Chapter 18
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: In the Spotlight
-----------------------------------------------------------------
It had been a while since I last saw Hwangbo Yeon, and she was truly dazzlingly beautiful.
Conscious of prying eyes, she had dressed in simple clothes and wore light makeup, but her beauty still outshone all other women.
To think a woman like this hadn't forgotten me and was waiting.
I couldn't help but wonder if I had saved a nation in my past life.
'Ah, on second thought, I may not have saved a nation, but I did save the martial world.'
"I hear the scenery in Shanxi Province is truly beautiful."
What comes out of your mouth depends on what you're thinking.
As she mentioned, the Taihang Mountains, which cover most of Shanxi Province, were famous for their many strange and wonderful sights.
"It's truly magnificent. Completely different from the Central Plains."
"How so?"
"Take Zhengzhou Prefecture for example. It's mostly plains, with only some ordinary low mountains and hills in between. Even if you go a bit further, only Mount Song in Luoyang is worth seeing. But the Taihang Mountains are dotted with strange rock formations, sheer cliffs, and magnificent valleys that make you gasp the moment you see them."
"Let's travel there together next time."
"Okay."
"The people who live there must be happy."
"Well, maybe. Or maybe not."
"What do you mean?"
"They'd be happy if they were content with just looking at the scenery. But transportation is incredibly inconvenient. The roads are so rough you have to cross mountains just to get to Henan or Hebei Province. You have to live with the inconvenience."
She nodded lightly, as if she understood.
"By the way, did you kill someone again?"
"How did you know?"
"Your eyes have changed. How should I put it? They've grown colder. Of course, you're very gentle with me, but sometimes a chillingly cold look flashes in them."
Hwangbo Yeon had very good intuition.
"It's unavoidable if you walk the path of a martial artist. In the martial world, a place where the law of the jungle reigns supreme and all sorts of vile schemes run rampant, you can't survive if you aren't cold-hearted. And I swear, everyone who has died by my sword was a villain."
"Let's stop talking about that. I've been practicing the Nine Heavens Profound Sword Art diligently. Would you like to see?"
"Yes."
I smiled brightly and nodded.
My steps felt incredibly light as I chatted with her on the way to the Full Moon Tower.
When we reached the private training room on the eighth floor, she went into a room and came out changed into black martial arts attire.
"Don't make fun of me if I'm clumsy."
Hwangbo Yeon warned me beforehand and drew her sword.
Her usual cheerful, chattering self was quite beautiful, but when she held a sword and became serious, she seemed like a different person.
She became one with her sword and performed the Nine Heavens Profound Sword Art.
It was a sword art that pursued speed, but she was still lacking in that area.
However, aside from that, her execution of the forms was so outstanding it could be called perfect.
She wasn't at the peak level, but most first-rate martial artists would be no match for her.
"How was it?"
"Very good."
"Hmph, you're lying. Tell me honestly. Grandfather said I still have a long way to go."
"You leave me no choice. Watch."
I drew the Ghost Soul Sword, took a ready stance, and performed the Nine Heavens Profound Sword Art.
Swoooosh.
Swoooosh.
The sound of the blade tearing through the air filled the training room, and the flashing sword light was so powerful it seemed like it could split the walls.
"Wow, I thought it was a completely different sword art."
"It is a different sword art. This technique is originally based on yin energy, but I performed it with extreme yang internal energy. Still, it's the Nine Heavens Profound Sword Art. Can you tell the difference?"
She shook her head from side to side.
"I'll demonstrate it again, so try to feel it with your heart. Don't try to analyze it."
I performed the Nine Heavens Profound Sword Art again with all my strength.
My martial sense had reached the ultimate realm, so even though I had only practiced it a few times, the Nine Heavens Profound Sword Art displayed truly terrifying power.
"What on earth is the difference between you and me?"
"Hesitation."
"Hesitation?"
"Yes. You must be decisive, not hesitant. When you get down to it, sword arts are nothing more than efficient techniques for killing an opponent. They're just packaged beautifully. You have to imagine a virtual opponent in front of you and decisively stab and slash. Otherwise, you'll find it hard to break through your limits. Shall we spar?"
"Will I be a match for you?"
Though she feigned weakness with her words, her eyes changed.
I crossed swords with her, took a step back, and then gestured with my finger, yielding the first move.
She pressed me, stabbing and slashing sharply.
I didn't just focus on defending; I countered by performing the sword forms at a level just slightly above hers.
"Ack!"
Startled, she stumbled backward and fell, landing on her bottom.
"Focus!"
She looked startled for a moment, then gritted her teeth and immediately got back up.
"Come at me as if you're trying to kill me. Otherwise, you won't improve."
As I urged her on harshly, she let out a kiai and swung her sword.
The path of her sword was definitely sharper than before.
I mercilessly broke her sword path and aimed for her vital points several times.
"Again."
"One more time, please!"
As if spurred by stubborn pride, she refused to back down and kept coming at me.
"Hah, hah."
Completely exhausted, she tossed her sword aside and lay down on the floor.
As she gasped for breath, her full chest rose and fell.
"You're mean."
I sat down beside her without a word, wiped the sweat from her face, and said.
"Did you gain anything?"
"I'm not sure. I'll have to meditate on what I practiced today."
"Do it now. The memory will fade with time."
I forced her to sit up, despite her protests of exhaustion.
She quickly focused and entered a state of meditation.
After watching her for a moment, I walked over to the window.
Watching Zhengzhou Prefecture from here was truly wonderful.
The noise from the bustling people moving about was beautiful.
"What are you looking at so intently?"
Before I knew it, she was standing beside me.
"The people."
"You're staring at such an ordinary scene so blankly?"
"Yes."
I gave a slight smile and nodded.
Was it because I had lived such a difficult and harsh life in my previous existence?
This current state of normalcy was so precious and brought me happiness.
She stood beside me in silence, watching Zhengzhou Prefecture with me.
**
Martial Arts Alliance, Demon-Slaying Pavilion.
"What did you say?"
The Demon-Slaying Pavilion's Master, Jo Jin-ryang, snapped, his voice rising.
The Vice-Master, Gwan Hae, flinched but soon said what he had to say.
"Affectionate has rejected your offer, Master."
"The reason?"
"Well, um..."
"What are you hesitating for?"
"I think it would be better if you didn't hear it."
"Tell me. The judgment is mine to make as the Master."
Gwan Hae sighed, 'Hooo,' and then began to speak.
"Pure reported that Affectionate said he would consider it favorably if you offered 500,000 nyang."
"What? Did you hear that correctly?"
"Yes. I confirmed it several times. That man, Affectionate, must be insane. How about we give up on him? If we actually bring him in for 500,000 nyang, the other Enforcers will protest."
Spending 500,000 nyang as a recruitment fee was absurd.
Even the 50,000 nyang they had offered him was an amount decided after much deliberation.
"Dammit. This bastard is looking down on the Demon-Slaying Pavilion."
Jo Jin-ryang was frustrated.
Reason told him to give up on Affectionate, but his emotions insisted he couldn't.
Having run the Demon-Slaying Pavilion for a long time, he could recognize Affectionate's potential.
That was why it felt like too much of a waste to give up.
"For now, just observe. Keep gathering information on Affectionate."
"Are you really planning to recruit him?"
"I'm saying we should watch him. He might truly be worth that much later on."
Gwan Hae let out a short sigh.
Sighing in front of his superior, Jo Jin-ryang, was extremely rude, but the sigh escaped on its own.
Until now, the Demon-Slaying Pavilion had recruited numerous Enforcers, but the fee had never exceeded 100,000 nyang.
Among them were many who were far more skilled than Affectionate.
"Understood."
But since his superior commanded him with such strong will, Gwan Hae had no choice but to obey.
"What about the information on those bastards?"
"It's a complete mystery. We received intelligence linking them to human trafficking and focused our investigation there. As a result, human trafficking has almost disappeared."
"So those damn bastards were really using human trafficking to research their dark arts."
"I believe that's certain. For now, if we tighten the screws by cracking down on this, they'll surely resort to some other method."
"Other method?"
"Yes. They need people to research their dark arts, and since we're actively blocking them with watchful eyes, I'm saying they'll try another method."
"What could that be?"
"They'll likely target rural villages. No matter how wide our crackdown is, our reach doesn't extend that far."
"Hmm, so you're saying if we periodically check the rural villages, we can track their movements?"
"That's right. If a few people disappear in a large town, it goes unnoticed, but in a village, if even a few people vanish, it's immediately obvious. We must meticulously track that."
"Good. Proceed immediately. Mobilize the full capacity of our organization. Request support if necessary."
"Understood."
Gwan Hae immediately acknowledged the order and withdrew.
Jo Jin-ryang vowed to catch the tail of the Dark Blood Heaven Cult.
They were hidden away tightly, but if pressured like this, they would surely reveal their true nature.
He had been pushed back by the Demon-Dispelling Pavilion, which he had always considered a step below, so this case had to be a success.
It wasn't that he was doing this purely out of pride.
If they kept losing the initiative to the Demon-Dispelling Pavilion one by one, it would accumulate, and the perception within the Martial Arts Alliance would be that the Demon-Slaying Pavilion was on the same level as, or even below, the Demon-Dispelling Pavilion.
Then, the glory of the Demon-Slaying Pavilion would end.
Well aware of this cold reality, Jo Jin-ryang ordered them to find the Dark Blood Heaven Cult, staking the fate of his organization on it.
Demon-Dispelling Pavilion.
The Demon-Dispelling Pavilion's Master, Hwang Seong-won, also staked his organization's capabilities and did his utmost to find the Dark Blood Heaven Cult.
He had been resigned, thinking it was impossible to surpass the Demon-Slaying Pavilion, but with the appearance of Affectionate, a glimmer of hope began to appear.
In particular, when he heard the news that Affectionate had demanded 500,000 nyang and humiliated Jo Jin-ryang, it felt like a ten-year-old burden had been lifted from his chest.
"Master."
"What is it?"
Hwang Seong-won smiled brightly and turned his head toward Vice-Master Jeong Hon.
"Will we be able to keep Affectionate in the end?"
"What do you mean by that?"
"He rejected the Demon-Slaying Pavilion's recruitment offer flat out. Moreover, he countered with the ridiculous sum of 500,000 nyang."
"That's right. It was so incredibly satisfying."
"If that's the case, it means he's very greedy for money. I'm worried he'll eventually leave the Martial Arts Alliance in pursuit of it."
"Don't worry about that."
Hwang Seong-won shook his head firmly, beckoned him closer with a finger, and then spoke in a low voice.
"According to Pure, he didn't actually want the 500,000 nyang. He just hated Jo Jin-ryang."
"What? But how would Affectionate know Master Jo and hate him?"
"I don't know that much. This was all I could barely find out. Maybe they had a grudge from the past? Within the Martial Arts Alliance, Jo Jin-ryang is a real jerk, but only a few people, including us, know that. Surely Affectionate wouldn't have known Jo Jin-ryang was a jerk and rejected him with such an absurd condition, right?"
"That's true."
"According to Pure, he's a pretty decent martial artist. It's a bit concerning that he becomes chillingly ruthless when he needs to be cold, but we have to trust Pure and leave it to her."
"It doesn't suit the name Affectionate."
"Right? A cold bastard like him being called Affectionate. Hahaha. It's amusing."
Hwang Seong-won burst into a loud laugh, looking pleased.
"Jeong Hon."
"Yes, Master."
"Among the current Enforcers of the Demon-Dispelling Pavilion, Affectionate is the most outstanding, isn't he?"
"That's correct. He is estimated to be a transcendent-level martial artist."
"Then assign the most difficult missions to him."
"Will that be alright? His experience is shallow."
"He has proven himself with results. He brought the Dark Blood Heaven Cult to the surface and provided a detailed report on the Blood Heaven Cult. I've never seen anyone like him. Let's nurture him properly."
"Understood."
Jeong Hon immediately acknowledged the order and withdrew.