Chapter 87
Chapter 87
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 87
Chapter Title: Heavenly Water Pavilion
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Yeon Nanju spoke up with a delighted expression.
"I see. It's truly an honor to meet the famous Jangseong Escort Hero."
The middle-aged man who had introduced himself as Ki Bong-rim waved his hand dismissively.
"Not at all. Rumors in the martial world are always exaggerated. Especially for a backwater sect like Kunlun."
Of course, Han Ibi had never heard of him.
There weren't many wuxia novels that delved deeply into the Kunlun Sect, so his knowledge of them was limited.
But judging by their expressions, neither Jong Ri-hyeok nor Soeun-ri seemed any different.
Then again, both of them had always been utterly indifferent to江湖 rumors or sect dynamics...
Only Yeon Nanju was excitedly chattering away.
"I've long heard tales of Hero Ki's escort missions. Especially that fierce battle in the desert against the western demons..."
"Hahaha. Enough with the flattery. Didn't I just say it was all exaggerated?"
"Come on, Hero Ki, you're too modest. Where there's smoke, there's fire, right?"
Though he protested, Ki Bong-rim didn't look displeased at all.
At that moment, Jong Ri-hyeok spoke up.
"It's an honor to meet you, Hero Ki. Might I ask what brings you here?"
It was a remark that poured cold water on all the praise.
Han Ibi thought to himself,
'That guy's social skills need a complete overhaul first. Even the same words sound so blunt and off-putting coming from him... Tsk tsk tsk.'
Ki Bong-rim seemed to snap to attention, his expression turning solemn.
"Come to think of it, that's exactly what I wanted to ask. What in the world brings Qingcheng Sect disciples all the way to Hubei Province?"
Jong Ri-hyeok replied,
"Truth be told, it all started by coincidence. Our original destination was the Murim Alliance."
Jong Ri-hyeok succinctly summarized how they had met the Yeoseon Escort Bureau leader, received his dying words, and ended up here.
With every detail, Ki Bong-rim's face flushed red then pale with fury.
Crash!
He couldn't hold back any longer and smashed a piece of pottery.
Han Ibi and the others jumped in surprise. Ki Bong-rim was trembling all over.
He said,
"Cheon Sin-u... Cheon Sin-u is dead?"
Jong Ri-hyeok replied in a heavy voice.
"Yes... Even in his final moments, he worried about the Yeoseon Escort Bureau's household."
At that instant, Han Ibi and the others were stunned.
They saw tears streaming down Ki Bong-rim's face like a waterfall.
"Aaaah. Sin-u, my friend... Why did you live so fiercely only to go like this? I should have stopped you when I sensed something was off..."
He fell silent for a long while, eyes closed.
The awkward silence stretched on, but Han Ibi's group didn't dare interrupt.
Only when his tears had dried into streaks did Ki Bong-rim suddenly open his eyes and speak.
"Cheon Sin-u and I were friends. We've known each other since our hometown days."
Han Ibi said,
"Ah, so you're friends with the bureau leader?"
"That's right."
"Then what brings you here today?"
Ki Bong-rim let out a deep sigh before replying.
"A few days ago, Sin-u made an unusual request."
"A request?"
"Yes. He said he was taking on an important escort mission that might involve great danger. He planned to send messenger pigeons marking his position at key points. If those pigeons ever stopped coming, he wanted me to inform the Yeoseon Escort Bureau right away. He said he'd already let them know..."
"Ah, so that's how it was."
"But then the pigeons just stopped arriving. I figured it was nothing, but I decided to check on the bureau anyway."
"Your friendship runs deep."
"I only arrived moments ago. But as you saw, not even a rat was in sight. I was about to leave, but with Sin-u's request in mind, I hid to observe for a bit."
"Ah, so that's when we showed up."
"Exactly."
Then, as if it had just occurred to him, Han Ibi said,
"Hero Ki. Could you take a look at this?"
Han Ibi pointed to the dying message under the pottery shard.
Ki Bong-rim moved closer and examined it carefully.
His expression grew grave.
Han Ibi asked,
"Hero Ki, do you have any idea what it means?"
Ki Bong-rim groaned before replying.
"No clue... It looks like the character for 'white' (白)..."
I could tell that much...
At that moment, Jong Ri-hyeok said,
"In that case, we should head back now."
Ki Bong-rim looked abashed as he replied,
"I see. Thank you for coming all this way on behalf of a stranger like Sin-u. I'll take it from here."
"No trouble at all."
Han Ibi interjected,
"Of course. All under heaven is one family, as they say. We just did what needed doing."
Han Ibi managed to say everything he had in mind, even under Yeon Nanju's eye-roll that screamed 'What a joke.'
Ki Bong-rim said,
"By the way, what brings young martial artists like you to the Murim Alliance?"
Yeon Nanju puffed up to explain, but Jong Ri-hyeok cut her off.
"Nothing major. We're just running an errand to deliver a message from Qingcheng Sect."
Only then did Ki Bong-rim nod as if realizing something.
"My apologies. I was being nosy about others' business. Forgive me."
"Not at all."
Jong Ri-hyeok performed a fist salute and continued,
"We'll take our leave then."
"Very well."
As the four turned to leave one by one, led by Jong Ri-hyeok,
"Just in case..."
Ki Bong-rim said,
"...if you need any help, would it be all right to send word?"
Jong Ri-hyeok replied,
"Of course."
"To whom?"
"Just ask for Jong Ri-hyeok of Qingcheng Sect."
"Got it. I will. Take care, all of you."
Han Ibi said,
"You as well, Hero. Travel safely."
In Ki Bong-rim's resolute expression as he turned away, Han Ibi could read the characters for "revenge."
With that, the four finished their farewells and exited the main hall.
Yeon Nanju said to Jong Ri-hyeok,
"Senior Brother. Is it really okay to just leave like this?"
"Something feels off, but it's not right for us to get more involved."
Han Ibi cut in,
"Now that Hero Ki Bong-rim is here, we can go our own way!"
Yeon Nanju shot back sharply,
"Earlier you were going on about all under heaven being one family..."
"Haha. Well... sometimes empty formalities are necessary... Life's full of that, isn't it?"
The four passed through the main gate, mounted their horses, and set off once more toward the Murim Alliance.
After that, it was back to the monotonous journey.
Fortunately—or unfortunately—no incidents like before occurred.
And at last, Han Ibi's group arrived in Kaifeng, the ancient capital of Henan Province.
Han Ibi muttered,
"Whew. We took the long way around, but damn, it's far."
Yeon Nanju didn't miss a beat.
"We only passed through two provinces, and you're calling it far?"
"Sigh. To me, that's a huge distance. Why the hell did they build the Murim Alliance in Henan of all places?"
"You call yourself a martial artist and you don't even know that?"
"And you, Miss Yeo, do know?"
"Of course. What mountain is in Henan Province?"
"You think I don't? It's Mount Song, one of the Five Great Mountains."
"And who's on Mount Song?"
"The famous Shaolin Temple, obviously. But does that mean the Murim Alliance has to be in Henan just because of Shaolin?"
Yeon Nanju smirked openly.
"Far from it. Henan is the hub: Mount Wudang to the south in Hubei, the Zhuge Clan right beside it. That's not all—Huashan Sect in western Shaanxi. And not far from us in Sichuan: our Qingcheng, Emei, Jiancheng, and Quanzhen Sects. Geographically perfect for the Murim Alliance, right?"
Indeed.
She had a point.
All the sects Yeon Nanju rattled off—Qingcheng aside—were heavyweights in the current martial world.
Especially Shaolin and Wudang, whose influence spanned the ages.
Han Ibi knew she was right but grumbled anyway,
"No good boss ever suggests drinks in his own neighborhood..."
"What was that?"
"Nothing. Never mind."
Then Jong Ri-hyeok said,
"We're almost there. Let's keep it together."
Han Ibi glanced ahead and saw a grand building complex.
He focused his gaze on the plaque.
- Heavenly Water Pavilion
Heavenly Water Pavilion?
Some fortune-teller's shop? Or a jjajangmyeon joint...
"It doesn't say Murim Alliance?"
Yeon Nanju snickered again.
"Seriously... are you an idiot? They don't officially use the name Murim Alliance."
Han Ibi nearly yelled in frustration but held back.
"It's the Murim Alliance—why can't they call it that?"
"Martial artists have always kept their distance from the government. The imperial court dislikes alliances among martial forces. So the Murim Alliance exists, but they never flaunt it."
Hmph. Fine, you're the smart one.
The main gate of Heavenly Water Pavilion was quite wide.
Flanking it were side doors, each guarded by two burly sentries.
Tall, broad-shouldered, and rippling with muscle—they looked perfect for the job.
The two eyed Han Ibi's approaching group warily from afar.
Led by Jong Ri-hyeok, the four dismounted and walked toward the guards.
One with a thick beard grunted,
"What do you want?"
Jong Ri-hyeok politely clasped his fists.
"Disciples of Qingcheng Sect have come to visit Heavenly Water Pavilion."
The man continued indifferently.
His expression said it all about Qingcheng's current standing.
"Do you have an appointment?"
"We do."
"Wait here."
The guards exchanged glances, and one slipped through a side door.
Han Ibi's group had no choice but to stand there awkwardly.
Before even enough time for a cup of tea, he popped back out.
"Follow me."
The man ducked back through the side door.
Han Ibi's group followed him inside.
A boy immediately caught their eye.
"Leave your horses with me."
The Murim Alliance's scale is on another level.
Even a kid to handle guest horses...
The four handed over their mounts and followed the guard deeper in.
The grounds of Heavenly Water Pavilion were impeccably landscaped, like a wealthy estate's garden.
Then, a figure approached from afar.
A skinny middle-aged man sporting an ill-fitting mustache.
He grinned cheerfully, though it carried a hint of slyness.
"I'm Maeng Gap-son of the Murim Alliance's Jami Division. You're from Qingcheng Sect, right?"
Jong Ri-hyeok replied,
"Yes."
The man who called himself Maeng Gap-son nodded lightly.
"Good. You're a bit later than expected. Follow me, all four of you."
Without waiting for a reply, he turned and strode off briskly.
His movements were so swift and light that the four were inwardly shocked and hurried to keep up.
Han Ibi was equally impressed, thinking,
'If even the errand boy who came to greet us has such superior martial arts... how incredible must the others be...'
(Continued in the next chapter)