This translation keeps the essence and tone matched to the original by incorporating direct extensions and retaining colloquial expressions. Ensure that any new context around "Hwasubja" is clarified as the storyline progresses.