chapter 161

Giving with One Hand, Taking with the Other (2)

Lee Gwak was truly pleased with his Blade.

People often use the expression “fits like a glove,” and that was exactly how Lee Gwak felt about the blade he had purchased. It was as if Eun Gwang Ho had crafted it specifically for him.

The merchant looked intently at Lee Gwak, who was smiling. He was a seasoned merchant from Myriad Merchant Troupe.

Although he had not been dispatched to Haenam Island for long, he was sharp-eyed and knew how to assess people.

If his purpose had been merely to sell weapons, there was no need for him to have come all the way to Haenam Island. Myriad Merchant Troupe wanted more from him than that.

Lee Gwak’s outward appearance was ordinary.

It meant that there was nothing exceptional about the external qualities that might suggest he is a martial artist. Generally, those with strong internal energy had clear and intensely shining eyes, but no such signs were visible in Lee Gwak.

Still, the merchant could not take his eyes off Lee Gwak, as if a small thorn was stuck in his fingertip, nagging him strangely.

The merchant cautiously asked, “Did you also come to attend the martial arts tournament?”

“No.”

“Then, what brings you here?”

“I just stopped by while passing through. I was about to cross over to the Central Plains, but it turns out that all ships have been banned from sailing because of the Sea Martial Festival. So, I am stuck here on Haenam Island.”

“That’s unfortunate.”

“Speaking of which, could I get an update on Jianghu’s current affairs?”

“What about Jianghu?”

“I’ve been away from Jianghu for a long time, so I don’t know much.”

As Lee Gwak spoke, the merchant stroked his beard.

“Hmm! What would you like to know?”

“How did the war between the Celestial Demon Troupe and Jade Heaven Alliance end? It wasn’t supposed to be an easy war.”

“Hmm! That’s what you’re curious about. The war hasn’t actually ended yet. It’s more like a pause, you could say.”

“So, it’s a temporary truce?”

“Exactly! That in itself is a considerable achievement. If the eldest son of the Jade Heaven Alliance hadn’t risked his life in a gamble, the war would still be dragging on.”

“The eldest son? Are you talking about Prince Yong… Cheon Myeong?”

“That’s right. He really is a hero for these troubled times.”

The merchant raised his thumb in approval.

Meanwhile, confusion filled Lee Gwak’s eyes.

“Could you tell me more?”

“When the war was at its peak, unable to bear it any longer, the Prince led a group of young masters in a surprise attack that dealt a significant blow to the Celestial Demon Troupe. It was an unexpected hit that forced them into a defensive position, naturally leading to a ceasefire.”

“Hmm!”

“Of course, like most rumors in the Jianghu, it might be somewhat exaggerated, but nonetheless, Prince Yong has indeed had a significant impact.”

The merchant continued to rave about how exceptional Yong Cheon Myeong was as a martial artist. According to him, Yong Cheon Myeong was a once-in-a-lifetime hero and a tremendous genius.

In the Jade Heaven Alliance, he was already being marked as the likely next leader, with succession preparations underway.

Until recently, Woon Dae Yon had been a strong competitor, but Yong Cheon Myeong had widened the gap between them by achieving great feats.

Now, no one mentioned Woon Dae Yon as a rival to Yong Cheon Myeong. Yong Cheon Myeong’s position was solidified.

It wouldn’t be long before Yong Cheon Myeong would become the head of the vast force of the Jade Heaven Alliance. As soon as the current leader, Ja Hong Cheon, retired, Yong Cheon Myeong was expected to take over his position.

‘Yong Cheon Myeong!’

Lee Gwak frowned.

The thought of him brought back memories from the Celestial Demon Troupe.

The merchant observed Lee Gwak’s expression closely.

‘Does he have a connection with Yong Cheon Myeong?’

Facial expressions often convey a lot of information, especially to someone like the merchant who had a keen eye for reading people.

This is quite interesting. A man who is connected to both Eun Gwang Ho of the Myriad Merchant Troupe and Yong Cheon Myeong of the Jade Heaven Alliance.

Even if the connections were adversarial, it was surprising that Lee Gwak was linked to such high-status individuals, which alone was enough reason to reassess him.

Lee Gwak continued with his questions.

“Could I possibly learn about the internal affairs of the Jade Heaven Alliance?”

“Ha! You expect too much from a mere merchant. How could I know the inner workings of the Jade Heaven Alliance? But one thing is certain”

“And what is that?”

“If a few years ago the Ten Sects were somewhat competitive, now Jade Heaven Alliance is on a completely different level, beyond comparison in terms of strength.”

Even with some of the Ten Sects holding back, the Jade Heaven Alliance took the lead in the war against the Celestial Demon Troupe. Although they suffered heavy losses, they gained tremendous experience and adopted more efficient methods.

Jade Heaven Alliance integrated this experience into their martial arts training. While others from different sects were merely walking, those trained in Jade Heaven Alliance were running, so to speak, due to the efficiency of their training methods.

As a result, the Jade Heaven Alliance had become much stronger, attracting many young martial artists to join. This significantly widened the gap between them and the other Ten Sects.

Now, Jade Heaven Alliance’s status was different from when Lee Gwak was there; they shone like the sun of Heaven, with Yong Cheon Myeong at its center.

Lee Gwak closed his eyes.

He didn’t know what had happened to Han So-cheon, but only Yong Cheon Myeong’s fame was eclipsing the world.

****

The streets were quiet. It was because of the martial arts tournament taking place in the Martial Sword Troupe. All eyes in Haenam Island were focused on the competition.

Young martial artists attended the tournament to make a name for themselves, and most people left their homes to watch these young martial artists compete.

Lee Gwak also headed to Martial Sword Troupe to watch the tournament. He had no particular desire to participate but wanted to gauge the level of the martial artists who were competing.

“Woah!”

As he neared Martial Sword Troupe, the roaring cheers of the crowd were already assaulting his ears.

“It’s a victory for martial artist Ok.”

“Typical of the Golden Sword Pavilion. To produce a talent like Warrior Ok.”

Crossing the gate, the cacophony of people’s voices hit him.

A boy in his late teens stood confidently on the platform that had been turned into a stage.

At the boy’s feet, a young martial artist in his early twenties was catching his breath on one knee. He had apparently been defeated by the boy.

The boy’s name was Ok Cheon-hwa, a talent produced by the Golden Sword Pavilion. He had just demonstrated his formidable fighting skills against the young martial artist.

People sent tremendous cheers toward Ok Cheon-hwa.

With a somewhat arrogant look, Ok Cheon-hwa surveyed the crowd.

Martial Sword Troupe staff helped the defeated martial artist down, and a new challenger stepped onto the platform.

The challenger introduced himself with a formal bow to Ok Cheon-hwa.

“I am Jin Si-woo of Silver Moon Gate. I challenge Warrior Ok.”

“I accept your challenge, Warrior Jin.”

Ok Cheon-hwa readily accepted Jin Si-woo’s challenge.

Shoosh!

Like twin dragons dancing across the platform, they exchanged techniques aimed at each other.

“Wow!”

Exclamations burst from the crowd.

The two young talents gave their all, unfolding everything they had learned so far. Their fierce exchange stirred the blood of the spectators.

Lee Gwak watched their martial contest from a distance, leaning against a large tree.

At first, the fight seemed evenly matched, but soon Ok Cheon-hwa began to be overwhelmingly pushed back by Jin Si-woo.

That’s when it happened.

“Who do you think will win?”

A familiar voice came from behind.

Without turning around, Lee Gwak recognized the owner of the voice.

“Master Seop?”

“What do you think, who will win?”

The man who approached with a broad smile was none other than Seop Yu-saeng.

Lee Gwak quietly shook his head.

“I’m not sure.”

“My bet is on Warrior Ok.”

“Why do you say that?”

“The Golden Sword Pavilion’s technique, the Ten Thousand Waves Sixteen Blades, is a top-level martial art known throughout the Jianghu. It may seem like Warrior Ok is being pushed back now, but once he unleashes the Ten Thousand Waves Sixteen Blades, he can turn the situation around in an instant.”

“I see.”

Lee Gwak nodded thoughtfully.

At that moment, as if waiting for the cue, Ok Cheon-hwa executed a dazzling sword dance. It was the Ten Thousand Waves Sixteen Blades.

With the deployment of Ten Thousand Waves Sixteen Blades, the tide of the battle flipped instantly, and soon after, Ok Cheon-hwa secured a brilliant victory.

“Wow!”

Cheers filled the martial arena.

Having secured two victories, Ok Cheon-hwa easily passed the preliminaries. Those who passed would compete again tomorrow, and the victors among them would determine the final winner the day after.

Ok Cheon-hwa couldn’t hide his elation.

“See? Wasn’t I right?”

Seop Yu-saeng’s pride was sky-high.

“Was your meeting yesterday successful?”

“Yesterday? Oh, you mean with Lord Yu? Absolutely. We had a very profound conversation.”

“That’s good to hear.”

“And you? I didn’t see you afterward.”

“I was tired and went back early.”

“Hmm! I see. How about having a drink with me tonight? I was planning to visit Jangmyeong Inn anyway. No matter where I drink here, nothing compares to the maotai wine from Jangmyeong Inn.

“That sounds good.”

Seeing no reason to refuse, Lee Gwak nodded.

“Good. Let’s drink tonight until our noses turn crooked.”

“Is the Maotai wine from Jangmyeong inn that good?”

Just then, someone else joined their conversation.

Seop Yu-saeng turned around with a frown, and a man in his early thirties with a strong presence, almost like a tiger, stood there. The strong aura of martial prowess emanated from him.

Behind him stood Yook Cheon-ban and Gu Ok-rin, along with Gong Ha Seong, as if they were his bodyguards. Although Yook Cheon-ban and Gu Ok-rin were also renowned talents in the Jianghu, they paled in comparison to this man.

In Haenam Island, there was only one young warrior with such a powerful aura.

Mad Dragon Woo Mun Pae.

The man destined to be the next ruler of Martial Sword Troupe.

“Ah! It’s you.”

“Is the Maotai Wine from Jangmyeong Guesthouse really that good?”

“Haven’t you tried it?”

When Woo Mun Pae shook his head, Seop Yu-saeng clicked his tongue.

“You’ve really missed out. Living in Haenam Island and never having tried the Maotai wine from Jangmyeong Inn.”

“That good?”

“If master Seop says so, I might want to try it myself.”

“Will you join us?”

“When I return to Haenam Island, I’ll stop by then.”

“Leaving the island? There’s a ban on ships coming in and out.”

“That doesn’t apply to me. Who in Haenam Island would dare block my path?”

“I’m envious. Some are restricted by the embargo, and others move freely.”

“I’m not just anyone.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Woo Mun Pae’s curt tone made Seop Yu-saeng shrug his shoulders.

Although Seop Yu-saeng was older, Woo Moon-pae had a far greater reputation in the Jianghu.

Perhaps because of this, Woo Moon-pae seemed to have no intention of showing much courtesy to Seop Yu-saeng.

Woo Mun Pae’s gaze then turned to Lee Gwak, who stood beside Seop Yu-saeng.

“Who is that? He seems a bit old for the martial contest.”

“Lee Gwak.”

“Lee Gwak?”

Woo Mun Pae frowned. It was a name he hadn’t heard before. Yook Cheon-ban stepped forward and whispered something in his ear.

A cold smile appeared on Woo Mun Pae’s face, clearly mocking Lee Gwak.

“Hmm!”

Seop Yu-saeng looked uncomfortable.

Even if Lee Gwak was not a well-known warrior, such blatant disrespect was uncomfortable, especially since he was in his company.

Woo Mun Pae’s attitude was almost like mocking Seop Yu-saeng himself. It was a clear mistake, even if he was the Young Master of the Martial Sword Troupe.

Realizing his gaffe too late, Woo Mun Pae mumbled an excuse.

“Don’t get me wrong. I wasn’t laughing at you.”

“I’m not mistaken.”

Seop Yu-saeng stared hard at Woo Mun Pae.

“Uh…”

Woo Mun Pae started to make an excuse but then closed his mouth. Realizing that any further excuses would only make him look worse.

Woo Mun Pae knew he had made a mistake, but he was not the type to apologize. He had never apologized in his life.

Seop Yu-saeng sighed as he looked at Woo Mun Pae. It was true he was upset, but they couldn’t keep up this confrontation forever.

Seop Yu-saeng changed the subject.

“Make sure you try the Maotai wine from Jangmyeong Inn. You’ll discover a whole new world.”

“I certainly will.”

“Then, see you next time.”

Seop Yu-saeng took Lee Gwak and left the scene.

Woo Mun Pae watched Lee Gwak’s retreating back, then turned to Gong Ha Seong.

“Find out about this Lee Gwak.”

“Sir?”

A look of puzzlement appeared on Gong Ha Seong’s face. Then, with a stony expression, Woo Mun Pae said,

“Something feels off.”

A chill ran through his gaze.