Chapter 528: Side Story 28

Chapter side_28

“So… you’re saying this is really the place?”

Kang Sang-chun ground his teeth as he looked at the signboard that read Hunan Dan Family. In his eyes, neither the magnificent appearance of the place nor the phrase written in grand calligraphy caught his attention.

Only one thing.

His mind was solely filled with thoughts of the two women who had given him humiliation.

“Yes, they say this is the right place but… that, Young Sect Leader…”

“What is it?”

“Can’t we just go back? I have a strange feeling.”

Geum Dae-gil, a disciple of the Iron Fist Sect, made an anxious expression.

The expressions of the people they had seen while asking around to get here were vivid in his eyes. Gazes looking at a pitiful person, or expressions looking at someone pathetic.

They could have asked why he was looking for the place or what business he had, but the people told him right away as if such things didn’t matter.

All without exception… with a sneer on their lips.

“So what, isn’t it just a mere Murim family? Why are you so scared?”

“No… I, I heard they are called the Greatest Family in Hunan… aren’t we going to start a war if things go wrong?”

“You’re playing around. Do you think our Iron Fist Sect is so weak that we’d bow to a Murim family or whatever?”

Kang Sang-chun slowly looked back.

The dozen or so disciples who came with him were making triumphant expressions. All of them were people who had reached the first-rate level and were experts to the point where it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say their path to the Imperial Palace was guaranteed in the future.

“Greatest Family in Hunan? Ha! If these guys are the Greatest Family in Hunan… our Iron Fist Sect is! The Greatest Sect in Hunan! So don’t be intimidated. I will definitely catch and destroy those things that humiliated me!”

He didn’t know much about Murim in detail.

But since Murim or Imperial Murim were all just people, Kang Sang-chun thought there wouldn’t be that big of a difference in capabilities.

It was because all he had seen while growing up were solely Imperial martial artists.

And the Iron Fist Sect was a prestigious sect among prestigious sects that produced countless Imperial guards. Anyone with ties to the Imperial Palace would have heard the name Iron Fist Sect until their ears bled, and naturally, their influence on those with power was not small either.

All of those things were the confidence Kang Sang-chun possessed.

Grinning and filled with confidence, the moment he was about to open the gate of the Hunan Dan Family, the door suddenly opened and a man revealed himself.

Flinch-!

Everyone present flinched.

That included Kang Sang-chun as well.

Because the spirit felt the moment they made eye contact possessed something completely different from the people they had seen and felt until now.

“Who are you to cause a disturbance at someone else’s house?”

At the quietly flowing phrase, Kang Sang-chun swallowed his saliva. Is this person the master of this Hunan Dan Family? Indeed, he possessed a tremendous spirit fitting the title of the greatest in Hunan.

But he wasn’t intimidated or scared.

Kang Sang-chun had lived a life far removed from such things.

“I… is this the Hunan Dan Family?!”

“Do you not have eyes? Seems you can’t see the signboard above.”

“Ugh…! I, I am Kang Sang-chun. I am also the Young Sect Leader of the Iron Fist Sect!”

Soon, he proudly stated the name of the Iron Fist Sect and puffed out his chest. The people he had met so far would naturally bow their heads at just this much.

Thus, he thought it would be the same here as well.

Make the opponent bow with authority and power, and take revenge on those wenches.

Kang Sang-chun had such thoughts.

However, the situation didn’t flow according to his thoughts.

The man’s expression distorted.

“So what are you saying?”

“Eh? I, I am the Iron Fist Sect’s… Kang Sang-chun…”

“So what?”

The man, no, Gwon Mu-jin, had an expression of growing annoyance. As he dug his ear and frowned deeply, Kang Sang-chun couldn’t continue his words and darted his eyes around.

As if he was trying to ask someone for help.

At that time, there was someone who reached out a hand to him.

“Ah- So you are the Great Hero Kang Sang-chun of the Iron Fist Sect. But what brings you to a place like this?”

With an affable voice, Mae-hyang revealed herself. She glanced at Kang Sang-chun and the surrounding disciples, and put on an extremely gentle smile.

“I, I…”

“Oh my, Guard Gwon glaring like that is why. Come, come, we won’t eat you, so please speak slowly.”

“No, I didn’t do anything…”

Gwon Mu-jin hurriedly tried to make excuses, but Mae-hyang, without showing any sign of caring, gave her gaze back to Kang Sang-chun.

“So, what is the matter? To our Hunan Dan Family…?”

Perhaps due to her gentle tone and smiling expression, Kang Sang-chun’s heart gradually calmed down. Only now did his head start working a bit, and before he knew it, forgetting even the fact that he was scared, he opened his mouth confidently.

“A few days ago, while enjoying a boat ride nearby… I saw two women. But, one of them sank our boat and humiliated me. What do you think about this matter?”

“Ah- So that happened…”

Letting out a small exclamation, Mae-hyang stealthily turned her head, then grabbed her forehead with a small sigh.

“My, you came here for such a beggar-like matter…”

“Wh-what did you say?”

Mae-hyang shook her head from side to side.

Even without specifically asking for the context, she could roughly grasp the flow. To begin with, there would be no men who wouldn’t lose their minds over beauty.

Especially… one of those two women even more so.

‘Damn wench…!’

Mae-hyang frowned as she recalled Namgung So-hye’s face.

Then, perhaps having thought of something, she clapped her hands together.

“Ah-! It is deeply regrettable, but… those two people are already not here.”

“Not here… what do you mean?”

“The thing is, those two… fell for the temptation of the villain Jang Sam-tae and left home… Sob.”

“V… villain?”

“Yes! Villain! There’s no other villain quite like him. Great Hero, a favor… no, could you perhaps give us some help?”

“H… help?”

Mae-hyang took a step forward and grabbed Kang Sang-chun’s hand. It was the beauty of none other than Mae-hyang. Furthermore, her sparkling eyes and fragrant floral scent.

For any man, it was enough to melt their heart.

Kang Sang-chun’s eyes suddenly changed.

“Haa…”

Watching that, a sigh leaked from Gwon Mu-jin’s mouth.

* * *

“But why are we going to Hubei?”

Driving the carriage, Jang Sam-tae asked with a strange expression. A sudden journey after ten years? Since Dan Woo-hyun hadn’t left Hubei for ten years, this situation was both fascinating and curious.

He turned his head and looked inside the carriage.

Surely, they must have heard, but no one answered.

Those humans don’t change even as time passes.

Or there was a possibility their hearing had gone bad due to age. No, he thought that was a bit closer to the right answer.

All of them were at an age…

While having such thoughts, Jang Sam-tae wiped away the thought with a chilling feeling. A chill seeping in from somewhere could never be an illusion.

“Well, since it’s something Young Master Dan wants to do, wouldn’t there be some reason?”

At that time, a modest voice was heard.

It was Namgung So-hye, who still possessed outstanding beauty and a beautiful voice that melted the ears. Though she was scary when angry, because she normally had a gentle personality, she was a woman whose appearance and character could be said to be the greatest in the Central Plains without exaggeration.

Compared to Mae-hyang, even more so.

“Phew… if only Mae-hyang resembled half of her… Keok?!”

Thwack! Namgung So-hye’s scabbard struck his head.

It wasn’t swung that hard, but Jang Sam-tae let go of the reins and grabbed his head. He felt a pain to the point where his head rang.

“Speaking such things out loud is why you get nagged at. Got it?”

“Keugh… like a damn wench…”

“Sssb!”

“…”

Jang Sam-tae shut his mouth.

The fiercely shining gaze of Namgung So-hye was fierce.

He was already intimidated by Dan Woo-hyun, Namgung Cheon, and Sado Hak. Now that there was one more person added, he vented his anger by glaring sharply out of petty feelings.

“Anyway…”

“What?”

“They say old maids have mental problems… Hik?!”

Slash-!

In an instant, Jang Sam-tae’s hair was cut off.

Even though he saw it reaching out, there was no way to block it. Even if he had been prepared, Jang Sam-tae wouldn’t have been able to move his hands.

Because Namgung So-hye’s level had risen to a ridiculous height.

“Consider yourself lucky, you. If it wasn’t me, your head would have been cut off long ago.”

“Ah- really, Manor Lord! Why do you bring this wench around?!”

Angry, Jang Sam-tae raised his voice and called for Dan Woo-hyun.

In this situation, the only thing he could do was rely on Dan Woo-hyun.

As he raised his voice and expressed his annoyance like that, only then did a reaction come from inside the carriage.

“You’re noisy. More importantly, how far is the village?”

“Umm, it’s not far. I think about half a shichen…”

Jang Sam-tae looked at the map he had stored in his head and the surrounding scenery. Surely, there would be a small but comfortable village nearby.

Since the sun was slowly setting, if they didn’t want to sleep outdoors, it would be best to find it as quickly as possible.

Because he knew better than anyone else that if it was Dan Woo-hyun, he would choose to sleep outdoors to avoid spending money even if a village was close by.

As if Namgung So-hye also knew this well, she sent a urging gaze towards Jang Sam-tae and turned her head to look at where Dan Woo-hyun was.

Whether he was already searching for a place to camp outdoors, he poked his head out and could be seen slowly looking around.

Watching that, Namgung So-hye urgently opened her mouth.

“That’s fine anyway… Young Master Dan, are you embarking on this journey knowing the current situation in Murim?”

“Do I need to know about the affairs of Murim?”

“That’s… if you move…”

Murim will move.

Namgung So-hye was devastated upon hearing Dan Woo-hyun’s words, lacking even the slightest awareness. Undoubtedly, he must have embarked on the journey with the thought of not getting involved with Murim people, but was that an easy task?

If things had gone his way, the countless incidents entangled with Murim people over a decade ago wouldn’t have happened either.

It was as if incidents came looking for Dan Woo-hyun.

Having experienced such things not just once or twice, it would only be Dan Woo-hyun alone who thought this journey would be smooth.

Also, even if he didn’t step forward, if anyone beside him drew a sword, a noisy event enough to make the entire Murim restless would occur.

Does he really not know that?

A sigh leaked from Namgung So-hye’s mouth.

“In the Central Plains Murim, a group called the Heaven and Earth Cult is acting in secret, attacking the Heavenly Dao Society and the Murim Alliance, and to the west, the Potala Palace is gaining power… This absolutely doesn’t seem like a journey that will end with laughter, right?”

“How interesting. But… didn’t they say the Potala Palace collapsed?”

“They say even mountains and rivers change in ten years. To begin with, there’s no way the supreme power of Tibet would disappear so easily. Although… they must have weakened…”

The Potala Palace was the representative power of Tibet.

Although they said many died and the buildings burned down, their influence and power didn’t disappear. The place where secret manuals were hidden avoided the fire, and those who had gone out for work returned, raising the Potala Palace up again.

Although they lost many disciples, the fact that they were the lords of Tibet remained unchanged.

“Do not worry. I won’t get involved…”

At Dan Woo-hyun’s words, spoken with a smile, everyone let out a chuckle. Even Jang Sam-tae, who was driving the carriage, snorted and shook his head side to side.

Who was the person with the greatest luck in the current Central Plains?

It was none other than Dan So-mi.

Then conversely.

The person who dragged around the most incidents and accidents in the history of the Central Plains.

Who was that?

It was none other than the Martial God Dan Woo-hyun.

Despite having gone through numerous events until now, at his laughter which realized nothing, Namgung So-hye swallowed a vain gasp and shook her head.

Enjoyed the chapter?

If you like our work, consider supporting us on Ko-fi. This site solely runs on donations. Every donation helps us keep translating!

Support on Ko-fi