Chapter 9
Chapter 9
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: What a Grand Name
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What a grand name.
The Fallen Flower Pavilion, like the Fragrant Flower Pavilion, was one of the top three pleasure pavilions in Wuhan.
However, their scales were different.
The Fallen Flower Pavilion was much larger than the Fragrant Flower Pavilion.
Within its rather large estate were over ten buildings, and it operated by assigning different ones to guests according to their status.
Arriving at the main gate of the Fallen Flower Pavilion, Byeok Taesan glanced over the two martial artists standing guard.
They were ordinary. Of course, that was by Byeok Taesan's standards; others might have judged them differently.
Cheon Gyeongwan, who had guided him here, for instance.
“The Fallen Flower Pavilion trains its own martial artists. And their skills are quite high.”
A strong sense of confidence laced Cheon Gyeongwan's tone.
As if asserting that no matter how impressive the Fallen Flower Pavilion was, it was no match for him.
“Also, the Golden Jade Trading Company owns about half of it.”
A fairly renowned martial artist was the master of the Fallen Flower Pavilion, holding half the shares, while the other half was owned by the Golden Jade Trading Company, which had invested the capital.
“Among Wuhan's three great pleasure pavilions, the Fragrant Flower Pavilion is the only one without investment from the Golden Jade Trading Company.”
Byeok Taesan gave a slight nod and made to enter the Fallen Flower Pavilion.
He had little interest in how much money the Golden Jade Trading Company had, or how much influence it wielded in Wuhan.
Just as he was about to step inside, a booming shout came from a distance.
“Hey! You there! Golden Jade brat!”
Although it was clearly directed at him, Byeok Taesan didn't spare a glance and strode into the estate.
It was Cheon Gyeongwan who reacted to the shout.
Cheon Gyeongwan turned his head and briefly glared at the giant of a man approaching from afar, radiating a fierce aura.
It was Wi Jeoksim, the leader of the Red Dragon Gang.
He gauged the man's skill from his posture and aura. He was clearly inferior.
Still, getting involved with someone like that would only lead to trouble.
Cheon Gyeongwan followed Byeok Taesan into the Fallen Flower Pavilion.
The giant who had called out to Byeok Taesan, Red Dragon Gang leader Wi Jeoksim, wore a look of disbelief.
“How dare they ignore me when I call?”
But Wi Jeoksim had no intention of confronting the Golden Jade Trading Company.
The Golden Jade Trading Company was not an opponent the mere Red Dragon Gang could handle.
To fight the Golden Jade Trading Company in Wuhan, one would need to mobilize the Black Blood Alliance at the very least.
The Black Blood Alliance was a coalition of Wuhan's underworld factions.
Of course, possessing all the traits of the underworld, they rarely united and often fought amongst themselves over trivial gains.
So, if the Red Dragon Gang were to pick a fight with the Golden Jade Trading Company, the Black Blood Alliance would likely scheme to profit from the conflict rather than help.
Therefore, Wi Jeoksim had no intention of escalating the situation.
He just needed to get what he wanted.
What just happened was merely a small threat to facilitate a smooth negotiation.
But it seemed it hadn't worked at all.
Wi Jeoksim glanced at the subordinates he had brought with him.
Fighting Cheon Gyeongwan with just these men would mean certain defeat.
However, they wouldn't go down without a fight.
If they fought alone, they would be crushed in an instant, but if he joined in, it would be a different story.
“Let's go.”
At Wi Jeoksim's words, the two martial artists guarding the main gate blocked their path.
“You are not to cause a disturbance inside.”
Wi Jeoksim scoffed.
“So it's okay to cause a disturbance out here? Do you want to find out just what kind of disturbance I can make?”
Wi Jeoksim's aura was considerable, but the guards did not back down.
“You are not to cause a disturbance inside.”
“I get it, so move. I'm not the type to use my fists recklessly. I'll resolve this with words, so don't worry.”
Since he usually used a sword instead of his fists, it wasn't entirely a lie.
With that thought, Wi Jeoksim entered the Fallen Flower Pavilion.
* * *
“A noisy one has come in. Who was that guy from before?”
“That's Wi Jeoksim, the master of the Red Dragon Gang.”
“The Red Dragon Gang? What's that?”
“It's an underworld faction based nearby.”
“Underworld? So they're like the Ten Thousand Blood Sect.”
Hearing the name 'Ten Thousand Blood Sect,' Cheon Gyeongwan was inwardly dumbfounded but simply nodded.
The Ten Thousand Blood Sect was the number one sect of the underworld.
They were so powerful that hundreds of gangs like the Red Dragon Gang couldn't even leave a scratch on them.
But what could he do? The only underworld faction that remained in the memory of Byeok Taesan, the former Heavenly Demon, was the Ten Thousand Blood Sect.
Moreover, Byeok Taesan regarded the Ten Thousand Blood Sect as little more than a gathering of trash.
Although the Ten Thousand Blood Sect was called the number one sect of the underworld, that was a title that only held weight among underworld factions. In reality, their power was only on par with a prestigious orthodox family.
Even then, their underlying strength fell short of a prestigious family, so Byeok Taesan had no need to pay them any mind.
The term Byeok Taesan used most often to describe the Ten Thousand Blood Sect was 'parasites.'
And that was the extent of his perception of them.
“What a grand name.”
To call themselves the Red Dragon Gang with such pathetic skills, have they no shame?
“Still, it's best to be careful. They're a filthy bunch...”
“Parasites are all like that.”
Byeok Taesan said that much and dismissed the matter. Or rather, he tried to.
If that man hadn't called out from behind again.
“Hey! You, the girly-looking one! Can't you hear me calling!”
Byeok Taesan stopped dead in his tracks.
Ever since waking up in this body after his death, the thing he disliked most was its appearance.
In truth, while his features were somewhat delicate, there was nothing feminine about him. On the contrary, he had a strange charm that made it hard for people to look away.
But in Byeok Taesan's eyes, it was a girly appearance, and he hated hearing it called that.
Because the kind of people he detested most when he lived as the Heavenly Demon were exactly like this man.
In other words, Wi Jeoksim had just touched Byeok Taesan's reverse scale.
All expression vanished from Byeok Taesan's face.
Seeing this, Cheon Gyeongwan's heart sank. He didn't know why, but looking at Byeok Taesan suddenly filled him with fear.
Byeok Taesan slowly turned around. He stared silently at Wi Jeoksim, who was charging toward them like a snorting boar.
His expression and gaze were placid, yet utterly cold.
Cheon Gyeongwan unknowingly swallowed dryly.
Wi Jeoksim stood before Byeok Taesan and glared at him.
“Was it you?”
At the abrupt question, Byeok Taesan looked at Wi Jeoksim with an expression that said, 'What is this guy on about?'
“I'm asking if you're the one who took Danyeong.”
Byeok Taesan let out a short laugh.
Now he understood why the man was acting this way.
Wi Jeoksim, seemingly with no intention of listening to Byeok Taesan, continued to speak.
“I'll leave you alone and go quietly. So hand her over to me.”
Byeok Taesan grinned.
“How novel.”
This was a first for him.
No one had ever dared to speak to the Heavenly Demon in such a way.
Of course, just because it was novel didn't mean he was pleased.
Naturally, he had no intention of letting the man off easy.
“Are you ignoring me?”
Wi Jeoksim bared his teeth in a threatening smile.
At that, his subordinates moved to surround Byeok Taesan and Cheon Gyeongwan.
Wi Jeoksim spoke to Cheon Gyeongwan.
“I know you're formidable. But it won't be easy fighting us while protecting this little brat. So stay put.”
Wi Jeoksim continued with a satisfied smile.
“I don't want to resolve this violently either. I want to settle it with words. Words are good, aren't they?”
“But I don't.”
The corner of Byeok Taesan's mouth twisted slightly. Who decided they would end this with words?
“Take care of the rest, leave this one to me.”
The moment Byeok Taesan finished speaking, Cheon Gyeongwan launched himself forward.
Wi Jeoksim was stunned, not expecting Byeok Taesan to react this way.
But he was a man who had rolled through the back alleys of the underworld.
He quickly assessed the situation and reached for Byeok Taesan.
Grabbing the neck of a sickly chicken that could barely support its own body would be nothing.
That assumption was Wi Jeoksim's fatal mistake.
He should have at least imbued his outstretched hand with internal energy.
Wi Jeoksim's hand grazed past Byeok Taesan's neck by a hair's breadth.
He had literally swung at empty air.
Fortunately, since he hadn't used much force, he didn't lose his balance.
Of course, the situation that followed could hardly be called fortunate.
Byeok Taesan dodged Wi Jeoksim's hand with minimal movement and took a step forward.
It was an exquisite move, executed simultaneously with the dodge.
Then, with the palm of his hand, he lightly struck Wi Jeoksim's chin in an upward motion.
He couldn't hit too hard. This body was so pathetically weak that putting too much force into it could break his wrist.
He struck very, very gently, but the result was not so simple.
Thump.
Wi Jeoksim crumpled forward, still in the posture of his swing.
And he never got up again.
Cheon Gyeongwan, having just dealt with Wi Jeoksim's subordinates, saw the scene and his jaw dropped.
Byeok Taesan shook out his hand. Just that one blow had sent a tingling pain through it.
“This body is truly hopeless.”
I hit him gently for this very reason, but it still couldn't handle even that. Isn't this too much?
“Did you kill them all?”
At Byeok Taesan's question, Cheon Gyeongwan stared at him with wide eyes.
“I didn't kill them, but...”
Byeok Taesan scoffed.
“Too soft.”
Leaving those words behind, Byeok Taesan began walking inside and gave an order as he passed.
“Clean this up and follow me.”
Cheon Gyeongwan stared blankly at Byeok Taesan's back.
A moment later, the martial artists of the Fallen Flower Pavilion rushed to the scene.
Cheon Gyeongwan cleaned up the area with them.
And the moment he confirmed the death of the Red Dragon Gang's leader, Wi Jeoksim, a chill ran down his spine.
* * *
Cheon Gyeongwan sat in a daze.
It had been a while since Byeok Taesan had entered a room with a courtesan.
And from within, a sound that could be a scream or a moan could be heard incessantly.
The sound wasn't loud, but judging from his experience at the Fragrant Flower Pavilion, everyone in the Fallen Flower Pavilion could probably hear it.
For some, it would be a greater stimulus, and for others, it would arouse curiosity.
Listening to the sound, Cheon Gyeongwan recalled what Byeok Taesan had said earlier.
‘Say I was the one who killed him?’
Those were the first words Cheon Gyeongwan heard when he found Byeok Taesan after cleaning up the situation.
Cheon Gyeongwan had agreed.
Even if he said that Byeok Taesan had fought and killed Wi Jeoksim, no one would likely believe him.
Unless they had witnessed the scene themselves.
And he was the only one who had.
Wi Jeoksim's subordinates had all been unconscious.
Thinking back, it was strange. When Byeok Taesan told him to handle the rest, he had moved without a moment's hesitation.
In truth, he shouldn't have. He should have at least ensured Byeok Taesan's safety from Wi Jeoksim before fighting.
Or he should have fled the scene with Byeok Taesan.
But he had moved as if bewitched, following Byeok Taesan's command.
And he ended up witnessing the scene where Byeok Taesan dealt with Wi Jeoksim.
Cheon Gyeongwan recalled Byeok Taesan's final move. And he tried to imitate it.
‘Was it like this?’
It was a simple motion of striking upward with his hand while walking forward.
But no matter how many times he repeated it, he couldn't replicate the feeling of Byeok Taesan's move.
It was only natural. How could it be easy to perfectly reproduce a movement imbued with the Heavenly Demon's insight?
Cheon Gyeongwan did not give up.
At that moment, he recalled something Byeok Taesan had said earlier.
Cheon Gyeongwan focused on the movement. He resolved to practice it until his internal energy and physical strength were completely depleted.
From inside the room, moans echoed, and outside, the sound of Cheon Gyeongwan's hands cutting through the air rang out.
And so the night passed.