As Namgoong Cheon let out a heavy sigh after receiving his membership, I glanced around the inn.
Since it was still before the lunch rush, there were hardly any customers. The only ones standing out were Sayoon, Chaeran, and Yura, huddled together sipping drinks.
Well, I guess it’s a good time to take things easy.
“How about a drink?”
“That sounds great.”
After my order, Jeomsoi soon emerged with a bottle of liquor and some simple snacks.
Namgoong Cheon took the bottle, downed the drink I poured for him, and exhaled a sigh of relief.
“I just talked with my son when I got back.”
“Oh really?”
“Definitely… Just as you said. When I asked if giving him the Heart Soul Technique was a burden, he couldn’t answer.”
But honestly, that said it all. While it’s true Namgoong Chuseong respects Namgoong Cheon, it’s also true that he feels the pressure.
“So, I left a letter behind. I passed all my duties and powers to my son.”
Things are bound to get chaotic now that the head of the clan is away.
The faction centered around Namgoong Cheon won’t follow Namgoong Chuseong.
Those eyeing Hahbi, overshadowed by the title of Thunderbolt Sword King, will rise up.
And the son will struggle under the massive weight of the Namgoong Clan.
He knew all this, yet he left the Namgoong Clan for his son’s growth.
“I didn’t mention where I’d be staying, but… well, it’ll be known soon enough.”
“I see.”
“I think I’ll do some traveling for a while.”
“That sounds good.”
“I’m considering heading north.”
“Oh. Then could you take my request while you’re there? I need to investigate that area anyway.”
“…Is this something to say to a guy who just left home?”
“What can’t you do? You’re the one who outright said to leave the Namgoong Clan.”
“Hah.”
Though he sighed, almost in disbelief, he didn’t seem particularly upset.
“Anyway, I plan to stick around here for a bit, rest, and then I’ll take the request.”
“Thank you.”
“Speaking of the north, I wonder if there’s anything there that could help the clan…”
“Sir.”
“Oh dear. I’ve spent my whole life for the clan and I’m thinking this way without even realizing it.”
“Sometimes it’s not bad to search for yourself too. So for now, completely forget about everything and rest here.”
“That sounds right…”
His slumped shoulders looked rather pitiful, but I figured it would all be worth it for the growth of the Namgoong Clan. I smiled wryly at him.
“I can be your drinking buddy every now and then.”
“Wow. Are you a drinker?”
“He’s much better at drinking than my father-in-law.”
Last time I was in Cheongho, I beat him without using any internal energy, just pure drinking capacity. Namgoong Cheon was impressed by my words.
“Wow. That guy beat him? Are you sure he’s a person? I mean, when I first saw him, he didn’t really look human.”
“Haha.”
“Anyway… If you’re that good at drinking, let’s have a drink together later.”
With a chuckle, he stretched lightly. Once his shoulders were raised, he glanced at Hongryeon and Chaekin sitting in the corner, looking our way.
“By the way, those two. They’ve become superhumans now, right?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm… Can they train their martial arts back here? Some larger inns set up spaces like that.”
“Yes.”
“Good. I’m a bit bored. I should check out the skills of my juniors.”
Namgoong Cheon stood up and approached Hongryeon and Chaekin.
After chatting for a bit, the two grabbed their weapons and headed to the backyard with Namgoong Cheon.
“Mister. Mister.”
“Huh?”
I could see Namgoong Cheon, Hongryeon, and Chaekin heading to the backyard, pointing their weapons at each other.
Peeking at them, Sayoon asked quietly, “Why did the Thunderbolt Sword King come here?”
Hmm… what should I say?
I gently patted Sayoon’s head, and she beamed at me.
“He came to take a bath.”
“Ahaha… I see…”
“Perfect timing. Go on and watch. They say just watching the fights of masters is educational, right? Chaeran, you go too. And Yura, you should go and see.”
“Uh… is it really okay?”
“It should be fine.”
It’s not like they’re passing on a secret technique; it’s just a sparring match. What one gains from it depends on their own ability.
I nodded at Yura, and she, along with Chaeran and Sayoon, headed to the backyard.
“Sayoon might make another friend.”
“That wouldn’t be a bad thing.”
I found myself smiling and nodding at the Sword Saint who had come down.
By the way, if Namgoong Cheon is going to stay here for a while…
I wouldn’t have to worry about anything happening for now.
The rumor that the Thunderbolt Sword King Namgoong Cheon was staying at the inn didn’t need to be spread. It was only natural since his antics became widely known quickly.
Onsen spirit.
It was quite a sight to see a superhuman, who you’d struggle to see even once in a lifetime, singing in a bathhouse, or going into a steam room and rubbing salt on his body.
Or casually chatting with the workers or locals while peeling eggs he baked in an electric oven was quite something.
It’s easy to run into him the moment you step into the bathhouse.
Until recently, he was someone you wouldn’t even get a glimpse of, and now you have the chance to chat with him so leisurely—how often does that happen?
How many chances do we really have to chat?
Maybe that’s why the number of Murim people searching for inns to meet him has increased quite a bit.
Thanks to that, the workload at the inn has also increased. Of course, it’s not like it’s so hectic that I can’t keep up.
And that’s not the only special thing happening.
Sayoon has made another friend.
“Yura! Bring it on!”
“Always welcome!”
I saw three girls heading out to the backyard.
Thanks to Chaeran’s lively and cunning personality, the three girls quickly bonded.
I heard that they’re even talking about traveling together during their Murim journey later…
Not a bad idea. I watched Sayoon follow them while I wiped the table.
“I heard the atmosphere isn’t right these days?”
As I listened to the merchants, although the northern region has opened up, trade within the Empire hasn’t completely vanished.
In fact, it seems to have increased.
With the Green Forest Infantry literally getting ‘smashed’ by the Iron Blood Clan, the thugs have been laying low, which has led to an increase in trade.
Plus, once my guideline for actions during encounters with evil monsters became known through the postal service collaboration, merchants have been moving less riskily.
Because there are ways to dodge appropriately.
Still, the fact that the atmosphere feels off can’t be without reason.
If something big happens in Heavenly Bright Moon, you could say that one-third is the Iron Blood Clan, another third is others, and the last third is the Evil Cult.
Since the Iron Blood Clan is finished, it’s the others that are the issue, and from what I hear, it doesn’t seem easy to dismiss it as just other problems.
“I hear the Evil Cult folks are moving as if they’re looking for something?”
“Ugh. That’s scary.”
“I also heard that the Evil Cult showed up in Tongho Village last time and killed all the villagers there.”
“That’s brutal. I should steer clear of that area.”
Listening to the words of the small-scale traders, I sighed.
The sudden increase in Evil Cult members felt like an event similar to searching for the remaining half of the Cheonma Divine Art.
“Do you know who it is?”
“I heard it’s the Murim Alliance investigator looking for traces of Gwiseong Seon-in.”
Gwiseong Seon-in. One who moves according to the meaning of Gi Won Yuga from among the five families of the Evil Cult.
Gi Won Yuga.
Currently, the strongest family within the Evil Cult.
Designated as a representative enemy in the event to acquire half of the Cheonma Divine Art.
And.
One of the main enemies in Yura’s event who tried to plant demonic energy in her to turn her into a Blood Demon Gangshi.
The fact that all these things are moving right now was enough to make me tense.
The greatest danger posed by the Iron Blood Clan has been averted, but now there are those seeking half of the Cheonma Divine Art…
In Heavenly Bright Moon, if you failed an event, you could just redo it, but that’s not the case here. If you mess up just once, you’ll end up with half of the Cheonma Divine Art in the Yu Clan.
If that happens…
It’ll literally be a bloodbath.
“Mister!”
I saw Sayoon approaching with a bright smile, accompanied by Yura and Chaeran behind her.
Lately, they’ve been training together often, complementing each other’s weaknesses. I shook my head as I observed them.
“What are you thinking so deeply about?”
The emotion in Sayoon’s eyes was worry. Did she see the serious look on my face?
I felt my anxiety spreading to her.
So, I placed my hand on her head and gently petted it.
Our relationship had reached a point where such head pats were accepted with a smile, so Sayoon just grinned brightly.
“It’s nothing.”
Right.
This is nothing at all.
Upon receiving the report, Yu Jangmok was stunned.
The Sword Saint was one thing, but he never expected the super-humans Hongryeon and Chaekin to stay in Seonhwa Castle.
Well, he could laugh that off until that point.
But Namgoong Cheon…
Why on earth was that crazy old man staying at that inn instead of the Namgoong Clan?
Rumors said he’d stay briefly and then head north, but with talk of him being a hot spring resident, it seemed he’d be sticking around for a while.
“Huh…”
Attacking Seonhwa Castle and finding half of the Cheonma Divine Art wasn’t going to be easy; that was already understood.
But with the current situation, a direct attack would never succeed.
Right. Not with a direct attack.
Yu Jangmok let out a deep sigh. Perhaps this time, he might have to gamble everything the Yu Clan held.
But…
“If I can find the remaining half of the Cheonma Divine Art…”
It wouldn’t be a waste to sacrifice everything for it.
So he told his subordinate.
“Go back to the Yu Clan. Gather all our forces to deal with the Blood Demon Gangshi.”
To use all the Blood Demon Gangshi created by forcibly injecting demonic energy into a child and nurturing it for a long time…
If things went sideways, the Yu Clan would collapse in an instant.
And yet, he made this decision.
“Isn’t it dangerous?”
“It’s time to place our bet.”
At his cold answer, the subordinate sighed heavily and moved out, while Yu Jangmok closed his eyes.
When the Blood Demon Gangshi and all the forces of the Yu Clan arrived here…
Everything would be decided.
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