Chapter 355

Son Bi looked at Jin Ja-gang silently for a long time.

However, there was no killing intent in her eyes.

Son Bi shook her head in response to Jin Ja-gang’s question.

It seemed to be an expression meaning she wasn’t his enemy.

It couldn’t help but be strange. Son Bi hadn’t said a single word from the moment she first entered the inn until now.

An Ryeong interjected.

“And there’s one more advantage Baek Li-jung could gain by joining hands with Southern Sea Sword Sect. Being able to form connections with our An family medical house. Originally our An family medical house maintains some distance from the martial world. But if connections are made through the Sword Empress, Indestructible Heavenly Sword would indirectly have relations with us.”

“It sounds like Indestructible Heavenly Sword has reasons compelling enough to be so desperate for the An family medical house.”

“Our An family has handled everything from local government medical positions like Regional Imperial Medical Officer, central institutions like the Imperial Pharmacy Bureau and Imperial Medical Bureau, and even up to the Medicine Storage Bureau serving the Crown Prince since ancient times. We have roots in government rather than the martial world and many connections there.”

“That means…”

“If Baek Li-jung was driven to the worst situation in the martial world, he even tried to create a position to escape to government through our An family medical house. Of course, since he knew we were targeting him, he probably also thought to create a relationship that could be controlled through Son Bi.”

Baek Li-jung.

He was a remarkable figure in many ways. It was no wonder he had pushed out political enemies through the Medicine Sect incident ten years ago, and was now ostracizing Taoist Haewol while taking control of the Martial Alliance through the Righteous Alliance.

“Anyway, calling us the Three Dragons Four Phoenixes is just what people who like gossiping do. We’re actually not that close. Son Bi and I are personally close though.”

“You mentioned that last time too. Then I should clean up the kitchen and go shopping now.”

When Jin Ja-gang stood up from his seat, An Ryeong and Son Bi looked disappointed.

“Shall I come with you?”

“No. That’s fine.”

“Wow… I’m completely hated.”

“For now, it’s because it would be troublesome if we went out together.”

An Ryeong’s eyes widened.

“Huh? That means I’m pretty, right? Because I’m pretty, it would be troublesome to go out together?”

Jin Ja-gang cut her off with one sentence.

“That’s enough.”

An Ryeong asked seriously again.

“Can’t you think I’m going to watch in case you mix in poison?”

Jin Ja-gang looked at An Ryeong briefly then turned his head away. An Ryeong looked shocked again.

“Wait! What’s that look? You’re not thinking ‘but you finished the noodles completely earlier,’ are you?”

“That’s exactly what I was thinking.”

“Pfft!”

Son Bi burst into laughter again while grabbing An Ryeong’s hand and shaking her head left and right.

“Tsk, acting so expensive. Just wait and see.”

Jin Ja-gang ignored An Ryeong and went to the kitchen. When he glanced back at the two, they were writing on the table with tea water from their cups, silently exchanging some conversation.

Occasionally An Ryeong would giggle and Son Bi would also show a faint smile, so it didn’t seem like they were having a very serious conversation.

* * *

Jin Ja-gang observed the village atmosphere while going to buy dinner ingredients.

Until morning there had been various surveillance eyes that didn’t blend with the villagers, but now those eyes had completely disappeared.

He even found Qingcheng Sect’s code near the market.

It was code meaning to withdraw.

‘Is Shaolin Temple already nearby?’

It seemed the watchers had all fled after being wary of Shaolin Temple.

Jin Ja-gang looked around the market more, bought food ingredients, and returned to the inn.

Dinner was stir-fried chicken as planned.

He deboned the chicken and stir-fried it with vegetables, while boiling the bones for broth to prepare soup for thin noodles.

After finishing cooking and coming out, all the martial artists who had already smelled the aroma were sitting at tables in the inn.

It was because the cooking took longer than expected since he wasn’t used to it.

Jin Ja-gang only placed dishes of food in front of An Ryeong and Son Bi.

The others looked at Jin Ja-gang strangely. Sword Empress Im Yi-eon in particular had an even more peculiar expression since he placed dishes precisely only in front of Son Bi, not her.

As the aroma spread from the cooking, even martial artists found it hard to endure.

Disaster Sword Guest Namgung Geol sighed and said.

“Ho! Why do you stop halfway through serving food? Do you only give food to pretty ladies and not offer even a grain of rice to this old man?”

Jin Ja-gang said.

“From now on it’s not free.”

“Of course I should pay money. I’m not that shameless.”

Pleasure Heaven Lord Yuk Ha-seon astutely grasped the situation.

“You want something other than money? Seeing you only gave food to So-bong and Ice Phoenix, something must have already been exchanged with that side.”

Im Yi-eon glared at Son Bi, her disciple. Son Bi impassively received Im Yi-eon’s gaze but discomfort was showing.

Yuk Ha-seon said with an amused face.

“You seem to want something, so let’s hear it.”

Namgung Geol also smiled with one corner of his mouth raised.

“Interesting. What price does Poison Dragon want?”

The gazes of various martial artists focused on Jin Ja-gang.

Jin Ja-gang said.

“I haven’t been in the martial world long so I’m ignorant about it. Since there are people of high seniority here, I’d like to ask for advice. I’d be grateful if you could tell me how you think about this martial world.”

“Hmm?”

It wasn’t a particularly great request. It was the kind of talk that could be done casually after a drink or two.

But the situation was the problem.

With relationships subtly entangled between each other, it was awkward to speak carelessly. There was potential for trouble.

“I might end up taking the blame if I’m not careful.”

Namgung Geol said with a laugh. The words ‘after coming to help’ were probably omitted before that. But since he hadn’t come purely to help Jin Ja-gang, Jin Ja-gang didn’t mind.

“Though the eldest here is the Sword Empress, I’m too hungry to endure. Excuse my rudeness, but I’ll speak first.”

Namgung Geol looked at Jin Ja-gang and opened his mouth.

“This martial world… has been the place I’ve most yearned for since childhood and the foundation where our Namgung family lives. Sometimes mud splashes, sometimes it becomes a manure field, and sometimes fierce battles occur. But whatever form that martial world takes, it’s my eternal hometown.”

Jin Ja-gang cupped his fists.

“Thank you for your words.”

People’s eyes turned to Im Yi-eon. Im Yi-eon hardened her expression and said nothing.

So Yuk Ha-seon stepped forward first.

“There’s something disappearing from this martial world. Everyone feels it differently. But I think this is most urgent.”

“Could you tell me what it is?”

“It’s embarrassing to say in words.”

Yuk Ha-seon drew her sword. Then she stood up and swung it toward one wall.

Slash slash! Clatter clatter!

In an instant sword energy poured out, brilliantly decorating the wall.

A character the size of a person was carved on the wall.

情 (Affection/Emotion)

“Affection between father and child. Affection between friends. Affection between master and disciple… I see human affection as most lacking.”

Jin Ja-gang nodded and cupped his fists to Yuk Ha-seon as well.

“Thank you.”

Yuk Ha-seon sheathed her sword and sat down.

Namgung Geol addressed Im Yi-eon.

“Please give a word to your junior as well, Sword Empress.”

Im Yi-eon’s expression was very fierce. She seemed angry about this situation.

Im Yi-eon didn’t even stand up but picked up a teacup. Then she sprinkled the tea water from the cup onto the wall where Yuk Ha-seon had just carved the character.

Splash!

Amazingly, the tea water poured out like a sharp sword and cut horizontally across the wall.

The character 情 (affection) that Yuk Ha-seon had written was split in half horizontally.

The upper part of the character was intact, but tea water flowed down the cut lower part, making it look like it was crying.

“Hmph.”

Im Yi-eon stood up and went upstairs with an unpleasant expression.

Namgung Geol looked at the wall, stroked his beard and said.

“Affection (情) was cut (斷), so severed affection (斷情)… A fitting answer from the Sword Empress.”

Yuk Ha-seon smiled wryly while watching Im Yi-eon’s retreating figure, then called Jin Ja-gang.

“Hey, innkeeper. This should be enough of an answer. I’m hungry so hurry and serve the food.”

Jin Ja-gang soon brought out the food. The martial artists immediately began eating.

Only Son Bi couldn’t eat and became gloomy.

Son Bi looked at Jin Ja-gang, then took her plate of food and went upstairs to the guest rooms.

“That doesn’t seem like a good idea.”

At Yuk Ha-seon’s words containing slight sarcasm, Son Bi glared at her. It was truly a gaze containing the feeling of Ice Phoenix. Yuk Ha-seon smiled coldly and turned her head.

But before long, there was a crashing sound of dishes breaking.

Yuk Ha-seon laughed.

“See? I said it didn’t seem like a good idea.”

But none of the others laughed.

Night fell.

It was strangely peaceful and quiet.

Only one day had passed. Everyone was enduring for now, but who knew what tomorrow would bring.

Since each had come with their own purposes, there would be limits to their patience.

Then this inn might be completely dyed with blood.

Jin Ja-gang finished cleaning the kitchen and came out.

In the dark inn with only one light on, Son Bi was sitting alone drinking tea.

Jin Ja-gang looked at Son Bi briefly, then brought the remaining dinner food and placed it in front of her. Son Bi looked up at Jin Ja-gang and shook her head.

“Please eat. Even if your master doesn’t know, there’s no need for you to starve, is there?”

Son Bi quietly looked down at the food, then raised her delicate hand and dipped her finger in the teacup to write characters.

Characters meaning gratitude (感謝) and sorry (未安).

Son Bi soon stood up and quietly went upstairs.

Jin Ja-gang had no choice but to take the food back, when this time An Ryeong came in from outside.

Her cheeks were flushed from wherever she’d been and she smelled of alcohol.

“If Bi didn’t eat, give it to me. It was delicious.”

“Didn’t you say you don’t drink?”

“You have no interest in me anyway.”

“Do I need to have interest?”

“Never mind.”

An Ryeong sat down and ate the food as if shoving it in her mouth.

Then she suddenly let out a deep sigh.

“Pitiful.”

“Who?”

“Son Bi.”

An Ryeong pointed to her mouth with her finger.

“You probably know now too. Son Bi can’t speak.”

So that was why she didn’t talk.

“Is that so?”

“She became mute.”

She said “became mute,” not “was mute.”

“She can’t even smile well. Her facial muscles were injured then. That’s how she became Ice Phoenix. Because she’s cold and doesn’t smile. She originally had such a beautiful voice.”

An Ryeong lifted a wine gourd she’d brought from outside and gulped it down.

“Who did it?”

“You’d be surprised if you knew.”

An Ryeong smiled with her drunk face.

Then she raised her finger pointing upward and said.

“Her master, the Sword Empress.”