Chapter 128: Is He Handsome
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Chapter 128 – Is He Handsome?
Cui Lan wiped the sweat beads from her fair forehead, then firmly retied her disheveled hair back and asked.
“Master, why are you so surprised?”
Seop Pyo lifted his gaze from the book cover and asked in return.
“This was placed in your room, you say?”
“Yes. Conspicuously on the desk. I arrived just before Hour of the Dog that day, around dusk. But you had already left.”
“Hmm, I see.”
“At first, I thought it was some kind of gift commemorating my recent achievement. But if you didn’t put it there before you left, Master, where did it suddenly come from? Some sort of goblin’s prank?”
“A goblin… Ha, well, his unfathomable abilities could indeed be called goblin-like. No, actually it would be more than that.”
At Seop Pyo’s meaningful words, Cui Lan immediately responded.
“It sounds like you know something, so please tell me quickly. Making me curious like this.”
Seop Pyo broke into a smile at the sight of his disciple cutely furrowing her brow, then nodded.
“You little… So impatient… Fine, I’ll tell you.”
“I read the note you left saying you’d be back within ten days. But there was no mention of this unfamiliar book, so it was a bit strange.”
“An unexpected guest came to visit that day.”
“Huh? How would they know about this place…”
Cui Lan widened her eyes.
An expression of surprise.
According to Seop Pyo, the only person who knew his hiding place was Ascending Heaven Sword Dragon.
As his disciple, she had already heard and knew all the old stories, so the fact that a guest had suddenly visited was naturally puzzling.
“Hmm, he’s actually someone deeply connected to Senior Ba Hun.”
As soon as Seop Pyo finished speaking, the clever Cui Lan immediately figured out who it was.
“I know! The Vermillion Dragon Medallion of Dragon Martial Gate! It’s the person who has it, right?”
“You little, your intuition really is quick.”
“I’m smart, me. You know that already, so don’t act surprised.”
When Cui Lan deliberately shrugged her shoulders as if showing off, Seop Pyo smirked and gestured.
“Ha. Okay, okay, I acknowledge that.”
“Master, how did that person come to possess the Vermillion Dragon Medallion? At the time, Ascending Heaven Sword Dragon said he was going to keep it somewhere hard to find, so it would never come out into the world.”
“He did. At that time… He said that if during my lifetime I happened to meet someone possessing the Vermillion Dragon Medallion by chance, consider them an avatar, but really that was just a joke. Even I didn’t know. That such a thing would actually happen…”
“Did he perhaps suddenly change his mind while in seclusion and take in a new successor…?”
“That’s not it.”
“Then there’s only one answer. An opportunity of fate, right?”
“Correct. It seems Senior left a record of our conversation back then. That’s how that person who obtained the Vermillion Dragon Medallion cleverly knew about this place.”
“Oh, he left a record…? Then when that person came, did he mention the three favors?”
When Cui Lan hit the mark, Seop Pyo quietly nodded.
“I was taken aback. But I couldn’t pretend not to know, so in the end I set out to grant one of his favors first.”
“No wonder… Ascending Heaven Sword Dragon, that person was also a bit mischievous. By the way, it seems the person who gained this opportunity fortunately wasn’t a bad sort. Seeing how readily you went along, Master… What kind of person was he?”
Seop Pyo said immediately.
“An old fogey.”
At that, Cui Lan cast a blank look.
“……”
An old fogey right off the bat.
Before long, she quietly asked.
“Was he… Old?”
“No. Young. Barely two years older than you.”
“……”
“He was an old fogey. I’m saying it again.”
“A young… Old fogey…”
“That’s right, a young old fogey. Well, he wasn’t a bad person, but we didn’t exactly click.”
“Was he male?”
“Yes.”
“His face…?”
“Face?”
“Geez, is he handsome?”
“……”
“Oh my, you’re not saying anything. Hmm, he must be ugly.”
When Cui Lan made a disappointed face, Seop Pyo scratched his cheek and slyly averted his gaze.
“Well, his features were ordinary. No, actually. Slightly… Ever so slightly… Better than that?”
Cui Lan’s eyes sparkled as she curved up the corners of her mouth.
“Ha, seeing you say it that way, he must be handsome. Handsome, very very handsome.”
“……”
“What, are you worried I’ll pester you to let me meet him?”
“N-no…”
“Hoho. Don’t worry too much. It’s not time yet.”
“Not… Yet…?”
“Yes, not yet.”
“Ha, so you mean you want to meet him sometime?”
“Of course. After I finish my business.”
“Tsk, I said he was a young old fogey.”
When Seop Pyo spoke as if displeased, Cui Lan shook her small head.
“Aw, if he’s stunningly handsome, can’t I put up with a bit of old fogey-ness?”
“……”
“I haven’t had a single romantic relationship, sharpening my blade of revenge while holed up in the mountains, so once I achieve my goal, shouldn’t I meet someone? I don’t want to grow old and die as a virgin ghost.”
“Sigh, suit yourself. Since things have come to this, I’ll tell you in detail.”
Seop Pyo then began telling her about the new owner of the Vermillion Dragon Medallion, Cheol Ryu-heun, and what he had experienced going out this time.
Cui Lan, who had been listening quietly, finally murmured softly in admiration when he finished.
“Wow, Sect Master Cheol is truly an amazing person…”
“It’s thanks to a secret location arranged with ancient opportunities, but if his inborn talent had been lacking, he couldn’t have possessed his current martial prowess.”
“He must be a genius among geniuses. I’m envious.”
“Your talent is also sufficient to be called genius. I can say that with confidence.”
“Master really is the best. Thank you for the praise. Hehe.”
“Hoho. You little… The important thing beyond talent is mindset. Don’t forget that.”
“Yes, Master.”
“Setting that aside, this book was clearly prepared and left here personally by Sect Master Cheol. He probably prepared it as a gift knowing his request would be granted.”
“God-Slaying Sword Formula… The name itself is terrifying, but what exactly is this sword art’s history? As you know, I don’t know much about martial world history…”
“About four hundred years ago, two transcendent masters appeared in the martial world. One was the supreme master of that era from the orthodox faction, Celestial Sword Sovereign, a Divine Martial Sword owner, and the other was Outside Heaven God-Slayer from the unorthodox faction, who is still evaluated as the greatest assassin in history. This God-Slaying Sword Formula is the true transmission of Outside Heaven God-Slayer, whose lineage had been cut off for many long years.”
“Good heavens, to be something from such an incredible assassin…”
“Outside Heaven God-Slayer was once the leader of an assassin group called the Hundred Man Killing Curtain. While Celestial Sword Sovereign was famous for his swordsmanship along with mysterious medical arts that could save lives, Outside Heaven God-Slayer was famous for swordsmanship optimized for killing. They say the only being under heaven he couldn’t kill at the time was Celestial Sword Sovereign alone.”
“So he was effectively the second-best of that era’s martial world.”
“That’s right.”
“Whew… Just how vast is the martial arts formulas stored in Sect Master Cheol’s head?”
When Cui Lan clicked her tongue, Seop Pyo added.
“At this point, I wonder if he even knows Celestial Sword Sovereign’s sword studies. Perhaps even those of Martial Immortal, a disciple who left an outstanding mark in martial world history…”
“Ah…!”
“That’s quite possible. Anyway, since the secret location Sect Master Cheol entered seems to be a place where all sorts of ancient opportunities are compiled, even rough speculation is impossible for me.”
“Evil Emperor, Martial Immortal… If one could perfectly master just those two legacies, they’d truly have nothing to fear.”
“Sect Master Cheol is Sect Master Cheol, you are just you. What is there to envy? In truth, if you can learn the God-Slaying Sword Formula to its ultimate level, you could become the martial world’s greatest, even one of history’s greatest assassins. A legendary killer who far surpasses this old body…”
Seop Pyo trailed off and spoke again.
“But Ran, don’t choose the path of blood if you can help it. After finishing your personal revenge, just keep your martial arts as martial arts and live your life.”
It meant that as a late-found disciple he treasured more than anyone, he didn’t want her to continue walking the assassin’s path filled only with death.
Understanding her master’s heart, Cui Lan smiled brightly.
“Martial arts just as martial arts, I’ll keep that in mind. Even if I end up living with a sword in my hand in the future… I’ll live as a pure martial artist, not an assassin.”
“Good. Whether good or evil, the karma of taking others’ lives is truly painful.”
“Yes, I always keep in my heart the heartfelt advice from Master, who has experienced such a life.”
Seop Pyo took on a satisfied look, then soon flipped through the book page by page and asked in a quiet voice.
“Have you fully understood the formulas written here? Earlier when you were swinging the wooden sword, the connecting movements looked very natural.”
“Of course, Master. It wasn’t that difficult, was it? Though I’ve only read the first few sword stroke formulas so far.”
When Cui Lan answered as if it were obvious, Seop Pyo was inwardly impressed.
‘Ha, she truly has a rare talent in the world.’
Having briefly read the beginning, the formulas were quite difficult, yet to have understood them immediately without anyone’s guidance was indeed a quality that could only be called genius.
He felt newly grateful.
For this gift-like book from Cheol Ryu-heun that had allowed him to reconfirm Cui Lan’s outstanding talent through the God-Slaying Sword Formula…
‘If I see Sect Master Cheol next time, I should at least treat him to something delicious.’
But at that moment.
Cui Lan asked with a curious face.
“Master, by the way, what’s the meaning of what’s written on the very last page? Take a look. Sect Master Cheol wrote a one-line sentence like a short letter…”
“Hmm? Really?”
Seop Pyo quickly examined the very last page of the book, and one phrase entered and lodged in his dark brown pupils.
<Crap swordsman, you’ll probably see this and grin like an idiot saying how great it is. It’s like the smell of crap from your mouth is reaching all the way here.>
“…!”
Seeing that, Seop Pyo’s two eyes blazed like fire.
GRRR!
The words I just thought are revoked!
Treat him to something, what nonsense!
He’s swimming in money anyway, he can buy his own food!
Cui Lan, knowing nothing, tilted her head.
“Who does the ‘crap swordsman’ written there mean? Do you have any guess? Surely it doesn’t mean you, Master…”
SHUT UP, YOU DON’T NEED TO KNOW!
Having shouted internally, Seop Pyo snapped the book shut irritably.
“Ran! I’m telling you again, he’s just a young old fogey! Hmph, being handsome is useless! So don’t even think about meeting him later!”
“Oh my, Master. He’s not just handsome, he has both martial power and wealth.”
Seop Pyo heard those words and grew even more infuriated.
“GRR… Enough, know that if I say no, it means no!”
* * *
Around evening when the sunset had spread.
Cheol Ryu-heun, who had been riding Divine Wind and reached a large city, visited the most famous restaurant to get a meal.
Sitting at a table in a corner, he waited briefly and an order of dumplings came out.
“Enjoy your meal, customer!”
Cheol Ryu-heun took a big bite of the steaming dumpling and savored the taste.
‘Good.’
It was a dumpling restaurant so famous that no one didn’t know about it, and indeed the reputation was not undeserved.
This body’s original owner had liked dumplings, and somehow he too found himself following that taste.
At that moment, something Ye Woon-rang had once said suddenly came to mind.
-At the time, the dumplings he made were world-class. Truly, it was the first time in my life eating dumplings that tasted so amazing.
‘Neung Po. If the dumplings he makes are more delicious than these, I’ll bring him on as both a Guest Retainer and cook. Well, since his personal martial power is said to be high-level, he could contribute to our fighting force too. I don’t know what he used to do in the past.’
Thus Cheol Ryu-heun firmly decided to meet the wanderer-turned Neung Po soon.