Threads Of Ill Fate (2)

The woman who addressed her as “Sis” actually looked more mature than Seol So-ha.

That was likely also because of the weapon she wore. She had at her side a thick podao that did not suit a lady.

Seol So-ha’s eyes gleamed.

“Lady In.”

“I told you to call me by my name.”

In Hye-dan’s smile was very beautiful.

Her face somehow evoked the image of a fox. Only before Seol So-ha did her glow dim a little; she too possessed more than enough beauty.

“Brother. Aren’t you going to greet her?”

“I was about to.”

If In Hye-dan was tall for a woman, her brother In Jong-seop was of average height and build. At his waist also hung a podao similar to Hye-dan’s, only larger and broader.

Perhaps from proper training, a faint sharp aura rose from him in no small measure. Interest flickered in Seol So-ha’s eyes.

In Jong-seop formed a fist-and-palm salute.

“It has been a while, Lady Seol.”

“Young Hero In.”

Seol So-ha’s face remained expressionless as she returned the greeting. Those not close to her would find it hard to read her feelings.

In contrast, In Hye-dan’s expressions were varied.

“So you are participating after all.”

“So it has turned out.”

“I said you can speak comfortably.”

“For now this is more comfortable.”

“Hehe, then it cannot be helped.”

The way she laughed behind her hand truly called a fox to mind.

In Jong-seop clicked his tongue.

“What rudeness is that. Lady Seol is feeling awkward. Apologize at once.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Do you know anything about the world of women?”

“You crazy girl! I told you to mind your manners in public!”

Her mad, biting retort to his sudden informal scolding was a masterpiece.

Having shouted, In Jong-seop was taken aback by his own words. In front of everyone, he had blurted “crazy girl” to his sister as if at home.

In Hye-dan snorted.

“Father isn’t even here, so what manners.”

About to scold her, In Jong-seop sighed instead. In Hye-dan, realizing her words, glanced at Seol So-ha’s reaction.

Seol So-ha quietly watched the two’s expressions.

They approached as if friendly, yet the mood differed from before. It was not that their martial arts had advanced, but rather that they seemed awkward at this very meeting.

Come to think of it, In Hye-dan’s friendliness felt a touch exaggerated.

‘That’s understandable.’

Forcing a smile, In Jong-seop spoke.

“My apologies, Lady Seol. We were too frivolous.”

“It is fine.”

“By the way, you have companions. Are they from the Seol clan?”

Seol So-ha looked toward Jin-hyeon.

Jin-hyeon was looking at the peddlers far off. He did not bother himself as Seol So-ha knew them.

Han Cheol-sang and Im Yeo-wol were similar.

“Teacher.”

“Hm?”

“Do you have a moment?”

“Ah, sure.”

Looking to the In siblings, Seol So-ha said,

“This is Teacher Jin-hyeon, an honored guest of our main household.”

In that instant, the siblings’ expressions changed.

“Teacher, these two are…”

“Beak-Star Saber Sect.”

When not paying attention it is one thing, but upon facing someone, one instantly checks the other’s face and gaze, attire and weapon.

Jin-hyeon spoke calmly.

“You are children of the Beak-Star Saber Sect.”

On their chests the two characters for “Beak-Star” were stitched. And they wore podao plainly at their waists, so anyone would take them for the sect’s children.

In Jong-seop, eyes wavering, formed a fist-and-palm salute to Jin-hyeon.

“I am In Jong-seop of Beak-Star. We meet like this.”

“I am In Hye-dan.”

Jin-hyeon returned the greeting.

“Jin-hyeon.”

The Beak-Star Saber Sect too was entangled in the Mighty Tiger scandal. If it differed from other sects, it was that the Sect Master himself admitted the corruption and went to the Sichuan Branch of his own accord.

Seol So-ha watched Jin-hyeon and the siblings with quiet eyes.

She too knew they stood in an uncomfortable relation.

But Jin-hyeon had committed no crime. Rather, he had acted chivalrously. There was no issue introducing them.

Jin-hyeon spoke plainly and directly.

“I may be someone uncomfortable for you two, so let us end this meeting with greetings exchanged.”

He drew a line from the start. In Jong-seop and In Hye-dan were flustered.

Yet only for a moment.

“We are fine, but if you are uncomfortable, let us do so.”

In Jong-seop’s voice was fairly firm.

Jin-hyeon nodded.

“I hope you achieve good results.”

“Thank you.”

With that said, Jin-hyeon turned away.

Seol So-ha gave the siblings a silent bow and came to Jin-hyeon’s side.

“Were you not offended?”

“Did you introduce me to offend me?”

“Surely not. Teacher, you have committed no crime.”

“You bear no hard feelings toward those two, do you?”

“Pardon?”

“If you introduce me, of course they will be thrown off. You could not have been unaware of that, Lady Seol.”

Seol So-ha shook her head.

“It simply came to be the natural order to introduce you. There was no intent.”

So it seemed to Jin-hyeon as well. Seol So-ha was not as cold and hard as people thought, yet her right and wrong were clear.

“Only, I do not think those siblings are bad people.”

“Are you sure?”

“To my eyes that’s how they seem. They seemed bright by nature.”

“Being bright and being bad are different things.”

“Of course, but still.”

Jin-hyeon snorted a laugh.

“To my eyes they did not look bad either. At least at this first meeting.”

“Right?”

“You only know a person’s true heart by getting to know them. It does not look like that will happen with them though.”

Rather, it would be fortunate if they did not draw blades and fight.

In fact, Jin-hyeon intended to observe the Divine Spear and Beak-Star sects. More precisely, he planned to consider how to handle them after seeing their reactions.

‘You cannot tell from just those two.’

The wheel was already rolling. If it became certain the Beak-Star Saber Sect would not touch him, then he had no reason to take the trouble to fight with them either.

But if not, he would have no choice but to take heads before being struck.

“I am hungry. Let’s eat.”

The nearby inns and taverns were packed without exception.

Fortunately, the party could put down their things at a fairly decent tavern. It was thanks to Seomun Hoe.

About thirty percent of the inns and taverns here were connected with Black Society. And when festivals like the Radiant Sword Festival arose, Black Society always secured spots ahead of time, since they might have to dispatch subordinates in disguise to gather information or broker requests.

After their meal, the party had personal time.

Seol So-ha said she would go out to watch the Ground Division Tournament, and Im Yeo-wol, who shared a room, chose to rest.

Han Cheol-sang also rested in the room, while Jin-hyeon came out alone to wander the area.

‘It’s lively, but.’

The place Jin-hyeon dropped by was a market fairly far from the arenas.

There had not originally been a market here. Before the Radiant Sword Festival began, peddlers gathered and staked out spots, which grew into a temporary market.

There were many people in the market as well. It was hard to tell martial artists from civilians.

A duel tournament does not draw only martial artists. Moreover, many already lived nearby. Naturally, many kinds of people gathered.

“This is really tiring.”

There were too many people.

With so many presences, his sense of Qi scattered on its own. It even felt like his digestion was off.

After circling the market a few times, Jin-hyeon turned his steps back to the lodging.

‘So the layout is roughly like this.’

Many martial artists had assembled here.

There would likely be no incidents, but hot-blooded martial artists might draw blades beneath the arenas. In the worst case, groups could clash.

That was why Jin-hyeon surveyed the area. He fixed the surroundings in his mind so he could respond to any sort of disturbance.

‘It is coming back.’

He had not been like this when he entered the Seol clan. It seemed the long-built experience, harmonized with the Eight Wastes Alliance Leader, was little by little becoming embodied.

Then, when the lodging came into view.

‘…’

The Soul-Refining Art, which had been sleeping, awoke on its own and rapped at his head. Jin-hyeon’s eyes flashed.

‘Oh?’

Far off, among the crowd, a man was walking quietly.

His bamboo hat was pulled low so his age was unknown, but from his gait and jawline he seemed young.

‘Astounding.’

The amount of internal energy he held was beyond imagining.

Yet that astonishing power was suppressed thoroughly. Had the Soul-Refining Art not found him, had he not opened his inner eye to focus, even he would have passed by, it was very well concealed.

‘He has more internal energy than Brother Han and I.’

He did not even look old.

In sheer quantity, it was no exaggeration to say it was at the sect-leader level of a great sect. Whatever the era’s standard, it was enough to aim to be a regional overlord.

However.

‘Strange.’

Inwardly, Jin-hyeon tilted his head.

‘It feels like he cannot use even half the internal energy he has. Why does it look so awkward?’

The hidden internal energy was great. The density was tremendous as well.

But it was like having the finest divine sword and not knowing how to use it. The potential was tremendous, yet that ambiguous Qi presence was worse than Seol So-ha’s.

Of course, Seol So-ha was also one of the most noted late-generation prodigies in Sichuan…

It was then.

The man in the bamboo hat turned his head and looked at Jin-hyeon.

Jin-hyeon did not avoid his gaze. Hands clasped behind him, he simply looked at the man calmly.

The man slightly lifted the brim of his hat, and the instant he met Jin-hyeon’s eyes he startled and turned away.

The corner of Jin-hyeon’s mouth rose.

‘About my age, maybe.’

The face shown for a moment seemed of similar years.

The man mingled into the crowd and vanished in an instant. He could not say why, but the sense of evasion was strong.

‘An interesting fellow.’

Seeing that this was called one of Sichuan’s foremost festivals, he wondered how many like that fellow had gathered.

Thinking it was getting more and more interesting, Jin-hyeon headed back to the lodging.

“You are back.”

Han Cheol-sang, who had been lying on the bed, slowly sat up.

“Why not keep lying down?”

“Just because.”

Jin-hyeon set both hands on the window frame and looked out at the world beyond.

“It has been a while, hasn’t it? Coming to a place like this.”

“It has.”

“Brother Han should go take a look outside too. It is chaotic to the point of dizzying, yet not bad.”

“It looks bad to me.”

“Quick on the uptake, are you?”

Han Cheol-sang snorted a laugh.

After watching outside for a while, Jin-hyeon turned and sat with his back to the wall.

“Circulating?”

“Yeah.”

“I will stand guard.”

“It is fine, but do so if you have nowhere to be.”

Cross-legged, Jin-hyeon entered circulation at once.

He had said Seol So-ha’s concentration was good, but Jin-hyeon’s was no less. In an instant he sank into the Heavenly Wolf True Art, and his expression looked very solemn.

Watching him quietly, Han Cheol-sang shook his head.

‘He really is unreadable.’

Sincerity had passed between them. He admitted that. He did not know what that sincerity truly was, but at least he saw him as someone worth mutual trust.

Even so, he had not expected him to circulate even before someone once called the Mad Demon. If ambushed while in breath circulation, there is no way to escape death.

‘Whether he is at ease, or simply not thinking at all.’

Why had he brought him to a place like this at all?

After watching Jin-hyeon for a long while, Han Cheol-sang closed his eyes, leaning against the bed wall. It was to clear idle thoughts.

Though entering meditation, he would be able to react to any sound or killing intent. His words about standing guard had been true.

Time passed like that.

As the sun sank toward the western hills.

‘…’

Han Cheol-sang’s eyes opened naturally.

He looked at Jin-hyeon. Then Jin-hyeon opened his eyes as well.

“Are you there?”

“Come in.”

The one who opened the door and entered was a middle-aged man with a restrained Qi presence.

Bowing in lieu of words, the man produced a letter, and Han Cheol-sang took it and handed it to Jin-hyeon.

“Then.”

He left after delivering only the letter. That brief, simple manner made him seem all the more uncommon.

Jin-hyeon unfolded the letter.

“…Oh-ho.”

“What is it?”

Folding the letter, Jin-hyeon rose with the Indestructible Sword in hand.

“I have somewhere to go briefly, so rest, Brother Han.”

“Is it fine if I do not go with you?”

“It’s fine.”

“Understood.”

When he opened the door and stepped out, that same middle-aged man was standing by the corridor railing.

The man bowed once more.

“Please follow me.”

“Let’s.”

Following behind the man, Jin-hyeon thought,

‘Someone is offering a cheek to a crying person. How very interesting.’