Chapter 361 – How Joyful This Long-Awaited Reunion (2)
Bang Jin-bo walked through Shaolin Temple's grounds. The mountain temple that should have been tranquil was packed with people due to the continuous influx of visitors.
"At this rate, I won't be able to properly tour Shaolin Temple."
Bang Jin-bo sighed and sat on a nearby rock.
Though he walked the path of a cook, he too was a martial artist who had learned martial arts. As a martial artist, it was only natural to be interested in Shaolin Temple. However, given the circumstances, it seemed better to postpone touring Shaolin Temple for later.
"What are you thinking about so deeply?"
Suddenly a familiar voice broke Bang Jin-bo's reverie.
"Oh, sister?"
The owner of the voice was precisely Gyeong Ha-jin.
They had become quite close during the journey here together. Since Gyeong Ha-jin was two years older than Bang Jin-bo, he called her sister.
"Didn't you say you were going to tour Shaolin Temple?"
"I did. But as you can see…"
Bang Jin-bo shrugged his shoulders. Then Gyeong Ha-jin smiled knowingly.
"It's very crowded. I didn't expect it to be this much either."
"Exactly."
"Still, it's fortunate. Thanks to this, Shaolin Temple has become crowded, but there are so many people who stepped forward to protect the martial world."
"That's true too."
Bang Jin-bo nodded.
If he changed his perspective, the people who had entered Shaolin Temple now were those who had voluntarily come to fight the Demon Cult. There was no reason to complain about having many such people.
"What about the other brothers?"
"They're meeting people they know and having conversations."
"Really? Those brothers know people here?"
"Even though they may not look it, they belong to prestigious families in Henan Province, so they can't help but know many people."
"What about you, sister? Don't you know anyone?"
"I do."
"Then why aren't you with them?"
"It's boring."
"Pardon?"
"Just boring. They keep repeating stories they've already told."
The stories when two or more martial artists gathered were predictable. Denouncing the Demon Cult and discussing how to protect the martial world. While doing so, they would subtly insert how great their achievements were or boast about their martial prowess.
It was tolerable once or twice, but listening continuously naturally became irritating. Moreover, Gyeong Ha-jin was a beautiful woman. Many martial artists would exaggerate their words or act inappropriately to impress her.
"I don't like that atmosphere."
"I see."
Bang Jin-bo nodded. He felt like he could understand somehow.
During the journey here, he had seen countless men try to approach her, captivated by Gyeong Ha-jin's beauty. Though they were all handled by Seo Woo-jong and Ju Jin-gwang before they could approach Gyeong Ha-jin.
Gyeong Ha-jin gently brushed up her hair. Then her silk-like black hair cascaded down like a waterfall.
"Wow!"
Several martial artists who saw this naturally burst into exclamations. This was the same for Bang Jin-bo.
"Your hair seems to have gotten even better."
"Pardon?"
"Your skin has gotten whiter too, and your internal energy seems to have increased. What kind of magic did you use?"
Gyeong Ha-jin looked straight at Bang Jin-bo. As Gyeong Ha-jin said, her beauty was at its peak. She had thought herself pretty, but while traveling with Bang Jin-bo, she had noticeably become more beautiful. Most importantly, her internal energy had increased.
Even though she had never once practiced breathing techniques while traveling with Bang Jin-bo. This was incomprehensible by her common sense.
After countless thoughts, the conclusion she reached was precisely Bang Jin-bo's food. Recalling the vitality and various signs she felt every time she ate food Bang Jin-bo made, it seemed almost certain.
"I'm glad it was helpful."
"Tell me. What magic did you use?"
Gyeong Ha-jin suddenly brought her face close to Bang Jin-bo's. As they became close enough that their noses almost touched, Bang Jin-bo's face turned red like a persimmon. He could feel Gyeong Ha-jin's breath on his nose.
"Why, why are you doing this? Sister."
"What kind of skill did you use on the food?"
"That is…"
Gyeong Ha-jin's sweet breath made Bang Jin-bo's mind hazy. So he couldn't come to his senses.
"Would you like to come to Great Righteousness Martial Hall with me later? With your skills, you could become the head chef of Great Righteousness Martial Hall. And…"
"…"
Gyeong Ha-jin's voice became even more subtle. At this, Bang Jin-bo's face became even redder. As if his face was on fire.
That's when it happened.
"Jin-bo!"
Suddenly a clear voice interjected between them.
As if cold water had been poured over him, Bang Jin-bo's hazy mind returned. As he hurriedly shook his head and looked toward where the voice came from, delight appeared on Bang Jin-bo's face.
"Ah!"
"Why are you here?"
A pretty girl with delicate features stood with both hands on her hips, glaring at Bang Jin-bo and Gyeong Ha-jin.
"So-cheong!"
The girl was precisely Eun So-cheong, the only daughter of the Silver Treasure Merchant Guild. She was looking back and forth between Bang Jin-bo and Gyeong Ha-jin with fire in her eyes.
As the Martial Alliance began freeloading, Shaolin Temple became a huge swamp absorbing countless materials and food. Numerous merchant groups from across the world came to Shaolin Temple for trade, and the Silver Treasure Merchant Guild was one of them.
Eun So-cheong was on her way up to Shaolin Temple loaded with numerous materials.
When she first saw Bang Jin-bo with Gyeong Ha-jin, she thought it was a mistake. As far as she knew, Bang Jin-bo should have been at Mount Hua Sect. So she widened her eyes several times to confirm. But then she saw Gyeong Ha-jin bringing her face close to Bang Jin-bo's.
At that moment, she felt a volcano exploding inside her. A thousand fires rose from her chest and her head went white. So she raised her voice without realizing it.
Even now her heart was beating madly, and she was trembling with inexplicable anger.
Not knowing this, Bang Jin-bo ran over with a bright expression.
"So-cheong. How are you here? Did you come for business?"
Seeing Bang Jin-bo's too-bright appearance, Eun So-cheong felt her rationality somewhat returning.
Bang Jin-bo was a man who had lived his whole life knowing only cooking.
He wasn't someone who schemed or chased after women. Knowing this fact better than anyone, Eun So-cheong calmed her anger toward Bang Jin-bo.
"I came for business. But what about you? Didn't you say you would stay at Mount Hua Sect?"
"I came with Brother Yeon-un. I couldn't feel at ease sending him alone. So I came together."
"Sigh!"
Eun So-cheong sighed at Bang Jin-bo's answer.
'Who's worrying about whom? You fool!'
She was considerably relieved that he hadn't come alone, but that didn't mean her heart was completely at ease. Anger was still boiling in her heart.
The target of her anger wasn't Bang Jin-bo. It was Gyeong Ha-jin, who had brought her detestable face close to Bang Jin-bo.
The moment she received Eun So-cheong's angry gaze, Gyeong Ha-jin's expression also hardened like a stone statue.
Sparks seemed to fly between the two women looking at each other.
The first to speak was Eun So-cheong.
"But who might you be?"
"I'm called Gyeong Ha-jin of Great Righteousness Martial Hall. And who might you be?"
"I'm called Eun So-cheong of Silver Treasure Merchant Guild."
"Ah! Silver Treasure Merchant Guild."
Gyeong Ha-jin unconsciously exclaimed.
Because the background of the girl who appeared only two or three years younger than her was greater than expected.
"How did you come to know Jin-bo?"
"I happened to travel with him by chance. What about you?"
"Hoho! I've been close with Jin-bo for a very long time. You could say we're in a relationship without secrets? It's been like that until now, and it will continue to be so."
At Eun So-cheong's words, Gyeong Ha-jin bit her lips tightly. What Eun So-cheong wanted to convey was simple.
I've known Jin-bo for a long time, and we're very close. So get lost on your own.
Eun So-cheong was saying that.
'This little brat!'
Instantly sparks flew in Gyeong Ha-jin's eyes.
Her bringing her head so close to Bang Jin-bo had been half playful behavior. Because Bang Jin-bo's flustered appearance was also cute.
But when Eun So-cheong stepped forward to check her like this, strangely competitive spirit and stubbornness arose.
"Just because it was like that until now doesn't mean it has to be like that in the future. Little sister is too young and doesn't know much about worldly matters yet."
"Since you called me little sister, I'll call you big sister too. Being older doesn't mean you know everything about the world. Big sister!"
"Being older?"
"You look two or three years older than me. Isn't that right? Big sister."
Eun So-cheong attached 'big sister' to the end of every sentence. It was a very polite form of address, but it couldn't help but be very grating to Gyeong Ha-jin's ears.
The corners of Gyeong Ha-jin's eyes lifted. But she forced a gentle smile and walked toward Eun So-cheong. Then she secretly whispered to her.
"Hoho! You seem to like Jin-bo. Little sister."
"What about big sister?"
"I wasn't particularly interested, but seeing little sister's attitude makes me want to like him now."
"It would be better if you didn't."
"Why? I like it."
Gyeong Ha-jin snorted.
"Because you shouldn't like someone in such a playful way."
"I'm serious. Since little sister is acting like this, I've become more greedy."
Gyeong Ha-jin wasn't originally someone with much greed. But she had obtained everything she had wanted until now.
Though Great Righteousness Martial Hall wasn't big enough to belong to the Nine Great Sects, it at least wielded considerable influence in the Henan Province area.
Many people praised her beauty, and she received the attention of countless martial artists. Seo Woo-jong and Ju Jin-gwang's efforts to travel with her were for the same reason.
Eun So-cheong's gaze became cold. But Gyeong Ha-jin failed to notice this fact.
"Most importantly, the food Jin-bo makes is really… He'll become someone suitable for Great Righteousness Martial Hall."
"Are you talking about someone suitable for big sister?"
"Well…"
Gyeong Ha-jin smiled softly. An ambiguous smile of unknown meaning, but the intent contained within was clear.
It was a battle of pride. She absolutely couldn't back down.
It had started half as a joke, but now she couldn't back down even for pride's sake.
A smile also appeared at the corners of Eun So-cheong's lips. A smile cold as ice.
"Big sister."
"What?"
"You'll regret it."
"What did you say?"
For a moment Gyeong Ha-jin doubted her ears. She never expected to hear such words from a young girl like Eun So-cheong.
"Regret? Me?"
"Yes! Definitely."
"…"
"Big sister might not know well, but Jin-bo and I have a very scary big brother."
"So you're going to threaten me with that big brother?"
"Of course not? I'm not such a nasty person. I just want to say that there's one thing I've definitely learned from that big brother."
"What's that?"
"Never leaving future troubles behind."
"…"
Gyeong Ha-jin doubted her ears. It was violent enough to be unbelievable that it came from a young girl's mouth.
Eun So-cheong smiled brightly.
"Of course, that doesn't mean I'll use force. I don't have that power anyway."
"…"
At that moment Gyeong Ha-jin trembled with sudden chills.
Eun So-cheong looked at such Gyeong Ha-jin for a moment, then turned around.
On one side, Bang Jin-bo was looking at them with a somewhat blank expression. He could tell that the atmosphere between the two was not normal, but he didn't know the reason why.
Seeing such Bang Jin-bo, Eun So-cheong unconsciously pouted her lips.
How could he have such a blank expression, not even knowing who she was having this nerve war with Gyeong Ha-jin for?
'Fool!'
But somehow she felt like laughing.
She thought such an appearance might be Bang Jin-bo's charm.
Eun So-cheong extended her hand to Bang Jin-bo.
"Let's go."
"Yeah!"
Bang Jin-bo grasped her soft hand without a moment's hesitation.
Sparks flew in the eyes of Gyeong Ha-jin watching this scene. Toward such her, Eun So-cheong showed a subtle smile.
The fight had already begun.

The more strands of noodles Mu-gak ate, the closer the martial artists’ hands moved toward their sword handles.

No one spoke.

All the martial artists’ nerves were concentrated solely on the sound of Mu-gak slurping noodles.

Slurp…

Namgung Geol’s index finger touched his sword handle. Then his middle finger, and finally his thumb attached to the handle.

Yuk Ha-seon’s thin silk gauze fluttered. It was because she had secretly raised her internal energy to the maximum.

Ham-geun leaned against the inn wall with his sword embraced in his arms and eyes closed, but the slight trembling of his eyebrows showed he too was making full preparations.

However, An Ryeong was tending to So-min, and Jin Ja-gang only watched quietly from a spot somewhat distant from the Shaolin Temple monks.

Slurp!

Now only a few strands remained.

But then.

“…!”

Jin Ja-gang suddenly turned his head.

Namgung Geol, Im Yi-eon, and An Ryeong did the same.

Everyone except the Shaolin Temple monks and Ham-geun turned their heads to look outside.

It was noisy outside.

Noisy enough to tell without even spreading out qi sensing.

Then…

Soon dozens of young men burst into the inn, smashing through the door.

Crash!

Not only that, they even broke the window frames with axes and climbed through the windows.

Smash crash!

More than twenty entered, and from the sounds of more people outside, it seemed many more remained behind to surround the place.

Their weapons were varied. From axes to iron hooks, sickles, clubs… they carried weapons that third-rate thugs might possess.

No, from their appearance and faces deliberately contorted to look menacing, they were at the level of back-alley thugs who might barely qualify as third-rate martial artists.

One of them shouted.

“We are the Cherry Blossom Corps protecting the righteousness of orthodox martial arts! Is the guy called Poison Dragon here?”

Namgung Geol, Im Yi-eon, An Ryeong, and Ham-geun looked at the young men incredulously.

“…”

Why was the Cherry Blossom Corps, which had recently been causing all sorts of chaos throughout the martial world, here?

It was a situation difficult to understand.

Namgung Geol glanced and saw that Mu-gak’s expression had hardened considerably.

Slurp…

Really only two or three strands of noodles remained now. Moreover, Mu-gak’s face was trembling.

Namgung Geol spoke gently to the young men who might face a bolt from the blue.

“Listen, friends. It would be best to leave this place quietly without causing a disturbance.”

“What?”

Namgung Geol gestured toward the Shaolin Temple monks with his eyes.

“Some monks…”

“Shaolin Temple?”

“If Shaolin Temple is here, aren’t we… in danger?”

But there was also opposition.

“Damn… don’t back down. We came to protect justice in the martial world.”

“R-right. No matter how powerful Shaolin Temple is, they can’t do anything if we’re together.”

Young blood knows no limits. Especially when they think they are justice and their blood boils while moving as a group. Having already subdued hundreds of small and medium sects recently, their momentum was at its peak.

“Hand over Poison Dragon obediently!”

“If you don’t hand over Poison Dragon, we’ll execute everyone in the name of the Righteous Alliance…”

Finally, Mu-gak, unable to bear it any longer, burst with anger and shouted.

“YOU IMPERTINENT YOUNG FOOLS!”

ROAAAAR!

Mu-gak’s voice filled the inn completely and wind arose as if a storm had swept through.

Flutter.

The young men’s clothes flapped and their hair stood stiffly.

“…”

“…”

The young men couldn’t close their mouths and trembled with shaking legs. Their faces looked as if their souls had been instantly sucked out.

“S-so…”

The young men were instantly terrified and didn’t know what to do, when dozens more young men waiting outside rushed into the inn. Nearly eighty or ninety in total.

“What’s happening!”

“What! What’s going on! What was that thunder sound?”

The not-so-large inn filled completely.

The inn became as noisy as a marketplace again, and Mu-gak’s face became even more distorted than his twisted body.

The Shaolin Temple monks glared fiercely. But since the meal wasn’t finished yet, they couldn’t stand up from their seats.

The young men who had burst into the inn flinched seeing the monks’ expressions.

However, trusting in their numbers, they became fierce. Especially those in the back who couldn’t see the Shaolin Temple monks urged them on even more.

“Don’t be scared! How many of us are there!”

“Hand over Poison Dragon! If you don’t, we won’t let it slide!”

“If we get angry, Shaolin Temple or whatever, we’ll all…”

Then Yuk Ha-seon stepped forward.

“Excuse me, young heroes?”

“Who are you… uh… huh? Miss?”

“What? Where’s that woman’s voice coming from?”

“Who is it? Is she pretty?”

What calmed the young men was unexpectedly not the intimidating presence of the Shaolin Arhat monks, but a beauty’s single word.

Though the young men became quieter than when they were being fierce, they actually became noisier.

“Ho ho ho! Young heroes, would you come this way for a moment?”

Yuk Ha-seon’s voice rang melodiously through the inn. The young men felt their hearts flutter for a moment. Yuk Ha-seon’s voice overflowed with coquetry and her clothing brimmed with sensuality.

Already, many among them were overflowing with lust, looking Yuk Ha-seon up and down with lewd expressions while swallowing saliva.

“Hurry… if you’re late, you won’t be able to see my dance.”

The young men flocked to Yuk Ha-seon as if bewitched. They passed by, even bumping into Im Yi-eon’s table in the middle without care, making Im Yi-eon stand up abruptly.

Im Yi-eon’s face turned red and blue.

The young men surrounded Yuk Ha-seon in a crowd.

“Move aside. I can’t see.”

“Let me see too.”

Amid the commotion, An Ryeong called Jin Ja-gang.

“Poison Dragon.”

Jin Ja-gang looked at An Ryeong.

An Ryeong said while suppressing laughter.

“Guests have arrived, shouldn’t you boil noodles?”

Jin Ja-gang glared at An Ryeong with a face like he’d eaten shit.

An Ryeong giggled.

But the situation wasn’t entirely amusing and funny.

Yuk Ha-seon wasn’t bewitching the young men with Pleasure Heaven’s secret arts for no reason. Since Mu-gak had already warned he would kill Yuk Ha-seon, she wouldn’t go down easily to survive.

This was the most advantageous situation for Yuk Ha-seon and there was no reason to miss it.

Yuk Ha-seon actually climbed onto the table while waving her silk gauze. Now all the young men could see Yuk Ha-seon.

Yuk Ha-seon danced. Each time the transparent silk gauze, as good as naked, swayed gently, her voluptuous figure and the bare skin hidden within were fatally revealed.

Befitting the nickname Red Flower Immortal, her red cheeks were even more bewitching. Beauty and sensuality combined cunningly to captivate the young men’s gazes.

The young men continued swallowing dry saliva while watching Yuk Ha-seon’s dance. The musk scent Yuk Ha-seon possessed spread in all directions following the silk gauze hems. Gradually more pupils became hazy and more opened their mouths.

Im Yi-eon gritted her teeth.

“Soul Bewitching Dance…”

Each time the fluttering silk gauze swayed, the young men’s gazes followed the silk ends. Five or six heads followed, then became ten, ten became twenty, and before long more than half the young men’s heads swayed left and right simultaneously.

Soul Bewitching Dance is a type of soul absorption technique that doesn’t work well on masters with firm will or those raising internal energy to guard. But the young men who encountered Soul Bewitching Dance in an unguarded state were no different from naive prey.

“Ho ho! Do you want to see me? I’d also like to see each of your handsome faces one by one, but since I can’t, it’s regretful. Shall we… move to a slightly more… intimate place? Just us?”

“P-please do so.”

“Let’s do that!”

The nearby young men were completely bewitched and responded enthusiastically.

Yuk Ha-seon said with a sad face.

“But what shall we do? Those monks are preventing you and me from getting close.”

The young men’s youthful blood began boiling fiercely. The young men bewitched by Soul Bewitching Dance began glaring at the Shaolin Arhat monks as if to kill them. Their eyes became bloodshot. They felt no fear at the Arhat monks’ gazes.

Yuk Ha-seon pleaded with a pitiful expression that made even observers feel sorry for her.

“Please. Young heroes. Will you help me?”

The young men were completely swept up in madness.

“Of course!”

“Uwaaaah!”

“Save the lady!”

“Kill the monks!”

Even young men not yet completely caught by Soul Bewitching Dance couldn’t go against the atmosphere. Though some felt resistance and tried to retreat, they lacked the courage to completely escape the group.

“Kill! Kill!”

“Protect the lady!”

The inn became noisier than the middle of a marketplace.

Slurp…

Mu-gak didn’t stop eating noodles even in the midst of this. The meal must be finished completely clean. And now the last strand was entering Mu-gak’s mouth.

Then Yuk Ha-seon sent telepathic communication not to the young men but to martial artists like Namgung Geol and Im Yi-eon. Jin Ja-gang also received Yuk Ha-seon’s telepathy.

“Soon, prepare yourselves.”

Jin Ja-gang turned his gaze and made eye contact with Namgung Geol.

Namgung Geol said secretly to Jin Ja-gang.

“Pleasure Heaven Lord didn’t use Joyful Love Maiden with Soul Bewitching Dance.”

Joyful Love Maiden is Pleasure Heaven’s poison several times stronger than spring medicine. Used together with Soul Bewitching Dance, once caught, whether man or woman, they struggle in a world of bliss they can never escape from until death.

An Ryeong, who was listening nearby, didn’t know what this meant and sent Namgung Geol a look requesting explanation.

Namgung Geol gripped his sword tightly and slowly stood while saying.

“Do you remember hearing Master Mu-gak’s lion’s roar earlier?”

“Yes.”

“Shaolin Temple’s lion’s roar basically contains the energy of breaking demons and destroying evil. It breaks soul absorption techniques.”

“Ah…!”

It meant she was deliberately not using poison to induce Demon Exterminating Monk Mu-gak’s lion’s roar.

From Shaolin Temple’s perspective, wouldn’t it be burdensome to deal with nearly a hundred young men rushing regardless of death one by one? Using lion’s roar to suppress them at once would be much easier.

“When Master Mu-gak uses lion’s roar… that’s the opportunity.”

Jin Ja-gang didn’t know how strong Master Mu-gak was. But seeing him use the resounding lion’s roar, he could tell tremendous internal energy still remained.

Namgung Geol believed that since Mu-gak’s body was uncomfortable, various movements would be difficult, so there would be an opening while he expelled internal energy through lion’s roar.

Namgung Geol wasn’t the only one with such thoughts.

Im Yi-eon, who received the telepathy, and Ham-geun, who had his eyes closed, both slightly nodded in response to Yuk Ha-seon’s telepathy.

When the young men created an opportunity, their martial arts would explosively unfold toward the Shaolin Temple monks in an instant.

Anyway, Mu-gak planned to kill everyone on the life and death list. There was no need to show any mercy while facing the monks.

An Ryeong felt relieved amid the tension.

‘If things go well, we might survive…’

However, Jin Ja-gang’s thoughts were the problem. Jin Ja-gang hadn’t moved at all since earlier, whatever he was thinking. He only observed the situation.

Im Yi-eon moved close to the wall near An Ryeong and slowly raised her sword. Then she gestured for An Ryeong to stay behind her.

Yuk Ha-seon smiled while observing the entire situation in the inn.

Since her intentions were conveyed, it was now time to make the decisive move.

“To whoever rescues me first… I’ll give the reward of spending time together alone. Therefore, those who interfere between you heroes and me…”

Slurp!

The last strand completely entered Mu-gak’s mouth. The Shaolin Temple monks put their palms together and finished their meal.

At the same time, Yuk Ha-seon spoke with killing intent as if driving in a wedge.

“You may kill them all.”

Simultaneously, the young men shouted and attacked the Shaolin Temple monks.

“Waaaah!”