Empty Hands Aren't Lonely (5)
Hanbin chuckled lightly.
"Haha, that 'what if' is probably spot on. I mean, I could introduce them to where the Cheonun Assassin is hiding, collect an introduction fee, and... well, the possibilities are endless."
Seolhwa's mouth fell open again at Hanbin's nonstop scheming, spilling out like a waterwheel.
It sounded like he planned to use the Cheonun Assassin to drum up business.
But was that even feasible?
Snapping out of her daze, Seolhwa managed to continue.
"W-wait a second, Young Master. How are you supposed to tell them where the Cheonun Assassin is? You're the Cheonun Assassin."
"If I say he's on Changbai Mountain, they'll turn the whole place upside down looking for him."
"That just means wasted effort on their part."
"That's the whole point of the business. Who's the Cheonun Assassin gonna show himself to a bunch of nobodies like that? If they can't find him, that's on them. Haha."
Hanbin gave a small laugh and gazed out the window.
In truth, though he hadn't mentioned it, he was also planning to squeeze a decent amount of spirit pills out of the Justice Alliance using the Cheonun Assassin as bait.
If luck was on his side, it'd pay off big; if not, he'd break even. No way to lose on this deal.
Seolhwa clutched her head, staring at Hanbin.
It felt like she was walking a tightrope through life again.
Who could imagine doing business with the Justice Alliance?
Sometimes he was the picture of a noble gentleman; other times, he was a robber who just happened to not carry a blade—wait, no, he did carry blades. Not just Wol-a, but daggers hidden all over his body. A robber armed to the teeth, then.
Being with Hanbin brought comfort, but these sudden thrills of danger...
It was more hair-raising than heading out on an assassination gig.
That was when it happened.
Sim Miho came rushing up in a panic, shouting.
"Enemies ahead! Looks like this escort mission's under attack, my lord!"
At her cry, Hanbin leaped out of the carriage.
He then unleashed the Gugeol Ship-pal-bo.
Sasasak.
With the rustle of footsteps on grass, Hanbin vanished.
* * *
Clang! Clang!
Seomun Jingyeong, the young swordsman of the Seomun family out wandering the jianghu with his father Seomun Mugeol, was completely flustered right now.
He prided himself on his swift sword, but his opponent was no slouch.
Seomun Jingyeong thrust out his arm.
Dodging an incoming blade on instinct, his form came out a bit sloppy.
Yet it was still the flashy sword style of the Seomun family—something you wouldn't expect from such an awkward stance.
The reason Seomun Jingyeong fought like this was to subdue the bandit trying to harm his younger sister.
His goal was to capture the bandit alive.
That way, he could wipe out the rest of the gang.
Take down a bandit horde single-handedly?
It might sound impossible, but his father, Seomun Mugeol, could do it.
Seomun Mugeol was the first in the Seomun family to step into the early Hwagyeong realm and stood tall as a representative swordsman of northern murim.
Seomun Jingyeong's plan was to capture this bandit himself and leave the rest of the extermination to his father.
As their blades clashed, Seomun Jingyeong narrowed his eyes.
His opponent's sword was fast and sharp.
For a mere bandit to wield such refined technique!
Clang. Clang.
This time, the tables turned, and the opponent pressed Seomun Jingyeong fiercely.
Under the relentless assault, Seomun Jingyeong focused on defense.
He swept his sword left and right, barely parrying the incoming strikes.
Clang.
The biggest problem was that the opponent matched his speed...
And his power.
Every clash sent numbness up his arm.
Of course, channeling his qi would end this in a single exchange, but he didn't want to waste inner power on a bandit.
The techniques were sharp, but anyone could see this guy was just a bandit.
Clang, clang.
The ringing of steel fell into a rhythmic cadence, like music.
In terms of technique, they were evenly matched.
Seomun Jingyeong couldn't make sense of it.
The opponent's speed was overwhelming his forms.
Clang. Clang.
The opponent's speed picked up even more.
But the real issue was the growing weight behind each strike.
Heavier than the Seomun family's heavy swords?
Unconsciously, Seomun Jingyeong drew up his qi.
Energy flowed from his dantian through his limbs, freeing his sword movements.
In that instant, Seomun Jingyeong entered a trance. His family heart method, the Blue Crane Heart Method, was being reinterpreted not by his mind, but by his body.
This enlightenment was shifting the tide of the duel without him even realizing it.
He wasn't infusing his blade with qi, but the Seomun heavy sword style shone as his body moved freely.
Now evenly matched in weight, Seomun Jingyeong's sword began to overpower his foe's.
But the problem was, the opponent's blade was getting heavier too.
Then, a bluish aura flickered along Seomun Jingyeong's blade.
At the same time, sword qi rippled at his opponent's tip.
Seomun Jingyeong had no idea his foe was also in a trance, swinging with total abandon.
That's what a trance was, after all.
Seomun Suyeon, watching the duel, gritted her teeth.
The one her brother Seomun Jingyeong was fighting wasn't a bandit.
He was the man who had rushed to save her upon hearing her scream.
But a misunderstanding had arisen.
This was clearly her brother's mistake.
How had it come to this?
The reason was simple.
Seomun Suyeon had a severe arachnophobia.
She'd approached a rare herb, only to find a spider on it.
Her scream froze her body solid.
The man who came to her rescue was the one now fighting her brother, mistaken for a bandit.
If only she could move her legs or speak...
"If only that spider..."
Seomun Suyeon trembled, praying silently to the heavens.
She begged that her brother wouldn't harm an innocent man.
But as the fight grew dire, she couldn't just watch.
"Brother, that man isn't a bandit..."
But no sound escaped her throat.
Seomun Suyeon squeezed her eyes shut.
Then, a heavy thud echoed in her ears.
Thud.
Opening her eyes, Seomun Suyeon saw the duel frozen like an ink wash painting.
The change was the figure standing boldly between her brother Seomun Jingyeong and the "bandit."
He blocked them without even drawing his sword from its sheath.
Seeing this, Seomun Suyeon tilted her head at her brother's and the man's blades.
Something was off, but she couldn't pinpoint it.
Forgetting the spider beside her for a moment, Seomun Suyeon walked slowly toward them.
Her phobia had unconsciously lifted.
Only up close did she realize what felt wrong.
"Ah!"
Seomun Suyeon let out a short gasp.
Looking closely, Seomun Jingyeong's blade was snapped in half.
Of course, so was his opponent's.
The interloper had sliced both swords in two just as they aimed for each other's throats.
Now, Seomun Suyeon turned her gaze to Hanbin in the middle.
Questions piled up in her mind at the scene.
Her brother was undeniably a Peak swordsman.
An upper Peak at that.
How could anyone snap that blade?
Seomun Suyeon bent down to examine the broken sword.
"Ah, what in the world..."
She trailed off.
It wasn't just snapped in half.
It was shattered to pieces.
As Seomun Suyeon stared blankly, the man who had stopped the fight spoke up.
"How long are you two gonna keep this up?"
The voice belonged, of course, to Hanbin.
To him, both had entered a trance simultaneously.
Then tried to skewer each other's throats.
The moment he saw it, Hanbin shattered their blades.
At his words, the two swordsmen—frozen like an ink painting, blades poised—snapped to.
They each took a step back.
Then both looked at Hanbin.
They alternated between staring at him and their own swords until Yi Mu-myeong spoke.
"M-Master, what in the world are you doing here...?"
"Why's the scout I sent out picking fights here?"
Hanbin asked with a displeased frown, and Yi Mu-myeong replied in a shrinking voice.
"W-well, this guy came at me swinging out of nowhere..."
As Yi Mu-myeong trailed off, Hanbin turned.
Meeting Hanbin's gaze, Seomun Jingyeong flinched.
That look wasn't ordinary.
Seomun Jingyeong had seen it before.
Back when he fought neighborhood kids as a boy.
His father Seomun Mugeol had scolded them all, but one killing glare made the other kids wet themselves.
It was unmistakably the eye of a parent protecting their child.
But things didn't add up.
Oddly, the disciple looked older than the master.
Of course, Yi Mu-myeong's bushy fake beard caused the misconception.
The real issue was that even giving Hanbin the benefit of the doubt on age, he didn't look older than Seomun Jingyeong.
Unconsciously, Seomun Jingyeong muttered.
"Which sect's elder master might you be...?"
Hanbin scowled at that.
"Who the hell is this drunk asshole? Swilling booze in broad daylight and swinging at other people's kids!"
To Hanbin, Seomun Jingyeong looked like a sloshed lunatic.
Calling him an elder master?
That was straight-up calling him an old fogey.
As if!
At Hanbin's shout, Seomun Jingyeong stepped back and stammered.
"S-sorry! I didn't mean your face looks old—I mistook you for some rejuvenated elder..."
"Save the excuses and explain why you're fighting first."
"I thought he was a bandit and made a mistake. So..."
Seomun Jingyeong felt like he was dying inside.
He'd poked something he really shouldn't have.
For a moment, he recalled accidentally kicking a beehive as a kid.
That was when it happened.
A small girl appeared without a sound.
"Mister, that's why I told you. I said you'd get mistaken for a bandit."
The voice belonged to Seolhwa, naturally.
But Seomun Jingyeong, unaware of her identity, startled and backed away.
A tiny girl popping up out of nowhere without a trace.
Hanbin stood with arms crossed, glaring at Seomun Jingyeong.
Seomun Jingyeong hung his head low.
Yi Mu-myeong awkwardly stared at the sky.
Then, a timid voice piped up from the side.
"It's all my fault."
The small voice drew everyone's attention.
As eyes converged, Seomun Suyeon fidgeted with her fingers and continued haltingly.
"It's all a misunderstanding."
Seomun Jingyeong gaped at her.
"Suyeon, what do you mean?"
"I screamed in fright at a spider, and that man came to help me."
Seomun Suyeon cautiously pointed at Yi Mu-myeong.
"So I was the one who misunderstood..."
Seomun Jingyeong trailed off, looking at Yi Mu-myeong.
He clasped his hands in a deep fist salute and continued.
"My apologies, young hero. I acted without knowing and made a grave error."
"Misunderstandings happen, but you didn't even give me a chance to explain. Your sword hit like a truck."
"No, no. I was the flustered one. Ah, introductions are overdue. I'm Seomun Jingyeong. And this girl beside me is my sister, Seomun Suyeon."
"Hello. I'm Seomun Suyeon. I'm sorry too, Peak Sword Hero."
After Seomun Jingyeong and Seomun Suyeon greeted him, Yi Mu-myeong introduced himself.
"I'm Yi Mu-myeong."