Chapter 13
Chapter 13
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: Golden Plum
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"...Master?"
Cheongun looked back and forth between Namgung Yeol and the Crimson Night Sword Sovereign.
What? Master?
Did I hear that wrong?
Cheongun frantically dug at his ear.
He could still hear things like "Master, what brings you here?" so it didn't seem like his ears were the problem.
Hmm, that's a relief.
The issue was clearly with those two.
Prestigious families like the Namgung Clan rarely learned martial arts from outsiders due to their immense pride.
Disciples from the Five Great Clans had sky-high pride in their own sects.
And for direct bloodline like Namgung Yeol, it went without saying.
But.
If the teacher was the Crimson Night Sword Sovereign?
An absolute master whose martial prowess reached the heavens, a free spirit unbound by any faction, free from entanglements of power struggles— even the lofty Namgung Clan would think twice, wouldn't they?
Plus, from what he remembered, the Crimson Night Sword Sovereign had a close relationship with Namgung Cheonhu, the Grand Patriarch of the Namgung Clan.
Sworn brothers without blood ties? Childhood friends? Something like that.
Of course, pride should be flexed based on the opponent.
When you could learn from an ultra-ultra absolute master like the Crimson Night Sword Sovereign, who cared about pride?
Even the Namgung Clan's Grand Patriarch had to yield a step in pure martial skill before this old man.
Cheongun's eyes sparkled.
At the same time, enlightenment struck his mind like lightning.
The Crimson Night Sword Sovereign had only one disciple.
That one disciple died, turning the Sovereign into a fiend who stained his sword with blood, walking the path of heavenly slaughter.
Damn, that disciple was Namgung Yeol!
It wasn't impossible.
In fact, when Cheongun first met Namgung Yeol, she had been on the brink of death, and the one who saved her was none other than Cheongun.
If Cheongun hadn't stepped in?
Namgung Yeol would have died right there.
Whether Cheongun was stunned or not, Jin Mu-seong continued his benevolent conversation with Namgung Yeol.
"Master, when did you meet Hero Cheong?"
"We ran into each other by chance today."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"You're not chasing me around again, insisting I become your disciple like before?"
"Hey now! What are you saying? We just happened to be heading the same way."
Jin Mu-seong snapped in irritation, but his voice trembled slightly with fluster.
"Heh heh, the world is truly small. Who would've thought you'd formed a bond with this young man, Yeol. Fate comes unannounced at times. Quite mysterious."
Jin Mu-seong spoke with a dignified expression, subtly turning his head.
He was curious how Cheongun would react to his words.
Hoping that by now, the boy would accept becoming his disciple as part of destiny.
But Cheongun was nowhere to be seen.
Mid-sentence, Jin Mu-seong spotted Cheongun walking ahead indifferently and was at a loss for words.
"Where are you going?"
"To bed."
"Hold on a moment."
"What now?"
"You brat! At least answer before you go!"
Cheongun mulled it over.
What benefits and drawbacks would this situation bring him?
The Crimson Night Sword Sovereign was like a cloud drifting freely through the martial world, so becoming his disciple wouldn't tie him to any sect, no headaches from faction lists or share disputes.
Sure, it'd add a lifelong master-servant bond, but thinking about it, this old man would likely teach only the necessary martial arts and then be on his way. That was his style from the start.
Besides, with Namgung Yeol alive and well, the old man wouldn't turn into a bloodthirsty fiend.
But there was a reason Cheongun was being so picky.
Human relationships always tilted one way or another.
The needy side bends over backward, while the receiver mistakes favors for entitlement.
So the key was establishing dominance.
That way, even if he acted as he pleased later, the other couldn't complain.
Look at that fidgety display!
No matter how much you wander the martial world for a hundred or thousand days.
Could you find a young, fresh genius like me?
Who else could dump 20,000 points into stats like I do!
Cheongun spoke as he walked.
"I'm heading out first."
"Hey! Stop right there!"
"I'll answer after I get the Gold Ingot Note."
"What? Gold Ingot Note?"
With that, Cheongun returned to his room.
Left alone, Jin Mu-seong blinked vacantly.
"Disciple."
"Yes, Master."
"I want to know how you came to bond with this young man."
"Ah! It happened like this..."
Namgung Yeol explained everything to her master.
Jin Mu-seong listened silently.
From being chased by the Darkwood Sect, to the moment teetering between life and death, and how Cheongun saved her.
"Heh!"
A strange sigh escaped Jin Mu-seong upon hearing it all.
This wasn't a realm achievable by a boy not even in his thirties.
Even if he'd trained from the womb, it would be impossible, right?
"Impressive. Truly impressive."
To witness such talent again.
It might just be a fleeting connection, but his desire grew genuine.
He wanted to see the Crimson Night Heaven-Severing Sword perfected in the boy's hands.
Jin Mu-seong stroked his beard and spoke.
"Disciple."
"Yes, Master."
"Is Hwi here now?"
Namgung Yeol nodded.
With hands behind his back, Jin Mu-seong gestured with his chin.
"Lead the way."
The next day.
Jin Mu-seong visited Cheongun's room.
"......"
"......"
A strange silence hung between the Crimson Night Sword Sovereign Jin Mu-seong and his guest Cheongun.
Jin Mu-seong had long surpassed the Rebuttal Ghost Formation realm, appearing like an ordinary old man at a glance, yet the intangible aura emanating from his entire body crushed the space around them.
He possessed an overwhelming presence that dominated merely by facing him.
And now, Jin Mu-seong focused all his attention on Cheongun.
From the first moment he saw him until now, his interest had been solely on Cheongun.
As Jin Mu-seong's energy slowly dominated the space, Cheongun's body instinctively began circulating its internal energy.
Their auras clashed in midair, freezing the air sharply.
This was the unspoken energy duel among martial artists.
The friction intensified to the point of ringing ears, yet both men's expressions remained astonishingly calm.
And finally.
"Heh heh."
Jin Mu-seong withdrew his power with a casual face.
His gaze on Cheongun held a hint of playfulness.
It was absurd yet endearing that a boy not yet thirty could counter his true energy.
"I heard the story. You saved Yeol, right?"
"Yes."
"Thank you. Without your help, I nearly lost my only disciple."
"No need."
Cheongun barely suppressed his urge to say, For free?
"Yeol promised you a Gold Ingot Note as reward."
"That's right."
"I see. But since this is the main clan and not a branch, payment is delayed. Is that correct?"
"Spot on."
"Schemes are man's domain, success heaven's will. Men plan, but heaven decides."
Cheongun narrowed his eyes in annoyance.
But soon, his eyes widened round.
Because Jin Mu-seong had pulled a pouch from his bosom and placed it on the table.
"And I am that heaven."
Had age addled his brain?
But Cheongun's gaze was already fixed on the pouch atop the table.
A palm-sized pouch, intricately embroidered with dragons and phoenixes in gold thread.
Above all, Cheongun had heard it.
The clinking of coins as he drew the pouch from his bosom.
"Open it."
With trembling hands, Cheongun untied the pouch strings.
Fifty thumb-sized round gold coins were exquisitely linked with red silk thread.
Each coin had a square hole in the center, and on the surface, delicate dragon motifs alongside the inscription "Universal Treasure Note."
Gold Ingot Note!
My lifeline!
"This is the reward you should have received long ago. No matter the circumstances, favors and grudges must be settled clearly. I've spoken directly to the Young Clan Lord, so no more worries."
She whined about it taking so long.
One word from Jin Mu-seong, and out popped a Gold Ingot Note.
A halo seemed to shine behind his back.
"Now, let's hear your answer."
"Answer?"
"Yes. Will you become my disciple?"
Cheongun clicked his tongue inwardly.
That question again?
Grateful for the advance payment, but that's another matter.
Of course, becoming a disciple meant learning martial arts—what's not to like?
His abilities were geared toward handling Demonic Cult thugs anyway.
The martial world was vast, full of trash—not limited to demons, of course.
Were trashy martial artists only among the unorthodox?
Building a foundation and raising his realm early meant no dying as a vagrant anywhere.
But Cheongun delayed his answer.
He wanted to test the waters more.
"Your answer?"
"I need a bit more time to think."
"Why!"
"When I first decided to learn martial arts, I vowed to face my own limits directly."
A ridiculous excuse.
But what could they do if that's what he said?
Unassailable, invincible logic.
Hearing this, Jin Mu-seong lifted one corner of his mouth, as if expecting it, and slid over something else smoothly.
Cheongun slowly opened the case.
Inside was a plum branch made of gold.
Five blossoms bloomed along the branch, each petal engraved with fine patterns, a red gem embedded in the center.
The dazzling gold and red jewels were blinding.
"A Golden Plum crafted by Western artisan Yang Ji-hwa for the former emperor's sixtieth birthday. Only ten exist."
Cheongun was certain.
Undeniably genuine. And pure gold at that.
Craftsmanship, material— all top-grade.
His mouth gaped open.
Before he knew it, Cheongun was drooling, entranced by the Golden Plum.
"A pity. I was going to give it to you if you became my disciple."
At those words, Cheongun reflexively blurted out.
"This unworthy disciple greets his master."
"Heh? Didn't you just say you wanted to face your limits?"
"I just did."
"......"
And so, for the first time in his life, a master entered Cheongun's world.