Chapter 28
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: The Wandering King
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Cheon Muryang, who had set out in the morning, arrived in Hangzhou just as evening was setting in.
“I’m getting a little hungry.”
Just as he felt the pangs of hunger.
Two men, who appeared to be Neung Ryeoun and Cha Myeonghak, walked toward Cheon Muryang.
Cheon Muryang had traveled separately from the two to avoid the watchful eyes of the Council of Elders.
“My lord.”
“Ah, you’re here?”
“Yes.”
Dressed in common clothes, the two men took up positions behind Cheon Muryang as his guards.
They looked every bit the part of escort warriors, and Cheon Muryang, as if intentionally, acted like a thoughtless, delinquent young master.
“Well then, shall we grab a bite before we get started?”
“That sounds good.”
“Do you know a place?”
“Wouldn’t you know better than us, my lord?”
“Right.”
Cheon Muryang searched his memories.
However, the only places that came to mind were brothels.
“No. My memory is shot. Let’s go somewhere else.”
“……”
Avoiding his memories, Cheon Muryang entered an inn tucked away in a corner.
The shabbiness, showing the marks of time, seemed to promise good food.
It was no different from any other inn, but an old fishing rod hanging at the entrance to the kitchen momentarily caught Cheon Muryang’s eye.
“Let’s just have a quick bite.”
“Yes.”
There wasn't even a waiter, so Cheon Muryang had to order directly from the owner.
He ordered a variety of dishes, from Dongpo pork to noodles and dumplings.
“Tsk. What a damn nuisance.”
The elderly man grumbled.
However, Cheon Muryang pretended not to hear and pressed for additional orders.
“What are you doing? Order something.”
“Ah…”
“Eating well is part of your training.”
It didn't take long for a simple bite to turn into a grand meal.
“Would you like some wine as well?”
“Ah, no, no wine is fine.”
“Well, suit yourself.”
Creeak.
It was then.
The inn door opened.
Cheon Muryang, who should have been focused on his food, suddenly turned his head.
“Hey, old man. It’s been a while.”
“Heh heh heh. You’re back again, not dead yet.”
“Can’t die even if I want to. Hurry up and bring out the booze.”
He seemed to be acquainted with the innkeeper.
But for some reason, Cheon Muryang couldn't take his eyes off him.
“My lord? Is there a problem?”
“Ah, no. Let’s eat.”
Cheon Muryang ate his food.
The flavor on his tongue was certainly impressive, the work of no ordinary cook, but the feeling of unease wouldn't go away.
‘Why?’
It had started the exact moment he noticed the man chugging wine straight from the bottle in the corner of the inn.
‘Who is that man?’
He couldn't let his guard down.
Unbidden, the Heavenly Light Sword began to weep in all directions.
It was a warning of danger.
Thud!
Slamming the wine bottle down roughly, the man shot up from his seat.
Then, radiating an incredibly ferocious aura toward Cheon Muryang, he spoke.
“Damn it, it’s too noisy to drink. What gutter did you crawl out of, you bastard?”
“……!”
Startled by the raw, untamed aura, Neung Ryeoun and Cha Myeonghak drew their swords.
“Stay out of it.”
However, Cheon Muryang stopped them.
Watching the man stride toward him, he recalled a fleeting memory.
‘That face… I’m sure…’
He knew him.
He hadn't recognized him because his appearance had changed, but there were few in the entire martial world who could emit such a rough, unrefined, and raw aura.
“The Wandering King…”
That name, the Wandering King.
He was one of the few in the vast martial world permitted to bear the title of King.
‘Why would the Wandering King be here in Hangzhou?’
He wondered, but soon realized the question was meaningless.
The Wandering King was a wanderer who roamed the martial world without a destination.
Wasn't he the type who could be in Sichuan one day and Hebei the next?
“Oho. You don't seem to be just some fop who spouts poetry. You know who I am?”
The Wandering King was an extremely belligerent man.
When something piqued his interest, he had to satisfy his curiosity immediately.
“Let’s see…”
A glance.
The Wandering King’s eyes fell on the sword hanging at Cheon Muryang’s waist.
“I’ll see if your sword is as pretty as your face!”
Whooosh!
The Wandering King casually swung a great saber, nearly the size of his own body, with one hand.
Yet, that simple motion created the illusion that it was tearing through the very air as it flew toward them.
“My lord!”
“Stand back!”
“……!”
Neung Ryeoun and Cha Myeonghak.
The two defied Cheon Muryang’s order and moved on instinct.
Two swords flew through the Wandering King’s pressure.
Clang!
Neung Ryeoun of the Heavy Sword.
And Cha Myeonghak of the Swift Sword.
Cha Myeonghak’s swift sword struck first, attempting to change the saber’s direction, but failed.
Craaash!
Neung Ryeoun’s heavy sword, rushing in behind, tried to halt the saber’s advance but was broken through.
“Keuk!”
A single exchange.
The two were sent flying backward, spitting blood.
“Stay out of it, small fry.”
A twitch.
Though he called them small fry, the Wandering King couldn't hide his surprise.
The swift sword, though it failed to change the direction, had altered the angle.
The heavy sword, though it failed to block it, had reduced its speed.
‘Not bad. They’re promising talents.’
However, the Wandering King’s saber did not stop.
There was something else he wanted to see.
“My business is with you.”
It was overwhelming power.
Yet, Cheon Muryang drew the Wandering King’s saber in until the very last moment.
‘Reverse Scale Strike…’
There was no chance of winning a direct confrontation, so this moment, while the Wandering King wasn't using his full strength, was his only opportunity.
“……!”
Whoosh!
‘Wind?’
A wind blew.
But the Wandering King knew there was no reason for wind to blow in this enclosed space.
‘What’s this?’
The Wandering King saw a strange flow.
It felt as if his own saber was being drawn in.
‘Alright, I’ll play along.’
The Wandering King did not retreat.
He knew it was a trap, but he wanted to play along.
Whoooosh!
A massive current enveloped the Wandering King’s saber.
It manipulated his blade as if to negate his will.
C-crack.
Within that current, the Wandering King’s saber deviated from its intended path.
He saw a single sword coming up against that path.
Shuuuu!
The sword grazed past the Wandering King’s neck.
Blood spurted out.
A grin.
However, the Wandering King was so delighted that the corners of his mouth stretched to his ears.
“An interesting sword technique.”
“……”
Thwack!
The two stood in opposition.
Although the Wandering King was the one who was injured, Cheon Muryang looked as though he was the one at a disadvantage.
‘Did he read my ploy?’
The Reverse Scale Strike was a one-hit-kill technique.
Having failed, a second stroke of luck would never work.
“What is the name of that technique?”
“It is the Reverse Scale Strike.”
“Reverse scale… Interesting. Does that mean you think you’re a dragon?”
“I am Cheon Muryang, the Great Young Lord of the Cheon Family.”
A strange light flickered in the Wandering King’s eyes.
“The Cheon Family, you say. I’d heard that a tiger had sired a dog, and that the family’s future looked bleak…”
The Wandering King shrugged.
“What a load of bullshit, isn’t it?”
Thump!
The Wandering King slammed his saber into the ground.
“Hey, you bastard! Are you trying to wreck the floor?!”
“Ah, just put it on my tab.”
“I’ll be charging you interest!”
“Do what you want.”
The Wandering King spoke dismissively.
Then, with a sly smile at Cheon Muryang, he continued.
“That aside… why don’t you explain why the Great Young Lord of the Cheon Family decided to pick a fight with me?”
“My sword simply reacted on its own.”
“Oho.”
The Wandering King’s gaze shifted to the Heavenly Light Sword.
Its sharpness suggested it was no ordinary blade.
“Now that I see it, that sword of yours seems to be a masterpiece.”
“……”
“Good. Since I’m looking upon a junior today, I’ll give you a good price. Hand over that sword. If you do, I’ll overlook today’s rudeness. How about it? Sounds like a good deal.”
Whoosh!
The Wandering King’s rough aura once again enveloped Cheon Muryang.
It was a blatant threat.
However, within that storm-like aura, Cheon Muryang’s eyes remained coldly calm.
“And if I refuse?”
“Then you’ll have a hard time getting home in one piece tonight.”
A glance.
The Wandering King’s eyes shifted toward Neung Ryeoun and Cha Myeonghak.
“Your men, of course.”
Snap.
The Wandering King had crossed a line.
Cheon Muryang intended to show him that there were lines one should never dare to cross.
“What a load of bullshit.”
“What did you say?”
“Even if you were the Wandering King’s grandfather, you wouldn’t touch my people.”
Snap.
The atmosphere changed drastically.
Rooooooaaaar!
A tense standoff, one touch and it would explode.
A pressure incomparably greater than before crushed down on Cheon Muryang.
The Wandering King was, as rumored, a master who had reached the Transcendent State.
“What did you just say?”
The pressure from such a master was intense enough to kill an opponent with its aura alone.
However, Cheon Muryang was not the least bit intimidated.
“Even if you were not the Wandering King, but the Wandering King’s grandfather…”
“Enough!”
The Wandering King cut Cheon Muryang off.
“You truly must have a death wish. Are you acting so bold because you have the Cheon Family behind you?”
A smirk.
Cheon Muryang scoffed at the Wandering King.
“A true delinquent doesn’t think about things like that.”
“What?”
“Go fuck yourself.”
Cheon Muryang raised the Heavenly Light Sword.
The tip of the blade, which always pointed to the sky, was now aimed at the ground.
“Interesting. Very interesting. The youth of today lack this kind of spirit. It’s been a while since I’ve been this excited.”
The Wandering King rolled his shoulders.
This was the true appearance of the Wandering King, preparing for a battle of life and death.
“You’d better be careful this time. I won’t be holding back at all.”
“Be my guest.”
Even knowing he was no match for the Wandering King, he didn’t retreat an inch.
‘Even in a fight you know you’ll lose, there are times you cannot back down.’
This was one of those times.
His subordinates’ lives had been threatened.
How could he, as their lord, possibly tolerate it?
“You fearless pup.”
But it wasn't bad.
The Wandering King was starting to take a liking to Cheon Muryang.
‘Hmm. It would be a waste to actually kill him. Should I just scare him?’
As if he could hear his inner thoughts, Cheon Muryang’s expression turned serious.
“I have no intention of holding back either, so you’d better use your full strength. Unless you want rumors spreading that the great Wandering King got his ass handed to him by the Cheon Family’s delinquent.”
“You insolent bastard.”
The Wandering King’s muscles bulged.
An aura powerful enough to blow away the entire inn began to rise.
However, neither the Wandering King.
Nor Cheon Muryang could move.
“Hey! You bastard, are you trying to destroy my entire inn?!”
“……”
It was because of the innkeeper’s harsh scolding.
At that, the Wandering King let out a smirk and sheathed his saber.
“What a buzzkill.”
“……”
“Hey, you. You got lucky.”
“Don’t give me that shit.”
“What, you little punk!”
“Do you think I can forgive someone who hurt my men?”
“……!”
“I will definitely repay this debt.”
The sharp edge in Cheon Muryang’s spirit was genuine.
“You.”
“……”
“What did you say your name was?”
“Cheon Muryang, the Great Young Lord of the Cheon Family.”
“Cheon Muryang. I’ll remember that.”
“You’d better. Get up. Let’s go.”
“They’ll need at least four hours of rest.”
The Wandering King jeered.
“Yes, my lord.”
However, using their swords as support, Neung Ryeoun and Cha Myeonghak managed to get to their feet and fall in behind Cheon Muryang.
“Get the payment for our food from him.”
Cheon Muryang said to the innkeeper before leaving the inn.
As if nothing had happened, silence filled the inn. The innkeeper and the Wandering King faced each other and burst into laughter.
“Heh heh heh.”
“Hahaha.”
“What an interesting fellow. Old man, do you know much about him?”
“Well, I know as much as anyone else.”
“How about you share some of what you know.”
The innkeeper made a circle with his thumb and index finger.
“Everything in this world runs on money.”
“Come on, what’s that between us?”
“Have you already forgotten? Didn’t he tell me to get the money from you?”
The Wandering King’s expression soured as if he had bitten into something foul.
“I was just about to overcharge him anyway. That kid sure is lucky.”
The bickering between the cackling innkeeper and the grumbling Wandering King, who was about to lose his hard-earned money, continued for some time.