Chapter 321

Pyo Wol left Haimen.

For Tarha and Yul Ayeon to establish themselves in Haimen, they had to bring down the Sea Dragon Clan.

The Sea Dragon Clan was the powerhouse of Haimen, by no means an easy opponent. But Tarha didn’t look particularly worried.

This was because she already commanded the Crimson Sword Society as if they were her own limbs and was confident she could handle the martial artists of the Sea Dragon Clan even if they came at her all at once.

Even though Pyo Wol didn’t help, neither Tarha nor Yul Ayeon felt resentful.

Settling in Haimen was their business, not Pyo Wol’s.

They thought it was far too shameless to expect help based on a brief connection. If they had decided to settle here, they had to do it with their own strength.

And they possessed more than enough capability for that.

Yul Ayeon watched Pyo Wol leave with a regretful expression, but that was all.

She had much to do from now on.

While Tarha taught Tae Musang and Geom-yeon, it was her role to firmly take control of the Crimson Sword Society and fight the Sea Dragon Clan.

Her martial prowess had already been proven on the Phantom Ship Fleet’s vessel. Although her skills were halved due to the unfamiliar environment of a swaying ship, she had not fallen behind against Jin Yugeon and his subordinates.

She was more than capable of standing against the Sea Dragon Clan.

There was no reason for him to remain in Haimen just to help someone who was perfectly capable.

Pyo Wol left Haimen and headed south.

He didn’t have a particular destination in mind.

For the time being, he planned to just wander All Under Heaven, wherever his feet took him.

He was at odds with the Nine Dragons Assassination Guild, but he had no intention of wasting his youth and all his time chasing them.

They were the ones in a hurry, not him.

As long as Pyo Wol acted like a thorn in their side, they would eventually approach him to eliminate him. He planned to roam All Under Heaven while waiting for that time.

Wandering through the various corners of the world would broaden his horizons, and he might even stumble upon an unexpected clue.

After leaving Haimen, the place Pyo Wol arrived at was Tai Lake.

Tai Lake was a massive lake located several hundred li south of Haimen.

It was so vast that people coming to Tai Lake for the first time often mistook it for the sea. Pyo Wol himself would have made the same mistake if he hadn’t heard about Tai Lake in Haimen beforehand.

Within Tai Lake, there were as many as forty-eight islands, large and small, and the mountain peaks surrounding the islands and the lake numbered seventy-two.

With its beautiful scenery and abundant fish resources, its seafood cuisine was well-developed. Countless restaurants lined the lakeside, and Tai Lake was a place where the footsteps of visitors seeking fine dining never ceased.

Tai Lake was also the first place where foreign goods that came through Haimen were distributed. Because of this, the people of Tai Lake wore much more refined clothing and accessories than people from other regions.

As soon as he entered Tai Lake, Pyo Wol changed his Dark Dragon Robe to a brilliant red one. This was so he would attract less attention.

Not that it could completely block people’s notice. His striking appearance was bound to stand out anywhere.

Still, because his face and attire were so high-grade, people didn’t dare to speak to him carelessly.

Pyo Wol led his horse and walked down the main street.

Numerous stalls lined the bustling street.

There were places selling cloth and stalls selling accessories. But the most common stalls were, of course, those selling food.

The freshly made dishes using fish caught right from Tai Lake were truly exquisite. Delicious smells wafted from every stall, tempting the passing pedestrians.

Pyo Wol went to a stall run by an old woman.

Despite her hunched back and a face full of wrinkles, unable to overcome the flow of time, the old woman wore a bright smile.

When Pyo Wol tied his horse to one side and approached, the old woman greeted him.

“Welcome! Have a seat.”

As Pyo Wol nodded and sat down, the old woman immediately started preparing food.

The dish the old woman sold was Ojo Noodles.

It was a noodle dish topped with duck meat, mainly eaten in the nearby Kunshan region.

Since she only sold Ojo Noodles, she started making the dish without even asking what he wanted to eat.

Pyo Wol watched the old woman in silence.

The old woman whipped up a bowl of Ojo Noodles in an instant.

“It’s best when you eat it before it gets cold.”

The old woman said with a smile.

Although she had lost all her front teeth to the passage of time, she didn’t look ridiculous at all. Rather, her appearance felt even more heartwarming.

Pyo Wol nodded and picked up the wooden chopsticks.

First, he stirred the noodles with the wooden chopsticks, then lifted the bowl to his lips and drank the broth. The rich broth flowed down his esophagus, warming his stomach.

The noodles he tasted next were also incredibly chewy. It felt as if each and every strand of noodle was vividly alive.

Thanks to that, his mouth was delighted.

The food he had eaten in Haimen wasn’t bad, but it hadn’t given Pyo Wol this level of satisfaction.

Pyo Wol was wary of greasy food and tended to eat small portions. Yet, the Ojo Noodles, which the old woman seemed to have made casually, completely captured his palate.

It was while Pyo Wol was in the middle of deliciously eating his Ojo Noodles.

“Is that good?”

Suddenly, a woman’s voice came from his side.

When Pyo Wol turned his head, a beautiful woman who appeared to be in her mid-twenties was looking at him.

Her expression and gaze, as cold as a sheet of ice, gave off an immense sense of pressure. The scarf around her neck, which seemed to be made from the fur of a marten, added to her intimidating aura.

Around the woman were several men who appeared to be escorting martial artists. They were glaring at Pyo Wol with expressions that said they wouldn’t let him get away with any tricks.

Pyo Wol paid them no mind and spoke to the woman.

“It suits my taste.”

“Is that so? Then please give me a bowl too.”

The woman sat down in the seat next to Pyo Wol.

Being a street stall, the chair was uncomfortable, but the woman didn’t seem to mind.

Unlike how she treated Pyo Wol, the old woman hurriedly made the Ojo Noodles. It seemed she knew the woman’s identity.

The old woman offered the hastily made Ojo Noodles to the woman.

“Enjoy your meal, Miss!”

“Thank you.”

The woman, just as Pyo Wol had done, stirred the noodles with her chopsticks, then lifted the bowl and tasted the broth.

“It’s delicious. I was just passing by, and you were eating with such relish that I suddenly felt hungry too. If I had known it was this good, I would have bought it often.”

“You seem to live here?”

It was then.

“Watch your mouth.”

“How dare you speak to the Miss.”

The escorting martial artists standing behind her barked in fierce voices. Their intervention made the woman’s expression distort slightly.

Thak!

She put down her chopsticks and looked at the escorting martial artists.

“Who told you to step forward so recklessly?”

“Miss! We were just, for your sake…”

“Is threatening the person next to me for my sake?”

“I… apologize.”

In the end, the escorting martial artists shut their mouths. But their faces were filled with dissatisfaction. They glared at Pyo Wol with menacing eyes.

The will to not let him get away with any funny business was vividly conveyed through their gazes.

The woman apologized to Pyo Wol.

“I’m sorry. The escorting martial artists were recently changed, and their loyalty is so excessive it’s causing problems. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive them.”

“Must be tough.”

“Well, it’ll be resolved soon.”

The woman deftly ate her Ojo Noodles with her chopsticks.

Pyo Wol also slurped down the rest of his Ojo Noodles.

He had only eaten one bowl, but his stomach felt full and satisfied.

Pyo Wol placed two copper coins on the table and stood up.

“Oh my! One coin is enough…”

Though she said that, the old woman put both coins in her pocket and smiled.

As Pyo Wol was about to leave, the woman, still holding her bowl, called out to him.

“Excuse me.”

“…”

“What’s your name?”

“Pyo Wol!”

“That’s a good name. My name is Jo Yuseol.”

“…”

“Just thought you should know.”

Jo Yuseol gave Pyo Wol a slight nod.

Pyo Wol looked at her face for a moment before leading his horse away from the stall.

After he disappeared, one of the escorting martial artists cautiously spoke to Jo Yuseol.

“His appearance is suspicious. I fear that the fact you spoke with such a person will become known to the Young Master.”

“Hmph! And you’re not the ones who would tell him?”

“That is a misunderstanding.”

“We’ll see later. Whether it’s a simple misunderstanding, or the real thing…”

“…”

The escorting martial artist couldn’t say anything and clamped his mouth shut.

Jo Yuseol paid no attention to the escorting martial artist and started to eat her Ojo Noodles deliciously again.

Slurp!

＊＊＊

Pyo Wol took a room in a large inn right next to Tai Lake.

When he opened the window, the entire scenery of Tai Lake came into view at a glance.

Countless boats floated on the lake, as vast as the sea. Most were fishing boats, and among them were also boats launched by those leisurely enjoying the water.

The weather was clear and there was no wind, making it the perfect environment for boating.

Pyo Wol lay down on the bed with the window wide open. Then Ghost Fang, which had been quietly coiled on his forearm until now, slithered down onto the bed.

For a while, Ghost Fang roamed the bed as if it were its own home, then disappeared into a crack in the wall. Pyo Wol wasn’t worried, though.

He knew that it would roam freely like that and return when the time came.

As Pyo Wol expected, Ghost Fang returned after half a shichen.

Its belly was bulging, as if it had caught and eaten something.

Climbing onto the bed, Ghost Fang weaved between Pyo Wol’s fingers. Pyo Wol smiled at the cold sensation he felt each time Ghost Fang’s scales brushed against him.

Pyo Wol raised his hand and met Ghost Fang’s eyes.

Pyo Wol was reflected in its jewel-like, crimson pupils.

Meeting Ghost Fang had been a coincidence, but now they had reached a state where their minds were connected.

Just by looking at it, he felt he knew what Ghost Fang was thinking. The same was true for Ghost Fang.

After rubbing its small face against Pyo Wol’s cheek, Ghost Fang returned to his forearm and coiled up.

Pyo Wol stroked Ghost Fang for a moment, then left the room.

The sun had not yet set. Staying in the room like this was a waste of time.

Pyo Wol had a habit of familiarizing himself with the geography of an area by wandering around on the first day of his arrival, no matter the region.

It was a survival habit ingrained in his body.

Pyo Wol wandered through every nook and cranny of Tai Lake’s streets.

After walking for a long time, Pyo Wol arrived at a workshop district filled with the smell of iron.

The workshop alley was located on the outskirts of Tai Lake.

Presumably, it was formed in a place away from the bustling areas where many people lived, due to the strong smell of iron and the heat.

Quite a few people were walking around the workshop district.

Most of them were martial artists wearing weapons.

The martial artists visited the workshops to buy weapons or to have their own weapons repaired.

Pyo Wol had already maintained his Ghostly Rain, so he had no reason to enter a workshop. Yet, Pyo Wol couldn’t just pass by the workshop district.

Even if he didn’t need anything right away, he never knew what kind of object he might discover while looking around each workshop.

After all, the Ghostly Rain was an item he had obtained in such a way.

Although Tang Sochu had later made him a new one, he had found it in a workshop and used it well.

Pyo Wol entered the workshops one by one, looking at the weapons displayed on the stands.

The variety of weapons was diverse.

From swords and sabers to Emei daggers and Judge’s pens, it seemed as if every weapon that existed in the Jianghu was here. But no weapon existed that could meet Pyo Wol’s high standards.

The skill level of the craftsmen was also ordinary.

If Tang Sochu had been here, he probably would have cursed out all the craftsmen. He would have said their fundamentals were lacking.

Pyo Wol was not Tang Sochu, but his eye for weapons was even better. It was probably because he used them himself.

‘Trash!’

Pyo Wol sighed and entered the last workshop. But the atmosphere here was different from the others.

It was significantly larger than the other workshops, and the interior was neatly organized.

Not only that, but the quality of the weapons displayed on the stands was also quite high.

The condition of the iron was top-notch, and the balance of the weapons was also good.

The prices were also on the cheaper side.

Suddenly, a bundle of Feather Needles caught Pyo Wol’s eye.

They were named Feather Needles because they were said to be as thin as a cow’s hair.

They were light enough to be scattered by the wind, but so difficult to use that almost no martial artist actually used Feather Needles.

It was when Pyo Wol was examining the Feather Needles closely.

“Do you like them? I made them.”

Suddenly, a voice came from his side.

Turning his head, he saw a boy in his late teens looking at him.

Burn marks were clearly visible on his forearms where his sleeves were rolled up. Not only that, but there were also traces of burns on parts of his face.

“Did you say you made these?”

“Yes! I made them. You’re the first customer to show interest in that item.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes!”

“What is your name?”

“Do Yeon-san! I am Do-je Do Yeon-san of the Iron Mountain Workshop.”

“Iron Mountain Workshop?”

“Yes! We have inherited the secret transmissions of the Tang Clan.”