The Return of the Sw Chapter 71 : Let’s Settle It. -01

Chapter 71: Let’s Settle It. -01

Whether it should be called obsession or fixation, Ban Hojin found it difficult to choose the right word.

However, he knew clearly what he had to do right now.

So Ban Hojin flicked his finger.

He sent out a wind blade without a sound.

Thud!

The wind blade, concealed by the sound of the night breeze as it flew, struck its target with perfect accuracy.

Because it did not fly in a straight line but detoured to strike the back of the head, the masked man in black who had been secretly hiding and watching from this side died on the spot.

He had been soone with quite excellent stealth techniques, but unfortunately, he had chosen the wrong opponent.

“Quite amusing. Even in my previous life, the relationship between those two was similar, you know.”

When he heard that Shangguan Jeok had arrived, Ban Hojin had been inwardly surprised.

It was because the situation from his past life seed to be unfolding in a similar way this ti as well.

However, the positions of the two were completely reversed.

In his previous life, Nanhui-ju had been called the Iron-Blooded Witch and had stood on a higher rung of status than Shangguan Jeok.

Because of that, Shangguan Jeok had targeted Nanhui-ju.

By taking Nanhui-ju for himself, he had aid for a rise in status.

“Well, I suppose this ti too he’s thinking the sa thing—swallowing Hao Sect whole.”

In his previous life, to Ban Hojin, Nanhui-ju and Shangguan Jeok had both been cut from the sa cloth.

Both had betrayed the Central Plains Murim all the sa.

But this ti was different.

Because the future was changing, Ban Hojin did not hesitate and chose Nanhui-ju.

“Even if I do this, a leech-like bastard won’t give up easily, but it should at least serve as a warning. That thods like before won’t work now.”

Even if he suspected Ban Hojin, he would not dare confront him directly.

The mont he questioned him, he would be admitting that he had been spying on Nanhui-ju.

Rather, if Ban Hojin or Nanhui-ju asked him, Shangguan Jeok would be in a position where he had to deny it.

Piiing. Piing.

Ban Hojin instead used that to his advantage.

Without hesitation, he slaughtered all of Shangguan Jeok’s lackeys who were scattered at intervals.

Since leaving them alive would only an they would continue to bring harm to the world under Shangguan Jeok’s orders, Ban Hojin did not even blink as he sent out wind blades in rapid succession.

To leave no traces, he infused them purely with True Energy alone.

Thud! Thud!

Feeling the presence of those who collapsed to the ground without even realizing they had died, Ban Hojin lifted his gaze to the waning moon.

Just then, the clouds had all passed, revealing the crescent moon in its entirety.

“The kids need to grow up quickly so they can do the work in my place. When will they finally carry their share?”

Ban Hojin smacked his lips.

His dream had not changed at all.

He had lived fiercely enough already, so in this life, he wanted to live leisurely and take it easy.

However, because there were prerequisites for that, Ban Hojin rose with a regretful expression and headed toward his room.

“So this is Shaolin! And that’s Songshan!”

“That’s nothing special. A mountain is just a mountain.”

Ban Hojin replied indifferently to the unusually excited Seo Joun.

While he acknowledged it was a famous mountain, he did not think it warranted such excessive admiration.

“Just a mountain? Songshan is one of the Five Great Mountains of the Central Plains. Of course it’s amazing. I was deeply moved when I first saw Songshan too.”

“Is that so?”

Perhaps recalling the past, Seonwu Bang wore a nostalgic expression.

For him, this place—Songshan—held significance in many ways.

In contrast, Ban Hojin tilted his head.

Perhaps because he had climbed it holding his master’s hand when he was very young, Ban Hojin felt no particular emotion toward it.

“It’s my first ti seeing Songshan too.”

“Sa here. I rember visiting the Five Great Families, but it’s my first ti at Songshan.”

Not as much as Seo Joun, but Jeong I-ryong and Murong Cheok also looked up at Songshan with sparkling eyes.

Yet that did not seem strange.

Among the Incense Flower Guests visiting Shaolin, there were many first-tirs standing here and there with expressions similar to the three of them.

“You’ll be seeing it plenty from now on, so let’s go in.”

“Yes!”

Ban Hojin, who had waited until his younger companions had seen enough, took the lead and started walking.

But as they drew closer to Shaolin, a familiar face ca into view.

“You’ve returned safely.”

“I’m here too!”

At the sight of Beopmu and Jeong Hyeon standing side by side, Ban Hojin’s pupils widened slightly.

He had not expected the two of them to be waiting.

“How did you know I was coming? I didn’t contact you separately.”

“Dengfeng County is practically Shaolin’s front courtyard.”

“True enough.”

Although they did not possess a separate intelligence organization, at least within Dengfeng County there was nothing Shaolin did not know.

Since everyone living there was connected to Shaolin in one way or another, Ban Hojin nodded in understanding.

“Nice to et you. I am Beopmu of Shaolin.”

“Hello! I’m Jeong Hyeon, Shaolin’s second-generation disciple!”

After briefly looking over Ban Hojin, Beopmu and Jeong Hyeon turned their gaze to the rest of the group and joined their palms.

The others hurriedly returned the fist-clasp salute.

“It’s an honor to et you. I am Seonwu Bang of the Seonwu Family.”

“I’m Seo Joun of the Seo Family Estate. I look forward to your guidance!”

“I am Murong Cheok of the Murong Family.”

“Uh, I’m Jeong I-ryong. Please take care of .”

There was no need to deliberately hide his lineage, but no particular need to reveal it either, so Jeong I-ryong greeted them awkwardly.

However, perhaps understanding his feelings, Beopmu smiled kindly and did not ask further.

“Welco to Shaolin.”

“We’re the ones who should thank you for your hospitality.”

With none other than Beopmu—who could be considered the next abbot—personally coming out to greet them, not only Seonwu Bang but all the younger ones were astonished.

But it was also true that they were happy because of it.

Just as with Ban Hojin, Beopmu was not soone one could easily et simply because one wished to.

“My master told

to co find him in the evening.”

“Understood. I will pay my respects then.”

“Don’t just say it—make sure you co. He’s been waiting eagerly for his junior brother to arrive.”

“Understood.”

At Beopmu’s words, everyone smiled silently.

It seed that Ban Hojin’s standing within Shaolin remained unchanged.

“We should unpack our luggage first, right?”

“We should. But do I really need to guide you? It’s my quarters.”

Ban Hojin looked steadily at Jeong Hyeon.

He was glad to see him too, but there had been no need for him to wait like this.

“Everything has its reasons. And I was the one who cleaned and took care of the quarters while you were away, Senior Uncle—that was , !”

“I know. I’m so grateful it almost brings

to tears.”

“……I don’t feel any sincerity at all, you know?”

“Heoh. You’ve grown a lot while I wasn’t looking. Talking back and all.”

Jeong Hyeon, who had brought it up only to gain nothing from it, puffed up his cheeks.

Anyone could see he was full of dissatisfaction, but those following behind rely laughed.

To them, Jeong Hyeon looked just like the youngest sibling.

Crack! Thud!

“Hey! Carry it properly! The pillar’s crooked!”

“Who said all we had to do was assemble it?! None of it fits!”

“If you’ve got ti to shout, plane it one more ti! We at least have to make it fit, don’t we?!”

Ban Hojin gaped.

It was a sight he had never even imagined, and his mouth opened without him realizing it.

Jeong Hyeon, on the other hand, shrugged his shoulders.

“The quarters are too small for everyone to stay together, right? So we took this chance to mobilize the second-generation disciples and build it together.”

“If you were going to build it anyway, you should’ve made it in advance. Did you really have to show

the construction process like this?”

“That way it shows we suffered for it.”

Despite Ban Hojin’s scolding, Jeong Hyeon answered proudly instead.

Since this wasn’t the first or second ti he’d been treated like this, Jeong Hyeon was not flustered at all.

“Honestly, isn’t it just that it got delayed?”

“……How did you know?”

“You can tell at a glance. Still, thanks. For putting this much thought into it.”

Ban Hojin patted Jeong Hyeon’s smooth crown.

Jeong Hyeon then wiped under his nose with his sleeve.

“Ah, it’s nothing. Compared to you checking our martial arts, Senior Uncle, this is nothing at all.”

“Senior Uncle has arrived!”

“It’s been a while!”

The second-generation disciples, who had noticed Ban Hojin belatedly, greeted him in booming voices.

They radiated youthful vigor with their entire bodies.

Along with that, the thick sll of sweat rode the wind over to them.

At that scent, Ban Hojin was newly reminded that he had returned to Shaolin.

“It’s going to be noisy around here from now on.”

“It wasn’t quiet before either. That brat Jeong Hyeon ca around to play so often.”

Ban Hojin replied while recalling Jeong Hyeon, who had gone out saying he would supervise things outside.

Contrary to his words, there was a high chance he would be sweating profusely while working together with his senior and junior brothers.

“I’ve heard all about what you’ve been up to. You’ve been causing quite a stir.”

“It just sort of turned out that way.”

“Heh heh heh.”

When Ban Hojin said that capturing the Green Forest Great Lord and smashing the Eighteen Green Forest Strongholds had been sothing that ‘just happened,’ Beopmu let out a hollow laugh.

Even though he had accomplished sothing no re rising junior could do, Ban Hojin did not seem to think much of it.

Yet to Beopmu, this ???? seed natural.

He also knew Ban Hojin’s capabilities to a certain extent through Damhyeon.

“Still, isn’t it better than bringing disgrace upon the sect’s na?”

“Well, that’s true enough. But because of that, both I and Master have beco quite busy.”

“What do you an by that?”

Ban Hojin wore a puzzled expression.

As far as he could tell, there was nothing that should have made things difficult.

If anything, it should only have elevated Shaolin’s reputation.

The others, who had been quietly sipping tea, also looked at Beopmu with the sa expression as Ban Hojin, as if they shared the sa thought.

“As our junior brother becos too famous, marriage proposals keep coming in from all over. Among them are even the Five Great Families. Of course, in the case of the Five Great Families, their pride is high, so it’s more like testing the waters—but the problem is that all five of them did it.”

“Oooh!”

“As expected.”

Seo Joun exclaid, and Seonwu Bang nodded his head.

Even thinking about it coldly, the Five Great Families had more than enough reason to approach him like that.

If anything, the two thought public evaluation was underestimating him.

Ban Hojin was not a martial artist to be judged at the level of the Five Great Families alone.

“Hm.”

Murong Cheok, on the other hand, deeply furrowed his brows.

The Five Great Families taking an interest in Ban Hojin was by no ans a good thing for him.

“You can just reject them all.”

“Really?”

“Wasn’t it more awkward because you didn’t know whom I had feelings for?”

“That’s right.”

“I have no intention of eting anyone for now.”

Ban Hojin spoke firmly.

On the eve of war, he had no intention of idly eting won.

Moreover, with even spies of Iron-Blood Castle already discovered, there was no room for won in Ban Hojin’s mind.

“Understood. I’ll convey your wishes to Master as well.”

“If you’re busy, I can co find him later and tell him myself.”

“I think I’ll be seeing him first anyway. Still, it’s a bit of a sha. I wanted to see my junior brother get married.”

“I still have no such thoughts.”

Beopmu wore a slightly regretful expression.

Having devoted himself to the Buddhist path, he could not marry, but Ban Hojin was different.

That was why Beopmu thought that if there were a good person, marrying right away would not necessarily be a bad thing.

Especially since a situation like this, where one could choose freely, was absolutely not common.

‘No. It’s hard to see this as just a passing phase for my junior brother.’

If it were soone else, one would say to strike while the iron was hot, but Ban Hojin’s situation was a bit different.

He had only just turned twenty.

Winter would soon co, and when the year turned he would be twenty-one, but even so, he was still young—almost too young.

Yet he was already one of the masters who shook the world, and if anything, the number of marriage proposals would only increase, not decrease.

‘My junior brother knows that too.’

There was no one more sharp and intelligent than Ban Hojin.

He had been a bit immature in the past, but now it was different.

Even if he looked like he was living leisurely, when it ca to martial arts training he focused so insanely that calling him a fanatic would not be an exaggeration, so Beopmu no longer nagged him.

He knew that Ban Hojin acted when it mattered, and that his obsession with martial arts was no less—if anything, even greater—than his own.

‘Excess is often worse than insufficiency.’