A Clash in the Heart of Seongdo
KWAAAAAANG—!!!
A terrifying roar, as if the very earth was being shaken, rocked the heart of Seongdo.
"You poison-brewing bastards! Aren't you supposed to be orthodox sect!? Stop cowardly dodging and come out to face my blade head-on!"
Gwon Taeo, the great elder of Paedomun, bellowed in fury as he swung his massive greatsword.
In response, Dang Muntae, the first elder of the Sichuan Tang family, snorted and proceeded to thoroughly get under Gwon Taeo's skin.
"Hmph! You're the one who can't land a hit because your own skills are lacking, and you dare prattle on about orthodox sects! As expected of an unorthodox butcher! Maybe you should blame your pathetic skill first, don't you think?"
"Tsk tsk, why don't you just honestly beg? Beg? Beg me to let you get hit just once by your own ignorant sword swings!"
The second elder, Dang Mundeok, joined in, adding his own venomous barbs.
"You old poison-slingers keep running your mouths! Fine! I swear today I'll split your damn heads in half!"
Gwon Taeo, thoroughly provoked, lost his reason and exploded in rage, charging forward!
That was when—
"STOP!!!"
A heavy lion's roar, thick with internal energy, crushed the momentum of both sides in an instant.
"Cease this at once!!!"
Moyong Jin, the branch leader of the Murim Alliance's Sichuan branch, had urgently intervened, leading several dozen martial artists.
With the Murim Alliance's appearance, the Sichuan Tang family and Paedomun, who had been on the verge of tearing each other apart, paused and withdrew their weapons.
"Branch Leader, thankfully it seems there are no casualties yet."
Gwok Byeok, who had followed along, quickly surveyed the scene and reported.
There were plenty of people groaning from Tang family poison or bleeding from deep Paedomun blade wounds.
But thankfully, not a single person had suffered a fatal injury.
Since both sides had dispatched elite representatives of their respective sects, neither could easily land a killing blow.
"Good, it was worth rushing over as fast as we could. It's truly a relief there were no casualties."
Moyong Jin sighed in relief and patted his chest.
However, those words struck a nerve with someone.
"Relief, my ass!!!"
Gwon Taeo shouted, blazing with anger.
"Our sect master reluctantly agreed to that damn treaty only because the Murim Alliance begged so earnestly! We've held back, not even setting foot outside our designated area! And now you come charging in, claiming we broke the treaty, attacking us without cause—and you call this a relief!?"
Paedomun's position was bursting with grievance, but of course, the Tang family wasn't about to just sit there and take it.
Dang Muntae snorted and stepped forward.
"Hoh... who do you think you're fooling with that feigned magnanimity! It was our orthodox side that reluctantly accepted your outrageous terms, fearing for the blood of innocent commoners!!!"
Dang Mundeok followed up, veins bulging in his neck.
"Exactly! We showed mercy, and yet you have the audacity to beat our third elder into a bloody pulp!?"
"What? A bloody pulp? What nonsense are you crazy old men spewing since earlier!?"
"Denying it to the very end! As expected of unorthodox scum! Absolutely irredeemable!"
The situation began to turn ugly again.
Dang Muntae turned his head toward Moyong Jin.
"Branch Leader Moyong Jin, you've arrived just in time! Join forces with the Murim Alliance and let's sweep these unorthodox bastards out of Seongdo right now!!!"
"That's right, come on! Paedomun will never bow to your orthodox sect's petty tricks!!"
Gwon Taeo slammed his greatsword into the ground with a thud! and assumed a combat stance once more.
At that moment—
"STOP!!!"
Moyong Jin unleashed another lion's roar and stepped between them.
"Cease this! I said cease!"
The branch leader's angry shout brought a moment of silence. Dang Muntae asked, his expression full of discontent.
"Branch Leader, why on earth are you doing this? Driving these disgusting unorthodox bastards out of Seongdo once and for all would be good for the Murim Alliance too, wouldn't it?"
"Exactly! If the Alliance takes the lead, our Tang family will commit our full strength to support you!"
As the two elders pressured the Murim Alliance, deep furrows formed on Moyong Jin's brow.
"I'm telling you to stop! What are you talking about, driving Paedomun out of Seongdo right now? If we make a misstep, this could lead to a full-scale war between orthodox and unorthodox!"
Moyong Jin's voice was grave as he reminded them of the severity of the situation.
His concerns were extremely realistic and justified.
But there was no way that would get through to the Tang family elders, who were already drunk on poison and rage.
"Hmph! What a bunch of cowards! If the Alliance has no spine, what use are you!"
Dang Muntae clicked his tongue in mockery.
"Hah! Then don't interfere and just get lost! We never needed the Murim Alliance's help in the first place! Our Tang family will utterly exterminate those Paedomun dogs!"
Dang Mundeok tried to cut the Alliance out entirely and reignite the battle.
If this continued, Sichuan would truly become a river of blood!
Just then, Gwok Byeok, who had been silently observing, stepped forward.
"Elders of the Tang family, I implore you to calm down! The Alliance deeply regrets what happened to your third elder and is conducting a thorough investigation. But is there really any solid evidence anywhere that Paedomun committed that horrific act?"
Gwok Byeok tried his utmost to politely reason with the enraged elders.
But his words only poured oil on the fire.
"You little shit! Are you defending those unorthodox bastards right now!?"
Dang Muntae's eyes rolled back as he screamed.
"Surely, surely the Murim Alliance hasn't taken bribes from those dark path dogs!?"
Even Dang Mundeok spat out an insult that crossed the line.
"SHUT YOUR MOUTH!!!"
Moyong Jin's patience, finally pushed to its limit, erupted.
A fierce aura burst forth from his body.
"Elders of the Sichuan Tang family or not, if you insult the Murim Alliance any further without any evidence, I swear on my name that I will not let it slide!!"
Pwaaaaaa—!!!
A massive storm of internal energy erupted from beneath Moyong Jin's feet.
Such a ferocious presence that even the surrounding martial artists gasped and stepped back!
Truly the dignity befitting the Sichuan branch leader, one of the Hundred Great Masters.
But Dang Muntae, the first elder, was also one of the Hundred Great Masters.
He wasn't the least bit intimidated and countered with his own poisonous aura.
"And what will you do if I don't let it slide? You're not unaware that our Tang family never forgets a grudge, are you? We won't just stand by either, not even for the Alliance!"
The auras of two Hundred Great Masters clashed, making the air around them tingle and freeze.
Watching this spectacle, Gwon Taeo burst into roaring laughter, clutching his stomach.
"Kuhahahaha! As expected of those high-and-mighty orthodox bastards! Watching you tear each other apart is absolutely hilarious!"
That blatant mockery made Dang Mundeok's face turn livid.
"Shut up, you beast of an unorthodox dog! I'll melt your tongue right now!"
Just as the atmosphere was about to turn even uglier—
"I implore you all to calm down!"
Gwok Byeok urgently spread his arms and stepped between them.
"I'm not saying this without any evidence that Paedomun wasn't responsible! Isn't that right, Branch Leader?"
"Yes, what the Law Enforcement Head says is correct."
From among the Murim Alliance martial artists, a beggar in tattered robes quietly walked out.
"I am I Pyo, recently appointed branch leader of the Beggar Sect in Seongdo. The culprit who harmed your third elder is not a member of Paedomun."
The sudden appearance of the Beggar Sect branch leader caused the Tang family elders' expressions to waver.
"What? What nonsense is that?"
"That person has never been spotted even once in Sichuan, let alone Seongdo. Therefore, he cannot be a son or disciple of the Paedomun sect leader."
Even with I Pyo's testimony, the Tang family's suspicions were not easily dismissed.
"Hah! Is that information reliable? What if they have secret children or disciples hidden away!"
As Dang Muntae stubbornly shouted again—
"How utterly ridiculous! Fabricating bloodlines and disciples out of thin air! You really just latch onto anything and bite down, don't you! At least you should listen to the words of this beggar who's from the same orthodox faction as you, shouldn't you?"
Gwon Taeo snorted in mockery.
"Ha! An ignorant swordsman dares to lecture us!"
As Dang Mundeok tried to spew poison again, I Pyo I Pyo cleared his throat and changed the atmosphere.
"Ahem! With all due respect to the Tang family elders, you should not underestimate our Beggar Sect's information network. And I'm not saying this solely because we failed to see him."
I Pyo puffed out his chest proudly and continued.
"According to the report from our Beggar Sect disciple who secretly tailed that ruffian, after causing the disturbance, he sold the greatsword he was carrying to a blacksmith shop. I believe you can easily understand what this means."
"What? What did you say? He sold his blade?"
Not only Dang Muntae but everyone else's eyes went wide.
A member of Paedomun selling their blade—the very soul of their martial art—to a blacksmith shop?
That was absolutely impossible under Paedomun's doctrine, even if the sky were to split in two!
"A Paedomun martial artist selling his own blade? Even a passing dog would laugh at that! I don't know who that bastard is, but he can't possibly be one of our members! Kuhahaha!!"
Gwon Taeo clutched his stomach and burst into thunderous laughter.
"Isn't this hilarious! If you had just asked the Alliance or the beggars, or done even a little investigation, this would have been cleared up right away. Instead, you immediately slapped a false accusation on us and attacked without thinking, is that what you're saying?"
He raised his greatsword, pointing it at the Tang family camp.
"The esteemed elders of the illustrious Sichuan Tang family! Kuhahahaha!!!"
"Krrrgh...!!!"
Dang Muntae's and Dang Mundeok's faces flushed crimson with shame.
Everything Gwon Taeo said was correct, leaving them unable to even refute him.
But from the Tang family's perspective, they could hardly be blamed!
—Huuuuh...! Please, you must avenge me! Kill that mad bastard of Paedomun who did this to grandfather! No, destroy Paedomun entirely!!!
Having witnessed her great-granduncle's limbs get shattered right before her eyes, Dang Aran had sobbed and firmly insisted it was Paedomun's doing.
—Paedomun's hidden dragon swung his greatsword and massacred Elder Dang Taebo! —Exactly! And he fled to the western district, so it's definitely Paedomun!
On top of that, spectators who had directly witnessed the incident in the heart of Seongdo had added their own mistaken assumptions and false rumors to the mix.
From the Sichuan Tang family's position, it was only natural that they were certain it was Paedomun's doing and furious!
"Elders of the Tang family. Do you understand the situation now? So please, calm yourselves and stop this."
Moyong Jin sighed and stepped in to mediate.
"Krrgh..."
Dang Muntae, completely at a loss for words, ground his teeth.
But Dang Mundeok, still unable to swallow his pride, stepped forward.
"Brother! There's no need to be troubled! Weren't we going to drive those irritating Paedomun bastards out of Seongdo sooner or later anyway? Let's just use this as the opportunity—let's crush them for the sake of the people!"
"Kuhahaha! Shameless, utterly shameless! You screw up on your own and then spout more bullshit! For the sake of the people? Kuhahaha! You're truly disgusting hypocrites!"
Gwon Taeo gleefully mocked the Tang family in return.
"This unorthodox dark path dog really wants to die!"
"Enough, Mundeok."
As Dang Mundeok tried to lunge forward, Dang Muntae restrained him with a heavy voice.
"But brother!"
"Our justification is already gone. We must acknowledge what needs to be acknowledged and withdraw, brother."
"But if we back down like this, the Tang family's face..."
"Enough. What do you think the supreme elder, who is currently in closed-door training, would do if he found out that we broke the treaty and started a fight without justification first?"
At the mention of the supreme elder, Dokwang, Dang Mundeok's body flinched.
"That's... krgh... I understand."
In the end, Dang Mundeok had no choice but to suppress his anger and take a step back.
Dang Muntae, swallowing his pride, forced a fist-and-palm salute toward Gwon Taeo.
"...It seems we let our emotions get the better of us and misunderstood. I apologize for attacking rashly."
"You think an apology makes this go away? What about our members who collapsed foaming at the mouth from your poison?"
Gwon Taeo snorted and sneered, making Dang Muntae's brow twitch.
"...We will send our Tang family physicians to treat them all and also promise separate compensation."
"Kkeuk, fine. That compensation better be generous and substantial."
From Paedomun's perspective, there was no need to recklessly wage war with the Sichuan Tang family, so the conflict ended there.
"Haaaah... That's truly a relief."
Gwok Byeok let out a huge sigh of relief.
"Yes, truly a relief. If the Tang family had stubbornly insisted on fighting to save face here, it could have been a real disaster... Thank goodness the first elder stopped them."
Moyong Jin also nodded, putting his mind at ease.
If the Sichuan Tang family had insisted on fighting to the end, the Murim Alliance would have had no choice but to support them, potentially leading to a full-scale war between orthodox and unorthodox.
Anyway, as the situation was thus resolved.
Dang Muntae called out to I Pyo with a heavy voice.
"...Branch Leader I Pyo."
"Yes, First Elder. Speak."
"If you were able to track down that he sold his greatsword to a blacksmith, I trust you also know exactly where he is right now."
A chilling murderous intent flashed in Dang Muntae's eyes.
Just because the misunderstanding with Paedomun was cleared up didn't mean Dang Taebo's limbs would grow back.
And his rage toward the true culprit was boiling even hotter.
Not only had this made the Tang family, the premier clan of Sichuan, lose all face, but it had also forced him, the first elder, to bow his head to a Paedomun dog.
"Lead us to where that bastard is right now."
Around the time the confrontation between Paedomun and the Tang family was dramatically concluding.
Do Gwang had found a suitable inn and settled down with Do Hwa.
"Hey, did you hear? Right now in the center of Seongdo, the Sichuan Tang family and Paedomun are apparently fighting tooth and nail!"
"Huh! Really? Then is it okay for us to just sit here drinking like this?"
Murmur, murmur.
The inn was buzzing with rumors about the incident unfolding in the heart of Seongdo.
'The Tang family and Paedomun are fighting? Was there an event like that...?'
Do Gwang tilted his head and briefly scoured his memories.
No matter how hard he thought, there was no event where the two forces clashed in an all-out war.
'...Well, this isn't a game anymore. That could happen.'
Do Gwang decided to take it lightly.
Just like martial artists to be always fighting.
'Tsk tsk... Not a single peaceful day, always brawling.'
He couldn't help but shake his head.
People should live with some common sense and refinement.
'Like me.'
Just as Do Gwang was thinking that—
"Welcome! What can I get for you, honored guest?"
A server with a towel over his shoulder greeted them with an exceedingly bright and friendly demeanor.
Having worked at the inn for a long time and dealt with countless vicious martial artists, he seemed deeply accustomed to being kind and cheerful.
As if pleased by that kind of service attitude—
Tuk.
"I'd like a meal and a room, please. Keep the change."
Do Gwang pulled a one-nyang silver coin from his pouch and casually placed it on the table.
Then he went even further.
Tuk. Tuk.
"This is a little extra for taking good care of us."
He pulled out two more nyang of silver and pushed them toward the server!
That was a total of three whole nyang of silver!
"Hoooooly...!"
The server's eyes nearly popped out of his head.
What kind of windfall was this! Even one nyang was an enormous amount of money, but he was giving him two extra nyang just for himself!
"Oh my! Great hero! No, milord! I will serve you with the utmost care!"
The server bent over so deeply it looked like his spine would snap in half.
"Kyahahaha~~"
Do Hwa burst into bright laughter, apparently finding the server's fussing highly amusing.
And a very satisfied smile spread across Do Gwang's lips as well.
'...I've always wanted to do that.'
That's right. Do Gwang had always wanted to try this just once.
Wasn't it the universal law of wuxia? Walking into an inn, tossing silver coins, and flexing on the server!
And not stingily with just one nyang, but generously throwing in two extra!
Besides, this was money legitimately extorted from those Manwolchae bandit bastards anyway.
Spending three nyang of silver didn't feel wasteful at all.
'Money? With the right mindset, there are ways to earn it everywhere.'
Bandit dens like Manwolchae swarming near Seongdo.
Ruins or caves of opportunity where treasures or wealth lay sleeping.
Ways to make money were practically limitless in his mind.
But honestly, he didn't even need to go far.
Because inside the inn, there were already some people watching with great interest as Do Gwang casually pulled out three nyang of silver and handed it to the server!
"Kkeuk... Hey, you there."
Look at that. What a predictable development!
Thugs who looked like they had "I'M A BAD GUY" tattooed on their foreheads approached with sly grins, looking for trouble.
"Your pouch looks pretty heavy. Want us to help lighten it a bit?"
The one who seemed to be their leader stared intently at the money pouch Do Gwang had placed on the table, drooling with greed.
"We happen to be a bit short on drinks, you know? Wouldn't it be nice if we helped each other out? Kkeuk..."
"Boss, this punk's face looks pretty delicate. Perfect for shaking down. Hehe."
The surrounding lackeys snickered and encircled Do Gwang's table.
Before Do Gwang could even react to this all-too-common wuxia low-level thug encounter event—
"Dad! Can I kill these guys?"
Do Hwa asked in her clear, bright voice.
"Puhahaha! Hey, did you hear that? That little runt says she's gonna kill us!"
"Oh, I'm so scared~ Uncle almost wet his pants, you cheeky little brat! Hehehe!"
The thugs were too busy clutching their stomachs and laughing in mockery at Do Hwa's words.
But—
"Uh... w-wait a minute. Did she say... Dad...?"
One of the thugs in the corner suddenly turned deathly pale and stammered.
He had heard it today.
A rumor about a crazy bastard who was traveling with a deranged little girl who called him Dad even though they didn't look that far apart in age.
And that crazy bastard was said to have utterly shattered the limbs of a Sichuan Tang family elder!
"B-Boss... that guy over there... could he be that crazy bastard from the rumors...?"
The lackey shook like an aspen tree, and the leader thug snorted.
"You idiot! You actually believe that bullshit? Does it make any sense that a Tang family elder would get taken down by some pretty boy gigolo like him?"
"B-but... the kid called him Dad..."
"And you moron, the rumor said that crazy bastard carries a massive greatsword on his back! But all that punk has is a damn iron club!"
The leader's rebuttal made the lackey nod.
"Ah... y-you're right, aren't you? Now that you mention it. Phew, that's a decade off my life."
"Ugh, what a cowardly shit you are."
The leader sighed at his subordinate and then swaggered forward, reaching his hand out toward Do Gwang.
"Hey, just nicely take out everything in that pouch and—"
But he never got to finish that sentence.
Because—
"Sure, go ahead."
Do Gwang's plain permission had been given.
"Kyahahaha~~!"
The girl's clear laughter rang out through the inn.
And then—
Swish—!
"...?"
The leader thug's gaze wandered through empty space as he had been swaggeringly reaching out his hand.
His arm, which had been extended toward Do Gwang's pouch just moments ago, was now lying on the floor, neatly severed below the elbow.
Pshoooo—!!!
"KYAAAAAAAH! MY AAAARM!!!!"
As blood gushed like a fountain from the severed stump, the bastard belatedly realized the horrific pain and let out a beast-like scream.
But that desperate scream didn't last long.
"Kyahahaha~~"
Along with Do Hwa's cheerful laughter—
Swish—!
The bastard's head flew through the air as cleanly as if a radish had been sliced!
"H-hiik! B-Boss!!!"
"This crazy little brat killed the boss!!!"
As the leader's neck was severed in an instant, the thugs gasped in horror and drew their weapons.
"Don't panic! It's just one little girl! Surround her, don't lose your composure!"
The remaining thugs, still numbering ten, trusted their numerical advantage and tried to surround Do Hwa.
But—
"...I'm here too, you know?"
Whoooosh—!
Do Gwang, who had risen from his seat without a sound, swung his iron club in a wide arc.
KWAJIJEEK—!
"KYAAAAAAAHK!!!"
KWAAAAAANG—!
One thug, hit square in the ribs by the iron club, had his upper body bent at a grotesque angle like a drawn bow before flying into the wall and crashing into it!
"Geez... even a dog doesn't bother someone while they're eating, you know."
Do Gwang's face was expressionless as he drove his club down onto the next bastard.
Then—
PWOONG—!
With a sound like a watermelon bursting, another thug's head vanished without a trace.
"H-hi... hiiik...!"
"R-runnnn!!! They're monsters!!!"
Faced with such overwhelming force, the thugs completely lost their will to fight and scrambled toward the inn's entrance.
"...Do Hwa."
"Yeah, Dad!"
Do Gwang and Do Hwa exchanged glances and chased after them.
KWAJIJEEK!
"KYAAAAAAHK!!"
PWOONG—!
Every time Do Gwang's iron club swung, dull cracking sounds accompanied thugs' bones turning to powder.
"Kyahahaha~~"
"Sp-spare... gck!"
Swish—! Swish—! Swish——!
Whenever Do Hwa's sharp dagger flashed, their bodies were neatly sliced apart.
In the end, the inn's first floor was transformed in an instant into a devastated hellscape of blood and flesh.
"Wh-what in the..."
The server, who had been about to bring out their food, froze with his tray, trembling violently.
Thud. Thud.
Do Gwang walked through the sea of blood and approached the server.
"H-hi... hiiik...!!!"
The server's legs gave out and he collapsed to the floor.
He thought he was a generous great hero, but he turned out to be a crazy murderer!
Today my life ends here too!
Just as the server thought that and was about to squeeze his eyes shut—
Tuk—
Something heavy dropped in front of his knees.
It was the exact money pouch those thugs had been eyeing earlier.
"Sorry for the commotion. This is compensation."
"...Huh?"
The server looked blankly between the pouch and Do Gwang.
"Compensation. Use it for repairs."
At Do Gwang's words, the server stammered, unable to form a sentence.
He's giving all of this...? Even a low estimate would be close to a hundred nyang?
The server hesitated to touch the pouch.
Then!
'What are you doing not taking it right away, you idiot!'
The innkeeper, hiding behind him and trembling but still shooting a desperate glare, struck the server's voice struck the server's back like a whip.
The server quickly hugged the money pouch in his trembling hands.
"Ah...! Thank you so much, great hero...!"
"Don't mention it. Just bring the food quickly."
"Y-yes, right away!"
The server scurried into the kitchened into the kitchen as if fleeing.
"Dad! These guys are all just beggars!"
Do Hwa rummaged through all the corpses' pockets and then pouted, grumbling.
"Is that so? Oh well. Let's just eat."
"Okay!"
Do Gwang led Do Hwa back to their seats.
And inwardly, he smiled with satisfaction.
'...Keh, I always wanted to do this too.'
Trash the inn and then compensate with financial therapy.
Wasn't this a common cliché in wuxia?
Smash all the bastards who attack you in self-defense.
And then financially compensate the victims. Perfect.
'...Still, it's a bit of a bummer that they really were just beggars.'
Because the pouch he had just tossed away was his entire fortune.
'...Well, this is the unorthodox district, so it doesn't matter, right?'
Do Gwang let it go easily.
After all, if he walked around Seongdo, there would be plenty more unorthodox thugs or bad guys looking to pick a fight.
If he beat them all up and cleaned out their pouches, he'd quickly make enough for meals and lodging.
'They're unorthodox bastards anyway, and thanks to that damn rule about martial artists not being subject to government jurisdiction, I won't become a criminal either.'
Do Gwang decided to take advantage of this convenient system of the martial world.
But wasn't it truly absurd?
What was that stupid rule about martial artists being immune to government jurisdiction anyway.
The mere act of carrying a weapon meant you were treated as a martial artist and placed in a blind spot of public safety—what a world.
Just as he was having such idle thoughts, waiting for the food to arrive—
Murmur, murmur!
Suddenly, the outside of the inn became chaotic, and a suspicious noise began to flood in.
"There's the great elder of Paedomun!"
"Ah, even the elders of the Sichuan Tang family!?"
"What on earth is going on! There's the Murim Alliance too!"
And so.
The inn where Do Gwang was staying was, in an instant, on the verge of being completely surrounded by the martial arts masters who ruled Sichuan.