Chapter 30 – Why Should I

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read more at Nineheavens.org

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Chapter 30 – Why Should I?

Managing his expression with effort, Ye Woon-rang spoke as if making an excuse.

"The reason I look so prematurely aged is because I've gone through a lot of hardships since childhood…"

"That's not it."

"…"

"You were just born that way."

"…"

"Anyway, after hearing your age, it's really hard to adjust."

At Cheol Ryu-heun's curt response, Ye Woon-rang screamed internally.

Damn! Fine, it's my fault for being born looking like this! Argh, from now on I'd better just let this guy's words go in one ear and out the other!

"You're cursing me with your eyes."

"What? N-No, I'm not!"

Ye Woon-rang flinched and quickly changed the subject.

"By the way, if I'm White Peak Sword Sect's Guest Retainer Number One… do you plan to recruit other guest retainers as Two, Three, and so on?"

"Well, for now."

"I see. How should I address you going forward…?"

"As the Sect Master of White Peak Sword Sect, is another title necessary?"

"Ah… B-But are you not the one who has wholly inherited the founder's final teachings?"

He meant that considering the relational aspect, calling him simply 'Sect Master' felt rather distant.

"No need to be bound by that. It's not like I'm the one who's going to rebuild the Dragon Martial Gate."

"…"

"Our relationship is simple. I'm the White Peak Sword Sect Master, you're a guest retainer, I'm the senior, you're the junior. That's all."

At Cheol Ryu-heun's clean summary, Ye Woon-rang had no further objections.

"Yes, I understand. I get it. Then while I stay as a guest retainer, I'll address you as Sect Master."

Right after, Cheol Ryu-heun lightly shook the reins.

"Let's go slowly for a bit while we rest."

Divine Wind seemed to understand the command, flicked its ears, and moved its four legs.

Clop-clop, clop-clop.

Cheol Ryu-heun, fixing his gaze forward, asked in a bland voice.

"Who did you learn under?"

"Have you heard of the name Red Dragon Sword Brigade?"

At Ye Woon-rang's question in reply, Cheol Ryu-heun gave a light nod.

The Red Dragon Sword Brigade was one of five swordsman units that had been the main combat force of the Dragon Martial Gate in the past.

"My master served as the captain of that Red Dragon Sword Brigade."

Cheol Ryu-heun pictured one person's face in his mind.

Red Dragon Sword Brigade Captain, Hong So.

'So it was him.'

Of course he knew.

Hong So was one of the founding contributors of the Dragon Martial Gate who had received Ba Hun's deep trust at that time.

The captains of each sword brigade, including the Red Dragon Sword Brigade, had received the essence of the Advancement Form within the Four Dragon Sword Forms as a reward for their achievements.

Hong So had in turn taught that to Ye Woon-rang.

"If you're a disciple of the Red Dragon Sword Brigade Captain, did you hear about the inside story of that incident?"

He was referring to the event of the Dragon Martial Gate's downfall twenty-one years ago.

Since he had been stuck in the cave in Three Immortals Mountain when it happened, he asked wondering if there might be some hidden story behind it.

However, Ye Woon-rang shook his head slightly.

"There's nothing to call an inside story. It was just as widely known to the world… The only thing people didn't know was my master's miraculous survival."

As he said, the story of the Dragon Martial Gate's destruction was known by nearly everyone.

The process of ruin was simple.

The sudden retirement of Ascending Heaven Sword Dragon, the supreme ruler of the martial world; the subsequent intensification of conflicts and internal strife among the executives; the surprise attack by the Nine Demon Alliance, a demonic faction from the foreign martial world… Thus, after a fierce bloody battle, the Dragon Martial Gate suffered mutual destruction with the enemy and faded into the shadows of history.

Such was the nature of the martial world.

Regardless of scale or power, if timing was off or luck wasn't with you, even a single night could see complete ruin.

'That's really all? How boring.'

Cheol Ryu-heun spoke again in a bland voice.

"How did your master survive?"

From his voice alone, you couldn't tell if he was genuinely curious or just making conversation.

'Hm, is there anyone else as hard to read as him? I'm not adjusting easily either.'

Ye Woon-rang explained the circumstances along with that thought.

"Actually, during the melee, he was dealt an internal injury by the Nine Demon Alliance Master's powerful attack and lost consciousness, only to barely regain it much later. In a horrible bloody heap of corpses…"

"Were there no other survivors?"

"Yes, I heard both sides were completely wiped out. My master, the sole survivor at that time, used to say – he felt that the miracle of surviving was somehow an opportunity arranged by Heaven, which pitied the Dragon Martial Gate's obliteration, for the lineage to be continued again."

Cheol Ryu-heun smirked inwardly.

'I'm similar.'

He somewhat empathized.

With the emotion and feeling that Red Dragon Sword Brigade Captain Hong So must have felt.

Though he didn't know whether this unexpected journey of reincarnation was truly Heaven's arrangement or amusement.

Ye Woon-rang continued speaking, as if lost in sentiment for a moment.

"I first met my master around age thirteen. I lost my parents before I was even ten and lived in misfortune… On a certain cold winter day, while barely getting by through begging, I was coincidentally taken in by my master, and a few days later we formally established a master-disciple bond, and I became a descendant of the Dragon Martial Gate. To me, like for my master, that was nothing short of a miraculous revival from the dead."

"Is he still alive?"

"Mm, no. He passed away from chronic illness the year I turned twenty-one. The aftereffects from being hit with demonic arts was the cause. It worsened year after year… Actually, from the very first time we established our master-disciple bond, his health wasn't very good. Still, watching him always endure with a strong spirit, I learned so much."

Ye Woon-rang recalled that moment of his passing and continued his story.

"After my master passed from his chronic illness, I wandered various regions to find traces of the founder, carrying on his dying wish for the sect's restoration. Fortunately, since the sword arts I learned weren't weak, I had no major problems making a living as a wandering swordsman. Anyway, living like that continuously, I eventually encountered Sect Master Cheol as of now."

Cheol Ryu-heun simply listened quietly.

"Honestly, I worried and worried whether I could find it before my lifespan ran out… It's an entirely retrospective thought, but I'm glad I didn't give up after all. How happy would my master be seeing this meeting? For finally being able to continue the sect's lineage… Hu."

A faint smile formed on Ye Woon-rang's lips before soon disappearing.

"You might ask why I didn't seek out my own livelihood and go a different path. But thanks to my master, I was rescued from a life where I couldn't even eat properly once a day. Having received such tremendous grace, how could I carelessly abandon his dying wish and chase after success? That is certainly not the way of a righteous person."

Ye Woon-rang's firm will and attitude were truly exemplary of a proper disciple.

At that moment, Cheol Ryu-heun suddenly turned his head back and stared.

An indifferent gaze.

Ye Woon-rang, also turning his head, was bewildered.

"Hm? Why… are you looking at me like that?"

"What are you rambling on about?"

"Pardon? No, I… I just thought since I'd started talking, I might as well tell you about other circumstances too…"

"I didn't ask. I'm not curious."

His tone was clearly one of annoyance.

"…"

Ye Woon-rang kept his mouth firmly shut and cursed inwardly again.

'Gah! Look at him, look at how he talks! It's no small ordeal trying to cater to this insolent punk's whims! Ugh… The adult here should be tolerant, what other choice is there! If only it weren't for my master's dying wish and the founder's teachings…'

Cheol Ryu-heun paid no mind whatsoever and fixed his gaze forward again.

Some time passed.

Clop-clop, clop-clop.

As Divine Wind moved forward with hoofbeats, a group could be seen approaching from up ahead on the road.

It was about ten pairs of riders and horses, plus one carriage.

Ye Woon-rang, gazing that direction, muttered internally.

'Those are swordsmen…?'

Of course the distance was still considerable, but not so far that he couldn't make out their general appearance.

Meanwhile, Cheol Ryu-heun, holding the reins, showed an unconcerned expression.

As if to say, what do I care?

The gap between them gradually narrowed.

The road wasn't wide, so one side would need to yield.

Eventually, when the distance between them narrowed to within three jang, the group stopped simultaneously.

Cheol Ryu-heun also pulled the reins to halt Divine Wind.

The carriage within the escort of riders was quite luxurious.

From wheels to roof, it was covered in ornate decorations – enough to intimidate any ordinary person on sight.

In all likelihood, someone of high status from some prominent martial sect was inside.

In that instant, a peculiar light flashed in Ye Woon-rang's eyes.

'Ah, that's…'

It was because he recognized which organization they belonged to upon seeing the opposing party's attire.

More precisely, he had seen the two characters embroidered on the left chest of their white clothes.

Ximen (Western Gate).

Around the characters was a unique pattern of stylized harsh wind, connected in a circle.

There was only one martial world force that used such a symbol.

The Ximen Family.

The top-ranking martial family in the Shaanxi region and a renowned house of swordsmanship included among the orthodox Seven Great Families.

Sure enough, the white banner at the back of the carriage clearly bore the four characters "Ximen Family."

The man in his forties at the front of the group quietly rolled his eyes.

'Hmm, a wandering swordsman? But what's with that horse? Its muscles are strangely overdeveloped.'

He soon gestured and said.

"Please make way for a moment."

His tone was quiet and refined, but his eyes gave off a somewhat condescending feeling.

Ye Woon-rang clearly sensed that subtle gaze.

If so, there was no way Cheol Ryu-heun hadn't felt it.

However.

Nod.

Cheol Ryu-heun gave a nod and lightly pulled the reins.

It seemed he didn't care at all about the identity of those before him or the atmosphere.

Clop-clop…

The moment Divine Wind took a few steps to the side.

"Should have had the sense to move aside in advance, tch…"

"Not even a response. How annoying."

Several from the Ximen Family group muttered in whispers to themselves like that.

Simultaneously, Ye Woon-rang's expression hardened sharply.

Step.

Divine Wind stopped in its tracks.

Having turned his head, Cheol Ryu-heun stared expressionlessly at the Ximen Family group.

At that moment, the middle-aged man in the lead spoke.

"What's the matter?"

"As if you don't know."

At Cheol Ryu-heun's blunt informal speech, the middle-aged man's expression stiffened considerably.

"What?"

However, Cheol Ryu-heun showed no concern.

The middle-aged man furrowed his brow and asked again.

"Are you deliberately provoking?"

"I'm also annoyed for no reason."

"…"

"Those guys at the back – you said that for me to hear, right?"

At that, the two swordsmen who had muttered in whispers earlier acted nonchalant and averted their gazes.

It wasn't because they felt guilty.

It was a dismissive attitude.

You could easily tell from their smirking mouths.

Just as Ye Woon-rang was about to rebuke them, a brief Sound Transmission came through.

<Stay quiet.>

It was Cheol Ryu-heun.

Following that.

Drop.

Cheol Ryu-heun completely let go of the reins he had been holding.

As if he had no intention of making way.

Seeing that, the middle-aged man's eyes flared with anger.

The others behind him also glared fiercely in unison.

The middle-aged man soon warned in a stern tone.

"Looking at you, you seem to be a new face in the martial world, but I am Nu-heum, Third Captain of the Ximen Family's Swift Wind Unit. Surely you're not unaware of our family, which belongs to the Seven Great Families. Now, move aside."

Most people would be intimidated by the Ximen Family's reputation and comply obediently.

But the person before him-

"Why should I?"

Found it useless.

The moment Nu-heum showed great bewilderment, Cheol Ryu-heun arrogantly raised his chin.

"You move."