Chapter 168
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 168
Chapter Title: Nice View
They galloped on horseback, nonstop.
Truly giving it their all.
Yet even so, there was no sign of the bastards who had left a full day ahead.
On the way from Zhongnan Mountain to Wuchang, they'd taken it easy.
But the return trip to Zhongnan Mountain was a forced march like no other.
The reason was simple.
To catch up with those assholes who'd bolted without a word to them.
And yet, no matter how hard they rode, the bastards were nowhere in sight.
No matter that it was just the two of them traveling light—could they really be this fast?
Joo Si-woon's group swapped horses at every relay station along the way, pushing at full speed.
And not just any nags—they'd picked the finest steeds from the horse markets.
Yet they couldn't even catch a glimpse of their tails.
Unless those fuckers were gods of lightness skill, this shouldn't have been possible.
Before they knew it, the foothills of Zhongnan Mountain came into view, but still no sign of the ones ahead.
"If those vermin beat us there, it'll be a humiliation like no other."
Joo Si-woon said in a chilling voice.
His group looked haggard and filthy from the relentless march.
Even so, his eyes blazed with rage and murderous intent.
Baek Ri-pyeong and Ha Mu-baek had to be prevented from arriving at Zhongnan first.
With that, they charged up the mountain at full tilt and passed through Zhongnan Sect's main gate.
It was quiet.
Just like any other day.
Joo Si-woon and his group stared in dumbfounded bewilderment.
If Baek Ri-pyeong had arrived first, things never would've been this calm.
"Oh? Big senior brother, you're back!"
Just then, one of the Zhongnan Eight Swords—the Seventh Sword—spotted them while passing by and approached.
"Where's that Baek Ri-pyeong brat?"
The Seventh Sword scanned the group and asked.
It was only natural.
The senior brother had returned looking little better than a beggar, along with three of the Zhongnan Eight Swords. It was clear they'd hurried back in a rush.
The reason could only be the sect leader's order to bring Baek Ri-pyeong back as fast as possible—they were just following orders.
So of course they'd be looking for him.
Especially since he clearly wasn't with them.
"Did he already go straight to the sect leader, by any chance?"
As the Seventh Sword kept pressing, Joo Si-woon and the three exchanged glances.
That reaction from the Seventh Sword.
Baek Ri-pyeong hadn't arrived at Zhongnan yet.
No way.
They'd raced along the official post roads at maximum speed.
If he'd left a day earlier and still hadn't made it, they should've overtaken him somewhere along the way.
But he hadn't arrived yet?
"No way... by water?"
At that moment, Third Sword Ban Jeok-pung muttered as if it had just hit him.
It was the route that took much longer.
Going upstream against the river's flow.
Crunch.
Joo Si-woon ground his teeth at Ban Jeok-pung's mutter.
Had to be it.
There was no other explanation for why they hadn't caught up.
"Those dog-fucking sons of bitches..."
Joo Si-woon growled.
The Seventh Sword just tilted his head in confusion, clueless.
A fairly large village at the base of Zhongnan Mountain.
A town that existed pretty much because of Zhongnan Sect.
So Jung-san headed to the biggest tavern in the village.
But he didn't go inside—instead, he scanned the surroundings.
"Here. Heh heh heh."
Against one wall of the tavern.
An old beggar grinned, flashing his sparse yellow teeth.
"Long time no see."
So Jung-san approached the beggar with a pleased expression.
"Yeah. I was thrilled to get your message and came right over."
So Jung-san smiled faintly at the old beggar's words.
He hadn't expected the guy to come all the way to Zhongnan Mountain.
"Shall we head inside, then?"
The beggar shook his head at So Jung-san's suggestion.
"A bum like me going in would just cause trouble. Follow me."
With that, the beggar led the way.
They entered a rundown roadside shrine outside the village, spread out some mats on the floor, and sat.
He untied the tattered sack on his back, pulling out a bottle of liquor and some cold roast duck.
"This'll do just fine."
So Jung-san nodded, sitting across from him.
"Sure does. So, how've you been?"
"How else? Begging my way across the world like any beggar."
"Shouldn't an elder like you settle down in one place by now?"
The beggar chuckled at So Jung-san's question.
Beggar Clan Elder, Wind Beggar.
He was So Jung-san's childhood friend.
"What can you do when you're born under a wandering star? But thanks to that, I was nearby and could get here quick."
"Where were you?"
"Chang'an."
Practically next door.
What business could this wind-like wanderer have had in a place like that?
He wasn't one for bustling cities.
"What for?"
"Eh, something came up. Important enough that at least one elder had to check it out."
So Jung-san frowned.
If it was that serious, how had he not heard about something happening right next door to Zhongnan Mountain?
"But what about you? What's your business?"
At Wind Beggar's question, So Jung-san spoke up as if he'd just remembered.
"Oh. Ha Mu-baek. I wanted to learn more about that martial artist."
Wind Beggar, who'd just been lifting a cup to his lips, froze.
"Who'd you say?"
"Ha Mu-baek. Current Fierce Dragon Corps instructor at the Dragon Training Pavilion. The Ha Mu-baek who shone in the last two wars."
Wind Beggar set down his cup at the explanation.
"Why are you asking about that guy?"
His face had hardened gravely.
"Hmm."
So Jung-san hesitated.
Explaining the situation might mean spilling Zhongnan's dirty laundry.
To a Beggar Clan elder, no less.
Wind Beggar nodded at his friend's reaction. Something must've gone down between Zhongnan and him.
As Discipline Hall Lord, he couldn't just blab internal sect matters lightly.
"Might be too late, but whatever you do, don't get tangled up with that guy."
Wind Beggar gave curt advice.
"If you do cross paths, apologize immediately and grovel flat."
So Jung-san scowled at the follow-up. That seemed over the top.
"This isn't just my opinion. It's our Clan Leader's. And that guy's the type to act on it."
So Jung-san's eyes went wide.
"Th-that serious?"
"Worse. Stay the hell away."
Urgency flashed across So Jung-san's face at Wind Beggar's words.
"Th-thanks. Gotta run."
He vanished in a blur of lightness skill, barely offering a farewell.
"Hmm. Ha Mu-baek and Zhongnan, huh..."
Now that he'd heard, Wind Beggar couldn't just let it slide. Wanderer or not, he was Beggar Clan.
And if it involved Ha Mu-baek...
"Time to send out the kids."
He muttered as he stood, packed up, and vanished in an instant.
"Nice view."
Ha Mu-baek said, taking in the surroundings.
Standing on a ridge of Zhongnan Mountain, the scenery was breathtaking.
Beside him was Baek Ri-pyeong, face clouded with unease.
From the Three Gorges of the Yangtze to here, they'd traveled overland.
Leisurely.
Like they were on a pleasure trip.
No martial arts training or instruction in between.
Just enjoying the relaxed journey.
The more they did, the more Baek Ri-pyeong burned inside.
Why is this instructor doing this?
They'd arrived at Zhongnan Mountain just yesterday.
But they hadn't headed straight to the sect.
He'd insisted on sightseeing spots with good views, wandering here and there.
"Uh, Instructor... when are we going to Zhongnan Sect...?"
Baek Ri-pyeong asked cautiously.
"Hm? Didn't you say you didn't want to go?"
Ha Mu-baek replied.
"W-well, still... your senior brothers would've arrived ages ago... The spar..."
"No one's set an exact date for the spar, right?"
Baek Ri-pyeong was at a loss for words.
It was true.
He'd watched the whole document being drafted.
It covered all the details meticulously.
Except the most crucial one.
He hadn't even thought of it himself.
It said the spar would be at Zhongnan Sect—but not when.
"Well, shall we head over? They've had time to stew plenty by now. I wanna get back and rest soon too. Supposed to be a break period, but I've been too busy."
Ha Mu-baek turned.
Baek Ri-pyeong stood there, stunned.
Shocked by Ha Mu-baek's mutter.
To think this leisurely pace was to stoke his seniors' rage even more.
"More importantly, still worried?"
Baek Ri-pyeong had been gloomy since arriving at the mountain.
"..."
No answer from Baek Ri-pyeong. But it was obvious anyway.
"Joo Si-woon. You felt his skill yourself, didn't you?"
True enough.
He'd sensed it. There was no way he'd lose.
But the problem came after.
"It's your eyes and arm that worry me, Instructor."
The words slipped from Baek Ri-pyeong's mouth.
Ha Mu-baek chuckled.
"Just win."
"It's not that sim—"
Baek Ri-pyeong shut his mouth mid-protest.
No point arguing with this instructor.
"Sigh."
Ha Mu-baek stopped walking with a sigh.
A nice open clearing.
He turned to face Baek Ri-pyeong.
"What do you think?"
"Pardon?"
Baek Ri-pyeong blinked at the question. What about?
"How do I look as your opponent right now?"
"No match at all, of co—"
Baek Ri-pyeong's words cut off.
Ha Mu-baek's presence had shifted.
Now he looked like a worthy opponent.
"What do you think?"
Ha Mu-baek asked again.
"Th-that's..."
"Manageable, right?"
Baek Ri-pyeong nodded.
"Think you'll lose?"
"No."
True. Against an instructor like that, defeat seemed impossible.
"I matched it to that Joo Si-woon punk you met at the Dragon Training Pavilion."
Baek Ri-pyeong blinked at Ha Mu-baek's words.
Was that even possible?
"Draw your sword. Come at me."
At Ha Mu-baek's command, Baek Ri-pyeong drew his sword as if entranced and lunged.
Th-this is...!?!
A moment later.
Baek Ri-pyeong was drenched in sweat.
"Still worried?"
Ha Mu-baek, looking pristine as ever, asked.
"Yes."
Baek Ri-pyeong's answer didn't change.
Ha Mu-baek chuckled anyway.
The words were the same, but his eyes had sharpened.
"Good enough. Let's crash at an inn down the mountain tonight and head to Zhongnan Sect tomorrow."
They turned toward the village at Zhongnan's base.
The next day.
Early morning.
Ha Mu-baek and Baek Ri-pyeong stood before Zhongnan Sect's main gate.
The second-generation disciple guarding the gate spotted them and sent word inside.
Soon, the sect buzzed with activity.
"Y-you... tiny-dicked bastards..."
The first to charge out front was Joo Si-woon.
Just as Ha Mu-baek intended, he was boiling mad.
Obvious he'd raced overland like a madman.
Some time had passed, so he looked cleaned up, but that furious glare told the tale.
"Look at this so-called elite disciple of a righteous sect, mouth like a sewer."
Ha Mu-baek shot back with a smirk.
The gathering crowd was Zhongnan disciples. Most scowled at his attitude.
"Disrespecting Great Zhongnan like that. You've got balls hanging out your ass."
A gruff voice rang out then.
Zhongnan disciples parted, revealing Sect Leader Joo Jae-seung.
"Greetings, Sect Leader."
Baek Ri-pyeong clasped his hands in salute.
This was Zhongnan Sect, he was a Zhongnan disciple, and the sect leader stood before him.
Only natural.
But Ha Mu-baek clearly didn't like it.
"Sect Leader my ass..."
A mutter.
But Joo Jae-seung heard it clear.
"Rootless lowborn whelp."
Ha Mu-baek smirked at that.
Amusing.
The Nine Great Sects and Five Great Clans would've had someone who knew of him.
Not Zhongnan, though.
Most had died in the last war.
Which was why they'd fallen for his ploy so easily.
Old man Baek Ri.
Ha Mu-baek thought of Baek Ri-dan.
The comrade who'd had his back.
That guy had gone to a distant battlefield, so he hadn't seen his final moments.
No—if he'd been nearby, he wouldn't have let him die like that.
The day before departing.
Baek Ri-dan had said just one thing to Ha Mu-baek.
'Zhongnan. Take care of Zhongnan for me.'
Those were Baek Ri-dan's last words to him.
He'd vaguely heard the old man had sent his son and daughter-in-law off first, leaving only one grandson as blood kin.
Yet in their final meeting, he hadn't mentioned the boy once.
Just asked him to look after Zhongnan.
What exactly did that mean?
He didn't know.
If you were gonna die like that, at least spell it out properly.
A thick smile curled Ha Mu-baek's lips.
"Anyway, skip the boring preamble. When's the spar?"
Ha Mu-baek asked Joo Jae-seung directly.
"Y-you arrogant—!"
"Rootless scum—!"
Some exploded in fury at his words and demeanor.
How dare he speak to Great Zhongnan's sect leader like that.
Ha Mu-baek ignored them, eyes fixed on Joo Jae-seung.
Anger clouded the sect leader's face.
Furious that some mere Dragon Training Pavilion instructor would act this way.
His gaze shifted to Baek Ri-pyeong.
"Right now."
A killing-intent laced reply.
His eyes on Baek Ri-pyeong brimmed with murder.
"Perfect."
Ha Mu-baek smiled again.
But this smile dripped with killing intent too.
"Everyone, to the main training ground!"
At Joo Jae-seung's shout, Zhongnan disciples surged forward.
Ha Mu-baek followed.
Baek Ri-pyeong's expression grew rigid.
Soon, they reached the main training ground.
Joo Si-woon took position in the center, sword in hand.
"Come out."
At Joo Si-woon's shout, Baek Ri-pyeong glanced at Ha Mu-baek, then stepped forward.