Chapter 27
"Lord Unwol, did you enjoy your meal?" Lee Hak asked, a subtle smile playing on his lips.
"Yes. It was indeed as exquisite as the rumors claimed. I found the steamed fish particularly delicious," Unwol replied in his usual calm, polite tone.
"I am glad it was to your liking. It seems our branch manager had good reason to be so confident."
As Lee Hak subtly praised him, Cheong Ong, who was listening nearby, couldn't help but let his lips twitch upward in a pleased smile.
As they stepped outside, Unwol felt the heavy weight of countless eyes drawing toward them.
It must be because Biwol and I have such striking appearances.
Just as they were leaving the courtyard of the Outstanding Food Inn, they crossed paths with the young orthodox martial artists who had caused a scene earlier.
What amused Unwol was that Jin Jong-gang—the one who had been acting the most obnoxious—and the arrogant man in the blue robes both had faint bruises blooming on their faces. It looked as though they had been thoroughly disciplined.
The mild-mannered, gentle-looking young man who had been the quietest of the bunch seemed to have taken the worst of it; his face was a complete canvas of black and blue.
He trudged along, muttering under his breath in a dejected whisper, "I was the quietest one... Why me...?"
When their eyes met Unwol's group, the young martial artists instantly froze, looking incredibly awkward. Seeing this, Seo Ryeon was the first to step forward, bowing deeply.
"Once again, I sincerely apologize for our rudeness earlier."
"No, it is quite alright," Unwol replied smoothly. "Looking at their current state, it seems you have already resolved the matter rather effectively."
"Thank you for your understanding."
Despite her fierce and icy aura, Seo Ryeon was remarkably polite. Yeon So-o's face lit up with genuine delight the moment she saw her.
"Sister! I never expected to run into you here."
"I know, right? I assume you're also on your way to the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering?"
"Yes, that's right."
"Then... are these people your companions?"
"Ah, yes. They are. But we didn't start out together from Yunnan. We crossed paths by chance while traveling from Hunan to Hubei, and since we were heading the same way, we ended up traveling together."
"Ah, I see." Seo Ryeon stole a glance at Unwol, then quickly bowed again to offer a formal greeting. "I apologize for not introducing myself properly earlier; the situation was a bit chaotic. I am Seo Ryeon, a first-class disciple of the Hainan Sect."
"Yes. I heard a great deal about you from Lady Yeon So-o during our meal. She mentioned you possess a temperament that cannot tolerate injustice."
"Ahaha, no, not at all! You flatter me. I only do what any righteous martial artist ought to do."
When Unwol shifted his gaze to the other young martial artists standing behind her, they hesitated for a moment before reluctantly introducing themselves.
"I am Jin Jong-gang, the eldest son of the Guangdong Jin Clan," the first one muttered, trying to sound dignified. "Once again, I offer my apologies for my discourtesy earlier."
Standing beside him, Seo Ryeon furrowed her brow and barked, "Watch your tone."
"A-Ahem. I am Jin Jong-gang. I apologize for my rudeness earlier."
"I am Namgung Man of the Namgung Clan. I apologize for failing to step in when my brother was acting so insolently."
Namgung Man smoothly shifted the blame entirely onto Jin Jong-gang. Jin Jong-gang shot him a look of utter betrayal, but Namgung Man simply averted his eyes, pretending not to notice.
With that, the young masters of the Jin and Namgung clans slunk into the background, leaving Yeon So-o and Seo Ryeon at the center of the conversation.
Unwol smiled faintly and spoke to Yeon So-o. "Since you have reunited with a dear friend after so long, you must have much to discuss. Would you like some time to catch up privately?"
Yeon So-o, clearly hoping for exactly that, beamed. "Ah, would that be alright?"
"Of course. We only plan to look around the area anyway."
And so, Yeon So-o temporarily joined Seo Ryeon and her group of young martial artists.
Yeon So-o walked side-by-side with Seo Ryeon, with the other young martial artists trailing behind them. So-o turned to Seo Ryeon with a bright, warm expression.
"Sister, how have you been lately?"
"Oh, the usual. What else is there for a martial artist to do but train?"
"You look even more beautiful than the last time I saw you."
"Coming from you, that feels like a mockery, doesn't it?" Seo Ryeon teased.
As they happily chatted about the trivial things they had missed, Namgung Man, who had been quietly trailing behind, cleared his throat and slid up to Yeon So-o's side.
"Ahem, cough."
"Ah. Young Master Namgung, I forgot you were there."
"It has been a long time, Lady So-o. Have you been keeping well?"
Though his tone was perfectly polite, his sleazy gaze swept down from her face to linger on her chest. Yeon So-o, who was far too sharp to miss such a look, felt a surge of disgust. She gave a cold, indifferent shrug. "Ah, yes. Well enough."
To be fair, Namgung Man was exceptionally handsome by conventional standards. However, having spent the last few days looking at the likes of Unwol and Lee Hak, Yeon So-o found his face utterly average. Besides, she was someone who claimed not to care much about looks. (Of course, this was merely her own self-delusion; having fallen for Unwol at first sight, she was hardly one to talk.)
Flustered by her lukewarm response, Namgung Man cleared his throat again, trying to gauge her mood. "Ahem. By the way, about those companions you were traveling with..."
As a notorious lecher who secretly harbored the ambition of bedding every single one of the Five Flowers of the Martial World, Namgung Man was currently suffering from the delusion that Yeon So-o was being stolen away by that white-haired man.
Did that freak seduce our Lady So-o...?
Had anyone nearby been able to read his thoughts, they would have gladly informed him, 'The only freak here is you, Namgung Man.' Unfortunately, none of them possessed the art of mind-reading, so no such miracle occurred.
"We met by chance on the way to the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering," So-o replied. "They are very kind people, so I plan to continue traveling with them."
"...Still, isn't it far too dangerous to travel with strangers you've only just met?"
"Not at all. I appreciate your concern, but they are absolutely not the type of people to do anything untoward."
In Yeon So-o's eyes, Unwol's group consisted of highly refined, dignified gentlemen. If anything, she found Namgung Man and Jin Jong-gang far more dangerous, given how childish and sleazy they behaved.
Her judgment was entirely correct. In truth, both Namgung Man and Jin Jong-gang harbored incredibly vulgar designs toward Yeon So-o and Seo Ryeon. If a man and a woman travel together long enough, won't an opportunity naturally present itself? Especially when we stop at inns and drink together... That was the exact sort of calculation running through their minds.
Because he thought this way, Namgung Man assumed everyone else did too. He pressed on, trying to warn her once more. "But how can you judge a person solely by their cover? Even if they act perfectly normal on the outside, who knows what they're plotting on the inside—"
"I've heard enough," Yeon So-o cut him off. Having received nothing but kindness from Unwol's group, she found his insinuations deeply offensive. "Please stop casting baseless suspicions. I am perfectly capable of making my own judgments."
Her eyes narrowed sharply, her voice dripping with cold venom. Silenced by her fierce rebuff, Namgung Man could only clear his throat awkwardly. "Ahem. Very well."
Letting out a quiet sigh, she turned her attention back to Seo Ryeon. "Sister, did you and Chang-gung travel all the way here from Hainan by yourselves?"
"Pretty much. But didn't you travel all this way alone?"
"Yes. I've always preferred traveling alone rather than dealing with others."
"Ah, I see." As they strolled through the bustling market streets, Seo Ryeon leaned in closer, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "By the way... that man from earlier. Lord Unwol."
"Ah, yes?"
"What exactly is his relationship with that white-haired beauty by his side?"
"I'm not entirely sure. Why do you ask...?"
Seo Ryeon seemed to ponder for a moment, studying Yeon So-o's eyes, before speaking slowly. "So-o... by any chance, do you have feelings for him?"
"What? N-No, of course not!"
In truth, she did. But Yeon So-o was incredibly awkward and self-conscious when it came to matters of the heart, and the thought of exposing her feelings to someone else was too overwhelming. She blurted out the exact opposite of what she felt.
Hearing her denial, Seo Ryeon let out a sigh of relief and whispered, "Oh, thank goodness. To be honest, he is completely my type. I was wondering if you could introduce us."
"Wait... what?"
For a second, Yeon So-o doubted her own ears. She blinked, wondering if she had misheard. "Y-You... have feelings for Lord Unwol...?"
"Yes. I've never felt this way about anyone before..." Seo Ryeon, usually so fierce and tomboyish, blushed slightly, her voice trailing off.
At that moment, a foreign emotion flared up deep within Yeon So-o's chest. It was a deeply familiar, yet thoroughly unpleasant sensation—one she recognized all too well.
Jealousy and anxiety.
Those negative emotions that plague humanity, the dark seeds that slowly eat away at the soul from within—they had taken deep, unshakable root in the depths of her heart.
Instantly, Yeon So-o's eyes grew cold and flat. Her voice, unlike before, carried a subtle chill as she replied, "I wouldn't know. We haven't been traveling together for very long, so I don't know much about Lord Unwol either."
"Oh, really? That's a shame. In that case, do you think I could join your group? You said you're heading to the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering anyway, so our destinations are the same..."
"But... wouldn't that be a bit rude?" Yeon So-o countered.
In that instant, their gazes clashed. The Sword Flower and the Fierce Flower. A freezing wind began to howl between the two blossoms.