Chapter 7
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: Piercing Sword Sect Luoyang Branch 7
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Fragrant Flower Pavilion.
A tower where fragrant flowers lingered.
It was an exorbitantly expensive high-class brothel that a broke nobody like me wouldn't even dream of glancing at.
"Come to Fragrant Flower Pavilion by midnight...?"
Why?
Were they asking me to use brute force to subdue the rowdy drunks who harassed the courtesans?
It wasn't an entirely implausible idea.
Though Fragrant Flower Pavilion prided itself on strict standards and selective clientele, unlike ordinary brothels,
even the most upstanding gentleman without a blemish on his record could turn into a rabid dog once he was deep in his cups.
If only those who devolved from man to beast would just bark harmlessly or pass out peacefully.
But there were always those scumbags who grabbed innocent bystanders and pulled their filthy stunts.
That was why ordinary brothels hired several skilled ronin to prepare for such incidents.
Fragrant Flower Pavilion was no different.
However, its patrons were typically high-ranking officials, local magnates of Luoyang, and martial artists from prestigious clans.
So it was said they recruited masters with refined features and exceptional skill, rather than rough-looking ronin.
And calling someone to the pavilion at such a late hour? Naturally, I assumed they wanted me for rowdy customer duty.
It was humiliating for a disciple of the Piercing Sword Sect to play doorkeeper at a brothel,
but with no other way to erase my five-hundred-tael debt, I swallowed my frail pride.
I changed into the cleanest martial robe from my wardrobe, tidied my appearance, grabbed a sword, and headed to Fragrant Flower Pavilion on time.
But what was this?
"Ha, these bastards. What the hell are they playing at with me?"
Midnight had long passed, and it was nearly the hour of the ox, yet not a single Black Society thug showed so much as their nose.
Maybe they'd hurried ahead and gone inside already? I called the outer gatekeeper out to ask.
Had they reserved a spot in the Black Society's name? Had Fragrant Flower Pavilion asked them for anything?
The gatekeeper let out an incredulous scoff, shaking his head.
"The Black Society? Do you really think third-rate riffraff from the unorthodox paths could set foot in here, Young Hero Jang?"
"... "
"Forget those Black Society vermin—even the Red Dragon Gang, bigger than them, would struggle to get in."
Maybe because we knew each other from my gambling days, the gatekeeper clicked his tongue and spoke bluntly.
"Young Hero Jang, showing up here at this hour means you probably borrowed King Yama Debt from those thugs at the tables and can't pay it off, so you're planning to work it off with your body... That won't be easy."
"... "
"This isn't me looking down on you. I'm saying it out of genuine worry."
The gatekeeper had fallen deep into gambling, gotten hopelessly tangled with unorthodox scum, suffered every hellish ordeal imaginable, and finally washed his hands of it to start anew at Fragrant Flower Pavilion.
Knowing full well what he'd endured, I said nothing, just gave a wry smile and nodded.
I thanked him for making time during his busy hours and turned to leave.
Then, cautiously, he broached the subject.
"Young Hero Jang, I've heard rumors that the branch is in dire straits."
"... "
"I can't offer much help right now, but if you want, I can recommend a decent spot."
He still remembered the debt he owed me years ago and seemed eager to help in any way.
Seeing the sincerity in his eyes, I thanked him profusely with words alone and wrapped it up.
With a polite bow, I turned and headed back to the branch.
Cock-a-doodle-doo!
As I dozed lightly upon returning to the branch, the roosters heralding dawn crowed from all directions.
Having been toyed with by Black Society goons all night, I'd barely slept a wink.
I had a fierce urge to wring the necks of those damn noisy birds right then.
"Argh, that goddamn rooster...!"
Was it the lack of sleep? Or the midnight dog-training farce?
I didn't know the reason, but unlike usual, my heart burned with anger.
That's when Wang Mun-gi and Yeo Chu-sam flung the door open.
"Senior Brother!"
"The sun's been high for ages—how can you still be lazing in bed?"
"Get up already! Morning training will be late."
"Come on! Stretch, fold the bedding... Huh?"
Yeo Chu-sam yanked me upright, then spotted the clothes haphazardly tossed in the corner. He turned to me with a sly tone.
"Senior Brother, got yourself a girl?"
"What nonsense is that first thing in the morning?"
"No, but otherwise, why would you pull out those snazzy clothes from the wardrobe?"
At Yeo Chu-sam's logical deduction, Wang Mun-gi started sniffing suspiciously too.
"Sniff sniff! Smells like powder? I'm serious—the clothes have a faint whiff of it."
"Really? Let me sniff."
Yeo Chu-sam mimicked him, sniffing like a dog.
"Hmm, not sure..."
"Sniff harder. There's a very faint powder scent. Definitely."
Yeo Chu-sam apparently lacked Wang Mun-gi's bear-like nose and couldn't pick up much from the clothes.
But Chu-sam was sharper and quicker on the uptake than Mun-gi.
"Senior Brother, answer honestly from now on."
"Answer what?"
"Where'd you sneak off to last night without us?"
"Sneak off? Nothing like that."
"Oh, really?"
Yeo Chu-sam ran his finger along the sole of my cherished leather boots among the clothes, smirking.
"Senior Brother? Your precious leather boots have dirt on the soles."
"Huh?"
"When settling debts, you threw a fit that you'd die before selling these boots—better rip out your kidney first. So you wouldn't neglect them..."
Yeo Chu-sam spouted utter nonsense like he'd cracked a grand mystery, full of smug pride.
"He got shot down. Shot down."
"For real?"
"Think about it, Mun-gi. All the signs point to it."
A guy who'd never skipped morning training even during his gambling spiral suddenly oversleeps?
A guy who wore rags pulls out his one decent outfit and favorite boots?
And those clothes carry a faint feminine powder scent?
"It's clear. Senior Brother tried sneaking off for a rendezvous with some noble lady last night, but got exposed as a penniless bum and dumped."
"The more I hear, the more it fits."
"Age catches up to everyone, Senior Brother. Your flower-like youth is gone; you're a middle-aged uncle now. No wonder the ladies reject you."
"Can't fight time, huh, Senior Brother?"
Yeo Chu-sam and Wang Mun-gi looked at me pitifully, smirking like I'd met a tragic end.
Staring blankly at their smug faces, I suddenly thought, 'Mood's already ruined this morning—maybe time to give these punks a thrashing for old times' sake?'
But not wanting to waste energy brawling first thing, I relaxed my half-clenched fist.
I threw on my usual shabby clothes and stepped out to loosen my stiff body with simple stretches.
More to prevent muscle and joint stiffness than hardcore conditioning.
Yet every move whipped up fierce whooshes of air that never ceased.
Decades of daily training meant even unconscious strikes carried tremendous power.
Bam! Boom! Crash!
Yeo Chu-sam and Wang Mun-gi teased that I was sublimating heartbreak through harsh training.
But I swear on the heavens—I hadn't used even thirty percent of my strength this morning.
For some reason...
Since leaving the gambling dens, my stagnant qi and blood had burst open like a breached dam, surging with indescribable vitality.
Not that my Great One's Jade Wood Divine Art had leaped forward.
It remained at the Green Wood Blooming stage, unable to advance to White Wood Forest.
"Hoo... I have no idea anymore. Why am I overflowing with energy like this?"
I racked my brain for a while but found no clear answer.
So for now, I chalked it up to focusing solely on martial arts without distractions, boosting my inner power.
"You two worked hard. Morning training's done—let's call it."
"Urgh...!"
"Hiding behind 'training' to beat up your juniors and then bail? Where's that fair?"
I shook my head at Yeo Chu-sam's indignant rebellion.
"Chu-sam, crooked mouth or not, speak straight. I didn't beat you under pretense of training—you got hit because your skills suck."
"Eeeeek!"
"I went easy, or you wouldn't be standing. If I'd gone full force, you'd be crawling like Mun-gi."
Hitting him with cold facts silenced him like a mute with honey in his mouth, head bowed.
He seemed aware the gap between us was widening daily.
"Don't get too down, though. Keep at it steadily, and soon you'll master Whirlwind Flowing Sword and become a true peak-level swordsman."
"Tch! Save it. You beat us senseless yesterday and today—think a little sweet talk fixes that?"
Yeo Chu-sam helped the floored Wang Mun-gi up and into the inner quarters, just like yesterday.
They'd mocked me mercilessly over baseless accusations despite my sleepless night, so I applied a bit more 'scoundrel tax' force than usual.
Apparently, it was a big difference for those yet to breach peak level. Their battered, staggering forms leaving the training ground looked a tad pitiful.
"Both just need to clear one more hurdle... Stuck in place for two years now. So frustrating."
I stared at their retreating backs, sweat dripping from brow and nape untouched.
Once they vanished from sight, I started to leave the training ground myself.
That's when an arrow whistled over the wall, just like last evening.
Screee—thunk!
I snatched the arrow mid-air before it hit the ground and checked the note tied to it.
Then I crumpled it in irritation, grinding my teeth.
"Tonight at midnight, Fragrant Flower Pavilion...? These bastards—what the hell are they doing with me?"