Chapter 12
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: Piercing Sword Sect Luoyang Branch 12
-----------------------------------------------------------------
'What nonsense is this guy spouting first thing in the morning?'
Yeo Chu-sam thought to himself.
'Did getting turned away by the doorman at Fragrant Flower Pavilion hit him that hard?'
Last night, Yeo Chu-sam and Wang Mun-gi had secretly tailed Jang So-cheon.
Unfortunately, neither of them had ever tried shadowing anyone before in their lives.
On top of that, Jang So-cheon's skills outstripped theirs by two or three levels, making it reckless to follow too closely.
So they kept their distance, trailing him into Luoyang's entertainment district—only to lose him completely.
To be precise...
It wasn't so much losing their way as getting overwhelmed by the thick scent of powder filling the alleys and the seductive voices of the courtesans spilling out from the buildings, until they half-lost their senses without realizing it.
Getting dazed just from entering the district's outskirts? Someone might call that an exaggeration.
But these two had reached thirty without so much as holding a woman's hand, let alone exchanging proper words with one.
The reason was simple.
Unlike Mount Hua Sect, which had won great favor among women with their woman-friendly Moon Maiden Sword Art tailored to different body types, muscle strength, and temperaments, Piercing Sword Sect just couldn't attract female admirers.
Mount Hua Sect customized training paths based on physique, strength, and disposition, while Piercing Sword Sect had only one method.
Ultimate swift sword techniques.
Whether child, elder, or woman, everyone trained and was judged the same.
Fast and strong sword? Survive. Slow and weak? Die.
Under this ironclad rule, years of brutal training filled Piercing Sword Sect with nothing but swarthy, rough men.
Eventually, terms like "junior sister" or "martial niece" faded from use entirely.
Naturally, the disciples immersed themselves solely in cultivation, shunning women like ascetic monks of Shaolin, until they reached adulthood.
Passing through the entertainment district alleys, they couldn't even keep their eyes straight ahead to follow Jang So-cheon properly—they stumbled along, wasting time in a daze.
By the time they arrived near Fragrant Flower Pavilion, they missed the entire tense standoff between Jang So-cheon and Nam Seong-pil at the entrance.
When the pair finally reached the pavilion, the doorman was already telling Jang So-cheon to get lost.
So Yeo Chu-sam and Wang Mun-gi could only think...
'Impressive, really impressive. At thirty, he's thinking of entering the tournament again just to meet a fairy from Fragrant Flower Pavilion.'
'At least he hasn't started gambling again... but turning to courtesans of all things...'
Wang Mun-gi let out an incredulous chuckle, then decided to view the situation as positively as possible.
'Fragrant Flower Pavilion doesn't let just anyone in, even with money—you need fame as a martial artist. If that's motivating senior brother to train seriously again, I can take comfort in that.'
Seeing Yeo Chu-sam and Wang Mun-gi's sour expressions after his tournament declaration, Jang So-cheon gauged their mood and added,
"Of course, I'm not saying I'll jump into the tournament right away. My body's not fully recovered, and my combat senses have dulled a lot... Realistically, preparing for the next one after this makes more sense."
"Mm, tournaments run every two years, so that gives plenty of prep time."
Yeo Chu-sam nodded reluctantly, his face still uneasy.
The Jang So-cheon he'd known would have thrown a fit and insisted on the Luoyang tournament next month without batting an eye.
But skipping this one for full preparation two years out?
'Who is this guy? Is it really Jang So-cheon? Doesn't feel like our senior brother.'
Yeo Chu-sam eyed him up and down. Wang Mun-gi, too, widened his eyes in fresh surprise at the change.
Normally, he'd have barked at such insolence from his juniors and swung the iron fist of justice.
But today, for some reason, he didn't lay a hand on them—instead, he stayed calm and laid out his plans.
"Everything went off the rails starting at that tournament, so that's where I'll set things right."
"......"
"I know it's no easy task. The gap between Plum Blossom Sword Hero Cheong-su and me has only widened since then. Even devoting these two years purely to training might not close it fully—I could lose just as badly."
"......"
"But so what?"
Jang So-cheon continued, his face light and unburdened, as if he'd loosened one link in the chains binding his heart.
"How many in all martial history never tasted defeat? Even peak emperors among experts lose to stronger foes—it's natural."
"......"
"The difference is they never felt shame in defeat. They replayed it endlessly, turning it into fuel for growth, shattering walls of enlightenment."
Yeo Chu-sam and Wang Mun-gi listened intently, their faces grave.
"I spent the night sleepless, reflecting on the past... What shameful days they were."
"......"
"Looking back now, it wasn't even that big a deal... Why did I want to crawl into a rat hole so badly then...?"
Jang So-cheon clicked his tongue softly and gave a wry smile.
"You've had it rough covering for your worthless senior brother."
"......"
"From now on, I'll strive to be a senior brother you can boast about anywhere, not one to hide."
Tap tap.
Jang So-cheon patted Yeo Chu-sam and Wang Mun-gi's shoulders lightly, then strode out of the training hall with light steps.
The two swallowed dryly, staring at his back as he rambled on alone and vanished.
"Gasp... They say people change before death... He hasn't caught some awful disease, has he?"
"Nah. Since mastering Great One's Jade Wood Divine Art, no one in Piercing Sword Sect history died of illness—only blade wounds."
"Mm, then why the sudden change? People don't flip overnight."
"Dunno, no real guess. But if I had to say..."
"Say?"
"Maybe he finally passed some stubborn old stool after days."
"Mm, makes sense... Never seen anyone as constipated as senior brother."
They joked that he'd revert if constipated again for days, then began morning training.
Clueless about what a resolute Jang So-cheon would unleash after one night of resolve.
After a modest breakfast of bean and barley porridge, I dropped another bombshell on Yeo Chu-sam and Wang Mun-gi.
"Chu-sam, Mun-gi. We need to make some money."
"Huh? Suddenly?"
"It's abrupt, I know. But seeing our pitiful meals... Instead of just waiting for the senior uncles to return, we should earn at least enough for our keep."
"Mm......"
Yeo Chu-sam reacted lukewarm to my sudden shift, still awkward with the change.
Wang Mun-gi, milder and more respectful, nodded in agreement.
"Any specific plans?"
"I've thought of three options."
"I'm all ears."
"Three? Let's hear these brilliant ideas."
Yeo Chu-sam's cheeky tone irked me, unlike Wang Mun-gi's courtesy, but I swallowed my anger—karma from my past.
I continued in a stern, uncharacteristic voice.
"First: Ramp up martial hall operations."
"Hah! And your grand plan is the martial hall? You always mocked me for pushing it, saying we'd barely scrape by on snot-rag fees."
"Tsk, Chu-sam. Senior brother's being serious for once. Shut it till he's done."
Wang Mun-gi muscled down Yeo Chu-sam's pout, then nodded at me.
I told him to let go, then apologized to Yeo Chu-sam first.
"I own those past words. Sorry, Chu-sam. They were reckless."
"Mm."
"After pondering all night, the hall's essential for our living expenses now."
"Glad you see it, even late."
Yeo Chu-sam accepted grudgingly, face uneasy, wondering what happened last night.
I ignored it and shifted to hall plans.
"We've limited trainees to under fifteen, aiming for lay disciples."
"Yeah. Other sects do it too, so fifteen it was. We took sixteen- or seventeen-year-olds if decent."
"I know. But for the new hall, what if we drop the age limit?"
"Age limit?"
"Senior brother, that might be too much."
Even silent Wang Mun-gi balked at my radical proposal.
"Even teaching basics only, dropping limits could draw every drifter."
"Drifters would be fine. What if alley thugs, Black Society, Red Dragon Gang riffraff show up? Take them as Piercing Sword Sect Luoyang Branch trainees for coin?"
Ninth of the Nine Great Righteous Sects and Eight Schools.
Piercing Sword Sect teetered on the edge in the long-standing triad of alliances and rivalries.
Yet we remained a pillar of righteous martial arts, overlords of Yunnan with pride intact.
Accept any dog or pig for a few coins? Tarnish the sect's honor?
Yeo Chu-sam and Wang Mun-gi opposed fiercely—they'd starve first.
I nodded agreement, then added a condition for dropping limits.
"Minimum three targets in Ten Targets One Sword. Meet that, and we teach basics and breathing arts. Thoughts?"
"Three targets minimum?"
"Mm, a filter for riffraff, but three's too easy, no?"
"No."
I recalled the Black Society headquarters chaos, speaking confidently.
"Three targets is easy for us. For non-swift sword specialists? Tough."
"......"
"Not just a filter. It's bait to lure riffraff, pick their pockets."