Chapter 289: Geum Sohwa (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 289: Geum Sohwa (2)
The atmosphere instantly grew heavy at Kang Hyun-woo’s words.
Geum Sohwa struggled to suppress her turbulent emotions and maintain a calm expression, but that alone wasn't enough to handle the situation.
Her opponent was a Transcendent master of unknown origin.
Worse, he was a monster who had single-handedly dealt with Old Monster Mangong—a master who was at the entry level of the Flower Realm but could fight on par with a seasoned expert of that realm when going all out.
The fact that such a person knew her secret was an immense pressure on Geum Sohwa.
“...How in the world do you know?”
The corners of Geum Sohwa's mouth were set in a hard line.
She had to admit that coming down into this tunnel to assess the situation had been a mistake. If any trouble broke out here, her chances of escape were practically nonexistent.
The only silver lining was that, from her perspective, the two of them didn't seem to be in good condition.
But even that wasn't much of a comfort.
The aura flowing from Kang Hyun-woo completely overwhelmed her. The same was true for Cheon Yeo-hwa.
The combined presence of two Transcendent masters was too much for Geum Sohwa, who was barely at the entry level of the Peak Realm.
“Well, now.”
Noticing the faint tremor in her fingertips, Kang Hyun-woo withdrew his aura.
“Before I answer your question, your sleeves look a bit heavy. Why don't you put down what's inside?”
“...You have sharp eyes.”
Clang, clatter, crash.
A shower of daggers fell from inside Geum Sohwa's sleeves.
There were various types, and the sheer number looked to be in the dozens.
Kang Hyun-woo watched the scene with interest.
“As you've requested, I have disarmed myself. May I have an answer to my question now?”
Geum Sohwa spread her arms in an exaggerated gesture and smiled. Her full breasts swayed naturally, and her pale white shoulders were completely exposed.
She possessed a beauty that could stir lust in anyone, regardless of age or gender, but Kang Hyun-woo's reaction was lukewarm at best.
There were two main reasons for this. First, the women he had met, starting with Iris, had set an incredibly high standard. The women he had been intimate with were all beautiful enough to make an entire nation, or even a continent, fall lovesick. It was only natural that he had developed an immunity to a woman's seductions.
Besides, all he had to do was turn his head to see Cheon Yeo-hwa, whose beauty was nothing short of world-class.
Of course, under normal circumstances, he might have played along to some extent, but this was not a normal situation.
“I haven't received an answer to my question yet... but for the sake of a smooth conversation, I will concede a step.”
Geum Sohwa inwardly clicked her tongue at Kang Hyun-woo's cold response. It was a stark contrast to the lecherous gaze he had given her at first.
“However, there is something I must correct before we proceed.”
“Pardon?”
Seeing the smile spread across Kang Hyun-woo's lips, Geum Sohwa felt an unidentifiable anxiety begin to creep up from a corner of her heart.
She tried her best to maintain her composure, but Kang Hyun-woo's next words completely shattered the mask she had been wearing.
“You shouldn't be asking me how I know. You should be asking how much I know. Madam, no... Miss Danri Sohwa.”
“?!”
At that last sentence, Geum Sohwa—no, Danri Sohwa—froze solid.
That was her real name.
“H-How in the world...”
“That's not important.”
Unlike Danri Sohwa, who was now too flustered to hide her emotions, Kang Hyun-woo remained perfectly calm.
[Danri Sohwa
Status: Virgin]
Since he had easily obtained this information with Unicorn's Gaze, Kang Hyun-woo had no idea of its significance. At most, he thought it was just a common alias used by assassins.
“What's important is whether you, Miss Danri Sohwa, are my enemy.”
Shing—
The moment Kang Hyun-woo drew the Heaven-Shattering Demonic Sword, the atmosphere turned even colder.
This was due to the ominous and gloomy energy the sword possessed.
It was docile when sheathed in its pure white scabbard engraved with a sun, but the moment its blood-red blade was revealed, its mere presence was enough to overwhelm its surroundings. This trait had become even more ferocious after it absorbed Kang Hyun-woo's demonic energy.
Danri Sohwa broke out in a cold sweat under the pressure emanating from the Heaven-Shattering Demonic Sword. But she wasn't the only one who reacted.
-Hyun-woo, that sword...
Cheon Yeo-hwa also seemed somewhat intimidated.
It was unlike her usual self, but in a way, it was to be expected.
Just as submission to the strong was a demonic human's instinct, Cheon Yeo-hwa was no exception. Her Moon Spirit Demonic Energy knelt before the demonic energy radiating from the Heaven-Shattering Demonic Sword.
Seeing Cheon Yeo-hwa's reaction, Kang Hyun-woo quickly sheathed his sword.
A moment later, the heavy air returned to normal.
Danri Sohwa wiped the cold sweat from the back of her hand and shook her head.
“Hah... If I knew it would come to this, I shouldn't have helped Master Jinmyeong... No, I should have refused to come to Seoyu County in the first place.”
She let out a hollow laugh with a look of resignation.
Her seductive allure had diminished, but in its place was the most natural smile he had seen from her yet.
“...I'm dying to know how you learned that name, Young Master, but it seems I have no choice but to answer your question. So, before that, allow me to reintroduce myself.”
Rustle—
Danri Sohwa took a step back, neatly grasped the ends of her clothes, and bowed her head.
Her flawless composure and restrained dignity were so impeccable that she could have easily passed for the daughter of a prestigious noble family.
“I am Danri Sohwa, the Hubei Province Branch Manager of the Hao Clan.”
Hearing her words, Kang Hyun-woo couldn't help but be a little surprised.
He had expected her to be part of the Hao Clan, given that she was a courtesan who knew martial arts, but she was a much bigger figure than he had thought.
“Why is the Hubei Branch Manager in Seoyu County and not Wuhan?”
Even if not Wuhan, there were Yichang, Xiangyang, or Jingzhou. Compared to them, Shiyan, where Seoyu County was located, was not a very strategic location.
“A year ago, a new branch was established in Seoyu County, and I have been staying here to ensure its internal stability.”
“But is there a need for the branch manager to move personally?”
“Would you believe me if I said I'm the type who has to see things with my own two eyes to be satisfied?”
At her somewhat sharp reply, Kang Hyun-woo took a step back. The situation didn't allow him to press on unnecessary details.
“Then what is your relationship with Old Monster Mangong?”
“...In the eyes of the world, the Black Crow Sect and the Hao Clan may seem like allies belonging to the same Twelve Demonic Sects, but strictly speaking, it's more of a one-sided cooperative relationship.”
“A one-sided cooperative relationship?”
Danri Sohwa nodded.
“A few months ago, an order came down from the Evil Alliance to cooperate with Old Monster Mangong. It was practically coercion. The head of the Hao Clan might have been able to refuse, but as a mere branch manager, I had no choice but to comply. That's why I had to offer this tunnel, originally created to record and store gathered intelligence, as a hideout.”
As she continued, Danri Sohwa's brow furrowed deeply.
“The amount of time and money I've wasted because of those bastards over the past few months...”
Suddenly lost in her own world, she hurled sharp criticisms at the Black Crow Sect and the Evil Alliance.
Kang Hyun-woo wasn't entirely ignorant of her feelings, so he waited in silence.
“Ahem, I've shown you an unsightly side of myself.”
“I'd say it was more human than unsightly.”
Danri Sohwa's face flushed at Kang Hyun-woo's words.
“Then I'll ask again. Danri Sohwa, no, Branch Manager of the Hao Clan's Hubei branch, will you be hostile towards me?”
Danri Sohwa shook her head firmly at Kang Hyun-woo's question.
“The world may compare the Twelve Demonic Sects to the Orthodox Faction's Nine Great Sects and One Alliance or the Five Great Families, but our bonds are so flimsy they could break at any moment. For instance, if not for the Evil Alliance Leader's mediation, a war would have already broken out between the Black Dragon Castle and the Black Crow Sect. Our Hao Clan is not on good terms with the other sects either. As I just mentioned, this cooperation was also forced upon us by the Evil Alliance.”
In short, she was saying she didn't care whether Kang Hyun-woo killed Old Monster Mangong or the members of the Black Crow Sect disguised as the Iron Snake Gang.
But that wasn't the problem.
'...It's only a matter of time before my name spreads throughout the Central Plains through the Hao Clan. And the fact that I killed Wang Chwiong will leak out in the process.'
Kang Hyun-woo bit his lip.
He had to avoid, at all costs, a situation where rumors spread and he became an enemy of the massive organization known as the Evil Alliance.
“Madam, no, Miss Danri, how about we make a deal?”
“A deal?”
“I'll be direct. I don't want my name mentioned within the Hao Clan. Of course, the fact that I was the one who killed Old Monster Mangong must not be revealed to anyone either. In return, I will also keep Miss Danri's name a secret for the rest of my life.”
Hearing this, Danri Sohwa fell into thought and remained silent for a while.
“...I have one condition.”
“What is it?”
“Tell me the source of how you found out my name.”
This was of the utmost importance to Danri Sohwa.
However, Kang Hyun-woo shook his head and refused. He couldn't just invent a source that didn't exist.
“It's a secret.”
“Then it's difficult for me to accept the deal. It means my name could be spread anytime, anywhere.”
“You don't have to worry about that part.”
“Are you trying to get by with a verbal promise?”
Kang Hyun-woo smirked as she threw his own words back at him.
“Have you forgotten the debt you owe me, Miss Danri?”
“Pardon? What debt?”
“I'm talking about when I first went to Monghyeonru, and you served me an inferior product while calling it premium Dugangju. Surely you haven't forgotten?”
At those words, a look of bewilderment flickered in Danri Sohwa's eyes.
It was common practice in brothels to swindle customers by passing off cheap liquor as expensive brands. It was also common to make several times the profit off first-time visitors.
However, Danri Sohwa herself had never once given such an order.
“That was the servers at the brothel...!”
“But aren't you the owner, Miss Danri?”
“...”
It was a valid point.
Although there was a figurehead manager, the actual owner of Monghyeonru was Danri Sohwa.
“Well, fine. I suppose you have a right to feel wronged since it wasn't something you ordered directly.”
Danri Sohwa's face brightened at Kang Hyun-woo's words.
But her expression crumbled in an instant.
“Then I'll have no choice but to kill the staff of Monghyeonru who swindled me and sullied my honor.”
“...What?”
Kiiiiing—!!
Kang Hyun-woo's Heaven-Shattering Demonic Sword unleashed its Aura.
Faced with its immense power, Danri Sohwa swallowed dryly.
“...deal.”
“Pardon? What did you say?”
“I'll take the deal!”
“A wise decision.”
Kang Hyun-woo offered Danri Sohwa a handshake with a friendly smile.
Seeing this, Danri Sohwa wore a dumbfounded expression as she slapped her hand into his.
*
With the one-sided deal concluded, Kang Hyun-woo opened the wooden box he had received from Jinmyeong and took out the Great Purity Marvel Pill.
The pill, which swirled with a bluish energy, seemed to exude a strange sense of calm just by itself.
Gulp.
The moment he swallowed the pill, a clear, sharp energy swiftly permeated not only his Eight Extraordinary Meridians but also his minor meridians, beginning to heal his internal injuries.
Thanks to this, the magic power and internal energy that had been holding his damaged organs together began to ease up.
At this rate, he would be fully recovered by morning.
“...Are you sure you're alright without circulating your qi? A pill given to a first-generation disciple of the Wudang Sect could be considered a mid-grade elixir...”
As Danri Sohwa said, an elixir containing spiritual energy was merely a health supplement for ordinary people, but it was a different story for martial artists who had formed a dantian. It was used for various purposes, including enhancing internal energy and expelling impurities accumulated in the meridians.
As useful as elixirs were, there had always been a fine line between medicine and poison.
A classic example was when a martial artist, instead of cultivating qi through their cultivation method, would instantly absorb external internal energy from an elixir, causing their meridians to twist and resulting in internal injuries.
To prevent such side effects and to fully absorb the elixir's energy, the proper method was to sit in the lotus position and circulate one's qi according to their cultivation method upon consumption.
But Kang Hyun-woo had no need for that.
The energy of the Great Purity Marvel Pill that spread through his body was instantly and rapidly absorbed by the Heaven-Shattering Demonic Sword's ability, Tam, leaving no time to circulate his qi.
The efficiency was far superior to sitting in the lotus position and circulating qi.
Having absorbed 100% of the elixir's energy, Kang Hyun-woo smiled with satisfaction.
“I've had a strong stomach since I was a kid, so I'm fine.”
“Excuse me...?”
Danri Sohwa was dumbfounded by Kang Hyun-woo's words.
An elixir wasn't some kind of danggwa candy for children.
“Ah, can I ask you one more thing?”
“...I'll be charging an information fee.”
“I noticed earlier that the drinks the courtesan brought out seemed strange too...”
Danri Sohwa gritted her teeth.
“...Ask me anything.”
“Do you happen to know anything about the Blood Cloud Thunder Emperor?”