Chapter 161
Chapter 161
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 161
Chapter Title: The Black Willow Sect
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Cheonhwi, who had descended the mountain with Steward Oh, gazed ahead with shining eyes.
"It's spotless."
Cheonhwi voiced the impression that sprang to mind the moment he laid eyes on it.
A long, empty mountain path stretched out with nothing in sight.
And at the end of that path sat a lone inn that immediately drew the eye.
The newly built inn had a pristine exterior that cried out its freshness. Though plain, it blended seamlessly with the lush greenery around it, exuding a subtle charm.
Anyone passing by on this mountain road would find their gaze inevitably stolen by it.
"It looks fully built from here. What's unfinished about it?"
"Not at all."
Steward Oh spoke as he stepped inside the inn, and Cheonhwi followed behind.
The problem became clear right away.
The interior was completely empty.
There were no chairs or tables.
Not even the basic furnishings one would expect.
"We've tried bringing in goods multiple times, but those thugs keep interfering..."
Steward Oh frowned, recalling the headaches of the past few days.
"Even the merchants we hire to transport them are starting to avoid us now. At this rate, we'll have to hire porters ourselves..."
He let out a sigh bordering on a lament.
At that moment—
Shua—
The sound of a curtain being pulled back rang out.
The man who entered was a burly fellow with a sharp knife scar etched clearly across his cheek.
He swaggered in, scanning the surroundings, then spotted Steward Oh and approached immediately.
"Well, well. Dodging your debts and wandering around like that?"
Steward Oh shrank back slightly at the man's bulk but glared fiercely and replied.
"I've told you time and again, I owe you nothing."
"What? You have no money to pay?"
The man clicked his tongue, spat on the floor, and stomped the innocent ground.
"You built this inn on our turf without permission, and now..."
"Wow, I've never seen someone so rude in speech and action."
A sudden interjection made the man whip his head around.
He squinted at Cheonhwi.
'Damn, he's handsome.'
The man's sharp but striking features prompted the thug to tilt his chin up.
"Who the hell are you?"
"Just a guest staying at this inn."
"Hah."
The man shook his head in disbelief, then eyed the two swords at Cheonhwi's waist.
"Think those swords make you fearless? You dare butt in here... Gah!"
Mid-sentence, the man screamed and clutched his shin.
Thud! Thud!
Cheonhwi slung the scabbard he'd used to smash the man's shin over his shoulder and approached the thug, who was hopping around madly.
"Impressive hops for a big lug."
"You... you bastard!"
As the man gritted his teeth and swung a fist at Cheonhwi, the youth smashed the scabbard's hilt into his face.
Crack!
White teeth scattered into the air, blood spraying from his mouth.
Then, with a thud, the man collapsed spread-eagled on the floor.
"Hit him too hard?"
Cheonhwi poked the unconscious thug a few times, then turned to Steward Oh.
"Got any water?"
"Yes, but why all of a sudden...?"
"Gotta wake this guy up."
Moments later, Cheonhwi doused him with water.
Splash!
The sudden deluge jolted the thug upright.
"Ugh... urk!"
Still dazed and shaking his head, he scanned around until he spotted Cheonhwi and flinched.
Cheonhwi smirked and asked.
"Where'd you say you were from?"
"Th-the Blagk Willoh Shegt."
The man answered hastily, but his mangled mouth and missing teeth slurred the words.
Cheonhwi glanced at Steward Oh.
"What'd he say?"
Steward Oh gave an awkward smile.
"Sounds like the Black Willow Sect."
"Black Willow Sect?"
Cheonhwi tilted his head.
"Where's that?"
Steward Oh's expression hardened.
"A black path sect running brothels and gambling dens around here."
"Around here?"
Cheonhwi asked, puzzled.
This was near Mount Hua Sect, even if a bit removed.
Steward Oh answered the unspoken question immediately.
"Even with Mount Hua Sect nearby, it's hard to police hidden gambling halls and brothels. The Black Willow Sect squeezes protection money from places like that."
"Ah, so they're too chickenshit to tangle with the martial world proper and just fleece common folk instead?"
Steward Oh managed another awkward smile at Cheonhwi's sharp words.
"Exactly."
"Hmm, I see."
Grab.
Cheonhwi seized the man by the scruff like yanking a weed and met his eyes.
"Why's this Black Willow Sect turf? Someone already bought this land."
"I-I don' know nothin'!"
The man shook his head frantically.
"Th' boss told ush to do it."
"What?"
Dissatisfied, Cheonhwi scowled, and the man's face paled.
Steward Oh interjected.
"Did the Black Willow Sect Leader order it?"
The man nodded vigorously in relief.
"Those bastards..."
Steward Oh's eyes sharpened now that he'd identified the culprits.
"Black Willow Sect, huh..."
Cheonhwi released the man's collar.
"Take me there."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Cheonhwi arrived at the village with the thug and veered into the alleys rather than the main street.
As soon as they entered the narrow alley—
"Heh heh. Spare a coin, sir."
"Heh, heh heh."
The atmosphere shifted in an instant.
Beggars everywhere, drunks sprawled out from cheap booze and drugs—no one paid them any mind.
As if it were the most natural thing.
A few prowled the alley with clear murderous intent.
"Th-there they are."
The thug pointed quickly.
"You wait here."
The man nodded like a maniac.
As Cheonhwi approached them—
"Huh? Who're you, punk?"
"What's with the big lunkhead?"
They squinted and spoke up.
They scanned him top to bottom, spotting the two swords at his waist just as wariness set in.
"This the Black Willow Sect?"
At Cheonhwi's question, their expressions melted like ice in the sun.
"Oh, a customer?"
The man on the left grinned.
"Had me worried."
He turned and yanked aside a hanging cloth, revealing stairs leading down.
"First time? Come on in—you'll see the world differently."
"Have a wild time."
They stepped aside with a wave.
As Cheonhwi passed and descended, the scent of incense wafted up.
'Some booze party going on?'
At the bottom, a room lit dimly by red lamps appeared.
Tons of tables packed with men clutching liquor bottles.
But something was off.
They weren't focused on gambling—they kept stealing glances at one spot.
'All in on it together.'
Cheonhwi instantly clocked it and followed their gazes.
"This is bullshit! You're a cheat, a damn cheat! My entire fortune!"
An enraged shout pierced his ears.
A middle-aged man slammed both fists on the table, bellowing.
The man across from him smiled thinly.
"Heh heh, sir. How could there be cheats in a place like this?"
Then—
Grab!
The middle-aged man seized his collar.
"Where's the trick?! I saw it plain as day on the left! You and your crew are rigging it!"
The room turned icy in an instant.
As the man sensed the chill—
"Sir, please don't disrupt business."
A burly man appeared, grabbed his shoulder, and dragged him out.
"L-Let go! Give me my money..."
Cheonhwi watched him thrash as he was hauled away, then grabbed a random onlooker.
"Where's the Black Willow Sect Leader?"
All eyes turned to Cheonhwi.
"Looking for the sect leader...?"
"What the hell's this guy saying...?"
As murmurs rose—
Clap!
The man who'd fleeced the middle-aged guy's fortune clapped and laughed.
"Why seek the sect leader?"
"Got questions."
The crooked-eyed man's gaze narrowed.
"Heh heh, care for a wager then?"
He placed two cups before him.
"Win, and I'll tell you where he is. Lose, and grant me one wish."
"Sure, whatever."
Cheonhwi plopped into a chair.
The man dropped a bead into one cup.
"Watch closely. Pick the one with the bead."
His hands blurred in a flurry.
"Ooooh!"
The onlookers gasped at the flashy sleight of hand.
'Shell game? Nah, better than that.'
Cheonhwi watched the technique surpass his own skills.
Thud.
The man stopped.
"Guess."
"Left."
Smirking confidently, the man lifted the left cup.
Nothing underneath.
He grinned wickedly.
"You lose."
The crowd closed in, all radiating killing intent.
But Cheonhwi was utterly calm.
"What're you talking about? I won."
"What do you...?"
Slash!
A chilling sound cut through.
The man's left hand split open at the seam and hit the table.
"Gaaah!"
He belatedly screamed, clutching the stump.
"What the...?"
As everyone stared in shock—
Swish—
Cheonhwi picked up the severed hand and pried the fingers open one by one.
Revealing the hidden bead.
"See? Left, right?"
He smiled as he spoke.
"Y-You bastard!"
The man, staunching his wrist with cloth, bellowed in fury.
"Kill him! All of you!"
"Y-Yes, Sect Leader!"
The bruisers charged en masse.
"Knew it was you, Sect Leader."
Cheonhwi eyed the onrushing thugs calmly, rising from his chair.
Closing the distance.
"Die!"
They tangled into a melee.
The Black Willow Sect Leader ground his teeth, watching Cheonhwi surrounded.
"You dare cut off my hand and walk away unscathed...?"
His bold voice trailed off, then died.
"Wh-what...?"
Thud, thud.
The disciples charging the youth collapsed powerlessly, unconscious.
"Just you left."
Stepping over the fallen bodies, Cheonhwi approached, dusting his hands.
"F-Forgive me!"
The sect leader dropped to his knees instantly.
"Skip that."
Cheonhwi looked down at him.
"One question."
"A-Ask anything!"
"You know the new inn near Mount Hua?"
"Y-Yes."
"Why claim ownership?"
Facing death, the sect leader's mind sharpened desperately.
"I'll never do it again."
"Not what I asked."
Cheonhwi stared pitifully.
"Why'd you claim it?"
"It's wasteland reclaimed by settlers, so I thought we could claim ownership freely..."
"So to extort money, you arbitrarily claimed the land as yours. Right?"
"Y-Yes."
"Caused us no end of trouble. The inn would've been open by now."
"S-Sorry! I'll never touch it again!"
"Now you say that?"
The sect leader's breath hitched.
"Y-You don't know who you're dealing with..."
"Doubt it."
Cheonhwi cut him off.
"Just now, you were set on killing me like that guy your thug dragged off. Weren't you?"
A chill ran down the sect leader's spine.
He saw through everything.
The intent to kill him.
That he'd just killed that man.
Cheonhwi chuckled softly.
"If you're gonna kill someone, be prepared to die yourself."
Thick killing intent poured from Cheonhwi, making the sect leader's eyes bulge.
"Pl-Please, spare my life... Gurk!"
Pierce!
Cheonhwi's hand impaled his throat.
"Impressive sleight, thought you had more hidden. Guess that's it."
He tossed the wide-eyed corpse amid the bodies and stepped out.
"Pfft! What? The sect leader's in danger?"
"Tsk tsk, got beat up somewhere and lost your mind? Who'd threaten the sect leader?"
Loud chatter reached him.
"Ugh, boss ish in th' gambling den shleeping..."
The thug with the bruised cheek was pleading at the entrance with two others when he spotted Cheonhwi and froze.
Cheonhwi grinned at the trio.
"Oh right, forgot about you three."
"Huh?"
"Already out...?"
The two turned at the low voice from behind—
Flash—
A streak of light engulfed them.
"Time to head back."
Having dealt with the last three, Cheonhwi tossed their bodies down the stairs and exited the alley.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Step— step—
Around then, someone entered from the opposite alley.
"Huh? Where'd those fools go?"
The white-haired elder squinted at the empty guard post and continued on.
Step— step—
Strolling with hands behind his back, he suddenly wrinkled his nose.
"...Blood?"
Catching the scent, he swiftly unleashed his movement technique and descended the stairs.
Thud.
Arriving at the gambling den in a flash, the elder surveyed the carnage.
"Daring to touch my one cash cow...!"
Trembling with rage, he soon exuded vicious killing intent and moved.
"Whoever you are, I'll hunt you down and tear you to shreds."