The Return of the Sw Chapter 96 : The Most Entertaining Sight. -02

Chapter 96: The Most Entertaining Sight. -02

Ban Hojin’s gaze moved to the map spread out on the desk.

It was not a detailed map, but it was enough to distinguish the regions.

That was why Ban Hojin’s eyes passed through Yunnan Province, which bordered Miaojiang, and reached Tibet.

If it were only the Nine Heavens Gate, the Sichuan Tang Family Alliance would have the upper hand, but since Miaojiang and Tibet were not that far apart, the possibility had to be left open.

“If the two join forces, it’s a guaranteed defeat.”

Although the Sichuan Tang Family had the Poison Emperor and the Poison King, if they were facing two Tyrant Lords of the Four Tyrants of the World, no matter how strong the Sichuan Tang Family was, it would be difficult.

Even if the Qingcheng Sect and the Ei Sect joined forces, it would still be a guaranteed defeat.

The overall strength might have been similar, but the real problem lay in the quality of the masters.

Before absolute masters, numbers ant nothing.

“Honestly, I’d like to dig into this side in more detail.”

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Smacking his lips, Ban Hojin drumd his fingers on the desk.

At present, he had no information organization he could freely move, so even if he wanted to, he could not act.

And it was awkward to ask the Beggars’ Sect or the Geum Family Estate for help.

“For now, should I be satisfied with having exposed the Nine Heavens Gate?”

Neither side was fully prepared, but even so, compared to his previous life, the present was better.

Facing a single Nine Heavens Gate was far better than facing the Four Tyrants of the World at the sa ti.

Moreover, the most important point was that he was not the one fighting.

“This is the best.”

In his previous life, Ban Hojin had suffered far too much.

He had burned everything away and sacrificed himself for the Central Plains Murim.

So this ti, he thought that stepping back and watching would not be so bad.

“I have the right to do that. ??.”

Without wealth, without fa, without won, he had devoted his entire body solely for the peace of the Central Plains Murim.

That was why Ban Hojin believed he had the right.

He had even given up his life, so as a disciple of Shaolin, he had done everything he was supposed to do.

“And on top of that, I’m arranging things step by step. There’s no one who thinks more about the future of the Central Plains Murim than I do.”

Ban Hojin nodded his head ????.

It was not self-praise; it was simply the truth.

Even at this very mont, the four people who were growing vigorously would surely play enormous roles in the war to co.

Moreover, this ti, Bangcheon Gate would also join from the early stages of the war, so the damage could definitely be reduced.

“It seems the two of them are worried about the Shangguan Family, but well.”

Ban Hojin wore a aningful smile.

The Shangguan Family’s strength was certainly nothing to scoff at.

They were not called a prestigious family of the Central Plains for nothing.

However, the Shangguan Family was not even in Ban Hojin’s consideration.

“They’re annoying, but that’s as far as it goes. Of course, that doesn’t an I have any intention of going easy on them.”

To put it bluntly, if Ban Hojin were to reveal his true strength, he could wipe out the Shangguan Family all by himself.

It was just that, due to various circumstances, he could not do that right now.

If there had been a clear justification, he would have done so, but cunningly enough, the Shangguan Family was still hiding the evidence well.

Still, there was no such thing as a perfect secret in this world.

“Whether it turns out the sa again, or they self-destruct, if they get in the way, it’s right to remove them.”

Damhyeon and Beopmu would be watching the Shangguan Family with eyes blazing.

So Ban Hojin planned to approach things in a slightly different way.

Unlike in his previous life, he now had quite a few cards he could play.

“For now, I should just sit back and watch the fight.”

Even though he had been summoned only to hear nonsensical rambling, Ban Hojin was firmly on the side of the Sichuan Tang Family.

He also believed in the underlying strength of the Sichuan Tang Family.

That was why Ban Hojin sincerely wished for their victory.

Facing three massive forces was far better than facing four at once.

As the weather had grown noticeably chilly, Nan Hee-ju tightened her collar.

But it was absolutely not cold.

Rather, Nan Hee-ju’s expression was flushed.

It was because she was visiting Shaolin once again.

“You look like you’re in a good mood.”

“I can’t help it. I never thought I’d be visiting Shaolin again. And this ti, we’re entering with a formal invitation.”

“Honestly, I find it amazing too.”

The woman, who was Nan Hee-ju’s trusted confidant and also her escort warrior, had red cheeks as well.

Like her, even though this was not her first ti entering Shaolin, she felt strangely excited.

She had thought there would be another chance to visit soday, but she never imagined it would co this quickly, so the escort warrior’s steps were as light as Nan Hee-ju’s.

“This is all because you t the right person.”

“That’s right. It really feels like a wonderful connection. If you hadn’t mustered up the courage back then, you wouldn’t have been able to form this connection, right?”

“They say love is sothing you seize.”

“That sounds like a saying that doesn’t really fit the current situation, doesn’t it?”

The woman, who was her personal guard, friend, and soone who could be called an elder sister, spoke honestly.

No matter how she thought about it, it did not suit the present situation.

“I still haven’t given up. And my master is the sa.”

“Ah, um.”

The woman held back her words.

She had a lot she wanted to say, but she thought it would be better not to.

Instead, she spoke with her expression.

“What is it? That look.”

“It’s nothing.”

“Tsk! I know it’s hard for

too.”

“Huh? Young Master Ban is already out there.”

“Really?”

The woman changed the subject at just the right mont.

But it was not nonsense.

As if he had been waiting, Ban Hojin was truly standing out in front of Shaolin.

“Thank you for readily accepting the invitation despite it being so sudden.”

“I’ve co looking for you without notice before, Young Master Ban. Rather, I’m happy to co back to Shaolin again. It’s not a place I can visit just because I want to.”

“Hm. Then this might be a bit disappointing. We won’t be passing through the interior of Shaolin.”

“Are we taking a different route?”

“Yes. I don’t really like crowded places. Though, it’s not quite sothing you can even call a road. Hardly anyone uses it.”

At Ban Hojin’s words, Nan Hee-ju’s eyes sparkled.

From the sound of it, it seed to be a path used only by a few people.

And that also ant she was included among those few.

“Is a path anything special? If people walk it often, it becos a path.”

“That’s right.”

“But is it okay for us to go there?”

Nan Hee-ju asked cautiously.

She might have been at Shaolin, but she was unmistakably the Rumor Lord of the Hao Sect.

Because of that, even if others did not know, she herself had no choice but to be cautious.

It was not to the level of a secret, but even so, the fewer people who knew about side paths like this, the better.

“If this alone were enough to cause collapse or pose danger, Shaolin would never have earned the title of the Great North Star. So you don’t need to worry.”

“Yes.”

Knowing what Nan Hee-ju was hesitant about, Ban Hojin spoke as if there were nothing to worry about.

In truth, a side path of this level did not even count as confidential.

Songshan was imnsely vast, and there were many ways to enter Shaolin without passing through the main gate.

However, those who had actually succeeded in doing so were extrely few.

“We’ve arrived.”

“Everyone is the sa as ever.”

Revisiting Ban Hojin’s quarters after a long ti, Nan Hee-ju smiled faintly.

Her eyes caught sight of them engaging in their usual brutal sparring even today.

Moreover, whether because they had been to the Sichuan Tang Family, or because their growth rate had always been fast, everyone’s forms had grown sharper and more ferocious.

“They have a clear goal.”

“To surpass Young Master Ban?”

“That’s right. It won’t be easy.”

“Even so, there’s aning in taking on the challenge.”

“Let’s go in.”

Ban Hojin said so and led the way into the building.

However, Nan Hee-ju did not follow imdiately.

Only after greeting each person she made eye contact with did she move her steps.

“Thank you.”

The mont she sat down, Nan Hee-ju received the tea Ban Hojin poured with both hands.

It was far from being a high-grade variety, but tea drunk on Songshan had a distinctive flavor.

A flavor that could not be tasted anywhere else.

That was why Nan Hee-ju liked the tea she drank here—it felt special.

“Nothing out of the ordinary, right?”

“Thanks to Young Master Ban, I’ve been spending happy days one after another.”

“The martial art you obtained from the Geum Family Estate—no problems with it? Since it was the first thing I ever sold, I find myself thinking about it from ti to ti.”

“So far, there haven’t been any issues. Rather, the compatibility between the martial arts turned out to be better than expected, so not only I, but my master as well, were very surprised.”

“That’s a relief.”

Ban Hojin nodded slowly.

Those words were by no ans empty.

Although he had personally inspected it, martial arts were never perfect to begin with.

Whether it was a supre technique or a low-grade martial art.

Yet paradoxically, because they were imperfect, there was room for developnt.

The reason there was no such thing as the number-one martial art under heaven or the greatest supre art of all ages was not only because the practitioner mattered, but because martial arts themselves could always develop further.

“Even if a problem were to arise, I have no intention of blaming Young Master Ban. I know as well. There is no such thing as a flawless martial art in this world.”

“Still, I bear a certain degree of responsibility.”

“I heard there were many incidents at the Sichuan Tang Family.”

“There was sothing major, yes. But it wasn’t closely related to .”

“Hm. Is that so?”

Nan Hee-ju asked back with a peculiar expression.

It was quite different from what she knew.

“I’m not the one fighting the Nine Heavens Gate.”

“Ah. That’s true.”

This ti, Ban Hojin fixed Nan Hee-ju with a deep, contemplative gaze.

He wondered if the claws of the Four Tyrants of the World had reached her.

Fortunately, there were no suspicious signs yet.

Of course, if soone were truly determined to deceive, even Ban Hojin would not be able to detect it, but at least from what he could see now, it did not seem to be the case.

“From the Nine Heavens Gate’s perspective, I’m probably soone they’d love to kill, but they won’t be able to spare attention all the way out here.”

“They have to deal with the Sichuan Tang Family first. Still, I was really surprised too. I never thought the Nine Heavens Gate had infiltrated that deeply. I finally understood why my master always said we had to suspect and stay on guard.”

“If soone hides with intent, they’re hard to find. Ten people still can’t catch a single thief.”

“That’s right. I really felt that this ti. But I think we can slowly move on to the main point now. I’m ntally prepared.”

“Ha ha ha.”

At the sight of Nan Hee-ju clasping both hands together and even taking a deep breath as if she were serious, Ban Hojin let out a quiet laugh.

At the sa ti, it felt comfortable.

She was perceptive and smart, so she was definitely easy to talk to.

“There’s no way Young Master Ban would invite

without a reason. Of course, even if that were the case, I would’ve co with light steps anyway.”

Nan Hee-ju slowly blinked her characteristically large eyes.

Her cheeks were even tinged with red.

To anyone, it would have looked like she was trying to charm a man, but it was not enough to shake Ban Hojin’s unwavering heart.

“Thank you for saying that. The truth is, I have sothing I’d like to ask of the Rumor Lord.”

“You an the Rumor Lord of the Hao Sect?”

“Yes. I’d like you to look into the Shangguan Family in detail.”

“Specifically, what kind of things?”

“Dirty things. Things that must not beco known. And I’d also like to know about places that are on bad terms with the Shangguan Family.”

A fight did not always require stepping in personally.

As the saying goes, ‘using a borrowed knife to kill,’ making use of others was also one thod.

And wasn’t it also said that the enemy of one’s enemy is a friend?

“That’s not even a request. To begin with, the reason Young Master Ban ended up on bad terms with the Shangguan Family was because of .”

It was Ban Hojin who had helped her when she was placed in a difficult situation because of Shangguan Jeok.

So strictly speaking, this did not even qualify as a request.

“I figured the Hao Sect would have investigated separately.”

“We’re looking into it even now. We’re mainly digging into shady matters, and surprisingly, there’s a lot. But we haven’t uncovered anything fatal yet. There are many things that would damage their reputation, but this level isn’t enough to shake the Shangguan Family.”