Chapter 187
Chapter 187
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 187
Chapter Title: Clan Gathering (3)
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The freezing rain, a drizzling mist, turns half to snow.
The wanderer's shoes grow cold, the green cliffs slick with moss.
I'd gladly bring a blanket, to sleep beneath the rocks.
At the cave's mouth, clouds hang deep; the night is moonless.
“Ahem.”
After reciting a poem, Bukgung Jang-hwan struck a pose and gazed into the air.
Behind him, the disciples of the Dragon-Slaying Gate stood guard like an iron wall.
The sight alone made me shake my head.
“What a joke…”
Seriously, a poem only sets the mood if the right person recites it. What's a guy with a wrestler's build doing spouting literature?
‘Good thing he’s all muscle under that bulk.’
As befitting a supreme master, he was quite muscular despite his size.
Without that, he would have surely been plagued by all sorts of lifestyle diseases.
*Shwaaa.*
The boat cut through the river, gliding forward.
That's right. I was currently on the Yangtze River, heading to Yichang where the collateral clan gathering was to be held.
This was also why Bukgung Jang-hwan had recited a poem.
It was by the Tang dynasty poet Bai Juyi, inscribed at Sanyoudong near Yichang.
How did I know?
I saw it in my past life, on a three-night, four-day package tour of Hubei Province.
It just goes to show you, the old saying that you never know what life will throw at you is absolutely true.
“It’s really been a while since I’ve been to Yichang.”
To think I’d come back to Yichang in this life, a place I visited only once in my past one.
Floating on a boat on the Yangtze River like this, it felt just like that package tour.
The problem was…
*Lurch.*
I never knew I got seasick.
And it was a seasickness I never had in my past life.
“Urp…”
Seriously, why in the world would a supreme master get seasick? I’m perfectly fine when I’m using Phantom Step.
“Ugh.”
This body of mine is a complete mystery.
‘Anyway, I hope the kids are holding up well.’
Before leaving for Yichang, I had gathered everyone and instructed them to tolerate the Hanzhong martial world’s abuses, for the most part.
It was a strategic choice, even though it would undoubtedly have a negative impact on the common people.
Humans are social animals.
The more they broke the rules of society, the more their reputations would plummet.
Then, at the right moment, my strategy was to rally all the sects belonging to the clan gathering and bleed them dry.
‘Just you wait.’
I’ll make them go bankrupt and force them to change their class to members of the Beggars’ Sect.
“Hmm…”
Sending them all to Mount Taemo Fortress wouldn't be a bad idea either.
Then I could suggest it to Woo Gong-baek.
How about taking this chance to relaunch the Beggars' Sect?
After all, the relaunched Hao Clan was doing quite well.
Their conditions were even better, so there was no reason they couldn't succeed.
As expected, the class of the genius strategist Jin Mujeon never fades…
*Lurch.*
“Ugh…!”
I’m going to die. For real.
* * *
“Huff. Huff.”
The boat didn't arrive at a port near Yichang until the next morning.
Actually, it wasn't even "near."
A fifty-meter walk was all it took to reach Yichang.
“Over there.”
Bukgung Jang-hwan pointed to a manor in the distance.
I was inwardly surprised by its considerable size.
“Is that… the…”
“That’s right. The Fist Fighting Gate.”
It was a name whose absurdity never failed to astound me.
The Fist Fighting Gate… They might as well have called it a boxing gym.
As I followed Bukgung Jang-hwan into the manor, I saw a large number of martial artists gathered there.
After a moment, a huge, bald-headed man emerged from among them.
“Brother!”
“Oho! Gwan-gun! It’s been too long!”
He seemed to be the master of the Fist Fighting Gate.
“But why do you look so, uh, so much healthier?”
“Hahaha. I started a new business…”
After exchanging greetings, the Fist Fighting Gate Master was startled to see me.
He must have sensed the aura I was unconsciously emitting.
“Who… who is this young hero…”
“Young hero? Don’t say such things.”
Bukgung Jang-hwan approached me with a slight smile.
“What are you…”
“Just a moment.”
He then unwrapped the bandage around my right arm.
Oh, for the record, I wasn't wearing the bandage to hide my identity, but to keep the high-grade gold thread of the embroidery from getting dirty.
Since it was my first time attending the clan gathering, I had dressed with care.
Bukgung Jang-hwan pointed to the character for ‘War’ (戰) embroidered in golden thread and said,
“This is the Master of the War King Arts! The Great Hero, Fighting Dragon Jin Mujeon!”
“Hey, now.”
What is this, a dramatic hero introduction?
Why the sudden character profile?
“Is, is that so…!”
As expected, the Fist Fighting Gate Master was completely stunned to learn my identity.
It seemed that as a supreme master, I was starting to gain nationwide recognition.
To think that someone I’d never met before in this vast Central Plains would know my name.
If the rumor that I was the direct disciple of the Heaven and Earth Combat King spread, my fame would skyrocket once again.
“It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Lee Gwan-gun, Master of the Fist Fighting Gate.”
His surprise was brief. The Fist Fighting Gate Master clasped his fist in greeting.
I liked his upright attitude—respectful, yet not self-deprecating.
That's how a martial artist should be.
“A pleasure.”
“…”
Well, that didn't mean I had to be polite back.
‘I am, after all, the direct disciple of the main family’s eldest grandson.’
“I, I see.”
Flustered, he called over one of his disciples with a stiff expression.
“Show our guests to their quarters.”
“Yes, Master.”
The quarters were surprisingly spacious.
However, sharing a room with my companions was not to my liking, as I usually enjoyed quiet contemplation.
But what could I do?
Considering the number of people who had already arrived and those yet to come, this was likely the best the Fist Fighting Gate could do.
The proof was that even Bukgung Jang-hwan, a man of enough standing to run for chairman of the gathering, was staying in the same room as me.
Anyway, five grown men sharing one room.
I shook my head.
Feeling like the room already smelled musty, I stepped outside.
The building seemed to be originally used as disciples' quarters, as various training tools were scattered about.
Among them, what caught my eye the most were the fist guards.
“These exist in this era?”
Their design was so unusual, it was hard to believe they were ‘Made in Murim.’
I picked one up and examined it.
The inside was lined with wool to protect the hands, while the outside was reinforced with a thick, rounded iron plate.
“Gloves?”
Seeing the round gloves, like Doraemon's hands, I couldn't help but nod. It was fitting equipment for a place called the Fist Fighting Gate.
“These are pretty good.”
Their weight was a bit of a drawback, but perhaps even that could be a weapon.
A liver blow from one of these would surely shatter some ribs.
As I was looking around, five menacing-looking men walked in.
They were probably members of the clan gathering.
‘Those must be the Black Snake Sect Bukgung Jang-hwan mentioned.’
My mother in my past life always said not to judge people by their looks, but I was certain.
Otherwise, there was no way a group of guys who looked like they belonged in a prison tough-guy cell would be walking around together.
In truth, the Black Path was just another name for the unorthodox factions.
It's just that if they formed a large group like the Lion's Alliance, they were called an unorthodox faction, and if not, they were called the Black Path.
It might not be 100% true, but for the most part, both the Black Path and the unorthodox factions lived by sucking the blood of the common people.
In other words, their faces couldn't help but exude a criminal vibe.
As I was observing these Black Path thugs, a rare sight for me these days, the youngest one approached.
He looked to be about seventeen or eighteen.
“You got something to say?”
“Huh?”
“You’ve been staring at me with those shitty eyes for a while now, and it’s making me want to kill you. So watch where you’re looking.”
“Ha…”
Starting a fight at a clan gathering of all places.
It was absurd, but I couldn't cause trouble before the gathering even officially began.
“Just keep walking…”
I was about to let it go.
*Smack!*
“My apologies. I have failed to raise my son properly.”
The largest of the five men swung his fist and sent the troublemaker flying.
“Understood.”
“…”
The man who had just sent his son flying stared at me with an incredulous look.
“Where are you from?”
“Hanzhong.”
“You must be from the Dragon-Slaying Gate.”
“…”
“Did your master not teach you the ways of the martial world?”
I let a hint of my aura show.
The large man’s eyes wavered.
“The ways of the martial world? You mean that might makes right?”
“What?”
The Master of the Black Snake Sect looked surprised for a moment, then burst into laughter.
“Haha, hahaha! You’re not wrong. Survival of the fittest, the strong preying on the weak—that is indeed the way of the martial world.”
“If you have nothing else to say, head on in. Stop bothering me.”
“Are you fearless? Or just confident?”
“Both.”
“It’s been a while since I’ve met such promising talent. So much so that I’m tempted to steal you from the Dragon-Slaying Gate.”
Is this guy crazy?
“As you said, I’ll head in. See you later, friend.”
As I stared at him with a dumbfounded expression, he let out a hearty laugh and walked away.
Watching his retreating back, I thought to myself.
‘A villain hiding his power.’
A villain hiding his power had just appeared.
The martial skill of the Black Snake Sect Master I had just met was at the level of a supreme master.
* * *
Back when I was the provisional governor of Hanzhong, Bukgung Jang-hwan told me there were a total of ninety-nine collateral sects remaining.
However, due to time, distance, and the circumstances of each sect, only twenty-five would be participating in the gathering.
Naturally, an enormous number of visitors had descended upon the place.
With over twenty sects participating, even with a five-person limit per sect, the accommodations were bursting at the seams.
Being stuck among the swarming men made me feel as chaotic as if the Demon King of Chaos himself had descended.
For a moment, I considered ditching the whole clan gathering and going back, but after enduring that seasickness to get here, I couldn't just turn around.
I summoned every ounce of my patience and waited.
“Let’s go.”
Finally, I was able to attend the evening banquet, the core event of the clan gathering.
Originally, only the sect masters were supposed to attend, but Bukgung Jang-hwan pulled some strings to get me in.
The atmosphere at the banquet was amicable.
Perhaps that was to be expected.
In this era, the concept of relatives was broad and extensive, so even distant in-laws were treated as close kin.
Oh, there was one surprising thing.
The man serving as the chairman of the gathering, the Master of the Black Snake Sect, was exceptionally good at leading the atmosphere.
Especially when various sects voiced their difficulties, he would readily step up. It made me wonder if he was really a member of the Black Path.
Bukgung Jang-hwan, not wanting to be outdone, also promised to donate a large sum to the gathering.
“Hahahaha, I can afford this much and more.”
The problem was.
“Are you sure you’ll be alright? It must be tough to make ends meet with just ‘one tavern’.”
“Ahem, our Dragon-Slaying Gate’s ‘business’ is doing very well, you see. As the old saying goes, one clever daughter is better than ten foolish sons, is she not?”
“By that standard, you would fall into the foolish son category at the Black Snake Sect.”
“Urk.”
Every time he tried to show off, he got shot down by the Black Snake Sect Master.
‘Hmm…’
It seemed a dish like army stew wouldn't be enough to become chairman of the gathering.
As I shook my head and took a sip of the wine on the table, the Black Snake Sect Master looked at me with an amused expression.
“My apologies for my rudeness earlier. To think you were the Master of the War King Arts… I was quite surprised.”
His words caused a stir among the attendees.
It seemed that Lee Gwan-gun, the only one besides Bukgung Jang-hwan who knew my identity, had secretly told the Black Snake Sect Master.
The Black Snake Sect Master rose from his seat and clasped his fist.
“I am Bukgung Chang, Master of the Black Snake Sect. My fellow martial artists call me the Black Killing Fist Demon.”
*Tap.*
I nodded from my seat.
An act reserved for a superior addressing a subordinate.
Everyone stared at me in disbelief.
“Jin Mujeon. Direct disciple of the Heaven and Earth Combat King, Bukgung Baek, and the legitimate successor tasked with rebuilding the Bukgung Clan.”
This was the moment the gathering of fakes transformed into a gathering of the real thing.