About ten days after leaving on a journey with my master, we were able to arrive in Kaifeng, Henan Province.
"This is your first ti in Kaifeng, right? This is where the Martial Alliance is."
"It's been a long..."
"Long?"
"I can feel the atmosphere of a city that has developed over a long period of ti. It's very old and stylish."
"Huhu... right? The city of Kaifeng has changed its na several tis through several dynasties and has been maintained for nearly five hundred years, so it's understandable that it looks that way."
I almost said it's been a long ti since I've been here, but I barely managed to cover it up.
In fact, Kaifeng is one of the places I know very well.
Because the place where I stayed the longest in one place in my youth was right here in Kaifeng.
Of course, the period when I used Kaifeng as a base was less than five years.
"If you go straight along that big road and cross the hill, you'll find the Martial Alliance. If you go around the hill without crossing it and follow the road that cos out for a long ti, you'll find the main headquarters of the Beggars' Sect."
My master roughly explained the geography, but to be honest, I probably know the geography here much better than my master.
Because I know not only the alleys, but also which restaurants are famous, and even where the black market is.
"Since we're here, I'll buy you a dumpling that sells well here. The dumplings here are a specialty of Kaifeng."
"I think that place over there is more delicious... than here."
"Huh?"
This ti, I couldn't help but pretend to know.
The place my master offered to buy from will disappear in about five years from now.
Because it will lose in the competition with the place I just pointed out.
"That place? That shop hasn't been around for long. Originally, choosing an old place rather than a new one increases the probability of choosing a more delicious place."
"Still, can't we try eating at that place today?"
"Why?"
"Well... it's cleaner, isn't it? For so reason, since it's a new shop, it's very clean. It's also well-cleaned. Haha."
As I made an excuse, my master stared at .
I wondered if he had found sothing strange in my words, so I slightly avoided his gaze, and my master suddenly laughed and said, "Hahaha! Unhwi. I didn't know you had that side to you. To be honest, I thought you weren't the type to be picky since you eat anything well and sleep anywhere well... but when it cos to food, you're particular about hygiene?"
"W-Well, yes. It's a place that sells food, so wouldn't it be better to eat sothing clean? And if we eat sothing dirty, our internal energy might beco turbid. Ah! Of course, I'm not saying that dumpling shop is so dirty that you can't eat there."
"I understand. Let's follow your words today. Who knows, thanks to you, we might discover a new famous restaurant."
My master, striding ahead, went to the shop I pointed at and bought two plates of dumplings.
And he put one in his mouth.
"Oh?"
"It's delicious. Fortunately!"
I savored the taste of mory that I felt for a mont, and my master, with a very surprised look, looked at the dumplings and put another one in his mouth.
I had never seen such an expression on my master's face before.
"It's delicious. This place is more delicious."
"Really?"
"I'm glad I listened to you! Haha."
My master laughed, showing his teeth, which was a rare sight.
I don't know if finding a delicious dumpling shop is sothing to be so happy about, but I thought it was fine since my master was happy.
"Wait here for a mont."
"Why?"
"I'm going to buy another one."
My master, who had already finished his share, went to the dumpling shop again and ended up finishing another plate.
And a little while later, my master even bought a candy and ate it deliciously.
Even though I didn't eat because my mouth was sweet, my master ate well by himself.
Thanks to coming here together, I was able to discover an unexpected side of my master that I hadn't thought of.
'To think he likes sweet things this much.'
My master seems to like sweet snacks very much, which doesn't suit him at all.
It felt strange to see him, who usually doesn't even drink alcohol, looking for such sweet things in a big city.
"If you're done eating, let's go to the Martial Alliance now."
"Yes, master."
To be honest, except for the first dumplings, my master ate everything by himself, but I didn't show it and headed to the Martial Alliance with him.
I thought that if there was ti after visiting the Martial Alliance later, I should introduce so delicious shops to my master.
It was from the heart that I hoped my master would have one more pleasure in coming to Kaifeng.
***
After finishing so sightseeing on the streets of Kaifeng, my master and I entered the Martial Alliance.
The Martial Alliance is a very huge castle.
A castle that could fit a whole village.
Well, since it's the place where the Martial Alliance Leader, one of the most important people in the martial world, resides, it seems to be for the purpose of making it easy to defend in case an enemy attacks.
'This gate... the Cult Leader had broken through this gate with force.'
As I passed through the huge castle gate, old thoughts naturally ca to mind.
The castle gate and walls, which I had believed would firmly protect the Martial Alliance no matter what, had collapsed when the Righteous-Demonic Great War broke out.
I wasn't there at that ti, so I didn't see the Martial Alliance being defeated, but I heard later that the Demonic Cult Leader had broken through the castle walls and gate at once by himself.
It is truly a martial art that has far surpassed the realm of humans.
The reason I am training in martial arts so arduously and hard right now is also because I have to sohow defeat him, who has surpassed human common sense.
I gritted my teeth without realizing it.
"Hwi-ya?"
"Ah, it's nothing. Sothing was stuck in my teeth."
I mumbled to my master and we went inside for a long ti.
While going in, we passed through several gates and several martial artists guarding the gates.
But none of the martial artists stopped my master.
It seems to be because my master has been in and out of the Martial Alliance so often.
"We are gradually entering the inside of the Martial Alliance. The Martial Alliance is divided into a total of five areas. You can think of it as crossing one area each ti you pass through a gate."
Although I already knew all of this, I listened to my master's words with a curious expression.
"And as you get more and more recognized in the Martial Alliance, you can enter that area without any restrictions, just like I did a little while ago."
"You said there are five areas, and we have passed through a total of three gates from the outside, so there are two areas left, right?"
"That's right. And the area I can enter without any restrictions is right up to here."
Although my master didn't explain in detail, I didn't bother to ask. Because I already know well.
The first gate is a gate that anyone can enter as long as their identity is confird.
The second gate is a gate that martial artists who have received and perford at least one mission of the Martial Alliance can enter.
The third gate is a gate that those who have been recognized as a complete ally of the Martial Alliance by performing more than ten missions can enter.
The fact that my master has crossed the third one ans he has perford at least ten Martial Alliance missions so far.
'I was able to enter up to the fourth one.'
To explain further, the fourth gate is a gate that those who have successfully perford the 'special missions' that the Martial Alliance sotis gives out, which seem almost impossible, can enter, and the last, the fifth gate, is a gate that only the top brass of the Martial Alliance, or the direct descendants of the Martial Alliance Leader, can enter freely.
"Hey. Have you been well?"
"I have been well."
"And who is next to you?"
"He is my disciple."
"Ah! So you are Unhwi!"
At the fourth gate, my master was stopped for the first ti.
My master took out the identity plaque given by the Martial Alliance and showed it, and clearly stated his purpose for coming here, saying that he ca to introduce to the Alliance Leader and to ask for Martial Alliance missions from now on.
"Yes. I received a notice from the Cheongcheon Pavilion in advance. I was waiting."
The Cheongcheon Pavilion is a brain-like institution in the Martial Alliance that is in charge of information, analysis, and operations.
Simply put, it would be good to see the Cheongcheon Pavilion as the place where the military strategists of the Martial Alliance work.
"I wanted to see your face once."
"It's a pleasure to et you for the first ti. I am Unhwi, a third-generation disciple of the Wudang Sect. May I ask for your esteed na, great hero?"
Although I already knew this person guarding the fourth gate, I deliberately pretended not to know and asked politely.
He, sending a look as if he adored , said, "Haha! You're as bright as I've heard. I've heard a lot about you from here and there. I am a person nad Ha Hu-myeong."
"Ah! I have heard of the great hero Ha Hu-myeong of the Thunder Blade. I have always wanted to et you once, and I have finally t you like this!"
"Huh? You know ? Hahaha!"
"Of course. The story of how the great hero Ha Hu-myeong single-handedly annihilated a bandit fortress in the distant Hwangbyeol Mountain is famous even in the marketplace of Hubei where I live."
"Really? Has my story spread that far? Hahaha!"
He laughs heartily.
Of course, there is no way the story has spread that far, and I know it well because I had a connection with him in my past life.
When I was active in the Martial Alliance, Ha Hu-myeong was older and had beco an instructor at the Martial Arts Academy, and I had run into him a few tis.
Although he is a martial artist from the Ha Hu family, a prestigious family of the blade, he is a person who joined the Martial Alliance early on because he didn't want to compete for succession.
As you can see from that, he is a good person and a person who likes to talk to others, so I matched him like this.
"Hyeon Yang! Where did you get such a smart disciple?"
"I was lucky. I didn't get him, but this child chose as his master."
"Hoo! As expected, he is an extraordinary child!"
He patted my back and then let us in.
"Master. Have you talked about with the great hero of the Thunder Blade?"
"No?"
"Then how does he know so well?"
My master looked at with a dumbfounded expression.
"How many things have you done, stirring up the martial world here and there until now, do you think the Martial Alliance wouldn't know your na? Just standing up to Ho Baek-gwi at the Namgung family was a big deal."
"Ah, that's true."
Looking back, I think there have been many things.
And conversely, it ans that to et the Martial Alliance Leader, I had to accomplish that many things.
"Taoist Hyeon Yang?"
When we had almost reached the fifth gate. Soone called my master.
Looking back, a woman is looking at us.
She is very beautiful. Although it is late winter and spring has not yet co, it is to the extent that it makes one feel as if a warm spring breeze is already blowing.
To speak directly, her appearance was comparable to Zhuge Ling's.
If Zhuge Ling is a cold beauty like winter, should the woman in front of be called a spring beauty?
'Jeong Ha-rin. The granddaughter of the Martial Alliance Leader. And...'
And she is also a person I already know.
Because she was the granddaughter of the Martial Alliance Leader and was considered the number one beauty in Henan Province.
"Ha-rin. It's been a long ti."
"It's really been a long ti. Are you here to see my grandfather?"
"Yes. The only reason I co here is to see the Alliance Leader."
"I told you to co and have a cup of tea with sotis."
"I'm busy."
As expected of my master. To be able to refuse a beautiful woman's offer to have a cup of tea so coldly.
But Jeong Ha-rin, as if it were a very familiar thing, didn't even bat an eye and stood next to us.
"Let's go in together. It's more convenient that way, isn't it? To pass through the five gates."
"Yes. Thank you."
"The person next to you must be that famous disciple, right?"
"That's right."
She held out her hand to and greeted .
"It's a pleasure to et you for the first ti. I'm Jeong Ha-rin."
"I'm Unhwi."
"Nice to et you! Shall we have a cup of tea later?"
"I'm also busy."
"Oh my, like master, like disciple, you're so alike in your bluntness."
At her reaction, my master looks at strangely.
And for good reason; my original personality would usually be to joke around and say, 'You're very beautiful. It's a pleasure to et you!' and greet her, but it's not common for to show such a cold reaction.
I, deliberately not looking at her, thought, 'I never thought we would et like this.'
No, to be precise, it would be correct to say that I didn't want to et like this either.
Because... I had t her briefly in the past, and had been brutally broken up with.
It was the only relationship I had in my past and present lives. After that, I didn't even think about eting a woman.
Simply put, Jeong Ha-rin is my ex-girlfriend.
(End of Chapter)
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