Chapter 114
Chapter 114
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 114
Chapter Title: A Refusal and a Question
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Speed and versatility cannot coexist.
As the three masters forcibly extended the reach of their spear shadows to block Bu Eun-seol’s escape, the flaws in their Twin Spears technique slowly began to emerge.
‘That… that bastard.’
Sensing the weakness, Yak-ran spoke in a low voice.
“Watch your heads. A counterattack is coming.”
Hearing this, the other two masters were startled and narrowed their spear shadows to protect themselves.
But Bu Eun-seol paid them no mind and drew upon his internal energy.
‘I shouldn’t use Gwon-ma-cho-hyeon.’
The opening move of Gwon-ma-cho-hyeon looked like a light jab, but in reality, it was a strike of immense power.
It was not suited for deftly slipping through the dense web of spear shadows.
‘The strength of Gwon-ma-chil-sik lies not in its techniques, but in the ability to freely control the fist’s power after it has been unleashed.’
The secret to controlling sword energy with a weapon was not particularly rare in the martial world.
The fourth form of the Mu-sang-cheon-ryu that Bu Eun-seol had created, Nong-jo-yeon-un, was one such example.
But a fist art that allowed control over the power unleashed from one’s own palm was unique in the history of martial arts—only Gwon-ma-chil-sik possessed it.
‘Let’s give it a try.’
Bu Eun-seol’s eyes gleamed as he slowly extended a fist.
A typical fist art is executed in sync with the fist’s movement.
But the fist Bu Eun-seol threw shot toward the sky, and then, as if a great mountain were falling from the heavens, its power rained down from above.
‘I can’t dodge it.’
The three, including Yak-ran, had no choice but to pour all their strength into thrusting their long spears forward to resist the force.
And that was their mistake.
“What?”
The power that crashed down like Mount Tai did not press against the force of their spears. Instead, it pulled them forward.
It was like a charging wild boar tripping over a rock.
*Crash!*
With a loud bang, the three men tumbled forward in a disgraceful heap.
‘That fist technique is…?’
Yeon Ja-mi’s eyes widened at the sight.
As far as she knew, there was only one fist art in the martial world that was so domineering yet so subtle.
‘Was he a disciple of the Beggars' Sect?’
The fist art Bu Eun-seol had used was remarkably similar to the Hang-ryong-sip-pal-jang, known as the pinnacle of external martial arts.
‘No, it’s not Hang-ryong-jang.’
Every technique of Hang-ryong-jang unleashed a ferocious power, as if one were pouring their entire life force into the strike.
But the fist art Bu Eun-seol displayed was seventy percent push and thirty percent pull.
This was clearly not an external martial art, but the profound principle of an internal fist art that utilized internal energy in a subtle way.
‘Just which clan is he a disciple of?’
Initially, Yeon Ja-mi had been confident that this duel would reveal every detail of Bu Eun-seol’s origins.
But she had never expected her Twin Spears technique to be broken in an instant by an unknown fist art.
In the end, this duel had only made Bu Eun-seol’s identity even more ambiguous.
“A good lesson.”
As Bu Eun-seol clasped his hands, the three masters also corrected their posture and bowed.
But having dropped their long spears and been covered in dust, they cut quite a shabby figure.
“He won.”
As Yeon So-ha spoke, Namgung Se-a smiled and nodded.
“Indeed. Young Master Seol is victorious.”
“Hmph.”
Yeon Ja-mi scoffed and shot to her feet. She then spun around and walked away.
In the banquet hall of a separate courtyard.
Namgung Un, still wrapped in bandages, burst into a fit of laughter.
“Hahahaha!”
After clutching his stomach and laughing for a long while, he looked at Bu Eun-seol and exclaimed.
“Brother Seol, you should have seen Palace Mistress Yeon’s face! Hehehehe!”
Laughing like a madman, he chugged Seol-sam-ju straight from the bottle and wiped away his tears.
“The moment Brother Seol won, Palace Mistress Yeon shot up as if her rear had been scorched. Her cheeks were flushed red, as if she’d been slapped.”
Taking another swig of liquor, Namgung Un shouted loudly.
“My aunt was right next to me, so I couldn’t even laugh. I had to cover my mouth. Thanks to that, I just ended up farting like crazy.”
At his joke, Heuk-pyo, who was chewing on a shrimp dish nearby, let out a choking sound.
Namgung Un’s manner of speaking was not only comical but also as crude as a street ruffian’s.
It was hard to believe that such a person had been born into the Namgung family, which valued solemnity and discipline.
“Anyway, Brother Seol, congratulations.”
Namgung Un suddenly clasped his hands and grinned foolishly.
“Now that you’ve become the son-in-law of the Shin-nyeo-gung, all that’s left is to end your life as a wanderer and live in a garden of flowers. Hahaha!”
Bu Eun-seol frowned at Namgung Un’s incessant chatter.
“I will be leaving for Jeok-cheon-mak-ji soon.”
“What? What do you mean by that? Leaving?”
Bu Eun-seol emptied his cup and said calmly.
“I have obtained the Bo-won-sin-ju, so there is no need to stay any longer.”
“How does that make any sense? If you do that, the Palace Mistress of Shin-nyeo-gung will hunt you to the ends of hell and split your head in two, you know?”
“I have already settled things with the Palace Mistress.”
“Settled things?”
As Namgung Un’s eyes widened as if he were seeing a ghost, a faint smile graced Bu Eun-seol’s lips.
“That’s right.”
He then recalled the conversation he had in Yeon Ja-mi’s office a few hours ago.
***
“You… so… do you truly intend to marry So-ha?”
Yeon Ja-mi unknowingly clenched her sleeves.
She was afraid that if Bu Eun-seol said, ‘Of course!’, she might strike him over the head without thinking.
But an entirely unexpected answer came.
“How could I possibly become the So-gung-ju’s spouse?”
“What? What do you mean by that?”
“Exactly what I said.”
Bu Eun-seol fluently recited the words he had prepared in advance.
“I was simply an admirer of the fame of the Shin-nyeo-gung and the So-gung-ju, which has stirred the martial world, and I accepted the challenge for that reason alone. I desire nothing more.”
“Is… is that true?”
The Shin-nyeo-gung had possessed immense treasures for generations, and the So-gung-ju, Yeon So-ha, was renowned as one of the Three Beauties Under Heaven.
How could there be a madman who would refuse to become the So-gung-ju’s spouse? Yeon Ja-mi couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
“Is that really true? I didn’t mishear you, did I?”
“You did not.”
Yeon So-ha’s eyes, which had been wide with alarm, now curved into a smile that reached her ears.
What was she to do if Bu Eun-seol clung to her persistently? She had been racking her brain all night trying to figure it out…
And this half-formed whelp was taking himself out of the picture?
“That you would think so… I am simply grateful. Ah, but…”
As if remembering something, Yeon Ja-mi shook her head.
“Even if that is your intention, the arrow has already left the bow.”
“What do you mean?”
Yeon Ja-mi said with a gloomy expression.
“I have publicly declared that I will choose the So-gung-ju’s spouse from among those who pass the Cheon-jang-i-sib-sa-jin. There is no one who does not know this.”
She touched her forehead with a pained look.
“If I do not keep my word and my promise, my dignity and honor as the Palace Mistress will be damaged.”
The words of the Palace Mistress of the Shin-nyeo-gung, one of the seven great hidden palaces of the martial world, were worth their weight in gold.
If she were to go back on her word, she would become the laughingstock of the martial artists.
“Do not worry.”
But Bu Eun-seol said with a gentle smile.
“The Palace Mistress need only keep her promise.”
“Hmm? What do you mean by that?”
“The promise you made was to choose a spouse from among those who pass the Cheon-jang-i-sib-sa-jin. But won’t there be others who pass it in the future?”
“But…”
“That is all you promised. The So-gung-ju merely gave me the Bo-won-sin-ju.”
Yeon Ja-mi seemed somewhat convinced, yet her expression remained dark.
“But isn’t the Bo-won-sin-ju the betrothal gift for her future spouse?”
“That is correct. The Palace Mistress need only change that.”
“What do you mean?”
“A betrothal gift can be changed at any time, can it not?”
Bu Eun-seol smiled faintly.
“I understand that the Shin-nyeo-gung has many other treasures. I do not believe the Palace Mistress’s authority will be diminished simply by changing the gift.”
At Bu Eun-seol’s words, Yeon Ja-mi slapped her knee.
“There was such a way!”
She had told the So-gung-ju to choose someone she fancied from among those who passed the Cheon-jang-i-sib-sa-jin. And she had chosen the Bo-won-sin-ju as the betrothal gift.
But what if they changed the gift, making it so that the Bo-won-sin-ju Bu Eun-seol received was not the betrothal gift?
Then she wouldn’t be breaking her word, and the So-gung-ju wouldn’t have to marry Bu Eun-seol just because she had given him the Bo-won-sin-ju.
Yeon Ja-mi was so delighted that she smiled brightly and clasped Bu Eun-seol’s shoulders.
“Thank you. I truly thank you.”
“It was nothing.”
“But you risked your life to pass the Cheon-jang-i-sib-sa-jin, and it feels wrong for you to receive no reward.”
Yeon Ja-mi said with a smile.
“Is there anything you need? I will give you whatever you desire.”
It was an extraordinary offer.
The Shin-nyeo-gung held countless treasures and divine artifacts. Taking just one could make a man rich or grant him a rare divine weapon.
But Bu Eun-seol calmly shook his head.
“I have already obtained the treasure known as the Bo-won-sin-ju. That is more than enough.”
How could he speak so beautifully?
If only his character and origins were more distinguished, Yeon Ja-mi might have even tried to hold onto him.
‘He is a fine talent, but not enough to be So-ha’s spouse.’
She smiled brightly and nodded.
“Thank you.”
***
After relaying the entire story, Bu Eun-seol spoke calmly.
“And that is what happened.”
“I see. In that case, the Palace Mistress is not breaking her promise. But.”
Namgung Un shook his head as if it were a shame.
“To trade the position of Shin-nyeo-gung’s son-in-law for just the Bo-won-sin-ju. Isn’t that too much of a loss?”
Bu Eun-seol simply drank his liquor in silence.
“Young Master Seol.”
Just then, a maid’s voice came from outside.
“You have a visitor.”
“A visitor? Could it be my aunt?”
Namgung Un scrambled to flee.
He wasn’t fully healed yet, and if Namgung Se-a found out he was drinking, she would certainly not let it slide.
But with a soft rattle, the door slid open. A stunning beauty wearing a veil walked inside.
It was Yeon So-ha.
“Young Master Seol.”
“So-gung-ju?”
As Bu Eun-seol looked slightly surprised, she spoke with an embarrassed expression.
“I was hoping we could talk for a moment…”
She glanced around the drinking party and said cautiously.
“Could you step outside?”
“I understand.”
Bu Eun-seol and Yeon So-ha walked side by side through the Shin-nyeo-gung.
When they reached a pond illuminated by the moonlight, Yeon So-ha stopped walking.
For a while, silence filled the pavilion.
As a cool breeze brushed past their ears, Yeon So-ha spoke softly.
“I heard you refused me.”
Bu Eun-seol said nothing.
It was a silent affirmation.
“So it’s true.”
Yeon So-ha nodded and suddenly removed the veil covering her face.
*Swish.*
As the white veil brushed past her cheek and fell away, it felt as if the inside of the pavilion had suddenly brightened.
“……!”
Bu Eun-seol’s eyes widened.
Until now, he had never been particularly interested in women, nor had he been concerned with beauty or ugliness.
His long life as a coroner had led him to believe that appearance was nothing but a useless shell.
But her breathtaking beauty completely changed that notion.
‘I can understand the Palace Mistress’s feelings now.’
Why the Palace Mistress of Shin-nyeo-gung had installed the brutally vicious Cheon-jang-i-sib-sa-jin.
Why she had so desperately wanted such an outstanding young hero to be the So-gung-ju’s spouse.
Yeon So-ha’s appearance transcended all personal tastes and preferences, boasting a flawless beauty that could make anyone fall for her.
“Do you not find me to your liking?”
Bu Eun-seol stared intently at Yeon So-ha’s face.
He could guarantee that no man would look at her face and say he did not find her attractive.
“That is not it.”
“Then will you accept me again?”
“I cannot do that.”
“Why?”
“Because I am not qualified.”
“Don’t lie.”
Yeon So-ha said coldly.
“Fine. Then let me change the question.”
After taking a few quick breaths, she spoke in a frosty voice.
“Why did you challenge the Cheon-jang-i-sib-sa-jin?”
“……”
“Were you after the Bo-won-sin-ju from the very beginning?”