Chapter 618

In the end, Hong Yushin and Shaolin Temple successfully concluded their negotiations.

The Hao Clan promised to use all their resources to track the movements of Jang Cheon-hwa and the Heavenly Martial Sect, and in return, Shaolin agreed to pay a reasonable price.

It was a mutually beneficial agreement.

For the Hao Clan, establishing a close relationship with Shaolin was a great gain in itself.

Although its reputation had declined compared to Heavenly Martial Sect and Mad Martial Sect, the power of Shaolin was still not to be underestimated.

After listening to Hong Yushin’s whole story, Pyo Wol nodded.

“Good.”

“Thank you, Grandmaster Pyo! Your guidance has greatly contributed to the smooth completion of our negotiations.”

“Save your thanks.”

“By the way, have you heard?”

“Heard what?”

“About Jang Cheon-hwa.”

“What about him?”

“It seems you don’t know. Jang Cheon-hwa of the Heavenly Martial Sect killed Namgung Yugeom, the leader of the Thousand Kingdom School.”

“Is that true?”

“Yes, I also received the information this morning.”

Hong Yushin’s reason for visiting Pyo Wol was precisely to convey this news.

Since Pyo Wol was currently in Dengfeng County, far away from the Thousand Kingdom School, the news of Namgung Yugeom’s death hadn’t reached him yet.

The shock of hearing about Namgung Yugeom’s death was unimaginable. Namgung Yugeom was one of the top five martial artists in the world.

His children, Namgung Wol and Namgung Seol, were important figures in Kangho, and he himself was an iconic figure who controlled the Thousand Kingdom School with unparalleled authority.

Now, such a formidable figure had not only been defeated by Jang Cheon-hwa, but also killed.

This was a massive blow to Kangho.

“Do you know why Jang Cheon-hwa killed Namgung Yugeom?”

“I haven’t figured out the exact reason yet. But I suspect that Jang Cheon-hwa is showing his ambitions more boldly now.

“Where is Jang Cheon-hwa now?”

“We are still determining that.”

“Don’t you have any leads?”

“I’ll find out as soon as possible.”

Hong Yushin noticed that Pyo Wol was looking at the sky and asked cautiously,

“Do you intend to confront Jang Cheon-hwa personally?”

“No, there’s someone else meant to face him.”

“Who could that be?”

“…”

Pyo Wol remained silent.

After a moment of contemplation, Hong Yushin asked hesitantly,

“Could it be… Master Lee Cheong?”

“…”

“It must be.”

Pyo Wol didn’t say anything, but Hong Yushin was certain that his guess was correct.

‘After all, in this era, the only one who can face Jang Cheon-hwa head on is Master Lee Cheong.

Lee Cheong was Jang Cheon-hwa’s most formidable opponent.

Considering the strength, reputation, and their long standing rivalry, Lee Cheong was the only one who could challenge Jang Cheon-hwa.

“If Master Lee Cheong intervenes…”

A look of relief appeared on Hong Yushin’s face.

He believed that Lee Cheong could effectively counteract Jang Cheon-hwa’s influence.

Pyo Wol then instructed,

“Once you locate Jang Cheon-hwa, inform me.”

“Understood. You’ll be the first to know.”

“Hmm.”

“So, what will you do now? Will you continue to stay here?”

“I’m planning to visit Wudang Sect.”

The distance between Shaolin, located in Dengfeng County, and the Wudang Sect in Gyun County was only about 500 Li.

It was a short journey for a martial artist of Pyo Wol’s caliber.

Now that he was already near Shaolin, he wanted to visit the Wudang Sect to pay respects to Il Geom Jin.

It was not for himself, but for Soma.

Though he never showed it during their journey, Pyo Wol knew that Soma was deeply saddened by the death of One Sword Master.

If he hadn’t gone all the way to Shaolin Temple, he would have stopped at Wudang Sect to give Soma a chance to burn incense.

Hong Yushin nodded in understanding.

“I’ll arrange it. I’ll also ask for assistance from our branch there. If you need anything, please let me know.”

“Aren’t you coming?”

” I need to go to Poyang Lake. The situation there isn’t normal.”

“Is it that bad?”

“Yes, especially the movements of the Golden Heavenly Hall. It feels like something big is about to happen.”

“When you head to Poyang Lake, could you send a letter to Shin-woo?”

“Shin-woo?”

Hong Yushin looked puzzled, so Pyo Wol briefly explained where Nam Shin-woo was.

Hwangbo Chiseung and Nam Shin-woo hid in a fishing village with other assassins after the Sol Family Pavilion burned down.

They had to at least keep them updated, so they wouldn’t worry.

In fact, the moment the letter was sent, those two might bring forces. No, they surely would.

Because Sal-no would make sure of it.

Sal-no knew well that Pyo Wol wasn’t fond of having too many followers. Nonetheless, Sal-no would surely dispatch the Black Shadow Unit and the assassins.

It wasn’t because he didn’t trust Pyo Wol.

It was because Pyo Wol was such an essential figure.

Hong Yushin reassured with a smile,

“Don’t worry. I will send the news through the fastest courier.”

“Thank you!”

“No need for thanks. Aren’t we all here to help each other?”

Pyo Wol nodded in agreement.

To him, Hong Yushin was one of the very few people he could trust.

Soma’s unexpected growth wasn’t without its drawbacks.

He had to work hard to regain his original senses.

After ten days, Soma was finally able to fully adapt to his new physique.

Once Soma was reasonably accustomed to his changed body, Pyo Wol decided to leave Dengfeng County and head to Gyun County.

Although they could ride horses, Pyo Wol’s group chose to walk.

For Soma’s sake.

Even though he had adapted to his new body, he needed to keep moving to perfect his skills.

Walking was a good way.

Matching pace with Soma, Pyo Wol and Hong Ye-seol walked together.

Thankfully, they were quite used to walking.

Walking side by side, they took in the scenic beauty from Dengfeng to Gyun County.

Soma experimented with different walking techniques, sometimes walking fast and sometimes taking long strides.

It looked like he was simply walking, but sweat continuously dripped from him.

He was investing significant effort into every step.

Pyo Wol looked at Soma’s back and thought.

“‘He’s adjusted perfectly now.

Soma then took a deep breath and halted, a smile appearing on his face.

“I think I’ve fully adapted now. I can move just like I used to.”

“It certainly seems so.”

“Thanks for being patient. I know it must have been tedious.”

“It’s fine.”

“We didn’t mind.”

Feeling guilty, Soma rubbed his stomach and spoke,

“But now I’m starving.”

Even though it seemed like he was just walking, Soma had actually used a considerable amount

of internal energy and muscle power.

His every step had channeled his inner strength, which had left him suddenly famished.

Pyo Wol spoke up,

“The next village is just ahead. Let’s rest there and grab some food.”

“Alright!”

Soma replied with a big grin on his face.

The mere thought of eating a hearty meal after accomplishing something significant lifted his spirits.

Soon enough, the distant silhouette of a village came into view.

The trio hastened their pace.

They managed to arrive in the quiet village before sundown.

It was a small village, with just around a hundred households.

But, there was an inn, positioned conveniently at the crossroads of a major route.

The three of them entered the inn, which didn’t even have a proper signboard.

The inn catered mostly to travelers and, because of that, the interior was quite modest and worn out.

The table and chairs showed signs of age, and the owner and his wife were equally old.

Inside, aside from the elderly innkeepers, there were four guests.

They sat in pairs at separate tables, seemingly unrelated to each other.

When Pyo Wol and his party entered, the other guests glanced in their direction, but quickly returned to their own conversations, seemingly uninterested.

Once seated, the male innkeeper retreated to the kitchen, and an elderly woman approached them.

She set down the teapot and teacups and asked.

“Where are you traveling from?”

“We came from Dengfeng County.”

“That’s quite a distance. What will you have?”

The old woman replied with a sullen expression.

“We’d like three bowls of Beef Noodle Soup, and if you have beef noodles, please serve that as well.”

“Please be patient. My husband is old and it takes him some time to prepare food.”

Despite the old woman’s blunt words, Hong Ye-seol smiled and replied without a trace of displeasure.

In Kangho, you meet all kinds of people. Not everyone will be to your liking, and getting angry all the time only wastes your own energy. It’s better to let things slide.

Everything was good in moderation.

There was no such thing as too much of a good thing.

Pyo Wol, Hong Ye-seol, and Soma drank the tea the old woman had left behind.

Despite the inn’s worn appearance, the tea tasted surprisingly good.

Holding their tea cups, the trio gazed out of the window.

Beyond the inn, there were fields carved out of the mountains.

The majority of the villagers depended on farming, and they were in the midst of their agricultural preparations.

Despite the hard work, smiles lit up their faces. They worked while laughing and chatting amongst themselves.

The trio observed them for a long time, lost in thought.

By worldly standards, these villagers had nothing compared to Pyo Wol’s group. Yet, they seemed much happier.

Watching these people, who still found joy amidst their tough farm life, made them question their own paths. What were they fighting for? Why did they lead such grueling lives?

Hong Ye-seol sighed deeply, a pang of guilt hitting her.

She then turned her gaze to Pyo Wol.

For a moment, he mirrored her sentiments but soon reverted to his usual resolute expression.

This was typical of Pyo Wol. He might be swayed momentarily, but he always regained his usual calm and determination.

Observing him, Hong Ye-seol felt a comforting sense of stability.

Soon after, the old woman brought their food.

“Here you go.”

Three bowls of beef noodle soup and a plate of beef noodles were placed in front of them.

The noodle soup looked enticing.

The trio eagerly mixed the noodles with their chopsticks and took their first bites.

“Wow!”

Soma was the first to exclaim, taken aback by the unexpected taste.

The dish was even better than Hong Ye-seol had imagined. The rich flavor of the meat lingered in her mouth.

“It’s really delicious.”

“Right?” replied Soma.

“Finding such a gem in this remote place… We’re really fortunate today.”

“The Beef Noodle Soup is also delicious.”

“Really?”

Soma tasted it, and a burst of savory meat juice filled his mouth.

“Amazing!”

He exclaimed again.

While Soma and Hong Ye-seol energetically enjoyed their meal, Pyo Wol ate in silence

As he brought the noodles to his mouth, his gaze wandered to the other customers seated at different tables.