Chapter 8
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: Covered in Fresh Blood
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People say that when it's time for a person to die, they change.
In other words, it's hard to change easily until right before death.
But Yi Mok-yeom had died. And he had changed.
The most striking changes were his newfound humility and prudence.
In the past, Seo Mun-ha—who had been Yi Mok-yeom—was a warrior of the Northern Pacification Division in the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
The Emperor's direct imperial guard, tasked with defending the north. With their immense authority, they rooted out corruption among officials, exposed their crimes, and kept watch over the prisons.
It was no job for someone without sharp eyes and a keen mind.
SSeo Mun-ha's personal assessments had always been relative to his old subordinates and fellow disciples, specific to their respective fields when compared as experts.
It was true that the work hadn't suited his tastes.
He preferred a swift fist over debating right and wrong or reciting laws and codes.
Yet he was proficient in a wide array of skills, and in the end, he had no equals left to compare himself to. As the commander of the Iron Cavalry Unit, he had reached the Seven Realms, his prestige an impregnable fortress no one could easily breach.
That's why it felt too soon for him to fade from people's memories after a mere seventeen years. If that were the case, it wouldn't have been natural—it would have been deliberate. Whoever was behind it remained unknown...
"You're joking, right?"
"Hm?"
Suddenly, the veiled courtesan let out a deep sigh.
"What about?"
"That you told the madam. And that you paid."
"Busted, huh."
"You weren't even trying to hide it, were you?"
The one who claimed to have paid had hopped over the window sill and scaled the wall.
"Truth is, wall-climbing's my hobby."
"Tell me now. Why did you trick me?"
"Time was short. Snatching a courtesan isn't simple."
"...You're every bit the delinquent they say."
"That's why it doesn't stain my name."
SSeo Mun-ha grinned and continued explaining.
"It won't be bad for you either. I'm just asking you to guide me like this, and I'll pay you properly."
No professional name meant she hadn't taken any customers yet.
Whatever she sold, the goal was money—be it her talents or her body. With neither worn out yet, she had no reason to refuse.
The only snag might be the madam scolding her for bypassing protocol.
"Tell the madam I threatened you."
SSeo Mun-ha neatly resolved even that.
"Why'd you pick me?"
The three wandered aimlessly through Jungmu County's streets.
"First time in the martial world. Didn't pick you specifically. Just pointed, and it was you."
"...You said you're looking for that pickpocket thug? Any distinguishing features?"
"He's probably a master of the Internal Heavy Hand Technique."
He could have ignored it.
Those superficial bruises from street punks. Unless he planned to scour every thug and rogue in Shandong Province, there was no need to waste time hunting them down.
Whoever it was, he'd learn naturally in time. No need to go out of his way, but a light thirst for revenge mixed with curiosity.
Among the bruises from the beating, one stood out as a palm strike.
A faint trace. A hastily pulled hand seal. The killing intent was unclear, but easier to track than some nameless punk.
People don't speak with words alone. They convey through eyes, nose, ears, skin—beyond the body, even with qi.
Discerning this is the perceptive realm.
A stage where one nears the truths of all things, shaping and blooming inner energy.
Having reached the Seven Realms, Seo Mun-ha's insight was beyond words, held back only by his unfinished body and lacking inner energy as he retraced his old path.
"Young master, you're keeping your own clan in mind too."
He inwardly marveled. The courtesan before him exceeded expectations.
"You came to the brothel for even a scrap of info. Would've been better if the pickpocket showed."
"Exactly."
"One correction, young master. Takhwa House isn't a Hao Clan branch. Courtesans hear martial world rumors sometimes, but we don't blab."
"No need to spill what you've heard. Just curious about unbiased thoughts and opinions."
A meaningful gaze pierced the veil, sweeping over him.
"Seo Mun Clan is a sword house, Hwang Bo Clan masters both fist and sword. Could be an outside expert they hired. Not from Shandong originally, so I don't know much, but for Internal Heavy Hand masters around here..."
She shared what she knew without stopping, the three of them pressing on.
The deeper they went, the riskier it could get. As she herself had said. Unfazed as a mere courtesan, she didn't seem to lean on the Seo Mun Clan's prestige.
'A courtesan who knows martial arts?'
'Delinquent, my foot...?'
Setting aside their skills and status, both seemed to have some backing. Different thoughts crossed as they left new traces in this land.
"By the way, what should I call you?"
"..."
"Even if not your real name."
Meaning he'd ask again. She pondered briefly before answering.
"Call me Ha Ye. Feel free to drop formalities."
"Got it."
I switched to casual speech right away, as if it were natural.
"...So shameless."
Through the veil, she shot a delicate side-eye.
"I don't like stiff talk."
My origins made it awkward at first. A-so's nagging about maintaining decorum outside didn't help.
'Better.'
I loosened the seams of my martial robes and took in the small village from afar.
The houses around the market were on the outskirts of Jungmu County.
Wrong hunch?
This wrapped up the whole county.
Since I'd been found unconscious by a stream near Jeneam, Jungmu County—closest to the Yellow River's lower reaches—was the top line.
Results were meager.
Sweat-soaked feet yielded nothing; the investigation ended as a stroll.
"Let's call it here for today."
A-so looked exhausted.
The young servant, who hadn't complained once, showed undisguised relief on his clear face. Ha Ye, from a warrior background, boasted superior stamina. Even such meager connections counted as gains.
"..."
Despite my perfunctory thanks for her trouble, Ha Ye stood firm.
Following her gaze, I spotted a street vendor.
As dusk passed, shops shuttered one by one. Yet an old man and his granddaughter, surrounded by burly thugs, were forced to keep selling.
"The due date's long past!"
"S-Sorry. Just a bit more time..."
Crash! Handcrafted wares shattered.
The minor commotion drew little attention from passersby—a common market sight.
"Warriors?"
One oddity: the men weren't ordinary.
"...Plum Sword Gang."
Ha Ye played her role, offering untarnished opinions and explanations for my first martial world outing.
"A sect allied with the Golden Tiger Merchant Group."
"I thought Shandong had no evil outsiders?"
Righteous and white path warriors wouldn't touch civilians.
"How can centuries of grudges be wiped clean? Plum Sword Gang was always borderline anyway. Plenty of sects claim righteousness outwardly but act like fiends."
"The martial world isn't all peace."
"The world isn't black and white."
It was getting intriguing.
Clang!
Listening quietly, the Plum Sword Gang warriors' antics escalated.
"Grandpa!"
"Look at this? Grown up nice and pretty."
"Eek!"
"Sell her to a brothel, make some cash?"
"What about before that, bro?"
I glanced at Ha Ye.
"Cheap, common tactic. Lend money, then seize everything over interest."
"So these thug lowlifes are 'warriors' only when it suits them."
"...Don't get any funny ideas."
I hadn't said a word, yet she grabbed my wrist.
"They're first-rate."
Faint true energy flowed into me.
Ha Ye subtly probed my skills, but her bold hand drew a chuckle.
Four months secluded, my inner energy still pathetic.
"Plus Golden Tiger's tied to both Hwang Bo Clan and officials."
She nodded, done checking. They overlooked open exploitation due to bribes—twenty nyang of silver, packaged as concern.
"Not about the silver."
"That obvious?"
"Not that, but if you blunder in amateurishly, those two suffer more."
"Heard Jungmu's our clan's turf."
"Up till now."
Not anymore?
Hwang Bo Clan's pressure was known, but seeing such brazen schemes twisted my gut inexplicably.
Murmurs rose.
They say gawking rivals fights and fires.
"Go back, young master."
Crowds watched the Plum Sword Gang's bullying with mixed emotions.
Plop.
A small stone dropped at my feet.
"Thought you were someone, almost missed ya."
The leader of the eight or nine—ten total—rowdies sneering. His men followed toward us.
"You know me?"
"Huh?"
Ha Ye stepped forward as if to block, pushing me back lightly. A-so tugged my sleeve from behind. Sandwiched excessively.
"Who in Shandong doesn't know Seo Mun Clan's third young master?"
"You guys know who this is?"
"Course. Head injury turned him into a clown, huh, bro."
No prior intent, but plans changed.
"Young master...?"
I brushed off their voices and faced the eight warriors.
"What do you want?"
"Why play dumb?"
"Lucky day. Never saw you at the tables, now parading with a whore midday?"
Ptoo! Spitting to mark territory like feral pups.
"Got the gist."
One cracked knuckles threateningly. Another drew his sword. One held the vendor's granddaughter.
Cliched lines and blatant taunts were bargain-bin trash. Old Seo Mun-ha would've charged.
"That's it?"
"Lame bastard."
"Seo Mun Clan's seen better."
And now, I was Seo Mun-ha.
Smack!
Coincidentally, my past self never tolerated big or small provocations quietly.
"B-Bro?!"
"First-rate, my ass."
My thrust punch smashed one's face, sending him tumbling pathetically.
Shattered teeth and blood sprayed; the rest lunged as if waiting.
Shing!
A clan like ours can't micromanage everything.
Swoosh!
So this might be Plum Sword Gang freelancing. Twisted loyalty or Hwang Bo instigation—unknown. But it handed us pretext.
"Argh!"
One clutched a broken arm, tumbling forward.
Untangling, they cursed and regrouped. The other four attacked wildly from all sides with killing blows.
"Empty Hand Seizes White Blade?!"
Empty Hand Seizes White Blade
Passing Ha Ye's startled voice, my sweeping hand snatched two more blue blades.
Fingers still had room; flexing them, one repeated his boss's line.
"Real martial arts?!"
"H-Hand Strength?!"
Hand Strength
Shocked stares slowed them, despite their killing blows.
"Hand Strength? Please."
Far from rigid energy, it was outward inner energy shielding my hands.
Just this once. I crossed them toward the leader.
"Urgh!"
Die, he mouthed, as a palm-sized dagger rushed.
Clang!
Persistent guy. Guts were decent; rummaging his bosom, he flinched at his glaring eyes.
—If no one's watching!
I knew the type. Glimpsed a round object.
"If no one's watching?"
I whispered for his stammering self.
"You're already dead."
The kicked dagger fit perfectly in my hand.
"And conveniently, no one's watching now."
Plum Sword Gang thugs, gawking civilians. Beyond Ha Ye shielding A-so's eyes, I scanned around.
Slice.
The man's head rolled as planned.
He insulted warriors, slighted my clan, scorned me.
Thus, his triple offense...
"...Not worth knowing. You neither."
That day, I erased Jungmu County's stain from the world, if not all.
By covering it in fresh blood.