Chapter 55
“It's gotten late. We should start preparing to camp.”
At Youngho’s words, the group quickly began preparing their sleeping spots or carrying over the ingredients.
“There was a wild boar nearby. I also caught a few rabbits.”
While Hyeon-gang trimd the vegetables, Horyeung brought back several mountain beasts. Among them, Youngho selected a particularly large wild boar, skinned it, and began cooking.
Before long, Kang Hosan and Kang Chowon, having finished preparing the sleeping area, stood watching Youngho while swallowing their saliva. Amused by the sight, Youngho let out a small chuckle.
“I’ll have it ready soon. Just wait a little. Horyeung, if there are more rabbits nearby, catch a few more.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
Youngho’s cooking was very simple. He rely grilled the at and sprinkled the salt he had brought. It was nothing special in terms of preparation, yet there was sothing strangely addictive about the dishes he made.
It could not be called the taste of the heavens, but it was more than enough to slap the faces of most chefs three tis over.
The secret lay in his skill at grilling the at.
Not only his delicate control over the fire, but most importantly—
Whoosh!
He cooked using Samadhi True Fire, sothing only those who had reached the level of a Transcendent Peak Master could wield.
As Samadhi True Fire flowed from Youngho’s hand, the wild boar at began roasting while keeping its interior moist.
He skewered the at, placing vegetables roasted in the at’s fat between the pieces, and finally seasoned it with salt. That was all.
After letting it sit for a mont, Youngho handed the skewers out to everyone and said,
“You can eat now.”
Kang Hosan and Kang Chowon received theirs with delight, while Hyeon-gang, seemingly still unable to believe that Youngho had used Samadhi True Fire, picked up the at with trembling hands.
And Horyeung…
He simply wore a faint smile as he enjoyed the at. Judging by the grease staining the corner of his lips, it seed to be quite delicious.
Though he continued cooking, Youngho also took bites of at from ti to ti. Looking at Horyeung and Hyeon-gang, he said,
“Want a drink?”
Horyeung widened his eyes.
“Don’t you usually avoid alcohol altogether?”
“I just feel like drinking.”
“at is incomplete without liquor.”
Horyeung said as he pulled out the alcohol he had already prepared,
“I’ll take that as permission.”
“You really do like alcohol too much.”
Horyeung chuckled.
“In a place like this, one never knows when such elegance might disappear.”
“That’s true.”
As he poured drinks for Youngho and Hyeon-gang, Horyeung said,
“It’s fortunate we stopped by Luoyang. We were able to buy such fine liquor.”
“If you wanted, I could’ve bought it for you.”
“Liquor like this tastes best when bought with one’s own money. Perhaps it’s because I’m getting old.”
“I wouldn’t know. I don’t enjoy alcohol much.”
“At tis like this, Young Master, you seem too much like a Daoist.”
“You calling
Monk Malko?”
“You know that isn’t what I ant.”
“I know. Still, I’m different from those long-nosed fellows.”
“As you say.”
Kang Hosan and Kang Chowon simply ate their at while quietly listening to the two converse. Hyeon-gang, too, rely listened to the oddly serene exchange between them.
“You don’t like alcohol. Is there a reason you’re drinking?”
“Sothing difficult ca to mind.”
“I see.”
Without another word, the two simply raised their cups. Yet the silence that settled over them was not uncomfortable.
Rather, it felt calming and peaceful, like watching an immortal in ditation.
Horyeung set down his cup and spoke.
“Do you think sothing will happen?”
“Perhaps.”
“That’s not very reassuring.”
“It won’t be sothing bad.”
“But not sothing good either.”
“I’m not sure about that.”
With a bitter smile, Youngho said,
“Sotis I think of a friend who died.”
“Is your friend there?”
“Yes. It’s the place where he was born and raised.”
“I’d like to know more, but as always, you’ll stop here, won’t you?”
“Sorry. That can’t be helped.”
“I understand.”
“Alright.”
Tomorrow, Youngho would go to the place his deceased friend had once protected. Or more precisely, the territory that his friend’s clan had guarded.
Youngho simply sipped his drink.
When the next day ca, Youngho and his group imdiately set off once more toward their destination.
The horses given by the Gold-Blood Hall were each worthy of being called a fad steed. They were so exceptional that one would likely need to pay in units of gold just to purchase a single one. They were truly fast.
Thus, Youngho’s group arrived in Shandong.
After placing their horses in the stable, they secured rooms at an inn.
“Inn Attendant, give us one annex.”
“It will be quite expensive. Is that alright?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“Yes, then please follow .”
As Youngho followed behind the Inn Attendant, the others followed as well. Soon they entered a large annex, and Youngho spoke to the Inn Attendant.
“Inn Attendant, bring us plenty of food.”
“Pardon? Won’t you be dining outside?”
“I’d rather not get involved in unnecessary disputes.”
Unnecessary disputes. Knowing the aning behind those words, the Inn Attendant imdiately nodded.
“Yes. Then I will prepare our finest dishes.”
“Good.”
As if pleased with the Inn Attendant’s attitude, Youngho tossed him One Nyang of Silver. The Inn Attendant could not hide his delighted expression as he offered his thanks and promptly left.
With a puzzled look, Hyeon-gang asked Youngho,
“By the way, Young Master, why won’t we dine outside? The annex is comfortable, but it doesn’t seem particularly suited for a al.”
At Hyeon-gang’s question, Horyeung let out a small chuckle, while Kang Hosan and Kang Chowon nodded as if they understood.
At such an innocent question from Hyeon-gang, Youngho let out a low hum before speaking.
“It seems you don’t know, having grown up only within your clan.”
“I am not a Martial Artist, so when would I ever have had reason to go out?”
“That’s true. You are not soone who kills people, but soone who saves them.”
“That’s right.”
“And as a physician, you also know that there should never be a need to save people in the first place.”
“Of course. I wish there would never again be anyone injured by a blade.”
“Yes. But an inn is the place where people are injured by blades more than anywhere else.”
“Pardon? What do you an by that?”
“Until now, we only stayed in places managed by the Orthodox Sect, so you haven’t seen what commonly happens in inns. But this is the most remote area in Shandong.”
“Even if it is remote, blade fights do not break out that easily. If patients appear, it would more likely be because of wild beasts.”
“That’s true. But Martial Artists lack logic.”
“What do you—?”
Bang!
A thunderous crash suddenly cut off Hyeon-gang’s words. In contrast to Hyeon-gang’s startled reaction, Horyeung rely chuckled it off, and Kang Hosan and Kang Chowon calmly tended to their swords as if it were nothing.
Realizing he was the only one surprised, Hyeon-gang looked to Youngho to understand what was happening. Youngho only smirked.
“This is what an inn is truly like.”
“You damned sons of these bald-headed monks!”
“You blood-crazed villains!”
As sounds of things breaking and tearing echoed outside the annex, Hyeon-gang fidgeted anxiously and looked at Youngho.
“Shouldn’t we stop them?”
“Why would we? They wouldn’t listen to
even if they were about to die.”
“But still, if one of the Three Dragons spoke, might that not change sothing?”
“Didn’t I say? These matters must be handled discreetly.”
At Youngho’s firm answer, Hyeon-gang could only groan helplessly like a puppy needing to relieve itself.
Just as Hyeon-gang was about to leave his seat to at least treat the injured—
Snap.
Like a string of a lute breaking mid-performance, the chaotic noise abruptly ceased.
The horrifying sounds of flesh being cut by blades and fists rupturing organs stopped as if they had been nothing but illusion. Silence settled over the annex as well.
“I’ll go check.”
As Horyeung boldly rose from his seat, Youngho stopped him with a hand.
“It’s fine.”
“But—”
“I know. There wasn’t any particular sound, and yet the fight stopped suddenly. The reason is obvious.”
Maintaining his relaxed smile, Youngho continued,
“It seems a rather strong one has appeared.”
Step. Step.
Youngho’s group focused on the footsteps approaching them.
“And it seems their target is us.”
Even at this mont, Youngho was issuing silent commands. When he looked at Kang Hosan and Kang Chowon, they imdiately understood and hurriedly pulled Hyeon-gang to the corner.
Crack.
It had been a long ti since he felt such exhilaration. Youngho let out a chilling crack of bones from his hand as he gripped the sword hilt.
“Soone quite impressive is coming.”
Horyeung, too, seed to sense the hidden Martial Presence of the opponent and rely placed his hand on his sword hilt.
Feeling the concealed power of the one approaching the annex, Youngho thought,
‘Who is it? Soone from the Demonic Cult?’
No, that was unlikely. Unless soone had leaked information, the Demonic Cult would have no reason to pay attention to him for the ti being.
But what if soone had spread information about him?
‘Surely not that mad bitch?’
No, the probability of that was not high either. As far as he knew, the information that reached the Demonic Cult was that Shaolin and the Beggars’ Sect had joined forces to raid a Jiangshi production site.
But would the Demonic Cult pay attention not to Shaolin or the Beggars’ Sect, but to Muyeon?
‘That makes no sense.’
To the Demonic Cult, Muyeon was rely a wandering warrior. Why would they seek her out?
As he turned these thoughts over, he suddenly felt a familiar aura. Youngho let out a sigh of disbelief.
“She’s really persistent.”
“Pardon? What did you just say?”
“Nothing. The opponent doesn’t seem to harbor hostility.”
“That’s a relief.”
Despite his words, Horyeung did not drop his guard.
Knock, knock.
Soon, soone knocked on the door and spoke.
“I am Hwangbo Geumhyeon of the Hwangbo Clan. I ca because I have sothing to discuss. Would you step out?”
Youngho instantly ford a gentle smile.
“You may co inside. Let us speak here.”
Youngho’s soft voice naturally eased the hearts of those who heard it.
“…Very well. My niece has co with
as well, so I hope you won’t be too startled.”
“Understood.”
The door soon opened, and a woman cupped her fists and spoke.
“Ni.ce. to et you. I am Hwangbo Nyeong of the Hwangbo Clan.”
As Hwangbo Nyeong spoke in a voice bubbling with restrained fury, Youngho lightly returned the fist salute.
“It is a pleasure to et you, Miss Nyeong. I am Youngho.”
Smiling brightly, he continued,
“What brings you here?”
Youngho received Hwangbo Nyeong’s greeting so naturally that a crack appeared in her expression.
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