Chapter 34
Chapter 34
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: My Ambition is to be the Strongest in Real Combat!
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“You may rise.”
Zi-un carefully stood up, gathered her hands in front of her, and looked at me demurely.
She was about twenty-two, a pure and lovely beauty, like a hibiscus flower.
“She is my younger sister.”
“Hmm?”
I looked back and forth between Jang Ung and Zi-un.
“Really?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Same parents?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Then how is it that you look like a thief, while your sister is as beautiful as a hibiscus?”
Zi-un's face gently flushed red.
“I take after our father, and my sister takes after our mother.”
“If your sister is the master of Zi-un Pavilion, she must be quite successful.”
Pavilions like that usually have a separate owner who appoints a woman of exceptional beauty or talent as the pavilion master.
“My sister is better than me.”
“So, what is this about?”
Jang Ung wouldn't have called me over this late in the evening just to introduce his sister.
“I heard that my lord enjoyed the food from Zi-un Pavilion.”
“You seem to know everything.”
“You flatter me.”
‘Humble, too. Jang Ung is full of charm. Just how far does this man's appeal go?’
“So, from now on, we would like to have Zi-un Pavilion take charge of your meals and deliver them.”
I was a little surprised.
“Every day?”
“Yes.”
“Why did you think of that?”
“I hope you will take up the hobby of gastronomy, my lord.”
“Gastronomy?”
“Zi-un Pavilion has ten chefs who prepare a thousand dishes from various regions. Please try three of them each day.”
I had always lived thinking of food as something one had to eat out of necessity for survival.
But after eating the food from Zi-un Pavilion, my perspective completely changed. To exaggerate a little, it was so shocking that I wanted to change my life's goal from becoming the strongest in real combat to exploring delicious cuisine.
“We will deliver enough food for everyone at the Dong-ro Branch to eat.”
The branch members burst into cheers.
With their meager salaries, less than a rat's tail, the Dong-ro Branch members could never have afforded to go to Zi-un Pavilion, where a single night could cost tens to hundreds of silver taels.
But now, they would get to eat their fill of the famous Zi-un Pavilion's food every day. It was like a dream come true.
* * *
After dinner, Sang Gang-jo and Jang Ung gathered in my room.
“Uncle Jo, Jang Ung has something to say to you.”
“Go on.”
Jang Ung had first asked for my permission to discuss what to do about Sang Gang-jo.
“Your movements are currently restricted, are they not?”
“You could say that.”
“Will you be staying here for long?”
I felt Sang Gang-jo's gaze on me but pretended not to notice.
“I plan to stay for a while.”
Sang Gang-jo had secretly sent a letter to the Alliance Lord of the Martial Alliance; in other words, he was eager to arrange a meeting between me and the Alliance Lord.
“How long is 'a while'?”
“I'm not sure.”
“Then please let me know when you decide to leave.”
“Do you have a good way for me to leave this place?”
“What about using a disguise?”
It was a method Sang Gang-jo had never considered.
“Is it possible?”
“It is.”
“If it's not done properly…”
“I have a disguise artist who ranks among the top ten in the world.”
This made Sang Gang-jo's doubtful words trail off.
“What's the method?”
“We can do it however you wish.”
The art of disguise involves either wearing another person's skin—that is, a facial mask—or applying a special potion to change one's appearance.
“Whenever you wish, I will send the disguise artist here.”
“I understand.”
If Sang Gang-jo's appearance could be perfectly altered, he would be free to move about and could leave for the Martial Alliance at any time.
* * *
Jang Ung and I left the Dong-ro Branch, just the two of us.
The streets were quiet during the hour of the dog, around 8 p.m.
“Thirteen masters from the Ten Heavens of the Unorthodox Path are staying in Dong-ro County. They have no connection to the Dong-ro branch of the Ten Heavens and are here for a different purpose.”
“Did they arrive around the same time as the Demonic Sword Union's leader?”
“They came two days earlier.”
We walked side by side.
“Is it because I defeated the Red Flying Swallow Sword?”
“Yes, sir.”
“What's their objective?”
“This is just my speculation, but…”
“Go on.”
Jang Ung was only speculating, but he was almost entirely correct.
“At first, they were likely wary of you, my lord, waiting for an opportunity to eliminate you. However, after you killed the Demonic Sword Union's leader, they probably switched to a wait-and-see approach.”
“Hmph!”
The title 'lord' felt awkward at first, but hearing it repeatedly made it familiar and rather pleasant to the ear.
“However, I expect they will withdraw in a day or two.”
I guessed why they were planning to withdraw.
They must have concluded that thirteen masters of the Unorthodox Path were not enough to kill or subdue me, the man who killed the Demonic Sword Union's leader.
If they thought otherwise, the Dong-ro branch of the Ten Heavens wouldn't have withdrawn; they would have held their ground, joined forces with the thirteen masters, and attacked me or tried some other scheme.
“Let's stop here for a moment.”
Jang Ung led me to a tavern on the street.
It was a tavern with a sign that read 'Peerless Pavilion'.
*Creeak!*
An attendant greeted us.
“Welcome! A party of two?”
“That's right.”
Even though it was late in the hour of the dog, the spacious first floor of the tavern was packed with customers, with not an empty seat in sight.
“There are no empty seats on the second floor either. If it's alright with you, I can guide you to a private annex.”
“Do that.”
“This way, please.”
The delicious aroma of food filled the tavern. Even though I had eaten a hearty dinner of dishes delivered from Zi-un Pavilion, the smell made my mouth water.
The attendant opened the back door on the first floor, and after we passed through, he closed it without following us out.
*Thud!*
Outside the back door was a well-kept, cozy garden. Within a rather wide wall, five single-story and two-story buildings were arranged in a semicircle.
We walked across the garden.
“As you may have guessed, this is my place of business.”
This meant that Jang Ung's Beggars' Sect was here.
“What about the tavern?”
“It's a front.”
“Did the tavern owner allow you to have a Beggars' Sect headquarters behind his establishment?”
“Yes.”
“He must be a good person.”
“Thank you.”
“…Why are you thanking me?”
“I am the owner of the tavern.”
“Hah!”
I was completely blindsided. I never would have imagined that Jang Ung was the owner of the tavern, especially one that was doing so well.
Suddenly, something occurred to me.
“By any chance, do you own Zi-un Pavilion as well?”
“I do.”
I was so surprised that I stopped walking and stared at Jang Ung.
‘Well, look at this guy.’
Jang Ung said politely.
“Later, please try the food here as well. If it suits your palate, I will arrange for it to be delivered to the Dong-ro Branch.”
It seemed I had stumbled upon a true gem.
In a cozy hall within one of the single-story buildings, seven people other than Jang Ung and me had gathered.
Jang Ung spoke solemnly to the seven people lined up in a row.
“This is the lord I told you about. Pay your respects.”
The seven of them knelt in unison, touching their foreheads to the floor in a deep bow.
“We greet you, my lord.”
“Rise.”
Jang Ung explained.
“Of the fifteen, eight are away on business.”
Jang Ung's expression turned solemn.
“Although we are a Beggars' Sect…”
“What is the name of your sect?”
I cut him off.
“It is the Peerless Sect.”
I said firmly.
“From now on, the Peerless Sect is not a Beggars' Sect.”
Jang Ung, as well as the other seven, looked at me with puzzled expressions.
“The Peerless Sect is just a martial sect. I have no desire to have a Beggars' Sect under my command.”
In that moment, the Beggars' Sect became an ordinary martial sect.
A look of deep emotion slowly appeared on the faces of Jang Ung and the seven members.
“What is the level of your martial arts?”
“One member of our sect can handle four warriors from the Dong-ro branches of the Demonic Emperor's Grand Union and the Ten Heavens of the Unorthodox Path.”
“What do you mean by 'handle'?”
“I mean they can kill them.”
That was an impressive level. These were no ordinary beggars.
“Who taught you martial arts?”
“I taught them.”
“You did?”
This was completely unexpected. If so, wasn't Jang Ung a much greater master than I had imagined?
I decided to ask about Jang Ung's martial arts later.
Suddenly, I had a good idea.
“Starting tomorrow, I'll send someone here for you all. Learn martial arts from him. He's an excellent instructor.”
The seven looked puzzled, but Jang Ung understood what I meant and was overjoyed.
“My lord! Thank you!”
The chance to learn martial arts from Sang Gang-jo, the Chief Hall Master of the Martial Alliance's main headquarters, was an opportunity that required heavenly luck.
If I told Sang Gang-jo to teach them, he would not be in a position to refuse.
Although the martial skills of Jang Ung and his Peerless Sect subordinates were greater than I had expected, they were still far inferior compared to Sang Gang-jo.
The seven members under the Peerless Sect introduced themselves one by one and bowed to me again.
Jang Ung left me alone in the room for a moment before returning.
“May I say something?”
“Go ahead.”
“What will you do about the thirteen masters of the Unorthodox Path who have entered Dong-ro County?”
“Didn't you say they would withdraw soon?”
“Will you just let them go?”
“What are you suggesting?”
“Kill them all.”
“You want me to kill them?”
“Isn't the reason you forced the Dong-ro branches of the Demonic Emperor's Grand Union and the Ten Heavens of the Unorthodox Path to withdraw to lure formidable masters of the Demonic and Unorthodox Paths to Dong-ro County?”
He was so accurate that I once again thought how fortunate I was to have taken him as a subordinate. If I hadn't, a man this formidable could have become my enemy in the future.
“That's right.”
“If you kill the thirteen masters of the Unorthodox Path who have entered Dong-ro County, you will make a definite enemy of the Ten Heavens.”
“I suppose so.”
Jang Ung straightened his posture.
“If I may, could I know your purpose, my lord?”
“Let's call it an ambition rather than a purpose.”
“What is your ambition, my lord?”
I fell silent for a moment. Just thinking of my ambition made my chest swell with excitement.
“To become the strongest in real combat under the heavens.”
“Ah!”
Jang Ung's eyes widened, his mouth fell open, and he let out a gasp of astonishment.
It was the first time I had seen him so shocked since we met.
Jang Ung asked very carefully.
“Pardon my impertinence, but what is the level of your martial arts, my lord?”
“Well…”
That was something even I didn't know.
“Can you defeat the Chief Hall Master?”
“Uncle Jo would be a one-move opponent.”
“Ah!”
Jang Ung gasped for the second time.
“My lord, you are far beyond what I had imagined!”
“What did you imagine?”
Jang Ung spoke respectfully but honestly.
“Forgive me, but I had estimated you would be among the Ten Strongest of Zhejiang.”
Meaning, he thought I would rank among the top ten within Zhejiang Province.
I liked Jang Ung's honesty.
“What about Uncle Jo's level?”
“He is comparable to the Fifteen Venerables of the Martial World, two ranks above the Ten Strongest of Zhejiang.”
Accurate.
“I had assumed that you had a hold on some weakness of the Chief Hall Master, which was why he was unable to act against you.”
“I don't resort to such despicable tricks.”
“My apologies.”
Jang Ung bowed his head before speaking again.
“In that case, in my humble opinion, your skill must be on the level of the Fifteen Venerables of the Martial World.”
“Uncle Jo said the same thing at first.”
“Is that so?”
Jang Ung was overjoyed that his guess was correct.
“But Uncle Jo was mistaken about me.”
A flicker of disappointment crossed Jang Ung's face, but he quickly regained his usual expression.
“How was the Chief Hall Master mistaken about you, my lord?”
“He hasn't even seen half of my martial arts.”
“Ah!”
Jang Ung was more shocked than he had ever been in his life.