Chapter 57. First Foray into Murim (4)

The middle-aged man in the center, the Master of the Confucian Manor, Yu Cheol, bowed his head towards me and spoke.

“Thank you so much for your help, Ghost Sword Young Master.”

“I only did what needed to be done.”

As I appropriately cupped my fist and replied, this time Yeongcheon bowed his head towards the Master of the Confucian Manor.

“I apologize for being deceived by lies and suspecting you right away, Master.”

“I- I was sorry too. I- I was stupid.”

When Nam Geon followed Yeongcheon and bowed his head, the Master of the Confucian Manor laughed awkwardly.

“Ahem. With dozens of people conspiring and lying, how could one not be deceived? Also, thinking about it now, it wasn't without my own fault. It was something I could have handled calmly, but I think I acted too sensitively.”

As if he remembered something, Yeongcheon asked the Master of the Confucian Manor.

“Come to think of it, you were angry at them right away when we first came. Was there some problem from before?”

The Master of the Confucian Manor swept his gaze over the corpses scattered across the mountain and opened his mouth.

“It's only been about a year since we started living here. We bought the land to build this manor from them, and since we lacked the manpower to build the manor, we hired them as laborers, but their attitude changed from then on. They kept secretly loitering around the manor, and sometimes when we went down the mountain for errands in the village, it felt like they were constantly watching us.”

Soon, the master's gaze turned to me.

“The silver and valuables that the Ghost Sword Young Master threw down earlier, were they brought from their houses?”

“That's right.”

“Most of those were things we gave them when we bought the mountain and hired them as laborers.”

“Ah……”

“Perhaps, if you search the village, you will find more.”

Saying so, the master let out a faint sigh.

“Haa. In any case, since they were constantly watching us and loitering around, I couldn't help but become sensitive.”

It was a plausible story, but there was a contradiction.

“Then wouldn't it have been better to fight them and chase them away, or just move to another place altogether?”

It meant that he had already noticed that the villagers were coveting their wealth.

Also, the words the master had said right before the fight bothered me.

“Come to think of it, didn't you say something like that to me? ‘Did that bastard send you?’ Are you perhaps being chased by someone? Is that why you were hiding out here?”

At my question, the master, who seemed to ponder for a moment, opened his mouth with a deep sigh.

“Actually, our family has been running a merchant group in Zhejiang for generations. Then, a year ago, we ran into a master of the unorthodox path, and our merchant group was shattered. We barely managed to grab some of the wealth we had at home and escaped all the way here.”

“Can you tell me the name or alias of that unorthodox path master?”

“He was an unorthodox path master called by the alias Sura Blood Blade. He's quite famous in Zhejiang, but he's probably not that well-known here yet.”

Contrary to the Master of the Confucian Manor's concern, I had heard of that alias.

Not now, but in my previous life.

To be honest, it was an alias I had forgotten.

By the time I was seriously involved in the Jianghu, he was already dead.

Sura Blood Blade, Wi Hak.

As the Master of the Confucian Manor said, he was a master of the unorthodox path famous for his foul temper, and I thought he would be around forty years old by now.

Like a true unorthodox path master, he rampaged as he pleased only against the weak while roaming the Jianghu, then held a golden basin hand-washing ceremony and went into seclusion.

It meant that he lived in luxury with the immense wealth he had plundered by tormenting the weak.

Then one day.

Another unorthodox path master, who was like a sworn brother to him, visited his house and discovered the corpse of Sura Blood Blade, who had turned into a mummy.

The reason I remember this incident clearly is that it happened right when I was starting my activities in the Jianghu.

That is, when I was on my first foray into Murim.

The incident where a notorious unorthodox path master became a mummy.

A few unorthodox and black path masters who were intrigued by this incident tracked it down, and they succeeded in finding out that the incident was caused by a certain 'woman'.

And those who tracked that woman were all either torn to pieces or died as mummies.

As I recalled the information I had heard back then, my head naturally turned.

My gaze was directed at Junior Sister Baek Hyang.

Because the one who killed Sura Blood Blade, Wi Hak, was none other than Lust Disaster Sohyang.

Furthermore, it was precisely through that incident that the alias 'Lust Disaster' began to be widely known throughout the Jianghu.

As if sensing my gaze, Junior Sister Baek Hyang turned her head towards me.

An innocent face that knew nothing.

Only then did I realize an important fact.

Lust Disaster had disappeared.

If so, it meant that the trashy Sura Blood Blade bastard would not die twenty years from now either.

While I was recalling the memories of my previous life, the Master of the Confucian Manor briefly told his story.

“As you said, chivalrous warrior, the reason I left the villagers alone and did not move was because of that. I was afraid of being discovered by Sura Blood Blade. Also, since the villagers hadn't learned a single martial art, I thought it would be fine as long as we were careful. I never imagined they would bring in outsiders with such lies.”

I turned my head to look at him and said.

“Don't worry. As my skills improve, I will find that Sura Blood Blade and kill him.”

The reason Lust Disaster disappeared was because of me.

If so, it was only right that I kill that Sura Blood Blade bastard with my own hands.

I thought it was for the best.

There was no need to wait for twenty years for Lust Disaster to kill him; I could just kill him as soon as my skills were sufficient.

If only to reduce the number of unfortunate victims who would suffer at his hands.

Why was that?

The Master of the Confucian Manor, who had been staring blankly at my face for a moment, suddenly burst into hearty laughter.

“Hahahahahaha.”

I just watched him, wondering if that old man had gone mad too.

The Master of the Confucian Manor, who had barely suppressed his laughter, wiped away the tears that had formed in the corners of his eyes from laughing so hard with the back of his right hand and said.

“Let me be honest. If someone else had said what you said, chivalrous warrior, I would have treated them like a madman. But seeing your age and skill, chivalrous warrior, I started to think that you might really be able to kill him in a few years.”

Saying so, the master suddenly untied the scabbard hanging from his waist and held it out to me, scabbard and all.

“This is to repay your grace for clearing the false accusations against us and helping us, so please do not refuse.”

A sudden gift.

Of course, I shook my head.

“I did not get involved expecting something like this.”

“Then how about thinking of it this way? This sword is the payment for a request. I am requesting you, chivalrous warrior, to kill Sura Blood Blade. Will you accept my request?”

It was truly a statement worthy of a former merchant group leader.

After pondering for a moment, I reached out my hand and received the sword.

Then, the Master of the Confucian Manor smiled faintly and said.

“Trust is the lifeblood of a transaction. Draw the sword and check its condition.”

I gladly drew the sword and examined it.

Sreung.

A clear, cool sound of metal rang out.

A stable center of gravity with the density of the iron evenly distributed without being concentrated in any one place.

When I imbued my internal energy and flicked the blade with my finger, a refreshing sword cry was heard.

Both the sharpness and strength I felt were extraordinary.

The swords I had used until now.

It was incomparable to the swords I had taken from black path bastards or bought from a countryside forge.

Funnily enough, it was even superior to the swords I had used when I was roaming the Jianghu in my previous life.

After finishing the inspection, I sheathed the sword and held it out to the Master of the Confucian Manor.

“It seems to be an excessive item to receive for the price of just one Sura Blood Blade's life.”

The Master of the Confucian Manor's eyes widened for a moment.

He then burst into a mad laugh again, shedding tears.

“Hahahaha.”

The fact that he was trying to just give me such a fine sword made me wonder if he had really gone mad.

“Hahaha. I'm sorry for laughing so much. It was so funny that I couldn't help but laugh.”

“What was so funny?”

“My own situation was funny. My situation of being chased by Sura Blood Blade. My situation where I asked for help here and there, but everyone turned away. Yet, you, chivalrous warrior, are treating Sura Blood Blade, whom everyone feared, as if he were nothing. What's even funnier is myself for believing in you. So how could I not laugh?”

His expression showed a coexistence of doubt and relief.

“I understand your feelings, Master, but I will decline the sword. As I said before, it is too much for the price of Sura Blood Blade's life.”

“Please accept it for my sake. I felt it once again today. That wealth beyond one's ability brings disaster. It was a sword I bought for a large sum of money for self-defense when I was leading the merchant group, but funnily enough, now I'm afraid that I'll get into trouble again because of that sword. So please, chivalrous warrior, take it.”

This time, I couldn't refuse.

The relationship between a swordsman and a sword was truly subtle.

It was good because using a good sword could give one an advantage against an enemy of similar skill.

But one could also lose their life in vain to a master who coveted that good sword.

In any case, the best sword was one that suited one's own level.

“Haa. If you put it that way, I will accept it for now.”

“Hahaha. Thank you, chivalrous warrior.”

Funnily enough, the master who had gifted me a famous sword was cupping his fist to me.

“Then we will clean up this place and prepare to leave for another place. We will wait for news while living quietly in some secluded place. The news that Sura Blood Blade's head has fallen to your sword, chivalrous warrior. When that time comes, I think I'll be able to stretch my legs and sleep soundly.”

“When that day comes, please use your real name with peace of mind.”

The Master of the Confucian Manor's eyes widened again.

The surname Yu and the name Cheol were both likely to be pseudonyms.

There was no reason to use one's real name while on the run.

However, I had no intention of asking for his real name separately.

The Master of the Confucian Manor also didn't mention his real name, since Sura Blood Blade wasn't dead yet.

“Thank you. I really want to regain my original name.”

As the Master of the Confucian Manor said so, tears welled up in his eyes again.

***

After bidding farewell to the Master of the Confucian Manor.

We returned to the village, packed our belongings, and moved on.

It wasn't what we wanted, but we ended up sleeping outdoors.

Lying down to sleep with only a small ember left, for a moment.

Perhaps because today's events were shocking in many ways, none of the party members could fall asleep and were just staring blankly at the stars in the sky.

How long had the silence flowed?

Suddenly, Yeongcheon asked.

“Chivalrous warrior, may I ask you something?”

“Feel free to ask.”

“Just when did you start roaming the Jianghu, chivalrous warrior? It's not for me, a newcomer to Murim, to say, but your experience seems to be on a level that cannot be reached in a day or two.”

If I told him I had regressed, I'd be lucky to just be treated as a madman.

“It's been a few months.”

When I gave a suitable answer, Yeongcheon sighed faintly.

“Heo. It seems that experience also depends on talent.”

I had no idea why that word 'talent' of his sounded so cringey.

It was probably because I myself knew it wasn't talent.

It wasn't talent, but just the experience from my previous life.

“Please go to sleep. You two, go to sleep as well. We need to get a good night's sleep to continue our travel and training from dawn tomorrow, don't we?”

As I said so out of awkwardness, for some reason, Junior Sister Baek Hyang spoke in a tone full of worry.

“Se- Senior Brother, please rest a little tomorrow. You fought twice today, and your injuries haven't healed yet.”

“Th- that's right. Hyeong-a, you n- need to rest.”

I shook my head at the nonsense of my junior sister and Nam Geon.

“Have you already forgotten the story of the Master of the Confucian Manor? Like the villain named Sura Blood Blade in Zhejiang, there are countless trash in the Jianghu. Moreover, that Sura Blood Blade is a master so skilled that if I were to seek him out now, I wouldn't even last three exchanges.”

Sura Blood Blade was an unorthodox path master who had been notorious for decades and was scheduled to hold a golden basin hand-washing ceremony and go into seclusion in the future.

The golden basin hand-washing ceremony was the act of washing one's hands in a golden basin, symbolizing washing away one's ties to the Jianghu, and retiring.

But a bastard who had committed countless evil deeds while active in the unorthodox path retired from the Jianghu unscathed?

No matter how despicably he had avoided conflict with the prestigious orthodox sects and only tormented the weak, considering the notoriety he had built up over decades, it didn't make sense.

In other words, it was possible because he was a master who had reached a high level.

It seemed he was a master who could only be killed after reaching at least Sword Unification.

“In order to deal with such trash even a moment sooner, not a single moment can be wasted.”

At my firmness, Junior Sister Baek Hyang and Nam Geon fell silent.

Yeongcheon suddenly apologized to me out of the blue.

“I'm sorry, Young Master Jin. It seems I judged everything by talent without realizing it. Now I see, your will is truly more amazing than your talent, chivalrous warrior.”

Why was that?

The starlight of the night sky and the faintly remaining embers of the bonfire were engraved in Yeongcheon's eyes.

“I will follow your example, chivalrous warrior, and do my best to devote myself to training. Hahahaha.”

Eyes burning with pure enthusiasm and respect were directed precisely at me.

It was a truly burdensome gaze.

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