Chapter 4
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: The Belle of Henan
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As I entered Kang Seung-ju’s room, the thick scent of herbal medicine filled the air. An adult male, wrapped in bandages, lay on the bed in the center.
Looking at Kang Seung-ju's condition, even though I wasn't the one who had beaten him, I couldn't help but feel sorry.
‘Kang Ho-chung is a true gentleman. His son was beaten this badly, yet he forgave so magnanimously.’
Seeing Kang Seung-ju, I realized I would have had nothing to say even if Kang Ho-chung had come that evening to beat this body to a pulp.
“You’re here?”
“Yeah.”
“Have a seat.”
There was no anger in Kang Seung-ju’s voice.
Looking closely, I could see he was grinning despite what must have been considerable pain.
“I was supposed to go to the tavern, but I can’t in this state. What are you going to do? You never went if I wasn’t there, saying it was no fun.”
“I quit. Drinking.”
“Really? Oh, man.”
Kang Seung-ju tried to sit up but was struck by intense pain and lay back down.
I quickly approached, pressed his acupoints, and infused him with my true energy to alleviate some of his pain.
“So it’s true.”
“What is?”
“My father told me. That you’ve become more mature. I thought it was ridiculous, but it’s true. Damn it. What am I going to do for fun now that you’re gone?”
“You don’t resent me?”
“Resent you? …I deserved to be hit. This damn mouth of mine is always the problem.”
Kang Seung-ju tapped his lips, then patted my shoulder.
“It’s fine, man. You and I are childhood friends. You think I don’t know you lead with your fists when you get angry? I’m the dog for saying something like that while drunk. A dog. Right, I am a dog. The dog of Seongwol-bang. Kang Seung-ju. Woof woof.”
A laugh escaped me before I knew it.
Then, Kang Seung-ju laughed along with me.
“Wipe that look off your face. I’ve forgotten all about it. Should we go again once I’m all healed up?”
I shook my head from side to side.
“From now on, I plan to work on restoring the glory of the Ouyang Clan. I need to focus more on my martial arts training.”
“You bastard. Getting your act together all by yourself. Sigh. What am I going to do for fun now?”
Kang Seung-ju.
He was a truly good guy.
Come to think of it, this life was starting off with a good feeling.
My parents were good, I had a subordinate like Seong Hwi, and a friend like Kang Seung-ju.
What about women?
Well, with this fat body and my daily troublemaking, it was unlikely any woman would stick around.
Still, my body had really improved lately.
I had sculpted a physique that would now be described as robust rather than fat.
“Hey, now that I look at you, you’ve really lost a lot of weight. Reminds me of the old days. You were quite popular back in Zhengzhou Prefecture.”
Kang Seung-ju seemed lost in thought for a moment before speaking.
“Hey, Cheon.”
“What?”
“Do you remember Hwangbo Yeon of the Full Moon Tower?”
It was impossible for me to remember something I had no memory of.
But I knew the Full Moon Tower well.
Though it sounded like an inn, it was a nationwide martial arts organization that bought and sold information.
“I’ve lost some of my memories since that day.”
“You have? You hit me, and I got beaten up, but you’re the one who lost his memory? What the hell.”
Kang Seung-ju let out a dry laugh and continued.
“That kid, Hwangbo Yeon… no, she’s already twenty, so she’s not a kid anymore. Hwangbo Yeon used to follow you around, saying she’d marry you.”
“She must be sick of me by now.”
“Nope. Turns out she’s surprisingly devoted. Pretty face, great body, good family. I heard the men of Zhengzhou Prefecture were lining up in front of the Full Moon Tower. But it seems she still hasn't forgotten you.”
“Don’t joke around. With this fat body and the way I’ve been acting like a complete degenerate, what kind of devotion is that? Even I would have lost all affection.”
“You’re starting to sound a bit like your old self. You’ve lost a lot of weight, too. You should go see her.”
I shook my head.
Just because I, with the mind of an eighty-two-year-old, had entered a young body, did that mean my youth would suddenly return?
Honestly, during my time as the Alliance Leader, I had seen and even dated so many beautiful women that I had developed a tolerance for most beauties.
And most importantly, I wanted to focus on my training right now.
Leaving Kang Seung-ju’s room, I let out a short sigh of frustration.
His last words as I was about to leave echoed in my ears.
-Honestly, your wandering started when Hwangbo Yeon left to study in Sichuan. It was after she left that you realized you liked her too. Go meet her.
I shook my head.
I had no intention of meeting Hwangbo Yeon.
I told Seong Hwi that we should hurry back to the clan home.
“Hwi.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
“When did I start to fall apart?”
“It was three years ago. The day Young Lady Hwangbo left, you got angry and fought with her, telling her not to go.”
“That kid… no. When did Hwangbo Yeon return from Sichuan?”
“About half a month ago.”
Lost in thought, I spurred my horse onward.
Half a month ago was when I had returned to Guyang Cheon’s body and was chaotically stumbling through things.
If she still had any interest in me, she would have come to see me.
Since there was no contact, didn’t that mean her interest had faded?
“Well, if I saw this body, I’d hate it too.”
The words slipped out unconsciously.
Still, as a result of controlling my diet and continuing my training, my body had transformed into a dignified physique.
Of course, I still had a bit of a belly, but the flabby fat from before was gone, replaced by firm muscle.
“Young Master. If you regain your former appearance, Young Lady Hwangbo will surely return.”
“Enough. Let’s go.”
I urged my horse to a faster pace, and Seong Hwi’s horse matched my speed.
After riding for some time, we stopped at an inn for a meal.
The Blue Moon Inn.
As Zhengzhou Prefecture was quite large, the Blue Moon Inn boasted an immense scale.
The first through third floors were all dining areas, and the first floor alone looked to have at least a hundred four-person tables.
Guided by a waiter, we went up to the third floor.
It was a bit more expensive than the first floor, but we could dine in a more pleasant atmosphere.
A group of young people was gathered, murmuring amongst themselves. I casually turned my head and my eyes widened.
‘So, the most beautiful woman in the land was here in Zhengzhou. She’s not just a beauty; she has an air of elegance.’
She was a peerless beauty who could make any other woman next to her seem plain by comparison.
But I quickly turned away and followed the waiter to our table.
She was indeed a great beauty, but during my time as the Alliance Leader, I had dated the most beautiful woman in the world and shared nights of passion with her. At my age, I didn't feel the same fervent excitement as the young men around me.
‘I’ve certainly gotten old.’
A bitter smile formed on my lips.
Just then, several men who had been swarming around her swaggered over to me.
Seeing their fine clothes and ornately decorated swords, I couldn't help but chuckle.
They were just a bunch of posers.
“Hey, what brings the degenerate here?”
“Me?”
“Is there another degenerate here besides you?”
“Hah.”
I motioned for Seong Hwi, who was about to stand, to sit back down and looked at the man.
It seemed he was well acquainted with this body’s previous owner.
Or perhaps they had a bad history.
“Why are you trying to start a fight?”
“Oh? Come to think of it, you’ve lost a lot of weight. Hey, Guyang Cheon. Stay away from Young Lady Hwangbo from now on. A guy like you isn’t worthy of her.”
“And you are?”
“What? Do I look like a pushover just because I’m wearing a sword? You think you can beat me if you draw that thing?”
“If I draw my sword, you will die. Stop messing around and leave.”
I felt no need to fight any longer.
I didn't care who he was, and I had no desire to fight with small fry like him.
It was at that moment, as I turned my head away.
*Smack.*
Suddenly, the back of my head stung.
“So what, you fucking loser? The Ouyang Clan was something when the Sword Emperor was alive, but isn’t it just a den of beggars now? What’s with the pride?”
I was dumbfounded to be hit on the back of the head.
I had dismissed him as a worthless punk.
In that instant, anger boiled up inside me. I drew my sword and slashed diagonally in a flash of light.
‘How dare you strike the back of my, Hwa Un-ryong’s, head?’
The sword was incredibly fast, and I saw terror dawn on his face.
In that moment, I realized I was no longer Hwa Un-ryong but Guyang Cheon, and I hastily twisted the blade.
*Swoosh.*
“Aaargh!”
The sword grazed past him, from his shoulder, across his chest, and down his side.
If I hadn't pulled back at the last second, his body would have been split in two diagonally.
Though he had escaped death, he trembled violently on the ground, groaning in extreme pain, while his companions scrambled to stop the bleeding and apply medicine.
“Seong Hwi. That’s an order. Stay seated.”
I instructed Seong Hwi, then spoke coldly to them.
“You dared to insult the Sword Emperor and the Ouyang Clan. You deserve to have your head cut off, but I’m letting you off with a lesson because you’re young. If you have the guts, come at me. If you men have drawn your swords, you should at least be able to cut a rotten pumpkin. What do you plan to do just standing there gawking? But don’t blame my sword for being merciless.”
Faced with my cold aura, they began to back away slowly.
“What are you doing? Kill that bastard, now!”
The one who had regained his senses roared an order, and the four who had surrounded me rushed in at once.
I once again ordered Seong Hwi to stay back.
His involvement would only complicate things.
As I unleashed a practical, lightning-fast technique, a chilling sound filled the air.
*Shiiiik.*
“Gah!”
“Keuk.”
All four of them tumbled to the floor at once.
They looked bewildered, as if they didn't know how my sword had struck them.
I watched them with a cold gaze as they tried to stop their own bleeding, then approached the one who had given the order.
“D-don’t come any closer.”
“You. Why did you start this?”
“I-I’m sorry.”
“I’ll ask again. Why did you start this?”
“B-because Young Lady Hwangbo hasn't forgotten you. I thought you were unworthy of her.”
“Leave.”
I had no interest in knowing who this punk was, nor did I want to kill him.
He shot me a glare, then fled with his underlings. I returned to my seat.
“Sir, will this be alright?”
“What?”
“You’ve injured Chung So-gu, the Third Young Master of the Guryeong Sect. They surely won’t let this go.”
“So you’re saying I should have just stood there while the Sword Emperor and my clan were being insulted? With that kind of mindset, you might as well break your sword and go live in the mountains picking herbs.”
I knew of the Guryeong Sect.
It was a sect of the Wudang lineage and one of the top three orthodox sects in Henan Province.
I recalled how, during the campaign to subjugate the Blood Palace that had run rampant in Henan, the Guryeong Sect Leader, Chung Pa-heon, had aided me with 300 elite warriors.
Chung Pa-heon was a hot-blooded man with a fiery personality.
To think a man like that had such a son.
A classic case of a tiger father siring a dog son.
Or perhaps he had just failed to raise his child properly.
I ordered our meal, and the waiters rushed over to clean the floor.
Most of the people on the third floor were martial artists, so there was no commotion despite four men bleeding on the ground.
“Young Lady Hwangbo is coming this way.”
It seemed he was talking about the incredibly beautiful woman I had seen earlier.
I didn't turn my head, but she pulled out a chair and sat down without asking for permission.
“Brother.”
How should I address her?
Should I call her Yeon-mae, as one would a younger sister?
The thought of me, an eighty-two-year-old, calling a young woman ‘Yeon-mae’ was so cringe-worthy that the words wouldn't leave my mouth.
But I couldn't treat her dismissively either.
There was nothing to be gained from antagonizing an information organization like the Full Moon Tower.
“Yeon… mae.”
“I heard the rumors. That you were having a hard time. I heard you’d gained a lot of weight, but it seems that was just a rumor.”
“That’s how rumors are. Did you accomplish what you set out to do?”
“I trained in martial arts for about three years. Just as I was starting to get the hang of it, I got homesick and came back. But Brother, your swordsmanship has improved so much. I was really surprised.”
“I still have a long way to go.”
At my calm reply, Hwangbo Yeon’s eyes widened.
Seeing her eyes go round like a rabbit’s, she looked so cute I wanted to pinch her cheeks.
I was suddenly reminded of Jo Su-yeon, the Belle of Zhejiang, whom I had met in my forties.
She used to look like this when she was surprised.
When you get old, you constantly recall and compare things from the past.
I shook my head to clear such thoughts.
Now that I had a new, young body, I wanted to live like a young man.
“But will you be alright?”
“If a martial artist who lives by the sword fears such things, how can he call himself a man of the martial world? Don’t worry. I’m not that weak.”
A strange light flickered in her eyes.
She had thought his physique had gotten bigger and his swordsmanship had improved, but after talking to him, she realized he had changed so much he felt like a different person.
“You should come visit the Full Moon Tower sometime. My grandfather would be delighted.”
“Alright.”
Hwangbo Yeon stood up and walked gracefully down from the third floor.
The gazes of countless men were fixed on her departing back.
Seong Hwi was a man, too.
“Let’s eat.”
“Young Master.”
“What?”
“How could you be so calm with Young Lady Hwangbo sitting next to you? My heart was pounding like crazy.”
“Hwi.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
“To live as a martial artist, be wary of beautiful women. Whether she holds ill will or a kind heart, a beautiful woman is dangerous. Especially one of absolute beauty.”
After giving him that piece of advice, I picked up my spoon.
When you dug into the countless incidents and accidents that occurred in the martial world, most of them were related to women and money.
I didn't know how much Seong Hwi would understand.
I myself had only learned to control it with age; it had been incredibly difficult when I was young.
Why else would primitive schemes like the honey trap, using either a beautiful woman or a handsome man, still be considered among the most effective?
In that sense, Hwangbo Yeon, regardless of her intentions, was a woman who could bring danger to the men around her.
Could I protect her?
Probably not, in my current body.
But I didn't need to worry.
The master of the Full Moon Tower, Elder Geum, was her grandfather.
Not many people knew his true capabilities.
But I knew them all too well.
Unless one planned to sever all ties with the world, it was best not to make an enemy of him.
“Let’s eat quickly and go.”
After finishing our meal with Seong Hwi, I mounted my horse and rode toward the Ouyang Clan.