Chapter 225

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Translator: MadScientist

Chapter: 225

Chapter Title: Let's Go on a Trip (2)

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What kind of honor does a mere unorthodox riffraff even have?

That was why, though he hadn't gone so far as to wash his face with gold dust, the Unorthodox Supreme had essentially retired and was now spending his twilight years in leisure.

Right from that very seat where he'd once commanded legions of underlings.

Now, with not a trace of those underlings left—his very stronghold swallowed up by nature, overgrown with lush vegetation and birds chirping sweet melodies—a humble thatched hut.

Feeling a damp tongue lapping over nearly his entire face, he opened his eyes.

"You mutt. I told you not to wake me like that."

"Krrrng!"

Not giving a damn about the house-sized tiger drooling right in front of him, he ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠flicked its forehead hard, asserting that he himself was the king of beasts.

And in truth, he was unemployed, so it wasn't exactly wrong.

After roughly scrubbing his spit-soaked face at the nearby pond...

Another idle day would begin.

Plowing the fields like a farmer, tending the weeds, and when bored, tossing a fishing line by the pond for some immortal-like lounging.

Of course, plowing with qi blasts, uprooting weeds with telekinesis, and snatching fish out of the water with the same if nothing bit—well, it strayed a bit from the ideal of noble poverty.

Still, he savored that peaceful routine, reveling in the tranquility of body and mind.

Passing the time fishing for years, naturally absorbing the fresh ambient natural qi through his skin as he cultivated.

And when he got bored, he'd pull out his smartphone with a click.

"Changed it again, huh. No shame at all."

Now, like homework, he was correcting the blunders of his clumsy child with his own hands.

The Unorthodox Supreme.

Seo Taepyeong let out a sigh.

His daughter's age was nearing fifty in a couple years, yet here she was, no grandchildren in sight, utterly devoted to her work. It was truly heartbreaking.

—I'm in the midst of succeeding as Bandit Chief, Father.

Raised like a precious gem, and she turned out a spoiled brat through ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and through.

Well...

If it meant shedding the villainous stigma branded on the Green Forest Bandits through the long history of the Central Plains, he could declare retirement a hundred times over.

Cultivate virtue, regulate family, govern the state, pacify the world.

At this point, with his cultivation at the Fire Realm or so, he'd cultivated his virtue. Couldn't his family pitch in a little?

Seo Taepyeong grumbled.

After another idle day like that, the sun would set, the moon rise, and stars blanket the night sky.

Properly butcher a deer the tiger had caught, add the fish he'd reeled in earlier, roast them over a campfire— one bite, and that was dinner.

As he filled his belly, he suddenly looked up at the sky again.

Beside the Ziwei Star shining brighter than ever.

He took in ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the sight of the Tiansha Star, losing its baleful aura as if painting itself in Ziwei's hue.

"Hm..."

Aside from the far more ominous star blazing fiercely overhead, incomparable to Tiansha—the Central Plains seemed peaceful today as well.

Setting aside the feelings of a father with a spinster daughter, anyway.

"Junior, is that thing too small and you're embarrassed about it?"

"Please don't utter such shameless words...!"

I sighed, looking at my incorrigible junior, who showed no trace of cuteness even after all this time.

Brothers forging bonds, as the saying goes.

Downing booze till their noses turned red.

Teasing the one who passes out first.

Clutching throbbing heads upon waking, pounding a bowl of hangover soup, then plunging into a hot bathhouse tub.

"I'm just a layabout!"

"No romance, no romance at all."

Ting, tsk.

This chairman is disappointed in his junior...

Still, the fun of teasing made for good feedback.

Wonder what that beggar scum's up to.

Just the right moment for him to pop into mind.

"Anyway, Junior."

"Yes."

"What's your goal in life?"

I'd gotten the gist of Baek Liyeon's tragic life story after tagging along to Lake Dongjeong last time.

Sole survivor of her clan massacred by the Illusion Demon.

With Tiansha Star overhead, you'd expect her eyes to roll back and evolve into a killer ghost tree, but...

Somehow, despite the occasional feral glint in her eyes, she'd lived incident-free till now.

Probably thanks to a good master.

To my question, Baek Liyeon fell silent for a long while.

Then.

"...I don't really know."

Her deflating answer hung in the air.

Since we'd used the wolf pup to express-deliver the tangerines to Narang, the two of us were strolling down the night path.

Glancing up at the sky.

To ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠these eyes versed in the I Ching, Tiansha's light wasn't twinkling brightly but swaying listlessly.

"Liyeon."

"Baek... Li... Yes."

"You still can't let go, huh."

"Isn't calling someone by a nickname more rude?"

I ruffled Baek Liyeon's grumbling head messily.

The feel of her hair, repulsed yet subtly wrapping around my hand like a puppy sensing my Northern Bright True Qi, wasn't bad.

"Azure Heaven Society—what're you gonna do about it?"

At my question.

Baek Liyeon's steps halted abruptly.

Her pupils dilated.

"You think there's anything this senior doesn't know?"

"...How?"

A dumbstruck voice escaped her.

Well...

Honestly, I didn't know back at the academy either.

I figured it out when I saw the sword.

After all.

"Who else wields that brainless Life-Seizing Revolving Triple Flash Sword besides you and your master?"

"...! No way—then that clash with my master back then was..."

From her reaction.

She had no clue I'd nearly gotten my ass handed to me by her tiny master, Ouyang Hui or whatever, at Mount Hua.

No idea why someone aiming to make the martial world great again hadn't dealt with Tiansha Star, but.

...Prejudice, maybe.

Doesn't seem like good intentions, though.

In the awkward silence on the road.

I took the lead, walking slowly.

Soon, soft footsteps echoed faintly behind: tap, tap.

Following means.

There's still room for change, right?

"You owe me a life debt, so no choice, huh. And you've grown this far without incident thanks to that grace."

"..."

"Still."

I flicked one of the pills I'd packed toward her.

Ching.

Baek Liyeon snatched it reflexively without missing.

"Choose your own path. Don't get tangled with some worm."

"...Then the Nangong Family too...?"

"Yeah, I'll handle it."

"...?"

Hm.

Irresistible line in this mood.

Spouting nonsense no Central Plains native could grasp turned the atmosphere back to awkward silence.

Well.

This senior's done his duty, right?

Warning given.

Pill handed over.

Power gap shown.

"...Why go this far for me?"

Yet this dumb junior spouted more dumb words.

"Hm. 'Cause you're my junior?"

Plus, with her Virgin Kungfu, she's an S-rank ally I never need to guard against in any situation.

Well...

Not that I need allies much anymore, being this strong.

Still, no cuteness, but she's my junior.

Senior's gotta look out for her, right?

That night onward.

Baek Liyeon grew a bit more compliant.

Though she hadn't taken the ice shard antivenom I'd painstakingly made yet.

Anyway, she was trailing after me like a lost puppy.

"Liyeonmon, deploy! Fetch some shaved ice over there!"

"...What does that even mean?"

Evolving to the point where I could send her on errands without a second thought was encouraging.

Grumbling aside, I bit into the shaved ice she'd brought, savoring the subtle pear blossom scent spreading in my mouth.

"Damn, this mountain's huge."

I took in Mount Daepyeol.

The Unorthodox Supreme's somewhere around here.

Well... even if I broke the promise, no real issues would arise anymore.

Honestly, I was curious.

Had the jianghu corrupted me?

How freakishly strong is someone dubbed Unorthodox Supreme?

...That was the curiosity.

Had the pure, kind Geum Sihyeon died at Heavenly Demon Fortress?

Had I become Theseus's Geum Sihyeon?

I'd reached this point with pure Kakarot thinking.

Well, if it goes south, I can just bail.

"Gonna keep following? It's dangerous. Since you're here, head to the Martial Alliance or—"

"I'll follow. Gotta at least recover the chairman's corpse."

"You want me dead...? Liyeon, this senior is so hurt..."

"Wipe that smile off your lips first."

Still fun to tease.

"Alright, let's go."

What weapon does the Unorthodox Supreme use?

Unorthodox style—half-sword?

Spear maybe. Or some exotic weapon.