Chapter 102
Chapter 102
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 102
Chapter Title: Since I Was Drunk... It's Fine (1)
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Just like that, Mae So-hyang and the rest of the Huashan Sect group departed.
I ended up seeing off the Huashan Sect folks alongside Mae So-hyang since things had worked out that way.
"...?"
The only thing out of the ordinary was that Neung Hui-yeon—Mae So-hyang's daughter and one of the Three Peaks—gave me a meaningful look, so I forced a smile for her.
'Actually, something huge did happen...'
Imagining Mae So-hyang holding back the semen leaking from her womb while riding in the carriage made fresh arousal creep up from my refreshed lower body.
Neung Hui-yeon, this is all thanks to you!
"Yun, where have you been?"
Mother greeted me with an awkward smile. I'd been worried she'd call me out for skipping the sparring match to fuck, but her reaction was off.
"So you're the Little Dragon? It's about time we met. Glad to finally make your acquaintance."
Suddenly, an old man popped up right next to Mother and greeted me warmly.
He had a dignified look about him, a sturdy build, and a sword at his waist, but strangely, I couldn't sense any presence from him at all...
Fuck.
No way, right?
"A pleasure to meet you. I'm Kang Yun. I might be wrong, but... are you perhaps... from the Martial Alliance...?"
Even as I spoke, I felt intimidated. But somehow, that sword at his waist looked just like the one Huangbo Hyo-seon had been wearing, confirming my guess.
"Indeed, I'm the Alliance Leader."
Murim national rule. If a martial artist is an old man with no detectable presence, he's either worthless fodder or an absolute master.
"As expected. It's an honor of three lifetimes to meet the Sword Saint, Great Hero Huangbo."
Okay, three lifetimes might be pushing it, so just let me survive this one, yeah?
"There was some villain in Guangdong Province, so I went to capture him, but... well...!"
Right, Master had planned something in Guangdong. But why was he back so soon?
Even accounting for time spent tracking Master down, finding him, and escorting the victims (=Underground Network folks) back home, he absolutely shouldn't be here yet.
"I heard about a kind-hearted young man who helped someone out of compassion and ended up taking them in as foster parents. Got curious who he was, so I left delivering the victims to my granddaughter."
Huangbo Hyo-seon!
"I'm deeply grateful that you think so highly of my son, Alliance Leader."
Now I knew why Mother had been smiling awkwardly.
She'd probably guessed I'd gone off to bed Mae So-hyang and was about to chew me out, but held back once the Sword Saint showed up.
"A fine young man just as I'd imagined. I heard from my Vice Leader that your exceptional fist techniques earned you the moniker 'Little Dragon' among the Jianghu elites..."
I wished that chuunibyou Vice Leader would drop the Little Dragon crap, but with not even a hair's breadth of suspicion to spare, I just laughed it off with a nod.
Please, just wrap this up and leave already. Let me escape!
"Who is your master, young hero? To raise such a brilliant talent...!"
"M-My master is a hidden recluse. He passed away a few years back..."
"Ah, judging by your profound inner energy, I can guess his skill level. Such a pity he left so soon. What was his name?"
"He never properly told me... He said digging into the past wouldn't help at all...!"
"Oh...!"
This was a pre-arranged story with Master. If anyone asked for his name, this answer should muddle through somehow.
Sure enough, the Sword Saint looked regretful before turning to Father.
"Escort Agency Head Go, what are your plans for the journey ahead?"
"We have to head back to Shaanxi, don't we? My wife and son will probably continue on to Sichuan from there..."
"Oh, perfect then. Care to travel together?"
What the fuck?
"I'd love to chat more with young hero Kang, and since we're headed the same way, isn't this fortunate?"
My head was spinning.
Yes, Xi'an—home of the Martial Alliance—was west of Shaanxi, north of Sichuan.
It wasn't weird at all for a famed Jianghu figure like the Sword Saint to request to travel together. Hell, it might even be an honor.
'Fuck that, no way I'm traveling with him!'
Just talking to him had me this scared. If things escalated to using martial arts? Instant execution...
A chill ran down my spine.
I had to run. Needed an excuse, an excuse!
"Brother Kang! There you are! Let's finally have that drink... uh..."
"Brother Peng!"
The boozehound Peng Wol approached cluelessly but froze upon spotting the Sword Saint. But I couldn't let this lifeline slip!
"I'm truly disappointed too. My circumstances kept us from even sharing a single cup!"
The first day, I'd clashed with Young Ho-kyeong. The next, I'd been busy fucking Mae So-hyang and turned him down. Now I put on my most regretful face.
"K-Kang brother, with an elder here, I've been rude. Next chance we get, we definitely will..."
The Sword Saint was the Martial Alliance Leader and the most influential figure among the Five Great Families.
Peng Wol couldn't afford to slight him. He was backing away like a wolf facing a tiger when, luckily, the Sword Saint intervened.
"Haha, the young ones minding me like this won't do. Go ahead and chat. Have a drink while you're at it."
And with that, he let me go.
Chance! I couldn't miss it.
Sorry to Tang Hye-won and Peng Yeon-hwa waiting for me, but I had to bail from this route first!
"Curious what Hebei's like?"
Peng Wol asked lightly as he sipped the side drink. Somehow, Kang Yun—the only Nine Dragon without a drink yet—seemed very interested in Hebei.
"Great place to live. Got the North China Plain, wealth piled up from all its produce... Why do you think Beijing's in Hebei?"
"Can't even imagine from just hearing about it."
"You wanna run away, don't you?"
I flinched.
"That obvious?"
"Painfully. Guess even you're scared of the Sword Saint."
The Sword Saint was strong. His influence was so absolute that the Five Great Families—historically seen as a step below the Nine Sects—now threatened their position.
The living Sword God.
If even Peng Wol tensed up around him, of course I would too.
"Inviting you isn't hard. But getting me to back you up? Not so easy."
"Just call me and I'll... "
"Then come drink at my main house instead. You ignore invites until you need something? Proper etiquette?"
Peng Wol finished and downed his full cup.
"Father and Mother won't mind a successor like you joining for drinks."
"...That much drinking? Enough to worry your parents?"
"Worry?"
Peng Wol chuckled. As if those people would worry about him.
Martial artists borrowing official power to grow their faction?
"That's my one condition. Take it or leave it?"
"I'll take it."
"Knew you would. Bottoms up."
Peng Wol watched me down my cup in one go, then did the same.
I'd asked Peng Wol to say he really wanted to bring me along.
He'd seemed wary of the Sword Saint's eyes but pushed through under the guise of young folks bonding.
Hebei wasn't far; I'd go and come right back. Point was to dodge the Sword Saint.
"Haha, good to see. Back in my day..."
The Sword Saint smiled genuinely at first but suddenly soured, recalling bad memories. He quickly smoothed his expression upon noticing the onlookers.
"Can't be helped, regrettably. Wouldn't want an old man ruining your chance to broaden your horizons. Have a safe trip."
The Sword Saint accepted readily, but the sound transmission with Mother continued.
I knew. She'd be about six months along now.
I'd promised to return, but delaying might worry her.
I was at a loss for words. Yes, the Sword Saint was the issue, but to Mother, it probably didn't seem like something worth fleeing over.
Leaving my pregnant woman behind just because facing the Sword Saint was daunting? Unconvincing for sure.
Ultimately, it stemmed from not revealing I was the Blood Demon's disciple.
'Should I have told her sooner...?'
When I'd finally confessed to Eon So-young or Tang Hye-won, it had been out of necessity.
Hard to come clean voluntarily with so many hurdles. Master's infamy was that severe.
Reflecting on the Nine Sect milfs I'd met, they'd all married young for sure.
Not Five Great Families, but Nine Sects—founded by Taoists, marriage wasn't mandatory, yet they'd all wed to avoid Master.
The difference: they'd married within the sect to keep top talent from leaving.
Anyway, recalling Master's notoriety for ravaging that milf era, yeah, I hadn't mustered the courage to confess.
Whether this trip or not, better to tell her the truth soon.
I recalled how, during my first time with Peng Yeon-hwa, I'd used defeat against Master as basis to addict her via sex arts.
Telling the full truth might earn a huge scolding... but I had to say it.
With Mother's worried gaze on me, I mounted up with Peng Wol and headed for Hebei.
"Ugh, my crotch is getting torn apart..."
"Come on, a martial artist dying from just this much horse riding?"
"It's been barely a month since I last rode one...!"
Not lightfoot, and I had zero horse experience.
Mother had gone slow out of consideration, so three days should've done it, but Peng Wol galloped like mad.
Meanwhile, the horse borrowed from the Tang Family neighed happily, sweat and all—definitely a fine steed.
Thanks to that, we reached the Peng Family by evening the next day.
"Head to the guest quarters and rest first. I'll inform Father, then we'll go greet him together at the right time. I'll send word ahead."
Having the servants naturally arrange a room—total young master move.
I could accept favors smoothly now, but when would I pull that off myself?
Guided by a servant, I handed off the horse naturally and walked amid the grand buildings.
'Compared to the Tang Family... bigger? Hard to tell.'
Peng and Tang estates seemed similar in scale, but the Peng buildings, with more history, exuded antique dignity.
Maybe the Tangs rebuilt once, I mused, when a woman in a navy uniform approached from the opposite direction.
'Oh...'
Recognizing her face, I greeted her.
"Lady Peng, good to see you again."
"Oh, you...?"
Her drooping eyes lifted slightly as she received my greeting in surprise.
But she didn't seem to remember who I was, so I repeated myself.
"I'm Kang Yun. Nice to meet again, Madam."
Yang Ha-jeong, the Peng Family's daughter-in-law, finally recalled and smiled softly.
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