Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Huge thanks to DaymU for the support for this series.

He did not know that a huge bounty of two hundred gold taels had also been placed.

In fact, there was only one reason why such a large bounty was placed.

It was because the Murim Alliance had failed to properly wipe them out despite numerous attempts.

Whenever they thought they caught the tail, they cut it off; whenever they thought they caught the body, they assassinated them or committed suicide, failing to reach the head.

As a significant amount of time had passed in that manner, the bounty could not help but rise.

Since such a Black Path Association was eliminated, the Murim Alliance had lessened its worries, and they could hand over something like two hundred gold taels without a second thought.

"Ahem! There is tea over there…"

"Ah! I will brew it. Please stay seated."

Namgung So-hye hurriedly rose from her seat at Ma Il-woong's words and brewed the tea. Judging by the fact that it did not emit a very good fragrance, it felt like cheap tea, but what did it matter?

For now, buying their favor was the priority.

'By the way… how do I brew tea?'

She had seen the maidservants do it from the side occasionally. First, heat the water, then put the tea leaves into the teacup. After some time had passed, just pour it out.

"By the way, I have been wondering since earlier, who is this young hero?"

At that moment, perhaps finding Dan Woo-hyun's presence highly bothersome, Ma Il-woong asked. He was not talking like Namgung So-hye, nor was he inspecting anything.

Because he was just listening quietly by the side and not a single change in expression could be seen, it was extremely uncomfortable.

'Is he Lady Namgung's guard?'

The ones who called themselves the Five Swords of Hunan thought so. It was a matter of course to attach a guard to a lady of high noble status.

"I am called Dan Woo-hyun… You are the Five Swords of Hunan…?"

"Ahem! That is right."

To think that these people, whom he doubted could even properly take down passing ruffians, were the Five Swords of Hunan.

Their expressions and actions were so confident that if he had not known the truth, he would have been fooled.

"I see. But how did you defeat the leader of the Black Path Association?"

"Ah, I was curious about that too. The leader of the Black Path Association is a peak-stage expert, so it must have been fierce, right?"

Namgung So-hye asked as she brought the tea. Ma Il-woong frowned but smiled boldly, looking at Namgung So-hye and Dan Woo-hyun.

"His strength was unexpected. If the five of us had not combined our attacks properly, we might have lost. We were lucky."

At those words full of pride, Namgung So-hye let out a soft exclamation. Surely, the fight between them and the Black Path Association would be a fierce battle that would remain long in the history of Martial World.

It was truly a pity she could not be there with them.

Since it was a fight between experts, just watching it would have been a sufficient study.

At that moment, Dan Woo-hyun muttered.

"Strange. With the level of internal energy shown earlier, they should have chewed up and swallowed someone like the leader of the Black Path Association. But to struggle…?"

"Eh?"

"Huh?"

"Gasp!"

Namgung So-hye suddenly snapped back to her senses. Come to think of it, it was no exaggeration to say that the palm force shown earlier was comparable to an elder of the Nine Great Sects and One Gang.

With such deep internal cultivation, the strength of their martial arts would naturally be unspeakable, and it made no sense that they struggled against the leader of the Black Path Association.

"W-We let our guard down. We thought he was weaker than us, but it turned out he was far more outstanding than the rumors."

"T-That is right. Our eldest brother has a personality that lets his guard down quite a lot."

"…Is that so?"

Namgung So-hye nodded, accepting it with a lukewarm expression. The reason why even highly skilled experts sometimes lost to weaker opponents was precisely because of the confidence that they were stronger than their opponents.

Since it was a frequent occurrence, she wondered if they had also experienced that. With those thoughts, she poured tea into the teacup set in front of Ma Il-woong.

At that moment, startled by a hand stealthily reaching in, she avoided it and cast a wide-eyed look.

Didn't he just try to touch her hand?

"Oh, did I displease you? I was only trying to feel your pulse."

"P-Pulse?"

"Indeed. In my view, your energy pathways seem somewhat blocked, so your progress seems a bit slow. Therefore, I wished to confirm it, but I failed to realize you are a woman. I apologize."

"Ah, no. From the moment one holds a sword, what distinction is there between men and women?"

Looking at Namgung So-hye, who smiled awkwardly, Ma Il-woong picked up his teacup. It was to wet his dry throat and ease this awkwardness.

And the moment he gulped down the tea.

Trickle.

"Cough!"

The tea water that entered his mouth shot out again.

It was extremely bitter.

It was even burning hot. Because the heat surged so much that he wondered if the roof of his mouth was burned, Ma Il-woong stamped his feet while slumped over the table.

Such a burning heat was felt.

"A-Are you alright? Does it taste bad?"

"Ahem! Lady…"

Ma Il-woong ground his teeth. It was cheap tea, but it was not this tasteless. Furthermore, it was so hot that it was by no means a drink a human could consume.

'I will forgive her because she is pretty.'

The reason he could not bring himself to shout despite grinding his teeth was partly due to her beauty, but more so due to the fear that she might actually take action.

"Never mind the tea now, pour a cup of alcohol instead."

"Excuse me?"

Ma Il-woong turned his head and looked at the youngest. The youngest hurriedly entered the kitchen and soon returned with a small liquor cup and a liquor bottle.

He placed them down one by one in front of her and gently slid the liquor bottle toward Namgung So-hye.

"What are you doing? Are you saying you cannot even pour a cup of alcohol for us, who solved the headache of the Murim Alliance?"

"…Haha."

Grind!

Namgung So-hye ground her teeth.

* * *

"How can such people exist?!"

On the way back to the manor.

Namgung So-hye kicked out her foot roughly, as if she could not contain her rising anger. With a loud crash, the kicked pebble shattered and scattered.

"You seem very angry."

"Do you even need to ask? If not for the recruitment order from the Alliance, a sword fight would have broken out immediately."

She huffed roughly, venting her anger on the ground.

Just thinking about it made her blood boil.

'Did they think I was some courtesan? Pouring alcohol?'

Had it been her usual self, she might have slapped their faces immediately.

"They were interesting fellows. They should be of some help to the Murim Alliance."

"…That is true."

Dan Woo-hyun wore a smirk. His imagination took flight, wondering what would happen if such swindlers entered a place like the Murim Alliance.

It would probably be a situation hard to watch with open eyes.

It was amusing just to think about it.

Dan Woo-hyun wanted to support them if possible. Although the two hundred gold taels were a waste, wasn't this something one couldn't watch even with money?

And Namgung So-hye holding back her anger was also quite entertaining.

"Then are we leaving early tomorrow morning?"

"…Yes."

Namgung So-hye let out a small sigh and nodded. Since the Five Swords of Hunan had agreed to accompany her to the Murim Alliance, there was no longer any need to remain here.

She would take them and return to Henan early in the morning.

It was farewell to this tiresome Yueyang now.

By the time she was thinking that, she had already arrived at the manor. It was goodbye to this familiarity of opening the main gate and walking inside.

"Take this."

Dan Woo-hyun threw something to her.

Startled, she caught it naturally, finding about ten silver taels inside.

Namgung So-hye silently stared at the silver.

It was a fairly large amount for having worked only a few days.

Ten taels, which she had not even expected?

She slowly raised her head and looked at Dan Woo-hyun's face.

Today, his face seemed somewhat different.

"Perhaps…"

"I refuse."

Dismissed before she could even finish her words, Namgung So-hye lowered her head. Without realizing it, a small smile played on her lips.

* * *

"The leader of the Phoenix Squadron?"

An inn in Yueyang.

A middle-aged man staying there stared intently at his subordinates. In truth, he was not someone who should step forward for this kind of matter.

He was a man of considerable reputation even in the Unorthodox Faction, and held the fiftieth rank within the Martial Sovereign Castle.

As a peak-stage expert, he was by no means a talent to be deployed for merely finding a person. Yet, why was he here?

It was simple amusement.

"Who is that child meeting?"

"They are those who call themselves the Five Swords of Hunan."

"Never heard of them."

"Neither have we."

"…"

"…"

Ma Dok-jin looked down at his subordinate with a crooked expression. Simultaneously, as he lightly flicked his finger, a blunt thud was heard.

Crash!

"Ugh!"

"Am I in a position to bandy words with you?"

"Urgh… I-I am sorry…"

Rubbing his head, the subordinate prostrated again and bowed his head. Internally, he lamented having a lord who did not understand jokes and hid his feelings.

"The Five Swords of Hunan… It is highly likely that they are the ones who struck the Black Path Association."

"…"

The subordinate did not answer.

Since he was beaten for the words he uttered just before, he thought he should keep his mouth shut now.

At that moment, with a thud, the man's body was sent flying once again.

Crash!

"Keek…!"

"You rotten bastard, are my words that sweet to you? Chewing them up?"

"I-I am sorry…"

The subordinate hurriedly adjusted his posture and prostrated again. Although he felt intense pain from the beaten spot, he must not show it.

Because he would only be beaten more for no reason.

"It is correct to judge them as the ones who struck the Black Path Association, right?"

At the incoming question, the subordinate answered quickly.

He did not make a mistake this time.

"It is deemed to be so."

"But I have never heard of them… Although the leader of the Black Path Association was only on the threshold of the peak stage, it does not change the fact that he was an outstanding individual… Are they hidden experts…?"

"I suspect that might be the case."

The moment those words left his mouth.

Whack!

"Argh!"

Struck by the powerful finger wind that flew once again, the man's body slammed into the wall. Perhaps due to the powerful force that made his mind spin, he slid down the wall and slumped to the floor.

"How dare you open your mouth when I did not even ask?"

'What do you want me to do?!'

The subordinate truly wanted to cry.

That damn whim did not change even with the passage of time. If he did not answer, he was beaten for not answering; if he answered, he was beaten for answering.

Since the exact same thing occurred at least two or three times a day, the subordinate felt like dying.

How did he end up serving such a guy?

'You crazy bastard, just drop dead!'

For the unorthodox practitioners, the absolute loyalty offered to those of higher rank was their very foundation.

Although it was not offered to an absolute ruler at the peak like the Demonic Cult, it was no exaggeration to say that their trust and loyalty toward their lord were grand enough to not fall behind any of the three major forces.

Nevertheless, the man wished for Ma Dok-jin's death.

That was how sick and tired he was of this life.

'If I could choose my lord, I would never have chosen someone like you.'

Grimacing, the man quickly took position and prostrated. Although even moving was difficult due to his significant internal injuries, if he did not do this, he would be punished even more severely.

At that moment, Ma Dok-jin's voice was heard.

"Tsk, whatever the case, it does not matter. It is enough to see it with my own eyes. Tail them. I must check with my own eyes just how great the expert who annihilated the Black Path Association is."

"As you command!"

The man, or rather Gwon Mu-jin, finished his reply and quickly vanished from the spot.

Spitting on the ground where others could not see, of course.