War of the Guests (1)

Hanbin asked with a meaningful expression.

"By any chance, is this a merchant caravan heading south?"

"Gasp, how did you know, Young Master?"

"South means it's likely headed toward the Henan Jeong Family."

"Whoa, Young Master, you're like a pair of tongs—spot on. Have you been studying the I Ching lately?"

"Nah, what I Ching? It's like stepping backward on a cow and catching a rat by luck. What I'm really curious about are the details."

"Well, here's what happened..."

Cheolno spilled the story Hanbin had been waiting for.

Merchant caravans getting robbed wasn't uncommon, but the problem was that only those connected to Madam Jeonghwa were being targeted—and strangely so.

Cheolno explained that several escort warriors helping those caravans had been killed, putting the Hebei Paeng Family elders on high alert.

After chattering on with flying spittle for a while, Cheolno tilted his head.

"Young Master, why the long face?"

"What's wrong with my face?"

"You look like it doesn't concern you at all."

"It doesn't. Why should I feel bad for Madam Jeonghwa, who hates my guts, getting robbed?"

"That's not it. I don't feel sorry for her side either, but if the Hebei Paeng Family is the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠target, we could be next someday, Young Master."

"We'll be fine. Don't worry, Cheolno."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Call it a hunch."

"By any chance...?"

"Any chance what?"

"You haven't cooked up some scheme, have you?"

"Lately, you've been seeing me as some grand mastermind, Cheolno."

"No, Young Master. To me, you're always like the baby you were back then."

"Thanks, Cheolno. Keep that feeling forever."

"Of course. Here, have some of this first, Young Master."

Cheolno opened the lid of the basket.

Inside were steaming-hot dumplings.

For a moment, Hanbin thought life was like the dumplings in that basket.

You never knew the taste until you bit in—just like life's uncertainties.

Hanbin bit into a dumpling and grinned.

"These are extra tasty today, Cheolno."

"Shall I bring more?"

"Nah, I'm good."

Hanbin patted his belly. On days like this, he felt full without eating much.

Black Heaven, huh?

He needed to reassess their capabilities.

Simple banditry just invited revenge.

They were aiming for pure profit, methodically.

This was exactly the kind of blow Hanbin wanted.

As Hanbin unconsciously smiled, Cheolno remarked,

"You've been smiling a lot more lately, Young Master."

"Haha. Glad it shows, Cheolno."

Hanbin patted his belly and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠laughed heartily for the first time in a while.

After laughing it off, Hanbin began organizing his formulas.

The biggest change was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠in the Basic Edition.

Even after returning from the Absol Valley wolf subjugation mission, Hanbin had continued sparring steadily with So Daeseop and his group, who had finished training at Cheonsu Manor.

That's when he acquired all the formulas for the Basic Edition.

Once he got every formula from Speed to Recovery, the aligned glowing points were replaced by numbers.

The Applied Edition hadn't grown further and remained the same as during the Absol Valley wolf hunt.

However, he was now training by visualizing the operation of each technique in his mind.

For instance, with the human-grade formula Return of the Dying, it was like having an extra life, so it made sense to reserve the fifteen years of inner power needed to activate it.

That left him with fifteen years of usable power from his core inner strength plus the Yongrin Sword Art.

His current training goal was to operate the Yongrin Sword Art within those fifteen years.

Madam Jeonghwa's chambers.

Third Young Master Paeng Mubin sat there, head bowed low before her.

Unable to contain her fury, Madam Jeonghwa slammed the table.

Hot tea splashed out, drenching Paeng Mubin's face, but he didn't even think to wipe it off.

Her expression was that terrifying.

"What exactly have you been doing to let the caravan get robbed like that?"

"I'm sorry. I got hit with a paralyzing poison without realizing..."

"I can't fathom how you could even think of returning home after losing goods worth a fortune."

"I'm sorry, Mother."

"I regret bowing my head to the youngest to get you out. You should've just rotted in prison."

"I'll reflect on it, Mother."

All Third Young Master Paeng Mubin could do was keep his head down.

To cover up his disgraceful blunder, Madam Jeonghwa had assigned him to escort a shipment of premium ginseng.

The prior blunder had been at Hanbin's hands.

To wash that away, he needed a major achievement.

The ginseng shipment was worth one-tenth of the entire Paeng Family's annual trade volume—an enormous sum.

And he'd failed.

Madam Jeonghwa asked again.

"Does it make sense that they stole all that without leaving a single trace?"

"I don't know. We got help from the Justice Alliance's Henan branch, but it's a complete dead end."

"You're grounded for the time being. Stay in the family and handle guest reception duties."

"Guests?"

"We've invited a Plum Blossom Sword Expert from the Volcanic Wave as an honored guest."

At those words, Paeng Mubin's eyes narrowed.

An honored guest was a system where influential figures from the martial world were hosted and treated lavishly.

Large, wealthy merchant groups often invited them.

The reason was simple. Disciples from major sects went on their jianghu journeys with meager funds and often ended up sleeping rough.

By the time they returned after three years, they looked no different from beggars, barely distinguishable as sect disciples.

But if a clan or merchant house hosted them as honored guests?

It was a win-win, as the saying went: good for sister, good for brother-in-law.

The disciple enjoyed luxury during their journey, and the host gained backing from a major sect.

But the honored guest Madam Jeonghwa mentioned was from the Volcanic Wave—no ordinary disciple, but a Plum Blossom Sword Expert.

The implications were huge.

If he built a good rapport now, it could be a massive boon later.

Paeng Mubin pondered how best to serve him.

That was his only hope.

The honored guest from the Volcanic Wave, invited by Madam Jeonghwa, was Plum Blossom Sword Expert Se Jaeo Jeongmyeong.

He was the Volcanic Wave's second-generation disciple, the lowest-ranked among the Plum Blossom Sword Experts, but favored by the sect elders.

His father was one of the top five merchants in Xi'an, and the donations he'd made to the sect alone probably equaled their annual budget.

No elder disliked Se Jaeo.

Major sects lived and died by money—that was reality.

And Se Jaeo wasn't just rich; he had sharp talent too.

Not a genius who learned ten from one lesson, but smart enough to grasp two.

That's why he held the lowest Plum Blossom Sword Expert seat.

But he had a flaw.

He was spoiled rotten. He wouldn't touch anything less than top-grade tea or silk clothes.

His jianghu journey was pure torment.

He'd first tried staying home, but the elders wouldn't allow it.

What was the point of a jianghu journey?

To face the harsh winds of the world head-on!

That's why he chose the Hebei Paeng Family.

Connections with one of the North Five Great Families, and wealth rivaling his own—that was the reasoning.

Of course, it was an illusion shattered upon arrival.

Se Jaeo, sipping tea, turned and spat it out, slamming down his cup.

The attending maid asked,

"Is something wrong, Great Hero?"

"No, but does the Paeng Family only have this kind of tea?"

"This kind...?"

"Jeonghwa tea has upper, middle, and lower grades, and even upper has gold, jade, and standard. What you brought is lower-grade, isn't it?"

"I don't know the finer distinctions..."

"Enough. How could someone like you tell fine tea apart anyway!"

Se Jaeo waved her off dismissively.

Then he glanced around the room.

His assessment: lower of the lowers.

Worse than his quarters at the Volcanic Wave.

Se Jaeo sighed repeatedly.

Then the door opened.

Creak.

As a stranger entered, Se Jaeo eyed him warily.

Noticing, Paeng Mubin bowed deeply and introduced himself.

"Great Hero Jeongmyeong, I'm Paeng Mubin, third son of the Paeng Family."

"Hm, so you're Madam Jeonghwa's son."

"Yes. Please speak casually."

"Very well. I'm from the 'Jeong' generation at the Volcanic Wave, so I'm of your mother's generation, making you my nephew. Call me Uncle casually."

Paeng Mubin quickly clasped his fists in salute.

"Thank you, Uncle."

But inwardly, he felt a twinge of discomfort. Se Jaeo was in his early thirties—barely eight years older.

And ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠now Uncle?

Paeng Mubin had aimed for sworn brotherhood upon coming here. Instead, he'd ended up with an uncle to serve.

Then Se Jaeo spoke with a dissatisfied look.

"Nephew, I have a favor to ask. Can you help?"

"Of course, Uncle."

"To be frank, I came expecting great things from the famed Hebei Paeng Family, but the food and tea are awful. Can you help?"

"Just say the word, Uncle."

"First, bring the best food this place has."

"What would you like?"

"Anything you're confident recommending."

"Understood."

Paeng Mubin bowed deeply and left Se Jaeo's quarters.

Moments later,

he regretted it. He'd asked the head chef for his favorite dishes, but Se Jaeo took one bite of each and shook his head.

"Still not as good as Volcanic Wave cuisine."

"I'm sorry, Uncle."

"No need to apologize. It's not your fault the Paeng Family's like this."

"..."

Paeng Mubin's jaw dropped as he stared at Se Jaeo.

This was trash in Plum Blossom Sword Expert skin.

A flash of inspiration hit Paeng Mubin.

Trash belongs with trash.

Introduce Se Jaeo to Hanbin and let them clash—that was his scheme.

Using the arrogant, high-and-mighty Se Jaeo as a weapon.

Paeng Mubin broached carefully.

"Uncle, have you heard about the Paeng Family's swords?"

"Paeng Family swords? Aren't they a blade family? Don't all their secrets revolve around blades?"

"True, but there's been a new change in the Paeng Family."

Paeng Mubin flashed a meaningful smile.