Chapter 214
Chapter 214
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 214
Chapter Title: Blood Rain Guest
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The Blood Rain Guest struck the back of Hong Geolgae's neck, and Hong Geolgae collapsed with a broad grin on his face.
Sure, passing out was one thing, but if he hit his head on the ground wrong on the way down, it could be dangerous.
Unexpectedly, though, the Blood Rain Guest extended his scabbard to gently cushion Hong Geolgae's head.
The Blood Rain Guest stared at the unconscious Hong Geolgae for a moment, then turned to Dang Mujin and his group with an unforeseen remark.
"That's enough for today."
As he spoke, the Blood Rain Guest sheathed his sword. Dang Mujin was taken aback.
"Hold on. You're just going to leave?"
"Can't I?"
"Well, it's not that you can't... but why all of a sudden?"
The Blood Rain Guest answered without the slightest hesitation.
"Why? Isn't today a joyous day when your friend broke through the wall to peak realm?"
Dang Mujin doubted his own ears.
It was a deeply considerate statement that didn't suit a ruthless unorthodox absolute peak expert. Even judging by ordinary folk standards, it felt a touch affectionate.
'What's he playing at?'
Dang Mujin suspected the Blood Rain Guest was spinning this tale to create an excuse to flee.
The absolute peak experts he'd encountered so far—excluding Yu Jin-gwang—had all been subtly cautious.
However, Hong Geolgae's enlightened strike had miraculously reached the Blood Rain Guest, but it fell short of a decisive blow. Dang Mujin had even seen him twist his body at the last moment to minimize the damage.
As if confirming Dang Mujin's suspicions, the Blood Rain Guest's movements showed no particular discomfort.
If the fight continued like this, it was obvious Dang Mujin's group would fall back on the defensive.
The Blood Rain Guest added one more thing.
"I didn't come here to fight. I only responded because you lot picked a quarrel out of nowhere."
Dang Mujin reconsidered the situation from the Blood Rain Guest's perspective.
While seated at the inn, Jeong Taeryeong had fired the Violent Rain Plum Blossom Needles. So he'd subdued Jeong Taeryeong, and then Dang Mujin's group had provoked him. So they'd clashed a bit more. End of story.
...No. There was one thing he'd overlooked.
"But you attacked the innkeeper and the waiter."
"I said I'd just wait inside the inn for a bit, but they tried to chase me out without a second thought, so I only subdued them. If you don't believe me, go ask them yourself."
The Blood Rain Guest pointed toward Dang Mujin's back with his scabbard.
The innkeeper and waiter, who had passed out earlier, were now awake and staring gravely at the inn's wall. The wall the Blood Rain Guest had neatly sliced through.
The Blood Rain Guest said,
"I only came looking for the maker of the Violent Rain Plum Blossom Needles. And you're the one who made them, right?"
He pointed directly at Dang Mujin.
"How did you know?"
"There was poison on the Violent Rain Plum Blossom Needles, wasn't there? You've mastered poison arts. And you handled the poisoned needles they fired with skill. At the very least, it's clear you're connected to their creator."
The Blood Rain Guest paused mid-sentence, glancing around.
Hundreds in the crowd were watching him, their faces brimming with curiosity about what was being discussed between him and Dang Mujin's group.
He pulled his bamboo hat lower and spoke in a quiet voice.
"...Too many people around to keep talking. I'll come find you again soon."
With that, the Blood Rain Guest vanished in a leap.
*
After the fight ended on that peculiar note, Dang Mujin's group returned to the inn.
Dang Mujin had worried about what to do if the spectators swarmed in.
But unexpectedly, Wuchang's onlookers didn't approach the inn and quickly dispersed. They'd witnessed Dang Mujin's group's prowess firsthand.
They'd realized full well that forcing their way in could cost them their heads.
The innkeeper gazed at the squarely severed wall with a deeply troubled expression.
But when Namgung Myeong handed him a couple of taels of silver, the innkeeper's face lit up as if nothing had happened.
Dang Mujin found himself rationally suspecting the man had earned that money through acting.
Next, Dang Mujin examined Jeong Taeryeong's broken wrist.
Even without touching it, Jeong Taeryeong clenched his teeth, struggling to endure the pain.
"Is there any way to treat it?"
"I can't say if he'll be able to wield a sword with his right hand. Probably not. But since the finger bones aren't shattered, he should at least be able to hold chopsticks."
"...That's something, at least."
Not wanting to show his pain, Jeong Taeryeong forced a smile despite the sweat pouring down his face.
Dang Mujin pressed his acupoints to minimize the agony as much as possible.
"It's going to hurt. Bear with it."
"Urk!"
Dang Mujin gripped Jeong Taeryeong's hand and roughly realigned the bones.
He still lacked confidence, though. Wrists had so many small bones that even similar treatments could yield wildly different outcomes.
To let Jeong Taeryeong forget the pain for as long as possible, Dang Mujin pressed more acupoints and said,
"You got caught up in our mess and ended up in big trouble. I'm sorry."
But Jeong Taeryeong shook his head.
"No. I acted rashly, dazzled by the power of the Violent Rain Plum Blossom Needles. This is entirely my fault, not yours, Young Master Dang."
Jeong Taeryeong smiled faintly.
"If anything, I think I got lucky. Attacking an unorthodox absolute peak expert and living to tell the tale? Who else has that kind of fortune? I should be the one apologizing."
"Pardon? Apologizing?"
"You all helped me so readily, yet I bungled the whole situation. With my right hand like this, I can't continue in the tournament. If only I'd learned left-handed swordsmanship..."
Jeong Taeryeong wasn't wrong.
His final opponent had worn cotton padding instead of thick wooden or metal armor precisely because Jeong Taeryeong's swordsmanship couldn't be ignored. Getting bulky would leave him defenseless against the attacks.
But now that Jeong Taeryeong couldn't swing a sword, the next opponent would come prepared with more than cotton. Relying solely on Violent Rain Plum Blossom Needles for victory was overly optimistic.
Just then, an unfamiliar voice came from the inn's entrance.
"Don't worry about that."
To be precise, it came not from the entrance but from the inn's severed wall, where two men stood. An older man and a young one.
Dang Mujin recognized the younger man. He'd memorized faces while watching the tournament. He was the son of the Jeongdo Merchant Group's leader, the one smitten with Jeong Okryeong at first sight.
That meant the older man beside him was almost certainly the Jeongdo Merchant Group leader.
As father and son entered the inn, the Jeongdo Merchant Group leader spoke.
"The Jeongdo Merchant Group will withdraw from this marriage contest."
"Pardon?"
As the bewildered Jeong Taeryeong blurted out, the Jeongdo Merchant Group leader glanced at Namgung Myeong, who was leaning casually against a table.
"I thought we could compete on equal footing now that Young Master Namgung had lost his family's backing... No, I even thought we had the edge. But after seeing that clash in front of the inn, I've changed my mind. My son isn't fit to compete with Young Master Namgung on the same stage."
True to his merchant nature, the Jeongdo Merchant Group leader assessed the situation with cold precision.
Even to someone utterly ignorant of martial arts like him, the gap between his son and Namgung Myeong was enormous.
No, it wasn't just superior—it was incomparable to any peer martial artist.
If a lay merchant could see that much, a martial artist's gaze would spot an even vaster chasm.
The Jeongdo Merchant Group leader finished his calculations.
If he had to bet on Namgung Myeong's future, the odds favored him returning to the Namgung family and claiming the patriarch seat over wandering as a rogue.
The Jeongdo Merchant Group was massive, but not enough to afford bad blood with the next Namgung family head. The conclusion was clear: withdraw.
The Jeongdo Merchant Group leader's son gazed at Jeong Okryeong with affection.
"Watching that fight with the Blood Rain Guest made me realize—even if I'd matched Young Master Namgung's skill, I couldn't have joined it. I lack the vessel to embrace Lady Jeong, and now everything's clear. I'll step aside."
Dang Mujin thought the son was vastly overestimating Namgung Myeong's caliber. Skill aside, in terms of vessel, the son was far greater.
Dang Mujin swallowed the truth rising in his throat with effort and said,
"You're forfeiting the tournament?"
The Jeongdo Merchant Group leader's son shook his head.
"No. We've come this far, so I'll see the tournament through. I'm just giving up the wager."
The situation grew peculiar.
Jeong Taeryeong would have to forfeit the tournament, but he'd achieved his goal.
The Jeongdo Merchant Group leader's son, however, wouldn't gain what he wanted even if he won.
Between Jeong Taeryeong and the son, it wasn't clear who was victor and who loser.
But one definite loser existed: the father of the Jeong siblings. Bowyun Sect Leader Jeong Gun-wi couldn't erase his debts through marriage now.
"Please make Lady Jeong happy."
With those words, father and son left the inn.
Jeong Okryeong beamed and approached Namgung Myeong.
"Great. So when's our wedding?"
Her bold declaration made Namgung Myeong realize he'd unintentionally entered a de facto marriage.
Yet he wasn't ready for a wedding.
Moreover, even if he wed, he felt it right to accomplish something more solid first—not as a rogue Namgung Myeong, but something certain. Call it responsibility.
"...I'll come for you when the time is right."
Namgung Myeong dodged specifying, but Jeong Okryeong wasn't too concerned. She knew he wouldn't take another woman while setting her aside.
Of course, the wait might drag on. But that wasn't a big issue for her. An endless wait had become one with a promise. For now, that sufficed.
*
The next morning.
Hyeon Gong stepped out of his room intending to grab breakfast and froze in shock. The bamboo-hatted man, the Blood Rain Guest, was eating at the inn.
The innkeeper stood a short distance away, watching the Blood Rain Guest's meal with extreme discomfort.
Hyeon Gong immediately wanted to back away, but the Blood Rain Guest had already spotted him.
The Blood Rain Guest said,
"Relax. I didn't come to fight."
Hyeon Gong nodded and pondered his next move.
Truth be told, he wanted to skip breakfast and retreat to his room.
But that wouldn't be wise. It'd seem like he was snubbing the man.
Unable to return to his room, he had to eat—but where to sit?
The same table? Or a distant one?
A separate table felt wrong, too overtly distancing.
The only option left was across from the Blood Rain Guest.
Hyeon Gong felt a bit tense but not overly scared.
Honestly, a fight like yesterday's should have cost one or two lives normally.
Yet the only one hurt was Jeong Taeryeong, who'd struck first.
If anything, Hong Geolgae had fainted, but that wasn't an injury. The Blood Rain Guest had even cushioned his fall to prevent harm.
Hyeon Gong had started thinking the Blood Rain Guest might be surprisingly gentle despite his bloodthirsty moniker.
Hyeon Gong glanced at what the Blood Rain Guest was eating: the plain white porridge common for Wuchang breakfasts.
He hadn't even ordered, but the innkeeper swiftly brought another bowl and set it before Hyeon Gong, complete with side dishes.
As Hyeon Gong took a spoonful, a pleased smile curved the Blood Rain Guest's visible mouth beneath the hat.
Hyeon Gong found that smile uncomfortable, along with the way the Blood Rain Guest now scooped his porridge bit by bit like a sparrow sipping tears.
"...Is something the matter?"
"Why ask suddenly?"
"You smiled when you saw me."
"Ah."
The Blood Rain Guest hemmed and hawed before replying.
"It's been over ten years since I sat at a table eating with someone who knows who I am. We're not exactly close, but we crossed swords yesterday, so not total strangers..."
"Pardon?"
When Hyeon Gong pressed, the Blood Rain Guest summarized.
"Over ten years eating alone."
True enough—anyone bold enough to dine with someone of the Blood Rain Guest's caliber would be the oddity.
But that remark soured the meal's mood.
Hyeon Gong silently ate his porridge, desperately racking his brain for a response.
*My condolences.*
...That sounded weird.
*Looks like you don't have friends.*
Could spark a knife fight.
*You must enjoy solitary meals.*
Felt sarcastic.
Hyeon Gong desperately thought until he hit on a wise tack.
When stumped for words, change the subject.
"Um, sir."
"Hm? What is it?"
The Blood Rain Guest replied kindly, as if he'd been waiting.
Apparently, Hyeon Gong wasn't the only one pondering how to keep the conversation going.
"You said you needed Violent Rain Plum Blossom Needles. Why would someone of your stature need them?"
"For retirement planning."
An incomprehensible answer emerged.
As Hyeon Gong puzzled over it, the Blood Rain Guest elaborated.
"You can see my age isn't tender anymore."
"Really?"
The Blood Rain Guest paused his spoon, and Hyeon Gong added,
"Truth be told, I was debating whether to call you 'brother' or 'sir.' I went with 'sir' to avoid seeming arrogant..."
The Blood Rain Guest's visible mouth grinned wide. He liked the response.
"Ahem. I'm a tad old for 'brother.'"
"Never would have guessed."
"Anyway, I wield the sword decently now, but that won't last. Five years, maybe—but in ten or fifteen, my vitality will fade, and I won't hold one."
"I see."
"And plenty want me dead."
"Ah... You've made a lot of enemies, I suppose."
The Blood Rain Guest shook his head.
"Not really. The problem is those itching to kill me and make a name for themselves. I knew a few other absolute peaks back then—most didn't have happy ends."
"Tragic."
Hyeon Gong slowly spooned his porridge, finding the Blood Rain Guest's worries oddly pragmatic.
"Of course, a couple did live to ripe old ages."
"You will too, sir."
"Nah. Doubt it. Those guys had wives, kids, factions—people to shield them in their frail dotage. Me? Never married, no heirs, no followers."
Hyeon Gong recalled what he'd heard of the Blood Rain Guest.
Master of lightness skill. The lone wolf of unorthodox rivers and lakes, unbound by packs.
An accurate assessment. He hadn't chosen solitude, but it was his lot.
"Pity. People failed to recognize your worth."
"I think so too."
"But they'll flock soon enough. Such times come, sooner or later."
"...Doubt that."
The Blood Rain Guest hesitated, then continued.
"Anyway, I need countermeasures soon."
"So the Violent Rain Plum Blossom Needles are for a stable retirement?"
"Exactly. Martial artists will come for my name's prestige. But ordinary folk won't. I'll give simple villagers—one per—one each and ask them to guard me."
The Blood Rain Guest scraped his bowl clean, then peered at Hyeon Gong through his hat.
No illusion—Hyeon Gong felt the gleam in those eyes beyond.
In a solemn tone, the Blood Rain Guest declared,
"I'm going to live until I crap on walls and die peacefully in old age."
Hyeon Gong thought the Blood Rain Guest was a bit pathetic.