Chapter 244
Chapter 244
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 244
Chapter Title: Proving One's Righteousness
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Swords pointed sharply at Hyeok Mulin from all directions.
A few commoners mixed in with the suddenly ferocious atmosphere huddled their bodies and trembled violently.
"Huff... huff..."
In the midst of it, one commoner bolted out the door as if fleeing for his life.
The knights-errant ignored the fleeing man, letting him go, and the remaining commoners, taking the cue, followed suit and hurried out of the inn.
Before long, all the ordinary folk had vanished from the inn, leaving only Hyeok Mulin and the knights-errant behind.
Smoothly—
As the innkeeper shot a glance, the errand boy cautiously moved to shut the door.
Sealing the entrance to cut off any chance of Hyeok Mulin escaping.
Everyone focused on the man at the center, Hyeok Mulin, heightening their vigilance to the extreme.
And amid it all, a bizarre scene unfolded.
Despite every blade tip aimed squarely at him, the target showed not a shred of tension, exuding an air of utter composure.
He took a sip.
Wetting his lips with the warm tea from the inn, Hyeok Mulin soon set it down and spoke.
"No one answers my question. Isn't this the gathering spot for the Righteous Wanderers Pavilion?"
The knights-errant exchanged glances at his words.
Then, a man with a prominently strong jawline, Gu Jeongmun, opened his mouth.
"You should answer our questions first. How did you find this place?"
"How I found it..."
In truth, pinpointing the exact location had consumed more resources than expected.
Knights-errant rarely settled in one spot, making it hard to track them as they shifted bases easily.
So he'd tapped into the Secret Affairs Hall connected to the Central Plains, and from there, information flowed smoothly.
Revealing that this Pungshan Inn was where knights-errant under the Righteous Wanderers Pavilion had been holding meetings lately.
But Hyeok Mulin had no intention of spilling the full story, so he replied indifferently, as if it were no big deal.
"I just don't see why you're so shocked over finding one little inn. Plenty among you are known faces in the martial world, so guessing the true purpose of this place isn't hard, is it?"
"......"
The knights-errant eyed him with skepticism.
Then Gu Jeongmun spoke again.
"Fine. I don't fully buy it, but I'll take your word for now. So what brings you here?"
"Didn't I say it before?"
Hyeok Mulin tapped the table lightly and continued.
"I want to join the Righteous Wanderers Pavilion."
"You want to join us..."
They clearly didn't know much about the pavilion after all.
Gu Jeongmun shook his head slowly.
"Afraid not. We're not recruiting at the moment."
The Righteous Wanderers Pavilion filled its ranks through recommendations based on bonds among existing knights-errant or by approaching renowned ones with offers.
It was rare for knights-errant to seek them out first, after all.
So for a group like them that never advertised openly or recruited publicly, it was natural to hesitate over someone approaching out of the blue like Hyeok Mulin.
And one more thing.
"To join us, you need a proven track record as a true knight-errant. Claiming it yourself won't cut it without evidence to back it up."
The Righteous Wanderers Pavilion wasn't just any band of ronin.
Chivalry.
At its core lay an unyielding spirit of bold righteousness, without which one couldn't share their path.
In a way, that value mattered even more than raw power.
Thus, the pavilion was exceedingly cautious in selecting companions.
How could one judge a person's character from mere words?
So they didn't verify newcomers through talk or shows of force.
Instead...
They believed a lifetime's footsteps spoke for the man.
Once they confirmed the past events embodied chivalrous deeds, they deemed him worthy and welcomed him as a new member.
With that, Gu Jeongmun waved his hand dismissively, shooing Hyeok Mulin away.
'We need to change venues.'
The pavilion worried that lingering too long in one spot would draw tails, so they rotated meeting places periodically.
Yet they'd only just set this one at Pungshan Inn, and already an outsider had sniffed them out.
As he resolved to switch spots immediately and tighten security, Hyeok Mulin spoke up.
"True enough. If there's nothing for you to judge, you couldn't possibly accept..."
"There is. Such a thing."
The knights-errant froze at the unexpected reply.
He'd done something as a knight-errant?
"Hold on—you're not mistaking beating up local thugs for real deeds."
"It's hardly local thugs. I saved the Danri Clan from a sect backed by the Four Dark Alliances."
"...!"
Their pupils shook violently at his words.
Not a top-tier prestigious clan ruling the land, but the Danri Clan still carried a name known in its own right.
"I once gathered ronin known for their strong sense of justice and formed a group called the Falling Dragon Association. Later, we aided the Danri Clan in crisis and toppled that evil sect."
The scale of the tale caught them off guard.
They'd expected some tale of thrashing third-rate evil doers causing a drunken ruckus at best.
But dismantling an entire evil sect—one tied to the Four Dark Alliances—no less, to rescue the Danri Clan?
"Hard to believe. Is that really true?"
"If you can't trust it, go verify with the Danri Clan yourself. Mention Falling Dragon Association Leader Hyeok Mulin, and they'll know right away."
He maintained a confident demeanor, as if their personal check would pose no issue.
After all, not a word was false.
Though his reason for heading to the Danri Clan had been the Four Dark Alliances and Danri Hyang, the fact remained he'd undeniably saved them from evil clutches.
"Go confirm if his words hold true."
At Gu Jeongmun's order, one knight-errant dashed out of the inn.
Gu Jeongmun then fixed his gaze back on the man before him.
He'd been wary because this self-proclaimed knight-errant had come knocking first, but if true, there was no reason to refuse him.
Few in the pavilion had clashed head-on with the Four Dark Alliances, pinnacle of evil sects these days.
A knight-errant with both chivalrous spirit and exceptional skill was rarest of all—and here one was, seeking them out.
Their gazes toward Hyeok Mulin shifted.
Gu Jeongmun, his own eyes softening a touch, pressed on with real questions.
"But one thing puzzles me."
"Ask away."
"Why seek us out? Do you want something from us?"
Knights-errant were creatures of solitude.
Besides, the pavilion emphasized fellowship over collective might, so one could live just fine without joining.
Thus, Gu Jeongmun couldn't help but wonder at Hyeok Mulin's motives.
"That is..."
Hyeok Mulin paused briefly before continuing.
"A few months back, I had business in Shin-gang."
"Shin-gang?"
They tilted their heads at the unexpected place name, only for a shocking tale to follow.
"There, I crossed paths with Cheon Jungak."
"...!"
"And somehow, it led to a clash."
Not only hearing the name of the Cheon Clan Patriarch, pillar of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's Seven Great Demon Clans, but that he'd clashed with him?
As the unforeseen heavyweight's name burst from Hyeok Mulin's lips, the knights-errant felt their throats parch.
And naturally, they understood—and empathized with—his plight.
"I see. That's why you came to us."
"First the Four Dark Alliances, now the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult as enemies. Facing them alone must weigh heavy."
"Bolder than expected."
They pitied his situation even as they admired his daring.
No matter how one clung to chivalrous ideals, who could lightly stand against the Four Dark Alliances and Heavenly Demon Divine Cult?
Their fondness for Hyeok Mulin soared.
"Thanks for understanding."
Hyeok Mulin calmly sipped his water, accepting their goodwill.
Of course, no lies there either.
Meeting Cheon Jungak and fighting him were facts.
He just omitted crushing him utterly and binding the clan to his will.
As the knights-errant freely speculated on his circumstances...
Creak!
The man Gu Jeongmun had sent returned to the inn and relayed what he'd confirmed to everyone.
"What he said checks out. The ronin who saved the Danri Clan were indeed the Falling Dragon Association, and Hyeok Mulin was their leader. They left without accepting any reward."
"Good."
Gu Jeongmun nodded.
Saving a clan was one thing, but refusing reward too?
No need to dig further into the Cheon Jungak matter then.
Having verified and come to trust Hyeok Mulin's words, they sheathed their swords.
Gu Jeongmun approached, tension eased, and said,
"Welcome to the pavilion."
The other knights-errant nodded in agreement, accepting him.
As a gathering of equals, the Righteous Wanderers Pavilion had no single leader to decide admissions.
A majority agreeing on one's chivalrous heart meant acceptance; otherwise, rejection.
And in that moment, Hyeok Mulin earned the recognition of every knight-errant in the inn, gaining entry.
He nodded back.
"Looking forward to it."
A grin.
"Now, let's get back to enjoying ourselves!"
"Errand boy! This one's on me—bring out some dumplings!"
The knights-errant, bright smiles returning, slipped back into their lively mood.
In the bustling atmosphere, dishes arrived before Hyeok Mulin, and many gathered around him, showing keen interest.
Watching the scene warmly from afar, the innkeeper soon penned a brief missive.
Addressing it to the Romantic Sword Saint, the innkeeper gazed at Hyeok Mulin with a smile.
'A skilled knight-errant joins after so long. This is exciting.'
It would surely aid him greatly.
His heart raced imagining Hyeok Mulin and the Romantic Sword Saint meeting.