The Return of the Sw Chapter 20 : The One Who Changed Fate. -03

Chapter 20: The One Who Changed Fate. -03

It might have been something he saw wrong because of the thick fog.

Or it might have been a mountain rabbit.

However, Ban Hojin moved without hesitation.

Even if he had seen it wrong, the moment he had seen something similar, he thought he had to confirm it no matter what.

Ssssk!

Had it sensed Ban Hojin’s presence?

The pale thing suddenly leapt.

As a toad at least twice as large as the others hopped toward the valley water, Ban Hojin’s eyes sparkled.

It was because the White Toad of a Hundred Years he had been searching for so desperately had revealed itself.

“Found it!”

At its clearly different color and size compared to ordinary toads, Ban Hojin shouted in delight.

It felt almost like discovering a mountain ginseng.

Although its name was Baeknyeon Baekseom, from what Ban Hojin had heard, it had easily lived for five hundred years.

That was why Ban Hojin fully unleashed Golden Light Divine Steps and rushed toward the white toad.

Sssk!

However, the Baeknyeon Baekseom’s speed was no joke either.

As if proving that it was not a spiritual creature that had lived long for nothing, the moment it sensed Ban Hojin charging toward it, it fled even faster.

As though this was not its first or second such experience, there was no sign of panic.

It simply hurled its body straight toward the valley.

“Where do you think you’re going!”

Just as desperately as Ban Hojin, the Baeknyeon Baekseom fled with all its might.

The moment it was caught by a human, its future was obvious without even looking, so the Baeknyeon Baekseom did not look back.

As long as it entered the water, it could escape for sure, so the Baeknyeon Baekseom sprinted at full speed.

However, Ban Hojin was just as desperate.

Splash!

Even though he fully unleashed Golden Light Divine Steps, the Baeknyeon Baekseom ultimately touched the water first.

Part of it was because the distance was shorter, but the biggest reason was that the Baeknyeon Baekseom’s speed was far faster than expected. Above all, it was familiar with the terrain here.

Perhaps because this place was practically its own front yard, the moment it touched the water, the Baeknyeon Baekseom quickly dove under.

“Hup!”

Although the Baeknyeon Baekseom entered the water in an instant, Ban Hojin did not give up.

If he missed it now, he could not guarantee when he would encounter it again.

Moreover, since he had seen it once, it was obvious that the Baeknyeon Baekseom’s wariness would only increase.

So, since he had to settle this no matter what, Ban Hojin lightning-fast pulled a dagger from his bosom and threw it.

Pushik!

The dagger, scattered like a streak of light, flew with fierce momentum and pierced the water’s surface.

Even in that brief moment, it carried true energy, so it effortlessly perated the surface and surged toward the Baeknyeon Baekseom.

Plunk!

And Ban Hojin did not stop there.

At the same time he threw the dagger, he hurled his body forward and jumped into the water.

No matter how much true energy he had imbued, this was water, so nothing was guaranteed.

Moreover, since the water was an environment favorable to the Baeknyeon Baekseom, Ban Hojin threw himself into the valley water almost simultaneously with the dagger piercing the surface.

‘As expected.’

Although he had not separately learned water techniques, he had enjoyed playing in rivers quite a bit as a child, so opening his eyes underwater was not difficult.

However, unlike how it looked, the valley was deep. Seeing the Baeknyeon Baekseom, whose back had been lightly grazed by the dagger, moving rapidly toward the bottom, Ban Hojin drew his sword.

Then he steadied his stance underwater.

Rather than throwing it like a dagger, he took a posture as if to swing it, and swung the sword exactly as it was.

Suuuaaah!

A single sword strike imbued with sword force cleaved through the valley water.

Then something astonishing happened.

With that slow single strike, the valley water split apart, revealing the bottom clearly.

At the same time, the Baeknyeon Baekseom, which had been swimming frantically, momentarily lost its balance and fell toward the bottom.

Thud!

In that moment when the Baeknyeon Baekseom was bewildered by a situation it had never experienced in its life, Ban Hojin did not miss the chance.

He sent out a streak of Earth Sword Force and pierced the Baeknyeon Baekseom’s head.

Since Wind Sword Force could be blocked or deflected, Ban Hojin gathered all the already scarce inner energy he had and fired Earth Sword Force, then kicked off the valley bottom.

Although he had split the valley water, that was literally only for an instant, so he swiftly snatched the bleeding Baeknyeon Baekseom and surged upward using the technique of riding energy through emptiness.

Prrrr.

Barely avoiding falling back into the water, Ban Hojin landed directly on the water’s surface.

With his peak-level lightness skill, he comfortably walked out onto dry land.

But by then, his body was completely soaked.

“Hehehe.”

Even though his entire body was drenched like a drowned rat, Ban Hojin smiled.

It was because he had obtained the Baeknyeon Baekseom he had come here for.

So Ban Hojin smiled, used his inner energy to evaporate the moisture from his clothes and body, then took out a leather pouch he had prepared in advance from his bosom.

He planned to go to a safe place first and do the dismantling work there.

The most important thing was the Baeknyeon Baekseom’s inner core, but the by-products were not without value either.

Since the Sichuan Tang Family, as well as medical families or pharmacies, might want to buy them, he planned to carefully gather everything he could.

Ssshiik!

Having achieved his objective, Ban Hojin immediately left the valley.

An inner core was not something where freshness was crucial, but it was obvious that freshly obtained was better than something old.

And for the one who needed this inner core, every single day would be a succession of pain, so it was better to hurry as much as possible.

In Taigu County of Shanxi Province, there was a very old martial family called the Seo Family Estate.

However, having a long history did not mean that its prosperity was proportional.

In the past, a master who came close to the Ten Great Masters Under Heaven had emerged, but now it had become a martial family known only to the people of Taigu County and nearby villages.

Ban Hojin arrived there.

“Hooh.”

Standing before the main gate, which gave off an impression of being worn and shabby rather than antique or classical, Ban Hojin’s eyes shone.

It was because the three characters engraved on the signboard hanging above the gate captured his gaze.

Rather than being written with a brush, they were unusually engraved in relief, and Ban Hojin recognized it at a glance.

The fact that the three characters spelling Seo Family Estate had been carved with a sword.

“……Impressive.”

Even after long years had passed, the affection and resolve contained in those three characters had not faded in the slightest.

Ban Hojin could feel it.

Just how formidable the founding head of the Seo Family Estate had been.

At least when it came to the sword, he did not seem inferior even when compared to the current Ten Great Masters Under Heaven.

“Though it seems the descendants don’t know that.”

Where past glory had vanished, only memories and pain remained.

Feeling that vividly, Ban Hojin knocked on the main gate.

If it had been in the past, there would have been gatekeepers or guards, but now there was nothing.

However, if things went according to Ban Hojin’s plan, the Seo Family Estate could once again make its name resound through Murim.

“Who are you?”

Creeeak.

At the aged voice coming from beyond the door, Ban Hojin could once again sense the Seo Family Estate’s current standing.

Despite being a martial family, he could not feel even a trace of a master’s aura.

Nevertheless, concealing such thoughts, Ban Hojin respectfully performed a palms-joined salute toward the old man who came out beyond the main gate.

“I am Ban Hojin, a Lay Disciple of Shaolin. I have come seeking an audience with the Sect Leader and the Third Young Lord.”

“You mean our Sect Leader?”

At the mention of Shaolin, the bent old man’s eyes widened.

He had been greatly startled by the completely unexpected words.

“Yes. I could not make an appointment, but I came to propose something that will be of help to the Sect Leader and the Third Young Lord. I promise you will not feel that it is a waste of time.”

“Please come in first.”

He had neither shaved his head nor was he wearing monk’s robes or a kasaya, but the atmosphere Ban Hojin gave off along with his palms-joined salute was anything but ordinary, so the old man let him in for now.

Rather than having no suspicions, it was because there was nothing to swindle and take even if he tried.

The fact that Ban Hojin was alone also had some influence.

“Thank you.”

“It will be difficult to meet him right away. Would you please wait for a while in the guest hall?”

“I understand.”

Though it was a martial family on the verge of collapse, the head was still the head.

The fact that it was barely maintaining its lineage meant it still had enough strength and authority to preserve the family, so Ban Hojin quietly followed the old man.

A short while later, arriving at a worn wooden building, Ban Hojin silently took a seat.

“I suppose I’ll wait for now.”

Sipping the tea brought by a servant, Ban Hojin closed his eyes.

Since he had revealed his identity, it would not take very long.

Of course, they could not believe him on words alone, so they would go through some verification process, but that would not take much time either.

After all, his name had spread through Jianghu to some extent by now.

‘But the biggest reason is probably the name Shaolin.’

Though an unknown was gradually becoming known in Jianghu, he did not think that had spread as far as the Seo Family Estate.

Instead, Ban Hojin trusted in the reputation of his sect.

With the name of Shaolin, they would surely try to meet at least once even without any prior connection.

Slurp.

Knowing that the Seo Family’s Sect Leader was currently at the estate, Ban Hojin felt relieved.

This was a time when he would normally be running around frantically, so it seemed he had matched the timing well.

Thus, Ban Hojin did not grow impatient and continued sipping his tea.

Knock knock knock.

“Young Hero Ban. The Sect Leader has arrived.”

“Please come in.”

“Yes, then.”

At the old man’s voice from beyond the door, Ban Hojin rose from his seat with a surprised expression.

No matter that there was no one among martial artists who did not know Shaolin, he had not expected them to come for him this quickly.

However, since there was no harm in meeting early, Ban Hojin put on a gentle smile and performed a palms-joined salute toward the Seo Family’s Sect Leader entering the room.

“It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Ban Hojin of Shaolin.”

“I am Seo I-gyeong.”

As he exchanged greetings with Seo I-gyeong, who entered through the door opened by the old man, Ban Hojin’s eyebrows twitched.

Seo I-gyeong looked to be around forty, but his complexion was extremely poor.

Whether he had not been sleeping properly at night or there was something wrong with his health, there was no color at all in his face.

Even so, Seo I-gyeong smiled as if it were nothing and gestured for Ban Hojin to take a seat.

“You look very tired.”

“Haha. There are circumstances that make it so. I am better than I look. More than that, it is an honor. To think that Shaolin’s Divine Dragon would visit my humble estate. When I first heard that, I was truly shocked.”

“Divine Dragon?”

“Ah, it seems you have not heard yet. After the sparring match with the Heavenly Dragon, the world has been calling Young Hero Ban the Divine Dragon. They say he should be called the Fifth Dragon rather than one of the Four Dragons.”

At Seo I-gyeong’s explanation, Ban Hojin made an incredulous expression.

The idea that he, who had once been called the Sword God, was now being called the Divine Dragon was absurd to him.

Perhaps sensing that uncomfortable air, Seo I-gyeong glanced at Ban Hojin with a slightly flustered expression.

Rather than being pleased, he seemed to be displeased.

“Ah, my apologies. I was just a bit taken aback. It is also my first time hearing the epithet Divine Dragon.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. Since I mostly slept rough to save on expenses, I did not visit towns very often. I also do not have many acquaintances.”

“Huh.”

Seo I-gyeong showed a genuinely surprised expression.

No matter that he was a disciple of Shaolin, Ban Hojin was not a warrior monk.

According to what was known, his background was an ordinary family rather than a martial household, but even so, he was the Abbot’s Unregistered Disciple of Shaolin.

Yet hearing that he mostly slept rough to save money made it hard for Seo I-gyeong to believe.

‘Divine Dragon, huh.’

Meanwhile, Ban Hojin sneered inwardly.

Being lumped together with mere Rising Juniors was absurd.

His age bracket might have been that of the Rising Juniors, but his skill was far removed from that category.

Still, it would have been laughable to point that out himself.

‘Ah, is it because capturing the Iron King hasn’t become known?’