Chapter 58
Chapter 58
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 58
Chapter Title: Stone Family Manor's Youngest Daughter (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"You're safe. Thank goodness, thank goodness."
Ha Jin let out a deep sigh, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead.
The Heavenly Demon glanced at Ha Jin while preparing a meal for Yang Hui-gun, who had just arrived late.
Even though he seemed like a childish boy interested only in food, his insight was exceptional.
"Why worry so much? Gunryong young hero and his companions aren't bad people."
Seok Geum-yeong looked puzzled at Ha Jin, who had unusually left her side and returned overly worried.
"The world is vast, and the Central Plains martial world is crawling with human-faced beast-hearted villains. It's full of people whose outsides don't match their insides."
Ha Jin, usually a good-natured man with a positive outlook, showed an uncharacteristically sharp side at this moment.
"Ah, sorry. Gunryong young hero, was it? I wasn't talking about you and your group."
Ha Jin realized he'd raised his voice and waved his hands upon sensing the Heavenly Demon's steady gaze.
"I know."
"Pardon?"
"I said I know."
Was it because his belly was full?
Unexpectedly, the Heavenly Demon didn't snap or get angry.
"But how old are you to keep speaking so informally to me...?"
"Hui-gun. Eat slowly."
"Yes, Gunryong-nim."
The Heavenly Demon lightly ignored Ha Jin and turned to speak to Seok Geum-yeong this time.
"By the way, you're heading to Hebei Province?"
"Yes. I visited my maternal family and now I'm on my way back to Stone Family Manor in Hebei."
This area was on the outskirts of Hebei, so to reach the central region where Stone Family Manor was located, one had to travel by land or, for speed, by water.
"I see. Still a ways to go on your journey?"
"Yes. But we're almost there."
"Hmm."
The Heavenly Demon pondered something for a moment before asking Sogang.
"Sogang. To go to Luoyang in Henan, do we pass through the direction of Stone Family Manor in Hebei?"
"Not necessarily, but it's close enough to stop by."
The quick-witted Sogang gave the answer the Heavenly Demon wanted to hear.
"Good."
"No way..."
Ha Jin sensed something from their conversation.
"Our paths align somewhat. Are you planning to take a boat by waterway, perhaps?"
"Yes. I heard they've arranged a large sailboat in advance. Right, Uncle Ha Jin?"
"Uh? Yes. That's correct."
Reflecting on it, the Heavenly Demon realized he hadn't traveled by water or gone boating since awakening from Eternal Ice.
"One more thing I'm curious about. Do you know someone named Seok Cheong? He lived about 200 years ago."
"Huh? Seok Cheong... He's my great-grandfather."
With that, the Heavenly Demon, who had been debating whether to join, made his decision easily.
Normally, the Heavenly Demon avoided meddling in others' affairs outside the Demonic Cult, but he found himself quite taken with Seok Geum-yeong.
Moreover, since she was a descendant of Seok Cheong, with whom he had past ties, his interest grew even more.
"If it's alright, may we accompany you back to Stone Family Manor?"
Ha Jin's ominous premonition proved spot on.
"Absolutely not! Miss, you must refuse!"
Ha Jin jumped in alarm at the outsider—and suspiciously unidentified—heavenly Demon wanting to join.
But Seok Geum-yeong seemed thoughtful.
The final decision rested with her.
"Listen here, young master! I don't know who you are or what elder from where... but why do you want to travel with us?"
Frustrated, Ha Jin questioned the Heavenly Demon directly, bypassing Seok Geum-yeong.
"You said it yourself."
"What?"
"The Central Plains martial world is crawling with human-faced beast-hearted villains. Full of people whose outsides don't match their insides, so how could I leave this clever young lady alone?"
Ha Jin and the Stone Family Manor warriors were speechless at the heavy response throwing his own words back at him.
Especially since the Heavenly Demon had proven his prowess by effortlessly breaking through the inn entrance guarded by Ha Jin and felling Gold Thread Pursuer.
To escort Seok Geum-yeong safely and comfortably, they should be begging to hold onto the Heavenly Demon's coattails.
"Alright! Then please accompany us."
Thus, it was decided that the Heavenly Demon's group would travel with Stone Family Manor's youngest daughter, Seok Geum-yeong.
"You're really coming along?"
As the Heavenly Demon, along with Sogang and Yang Hui-gun, boarded the boat, Ha Jin asked with clear displeasure.
"Is there such a thing as coming along falsely?"
"I don't trust you. Your aura and presence scream you're not from the orthodox sects."
This was the decisive reason Ha Jin distrusted the Heavenly Demon's group.
He acknowledged the Heavenly Demon's exceptional skill.
Just look at Yang Hui-gun, said to be his subordinate.
However, the Heavenly Demon's intensely ominous aura made it natural for a bodyguard to worry about it rubbing off on Seok Geum-yeong.
"Not orthodox means all bad? That's a simplistic dichotomy. Sometimes the swords of the orthodox sects are even more fearsome and cruel."
"Th-that's!"
The Heavenly Demon snorted and ostentatiously sprawled out in a prime spot on the lavish, luxurious Stone Family Manor sailboat.
Sogang and Yang Hui-gun busily carried the Heavenly Demon's luggage, and the cheeky pair even helped with Stone Family Manor's cargo.
Of course, the Heavenly Demon was the exception.
"You're like Geum-yeong's longtime friend and bodyguard, right?"
"That's right. I've served the young lady for a full seven years."
"Then you two must be quite close?"
"Of course! Like my own daughter..."
Ha Jin's face darkened momentarily as he casually mentioned his own daughter.
But it passed quickly.
"Then guard her well."
"What?"
"This is a waterway. On the river. Know what that means? No escape routes like on land—it's a dead end."
"What are you..."
"You've been targeted since childhood, right? If I were after Geum-yeong, I'd strike on the waterway."
The Heavenly Demon was perceptive.
No, he had to be.
The number of assassins he'd faced since 200 years ago was easily in the tens of thousands.
Dealing with so many—killing, sparing, grilling, frying—had honed an omniscient assassin's perspective.
"Don't jinx it!"
Ha Jin recoiled in shock, shooing away the ominous words.
Smiling satisfactorily at Ha Jin's reaction, the Heavenly Demon approached Seok Geum-yeong.
"You good on boats?"
"Of course. As heir to a merchant group, I have to handle boats and camels well."
"I see. Seok Cheong was terrible at it, though."
"Pardon?"
"Nothing."
They spent a pleasant time chatting idly.
Seok Geum-yeong, who rarely conversed with peers, laughed heartily throughout the waterway journey while talking with the Heavenly Demon.
It got to the point where
'Who knew the young lady could smile like that?'
Ha Jin, who had spent seven years with her, was struck by this bright side he hadn't known, his eyes lighting up.
Looking back, people were either intimidated by Seok Geum-yeong or wanted her gone—only those two types.
The first to speak freely, informally, and without reservation was this mysterious young master called Gunryong.
"Hohohoho!"
She even laughed openly, baring her teeth without covering her mouth.
A sight impossible in the etiquette-rigid Stone Family Manor.
'Geum-yeong miss.'
Invincible Golden Sword Ha Jin watched her thoughtfully.
Messing with the fake makes it real—a jest turning into truth.
Earlier, the Heavenly Demon had said if he targeted Seok Geum-yeong, it'd be on the waterway. And now this.
"...Huh?"
As they entered the deepest part of the river, water bandits lying in wait sprang out as if on cue, startling Ha Jin.
The shock was brief.
"Everyone, eyes forward! Water bandits! Water bandits have appeared!"
At their emergence, Ha Jin abandoned all else and rushed to Seok Geum-yeong.
Seok Geum-yeong, who had been chatting happily with the Heavenly Demon, lost her bright smile and gaped.
"Miss! Stay behind me."
"Yes, Uncle."
Still, it was reassuring to have Ha Jin—and oddly, the young master Gunryong, met today.
Despite first meeting, they clicked perfectly in conversation and temperament.
Waaaaah!
The water bandits went mad with greed at the sight of the rare luxurious sailboat and charged.
"I'll protect the miss at all costs! And Gunryong young hero's group are guests, so please fall back and assist the miss—much appreciated!"
Despite the sudden crisis, Ha Jin responded relatively calmly.
Thus, Stone Family Manor's bodyguards engaged the bandits, and Sogang, the Heavenly Demon, and Yang Hui-gun respected Ha Jin's intent.
Honoring it, the Heavenly Demon's group fell back to join Seok Geum-yeong.
Full-scale combat erupted soon after.
"Ugh, Captain Ha Jin! These are definitely from Yangtze Waterway Stronghold!"
"Their individual skills are unusually high for bandits... masters of aquatic arts!"
After clashing once, the bodyguards were dumbfounded.
Individually, Stone Family Manor's guards were superior, but the bandits weren't weak.
No, for water bandits, they were first-rate, super first-rate elites, likely key members of Yangtze Waterway Stronghold's main camps.
Above all, their aquatic arts—holding breath long underwater, swift movement—made shipboard fights on water or decks extremely disadvantageous.
Moreover, the bandits numbered around fifty deliberately, while the guards, including Ha Jin, were only ten.
"Aaaah!"
"Captain Ha Jin!"
To make matters worse, the weakest novice guard was grabbed by several bandits and dragged underwater.
"Save me! Captain! Save me!"
Dragged under, he'd be skewered by water bandits' signature water-parting Emei daggers, dying horribly.
"Jeong Sam!"
Ha Jin shuddered as Jeong Sam, a close comrade, was pulled under.
He wanted to dive in immediately, but his place was beside Seok Geum-yeong.
Stomping in frustration.
Seok Geum-yeong wanted to let him go if it was for her, but expected refusal.
Just then.
"What are you waiting for? Go."
Surprisingly, the Heavenly Demon and Yang Hui-gun rose.
"What?"
Ha Jin blurted in shock,
"I said I'd help protect Geum-yeong. Since you let us on board, we owe fare."
The Heavenly Demon smirked and ordered Yang Hui-gun.
"Hui-gun! Real combat! Sweep them all."
"Yes!"
Yang Hui-gun leaped out eagerly, unleashing his true power.
Ghost Annihilation Weeping Sword!
Ghost Weep Shadow Pursuit Sword Technique's ultimate technique
Yang Hui-gun reveled in the rare real combat, swinging the pinnacle of Ghost Weep Shadow Pursuit Sword Technique.
He was like a fish in water.
Venting frustrations from beatings in spars with the Heavenly Demon, his single strokes felling bandits inspired awe and exhilaration.
"He's finally somewhat usable."
The Heavenly Demon watched Yang Hui-gun fondly, smiling with satisfaction.