He Was A Good Hyung (3)

They left as two, but returned as three.

The renegade monk who had joined the group for a short while kept grinning; perhaps the burden he had carried his whole life had been lifted.

“If that black guy shows up, you must help me. Got it?”

He had already asked the same question thousands of times. No matter how often promises were made, he couldn’t seem reassured.

Yu Jinsan had grown tired of answering and kept his mouth shut; his granddaughter automatically answered in his stead.

“All right.”

A reflexive, soulless reply.

From the weak tone, Yu Seol seemed bored as well.

“Really?”

“All right. Really.”

“Seriously?”

“All right.”

“You’re not lying, right?”

“……”

“Why aren’t you answering?”

Even while using lightness skill in motion, the renegade monk’s relentless chattering was exasperating.

Seeing his granddaughter’s hand tremble, Yu Jinsan sent a telepathic message.

• You must endure it, child.

• I feel strange. My head is getting hot.

Everyone has a limit to their patience. Gradually, his granddaughter’s irritation was rising.

But if they parted ways with the renegade monk now, all the patience they’d shown so far would be for nothing.

• If you look closely, he’s a pitiful person, so we should understand him.

• Do I have to keep enduring it?

• To be a fine person you must cultivate patience. Grandpa will take over after an hour.

• We’ll arrive after an hour.

They only had to endure half a watch more of this torment.

Their destination was Ho county Defeating Blade Clan.

Yu Jinsan’s long-standing concern had been the place’s defenses.

If the righteous sects’ war intensified, Ho county clearly wouldn’t hold out long, considering the Murim Alliance’s strength; it was obvious.

But if the renegade monk joined them there, the situation would change.

That was the exact condition Yu Jinsan had offered Jeong-hye in exchange for help.

He was to stay in Ho county and defend the Defeating Blade Clan until the black-faced man returned.

Considering the children smuggled out of Mount Emei’s training ground, strengthening defenses was essential; only then could they proceed with peace of mind.

Everywhere in the Defeating Blade Clan was livelier than before, laughter never ceasing.

It was because the children who had escaped from Mount Emei and joined them were beginning to adapt.

They were all children starved for affection. Due to the side effects of the body arts, Defeating Blade clan warriors couldn’t have children, so they matched well.

No sooner had his granddaughter arrived than she vanished somewhere. Whether she went to play or to escape Jeong-hye, he couldn’t tell.

Left alone, Yu Jinsan was touring the Defeating Blade Clan’s estate with Jeong-hye.

“Hyung~”

“Why?”

“So now I have to guard this place?”

Yu Jinsan looked up and met Jeong-hye’s eyes.

“Yes. But remember, if my little brother ever torments the kids here, our promise is broken. Understand?”

“Jeong-hye keeps his promises! Anyone who invades here, I’ll beat them to death.”

The sight of the renegade monk clenching his fist was reassuring.

Perhaps because one worry was gone, Yu Jinsan’s face finally showed relaxed ease.

While they were briefly looking around, it happened.

“Jinsan hyung!!”

A familiar, glad voice—Baek Gyu, the clan leader of the Defeating Blade Clan.

When they turned, he was running toward them.

“You’re the clan leader—why are you even coming out to meet us?”

Baek Gyu, who had dashed forward, suddenly stopped three paces away.

They say warriors recognize each other; he was probably startled by Jeong-hye.

“…Wh–who did you bring?”

Baek Gyu stared at Jeong-hye in bewilderment.

He looked like a monk in tattered robes, yet something about him was off.

He was grinning at him in a strange way, picking his nose as he did.

“Do you want to try this?”

“…?”

Just as Baek Gyu tilted his head in confusion,

Jeong-hye snapped his fingers and shot something out.

At that moment, a blade flashed from Baek Gyu’s waist like a thunderbolt.

Paang-!

A ghostly sword drawing technique.

The sharp cut left two halves of a nose-pick flicking away to either side.

As the atmosphere turned awkward, Yu Jinsan stepped in to mediate.

“Calm down. He wasn’t attacking; he was merely greeting you.”

Since when was flicking boogers a greeting method?

Baek Gyu did not yet let down his guard.

“Could this person perhaps be… ?”

“Correct. Just as you guessed. He’s the renegade monk from Shaolin I told you about. His mind’s not wholly sound, but his heart isn’t bad; please take care of him.”

Who was Jeong-hye? He had been the master of Supreme warrior skills, the top Shaolin expert of the era.

Suddenly telling him to take in and care for such a person, Baek Gyu gaped in astonishment and asked.

“Whaat?”

Yu Jinsan briefly explained what had happened between them.

Only after hearing the story did Baek Gyu relax and sheath his sword again.

“It’s all for this place. If you object, say so; ultimately it’s your decision.”

Baek Gyu waved his hands as if there was no need to think.

“Of course not. If a guest brought by you, then whoever it is becomes a honored guest of the Defeating Blade Clan.”

It was natural he enthusiastically welcomed them; Jeong-hye’s joining meant the Defeating Blade Clan gained a thousand troops.

Thanks to Yu Jinsan’s arrangements, the sect’s strength was rapidly rising.

Three hundred children, each with outstanding talent, and Jeong-hye to protect them.

At this rate, becoming the world’s top sect in the future was a foregone conclusion.

“That’s fortunate. First, prepare a place for this person to rest, then let’s talk for a moment.”

Nodding, Baek Gyu signaled to a subordinate waiting nearby.

“You called, clan leader?”

“Show this person to a place to rest, and ensure there’s no lack of food or anything else. He’s an important guest; treat him with utmost care.”

“Yes, understood.”

Baek Gyu watched Jeong-hye’s retreating back intently.

His gaze betrayed he wasn’t entirely at ease; someone unsound could bolt anywhere.

As expected.

Jeong-hye placed his hand on the bald guard’s head and began to stroke it as if he found it cute.

“You want to play with hyung?”

“…Yes?”

“Let’s catch sparrows with hyung!”

“M-monk. I…”

Jeong-hye pulling the guard somewhere made Yu Jinsan uneasy.

Yu Jinsan snorted and reassured Baek Gyu.

“He’s genuinely just playing; no need to worry. He promised not to hit anyone here. If any small problem arises, tell me.”

“Hearing you say that reassures me. Let’s go inside and finish our talk.”

Yu Jinsan shared everything that had happened in Dunhuang with Baek Gyu.

Five Blue Dragon Troops warriors disguised as Protectorates officials.

And even their objective.

“If you’re right, hyung, a crisis will someday come to the Central Plains.”

“The timing is unpredictable; years or decades from now. And the warrior who left the martial world went to Tianzhu; they might resolve it there.”

“Hmm. In any case, if that comes to pass it’ll be a three-way fight. We can never unite with those spineless Justice faction.”

Yu Jinsan knew well; the Justice faction and Evil Factions were like oil and water; cooperation was unthinkable.

Moreover, the grudges accumulated over long years between the two forces were a tangled skein.

“If an invasion from outside the murim world is imminent, the Murim Alliance will try to eliminate the heterodox first. To face a strong enemy, you must first deal with internal foes.”

The Murim Alliance’s recent extermination operation against the Evil Sects is likely a preliminary move toward unifying the martial world.

Although their plan had failed, this was only the beginning.

“Now we’re prepared too, so we won’t fall that easily.”

“Of course, for now. But what if the Blue Dragon Troops emerges from the shadows and joins the Murim Alliance?”

“……”

Even ever-confident Baek Gyu couldn’t answer; he’d fought them directly when they attacked the Murim Alliance’s Shaanxi division.

It had been a situation where they had to withdraw despite the presence of leaders like the Evil Way Alliance Lord and the Black Cat Sect head.

“But there’s nothing to worry about. The Blue Dragon troops will fall to us before that happens.”

“Do you truly intend to take down the Blue Dragon troops and even the Murim Alliance leader?”

Yu Jinsan grabbed his teacup with a bitter expression.

“Imagine all the Defeating Blade Clan family were slaughtered except you. What would you do then?”

“Why ask that? I’d find every last one and tear them limb from limb.”

Yu Jinsan sipped his tea and steeled himself; memories of that time stirred his anger once more.

“And it’s not only about revenge. If we don’t thoroughly settle these grudges, how can our Yu Seol’s descendants sleep peacefully later?”

“True. Once started, the martial world won’t stop. In any case, if it’s your matter, I’ll stake my life to help.”

Maybe because sincerity shone through his words, a faint smile appeared on Yu Jinsan’s face.

“I don’t need your life; tell me the next target.”

“How long have you been back that you’re already preparing to leave?”

“There’s some business. Yu Seol also seems eager to depart quickly.”

It was to escape from Jeong-hye, who was staying at the Paedo Sect.

He’d been tormented the whole way; he wanted to leave before Jeong-hye started bothering him again.

“Good grief, you’re so impatient.”

Baek Gyu awkwardly smiled and handed over a letter.

It contained detailed descriptions of someone’s appearance—likely a suspected Blue Dragon Troops.

Yu Jinsan silently read it and then asked softly.

“Gambling Ghost?”

“His moniker is literal—the gambling ghost. We had people check; he’s said to be the Central Plains’ best. He sweeps up money in that world.”

“That guy’s also a Blue Dragon member? They really have all kinds of members.”

From the Flying Dagger clan leader to Protectorate officials, and now even the god of gambling are Blue Dragon Troops. It was staggering how many hidden identities they might have.

“How about leaving this scum to our kids?”

You don’t delegate a family’s enemy to others. Besides, sending mediocre disciples could backfire or let him slip away.

So Yu Jinsan firmly refused.

“I won’t concede the Blue Dragon troops; they’re not for others.”

The letter listed places he frequented. Not far from here, but the problem was he was very hard to meet.

The first requirement was reputation on the gambling tables; the second was capital of at least fifty silver taels.

Yu Jinsan had none of those, but this was not a Defeating Blade clan that would fail to prepare.

Baek Gyu picked up a thick money pouch from the floor and thumped it onto the table.

“One hundred and fifty silver taels. Use this to bribe a reputable gambler to lure Gambling Ghost.”

It was an enormous sum, enough that a family couldn’t spend it over three generations.

“Where did the Defeating Blade Clan get the funds to carry so much?”

Baek Gyu smiled as if it was nothing and said.

“We’ve drained our reserves, but don’t worry. Money invested in you isn’t wasted. The elder also told me not to spare any support.”

His generosity was truly appreciated.

Recently, the Defeating Blade Clan had grown in numbers and expenses had risen. They planned to repay the funds somehow, ideally with interest.

“…Gambling Ghost. Wait there and see.”