Chapter 222

Runan was a massive city situated at the foot of Mount Tianjung.

It was a city large enough to be compared to cities like Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan Province, or the nearby Kaifeng and Luoyang. In the southeastern part of Henan Province, no city could rival Runan.

Runan was a transportation hub, with a main road passing through it that connected the north and south of Henan Province. Because of this, hundreds of people stopped in Runan every day to relieve their travel fatigue.

As a place that attracted many outsiders, it inevitably developed a thriving scene of inns and red-light districts.

The red-light district was located near the area where the inns were clustered.

It was a place known as the Crossroads.

Centered around the intersecting main roads of the Crossroads, it was Runan’s most prosperous area, with inns, red-light districts, and various taverns packed together without an inch to spare.

Thanks to the rain the previous night, the sky looked exceptionally clear.

It was around sunset when Pyo Wol appeared at the Crossroads.

When he asked passersby for a place to stay, they pointed him to the Crossroads. Pyo Wol sought out the largest and most splendid inn at the Crossroads.

Although Pyo Wol disliked crowded places, for today at least, he wanted to rest in a place with proper facilities.

Fortunately, his pockets were full, having received a Gold Tael from Geum Usin.

The place Pyo Wol chose was called the Sinpung Inn.

The Sinpung Inn was the largest inn at the Crossroads. In addition to regular guest rooms, it also had quiet, separate annexes.

Pyo Wol rented an annex.

Renting the annex for a few days cost a considerable amount, but Pyo Wol didn’t mind.

“This is the place. It’s equipped with a well, a bathtub, and a kitchen, so you can take care of most things inside.”

“I’d like to take a bath. Is that possible?”

Pyo Wol took out three Copper Coins from his pouch. The Waiter quickly snatched them and said.

“Of course. If you wait just a moment, I’ll heat some water and fill the tub for you.”

“And buy me some clothes I can wear.”

“Yes!”

When Pyo Wol gave him more money, the Waiter, excited, ran outside.

Pyo Wol sat on the wooden bench for a moment and looked around.

A high wall surrounded it, providing freedom from outside gazes, and it even had a separate stable. Since the horse Pyo Wol had ridden was kept in the stable, it seemed unlikely that it would be absurdly swapped out like last time.

A short while later, the Waiter came to inform him that the bathtub was filled with water.

Pyo Wol took off all his clothes and got into the tub.

As he soaked his body in the warm water, a languor spread through him, and it felt as if all his accumulated fatigue was melting away.

Pyo Wol submerged himself up to his neck and closed his eyes.

Suddenly, the memory of Mount Wudang came to mind.

The fight with Gu Jin-wang had been tough, but he hadn’t felt afraid.

Gu Jin-wang was a supreme master whose fame resounded throughout Jianghu. It was only natural that he possessed such martial prowess. Pyo Wol had been mentally prepared for it.

But Ilgeom Jin-in was different.

Although he was the previous generation’s greatest sword of Wudang, he had not been active in Jianghu and was an almost forgotten figure.

Such retired individuals were often referred to as “old men in the back room,” but Ilgeom Jin-in was not someone who could be disparaged with such a vulgar expression.

Although his physical abilities might have waned, his Internal Energy, experience, and enlightenment in Martial Arts were more than enough to compensate for his aging body.

‘If I meet him again, will I be able to face him?’

The encounter with Ilgeom Jin-in had reawakened Pyo Wol’s vigilance.

He had thought he had reached a certain level where he feared no one, but the meeting with Ilgeom Jin-in had shattered that confidence completely.

He had never believed the saying that Jianghu was vast and that eccentrics and masters were as numerous as grains of sand, but now he had no choice but to believe it.

The encounter with Ilgeom Jin-in had greatly broadened Pyo Wol’s perspective and way of thinking. And it had made him realize that he should not be satisfied with his current achievements.

He had to become stronger.

So that he would not feel fear when he met Ilgeom Jin-in again.

Pyo Wol submerged himself until only his eyes were visible, his nose and lips under the water. His appearance was reminiscent of a snake coiled in the water.

Pyo Wol organized his thoughts like that in the water.

It was almost a full Shichen later when he finished his bath and came out.

The once-hot water had already grown cold, and the night air had dropped noticeably. But Pyo Wol did not feel the cold.

He had already reached a state impervious to heat and cold, but after drinking the pine blossom wine on Mount Wudang, his body had become completely unable to feel the cold.

A mirror for women was hanging in the annex.

Pyo Wol sat naked in front of the mirror.

A man more beautiful than a woman was looking back at him from the other side.

Flawless, smooth, and snow-white skin, a soft facial line contrasted by dark, distinct eyebrows, and eyes so deep one could not fathom their end.

After staring at his own face for a while, Pyo Wol picked up the comb placed in front of the mirror and began to comb his hair.

Swish, swish!

His already black hair gained a lustrous sheen.

Pyo Wol swept all of his neatly combed hair back and tied it tightly with a prepared string. His face was completely revealed.

After washing and grooming himself, his already beautiful face seemed to even exude a Cursed energy.

Pyo Wol stood up and walked to the door.

In front of the door was a set of blue top and bottom clothes, neatly folded, that the Waiter had bought.

The material wasn’t of the best quality, but it fit Pyo Wol’s body perfectly, as if it had been tailored for him.

Pyo Wol put on the top and bottom, and finally, he draped the Dark Dragon Robe over himself.

The previous night, rainwater had flooded in, soaking the Dark Dragon Robe. But as he traveled to Runan, it had dried in the sun, becoming like new again.

Pyo Wol felt a renewed sense of gratitude towards Tang Sochu, who had made the Dark Dragon Robe for him. Thanks to it, he didn’t have to worry much about the wind and rain.

Pyo Wol went to the stable attached to one side of the annex.

The horse seemed to be in quite good condition, perhaps because he had told the Waiter to feed it plenty of beans and oats.

Pyo Wol patted the horse’s neck and said.

“You’ve worked hard. Rest now.”

The horse seemed to understand Pyo Wol’s words and wagged its tail.

Pyo Wol left the annex and headed for the first-floor dining hall of the inn.

He hadn’t had a proper meal for the past few days. He wasn’t a picky eater, nor did he have a large appetite, but he still longed for a proper meal.

Quite a few people were gathered on the first floor, eating.

Pyo Wol found a suitable spot and sat down.

A Waiter quickly ran over and asked.

“Will you be having a meal?”

“Yes! Bring me something simple to eat.”

“And to drink?”

“That’s fine.”

“Yes! Please wait just a moment.”

The Waiter replied cheerfully and ran to the kitchen.

He was in a good mood, having received a considerable amount of money for running a few errands.

There were many people on the first floor of the inn, but not a single one of them looked at Pyo Wol.

Thanks to that, Pyo Wol was able to enjoy his time alone.

A short while later, the Waiter brought his meal.

The food looked quite neat, suggesting the cook was skilled.

Pyo Wol picked up his chopsticks and savored the food little by little. All the dishes suited Pyo Wol’s palate perfectly.

Pyo Wol pulled his scarf down slightly and began to eat in earnest.

It was while he was so engrossed in his meal.

Suddenly, the inn’s door opened and a new guest entered.

At that moment, people’s gazes focused on the guest. It was because the new guest was a woman.

The woman’s face looked ordinary. But the more one looked, the more it had a charm that captivated one’s gaze. Because of that, many people couldn’t take their eyes off her and stared.

The woman looked around the inn for a moment.

Suddenly, a strange light flickered in her eyes.

Her gaze was fixed on Pyo Wol, who was eating alone. Pyo Wol also raised his head and looked at her.

Their gazes met in mid-air.

In that instant, a smile spread across the woman’s eyes.

The people around who saw her smiling eyes were mesmerized. When she smiled with her eyes, the woman’s appearance suddenly blossomed with radiance.

The woman walked gracefully like a butterfly and approached Pyo Wol. Seeing this, a few men wore expressions of jealousy.

The woman spoke to Pyo Wol.

“I didn’t expect to see you here again. May I sit?”

“Do as you please.”

“Thank you.”

The woman sat down opposite Pyo Wol.

She rested her chin on both hands and stared intently at Pyo Wol’s face. Her appearance was incredibly lovely.

“You’re wearing the scarf again. Can’t you just take it down?”

Although he had lowered it slightly around his nose and mouth to eat, the scarf still covered a significant portion of Pyo Wol’s face. Because of this, the people in the inn had not yet seen Pyo Wol’s true face.

The woman carefully reached out her hand.

Her long, white, slender fingers touched the scarf. Still, Pyo Wol did not move.

The woman carefully pulled down Pyo Wol’s scarf. His face was completely revealed.

Sighs of resentful admiration erupted from the men here and there.

In contrast, the woman smiled brightly.

“As expected, you’re handsome.”

She seemed genuinely happy to have met Pyo Wol again. But unlike her smiling face, her eyes were as cold as ice.

“I had quite a hard time because of you. I never thought the Wudang Sect Taoists would come in Pursuit.”

“Still, you managed to Escape without getting caught.”

“The Taoists’ Martial Arts were formidable, but their Pursuit skills were nothing special.”

“Is the name Hong Ye-seol an alias?”

“Of course not. It’s the real name my parents gave me.”

The woman smiled gently.

She was Hong Ye-seol, the one who had stolen the Devil Subduing Energy Art from the Wudang Sect’s Secret Depot.

Hong Ye-seol had dreamed of a perfect crime, but because of Pyo Wol, her identity was exposed, and she had to face the pursuit of Sangjin Jin-in and the Seven Swords of Wudang.

If it weren’t for the Stealth Skill she had mastered since childhood, she might have become a cold corpse and wolf food by now.

Although she was an Assassin who had reached the highest level, Sangjin Jin-in was not an opponent she could face head-on and win against. And to top it off, the Seven Swords of Wudang had joined him.

It was a fight with no chance of victory from the start.

The absurdity she felt when she first encountered them was beyond words.

At that time, Sangjin Jin-in had casually mentioned Pyo Wol’s name, muttering, ‘I didn’t think that guy’s words would be right.’ That’s how she learned that Pyo Wol had told the Wudang Sect about her Feint Attack plan.

“I never thought I’d meet you again in this distant place after Mount Wudang. At this point, isn’t this fate?”

“A twisted fate, perhaps?”

“Is there a need to take such extreme sides? You know it too. In Jianghu, there are no eternal enemies or allies. I think we could get along well.”

“Why do you think so?”

“Because I’ve looked into you. The Reaper, that’s what they call you in Chengdu, right?”

For the first time, Pyo Wol’s pupils wavered.

“You must have been busy with your Escape, yet you found out quite a lot.”

“I have helpers.”

“You mean the Hundred Wraith Union?”

This time, Hong Ye-seol’s eyes widened.

“Because only the Hundred Wraith Union would possess that level of Killing Method, Stealth Skill, and intelligence network.”

“Hohoho! You’re as brilliant as they say. I didn’t fully believe the report, but I guess the other details must be correct too.”

Hong Ye-seol let out a coquettish laugh.

“What else was written in the report?”

“It says you might be involved in Baek-rok’s disappearance.”

“Baek-rok?”

“His Assassin skills weren’t that great, but his poison techniques were outstanding, so he was quite competent. Some of the poison techniques I use, I learned from him. We confirmed that he entered Sichuan Province alone on a commission, but at some point, his whereabouts became unknown. So, my superiors are speculating that he might have been done in by you. Is that true?”

“Who knows!”

“You don’t have to be so guarded. I didn’t particularly like Baek-rok. The fact that he’s dead is no reason for me to be wary of you.”

“It seems there’s no affection between colleagues.”

“Hoho! Who cares about affection these days? We’re together because it’s profitable. Should I be angry that he was killed by you? He died because he lacked ability, and that’s the fate of an incompetent Assassin.”

Hong Ye-seol giggled again.

“Was the Hundred Wraith Union that kind of place?”

“Isn’t that just how the world is?”

Hong Ye-seol retorted instead.

“Cold.”

“Hoho! I really didn’t expect to hear those words from your mouth. The one who caused the Blood Mist of Chengdu talking about being cold. Weren’t you the coldest of them all?”

Pyo Wol sensed that his identity had become known to the world. But he was not flustered.

The Blood Mist of Chengdu was not an incident that could be completely covered up. On top of that, he had dealt with quite a few people on his way to Mount Wudang.

It was more than enough time for his identity to be exposed.

By now, ordinary people might not know, but it was safe to assume that any Sect with a decent intelligence network had figured out who Pyo Wol was.

Pyo Wol completely removed his scarf.

There was no longer any reason to hide his face.

Hong Ye-seol smiled sweetly.

“That looks much better. Keep it that way from now on. To keep such a face tightly wrapped up is a sin against all the women in the world. And to me as well… By any chance, are you interested in joining the Hundred Wraith Union? Thanks to you, there’s a vacant spot…”