Chapter 17
Chapter 17
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: One Mountain Five Rivers (4)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Cheonwi turned back to Hyang. As she lifted her head, her eyes met his from just a few inches away.
The two locked eyes for a very brief moment, an exceedingly short span of time. In that instant, a spark like a flash flew between them.
Hyang straightened her bowed body. The flush that had reached her ears was already fading back to normal. She declared confidently.
“If that’s all we can offer, then fine. No helping it.”
“Hahaha, you’re really to my liking.”
Cheonwi grinned broadly.
It was a smile of genuine delight. As if to halt it, Hyang’s voice continued softly.
“But.”
Cheonwi gazed into Hyang’s eyes, a smile playing on his lips.
“My sister’s off-limits. I can’t allow that.”
“No one’s forcing anything.”
Hyang stared at Cheonwi for a moment, her gaze probing for truth and lies within him. Soon, she spoke firmly.
“Then you’re accepting the commission?”
“Of course.”
The smile vanished from Cheonwi’s face. He looked at Seol and Hyang with an unprecedented seriousness in his tone.
“Confirming the commission details. Protect you two from those who stirred up the Flame Jade Merchant Guild’s vendetta. The term lasts until we find Yeom Seoksan. Payment upon locating Yeom Seoksan. That covers it?”
“Yes. That covers it.”
Hyang replied.
Seol approached from behind Hyang. She asked.
“What did he say?”
“You don’t need to know, sister.”
Oho couldn’t hold back his curiosity either. He interjected.
“Just tell us. You’ll find out eventually anyway.”
“No. Later.”
Hyang’s tone was resolute. Seol grabbed Hyang’s arm, urging her to speak quickly. Hyang turned to Seol and said.
“For now, just play along like you don’t know. Finding Father comes first right now.”
It was a determined answer. Cheonwi flashed another satisfied smile.
Clunk.
The door suddenly burst open. Seol and Hyang whipped around in surprise. The entrant was the old man from earlier, the one called Tuno.
“Clothes.”
Tuno strode over casually and handed Cheonwi a neatly folded silk garment with a curt word. Cheonwi snatched it up irritably and threw it over himself.
Seol watched him dress and felt an odd sense of incongruity.
‘Definitely...!’
She had clearly seen the wound on his side earlier, yet it was nowhere to be seen now. There was no way a sword slash could heal that quickly. A fleeting thought that something was off crossed her mind.
‘I must have seen wrong.’
She decided to dismiss her own eyes. The situation unfolding before her was overwhelming enough without fixating on such a trivial detail.
By then, Cheonwi had fully dressed, shoes and sash included. The outfit was anything but ordinary. A near-white gray base patterned with black stripes in flower shapes. The garb of a pleasure house flower prince. Even among playboys, he stood out.
While Cheonwi dressed, five more people entered through the door. They all wore the uniforms of Golden Flower House attendants. Without a word, they carried in stretchers to remove the corpses, while others brought rags and buckets to mop up the blood. The room, which had resembled a battlefield, was cleaned in an instant. The attendants seemed utterly accustomed to such tasks.
Thud, thud.
No sooner had the attendants left than footsteps announced someone’s arrival with deliberate poise. A middle-aged man with a finely groomed beard. He wore the Golden Flower House uniform, but his was a hundred times more luxurious than the attendants’.
“Owner.”
Cheonwi offered a light fist salute. Oho did the same, bowing his head slightly as well. Seol and Hyang were stunned. Even such people performed the rites of courtesy—they widened their eyes in realization.
“You lot. Caused another mess, huh? Too frequent and it becomes a problem.”
“Frequent? It’s just once in a blue moon.”
“You’ll pay properly, right?”
“Pay? You’ll regret it.”
“Regret?”
“A good opportunity came up.”
Cheonwi smiled slyly as he spoke. The man called Owner—the proprietor of the Golden Flower House—showed blatant interest at Cheonwi’s words.
“Oh? What kind of opportunity?”
“We can move up the timeline a bit.”
“What timeline?”
“The end of the war.”
“The end of the war?”
“Jinsung House. Take the whole thing at once.”
“Jinsung House? The one on Sahap Street?”
“Yes. Plan to scale up the board and finish it off.”
“Does the higher-ups know?”
“They don’t yet.”
“Keep it that way.”
“More than me, you’ll need to watch your mouth, Owner.”
“Still as bold as ever.”
“People don’t change their nature.”
“It’s certain?”
“I’d say over eighty percent chance.”
“You’d better deliver. Money’s one thing, but mishandle these guys and it gets messy for us too.”
“Jinsung House, like I said. Exactly that.”
Cheonwi flashed another confident smile.
The Golden Flower House Owner nodded vigorously.
“Like my sister says, you should’ve been a businessman, Cheonwi. We’ll do as you say. All past tabs wiped clean.”
“Oh, and one more thing. Those bodies just carried out—if anything turns up, let me know for sure.”
“Of course. Old Gu’s already checking them out. If it’s something we can’t handle...”
“Don’t worry about that. We’ll cover it.”
“I’ll trust you.”
The Golden Flower House Owner turned to leave. Midway to the door, he paused and glanced back.
“Oh, one piece of advice from me too. The girl on the bed. Second daughter of Yangwonbang, right? Don’t underestimate a small sect. If you’re leaving anyway, mind your conduct.”
“I’ll keep it in mind, Owner.”
Cheonwi didn’t take the Owner’s advice lightly.
The Golden Flower House Owner chuckled and exited. Cheonwi turned to Oho with a frown.
“You handle these talks. You’re the leader.”
Oho grinned cheekily in response.
“Leaders don’t do that stuff.”
Cheonwi turned toward the bed. He glanced at Seol and Hyang, then back to Oho.
“Let’s start right away.”
“From where?”
“Where else? Jinsung House.”
“Plan?”
“Red Ox on the Plains.”
“Red Ox? Using Daedong Market?”
“Yeah.”
“You think it’ll work?”
“What kind of guy is the Daedong Market Leader you know?”
Cheonwi countered with a question.
Oho thought for a moment, then nodded.
On second thought, it wasn’t entirely implausible. He sensed it could work. He gestured toward the door with his chin at the sisters.
“Let’s go.”
Seol and Hyang had no idea what was happening but turned to follow. Seol picked up her hairpin. From behind, Cheonwi tossed out casually.
“No hairpin.”
Seol and Hyang turned to Cheonwi. Oho frowned slightly and spoke.
“What about you?”
“Didn’t you hear the Owner?”
“What?”
“Gotta soothe her.”
Cheonwi pointed at the bed. The girl atop it was still sleeping, oblivious to the world.
“You’re insane.”
“I’m not.”
“Wandering around with these two faces exposed—you can’t handle it alone.”
“Does having me change anything?”
“It does.”
“Whatever. Call Danmun.”
“Danmun? That guy’s no good.”
“What’s no good?”
“You wanna make a sea of blood?”
“It’s the Red Ox. A little blood’s fine.”
“You bastard...!”
“Quit whining and go ahead. I’ll follow right after.”
“Right after? I’d sooner believe Shaolin’s an upright sect than trust you.”
Oho looked ready to spit. He turned irritably, as if giving up.
“Let’s go.”
He commanded the sisters curtly.
Hyang stepped after Oho. She left the hairpin off, as Cheonwi had said.
Seol didn’t follow immediately. Her expression was icy. She didn’t like being tossed around by Cheonwi and Oho’s words.
“Come on, sister.”
Hyang said. Seol looked at Hyang, then back at Cheonwi.
“He... said he recognized it, right?”
It was an out-of-the-blue question. But Cheonwi grasped its meaning instantly.
She wasn’t asking about something else. She meant the martial art Oho had displayed. The Leg Techniques that Sang had recognized.
In other words, she was inquiring about their identities.
“Yeah, he recognized it.”
“What are you people?”
“You think I’ll tell you?”
“I’m curious. At such a young age, what incredible background lets you act so invincible?”
“Hahaha. Oho, isn’t this fun?”
“You’re the one having fun.”
“No, really—you’d get along with Oho.”
“Don’t change the subject. Where are you from? One of the One Mountain Five Rivers?”
“One Mountain Five Rivers? Ha!”
Cheonwi answered with a mocking smile.
Seol’s expression grew more complicated.
One Mountain Five Rivers was no name to dismiss with laughter.
Shansi One Mountain. Shansi Five Rivers.
That’s how people referred to them.
The One Mountain was none other than Wutaishan.
Wutaishan was merely a mountain name, but in truth, it symbolized the collective of all the Buddhist temples there. Like calling Shaolin by Mount Song. Not unified as a single sect, yet it harbored countless monk experts.
At its peak stood Mansu Seongbul, the Cheongryang Divine Monk. That’s why Shansi One Mountain was also called Shansi One Monk.
Meanwhile, the Five Rivers denoted the five renowned sects of Shansi murim.
Great Unity Market of Tongcheon Road Dongpungneung.
Taehaengbang of Army Marching Sword Hwangryeo-man.
Hahyeonbang, famed for Chief Steward Jeongripjung.
Blue Spear Society led by Hannamchang Pyeong Yobo.
Fenyang Sect, elevated to the Five Rivers by Iron Fist Gyeong Nambang’s renown.
Thus, the Five Rivers.
In Shansi Province at least, their influence rivaled any major Central Plains faction.
A prime example was the current dispute between Taehaengbang and Great Unity Market.
It began as a petty pride clash among some disciples. No bloody battles, no full-scale invasions of each other’s territories. Yet all Shansi was abuzz. Minor sects were picking sides en masse. Countless underlings claiming affiliation waged their own fights.
Any murim man knew the tale, even on their first foray into the jianghu.
The Flame Jade Merchant Guild was based in Shansi too, so ignorance was impossible. To her, One Mountain Five Rivers was no different from the Nine Great Sects of Shansi murim.
“One Mountain Five Rivers isn’t something to laugh off. You and the three we’ve seen all used saber arts. And Great Unity Market Leader Dongpungneung bears the moniker Tongcheon Road. Daedong Market comes to mind first, but... if Leg Techniques is the clue, it’s fist and leg arts over saber... Plus, the lowest of One Mountain Five Rivers leaves just one. Fenyang Sect! You’re from Fenyang Sect?”
“Fenyang Iron Fist Gyeong Nambang is indeed skilled in Leg Techniques. Good guess. But wrong.”
“Then...”
“Drop it. Not telling you now anyway.”
Cheonwi cut her off firmly. He waved his hand and nodded toward the door.
“Out you go.”
Their true nature remained a mystery.
Perhaps wandering swordsmen, or even unorthodox riffraff.
“Don’t forget. Head held high.”
The final voice trailed after her.
Even if they were villains, what choice was there?
No one else to rely on now.
Only these people.
Carrying her worries, she stepped out the door.
Yet with head held high.
Just as he said, ramrod straight.