Chapter 147: Chapter 147

“Is this really the place?”

-There is no mistake.

Jeok Mu-seong, the Lord of the Martial Emperor Castle, frowned as he looked around the streets of Yueyang. The Ma Family was one of the Seven Wicked Factions, and Ma Dok-jin, the eldest son and future leader of the family, had arbitrarily led his warriors and deserted the battlefield.

This was also the reason why Jeok Mu-seong, who had left the Martial Emperor Castle to wrap up matters in Shaanxi, had directed his steps toward Hunan.

‘If not for Ma Cheol-gwon’s request…’

Jeok Mu-seong frowned.

If not for his close friend’s request, he would have abandoned that rascal. No matter what he did in Hunan, or what happened because of it.

However, because it was the request of a close friend, and it was also a time when the strength of the Ma Family was needed, Jeok Mu-seong, the Lord of the Martial Emperor Castle, had personally walked all the way to Yueyang.

“It is chaotic.”

Jeok Mu-seong looked around.

He saw several people weeping. On one side, what appeared to be corpses were being carried away by the hands of officers.

People had died.

Even from the faint traces of stab wounds, their deaths could not be considered simple murders.

They were caused by martial artists.

The feeling contained in the strikes was distinctly different.

Jeok Mu-seong muttered while stroking his chin.

“Go find out exactly what happened.”

-As you command!

Feeling the presence of the shadow vanish, Jeok Mu-seong strolled along, observing the atmosphere inside the town. Corpses were being brought out here and there, and the wailing of the people did not cease.

Moreover, even the gazes directed at martial artists were hostile.

Perhaps because he was not carrying a sword, he did not know what they thought of him, but the eyes of the Yueyang people looking at the passing vagabonds were truly as if they were looking at filth.

‘It must be Ma Dok-jin’s doing.’

Jeok Mu-seong sighed softly.

He knew well that the fellow’s personality was trash. That guy with such a filthy temper had been betrayed by his subordinate and lost his eyes.

It would not even be enough to tear him limb from limb, yet he had to return without even finding the corpse, so how resentful must he have been? However, now that he knew the bastard was alive, and that he was in Yueyang, he must have sharpened his blade of revenge.

That had resulted in this outcome.

“Hmm.”

Letting out a soft groan, Jeok Mu-seong headed toward a teahouse.

That three-story teahouse building was higher than any other place nearby, so there could be no better place to look down and enjoy the view.

He ordered a cup of tea and looked outside.

He saw the officers moving around busily.

‘Are they trying to find Ma Dok-jin?’

If he had slaughtered commoners rather than fellow martial artists, it would not be strange for the government office to take action. However, looking at them, rather than searching for someone, was it not just recovering the bodies and comforting the families?

A slight doubt lingered in his mind.

“Here is your tea, sir.”

Before he knew it, the waiter brought the tea and bowed. The waiter, who looked to be around twenty years old, seemed to have been doing this for a long time, smiling broadly and reading Jeok Mu-seong’s expression.

He was hoping to get a tip.

Jeok Mu-seong smiled faintly and placed a silver coin on the table.

“Tell me what happened outside.”

“I do not know the details either, but…”

The waiter stole glances at him.

With eyes that seemed to size up Jeok Mu-seong, he naturally scanned him up and down in a non-offensive manner. The clothes he wore were not ordinary, and the money pouch he had glimpsed earlier also looked quite thick.

In that case, could he not receive a few more taels of silver instead of just one for the information…?

Crunch!

At the very moment he was thinking that.

Jeok Mu-seong reached out, grabbed the silver coin, and crushed it in an instant. As the perfectly fine silver coin crumpled as if it had been melted in a split second, the waiter turned pale and trembled.

He realized that, although he did not look like it, the opponent was a tremendous expert.

“Th-That is…!”

* * *

“Cough, cough!”

Gwon Mu-jin lay on the bed, coughing violently. As he let out a cough so violent that his body shook, he groaned in pain and frowned.

Startled by this, Dan So-mi ran over and brought him a cloth.

“Thank you.”

“It is nothing. So-mi is doing it because she wants to. Hehe.”

At her innocent smile, Gwon Mu-jin stroked her head. If not for this child, he might have died a lonely death. Although they had treated him, even after several days had passed, let alone Dan Woo-hyun, neither Sa Do-hak nor Namgung Cheon had visited him.

Because of that, he even felt quite lonely.

“But why are you hurt like this? Daddy said Uncle Gwon tumbled down when he went to the mountain…”

Dan So-mi looked at Gwon Mu-jin’s body with suspicious eyes.

No matter how she looked at it, he did not look like someone who had rolled down a mountain. However, since not only Sa Do-hak but also Namgung Cheon said the same thing, she could not help but believe it.

“Ugh… Y-Yes, that is true. I was scratched by a rather sharp rock.”

“Is that so?”

Dan So-mi nodded slightly.

However, as if she was still not convinced, she took the blood-stained cloth and muttered in a small voice while washing it in the water she had fetched.

“I thought you were hurt from fighting.”

“Ugh…!”

“Hehe, but it is a relief. It would be funny if grown-up adults went around fighting!”

“I-I see.”

“Daddy always said that. If you fight when you are old, it means you are immature. So I thought Uncle Gwon was immature. Hehehe.”

“…….”

This child.

Is she really saying this without knowing?

Gwon Mu-jin wondered if there was something else hidden behind that innocent expression. Especially since she was hitting right at the mark.

That aside…

What on earth was the person who fought best in this manor talking about… Of course, comparing martial arts to fighting was a funny story, but the fundamental aspect was no different.

Trading blows was the same, after all.

Gwon Mu-jin turned his head with a dissatisfied expression.

Meanwhile, the door opened and Dan Woo-hyun showed his face for the first time.

When a startled Gwon Mu-jin tried to get up from his seat, Dan So-mi grabbed his arm with both hands and pressed down firmly. It seemed she was telling him not to stand up.

“Stay lying down.”

“Hehe.”

Dan Woo-hyun also understood that and nodded. Approaching slowly, his expression softened slightly at the smell of herbs spreading through the room.

“It is a nice scent. The medicine is good.”

“It is thanks to you, Lord. Preparing such good medicinal herbs…”

“I did nothing. That child gathered all of them.”

Dan Woo-hyun had done nothing.

It was Sa Do-hak who had stopped the bleeding, and it was Namgung Cheon who had stitched and treated the sword wounds. Since it was rather far to buy the necessary medicinal herbs, Dan So-mi, who had gone out since early morning, thoroughly searched the nearby hills and gathered them one by one.

Gwon Mu-jin broke into a cold sweat.

He should have just nodded as usual instead of nitpicking…

“Being alive like this… all of this is thanks to you, Lord.”

“I did not come here to listen to flattery.”

“…….”

“It seems your body is fine.”

He nodded slightly.

Since it felt like he would nitpick no matter what he said, he was even cautious. Why did his mood not seem so good today?

“Then So-mi will head out! I will be back in a bit, so stay lying down.”

Noticing the strange atmosphere, Dan So-mi waved her hand and went outside. She seemed to have thought that the adults were going to have an important conversation.

At her consideration, Dan Woo-hyun smiled and sat down in front of Gwon Mu-jin.

“It is fortunate that you survived. I thought you would die.”

“……I-I am sorry.”

“There is no need to be sorry. It is your life, not mine, is it not?”

He had nothing to say.

Because every single word of his was correct. However, hearing such things right in front of him, a sense of depression washed over him for no reason.

“Right, you killed him, but what are your thoughts?”

“……I almost died.”

“You did not almost die, you died once.”

It was by no means a shallow wound.

If Sa Do-hak had been just a little later in stopping the bleeding, he might have lost his life due to blood loss. Also, if not for his stubborn willpower, the moment his chest was slashed, he would have had to just wait for his neck to be cut off without being able to do anything.

All of those, if they were Gwon Mu-jin’s skill, then they were his skill; if they were heavenly luck, then they were heavenly luck. From Dan Woo-hyun’s perspective, his expression looked as if he thought it was nothing but luck.

“You still have a long way to go. If you cannot even read your opponent’s moves… are you not worse than Namgung So-hye?”

“……!”

Gwon Mu-jin’s eyes widened.

He knew Namgung So-hye’s skills well. It was no exaggeration to say that their difference was like the gap that once existed between Ma Dok-jin and Gwon Mu-jin; the two showed a difference of heaven and earth.

Yet he was worse than Namgung So-hye?

He looked at Dan Woo-hyun with eyes that could not accept this.

“That child is already about to reach the Realm of Opened Eyes.”

“……Is that true?”

“Yes. In fact, if Namgung So-hye had fought Ma Dok-jin, it would have been more worth watching.”

Gwon Mu-jin’s eyes trembled.

This was precisely the difference in talent.

Just as it had been between Ma Dok-jin and Gwon Mu-jin.

Ma Dok-jin had family background and power but lacked talent, while Gwon Mu-jin had nothing but possessed talent. Although it could not be called genius, it was competitive enough to contest for the top rank within the Ma Family.

That was why Ma Dok-jin hated Gwon Mu-jin.

Because he did not like that he had the talent that he himself lacked.

And today.

Gwon Mu-jin felt the difference of genius talent.

‘The Realm of Opened Eyes…’

For Gwon Mu-jin, who had not even stepped onto its threshold yet, it was shocking news. It was even more so because he had been watching Namgung So-hye from close by.

Until now, he had thought that he still held the upper hand.

But?

That had been overturned?

In just a matter of days?

A hollow laugh escaped him.

“You must have gained quite a lot from the fight with Ma Dok-jin.”

“……Yes.”

“Use that as a stepping stone to fly even higher. From now on, if you crawl on the bottom, it wouldn’t be strange for you to die at any moment.”

Gwon Mu-jin clenched his fists and nodded.

Dan Woo-hyun’s words deeply resonated in his heart. Sending Ma Dok-jin’s corpse to the Martial Emperor Castle must mean they were willing to go to war with them.

If the situation turned out that way, someone had to protect Dan So-mi. And thinking that it was none other than himself, he burned with even greater fighting spirit.

“Do not worry. I have no intention of leaving So-mi to you.”

“Pardon?”

“Just know that and rest.”

“……Pardon?”

A dumbfounded sound escaped his mouth for a moment.

Gwon Mu-jin’s expression, which had been full of determination, loosened in an instant.

Seeing this, Dan Woo-hyun smirked and stood up from his seat.

“There is one guy who is perfect for protecting that child.”

Dan Woo-hyun thought of a guy who would have left Hunan by now.

‘I hope this trip serves as a good stepping stone for him…’

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