Chapter 122
Chapter 122
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Translator: penny
Chapter Title: Divine Martial Jianghu Journey (1)
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Infinite Pavilion's Baek Ri-seon-ho received a visitor.
Having recently regained his strength and left the household matters to Baek Ri-jeong-sun, he was enjoying a leisurely time when he was startled by the unexpected guest.
"Moyong Ju! What brings you here?"
Baek Ri-seon-ho and Moyong Ju were well acquainted.
They both held important positions in the Murim Alliance, and they had been close since childhood.
However, what was strange was that the Moyong Ju he knew wasn't the type to drop by unannounced like this.
'I heard he was quite busy.'
Just like himself, he was managing the Moyong Family's branch in Infinite Castle.
"I have something to discuss."
"Something to discuss?"
"It's about the Divine Martial Jianghu Journey."
The Divine Martial Jianghu Journey.
It was the name outsiders used for the 'Jianghu Journey' organized by the Divine Martial Academy.
"Why the Divine Martial Jianghu Journey?"
"You planning to just sit this one out?"
Sit it out?
"I'm saying we should provide some support or something."
"Support..."
It was true that families often provided various conveniences for their heirs during the Jianghu Journey.
The more prestigious the sect, the more connections and allied factions they had in various places, and they would casually drop hints to them.
- If my family's child stops by your sect during their Jianghu Journey, please look after them well.
Then, they would discreetly provide all sorts of support to ensure the journey went smoothly.
Officially, external support was prohibited, but there was no real way to prevent this kind of aid.
There was even a tendency to tacitly allow it.
After all, the most important thing was ensuring a 'safe' Jianghu Journey.
But upon hearing this, Baek Ri-seon-ho furrowed his brow.
"I know about the support. But is it really necessary?"
Though it happened frequently,
"Officially, it's a violation of the rules, isn't it?"
Baek Ri-seon-ho, who generally adhered to rules and regulations, didn't feel comfortable with it.
"Instructor Chu will handle it just fine on his own."
Moyong Ju struck his chest with his fist at the nonchalant response.
"You haven't heard about my So-hye?"
"What's wrong with So-hye?"
"It's about how Instructor Chu worked my granddaughter day and night for four straight days."
"Was there such an incident?"
What followed was a horrific tale of her being drenched in morning dew and subjected to grueling labor.
"Even during the break!"
"Hmm."
"You have no idea how startled I was when the kids suddenly disappeared."
"I was terrified."
He had mobilized people and scoured Infinite Castle all day.
- The Moyong student said she went on a picnic with Instructor Chu.
If the gatekeeper hadn't mentioned Moyong So-hye's whereabouts, he might have searched for days.
The worst part was the culprit's reaction.
"The weather was nice, so we went on a picnic."
There was zero awareness of any wrongdoing.
For a response from someone who had gone radio silent for a month, it lacked any sincerity.
"We're alive. Now, civilization."
"Uwaaaah. Home."
The children's emotional reactions behind him only fueled his anger.
Moyong Ju's impassioned cry continued.
"The real problem happened after she came back!"
"So-hye developed this weird hobby from whatever he did to her!"
"She started making arrowheads out of pebbles by the pond!"
"My precious granddaughter!"
Baek Ri-seon-ho's expression turned grave.
'Instructor Chu really is unpredictable.'
For his own convenience, he was the type to ruthlessly discard the students' comforts.
Baek Ri-seon-ho, who prided himself on judging people well, trusted his assessment.
'In that case.'
His thoughts reached that point, and it felt like a heavy stone dropped into his heart.
'I need to do something for Seol-i.'
Baek Ri-seol had grown up so pitifully. Knowing her circumstances, he wanted to look after her even a little more.
"What should we do?"
"Anything we can, right?"
"Let's contact the branches near Infinite Castle and in An-hwi Province."
"That's not enough. What if Instructor Chu just goes off into the wilds on his own?"
The two put their heads together and pondered for a long time.
But no matter how much they thought, no clever solution came to mind.
"Hmm... It's a bit lacking."
"Non-official support has its limits, after all."
Above all, they had little experience with such covert operations.
In the end, their thoughts turned to another ally.
"How about asking the Nangong Family for help? I think their kid is participating too."
"No way. Have you forgotten about the Nangong Family's disowned son?"
"Ah."
He had forgotten in his haste.
It was a sensitive topic that had been hushed up for a while—the choice to discard the eldest son and take the second due to talent.
'Well, considering the talent, I can see why, but still.'
In any case, cooperation with the Nangong Family was out of the question.
"Then, right. The Jegal Family."
"The Jegal Family has a kid in it too."
Their faces brightened.
"For laying down covert schemes, wouldn't the Jegals handle it more smoothly than us?"
"Exactly. Why didn't I think of that earlier?"
Slapping their foreheads, the two bustled about preparing to head out.
And, shortly after.
Arriving at the Jegal Family's estate, the two saw him.
The figure waiting beyond the slowly opening gates.
"I've been waiting for you."
A middle-aged man dressed in scholar's robes and a black official hat.
"It's about the Divine Martial Jianghu Journey, right?"
He was Jegal Yang-so, the one managing the Jegal Family's Infinite branch.
Bronze Hall's instructor room.
There, Chung-hyun was delivering a speech.
"...And so. Safety first, safety second."
Got it?
The dispatched temporary instructors straightened up at once at his unusually intense tone and replied, "Yes, sir!"
"Good. Let me say it again: standing out isn't everything."
"Returning safely is more important."
"When I shout 'Absolutely!', you all shout back 'Safety!'."
Absolutely! Safety!
Instructor Jo Hyun whispered to Squad Leader Yang beside him.
"He's even worrying for them. What's gotten into him?"
"If they come back injured, it'll strain our already short-handed workforce even more."
"Of course."
"He requested reinforcements from the academy yesterday and got chewed out."
"Oh, dear."
Various murmurs arose.
"Absolutely! Absolutely! Don't come back injured."
With that, Chung-hyun passed by each temporary instructor, handing out their travel passes.
Then he stopped in front of Chu Un-hwi.
"Instructor Chu. Why are you dozing off?"
"I'm not dozing."
"Wipe the drool from your mouth first."
*Sniff*.
As he wiped his mouth, the temporary instructors averted their eyes to the floor or ceiling, muttering 'Here we go again'.
Chung-hyun asked in a stern voice.
"Did you actually listen properly?"
"I really was listening."
"What did I say, then?"
"'Good morning'?"
"You weren't listening at all!"
Chung-hyun grabbed Chu Un-hwi by the collar and shook him back and forth in a rage.
"Why won't you give my nerves a break!"
"You really want to see me collapse holding the back of my neck?"
"Do you have to do this right before the Jianghu Journey?!"
Uwaaaaaah!
Squad Leader Yang shouted as he pried the screaming Chung-hyun away.
"You all, take Instructor Chu and go!"
"Uwaaaaaah!"
"Hall Master! Hall Master! Calm down!"
Bronze Hall's daily routine was starting once again.
"Damn. Another demerit."
This one was truly regrettable.
Light dozing was clearly his fault, but Chu Un-hwi had his own excuses.
"It's already the fifth day of making these."
What he held was the 'Jianghu Journey Schedule'.
Senior Instructor Jang Cheol-sim had specifically demanded it, saying he couldn't trust him at all.
"If there was a damn errand boy, I could've made him do it."
With everyone shut away preparing for the journey, he had to handle the tedious paperwork himself.
The result?
'Rejected every time.'
But today was different.
He had put real thought into it and filled in all the details.
"Today, I'm definitely passing."
Pounding the floor with a vow of victory.
"Rejected."
*Flutter*.
In the senior instructor's office, where he had entered confidently, what returned was his schedule floating through the air.
'My carefully crafted schedule.'
As he sadly picked up the paper that had settled at his feet,
"Make it again."
Jang Cheol-sim's curt remark followed.
His pent-up frustration boiled over.
Five days of hard work flying away, and Chu Un-hwi couldn't hold back anymore.
"What's the problem, exactly?"
"You don't know what's wrong?"
"Would I be doing this if I knew?"
"That's the problem right there."
*Groan*—a suppressed groan escaped.
But this time, Chu Un-hwi wouldn't back down.
It was already the fifth day.
With the journey right around the corner, Jang Cheol-sim's constant demands for revisions had left him sleepless.
"Didn't you say the journey is up to the temporary instructors' discretion?"
"Discretion has its limits."
"This is overstepping!"
Jang Cheol-sim flicked his finger after staring at the sullen expression.
"Recite your plan for me."
Easy enough.
"Day one."
Day one. Depart Infinite Castle.
Note: Things to pack before leaving. Snacks from Manlae Pavilion. The walnuts are delicious.
"Already weird from the start, isn't it?"
Not weird at all.
"Read it again."
He moved on to the next plan.
Day two. Travel the false path.
Day three. Travel the false path.
"That's at least the most decent part."
Emboldened by the lukewarm praise, he continued reading the schedule.
Day ten. Probably arrive at Hwang River.
Stop at a tea house and buy jeonbyeong. A great spot for grilled jeonbyeong.
Souvenirs on the way back.
Jeonbyeong gets soggy and loses flavor.
Day fifteen. Arrive at Yeong Mountain?
Visit Yeong Mountain Iron Forge.
Famous for silver goods, so a silver hairpin would be nice.
Day XX. Arrive at So-ho.
Take a flower boat.
They say the night view while drinking on the boat is amazing.
Hope it doesn't rain.
Chu Un-hwi tilted his head as he read it smoothly.
"No problems at all, right?"
"No problems?"
Jang Cheol-sim's eyes twitched.
His face turning beet red, he looked ready to explode any second.
"What do you think the Jianghu Journey is?"
"A pretty long trip, right?"
"It's their first real combat experience! Real combat!"
*Bang!*
Jang Cheol-sim slammed the desk, veins bulging in his neck.
"Do you think all these people are suffering to prepare just so you can slack off and play?"
"It's to show the young students the raw reality of the world and let them gain experience!"
"This precious chance to broaden their horizons, and you're wasting it on food spots and sightseeing?!"
Argh—!
Jang Cheol-sim pounding the desk was intimidating, but Chu Un-hwi had his say.
"Kids grow up by playing, originally."
A routine of endless training.
Wasn't that pitiful?
"And it's not just mindless play."
People-watching.
Seeing folks living their lives differently was valuable experience too.
"Blindly drilling hundred-year-old martial arts manuals won't give them street smarts, right?"
Greenhorns who couldn't even count iron coins.
What they needed might be everyday life, not secret manuals.
Perhaps the key to enlightenment lay in ordinary days.
Jang Cheol-sim clicked his tongue.
"You always have excuses."
For someone who just slacked off.
But Chu Un-hwi stood tall.
"I'm letting them roam a bit."
"Roaming is still roaming. It can't surpass a detailed plan and flawless curriculum."
Jang Cheol-sim spoke in a voice that brooked no blood even if pricked.
"Redo it."