Chapter 111

“Do as the lord of Flying Swallow Manor wishes.”

The leader of the Southern Edge Sect answered willingly.

Taken aback by the ease of the consent, Bukgung Yoon was dumbfounded.

“Yes?”

“I am moved by the sincere attitude of the lord of Flying Swallow Manor. Very well. Let us do our best together.”

“I haven’t finished explaining everything yet.”

“Explanation? What explanation?”

“As a result of analyzing the immediate gains Southern Edge Sect would obtain if it joined hands with our Flying Swallow Manor to develop the western transport routes……”

“Save that headache-inducing talk. If goods circulate in the west, people and money will follow; everyone benefits—mutual aid, united effort, solidarity, pooling resources……isn’t it all that?”

“Yes, that’s true, but……”

“Then it’s settled. It’s for the mutual prosperity of Southern Edge and Flying Swallow Manor—what reason could there be to refuse?”

There was a reason.

“Sect leader, what is this talk?”

A backlash burst out immediately among the elders.

“Are you trying to ally with the Bukgung Family now without consulting the elders?”

“I have fully heard the elders’ opinions. It seemed they would oppose.”

“Isn’t that obvious? The Southern Edge Sect cannot join hands with the Bukgung Family.”

“Why?”

At the Sect leader’s question, the elders’ mood turned sour.

“Are you even calling that a question? Who is to blame for Southern Edge ending up like this?”

“Whose fault do you mean?”

“If not the Bukgung Family, then who else!”

Amid the suddenly inflamed quarrel, Bukgung Yoon stood quietly, only watching the mood.

It seemed the Sect leader of Southern Edge had long been at odds with the elders.

Seeing that brought back memories of her past self.

The days she was bossed around by the steward and the Head of the Guards and could do nothing.

“It wasn’t the Bukgung Family but the Ten Thousand Gold Elder, most likely. And the one who came to this meeting is the lord of Flying Swallow Manor.”

“You can’t trust the Bukgung Family—they’re all in cahoots!”

“I can trust them.”

Bukgung Yoon listened to the Sect leader’s words.

She wondered how a figure like the Sect leader of Southern Edge would persuade people.

“A lovely young lady speaking like that can’t be lying, after all.”

“……”

And silence fell.

When people hear something beyond common sense, their thought halts and they become speechless.

That was exactly how the elders felt.

This time even Bukgung Yoon couldn’t keep her composure.

The woman who had not flinched at the elders’ clamor blushed and lowered her head.

Won-yang of the Finance Pavilion, standing beside the Sect leader, also pinched his forehead and shook his head.

“Sect leader, you can’t be serious……”

“Look at her. Lowering her head like that, isn’t she like a delicate flower? A pretty young lady coming all the way to the west to plead—she can’t be lying.”

“You can’t trust her just because of the lord of Flying Swallow Manor’s looks.”

“But at that level of beauty, one might be inclined to believe.”

“Southern Edge is going through hard times right now.”

“But since a beauty has come at last, shall we throw a grand banquet?”

“Sect leader!”

“Ah, why do you keep calling me that!”

“Did you call the lord of Flying Swallow Manor here for this from the start?”

Then the Sect leader said:

“Well, I’m stuck on Southern Edge Mountain every day seeing nothing but gloomy men—I deserve some pleasure in life too!”

Bukgung Yoon felt a vicarious shame.

What on earth had been the harsh feeling she bore when she came to Southern Edge Sect?

“Lord of Flying Swallow Manor. Do not worry. In the name of Southern Edge Sect, we will accept your proposal. Though Southern Edge is poor and has little to eat or wear, we shall host a feast for you—so stay in the west a little longer.”

Bukgung Yoon wanted to answer in her heart:

‘Please don’t put the name of the Southern Edge Sect on something like that……’

“Not yet.”

It was the reply of Hong Yujin, the Sect leader of the Mount Hua Sect.

Hyeon Geom quietly looked down at Hong Yujin.

With a coin purse between them, Hong Yujin kept his gaze lowered while Hyeon Geom stood looking down at him.

It was a scene that clearly showed the current state of the Mount Hua Sect.

“……Is that so?”

Hyeon Geom, looking at Hong Yujin, replied calmly.

His tone was calm, but his heart was not.

The owner of Ten Thousand Gold was trying to grab another purse. If he succeeded, Hyeon Geom would be left like a dog chasing chickens—completely outmatched.

“I will follow the Sect leader’s wishes.”

Hyeon Geom’s tone grew noticeably colder.

The Purple Cloud Divine Sword before him—if he could get his hands on that, everything would be over.

Hyeon Geom had no lingering attachment to Mount Hua.

How many sects in the murim world don’t rise and fall repeatedly?

Mount Hua was no different. The day the Purple Cloud Divine Sword fell into his hands would be Mount Hua’s last day.

“Then I will take my leave.”

“Go home and rest.”

Hyeon Geom bowed politely and descended the Morning Sun Peak.

There were limits to persuading the Sect leader by force of will alone. Mount Hua needed a greater shock.

For example……

“Someone from outside aiming to seize Mount Hua……”

A figure who openly displayed the ambition to swallow Mount Hua—if such a person were punished before the disciples, the Sect leader and the elders’ favor could be won instantly.

Mount Hua must be driven further into a corner. Starved more, shaken more, broken down into deeper despair.

Only then would they see the hand he extended as true salvation.

As he descended Morning Sun Peak, Hyeon Geom watched the panorama of Mount Hua.

Mount Hua—thankful Mount Hua, the Mount Hua buried in his life, the damned Mount Hua.

“Don’t cling to surviving miserably; now disappear into history.”

“Welcome!”

As he strode in, the grateful greeting of the innkeeper—propping his chin and yawning—reached him.

In these times when customers were scarce, every guest was precious—unless they were some bastard who only ordered plain noodles.

“Ah.”

A visible disappointment crossed the innkeeper’s face upon seeing Hyeon Geom enter.

“Innkeeper, I’m looking for someone.”

“Yes, yes. He’s in a room upstairs.”

The innkeeper sat back down and returned to his previous posture.

Seeing he wasn’t a guest likely to spend money, any further courtesy felt as precious as a coin.

The swordsman met eyes with the sword disciple who was slurping noodles on the first floor.

“…That guy actually came.”

“Hey, what did you just say?”

“Ah, no, sir! Our noble young master is staying upstairs! Shall I call him?”

The man felt as if the boy’s attitude had instantly flipped.

But it was probably needless worry. Lately his nerves had grown sharp and he found himself suspicious of everyone.

The man nodded and said:

“I have something to say to Young Master Yeon Mujin, so fetch him for a moment.”

“Understood!”

The swordsman, for some reason like an old man, patted his knees and went up the stairs.

Before long, Yeon Mujin appeared, sweaty.

The moment Yeon Mujin saw the guest he greeted him.

“Good to see you again, Young Master Mok.”

“…I’m glad too, Young Master Yeon Mujin.”

They were two people whose ranks still hadn’t been settled.

The man looked over Yeon Mujin and asked:

“Were you training? I didn’t hear any sound of swordplay.”

“I was secretly looking at erotic pictures in my room. It’s a shame you came at the climax.”

“…I see.”

“If it’s not rude, may I finish watching them?”

“You may not.”

He was absurdly shamelessly bold.

“So you’ve been staying here the whole time.”

“I’ve been thinking the whole time about how to enter Mount Hua.”

“So, do you have any way in?”

“I do.”

“Oh? What method?”

“Because you came to find me.”

“…Me?”

“You, Young Master, are the method.”

The man gave a hollow laugh.

“You think I’m going to take you to Mount Hua? On what basis?”

“You ate a meal with me, didn’t you?”

“……”

Hearing Yeon Mujin, it was impossible to tell whether he was a careful schemer or utterly reckless.

“What would you have done if I hadn’t come?”

“If you hadn’t come, I would have bought up every erotic picture in Hwa-um county. Do you know what sells best in villages under temples like your Mount Hua or Southern Edge? Erotic picture books. The Taoist place’s warriors usually can’t marry, so in lonely nights they buy those secretively in the lower villages. The erotic picture books sold near temples carry that sacred meaning. Not only the sacred meaning but also the tear stains of vigorous youths……”

“Stop, stop! Enough about erotic picture books! That’s enough. I don’t want to hear more.”

Appalled by the lewd tale, Hyeon Geom cut him off.

Glancing aside, his sword disciple looked at Yeon Mujin with undisguised contempt.

Yeon Mujin clicked his tongue in regret.

“I went and answered after you asked.”

“Young Master Yeon is truly unreserved.”

“Who am I? A member of the great Bukgung Family. People tend to be more honest the closer they are to gold. It’s different from hermits who hide in mountain valleys and cling to appearances with hypocritical airs.”

“At least I know you’re not one to care about such things.”

Hyeon Geom found Yeon Mujin’s lack of pretense rather comfortable.

The more Yeon Mujin deviated from common sense, the better.

The more he rampaged like a thunderous wild man, the more Mount Hua would have to lean on him.

“Anyway, you waited well. I was just looking for you. You said you had business at Mount Hua? I’ll invite you to Mount Hua.”

“Oh-ho.”

Yeon Mujin’s eyes sparkled as if he’d been waiting for that.

“It’s a hard-won opportunity, so show more decorum than now. Even if I don’t care, don’t be so rude in front of the Sect leader.”

“Of course. What do you take me for? Buying a meal for a young master was worth it. Before going to Mount Hua, shall we eat a bit more pork dishes?”

“Pork is… fine, no.”

Yeon Mujin couldn’t hide his delighted excitement.

Mok Gyeong-hae watching him quietly felt a pang of sweet vindication inside.

Yeon Mujin and his riding horse followed Mok Gyeong-hae’s guidance up to Mount Hua.

Mount Hua’s attitude toward outsiders was no different from Southern Edge’s.

Wherever Yeon Mujin stepped, people’s hostile gazes followed.

A murderous atmosphere hovered as if someone might draw a sword at any moment if Hyeon Geom (Given name) weren’t beside him.

“I’m sorry. Mount Hua’s situation is dire right now, so please understand why everyone is on edge at the news of a guest from the Bukgung Family.”

“It’s not Young Master Yeon Mujin’s fault.”

“……”

Even upon arriving at Mount Hua, Yeon Mujin continued to fawn over Hyeon Geom.

“You’re my junior… no, never mind. In any case, the elders will be waiting at West Lotus Peak. I’ll attend as well.”

“Oh, so our young master has quite a standing at Mount Hua, eh?”

“I’m the disciple under the Sect leader of Mount Hua. There’s no other disciple like that but me.”

“I did well to have a sibling like you.”

As Yeon Mujin strutted, people’s gazes grew fiercer.

Yeon Mujin met the eyes of Mount Hua’s murim warriors who glared at him and said:

“What are you looking at? Is this your first time seeing a guest?”

“…What?”

“When a guest arrives, you should at least bow and greet them—what are you scowling for? Don’t you see your sworn sahyung is standing right next to me? I’ll tell on you!”

“What kind of thunderous wild man is this……”

Even Hyeon Geom standing beside them was taken aback and stared at Yeon Mujin.

“Young Master Mok, look at that fellow’s eyes. I’m your sworn brother, and to him I’m the senior elder in a way—yet he dares glare at me. Shouldn’t Young Master punish him a bit?”

The thought flashed through Hyeon Geom’s mind that he may have brought along someone crazier than he’d expected.