Chapter 67
Chapter 67
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 67
Chapter Title: Dong-pyo-seo-rang
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Dong-pyo-seo-rang. The name originally meant to wander aimlessly.
But in the world of Murim, it refers to the ronin market in Guizhou, where martial arts are sold for money.
It doesn’t matter where you come from or which clan you belong to. As long as you have the skill, you can enter Dong-pyo-seo-rang and take on jobs. If you wish, you can even become a ronin affiliated with them.
“The Jeong-mu-dae-hoe, the Grand Martial Arts Tournament, hosted by Dong-pyo-seo-rang, will be held soon.”
“A martial arts tournament… you mean a sparring competition?”
“Something like that. But they hold it more as a promotional tool to gather skilled ronin and attract jobs from various factions.”
At Dan-cheong's words, Baek-yeon was dumbfounded.
“Vice Pavilion Master, Dong-pyo-seo-rang is no place for this child.”
“Why not?”
“Dong-pyo-seo-rang is thriving day by day. Not only do the Orthodox and Unorthodox Factions send people to the tournament, but even the Murim Alliance dispatches its masters.”
“Well, isn’t venturing into the world supposed to be dangerous anyway?”
Dan-cheong casually dismissed Baek-yeon’s concerns and said,
“It might not be the best place to make a name for yourself, but it’s an excellent opportunity to gain experience. I hear that this year’s tournament has an incredible prize, so a flood of powerful masters are gathering.”
“What is it?”
“The Yeong-sa-sin-geom.”
“The Yeong-sa-sin-geom.”
Bu Eun-seol’s eyes sparkled as he repeated the sword’s name.
‘It has ‘divine sword’ in its name, so it probably won’t break easily.’
He had never been interested in weapons.
But the new sword style he had created kept shattering his blades, so he needed a good one.
“I will go to Dong-pyo-seo-rang.”
“Bu Eun-seol.”
Baek-yeon couldn’t hide his regretful expression.
“This decision will determine your standing for the next ten years. Choose carefully.”
“Thank you, Grand Master.”
Bu Eun-seol bowed his head deeply.
“For looking upon me with favor and for your concern. But I am a disciple of Nang-ya-gak.”
“Of course, the highest ideal of our pavilion is the pursuit of the martial way. But you are destined to become a great figure who will one day lead Nang-ya-gak.”
“I know. That is why I have decided to venture out.”
Realizing Bu Eun-seol's resolve, Baek-yeon let out a deep sigh.
“Fine. If that’s what you’ve decided, there’s nothing to be done.”
His lips creased into a deep frown as he shook his head.
“Do as you please.”
“Thank you. May I depart immediately?”
Dan-cheong nodded at Bu Eun-seol's question.
“Of course. But stop by Master Cheol’s place and pick up a weapon.”
“Understood. Thank you.”
Bu Eun-seol clasped his hands and bowed deeply once more.
“Then, I will see you in a year.”
And without hesitation, he turned and left.
It was a swift decision. Once Bu Eun-seol made up his mind, he acted without a moment’s hesitation.
“Hmph.”
Like a grandfather sending his unruly grandson out into the marketplace, Baek-yeon heaved a sigh so heavy it felt as if the ground would collapse.
“Vice Pavilion Master, you really should have stopped him.”
“Who could possibly stop that stubborn boy?”
“Still, you should have. You and I are the only ones who can properly guide him, are we not?”
Baek-yeon wore an uncharacteristically gloomy expression.
“With his talent, he could elevate our pavilion to the top of the Ten Demonic Sects. He could even aim for the position of successor in one of the three major powers. If he started building relationships with the heirs of the Ten Demonic Sects now, it would be entirely possible…”
Baek-yeon’s rambling showed just how regretful he felt.
To soar to the top, one needed more than just martial skill.
Bu Eun-seol was a once-in-a-generation talent. If only he could gather a faction, he could stand tall in the Demonic Path…
But like a man mad for martial arts, he pursued only the martial way, blind to everything else.
“If that boy had even a little ambition, he could dominate the Demonic Murim.”
“Oh, he will stand tall. It’s just that the place he wants to stand is a little different.”
Dan-cheong said in a low voice.
“That’s why he’ll walk a path of thorns, even if it leads through the blazing fires of hell. Because that’s how… he’ll get stronger, even a little faster.”
“Why is he in such a hurry to become strong?”
“Hah, you didn’t know? What’s in that boy’s heart?”
When Baek-yeon looked confused, Dan-cheong looked at him with a faint smile.
“That boy wishes to never lose to anyone.”
“To never lose to anyone…”
Baek-yeon was speechless.
Bu Eun-seol was aiming for invincibility—a state that even the Absolute Masters dared not dream of.
He was dreaming of becoming the most powerful, undefeated master under the heavens.
***
Dong-pyo-seo-rang was located in the barren lands of Guizhou.
It was originally one of many insignificant ronin collectives that took on jobs for money.
But about twenty years ago, after a change in leadership, Dong-pyo-seo-rang began to prosper rapidly.
The new, mysterious Rang-ju of Dong-pyo-seo-rang established a command structure and operated an intelligence network within the once-disorganized group.
By providing proper jobs, accurate information, and prompt payment, they began to attract skilled ronin. Gradually, they became more organized, eventually growing into a massive ronin alliance.
The streets were buzzing with activity.
The town where Dong-pyo-seo-rang was based, normally quiet, was now packed with people.
The Jeong-mu-dae-hoe.
It didn’t matter which clan you were from—Orthodox, Demonic, or Unorthodox. Any martial artist could participate and claim the grand prize.
Even the winner was not required to join Dong-pyo-seo-rang.
The reason for holding such an unconventional tournament was simple. It drew talented ronin and martial artists from all over.
The ronin would settle down, the martial artists would offer jobs, and word of Dong-pyo-seo-rang’s prestige would spread.
From that alone, Dong-pyo-seo-rang reaped enormous benefits.
*Slurp.*
Bu Eun-seol was having a meal at a high-end inn not far from the tournament grounds.
The clientele at cheaper inns was predictable.
But a high-end inn attracted a diverse crowd, including not just martial artists but merchants and others as well.
Each had their own sources of information, so if you were lucky, you could overhear all sorts of things just by sitting there.
‘Indeed. There are a lot of people.’
Having been in the Gu-sal-dae, Bu Eun-seol had an eye for detail as sharp as any seasoned veteran of the Jianghu.
He noticed groups of older, seasoned-looking martial artists.
They clearly weren’t here for the tournament, but were sent from their respective factions with a specific purpose.
‘It truly is a microcosm of the Murim.’
He could see people who looked like they belonged not only to the Orthodox and Unorthodox Factions but also to the Murim Alliance and the Demonic Sanctum.
A small Murim. This place was indeed another, smaller world of martial arts.
“Excuse me, sir. Forgive the intrusion.”
Just then, a waiter cautiously approached Bu Eun-seol’s table.
“If you don’t mind, would it be alright to share your table? We’re completely full.”
Sharing tables wasn’t unheard of, even in a high-end inn.
In fact, it was often encouraged as a way to make unexpected connections.
When Bu Eun-seol nodded, the waiter bowed his head.
“Thank you, sir! Right this way, please.”
Following the waiter's lead, a young man in extravagant silk robes approached, laughing heartily.
“Hahaha! It seems the kindness of the Jianghu has not yet dried up.”
He wore expensive accessories on his ears and neck, and a jewel-encrusted belt around his waist.
He looked like the son of a wealthy family at a glance. He stared at Bu Eun-seol and clasped his hands.
“Greetings.”
Bu Eun-seol gave a slight nod, and the young man sat down and spoke to the waiter.
“Do you have any good wine here?”
“Of course, sir. We have a fine white liquor made from high-quality sorghum.”
“Mm. Then bring three pots of the white liquor and one fried fish. And make sure the fish is properly scaled, with the guts removed through the gills.”
“Right away, sir.”
“And when you fry it, pour oil over the back to cook the flesh thoroughly and make the skin extra crispy.”
The young man, true to his wealthy upbringing, seemed very particular and meticulous about his food.
“Haha! We do all this just to eat and live, don’t we? One must eat well when one eats.”
The young man smiled brightly at Bu Eun-seol.
But Bu Eun-seol didn't spare him a glance, continuing to eat his meal in silence.
“Oh? That’s not how you eat lotus root and rib soup. Hey!”
The young man called the waiter over and said urgently,
“A plate of minced vegetables here. Quickly.”
The bewildered waiter scurried back with a plate of vegetables.
The young man then promptly sprinkled the vegetables into the lotus root and rib soup Bu Eun-seol was eating.
“Here, try it with these vegetables. The flavor will be much richer.”
Normally, Bu Eun-seol would not have tolerated such behavior.
But for some reason, he ignored the young man’s rudeness and calmly took a spoonful of the soup.
“...!”
A flicker of surprise appeared in Bu Eun-seol’s eyes as he tasted the soup.
Just a few minced vegetables had been added, but the taste of the soup, chewed with the meat, was vastly improved.
“How is it?”
When Bu Eun-seol nodded instead of answering, the young man burst into a bright laugh.
“Hahaha. I’m glad!”
Just then, the fried fish and liquor the young man had ordered arrived.
After downing several cups of liquor in a row, the young man let out a deep breath and spoke to Bu Eun-seol.
“This liquor is better than I expected. Care for a cup?”
Bu Eun-seol silently shook his head.
“A pity. You must not enjoy liquor.”
The young man spoke to Bu Eun-seol as freely as if he were addressing a senior brother from his own sect.
“When drinking such fine liquor, it’s best to have about three cups in a row without any side dishes. That’s because you can only truly appreciate its flavor on an empty stomach. Hahaha.”
Bu Eun-seol just kept chewing his food in silence.
Faced with such a lack of response, most people would have stopped talking. But the young man paid it no mind and continued to chatter on.
“Are you here for the tournament too, brother?”
He glanced at the longsword at Bu Eun-seol's waist and rambled on.
“I heard that because the Yeong-sa-sin-geom is the grand prize, even masters from the previous generation are showing up. Then again, you martial artists can’t help yourselves when you see a good sword…”
As the young man’s chatter continued unabated,
*Crash!*
A loud noise erupted from a corner of the inn.
Turning his head, he saw two young martial artists surrounding a middle-aged man who had a moon wheel strapped to his back.
“Sang-san-gwi! How dare you show your face in broad daylight!”
Sang-san-gwi, Yi-gok.
He was a notorious bandit and murderer active in the Hebei region. But since he roamed the Jianghu alone and his movement techniques were exceptionally elusive, no one had been able to catch him.
“Disciples of the Northern Sword Sect, I see.”
Yi-gok sneered as he looked at the swords the young men were wearing.
“Even the master of the Northern Sword Sect couldn’t last thirty seconds before I cut his head off. And now you brats dare to challenge me.”
Slowly rising to his feet, Yi-gok flicked his tongue.
“I’ll cut off your heads and use them as wine cups.”
The disciples of the Northern Sword Sect were taken aback.
The inn was filled with masters from the Orthodox Faction, not just Demonic practitioners.
They had been sure that if they stepped forward, others would lend a hand to deal with Sang-san-gwi…
But to their surprise, everyone was just watching, doing nothing.
“Oh, dear. Looks like the disciples of the Northern Sword Sect miscalculated.”
The young man sharing Bu Eun-seol’s table sighed.
“They must not know the unwritten rule of Dong-pyo-seo-rang.”
Dong-pyo-seo-rang was a ronin market, a gathering place for masters who stayed out of the affairs of the Orthodox and Unorthodox.
It was an unwritten rule that no one here meddled in others’ business, regardless of faction.
“Are you prepared to die?”
Yi-gok bared his yellowed teeth in a vicious smile. He was a killer who never spared anyone who crossed him.
As Yi-gok drew the moon wheel from his back, the complexions of the Northern Sword Sect disciples changed drastically.
*Swish.*
Just then, Bu Eun-seol wiped his mouth and stood up. The young man’s eyes lit up in surprise.
“Huh? Are you going to step in?”
The young man tilted his head.
Bu Eun-seol was handsome, but he had a slender build, and his temples were flat. Though he carried a sword, he looked for all the world like a novice who had just entered the Jianghu.
“Brother, this is Dong-pyo-seo-rang. Even if you intervene, no one is going to applaud you for it…”
*Step, step.*
Bu Eun-seol paid him no mind and started walking.
As he approached the stairs, Yi-gok’s gaze naturally fell upon him.
“And who are you?”
Yi-gok scowled at Bu Eun-seol walking toward him.
“Are you another one of the Northern Sword Sect’s lackeys?”
“Move.”
“What did you say?”
Bu Eun-seol silently pointed to the passageway behind Yi-gok.
The gesture meant, ‘I need to get through, so stop blocking the way and step aside.’
“Hehehe.”
Yi-gok touched his forehead as if in disbelief and chuckled.
“Looks like today is the day for whelps to put on a talent show.”
A murderous red glint flickered in Yi-gok’s eyes. He thought Bu Eun-seol was deliberately provoking him.
“Looks like I’ll have to make sashimi out of you first…”
Yi-gok’s words trailed off.
He suddenly felt a sting in his neck.
“Huh…?”
He brought a hand to his neck and found it slick with crimson blood.
“Why is there blood…?”
Flustered, Yi-gok finally noticed the sword in Bu Eun-seol’s hand.
In the blink of an eye, a sword flash as fast as lightning had sliced through his carotid artery.
“You…!”
The bewildered Yi-gok opened his mouth.
And those were the last words Yi-gok ever spoke in this world.