Chapter 288
Chapter 288
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 288
Chapter Title: Unexpected Visitors
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Myo Cheon-u stood alongside Won Se-mun and Jo Nam-cheon, his body trembling with rage.
It was clear he, too, had taken Yeon So-ha's words at face value.
Of course, it wasn't unreasonable.
Yeon So-ha's eyes and voice not only transcended the beauty of the mortal world, but her character also seemed as noble and pure as a saint's.
Even if she claimed a dog had grown ivory tusks, the thought that she might be lying would never cross one's mind.
"Commander Yu."
At that moment, Wi Cheon-gyeong spoke in a low voice.
"How about I explain the situation to the Lord first? I'm concerned that if we simply send her back like this, it might tarnish the Lord's reputation."
Fortunately, Wi Cheon-gyeong, like Yu Un-ryong, had maintained his composure.
*He has a point.*
"Young Palace Lord. You've come a long way. Please, have a cup of tea and rest for a moment."
Quickly composing his expression, Yu Un-ryong spoke to Yeon So-ha and the women standing behind her.
"I will immediately find out when the Lord might return."
***
Sitting in his office, Bu Eun-seol was continuously writing letters.
The recent annihilation of the Five Poisons Gate had sent ripples not just through the Demonic Path but across the entire martial world, including the Orthodox Faction.
It had become the catalyst that brought the disappearances of children happening all over the Central Plains to the surface.
In response, various Orthodox sects, including the Martial Alliance, as well as the Underworld and Unorthodox Factions, were contacting the Demon Corps to request cooperation.
It was a strange phenomenon, born not of politics between the factions, but of the remarkable successor named Bu Eun-seol.
Just then, a knock on the door was followed by a familiar voice.
"It's Yu Un-ryong."
Bu Eun-seol, who had been engrossed in his writing, spoke softly.
"Come in."
The expression on Yu Un-ryong's face as he entered was dark. Seeing this, Bu Eun-seol let out a sigh.
He knew the situation without having to ask.
"Why couldn't you send her back?"
"Myo Cheon-u and all the other commanders were in my office."
"Hmm."
Bu Eun-seol grunted.
That was something even he could not have predicted.
He had simply hoped Yu Un-ryong would handle it quietly… but who would have thought all the subordinate commanders would be gathered in Yu Un-ryong's office?
"I suppose it can't be helped."
In truth, it wasn't a matter that could be resolved by avoiding it.
It was just that Bu Eun-seol had no time to spare for this 'fiancée-finding commotion.'
He had discovered the Five Poisons Gate, which clandestine forces had nurtured for decades, and annihilated it in a single stroke.
From their perspective, there was no way they would let this slide.
*I was hoping this would just pass quietly.*
Now that even Yeon So-ha had come, drawn by the rumors, he could no longer stand by.
Besides, he needed to find out how she had seen through his identity.
"Alright. I'll go."
Sighing, Bu Eun-seol rose from his seat.
Hwahong Pavilion.
It was the name of a pavilion built in the inner garden of Jamma-gak.
A walk along a small path lined with rare and beautiful flowers led to a small bridge and a beautiful pond.
And in front of it stood Hwahong Pavilion. It was designed for enjoying tea or the scenery on a sunny day.
When Bu Eun-seol arrived before Hwahong Pavilion, he saw a beautiful woman in white standing on the small bridge over the pond, looking up at the sky.
She was truly breathtakingly beautiful.
Through her silken, slightly sun-kissed hair, one could see dark eyes that seemed to hold all the light in the world.
Below them was a high-bridged nose, and if one's gaze fell further, a set of pearly teeth could be faintly seen between her light pink lips.
She possessed the kind of beautiful features that all men dreamed of.
It was Yeon So-ha.
"It's been a while, Lady Yeon."
As Bu Eun-seol approached, she, who had been gazing into the air, turned her eyes toward him.
"Young Master Bu."
A misty haze was welling up in her large eyes.
Love, hate, resentment, and longing…
With just a single glance, Yeon So-ha conveyed everything she wanted to say to Bu Eun-seol.
"No, I suppose I should call you Lord now."
Feeling ashamed, Bu Eun-seol subtly shifted his gaze to the pond.
In the past, when Bu Eun-seol was living as a wanderer named Seol-so, he had been eager to face Jeong Cheon, the Lord of Hoenggong Fortress, as soon as possible.
In his haste, he had carelessly accepted the mission to seize the Bo-won-sin-ju without properly assessing the information.
Of course, he had managed to escape the palace by taking advantage of the Shin-nyeo-gung's Palace Lord, Yeon Ja-mi, who disliked him, but…
He had deeply hurt Yeon So-ha, who had opened her heart to him.
"How did you know to come here?"
As the silence stretched on, Bu Eun-seol had no choice but to ask the question he had been wanting to ask.
The only person who knew the true identity of the wanderer Seol-so was Heuk-pyo.
If Heuk-pyo hadn't revealed his identity, Bu Eun-seol would have to completely revise his plans up to this point.
If the Shin-nyeo-gung had discovered Bu Eun-seol's hidden identity, it would mean that his past activities had been fully exposed by an intelligence organization.
"A wanderer named Seol-so appeared once again in Jeok-cheon-mak-ji."
Yeon So-ha spoke in a trembling voice, as if she were barely suppressing her emotions.
"Since you cut off all contact and didn't return, Lord, I had no choice but to mobilize all of my palace's financial resources to find the wanderer named Seol-so."
Yeon So-ha knew well that Bu Eun-seol would one day reappear under the identity of Seol-so.
So, she had directed all her intelligence resources to the wanderers' market in Shaanxi, Jeok-cheon-mak-ji, and had been searching for him.
And finally, she had tracked Bu Eun-seol's movements when he appeared again in Jeok-cheon-mak-ji.
However, after he left for the Martial Alliance, his trail went cold once more. In the end, Yeon So-ha resorted to her final option.
She went to Heuk-pyo in Dong-pyo-seo-rang and pleaded with him.
—Please, help me find him.
Upon realizing the sincerity of Yeon So-ha's feelings, Heuk-pyo had no choice but to reveal Bu Eun-seol's identity.
It wasn't simply because he was soft-hearted, but because he had a gut feeling that she was Bu Eun-seol's other half…
He had also insisted that Bu Eun-seol be told this detestable excuse.
"I see."
Hearing the whole story, Bu Eun-seol breathed an inward sigh of relief.
Severely scolding that reprehensible Heuk-pyo could wait for later.
What mattered most to him was that his dual identity as Seol-so had not been exposed.
"Even after learning your identity, Lord, I tried not to seek you out."
Yeon So-ha said with a deeply wounded expression.
"You are now the successor of the Demon Corps, so you must have many duties to attend to. I could have waited a little longer."
She paused, and once again, pearl-like tears streamed from her eyes.
"But recently, I heard that the successor of the Demon Corps is choosing a bride for marriage. As if he had forgotten all the promises he made to me."
The sight of Yeon So-ha weeping so sorrowfully was pitiful enough to make even the stoic Bu Eun-seol feel apologetic.
At the same time, for the first time, he felt a dislike for the existence known as Yeop Hyo-cheon.
He didn't know what scheme he was hiding.
But hadn't he spread a baseless rumor, causing Yeon So-ha from the Shin-nyeo-gung to come looking for him?
"That is a false rumor."
"A rumor that even the guards of the Demon Corps know is something I misheard?"
"Of course. I would stake my neck on it."
Bu Eun-seol pointed to his own neck seriously.
His expression was so tragic and solemn that…
Yeon So-ha, her eyes still brimming with tears, unknowingly burst into a small laugh.
"What are you saying?"
Bu Eun-seol calmly explained the situation that had transpired.
How it all started with a proposal from the Chong-gyo-ryeong, Yeop Hyo-cheon, and how he had deliberately spread such rumors.
And that Bu Eun-seol had absolutely no intention of getting married.
"Alright. I'll believe you."
Fortunately, Yeon So-ha believed Bu Eun-seol's words.
"There would be no reason for you to concoct such a lie to persuade me, Lord."
"I am grateful that you understand."
For the first time, Bu Eun-seol felt a sense of gratitude toward Yeon So-ha.
What if she had been a woman blinded by mere jealousy? Things would have become quite troublesome.
"However, since you say the Chong-gyo-ryeong has such intentions, I can't be at ease."
"Then what must I do for you to be at ease?"
Yeon So-ha said with a calm expression.
"I will stay here for the time being and watch with my own eyes as that rumor disappears."
"You mean to stay here at my pavilion?"
"You stayed at my palace, did you not, Lord?"
Yeon So-ha was a gentle and calm woman, but she was not one to simply cry and beg for love like a fool.
Befitting the next Palace Lord of the Shin-nyeo-gung, she possessed a thorough and relentless drive.
"Or are you saying you cannot offer a place to stay for the young palace lord of a small sect like mine?"
"Of course not. It's just…"
"If there is no room here, I will ask the Demonic Emperor or the Chong-gyo-ryeong."
That was absolutely out of the question.
Like an innkeeper, Bu Eun-seol gestured quickly toward Jamma-gak.
"There are plenty of comfortable places to rest in this pavilion. I am also indebted to the Shin-nyeo-gung… so please, don't mind and rest comfortably."
"Thank you. Then I'll go rest for a bit."
"Please do."
As she turned to walk away, Yeon So-ha turned her head with a determined look.
"I do not ask for much from you, Lord."
She said with a gentle smile.
"I will leave as soon as the rumor about the marriage proceedings disappears. So, you need not feel troubled by my presence."
Bu Eun-seol was in a difficult position.
He should have sent Yeon So-ha back to the Shin-nyeo-gung immediately, even if it meant using force.
Because her stay at Jamma-gak had started yet another strange rumor within the Demon Corps.
—They say the Martial Soul Lord has a fiancée?
The rumor began in Jamma-gak.
Even Yeon So-ha herself had no hesitation in explaining her identity and situation.
—That's right. I am his fiancée.
As she proclaimed it so confidently to everyone, the members of the Demon Corps, paradoxically, couldn't believe the rumor.
—It must be a false rumor.
Bu Eun-seol, the successor of Nang-ya-gak, was a true orthodox member of the Demonic Path.
But for him to become the son-in-law of the Shin-nyeo-gung, which walked the path of the Orthodox Faction? Wasn't the obstacle between them far too great?
—I heard the Palace Lord of the Shin-nyeo-gung has fallen ill because the Young Palace Lord ran away from home.
However, when the rumor spread that Yeon So-ha had run away from the Shin-nyeo-gung and that its Palace Lord had fallen ill, an atmosphere of understanding began to flow through the Demon Corps.
—Ah, so it was an elopement.
It wasn't all that rare for figures from the Demonic and Orthodox Factions to fall in love.
For a while, the Demon Corps was abuzz with talk of Yeon So-ha.
And within the Four Shadows Hall, there was a rare burst of vitality.
This was because one of the Three Beauties of the World was staying at Jamma-gak, diligently looking after the subordinates.
When she left the Shin-nyeo-gung, she had brought many treasures to distribute to Bu Eun-seol and his men.
Not to mention the commanders, she had even given a hefty sum of money to the common guards.
Moreover, while staying at Jamma-gak, she cooked delicious food and treated the subordinates with kindness…
It reached a point where some impatient martial artists were already calling her 'Our Lady!'
Yu Un-ryong's office.
As always, Yu Un-ryong was sitting at his office desk, organizing documents.
And at the table in front of him, the commanders of the Four Shadows Hall, including Myo Cheon-u, were gathered without fail.
"Jin Sang-hwa is beautiful, but… compared to the Young Palace Lord Yeon, who is one of the Three Beauties of the World, she falls a bit short."
Won Se-mun nodded at Myo Cheon-u's words.
"That's right. Besides, the Young Palace Lord has wealth comparable to Muhasuyujeong."
Jo Nam-cheon also clapped his hands.
"And her cooking skills are excellent. The tofu dish I had the other day was truly the best."
"Her personality is so gentle too, so as long as you don't make a big mistake, you won't get into trouble."
When even Wi Cheon-gyeong agreed, Myo Cheon-u said with a serious expression.
"Then, I'll take it that everyone agrees. We'll decide on Lady Yeon as the Lord's spouse."
*Clap, clap, clap.*
As they applauded, Yu Un-ryong waved his hand with an annoyed expression.
"If you're all done, get out."
"Yu Un-ryong. You agree too, right?"
At Myo Cheon-u's earnest question, a thick vein popped on Yu Un-ryong's forehead.
"I'm busy as hell, so stop spouting nonsense and get out."
"Why are you getting so angry? We're leaving."
As Myo Cheon-u grumbled and left, the rest of the commanders all streamed out.
"Hoo."
The air seemed to clear up once all those dark-hearted bastards were gone.
Yu Un-ryong took a deep breath and regained his composure.
He didn't want to admit it, but it seemed he was better suited to being a civil official than a martial artist.
*Is there really such a thing as bloodlines?*
At first, when Bu Eun-seol had entrusted him with all the paperwork and administration, he had been quite displeased.
But once he actually tried it, it suited his aptitude quite well.
Every time he did paperwork, it felt like meditation; his mind became tranquil, and his mental fortitude seemed to increase.
Of course, that didn't mean he was neglecting his martial arts training or teaching his subordinates.
Unlike other martial artists, he was training his mind while doing paperwork.
*Perhaps it's time to start writing the Sip-jeol-gon-do-hae.*
Moreover, he had recently developed a rather enjoyable hobby.
It was the task of authoring a martial arts manual called the Sip-jeol-gon-do-hae.
The Ten-Section Staff was a weapon Yu Un-ryong had created after much deliberation, but it had such unique properties that even he wasn't yet fully accustomed to it.
*Bu Eun-seol. You may be a step above me in martial arts, but in the future, this text will surpass yours.*
He knew that Bu Eun-seol was writing a martial arts manual.
And he, too, intended to write a manual called the Sip-jeol-gon-do-hae, to leave another unique art in the martial world.
Just as Yu Un-ryong took out the Sip-jeol-gon-do-hae from the bookshelf and was about to pick up his brush,
"Commander."
A knock on the door was accompanied by the voice of his adjutant, Mu-gwang.
"It is Mu-gwang."
"Come in."
Mu-gwang entered cautiously and cupped his hands.
"What is it?"
"The successor of the Sword Pavilion has requested a duel with the Lord."
*Thud.*
Yu Un-ryong dropped his brush.
What was this, a bolt from the blue?
"What do you mean? Why has the successor of the Sword Pavilion come to our Hall?"
As Yu Un-ryong asked with wide eyes, Mu-gwang calmly explained.
"Didn't we receive requests for cooperation from various sects due to the Five Poisons Gate incident?"
"And so?"
"The Sword Pavilion has dispatched their next successor to our Hall."
The Orthodox Faction had become aware of the child kidnapping incidents across the Central Plains and was investigating them.
And many sects had requested to share information about the Five Poisons Gate to find clues.
"And?"
"The information regarding the Five Poisons Gate is exclusively held by the Lord, is it not? So, I guided her to the Lord, and she suddenly requested a duel."
"She just requested a duel out of the blue?"
"From what I hear, it seems she was acquainted with the Lord. She was surprised by the great improvement in the Lord's martial prowess and requested a duel."
Yu Un-ryong furrowed his brow, unable to understand.
"Then they should just have their duel. Why come to me?"
"Well…"
Mu-gwang scratched his head and said.
"The Lord told her to first defeat all the masters of the Four Shadows Hall and then come back."
"What?"
"Commander Myo just said that Commander Jo has been beaten to a pulp, and that you should come to the training grounds quickly as well, Commander."
*Thump.*
Yu Un-ryong set down the book he was holding and sat down.
*These bastards are trying to drag me down with them!*
They could have just fought half-heartedly and lost or collapsed.
Why were they calling for him, who was perfectly fine working in his office!
*Why are they doing this to me?*
Yu Un-ryong stared at the manual with a gloomy expression.
Writing the Sip-jeol-gon-do-hae in his spare time was his pleasure.
But lately, he didn't even have a moment to sit peacefully in his office.
"Tell them I'm not going."
"Pardon?"
"Tell them this commander is in the middle of borrowing books from the Sa-gyeong-won…"
*Rumble.*
At that moment, Won Se-mun's direct subordinates burst into Yu Un-ryong's office.
"Commander Yu! Please hurry. Commander Wi is on his last legs too!"
From the way they spoke, it seemed the successor of the Sword Pavilion had defeated Won Se-mun in the meantime and was now fighting Wi Cheon-gyeong.
"You…!"
Yu Un-ryong clenched his fists tightly.
To think they would barge into his office like ruffians, just as one would expect from Won Se-mun's subordinates.
"Tell Myo Cheon-u to go first!"
His patience finally at its limit, Yu Un-ryong roared.
"I am a civil official! I don't do things like duels!"