Chapter 55
Chapter 55
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: Entering the Central Plains, Yet Everything Feels Stranger Than Ever (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Lanzhou was the starting point for merchant caravans heading west and also the capital of Gansu Province. As a hub of transportation at the center of culture, it always drew crowds of people.
Even though long years had passed and it had been pushed to the fringes of the Central Plains, traces of its former glory still lingered in many places.
Rare goods from the Western Regions, hard to find in the Central Plains, were readily available here. The markets bustled with visitors and rang with the voices of hagglers.
"Here's some precious spices imported from the Western Regions!"
"Selling crescent blades from the Dai Viet Kingdom! Only a few left—come on over!"
Amid the clamor of countless voices, two riders entered the market.
"Wow!"
The plump boy with his mouth agape and eyes wide was Bang Jin-bo. The man beside him was Dam Ho.
They had finally entered the Central Plains.
Seeing the throngs of chattering people made it real. Joy welled up in Bang Jin-bo's eyes, even bringing a hint of tears.
In stark contrast, Dam Ho's face showed no change. It remained as impassive as ever, like a stone statue devoid of emotion.
Dam Ho finally spoke.
"Let's find a place to stay first."
"Yes!"
Bang Jin-bo replied with vigorous energy, his voice brimming with enthusiasm.
Inns lined the main street in droves. Every one overflowed with guests.
They checked a couple, but all were full.
"Finding a room is like reaching for the stars."
Grumbling after another rejection, Bang Jin-bo nonetheless marched stoutly into the next inn.
Dam Ho waited outside.
Passersby glanced at him curiously, as if he were some exotic item.
A man in black garb on a pitch-black horse, with hair just as deeply dark. It was bound to draw eyes.
Just as they stared at Dam Ho, he observed them in turn.
The passing crowds reflected in his deep eyes.
Countless people streamed by, yet not one was identical. Faces differed, as did builds and gaits.
Some strode boldly, others tread cautiously. There were powerful steps and frivolous bounces.
Dam Ho focused on those with heavy, steady footfalls. Raising his senses, he felt their breathing.
Long, stable breaths infused with dynamic power.
'Martial artists.'
It was a potent aura absent in the untrained.
Over forty people on this street seemed to have trained in martial arts.
Without conscious effort, information about them flowed into his mind. His body instinctively scanned for threats and reacted, bypassing his brain.
The reaction sharpened the moment they entered a crowded area.
Among the street's denizens, none posed a threat to Dam Ho. Yet a question arose. The proportion of martial artists was unusually high.
There were the Nine Great Sects, the Five Great Families, and countless other factions and schools, but they were a tiny fraction of the Central Plains' populace. This place had far too many.
The puzzle intrigued him briefly, but he dismissed it. It held no relevance to him.
Dam Ho closed his eyes. He sensed the volcanic energy churning within.
On the journey here, he hadn't restrained it once. No need arose, and since venturing into the world, a strange excitement had clouded his reason slightly.
Yet against his restless mind, the rampaging energy seeking an outlet began to settle.
Like a mad beast slowly regaining sanity?
Perhaps because of that, the power that once erupted wildly now gathered inward. The overwhelming presence that had dominated others vanished.
A martial artist approached within arm's reach from the opposite direction. He passed Dam Ho indifferently, sensing nothing, despite his considerable skill.
Just then, Bang Jin-bo burst out from the inn, panting.
"Brother, they have rooms here! Hehe!"
Bang Jin-bo's flushed face beamed with smiles. No shadow lingered anywhere on it.
Dam Ho ruffled his hair and headed to the stable behind the inn.
A stable boy was already there. Dam Ho and Bang Jin-bo handed over their horses.
"Give them plenty of beans and fodder."
"No worries. The Shangming Inn takes great care of guests' mounts."
The boy grinned brightly.
Dam Ho tossed him a coin and entered the inn.
The first floor was a dining hall. Twenty tables packed tight with not a single empty seat. Most occupants were armed martial artists.
Bang Jin-bo explained.
"There's a big estate nearby called Red Rock Manor. Word is their master is a famous martial artist. His birthday's in a few days, so folks are coming to celebrate."
Dam Ho nodded silently.
A table emptied then—the previous diners departing.
"Let's eat first."
Bang Jin-bo dashed to the spot and sat. It was by the window, offering a street view.
Dam Ho took the seat opposite as the stable boy hurried over. Bang Jin-bo asked quickly.
"Brother, what's good here?"
"Hmm! They do everything well, but the house specialty is lamb offal soup."
"What's that?"
"It's a stew of mixed sheep innards. Lets you savor their full flavor."
"Wow! Sounds delicious. Brother, let's get that."
Bang Jin-bo gazed at Dam Ho with sparkling eyes. Dam Ho nodded, and Bang Jin-bo cheered.
"Brother, two bowls of lamb offal soup, please!"
"Got it. It'll take a bit, so hang tight."
"Will do!"
Bang Jin-bo nodded with a grin. His already small eyes crinkled smaller with joy, but he didn't mind.
They'd entered the Central Plains, but Dongting Lake and the World's Best Tower lay thousands of li away. He planned to stop at every good eatery en route.
The mere thought made drool pool at his lips. Dam Ho watched quietly.
The young Bang Jin-bo dreamed—of making people happy through cooking. He endured hardship heading to Dongting Lake for that.
In contrast, Dam Ho—the elder—harbored no dreams. He'd grown strong to survive, but dreamed of nothing.
For the first time, Dam Ho envied Bang Jin-bo. His own strength might surpass, but he lacked the boy's vibrant spark.
"What'll it taste like? Ah, I can't wait!"
Anticipation had Bang Jin-bo rubbing his hands and muttering. Food always sent half his mind soaring.
Dam Ho glanced out the window. Crowds still flowed through the streets.
He couldn't know their thoughts or lives. But one thing was clear: they lived with purpose, diligently.
Their purposeful strides stirred something odd in Dam Ho's chest.
As he silently watched the scene, the inn's door burst open. A man and woman entered.
A man in his early twenties in blue robes, sharp-featured and handsome, with keen eyes. A sword at his waist gleamed faintly blue—its aura extraordinary.
His companion, a woman of similar age in white robes, was stunningly beautiful, drawing every man's gaze. Yet her expression remained composed, accustomed to attention.
The man dusted his clothes and spoke.
"Seems every martial artist in Gansu has converged on Lanzhou."
"Can't be helped. No one ignores Red Rock Manor's influence here. Just showing face to Master Yi Shin-pung opens doors in northern Gansu at least."
"Hmm. That big a deal?"
"Southern Gansu's Kongtong Sect territory, sure, but the north is firmly Red Rock's."
Red Rock Manor had emerged in the jianghu fifty years prior. Long to common folk, but brief for a sect to establish roots.
Given the Nine Great Sects' centuries of history, Red Rock's rise was remarkable.
Matching the mighty Kongtong Sect in just fifty years stemmed entirely from current master Yi Shin-pung.
"So don't go antagonizing Master Yi Shin-pung, senior brother. Mind yourself."
"What'd I do?"
"You know exactly."
"Hmph!"
The woman chided, and he snorted.
The man brimmed with pride, hating to bow to anyone. It sparked frequent trouble, earning him a headache label in his sect.
Yet they kept him for his prodigious martial talent.
His name: Jwa Sang-cheon, direct disciple of the Radiant Flame Sect based in Geumchang, northern Gansu.
The Radiant Flame Sect had deep roots in Gansu. Overshadowed by Red Rock and Kongtong fame, none dismissed their strength—at least locally.
The woman: Mun Su-gyeong, only daughter of sect leader Mun Se-gang, famed beauty of Gansu.
Their entrance stirred the inn. Most patrons were local Gansu martial artists who knew them well.
Scanning the room, Jwa Sang-cheon's brow furrowed.
"No seats here either?"
Irritation laced his voice. Turned away from prior inns, this one's fullness irked him.
As Mun Su-gyeong sighed to calm him, a corner group rose.
Jwa Sang-cheon's scowl eased.
The waiter hurried over.
"Please wait a moment. I'll clear it right away."
"Any rooms left?"
"Yes! Two available."
"I'll take both."
"Right away!"
The waiter bowed obsequiously, swiftly clearing the table—right beside Dam Ho and Bang Jin-bo.
Cleared, Jwa Sang-cheon and Mun Su-gyeong sat.
Jwa Sang-cheon ordered.
"One roast duck, and a bottle of Bamboo Leaf Liquor. The good stuff."
"Yes, sir!"
The waiter scurried to the kitchen.
Jwa Sang-cheon tsked in dissatisfaction.
"Tch! What a farce. Since when does Radiant Flame bow to Red Rock?"
"Senior brother! Watch your mouth."
"What? It's the truth."
"Sigh!"
Mun Su-gyeong sighed in resignation.
Her senior brother had talent and skill aplenty, but no grasp of reality.
Red Rock shone like the midday sun; Radiant Flame, a mere moon in night's fraction. No contest in fame or power.
Sect leader Mun Se-gang knew it, sending them to celebrate Yi Shin-pung's birthday.
Reining in Jwa Sang-cheon's loose tongue fell to her. His careless words already wearied her.
Mun Su-gyeong leaned back, surveying the diners. Mostly martial artists eyeing them warily. Save one table.
The black-robed man and plump boy next door—Dam Ho and Bang Jin-bo.
Bang Jin-bo chattered excitedly; Dam Ho gazed out the window, arms crossed.
An odd pair, yet oddly harmonious.
'Heading to Red Rock too?'
Then their order arrived: steaming lamb offal soup in large bowls. Bang Jin-bo grinned ear to ear.
"Wow!"
The aroma alone was intoxicating.
Bang Jin-bo ladled a bowl for Dam Ho, then filled his own.
"Let's eat."
Dam Ho took his spoon first, and Bang Jin-bo savored his.
"Five-spice to cut the offal smell? Cloves and galangal too. That sweetness—from flower petals!"
Ecstasy lit Bang Jin-bo's face. Mun Su-gyeong stifled a giggle at his earnestness.
Hearing the sudden laugh, Bang Jin-bo opened his eyes and looked at Mun Su-gyeong.