Chapter 186
Chapter 186
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 186
Chapter Title: Great Fortune and Misfortune
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Nangong Myeong jumped in surprise and shouted.
"Master? What master? Didn't you say your master was dead!"
"You idiot, Hong Geolgae has two masters. The late Elder Ma Jeon-gae, and Elder Great Wind Beggar."
Dang Mujin had only heard tales of Great Wind Beggar himself and was seeing the man in person for the first time, so his reaction was a beat slow.
Once Nangong Myeong realized he had subdued Hong Geolgae's master, he looked genuinely flustered.
"What do we do? What should we do?"
"If you don't want to get caught meekly, we need to get out of here first."
"But... what about Elder Great Wind Beggar? Do we leave him behind? Or take him with us?"
The group's eyes turned to the limp form of Great Wind Beggar.
The weight of the gold they were carrying was no small burden already. Sneaking out with Great Wind Beggar—who was nearly twice as fat as an ordinary person—in tow would be no easy task.
Dang Mujin made the call.
"We leave Elder Great Wind Beggar as is and slip away. He was just helping out temporarily at the Myriad Gold Hall, so leaving him shouldn't cause any issues. Hell, taking him might stir up even more suspicion."
Nangong Myeong pondered Dang Mujin's words. He seemed to have calmed his panic and begun thinking rationally.
"No. That doesn't sound like a good plan. It'd be fine for Elder Great Wind Beggar, but it could spell trouble for us."
"What's the problem?"
"You recognized Hong Geolgae earlier. They might track us down through him. We could get caught."
Nangong Myeong had pointed out a sharp concern.
But pointing it out didn't change anything. Dang Mujin shot back.
"So, what do you suggest?"
A dangerous glint flashed in Nangong Myeong's eyes. He gave Hong Geolgae a meaningful look.
"Hey. Hong Geolgae."
"What?"
"Think about it. Do you really need two masters?"
Without hesitation, Hong Geolgae kicked Nangong Myeong in the shin.
"What kind of crazy talk is that? Besides, one of them's already dead!"
"Yeah? Looks like it's about time you flew the nest and stood on your own."
Rather than dignify Nangong Myeong's nonsense with a response, Hong Geolgae opted to draw his striking rod. Nangong Myeong backed away with a grin.
"That was obviously a joke. But let me ask one thing."
"Keep talking nonsense, and I'll really hit you."
"It's not that. If we leave Elder Great Wind Beggar here and run, will it cause problems?"
Hong Geolgae thought for a moment.
Great Wind Beggar might be full of mischief despite his age, but the man was sharp as a tack with keen instincts. He wouldn't go blabbing about Hong Geolgae and the group's conversation.
"No. It won't."
"Hmm. Good."
The group let out a collective sigh of relief. They had dodged the nightmare of ditching their gold pouches to carry Great Wind Beggar instead.
Just then, murmurs of stirring came from the crowd. The people who had passed out from Dang Mujin's poison were coming to. Nangong Myeong yelled.
"Let's get out of here!"
The four vaulted over the courtyard wall. Whether Great Wind Beggar's knockout had dispelled his sorcery or not, they successfully escaped the Myriad Gold Hall this time.
The group headed to their inn, savoring the hefty weight of their gold.
But even on the way back, Hong Geolgae kept glancing over his shoulder at the Myriad Gold Hall.
*
The next morning, Yu Jingwang and Dang Mujin's group were discussing their next moves.
Yu Jingwang spoke in a voice thick with regret.
"...Anyway, you're not heading straight back to Sichuan, right?"
"That's right. We're stopping by the Nangong family for a bit."
"Since we're already this far, mind if I tag along to the Nangong family?"
Dang Mujin immediately waved off Yu Jingwang's bold suggestion.
"No, that's fine. The people of the Thrusting Sword Sect are probably dying for you to return, Hero Yu. You should head back as soon as possible."
Yu Jingwang looked sincerely apologetic at Dang Mujin's reply.
"You're right. But after all the help you've given me, I can't even repay you properly or treat you to a decent meal before sending you off. It weighs on me."
Last night's dinner apparently hadn't met Yu Jingwang's standards for a "proper" send-off. Dang Mujin deflected with polite courtesy.
"It's fine. We'll visit the Thrusting Sword Sect soon enough, so wait for us then."
"Alright. Got it."
As Yu Jingwang nodded in agreement, Dang Mujin inwardly sighed in relief.
Mentioning the Nangong family had been a ploy to shake off Yu Jingwang. Trekking alongside him with heavy packs of gold strapped to their backs would almost certainly give the game away.
They had taken the gold pouches for the greater good and everyone's happiness, but best not to let Yu Jingwang find out if possible.
So Dang Mujin's group had lied to Yu Jingwang. Instead of returning to Sichuan, they claimed they were heading to the Nangong family.
If they went straight to Sichuan, they'd have to travel with Yu Jingwang for quite a stretch. But aiming for the Nangong family would let them ditch him.
'Though we have no real intention of going all the way there.'
Yu Jingwang rummaged in his pouch and handed over a few gold ingots to Dang Mujin's group.
"It's not much, but use this for travel expenses. Sorry I can't do more."
"Whoa, this is more than enough for the road—with plenty left over. Thank you."
Hyun Gong jumped in and eagerly pocketed the ingots. In situations like this, refusing kindness only dragged things out.
Yu Jingwang packed up his things, looking wistful as he rose. He clearly wanted to get back to the Thrusting Sword Sect as soon as possible.
"I thought I'd never see the Thrusting Sword Sect again. Thanks to you, I can go back. Last time and this time—I've racked up a huge debt."
"If anyone else said that, I'd brush it off, but coming from you, Hero Yu, it's a heavy burden. Don't ever mention debts again."
"I'll remember that. See you someday."
Yu Jingwang waved farewell to Dang Mujin's group and strode out of the inn without a backward glance, as was his way.
After seeing Yu Jingwang off, Dang Mujin's group returned to the inn. Naturally, they had no plans to head to the Nangong family as claimed.
The group huddled together in discussion.
"If we leave now and bump into him on the road, it'll be awkward. What do we do?"
"Either dawdle here long enough that our paths won't cross, or take a route that doesn't overlap. One or the other."
Taking a non-overlapping route was faster and safer.
Head straight south from here, hop a boat on the Yangtze, and unless they had the worst luck imaginable, they wouldn't run into Yu Jingwang.
With their future plans set, the second order of business came up: Peng Cheon, Hong Geolgae's master, Great Wind Beggar.
Nangong Myeong was itching to hit the road without seeing Great Wind Beggar again. But he couldn't voice that.
They had beaten the man's master right in front of Hong Geolgae, so the least they could do was give Hong Geolgae time to meet Peng Cheon and explain. That was basic human decency.
"Heading back to the Myriad Gold Hall?"
"That might be a bit awkward."
"Then don't go."
The group's eyes turned to Nangong Myeong. But he looked indignant.
"Why me? I didn't say it!"
"True. I did."
The group's gaze shifted behind them. There stood a rotund man who looked half like a Daoist and half like a beggar. Great Wind Beggar—who had passed out the day before—was already seated in the inn.
Hong Geolgae shot to his feet and cried out.
"Master!"
"Jusan, it's been a while."
While Hong Geolgae chatted with Great Wind Beggar, Nangong Myeong fidgeted uncomfortably, avoiding the elder's eyes.
But Great Wind Beggar showed no displeasure even as he regarded Nangong Myeong.
"Why are you so ill at ease, young man?"
Nangong Myeong managed only an awkward smile, unable to reply. He lacked the guts to admit he was the one who had knocked Great Wind Beggar out.
But Great Wind Beggar spoke as if he already knew everything.
"Don't worry. I knew some minor misfortune would strike when I met my disciple. A brief blackout counts as light calamity."
"You knew ahead of time?"
"Indeed. Back in my youth, I was a Daoist of Kunlun Mountain. I can read the heavens decently well."
"Oh..."
"Anyway, relax. I'll just have a word with Jusan and be off. That alright?"
"Sure thing. Take him away, please."
Nangong Myeong agreed readily. No reason to stop the source of his discomfort from leaving.
Great Wind Beggar led Hong Geolgae outside to a small Daoist shrine tucked in a corner of Luoyang.
The shrine was empty. Great Wind Beggar sat on the veranda and spoke.
"Jusan, you don't look like you've been faring well."
"No, I've been fine."
"I doubt that. Your fate is stained with blemishes."
Just as Yi Chung had taught Dang Mujin martial arts and medicine, Great Wind Beggar had instructed Hong Geolgae in martial arts and sorcery.
But there was one big difference between the master-disciple pairs. Dang Mujin had taken well to Yi Chung's medicine, whereas Hong Geolgae—sharp-minded but lacking in talent—had made only meager progress in sorcery.
Hong Geolgae couldn't wield any real spells, nor read the heavens or deploy formations like his master. All he had were vague intuitions and book knowledge of sorcery.
Even so, that was enough for him to grasp Great Wind Beggar's point.
"So what if my fate has a few stains? I'm doing alright."
"You are for now. But there's no guarantee it'll stay that way."
Hong Geolgae possessed a rare great fortune. It was a blessing born from defying a childhood fate of early death.
The problem was there was no assurance that great fortune would last a lifetime.
"As you know, fortune flows from high to low. The best is to live in isolation. The next best is limited mingling with those of noble fates and fine fortunes. But you're far from either right now."
Great Wind Beggar recalled Yu Jingwang, who had left the inn alone. Unlike Hong Geolgae, the man was born under ill fortune and a roving horse star.
Yet Yu Jingwang had shaken off his bad luck and achieved his goals. It surely wasn't due to his own fortune, but the great fortune of Hong Geolgae at his side.
He then thought of the three young men he had seen inside the inn.
Two had fates no better or worse than average, but one was gravely afflicted. The one who reeked of herbs. Most likely Yi Chung the Strange Physician's disciple.
Yi Chung himself had been cursed with misfortune, and his disciple seemed no better. To put it coldly, the boy should have died by now without surprise.
Only Hong Geolgae's great fortune at his side had let him weather crises and cling to life. Without Hong Geolgae, calamities must have piled up in droves.
"Jusan, you know better than to keep company with that one. He's the type dragged into endless unwanted troubles, devouring the good fortunes of those around him. You'll just end up his lightning rod."
Hong Geolgae was the sort where fortune lined up the moment he showed a bit of himself. The hemp cord at his waist, the rare staff in his hand—they all bespoke his great fortune.
Yet Hong Geolgae merely shrugged.
"Doesn't matter. I'd rather live as I please, playing lightning rod, than hole up in some mountain crag meditating like everyone else to hoard my fortune. Sharing my luck might even improve that guy's lot."
Hong Geolgae spoke casually, but it wasn't so simple.
If Hong Geolgae's great fortune was a priceless tower of stacked jade, Dang Mujin's ill fortune was a vast mud pit. Those with calamity were far more common than those with fortune.
For Hong Geolgae to stay by Nangong Myeong's side and block Dang Mujin's ill fortune was like toppling a rare jade tower to fill a single mud pit.
Great Wind Beggar knew how foolish it was and couldn't hide his regret.
"Losing the great fortune you've enjoyed as a given will be far more uncomfortable than you think. If it merely turns away, you're lucky. Depending on circumstances, you might end up bearing ill fortune yourself. Still fine with that?"
"Better than abandoning a friend whose heart aligns with mine."
Great Wind Beggar eyed Hong Geolgae with displeasure. The boy seemed amenable but was stubbornly set. It wasn't his place to meddle.
Seeing his master's sour expression, Hong Geolgae chuckled.
"Who knows? Just as my ill fortune turned to great fortune, that guy's calamity might flip to fortune someday."
"That's rare. And from what I saw, he's not the type who can bear great fortune."
"Master might be right. But I have a feeling. A few more trials, and he'll accomplish something great. Worth betting my fortune on, no?"
"...Do as you like."
Great Wind Beggar sighed deeply, patted Hong Geolgae's back, and rose.
Like all masters, he could not overcome his disciple's stubbornness.