Chapter 91
Chapter 91
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 91
Chapter Title: The World is Vast, But You Meet the People You're Meant To (1)
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Even though it had only been a single meeting, and that ages ago, Cho Yeon-un approached Dam Ho as casually as if they had parted ways just yesterday.
Cho Yeon-un handed Dam Ho a bottle of liquor.
Dam Ho furrowed his brow for a moment, and Cho Yeon-un smiled.
"Just down it in one go. No poison in it."
Dam Ho stared straight at Cho Yeon-un.
Cho Yeon-un met that gaze—intimidating enough to make most people flinch—with perfect composure. There wasn't a shred of ulterior motive in his eyes.
Cho Yeon-un offered the bottle again.
"You reek of blood. It'll dilute it a bit if you drink."
Only then did Dam Ho take the bottle. Cho Yeon-un chuckled at the sight.
'What a guy who doesn't trust anyone.'
He had already gauged Dam Ho's temperament back when they met at the Hongam Mountain Lodge. Time had passed, but that side of him hadn't changed a bit. In a way, it was admirably consistent.
Dam Ho brought the bottle to his lips and took a swig.
The harsh liquor stung his throat sharply.
"Here, for a snack."
Cho Yeon-un pulled a strip of jerky from his robe and handed it over. Dam Ho accepted it wordlessly.
Cho Yeon-un watched him chew in silence and grinned.
"Isn't this nice?"
"......"
"Clouds drift across the sky, our boat glides down the river. Good liquor and a friend to share it with—what more could heaven offer?"
Cho Yeon-un hummed like he was singing a tune.
Dam Ho couldn't grasp that sentiment of his. But just because he didn't understand it didn't make it wrong, so he said nothing.
"If only everything flowed as naturally as this river. Not a single day without some racket."
Cho Yeon-un pulled the bottle from his belt and gulped it down. He made it look so enjoyable that even Dam Ho, who found the liquor bitter, started to think it tasted good.
Dam Ho took another sip. It definitely felt smoother than before.
Suddenly, Master Hyun So came to mind.
He and his master, Master Hyun So, were worlds apart in every way.
Not just in appearance, but in aura—they shared nothing in common. And yet, seeing Cho Yeon-un oddly brought Master Hyun So to mind.
If they had one thing in common, it was their love of drink.
Dam Ho asked,
"Is Dongting Lake the destination?"
"More precisely, the Yuan River."
"Yuan River?"
"Where the World's Premier Tower stands. There's a major gathering coming up there soon."
"What do you mean? A gathering?"
"Oh, you wouldn't know. Soon, key figures from the righteous sects of the martial world will convene there."
"Why?"
"I don't know the details. All I know is one thing: a pretty important matter will be discussed. That's got the whole Yuan River area, Dongting Lake, and all of Hunan Province buzzing. Though my friend here seems utterly uninterested."
"Important figures are coming?"
"From what I hear, people from the Nine Great Sects and Five Great Families. That means pretty much all the major players in the jianghu."
Dam Ho's pupils flickered faintly.
If key figures from the Nine Great Sects were coming, then Mount Hua would send someone too.
It had been twelve years since his ties to Mount Hua were severed, but it was still where Master Hyun So resided. Pretending he had no interest would be a lie.
Dam Ho rarely showed emotional ripples, but this time, his heart stirred a little. Even so, that was all inside—outwardly, he remained as cold and impassive as ever.
Cho Yeon-un clicked his tongue at the sight.
"You're something else. You could at least look a bit surprised."
"......"
"Well, doesn't matter. Nature doesn't change. Anyway, your name's piercing the heavens these days."
"My name?"
"You seriously didn't know? Hunan Province is in an uproar because of you."
"......"
"Divine Blood Star, Fist Demon. That's all pointing to you."
Seeing Dam Ho still clueless, Cho Yeon-un gave a wry smile.
"That's how it always is with rumors—the people around make all the noise, while the star of the show stays oblivious. Right now, you're the most famous person in the Central Plains, beyond just Hunan. Not that it's the most welcome fame."
Cho Yeon-un looked at Dam Ho with concern.
The Dam Ho he knew was a man who wouldn't bend his will under any circumstances. Nor was he one to care about others' opinions.
Once he set a course, he charged straight ahead without a glance sideways or back.
Inevitably, that bred a lot of enemies.
Especially for someone like Dam Ho, who spilled blood without hesitation—odds were high he'd end up branded a public enemy of the jianghu.
For now, pressing matters kept everyone too busy to focus on him, but someday, someone would make an issue of it. Once public opinion turned, it'd be instant.
'Too strong, and you're liable to snap.'
Cho Yeon-un sighed and lifted the bottle again. The liquor tasted especially bitter.
Whether he sensed those thoughts or not, Dam Ho silently gazed at the river.
A short while later, the boat carrying the two arrived at the next dock. Unlike the one Dam Ho had boarded, this dock had quite a crowd waiting to embark.
Among them, three stood out sharply.
All tall and striking, with extraordinary presences.
One man was massive, his fists like pot lids to match. A hit from those would shatter bones.
Another had a sturdy build, a massive saber at his waist that drew the eye. His sharp gaze and firmly set lips screamed stubbornness.
The last was a beautiful woman in a purple light robe. Slender like a swallow, with a fresh, lively expression.
The giant grumbled as he boarded.
"Tch! Half a day waiting just to get on this boat."
His voice boomed as large as his frame, like a bronze bell tolling. The other passengers flinched.
The saber-wielder behind him said,
"Lower your voice. You're scaring the passengers."
"Tch! This is how my voice is—what can I do?"
The giant glared, and passengers hurriedly turned away to avoid his eyes.
Even without seeing his towering height—two heads above most—or hearing that thunderous voice, it was clear: he was a martial artist.
The woman in purple boarded last, shaking her head.
"You know, Brother Hwang Bo, your voice is thunderously loud. My ears are killing me."
"It's how I was born—what can I do?"
"I know, I know. Just try to tone it down a little."
"You guys are the death of me."
The giant muttered.
The woman and the saber-wielder exchanged wry smiles.
The giant's name was Hwang Bo Young-cheon.
A direct blood relative of the Hwang Bo family, one of the Five Great Families.
Famed even among them for their ferocious fist techniques, Hwang Bo Young-cheon had mastered their true ultimate art, boasting a rock-solid body and devastating punches.
The saber-wielder was Paeng Man-young, another direct scion of the Northern Hebei Paeng Clan, one of the Five Great Families.
The Paeng Clan had always produced many sons, most hot-tempered and aggressive. That trait shaped their martial arts—most emphasized overwhelming lethality.
Their most famous was the Five Tigers Gate-Severing Saber. Every direct Paeng bloodline had to master it.
Paeng Man-young was no exception, highly skilled in it.
The woman traveling with them was Eon Su-hwa.
From the Jinju Eon Clan, another of the Five Great Families. Like the Hwang Bos, based in Shandong Province, they weren't just any martial house.
What set the Jinju Eon Clan apart was their status as the world's richest family.
They focused on commerce for generations, amassing the Central Plains' largest merchant guild and escort agency: Bogwang Merchant Guild and Bogwang Escort Agency. Their annual earnings were astronomical, all flowing back to the clan.
Their martial prowess might lag behind the others, but in wealth, they were unmatched.
Eon Su-hwa was a direct descendant of that clan.
The Northern Hebei Paengs, Jinju Eons, and Hwang Bos were geographically close, with frequent exchanges.
The three had grown close through their families' ties. They were heading to the major gathering at Dongting Lake.
They should have traveled with clan elders and escorts, but to savor some rare freedom, they slipped away alone.
Moving with peers was fun, but troublesome too—the prime example being Hwang Bo Young-cheon.
He acted without a care for others, his huge frame ignoring all subtlety or courtesy.
Traveling with him was exhausting. Paeng Man-young and Eon Su-hwa were bone-tired from the journey.
Even on the boat, he carried on shamelessly. They sighed softly, worn out.
'I'll pass on traveling with Hwang Bo warriors from now on.'
Paeng Man-young thought as he sat on the deck.
At least Dongting Lake wasn't far—a small comfort. By the time they arrived, their elders would too.
'What's this gathering that's so hush-hush?'
Paeng Man-young knew of it but not why the secrecy.
As he pondered,
"So you're telling me to shut my mouth?"
"Not that—just lower your voice a bit. The other passengers are uncomfortable..."
"Isn't that the same thing? Cheeky bastard!"
A loud voice nearby made Paeng Man-young shake his head and stand.
'Here we go again.'
It had happened multiple times en route. And resolving these was always his job.
He looked up to see Hwang Bo Young-cheon gripping a rough-looking boatman's collar, shaking him like a rat. The man's body jerked wildly.
The boatman had seen it all, but against a martial artist—especially a Hwang Bo expert—he was helpless.
His words fell on deaf ears.
As the massive fist loomed, calluses like a hammer's head, the boatman's face drained white. One blow would pulverize bone.
"You think I'm a joke? Huh!"
Hwang Bo Young-cheon's scowl twisted the boatman's face pitifully. His only crime: relaying the captain's words.
Then a saving voice rang out.
"Enough, Young-cheon."
"Yes, Brother Hwang Bo."
Paeng Man-young and Eon Su-hwa.
Even with them intervening, Hwang Bo Young-cheon's anger didn't subside easily.
"You heard him? That punk just dissed me."
"He wasn't disrespecting you. Just doing his job."
"Right. So let go of the poor guy's collar."
Hwang Bo Young-cheon's face twisted further at their words. He wanted to slam the boatman down, but ignoring them wasn't an option.
"Tch! You're damn lucky, you know that?"
He finally released the collar. The boatman sighed in relief and staggered back.
Passengers whispered at the scene. Hwang Bo Young-cheon bellowed,
"What're you looking at, you mongrels? Got a death wish?"
Dong!
The bell-like roar made heads turn away fast. But one reaction differed.
"Mongrels, huh."
Cho Yeon-un mulled over Hwang Bo Young-cheon's words.
It lumped him in with his parents, an indiscriminate slur or not.
Quietly, he set his bottle down on the deck.