Chapter 20 : White Cloud Sword

Chapter 20: White Cloud Sword

Chairman of the Merchants’ Association, Oh Jeong-san.

He was walking with hurried steps.

The Southern Black Lotus’ movements had been suspicious, and while in the middle of a meeting with his subordinates, the Seong-un Inn suddenly came to mind.

Jin Seong-un alone was already an unusual man, but the suddenly appearing kitchen hand, Seo Yu-gyeom, was no ordinary person either.

Though he did not know the pasts of the two men, he was certain that neither of them was inferior to himself in martial ability.

“The problem is that their opponent is the Southern Black Lotus.”

They would need to keep a low profile for the time being.

But both of them had personalities utterly indifferent to such matters, which made him worried.

“If they could just be careful for a while…”

Before coming, he had sent a letter to the Wudang Sect.

If the Black Division had been dispatched, that meant the Southern Black Lotus had no intention of letting this matter slide easily.

Well, their son had been killed, after all.

After meeting the Black Division Captain, Oh Jeong-san had grown even more anxious.

He had met the Black Division Captain ten years ago, and compared to then, the man had become unimaginably stronger.

In truth, not only him—most martial artists Oh Jeong-san knew had grown far more powerful.

The real problem was that only he had remained in place.

“…Pathetic.”

It was said that without talent, the highest realm one could reach through hard work alone was first-class. He had surpassed that and reached the doorstep of the peak realm.

Up until then, he had believed in his talent.

But that was as far as it went.

After that, there had been no new insight, no growth.

All he could do was watch as his close friends, once walking beside him, went far ahead.

In any case, as the one in charge of Yichang, it was uncomfortable and unsettling to know that an unorthodox martial artist stronger than himself had entered the area.

His pace quickened.

Suddenly, the Seong-un Inn came into view in the distance.

The lights were brightly lit.

“It should be past closing time…”

As he drew closer, the wind carried with it the thick scent of blood. Unease settled in his heart.

‘Probably pig’s blood.’

Or maybe fish blood? He tried to calm himself with such thoughts as he walked.

But the nearer he got to the inn, the more that unease solidified into certainty. It was human blood.

The inn was silent.

It seemed the fight had already ended.

Oh Jeong-san’s face turned slightly pale. If Jin Seong-un or Seo Yu-gyeom had died, how was he supposed to take responsibility for this?

‘…This is all my fault.’

With a tense face, he opened the door.

He met eyes with Jin Seong-un and Seo Yu-gyeom.

Around them, blood and corpses lay scattered.

Thud—!

He closed the door again.

“Is this a dream?”

He slapped his own cheek.

Smack.

With the sharp sting, his mind cleared instantly.

It wasn’t a dream. The surreal scene inside was all real.

The Black Division Captain was dead.

All of his subordinates were also dead.

The waiter and kitchen hand were sighing as they wiped up blood with cloths.

Oh Jeong-san opened the door again, now with a sharper gaze.

Aside from a bit more blood having been wiped away, nothing else had changed.

He opened his mouth after a moment of working his lips.

“…What on earth happened here?”

His question held many others within it.

Why were these men dead?

How had the fight broken out?

How strong were these two, and what exactly were they?

The answer came quickly.

Seo Yu-gyeom flung one of the corpses into the back yard and said,

“They said they wanted to drink on credit. Completely insane.”

Jin Seong-un nodded in silent agreement.

Oh Jeong-san rubbed his face.

Yes, there was no such thing as credit in this business.

Especially with unorthodox bastards—they never paid their debts.

As both a martial artist and a merchant, Oh Jeong-san knew this well.

“Since they were unorthodox, I suppose they ate and drank a lot. Must have been worth quite a bit.”

“Yes, they consumed more in one hour than we sold in the entire day.”

Jin Seong-un replied calmly.

Oh Jeong-san forced himself to nod.

“Not getting paid would be quite a blow. Did you tell them no credit?”

“Yes.”

Of course, to the Black Division Captain, the people they dealt with would have just been a powerless kitchen hand and a waiter.

Most likely, being told they couldn’t drink on credit only made them more aggressive.

Oh Jeong-san tried his best to understand the situation. After much effort, he exhaled a thin sigh and said,

“We’re screwed.”

For a moment, he tried thinking from the perspective of the Southern Black Lotus Leader.

To the Southern Black Lotus, located at the western end of Hubei Province, Yichang was an important region.

To the north was the Wudang Sect and the Jaegal Clan, and to the east was the Murim Alliance’s headquarters.

In other words, Yichang was practically the last border separating the orthodox murim from them.

And in that Yichang, his son had been killed.

After that, a merchants’ association run by a Wudang Sect member had taken root.

To investigate, he had sent a valued subordinate.

That man had been killed the very day he arrived.

The Southern Black Lotus Leader would think,

“These bastards are trying to cross the line.”

“No, why the sudden cursing…?”

When Seo Yu-gyeom glared at him, Oh Jeong-san quickly waved his hands.

“That’s not it—I’m saying the Southern Black Lotus Leader must be feeling enormous pressure right now. Perhaps…”

The Southern Black Lotus Leader might even believe that the orthodox murim was targeting him.

What he might do once he felt that way was something even Oh Jeong-san could not predict.

“…What will you do now?”

He asked Jin Seong-un.

Would he leave Yichang, or actively seek aid from the Murim Alliance or the Wudang Sect…?

Or perhaps they could try borrowing the government’s authority.

His question had carried several meanings, but suddenly, this was the reply he got.

“First, we finish cleaning up, then at daybreak, we repair the broken tables and chairs, and after that…”

Oh Jeong-san blinked.

Was that really the issue right now?

Then Seo Yu-gyeom, standing beside him, suddenly flared up.

“Hey, that’s not right.”

Oh Jeong-san looked at him in surprise. He had already suspected this fellow wasn’t normal.

Seo Yu-gyeom continued.

“How are you going to fix all this to be usable again? Just buy new ones. You’ve got plenty of money.”

Oh Jeong-san rubbed his forehead.

It seemed these young men had the gall of a tiger.

“You two… it feels like you don’t really understand how serious the situation is…”

As Oh Jeong-san spoke with a grave face, Seo Yu-gyeom stepped closer and shoved a rag into his hand.

He accepted it without thinking.

“Talk while you wipe. We don’t have much time.”

Oh Jeong-san’s brows furrowed.

Was now really the time to be cleaning?

He wanted to say so, but Seo Yu-gyeom wasn’t wrong. Soon the sun would rise, and if the townsfolk saw this mess, things would get out of control.

So, Oh Jeong-san began to clean.

Jin Seong-un glanced at him and gave a small, satisfied nod.

With the three of them working together, the cleanup went much faster.

“Do you know what kind of place the Southern Black Lotus is?”

Oh Jeong-san asked while wiping down a chair.

Jin Seong-un said he had no idea, while Seo Yu-gyeom, clearing the wreckage of a broken table, replied,

“They’re the overlords of the unorthodox in Hubei.”

“That’s right. The Southern Black Lotus Leader is infamous for his cruelty. It’s because he’s an unorthodox who rose without any backing. He’s constantly sending warnings to others that he’s this dangerous. This chair’s useless.”

“I think it can be fixed if done well.”

When Jin Seong-un said that, Oh Jeong-san shook his head. A skilled carpenter could restore it perfectly, but it would be better to just buy a new one.

Jin Seong-un and Oh Jeong-san locked eyes briefly. Oh Jeong-san found the whole situation absurd.

A martial artist at the level of the Black Division Captain had been killed. No one knew when the Southern Black Lotus Leader might come storming in.

If he arrived before help from the Wudang Sect came, they would be as good as dead.

And yet, here they were, cleaning.

More absurd still was that, somehow, he was feeling strangely at ease.

“Why is that?”

“What is?”

Looking at Jin Seong-un, Oh Jeong-san realized the answer.

Yes—it was because of this man.

His calm voice, his composed expression, and his steady demeanor had a way of putting those around him at ease.

“Seong-un, aren’t you afraid?”

“Of what?”

“You’ve only been in business here for a short time. You could easily move to another area. With your capable ways and Seo the kitchen hand’s skill, you could set up shop anywhere.”

Oh Jeong-san truly meant it.

He himself couldn’t avoid this situation. The Southern Black Lotus surely had eyes and ears—they must already know he had come to Yichang.

So, he would remain here and take responsibility. That was the orthodox way he had learned from the Wudang Sect.

But Jin Seong-un and Seo Yu-gyeom were different.

No one would blame them for running away.

Even though it had been Jin Seong-un who had wiped out the Prosperity Association, that had been because the Prosperity Association Leader’s tyranny had gone too far, not out of Jin Seong-un’s malice.

“I’m saying it would be better to leave.”

“I’m going to keep doing business here.”

Jin Seong-un spoke firmly.

He did not see why he should fear the Southern Black Lotus, and besides, the Martial Gods were here.

Oh Jeong-san looked into Jin Seong-un’s eyes for a moment.

His voice, his face, his demeanor, and even those unwavering eyes—no wonder they set people’s minds at ease.

Oh Jeong-san let out a sigh. If this young man could stay this calm, he realized that making a fuss would solve nothing.

“I understand your will. Soon, the Wudang Sect will send people. Depending on how the Southern Black Lotus moves, we could even seek help from the Murim Alliance or the Jaegal Clan.”

“Is that so.”

“Yes, so don’t worry too much. In any case, Yichang is now the Merchants’ Association’s territory, so I’ll take responsibility and handle it somehow.”

For a moment, Oh Jeong-san thought he sounded like a rather admirable elder. Even if his martial growth had stopped ten years ago, he had at least grown in spirit.

But right then, Seo Yu-gyeom’s sharp jab came.

“Don’t use this as an excuse to sneak in a break while acting all serious.”

And so, the three of them worked in silence for a while.

Thanks to that, they finished cleaning before sunrise, which was for the best.

They decided to close for a few days.

They needed new tables and chairs, and the smell of blood hadn’t fully left the inn.

The Seong-un Inn was quiet without customers.

Jin Seong-un, Seo Yu-gyeom, Oh Jeong-san, and an elderly man sat together at a table.

The elder stroked his neatly groomed beard as he studied the faces of Jin Seong-un and Seo Yu-gyeom.

In the slightly awkward atmosphere, Seo Yu-gyeom tried to pick up some food, but Jin Seong-un lightly nudged his side with an elbow to stop him.

“…Won’t even let me eat.”

Seo Yu-gyeom grumbled as he set his chopsticks down, and at that moment, the elder spoke with a strange expression.

“So, these boys are the ones who killed the Southern Black Lotus Leader’s second son and the Black Division Captain. And Jeong-san, you’re handling the aftermath.”

“Ahem, it’s not exactly cleaning up after them. We’re resolving the matter together.”

Regardless, the elder continued looking at Jin Seong-un and Seo Yu-gyeom with an unsatisfied expression.

“How odd. If they had truly learned Wudang-style martial arts, I should sense that distinct atmosphere, but I don’t feel it at all.”

This was Hyeonun (賢雲), Oh Jeong-san’s master and an elder of the Wudang Sect. He had heard the full account of recent events, but only after Oh Jeong-san had gotten Jin Seong-un and Seo Yu-gyeom’s permission first.

“Still, the sword Seong-un used was undeniably of the Wudang lineage.”

“But you can’t say which sect you belong to?”

“…Yes.”

“The kitchen hand is brimming with killing intent, and the waiter hides everything—this is truly a strange inn.”

Hyeonun stroked his beard again, his face growing sterner. If he doubted them further after his disciple had vouched for them this much, it would be like throwing dirt on his disciple’s name.

His gaze shifted to Seo Yu-gyeom.

Unlike Jin Seong-un’s eyes, which held at least a minimum of respect, Seo Yu-gyeom’s eyes were endlessly provocative.

Hyeonun pointed his index finger at Seo Yu-gyeom’s smooth face and said—

“You’re not going to tell me this guy’s a Daoist priest too, are you?”

Saying that, Hyeonun studied Seo Yu-gyeom.

When he pointed his finger, the young man’s neck muscles subtly tensed—readying himself in case a gust of force came his way.

This young one is strangely experienced for his age.

At Hyeonun’s question, Oh Jeong-san scratched his head.

In truth, he also had no idea where Seo Yu-gyeom had come from or what he had been doing before.

Hyeonun continued.

“No matter how I look, he’s either an assassin or an unorthodox wanderer.”

“I’m a kitchen hand.”

Seo Yu-gyeom answered curtly.

A faint smile tugged at Hyeonun’s lips.

“Then scrape off some of that killing karma in your eyes before you speak.”

“It’s just the karma a kitchen hand has to bear. Cutting animal bones and hides all day, chopping off fish heads—it’s the job.”

Hyeonun clicked his tongue.

No matter how he saw it, those eyes didn’t come from killing a few fish.

They were closer to the gaze of a butcher who had slaughtered thousands of animals—or someone from the demonic or unorthodox who had killed countless people.

Rising from his seat, Hyeonun said,

“I came here because you asked so earnestly, but I can’t decide so easily. The Southern Black Lotus is no easy opponent, and I still can’t be certain of these youngsters’ identities.”

“Master…”

“Still, just my being here should be enough to keep that young Southern Black Lotus Leader from running wild.”

With that, Hyeonun glanced at the stir-fried bok choy on the table, then picked one up to taste.

His eyebrows twitched for a moment.

Seo Yu-gyeom didn’t miss it, puffing out his chest with a proud expression.

“It’s good. But I can’t just eat off my disciple after meeting again for the first time in so long. Unfortunately, I came in such a hurry I didn’t bring travel money, so perhaps I could put it on credit—”

“A-ah, no! Of course, this disciple should treat you.”

Oh Jeong-san cried out in alarm.

After all, in this inn’s backyard lay those who had tried to drink on credit and ended up dead.

Hyeonun gave his disciple a strange look, then soon disappeared.

With a sigh of relief, Oh Jeong-san said,

“Even if he says so, he’s not someone who would let the unorthodox run rampant. Don’t worry. I’ll speak with him.”

With that, he quickly settled the bill and followed his master out.

Watching the two disappear, Seo Yu-gyeom smirked.

“Well, I’ve actually met the White Cloud Sword now.”

“You know him?”

“Of course. That guy’s one of the top ten masters in the Wudang Sect. If someone wanted to try assassinating him, they’d need at least ten top-class killers.”

“Oh…”

Jin Seong-un had grown accustomed to Seo Yu-gyeom’s odd habit of evaluating people by strange standards.

After sending off Hyeonun and Oh Jeong-san—

Seo Yu-gyeom decided to nap in a tall tree, while Jin Seong-un went straight to find the Martial Gods.

As usual, the Merchant King and Divine Thief were grabbing each other by the collar, while the Sword Immortal and Noble Enchantress were playing Go.

One thing was different—there was no sign of the Blood Demon.

“Where is the Blood Demon?”

“He’ll be here soon.”

The Sword Immortal answered.

Jin Seong-un wasn’t terribly concerned, so he just nodded casually.

He explained the events of the past few days—

The appearance and death of the Black Division Captain, and the suspicions of Oh Jeong-san’s master, Hyeonun.

The Merchant King became greatly enraged when he heard the part about the Black Division Captain trying to drink on credit.

“In truth, I’m more concerned about the Merchants’ Association Chairman. I think he sought his master’s help to aid me, but since that man suspects me and Seo the kitchen hand, he’s in a tight spot.”

Noble Enchantress smiled softly and placed a hand on Jin Seong-un’s shoulder.

“Seong-un, if he’s a Daoist from the Wudang Sect, he’ll soon realize you’re not a bad person. So there’s no need to worry.”

Her gaze toward Jin Seong-un was endlessly kind, but the advice was not much help.

Then Divine Thief chimed in.

“Enough with the boring talk. The best way to earn someone’s goodwill is to do them a favor. First, steal something precious from him, then pretend you found it and return it. How about that?”

The Merchant King clicked his tongue and cut in.

“Would that work? Ignore the words of this stupid, immoral, ugly, lowly thief.”

Divine Thief sulked.

Regardless, the Merchant King continued.

“Seong-un, support the Wudang Sect. Haven’t you built up quite a bit of wealth by now? It’s about time you start making money with your money.”

While Jin Seong-un was tempted by the idea, the Blood Demon returned from somewhere, shaking blood from his hands as he muttered to himself,

“Just kill them all. The Southern Black Lotus, the Wudang Sect, the Murim Alliance, the Demonic Cult, even the Emperor…”

Everyone turned to look at the Blood Demon.

A brief silence.

Then, as if by unspoken agreement, they all continued the conversation without him—acting as though they had heard nothing.

It was then—

“Haha, seems there’s truly no one who can give Seong-un advice that would actually help.”

At that, everyone gave the Sword Immortal a displeased look. Rising to his feet, the Sword Immortal savored their stares before speaking gravely.

“You said he was an elder of the Wudang Sect?”

“Yes, a man they call the White Cloud Sword. Do you know him?”

“Say something that makes sense.”

It was a joke—

But Jin Seong-un felt a bit dejected.

Regardless, the Sword Immortal continued.

“In any case, if you follow the advice I’m about to give, that man will not only drop his suspicions of you, he’ll grant you limitless goodwill. Are you ready to hear it?”

“…I’m listening.”

With a mix of hope and doubt, Jin Seong-un awaited the Sword Immortal’s next words.