Chapter 54. First Foray into Murim (1)

While I was bursting out in laughter for a while, Yeongcheon's voice came.

“Are you really okay? Does he usually act like that?”

At that question, Nam Geon answers haltingly.

“U-usually, he's n-not that bad. H-he is a little strange.”

Meanwhile, Sohyang was quickly approaching me.

“This is not the time for jokes! Senior Brother! Stop laughing! The blood is still coming out.”

“R-right. B-big bro is covered in blood! Y-you'll f-faint again like last time!”

Thanks to Junior Sister and Nam Geon making a fuss, my laughter finally subsided.

“Thanks.”

Saying so, I took the medicine container that Junior Sister held out.

I took off the top of my black martial uniform, which was riddled with holes and tears, and applied the medicine to the wounded areas.

And I tore the black clothes, which were already close to rags anyway, and bandaged the areas where I had applied the medicine.

After roughly finishing the first aid, I spoke to Yeongcheon.

“I'm sorry. A pleasant thought came to mind for a moment, and I laughed without realizing it.”

“Ahem. I-if a pleasant thought comes to mind, o-one can do that. Of course. Hahaha.”

Yeongcheon, who was laughing awkwardly, soon made a serious expression.

“More importantly, there is one thing I would like to say to you little brothers.”

“Please speak.”

“No matter if they are mountain bandits, was it really necessary to kill them all? At first, it was dangerous, so it couldn't be helped, but couldn't you have spared the last one or two?”

“……”

For a moment, I was at a loss for words.

Not because I had nothing to say in rebuttal, but because there were so many things to rebut that I didn't know where to start.

“Ahem. Killing is also a kind of karma. Little brothers. When it's possible to subdue them without killing, it's better to show some mercy in your hands……”

Slightly averting my gaze from Yeongcheon, who was spouting nonsense in front of me, I looked at the sprawled-out men in black.

Indeed.

Two of them were alive.

It seemed they were the ones Yeongcheon had subdued.

I thought it was rather fortunate.

Ignoring Yeongcheon's nonsense, I walked towards the still-living men in black.

“L-little brother? What are you trying to do now?”

Yeongcheon follows, startled.

He hadn't changed, whether it was ten years later or now. His meddling was also the same.

I said to Yeongcheon, who was blocking my way.

“First of all, those guys are not mountain bandits.”

To begin with, judging these guys as mountain bandits was a mistake.

“Mountain bandits wouldn't dress up in black clothes like that, and it's impossible for masters of this caliber to be playing bandit in such a deserted mountain.”

Yeongcheon's eyes widened.

“No wonder! I thought it was strange that the mountain bandits' skills were all formidable. I was even worried that my own training was lacking, making it difficult to deal with mountain bandits.”

Yeongcheon, who was speaking in a surprised tone, asked.

“Then, who are these people?”

“They are assassins sent from the Black Market to kill us.”

“Black Market? What is the Black Market?”

I asked Yeongcheon, who knew nothing.

“By any chance, is this your first foray into Murim?”

It was a question that could have been offensive, but Yeongcheon laughed innocently.

“Hahaha. Was it that obvious? After training in the mountains, I received permission from the sect elders for the first time and am currently wandering the secular world for a while.”

I unknowingly turned my head and looked at Nam Geon.

“Wh-why, big bro?”

I turned my head again and looked at the innocently smiling Yeongcheon.

“Hahaha.”

A strangely similar feeling.

I started to wonder if there was some fate that made similar guys have to kill each other when they met.

Just in case, I looked at Nam Geon again and asked.

“Nam Geon.”

“Y-yes, big bro.”

“Do you feel any urge to attack or kill Taoist Yeongcheon?”

I became needlessly anxious.

What kind of fate was it, that just as Yeongcheon had helped me again.

I worried that by a twist of fate, Nam Geon might kill that man again.

Nam Geon answered, startled.

“Wh-why would I attack the Taoist big bro, big bro. B-big bro, I think your head really hurts.”

“Hahaha. Little brother. The joke is going too far.”

Thanks to Nam Geon's and Yeongcheon's reactions, a sigh of relief escaped me.

Fortunately, it seemed there was no such strange fate.

“Yes. It was a joke. Ah, come to think of it, did you ask what the Black Market was?”

“That's right, little brother.”

“To put it simply, the Black Market is a gathering place for trash.”

“……?”

He didn't seem to understand at all, perhaps because I had summarized it too briefly.

“Those who kidnap or traffic people, those who buy and sell things they stole by killing people. The market where such trash gathers to trade is the Black Market.”

Yeongcheon, who made a surprised expression as if it was a story he had never imagined, asked.

“But why did that place called the Black Market send assassins after you little brothers?”

“It's because we once attacked a Black Market in Guizhou.”

“How could you do such a dangerous thing!?”

“Didn't you also do a dangerous thing to save us, Taoist?”

“Th-that's true, but.”

“Anyway, the Black Market is a place where such trash gathers. So please step aside. There's something I need to ask them.”

Yeongcheon answered with a troubled expression.

“I understand that they are not mountain bandits. But killing is killing. Little brother. No matter how bad a deed they have committed, shouldn't we at least give them a chance to repent their sins?”

A sigh almost escaped me without me realizing it.

If it weren't for the times Yeongcheon had helped me, I might have unknowingly let out a stream of curses.

“By what right do you forgive their sins? If they repent and live a good life, who will take responsibility for the tears of those who died at their hands, had their belongings stolen, or had their entire families kidnapped?”

“……”

Yeongcheon closed his mouth with a complicated expression.

Yeongcheon, who seemed to be organizing his thoughts inwardly, let out a deep sigh and said.

“That is a problem I had never thought of before.”

He soon clasped his hands in a fist-and-palm salute and bowed his head.

“I admit that my thoughts were short. But my belief that life is precious remains unchanged. I will continue to ponder the question you have thrown me and find an answer.”

“Then please do not interfere until you find that answer.”

Saying so, I passed by Yeongcheon and approached the man in black.

Yeongcheon reached out his hand towards my shoulder, but then let out a sigh and withdrew his hand.

Two men in black, bleeding and struggling on the ground.

“Do you know about Hyeok Ilso?”

I asked them about the Golden Demon Hyeok Ilso and the Black Market.

I even went so far as to torture them, but unfortunately, these guys didn't know much.

Well, it wasn't a complete loss.

Thanks to the Blood Shadow Ghost Spear, I was certain that I could meet Hyeok Ilso if I kept raiding Black Markets.

“I should go to Gojang first.”

And I could get information about the next Black Market in Gojang anyway.

***

After appropriately throwing the corpses as food for wild animals, we left the mountain path.

For some reason, Yeongcheon was following us.

“Hahaha. Since we met like this, it must be fate, so how about we travel together?”

He said so, but his expression was tinged with worry.

“Are you going to talk about that killing karma thing again?”

“I am thinking of discussing that issue as well. However, I am not trying to stop you unconditionally like before. I am thinking of traveling with you, Jin little brother, to find an answer to that question.”

I felt sorry for Yeongcheon, but I had no intention of leisurely wandering around debating right and wrong with a Taoist who was on his first foray into Murim.

Whether he noticed I was about to refuse, Yeongcheon added.

“Also, didn't you say earlier that those people were assassins sent from the Black Market? If those people are as vicious as you say, little brother, it seems unlikely they would send them only once and be done with it. It will be dangerous for just the three of you to travel, so I was thinking of lending a hand.”

It seemed his worried expression from a moment ago was because of this.

His meddling was the same, and his sense of chivalry was also the same.

I briefly thought about refusing because I disliked his meddling, but I caught sight of Junior Sister.

If more enemies, or stronger enemies, were to come than this time, it seemed it would not be easy for just me and Nam Geon to fight while protecting Junior Sister.

I clasped my hands in a fist-and-palm salute to Yeongcheon and said.

“As long as you don't interfere, we would be nothing but grateful.”

“Ahem. Until I find my own answer, I won't bring up that issue, so you don't have to worry. Hahaha.”

Yeongcheon, who laughed heartily, let out an exclamation of ‘Ah!’ as if he had remembered something late.

“Come to think of it, that person you were fighting earlier, Jin little brother, seemed to be a peak master. How on earth did you win? Don't tell me you've also already crossed the wall of the peak, Jin little brother?”

“I am still first-rate. I gained an enlightenment about footwork by chance, so I was barely able to catch him.”

“Hoho. Enlightenment during a life-and-death battle. I never thought I would actually see something I had only heard about from the sect elders. To have already reached first-rate at that age, it seems your talent is quite outstanding, Jin little brother.”

Laughter almost burst out.

This man will never know.

The fact that in the original future, he himself had given me the advice, ‘You have no talent, so leave Jianghu.’

Laughing for no reason would probably just get me treated like a crazy person by Nam Geon again, so I just opened my mouth and said what came to mind.

“As it happens, the enlightenment I gained from the life-and-death battle a moment ago was lingering. I'm afraid that enlightenment might slip away, so from here on, I will travel while training footwork and movement arts.”

As soon as my words ended, Junior Sister, with a startled face, stopped me.

“S-Senior Brother? The bleeding has just stopped. I-if you run again, the wound……”

“It's fine. They were all just scratch-level wounds anyway, so they'll heal if I eat well and sleep well.”

For some reason.

“Sigh.”

Even though I didn't burst into a fit of laughter like before, Nam Geon let out a sigh and shook his head from side to side.

***

After half a day of traveling while training.

Jin Yuseong and his party were able to arrive at a village called Xupu.

Since the sun had not yet set, Jin Yuseong wanted to pass through the village, travel further, and then sleep outdoors.

But his companions opposed it.

“B-big bro. You'll really faint if you keep this up.”

“Senior Brother. I-I'm too tired to move anymore.”

“Little brother. Please, just endure it.”

If only Yeongcheon had tried to stop him, he would have ignored it, but even Nam Geon and Baek Hyang had desperate faces.

In the end, they entered a shabby inn they found while wandering around the small village for a rest and a meal.

After getting a room and ordering dinner, Nam Geon's combative meal began.

“Food!”

Baek Hyang, though not as combative as Nam Geon, also diligently stuffed food into her mouth.

“Yes. Eating is also a part of training.”

Jin Yuseong, who smiled contentedly at Junior Sister's effort, buried his head in the boiled meat.

In Yeongcheon's case, as befitting a Taoist, he ordered and ate only vegetables and noodles.

While each of them was eating to the best of their ability.

Munch, munch.

Whether Nam Geon's combative eating was noticeable, the innkeeper and the waiter were whispering to each other.

After finishing their meal and unpacking their luggage, Jin Yuseong tried to head outside the inn again for training.

“A-again? You're moving again, big bro?”

“At night, I only plan to do energy circulation. I'm heading out now for your Iron Blood Golden Skin Art training, so don't worry.”

“Y-you can rest for a day.”

“Have you forgotten your revenge?”

“Th-that's not it, big bro.”

Just then, Baek Hyang and Yeongcheon intervened.

“S-Senior Brother, you really need to rest.”

“Jin little brother. I don't know what that training is, but do you really have to do it with Nam little brother?”

At Yeongcheon's question, Nam Geon suddenly held out the Mother's Affection Sword to Yeongcheon.

“T-Taoist big bro can do it! So b-big bro, just rest in the room. Hyang! H-hurry up and support big bro back to the room.”

At the desperate gazes of Baek Hyang and Nam Geon, who were holding his arms, Jin Yuseong let out a sigh and started walking.

Nam Geon, after confirming that Jin Yuseong was going back, went outside the inn with Yeongcheon.

“S-so, you're saying I should strike you with all my might with this sword?”

“Th-that's right. I-it won't be training if it doesn't hurt.”

While Yeongcheon, with a troubled expression, took the Mother's Affection Sword and got a feel for it, gauging the center of gravity.

Suddenly, a dozen or so residents flocked towards the inn.

Among them, an old man stepped forward and asked Yeongcheon.

“I-I am Pyeongil, the village chief of this village. B-by any chance, are you the chivalrous warrior Ghost Sword Young Master and his party?”

Yeongcheon tilted his head, as it was the first time he had heard the alias Ghost Sword Young Master.

At that moment, Nam Geon nodded his head vigorously and answered as if proud.

“That's right. O-our big bro's nickname is Gh-Ghost Sword Young Master!”

Yeongcheon had a strange feeling.

‘It seems like a very fitting alias.’

With that thought in mind, Yeongcheon asked.

“But do you have something to say to Jin little brother? If you tell us, we will relay the message for you.”

He said it out of a desire for Jin Yuseong to rest comfortably.

But.

“P-please save us!”

Yeongcheon had not expected that the old man would suddenly kneel and shout like this.

“Please help us!”

Even the residents who came with him all knelt before Yeongcheon at once.

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