Chapter 15
Choosing a sword didn’t take long at all. With enough money and a solid grasp of the prices, we dashed through the payment process and strolled out into the street, letting our whims guide us.
“Oooh! Hey, that looks cool!”
As we wandered, Chun-bong and I each picked out a bamboo hat. If you’re scratching your head about what a bamboo hat is, just imagine a classic straw hat. Given Chun-bong’s already striking two-tone hair of black and white, it was the perfect excuse to cover her eyes while embracing that lovely wuxia vibe—so there was absolutely no reason not to snag it.
“What do you think?”
With the sword at my waist, black martial attire, and the bamboo hat perched atop my head, I struck a pose reminiscent of a true martial arts master. Chun-bong clicked her tongue in response.
“You look like a kid pretending to be a hero.”
“What?!”
I guess looking young was simply my destiny. As she clicked her tongue, we eagerly popped some Bing Tang Huo candies into our mouths. This was our very own Bing Tang Huo, bought with our hard-earned money. Now that we were loaded, why not indulge in such small delights?
“Hehe…”
Seeing Chun-bong bubbling over with excitement like a kid made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. This is what money is for, right?
“Alright! Kim Chun-bong! Today, I’m treating you!”
“Gasp! Are you seriously going on a spending spree?”
“Hey, we’re rich now!”
With that, we headed straight for an inn. There was a brief hiccup when I stumbled over the names of various dishes, but Chun-bong, being the pampered little rich kid she was, navigated the ordering without breaking a sweat.
“Nice.”
After demolishing an entire table’s worth of dishes, I felt like my stomach was about to burst. Seriously, how long had it been since I’d had such a feast? Chun-bong seemed to savor the food as well, licking off the grease that clung to her fingers.
“Tasty, right?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Well, that’s all that matters.”
Leaning back in my chair, I gazed out the window. The sky was slowly turning a crimson hue; evening was creeping in.
‘Maybe it’s time to head out soon.’
Before nightfall, I was thinking of taking a detour to the red-light district. I wondered how the woman I met on the first day was faring. I didn’t obsess over it, but curiosity had a way of creeping in.
“Should we get going… huh?”
At the tavern entrance, a few men dressed in blue robes were scanning the surroundings. Swords hung by their waists, and I could faintly sense their internal energy.
Martial artists?
Observing them further revealed something eye-opening.
‘Definitely a different vibe from the Black Tiger Sect.’
Their aura was strikingly different, and their internal energy, while somewhat muddled, felt much cleaner compared to Chun-bong’s. They must belong to the righteous faction.
They seemed to be asking the tavern keeper something before turning in our direction. One guy, locking eyes with me, gestured to his companions, pointing us out.
Before long, the men headed this way.
“Chun-bong.”
“Hmm?”
Looks like Chun-bong was feeling a bit drowsy from our feast, her eyelids drooping. I playfully scratched her chin and nodded toward the approaching men.
“Who are they?”
“Yawn…. Not sure? Those guys—uh, you know, those guys.”
“Those guys? Oh, those guys?”
“Right, the ones from the fabric shop.”
I recalled hearing that the shop owner had supposedly paid some sort of protection fee to the Qinghua Sect. It seemed they had taken it upon themselves to inform them about what happened. How generous of them.
With a resigned sigh, I picked up my bamboo hat.
“Hey, you two.”
The lead man approached, speaking up. I infused my energy into the hat and flicked it.
Whump—
It slammed into the ground at their feet. The men’s expressions froze.
“A master…?”
“That was real…?”
One of the flabbergasted men suddenly snapped out of it and shouted.
“Enough! Focus! We are disciples of the Qinghua Sect. No need to be afraid.”
Then, the guy advanced toward me. I frowned, and though he was initially stiff, he quickly regained his composure.
“I am Qingyun of the Qinghua Sect. I’ve seen your skills, but you’re merely a child. Shouldn’t you show some respect?”
“Uh, sure…?”
At my nod, I noticed a vein pulsing in Qingyun’s temple.
“…May I inquire what sect you belong to?”
At this, I glanced at Chun-bong. She shook her head vigorously.
Not quite sure what that meant, but if she said no, it was a no. I randomly threw out a name.
“The Black Tiger Sect.”
“What?! A filthy rogue?!”
Clang—
His sword was drawn, shimmering with a blue aura. At first glance, he appeared to be over thirty, yet his skills were shockingly subpar for someone of his age.
“Hey, dude! Put that sword away!”
“I can’t forgive a rogue as a disciple of the Qinghua Sect! Draw your sword!”
Swish—
Well, since he asked me to draw it, I did. This seemed to catch Qingyun off guard as he squinted.
“Do you really think you’ll walk away unscathed after causing a scene here at the Qinghua Sect’s turf?”
“What?”
Feigning surprise, I glanced at Chun-bong, who had been lying around. She slowly sat up and spoke.
“Just don’t kill him. Yawn… I’m so sleepy.”
That remark ignited a smug grin across Qingyun’s face. What’s with this guy? Completely clueless, I swung my sword.
“Whoa…!”
Clang-Clang—
Sparks erupted as our swords collided. Qingyun hastily regained his composure and took a defensive position.
“I won’t show mercy!”
The blue aura swirling from his sword began to take on a unique flow.
‘Is that a wave? No, maybe it’s a river?’
As I continued watching, Qingyun extended his foot and brought his sword crashing down. The blue energy poured forth like a raging river.
I skillfully unleashed the Stream Flow Technique, diverting his sword effortlessly.
“Whoa…!”
As the forceful sword veered in an unintended direction, Qingyun lost his balance and toppled over.
“Brother!”
“Quick, assist the brother!”
With that, the other lurking men rushed toward us.
Scratching my chin, I suddenly perked up.
“Got it.”
“Wait!”
Chun-bong looked like she was about to intervene, but it was too late. I simply couldn’t let this slide.
Swoosh—
From somewhere, the sound of flowing water chimed in.
A flowing river. Golden skies.
The river wasn’t noble; it raged wildly.
The golden aura began flowing along my sword like a river in full spate.
“Whoa…?”
The men’s jaws dropped wide open in shock. I grinned and swung my sword.
“Martial arts are easier than I thought!”
Crash—
The overflowing sword energy erupted outward like a torrent, sweeping the men off their feet.
“Yikes…!?”
Of course, I didn’t kill them. I’d merely made their pants slide down to their ankles.
“AHHH!”
“You rogue…!”
The guys, clutching their waistbands, blushed furiously and glared at me indignantly.
“Ugh, you bastard….”
Oh, and by the way, Chun-bong was also letting out her own groans of disgust from the sidelines. To be honest, even I found the sight of those buffoons’ underwear downright repulsive.
“Oops, my bad.”
“Just shut it already.”
After a moment of shock, Qingyun finally managed to stammer out.
“How… How did you wield the Clear Flow Sword…?”
“Oops!”
I waved my sword at him in mock threat, causing him to snap his mouth shut, a scowl of resentment on his face. He glared at me, clearly trying to weigh his options, but as I frowned, Qingyun flinched and turned on his heel.
“Let’s scram!”
The men who had rushed in all fled the tavern in a panic.
Rubbing my head while surveying the now-empty tavern, I mused aloud.
“Maybe that was a bit much?”
“Too much? You have no idea what’s coming, you idiot.”
Sighing, Chun-bong clicked her tongue in disapproval.
“At this rate, even their leader will probably join the chase before you know it.”
“Seriously?”
“Do you really think they’ll sit idly by while you’re tossing around their martial arts?”
“Meh, how impressive can it truly be?”
It wasn’t a big deal whatsoever since I could dissect simple martial arts techniques like this without breaking a sweat. Techniques like the Yellow Cloud Divine Sword were a completely different league.
“Ahem, of course, that’s just common sense.”
Chun-bong, looking a tad smug, rose from her seat.
“Anyway, time to head out.”
“Hold up! I need to swing by somewhere before heading home.”
“Where to?”
“To the red-light district.”
Whoa! Chun-bong’s expression soured considerably.
“What the heck?!”
“Why not?”
“You moron! You just got some cash and want to go there? Have you lost your mind?”
“I won’t be spending a dime!”
“Yeah, right.”
As she clicked her tongue, Chun-bong’s eyebrows suddenly raised, and she tilted her head.
“Actually, with your history of hitting on women, I can kind of see it.”
“Goldie, do stop your slander!”
“Not slander in the least.”
Ugh, Chun-bong sighed heavily.
“Well, fine. Just go ahead.”
“Wait? You mean I should go by myself?”
“Then should I tag along?”
“Isn’t that obvious?”
“…W-Why?”
Why, indeed? Walking into the red-light district alone is not something you just waltz into.
As I scratched my chin, I caught sight of Chun-bong’s cheeks blooming a bright red.
“…You want me to watch while you enjoy yourself?”
“No way…?!”
What on earth! Why’s she being so forward about this?!
I gaped in shock.
*
After clearing up the misunderstanding, I received a few more playful slaps from Chun-bong as we made our way toward the red-light district.
“You really need to communicate better!”
“Hey, just give my waist a gentle pat.”
“Ouch…!”
Thwack! Chun-bong kicked my calf.
Of course, she didn’t use her internal energy, so it didn’t hurt that much.
“But how will we find that woman?”
“No clue? We’ll just have to wing it.”
As we approached the red-light district, the atmosphere shifted dramatically.
The main street was bright and bustling, while the back alleys leading to the red-light district fell into shadowy gloom.
The air hung heavy with that damp, unsettling vibe that every guidebook warns you about.
However, today felt undeniably different.
“Hit them! Wipe them out!”
“You filthy Black Tiger Gang rats!”
“With the Black Tiger Gang leader out of the picture, this is our domain now!”
I exchanged an awkward smile with Chun-bong.
“Seems like they’re keeping busy.”
“They’re only bustling when it suits them. Little vermin.”
“Well, that’s pretty charming of you.”
“…Are you out of your mind?”
In any case, this worked out well. Since things were as they were, I could tidy up the back alleys a bit and make some adjustments in areas I wasn’t too fond of.
Is it really so romantic to end up kidnapped and sold off to become a courtesan? It’s ill-suited for my sensibilities, to say the least!
Certainly, eliminating every single courtesan would be impossible, and I understood that they likely didn’t want that life for themselves, but that concern was a different matter altogether.
I’d merely offer them opportunities and lend a hand to those who reach out for help.
Cleaning up their mess wasn’t my responsibility.
“Well, that’s that.”
“Ugh, do whatever you want. I’m not taking part.”
“Sure.”
With my sword still sheathed, I proceeded toward the red-light district, with Chun-bong striding right beside me.
The shadows cast by the fiery lanterns flickered and elongated behind us.
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