Chapter 56
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: Hwang Bo Woo-jun
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"Living long enough, you hear all sorts of amusing things."
Hwang Bo Woo-jun burst into hearty laughter.
"My ears aren't deaf yet, not at this age."
Despite the insulting words and the clear message to leave, he seemed utterly delighted for some reason, plopping down on a chair without a care that he wasn't welcome.
"What is it you want to say?"
"This is hilarious!"
The already crowded table looked even more cramped with him added to it.
Ha Eun-ye bit her lower lip gently.
Having misjudged the people and the timing, she pressed her delicate brow as if nursing a headache.
She had known exactly how they would react, which was why she had been keeping a close eye on the Hwang Bo Clan's movements.
She had even warned Seo Mun-ha about them, wanting to put this off as long as possible.
The Seo Mun Clan and the Hwang Bo Clan.
These two prestigious families vying for dominance in Shandong seemed to harbor emotions too deep to weigh against the importance of the matter.
'Or maybe they're just idiots.'
She knew Hwang Bo Woo-jun had a fiery temper.
But she hadn't expected him to leverage the Hwang Bo Clan's intelligence network and influence like this—feigning a mistake that wasn't quite one—slipping past the Murim Alliance's watchful eyes with such cunning.
'Wait...'
Incongruously for his seven-foot frame and massive build.
"Sister Ha."
Baek Ri-seol calmly asked Ha Eun-ye's opinion, and she nodded silently, her lips twitching.
"First time seeing you in person. The three young ladies, and Young Master Seo Mun."
After introductions, Hwang Bo Woo-jun scanned the group.
Whether it was a lovers' quarrel or a family spat, it was always the women's role to rein in the men.
But once it left their hands, it was no longer others' business to meddle. Soon, all eyes turned to one person, seeking his intent.
"A fox disguised as a bear."
Seo Mun-ha sneered. Regardless of skill levels, the way he had set the stage and orchestrated everything screamed experience.
Intrigued, he lowered his outstretched hand and decided to hear him out.
"Haha, I'll take that as a compliment!"
What would this clever bear show them?
"Young Lady Dang, don't just stand there—have a seat. I'll pour you a drink myself."
Hwang Bo Woo-jun offered reconciliation with shameless ease.
"As I said before, I had no intention of insulting Young Lady Dang."
Insulting Dang So-so would be tantamount to dismissing everyone seated with her.
The instigator wasn't just her alone, and though this was his home turf, Hwang Bo Woo-jun wasn't foolish enough to ignore propriety.
"Who would dare touch the precious daughter of the Sichuan Dang Clan, unless they had two lives to spare? I couldn't bear the wrath of the great hero Dang Cheol-son, the Poison Beauty King."
No matter the Hwang Bo Clan's current prestige, he couldn't outright ignore those refined faces and their positions. The childish provocation earlier had been solely to lure out Seo Mun-ha.
He figured a man of his standing would step up if he poked at Dang So-so.
But Seo Mun-ha's refusal to take the bait had made Yang Su-il's words grow increasingly aggressive—a miscalculation on Hwang Bo Woo-jun's part. Given the tangled situation, it seemed the two weren't as close as the rumors suggested.
"Young Hero Yang simply couldn't contain his youthful passions. Please, ladies, forgive him and let go of your anger."
It was uncharacteristic for Hwang Bo Woo-jun, who lowered himself despite his appearance.
Woo Hak-bong smacked his lips awkwardly at being blatantly ignored, but Hwang Bo Woo-jun, ever mindful of honor and face, was far from the thoughtless heir he might seem.
"Is that the end of it?"
Seo Mun-ha cut to the chase.
He thought he'd grown accustomed to the roundabout rhetoric of these righteous faction folk, but it was amusing how this bear-like Paeng Ho-rip acted the fox.
"Of course not. Even Young Lady Dang wouldn't buy that."
Hwang Bo Woo-jun paused briefly before continuing.
"We've finished eating, so how about some post-meal exercise?"
The gathering's mood had ripened perfectly, and as martial artists, they proved themselves through martial prowess.
Misunderstandings or grudges aside—status and positions be damned—they were all warriors at heart.
"It wouldn't do to cause damage or disturbance here. We need a proper venue. We're not street thugs, after all."
The fox-bear's lips curled up.
He meant a public, formal duel.
'Interesting.'
Seo Mun-ha felt a spark of interest not in the Hwang Bo Clan, but in Hwang Bo Woo-jun himself.
The two men locked eyes, each painting different pictures with their lazy smiles.
"I'll humor you."
"Harsh words. Say you'll join me instead?"
Word of the public duel spread through the estate like wildfire.
A moment later.
People flooded the dueling ground upon hearing the news.
"The grandson of the Frenzied Fist King. Came out of seclusion recently, didn't he?"
The younger generation weren't scholars. Good food and drink were fine, but competing in martial arts was their true calling.
The buzz grew louder.
It was no exaggeration to say everyone had gathered.
"Brother!"
Among them was someone like Bi Ju-seong who had rushed over, shoving everything aside—but unlike him, the duel proceeded smoothly, like flowing water, which wouldn't be possible without prior preparation.
'Brother?'
Dang So-so glanced curiously at the excited newcomer before approaching Seo Mun-ha.
Thud.
She laid down her ultimatum.
"If you lose, you're in trouble."
The chance to deal with Yang Su-il had devolved into a side issue; official opportunities were secondary now.
For her, who had yielded Hwang Bo Woo-jun, this was a matter of her own honor.
"And if I win?"
Not that he planned to go easy anyway.
"......Don't say useless things. Just be careful."
Seo Mun-ha had once bested the Qingcheng Five Swords.
Circumstances aside, if Hwang Bo Woo-jun's side was so confident, they had to have something to rely on.
"If you win, I'll forgive and allow all the times you used my name as you pleased."
"Didn't you say it was fine before? I didn't realize all the So-sos in the world were yours."
Setting aside her unique encouragement, she subtly revealed her lingering resentment even now.
"Good thing you figured it out now. I'm a woman with a long memory, after all."
Seo Mun-ha chuckled, murmuring "Sichuan Rakshasa" anew as he slowly ascended the dueling platform.
He saw Ha Eun-ye, Baek Ri-seol, and the Seo Mun Clan members approaching.
"Here, Young Master."
Stepping past them, Seo Mun-ha took a sword from A-so and stood before Hwang Bo Woo-jun.
"All set? Faster than I thought."
"No need to drag it out, but was all that commotion just for this?"
Seo Mun-ha gestured to the unexpectedly raucous crowd.
"Call it order and procedure. Might be unfamiliar to a young friend like you, but the world's simplest path is often the hardest."
Everyone knew the behind-the-scenes of this duel.
Still framing it as personal business rather than clan matters, Hwang Bo Woo-jun acted as if elevating his name would naturally bolster the clan's prestige.
"Plus, I can repay my debt to the Plum Sword Gang leader."
"I see."
All that groundwork meant nothing without the crucial foundation.
"A guy who knows better won't run off now that you're here, right?"
None other than martial prowess.
"As you know, if you win, it'll elevate Ghost Flash and the Seo Mun Clan's name instead."
Revealing his true colors, Hwang Bo Woo-jun laid out the facts bluntly.
"Even if you play it cool, it'll catch the elders' eyes. Bound to affect the young clan leader contest, and you can even make that Dang girl owe you."
He prodded Seo Mun-ha to stir his excitement.
"Doesn't that tempt you? A real man aims high."
"Not really."
Such things didn't matter.
"Right now, I'm only interested in you and the Hwang Bo Clan's martial arts."
Seo Mun-ha brushed off the provocation.
"Hahaha, splendid! I like your straightforwardness!"
Just as he had casually accepted the duel earlier, rendering all the schemes pointless.
With thousands as witnesses, they clashed, using clasped fists as the signal.
Bzzz!
The sword cry echoed across the dueling ground.
The second-largest venue in the estate after Cheonryong Pavilion was packed with people.
Boom!
The iron swords collided head-on as if by agreement, unleashing sword winds and gales.
'That's the third brother?'
Squinting against the billowing dust, Seo Mun Jun-sang couldn't tear his eyes from the platform.
'I knew, but...'
This was his first time witnessing it firsthand.
Seo Mun Young-ryeong's reaction starkly showed the difference between knowing and seeing.
As warriors in the Second and First Realms of the Seven Realms, gauging their monstrous inner energy was no easy task even for basics.
"Sister Seol...?"
She sought help from Baek Ri-seol nearby.
"Young Master Hwang Bo's prowess is known to be in the Second Realm."
Inner power favored Seo Mun-ha—at least when uninjured.
"And?"
"......Yes, Hwang Bo Woo-jun's power has clearly surpassed the Second Realm."
Seo Mun Jun-sang furrowed his brow even after the gale subsided, echoing Baek Ri-seol.
By reports, Hwang Bo Woo-jun was in the Second Realm, the hidden apex.
"Brother's sword path looks unstable for some reason."
"Maybe he took internal injuries from the last fight?"
As the siblings noted, even accounting for minor injuries, Hwang Bo Woo-jun matched Seo Mun-ha.
A Second Realm warrior with exceptional physique.
Not among the Nine Dragons Seven Peaks, but never one to underestimate. Seo Mun Jun-sang's concern stemmed elsewhere, gauging by his achievements.
'That man.'
The elderly man standing leisurely behind Hwang Bo Woo-jun, arms crossed.
'If he's confident enough for a Third Realm warrior...'
Unidentifiable by looks alone, but a high elder of the Hwang Bo Clan.
No Nine Dragons Seven Peaks could match that old man's gaze.
If he was calling the shots, Seo Mun-ha had no choice but to reveal his full hand.
'Not bad.'
The elderly man judged coldly, as did the spectators.
'Carrying internal injuries?'
Ghost Flash's moniker wasn't unearned; even first-time viewers caught the subtle difference in his fluid swordplay.
Whoosh!
Flawless sword forms.
Yet the energy flow backing the blade wavered slightly.
"Bad luck."
If Seo Mun-ha were at full strength, he wouldn't be so relaxed.
'Against a first-class expert, though...'
The obvious outcome allowed him to appreciate the young talent leisurely.
Paeng Ho-rip, among the crowd and outmaneuvered, shared the sentiment.
"Pathetic fool."
Managing one's body and dueling injured were skills too.
'Is that all he's got?'
Another clear metallic ring resounded.
Clang!
Seo Mun-ha, pushed back hard, dug in his heels, flipped through the air, widened the gap, and reset his stance.
"Over already?"
Hwang Bo Woo-jun dangled his longsword loosely and continued.
"Beyond expectations... no, below them. Honestly disappointing. Is Ghost Flash really this weak?"
Shaking his head, while Seo Mun-ha fidgeted with his empty hand and slashed empty air with his sword.
Whoosh! Swoosh!
The crisp sounds boasted the steel blade's weight and sharpness.
"What are you doing?"
"No, just feeling it settle in my hand now."
More baffled than angry, Hwang Bo Woo-jun pressed.
"Testing me?"
Adapting was more accurate.
Seo Mun-ha had the measure now.
Defying common sense, he never lost composure amid worries and judgments.
Having tasted the pinnacle of martial arts, his perspective differed from ordinary warriors. Familiar with weapons as extensions of self, it was time to face Hwang Bo Woo-jun properly.
"This should do."
Offsetting his injury's handicap, Seo Mun-ha shook out his right arm.
Thud.
The dormant Dark Spirit was passed over, sinking to the floor.
Amid fluttering robe tails.
"What...?"
Hwang Bo Woo-jun was dumbfounded.
If he before him was stunned, the distant watchers tilted heads in confusion—save the two women who had seen the jet-black spear before, widening eyes in surprise.
'Not using it?'
'Why?'
Dang So-so and Baek Ri-seol never doubted Seo Mun-ha, not for a second.
Hwang Bo Woo-jun exceeded expectations, but not like the Crimson Shadow Sword Demon.
Their worry? His brazen three-tenths proclamation might slip, or he might hide it and concede.
'That.'
Ha Eun-ye followed, inferring the parted robe revealed a detached spear.
"All good now?"
Oblivious, Hwang Bo Woo-jun courteously waited.
Shedding the hefty Dark Spirit's weight lightened Seo Mun-ha noticeably.
Whether misjudgment or not, results would tell.
"Takes you long to prep—take back what I said earlier!"
Now, any moment.
Raising his massive frame's fitting heavy sword first, he stepped forward—shaking the entire estate as Seo Mun-ha met him.