That Person Is My Friend. (1)

The grandfather and grandchild traveled endlessly toward the northeast.

After resting properly and traveling for five days, they reached the border between Jiangxi Province and Zhejiang Province.

A city not far from their destination.

At a quiet roadside tea stall, the two enjoyed their last rest.

“The breeze is pleasantly cool.”

They needed to keep body and mind in top condition before encountering the masters of the Eastern martial world.

Sipping a sweet drink in the cool wind cleared their minds.

At that moment, Yu Seol, who had been propping her chin up, asked with a bored look.

“Grandpa, what do you think the Storm Rider Master looks like?”

“Why ask that all of a sudden?”

“Just curious. He did Age Revival twice, so he must be smaller than you, right?”

“Probably. But why are you curious? Planning to pet him if you meet him?”

Yu Seol, who had been imagining, smiled slyly and said.

“Hehe. I’ll dote on him.”

“You little thing. Anyway, we’re almost there now.”

“Huh? What is?”

Yu Jinsan gazed steadily at the clear sky with low-hanging clouds.

“I’m talking about our long journey. If we defeat just two more people, I’ll let you meet her.”

First they’ll face the Storm Rider Master of the Eastern murim world, then the so-called great warrior of the vast grasslands.

The final opponent is the family’s nemesis, a figure praised as the sky of the Justice Faction.

“Murim Alliance leader?”

“Yes. If she even defeats that wicked bhikkhuni, then our Seol will become the Murim Alliance leader’s supreme of the martial world. No martial person will be able to deny it.”

“What’s good about becoming the supreme?”

At his granddaughter’s curt question, Yu Jinsan set his teacup down with a thud.

“What’s good? In the martial world, the supreme is no different from an emperor. A sublime existence who receives the respect of all martial people. And that glory will make our family shine forever.”

“And what else?”

“Well. There was also the Sword Marquis’s request, wasn’t there?”

At the mention of the Sword Marquis, a smile bloomed on the granddaughter’s face.

“I miss Soso unni~ Can I see her again?”

“It will surely happen. She’ll have something to ask of us.”

Yu Seol crossed her arms and fell into thought for a moment.

After a little time, she asked with a serious face.

“Unni will ask us to help stop the masters coming from Tianzhu, right?”

To think she could infer this much.

Seeing his granddaughter grow day by day made Yu Jinsan proud.

“Yes, that’s right. Now you can read the situation of the world. That’s impressive.”

“Hehehe. Unni told me there are scary people there. But can I take revenge on the Murim Alliance leader first?”

Yu Jinsan, surprised by his granddaughter’s question, asked back.

“You were really thinking that far?”

In fact, Yu Jinsan had been pondering that too.

To fight Tianzhu, they would need as many masters as possible.

But they couldn’t leave the family’s nemesis alone forever. Just thinking of her made him want to tear her apart immediately.

In any case, his granddaughter had been thinking the same. He was endlessly surprised.

“I know that too. If the Murim Alliance leader dies first, it makes fighting Tianzhu disadvantageous, right?”

“So I’ve been underestimating you, Seol. So what do you want to do when you meet that wicked bhikkhuni?”

At that moment, Yu Seol’s face slowly hardened.

There was strength in her eyes.

“Either she or I must die.”

When his granddaughter spoke of death, Yu Jinsan was startled.

He had never considered such a thing because she had been an invincible granddaughter with no equal.

“You, who’s supposed to die? You don’t say things like that in front of your grandpa.”

Yu Seol pretended to be distracted and glanced at her grandfather out of the corner of her eye.

Then she asked slyly.

“…So I won’t die, right?”

“Is that even a question!? If you’re gone, your grandpa will die too.”

“Hmm. But what do you mean~ I said one of the two will die, I didn’t say it would be me.”

At that moment, Yu Jinsan saw a slight movement on his granddaughter’s face.

It was very brief, but she was clearly suppressing a smile.

She was undoubtedly teasing him.

“Oh dear. Don’t play those word games again. Either way, your opinion is that avenging your parents comes before Tianzhu, right?”

“Yes, don’t worry. I’ll just become stronger than the Murim Alliance leader’s share. I’m confident~”

Yu Seol showed her forearm, flexing her strength.

It was a confidence unlike before.

Yu Jinsan decided to respect his granddaughter’s decision.

“Alright, alright. Seol, you’ve clearly sorted out your grandpa’s concerns.”

At that moment, the granddaughter, who had been looking around the street, asked slyly.

“Grandpa, shall I buy you clothes?”

Now that he looked, he was still wearing the clothes from the south.

No one in this area wore such short, ragged clothes.

“Why all of a sudden? Are you embarrassed that your grandpa is dressed like this?”

“No, everyone here wears long clothes. I still have plenty of money~”

“Just wear anything. Take something out of the bundle and put it on.”

Yu Jinsan waved his left hand as if uninterested.

But in that moment, his granddaughter grabbed his wrist.

“No, hurry up. I’ll pick something pretty for you.”

Overpowered by his granddaughter, Yu Jinsan began to be pulled toward the market.

He didn’t really want to buy clothes, but he had no say.

“I-I’m fine though…”

Jinhua County is a region in Zhejiang Province especially crowded with martial artists.

But lately it was even noisier; a new topic had arisen.

Today as well, the Bonghwa Inn was, as always, full of martial artists.

All six tables on the first floor were fully occupied.

Clusters of people sat listening intently for the latest news.

“Those Yin Yang Twin Monster people are arriving here soon? What will happen then?”

“Listen. I heard something new yesterday.”

“What is it? Tell us quickly.”

Everyone’s gaze turned to one spot.

A moment later, a martial artist in dark red light armor asked loudly across the room.

“You know the Yin Monster smashed the heads of the absolute strong ones on his way here, right? To fight the Storm Rider Master, elder.”

“I heard that too. Even the strongest of the southern martial world died, they say.”

“But when I looked into it more, it wasn’t a joke. The Southern Edge Sect and Ami Sect were hit, and the Tang clan’s masters also fell.”

At that moment the inn buzzed again.

The mentioned forces were significant: two of the nine great orthodox clans known as the strongest of the Justice Faction, and the third was a family of great influence in the Central Plains.

“Pah~ just two people? That doesn’t make sense.”

Indeed, everyone looked skeptical.

That was, until someone suddenly stood up.

“It’s all true! I heard it directly from the Yin Monster himself.”

He was a swordsman dressed in southern attire, the only solo guest in the inn.

All eyes focused on him.

“You said you met him personally?”

“Yes. In fact, the Yin Monster is my friend. We stayed in the same inn for several days in the south. We ate together twice.”

“Is that really true? What kind of person was he?”

The southern martial artist, now the center of attention, puffed out his shoulders.

“To his enemies he’s like a yaksha, but to a friend like me he’s merciful and generous. So if you conduct yourselves properly, there will be no harm.”

The martial artists watching him tilted their heads and whispered.

“Really his friend?”

“Doesn’t seem so.”

One by one they withdrew their interest, thinking him a braggart.

“Take my warning to heart. If he wished it, one gesture and everyone’s neck in this inn could be cut.”

“Ahem. Isn’t that too exaggerated? Brother, did you think we were that ridiculous?”

As the atmosphere turned chilly, someone stepped in to mediate.

“Now now, don’t worry and just drink! Southerners are always full of hot air, so don’t pay them any mind.”

The southern martial artist instantly grew sullen.

There was no one on his side here, so he had no way to prove his claim.

He could only quietly sip his drink in a corner.

“Damn them. I gave advice and they just ignore me?”

The martial artists of Zhejiang Province resumed their own conversations.

“I’m really curious about their fight. It’ll probably be a battle of the century.”

“In any case, the Storm Rider Master elder will win, right?”

“Of course. No matter how great the Yin Monster is, he isn’t worth a moment against the elder.”

“Even the disciple stepping in wouldn’t be a match.”

“Yep, absolutely. If it’s the master of Soyo Mountain Villa, he could handle both Yin Yang Twin Monster bastards at once.”

It was while their conversation continued in earnest.

Bang-!

Someone slammed the table and jumped to their feet.

“Stop talking nonsense! If you saw the Yin Monster in person, you’d think differently.”

It was the martial artist who said he was from the south.

He wore an expression of deep indignation; he couldn’t accept the earlier conversation.

But the Eastern martial artists could not tolerate his provocation any longer.

Each frowned and retorted.

“Ha. This man really needs to be taught a lesson.”

“Are you crazy, brother? Say one more word and I won’t hold back.”

“And we’re not weak like the country bumpkins of the south!”

The southerner ended up humiliated.

He seemed upset that no one believed him.

But he didn’t speak further; continuing to act up would clearly bring trouble.

Everyone burst out laughing as he quietly sat back down.

“Puhahaha!”

“See what I told you? Southerners are cowards.”

“Brother, keep your head down. Don’t wag your tongue and get hurt.”

The inn became a sea of laughter again.

Meanwhile, the southern martial artist wanted to crawl into a mouse hole.

Staying here would only earn him more ridicule.

He couldn’t speak and quietly called Jeom So-i. As he prepared to pay, then—

Suddenly the inn’s door burst open.

Kwang-!

The inn suddenly fell silent as a mouse.

Because a pair of small kids holding short spears appeared at the entrance.

Their appearance exactly matched the descriptions of the Yin Yang Twin Monster that had stirred up all the talk.

“Uncle Cheon Il-ho~ Why are you here?”

Yu Seol skipped over and approached the southern martial artist.

And when Cheon Il-ho faced the Yin Monster, his eyes immediately reddened.

“…Um, Yin Monster chivalrous one. Do you remember my name?”

“Of course~ We’re friends. There isn’t a single seat, can we sit together?”

He nodded like mad as if there was no second thought.

Soon the Yin Yang Twin Monster pulled out chairs on his sides and sat with him.

Everyone watched that scene in stunned silence.

“I’ve really wanted to see you, Yin Monster chivalrous one.”

“Me too. But why did you come all the way out here, sir?”

Cheon Il-ho’s dying voice regained strength.

“I came to watch the chivalrous one knock down the Storm Rider Master.”

At that moment the air in the inn turned icy. He had finally touched Zhejiang Province’s pride.

The fierce killing intent radiating from all sides made server step back.

But it did not last long.

Yu Seol’s single gesture drained all that energy away.

“Alright. I’ll put on a show for you.”

The moment she finished speaking, the surrounding martial artists began to sweat coldly.

Some were breathing heavily, gasping for breath.

They were crushed by the overwhelming pressure emitted by the Yin Monster.

A few martial artists couldn’t help but groan.

“…Ugh.”

“Ugh.”

In fact, Yu Seol had sensed the inn’s atmosphere before entering. She only intended to teach them a small lesson.

The only ones unimpressed here were Yu Jinsan and Cheon Il-ho.

Soon Cheon Il-ho also grasped the situation: everyone feared the Yin Monster.

Suddenly he lifted his chin and glanced around.

Then he asked in a loud voice.

“Why is everyone so quiet? Repeat what you were saying a moment ago.”